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Axios Seattle
Washington ranks among states with most electric car miles
The Pacific Northwest has one of the highest concentrations of electric vehicle (EV) use in the country, according to mobility data shared with Axios.Why it matters: EV prices are dropping fast, a win for Washingtonians on a tighter budget who are looking to go electric.Driving the news: EV use is concentrated in the "four corners" of the U.S.: the PNW, California, the Northeast and the Southeast, per recent data from mobility analytics platform Replica.Data from anonymized mobile device info, roadside sensors, transit agencies and more informed Replica's estimates about the number of EV miles traveled per 1,000 residents on a...
Here are Spotify's most-streamed artists in Seattle
Taylor Swift is the most-streamed artist on Spotify this year in Seattle, with Drake, Morgan Wallen, The Weeknd and SZA rounding out the city's top five.Driving the news: Spotify Wrapped dropped yesterday, unlocking over 574 million listeners' top songs, artists, albums and podcasts of 2023 and naming Swift the most-streamed artist globally. Drake, Morgan Wallen, The Weeknd and Bad Bunny are also among the top 10 in the U.S.Zoom out: The most-streamed song on Spotify in the U.S. is "Last Night" by Morgan Wallen.The most-streamed album in the country is "One Thing at a Time" by Morgan Wallen.In Seattle, the...
Seattle office demand is lowest among 7 major U.S. cities
Seattle recently saw the greatest decline in demand for office space among seven large American cities, according to a commercial real estate software company.Why it matters: Empty offices take a toll on downtown areas like Seattle's, which have historically relied on worker foot traffic to remain vibrant and to support retail businesses and restaurants.By the numbers: Despite increased interest in medium-size office spaces between 10,000 and 50,000 square feet, there was zero new demand for spaces 50,000 square feet or larger between June and September in Seattle, VTS' Office Demand Index (VODI).Demand for office space in Seattle, Los Angeles, San...
Remembering Seattle's WTO protests, 24 years later
This week is the 24th anniversary of the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle, which put the city — and its crowd control tactics — in the national spotlight.Flashback: Demonstrators gathered in downtown Seattle on Nov. 28, 1999, in advance of a four-day World Trade Organization ministerial conference being held there.On the conference's first official day, Nov. 30, thousands of protesters blocked downtown streets. Many chained themselves together or joined arms, in what the Washington Post described as "one the largest acts of mass civil disobedience in recent U.S. history."Protesters were driven by a range of issues, including labor conditions and the effects of international trade on the environment, the Associated Press reported on the protests' 20th anniversary.While most protesters were peaceful, a small group of black-clad anarchists broke windows and vandalized buildings downtown, the AP and the Seattle Times reported.The police response to the protests, which included using tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters, was heavily criticized.Norm Stamper, Seattle's police chief at the time, later called police actions during the WTO protests an "overreaction" and "the worst mistake" of his career.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
Washington's undocumented immigrant population rebounds
The share of Washington residents living in the U.S. without legal permission has gone up in recent years, according to a new analysis.Yes, but: Last year, undocumented immigrants made up the same percentage of the state's overall population as they did in 2005, per the Pew Research Center analysis. That percentage had dipped in the 2010s.By the numbers: An estimated 3.9% of Washington residents were undocumented immigrants in 2021, according to Pew data.That's an increase from 2016, when undocumented immigrants made up about 3.3% of Washington's population.The big picture: Undocumented immigrants made up 3.2% of the U.S. population in 2021, down from 3.8% in 2005.Plus: The undocumented population in the U.S. is becoming more diverse, as Axios Latino's Russell Contreras reports.There were an estimated 4.1 million Mexicans living in the U.S. without authorization in 2021, accounting for 39% of the undocumented population — their lowest share in recent history.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
Walking in Seattle is way down from 2019
There's been a significant decline in the number of trips Seattle residents take by foot since the pandemic, a new report shows.Why it matters: Walking is good for us.That's true both for the human body (thanks to the many health benefits it confers) and the environment, since it's the original form of zero-emissions travel.Driving the news: The number of annual average daily walking trips per 1,000 people in the Seattle area dropped more than 35% between 2019 and 2022, according to a new StreetLight Data report.There were 220 annual average daily walking trips per 1,000 people in 2022, compared to...
