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Cryptocurrency Miners Ask Federal Judge To Stop ‘Crippling’ Rate Hike Of Central Washington Utility

By Tom Banse March 19, 2019

Grant PUD operates two dams on the Columbia River, including Wanapum Dam shown here, which provide its customers low cost hydropower. CREDIT: TOM BANSE / NW NEWS NETWORK

Cryptocurrency companies in Central Washington were left to wait in suspense on Tuesday after they asked a federal judge in Spokane to block an imminent, targeted electric rate increase. The energy-intensive data center operators claim they would be crippled by the Grant County Public Utility District rate hike. The utility says the case is without merit. Read More

U.S. Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Yakama Nation Treaty Rights In Gas Tax Case

By Esmy Jimenez March 19, 2019

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review a case on gas taxes and tribal sovereignty involving the Cougar Den gas station on the Yakama Reservation. CREDIT: GOOGLE MAPS

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court decided in favor of tribal treaty rights in a case between the Washington Department of Licensing and Cougar Den, a gas station in White Swan on the Yakama Reservation. Continue Reading U.S. Read More

Washington Man Calls Foul, Says He Was Blocked From Jay Inslee’s Facebook Page

By Austin Jenkins March 19, 2019

In this file photo, Jay Inslee speaks with reporters following an appearance in January at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. CREDIT: AUSTIN JENKINS / NW NEWS NETWORK

A Tri-Cities man who has been a frequent online critic of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said he was blocked this month from commenting on Inslee's campaign Facebook page. The move comes as Inslee, a Democrat, launches his candidacy for president and his campaign says its working to make his Facebook page "a little less toxic." Read More

White Nationalist Groups Increase Recruiting And Propaganda Across Western U.S.

By NPR News March 19, 2019

Mohan Sudabattula, a senior at the University of Utah, shows posters he found on campus from the white nationalist group Patriot Front. CREDIT: NATE HEGYI/KUER

Authorities are looking into whether the suspect in last week's terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand was inspired by an emerging, European-based breed of white nationalism. The identitarian movement, formed in France in 2016, broadly believes that white people in Europe and North America are being displaced by non-European immigrants. Read More

27 Students Suspended, 9 Arrested In Vancouver, Washington School Disturbance

By Molly Solomon March 19, 2019

Vancouver school officials are suspending 27 students and banning them from campus after a disruption that canceled a middle school basketball tournament Friday. Nine of those students have also been arrested. Continue Reading 27 Read More

Washington Supreme Court Could Take Over For ‘Struggling’ State Bar Association

By Amy Radil March 18, 2019

Two candidates for the Washington Supreme Court have been disqualified from appearing on the November ballot. CREDIT: CACOPHONY / WIKIMEDIA

The Washington State Bar Association could soon be dissolved or remade amid internal turmoil and possible legal challenges. A proposal to repeal the State Bar Act and turn the bar's essential duties over to the Washington State Supreme Court has passed the Washington State House and will be heard by a Senate committee on Tuesday, March 19. Read More

Specialty License Plates On The Rise (And The Road) In The Northwest

By Tom Banse March 18, 2019

Washington state may soon offer a wine-themed license plate similar to the popular one Oregon issues. CREDIT: OREGON DMV

The options to share your fandom or your love of nature through your car license plate keep growing in Oregon and Washington. But not all license plate ideas go down smoothly. Continue Reading Specialty License Plates On The Read More

Market Saturation: Why So Many Farmers Markets Are Failing

By NPR News March 17, 2019

Nationwide, there are too few farmers to populate market stalls and too few customers filling their canvas bags with fresh produce at each market. Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images

Farmers aren't producing enough to keep up with the number of smaller markets that keep popping up, often in close proximity to others. This results in fewer customers, unsold food and maybe closure. Continue Reading Market Saturation: Why So Many Read More

Peter Kaiser Takes First In Iditarod — Marking A Win For Alaskan Natives

By NPR News March 16, 2019

Kaiser is the first musher of Yup'ik descent to win the Iditarod sled dog race. His win is a significant point of pride for Alaska's indigenous people. Continue Reading Peter Kaiser Takes First In Iditarod — Marking A Win For Alaskan Read More

Federal Action Removes Grazing Restrictions Meant To Protect Sage Grouse In Western States

