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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Pete Carroll's unique legacy and what's next for the Seahawks
KUOW’s Kim Malcolm talked to sportswriter Danny O'Neil about the news this week that coach Pete Carroll won't lead the Seattle Seahawks for a 15th season.
The Seattle Seahawks may not be moving forward with Pete Carroll as head coach, but his influence on the football team is likely to linger, according to sportswriter Danny O'Neil with The Dang Apostrophe.
"He was kind of this Willy Wonka character who always expected the best," O'Neil said, noting that in his early years as the Seahawks head coach, Carroll transformed the team into something not often seen elsewhere in the NFL.
RELATED: Pete Carroll ousted as Seattle Seahawks head coach
When the Seahawks announced that Carroll would not be returning as its head coach next season, the organization said that he would move into an advisory role for the team. O'Neil says fans shouldn't get their hopes up that Carroll will be guiding the team's next leaders.
"The advisory role, he will certainly will be someone who contributes, but I don't expect him to be in the building all that much," O'Neil said. "He still has a year remaining on his contract, so he's not going to coach somewhere else, and he may not have the appetite for doing that at this point. But I don't think this signals that he is going to have day-to-day involvement with how the team actually functions."
As for who will be involved with the day-to-day functions of the Seahawks moving forward, that's entirely up to speculation at this point. If O'Neil had to guess, Dan Quinn may be one likely option. Quinn is currently with the Dallas Cowboys, but was previously a coach with the Seahawks during Carroll's early years with the team. O'Neil also argues that Raheem Morris with the LA Rams has a strong chance of coming to Seattle. Both coaches are currently defensive coordinators, and it has been argued that the Seahawks defense has been a weak point in recent seasons.
"I don't think they are going to some military, drill sergeant type coach," O'Neil said. "Pete was unique in that he really coached out of positivity. He did not use fear or threats as a motivating factor. He really embraced unique, individual elements; celebrated how unique his players were in a way that I haven't seen any other coach be able to do. There might be more rules going forward, but I don't think we're going to a military, hardline approach."
RELATED: Managing a team 'the Pete Carroll' way
Dyer Oxley contributed to this report.
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Washington State Patrol investigating protesters who blocked I-5
The Washington State Patrol is investigating multiple people suspected of organizing a protest that blocked I-5 through downtown Seattle on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2023.
Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste issued a statement Thursday morning, five days after the protest.
"The Washington State Patrol is actively investigating several individuals involved in orchestrating Saturday's protest and will be referring cases to the King County Prosecutor's Office as appropriate," Batiste said.
RELATED: Thousands of pro-Palestinian marchers gather in Seattle after communications cut off in Gaza
WSP further states that intentional disruption of traffic on a freeway puts lives in danger, and puts livelihoods at risk.
"It's dangerous and simply cannot be tolerated."
WSP recently told KUOW that it was not prepared for the "sheer size of the crowd" on I-5. Batiste's statement also notes that the "sophistication and scale" of the protest "presented unique challenges."
Activists blocked the freeway Saturday afternoon in a call for a ceasefire in Gaza. With an outsized military, Israel responded to Hamas' October attack by overwhelming Gaza, and has only recently pulled back troops. An estimated 22,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October, as hunger and disease surges amid the attacks. Israeli officials state that despite pulling back troops, the conflict is not over. This week, the United Nations began hearings over accusations, lead by South Africa, that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.
At least eight people were arrested at last weekend's I-5 protest in Seattle. Activists chained themselves together with a device called a "sleeping dragon." WSP told KUOW that special training is required to safely remove the device from protesters. Activists also left their vehicles on the freeway, blocking traffic. WSP used bomb-sniffing dogs to search for explosives.
The protest on I-5 was not the first demonstration in Seattle over the Israel-Hamas war, though it was the first to block freeway traffic. Protestors blocked the University Bridge in December. Groups associated with the protests include: the Palestinian feminist organization Falastiniyat; the Seattle chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace; Samidoun Seattle; and Students United for Palestinian Equality & Return at the University of Washington.
