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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The Supreme Court overturned the federal bump stock ban. What does that mean for Washington state?
In a 6-3 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on bump stocks on Friday. So, what does that mean for Washington state's ban on the devices that make semi-automatic guns shoot more rapidly?
RELATED: Supreme Court strikes down Trump-era federal ban on bump stocks
In short, not much.
Alan Gottlieb, founder the Bellevue-based gun rights group the Second Amendment Foundation, said the SCOTUS ruling does not affect the state law banning bump stocks. Nor does the ruling make the state law more vulnerable to legal challenges, Gottlieb said, noting he is not aware of any ongoing legal challenges in Washington.
That's because of the rulings focus on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' federal authority to issue the ban. The justices essentially ruled that the ATF does not have the authority to redefine a semi-automatic rifle equipped with a bump stock as a "machine gun." The federal ban, instituted in 2017 under former President Donald Trump, did exactly that.
RELATED: What the bump stock ban could mean for guns in the U.S.
The federal ban came after a gunman at a Las Vegas concert used guns modified with bump stock devices to kill 60 people and injure 400 in just 11 minutes. The ATF's ban on bump stocks determined the devices effectively transformed legal semi-automatic weapons into illegal machine guns because of the rate of fire.
But that's at the federal level, authority over which the conservative majority on the Supreme Court ruled lies only with Congress.
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Boeing, my dad, and Airplane Economics 101
In the months following Boeing’s now-infamous door panel blowout, speculation has swirled that the company’s troubles can be traced back to its decision to outsource so much of its manufacturing. The piece of fuselage in question was built in Kansas by Spirit AeroSystems, once a subsidiary of Boeing that was spun out in search of financial savings.
RELATED: Boeing’s woes mean rising anxiety in Wichita, Kansas, the 'Air Capital of the World'
In retrospect, it’s easy to accuse Boeing of putting profits above all else, but I wanted to understand what went into those decisions over the past five decades. I didn’t have to go very far to find answers. I happen to know an economist and aerospace consultant, who worked for Boeing in the '90s when this outsourcing shift was well underway: my dad, Jerry Nickelsburg.
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Outgoing UW President Cauce reflects on the joys and challenges of 10 tumultuous years
When Ana Mari Cauce accepted the role of president of the University of Washington in 2015, she was upfront with the Board of Regents. She only planned to serve two five-year terms. Now, she's following through on that statement.
"(Ten years) really gives you enough time to get something done and to get something accomplished," Cauce told KUOW. "So this has been planned for a while."
RELATED: While women outnumber men on campus, their later earnings remain stuck
Cauce announced this week that she will exit her role as president at the start of summer 2025. She still has a year on the job. After that, she will go back to her faculty position as a professor of psychology.
Her announcement to step down comes after tense protests around the UW Seattle campus, particularly over the war in Gaza. Cauce said the situation was difficult to navigate. Some universities opted to call police on protest camps. Cauce said that is a difficult decision considering it's your own students who are likely to be arrested or removed. However, she argues that many protesters came from outside the university. The situation at UW came to a peaceful end after talks with the president.
"The truth is that almost no matter when I stepped down ... it probably would have been a difficult one," she said. "And that this has been a very dynamic 10-year period. I started right after Ferguson and the beginning of the Black Lives Matter (movement). We've had Covid. Coming out of Covid was also almost as difficult as going in. And we had the George Floyd moments, so it's been a very, very dynamic period."
"There's no question that this last year has been particularly difficult, and that the war in Gaza has been particularly polarizing, not just on college campuses, but across the country and across the world."
With one more year to go, Cauce said it's too early to begin reflecting on her time in the president's office. She says she focused on a handful of key issues: expanding educational access, and work around population health, climate change, and inequality. Still, she's proud of the work that UW has done during her time in leadership.
RELATED: What comes next for the pro-Palestine protesters at UW?
"We have a program called 'converge' where we meet with (alumni). We have about eight different alumni associations in Asia, and meeting with them all together and seeing how many of our students are actually now deans and heads at universities across the world — that is incredible. I recently had a little bit of time to spend with one of my students who's now the provost at Arizona State University, and seeing how well she's doing. There's just so many moments."
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Seattle library patrons rejoice (quietly). Digital books are back
Readers rejoice! As of midday on Thursday, Seattle Public Library's digital book collection is once again accessible to the public.
It’s the latest milestone as the library system works to recover a cyberattack last month that halted services.
E-books and downloadable audio books are once again available on OverDrive and Libby.
“While restoring e-book access is a significant step toward the library’s recovery, we still have work left to do to bring other systems back online,” said a post on the library’s Shelf Talk Blog.
Several services remain unavailable, like public computers and in-building Wi-Fi, and library staff warn that wait times for digital books may be longer than normal.
They also say some titles may not have copies available, and new books haven't been added to the electronic collection since May 21.
Details of the ransomware attack that downed systems over the Memorial Day weekend have not been shared. It’s also unclear exactly when all library services will be up and running again.
For now, the library’s 27 branches are open and simply functioning in a low-tech capacity. The welcome return of e-books and e-audiobooks comes just in time for patrons to start their summer reading.
