KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
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Stories
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Powerball winning store will donate $50K to Auburn Food Bank
Still no word on who recently bought a winning $754 million Powerball ticket from a Fred Meyer in Auburn, but store managers have announced they know what they are doing with the money coming their way.
Stores that sell winning lottery tickets get a payout, too, though it's much smaller. Fred Meyer will donate the $50,000 it received to the Auburn Food Bank.
The money will pay for about 66,000 meals, officials say.
“Hunger and food insecurity are critical issues across the state and partnerships like this one with Fred Meyer and QFC aim to shrink the numbers of people facing food insecurity,” said Debbie Christian, executive director of the Auburn Food Bank.
Fred Meyer is also giving $10,000 to its Auburn employees to celebrate.
“It’s always good to give back and today everyone wins,” said Fred Meyer President Todd Kammeyer in a statement.
Again, no word on who won the Sunday Powerball drawing. That person is still likely getting some legal advice and a new phone number.
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Closing time...for 3 Bellevue schools, maybe Seattle eventually: Today So Far
- The Bellevue School District is considering closing three elementary schools. Seattle Public Schools may be facing a similar decision.
- Should Washington state nix its jaywalking laws?
- Debate around police pursuit rules re-emerged at the Capitol in Olympia.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for February 10, 2023.
It could be said that I am not exactly sensitive to the realities and challenges that children and parents face. OK, I admit, that has most definitely been said before. Yes, I have related my experience with dogs amid conversations with parents discussing their children — nobody can tell me that those little playpens are any different than crating a puppy. Friends and family have noted a certain dead stare I display, indicating that I do not think their kids are nearly as interesting as they do, and that their dogs are far more engaging (hey, I don't go around telling everybody that Cosmo learned to high five and rollover, which he did, and he's awesome at it). To be clear: I do not hate children. They're fine. Still, you can't bring kids to most worthwhile places. Even when they do talk about something remotely interesting, it's usually Star Wars, which is like entry-level nerd.
So yeah, offenses have been made (I'm sure a few emails are now coming my way). I bring all this up to say that even someone like me can understand why parents would get very concerned about their kids' school closing down, and how that could greatly impact their lives. It's a big deal and it's happening in Bellevue right now. It could also be on the horizon for Seattle.
Short version: The Bellevue School District has suffered a staggering loss of younger students, so much that it says it has to consolidate three schools. Nothing is decided yet, but the district has recommended three sites to close, including Ardmore, Eastgate, and Wilburton elementary schools.
Bellevue's enrollment has gone down 9% over the past three years. That will result in an estimated $20 million revenue hit next year, officials say. The district is also anticipating enrollment to further decline by 8% over the next 10 years. Consolidating schools is a way to save money, but it is not sitting well with some parents at the recommended schools.
Bellevue's predicament is not an isolated incident. Neighboring Northshore, Shoreline, and Lake Washington school districts have experienced student declines between 2–5% over the past few years.
You can expect similar concerns emerging among Seattle parents soon. Enrollment at Seattle Public Schools has declined by about 7% over the past couple years. The district now faces a $131 million budget deficit in 2023-24, and a shortfall of $92 million in 2025. Closing and consolidating schools is also on the table for Seattle school officials.
Fred Podesta, interim deputy superintendent at Seattle Public Schools, told Soundside that consolidating schools saves money on operating costs — fewer lunch rooms, buses, etc. He further notes that the decline in enrollment is just one part of the budget problem. The district is also facing rising costs.
"It's consolidating schools into bigger schools ... schools with higher enrollment because resources are allocated based on enrollment in a school," Podesta said, adding that there is a lot of work to be done to figure out how such a change could even work out. Everything is speculation at this point.
"The growth in the school-aged children population has flattened in Seattle, for a variety of reasons. In the pandemic, certainly there were families who found other solutions ... particularly for very young children, pre-K, kindergarteners, people turned to perhaps other educational options. And people's work life and demographics seemed to have shifted during the pandemic as well; people have flexibility with remote work to change residential patterns ... largely, there is just fewer families with school-aged children. Seattle is growing, Seattle will continue to grow, but the mix is a little bit different."
The Associated Press reports that student enrollment at public schools across the United States has dramatically dipped. An AP / Stanford University analysis recently found that 230,000 students across 21 states have dropped off school rosters, and that nobody quite knows exactly where they went. The analysis states that there was a 3.4% decline in Washington's public school enrollment between 2019 and 2021. Homeschooling in Washington saw a nearly 54% increase, and private schools saw an increase of about 20%. Yet, when you add up all the enrollment increases and minus the public decreases, and adjust for the change in school-age population, there are about 10,614 K-12 students in Washington that are unaccounted for.
