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
-
Teen faces 5 potential first-degree murder charges for Fall City mass shooting
The 15-year-old boy who allegedly shot and killed five family members at a home near Fall City early Monday morning waived his right to attend his first appearance Tuesday in King County Superior Court. One of his public defenders, Amy Parker, spoke on his behalf.
RELATED: 5 people dead and teen in custody following shooting near Fall City
King County prosecutors requested that Judge Joe Campagna find probable cause for five counts of first-degree murder, and one count of first-degree attempted murder.
The teen has not been officially charged. Prosecutors are expected to file formal charges on Thursday, including whether they will seek to try the boy as an adult. An arraignment is scheduled for Friday.
Judge Campagna described the allegations as of the "gravest possible seriousness," and ordered the teen to remain in secure juvenile detention and to have no contact with his sole immediate family member who survived the attack, an 11-year-old girl, who was hospitalized.
Parker did not argue for her client's release, but stressed that the 15-year-old is a child with no criminal history who "enjoys mountain biking and fishing."
A spokesperson for the sheriff's office previously said that the home where the mass shooting took place was not a "problem house," and that officers had not been to the house for “any significant reason for years.”
After police responded to 911 calls for the incident early Monday morning, a sheriff's office spokesperson said, the 15-year-old was taken into custody without confrontation with deputies.
Two adults and three teenagers were found dead inside the house. A fourth child, the girl, suffered injuries and was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Continue reading » -
What do women and female orcas have in common? A lot in midlife
Seattle author Angela Garbes has found a distinctly Pacific Northwest way to talk about female middle-age: a conversation about orcas, featuring a whale researcher who goes only by Giles.
"Like Prince or Madonna," Garbes said of the preeminent Southern Resident killer whale researcher formerly — and formally — known as Dr. Deborah Giles.
RELATED: She needed answers about pregnancy. So she wrote them herself
Together with award-winning author Putsata Reang and poet Laura Da', Garbes and Giles will set out to answer a question that surely every Pacific Northwestern woman and feminine-presenting person has pondered: What can we learn from orca whales about perimenopausal and postmenopausal sexuality?
That's the question for one of three free talks Garbes is moderating for Seattle Public Library over the next three months. The series, "Midlife: Private Parts in Public," kicked off Thursday. The next will be a book group discussion of Miranda July’s "All Fours" on Nov. 7, followed by the orca talk on Dec. 12.
As curator of the series, Garbes said she had a chance to "shoot her shot" and find creative ways to talk about a still taboo topic. Hence, whale sexuality.
"Orca whales are like humans," Garbes said. "Their usefulness outlasts reproduction ... postmenopausal female orca whales are resources of knowledge. They are navigators. They pass skills and teach the younger generation. And they engage in a tremendous amount of sexual play ... so, there's a sort of sensuality that exists, again, post being fertile or reproductively critical to the species."
RELATED: Subscribe to the KUOW Book Club newsletter here
Garbes said she chose the focus of the series "for purely selfish reasons," as she processes her own midlife and the changes that life stage brings, from new pains to irregular periods.
"Perimenopause — it's a four- to 10-year period of your life in which there are 37 listed symptoms, which indicates to me that nobody has any idea what's going on," she said, joking-not-joking.
Continue reading » -
Fewer staff, longer reviews? Seattle Mayor Harrell proposes cuts to city's construction department
Seattle’s Department of Construction and Inspections would lose about 30 positions under Mayor Bruce Harrell’s proposed budget, which would reduce general fund support for the department by $2.9 million in 2025 and $2.5 million in 2026.
The city says there’s been much less demand for land use permits in recent years due to the cyclical nature of construction, and a long spell of high interest rates.
Master use permit applications are anticipated to be down 65% by the end of this year compared to 2019, meaning less need for zoning inspectors on projects like mother-in-law units or townhomes.
