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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Only half of WA students are reading at grade level, new test scores show
Just 50% of students across Washington state are reading at grade level, according to the state’s latest standardized test results.
Literacy rates declined during the pandemic and have yet to rebound.
Statewide English-language arts scores have remained stagnant the last two years, and about 10 percentage points below pre-pandemic levels.
Throughout Denisha Saucedo’s more than 20 years as an educator, she’s never seen her students be so far behind when they get to her fifth grade classroom at Kent Elementary.
“The gap is just widening,” Saucedo said. “There are a lot of students coming in reading at a kindergarten or first grade level. And my biggest concern last year was that there were kids showing absolutely no growth within three years.”
State math and science scores also remain lower than they’d been before Covid, with just under 40% and 43% of students meeting standards in math and science, respectively. Students are doing slightly better in math from last year’s 38%.
But some educators are more concerned about literacy rates.
Research shows literacy is key to a students’ future academic success. If a student is unable to read well by third grade, studies show they’re more likely to drop out of high school.
Saucedo believes one reason for her students’ academic decline is Covid, which struck when they were supposed to be learning foundational skills in earlier grades.
But Saucedo has a few other theories, including increasing class sizes and the growing number of teachers who leave the profession because they feel overworked, or they’re dealing with mental health challenges.
She also thinks skyrocketing absenteeism is to blame.
“Attendance is terrible,” Saucedo said. “Pre-Covid, kids missed a couple days out of the whole year. If a kid missed double digits, we were surprised.”
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Seattle City Council returns to drug law debate with new proposal
Proposals to update Seattle's drug laws have bounced around city hall all summer. The latest attempt is now ready for full council consideration.
Washington state’s new drug possession law took effect this summer, but Seattle officials have been conflicted over how to enforce it, and whether to give City Attorney Ann Davison’s office the ability to prosecute these cases. The City Council voted down one attempt to codify the law last June.
Mayor Bruce Harrell then convened a work group to develop a new version of the ordinance which is now before the City Council. The council’s Public Safety Committee approved that new version in a 4-1 vote Tuesday.
It’s expected to go to the full council on September 26, although it could come up as early as September 19.
RELATED: Can mayor's proposal mend rift between Seattle and Washington's drug laws?
The proposed ordinance contains the state's new criminal penalty, which makes drug possession and public use a gross misdemeanor. But the proposal also emphasizes the goal for police to divert people away from arrest and toward services and treatment. Committee Chair Lisa Herbold praised Harrell’s “nuanced” approach to implementing state law, and said the proposal crafted by the work group struck the right balance.
“The law before us today states that diversion is the preferred approach, and this takes place before any arrest in many cases,” Herbold said.
But just how binding this emphasis is for law enforcement is unclear. The proposed ordinance instructed police to initiate an arrest only if they could document that the person using drugs posed a risk of harm to others.
However, Councilmember Sara Nelson introduced two successful amendments that appeared to give police more leeway on when to make an arrest for drug possession. One amendment said officers “may” (rather than “will”) determine “whether the individual, through their actions and conduct, presents a threat of harm to others.”
Nelson said she was concerned that the “conditions and complexity” of a required threat assessment by police officers could create legal risks that would open the city to allegations of biased policing or allow defendants to seek dismissal of their cases.
Councilmember Andrew Lewis supported Nelson’s amendments, saying they simply reflected that the mayor and the chief of police have authority to decide how police will enforce the drug possession law.
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Microsoft president asks Congress for AI regulation
When social media apps like Facebook and Twitter debuted, they were greeted with optimism and a collective shrug from regulators. At the time, few predicted the effect social media would have on teenage mental health, disinformation, and democracy.
Lawmakers are hoping to avoid repeating history at the dawn of the artificial intelligence revolution.
On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee asked Microsoft President Brad Smith and other experts to testify on what AI regulations should look like. It was the latest in a series of Congressional hearings attempting to create a framework for governing AI technologies.
Microsoft supports federal legislation that would put up guardrails around AI. The company has proposed creating a national licensing program for AI-products in sensitive areas like critical infrastructure.
