KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
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Stories
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Grace periods, protection from cancellations: WA shields insurance policyholders amid wildfires
Washington’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner has issued an emergency order with special protections for policyholders in those areas where wildfires are burning.
People affected by the Gray Fire or the Oregon Road Fire will have extra time to pay their premiums, and will be shielded from cancellations and non-renewals until at least mid-October. The order applies to homeowners, renters, and people with auto and commercial insurance policies.
Stephanie Marquis is a spokesperson for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Marquis said Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued the order “to make sure that people impacted by the current wildfire area...if they, say, can’t get to their house, they can’t make a premium payment for their insurance — that they have a grace period where they are not going to be cancelled.”
“The typical notice for nonrenewal is 45 days, and that has been suspended up until October 17," she said.
Marquis said the emergency order could be extended or expanded depending on wildfire activity in the coming weeks.
The basis for the order is Governor Jay Inslee’s emergency declaration made Aug. 19.
“Once the governor declares a state of emergency, the insurance commissioner has the authority to do his own order directing insurance companies to add some extra protections for people that may be impacted by a natural disaster," she said.
Marquis called the order a proactive measure meant to prevent additional hardship for policyholders in the fire zones.
“We’ve all seen the devastation caused by the ongoing wildfires in Eastern Washington,” Kreidler said in a statement. “People are worried about their own and their families’ safety and protecting their property. I don’t want them to have to worry about losing their insurance coverage while the emergency is ongoing and the difficult recovery for the community begins.”
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Your dog and your health: Today So Far
- Why GameWorks stayed in Seattle.
- The health of our dogs, and us, could be related.
- Things could get smoky again.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 25, 2023.
It's not that I want GameWorks to move to Bellevue. Rather, Bellevue has a serious lack of pinball machines. If GameWorks did move across Lake Washington, it would nearly double the number of pinball machines in that city, which is currently six. Luckily for Seattle, GameWorks is staying right where it is in downtown. But as Soundside reports, a move to Bellevue was on the table when the arcade recently ran into Seattle's "fun tax." The fee on amusement devices placed a hefty price tag on operating in the city. The Seattle City Council just nixed this fee, so all is good. But the incident led Soundside down the (sometimes violent) history of Seattle's amusement industry. Now, on a personal note, GameWorks, you only have four pinball machines yourself, so let's work on that.
You need to interact with people in your life for good health. We know this because dogs need social interaction. This is one takeaway from an aging study over at UW Medicine. One of the researchers told KUOW there is a lot of overlap between good health habits of humans and dogs — good sleep, diet, and exercise. Another factor is socializing, just interacting with people. There is evidence that people do better if we hang out with others. According to this study, it's the same for dogs. In fact, dogs seem to do better when there is another dog in the home, or with families.
Be aware this weekend: It could get smoky. Not nearly as smoky as last weekend, when Seattle briefly had the worst air quality in the world (which, I'm pretty sure at least a quarter of that haze came from the Japanese Breakfast show at Zoo Tunes). But this weekend could be enough for the region to dip down into "moderate" air quality. I bring this up because there is also a red flag warning in the central Cascades (right next to the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area) that officials are closely watching. That's fancy Weather Service talk for, "Holy poopy, if a fire started, it would be super bad!" Conditions have aligned so that if a fire emerged on our side of the mountains, it would spread fast. That could mean more smoke.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
James E. Tillman, Viking scientist and University of Washington professor in his office at The Viking Computing Facility. This department collected data for NASA from the Viking lander on Mars. The lander arrived on the surface of the red planet in 1976. Tillman processed the data about the planet at UW until 1982. It was the first on-the-scene information coming from Mars. (Courtesy of Rachel Tillman)
DID YOU KNOW?
NASA's Viking 1 and Viking 2 missions were the first to ever land a device on Mars. Each Viking had an orbiter and a lander. The orbiter collected data from above Mars, while the lander roamed the surface. Part of this mission was to determine if there was life on Mars. Neither rover found conclusive evidence of life, but it did send back the first images of Mars from its surface, and provided important data about the planet's chemistry. It took Viking 1 and Viking 2 a total of 11 months to travel from Earth to Mars. The Viking 1 lander touched down on July 20, 1976, which was the seventh anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Both Viking missions were slated to last 90 days, but each orbiter continued to function for a few years. The Viking 1 orbiter stopped transmitting in 1980, and the Viking 2 orbiter stopped transmitting in 1978.
