KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
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Stories
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Citing audit as 'last straw,' officials seek to dissolve King County Regional Homelessness Authority
The King County Regional Homelessness Authority has had a rocky tenure, and now there are questions about its future in the wake of a new audit released Wednesday.
Seattle and King County launched the agency five years ago to better coordinate efforts on homelessness. But money management issues have dogged the agency, and now some elected officials say it’s time to end it.
RELATED: Seattle mayor has 'serious concerns' for homelessness agency after audit
The agency is the product of an agreement between Seattle and King County, with Seattle contributing the lion’s share of the funding. The idea was to coordinate efforts to address homelessness among the 39 cities in King County and avoid fragmentation and duplication. The agency coordinates and awards grants to a network of service providers and gathers data, including the Point in Time Count.
But Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has bypassed the agency in her most recent efforts to add 1,000 units of shelter and emergency housing. Now this new audit is adding to the criticism about a lack of accountability and progress at the KCRHA.
The audit, by the Bellevue-based firm Clark Nuber, said the King County Regional Homelessness Authority was in the red by $48 million when the study concluded last summer. It found $8 million could not be accounted for at all.
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Tacoma-Seattle fast ferry 'unlikely' to launch ahead of World Cup
A proposed fast passenger ferry between Tacoma and Seattle is "unlikely" to hit the water ahead of the World Cup as officials had hoped.
In September 2025, Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello made a proposal to Port of Tacoma commissioners to make it easier for people to get to and from Tacoma during the World Cup matches hosted at Seattle's Lumen Field. He wanted to roll out two 29-passenger, 100% electric "high-end water taxis" between the two cities this June, in time for the games, and continue service under a pilot program for a year.
"We've long wanted to figure out how we [can] harness the water to move people around Puget Sound more efficiently and, dare I say, more enjoyably," Mello told the Port of Tacoma Commission on Sept. 16.
His vision might come to the Sound yet, but not in time for the games.
RELATED: Seattle World Cup matches are 2 months away. How are city agencies preparing?
"Discussions are still ongoing to pursue a new electric foot ferry, and while we had hoped to debut this in time for the World Cup as a legacy project, we are unlikely to meet that ambitious timeline," Pierce County Economic Development Department spokesperson Andriana Fletcher told KUOW in an email this week.
Fletcher said "many factors" contributed to the delay, among them "disruptions to federal government operations that affected the Coast Guard's vessel inspection and certification process."
"While the program is moving ahead, there is no set timeline," Fletcher said in response to follow-up questions.
The pitch in September was ambitious.
Pierce County's director of economic development at the time, Betty Baublits, proposed eight daily trips between Tacoma and Seattle, serviced by two vessels from an Irish company called Artemis Technologies; Baublits said the boats would be leased from one of the company's investors.
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Not just a 'Normal' action movie: A refreshing upgrade to modern shoot-em-up flicks
With some well-placed comedy and depth, "Normal" stands out among the pack of modern action films with highly choreographed fights and explosions. This film offers something a bit different for fans of "John Wick" style action.
If you look close enough, something isn't quite normal in the town of Normal.
OK, yeah, that's a pretty cheesy way to describe "Normal" (countless critics are likely to use this obvious line), but that doesn't just convey the basic gimmick of the story. This is a refreshing upgrade to what has become normal for modern action films — highly choreographed fights that reach ludicrous heights, increasingly intense ways to off bad guys, and considerable world building.
RELATED: Action, comedy, and Beastmode. 'Love Hurts' is classic movie theater fun
"Normal" comes from the mind of Derek Kolstad, the creator of "John Wick" (which ushered in this cinematic era) as well as "Nobody." Directed by Ben Wheatley, and supported by some great casting — including Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, and Lena Headey — "Normal" stands out from the modern pack of shoot-em-up flicks. This is largely thanks to some well-placed comedy amid the over-the-top action.
The sheriff of the small town of Normal has died. Stepping in as a temporary replacement is Sheriff Ulysses (Odenkirk). He's pretty laid back. In fact, Ulysses is his first name, which he displays on his badge using a label maker. Despite his down-to-Earth demeanor, Ulysses can't help but feel something is off with this small town in the middle of nowhere Minnesota.
"This town, Normal, has all elements of that very small town where everybody knows each other, everybody's on each other's nerves, everybody's up each other's asses," Odenkirk said in a statement. "They take each other for granted, and they love each other, and they're a little too close. It’s got that element running through it, and we get to make light of that and make the most of it.”
While other middle America main streets are dying, this town can raise millions to preserve its historic buildings. The sheriff's headquarters has an armory so well stocked, big cities would be jealous. If Ulysses looks too close, the results could be explosive.
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Top 3 scenes where Regé-Jean Page carries wooden crates in 'You, Me & Tuscany'
"You, Me & Tuscany" offers a few rom-com laughs and gorgeous Tuscan scenery. But one aspect that stands out most is how many times actor Regé-Jean Page is seen carrying around wooden crates.
Seriously, it's a lot.
Whether it's wine, produce, or some other thing, chances are that if Page's character Michael is on screen, he has a wooden crate under his arm as he walks across the room. While I don't encourage unhealthy behavior, someone could turn this into a pretty good drinking game.
RELATED: 'The Drama' is a half-baked comedy about wedding stress and cancel culture
Given that it's Regé-Jean Page, these are the most handsomely packaged crates in the history of film. I mean, let's be real here. This man comes with chiseled abs, a charming smile, an English accent, and is bringing you food and wine. Who in their right mind wouldn't lock this down?!
Before I dive into the particulars of the movie, here are my top three scenes where Page is carrying crates in "You, Me & Tuscany":
- Delivering a wooden box with wine to a shop owner in his small Tuscan town.
- Bringing fresh vegetables from the market to the family restaurant.
- Delivering wine to a family gathering.
- Honorable mention: While it's not a wooden crate, he also makes a late-night delivery of fresh-cooked food to the main character, Anna.
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Another year, another drought emergency declared in Washington state
As Washington's current snowpack conditions become worse than last year, a statewide drought emergency has been declared. It's the fourth drought emergency for the state in as many years.
According to Casey Sixkiller, director of the Washington State Department of Ecology, "widespread shortages and challenges across our state" are expected.
"Going into April with half of our usual snowpack is alarming,” Sixkiller said. "... Issuing a drought emergency now helps water users prepare for what is likely to be a very difficult summer. This is becoming an all-too-common experience and is another example of how climate change is visibly reshaping our landscape."
RELATED: Northwest starts to feel the heat following un-snowy winter
The Department of Ecology declared the drought emergency on April 8. Above normal temperatures and below normal rain is expected through June. A declaration like this is called for when the state has less than 75% of its normal water supply. The official emergency allows the state to distribute $3 million in grants and speed up water right permits.
Ecology notes that Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett anticipated a drought this year and began planning for one over the past winter. Therefore, they do not expect to be impacted by the drought. Other parts of the state may face challenges, however.
The news might sound odd to Washingtonians after the region saw 104% of normal precipitation between October 2025 and February 2026. The winter, however, was quite warm and most of that precipitation fell as rain, not as snow in the mountains. That contributed to severe downstream flooding in December. The ocean got most of the water that Washington usually saves as snow in the mountains.
Mountain snow is important for Washington. It's where the water supply is built up over winter and stored. It melts in the summer, sending water down rivers and streams for use throughout the state. Less mountain snow means less summer water for hydropower production, agriculture, fish and wildlife.
RELATED: Why allergy season in the Northwest is nothing to sneeze at
“After our warmest December on record, we finally began to build snowpack in early January before an extended mid-winter dry spell through early March stopped snow accumulation in its tracks,” said Karin Bumbaco, deputy state climatologist with the Washington State Climate Office.
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Nearly 3 years after outcry, audit finds rural Washington jail in a better place
Ivan Howtopat’s mother Melissa has heard anecdotes about the booking process at the Klickitat County Jail in Goldendale in recent years. And they’re positive — people describe in-depth screenings checking into their substance use and mental health.
“I feel a little bit better about the safety of people in jail now,” she said. “In this jail.”
Nearly three years after her son died by suicide while suffering from fentanyl withdrawal in the Klickitat County Jail in south-central Washington, a March 12 audit finds conditions are improving there. That’s after county commissioners removed the jail from the sheriff’s oversight and created a department of corrections, as required by a legal settlement with Howtopat’s family.
Under the settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit, the county agreed to pay the family $2 million and implement changes at the jail, including enhanced staff training and policies on suicide prevention.
In the meantime, Melissa Howtopat has campaigned for changes that she hopes could prevent future harms. In addition to the legal settlement, she takes posters of Ivan to community events, and she worked to pass a state law known as Ivan’s Law, warning young people about the dangers of fentanyl.
“There’s a lot of ways that we are still honoring him and doing the settlement was one of them,” Howtopat said.
