State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

The entrance to the UTC’s offices. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

PSE new rate hike proposal draws ire at public hearing

The room was packed with a line out the door during the public comment hearing for a Puget Sound Energy rate proposal Tuesday evening at the Utilities and Transportation Commission’s headquarters … more

By Aspen Ford / The Washington State Standard | 9/30/26

The Senate chambers at the Washington state Capitol. (Photo courtesy of Legislative Support Services)

Legislative staff in Washington state Senate reject new contract

The union representing staff of Democratic state senators in Washington has overwhelmingly rejected a new two-year contract, citing its lack of adequate protections for workers facing termination. … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington State Standard | 9/30/26

Jean White, center, writes the total number of signatures collected for the petition outside the Washington Secretary of State’s office building in Tumwater on Thursday, July 2.

Could Washington high court’s natural gas ruling unravel income tax law?

A recent ruling from the Washington State Supreme Court against a voter-approved initiative to protect natural gas as an energy choice could have wide reaching consequences for other initiatives and … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 9/30/26

An EV charger is marked out of service in Federal Way, Wash.

Washington's EV efforts continue to face logistical challenges

Washington state's plans to electrify private and public transportation sectors and spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on charging infrastructure are still facing numerous logistical and … more

By TJ Martinell / The Center Square | 9/30/26

Gas prices slip slightly in Washington, but remain near record highs after turbulent 2026

Washington motorists caught a small break at the pump this week, with the statewide average for regular unleaded gasoline falling 4 cents over the last seven days, according to AAA. The average price … more

Nance Beston / Columbia Basin Herald (TNS) | 9/30/26

Seattle announces 2027 minimum wage

The minimum wage in Seattle will rise to $22.14 per hour at the start of next year, the Office of Labor Standards announced Monday. That's an increase of 3.9% from the current minimum wage of … more

Jessica Fu / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 9/30/26

An Alaska airliner docks at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona.

Alaska Air assesses financial goals amid high fuel prices

Alaska Air Group could miss a lofty financial target set two years ago at the start of its global expansion effort as it continues to navigate rising jet fuel prices, company executives said Tuesday. … more

Lauren Rosenblatt / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 9/30/26

4.2 magnitude quake jolts Seattle

A 4.2 magnitude earthquake near the Kitsap-Pierce County line shook the Puget Sound region Tuesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake struck a few miles northwest of … more

Paige Cornwell and Ann Duan / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 9/30/26

Bremerton man found dead after shootout with law enforcement

Investigators believe a 38-year-old Bremerton man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a shootout with Kitsap County Sheriff's deputies. Deputies responded around 8:45 p.m. Monday to a … more

Ann Duan / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 9/30/26

Oregonians ranked maintaining and preserving highways and bridges and improving safety as their top priority in a new survey.

Here’s how Oregonians want the state to address its transportation budget crisis

Oregonians ranked maintaining and preserving highways and bridges and improving safety as the top priorities they think the Oregon Department of Transportation should focus on as it looks to resolve … more

Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 9/30/26

A bipartisan group of Oregon lawmakers is meeting to discuss the potential of a cap-and-invest carbon market similar to those in California and Washington, just seven years after Senate Republicans walked out of the State Capitol to oppose a similar proposal. Such markets charge polluters for their greenhouse gas pollution, and use the revenues to fund climate mitigation and adaptation projects as the impacts of climate change become more extreme.

Oregon Republicans revisit cap and invest proposal seven years after they walked out over it

Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Oregon have been meeting in recent weeks to discuss the potential to collaborate on a climate policy that just seven years ago drove them apart, and drove some … more

Alex Baumhardt / Oregon Capital Chronicle | 9/30/26

A shipment of transuranic radioactive waste leaves the Idaho National Laboratory en route to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant for permanent disposal in New Mexico in 2009. During the expedited waste removal funded by more than $22 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the site’s workers safely retrieved, treated, and shipped close to 4,800 cubic meters of radioactive waste — which would fill two Olympic swimming pools — from the Cold War to permanent disposal facilities.

Some Idaho officials say proposed nuclear waste shipments could threaten Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer

Accepting a deal with the U.S. Department of Energy to bring a new Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus to Idaho could force the state to accept more than 30,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel and … more

Clark Corbin / Idaho Capital Sun | 9/30/26

Rep. Skyler Rude giving a speech on the House floor.

Washington state lawmaker to resign 3 days before the election

In a surprise announcement, Republican state Rep. Skyler Rude of Walla Walla, said Tuesday that he will resign from office days before the election to start a new job with Democratic Secretary of … more

Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard | 9/30/26

Susan Hinchcliffe, a volunteer with the Corrales Fire Department, gives Rachel Ralya’s 14-month old son a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on June 23, 2022, following the FDA authorization of the vaccine for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. (Shelby Wyatt/Source NM)

Federal judge upholds Idaho law that bans vaccine, medical treatment requirements in daycares

An Idaho judge dismissed a lawsuit from a Boise daycare and parents that sought to block enforcement of a state law that bans daycares from requiring vaccines or medical treatment. The … more

By Kyle Pfannenstiel / The Idaho Capital Sun | 9/29/26

Gov. Bob Ferguson delivers the State of the State address for the 2026 Legislative session at the Washington state Capitol in Olympia on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Gov. Ferguson launches council to boost Washington commercial space industry

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson hopes the state’s space entrepreneurs can pilot their industry to infinity and beyond. To that end, Ferguson signed an executive order Monday night launching the … more

By Jerry Cornfield / The Washington State Standard | 9/29/26

On the east fork of Wildcat Creek, of the 100 in-stream structures to be installed along the two-mile stretch, 37 were installed this field season.

Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force hosts tour of completed projects

With this year’s field season wrapping up, the Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force hosted a tour last week for members to visit three completed project sites in Grays Harbor County. Of these … more

Andrea Watts / The Daily World | 9/29/26

A gas station in Clark County earlier this month.

Gas prices slip slightly in Washington, but remain near record highs after turbulent 2026

MOSES LAKE — Washington motorists caught a small break at the pump this week, with the statewide average for regular unleaded gasoline falling 4 cents over the last seven days, according to … more

Nance Beston / Columbia Basin Herald (TNS) | 9/29/26

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

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson urges voters to reject potential trans girl athletes ban

SEATTLE — Gov. Bob Ferguson called on Washington voters to reject an upcoming ballot initiative that would bar transgender girls from competing in girls sports at K-12 schools. Ferguson’s … more

Ryan Nguyen / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 9/29/26

Police accidentally shot Portland K-9 Kylo during attempted arrest of homicide suspect, police say

Kylo, the Portland police dog killed during an attempt to arrest a homicide suspect last week was hit by police gunfire, authorities said Tuesday. Police identified the suspect, who was also … more

Isabel Funk / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 9/29/26

The Chehalis River flows through Independence Valley in Rochester.

WDFW responds to Chehalis Tribe’s intent to charge anglers for permits, issue citations

The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation are charging anglers for permits to fish on a 10-mile section of the Chehalis River, the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) … more

By The Chronicle staff | 9/29/26