RELATED: How city leaders want to patch Seattle's $250 million budget deficit
Jamie Fackler, a city building inspector and union shop steward, argues that those jobs will be needed when the cycle goes back up and that slashing positions would delay building permits now.
“Whether you're building a house, building a backyard cottage, whether you want to cut a tree in your backyard, we're going to have longer review times," Fackler said. "We're seeing significant reductions in the groups that review all those things.”
Fackler says the job cuts would equate to half as much staff time for those permit reviews.
Department spokesperson Bryan Stevens said the job cuts are not anticipated to lengthen permit wait times, and that the city has to cut the budget to account for the major drop in revenue from user fees that make up 90% of the department's budget.
The Seattle City Council is holding budget hearings this week with a final vote scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 21.
RELATED: Reduced hours, closures hit Seattle Public Library branches amid city's budget struggles
Continue reading » -
Will voters choose an insider or outsider to become the next Pierce County Sheriff?
With Ed Troyer stepping down, there’s an open seat in the race for Pierce County Sheriff this fall. One candidate to succeed Troyer is a 35-year veteran of the same agency; the other is a former captain with 33 years at the Seattle Police Department.
Both candidates have emphasized an intention to restore accountability for petty crime to the county, which they say has deteriorated in recent years.
At a recent forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County, both candidates for Pierce County Sheriff said the level of local theft is unacceptably high and they want to bring more vigorous enforcement.
Retired Seattle Police Captain Keith Swank said retailers have become overly resigned to these losses.
“We’re going to work with the box stores and say, “Listen — we don’t want you to let things walk out of your store, we want the security that’s here to try to help dissuade that from happening, and we want to work with you and partner with you to stop doing this,’” he said. “It’s criminal enterprises that are working these theft rings and we want to stop that.”
His challenger, Patti Jackson, is the patrol bureau chief and former head of corrections at the Sheriff’s Office. She said the wave of theft has been a “perfect storm” that started during the pandemic but needs renewed urgency.
“Then we suffered the staffing crisis and it just seems like we have settled at a status quo,” she said. “People are tired and they’re starting to react to that, and we need to be able to respond to what our public needs.”
Jackson noted that this period has coincided with booking restrictions that did not allow people to be jailed for theft cases.
“We will arrest people who are engaged in criminal activity,” Jackson said. “If we can’t hold them in the jail, we will at least get them accountable to the fact that we book them [and] we give them their fingerprints and photograph, which starts towards their criminal history.”
In a question about homelessness in Pierce County, the two candidates showed different emphases.
“We understand it’s not a crime to be homeless,” Jackson said. “But make no mistake: If you’re engaged in criminal activity, those are the things you’re going to be held accountable for.”
In other cases, Jackson said she’d seek partnerships with “subject matter experts” to provide social services.
Continue reading » -
SPD's on track for release from federal oversight despite flawed police contract, judge says
At a hearing Wednesday, the federal judge overseeing policing in Seattle made clear he’s disappointed with the city’s latest police contract. But he offered praise for improved practices at SPD as well.
U.S. District Judge James Robart said this year’s retroactive contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild made little progress on accountability provisions, but he said he is “structurally unable” to intervene in the collective bargaining process.
Still he said, “I wonder why I keep pushing this rock uphill only to have it roll down again.”
RELATED: Seattle's police horse program to trot into the sunset
Kerala Cowart with the Seattle City Attorney’s office responded that the contract contained some improvements to the accountability system, and increased wages to address the staffing shortage at SPD.
Now, she said, recruitment is improving and the city and the Seattle Police Officers Guild have been meeting twice a month to negotiate a “forward-looking” contract. Cowart said all accountability provisions “are still on the table.”
Robart has overseen a consent decree involving Seattle police since 2012 when federal officials found a pattern of unconstitutional excessive force.
Aside from concerns with the labor agreement, during the hearing Robart praised SPD’s efforts to improve transparency and oversight. He said the agency is one of the strongest in terms of tracking data to monitor for possible racial bias by police.
