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Pacific Northwest

All articles tagged with #pacific northwest

Rodents in Pacific Northwest harbor more hantavirus than previously thought
health5 days ago

Rodents in Pacific Northwest harbor more hantavirus than previously thought

WSU researchers found that nearly 30% of Palouse-region rodents (deer mice, voles, and chipmunks) carried Sin Nombre hantavirus at some point, with about 10% actively infected, suggesting higher rodent-to-human exposure risk in the Pacific Northwest; SNV is the US hantavirus most linked to disease, transmitted mainly via contaminated rodent excretions, not person-to-person. The work, based on 2023 fieldwork in WA and Idaho and published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, notes occasional cross-species transmission among rodents and that human infections may be underrecognized.

Northwest hantavirus found more commonly in local rodents than thought
health6 days ago

Northwest hantavirus found more commonly in local rodents than thought

A Washington State University-led study in the Palouse region (Washington and Idaho) found Sin Nombre hantavirus in about 30% of tested rodents, with roughly 10% actively infected, suggesting the virus is more widespread in Northwest wildlife than previously known. The team also produced the first full genome sequences of Northwest Sin Nombre strains to aid surveillance, while human infections remain rare; health officials urge precautions when cleaning areas with rodent contamination and researchers hope to expand exposure assessments.

Mail-In Voting’s Northwest Roots Meet a National Storm
politics1 month ago

Mail-In Voting’s Northwest Roots Meet a National Storm

Mail-in ballots have been the norm in Oregon and Washington for decades, but President Trump’s attacks and related federal moves—USPS funding cuts, executive orders, and court challenges—have turned a once-bipartisan system into a partisan battleground, prompting lawsuits and warnings from election officials who fear eroding public trust in a process those states helped pioneer.

Cloud-Piercing NISAR Radar Maps Pacific Northwest
science2 months ago

Cloud-Piercing NISAR Radar Maps Pacific Northwest

NASA-ISRO’s NISAR satellite captured cloud-covered imagery of the Pacific Northwest on Nov. 10, 2025 using L-band radar to see through clouds, highlighting Seattle, Portland, Mount Rainier, and Mount Saint Helens. With dual SAR instruments and a large 39-foot antenna, NISAR revisits areas roughly every 12 days to monitor changes in forests, wetlands, urban areas, and infrastructure, and to detect subtle ground movements associated with natural hazards such as volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides, and floods. The data aid resource management, hazard monitoring, and environmental decision‑making.

Green fireball streak lights up Pacific Northwest as other meteors dazzle across the U.S.
science2 months ago

Green fireball streak lights up Pacific Northwest as other meteors dazzle across the U.S.

A bright green fireball was captured on a dashcam over southwestern Washington near Portland, lighting up the dawn sky as a meteor seen across the Pacific Northwest. The green color is typically from magnesium (nickel can contribute), and NASA notes related fireball sightings across multiple states and Ontario, with a larger Ohio meteor fragmenting and possibly reaching the ground. With more dashboard and doorbell cameras, scientists may deduce trajectory, though ground hits from fireballs are rare.

Amtrak launches Airo fleet in major modernization, first rolling out on Pacific Northwest routes this summer
transportation3 months ago

Amtrak launches Airo fleet in major modernization, first rolling out on Pacific Northwest routes this summer

Amtrak is rolling out the Airo fleet—a $8 billion upgrade of 83 Siemens trains—to modernize aging cars, beginning this summer on the Cascades route in the Pacific Northwest and later expanding to the Northeast; the redesigned interior includes larger windows, brighter lighting, more outlets, and accessibility upgrades, with seats that slide forward instead of reclining, a change that has drawn mixed reviews; the Cascades trains will seat up to 300 (vs about 168 today) and run up to 125 mph, aided by power-switching locomotives; funding includes federal Infrastructure Act money, and Amtrak plans more routes as ridership hit 34.5 million in 2025.

$1M Worth of Rare Whiskey Stolen in Washington Heist
world8 months ago

$1M Worth of Rare Whiskey Stolen in Washington Heist

Thieves stole over $1 million worth of rare 10-year-old Garryana whiskey from Westland Distillery in Washington, involving a sophisticated fraud scheme. The stolen bottles are highly recognizable and rare, making resale difficult, and the distillery is cooperating with authorities while focusing on customer service. The incident highlights the challenges of secondary market sales and the value of provenance for craft spirits.