WA Government

A man previously ruled incompetent to stand trial in Spokane who allegedly threatened to kill politicians was arrested Monday and charged with threatening to kill Gov. Bob Ferguson

OLYMPIA – State officials say they will continue to fight President Donald Trump’s latest efforts to impose federal restrictions on mail-in voting after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a plan to limit who can receive mail-in ballots to move forward.

OLYMPIA – The state will likely see a new record for wildfire-fighting spending this fiscal year, topping an estimated $285.9 million spent last fiscal year.

OLYMPIA – Gov. Bob Ferguson and Congressman Michael Baumgartner have requested a meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss significant federal assistance following the Spokane Complex fires.

OLYMPIA – The agency that runs the state’s juvenile rehabilitation centers reports that it has improved conditions after an audit showed the facilities have high rates of staff turnover and overcrowding, among other issues.

OLYMPIA – Washington residents will soon be restricted from placing wagers on sports, politics and entertainment on Kalshi, an internet gambling site, after a King County judge found the company likely operated in violation of the Washington Gambling Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

With only 75 ballots left to count after a tally Wednesday, Spokane County elections are all but decided.

As state officials continue to assess the damage caused by the Spokane Complex fires, they are also preparing to ask the federal government for long-term assistance to help cover and recoup the costs of the disaster.

Poll-site voting would have been difficult to impossible for some in last Tuesday's primary.#collection:home-promos#collection:news-columnists#collection:news#collection:local-government#collection:washington-government

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson has invited President Donald Trump to tour the damage caused by the recent wildfires in Spokane.

The Washington state Supreme Court said Thursday that recent law school graduates whose attempt to take the bar exam last week was marred by technology issues can receive a waiver to practice law in the state without passing the test.

Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer said Wednesday her office is surging additional personnel to Spokane to answer questions and help those impacted by this weekend’s Spokane Complex fires file insurance claims.

Carlene Anders knows firsthand how long it can take a community to recover from a wildfire.

Campaigns vying for Spokane political office shifted to fire recovery ahead of Tuesday’s election, instead of focusing on get-out-to-vote efforts and election night parties.

Spokane County residents who were impacted or evacuated due to this weekend’s fires can request new ballots in person or online ahead of Tuesday’s primary election.

"We will communicate our plans moving forward as we make those decisions and are working to have a comprehensive response as soon as we can," the court said.

In a 5-4 decision, the court found that WSU owed 19-year-old freshman Sam Martinez a "duty of care because of its special relationship with Gamma Chi," the fraternity where he died. The decision means that the university can be found liable for his death, though the court did not decide whether WSU breached its duty.

Mick Guile is one of about 30 recent law school graduates who planned to join the King County Public Defender’s Office this fall.