Democrats Reject Protections for Children in Drug-Affected Homes
With a handful of days left in the 2026 legislative session, we still don’t know what will happen with some very controversial bills, such as the proposed income tax. Unfortunately, it’s already clear these 60 days at the Capitol will not end well for those of us who take a special interest in the safety […]
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 […]
WAGOP Chair accuse AG Brown and Sen Wellman of shielding fraudsters in childcare scandal
BELLEVUE—Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh criticized Democratic officials for their responses to an expanding federal investigation into alleged childcare fraud, accusing them of siding with potential wrongdoers over taxpayers amid claims the schemes have spread from Minnesota to states including Washington. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched a nationwide probe into […]
John Braun: Cost of Green Hill fentanyl overdose: $12M and a life changed forever
There’s a lot in common between the security and safety issues at Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families’ Green Hill School, the harm being done to our state’s children by fentanyl, and the staggering cost of financial judgments and settlements due to mismanagement by the executive branch of state government. Each is the […]
YMCA opens new Early Learning Center in Marysville addressing the County’s childcare needs
MARYSVILLE—YMCA of Snohomish County cut the ribbon on its brand-new Early Learning Center in Marysville Tuesday, August 5, which, when it opens this September, will serve up to 68 children (aged 1-5), with 40% of them being from families below the poverty line. “Quality, licensed, childcare providers aren’t just falling from trees. It turns out […]
DCYF reveals three-fold increase in opioid-related child death and near-death numbers for 1Q-2025
[The Center Square-WA]—The Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) has reported a significant rise in child fatalities and near-fatal incidents linked to opioid exposure in the first quarter of 2025. With 54% of child deaths under state supervision attributed to opioids, particularly fentanyl, officials are grappling with how to address this escalating […]
OSPI steps in to sustain Washington’s Imagination Library Program amid budget cuts
OLYMPIA—In a move to preserve early literacy opportunities, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has committed discretionary funds to maintain Washington’s Imagination Library program for the 2025–26 fiscal year. This decision follows the state Legislature’s elimination of the program’s funding in the recent session due to a $12 billion budget shortfall, highlighting OSPI’s […]
