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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Changes to Washington employment laws and wages in 2023
From changes to minimum wages, ride-share drivers, and employment transparency, new rules for Washington's employers went into effect at the start of 2023.
Washington state is joining California, Colorado, and New York City by becoming more transparent about pay in job postings.
"With the start of the new year, businesses with 15 or more employees now must include in their job postings the following information: salary range or pay scale; a general description of all benefits offered; and to identify if there is any other compensation that might come with this job," explained Pluribus News reporter Austin Jenkins on Seattle Now.
"The law is pretty prescriptive about these pay scales. They are not allowed to do open-ended phrases such as 'up to' a certain amount, or 'no top range.' They actually have to put a scale — a minimum and a maximum. And this is also information that needs to be provided to a current employee who is being promoted or transferred to a different position."
The reason behind the change is to help reduce gender-pay discrimination, and level the playing field.
The law also prohibits wage non-disclosure agreements. That means employers can’t stop employees from comparing or discussing their wages with colleagues.
"When this law was being debated in the Legislature, a big focus was on pay equity and traditionally marginalized workers, namely women and people of color," Jenkins said. "Backers of this law said this would make Washington more competitive for job seekers at a time when employers are struggling to recruit and retain workers, but they also said that this would create a more level playing field and address equity issues, noting the history of, particularly women and people of color, paying a price for trying to negotiate salary and benefits."
"Opponents countered that this would be a burden, especially on smaller employers, but the prevailing thought when this passed was — if this information is made available up front when you are applying for a job, not after you get it, it puts workers, especially certain marginalized workers, in a better, stronger position."
Minimum wage goes up in Washington state
Also, as of Jan. 1, Washington state now has the highest minimum wage in the country. It jumped from $14.49 an hour to $15.74 for workers 16 and older.
Workers younger than 16 will be paid $13.38 an hour.
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2 Puyallup men arrested for Christmas attacks on Pierce County substations
Two men from Puyallup have been arrested and charged for damaging four electric substations in Pierce County over Christmas weekend.
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Matthew Greenwood, 32, and Jeremy Crahan, 40, were arrested on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022. They have been charged with conspiracy to damage energy facilities and possession of an unregistered firearm. They are expected to appear in court Tuesday. Prosecutors will request that the two men be detained at the federal detention center in SeaTac.
RELATED: String of electrical grid attacks in Pacific Northwest
“I am so thankful for how quickly and diligently our investigators and partners worked to bring this to a resolution,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Seattle field office, in a statement. “This case took many of them away from their families during the holidays, but through their efforts, we have two men in custody we believe to be responsible for all four power station attacks. This demonstrates the commitment by all levels of law enforcement to protect our infrastructure and hold those accountable who put our community in danger.”
The DOJ states that the investigation looked at cell phone records and video from one of the substations. That video allegedly shows a pickup truck and a man with "distinctive clothing" at one scene. Investigators seized clothing as evidence when arresting the men, along with two short-barrel firearms that were not registered, one with a homemade silencer.
The Department of Justice alleges that the two men attacked four substations over Christmas weekend, including Tacoma Power's Graham and Elk Plain substations and Puget Sound Energy's Kapowsin and Hemlock substations. The DOJ states that damage to Tacoma Power's facilities are estimated to be around $3 million. Thousands throughout the region lose electricity as a result of the attacks.
“I commend the work by the FBI to quickly identify these suspects and disrupt any future attacks on the east Pierce County power grid,” said U.S. Attorney Nick Brown in a statement. “We have seen attacks such as these increase in Western Washington and throughout the country and must treat each incident seriously. The outages on Christmas left thousands in the dark and cold and put some who need power for medical devices at extreme risk.”
Conspiracy to attack substations is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Possession of an unregistered firearm is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The case was led by the FBI and included the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Tacoma Police Department, the Washington State Departmenf of Corrections, and the Federal Protective Service.
There has a been a trend of attacks on electrical substations across the Northwest and the United States. In early December, before the Christmas attacks, KUOW and Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that the electrical grid across Washington and Oregon had been attacked at least six times by unknown individuals, sometimes using firearms to knock out power. The attacks started in mid-November.
