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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Utility rates slated to steadily rise in Seattle, starting in 2025
Seattle residents can expect higher utility bills starting in 2025. The City Council unanimously approved two plans this week that will nudge rates for City Light and Public Utilities a little higher each year.
According to City Light's Strategic Plan for 2025-2030, the city aims to annually raise electric utility rates during those years. This would be for both residential and business customers. A residential rate hike of 5.4% will come in 2025 and 2026, then a 5% rate increase for the next four years. This will cause monthly residential bills to go up an average of $5.14.
RELATED: Demand for electricity in the Pacific Northwest expected to jump 30%
This continues a rate-hike trend in Seattle. The city previously raised electricity rates 2% in 2022, and also approved hikes in 2023 (6% for residential and 5.6% for businesses) and 2024 (4.5% base rate increase).
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Photos: First day fits lowkey slapped at Seattle's Roosevelt High
One thing never goes out of style: The sanctity of the back-to-school outfit. KUOW went to Roosevelt High School on Wednesday morning to see what students were wearing on their first day of school.
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Sound Transit had a little treble with this light rail station, so it changed its name for the local symphony
After years of surveys, meetings and deliberations, Sound Transit has officially changed the name of one of Seattle’s light rail stations downtown. What was once the University Street Station is now, "Symphony Station."
When transit riders hear that name announced, they might not realize how close they are to the Seattle Symphony. As the Associate Principal Flute player Jeffrey Barker explains, they can find the orchestra right upstairs.
RELATED: Light rail is helping Mountlake Terrace find its heart
“We have basically a light rail stop in Benaroya Hall, in our home," he said.
Both Benaroya Hall and the light rail station are located between Second and Third Avenues downtown, and between Union and University streets. Sound Transit replaced the University Street name to eliminate confusion with the newer stations that serve the University of Washington. In a survey, Symphony Station was the most popular alternative.
Barker said he’s proud to have the orchestra’s presence reflected in the new name.
“We want to make Benaroya Hall a place where the whole community feels welcome,” he said. “So to have that on a public transportation stop seems really perfect.”
When transit riders hear that name, he said, “If they’ve been to the symphony before I hope it reminds them of the last concert they heard. And if they haven’t heard the Seattle Symphony before, maybe it will inspire them to look us up.”
Officials with the Seattle Symphony and Sound Transit will hold an official renaming ceremony next Monday at 11 a.m., at the station’s Second Avenue entrance under Benaroya Hall.
RELATED: 'Like finally coming back to church'. Live audiences return to Seattle Symphony
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Here's what to expect from the Kroger-Albertsons trial in Oregon
A federal court judge in Portland, Oregon heard opening arguments Monday in a case challenging the merger of grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons. The hearing is critical, and could decide the merger’s direction.
“Typically, whoever wins at this preliminary injunction stage tends to win the overall war,” said Douglas Ross, who teaches antitrust law at the University of Washington.
RELATED: Kroger, Albertsons are selling 124 grocery stores in Washington
The Federal Trade Commission, along with eight other states and the District of Columbia, are asking the judge to pause the $24.6 billion deal while an administrative hearing in Washington D.C. determines a bigger question: Is the merger even lawful?
KUOW spoke with Ross about the Oregon hearing and other pending litigation related to the merger. The following conversation was edited for clarity.
Why did the FTC file two suits in two different jurisdictions?
Ross: “The FTC would prefer to stop a merger by suing in its own administrative process and getting an order from an administrative law judge which is then taken to the full Federal Trade Commission, the five commissioners who review it and decide what to do next.
The problem is, it takes months, if not a year or two, and until Federal Trade Commission has issued its final order, they can’t stop the parties from going forward with their merger.
In the meantime, they can ask the parties to cooperate and postpone the merger while the litigation goes on in Washington D.C., and if the parties don't cooperate, then they're forced to go into federal court and get an order blocking the merger. So that’s what they’re doing.”
