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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WA lawyer who made false election claims can't practice law for a year
A lawyer accused of making false claims about the 2020 Washington governor's race has been banned from practicing in the state for one year.
The Washington State Bar suspended the license of attorney Stephen Pidgeon and the state Supreme Court just upheld that order.
Pidgeon was an attorney for Republican gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp. After Culp lost, Pidgeon claimed that the state ran an illegal and unfair election and filed a lawsuit on behalf of the candidate.
The state Supreme Court ruled that Pidgeon did not have the facts to back up his election claims. According to The Seattle Times, the court called his actions "frivolous."
Washington's Democratic Party initially called for Pidgeon to be disciplined.
"It's just important that we hold these folks accountable. You're even seeing that with the Trump indictments," said Shasti Conrad, chair of the state Democratic Party.
Pidgeon told KUOW that he no longer intends to practice law, and if he ever did, Washington state would be last on his list.
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Washington counties sue DSHS, protesting release of 200 patients
A majority of counties in Washington say the state Department of Social and Health Services is creating risks to public safety and to mentally ill people by abruptly releasing them from state care. The 22 counties have filed a lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court.
A hearing may take place as early as Sept. 8.
The lawsuit seeks to force DSHS to abide by public notice obligations when releasing patients previously charged with crimes, and to evaluate people whose felony charges are dismissed because they are deemed incompetent to stand trial, rather than putting that responsibility on counties.
While a federal judge ordered DSHS to offer more beds to serve people who are currently incarcerated, county officials said that doesn’t mean DSHS can steer this other complex population of people into their already overburdened systems.
DSHS issued a statement in response to the lawsuit Wednesday in which it said, "This new bout of litigation brought forward today by the counties is in direct conflict with the federal court’s order." (See the full statement below).
The counties’ lawsuit also alleges that state officials violated public notice rules. That’s as the state prepares to release more than 200 state hospital patients by Sept. 7. Those patients were previously charged with felony crimes — the charges were dropped when those patients were deemed not competent to stand trial.
Isabel Jones heads King County’s behavioral health and recovery services. She said 45 of the patients being discharged are from King County, and one of them has already been released to a homeless shelter.
“These are complex clients, it is not always quick to be able to find an appropriate placement,” Jones said.
David Hackett, general counsel for King County Executive Dow Constantine, said instead of notifying local law enforcement or crime victims about these releases, DSHS sent a more general letter to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.
“Essentially they’ve said, 'We’re going to release a bunch of unnamed people by Sept. 7.' Counties received a slightly more specific letter, only in that it had some names attached to it, but no details,” Hackett said.
Eric Johnson is the executive director for the Washington State Association of Counties, which also joined the lawsuit. He said it is highly unusual for this many counties to come together so quickly to file a lawsuit, but this issue is urgent.
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Will US Supreme Court weigh in on WA capital gains tax?
The legal battle over Washington's new capital gains tax isn't over yet.
The Washington State Supreme Court upheld the new capital gains tax in a 7-2 decision earlier this year. The state taxes the sale of certain assets — such as stocks and bonds — worth more than $250,000.
Now, the Freedom Foundation, a conservative think tank, is appealing that decision. In a petition filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, the foundation is questioning the state's constitutional authority to tax out-of-state transactions under the federal Commerce Clause.
"What Washington state has done, in this law and in this ruling from our Washington State Supreme Court, has implications certainly far beyond the borders of Washington," said Brian Minnich, Freedom Foundation's executive vice president.
The Washington court's majority decision addressed those concerns, writing that the tax complies with the federal policy. Experts who worked on the new tax also point to similar taxes in other states that remain in place.
Andy Nicholas, a senior fellow at the Washington State Budget and Policy Center, said there's a chance the federal court won't take the case. But he also said that the challenge puts more than $800 million already collected through the tax for child care and school construction funding at risk.
"We should all hope that this challenge fails because it would be very bad for communities across our state," Nicholas said.
A decision on whether the U.S. Supreme Court will consider the appeal could come this fall.
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Why San Juan County is leaning into a 32-hour work week: Today So Far
- Washington's San Juan County will start operating under a 32-hour work week.
- Rents are down in Washington state. Wages in the Seattle area are up.
- Lummi Nation is calling for the remains of Tokitae to be returned to the Northwest.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 23, 2023.
