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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.

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  • The rise of Krogersons: Today So Far

    Two big grocery companies, with stores throughout Western Washington, aim to merge. What that could mean for the region's grocery options.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for October 19, 2022.

    Grocery companies Kroger and Albertsons aim to merge. Now, this is one of those business and economic stories that comes across as boring to a lot of folks. But it's one you should care about, or at least keep an eye on where you shop.

    There's a reason I don't regularly shop at Whole Foods, PCC, or Metropolitan Market. Nothing against their food; I just don't feel like taking out a loan just to afford their prices. On the other end of the spectrum, I've never relied on Costco because there's no way I'll ever eat that much broccoli. Avoiding luxury grocery stores means your options are places like Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, or QFC. Kroger owns Freddys and QFC. Albertsons owns Safeway.

    It seems these two companies are set on joining forces. Kroger would get access to communities it currently doesn't (and Albertsons does) and vice versa. Krogersons (my name for them) would measure up against their giant competitor Walmart. Also, the chains could up their online-shopping game. When it comes to our region, however, these companies operate more than half of all the grocery stores that our households rely on, The Seattle Times reports. It is understandable that Krogersons' market influence would make folks around Western Washington a bit wary.

    A merger like this generally means there are going to be store closures, as Seattle Times reporter Paul Roberts told Seattle Now this morning. For example, when Albertsons purchased Safeway in 2014, the company ended up with both stores across the street from each other in Poulsbo. Today, Poulsbo has kept its Safeway and Albertsons closed.

    "We have to assume that Kroger and Albertsons haven't gotten this far without coming up with a list of stores they think they'll have to divest," Roberts said. "I think we can assume that, given the Seattle area in particular has an unusually high concentration of Safeway's and Kroger stores, that there's gonna be a fair amount of divestiture happening here."

    That is making the local grocery workers' union nervous.

    "There is strong worry that a massive merger at this scale would threaten thousands of jobs of workers across the region," said Tom Geiger with UFCW 3000, a union that represents 50,000 workers in Washington state. "It would also, we believe, threaten their pensions, the wages and other benefits of workers that continue to work in those stores. And we feel it would threaten the competition in the grocery market and negatively impact grocery store shoppers, as well, who might see higher prices and less product availability across their community."

    Kroger's digital sales are growing in excess of 100%, and its most recent profits aren't looking to shabby either. Albertsons has its own good numbers to report. All this has come during a time when pandemic woes have hit other parts of the economy hard and inflation has driven prices higher. The Wall Street Journal reported in October 2021 that some grocery store companies have attempted to protect consumers from rising costs, but that hasn't been the case for companies like Kroger. In fact, Kroger finance chief Gary Millerchip is quoted: "We’ve been very comfortable with our ability to pass on the increases that we’ve seen at this point. And we would expect that to continue to be the case.”

    To be fair, Millerchip made similar comments at an earnings meeting in September 2021, where he commented that some cost hikes are being passed to the customer, while others are not.

    And that brings us back to the wariness around food deserts. Stores could close, and price competition could go down. If we have the option, we know to go to different stores for better prices. Personally, I head to Safeway for frozen veggies, H Mart for fresh veggies and fish, Freddys for other options, and QFC if I'm in a pinch (or for that massive booze selection in University Village). This merger would mean my options would dwindle to Krogersons and H Mart.

    Continue reading »

  • Snow is returning to Western Washington

    After experiencing one of the hottest days on record for October, snow will start falling in the mountains in Western Washington this weekend. Yes, snow!

    The National Weather service says snow levels will drop between 3,000-4,000 feet Saturday night through Sunday morning. That means higher elevations in the Cascade Mountains will receive some fresh ice. We could see some flakes flying around places like Stevens Pass, Mount Baker, and Paradise. The Olympics are also expected to see snow.

    The Weather Service says now is the time to prepare for more typical late-October weather conditions following the unseasonably dry and warm start to fall.

    Continue reading »

  • Kent passes anti-camping measure

    The Kent City Council has unanimously approved a measure that will ban people from camping in public places, specifically in areas along the Green River, in parks, along trails, and other green spaces.

