The Columbian

Northwest

St. Helens bill took some effort

September 14, 2024, 6:10am Life

More than two years after Mount St. Helens erupted, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a national volcanic monument around the mountain. Read story

Washington bans feeding wildlife in parts of Spokane County

September 14, 2024, 6:08am Northwest

Wildlife feeding is now formally off-limits in parts of Spokane County under a new rule announced Thursday as part of the state’s fight against chronic wasting disease. Read story

‘Survive until you find something.’ Shelters sparse for Pierce County’s homeless kids

September 14, 2024, 6:03am Northwest

A Pierce County organization working to find homeless families and children a place to stay reports more than 130 children were waiting for shelter as of Sept. 6, due to the scarcity of shelter options. Read story

Power lines stretch near the Bonneville Lock and Dam from the Washington side of the Columbia River. Connecting a new, large, energy-intensive business to Southwest Washington’s power grid — especially with the shrinking amount of vacant land in the region — can be costly and time consuming, perhaps making Clark County less attractive for such endeavors.

Almost 700,000 WA households receive $200 credit on their electric bills

September 13, 2024, 5:38pm Northwest Free

Nearly 700,000 Washington households received a $200 credit on their electricity bills in recent weeks – one of the state’s most visible investments to date under a climate law that is now in the hands of voters. Read story

A European green crab trap in a Grays Harbor estuary in July 2024.

No end in sight for Washington’s battle against invasive green crabs

September 13, 2024, 5:32pm Life Free

Invasive European green crabs have likely found a lasting home in Washington’s coastal waters and parts of Puget Sound. Read story

FILE - Dozens of recovered stolen handguns are displayed during a press conference, Nov. 21, 2023, in Benton Township, Mich. Two men, who are brothers, are accused of targeting a Dunham’s near Benton Harbor. The rate of guns stolen from cars in the U.S. has tripled over the last decade, making them the largest source of stolen guns in the country, a new analysis of FBI data by the gun-safety group Everytown found.

Study finds prevalence of firearms is driving soaring gun deaths in U.S. – not mental illness

September 13, 2024, 5:27pm Health Free

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis, call or text 988 for free, immediate support 24/7. Read story

Rescuers find man who was stuck in marsh 20 hours

September 13, 2024, 4:57pm Northwest

Whatcom County Search & Rescue teams found a man Monday who had been missing for 24 hours in Smuggler Slough. Read story

Northwest cherry crop ‘outstanding’

September 13, 2024, 2:00pm Business

This year’s cherry season had a lot riding on it. B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers, said in June that the industry was “in trepidation” at the thought of another bad harvest year. Read story

‘Survive until you find something.’ Shelters sparse for Pierce County’s homeless kids

September 13, 2024, 11:24am Northwest

A fire burns at the gas station after an explosion on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2024 in Cardiff, Idaho.

Explosion at an Idaho gas station leaves two critically injured and others presumed dead

September 13, 2024, 9:25am Latest News

Officials say two people were badly burned and two others are believed to be dead after an explosion and fire destroyed a gas station in a small north-central Idaho town. Read story