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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

  • Facing another budget deficit and possible school closures, SPS seeks community feedback

    As Seattle Public Schools faces another budget deficit of roughly $100 million — and school closures are likely on the horizon — the district is looking for feedback at a series of community meetings this month.

    For months, as district officials worked to patch a $131 million budget shortfall for the upcoming school year, they often referred to "well-resourced schools" as a key piece to solving the district's precarious financial situation long term.

    "A lot of you have asked, 'Well, what does well-resourced schools mean? Why are you holding back the definition?'" Superintendent Brent Jones said Tuesday.

    "Well, you caught me," he continued. "I am holding back the definition because I don't have one. You all are going to help us to define 'well-resourced schools.'"

    On Tuesday, over 100 parents and community members gathered at Garfield High School for the first of six community meetings this month.

    Seattle's financial woes have been fueled by declining enrollment in recent years, which has hit some schools harder than others. And when there are fewer students in a school, they get less funding and fewer resources, Jones said.

    "The hard truth is, as much as we love every one of our schools, when they're under-enrolled, they're unable to provide the sufficient level of staff, services, programs, and up-to-date technology," he said. "That is our reality."

    That's why, Jones said, the district must rebalance enrollment across its schools, which may mean closing and consolidating some buildings.

    At Tuesday's meetings, district officials asked attendees about their favorite aspects of their child's school and how the district can improve the resources and services offered, using the lens of "well-resourced schools."

    Jones said the feedback from these sessions, as well as a survey in September, will inform the district's plan. A draft of that plan is expected to be presented in November.

    Continue reading »

  • Covid cases are on the rise nationally. In Seattle?

    Nationally, Covid numbers are ticking up. A summer wave is expected. This is based on levels of the virus detected in wastewater. But Covid levels in Washington state remain low, as do hospitalization numbers, for now.

    "It doesn't take much to tip this over the edge and I anticipate that once schools start and the weather gets colder, and people start gathering in doors, and all of the other viruses come back, those hospitalization numbers will start to go up," Dr. Helen Chu with UW Medicine told KUOW's Seattle Now.

    Despite the low numbers in the Seattle area, currently, other local health officials are noting that the numbers are rising.

    Anecdotally, Seattle Now host Patricia Murphy commented that she's noticed people around her coming down with Covid, some without symptoms. Chu has noticed the same thing.

    "Anecdotally, I've also heard that a lot of people are having ... Covid right now, and it may be just a matter of days before it starts showing up," Chu said. "Certainly, a lot of the time this travels from east to west, so things that happen on the East Coast just take a little bit of time to make it over to the West Coast."

    National Covid levels are not as severe as previous waves, like omicron or delta. But as before, case severity can range, depending on one's age, vaccination status, and overall health. Chu said younger people who are vaccinated aren't getting as sick, but folks above the age of 60 are more often getting hospitalized.

    Chu added that another booster shot for Covid is slated to arrive in the fall, and that those who are more vulnerable should plan on getting it. The new booster specifically targets the variant going around right now.

    Check out Seattle Now's full conversation with Dr. Chu here.

    Continue reading »

  • Awkward Seattle election endorsements: Today So Far
    • Not every Seattle council member is endorsing the same candidates.
    • Game on! Seattle ends its longstanding fee on amusement.
    • Seattle's celebrity tree is saved from the axe.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 10, 2023.

    Quick hits

    We're just a week past the primary election and Seattle is getting some campaign drama started. Council President Debora Juarez just endorsed Bob Kettle, who is challenging her council colleague, incumbent Andrew Lewis — awkward.

    Juarez is actually just the latest council member to endorse a candidate in District 7. Councilmember Sara Nelson also endorsed Kettle. Councilmember Lisa Herbold endorsed Lewis, as did Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. So that's a pretty even endorsement split for each candidate. Once again, Seattle is dealing with a blue versus blue dilemma. All these candidates and politicians swim in the same end of the political pool, but there is a gap. Basically, one corner of Seattle says, "I'm blue." But another corner is quick to counter, "Nuh-uh, I'm more blue than you. You're more like periwinkle."

    "Nah, I'm more like a blueberry."

    "Well, I'm as blue as Bette Davis' eyes."

    "Back off, I'm as blue as Blue's Clues!"

    "Pssh, whatever, I'm as blue as when Beach House sings about lapis lazuli."

    "You're not fooling me. I'm blue! Da ba dee da ba di..."

