The State of Washington — The Evergreen State
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Mountain bikers attacked by cougar on trail in Washington state
> A group of five cyclists were riding on a trail in Fall City, Wash., when they were attacked by at least one cougar this past weekend.
> The incident occurred on Saturday around 12:30 p.m., according to the King County Sheriff's Office, in a wilderness area along Tokul Creek approximately five miles north of the city of Snoqualmie.
> A 60-year-old female was hospitalized for non-life threatening injuries, but is in stable condition, according to a statement from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
- mynorthwest.com Study: Washington ranked #1 state with the worst pothole problems
It may not surprise those of us who grapple with Washington roads, but the state is ranked #1 regarding pothole problems in a study by AAA as reported in
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Could a 10-cent bottle deposit system be in the state’s future?
mynorthwest.com 10-cent bottle deposit system bill being considered in WashingtonIn a bid to encourage recycling and promote environmental sustainability, state lawmakers are considering the bottle deposit system.
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Legislature Advances Proposal Allowing Cafes in More Neighborhoods
> House Bill 2252, sponsored by Representative Mark Klicker (R-16, Walla Walla), would require every city and town in the state to permit the operation of a neighborhood cafe in a residential zone, regardless of whether the zone allows other business uses. Under a substitute version of the bill approved Friday, as long as business owners didn’t propose a drive-thru, and the cafe wouldn’t be located on a street with only one egress (a dead-end road), there would be no size restriction on the amount of space a cafe could occupy, except a 500-square foot minimum. Cities also couldn’t require cafes to have more than two off-street parking spots, significantly less than the current parking requirements in many areas of the state. In Walla Walla, for example, current minimum parking requirements for a modestly-sized 1,000 square foot cafe would be 10 off-street spaces.
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Initiative to repeal capital gains tax certified; ballot could be next
mynorthwest.com Initiative to repeal state capital gains tax certified; ballot next?Initiative 2109, which would repeal the state of Washington's capital gains tax, could be on the November ballot after it was certified Tuesday.
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‘Serial killers voting’: Argument over prisoner rights bill gets intense in Olympia
mynorthwest.com 'Serial killers voting': Debate on prisoner rights bill gets intensePeople incarcerated for felony crimes such as rape and murder in Washington prisons could get back their right to vote, serve on a jury, or run for office.
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Washington State Is Leaving Tribal Cultural Resources at the Mercy of Solar Developers — ProPublica
www.propublica.org Washington State Is Leaving Tribal Cultural Resources at the Mercy of Solar DevelopersThe Badger Mountain solar project reveals gaps in the state’s permitting system that tribal nations say perpetuates a legacy of “cultural genocide.”
“Non-carbon emitting energy projects are positive advancements our state and country needs, but not at the cost of our traditional grounds and resources,” Yakama Nation officials wrote in an emailed statement to HCN and ProPublica. “Yakama Nation supports responsible energy development efforts. The Badger Mountain project, and the developer’s approach to advancing the project, fall far short of responsible energy development.”
We can’t let the transition to renewables be about corporate domination of people and land, it does not have to be this way
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Trump remains on Wash. GOP primary ballot after judge’s ruling
mynorthwest.com Trump remains on Wash. GOP primary ballot after judge's rulingJudge Mary Sue Wilson heard arguments Thursday morning before deciding the state statute the lawsuit cited in its motion does not apply to her jurisdiction.
I find this unsurprising but disappointing nonetheless.
- cliffmass.blogspot.com The Cold Truth About Renewable Energy in the Pacific Northwest
This blog provides updated forecasts and comments on current weather or other topics
Cliff Mass is a bit of a climate change denialist, so maybe also factor that in when considering his skepticism of renewable energy? But I thought the insight about wind was still good.
- mynorthwest.com ‘One issue people agree on’: Bill to keep state in standard time comes up on first hurdle
A bill that would keep Washington in standard time year-round will soon look to clear its first hurdle in the state legislature.
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Legislature considers rent increase cap, but don’t call it ‘rent control’
mynorthwest.com Legislature considers rent increase cap, but don't call it 'rent control'"Under this bill, rent increases are capped at 5% every 12 months," Alvarado said. "When a person voluntarily vacates a unit, (they can) reset the rent."
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Eastern WA Officers Responding to a Shooting Find Multi-Million Dollar Illegal Pot Farm
Grant County police responding to a call about two men with gunshot wounds discovered a lot more than they bargained for. Early Monday the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Moses Lake Police Department and Ephrata police were called about men being shot in the 14000 block of Road C N.E., about 30 miles north of Moses Lake.
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Cantwell holds fentanyl roundtable as WA becomes overdose epicenter
Why is Washington the epicenter of the fentanyl crisis? U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell posed the question at a Seattle roundtable she convened Monday about the deadly drug, where speakers talked about innovations happening locally and the challenges that lay ahead. The senator pointed to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers showing the state had the biggest increase in the nation — more than 21% — in fatal overdoses reported between February 2022 and February 2023.
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Comprehensive Map of Seattle Construction Projects
Free desktop and mobile web app for seeing what's being built in Seattle. Think of it as a modern alternative to the “notice of proposed land use” boards currently posted at construction sites. Find any proposed or under construction building in Seattle, see high quality 3D architectural renderings and learn how you can shape development in your neighborhood.
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Historical Photos Capture The Street Scenes of Seattle from between the 1930s and 1940s
These historical photos capture the street scenes and everyday life of Seattle between the 1930s and 1940s.
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Flattening Hills to Build Seattle, 1905-1930
Starting in 1897 and continuing through 1930, the hilly topography of central Seattle was radically altered by a series of regrades.
