KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
Have any leads or feedback for the KUOW Blog? Contact Dyer Oxley at dyer@kuow.org.
Stories
-
First bills drop ahead of Washington's 2025 legislative session
Politics
The Washington State Capitol building is seen on the first day of the legislative session, Jan. 8, 2024, in Olympia, Wash.Lindsey Wasson / Associated PressWashington lawmakers have begun teeing up legislation ahead of the 2025 session. Permanent standard time, immigration policies, and fentanyl penalties were among the proposals pre-filed on Monday, Dec. 2.
Monday marked the first day lawmakers could pre-file bills. Legislators will have 105 days to push their ideas through the process after the session kicks off on Jan. 13.
There’s no guarantee a pre-filed bill will receive a hearing, the first step on the journey to getting signed into law. Committee chairs make those critical decisions about which bills get an airing and which do not. By pre-filing, lawmakers hope to get their ideas on the radar of those setting agendas for committee meetings.
Here’s a look at a few bills now in the hopper.
Another push to ‘ditch the switch’
If there’s one thing that brings Democrats and Republicans in Olympia together, it’s their dislike of the twice-yearly clock switch to and from daylight saving time.
For years, lawmakers have tried and failed to “ditch the switch” with either permanent daylight saving time or permanent Pacific Standard Time. It seems this year is no different. With Senate Bill 5001, Sens. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, and Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, are joining forces to get Washington to implement permanent standard time.
Their proposal is modeled on a similar bill that did not make it through this year. The Legislature approved a law in 2019 to put the state on permanent daylight saving time, but Congress needs to approve a federal policy before that law can take effect. Switching to permanent standard time, however, does not require federal approval.
“Let’s end this nuisance once and for all,” Wilson said in a statement. “No more springing forward and falling back. Let’s set our clocks one more time and make that the end of it.”
The proposal may still be a long shot. Washington lawmakers will need to work with those in neighboring states to ensure they keep clocks across the region in sync. A similar bill in Oregon also failed earlier this year.
And, though most people agree the switch should go, experts disagree over which option is healthier and safer for humans. Permanent Pacific Standard Time means the sun rises and sets an hour earlier in the summer. In Western Washington during June, that would mean the sun sets at around 8 p.m. and rises around 4 a.m.
Continue reading » -
Voodoo Doughnut's Seattle sweet spot is about to open in Capitol Hill
Food
Voodoo Doughnut was founded in Portland, Ore. The shop is opening a Seattle location on Capitol Hill on Dec. 10, 2024.Courtesy of Voodoo DoughnutAfter a year of planning, Voodoo Doughnut is ready to open in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.
The doughnut shop known for bizarre flavors will open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 1201 Pine Street.
"Capitol Hill is the perfect home for our first Seattle shop," Voodoo Doughnut CEO Chris Schultz said in a statement. "We're not just opening a store; we're joining a community."
RELATED: Is Portland infiltrating Seattle? Which city wins?
The first 50 customers will get exclusive swag.
Voodoo's arrival in Seattle has been long in the making. News first broke of the doughnut shop's Capitol Hill plans more than a year ago. At that time, the company told KUOW that it estimated it would hire about 75 people to cover a 24/7 operation. It also planned to spend $500,000 to remodel the space on Pine Street.
Voodoo is doughnating 20% of its first-day sales to Seattle's FareStart. The nonprofit provides food industry training for people transitioning out of homelessness, as well as life skills.
"We are thrilled to partner with Voodoo Doughnut, a company that shares our commitment for empowering individuals and building stronger communities," FareStart CEO Patrick D’Amelio said in a statement. "This collaboration allows us to blend their innovative spirit with our transformational mission, making a sweet difference together right here in Seattle."
RELATED: Voodoo Doughnut's plans for Seattle
Capitol Hill is Voodoo Doughnut's 22nd location in the U.S. While CEO Schultz previously told KUOW that Voodoo fans had long been asking for a Seattle shop, it is entering a crowded doughnut market in town. Top Pot and Mighty-O are well known in the city. Just up the street is Half and Half Doughnut Co. and General Porpoise. That adds up to a decent doughnut crawl across Capitol Hill, which is probably a good idea if you're going to eat all that sugar.
Continue reading » -
FOB Sushi Bar reopens after TikTok dustup, maintains 'excellent' rating
Arts & Life
Workers at FOB Sushi Bar in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood prepare the bar for its reopening on Dec. 3, 2024.KUOW Photo/Juan Pablo ChiquizaFOB Sushi Bar in Bellevue and in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood reopened Tuesday following a recent spate of social media attention that raised questions about raw fish safety.
