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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Bill Russell, basketball legend with record 11 NBA titles, dies at 88
Bill Russell, one of basketball's legendary players, has died at age 88. The announcement was posted on his verified Twitter account.
Russell won more NBA titles than any player in history. All eleven were with the Boston Celtics. As a five-time league MVP, he changed the game, making shot-blocking a key component on defense. And he was a Black athlete who spoke out against racial injustice when it was not as common as it is today.
Fighting for something from an early age
To understand this man and superlative athlete, it helps to remember a parent's lesson.
RELATED: As a racial justice activist, NBA great Bill Russell was a legend off the court
One day when Bill Russell was 9, he was outside his apartment in the projects in Oakland, Calif. Five boys ran by and one slapped him in the face. He and his mother went looking for the group, and when they found them, young Bill expected mom justice. Instead, Katie Russell said: Fight them, one at a time. He won two, lost three. In a 2013 interview for the Civil Rights History Project, Russell said his mother's message to her teary son changed his life.
"And she says, 'Don't cry,' " Russell said. " 'You did what you're supposed to do. [It] doesn't matter whether you won or lost. [What matters is] you stood up for yourself. And that's what you must always do.' "
Russell certainly did on the basketball court — where he blossomed late but ended up revolutionizing the game.
Elevating and taking the game with him
"Krebs from the corner. His outside shot blocked by Russell. And now Russell has made three big plays in the last three minutes of the game. Barnett goes in and Russell blocks it."
By 1963, in this NBA Finals game, Russell was a shot-blocking menace, which represented a sea change in the game.
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'Always get the dog’s name!'
What is Journalism Rule #1, you ask?
“Always get the dog’s name” is near the top of the list.
I violated the prime dog directive (LOL) during a rushed person-on-the-street interview (actually a person-in-the-light-rail-station interview) last week for the heat wave story I did for KUOW and NPR.
Mea culpa.
But!
I was able to track down Julia Kitch of Bothell later and learn that her 16-month-old golden retriever, Arlo, will go to work with her this week so he doesn’t overheat in their home in Bothell that has no air-conditioning.
Arlo also got new booties to protect his paws from hot asphalt.
Meet Arlo. Good boi!
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Slow turnout and some slow mail: A look at Washington's 2022 primary election so far
Halei Watkins with King County Elections says they expect voter turnout to be similar to the last midterm election in 2018 — about 45% return — but Watkins says that, so far, turnout is a bit sluggish.
“We are looking to be running just a little bit behind those projections as of today,” Watkins said.
There are a number of possible explanations. Voter enthusiasm may have dipped. Or, sometimes, Watkins says it’s the weather.
“Things impact turnout and that includes extreme heat and family vacations,” Watkins said. “Voting is not always at the top of everybody's mind.”
Also, more people could just be waiting to hand in their ballots next week.
“Especially in primary elections, we're really seeing folks trend to turning in their ballots later,” Watkins said.
RELATED: What next week's primaries say about Washington state politics
Ballots need to be postmarked or returned to a drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, however, some Washington state officials have raised an issue with mail service delays around this August’s primary. Whatcom, Snohomish, and Island counties are reportedly affected.
“For all mail in Ferndale, there's been a significant backlog for the last couple of weeks,” said USPS Spokesperson Riley Sweeney.
Ferndale’s post office is reportedly struggling the most. That has some residents worried about how this might affect their ballots and other mail.
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PNW cyclist in the Tour de France Femmes: Today So Far
- Seattle Mayor Harrell gives SPD a deadline to assign lingering sexual assault cases to detectives.
- The FBI is now investigating a Seattle nonprofit employee for misusing funds.
- A Seattle-based cyclists is riding in the Tour de France Femmes.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 29, 2022.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has signed an executive order instructing the Seattle Police Department to conduct a review of its investigations bureau. The subtext of this order is, "Why has SPD lagged, or not moved, when it comes to many sexual assault cases?" as well as, "Cut that out." The order also sets a deadline — every reported felony crime of violence with sufficient evidence has to be assigned to a detective by the end of August. This aims to cover the backlog of sexual assault cases that Seattle has sitting around. Read the full story on this here.
