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Axios Seattle
Why some Democrats want you to vote "uncommitted" in Washington's presidential primary
Democrats calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war want Washington state voters to cast ballots for "uncommitted delegates" instead of President Biden in Tuesday's Democratic primary.The big picture: The Washington-based effort comes after more than 100,000 Michigan primary voters chose "uncommitted" in that state's Democratic primary, as part of a similar protest of the Biden administration's support for the Israeli government.Pro-ceasefire Democrats in Minnesota, Colorado and several other states urged voters there to do the same ahead of the March 5 Super Tuesday primaries.What they're saying: "It is time for us to hold our president accountable, and that's by...
Why some Democrats want you to vote "uncommitted" in Washington's presidential primary
Democrats calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war want Washington state voters to cast ballots for "uncommitted delegates" instead of President Biden in Tuesday's Democratic primary.The big picture: The Washington-based effort comes after more than 100,000 Michigan primary voters chose "uncommitted" in that state's Democratic primary, as part of a similar protest of the Biden administration's support for the Israeli government.Pro-ceasefire Democrats in Minnesota, Colorado and several other states urged voters there to do the same ahead of the March 5 Super Tuesday primaries.What they're saying: "It is time for us to hold our president accountable, and that's by...
How the Pacific Northwest could decide control of the U.S. House this fall
At least two races in Washington and three in Oregon could prove pivotal in the battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives.Why it matters: With Republicans holding a narrow 219-213 House majority, five competitive Pacific Northwest races could tip the scales in one party's favor.Zoom in: Both major parties are laser-focused on the 3rd Congressional District in Southwest Washington, where first-term incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Skamania County) is defending her seat.Gluesenkamp Perez is one of only five House Democrats nationwide who represent districts that voted for Donald Trump in 2020.Before her 2022 win, the district — which includes...
Seattle among first to get double-decker wireless electric buses
An InductEV wireless electric double-decker bus. Photo: Courtesy of InductEVSeattle will be one of the first cities in the U.S. to deploy double-decker electric buses with inductive wireless charging technology.Why it matters: As states and municipalities across the U.S. take steps to decarbonize, gas-powered vehicles are being replaced by zero- or low-emissions substitutes.What's happening: While many cities already have electric buses, including some that use InductEV's wireless charging technology, Sound Transit is the first in the nation to order the wireless double-decker buses built by Alexander Dennis, John Rizzo of InductEV told Axios.With the inductive technology, the Sound Transit...
Try Rojo's for good vegan Mexican fare in Seattle
Recently I checked out Rojo's Mexican Food in Pioneer Square for a rare in-person work lunch with Axios Seattle's editor, Rachel La Corte.What to expect: Rojo's, which opened last year in the space formerly occupied by the beloved pasta joint Il Corvo, serves only plant-based Mexican food.That means jackfruit in place of pork carnitas, and soy curls as the base for tacos al pastor.If you go: The loaded burrito with jackfruit carnitas was satisfying and plenty flavorful, even for meat eaters; I devoured three-quarters of it when I'd planned on just half.Rachel, the team's resident vegan, tried three varieties of tacos and had positive reviews, with her favorite being the pineapple-laced al pastor.What to try: Don't miss the house-made aguas frescas.We tried a hibiscus-flavored variety called the Jamaica, which was light, refreshing and perfect for washing down chips and guac.Stop by: 11am–4pm Monday through Thursday; 11am–7pm Friday and Saturday. Closed Sundays. Rojo's occupies the spot on James Street that once held the Italian restaurant Il Corvo. Photo: Melissa Santos/AxiosSign up for Axios Seattle for free.
Where the rich got richer in the Seattle area
Four Seattle-area cities are among the top in the nation where the rich got richer in the last few years, according to an analysis of census data released last week.Why it matters: While Americans as a whole prospered during the pandemic, stock market booms primarily boosted the wealth of households at the top of the ladder, wrote Axios Markets' Matt Phillips.By the numbers: Among 100 American cities with the highest mean household incomes, Bainbridge Island and Issaquah saw the largest percent increase between 2019 and 2022, per an analysis of 2022 American Community Survey data by personal finance website GoBankingRates.Bainbridge...
Seattle's office vacancies are below the national rate
Data: Moody's Analytics; Chart: Axios VisualsThe Seattle area's office vacancy rate — 17.4% — is below the national rate of 19.6%, according to data from Moody's Analytics for the fourth quarter of 2023.Why it matters: Office building vacancies nationally continue to be an issue, hitting a record high in the fourth quarter of last year as companies adapt to the new norms of remote and hybrid work by shrinking their physical footprints, writes Axios' Emily Peck.Catch up quick: Last year, Seattle saw the greatest decline in demand for office space among seven large American cities, according to a commercial real estate software company.Sign up for Axios Seattle for free.
Washington residents lost $250 million to scammers last year
Washingtonians lost nearly $250 million to fraud in 2023, according to a new Federal Trade Commission report.Why it matters: Americans lost a record $10 billion to fraudsters in 2023, with no group — young, old, even computer-savvy — showing immunity to the evolving and increasingly sophisticated scams, according to the FTC and other consumer protection groups.In fact, over the last few years, Gen Xers, millennials and Gen Zers were 86% more likely to report losing money to online shopping scams than older adults, per the FTC.By the numbers: More than 53,000 fraud reports were filed by Washington residents, according to...
Seattle's cold streaks are getting shorter
Data: Climate Central; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosHigh temperatures in Seattle may be a few degrees below average right now, but data shows our winter cold snaps aren't lasting as long as in past decades.By the numbers: Cold weather streaks in Seattle have gotten four days shorter on average since 1970, per a new analysis from Climate Central, a climate research and communications nonprofit.Why it matters: Few people love chilled-to-the-bone cold snaps, but extended periods of chilly weather are key for some farmers and winter sports lovers, and for building essential snowpack.Reality check: Prolonged cold snaps still happen; Seattle's longest of 2023...
