Northwest News

Doling out water in the arid western United States is tough to do. There’s not much to be had, and everyone wants a fair share. What’s fair? It depends who you ask. But as correspondent Courtney Flatt reports, one basin in central Washington is finding a way for fish, farmers and communities to have enough water.

Correspondent John Ryan of Seattle station KUOW has been investigating lead pollution in the Northwest. Lead has been known for centuries to be a powerful poison. Even small concentrations can lower children's IQs and cause permanent brain damage. As John reports, the federal government now says children's brains are even more sensitive to lead than previously thought.

Job creation is emerging as a top issue in Washington’s open race for governor. But the two leading candidates often cite different jobs figures. The state’s official unemployment rate is currently 8.1 percent. Republican candidate Rob McKenna though uses a much higher number.

Washington’s unemployment rate has been getting incrementally better. But that monthly snapshot only captures people who are out of work and actively looking for a job. There’s an alternative way to evaluate the employment situation in Washington. That’s to use the federal government’s so called U-6 rate. That figure is 17.6 percent. State economist Dave Wallace says part-time workers are the biggest driver behind that more grim number.

Results from Portland's Mayoral primary show a veteran city leader and a charismatic state legislator advancing to a November runoff.

Former City Commissioner Charlie Hales took a healthy lead early, finishing with 38 percent of the vote when the counting wrapped for the evening. State Representative Jefferson Smith and entrepreneur Eileen Brady engaged in a standoff, as vote tallies showed Smith consistently ahead by about five percentage points.

Oregon is poised to have its first woman Attorney General. In Tuesday's Democratic primary election, former Oregon state judge Ellen Rosenblum cruised to victory over former federal prosecutor Dwight Holton.

It's not clear yet whether Rosenblum will face any opposition in November. No Republican filed for the office. But the GOP launched a last minute write-in campaign. Results of that effort won't be known for a few weeks. For now, Rosenblum is basking in her primary victory, which puts her one step closer to becoming Oregon's first female attorney general. She spoke to supporters at an election night party in Portland.

Washington State’s health insurance exchange got a boost. Wednesday the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the state more than $127 million in federal grants. That money will help develop and implement the state’s Health Benefits exchange. The exchange is a marketplace where consumers will be able to compare and shop for health insurance plans.

Secretary of health Kathleen Sebelius says so far 34 states are in different stages of creating their own exchange…

Washington’s jobless rate continues to inch downward. The April numbers out Wednesday put unemployment at 8.1 percent. That’s down from 8.3 percent in March. Most of April’s job growth was in manufacturing. State economist Dave Wallace says so far 2012 is proving to be a recovery year in Washington.