    And that's basically the debate in Seattle. Read more here.

    Continue reading »

  • Seattle woman recounts Hawaii family's escape from wildfire

    At least 36 have died in the wildfires sweeping across Hawaii's Big Island and Maui. Dozens more have been injured, and thousands are taking shelter after evacuating their homes — many of which have been burned to the ground.

    Roxanne See has watched it all, from a distance, at her home in Seattle. She moved to Washington from Oahu in 2013. Many of her family members are in the path of the flames. See was able to speak to them Wednesday night, and says they're all accounted for, however, several of their homes in Lahaina, Maui, are a total loss.

    "According to one niece, they were told to evacuate, and as they were getting things out of their apartment or house, their roof caught fire," See told KUOW's Angela King. "So, they ran with whatever they could. They got to the car, but of course there is traffic because everybody is trying to evacuate, too. It got to the point where traffic wasn't moving, so one of my nieces said that they just got out of the car and jumped into the water."

    At the time, the water was the family's only refuge from the flames.

    See's cousin lost her home, as did two of her children. Still, she's staying positive.

    "They're all separated, but they're out of the danger zone," See said.

    While there isn't much See and others with loved ones on the islands can do, right now, she says she can still gather strength.

    "We come together stronger. We rebuild. We'll help everybody we can," she said. "There's so many people from Hawaii that are here in Washington state, so very, very many people. Everybody's been checking on each other. So, our hearts just go out to everybody there."

    RELATED: Washington family's vacation in ‘paradise’ turns to disaster

    More than 270 structures and about 11,000 acres have been burned by wildfires on the Hawaiian islands. There's still much more damage to assess. Getting ahold of loved ones in the area can be difficult as internet and cell phone services are down in many places.

    Hawaii Lieutenant Gov. Sylvia Luke told NPR's Morning Edition high temperatures on the island created wildfire conditions to begin with, and the Category 4 Hurricane Dora triggered brush fires, fanning the flames with with maximum sustained winds near 140 miles per hour; the wildfire-hurricane combination is rare, though officials say climate change could fuel more such extreme weather.

    Continue reading »

  • Seattle strikes down its fee on arcade games, pinball, pool, and more fun

    Game on! Seattle has nixed its licensing fee for arcade games, pinball machines, pool tables, and more. The goal is to help businesses bring in more fun as the city recovers from pandemic slowdowns.

    The City Council unanimously voted (8-0) this week to end the fee established decades ago on common forms of entertainment.

    "I'm pretty excited about that," said Alex Singleterry, owner of the Ice Box in Ballard. "It will save me quite a bit of money each year. I spend about $15,000 to $17,000 a year on those fees."

    Singleterry has about 200 arcade and pinball machines to license, and notes that the council's timing is great since, "November is right around the corner, and that is time to renew the licenses."

    Seattle is now the latest city to cancel its fee on amusement. Spokane, for example, recently made the same move. Such fees predate the modern era of arcade games.

    Starting in the 1940s, many U.S. cities were banning activities like pinball machines, under the argument that they were bilking coins from children. The machines were associated with gambling (because early forms of these machines were gambling devices), and in turn, they were tied to organized crime. That was the situation in Seattle, where suppliers of pinball machines and jukeboxes were suspected of blowing up each other's warehouses, and threatening elected officials and public figures. Instead of banning the machines, Seattle set up a fee system to control them.

    RELATED: The Northwest's pinball culture is flipping hot

    The fee expanded to other forms of entertainment associated with vice. It also covered shuffleboards, pool tables, some TVs, and peepshow devices. It even covered riding machines, like mechanical horses, the preferred vice of miscreant preschoolers. The fee varied. Some devices, such as video games, could be charged as much as $1,500 per machine, per year. Dart boards were $25 per year. Pool tables, shuffleboards, and music devices (jukeboxes) were $50 per year. That's a lot of quarters required to make the business model pencil out.

    But the landscape of Seattle's amusement has dramatically changed over the years.

    "It became clear and evident pretty quickly that there was no health, safety, or welfare basis for this fee," said Councilmember Andrew Lewis, who put forth the bill to do away with the amusement fee.

    Continue reading »

  • Big hit to Washington grapes: Today So Far

    Quick hits

    If you've ever dreamed of making your own wine at home, now may be a good time to hunt for a great deal on grapes. That's because Chateau Ste. Michelle just announced it won't be buying a whole lot of grapes from Washington farmers this season — 40% less than expected.

