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Former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert starts campaign for Washington governor
Former U.S. Rep Dave Reichert (R-Auburn) has filed paperwork to run for Washington governor.Why it matters: In recent years, Republicans have struggled to find high-profile candidates to challenge Democrats' 40-year grip on Washington's governor's office.If Reichert appears on the 2024 ballot, he would be the most prominent Republican to run for the position since 2012, when former state Attorney General Rob McKenna lost to Democrat Jay Inslee.Inslee recently announced he is stepping down after three terms.Flashback: Reichert represented Washington's 8th Congressional District in Congress from 2005 to 2019. Before that, he served as King County sheriff.Details: The paperwork Reichert filed...
Seattle prepares for Major League Baseball All-Star Week with cleaning, murals and events
Seattle is readying itself for the influx of tens of thousands of visitors expected for Major League Baseball's All-Star Week, which is starting Friday.Why it matters: This year marks only the third time Seattle has ever hosted the All-Star Game and related events, which are expected to draw more than 100,000 people and generate at least $50 million in economic impact, according to Visit Seattle.Flashback: The last time the All-Star Game was held in Seattle was 2001.What's happening: The week of events, which will culminate in the All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday, July 11, is a chance for...
Firework fun in the Seattle area
With firework shows and entertainment planned for a number of spots around Puget Sound on July Fourth, there are plenty of options to choose from.Be smart: The fireworks start after 10pm but it's generally better to get wherever you're going early and make a day of it.Bring water, sunscreen and a hat β this is going to be one of the hottest July Fourths in two decades, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Highs in Seattle are expected to reach in the mid-80s with low 90s expected elsewhere, per the National Weather Service Seattle.Here's a round up of...
Seattle's Hinton Publishing aims to build diversity in the book industry
Seattle journalist and author Marcus Harrison Green has launched a new venture, Hinton Publishing, aimed at elevating the voices of authors who haven't always had a seat at the table.Why it matters: The publishing industry has a well known lack of diversity.According to WordRate, a research analytics group, nearly 76% of published authors are white, while roughly 6% are Black.And about 85% of people who acquire and edit books were white as of 2019, according to an industry survey that year.Plus: A New York Times analysis of more than 7,000 fiction books published by major publishing houses from 1950 to...
After ruling, 486K Washingtonians who sought student loan relief won't get it
Data: Federal Student Aid; Chart: Simran Parwani/AxiosFriday's Supreme Court ruling striking down President Biden's student debt relief plan means hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians won't get loan forgiveness.By the numbers: In the short time that the application for student loan relief was available last year, more than 308,000 Washington residents were approved to get as much as $20,000 wiped off their loan balance, the White House said in January.All told, about 486,000 people in Washington applied or had already submitted enough information to be considered eligible for the program, before legal proceedings blocked it from taking effect in the fall.Plus: As of March, a total of 805,000 Washington residents had federal student loan debt, owing a collective $29 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Education.Per borrower, the average amount owed in Washington was just over $36,000, the Education Department said.Go deeper: Who owes the most in student loans
Seattle native Marcus Harrison Green shares his best day ever
Marcus Harrison Green, the founder of the South Seattle Emerald and head of the new venture Hinton Publishing, grew up in Seattle's Rainier Valley.We asked Green, who also writes a monthly column for The Seattle Times, what would constitute his best day ever in the Emerald City. Here's what he told us.πΈ Early morning activity: A leisurely walk through Kubota Garden on a balmy day, with my phone silenced, and the temperature matching the same exact warmth as Eos's sweet, sweet breath. (Editor's note: Eos is the Greek goddess of the dawn.)π³ Breakfast: As a non-obnoxious intermittent faster, I rarely...
July 4 weekend travel is expected to be bigger than ever
A record number of Americans are choosing to travel this Fourth of July weekend β and if you're one of them, prepare for traffic and delays.Why it matters: No one travels hoping to spend hours waiting in traffic or in line at an airport. But that might be how some of us spend a good chunk of time this weekend. What they're saying: "We've never projected travel numbers this high for Independence Day weekend," said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel, in a news release."What this tells us is that despite inventory being limited and some prices 50%...
Seattle parks officials: Keep your dog off the ball fields
Seattle Parks and Recreation has been putting up additional signs reminding people that their canine companions are not welcome on athletic fields.Driving the news: Dogs aren't allowed on city sports fields, but you'll often see people playing with their dogs there anyway β sometimes off leash.What they're saying: "We've heard from many athletic teams and community members about the damage and unsafe conditions dogs can cause on athletic fields," Seattle Parks and Recreation wrote on Facebook this week.Those complaints recently prompted the department to work with local athletic teams to develop and post new signs reminding people to keep their...
Fans boo as Mariners drop in MLB power rankings
Hey now, Seattle sports fans, it's rude to boo your own team.Why it matters: With Seattle getting ready to host the 2023 MLB All-Star Game and a week of related festivities in July, the Mariners are in the spotlight.Driving the news: Sure, the Mariners lost their third straight series to the poorly-performing Washington Nationals this week and the phrase "rock bottom" has been coming up in connection with the team and its 38-41 record lately.And sure, the team's ranking fell to eighth in the American League wild-card standings and 20th in the MLB power rankings, dropping 10 spots since the...