RELATED: Seattle Police lost 23 guns and doesn’t know where they went
He said the Office of Police Accountability website has seen “a night and day change” in transparency of its complaint records. And he said the Office of Inspector General is well-prepared to take on the roll of SPD monitor once the federal monitor’s role concludes.
Robart called SPD Interim Chief Sue Rahr his “personal hero” for coming out of retirement to the lead the agency at a critical time. Rahr said after the hearing that she’s feeling hopeful.
Continue reading » -
Fear and intimidation on both sides. UW releases report on Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia
The University of Washington has released a report on the tense "campus climate" over the past academic year, amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The report is the result of two task forces charged with looking into the perceptions and feelings of Jewish, Israeli, Arab, and Palestinian students.
RELATED: These Seattle restaurateurs are raising money for Lebanon amid conflict with Israel
"The differences in perceptions of comfort and safety are rather stark depending on one’s own identities," the report states in its findings. "Members of all affected communities perceived less openness to diversity of opinions compared to members of the broader campus community and expressed greater perceptions of discomfort and unsafety for those who share their identities compared to those who do not."
The report states that students reported both Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia on campus, including anti-Israel bias and a "perceived alienation and lack of support for Palestinian and Muslim communities." Insults, intimidation, and a desire to hide their identities were reported all around.
"The intent of this joint submission is not to equate antisemitism and Islamophobia, but to acknowledge that this particular moment puts into sharp relief the need to examine both in a shared context, as the present conflicts shine light on issues that impact members of our campus community who have experienced pain, isolation, fear, and discrimination," the report states.
According to UW's report, during the 2023-24 academic year:
- About two-thirds of Palestinian students said they had experienced insults and intimidation over the previous year. About half to one-third of Muslim and Arab/Middle Eastern/North African (MENA) students reported the same.
- One-third of Jewish students and 70% of Israeli students said they experienced insults and intimidation.
- 72% of Arab or MENA, 80% of Muslim students, and 78% of Palestinian students in the focus groups said they were unwelcome because of their identities.
- 60% of Jewish students and 92% of Israeli students in the focus groups said they were unwelcome because of their identities.
- 69% of Arab/MENA students, 74% of Muslim students, and 77% of Palestinian students reported a desire to hide their identity at least once (38% of Arab/MENA students, 40% of Muslim students, and 50% of Palestinian students said this happened frequently).
- 65% of Jewish students and 95% is Israeli students said they needed to hide their identities at least once (42% of Jewish students, 81% of Israeli students said this happened frequently).
Read the full 143-page report here.
RELATED: How Seattle’s Palestinian community is marking one year since the Israel-Hamas war began
Continue reading » -
How new flu, RSV vaccines could help protect more kids this year
Cold and flu season — otherwise known as mid-October — is upon us. But this year, several advancements in vaccines could help families keep viruses at bay.
One of the new developments is a nasal spray flu vaccine, aptly called FluMist, that people can self-administer. The spray was approved by the FDA just last month.
“You can get a prescription from your doctor to pick up FluMist from the pharmacy, and give it to yourself or to your children at home,” said Dr. Helen Chu, an infectious disease physician at UW Medicine. “And it really will help, I think, especially when families are very busy.”
Chu said she’s hopeful this change will lead to more kids getting the flu vaccine.
So far this fall, there have only been a few dozen cases of the flu recorded in King County. Experts expect the worst of the wave to hit in December and January.
But it’s not just the flu families have to protect against.
In the past, the respiratory virus RSV has been the leading cause of hospitalization for babies. Last year, new RSV shots hit the market, an advancement that Chu said could keep a lot of infants out of the hospital. “If you give doses to infants when they are born, you can prevent 70 to 80% of hospitalizations due to RSV,” she said. That means hospitals will be less likely to reach capacity and won’t have to send babies to other hospitals, a challenge children’s hospitals have faced during past RSV seasons.
