KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
Have any leads or feedback for the KUOW Blog? Contact Dyer Oxley at dyer@kuow.org.
Stories
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Elections themselves have become an issue amid race for Washington SoS
The position of Washington’s top election official is on the ballot this year. Eight candidates are in the running to become secretary of state. But first, they've got to get through the August primary.
Normally, the secretary of state job wouldn’t be up for a vote for two more years. But that changed when Republican Kim Wyman resigned from the position to take an election security role with the Biden administration.
Governor Jay Inslee appointed Democratic state Senator Steve Hobbs to take over for Wyman. Now Hobbs and seven other candidates are vying to finish out the last half of Wyman’s term.
In a sign of the times, election security, trust in elections and combating misinformation are all topics in this race. Voters will winnow the field of candidates in the August primary. The top two vote getters will advance to November, regardless of party.
The crowded primary field includes four Republicans, two Democrats, one nonpartisan, and one candidate who says he prefers the union party. So far, Hobbs has raised the most campaign funds, followed by Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson, the nonpartisan candidate. Behind them is Republican Mark Miloscia, a former state lawmaker.
Read the full story here.
RELATED: 'Election integrity' issue finds its way into local Washington state races
RELATED: Vote fraud conspiracy theories driving some candidates for elections offices in WA, elsewhere
RELATED: Election deniers have taken their fraud theories on tour — to nearly every state
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Is Airbnb good or bad for Seattle?: Today So Far
- There are a lot of ups and downs with Airbnb, before you consider the challenges unique to Seattle. Is Airbnb good or bad for the Emerald City?
- Ranked-choice voting could be coming to Seattle, but people will have to vote on it first.
- Masks are no longer required for our current Covid situation, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't wear one anyway.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 15, 2022.
I had been driving for days, and had a lot more road ahead. I knew I'd be tired by the time I reached Boise, but I had no place to stay. Thanks to a quick search through Airbnb, I spent the night in an old, silver Airstream trailer parked in an alley behind someone's house. It was simple. It was cheap. It was perfect.
I explored the surrounding neighborhood the next day, where people waved at each other and said "good morning." As a Seattleite, it was very charming and very uncomfortable. I spent money at the local cafe and wandered through quaint ma and pa shops. And I realized that if I hadn't opted to stop at that old Airstream, I never would have discovered this corner of Boise, away from the downtown attractions where most tourists would be drawn.
A lot of people probably consider Boise-like experiences when they think of Airbnb, but in Seattle, the travel app is becoming a divisive topic. A short-term rental could be viewed with ire given that local housing is already severely limited and expensive. It could be a pleasant hobby, with income, for some. But a nuisance for others. And maybe travelers discover unique parts of Seattle, while neighbors detest the unknown passersby. And sometimes, maybe the guests aren't so great either.
There are pros and cons to Airbnbs in Seattle. And each side is complex, as KUOW's Joshua McNichols just found out.
Ranked-choice voting could be coming to Seattle, but people will have to vote on it first. You've probably heard about ranked-choice voting before. It's used in a handful of states and cities. The Seattle City Council is putting the idea up for voter approval on the November ballot. But there will also be a second measure for voters to consider in November — approval voting. Both are similar in that they allow voters to choose more than just a single candidate. But they different in how these votes are added up. Read more here.
If there was no seatbelt law, I'd still wear a seatbelt. Because it's the smart and safe thing to do. And I don't have to wear deodorant. But I'd like to get along with the people around me. This is simple logic. Masks are like that. We are not required to wear masks these days, but I'm gonna come down on the side that says if you're indoors with other people, a mask should be involved. Where is my soap box ... oh, here it is.
Let's face it — life is back to "normal" for most folks. But at the same time, we're putting people in the hospital. Why do I say that? Omicron is not causing as severe illness for most folks, but it still poses a danger. There are currently more Covid cases going around than during the Delta wave. While fewer people are in the hospital because of omicron, that doesn't mean people aren't being rushed to a hospital bed. In fact, hospitalizations from Covid have grown three fold in King County since April.
