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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Vaccines are available for kids under 5, but getting an appointment around Seattle is pretty hard
It may be hard to find an open Covid vaccine appointment for kids in the Seattle area. Initial demand is high for youngsters. And as many parents are finding out, not all providers are allowed to offer the vaccines to children.
Initial demand for the Covid vaccine for babies and toddlers has led to waitlists at many local providers. That’s in part because families that have been waiting for more than a year are snatching up available appointments as soon as they can.
RELATED: Kids under 5 receive first Covid-19 doses in Seattle
The CDC recently opened Covid vaccines to kids between 6 months and 5 years old.
"Families, including my own, have been waiting months and months for this to happen, so there’s definitely a group that has sort of pent-up demand for this, and we need to just be a little more patient while people get access," said Dr. Mark Del Beccaro, a pediatrician who helps King County manage its vaccine program.
"But it’s here, finally," he said.
Plus, a delayed vaccine shipment meant some providers had to reschedule many appointments.
It’s also because not all providers can offer vaccines for babies and toddlers, so there are fewer places to go for appointments.
So most of the places offering vaccines to kids under 5 are pediatric and family practice offices. And not all of them put their appointments on the state’s vaccine locator website. So the best way to get a vaccine appointment for a small child is to call their medical provider.
"You have to prep the family," Del Becarro said. "You know, have the child held in the right way. You have to know how to inject in the thigh if they’re small. And be also prepared in the very, very unlikely and rare event of an allergic side effect, to how to handle those."
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It's warm out. The water is freezing. Do the math.
Western Washington weather is expected to significantly warm up in late June, starting this weekend. Keep in mind, however, that local lakes and rivers remain very, very cold — dangerously cold. In other words, don't go jump into it.
Reporters have a handful of stories that come around every year, like clockwork. Stories that say the holidays have arrived, or when that Copper River salmon is flown into Seattle each spring.
And across the Northwest, when the sun first warms things up, there is an inevitable story reminding people that all the water in the lakes and rivers around here is ice cold — it's not a good idea to go jump in it. Still, every year, there are folks who just haven't learned this lesson.
“In the first seconds of falling into the cold water there is a gasp reflex," boating educator Derek Van Dyke told KUOW. "And when you gasp when you're falling in the water, you can aspirate or swallow water. And in many cases that could be the initial (instance) where drowning happens; in the first seconds in the water.”
Also, the water is cold. That can make your body cold, aka hypothermia.
Water temperatures in Puget Sound, and other local bodies of water, generally sit at around 50 degrees. They don't get much warmer than that, even later on in the summer. Which makes sense. All that water is coming from just up the mountain where it was very recently ice — so that's nearly ice water you're jumping into.
RELATED: What's cooler than cool? Lake Washington
Van Dyke urges everyone going out on the water to wear a life vest. Also, consider wearing a whistle so boaters can hear your calls for help if you get into trouble.
You can be certain that King County Sheriff’s marine and rescue dive unit is gearing up right now in advance of paddle boarders and boaters hitting the water, and for people just jumping into the freeze.
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Another election, another round of conspiracy-embracing candidates: Today So Far
- Another election, and another round of conspiracy theory-embracing candidates have cropped up around Washington state.
- Local actors, writers teaching veterans to tell their stories
- Inquest into police killing of Charleena Lyles begins.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for June 22, 2022.
In 2013, actor Tom Skerritt called a friend, writer Shawn Wong, and told him a startling statistic — 22 soldiers and veterans were dying from suicide each day.
"When we did a little more investigation, we found that family members as well as members of the military said that no one was listening to their story," Wong said. "So Tom gathered together some of his friends, some of us are screen writers or novelists, and said, 'Well, we know how to teach storytelling. So let's teach them how to tell a story.'"
A veteran storytelling effort emerged, based near JBLM in Washington state. It is the most recent feature of KUOW's "Subtext" podcast. Wong is particularly suited for the endeavor as a creative writing professor at the University of Washington.
"The point was, there is a lot of silence," Wong told KUOW's Bill Radke. "Particularly for young men and women in the military who may have become injured in combat or have mental health issues or emotional health issues upon returning. Our storytelling workshop actually became part of their medical therapy."
A few core principles of the workshop: You cannot change the past, but you can control the message of your story; tell the truth, not just the facts; everything you write must indicate what you are trying to understand, not what you know.
The full story is intriguing. Radke dives into it in his recent episode of "Subtext." Check it out here.
