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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Recent Seattle gun violence part of growing trend
Several shootings around Seattle over the past weekend are part of a growing trend, according to investigators.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office tracks gun violence and the number of shots fired every year. Analyst Rafael Serrano says most shootings involve people between the ages of 18 and 24. But this year has been different.
RELATED: Weekend of shootings across Western Washington
“During the pandemic years, so 2020 and 2021, we saw increases in an older demographic, but this year is more pronounced, absolutely," Serrano said, noting that there are more shootings among older adults than before.
And also more guns fired during incidents of domestic violence.
“They’ve nearly doubled every year," Serrano said. "Last year was a record for us in terms of our total domestic violence related gun violence incidents and this year is on pace to pass that so far.”
One thing Serrano says is helping to prevent gun deaths is Washington’s red flag law, or "extreme risk protection orders." People can ask a judge to block someone from owning a gun who may be a risk to themselves or others.
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Hospitals across Washington state operating at 130% capacity
Hospitals across Washington state are operating at 130% capacity.
That means gun violence victims and people experiencing other emergencies may have a hard time receiving timely care — even if the patients arrive via ambulance, according to Steve Brooks, president of the Washington State Fire Chiefs Association.
"When our units arrive at a hospital, we're more often now even being told to wait inside the vehicles, out in the receiving area for the ambulances," Brooks said. "You know, our vehicles have limited capacity for onboard oxygen and you can easily run through those if you're sitting with a patient out in a parking lot without the ability to receive that patient inside for periods of time."
The Washington State Hospital Association says that non-Covid patients and severe staffing shortages are leading to the increased need for care. So officials are spreading the word that hospital wait times could be long. Please be patient with healthcare workers who are doing their best.
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Washington Democrats sound alarm over incidents against Black candidates
Washington Democrats are sounding the alarm over recent incidents involving Black candidates running for office and their campaign staff.
The Everett Herald reported this month about an incident where a man was seen removing campaign signs for two Black Democratic state lawmakers — April Berg and John Lovick. That man then allegedly assaulted another man who confronted him about removing the signs.
The incident occurred shortly after Berg's field director, who is Black, was confronted by a white man on a bike during an afternoon of voter outreach in Mill Creek. The man used an expletive to tell the staffer, Julian Jackson, to leave the neighborhood. Jackson recorded video of the confrontation.
“Get out!" the resident demanded.
Julian Jackson: “You don’t own the neighborhood, I’m doing my job," Julian Jackson replied.
“I do not, you’re correct," the resident replied. "But I don’t want you here.”
In a separate incident earlier this spring, one of Berg’s campaign signs was defaced with a Nazi symbol.
In King County, Carey Anderson was shot twice by a man with a BB gun while placing campaign signs near Auburn. Anderson, a Black pastor, is a candidate for state representative.
“We have to be so careful even placing signs. I wonder if I’d been white if the same thing would have happened — I just don’t know,” Anderson told KUOW.
In a statement, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins and other members of the House Democratic Caucus said they are “profoundly troubled by the ways in which racist rhetoric and violence have been normalized in recent years.” They added: “We invite all Washingtonians to recognize the particular commitment and risk that Black candidates and campaign staff take on in their work to represent their communities.”
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Spending and ads ramp up ahead of Washington's August primary
The Washington state primaries are two and a half weeks away, and outside spending is starting to ratchet up in the race for Southwest Washington's 3rd Congressional District.
RELATED: Washington primary will winnow large field for Secretary of State
Commercial voiceover: "Heidi St. John. She's the real deal. Protecting life..." states an ad for St. John that hits airwaves this week.
The ad supports Christian podcaster and public speaker Heidi St. John, but she didn't pay for it. A group called Conservatives for A Stronger America is spending about $740,000 on TV and radio to back the candidate.
With Washington's August 2 primaries right around the corner, outside money is arriving, too.
