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Axios Seattle
Seattle's waterfront rebuild moves forward with opening of new road
Seattle's new waterfront is starting to take shape — and, while some are critical of what's been built so far, supporters maintain that the project will be a major downtown asset when it's complete.Why it matters: The long-planned removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct in 2019 made way for big changes on Seattle's waterfront. Now, those updates are actually happening.Latest: At the start of May, a new street opened linking Belltown with the waterfront. The new connector road includes new bike lanes and sidewalks connecting Elliott Avenue to Alaskan Way, and will eventually support four lanes of traffic (two in...
Seattle's longer allergy season, in one chart
Data: Climate Central. Chart: Axios VisualsWe told you last month that our local allergy season was getting worse — now, we have additional numbers to back that up.By the numbers: Allergy season in Seattle increased by 17 days on average between 1970 and 2021, per an analysis from Climate Central, a nonprofit climate news organization.That's based on the number of days between the last day of freezing temperatures each spring and the first day of freezing temperatures each fall — essentially, the annual window when seasonal allergy sufferers are most likely to rely on their antihistamine of choice to get...
Seattle's longer allergy season, in one chart
Data: Climate Central. Chart: Axios VisualsWe told you last month that our local allergy season was getting worse — now, we have additional numbers to back that up.By the numbers: Allergy season in Seattle increased by 17 days on average between 1970 and 2021, per an analysis from Climate Central, a nonprofit climate news organization.That's based on the number of days between the last day of freezing temperatures each spring and the first day of freezing temperatures each fall — essentially, the annual window when seasonal allergy sufferers are most likely to rely on their antihistamine of choice to get...
Using a lifejacket and other tips for staying safe in Seattle-area waters
With hot weather on tap for this weekend, Puget Sound residents are likely to head for their favorite body of water. One thing they shouldn't forget: a life jacket.Driving the news: Even when temps peak, the water remains icy cold especially in lakes, rivers and streams fed by snowmelt, according to the Washington State Parks Recreational Boating Safety Program, which ramps up its water safety message every year in May.Even strong swimmers can be hijacked by "cold water shock" that can cause involuntary physical reactions such as gasping, hyperventilation and panic — which may lead to water inhalation and...
Using a lifejacket and other tips for staying safe in Seattle-area waters
With hot weather on tap for this weekend, Puget Sound residents are likely to head for their favorite body of water. One thing they shouldn't forget: a life jacket.Driving the news: Even when temps peak, the water remains icy cold especially in lakes, rivers and streams fed by snowmelt, according to the Washington State Parks Recreational Boating Safety Program, which ramps up its water safety message every year in May.Even strong swimmers can be hijacked by "cold water shock" that can cause involuntary physical reactions such as gasping, hyperventilation and panic — which may lead to water inhalation and...
Hot temperatures could set a new Seattle record
A high-pressure ridge over the northern West Coast is forecast to bring temperatures in the 80s and perhaps even 90s to Seattle over the weekend and possibly into next week.Why it matters: If the mercury hits 90 degrees or above in Seattle before Tuesday, it will break the record for the earliest 90-degree day of the year.The current record was set on May 17, 2008, according to Jacob DeFlitch of the National Weather Service in Seattle.Catch up quick: In June 2021, a heat dome smothered the Pacific Northwest from Canada to Oregon, raising temperatures 30 degrees above normal and shattering...
The 2024 races for governor and attorney general are heating up
The race for Washington governor is becoming more crowded, with the state's lands commissioner, Hilary Franz, formally announcing her candidacy Wednesday to become the state's top executive.Why it matters: Washington's governorship is coming open for the first time in 12 years, now that Democrat Jay Inslee has decided not to seek re-election. That's creating opportunities for candidates up and down the ballot.Latest: Franz, who leads the state Department of Natural Resources, is the second prominent Democrat to jump into the governor's race after state Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced he was exploring a run last week.Over the course of about...
