State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

Bonded cougar cubs are ready for ‘next chapter’ at Northwest Trek

Sullivan and Sienna, two rescued cougar cubs, are embarking on a new chapter in their lives as they make their public debut at a Washington wildlife park. Sullivan, rescued near Spokane, and … more

Don Sweeney / The Peninsula Gateway (TNS) | 7/19/25

ICE releases Washington state green-card holder after nearly two months

Maximo Londonio, a lawful permanent resident detained in May at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as he returned from a family trip to the Philippines, was released last week after nearly two … more

Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/19/25

Suspect wanted out of King County causes crash in Thurston County; one airlifted to hospital

One person was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after an 18-year-old man wanted in King County struck vehicles in the intersection of Capital and Tumwater boulevards in Tumwater on … more

Ty Vinson / The Olympian (TNS) | 7/19/25

Lewis County Fire District 11, Washington State Patrol, and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office respond to a mock crash during a DUI awareness assembly at Pe Ell High School on Wednesday, June 4.

Washington state launches initiative to end drunk driving with new technology

Washington is ramping up efforts to end drunk driving with an innovative “breath-based” technology. This week Washington became the fourth state to take part in the national effort … more

Simone Carter / The Olympian (TNS) | 7/19/25

A female gray wolf in snow. (Mikael Males/Dreamstime/TNS)

Idaho wolf population rises slightly

Idaho's latest wolf estimate suggests the population increased slightly last year. Matt Mumma, wildlife research manager for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, told the state Fish and Game … more

Michael Wright / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 7/19/25

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrest a fugitive in 2020.

Eastern Washington ICE protesters accused of assault released pending trial, but not without a fight

The federal government released two people remaining in jail Friday afternoon charged with crimes following a mass protest against federal immigration authorities, but the release didn't come without … more

Alexandra Duggan and Caroline Saint James / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 7/19/25

One man dead, nine displaced after fire at adult-family home in Pierce County

One man is dead after a fire engulfed parts of an adult-family home in the Midland area of Pierce County on Friday morning. Fire crews were dispatched to the house where 10 people had been … more

Puneet Bsanti / The Peninsula Gateway (TNS) | 7/19/25

Seattle officers drop lawsuit over Jan. 6 attendance; names could be revealed

After more than four years of litigation in state and federal courts, including two trips to the U.S. Supreme Court, four Seattle police officers who attended the violent Jan. 6, 2021, Stop the … more

Mike Carter / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/19/25

Head of Washington drug-trafficking operation sentenced to 19 years in federal prison

A federal judge sentenced a 45-year-old Mexican native to 19 years in prison Friday after a jury found him guilty of multiple drug-trafficking and firearm charges. U.S. District … more

Caroline Saint James / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 7/19/25

A fuel tanker truck crashed west of Port Angeles on Friday and leaked fuel into Indian Creek. (Courtesy of Washington State Patrol)

Tanker crashes, spills fuel into Elwha tributary, fragile salmon habitat

A fuel tanker truck crashed off Highway 101 and into Indian Creek, a tributary of the Elwha River, Friday morning west of Port Angeles — a gut punch" for an area that has, for decades, been the … more

Conrad Swanson and Isabella Breda / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/19/25

$20 an hour: Olympia council to vote on minimum wage increase proposal

The proposal to adopt a Workers’ Bill of Rights and raise the minimum wage in Olympia to $20 per hour might show up on residents’ election ballots this November. But not before Olympia … more

Ty Vinson / The Olympian (TNS) | 7/19/25

Missing Oregon mountain biker fell from ‘steep incline,’ struggled to find his way back to trail

The Gresham mountain biker who was missing for six days after heading off on a trip to Mount Hood lost his footing and fell from a “steep incline,” causing him to be stranded for days in … more

Kimberly Cortez / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 7/19/25

Herb Doumitt of the Oregon Bass and Panfish Club prefers to catch taco-sized walleye such as this one from a 2018 trip to The Dalles Dam's reservoir.

Where’s walleye? Piscatorial predators expanding range in Columbia

Nearly a decade after Oregon and Washington ended bag and size limits on walleye and bass in the jointly shared (and Washington waters) of the Columbia and Snake rivers to help save salmon and … more

Bill Monroe / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 7/19/25

Burdoin fire prompts evacuations in the Columbia River Gorge

A wildfire burning on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge has prompted evacuations in Klickitat County. The Burdoin fire started at about 2 p.m. Friday near Courtney Road and Highway … more

The Oregonian / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 7/19/25

One dead, two injured after plane crash northeast of Lake Quinault

At least one person is dead and two others have been injured in a small plane crash in a remote area of Olympic National Park in Washington, authorities said. The incident occurred on Tuesday … more

By The Daily World | 7/19/25

Washington’s new rent cap set just below 10% for 2026

Washington’s statewide cap on annual residential rent increases will be just shy of 10% next year, down slightly from its current level. The limit, which takes effect Jan. 1, will be set … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 7/18/25

First responders at Horseshoe Lake, where a body was recovered on Monday, June 30 in Woodland.

Coroner IDs two people who died recently at Cowlitz County lake

The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office has identified the remains of two men who died on different days in the past month at Woodland’s Horseshoe Lake. The Cowlitz County Coroner office … more

Matt Esnayra / The Daily News | 7/18/25

Report: 140 Californians a day flee to the land of no income tax — Washington state

Californians are trading wildfires and income tax for rain and $154,000 tech salaries, according to a new report. StorageCafe’s report found that approximately 140 Californians move to … more

By Spencer Pauley / The Center Square | 7/18/25

Washington lawmaker plans legislation to require OSPI to retain complaint records

The ranking Republican on the Washington state Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee calls it “crazy and stupid” that the state Office of Superintendent of Public … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 7/18/25

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said 250,000 people from her home state could lose Medicaid coverage under new work and eligibility requirements in the "Big Beautiful Bill;" though much of those people would still qualify under certain exemptions. A representative from Murray's office told The Center Square that individuals included in that number with disabilities or other challenges may have a hard time navigating the system to verify their exemption and eligibility status. Without verification, they risk noncompliance and losing healthcare coverage.

250,000 Washingtonians may lose Medicaid coverage despite meeting new requirements

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray warned Friday that 14 hospitals in her home state of Washington may close due to Medicaid cuts in the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. President … more

Tim Clouser / The Center Square | 7/18/25