The order comes after reporting from KUOW's Ashley Hiruko, along with The Seattle Times, that uncovered an internal memo indicating that SPD halted investigations of such crimes amid staffing shortages. This left victims on the shelf, waiting for any resolution of their case. Mayor Harrell responded to the news by calling it "unacceptable." And the police sergeant who wrote the leaked memo came under investigation by the city's Office of Police Accountability.
Read the latest on this story here.
The FBI is now investigating an employee of Community Passageways for misusing funds. The nonprofit works with Seattle and King County for youth programs such as violence prevention, and alternatives to incarceration.
Community Passageways started in 2016. Since then, it has taken in millions in grants and contributions to fund its efforts. The organization tells KUOW that the FBI notified it in May that one of its employees was under investigation. That employee has since been fired. Community Passageways says it is attempting to recover money. KUOW's Amy Radil has the full story here.
A true Northwesterner is competing in the Tour de France Femmes. Before Veronica Ewers went pro, she worked at Seattle Children's Hospital, went to college in Oregon, and grew up in Idaho.
"This is my first full year as a pro, and first year at the world tour level," Ewers told KUOW's Kim Malcolm. "And there are so many women who are significantly more experienced in the women's peloton who have worked so hard. So I definitely cannot comprehend how much it means to them — having worked so hard to be finally having the women's Tour de France."
"It's just so overwhelming and beautiful. I hope it inspires all of these little girls and young women, and even adult women to know that there's progress being made, that we can do anything, and that there's space for women to be as competitive as men."
When Ewers spoke with KUOW, she was ranked 13th out of 130 riders. Check out the full conversation here.
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Washington AG investigating Seattle Pacific University for potential discrimination
Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson has confirmed his office is investigating what it calls "potential illegal discrimination" by the administration at Seattle Pacific University.
Back in May, the university's board of trustees voted to keep a school policy in place that states it won't hire employees who are gay, lesbian, or transgender. Specifically, the policy states the university prohibits employees from engaging in "same-sex sexual activity."
RELATED: 'This doesn't feel like love' — SPU students sit-in for LGBTQ equality on campus
That decision proved controversial among the university's students, many of whom staged a sit-in protesting the policy. Around that time, the AG's office said it received complaints from students, faculty, and staff about the issue, alleging it violates Washingtonians' civil rights.
“My office protects the civil rights of Washingtonians who have historically faced harmful discrimination," Ferguson said in a statement. "That’s our job — we uphold Washington’s law prohibiting discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation."
“My office respects the religious views of all Washingtonians and the constitutional rights afforded to religious institutions. As a person of faith, I share that view. My office did not prejudge whether Seattle Pacific University’s employment policies or its actions are illegal. We responded to the complaints from concerned Washingtonians by sending the University a letter. The letter asked four questions. The letter also invited the University to provide any additional information that it wanted my office to consider."
The letter was unpublicized, until now. It asked SPU to provide its policies around employees and sexual orientation; provide all instances when such policies were used to hire, fire, or discipline an employee; provide complaints from any employee or potential employee about such policies; and provide job descriptions for employment at the school.
Instead of responding to the letter, the school filed a federal lawsuit against the AG's office, arguing that SPU "is under fire—and government investigation—by Washington’s attorney general."
"Seattle Pacific University, like many religious universities, is navigating complex issues regarding Christian teachings on justice, love, marriage, and human sexuality. Seattle Pacific holds to traditional Christian beliefs regarding marriage and sexuality, in alignment with the Free Methodist Church," the lawsuit states, further arguing that the Constitution allows the university to require staff to "agree" with the its perspective on marriage and faith.
"The attorney general is wielding state power to interfere with the religious beliefs of a religious university, and a church, whose beliefs he disagrees with," the lawsuit states.
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Excessive heat warning extended through weekend for Western Washington
Relief from the heat is not coming as soon as previously hoped now that the National Weather Service has pushed out its excessive heat advisory through Sunday evening.
RELATED: Hospitals brace for surge as Seattle area feels the heat
Western Washington will experience temps above 90 through the weekend. Forecasts as of Friday morning show temperatures dropping below 90 on Monday.
Oregon health officials are now investigating up to four deaths that could be tied to the current heat wave. King County officials report that they have not seen any locally, yet, although there have been at least 28 heat-related emergency room visits recorded since Tuesday.