RELATED: Here's what we know about the grocer buying Kroger and Albertsons stores in Washington state
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More Paul Allen treasures are up for sale: Art, outer space, and computer history
An original Pac-Man arcade cabinet. Astronaut spacesuits. Vintage computers that take up entire rooms. And a letter penned by Albert Einstein that is considered one of the most significant correspondence of the 20th century. Those are among the latest treasures to be auctioned off from the late Paul Allen's estate.
RELATED: Paul Allen's big-money legacy haunts the Seattle arts scene
“Never before has the market seen a collection of this diversity that so beautifully chronicles the history of human science and technological ingenuity – much less one assembled by a founding father of modern computing," Christie's America Chairman Marc Porter said in a statement. "It is a testament to the uniqueness and importance of these objects that one of the greatest innovators of our day collected, preserved, and in dozens of cases, restored them, while both drawing his own inspiration from them and sharing many of them publicly.”
There are three separate auctions showcasing a collection of treasures that Allen amassed during his life: "Firsts: The History of Computing from the Paul G. Allen Collection," "Over the Horizon: Art of the Future from the Paul G. Allen Collection," and "Pushing Boundaries: Ingenuity from the Paul G. Allen Collection."
The series of auctions marks the latest effort to shed portions of Allen's massive collections. While he was widely known as a co-founder of Microsoft, Allen spent much of his success on collecting items of historical significance — art, technology, pop culture, and more. He transformed part of this collection into the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and the Living Computers Museum and Labs.
After Allen died in 2018, corners of his estate were slowly sold off. Seattle's Cinerama movie theater, owned by Allen, was shuttered in 2020, and was eventually sold to the Seattle International Film Festival in 2023. Christie's previously took on a portion of Allen's private art collection in 2022, which collectively sold for $1.5 billion.
Seattleites, and the general geek community, may recognize many of the current auction items from the Living Computers Museum. The museum opened in 2012, but was shut down in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and never reopened.
What's featured in the auction?
"Firsts" and "Over the Horizon" are online auctions that kick off on Aug. 23 and run through Sept. 12. "Pushing Boundaries," however, is a live auction scheduled for Sept. 10.
"Firsts" features items that mark significant moments in computer and tech history. For example, there is a Tate's arithmometer made in 1892 (an entirely manual calculator). There are computers ranging from large to small, such as a 1959 IBM 7090 mainframe — a computer that takes up an entire room. Then there's a collection of microcomputers from the '70s and '80s (today, we would call them something like, "really large and heavy computers"). There are also coding printouts, early Microsoft company memos, a drone built by Vulcan technologies, and a pair of 2018 Puma RS Computer shoes.
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Chris Vance is once again a Republican ... for Harris
Among the many political factions supporting Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is a group from the other side of the aisle. Republicans for Harris is a national movement that has a handful of local Washingtonians on board.
“As long as Donald Trump defines the Republican Party, I and others are going to stand up and say, ‘Hell no,’ and fight back against it,” Chris Vance told Seattle Now. “We’re a big problem for him.”
RELATED: 'Republicans for Harris' want conservatives to vote Democrat in 2024 to topple Trump
Vance is a former chair of the Washington State Republican Party and former Republican state lawmaker. He spoke with Seattle Now to explain why members of the GOP are crossing the aisle for the 2024 election, but still aren't shedding their Republican ideals.
The national effort is supported by Republicans who oppose Trump and feel their party no longer represents them. They’re primarily targeting battleground states, which Washington is not. Vance explained that these GOP faithful are amplifying similar voices on social media, and at a local level, they're ringing doorbells and making phone calls in support of Harris.
“Republicans for Harris is an actual part of the Harris for President campaign. There is a Republican staffer hired by the Harris campaign to coordinate this, which is historic,” Vance said. “I don’t believe that you’ve had a Democratic political campaign hire Republican operatives to organize Republicans, but that’s how deep and wide the passion is among so many Republicans and former Republicans that Donald Trump can never ever step foot in the Oval Office again, not even as a guest.”
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Firefighters battle wildfire threatening small Western Washington town
A wildfire that ignited last Wednesday west of Brinnon in Jefferson County, has now burned 398 acres and is less than 10% contained. The blaze has prompted a significant firefighting response from across Washington state and beyond.