I get it. I want to go see "Thor: Love and Thunder" in a theater. I want to visit my favorite dive bar. And I'm so looking forward to Renton City Retro in a few weeks. Do we have to go back to shutdowns? No. But just as I click my seatbelt in a car, I'm going to wear a mask when I'm indoors with others. I do that because I want to protect myself (with an adequate mask), but also because I don't want to put something out there that has the potential to harm others ... which goes back to my point about deodorant.
I bring all this up because while there is no mask mandate now, Covid conditions are rising so much that local health officials are starting to discuss if they need to bring them back. The big picture is that the current strain of omicron gets around much of the protection from vaccines and previous infection. Reinfection is common. And that means long Covid is more of a concern for us. Read more about that here.
AS SEEN ON KUOW
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New Covid vaccine, tested at UW, en route for approval
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of a Novavax Covid-19 vaccine for adults 18 and older. The vaccine was tested at the University of Washington School of Medicine for emergency use.
The vaccine is protein based and could soon be available to the American public, if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives the final thumbs up.
“It's a vaccine that is more like traditional vaccines for hepatitis B or human papillomavirus,” said Dr. Scott McClelland, professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “There are over 40 countries that have already approved use of the Novavax vaccine, so it’s in use in a lot of places.”
UW Medicine's Virology Research Clinic was one of several sites throughout the U.S. and Mexico that were part of the vaccine trial. Nearly 500 patients were part of the phase 3 trial through UW.
“The primary results [of the trial] showed overall 90% efficacy at preventing any symptomatic infection,” McClelland said. “But like the other vaccines, we expect some decrease in the effectiveness as the variants get further and further from the original protein that the vaccine was developed for.”
The Novavax vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temperatures, instead of the freezing temps required for the mRNA vaccines.
Dr. McClellan adds that side effects for the Novavax Covid vaccine were similar to those for other Covid vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna. Most common were sore arms and headaches. Myocarditis occurred in both vaccine and placebo recipients (in the .005-.007% range).
“But it's something that certainly the FDA will be continuing to watch for as the vaccine goes to more people," McClellan said.
Myocarditis has been a concern expressed by the vaccine hesitant, but it is important to note that a Covid infection has a much higher risk of myocarditis than any vaccine.
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Two shootings in Lynnwood send teens to hospital
A second shooting happened in the same area of Lynnwood this week, sending two more teenagers in the hospital.
Police are looking for the person who opened fire on Spruce Park just after 9 p.m. Thursday. Two teenage boys suffered life-threatening injuries after being hit.
The park is just a few blocks away from where a shooting on Wednesday took place.
The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says a group of teens was walking along the street when someone in a car shot them. Those victims are expected to survive their injuries.
No word yet if the two shootings are connected, but investigators believe Wednesday's shooting was gang related.
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Washington military families struggling to put food on the table
A new national survey indicates that one in six military families is struggling to put food on the table. Washington state ranks among the top five states dealing with the highest frequency of food insecurity among military families.
“We’re seeing, often, people in a situation where they have to choose between paying for their food or paying for their house," said Shannon Razsadin who heads the Military Family Advisory Network.
The Military Family Advisory Network conducted the national survey.
RELATED: Washington among top states for food insecurity for military families
Razsadin says many families earn $25,000 to $75,000 a year and spend more than a third of their pay on housing.
Last month, the non-profit teamed up with local organizations to give out food in Tacoma, near Joint Base Lewis McChord.
The issue facing military families is one corner of a larger food insecurity issue that has grown over the past couple years. Read more below:
- The number of Washington residents going hungry has nearly tripled. Some clinics are stepping in.
- Two years after the pandemic's start, Washington's food banks still strained
- Yes, inflation is eating up your food budget
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Seattle voters will now face ranked-choice voting on fall ballots
This fall Seattle voters will see two different reform measures on their ballots, each with the potential to transform how the city elects candidates.
On Thursday, the Seattle City Council voted 7-2 to put “ranked-choice” voting on the fall ballot. If it passes, voters would be asked to rank up to five candidates in city races, in any order they want.
King County elections would then start a series of ballot counts that resemble the TV show “Survivor,” where the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated after each round. The last two candidates standing then move on to the general election in the fall.