RELATED: Understanding the Hamas-Israel war through history and human rights
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Winter is coming! Seattle area prepares for weekend freeze
Chances of lowland snow arrive Thursday in Western Washington, followed by freezing temperatures over the weekend.
UPDATE (Jan. 11, 2023): Not long after Western Washington experienced its warmest December on record, it's possible the region could set all-time cold records in January.
The National Weather Service in Seattle forecasts a low temperature of 14 degrees on Sunday, which would be the coldest recorded in Seattle since 2010. If temps dip lower, it will be the coldest since the '90s.
On Thursday morning, Seattle Weather Blog's Justin Shaw told Seattle Now that forecasts have shifted day-to-day for Seattle. At this point, Portland is more likely to see the amounts of snow previously expected in Seattle. The Seattle area may see pockets of snow, or a rain/snow mix into the weekend.
"It may not snow, but this cold means business," Shaw said. "We're looking at highs in the 20s, lows in the teens. It's probably not going to get above freezing from Friday morning until maybe Sunday night. Pull in your plants. Don't let your pets outside ... if your car breaks down, make sure you have a heavy coat, mittens, a hat, just be prepared."
Listen to Shaw's full conversation with Seattle Now here.
ORIGINAL REPORT (Jan. 10, 2023)
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Pete Carroll ousted as Seattle Seahawks coach
Pete Carroll is out as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
"It's been an honor and a thrill to be part of this program, and I've loved every minute of it, and you've watched me love it ... it's exciting that there is such a future here. You can see it," Carroll said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference, adding that the Seahawks have a lot of work ahead of them, but the team has "great places to go and great chances ... the future is bright."
"What's gonna happen now is the process will start for getting new leadership here," he said, noting his gratitude for the coaches who have supported him during his tenure as head coach.
Chair of the Seahawks, Jody Allen, confirmed the news of Carroll's departure in a statement Wednesday morning. Carroll will no longer be head coach of the team, but his role will "evolve" and he will remain in the organization in an advisory role, Allen said.
According to the statement, the Seahawks made the change "after thoughtful meetings and careful consideration for the best interest of the franchise," and that the team has "amicably agreed with Pete Carroll" about the decision.
Carroll held a press conference several hours after the announcement.
He said he met with the team's ownership over the past few days for post-season discussions and to plan how best to move forward. He said that they came to a "good clean spot" that made sense and that he "went along with their good intensions," which included his exit from the Seahawks as coach.
RELATED: Managing a team 'the Pete Carroll' way
Carroll said the change is not about him as head coach; rather it is about the whole organization.
"I realize that, I'm about as old as you can get in this business and they have to make decisions," Carroll said. "If there is something I can add for them in the future, we'll see."
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3 Democrats will be on Washington state's 2024 presidential primary ballot
The Washington State Democratic Party has submitted its list of candidates to be on the state's March 12 presidential primary ballot, the Secretary of State's Office reports.
Washington voters will have three Democratic candidates to choose from.
- Joseph R. Biden Jr.
- Dean Phillips
- Marianne Williamson
President Biden is currently the leader of the Democratic Party and is running for a second term to "finish the job" after defeating former President Trump in 2020. Recent polls suggest that another round of Biden vs Trump could ultimately be what voters are faced with in 2024.
Dean Phillips is currently a member of Congress, representing Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District. His bio hypes him as a business owner, including his role running his family's liquor business. He has argued that President Biden has a poor shot at winning a second term, and that the Democratic Party needs a candidate who can win against Trump.
Marianne Williamson comes to politics from a different angle. She is known as a self-help author in addition to being a religious and spiritual leader associated with the Unity Church. While she says that Democrats should thank President Biden for defeating Trump in 2020, she also argues that Biden's support will not be sufficient to win in 2024.
Both Phillips and Williamson are not appearing on all states' primary ballots in 2024.
RELATED: Nikki Haley debuts WA team ahead of 2024 GOP presidential primary
Washington's Republican Party submitted its candidate list last week. The state GOP is giving voters five names to choose from — Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Chris Christie.
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A prayer for cooperation and compassion as Washington's 2024 legislative session begins
The Washington State House started the 2024 legislative session Monday with messages of unity, as well as condemnation of antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Shortly after the gavel fell marking the start of the session, two Olympia religious leaders offered the opening prayer, starting with Rabbi Seth Goldstein.
