Hilary Franz
Franz says opportunity, not opportunism, driving her bid for WA seat in Congress
Hilary Franz issued an urgent proclamation in spring when she launched her bid for Washington governor. “Anything shy of epic won’t cut it,” she said in May. “There’s no shortage of challenges, but I know we can tackle them together. Six months later, Franz, Washington’s two-term Democratic Commissioner of Public Lands, is pursuing a new […]
Only you (almost) can put Smokey Bear on Washington license plates
Washington drivers could one day be carrying Smokey Bear’s image and message on their license plates to help reduce the number of wildfires started by people. An effort launched Monday would create a specialty license plate featuring the iconic bear and its hallmark slogan: “Only you can prevent wildfires.” Proceeds from sales of the plates […]
Democrat Emily Randall enters race for Washington congressional seat
Democratic state Sen. Emily Randall on Thursday kicked off a campaign to succeed U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer next year, touting her lifelong ties with communities throughout the western Washington congressional district. Randall, who grew up in Port Orchard and lives in Bremerton, said she’ll work to expand higher education access, lower health care costs, and […]
Franz halts bid for WA governor, sets sights on Congress
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz on Friday ended her bid for governor and launched a new campaign for Congress. Franz, a Democrat, said she is running to succeed Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer in the 6th Congressional District which encompasses the Olympic Peninsula, the Kitsap Peninsula and much of Tacoma. Kilmer, who announced Thursday he […]
WA lands chief: State just had one of its ‘most challenging’ fire seasons ever
After an abnormally hot and dry summer in Washington, some in the state may say it was good fortune there weren’t more large wildfires or that the fire season wasn’t that bad. But fire officials don’t see it that way. In fact, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said this year was one of Washington’s […]
How a Washington agency is trying to get housing built on public land
A half-acre concrete lot in Spokane. A 655-acre expanse of cropland in Pasco. Sixty acres off the side of Interstate 90 in Benton County. Washington’s Department of Natural Resources owns more than 7,000 acres of “transition land” scattered across the state. Most of this property is surrounded by development, leaving it unsuitable for timber sales […]
Workers sue WA Department of Corrections over Larch closure
The union representing state correctional employees is asking a court to halt the closure of Larch Corrections Center in southwest Washington, claiming the Department of Corrections violated a number of labor practices ahead of its decision to shutter the facility. Teamsters Local 117 filed its complaint Wednesday in Clark County Superior Court, alleging Corrections refused […]
Prison closure plan stokes wildfire response worries in southwest Washington
There are nearly 80 prisoners at the Larch Corrections Center in southwest Washington who assist the state with wildland firefighting. In recent years, incarcerated people there have been dispatched to dozens of fires annually, with some laboring on hand crews and others assigned to cooking duties. That’s why Washington Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz said it […]
Franz opens up about her childhood kidnapping, how it drives her public service
When she was 3 years old, Hilary Franz says she was taken from her bed, her house, her friends and her toys. And she recalls being told she would never see her father again. In the weeks that followed, Franz remembers eating a lot of dates – a snack she hated, encountering a rattlesnake at […]
AG Ferguson makes his case to be Washington’s next governor
SEATAC, Wash. – Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson on Tuesday made his opening argument to be Washington’s next governor, vowing to “change the culture of state government” and ensure “our decisions as a state are not dictated by powerful special interests in back rooms.” “I want to make sure every Washingtonian gets a fair shake […]
Complaint pushes for Ferguson to reveal donors of $1.2M in campaign transfers
Attorney General Bob Ferguson is facing further scrutiny over his shifting of $1.2 million of contributions from past campaigns into the account for his 2024 bid for governor. A complaint filed last month contends the individual donors of those contributions must be identified and their past donations – originally for Ferguson’s re-election and now considered […]
Reichert’s bid adds an early twist to the 2024 governor’s race
The emergence of a politically experienced Republican candidate is reshaping the contours of next year’s race for governor. Dave Reichert, who served seven terms in Congress after a stint as King County sheriff, registered a political committee on June 30, clearing the way for him to raise money for a campaign. On Friday morning, King […]