Top credit rating agency puts Washington on notice Moody’s has revised its outlook for the state’s finances from stable to negative, pointing out its reliance on reserves and budget gimmicks to make ends meet. Jerry Cornfield/Washington State Standard
Citing audit as 'last straw,' officials seek to dissolve King County Regional Homelessness Authority The King County Regional Homelessness Authority has had a rocky tenure, and now there are questions about its future in the wake of a new audit released Wednesday. Amy Radil
King County Assessor John Arthur Wilson faces new calls to resign amid stalking scandal Wilson, whom the Council cannot remove from office, oversees the department responsible for appraising property values in the county. The three-term tax assessor has been at the center of an ongoing case of alleged stalking and harassment that ended his bid for higher office last year. Catharine Smith
Law enforcement investigating nearly 400 unopened ballots found in Renton The 380 ballots, mostly from King County, were not filled out and were never delivered to voters. They were addressed to voters who mostly used storefront mailboxes, like parcel lockers from Amazon or UPS, and spanned elections from 2022 to 2025. Sarah Mizes-Tan
Tacoma-Seattle fast ferry 'unlikely' to launch ahead of World Cup A proposed fast passenger ferry between Tacoma and Seattle is "unlikely" to hit the water ahead of the World Cup as officials had hoped. Katie Campbell
Are prediction markets illicit gambling? Washington state says yes Washington is joining the queue of states bringing legal action against Kalshi, a popular prediction market. The platform allows users to wager money on everything from sports, to politics, to pop culture — and even military actions. Teo Popescu
Seattle World Cup matches are 2 months away. How are city agencies preparing? The first FIFA World Cup match in Seattle is set for June 15. And there are so many details to iron out. Anna Boiko-Weyrauch
WA Supreme Court to consider Let's Go Washington lawsuit challenging 'millionaires tax' Washington's new so-called "millionaires tax" includes a clause that prevents it from being repealed by voters through a method called a referendum, something that conservative group Let’s Go Washington has alleged is unconstitutional. Sarah Mizes-Tan
Rural Washington schools struggle with drop in logging dollars Nestled in the foothills of the North Cascades, where logging has long fueled the economy, the Mount Baker School District is facing a budget deficit exceeding $1 million, which local officials say is tied to declining timber sales on state lands. Washington State Standard
Toilet's fixed, but Artemis II astronauts now have Microsoft Outlook problem NASA's moonbound astronauts aboard Artemis II have their toilet functioning again, but now they're stuck with an equally annoying but perhaps less urgent issue: They can't open their email. Stephen Howie
