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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How Seattle aims to give small businesses a facelift
Small business owners in Seattle can now apply to receive up to $2,000 in grant money to fix broken windows and storefronts that were damaged over the past year.
Here is how Seattle's Storefront Repair Fund works. The money is slated for damage to storefronts that happened after Jan. 1, 2021. Qualified applicants must net less than $7 million annually, have no more than two locations, and have fewer than 50 workers. They must also be currently open for business.
Have your repair receipts, police reports, and photos of the damage ready.
All businesses must be independently owned, which means no chains or franchises. Also, adult entertainment businesses along with cannabis shops, growers, and dispensaries are ineligible to receive the money.
More information and the online application can be found here.
Money for Seattle's Storefront Repair Fund comes from $2 million in federal relief funds. It is being managed by the Office of Economic Development.
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Why haven't firefighters 'put out' the Bolt Creek fire?
The Bolt Creek Fire continues to smolder 14,000 acres of forest near Skykomish, on the northern edge of Highway 2. The exact cause of the human-sparked fire remains under investigation.
It's been 39 days since the fire started burning. Some residents are asking firefighters: Why haven't they put it out?
It's not so simple, officials say.
It's been a rough, smoky five weeks for Skykomish residents. People have had to cancel plans, schools and libraries have closed on and off, and doctors offices have seen more visits due to wheezing — or worse — from the smoke.
It's also bad for business.
Henry Sladek is the mayor of Skykomish. He also owns the historic Cascadia Inn.
"We're at about a quarter of the normal business we'd be doing this time of year," he said.
But despite the current outlook, things are going according to plan for the 277 firefighters on the job.
The goal is to stop the fire from spreading — not to put it out, said Don Ferguson, the public information officer for the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team, which is containing the fire.
"There have been a couple of fatalities in Western Oregon already this year, people being hit by trees, and that would be a very likely consequence of having people in the woods in those conditions," he said. "So we don't want to put firefighters at risk and where they're not going to be effective."
Ferguson added that crews are meeting the two big goals of containing wildland fires: protect people's lives and protect buildings from damage. They are letting the wilderness burn, a strategy widely adopted in the U.S.
It's up to nature to do the rest.
"We worked all day for two days to control seven acres," Ferguson said. "So that just kind of shows you dumping water from the sky is not a good way to put a fire out. What we need is season-ending weather."
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Millions being poured into Washington state to fight gun violence
The U.S. Justice Department is pouring more money into Washington communities to help combat gun and other forms of violence.
U.S Attorney Nick Brown announced Tuesday that more than $3 million in grants is being funneled to organizations in Washington state.
“These federal dollars help each department meet its local priorities,” Brown said. “Western Washington organizations also obtained funding for innovative programs aimed at youth violence intervention. I’m pleased to see the Peacemaking Academy, the Children and Youth Justice Center, Burien’s Enhanced Youth Services, and the Washington Partnership on Juvenile Justice all obtained substantial federal dollars to support their work.”
The Peacemaking Academy will receive $300,000 (a program from Alliance for Gun Responsibility Foundation). Seattle's Children and Youth Justice Center will get $2 million for leadership and intervention programs.
Also, Burien’s Enhanced Youth Services will get $300,000, and the Washington Partnership on Juvenile Justice will get $1 million — both are focused on preventing youth violence through intervention.
On top of the youth programs, 10 cities, three counties, and the state of Washington will get a combined $3.7 million to help with law enforcement needs.
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9th Circuit judges say Seattle officials 'just stood aside' during CHOP
A lawsuit stemming from a 2020 fatal shooting in Seattle's CHOP zone is being heard by a federal appeals court.
The case was brought by Donnitta Sinclair-Martin after her son, Horace Lorenzo Anderson, was fatally shot in Seattle's Capitol Hill Occupied Protest on June 20, 2020. Sinclair alleges the city created a foreseeable danger after protesters occupied a nearby park and interfered with first responders.
A panel of judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals seems to sympathize with that argument.
They heard oral arguments in the case Monday.
"The city was so aware of the risks that were escalating day by day by day, and they just stood aside," Judge Ryan D. Nelson said at one point during the presentation by the city's attorney.
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Seattle mulls next steps for Healthy Streets program
The City of Seattle is considering reopening some residential streets that were closed to car traffic in the early months of the pandemic.
The Healthy Streets program was a way for people to get out of the house during lockdown for outdoor activities while social distancing.
Summer Jawson, program manager with the Seattle Transportation Department, says the city will make many of those closures permanent.
Some neighborhoods like Beacon Hill have used the street closure for different kinds of outdoor activities.
“They’ve been hosting a Halloween parade there as kind of a new way to do Halloween that started during Covid,” Jawson said. The Halloween event, she added, has continued on to this day.
Others, like those in West Seattle, will need more time before the city decides what to do next, Jawson said.
“We’re getting a lot more traffic data now that the West Seattle Bridge is reopened," she said. "And we’re seeing traffic patterns return to normal there.”
