By Bill Lucia | Editor
A wind-driven wildfire burned hundreds of buildings, including homes, in and around Spokane over the weekend in what the mayor called “the worst natural disaster” the region in eastern Washington had faced. Officials are still assessing damage, but early reports indicate 600-700 structures were destroyed. As of Sunday, there were no reports of deaths or injuries. The cause of the fires remained under investigation.
Also in today’s edition..
Tensions over clean energy projects and data centers in south-central Washington.
States grapple with how to regulate online prediction markets.
And, worries about rising suicides in the U.S. among preteens.
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A destroyed building in the aftermath of the Spokane fires. (Photo courtesy of Spokane Valley Fire Department)
By Bill Lucia
The Spokane Complex includes three fires that had burned more than 7,700 acres as of Sunday evening. Heading into the weekend, officials warned of extremely dangerous fire weather, with dry conditions and high winds.
Gov. Bob Ferguson said he spoke with President Donald Trump yesterday about the fires and that the president was “very gracious” and “expressed his support.” The state is seeking short-term federal emergency assistance and plans to apply for long-term disaster aid. More than 900 personnel were assigned to fight the fires yesterday, and over 100 National Guard troops were deployed in Spokane.
Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has said equipment and crews are getting stretched, with 15 large fires actively burning on more than 250,000 acres across the state on Sunday. But he said the strain on firefighting resources did not delay the Spokane response. A team from California took command of the fires yesterday morning.
(Photo by Emma Renly)
By Emma Renly
Klickitat County is a rural and agricultural part of the state, covered by hayfields, vineyards, and grazing livestock. But the county in south-central Washington has also become an epicenter in the battles over clean energy facilities and, more recently, data centers. As county officials are working on a policy to guide where solar and large-scale battery storage projects are located, sponsored social media posts have been popping up in the region arguing that “local landowners deserve a say.” It turns out they’re part of an industry-aligned campaign that reflects the tensions in play.
By Kevin Hardy
States and online prediction markets are clashing over how the platforms should be regulated. The feud was on display last week as a nationwide group of state lawmakers met for a conference in Chicago. Legislators scolded companies like Kalshi and Polymarket. The platforms argue that they are like commodity markets that offer contracts to speculate on the future price of corn or oil. But many state officials say the companies are skirting gambling regulations, particularly on sports betting.
Researchers and lawmakers are already raising alarms about how the burgeoning sports betting market could fuel gambling addiction and hurt household finances.
Sara Slane, head of corporate development at Kalshi, told lawmakers in Chicago that the company was committed to building relationships with the states. But she said the prediction markets are not subject to state oversight, as they are regulated by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission. She said prediction markets require a national standard rather than a “state-by-state regulatory patchwork.”
Washington is among the states embroiled in litigation with the prediction market companies.
By Nada Hassanein
In the past several years, studies have pointed to a mental health crisis among America’s youth. Much of the attention has focused on teenagers, who have higher suicide rates. But preteens are struggling, too.
The number of preteens — ages 8 to 12 — who die by suicide in the United States each year is relatively small. But the total in 2025 was 194 — the most since at least 2001, according to preliminary data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2008, the rate of preteen suicide has increased by an average of 8.2% annually, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
Jenny Britton, chief clinical officer at the Washburn Center for Children in Minneapolis, a nonprofit mental health practice, has noticed the trend during her 25-year career. “I’ve watched the age of kids who struggle with suicidal ideation and suicidality get younger and younger,” she said. “Now, we’re seeing even as young as our 7- and 8-year-olds.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988, the U.S. suicide and crisis lifeline, or access online chat at 988lifeline.org.
ICYMI
Fish and Wildlife Commission probe finds wrongdoing, doesn’t recommend punishment | by Jerry Cornfield
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