Washington state lawmakers drilled down on early education issues this legislative session – including clearing the way for the state to expand its free preschool program for low income families.

KNKX reporter Mitch Borden has more.

Eugene Weekly’s former business manager pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges that she stole tens of thousands of dollars from the paper.

[Washington governor Ferguson signs new AI regulations into law

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3/24/2026 Nate Sanford/ Amy Jefferies]

Governor Bob Ferguson signed some of Washington’s first artificial intelligence regulations into law today [Tuesday March 24]]…. The two new laws focus on chatbot safety… and transparency for AI generated content

KNKX Murrow News Fellow Nate Sanford has more.

[Washington governor Ferguson signs new AI regulations into law

NS-WX-FERGUSON SIGNS AI BILLS.wav WRAP (ERT :59)

3/24/2026 Nate Sanford/ Amy Jefferies]

Two members of the Mark Morris High School basketball team in Southwest Washington are expected to stand trial this summer. As OPB's Erik Neumann reports, they are accused of sexually assaulting several of their teammates.

Washington’s first-ever statewide survey of bees has found dozens of species new to the state.

Several species have not been seen for a century or more.

Federal prosecutors have charged the owner of a Klamath Falls medical lab with defrauding Medicare for tens of millions of dollars. Jefferson Public Radio’s Justin Higginbottom reports.

[Monica Nickelsburg/Carol Smith

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Washington is the latest state to regulate artificial intelligence chatbots.

Governor Bob Ferguson just signed a pair of bills aimed at reining in the new technology. 

KUOW's Monica Nickelsburg reports.

[CC: Several types of bacteria could be part of the problem with elk hoof disease 032426CF_ElkHoofStudy_CC.wav 0:42 03/24/26 Courtney Flatt/JD]

Researchers could be one step closer to better understanding elk hoof disease. The debilitating disease isn’t fatal for wild elk, but it can cause a lot of other problems that lead to an early death. Like making them easy prey.

[WRAP: Several types of bacteria could be part of the problem with elk hoof disease 032426CF_ElkHoofStudy_WRAP.wav 0:48 03/24/26 Courtney Flatt/JD]

LEDE: A debilitating disease has struck elk populations across the Northwest. Now, researchers have linked several types of bacteria to lesions on elk hooves. [N-W-P-B’s senior environmental correspondent Courtney Flatt has more.] [SOQ 0:48]