Jawson notes that at the height of the pandemic there were up to 28 miles of closed streets.
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A highly charged public meeting in Seattle's Greenwood — but don't you dare record it
This story was updated on 10/19/2022.
Dan Strauss, the city councilmember for Ballard and Greenwood, attempted a media blackout of a public meeting on Monday night.
Strauss was one of four panelists at a forum on public safety at the Taproot Theatre in Greenwood. The meeting was convened by local businesses to discuss public safety and the possibility of a tiny house village for unhoused people.
The meeting came on the heels of the near-fatal shooting of a security guard at the Janus apartments on Northwest 85th Street, and what has been described as an open-air drug market across the street, between the Fred Meyer and the Bartell Drugs.
There were roughly 230 people in attendance (the theater’s max capacity), but the press were barred from the meeting, and Strauss made clear that he did not want anyone recording. Roughly 10 seconds after beginning to speak, Strauss noticed he was being filmed, according to four people in attendance.
Strauss turned to Karen Lund, Taproot’s producing artistic director, and said that people were recording.
Lund, who had been thrust into the moderator seat at the last minute, told the audience they could not record, and that they would be kicked out if found out. She told the audience that the media had not been allowed in so that “we can be candid with each other.”
According to Nikki Visel, Taproot’s marketing director, the media blackout came at the request of “a councilmember” — she would not say who, but Strauss was the only councilmember on the panel.
“A councilmember made the request that we turn away the press and said that we could and should do so, or they would not be able to speak candidly,” Visel said.
The press ultimately got into the mainstage area because Taproot staff decided to change course. Bretteney Beverly, the associate artistic director, texted Visel, who was on a flight home from vacation. Visel noted that a press release had gone out about the meeting so, yes, media should be allowed in.
“The objective that Taproot had all along was for the community to get together and problem solve and get reassurances,” Visel said.
Here’s why a media blackout is a big deal.
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Disappointed inner tubers and beat up salmon: observations from a dry year
This summer was Washington’s driest on record, as measured at Sea-Tac. Early October usually brings rain, but not this year.
All over Western Washington, rivers are setting new records for low flow.
In October, Snoqualmie Falls is crowded with tourists hoping to see the majestic waterfall thundering back to full strength. This year, they may be disappointed, because it’s about half its normal size.
The Snoqualmie River is lower than it’s ever been in recorded history. That's true for all three forks of the river that feed into the famous waterfall.
The reason is the lack of rainfall this year. Since the Fourth of July, we haven't even seen a full inch.
This past weekend, people who live and work near the Snoqualmie River sent KUOW audio postcards and photos documenting their observations on different sections of the river.
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What to expect when fall finally arrives in the NW: Today So Far
- Fall rain is arriving later this week. That's good news for wildfire fighters and air quality, but it's concerning for health officials bracing themselves for a Covid and flu surge.
- There is also concern among food banks anticipating greater demand once pandemic orders phase out.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for October 18, 2022.
I know I've been saying this for about a week now, but fall is finally arriving ... soon ... it's coming ... I promise ... eventually. I'm going by information from the National Weather Service, which now says rain is expected to show up on Friday, Oct. 21. It should be a significant amount, too. More rain is expected to drop on Western Washington Friday through Sunday than in the past 3.5 months.
"So that should be good in terms of helping put some of these fires out," Carly Kovacik with the National Weather Service in Seattle told KUOW this morning. "In terms of flooding, we're not gonna be expecting a whole lot in terms of river flooding, because the rivers are pretty dry right now. But we'll have to see, there could be some issues with some flash flooding nearby some wildfires where areas have burned already."
This is welcome news for folks fighting wildfires in the Cascades, and for folks waiting for air quality to improve. But it's also news that makes local health officials concerned. Cold temps and rain usually mean that people head indoors, and that is when the season of sick begins. We often talk about the flu this time of year, and that is still expected to be a major player over the coming months. So is Covid. Europe is already seeing cases rise, and those countries are usually a few weeks ahead of the USA. Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, feels that we are in the "lull before the storm." Right now, levels of cases and hospitalizations are higher than they have been before previous surges. Read more here.
It seems the coronavirus is gearing up for the upcoming, colder season. New variants are emerging and battling it out for dominance. They all have the usual super-catchy names (BA.4.6, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BF.7). All these variants are showing up in Washington state. Here's the thing to understand: These are all versions of omicron, according to the White House's own Covid-19 data director. So the updated booster, out now, is the best shot (pun!) to prepare for the season. Talking about getting a shot sort of feels like how we talked about the flu shot each year, in the Before Times. I guess that is where we are at now. Come fall, get your Covid and flu shots.
Health officials aren't the only ones nervous about the coming months. Before the pandemic struck in 2020, about 10% of Washingtonians were experiencing food insecurity. That number has tripled since then. As KUOW's Ruby de Luna reports, food bank organizers are "bracing for longer lines and increased demand" when Seattle, and the state, lift any remaining Covid emergency orders at the end of October.