Last year, the U.S. didn’t have enough of the new RSV shots for babies to go around, but that’s not a problem this year.
The CDC recommends people get the RSV shot during pregnancy, or babies should get it at birth. High-risk babies are supposed to get a second shot a year later. That includes:
- Children who were born prematurely and have chronic lung disease
- Children who are severely immunocompromised
- Children with severe cystic fibrosis
The CDC also recommends that American Indian and Alaska Native babies and toddlers get a second shot, because recent research suggests they are at increased risk of severe RSV. That's in part because of social factors like living in multigenerational homes or homes with lower air circulation.
Continue reading » -
As leaves fall, some street parking rates rise in Seattle
October in Seattle means cooler autumn temperatures as the leaves turn magnificent colors, the air gets dewy with a subtle scent of a wood fire crackling in an old stove, and the days end under the orange-ember glow of feathery clouds stretching across the horizon — also, the city jacks up parking rates throughout town.
RELATED: More housing is on the way, but parking? Maybe not
Yes, it's that time of year when the Seattle Department of Transportation announces how much street parking prices will change, and where. It varies from neighborhood to neighborhood. For 2024, SDOT says "most rates will not increase," but starting Oct. 15, about 26% of city streets will see a 50-cent rise in parking rates.
Among the areas getting hit with 50-cent hikes are:
- Ballard (core): $6 per hour in the afternoon and $6 in the evening
- Chinatown/ID: $5.50 in the evening
- Columbia City: $5.50 in the afternoon and $6 in the evening
- Commercial Core – Waterfront: $6 in the afternoon and $5 in the evening
- Denny Triangle (north): $6 in the afternoon
- First Hill: $5.50 in the afternoon
- Fremont: $6.50 in the evening
- Pike/Pine corridor: $6.50 in the evening
- See more rates below
To be fair, rates do drop in some areas (Seattle maintained or lowered rates in two-thirds of the city in 2022, and rates went up for two-thirds of the city in 2023). This year, SDOT says that street parking rates won't change along 60% of city roads, while 14% will decrease by 50 cents, such as the edge of Ballard where rates will go down to $4.50 in the evening, or Green Lake where rates will go down to $5 in the afternoon.
Continue reading » -
Listeria deli food recall hits Washington state, impacting Albertsons, Kroger, and other stores
Ready-to-eat salads and other products with chicken widely available in the Pacific Northwest are being recalled amid a listeria outbreak.
Nationwide, the recall affects nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The recalled products are under multiple brands, including Trader Joe's, Albertsons, Walmart, Amazon Fresh, and Kroger's store brand. Products include a wide variety of salads and other deli-style meals, like Trader Joe’s Chicken Enchiladas Verde and various wraps and sandwiches under the ReadyMeals name.
The full list is more than 300 pages long and can be found here.
Shoppers can return products with a best-by date of October 13 for a full refund.
According to the USDA, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions to these products.
Consumption of contaminated food could cause listeriosis. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Listeriosis is treatable with antibiotics but can become serious and potentially fatal in some cases.
Higher-risk individuals, like older adults and pregnant people, should seek medical care if they experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food, according to the USDA. If you may have eaten contaminated products, you're advised to tell your health care provider.
Continue reading » -
Too much cyanide in Puget Sound? EPA to review state regulations
Federal officials have agreed to take another look at how Washington state regulates a deadly poison — cyanide.
The lethal substance is often used to make metals, plastics, dyes, and pesticides and to extract gold and silver from mineral ores.
The concern is that legal levels of cyanide winding up in Washington waters may be harming wildlife, including orcas and other endangered species.
In 2010, National Marine Fisheries Service biologists concluded that concentrations of cyanide allowed under existing regulations were enough to kill salmon and sturgeon in large numbers and would reduce the prey base for endangered killer whales.