The ozone alert for the Cascade foothills has also been pushed out. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency cautions that air quality is either "unhealthy" or "unhealthy for sensitive groups" in "the Cascade foothills of King and Pierce counties, particularly Issaquah east, North Bend, and Enumclaw." Air quality is expected to improve Sunday or Monday.
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The other Republicans in Washington state: Today So Far
- Mainstream Republicans of Washington are backing candidates in the August primary.
- What you need to watch out for as things warm up around the Northwest.
- The cost/health/benefit analysis of running those fans and AC units throughout this heat wave.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 28, 2022.
There's some tension among Washington's Republicans heading into the August 2 primary.
You'll recall that two of our state's GOP representatives voted to impeach former President Trump. That action proved divisive and has spurred challengers from their right. Washington's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Congresswoman Jamie Herrera Beutler; one of the lawmakers who voted for impeachment. She is being challenged by Joe Kent, a GOP primary candidate endorsed by Trump. Kent echoes false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
As do challengers to Republican Dan Newhouse, who represents Washington's 4th District. Newhouse is the second GOP Washingtonian who favored impeachment. Trump backs his challenger, failed gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp. But Newhouse does have GOP support, specifically from the Mainstream Republicans of Washington, a group that aims to offer a moderate GOP voice to counter more extreme rhetoric.
Mainstream Republicans of Washington just got a new leader — Deanna Martinez of Moses Lake. Martinez tells KUOW that Republicans like her want their politicians "to speak the truth, even when it's a difficult truth." She is also bothered by some right-wing claims of a stolen election.
"The lack of integrity just ... it gets me. I can't vote for something like that," Martinez said.
As Northwest News Network's Austin Jenkins points out, questioning the validity of Washington voting system has been among local GOP rhetoric since before the 2020 election. This year, right-wing activists are planning to watch ballot drop off boxes to keep an eye out for fraud. Before the 2020 election, at least one local Republican was sowing doubt in Washington's vote-by-mail system. More on that here.
This all means there is plenty to watch for in our upcoming Aug. 2 primary election, which will offer hints at the mood of voters these days.
There's a new member of my home — Cosmo — a mutt going on about 6 months. He's rascally. But a few days back, he wasn't himself and not so rascally. In fact, he was shivering, not eating, and not moving around much at all. It was quite a scare and prompted a visit to the vet.
When going through all the environmental factors that could be at play, it came up that I had been taking Cosmo to a local lake with trails, where he sometimes takes a dip. Around this time of year, folks should start watching out for blue-green algae which can be toxic, especially to children and pets. The vet told me that if toxic algae was at play, there wasn't much they could do, "It just kills 'em."
Officials around Washington who watch our lakes and other bodies of water for toxic algae have a saying: "When in doubt, stay out." Not all algae is toxic, but it's best not to risk it. While it can show up year-round, it's common when water warms up. You can often observe a green or blue sheen on top of the water. But it's not always visible. KUOW's Natalie Newcomb has more on this, and what you should watch out for these days, here. And just in case I wasn't clear above — keep your kids and dogs out of the water if you even remotely suspect algae.
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Ferry crashes into West Seattle dock, disrupting service to Vashon Island
Update:
Two boat service started back up on the Fauntleroy/Vashon Island/Southworth ferry route late Thursday evening.
Drivers experienced three-hour waits after the MV Cathlamet crashed into the Fauntleroy dock shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday morning, severely damaging the ferry and some cars onboard. No one was injured.
The Coast Guard is investigating the incident. The crew onboard the MV Cathlamet will be alcohol and drug tested.
State ferries spokesperson Ian Sterling said damage to the vessel is extensive after it went far off course and rammed into a dolphin offshore from the dock. Dolphins are pilings that guide the ferry into the dock.
Original story:
A ferry crashed into a structure at the Fauntleroy ferry dock in West Seattle Thursday morning, suspending service at the terminal.
The MV Cathlamet crashed into a "dolphin" (a ferry structure, not an animal) immediately outside the dock. Dolphins are used to guide the ferry into the terminal.
According to Washington State Ferries, the Cathlamet had a "hard landing at Fauntleroy causing significant damage to the vessel and an offshore dolphin at the terminal. No injuries to report at this time. Fauntleroy service suspended until further notice while assessment is done."
