Government

Drug overdoses are suspected in the Monday deaths of two Spokane County Jail inmates, according to the county government’s spokesperson.

Some South Hill commuters had a wetter ride than expected Monday morning.

Last December, Kelley Kemplin and her two children were living out of a blue Chevy Traverse in Spokane Valley. Nine-year-old Michael and 7-year-old Ava used blankets and pillows to make a bed in the back of the SUV.

OLYMPIA – The recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” established a program designed to give children a leg up when they reach adulthood. It’s an idea similar to one that’s been proposed across the country, including in Washington, but has found limited support.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to stop states from regulating artificial intelligence, citing the risk of a potential patchwork of state laws holding back the United States in what AI companies describe as a race to develop technology that could surpass human intelligence.

All but one of the Spokane Valley City Council members voted to pass the city’s 2026 budget on Tuesday.

When getting her groceries, Lisa Villella almost always forgets her reusable bags at home.

Chipping onto Spokane County greens will cost a few more greenbacks next year.

OLYMPIA – A new bill spurred by the recent release of Kevin Coe proposed ahead of the upcoming legislative session would make it harder for serial rapists to be released from civil commitment.

WASHINGTON – The House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program, renewing funding that had lapsed since 2023 for counties that contain national forests and other public lands.

OLYMPIA – About five weeks before lawmakers return to Olympia for the 2026 session, the state’s budget deficit remains top of mind.

Kazim Abdullahi was recently exploring career opportunities with U.S. military forces overseas.

The Trump administration’s recent flurry of policy changes to the immigration, asylum and refugee admission processes follows an October decision that already reshaped America’s status as a safe haven for those facing persecution.

OLYMPIA – While State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti has been in office, he has spoken to thousands of people across the state. Not one, Pellicciotti said Thursday, has told him they feel adequately versed in financial education or financial literacy.

WASHINGTON – Congressional Republicans from the Inland Northwest have largely stood by the Trump administration this week amid bipartisan scrutiny of U.S. military strikes on small boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean, after the Pentagon acknowledged launching a second missile to kill two survivors of an attack in September.

On the eve of a major expansion, a multibillion-dollar project to upgrade the computer systems of all Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals is beset with problems, according to some medical staff who already use it. Critical patient notes disappear. Prescriptions log the wrong dosages. One nurse said the system incorrectly listed one of her patients as dead.

The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against Secretary of State Steve Hobbs to compel the state to turn over information about Washington voters, including names, dates of birth, addresses and either a driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number as part of the White House’s crackdown on electoral systems around the country.

Kratom, an herbal supplement available at many gas stations nationwide even while public health experts warn of possible harms, could soon be banned within Spokane city limits.