KUOW Blog
News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.
Have any leads or feedback for the KUOW Blog? Contact Dyer Oxley at dyer@kuow.org.
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After rivers flood, King County Water Taxis use infrared goggles to dodge logs
Seattle was spared from the worst of recent flooding, but the raging rivers in Western Washington sent lots of trees and logs into Puget Sound. That can mean trouble for captains sailing through Elliott Bay.
Crews aboard King County's water taxis are used to some debris floating in the water this time of year. But as December 2025 has seen record-setting river flooding, it's been worse.
Heavy rain and wind, like we’ve seen the past couple of weeks, can push a lot of the trees, logs, and debris along river banks into waterways.
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That can be a hazard for boats, like King County Metro’s Water Taxis that crisscross Elliott Bay. Aboard every taxi is a crewmember dedicated as a lookout to keep an eye on the water to make sure there isn't any debris in front of them.
To avoid crashing into a big, floating log, Terry Federer from King County Metro says they use tools straight out of a spy movie: infrared goggles.
"The debris in the water has a different heat signature than the water itself,” Federer told KUOW. “So, with the infrared goggles, the lookout can spot different types of debris and then tell the captain that they should move to this direction or to that direction to change course."
The boats have light bars on them, too, that emit infrared light. Federer said they can not only spot logs with the goggles and lights, but also large animals like whales.
Water taxis are nimble enough, he says, to quickly sail around obstacles. Because of their catamaran shape, captains can also sail over a piece of debris with the object slipping in between the two hulls.
RELATED: How much water flooded parts of Western Washington? At least 3 Lake Washingtons' worth
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As Washington state's flood recovery unfolds, what resources can people expect?
We don't have numbers yet on how many Washington homes and businesses have experienced flooding. Emergency officials say it's too early to even guess until flood waters recede. But for people starting to clean up, the safety issues are serious. Flood waters can bring sewage and bacteria, which cause mold and other hazards.
To find out more about what's ahead in the recovery process, Kim Malcolm talked to KUOW’s Monica Nickelsburg, who has been reporting on what assistance will be available to Western Washingtonians as they recover.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Kim Malcolm: We've heard directly from several families impacted by recent flooding, but thousands more around the state are either still out of their homes or in flood recovery mode. Can affected property owners expect to get help from insurance?
Monica Nickelsburg: Unfortunately, most typical homeowners and renters insurance policies don't cover this type of flooding. Usually, to get help with those repairs you would need to have a separate flood insurance policy.
And do we know how many properties in Washington are covered by flood insurance?
It's about 50,000 homes and businesses in Washington that have flood insurance between the program that FEMA administers and the private market. That's about half the number of people who were advised to evacuate at the height of the flooding. It doesn't mean all of those homes were damaged, but we just don't know at this point. In general, experts say that a lot more people should have flood insurance than do.
Is there clarity on what resources are available to property owners who don't have flood insurance?
It's a little bit of a wait and see. It really depends whether President Trump signs off on a federal disaster declaration and at the same time authorizes FEMA to provide individual assistance to households. That would be different than the federal emergency that's already been declared, which is really more about providing lifesaving first responder emergency relief from FEMA.
Right now, the counties that have a lot of flooding are running surveys to assess the damage. Governor Ferguson will use the data collected in those surveys to make his case for a federal disaster declaration. So, if you're a property owner who has damage, you should go to your county website and fill out this survey.
How about any resources available at the local level?
Damaged properties might also be able to get relief from state and local property taxes. County websites have details on that. And even though homeowners insurance doesn't typically cover flood damage, your auto insurance might. If your car was damaged, you should check your policy.
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How much water flooded parts of Western Washington? At least 3 Lake Washingtons' worth
Even with words like “historic” and “record-breaking,” it can be hard to get a sense of the scale of the atmospheric river that hit Washington state this month, taking chunks out of highways, sweeping away homes, submerging cars, and taking at least one life.
RELATED: As floodwaters recede, King County farmers face daunting cleanup
But numbers can start to paint a picture. More than nine million acre-feet: That's the amount of water that dumped on the flooded areas of Western Washington over 10 days. It adds up to more than three times the volume of water in Lake Washington.
Still, that number doesn't capture all of the rain that struck the region in such a short period of time.
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Wet rat winter? How to handle toilet rats after Washington's heavy rain
Here's what to do if you find a rat coming through your toilet following heavy Western Washington rain and floods.
It was midnight when Simone Gabara got up to use the restroom in her White Center home. Like many who make a late-night journey down the hall, she was half asleep.
"I lifted the lid, and I saw a shape in there," she recalled, adding that her first thought was that perhaps someone else in the house forgot to flush before leaving the bathroom.
And then a second thought: "But why does it have eyes?"
