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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.

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  • RIP Tokitae: Today So Far
    • Tokitae the orca passed away before she could return to Northwest waters.
    • Washingtonians can adopt a Maui cat.
    • Mayor Bruce Harrell showed up at the bargaining table.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 21, 2023.

    Quick hits

    Got cats? Or even just one cat? Right now, you can adopt a cat, locally, from Maui. After the devastating wildfires that swept through island communities, the island's animal shelters are aiming to take in island cats that have lost their homes, or have been separated from their families. The problem is that they already have cats in those shelters. So they need to make room. That's why those cats are coming here. Yep. You can adopt a Maui cat. If you do, be advised: Maui cats need a period of adjustment and can be frightened by the sudden appearance of things they are not familiar with, like pants; patchouli deodorant; puffy vests; or noting the differences between mist, sprinkle, or drizzle rain. It's also not recommended that Seattleites tell their newcomer cats that they should hang out sometime, but not really make plans and instead just give them a number to text, sometime, maybe. So far, some cats have already arrived at the Seattle Humane Society, as well as the NOAH Center in Stanwood. PAWS is also expecting to receive some Maui cats soon.

    An unusual thing happened recently, as the city of Seattle and its employee union were sitting down at the negotiating table — Mayor Bruce Harrell showed up. It's perhaps not so common for the head of an organization to show up at such negotiations, but the mayor's appearance carried a message that the city is committed to raising wages, despite a looming budget gap officials are tackling right now. Still, there is a gap between the two sides that will require more negotiations.

    We received some sad news recently — the Northwest orca known as Tokitae has died in capitivity at the Miami Seaquarium. You may know Tokitae as "Toki" or as "Lolita," the name she performed under at the Seaquarium since about 1970. That's when she was captured at Penn Cove off Whidbey Island and transported to Florida. An effort to return Toki to Northwest waters was making progress and a return trip was expected later this year. The last news of the orca was that she was in good condition. It seems that things took a bad turn rather quickly, and it is believed that Toki passed away from a renal condition.

    AS SEEN ON KUOW

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  • Emergency declaration as Spokane battles deadly wildfires

    Several large wildfires continue burning near Spokane, Wash. Monday morning, prompting evacuations in Spokane County, and an emergency declaration from Gov. Jay Inslee.

    Both the Gray Fire near Medical Lake and the Oregon Road Fire near Elk have turned deadly, killing one person each. Together, the fires have burned more than 20,000 acres since they started Friday, Aug. 18.

    Those evacuating should check for updates from the state Department of Transportation regarding road closures. As of Monday morning, I-90 was closed between Tyler and Four Lakes. Travelers were being directed to SR-904 through Cheney to get around the Gray Fire.

    In Whitman County south of Spokane, the Winona Fire has burned more than 5,000 acres.

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  • Seattle has started to chill out ... with more AC

    It used to be common for Seattleites to ask, "Who needs air conditioning around here?"

    After all, Seattle enjoys a maritime climate. It has long been known as the least air-conditioned big city in the United States. But not anymore. Seattle Times FYI Guy Gene Balk looked at some numbers and says San Francisco is now the least-airconditioned city.

    "I think, Seattle people, of course, maybe take a little bit of pride in not having air conditioning, while the rest of the country, you know, is sweltering, and we've always had — in the past, at least ... cool summers. But, you know, it's something that really does affect people's lives, too. I mean, the heat waves we've had, some have been pretty intense."

    RELATED: Do WA schools need air conditioning? Some teachers think so

    Balk pulled his reporting from the American Housing Survey, done by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2021.

    "The first time this survey was done in Seattle, which was 2013, less than a third of homes had air conditioning, so it was really in the minority," Balk told KUOW. "That number was now more than half, so it's been a huge increase in a 10-year period."

    In fact, Balk counts himself among the many Seattle residents who contributed to the change. He recently got an AC unit, a small portable one for his bedroom, after two decades of holding out.

    "Everyone told me when I moved here like, 'Don't bother with it, it's just not worth it.' And you know, that was true. What finally broke me down was 2021, when, of course, we had that record-breaking heat wave in the end of June, when we hit 108 degrees. That was just so miserable."

    RELATED: This modern Seattle building doesn’t have AC — on purpose

    Income is a major factor in whether people have air conditioning in their homes, according to Balk's reporting. Almost two in three households with an income of $200,000 have some kind of AC. That drops to about two in five among households making less than $50,000.

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  • 'Toki' the orca dies in captivity before planned PNW return

    The orca known as Tokitae has passed away at the Miami Seaquarium, months before she was slated to return to her home Northwest waters. She was 57.

