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Axios Seattle
How the SCOTUS decision on homeless camping impacts Seattle
A Supreme Court decision that effectively allows cities to enact restrictive laws targeting outdoor camping will not change Seattle's official policies on homelessness, according to the mayor's office.Why it matters: The decision, seen by some as among the most consequential legal rulings on homelessness, could open the door for Seattle and other cities to pursue more stringent policies or expand existing regulations against public camping.The big picture: Homelessness is a chronic flashpoint in Seattle and King County, with Washington seeing the sixth-highest rate of homelessness among U.S. states last year and a rate of homelessness that rose faster than the...
AAA expects record-breaking July 4 car travel
Be prepared for traffic and delays if you're traveling during the Fourth of July holiday. Why it matters: Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., are among the hottest destinations this time of year due to the popularity of Alaska cruises, per AAA Washington.The big picture: AAA is expecting 71 million Americans to travel 50 miles or more from home over the holiday stretch that includes both weekends surrounding July 4.That's a 5% increase from the 67.4 million Fourth of July travelers in 2023. A record 60.6 million people will drive, per AAA.Airports are expected to be packed as well, with a projected...
Why the latest sunsets come after summer solstice
The summer solstice has passed, but the latest sunsets of the year are happening now through early July.Why it matters: Longer days and later sunsets are the ultimate announcement of summer's arrival for many of us in cloud-bound, seasonally sun-starved cities.What's happening: In the Northern Hemisphere, the latest sunsets come after the summer solstice because the day is more than 24 hours long at this time of the year, writes Bruce McClure of the astronomical website EarthSky.Due to the tilt of the Earth's axis, days at the beginning of summer are nearly 15 seconds longer than 24 hours. Therefore, the...
Seattle weekend events: Pride Parade, "Spring Awakening" and soft serve
From iconic surrealist films to a Bob Dylan jukebox musical — plus plenty of ice cream and Pride — here's what to do this weekend.Thursday👑 Fetch your most glamorous Gore-Tex. Environmentalist drag queen Pattie Gonia presents "Save Her! An Environmental Drag Show" at the Showbox at 8pm. Tickets from $25.🎙️ Calling all Bob Dylan freaks. The Tony-winning musical "Girl From the North Country" is a tour of Dylan's greatest hits and an "Our Town"-esque psychological journey through the hearts and minds of a boardinghouse community in Depression-era Minnesota. 7:30pm, tickets from $25. Also Friday, Saturday and Sunday.Friday🍦 The Pastry Project...
You're not imagining it: Seattle traffic got worse in 2023
You're not imagining things if it feels like driving in Seattle is getting worse and the windows to avoid traffic are shrinking.Why it matters: Traffic congestion not only wastes time, money and fuel, it can also raise stress and impact mental and physical health.Blood pressure can go up just from sitting in traffic — not from aggravation, but from the air pollution inhaled.The big picture: Peak-time drivers in the Seattle-Everett-Bellevue area lost 58 hours to congestion in 2023, up from 46 hours in 2022, according to the annual Global Traffic Scorecard from Kirkland-based Inrix, released this week.What they did: The...
Washington's 988 suicide hotline answer rate beats U.S. rate
Data: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosNearly two years after the rollout of a revamped U.S. suicide hotline, Washington's 988 answer rate is beating the national rate.Why it matters: Washington is among a few states that have prioritized funding and resources for the new hotline, which the federal government created with the expectation that states would establish their own long-term funding to operate call centers and crisis services.By the numbers: In May, 91% of more than 9,000 calls to 988 in Washington were answered, higher than the national rate of 88% and just above mental health advocates' goal...
Seattle's Belltown Hellcat was fined $83,000. Here's what could happen next
Seattle's infamous "Belltown Hellcat" — the young Instagram influencer who drives a souped-up, tiger-striped muscle car at all hours of the night, to the consternation of many — has finally faced a reckoning. Perhaps.Why it matters: With complaints rolling in from irritated residents awakened by the Dodge Charger SRT's revving and backfiring noises, the city has tried fruitlessly for months to get Miles Oliver Hudson to quiet down.Driving the news: Last week, a municipal court judge granted the city's motion for a default judgment, fining the 21-year-old more than $83,000 for failing to remove noise-enhancing modifications to the car's exhaust...