ALSO ON OUR MINDS
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What will fall 2023 weather be like in the Northwest?
While Western Washington can expect the remainder of August to be warm, even hot, it will start to feel more like fall as September sets in, even though autumn doesn't officially start until Sept. 23.
When fall does arrive in the Northwest, things could remain dry, and a bit warmer than usual.
"We're around a 33% to 40% chance of seeing above-normal seasonal temperatures, with precipitation chances possibly being 40% to 50% below the seasonal average," National Weather Service meteorologist Dev McMillian told KUOW.
El Niño will continue to influence the weather throughout the rest of 2023, which usually means warmer and drier conditions. (La Niñas have generally brought the region colder and wetter seasons.)
The Pacific Northwest region continues to battle wildfires in multiple locations. Heat and drought, combined with plenty of fuel on the ground, has kept fires burning in Spokane County. So far this summer, the National Weather Service has issued a handful of red-flag warnings for the west side of the Cascades, warning of increased risks of fires emerging in the region.
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King County Sheriff's data shows misconduct down, excessive force up
Misconduct allegations are down, and use-of-force allegations are up for the King County Sheriff's Office, according to its latest data.
A new report compiling 2022 data from the King County Office of Law Enforcement Oversight shows the number of misconduct allegations made against deputies dropped by 22% in 2022, compared to the previous year.
RELATED: King County Sheriff urged to provide more interpreters for non-English speakers
The Internal Investigation Unit said that among the 334 complaints filed in 2022, the majority (71%) came from community members, and less than a third (29%) came from within the department.
The number of excessive force complaints did increase, however, from 58% to 73%.
Most of the complaints originated in South King County, more specifically in places like White Center and Burien.
Other takeaways from the 2022 report:
- Complaints coming from inside the Sheriff's Office went down by 44%. Complaints from the community dropped by 8%.
- A total of 60 allegations of excessive force were investigated in 2022; none were sustained — half were found to be justified and 40% were unfounded, according to the report.
- 5% of deputies were the subjects of 40% of allegations.
- More than 70% of deputies received no allegations.
- The most allegations against sworn officers came from zip code 98168, which covers an area south of Seattle, bordering Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, and White Center. Sheriff's Office Precinct 4 covers this region.
RELATED: Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall graduates from police academy
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Ready, Set, Go: What to know about evacuating Western Washington wildfires
"Ready. Set. Go!" That's the new key to understanding when and how to evacuate a wildfire threat in Western Washington.
"The risk of wildfires has spread to the west side of the Cascades, an area that historically has not seen widespread wildfires," a blog post from West Pierce Fire and Rescue states, introducing the new evacuation system. "Once a rare occurrence, wildfires have now become an annual threat, requiring public outreach and preparation."
RELATED: West Pierce Fire has already put out as many brush fires as it did in all of 2022
Fire officials in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston counties are pushing an awareness campaign about changes to the way they issue evacuation notices. The new system aims to be more clearly understood.
Instead of using the traditional Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 notifications (with Level 3 being the most urgent), people will now hear the words, "Ready, Set, Go."
Ready: The lowest level. A fire is in your area, so be aware and be prepared.
Set: Be prepared to evacuate with important papers, medicines, and other needed items in your car. Have an emergency kit handy. People who need more time to evacuate, such as those with disabilities, families with small children, animals, or with certain medical conditions, should leave.
Go: Just like the word says — get out now. Go. You're in immediate danger.
While wildfires have historically been more common in Eastern Washington, the threat has spread to the western side of the state in recent years. So far, over the summer of 2023, the National Weather Service has issued a handful of red flag warnings for the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains, indicating that fire threats are heightened.
Local fire agencies have been prompted to prepare as a result. West Pierce Fire and Rescue, for example, obtained a $400,000 federal grant to pay for new training around "wildland/urban interfaces." These are areas common in Western Washington, where forested land is directly next to residential neighborhoods. Areas like this pose great risks when wildfires or brush fires emerge. Fighting them requires different methods and equipment.
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Light rail coming to Bellevue, Redmond sooner than expected
Eastside residents can look forward to light rail stations between Bellevue and Redmond opening in early 2024.
The Sound Transit Board voted Thursday to open the East Link "starter line."
"The soonest we could open East Link starter line is in spring of 2024, and Lynwood Link would follow in the fall of 2024," said Moises Gutierrez with Sound Transit.
