The Washington Department of Ecology declared a drought emergency for watersheds in 12 counties Monday including Benton, Clallam, Columbia, Jefferson, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Skagit, Snohomish, Walla Walla, Whatcom and Yakima.
The declaration opens up the ability for the department to process requests for emergency water rights more quickly, and to provide funding to public organizations -- with $3 million made possible by legislation passed this spring.
Some rain fell over parts of western Washington on Monday. NWS Meteorologist Trent Davis said the rain may mitigate fire danger for a week or two, especially in the Olympics, but won't make up for the below-normal precipitation on record for spring and summer so far. Read more
Lynnwood police Sgt. Lindsay Pool said the department is getting more calls about people who are passed out, and unresponsive on the roads.
Police are seeing more overdoses that are more resistant to the opioid antidote Narcan, something they'd typically be able to use to save lives.
"Typically somebody has already been given a dose of Narcan," Pool said. "Then another officer arrives and has to give another dose of Narcan and sometimes a third dose. Then the individual comes back." Read more
The Tacoma-Pierce County Humane Society saw a record number of adoptions last week after putting out a call for help when they ran out of kennel space.
The shelter waived all adoption fees for five days to encourage people to take an animal into their home. There were 287 adoptions between July 18 and July 23, according to a release from the shelter.
The shelter also performed a record number of spay and neuter surgeries within a single day in order to prepare more animals for adoption, operating on 53 pets. Read more
A year after trading its franchise quarterback in a blockbuster move, and re-jiggering the entire franchise's hierarchy in one fell swoop, the 2022 Seattle Seahawks did what the Seahawks typically do during the Pete Caroll era: Win.
Even when most pundits were pegging the Seahawks to be a bottom-of-the-barrel team, the Seahawks replaced Russell Wilson with Geno Smith and got better.
The new season - and the hope that comes with a blank slate - is rearing its very pretty head, but first, the Seahawks have training camp to iron out the kinks and prep for four months of football (and hopefully more).
Here's everything you need to attend this year's Seahawks training camp. Read more
The City of Issaquah is celebrating becoming the first city in Washington state to earn LEED Gold status.
Mayor Mary Lou Pauly welcomed a collection of city and state officials for a celebratory luncheon at Historic Pickering Barn on Monday. The former dairy farm is now on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as a symbol of the city's commitment to preservation, conservation and green building.
“Usually, only a major city would have the resources to earn a certification like this and we are so proud of the people who have put in the work for decades,” Pauly said. Read more
RELATED: Western Washington Forecast
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