- www.opb.org Some Washington public schools partnering with tribes to bring Indigenous languages into classrooms
A number of Washington state public schools are partnering with tribes to bring Indigenous languages into classrooms in an effort to rectify the marred history of Native American boarding schools.
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Pasco WA to be Home to New 242,115ft² Greenhouse
Local Bounti Corp., the Montana ag startup, has begun building the frame for a large greenhouse where it will cultivate lettuce and other greens on Pasco’s industrial east side.
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Washington Sate Faultlines | WA - DNR
www.dnr.wa.gov Earthquakes and Faults | WA - DNRThis map shows areas of seismic risk from high (red) to low (grayish-green). The map is from a 2007 report (click here to download) on seismic design categories in Washington. The map also shows potentially active faults from a separate 2014 report (click here to download). Earthquakes occur nearly ...
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Lawmakers eyeing ways to keep troopers on WA roads after years of attrition
OLYMPIA — State lawmakers are eyeing ways to recruit and retain state troopers as Washington contends with a high number of traffic deaths. Right now, 146 out of 684, or 21%, of trooper positions are vacant, according to the Washington State Patrol.
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3 Dead After Listeria Outbreak in Washington State
Health officials in Washington State said on Friday that three people had died and two had been hospitalized in the Puget Sound area after contracting food-borne listeria infections in what appeared to be an outbreak.
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How 'Oppenheimer' is connected back to Washington state
RICHLAND, Wash. — As movie-goers flock to theaters this weekend to see "Oppenheimer," Christopher Nolan's Hollywood portrayal of the development of the atomic bomb, the world is reminded of Washington state's outsized impact on that period of American history.
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First U.S. Sighting of Massive Atlas Moth Confirmed in Near Seattle
www.smithsonianmag.com First U.S. Sighting of Massive Atlas Moth ConfirmedThe insect may have escaped from an illegal cocoon-selling operation
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The Washington Doctor Who Starved Her Patients to Death
www.smithsonianmag.com The Doctor Who Starved Her Patients to DeathLinda Hazzard killed as many as a dozen people in the early 20th century, and they paid willingly for it
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Eastern WA expected to be site of a new small nuclear reactor by 2030
Energy Northwest has signed an agreement with the goal of having an advanced small nuclear reactor producing power in Eastern Washington by the end of 2030. It could potentially deploy as many as 12 Xe-100 reactors, together capable of generating up to 960 megawatts of electricity, Energy Northwest said in an announcement Wednesday of a joint development agreement with X-energy Reactor Co.
- www.dnr.wa.gov Geologic Provinces of Washington | WA - DNR
Click here to access our page-size geologic map of Washington state, which includes a brief explanation of Washington's geologic history.
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Washington state connections to root for in the 2023 Women’s World Cup
www.sounderatheart.com Washington state connections in the 2023 World CupOn top of the 8 current OL Reign players heading to the World Cup, there are plenty of local ties.
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TIL That the Olympic Peninsula Used to be an ancient island called Siletzia that collided with North America. It was born from the same hot spot that is today the Yellowstone Super Volcano.
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Even though there are no volcanoes on the Olympic Peninsula, you can find lots of volcanic rocks on the beaches. This bizarre circumstance might have to do with how the ancient island transformed Washington state.
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Washington is considering replace gas tax with controversial pay-per-mile program
www.kiro7.com ‘That’s insane!’: Washington could soon replace gas tax with controversial pay-per-mile programPlug in or gas up, it doesn’t matter. The more you drive the more you pay.
- mymodernmet.com Historic Ship Reclaimed By Nature Has a Second Life As a Protective Breakwater
This forest-filled ship continues to live on in a new role of shielding the marina from crashing waves. (And being a great spot for a photo op!)
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Guide to Washington's hiking trails
Find a hiking trail near you with this interactive guide to Washington state's great outdoors.
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The lost patients of WA’s abandoned psychiatric hospital
Nostalgia and a quest for justice unearth the complex legacy of Northern State Hospital as the country wrestles with its mental health crisis.
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Grand Coulee Dam, Columbia Basin
Washington State Archives, Digital Archives is the first Digital Archives in the nation to Preserve the electronic Records of both State and Local Government.
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Washington introduces new heat protections for workers
www.businessinsurance.com Washington introduces new heat protections for workers - Business InsuranceThe Washington State Department of Labor and Industries announced that new heat protections for outdoor workers will go into effect July 17, introducing an update to expand the heat protection standard for outdoor workers first implemented in 2008.
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Washington in the 1970s - The Atlantic
Day 5 of Documerica Week on In Focus, featuring regions of the U.S. covered by the photographers of the Documerica Project in the early 1970s. In our final photo essay, we visit the northwestern states of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, during a heightened energy crisis that left gas pumps empty and frustrated businesses and residents. Construction of the massive Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline was about to take place, and Spokane, Washington was preparing for its debut on the world stage, building the site of Expo '74, the first environmentally themed world's fair.
- www.atlasobscura.com These Beautiful, Swirling Images Are Maps of Washington's Geology
Lidar mapping reveals the land's secrets, usually hidden beneath thick forests.
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Washington reported nearly 400 murders in 2022, setting an all-time high
WASHINGTON — Murder reached an all-time high in 2022 and violent crime rose in Washington state while law enforcement staffing continue to nosedive, according to findings from the annual Crime in Washington report.
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Washington State Woman Is Arrested After Refusing TB Treatment
A judge issued an arrest warrant in February for a woman with tuberculosis who was later seen taking a city bus to a casino, the authorities said.