RELATED: Where does Amazon want Sound Transit to build a new Seattle light rail station?
The Eastside's new light rail is called a "starter line" because the full route to Seattle will not be opening, rather just a portion of it — eight stops between south Bellevue and Microsoft's campus in Redmond. Initial service levels will be 16 hours per day, with 10 minutes between trains. Sound Transit expects about 6,000 average weekday riders on this starter line.
The remaining stretch, which goes across Lake Washington, won't be ready until at least 2025 (it was originally supposed to open this year). This portion has faced construction woes, specifically with the tracks over the I-90 floating bridge, which have delayed the full opening.
When voting to open the Eastside's starter line, board member and Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin added an amendment to ensure that the Bellevue-Redmond starter would not pull resources from completing an extension between Northgate and Lynnwood. Franklin argues that the Lynnwood line will have eight times the ridership of the East Link.
Sound Transit estimates that the Northgate to Lynnwood stretch of light rail will average 25,000 to 35,000 riders on weekdays.
Delays aside, the project is still within its $3.7 billion budget, approved by area voters in 2008.
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Mike's adventures in art: The Tempest, Seattle History Remix, Cinema Day
If you're looking for tips on how to experience art in the Seattle area, you're in the right place. In this weekly post, KUOW reporter Mike Davis has suggestions for what to do around Seattle over the weekend so you can have your own adventures in arts and culture.
Theater
"The Tempest" is showing at the Seattle Rep this weekend, and what excites me most is not the piece itself. While Shakespeare fans should definitely check out this production, which boasts a cast of over 60 performers and new music and lyrics by Todd Almond, what's cool here is how this production offers a stepping-stone for community theater to make it to the big stage.
This production is part of the Public Works program at the Rep, which partners with local community organizations to provide people with acting classes. They watch and analyze productions and conclude with a large-scale production. This allows more people to engage with theater, regardless of financial ability, and the final production itself is free to the public.
If you are unable to get a free ticket to "The Tempest," the lobby of the Rep will be open to the public and live-streaming the performance. So anyone looking for a free experience in theater this weekend can head to the Rep and enjoy a classic.
"The Tempest," at the Seattle Rep Aug. 25 - 27
"A Seattle History Remix" is showing at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). This production is a partnership between the Seattle Children’s Theater (SCT) and MOHAI, and is a great pick for kids, but it’s written by SCT Artistic Director Idris Goodwin, and if you saw “The Boy Who Kissed the Sky,” which Goodwin also wrote, you can be sure this will be fun for people of all ages.
This show will blend theater, variety show, and mixtape to present a fun and silly theatrical story of Seattle’s history. It leans into the themes of innovation and imagination to bring the history alive through music and poetry.
This show runs all weekend at MOHAI and is free to the public.
"A Seattle History Remix," showing at MOHAI Aug. 25 - 27
Film
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Former tribal cop sentenced to 34 years for sexual abuse of minors
A 69-year-old member of the Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe was sentenced this week to 34 years in prison for sexually abusing children as young as 6 and 7 years old.
Joseph Anthony Turrey of Port Angeles was convicted after a seven-day jury trail earlier this year. He was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma for crimes that occurred on tribal land between 2008 and 2016 involving three victims.
U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle said Turrey had shown no signs of remorse.
“You demonstrated a wantonness, a cruelty, and mercilessness,” Settle said. “No restitution can give [your victims] back what was stolen from them.”
Turrey previously served as a law enforcement officer for both the Hoh Reservation and later for the Lower Elwha Tribe. He also served on the tribal council of the Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe.
In a statement to the court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Foerster said Turrey “held positions of power while exploiting children.”
He was convicted of six counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of abusive sexual contact.
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Save a kitten, win the lottery? Tacoma man credits good deed with $717,500 payout
Joseph Waldherr was outside the spot where he picks up mail and packages for his daily deliveries when he first heard it — the urgent meowing of a trapped kitten.
Waldherr, a postal worker from Tacoma, looked everywhere for the source of the sound, but he couldn’t locate it and had to get on with his day.
When he returned the next day, he heard the same meowing. This time, he was determined.
After extensive searching, he discovered a tiny black-and-white kitten with peach-colored cheeks, stuck in a tight spot that Waldherr could barely reach.
He put the kitten in the pocket of his sweatshirt, where it quieted down.
