KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
Have any leads or feedback for the KUOW Blog? Contact Dyer Oxley at dyer@kuow.org.
Stories
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First-of-its-kind tsunami shelter opens on Washington coast
Shoalwater Bay tribal leaders say their new tsunami evacuation platform on the southwest Washington coast should serve as an example and inspiration for other vulnerable communities.
On Friday, Aug. 5, the tribe held a joyful dedication ceremony for the 50-foot tall tower in Tokeland. This double-decker tsunami evacuation tower resembles things previously built in Japan, but it's the first of its type in North America.
The two other tsunami refuge structures on the Northwest coast — in Newport, Oregon and Westport, Washington — are reinforced platforms on the roofs of a school or university building. The Tokeland tower platforms have a capacity for more than 400 people, which is considerably more than the population of the Shoalwater Bay Tribe. So, a lot of the tribe's neighbors can escape the waves too.
The most likely next place in the Northwest to build a tsunami evacuation tower is the town of Ocean Shores, Wash., which is working with an engineering company on the design.
There's much more to this story. Read the full story here.
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Washington high schoolers can get academic credit for a paid job
About a third of Washington state’s high school students hold paid jobs on top of their studies.
A new program through the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction would honor that work experience with academic credit.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdahl recently announced that students 16 and older can earn up to four elective credits towards their diploma through their jobs. Students can choose any job as long as it is paid and verified by the school.
Reykdahl says students learn important lessons at work.
"Through work experience, students learn employability and leadership skills — skills like interpersonal communication, personal finance, time management, taking direction, receiving critical feedback, and following through on commitments — that support their long-term success in the workforce and in life,” Reykdal said.
Under the proposal, students would earn elective credits via their jobs — 360 work hours would equal one elective credit, or .5 credits for 180 hours. A student could earn up to four credits this way. No more than two credits can be earned in a single year.
Chetan Soni is going to be a junior at Lincoln Highschool and works part time as a fellow for the Alliance for Gun Responsibility. He's excited about the program and says getting credit for his job would help.
“I know it can be hard to navigate school, life, work balance," Soni said. "I think this is a great way (to) like reinforce that upon the new generation of workers.”
Some business owners say the program might encourage more students to work at a time when many are dealing with staff shortages.
The superintendent aims to have the program in place for the start of the 2023 school year.
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Celebrate Farmers Market week in Seattle
Sunday, Aug. 7 marked the start of National Farmers Market Week and the Seattle City Council has issued a proclamation in appreciation of the 17 farmers markets across the city.
Jennifer Antos is with the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance. She said the markets strengthen the region’s food system by connecting producers directly with residents, regardless of their income.
“Just last year, providing more than $1.2 million in local food, to food-insecure households in Seattle, through programs like Fresh Bucks and SNAP Market match,” Antos said.
Antos said that farmers markets have also helped incubate small businesses by letting vendors sell their goods before they open brick and mortar shops.
One of them is Lily Anaya Quintanilla, who sold pupusas and Salvadoran tamales at Seattle farmers markets for more than 15 years before recently opening her own shop on Avalon Way in West Seattle.
“We are delighted to support and continue to support beginning BIPOC producers from environmentally conscious farmers to food entrepreneurs like Lily," Antos said.
Antos said the city’s continued backing allows them to serve various neighborhoods from Lake City on down to South Park.
On any given day of the week, Seattle residents are likely to find a farmers market somewhere in the city. The West Seattle, Capitol Hill, University District, and Ballard markets are held year-round, while others such as Lake City or Columbia City are seasonal.
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'To us, she is the greatest of all time.' Sue Bird plays final regular game with Seattle Storm
WNBA and Seattle Storm star Sue Bird played her final regular season home game Sunday in front more than 18,000 fans — a sold out crowd at Climate Pledge Arena.
Bird, 41, spent her entire WNBA career with the Seattle Storm. She is a four-time WNBA Champion and five-time Olympic gold medal winner.
On Sunday, the arena was packed with super fans like Olivia Chiong of Seattle, who said that Bird is Seattle Sports.
“Because without her, Seattle Storm would not be where we are right now," Chiong said. "We’re one of the best teams in the league and Sue Bird is leading the way. We wanted to be here and we wanted her to know how much she means to us. And to us, she is the greatest of all time.”
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It's a nail-biter in 3rd Congressional race
Election officials were still tallying votes in southwest Washington's closely watched 3rd Congressional District, as of Friday evening.
Incumbent Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler, who voted to impeach Donald Trump last year, is battling to stay in the race. On Friday, she was trailing Democratic challenger Marie Gluesenkamp Perez by almost 16,000 votes. And she was barely holding her lead over Trump-backed Republican challenger Joe Kent.
The district's open primary means the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. As of the final ballot drop on Friday, Herrera Beutler was just 257 votes ahead of Kent.
Tens of thousands of votes must still be counted.
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Dan Newhouse, Doug White advance in 4th Congressional race
The Associated Press has called the race in Washington's 4th Congressional District.
