State & Regional | The Daily Chronicle

A federal jury has awarded four anti-police graffiti protesters $680,000, including punitive damages, after finding Seattle police officers violated their civil rights. (Steve Estvanik/Dreamstime/TNS)

Jury: Seattle police violated graffiti protesters' rights, must pay $680,000

SEATTLE — A federal jury has awarded four anti-police graffiti protesters $680,000, including punitive damages, after finding Seattle police officers violated their civil rights with "malice, … more

Mike Carter / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 6/26/24

The driver was headed east on Harrison Avenue when police say he lost control and crashed into an outdoor seating area for the Westside Tavern.

Tesla crashes into outdoor seating area of Thurston County business

A 45-year-old man, driving a white Tesla, crashed into an outdoor seating area Monday afternoon, according to Olympia police. No one was injured, including the driver, Lt. Paul Lower said … more

By The Olympian (TNS) | 6/26/24

Bail set for Washington woman accused of killing two motorcyclists, injuring two others in DUI crash

A Tri-Cities woman is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail in connection with an impaired-driving crash that killed two motorcyclists Friday near Selah. Yakima County prosecutors have asked the … more

Donald W. Meyers / Yakima Herald-Republic (TNS) | 6/26/24

At state convention, Washington Democrats narrowly reject proposal to block nuclear power

BELLEVUE — Hundreds of members of the state Democratic Party in Washington narrowly voted to take no formal position on nuclear power over the weekend at a convention near Seattle. The … more

Ellen Dennis / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 6/26/24

Washington firefighters save cat and owner in tree after several hours battling brush fire

WENATCHEE — After several hours spent fighting a brush fire Sunday, the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department on Monday faced its most meow-ntainous task yet: rescuing a cat and its owner from a … more

Jenni Rodas / The Wenatchee World (TNS) | 6/26/24

Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez speaks during a roundtable event at the Van der Salm Farm in Woodland on Tuesday, April 4.

With a focus on public safety, congressional candidates release first campaign ads

As election season prepares to enter high gear, two candidates hoping to represent Southwest Washington in Congress have unveiled campaign ads solely focused on public safety. In separate … more

By Mitchell Roland / mitchell@chronline.com | 6/24/24

An endangered Northern leopard frog is measured by a conservationist with the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife on Aug. 9, 2023, at Northwest Trek in Eatonville.

Nearly 400 endangered frogs relocate from Eatonville to eastern Washington

Nearly 200 Northern leopard frog tadpoles, an endangered species, were relocated from Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville to their new home at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge in Royal … more

By Jacob Dimond / For The Chronicle | 6/24/24

Darrell Jabin, son of Clyde Jabin, the reporter who's article made the name D.B. Cooper famous, stands in front of a composite sketch of Cooper during a presentation about both his father's work and Cooper's infamous skyjacking on Tuesday, June 18, at McMenamins Olympic Club in Centralia.

‘My father created D.B. Cooper’: Son of journalist Clyde Jabin visits Centralia

Nearly 53 years ago, someone calling himself Dan Cooper purchased a one-way ticket for a Portland to Seattle flight for $20. He skyjacked it, demanded and collected a $200,000 ransom, got the … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 6/24/24

Dozens gathered at Willamette National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2022 to pay their respects to veterans and those who served and gave their lives in the armed forces.

81 years after his death, Oregon World War II airman to be buried at home with military honors

World War II soldier George Davies has returned home to Oregon to be decorated with military honors and be buried by his family nearly 81 years after he was pronounced missing in action in Europe. … more

Austin De Dios / oregonlive.com / (TNS) | 6/24/24

The Mill Casino in North Bend on the southern Oregon coast.

