State & Regional News | The Daily Chronicle

A bathroom sign as seen on March 16, 2026, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

High school group challenging Idaho’s trans bathroom ban drops lawsuit after student’s death

A lawsuit challenging Idaho’s transgender bathroom ban in K-12 public schools could end soon, after a group at Boise High School suing over the law dropped the case. The move came after a … more

By Kyle Pfannenstiel / Idaho Capital Sun | 5/22/26

Longview superintendent arrested on multiple charges in student sex assault investigation

Police in Longview on Thursday arrested the superintendent of Longview Public Schools as part of an ongoing investigation related to the reported sexual assault case involving students at Mark Morris … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 5/21/26

A male calf named Torrent near his mother Rainy on May 12. Two American bison calves were born within a week of each other at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. Torrent was born on May 8. (Katie G. Cotterill / Northwest Trek Wildlife Park)

Two American bison calves born at Northwest Trek

Two American bison calves were born within a week of each other at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. On May 8, a male calf named Torrent was born to mother Rainy, according to the park’s blog. On … more

By Joseph O’Sullivan / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

Two Washington law enforcement officers accused of crimes against children

Two law enforcement officers have been accused of separate crimes against children, Arlington and Mason County officials said. An Arlington police officer was arrested by the Island County … more

By Joseph O’Sullivan / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

The northernmost of three major lookouts over the central part of Hell’s Canyon one mile below, the Buckhorn Lookout is at 6,982 feet elevation. (Wallowa County Chamber)

Oregon’s Wallowa County rejects leaving state to join Idaho

After years of debate over whether rural eastern and southern Oregon would be better off as part of Idaho, Wallowa County has become the first in Oregon to reverse course on the push to leave the … more

By Sophia Cossette / oregonlive.com (TNS) | 5/21/26

Washington State Patrol settles $340K lawsuit over deleted vaccine mandate records

The Washington State Patrol settled a lawsuit for $340,000 over allegations it destroyed or withheld texts and other records related to the firing of state troopers who refused the COVID-19 vaccine … more

By Shauna Sowersby / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

A designated electric vehicle parking spot is pictured at the new Mineral Mobility Hub on Friday, May 8, behind the Mineral Lake Market.

Washington public EV bus operators say they face ‘Wild West’ environment with industry

A major challenge facing the public sector transportation sector’s transition from gasoline to electric is what one local transit manager describes as a “Wild West” environment for the … more

By TJ Martinell / The Center Square | 5/21/26

The Washington state Capitol is pictured from Heritage Park in Olympia on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

DCYF secretary denies fraud claims, says agency needs funding for more audits

Department of Children, Youth and Families Secretary Tana Senn denied claims of fraud and indicated more funds are needed to conduct additional audits during a virtual appearance before the … more

By Carleen Johnson / The Center Square | 5/21/26

Stainless steel containers for waste in the low-activity waste facility at the Hanford site. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy/Bechtel)

GOP budget plan in U.S. House calls for cuts at Hanford nuclear cleanup site

Cuts that Republicans in the U.S. House are seeking to the nuclear cleanup at Washington’s Hanford site would go deeper than steep reductions the Trump administration proposed. Hanford’s … more

By John Stang / The Washington State Standard | 5/21/26

The Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility about 16 miles east of Ellensburg in central Washington is part of Puget Sound Energy’s clean energy portfolio. (Courtesy of Puget Sound Energy)

Washington’s largest utility moves to add more wind power

Puget Sound Energy is adding a wind farm in Klickitat County to its clean energy portfolio, the latest move in the utility’s transition to become greenhouse gas neutral by 2030, as state law … more

By Aspen Ford / The Washington State Standard | 5/21/26

Preliminary FBI data shows a sharp drop in violent crime

U.S. violent crime fell sharply in 2025, according to preliminary federal data , with murders dropping an estimated 18.1% — a decline that could push the national homicide rate to its lowest level … more

By Amanda Watford / Stateline.org | 5/21/26

Boeing spaced out MD-11 inspections, even after reports of fractured parts

Boeing increased the length of time between inspections for a critical part of the MD-11 hardware that holds the plane’s engine to its wing — despite multiple reports of previous part failures … more

Lauren Rosenblatt / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

Missing 4-year-old found after Amber Alert, police say

Shelton Police on Wednesday arrested a man who had allegedly abducted his young son from relatives, which led to an Amber Alert. Police responded to an alleged assault around 12:30 p.m. in the … more

Lauren Girgis / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

The outside of Henry M. Jackson High School on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Washington reforms that could tackle teacher sexual abuse

In 2004, Washington became the first state in the country to enact a “Don’t Pass the Trash” law, seeking to prohibit public school districts from allowing K-12 teachers accused of sexual … more

By Moe K. Clark / InvestigateWest | 5/21/26

How Washington state is tackling chronic hospital overcrowding

Allen Horne thought the infection on his right pinkie toe would improve. Instead, gangrene spread to the rest of his foot last December, eventually causing the 78-year-old to collapse on a downtown … more

Elise Takahama / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

Seattle-area renters need to pay more than double housing costs to own a home

Many Seattle area residents feel like the bar to owning a home just keeps getting higher, and they're not imagining things. The cost of a monthly mortgage payment is now well beyond double the … more

Heidi Groover / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

Microsoft backs Washington’s expanding news fellowship

Data centers and Big Tech are getting some tough press coverage lately. But that isn't stopping Microsoft from supporting newsrooms in rural Washington counties where it operates hyperscale … more

Brier Dudley / The Seattle Times (TNS) | 5/21/26

Former Seattle police union president wins lawsuit to continue campaign

Former Seattle Police Officer’s Guild President Mike Solan is celebrating a court victory this week that allows him to move forward with seeking a seat on the Pierce County Council. Solan … more

By Carleen Johnson | The Center Square | 5/21/26

Ethics Board to determine whether to continue Rep. Simmons' ethics investigation

Washington's Legislative Ethics Board will determine whether an investigation into a complaint against Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton, will proceed after her attorney filed a motion to have it … more

By TJ Martinell | The Center Square | 5/21/26

A Seattle monorail train passes on an elevated track near the Space Needle on a clear day.

Plan to renovate Seattle Center could require $1.5 billion bond

Seattle property owners will be asked to approve a plan that will result in higher taxes to fund the renovation of the aging Seattle Center campus, home of the 1962 World’s Fair and numerous iconic … more

By Randy Diamond | The Center Square | 5/21/26