Republican incumbent Dan Newhouse will advance to the general election with Democrat Doug White.
As of Friday evening, each had captured roughly 25% of the votes in that district's open primary election. Newhouse had just 140 more votes than White.
"The votes have clearly stated that it is time to put someone in office that can do the job for the people of Central Washington," White tweeted Friday.
Trump-backed candidate Loren Culp, a former police chief, was more than 6,000 votes behind Newhouse and White on Friday. Culp lost a bid for governor in 2020 and claimed — without evidence — there was voter fraud in that race. Earlier this week, he took to Twitter to claim election violations before any votes had been counted.
Newhouse was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump last year.
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It's not just about you: Today So Far
If you're riding in a car, wear a seatbelt. If you're rewiring a house, turn the power off. If you're going to travel through time, you need 1.21 gigawatts at 88 mph. It's basic common sense. So if you're going to be hanging indoors among large crowds these days, wear a mask.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for August 5, 2022.
I attended a large pop culture convention a couple months back. Omicron was driving cases higher at the time. The event was pretty wide open, but I kept my mask on most of the time, including when I was interviewing someone in close quarters (for a non-KUOW related thing). After the event, that person informed me that they came down with Covid. So I lay low and I tested. I never came up positive. The only thing that I can say about that weekend was I stuck around open areas as much as possible and I wore an N-95 mask.
Now, that tale is entirely anecdotal, but I stand by the main point. If you're riding in a car, you wear a seatbelt. If you're rewiring your house, you turn the power off. If you're going to travel through time, you need 1.21 gigawatts at 88 mph. It's basic common sense. So if you're going to be hanging indoors among large crowds these days, as that pandemic-worthy virus continues to spread, you wear a mask.
Why do I bring all that up? A few reasons. We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Crowds will be showing up for Seattle's Seafair. Britcon is bringing "Doctor Who" celebrities and fans to Bellevue. And Renton City Retro is slated to fill downtown Renton with gamers and families. It's all going to be a good time.
Covid cases in King County continue to trend downward from spikes in May. In fact, we're just hovering over that 200-cases-per-100,000-residents metric that officials have always aimed for. Our region continues to phase down. Seattle is now nixing its hazard pay requirement for grocery store workers. That pay was aimed to make up for the risks posed to workers, though the Council itself continues to have meetings remotely. It also voted to make one pandemic measure permanent — a cap on food delivery fees.
This all doesn't mean drop your guard, however. Emerald City Comic Con just announced that it will be requiring face masks at its event later this month. Rose City Comic Con in Portland is also requiring masks for its event in September. And before folks snicker too much about such comical, nerdy events — these conventions draw in more people than Seafair or a Seahawks game.
Much of what I referenced above comes with a premise of protecting yourself. But here is the thing — not everything is about you. I know that reality is tough to hear for some folks.
There are those around you who need you to be careful — at the grocery store, on the bus, on the street. People like a friend of mine who has a compromised immune system after having a heart transplant and still remains largely at home while I attend pop culture conventions and watch "Thor" in a theater. Another friend of mine, who also attends pop culture conventions as an artist, fought off cancer over the past couple years. I watched him shrug off sneers as attendees refused to look at his art because he requested customers use hand sanitizer at his booth.
And there are people like Keith Porter-Davis II who passed away in March, shortly before his 35th birthday. Keith needed a heart transplant in 2020. He got one. But it meant his immune system took a hit. His family felt they were in the clear when 2022 arrived. But then Keith caught Covid.
“If Keith had not have caught Covid he probably would still be here today,” Keith's mother Charlotte Baker told KUOW. “I just want people to really think about that for a moment, to take themselves out of the equation, and to think about others.”
You don't know every person's story, or what they are dealing with. You don't know if someone is battling with health complications and still needs to pick up milk at the store. You don't know if a vendor is recovering from cancer and needs to take extra precautions. You just don't know.
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Covid vaccine rates among young children remain low in Washington state
I has been about a month and a half since the youngest children in Washington state have been able to get Covid shots, but fewer than 9% have received their first dose.
The rollout for children younger than 5 has been slow, and the demand has been less than it's been for other age groups.
Michele Roberts, the assistant secretary for prevention and community health at the Washington state Department of Health, said some parents are still taking a "wait and see" approach, but she disagrees with that strategy.
"You're choosing a different set of risks for your child," Roberts said. "It is not a risk-free decision to not vaccinate right now, either for routine immunizations or for Covid."
While children who catch Covid tend to have more mild cases, Roberts said they can contribute to community transmission and can get very sick.
Hospitalizations for young children, like everyone, rose during the omicron surge.
Roberts said parents who have questions or concerns about the vaccines need to speak with a health-care provider.
According to Washington's Covid dashboard, 8.8% of children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old have had their first Covid-19 shot, and 1.4% have completed their primary series.
A total of 37% of 5- to 11-year-olds have had their first dose, and 33% have completed the two-dose series.