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Northwest lawmakers, courts weigh new rules on gun sales
Washington lawmakers are weighing bills to place new restrictions on the sale and transfer of guns as new gun laws in Oregon make their way through the courts.
In Washington, Senate Bill 5232 would require gun buyers to pass a background check and wait 10 days before they access a newly purchased firearm. It would also require proof that they've gone through a state-certified safety training within the past five years.
A state Senate committee hearing Thursday stirred familiar arguments about constitutional rights and public safety. Southern Washington gun shop owner Mathew Joy raised concerns that the bill could strain resources in rural counties.
"Nowhere in the bill does it create any funding, or training, or extra people, or resources for the local sheriff's department," Joy said.
Supporters of Washington's Senate bill say a 10-day waiting period for all new firearm sales could disrupt someone's plans to impulsively purchase a gun for a mass shooting or suicide, and that requiring more training could help prevent misfires or fatal accidents involving a firearm.
Donnitta Sinclair, whose son was killed in Seattle's Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, or CHOP, in 2020, told the committee they have a vital role in ending gun violence.
"We can't do the work without getting help and support from you. Each and every one of you – our kids' life is in you guys' hands," Sinclair said.
Washington law already includes a 10-day waiting period, a background check, and training requirements for the purchase of semiautomatic rifles. Current law also requires buyers of other guns to wait for 10 days or until they pass a background check to access a new firearm – whichever comes first.
Some people who testified questioned whether it would hold up in court after last year's U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a New York state gun law.
Meanwhile, a new law is making its way through the courts in Oregon. A slim majority of Oregon voters approved new gun restrictions last fall, requiring gun buyers to have a permit and training. But a court order has blocked that law from taking effect after it was immediately challenged in court following its passage.
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Ingraham High murder suspect brought weapons to school the previous month, records show
The 14-year-old suspected of fatal shooting a 17-year-old classmate at Seattle’s Ingraham High School in November had brought weapons to school one month earlier, records show.
PHOTOS: Seattle students send message to city hall in wake of Ingraham shooting
Ingraham staff confiscated a large knife and a BB gun resembling a real pistol from the boy on October 3, according to district files KUOW obtained through a public records request.
"Can't we just expel [the student] and they can appeal?" one staff member texted another.
Instead, the student was suspended for several days, records show.
A district spokesperson declined to comment, citing the legal case surrounding the shooting and the student.
RELATED: Students, family react following Ingraham High School shooting
Seattle Police Department Detective Judinna Gulpan declined to provide KUOW with the report from the October weapons incident, saying it is related to "an active and ongoing investigation involving multiple juveniles."
State law mandates expulsion for any student who brings a firearm to school. As in most states, however, BB guns are not considered firearms in Washington.
RELATED: 2 teenagers charged in deadly Ingraham High School shooting
The 14-year-old is being held in juvenile detention awaiting a June hearing to determine whether he will be tried as an adult for first-degree murder.
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Here are the 3 schools Bellevue is recommending for closure
Bellevue School District administrators have recommended Ardmore, Eastgate, and Wilburton elementary schools for closure under a potential consolidation plan presented to the school board Thursday.
Enrollment in Bellevue schools has declined by nearly 2,000 students over the last three years, as an increasing number of parents nationwide choose to send their children to private or virtual schools in the midst of the pandemic.
Thursday’s proposal comes a month after the district unveiled a list of seven elementary schools it would consider for closure that included Ardmore, Eastgate, Enatai, Phantom Lake, Sherwood Forest, Woodridge, and Wilburton. The proposed consolidation has drawn criticism from some parents and community members who bemoan the district’s fast-paced timeline for closures and complain officials haven't involved the community enough.
RELATED: Families push back on Bellevue Schools' consolidation plans
Starting next school year, Ardmore Elementary students would be consolidated within Bennett, Cherry Crest, and Sherwood Forest elementary schools, according to the plan. Eastgate Elementary students would be sent to Spiritridge or Somerset elementary schools, and Spiritridge’s advanced learning program would be relocated to Woodridge Elementary. Wilburton Elementary students would be combined at Clyde Hill and Enatai elementary schools.
District administrators say they don't plan to sell any of the school buildings recommended for closure and they anticipate all staff at the affected schools will be retained.
