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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.

Stories

  • Colman Dock is back! Ferry riders delight in Seattle's upgraded terminal

    A new and improved Colman Dock opened on Seattle's waterfront Friday. It was the first time ferry passengers could climb the new stairs on Alaskan Way, walk over the queuing cars, and into the waiting area.

    The building has been opening, gradually, piece-by-piece. But Friday was the first day people were able to enter through the new front door, without taking a circuitous and sketchy-looking route around construction.

    The upgrades are built to handle earthquakes and crowds of sports fans, like Loni Munsch who came over from Poulsbo to watch the Seahawks practice.

    “This is gorgeous. It’s so much nicer than it’s been for the last, I don’t know, 10 years?” Munsch said with a laugh.

    The construction has come with a $489 million price tag, paid for by taxpayers. Crews removed old, rotting creosote pilings and installed new, clean steel ones. The new terminal sits on top of all that.

    Norman and Elizabeth Hutcheson were visiting from Scotland and passed through the terminal on opening day.

    “Today we’re having a trip over to Bainbridge," they said, commenting that they’re quite impressed with the new terminal and that none exist like it back in Scotland.

    “This is a good investment, well done. I didn’t see the old one — I can only tell you I like the new one.”

    There’s still construction going on down at Colman Dock. Workers are installing a new pedestrian bridge over Alaskan Way, which is slated to open in the fall. Also, trees along this stretch of road haven’t been planted yet.

    Continue reading »

  • How much for a 'starter' home in Seattle? Today So Far
    • Dolly Parton is coming to TVW.
    • Even more support for getting Seattle's Cinerama up and running.
    • A person needs to earn about $142,000 annually if they want to buy a "starter" home in Seattle.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 4, 2023.

    Quick hits

    You better set an alert to tune into TVW on Aug. 15. No ... seriously ... TVW.

    I know TVW is has a bit of a CSPAN vibe and caters to politics nerds in Washington, but on Aug. 15 at 2:30 p.m. it will be all about Dolly Parton.

    Back in the 1990s, Parton started a literacy program called "Imagination Library." It's provides free books to kids up to age 5. That program is expanding in Washington state, which is why Parton is paying a visit. TVW will have a fireside chat with the country star. Parton will also perform. Read more here.

    There is now even more support for getting Seattle's Cinerama up and running. Next Tuesday, the Seattle City Council will vote on whether to give a $1 million grant to the theater to help with startup costs. According to Councilmember Andrew Lewis, who is behind the grant proposal, the money is an investment in downtown Seattle.

    After shutting down in 2020, the future of Cinerama was in limbo until last May when SIFF took it over. That move provided hope that Seattle's beloved movie theater would not perish. Read more here.

    A person needs to earn about $142,000 annually if they want to buy a "starter" home in Seattle. That's Redfin's latest assessment of starter homes in the area. This is far more expensive than the national numbers — a $64,000 annual salary for a starter home.

    This is just one interesting data point that Redfin has published recently. I compiled a few into this blog post. Among them is another observation the real estate company has made while looking into its own user data. While homebuying migrations have gone down a bit this year (when a person leaves their current city to buy a home in another city, perhaps out of state), but there are some notable trends. Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona. top the list of cities where folks are moving. The number one city where folks are moving to Phoenix from is Seattle. In other words, Phoenix is getting the most outside homebuyers from Seattle.

    Redfin doesn't provide too many details beyond that, like demographic data. Part of me wonders if a lot of these folks are snowbirds. When I lived on a boat, my "neighbor" was only a liveaboard during Northwest summers. He spent the rest of the year (the cold months) in Arizona. I also have relatives who purchased RV plots down there and travel from Washington every so often. An RV plot is quite different than a house, but still, it's property on the market. Whoever is making the move to Arizona, Redfin notes that they're likely finding home prices about half of what they are in Seattle. Read more here.

    Continue reading »

  • Is climate change bringing more disease-carrying bugs to the PNW?

    We've got about a month and a half of summer left, so still plenty of time to get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather.

    Pack the bug spray, though. They're plentiful — and plenty hungry.

    Some are carrying some nasty bugs of their own, including bugs that are rare in the Pacific Northwest.

