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Olympia's Wheeler Avenue will close through vehicle and foot traffic from Central Street to Eastside Street to help clear a homeless encampment, according to the City of Olympia.

No one ever sets out to become homeless, yet each day, hundreds of people find that they have no place to call home. Perhaps they have health issues that require them to choose between purchasing life-saving medication or paying their rent; others have addiction issues that are yet to be addressed; still, others are victims of domestic violence and have left an abusive situation. Regardless of the reason, these people are all a part of the ever-growing homeless population.

Enrollment in Washington's public schools has climbed by 2,000 students compared to the fall of last school year, according to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

A King County X-ray technician is facing charges for having sexual relationships with two male inmates under her care, according to the Washington Department of Health. In November, the X-Ray Technician Program and Medical Assistant Program charged registered X-ray technician and certified medical assistant Sheylyn Taree Karkhanin with unprofessional conduct, the Department of Health (DOH) reports.

Average workers' compensation premiums are due to shoot up by 4.9 percent in 2024, according to the Washington Department of Labor and Industries. This premium hike means that employers and workers will jointly pay an average of $65 a year in workers' compensation insurance premiums for each full-time employee, the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) reports. Like last year, workers will pay about a quarter of that premium, L&I officials say.

A Pacific County judge sentenced a fisherman to 50 days in jail for repeat salmon snagging violations, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports. WDFW Police investigated the snagging case in August 2023. David Gretzner, 66, from Long Beach, was sentenced on Nov. 16 by Pacific County District Court Judge, Nancy McAllister, the department reports. He pled guilty to one count each of Unlawful Recreational Fishing in the first degree and Unlawful Recreational Fishing in the second degree, according to the WDFW.

Attorney General's Investigation Leads to Full Restitution. In a significant development, Attorney General Bob Ferguson has announced that hospital chain PeaceHealth will refund up to $13.4 million to over 15,000 low-income patients across its five western Washington hospitals. This refund is the outcome of an investigation into PeaceHealth's financial assistance and collection practices, revealing that the hospital billed thousands of low-income patients without notifying them of their eligibility for financial assistance.

A popular food chain recently opened another new location in the state of Washington. Read on to learn more. On Saturday, November 11, 2023, the growing food chain Houston TX Hot Chicken celebrated the grand opening of its newest Washington location in Spokane, according to local sources.

A Clark County chiropractor accused of sexual harassment and mishandling radiographs will retain his license, the Washington Department of Health reports. In October, the Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission released John Anthony Lewis from the conditions placed on his chiropractic license due to the aforementioned allegations of misconduct, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The Washington state capitol could retain the Newhouse Building in name only next month, the Washington Department of Enterprise Services reports. The State Capitol Committee is slated to meet on Dec. 7 and decide on whether to retain the 90-year-old site's original name, according to the department.

A Pierce County marriage and family counselor has lost his license for getting too intimate with a patient, the Washington Department of Health reports. Timothy James Carver is accused of entering a sexual relationship with a client he began treating in the summer of 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) reports. The relationship allegedly became a sexual one by the spring of 2022 and the two eventually bought a home together in June of 2022, according to the DOH.

A home care aide who was accused of sleeping on the job and failing to help a fallen patient has been cleared of all charges, the Washington Department of Health reports. On May 10, 2022, Tricia L. Cline allegedly allowed a patient under her care to fall while she slept on the couch between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. at Fieldstone Memory Care in Spokane County, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The Evergreen State is home to over 50 colleges, universities, and technical schools for prospective students of all career interests. You'll find top-notch schools, decent schools, and then some not-so-great options here.

Pac-12 after dark always gets a little crazy on Friday nights. A chance to remain bowl-eligible was on the line between the Colorado Buffaloes (4-6) and the Washington State Cougars (4-6) in Pullman, WA.

The man had been working as a clinical social worker since 2013, the Department of Health reports. A clinical social worker has lost his job for sexually harassing his coworkers over text messages and even sending pictures of his unmentionables, the Washington Department of Health reports.

Invasive European green crabs have surfaced in a popular Clallam County park on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reports. The problematic species was first reported in the Salt Creek Recreation Area on Oct. 20 by the Coastal Watershed Institute when the organization was conducting a nearshore fish use monitoring project, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Students and staff from Western Washington University were also present at the time, the WDFW reports further.

This post includes content written by AI. Sources say Oregon State and Washington State aim to sustain the Pac-12 as a two-team conference for up to two years. They are in talks with the Mountain West for an agreement, enabling Pacific Northwest schools to complete their sports schedules. This arrangement might pave the way for a long-term deal. Details are undisclosed as negotiations remain private, with anonymity maintained due to the confidential nature of discussions between the schools and the Mountain West.

Dozens of high-wage jobs will come to three Washington counties courtesy of some $3.2 million in low-interest loans, The Washington Community Economic Revitalization Board reports.

The state needs school-age students to help get the word out about how to keep unwanted pests out of the Evergreen State, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced.