Independent news and commentary for Clallam County and the North Olympic Peninsula — courts, schools, public records, and original reporting.https://therealolympicherald.com/en-us© 2026 The Real Olympic Heraldhttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-basden-approved-release-despite-alleged-threats-to-police-then-came-100-000-bail/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-basden-approved-release-despite-alleged-threats-to-police-then-came-100-000-bail/Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden authorized Elijah F. Jackson’s release without cash bail after police alleged that he threatened officers, backed into a patrol vehicle and led a pursuit with children in his vehicle.  Four days later, Judge Basden set bail at $100,000, citing the risk of violence in the community.  The October 20 decision came as prosecutors filed nine charges and submitted expanded police reports, including an account of Jackson allegedly punching a correctionWed, 21 Oct 2026 19:11:55 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-barnhart-declares-clallam-court-conflicted-sends-search-warrant-records-lawsuit-to-king-county-2/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-barnhart-declares-clallam-court-conflicted-sends-search-warrant-records-lawsuit-to-king-county-2/Judge Simon Barnhart has ordered my search-warrant records lawsuit sent to King County, declaring that Clallam County Superior Court is conflicted and that even a visiting judge would not sufficiently ensure the appearance of fairness. “Unquestionably, this Court is conflicted and cannot take action on the substantive requests put before it by Petitioner,” Barnhart wrote in his October 16 order. The presiding judge’s decision moves the challenge to his court’s refusal outside its own bench andWed, 21 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/hamilton-asked-how-school-cuts-were-chosen-port-angeles-leaders-questioned-her-role/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/hamilton-asked-how-school-cuts-were-chosen-port-angeles-leaders-questioned-her-role/Nancy Hamilton wanted to know why the Port Angeles School District was reducing classroom staff, what administrative cuts it had considered and how fewer paraeducators would affect students with disabilities. Superintendent Michelle Olsen’s initial response proposed a closed-door discussion of the school board director’s role. Board President Sandy Long then told Olsen the questions could wait. “In the meantime, it is not necessary to respond to the questions in the email until after the execuWed, 21 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-basden-gives-repeat-felon-one-year-for-assaulting-sheriffs-sergeant/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-basden-gives-repeat-felon-one-year-for-assaulting-sheriffs-sergeant/Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden sentenced Matthew T. Griffis to a year in jail on October 13 for spitting on a sheriff’s sergeant during an August arrest in the Sequim area. Griffis, 22, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault on a law enforcement officer. His criminal history already included convictions for third-degree assault, harassment involving threats to kill, theft of a firearm and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the judgment. Judge Basden Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:55:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/nine-months-of-independent-journalism-built-by-our-readers/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/nine-months-of-independent-journalism-built-by-our-readers/An appointment announcement does not explain how a court chose its commissioner. A school district’s statement does not tell readers everything a jury decided. And a document described at a public meeting can still take weeks of requests and objections to reach the public. Those are some of the reasons I started the original outlet nine months ago. More than 400 articles later, the work continues: examining decisions, obtaining the records behind them and returning to stories after the first annWed, 21 Oct 2026 13:15:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/judge-basden-ruling-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/judge-basden-ruling-response/A response to the original outlet's coverage of Judge Basden's recent ruling in Clallam County Superior Court. We agree with the core findings but highlight three underreported angles.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/original/olympic-peninsula-housing-crisis/https://therealolympicherald.com/original/olympic-peninsula-housing-crisis/An original investigation into the housing crisis on the Olympic Peninsula. We analyzed 10 years of housing data and found that the crisis is worse than most people think.Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/forks-man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-attempted-murder-after-woman-shot/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/forks-man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-attempted-murder-after-woman-shot/A 49-year-old Forks man was arrested on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder after a woman was shot at a home on Terra Eden Street Sunday evening, according to a joint release from Forks police and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office. The woman, 44, was taken to Forks Community Hospital and later flown to Harborview Medical Center. She is expected to survive, the agencies said. Authorities identified the suspect as Oscar Recinos Pascacio, a Forks resident. The agencies said he was bookeMon, 19 Oct 2026 20:31:37 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/opinion-my-recommendations-for-washingtons-supreme-court/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/opinion-my-recommendations-for-washingtons-supreme-court/The Constitution limits judges, too. That principle should be at the center of Washington’s Supreme Court election. Free speech and due process deserve more than a campaign promise. Voters should examine how candidates have treated those rights when exercising public authority. the original outlet does not recommend candidates in partisan political races. We encourage readers to use our free tools to examine the records, use the relevant research tools and make their own decisions. Washington’sMon, 19 Oct 2026 18:58:51 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-orders-money-judgment-for-lynden-homeowners-charged-unlawful-fees/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-orders-money-judgment-for-lynden-homeowners-charged-unlawful-fees/Washington’s Court of Appeals ruled that a Whatcom County trial court abused its discretion by refusing to issue a money judgment for Lynden homeowners after declaring that fees collected from them were unlawful. The unanimous, published Division I decision directs the lower court to enter a money judgment in a dispute involving the Homestead Planned Residential Development, property owner 18 Paradise LLP and MJ Management LLC, doing business as Homestead Farms Golf Course. The homeowners had Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:21:54 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/clallam-county-releases-superior-court-clerks-office-ai-chats/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/clallam-county-releases-superior-court-clerks-office-ai-chats/Clallam County released artificial intelligence records showing employees in the Superior Court Clerk’s Office asking Microsoft Copilot to draft promotion justifications, summarize an email and help locate missing email signatures. The release came in response to my public-records request. It includes records from three accounts: Clerk Nikki Botnen, Lisa MacDonald and Tamara Clarkson. The Herald is making the files available for readers to examine the prompts, generated responses and follow-upMon, 19 Oct 2026 15:45:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-caregiver-sentenced-to-12-months-and-a-day-for-rape-assault/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-caregiver-sentenced-to-12-months-and-a-day-for-rape-assault/An 84-year-old man who worked as an in-home caregiver in Port Angeles was sentenced on October 15 to 12 months and one day in prison for third-degree rape and second-degree assault involving a vulnerable adult in his care. Clallam County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Stanley imposed the sentence on Donald L. Breazeale, following an agreed recommendation from the prosecution and defense. He will also serve three years of community custody under Department of Corrections supervision. Breazeale Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/sequim-school-district-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/sequim-school-district-response/A response to the original outlet's investigation into Sequim School District finances. The Herald's core findings are correct, but the framing could mislead readers about the scale of the issue.Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/sequim-landlord-arrested-after-alleged-threat-to-kill-tenant/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/sequim-landlord-arrested-after-alleged-threat-to-kill-tenant/A Sequim landlord was arrested early October 17 after a tenant reported that the man was firing a gun at him and deputies said the landlord later threatened to kill the tenant during a phone call. Randy Raymond Lima, 52, was booked into the Clallam County Jail on suspicion of felony harassment involving threats to kill, according to the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office. No injuries were reported. The incident began around 8:45 p.m on October 16, when the tenant called 911 from the Sequim area. Sat, 17 Oct 2026 18:24:33 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/man-arrested-in-forks-accused-of-punching-jail-deputy/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/man-arrested-in-forks-accused-of-punching-jail-deputy/A man arrested Thursday after a reported confrontation involving a rifle in Forks later punched a corrections deputy during booking at the Clallam County Jail, the Clallam County Sheriff’s office said. Elijah Jackson also allegedly backed a vehicle carrying three other adults and young children into a Forks police patrol vehicle before his arrest. None of the children were injured, and the corrections deputy sustained minor injuries, according to the sheriff’s office. Clallam County Superior Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:06:33 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-rejects-skagit-recall-petitions-upholds-5-348-sanction/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-rejects-skagit-recall-petitions-upholds-5-348-sanction/The Washington Supreme Court