    "With climate change, we are expecting to see both mosquitoes and ticks, and it will impact their distribution," said Liz Dykstra, a public health entomologist with the Washington State Department of Health's Zoonotic Disease Program.

    "We could see tick distribution expand in some areas," she said. "So, that is something that monitoring and ongoing surveillance is important to help track."

    Washingtonians are likely seeing fewer ticks right now — tick season is in the spring and early summer — but the state is still keeping its eye on several cases of tick-borne illness.

    In fact, the state just recorded its second-ever in-state human case of a rare tick-borne disease called anaplasmosis. The illness causes fever, muscle aches, and other symptoms that range in severity from mild to life-threatening. Severe or life-threatening cases are rare, though, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    People may also develop meat allergies after getting bitten by ticks. Some such cases have been found here in Washington state. Dykstra said those cases originated in the eastern part of the country, though, home to lone star ticks, which are most associated with meat allergies.

    "However, we did have a case that came up a year ago that was here in Washington state, and we think it was probably associated with the western black-legged tick, which we do have here here in the state," Dykstra said. "We're working with CDC and investigating that case now."

    More prevalent right now are the mosquitos.

    Washingtonians may notice more of the bloodsuckers around this year. That's thanks to a larger snowpack that accumulated this past winter, Dystra said. Now that it's melted, there's plenty of water for mosquitos to breed in.

    "Another factor is that we have subspecies that we refer to as floodwaters species," she explained. "And what they do is they lay their eggs right above the waterline. You could have several years where multiple generations of mosquitoes lay their eggs right above that waterline. And those eggs are not covered, and they can stay viable for many years."

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  • Former judge and social equity consultant will vie to represent North Seattle

    After some close results in the city council district in north Seattle, it’s now clear who will be advancing to the general election. Former King County Superior Court Judge Cathy Moore and social equity consultant ChrisTiana ObeySumner will be on the ballot for District 5 in November.

    Third place candidate Nilu Jenks conceded Thursday after ObeySumner pulled ahead to a firm second place. ObeySumner called the race a roller-coaster so far.

    “I had a health flare and I couldn’t walk, my husband would push me in my wheelchair to try to go door-knocking and go to the farmer’s markets or do everything we could, and it paid off and I’m so thrilled,” they said.

    ObeySumner has co-chaired city commissions for renters and people with disabilities. They said pedestrian safety, affordable housing, and climate justice are three of their top priorities.

    The North Seattle seat is open because current Seattle City Council President Debora Juarez is not seeking re-election.

    Jenks congratulated both candidates and said in a statement, “I am grateful to the voters of District 5 who believed that we can have a city that prioritizes public safety, affordability, and climate leadership.”

    In a statement, Moore thanked Jenks for “her clarion call to action on the climate crisis facing us.” Moore added, "I'm thrilled with the primary results, a validation of my deep experience in Seattle as a judge, public defender, and mom. I think our message of common sense approaches to public safety, homelessness, and addressing the housing affordability crisis resonated with voters looking for thoughtful leadership-- not slogans.”

    The latest results Thursday showed Moore with 31% of the vote so far and ObeySumner with 24%. Jenks had just under 19 percent.

    Continue reading »

  • The NW is too enchanting: Today So Far
    • Are the outdoors too popular for their own good?
    • Human-caused wildfires on the rise in Washington state.
    • Homeless shelters forced to upgrade.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 3, 2023.

    Quick hits

    The Enchantments are just too enchanting for their own good.

    "This hike is Instagram famous, rightfully so. You will not be disappointed," nature writer Luke Whelan told "Seattle Now."

    The primary election dominated the news yesterday, but I didn't want this "Seattle Now" episode to get buried, because it does raise an interesting issue about our region's love of the outdoors.

    A lot of folks say they visit or move to the Northwest because it's so beautiful here, and they love nature and the outdoors. But sometimes, the outdoors can kind of be like this neighborhood dive bar I used to frequent. I love the place. I'm not sure it's a good thing to say that I spent a lot of time there. However, about twice a month, college students discover the bar and pack it. Now, this is great business for my beloved bar. But all the regulars suddenly find it takes a lot longer to order, or wait for a pinball machine, or play pool, or to simply weave through the crowd from one end of the bar to the other.

