All articles tagged with #washington
An 80,000-gallon chemical tank containing white liquor (sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide) ruptured at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, WA, killing at least one worker and leaving nine unaccounted for as first responders treated others for burns or inhalation; authorities said there is no immediate public threat and the cause is under investigation.
The Supreme Court rejected Florida’s bid to sue California and Washington over licenses issued to immigrant truck drivers, ruling the states’ licensing programs complied with federal and state rules; Florida argued the licenses were issued to non-English speakers and undocumented drivers, contributing to a fatal 2025 crash, but California and Washington defended their processes as meeting safety and immigration requirements.
During a scheduled group skydive near Ritzville, Washington, 70-year-old Randy Hubbs died and 52-year-old Nicole Klein was injured after colliding midair; weather was not a factor and 11 divers took part. The Adams County Sheriff's Office is investigating; Skydive West Plains said both jumpers were experienced (Hubbs ~800 jumps, Klein ~900) and expressed condolences as Klein recovers from a hip injury.
The Supreme Court rejected Florida’s bid to directly sue California and Washington over allowing undocumented immigrants to hold commercial driver’s licenses, saying such disputes should be addressed by federal regulators; Justices Thomas and Alito signaled they would have preferred to hear the case. The suit, tied to a fatal Florida Turnpike crash involving a driver with CA/WA licenses, became a flashpoint in the immigration-policy debate between Trump-era proposals and state licensing practices.
The Supreme Court declined to hear Florida’s lawsuit against California and Washington over the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, dismissing the appeal without comment. Florida had filed directly with the Court, arguing licenses were issued without proper training, a claim California and Washington dismissed as a political stunt; Justice Thomas would have heard the case, signaling a sharp ideological split in the court.
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is moving from Washington to Florida, using his departure to criticize state and local leaders as he packs up his moving van.
Undercover detectives used a gum-tasting ruse to collect a DNA sample from Mitchell Gaff, which matched DNA found on victim Judy Weaver and connected him to her 1984 murder and Susan Vesey’s 1980 killing. Advances in DNA technology, including STRmix and CODIS, allowed investigators to link the cases four decades later; Gaff pleaded guilty and faces life in prison, bringing closure to families after years of uncertainty.
Cameras on the Washington State Capitol Campus captured a bright green fireball streaking over Olympia at about 12:15 a.m. May 5, 2026—the second meteor sighting in western Washington in about a week—described by witnesses as a green flash with an orange tail; NASA notes meteors burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, with the brightest called fireballs.
Washington’s Supreme Court denied a conservative group’s bid to put the state’s new 9.9% income tax on high earners to a referendum, effectively keeping the law in place. Opponents can still pursue an initiative to overturn the tax, but would face much higher signature thresholds (over 308,000) and deadlines. The law, which starts in 2028 for earnings above $1 million, won’t yield tax revenues until 2029, and a separate constitutional challenge filed by Citizen Action Defense Fund continues.
The 48 Hours investigation follows Gloria Choi's chilling 911 call and months of stalking by Billy Rickman that culminated in her murder in Lakewood, Washington; the case highlights alleged police missteps in tracking Rickman despite a no-contact order, Rickman’s eventual capture in California, and a conviction for aggravated first-degree murder with a life sentence, while a related wrongful-death lawsuit against the city remains unresolved.
Five people were wounded at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington, during a lunchtime stabbing. Four victims were in critical condition; a juvenile suspect was arrested on five counts of first-degree assault. The campus was placed on lockdown and evacuated; classes were canceled, with counselors available for students. All victims were reported to be in stable condition by Friday.
Six people were injured in a stabbing at Foss High School in Tacoma, Washington—five students and an adult security guard were hospitalized, all in stable condition; the suspect, a fellow student, was detained and charged with five counts of first-degree assault after an altercation at the school.
Dozens of people across Washington, British Columbia, and Oregon reported a bright fireball streaking across the night sky, prompting questions about whether it was a meteor or space debris; videos circulated on social media as viewers debated what they saw, with KOMO News covering the sightings and referencing astronomical phenomena.
President Trump announced a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire after envoy talks in Washington, with the US pledging to help Lebanon counter Hezbollah as leaders from both countries are slated to visit the White House while fighting and casualties continue in the region.
FEMA announced federal disaster assistance for Washington state for damages from Dec. 5–19, 2025, including storms, winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides, with aid available to individuals (grants for housing and repairs, loans) and to state/tribal/local governments and certain nonprofits through Public Assistance. Applications can be made at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362, with timelines varying as funds move from federal to state to local agencies. John F. Harrison was named federal coordinating officer. Local leaders in Whatcom County emphasize that aid helps but isn’t a complete solution amid ongoing recovery, and residents are urged to keep receipts and documentation for reimbursement.