She said when Ivan was arrested for violating probation, multiple relatives told deputies he suffered from addiction and needed to be closely monitored. But jail officials failed to catch signs that he was at risk for suicide. He was dead five days later.
Ivan Howtopat’s death and the near-death condition of another woman, both enrolled members of the Yakama Nation, sparked criticism of the jail’s leadership: Sheriff Bob Songer, known for his embrace of the “constitutional sheriff” movement, and his appointed jail supervisor Loren Culp, a Republican who has run for office.
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs said Culp was removed from membership in 2024 for "numerous offensive social media posts."
Klickitat County commissioners considered closing the jail entirely and sending inmates to Oregon — but ultimately they kept the jail, under new leadership.
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Death Cab for Cutie, Turnstile, Bikini Kill, De La Soul, and more coming to Bumbershoot 2026
Bumbershoot's 2026 lineup boasts veterans of the Northwest music scene as well as global artists and music legends.
RELATED: Capitol Hill Block Party '26 leans into electro dance pop line up
The list includes Bikini Kill, Death Cab for Cutie, and Japanese Breakfast. Bumbershoot is also bringing in hip hop greats De La Soul, and the Grammy Award-winning hardcore band Turnstile. Check out the full two-day lineup below.
The 53rd Bumbershoot returns to Seattle Center over Labor Day Weekend, September 5-6. The festival is rolling out a few changes this year. There will be three ticket options:
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Coming soon: Lawsuit challenging Washington state's 'millionaires tax'
Washington's "millionaires tax" was largely expected to pass its state Legislature this year. It was just as certain that lawsuits would follow, challenging its constitutionality.
“Since lawmakers and the Governor have chosen to ignore both the constitution and decades of settled case law, we will act,” said Jackson Maynard, executive director of the Citizen Action Defense Fund, in a statement. “This lawsuit is about upholding the rule of law and ensuring that Washingtonians are not subjected to an unconstitutional tax scheme.”
RELATED: Latest version of Washington state’s proposed ‘millionaires tax’ has Gov. Bob Ferguson’s support
Citizen Action Defense Fund announced its intention to sue on the heels of Gov. Bob Ferguson signing the high-earners tax into law Monday morning.
"There's going to be a public conversation around this in the days and weeks and months ahead, as there should be of something of this historic nature," Gov. Bob Ferguson said at the bill's signing event.
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The potential return of the Seattle SuperSonics and the Sonics Guy who never gave up hope
After 18 years without an NBA team, Seattle-area basketball fans see hope on the horizon. It's a hope for a return of the SuperSonics that one fan never lost.
The National Basketball Association Board of Governors voted Wednesday to explore expanding the league with two new teams in Las Vegas and Seattle. It means that if new owners step up, and the NBA can work out a few other details, then Seattle can once again be home to the SuperSonics.
RELATED: Locals respond to potential return of the Seattle SuperSonics — not just a regular team
The Sonics left town in 2008 after being moved to Oklahoma City. But Tacoma's Kris Brannon never stopped showing his Sonics pride and keeping the team's spirit shining throughout the region. He became known as the "Sonics Guy."
Brannon passed away five years ago at 47.
"He was kind of a larger-than-life person," said Zaraya Skea, Brannon's younger sister. "He lit up every room whenever he came into it and he just loved making people happy, he loved spreading happiness."
Sonics Guy was the ultimate fan. Despite the absence of the SuperSonics, he continued to dress head-to-toe in Sonics gear as he frequented farmers markets, city hall meetings, sports events, and more. He always brought a big Sonics sign with him. And Brannon never gave up the cause of bringing the SuperSonics back to Seattle.
"I think he would be celebrating with other fans and friends," Skea said. "He would be very happy, but I think he would also be cautious."
That's because past efforts to bring the team back to town were never successful and hopes were crushed. Seattle fans have often lurched from despair to hope and back. Not for the Sonics Guy, however, who kept shooting for a future win.
KUOW's Kim Malcolm also spoke with Seattle Now producer Vaughan Jones for an update on the potential return of the SuperSonics. Listen to the full segment by clicking the audio above.
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Locals respond to potential return of the Seattle SuperSonics — not just a regular team
The potential for a return of the SuperSonics to Seattle is not exactly a slam dunk, yet. But now that the NBA's leadership officially favors exploring expansion to Seattle, it scores some big points toward the city winning a team once again.
Now, locals are not only celebrating that serious steps are finally being taken, but also the return of hope. There is hope that the Sonics will return after painfully being taken away in 2008, that Squatch will lead cheers, and that songs will again rattle the roof, proclaiming that the SuperSonics, oh yeah, are not just a regular team.
