PNW
What's happening in the Pacific Northwest? For information and details regarding Northwest news, see our articles below.
WA Majority Leader apologizes for being intoxicated during budget hearing
(The Center Square) - House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle, admits he was intoxicated during a Hou…
Bill targets use of pill presses to make counterfeit drugs
OLYMPIA – A bill targeting people using pill presses to make fake pills that contain controlled substances had an executive session this week in the Washington…
Farming still crucial to Basin employment
MOSES LAKE — Despite the rise of manufacturing in the Columbia Basin, farming is still the base for all economic activity in the region. “I think about the …
Sales tax exemption for seniors’ meals passes WA House
OLYMPIA – Washington House Bill 1431, sponsored by Rep. Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham), would provide a sales tax relief for residents of senior living communities…
USDA grants aim to help plan and prevent wildfires
ASHLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Forest Service announced it is giving nearly $25 million in grants to help plan for and prevent wildfires across Washington, according to a USFS press release. The grants are part of the F…
Search leads to catalytic converter seizure
KENNEWICK — Hundreds of catalytic converters were seized from a Kennewick business a day after the search of a Moses Lake business and home by officers with th…
Big Bend looks to increase Mattawa offerings
MOSES LAKE — Big Bend Community College is looking at expanding the college’s offerings in Mattawa, according to President Sara Thompson Tweedy during a meetin…
Newhouse hears from Central WA constituents about priorities for Farm Bill
BENTON CITY – Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Yakima, held three roundtable discussions in Central Washington this week to discuss priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill from …
State wealth tax bill garners support in WA Senate hearing
OLYMPIA – A bill currently before the Washington State Senate would levy a special wealth tax on financial assets with an assessed value of more than $250 million. “We have an upside-down tax code that’s deeply …
WA Senate passes bill to create battery recycling program
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Legislature is looking at a measure that legislators hope will increase battery recycling in the state. “We know that the use of batteries will continue to increase and it’s urgent…
Safety concern: Adams Co. Jail in need of repairs, staffing to reopen
RITZVILLE — Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said the situation facing Adams County in its efforts to reopen and maintain the county jail is not unique. “Th…
WA Senate passes police pursuit bill
OLYMPIA – Senate Bill 5352, a bill related to vehicular pursuits, passed the State Senate floor last week and moved on to the House. Local police and legislato…
‘The very concerned zone’
MOSES LAKE — It’s Moses Lake Municipal Services Director Kirk Holmes’ job to make sure that everyone in Moses Lake has enough water to drink. Making sure th…
WSU women earn No. 5 seed in NCAA Tournament
PULLMAN – After winning the Pac-12 Tournament for the first time in program history, the Washington State women’s basketball team earned a No. 5 seed in the 20…
Task force on missing indigenous women proposed to continue
OLYMPIA — A state task force on missing indigenous women, created in 2021, will be extended at least two more years if a Senate-passed bill is approved by the …
Catalytic converter theft bill gets hearing
OLYMPIA — A bill to combat catalytic converter theft in Washington moves forward today with a hearing in the Senate Law and Justice Committee, according to a s…