State & Regional News | Thurston Chronicle

Pete Serrano, who leads the federal prosecutor's office in eastern Washington, was nominated Monday to be U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington. Serrano, a Republican, lost a 2024 bid for Washington attorney general. He is shown here during a debate in Spokane, Wash., on Sept. 18, 2024.

Trump nominates Pete Serrano for US attorney in western Washington state

In an unexpected move, President Donald Trump on Monday nominated Pete Serrano, a former state attorney general candidate from Pasco, to be the next U.S. attorney for the Western District of … more

Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard | 9/15/26

Rural, Latino, Trump voters hit hard by USPS delays as SCOTUS halts changes

More than 20,000 ballots were rejected in Washington's August primary after U.S. Postal Service policy changes, with rural and Latino-heavy counties taking the biggest hit. However, additional … more

Sydney Jackson / The Center Square | 9/14/26

The view above Rainbow Falls during the Pe Ell River Run on the Chehalis River on Saturday, April 13, 2024.

Chehalis Basin Board hosts talk on water concerns

Seven of the last 10 years, the state of Washington has been in some form of drought, with water levels below 75% of “normal levels.” Longer periods with less rain, shrinking snow packs and … more

By Jacob Moore / jacob@chronline.com | 9/14/26

Maureen Harkcom, right, speaks with Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez during a grand opening for the Agriculture Innovation Park in Tenino on Wednesday, May 28.

Gluesenkamp Perez to hold mobile office hours in Tenino and Randle

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, will hold two mobile office hour sessions in the area this month. Gluesenkamp Perez’s office announced Monday it would hold a three-hour … more

By The Chronicle staff | 9/14/26

The Quinault Indian Nation purchasing this fully electric, 24-foot workboat for fisheries research and monitoring in Grays Harbor, Lake Quinault and along the Olympic Coast.

Quinault Indian Nation’s electric workboat will reduce gas use

A new electric workboat is helping the Quinault Indian Nation protect vital fisheries while reducing fossil fuel use. This year, the state Department of Commerce awarded the Quinault Indian … more

By The Daily World | 9/14/26

Narcotics seized during the investigation are pictured in this photo provided by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Wiretap leads to 10-year sentence for Washington man accused of distributing for drug ring

An Everett man was sentenced to prison Friday following a federal investigation into a Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating out of Tacoma, according to a news release from the U.S. … more

By The Chronicle staff | 9/14/26

A gray wolf in snow. (File photo courtesy of Eric Cole/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Trump gives feds 90 days to consider removing endangered species protections for wolves

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Sept. 4 giving the U.S. secretary of interior 90 days to decide whether to remove Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves and Mexican … more

By Clark Corbin / The Idaho Capital Sun | 9/14/26

Kelabe Tewolde and Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos. (Photos courtesy of campaigns)

Washington’s longest-serving state House member at risk of ouster

Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos has rarely faced a competitive election challenge in her nearly three decades in the Washington Legislature. Now Santos, the longtime chair of the House Education … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 9/14/26

Seattle mayor gives official explanation for police chief's forced resignation

Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle acknowledged receiving a long-awaited formal explanation from Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration regarding the forced resignation of former Seattle Police … more

Andrew Paxton | The Center Square | 9/13/26

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 13, 2026.

How the US House could overturn the midterm election results

President Donald Trump tried to maintain power following his loss in the 2020 election by exerting pressure on state election officials to, in some cases, “find” the votes. Loyalist … more

Jennifer Shutt / States Newsroom | 9/13/26

Then-U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer speaks to new apprentices at Micron Technology in Boise at a ceremony celebrating the first cohort of the company’s new workforce training program. A new federal report sheds light on how the now-former labor secretary navigated the workplace.

Ex-labor secretary from Oregon drank on job, oversaw 'humiliating' workplace, report finds

Former U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the one-term Oregon congresswoman tasked by the Trump administration to head the nation’s leading worker protection agency, oversaw harassment … more

Shaanth Nanguneri / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 9/13/26

Roughly 100 state employees, most of whom are members of the Washington Federation of State Employees, lined Capitol Way in Olympia, Wash. on Aug. 31, 2026 to demand higher wages in their next two-year contract.

Two Washington state public sector unions reach tentative deals on new contracts

Washington’s largest union for state government workers reached a tentative agreement on a new two-year contract early Friday, ending weeks of tense negotiations and a walkout by workers statewide. … more

Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard | 9/13/26

The High Lava Fire in Skamania County was 63% contained as of July 23. Its origin is pictured in this courtesy photo.

Gifford Pinchot National Forest reduces closure area for High Lava Fire

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest has reduced the closure area for the High Lava Fire in Skamania County, according to a Thursday news release from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The fire, … more

By The Chronicle staff | 9/11/26

A woman searches for razor clams at Grayland Beach on Friday, March 8, 2024.

WDFW announces 40 tentative days of coastal razor clam-digging opportunities beginning Oct. 9

Shellfish managers with the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced Thursday 40 tentative days of razor clam digs at four coastal beaches from Oct. 9 through Dec. 27. … more

By The Chronicle staff | 9/11/26

Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal on Thursday discussed his request for nearly $2 billion in the next state budget. He is seen here testifying to a House committee in January.

Reykdal seeks $2B infusion for Washington state public schools in next budget

The leader of Washington’s public school system on Thursday outlined his multibillion-dollar budget request he says is needed to ensure the state meets its legal obligations to fund basic education … more

By Jerry Cornfield and Aspen Ford / Washington State Standard | 9/11/26

An ICE officer detains a handcuffed man in Los Angeles on June 12, 2025.

Seattle spending millions to aid illegal immigrants as ICE arrests increase

A $4 million Seattle program is continuing to help illegal immigrants as the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on those in the U.S. without authorization, said Oksana Bilobran, interim … more

Randy Diamond | The Center Square | 9/11/26

Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Joe Nguyen speaks during the group's annual meeting Thursday.

Chamber of Commerce to Seattle mayor: No new taxes or regulations

Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce officials didn’t name Mayor Katie Wilson at their annual meeting Thursday, but the message was aimed at her: no new taxes or regulations. "Companies have … more

Randy Diamond | The Center Square | 9/11/26

Rep. Ley Says Washington Faces Billions in Other Transportation Needs

Washington lawmaker warns ballooning bridge budget needs reality check

A lawmaker from Vancouver, Washington, who sits on the bi-state legislative committee for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project is calling for a reset of design and construction plans. “We … more

Carleen Johnson | The Center Square | 9/11/26

Wildfire smoke rolls over the skies near Warm Springs along U.S. Highway 26 on July 25, 2026.

Oregon lawmakers approve more than $120 million to cover cost of 2026 wildfires

Oregon lawmakers approved nearly $123 million to help cover the costs of this year’s wildfire season, sending money to two state agencies responsible for fighting wildfires. The Oregon … more

Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 9/11/26

Rep. Paul Evans, D-Salem, works on the House floor at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023.

Oregon lawmaker calls for review of state anti-terror center cases amid free speech concerns

An Oregon Democrat with significant experience in public safety wants lawmakers to investigate the work of an Oregon-backed anti-terrorism center currently facing a lawsuit challenging the … more

Shaanth Nanguneri / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 9/11/26