Oregon insurance regulators have approved premium hikes that could cost individuals and small businesses that buy health insurance through the state marketplace dozens of more dollars per month and are weighing policy changes that would limit availability. State officials with the Division of Financial Regulation in a news release this week framed the nearly 22%…
Cami Feek is no stranger to state government. Every level of it. She kicked off her career in 1996 as a mailroom clerk typist for the Department of Financial Institutions. She’s worked at General Administration, Washington State Patrol, and the attorney general’s office. She joined the Employment Security Department in 2017 and played an instrumental…
A federal judge in the District of Columbia issued an order Wednesday blocking U.S. Health and Human Services from implementing sweeping changes to grants under the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program while a lawsuit proceeds, but dozens of existing grants that were canceled this summer will remain so for now, unless the administration chooses to reinstate…
One of the most destructive invasive pests in the nation has arrived in southern Washington, posing a grave threat to ash trees. State officials confirmed the presence of the emerald ash borer Wednesday after two people passing through Vancouver spotted the insect on their windshield in early August. They took photos, collected the specimen and…
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Lawyers for a Los Angeles firm representing State Farm in a lawsuit involving the rebuilding of a home after a fire have apologized for artificial intelligence hallucinations in their filings. The homeowner’s lawyers discovered in motions filed by State Farm “cases that do not exist,…
In the span of a month, firefighting costs for 20 wildfires burning across Washington have totalled $207 million, according to data from the state’s Department of Natural Resources. The expenses will be split among local, state and federal agencies. But the number is telling: Those 20 fires, some of which are still burning, have cost…
In the summer of 2023, a third of the fire engines owned by the fire department in Kansas City, Kansas, were unusable. Five of 15 pumper trucks were out of commission, and the department was waiting on parts from the manufacturer. So Kansas City fire officials went on a nationwide hunt for trucks. But their…
Violent crime in the United States fell by an estimated 9.3% in 2025, marking the largest year-to-year decline in the national violent crime rate since the FBI began estimating crime in 1936, according to new national data. The estimated murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate also fell 18.1%, to 4.1 killings per 100,000 people — tying…
Two Democratic Washington state Senate hopefuls are headed for a recount as just four votes separate them for second place in the primary and a spot on the November ballot. After examining challenged ballots Monday, Michael Shepard led Eamonn Collins with 13,125 votes to 13,121 in the 42nd Legislative District. Nearly 50,000 votes have been…
The number of refugees admitted to the United States during the first 10 months of the fiscal year is on pace to hit its lowest level on record, according to a new analysis. The new numbers reflect a steep decline in refugee admissions since President Donald Trump began his second term, according to a new…