A county in Washington state is blazing a new trail for public workers, and for officials attempting to balance budgets, by leaning into a 32-hour work week. San Juan County faces a few challenges, ranging from the post-pandemic inflation, to the fact that, as islands, the cost of living is more expensive there. As employers consider more remote work, flexibility, and other incentives, the county hopes that the 32-hour work week will give it an edge to attract and retain employees. At least, that is one benefit the county hopes this idea will produce.
Rents are down in Washington state. In fact, Washington state saw the largest decrease in rents in the nation. Rent went down by 7.72% between July 2022 and July 2023. This bucks the national trend of rising rents. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area, the rent decline was even greater at 10.75%. While rents are down locally, it's worth noting that wages are up in the Seattle area. The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Seattle experienced a 5.4% wage hike between June 2022 and June 2023. That's better than the national average of 4.6%.
The Lummi Nation is calling for the remains of Tokitae to be returned to the Northwest. After the orca, also known as Toki and Lolita, died last week at the Miami Seaquarium, her remains were sent to the University of Georgia for an autopsy. Tony Hillaire, chairman of the Lummi Nation, told KUOW that they were not aware that the remains had been sent to the university. The tribe is now calling for her to be returned home.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
DID YOU KNOW?
Salmon travel great distances during their life, from fresh water to ocean waters, and back. How do salmon know where to go when they spawn? There are a lot of theories around how and why, such as water temperatures or smells. One fascinating feature of this fish is its lateral line. It's a sensory organ that researchers believe can sense the Earth's magnetic field. It's the same phenomenon that guides a compass. According to the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Department, as the Earth's magnetic field has naturally drifted in recent years, researchers have observed salmon migrations also drifted.
ALSO ON OUR MINDS
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UW professor responds to Republicans' accusations that she colluded to 'censor Americans'
A University of Washington professor at the center of a congressional investigation says Republicans have mischaracterized her work.
UW Center of an Informed Public Director Kate Starbird published an extensive blog post Wednesday to "provide key context that is missing" from a report that accused her and others of trying to "censor Americans" — particularly conservative voices.
This is the first time Starbird has publicly commented on the investigation.
"Rather than addressing all of the report’s many falsehoods and inaccuracies ... I’ll focus on particularly egregious mischaracterizations that directly reference me and my work with an external advisory committee for CISA," Starbird said in a statement provided to KUOW.
CISA is the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It was established and signed into law by then-President Donald Trump in 2018. In 2020, it launched efforts to address elections mis- and disinformation. Starbird was asked to chair a subcommittee meant to ensure the integrity of federal and state elections.
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary's Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government has been investigating those efforts, however, the subcommittee chaired by Republican Rep. Jim Jordan was formed in January, after Republicans took control of the House.
In a report released in late June, the Subcommittee alleged CISA, Starbird, and her colleagues colluded with tech companies to subvert Americans' First Amendment rights.
Starbird rejected that accusation in her blog post.
"To create this false impression, the report cherry-picks emails and selectively portrays notes from our MDM [Misinformation, Disinformation and Malinformation] Subcommittee’s deliberative process — often obscuring and in some cases intentionally distorting the original context," she wrote. "The MDM Subcommittee gave significant consideration to the First Amendment in all of our work, and explicitly did so in our recommendations to Director [Jen] Easterly. ... The recommendations were intended 'to protect critical functions from the risks of [mis- and disinformation], while being sensitive to and appreciating the government’s limited role with respect to the regulation or restriction of speech.'"
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Will the smoke come back? Today So Far
- Salmon are wowing viewers at the Ballard Locks.
- Spokane battles wildfires on multiple fronts.
- Will the wildfire smoke return to Western Washington soon?
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 22, 2023.
Quick hits
- Seattle has started to chill out ... with more AC
- Pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the country, is moving indoors
- Video from a humpback 'whale spa' shows skin care is serious — and social
Salmon are making quite an impression at the Ballard Locks these days. The return through the lock's fish ladder, for spawning, has been considerable. That's good news for onlookers at the locks, and the local seals seem to feel it's good news, too. The return isn't breaking records, but it's the strongest in about 10 years. Check out Joshua McNichols' reporting for some photos and video of the salmon passing through our area.
By now, the air has cleared up around the Seattle area, after some pretty nasty wildfire smoke moved through the region. The next few days should be pretty good, too. But take advantage of it while you can. The exact air quality forecast is unknown, but one expert tells KUOW that there is "a decent chance" that the winds will shift and bring smoke back into the area by next weekend. Keep your air filters and N95 masks handy for the rest of the season, because wildfires in Washington and Canada continue to produce plenty of smoke.
