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Washington snowpack up to near-normal after slow start
State officials say Washington is near normal levels of snowpack after one of the slowest starts in 30 years.
I-1639, federal changes reshape Washington’s gun-purchase background checks
With big changes coming to Washington’s firearms background-checks system, lawmakers and one law enforcement group are discussing how to adapt — and possibly reshape — the state’s complicated, sprawling system.
Tourist braves chilly Seattle lake to rescue seagull tangled in fishing line
A 17-year-old California tourist saved a seagull at Green Lake struggling while tangled in fishing line.
911 outage prompted Washington’s first statewide use of cellphone alert system
At around 11:30 Thursday night, people around Washington were jolted awake by their cellphones. The devices blared and vibrated, delivering an urgent 88-character message: “Widespread 911 outage in WA. In case of emergency, call local police or fire department.”
Renton post office renamed to honor Jimi Hendrix
Music icon Jimi Hendrix will now have a post office near his Washington state hometown named after him.
Sue Lani Madsen: Campaign season is over – sort of
The brief December interregnum is over. For political parties and elected officials, the end of one campaign means it’s time to launch the next. A dozen candidates have already filed with the Public Disclosure Commission for the 2019 municipal elections in Spokane County.
Cop nabs DUI driver on way to DUI award ceremony
East Wenatchee Police Officer Josh Virnig was driving to city hall on Dec. 14 to receive an award for proactive traffic enforcement when he saw a motorist swerving across the road.
Family, friends mourn Wapato woman who long sought answers in sister’s 1971 disappearance
For most of her life, Trudi Lee Clark wondered what happened to her sister, Janice Marie Hannigan. Lee Clark, whose search for her missing sister intensified after her parents passed away without answers, died early Dec. 23.
Moses Lake man caught with bomb-making materials said he wanted to ‘prove a point,’ court records say
Ryan S. Palmer, 39, allegedly told investigators he had toyed with the idea of blowing up an agricultural chemical plant where he used to work – just to “prove a point” – and invoked the name of the Oklahoma City bomber. A detective wrote that Palmer “had everything needed to make a functional fertilizer bomb.”
From duct-taped shoes to $11M: Washington man leaves surprise donations
Alan Naiman was known for an unabashed thriftiness that veered into comical, but even those closest to him had no inkling of the fortune that he quietly amassed and the last act that he had long planned.
Premiums for new paid family program start this week
Employers and employees in Washington state will start paying into a new paid family leave program next week, and benefits from the program will begin in 2020.
Police: Woman shot to death in possible murder-suicide
Authorities say a woman was shot to death and man was found dead in a possible suicide after a standoff southeast of Seattle in Covington.
Supreme Court rules against challenge to $232M youth jail
The Washington state Supreme Court has struck down a challenge by activists against a $232 million youth jail and courthouse that are under construction in Seattle.
Meeting set for Toppenish to address missing Native women
A second Yakima County meeting on missing Native women in Washington has been announced for early 2019.
Olympic Game Farm sued, accused of neglect
A popular drive-thru game farm in Sequim is being sued for allegedly violating federal and state endangered species laws with its confinement and neglect of protected animals.
Almost half of young voters who signed up in 2018 didn’t cast ballots
About half the young voters in Spokane County who registered in 2018 didn’t vote in the general election.
End of death penalty, new hockey team among top 2018 stories
The abolishment of the death penalty was voted the state’s top news story of 2018 by Associated Press staff and member editors. Other top news items of the past 12 months included the awarding of a new professional hockey franchise for Seattle, the death of Microsoft co-found Paul Allen and the end of a long-running court battle over education funding.
Customers draw guns on men attempting to steal tools
Authorities say two men were surrounded by customers with guns while attempting to steal tools from a Marysville store.
The Top Stories in Washington in 2018
The abolishment of the death penalty was voted the state’s top news story of 2018 by Associated Press staff and member editors. Here’s a brief look at some of the top stories of the year.
Retired Humane Society volunteer photographs animals up for adoption
Star estimates she’s taken photos of thousands of dogs (along with a few cats and rabbits) up for adoption at the Humane Society.