"We are really excited to be reopened," said Vincent Chen, who co-owns FOB Sushi Bar with his three brothers. Lunch customers trickle in at the Belltown eatery on Fourth Avenue and Blanchard Street. "We made sure that our serving standard is safe."
Public health officials conducted an investigation of the Belltown location on Nov. 27 in response to a TikTok video circulating about the restaurant.
RELATED: Is that piece of salmon on your plate actually wild or is it farmed?
According to Public Health — Seattle and King County, inspectors found no food code violations and awarded the restaurant an “excellent“ rating, the highest possible, as it did in January after a previous inspection.
As part of the inspection, the restaurant provided paperwork detailing where the fish was sourced and how it was handled before arriving at the restaurant.
“This is probably more important for fish and seafood than anything else,“ said Eyob Mazengia, who runs the Food Safety program at Public Health Seattle-King County.
The documentation also included information about parasite destruction, a process that involves freezing the fish.
“What the freezing does is it actually kills the parasite but does not mean it kills bacteria,” Mazengia said.
Continue reading » -
Seattle offers places to shelter during cold nights ahead
Tents are blanketed in snow on S. Washington Street in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle on Monday, February 11, 2019.KUOW Photo/Megan FarmerWith low temperatures hovering near freezing in the Seattle area for the first half of this week, King County is extending operations of its emergency overnight shelters until Wednesday morning.
The King County Regional Homelessness Authority coordinates with cities to open emergency shelters and warming centers.
The agency’s Tier 2 Severe Weather Protocols include the opening of day centers for women, families, children, and young adults. There are also daytime warming centers across the region and overnight severe weather shelters at a variety of locations.
To find a warming shelter near you, call 211.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Seattle is warning drivers and commuters about areas of dense fog across Western Washington. Forecasters are urging drivers to slow down and use low-beam lights and fog lights.
Lows in Seattle are expected to dip to 34 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday nights before inching back up into the high 30s and low 40s later in the week, and into the weekend. The highs for the next week will be in the mid-40s through Wednesday before increasing to around 50 degrees over the weekend. With those higher temps, will come an increase in the change for rain starting Friday and running through the weekend.
Continue reading » -
'Ctrl + Salt + Delete' and other names Redmond just gave its snowplows
A snow plow clears icy roads in Redmond.City of Redmond.The City of Redmond is the latest to have the honor of bestowing names upon its heroes. And by heroes, we mean snowplows — the machines that go forth into the white flurry of road disruptions. Without them, roads would be an icy wasteland few could cross.
It should probably come as no surprise that a community like Redmond, filled with tech companies like Microsoft, chose a name like "Ctrl + Salt + Delete." See the four other names the city chose below.
RELATED: More than 130 people work to clear Seattle roads of snow
“Not only do these plows play an important role in keeping our city safe during winter storms, but the playful names chosen by our residents also show the resilience and innovation that define Redmond," Redmond Mayor Angela Birney said.
The city got five new snow plows this year and asked locals to name them. A total of 583 people submitted names. Staff picked 14 they felt stood out, and the final decision was put up for a vote.
The five new names include: Ctrl + Salt + Delete, Scoop Dogg, Snow-begone Kenobi, The Big Leplowski, and Betty Whiteout.
The upcoming winter forecast for Washington is for a "weak La Niña." As of Nov. 21, the National Weather Center's Climate Prediction Center said the Northwest is slated for below average temperatures and some regular precipitation (though the forecast over the next month says temps will lean above average). So, some icy weather is possible.
The plows' new names will be painted on their sides. The city uses liquid calcium deicer ahead of icy weather when it is forecast. When snow does fall, the plows use calcium chloride, salt, and sand on priority roads (routes around schools, emergency building, etc.), totaling 152 miles.
Residents can also see where the snow plows are in real time on the city's snow response page.
Continue reading » -
Drones and robbers. Redmond police take drones to the next level
Redmond police respond to a 911 call on March 22, 2024.If you call 911 in Redmond, don't be surprised if a drone shows up first instead of a police officer.
"This innovative technology allows police to quickly respond to incidents and assess a situation before patrol units arrive, enabling more informed decision-making and ensuring safer outcomes for officers and community members," a Redmond Police Department spokesperson told KUOW.
RELATED: Look, up in the sky! It's a drone ... painting over graffiti in Washington state
The use of drones is not new to police departments in Washington state. They've long been used to document car accidents by the Washington State Patrol, which has a drone fleet of more than 100. Spokane police have been using them for a few years. Redmond has been using them since 2019, but in April 2024 it created a unit dedicated to using drones alongside first responders. It was the first police department in Western Washington to have such a unit, utilizing officers with drone licenses.