Western gray squirrel listed as endangered in Washington state
Western gray squirrels are now considered an endangered species in Washington.What's happening: Washington's Fish and Wildlife Commission voted last week to name western gray squirrels an endangered species, meaning they are "seriously threatened with extinction."Why it matters: The designation could prompt state officials to enact stronger protections for forests where the animals live.Catch up quick: Western gray squirrels were once found in a range of Washington forests.But they have lost about 20% of their habitat near the Cascade Mountains since 1993, when they were first listed as a threatened species, wildlife officials say.They now live mainly in three isolated areas...
More Seattle-area homeowners are selling at a loss
A growing share of Seattle homeowners are selling their homes for less than they paid for them, per data Redfin shared with Axios.Why it matters: Home prices skyrocketed in Seattle and elsewhere during the pandemic, but losing money on home sales is becoming more common.By the numbers: Some local homeowners lost as much as five figures on homes sold between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31.In the Seattle area, 2.74% of homes sold at a loss in that time period, almost double the percentage in the same three months last year.The local median loss this year was $51,600.The big picture: Nationally,...
Giant pandas are unlikely to end up at Washington state zoos
While China has suggested it may soon send more giant pandas to the U.S., they're unlikely to come to a zoo in the Seattle area.Driving the news: Officials at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma told Axios they have no plans to host any of the rare animals, citing the cost and space they require.Why it matters: Pandas are big tourist draws, and even skeptical zoo administrators acknowledge they have a "high quotient of cute." But they can be a pricey proposition.With the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. returning its three giant pandas...
Washington's favorite Thanksgiving sides
Thanks to thousands of responses from Axios readers, the winners of our favorite Thanksgiving sides poll have been selected. If you were to have Thanksgiving dinner with other Axios readers, you'd be having mashed potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, cranberry relish and pumpkin pie.By the numbers: While some of the matchups had runaway winners, others were much more hotly contested.Stuffing vs. dressing was the tightest race, with dressing edging out stuffing overall 51% to 49% thanks to its popularity in the Midwest and South.Mashed potatoes reign supreme except in Louisiana, where sweet potatoes were more popular.Cranberry sauce in...
Thanksgiving travel tips for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest
Carve out some extra time for the journey this weekend, as the number of travelers on ferries, in airports and on the roads is expected to rival pre-pandemic figures.Why it matters: With AAA projecting 55.4 million people traveling over the long weekend this year, it's wise to plan for delays whether traveling locally or beyond.Plus: While the Puget Sound area appears to be in the clear, one weather system could bring heavy rain, strong winds and severe thunderstorms to the Midwest and Eastern U.S., adding to travelers' woes.Another is expected to dive southward out of Canada, spreading snow across the...
Troll day-tripping in the Pacific Northwest
I decided to take advantage of the sunny skies on Sunday to catch the ferry from Tacoma to Vashon and track down one of the giant troll installations Axios' Melissa Santos wrote about previously.Details: Oscar the Bird King — among Danish artist Thomas Dambo's six Northwest troll sculptures — sits in a small grove a short, easy stroll from the upper parking lot at Point Robinson Park.Recycled wood and other materials were used in its construction, the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber reported after the September unveiling.The details of the towering sculpture are impressive, including the crown of birdhouses and the beard of branches.Bainbridge Island, Ballard, Issaquah, Portland and West Seattle are home to the other five trolls.Thought bubble: This is a fun day trip that is both child- and dog-friendly (and it's always an added bonus to ride a ferry on a beautiful day). My friends and I are already plotting our next stop on the troll trail. Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
How Seattle's democracy vouchers are working
About 30,000 voters used democracy vouchers in this year's Seattle City Council elections, pouring nearly $2.4 million in public money into candidates' campaigns.Yes, but: Some worry Seattle's experiment with public campaign financing is being undercut by third-party PACs that can raise and spend unlimited amounts.Catch up quick: Seattle voters approved the Democracy Voucher Program through a citizen initiative in 2015, along with a $3 million-per-year property tax to pay for it through 2025.Registered Seattle voters are given four $25 vouchers they can give to candidates.Candidates who accept the vouchers are limited in what they can spend throughout much of the...
Two-thirds of the Seattle City Council will be new in 2024
Come January, the Seattle City Council is set to have six new members, the highest level of turnover the council has seen in decades.Why it matters: Only three of nine sitting City Council members are on track to return in 2024, setting the stage for what could be a big shift in Seattle's political direction.Details: Two of the three incumbents on the Nov. 7 ballot, Tammy Morales in District 2 and Dan Strauss in District 6, appear to have won new terms in office.Another sitting council member, Teresa Mosqueda, won her race for King County Council, creating a vacancy that...
