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Axios Seattle
With Washington state set to decriminalize drugs, cities may step in
Local officials around Washington state — including in Seattle — are proposing their own laws to punish drug use, now that drug possession is set to become decriminalized statewide this summer. What's happening: Washington's Legislature adjourned about a week ago without agreeing on a new law addressing drug possession.If lawmakers don't reconvene and take action before July 1, Washington is set to become the second U.S. state to decriminalize possession of hard drugs, after Oregon voters approved an initiative to do so in 2020.Latest: On Thursday, Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison and two Seattle City Council members announced a local...
Downtown Seattle is 10% parking. That's less than other cities
Downtown Seattle has less surface parking than most city centers, according to one nonprofit's analysis.By the numbers: 10% of downtown Seattle is devoted to surface parking, which is about half the national average, according to Parking Reform Network, a nonprofit that advocates for more walkable and affordable cities.The average city center in the U.S. is 20% surface parking, according to the group.Why it matters: The more space devoted to parking, the less that's available for housing, parks and retail, which creates less pedestrian-friendly cities and can drive up housing costs, the organization says.Context: Seattle has implemented policies to do away with parking minimums for all buildings downtown except for hospitals, the Parking Reform Network notes.The city has also relaxed parking requirements in neighborhood commercial centers and in areas with frequent transit stops.These types of policies help reduce car use and pollution from vehicles, while making neighborhoods more walkable, according to the group.
Seattle startup gets FDA clearance for new surgical imaging tool
A Seattle medical tech company's revolutionary surgical imaging instrument has become the first light-enabled navigation tool for spine surgery to receive Food and Drug Administration clearance.Why it matters: Officials with Proprio believe the tool, which allows surgeons to essentially "see" the spine being operated on in real time, could dramatically improve clinical outcomes.Driving the news: This month, the Paradigm device received the FDA 510(k) clearance that's required for new medical implements before they are taken to market, Proprio said in an emailed announcement.How it works: Using advancements in light field computer vision and AI, the system combines views of the...
Ready, set, sneeze: Seattle's allergy season arrives
The Pacific Northwest's temperate climate means we have some of the highest pollen counts in the country, especially when it comes to trees, and our late start to spring means peak season for some allergies could be starting now.Driving the news: Warmer, drier and windier weather exacerbates pollen allergies in general. But tree, grass and ragweed pollen ramp up when the days are warm and the nights are cool, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Just a few warm days will prompt evergreen trees — cedars, junipers, alders and birches — to start their annual reproductive ritual...
Fine particle pollution in Seattle metro area has worsened
Data: EPA; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosAir quality in the Seattle metro area, as measured by fine particle pollution, has worsened since 2012, but still falls well within currently listed safe ranges, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.Why it matters: Fine particles, generated from fossil fuel burning, wildfire smoke and other sources, can enter our bodies when we breathe, making their way to the lungs or bloodstream and causing myriad health problems.Details: They are linked to nearly 11,000 excess deaths across the U.S. annually, by one estimate.Non-white and low-income Americans are at a higher risk of death from exposure to fine...
How to pick tomatoes that thrive in Seattle summers
Compared to much of the country, Seattle has a relatively low number of heat units — the number of days well over 50 degrees Fahrenheit — in which to ripen a tomato.How it works: That means Seattle gardeners need to find every advantage they can, Erica Browne Grivas, journalist and Western director of Garden Communicators International, told Axios. Plant when night temperatures are warm, typically in the second week of May, she said. Tomatoes need at least six hours of direct sun, at least two feet of garden space, staking support, and regular deep watering.Details: The main thing to look...
How to pick tomatoes that thrive in Seattle summers
Compared to much of the country, Seattle has a relatively low number of heat units — the number of days well over 50 degrees Fahrenheit — in which to ripen a tomato.How it works: That means Seattle gardeners need to find every advantage they can, Erica Browne Grivas, journalist and Western director of Garden Communicators International, told Axios. Plant when night temperatures are warm, typically in the second week of May, she said. Tomatoes need at least six hours of direct sun, at least two feet of garden space, staking support, and regular deep watering.Details: The main thing to look...
