'Mosquito Fleet Act' could bring small ferries to more Puget Sound communities Washington State's new ferry boats are years away. It's a painful reality for waterfront communities that depend on ferries. But a new bill in the legislature promises to give them some relief. Joshua McNichols
Politics 'Sheer panic': Washington officials rush to figure out federal funding freeze UPDATE: A federal judge paused the implementation of a Trump administration order that would have frozen the issuance of federal grants and loans until Feb. 3. Scott Greenstone
Law & Courts Washington farmworkers call for better work conditions amid Trump deportation threats More than 100 farmworkers and their supporters traveled to Olympia from the state’s rural counties Tuesday to lobby lawmakers for more protections against unfair labor practices. Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez
Business Credit card convenience comes at a price. This Olympia bill aims to change that A Washington state senator wants to bar credit card bar fees on sales taxes and gratuities. Ruby de Luna
Education 'We are at a crisis.’ Seattle Eastside schools call for increased state funding The legislative session kicks off next week, and school districts statewide are pushing for a boost in funding. Five districts on Seattle's Eastside joined forces this week to bring their issues to lawmakers. Sami West
Health Care Washington's tribes want Medicaid to cover traditional healing When Washington’s legislative session kicks off next week, lawmakers will take up the issue of traditional Native American medicine. Eilís O'Neill
Health Weed sick: High-potency cannabis leads to ER visits, illnesses for some users As cannabis products like vapes, shatter, and dabs have reached near 100% potency, lawmakers, researchers, and doctors have sounded the alarm about a potential public health crisis. Stephen Howie
Education What Trump's second term could mean for education in Washington state President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House has raised a lot of questions about how policies he’s pushed could affect public education. Sami West Play AudioListen 8 mins
Politics First bills drop ahead of Washington's 2025 legislative session Washington lawmakers have begun teeing up legislation ahead of the 2025 session. Permanent standard time, immigration policies and fentanyl penalties were among the proposals prefiled on Monday, Dec. 2. Washington State Standard
Government Expanded water taxi service means easier access to and from Seattle for Vashon Islanders For the first time in years, the King County water taxi is expanding its sailings. Diana Opong