Wellbeing support for terminally-ill islanders
A hospice offers a free programme for those with life-limiting or serious progressive illnesses.
With progressive council wins, Spokane swings left
The city of Spokane swung further left in the Nov. 4 election, with progressives capitalizing on apparent dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump to sweep three City Council races. This gives progressives a 6-1 advantage on the council, whose seats are officially non-partisan. It will also further cement Spokane’s status as an oasis of blue in […]
4-ton Marcus Whitman statue at WA Capitol still in need of new home
The task of relocating Marcus Whitman’s statue in the Washington state Capitol is becoming a chore. Whitman was a doctor and missionary in the 1800s. His role in the displacement of Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest has been scrutinized in recent decades. It’s been challenging to find a place inside the Capitol where the […]
Germany's Queen Mum: Nostalgia for the Merkel Era Alive and Well
With every blunder from Chancellor Friedrich Merz, longing for the purported good, old days of Angela Merkel grows in Germany. Many miss her tone, her presence. Has Germany's Queen Mum noticed?
Director Nadav Lapid on Israel after Gaza: It Was Our Duty to Scream
Israeli society failed to stop the killing in Gaza. And we as artists were complicit, write Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid.
End of shutdown ignites new round of sparring among WA’s congressional lawmakers
The shutdown is over. But jousting continues among Republicans and Democrats — including those from Washington state — over who’s to blame for the longest ever shuttering of the federal government. The 43-day political meltdown jeopardized families’ food benefits, snarled air travel and left some federal employees working without pay. Wednesday evening, the Republican-controlled U.S. […]
Former Microsoft CEO’s philanthropy will donate up to $170M a year for free preschool in WA
The Ballmer Group on Wednesday committed hundreds of millions of dollars for free preschool in Washington, a massive philanthropic contribution amid state budget cuts and federal rollbacks. The donation of up to $170 million per year for the next decade could fund 10,000 additional slots in the state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, or […]
Dog causes shotgun to fire, striking owner inside Berks County home
Police in Berks County say a dog accidentally caused a shotgun to go off inside of a home, striking its owner in the back.
Advocates stunned as WA lawmaker helps slash funds for groups clearing old drug convictions
When Camerina Zorrozua learned in April that Washington had slashed its state funding of her Spokane-based legal aid organization, she frantically called state Rep. Tarra Simmons. “I was so alarmed, and I asked her straight up, ‘What happened?’” said Zorrozua, the legal director and co-founder of The Way to Justice. Simmons, the first formerly incarcerated […]
Child care can be free and universal
I was drawn to the child care profession because of my love for children. I just love seeing their smiling, hopeful faces, watching them grow and learn, and welcoming the trust and love they bring to us every day. At the same time, working in this field can be challenging. Babies and young children require […]
Security company drops lawsuit over new WA tax
A security company has dropped its lawsuit over Washington’s new sales tax on services weeks after filing it. It’s unclear why. The development came after Security Services Northwest brought a suit against the state at the end of September. The voluntary dismissal, signed by a Thurston County Superior Court judge Nov. 4, was without prejudice, […]
Signature gathering for Oregon gas tax referendum could begin by end of week
Gov. Tina Kotek on Friday signed Oregon’s long-awaited transportation bill into law, setting the stage for opponents to begin collecting signatures for a referendum effort to overturn it. After Democrats in the Oregon Legislature secured enough votes to pass the transportation bill in a special session that ended in late September, Kotek had 30 working […]