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
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No bones about it: Students seek a Washington state dinosaur designation
You’ve probably heard of state flowers or state trees. In addition to such flora, Washington soon could have more state fauna – a dinosaur. A bill in the Washington House could pave the way for the prehistoric state symbol.
The ongoing quest to name a state dinosaur began in Amy Cole’s fourth grade classroom in 2019. Cole again supported a bill to designate the state dino during a public hearing Wednesday in the House Committee on State Government and Tribal Relations.
In 2019 As a first-year teacher at Elmhurst Elementary School in Parkland, Washington, Cole began a lesson on how government works.
“We talked about the importance of voting and being registered to vote,” Cole said at a public hearing for House Bill 1020. “And then in our textbook, there was one tiny, quick fact about a Massachusetts classroom that petitioned for the ladybug to be their state insect.”
Inspiration struck.
“I saw those wheels start turning,” Cole said of her students, “and I ran with it.”
Partially in honor of Cole’s dino-decorated classroom, the students decided to petition lawmakers to name Suciasaurus rex as Washington’s state dinosaur.
In 2012, paleontologists with the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle accidentally unearthed a 17-inch femur bone at Sucia Island State Park in the San Juan Islands. Scientists couldn’t determine exactly which dinosaur the left leg bone belonged to; however, they believed it likely was a theropod dinosaur, a type of carnivorous dino that includes the Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor.
Even though scientists couldn’t attach the femur to a specific type of dinosaur, they nicknamed the discovery Suciasaurus rex after the island on which scientists found it. As of now, Suciasaurus rex remains the first and only dinosaur discovered in Washington state.
This dinosaur likely roamed the earth 80 million years ago, which is at least 12 million years before the T. rex arrived, said Jason Zolle, staff counsel for the Office of Program Research for the state House of Representatives.
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3 key takeaways on the Seattle schools lawsuit against big tech
The impact of social media on kids is again under sharp scrutiny.
State and federal officials are investigating whether children and teens are more vulnerable to social media addiction and messaging that promotes dangerous habits such as self harm and disordered eating.
Now, schools are ringing alarm bells.
Seattle Public Schools on Friday filed a 91-page lawsuit against the companies behind TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube in a federal district court.
The public school district alleges that students are being recommended harmful content online, exacerbating a mental health crisis, and social media companies are allowing it to happen.
Here's what you need to know about the lawsuit.
The school system accuses social media platforms of increasing students' anxiety and depression
Seattle Public Schools alleges that the very design of these platforms, which seek to maximize the amount of time users spend on them, is flawed and dangerous–particularly to kids.
They argue that the longer people stay on social media, the more ads those companies sell and thus the more money they stand to make. And some features, such as push notifications, are designed to draw users in, making it hard to ignore, especially for kids, the school district alleges.
It also references studies that suggest teens who spend a lot of time using screens are more likely to receive diagnoses of depression or anxiety, encounter cyber bullying and not get enough sleep.
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'It is not too late': GOP responds to Inslee's 2023 State-of-the-State address
Washington's Republicans and Democrats may agree on which issues and challenges are most urgent in the state, but if there was one point made clear in the GOP response to Gov. Jay Inslee's State-of-the-State address Tuesday, they don't agree on what to do about them.
The address focused on a handful of core issues, providing a preview of hot topics the Legislature will pick up this session: homelessness, housing, behavioral health, climate change, public safety, and education. In turn, Inslee hyped aspects of his proposed budget under consideration by lawmakers this session.
RELATED: Gov. Jay Inslee's 2023 State-of-the-State address
Republican Rep. Peter Abbarno offered the GOP’s take on the status of Washington.
“There are those in power who, year after year, sell us a future based on fear,” Abbarno said. “They would have us believe the status quo is the best we can hope for, because for many of us, that is all we have ever known for a decade of the same people promising change that never comes. But I don’t believe that. I believe that by charting a new course, based on real solutions, that Washington’s best years are ahead of us and that we have it within our power to leave this beautiful state better off for our children and grandchildren.”
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6 points covered in Gov. Inslee's 2023 State-of-the-State address
Gov. Jay Inslee countered Washington’s many challenges with optimism in the state’s ability to overcome them, while also praising lawmakers’ recent work, during his 2023 State-of-the-State address Tuesday.
“Because of that work, I can proudly report that the state of our state is strong,” Inslee said.
Tuesday was the first time the governor delivered the annual State-of-the-State address in person at the Capitol in Olympia since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The address was given virtually in 2021 and 2022.