Councilmember Andrew Lewis sponsored the measure, which will appear alongside another reform idea called "approval voting.”
That initiative recently qualified for the ballot after months of signature-gathering by organizers. If "approval” voting passes, voters would pick as many candidates as they want, and the two with the most "approve" votes go on to the general election.
Voters will still have a third option on their ballot – reject both measures and stick with the current system, where the person with the most votes wins.
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With Covid levels high, King County ‘actively considering’ if and when to bring back mask mandates
Summer is here, but Covid-19 levels remain high in King County.
Reported cases are higher than the peak of the Delta wave, according to Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. And that’s definitely an undercount because many people are using rapid at-home tests, which are rarely included in official numbers.
Duchin said Thursday that hospitalizations in King County have increased three-fold since April. That means someone in the county has been hospitalized for Covid roughly every hour over the past week. With all this in mind, and with highly contagious Omicron subvariants surging across the country, Duchin said there are active discussions about whether a new mask mandate should be put in place.
He said it’s not an easy question because things change over time and the evolution of variants is unpredictable.
“We are actively considering if, and when, additional mandates may be needed. And I’m really encouraging everyone now, to please, let’s make sure we’ve done all we can on a voluntary basis before we have to go there,” Duchin said during a press briefing.
Duchin stressed that Covid-19 is going to be a long-term challenge, and said the best long-term strategy to fight the virus is through voluntary measures.
“We’re not going to be able to have an infinite series of mandates forcing people to do this, that, and the other. They have their roles, where things get very serious and we need short-term immediate improvement. But over the long-term we really do need people to understand that we need both our business community, our leadership in the community, and our community members to take the steps that they need to take to protect themselves and one another.”
Staying up to date with vaccinations and boosters, improving indoor air quality and ventilation, and wearing high quality masks can help reduce risks.
Duchin said with the potential for lasting symptoms, known as long Covid, its worth preventing even a mild infection if possible.
More than 86% of people five and older have completed their initial vaccine series in King County. However, just over half have had their booster.
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What does graffiti have to do with Seattle summer traffic?: Today So Far
- While I-5 through Seattle is shutdown for repairs, it will also be getting a clean up.
- A study into Seattle's soda tax shows that the economic benefits outweighed the costs.
- Seattle and Tacoma police departments are facing steep challenges.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 14, 2022.
A recent move prompted my wife Nina and I to make quite a few trips along I-5. And that further prompted a few observations.
"I like the hot dogs," Nina said while we were driving through Seattle.
"What?" I replied, as I was distracted trying to make a song out of the frequent jolts from driving over expansion joints in the road. Driving over them makes it sound like your car is going to fall apart, so I figured I might as well make it fun.
"The graffiti," she said, noting that the spray painted hot dogs under a few overpasses were "kind of cute."
We got to know some of those tags well on those drives. However, their time is up. Same could be said for the expansion joints. The Washington State Department of Transportation is shutting down southbound I-5 through Seattle over a series of weekends (including this upcoming weekend) to repair and replace the expansion joints. And while the freeway is shut down, crews will be painting over the graffiti along the way. This means two things: fresh canvas; and also Seattle traffic is going to suck this summer. Plan accordingly. Read more here.
I've always had mixed feelings about Seattle's soda tax. On one hand, I'm all about getting rid of sugar-loaded drinks and food (sugar is everywhere). So anything to discourage the consumption of soda is a good thing in my mind, and a tax does just that. Plus, that tax revenue goes to fund local food banks and programs that get fresh, healthy food to people who generally have difficulty getting it, like low-income families.
On the other hand, a voice in the back of my mind always reminds me that people have to buy this terrible stuff to fund all the good. So while a family is getting healthy food over here, someone has to be popping open a soda over there.
Perhaps cognitive dissonance like that is why the University of Washington has been watching how Seattle's soda tax has played out. A recent study looked at the economic results of the tax (not the health outcomes). It ultimately concludes that the tax "resulted in large net transfer of funds to lower income population." At the same time, it finds that "the lowest-income households paid a larger proportion of household income on the tax, unsurprisingly." But more benefit was gained than spent, so overall, it's "an effective nutrition policy." Read more here.