“Everyone else has sort of gone on with their lives, but the people at the low end of the spectrum cannot go on with their lives, because they’re being squeezed terribly at the bottom end of the economy," said Rainier Valley Food Bank Executive Director Gloria Hatcher-Mays.
One last shout out. Check out these photos from Saturday's Mariners game. KUOW's Natalie Newcomb captured some great Seattle moments from the historic game.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
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North Bend activates water-saving measures amid ongoing drought
The city of North Bend is expanding its request of neighbors to conserve water as moderate drought conditions continue spread throughout Washington state.
Starting this Thursday, Oct. 20, North Bend is activating stage 2 of its water conservation ordinance.
That means a series of water-saving measures. Residents are directed to water their lawns and pastures three days a week between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. in the morning. No watering is allowed on Mondays, and things like street and driveway washing will not be allowed.
Also, restaurants will only serve water upon request. And no water for construction purposes is allowed without city approval.
All of these changes will stay in effect until further notice. See the full list of water-saving measures here.
According to the city: "Earlier this year, the City was hopeful Stage 2 would not be needed - due to the fairly large preceding winter snowpack and cool, wet spring. However, once the dry heat arrived in the Puget Sound region in June, it did not leave. Western Washington is now experiencing its driest summer on record, since 1930 and warmest since the 1890s. In fact, according to the National Weather Service, on October 16, Seattle hit 88 degrees, its second warmest day in October in almost 130 years. The prolonged period with no rain, along with an unseasonably hot September and October, have drawn the Masonry Pool lower at a faster pace than anticipated."
Depending on the region, Washington state's current drought conditions range between "moderate drought" to "abnormally dry."
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RIP Eclipse: Seattle's bus-riding dog
Eclipse went for a walk, alone, one day in 2015 while his owner was out for a smoke. That walk led to a bus ride, and that bus ride led to a dog park. And the whole trip led local celebrity status for Eclipse, the black lab mix who rides the bus to a Seattle dog park.
Eclipse passed away last week at the age of 10 (64 in dog years), shortly after a vet diagnosed her with cancer, according to The Washington Post.
Eclipse became a regular commuter on King County Metro's D line, hopping aboard near her Seattle home and exiting near a dog park. She never missed her stop and became a local favorite. Fame soon followed.
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MacKenzie Scott gives the Girl Scouts nearly $85 Million
NEW YORK — Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $84.5 million to Girl Scouts of the USA and 29 of its local branches, the 110-year-old organization said Tuesday, calling it a vote of confidence.
"Her support of our organization means honestly just as much as the donation," Sofia Chang, CEO of GSUSA, said in an interview.
It's the largest donation the Girl Scouts have received from an individual since their founding in 1912, she said. The funds will help the organization recover from the impact of the pandemic, which drove down membership. The Girl Scouts plan to support volunteers and staff, make camp properties more resistant to the impacts of climate change, improve science and technology education for youth members and develop diversity and inclusion programming to make their troops more accessible.
The Girl Scout council in Southern Arizona decided to use the $1.4 million it received from Scott to elevate the work they are already doing rather than to start a new program or initiative, said its CEO Kristen Garcia-Hernandez.
"We are a small council and we're certainly not in a major metropolitan hub. So for us, gifts of this magnitude don't come around very often," Garcia-Hernandez said.
The gift accelerates their plan to hire more staff to reach most places in the seven counties they serve in under an hour and provide programming year-round. The council will also outfit a van as a mobile science and technology classroom, a project they have tried to fund for a year and a half. Many local funders seem to think that the Girl Scout's cookie sales cover their expenses, she said.
"While the cookie program sustains us certainly and it's wonderful and the girls are part of that process, which makes it even more beautiful, we certainly need more from the community," Garcia-Hernandez said.
Philanthropic giving to organizations that specifically serve women and girls represents less than 2% of all donations, according to a research project of the Women's Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The institute found that proportion has not changed significantly between 2012 and 2019, the years the study has tracked.
Tessa Skidmore, research associate at the institute, said major gifts from women like philanthropists Melinda French Gates, Sheryl Sandberg and Scott could inspire other donors.
"Those are the types of things that have the potential to change that number," she said.
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Seattle's carbon pollution drops with Covid. A rebound is expected
Seattle’s climate pollution dropped sharply in 2020.
The 20% drop in emissions was the first major reduction of the harm Seattle does to the global climate since the Great Recession of 2008.
It was also likely only a temporary blip due to disruptions from the Covid pandemic, according to a new tally of Seattle’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The biggest drop came from the transportation sector as pandemic safety restrictions left people stuck at home instead of driving, busing, or flying anywhere.
Without increased efforts to reduce fossil fuel use, city officials expect pollution to rebound past pre-pandemic levels.
In a press release, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell called for "bigger, bolder, and more equitable climate action."
Harrell is flying to Buenos Aires, Argentina, this week to attend a summit of world mayors talking about climate change Wednesday through Friday, along with his director of communications and the two top officials at the Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment.
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