Environment Nick on the Rocks: Mount Baker, the volcano born from volcanoes Shifting glaciers revealed the North Cascade peak’s origins, forged from three ancient volcanoes that lived and died over the past million years. by Shannen Ortale / January 12, 2024
Environment Nick on the Rocks: The North Cascades' gneiss-est bedrock The range’s oldest bedrock sits high in the mountains near Canada. But the yellow aster gneiss originated an ocean away 400 million years ago. by Shannen Ortale / January 19, 2024
Environment Nick on the Rocks: The mystery of Waterville's basalt boulders Just north of Withrow, WA, pancake-flat fields are dotted with massive rocks that help us visualize an Ice Age glacier. by Shannen Ortale / January 26, 2024
Environment Nick on the Rocks: Why Mount Shuksan is made of sea green stone Greenschist gets its tint from minerals compressed under the ocean long ago. Now it caps an entire mountaintop in the North Cascades. Special thanks to Central Washington University as the original... by Shannen Ortale / January 5, 2024
Politics Cap-and-trade, climate change return to the 2024 WA Legislature On the agenda starting Jan. 8: Spending Washington’s carbon tax, tweaking the cap-and-invest program and taking a stab at utility rebates. by John Stang / January 3, 2024
Politics Washington Legislature aims to regulate AI — but treads cautiously ‘You don’t want to stop innovation. You don’t want to stop commerce. But you don’t want to stop people’s civil rights.’ by John Stang / January 12, 2024 / Updated 12:30 p.m.
Politics Will WA ever end supermajority law for school construction bonds? Bonds raise taxes for building and maintenance. While the proposal faces hurdles, there is a precedent — school levies needed 60% approval until 2007. by John Stang / February 9, 2024 / Updated: Feb 12, 2024
Environment Gas prices too high? WA residents may get $200 back for utilities The Legislature considers offering rebates to middle- and low-income households to offset fuel costs blamed on the new cap-and-invest program. by John Stang / February 22, 2024
Environment WA’s carbon pricing system may fund $200M for new electric ferries But if voters repeal the cap-and-trade program in a November referendum, the plan to convert three diesel vessels to hybrid may need other funding sources. by John Stang / March 4, 2024
Politics WA legislators are pushing new gun bills. Here’s what could pass A batch of regulations are likely headed to Gov. Inslee’s desk – including one that would require reporting lost or stolen firearms within 24 hours. by John Stang / March 4, 2024