"May you have compassion for your fellow citizens, their struggles and their hopes, especially those that feel threatened and alone," he said.
Imam Omar Kaddoura echoed that sentiment.
"So spark between us cooperation, so that we may fulfill our responsibilities as stewards of this world," he said.
RELATED: Which Republicans will be on Washington state's 2024 primary ballot?
The prayer preceded remarks from Democratic House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, who made a point to condemn antisemitism and Islamophobia. She also praised the work state lawmakers have done to strengthen the state's hate crime laws.
State lawmakers then got off to a quick start, with the House passing three bills only minutes after opening speeches.
Jinkins said she's optimistic about tackling priority issues, such as housing, behavioral health, and opioids. She said many of these issues are interconnected.
"Our challenges don't exist in silos, and our solutions cannot exist in silos," Jinkins said.
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Washington State Patrol was not prepared for 'sheer size of the crowd' at Seattle I-5 protest
In response to a protest that shut down northbound I-5 last weekend, Washington State Patrol says efforts to resolve it were complicated by activist tactics, miscommunication and “the sheer size of the crowd.”
Activists calling for a ceasefire in Gaza blocked the freeway in Seattle for five hours Saturday, Jan. 6, 2023.
RELATED: Demonstrators block University Bridge traffic as they call for a ceasefire in Gaza
About eight of the freeway protesters chained themselves together using a “sleeping dragon” device that requires special training to safely remove, Washington State Patrol said, adding that the tactic had not been used in earlier Gaza ceasefire demonstrations.
The State Patrol also had to call in extra staff to safely handle the large number of protesters, and to find a way to process those arrested because the King County Jail didn’t have enough space. The protesters dispersed without any arrests, said a spokesperson for the Seattle chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace.
Police said the protesters used a new tactic by abandoning their vehicles on the freeway, which bomb-sniffing dogs then searched for explosives.
A communication breakdown between agencies prolonged the six-mile freeway shutdown, the State Patrol said. It’s reviewing its practices in response.
RELATED: To lid or not to lid — Should I-5 be covered through the heart of Seattle?
Saturday’s protest was the latest in a weekly series of local demonstrations against the Israeli attacks on Gaza, and U.S. support for Israel, by local groups including the Palestinian feminist organization Falastiniyat, the Seattle chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, Samidoun Seattle, and Students United for Palestinian Equality & Return at the University of Washington.
Similar rallies have been held across the United States in recent weeks calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, including a protest in New York City on Monday that shut down highly-trafficked bridges and the Holland Tunnel. Demonstrations also recently closed freeways and bridges in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Philadelphia.
Correction 1/11/24 4:19 pm: An earlier version of this story misstated arrests at the protest; arrests were planned but not carried out.
RELATED: Understanding the Hamas-Israel war through history and human rights
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Can AI solve Seattle's traffic woes? Google thinks so
The city of Seattle is the first in the United States to work with Google on a new traffic light system, using artificial intelligence.
"It's a solution that they can deploy to an intersection within five minutes," said Juliet Rothenberg, product lead at Google's Climate AI. "It requires no construction, and no integration."
The effort incorporates AI and data from Google Maps, then gives the Seattle Department of Transportation suggestions on how to fix traffic jams.
The tech giant has launched "Project Green Light" in 13 different cities on four continents. Seattle is the first city in North America where it is being used.
Rothenberg notes that the new technology is quick, and much cheaper than other transportation solutions that require new construction.
"They might spend thousands, even ten-thousands of dollars of installing sensors in an intersection," Rothenberg said.
RELATED: Can AI reduce traffic deaths? These Seattle engineers are putting it to the test
Project Green Light can scan for significantly more traffic hot spots compared to existing methods. This gives city engineers more capacity to address high-traffic areas. It can also recognize when intersections nearby each other are not coordinating, contributing to a traffic jam.
"You'll have a lot of traffic going through the first intersection just to get stopped at the second intersection. Let's change that," Rothenberg said. "We can have traffic flowing smoothly through both simultaneously."
