Since health officials began recommending (but not requiring) that everyone cover their faces in public to reduce the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new divide has emerged over who wears a mask and who doesn't.

Even if a security guard is posted at the store, employees complain they are often left to stand up to defiant shoppers.

The most popular online grocery category was packaged foods such as breakfast cereal and pasta; followed by toiletries, personal care products and diapers; household cleaners and paper products; and frozen food.

Kroger-owned QFC and Fred Meyer will discontinue their $2-an-hour "Hero Bonus'' premiums paid to workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Ohio-based Kroger has set May 16 as the program's final date while other large grocery retailers ponder the future of similar bonuses.

Every inch of this backyard oasis in Phinney Ridge is covered in captivating plants, moss or ground cover.

This treasure trove grove of trees is ranked among the top 3 in the nation.

Produce selection is geared toward each chef’s menu offerings.

Companies struggle to meet surging demand, especially for vegetables. “It feels like we are selling toilet paper,” said the founder of a seed company.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Dig. Plant. Breathe. As spring’s arrival in the Northern Hemisphere coincides with government stay-at-home orders, the itch to get outside has turned backyard gardens into a getaway for the mind in chaotic times. Gardeners who already know that working with soil is a way to connect with nature say it helps […]

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, many local plant nurseries say there’s been a run on seeds as people all over Seattle take to gardening to grow food and provide solace during an uncertain time.

Zenith Holland Nursery has seen times like this before — and survived. The Des Moines nursery opened in 1907, survived two world wars and remains open during the coronavirus shutdown.

Bored with your surroundings? Justin and Hailey Bieber are showing off their lives in their Toronto home in a new series, while Hulu this week is premiering a documentary looking back at an early 1990s isolation tale — Biosphere 2. Even if you already know the answers, a re-airing of last year’s epic “Jeopardy!” Greatest […]

Bored with your surroundings? Justin and Hailey Bieber are showing off their lives in their Toronto home in a new series, while Hulu this week is premiering a documentary looking back at an early 1990s isolation tale — Biosphere 2. Even if you already know the answers, a re-airing of last year’s epic “Jeopardy!” Greatest […]

NEW YORK (AP) — In the backstage hallways of Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena, Michelle Obama walks arm-in-arm with her husband, Barack Obama. She has just finished the third stop on what would be a 34-city book tour of such unprecedented scale that it almost resembled a Beyoncé concert tour. Nadia Hallgren’s camera is trailing […]

NEW YORK (AP) — In the backstage hallways of Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena, Michelle Obama walks arm-in-arm with her husband, Barack Obama. She has just finished the third stop on what would be a 34-city book tour of such unprecedented scale that it almost resembled a Beyoncé concert tour. Nadia Hallgren’s camera is trailing […]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court on Tuesday overturned most of a 2017 jury verdict awarding Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties and fees from the Michael Jackson estate over the use of Jones-produced Jackson hits in the concert film “This Is It” and two Cirque du Soleil shows. The state’s 2nd District […]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court on Tuesday overturned most of a 2017 jury verdict awarding Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties and fees from the Michael Jackson estate over the use of Jones-produced Jackson hits in the concert film “This Is It” and two Cirque du Soleil shows. The state’s 2nd District […]

As Mother’s Day approaches, staff writer Megan Burbank thanks her mother for instilling in her a love for screwball heroines, old movies and strong female role models.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — You may not know it, but if you treasure the early years of “Saturday Night Live” or are a fan of “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” or “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Alan Zweibel makes you laugh. In nearly 50 years and counting as a writer, Zweibel helped shape the tone of “SNL” and […]

A few nights after one of their players was injured by a dirty hit, the Johnstown Jets plotted to exact some revenge on Buffalo’s Greg Neeld. An all-out brawl broke out during warmups and the North American Hockey League game was postponed, much to the dismay of ownership and presumably the fans at a sold-out […]

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The highest rate of coronavirus cases of any county on the U.S. West Coast is in Washington state’s Yakima County. Health experts point to a large number of essential workers, a large number of cases in long-term care facilities and a large agricultural workforce living and working in close quarters as […]

Those businesses are part of phase two in the four-phase gradual reopening plan released Friday by Gov. Jay Inslee.

