Senate unveils $1.5 billion state transportation budget proposal
OLYMPIA [By: Cassie Diamond] – Sens. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, and Curtis King, R-Yakima, rolled out their bipartisan supplemental transportation budget Feb. 23, emphasizing its focus on preservation and maintenance, job creation and safety. Liias, the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said the supplemental budget prioritizes the preservation and maintenance of the state’s highways, bridges […]
Bill proposes expanding admissibility of child hearsay
OLYMPIA [By: Cassie Diamond] – Legislation that would expand the circumstances under which a child’s hearsay statements are admissible as evidence in court received a public hearing before the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee Feb. 20. Hearsay is an out-of-court statement offered as evidence used to prove the truth of the statement’s contents. Such […]
Know the steps to save your loved one in cardiac arrest
It can happen suddenly, without warning – and knowing what to do if your loved one experiences cardiac arrest can have a large impact on their survival. “Cardiac arrest happens because of an electrical failure in the heart,” said South County Fire Battalion Chief of EMS Deanna Herbert. “The heart is unable to pump blood […]
Evergreen State Fair vendor applications open for 2026
MONROE – Vendor applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Evergreen State Fair! Available vendor spaces to rent include: The Fair is always looking for new and different products from those currently present (gluten free, vegan, or vegetarian food vendors for example). New for 2026: Artisan’s Summer Market and Grandstand Spaces are Back You told us you wanted more vendors, and […]
Budget Drama: Democrat leader confesses to being impaired during hearing, calling it a ‘poor choice’
OLYMPIA—Washington state House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Seattle) acknowledged Thursday that he drank alcohol before a late-night committee hearing Wednesday evening, where lawmakers said he appeared impaired while wrapping up debate on a key budget bill. The Democrat from West Seattle, in a statement to conservative radio host Jason Rantz, called it a “poor choice” […]
Dough Zone’s Bao Buddies Program serves up culture, community, and cash for schools
LYNNWOOD—Beloved Bellevue-based dumpling house Dough Zone has taken their delicious, and cultural, dumplings to local schools through a new program called Bao Buddies which takes dumpling making classes, educational cultural events, and fundraising to local schools throughout Washington and beyond. The Bao Buddies Program is a way to give back to the communities who have […]
Cowlitz County may become rural again
OLYMPIA [by Annika Hauer] — Cowlitz County may fall under rural designation again under a proposed bill that changes the population thresholds. Since 1999, Washington has designated a county as “rural” if it has a population density of 100 people or less per square mile. In 2025, Cowlitz County surpassed that threshold, removing its rural […]
Lawmakers want to crack down on crypto kiosk scams
OLYMPIA [By: Cassie Diamond] – An effort by Washington legislators to introduce tighter regulations on cryptocurrency kiosks as these machines increasingly become sites of fraud is dead for this session after failing to pass out of committee Feb. 25. According to bankrate.com, a cryptocurrency kiosk lets a user buy — and in some cases, sell […]
Historic Granite Falls Bridge seeks new home
SNOHOMISH COUNTY – For nearly a century, Granite Falls Bridge 102 has served the region’s tourism, timber and mining industries by providing a vital crossing of the South Fork Stillaguamish River on the Mountain Loop Highway. As Snohomish County moves forward to replace the bridge, plans are underway to find a new home for the […]
Councilman Jim Smith Celebration of Life, April 18
James “Jim” Smith, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, musician, entrepreneur, licensed pilot, and dedicated public servant who served the City of Lynnwood for 28 years on the City Council, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2026, at the age of 75, surrounded by his wife after a courageous battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Born […]
