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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Centrist in Seattle? How this week's election could change City Council politics
Election Day is Tuesday, and some big changes are afoot, especially when it comes to the Seattle City Council.
Longtime Council firebrand Kshama Sawant is stepping aside, along with at least three other incumbents; Sawant's departure alone will shift the politics of the Council.
So, what will the shakeup mean for the Council and the future of Seattle?
"Mayor [Bruce] Harrell is big on cooling some of the fiery rhetoric in city politics and bringing lawmakers together to work on solutions," said KUOW politics editor Catharine Smith. "And in this election, Mayor Harrell has backed candidates who he thinks can do that. Most of these people that he's backing happen to be kind of center-left candidates."
Those candidates include: Joy Hollingsworth in District 3, which Sawant currently represents, Cathy Moore in District 5 and Maritza Rivera in District 4.
Smith said the mayor appears to be angling for candidates who agree with his policies and who won't have to fight with each other to get them passed. In theory, less division on the Council could mean more action.
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Pro-Palestinian protesters block Port of Tacoma entrance, saying they believe military supplies leaving for Israel
A group of pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the entrance to the Port of Tacoma early Monday morning, in an attempt to prevent military supplies from entering the port and being loaded onto ships headed to Israel.
"We are stopping the ships, we are stopping the boats, we are causing a delay in whatever they do to support, basically, sending military supplies to Israel to continue bombing our children," said Nour, a 25-year-old Palestinian at the port entrance.
Nour did not give her last name. KUOW has not been able to confirm any information around a ship picking up military supplies at the Port of Tacoma.
The Seattle chapter of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network began planning for the demonstration on Friday, after it says it received information that a ship had left Oakland, Calif., and was headed to Tacoma to pick up military supplies destined for Israel.
RELATED: Seattle woman fears for kidnapped relatives in Gaza after losing aunt and uncle in Hamas attack
"I'm just sick of it," Nour said. "I see that there is action being taken, and I have to step up. It's my people. I have to step up with the rest of the world that isn't scared of speaking for the truth."
"Gaza is my family. Palestine is my family. They are all my family," she added.
Nour said that protesters planned to stay at the entrance until port workers go home.
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This water taxi captain prevented a runaway barge from ramming into downtown Seattle. Here's his account
Captain Dan Krehbiel was steering a water taxi boat from West Seattle on Thursday when he spotted a runaway barge — a six-story wall of steel containers — headed at a clipped pace in the direction of the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium.
What follows is Krehbiel’s account of what happened.
We were in West Seattle, ready to make our trip across to the downtown side.
As we started hitting toward Seattle, a barge came out from the pier.
It was moving faster than you ever see tugs moving. We thought, this isn't right. This is bad. It’s windy. And it’s headed for the waterfront.
We got around to the other side of the barge to check if there was a tug dragging it, but nope, sure enough, there were no tugs on it. At that point, we knew it had broken away from its moorings. We had to see if we could divert it.
I couldn’t get too reckless – I had passengers on board. I had to keep them safe, and also try to keep the barge off the waterfront.
We made a quick announcement that we were going to be delayed to divert a runaway barge. I think I heard somebody downstairs say, “Cool.”
I knew by its size that we weren’t gonna be able to stop it. I was going to use this boat as a tugboat – and steer it away from the waterfront.
I tried to nose up to the barge without hitting it too hard, because I don’t have rubber fendering like a tugboat. It’s pretty hard to hit a big steel barge with a little aluminum boat.
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Black College Expo returns to Seattle Saturday at Rainier Beach HS
The 6th Annual Seattle Black College Expo returns to Rainier Beach High School Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event is open to all students and their families.
Students get a chance to meet one-on-one with college representatives from historically Black colleges and universities, and other institutions.
Event organizers are also urging juniors seniors and college transfer students to bring their transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores for a chance to get accepted on the spot and get those application fees waived.
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Class action lawsuit against Alaska Airlines in wake of pilot emergency
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air face a class action lawsuit after last month's high-profile incident, when an off-duty pilot attempted to shut off an airplane's engines mid-flight.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of three passengers aboard that flight in King County Superior Court.
