August 2025

August 18, 2025

Washington unemployment steady at 4.5% as job growth slows — State added 10,800 jobs in July, though construction lost 11,300 compared with last year.

August 4, 2025

Washington joins 21‑state lawsuit challenging USDA over SNAP data rule — The coalition argues the new directive requiring five years of personal data on recipients violates privacy laws and exceeds federal authority.

August 4, 2025

Washington murder rate drops nearly 19% — New statewide crime data shows murders declined in 2024, alongside decreases in property crimes and violent offenses, though rates remain above pre‑pandemic levels.

July 2025

July 28, 2025

Judge halts WA law on priest confessions — A federal judge blocked a new mandate requiring Catholic priests to report child abuse learned in confession, ruling it violates First Amendment religious freedoms.

July 28, 2025

Immigration arrests double in Washington — Newly released data show more than 275 arrests in June, the highest under Trump’s second term, with fewer detainees having criminal records as ICE meets higher quotas.

Washington state is bracing for major fiscal and social impacts following passage of a federal megabill that cuts Medicaid and SNAP funding while eliminating clean energy tax credits. Analysts estimate the law could cost Washington billions annually, reduce coverage for hundreds of thousands of resi...

Roughly 545,000 acres of Washington’s forestlands showed signs of insect damage, disease, or other stress in 2024, according to a new report from the state Department of Natural Resources. While that represents just 2.5% of the state’s 22 million forested acres, it marks an uptick from 2023 and ...

July 7, 2025

Washington and 14 states sue Trump administration over Medicaid data sharing — Lawsuit seeks to block use of health records by ICE for immigration enforcement.

July 7, 2025

16 states including Washington sue Trump administration over $1B school mental health cuts — Lawsuit filed in Seattle challenges termination of diversity-linked grant programs.