Washington Sentencing Commission Recommends Reduced Penalties for Sex-Offense Sting Busts Against Minors
The Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission voted 7-2-3 on November 14, 2025, to recommend lighter sentences for adults convicted of attempting to sexually exploit minors in law-enforcement “Net Nanny” operations, if the offender has no prior convictions exploiting a child. The proposal now advances to the Washington State Legislature for consideration in the 2026 session […]
Olympic Pipeline partially restored, source of leak located
EVERETT—Integrated oil and gas company British Petroleum (BP) has located the source of a leak in its Olympic Pipeline, 15 days after the leak was first discovered, and restored service to one, of two lines, that send jet fuel to SeaTac Airport. BP’s Olympic Pipeline transfers refined products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, […]
AG Brown co-leads multi-state suit against HUD’s homelessness funding overhaul
SEATTLE—The Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown is co-leading an 18-state lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) alleging that the agency’s new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, introduces unlawful policies and conditions that disrupt the Continuum of Care (CoC) grant program—a key federal initiative that […]
Brian Bennett appointed as Director of WA State Lottery
OLYMPIA –Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson appointed Brian Bennett as Director of Washington State Lottery on Tuesday, November 18. “Brian’s extensive and diverse leadership experience makes him well-suited for this role,” said Governor Ferguson. “As director of Washington’s Lottery, he will help deliver an excellent experience for players and generate revenue that funds critical services […]
Gov. Ferguson appoints Judge Mary Crandall to Skagit County Superior Court
OLYMPIA – Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson made his first selection to Skagit County Superior Court Tuesday, November 18, appointing current Skagit County Superior Court Commissioner Mary Crandall to the Skagit County Superior Court. Judge Crandall’s appointment will be officially effective on December 31, 2025, filling the vacant seat left after current Skagit County Superior […]
Gov. Ferguson appoints Colleen Melody to State Supreme Court
OLYMPIA – Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson made his first selection to State Superior Court this morning, Monday, November 24, appointing Colleen Melody to the State Supreme Court. Melody will be replacing retiring Justice Mary Yu, who’s retirement goes into effect at the end of the year. Melody and Gov. Ferguson date back to 2015 […]
WA state budget gets $105M boost, Ferguson warns of “Deep Financial Challenges” still ahead
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—Washington state budget writers got a mild dose of good news on Tuesday, but are still looking at a strained balance sheet. Revenue projections show collections up $105 million for the current two-year state budget compared to the last forecast in September. That amounts to a 0.1% increase, a change from previous reports […]
Trump admin moves to gut Washington’s new medical debt protection
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—Just months after Governor Bob Ferguson signed a Washington law to keep medical debt off consumers’ credit reports, the Trump administration is looking to block such policies. The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau now says federal law preempts laws like Washington’s. The federal agency’s position is a reversal from the Biden era. Backers of Senate […]
Ballmer Group announces up to $1.7B for early education programs in Washington state
[The Center Square]—Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday announced a huge philanthropic commitment to the state’s Early Childhood Education and Assessment Program, with the Ballmer Group committed to donating up to $170 million per year for the next decade. The boost comes months after Washington lawmakers, facing a potential budget shortfall, made substantial cuts […]
Lenny Wilkens, Basketball icon and Hall of Famer, dies at 88
SEATTLE—Lenny Wilkens, a towering figure in basketball whose career spanned five decades as one of the game’s premier point guards, innovative coaches and a champion of youth development, died on November 9, 2025, surrounded by family. He was 88. Born Leonard Randolph Wilkens on October 28, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York, Wilkens grew up in […]