By Courtney Flatt March 15, 2019

A male greater sage grouse struts its stuff on Bureau of Land Management land in this April 21, 2012, photo. Bureau of Land Management

The Trump administration is lifting restrictions meant to protect greater sage grouse across seven western states. In Oregon grazing restrictions are being removed in 13 locations that provide habitat for the imperiled birds. Read More

East Of The Cascades, Lingering Snow Means Struggle For Northwest Fauna

By Anna King March 15, 2019

A coyote in snow on the Hanford Reach National Monument near the Columbia River shoreline. CREDIT: JANE ABEL/US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

All this snow so late in the season prompts the much-asked question: Is this climate change? Kathie Dello, a climatologist with Oregon State University in Corvallis, says this late-winter snow is perfectly normal. But, it doesn’t mean the larger picture is all fine. Read More

Hotel Stays Put Pressure On Washington Lawmakers To Increase Foster Care Funding

By Austin Jenkins March 15, 2019

The report, released late Monday, sounds the alarm over the rising use of hotels to temporarily house foster youth. CREDIT: FLICKR PHOTO/RICH UCHYTIL (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)/HTTPS://BIT.LY/2KEV8GW

Over the past eight years, Washington has lost 170 residential beds for hard-to-place foster youth. But now there’s a push in Olympia to nearly double provider reimbursement rates in an effort to reverse the trend. Continue Read More

Washington Bumps Up Its Presidential Primary To March, Seeking To Be More Relevant

By Austin Jenkins March 14, 2019

Election officials across the country have worked hard to prioritize security ahead of November's midterms, but some strategies could have the unintended effect of sometimes making voting harder. CREDIT: JUSTIN SULLIVAN

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination, signed legislation Thursday to bump the state’s presidential primary from late May to early March. It’s a move designed to make Washington, a frequently overlooked state with just 12 electoral votes, more relevant in the nominating process. Read More

Wild Horses Could Drag You Away – To The Bank. The Government Will Pay You $1,000 To Adopt One

By Amanda Peacher March 14, 2019

Wild horses graze on the Warm Springs reservation in Central Oregon. CREDIT: TOM BANSE/N3

The Bureau of Land Management is offering people $1,000 if they’ll adopt a wild horse. The agency says more than 80,000 wild horses and burros are on rangelands across the West right now. The animals can damage rangeland and when their populations are high some of them starve. Read More

A Punch Of Late Winter Weather Means Diminished Drought Across The Northwest

By Anna King March 14, 2019

The snowpack and water outlook across the Northwest has improved with late-season winter snowstorms. CREDIT: US DROUGHT MONITOR

According to a new federal drought monitor map, the long-running dry spell finally looks to be over in most of the Northwest. Heavy snows and precipitation in February and early March have made up the difference. That’s good news for ranchers, irrigators, river rafters and salmon. Read More

Cleaner Fuels Could Soon Power Washington Cars If New Fuel Standard Passes Legislature

By John Ryan March 14, 2019

Tailpipe exhaust is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in Washington state and nationwide. CREDIT: Rick Bowmer/AP

After hours of contentious floor debate, the Washington House of Representatives passed a low-carbon fuel standard this week. The result, if the state Senate also passes it: Cleaner fuels could start flowing from gas pumps in Washington state over the coming decade. Read More

Where Will Your Plastic Trash Go Now That China Doesn’t Want It?

By NPR News March 13, 2019

The U.S. used to ship about 7 million tons of plastic trash to China a year, where much of it was recycled into raw materials. Then came the Chinese crackdown of 2018. CREDIT: Olivia Sun/NPR

For years, America sold millions of tons of used yogurt cups, juice containers, shampoo bottles and other kinds of plastic trash to China to be recycled into new products. But last year the Chinese government dropped a bombshell on the world recycling business: They cut back almost all imports of trash. And now a lot of that plastic gets shipped to other countries that Read More

‘Bowl Of Jello Effect’ Raises Risk Of Tall Buildings Collapsing In Cascadia Quake, Scientists Say

By Tom Banse March 13, 2019

Skyscrapers in downtown Seattle and other Northwest city centers could sway more than anticipated in The Big One, according to research presented this week. CREDIT: TOM BANSE / NW NEWS NETWORK

A research project to model the effects from a Cascadia megaquake found higher risk of collapse for modern tall buildings than previously thought. Continue Reading ‘Bowl Of Jello Effect’ Raises Risk Of Read More