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Supreme Court, siding with Starbucks, makes it harder for NLRB to win court orders in labor disputes
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday made it harder for the federal government to win court orders when it suspects a company of interfering in unionization campaigns in a case that stemmed from a labor dispute with Starbucks.
The justices tightened the standards for when a federal court should issue an order to protect the jobs of workers during a union organizing campaign.
RELATED: Starbucks kicks off bring-your-own-cup effort to reduce waste
The court unanimously rejected a rule that some courts had applied to orders sought by the National Labor Relations Board in favor of a higher threshold, sought by Starbucks, that must be met in most other fights over court orders, or injunctions.
The NLRB had argued that the National Labor Relations Act, the law that governs the agency, has for more than 75 years allowed courts to grant temporary injunctions if they find requests “just and proper.” The agency said the law doesn’t require it to prove other factors and was intended to limit the role of the courts.
Following the decision, Starbucks said, “Consistent federal standards are important in ensuring that employees know their rights and consistent labor practices are upheld no matter where in the country they work and live.”
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Federal grant to help people in Northeastern Washington get hooked up to the power grid
Some people in Northeastern Washington aren’t hooked up to the power grid. Now, a new $5 million federal grant will help more than 200 people get access to power.
“We're aware of a lot of those areas within our service area where the power stops,” said Steve VanSlyke, manager for Ferry County’s Public Utility District No. 1.
RELATED: Demand for electricity in the Pacific Northwest expected to jump 30%
The grant will help parts of Ferry and Okanogan counties connect homes to the grid for the first time, extending 30 miles of underground electric distribution lines. The service area includes parts of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and other tribal members who live off the reservation.
The underground lines will prevent power outages from things like falling tree limbs or wildfires. The grant also will help upgrade one of the rural area’s substations, which will help make the grid more resilient.
According to the state Office of Financial Management, 37% of people in the public utility district’s service area are considered under the federal poverty level, with the lowest per capita income in Washington.
These rural areas disproportionately face larger burdens as the state transitions to carbon-free power sources, VanSlyke said.
Without access to the grid, people often rely solely on carbon-emitting power sources, VanSlyke said, like diesel generators.
“Those are the people that are going to be most adversely affected by being priced out of carbon emitting fuels,” he said. “Those resources just aren't gonna be available, or they're going to be priced out of them in the near future. So getting affordable energy sources to these people is going to be a big deal.”
RELATED: Northwest companies charge toward battery tech revolution
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Makah tribe clears major hurdle toward resuming traditional whale hunts
SEATTLE (AP) — The United States granted the Makah Indian Tribe in Washington state a long-sought waiver Thursday that helps clear the way for its first sanctioned whale hunts since 1999.
The Makah, a tribe of 1,500 people on the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, is the only Native American tribe with a treaty that specifically mentions a right to hunt whales. But it has faced more than two decades of court challenges, bureaucratic hearings and scientific review as it seeks to resume hunting for gray whales.
The decision by NOAA Fisheries grants a waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which otherwise forbids harming marine mammals. It allows the tribe to hunt up to 25 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over 10 years, with a limit of two to three per year. There are roughly 20,000 whales in that population, and the hunts will be timed to avoid harming endangered Western North Pacific gray whales that sometimes visit the area.
Nevertheless, some hurdles remain. The tribe must enter into a cooperative agreement with the agency under the Whaling Convention Act, and it must obtain a permit to hunt, a process that involves a monthlong public comment period.
Animal rights advocates, who have long opposed whaling, could also challenge NOAA’s decision in court.
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‘Troublemakers’ win the day, but questions remain after Amazon drops pipeline plans
Amazon has withdrawn plans to buy natural gas from a proposed pipeline expansion in Oregon. Climate activists and some of the company’s own employees say that’s great news, but they also have questions.
Three months ago at Amazon headquarters in Seattle, a group calling themselves "Troublemakers" blocked the entrances at the start of the workday. They held signs protesting Amazon’s plans to rely on TC Energy’s Gas Transmission Northwest (GTN) XPress pipeline expansion to power its data centers in Oregon.
Protesters said they were focused on the perils of climate change, and that relying on more fossil fuels was at odds with Amazon’s own climate pledge to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Now Amazon appears to be granting their request.
RELATED: Trees and contaminated soil are removed following gas pipeline spill in Skagit County
Troublemakers spokesperson Emily Johnston said she’s thrilled to hear that Amazon has changed course on the pipeline.
“It’s very important that we not invest money or infrastructure in new fossil fuel, so it’s terrific that Amazon has backed away from this project,” she said. OregonLive reported Tuesday that Amazon had withdrawn its application.
Johnston said she’s hoping reduced demand will prevent the pipeline expansion from going forward. In a recent court filing, the pipeline owners raised doubts about the project’s financial viability. But Johnston said if Amazon keeps using other fossil fuel sources to power its data centers, then the move is less significant.
