Washington State Journal - Building a stronger, more just & transparent democracy

Meaningful, independent journalism is at a crossroads. Advertisers who once filled newspaper coffers and funded local journalism have shifted resources to the Internet. And... — Updated 8/18/2022

In less than a year, those who want to board a flight or enter some federal buildings will be required to present a REAL ID. Starting on May 3, 2023, passengers will be required to... — Updated 8/11/2022

Drayton Harbor Oyster Company (DHO) is seeking to expand its oyster growing operations to add an off-bottom farm in a cleaner area of Drayton Harbor as water quality issues... — Updated 8/18/2022

WHATCOM - A grassy field, open skies, fresh air and birds in song. Trees and plants whose colors change with the seasons. These are ways someone might describe The Meadow. The... — Updated 8/18/2022

Scientists are now asking the public to refer to the world's largest hornets as "northern giant hornets," opposed to the previously dubbed names "Asian giant hornets" and "murder... — Updated 8/11/2022

Washington's wildlife commissioners have chosen not to enact a new rule that was developed with the goal of reducing the number of wolves killed under state orders due to conflicts... — Updated 8/4/2022

Wolverines have reproduced at Mount Rainier National Park for a third year in a row, according to an announcement last week by the Cascade Carnivore Project. The news marks another... — Updated 7/28/2022

This month, the Yakama Nation and Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation began construction for fish habitat restoration projects along the Twisp and Methow rivers. The... — Updated 7/28/2022

Though there are no confirmed sightings of Asian giant hornets yet this year, scientists and entomologists from the Washington Department of Agriculture (WSDA) were ready to talk... — Updated 7/14/2022

Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz visited Lakebay Marina June 4 in part to celebrate the partnership to save the iconic facility and to see for herself... — Updated 7/7/2022

A piece of Blaine is now displayed for the world to view at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. The first Asian giant hornet nest found and... — Updated 7/7/2022

The King County Superior Court jury awarded the Lummi Nation close to $600,000 in damages Wednesday over the 2017 collapse of an Atlantic salmon net pen in Puget Sound. The... — Updated 7/7/2022

Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a civil rights lawsuit against Ostrom Mushroom Farms in Sunnyside on Wednesday, August 17. Ferguson's lawsuit, filed at the Yakima County... — Updated 8/18/2022

A candidate for Clark County auditor has filed a lawsuit against current Auditor Greg Kimsey over the inclusion of nonpartisan races with two or fewer candidates on the August... — Updated 7/28/2022

The U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 decision to reject Smuggler's Inn owner Bob Boule's lawsuit against a U.S. Border Patrol agent further protects federal law enforcement officials from... — Updated 6/16/2022

The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to uphold Smuggler's Inn owner Bob Boule's Fourth Amendment excessive-force claim and First Amendment... — Updated 6/9/2022

In March, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law that would create a statewide alert system for missing Indigenous people. It was the first of its kind to be put in... — Updated 4/28/2022

One hundred and thirty-four graduating Peninsula High School seniors received $366,800 in scholarships at the Peninsula Hawks Scholarship Fund award ceremony May 18. Fifty... — Updated 6/9/2022

Wahkiakum School District's lawsuit against the State of Washington was heard for the first time on Monday, in Cathlamet before Wahkiakum Superior Court Judge Donald Richter,... — Updated 4/7/2022

Now that it's May, with hopefully warmer weather around the corner, it's a great time to get out to local parks. Walking in the woods has shown to benefit physical and mental... — Updated 5/5/2022

Spring has sprung and with its return, so have ticks. In Northern America, when temperatures begin to warm, ticks begin to stretch their legs around the outdoors. Since ticks can... — Updated 3/31/2022

Driving through Stanwood on Highway 532, shoppers find an assortment of familiar chain stores like QFC, Haggen, Grocery Outlet, Rite Aid and Dollar Tree. But just a block or so... — Updated 8/18/2022

An "anti-resume" app. When it comes to new tech startups that show up on national radar, the Whatcom and Skagit county region has often been a no-fly zone. Or perhaps it's just an... — Updated 6/30/2022

When you wake up after a dream, the dream fades away because it wasn't real. I dreamt of starting the first Chinese newspaper in the Pacific Northwest in October 1981. I woke up... — Updated 4/28/2022

Anyone exploring the byways of the Key Peninsula has seen them, and maybe even been startled. Wooden bear cubs clinging to a tree, an enormous eagle perched atop a roof peak, a... — Updated 8/11/2022

Thirteen NEXUS enrollment centers in Canada remain closed even though the U.S. centers have been open since April 19. One reason why is because the Canadians do not want U.S.... — Updated 8/4/2022

LONG BEACH - All you need is sand and water - and a little bit of aardvark snot. The multi-day summer Sandsations event delighted onlookers last week as several sand artists... — Updated 7/28/2022

The parking lot at East Cranberry Lake was filled with cars, pedestrians and shuttle buses this past Saturday as folks from across the region came to celebrate the 100th... — Updated 7/28/2022

Spokane International Airport officials have solidified expansion plans to keep up with the needs of the continually growing city. The first expansion of the Spokane International... — Updated 7/21/2022

KNAPPTON COVE - A pair of moccasins might only last a couple days and buffalo meat was much desired after a diet too rich with roots and salmon. The daily lives and dining... — Updated 7/14/2022

Boatloads of crabbers hope to kick off the Fourth of July holiday weekend with a bang when the season officially opens Friday, July 1. "Crabbing seasons should be similar to recent... — Updated 6/30/2022

Travel between Anacortes and Sidney, B.C., via ferry won't be happening until at least next summer, according to Washington State Ferries staff. During a community meeting last... — Updated 6/23/2022

The project to replace the aging Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River is set to hit a milestone next month with endorsements from key stakeholder groups, though legislators... — Updated 6/23/2022

Surrounded by a carefully curated assortment of tiny toys and random delights, Tom Robbins, one of the most engaging writers of serio-comic culture, leans over his keyboard. He is... — Updated 7/21/2022

Approximately 5 million people had fled Ukraine and another 8 million were internally displaced as of May 15 after their country was invaded by the Russian Federation Feb. 24. Many... — Updated 6/9/2022

Naselle Comet baseball players threw their hats and tossed their gloves in sheer jubilation as they flooded the infield in a rain-soaked celebration last Saturday in Ridgefield.... — Updated 6/2/2022

In September 2021, Natalie Vinh saw a need for a local music publication. About a month later, she launched Breakout Magazine. Managed entirely by Vinh, Breakout is a collaborative... — Updated 5/19/2022

The Woodland Police Department's newest employee spends a good amount of time sleeping on the job, but that's to be expected of an 11-week-old Labrador retriever. When fully... — Updated 5/19/2022

A 14-foot totem pole sculpted by master carvers in the Lummi Nation will travel more than 2,300 miles over the next few weeks as part of an advocacy campaign for salmon... — Updated 5/4/2022

Ryan Booth can check several boxes on his resume: National Park Service ranger, Washington State University assistant professor of history, and Fulbright Scholar, to name a few.... — Updated 4/28/2022