Austin Jenkins
Stories
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Could Washington state ban assault-style weapons?
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Politics
Washington voters' role in gun laws: ballots vs bills
The U.S. is once again mourning dozens of lives lost in several mass shootings just last month. And because these events are all too common now in our country, the debates that have followed have been predictable.
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See ya! Washington police say drivers aren’t stopping for them; cite pursuit restrictions
Since January of this year, more than 900 drivers have failed to stop for a Washington State Patrol trooper trying to pull them over. The patrol and other police agencies around the state say they’ve never seen such blatant disregard for their lights and sirens. The change in driver behavior comes after state lawmakers passed strict new rules on when police can engage in pursuits.
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Education
Washington saca del estado a jóvenes en crisis, los contribuyentes son quienes pagan la cuenta
Algunos padres con hijos en crisis en Washington están tomando una decisión desgarradora. Están enviando a sus hijos a internados terapéuticos fuera del estado. Y los contribuyentes están pagando la cuenta. Aunque se trata de casos atípicos, estos ponen de manifiesto las continuas carencias de los servicios estatales, carencias que quedaron al descubierto durante la pandemia de COVID. Antes de que la pandemia de COVID golpeara a principios de 2020, Brennan, el hijo de Robin Marie, asistía a una escuela para jóvenes autistas en Issaquah. Sus necesidades eran tan grandes que contaba con el apoyo de dos personas solo para atenderlo a él.
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Government
Washington's governor and lieutenant governor catch Covid
Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck have tested positive for Covid-19. Heck says that the two have not been in close contact and the cases are unrelated.
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Washington is sending youth in crisis to out-of-state boarding schools; taxpayers pick up the tab
Some parents with kids in crisis in Washington are making a heart wrenching decision. They’re sending their children to out-of-state therapeutic boarding schools. And taxpayers are picking up the tab. While these are outlier cases, they highlight ongoing gaps in in-state services — gaps that were laid bare during the COVID pandemic.
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Crime
Case of missing Washington 5-year-old highlights secrecy around CPS cases
There are more questions than answers in the case of a missing former foster child from Grays Harbor County. Five-year-old Oakley Carlson has been unaccounted for since February of last year. Police say her parents aren’t cooperating with the investigation. Oakley’s former foster mom questions why Oakley was sent back to live with her parents after more than two years in foster care. The governor's office and the Department of Children Youth and Families won't answer questions about the case citing privacy laws and the ongoing law enforcement investigation.
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Washington attorney general announces $476M settlement with opioid distributors
Three major opioid distributors will pay the state of Washington and local communities $476 million to end an ongoing lawsuit. The agreement announced Tuesday comes after the state attorney general rejected a previous settlement offer last summer.
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Washington seafood company fined following COVID death
A Sumner, Washington seafood company has been fined $56,000 for not complying with Washington's mask mandate. State investigators linked the death of an employee to a November 4, 2021 staff meeting where most of the attendees were unmasked.
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Government
Washington lawmakers of color announce departures, one calls the work environment ‘toxic’
In recent years, Washington’s Legislature has grown more diverse. And majority Democrats have emphasized diversity and equity as core values. But now three members of color, out of nearly 30, are stepping down from the Legislature after serving just one full term. One of them describes the legislative work environment as toxic.