Washington Ledge

A new report is sounding the alarm about the state of mental health care in Washington prisons. It finds numerous shortcomings that increase the risk of suicide and contribute to lengthy stays in solitary confinement. The Department of Corrections acknowledges ongoing challenges, but says it's been making improvements and plans to seek additional funds from the Legislature to increase mental health staffing.

The Washington Legislature's Black Members Caucus was formed in 2019. This year the members led on a number of issues, including the enactment of sweeping police accountability measures and passage of a bill that made Juneteenth a state holiday. The caucus used its collective voice to urge Gov. Jay Inslee to extend the state’s eviction moratorium. The caucus also issued statements following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd and following the decision to charge three Tacoma police officers in the killing of Manny Ellis.

It was almost a year ago that Athena Fitness in Olympia was facing financial doom. The women-owned business had opened just before the pandemic struck. In August of last year, new COVID restrictions threatened to put the owners out of business. So, what’s happened since?

In Washington, the working partnership between police and crisis mental health workers is being put to the test. The reason is a new police use of force law.

She was given household cleaning vinegar instead of colonoscopy prep — and later died. Now, Washington’s attorney general has filed criminal charges against the woman’s former caregiver.

At Washington’s Capitol Campus, a post-legislative session calm has settled in.Gone are the State Patrol checkpoints and National Guard troops that were…

It was the Friday before Memorial Day weekend 36 years ago and Washington State Patrol Trooper Glenda Thomas was patrolling I-5 through Seattle.A call…

A second lawsuit has been filed to overturn a newly passed capital gains tax in Washington.The lawsuit by the Opportunity for All Coalition (OFAC), which…

Calling it a "moral mandate,” Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed into law a dozen bills that backers hope will improve policing in Washington, reduce the…

The state of Washington will soon offer an alternative to prison for people with a serious mental illness who commit a crime. Gov. Jay Inslee signed the…