Latest Washington Headlines
All the headlines from our Washington Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Judge Rules BNSF Intentionally Violated Agreement with Washington Tribe
Apr 17 2023 // A judge ruled that BNSF Railway intentionally violated the terms of an easement agreement with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in Washington by running 100-car trains carrying crude oil over the reservation. The...
Washington Insurance Commissioner Issues $578K in Fines for March Violations
Apr 12 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines in March totaling $578,363 against insurance companies that violated state insurance laws and regulations. Following is a breakdown of who was fined, and the...
Washington Shutters Pot Businesses Due to Old Pesticide
Apr 10 2023 // Cannabis regulators have halted operations at several outdoor pot farms and processing facilities on a stretch of former fruit orchards in north- central Washington state after testing found high levels of chemicals...
Washington City Paying $500K to Settle Bikini Barista Dress Code Suit
Apr 10 2023 // A legal battle over a dress code for bikini baristas at coffee stands is ending after a city north of Seattle agreed to pay $500,000 to the owner and employees who sued over it six years ago. The Everett City Council voted...
Hub Acquires Assets of Defranco Insurance in Washington
Apr 10 2023 // Hub International Ltd. acquired the assets of DeFranco Insurance, Inc. in Seattle, Washington. John DeFranco, President, and the DeFranco Insurance team will join Hub Northwest. DeFranco Insurance is an independently owned...
Lawsuit: Celebrity-Friendly Washington Church Required Workers to Tithe
Apr 3 2023 // A Seattle, Washington-area megachurch that counts celebrities such as Russell Wilson and Justin Bieber among its thousands of members has been accused in a lawsuit of requiring employees to donate some of their earnings...
Washington Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Auto Insurance Claim
Apr 3 2023 // A Kirkland, Washington man pled guilty to committing insurance fraud after an investigation by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit. Jerame Thurik pled guilty to false claims or proof...
Judge Rules BNSF Intentionally Violated Agreement with Washington Tribe
Mar 30 2023 // A judge ruled that BNSF Railway intentionally violated the terms of an easement agreement with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in Washington by running 100-car trains carrying crude oil over the reservation. The...
Washington Moves to End Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit Time Limits
Mar 29 2023 // People who were sexually abused as children in Washington state may soon be able to bring lawsuits against the state, schools or other institutions for failing to stop the abuse, no matter when it happened. House Bill 1618...
Washington Contractor Fined $300K for Wage Violations
Mar 28 2023 // A Vancouver, Washington contractor was found to owe $201,223 in wages and interest to 20 employees on construction projects at four area schools. The contractor, 360 Sheetmetal LLC, and owner Beverley Martin, were also...
Professional Benefit Services in Washington Acquired by Parker, Smith & Feek
Mar 27 2023 // Parker, Smith & Feek acquired Professional Benefit Services Inc. in Washington. PBS President Jere Meyer and Account Executives Katie Stewart and Lesley Behrndt will join Parker, Smith & Feek’s team of more...
New Heat Rules for Outdoor Workers in Washington Proposed
Mar 23 2023 // Proponents of a new proposal this week to update Washington’s permanent heat rules say they will increase protections for agricultural, construction, and other workers exposed to dangerous outdoor temperatures on the...
Insurers: Washington’s Proposal for More Premium Increase Explanations May Delay Filings
Mar 17 2023 // Insurers say a new regulation proposed by Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler that requires them to explain premium increases to their policyholders in language consumers can understand has the potential...
Washington Greenhouse Gas Allowance Auction Raises $300M
Mar 10 2023 // Washington state’s first auction of greenhouse-gas pollution allowances has generated an estimated $300 million as companies, consumers and the Legislature get a glimpse of the cost of emitting greenhouse gases that...
Washington, Oregon Ending Health Care Settings Mask Mandate
Mar 9 2023 // Washington and Oregon will soon drop mask requirements in health care settings, state health officials said, moving to lift the last major masking requirements meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. Mandates in both states...
Washington Insurance Commissioner Issues $25K in Fines to Producers, Carriers
Mar 8 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued fines in February totaling $25,500 against insurance companies, producers, brokers and individuals who reportedly violated state insurance laws and...
Investigation Leads to Woman’s Insurance Fraud Conviction in Washington
Mar 6 2023 // An Edmonds, Washington, woman pled guilty to committing insurance fraud after an investigation completed by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit. Eden Gebru pled guilty to the charge of...
Dam Owner Fined $1M in Field Turf Pollution of Washington River
Mar 1 2023 // A company that operates a century-old hydroelectric dam near Mount Rainier National Park and its chief operating officer each pleaded guilty to a single criminal count Monday in connection with a spill of synthetic field...
Washington Man Ordered to Repay $127K in Workers’ Comp Scam
Feb 20 2023 // A Washington contractor who claimed he was too injured to work despite reportedly running his own construction company was ordered to pay back the state more than $127,000. Daniel Joseph Lesieur, of Washougal, pleaded...
Washington Contractor Fined $400K for Safety Violations in Fatal Trench Collapse
Feb 15 2023 // A Kent, Washington contractor is facing more than $400,000 in fines for safety violations that led to the death of a construction worker last year in Renton. Surjit Gill, 36, was killed when the dirt walls of the trench he...