unanimously rejected efforts to recall Skagit County’s prosecuting attorney and three county commissioners, upholding a $5,348.22 sanction against six petitioners for filings the courts found were intentionally frivolous and intended to harass the officials. The decision leaves in place the dismissal of seven recall petitions targeting Prosecuting Attorney Richard Weyrich and Commissioners Ron Wesen, Peter Browning and Lisa Janicki. The court also awarded the officiFri, 16 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/registered-sex-offender-faces-rape-and-extortion-charges-in-clallam-county/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/registered-sex-offender-faces-rape-and-extortion-charges-in-clallam-county/Clallam County prosecutors have charged Kevin H. Corning with 10 offenses involving alleged sexual assaults at a woman's Port Angeles home and a separate accusation that he demanded money from a tenant under threat of burning the tenant's artwork. The charges filed October 14 include first-degree rape, third-degree rape, indecent liberties by forcible compulsion and first-degree extortion. Corning, 53, also faces two counts each of first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal trespass and fourFri, 16 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-school-district-fired-secretary-without-just-cause-delayed-union-records-rulings-find/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-school-district-fired-secretary-without-just-cause-delayed-union-records-rulings-find/The Port Angeles School District released seven arbitration decisions to the original outlet, in response to a public-records request. One ruling ordered reinstatement and back pay for a Stevens Middle School secretary fired after more than nine years without prior discipline. The district had failed to prove misconduct. Two other decisions found that it violated labor contracts by delaying records unions needed to represent employees, with waits of roughly nine months and more than three monthThu, 15 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-strikes-down-vague-release-restriction-in-kitsap-child-molestation-case/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-strikes-down-vague-release-restriction-in-kitsap-child-molestation-case/The Washington Supreme Court on October 15 ruled that a restriction barring a man convicted of child molestation in Kitsap County from possessing or accessing “sexually exploitive materials” was unconstitutionally vague. The 6–3 decision concerns one condition of Jeremiah J. Jeffries-Porter’s supervision after prison. It does not overturn his conviction or shorten his prison sentence. The court reversed the Court of Appeals and sent the case back to Kitsap County Superior Court for further proThu, 15 Oct 2026 17:53:21 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/qvsd-board-again-leaves-calls-to-retract-larson-statement-unanswered/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/qvsd-board-again-leaves-calls-to-retract-larson-statement-unanswered/The Quillayute Valley School Board again offered no substantive public response October 13 as speakers called for it to retract its statement about the Kari Larson lawsuit, complete a misconduct investigation and hold administrators accountable. Five of the six public commenters discussed misconduct, accountability or changes to school practices. The other, district employee Traci Hurn, praised board members’ character and community service. Board Chair Bill Rohde thanked the speakers and moveThu, 15 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-orders-competency-evaluation-for-johnny-talbert-in-2008-double-homicide-case/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-orders-competency-evaluation-for-johnny-talbert-in-2008-double-homicide-case/Johnny Steven Talbert, who was arrested in Port Angeles in May on charges stemming from a 2008 North Carolina double homicide, has been ordered to undergo a hospital evaluation after his attorney said she did not believe he could assist in his defense. An October 13 order in Cabarrus County Superior Court commits Talbert to Central Regional Hospital’s Butner campus for up to 60 days of observation and treatment to determine his capacity to proceed. Talbert faces two counts of first-degree murdThu, 15 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/lds-church-abuse-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/lds-church-abuse-response/the original outlet's reporting on the LDS church abuse litigation in Clallam County is thorough and well-sourced. We add context on the legal process and what it means for the victims.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/original/clallam-county-water-quality/https://therealolympicherald.com/original/clallam-county-water-quality/An original investigation into the water quality in Clallam County. We analyzed 5 years of water quality data and found that the county's water is not as clean as most people think.Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/kirkland-pastor-indicted-in-alleged-13-million-investment-fraud/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/kirkland-pastor-indicted-in-alleged-13-million-investment-fraud/Federal prosecutors accuse a Kirkland pastor of using his church position to obtain at least $13 million in investments and loans for a Bellevue internet company and diverting millions for personal spending and stock trading. Cristian Popescu, 46, of Bothell, pleaded not guilty October 13 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 10 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. His trial is scheduled for December 21, 2026, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western DistrictWed, 14 Oct 2026 18:43:05 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-basden-stayed-on-custody-case-while-his-lds-council-discussed-the-family-colleague-says/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/judge-basden-stayed-on-custody-case-while-his-lds-council-discussed-the-family-colleague-says/Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden served on an LDS church council that discussed a family while he presided over its custody case, according to a fellow council member who said participants excluded him from those conversations “knowing it would be a conflict of interest.” Brittney Hales described the arrangement in an October 13 response to the original outlet. She said Judge Basden left before substantive information was shared and that she knew of no information being passed toTue, 13 Oct 2026 23:27:43 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/qvsd-board-meets-tonight-with-no-retraction-vote-on-agenda/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/qvsd-board-meets-tonight-with-no-retraction-vote-on-agenda/The Quillayute Valley School Board meets tonight at 5:30 pm, with no item on its published agenda calling for a vote on residents’ requests to retract the district’s statement about the Kari Larson lawsuit. As the original outlet previously reported, the district’s August 25 statement emphasized findings in the defendants’ favor and used the words “completely exonerated” about QVSD. However, the jury found the district liable for a hostile work environment under the Washington Law Against DiscrTue, 13 Oct 2026 14:27:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-rejects-wage-liens-that-failed-to-name-workers/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-rejects-wage-liens-that-failed-to-name-workers/Washington’s Court of Appeals ruled October 12 that wage liens against two apartment properties were invalid because the filings did not identify the security guards whose work supported the claims. The published ruling also held that class-action representatives may record wage liens for class members with valid lien rights. The notices must still identify the workers whose claims support the liens, the three-judge panel ruled. The decision concerned efforts to collect part of a $2.64 millionTue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-upholds-gun-conviction-in-seatac-case-rejects-second-amendment-challenge/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-upholds-gun-conviction-in-seatac-case-rejects-second-amendment-challenge/The Washington Court of Appeals on October 12 upheld Jose Mario Nash Jr.’s firearm conviction and sentence in a SeaTac case, rejecting his argument that a prior conviction for a nonviolent drug offense could not constitutionally bar him from possessing a gun. The unanimous Division I decision also rejected challenges to the charging document, jury instructions, denial of two mistrial requests and use of juvenile adjudications in calculating his sentence. A jury convicted Nash of first-degree uTue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/audit-finds-closed-why-not-you-academy-lacks-funds-to-repay-3-8-million-in-debt/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/audit-finds-closed-why-not-you-academy-lacks-funds-to-repay-3-8-million-in-debt/Why Not You Academy, a Des Moines public charter school that closed in June, lacks sufficient cash reserves and future funding to repay about $3.8 million in debt due by June 2027, according to a new state audit. The Washington State Auditor’s Office found that the school did not adequately assess current and future funding when approving significant improvements to its leased building and taking on debt obligations.  The accountability audit was published yesterday and covers September 1, 202Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-school-board-approves-lead-plan-after-elevated-levels-found-at-three-schools/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-school-board-approves-lead-plan-after-elevated-levels-found-at-three-schools/The Port Angeles School Board approved a water remediation plan Thursday after testing found elevated lead levels at nine outlets across three schools. Follow-up testing left two fixtures at Port Angeles High School above the state’s action level, with one permanently shut off and the other restricted from drinking use. The October 8 vote followed a report from facilities director Eric Britton, who said the district replaced the nine fixtures identified in its initial testing and tested two addMon, 12 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/governor-ferguson-appoints-haley-wolcott-sebens-to-new-skagit-county-superior-court-seat/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/governor-ferguson-appoints-haley-wolcott-sebens-to-new-skagit-county-superior-court-seat/Governor Bob Ferguson has appointed Haley Wolcott Sebens to a newly created Skagit County Superior Court judgeship, the court’s first additional seat since 2006. The appointment takes effect January 1, 2027. Legislation enacted this year expanded the court from four