    You can plug other interests into that metaphor — your favorite brunch spot, band, sports team, Rattlesnake Ledge, etc. The idea is that sometimes there can be a downside to popularity. That's what folks are finding out when it comes to The Enchantments. This region of the Cascades is filled with lakes, mountains, and beauty. It's also easy to get to from Seattle and the rest of Western Washington. You can camp there if you get a permit, but demand is so high, there is a lottery to get such a permit. And the odds are against you.

    "I was totally blown away when I saw 40,000 people had applied (for a camping permit). Just five years ago, those numbers were more like 20,000," Whelan said.

    Only 6% of the folks who apply will get a permit.

    "It's nearly impossible to score a permit to The Enchantments. You'd think that it being so hard to get a permit would deter people from applying every year, but it seems like the scarcity is creating more of an allure around the lakes, almost like a scratch ticket."

    Continue reading »

  • Dolly Parton to visit WA in celebration of children's book program

    Country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton has plans to visit Olympia on Aug. 15 in celebration of her children’s library program going statewide in Washington.

    Parton’s “Imagination Library” allows children up to age 5 to receive a free, age-appropriate book each month.

    Parton’s visit will include a fireside chat with the singer and a performance. The Aug. 15 event is invitation-only and will be live streamed on TVW starting at 2:30 p.m. Gov. Jay Inslee has proclaimed the day “Imagination Library of Washington Day.”

    “It is important to get high quality books to children from a young age and ensure that their families, and their unique races, ethnicities and identities are well-represented among the selection of books,” Inslee said in a statement.

    Parton launched her first Imagination Library program in 1995 in Sevier County, Tennessee, inspired by her father’s struggle with illiteracy. Since then, the Imagination Library has been established in five countries, gifting over 2.4 million free books to children worldwide each month. As of March, Parton’s program had provided a total of more than 200 million books, according to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

    The Imagination Library of Washington was founded in June 2022 and is sponsored via a partnership with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and is operated by United Ways of the Pacific Northwest.

    Continue reading »

  • $142K salary needed to afford a 'starter' home in Seattle, Redfin reports

    A "starter" home in Seattle looks a lot different than elsewhere in the United States — it's a lot more expensive and you need to earn a lot more to afford it.

    “Buyers searching for starter homes in today’s market are on a wild goose chase because in many parts of the country, there’s no such thing as a starter home anymore,” Redfin Senior Economist Sheharyar Bokhari said in a statement.

    According to recent data published by Redfin, a first-time homebuyer needs to earn about $64,000 annually to afford a “typical” starter home in the United States. That is up 13%, which is about $7,200, from a year ago. Such a home was selling for $243,000 in June, which Redfin notes is 2.1% higher than June 2022. In 2019, a first-time home cost around $166,500 in the United States.

    “The most affordable homes for sale are no longer affordable to people with lower budgets due to the combination of rising prices and rising rates," Bokhari said. "That’s locking many Americans out of the housing market altogether, preventing them from building equity and ultimately building lasting wealth. People who are already homeowners are sitting pretty, comparatively, because most of them have benefited from home values soaring over the last few years. That could lead to the wealth gap in this country becoming even more drastic.”

    The national numbers pale in comparison to Seattle where the median sale price of a starter home is around $535,000. Redfin reports that a person needs to earn $141,794 a year to afford this type of property, with a median mortgage payment of $3,545. That's 4.4% higher than a year ago.

    Redfin notes that starter home prices declined over the past year in Seattle, as well as Portland, and other large West Coast cities. But the income required to afford those homes is now higher than in 2022. That's largely because of higher mortgage rates.

    For a non-starter home, Redfin reported last November that a person needs to earn $205,000 annually to afford one in Seattle.

    It's also worth noting that luxury home prices in Seattle are also down — they declined 12.3% over the past year. That's the largest decline in the USA, but don't get your hopes up. The price for such Seattle luxury homes is around $2.5 million.

    If you're looking for a better deal, homebuyers may want to consider looking around Phoenix, Arizona. That's among the top destinations for out-of-town, and out-of-state homebuyers right now, and Seattleites are leading the pack.

    Another Redfin report on housing migrations adds up the top cities homebuyers are targeting for cheaper prices.

