Washington News & Current Events | Public News Service

Nearly 20% of Washington's labor force is foreign-born. (DisobeyArt/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Fear of detention prevents some WA migrants from getting food

Immigrants' rights advocates are voicing concerns that migrant communities in Washington may be avoiding visiting food banks or getting food assistanc…

Oregon and California have created prescribed burn liability funds to help reduce the risk for landowners and contractors. (David Elkins/Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

WA to see more prescribed burns thanks to new liability fund

Washington lawmakers have created a new Prescribed Burn Liability Fund to help make controlled burns less risky on public, private and tribal lands …

Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served nearly 40 million children and their families. (Save the Children)

Head Start supports WA parents, celebrates 60 years

This Sunday is the 60th anniversary of Head Start, the federally funded preschool program supporting more than 12,000 children, up to age four…

Green Hill School is the largest state-run juvenile detention facility in the state, and has been plagued with overcrowding and understaffing in recent years. (Darya/Adobe Stock)

New WA law reels in felony convictions for incarcerated youths who fight

Advocates for juvenile justice reform in Washington are celebrating the passage of House Bill 1815. The law redefines "prison riot" and lets judges …

Supporters call for the release of Alfredo 'Lelo' Juarez Zeferino. As of their most recent update in March, ICE is currently detaining more than 46,000 people across the country. (C2C)

WA immigration rights advocates call for release of union organizer

Immigrant rights advocates are calling on state leaders to do more to protect Washington farmworkers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement…

As WA air quality worsens, Congress rolls back protections

Air pollution in Washington is getting worse, according to a new report citing transportation emissions as the primary culprit. Eight of the 12 …

Since Seattle's Democracy Voucher program was implemented in 2017, data show campaign donations from large contributions, over $250, have decreased by 93%. (Suriyo/Adobe Stock)

WA voting rights advocates push for democracy vouchers state-wide

Seattle's City Council voted last week to put the city's Democracy Voucher Program on the ballot to be renewed in August and supporters of the program…

Research shows if Washington households saved about $95 a month, collectively they could erase the<br />taxpayer burden while ensuring themselves a decent standard of living in retirement. (Uwe/Adobe Stock)

WA on track to state retirement savings program

More than 1 million private sector workers nationwide have joined state retirement savings programs, which advocates for seniors said is a key step …

An American Heart Association program is helping Washington food pantries tailor their supplies by adopting nutritional guidelines for the food they distribute. (Adobe Stock/AI)

WA food pantries implement new policies to provide healthy nutrition

Research shows people experiencing food insecurity often suffer from chronic health conditions due to a lack of proper nutrition. Now, a group of …

Immigrants make up 16% of all workers in the construction industry in Washington state. Removing thousands of workers from the labor force would increase the cost and limit the total construction feasible during a historic housing shortage. (Soleila/Adobe Stock)

New report: Mass deportations would harm WA economy

A new report warned mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in Washington would lead to labor shortages and make many goods and services more exp…

The Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in Washington is the largest in the Bonneville Power Administration system. (Will/Adobe Stock)

BPA urged to focus on salmon, clean energy in market choice

A major player in the Northwest's energy landscape is considering changes in the future as extreme climate events make power delivery in Washington mo…

The Young Activist Leaders Program provides a place for young people to ask questions, educate each other, and explore social justice work together. (Carlo/Adobe Stock)

WA youth: Money for medicaid, not war

A group of Washington youths, fresh from a grassroots leadership development program, is speaking up against the Trump Administration's plans to cut …

In the last two years, more than 100,000 jobs in EV manufacturing have been created. (Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock)

Congressional vote could slow WA's electric vehicle transition

Congress is voting this week whether to roll back states' authority to set their own, stricter clean car and truck emissions standards, which could …

Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act funding pays for job training programs like welding and carpentry, a post-high-school counselor and a therapist, among other things in Skamania County. (EFStock/Adobe Stock)

Rural WA counties face challenges without key federal funding

By Claire Carlson and Lane Wendell Fischer for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Washington News Service for the Public News Ser…

The report found Washington needs to almost double its number of school psychologists in order to meet the recommended minimum. (peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

WA investments in school mental-health services slowly helping

Washington has done well enacting some policies that improve school mental-health systems in the last year, while still falling short in other areas…

Seasonal allergies are getting worse in part because increased CO2 in the air triggers plants to produce more pollen. (gamelover/Adobe Stock)

WA's advanced pollen tracking tool can help allergy sufferers

Washington's pollen season is starting earlier and lasting longer, thanks to climate change, with research showing airborne pollen levels across the …

