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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

  • Is Seattle headed toward preschool for all? Another expansion announced for 2024-25

    Education
    caption: Seattle Preschool Program student Jason, 5, uses glue to make crafts in teacher Hien Do's class on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, at the ReWA Early Learning Center at Beacon, in Seattle, Washington.
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    Seattle Preschool Program student Jason, 5, uses glue to make crafts in teacher Hien Do's class on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, at the ReWA Early Learning Center at Beacon, in Seattle, Washington.
    KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

    The Seattle Preschool Program will serve nearly 2,500 children next school year, thanks to a 16-classroom expansion that will create 279 additional slots.

    Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the $3.5 million expansion Monday, and encouraged any city resident with a 3- or 4-year-old child to apply.

    "Our commitment through programs like the Seattle Preschool Program is that every child, every neighborhood in our city can access education and opportunities to build the future that they deserve — that they have a right to," he said.

    The pre-kindergarten program has expanded every year since it launched in 2015.

    The goal is to improve kindergarten readiness for all Seattle kids — but especially children of color, those experiencing homelessness, or children in foster care who are less likely to be able to afford or access quality early education.

    RELATED: Everett is the latest community to open a Bezos-funded free preschool

    State data shows readiness rates for Indigenous, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Black children remain substantially below their white and Asian peers.

    Harrell said Monday that about 70% of families currently in the program pay no tuition, because program costs are calculated based on household income and family size. About three in four kids identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color.

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  • Democrats compete for endorsements in race for Washington's 6th district

    Politics
    caption: Washington state Sen. Emily Randall represents the 26th Legislative District (Bremerton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor). In 2024, she is running to represent the 6th Congressional District.
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    Washington state Sen. Emily Randall represents the 26th Legislative District (Bremerton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor). In 2024, she is running to represent the 6th Congressional District.

    The race for Washington's 6th Congressional District is not just a competition to represent the region in Congress, it's a competition for local endorsements as Democrats garner the backing from different corners of their party.

    U.S. Sen. Patty Murray announced Monday that she is throwing her support behind Washington state Sen. Emily Randall, who is running for Congress. Murray's is one of the biggest names to come out in support of Randall.

    RELATED: Longtime Washington powerhouse politician Frank Chopp is stepping down

    "I'm with Emily for Congress because I know she will be a strong voice for working people – the friends and neighbors she grew up with – in a district that is her home," Murray said in a statement. "Emily will be a strong voice for women's rights and health care at a crucial moment, and she's someone with a proven track record of being able to deliver on common sense legislative solutions that will make life better for the people she represents. Emily is someone who really cares and wants to hear about the problems and challenges facing her neighbors; importantly, she will roll up her sleeves and work to make a real change – let's send Emily to Congress."

    State Sen. Randall currently represents Washington's 26th Legislative District, which covers part of Bremerton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor, and rural areas at the south end of the Kitsap Peninsula. Of the three state representatives for the district, she is the only Democrat. She is also deputy majority leader.

    Washington's 6th Congressional District has been represented by Democrats since the 1930s (aside from 1947-65 when it was represented by Republican Thor Tollefson). It covers much of the Olympic Peninsula, as well as parts of Tacoma. It's currently represented by Congressmember Derek Kilmer, who previously announced he would not seek re-election this year. It didn't take long for other local lawmakers to jump into the race to replace Kilmer, such as state Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, who was running for governor but switched to running for the 6th District.

    RELATED: U.S. House approves TikTok ban with help from Washington state delegation

    Democratic support has been split.

    While Sen. Murray is the most recent high-profile figure to announce their support for Randall, Randall's campaign is also boasting Democratic support from U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington, as well as a handful of other Congress members from other states. She also has the backing of Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and state Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (who is stepping down at the end of 2024).

    Franz has been endorsed by Rep. Kilmer, the district's current representative, as well as Norm Dicks, the Democrat who held the seat before Kilmer (1977-2013).

