Mitchell Roland

2 weeks ago | spokesman.com | Orion Donovan-Smith |Mitchell Roland

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Thursday signed legislation into law that blocks Washington and other states from following California’s lead in phasing out gas-powered vehicles. Rep. Michael Baumgartner of Spokane was among dozens of Republican lawmakers invited to the White House for the occasion, which the president used to riff on a variety of topics in addition to the bill.

2 weeks ago | spokesman.com | Mitchell Roland

Washington is “taking a careful look” at where it has standing to challenge President Donald Trump’s recent proclamation restricting travel from 12 countries, Attorney General Nick Brown said during a news conference Tuesday.

3 weeks ago | spokesman.com | Mitchell Roland

A federal judge in Maryland has ordered the Trump administration to restore Americorps funding in 25 states, including Washington. The preliminary injunction, issued on Thursday, reinstates $12 million in unspent funding in Washington that was frozen in April when the agency that promotes services and volunteering announced plans to cut approximately 41% of its grant funding and place 85% of its paid staff on leave.

3 weeks ago | spokesman.com | Mitchell Roland

Washington State University is likely to face personnel cuts in the coming weeks after the school’s Board of Regents adopted a budget that includes a $17.1 million reduction in spending for the upcoming fiscal year. On Thursday, the Board of Regents unanimously adopted a budget that includes $1.3 billion in spending across all funds, and approximately $661.3 million in spending in core funds. The plan includes a 4.1% reduction in spending.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Mitchell Roland

Jun. 4—Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell has voiced concern over staffing cuts at the National Weather Service, which she says have left much of the country ill-prepared for this year's hurricane and fire seasons. The concern comes as recent wildfire maps show Washington faces an "above-normal" threat for "significant wildland fire potential" over the next four months. According to Cantwell, the agency has lost more than 560 employees in recent months due to layoffs and retirements.