The Fonté Bar opens downtown in Seattle's Rainier Square
Fonté has opened up a new swanky coffee and cocktail bar in Rainier Square, and I stopped by Wednesday for a visit.Details: I personally really like the mild finish on Fonté's coffee — it strikes the right note of having a strong flavor without being bitter. They also serve cloudlike foam on their cappuccinos.My kid and I enjoyed hanging out in the sleek new cafe space.But, but, but: The big thing about this expansive location in the Rainier Square lobby is it also has a full-service dinner menu and will remain open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association, told me last week that he thinks the new Fonté Bar will be "a new cool spot to go after a show or before a show," given that it's located across the street from The Fifth Avenue Theater.Address: 401 Union Street, Suite 201 Part of the restaurant seating at The Fonté Bar. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios Plenty of places to sip cocktails. Photo: Melissa Santos/Axios
Seattle's Chinatown-International District named among most endangered historic places in U.S.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Seattle's Chinatown-International District one of the 11 most endangered historic places for 2023.Why it matters: This is the first site in Washington state included on the list since its inception in 1988.Context: Established in the late 19th century, the CID is the only area in the continental United States where Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, African American, and Vietnamese people settled together and built one neighborhood, according to the Wing Luke Museum.Today, the neighborhood faces challenges from disruption, displacement and gentrification, Huy Pham with the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation told Axios.Driving the news: In...
Meet Washington's new state dinosaur, the Suciasaurus rex
Washington is getting an official state dinosaur — the Suciasaurus rex.Driving the news: Gov. Inslee signed a measure into law last week honoring the only dinosaur fossil ever found in Washington state.The fossilized piece of a femur, discovered on a beach at Sucia Island State Park in San Juan County in 2012, belongs to a theropod.That's a category of meat-eating, two-legged dinosaurs that includes the Tyrannosaurus rex and the Velociraptor, according to the Burke Museum, where the thigh-bone fossil is on display.Flashback: The quest to make the Suciasaurus rex the state dinosaur began four years ago, proposed by a group...
Nordstrom branches out with a podcast, Nordy Pod
A new podcast by Seattle-based retailer Nordstrom seeks to reach a new generation of customers.Details: The Nordy Pod, launched last year, is hosted by Pete Nordstrom and features interviews and conversations with a range of individuals, from retail titans like Mickey Drexler, who turned Gap into a global brand, to athletes such as Sue Bird and Bob Love.Why it matters: Nordstrom has been an integral part of Seattle's landscape since John Nordstrom, a Swedish immigrant who arrived in America with $5 in his pocket, went into the shoe business with a friend and opened Wallin and Nordstrom in Seattle in...
Newest stamps feature Mount Rainier's hidden Sunbeam Falls
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is releasing a new set of 12 stamps celebrating American waterfalls, and Sunbeam Falls in Mount Rainier National Park is among them.Driving the news: The new Forever stamps will go on sale nationally June 13.The Postal Service receives about 30,000 suggestions annually for stamp ideas — roughly 25 to 30 topics are chosen, Albert Ruiz of the USPS told Axios in an email.The image selected for Sunbeam Falls was taken by photographer Kevin Schafer.Details: Sunbeam Falls is a slightly hidden gem, according to Only in Your State. To find it, take Stevens Canyon Road, which runs between Paradise and the southeastern entrance of Mount Rainier National Park.The waterfall is located near the Bench Lake Trailhead, above Louise Lake. Just look for the Sunbeam Creek sign by the side of the road. There is no trail leading to the falls, but you can see the falls from the road.Sunbeam Creek flows year-round, but the volume of the falls will drop most years by the end of July, according to Washington waterfall overviews.
New state law allows more police vehicle chases
A new Washington state law lets police more easily pursue suspects who flee in vehicles, relaxing restrictions the Legislature imposed on police car chases in 2021.Why it matters: Police said those prior rules forced them to let many criminals get away.But those who wanted to keep the previous law unchanged argued police chases too often end up hurting or killing people, including bystanders.Catch up quick: The 2021 Legislature enacted strict limits on when police can launch a vehicle pursuit, banning car chases for low-level crimes such as theft.They also required police to have probable cause to pursue suspects for violent...
Get ready: Seattle is phasing out right-on-red turns
Expect some honking as drivers get used to Seattle's new dictate phasing out the decades-old practice of allowing right-on-red turns at intersections.Why it matters: Failure to yield to pedestrians is one of the leading causes of crashes in Seattle, according to the city's 2023 Vision Zero Top-to-Bottom Review.At traffic signals, incidents involving vehicle drivers turning account for 35% of all pedestrian-involved crashes citywide.Twenty-eight people are killed and 180 people seriously injured in traffic-related collisions from all causes on average each year, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).Driving the news: In an effort to lower pedestrian collisions, the city has adopted a new policy to expand no right-on-red restrictions, according to SDOT.A recent study published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers suggests that No Turn on Red signs can reduce pedestrian-vehicle conflicts by 92 percent and vehicle-vehicle conflicts by 97 percent during the red interval at signalized intersections.The city already had 100 intersections banning red-light turns and is nearing completion on installing signs at 41 additional intersections downtown.More signs will be rolled out in pedestrian-dense neighborhoods throughout the city over the next year.What's next: In the future, red-light turn restrictions will be the default intersection setting.