Charleena Lyles was killed by Seattle police officers in 2017. An inquest into the death began this week. On the first day of the inquest, a representative of the police department's Force Investigation Team said that the two officers knew that Lyle's had mental health issues prior to responding to her call about a burglary. Despite that, they did not bring any non-lethal weapons with them for the encounter. Lyles reportedly came after the officers with a knife, and they fired on her. Her year-old baby reportedly crawled on top of her as she lay on the ground.
This is one of those stories that I have to write "reportedly" a lot. A big problem with this case is that officers were not wearing body cams. Only audio of the incident exists. Mental illness, only lethal weapons, no body cams. Lyle's death has been pointed to as a prime example of why certain reforms are needed at SPD. Read the full story about the start of the inquest here.
Another election, and another round of conspiracy theory-embracing candidates have cropped up around Washington state. A joint report from The Seattle Times and Northwest News Network's Austin Jenkins details a handful of candidates who are listing "election integrity" as core issues in their campaigns this year. That term, "election integrity" is common among the Trump crowd who push the "Big Lie" narrative that the 2020 election was stolen. Side note: The congressional hearings this week on the January 6 riot reveal that President Trump and his team have never had any evidence for such a claim.
Perhaps such a lack of evidence, or logic, is why Tamborine Borrelli's America First group has been fined $28,000 by the state Supreme Court for frivolous legal filings. They claim there was massive vote flipping in the 2020 election. Borrelli is now running for Washington secretary of state.
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Grizzly bear mystery washes up near Bellingham
Washington wildlife officials are trying to figure out how the body of a grizzly bear wound up on the coast near Bellingham.
The remains of a 1-2-year-old grizzly bear were discovered last week on a beach north of the Cherry Point Refinery. No signs of obvious trauma were found.
It's an odd sighting. Black bears are common in Washington. But grizzlies haven't been around these parts in many, many years. The state Fish and Wildlife Department says they used to thrive in the northern cascades, and in eastern Washington. But they were hunted out the region and have largely disappeared. Today, they are more often found in British Columbia or near the Idaho boarder.
Grizzlies are now listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
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Police arrest 2 suspects in Bellevue trailhead 'crime spree'
If you've been hiking around the Bellevue area, and your car has been broken into recently, police may have nabbed the perpetrators.
Bellevue police and King County sheriff's deputies have arrested two people wanted in connection with "dozens and dozens" of car prowls, mostly targeting local trailheads.
The suspects allegedly used a tool to break out car windows and take credit cards, IDs, key fobs, and any other items of value. Police say the suspects then used the credit cards to purchase gift cards. They face 12 felony charges stemming from what Bellevue police call a "crime spree."
Several car break-ins occurred at the Coal Creek Trailhead in Bellevue. BPD posted video of one such incident.
Detectives found the suspects on June 8. They had stolen credit cards in their possession, as well as as stolen pistol, according to BPD.
Detectives also believe the pair broke into several cars in the North Bend area and even shot at some of their victims who interrupted a prowl. KCSO detectives said that they assaulted a woman and stole her car as they fled once scene.
“These suspects brazenly drove into parking lots in broad daylight, punched out windows, prowled dozens of cars, then immediately went to stores to fraudulently use stolen credit cards,” said Captain Shelby Shearer. “This happened at locations all over the Puget Sound Region. And we know from their criminal history that there was a propensity for violence and that we needed to get them off the streets.”
State Troopers say they're working with other law enforcement agencies to increase patrols at local trailheads, especially now as more people head outside for the summer months.
The case is a good reminder to never leave any valuables in a car.
More updates on KUOW's Today So Far Blog
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New Northgate supportive housing aims to offer next step for 'shelter'
People in need of shelter are getting ready to move into a building acquired through King County's Health Through Housing Initiative
The spot in Northgate was actually purchased last year. It's a former hotel that has been remodeled to serve as permanent, supportive housing. More than 130 people will start moving in as soon as Thursday, June 23. The location has 115 units, and 20 of them will be used for double occupancy.
“Last year, we set out an ambitious plan to tackle chronic homelessness in our region, and we are making good on that promise, with 971 units purchased to date and nearly 500 opened homes, said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "And now, before this month ends, another 135 people will have a safe and stable place to call home. King County will continue to push ahead on our Health Through Housing – steadily selecting operators, opening new locations, and serving residents with the wraparound services they need to take command of their lives.”
The county has purchased 10 buildings in six cities as part of the program which seeks to provide permanent supportive housing to those in need throughout the region. The Northgate location is the fifth opening for the Health Through Housing initiative.