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It was late November 2021. A rat was in the toilet. It crawled through the pipes and into the bowl, but was trapped by the lid — no longer.
"Before I knew it, it had jumped onto the seat, and then down onto the floor," she said. "I was screaming a lot."
She fled the room, not knowing if the rat remained in the bathroom or had quickly scurried out behind her.
RELATED: Why are there so many rats in Seattle?
Gabara looked for answers. She called a plumber. She looked up information online and learned that it is possible for rats to climb up through plumbing and enter a house through the toilet.
Eventually, Gabara trapped the rat in the bathroom. The crisis was over.
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Washington floods create new worries for frail seniors and their caregivers
For Western Washington’s most frail and medically fragile seniors — and their caregivers — the recent floods and evacuations pose special challenges.
Some residents of skilled nursing facilities and smaller adult family homes have had to transfer abruptly — or they’re sheltering in hotels, and hoping to return home soon.
Selena Hayes lives in Kent. Her 74-year old mother, whose nickname is “Angel,” lives in a memory care facility nearby in Auburn. She has physical disabilities and dementia.
When the flooding began, Hayes said the maps indicated that her mother’s location was safe, but then she heard from the staff.
“I received a call asking if I could possibly take her home with me because they were told they were at a Level 2 -- just to be prepared,” Hayes said.
A “Level Two” evacuation means be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. "Level Three" means “leave now.”
Hayes panicked a little bit, because her home is not equipped for her mom and she doesn’t have much leave time off built up from her new job. Friends suggested she contact another “memory care” facility in Kent, one that she’d looked at previously. That facility had room and was able to provide so-called “respite care” for her mom, for a daily fee.
“They were very kind and said they could take her,” Hayes said. “And then they were able to go and pick her up and bring her to the east hill of Kent where she could be safe from all the flooding.”
This was a great solution, Hayes said, and her mom coped pretty well with the abrupt move. But her mom’s dementia made it complicated.
A friend visited and texted Hayes saying, “Your mom is pretty sad” and “doesn’t remember why she’s here.” Angel’s usual treats — like a Coke and a favorite TV show — failed to cheer her up.
When Hayes visited, it was clear her mom was disoriented by the change.
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Will fans give 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' the same pass they gave the first two films?
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" will spur similar reviews that its two predecessors got: It's pretty to look at, but it doesn't offer much else.
If you're already a fan of the previous "Avatar" movies, you'll be quite pleased with the fantasy, spectacle, and action in "Fire and Ash" — it's mostly a replay of the first movies. Yet, there are a couple notable surprises that will give audiences something to talk about.
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This latest "Fire and Ash" chapter is a continuation of the "Avatar" lore, updating us on the characters we know, where they are going, and the state of things on Pandora. That's its primary purpose — deliver another episode. It doesn't push the cinematic needle forward like the first film did when it awestruck viewers more than 15 years ago. And it doesn't tell a new story.
"Avatar: Fire and Ash" repeats old plots and themes from the last two films — humans, greed, and oppression are bad, the environment is holy, so let's fight! It's a story as old as "Dances with Wolves," or "Fern Gully," whichever you prefer.
This is evident when you watch the preview for "Fire and Ash." I have a general rule with trailers: When a movie's story is weak, then its preview will essentially show the entire film — you will get a sense that you watched three acts and then some in just a couple minutes. This is the case with the spoiler-filled trailer for "Avatar: Fire and Ash," leaving little, if any, revelations for a theater viewing.
There are standout moments in "Avatar: Fire and Ash," thanks to actress Oona Chaplin, who takes on the role of Varang, the villainous Na’vi leader of the Mangkwan clan. Chaplin's performance draws all attention when she's on screen. It shows that, through all of the technology, acting is still very much a part of "Avatar." Chaplin steals the show in this movie.
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The Mangkwan clan also stands out because filmmakers did something new with this "Avatar" and gave us Na’vi characters who stray from stereotypes — they're villains! Yes, Na’vi can be bad guys, too. With this, "Avatar" has finally introduced a level of complexity it has previously lacked. It's this part of the film that will give audiences something to talk about.
Because of its impressive technology at the time, audiences largely gave the first "Avatar" a pass and were willing to overlook its lacking story and cheap characters (another aspect of "Avatar" that hasn't gotten as much praise, but should, is its sound). All those impressive cinematic feats continue to hold up in "Avatar: Fire and Ash." But now that audiences have seen and done this before, will they so easily give "Fire and Ash" a pass this time around? We'll know the answer if they keep making more.
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Atmospheric river brings ‘one-two punch’ of rain, wind, possible floods to Western Washington
A powerful atmospheric river sweeping across the Pacific Northwest this week is expected to dump more than a foot of rain and snow in the North Cascades and Olympics and cause major flooding in rivers that flow down from the mountains.
