Site Logo
Washington State Capitol Building in Olympia. File photo

Featured

Debate flares over WA child welfare law after rise in deaths, injuries

Lawmakers in Washington are divided on whether to dial back a state law critics blame for a sudden…

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove signs a directive ordering the conservation of about 77,000 acres of older forests on state logging lands, on Aug. 26, 2025, at the High Point Trailhead on Tiger Mountain. Behind him are Washington Conservation Action CEO Alyssa Macy, left, and Thurston County Commissioner Tye Menser, right. (Photo by Emily Fitzgerald/Washington State Standard)

Featured

WA lands commissioner moves 77,000 acres of older state forests into conservation

Eight months after Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove entered office and paused logging sales in older forests on…

Homeless encampment at the Green River. File photo

Featured

Homelessness still rising in Washington, state data shows

Homelessness is still on the rise in Washington, but data collected by the state Department of Commerce shows…

File photo 
The Washington State Legislature convenes for a joint session for a swearing-in ceremony of statewide elected officials and Governor Bob Ferguson’s inaugural address, March 15, 2025.

Featured

Remote participation now firmly embedded in WA Legislature

A leading advocate said Washington is a model for the nation on how to open the door for…

Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard
Gov. Bob Ferguson makes remarks during a press conference at the state Capitol in Olympia, on Aug. 19, responding to a letter he received the previous week from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, threatening to withhold federal funding if the state does not change its approach cooperating on federal immigration enforcement.

News

WA ‘will not be bullied or intimidated,’ Ferguson tells Bondi

Governor responds to a letter from U.S. attorney general warning the state over its ‘sanctuary’ immigration policies.

Dispatchers inside South Sound 911’s central Tacoma office are working with counselors on behavioral health calls as part of a new partnership between the Washington Department of Health and providers who oversee the state’s 988 mental health hotlines. (Photo courtesy of South Sound 911)

News

Change to state’s suicide and crisis line lead to more calls

During Dianna Caber’s 15-year tenure at South Sound 911 – the public safety answering center for a majority…

COURTESY PHOTO

News

As gun tests in criminal investigations surge, WA struggles to keep up

Police in Washington are sometimes waiting over a year for the state to test firearms evidence, as the…

Washington State Capitol Building in Olympia. File photo

Featured

Church gets another chance to challenge WA abortion coverage law

Gov. Bob Ferguson on Aug. 14 announced the hiring of a Biden administration executive to lead the state…

Scenery on the Green River trail. Photo by Kevin Hanson

Featured

The many treasures of the Green River trails

The river serves as a source of drinking water for Tacoma.

News

Concealed carry licenses jump in WA after approval of gun permit law

The number of Washingtonians licensed to carry concealed pistols is climbing rapidly in the face of a new…

Alphonzo Tuputala, an alum of Federal Way High School and University of Washington, works on a drill during his first day at Seahawks training camp. Ben Ray / Sound Publishing

News

Seattle Seahawks chemistry looks to provide additional edge in 2025

Seattle’s newest signing Alphonzo Tuputala practiced with the team.

Ichiro takes the podium during his number retirement ceremony. Ben Ray / Sound Publishing

News

Ichiro’s 51 retired in Seattle

One of the most iconic players in Seattle pro sports is now etched into Mariners history.

A building on the campus of the Washington State School for the Blind. (Photo courtesy of Washington State School for the Blind)

Featured

WA School for the Blind superintendent resigns

The longtime superintendent at the Washington State School for the Blind is resigning amid threats from a disgruntled…