Speaking to the board and a crowd of about 50 parents gathered for the announcement, interim Superintendent Art Jarvis pointed to declining enrollment as the main reason the district must shutter schools. Jarvis said the decline will lead to a $20 million revenue decline when the state stops basing district per-pupil funding on pre-pandemic student counts next year. And the situation is only expected to get worse: Administrators project enrollment will shrink by 8% over the next decade.
While Jarvis understands the idea of closing schools is stressful and difficult for families, “to do nothing in response is not a professionally responsible option,” he said.
The consolidation plan presented Thursday is not yet set in stone. Jarvis emphasized that the plan is only a recommendation at this point. Later this month, the district will gather more community feedback on the recommendation by forming community focus groups and hosting hearings at each of the affected schools. The district has not yet announced when the board will vote.
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TB or not TB free: Today So Far
- A Tacoma woman has been diagnosed with tuberculosis. She refuses to get treatment or isolate. Public officials are weighing legal actions in response.
- Abortion rights and middle housing issues are floating around discussions among lawmakers in Olympia.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for February 9, 2023.
Where is the line between your personal freedom and the freedoms for everybody else? More specifically, where is the line between your freedom and the freedom of everybody around you to not have tuberculosis?
This sort of debate has happened ever since the formation of the United States. On one hand, we're Americans and freedom is a big thing for us. On the other hand, this freedom comes from us all being united, so we also have to live together. This debate is now playing out in Pierce County where a Tacoma woman has been diagnosed with tuberculosis. The catch: She is refusing to undergo any treatment for the communicable disease, and further, refuses to isolate.
You may be familiar with TB because it was the same ailment Doc Holliday famously suffered from. Though, it should be said that tuberculosis is rarely as charming as Doc (Val Kilmer) makes it appear. Or perhaps because of House's famous catch phrase.
The woman has been walking around Tacoma with TB for a year now and as far as anyone can tell, no one has been infected after having contact with her (it's probably important to note that at the same time, folks were largely being careful, wearing masks, etc. because of Covid). Still, TB is a threat to public health, especially folks with other risky ailments. A court order has already been issued mandating that the woman isolate. Now, public health authorities are weighing whether or not to take further legal action and intervene. That means putting her in jail, which is also a type of isolation.
Treatment for TB can take months. Recovery takes a long, long time. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department has offered to assist this person and provide any support they may need. Still, they refuse.
As KUOW's Eilis O'Neill reports, about 20-25 people are diagnosed with TB each year. The main difference here is that they get treatment. The health department estimates that it has had to take legal action over folks refusing treatment about three times.
A couple high-profile issues are working their way through Olympia right now.
Abortion rights have been pushed to the front of state lawmakers' priorities ever since last year's infamous Supreme Court decision. This had no effect in Washington state, where abortion was legal before it was nationally. It remains legal. But lawmakers want to ad more protections around it by adding it to the state constitution.
That's a tough thing to do, even in a state like Washington where one party dominates the Legislature. A 2/3 majority would be required to put the constitutional change up for voters to ultimately decide. Democrats don't think they can get that 2/3 vote, however, some are quietly saying that certain GOP lawmakers secretly are in favor of it. They are so quiet on the issue because they don't want to risk enflaming a certain, loud corner of their base. Expect this to be an ongoing conversation in Olympia. Read more here.
Middle housing is another issue many folks are watching closely. Washington has a big housing problem — there isn't much of it, and we will need a lot more in the years ahead. This week, a bill passed out of committee that would nix a lot of single-family zoning. The idea is to open these areas up to more duplexes, townhomes, etc. The bill is now headed to the Legislature. But keep in mind that a similar bill got about as far last year, but it failed to gain enough approval. Read more about that here.
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Mike's adventures in art: Seattle Opera celebrates Afghan art
If you are looking for some tips on how to experience art in the Seattle area, you are in the right place. In this weekly post, KUOW Arts Reporter Mike Davis gives you tips on what to do around Seattle over the weekend so you can have your own adventures in arts and culture.
VISUAL ART
Seattle Opera is home to "Jashin: A Celebration of Afghan Arts." This is my pick of the week.
I had a sneak preview of an art exhibit by Artlord, an artist-activist group that started in Kabul, creating murals and art in blasted walls in the city. While this art has been mostly destroyed by the Taliban, photos of the art and original recreations will be on display Saturday.
But that's not all! This event will feature a performance from world-renowned rubab player Homayoun Sakhi. Also, a presentation from film director Roya Sadat who is currently stage director for "A Thousand Splendid Suns," which will premier at the Seattle Opera Feb. 25. My sneak peek included some time watching rehearsals for this production. It will definitely be on my list of picks later this month.