Federal legislation aims to protect abortion doctors in blue states
Members of Washington's congressional delegation are trying to protect doctors in blue states from legal action if they perform abortions on people who cross state lines for the procedure.What's happening: Today, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Sammamish) are introducing legislation to prevent some states' restrictive abortion laws from being used against doctors who provide abortions in states where the procedure is legal.The idea is to make sure anti-abortion policies in states such as Texas and Idaho can't reach past those states' borders, according to a summary of the legislation.Context: A law set to take effect...
Bigfoot more likely to be seen in Washington than any other state
While Bigfoot appears to be a fan of the West Coast in general, you are most likely to spot the bipedal cryptid in Washington state, according to an analysis of sightings reported to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.Why it matters: Nearly every state has reported sightings of the legendary ape-like creature, including Florida, which recently hosted a Bigfoot conference. But Washington leads the country with 710 reports and 9.12 sightings per 100,000 people, according to the analysis.What they're saying: "This is the land of the weird," said David George Gordon, a naturalist, cryptozoologist and author of numerous books, including "The...
Bigfoot more likely to be seen in Washington than any other state
While Bigfoot appears to be a fan of the West Coast in general, you are most likely to spot the bipedal cryptid in Washington state, according to an analysis of sightings reported to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.Why it matters: Nearly every state has reported sightings of the legendary ape-like creature, including Florida, which recently hosted a Bigfoot conference. But Washington leads the country with 710 reports and 9.12 sightings per 100,000 people, according to the analysis.What they're saying: "This is the land of the weird," said David George Gordon, a naturalist, cryptozoologist and author of numerous books, including "The...
King County mental health levy is on the ballot
Tuesday is the deadline to return your ballot if you want to help determine how King County provides mental health services.Why it matters: Today's special election will decide whether the county will raise property taxes to pay for behavioral health services, including five new walk-in crisis centers that will be open 24 hours a day.Details: The measure on the ballot, Proposition 1, asks voters to approve a new nine-year property tax levy, which would raise about $1.25 billion through 2032.The levy would impose a new tax of $0.145 per $1,000 of assessed property value. In 2024, that would be roughly...
Seattle Sea Dragons advance to XFL North Division Championship game
The Seattle Sea Dragons clinched a berth in the XFL North Division Championship game with a 28-9 win Sunday against the Vegas Vipers at Lumen Field.The original XFL was founded in 1999 as a partnership between the World Wrestling Federation and NBC, which had lost its NFL rights to CBS three years prior and was searching for a football product.The current iteration is co-owned by Dwayne Johnson.Of note: The Sea Dragons' colors are navy, two shades of dark green and orange, but this season's uniform leans hard into the orange. (This can cause a jolt of initial eye shock for Seattle fans accustomed to blue and green!)Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
Seattle Sea Dragons advance to XFL North Division Championship game
The Seattle Sea Dragons clinched a berth in the XFL North Division Championship game with a 28-9 win Sunday against the Vegas Vipers at Lumen Field.The original XFL was founded in 1999 as a partnership between the World Wrestling Federation and NBC, which had lost its NFL rights to CBS three years prior and was searching for a football product.The current iteration is co-owned by Dwayne Johnson.Of note: The Sea Dragons' colors are navy, two shades of dark green and orange, but this season's uniform leans hard into the orange. (This can cause a jolt of initial eye shock for Seattle fans accustomed to blue and green!)
5 big things Washington's Legislature passed in 2023
Washington's Legislature adjourned Sunday after a 105-day session that saw lawmakers approve new gun restrictions, changes to housing policy and measures to protect abortion access.The Democratic-controlled Legislature also approved a new, $69.3 billion two-year budget that pays for public schools, prisons and other state services.Yes, but: Lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on new criminal penalties for drug possession. The impasse comes two years after the state Supreme Court struck down Washington's felony drug possession law. A temporary law that made drug possession a misdemeanor is set to expire this summer, and legislators did not approve a replacement policy.That means,...
