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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UW, WSU agree to continue the Apple Cup, at least through 2028
This week's Apple Cup will not be the last, as fans had feared.
The University of Washington and Washington State University announced Sunday that they've agreed in principle to keep the rivalry alive — for now.
The agreement means the two football teams will continue to play the rivalry game at least through 2028. That's despite UW's departure from the Pac-12 conference; the Huskies are leaving for the Big Ten next year. UW's move will become official in August 2024.
"The Apple Cup tradition is beloved by Huskies, Cougars and football fans across Washington and beyond, so one of my priorities has been to ensure that it continues into this new era," said University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce in a statement. "This is a win for our fans, our universities and the state of Washington."
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Seattle ties record for homicides set in the 1990s
The city of Seattle has tied its previous record for the most homicides in a single year, and it likely will establish a new homicide record by the end of 2023.
Seattle set a record in 1994 with 69 homicides. That is currently the number of homicides the city has recorded for 2023, with a month and a half left in the year.
Seattle police confirmed the figure to KUOW on Thursday.
In September, KUOW reported that Seattle had hit 57 homicides so far in the year, marking the second-highest number of homicides on record and making 2023 the city's bloodiest year in recent memory.
RELATED: As Seattle homicides rise, King County has plans to prevent gun violence
That statistic is based on information from the Washington Association of Sheriff's and Police Chiefs, which has tracked crime data in the state since 1980.
In a previous interview with KUOW, Callie Craighead, a spokesperson for Mayor Bruce Harrell, called the spike in homicides "tragic, abhorrent, and unacceptable."
"Public safety is a core charter responsibility, and Mayor Harrell believes that every person in our city deserves to be and feel safe," Craighead said.
The increase in homicides and violent crime is not limited to Seattle. From 2019-22, Washington state saw a 96% rise in homicides. In 2022 alone, there was a statewide 8.9% increase in violent crimes.
Seattle hit a 15-year high in violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, and assault) in 2022. That same year, homicides rose by 24% over the precious year, totaling 52. There were 53 homicides in 2020.
According to SPD's 2022 crime report, the department investigated a total of 60 homicides that year, but 52 met criteria for the FBI's definition for criminal homicide.
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Top 3 Seattle holiday shows for kids, adults, and families in 2023
Whether you’re into theater, ballet, burlesque, or just looking for an enjoyable holiday-themed experience, there is a show in the Seattle area for you.
If you feel a little overwhelmed by the growing number of show announcements, you’ve come to the right place. Here are my top three holiday show picks, along with a rundown of the performance. Honorable mentions below.
A Very Die Hard Christmas, Seattle Public Theater (adults)
This is exactly what it sounds like: A Christmas-themed "Die Hard" spoof! I’m not here to debate whether or not the 1998 film featuring legendary action star Bruce Willis is or is not a Christmas movie. This hilarious production finds our star John McClane in LA visiting his estranged wife, when European bad-guys attempt to take over the building. What ensues is a comedic, musical farce, with all the action, theatrical explosions, and '80s references that you can handle. Presented by The Habit, the sketch-comedy group that recently produced "Titanish," a hilarious spoof of the Titanic, this Christmas-themed action/comedy/musical is at the top of my must-see list this year.
The Nutcracker, Pacific Northwest Ballet (family)
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Seattle gets $4M to create 'circular wood economy'
The city of Seattle is getting a $4 million federal grant to launch a salvaged wood warehouse that will support a "circular wood economy."
The idea is to reduce waste and prevent perfectly good wood from going to the landfill. The program boosts the recovery of wood from older homes that are taken apart, instead of being demolished. The result is a circular wood economy.
RELATED: Do townhomes drive down housing costs? Social science has an answer
According to the grant, which comes from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the recycled wood will primarily come from residential structures that are torn down in the city. The grant pays for a warehouse to store, process, and organize such material. The city anticipates that the program could produce about 150 tons of usable wood per year.
Kinley Deller, the construction and demolition program manager for King County, gave a presentation in June, explaining what a circular wood economy looks like.