Things to do this weekend in Seattle, Nov. 17–19
We've rounded up a few pre-holiday festivities you can check out this weekend.👟 Wake up your body with the Trailhead Trot Happy Fun Run Saturday at 8:30am.The 5K route starts at the Brooks Trailhead store along the Burke-Gilman Trail and concludes with hot coffee and doughnuts. Registration is free, but bring a nonperishable food donation.🫙 Sample craft foods at Gobble Up Northwest, which will feature vendors selling items like artisan sauces, CBD chocolates, cider and kitchenware. Food trucks will be on site as well. 10am–5pm Saturday at Magnuson Park, Hangar 30. Free.🍬 Pick up a treat for yourself at the Winter Fest Market, which will feature dessert pop-ups, local retail vendors and DJ sets at The Stonehouse Cafe in Rainier Beach. 10am–4pm Saturday. Free.🎭 Try your hand at improv with a free introductory improv class at Unexpected Productions. 3–5pm Saturday at 1428 Post Alley in Pike Place Market.🎸 Hear Pacific Northwest musicians pay tribute to Sub Pop Records at Smash, a benefit concert that raises money for local musicians to access health care. Doors open at 6pm Sunday at the Moore Theatre. Some tickets were still available as of Friday morning.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
Seattle has 9th-highest cost of living in U.S., study finds
Seattleites know that just about everything here — from food to housing to transportation — costs more than the national average.Heading into the holiday season, a new analysis shows just how much more we're paying.What's happening: Among 269 U.S. urban areas analyzed, Seattle had the ninth-highest cost of living in the third quarter of 2023.That's according to the Council for Community and Economic Research, which compiles a quarterly cost-of-living index to measure "regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services."Why it matters: Seattle's shortage of affordable housing regularly grabs headlines. But these figures show how people living here...
In Pac-12 case, judge rules in favor of WSU and OSU
A superior court judge has ruled that Washington State University and Oregon State University should have sole legal control over the Pac–12 conference, as they are the only schools that plan to remain in the league beyond this season.Details: Whitman County Superior Court Judge Gary Libey's decision on Tuesday to grant a preliminary injunction makes OSU and WSU the sole voting members of the Pac-12's governing board, ESPN reports.Yes, but: The 10 departing schools — which include the University of Washington and the University of Oregon — plan to fight the ruling, per ESPN. The judge stayed his ruling until...
How restarting student loan payments affects these Seattleites
Seattle-area residents with student debt say they've had to cut back on saving for home purchases and retirement and limit their travel to see family since federal student loan payments came due again last month.What's happening: More than 30 Axios Seattle readers took our survey to share how they've been adjusting their lifestyles now that the three-year payment pause on student loans has ended.Why it matters: About 1 in 10 of Washington's nearly 8 million residents has federal student loan debt, per the U.S. Department of Education.As of June 30, about 800,000 Washingtonians owed a combined $29 billion, the agency...
Killer whale sightings around Washington state break records
It's been another record-breaking year for Bigg's killer whales in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia, according to local whale organizations.Why it matters: The nearly year-round presence of the once rarely seen mammal-hunting killer whales, also known as transients, shows that conservation efforts and regulations work, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA).Driving the news: There were 1,270 unique sightings of Bigg's killer whales in the Salish Sea this year through Oct. 31, the Orca Behavior Institute (OBI) said this month.This surpasses the previous record of 1,220 unique sightings, set over 12 months in 2022, PWWA says.This...
Two Seattle City Council incumbents are poised to win re-election
Two out of three Seattle City Council incumbents who were initially trailing in last week's election now appear to be winning their races.What's happening: City Councilmember Dan Strauss was comfortably ahead of restaurateur Pete Hanning in the latest batch of results from the Nov. 7 vote-by-mail election, leading with more than 52% of the vote on Monday.The Seattle Times called the District 6 race for Strauss on Friday.Meanwhile, District 2 Councilmember Tammy Morales — who trailed challenger Tanya Woo by about nine percentage points on election night — was ahead 50.64% to Woo's 49.09% in Monday's count.Morales and Strauss were...
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