On his way home that evening, with the kitten still nestled in his sweatshirt, Waldherr stopped at his local convenience store on a whim.
“I’m having a lucky day,” he thought. “Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.”
That hunch turned into a $717,500 Hit 5 payout for Waldherr. That’s half of the $1.4 million July 31 jackpot, which Waldherr split with another winning ticket. The payout is close to the game’s biggest payout of $1.6 million.
Waldherr said he and his wife credit the win to the kitten, who they have named Peaches and plan to keep.
As for the money, Waldherr said he plans to save some of it, help his parents with their home so they can live more comfortably in retirement, and donate to several charities.
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Some Amazon employees opt to leave company instead of moving closer to offices
Amazon gave a portion of its employees a choice last month: Move closer to a company office, or maybe, ya know, go work somewhere else. It seems that at least a few employees have opted to take the second option.
CNBC reports that some Amazon employees are choosing to quit the company rather than follow its new relocation requirement. The news outlet only spoke with a handful of employees, yet they provide insight into the dilemmas Amazon workers face as the company attempts to bring more staff into its offices.
RELATED: Amazon takes Washington regulators to court over alleged safety violations
Amazon has advanced efforts to get employees back into its offices over the past few months. It began a hybrid work model on May 1, requiring workers to be in an office three days a week. Part of its argument for this move was that downtown Seattle businesses needed employees to return. Some employees protested the policy.
By June, 51% of all downtown Seattle employees returned to local places of work. Seattle traffic has suffered as a result.
Amazon eventually cranked up the pressure. In July, management sent a letter to employees, encouraging them to move closer to its offices and adhere to its hybrid-work policy. The other option was for employees to quit.
RELATED: South Lake Union businesses welcome Amazon workers' return to office
A handful of employees told CNBC that they were told to move closer to an Amazon office hub by the first half of 2024. They chose to leave the company, and to not to break leases, force their families to move, or move to an area with much higher housing costs. Three employees CNBC spoke with were asked to relocate to Seattle, despite currently living in Colorado, Utah, and California.
Amazon says this policy only affects a small percentage of its employees and it is providing relocation benefits.
The relocation policy also comes as Amazon endeavors to downsize its own workforce. In January, the company announced plans to lay off 18,000 employees. Other layoffs have been announced in the months that followed.
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Red flag warning for central Cascades; smoke returns Western WA
The western slopes of the central Cascade Mountains in Washington state will be under a red flag warning through 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25.
In addition to the dry conditions, low humidity levels, and gusty winds, there is also a chance for thunderstorms throughout the region, especially on Friday morning. All of these factors are raising the fire danger in the mountains, generally above 1,500 feet. Any fires that start are likely to spread quickly.
The central Cascades roughly stretches from outside the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area down to the Oregon border.
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Do you carry Narcan? Today So Far
- One official thinks Narcan should be in schools as much as fire extinguishers.
- No law for you!
- Animals needing shelter amid fires in Spokane County.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 24 2023.
Quick hits
- Rain, soft and wonderful, comes too late for many near Spokane
- Burglar dressed as firefighter to rob home evacuated in wildfire near Spokane
- Fuel, heat, drought, wind: Recipe for big Spokane wildfires
The director of our nation's Office of National Drug Control Policy carries Narcan with him at all times. That's one takeaway from Dr. Rahul Gupta's visit to Washington state this week. Narcan is an emergency drug that can counter an opioid overdose. As the death toll from the opioid crisis is rising fastest in Washington state, Gupta says that more people should carry Narcan with them. In fact, he thinks Narcan should be stocked at Washington's schools, and be just as visible as fire extinguishers. KUOW's Sami West has the full story.
It's not just people who have had to evacuate to escape wildfire flames in Spokane County. Animals are also without a home. Today, there are more than 325 animals (at last count) at a shelter set up at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. They range from horses to mules, goats to chickens, and more. Northwest News Network's Anna King has the full story.
The lawyer who represented former gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp says he doesn't want to practice law anymore, and if he did, he wouldn't want to do it in Washington state. That's good, because he's not allowed to anyway. Stephen Pidgeon has been banned from practicing law in Washington for a year. The decision has been a long time coming. Pidgeon basically alleged that Washington's 2020 gubernatorial election was a sham, and filed a lawsuit over it on behalf of his client. That raised some eyebrows in the local legal community. The Washington State Bar moved to discipline him, and now the state Supreme Court is upholding that action.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
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