Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Today is the final day to file in Grant County
EPHRATA — Grant County’s candidate filing week is underway, with several candidates submitting paperwork for local…
More COVID state shutdowns unlikely, despite CDC suggestion
When one of the nation's top health officials this week suggested states dealing with a spring spike of coronavirus cases should “shut things down,” the remark landed with a thud.
Biden says pause on J&J shots shows gov't putting safety 1st
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign hit a snag when federal regulators recommended a “pause” in administering Johnson & Johnson shots. But the White House portrayed the action as i…
Biden to address joint session of Congress on April 28
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will address a joint session of Congress for the first time on April 28.
Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala deploy troops to lower migration
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has struck an agreement with Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala to temporarily surge security forces to their borders in an effort to reduce the tide of migration to the U.S. …
Biden wants infrastructure deal, but GOP doubts persist
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden wants Congress to know he's sincere about cutting a deal on infrastructure, but Republican lawmakers have deep-seated doubts about the scope of his proposed package, its tax hi…
US to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on America that were coordinated from that country, several U.S. offic…
Slew of police reform bills headed to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk
SEATTLE (AP) — As Washington lawmakers began wrapping up their work on an ambitious package of police accountability legislation in the past week, reminders of the cause were not hard to come by.
Audit: Unemployment fraud likely higher than $647 million
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The amount of fraudulent payments of unemployment benefits distributed in Washington state during the height of the coronavirus pandemic was likely higher than the $647 million identified by t…
FBI-led task force created to fight Portland gun violence
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A new FBI-led task force will work with police in Portland, Oregon, to build cases against people responsible for an increase in shootings.
Washington state prisoners released after drug law is voided
SEATTLE (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee has commuted the sentences of more than a dozen drug offenders in the past few days, freeing them from prison as Washington's legal system struggles with the fallout from a court ruli…
Florida to close wastewater reservoir with leak history
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida is moving to permanently close the leaky Piney Point wastewater reservoir that poured millions of gallons of water into Tampa Bay while threatening to burst open and flood nearby…
Europe scrambles as J&J vaccine delay deals another blow
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — European countries diverged Wednesday on whether they would push ahead with giving their residents Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine after reports of very rare blood clots in a handful of…
Tensions rise in water battle along Oregon-California line
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — One of the worst droughts in memory in a massive agricultural region straddling the California-Oregon border could mean steep cuts to irrigation water for hundreds of farmers this summer to su…
Stinging report raises new questions about Capitol security
WASHINGTON (AP) — Shields that shattered upon impact. Weapons too old to use. Missed intelligence in which future insurrectionists warned, “We get our president or we die."
Russia says troop buildup near Ukraine is a response to NATO
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's defense minister said Tuesday that the country's massive military buildup in the west was part of readiness drills amid what he described as threats from NATO.