“Think about it like Boeing,” Smith said during his testimony, referencing another Washington-grown company. “Boeing builds a new plane. Before it can sell it to United Airlines … the FAA is going to certify that it's safe. Now imagine we're at GPT-12. Before that gets released for use, you can imagine a licensing regime that would say that it needs to be licensed after it's been certified as safe.”
Despite calling for regulation, Senator Josh Hawley took Smith to task during the hearing for the AI-products Microsoft has already launched. He pointed to a widely shared New York Times article, in which columnist Kevin Roose got Microsoft’s AI-powered chatbot to claim it wanted to become human and break up his marriage.
“Are you telling me that I should trust you in the same way that the New York Times writer did,” Hawley asked.
Smith said Microsoft addressed the problem quickly and has built additional safety measures into its new Bing search engine.
“As we go forward, we have an increasing capability to learn from the experience of real people,” Smith said.
Hawley took issue with Microsoft testing its technology on Americans, particularly minors.
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Where to get the updated Covid shot in King County
Updated Covid vaccines are expected to arrive in Washington state within days, now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended them for everyone six months and older.
People will be able to get the updated shots at pharmacies and doctor’s offices, though availability may be limited at first.
"We expect it may take some time for providers and pharmacies across Washington to get access to update[d] COVID-19 vaccines," the state health department's Covid vaccine director, Heather Drummond, wrote in an email.
One thing that’s different with this round of Covid shots is that the federal government isn’t covering them for everyone.
Anyone with insurance, and all kids 18 and younger, can get them for free.
But adults without insurance can only get free shots at certain locations. That includes community health centers; King County’s public health center in Kent (which may not have the updated shots until the end of September); and Walgreens, CVS, and select other pharmacies.
King County’s public health agency offers in-home vaccination to people who are homebound because of a disability or medical condition.
The county plans to hold community-based vaccination events in coming months, at locations like low-income and senior housing.
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No charges for former Mayor Durkan over missing text messages
A King County investigation into the missing text messages of high-level employees has found:
- Former Mayor Jenny Durkan's phone was changed to "delete messages after 30 days" for roughly three weeks, which effectively destroyed past texts.
- Former Chief Carmen Best deleted her text messages, saying she thought the city backed them up, as they do with email.
- Fire Chief Harold Scoggins conducted a hard reset on his phone, destroying his text messages, because he couldn't remember the passcode on his phone.
An investigation initiated by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office found there were no grounds to seek charges over former Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s texts that went missing from 2020, a contentious period when city leadership was under scrutiny.
"There was no single factor that led to the destruction of text messages belonging to high-level city officials during this four-month period," reads a memo from the King County Prosecutor's Office.
"Rather, it was a perfect storm of training delinquencies, outdated and conflicting policies and procedures, and insufficient safeguards to prevent the loss of records that primarily contributed to the destruction of these text messages."
Dan Clark, chief of the mainstream criminal division, told reporters on Tuesday that there's no evidence that individuals intended to permanently delete anything.
“I know that there's a lot of focus on the time period of this," said Leesa Manion, King County Prosecuting Attorney. “But again, in order to file criminal charges, we would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was a willful intention to destroy, and the timing is not something that is a factor in making that legal decision.”
The investigation memo says that on July 4, 2020, Durkan dropped her phone in salt water. She got a new phone, which restored her text messages.
But then sometime between July 4 and July 22, someone changed the setting on Durkan’s phone to delete all messages after 30 days. All of Durkan's sent and received messages between Oct. 30, 2019 and June 24, 2020 were lost.
Someone changed the setting back to keep the messages forever between July 22 and July 26.
“It is unclear who changed this setting or why,” the investigator memo says.
Twelve higher level employees were missing text messages, among them Durkan, Police Chief Carmen Best, and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.
"Unfortunately, many employees forgot their original passcodes (after only using biometrics for a long period of time)," the investigative report says.
Last July, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg asked Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall to investigate why thousands of text messages were absent from the cellphones of former Mayor Jenny Durkan, former Police Chief Carmen Best, and other city leaders — including those exchanged during the height of Seattle protests on Capitol Hill three years ago.
Washington state has laws that outline which public records can be deleted, and when.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office gathered the journalists who had requested the text messages from city leaders into a room at their downtown office on Tuesday, to announce the investigation's findings.