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Suspect in Idaho slayings not expected to fight extradition
STROUDSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man facing first-degree murder charges in the slayings of four University of Idaho students in November is not expected to fight extradition at a hearing Tuesday in Pennsylvania, where he was captured at his parents’ home.
Bryan Kohberger, a 28-year-old doctoral student and teaching assistant in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, was taken into custody early Friday by state police in eastern Pennsylvania, authorities said.
Monroe County’s chief public defender, Jason LaBar, said his client is eager to be exonerated and plans to tell a judge in Pennsylvania that he will waive his extradition hearing so he can be quickly taken to Idaho.
LaBar said his client should be presumed innocent and “not tried in the court of public opinion.”
Capt. Anthony Dahlinger, of the Moscow Police Department in Idaho, told The Associated Press on Saturday that authorities believe Kohberger was responsible for all four slayings.
“We believe we’ve got our man,” he said, adding that investigators obtained samples of Kohberger’s DNA directly from him after he was arrested.
Kohberger’s relatives in Pennsylvania have expressed sympathy for the families of the victims but vowed to support him and promote “his presumption of innocence.”
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Washington needs 6k new nurses. This new program could help — a little
There are lots of vacant jobs out there for registered nurses — in Washington state, about 6,000 of them. That nursing shortage can mean hospitals have to hire travel nurses at expensive rates, or sometimes they’re not able to staff all of their beds, which can lead to long wait times for patients.
Now, universities across the country, including one in the Puget Sound area, are starting new programs that aim to address that nursing shortage by getting people who want nursing jobs ready for them faster.
Normally, it takes four years to become a nurse. That means even if programs add more students, it’s a long time before there are more nurses ready to care for patients. Accelerated nursing programs, on the other hand, can train new nurses in 12 to 18 months.
In the Northwest, the University of Washington already has an accelerated nursing program. This fall, Pacific Lutheran University launched a new program to train new registered nurses in only about 16 months at its satellite campus in Lynnwood.
The students in Pacific Lutheran University's program “are getting equivalent training and education” to students in four-year programs, said Bridget Scott-Fletcher, a PLU nursing professor. “They are doing clinicals, and they’re getting a full gamut of experience so that when they graduate, they are confident, competent, and ready.”
Accelerated programs make it possible for non-traditional students — people who might already have a job, or a spouse and kids, for example — take the leap and switch to a career in nursing; taking 16 months to study can be more doable than taking four years off from working.
“Our students have very diverse backgrounds,” Scott-Fletcher said. “I have students who [are] coming out of careers such as marine science, a student who’s coming from a teaching career in elementary education, IT as well.”
Most accelerated nursing degrees, including the one at the University of Washington, require students to already have a bachelor’s degree in another subject. The Pacific Lutheran University program requires only about two years of college, along with certain prerequisites like anatomy and organic chemistry.
Pacific Lutheran University's program currently has 24 students who started in September. They’ll graduate in about a year. By 2025, the program will graduate about 170 students annually.
Correction 3/6/23: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Central Washington University has an accelerated nursing program. It does not.
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Why Seattle is fun ... sort of: Today So Far
As we exit 2022, I thought we could do something a little different and end the year with some appreciation and gratitude for the city and region we live in. But first, ask yourself: Is Seattle fun?
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for December 30, 2022.
What makes Seattle fun?
That's a question I posed to TSF readers and KUOW's audience earlier this month. You can read all about that here, but here is the gist: Seattle didn't rank very high on a list of "most fun cities," and I argued that "fun" depends on who you ask and what they feel is "fun." Beyond that, Seattle is part of a unique region, which is part of its overall "fun" appeal.
Some TSF readers weighed in, such as Coleman who lives in West Seattle and notes that it's a short drive to the water to spot some whales.
"During the summer and I eat ice cream and build sand castles on Alki Beach while my kids play in the Sound. Then I am a short walk to the 'Junction' which always has something to do. With Easy Street being the fun center of it all with live in-store events and delicious pancakes. West Seattle is most definitely fun."
Edwyna would disagree, and wrote me to say that Seattle is not "fun." It's beautiful, scenic, intellectual, and caring. It has museums, art houses, plays, and movies.
