State & Regional News | Thurston Chronicle

Let’s Go Washington supporters hold signs in protest of Senate Bill 6346, dubbed the ‘millionaires tax,’ outside the Washington Secretary of State’s office building in Tumwater on Thursday, July 2.

National Federation of Independent Business to voters: Yes on I-645 — stop the income tax

Washington state’s leading small business association announced in a news release Tuesday its support of Initiative 645, which would repeal the new state income tax. “Wall Street gets a pass … more

By The Chronicle staff | 10/7/26

Todd Bloom is challenging Debra Stephens, chief justice of the Washington state Supreme Court, in the November 2026 election. candidate for Washington state Supreme Court.

Washington State Supreme Court candidates make their case as high-profile election nears

Less than a month remains until an election that will transform Washington’s state Supreme Court. Two new justices will join the nine-member high court, and two new justices appointed by Gov. … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 10/7/26

A sticker affixed to a gas pump in North Carolina blames President Donald Trump for the high prices. Lawmakers in several states are suspending gas taxes or rolling back regulations on diesel fuel as voters grow increasingly frustrated with rising fuel costs.

With election pressure mounting, states move to suspend fuel taxes

With Election Day less than a month away, lawmakers in several states are suspending gas taxes or rolling back regulations on diesel fuel as voters grow increasingly frustrated with rising fuel costs … more

Alex Brown / Idaho Capital Sun | 10/7/26

Roughly 40 people waved signs, chanted and marched during a Walla Walla demonstration demanding a data center moratorium.

Amazon’s Walla Walla data center plan sparks tension between protesters, local officials

More than four hundred Washingtonians across 19 locations took to the streets Sunday to demand a statewide moratorium on data centers. In Walla Walla, where a $4.8 billion Amazon data … more

Aspen Ford / Washington State Standard | 10/7/26

The Columbia River in Klickitat County, looking downstream from one of the sites of a proposed data center in the rural area.

Rural Klickitat County faces surge in data center proposals

Klickitat County stretches for more than 80 miles along the Columbia River, speckled with small towns along the waterfront and within its agricultural lands. It’s here that at least six hyperscale … more

Emma Renly / Washington State Standard | 10/7/26

Voters cast their ballots Tuesday, May 19, 2026, during election day at Emerson High School in Idaho Falls.

Passing HJR 4 would give Idaho Legislature sole authority to legalize marijuana, other drugs

Idahoans voting in November’s general election will decide whether to give the Idaho Legislature the sole power to regulate marijuana and other drugs — and eliminate their right to bring a … more

Clark Corbin / Idaho Capital Sun | 10/6/26

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

Oregon state Rep. Paul Evans accused of drunken hit-and-run with stop sign in Independence

State Rep. Paul Evans was arrested this weekend and is accused of driving drunk and damaging a stop sign in Independence, Polk County Circuit Court records show. Independence Police officers … more

Madeleine Moore / Salem Reporter | 10/6/26

The 67-year-old Tillikum is the longest-serving Washington state ferry in active operation. It was expected to retire years ago, but can’t due to the shortage of working boats in the state fleet.

Washington needs this aging state ferry to keep running and running

When the Washington state ferry Tillikum entered service in 1959, Albert Rosellini was in his first term as governor and Dwight Eisenhower was in his second as president. The showy tail … more

Tom Banse / Washington State Standard | 10/6/26

The U.S. Capitol on May 7, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

National party chair predicts House Dems will gain majority control in midterms

Democrats expect they’ll gain a majority of seats in the U.S. House following November’s midterm elections, giving the party a platform to serve as a check on the president’s power. … more

By Jennifer Shutt / States Newsroom | 10/6/26

The U.S. Supreme Court on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)

SCOTUS orders another look at how Washington state political maps are drawn

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday set the stage for another redrawing of Washington state’s political maps. On the first day of its new session, the court accepted a legal challenge to the … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington State Standard | 10/6/26

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

Bipartisan coalition urge Gov. Ferguson to secure federal education tax credit

Now that the U.S. Department of Treasury has released long-awaited rules for the Education Freedom Tax Credit, pressure is mounting on states that have not opted in, including Washington state. … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 10/5/26

A newly metamorphosed monarch nectaring on common boneset.

Endangered Species Act protection for monarch butterfly delayed

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week agreed to issue a final listing determination for monarch butterflies by June 6, 2030, a news release announced. The orange-and-black butterflies … more

By The Chronicle staff | 10/5/26

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez smiles while eating a freshly picked fruit at Raintree Nursery on a Lewis County Farm Bureau Tour on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2023.

MGP introduces legislation to bring more nurses to public schools

Last week, U.S. Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, and Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia, introduced the bipartisan More Nurses in Rural Schools Act. The bill is aimed at addressing the shortage … more

By The Chronicle staff | 10/5/26

The state ferry Tokitae, seen here approaching Whidbey Island.

Commute chaos as Washington State Ferries cancels dozens of runs as workers out sick

Numerous Washington state ferry sailings were canceled Monday as many workers called in sick and their replacements declined to fill in for them, according to state officials. Thirteen of the … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 10/5/26

Multiple pages of an exhibit are shown in the state's response to a legal challenge of Illinois' gun ban.

Bite of Seattle shooting details raise questions over gun control laws

Despite Washington state’s numerous gun control laws, an illegally modified fully automatic gun was found at the Bite of Seattle shooting with a clip that isn't legal to purchase in the state. … more

By TJ Martinell / The Center Square | 10/5/26

Former fairgrounds employee sues Grays Harbor County

Former Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds employee Kelly Peterson-Lalka recently filed a lawsuit against Grays Harbor County in Thurston County Superior Court. Peterson-Lalka’s tort claim alleges … more

By Jerry Knaak / The Daily World | 10/5/26

Washington state man charged with aiding Houthis makes first court appearance

Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, the 51-year-old Richland man and Department of Energy employee accused of attempting to provide material support to the Houthis, made his first federal court appearance … more

Austin Reed / The Center Square | 10/5/26

Washington needs this aging state ferry to keep running and running

When the Washington state ferry Tillikum entered service in 1959, Albert Rosellini was in his first term as governor and Dwight Eisenhower was in his second as president. The showy tail … more

By Tom Banse / The Washington State Standard | 10/5/26

Michelle Caswell, left, and Megan McCarty pose at Riverside Park in Grants Pass, Oregon. Caswell, McCarty and other former residents of 5Rock Ranch have urged the nonprofit’s leadership to shut down the organization.

Former residents allege harm at Oregon Christian ranch that promises refuge to people in crisis

Michelle Caswell still recalls the nights when her boss prayed beside her bed, kneeling so close she could feel his warm breath on her face and she worried he’d try to kiss her. Caswell was … more

Kaylee Tornay, InvestigateWest | 10/3/26

Providers give emergency care to patients via telehealth at Dartmouth Health, based in Vermont and New Hampshire, which announced last month it would lay off 124 employees and cancel 303 positions. Nationwide, health care jobs continued to grow in September but at a lower pace as hospitals continued to seek financial stability.

Hiring slows in September with job growth of 29K

Jobs across the United States rose by 29,000 in September, a disappointing result as recent growth was also revised down in Friday’s monthly jobs report, the last one before midterm … more

Tim Henderson / Stateline | 10/3/26