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Axios Seattle
Seattle's summer predicted to be warmer and drier than normal
Seattle is likely to face a hotter-than-usual summer, according to new forecasts and research.Why it matters: Over 80% of Seattleites live on heat islands, per a 2023 data analysis by the nonprofit climate research group Climate Central.Extreme heat poses serious health risks and plays a role in droughts and wildfires.A historic heat dome phenomenon in 2021 brought a 108-degree day to Seattle, set 128 all-time high temperature records in Washington and was linked to dozens of Pacific Northwest deaths.Driving the news: A recently released NOAA climate outlook for July through September shows the chances for hotter-than-average conditions are highest across...
What to do in Seattle this weekend
Friday🎥 The 21st annual Seattle Black Film Festival kicks off at 7pm at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute with Contessa Gayles' film "Songs From the Hole" (additional programming through Sunday).Opening night tickets from $22. Passes from $60.🖼️ Pick up some statement art at Flatstock 94, which will fill Seattle Center's Cornish Playhouse with prints from an international selection of poster artists from 10am to 6pm. Tickets from $15.Saturday📚 Celebrate your hyperliterate city with Independent Bookstore Day! Visit one of 28 participating local bookstores for a bookworm party and one-time specials.Or visit them all over the next 10 days for even more book discounts. Check to see if your local shop is taking part. Free.🏕️ Munch on marshmallows by the water at Pier 62 as part of REI's S'mores on the Shore event. Fire pits and lounge chairs will be provided, along with all the gooey treats your sweet tooth desires. 5–8pm. Free.Sunday🧝 Welcome spring like an elven lord with Skål Beer Hall's Spring Mead Festival from 12pm to 2pm. $30 gets you sample pours from eight local producers, plus snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Seattle.
Get to know Seattle's other sports teams
You know the Storm, the Mariners, the Sounders, the Reign, the Kraken and the Seahawks, but what about the city's lesser-known (but no less interesting) sports teams?Why it matters: While our major league soccer, baseball and women's basketball teams may get the glory, Seattle is home to several under-the-radar sports teams that are just as fun to watch — and often much more affordable.Zoom out: Your next favorite Seattle team could connect with your current one. If you love the Mariners or the Kraken, consider a low-key alternative in a minor, college league or junior team.Check out the Everett AquaSox...
Murder trial of first Washington state officer charged under new law begins
Jury selection for the trial of the first officer in Washington state to be charged with murder under a new legal standard for police began Monday.Why it matters: Auburn police's Jeffrey Nelson was charged in connection with the death of 26-year-old Jesse Sarey in 2020 under the law created by Initiative 940.The initiative revised an earlier state statute that made it almost impossible to criminally charge police who kill in the line of duty.It was approved by voters in 2018 and means that prosecutors no longer need to prove an officer acted with evil intent, or malice.Nelson has pleaded not...
Seattle is the nation's second-biggest new AI job hotspot
Data: UMD-LinkUp AIMaps; Note: "AI job" defined as a job requiring technical skills to build and/or use AI models; A bigger circle indicates more new jobs per capita; Map: Kavya Beheraj/AxiosSeattle, San Francisco and San Jose are the country's top three new AI job hotspots, a recent analysis finds.Why it matters: The numbers underscore what some of Seattle's business and tech leaders have been promising: The city will emerge as one of the key hubs for artificial intelligence innovation, as Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan touted last year.By the numbers: With 74.4 new AI job listings per 100,000 residents, Seattle placed...
"Mechanic Shop Femme" book tour comes to Seattle
The author of a new how-to book on car ownership is taking a tour of a different sort, stopping not at bookstores but queer- and women-owned car repair shops around the country.Why it matters: Cars can be one of the most expensive and consequential purchases for many people and making the right choices can save thousands of dollars, said automotive journalist Chaya Milchtein, who wrote the "Mechanic Shop Femme's Guide to Car Ownership."Milchtein, who was named one of Out Magazine's most influential LGBTQ people in 2021, told Axios she wanted to share practical information with people who are outside traditional,...
"Cute" cannabis products can get consumers to open their wallets
In the crowded field of cannabis sales, the power of cute can have a potent impact on pocketbooks, according to new research.Why it matters: Consumers are willing to pay up to 26% more for one-eighth of an ounce of cannabis flower if it has memorable packaging or they see it as "something special," such as a collectible or giftable item, per research from Physis + Agency commissioned by printing technology company Roland DGA.By the numbers: About 57% of survey respondents said cannabis makes a great gift if it is packaged in premium branding. Among millennials, this figure soars to nearly 69%.While more than 72% of respondents are open to spending more on cannabis jars if they are reusable or collectible, even non-collectors (25%) state that the right packaging could inspire them to pay extra, per the research.The bottom line: House of Cultivar, which is among the state's largest cannabis producers, released a limited-edition run of a specialty flower called "Lobster Roll" that was packaged in a tall glass with a printed sticker featuring raised holographic ink.It sold out in two weeks, per House of Cultivar's creative director, Daniel Peterson.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Dallas.
