Environment Seattle’s canopy shrinks as ordinance protects the wrong trees Since 2023, the city has classified more than 2,000 trees as “protected” — without regard to whether they ever were threatened by development. by Robert McClure / InvestigateWest / February 3, 2025
Investigations Impact 2024: A year investigating labor safety, housing insecurity Cascade PBS’s reporting drew Congressional attention, informed new policy discussions and sparked the resignation of one Seattle director. by Jacob Jones / December 19, 2024
Investigations Audit finds more problems with how WA spent federal COVID aid A new report found 86 issues, a record number, with how state agencies spent funds, listing documentation deficiencies and $1.17B in questioned costs. by Jacob Jones / June 12, 2024
Investigations A review of 2023’s WA worker safety, COVID relief investigations Crosscut published more than 40 stories on job safety, housing instability, police and business aid. Read our top and most impactful reporting. by Jacob Jones / December 18, 2023
Investigations WA auditors flag $1.2B in federal aid over incomplete records State agencies said most dollars are accounted for, but unclear guidance on pandemic relief made complying with reporting rules difficult. by Jacob Jones / July 11, 2023
Investigations Auditors flag half of Washington counties over COVID-19 aid Findings of fraud or misuse remained rare despite short deadlines set for local governments to spend billions in emergency relief. by Jacob Jones / March 23, 2023
Inside Cascade PBS Crosscut’s Recovery Watch project wins WashCOG’s Bunting Award The Washington Coalition for Open Government recognized records and data reporting that helps readers learn about local pandemic relief spending. by Jacob Jones / February 6, 2023
Investigations A year of Crosscut investigations into federal pandemic aid WA Recovery Watch published over 30 stories on funding delays, disparities and unspent aid. Here's what came from that reporting — and what's next. by Jacob Jones / December 20, 2022
News This tiny Eastern WA town could become a bitcoin mining hub California investors hope to strike it rich by building a huge crypto operation in the remote town of Usk. But the community isn't so sure. by Zachariah Bryan InvestigateWest / November 17, 2022
Politics Signature checking is WA's safeguard against election fraud Over the years, officials have identified just a handful of ballots that might have been fraudulently cast — out of several million votes tallied across the state. by Zachariah Bryan InvestigateWest / November 8, 2022