An average of 40 people per year have been killed by police in Washington state since 2015. (AlexanderIO/Adobe Stock)

Police reform advocate: WA must do more to reduce deaths

Five years after George Floyd's murder by a white police officer sparked nationwide protests and demands for police reform, progress remains slow…

When cows eat plant cover faster than it can regrow, it erodes and degrades the soil beneath, making it more susceptible to runoff and other undesirable consequences. (Saed/Adobe Stock)

WA cattle grazing can harm 'food webs'

By Seth Millstein for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Washington News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service C…

King County reported more than 16,000 people experiencing homelessness last year, which is more than half the state's unhoused population. (Mallivan/Adobe Stock)

Unique approach to helping WA homeless youth 'highly effective'

A unique approach to preventing youth homelessness in Washington is proving highly effective, with more than 93% of participants still housed one …

IRS Direct File was piloted in 12 states last year, but this year it's available in 25 states. (PeakPoints/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

For now, WA residents can e-file taxes directly with IRS

Washington is one of 25 states where people can use the online "IRS Direct File" system, to file their income-tax returns with the Internal Revenue …

Wolves are not expert hunters, only succeeding about 10% of the time, but their presence keeps deer and other animals from destroying too much plant life. (Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife)

Wildlife advocates decry WA wolf population decline

Wildlife advocates are alarmed by a new report from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife showing the state's wolf population fell nearly 10%…

Democratic lawmakers' proposed state budget includes increasing the payroll tax for large employers, generating about $2.3 billion a year. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Working people in WA call for higher taxes on the rich

Washington lawmakers and Gov. Robert Ferguson disagree about how to address the state's $16 billion revenue shortfall. The House and Senate have …

Nearly 100 protests are planned on Saturday in Washington and Oregon. (Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Thousands to rally across WA on Saturday to protest Trump policies

More than 1,000 protests against the policies of the Trump Administration are set for this Saturday across the country, with 50 planned in Washington …

Last year, more than 15 organizations and some Washington state legislators asked the Department of Corrections to stop punishing incarcerated people for participating in the legislative process. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe Stock)

Groups advocate for more civic engagement in WA prisons

A bill known as the Act for Civic Engagement did not make it out of committee in Olympia before the deadline but advocates for people who are incarcer…

Legislation across the country seeks to block transgender people from receiving health care, education, and even the right to publicly exist. (zera ruzgar/Adobe Stock)

WA advocates honor Trans Day of Visibility

Today is the International Trans Day of Visibility, to recognize the contributions of transgender people in society -- and raise awareness of the …

Washington state officials have been ordered to issue new regulations to keep the runoff from concentrated animal feeding operations, also known as factory farms, from polluting nearby streams and waterways. (Adobe Stock)

Court orders WA to rewrite CAFO dairy operation permit regulations

The Washington State Pollution Control Hearings Board is ordering state officials to rewrite pollution discharge permit regulations for concentrated a…

The Assessment found droughts from the last year impacted Western Washington the most, where reports noted lower flows from natural springs and water-stressed trees. (Sam Judy/Adobe Stock)

New data detail WA's water year

The Pacific Northwest Water Year Impacts Assessment, an important resource for managing drought and other climate extremes, was published today…

Legislation failed to pass this session which would have capped health care providers' fees at $50 for patients and their advocates to access their records. (xixinxing/Adobe Stock)

WA patients face huge fees to access medical records

Patient's rights advocates are working to restrict huge fees some Washington patients must pay in order to access their complete medical records…

Eighteen states currently have guidelines for, or a directive to develop, a statewide climate resilience plan to protect and recover from extreme weather events like wildfires. (khomlyak/Adobe Stock)

New research to measure WA's climate resilience

In the face of the severe effects of climate change across the country, new research offers a framework for how to measure Washington's climate …

Kayaker and artist Gabe Newton will show his artwork depicting the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales at

Coalition plans legislative push to support Columbia Basin Restoration

A coalition of conservationists and tribal nations is pushing for support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative by state officials in Olympia…

A new poll found large majorities of Americans, across party lines, see Medicaid as

WA caregivers rally against Medicaid cuts

This week, workers who provide in-home and nursing home care rallied against cuts to Medicaid. Washington's Medicaid, known as Apple Health…

Research shows there is a direct correlation between unstable housing and food insecurity. (FamilyWorks Food Bank)

Advocates say WA rent stabilization bill important for ending hunger

While affordable housing advocates across the state have been cheering on Washington's rent stabilization bill in Olympia, so have organizations …

