Stories by Mitchell Roland for the Spokesman-Review

States challenge SNAP funding freeze as governor pledges additional funds for food banks

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 28, 2025

Washington has joined 24 other states in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture to require the agency to use contingency funding to pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as food stamps.

Meta challenges $35 million fine for campaign finance violations in Washington Supreme Court

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 28, 2025

Social media company Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has asked the Washington state Supreme Court to overturn a $35 million fine for not complying with the state’s campaign finance laws regarding digital advertising.

‘Everybody that’s retired now is scared’: Washington residents to lose food stamps if shutdown extends beyond Friday

UPDATED: Sun., Oct. 26, 2025

Nearly a million Washingtonians will lose access to food benefit programs, including food stamps, if the ongoing federal shutdown continues beyond next week.

State Supreme Court to decide whether WSU can be held liable for hazing death

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 23, 2025

The Washington Supreme Court will decide whether universities have a duty to protect students from hazing in a case arising from the 2019 death at a Washington State University fraternity.

News > Transportation

State to demolish damaged I-90 overpass near Cle Elum

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 23, 2025

The Washington state Department of Transportation will demolish a portion of the Bullfrog Road overpass on I-90 near Cle Elum after an oversized truck struck the roadway late Tuesday night.

Lawmakers remain at impasse over healthcare tax credits as government shutdown continues

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 22, 2025

OLYMPIA – Discussions over extending federal health care tax credits remain at a stalemate as the ongoing federal government shutdown stretches into its 22nd day, now the second longest in the nation’s history.

News > Transportation

Westbound I-90 near Cle Elum closed after crash causes ‘significant damage’

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 22, 2025

Travelers planning to drive westbound across Snoqualmie Pass should expect “significant” delays after a late-night crash damaged an overpass over Interstate 90 near Cle Elum.

News > Crime/Public Safety

‘South Hill rapist’ Kevin Coe kicked off Muckleshoot tribal land

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 21, 2025

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe ordered “South Hill rapist” Kevin Coe off their land two weeks ago, prompting his latest move to a group home in Federal Way.

Arraignment delayed for man accused of breaking into Washington Capitol

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 18, 2025

The arraignment of the man accused of breaking into the Washington State Capitol and damaging several state artifacts has been delayed until at least Nov. 4 as the suspect undergoes a 14-day “involuntary treatment/detention” in Grays Harbor County, an attorney representing him said during a brief court appearance Friday.

News > Transportation

State highway system in ‘early states of critical failure,’ needs billions in repair money

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 17, 2025

Inadequate funding over the past 25 years has left needed road maintenance uncompleted and could result in higher future repair costs, Washington transportation officials said this week.

State health officials outline impacts of federal Medicaid cuts

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 16, 2025

A collection of state health officials said Thursday that cuts to federal Medicaid and food assistance programs’ funding, adopted this summer, have left them looking for ways to minimize the impacts on Washington residents, though they warned the changes could “ripple across the health care system.”

Health official warns thousands across Washington could lose health care if tax credit not extended

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 14, 2025

An estimated 80,000 Washingtonians could be priced out of health insurance if the tax credits at the center of the ongoing federal government shutdown expire, according to the CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.

General election ballots to be mailed this week as Auditor’s Office continues to advise early return

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 15, 2025

The Spokane County Auditor’s Office will begin mailing approximately 370,000 ballots to registered voters this week ahead of next month’s general election. Given recent changes to the U.S. Postal Service’s operations, County Auditor Vicky Dalton has advised voters who want to return their ballots via mail to do so earlier than in years past.

Washington will not require clergy to report child abuse learned through confession

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 10, 2025

Washington will not require clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect learned through confession or privileged conversations, following a legal settlement announced Friday.

News > Nation/World

‘A huge achievement’: Israel-Hamas ceasefire brings cautious optimism from Spokane-area experts

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 9, 2025

An agreement between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza has brought renewed but restrained optimism for achieving a durable peace in the region.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Auburn Mayor: City was not notified ‘South Hill rapist’ would move to city

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 8, 2025

The city of Auburn was not informed that South Hill rapist Kevin Coe would move to the city and learned of his arrival through local news coverage, Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus said in a statement Wednesday.

News > Crime/Public Safety

‘That instrument is very dear to me, and it’s dear to Spokane’: Historic piano among items damaged in Capitol break-in

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 8, 2025

OLYMPIA – While officials continue to determine the extent of the damage done during a recent break-in at Washington’s Capitol, an initial assessment found that a 19th-century Blüthner piano with deep historical ties to Spokane is among the historical artifacts that suffered damage.

News > Crime/Public Safety

‘South Hill Rapist’ Kevin Coe resides in Auburn, according to sex offender registry

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 7, 2025

Kevin Coe, the man known as the “South Hill Rapist,” will live in an adult care home in an Auburn , Washington, neighborhood.

Former Gonzaga baseball player arrested in connection with break-in at Washington State Capitol

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 6, 2025

OLYMPIA – A man accused of breaking into the Washington State Capitol on Sunday night played college baseball for Gonzaga eight years ago and was drafted by the Miami Marlins.

News > K-12 education

Dads square off for seat on Cheney School Board

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 4, 2025

Like so many things in life, the Cheney School District is experiencing the proverbial growing pains that come with expansion.

News > Government

Trump administration defunds Northwest hydrogen hub, Spokane grid project, WSU research in cuts targeting ‘the Left’s climate agenda’

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 15, 2025

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Energy is canceling more than $7.5 billion in grants nationwide, including funding for research at Washington State University, an electrical grid project in Spokane and a billion-dollar effort to turn the Northwest into a hub of the hydrogen energy industry.

News > K-12 education

Cheney School Board race features two district moms

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 1, 2025

When voters in the Cheney School District submitted their ballots a year ago, they signed off on a bond proposal that will shape their district for decades to come. The $72 million plan calls for a new elementary school in Airway Heights, which will help reduce overcrowding at Sunset Elementary and fund other infrastructure upgrades throughout the district.

‘It’s been a little confusing’: WA businesses look to navigate new sales tax law

Sun., Sept. 28, 2025

Trevor Finchamp, co-owner of Karma Cultivate, was surprised when he received a notice from the Washington Department of Revenue this summer.

News > Washington

Washington ballots mailed on Election Day or even days in advance could be thrown out due to postmark delays

UPDATED: Sat., Sept. 27, 2025

Washington voters who mail their ballots on Election Day this November, or even days in advance, could have their ballots thrown out as a result of compounding cost-cutting measures by the United States Postal Service leading to postmarking delays, local and state election officials are warning.

New revenue forecast shows continued decline in Washington’s revenue projections

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 23, 2025

OLYMPIA – A slowing economy will force cuts to services, higher taxes or both next year as the Legislature eyes increasingly dire economic news.

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