By Jake Goldstein-Street | Reporter
A cadre of top state officials cut the ribbon and welcomed the public into the transformed Joel Pritchard Building on the state Capitol campus Thursday afternoon. The building wasn’t just expanded to 77,000 square-feet, it was built “better than before,” said Lt. Gov. Denny Heck. He called it “truly magnificent.”
Also in today’s edition…
• Toxicology labs still see hurdles, despite progress.
• Charging data centers amid growing energy need.
• And, a Trump nominee may not have the support needed for confirmation.
News tips, feedback, questions? Email us: [email protected]
The Joel Pritchard Building on the Washington state Capitol campus after a ceremony on Thursday. (Photo by Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard)
By Jake Goldstein-Street
The reopening of the Pritchard Building marks the latest step in the modernization of the Capitol campus, which has included the tear-down and rebuild of the Irving R. Newhouse Building, which houses Senate Republicans, and renovation of the John L. O’Brien Building, home to many state House members. The O’Brien Building work is set to wrap up in the coming months. The General Administration Building on the north side was demolished this summer, and skylights are coming back to the Capitol building.
By Mike McClanahan
Washington’s toxicology labs have reduced the backlog of alcohol and drug test evidence from a peak of more than 17,000 cases last August to around 14,000 cases today, despite record numbers of new submissions. The agency is currently on track to hit its target of 90-day turnarounds by late 2028, officials say. Long waits for testing can delay or jeopardize DUI prosecutions.
By Alex Baumhardt
Pacific Power, Oregon’s second largest investor-owned electric utility, could soon directly assign the costs of new energy projects and infrastructure needed for data centers to their operators. Both Pacific Power and the state’s largest electric utility, Portland General Electric, have raised customer rates 50% since 2020, while most customer classes became more energy efficient, and data centers grew to make up nearly one-quarter of all retail electricity sales statewide.
Dr. Heidi Overton speaks at her Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
By Jennifer Shutt
President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration appeared to disappoint senators from both political parties, including Washington Sen. Patty Murray, with how she answered questions about medication abortion access during her Thursday confirmation hearing. And she faced skepticism on her work on vaccine policy under the current administration.
ICYMI
WA voters of color more likely to have ballots challenged | by Jake Goldstein-Street
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