Politics
Bellingham voters consider minimum-wage hike, tenant protections
Proponents of the initiatives — one similar to a recent Tacoma campaign — say rising housing costs are spurring the policy efforts.
Joseph O’Sullivan
Joseph O’Sullivan is Crosscut’s former state politics reporter. Before joining Crosscut in 2022, O’Sullivan spent nearly eight years as Olympia bureau reporter for The Seattle Times. Before that, he c
Latest work
Politics
National culture wars on race, LGBTQ+ rights come to WA schools
Right-wing pushback on school policies and curricula are leading to educator burnout — and fear of personal harm.
Politics
22 WA counties sue the state over lack of mental health care
They say the Department of Social and Health Services is failing people in the criminal legal system who also have mental health issues.
Politics
WA senators just released more previously redacted records
Leaders said they didn’t have more hidden information, but memos show blacked-out emails to cannabis lobbyists and texts with redacted bill names.
News
Washington state buys shuttered psychiatric hospital in Tukwila
Cascade Behavioral Health’s parent company closed the 137-bed facility last month. Now the state hopes the acquisition will expand treatment options.