Northwest News

A German billionaire and his wife are donating a major collection of Western American art to the Tacoma Art Museum.

Erivan Haub and his wife Helga started collecting art of the American West almost 30 years ago. But Tacoma Art Museum director Stephanie Stebich says she never expected the Haubs would donate their collection to her museum.

Two aerospace companies plan to expand their operations in Washington. Gov. Chris Gregoire made that announcement Monday from the Farnborough Air Show in London. But the news highlights a gap between the legions of unemployed and the skills they need for many new jobs.

Supporters of creating charter schools in Washington say they have more than enough signatures to get their initiative on the ballot. They turned in their petitions Friday.

The next time a big wildfire erupts or an earthquake unleashes near you, Twitter, Google and Facebook might be useful places to turn. And not just you. Disaster response agencies are plunging into social media. They can develop better situational awareness by seeking out your online gripes and observations. Digital platforms also provide an avenue to give more frequent official updates and correct misinformation during a catastrophe. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell made a visit to Richland, Washington Friday to highlight how creating a B Reactor National Historical Park would create jobs and spur tourism in southeast Washington. The B Reactor at Hanford was the world’s first full-scale plutonium production facility. Correspondent Anna King has more.

Senator Maria Cantwell believes despite its dark history, Hanford has an important lesson to share.

“There is a scientific story here about scientific accomplishment,” she says.