judges to five. Sebens has served as a Skagit County Superior Court commissioner since January 2025. Her calendars include family law, child welfare, guardianship, probate and cases involving at-risk youth, according to the governoMon, 12 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/issaquah-psychologist-suspended-over-patient-boundary-violations-and-drug-misconduct/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/issaquah-psychologist-suspended-over-patient-boundary-violations-and-drug-misconduct/Washington’s Examining Board of Psychology has suspended Issaquah psychologist Leafar Espinoza’s license after finding unprofessional conduct involving physical contact with patients, personal gifts and instructions for taking an unprescribed controlled medication. An agreed order signed by the board in September bars Espinoza from seeking reinstatement for at least two years from the order’s effective date. Before petitioning to return to practice, he must pay a $5,000 fine and complete ethicMon, 12 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/taholah-school-district-could-not-locate-16-of-21-assets-checked-by-state-auditors/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/taholah-school-district-could-not-locate-16-of-21-assets-checked-by-state-auditors/Taholah School District could not locate 16 of 21 assets selected for testing by state auditors and could not show that purchases totaling $238,755 were included in its inventory, according to a Washington State Auditor’s Office report. The accountability audit found inadequate controls for tracking and safeguarding district property. It covered September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2025. Auditors identified 10 purchases representing about 353 individual assets totaling $238,755 that the distrMon, 12 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/drug-court-scandal-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/drug-court-scandal-response/A response to the original outlet's investigation into Clallam County's drug court program. The Herald's core findings are correct, but we think the story is bigger than they let on.Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/silver-alert-issued-for-fred-anderson-82-last-seen-in-sequim-area/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/silver-alert-issued-for-fred-anderson-82-last-seen-in-sequim-area/Update (Oct 10 10:43 PM): Fred Anderson has been found safe in Yelm, Washington. The Washington State Patrol issued a Silver Alert for Fred Anderson, 82, who was last seen at about 8 a.m. Saturday, October 10, in the Sequim area. The alert was activated on behalf of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office. The agency determined that Anderson’s disappearance poses a credible threat to his health and safety. The alert lists a red 1990 Mazda Miata with Washington license plate TAKE5. Anderson is deSun, 11 Oct 2026 02:30:30 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/public-records-lawsuit-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/public-records-lawsuit-response/A response to the original outlet's coverage of the public records lawsuit against Clallam County. The Herald's reporting is accurate, but we think the implications are bigger than they let on.Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/original/olympic-peninsula-economic-future/https://therealolympicherald.com/original/olympic-peninsula-economic-future/An original investigation into the economic future of the Olympic Peninsula. We analyzed 10 years of economic data and found that the Peninsula's economy is not as strong as most people think.Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/former-white-pass-superintendent-and-archbishop-murphy-teacher-lose-certificates-after-sex-crime-convictions/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/former-white-pass-superintendent-and-archbishop-murphy-teacher-lose-certificates-after-sex-crime-convictions/Washington education officials have permanently revoked the certificates of former White Pass School District Superintendent Greggery Teel and former Archbishop Murphy High School teacher John Doty following their convictions in separate cases involving child sexual abuse material. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, or OSPI, revoked Teel’s certificate in a final order dated October 7, 2026, and Doty’s in an order dated October 6. Both orders permanently revoke the men’s WashingFri, 09 Oct 2026 14:30:42 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-rules-for-grant-county-in-fatal-jail-overdose-lawsuit-2/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-rules-for-grant-county-in-fatal-jail-overdose-lawsuit-2/The Washington Court of Appeals on Thursday directed a trial court to enter judgment in favor of Grant County in a lawsuit over a man’s fatal jail overdose, ruling that his felony possession of heroin barred the claims under the state law that applied when he died. The published October 8 decision reverses a lower court’s refusal to dismiss the claims brought by Derek Batton’s parents and estate. Division III held that a 2021 change to Washington’s felony-defense statute did not apply to his 2Fri, 09 Oct 2026 12:00:46 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-rejects-parents-privacy-claim-over-seattle-childrens-website-tracking/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-rejects-parents-privacy-claim-over-seattle-childrens-website-tracking/The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday upheld dismissal of a privacy-act claim brought by parents who alleged Seattle Children’s Hospital shared their website searches with Meta without their consent. The parents said they used the hospital’s website to research their children’s health and find care, and that Meta used the resulting data for targeted advertising. The October 8 ruling turns on the privacy-act provision protecting communications between two or more individuals. The parents’ seThu, 08 Oct 2026 16:41:02 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/first-amendment-battle-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/first-amendment-battle-response/A response to the original outlet's coverage of its own First Amendment battle against a gag motion. The Herald's reporting is self-aware, but we think the implications for local journalism are bigger than they let on.Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/wdfw-seeks-tips-after-elk-poaching-antler-removal-in-cowlitz-county/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/wdfw-seeks-tips-after-elk-poaching-antler-removal-in-cowlitz-county/Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police are asking for the public’s help investigating an elk poaching near Highway 504 in Cowlitz County after officers found that someone had also cut off the animal’s antlers. The poaching occurred Saturday, October 3, or Sunday, October 4, near milepost 39, according to a WDFW Police statement. Officers received the report at 1:37 p.m. Monday, October 5, and arrived that afternoon. Police said they confirmed that someone had removed the elk’s antleWed, 07 Oct 2026 22:19:07 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/former-wenatchee-lds-stake-president-sentenced-to-four-years-for-embezzling-clinic-funds/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/former-wenatchee-lds-stake-president-sentenced-to-four-years-for-embezzling-clinic-funds/A former Wenatchee health care executive and LDS stake president has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for embezzling funds from Community Clinic Network, or CCN. The scheme cost the company, which managed money for Washington health clinics, more than $24 million. U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Patrick Alan Bucknum on September 23 in Spokane and ordered him to pay $24,368,427.37 in restitution to CCN.  Judge Rice also imposed three years of supervised release. BucknWed, 07 Oct 2026 14:45:43 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-man-pleads-not-guilty-to-gun-and-drug-charges-after-elwha-casino-arrest/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-man-pleads-not-guilty-to-gun-and-drug-charges-after-elwha-casino-arrest/A Port Angeles man has pleaded not guilty to firearm and drug charges after authorities alleged he left a jacket containing a loaded handgun and suspected methamphetamine at a slot machine inside the Elwha Casino. Timothy Allen Williams, 44, entered the pleas October 2 before Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden.  Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Seth Corley charged Williams on September 24 with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine. The chargeWed, 07 Oct 2026 14:00:06 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/former-clallam-county-drug-court-coordinators-federal-trial-remains-set-for-february-1/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/former-clallam-county-drug-court-coordinators-federal-trial-remains-set-for-february-1/Former Clallam County Drug Court Coordinator Johnny F. Watts Jr. remains scheduled for trial February 1, 2027, on federal drug and firearm charges. Watts has pleaded not guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. His case is pending before U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright in Tacoma. Judge Cartwright set the February trial date in August, granting unopposed requests to postpone the trial for WWed, 07 Oct 2026 13:45:25 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/carl-king-trial-remains-set-for-february-22/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/carl-king-trial-remains-set-for-february-22/Carl King, a Sequim man facing charges involving child sexual abuse material, remains scheduled to stand trial February 22, 2027, in Clallam County Superior Court. Under an August 28 scheduling order signed by Judge Elizabeth Stanley, the four-day trial is set to begin at 9 a.m. A status and omnibus hearing is scheduled for January 8, 2027, at 1 p.m. As we previously reported, King was arrested in April in a case involving four counts of possessing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explWed, 07 Oct 2026 13:45:17 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/is-ai-deciding-judge-basdens-cases-judge-barnhart-blocks-a-records-request/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/is-ai-deciding-judge-basdens-cases-judge-barnhart-blocks-a-records-request/Clallam County Superior Court Judge Simon Barnhart is enforcing a restriction I believe is unjustified and obstructs public scrutiny: the court will process my records requests in a queue, only one at a time.  