    "This ordinance is prepared in a way that's intended to balance the needs of individuals who are experiencing homelessness with the requirement of city to preserve the investments it has made to the general public, which includes parks, streets, sidewalks, our economic development resources, etc., to ensure that those are available as intended when this council establishes budgets and approves projects," said Pat Fitzpatrick, Kent's chief administrative officer.

    The ordinance is an expansion of camping rules Kent has had on the books since 2000. The update focuses on activity such as fires, littering, and destroying vegetation in "sensitive" areas, such as wetlands, playfields, and trails. It also addresses city-owned property.

    Fitzpatrick added that police have advised the council that there has never been an instance of not having shelter to offer unhoused people in the city, and that people "virtually never take shelter."

    "That is what this ordinance is going to give us leverage to deal with," Fitzpatrick said. "And the sad fact is some people need that push to make the choice to change the situation they are in."

    But opponents say there aren't enough shelter beds in the area for those in need. If no shelter is available, the ordinance "suspends authority to arrest and file charges for unlawful camping," according to a presentation given to the council before voting. People will still be required to remove their camps.

    City leaders say they don't plan to do any massive encampment sweeps and will continue the current policy of offering resources and encourage people to accept offers of shelter.

    The ban is set to go into effect in November.

    "This is still only half the answer," Kent Councilmember Brenda Fincher said at Tuesday's meeting.

    "We still need housing. We heard that housing is not available for people the police department runs into, but those are not the only people who are unsheltered in our neighborhood.... We've talked about tiny homes, we've talked about other forms of shelter.... We've suggested going to the county and saying we need more done, especially with winter coming," Fincher added. "More is still needed. This is only half of a solution."

    Continue reading »

  • How Seattle aims to give small businesses a facelift


    Small business owners in Seattle can now apply to receive up to $2,000 in grant money to fix broken windows and storefronts that were damaged over the past year.

    Here is how Seattle's Storefront Repair Fund works. The money is slated for damage to storefronts that happened after Jan. 1, 2021. Qualified applicants must net less than $7 million annually, have no more than two locations, and have fewer than 50 workers. They must also be currently open for business.

    Have your repair receipts, police reports, and photos of the damage ready.

    All businesses must be independently owned, which means no chains or franchises. Also, adult entertainment businesses along with cannabis shops, growers, and dispensaries are ineligible to receive the money.

    More information and the online application can be found here.

    Money for Seattle's Storefront Repair Fund comes from $2 million in federal relief funds. It is being managed by the Office of Economic Development.

    Continue reading »

  • Why haven't firefighters 'put out' the Bolt Creek fire?

    The Bolt Creek Fire continues to smolder 14,000 acres of forest near Skykomish, on the northern edge of Highway 2. The exact cause of the human-sparked fire remains under investigation.

    It's been 39 days since the fire started burning. Some residents are asking firefighters: Why haven't they put it out?

    It's not so simple, officials say.

    It's been a rough, smoky five weeks for Skykomish residents. People have had to cancel plans, schools and libraries have closed on and off, and doctors offices have seen more visits due to wheezing — or worse — from the smoke.

    It's also bad for business.

    Henry Sladek is the mayor of Skykomish. He also owns the historic Cascadia Inn.

    "We're at about a quarter of the normal business we'd be doing this time of year," he said.

    But despite the current outlook, things are going according to plan for the 277 firefighters on the job.

    The goal is to stop the fire from spreading — not to put it out, said Don Ferguson, the public information officer for the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team, which is containing the fire.

    "There have been a couple of fatalities in Western Oregon already this year, people being hit by trees, and that would be a very likely consequence of having people in the woods in those conditions," he said. "So we don't want to put firefighters at risk and where they're not going to be effective."

    Ferguson added that crews are meeting the two big goals of containing wildland fires: protect people's lives and protect buildings from damage. They are letting the wilderness burn, a strategy widely adopted in the U.S.

    It's up to nature to do the rest.

    "We worked all day for two days to control seven acres," Ferguson said. "So that just kind of shows you dumping water from the sky is not a good way to put a fire out. What we need is season-ending weather."