The Downtown Emergency Service Center will manage the Northgate site. DESC Executive Director Daniel Malone said that the Northgate location "is our next step in providing what we used to call ‘shelter.’" The location will be staffed 24/7, and will have supportive services.
Another location, the Bertha Pitts Campbell Place, opened last week in Seattle's First Hill neighborhood. It has 100 units. Another location opened in Renton in April for 97 residents.
A site with 100 units in Bitter Lake will open in August. Another location, the Salmonberry Lofts in Pioneer Square, is slated to open in September with 80 units.
More operations are expected to come online over the coming year, including locations in Auburn and Federal Way. There are efforts to open sites in Kirkland and Redmond.
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Two years after the pandemic's start, Washington's food banks still strained
Demand at Seattle-area food banks continues to remain high, two years after the start of the pandemic.
“It’s not slowing down at all," said Carmen Smith, executive director at the White Center Food Bank. "Now we’re navigating other things like rising food costs and increases in fuel (costs). And so people are relying on the food bank to be able to stretch their budgets in other ways.”
Public Health Seattle and King County says that more than 113,000 households receive some form of federal food assistance.
And now that school is out, many children who rely on school meals will have one less option for food. A federal program that has helped states provide food during the summer has not been extended.
The number of Washington residents going hungry has nearly tripled during the pandemic.
Read the full story here.
More about Western Washington's food insecurity issue:
- Yes, inflation is eating up your food budget (Seattle Now)
- Washington among top states for food insecurity for military families
- New Ballard Food Bank makes asking for help feel more like a day at the supermarket
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New, more inclusive Pride flag debuts at Washington Capitol
A new, more inclusive Pride flag is now flying over the Washington State Capitol campus in Olympia.
Several members of the LGBTQ+ community joined Gov. Jay Inslee Tuesday for a special flag-raising ceremony.
“Raising this flag has a purpose: it is a purpose of continued commitment, not just celebration," Gov. Jay Inslee said Tuesday. "Because we have to understand that there are still voices of intolerance. There are those who still feel threatened, who still won’t allow people to be who they will be.”
The new Pride flag includes colors that represent intersex and transgender people along with people of color.
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Fresh food rotting at U.S. ports as shipping costs rise
Several overseas companies have opted to let tons of fruit and vegetables, and other fresh foods, rot at U.S. ports amid rising transportation costs.
That’s according to Washington Senator Maria Cantwell, who pushed for the Ocean Shipping Reform Act.
“Well, when you think about our supply chain issue, everything's more expensive," Cantwell said. "And if you think about the cost of shipping being 41% more expensive, you can bet that that's adding down to the price of goods.”
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act — recently signed by President Biden — will pay for Federal Maritime Commission investigations into abandoned goods and skyrocketing shipping costs.
Sen. Cantwell hopes the new law will help consumers who are feeling the pinch at the grocery store.
In 2021, Washington state exported nearly $22 billion in agricultural products.
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Times are a changin' at Chateau Ste. Michelle
One of the Northwest’s largest and most influential wineries is making changes to its leadership team. And there is word that it might be going up for sale.
Darel Allwine has worked for Chateau Ste. Michelle for almost three decades (and has a super convenient name for someone in the wine industry). He will be retiring at the end of the month. He says he started as a “cellar rat,” and that he’s proud to leave behind a premier wine created in the Northwest.
“Having our wines put on the map to be able to, you know, stand out with Napa Valley and Bordeaux and all the other wine regions in the world, I mean, it's been something phenomenal to watch," Allwine said. "And really for the Northwest wine industry, Washington and Oregon to really showcase that we can produce the really premium best wines in the world.”
Washington ranks second in wine production in the United States, with more than 60,000 acres of wine grapes. The estimated in-state economic impact is over $8 billion.
Oregon also ranks in the top five in wine production nationally.
Allwine has worked at Chateau Ste. Michelle for more than 25 years. More recently he has been head winemaker at Col Solare, a brand under Chateau Ste. Michelle. Stephanie Cohen, who has already been working at Col Solare, will take over, according to Wine Business.
For sale?
The Puget Sound Business Journal and The Seattle Times are reporting that Chateau Ste. Michelle is thinking about putting its Woodinville property up for sale.
The Washington Wine Report says the company listed the 118 acre property earlier this year, stating that it is a prime office redevelopment or residential space. But the price was not disclosed in the listing.
The Washington Wine report also said the winery plans to consolidate its wine production in Eastern Washington
Chateau Ste. Michelle is a KUOW business sponsor.