Norma Brock, public information officer for the Western Washington Incident Management Team, provided an update on the fire's status.
RELATED: Weekend rain a welcome relief as wildfire burns near Stehekin
"When we initially [started], we were having trouble getting up in the air due to all the heavy smoke and visibility. Once we got air resources we were able to fly around and do better mapping,” Brock said.
The Incident Management Team is collaborating with a team from Georgia on containment efforts. Firefighters are constructing lines around the fire and using a variety of strategies to control its spread. Brock noted that while recent weather has brought rain, it has not been significant enough to impact the fire's behavior. Winds continue to drive the fire's progression, complicating suppression efforts.
Firefighters are working around the clock, focusing on line construction to manage the fire's growth. Containment refers to digging or using natural boundaries that are strong enough to prevent the fire from spreading independently without constant supervision.
Brock said the steep terrain where the fire is burning is complicating the process, making it harder for crews to access the area safely.
RELATED: Calls for vigilance as Washington state battles historic wildfire surge
In her 33 years in Brinnon, resident Melissa Sherry has never experienced a wildfire like this, but she said the small town of less than 1,000 people trusts the firefighters to get the job done.
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Rising Sun Produce, a Ravenna fixture, set to reopen soon
The lights will soon come back on at Rising Sun Produce, a beloved produce stand since 1979 in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood.
A fire in February forced the store to shutter. Owner Virgil "Bud" Goodwin said the past six months have been a challenge. But he’s been amazed at how customers, the neighborhood, even the landlord rallied to make sure the store returns.
RELATED: Beloved produce market in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood closes after fire. ‘We will be back’
"You just want to start crying," he said. "What else can you do, you know?"
On Thursday, Rising Sun will reopen at the same location on 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 65th Street.
Goodwin opened the door to reveal a bright space, free of soot and smoke. He had lived in Central Washington and hoped to own a farm there, but it wasn’t financially feasible. But he knew a lot of farmers — and their produce.
"So, I figured, let’s take a load of produce over to Seattle and see what happens," he recalled.
He discovered he enjoyed selling produce and making people happy with good deals.
"Maybe tomatoes that are a little ripe that grocery stores don’t want or avocados that are a little ripe," he said, for example. "You try to find those deals… that make people happy."
Goodwin said the store will carry mostly local produce for now. It will take another week to add dairy, wine, and other grocery items. Still, he said, he’s grateful to be back.
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KUOW covers Washington Democrats in Chicago for 2024 DNC
Read KUOW's latest 2024 DNC coverage here.
Washington state hasn’t been a major player in a U.S. presidential election for decades, but in recent years, many of its leaders have risen to prominence in the Democratic Party.
That will be on display at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week.
Medina Rep. Suzan DelBene, the new head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, will speak to the convention Wednesday. Seattle Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has already spoken at several smaller events, fresh off a Michigan trip campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris.
RELATED: Republicans to rally support for Harris at the DNC
They and other Democrats will join around a hundred delegates from the state, who mostly voted to enshrine Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee last month. Some delegates held back on that vote, however, demanding Harris does more to curb Israel’s deadly campaign in Gaza.
Washington’s leftist critics of the Democrats will also descend on Chicago. Socialist Kshama Sawant plans to "Disrupt the DNC" at a rally with perennial third-party candidate Jill Stein on Tuesday.
This page will be updated throughout the DNC.
Randall at LGBTQ+ event on 'what it means to be out and in power'
Emily Randall rolled up to Victory at the DNC, an LGBTQ+ gathering in a hotel near Chicago's Millennium Park, on a Lime scooter Tuesday afternoon. She couldn’t get a Lyft, but she’s used to scootering – during her last campaign for state senator in Bremerton, she rented an Unagi scooter for nine months.
“When I go to Seattle for meetings, if it's sunny, I like to pick up a Lime from the ferry dock, and that way I don't have to wait for a cab or a Lyft, and I get the wind in my hair,” Randall laughed. “Microtransit’s where it's at.”