RELATED: Washington GOP counters Inslee's 2023 State-of-the-State address
The address focused on a handful of core issues, providing a preview of hot topics the Legislature will pick up this session: homelessness, housing, behavioral health, climate change, public safety, and education. In turn, Inslee hyped aspects of his proposed budget under consideration by lawmakers this session.
RELATED: 6 issues atop the agenda for the 2023 Washington Legislature
Leaning most heavily into the issues of housing and homelessness, at the core of Inslee's address was a list of priorities, arguing that Washington should be a state where:
- Where everyone is housed
- Where our schools are safe from gun violence, and students receive the mental and educational support they need
- Where the existential crisis of climate change is met by unmatched innovation; Where communities feel welcoming and safe to all
- Where all people have a constitutional right to reproductive freedom
- Where people struggling with mental health or substance use no longer fall unseen and unheard through the cracks
Washington's homelessness
“States across the country are seeing an increase in homelessness, and Washington is one of them. Why? There are multiple reasons. Though some people face behavioral health challenges or chemical addiction issues, the fundamental, underlying challenge is that we don’t have enough housing. It’s a difficult irony of having a strong economy. Well-paid workers flock here for jobs, forcing lower-paid workers to compete for housing. When there’s not enough housing for all, rents and prices skyrocket beyond what many can afford. Until we fix our housing crisis, thousands of people will remain homeless.”
“Again, until we fix our housing crisis, thousands of people will remain homeless.”
Housing
Inslee said that Washington is currently short 81,000 housing units and that the state needs another million over the next 17 years. He is proposing a $4 billion referendum aimed at speeding up construction of new housing units, including shelters, affordable housing, and supportive housing. The governor argues that the money “will turn into true assets that, once built, will provide a pipeline of affordable housing for tens of thousands of more people every year.”
RELATED: Inslee proposes billions for housing, would need voter OK
The referendum also proposes changes to the state’s ability to build housing. Inslee argued that residential zoning often prevents developers from constructing more dense housing structures, which are often more affordable options.
“We must finish the job we started last session to address middle housing and increase housing density within our communities," Inslee said. "There is a way to do this that respects the unique character of our towns and cities, while also responding to the reality that we are a growing, changing state.”
Climate
The governor highlighted climate efforts out of Olympia in recent years, such as the Climate Commitment Act in 2021, and a cap and invest program.
RELATED: Why Inslee says Washington can still meet carbon pollution goals
“We’ve passed several landmark policies that are transitioning us to clean transportation, clean electricity, and clean buildings," Inslee said. "Just last week, our clean fuel standard and cap-and-invest programs went into effect.”
“Now, our focus must shift to implementation and investment,” he said, further commenting that aspects of Washington environment are still under threat, pointing to the state’s efforts around salmon recovery. “Unfortunately, climate change will continue increasing the temperatures of our waters and killing salmon … let’s boldly continue our fight against climate change and salmon extinction this year.”
Public safety
“That phrase, ‘public safety,’ evokes different meanings and ideas among people. We need to escape the trap that public safety is about any one thing – mental health, gun safety, drug treatment, or law enforcement. The fact is, we need them all. One thing we know is that gun violence is a significant driver of increased crime. This isn’t a surprise considering the gun lobby has worked for decades against commonsense gun safety measures.”
Inslee urged lawmakers to advance gun safety proposals, such as a new requirement that gun buyers complete firearm safety courses; holding firearm manufacturers accountable when their products are used in crimes; a ban on the sale of military-style assault weapons.
RELATED: Washington governor, AG unveil 3 gun safety proposals
Included in his statements on public safety was a call to hire and train more police officers, sourced from within local diverse communities. Inslee added that 911 is not always the appropriate response to every emergency and praised the state’s efforts toward alternatives, such as the 988 system (a suicide and crisis hotline).
Education
Inslee noted the Legislature’s previous investment in school funding, “so they can hire more nurses, counselors, psychologists, and social workers.”
“I’m also hopeful we can increase funding for special education. I’ve proposed more than $120 million to better support school districts as they meet the needs of every student they serve, no matter how complex the needs. All told, my budget proposal increases K-12 spending by $3 billion. We know that circumstances have been difficult for students, educators, paraeducators, school bus drivers, and others who work in our schools."
Abortion rights
“The Dobbs decision last year on the national level upended decades of precedent that assured people across the country had at least some measure of constitutional protection for abortion care and contraception. That protection is gone for more than half the people in our country. And the new Republican majority in Congress this weekend made further abortion restrictions one of their top priorities.