    This is a big deal. These grapes are already on the vine, growing out in Washington's fields. A difficult angle on this for growers is that these types of wine grapes are generally produced for large productions. That's why they were previously slated for Ste. Michelle. The winery's operations add up to half of the state's wine industry (and most of Oregon's too, though no Oregon grape contracts are taking a hit).

    As Northwest News Network's Anna King reports, the wine industry has experienced a few hits and cutbacks in recent years, and this cut could mean that some of Washington's vineyards will either sell or go out of business. Read more here.

    Our region might not have much wildfire smoke lingering about these days, but that doesn't mean Seattle isn't smoky. The city is experiencing a spike in vacant building fires. There was about one such fire per week by mid-July, which is about one-third more than in 2022. So far, investigators say some are arson, and others are accidents or have no known cause. KUOW's Ann Dornfeld has the full story here.

    Meanwhile, fires continue to rage elsewhere in Washington state, which should be concerning to folks in Seattle. Those wildfires are inching closer and closer to hydroelectric dams that provide power to Seattle City Light.

    Seattle's electric utility recently shut down its Diablo and Ross dams (they're technically still producing power locally, but not sending anything down the line to the utility). Workers from the small town of Diablo had to be evacuated because of the nearby Sourdough fire. But the concern here is not just about the dams themselves. Wildfires and wildfire smoke can damage transmission lines.

    The Gorge Dam continues to provide electricity to Seattle, and the utility has purchased power from other sources. KUOW's John Ryan has the full story here.

    AS SEEN ON KUOW

    Continue reading »

  • New deal saves Seattle's celebrity tree, 'Luma'


    The tree in Seattle's Wedgwood neighborhood that activists have named Luma, and which prompted a summer movement to save it, will be preserved.

    “This is exactly what we’re looking for — tribal-led resolution on protecting this elder tree," said Droplet, an activist, from within the tree's branches, on Wednesday morning. "But also reforming our laws and regulations so there’s never a situation where an elder tree like this is sacrificed for convenience.”

    The owner of the property, the lender for the project, and the builder have begun work with the Snoqualmie Tribe to preserve the tree as a "culturally modified tree," a term Washington uses to note and preserve trees of significance.

    "It is critical that culturally modified trees like Luma are respected and preserved,” said Jaime Martin, with the Snoqualmie Tribe. “We are excited Legacy Group Capital is making this commitment to cultural preservation and we look forward to working with them on developing a process for proactive CMT assessment during their feasibility process. Tribal leadership also looks forward to working with city leaders on their commitment to develop legislative protections and improved processes for identifying these threatened cultural resources.”

    RELATED: How a tree named Luma transfixed Seattle

    "Luma" is the name activists gave the western redcedar after climbing into its branches in July, and camping out, preventing builders from cutting down the tree. Crowds gathered around the protest, which sought to highlight Seattle's diminished tree canopy. The 80-foot, double-trunked tree qualifies as an "exceptional" tree under the city's code, based on its size and history, but that status didn't prevent plans for its removal.

    The Wedgwood property was reportedly slated to be redeveloped to accommodate as many as six housing units. Owners initially did not plan to cut down the tree, but revised plans called for the axe.

    As pushback against the plan mounted, the Snoqualmie Tribe weighed in, calling for the western redcedar to be considered as a culturally modified tree. Such trees have been used by Indigenous tribes for various reasons. The way the nearly 200-year-old redcedar had once been pruned indicated that it was used to mark a trail system that predated the city, and settlers in the area.

    Since then, the various parties have met to find a solution to the controversy, including Legacy Group Capital (the lender), Rock House Builders (the property owner), Bad Boyz GC (the builder), and the Snoqualmie Tribe. In a statement, Legacy said it was first notified about the tree's significance on July 21. That prompted a meeting on Aug. 7. The solution, according to Legacy, is to divide the property up. Three housing units will go on one side, and one or two housing units will be built on the other half. The original plan called for six units on the single property.

    Legacy adds that it wants to now "to develop a stronger relationship with the Tribe, as we'll be relying on their expertise to identify [culturally modified trees] moving forward."

    “Trees and housing are both critically important to Seattle’s future,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a statement. “Working together, I’m grateful for the collaborative approach embraced by the owner, builder, lender, and Snoqualmie Tribe to reach a solution preserving this culturally modified tree and allowing for much needed housing. We look forward to continued partnership with Tribes and regional Native leaders to identify and protect culturally modified trees in our city.”

