Paula Wissel

Washington state ranks 11th among all states in overall health according to the  annual survey   "America's Health Rankings."  The survey is produced by the American Public Health Association, the United Health Foundation and Parnership for Prevention using data from a number of sources including the Centers for Disease Control.

The King County animal shelter  in Kent has temporarily suspended the acceptance of adult cats.  The shelter is trying to reduce its population in preparation for possible flooding along the Green River.   In the event of a flood,  the animals will have to be evacuated to another facility.

Next time you walk into a Walmart store, you might see the head of the U-S Department of Homeland Security.  Secretary Janet Napolitano has recorded video messages that are being aired inside Walmart stores in 27 states, including Washington.

Seattle police are tweeting for stolen cars.  They’re using Twitter to get the word out whenever a theft is reported. Police say making use of the popular social networking site just makes sense. 

The mentally ill man charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of  Joseph LaMagno on Capitol Hill on Nov. 22 is a suspect in an earlier killing. 

A lesbian flight nurse says she's anxiously waiting to rejoin her unit in the U.S. Air Force reserve.  Major Margaret Witt was discharged in 2004 under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Federal law enforcement investigators say they're closing in on an international thief who electronically ripped off hundreds of residents in a Seattle neighborhood.   

The King County Council has voted for a lean 2011 budget that slashes 300 positions, many in law enforcement. Even some council members acknowledge it could hurt public safety.

 Seattle says it can handle the snow this time around.  In 2008, the city was paralyzed by a series of storms.  Buses didn’t run, sidewalks were caked with ice and streets weren’t passable for more than a week.

Reports after the fact showed the city was unprepared. Snow routes weren’t plowed.  There was a communication breakdown between Seattle Department of Transportation and Metro Transit officials.

The city’s poor response to the snow storm is often credited with the defeat of former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.

Does Seattle have more child prostitutes than other cities? During a three-day crackdown, the FBI picked up more young prostitutes in this area than anyplace else. But, there could be another reason for the high number.

The latest FBI sweep, called Operation Cross Country V, resulted in the arrest of 99 pimps. Agents also rescued 69 teenage prostitutes. Twenty-three of them were from our area, in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

Today marks the 100th anniversary of a woman's right to vote in Washington State.  A day-long series of events is planned for  Olympia. The Washington State Historical Socety and the Women’s History Consortium have teamed up with  Secretary of State Sam Reed and the Interagency Committee for State Employed Women (ICSEW) on a full day of commemorative moments at the Temple of Justice (home of the State Supreme Court), the Capitol Building and Legislative buildings.

You've heard the complaints about ballot initiatives. Is it right that a corporation with a lot of money can get one on the ballot? And are we, the voters, really qualified to be deciding complicated things like tax policy? But, the KCTS 9 - KPLU - Washington Poll shows that voters in Washington are generally happy with the initiative process.

Here's the question that was put to voters:   Overall, do you think that statewide initiative elections are a good thing for the state, a bad thing or don't make much difference?

Three inmates have committed suicide in the King County jail in the past few weeks. The latest was a 33 year old man who died at Harborview Medical Center. The robbery suspect was found hanging in his cell on September 20.

The King County Correctional Facility has been cited in the past for failing to prevent suicide.

Back in 2007, the United States Department of Justice investigated the King County jail and issued a blistering report saying safety and health conditions were so substandard that they amounted to a violation of inmates civil rights.