"But I would not ever describe our rich region as 'fun.' I would describe it as a lovely place to call home," Edwyna said. "....How about 'pleasurable'? Fun for me was surfing in Hawai’i where I lived for so many years, raising my family. Fun might be being with a girlfriend and both of us enjoying some activity or venue. Fun is playing with my great-granddaughter Peach Lilo Hokulani ... Fun is when my older daughter visits from Philadelphia and we are all together. Fun is getting ready for a holiday and we’re all squished in the kitchen at the same time."
The conversation among KUOW's audience over on Facebook had a similar range of responses. Some said that certain neighborhoods are more or less fun, or that Seattle was fun in the 1960s and has gone downhill since. One person really felt passionate that, "Gentrification has taken a toll on Seattle," which isn't really a comment on fun, so I'm not sure where that was going, but then again, it's social media, so there you go.
I also put this issue to KUOW's staff and got a range of reasons Why Seattle is Fun:
John Sullivan (IT) simply said, "Neon-bending lessons."
Clare McGrane (producer): "The ample amount of nerdy things to do!!! Game stores, barcades, comic-cons, etc. Also we have a great live music scene. We have a lot of great homegrown artists and spaces for artists of all size and genre to find an audience and play live."
*Note: While "barcade" is a common term used to describe arcades that are also bars, the name "Barcade" is trademarked. Seattle doesn't have any actual "Barcade" locations, but does have a wealth of arcades, pinball hubs, and other bars packed with fun.
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What Seattle has been checking out at the library in 2022 ... CDs?!
Throughout 2022, the Seattle Public Library has been noting what its patrons have been checking out, reading, and listening to. Recently, it's come up with a few interesting local observations. One such big takeaway: Seattle is still checking out CDs?!
Yep. The Seattle Public Library boasts a nice CD collection and locals are using it. While listing the most popular checked out items for different forms of media, the library notes the top checked-out CDs were:
- "30" by Adele
- "Raise the Roof" by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
- "In These Silent Days" by Brandi Carlile
- "Red" (Taylor's version) by Taylor Swift
- "Wet Leg" by Wet Leg
According to a spokesperson, while CDs are still offered and checked out, they are not among the most popular forms of media engaged with at the Seattle Public Library. Books, ebooks, and audiobooks are far more popular. Still, it's pretty cool that Seattleites are rocking the CDs, enough for the library to have a top-five list. The library also offers DVDs, video cassettes, and vinyl records. In fact, SPL has around 1,500 such records in its collection.
Across the entire library system, Seattle checked out more than 11,161,759 books in 2022. "The Sentence" by Louise Erdrich was checked out the most (3,135 times).
"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer was the top audio book checked out by patrons (4,914 times).
"The House of Broken Angels," by Luis Alberto Urrea was the top ebook (5,146 times).
When it comes to what Seattle is primarily interested in, it appears that readers around town are primarily interested in intrigue.
Seattle's top library genres in 2022
- Detective and Mystery
- Graphic novels
- Thrillers
- Historical fiction
- Cookbooks
Check out more observations and takeaways from 2022 at the Seattle Library's website.
Correction: This blog post originally implied that CDs were among the most checked out form of media at the Seattle Library in 2022. Rather, the CDs listed in this post were the most popular of that form of media, but CDs were not among the most popular forms of media in 2022. Books, ebooks, and audiobooks were far more popular.
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Suspect arrested in case of University of Idaho murders
Police have arrested a suspect in relation to the tragic murders of four University of Idaho students in November.
Seven weeks after the murder of four students in Moscow, Idaho, police say they arrested Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, Thursday night in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. Kohberger remains in Pennsylvania and has not yet appeared in an Idaho court.
Moscow police report that Kohberger was wanted on four counts of first-degree murder and felony burglary. Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI assisted with the arrest. CNN reports that an FBI team surveilled and tracked Kohberger for four days before the arrest was made.
RELATED: Moscow community reacts to homicides, pulls together while waiting for closure
“These murders have shaken our community and I know that no arrest will restore the families or bring these young students back," Moscow Police Chief James Fry said in a statement. "However, we believe in the criminal process and continue to extend our most sincere condolences to the families.”
