Washington faces major lag in state inspections of hospitals

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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,…