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  • Washington state reduces isolation period for Covid from 5 days to 1

    Health
    covid test generic
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    Washington’s Department of Health announced Monday that people experiencing Covid symptoms only need to isolate for 24 hours or until their health improves. Previous guidelines from the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended people stay home for at least five days to stop the spread of the disease.

    Health officials say previous guidelines were based on time, while the new ones are focused on symptoms.

    “When their symptoms are getting better overall and they've not had fever for at least 24 hours without having to use fever-reducing medicines,” Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, chief science officer for Washington’s Department of Health, said in an interview with KUOW.

    RELATED: Do doctors have a right to free speech, even when it includes spreading misinformation?

    Kwan-Gett said, even though Covid remains a “significant threat,” vaccinations and population immunity in Washington have led to a decrease in case numbers.

    The guidelines are exactly that — recommendations for people to stay healthy. They are not enforced and could change from place to place.

    “Any organization, business, facility, or jurisdiction can choose to have more protective recommendations,” Kwan-Gett said. “So, people should always be aware of the place you're visiting has different recommendations from these general guidelines.”

    The new guidelines apply to all respiratory infections, Kwan-Gett said. That includes the flu, respiratory syncytial virus, Covid, and others. Combining this information should make guidance clearer and simpler for people to follow, he said.

    Not much should change at hospitals and clinics, he said. Health care settings have their own specific CDC guidance, with which Washington remains aligned.

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  • Seattle Reign reportedly sold for $58 million to group that includes the Sounders

    Sports
    caption: Seattle Reign forward Bethany Balcer, right, points at teammate Jordyn Huitema after scoring on a penalty kick won by Huitema against the Washington Spirit during the first half of an NWSL soccer match Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Seattle.
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    Seattle Reign forward Bethany Balcer, right, points at teammate Jordyn Huitema after scoring on a penalty kick won by Huitema against the Washington Spirit during the first half of an NWSL soccer match Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Seattle.

    The French company that owns the Seattle Reign announced Monday it will sell its stake in the women’s soccer team to a group that includes the Seattle Sounders.

    The Reign’s majority owner, Olympique Lyonnais (or OL) Groupe, is based in Lyon, France. OL Group says it's selling the team for $58 million to a group that includes the Seattle Sounders and global investment firm Carlyle.

    RELATED: Seattle Reign fans gear up for a new era, minus Rapinoe and plus a new look

    OL Groupe originally bought the Reign for $3.5 million in 2019.

    In addition to new ownership, the Reign is playing this season under a new name, new colors, and a new logo. The team will drop "OL" from its name and return to its original moniker "Seattle Reign FC." This is the name the team played under during its firs six seasons (the Reign was founded in 2012).

    The team is also returning to blue and gold colors, which can be seen in a redesign of its old crest. It features a blue woman — who many fans call the Queen or the Valkyrie — with a gold crown.

    The Reign said in a statement that the deal is expected to close early this year, pending approval from both the National Women’s Soccer League and Major League Soccer.

    The Sounders wouldn’t confirm the news of the sale, but they hope to have more information in the coming days.

    The Reign made a surprise appearance in last season’s NWSL Final. This is their first season without franchise icon Megan Rapinoe.

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  • Seattle cherry blossoms are nearing peak bloom 2024

    Arts & Life
    caption: A Seattle street lined with cherry blossom trees.
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    A Seattle street lined with cherry blossom trees.


    It's March 2024. That means a few things for Western Washington — rain turns into sun, sun turns into hail, and hail turns into more rain, but not the same kind of rain as before. All of this adds up to the annual cherry blossom bloom around Seattle.

    The main hotspot for cherry blossom action is the Quad at the University of Washington, where 29 large Yoshino cherry trees are located.

    Peak bloom for 2024 at the UW Quad is expected March 20.

    “Historically, peak bloom in the Quad typically begins during the third full week of March and goes into the fourth week of March. That seems to be what this year is going to look like,” UW arborist Sara Shores said in a statement. “Right now, I would guess that the last two weekends of March are ideal viewing conditions.”

    RELATED: Seattle will save cherry blossom trees on Pike Street, but the old ones still have to go

    Below is a live view of the UW Quad.