Just since May, groups have raised more than $130,000 to support incumbent Republican Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, and spent almost $100,000 against Trump-endorsed candidate Joe Kent.
Kent has accused the recent spending spree for St. John of being an indirect support for Herrera Beutler. He says the goal is to split the district's staunchest Conservatives.
RELATED: Trump's revenge targets Washington state's 2022 primary elections
RELATED: Congressional candidate Joe Kent distances from white nationalist
RELATED: Primaries are heating up in the NW
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Black WA legislative candidate shot with BB gun, raising questions about possible hate crime
Legislative candidate and pastor Carey Anderson said a man fired a BB gun at him Thursday night in South King County in what may have been a racist attack.
Anderson is the senior pastor at the First AME church in Auburn and Seattle, and running for a House seat in the 30th legislative district, which includes Federal Way, Auburn, and Des Moines.
Anderson, who is Black, said he and a volunteer were placing campaign signs at an intersection in unincorporated Auburn when a young white man rolled down the window of his car and fired a BB gun.
Anderson said he heard a popping sound and realized he was hit. The shots grazed Anderson in the hip.
He said he hopes police find the man, but Anderson doesn’t want him to go to jail.
“I would want to talk to the young man," he said. "I would want to find out what motivates him to operate in that kind of behavior and get him the help and treatment that he needs."
A deputy from the King County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and filed a report. A spokesperson said they don’t currently have additional information on the suspect.
Anderson said the man drove away without saying anything, but he believes he may have been targeted because of his race.
“We have to be so careful even placing signs. I wonder if I’d been white if the same thing would have happened — I just don’t know,” Anderson said.
He said he and his campaign staff put up signs late at night to avoid traffic, but now he feels reluctant to continue that practice.
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Weekend of shootings across Western Washington
Shootings erupted across Western Washington over the weekend, sending many to the hospital.
Seattle
Police arrived after the incident and found several casings at multiple locations around the 1200 block of Pine Street. Several nearby buildings and cars had their windows shot out, causing thousands of dollars in damages. Officers also found an "apparent" ghost gun.
No victims were located at the scene, however, about 15 minutes after the shooting, a 35-year-old man arrived at Harborview Medical Center with a bullet wound. He said he had been shot near the nightclub. A 32-year-old man also arrived at the hospital, but refused to provide details.
Also in Seattle:
- On Sunday afternoon, police responded to reports of a man who had overdosed on narcotics in Seattle's Chinatown/International District. Officers found the man slumped over on a park bench in Kobe Terrace Park, but they quickly discovered he was dead and had been shot.
- Seattle police say a man was shot and killed at an encampment near NE 96th Street and Aurora Avenue North. Officers found a 38-year old male victim shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday evening. That man was pronounced dead at the scene.
SPD is asking that anyone with information about the shootings to call its Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
Bellingham
Two groups got into a fight outside The Underground, a nightclub in downtown Bellingham, in the early morning hours of Sunday, the Bellingham Herald reports. Local police report that confrontation led to a 23-year-old man reportedly grabbing a gun, firing it, and injuring a 42-year-old man, a 30-year-old man, and 25-year-old woman. Police also say that another, unknown man fired a gun into the crowd, injuring a 20-year-old man in the leg.
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Elections themselves have become an issue amid race for Washington SoS
The position of Washington’s top election official is on the ballot this year. Eight candidates are in the running to become secretary of state. But first, they've got to get through the August primary.
Normally, the secretary of state job wouldn’t be up for a vote for two more years. But that changed when Republican Kim Wyman resigned from the position to take an election security role with the Biden administration.
Governor Jay Inslee appointed Democratic state Senator Steve Hobbs to take over for Wyman. Now Hobbs and seven other candidates are vying to finish out the last half of Wyman’s term.
In a sign of the times, election security, trust in elections and combating misinformation are all topics in this race. Voters will winnow the field of candidates in the August primary. The top two vote getters will advance to November, regardless of party.
