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The desire for social reckoning has somehow been pitted against the need for social order.
Apparently, the shelf life of collective scrutiny around police accountability lasts as long as a hashtag’s virality. Or maybe it spans the length of time we’re confined to our homes during an unprecedented pandemic when video of a Black man’s public execution is horrifically inescapable. For certain, it lasted from the day of George Floyd’s […]
Biden’s third-year job approval worst since Carter: Gallup
President Biden’s average job approval rating during his third year in office was the lowest of any U.S. president since President Carter, according to a Gallup survey published Thursday. During Biden’s third year — which extended from Jan. 20, 2023, to Jan. 19, 2024 — he had an average job approval rating of 39.8 percent in Gallup […]
Bipartisan bills call for state to share liquor, cannabis revenues with local governments
Problem: local governments in Washington state say they need more money to address affordable housing, public safety, and other inflationary costs. Solution? Give cities and counties a bigger share of the state’s liquor and cannabis tax revenues. That’s the proposal of state Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, who has introduced two bipartisan bills as a counter-measure […]
WA intercepts millions in child support for low-income families: In 2022, the state took over $40 million meant for impoverished children. A bipartisan bill could redirect a portion of future payments to families.
Amy Roark logged in to the U.S. Bank app to check the balance on the prepaid debit card where the state delivers her monthly child support payments. Nothing had come through. Roark has two teenagers at home, and at the time – May 2018 – a legal order required one of their fathers to pay […]
WA lawmakers consider limiting the legal action people seeking public records can take
State lawmakers and city leaders are trying to limit the public’s ability to hold them accountable for violating the Washington Public Records Act under a new bill heard in the House State Government and Tribal Relations Committee Wednesday. The bill was introduced by Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, and co-sponsored by Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, R-Puyallup. Schmick […]
New Bedford judge’s alleged affair with prosecutor puts cases in question
A judge has ordered the Bristol County District Attorney’s office to turn over records of its investigation into an allegation of a romantic relationship between the former top judge in New Bedford District Court and a prosecutor for the DA’s office, court records show. The alleged affair between the judge, Douglas Darnbrough, and the prosecutor […]
State of Washington considering bill requiring sheriffs, others to undergo background check before qualifying for elections
State lawmakers are set to vote on a proposal that would give the state more control over law enforcement officers. It’s a bill that started stirring up controversy on the very first day of the legislative session. In Washington, county sheriffs are elected. Typically, the candidates have some law enforcement experience. But it’s not technically […]
Felons must get gun rights back if they want voting rights restored, Tennessee officials say
The state’s toughened voting rights restoration policy requires people convicted of a felony to get their gun rights restored before they can become eligible to cast a ballot again, Tennessee’s elections office said Tuesday, confirming a mandate that officials had been debating internally. Last summer, election officials interpreted a state Supreme Court ruling as requiring […]
Court Decision Upholds Voting Rights in North Carolina Against New Legislation
In a significant ruling, a federal judge has blocked the state of North Carolina from implementing new, more restrictive verification procedures for voters who register and cast ballots on the same day. This decision came in response to a challenge by the North Carolina Democratic Party, reflecting ongoing national debates over voting rights and election […]