"So, in Washington state, we are fighting to make sure that right remains protected. We must protect patient data and privacy. We must protect access from the threat of health care consolidation and cost barriers. We must protect patients and providers from persecution by vigilantes and activist politicians in anti-choice states. And we must pass a constitutional amendment that expressly establishes a fundamental right to reproductive freedom in Washington state.”
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Where is Seattle's 'right size' housing 'in the right place, and at the right price': Today So Far
The Seattle area has heard similar messages for years: the cost of living is expensive, there isn't enough housing, and we need a lot of new types of more-dense housing. But exactly what types of housing should we be talking about? Are there any dense housing options for families? Are they actually affordable? Those are questions a couple new housing assessments attempt to answer.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for January 10, 2023.
When I started dating Nina, I knew that there would be a long-term plan where her mother would come to live with us. There are a few reasons behind this from cultural to personal, but in the end, it would be a multigenerational household. So when we eloped in 2020, such plans began to take shape. Fast forward to today, and my consumption of curry dishes, papaya salads, and Tom Kha Gai has gone up considerably.
For this plan to work, we moved out of Seattle. Seattle is great for studios and one bedroom apartments, especially for professionals and tech workers hauling hefty paychecks. But it was difficult finding housing apt for our situation. I couldn't find a way to make it pencil out. Even if you could race to be first in line for a house or even a two-bedroom apartment, the affordability factor kicked in and let's just say that journalists don't make Amazon money. Plus, I'm not able to produce and sell enough plasma to make it financially feasible.
(Just because I know that person is out there, ready to write an email at a moment's notice: I'm kidding. I'm not actually trying to sell plasma to make rent. But I hope the point is made. Also, donating blood and plasma is a good thing that helps a lot of people, so you should consider it.)
RELATED: Ripple Effect — Seattle housing problems are pushing people further out
The Tacoma area is where we found refuge. Nina and I have added a commute to our work life, and we have further learned the limits of our region's mass transit system. Friends and family are further away. And it's a much farther trip to access any pinball machines (that's more of a me problem). I'm not oversharing all this as a tale of woe, rather as an anecdotal example. There are many other anecdotal examples out there, from various people pushed out of the city for various reasons. It's been happening for years. Our region has a housing shortage, and beyond that, the housing we often hear about doesn't cover the full spectrum of need. I've more often heard arguments for smaller Seattle apartments.
That it speaks to a point which Challenge Seattle made in its recent assessment of our region's housing needs. It's a point that stood out to me.
"Housing supply—at the right size, in the right place, and at the right price—is the solution to address today’s affordability crisis and meet tomorrow’s housing needs."
Challenge Seattle argues that, aside from certain zoning reforms, the region needs to start producing a lot more two- and three-bedroom units for families, instead of the closets ... er, I mean apartments that are available around town.
Yesterday, TSF covered what real estate and economic experts are noticing, and further predicting, about the Seattle-area housing market in 2023. But others, like Challenge Seattle, are considering the region's housing needs by looking a little further ahead. What housing will help most, beyond single-family homes and studio apartments?
Challenge Seattle is led by former Washington Governor Christine Gregoire who pulled together some of the region's top CEOs to workshop the issue. Their recent report points to zoning codes as a big factor, with much of the blame, again, being on an overreliance on single-family zoning. Challenge Seattle promotes allowing more duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes in our communities. Instead of one house, three or more units can serve a lot more people.
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Washington superintendent has an eye on Seattle schools' social media lawsuit
Washington state's Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal says his office will closely watch Seattle Public Schools' lawsuit against several social media companies, but there are no current plans for his office to get involved.
At a Monday press conference, Reykdal said that social media has created a different experience for young people than adults understand. He noted the positive attributes of social media — its ability to educate, advance knowledge, inquire, and connect people. But its effects don't end there, he argued, saying that the lawsuit is an "important way to shed light on a critical issue."
RELATED: Seattle, Kent schools' lawsuits against social media giants have a 'scientific basis,' expert says
"You can't just sell the positives of it without recognizing that some of the darkest things students see are on there," he said. "And that too has an impact and influence. These devices are with them every day...we were insulated. We had a chance to go through hard times, bumps and bruises, puberty and bullying and other tough things in a world where that didn't follow us home. It wasn't there when we woke up in the morning, it wasn't in our face in text and print and in social media, and in messaging.
