State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

Starbucks’ shifting ‘center of gravity’ worries Washington state officials

Since Starbucks’ March announcement of plans for a corporate office in Nashville, Tennessee, the company has tirelessly declared that Seattle remains its global headquarters. But top … more

Paul Roberts / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/16/26

Most Washington state districts have policies restricting cellphone use in schools

As the state’s superintendent and governor both push for a statewide ban on cellphone use during the school day, a new survey shows that less than a third of Washington school districts don’t … more

Denisa R. Superville / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/16/26

Oregon architect whose firm helps feds drops doxing lawsuit against anti-ICE website

A Portland-based architect is dropping a novel anti-doxing lawsuit against a website targeting companies in Oregon that serve as contractors for federal immigration authorities. In a Monday … more

Shaanth Nanguneri / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 7/16/26

Two Auburn School District buses parked in a lot in Auburn, Washington.

Average K-12 supervisor/director salaries increased 33.7% in five years

The average salary for directors and supervisor within Washington’s K-12 education system have increased by more than a third in just five years, according to state fiscal data analyzed by The … more

By TJ Martinell | The Center Square | 7/16/26

A dispensary in St. Louis advertises to passersby. Nearly 34% of adolescents seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder in 2022 experienced an admission delay, according to a new study.

More teens with cannabis use disorder are facing treatment delays, study finds

As federal officials consider whether to reclassify marijuana under federal drug law, a new study has found that more American teenagers seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder, known as CUD, are … more

Amanda Watford / Stateline | 7/16/26

Friends and family members hold posters of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Duluth, Minn., in February. A new report found American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of violence say reductions in federal funding have led to over 1,000 unmet requests for help.

Indigenous violence survivors see fewer services after federal cuts

Organizations serving American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of violence say reductions in federal funding have led to over 1,000 unmet requests for help, according to a new report. The … more

Nada Hassanein / Stateline | 7/16/26

A worker helps as Kenny McFarland harvests onions on his family’s farm in western Weber County on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025.

Farmworker wage complaints in Washington state caught in state agency backlog, report finds

Over half of farmworker wage complaints Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries received last year went unresolved past a 60-day statutory limit, according to a new report. The … more

Aspen Ford / Washington State Standard | 7/16/26

Relief from energy bills unlikely as utilities request billions in rate hikes

Consumers are unlikely to see any relief in gas and electric bills as utilities proposed more than $18 billion in rate hikes across the country over the first half of the year. The consumer … more

By Kevin Hardy / States Newsroom | 7/15/26

Gov. Bob Ferguson answers questions from the press during a legislative session preview in a Senate Hearing room in Olympia on Friday, Jan. 9.

Governor pushes financial aid requirement to graduate; critics push back

High school seniors in Washington may soon be required to complete student financial aid paperwork to graduate, under a proposal unveiled this week by Governor Bob Ferguson. But some are raising … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 7/15/26

Let’s Go Washington supporters hold a sign with the total number of signatures received for a petition, 511,408, outside the Washington Secretary of State’s office building in Tumwater on Thursday, July 2.

Washington income tax repeal initiative officially certified for November ballot

The Washington Secretary of State notified Let’s Go Washington Wednesday afternoon that the initiative to repeal the income tax (IP26-645) has been certified for November’s ballot. “With a … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 7/15/26

Washington State Fair tickets available at early bird rates

Through July 31, guests can purchase early bird admission tickets for the 2026 Washington State Fair online at the lowest prices available before the fair opens Sept. 4. The Washington State … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/15/26

State Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, walks through the procession during the Centralia Summerfest parade on Saturday, July 4.

NFIB announces “Guardians of Small Business” for 69th Legislature

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) recently announced its Guardian of Small Business Award recipients in Washington state, singling out two state lawmakers for special … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/15/26

Washington pair convicted for scheme to defraud veterans

A former King County Jail inmate and his accomplice were convicted in U.S. District Court in Seattle for their scheme to target seriously ill veterans for fraud, announced First Assistant U.S. … more

By The Chronicle staff | 7/15/26

Decades of policy choices makes gas more expensive for Blue states: Report

Policies made decades ago cause gas prices to be on average higher in Blue states than Red states, with a 55 cent gap per gallon, a new report from the Institute for Energy Research shows. … more

By Tate Miller / The Center Square contributor | 7/15/26

Poll: Most Washington voters oppose state income tax, disapprove governor

A new poll shows Washington voters are opposed to the state’s new income tax by a three-to-one margin, with 57% saying they believe that they will have to pay the tax eventually, even if it only … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 7/15/26

A sign marks the current fire danger level as very high on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, near Chelan.

What upcoming thunderstorms could mean for wildfire danger in Washington

The weather this weekend could be a recipe for rapid wildfire spread in Eastern Washington, according to state officials. With a potential for record-high temperatures across the state Sunday, a … more

Savannah Butcher / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/15/26

Gas prices tick upwards nationally while Washington average edges down

Gas prices have climbed again this week for most U.S. drivers, breaking an eight-week streak of declines, according to AAA data. The national average rose to $3.87 per gallon, up from $3.79 last … more

Nance Beston / Columbia Basin Herald (TNS) | 7/15/26

Three puffins die from suspected parrot fever at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo

The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium closed its puffin habitat after a third bird died from suspected avian disease in the last month, an illness that can spread to humans. Three tufted puffins … more

Bonny Matejowsky / The News Tribune (TNS) | 7/15/26

Ferguson campaigns against initiative to repeal Washington state ‘millionaires tax’

Gov. Bob Ferguson kicked off a campaign to preserve the state's new high-earners income tax on Tuesday, arguing an initiative to kill the tax would have disastrous consequences for schools, small … more

Jim Brunner The Seattle Times (TNS) | 7/15/26

Firefighters battling large wildfire in northern Franklin County

Franklin County firefighters are battling a blaze that started in a wheat field, according to dispatch reports. The blaze began about 5:20 p.m. off of Stine Road east of Connell. When … more

Cameron Probert / Tri-City Herald (TNS) | 7/15/26