FAA Grounds Boeing 737 Max Planes In U.S., Pending Investigation

By NPR News March 13, 2019

A Boeing 737 Max 8 flown by Southwest Airlines sits at the gate at Baltimore Washington International Airport on Wednesday. "The grounding will remain in effect pending further investigation, including examination of information from the aircraft's flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders," the FAA said in a statement. CREDIT: JIM WATSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

The Federal Aviation Administration says it is temporarily grounding all Boeing 737 Max aircraft operated by U.S. airlines or in U.S. territory. Continue Reading FAA Grounds Boeing 737 Max Planes In U.S., Pending InvestigationRead More

Genetically Engineered Salmon Swim Closer To Store Shelves, Concerning Tribes And Food Groups

By Courtney Flatt March 13, 2019

By engineering a regular Atlantic salmon, front, with a chinook gene that instructs growth hormones, AquaBounty can produce a faster-growing genetically modified salmon, back. Here's a comparison of the two at the same age. AquaBounty Technologies

Genetically engineered salmon are one step closer to winding up on store shelves, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration lifted an import ban. It’s a move that’s concerning to tribes, food groups and environmentalists. Read More

After Years In The Thick Of Trouble, Washington Inmate Finds Hope For A Second Chance

By Max Wasserman March 12, 2019

Prenters Broughton argues for early release before the state clemency board in Olympia on Thursday, March 7. The board is one of the only ways for long-time inmates to have their sentences reduced or thrown out. CREDIT: MAX WASSERMAN / NORTHWEST NEWS NETWORK

Imagine taking someone’s entire life story and compressing it into a span of a few hours to determine whether they’ve changed for the better. That’s the clemency process in a nutshell. Continue Reading After Years In The Read More

Washington Lawmakers Move One Step Closer To Vacating Misdemeanor Marijuana Convictions

By NWPB News March 12, 2019

The Washington Legislature has sent a ban on bump stocks to Gov. Jay Inslee for his signature. A bump stock is a trigger modification device that make a semi-automatic rifle function more like an automatic weapon. CREDIT: JON CONNELL

Tens of thousands of people who were previously found guilty of misdemeanor marijuana possession charges could see their convictions vacated under a measure passed Monday by the Washington Senate. Continue Reading Read More

Study Shows Potential Link Between Parkinson’s And Widely Used Herbicide In Agricultural Regions

By Courtney Flatt March 12, 2019

One of the most heavily relied on herbicides in the nation could be linked to an increase in early deaths Parkinson’s Disease for people who live nearby, according to new research on farmlands in Washington. CREDIT: WA Department of Agriculture, Flickr Creative Commons

One of the country’s most widely-used herbicides could be linked to an increase in early deaths from Parkinson’s disease for people who live near farmlands, according to new research in Washington. Continue Read More

Expert Women Explore The Heavy Burden Of Hanford Cleanup In Tri-Cities Event On March 21

By NWPB News March 12, 2019

Anna King interviewing Jane Hedges, the now retired head of Washington Ecology’s Hanford office. Hedges grew up swimming off the docks in Richland, but only understood the massive scope of the cleanup needed at Hanford later in life. CREDIT: Kai-Huei Yau / Daughters of Hanford

PHOTO: Anna King interviewing Jane Hedges, the now-retired head of Washington Ecology’s Hanford office. Hedges grew up swimming off the docks in Richland, but only understood the massive scope of the cleanup needed at Hanford later in life. CREDIT: Kai-Huei Yau / Daughters of Hanford You’ve heard Tri-Cities correspondent Anna King on the radio for years,… Read More

U.S. Hospitals And Insurers Might Be Forced To Reveal The True Prices They Negotiate

By NPR News March 12, 2019

The Trump administration aims to boost competition among hospitals and cut costs by letting consumers see how widely prices can vary for the same medical or surgical procedure. But health economists say patients typically have little choice in choosing their hospital.