What to know about student loan payments resuming
For more than three years, millions of people who owe federal student debt haven't had to make payments. This fall, that will change.What's happening: The payment pause on student loans β instituted by former President Trump in March 2020 β is coming to an end, with payment requirements resuming in October.Interest will once again start accruing on loans starting Sept. 1.The payment requirements will resume regardless of whether the U.S. Supreme Court upholds or strikes down President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, in a ruling that could come as soon as Thursday.Why it matters: If borrowers don't resume payments in...
Emphasis on BMI causes harm, new AMA study shows
The body mass index (BMI) metric has caused "historical harm," including "racist exclusion," according to a new report by the American Medical Association (AMA) Council on Science and Public Health.Driving the news: Some Seattle-area providers are looking beyond weight and trying new approaches to get a read on people's medical needs."BMI is the simplest measure, beyond weight, to try to make an assessment of whether a specific individualβs weight is potentially posing some harm to them," Scott Hagan, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said in a statement.But it does a poor job...
Taller buildings could be coming to Third Avenue in downtown Seattle
Third Avenue in downtown Seattle is shown in March 2022. Photo: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAs part of a wide-ranging plan to boost the number of people living downtown, Mayor Bruce Harrell is proposing to let certain downtown blocks have residential towers more than twice as tall as currently allowed.Driving the news: The mayor's office unveiled a plan Wednesday that would increase the maximum height limit for residential towers along Third Avenue from Union Street to Stewart Street, raising the height cap from 170 feet to 440 feet.The increased height limit would also apply to the blocks of Pike...
Slower driving speeds in Seattle makes for safer pedestrians
Data: StreetLight Data; Note: Top 30 cities by population from 2020 U.S. Census; Chart: Axios VisualsSeattle drivers tend to drive slower than the national average on pedestrian-heavy roadways, making those streets safer for people on foot, according to a new report.About 45% of major Seattle roads with frequent pedestrian traffic have average vehicle speeds under 25 mph. That's compared to a U.S. average of 36%.Driving the news: The findings are based on a report from StreetLight Data, which tracks mobility trends using anonymized cellphone data and other sources.The group's objective was to understand how fast vehicles are actually going and...
King County will require businesses to accept cash
King County officials have decided cash is king β and that retail stores in unincorporated areas of the county must accept it in most cases.Driving the news: The King County Council voted 5-4 Tuesday to require retail businesses to accept cash payments, which will prevent shops from accepting payment only by app or credit card. The new requirement will take effect in July 2025.Why it matters: The measure is designed to ensure that people who don't have bank accounts β or who prefer to use cash β aren't shut out of the region's increasingly digital economy.Details: The ban on cashless...
Pro tips for choosing fruit trees in Seattle
Since there's such a variety of fruit trees that thrive in the Pacific Northwest, choosing the right ones for home planting comes down to taste, time and purpose, according to Laura Sweany, horticulturist at Raintree Nursery.How it works:: First, decide what you plan to do with the fruit: eat fresh off the tree, bake, can or store.For fresh eating, it's hard to beat Zestar and Belmac apples, Sweany said.But you can peruse Raintree's website for more recommendations, check out Northwest Fruit in Mount Vernon or join a local fruit club, such as the Vashon Island Fruit Club or the Seattle...
Seattle council considers speed cameras to catch street racers
Seattle city officials are thinking about setting up cameras to automatically ticket people who engage in illegal street racing β particularly near Alki Beach and Magnuson Park. Driving the news: A proposal before the Seattle City Council would authorize six "restricted racing zones" throughout the city. That designation would...
Saving a home down payment takes 12 years, on average, in Washington
It'll take the average Washingtonian about 12 years to save up for a 10% down payment on the typical home, Zillow data shows. And in the Seattle metro area it's even longer: 13.3 years. That accounts for people saving 5% monthly of the state's median household income, which Zillow estimated...
Rise in fatal shootings in Seattle prompts new task force
Data: Seattle Police Department; Chart: Tory Lysik/Axios VisualsFatal shootings in Seattle are up 20% year over year, with 18 people dead of gunshot wounds in the first five months of 2023 compared to 15 deaths during the same period last year.Driving the news: After this month's shooting death of a pregnant business owner in Belltown and a crescendo of shootings during spring, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) on June 16 announced the creation of the new Community Violence Task Force focused on four neighborhoods in the city: downtown, Aurora, South Seattle and the Central District.The goal of the new task...
Seattle's Moto Pizza is sold out everywhere β except at T-Mobile Park
You'll have a hard time getting your hands on some of Seattle's hottest pizza right now β unless you go to a Mariners game.Driving the news: Moto Pizza, which specializes in pies it describes as a "delightfully odd mix of Detroit, New York, Roman, and Filipino goodness," is sold out through September at its two stores in West Seattle and Edmonds. Both locations offer mainly online orders for in-store pickup.Yes, but: You can still snag one of the crispy-edged, deep-dish pies at T-Mobile Park, which started selling Moto Pizza at Mariners home games at the start of the season.Zoom in:...
How abortions have changed in Washington a year after Dobbs decision
Data: #WeCount/Society of Family Planning; Note: Includes abortions provided by clinics, private medical offices, hospitals and virtual-only clinics. Chart: Axios VisualsIn the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Washington has absorbed more abortion patients from out of state β and the state Legislature has taken steps to try to protect those patients and their doctors.Why it matters: The changes in Washington show that last June's ruling β which eliminated federal protections for abortion β has had repercussions even in states where the procedure remains legal.As of last month, 20 states had banned or restricted abortion, a...
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