A whale in the Willapa River, a changing era in college basketball, and the arrest of a dangerous criminal after years on the run — the state's top stories.
Whale in the Willapa River: an unexpected visitor from the ocean
A whale was spotted in the Willapa River in Washington state, a rare and surprising event for local residents. These marine giants typically do not venture so far into freshwater river systems, and their appearance has prompted both excitement and concern.
As KIRO 7 News Seattle reports (https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/video-whale-spotted-willapa-river/e51a6610-fb58-441b-a048-7ba038345d69/), the whale’s presence in the Willapa River was captured on video. This unusual occurrence has drawn the attention of biologists and the public. Whales, as marine mammals, seldom enter freshwater rivers because it can be hazardous to their health due to differences in salinity, confined space, and potential difficulties with navigation and finding food. Experts note that such incidents sometimes happen when an animal is sick, disoriented, or following a school of fish. Local authorities and conservationists will likely monitor the situation to assess the whale’s condition and, if necessary, provide assistance or gently guide it back to the ocean. The event is a vivid reminder of the proximity of wildlife and how changes in the marine environment or the behavior of individual animals can lead to unexpected encounters. For residents along Washington’s coast, seeing a whale in a river is a unique chance to observe a powerful marine creature in an unusual setting, and it also prompts reflection on preserving fragile aquatic ecosystems.
The future of the West Coast Conference: life after Gonzaga and Bennett
An era that defined the face of the West Coast Conference (WCC) in college basketball ended within hours. First the Gonzaga Bulldogs lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament in their final game as a WCC member, and then Randy Bennett, the legendary coach of the Saint Mary’s Gaels, unexpectedly left to lead the Arizona State Sun Devils. The conference has thus lost two of its pillars: a dominant brand and the coach who provided strong competition. Now, as The Seattle Times notes (https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/gonzaga-bulldogs/whats-next-for-the-west-coast-conference-in-the-post-gonzaga-world/), a new chapter full of challenges and opportunities opens for the WCC.
Commissioner Stu Jackson calls the situation “a huge window of opportunity for everyone,” but acknowledges that much hard and costly work lies ahead. The WCC is not on the brink of disappearance like the Pac-12 was in 2023, yet the conference is entering a new phase in a diminished lineup. Gonzaga’s decision to join the Pac-12 in summer 2025, Grand Canyon’s choice to remain in the Mountain West rather than move to the WCC, and Bennett’s departure are a series of blows the leadership has had to confront. Bennett embodied Saint Mary’s basketball, and it remains to be seen whether the Gaels can maintain their high level without him.
To explain the context: college athletic conferences in the U.S. are groupings of universities that compete against each other in various sports. Teams switching conferences is common, often driven by financial interests and the search for stronger competition. Gonzaga, thanks to years of basketball success, became such a powerful brand that its move to the more prestigious Pac-12 was a logical step. NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rules allow student-athletes to earn money from their personal brand, changing recruiting dynamics and competition among schools.
WCC leadership has acted proactively to strengthen the conference with new members. As a result, next season the league will consist of 10 teams, including newcomer Denver, and UC San Diego will join in 2027–28, creating an 11-school league. Jackson said the conference would like to find a 12th member for stability. The expansion focus is on academically compatible universities willing to invest in basketball. According to sources, after UC San Diego the primary targets are UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara from the Big West.
However, replacing Gonzaga is impossible to do directly. Its success, Jackson emphasizes, resulted from years of taking risks and massive investments in basketball that “lit up” the university’s brand. Now other WCC schools must follow this example: invest in infrastructure, coaching staffs, and build conditions for long-term success. In the past 12 years only San Francisco (2022) and Santa Clara (this season) managed to advance to the NCAA tournament besides Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. This illustrates how dominant those two programs were.
Among current conference members, Santa Clara Broncos have the best chance to fill the vacated role. They have NIL support and veteran coach Herb Sendek, who understands the transfer era. Pacific has shown progress under Dave Smart, and the Seattle Redhawks have potential due to location, although their home arena is outdated. Teams like Portland or San Diego, which previously might have seen investment as futile while competing with Gonzaga, now have a path upward.
One key challenge for the WCC remains the “black hole” in Southern California, where traditionally strong programs Loyola Marymount Lions and Pepperdine Waves are struggling. Pepperdine, however, is showing willingness to invest, beginning construction of a new $250 million athletics complex. Forming a new hierarchy in the conference may take years. The emergence of a second Gonzaga is unlikely, but the rise of a new Saint Mary’s is possible — and the Gaels themselves, who promoted former assistant Micky McConnell to head coach, could be that team.
Thus, although the era that defined the WCC for decades has ended, the conference has no reason to panic. It faces the difficult task of rebuilding and investing, but it also has a unique opportunity to redistribute power and grow new leaders. The WCC’s future will depend on how effectively the remaining universities seize this “window of opportunity” left by the departure of the giants.
Arrest in West Seattle: nearly decade-long hunt for Washington’s most wanted ends
After nearly ten years on the run, one of Washington state’s most wanted criminals has finally been arrested. The arrest is the result of months of coordinated work by multiple law enforcement agencies that never stopped trying to find the person who fled justice after a serious crime.
On April 2 in West Seattle, 36-year-old Jerry Denson was arrested. Denson had been on Washington’s most-wanted list since 2017. As MyNorthwest.com reports (https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/seattle-arrest-most-wanted/4224482), the search began after a tragic incident on March 17, 2017. More than nine years ago, Denson, allegedly driving under the influence, was involved in a crash on Interstate 5 in Kent. A 28-year-old passenger was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. When the suspect failed to appear in court in October 2017, an arrest warrant was issued and he went into hiding.
Understanding why the search took so long requires explaining the structure of U.S. law enforcement. In this case, the search involved not only local police but specialized units. Detectives from the Washington State Patrol (WSP), the Organized Crime Unit, and the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Fugitive Task Force — a federal agency responsible for capturing particularly dangerous fugitives — all participated. Their joint work in recent months helped narrow the search and locate Denson. Captain Trisena Scharff, who leads the WSP Criminal Investigations Division, emphasized the principled nature of this work in a press statement: “No matter how much time passes, we will continue to pursue those who evade accountability for serious crimes.” She also said the arrest was the result of “relentless investigative work and strong partnerships,” expressing hope that it will bring “at least a measure of justice to the Brannon family” — likely relatives of the deceased.
A key fact is the $100,000 bond set for Denson. That substantial amount reflects the seriousness of the charges and the perceived danger posed by the suspect. The arrest of someone who evaded capture for so many years sends an important signal to other fugitives and to the public, demonstrating that the justice system does not forget unsolved cases. This is a story of a long but inevitable march toward accountability, where modern investigative methods and interagency cooperation ultimately thwarted attempts to remain hidden.