"There is something profoundly different about being a young person on planet Earth today," Reykdal continued. "And if this lawsuit sheds light on that, and if the industry asks itself hard questions on how to double down on the protection of young people, I think that's good."
Seattle Public Schools is suing Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, and Meta (Instagram and Facebook), claiming they are creating a mental health crisis among students. The lawsuit argues that the companies have created a public nuisance by targeting social media products at kids. It notes that a whistleblower in 2021 revealed that Facebook knew its platform negatively affected teenagers, harming their perceptions of body image, and worsening eating disorders and thoughts of suicides. The school district is seeking damages, payment for treatment for excessive use, and more.
RELATED: 3 key takeaways on the Seattle schools lawsuit against big tech
Reykdal noted that suicide rates among public school students declined during the pandemic, but rose in 2022. He also says there is evidence the tech industry has done a lot to try to help young people and their families.
RELATED: Could now be the time to consider a post-social media future?
"Unfortunately, others hide behind some American ideology and unfortunately, it is damaging our young people," Reykdal said. "It is not OK to say whatever you want, wherever you want. In fact, it is illegal sometimes. Some speech is harmful, dangerous, hate speech and we've got to figure out how to limit this in some way that is within the law, protect people's First Amendment rights. But our kids are wearing this. So I welcome anything that changes the conversation, and quite frankly, moves it in some cases to the states. Because I think, if I might be candid with you, the rules have been cooked pretty well at the federal level to insulate folks from any meaningful liability, in the same way we see gun violence never landing on those who should take much greater responsibility."
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MacKenzie Scott is shaking up philanthropy's traditions. Is that a good thing?
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a series of devastating climate change-fueled events and high food and energy costs, 2022 was a year of significant turmoil. But at least in the philanthropy sector, there may be reason for optimism.
On December 14, 2022 billionaire philanthropist and novelist MacKenzie Scott announced that her donations since 2019 have totaled more than $14 billion and helped fund around 1,600 nonprofits. But as much as the scale, it is the style of giving that is causing a stir; it's targeted at a wide spectrum of causes, without a formal application process and--it appears--no strings attached.
"I cried!" admits Katherine Williford, chief growth officer of the international nonprofit Water For People, recalling the day in August 2022 that their $15 million grant was confirmed.
Williford said the previous January, a representative of someone only referred to as a "high net-worth individual" interested in promoting health and equality contacted them.
"We walked them through our plans, visions, finances. Then after six months we get $15 million with no restrictions or reporting requirements. We even offered to send an annual report or an update on the funding but they said, 'We trust you.' I've never had that happen in all my years in fundraising."
It was only when the grant was confirmed that Scott was revealed as the donor.
As of December 2022, Scott was the fifth richest woman in the U.S. with an estimated fortune of about $26 billion. Scott divorced Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos in 2019, and as part of the settlement, received a 4% stake in Amazon. That same year, she vowed to give away her "disproportionate amount of money" and to "keep at it until the safe is empty."
She rarely grants interviews and did not respond to a request for comment from NPR for this story. In keeping with her low-profile approach to gift-giving in the last several years, she has only vaguely explained her rationale for deciding whom to fund and, until December 2022, did not even have a website that tracked the gifts.
Initially, some potential recipients ignored Scott's representatives' emails or hung up on their calls, believing them to be scams or hoaxes. For many of Scott's recipients, it was the largest grant they have ever received.
The lack of information about Scott's team, method and decision-making process has invited some skepticism. Stanford University professor and co-director of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society Rob Reich told Bloomberg in 2021:
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Seattle area housing market shifts amid recession predictions: Today So Far
From Redfin to Zillow, real estate experts and economists are predicting a few changes in the housing market for 2023. Such predictions come as some expect a recession in the months ahead.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for January 9, 2023.
How close are you with friends and family? Would you buy a house with them? It's questions like these that a lot of homebuyers in the Seattle area are considering, according to one real estate company. Such measures may become more common as the region's housing and rental market go through major shifts in 2023, amid concerns of a looming recession.
Seattle real estate company Zillow made a series of 2023 predictions recently, and among them is this: "Buying with friends and family will gain momentum."
"Ultimately, this prediction comes down to affordability, which we think will be the main driver of the market in 2023," said Zillow senior economist Nicole Bachaud. "Mortgage payments for a typical U.S. home rose from needing 27% of median household income in January, to 30% in March, to 37% in October. That’s far beyond the 30% line where housing becomes a financial burden. People want to own homes, but many need help to get across that threshold. We expect more people will take uncommon measures to buy a house and start building equity, including buying with friends and family."
