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News > WA Government

Cantwell and Murray say they’ll push for amendments as Senate gears up to debate deportation policy in Laken Riley Act

Sun., Jan. 12, 2025

WASHINGTON – Immigration policy will take center stage when Congress returns to the Capitol this week after most Senate Democrats voted Thursday to begin debate on a bill that would require the deportation of immigrants who are charged with minor crimes while in the country illegally.

News > WA Government

Washington lawmakers focus on money woes as they consider cuts – and maybe taxes – to balance budget

Sun., Jan. 12, 2025

There is little doubt what the top concern is of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as they prepare to start Washington’s 2025 legislative session this week: solving the budget deficit.

News > Local government

Baumgartner gets warm welcome at first town hall as Eastern Washington’s Congressman

UPDATED: Sat., Jan. 11, 2025

Eastern Washington's new congressman addressed the nation's debt, the war in Ukraine and other topics in the town hall he held at the North Spokane Library on Saturday.

News > Spokane

This day in history: Unemployment benefits spiked in Spokane

Sat., Jan. 11, 2025

From 1975: Jobless workers in Spokane filed 10,000 unemployment claims in one week – more claims than in any week for decades.

News > WA Government

Moab Irrigation District in Newman Lake walks back 45% rate hike

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

Residents and irrigators in Newman Lake will pay a $309 assessment fee on top of their regular water rates this year in lieu of a 45% rate increase.

News > Agriculture

Regional cattle market is strong, but worries remain

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

Cattle ranchers in Washington and Idaho are benefiting from a strong cattle market due to smaller herd sizes and robust consumer demand for beef.

News > Washington

Washington lawmakers revive plan for state cap on rent increases

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

Democratic state lawmakers are again pushing a proposal to restrict rent hikes across Washington.

News > Washington

Extension of protected status could help thousands of Ukrainian refugees stay in Spokane

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

The Biden administration on Friday extended temporary protections for nearly 1 million immigrants from several countries in high conflict who are living in the United States.

News > Local government

Before Spokane County can cash the Biden-Harris wildfire relief check, it needs more assessment and involvement from citizens

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

It’ll be some time before Spokane County can cash a $44 million federal check from the Biden-Harris administration to aid in the rebuilding of Medical Lake and Elk following the devastating 2023 wildfires.

News > Washington

Mom of 7’s killing was mystery for years, until cigarette offered a clue, WA cops say

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

More than two decades after a mother of seven was killed, her case has finally been closed, Washington deputies said. A 69-year-old man, who was convicted in a separate 2005 killing and is currently serving a life sentence in Arizona, was identified as a suspect in the death of Tamara (“Tammy”) Mattson, the Island County Sheriff’s Office said in a Jan. 9 Facebook post. However, as he “suffers ...

News > Washington

YWCA Yakima celebrates kickoff of work to transform building into emergency shelter

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

Jan. 10—A small shrine near YWCA Yakima honors the life of Rocio Ramos-Martinez, who was killed by the father of her child. She died three days after he attacked her outside the YWCA on Jan 1, 2021. Many people have paused there, some leaving flowers, candles, rocks and keepsakes. Nearby, work has begun on a new YWCA domestic violence shelter that will be named Rocio's Place, nonprofit ...

News > Spokane

‘Removing the stigma of charity’: Organization embraced by President Jimmy Carter remains an important force for housing in Spokane

Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

Jimmy Carter traveled the country and the world, wearing a toolbelt, swinging a hammer and shaking hands with regular people inspired to help others in their communities.

News > Spokane

This day in history: Candidate for Spokane police commissioner called for relaxed enforcement of ‘foolish’ Prohibition laws; Gonzaga started Big Sky season against UI

Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

From 1975: The Gonzaga University basketball team was in the Big Sky Conference, and was set to open its conference season against the University of Idaho.

News > Washington

Locked out guards at Hanford nuclear site reach contract deal on 23.5% pay increase

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 10, 2025

Jan. 9—The Hanford guards will return to work at the Hanford nuclear site 47 days after they were locked out as their contract expired. On Thursday, the Hanford Guards Union approved a contract proposal after three earlier failed votes. The new collective bargaining agreement is beneficial to both parties, said Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS), the Department of Energy contractor ...

News > WA Government

The economy continues to rank among Washington’s top priorities, new poll shows

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 9, 2025

The economy continues to be the top issue Washingtonians want the Legislature to address during the upcoming session, new polling released Thursday shows.

News > WA Government

Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson unveils $4 billion in cuts amid ‘very significant budget shortfall’

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 9, 2025

Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson unveiled a plan Thursday he says could save Washington $4.4 billion over the next four years as lawmakers prepare to address an estimated budget shortfall of about $12 billion over the same period.

News > Spokane

Sheriff, NAACP clarify comments on incident involving apparent Klansman costumes

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 9, 2025

Both NAACP Spokane President Lisa Gardner and Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels have clarified comments about an apparently racist incident that took place last week.

News > Washington

UW plant geneticist Reinhard Stettler, biographer of the cottonwood tree, dies

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 9, 2025

With his questing curiosity, Reinhard Stettler got to know cottonwoods. And aspens. And poplars. From their genetic makeup, to his experiments that sparked a hybrid poplar boom in Washington and Oregon, where the trees are still visible in plantations growing all over the Northwest.

News > Washington

Famous ‘Tree of Life’ slumps but struggles to survive on WA coast after recent storms

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 9, 2025

A tree that seems to defy gravity on a seaside bluff in Washington’s rugged Olympic National Park took a heavy hit in storms that recently pummeled the coast and might be in danger of falling in the next tempest.

News > Home and garden

Gardening: Protect plants that might be damaged by changing weather patterns

Thu., Jan. 9, 2025

With our recent weather, I’ve been wondering if I had been transported back to the West Side where I grew up.

Featured Stories

Extension of protected status could help thousands of Ukrainian refugees stay in Spokane

Latest Stories

Cantwell and Murray say they’ll push for amendments as Senate gears up to debate deportation policy in Laken Riley Act

Washington lawmakers focus on money woes as they consider cuts – and maybe taxes – to balance budget

Baumgartner gets warm welcome at first town hall as Eastern Washington’s Congressman

This day in history: Unemployment benefits spiked in Spokane

Moab Irrigation District in Newman Lake walks back 45% rate hike

Regional cattle market is strong, but worries remain

Washington lawmakers revive plan for state cap on rent increases

Extension of protected status could help thousands of Ukrainian refugees stay in Spokane

Before Spokane County can cash the Biden-Harris wildfire relief check, it needs more assessment and involvement from citizens

Mom of 7’s killing was mystery for years, until cigarette offered a clue, WA cops say

YWCA Yakima celebrates kickoff of work to transform building into emergency shelter

‘Removing the stigma of charity’: Organization embraced by President Jimmy Carter remains an important force for housing in Spokane

This day in history: Candidate for Spokane police commissioner called for relaxed enforcement of ‘foolish’ Prohibition laws; Gonzaga started Big Sky season against UI

Locked out guards at Hanford nuclear site reach contract deal on 23.5% pay increase

The economy continues to rank among Washington’s top priorities, new poll shows

Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson unveils $4 billion in cuts amid ‘very significant budget shortfall’

Sheriff, NAACP clarify comments on incident involving apparent Klansman costumes

UW plant geneticist Reinhard Stettler, biographer of the cottonwood tree, dies

Famous ‘Tree of Life’ slumps but struggles to survive on WA coast after recent storms

Gardening: Protect plants that might be damaged by changing weather patterns