ICE Out: Heated debate on bill to bar hiring of ICE agents
OLYMPIA [CASSIE DIAMOND]—Lawmakers clashed during a public hearing for a bill that would prohibit Washington law enforcement agencies from employing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers hired after Trump’s second-term inauguration. During a House Community Safety Committee meeting Thursday, Jan. 29, the division between Democratic and Republican legislators regarding their stances towards ICE was made […]
Senate bill addresses grocery closures in food deserts
OLYMPIA [CASSIE DIAMOND]– When the Fred Meyer in Tacoma’s South End neighborhood closed in September 2025, local resident Steven Bock said he considered leaving the area. “Our store was a primary food source of our district for almost 50 years, half a century,” Bock said. “My neighborhood is now without its last source of food […]
Eddie Bauer operator to file Chapter 11 closing all North American stores
The operator of Eddie Bauer stores is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to Women’s Wear Daily, a move expected to close all of the outdoor apparel retailer’s approximately 200 brick-and-motor locations across North America, including more than 10 in Washington state. Eddie Bauer is a 106-year-old American outdoor apparel and gear […]
Ryan Routh sentenced to life in prison for attempted assassination of President Trump
FORT PIERCE, Fla.— Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, was sentenced on Wednesday, February 4, to life plus 84 months in federal prison for the attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and related violent and firearms offenses. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon for the Southern District of Florida imposed the sentence. “Ryan Routh’s heinous […]
Trump admin awards $1M in emergency funds to WA workers affected by December’s record flood
OLYMPIA – The Employment Security Department was awarded a $1 million disaster recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to help workers living in Washington who were affected by December’s severe weather and record flooding. Employment Security will submit a full application to USDOL within 60 business days for additional disaster recovery funds for a […]
‘Pie Crust Promise,’ Rally at Capitol pushes for Parental Rights and Girls’ Sports protections
OLYMPIA—Hundreds gathered on the steps of the Washington state Capitol on Tuesday to rally in support of two citizen initiatives aimed at restoring parental rights in schools and barring biological males from competing in female sports, voicing frustration that Democratic leaders in the Legislature have refused to hold hearings on the measures despite constitutional requirements. […]
Detransitioner wins $2M landmark malpractice lawsuit after gender surgery regret
WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK—A New York jury awarded $2 million to detransitioner Fox Varian in a landmark medical malpractice case over a double mastectomy she underwent as a minor, marking the first such verdict against providers of gender-affirming care for adolescents. The six-member jury in Westchester County Supreme Court found psychologist Kenneth Einhorn and surgeon […]
ASPS urges delay on sex-change surgeries for kids: Childhood gender dysphoria often resolves naturally
WASHINGTON.D.C.—The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) issued a position statement on Tuesday, February 3, recommending that surgeons delay gender-related breast, chest, genital and facial surgeries for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria until patients reach at least 19 years old. ASPS concluded there was “insufficient evidence demonstrating a favorable risk-benefit ratio for the pathway […]
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 […]
