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Tips can't go toward Seattle's minimum wage after December. Restaurateurs, labor advocates clash over changes
Seattle’s practice of allowing businesses to apply customer tips toward employee wages and benefits will end in December. Small business owners say the new rules could lead to job loss and higher prices, while labor advocates argue the policy is a step in the right direction. The city's tip credit, which allows some businesses to pay nearly $3 less than the city's minimum wage (currently $19.97) if hourly tips or benefits allotments could make up the difference, was a compromise negotiated in 2014 to help small businesses brace for a new minimum wage, coming in January. Despite that decade-long preparation window, businesses are reeling from the decision. RELATED: How Seattle restaurants plan to survive the $15 minimum wage, or not
Seattle Archdiocese faces new sex abuse lawsuits naming known offenders
The Archdiocese of Seattle faces two new lawsuits for alleged child sexual abuse that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s, adding to a growing list of ongoing cases against the institution. The plaintiffs say they were sexually assaulted as children by a local Catholic school coach as administrators and staff looked the other way. The men named in the lawsuit as perpetrators have died since the alleged abuse occurred. Attorneys representing the victims, who are only identified in the lawsuits as “John Doe,” say there are likely more lawsuits to come. The new claims follow a failed effort by the state to subpoena the Seattle Archdiocese for documents related to sexual abuse allegations. Dozens of child sex abuse cases have been brought against the Archdiocese over the years.
Tuesday Evening Headlines
It's Primary Election Day in Washington, local ferry engineers want better workplace conditions, and is there a breaking point for how many tax levies voters will support? It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Better, Faster, Farther and the revolutionary impact of women runners
It’s track and field week at the Paris Olympics. Yesterday, the women’s 800 wrapped up with Keeley Hodgkinson of Great Britain taking the top spot. As exciting as an Olympics track event always is, it didn’t compare with nearly 100 years ago, when women were first allowed to run this race. Then, it was a media frenzy. And not because of the pure awe at elite runner’s abilities. Instead, at the Amsterdam Olympics of 1928, the media and many sports officials were concerned about women running competitively at all. The Boston Globe’s John Hallahan described “six competitors [who] were so exhausted that they were near collapse at the finish. All fell flat on the ground.”
Seattle Synchro's small but mighty part in this year's Olympic games
The Paris 2024 Olympics are in full swing. Tomorrow (Wednesday the 7th) is the final day of competition for the artistic swim teams - better known to many by the sport’s old name: synchronized swimming. This is the first time in 16 years that the American team has qualified for the Olympics. And, two members of that team come from right here, in Seattle. They both got their start at the same club - called Seattle Synchro.
Voter Turnout and YOU! Elections Officials share their thoughts on the Primary
It’s primary election day. Over a million Washingtonians have already turned in their ballots. If you’re not one of those early voters, you’re not alone. About 80% of registered voters have opted to wait until the last few hours, if they’re voting at all. Perhaps it’s procrastination; perhaps you plumb forgot. Maybe you just really prefer casting a ballot in-person on election day, you traditionalist, you.
Eily Andruszkiewicz Allan: The magic of eDNA
Top secret military dolphins, exploding whales, and invasive green crabs. These are all things Dr. Eily Andruszkiewicz Allan is interested in learning more about. And she is doing it all with the help of a simple cup of water. It's a revolutionary bit of technology called eDNA and it is changing the way biologists are doing field work. eDNA could hold the mysteries of a new frontier in our understanding of the natural world. This show would not be possible without listener support. You can help us continue to create this special immersive storytelling by donating at kuow.org/donate/thewild. Thank you. THE WILD is a production of KUOW, Chris Morgan Wildlife, and the NPR Network. This episode was produced by Matt Martin and edited by Jim Gates. The Wild is hosted, produced and written by Chris Morgan. Fact checking by Apryle Craig. Our theme music is by Michael Parker.
Monday Evening Headlines
Washington's Blanket Primary Election has Democrats and Republicans mixing with some non-traditional political parties, Washington's Secretary of State is asking X owner Elon Musk to monitor his AI chatbot more carefully, and the state Department of Children, Youth and Families continues to clash with several Washington Counties about youth rehabilitation facilities. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Ruby de Luna. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback.
Nearly 99% of WA ballots are accepted, what's going on with the 1% that aren't?
When I say the one percent, what do you think of? Is it the ultrawealthy? A phrase coined during the Occupy Movement? Is it the second wateriest form of milk on the market? This story is about a different group of one percenters, it’s primary election season, after all, and we’re talking about voters who have their ballots rejected in Washington. Over the last decade, around 99 percent of cast ballots were accepted.But of those one percent that were disqualified, the Secretary of State's office noticed a trend: certain demographic groups had higher rates of rejections than others.
As wildfires burst through, ranchers fight to protect their herds and homes
Fueled by dry weather and high temperatures, wildfires across the Northwest have now burned more than 1 million acres. On Friday, Governor Jay Inslee declared a statewide emergency to unlock more firefighting resources. As of now, those dozens of fires across Washington and Oregon have put thousands of people under evacuation notice. But for cattle ranchers across the plains of the Northwest interior, moving their families – and their herds – is getting more and more difficult. Soundside was joined by Anna King, who has been following a number of ranchers as they work to get their cattle away from fire. King is a Senior Correspondent with Northwest Public Broadcasting and has spent more than a decade covering ranching in the remote corners of the Northwest. Guests:
Seattle City Council's SOAP and SODA Zones, explained
Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison and Councilmember Cathy Moore say they have a plan to give the city a new tool to help fight drug trafficking and prostitution. Last Thursday they introduced a pair of ordinances that would create a number of “safe zones” in the city -- typically called Stay out of Drug Areas (or SODA) and Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (or SOAP) zones. The legislation hearkens back to previous Seattle laws that were REPEALED by the Seattle City Council four years ago. So, why bring them back now?
Are we on the brink of a tax revolt in Washington state?
Cities all over the region have big property tax levies on the ballot this year.There's a transportation levy in Seattle, a levy to modernize the fire department in Tacoma, and a levy to pay for public safety and libraries in Everett.Increasingly, elected officials rely on these levies to pay for core services.But some taxpayers are signaling there’s an end to their generosity.KUOW's Joshua McNichols looks at how we got here - and whether we’re at risk of a tax revolt.
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