Sluggish spring home sales stalk Seattle
Data: CoreLogic; Chart: Jacque Schrag/AxiosHome shopping in the Seattle area was sluggish this spring, hampered by rising prices, extremely low inventory and stubbornly high interest rates that kept purchasing out of reach for many, real estate experts tell Axios. Why it matters: 2024 is looking like another year of lethargic home sales nationwide, according to a recent CoreLogic report.By the numbers: Sales of existing homes in the Seattle area were down 5% as of March compared to January 2019 — from 3,267 to 3,105, per CoreLogic's data, while sales of new homes dropped 19% from 502 to 407.Zoom in: The...
Seattle's famous naked bike parade is here for solstice
Revel in Seattle's artsy glory at the 33rd annual Fremont Solstice Parade, the celebration at the "Center of the Universe."Why it matters: In a rapidly changing city, the Solstice Parade and adjacent events are a reminder of Fremont's — and Seattle's — proudly weird past, with naked cyclists, flamboyant homemade parade floats and the kind of summer cheer you can only have in a city so accustomed to soggy weather.Driving the news: The parade steps off at 1pm Saturday, but get there early to get a good spot to watch.The parade route follows North 36th Street, hangs a right on...
Things to do in Seattle this weekend
Though hard to believe, the summer solstice is today! Mark the (hopefully sunny) occasion with a weekend agenda of community events and entertainment to fill a languid summer day, from contemporary classic films to Seattle's Solstice Parade.Thursday🎫 Nostalgic for early 2010s indie rock about mansard roofs and gold in the air of summer? Pick your poison: Vampire Weekend plays Climate Pledge Arena at 7pm (tickets from $26), and Iron & Wine has a show at the Paramount (7:30pm, tickets from $35).Friday🌈 Delight in all that Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia have given us as local author Matt Baume discusses "The...
How a SCOTUS decision on Idaho's abortion ban could affect Washington
Washington abortion providers who say Idaho's near-total ban on the procedure has brought more patients across the border in emergency situations are awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court ruling they fear could make that practice permanent.Why it matters: Some local providers say they are already overloaded with out-of-state patients, and advocates here say they are concerned that Idaho's law, which does not include exceptions to protect the health of the pregnant patient, endangers patients if they are forced to delay urgent care for pregnancy complications.According to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks monthly abortion rates in each state, the number of abortions...
Where to find sweet Washington strawberries
Washington's sweet but fleeting strawberry season is here.Why it matters: The strawberries you can find right now at farmers markets and u-picks within an hour of Seattle are much sweeter, richer and redder than the more common cultivars grown in Mexico and California, Dianna Biringer of Biringer Farm in Snohomish County told Axios.Once you try them, it's hard to go back to the plastic packs available year-round in grocery stores, she said.Driving the news: Pacific Northwest strawberries have only a two- to four-week season, usually in June, according to Washington State University's Puyallup Research and Extension Center.But only around 5%...
Seattle is driving less
Driving has fallen dramatically in Washington over the last few decades, and Seattle has the second-fewest miles driven among large U.S. cities, according to recent transportation data.Why it matters: Transportation accounts for 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in Seattle, according to the city's 2023 Climate Change Response Framework.Seattle is looking to double the trips taken on transit, halve the number of trips taken in fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2030 and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.Driving the news: StreetLight's 2024 Transportation Climate Impact Index looked at the daily average vehicle miles traveled between June 2022 and May 2023 in...
Washington state isn't prepared for climate disasters, study finds
Washington is the sixth-worst state for climate disasters and King is its least prepared county, a recent study finds.Why it matters: The Pacific Northwest faces new climate change-related threats like summer wildfires, winter flooding and weather-related power outages in addition to earthquake threats and even potential volcanic eruptions.By the numbers: King County ranked 12th among the 50 least prepared places, according to homeowners insurance resource ClaimGuide's risk assessment of over 3,000 U.S. counties.With threats from wildfires, drought, flooding and severe storms, King County has a risk rating of 99.65 out of 100 and faces anticipated annual losses of $774 million,...
