Austin Jenkins
Stories
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Employees say state insurance chief used racist slurs, mistreated staff
Washington’s long-time elected insurance commissioner has used offensive terms in the workplace to describe people of different races and ethnicities, as well as people who are transgender. That’s according to former agency insiders who’ve come forward in recent weeks. Meanwhile, other former employees are giving new accounts of what they say is Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s mistreatment of staff.
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After 5 months stuck in hospital, autistic Washington teen sent to facility 2,700 miles from home
The state of Washington is putting tens of millions of dollars into shoring up a fractured children’s mental health safety net. But it may come too late for a 14-year-old nonverbal autistic teen who spent five months stuck in the hospital.
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Inslee signs trio of gun bills, including ban on sale of ‘high-capacity’ gun magazines
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday signed into law three gun-related bills, including one that will prohibit the sale of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
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Politics
From the capitol to the campaign: What the 2022 legislative session could mean for Washington state elections
From lawmaking to campaigning in the blink of an eye — that’s what Washington state legislators have done after adjourning their 60-day session late last week.
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Government
What passed? What died? Washington’s 2022 legislative session wrap up
That’s a wrap. Washington’s sprint-like, 60-day legislative session has adjourned after majority Democrats approved a hefty supplemental budget along with the first major transportation funding package since 2015. Now lawmakers will be free to hit the campaign trail and start raising money for the 2022 elections. All 98 House seats and about half of the state’s 49 state senate positions are up for election this year.
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Washington’s longtime insurance commissioner accused of mistreating staff
Mike Kreidler, Washington’s longtime insurance commissioner, is facing allegations that he verbally mistreats staff. Current and former employees say it’s part of a pattern that’s gotten worse in recent months and is contributing to high turnover in the office. Kreidler says he has high standards for his staff, but said he will work to be more careful in how he deals with people.
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Government
Washington state's mask mandate will lift March 12, ahead of schedule
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that the state’s indoor mask mandate will lift on Saturday, March 12, 10 days earlier than previously announced. Inslee cited fast-dropping Covid cases and hospitalizations as the rationale for the decision.
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Politics
WA Democrats want to increase spending by about $6 billion
The state’s revenue picture just keeps getting rosier and rosier. That means state lawmakers have billions more to spend, save or return to taxpayers; Democrats are opting to spend more.
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Washington indoor mask mandate will lift March 21 with some exceptions
Following in the path of multiple other states, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that he will largely lift the state’s indoor mask mandate, in place since last August, on Monday, March 21.
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Washington indoor mask mandate to lift March 21
Following in the path of multiple other states, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Thursday that he will largely lift the state’s indoor mask mandate, in place since last August, on Monday, March 21.