Why Seattle's not much of a weed destination city
Seattle trails Denver, Portland, Las Vegas and even Buffalo, New York, as a weed destination city in the U.S., per a recent survey.Why it matters: It's been more than a decade since Washington became one of the first two states in the nation to legalize marijuana for recreational use along with Colorado, but industry insiders say Washington has room to grow its reputation as a destination cannabis spot.In an industry that's becoming saturated with producers, Washington could do more to capture a share of the millions in estimated weed tourism dollars, Aric Mayer, founder of the PNW-based research group Physis...
6 fun things to try in Seattle this weekend
A partly sunny weekend lies ahead, and whether you want to spend it inside or out and about, there are plenty of ways to pass the time.Here are a few events that look like fun.Friday🩰 It's closing weekend for Pacific Northwest Ballet's "The Seasons' Canon." Axios Seattle attended opening night and loved seeing choreography reminiscent of seedlings, starlings and growth-and-decay time-lapse videos (plus Norma Kamali costumes). 7:30pm (with two more shows on Saturday, 2pm and 7:30pm). Tickets from $50.🍿 At "Hecklevision: Troll 2," you can send your snarky comments straight to the movie screen as part of Central Cinema's series...
More women are starting businesses in Seattle
Data: Yelp; Table: Alice Feng/AxiosNew women-owned businesses in the Seattle area increased 14% in 2023 compared to 2022, according to new Yelp data.Why it matters: The trend is more evidence that the "she-conomy" — economic growth attributed to women and marked by "Barbie," Beyoncé's "Renaissance" tour and Taylor Swift last year — continues to expand.Zoom in: Vanessa Barrios, the founder of Pumarosa Candles — which hosted its first pop-up in 2023 and recently opened a new storefront at Pacific Place — told Axios that support of her business is not just about gender equality, but also about embracing diversity, sparking...
Homicides plunge in major cities after pandemic-era surge
Data: AH Datalytics; Chart: Axios VisualsHomicides in Seattle and other major U.S. cities have fallen this year after huge jumps during the pandemic.Why it matters: The nation is on track to see one of the lowest levels of violent crimes and homicides in a decade.By the numbers: Seattle saw a 36% decrease in the number of homicides recorded in the first three months of 2024 — nine, compared to the 14 reported during the same period in 2023, according to AH Datalytics, a criminal justice consulting firm.Detective Brian Pritchard, a spokesperson for the Seattle Police Department, told Axios that as...
Let's talk about the "Seattle Smug"
You've heard about the Seattle Freeze. But what about the Seattle Smug?Do you ever feel judged for separating your recyclables "the wrong way"?Do you ever feel like you're in trouble every time you order a latte without an alternative milk?Do people sneer when you tell them where you grew up?Zoom out: If these experiences sound familiar, you might've been a victim of the Seattle Smug!Megan's thought bubble: As a teenager growing up in Seattle, I could not have told you the difference between Lynnwood and Bellevue, because I saw the suburbs as an amorphous blob of nothing.I've since grown out...
How social media is changing the real estate landscape
Data: CrowdTangle; Chart: Axios VisualsThe future of Seattle real estate lies in social media — especially when it comes to connecting with young and tech-savvy buyers.Why it matters: While many scroll the Zillow Gone Wild Instagram account for entertainment, social media packaging and buzz is one way for listings to garner more attention from serious home seekers.What they're saying: "Screen appeal is the new curb appeal," Zillow senior economist Orphe Divounguy told Axios.Zoom in: Realtor James Savereux, who specializes in residential real estate in Seattle and the Eastside, told Axios a social media presence is increasingly important, not just to...
Climate change could mean longer allergy seasons
While sunshine can bring smiles for some, it can bring suffering for others. Spring is not only the start of warmer weather but the beginning of allergy season, which has only become longer in recent years.Why it matters: Climate change and warmer springs are causing plants to produce higher concentrations of pollen for longer periods of time.What they're saying: "We're seeing allergy seasons become more intense and lasting longer," said Dilawar Khokhar, a clinical assistant professor at the Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington."We used to think of ragweed as kind of ending in August,...
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