    Continue reading »

  • Seattle proposes $1 million grant toward Cinerama reopening

    Plans to revamp and reopen the Cinerama movie theater in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood might get a boost Tuesday when the Seattle City Council votes on a $1 million grant to help with the restoration.

    The iconic theater has been closed for more than three years. Cinerama owners abruptly shut the theater and laid off employees in February 2020. The ensuing Covid-19 pandemic threatened to keep the theater doors closed indefinitely.

    But hope for the theater's revival took a positive turn in May, when the Seattle International Film Festival announced that it had purchased Cinerama from former Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen and planned to renovate and reopen it later this year under a new name.

    The $1 million grant from the city will help to revitalize the downtown core, create jobs, and foster the arts, said Councilmember Andrew Lewis, who sponsored the legislation.

    “I’m grateful to my colleagues for their support in advancing this critical investment to re-open the Cinerama and activate our Downtown,” Lewis said in a statement. “The public benefits unlocked by this proposal will further strengthen our reputation as a center of film culture.”

    Lewis said money for the proposed grant comes from higher than expected tax revenues. King County has proposed legislation to match the city’s contribution to the theater project.

    Cinerama first opened in 1963. It faced demolition in the 1990s, but Allen stepped in and purchased the theater, which became an iconic landmark for film lovers in the downtown core.

    Cinerama was renovated in 2014 with a new laser projector, modern sound system, leather seats, local food offerings, and a liquor license.

    The proposal for the $1 million city grant passed out of the council’s Finance and Housing Committee Wednesday and goes up for a vote before the full Council next Tuesday, Aug. 8.

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  • Amazon takes Washington regulators to court over alleged safety violations

    Amazon managers and employees are testifying this week in a trial that could determine how the company operates its warehouses in Washington state.

    The dispute is between Amazon and the state’s Department of Labor and Industries, which says it has found numerous safety violations in warehouses in the state.

    Investigators say warehouse workers are at heightened risk of injury because their jobs require repetitive motion in a tough work environment. Amazon appealed the citations, claiming it hasn’t broken the law and is improving its safety record.

    "We leveraged several administrative controls around job rotation, workplace and rule training, our 'working well' program, which was a health, wellness and ergonomics program," testified Evan Shobe, a former Amazon manager, during the trial Wednesday.

    Labor and Industries wants Amazon to make changes to its warehouses that it says would reduce injury risk. But Amazon says those changes would be costly and disruptive.

    “We look forward to showing that L&I’s allegations are inaccurate and don’t reflect the reality of safety at Amazon," said spokesperson Maureen Lynch Vogel in a statement.

    It’s rare for the state to bring a case over so-called ergonomics issues, but Amazon has created a unique work environment to power its e-commerce business. That’s landed the company in hot water with state and federal regulators.

    The Strategic Organizing Center is a coalition of unions pushing for more government oversight of Amazon warehouses in Washington and beyond.

    "We expect to see finally the details of Amazon’s failure to respond to the injury crisis, despite the company’s having people, policies and procedures to do so," said the organization's Eric Frumin during a press conference at the start of the trial. "We expect the trial to reveal the consequences of that failure on the working lives of hundreds of injured Amazon employees.”

    The trial began in late July and is expected to run through September.

    Continue reading »

  • What was the primary message? Today So Far

    Primary 2023 election results are in. What do they say about the race for Seattle City Council?

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for Aug. 2, 2023.

    Quick hits

    Primary election results are in! Seattle voters have sent their first message this election season, and that message is ... uhhh?

    I like the way KUOW's David Hyde put it: "It’s not yet clear what message Seattle voters are sending." I also like how KUOW Editor Catharine Smith put it while chatting on "Seattle Now": "If I could compare this primary election to Christmas morning — everyone is getting socks ... kind of boring, nothing fancy, no big drama. Just socks." But there are a few takeaways as we now look toward the November election.

    There were three incumbents on the primary ballot, and each of them have taken in the most votes in their races. Tammy Morales in District 2 is on the defund-police side of issues, and has stuck with that stance for this campaign. Dan Strauss in District 6 was previously open to police budget cuts, though he recently campaigned on the message that "defund the police was a mistake" while hyping his support of police. And Andrew Lewis in District 7 has received criticism for swinging his vote. All three incumbents came out ahead (Morales has 48%; Strauss has 51%; and Lewis has 41%).