Tips for spotting — and stopping — scams that target seniors
Older people who suddenly have a new best friend, a new sweetheart or a contractor they trust more than anyone else in the world could be falling for some of most common scams targeting seniors in King County.Why it matters: Reports to Adult Protective Services in Washington of sexual or physical abuse, neglect or financial exploitation tripled in the last decade, King County prosecutors have said.Even mild abuse, neglect or exploitation can increase premature deaths in older people by 300%, said Page Ulrey, head of the prosecuting attorney's Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Unit.Threat level: Older Americans lost more than...
Built-to-rent housing boom bypasses PNW
Despite a chronic need here for affordable housing, the national trend to build houses for rent, not for sale, hasn't gained traction in the Pacific Northwest.Why it matters: With mortgage rates perched near record highs for the year, there has been a proliferation of such housing in many communities across the U.S.They offer residents property management perks without down payments or long-term commitments — and no mortgages.By the numbers: In 2023, the U.S. saw 27,500 build-to-rent houses completed, an all-time high. It was 75% more than the year before and triple the number in 2021, according to a recent RentCafe...
Where to spend Father's Day weekend in Seattle
It's starting to truly feel like summer, so celebrate this weekend with events for outdoorsy dads, Seattle's quirkiest baseball team and light beers for summer days.Thursday🎸 Calling all elder millennials: Thursday night, Third Eye Blind and Yellowcard play the Wamu Theater, which means you can bop along to songs you loved as a middle schooler and embrace reaching the age of reunion tours and classic rock radio. Doors 5pm, show 6:30pm. Tickets starting at $45.50.⚾ Seattle's summer college baseball league team, the DubSea Fish Sticks, is back in season! Watch them play at Mel Olson Stadium at King County's Steve...
Cricket is having a PNW moment
Cricket is growing in the Pacific Northwest, with dozens of teams and a rapidly expanding fan base.Why it matters: The Cricket World Cup, which is currently being co-hosted in the West Indies and the U.S., is stoking wider interest in the world's second most popular sport.State of play: Many Americans are just waking up to the game — last week, the semiprofessional U.S. team shocked the cricket world when it beat cricket superpower Pakistan.But teams have been playing in the Northwest for more than 60 years, said Nadeem (Zain) Ismail, former vice president of the NorthWest Cricket League (NWCL) and...
Mariners caps for pups draw fans
Four canine friends wear Mariners hats from The Seattle Barkery at a recent baseball game. Photo: Liz Wang/Courtesy of @LookoutLanding on XTrident fever is running high with the Mariners still at the top of the American League West, and some Seattleites are going the extra step to show their enthusiasm.Case in point: A post on X by @LookoutLanding showing four canine friends wearing tiny Mariners caps garnered oohs, ahhs and questions about where to get the little toppers.The fine print: The hats, which come in blue with a gold trident or black with a teal "S," are made by local artist Kait Robinson and can be bought at The Seattle Barkery's brick-and-mortar stores in South Lake Union and Shoreline, Barkery cake decorator Tara Carney told Axios.The $18 caps come in one size and are held on by a slightly elastic, adjustable strap, Carney said.What they're saying: "We love to support local businesses, female-owned businesses and local sports!" said Liz Wang, whose Pekingese Vivian was among the capped pups spotted at the ballgame.
The many closures of the West Seattle Bridge
Here's a look at some of the June historical events in the city and beyond, sourced from state history encyclopedia HistoryLink and local newspaper and agency archives.June 11, 1978: The 550-foot freighter, Chavez, runs into the eastern side of the West Seattle Bridge, shutting it down to cars for six years, HistoryLink recounts.The ship was carrying 20,000 tons of gypsum at the time of the collision and under the control of Puget Sound Pilot Rolf Neslund, then 80 years old.June 9, 2022: A reopening date for the West Seattle Bridge is announced following yet another yearslong closure, this time necessitated after the discovery of cracks that moved "2 feet in two weeks," The Seattle Times reported.The closure coincided with the early COVID-19 pandemic, and "West Seattle became an island, or so it seemed to the more than 80,000 people west of the neighborhood's namesake bridge," wrote the Times' David Kroman.
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