"If there is a lot of material in there that could and should be going to higher use, we feel we have a responsibility to guiding that material in a better direction that how it is currently being used in the landfill," Deller said in his presentation.
RELATED: 'Good bones' from old homes help build Seattle's future
"We're working to put a system in place that will take these materials from buildings and put them back into new buildings and lock up that carbon ... and create a number of other benefits along the way."
Deller notes that there are about 350,000 tons of untreated wood being generated at job sites in King County each year. From that, about 60,000 tons of wood are being sent to the dump.
RELATED: Audit alleges nepotism, other ethical problems at Seattle's building department
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Race for WA Rep. Kilmer's congressional seat is heating up
The race to replace U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer in Washington's 6th Congressional District is taking shape, with three candidates interested in the seat.
Kilmer, a Democrat who has served six terms in the seat, will not seek re-election in 2024.
On Thursday, state Sen. Emily Randall (D-Bremerton) announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was entering the race.
"My story is just like the stories of my neighbors," she said in a video announcement, highlighting her upbringing in Port Orchard by union parents. "And when I stepped up to run for state Senate, no one handed me the keys."
In fact, Randall has won two elections as a state legislator by fairly narrow margins.
Randall's campaign adds a second Democratic candidate in a congressional district that has steadily voted Democrat for Congress. Washington's Public Lands Commissioner Hillary Franz was first to announce she'd run for the seat, just a day after Kilmer said he would not run again; Franz also won the benefit of Kilmer's endorsement.
Republican state Sen. Drew MacEwan has also said he is forming an exploratory committee for a potential run to represent the 6th District. MacEwan currently represents the state's 35th Legislative District, which covers Mason County, and parts of Kitsap and Thurston counties.
The 6th District covers the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas, as well as Tacoma.
Randall's announcement video featured endorsements from fellow lawmakers as well as Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs.
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Seattle families are relieved — but still worried — now that school closures are off the table next year
With Seattle schools spared from closures next school year, some parents and educators breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday — at least temporarily.
Erin MacDougall, a parent of two students, applauded administrators’ new proposal to push back the timeline for school closures and not shutter any buildings next year, as many had anticipated.
But MacDougall said she and other parents who’ve joined All Together for Seattle Schools, a newly-formed citywide parent advocacy group, remain concerned about what’s to come in the fall of 2025, when district leaders expect closures to begin.
They also worry they’ll continue to feel like their voices are ignored or not heard as district leaders work to fill next year’s projected $105 million deficit — and another two years of even larger expected budget gaps.
“Knowing that this is still very much a focus in the following year puts a lot of stress on our families and school communities who are still suffering many years into this pandemic life,” MacDougall said at Wednesday’s school board meeting.
“Before you commit to cutting programs, please have an honest conversation with the community about the budget needs.”
The district’s precarious financial situation has been fueled by declining enrollment, including a loss of nearly 5,000 students over the last five years. Because state education funding is largely based on enrollment numbers, that five-year drop cost the district about $81 million of revenue.
Last year, the district grappled with — and ultimately filled — a $131 million shortfall.
The situation is not likely to improve anytime soon. District officials say they’ve consulted with multiple outside demographers and none anticipate significant enrollment growth within the next decade.
“Our current budget shortfall demands our collective attention and strategic planning,” said Superintendent Jones. “We are committed to addressing it in a manner that reflects fiscal responsibility, actively incorporates feedback of our community members, and ensures that our schools continue to provide high quality education.”
To achieve financial stability and those other goals, district leaders said Wednesday that school consolidation has to be a central piece of the puzzle.
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Seattle area sharply cuts down on water consumption, but still needs to use less
You're nearly there, Seattle. Just 5 million gallons (per day) to go.
The Seattle area has made progress conserving water in the face of drought conditions, and low supply, but there is still a little more saving to be done.