RELATED: In wake of Alaska's mid-air scare, researcher cites mental health gaps for commercial pilots
"The airlines need a wake-up call," said Attorney Daniel Laurence with the Stritmatter Firm that filed the case. "We understand that most pilots are heroes every day for safely operating our airliners. But they are not immune from sleeplessness, drinking, drugs, or a mental health crisis. Airlines are charged with the lives of passengers and, by law, have the highest duty of care."
The flight began in Everett, Washington, and ended with an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon.
Attorneys say Joseph Emerson was allowed to ride in the cockpit's "jump seat" — where off-duty pilots can hitch a ride — even though he admitted he did not meet the federal minimum requirements for pre-flight rest and drug use.
Emerson reportedly was in the cockpit and reached for instruments that would shut off the plane's engines. Pilots were able to stop him. He later admitted to eating psychedelic mushrooms 48 hours prior to the incident, and that hadn't slept since.
RELATED: Off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot arrested following attempt to disable engines mid-flight
"Airlines can and should take simple and reasonable steps before each flight to challenge the presumption that every pilot who shows up at the gate is rested, sober, and in the right state of mind to fly," Laurence said in a statement. "Emerson’s statements while in the air and shortly after his arrest show that had the airlines here done so, he would never have been allowed aboard. Our clients suffered needlessly as a result. Only luck prevented it from becoming a mass disaster."
Attorneys say that pilots who ride in the jump seat can be called upon during an emergency and argue the air carriers have failed to make sure everyone in the cockpit meets the pre-flight security requirements.
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Washington state aims to connect with other markets to help reduce carbon costs
Washington officials aim to link the state’s fight against climate change to similar efforts elsewhere in North America.
The Washington Department of Ecology announced Thursday its intention to connect the state’s new market for carbon pollution to the decade-old markets in California and Quebec.
“I have determined that seeking to link with California and Quebec offers our state the best path to a successful, durable carbon market,” Ecology Director Laura Watson said. “It will allow us to meet the greenhouse gas emission limits that are set in state law.”
Since February, Washington has been auctioning off the right to emit carbon dioxide to certain large polluters under the state’s 2021 “cap-and-invest” climate law.
The resulting price to pollute the climate has been higher than predicted and higher than in California and Quebec.
RELATED: The numbers are in: Washington's carbon credit auction raised nearly $300M
Washington Republicans and some businesses have blamed the carbon auctions for driving up the ever-changing price of gasoline.
The Inslee administration and environmental groups blame other factors, including oil company profit margins.
RELATED: What we do and don't know about high gas prices in Washington state
Inslee administration officials say connecting with the California-Quebec market, which is about six times bigger than Washington’s, will bring down the price to pollute, possibly immediately.
“Even an expectation of linkage could put downward pressure on prices,” Watson said.
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Domestic violence surge 'easing' in King County, prosecutors say
Prosecutors in King County say the number of domestic violence cases overall is trending downward. That’s after a spike in cases during the pandemic.
Domestic violence homicides have fallen each year since 2020. Prosecutors expect this year’s final numbers to be 20% lower than that pandemic high. There were 18 domestic violence homicides in King County in 2020, and that number has fallen every year since, to 11 cases so far in 2023.
The downward trend in domestic violence cases is in contrast to King County’s overall homicide rate, which has continued to set new records since 2020.
David Martin, who chairs the domestic violence unit for the King County Prosecutor’s Office, said it’s hard to pinpoint the reasons for the decline in domestic violence homicides. But he notes that people at risk of harming themselves or others have surrendered a record number of firearms this year.
“It’s an important way to reduce risk,” Martin said. “If we know that domestic violence is a driver of violent crime and violent death, we do not want domestic violence offenders to be armed.”
The Regional Domestic Violence Firearms Enforcement Unit, which seeks to enforce Domestic Violence Protection Orders as well as Extreme Risk Protection Orders known as “red flag” laws, has collected 911 firearms so far in 2023, already surpassing the total of 901 it collected in all of 2022. Both types of orders can seek to prohibit someone from possessing firearms.
RELATED: Should we think of gun violence as a 'disease'? These epidemiologists do
Martin said Washington state in general has also seen a long-term decline in the numbers of strangulation homicides, which are disproportionately associated with female victims and domestic partner or intimate partner violence. He said the state was one of the first to enact a felony strangulation assault law in 2007 and King County has prioritized enforcement.