A little-noticed Trump administration proposal would require hospitals, doctors and insurers to post the true, negotiated price for a medical procedure or service, as opposed to the "list" price. Continue Reading U.S. Read More

Small-Scale Nuclear Company Looks To Build First Plant In Idaho

By Cassandra Profita March 11, 2019

An artist’s rendition of the NuScale nuclear power project planned for construction in Idaho. Courtesy of NuScale Power

As coal plants retire across the country, Portland-based NuScale Power wants to replace some of that electricity with its small-scale nuclear plants. Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems wants to build a 720-megawatt nuclear plant at the Idaho National Laboratory site in Idaho Falls. Read More

Study Finds Racial Gap Between Who Causes Air Pollution And Who Breathes It

By NPR News March 11, 2019

An elevated view of smog and air pollution in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. CREDIT: DAVE G. KELLY/GETTY IMAGES

Pollution, much like wealth, is not distributed equally in the United States. Continue Reading Study Finds Racial Gap Between Who Causes Air Pollution And Who Breathes ItRead More

Fisheries Managers Face Mixed Forecast For Northwest Salmon, Concerns Over Endangered Orca

By Jes Burns March 11, 2019

Fish trap operators can pick out the hatchery salmon for harvest and release the wild salmon so they can return to their spawning grounds. CREDIT: CASSANDRA PROFITA/OPB

About this time every year, the Pacific Northwest gets a report card from the natural world. It comes in the form of salmon run forecasts, and gives us an indication of how healthy the Pacific Ocean and our rivers and streams are.The grades are in, and here’s what you need to know about our scores. Read More

Commentary: 4 Ways To Reduce Plastics And Other Single-Use Disposables In Your Kitchen

By NPR News March 11, 2019

Last year, the author set about reducing her reliance on single-use disposables in the kitchen. Above are some of the tools she has adopted for food storage: a heavy-duty reusable silicone zip-top bag, bamboo towels, silicone disks that slip over the ends of cut pieces of fruits and vegetables, and beeswax-covered fabrics. CREDIT: Kristen Hartke for NPR

The 40 days of Lent, which began last week, are a time when many Christians around the world decide to voluntarily give up bad habits or luxuries. This year, it might be time we all consider how to give up – or at least reduce – our reliance on disposable products. Read More

Washington Lawmakers Vote For Year-Round Daylight Saving Time. But It’s Far From A Done Deal

By Tom Banse March 10, 2019

Seattle area sunset picture at the beach

The Washington House of Representatives voted 89 to 7 Saturday in favor of observing daylight saving time year-round. The state Senate is expected to vote in the coming days on the issue, which is gaining steam in statehouses across the West. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has not yet signaled where he stands on the measures. Read More

Nearly 4,500 Older Brick Buildings In Washington Could Be Dangerous In Quake, New Report Says

By Tom Banse March 10, 2019

Damage from fallen bricks in Seattle's Pioneer Square district after the 2001 Nisqually Quake. CREDIT: KEVIN GALVIN / FEMA NEWS

The State of Washington has completed its first statewide inventory of buildings prone to crumble or collapse in an earthquake. The bottom line: There are an awful lot of unreinforced, old brick or stone buildings that could be dangerous — a similar number to estimates in Oregon. Read More

Vaccine Coverage: NPR Public Editor Reviews How Newsroom Approaches A Controversial Topic

By NPR News March 9, 2019

Opponents to efforts to remove philosophical exemptions from school-vaccine requirements rally outside the Washington Capitol, in Olympia, Wash., Wednesday, Feb. 20,2019. Lawmakers are considering two measures, one that would remove the exemption from the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, and another that would not allow personal or philosophical exemptions to be granted for any required school vaccinations. CREDIT: RACHEL LA CORTE/AP

NPR's public editor, who is independent of the newsroom, reviews concerns over vaccine coverage. The recent U.S. measles outbreak has offered a challenge to journalists who want to stay true to ethical principles while covering the story, a major aspect of which includes the contributing role of parents who don't vaccinate their children. Read More

Turns Earned: Saving Mount Hood’s Historic Backcountry Ski Cabin

By NWPB News March 8, 2019

Andre and Jennifer Fortin pose for a photo at the Tilly Jane A-Frame. CREDIT: IAN MCCLUSKEY/OPB

Some remote cabins are for solo retreats – not this one. Staying at Tilly Jane A-Frame is a shared experience. And sharing it has saved it. Continue Reading Turns Earned: Saving Mount Hood’s Historic Backcountry Ski CabinRead More

Washington Ranks As The Worst State For Low-Income Residents. Why?

