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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Could Washington state ban assault-style weapons?
There were a number of changes to Washington state law following the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting a decade ago. Now, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson hopes there could be local momentum for further changes.
The school shooting in Uvalde, Texas — like Sandy Hook — could be a galvanizing moment. And it could spur action, either legislatively or at the ballot.
"Those AR-15s are legal in Washington state, they should not be legal in Washington state," Ferguson said at a recent press conference. "I have proposed, six years in a row, banning the sale of assault weapons like the AR-15. And every year it has gone nowhere. I don't know what more we need than seeing what unfolded in Texas."
When Gov. Jay Inslee was a member of Congress in the 1990s, he voted for a federal assault weapons ban. Inslee has backed AG Ferguson’s proposal for a state ban. There is also support for the idea in Olympia.
But whether the political climate come January will be such that there will be the momentum and the votes to pass such a regulation (which hasn't been there before), remains to be seen.
Read the full story here.
Hear insights from KUOW's Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins by clicking the audio above.
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Extremism makes it beyond the ballot: Today So Far
New study points out far right lawmakers and the role that social media plays in radicalized politics. It's a new insight into something that one Washington sheriff has been commenting on for years.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for June 10, 2022.
It's worth taking a much closer look at your next ballot. There is a bigger threat emerging across the United States than the usual left vs right tug-of-war. A new study shows that 875 state lawmakers (11.85% of all state lawmakers in the USA) have been engaging with far-right Facebook groups — 30 were found in Washington state. It's one sign of extremism making its way into elected office.
I've chatted with Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich a few times in the past while reporting on political extremism in Washington state. We covered a lot of territory, but one point he made has stuck with me — extremist groups are seeking mainstream validation and influence, and part of that effort is getting elected to office. In fact, Knezovich told me that many of the candidates who have run against him for sheriff, attempting to take over the law enforcement job, came from radical groups (particularly the John Birch Society, but we won't go down that rabbit hole here).
Achieving mainstream acceptance is aided through extremist groups' use of words like "patriot" or even "Christian." It's effective branding on the surface. But look closer and you will uncover more radical ideologies.
Keep in mind, Sheriff Knezovich is a Conservative himself, speaking against extremism coming from his right. To be fair to his perspective, I should note that the sheriff argues the extremist threat to America is coming from multiple angles — left and right. A good example of this issue is the drama surrounding Representative Matt Shea from the Spokane area. Shea was accused of participating in domestic terrorism. It was Sheriff Knezovich who first told me, "Matt Shea is dangerous."
Which brings me back to the issue of extremist ideologies attempting to break into mainstream acceptance via elections. KUOW's Kim Malcolm spoke with Devin Burghart with the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. His study found that not only have radicalized candidates achieved office, they are passing laws.
A metric used for this study is lawmakers' involvement with extreme social media groups — from conspiracy groups to militias and neo-Confederates. Most of the online groups that the 30 state lawmakers from Washington state were found engaging with involve Covid denial or objecting to pandemic measures. There were also some far-right militias.
"I think it's important for people to understand that right now we're dealing with a challenge that is orders of magnitude larger than when I started doing this work 30 years ago," Burghart told KUOW. "The far right has moved significantly from the margins to the mainstream. The insurrection on January 6 was not the end of the problem of the far right in this country. It was a clarion call about the continuing problem that we're facing."
The study is intriguing because it pulls in various factors that are contributing to our political divides these days — extremism and the role the internet and social media plays in it.
The lesson here: The next time you get a ballot, take your time. Don't fill in that box just because somebody puts an "R" or a "D" next to their name. It's worth looking closer. And please, don't use social media or unverified websites as "research."
Hear the full conversation with Burghart here.
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The art of glacial decline: Today So Far
- These artists take a hike to put environmental science into their work.
- Climate change is taking a toll on this Puget Sound park.
- Blockchain tech just paid for carbon credits to conserve three considerable chunks of forested land in Western Washington ... I still don't know what a blockchain is.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for June 9, 2022.
If Bob Ross were painting around Washington today, I imagine it would go something like this:
"And here, let's add a little stream coming down the mountain ... it's a sad stream because it misses its friends, the glaciers that used to be high up in the mountains. We're gonna need a lot of liquid white for this, which is good since we didn't use much of it for the glaciers ... because they've disappeared ... oh, and by the way, I want to introduce you to my squirrel friend..."
Bob Ross isn't painting these days, may he rest in peace. But there are a handful of hiking artists who are trekking up the Olympics and Cascades with researchers to document the decline of the region's mountain glaciers. They also create paintings related to salmon, landscape loss, and reforestation.
"That means sharing information or stories about science in ways that are more accessible, or maybe they can just reach different audiences than the more traditional ways of sharing science," Jill Pelto told KUOW's Soundside, adding that she incorporates actual data into her paintings.
"I'm trying to use that actual information of that data to help tell a more literal, visual story of why this graph and this simple line matters," Pelto said.