RELATED: Amazon's rise to the top explained in 'The Everything War'
Amazon did not say why it cancelled its plans. In a statement, a spokesperson for Amazon Web Services (AWS) said, “At this time, we are not continuing with fuel cell projects in our Oregon operations. We are engaging thoughtfully with Oregon policymakers, environmental advocates, and the energy sector to meet our shared goal of clean, carbon-free energy that can scale to meet the needs of families, businesses, and other constituents in Oregon.”
It added that AWS “is working to add more renewable energy in Oregon,” noting it reached a deal to purchase some wind energy earlier this year. “We expect the clean energy enabled by our investment in 'Amazon Wind Farm Oregon – Leaning Juniper' to start being delivered by next year,” an Amazon spokesperson said.
KUOW heard from Amazon employees who supported the company’s decision but want even more significant steps to reduce carbon emissions linked to record heat waves and wildfires.
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University of Washington President Cauce to retire in 2025
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce announced Wednesday that she will retire from the role next year. The transition to UW's next leadership begins now.
RELATED: Congrats to the class of 2024. Now, how are you going to get a job?
"Serving as president of the UW is a joy and a privilege, including through some very tumultuous periods and transformative events that have shaped our University and our world," Cauce said in a statement emailed to the UW community Wednesday. "I’m incredibly proud of the amazing impact that UW faculty, staff, students and alumni create throughout our community, state and world, and I’m deeply grateful to be a Husky."
Cauce noted that this move has been "long planned" with UW’s Board of Regents. She will officially step down once her second five-year term ends. Cauce will not cut her ties with UW completely. Instead, she will move back into her faculty position as a professor of psychology.
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Damaged track switch derailed sulfur-hauling train in Whatcom County
Federal officials say a damaged track switch knocked a train carrying hazardous materials off the rails in Whatcom County last week.
Three tank cars carrying diesel fuel and two carrying molten sulfur tipped over along the BNSF Railway tracks in the tiny trackside town of Custer. Molten sulfur is a hazardous material used in oil refining and paper milling and transported at about 290 degrees Fahrenheit.
RELATED: Train carrying hazardous sulfur derails in Whatcom County
Six cars in total ran off the rails just before 11 p.m. on June 4, according to an email from BNSF spokesperson Lena Kent. The Washington Department of Ecology, which sent a responder to the crash site, said five cars derailed.
No spills or injuries were reported.
The train derailed where two tracks converged, according to Federal Railroad Administration spokesperson Warren Flatau. The track switch there had been damaged by the previous train running through it when it was not aligned properly.
That maneuver, known as "running through a switch," left the switch “gapped,” or in between alignments, when the 26-car mixed-freight train, heading the opposite direction, then hit it and derailed late on June 4.
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A downtown institution returns to Seattle's dining scene this summer
Nonprofit restaurant and training center FareStart once again will welcome guests to its South Lake Union location on 7th and Virginia.
RELATED: This Seattle culinary program helps people get out of homelessness
For more than three decades, the restaurant was a staple for office workers and a training ground for people transitioning from homelessness, making it a steady pipeline for restaurant jobs. But like many businesses, FareStart closed during the pandemic.
It's now expected to reopen in early July.
The training never stopped even while it was closed to the public, though, said CEO Patrick D’Amelio. Students continued to cook as they prepared community meals for people in need.
“We produced close to 2 million meals a year for various partner agencies, communities, and folks that would’ve otherwise experienced hunger,” D’Amelio said.
D’Amelio said those years of pivoting during Covid gave them fresh ideas to expand the job training program to include other food-related industries.
RELATED: FareStart helps students find jobs beyond the food industry
“It’s not just about a job as a line cook in a restaurant, but there’s farming, grocery, there are food distribution jobs,” D’Amelio said.
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Pierce County hopes to cultivate community gardens with new seed libraries
The Pierce County Library System is calling all gardening enthusiasts and wannabes to get excited about their new sustainable seed libraries.
So, what exactly is a seed library? It’s similar to the standard library books system. The library is a place to store and collect a variety of diverse seeds.
The seeds are shared with the community, where the cycle continues with patrons planting, sowing, growing, and harvesting seeds to return to the library program.
RELATED: What Ciscoe Morris says you should know about spring gardening around Seattle in 2024
The goal is to promote sustainability — while also cultivating a passion for gardening in the community. Patrons don’t need to already know how to save seeds to use the seed library, but program operators encourage anyone interested to take the time to learn how, in order to keep as many seeds as possible available to all. The library system sometimes offers free classes on how to save seeds. The Pierce Conservation District website also has tips on the best way to harvest seeds.
Seven branches of the Pierce County Library System are participating in the seed program: Ander Island, Fife, Milton-Edgewood, Parkland-Spanaway, Steilacoom, Tillicum, and University Place. Find more information about when these branches are open here.
RELATED: Gardening in the time of climate change
Plus, this isn’t the only — nor the first — such sustainable “library” system in the Pierce County area.
The main branch of the Tacoma Public Library also houses a tool library for the DIY inclined and curious who don’t own all the tools they need for various projects. That program offers low-barrier access to over 2,500 types of tools.
Seattleites and residents of King County may be familiar with local seed and tool libraries, too.
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