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A dead baby found in Ballard and the homeless mother who wonders if he was ever alive
She didn’t know she was pregnant, she later told police, even though a relative suspected she might be.
On the day she gave birth, in February 2023, she was riding her bike near the train tracks at Shilshole Bay in Ballard. She felt labor pangs, got off her bike, and walked into bushes in a parking lot.
As traffic whooshed nearby, she dropped to her knees and gave birth.
It was a boy. She had been roughly 32 to 36 weeks pregnant.
The baby made noises after he was born, she said later, like an animal, maybe a cat or a dog. She’d never heard that sound before, she said. She stayed with her son for five hours, maybe six, and then she left him there, naked, on a bed of baby wipes. The temperature outside was chilly, around 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
Was he alive? Was he real? She didn’t know, she said later.
Det. Don Waters from Seattle’s homicide took the case, employing shoe-leather police work and DNA technology to find the mother, which he did last month after a year and a half working the case. King County Superior Court set bail for $150,000, finding probable cause for manslaughter in the second degree, reckless endangerment, and unlawful disposal of human remains.
Ultimately, the woman was released on July 26, no charges filed.
Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, said in a statement that “the only evidence that the baby was born alive comes from the woman’s statements that the baby made noise for a couple of minutes after he was born.
"Due to her mental state at the time her statement was made — including hearing voices, according to police investigators — it is difficult to determine how reliable her statements are.”
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'Confronting Hate Together' will finally be displayed, but not at the Wing Luke Museum
"Confronting Hate Together" will return, but won't be held the Wing Luke Museum where a controversy surrounding the exhibit emerged earlier this year. Instead, the Washington State Jewish Historical Society will present the exhibit at an event in September for "the Jewish community alongside our friends and allies."
"Immense harm has been caused to the Jewish community by not being able to show the exhibit," the group said in a statement. "The anti-Jewish ideas and attitudes that fueled the (Wing Luke Museum) employee walkout (whether conscious or not) have yet to be adequately acknowledged. And, at the same time, the greater Seattle community will be deprived of an important cross-cultural educational opportunity."
"Confronting Hate Together" is an exhibit jointly produced by the Jewish Historical Society, the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, and the Wing Luke Museum.
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2 men face RICO charges for violent home robberies in Western Washington that targeted Asian Americans
Federal prosecutors in Seattle have indicted two men on rarely used racketeering charges, related to a series of violent home robberies throughout Western Washington targeting Asian Americans in 2022. They said the charges follow a lengthy investigation across multiple jurisdictions that remains ongoing.
The men, Kevin Thissel and Christopher Johnson, are accused of organizing and committing at least seven robberies. They each face one federal count of racketeering and one count of conspiracy. Each count has a maximum penalty of life in prison.
They are also accused of committing kidnappings and murder in the course of robberies that ranged from south King to Snohomish and Skagit counties. The indictment also alleges that they were part of a criminal organization that operated in “Washington, Arizona, and elsewhere.”
U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman said it’s the first time in 17 years that her Western Washington district has used the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to address what they allege is a violent criminal organization. The previous instance was against a Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang.
“Part of [RICO’s] power and impact is that it really addresses violent crime done through groups,” Gorman said.
Richard Collodi, the FBI special agent in charge in Seattle, said the crews performing these robberies followed similar procedures each time, wearing masks, carrying firearms, and bursting into homes in the middle of the night.
“Many actions of the defendants in this case were specifically designed to cause fear," he said. "They kidnapped multiple people, they pretended to be the police, they disabled cameras, and even restrained children.”
Officials said the robberies specifically targeted Asian Americans because, according to the indictment, they “perceived Asian victims to be ‘weaker.’”
The charges so far don't allege that the men conspired to commit civil rights violations or hate crimes, but Gorman said, "we take civil rights violations extremely seriously and if there is one that could meet the elements, we would definitely bring it."
RELATED: Asian American community on edge after targeted home invasions in South Seattle
Law enforcement officials said the actions of these crews resulted in the death of 36-year-old Irah Marcelo Sok, who was shot in her bedroom during a robbery in Everett on July 19, 2022 with her 7-year-old child next to her on the bed.
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