Coquille Indian Tribe to open Oregon’s first tribal-owned, operated distillery

A new Native-owned distillery in North Bend will soon begin making craft spirits — the first in the state to operate on tribal land. The Coquille Indian Tribe will distill its own line of … more

Kristine de Leon / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 6/24/24

Fire crews respond to blaze at former restaurant near brewery in Tumwater

Olympia area fire crews and local law enforcement responded to a blaze at a long-vacant former restaurant Sunday afternoon. The fire crews and police were dispatched to the South Pacific … more

Rolf Boone / The Olympian (TNS) | 6/24/24

Merchandise and available beer sit on a shelf at 86’d on Tower in Centralia on Thursday, May 2.

Falling beer demand, crushing glut putting a chill on Eastern Washington hop crop

Washington hop growers are dramatically curtailing production amid a crushing glut and chilling demand for both craft and commercial beer. In the language of the hop industry, growers "strung" … more

Wendy Culverwell / Tri-City Herald (TNS) | 6/24/24

Washington Senate Minority Leaders John Braun, R-Centralia, and Andy Billig, D-Spokane, sent a joint letter following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel urging Gov. Jay Inslee to fly an Israeli flag at the state Capitol and to lower state flags to half-mast.

Washington Democrats call for cease-fire in Gaza war, end to military aid to Israel

BELLEVUE — State Democrats passed a trio of resolutions Sunday at their convention concerning the war in Gaza, including a call for an immediate cease-fire and to halt U.S. military aid to … more

Claire Withycombe / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 6/24/24

Washington State Democratic Chair Shasti Conrad speaks at the state party convention on Saturday in Bellevue.

Democrats have control in Washington, and they don’t want to lose it

BELLEVUE – Democrats know they’ve been winning in Washington. They hold all statewide elected offices. They have a near supermajority in the Legislature. And there’s been a … more

By Jerry Cornfield and Laurel Demkovich / washingtonstatestandard.com | 6/23/24

A northern spotted owl perches on a branch in Mount Rainier National Park. The owl is listed as endangered under Washington law and threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Washington state lands commissioner wary of federal plan to kill thousands of owls

Washington’s public lands commissioner, Hilary Franz, is voicing skepticism about a federal proposal to kill thousands of barred owls in the Pacific Northwest to help the threatened northern … more

By Bill Lucia / washingtonstatestandard.com | 6/23/24

Visitors celebrated the birthday of Herman the sturgeon on Saturday at the Bonneville Hatchery. The fish's exact age is unknown, but he is estimated to be in his 80s.

Crowd celebrates birthday of 500-pound Herman the sturgeon in Oregon

The scene looked like a child’s birthday party at the Bonneville Hatchery on Saturday, as dozens of people crowded in front of the Sturgeon Viewing and Interpretive Center’s windows, many … more

Tanner Todd / oregonlive.com / (TNS) | 6/23/24

A group paddles Wallowa Lake just after sunset in light-up clear kayaks provided by JO Paddle, an outfitter based in Joseph.

Nighttime, light-up kayaking is a bucket list experience in northeast Oregon

There’s a moment in the nighttime light-up kayak tour, right at the end, when the guide paddles around and turns out the colored LED lights that rim each boat, leaving the group in darkened … more

By Jamie Hale / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 6/23/24

Maria Cantwell seeks fifth Senate term, facing GOP's Raul Garcia and 10 other primary foes

Sen. Maria Cantwell's first term in the Senate didn't come easy, as she defeated incumbent Republican Slade Gorton by a margin of less than 0.1% in 2000. Since then, the Democrat has cruised to … more

Orion Donovan Smith / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 6/23/24

Bob Ferguson laser-focused on Dave Reichert at state Democratic convention

BELLEVUE — Washington Democrats acknowledge the quest to maintain their party's decades-long hold on the governor's mansion could be hard-fought this November. In a short speech Saturday … more

Claire Withycombe / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 6/23/24

Rep. Jim Walsh speaks during the “Let’s Go Washington” initiatives rally at the Capitol in Olympia on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.

Washington judge pauses parts of 'parents' bill of rights'

OLYMPIA — Parts of a new law outlining information Washington parents can get from public schools are on hold after a judge's ruling Friday. Initiative 2081 was passed by state lawmakers … more

Claire Withycombe / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 6/22/24