Guest Opinion

Across the Mountain West, data center construction has been slowed by local opposition, fueled in part by misunderstandings about the water consumption associated with the industry. Articles like “AI Chugs a Bottle of Water Every Time You Chat With It,” and “The Dark Side of Data Centers Part 2: Water Guzzlers” give the impression that data centers are uniquely intense in their water consumption. This phrasing has also shown up in recent legislative bills. Idaho’s recently passed HB 895 claims data centers “require significant amounts of water.” Washington HB 2515 says data centers “are also major users of … water.”

By Dana Harbaugh and Kim Sample

By Tricia R. Serio

By Alisha Benson, Emilie Cameron and Latisha Hill

When you enter the housing market, you likely assume that the process is transparent: homes for sale are visible to everyone, you can compare properties based on a complete set of data, and you can trust that price discovery is happening in the open. For decades, the centralized marketplace has been the bedrock of American real estate, ensuring that value is determined by the collective wisdom of the crowd rather than backroom deals. However, those assumptions are becoming increasingly fragile.

By Chris Reykdal

By Manasvi Khullar and Reema Navalurkar

By Emily Strasburg

For decades I have rented homes in Spokane to people most of the market has given up on. Familie1s on housing vouchers. Refugees resettling through World Relief. Tenants coming out of crisis through the Spokane Housing Authority and rapid rehousing programs. I keep my rents below market on purpose because housing is not only a business. It is a place where someone who has fallen through the cracks gets a chance to stand back up. It does not always work. But that is the choice I have made, and I am still making it at 84.

By Cris M. Currie, Dennis Dellwo and Shari McEvoy

By Natasha Hill and Sarah Harmon

I was born and raised in Spokane and have lived here most of my life. One thing many Spokanites have in common is that they love water recreation activities. It’s not uncommon to hear someone say they are going to the lake this weekend, or their family is going swimming at the local pool.

By Lacrecia “Lu” Hill

By Cate Heil

By Paul Dillon and Brian G. Henning

By Linwood Laughy

By Dr. Romilla Batra

By Wade Hunt

Between 2017 and 2022, Washington lost thousands of farms and ranches, averaging roughly two per day.