What Redmond is doing now takes things to the next level — the drones can be the first responders. Previously, for police to use a drone, they had to be operated by a pilot and also have an observer watching it fly wherever it went. Now, the FAA has told Redmond that it doesn't need a human observer. This means, in response to a 911 call, Redmond police can dispatch a drone to be first at the scene, instead of a police officer in a patrol car. The drone launches from the roof of city hall, then a pilot can operate the drone anywhere it needs to be (within the usual rules: not above 250 feet, and not around airports or military sites).
This "enables the pilot to fly farther and eliminates the need to find another officer to assist," the spokesperson said.
Redmond police say the drones can arrive at a scene within three minutes, faster than patrol cars. The drone can then send video back to officers (on a computer, tablet, or phone), allowing them to assess the scene, send more officers, or call off the response if needed.
Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe calls it a "monumental step toward improving response times and enhancing public safety, efficiency, and potential applications.”
RELATED: How Washington plans to spy on seals, sea lions with drones
"Potential applications" include pursuing fugitives, de-escalation, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and documenting crime scenes.
"They are used to safely clear the interior of buildings, aid in suspect apprehension, document crime and crash scenes, and search for lost or missing persons," a spokesperson said. "Drones are also used to help assess structure fires. The drones have thermal imaging and cameras, which help officers locate missing persons or fleeing suspects in thickly wooded areas or assess potentially dangerous situations."
Continue reading » -
Foodborne illnesses and your Thanksgiving dinner. What to know
Food
As a food safety attorney who handles cases of E. coli, salmonella, and campylobacter outbreaks, Bill Marler thinks about food, a lot, especially around foodie holidays like Thanksgiving.
"Do not, under any circumstance, wash your turkey," Marler told KUOW's Seattle Now. "Don’t do that. You really have to treat poultry like it’s contaminated, because it likely is."
That's also the advice from the USDA, which notes that it's nearly impossible to wash bacteria off of a turkey. What will likely happen is you will splash and spray your kitchen and contaminate your home.
Most meat foodborne illnesses in the USA are caused by poultry with salmonella and campylobacter. Marler notes that, unlike hamburgers, contaminated poultry can still knowingly be sold on the market.
Marler also recommends cooking stuffing outside the bird, not stuffed inside as the name implies. Undercooked meat is another issue that keeps him up at night. Add all this up, and that is why Marler cooks his turkey outdoors.
The USDA says the minimum safe cooking temperature for a turkey is 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a minimum oven temperature of 325 degrees.
Continue reading » -
How to cut food waste during the holidays
Food
Department of Ecology's Jade Monroe shares her holiday shopping list.KUOW Photo/Ruby de LunaThe average American family wastes an estimated $3,000 worth of food each year. As we head into Thanksgiving, it’s an opportunity to reduce food waste and save money.
Jade Monroe with the state Department of Ecology said the key to reducing waste is to start with a shopping list. But before heading out to the store, she takes a couple more steps.
“If you make a shopping list while looking into your pantry, while looking into your fridge and freezer, the chances of you finding what you’re looking for is pretty high,” she said. “So, that shopping list will be the most efficient and cost saving possible as you go into the store.”
Monroe uses meal-planning calculators to help figure the quantity of ingredients to purchase for the eight guests she’s hosting this year.
RELATED: Tips from a top chef to beat holiday cooking stress
Monroe is the department’s Food Waste Reduction lead, which has a goal to cut food waste in half by 2030. Each year, more than 1.15 million tons of food in Washington end up in landfills, creating greenhouse gases. And it’s not just the loss of food but also resources and labor that went into farming, processing, and transporting food that are wasted, too.
Monroe said she makes sure she has enough to-go containers to pack up leftovers, usually two hours after dinner, for guests to take home later.
Her next-day plans for that extra turkey? “The enchiladas are really exciting to me!”
Continue reading » -
Planes, trains, and automobiles (and ferries): Thanksgiving travel times in Western Washington
Traffic is shown heading south on I-5 toward downtown Seattle on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.KUOW Photo/Megan FarmerIt's time for fall feasts with friends and family. Before you can watch a big parade, steal extra slices of pumpkin pie, pretend your loved one's special recipe with raisins is actually palatable, or get into heated arguments with your relatives, you have to get there.
In Western Washington, it's safe to say: Don't expect smooth and easy travel around Thanksgiving.
RELATED: Record number of people expected to travel for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving 2024 is Thursday, Nov. 28. Many also have Friday off for Native American Heritage Day. That potentially adds up to a four-day weekend with a lot of people traveling across town, Western Washington, and the USA.