Bachaud further points to Zillow survey data which states that 18% of recent buyers made the purchase with a friend or relative, and 19% of prospective buyers currently intend to invest in a home with a friend or relative over the next year. Also, roughly "40% of buyers with a mortgage used a gift or loan from friends or family to help with their down payment."
Using the "Bank of Mom and Dad" isn't unheard of, but the bank of "My old pal Joe from college" or "Maybe Deborah will go in on this condo with us" is perhaps not so common. I've always said that becoming roommates with friends will either make you really good friends, or make you never want to speak to them again. Investing in a home has to take that to a whole new level. But this is the level our region seems to be at. As Bachaud mentions above, a lot of this is being driven by affordability. Zillow notes that home prices shot up in recent years. On top of that, mortgage rates recently rose considerably.
"This year, we are expecting affordability to stabilize," Bachaud said. "Home values should remain mostly flat in 2023, and may even continue to fall a bit ... While affordability will remain a major hurdle, households will at least have a much better idea of what a future home purchase will cost as they plan their budgets and savings goals."
Higher mortgage rates is a factor that has set off alarms over at Redfin, too, another major Seattle-area real estate company. Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather told KUOW that they're seeing the region's housing market react to the higher rates. Folks are sitting out the market, or looking for some other, more affordable, region to balance out the costs. Also, housing inventory is up, but it's not that more homes are being put up for sale, rather homes are sitting on the market for much longer. As long as the rates are high, Fairweather says the region's housing market is going to keep cooling off in the months ahead.
"Also, as the overall economy looks a little bit to be on shaky ground, a lot of economists, myself included, are expecting a recession this year," Fairweather said. "So it's not exactly good news for anybody in the economy, but if you happen to be in a position where you are ready to buy a home and are able to do so, then you are in the driver's seat. You can ask for concessions, you can have the home on your terms, at your pace. This is pretty unusual. There hasn't been a housing market like this in Seattle for at least four years, maybe even longer."
"The economy may be heading for a recession, and your personal income or employment may be put at risk. I think people underestimate that risk; they think that their job is safe if they've had it for a long time, but we've seen a lot of companies do layoffs. I think it's always something to be prepared for. Make sure you have an emergency fund. Don't stretch your budget with your housing budget and not have any money left over for saving for a rainy day."
*Note: There are a range of predictions about a potential recession in 2023. Exactly what that will look like is unknown. Some say it will be a softer experience, some say otherwise, and others say the economy it doing OK enough to weather a downturn.
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Seattle Queen Irene 'the Alien' Dubois headed to the Drag Race stage
Seattle is sending another drag queen performer to the national stage.
RELATED: Seattle queens come home for the holidays
Queen Irene "the Alien" Dubois is the second Seattle drag performer in a row, and fifth overall, to make it to the show Rupaul's Drag Race.
Other Seattle drag queens that have competed on Drag Race include, Bosco, Jinkx Monsoon, BenDeLaCreme, and Robbie Turner.
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Seattle hospital temporarily diverting some patients
UPDATE Jan. 9, 2023: As of Saturday night, Harborview Medical Center has returned to regular operations and is once again accepting patients as normal.
Original story published Jan. 6, 2023:
Harborview Medical Center has temporarily stopped accepting some patients due to excessively high patient volumes.
“Harborview Medical Center has made the difficult decision last evening, Jan. 5, to go temporarily on non-trauma medical divert. This includes triaging and diverting less seriously ill (non-trauma) patients to other area hospitals,” spokesperson Susan Gregg said via email.
Gregg said the decision will allow the hospital to maintain capacity to care for the most critically ill and for trauma patients.
Being on divert means the hospital is giving emergency services a cue to take lower-level patients to other hospitals.
This is the third time in the past six months that Harborview has decided to redirect some patients, according to Harborview's Mark Taylor.
Taylor said the decision is not taken lightly and is typically relatively rare.
No timeline has been given for how long patients will be diverted, but the situation is being reassessed regularly and staff say the hospital will return to normal operations as soon as it’s possible.
Hospitals across Washington state have been extremely full for months.
December was the busiest month on record for the Washington Medical Coordination Center, which helps transfer patients when they turn up at a hospital that can’t take them in.
The center received 662 requests for assistance, more than it received during the omicron surge in early 2022.
Hospital leaders say multiple factors are converging to stress hospital capacity, including staffing levels and difficulty discharging some patients who no longer need hospital-level care but can’t get a space in a nursing home or similar facility.