"Seattle is a resilient town full of huge basketball fans," said Danny Ball, host of the Iconic Sonics podcast.
Despite many years without Seattle's NBA team, Ball has been podcasting about the SuperSonics for years, keeping the spirit of the team alive through conversations with players, such as Shawn Kemp, Lenny Wilkens, Gary Payton, and Detlef Schrempf. He also illuminated fans like Duff McKagen and Sir Mix-a-Lot.
RELATED: 'The most tangible sign' the SuperSonics will return to Seattle
"We got to this moment because of people like Kris Brannon aka Sonics guy, and Lenny Wilkens, and Slick Watts, and so many others that aren't with us anymore that are smiling down on Seattle today," Ball said. "I'm happy to say I may have played a small part in this, but even more so I'm happy for this city ... there are still so many fans, they deserve this thing to finally happen for real."
At this point, the potential for a return of the SuperSonics balances on the term "exploration." The NBA Board of Governors approved a plan Wednesday morning that allows the league to “formally explore potential team expansion" in Las Vegas and Seattle. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver echoed that sentiment in a statement saying the "vote reflects our Board’s interest in exploring potential expansion."
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King County staffers say new executive's return-to-office push ignores crucial details
King County employees are pushing back hard over their return-to-office mandate, with questions both pragmatic and philosophical.
Their new boss, Executive Girmay Zahilay, is requiring they report to office buildings three days a week by June 1, while giving departments the discretion to figure out the details. He said the move is intended to improve service to the public.
But union leaders and employees said the planning has been rushed and unresponsive to their concerns.
King County closed its Administration Building next to the downtown Seattle courthouse during the pandemic, and never reopened it. The offices it housed have relocated. But standing in the lobby, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn said its shadowy spaces are symbolic of a work-from-home culture that he’s determined to change.
“Let me just tell you, as I stand around here, I am the least popular person in King County government,” Dunn said on a recent weekday.
Last year Dunn, a Republican, introduced legislation requiring county employees to work in the office three days a week. The proposal didn’t pass, but Dunn said it created political momentum for the return-to-office process that Zahilay is now pursuing.
“It’s really hard to say, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s draconian to bring us back three days a week,'” Dunn said, “because most Americans are out there working in the office — in most cases, more than that. So it was designed to force the hand of whomever was going to be the new exec.”
Office workers make up about a quarter of the county’s roughly 19,000 employees. Dunn said he wanted to head off attempts by labor unions to enshrine remote work for office workers permanently. He said in-person work is key for collaboration, morale, and building public trust.
Zahilay has delivered a similar message, calling for better visibility and customer service through what he calls “boots on the ground.”
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'Today is the most tangible sign' the SuperSonics will return to Seattle
If sports fans are superstitious, then they've probably noticed that a week after Howard Schultz moved out of Seattle, the city got the first serious indication that the SuperSonics could return.
"Today is the most tangible sign that NBA basketball, not only could be returning to Seattle, but that there is a timeline expected for the return," said Danny O'Neil with The Dang Apostrophe sports newsletter.
RELATED: How to talk Seattle sports in Seattle when you don't know ball
The NBA's board of governors is meeting March 24-25 in New York. On the agenda is a vote to allow an expansion of two new teams — one for Seattle and another in Las Vegas. Ever since the SuperSonics left Seattle in 2008 (moved to Oklahoma City and rebranded as the Thunder), there has often been hearsay and plenty of speculation of a return, but nothing concrete. A Seattle mayor even teased the city about a potential return (the joke was not well received).
O'Neil notes that a vote on an NBA expansion has been expected for years, but hasn't happened for various reasons. But with actual business in front of the NBA's leadership this month, it is the first official indication that Seattle could get the Sonics back.
According to ESPN, there is now momentum for an expansion. The upcoming vote is just a first step, but if ultimately approved, a new Seattle team would begin playing in the 2028-29 season. The cost of a new NBA team could range from $7 to $10 billion. It is unknown who would step up to pay that sum, but O'Neil speculates that an investment group linked to the development of Climate Pledge Arena would be most likely.
"If, later this month, this is brought to a vote in front of the NBA board of governors, and they have 23 of the 30 owners who vote in favor of expansion, you will see a headline that says, 'Seattle is going to be offered an expansion franchise,' 'NBA OKs expansion'," O'Neil said. "The next step is to set the price tag ... somebody is going to get the privilege to offer a whole ton of loot in order to be awarded this expansion franchise."
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