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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The best time to make an impact in your city: Today So Far
- A small town protest, years ago, serves as a lesson for Seattle — right now. Now is the time to speak up and be engaged Seattle.
- Washington state reports its first pediatric case of monkeypox.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for August 22, 2022.
Nearly 10 years ago, a small group of protesters lined a corner along Highway 305 at the edge of downtown Bainbridge Island. They were objecting to a proposed, small shopping center there, anchored by a drug store, that would require many trees to come down.
Cars honked at folks on the side of the road, holding signs chiding the developer and encouraging people to "say no to sprawl." At one point, a local teen climbed up one of the trees and camped out for a couple days in defiance of the bulldozers. Locals even wrote a reggae song about her. The crowd grew, and people cheered each other on. Suddenly, a lot more islanders were interested in this tree-lined corner.
But nothing about the issue was sudden. And if you live in Seattle today, this Bainbridge Island moment serves as a lesson for you, right now.
There were many reasons for islanders' objections: increased traffic or the impact to neighboring homes. There was nothing wrong with these opinions. I personally enjoyed a vision of the island that was more natural and with fewer strip malls. And I knew some of the good people standing on that corner; I sympathized with them. But I couldn't help but shake my head at the protest — their timing was way off.
I was a reporter on the island at the time. I had covered the many meetings — months and months prior — at city hall where the developer went through design reviews, and public comment meetings. Not a lot of protesters showed up for that, or engaged in the local news about it. Sure, there were objections and criticisms. The comment that sticks out most during that time was a resident arguing that a drug store maybe wasn't needed, so they asked if they could get a Trader Joe's instead. That was the time to speak up. It was also time to speak up years before, when the city drafted the its zoning codes, the boarders of its maps, and designated that land for such development. By the time a picket sign showed up in the heat of the moment, it was much too late. Today, there is a drug store and a medical facility on that land.
Seattle — right now is your time to speak up. The city is accepting public comment as it updates its comprehensive plan. And hey, I get it. City hall procedures and jargon never sound appealing. But if you care about the issues facing Seattle, this is where you make an impact — when local leaders meet at city hall. This plan will set the tone in Seattle. It guides development, and charts a course for the city to grow.
A quarter of a million people are expected to show up in Seattle over the next 20 years. Where will they live? How will they live? These concerns come as the city already faces a range of issues: affordable housing, displacement, rising rents, and more. The answers to a lot of this will be in the comprehensive plan.
The results will be felt years from now. You might see people lining a Seattle street objecting to high rise apartments, or more single-family homes, or trees coming down, or shopping centers, etc. They'll shout NIMBY and YIMBY, and a few yet-to-be invented names. But by that time, it will likely be too late. The ink will have long dried on the comprehensive plan by then.
Seattleites can submit their input on this issue here. Public comment ends at 5 p.m. today. KUOW's Joshua McNichols took a deep dive into this extensive issue. Check out the full story here.
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'Seattle's just a great comic book city': Here's what you missed at Emerald City Comic Con 2022
Emerald City Comic Con brought thousands of fans, artists, creators and celebrities to the Seattle Convention Center over the weekend.
Soundside Producer Jason Burrows was there, and brings us this audio postcard.
Like countless other events, Emerald City Comic Con was forced to adapt to because of Covid.
In March 2020, the convention was postponed to later in the summer due to rising case numbers. The rescheduled in-person event was cancelled and a virtual event was held instead.
A smaller Emerald City Comic Con returned in December 2021, but now, the gathering is seeing attendance numbers almost at pre-pandemic levels.
It's a welcomed return for Canadian comic book writer Jim Zub.
"I have missed the energy. Seattle is a great city," Zub said. "The show's always so well done. And it's a really good balance between the general pop culture stuff, but with a nice comic book and art focus."
"Honestly, I just think Seattle is a great comic book city," Zub added. "They're into it. They like the books. Don't get me wrong, the movies are great, the TV shows, and all the pop culture related stuff is great. But I'm here for the comics. And so many people here in Seattle are too. They love the books. They want to talk about the specific stories and the art, and that is really special. As amazing as it is that this stuff goes into the wider pop culture sphere, it is great to still be making comics and have people appreciate those for their own medium."
The weekend was like a homecoming for many, but for others, it was their very first time in the Emerald City, like Brooklyn-based comic artist Sunny Sponder.
Sponder showcased some sugar-inspired craft creations at his booth .