"Significant" wait times are expected on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route, according to WSF. It is recommended that travelers find alternate routes.
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Meet Seattle's new transportation director: Greg Spotts
After an extensive search, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has found the city's next transportation director — Greg Spotts.
Spotts was announced as Seattle's new transportation director at El Centro de la Raza on Beacon Hill this week.
Spotts, 54, is currently Executive Director and Chief Sustainability Officer at the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services.
“In Los Angeles we have 99 neighborhoods,” Spotts said. “And over the past 14 years I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with each and every one of them on projects to improve quality of life.”
One of those projects includes applying solar reflective coating on street blocks, and planting 2,000 trees to reduce urban heat impacts in underserved neighborhoods.
“I wasn’t sure if the rainiest city in the United States needed my expertise in urban heat island, but this week is making me wonder if that might come in handy,” Spotts said.
Spotts vowed to work with Seattle neighborhoods to improve mobility and make streets safer. To do that, he plans to launch a listening tour around the city. That means talking a walk, bike, and transit, while asking residents what’s working and what needs improvements.
Spotts will begin his new post in September as acting director until his confirmation by the City Council.
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Is that toxic algae? Washington officials warn: 'when in doubt, stay out.'
It's hot and you want to cool off. It's time to go to the lake. Before you jump in, officials are asking you to be aware of toxic algae blooming throughout the Northwest.
Toxic algae can make you very sick, and even be deadly. It's especially dangerous for pets and children. As air temperatures become warmer due to climate change, the growth of harmful algae may be favored over other non-harmful algae, according to the EPA. Toxic algae thrives in abnormally warm water temperatures, often above 77 degrees.
Rachael Gravon studies lakes and works with King County. Gravon explained three ways to stay safe.
- Before heading to the water check to see if there are any reports of algae blooming here.
- Once you get to the lake or beach keep an eye out for signage with warnings.
- Take a look around for patches of Algae.
Gravon says in general toxic algae is a thick slime with a blue and green color, but it can be difficult to identify. Look at examples here.
"The funny thing about algae is, some things look like algae and may not be algae. Some things may be algae and it may not be dangerous algae," said Gravon. "So our catch phrase is ‘When in doubt, stay out.’"
If you see suspicious water, you can submit a sample for testing. Request sample kits here. You can also collect samples using a 250-milliliter plastic bag or a glass jar (dark color or foil wrapped). Make sure the container is clean to avoid contamination! Gravon asks that people not use old peanut butter jars.
Safety comes first, so put some gloves on. When collecting, do not skim the water's surface. Hold the bottle just under the surface, allowing the water to fill up without air bubbles. Once the container is full, seal it tightly.
Gravon warns you not to store the sample in your refrigerator where it can contaminate your food. Instead you can put some ice in it. You can mail in samples or drop it off at the King County Environmental Laboratory.
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'Jeopardy!' says Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings will split the host job
Jeopardy! hosts Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik will become the show's official hosts after filling the roles temporarily following the 2020 death of former longtime host Alex Trebek.
"In Mayim and Ken, we have two outstanding hosts at the beginning of their Jeopardy! hosting careers who connect with their own unique fanbases, new fans, and the traditional Jeopardy! viewer," the show's executive producer, Michael Davies announced Wednesday.
Davies said in the last year, viewership has been up, with more than 27 million people watching each week.
Jennings will host from September until December, a run that includes the inaugural Second Chance competition and the Tournament of Champions.
Bialik will take over in January by hosting Celebrity Jeopardy! and the Jeopardy! National College Championship. Her hosting duties will be balanced with her acting duties on the FOX show Call Me Kat, Davies said.
"Mayim and Ken are both extraordinarily talented and simply lovely humans. They support the staff and each other," Davies said. "They love and respect this institution of a television program. In return, the staff and I are honored to work alongside them."
Trebek had hosted the game show since 1984.
After Trebek's death, the show kicked off weeks of guest hosts, which included Bialik and Jennings, as well as other household names such as LeVar Burton, Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper.
Jeopardy! announced last August that executive producer Mike Richards would share hosting duties with Bialik. But he stepped down as host days after The Ringer reported on past offensive comments Richards made on a podcast. He was then fired as executive producer. Davies is his successor.
Bialik and Jennings were then named co-hosts until the end of season 38, which concluded in late 2021.
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