“These fish species are likely to become extirpated from waters where they are exposed to approved cyanide discharges that are compliant with approved water quality standards,” the scientists wrote in a draft "biological opinion" document that was never finalized.
RELATED: Jurassic shark: Scientists find ancient species in Puget Sound
The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity sued the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies in 2022 to get them to make sure Washington state’s water quality standards were strict enough to protect threatened and endangered species.
In October 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency agreed to consult with federal wildlife agencies to do just that.
“For decades the EPA has approved the release of dangerous levels of cyanide into Washington’s waters, severely harming our salmon and orcas, so this is a big step,” Center for Biological Diversity attorney Ryan Shannon said in a press release.
RELATED: Puget Sound tanker traffic thickens as Canadian pipeline boosts oil flow
In August, the Washington Department of Ecology announced new water-quality limits for 42 chemicals, including cyanide. The state’s proposal, to be reviewed by the EPA, tightens the limits on cyanide pollution in fresh water but leaves saltwater limits on cyanide the same.
Continue reading » -
Washington state first responders travel east to aid hurricane survivors
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a team of about 80 Washington state first responders has traveled east to help with recovery efforts. The group is also preparing to provide aid related to incoming Hurricane Milton, a category 4 hurricane expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday night.
Jody Ferguson, director of Pierce County Emergency Management and chief of Washington Task Force 1, said the team is currently stationed in Atlanta and includes fire department employees, hospital workers, search and rescue experts, and law enforcement officials, among other professionals.
“The immediate focus is saving lives. So the search and rescue mission will be first and foremost… finding survivors and getting them the medical attention and any support that they need,” Ferguson said.
RELATED: Washington sends Task Force 1 to Hawaii in wake of wildfires
The task force also has structural engineers and canine teams to help search for survivors. The team’s composition is such that it can offer both broad and highly specialized rescue support, Ferguson added.
“For example, if FEMA just wanted us to focus on water rescue, we could send out [a specialized team] that would be 35 people with more precise experience that they need for whatever mission,” she said.
According to its website, Washington Task Force 1 was established in 1991 and includes over 200 members from more than 30 agencies across Seattle, King County, and Pierce County. The team was last deployed to Maui in 2023 in response to the Lahaina wildfires.
Continue reading » -
Seattle to add surveillance cameras to crime-fighting efforts in 3 neighborhoods
The Seattle City Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of adding surveillance cameras to the city's crime-fighting toolbelt.
"This is an important piece of technology that can help our [police] department be a bit of a force multiplier, if you will, and help us more quickly and efficiently investigate and solve crimes with the staffing challenges," Councilmember Rob Saka said before voting.
"It is an important tool to help address the fundamentals of public safety in our community."
RELATED: No more selling stolen goods in the CID, Seattle police say
The Council voted 7-1 to approve two ordinances establishing a surveillance camera pilot — one for using closed-circuit TV cameras, and another for using Real-Time Crime Center software to record, store, and analyze video. Councilmember Tammy Morales was the lone no vote. The pilot will test the cameras in three locations where Seattle Police Department data indicates that crime is concentrated: Aurora Avenue North, Chinatown-International District, and Third Avenue through downtown.
Proponents of the camera program argue that the system will help mitigate Seattle's shortage of police officers and help combat human trafficking, gun crime, and "other persistent felony crimes."
Seattle's CCTV crime pilot program
The surveillance technology includes a closed circuit TV camera system in areas "where gun violence, human trafficking, and persistent felony crime is concentrated," according to Seattle's 2024 Surveillance Impact Report.
Signs alerting the public to the cameras will be posted. The cameras will be aimed at streets, sidewalks, and high-crime areas.
In addition to city owned cameras, the city wants to include privately owned security systems in the mix, which would be voluntarily shared. Such cameras could show video of areas around storefronts. The Impact Report also states that the cameras will help counter crime after years of low SPD staffing.
Continue reading »