"When I decided that I wanted to be an artist alley artist, I wrote down a list of everything I love," Sponder said. "And one of the lines was Cinnamon Toast Crunch, so I had to figure out how to make art out my favorite cereal. I made these cinnamon pins."
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Seattle sweeps homeless camp from Interurban Trail
Seattle's Interurban trail looks a bit different now that the city has removed several tents, and trash, from along the path.
Before last weekend, dozens of tents lined the trail in the Bitter Lake Neighborhood in North Seattle.
Farrine Mathews lived in a tent there for more than three months.
"We had a little community, you know I was actually one of the people that went from tent-to-tent and try to get people involved with each other," Mathews said.
Mathews said city crews moved in quickly and threw a lot of things away, including a community table where people shared supplies.
"A local Church put it in and it was just somewhere you could bring food and put it in there, or you could come and get food, there were books in there sometimes, or tampons, or toilet paper," Mathews said. "Just random things and they took it out."
After the clearing, Mathews hauled her few belongings to a tiny house.
Hear more of this story on KUOW's Seattle Now.
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The spoiled dogs of KUOW's audience
Washington state has the third most-spoiled dogs in the USA. So we asked our KUOW readers for photos of their spoiled dogs.
From dressing up for local festivals to special cakes, and even a preference for listening to KUOW while humans are away — we have some spoiled dogs.
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Grant County deputies intervene when guns show up at crowded concert
UPDATE: Aug. 24, 2022
Grant County Sheriff’s Office is back-tracking a recent assessment this morning. Officials now say they no longer believe a mass shooting was intended when an armed man was arrested outside the Gorge Amphitheater last Friday.
It is still unclear why the man reportedly loaded two handguns from the rear of his car and lingered outside the concert. The Sheriff's Office didn't say exactly why it changed its mind about the man's suspected intent, but says it is still investigating the case. The man has since posted $10,000 bail and will be in court again next month. He has pled not guilty to one count of possession of a dangerous weapon and one count of unlawful carrying or handling of a weapon.
Deputies took him into custody after concert-goers said they saw him placing two loaded pistols in his waistband. They also said he was asking what exit people would use once the concert was over.
According to a statement from the Sheriff's Office:
"Detectives have interviewed (the man) and have served search warrants on two vehicles. While the investigation is not yet finished, what we can say is that we now don’t feel that his intent was to cause a mass shooting.
We remind everyone: If you see something, say something. The concertgoers did the right thing by reporting suspicious activity, and we appreciate their involvement."
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Aug. 22, 2022
Grant County Sheriff deputies believe they may have prevented a mass shooting amid a sold-out Friday night concert at the Gorge Amphitheater.
They arrested a 31-year-old man — a resident of nearby Ephrata — outside the gates of the amphitheater. He had two loaded pistols on him — one hidden in his waistband.
Event security were alerted to the man's presence when concertgoers allegedly witnessed him inhale a gas from a balloon, before loading the firearms in the trunk of his car. He then asked passersby what exit people would be using once the event was over. He never entered the concert grounds, however.
Deputies disarmed the man outside the venue and took him to jail. The Grant County Sheriff's Office notes that there were approximately 25,000 people attending the concert, the Bass Canyon electronic music dance festival.
The main lesson that deputies are promoting from this incident: If you see something, say something.
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Deepwater diesel cleanup stalls at San Juans shipwreck
U.S. Coast Guard officials say divers won’t be able to reach the Aleutian Isle, a sunken fishing boat off San Juan Island, until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest.
The purse seiner was carrying an estimated 2,500 gallons of diesel when it sank while trying to net sockeye salmon on Saturday, Aug. 13.
An unknown amount of that diesel spilled, forming a thin sheen that spread for 2 miles up and down the island’s west coast and into Canadian waters over that weekend.
By Friday afternoon, the visible pollution had mostly evaporated and shrunken to a 50-foot by 100-foot light sheen above the sunken vessel, according to the Coast Guard.
Coast Guard officials say it’s unclear from underwater drone video whether any diesel – a clear liquid – is still leaking from the boat, but the Aleutian Isle’s fuel tanks appear intact.
Humans have yet to visit the Aleutian Isle since it sank.
On Monday, divers descended to where a sonar scan had showed the boat resting on the sea floor, but they discovered that currents had moved the boat to much deeper water since the Saturday scan.
The boat is now sitting in such deep water — more than 210 feet at the bow and 240 feet at the stern — that Global Diving and Salvage, the Seattle company hired to remove the remaining diesel, has had to order and wait for specialized equipment and gases to allow divers to work safely.
