State & Regional News | Thurston Chronicle

The Oregon Bee Atlas lists 567 bee species across Oregon, including the cuckoo bee as seen in the image above. DNA barcoding results show evidence for nearly 200 additional species that aren’t listed in the Oregon Bee Atlas database.

Fewer Oregon bees are dying from pesticides, report shows

There have been no pesticide-related bee kills in Oregon since 2021, according to a new Oregon State University report — marking a win from more than a decade ago when the state was experiencing an … more

Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 7/7/26

These 3 Washington state communities now need state approval for election rule changes

For the first time, three Washington state local governments will need the state’s OK before implementing new voting policies due to their histories of diluting the power of Latino voters. … more

Jake Goldstein-Street / Washington State Standard | 7/7/26

Washington State Human Rights Commission member Luc Jasmin, bottom left, has resigned after backlash to comments he made in a March 2025 meeting. (Video screenshot via YouTube)

Washington human rights commissioner resigns amid antisemitism claims

A member of Washington’s Human Rights Commission has resigned after coming under fire for allegations of antisemitism over comments he made in a commission meeting. Spokane pastor Luc … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 7/6/26

State doesn’t investigate daycares with no children after media reports

Many Washington state daycare providers receive large taxpayer subsidies, but an investigation by The Center Square found several that had few, if any, children and at least one establishment that … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 7/6/26

Penalties loom for Washington if state doesn’t improve food stamp error rates

Washington’s food stamp overpayments and underpayments ticked up this year, and the state could face tens of millions of dollars in added costs if accuracy doesn’t improve. The … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 7/6/26

What did Oregon add to time capsules for America’s 250th birthday?

What would help Americans 250 years from now understand the Oregon of 2026? For the eight members of Oregon’s congressional delegation who selected the state’s contributions to the … more

Julia Shumway / Oregon State Capital | 7/5/26

USDA Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz meets with employees of the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana on April 2, 2025.

Forest Service chief defends agency’s largest reorganization in a century

The U.S. Forest Service received roughly 300 applications for the 15 new state director jobs created during a major agency reorganization that’s dissolving regional offices the agency’s first … more

Mike Koshmrl / Wyofile | 7/5/26

Sen. Nikki Torres, a former Pasco City Council member, talks to demonstrators outside the Washington State Capitol building in Olympia for Child Abuse Prevention Month during an event organized by the family of Hazel Journey on Sunday, April 23, 2023.

AWB announces new round of 2026 legislative endorsements

The Association of Washington Business (AWB) has announced a new round of endorsements for candidates running for the state Legislature. The AWB board of directors voted to endorse candidates in … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/3/26

WDFW director moves to dismiss commissioner’s lawsuit

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind struck back at claims he tried to muzzle and remove Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Lorna Smith. Susewind filed a motion June 22 … more

By Don Jenkins / The Chinook Observer | 7/3/26

Tents and makeshift shelters form a homeless encampment one block from the Space Needle in Seattle.

King County, Seattle officials try to hold on to federal homeless funds

The big unknown in the restructuring of the King County Regional Homeless Authority is whether it will give local officials a better chance of retaining the appropriate $65 million in federal funding … more

Randy Diamond | The Center Square | 7/3/26

Democrats, Republicans alike focus on states’ rights as a way out of America’s political woes

Democrats are seizing the mantle of states’ rights to oppose the agenda of President Donald Trump, who has sought to reset Washington’s relationship with the states. While the party … more

Kevin Hardy and Jonathan Shorman / Washington State Standard | 7/3/26

Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood discusses his beliefs on Washington’s financial state outside the Washington Secretary of State’s office building in Tumwater on Thursday, July 2.

Backers of Washington income tax repeal effort turn in half million signatures

Backers of an initiative that aims to repeal Washington’s new income tax of 9.9% on income over $1 million turned in 511,408 signatures Thursday to the Secretary of State’s office in … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 7/3/26

Increased tanker traffic through the shared border waters of Washington and British Columbia could rise further if Alberta succeeds in building a new crude export pipeline to the West Coast. Here, an oil/chemical tanker steers through Boundary Pass on the way to the Port of Vancouver in late June. (Photo credit by Tom Banse)

Proposed oil pipeline to B.C. coast spurs alarm in Washington state

The province of Alberta late Thursday announced a route for a new, one-million-barrel-per-day crude oil pipeline to Canada’s West Coast that terminates within about a mile of Washington state … more

By Tom Banse / The Washington State Standard | 7/3/26

(Photo by Barbara Hoberock/Oklahoma Voice)

Fourth of July fireworks spark wildfire worries for Washington state

State and local fire officials are urging Washingtonians to use caution lighting fireworks this weekend, especially as a statewide drought raises wildfire risks. Nearly every part of Washington … more

By Aspen Ford / The Washington State Standard | 7/2/26

A summer cookout this holiday weekend is 4% more expensive than it was last year, according to a report from the American Farm Bureau Federation. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Summer cookouts cost nearly $3 more this holiday than last year

At a 4% increase from last summer, the cost of backyard barbecue has grown in price at about the same pace as inflation, according to the annual American Farm Bureau Federation survey. The … more

By Cami Koons / Iowa Capital Dispatch | 7/2/26

Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood carries a box of petition signature sheets outside the Washington Secretary of State’s office building in Tumwater on Thursday, July 2.

Ballot fight on Washington state income tax looks certain

TUMWATER – Opponents of Washington’s new income tax on high earners turned in more than 500,000 signatures Thursday for an initiative to repeal the levy, nearly double the amount needed to secure … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington State Standard | 7/2/26

Legislators in at least six states this year have approved measures related to patient medical debt. (Photo by Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

More states try to give patients relief from medical debt

Legislators in at least six states this year have approved measures related to patient medical debt, according to a report on legislative policy trends released Wednesday by United States of Care, a … more

By Nada Hassanein / Stateline.org | 7/2/26

Attorney General Nick Brown greets legislators in the House chambers at the Washington state Capitol in Olympia on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Revamp of Washington public records rules nears completion

Washington officials hope to issue new recommendations by summer’s end for how governments release public records, with the goal of speeding up disclosure. Over 2,000 agencies are subject to … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 7/2/26

Gov. Bob Ferguson answers questions from the press during a legislative session preview in a Senate Hearing room in Olympia on Friday, Jan. 9.

Washington governor, AG and state lawmakers get 7% pay hikes

Gov. Bob Ferguson received a 7% raise on Wednesday. Combined with a similar-sized pay bump a year ago, his annual salary is $234,275, roughly $30,000 more than when he took the oath as … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington State Standard | 7/1/26

State Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis, speaks to attendees during the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the United Learning Center in Centralia on Thursday, May 14.

Abbarno to lead moderate Republican political action committee

State Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis, will put on yet another hat as the new chairman of the Cascade Political Action Committee (PAC). Former chairman of the Washington state PAC and former … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/1/26