Democrats’ no-mask bill is unenforceable, distracts from real issues
Whether officials in our state like it or not, federal officers have a responsibility to enforce federal laws. That doesn’t change just because the enforcement efforts have unforeseen consequences, such as the tragic deaths of two people in Minnesota over a recent 17-day period. Many in the public have seen the disturbing videos of the […]
WA Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen announces retirement
OLYMPIA—Washington Supreme Court Justice Barbara A Madsen, the first woman to join the court by popular election in 1992, announced her retirement on Feb. 2, effective April 3, 2026. “In her 33 years on the high court, Justice Madsen served two terms as chief justice and took part in deciding thousands of cases — leaving […]
Conflicting reports cloud Seahawks ownership after Super Bowl as Millionaire Tax looms
SEATTLE—Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the potential sale of the Seattle Seahawks following Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, with sources indicating the team could hit the market shortly after the game, though the owning estate firmly denies it’s for sale now. According to league and ownership sources cited by ESPN, the Seahawks, valued at […]
WA Senate passes ban on police face coverings
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—The Washington state Senate voted Wednesday to ban law enforcement from covering their faces in response to growing concerns over masked federal immigration agents. Senate Bill 5855 would cover local, state and federal law enforcement, with limited exceptions for uses like personal protective equipment and undercover or SWAT operations. The proposal is sure to […]
Ferguson and Brown slam administrative warrants, vow to partner with anti-ICE groups
OLYMPIA— In a joint press conference on January 26, Governor Bob Ferguson (D) and Attorney General Nick Brown (D) announced pre-emptive steps to hold “ICE agents accountable” in Washington state and to “protect Washingtonians” from Civil Rights violations. Ferguson and Brown also announced a letter they penned to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urging her to […]
Ferguson and congressional leaders request Trump to approve Major FEMA support after historic floods
OLYMPIA—Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson on January 21, in unison with the entire bi-partisan Washington state congressional delegation the following day, sent letters to President Donald J Trump requesting critical FEMA designation, and funding, to help communities impacted by the record-breaking flooding in December 2025. For nearly two weeks in December, many rivers across Washington […]
Push for youth social media safeguards revived in WA Legislature
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—Avery Ping had a knack for noticing who in a room might be having a bad day and checking in on them. He wanted to be a psychiatrist. But the Olympia teen was addicted to his screen, his father Aaron said. He wanted to get away from his phone, and Aaron was adamant […]
Commerce invests $54.5 million in affordable housing across Washington
OLYMPIA—The Washington State Department of Commerce on Tuesday, January 20, announced $54.5 million in grants to help create nearly 5,000 affordable housing units across Washington. From Vancouver to Spokane, grants of up to $1 million have been awarded to support 70 projects in 22 counties to support the creation of 4,517 affordable housing units. A […]
Ferguson may have broken ethics laws allowing ex-adviser to fly on state plane
TUMWATER [JERRY CORNFIELD]—Washington Governor Bob Ferguson likely violated state ethics laws by allowing his former top adviser, Mike Webb, to travel with him on a state plane to the Tri-Cities last summer, the state Executive Ethics Board ruled Friday, January 9, 2026 (Case No. 2025-061). In a unanimous vote, the board concluded there was “reasonable […]
Refusing to take fraud concerns seriously will add to public’s distrust
Allegations of fraud involving childcare funding and other government-subsidized programs elsewhere have people here concerned that something similar could be happening in Washington. I know this because of the calls and emails that have come in since federal Republicans began investigating the suspected theft, through fraud, of billions in taxpayer dollars intended to subsidize a […]
