Featured Stories

Photo: Seattle Sounders FC fans cheers for his team at the stadium during the match between Toronto...
Matt Markovich

A fart tax? State lawmaker suggests sports fans pay up for methane emissions

A Republican lawmaker made an unusual suggestion during a public hearing Thursday on a bill that could lead to a fart tax on cows.
2 years ago
snohomish county jail cell dead...
Matt Markovich

Justice vs. safety: Washington lawmakers clash over sentencing reform bill

A bill advanced in Olympia that may lead to a floor vote on one of the most significant law and justice bills of this session. It involves sentencing reform.
2 years ago
Photo: Housing in Seattle, Washington....
Matt Markovich

Washington bill takes aim at corporate homebuyers, tries to level playing field for families

In a move to preserve homeownership opportunities and combat escalating housing prices, a new bill — Senate Bill 5496 — has been introduced in Washington.
2 years ago
Image: Pam Bondi gets sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, ...
Matt Markovich and Steve Coogan

Report: Sanctuary cities to see federal funding paused; city of Seattle responds

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is expected to issue several major directives, including the agency pausing all federal funding for sanctuary cities.
2 years ago
Photo: A parking lot in Seattle, Washington....
Matt Markovich

Washington lawmakers push to slash parking requirements, paving way for new housing

A major shift could be coming to Washington's zoning laws and it all revolves around parking.
2 years ago
Image: The Washington State Capitol campus in Olympia can be seen in a recent photo. Democratic leg...
Matt Markovich

WA Senate Democrats propose stricter regulations for ballot measure initiatives

Washington Senate Democrats have introduced legislation to tighten regulations on the state's processes for initiatives and referendums.
2 years ago
Photo: King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall....
James Lynch

King County sheriff: Tough times ahead with looming spending cuts

King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall stated Tuesday that tough times are ahead as her office prepares to tighten its belt.
2 years ago
transit services...
Luke Duecy

King County Metro to retrofit transit fleet with new safety feature following killing of driver

King County is moving forward with a plan to install new safety screens on all Metro buses to help keep drivers safe.
2 years ago
Image: The Washington Legislative Building can be seen in Olympia on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025....
Matt Markovich

Parental rights showdown: WA lawmakers accuse one another of lying about student privacy

Democrats and Republicans in Washington traded verbal fireworks Tuesday over House Bill 1296, a measure about parental rights.
2 years ago
Image: Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating gro...
Ted Buehner

Groundhog Day: Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow?

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day Sunday in Pennsylvania and predicted six more weeks of wintry weather, his handlers announced.
2 years ago
Photo: Firearms....
Matt Markovich

Washington House committee advances controversial firearm bills amid heated debate

These proposals address firearm purchase permits, ammunition sales restrictions and measures to curb firearm theft from vehicles.
2 years ago
Photo: Pierce County deputies made arrests after a street racing/intersection takeover....
James Lynch

Pierce County deputies arrest 4 teens in major street racing takeover

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department deputies shut down a major street racing/intersection takeover last weekend in Parkland. Two 15-year-old boys and two 18-year-olds were arrested. It happened last Saturday night at the intersection of Park Avenue South and 108th Street South. Deputies told KIRO Newsradio they received multiple 911 calls from drivers trying to get through […]
2 years ago
Image: A speed limit sign is seen on State Route 9 in Clearview in 2016. The state of Washington is...
Matt Markovich

Speed demons on a leash: Bill would require limiter device for reckless drivers

Washington is taking a bold step toward tackling reckless drivers and speeding with a new bill that could change how high-risk drivers get back on the road.
2 years ago
Image: A sign from the city of Seattle ordering the removal of private property from the city's str...
Charlie Harger

‘A place where new stories begin:’ Faith-based groups offer help, recovery paths to homeless

Faith-based organizations in Seattle and the Puget Sound region conduct outreach, offering blankets and also a path to recovery to homeless people.
2 years ago
medics pioneer square...
James Lynch

‘One of the greatest honors:’ Incoming chief shares vision for Seattle Police Department

If there is any doubt about how happy Shon Barnes is to be the Seattle Police Department's new chief, the doubt ends now.
2 years ago
Olympia Capitol - Olympia Capitol - Washington's clemency board...
Matt Markovich

New bill allows volunteer opportunities at schools for parents with criminal records

House Bill 1189 is working to give parents and guardians with criminal records a shot at helping out in schools.
2 years ago
Everett stabbing...
Sam Campbell and Luke Duecy, KIRO Newsradio

Bail set at $2M for man accused of stabbing 13-year-old Everett boy

A judge has ordered a man suspected of stabbing a teenage boy in Snohomish County earlier this month to remain in jail with bail set at $2 million.
2 years ago
Photo: Hands typing on a computer....
Matt Markovich

Caught in the net: Washington lawmakers push to reduce penalties for online sting operations

Washington lawmakers are considering a controversial new bill that could change the way the state treats people caught in internet sting operations.
2 years ago
washington...
Matt Markovich

Washington lawmakers push to keep ‘vehicular homes’ safe from tow yard

A new bill making its way through the Washington State Legislature aims to help people who live in their vehicles avoid losing them to impoundment.
2 years ago
millionaires' tax...
Matt Markovich

Lawmakers push to make clergy mandatory reporters — Will this attempt finally succeed?

Washington lawmakers are once again tackling the sensitive issue of mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect by clergy members.
2 years ago
Photo: A pro-Palestinian tent encampment on the UW campus in Washington....
Matt Markovich

Protest, but play nice: Washington weighs new rules on student aid, campus demos

If you're a college student in Washington and love a good protest, listen up — your taxpayer funded financial aid could be on the line, but not as much before.
2 years ago
Image: A group of cows can be seen on a farm in Adna, in May 2022. A Washington House mandates that...
Matt Markovich

Could cow burps and farts be taxed under the Climate Commitment Act?

House Bill 1630 mandates that dairy farms and feedlots report their annual methane emissions -- largely coming from cow burps and farts -- to the state.
2 years ago
Photo: The South Cle Elum Depot....
Luke Duecy

‘I don’t have optimism:’ Cle Elum one step closer to declaring bankruptcy

The small town of Cle Elum is one step closer to declaring bankruptcy after a special meeting and vote by its city council Tuesday night.
2 years ago
Image: Sue Rahr was named the Seattle Police Department's interim chief in May 2024, replacing Adri...
James Lynch

Exclusive: Interim Chief Sue Rahr says SPD workforce felt ‘betrayed,’ desperate for leadership

Ahead of her departure as Seattle's Interim Police Chief, Sue Rahr spoke at length to KIRO Newsradio about a series of topics.
2 years ago