The Northwest ICE Processing Center is the largest immigrant detention center in the Western U.S., and is nearing its 1,900-person capacity. (Sundry Photography/Adobe Stock)

Amid increased activity, pressure to close WA ICE detention center

A year after the death of detainee Charles Leo Daniel, a 61-year-old Trinidadian migrant, legislators and human rights advocates continue pushing to …

Data show the percentage of people who say they adhere to or support Christian Nationalist ideals has remained stable since 2022. (vectorfusionart/Adobe Stock)

WA groups work to counter Christian Nationalism

Nationwide, it is estimated about one-third of Americans either adhere to Christian Nationalist ideals or sympathize with them. Groups working for …

Nearly a third of working-age Washington households have earnings which do not meet the minimum<br />cost of living. (Johannes/Adobe Stock)

Bills aim to revamp WA's regressive tax codes

A package of legislation in Olympia aims to reduce growing wealth inequality by reforming Washington's tax code. With the nation's second-most …

Started in 2019, the Tribal Foundational Public Health Service is designed to foster a more equitable, prevention-focused public health system for tribes. (jokekung/Adobe Stock)

Cuts looming for WA tribal public-health funding

Washington state's Tribal Foundational Public Health Service is the first dedicated funding for tribes to advance public health initiatives. In Gov…

First- and second-generation immigrants comprise nearly a third of all students enrolled in higher education in the U.S. (Drobot Dean/Adobe Stock)

How WA campuses can prepare for ICE

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, his Secretary of Homeland Security rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs …

Black and Native American youth are largely overrepresented in juvenile facilities compared to their white counterparts. (Sophon_Nawit/Adobe Stock)

Act would give incarcerated WA youth a second chance

Several bills working their way through the Washington Legislature focus on reforming the state's juvenile legal system, including one known as the …

Indigenous people are incarcerated at a rate four times higher than white people.(Framestock/Adobe Stock)

WA legislators weigh voting rights for incarcerated people

More than 14,000 incarcerated people in Washington are not able to vote and two bills in Olympia aim to change it. One bill would make voting more …

An attempt to open up the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to drilling was blocked by environmental groups during Donald Trump's first term as president. (paxphongtrinh/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit aims to block Trump's plans for offshore drilling in WA

Environmental groups have sued to block President Donald Trump's offshore drilling plans following his order to open the entire West Coast, including …

More than 20% of Washington state's population gets health coverage through Medicaid. (winnievinzence/Adobe Stock)

Nurse practitioner: Medicaid cuts could 'devastate' WA patients, providers

Proposed Medicaid cuts could seriously affect Washington hospitals and health care workers. President Donald Trump and House Republicans are …

Diesel exhaust represents about 80-percent of the potential cancer risk from all air toxics in the Puget Sound area. (Natalia Bratslavsky/Adobe Stock)

Shore power bill would improve WA air quality, cut emissions

New legislation would transition more ocean-going container ships to run off electricity instead of diesel while they are docked at Washington ports…

By 2050, the number of people in Washington state who are 75 and older will nearly double. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

Affordable health insurance could ease WA caregiver shortage

Worker's rights advocates and nursing home providers say Washington has a long-term care workforce crisis, and that inadequate benefits in the …

Bright light therapy, may improve symptoms of SAD in up to 60-percent of people. (deagreez/Adobe Stock)

Strategies for overcoming WA winter blues

It's mid-winter blues season, and research shows 40% of Americans report their mood declines during the winter. Especially in Western Washington…

As of last October, 775,000 Washington state students have access to school meals. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Free school meals for all WA students on table this session

Legislation in Olympia would make school meals free for every student. Senate Bill 5352 would ensure every student has access to free breakfast and …

Seniors on fixed incomes are more at risk of homelessness compared to other age groups. (and.one/Adobe Stock)

WA rent stabilization bills have huge public support

New legislation in Olympia aims to ease the burden of skyrocketing rental rates by limiting yearly rent increases to 7%. Chris Walker lives in a …

A University of Washington study found knowledge of treatment options for menopause was lower in rural areas. (loran4a/Adobe Stock)

UW study: Rural women have it harder with menopause

Women in rural areas struggle more with menopause than their urban counterparts, according to a study from the University of Washington. Rural women …

The average cost of caring for a toddler at a Washington child-care center has increased 83% in the past decade. (ink drop/Adobe Stock)

Bill would refund WA businesses for covering child care costs

New legislation in Olympia aims to ease the burden of child-care costs for Washington families by allowing businesses to help their employees pay for …

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