The Port of Seattle expects about 1.5 million people to pass through Sea-Tac Airport between Nov. 21-30. Alaska Airlines alone is flying 230,000 Seattle passengers over Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 29 through Dec. 1). The airline notes that the number of Thanksgiving passengers is up 6% from last year. Alaska says Dec. 1 will be its busiest travel day of the year.
Sea-Tac forecasts three days around Thanksgiving with the heaviest traffic passing through the airport. Plan for heavy traffic to and from the airport. Sea-Tac's Spot Saver could be a good idea.
- Tuesday, Nov. 26: 161,000 people
- Wednesday, Nov. 27: 172,000 people
- Saturday, Nov. 30: 166,000 people
Washington State Ferries says about 300,000 people to hop on ferries across the system between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1. Long lines are expected. That means plan for wait times.
Boats are going to be most packed with cars Wednesday and Thursday on westbound routes and to islands, then Friday and Saturday going the other way. Very early morning, or late night times could be more freed up.
RELATED: Severe weather threatens Thanksgiving travel for millions as officials warn of delays
Amtrak says that more than a million passengers used its trains over the Thanksgiving holiday last year, which is 97% of pre-pandemic ridership. Expect trains to fill up again this year.
As for Sound Transit, there will be no Sounder service on Thanksgiving or Friday after the holiday. Other services may run on alternate schedules.
Driving and traffic for Thanksgiving 2024
After years of traffic data, the Washington State Department of Transportation has a pretty good idea of when and where the heaviest holiday road conditions will be in Western Washington. Four stretches of road are particularly busy around Thanksgiving:
- I-5 Lacey to Tacoma
- I-90 North Bend to Cle Elum
- US 2 between Skykomish and Stevens Pass
- I-5 between Bellingham and the U.S.-Canada border.
-
Bird flu continues to spread in Washington state. What to know about the virus
Health
Health officials continue to monitor the spread of bird flu in Washington state, where notable cases emerged over 2024.
The first human infections in the state were recorded this year, with more than a dozen people testing positive, mostly after close contact with infected poultry. The virus (H5N1) has also been found in commercially raised chickens, seals, and dairy cows, since first emerging at the beginning of the decade.
RELATED: More than 100,000 pounds of ground beef are recalled for possibly having E. coli
On Nov. 14, Woodland Park Zoo announced that a red-breasted goose died in a suspected case of bird flu. The zoo quickly isolated birds and restricted access to them. The Centers for Disease Control considers the current public health risk of bird flu to be low, but Peter Rabinowitz, the director of the University of Washington’s Center for One Health Research, says that can change.
“It’s certainly not going away and as long as it continues to circulate in farms and wild birds, it’s going to continue to pose a risk to people who have direct contact with infected animals," Rabinowitz told KUOW's Soundside.
Continue reading » -
Amtrak engineer on Seattle-bound train nearly impaled by fallen tree
A tree nearly impaled an Amtrak engineer near Stanwood, Washington, on Nov. 19, 2024.Washington State Department of TransportationA railroad engineer was nearly impaled Tuesday night when a Seattle-bound Amtrak Cascades train hit a fallen tree.
Heavy winds had blown the tree onto the BNSF Railway tracks near Stanwood, about 15 miles north of Everett in Snohomish County.
A weather station on Camano Island, just west of Stanwood, reported a 63 mile per hour gust shortly before the train ran into the tree.
The tree smashed through the rail car’s front window.
Continue reading » -
Climate pollution surges in Washington state after pandemic lull
Environment
In this file photo, morning commute traffic is shown on the West Seattle Bridge on Monday, September 19, 2022 in Seattle.KUOW Photo/Megan FarmerThough up-to-date information is hard to come by, energy use and climate-altering pollution appear to be on the rise again in Washington state.
After sharply dropping 14% in 2020 with the reduced commuting and economic activity of the Covid-19 pandemic, the state’s carbon dioxide emissions have bounced back 7% since then, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
If you want to keep tabs on the health of the state’s economy, you can track indicators like employment, home prices, and exports on a monthly basis. (Did you know that Washington exported $2.99 billion of manufactured commodities in September?)
But if you want to track the economy’s impacts on the planet’s health, you have to wait years.
Policymakers and advocates are essentially driving blind as they pursue the difficult goal of slashing fossil-fuel pollution fast enough to help stabilize the planet’s rapidly heating climate.
The Washington Department of Ecology plans to publish the state’s greenhouse gas emissions for 2020 and 2021 in December 2024.
The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment plans to publish an inventory of Seattle’s contribution to climate change for the year 2022 in December as well.
“It is a significant lag,” Washington Department of Ecology spokesperson Andrew Wineke said. “Everybody wants it to happen faster, and we are putting a team together to do that.”
The Environmental Protection Agency released state-level data for 2021 and 2022 in September 2024.
Continue reading »