He points to a recent study by former King County Chief Medical Examiner Richard Harruff that appeared in the September issue of The Journal of Forensic Sciences. It analyzed female strangulation homicides in the county from 1978 through 2022.
Researchers found a striking decline in strangulation cases in recent decades up through the year 2020. In the 1980s, King County saw an average of more than six such cases per year. That rate declined more than 80% to average just over one case per year between 2010 to 2019. However, they found that cases did tick up again in 2020 through 2022.
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How one Redmond ZIP code built its way to housing abundance
Out of all the ZIP codes in Washington state, downtown Redmond’s has built the most new apartments, according to a new study.
In the whole nation, Redmond comes in 10th place for new housing, behind ZIP codes in D.C., New York, and Texas.
Fifteen years ago, the mayor of Redmond displayed posters on his wall showing a vision for the suburban city as a dense, walkable place full of six-story apartment buildings.
Josh Brown, head of the Puget Sound Regional Council, said that vision has come to pass.
“The transformation in downtown Redmond over the past 10 years has just been absolutely profound, and that’s been very intentional,” he said.
The new ZIP code rankings come from RentCafe, an apartment tracking website owned by real estate data company Yardi.
98052 isn’t the only local ZIP code to make the list of top places for new housing. Just a few slots behind Redmond on the national list is 98109, which includes Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood.
Both places are near major tech companies, like Amazon and Microsoft. Most of the new apartments in both neighborhoods require high salaries to be affordable.
In the Seattle metro area, proximity to tech employers generally means higher rents. Relief in the form of greater affordability can sometimes be found in large apartment buildings near light rail stations.
To find the local ZIP code with the most new housing for people with modest incomes, look to 98144, home to Seattle’s Beacon Hill and Judkins Park stations.
The mix of affordability in each city's housing stock could change in years to come, thanks to new state rules requiring cities to meet more stringent affordability criteria.
RELATED: Cities in Washington can no longer make vague promises to build enough 'affordable housing'
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Bye bye Bezos: Amazon's founder is moving out of Seattle
Amazon's founder will trade Puget Sound for the warm Atlantic Ocean. Jeff Bezos has announced he is moving away from Seattle.
He is moving to Miami, Florida.
"I’ve lived in Seattle longer than I’ve lived anywhere else and have so many amazing memories here," Bezos said in an Instagram video. "As exciting as the move is, it’s an emotional decision for me. Seattle, you will always have a piece of my heart.
Bezos also laid out his reasons for the Miami move, starting with his parents who moved to the city. He lived in Miami with his parents when he was younger. Also, he says Blue Origin's operations are increasing at Florida's Cape Canaveral. Blue Origin's offices are in Kent. He also said living in Miami will bring him closer to Lauren Sánchez, his fiancée.
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Mayor Harrell orders Seattle departments to increase BIPOC contracts, with emphasis on Black-owned businesses
Mayor Bruce Harrell has issued an executive order instructing Seattle departments to prioritize contracting with women- and minority-owned businesses (WMBE), with an emphasis on Black-owned firms.
"We recognize that all communities are impacted by contracting equity, including LGBTQ-owned businesses, veteran-owned firms, immigrant-owned firms, and other small businesses," Mayor Harrell said Wednesday when announcing the executive order and its goals.
"We specifically talk about Black-owned businesses because the data suggests that is an area we need to target, and we believe by targeting that demographic, all boats rise," Harrell said.
According to the mayor's office, Seattle spent $900 million on goods and services in 2022. A total of $228 million was spent on consulting services with WMBEs. The office notes that 38% of the city's population is BIPOC, but 14% of the city's purchases and contracts are with BIPOC businesses.
The executive order stems from Seattle's WMBE Advisory Council that was formed in 2019. Much of the work around Harrell's executive order will be carried out through the city's Finance and Administrative Services Department. It will continue to work with the advisory council to develop tools for all city departments to use in this effort. The city will also update or replace its business directory to increase engagement with BIPOC businesses. The finance department will report annually on its progress.
Mayor Harrell closed by saying that, while the city can help create the business ecosystem so that "all boats rise," he is also urging business owners to actively help each other through this effort.
"If you're not doing that, if you're doing this just to line your pockets, just to make money, that's it, I have no interest in you," Harrell said. "There has to be a greater good you are trying to do. I'm trying to employ people as the mayor. I'm trying to get people emotional help, I'm trying to build networks. If you just care about lining your pockets with money, this may not be the executive order for you."