"The recent rain has been helping, especially in the last two weeks," Julie Crittenden with Seattle Public Utilities told KUOW. "We are seeing our reservoirs refill towards more normal levels for this time of year. Our two reservoirs, in the Cedar and South Fork Tolt watersheds, have come up about 8 feet in November."
Crittenden works for SPU's Water Planning and Program Management. She notes that while the rain has helped, "We aren't out of the woods quite yet." More rain is needed.
The Cedar watershed is almost to normal levels, Crittenden said. That watershed provides about two-thirds of the utility's water supply. The South Fork Tolt system remains 20 feet below normal, however.
Seattle Public Utilities began asking customers to cut down on water usage in September. The call came after an exceptionally dry spring and summer, causing extremely low levels at the region's reservoirs. Looking ahead to a fall and winter that is expected to be drier and warmer than usual, SPU issued the warning about water supply conditions.
The goal is for the utility's customers to get down to 100 million gallons of water per day. In September, the Seattle area was consuming 149 million gallons of water per day. As of this week, customers are down to 105 million gallons of water per day — just 5 million gallons per day to go.
The water conservation effort remains voluntary, and no mandatory or emergency orders have been issued. The last time SPU asked for voluntary conservation was in 2015. The last time the area went into mandatory conservation was in 1992.
SPU not only provides water service to the city of Seattle, but also neighboring communities, including Bellevue, the Sammamish Plateau, Redmond, and Woodinville.
To conserve water, consider fixing leaky toilets and lowering the amount of water toilets use. Only run full loads of laundry, and full loads of dishes.
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Second fire strikes same Seattle dog boarding business within a year
A fire broke out at a doggy day care center in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood, sending dogs fleeing the flames, and leaving many on the loose Monday evening. It is the second blaze this dog boarding business has experienced within a year.
The Washington State Department of Transportation has confirmed that one of its employees found a deceased dog on I-5 in the SoDo area shortly after the fire. The employee called a phone number on the dog's collar.
RELATED: Dogs are being surrendered more in Seattle area because of soaring pet food costs, inflation
That aligns with information posted to the Facebook group "Lost and Found Pets of King County," where more than one person has asked for help locating a missing pet following the fire. One person posted that they were out of the country when they received a phone call from a WSDOT employee, informing them that their dog was found on I-5.
The Seattle Fire Department was called to a fire at The Dog Resort on South Industrial Way around 8:30 p.m. Monday. Smoke was billowing out of the second floor of the two-story building as one team put water on the building, and another team evacuated dogs. The fire was under control by 9:05 p.m., according to the department.
Police officers were also called to the scene to help corral dogs on the loose. Some dogs were sent to another boarding facility, and some dogs were reunited with their owners. Other dogs fled and reportedly returned to the site a couple hours after the incident. No injuries were reported at the time.
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Another Washington ferry goes out of service
Another Washington State Ferry is down Monday morning. The M/V Yakima has been taken out of service due to "continuing mechanical issues," according to Washington State Ferries.
No word yet on when the Yakima will be back in service.
The Yakima suffered a mechanical problem Sunday, which forced the state's ferry agency to cancel several runs between Lopez Island, Anacortes, and Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands.
Officials say they've juggled things around. If you're planning to use the ferry along this route, check the schedule to see if your ride will be affected.
A third of the Washington State Ferries fleet was already down prior to the Yakima going out of service.
The M/V Yakima is a "super" class ferry that can carry up to 2,000 passengers and 144 vehicles. It was built in 1967, and had upgrades in 2000.
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Some Seattle City Council races too close to call, but most have winners
Many Seattle City Council races were concluded over the weekend, after Friday's updated ballot count, with candidates conceding to their opponents.
Check latest 2023 Seattle Council election results
Joy Hollingsworth is now slated to join the Council in 2024. Alex Hudson conceded the race for Council District 3 on Friday.
RELATED: Hilary Franz ends campaign for WA governor, now running for Congress
In District 6, incumbent Councilmember Dan Strauss (52%) inched ahead of challenger Pete Hanning (48%) late last week. On Monday morning, Hanning called Strauss to concede the election.
