Anthony Tomashefsky
Investigative journalist covering Washington courts, judicial conduct, and local government. Member, Society of Professional Journalists.
A violent 2022 crime spree in West Seattle that ended in a nearly 60-year prison sentence recently made its way to the Washington State Court of Appeals, asking justices to answer complex questions about racial bias, jury selection, and the limits of the state’s anti-discrimination rules. The
Patrick Alan Bucknum, a former healthcare executive and high-ranking local leader for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has been federally charged with wire fraud following allegations that he embezzled more than $30 million from his employer. In April 2019, Bucknum was called to serve as
A massive multi-agency search and rescue operation is currently underway in the waters near Point Wilson after an individual reportedly fell overboard from a 12-foot vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound initiated the public alert, stating that they are actively searching the vicinity for the
A Washington State substitute teacher has had his credentials suspended for a minimum of six months following a series of disturbing comments directed at high school students, according to a recent disciplinary order issued by the state’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. State documents reveal that Ethan Whitney,
Four months after the Clallam County Superior Court was forced to abruptly terminate Family Court Commissioner Brian Parker in the wake of a highly public scandal, the court has finally named his replacement. But for the families relying on the local justice system, the new appointment offers little relief. Lorraine
Longview Public Schools Superintendent Karen Cloninger was arrested Thursday morning on felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with an ongoing police investigation into a reported sexual assault case involving students at Mark Morris High School. The Longview Police Department confirmed the 9:26 a.m. arrest in a statement, noting
In a case that strikes at the heart of systemic judicial failures and the rights of domestic violence survivors, Melissa Strawn is taking her fight to the Washington State Court of Appeals. On May 11, 2026, Strawn filed an exhaustive 83-page appellate brief seeking to overturn devastating King County
Every month, the financial lifeblood of Washington’s 295 school districts flows from the state capital into local bank accounts. It is the money that fuels school operations and ensures that teachers, cafeteria workers, and custodians receive their paychecks. For the 2023-2025 biennium, that flow amounts to $30 billion.
A 38-year-old Port Orchard man is facing multiple charges after deputies say he crashed his SUV into a ditch, struck neighborhood property, and fled the scene to seek medical treatment early Tuesday morning. According to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 3700 block of
A sweeping, 148-page civil lawsuit has laid bare the alleged origins of the scandals surrounding disgraced former Clallam County Superior Court Commissioner Brian Parker. The First Amended Complaint, filed by domestic violence survivor Gina Bloom, accuses Parker and prominent Everett attorneys Damon Canfield and Jennifer Bitner of orchestrating a
A 42-year-old Mason County man was arrested Tuesday in connection with an ongoing Internet Crimes Against Children investigation, according to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect was taken into custody without incident at his place of employment Tuesday afternoon. Following the arrest, detectives served a search
A ruling from the Washington State Court of Appeals has cleared the way for a King County family to sue The Boeing Company, holding that employers can be held liable for injuries to a worker’s not-yet-conceived child. In a published opinion filed yesterday, Division I of the
A sprawling child exploitation investigation that rocked Clark County has now spilled into civil court. Two lawsuits accuse multiple Kaiser Permanente entities of ignoring decades of warning signs surrounding a deceased local pediatrician. Dr. Michael R. Wilmington, who authorities say took his own life in Lewis County on May 2
The Washington State Court of Appeals reversed the convictions of a Grant County man for child rape, molestation, and incest today, ruling that a trial judge violated the “appearance of fairness doctrine” by failing to disclose allegations that a local victim advocate signaled to the child witnesses while they testified.
In another victory for transparency and the First Amendment, visiting Kitsap County Judge Houser has delivered another blow to Benjamin Mavy’s attempt to orchestrate his censorship campaign in the shadows. On May 14, 2026, Judge Houser granted The Olympic Herald’s request to bring a camera crew into the
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is heading to federal court this summer to defend a legal position that has stunned child advocates and survivors alike: the assertion that the institution had “no legal duty” to intervene and protect a child from sexual abuse. A scheduling order
A major breakthrough has occurred in the ongoing investigation into the February death of a 73-year-old Clallam County resident, with authorities arresting a 46-year-old Port Angeles man on murder charges following a massive, multi-agency operation. Clinton Laverne King was taken into custody without incident on
The Quillayute Valley School District is running out of places to hide. Following a devastating jury verdict that found the district cultivated a hostile work environment, the administration’s bureaucratic shield is officially shattering. Late last month, the community launched its first devastating salvo against the district’s culture of
The ink was barely dry on our latest victory for the First Amendment when the next attack arrived. Just weeks after The Olympic Herald successfully defeated an egregious attempt to levy a coercive, publication-killing $2,000-per-day fine to silence our reporting, Benjamin Mavy—a former member of
In a major victory for press freedom and First Amendment rights, the Washington State Court of Appeals Division II has granted a motion to publish a pivotal decision regarding the constitutional limits of civil protection orders. 📄 D2 60325 Published Opinion (230KB ∙ PDF file) As an investigative journalist for The Olympic
Law enforcement officials made a significant move on Monday in the ongoing investigation into the February murder of 73-year-old Clallam County resident Danny Kendrick. On May 11, Clallam County Sheriff’s Detectives, aided by the Peninsula Crisis Response Team and the Port Angeles Police Department, executed a high-