Inslee denies requests for drought emergency

RITZVILLE – Governor Jay Inslee is refusing requests to declare a drought emergency in Washington state.

"As the extremely hot temperatures have reminded us, much of eastern Washington, including our wheat-growing regions, is in the middle of a drought. This is a huge concern for me and other wheat growers in the area," Senator Mark Schoesler (R-Ritzville) said July 1, adding two wheat industry officials sent a letter to Inslee June 15 asking him to declare a drought emergency which would provide affected farmers with access to needed resources.

Part of the the letter, signed by Washington Ass...