Pelto is one of three artists who spoke with Soundside. Read the full story, and see some art, here.
Climate change is also taking a toll down the mountain, at the parks many of us lowlanders enjoy.
Take Tacoma's Point Defiance Park. Officials recently had to block off access to cars on the popular Five Mile Drive. The erosion on the nearby cliff has become so severe that it has inched too close to the road. Cliffsides erode all around Puget Sound, but park officials note that factor has been exacerbated by rising water and increased wave activity bashing against the walls.
The official report on the park's erosion did not make a connection to climate change. Still, officials are pointing to this five-mile stretch as an example of changing conditions. Check out Soundside to hear why.
If you're like me and have a hard time understanding how blockchain technology works, that's OK. This next story is more about trees.
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King County Council considers permanent gun give-back program
Four King County council members are proposing a permanent gun give-back program for the county — Rod Dembowski, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Joe McDermott and Girmay Zahilay.
King County has conducted firearm return efforts in the past. But the current proposal would establish a permanent program. The idea is to offer people the ability to turn in firearms and ammunition to any sheriff's precinct, or other approved location. KIRO 7 reports that 716 firearms were turned in to King County during a return program in 2013; a total of 1,172 guns were handed over to the Seattle Police Department in 1992.
It is unclear if the proposal aims to set up a "buyback" program, or a voluntary hand-over situation. King County already has a voluntary program for people to turn in unwanted weapons and ammunition, according to the King County Sheriff. And the Council proposal itself does not mention the words "buy" or "buyback." However, Councilmember Rod Demobowski did use the term "buyback" while talking with KING5 about the proposal. The proposal itself does suggest looking into providing "monetary or other incentives to encourage community participation in the program."
The proposal cites current trends of mass shootings, including the racist incident in Buffalo, New York, as well as the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. It further notes that King County has experienced rising gun violence in recent years — shots fired in the county were up 54% in 2021, shooting victims were up 70%, and fatal shootings were up 54%.
The proposal also states: "the 460 shooting victims reported in 2021 were disproportionately people of color at 81% and 48% of fatal and nonfatal victims identified as Black."
The Council's proposal doesn't set up the program itself. Rather, it requests that the King County executive research the feasibility of such an effort, and develop a plan to implement one.
Along with an uptick in shootings, the region has also experienced a surge in the presence of guns. The Seattle Police Department ran 6,707 background checks for gun purchases in 2019. That's on par with the years before that. That number more than doubled in 2020 — 15,825 background checks. In 2021, Seattle ran 10,766 checks.
The King County Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated parts of the county, as well as about a dozen communities (Sammamish, Maple Valley, the Muckleshoot Tribe, for example). KCSO ran 14,999 background checks for firearms in 2019. In 2020, it ran 28,522 checks. In 2021, it ran 25,923.
The background checks are performed by the law enforcement agency where the customer lives, and a single check could be run for a transaction with multiple firearms. They therefore indicate where the guns are going home to after they are picked up from a store.
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How King County's property tax could rise in November (if you say OK)
King County voters are likely to vote on a property tax increase this fall to help fund the region's land conservation. If approved by voters, property taxes would increase by about $30 per year for the owner of an $820,000 home.
The proposal just passed through the King County Council's Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, with a unanimous thumbs up. The proposal aims to increase a portion of the county's property tax to pay for the Conservation Futures program that has existed since the 1970s.
The Seattle Times reports that over the years, the program has preserved more than 100,000 acres, including Cougar Mountain, and land near Snoqualmie Falls.
The committee's approval does not mean the tax is official. Rather, it means that the Council is primed to send the decision to voters on the November ballot. That is when the issue will ultimately be decided.
The proposed ordinance states:
"AN ORDINANCE providing for the submission to the qualified electors of King County at the general election to be held in King County on November 8, 2022, of a proposition to restore King County's conservation futures property tax levy authorized under RCW 84.34.230 to a rate of $0.0625 per one thousand dollars of assessed valuation for collection in 2023 and use the dollar amount of the 2023 levy for the purpose of computing limitations for subsequent levies under chapter 84.55 RCW to provide funding for conservation futures as permitted under chapter 84.34 RCW, including, but not limited to, to pay, finance and refinance costs of the acquisition and preservation, of: urban green spaces, natural areas, wildlife and salmon habitat, trails, river corridors, farmlands and forests; and providing for conservation futures advisory committee recommendations."
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14-year-old Tacoma student in custody after making threats to school
A 14 year old Tacoma student is in custody after a school received threats of a shooting targeting staffers and students.
The Tacoma News Tribune notes that the incident is the latest in a string of school lockdowns in the area, due to reports of seeing firearms in the area, or hearing gun shots. Also, the Spanaway Lake High School was recently locked down after a student was spotted with two BB guns.
The 14-year-old student taken into custody attends the Northwest School of Innovative Learning. He's been booked on suspicion of 10 counts of felony harassment.