“Since November, investigators have been laser-focused on pursuing every lead in our pursuit of justice. This complex case took extensive work to develop a clear picture of what occurred and I’m thankful to the dedication shown by members of the Moscow Police Department, Idaho State Police detectives and Crime Lab technicians and scientists, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the resources and personnel to conduct this massive investigation. It was persistent determination and extensive hours spent unraveling this case that led to an arrest.”
Moscow police report that the suspect, Kohberger, is a resident of Pullman, Washington, and is a graduate student at Washington State University, located about nine miles from Moscow, Idaho.
Police note that the case cannot move forward, and more information cannot be released, until Kohberger is brought back to Idaho and appears in court. Moscow police say that no bond will be issued and Kohberger can fight the extradition to Idaho.
CNN further reports that Kohberger was arraigned in a Pennsylvania court Friday morning, and that he has an extradition hearing on Jan. 3.
Since the murders in November, investigators asked for tips regarding a white sedan seen in the area at the time of the incident. Police have now seized a white 2015 Hyundai Elantra and are issuing search warrants for additional locations.
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Northwest Asian Weekly going online only, ceasing print operations
Asian newspapers in Seattle will undergo dramatic changes in 2023.
Northwest Asian Weekly will cease printing newspapers, and will convert to an online-only model. The Seattle Chinese Post will shutter both print and online operations. The final print editions for the Weekly and the Post will be Jan. 21, 2023.
The Northwest Asian Weekly is a popular English language weekly newspaper that covers Seattle's Asian community. The newspaper says it is moving to online publishing to "adjust to changing times." The paper says the online version will be updated more frequently.
The company also publishes The Seattle Chinese Post, a local Chinese newspaper. While the Weekly will continue online, the Post will cease all operations (print and digital) in 2023.
In a statement on its website, Northwest Asian Weekly explained that it started publishing the Post more than 40 years ago, making it the first Chinese newspaper in the Northwest since 1927. It soon started publishing the Weekly as well. Read the full statement here.
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Twitter faces eviction in Seattle
Twitter's Seattle office is facing eviction.
According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, the social media company stopped paying rent at its Seattle office. Now the company is facing eviction from the Century Square Tower in downtown Seattle.
This comes after reports that Twitter CEO Elon Musk stopped paying rent at its San Francisco headquarters and other global offices.
The remaining Puget Sound area Twitter workers will be allowed to work from home.
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Tacoma starts 2023 with lower speed limits
The city of Tacoma will usher in 2023 with lower speed limits, starting Sunday.
The speed limit on residential streets will drop from 25 to 20 mph.
The speed limit in four neighborhood business districts will lower from 30 mph to 25 mph, including 6th Avenue, Lincoln, McKinley Hill, and Old Town.
The January 1 change is part of Tacoma's latest Vision Zero Plan. The city says that approximately 80 people are killed or hurt by motor vehicles every year.
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Remembering the artists, filmmakers, actors and writers we lost in 2022
So many giants of the arts world left us in 2022 — here are just a few of the actors, writers, filmmakers, artists and performers who died in the past year, listed chronologically below by the dates of their deaths.
Sidney Poitier: actor, activist, and trailblazing heartthrobPoitier first became a movie star in the 1950s. He was an unparalleled actor, a committed activist and a beloved family member. He was also, frankly, a heartthrob. Read Karen Grigsby Bates' remembrance.
'The Last Picture Show' director Peter Bogdanovich: In a prolific career that spanned more than 50 years, the maverick writer, director, actor and film historian touched every aspect of filmmaking — from the coming-of-age drama The Last Picture Show to zany comedies like What's Up Doc. Read Elizabeth Blair's remembrance.
Actor and comedian Bob Saget: Saget was a prominent presence on American television screens throughout the 1990s as the father Danny Tanner on Full House and the host of America's Funniest Home Videos. Read James Doubek's remembrance.
André Leon Talley, titan of the fashion world Talley grew up in the Jim Crow South and discovered Vogue magazine as a child at the public library. He went on to become Vogue's creative director and one of fashion's most defining voices for decades. Listen to the It's Been a Minute remembrance.
