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12 arrested in Battle Ground in statewide police sting on child exploitation
Twelve people, including one from Liberty Lake, were arrested in Battle Ground, Washington, last weekend on suspicion of being involved in sexually abusing and exploiting children.
WA businesses caught between high costs, tariffs — and weary consumers
In the face of stubborn inflation and higher costs from new tariffs, many businesses in Seattle and across Washington face a tough choice: Eat those rising costs or pass them along.
Ferguson pauses approval of major solar project in central Washington
Gov. Bob Ferguson is tapping the brakes on a controversial solar farm proposed in south-central Washington to allow more time to appraise concerns of Yakama Nation leaders.
Prosecutors fail to secure indictment against man who threw sandwich at federal agent
Federal prosecutors on Tuesday were unable to persuade a grand jury to approve a felony indictment against a man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent on the streets of Washington this month, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Pierce County leads as concealed carry grows in WA. What’s behind the rise?
The number of concealed-pistol licenses is growing in Washington and nowhere faster in recent months than in Pierce County, state data shows. As of July 31, the total number of concealed-carry permits statewide has surpassed 713,000, an increase of about 14,000 so far this year and already the largest annual climb in Washington since 2022, according to data provided by the Washington State …
With little to show from 10 years of work, WA suspends $292M IT rebuild
After repeated delays, more than $30 million spent and little to show for it, a decadelong effort to upgrade the state’s antiquated workers’ compensation system has been put on hold. On Friday, WaTech, the state’s information technology oversight office, suspended “all project activities and expenditures” for the $292 million upgrade due to a “continued lack of progress and ability to execute” …
Spokane officials have no reason to comment on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement, but we asked them anyway
The “Love Story” engagement between iconic pop star Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce may be out of Spokane officials’ wheelhouse, but it’s pretty clear that most of them are ready for it.
3 blue states to lose federal funding if truckers don’t speak English, DOT says
California, New Mexico and Washington could lose millions of dollars in federal funding if truck drivers operating in those states aren’t proficient in English.
Washington governor and AG stand by state prison notifications to ICE
Dozens of Democratic lawmakers in the Washington Legislature have pushed in recent months to reassess how the state Department of Corrections shares information with federal immigration authorities.
Postal Service fined $33,000 for dangerous waste violations at Seattle facility
Washington’s Department of Ecology fined the U.S. Postal Service $33,000 this week for improperly storing and disposing of packages containing dangerous wastes at its Seattle Bulk Mail Center.
Lawsuit claims former WA lands commissioner Hilary Franz mishandled abuse allegations
A woman who worked previously for Washington’s Department of Natural Resources is suing the agency and former state lands commissioner Hilary Franz, accusing them of allowing a top attorney at the department to carry out a campaign of harassment, intimidation and abuse against her.
Overturned court ruling clears way for WA to inspect immigrant detention center
Washington state should be allowed to enforce health and safety standards at the embattled immigrant detention center in Tacoma, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
‘You tried to kill me.’ Daughter confronts Lacey parents at sentencing hearing Monday
A judge has sentenced two Lacey parents for a high-profile physical fight with their daughter outside Timberline High School last fall. Ihsan Ali, 45, and his wife, Zahraa Ali, 41, had been accused of trying to kill their then-17-year-old daughter near a bus stop on Oct. 18, 2024. Multiple witnesses saw Ihsan Ali put the daughter into a choke-hold and punch her then-16-year-old boyfriend. …
‘Pennies from the sun’: Schools in rural communities look to save money in solar power project
HARRINGTON, Wash. – Harrington School District is one of 16 rural schools across Eastern Washington turning sunlight into savings, thanks to a new project bringing solar power to rural communities.
After pandemic high, WA weed industry finds itself in a funk
“Munchie Monday.”
Top Biden official to lead Washington’s largest state agency
Gov. Bob Ferguson on Thursday announced the hiring of a Biden administration executive to lead the state Department of Social and Health Services whose programs serve nearly a quarter of Washington’s population.
Troops in Washington remain largely unseen so far
President Donald Trump promised an “overwhelming presence” of federal agents and military troops on the streets of Washington when announcing a crime crackdown earlier this week.
Concealed carry licenses in Washington jump after approval of gun permit law
The number of Washingtonians licensed to carry concealed pistols is climbing rapidly in the face of a new state law that will require prospective gun owners to secure a state permit before purchasing a firearm.
Family says murder-suicide may be result of financial, chemical instability
Aug. 13—The murder-suicide in Clarkston last weekend that left behind two young children was possibly the result of a mixture of chemical dependency and financial burdens, say some of the people most closely affected. “It was an unfortunate event with the combination of several things: financial instability, and maybe alcohol and maybe mental health that contributed to the incident,” said …
WA launches online Narcan finder amid rising overdose deaths
Aug. 12—OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Health has unveiled an online tool designed to help residents swiftly locate free naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, including those related to fentanyl. The only place for residents in both Grant and Adams Counties to get free naloxone is the Grant County Health District, 1038 Ivy Ave. in Moses Lake. There are no …