Downtown Seattle's recovery has been sluggish. Amazon workers' return could change that
Data: University of Toronto; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosSeattle's downtown activity remained far below pre-pandemic levels from December to February, according to an analysis of mobile device data.Yes, but: Downtown businesses and civic boosters are hoping this week's return of Amazon employees to in-person work will help reverse the trend over time. Why it matters: Downtowns became ghost towns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as people sought to "flatten the curve" by staying home.Even as the pandemic ebbs, the era of remote and hybrid work it ushered in means fewer people visiting restaurants, bars and shops — which has had...
Mark your calendars for the next First Thursdays Art Walk in Pioneer Square
If you didn't get a chance to check out the First Thursdays Art Walk in Pioneer Square this week, make sure to mark your calendars for the next one on June 1.The event this spring and summer will feature a pop-up experience with music, murals and more in the buildings and alleys around RailSpur, an Urban Villages redevelopment project involving three of Seattle's historic downtown buildings, between Jackson and King streets and 1st and Occidental avenues.In addition, the work of numerous local artists is on display during the walk and admission is always free and open to all.The series of unique installments, created by Forest for the Trees, RailSpur and creative production house ARTXIV, will continue through August.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
Mark your calendars for the next First Thursdays Art Walk in Pioneer Square
If you didn't get a chance to check out the First Thursdays Art Walk in Pioneer Square this week, make sure to mark your calendars for the next one on June 1.The event this spring and summer will feature a pop-up experience with music, murals and more in the buildings and alleys around RailSpur, an Urban Villages redevelopment project involving three of Seattle's historic downtown buildings, between Jackson and King streets and 1st and Occidental avenues.In addition, the work of numerous local artists is on display during the walk and admission is always free and open to all.The series of unique installments, created by Forest for the Trees, RailSpur and creative production house ARTXIV, will continue through August.
Doce Donut Co. opens on Stone Way in Wallingford
Seattle's getting a new spot for doughnuts.What's happening: Doce Donut Co. is having its grand opening Saturday, churning out brioche-based doughnuts with creative flavor combinations.The shop, located on Stone Way in Wallingford, had a soft opening Wednesday through Friday.Details: I wasn't able to try all the flavors during my visit Thursday, but the OG (an "original glazed" doughnut) was pillowy and delicious, and the guava con queso was tangy and surprisingly light (for a filled doughnut topped with cream cheese glaze and crumbled cookies).I'll be back for the Mexican hot chocolate and passion fruit and matcha flavors.Address: 4106 Stone Way N.
Washington state will add pot shops as part of social equity push
Washington state is set to get more licensed cannabis businesses — and, under a new law, they'll be run by people who were likely to have been most impacted by previous drug enforcement.Driving the news: Gov. Jay Inslee signed a measure into law Monday that will allow 52 more retail cannabis shops to open in Washington between 2024 and 2032.That's almost a 10% increase over the current number of licensed pot shops, which has been capped at 556 statewide since 2016.The new law will also add 10 new licenses for businesses that grow cannabis and 100 new licenses for pot-processing...
Washington ranked second-best state, behind … Utah
Talk about a humbling moment: Washington has been dethroned as the best state in the U.S. — a position that the Evergreen State held multiple times — by Utah.Driving the news: Utah was named 2023's best state in the country, per U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings that are based on 71 metrics, including economy, employment growth, education, infrastructure, public safety and natural environment. Washington is the second-best state overall, the rankings conclude.Utah was aided by its ranking as the best state in the nation in terms of economy and fiscal stability.The Evergreen State was hurt by being in 46th place for affordability.Yes but: Utah ranked 48th on equality for its gender pay gap and educational attainment disparities by race.Details: Idaho, Nebraska and Minnesota make up the remainder of the top five states, according to U.S. News' rankings.
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