Changes can be as little as adding three seconds of extra green light time. Rothenberg said Project Green Light will recommend "these types of changes and even just those few seconds can have a big impact." According to early studies, up to 30% of stops can be reduced when using suggestions from Project Green Light.
The AI tech could also cut up to 10% of CO2 emissions at intersections.
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Seattle mayor wants more housing at Fort Lawton
Mayor Bruce Harrell wants to add more dense housing to Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood.
Harrell now wants up to 500 units at the Fort Lawton site near Discovery Park. That's more than double the city's current plans for that location, which were initially developed in 2019. But the mayor's office says that a 2022 assessment of the property concludes that it will require considerable infrastructure upgrades.
“The scale of our affordability and homelessness crises requires us to make the wisest possible use of our limited housing dollars in order to achieve the largest possible impact,” Harrell said in a statement. “In a city of 84 square miles, the Fort Lawton Redevelopment Plan is a unique opportunity to transform 34 underutilized acres into a new community that will last for generations — we must make the most of it. This is our One Seattle vision in action — a city with affordable homes and communities where every Seattle neighbor can access the good jobs, schools, and supports needed to grow and succeed.”
The mayor's office says that building more units will translate to a lower per-unit price tag, and help cover infrastructure costs for the project.
Fort Lawton is a former military site, which is still owned by the Army. The proposal includes affordable housing, and permanent supportive housing for vets and seniors who have experienced homelessness.
Density advocates say that the site could add even more housing. Neighborhood critics have called for the entire site to be dedicated as park land. The mayor wants to preserve 22 acres for open space and park projects.
The City Council still needs to approve the plan. So far, Councilmembers Cathy Moore and Dan Strauss have voiced their support for the increased housing.
"As the incoming chair of the Housing and Human Services Committee, I applaud Mayor Harrell’s proactive approach to increasing desperately needed affordable housing as well as permanent supportive housing in our city," Moore said in a statement. "I look forward to Council’s review of the amended redevelopment plan and working with all stakeholders to bring this project to fruition."
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The weather is not finished with Western WA: Lowland snow, freezing temps expected
UPDATE: The last time Western Washington faced a blizzard warning was 2012, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Now, 2024 has opened with a blizzard that announced itself with thick mountain snow, treacherous roads, strong winds, high surf and coastal flooding, and heavy rain across the lowlands.
The intense weather is not finished with Western Washington as freezing temperatures are expected to come next. Meteorologist Kirby Cook with the National Weather Service in Seattle calls this a "mixed bag" of weather stretching across the region.
"We're looking at a return to winter weather this week," Cook said, noting that strong winds will continue with gusts up to 65 mph, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca through the Whidbey Island area into Wednesday. Rain will continue with some thunderstorms.
Then, Western Washington temperatures will start to chill out.
"Depending on exactly where you are, anywhere from a 50-70% chance for at least an inch of snow in the lowland areas of Western Washington, which is pretty significant," Cook said.
Looking ahead, Cook said Western Washington can expect:
- Some potential for snow in the lowland areas late Tuesday and early Wednesday morning, most likely in the south Puget Sound area (Olympia and along the I-5 corridor to Portland). Potentially 1-2 inches of snow.
- Increased potential for lowland snow Thursday through Saturday. High temperatures in the upper 20 degrees are expected Friday and Saturday. Overnight temps could dip into the teens. Cook says such conditions are unusual for the area, and that any precipitation that falls will come as snow.
- "It does look like there is a chance for some lowland snow early (Wednesday) morning ... mostly gonna be south of Olympia ... some of the higher hilltops in the Seattle area could see some snow. I wouldn't expect any significant accumulation with that."
- "Pretty significant snow" could hit the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula.
- Weekend will transition to warmer temps, with means a potential for freezing rain.
"It's really looking like as we transition out of the windy conditions in the next 24 hours or so we're going to move into a much cooler classic a winter weather pattern for the Northwest, certainly in Western Washington really through the weekend," Cook said.
The blizzard warning for the mountains is still in effect until Wednesday morning. Cook notes that's when the winds will calm down, but the snow is expected to continue. Elevated avalanche conditions are a concern.