Among the order's supporters is Councilmember Sara Nelson who chairs the Council's Economic Development Committee.
“As a Seattle small business owner, I can’t overstate how important this kind of support is," Nelson said in a statement. "I have seen our local business community at its highest highs and through its most challenging times. What I know is that our city is at our best when we support each other, and right now women- and minority- owned businesses need our support. This executive order does that by increasing equity, opportunity, and the strength of our local economy.”
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Starbucks hits record revenue filled with pumpkin spice profits
Pumpkin spice really put the bucks in Starbucks. The Seattle-based coffee giant just reported record-breaking numbers from its most recent quarter.
“Our Reinvention is moving ahead of schedule, fueling revenue growth, efficiency and margin expansion,” Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said in a statement. “Notably, we continue to see the positive impact of our Reinvention on our partner and customer experiences, proof points that we can continue to create, grow and strengthen our business while creating value for all."
Narashimhan added that despite uncertainty in the months ahead, he believes this momentum can be sustained.
Starbucks' fourth fiscal quarter ended Oct. 1. During that 13-week timeframe, it pulled in a record $9.4 billion in net revenue, an 11% rise over the previous quarter. That includes an 8% rise in North American sales, and 5% internationally.
RELATED: Peter, Peter, pumpkin ... daddy? Meet the 'father' of the pumpkin spice latte
The Associated Press reports that Starbucks also experienced record-breaking weekly sales once its pumpkin spice latte returned to stores in August. It's the 20th anniversary of the drink that started a pumpkin spice craze.
Last year, Starbucks kicked off a $450 million "reinvention" plan aimed at upgrading its stores, and improving the experience of some sales, such as the speed it takes to make iced drinks. It also upped employee pay by 20%.
Starbucks now operates 20,000 stores internationally, bringing its total count to 38,038. The company opened 816 new stores over the fourth quarter alone. That number is net new stores, meaning some locations closed during this time, too.
Starbucks has closed a range of stores over the past year, such as its Capitol Hill location in Seattle, the first store to unionize. Amid a unionization effort over the past few years, the company has been accused of union busting.
RELATED: Starbucks and union face off in Seattle over negotiation rules
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King County Jail guard charged with helping deliver drugs into the jail
Six people, including a King County Jail guard, have been charged with crimes in connection with smuggling meth and fentanyl into the jail.
Mosses Ramos, 39, of Milton, Wash., is accused of taking bribes and helping to deliver drugs into the jail last spring. According to the Department of Justice, Ramos worked as a correctional officer at the King County Jail for 17 years before he was fired in September 2023. The DOJ alleges that Ramos took bribes to get meth and fentanyl into the jail.
Charging documents state that Ramos allegedly accepted around $5,000 for the job, in cash and also using a money transfer app.
The drugs were reportedly delivered to Michael Anthony Barquet, 37, and Francisco Montero, 25, who are currently incarcerated at the jail. They face charges for the scheme, along with coconspirators outside the jail who are accused of helping: Neca Silvestre, 38, of Kent; Katrina Cazares, 38, of Burien; and Kayara Zepeda Montero, 27, of Seattle.
Specifically, they face five federal felonies, including two counts of bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, drug possession with intent to distribute, and conspiracy to distribute drugs. The four defendants not in custody were arrested Thursday morning, and were in U.S. District Court in Seattle at 2 p.m. They pled not guilty and their trial has been set for Jan. 8, 2024.
RELATED: Jail reserved for exceptional cases, as Seattle’s new drug law takes effect
“Fentanyl and meth are horribly destructive in our community, and our correctional institutions are not immune," Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said in a statement. "The challenge of keeping inmates safe is made much more difficult when correctional staff betray their positions of trust and authority. "
Gorman credited King County law enforcement officials and the FBI for working quickly to identify the people involved in the smuggling conspiracy.
Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Seattle office said that local partners in the investigation, which included the King County Jail, Sheriff's Office and Prosecutor's Office, "identified the actions of an employee and brought the case to our attention which resulted in a successful joint investigation."
King County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement that "the charges against this former employee and his co-conspirators tarnish the work that our corrections officers do every day to serve their community with professionalism and the highest standards of care."
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