Lata Mangeshkar, the sweetheart of Bollywood: Over the course of some 60 years, Mangeshkar recorded songs for more than 2,000 Indian films, giving voice to sweet, noble heroines onscreen. Read Anastasia Tsioulcas' remembrance.
'2001' and 'Blade Runner' visual effects wizard Douglas Trumbull: Trumbull brought to life the impossible landscapes in 2001, A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. In the days before digital effects, those scenes had to be created physically, and Trumbull was the kid who figured out how. Read Bob Mondello's remembrance.
Satirist P.J. O'Rourke, panelist on NPR's 'Wait...Wait Don't Tell Me!': The author, journalist and political satirist wrote more than 20 books about a range of topics, from politics to cars, and he was a longtime panelist on the NPR's weekly news quiz show. Read Elizabeth Blair's remembrance.
Photojournalist Sumy Sadurni: The 32-year-old Spanish-Mexican freelance photojournalist was based in Kampala, Uganda. She was known for her striking coverage across East Africa capturing the conflict as well as the essence of the region and its people. Read Grace Widyatmadja's remembrance.
George Pérez, celebrated comic book artist: In his four-decade career, Pérez's pencil was behind some of the biggest comic book heroes. He drew The Avengers and co-created The New Teen Titans, and in the mid-'80s, his reboot of Wonder Woman returned the superheroine to her Greek mythology origins. Read Emma Bowman's remembrance.
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Our best TSF conversations of 2022: Today So Far
I consider this newsletter the conversation that happens after the headlines are published. Looking back over 2022, some TSF conversations have received more feedback and attention than others. I consider these some of the more engaging ones we've had this year.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for December 29, 2022.
Here's a little insight into the nuts and bolts of TSF — I hate hot takes. Rarely do I feel they do the world any good. That's a tricky position to take when writing a newsletter. After all, hot takes are certain to get the clicks and would likely grow this newsletter. The thing is, I am rooted in journalism, and beyond that, I lean more toward old-school-reporter. That sort of perception doesn't translate well into the usual online, "Hey, look at me, I think this, and so should you, and by the way, this is how I vote, and before you go, I have a fresh opinion on the news everyone is talking about." You know, the sort of headlines that start with "We need to talk about..."
But TSF does have a voice. I consider this newsletter the conversation that happens after the headlines are published. When I'm writing to you, I have it in my head that you're at Teddy's with me, or walking the Burke-Gilman Trail, or grabbing coffee at Boon Boona (it really is good coffee), or even grocery shopping at that one Safeway that still stays open late with that one cashier who always chats me up now that he knows I like Star Trek. Any way, the point is, we're griping about work, debating about whether Ross and Rachel were on a break, and also bringing up that story on KUOW. That's TSF.
Looking back over 2022, some TSF conversations have received more feedback and attention than others. I consider these some of the more engaging ones we've had this year.
What's behind these election mailers?: A look at how culture-war motivated interest groups target elections and voters, and how they stretch facts to the point of misinformation.
The fall and rise of community news: As local news sources are strained, many disappearing, people are starting their own newspapers in Washington. On one level, this is inspiring. But on another level, it can be concerning. This is why news consumers need to be critical thinkers and consider what is news, what is just information, who is a journalist, who is just a witness, or who merely has a lot of time on their hands and access to social media. Local news is important, but it comes down to the audience to keep it going.
'He wanted to show everybody you could do it different': Amid a rise in gun violence, one tragic, fatal shooting prompted a Seattle community to mourn. D'Vonne Pickett Jr. was a community leader and local business owner. The pain of this loss was felt beyond the headlines, but journalists can only go so far when reporting on such a figure. It prompted me to think about the important figures wherever I've lived, from bartenders to barbers — the faces who make a true community.
Resistance is futile, the future is remote: We cannot deny that the pandemic era has permanently shifted some aspects of daily life, including our work lives. Remote work presents a lot of opportunities and benefits for workers, employers, the environment, affordability, and more. Yet, not everybody seems to have warmed up to such working conditions, aka "the future."
Extremism makes it beyond the ballot: A study points out far right lawmakers and the role that social media plays in radicalized politics. Many such candidates were found running in Washington state. It's a recent insight into something that one Washington sheriff has been commenting on for years — extremists running for office.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
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