The National Weather Service in Seattle reported late Monday night that wind gusts ranging up to 50-60 mph were moving through Western Washington, along with "enhanced showers." Tuesday morning, WSDOT asked drivers to consider delaying trips over the mountain passes, such as Snoqualmie Pass, due to heavy snowfall and poor visibility. Otherwise, drivers are asked to be prepared with "appropriate traction tires." Road conditions have already caused crashes on I-5 over Snoqualmie Pass.
ORIGINAL REPORT
Get your candles ready for power outages, and expect roadways to snarl. A blizzard is coming to Western Washington this week.
A blizzard warning has been issued for the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Mountains in Western Washington. But the snow in the mountains is not the only weather event slated for the region that residents should plan around.
"A significant storm system will bring heavy snow and major impacts to portions of the Pacific Northwest beginning today. Blizzard conditions are likely in some of the higher terrain where multiple feet of snow may accumulate," the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center stated Monday morning.
The blizzard warning is active through Wednesday morning. The Center forecasts "several feet" of fresh snow in the Cascade Mountains over Monday and Tuesday evening, from "back-to-back storms."
Expect mountain passes to be affected. The National Weather Service in Seattle reports that the last time Western Washington had a blizzard warning was 2012.
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Political shakeup at city hall for Seattle Council's Central Staff
Seattle's new Council President Sara Nelson has fired the head of the Council's central staff, Esther Handy.
Central Staff’s job is to help lawmakers with “objective research, and analysis,” much like the Congressional Budget Office in the Washington D.C.
Nelson is naming former Central Staff director Ben Noble to replace Handy. Noble was the director of Central Staff "for more than seven years" according to his city bio. He is currently Director of the Office of Economic and Revenue Forecasts.
RELATED: 5 new Seattle City Council members and 1 to go. Let the wrangling begin
Before her role at Central Staff, Handy served as a director of two progressive non-profits, including Puget Sound Sage, and before that worked as an aide to former Councilmember Mike O'Brien.
Handy was first hired to run Central Staff by former Council President Lorena Gonzalez, a Progressive who also ran for mayor against Bruce Harrell.
Councilmember Nelson’s politics are much less progressive. First elected in 2021 to an at-large council seat, Nelson has a reputation as a business-friendly centrist.
Last week, Nelson was elected council president by the new centrist majority on the council, which includes five new members.
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Should Washington stay in standard time? These lawmakers say 'yes'
As lawmakers return to Olympia for the 2024 session, the Washington state Legislature is taking another run at eliminating the twice-yearly ritual of changing clocks.
“I’m working with colleagues in Oregon and California and they’re going to be trying to get similar legislation through their states so that the Pacific time zone, hopefully, could be all together on this," said state Sen. Mike Padden, a Spokane Valley Republican who wants to move Washington to year-round standard time.
RELATED: UW sleep doctor wants us to fall back, and stay there
Padden’s bill (SB 5795) to place Washington in year-round standard time is co-sponsored by state Sen. Manka Dhingra, a Redmond Democrat. The measure would exempt Washington from participating in national daylight saving time. If approved, Washington would go into permanent standard time on Nov. 4.
The bill argues that daylight saving time has negative impacts ranging from poor health, increased traffic accidents, spikes in in crime, agricultural disruptions, and hindering economic growth.
"Scientific studies have connected a number of health consequences with the act of switching between standard time and daylight saving time, including greater risks of heart attacks, more frequent workplace injuries, and increased suicide rates in the days immediately after the switch," the bill states.
Standard time is what the region is currently in, with daylight fading earlier in the evening. Daylight saving time is the other option that kicks in during spring and lasts through summer. It includes daylight that stretches later into the evening.
Daylight saving time, with its lighter evening hours, is often preferred. Padden even prefers daylight saving time over standard time. In 2019, he supported a bill signed by Gov. Jay Inslee that would have put Washington permanently on daylight saving time. But that move requires approval from Congress, which hasn't happened.
RELATED: 6 things to know about the political debate around daylight saving time
With no action from Congress, Padded now argues that stopping the time switch altogether is the most important action to take. Moving to standard time is something Washington state can do on its own.
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