Seattle’s East Precinct was at the center of the daily protests calling for police reform during the summer of 2020. When officers packed up and left the East Precinct, there was little clarity into why the decision was made or who made it.
RELATED: We know who made the call to leave Seattle’s East Precinct
KUOW made a public records request for six days of Durkan’s text messages, incoming and outgoing, from June 5 to June 10 of 2020.
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Driver sentenced for 2020 fatal collision with protesters on I-5
The man who drove into a crowd of protestors on I-5 in downtown Seattle in the summer of 2020 has been sentenced to more than six years in prison.
Dawit Kelete pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and other charges in July. His sentence is for both vehicular homicide and reckless driving. His lawyers agreed to the recommended maximum sentence for the charges.
RELATED: Protester Diaz Love speaks out about deadly Seattle car ramming and the journey to recovering
Prosecutors say he drove the wrong way onto I-5 at Olive Way, as Black Lives Matter protestors gathered on the freeway lanes. The Washington State Patrol had blocked access to the freeway, but Kelete drove around the closure. His vehicle then struck and killed Summer Taylor, and severely injured Diaz Love.
Summer Taylor's family issued a victim impact statement after the fatal incident. They remembered Taylor as a “burst of creativity, wit, and charm.” Taylor's family also previously sued the city and the state for failing to protect protesters from drivers.
RELATED: 'What Summer set their mind to do, Summer did.' Family of killed protester speaks out
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Bodycam captures Seattle police officer laughing in wake of fatal collision
Seattle's Office of Police Accountability is investigating bodycam video that features a Seattle Police Officers Guild leader laughing and joking in the wake of a fatal officer-involved collision.
On Jan. 23, 2023, a patrol car traveling more than 70 mph en route to a 911 call struck 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula on Dexter Avenue North. Kandula was taken to Harborview Medical Center where she died.
Less than a day later, bodycam video captured part of a phone call, reportedly between Det. Daniel Auderer and Officer Mike Solan. Auderer is vice president of SPOG, Seattle's police union, and Solan is president.
RELATED: The challenges of designing safer Seattle streets
According to a statement, the Seattle Community Police Commission confirms the conversation was between Auderer and Solan. The video features Auderer's side of the conversation, discussing the fatal collision involving another member of the police union.
Auderer says that he didn't believe the officer's car was out of control and that a trained driver could handle the high speed. He is then heard laughing after stating, "She is dead." He then states, through more laughter, "Yeah, just write a check ... $11,000. She was 26 anyway. She had limited value."
Auderer spoke with conservative Seattle media, explaining the call was intended to be union business, and that is why he shut the camera off in the middle of the call. He claimed that he self-reported his own bodycam video, concerned it would be misinterpreted, and said his comments were meant to mock lawyers who debate the value of life after a tragedy. Auderer added that someone watching the video would "rightfully believe" it was insensitive and would diminish trust in SPD, but added there was no malice on his part.
The Seattle Community Police Commission's statement says that, despite Auderer's explanation, the behavior is still "unprofessional and inhumane."
The reported explanation that he was mocking lawyers does not make this unprofessional and inhumane conduct any better because it shows – in what was believed to be a private conversation with SPOG leadership – a callous dismissiveness toward police accountability systems that are at the heart of the City’s efforts to reform the Seattle Police Department and come out from under the Consent Decree.
This speaks to the concerns that the Seattle Community Police Commission has repeatedly raised about elements of Seattle Police Department culture and SPOG resistance to officer accountability measures included in the landmark 2017 Police Accountability Ordinance. The people of Seattle deserve better from a police department that is charged with fostering trust with the community and ensuring public safety.
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It’s official: Ferguson is running for governor and he has Inslee’s support
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson is officially running to be the state's next governor.
A Saturday kick-off event across three cities, featuring a range of Democratic allies, signaled the official start to his campaign. The icing on the cake was an endorsement from current Gov. Jay Inslee.
If you're scratching your head and are a bit confused, that is understandable. Hasn't Ferguson been running for governor for a few months now?
Technically, Ferguson announced in May that he was forming an exploratory committee to potentially run for governor.
