Two Colville women were booked into a rural Washington jail. It became a death sentence
Critics say WA jails are letting opioid users suffer from withdrawals, leading to preventable deaths
Government
King County prosecutor’s office accused of 'self-dealing’ promotion
An investigation found no hiring policies were violated but noted there is no consistent process for filling leadership positions.
Schools hiring emergency teachers for special education, potentially violating federal law
More than 130 emergency licensed instructors who don’t have to meet federally mandated standards are teaching students with disabilities
Three Decades of Well Water Pollution in Rural Oregon Sees Almost No Government Action
Community organizers band together to tackle pollution from food processors and industrial farming.
Lobbying email from Oregon secretary of state’s office raises eyebrows in Salem
The email to customers asked them to support the office’s budget request
Investigation finds racism, gender bias against worker at Oregon Employment Department
A 110-page investigative report documents a hostile work environment experienced by a female attorney of color in the agency’s new paid family leave program.
Idaho renters face bigger shortage of affordable homes, national housing report shows
According to 2023 report, Idaho has 38 affordable rental homes for every 100 households with extremely low incomes — a decrease from 42 units in 2022
Auditors flag half of Washington counties over COVID-19 aid
Findings of fraud or misuse remained rare despite short deadlines set for local governments to spend billions in emergency relief.
EPA and a Montana mining company promise action after InvestigateWest report exposes public health concerns
Previous reporting showed how regulators and the mine teamed up to rebut independent researchers
State caregivers in Oregon group homes reach crisis
Staffing shortages, low pay and safety concerns burn out a Department of Human Services unit that cares for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
How auditing giant KPMG became a global sustainability leader while serving companies accused of forest destruction
The firm vouched for an Indonesian company with a supply chain beset by deforestation allegations and a project in Canada that led to an Indigenous forest’s “death by a thousand cuts”
Vancouver Public Schools continued to use prohibited restraints on students after state ban
A review of hundreds of pages of records show security guards at Vancouver Public Schools have used banned restraints more than a year after the state outlawed them.
WA's government transparency committee is ready to call it quits
As their fight for government transparency becomes increasingly difficult, the Washington Sunshine Committee is considering disbanding.