The crowded primary field includes four Republicans, two Democrats, one nonpartisan, and one candidate who says he prefers the union party. So far, Hobbs has raised the most campaign funds, followed by Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson, the nonpartisan candidate. Behind them is Republican Mark Miloscia, a former state lawmaker.
Read the full story here.
RELATED: 'Election integrity' issue finds its way into local Washington state races
RELATED: Vote fraud conspiracy theories driving some candidates for elections offices in WA, elsewhere
RELATED: Election deniers have taken their fraud theories on tour — to nearly every state
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Is Airbnb good or bad for Seattle?: Today So Far
- There are a lot of ups and downs with Airbnb, before you consider the challenges unique to Seattle. Is Airbnb good or bad for the Emerald City?
- Ranked-choice voting could be coming to Seattle, but people will have to vote on it first.
- Masks are no longer required for our current Covid situation, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't wear one anyway.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 15, 2022.
I had been driving for days, and had a lot more road ahead. I knew I'd be tired by the time I reached Boise, but I had no place to stay. Thanks to a quick search through Airbnb, I spent the night in an old, silver Airstream trailer parked in an alley behind someone's house. It was simple. It was cheap. It was perfect.
I explored the surrounding neighborhood the next day, where people waved at each other and said "good morning." As a Seattleite, it was very charming and very uncomfortable. I spent money at the local cafe and wandered through quaint ma and pa shops. And I realized that if I hadn't opted to stop at that old Airstream, I never would have discovered this corner of Boise, away from the downtown attractions where most tourists would be drawn.
A lot of people probably consider Boise-like experiences when they think of Airbnb, but in Seattle, the travel app is becoming a divisive topic. A short-term rental could be viewed with ire given that local housing is already severely limited and expensive. It could be a pleasant hobby, with income, for some. But a nuisance for others. And maybe travelers discover unique parts of Seattle, while neighbors detest the unknown passersby. And sometimes, maybe the guests aren't so great either.
There are pros and cons to Airbnbs in Seattle. And each side is complex, as KUOW's Joshua McNichols just found out.
Ranked-choice voting could be coming to Seattle, but people will have to vote on it first. You've probably heard about ranked-choice voting before. It's used in a handful of states and cities. The Seattle City Council is putting the idea up for voter approval on the November ballot. But there will also be a second measure for voters to consider in November — approval voting. Both are similar in that they allow voters to choose more than just a single candidate. But they different in how these votes are added up. Read more here.
If there was no seatbelt law, I'd still wear a seatbelt. Because it's the smart and safe thing to do. And I don't have to wear deodorant. But I'd like to get along with the people around me. This is simple logic. Masks are like that. We are not required to wear masks these days, but I'm gonna come down on the side that says if you're indoors with other people, a mask should be involved. Where is my soap box ... oh, here it is.
Let's face it — life is back to "normal" for most folks. But at the same time, we're putting people in the hospital. Why do I say that? Omicron is not causing as severe illness for most folks, but it still poses a danger. There are currently more Covid cases going around than during the Delta wave. While fewer people are in the hospital because of omicron, that doesn't mean people aren't being rushed to a hospital bed. In fact, hospitalizations from Covid have grown three fold in King County since April.
I get it. I want to go see "Thor: Love and Thunder" in a theater. I want to visit my favorite dive bar. And I'm so looking forward to Renton City Retro in a few weeks. Do we have to go back to shutdowns? No. But just as I click my seatbelt in a car, I'm going to wear a mask when I'm indoors with others. I do that because I want to protect myself (with an adequate mask), but also because I don't want to put something out there that has the potential to harm others ... which goes back to my point about deodorant.
I bring all this up because while there is no mask mandate now, Covid conditions are rising so much that local health officials are starting to discuss if they need to bring them back. The big picture is that the current strain of omicron gets around much of the protection from vaccines and previous infection. Reinfection is common. And that means long Covid is more of a concern for us. Read more about that here.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
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New Covid vaccine, tested at UW, en route for approval
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of a Novavax Covid-19 vaccine for adults 18 and older. The vaccine was tested at the University of Washington School of Medicine for emergency use.