    Continue reading »

  • Millions being poured into Washington state to fight gun violence


    The U.S. Justice Department is pouring more money into Washington communities to help combat gun and other forms of violence.

    U.S Attorney Nick Brown announced Tuesday that more than $3 million in grants is being funneled to organizations in Washington state.

    “These federal dollars help each department meet its local priorities,” Brown said. “Western Washington organizations also obtained funding for innovative programs aimed at youth violence intervention. I’m pleased to see the Peacemaking Academy, the Children and Youth Justice Center, Burien’s Enhanced Youth Services, and the Washington Partnership on Juvenile Justice all obtained substantial federal dollars to support their work.”

    The Peacemaking Academy will receive $300,000 (a program from Alliance for Gun Responsibility Foundation). Seattle's Children and Youth Justice Center will get $2 million for leadership and intervention programs.

    Also, Burien’s Enhanced Youth Services will get $300,000, and the Washington Partnership on Juvenile Justice will get $1 million — both are focused on preventing youth violence through intervention.

    On top of the youth programs, 10 cities, three counties, and the state of Washington will get a combined $3.7 million to help with law enforcement needs.

    Continue reading »

  • 9th Circuit judges say Seattle officials 'just stood aside' during CHOP

    A lawsuit stemming from a 2020 fatal shooting in Seattle's CHOP zone is being heard by a federal appeals court.

    The case was brought by Donnitta Sinclair-Martin after her son, Horace Lorenzo Anderson, was fatally shot in Seattle's Capitol Hill Occupied Protest on June 20, 2020. Sinclair alleges the city created a foreseeable danger after protesters occupied a nearby park and interfered with first responders.

    A panel of judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals seems to sympathize with that argument.

    They heard oral arguments in the case Monday.

    "The city was so aware of the risks that were escalating day by day by day, and they just stood aside," Judge Ryan D. Nelson said at one point during the presentation by the city's attorney.

    Continue reading »

  • Seattle mulls next steps for Healthy Streets program

    The City of Seattle is considering reopening some residential streets that were closed to car traffic in the early months of the pandemic.

    The Healthy Streets program was a way for people to get out of the house during lockdown for outdoor activities while social distancing.

    Summer Jawson, program manager with the Seattle Transportation Department, says the city will make many of those closures permanent.

    Some neighborhoods like Beacon Hill have used the street closure for different kinds of outdoor activities.

    “They’ve been hosting a Halloween parade there as kind of a new way to do Halloween that started during Covid,” Jawson said. The Halloween event, she added, has continued on to this day.

    Others, like those in West Seattle, will need more time before the city decides what to do next, Jawson said.

    “We’re getting a lot more traffic data now that the West Seattle Bridge is reopened," she said. "And we’re seeing traffic patterns return to normal there.”

    Jawson notes that at the height of the pandemic there were up to 28 miles of closed streets.

    Continue reading »

  • A highly charged public meeting in Seattle's Greenwood — but don't you dare record it

    This story was updated on 10/19/2022.

    Dan Strauss, the city councilmember for Ballard and Greenwood, attempted a media blackout of a public meeting on Monday night.

    Strauss was one of four panelists at a forum on public safety at the Taproot Theatre in Greenwood. The meeting was convened by local businesses to discuss public safety and the possibility of a tiny house village for unhoused people.

    The meeting came on the heels of the near-fatal shooting of a security guard at the Janus apartments on Northwest 85th Street, and what has been described as an open-air drug market across the street, between the Fred Meyer and the Bartell Drugs.

    There were roughly 230 people in attendance (the theater’s max capacity), but the press were barred from the meeting, and Strauss made clear that he did not want anyone recording. Roughly 10 seconds after beginning to speak, Strauss noticed he was being filmed, according to four people in attendance.

    Strauss turned to Karen Lund, Taproot’s producing artistic director, and said that people were recording.

    Lund, who had been thrust into the moderator seat at the last minute, told the audience they could not record, and that they would be kicked out if found out. She told the audience that the media had not been allowed in so that “we can be candid with each other.”

    According to Nikki Visel, Taproot’s marketing director, the media blackout came at the request of “a councilmember” — she would not say who, but Strauss was the only councilmember on the panel.