Bainbridge Island's Bruciato delivers light and airy Neapolitan pizzas
I was bummed recently about the closure of Bar Solea, Brendan McGill's trattoria on the edge of Pioneer Square that I thought made some of the city's best pizza. So I decided to board the ferry a few weeks ago to check out McGill's other pizzeria on Bainbridge Island, Bruciato, which focuses on Neapolitan-style pies.The vibe: The place is romantic enough for a date night, but also not so stuffy that you can't bring your carb-loving kid (which I did).Best bites: I loved the Margherita DOC pizza here, which I always order as a test of a Neapolitan pizza joint.This minimalist...
Seattle events: Comic Con, Sounders opener, Musselfest and more
Cosplayers attend Emerald City Comic Con at the Seattle Convention Center on March 5, 2023. Photo: Mat Hayward/Getty ImagesIf you're looking for something to get you out of the house this weekend, we have a few ideas.🦸 Don your favorite cosplay gear for Emerald City Comic Con, which takes over the Seattle Convention Center through Sunday. Tickets are still available for Friday and Sunday at $77 per day.👓 Bust out your horn-rimmed glasses for "Not Fade Away — A Tribute to Buddy Holly" at the Triple Door tomorrow.The 6pm Saturday show is almost sold out; more tickets are available...
Fate of Seattle-area regional homelessness authority uncertain
With the high-profile resignation of its leader last year and the announcement this month of the loss of $11.7 million in annual funding from Seattle, the fate of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority is up in the air.Why it matters: The agency was created in 2019 as a multimillion-dollar experiment that sought to craft a unique approach to addressing regional homelessness — a long-standing issue in numerous West Coast cities.Its mission includes consulting and hiring formerly homeless people who have "insights into how the system works (or doesn't work) that are based in real life."Yes, but: Increasing costs, unstable...
Free COVID-19 and flu test vending machines launch in Washington state
Vending machines dispensing free COVID-19 and flu tests have started popping up around Washington state, with more to be installed in the coming weeks.Why it matters: Testing can help curb the spread of respiratory illness, which public health officials say is important after COVID-19 hospitalizations rose in January and flu-related emergency room visits continue to outpace last year's levels.The latest: By early April, the state Department of Health expects to have 20 test-dispensing kiosks up and running throughout Washington, spokesperson John Doyle told Axios.A machine isn't slated to come to King County at the moment, but local public health officials...
Remembering Seattle's Black jazz scene
Many of the clubs where Black Seattleites used to gather to play and listen to jazz music are no longer standing, but an ongoing project aims to ensure they aren't forgotten.The latest: For Black History Month, Axios Seattle took a tour of some of the historic sites of former jazz clubs in Seattle.State of play: Some of the most legendary venues were concentrated near 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street.That corner — once home to the famous Black & Tan club — now has a marker that helps explain the neighborhood's significance to the local jazz scene and Seattle's...
Deadly Seattle crane crash may lead to new safety law
Five years after a tower crane collapsed in Seattle, killing four people, Washington state legislators are working to pass a law to try to prevent a similar tragedy.Why it matters: Supporters say the proposal would help protect workers and the public by requiring stricter safety protocols, including the closure of nearby streets when cranes are being assembled or taken apart.Catch up quick: State regulators cited and fined three companies for their role in the 2019 crane collapse, which killed two workers and two people in cars.An investigation found the companies didn't follow the manufacturer's instructions for dismantling the crane, "prematurely...
Syphilis cases have spiked in the Seattle area in the last 6 years
Syphilis cases are reaching new heights nationally and in the Seattle region, according to UW Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Why it matters: The CDC's Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance report for 2022, released in January, said syphilis and congenital syphilis have reached epidemic proportions.More women are being diagnosed, and many are asymptomatic, meaning they have no symptoms of the disease, said Meena Ramchandani, an infectious diseases specialist at UW Medicine."What that means, potentially, is that there's a large reservoir of undiagnosed infections circulating in the community," Ramchandani said.What they're saying: "King County, and much of the...
City investigating deadly damage to Western red cedar Astra
This time, tree activists were unable to save a giant Western red cedar in Seattle's Wedgwood neighborhood.State of play: By the time members of Tree Action Seattle gathered on Saturday, Astra — a tree on Northeast 88th Street — had already been damaged beyond repair by someone who cut through the bark in a ring around the tree, according to the Seattle Times. The urban tree advocacy group was there to protest the planned removal of the 100-year-old tree for development, Sandy Shettler of Tree Action Seattle told Axios.A spokesperson for the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), which...
Seattle's best-paying jobs, charted
Data: Glassdoor; Chart: Kavya Beheraj and Alice Feng/AxiosTech jobs continue to be the best-paying gigs in the Seattle area, according to the salary sharing website Glassdoor. By the numbers: Seattle-area information technology workers raked in almost $125,000 on average last year, based on jobs posted on the website.That's about $24,000 higher than the U.S. average for the industry.The Seattle area's next highest-paying jobs were in aerospace and defense; telecommunications; pharma and biotech; energy; management and consulting; and media and communication.Sign up for Axios Seattle for free.
How "Dreamers" could help ease Seattle's cop shortage
Washington state may open up police and firefighting jobs to thousands of immigrants who are part of an Obama-era program that shields them from deportation.Why it matters: The proposal to let people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program work as police officers and firefighters is aimed partly at combating staffing shortages, which have been a problem in Seattle and elsewhere.Making DACA recipients eligible could also increase the number of police and firefighters who speak multiple languages, helping agencies better serve immigrant communities, some state officials hope.Catch up quick: State officials estimate Washington is home to more than...
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