The vaccine is protein based and could soon be available to the American public, if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives the final thumbs up.
“It's a vaccine that is more like traditional vaccines for hepatitis B or human papillomavirus,” said Dr. Scott McClelland, professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “There are over 40 countries that have already approved use of the Novavax vaccine, so it’s in use in a lot of places.”
UW Medicine's Virology Research Clinic was one of several sites throughout the U.S. and Mexico that were part of the vaccine trial. Nearly 500 patients were part of the phase 3 trial through UW.
“The primary results [of the trial] showed overall 90% efficacy at preventing any symptomatic infection,” McClelland said. “But like the other vaccines, we expect some decrease in the effectiveness as the variants get further and further from the original protein that the vaccine was developed for.”
The Novavax vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temperatures, instead of the freezing temps required for the mRNA vaccines.
Dr. McClellan adds that side effects for the Novavax Covid vaccine were similar to those for other Covid vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna. Most common were sore arms and headaches. Myocarditis occurred in both vaccine and placebo recipients (in the .005-.007% range).
“But it's something that certainly the FDA will be continuing to watch for as the vaccine goes to more people," McClellan said.
Myocarditis has been a concern expressed by the vaccine hesitant, but it is important to note that a Covid infection has a much higher risk of myocarditis than any vaccine.
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Two shootings in Lynnwood send teens to hospital
A second shooting happened in the same area of Lynnwood this week, sending two more teenagers in the hospital.
Police are looking for the person who opened fire on Spruce Park just after 9 p.m. Thursday. Two teenage boys suffered life-threatening injuries after being hit.
The park is just a few blocks away from where a shooting on Wednesday took place.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says a group of teens was walking along the street when someone in a car shot them. Those victims are expected to survive their injuries.
No word yet if the two shootings are connected, but investigators believe Wednesday's shooting was gang related.
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Washington military families struggling to put food on the table
A new national survey indicates that one in six military families is struggling to put food on the table. Washington state ranks among the top five states dealing with the highest frequency of food insecurity among military families.
“We’re seeing, often, people in a situation where they have to choose between paying for their food or paying for their house," said Shannon Razsadin who heads the Military Family Advisory Network.
The Military Family Advisory Network conducted the national survey.
RELATED: Washington among top states for food insecurity for military families
Razsadin says many families earn $25,000 to $75,000 a year and spend more than a third of their pay on housing.
Last month, the non-profit teamed up with local organizations to give out food in Tacoma, near Joint Base Lewis McChord.
The issue facing military families is one corner of a larger food insecurity issue that has grown over the past couple years. Read more below:
- The number of Washington residents going hungry has nearly tripled. Some clinics are stepping in.
- Two years after the pandemic's start, Washington's food banks still strained
- Yes, inflation is eating up your food budget
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Seattle voters will now face ranked-choice voting on fall ballots
This fall Seattle voters will see two different reform measures on their ballots, each with the potential to transform how the city elects candidates.
On Thursday, the Seattle City Council voted 7-2 to put “ranked-choice” voting on the fall ballot. If it passes, voters would be asked to rank up to five candidates in city races, in any order they want.
King County elections would then start a series of ballot counts that resemble the TV show “Survivor,” where the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated after each round. The last two candidates standing then move on to the general election in the fall.
Councilmember Andrew Lewis sponsored the measure, which will appear alongside another reform idea called "approval voting.”
That initiative recently qualified for the ballot after months of signature-gathering by organizers. If "approval” voting passes, voters would pick as many candidates as they want, and the two with the most "approve" votes go on to the general election.
Voters will still have a third option on their ballot – reject both measures and stick with the current system, where the person with the most votes wins.
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