Columbia Countercurrent has opened its comment section, inviting readers into a transparent, accountable, evidence‑based public dialogue aimed at strengthening local journalism and community participation.
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The Washington state Senate has approved a bill allowing wagering on in‑state collegiate teams at tribal casinos—excluding bets on individual athlete performance—to regulate a previously illicit market, while raising safety and harassment concerns from university officials.
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Wall Street steadied after a positive inflation update, but Cowlitz County’s jobless rate rose to 8%, highlighting continued local economic strain despite national signs of easing price pressure.
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State lawmakers advanced House Bill 2727, aiming to subsidize free or reduced public transit fares for community and technical college students. The pilot‑based grant program—if enacted—could reduce transportation barriers for tens of thousands of students, with impacts rippling to Spokane and potentially benefiting students across Cowlitz County.
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Columbia Generating Station—the Northwest’s sole nuclear reactor—underwent an unplanned manual shutdown early Feb. 12 after both reactor recirculation pumps failed. Though now stable, the outage raises questions about aging infrastructure, energy reliability, and grid resilience as repairs proceed.
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A high‑speed police chase ending at 102 mph resulted in a crash near Fife that blocked southbound I‑5 for about an hour during the Friday morning commute; one driver was arrested, another injured, and significant delays followed.
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The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit demanding that Harvard University hand over applicant‑level admissions data from the past five years. The DOJ claims Harvard has obstructed a civil‑rights probe into whether race continues to influence admissions decisions in violation of post‑affirmative action law. The case, now before a federal judge, could set a critical precedent for transparency in higher education.
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Camas High senior Cohen Butler is named the 2025‑26 Gatorade Washington Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year after a record‑setting season that included a 4A state title, regional championship and national nationals appearance.
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The Washington State Commercial Aviation Work Group will hold its first 2026 hybrid meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25 in SeaTac, with public comment invited in person, online, or via form—with implications for statewide aviation planning that may affect southwest Washington communities.
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A Pacific County judge has denied reconsideration of sanctions in the ongoing OPMA lawsuit in Longview. Former Mayor Spencer Boudreau and Councilmember Kalei LaFave must pay $2,000 each and submit overdue discovery by February 20, 2026.
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