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Ruby de Luna

Reporter

About

Ruby de Luna is a reporter with a focus on food and how it intersects with health, communities, and culture. She has also reported on health care and immigrant communities.

Ruby is a transplant from Taipei, Taiwan. She holds a B.A. in communication from Seattle Pacific University. She is proud to be one of the few old-schoolers who can edit tape with a razor blade.

Location: Seattle

Languages: English, Conversational Mandarin, Tagalog

Pronouns: she/her

Professional Affiliations: Member, AAJA

Stories

  • Next Question For Washington Health Exchange: How To Pay For It

    Next fall Washington’s health exchange is expected to be up and running. The exchange is an online market for health plans, mandated by the federal Affordable Care Act. Right now the state's Health Exchange Board is trying to figure out how to pay for itself.

  • caption: Suzan DelBene talking to supporters at the Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland.

    DelBene Wins Race For U.S. House

    Democrat Suzan DelBene beat Republican John Koster in the congressional race for the newly drawn 1st District. Election returns show DelBene ahead in three of the four counties.

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    Washington Cheesemaker Banned From Interstate Sales

    A federal court judge has barred local cheese maker Estrella Creamery of Montesano in Grays Harbor County from selling its products outside of Washington.Last week Federal District Court Judge Benjamin Settle  signed the order barring Estrella Creamery from interstate sales. It also authorized the FDA to inspect the facility in the future to insure the company is in compliance.      Pete Kennedy is a lawyer with the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, the group representing the Estrellas. He says the Estrellas want to get back into the cheese business, but they should be operating under rules set by the state, not the FDA.“The Estrellas are getting their ingredients from within the state of Washington and they’re also selling the finished product only within the state of Washington," said Kennedy. "So this is really an operation the FDA should not have jurisdiction over.”  The troubles began for the Estrella Family Creamery more than two years ago. That’s when state inspectors found listeria in the creamery’s production areas. There were no illnesses reported or linked to the cheese. The owners destroyed all contaminated cheese and closed the facility to fix the problem.  A few months later the FDA conducted its own inspection and found more bacteria. The agency requested that Estrella recall all of its products. The company refused. In October 2010, the US Marshall seized all of Estrella’s cheese products.   Under the court order, the Estrellas must pay the government costs and fees related to the seizure.
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    Tacoma Public Housing To Become Smoke-Free

    Tacoma’s public housing is becoming completely smoke-free.  Right now residents can’t smoke in common areas.  But beginning March 1, 2013 residents won’t be allowed to smoke in their apartments.  The ban also includes outdoor areas like patios and balconies. The agency’s executive director says the decision was driven by health concerns from secondhand smoke and fire risks.  There are financial costs, too.  The price of insurance and clean-up are expensive.  The agency has also teamed up with the local health department and with Tobacco Free Alliance of Pierce County to offer help to residents who want to quit smoking.The Tacoma Housing Authority joins other public housing agencies around the country to ban smoking.  Seattle Housing Authority’s no-smoking policy took effect in February.

  • Washington State To Cover Autism Therapy For Medicaid Kids

    Low-income parents will soon have a way to get treatment for their children with autism. Starting in January, Washington state will cover applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for kids with Medicaid coverage. The new benefit is part of a legal settlement between the state and a local advocacy group for children with autism.

  • How Will The Next Washington Governor Shape Medicaid?

    Whoever is elected as governor this fall could change the course of Washington state's Medicaid program. When the US Supreme Court ruled on the Affordable Care Act in June, it determined that the law went too far when it required states to expand Medicaid. The ruling left it up to states to decide whether or not to open up the program to cover people without insurance.

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    Washington Unveils New Name For Health Insurance Marketplace

    Washington’s Health Exchange now has a formal name. It’s called “Washingtonhealthplanfinder.” The online program was designed to help people shop for individual or small group coverage. It will allow them to compare plans, and to see if they qualify for financial assistance. But it’s not live yet. The site is still under construction.  State officials hope to have the program up and running by next fall. They’re still deciding what kinds of plans will be sold.You can follow the Exchange's progress, and learn more about it.