The IMPACT

The Impact breaks down the two major 529 options for college savings in Washington: the GET (Guaranteed Education Tuition) plan and WA529 Invest, a market-based savings portfolio. Luke Minor, Senior Director of Postsecondary Affordability for the Washington Student Achievement Council, offers practical guidance for families who aren’t sure where to begin.

From chasing stories to leading change, The Impact interviews former investigative reporter Jesse Jones about his new role as director of Your Washington, the state government improvement unit.

This is a special edition of The Impact taped on-location at the Washington Digital Government Summit in Tacoma, organized by GovTech magazine. The episode features a panel discussion with state, city, and county-level technology leaders answering questions about the use of artificial intelligence in government decision making, workforce displacement, and oversight. The panel also explored the privacy implications of smart infrastructure— such as vehicle-tracking sensors— and efforts to promote digital equity in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.Panelists: Jake Hammock, Seattle Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)Bill Kehoe, WaTech Director and Washington State Chief Information Officer (CIO)Stephen Heard, interim Chief Information Officer for King County Information Technology

Julia Smith, endangered species recovery manager at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, dives deep into wildlife management challenges. She discusses the controversial strategy of removing barred owls to aid the struggling northern spotted owl population. Julia highlights evidence showing spotted owls rebound with rival removals. The conversation shifts to wolf recovery, revealing a current count of 230 wolves amid debates about livestock conflicts and coexistence strategies. With poaching and density dependence affecting populations, Julia offers an optimistic outlook for future wolf recovery.

Political writers wade into early returns from the fall election, and what that says for the direction of the legislature next year.   "We had a record package of tax increases in the legislature this year. The majority Democrats paid no price at the ballot box," said Paul Queary,  Washington Observer. "I would look for this session for folks who have been hiding things in their back pocket that they didn't use to try to balance the budget last time,” said Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard.We also cover the automatic voter registration system error discovered in two counties.Then, we look at why Instagram and Facebook’s parent company, Meta, is in a showdown with the state  over Washington’s campaign ad laws.

A new study points to major PNW earthquakes potentially triggering California earthquakes and vice-versa. DNR earthquakes expert Alex Steely breaks down the potential link between the Cascadia Subduction Zone and the San Andreas fault.Later, we cover "sonic boom" earthquakes, the Seattle fault nightmare scenario, and why so many Washington buildings are vulnerable to shaking.   Guest: Alex Steely, Assistant Director of Geologic Hazards and Mapping at the Washington Department of Natural ResourcesOther topics:A constitutional amendment on the ballot would allow the state's long-term care program funding to be invested in stocks.Good news and bad news about traffic after a spate of big truck bridge collisions.

Exploring political violence and the decline of civil discourse. Q&A with Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck about his work on developing strategies to promote healthy debate in society.

Historic surface water restrictions hit the Yakima Basin as a monumental water rights lawsuit gets underway in Whatcom County. Department of Ecology Water Resources Program lead, Ria Berns talks through the rationale and what to expect. Then hear what local stakeholders, are saying about the adjudication.

Is your town ready for a ransomware attack? State Auditor Pat McCarthy and SAO cybersecurity lead Scott Ford weigh in on the job of promoting government accountability with IT safeguards and spotting mismanaged tax dollars.

For island residents, commuters, and students — there's a lot riding on reliable ferry service. Deputy Secretary Steve Nevey addresses current problems, the timeline for new vessels, and fall schedule changes that may restructure service on your route.