Top News
Communities along upper Lake Chelan are beginning the slow work of recovery after flooding and landslides.
Local News
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In the mid-20th century, nuclear fallout from bomb testing in Nevada spread across several western states. Now, self-proclaimed “downwinders” in Idaho are eligible for compensation.
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After years of planning and a tight squeeze inside a converted house, the Community for the Advancement of Family Education, or CAFÉ, has a new home.
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A seat in Congress will be open in the 2026 election in Washington’s 4th Congressional District, which covers most of Central Washington. U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse announced Wednesday morning that he will not seek reelection.
National News
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His policies are picking winners and losers — and blurring the lines between business and government.
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The Department of Government Efficiency effort was one of the most consequential and controversial – if not entirely successful – changes the Trump administration made in 2025.
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President Trump recently embraced kei cars, tiny vehicles that are popular in Asia but hard to get in the U.S. Kei car enthusiasts are delighted — but doubt whether much will change.
Arts & Culture
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On this edition of PNW Bites, host Jordan Eby brings you a regionally inspired recipe for loaded potato stacks.
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On this edition of PNW Bites, host Jordan Eby brings you a regionally inspired recipe for winter apple salad.
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Imagine a small-scale roller coaster but for bikes and skateboards. That’s called a pump track. Kennewick officially opened the first one in the Tri-Cities.
Business & Economy
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Washington state’s largest winery, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, has been purchased by the Wyckoff family. The Wyckoffs own a variety of agricultural businesses across Washington state.
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One of the oldest and largest U.S.-owned forage companies has filed a petition for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief. The hay industry that once appeared to be baling green cash is deeply struggling.
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Climate change is causing hotter and drier summers in the Northwest. Scientists are trialing exotic species of Christmas trees to see if they fair better than native varieties amid regional droughts.
Environment
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Communities throughout Chelan County are getting more intense weather, following an atmospheric river that caused extensive damage throughout the Northwest last week.
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Flooding and landslides have left communities along upper Lake Chelan dealing with major damage, nearly a year after wildfire weakened hillsides in the area. A town only accessible by boat is cut off from the rest of the area because of the atmospheric river fallout.
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The Skagit River near Mount Vernon crested at record-breaking levels in the wee hours of Friday morning, but it’s still running dangerously high hours later.
Wildfires
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“We’re losing firefighters. The numbers are going down,” said Riston Bullock, a 13-year veteran with the Nez Perce crew. “We need people at the shop ready to go when those fires start.”
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A medida que comienza la temporada de incendios forestales en el estado de Washington, activistas están trabajando para asegurarse de que las personas que solo hablan español reciban información importante durante las emergencias.
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It's hotter and drier across much of the Western United States. How is that impacting fire season?
Health
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Idaho law enforcement officials say they’re worried about how cuts to certain mental health treatment programs will affect their departments.
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Many health insurance customers who rely on Affordable Care Act provisions could see big cost increases in 2026.
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A beginner guitar workshop was held at an annual retreat in Eastern Pennsylvania for men who have been impacted by cancer.
Politics
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NWPB reporter Lauren Gallup joined host Phineas Pope to discuss Tacoma's 2023 Landlord Fairness Code and its impacts on affordable housing providers today.
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In Moscow, Idaho, there is a new mayor in town. Nearly 70% of voters marked Hailey Lewis on their ballots in the November election.
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Whether states can dole out full benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is unclear after the U.S Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration to temporarily block funding for food stamps, shortly after funding returned.
Other News
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A sampling of the stories NPR staff believe made some of the deepest ripples this year — reminders of what rigorous, compassionate journalism can do, and why the work remains as urgent as ever.
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A northern English town loses its best choral singers to fighting in World War I but finds new hope in a time of loss through music in Nicholas Hytner's new film "The Choral," featuring Ralph Fiennes.
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More immigrants are not showing up for their mandatory immigration court hearings compared to prior years, an NPR analysis shows, allowing the government to order their immediate deportation.
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Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the controversies that dominated the Turning Point conference, but he did not define any boundaries for the conservative movement besides patriotism.
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CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.