Fred Meyer is the Seattle area's most popular grocery store
Data: Chain Store Guide; Note: Stores under the same brand name have been combined, e.g. Walmart and Walmart Supercenter; Chart: Axios VisualsFred Meyer is the most popular grocery chain in the Seattle area, with 18.4% of the market share as of last year.Safeway and Costco are the second- and third-most-popular grocery stores, with 17.3% and 16.1% of the local market share, respectively.That's according to new data from Chain Store Guide, which tracks the retail and food service industries.The big picture: Nationwide, Walmart is the most popular grocery store, claiming 25.2% of the national market share.But here, Walmart is only No....
Tech industry woes hurt Seattle's big business tax
The tech industry's slowdown is hurting Seattle's JumpStart payroll tax, which targets Amazon and other big businesses.What's happening: Revenue from the payroll tax is projected to come in about 10% lower than previously predicted through 2024.That equates to about $62 million less over two years, according to a city revenue forecast delivered last week.Plus: The city now predicts the tax will bring in about $103 million less than expected between 2025 and 2027, largely due to the ongoing effects of the tech sector slowdown.Why it matters: The JumpStart tax pays for a range of city initiatives, including affordable housing projects,...
Tech industry woes hurt Seattle's big business tax
The tech industry's slowdown is hurting Seattle's JumpStart payroll tax, which targets Amazon and other big businesses.What's happening: Revenue from the payroll tax is projected to come in about 10% lower than previously predicted through 2024.That equates to about $62 million less over two years, according to a city revenue forecast delivered last week.Plus: The city now predicts the tax will bring in about $103 million less than expected between 2025 and 2027, largely due to the ongoing effects of the tech sector slowdown.Why it matters: The JumpStart tax pays for a range of city initiatives, including affordable housing projects,...
Electric vehicle adoption doubles in Seattle
Data: S&P Global Mobility; Chart: Axios VisualsElectric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 17.2% of monthly new vehicle registrations in the Seattle area in January 2023 — up from 8.4% in January 2022.All told, the Seattle area saw 2,722 newly registered electric vehicles in January.The big picture: The Seattle region's adoption of EVs has far outpaced the nation's.Nationally, EVs accounted for 7% of new vehicle registrations in January, up from 4.1% in January 2022.Why it matters: EVs aren't just for early adopters anymore.With broader selection and some signs of moderating prices, mainstream car buyers are increasingly turning their EV curiosity into purchases.Zoom in: In the Seattle metro area, Tesla Model Y and Chevrolet Bolt were the most popular EV models registered in January, followed by Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach-E.Of note: While the EV pie is growing, Tesla's nationwide market share continues to shrink — from 72% in January 2022 to 54% a year later — as rivals introduce new models.The bottom line: The growth is another sign that the EV transition is gaining momentum. Go deeper: Tesla's dominance fades as EV adoption grows
Make a modern May Day tradition with seeds, not bouquets
Photos: Courtesy of Anne ReevesThe old May Day tradition of little bouquets and baskets of flowers left on the doorknobs of friends and neighbors as a token of affection is darling but no longer practical, said Anne Reeves, author of "Moments of Delight" and a Pacific Northwest gardener.Yes, but: What if you could send inexpensive but charming May Day flowers another way? she asked.Driving the news: Axios Seattle asked Reeves to brainstorm a cheap and contemporary way to spread the May Day love and she came up with the idea of decorating seed packets to look like tiny May...
Seattle joins nation's first statewide tree canopy collaboration
Seattle is among the first cities in Washington to sign up for help from a new statewide collaborative aimed at expanding critical urban tree cover evenly in neighborhoods.Driving the news: The launch of the statewide Washington Tree Equity Collaborative, the first of its kind in the country, was announced last week by American Forests and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR).Why it matters: Much like buildings, streets and sewer lines, urban canopies are understood to be part of a city's critical infrastructure, cooling neighborhoods, saving lives and slowing climate change, according to American Forests.But studies of tree cover...
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