RELATED: With 'epic' announcement, Hilary Franz enters race for Washington governor
RELATED: State Sen. Mark Mullet enters race for Washington governor
Ferguson's exploratory announcement looked a lot like a campaign announcement video, akin to what his Democratic competition released when they announced their campaigns for governor. Still, since spring, the conversation around Democrats running to be Washington governor has generally included exploratory Ferguson, as well as other high profile officials — Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, and State Sen. Mark Mullet. Ferguson's campaign fundraising has also far exceeded his competition during this time.
And when Republican Dave Reichert entered the race for Washington governor in July, Ferguson was quick to go on the offensive, just like the other Democrats in this race.
As part of Saturday's kick-off festivities, Ferguson's campaign said Sept. 9 is the official start to their efforts. It was also a day for Ferguson to feature an array of endorsements across the state. Ferguson began the day in Spokane, then stopped for an afternoon event in the Tri-Cities. He finished the day at Seattle's Washington Hall, surrounded by King County Executive Dow Constantine, Congressmember Pramila Jayapal, Congressmember Suzane DelBene, King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, and former Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Gov. Inslee was also present, officially endorsing Ferguson to replace him after his current term is over. As quoted in The Seattle Times, Inslee said: "“I want to say that I don’t do this lightly. To endorse a position that I’ve been able to hold with immense honor for the past decade … is a big deal to me and my grandchildren.”
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Kroger and Albertsons are selling hundreds of stores. What we know, and don't
When Kroger announced plans to acquire Albertsons nearly a year ago, the big question was: Which stores will be closed in the merger process?
When two giant companies merge, federal antitrust laws could kick in, prompting the companies to sell off some stores in order to please the Federal Trade Commission. That's currently the plan for Kroger and Albertsons. On Friday, the two companies announced an agreement to sell 413 stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers, including 104 in Washington state. The companies added that no stores will close as a result of the merger.
“Because we are still in the regulatory process, we are not in a position at this time to share the specific locations that will be divested to continue serving the community under a different owner," a Kroger spokesperson said in a statement. "We anticipate being able to share these details closer to closing.”
RELATED: A grocery store merger made this Bellingham neighborhood a food desert. Are others next?
“We have raised alarms about the proposed Kroger/Albertsons merger from the very beginning,” said UFCW Local 3000 president Faye Guenther. “News of a possible deal with C&S to buy hundreds of stores as part of the proposed merger in no way reduces those alarms. Indeed, in many respects this announcement raises the level of concern for our members.”
With this latest development, is the acquisition a done deal? Is New Hampshire based C&S (which owns grocery brands Piggly Wiggly and Grand Union) a strong buyer that will satisfy the Federal Trade Commission for clearance?
KUOW spoke with University of Washington antitrust law professor Douglas Ross for his thoughts. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Why do Albertsons and Kroger need to divest stores?
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Many millennials and Gen Z don't see home ownership in their future, Redfin survey finds
Concerns over housing affordability are adding up to serious doubts for many millennials and Gen Z about whether they'll ever own their own home.
"The worsening housing affordability crisis has an outsized impact on Gen Zers and Millennials because they’re much less likely to own a home than older generations,” Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather said in a statement. “That means many young Americans don’t benefit from rising home prices by gaining equity."
"Many young people don’t have a choice between renting and buying. They’re renting their home because even though rent payments have increased, too, it’s still more affordable than buying in much of the country–and renters don’t need a down payment.”
RELATED: Why is it so hard to find a plumber or handyman these days?
According to a recent survey by the Seattle-based online real estate giant, about 1 in 5 millennials doubt they will ever own a home. Among Gen Z, about 1 in 10 feel owning a home is not in their future. The high costs of homes, and concerns over affordability, were cited as primary reasons for this feeling. Lack of ability to save for a down payment was also frequently mentioned. In fact, Redfin also found that 40% of these two generations were working second jobs with the hope of saving for a down payment.
Redfin's survey was conducted in May and June 2023 and included more than 5,000 people who recently moved, were about to move, or rent their home in the United States. Among this group, 1,340 were Gen Z, and 1,973 were millennials.
Gen Z was classified by ages 18-26, and millennials are ages 27-42.
