Anthony Tomashefsky

Over the last week, our articles exposed attempts to bypass the Public Records Act, detailed severe financial and cultural fallout in our local schools, and tracked significant federal and state legal developments. Here is a look at the journalism we produced last week and the truths we brought to light.

The city of Sequim is preparing for a season of live entertainment with the return of the Sequim Music in the Park concert series. Starting June 30, 2026, residents and visitors can gather for a variety of live musical performances designed to highlight summer evenings on the Olympic Peninsula. The

Earlier this year, we published a defensive, multi-page email sent by Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden to former County Commissioner Bill Peach in November 2020. 📄 Brent Basden to Commissioner (721KB ∙ PDF file) On the surface, the exchange showcased a jurist with remarkably thin skin, launching a lengthy

A former Tacoma Public Schools first-grade teacher has had her teaching certificate suspended after possessing and consuming marijuana on an elementary school campus, according to a recent disciplinary order issued by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. State documents reveal that Stacy Kerrigan, whose Washington teaching

In a precedent-setting civil decision, the Washington State Court of Appeals has ruled that domestic violence survivors can sue their alleged abusers for an ongoing pattern of abuse without being strictly limited by standard civil statute of limitations deadlines. In a published opinion filed June 23, the Division II

Spokane County District Court Judge Jennifer Fassbender has been formally admonished by the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct for issuing rulings in a case after she had already agreed to step down from it. According to a Stipulation, Agreement, and Order of Admonishment entered on June 26, 2026, the

The financial fallout from a landmark federal discrimination lawsuit against the Quillayute Valley School District continues to mount. Following a federal jury verdict in April that found QVSD liable for cultivating a hostile work environment, U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin H. Settle has ordered the district to pay exactly

Former Clallam County Drug Court Coordinator Johnny Fred Watts Jr. pleaded not guilty to federal drug distribution and weapons charges during his arraignment on Tuesday afternoon. Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Grady J. Leupold, Watts was formally advised of the charges and potential penalties stemming from a federal grand

The Quillayute Valley School District Board of Education attempted to stick to a routine bureaucratic agenda on Tuesday night, preparing to vote on adding carpeting over the concrete flooring in the commons and spending nearly $49,000 in taxpayer funds for new desktop phones. But the community had other plans.

A 39-year-old Everson, Washington, resident has been federally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm following an early-morning shooting incident involving U.S. Border Patrol agents. Nathaniel A. Muniz-Spry was taken into custody at a Whatcom County hospital on June 16, 2026, following

A federal grand jury has formally indicted former Clallam County Drug Court Coordinator Johnny F. Watts Jr. and a co-defendant on federal drug distribution and weapons charges. As part of our ongoing coverage, we are providing the public with a complete copy of the six-page Indictment document below.

A highly anticipated federal court hearing regarding a child sexual abuse lawsuit against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been postponed until late summer. Originally scheduled for July 1, oral arguments will now take place on Aug. 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. According to

The Quillayute Valley School District Board of Education meets tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the Forks High School Library, where mounting community frustration over student safety is expected to clash with a routine administrative agenda. In recent meetings, parents and former educators have packed the boardroom to protest

Recently obtained public records are shedding new light on the Clallam County Superior Court’s hiring process for its newest Family Court Commissioner. A review of the documents reveals a notable detail regarding the hiring process: the court interviewed a total of just three candidates for the vacancy left by

While Thursday night’s raucous, protest-filled meeting of the Port Angeles School District Board of Directors will likely be remembered for the unprecedented and constitutionally dubious censure of newly elected Director Nancy Hamilton, another legal landmine was quietly planted in its immediate aftermath. Moments after the 4-1 vote

Over the first half of June, our articles have ruthlessly confronted unconstitutional government overreach, exposed catastrophic leniency from the judicial bench, and documented the institutional blind spots that leave our region’s most vulnerable populations at risk. Here is a look at what we have brought to light so far

At The Olympic Herald, our independent investigative reporting is deeply rooted in regional accountability, advocating for First Amendment protections, and aggressively opposing prior restraints on the press and public. On Thursday evening, the Port Angeles School District Board of Directors voted 4-1 to pass Resolution 2526-18, a measure

In a tumultuous, emotionally charged marathon meeting punctuated by public protests, shouts from the audience, and multiple board recesses, the Port Angeles School District Board of Directors voted 4-1 Thursday night to formally censure newly elected Director Nancy Hamilton. The passage of Resolution 2526-18 not only issues a

A distinct and horrific pattern of judicial decisions denying protection to the public has emerged within our regional courts, linking visiting Kitsap Judge Cadine Ferguson-Brown to preventable tragedy. Just as Clallam County residents have seen in previous catastrophic failures within the local justice system—such as the deadly 2014

Tonight, the Port Angeles School District Board of Directors is scheduled to vote on Resolution 2526-18, a sweeping, eight-page formal censure aimed at newly elected Director Nancy Hamilton. On the surface, the board majority and Superintendent Michelle Olsen have framed the reprimand as a necessary administrative measure to

Tomorrow evening, the Port Angeles School District Board of Directors will vote on an eight-page resolution to formally censure Director Nancy Hamilton, a move that comes after months of friction over the newly elected board member’s persistent inquiries into district operations. 📄 Resolution 2526 18 Censure Nancy Hamilton (156KB