I'm not sure if the study looked at the economic impact of long-term health consequences of consuming the taxed soda, from diabetes to obesity, heart disease and so on. So my suggestion to folks struggling with the same back-and-forth internal debate as me: If you have a couple extra bucks, buy a soda at the store and donate that tax money. Then promptly pour it out.
Police departments are facing steep challenges these days, as is evident in Seattle and Tacoma.
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WSP searching for cars in I-5 shootout
The Washington State Patrol is asking for your help as troopers try to find the people involved in a freeway shootout along southbound I-5 near Tukwila.
According to Trooper Rick Johnson, the incident unfolded between a Dodge Challenger and a Kia Wednesday evening. The two vehicles entered the freeway from the shoulder and began firing upon each other. Bullets struck a nearby Dodge Charger with four children inside. The driver of the Charger then fired back, through their windshield, at the other vehicles, which sped off.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 911.
According to a report from KIRO 7, WSP responded to 20 freeway shootings in King County between January and April of this year. That's about double the number for the same time period in 2021.
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Why Amazon gave Ring video to police without users' permission
Amazon has admitted to giving Ring doorbell video footage to police without receiving permission from the users.
The Associated Press reports that this happened 11 times in 2022, so far, according to Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts, who asked the Seattle-based company to address his concerns.
“As my ongoing investigation into Amazon illustrates, it has become increasingly difficult for the public to move, assemble, and converse in public without being tracked and recorded,” Markey said in a statement.
Law enforcement departments in various cities have made requests for video from Ring's cameras in the past. Ring's product is a doorbell with a camera that can provide users with a view of their front door whenever somebody knocks. It can also show what is happening out their front door via a user's smartphone. Video is often recorded in such instances.
Ring has said that it would not share this and other information with police without getting users' permission or a warrant first. But Amazon, which owns Ring, says the video clips were shared with police because they fell under its emergency provision.
Ring's emergency provision states that Ring “reserves the right to respond immediately to urgent law enforcement requests for information."
“Ring made a good-faith determination that there was an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to a person requiring disclosure of information without delay," Brian Huseman, Amazon’s vice president for public policy, stated in a letter to Sen. Markey, addressing the 11 videos turned over to police this year.
Read more at The Associated Press.
Some police departments in Western Washington have gone about this issue another way. Renton, for example, has a camera registration program that residents sign up for. Instead of police going to Ring or Amazon for video, the program allows residents to voluntarily sign up for a home camera list. If and when an incident occurs in an area, police can check the list to see if anybody nearby has a camera with potential video footage. Police cannot access the video remotely. Rather, the resident is contacted and asked to check their video feed.
Updates and more on KUOW's Today So Far Blog
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Primary ballots are on their way
Ballots for the August 2 primaries are being mailed out Thursday in King County and all around the Puget Sound region.
Snohomish County officials say they're sending out ballots to approximately a half-million registered voters this week. That includes first time ever 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the time the general election rolls around November 8.
That's when voters across the state will decide a number of key U.S. Senate, House, and state races. And it includes the race for Secretary of State in Washington.
You have until July 25 to register online or through the mail. The deadline after that will be primary election night Aug. 2 at 8 p.m.
On a related note, the Thurston County Auditor's Elections Division is going to start offering election-observer training.
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2 DRC residents plead guilty for wildlife trafficking in Seattle
Two residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo have pleaded guilty in federal court in Seattle to wildlife trafficking. The pair is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
The case began in 2019 with a plan to smuggle elephant ivory, white rhinoceros horn and pangolin scales from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Seattle.
According to federal prosecutors, in August and September of 2020 two DRC residents worked with a middleman to send 49 pounds of ivory from Kinshasa to Seattle. Then in June of last year, the pair sent nearly five pounds of rhinoceros horn to Seattle.
They were arrested after traveling to Seattle in November 2021 to meet with would-be buyers who turned out to be federal agents. After the arrests, agents in Kinshasa seized more than 2,000 pounds of ivory and 75 pounds of pangolin scales with an estimated black market value of $3.5 million.
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