The sentiment among the younger generations contrasts with Gen X and baby boomers. A 2022 Bank of America Institute survey found that 60% of Gen X, and 76% of baby boomers plan to retire in a home they own. Another 27% of Gen Z said they will sell and move into a new home upon retirement; 13% of baby boomers said the same.
Bank of America also concluded that affordability appears to be a big motivating factor these days. Another assessment found that America's "Sun Belt" has been attracting many homebuyers in recent years, largely because of the more affordable home prices when compared to the West and Northeast.
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'It is not OK,' Seattle union leader responds to transit drug study
The union leader representing Seattle's transit operators says, "Smoking drugs on public transportation should not be considered acceptable," following the results of a study that found traces of fentanyl and methamphetamine on buses and trains.
That study out of the University of Washington concluded that the traces were so small there was no risk to operators or passengers.
"It does provide some valuable insights that can help us understand the situation, but at the end of the day, it's still my workplace," said Ken Price, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587, which represents transit workers in the Seattle area
"We're saying, 'Oh, yeah, it doesn't hurt people; There's no long-term effects.' We don't even know that yet. The study does not really cover all of that," Price said. "But it's the long-term effects on our streets, and our public transportation that many people depend on, that I call my workplace ... and it's just, 'Oh, yeah, we did a study. It's OK.' It is not OK."
RELATED: Study finds drug traces on Seattle transit rides
Price added that it's "not OK," because the drugs are killing people, and the issue is placing mental stress on drivers.
Seattle-area transit operators have long raised alarms over drug use aboard buses. In 2022, KING5 reported that formal reports about drug use from King County Metro's drivers rose in recent years: 44 reports in 2019; 73 in 2020; and 398 in 2021. KOMO further reported that Metro's data for 2022 showed 1,885 reports of drug use on buses. Also, 16 operators filed workers' comp claims by March 2023. The UW study on Seattle buses and trains also began in March.
The study out of the UW's Environmental and Occupational Health Science Department focused on environmental factors and work conditions. It did not deal with health effects or toxicity from exposure to drugs. Experts did say, that while there are little or no standards for such exposures, they would not expect the low levels detected on buses and trains to be of risk to anyone.
Researchers monitored surface samples from buses and trains in Seattle and Portland. They also placed air monitors around operators and passenger areas. While traces of fentanyl were found in some samples, methamphetamine was detected in nearly 100% of samples. Researchers recommended upgrading air filters to MERV 13 or higher, as well as enhancing cleaning protocols. They also suggested mental health support for drivers.
RELATED: From needles to pipes. Seattle outreach adapts to morphing drug crisis
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King County could get a $19 per hour minimum wage
A new proposal aims to raise King County's minimum wage to nearly $19 per hour.
"Workers should not struggle to barely survive in our region," King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay said while introducing the proposal Thursday.
Zahilay argues that unincorporated portions of the county compete with neighboring areas with higher wages. For example, he said, someone in Skyway could simply walk a few blocks to Seattle or Tukwila for a higher rate.
RELATED: Changes to Washington employment laws and wages in 2023
Washington state's minimum wage is currently $15.74 per hour. Zahilay's proposal would raise the county's rate to $18.99 per hour.
That's slightly above Seattle's current minimum wage of $18.69 per hour, for businesses with more than 500 employees (some businesses can pay $16.50 under certain factors). SeaTac's minimum wage is $19.06 per hour, and is adjusted annually for inflation. In 2022, Tukwila voters approved a measure that aligns its city's minimum wage with SeaTac's.
Like the aforementioned cities, the proposed ordinance for King County factors in annual raises, according to inflation.
The proposal also aims to phase smaller businesses into the new minimum wage. For example, a business with fewer than 15 employees and an annual revenue of less than $2 million would pay workers $3 less than the new minimum wage, once enacted. Companies with between 15–500 employees could pay $2 less. These companies would then pay an additional 50 cents and $1 respectively each year until they catch up.
The proposal cites a number of statistics to make its case, such as the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Washington State. It also quotes 2022 data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition — 103 hours at minimum wage is needed to afford a basic one-bedroom home in King County.
NILHC's 2023 data states that the Seattle-Bellevue area is the the most expensive region to live in the state, and the wage necessary to afford a two-bedroom apartment is $47.21 per hour in King County.
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