The idea behind the festival is to celebrate Afghan culture and showcase their arts. Their culture has been linked to ours for decades, primarily through war, and this festival is a chance to showcase Afghan beauty, arts, and culture.
"Jashin: A Celebration of Afghan Arts" is at the Opera Center (363 Mercer St.) Feb. 11, 1-5:30 p.m.
"Thick as Mud" is a new exhibit at Henry Art Gallery. Eight artists explore the relationship between people and earth. Their work includes sculptures, audio recordings from swamps, paintings, and more. Mud is the theme that ties it together, but each artist interprets that connection in their own way, creating a cohesive exhibit that tells the story of people and place.
"Thick as Mud" is showing at the Henry Art Gallery Feb. 4 through May 7.
THEATER
"A History of Theatre: About, By, For, and Near," is playing at the ACT. I went for opening night and was pleasantly surprised to see the play was plot-driven and not styled like a lecture or strictly a history lesson.
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Sen. Maria Cantwell questions Southwest over holiday cancellations
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) wants to know how airlines can avoid another debacle like the one that led to more than 16,000 Southwest Airlines cancellations last December.
Representatives from the airline appeared Thursday morning before the Senate Commerce Committee, which Cantwell chairs.
She particularly wanted to know what steps are being taken by the company to ensure it maintains control in the future during inclement weather.
Southwest COO Andrew Watterson placed blame in part on issues with crew-scheduling software. But as he began to explain what exactly went wrong, Cantwell cut in.
"I don't think [my constituents] care about what whether it didn't go to full capacity, had a glitch," she told Watterson. "They want to know if you're going to fix that system and when."
Watterson promised a fix would be in place Friday, though he was not clear whether that would be enough, leading to another terse exchange with Cantwell.
"I have a lot of pilots here, and they're telling me that they've been telling you about [these issues] for a long, long time," Cantwell said. "So, people want to know: Are these guys going to invest in the technology that will make this system operational, so this will never happen again?"
"We need to invest in technology but also in our operational systems outside of technology, because the winter operations were too much for us," Watterson responded. "You're correct that other airlines were able to handle the winter weather, and we were not."
The other "operational systems" Watterson referred to include improved de-icing infrastructure at airports, which he expects will cost millions of dollars. He says the company is currently taking stock of all such needs but does not expect that assessment to be complete until at least March.
In the meantime, Cantwell said customers want to know airlines have operational control, which pilots say the company lost in December.
Capt. Casey Murray, president of the of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, told Cantwell the company admitted it could not follow through with its own plan during the winter storm. He said the root of the problem is in how Southwest connects flight crews to specific airplanes.
"When there is a disruption, then it takes Southwest much longer to recover," Murray said. "Any pilot who is here... can attest to the chaos that they go through when going to work. They don't know where they're going to go. They don't know where they're going to overnight. They don't know how long they're going to be on duty. And they don't know how long their overnight's going to be. So, it's holistic."
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Tacoma woman with TB could be jailed for refusing treatment
Law enforcement might soon get involved in a tuberculosis case in Pierce County.
A Tacoma woman with contagious tuberculosis is refusing to self-isolate and accept treatment, despite more than one court order mandating that she do so.
“The risk to the public here is very low,” said Nigel Turner, the county health department’s director of communicable disease control. “But we want to make sure this is isolated effectively to prevent any risk.”
Turner said the next step in cases like this is usually to put the person in jail, in a negative-pressure unit so they can’t infect others while they receive medical treatment.
Even once someone with tuberculosis has started treatment, it can take several weeks to several months until they are no longer contagious and can leave isolation, in this case jail. A full course of treatment can take six to nine months. The treatment can have unpleasant side effects.
The health department has been trying to get the woman to isolate and accept treatment for more than a year and has offered support to make that happen.
As far as the department has been able to determine, she has not infected anyone with tuberculosis during that time. You have to be in the same room as someone with active TB for several hours to be infected. The health department has tested those who have had close contact with the woman.
About 20 to 25 people per year get active tuberculosis in Pierce County, Turner said. Most willingly work with the department to isolate.
“I think in the last 20 years, we've had about three where we've needed to go to kind of the legal recourse around court orders in order to get compliance,” he said. “It's very much a last resort. It's not something we want to do.”
Turner said the department takes these steps only for tuberculosis cases, not for any other diseases, because there is no widely available tuberculosis vaccine, and people with active disease are contagious for a long time.
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This newsletter is legendary!: Today So Far
- Does that word mean what you think it means?
- Skagit County is aiming to protect farmland, which has been dwindling in recent years
- Crime is up, way up, in Seattle.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for February 8, 2023.
