State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

A deer walks along a field near the Skyline Loop Trail as the sun sets at Mount Rainier National Park on Monday, Sept. 22.

Rangerless Rainier: Amid government shutdown, Washington national parks are open but unstaffed

Planning a mountain hike to see fall colors? One last Pacific beach ramble before rain settles in? Washington’s three main national parks remain open, but don’t expect to ask a ranger … more

By Gregory Scruggs / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/6/25

Rebecca Gibron is the CEO of the largest regional Planned Parenthood affiliate, which covers Idaho and five other states. (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun)

‘We aren’t going anywhere:’ Idaho’s last Planned Parenthood plans to stay open despite federal cuts

MERIDIAN — By one early afternoon in late August, Dr. Colleen McNicholas had already inserted an IUD, seen a patient to provide gender-affirming care and helped a patient access HIV prevention … more

By Kyle Pfannenstiel / The Idaho Capital Sun | 10/6/25

With enrollment down and financial pressure rising, WSU looks for a turnaround

The number of students attending Washington State University appears to be stabilizing after dramatic declines following the COVID pandemic, despite those students paying the highest combination of … more

By Nicholas K. Geranios / The Washington State Standard | 10/6/25

A protester dressed in a chicken suit against a backdrop of pink smoke deployed by federal agents at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (Photo by Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Federal judge bars Trump administration from sending any National Guard troops to Portland

Saying the Trump administration directly contravened her Saturday order blocking the federal government from mobilizing National Guard troops in Portland, a federal judge issued a broader order … more

By Julia Shumway / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 10/6/25

Man rammed SUV into family van, catching it on fire, Seattle police say

Seattle police arrested a 25-year-old man Saturday evening after allegedly ramming his car into a van with two children inside during a suspected road rage incident in North Seattle. A van and … more

Caitlyn Freeman / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/5/25

$32K in graffiti damage? Tacoma man thought to be prolific tagger now charged

A man reported to be one of Tacoma’s most prolific – and popular – taggers has been charged for allegedly spray-painting a wall and concrete barrier along area freeways last year. … more

Adam Lynn / The Peninsula Gateway (TNS) | 10/5/25

“Peeping Tom,' a former OSU employee, gets prison term

A 48-year-old former Oregon State University employee was sentenced to prison for a series of crimes involving peering into young women’s windows over a seventh-month span. In some … more

Cody Mann / Albany Democrat-Herald (TNS) | 10/5/25

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek spoke to the media about a looming deployment of federalized National Guard troops on Sat., Sept. 27, 2025.

‘Justice has been served’: Gov. Tina Kotek, others praise judge’s ruling blocking troops to Portland

Gov. Tina Kotek praised U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut’s ruling Saturday that found President Donald Trump’s federal mobilization of Oregon National Guard troops to Portland violated … more

The Oregonian / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/5/25

Laurie Eckman, 84, says federal officers rushed at her and her husband

Federal agents knock down elderly couple during Portland protest

An elderly couple says they were charged and knocked down by federal agents as they peacefully protested on Saturday in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South … more

Gosia Wozniacka / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/5/25

Oregon job gains are greatest at the top of the wage scale

Oregon’s labor market has been anemic recently, with the manufacturing, construction and hospitality sectors all struggling. But growth was robust in one segment of the economy: Jobs … more

Mike Rogoway / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/5/25

Fire officials lift full burn ban on unincorporated Pierce County

T-shirt weather is out, and camp fires are in. At least that’s according to Pierce County officials who lifted the countywide Stage 1 burn ban in unincorporated Pierce County on Oct. 1. … more

Isha Trivedi / The News Tribune (TNS) | 10/5/25

Portland not a ‘war zone,’ but tensions are rising, locals say

The arrest of Nicholas Sortor, a 27-year-old right-wing influencer from Washington, D.C., was quiet and quick. A bike patrol officer from the Portland Police Bureau handcuffed Sortor shortly … more

Catalina Gaitán / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/5/25

Major project coming to Capitol Way and Capitol Boulevard

Olympia has a longtime plan to reconfigure the lanes on Capitol Way to Capitol Boulevard, from near the Capitol Campus to Tumwater. The $14 million project will bring bike lanes, crosswalks and … more

Ty Vinson / The Olympian (TNS) | 10/5/25

‘Attacking the science’: Washington state Ecology director slams Trump’s climate policies

Washington’s push to cut greenhouse gas emissions, expand electric vehicles and grow a clean-energy economy faces new hurdles as the Trump administration rolls back federal climate policies … more

By Paul W. Taylor / TVW | 10/4/25

‘Make a bad situation worse’: Washington business leader fears tax hikes will mean job losses

Patrick Connor, Washington state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, fears that tax increases passed by the state Legislature this session will translate into job losses. … more

By Brett Davis / The Center Square | 10/3/25

White House budget director Russ Vought, who is depicted as the Grim Reaper in a video posted by President Donald Trump during the shutdown in October 2025, speaks with reporters inside the U.S. Capitol building on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

Trump cancels blue-state projects, trolls Dems on social media as shutdown drags on

WASHINGTON — Trump administration officials on Friday defended the decision to cancel federal projects in regions of the country that have voted for Democrats, saying the move isn’t … more

By Jennifer Shutt / States Newsroom | 10/3/25

From left, Chehalis Mayor Tony Ketchum, Lewis County Transit Director Joe Clark, United Way of Lewis County Director Annie Oien, Centralia City Councilor Sarah Althauser, state Rep. Peter Abbarno and Centralia City Councilor Mark Westley break ground at the site of the Lewis County Transit Hydrogen Production and Fueling Station on Bishop Road in Chehalis on Aug. 28, 2025.

Trump administration cuts $46M in funding for projects in Lewis County

Lewis County projects are set to lose out on more than $46 million in federal funding after the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) terminated more than $1 billion in grant funds already committed to … more

By Jacob Moore / jacob@chronline.com | 10/3/25

Baker County commissioners approve resolution opposing return of grizzly bears

There are no confirmed grizzlies in Oregon and the state has no plan to reintroduce the predators The Baker County Board of Commissioners has approved a resolution opposing reintroduction of … more

Jayson Jaco / Baker City Herald, Ore. (TNS) | 10/3/25

Live WWII-era hand grenade brought to Tacoma Police headquarters Wednesday

Tacoma Police encountered a potentially explosive family heirloom Wednesday afternoon. A woman brought a World War II-era hand grenade to the police department headquarters for disposal, police … more

Julia Park / The News Tribune (TNS) | 10/3/25

Seattle residents report encampments in record numbers

Whenever Louise Clauss sees a tent in a Lake City park near her home, she pulls out her phone, takes a picture and sends it to city officials via Seattle’s Find It, Fix It app to report an … more

Greg Kim / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/3/25