Spokane is battling wildfires on multiple fronts. These blazes started over the weekend and have already scorched thousands of acres. Evacuations have begun, and an emergency has been declared over the threat. The fires have the potential to send smoke our way. One official with the Department of Natural Resources told KUOW that they are watching the region closely, as conditions are apt to make things worse in the weeks ahead, especially after the recent high temperatures and low humidity.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
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Seattle-Tacoma wages rose between 2022 and 2023
Wages in the Seattle-Tacoma area received a bump over the past year, beating out the national average.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, wages and salaries for private industry workers went up by 5.4% between June 2022 and June 2023. At the same time, the United States averaged 4.6%.
RELATED: Changes to Washington employment laws and wages in 2023
One change in 2023 was that Seattle's minimum wage slightly rose. Starting on January 1, the minimum wage for small employers was $16.50, and $18.69 for large employers. Washington state's minimum wage also rose in 2023 by 8.66% to $15.74 an hour. The raise was tied to inflation and made Washington's minimum wage the highest in the nation (aside from Washington, D.C.).
Also between June 2022 and June 2023, the bureau notes that the compensation cost to employers (wages and benefits) went up by 1.9%. The national average was 4.5%. Since 2019, Seattle area employers have paid an average of 3.1% more each year for employee compensation.
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Believe it or not, rents are down in Washington state
Washington state experienced the largest drop in rental prices over the past year in the United States.
According to Rent.com's August report, Washington state saw a 7.72% decrease in rents from July 2022 through July 2023.
Focusing just on the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue region, rents have gone down by 10.75% during that same time. Rent.com's data shows Seattle's current median rent at $2,833. This accounts for all bedroom types across the rental market.
RELATED: $142K salary needed to afford a 'starter' home in Seattle
While many states have experienced rents on the rise, those that have seen declining prices are mostly in the West. Oregon rent went down 5.66%, and Idaho's went down 2.48%.
It's important to note that rental prices go up and down over time. Rent.com’s own data shows that national rents peaked in summer 2022 with $2,053 national median rent. The current national median is $2,038. After that, rents declined until February 2023, and have been rising nationally ever since.
RELATED: Inflation got a little higher in July as prices for rent and gas spiked
Also according to Rent.com: “Over two years, the cost of renting has increased by 14%, representing annualized growth of nearly 7% and adding almost $250 to monthly rent bills. Over the course of the pandemic, rents have risen 25%, or more than $400, since 2019.”
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AI as a public utility? Seattleites discuss regulation of the technology
This week, leaders in artificial intelligence gathered in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood at the invitation of U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Their goals were to recommend ways to support the industry here and suggest regulations that protect people from unethical uses of AI.
The event began with a showcase, in which local companies and researchers showed how AI could change the face of work in Washington, especially in agriculture. Whether you're picking apples, pruning trees, or pulling weeds, there's a machine that uses AI to make your job easier.
Cantwell asked for ideas on AI regulations that wouldn’t stifle innovations like those.
Cherika Carter, who represented the Washington State Labor Council at the forum, said workers could potentially benefit from AI, in same the way that construction workers benefited from power tools after initially being skeptical of them. But she also warned that "too often, technological advances are used as a cover by the rich and powerful to concentrate their wealth and turn good family-supporting jobs into insecure, low-wage or precarious jobs."
Carter asked Cantwell to make sure labor remains at the table to ensure the benefits of AI are widely shared.
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This Washington county is moving to a 32-hour work week
Washington state's San Juan County is moving to a 32-hour work week, beginning Oct. 1, 2023.
“The 32-hour work week is both fiscally responsible and socially responsive. It takes into account a full-time, working islander’s way of life,” San Juan County Council Chair Cindy Wolf said in a statement. “This change brings the opportunity to spend more concentrated time with family, volunteer locally, travel, schedule medical appointments, and do all the many things which are important to personal and community well-being without interrupting workflow.”
The county argues that the move is needed to help with employee wellness, and to maintain the county's operations under its current budget.
In a statement, County Manager Mike Thomas said that, “The workplace of today is not the same workplace that existed even two years ago," adding that modern employers are finding ways to attract and retain employees. Such ways include offering remote work and compensation packages.