This one is for the word nerds.
Does the Boeing 747 deserve to be called "iconic"? How about "legendary"? It might qualify as iconic if you ask KUOW's Bill Radke. It certainly does if you ask Wikipedia, which states the 747 set a standard for decades. It's why we have the term "jumbo jet." It was featured in more than 300 films. The 747 was the plane that President James Marshall saved in 1997, and it was the plane that heroic Officer John McClane went up against in 1990.
Bill, however, argues that something or someone needs to be fictional to be legendary. Yet, "legendary" gets thrown around more than Barney Stinson planning a night out. It's one example of how some words get used so often their meaning is weakened.
"Headline writers are the worst," GeekWire's Mike Lewis said on KUOW's Week in Review. "Because they want something that is going to grab you into the story, but frequently when they use the word 'slams' ... and you read the story, it's very mild criticism."
As a headline writer, I am greatly offended by Mike's comments. He clearly has an axe to grind and has abandoned all reason! OK, he's actually a beautiful human being, and I admit, he's right. Here's a tip: If there is an excessive adjective in a headline, that's your first clue that it's more hype than anything else.
This conversation on Week in Review about "iconic" and "legendary" eventually made its way to the celebrated, venerable, renowned, and acclaimed Beth's Cafe in Seattle.
"I'd say neither, and I like Beth's ... that omelet is something," Mike said. "I don't know that I'd go down the legendary or iconic road."
I'll have to counter Mike's opinion on this one. Beth's may represent something more than itself in this regard. Classic, genuine dives and diners have been disappearing from Seattle, which is now more filled with boutique this and specialized that. The kind of places that make getting food in a jar feel hip and fancy (how did that happen?). I'd argue that the longevity of Beth's represents the now legendary Seattle dive that has faded away. The kind of place you stuck around because your feet literally stuck a little bit to the floor. That's legendary. But I digress.
Moving on from "iconic" and "legendary," Bill now needs your help. What are some words that are so overused, they've lost their impact? Or words that are commonly misused? Email bradke@kuow.org, or text at 206-926-9955 with your thoughts.
I would like to suggest the word "unique." It's just used way too much. It's not as bad as the also overused word "literally," which people often say when they actually mean "figuratively." And sure, "unique" is not on the level of writing an entire song about irony but failing to provide an actual example of irony in the lyrics, which is pretty ironic, don't ya think?
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Washington politicians respond to Biden's 2023 State of the Union address
Washington's Democratic Congress members are responding to President Biden's 2023 State of the Union address, echoing the president's main message: "Let's finish the job."
Biden touted the accomplishments of 2021's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Tuesday evening. It was a point that many of Washington's Democrats reiterated following the address. Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Rick Larsen, and other Washington Democrats said we must continue that work, improving infrastructure and the lives of Americans.
Washington's two Republican Congress members critiqued Biden's speech, both pinpointing fentanyl as an issue they say the White House isn't doing enough on. Both Republicans called for more solutions for fentanyl than Biden presented in his address, namely asking for a crackdown on dealing and drug sellers.
Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a staunch conservative leader who represents the Eastern Washington's 5th Congressional District, says Biden has a "radical rush-to-green" agenda.
Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse, who represents Washington's 4th District, said in a video, "there were good things he pointed out" and also, "I hope we can work together with the president." But he added, "I didn't see the leadership there, the unification there, that we need as a country."
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Washington won't be among early primary states ... that's OK, Democratic leaders say
Washington will not be one of the early states to hold a Democratic presidential primary next year. State party leaders aren’t taking the news too badly.
Last year, Washington’s Democratic Party launched a bid under then-chair Tina Podlodowski to join the primary reshuffle. Podlodowski said she believed Washington stood a strong chance of getting one of the few available early primary slots because of its diverse population, proportion of Indigenous tribes, and high union membership rates.
But Washington faced a lot of competition. A total of 17 states vied for just a handful of early voting slots. There was only one space open for a Western state. Washington, Nevada, and Colorado wanted the nod. Nevada got it.
State Democratic leaders took a positive view of the situation. In a statement Monday, current party chair Shasti Conrad said that Washington could claim some credit for helping steer early primaries away from longtime leaders Iowa and New Hampshire, to states whose demographics better reflect the current Democratic base.
Conrad also said Washington would be a good candidate for an early slot in 2028, if the Democratic Party wants to shuffle its calendar again. That is possible. President Biden and some national party leaders have suggested rotating the early primaries among multiple states over time.
Read the full story from Brandon Hollingsworth at Spokane Public Radio.
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