By Paige Browning March 8, 2019

People pack Seattle City Hall in June 2017 for a meeting about whether to enact an income tax. CREDIT: KATE WALTERS/KUOW

Washington ranks as the worst state for low-income earners to live, and it's notably worse than others. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) places Washington, Texas and Florida at the top of the "terrible 10" list in its annual report. Read More

Incentives For Electric Car Buyers? Yes In Oregon, Maybe In Washington

By Tom Banse March 7, 2019

Electric cars parked at the Washington State Capitol. CREDIT: TOM BANSE / N3

Democrats in the Washington Legislature want to revive a tax break for buyers of electric cars, which critics view as wasteful and unnecessary. Meanwhile, a publicly-financed rebate for battery-powered cars in Oregon is finding thousands of takers. Read More

Oregon Wineries Come Together To Save Grapes Rejected For Smoke Taint

By NPR News March 7, 2019

Members of the Oregon Solidarity project include (from left) Ed King and Justin King of King Estate Winery; Christine Clair and Joe Ibrahim of Willamette Valley Vineyards, and Brent Stone and Ray Nuclo, also of King Estate Winery. CREDIT: CAROLYN WELLS KRAMER/NPR

Grape growers in southern Oregon thought they had already weathered one of the biggest challenges of the 2018 season — the Klondike Fire, which burned over 175,000 acres in July.But on Sept. 22, they faced even more devastating news: Copper Cane Wines and Provisions, a Calif.-based winery that contracts with numerous growers in the region, canceled grape orders mere Read More

‘Reimagining Paradise’ — Making Plans To Rebuild A Town Destroyed By Wildfire

By NPR News March 7, 2019

Cal Poly architecture students focused on reimagining and rebuilding Paradise, Calif., by presenting models, renderings and updated concepts during a community forum in Chico, Calif. CREDIT: JASON HALLEY/CSU CHICO

Last fall's deadly Camp Fire has brought renewed questions about whether towns in high-risk areas like Paradise, Calif., should even be rebuilt. Continue Reading ‘Reimagining Paradise’ — Making Plans To Rebuild A Town Read More

Cattle Grazing Gives Way To Big Solar Farm Leases In Central Washington

By Tom Banse March 6, 2019

The new Avangrid Renewables solar farm in Klickitat County, Washington, will rise across the Columbia River from the smaller Wy'East Solar Project, shown here in Sherman County, Oregon. CREDIT: AVANGRID RENEWABLES

A Portland-based energy developer has signed property leases for a big solar farm in Klickitat County near the Columbia River. When completed, the solar project will be the largest in Washington. Continue Reading Cattle Grazing Gives Way Read More

Sexual Abuse Allegations At Migrant Youth Shelters Nationwide Include Several At Oregon Facilities

By Esmy Jimenez March 6, 2019

File photo / Yelp. Morrison Child and Family Services has multiple facilities in Portland and throughout Oregon.

A federal report shows that between 2015 and 2018 there were almost 6,000 reported complaints of sexual abuse at child migrant shelters nationwide. Documents show the non-profit Morrison Child and Family Services in Portland handled eight of those reports. Three of those incidents happened at other non-Morrison shelters the youth were previously at. Read More

Wolf-Delisting Plan Would Remove Federal Protections In Washington And Oregon

By Courtney Flatt March 6, 2019

This Feb. 2017, file photo provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife shows a gray wolf of the Wenaha Pack captured on a remote camera on U.S. Forest Service land in Oregon's northern Wallowa County. CREDIT: OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE/AP

President Donald Trump’s acting interior secretary announced plans Wednesday to lift protections for gray wolves in the Lower 48. The move will likely spur controversy in the Northwest. Continue Reading Wolf-Delisting Plan Would Read More

In Wyoming, A Contest To Capture Carbon And Save Coal

By NPR News March 6, 2019

Jason Salfi, left, and Dr. David Erickson, right, of Dimensional Energy, are finalists in the Carbon XPRIZE. They stand in front of the Dry Fork Station coal-fired power plant in Gillette, Wyo., where the competition is located. CREDIT: COOPER MCKIM/WYOMING PUBLIC RADIO

Moving our energy sources away from fossil fuels to renewables is the most common go-to in mitigating climate change, but climate experts say more is needed. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says keeping global temperatures within a livable range would be too expensive without carbon capture. Read More

As Herds Grow, Federal Land Managers Board Wild Horses On Private Land

By Emily Cureton March 6, 2019

Too many grazers, too little range. That’s the bottom line from the Bureau of Land Management about wild horses and burros. On Monday, the BLM put out a call for contractors to provide pasture for thousands of excess animals. Continue Read More