    According to a statement from the Miami Seaquarium:

    "Over the last two days, Toki started exhibiting serious signs of discomfort, which her full Miami Seaquarium and Friends of Toki medical team began treating immediately and aggressively. Despite receiving the best possible medical care, she passed away Friday afternoon from what is believed to be a renal condition. Toki was an inspiration to all who had the fortune to hear her story, and especially to the Lummi nation that considered her family. Those who have had the privilege to spend time with her will forever remember her beautiful spirit."

    The news is a sharp turn from an update on the orca one month ago, when a veterinarian reported that Tokitae was stable and in good condition. The Seaquarium also reported three days ago that Tokitae was was doing well.

    RELATED: Following Tokitae's sudden death, Northwest tribes call for repatriation of orca's remains

    An effort by the Friends of Toki to return the orca to the Salish Sea, where she was born, had recently made progress. Plans were in place to move Tokitae back to the Northwest, and a return trip was estimated to take place later this year.

    Tokitae was affectionately called "Toki," and was also known by the stage name of "Lolita" while performing at the Miami Seaquarium. She was taken away from her Southern Resident family, the L Pod, in Puget Sound in 1970, and has lived at the Seaquarium ever since.

    "It is sad for us because we have had to live with the reality of what humans have put her through," said Jay Julius with Se'Si'Le, a group that uses Indigenous ancestral knowledge for environmental purposes. "At the same time, we take a look from a non-human perspective, and less selfishly, how much peace she must feel now after a life in prison, a life in captivity, a life in which she was prostituted out for money, for billions and billions of dollars, for entertainment of the human species. What peace she must feel right now."

    Julius, a member of the Lummi tribe, was part of the effort to bring Tokitae back to the Northwest. He says he went to Miami in 2018 and spoke with leadership about bringing her home.

    "I think her passing opens up the door for truth-telling about us humans, about our policies, and allows us to ask ourselves who we have become."

    Howard Garrett, cofounder of the Orca Network, was also part of the region's effort to return Tokitae to Puget Sound. He told KUOW that he began educating people about the orca and her connection to the Northwest in 1995.

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  • Seattle shelters are taking in cats from Maui. Here's how you can help

    Furry friends from Maui are looking for new homes in Seattle.

    Thirty-five cats hitched rides out of Hawaii with Aloha Air Cargo in coordination with the Good Cat Network; Seattle Humane received 17 cats and kittens on Thursday, and the others went to The NOAH Center on Wednesday.

    "We unloaded them yesterday, brought them into the shelter, got their intakes done and made sure to move them onto the adoption floor as fast as we could," Seattle Humane spokesperson Brandon Macz said. "And already, we have a number of prospective adopters lined up for them."

    More are on their way.

    Darlene Rayhill is co-founder and executive director of the Good Cat Network, a nonprofit that works with Seattle shelters to reduce the number of community cats on the islands and find them homes in Washington state.

    She said the group is preparing for two more flights to Seattle in the coming days. Seven kittens are going to PAWS here in Washington on Sunday, and 26 more cats will take off for Virginia next week.

    "Washington state is really stepping up to help the people of Maui, and especially the animals of Maui," Rayhill said. "We are overwhelmed by love and aloha thousands of miles away."

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  • Spicy Seattle council races: Today So Far
    • A look at Seattle council races after the primary.
    • Does summer school help?
    • What keeps cows cool?

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 18, 2023.

    Quick hits

    My new favorite thing about election season is when KUOW Editor Cat Smith tries to come up with a metaphor for each local race. That's what she attempted on Seattle Now this week, as she went down the list of Seattle City Council races. Council District 1 is "spicy." District 5 in North Seattle is a "wild card" where "chaos reigns." District 6 is just a "pilsner beer." What about the other districts? Check out Seattle Now for the full discussion. 

    Facing pandemic learning curves (curves that pointed downward), some students turned to summer school to help catch up. Did it work? I like the answer that KUOW's Sami West uncovered: "Somewhat." It's nuanced and honest. Summer school generally has low attendance, and it's just one thing students can do to help with reading and math. Over the pandemic, it is estimated that Washington's students lost about five months in math, and three months in reading. 

    How do cows keep cool? That's not the set up to a joke. It's an actual issue that Washington's dairy farmers ask themselves during increasingly hot weather. Turns out, the answers are similar to what humans turn to. One interesting bit of information that Northwest News Network's Anna King recently came by is that farmers will mix watermelon into the cows' food when it gets hot. It can have a cooling effect while helping with hydration. That's just one tactic.

    AS SEEN ON KUOW

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  • Mike's adventures in art: Titanish, COSMOS, Dream, Night Market

    If you're looking for tips on how to experience art in the Seattle area, you're in the right place. In this weekly post, KUOW reporter Mike Davis has suggestions for what to do around Seattle over the weekend so you can have your own adventures in arts and culture.