    Continue reading »

  • Seattle Council President Juarez endorses Bob Kettle in District 7 race

    Update: A few days following Councilmember Debora Juarez's endorsement of Seattle council candidate Bob Kettle, Councilmember Alex Pedersen has come forth with the same support.

    “I’m supporting Bob Kettle for City Council," Pedersen said in a statement. "For Seattle to succeed, we need a reliable majority on the City Council focused firmly on the basics – public safety and fiscal responsibility. Bob Kettle is dedicated to bringing that pragmatic focus to the City Council.”

    Kettle is running for the council's District 7 against incumbent Andrew Lewis. Kettle now has support from current Councilmembers Juarez, Pedersen, and Sara Nelson.

    Lewis has endorsements from Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Teresa Mosqueda.

    Original report

    In the wake of the primary election, Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez has come out in support of Bob Kettle, who seeks to unseat her colleague on the dais, Councilmember Andrew Lewis.

    Juarez is not the only member on the dais who has come out in support of Lewis' competition. Councilmember Sara Nelson has also endorsed Kettle.

    Lewis is running for reelection in Seattle's District 7. As of Aug. 8, he has taken in 43.5% of the vote. Kettle came in second with nearly 32%.

    “If Bob Kettle can serve and protect America, as he has done, I know he can represent the good people of Seattle," Juarez said in a statement. "He’ll bring principled leadership gained in the Navy, and built upon as a community leader here in Seattle.”

    “I’m endorsing Bob because this ‘Girl Dad’ will fight for the most marginalized people in our community. He’ll include our young people, listen to the concerns of his constituents, and help us deliver ground-level results.”

    Kettle's campaign is hyping Juarez's support and pointing out that Lewis took in under 50% of the primary vote, which it argues is an "ominous sign" for an incumbent. Of the three incumbents in the primary, Lewis did take in the lowest percentage of votes. Dan Strauss in District 6, and Tammy Morales in District 2, both currently have 52% of votes in their respective districts.

    Lewis' campaign also boasts a couple of council member endorsements of its own. According to the campaign's website, Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda and Lisa Herbold have both backed the incumbent. Mosqueda currently aims to move over the King County Council and is campaigning for that seat on the November ballot. She took in 58% of the primary vote for County Council District 8. Herbold represents Seattle's District 1 and is stepping down from office after her current term, which concludes at the end of this year.

    Juarez represents District 5 on the council. She is not running for reelection and will leave office after this year. Nelson represents Position 9, which is an at-large seat. Her current term runs through 2024.

    KUOW has reached out to Andrew Lewis' campaign for a comment.

    Continue reading »

  • What about the Apple Cup? Today So Far
    • Temperatures slated to rise around Western Washington.
    • What about the Apple Cup?
    • There's a new U.S. attorney in town.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 8, 2023.

    Quick hits

    Heads up. Be prepared for a heatwave coming our way.

    Am I the only one who experienced joy when it started raining over the weekend, and wanted to go for a walk? Well, for folks complaining about summer rain (you know who you are), be careful what you wish for. Signs are pointing to a spike in temps over a few days, starting as early as this weekend. Though forecasts differ, depending on who you ask. Some say we'll be in the high 80s, some say near 90s next week. This may seem like not much, compared to what other parts of the country have experienced this season.

    The National Weather Service Meteorologist Dev McMillian told KUOW that temperatures could get around 90 degrees in Western Washington by Sunday, and that heat could stick around through about Tuesday. You'll notice I'm using words like "around" and "about," because again, this is weather and forecasts can differ. What is certain is that you should be prepared for higher temps. Read more here.

    What about the Apple Cup? That's the big question following UW's announcement that it is leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.

    For those of you out there who are like me (you can name all the "Star Trek" captains, but don't how many homeruns it takes to score a touchdown), this is a big deal in the world of college sports. Universities join "conferences" so their sports teams can compete against each other. For decades, Washington State University and the University of Washington were in the same conference, the Pac-12, which meant they went up against each other. It our state's big college rivalry — east versus west, city versus rural, football versus ... the other football. Fans and alumni traditionally tune in for these universities to clash each year at the Apple Cup. But now WSU and UW are in different conferences. They don't play against each other. Can there still be a beloved Apple Cup?