At those depths, commercial divers often breathe a specialized mix of helium and oxygen to avoid potentially fatal hazards such as nitrogen narcosis.
Between the extreme depths and the dangerous currents that often flush through Haro Strait, divers will have to work quickly before returning to the surface.
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Did you know?: You are probably spoiling your dog if you live in Washington
I'll tell you about today's "Did You Know" factoid in a second. But first, I have to spritz my dog Cosmo with a fur conditioner and give him a special Himalayan yak cheese chew as he lays on a dog bed shaped like an '80s tape cassette ...
OK, where was I? Oh yeah, Washington state has the third most spoiled dogs in the USA. According to a Forbes Advisor survey of dog owners across the nation, our state comes in third, after New York in first place, and California in second. Some of the reasons we scored so high:
- 52% of Washingtonians bring their dogs with them on vacation.
- Washington state residents are second most likely in the country to order special dog treats at restaurants.
- Along with New Yorkers, Washingtonians are second in the nation when it comes to preparing homemade food for pets (38% of dog owners).
Rounding out the top five states for most spoiled dogs are Pennsylvania (fourth), and New Jersey (fifth). Surprisingly, our Northwest neighbor Oregon came in at 31st — I've seen the dogs in Portland and I thought this state would rank higher.
At the bottom of the list is South Dakota, whose residents apparently don't care about their dogs. At least, not enough to serve them a homecooked meal and throw them puppy birthday parties.
I'd say more, but I just remembered that I have to go update Cosmo's Instagram profile.
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Emerald City Comic Con is back ... to 2013 levels: Today So Far
- Emerald City Comic Con is back ... but it's not quite the same.
- Washington spoils its dogs.
- The U.S. Forest Service is trying some new tech to fight wildfires — balloons!
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for August 19, 2022.
I love Thursdays at Emerald City Comicon. The event draws a considerable crowd over the weekend. You'll be sure to see cosplayers, families, collectors, and more swarming the Seattle Convention Center over Friday and Saturday like an army of orcs at the Battle of Helm's Deep. But on Thursday, it's pretty chill and I feel like Maria in the "Sound of Music" running through vendor booths, singing "The aisles are alive with the sound of comics." Not to mention the indie art, DIY crafts, and all the creativity our region's geekonomy produces. As the first day of the con, Thursday is pretty light. But I have to admit, yesterday, it felt a bit lighter than usual.
KUOW's Soundside spoke with ReedPop Vice President of Global Comic Events Kristina Rogers. ReedPop owns ECCC and it estimates this year's event will bring in between 65,000 and 70,000 people. That's back to 2013 levels. Just from random conversations I had with folks yesterday, some feel the mask requirement ECCC implemented just a couple weeks before the event rubbed people the wrong way. Personally, it made me more inclined to attend. Anecdotally, adherence to the mask rule on the first day was not 100%. Still, ECCC has mask stewards on the floor to remind people about the rule.
"Largely, it’s the science,” Rogers told KUOW. “When we were looking at rolling everything back, we were hopeful for a different space as the summer progressed, and then the summer progressed … it just wasn’t in the cards for us. We were looking at case rates, we were looking at how folks were feeling about it, and decided to bring back the masks.”
I admit that the mask thing was part of my own mental calculation I went through Thursday: "How many people will actually stick to the mask rule, and how many people will drop their mask below their nose, or chin, and call it good? King County's community level of Covid right now is 146 per 100,000 residents, which is 'low;' officials aim to have below 200/100,000. Still, I should wear an N95 mask because that convention center can get muggy."
Other considerations came into play for Jennifer Kretchmer, actor, author, and disability advocate. For her, hybrid and virtual options are a big part of the equation. She told Soundside that despite mask rules, there remains a portion of our society who still cannot participate in these beloved events.
"Having virtual components, having virtual events, making sure you have webcams and rooms and ways for people to access and participate from home. Ways for panelists to participate remotely so that you're including disabled panelists or panelists with young kids," Kretchmer explained. "Accessibility really does help everyone in so many ways."
ECCC has jumped on the virtual bandwagon (or what I'd like to call "the future") and is offering a $15 digital ticket, which allows access to stream panels and get video on demand of the con events. I have to admit ... with all the panels, and so many that conflict with each other, that sort of sounds better than attending. On the other hand, I wouldn't be able to pick up an awesome Ron Solo t-shirt in person or scan comic boxes for old issues of "Icon."