The city council, however, rejected a proposal to exempt landlords with four or fewer housing units.

The new Fire Station 31 will replace an existing station that shut down last June, due to concerns about unhealthful conditions, including mold.

In the unofficial forecast numbers, Washington would lose $3.8 billion in revenue this current budget cycle. An additional $3.27 billion would be sheared off the 2021-23 budget cycle.

The lawsuit echoed allegations made by other former employees claiming Mark Roe spoke and acted inappropriately while serving as the county’s top prosecutor from 2009 until his retirement in 2018.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim Gov. Inslee has not adequately considered targeted measures to protect that population, while allowing others to return to work and school.

Tribes operate their facilities on their lands, where they retain decision-making authority -- despite Gov. Jay Inslee's stay-home order, in place until the end of May.

Amid a national frenzy to buy medical supplies for use in the COVID-19 outbreak, Washington state suspended competitive bidding and recruited help from the private sector. Gov. Inslee connected personal contacts with state buyers.

Since health officials began recommending (but not requiring) that everyone cover their faces in public to reduce the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new divide has emerged over who wears a mask and who doesn't.

Brown said that on May 15 she will loosen restrictions statewide on day cares and on retail shops that were previously closed, including furniture stores, boutiques, jewelry stores and art galleries.

The decision by Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda will stall the big-business tax championed by Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales, which already faced opposition from Mayor Jenny Durkan.

Along with a 2018 ruling by the court that the city had reached full compliance with a 2012 consent decree, the request would dissolve virtually all remaining oversight of the police department regarding its use of force and other issues.

Gov. Jay Inslee this week continued lifting restrictions included in his stay-home order meant to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, part of phase one in his four-phase plan to reopen the state. Some outdoor recreation opened earlier this week.

Phase two is expected to begin for most areas on June 1, provided public-health data still looks favorable.

Inslee's stay-home order, initially issued in March, bans church and religious services, but permits one-on-one "religious counseling," state lawyers argued.

In the middle of a pandemic, the subject of the public's health never came up during a 90-minute GOP candidates for governor forum. It's like a metaphor for the alternate realities of our politics — and also why the GOP may be in more trouble than usual in the local elections this year.

As Washington grapples with a tsunami of legitimate unemployment claims — more than 100,000 last week — the state also is seeing a rise in attempts by fraudsters to siphon off a portion of the benefits.

Prosecutor Adam Cornell likened the decision by Sheriff Adam Fortney to publicly question and refuse to enforce the stay-home order "to yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater."

Will private equity boost the Northwest's most important shipbuilder or look for a fast buck? Behind the question is the long and dangerous decline of a vital industry.

The trade war with China is a self-inflicted blow. Only a strong economy is cushioning us against bigger pain — so far.

Immigration is good for the economy — that's the big picture. It doesn't mean some Americans aren't hurt in their paychecks and opportunities.

One of the most powerful business lobbies says it wants to change the calculus that is giving capitalism a bad name. It's a good idea, but faces tremendous resistance.

2020 is here as a new decade, ready or not. But decades as clear political, cultural, social and historical eras are as elusive as centuries.

The pandemic's effects are putting us in unknown territory, but we're already in a recession. It could be the worst of our lifetimes. Columnist Jon Talton explains why.

Behind shortages of masks and ventilators is a staggering disruption of the global system of making, assembling and delivering critical products.

Even President Trump now realizes the need for a prolonged shutdown. But when the economy finally restarts, we have no guarantee it will bounce back quickly. The danger is a "Greater Depression."

Globalization was already unpopular among many Americans. Now it's one of the suspects in the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus. But trashing the world order will make us sicker.

Superstar cities bounced back stronger than ever after the Great Recession. But the COVID-19 shutdown is different and the way back will be a challenge unlike any other.

The co-founder of Microsoft is leading our understanding of COVID-19 and the road ahead, backed by one of the world's wealthiest charitable organizations. Columnist Jon Talton takes a closer look at the role of Bill Gates.