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Introducing the Today So Far Blog!
There's something I've been pushing for, and working on, at KUOW for a long time. Now, I can show it to you. Check this out.
This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for June 21, 2022.
Hello TSF community! I'm back at the desk, which means KUOW's newsletter is coming at you. And to kick things off, I have something special to tell you. It's sort of a big deal for me.
Say hello to the Today So Far Blog!
Yes, a blog. This is something I've pushed for at KUOW for a while now, for many reasons that I won't bore you with here. In short, ever since I first came to KUOW, I've noticed that this station reports a lot of information. But not all of it makes it online for one reason or another. There are also a lot of insights that reporters have. I know, because I chitchat about it all with them behind the scenes. There has never been an opportunity for you to get all this online. I have long endeavored to change that.
After some meetings, backend programing, begging, crying, a few bribes, and more meetings, we're finally ready to expand the vibe of Today So Far with this new blog. Just like this newsletter, you will find steady, quick updates there every day, including copies of this newsletter (so you can easily share it with your friends), along with my random "Did You Know" factoids. Also, plenty of news briefs from our talented newsroom, and perhaps some behind-the-scenes insights that provide a little more nuance around the news. All that, and more. And since I'm at the helm, sure, there will probably be a few pop culture references thrown in.
Check out the new Today So Far Blog here (or you can just Google "KUOW blog," it will come right up). I'm ecstatic to share it with you.
OK, what else is going on at KUOW today...
First, I want to note that you can watch the House committee public hearings on the January 6 insurrection here.
Did you catch the extreme low tides across Puget Sound recently? Apparently, they weren't as "extreme" as expected, but they were still very, very low. Forecasters thought that the tides would be the lowest since 2009, considering measurements of the Earth, moon, and sun, among other factors. If you missed the tidal show this weekend, you'll have another chance in 2025 when a 19-year cycle in the moon's wobble will peak.
Finally, have you seen the latest ads for putting solar panels on your home? Heads up: They might be a bit misleading. A slew of online solar panel ads are making claims that are either partly untrue, or are just plain scammy. Reporter Tom Banse sheds some light on this industry as solar panel installers attempt to get the truth out. Read the full story here.
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'Election integrity' issue finds its way into local Washington state races
Backers of former President Trump are making election integrity a campaign issue across the United States. But the issue has not dominated the race for Washington’s secretary of state — the state’s top election official. Nonetheless, mistrust in voting systems is an issue this year in some local races.
For the past nearly four years, Paddy McGuire has been the elected auditor in Mason County, a Conservative-leaning rural county in the southern part of Puget Sound. In that job he oversees county elections. This is familiar territory for McGuire. He’s worked in and around election administration for the past two decades – including a stint as deputy secretary of state in Oregon in the early-to-mid 2000s.
“When I started in this business, election officials were sort of treated like pharmacists, trusted innately,” McGuire said.
But McGuire, a Democrat, says those days are long since gone. This year, he’s up for re-election and he’s facing a Republican who’s running on an election integrity platform.
“The people of Mason County deserve better,” said Steve Duenkel in a recent interview with iFIBER One news. “They deserve better in terms of transparency and they deserve better in terms of integrity from what we’re getting right now.”
Duenkel is a former manager at Boeing who volunteered on his local Republican Party’s election integrity committee. He also boasts an endorsement from Douglas Frank, aka Dr. Frank, a self-described physicist and mathematician from Ohio who claims to have mathematical proof the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.
Duenkel did not respond to multiple requests for an interview from public radio and The Seattle Times. But in his interview with iFIBER One, he drew directly from the election integrity political playbook when he suggested that electronic voting machines can’t be trusted.
Washington, like Oregon, is a vote-by-mail state. Counties do rely on machines to tabulate the votes. But those machines are subject to logic and accuracy tests and they’re not connected to the internet. In super close races, there is a hand recount. Duenkel has also raised questions about the accuracy of Mason County’s list of registered voters — especially following a pair of super close local races in 2021 that went to recount. Sitting at a picnic table outside his county offices, McGuire says election officials face a toxic environment these days. And he admits to struggling to decide whether to run again for auditor.
“I think part of my motivation was that I didn't want elections in Mason County to be run by somebody who thinks that up is down and down is up.”
McGuire isn’t the only incumbent county auditor facing a challenger who’s making election integrity an issue this year. Check out the full in-depth story here, produced by Northwest News Network’s Austin Jenkins and The Seattle Times.
Vote fraud conspiracy theories driving some candidates for elections offices in WA, elsewhere
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