    KUOW's Amy Radil points out that while Lewis did get the most votes, his 41% is the weakest of the incumbents. It's still a bit ahead of second place — Bob Kettle at 33%.

    That brings us to my usual reminder that I roll out every election: Ballots will continue to be counted in the days ahead and results could shift. That's more true for general elections, and not as many folks vote in primaries, but still, we'll be watching. The other thing about this primary is that there were so many candidates running — more than 40 across all districts. It's not uncommon for folks to start calculating where votes will shift from failed primary candidates to those on November's general ballot. But with so many candidates, that calculation is difficult.

    As for that "message" that we're looking for from this election, there are two races where I think that could be delivered in November, judging from these initial primary results.

    For an incumbent race, we have Tammy Morales against Tanya Woo in District 2. Morales' 48% is just a smidge away from Woo's 45%. As Hyde notes, Morales "ventures furthest left among the incumbent council members running." Woo, however, is more closely aligned with Mayor Bruce Harrell's center lane approach to issues like public safety, housing, and homelessness. Woo came onto the political radar when she helped stop the expansion of a homeless shelter in the Chinatown-International District, and for her role with the CID's block watch, a group that aids and reaches out to the local homeless community.

    For a non-incumbent race, Maren Costa and Rob Saka in District 1 present another fork in the road. Initial primary results show Costa with 29% and Saka with 25%. They appear to be attracting different groups of supporters. Costa boasts most support from a range of unions, plus the National Women's Political Caucus, King County Democrats, and The Stranger. Saka has received high fives from The Seattle Times, 34th District Democrats, VoteVets, local hospitality and restaurant businesses, and the Affordable Housing Council. Both have support from various elected officials, as well as community members. Though Costa's community support leans more into the activist/advocate end of the spectrum while Saka's is more on the local business/community leader side of things. Once again, this is a blue vs blue election. It's just a question about which shade of blue voters feel can be effective.

    Continue reading »

  • Washington state has a new hit-and-run alert system

    Washington's new hit-and-run alert system went live Tuesday, allowing police to notify media and anyone who signs up about hit-and-runs in the state.

    The Washington State Patrol is behind the new system, which is a two-year pilot program.

    “Last year, our state saw over 300 hit-and-run collisions resulting in serious injury or death. In many of those situations, information about the fleeing vehicle was available that, if widely disseminated, might have helped us find a dangerous driver,” said WSP Chief John R. Batiste in a statement. “We are working with our partners in law enforcement across the state and in highway safety at WSDOT to get the word out about these often devastating crimes.”

    The Washington State Department of Transportation will also post identifying information about hit-and-run drivers on highway message signs when a crash results in an injury or death.

    For an alert to be sent, a hit-and-run incident must be reported to police, an injury or death is reported, and enough information about the vehicle is available.

    “If you see or hear the alert and then see what you think might be the suspect vehicle, call 911 and report your location,” Chief Batiste said. “DO NOT ENGAGE with the vehicle or driver under any circumstances. Let our troopers and our fine local law enforcement officers do their jobs in safely and professionally contacting suspect vehicles. Let’s all do our part to keep the roadways and one another safer.”

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  • First ballot drop suggests battle ahead for Seattle's downtown district

    Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis received the most votes in District 7 in the first ballot drop on Tuesday — but his 41 percent was the weakest showing of the council’s three incumbents.

    Lewis and retired Navy officer Bob Kettle are leading in initial results for the downtown district.

    Public safety has been an overarching theme in their race. Lewis says his top priority is to pass Mayor Bruce Harrell’s new plan to restrict public drug use.

    “Really looking forward to getting that over the finish line to make sure people are well cared for but also that people are held accountable in the City of Seattle,” he said.

    Kettle, Lewis’ potential opponent in the general election, said he also supports that plan. But he said Lewis’ initial support for defunding police laid the groundwork for the city’s problems.

    “The actions that they took led to the massive loss of police officers, the actions that they took created the permissive environment,” Kettle said.

    Kettle noted a majority of initial district votes did not go to Lewis. Business owner Olga Sagan came in third, with 14 percent of the vote.

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