    “A councilmember made the request that we turn away the press and said that we could and should do so, or they would not be able to speak candidly,” Visel said.

    The press ultimately got into the mainstage area because Taproot staff decided to change course. Bretteney Beverly, the associate artistic director, texted Visel, who was on a flight home from vacation. Visel noted that a press release had gone out about the meeting so, yes, media should be allowed in.

    “The objective that Taproot had all along was for the community to get together and problem solve and get reassurances,” Visel said.

    Here’s why a media blackout is a big deal.

    Continue reading »

  • Disappointed inner tubers and beat up salmon: observations from a dry year

    This summer was Washington’s driest on record, as measured at Sea-Tac. Early October usually brings rain, but not this year.

    All over Western Washington, rivers are setting new records for low flow.

    In October, Snoqualmie Falls is crowded with tourists hoping to see the majestic waterfall thundering back to full strength. This year, they may be disappointed, because it’s about half its normal size.

    The Snoqualmie River is lower than it’s ever been in recorded history. That's true for all three forks of the river that feed into the famous waterfall.

    The reason is the lack of rainfall this year. Since the Fourth of July, we haven't even seen a full inch.

    This past weekend, people who live and work near the Snoqualmie River sent KUOW audio postcards and photos documenting their observations on different sections of the river.

    Continue reading »

  • What to expect when fall finally arrives in the NW: Today So Far
    • Fall rain is arriving later this week. That's good news for wildfire fighters and air quality, but it's concerning for health officials bracing themselves for a Covid and flu surge.
    • There is also concern among food banks anticipating greater demand once pandemic orders phase out.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for October 18, 2022.

    I know I've been saying this for about a week now, but fall is finally arriving ... soon ... it's coming ... I promise ... eventually. I'm going by information from the National Weather Service, which now says rain is expected to show up on Friday, Oct. 21. It should be a significant amount, too. More rain is expected to drop on Western Washington Friday through Sunday than in the past 3.5 months.

    "So that should be good in terms of helping put some of these fires out," Carly Kovacik with the National Weather Service in Seattle told KUOW this morning. "In terms of flooding, we're not gonna be expecting a whole lot in terms of river flooding, because the rivers are pretty dry right now. But we'll have to see, there could be some issues with some flash flooding nearby some wildfires where areas have burned already."

    This is welcome news for folks fighting wildfires in the Cascades, and for folks waiting for air quality to improve. But it's also news that makes local health officials concerned. Cold temps and rain usually mean that people head indoors, and that is when the season of sick begins. We often talk about the flu this time of year, and that is still expected to be a major player over the coming months. So is Covid. Europe is already seeing cases rise, and those countries are usually a few weeks ahead of the USA. Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, feels that we are in the "lull before the storm." Right now, levels of cases and hospitalizations are higher than they have been before previous surges. Read more here.

    It seems the coronavirus is gearing up for the upcoming, colder season. New variants are emerging and battling it out for dominance. They all have the usual super-catchy names (BA.4.6, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BF.7). All these variants are showing up in Washington state. Here's the thing to understand: These are all versions of omicron, according to the White House's own Covid-19 data director. So the updated booster, out now, is the best shot (pun!) to prepare for the season. Talking about getting a shot sort of feels like how we talked about the flu shot each year, in the Before Times. I guess that is where we are at now. Come fall, get your Covid and flu shots.

    Health officials aren't the only ones nervous about the coming months. Before the pandemic struck in 2020, about 10% of Washingtonians were experiencing food insecurity. That number has tripled since then. As KUOW's Ruby de Luna reports, food bank organizers are "bracing for longer lines and increased demand" when Seattle, and the state, lift any remaining Covid emergency orders at the end of October.

    “Everyone else has sort of gone on with their lives, but the people at the low end of the spectrum cannot go on with their lives, because they’re being squeezed terribly at the bottom end of the economy," said Rainier Valley Food Bank Executive Director Gloria Hatcher-Mays.

    One last shout out. Check out these photos from Saturday's Mariners game. KUOW's Natalie Newcomb captured some great Seattle moments from the historic game.

    AS SEEN ON KUOW

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