Check out Soundside's full coverage of this year's Emerald City Comic Con here.
If comicons aren't your thing (and if not, why? What's wrong with you?), then KUOW's Mike Davis has a few ideas for what to do around town this weekend, starting with Pier Sounds at Waterfront Park. Check out Mike's weekend arts suggestions here.
Switching to some science/environment news, the U.S. Forest Service is trying some new tech to fight wildfires — balloons!
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First pediatric monkeypox case confirmed in Washington state
Washington state has reported its first case of monkeypox, also known as MPV, in a person under the age of 18.
The person is 17 years old. The Department of Health is not releasing any further information, such as the county where they live, to protect the person's privacy.
According to a statement from Washington's Department of Health:
"While the risk for most people remains low, this case is a reminder that anyone can get MPV. Close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact with a person with an infectious rash can cause infection, along with touching objects, fabrics and surfaces that have been used by someone with MPV, and/or contact with respiratory secretions. Monkeypox is not Covid – it is mostly spread through close, skin-to-skin contact, and far less likely to be spread in the air."
As of this reporting, Washington state has 333 confirmed MPV cases. The majority are in King County (275 cases).
This is not the only pediatric monkeypox case reported in the Northwest. The Oregon Health Authority is reporting its first pediatric case of MPV, according to the Oregonian.
Officials say the case is linked to an adult whose case was confirmed last month. No word yet on the child's age or exactly where they live.
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Washington salmon still facing threats, study finds
Salmon and steelhead in the Interior Columbia Basin are still facing a lot of threats, according to a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The report, a five-year status review from NOAA, states that seven Interior Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead runs will remain either threatened or endangered.
Two salmon runs in Washington state are among the most endangered on the West Coast: the Upper Columbia River spring-run chinook and Snake River sockeye. Both have high extinction risks.
However, NOAA officials call current trends for threatened Snake River fall-run Chinook encouraging.
Over the last five years, climate change, drought, and high temperatures have affected salmon habitat in the Columbia and Snake River basins. Marine heat waves also caused trouble for salmon and steelhead in the ocean.
NOAA officials say the increasing pressure of climate changes makes the situation more urgent, requiring more ambitious recovery actions, such as reducing water temperatures and restoring habitat.
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Seattle activists protest proposed pipelines at Sen. Murray’s office
Environmental activists in Seattle are protesting a proposed bill in Congress that would open new oil pipelines.
"There are multiple law enforcement officers lurking outside of the office here," said Alec Connon, one of about six people who went to Senator Patty Murray's downtown Seattle office Thursday night.
The legislation in question is part of a deal made with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. Manchin agreed to support the Democrats' climate bill — known as the Inflation Reduction Act — in exchange for concessions on fossil fuels.
Connon says they were forced to leave, but they left a message with Murray's staff.
"We're hopeful that Senator Murray will make the right decision and come out publicly opposing this bill as early as next week," he said.
A Murray staffer said they will meet with activists soon, adding that the senator hasn't had a chance to read the bill yet.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Seattle activists protest Inflation Reduction Act at Sen. Murray's office. This story has been updated to reflect activists protested separate legislation.
This story was updated on Friday, Aug. 19 at 3:20 p.m.
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Seattle Indian Health Board celebrates new Pioneer Square clinic
Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood saw a grand opening Thursday – for a new health clinic focused specifically on the needs of Native American patients. It’s on the ground floor of a new 80-unit apartment building operated by the Chief Seattle Club.
The clinic is operated by the Seattle Indian Health Board, and started seeing patients earlier this month.
The Board’s president and CEO Esther Lucero said the Chief Seattle Club next door already provides human services to thousands of Native people in Seattle.
“So we knew we had to bring services to an environment where people felt safe and comfortable already, and that’s something that Chief Seattle Club offers,” Lucero said.
The new clinic offers medical care, a lab, mental health counseling ,and medication-assisted treatment for addiction, as well as a pharmacy.
It also has rows of sweetgrass lining the walls of its corridor. It’s meant to have a healing influence. Lucero said the clinic will integrate traditional Indigenous healing practices in its approach to care.
“That means as a federally qualified health center, we see all people," she said. "But we see all people in a Native way. You’re not going to get that kind of service anywhere.”
The Seattle Indian Health Board still operates its larger clinic in the Chinatown International District. And it’s expanding this fall to a clinic in the Lake City neighborhood.
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