Washington state inspectors are way behind in their examinations of hospitals and fail to investigate when hospitals report errors they made in caring for patients. That’s the word from a…
State Government
Lyon Creek fish barrier removal project along SR 104 begins June 30 in Lake Forest Park
Construction is set to begin on a fish barrier removal project along Lyon Creek where it passes beneath State Route 104/Ballinger Way Northeast in Lake Forest Park. Beginning Monday, June…
Washington updates student discipline rules for public schools
New discipline guidelines for public school students will go into effect across Washington state next month. While educators say the changes are necessary to address disruptive post-pandemic classroom behavior, the…
For a second time, FEMA rejects WA request for bomb cyclone disaster aid
Washington won’t receive federal aid to cover tens of millions of dollars in damage to public property caused by last fall’s bomb cyclone. The Trump administration denied the state’s request…
Washington deploys new tools, hoping to prevent summer traffic deaths
This article was first published by TVW. Summer in Washington is supposed to be a season of celebration: high school graduations, family road trips, long weekends at the lake. But traffic…
Toll exemption for buses crossing two WA bridges will end this fall
Public transit will no longer enjoy a free ride across two Washington bridges this fall. Starting Oct. 1, operators of public and private bus services must pay tolls on the…
Seattle judge considers reversing Trump’s EV charger funding freeze
The Washington attorney general’s office on Tuesday urged a federal judge in Seattle to order the Trump administration to reinstate funding to build out an electric vehicle charging network. At…
Washington state lawsuit payouts skyrocket to more than $500M in past year
For years, foster parents in Eatonville, Washington, abused five girls, but the girls couldn’t hold the state accountable for wrongfully placing them in the home and failing to protect them…
Washington state Clemency and Pardons Board will be expanded
Washington’s Clemency and Pardons Board will be expanded, and members will begin to receive pay under a state law approved earlier this year. Enlarging the board is intended to help…
Make room for algal blooms
This is the start of algae season in Washington’s lakes and rivers. While harmful algal blooms (also known as cyanobacteria) are more common in late summer and fall, shifting climate…
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WA Medicaid data shared with federal immigration authorities, report says
by Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard Washington is one of a few states whose Medicaid data has reportedly been shared with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which could use…
Ecology shares plan to clean up Puget Sound nutrient pollution
The Washington State Department of Ecology is seeking public comment on its draft Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction Plan, aimed a addressing the many human sources of this pollution. Nutrient pollution…
Political fights put spotlight on leader of Washington’s largest public employee union
Mike Yestramski has enjoyed a low profile through much of his six years leading Washington state’s largest public sector union. Not anymore. His very public clashes with the governor during…
Washington governor wants agencies to look for deeper cuts
Just weeks after signing a budget that relied on spending cuts and new taxes to balance, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is telling state agencies to tighten their fiscal belts even…
Washington’s Supreme Court slashes public defender caseload limits
The state Supreme Court on Monday responded to a “crisis” in Washington’s public defense system by slashing caseloads for those providing counsel to poor defendants facing criminal prosecutions. Justices unanimously…
Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham appointed as state’s new Secretary of Health
Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham has been appointed Washington’s new Secretary of Health by Governor Bob Ferguson. He will begin his new role July 7, bringing more than…
New WA agency investigating police deadly force incidents sees budget cuts
The night of May 7 was a challenge for Washington’s nascent agency tasked with investigating when police kill people. The new state Office of Independent Investigations started looking into such…
Washington State Library closing to the public, 12 jobs getting axed
The Washington State Library in Tumwater and the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library in Seattle will close to the public on July 1 due to a lack of state…
Average annual salary in Washington nears $100,000
Salaries in Washington continued to climb in 2024. The statewide average annual wage reached $95,160 last year, according to the Washington Employment Security Department. That’s 6.8% higher than in 2023,…
Washington’s long-term care program nears liftoff
A year from now, Washington will launch the nation’s first full-scale effort to help the state’s workforce afford long-term care and services as they age. Etched into law in 2019,…
State proposes restrictions on toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in common consumer products
The Washington Department of Ecology is proposing a rule to restrict the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – better known as PFAS – in common consumer products including clothing,…
Eviction filings in Washington skyrocket
Every four months, Philippe Knab, the reentry and eviction defense program director for Washington’s Office of Civil Legal Aid, compiles a report on eviction trends across the state. Since 2021,…
Thousands in WA at risk of losing food benefits under GOP bill in Congress
Tens of thousands of low-income Washingtonians could lose federal food assistance if Republicans move ahead with plans in a bill the U.S. House passed last month. That’s according to estimates…
Washington’s attorney general sees no signs of legal battles with Trump letting up
Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown warned in mid-April that the Trump administration’s actions put the country near the “precipice of a constitutional crisis.” His comments alongside fellow state attorneys…
Washington overdose deaths decline after years of growth, data show
Washington is showing promise in its work to combat the epidemic of drug overdose deaths that has ravaged the state and country in recent years. In 2024, fatal overdoses in…