    Theater

    Titanish, is playing at Seattle Public Theater. This theatrical parody of the classic movie "Titanic" is a hilarious farce. Presented by The Habit, the award-winning comedy troupe behind “A Very Die Hard Christmas,” this 60-minute production is a whirlwind of comedy, music, and pop-culture references.

    The pacing is so fast, that I missed a joke here and there, but the story being told had a nice flow that carried throughout. I enjoyed the mix of original and cover music that ensured the audience got plenty of classic Titanic sprinkled throughout, while also providing numbers we haven’t heard that were delightful.

    If you head to Green Lake to catch the performance, be sure you are mindful of which tickets you purchase. If you sit in the First Class Deck, you will find yourself in the action of the show! The folks in that section on opening night seemed to have a blast, and the theater was rocking with laughs and cheers all night.

    This is a great change of pace from a lot of the theater in town tackling tough issues, but this production still manages to provide a critique of class, wealth, and patriarchy, while still finding room to poke fun at submersibles and Super Mario.


    Titanish, showing at Seattle Public Theater until September 17.

    "Dream!" is showing at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. This is the 27th installment of Seattle’s Teen Summer Musical. Presented by Acts on Stage, in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation, this latest production from writer and director Isiah Anderson, Jr., follows the story of a group of teens who are overcoming societal obstacles as they chase their dreams. With a cast of talented youth, this is a chance to get an early peek into the upcoming talent in the region.

    "Dream!" at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center Aug. 18-20 and 25-27.

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  • Mayor Harrell wades into labor dispute with city workers amid budget dilemma

    A looming budget deficit is casting a shadow over negotiations between Seattle leaders and city employees.

    The two parties resumed contract negotiations this week after workers walked away from the table a few weeks ago.

    Mayor Bruce Harrell showed up in-person to reassure employees that the city is committed to raising wages.

    “Despite forecasts showing significant future revenue gaps, our approach will continue to be rooted in our values that every worker deserves a living wage, and our gratitude for city employees and the service they provide to Seattle neighbors,” said Jamie Housen, director of communications for the mayor’s office, in an email.

    Employees represented by the Protec17 coalition of unions say there’s still a wide gap between what each side is proposing. Until this week, the city held firm at its offer of 1% raises across the board, according to union representatives. They say the latest offer budged slightly, but wouldn’t give specifics.

    “While I really appreciate the mayor coming, what's important from here on out is not just that he hear us, but that the city provides solutions to the problems that we've raised and supports to the workers of the city of Seattle that we really need in order to be able to provide city services to...communities that they deserve,” said librarian Anne Cisney.

    It’s unusual for a mayor to participate directly in negotiations with city employees, but the stakes are high. If workers walked off the job, it could lead to widespread disruption of city services.

    As Seattle City Light’s Rachael Brooks put it, “We keep the lights on.”

    Brooks said she had to move 50 miles north of Seattle to make ends meet.

    “I love this city and I can't afford to live in the city of Seattle, even though I'm an engineer for the city of Seattle,” she said.

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  • Bus driver union gives green light to contract with King County Metro

    After negotiating for 15 months, King County and its bus drivers have struck a tentative deal.

    The union that represents King County Metro's drivers approved a contract with the county on Aug. 15. Negotiations initially began in May 2022.

    The contract still has to be approved by the King County Council.

    RELATED: A lot more electric buses are coming to Western Washington roads

    "The contract – which covers maintenance workers, bus drivers, train drivers, and other frontline employees – will provide approximately a 17% wage increase over three years, codifies a number of attraction and retention measures, better pay progression for new, part-time bus operators, and sign-on bonuses,” Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 President Ken Price said in a statement. “These are opportunities that current Transit workers deserve. And they will help us bring more workers into the workforce to meet the needs of our county.”

    The contract also establishes a $3,000 recruitment incentive for new employees. Existing employees will get a $2,500 bonus for approving the deal, as well as a $2,500 retention bonus.

    The Amalgamated Transit Union represents more than 4,000 members, including Metro's bus drivers, as well as operators on Sound Transit's Link light rail and the Seattle Streetcar.

    Progress on the union contract comes as King County Metro strives to overcome staffing woes. In June, the transit agency agreed to welcome back drivers who were previously let go for not complying with Covid-19 policies. Also in June, Metro cancelled a handful of bus routes. Other cuts could come in September.

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  • Should we nix these Seattle buses? Today So Far
    • Some folks are talking about switching things up along Seattle's 3rd Avenue.
    • Wildfires, heat waves, and your power.
    • Mount Rainier got stomped on.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 17, 2023.