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Suspects in Christmas grid attacks planned additional crimes, prosecutors say
The men charged with attacking four substations in Pierce County on Christmas Day were plotting even more attacks on the power grid before they were arrested, according to federal prosecutors.
On Friday, prosecutors convinced a federal judge to keep Matthew Greenwood of Puyallup behind bars until he goes to trial. His alleged co-conspirator, Jeremy Crahan of Puyallup, faces a similar federal detention hearing on Tuesday in Tacoma.
The Christmas Day attacks were the latest in a string of at least 15 in the Northwest last year. Federal officials have been warning utilities of white-nationalist plots to target the nation’s electrical grid.
Prosecutors say, though federal investigations are ongoing, they have found no evidence yet of any political motivation for the Christmas attacks.
Greenwood’s attorney, assistant federal defender Becky Fish, said an addiction to methamphetamine led to poor judgment, and poverty and a baby on the way left her client desperate to make money.
“His record indicates to me is someone who whose judgment was not at its best, was not at its healthiest,” Fish said.
Charging documents state that Greenwood told the FBI he wanted to cause power outages so he could rob local businesses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg, of the Western District of Washington's violent crimes and terrorism unit, said Greenwood and Crahan cased another substation, driving around it with their headlights off between 2 and 5 a.m. two nights after Christmas. Greenberg said they also drove around with a chainsaw, looking for trees to cut down to knock out more power lines.
“Having committed these offenses and planning to do yet another similar but slightly different, equally dangerous power attack, again, shows that this is a defendant who is at high risk of reoffending,” Greenberg said.
Rather than detention, Fish urged Greenwood be enrolled in a 30- to 45-day drug treatment program, with electronic monitoring of his location. She said he was not a serious flight risk.
“His baby is going to be born soon in this district. He has every reason to stay here,” Fish said.
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Police vehicle pursuits could be hot topic at WA Legislature – again
Citing “a growing sense of lawlessness,” some new coalitions of police, mayors and prosecutors say they will press state legislators to revisit current restrictions on police vehicle pursuits in the upcoming session. But defenders of the restrictions passed in 2021 say the new law is meeting its goal of reducing deaths among innocent bystanders.
In a Nov. 22, 2022, letter to legislators, Pierce County Prosecutor Mary Robnett said, “We urge the Legislature to repeal this prohibition and empower law enforcement to investigate crime, stop cars, detain suspects, and hold criminals accountable.” The letter was signed by 16 local mayors.
Under the current law a police officer may only initiate a vehicle pursuit if the officer has reasonable suspicion of a DUI, or probable cause for a violent crime or sex crime. Members of law enforcement say since the law passed nearly two years ago, pursuits have diminished and drivers routinely flout orders to stop.
Steve Strachan, executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, said the new law “creates such a high bar that it has changed the atmosphere to one where criminals just sort of have a knowledge that they can drive away and nothing can be done.”
Strachan said there’s broad agreement that police vehicle pursuits are dangerous, and many jurisdictions already had restrictions in place. He said he favors a balancing test that would still limit pursuits, but give police more discretion. WASPC called changing the law one of their top priorities for the coming session.
A bill that passed both chambers last year but failed to make it to the governor’s desk required that pursuits meet four criteria including that “the person poses a public safety risk, and the safety risk of failing to apprehend or identify the person is greater than the safety risks of the vehicular pursuit under the circumstances.”
State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Manka Dhingra, a Democrat, said at a legislative preview convened by Seattle CityClub on Friday that she views the current restrictions as successful at reducing the number of innocent people killed by police vehicle pursuits.
She said the impact of the restrictions has been exaggerated. Dhingra said she was on a call where a detective said new state laws were hindering sexual assault investigations, which prompted Dhingra to follow up. “I said, 'I’m sorry, in all my 18 years, of being a prosecutor, I have yet to see a case where a sexual assault predator gets in a car and flees and there’s a chase. Have you ever come across a case like that?'” She said the detective backed down, adding, “That’s just an example of how it’s politicized and not necessarily based on the rationale of what is good policy.”
Dhingra also said police can often arrest someone later rather than initiating a vehicle pursuit, and the person then faces an additional felony charge of eluding police.
But Senate Republican Leader John Braun disagreed, saying arresting people after the fact isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. “I would disagree pretty strongly with the notion that this is being politicized,” he said.
Still, Braun said the two parties aren’t as far apart on the issue as the public might believe. He said there’s broad support for some restrictions on vehicle pursuits.
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