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  • After years of waiting, Seattle is getting two new dog parks. They each cost more than $1 million

    Government
    caption: A golden retriever lays in the grass at Seattle's Woodland Park. After months of consideration and surveys, Seattle's Parks and Recreation Department is considering the placement of two new dog parks, located at West Seattle Stadium and Othello Park. Ravenna Park is also an option, but more funding is needed.
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    A golden retriever lays in the grass at Seattle's Woodland Park. After months of consideration and surveys, Seattle's Parks and Recreation Department is considering the placement of two new dog parks, located at West Seattle Stadium and Othello Park. Ravenna Park is also an option, but more funding is needed.

    Seattle dog owners rejoice: After more than a year conducting studies, holding public hearings, and posting online surveys, Seattle is about to get a pair of new, off-leash dog parks.

    Last March, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department announced they would add two new off-leash areas for dogs to play.

    With just over a dozen official areas for Seattleites to let their tens of thousands of dogs run free, it’s been clear for a while that the city needs more of these kinds of parks.

    RELATED: Woolly dogs once provided fleece for Coast Salish tribes. What happened to them?

    A year has passed since that announcement and the city is nearly ready to open the much anticipated new dog parks.

    Over the past 12 months, the parks department studied 30 potential spots around Seattle to add an OLA (off-leash area). They put up a survey for people to give feedback online and attended farmers markets over the summer to talk to them in-person.

    Overall, the city says it heard from more than 4,700 people on two possible parks.

    Of the original 30 locations considered by the Parks Department, two have been “identified to be suitable for the development” of an off-leash park: West Seattle Stadium and Othello Park.

    Ravenna Park was also chosen to be designed but parks officials say they’ll need more funding for construction there.

    The city says it will spend $3.46 million to build the two parks and design the third at Ravenna.

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  • A cougar attacked them. They fought back for 45 harrowing minutes

    Environment
    caption: Cyclists from the Recycled Cycles Racing team pin down a young male cougar with a bike, as one of them calls 911. The cougar had attacked their friend Keri Bergere 15 minutes before this photo was taken.
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    Cyclists from the Recycled Cycles Racing team pin down a young male cougar with a bike, as one of them calls 911. The cougar had attacked their friend Keri Bergere 15 minutes before this photo was taken.
    Courtesy of Keri Bergere

    Editor's note: This story contains graphic photographs and descriptions of an animal attack.

    It was a beautiful Pacific Northwest day. Sunny, puffy clouds on the horizon.

    Five competitive cyclists – women in their 50s and 60s – met at the Tokul Creek trail north of Snoqualmie.

    At the yellow gate before riding into the deep forest, the women took a group selfie. They had no premonition that 19 miles in, a young male cougar would attack one of them, and that they’d spend 45 minutes in a battle for their lives.

    Cougars, wild cats also known as mountain lions or pumas, are reclusive and tend to stay away from humans. In the Northwest, people who spend time in the mountains know these apex predators may be lurking nearby, but sightings are rare.

    Even more unusual is an attack on a human. There have been 20 cougar attacks recorded in Washington state in the last century, two of which were fatal.

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  • Seattle area TikTok influencers slam Congress's proposed ban

    Technology
    caption: Seattle area TikTok influencer Teena Tach is among many content creators who say Congress's proposed ban of the social media app would have negative consequences for them.
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    Seattle area TikTok influencer Teena Tach is among many content creators who say Congress's proposed ban of the social media app would have negative consequences for them.
    Courtesy of Teena Tach

    Seattle-area content creators are speaking out about legislation that could ban TikTok across the United States.

    U.S. House lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would give TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, 180 days to divest from the app in the U.S. If it doesn’t, TikTok would be banned throughout the country.

    Renton, Wash.-based Teena Tach said the ban would be crushing.

    “I would lose my community — the community that I started with, the community that I built from Washington foodies,” she said.

    RELATED: U.S. House approves TikTok ban with help from Washington state delegation

    Thach has made a name for herself on TikTok by reviewing minority-owned restaurants in the Seattle area. It all started during the pandemic when she posted a review of the boba bar Mangosteen. She said the owner called to thank her for bringing in business during a difficult time.