    Quick hits

    Would you remove all the buses from Seattle's 3rd Avenue? Keep in mind, this stretch of downtown road is largely reserved for buses and is used by a lot transit riders to get through town. At the same time, 3rd Avenue has a bad reputation. I'm sure I don't have to tell you why. In the current spirit of revitalizing downtown, a conversation has begun around the potential of switching things up, such as kicking the buses off 3rd Avenue and converting the street to pedestrian and bike use, while filling it with cafes and a lot more people. The idea reminds me of Munich's Fussganger Zone, or Dublin's Grafton Street, or any other popular pedestrian street that is more known for shopping and dining than travel. It may sound like a fun idea, but it's not an easy idea. KUOW's Joshua McNichols has the full story.

    This summer's wildfires and heat wave are bringing to light a major risk that many might not have considered before — the power grid. Seattle City Light's customers may be in the city, but its electricity comes from hydroelectric dams up in the Cascades. The utility has had to shut down multiple dams over the past two weeks because of risks from wildfires. Another utility, Puget Sound Energy, recently asked customers to reduce power usage amid the heat wave. The idea was to decrease strain on the grid during times of high demand.

    Did you watch the Perseid meteor shower earlier this week? A lot of folks went over to Mount Rainier for some better views of the sky, but it appears many forgot to look down while they were there. National Park officials report that stargazers went off the trails and trampled alpine meadows — you know, those areas with all the wildflowers folks swarm to see each summer. Then there was the — let's say "creative" — parking jobs at the park, and the trash. This is just a reminder that space is great, but so is your planet.

    AS SEEN ON KUOW

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  • Auburn-area Proud Boy, convicted seditious conspirator asks for light sentence

    Ethan Nordean's attorneys want him to serve less than two years behind bars for his actions during the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

    They're asking for a sentence of 15 to 21 months; the government, according to Nordeans' attorneys, is asking for 324 to 405 months.

    Nordean has been convicted of seditious conspiracy, among other federal charges, along with four other members of the Proud Boys. Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio was among them, though Tarrio was arrested two days before the insurrection. That left Nordean to lead rioters on the day of the attack.

    That's not how Nordean's sentencing memorandum, filed on Wednesday, describes it.

    Rather, his attorneys argue "the government cannot distinguish his conduct from that of hundreds of parading and demonstrating protesters — on a factual plane."

    In fact, Nordean's attorneys wrote, "in many instances, the conduct of misdemeanants was more disruptive than Nordean’s."

    The memo notes a number of people charged with misdemeanor offenses for their actions at the Capitol, claiming "the government could have pulled the defendants’ pre-January 6 text messages and characterized plans to protest in D.C. as a 'conspiracy,' as it did with Nordean."

    "When the government does distinguish Nordean’s actions from any other January 6 defendant’s, it relies on characterization, not facts, and it relies on abstract words, not words that point to concrete things," according to the memo. "It does rely on one concrete fact: Nordean belongs to a political organization targeted by the government."

    The political organization referred to is the Proud Boys, a far-right militant group. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated it a hate group. In addition to their part in the Capitol insurrection, members of the Proud Boys have appeared alongside other hate groups at extremist gatherings such as the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va., which included Neo-Nazis and militias.

    The group is also known for its use of violence. In his book "The Age of Insurrection: The Radical Right's Assault on American Democracy," David Neiwert described Nordean himself as a "street brawler" who was "among the first through" police barricades on Jan. 6; Neiwert is an author and journalist who has covered far-right extremism in the region for more than 40 years and who has encountered Nordean at other demonstrations.

    Despite his activities with the Proud Boys, his attorneys noted in the sentencing memo that Nordean has no criminal history, and therefore, he deserves a lesser sentence than the government has proposed.

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  • Has summer school helped in the fight against pandemic learning loss?

    The pandemic has been devastating for student learning, and summer school has been one of the most widely used approaches to overcome it. But has it paid off?

    Answer: Somewhat.

    That’s according to a new report published by CALDER. It’s a collaboration between the Virginia-based American Institutes for Research and scholars at 11 universities, including the University of Washington.

    The study, which is based on academic data across eight U.S. school districts, found that students who attended summer school last year didn’t do any better in reading, and saw only slight improvements in math.

    Dan Goldhaber, a University of Washington researcher and co-author of the study, called the findings a “glass is half full; glass is half empty kind of story.”

    “What our results suggest is that you can’t expect summer school to be enough to get kids back on track,” he said. “It has to be a multifaceted set of strategies.”

    Other approaches include tutoring, longer school days, or year-round school.

    That’s why he thinks schools should consider expanding summer school, which is usually an optional program. The study found that, on average, the overall participation rate at the districts included in the study was about 15%.

    “So maybe you want to do more to encourage more kids to participate,” he said.

    The findings are another sign that the scale and intensity of Covid recovery efforts at schools remain far below what is needed, the study authors write. And, they say, the situation is especially dire as federal pandemic relief provided to schools expires next fall.

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