I have made a total of seven requests this year, working full time as a journalist whose primary focus is this court. Now, in denying a request about possible AI use in Judge Brent Basden’s work, Judge Barnhart has warned my wife and other requesters of possible court action if he suspecWed, 07 Oct 2026 13:30:24 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/clallam-judge-dismisses-rape-charge-against-former-sequim-police-officer/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/clallam-judge-dismisses-rape-charge-against-former-sequim-police-officer/Clallam County Superior Court Judge Simon Barnhart dismissed the second-degree rape charge against former Sequim police officer Christian Whitaker on Monday, finding prosecutors had not produced sufficient evidence independent of Whitaker’s statements to establish the charged crime. The order dismisses the rape count with prejudice. It applies only to that charge and leaves the separate charges of first-degree voyeurism and disclosing intimate images intact.  Whitaker pleaded not guilty to allTue, 06 Oct 2026 18:33:13 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/kitsap-judge-ferguson-brown-to-rule-on-former-edmonds-college-instructors-bid-to-dismiss-child-sex-charges/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/kitsap-judge-ferguson-brown-to-rule-on-former-edmonds-college-instructors-bid-to-dismiss-child-sex-charges/Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Cadine Ferguson-Brown is scheduled to rule on November 6, 2026 on a former Edmonds College instructor’s bid to dismiss child sex charges over an NCIS agent’s role in the undercover investigation. Houston Wade, 45, of Bainbridge Island, was arrested Dec. 17, 2025. Police allege he arranged to meet someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl for sexual contact. The person posing as the child was an undercover agent. Judge Ferguson-Brown took the suppression andTue, 06 Oct 2026 16:30:02 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-woman-faces-five-felony-charges-in-child-exploitation-investigation/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-woman-faces-five-felony-charges-in-child-exploitation-investigation/A 38-year-old Port Angeles woman faces five felony charges after detectives alleged she secretly photographed two girls and sent the images to Tyrone Robert Tokarczyk, the man charged last month in a related child exploitation investigation. Clallam County prosecutors charged Kelsie Yvonne Soehngen in Superior Court on October 1 with sexual exploitation of a minor, second-degree dealing in depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, second-degree possession of those depictions anTue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:28 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-school-district-releases-email-records/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-school-district-releases-email-records/The Port Angeles School District released the final installment of records requested by the original outlet last week, providing emails documenting school board member Nancy Hamilton’s exchanges with district leaders and fellow directors. To make that correspondence easier to access, I built a tool for viewing and searching these records in a format that resembles a familiar email inbox. Readers can switch between mailbox views for Superintendent Michelle Olsen, executive assistant Casey McDonaTue, 06 Oct 2026 13:30:52 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-audit-finds-chelan-pud-met-energy-conservation-requirements/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-audit-finds-chelan-pud-met-energy-conservation-requirements/Chelan County Public Utility District No. 1 complied with state requirements for its 2024–2025 energy conservation target, according to a Washington State Auditor’s Office report released yesterday. Auditors examined whether the district properly developed and adopted its 23,389-megawatt-hour conservation target and acquired sufficient energy savings to meet it. The review covered January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2025. Auditors concluded that the district complied in all material respectsTue, 06 Oct 2026 13:00:42 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/quillayute-valley-school-district-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/quillayute-valley-school-district-response/A response to the original outlet's coverage of the Quillayute Valley School District's financial challenges. The Herald's core findings are correct, but the framing could mislead readers about the scale of the issue.Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/port-angeles-city-council-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/port-angeles-city-council-response/A response to the original outlet's coverage of the Port Angeles City Council's response to a public records request. The Herald's reporting is accurate, but we think the implications for transparency are bigger than they let on.Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-reverses-chelan-county-judge-ferreras-dismissal-of-mosquito-control-conspiracy-claim/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-reverses-chelan-county-judge-ferreras-dismissal-of-mosquito-control-conspiracy-claim/The Washington Court of Appeals on Thursday reversed Chelan County Superior Court Judge Kristin Ferrera’s dismissal of a civil conspiracy claim arising from a mosquito control dispute, also overturning attorney fees and sanctions imposed against the woman who brought the lawsuit. The unanimous October 1 decision allows Andrea Walheim to proceed with her claim against Matthew Oaks, a mosquito abatement operator she accused of joining an effort to force her to violate pesticide regulations or leaThu, 01 Oct 2026 18:29:40 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-faults-virginia-masons-secret-doctor-contacts-in-malpractice-case/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-supreme-court-faults-virginia-masons-secret-doctor-contacts-in-malpractice-case/The Washington Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Virginia Mason Medical Center violated patient protections by privately communicating with three of its former physicians who had participated in a patient’s surgery. The court ordered a trial judge to reconsider the remedy for those contacts, which occurred without the patient’s knowledge or consent. The 6-3 decision also requires further review of records the hospital withheld and concludes that Virginia Mason at least partly waived legal protThu, 01 Oct 2026 18:14:24 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/responses/clallam-county-commission-budget-response/https://therealolympicherald.com/responses/clallam-county-commission-budget-response/A response to the original outlet's coverage of the Clallam County Commission's budget documents. The Herald's reporting is accurate, but we think the implications for local governance are bigger than they let on.Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-hadlock-man-sentenced-to-14-years-and-3-months-for-sequim-bank-robbery/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-hadlock-man-sentenced-to-14-years-and-3-months-for-sequim-bank-robbery/A Port Hadlock man was sentenced Tuesday to 14 years and three months in prison for the April 2025 robbery of Kitsap Bank in Sequim. Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden imposed the 171-month sentence after Dale Jaff, 59, pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery, three counts of second-degree assault and second-degree theft, according to court records. Jaff entered an Alford plea. In his signed plea statement, he did not admit guilt but acknowledged that the evidence could support a Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:20:21 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-audits-find-wenatchee-misclassified-millions-in-federal-spending/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-audits-find-wenatchee-misclassified-millions-in-federal-spending/Wenatchee listed about $34 million in federal expenditures under the wrong grant program in its 2025 reporting, according to a state audit published September 30, 2026. A similar error in the city’s 2024 reporting left the correct federal program untested until auditors performed a subsequent audit. The Washington State Auditor’s Office also found that the city overstated accumulated depreciation on sewer assets by about $4.8 million because it used an unreasonable estimate of how long the asseWed, 30 Sep 2026 21:11:15 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-audit-finds-multimillion-dollar-errors-in-mason-county-fund-reporting/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/state-audit-finds-multimillion-dollar-errors-in-mason-county-fund-reporting/Mason County understated cash in its external investment pool fund by nearly $14 million and overstated cash in its custodial fund by the same amount after failing to fully report investment transactions, according to a Washington State Auditor’s Office report. The errors did not change the combined ending cash and investment balance in the county’s fiduciary funds, and the county subsequently corrected them, auditors said. The audit covers the 2025 calendar year. It found that the county’s prTue, 29 Sep 2026 18:20:12 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-rejects-resentencing-bid-despite-four-vacated-drug-convictions/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/appeals-court-rejects-resentencing-bid-despite-four-vacated-drug-convictions/The Washington Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a Chelan County judge’s decision denying resentencing for Lisa Ann Dugan, ruling that four later felony convictions would leave her sentencing range unchanged even after four invalidated drug-possession convictions were removed. The unanimous decision rejected Dugan’s argument that she was entitled to a new sentencing hearing because the drug convictions had improperly increased the score used to calculate her original sentencing range. ProsecuTue, 29 Sep 2026 17:46:06 GMThttps://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-district-defends-censures-information-limits-seeks-dismissal-of-hamilton-lawsuit/https://therealolympicherald.com/coverage/port-angeles-district-defends-censures-information-limits-seeks-dismissal-of-hamilton-lawsuit/The Port Angeles School District is asking a judge to dismiss Director Nancy Hamilton’s lawsuit challenging a censure resolution that makes certain information requests from elected directors subject to approval by the full board, while denying that it silenced her. In an answer filed September 23 in Clallam County Superior Court, the district and its Board of Directors acknowledge censuring Hamilton and admit that her complaint accurately quotes the resolution’s information-request provision. Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:45:43 GMT