Investigation: Federal Disaster Aid Disproportionately Goes To White Communities, Despite Need

By NPR News March 5, 2019

A home in the Lost Valley area of Manville, N.J. The numbers spray-painted on the front of the house indicate that it was bought as part of a federal disaster program. Claire Harbage/NPR

NPR analyzed records from a Federal Emergency Management Agency database of more than 40,000 buyouts and found that most went disproportionately to whiter communities. Continue Reading Investigation: Federal Disaster Read More

Washington Lawmakers Seek Smoother Path To Redemption For Formerly Incarcerated Residents

By Max Wasserman March 5, 2019

Carolina Landa hugs her son, Zach, in their living room before he leaves for school on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. The two have been living together in the same home in Olympia since 2015. CREDIT: SHAUNA SOWERSBY / THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE

The stain of a criminal record complicates life’s basics when people are released back into their communities: from finding a place to live to buying insurance. Thousands in Washington state continue to face barriers even after they’ve turned their lives around. Some can tap into a process to clear their records, giving them a fresh start. But the process is complicated, Read More

Large Study Provides More Evidence That MMR Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism

By NPR News March 5, 2019

An MMR vaccination, immunizing against measles, mumps and rubella, is seen in the Health and Prevention Centre in Lyon, France. BSIP/UIG via Getty Images

A large study released Monday finds no evidence that the vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella increases the risk of autism. The study of children born in Denmark is one of the largest ever of the MMR vaccine. Continue Read More

What Makes The AR-15 ‘America’s Gun’? You Can Make It Your Own With Customization

By NWPB News March 4, 2019

Jerry Frederick shows off one of two personalized AR rifles he had built by Unique ARs, an Idaho company that specializes in custom AR rifles. The AR has become the most popular rifle in America and one of the most controversial. CREDIT: HEATH DRUZIN/BOISE STATE PUBLIC RADIO

There is perhaps no more beloved gun in the country than the AR. Dubbed “America’s Rifle” by the NRA, it’s inexpensive, easy to use, deadly accurate and, perhaps most importantly, customizable. Continue Reading What Makes The AR-15 Read More

Jay Inslee Says He’s The 2020 Climate Candidate. What Does His Record Say?

By John Ryan March 4, 2019

Governor Jay Inslee points to the crowd after announcing his candidacy for President on Friday, March 1, 2019, at A&R Solar on Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Seattle. CREDIT: MEGAN FARMER/KUOW

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced on Friday what political observers in his state have been expecting for months: He’s running for president, and focusing his campaign on climate change. But how strong is his record tackling, in his words, “the most urgent challenge of our time”? Read More

Clean Electricity Rule To Phase Out Fossil Fuel Plants Moves Closer To Passage In Washington

By Tom Banse March 4, 2019

Colstrip power plant in Montana - Flicker-Creative Commons

Electric utilities in Washington would have to phase out all coal power, and eventually, natural gas-fired generation under a measure passed by the state Senate last week. The 100 percent clean electricity mandate is a priority of Gov. Jay Inslee and environmental groups, but Republican critics decried it as a big rate increase in the making. Read More

The Way Deer Escape Wolves Could Change How Hunters Hunt

By Courtney Flatt March 3, 2019

Mule deer taken from a trail camera near Republic, Washington. As wolves return to Washington state, deer have taken notice. Researchers found deer change how they react when wolves are near – and that could eventually change how hunters hunt. Courtesy of the University of Washington

As wolves return to the Northwest, deer have taken notice. Researchers found deer in Washington change how they react when wolves are near – and that could eventually change how hunters hunt. Continue Reading The Way Deer Escape Wolves Could Change How Read More

Federal Judge Denies Injunction For Yakama Nation In Jurisdiction Case With Toppenish And County

By Esmy Jimenez March 3, 2019

File photo. The reservation of the Yakama Nation in south-central Washington covers over 2,000 square miles, with areas patrolled by tribal, city and county law enforcement.

Recently, a federal judge sided against the Yakama Nation in a jurisdiction case involving the tribe, the city of Toppenish and Yakima County. When a crime happens in Yakima County, a couple questions are key. One: Were either the victim or perpetrator Yakama Nation citizens? And two: Where exactly did it happen? Read More