Author: Carleen Johnson | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – In a race that remains too close to call for the second-place finisher, Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler has secured her top spot for Washington state’s next public lands commissioner. As of Tuesday, the former member of Congress has just under 22% of the vote total. While it appeared just after the…

(The Center Square) – Deciding where to retire someday is not just a financial choice, but a personal choice as well. Many people want to be close to family or friends, or perhaps move somewhere that is more affordable, or offers a warmer climate. Bankrate, a New York City-based consumer financial services company, is out with…

(The Center Square) – Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force met for the first time Friday morning. The task force was established through bipartisan legislation earlier this year at Ferguson’s request to address AI’s growing impact on the economy and assess its benefits and challenges. Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, sponsored Senate…

(The Center Square) – Initiative 2066 to protect energy choices like natural gas has officially qualified for the November ballot, according to the Washington Secretary of State’s Office. Backers of the initiative turned in more than 546,000 signatures earlier this month, essentially guaranteeing the measure would have more than enough valid signatures to get on the ballot. State law…

(The Center Square) – Puget Sound Energy and other utility companies in Washington state are preparing for the possibility of cutting the power in high-risk wildfire conditions. It has been a relatively quiet start to the fire season across Washington so far, though a large fire, called the Pioneer Fire is burning about 30,000 acres…

(The Center Square) – Washington state officials say they are on track to meet the goal of having 50% of eligible families applying for and receiving a tax credit for moderate- and low-income families by this time next year. The Working Families Tax Credit is an annual tax refund for Washington residents worth up to…

(The Center Square) – With President Joe Biden’s Sunday announcement that he is dropping his reelection bid and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place, Washington state’s Democrats look to be jumping on the Harris bandwagon. The Washington State Democratic Party endorsed Harris immediately after Biden announced on social media that he was…