State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

Texas is now the drive-thru chain's biggest market.

Dutch Bros opens its 1,000th drive-thru, aims for 6,000 more

Drive-thru chain Dutch Bros said Thursday it opened its 1,000th shop last month and now hopes to open 7,000 eventually. That’s 3,000 more than it had forecast at the time of its initial public … more

Mike Rogoway / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/28/25

Washington state gas tax hike looks increasingly likely as part of transportation budget

With the Washington state legislative session scheduled to adjourn one month from Thursday, lawmakers are getting down to the nitty-gritty work on massive budget proposals that will impact taxpayers. … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 3/28/25

Washington AG backs gun permit bill as it advances in state Senate

For his debut testimony before the Washington state Legislature, Attorney General Nick Brown picked a bill to require a new state permit to purchase guns. He said the measure, one of the … more

By Jake Goldstein-Street / The Washington State Standard | 3/28/25

The Washington state Capitol on March 27, 2025. (Photo by Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero/Washington State Standard)

Democrats in Washington state Legislature shift approach to parental and students’ rights bills

A tense debate over the rights of public school students and their parents took another twist in the Washington Legislature on Thursday. Democrats on a Senate committee stripped a House bill of … more

By Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero / The Washington State Standard | 3/28/25

Inside the Senate on the last day of the 2024 Legislature at the state Capitol on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

Washington state Senate votes to keep reporters out of legislative wings unless invited

The Washington State Senate in a voice call vote approved a resolution on Wednesday that restricts the ability of the news media to enter the legislative wings unless specifically requested by a … more

By TJ Martinell / The Center Square | 3/27/25

Permit-to-purchase gun bill clears another hurdle in Washington state Senate

Republicans in the Senate Law & Justice Committee raised constitutional concerns Thursday about a permit-to-purchase firearms bill before majority Democrats on the committee pushed the measure … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 3/27/25

First responders rescued a man near Yacolt after he had fallen 50 feet from a cliff near a waterfall.

‘Treacherous’ nighttime rescue saves man who fell 50 feet near Washington state waterfall

A man fell 50 feet from a cliff near a waterfall in Washington, leading to a “treacherous” nighttime rescue, officials said. Rescuers got the call at about 11:30 p.m. on March 23 at … more

Helena Wegner / The News Tribune (TNS) | 3/27/25

Washington state Senate approves 38% price hike in hunting, fishing licenses — first since 2011

After more than a decade of holding steady, Senate Democrats voted Wednesday to advance a 38% “inflationary adjustment” that would raise the price of hunting and fishing licenses in … more

Tim Clouser / The Center Square | 3/27/25

Washington state bill to cap rent increases clears first Senate hurdle

A new cap on rent hikes in Washington got one step closer to becoming law Wednesday. On a party-line vote, the Senate Housing Committee passed House Bill 1217 , which would set a 7% limit … more

Jake Goldstein-Street / Washington State Standard | 3/27/25

$160M in Washington state health funding axed by Trump administration

Washington state is losing about $160 million in public health funding as part of the Trump administration’s latest purge of federal grants. The money is part of $12 billion in cuts … more

Jake Goldstein-Street / Washington State Standard | 3/27/25

In this 2023 file photo, Mark Mullet talks to visitors at The Station in downtown Centralia during a campaign for governor.

Former Washington lawmaker Mark Mullet faces fine in mayoral bid

Contributions started rolling in within days of Mark Mullet launching his campaign for Issaquah mayor last December. By the end of the month, his haul was nearly $5,000. But Mullet may have to … more

Jerry Cornfield / Washington State Standard | 3/27/25

Reporting by OPB reporter Joni Auden Land relied on contemporaneous accounts including diary entries, ticket stubs and yearbook entries, plus interviews with former students, their friends, family members and a teacher from that period, to show how Gene Evans allegedly abused his photography position at St. Helens High School to groom and sexually assault two students.

Former Oregon child protection spokesperson accused of child sexual abuse

For nearly two decades, Gene Evans was the top spokesperson for two Oregon agencies charged with doing right by children. But, as OPB reported this week, two former students say he sexually … more

Betsy Hammond, Beth Slovic / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/27/25

The Department of Human Services convenes critical incident review teams to investigate its role when a child dies after its family has been in contact with the agency.

Oregon parents were arrested for mistreating their children after their baby died after being born in a tent

A baby born in a tent on a rural homestead last July received no medical attention and died before reaching three months old, the Oregon Department of Human Services said in a report designed to … more

Sami Edge / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/27/25

Wayne Wolfe, formerly Edwards, is the son of convicted serial killer Ed Edwards. Falling on hard times, Wolfe is selling a handmade leather baby book his biological father made for him while imprisoned for committing bank robberies.

Why a photo album created by a serial killer is for sale in Oregon

An unusual listing from Beaverton cropped up on Facebook Marketplace last week with the title “Murder memorabilia.” For $50,000, you can buy “a hand carved leather photo album … more

By Samantha Swindler / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 3/27/25

On a 65-acre site at the Hanford nuclear reservation, construction has been underway since 2002 on a $16.8 billion complex to transform 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical tank wastes into glass rods that then can be put in long-term storage. Some processing of liquid wastes is expected by 2022, and overall operations by 2036.

Washington state nuclear site top manager resigns. No. 2 Hanford leader already is gone

The top local leader for the Hanford nuclear site in Eastern Washington has resigned, which follows the resignation of his second in command. Brian Vance has been the Department of Energy … more

By Annette Cary Tri-City Herald (TNS) | 3/27/25

Sen. Maria Cantwell listens during a roundtable discussion at Cascade Community Healthcare in Centralia on Thursday, Aug. 8.

Washington's senators raise alarm over Trump administration's changes to Social Security Administration

Washington state's two Democratic senators accused the Trump administration on Wednesday of endangering the Social Security Administration's ability to provide benefits to retired Americans. In … more

By Orion Donovan Smith / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 3/27/25

'It just happened so quick': Washington woman describes horrific shooting that killed 14-year-old

Mario Amezcua called his best friend at 9:11 p.m. Friday saying he and four family members were outside his Moses Lake home ready to pick him up to go to a birthday party, according to the friend's … more

By Garrett Cabeza / The Spokesman-Review (TNS) | 3/27/25

Opinion: Trump tariffs, 'attacks' over water complicate Columbia River Treaty negotiations

Attacks by President Donald Trump on Canada's water and sovereignty, and a full-on trade war, have not only upended relations between the countries but have also threatened negotiations over a … more

By Lynda V. Mapes / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 3/27/25

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland spoke at Yelm's town hall event on Thursday, March 20, at the Yelm Community Center.

Washington state Democrats in Congress demand Trump’s defense secretary resign amid Signal scandal

Multiple Washington Democratic Congress members are calling on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to resign following the leak of a Signal chat about plans for airstrikes in Yemen. Jeffrey … more

By Simone Carter / The News Tribune (TNS) | 3/27/25

Hospital price transparency bill in Washington state Legislature gets reworked

A bill in the Washington Legislature to make hospital pricing more transparent for consumers is still in play, but its scope has narrowed during the legislative process. “I … more

By Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero / The Washington State Standard | 3/27/25