Indigenous Affairs Native nations lead salmon restoration efforts in Columbia Basin The number of returning adult salmon and steelhead has doubled since the 1990s, but is still only halfway to the NWPCC’s goal of 5 million. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore + ICT / February 10, 2025
Indigenous Affairs Cowlitz Tribe youth help lead this year’s First Salmon Ceremony “It’s what we do to thank the salmon for what they give,” said Lydia Hodges, 15, part of the new generation carrying on the sacred ritual. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore + ICT / June 24, 2024
Indigenous Affairs Yakama Nation’s new public safety campus gives justice room to grow The tribal court system, which had occupied a cluster of trailers since the ’50s, plans to add services like a mental health or a veterans court. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore News and ICT / January 9, 2024
Equity Snoqualmie Tribe starts land protection sales tax at Salish Lodge The 2% tax will preserve ancestral sites such as Snoqualmie Falls, and could be a model for other Indigenous nations. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore/ICT / July 17, 2023
News The Washington mental health lifeline made for and by Native people The Native and Strong Lifeline provides connection and culturally specific care to callers in crisis. by Nika Bartoo-Smith Indian Country Today and Underscore News / June 19, 2023
Opinion What it's going to take for Tacoma to become an 'anti-racist city' Mayor Victoria Woodards' high ambitions take aim at more than problems with policing. by Rubén Casas / November 30, 2021
Opinion WA’s frontline communities face the brunt of climate change Climate preparedness planning must be guided by those who face the most acute risks. by Rubén Casas / November 5, 2021
Opinion We need our own climate emergency research center Climate change is a global problem, but its impacts vary by location. To meet the needs of the Puget Sound region, we need our own center for research. by Rubén Casas / August 18, 2021
Opinion How the pandemic made us rethink community spaces COVID-19 turned businesses and cultural institutions into vital community gathering places. In the post-pandemic era, we should keep it up. by Rubén Casas / July 1, 2021
Opinion WA’s crackdown on street racing misses car culture’s bigger problem When it comes to cars, traffic congestion is a more pressing threat to our quality of life than souped-up rides on public streets. by Rubén Casas / May 10, 2021