    “At that moment, I was like, 'OK, this might be my purpose in life to tell these stories and uplift people through storytelling in these short form videos,'” she said.

    Now Thach is worried her platform could disappear.

    Backers of the bill say TikTok exposes Americans to influence and surveillance because of ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government. TikTok denies those claims, and says its American users are insulated from foreign influence.

    “This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: it's a ban,” a TikTok spokesperson said. “We are hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, seven million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service.”

    The last time the federal government considered forcing TikTok to spin out of ByteDance, Microsoft emerged as a likely buyer. The Seattle-area company considered buying TikTok in 2020 when President Donald Trump threatened to ban the app if it retained Chinese ownership. Trump’s attempted TikTok ban stalled in court, and was ultimately rescinded by the Biden administration.

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  • U.S. House approves TikTok ban with help from Washington state delegation

    Politics
    tiktok tik tok generic
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    Solen Feyissa / Unsplash

    The future of the popular social media platform TikTok in the U.S. is in peril, thanks in part to support from Washington state's congressional delegation.

    On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would require Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok, or the platform would be banned from U.S. app stores. The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate. President Joe Biden has said he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

    About 170 million Americans use the platform, according to TikTok.

    TikTok has characterized the legislation, introduced as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, as "bullying" that could affect hundreds of thousands of American jobs, including small businesses and independent creators.

    RELATED: Why the House voted to ban TikTok and what could come next

    Still, the proposal won widespread support in the U.S. House, including from Washington state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The bill was approved 352 to 65.

    It passed unanimously out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee before it went to a full vote. U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane) chairs that committee, and she was integral in getting it through the House.

    "Foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party pose the greatest national threat of our time. TikTok's access to 177 million American users makes it a valuable propaganda tool for the CCP to exploit," McMorris Rodgers said on the House floor Wednesday. "Companies controlled by foreign adversaries like the CCP will never embrace American values, like the freedom of speech, human rights, the rule of law, and a free press. If given a choice, they will always choose the path for more control, more surveillance, and more manipulation."

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  • Longtime Washington powerhouse politician Frank Chopp is stepping down

    Government
    caption: Frank Chopp (D) came into office in 1995, representing Washington's 43rd Legislative District (Belltown, Capitol Hill, U District, Wallingford, Fremont). He became the longest-running House speaker in Washington history. In March 2024, he announced that he would not run for re-election, opening up the seat to new leadership.
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    Frank Chopp (D) came into office in 1995, representing Washington's 43rd Legislative District (Belltown, Capitol Hill, U District, Wallingford, Fremont). He became the longest-running House speaker in Washington history. In March 2024, he announced that he would not run for re-election, opening up the seat to new leadership.

    Frank Chopp will not run for re-election in 2024, ending a nearly 30-year legislative career in Washington, which includes time as the longest-running House speaker in state history.

    Chopp has represented the state's 43rd Legislative District since 1995, which covers Seattle's Belltown through Capitol Hill and Eastlake, up through the U District, Wallingford, and Fremont. In 1999, Chopp became co-House speaker. In 2002, he took on the speaker role alone and held that position until 2019.

    RELATED: Washington House Speaker Frank Chopp's tearful story of sister with mental illness

    Before becoming an elected official, he worked as a community organizer, working at various nonprofits around Seattle, focused on low-income housing, social services, and food banks. Those issues were priorities while in the House.

    “I’ve always been driven by the belief that everyone deserves a foundation of home, health, and hope,” Chopp said in a statement announcing his retirement from the state Legislature. “These are the basic needs for economic success, for better education outcomes, for restoring lives and reaching potential. I am proud to have played a role in helping people throughout Washington gain access to services and support that help them gain independence and realize their dreams."

    While speaking with KUOW in 2014, Chopp said that his early life in Bremerton, and his family, highly influenced his desire to support affordable housing and mental health in Washington state. He openly spoke about his sister, a Seattle school teacher, who suffered from mental illness and was helped by various public programs.

