What WA’s new police accountability laws do and don’t do
Plus, a closer look at some of the concerned statements made by police chiefs and sheriffs.
Author: Crosscut.
Despite law, 20 WA counties don’t offer public-option health plans
Now, legislators think they have a fix to bring the public-option law they passed two years ago to every county.
Citizen scientists enlist in fight against WA's 'murder hornets'
Thousands of volunteers are looking for the invasive, bee-killing insect, leaving officials optimistic about keeping the hornets at bay.
Despite WA court ruling, warrants continue for drug possession
Gov. Jay Inslee will soon roll out a process for people to have their past charges commuted.
New WA laws start to close public broadband gap — but it’s a small step
Legislators are spending $400 million to expand broadband, while opening up public internet options. But access for everyone is still a long way off.
New suicide prevention hotline aims to divert callers from police
Starting in mid-2022, people will be able to dial 988 instead of 911 to access different types of services in a mental health crisis.
One wolf was poached in WA. Here’s why it’s a big deal
The illegal killing of a female wolf spurred multiple conservation groups to put up a $15,000 reward to find the poacher.
NW tribes want to be at the table for green energy planning
Tribal consultation has long been a problem on Washington's renewable energy plans, which can encroach on ancestral cultural sites and food access.
Washington state is reopening this week. Here's what you need to know
From mask rules to where you can go around town, Crosscut answers your questions about what life without COVID restrictions may look like.
That voting-rights bill Congress rejected? Most of it is WA law
With mail-in voting and same-day voter registration “we really are ahead of the curve,” one state lawmaker says.
AIDS memorial rises in Seattle 40 years after start of epidemic
Seattle is one of the last major cities with a large LGBTQ+ population to get a permanent, public and physical space for grief and remembrance.
COVID vaccine research continues with help of trial participants
As the world reopens, a few community members are still putting their bodies on the line for science in UW research for another vaccine.
For 2020 high school grads, freshman year of college was crazy too
We check back in with Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero from Crosscut's 'Senior Year Was Crazy' documentary after her first year at the University of Washington.
What it means for Juneteenth to be an official holiday
The U.S. and Washington state are now formally celebrating June 19 to mark the end of slavery.
Seattle mental hospital — the third in WA — to begin construction soon
State dollars will take mental health services in a new direction with two projects: a psychiatric hospital near Northgate Mall and a proposed behavioral health center at Harborview.
Looking to escape wildfire smoke in WA this year? A new tool could help
Smoke forecasting is notoriously hard to do, but a new tool from the state Department of Ecology may help us anticipate hazardous air five days in the future.
NW comic book chronicles Japanese Americans who fought internment
Created by local writers and artists, ‘We Hereby Refuse’ illustrates untold true stories of heroism with vivid graphics.
Washington's legal system severely backlogged following pandemic
Months of COVID-19 lockdowns mean courts and prosecutors' offices face an overwhelming queue of cases.
How birds in the Pacific Northwest experienced the pandemic
A community science effort asked hundreds of Northwest residents to keep tabs on birds, and they learned a lot about themselves in the process.
Two bills aim to expand public broadband in WA, but there’s a hitch
‘It’s such drama, I’m telling you. I’ve never been in this situation before,’ one lawmaker says.
New laws aim to keep people from losing their homes in Washington
Help for renters and homeowners is on the way as the state’s eviction moratorium is set to expire June 30.
Deported for drug charge, one man seeks U.S. reentry after Blake decision
The WA Supreme Court deemed the state’s drug statute unconstitutional. For people deported on drug charges, that could open new possibilities.
Insurers in WA must cover transgender health care under new bill
The state’s push to protect access to health care for transgender people contrasts with recent actions in other state legislatures.
Facebook group in WA wants to help you get a vaccine appointment
The group’s founders say the real magic is in the 75 trained volunteers who speak more than 15 languages and provide one-on-one help.