The older the age group, the more likely they have completed a vaccine series, with nearly 100% of ages 65 and older receiving at least one dose.
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More MPV vaccine coming to Washington state
Washington state is authorized to receive 17,000 more monkeypox (MPV) vaccine doses.
Those additional doses are on top of the 7,000 the state has already received. According to the state Department of Health, much of the current supply has already been used for those most at risk for MPV.
RELATED: MPV outbreak in Washington state "is not under control"
Meanwhile, state Health Secretary Dr. Umair Shah said the department is working to close the gap for high-risk patients who need the shots.
"We do believe we're going to get more, it may still not be enough," Dr. Shah said. "Vaccine is absolutely critical, but even more critical is prevention, prevention, prevention."
Dr. Shah said that includes limiting sexual partners, keeping an eye out for rashes and other symptoms, and staying home if you are symptomatic.
MPV is rarely fatal, but the symptoms can be very painful.
The virus is gaining speed in the Northwest, primarily in King County. Washington state had 166 cases at last count.
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Incumbents move ahead in key Washington races: 2022 primary election
The results from this week's primary are still taking shape, but we've got a good idea of who will be on the November ballot in some key Washington state races.
As of Friday, Democrat Steve Hobbs is on his way to the General Election for the secretary of state race. Hobbs was appointed to the job after former Secretary of State Kim Wyman left to take a job with the Biden administration. He's running to stay in the role.
Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson, who opted to run as a nonpartisan, is currently in second place, which means she could be against Hobbs on the November ballot. However, she's leading two Republican candidates by slim margins, so it's too soon to say either way.
If she's successful, though, no Republican candidate would be in the running for the secretary of state position — that's significant. Before Hobbs' appointment, Republicans held that seat for nearly 60 years. Now, they may not even be in the running to get it back.
KUOW's Austin Jenkins says the fractured Republican field was likely an advantage for Hobbs and Anderson.
"As one eastern Washington Republican observer told me this week, this was a major Republican screw up," Jenkins told KUOW's Angela King. "The party needed to endorse one candidate."
Still, as the remaining votes are counted, the tide could shift in at least one Republican's favor for that second spot on the November ballot. As of Friday, the same was true for so-called "Trump-revenge candidates" in the 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts. Joe Kent and Loren Culp, respectively, are trailing in third place as of Friday morning, Aug. 5. Incumbent Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse are currently qualifying for the November ballot.
The outcome in the Eighth Congressional District is more settled.
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier is holding onto a comfortable lead in that primary — a relief for congressional Democrats who are fighting to keep the majority in D.C.
Republican King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn surprised some observers when he conceded the race, having fallen behind Schrier and fellow Republican Matt Larkin.
Larkin has been arguing he's the most Conservative Republican running this year, and that seems to have paid off in the district outside of King County.
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Emerald City Comic Con brings back mask policy for summer 2022
Emerald City Comic Con has announced it will now require masks for all attendees at its event this month. Masks will be required in all areas of the convention.
Emerald City Comic Con is Aug. 18-21 at the Seattle Convention Center. There is no requirement for proof of vaccination. Cosplayers will be asked to enter without helmets or costume masks to confirm they are wearing an approved face covering.
Covid cases in King County have trended downward since late May, however, the numbers remain high. As of Aug. 5:
- King County is averaging 665 new cases each day.
- Communitywide, the county has 203.6 cases per 100,000 residents. Health officials generally want to see this metric below 200 per 100,000.
- Hospitalizations remain low with 7.8% of hospital beds occupied by Covid patients. On average, three people are dying from Covid each day.
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Larkin advances, Dunn concedes in 8th Congressional District
King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn is throwing in the towel in the 8th Congressional District primary.
Dunn conceded to fellow Republican challenger Matt Larkin, who will face incumbent Democrat Kim Schrier in the general election.
As of Friday morning, Aug. 5, Dunn had 14.62% of the vote. Larkin had 17.07%. They were separated by 4,048 votes. So far, Schrier has taken in 47.67% of the vote (a total of 78,788 votes).
In a statement, Dunn said, "Matt will make a wonderful Congressman and I encourage all of my supporters to support him as well."
Dunn continued to say:
"I am proud of the campaign we ran, and I look forward to continuing to serve this area on the King County Council. I will keep fighting for the values I ran on, supporting our law enforcement heroes and ensuring fiscal responsibility. I will continue in my commitment to be a voice of reason on the County Council, and push back against extreme and irresponsible policies. Now more than ever, we need local leaders in King County who will stand up for what's right, not what's politically expedient."
Larkin is a businessman and former Pierce County deputy prosecutor who for ran for state attorney general in 2020. Earlier this year, KUOW asked Larkin how he compares to other Republicans running in the 8th District.
"I view myself as being the most conservative one in the race," he said.
Larkin's yards signs with the slogan, "Make Crime Illegal, Again" can be seen throughout the sprawling district, which runs from Issaquah in the west across the Cascades to Chelan in Eastern Washington.
Voters in the 8th District will decide between Schrier and Larkin in the November election.
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