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This is NWPB Weekly News Now.

I'm Tracci Dial.

Some PeaceHealth staffers aren't able to use some of their own health benefits, or they're facing very long waits.

PeaceHealth is a private, not-for-profit Catholic health organization.

It has five hospitals in Washington and some in Oregon and Alaska.

Last September, the company let employees know it was creating a customized insurance plan with Moda Health.

That new plan has been in effect since the first of the year.

It's missing things like the Family HealthCare Network, which isn't explicitly covered.

The network includes seven practices and an urgent care clinic.

“It's like PeaceHealth didn't hear us.

They didn't hear people say, ‘we want our family care people back and they've gone ahead and completely disregarded that.” That was Jen Hampton.

She's a nurse for PeaceHealth in Bellingham.

You can read and listen to more of the staffers concerns at NWPB.org.

Some retirees could see thousands of dollars in back pay following the new Social Security Fairness Act.

Before President Trump's inauguration, former President Joe Biden signed the act into law at the start of the year.

It repeals two provisions that had lowered Social Security benefits for public sector retirees.

Here's Monika Christensen, the president of the Wenatchee Education Association.

“Whether theyre firefighters or policemen or teachers, it's going to allow them to actually retire with dignity and be able to pay health care without having to scrimp and save every single dime that they can.” A day after Biden signed the law, the Social Security Administration said it's evaluating how to implement the act.

No word yet.

We'll share updates when we get them on the air and online.

Well, dry January is on its last drop.

The popular start to the new year for many is a break from drinking alcohol.

So how does that look in the wine town of Walla Walla?

Pretty much the same.

But at The Thief, a downtown bottle shop, a recent tasting offered non-alcoholic options: a rosé, a white, and even an espresso martini.

We talked to Cia Cortinas Road.

She runs a blog called Zero Proof Walla Walla.

“If you don't have elevated alcohol-free options.

You're kind of the person on the outside now.” Non-alcoholic drink sales rose more than 30% between 2023 and 2024.

That's data from Nielsen IQ, a marketing research firm.

And dry January isn't just a trend, but a good idea.

The surgeon general recently sent out an advisory linking alcohol to cancer risk.

You'll find more articles, events and music at NWPB.org.

You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

I'm Tracci Dial.

Thanks for joining us.