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Swede Day Grand Marshal Kate Peterson rides in the 47th Annual Swede Day Mid-Sommer Festival Parade in Rochester on Saturday, June 20, 2026. Born and raised in Rochester, Peterson has dedicated countless hours to her community as a sixth-grade teacher, coach, volunteer, and long-time emcee for the Swede Day Coronation. In 2020, she launched the BookJoy Book Bus, a mobile lending library that brings the joy of reading directly to local neighborhoods. More recently, in June 2026, she introduced "Warrior Walk Wednesdays" to encourage local families to unplug and connect.

In Focus: 47th Annual Swede Day Mid-Sommer Festival Parade

6/22/26

Cowlitz Tribe’s tuition assistance powers generations of graduates

When Rosalie Fish was considering the University of Washington, the price tag looked steep. Cross-country and track had paid for her first two years of community college, but she’d need help to … more

By Dahlia Bazzaz / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 6/22/26

Attorney General Nick Brown greets legislators in the House chambers at the Washington state Capitol in Olympia on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Washington state Democrats chart path to more power in 2026 at Spokane convention

SPOKANE — For Washington Democrats, it’s been a teeth-grinding, demoralizing 18 months as they have watched President Donald Trump and a Republican-led Congress enact policies they vehemently … more

By Jim Brunner / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 6/22/26

Police in Grays Harbor County arrest two for internet crimes against children

Detectives with the Aberdeen Police Department arrested two 33-year-old men, Forrest Cook and Jerrod Clinton, on the morning of Thursday, June 11, in connection with an ongoing Internet Crimes … more

By The Daily World | 6/22/26

Grays Harbor County museum suspects arson in blacksmith shop fire

Late Thursday night into Friday morning, the Polson Museum’s blacksmith shop was destroyed in a fire. Polson Museum stated on Facebook that the shop was “a tired little replica building built in … more

By The Daily World | 6/22/26

Maine’s Graham Platner is the Democratic candidate for what’s considered one of the nation’s most competitive battles for the U.S. Senate. Platner, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, is shown at a rally at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland on April 18, 2026. (Photo by Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star)

Mildly blue or a blue tsunami? Nine states will decide if Dems flip control of U.S. Senate

Democrats are growing hopeful they can recapture the U.S. Senate in this fall’s midterm elections amid President Donald Trump’s plummeting approval ratings. But they still need nearly … more

By Jacob Fischler and Jonathan Shorman / States Newsroom | 6/22/26

Sex abuse claims against some Washington school districts are raising insurance rates for all

In mid-May, as Washington school districts were deep into developing their budgets for the next academic year, around 130 received notices that their rates for the Washington Schools Risk Management … more

By Charlotte Alden / Cascadia Daily News | 6/22/26

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

Ferguson’s call for school cellphone ban has a familiar ring to it in Olympia

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson made a splashy announcement earlier this month that he would back legislation to ban student cellphone use from the first bell of the day to the last in public … more

By Aspen Ford / The Washington State Standard | 6/22/26

Semi-truck fells 7 power poles in downtown Beaverton; power restored

A semi-truck dragged down seven power poles onto streets and buildings in downtown Beaverton Friday. The crash happened in the area of Southwest Watson Avenue to Main Avenue and Farmington Road … more

Alissa Gary / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 6/21/26

Police detain 2 after deploying spike strip near Portland International Airport

Authorities say they have detained two people who they believe fled Saturday after police deployed a spike strip near Portland International Airport. Police responded to the area of Interstate … more

Alissa Gary / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 6/21/26

Oregon history takes center stage at Smithsonian

“From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage” is a groundbreaking new exhibition commemorating America’s 250th anniversary through more than 600 rare objects and specimens … more

The World (TNS) | 6/21/26

Downtown Portland theaters still aren’t drawing pre-pandemic crowds

Attendance at Portland’s major performing arts venues never fully rebounded from the pandemic, squeezing publicly owned theaters and the organizations that perform there. About 800,000 people … more

Mike Rogoway / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 6/21/26

Seated a floor above the Emergency Department at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Tony LeClair, seated at right, looks down from his wheelchair and gives a “thumb’s up” to a line of postal vehicles passing below on West 8th Avenue as it passes in Spokane. Leclair, a South Hill lettercarrier for 25 years, recently found out he has lung cancer, which had metastasized to his brain and his colleagues decided to drive their U.S. Postal Service trucks by the hospital. Family friend Taylor White, center left, stands next to LeClair.

Beloved postal worker in comfort care gets a mail truck parade near hospital

A beloved South Hill letter carrier got a special delivery from longtime coworkers on Wednesday. In a midday parade of 24 mail trucks and a few private vehicles, they blared horns in a tribute … more

Treva Lind / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 6/21/26

Swimmer presumed dead in Lake Washington near Kirkland

A man swimming near Holmes Point on Lake Washington was presumed dead after disappearing early Saturday, according to police. Emergency responders showed up around 1:30 a.m. after a man swimming … more

Joseph O’Sullivan / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 6/21/26

US-Iran talks shift to high level with Vance due at Swiss venue

U.S.-Iran talks on a permanent ceasefire were set to kick off Sunday with top officials including U.S. Vice President JD Vance converging in Switzerland, even after Iran issued a renewed order to … more

Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Kate Sullivan / Bloomberg News (TNS) | 6/21/26

A homeless person rests on the grass near the Numerica Skate Ribbon at Riverfront Park in Spokane, Wash.

Data suggests decline in Spokane homelessness as origin debate remains

As taxpayers question whether they’re subsidizing individuals who first became homeless before or after moving to Spokane, regional data suggests most lived there before their most recent episode … more

Tim Clouser | The Center Square | 6/21/26

A couple sits with their newborn inside their Bentonville, Arkansas, home. The Trump administration is shifting the federal Title X program, which has traditionally provided access to contraception, toward an emphasis on childbearing.

Trump changes pregnancy-prevention program to promote childbearing

A federal poverty-fighting program focused on reducing unintended pregnancies is about to undergo a major overhaul. Reproductive health clinics use Title X federal grant money to provide birth … more

Sofia Resnick / Idaho Capital Sun | 6/21/26

The entrance to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Ore. The unit provides specialized care for newborns requiring advanced medical support.

OHSU president says neonatal ICU expansion is a top priority, but offers no timeline

Oregon Health & Science University President Dr. Shereef Elnahal insisted this week that an expansion to its overcrowded neonatal intensive care unit will be a top priority in the … more

Danielle Dawson / InvestigateWest | 6/21/26

A pregnant patient receives an examination at the Southern Birth Justice Network’s mobile midwifery unit in Miami earlier this year. A national survey published this month found that access to prenatal care remains limited for some patients, with a fifth of them not receiving prenatal care until the second trimester or later.

Nationwide survey shows ongoing struggles for pregnant patients on Medicaid

A survey of more than 3,800 people nationwide who gave birth in 2023 and 2024 found those using Medicaid described worse outcomes than those on private insurance, that access to care remains limited … more

Kelcie Moseley-Morris / Stateline | 6/21/26

Patriotic decorations welcome visitors driving down Williams Street into downtown Mossyrock on Wednesday, June 17, ahead of the upcoming America250 celebration and Independence Day holiday.

Mossyrock America250 time capsule to be buried Monday, dedication set for Independence Day

During the Mossyrock City Council meeting Wednesday, June 17, Mossyrock Mayor Randall Sasser made a proclamation announcing the city, in partnership with the Mossyrock Area Historical Society, will … more

By Owen Sexton / owen@chronline.com | 6/19/26