In the News

A contentious bill that passed the state Senate late Thursday could transform Washington’s police oversight agency from an anemic watchdog into a formidable instrument for police accountability. While other reform efforts in Olympia focus on high-profile police tactics, such as prohibiting chokeholds and neck restraints, this bill takes aim at a more obscure but powerful aspect of police policy: decertification. Under the ...

The Washington Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would require police officers to intervene and report when they see another officer use excessive force, part of Democrats' sweeping police accountability package. The bill passed on party lines, despite Republican opposition to the bill's "ambiguity." "This is about empowering officers," Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, said during the floor debate. "It's about making sure ...

For those who have dedicated their lives to heal and protect the planet, how do you honor that sacrifice after death? This is a question that has been on the minds of environmental activists for decades. Both cremations and traditional burials cause environmental damage that is not easy to reconcile. However, that is all changing with Recompose, a Seattle company ...

If you attend a first appearance or bail hearing at almost any court in King County, you are most likely will hear these words from the judge: ‘I’m going to release you on your promise to appear.” It means the defendant, who may or may not be charged with a crime, is free to leave jail or remain out-of-custody with the ...

If you’ve been in Seattle for any length of time recently, you’ve probably seen a land acknowledgement on a building, at an event, or in artwork created here: “We are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.” Nice words to say! ...

Democrat Governor Jay Inslee signed legislation in 2019 making Washington the first state in the country to approve composting as an alternative to burying or cremating human remains. Though the new law took effect in 2020, it has been a slow rollout. Democrat State Senator Jamie Pedersen originally sponsored the bill. He told NBC that the legislation was inspired by his ...

When Washington state’s part-time lawmakers kick off the 105-day 2021 legislative session in a mostly remote environment, it’ll be amid a storm of challenges. Some, such as the ongoing pandemic, are unique to the moment. Others — systemic inequity, overwhelming calls for police accountability, climate change — have long existed. All this, while under a shadow cast by recent events that ...

Senator Jamie Pedersen, Chair of Washington Senate Democratic Campaign (WSDC) was optimistic on election night that his caucus would expand it’s majority. Speaking to Wire publisher DJ Wilson on election night, he said that the WSDC targeted five districts this cycle as potential pick-up opportunities: the 28th, 10th, 25th, 17th, and the 16th. As of the latest vote totals, Democrats lead in ...