An Idaho law targeted fentanyl dealers. Prosecutors are using it to charge users, too
An InvestigateWest review found at least 30 people charged with trafficking without evidence of selling or distribution. They face mandatory minimum prison terms.
Indigenous Affairs
Two killings, no explanation: Families left reeling after Bureau of Indian Affairs shootings
Lack of transparency in BIA police killings leave families searching for answers
Oregon bill would allow tribes to petition for removal of state control from tribal affairs
Proposal would simplify patchwork laws governing jurisdiction on tribal lands
Clinic closures, firings, buyouts: Northwest tribes sound alarm about cuts to health care, education and other key services
Moves target programs that are already underfunded and understaffed, tribal leaders tell Congress
Washington bill aiming to address racial disparities in traffic stops dies in committee
Proposal would have limited when police can stop drivers for non-moving violations
Oregon bill takes aim at ‘epidemic of violence’ around missing and murdered Indigenous people
Proposal would provide resources, form partnerships and improve data collection among agencies
Proposed Washington law aims to address racial disparities in traffic stops
Bill would limit when police can stop motorists for traffic violations
Pressure builds on Army Corps to produce years-late reports on Willamette River Basin dams
New federal study shows dams harming endangered salmon as Congress pushed for action
WA bill that would reduce sentences for inmates with juvenile felonies moves through Legislature
Opponents say it would re-traumatize victims and burden the courts
Native Americans face double the average medical debt, report finds — often for bills that aren’t their responsibility
Federal analysis reinforces InvestigateWest reporting on problems facing members of Colville tribe
‘A different standard’: Native Americans still searched at far higher rates by Washington State Patrol, new data shows
Though disparities for other races improved, InvestigateWest analysis reveals Native Americans five times more likely to be searched despite ongoing scrutiny
Three years, no investigations: A slow start for Washington office tasked with probing police violence
Most cases under review involve the deaths of Native Americans
Colville tribal citizens left on the hook when Indian Health Service doesn’t pay medical bills
Some IHS patients face a choice: Pay a bill that isn’t their responsibility or take a hit to their credit rating