Carleen Johnson

Carleen Johnson is The Center Square’s Washington state government reporter. She has 30 years of experience in broadcast journalism in the Puget Sound region, including being a traffic reporter…

Public Education
Longview superintendent arrested on multiple charges in student sex assault investigation

(The Center Square) – Police in Longview on Thursday arrested the Superintendent of Longview Public Schools as part of an ongoing investigation related to the reported sexual assault case involving… Read More

May 22, 2026
Public Education
WATCH: Report: Washington high schools rank near bottom in personal finance literacy

(The Center Square) – A new report finds Washington state ranks near the bottom in the nation when it comes to financial literacy education for high school students. WalletHub… Read More

May 8, 2026
Politics
WATCH: Constitutional heavyweights challenge legality of Washington’s new income tax

(The Center Square) – Former Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna, Citizen Action Defense Fund (CADF) and former Supreme Court Justice and State Senator Phil Talmadge today filed a … Read More

April 10, 2026
Politics
As federal probe widens, Gov. Walz tells Seattle crowd he’ll welcome more Somalis

(The Center Square) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, under fire for failing to prevent a massive welfare fraud scheme in his state, was in Seattle on Tuesday as the special guest… Read More

December 10, 2025
Courts
Watch: Supreme Court ruling next year could reshape transgender rights beyond sports

(The Center Square) –  In seven weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases involving challenges to the constitutionality of laws in Idaho and West Virginia… Read More

November 28, 2025