State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

Oregon general’s testimony that National Guard troops ‘will be protecting any protesters’ gains traction online

A nine-day-old snippet of testimony in front of Oregon lawmakers is rocketing around social media as Portland awaits word from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on President … more

Zane Sparling / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/8/25

Washington state fuel prices hold steady as second most expensive in nation

For the third week in a row, Washington has the second-highest average fuel prices in the nation at $4.52, a four-cent decrease from last week. California, the only state in the nation with higher … more

Nance Beston / Columbia Basin Herald (TNS) | 10/8/25

Washington man accused of setting person on fire in Spokane arrested after three weeks as victim remains in critical condition

Spokane police have arrested a man suspected of dousing another man with gasoline last month in downtown Spokane and setting him on fire. The victim, 39-year-old David Karn, remains in critical … more

Garrett Cabeza / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 10/8/25

Man accused of setting person on fire downtown arrested after three weeks as victim remains in critical condition

Spokane police have arrested a man suspected of dousing another man with gasoline last month in downtown Spokane and setting him on fire. The victim, 39-year-old David Karn, remains in critical … more

Garrett Cabeza / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 10/8/25

'South Hill Rapist' Kevin Coe resides in Auburn, according to sex offender registry

Kevin Coe, the man known as the "South Hill Rapist," will live in an adult care home in an Auburn , Washington, neighborhood. Coe is registered as a Level 3 sex offender, the … more

Mitchell Roland / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 10/8/25

Girl missing from Grays Harbor County since 2021 declared dead

Oakley Carlson, a girl who went missing from Grays Harbor County four years ago and hasn't been seen since, was declared legally dead this summer by a judge. Oakley, who would be 8 years old … more

Lauren Girgis / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/8/25

Protesters toe the line on the driveway of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in South Portland on Sat., Oct. 4, 2025.

Oregon GOP posts about federal troops coming to Portland using stock images from South America

The Oregon Republican Party drew national attention this week after it announced the potential deployment of California National Guard troops to Portland in social media posts that featured stock … more

Sami Edge / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/8/25

Portland man accused of spitting in face of federal officer outside ICE building

A 38-year-old Portland man accused of spitting in the face of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer appeared in federal court Tuesday. Alexander Jay Boyce is accused of felony assault on … more

Maxine Bernstein / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/8/25

Starbucks lays off hundreds of Washington state workers after store closures

After sweeping store closures around the country last month, Starbucks will lay off 369 employees in Washington, according to a state filing. A notice filed with Washington state's Employment … more

Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/8/25

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem surveys South Portland from the roof of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Tues., Oct. 7, 2025.

Kristi Noem slams local electeds as ‘pansies’ during Portland visit

Portland police Chief Bob Day met twice Tuesday with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in what he called an effort to build a relationship with federal partners, even as the two share … more

Zaeem Shaikh / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/8/25

Portland pet owners leashed their dogs, grabbed poster board and gathered Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, at Revolution Hall in Southeast Portland for a puppy party protest.

Kristi Noem came to Portland, and people protested with dogs, dancing

State and local leaders — but only a few protesters — greeted U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday as she visited Portland and the ICE office that has been the site of … more

The Oregonian / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/8/25

Press conference in Tacoma with Let's Go Washington founder Brian Heywood responding to dozens of attacks on signature gatherers for two initiatives.

Are organized agitators behind attacks on Let's Go WA signature gatherers?

The founder of the political action committee behind two statewide initiatives concerning parental rights and the protection of girls in sports says he suspects organized groups are behind dozens of … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 10/8/25

With federal penalties looming, Washington state looks to curb food stamp payment errors

States that routinely overpay or underpay food stamp recipients could now lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. This has Washington officials trying to improve the … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 10/8/25

Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal

Data difficulties complicate Washington’s effort to close educational achievement gaps

Work to close educational achievement gaps for several minority groups in Washington state is being hindered by a lack of data, according to people involved in the yearslong effort. A new series … more

By Emily Fitzgerald / The Washington State Standard | 10/8/25

Oakley Carlson, seen here with foster parents Erik Hiles and Jamie Jo Hiles. (Courtesy of Jamie Jo Hiles)

Oakley Carlson, missing from Grays Harbor County since 2021, declared dead

Oakley Carlson, a girl who went missing from Grays Harbor County four years ago and hasn’t been seen since, was declared legally dead this summer by a judge. Oakley, who would be 8 years … more

By Lauren Girgis / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 10/8/25

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on the roof of the Portland ICE facility. (Photo by Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

DHS Secretary Noem visits Portland ICE facility as lawsuit over National Guard deployment continues

As Oregon awaits more clarity from a federal appeals court on the Trump administration’s attempts to deploy National Guard troops from multiple states to Portland, U.S. Homeland Security … more

By Alex Baumhardt and Julia Shumway / The Oregon Capital Chronicle | 10/7/25

Supreme Court refuses to hear challenge to Washington state’s landmark Climate Commitment Act

Washington state’s Climate Commitment Act has successfully weathered another round of legal scrutiny. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a major challenge to the … more

By Brett Davis / The Center Square | 10/7/25

Protesters gather outside the boarded-up U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, days after President Donald Trump suggested federal intervention.

Cities nationwide back Oregon in National Guard deployment dispute with Trump

City attorneys from around the nation, including Los Angeles and Chicago, joined together to side with Oregon and its request for a federal appeals court to keep in place a judge’s order … more

Maxine Bernstein / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/7/25

Oregon has fallen short of a key higher education goal. Is it time to set a new one?

Fourteen years ago, lawmakers set an ambitious goal for higher education: By 2025, 80% of Oregon’s young people would hold a college degree or an education credential of some sort. … more

Sami Edge / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/7/25

Kristi Noem visiting Portland today, city officials confirm

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will visit Portland on Tuesday, according to city officials. Noem’s agenda for the trip has not been announced, with police officials saying … more

Zane Sparling / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 10/7/25