PNW
What's happening in the Pacific Northwest? For information and details regarding Northwest news, see our articles below.
Washington voted to lift natural gas restrictions, but will the changes stick?
OLYMPIA — Of the four initiatives that were on the Washington ballot this year, only one passed, and it’s one that…
Washington AG candidates talk public safety, immigration at WSU forum
(The Center Square) – The three candidates vying to be Washington state's next attorney general laid out their positions Tuesday night at Washington State Univ…
Public school enrollment declining in WA, across the nation as spending increases
(The Center Square) – A new report finds public school enrollment is declining in America's most populous cities, even as staffing levels and spending have inc…
Fruit grower fined for Othello trench collapse incident
TUMWATER — Wenatchee-based fruit company Stemilt has been fined $353,000 for safety violations that led to a worker being buried and injured in a trench collap…
Gas prices dropping as summer approaches
(The Center Square) – Fuel prices typically surge as summer approaches because of supply and demand. Higher temperatures – along with kids being home from sch…
Law enforcement prioritizing safety after pursuit restrictions lift
EPHRATA – As of June 6, Initiative 2113 took effect and walked back restrictions on when law enforcement can pursue suspects that were set by legislation passe…
Basin libraries begin summer programs
MOSES LAKE — Heading into summer, Mid-Columbia Libraries and NCW Libraries have already begun implementing their summer reading programs, providing an opportun…
Audit: 11 Washington agencies potentially mishandled $1.17B in COVID aid
(The Center Square) – A new report from the Washington State Auditor’s Office found a record 86 issues with how 11 state agencies spent federal COVID-19 aid, n…
FIRE REPORT: Pioneer, Cold Creek fires increase
MOSES LAKE — The Pioneer Fire on the shore of Lake Chelan about 30 miles northwest of Wenatchee had almost tripled in size Thursday, swelling from 600 acres to…
Court to hear legal challenge to new WA Parents Bill of Rights
(The Center Square) - A King County Superior Court judge will next week hear arguments in a lawsuit over the new parent’s bill of rights, adopted by lawmakers …
UW president to step down next year
SEATTLE — Ana Mari Cauce, who has served as president of the University of Washington for a decade, announced Wednesday that she’ll be stepping down at the end…
Major drought for Yakima Basin growers means paying more for irrigation water
(The Center Square) — A dismal snowpack for Washington this past winter spells a bleak water picture for much of the state. That has the Washington Departme…
Salmon, steelhead season extended on Columbia River
OLYMPIA — The recreational fishing season for salmon and steelhead on the Columbia River has been extended, including the section of river downstream from the Highway 395 bridge in Pasco.
New director appointed for WSU School of Hospitality and Business Management
PULLMAN - Jim Harbour, a career-track associate professor in the Carson College of Business, has been appointed director of the School of Hospitality Business …
WA child marriage ban now in effect
(The Center Square) – Washington is now the 11th state in the country to ban child marriages via a new law that went into effect on June 6 that makes it illegal for anyone under 18 to get married. House Bill 145…
Central WA vet's nonprofit ordered to pay $1.5M for sexual harassment
(The Center Square) - The owner of a small Washington-based veterans nonprofit is in hot water after a jury ordered on Thursday that he and the business pay ap…