News Archive
2026
September
An incarcerated individual helps to hang a pinata for the kids. See Photo Gallery
A cold bar filled with cucumbers, pineapple, watermelon, bottles of Tajín and chamoy, piles of crunchy duros, hot sauce and ice-cold cups of Jarritos, provided snacks before…
09/23/2026 | Innovating Prevention: How Dr. Ashley Espitia is Changing Suicide Prevention Behind Bars
OLYMPIA—Growing up, Dr. Ashley Espitia’s dinner table conversations were different than most. Her father and several family members worked as traditional corrections officers in the California prison system. She would often hear stories of critical situations prison staff are called to respond to—contraband searches, breaking up fights and medical emergencies.
09/22/2026 | ISRB Press Release: September 2026 Hearings
The Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB) September 2026 hearings list.
LACEY—Jeff Gunsolley will always remember his partner as a workaholic.
“He always made it look like I knew what I was doing,” Gunsolley said. “Anybody who was here who ever saw Pip deploy, you just knew he was ready to go. His ears would pop forward and he would just sit there and look at me. He went to work with me every day and if I didn’t take him to work, I’d catch hell. He would bark all day long and would be a total jerk.”...
“He always made it look like I knew what I was doing,” Gunsolley said. “Anybody who was here who ever saw Pip deploy, you just knew he was ready to go. His ears would pop forward and he would just sit there and look at me. He went to work with me every day and if I didn’t take him to work, I’d catch hell. He would bark all day long and would be a total jerk.”...
August
08/02/2026 | AHCC Wildfire Update
The Old Trails fire that has destroyed hundreds of homes in Spokane County continues to burn roughly six miles northeast of Airway Heights Corrections Center (AHCC). Currently, the facility is not under an evacuation order and remains safe to operate. AHCC has emergency response plans in place and…
July
07/29/2026 | Painting Over the Canvas: How Jon Saunders Is Erasing Marks of Hate and Designing a Future of Hope
Content warning: The following story contains images and descriptions associated with white supremacist and gang culture. Reader discretion is advised.
WALLA WALLA — Jon Saunders is a scholar, counselor-in-training and an artist. The 42-year-old just graduated cum laude from Walla Walla…
Colville Tribes Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
On July 19, six members of the Washington State Department of Corrections Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) deployed to the Colville Tribes Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in response to the Kaiser Canyon…
LITTLEROCK — On any given day at Cedar Creek Corrections Center, CCCC, you can usually find 43-year-old Masson Manson outside in the gardens, hands gloved and covered in dirt.
June
GIG HARBOR--A gentle nuzzle from a horse’s muzzle was all it took for Erin Mildenberger to feel her anxiety melt away.
GIG HARBOR—Bright lights illuminated the clean, white walls. Private rooms held padded treatment tables. In the hallways, green plants shared counter space with small baskets filled with lotions and moisturizers.
06/03/2026 | Navigating a Fresh Start
Reentry can be a daunting journey for individuals. Some find themselves without family support and a lack of knowledge around community resources available to them. Reentry Navigators can play a critical role by helping individuals prepare for life beyond incarceration...
May
05/27/2026 | Defying The Odds Part 3: Victor Sauceda’s Journey From Prison Classroom To Tech Founder
HOUSTON, TEXAS—When Victor Sauceda talks about computer coding, he sounds like someone who discovered a superpower...