    “The proudest moment of my service in the Legislature was sitting in the audience when my sister testified to the Senate Health Care Committee in favor of mental health parity," Chopp told KUOW. "I was so proud of her, and we passed the bill. The reason I'm so emotional about this — it is not just my sister, it's thousands of people across the state who need somebody to stand up for them.”

    Chop said in his statement about his retirement that he "will continue to advocate and organize efforts in the public interest as a public citizen."

    Washington state lawmakers leaving office after 2024

    Chopp is now among a handful of state legislators stepping down from office, opening up the House and Senate to new leadership.

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  • Seattle School Board narrows candidate field for open seats

    Education
    caption: The Seattle School Board dais.
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    The Seattle School Board dais.
    KUOW Photo/Sami West

    The Seattle School Board is getting closer to replacing two board members, who stepped down last month amid questions about their residency.

    In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the board narrowed the field of candidates for the District 2 seat from 11 to four: Sarah Clark, Danielle Gahl, Shawn Sullivan, and Carol Thompson.

    The spot was previously held by Lisa Rivera, and includes the Ballard, Green Lake, and Magnolia neighborhoods.

    Only four Seattleites applied for the District 4 seat last held by Vivian Song, so they're all finalists. They are: Gabriela Gonzalez, Joe Mizrahi, Rachelle C. Olden, and Laura Marie Rivera. District 4 spans neighborhoods including Fremont, Queen Anne, Westlake, and Belltown.

    The school board shakeup comes at a turbulent time: The district faces a $105 million budget deficit next year, among other challenges like a youth mental health crisis and rising concerns about school safety.

    Board President Liza Rankin thanked all the applicants for their interest in the board — especially at such a pivotal moment.

    "We didn't expect to be appointing two vacancies amidst an already very busy time for our district," she said. "And it was really encouraging and heartening, and we're just grateful to have had the opportunity to consider appointments from such a large, qualified group of candidates."

    The search for two new board members continues with a candidate forum slated for the evening of March 27 at Lincoln High School. The district says it'll provide more details soon.

    To learn more about the candidates and review their applications, visit the district website.

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  • Price of carbon plummets at latest Washington state auction

    Environment
    caption: The sun sets behind the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Anacortes in April 2022.
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    The sun sets behind the Marathon Petroleum refinery in Anacortes in April 2022.
    Courtesy of Kathleen Lumiere

    The price of pollution has plummeted in Washington state’s latest carbon auction.

    The right to emit large amounts of climate-damaging carbon dioxide sold on March 6 for $25.76 per ton, half the $51.89 price that big polluters paid at the previous auction on Dec. 5. Though the price remained above the $24.02 price floor set in advance, it is the lowest price polluters have paid since the quarterly auctions started in March 2023.

    “This was another successful auction showing strong demand from companies who have to pay for and reduce the millions of pounds of pollution they put into our air,” Mike Faulk, a spokesperson for Gov. Jay Inslee, said in an email. “Lower auction prices mean less cost that is passed on to consumers.”

    Uncertainty around the future of the state’s climate policy has been pushing prices down, according to energy-market analysts.

    RELATED: Washington holds first carbon auction of 2024, with program's future in doubt

    Initiative 2117 on the November 2024 ballot aims to repeal the state’s cap on carbon pollution and prohibit the state from enacting anything like it ever again.

    Washington’s “cap-and-invest” program has capped emissions from major sources and charged a subset of them $2.2 billion to date. Some big polluters, including oil refineries, pulp mills, and steel mills, will get to keep emitting carbon dioxide for free, at close to their current levels, through the year 2035.

    RELATED: Washington carbon exchange lets many big polluters off the hook

    Auction proceeds have been funding state programs for reducing climate-harming emissions and improving communities’ abilities to withstand the impacts of a hotter climate.

    The March 6 auction raised an estimated $192 million.

    “Initiative 2117 is suppressing prices here even further as it has introduced uncertainty,” Leah Missik with the nonprofit Climate Solutions said in an email. “It is important that this initiative fails so we can continue investing in clean energy and climate solutions across the state.”

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