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.

Section:Gallery

Wed., Dec. 26, 2018

In this June 18, 2018, file photo, Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen, left, talks with running back Marshawn Lynch on the sidelines at an NFL football minicamp practice in Renton, Wash. Paul G. Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with his childhood friend Bill Gates before becoming a billionaire philanthropist, technology investor and owner of the Seattle Seahawks, died in October. Allen's death was among the state's top news stories of 2018.

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In this Nov. 20, 2008, file photo, the execution chamber at the Washington State Penitentiary is shown with the witness gallery behind glass, at right, in Walla Walla, Wash. Washington state's Supreme Court ruled Oct. 11, 2018, that the death penalty violates its Constitution. The abolishment of the death penalty was voted the state's top news story of 2018 by Associated Press staff and member editors.

Ted S. Warren Ap
Elaine Thompson Ap
In this Sept. 9, 2017, file photo, Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski poses for a photo after an NCAA college football game against Boise State in Pullman, Wash. Hilinski's death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound was among the state's top news stories of 2018.

Young Kwak Ap
This Dec. 4, 2018, photo, shows the Legislative, left, and Insurance buildings at dusk at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. In March 2018, following a public outcry, Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed a bill that sought to exempt Washington lawmakers from the state's Public Records Act, which would have allowed lawmakers to shield records sought by a coalition of media groups, led by The Associated Press, who mostly prevailed in a lawsuit. The story was among the state's top news stories of 2018.

Ted S. Warren Ap