Thomas also said that, “Asking the voters to increase taxes in the current economic climate is the path of last resort." Instead, the county has opted to take other measures, starting with a 32-hour work week.
According to a county spokesperson, the idea of a 32-hour workweek originated when officials were negotiating a contract with employees' union and had to balance raises with the county budget.
“There's no way that we could have come to the table and said we're just going to hand out 30% increases and then, let's blow the budget up,” said Angie Baird, the county’s director of human resources.
San Juan County covers Lopez Island, Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Shaw Island. Its population is nearly 18,700, according to the most recent census data.
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Milkshakes from a Tacoma burger joint tied to listeria outbreak that killed 3 people
Poorly cleaned ice cream machines at a Washington-based burger joint were linked to a listeria outbreak earlier this year that landed six people in the hospital, three of whom died. Two of those who were hospitalized told investigators they had milkshakes from the same restaurant before getting sick.
The Washington State Department of Health says it found the same strain of listeria in ice cream machines at a Frugals restaurant in Tacoma, Wash., that was responsible for hospitalizing six people during a foodborne listeriosis outbreak earlier this year. All six individuals, between 40 and 70, had underlying conditions that left them more susceptible to the disease.
No other Frugals restaurants are thought to be affected and the Tacoma location stopped using its two ice cream machines on Aug. 8, but listeria can take as long as 70 days to make a person sick. The health department said in a news release that it found listeria bacteria in all of the Frugals milkshake flavors.
Though most people who eat food contaminated with listeria won't get seriously ill, the department recommends those who are pregnant, 65 or older or have a weakened immune system call their doctor if they consumed a milkshake from the Tacoma restaurant between May 29, and Aug.7.
The restaurant said in a statement on Saturday that it is cooperating with the health department's investigation and is sending the two Tacoma site ice cream machines off for thorough cleaning and sanitization. And out of an abundance of caution, Frugals says it has shut down milkshake sales at all of its other restaurants and is having all of its ice cream machines tested.
"As a family-owned business for over 30 years, the trust of our customers is paramount," the statement reads. "We will continue to fully cooperate with this investigation, and we are committed to making any changes deemed necessary to maintain our high standard of operations and prevent this from happening again."
Health department investigators used genetic fingerprinting of the bacteria found in those hospitalized, which determined that the same food was likely responsible for making all six people sick. Two of the people who were hospitalized, but did not die, told the health department they ate Frugals milkshakes before becoming ill.
Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, flu-like symptoms like muscle aches and fatigue, headaches, a stiff neck, confusion, a loss of balance and convulsions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For pregnant women, the disease can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery as well as life-threatening infection of the newborn.
The Food and Drug Administration says listeria is a pathogenic bacteria that can grow in food even under refrigeration and other preservation measures. Past outbreaks of listeria have been linked to raw and unpasteurized dairy products, raw or processed fruits and vegetables as well as raw or undercooked meats and fish. The FDA says the longer these foods sit in the fridge, the greater the chance the bacteria has to grow.
To keep your food safe from listeria at home, the FDA recommends setting your refrigerator to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer to zero degrees. Wipe up and disinfect spills inside your fridge quickly, and be sure to clean the walls and shelves periodically with a chlorine-water mix. And as always, wash your hands with warm soapy water before and after handling food. [Copyright 2023 NPR]
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Want to get outside? Go now, before the smoke returns to the Seattle area
Winds from the Pacific began clearing the smoke out of the Puget Sound region Monday morning. Local air quality is now expected to be pretty good through Thursday midday.
But the region could be in for more bad air quality by next weekend (Aug. 25-27, 2023), when the winds might bring wildfire smoke from Canada down into the Seattle area.
“There’s a decent chance we’re going to see the winds shift around again at the end of this week and start sending some of that smoke back towards us again,” said Phil Swartzendruber, an atmospheric scientist and forecaster with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. “It’s possible it could get pretty bad again.”
Swartzendruber said this weekend’s smoke was bad enough to increase the risk of serious health events like asthma attacks, strokes and heart attacks.
As for the next several weeks, Swartzendruber said, with fires burning in eastern Washington, Canada, and elsewhere, there’s no guarantee of clean air until cooler, wetter weather arrives.
“We've actually been pretty lucky this summer that all the winds have been blowing the smoke away from us,” he said. “We could be getting a lot more smoke more regularly, and I don't see any significant rain coming in anytime soon, so we could be in this for awhile.”
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