    Some folks may try to give you an answer on this, but the truth is, nobody really knows what will happen. The announcement of UW's move is still fresh, so there is a lot to work out. The only firm comment on the issue from UW is that it is "committed to preserving the rich tradition of the Apple Cup rivalry with Washington State University in all sports, including football." UW President Ana Mari Cauce doubled down on the commitment, saying, "Even with this move, we remain committed to the Apple Cup and to competing with WSU across all of our sports." While they're certainly committed, both statements don't clearly state, "Don't worry, there will still be an Apple Cup." It still expresses a desire to keep it going, but as Christian Caple with Substack's "On Montlake" told KUOW, "It takes two to tango." The Cougars might not see any benefit in playing UW if they're not in the same conference. Plus, WSU might feel a bit burned.

    "I think that their future is so uncertain now, being left behind in the Pac-12, or what is left for the Pac-12, and there is so much for them to sort out in the conference front," Caple said. "I don't know that it's top of mind for them right now. I would guess that a lot of fans ultimately would like to see them continue to play that game, because it is so integral, it's such a great tradition in the state. But there's also a lot of WSU fans, rightfully so, who don't want to see [UW] again, and fault [UW] for the death of the Pac-12, a century-plus old conference, and it's hard to hold that against them, frankly."

    Sportswriter Danny O'Neil may also have some doubts about the two colleges going head-to-head again.

    Continue reading »

  • A heat wave is on its way to Western Washington

    Western Washington could see high temperatures near 90 by Sunday.

    The heat is expected to last through Aug. 15.

    National Weather Service Meteorologist Dev McMillian advises people to limit time outdoors and to check on potentially vulnerable people, including older adults.

    Still, this heat wave won't be as bad as past events.

    "We're not expecting to see anything along the lines of what we saw in June of 2021," McMillian said, referring to the deadly heat dome that brought a 108-degree day to Seattle. "We're going to see temperatures well below that threshold, thankfully."

    As of Monday, Seattle was on day 47 of hitting at least 70 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

    That streak will continue Tuesday with highs in the upper 70s and cloudy conditions.

    Continue reading »

  • Tuesday's Mega Millions now at $1.55 billion, the 3rd-largest in U.S. lottery history


    Lottery players will have another shot Tuesday night at a massive Mega Millions prize that ranks as the third-largest jackpot in U.S. history.

    The estimated $1.55 billion prize has been gradually building for months thanks to 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the game's top prize was April 18.

    Each drawing without a winner pushes the prize closer to the record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot that someone in California won last year.

    Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to odds of 1 in 302.6 million.

    The $1.55 billion payout would go to a winner who opts for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot would be an estimated $757.2 million.

    The money would be subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.

    Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. [Copyright 2023 NPR]

    Continue reading »

  • Where your tires go: Today So Far
    • The problem with car tires and what folks are trying to do about it.
    • Got bug spray?
    • It's hard to get hiking tips in Washington state.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 7, 2023.

    Quick hits

    You know how you have to get new tires every so often? That's because they wear down. Ever think of where the tires disappear to?

    Tires break down into tiny bits of rubber that get left on the road. That eventually gets washed away. Around here, it gets washed into our streams, rivers, and other bodies of water. That's where salmon find it, and where those tire bits kill them. More specifically, a chemical called "6PPD" kills the fish. It's a toxic substance that tire companies use to stabilize rubber. It's so harmful to the environment that three tribes, including two from Washington state, are petitioning the government for a national ban of the chemical. Meanwhile, tire companies appear to be finding alternatives. Read more here.

    Stock up on bug spray. Use it liberally.

    As the climate continues to change, altering Northwest norms, different bugs are making their way to the region. That means there is potential for new diseases to come to town. Ticks are one such bug that researchers and entomologists are watching out for, and not just for Lyme disease.

    Mosquitos are the other bugs that they're keeping an eye one. These bugs are quite prevalent right now, and more so this year than in others. There are a few reasons for that. One is that the big snow melt off in the mountains has sent plenty of water downstream for mosquitoes to lay eggs in. But there is another reason, as Liz Dykstra, a public health entomologist with the Washington State Department of Health's Zoonotic Disease Program, explained to KUOW.

    "...we have subspecies that we refer to as floodwaters species. And what they do is they lay their eggs right above the waterline. You could have several years where multiple generations of mosquitoes lay their eggs right above that waterline. And those eggs are not covered, and they can stay viable for many years."

    Read more here.

    I had a feeling last week, when I asked for readers' suggestions for outdoor hiking and camping spots, I would get a response like this.

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