"I called Dan this morning to congratulate him on his reelection," Hanning told KUOW Monday.
Strauss told The Seattle Times Friday that the win is a “humble honor.”
(In the Nov. 13, 2023 KUOW Daily Newsletter, it was stated that there were no official statements from Strauss or Hanning on the status of this race. Shortly after the newsletter was sent, Hanning confirmed that he had conceded. This post has been updated to reflect the most current information.)
Incumbent Councilmember Andrew Lewis conceded to challenger Bob Kettle on Friday. Kettle took about 51% of the vote, to Lewis' 49%.
Rob Saka had 54% of the vote in District 1 after Friday's updated ballot count. Maren Costa had 45%. He thanked Costa for her "strong campaign and gracious challenge." Saka will take over for Councilmember Lisa Herbold who is stepping down at the end of her term.
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Hollingsworth slated to join Seattle Council after Hudson concedes District 3 race
Alex Hudson conceded the race for Seattle's Council District 3 Friday. Joy Hollingsworth is now slated to join the Seattle City Council in 2024.
“This was a hard fought campaign, but also a civil and substantive one, and I want to publicly congratulate Joy on her victory. Of course it hurts to lose, but Joy ran a stellar campaign, and I have no doubt she will be a strong and effective representative for the people of District 3,” Hudson said in a statement. “I also want to offer my heartfelt thanks to the thousands of Seattleites who supported my call for a safer, healthier Seattle where everyone can thrive.”
RELATED: Who will replace Kshama Sawant as she exits Seattle's city council (and will they be different)?
Hollingsworth emerged from initial ballot counts Tuesday with a strong lead. As of Friday morning, after a couple more days of counting votes, Hollingsworth had 56% of the vote, to Hudson's 43%.
Hudson's campaign said that she called Hollingsworth Friday morning, congratulated her, and "offered her support and assistance going forward."
Hollingsworth hails from Seattle's Central District, LGBTQ, and business communities. She was endorsed by Mayor Bruce Harrell, and has been viewed as being part of a more center-left group of council candidates in Seattle, many of whom have so far led in their respective races.
She made a local name for herself playing basketball for Seattle Preparatory School, before playing at the University of Arizona, and then professionally in Athens, Greece. When she returned to Seattle, she was an assistant basketball coach at Seattle University. Hollingsworth also co-runs her family's Hollingsworth Farms, a cannabis business based in the Olympic Peninsula.
Hollingsworth lives in the Central District, in her family's home, with her wife Iesha.
Seattle Council District 3 covers Capitol Hill, First Hill, and the Central District. It has been represented by Kshama Sawant since 2014.
Sawant faced steep competition from challengers each election, and also survived a recall attempt in 2021. She announced in early 2023 that she would not run for re-election, and instead help found a new political movement called "Workers Strike Back," along with her party Socialist Alternative.
"Workers Strike Back is meant to be a national movement," Sawant said in January. "Workers Strike Back is going to be built in multiple cities."
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Hilary Franz ends campaign for WA governor, now running for Congress
Hilary Franz dropped out of one campaign and jumped into another Friday. Franz ended her bid for Washington state governor, and is now running to represent the state's 6th Congressional District.
RELATED: WA Congressmember Derek Kilmer won't run for re-election in 2024
"Over the last few months, I’ve talked to voters in every corner of Washington and heard the same concerns — rising prices for necessities like housing pushing families out of the middle class, protecting reproductive freedom and women’s rights, safeguarding our democracy, supporting our veterans and military families, and the climate crisis bearing down on us,” Franz said in a statement. “The challenges we face extend beyond the borders of Washington, and so must our solutions. I am running for Congress to bring my vision for bold, transformative action to our nation’s capital and keep fighting for families across our region.”
Franz's announcement to run for Congress comes a day after Congressmember Derek Kilmer announced he is not running for re-election in the 6th District, which covers the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas, as well as Tacoma. Franz lives in Grays Harbor County. Her congressional campaign announcement comes with an endorsement from Kilmer.
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