The school called 911 on Tuesday after a teacher told officials that the student made the threats. The Tribune reports that after he was taken into custody, a list of targets was discovered.
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King County Sheriff use-of-force down 23% in 2021
Use-of-force incidents by King County Sheriff's deputies dropped by 23% between 2020 and 2021. There was an 88% decline in critical incidents (or only one in 2021 vs eight in 2020).
That's according to a new report just released by King County's Office of Law Enforcement Oversight.
The reports states that there were 150 reported incidents in 2021. That's 45 fewer than in 2020.
Researchers say the social justice protests of 2020, and police reforms that took effect last year, may have affected the numbers.
They also discovered approximately 29% of sworn deputies (or more than 200 workers) received one or more complaints. More than three quarters of those allegations ended with the deputy either being exonerated or the allegations against them deemed unfounded.
The Office of Law Enforcement Oversight made a number of recommendations, including calling on the department to lift its prohibition on randomly reviewing video from deputies' body-worn cameras. It also wants to limit deputies' ability to view recordings before interviews.
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Covid cases starting to plateau, or decline, in Western Washington
Health officials in Pierce County say their Covid case rates have dropped this week, for the first time since March.
Data shows that the seven-day case rate plateaued last week. But officials still warn that the numbers are much higher than they were just three months ago. Hospitalizations are expected to continue to rise statewide.
King County's case rate has also declined over the past week. Its hospitalization rate also dropped by 5%.
Snohomish County's cases are also showing a decline.
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Lifeguard shortage leads to closure of 3 Seattle beaches this summer
Three Seattle area beaches will be closed this summer because of a lifeguard shortage.
The Seattle Parks Department has announced that Matthews Beach, Seward Park Beach, and East Green Lake Beach will be closed this summer because of a lifeguard shortage.
But six others will have lifeguards and are slated to open to the public on June 25. They include: Madison Beach; Madrona Beach; Magnuson Beach; Baker Beach; Pritchard Beach, and West Green Lake Beach.
The lifeguards will be on duty from noon to 7 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the weekend.
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The cherry harvest is off to a late start in Washington
The colder, rainier than usual weather across the Northwest has snarled the region's cherry-growing season.
Jim Jamison owns a small plot in Richland. Wash. and says that by now, he'd normally have hundreds of customers shopping with them at a u-pick orchard.
“I think ours in the Northwest will be late," Jamison said. "I fully expect there will be growers in the valley here picking cherries in mid-July and beyond, perhaps it depends on varieties.”
B.J. Thurlby, president of the Washington State Fruit Commission, says 40% of cherries in Washington state had yet to bloom when snow fell on the orchards in mid-April.
The bright red Bings have been the most affected by the late snowfall.
“It was the variety that was kind of right in bloom when a lot of the snow hit and again; the bees only work, they only come out of their hives when it's 55 degrees and higher," Thurlby said. "And we went through a lot of bloom where the bees just didn't get out and work.”
Thurlby also says that despite the challenges, those bright yellow Rainier cherries are growing well throughout the Northwest. Rainier cherries should be showing up in stores between now and through July.
Find a list of u-pick cherry orchards here.
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Vancouver bans picketing outside homes of elected officials and city staff
The city of Vancouver, Wash. has banned so-called "targeted picketing" after protesters recently showed up outside of the homes of city staff and elected officials.
The city contends that the move is constitutional. Vancouver's attorneys cite a 1988 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prohibits certain kinds of picketing when it's done in an offensive way.
So long as the ordinance is content neutral about the protests, and still allows picketers to get their message out in other ways, the city says the ban is constitutional.
Elected officials passed it unanimously.
"It's an incumbent upon us as the board members of an organization to protect our staff members and to protect the public that we serve," said Councilmember Erik Paulsen.
The move comes after recent protests at the homes of local leaders over issues like Covid-19 mask mandates and fining businesses for defying lockdown orders.
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Energy storage proposal prompts controversy in Renton
Turning away from fossil fuels is the key challenge for saving the global climate. That means producing more energy from clean sources, but also storing it to be available when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing.
A proposal for energy storage in Renton has led to conflict there.
A Nebraska company wants to build industrial-scale energy storage facility in Renton. It would be nine acres of buildings with lithium batteries inside.
The rural spot that the company has picked isn’t zoned for industry. Neighbors living 50 feet away are crying foul.
“We do believe in green energy, but not if it threatens communities, families, the environment," said Renton nurse Nicola Robinson while speaking at Monday's Renton City Council meeting.
The city put a six-month moratorium on battery storage proposals in April while it figures out where they can be installed safely and legally.
Lithium-battery plants in other western states have caught fire and have even exploded.
Energy experts say we can expect a lot more storage to be built as the nation tries to convert from dirty power to clean.
Read the full story here: Renton neighbors object to storing climate-friendly batteries in their community
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