Quad City Herald

NCW News Ward Media WENATCHEE — Community organizations in North Central Washington are invited to apply for up to $40,000 in funding through the Washington Wellbeing Initiative, a statewide collaboration seeking to support projects focused on community belonging, civic health and wellbeing. The initiative is accepting expressions of interest through Oct. 23 for its Belonging, Civic Health, & Wellbeing in Washington Request for Partnership.

NCW News Ward Media OLYMPIA — Washington's unemployment rate declined for the third consecutive month in September, falling to 4.8% even as employers shed an estimated 15,400 jobs, according to preliminary figures from the Washington Employment Security Department. The September unemployment rate was down from 4.9% in August and 5% in July, continuing a downward trend after several years of gradual increases.

By TERRY WARD | CEO & Publisher Ward Media Nobody particularly enjoys being wrong. Whether it’s a disagreement with a spouse, a decision at work or an opinion shared among friends, most of us would prefer to discover that we were right all along. That’s human nature. But somewhere along the way, admitting we’re wrong seems to have become something more than an uncomfortable moment. For some, it has become something to avoid at almost any cost. We defend positions long after the evidence has changed.

NCW News Ward Media OMAK — The Leadership Institute of North Central Washington is expanding to Okanogan County, offering residents a free opportunity to develop leadership skills, learn about local government and become more involved in their communities. The Community Foundation of North Central Washington, in partnership with Thriving Together NCW and other regional organizations, will bring the Leadership Institute of NCW (LINCW) to Omak for a 20-session program running Feb.

By TERRY WARD CEO & Publisher, Ward Media There was a time when most of us were perfectly comfortable being bad at things. As children, we drew pictures that barely resembled what we were trying to draw. We sang loudly without worrying whether we were on key. We threw balls that went in the wrong direction, rode bicycles until we fell over and attempted things simply because they looked like fun. Nobody handed us a performance review afterward. We were beginners. And we were perfectly fine with it.

OLYMPIA – Roughly 10,000 immigrants in Washington are losing their Medicaid health coverage due to federal cuts Republicans in Congress approved last year. On Thursday, a provision in President Donald Trump’s signature tax cut and spending law stripped Medicaid coverage for refugees, asylees and other lawfully present immigrants, including people who fled the war in Ukraine and trafficking victims, for example. Some of them have disabilities and receive long-term care.

Posted Sunday, October 4, 2026 1:54 pm By ANDREW SIMPSON Ward Media Staff Reporter EAST WENATCHEE — The first passenger off Pangborn Memorial Airport’s inaugural flight from Portland arrived dressed for the occasion, though perhaps not the occasion airport officials had in mind. Wearing a dirndl, she stepped off the aircraft Oct. 3 bound for Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, where she planned to surprise her mother, who did not know she was coming.

NCW News Ward Media High school seniors and other students planning college or job training can now apply for financial aid for the 2027-28 school year. The federal FAFSA and the state's WASFA opened Oct. 1, the Washington Student Achievement Council said. U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens can use the FAFSA to apply for both federal and state aid. People who can't or choose not to file the FAFSA, including undocumented students, can apply for state aid only through the WASFA.

NCW News Ward Media Washington's minimum wage will go up 60 cents to $17.73 an hour on Jan. 1, the state Department of Labor & Industries announced Sept. 30. The 3.5% increase applies to most workers in the state, including in North Central Washington. The current minimum is $17.13. State law requires L&I to adjust the wage each year based on the change in the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers from August to August.

By ANDREW SIMPSON Ward Media Staff Reporter WATERVILLE — Former Douglas County Prosecuting Attorney Walter Gordon Edgar will return to the office Oct. 1, beginning a temporary appointment that could be followed by two more appointments as the county navigates an unusual election-year vacancy. The county Board of Commissioners announced Edgar’s appointment Sept. 29 to replace Sean Lewis, whose resignation takes effect Sept. 30.