Investigations 'The whole thing is broken': Temp staffing costs strain WA hospitals Amid a retention crisis, rural hospitals turned to pricey travel-nurse agencies with little oversight or transparency. Now they need a way forward. by Joy Borkholder / January 13, 2023
News Kirkland hospital uses COVID aid to trigger $1.9M in admin bonuses In a legal gray area, EvergreenHealth commissioners approved including pandemic relief funds in the hospital's financial performance. by Joy Borkholder / November 22, 2022
News WA wants to secure housing for youth exiting state care The state has renewed efforts to keep kids released from foster care and detention centers from becoming homeless. by Joy Borkholder Youth Today / August 22, 2022
News Pandemic relief funds may mask budget crises at rural WA hospitals Federal recovery dollars 'saved' some critical access hospitals — but many small facilities still struggle with staffing and rising costs. by Joy Borkholder / July 6, 2022
Politics Washington state poised to ban guns at protests, Capitol grounds Despite opposition from Republicans and gun-rights activists, lawmakers in Olympia are working to deter ad hoc ‘patrols’ and armed protests. by Levi Pulkkinen & Katie Hayes InvestigateWest / April 9, 2021
News WA laws banning private armies go unenforced before election As concerns grow over vigilante militias on Election Day, police say laws are too vague to invoke. by Katie Hayes InvestigateWest / November 2, 2020 / Updated 2:10 p.m. November 3
Politics Washington state lawmakers look for ways to limit armed militias State laws are vague on armed protests and paramilitaries, but legislators and activists are trying to change that. by Katie Hayes InvestigateWest / January 8, 2021
Equity Native American drivers are more likely to be searched by Washington State Patrol While the searches occur at five times the rate for white drivers, they are less likely to turn up drugs or other contraband. by Jason Buch & Joy Borkholder Investigate West / December 19, 2019
News Measuring the toll of a broken child care system Almost half the workforce can't leave the house with kids at home and few feasible options. by Joy Borkholder InvestigateWest / November 22, 2021
News The real costs of child care in America In Washington state and across the country, the financial realities of child care are like mismatched puzzle pieces jammed together. by Joy Borkholder InvestigateWest / November 9, 2021