Whatcom County is launching a $7 million financial aid program to help more low income families afford childcare.

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It’s a busy time of year for parents — that is, purple martin parents. The migrating birds are flying around during the day to snatch up large insects to feed to their baby chicks.

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Host lead-in: When they migrate to the Pacific Northwest in the summer, purple martins rely on human-made structures for their nesting sites. The Tacoma parks department maintains some of the boxes. And it seems they’re being used. N-W-P-B’s Lauren Gallup reports.

[King County sets aside $900,000 for immigrant and refugee populations

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08/20/2026 Freddy Monares/ Jennifer Wing

Note: The launch of this fund was announced on 08/18/26]

Public Health — Seattle and King County is setting aside money to help deliver services to immigration and refugee populations. This in response to the Trump Administration narrowing access to programs that help provide food and medical care to these communities.

[King County sets aside $900,000 for immigrant and refugee populations

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08/20/2026 Freddy Monares/ Jennifer Wing

Note: The launch of this fund was announced on 08/18/26]

King County has created a fund to help deliver services to immigrants and refugees living in the southern part of the county. It comes after the Trump Administration has made cuts to programs that have helped support these communities.

More from KNKX Reporter Freddy Monares.

Oregon’s public colleges and universities are in financial trouble. And higher education leaders say things could get worse. OPB’s Bryce Dole reports.

A school district in Vancouver has agreed to go under state financial oversight. As OPB's Erik Neumann reports, it’s among a number of Washington districts facing serious budget problems.

[WRP] More than 20,000 people have used legal psilocybin in Oregon. A new study shows how it went

A new study of people in Oregon who used the psychedelic psilocybin with a facilitator found relatively few negative reactions. Amelia Templeton has more.

On Tuesday night, the board of Vancouver Public Schools voted to accept financial oversight from the state of Washington. The school district has been struggling in recent years with a mix of declining student enrollment and increasing costs.

LEDE: Unemployment in Washington state is higher than the rest of the country. But the World Cup might have brought some gains this summer. Reporter Sarah Mizes-Tan has more.