The Columbian

Northwest

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal talked about the need to build off the recent McCleary decision and the influx of money from the state to improve education at a forum Skyview High School in 2018.

Reykdal talks constants and change in education

September 30, 2024, 8:05am Election

Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal said there are constants in education — but education is changing too, and it's happening at an accelerating rate. Reykdal spoke to students at Central Washington University on Wednesday. Read story

Damaged bridge near Tri-Cities will cost millions after being hit by suspected drunk driver

September 30, 2024, 7:51am Northwest

The state will spend $3.3 million to fix a damaged bridge near Burbank after a suspected drunk truck driver slammed into it this summer. Read story

Avista initiates first public safety power outage for over 1,500 customers on windy Sunday

September 30, 2024, 7:48am Business

Winds whipped through Spokane on Sunday, carrying dust, red flag wildfire warnings and loss of power for thousands across the region. Read story

A student uses a smart phone during their lunch break at Goodman Middle School, which allows phones at lunch but otherwise has a district-wide ban, on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 in Gig Harbor.

Learning curve: WA schools grapple with new cellphone policies

September 30, 2024, 6:05am Latest News

Amid the clamor of noisy preteens filling Goodman Middle School’s cafeteria, two seventh-grade girls lean in close. Read story

The little brown bat’s wing fluoresces in yellow-orange due to the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome.

‘Devastating wildlife disease’ strikes Eastern WA. Benton mass mortality event declared

September 30, 2024, 6:00am Northwest

The fungus that causes white nose syndrome appears to have killed more than 1,000 bats within the last year in the large colony that spends summers at the Hanford site in Eastern Washington. Read story

A drone view of University of Washington, Portage Bay, I-520 Bridge and the Cascade Mountains.

Top Washington universities decline in annual rankings of best U.S. schools. Here’s why

September 30, 2024, 6:00am Northwest

U.S. News and World Report released its annual college rankings on Sept. 24, with some Washington state schools seeing a slight drop from last year’s list. Read story

Woodland High School seniors Rachel Young, left, and Ariana Vega, center, talk with teacher Shari Conditt during an advanced government class at Woodland High School in early 2020. Experts say allowing students to discuss controversial subjects in the classroom can build more critical readers, thinkers and voters.

In this Woodland classroom, students practice voting, having civil discussions. Now the teacher has a national award.

September 30, 2024, 6:00am Clark County News

Woodland High School teacher Shari Conditt thought she was being called to the gym on Tuesday for an ordinary start-of-the-school-year assembly. Read story

Puyallup restaurant celebrates 20 years with wine, bolognese and martini glasses of clams

September 29, 2024, 12:06pm Northwest

Two-and-a-half pounds of local Manila clams tower above the rim of a hilariously large martini glass, its shape mirroring the outline of Mount Rainier, visible from the patio on a clear day. In the cup’s cone, a broth of vermouth with ample garlic, slivers of celery and onions, parsley and… Read story

Longview Bethany Lutheran Church to bless pets

September 29, 2024, 12:04pm Northwest

Pets of all types will be receiving blessings on Oct. 6, as part of Bethany Lutheran Church’s 9:30 a.m. service. Read story