Kirby Cook, science and operations officer with the National Weather Service in Seattle, said forecasters are expecting two waves of water — one lasting through Monday and into Tuesday morning and a second wave Tuesday evening through Wednesday.
“It’s sort of a one-two punch for precipitation,” Cook said.
The three-day total could add up to 15 inches or more in the mountains, where freezing levels remain around 7,000 feet.
“It’s not inconceivable that [Mount Rainier] will receive, at least at the top of the volcano, somewhere in the order of 20 inches of precipitation,” Cook said. “So, a lot of rainfall is going to fall over the next 72 hours.”
That means a substantial risk for major flooding along rivers that flow down from Mount Rainier, the North Cascades, and the Olympic Range. The flood risk spreads out from the mountains into in Snohomish, King, Pierce, and Lewis counties, as well as areas below the Olympics.
The National Weather Service currently has nine forecast points on area rivers expected to hit major flood levels, including several points along the Snoqualmie and Skykomish rivers in King and Snohomish counties, the Puyallup River near Orting in Pierce County, and further south, the Cowlitz River at Randle and Packwood in Lewis County.
In terms of wind, Cook said the Washington coast could see gusts to 45-50 mph Tuesday afternoon into early evening. He said the Seattle metro area could see wind gusts topping 35 mph Tuesday afternoon.
Cook said the storm is expected to dip south into Oregon Tuesday and re-drench Washington state Tuesday night through Wednesday, which could mean flood waters peaking twice during the week.
“It will be a complicated pattern where we'll get a surge and then flow will come down, and then we'll get a second surge on a lot of area rivers because of resurging precipitation from the south,” he said.
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Violent crime is on the decline in Washington state and nationwide
Preliminary data suggest that rates for violent and property crimes in Washington state fell in 2025, continuing the decline that began two years ago. That was the big takeaway in a briefing for state lawmakers Thursday.
Jeff Asher with AH Datalytics said the U.S. has seen unprecedented year-over-year drops in its murder rate, to the lowest levels ever recorded.
“We have murder down 19.8% so far this year nationally, which previously the FBI’s 14.9% last year was the largest one-year decrease ever reported,” Asher said. “Maybe in the first year or two of World War II is the only comparable period in terms of seeing such a strong drop in murder,” he said. “We’re sort of in uncharted territory, at least from a national perspective.”
Nationally, Asher said violent crime overall declined about 10% this year, and property crime saw a less significant decline, driven by “a pretty massive drop in motor vehicle thefts.”
He said his numbers indicate that Washington state crime rates are following similar trends.
Asher compiles the “Real Time Crime Index,” which currently includes data through September from 545 law enforcement agencies nationwide including Washington's seven largest cities and counties. He told the House Community Safety Committee that the Washington state agencies that report to his index seem on track to return to pre-pandemic levels of violent and property crime this year.
“Washington state is seeing substantial drops pretty much across all types of crime that largely mimics what we’re seeing nationally,” he said.
Rep. Roger Goodman (D-Kirkland) said those crime statistics “are all going in the right direction.”
Crime trends were not uniform nationally during the pandemic. According to the Council of State Governments Justice Center, violent crime fell in 39 states between 2019 and 2024.
RELATED: Crime Has Declined Overall During The Pandemic, But Shootings And Killings Are Up
But Washington was one of eleven states in which crime increased. The center’s director, Marshall Clement, said homicides nearly doubled in Washington from 2019 to 2022 before they began to decline.
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Holy shift! This Puget Sound typewriter calendar has the write stuff
Sure, you could walk into any mall, grocery, or bookstore and find an array of calendars. They'll feature national parks, old cars, maybe even giant cats destroying cities. But do any have typewriters? Typewriters from the Puget Sound region?
Over the past few years, Heidi Lewis has organized the production of a typewriter calendar featuring antique machines from Puget Sound area collectors. She does it for free, in her spare time.
The calendar photos are donated by members of a Facebook group she started in 2018 — Puget Sound Typewriter Enthusiasts. All proceeds go to Bremerton Typewriter Company, where the calendar is sold. The repair shop has become a hub for the region's niche, and fervent, typewriter community.
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“I wanted a calendar for my wall, so why not let other people be a part of it?" Lewis said. "It seemed silly to me just to take a bunch of pictures of my own machines and put it on my own wall. I thought, ‘Well, I'm enjoying my time with these people. I've made some real connections. Why not put that together?’”
Lewis has spent her life bouncing between Western Washington and Switzerland, where she currently lives. Inspired by the Swiss' penchant for starting clubs around niche interests, she formed a Facebook group to see if there were others like her in the Puget Sound region. The group quickly added a couple hundred like-minded members sharing photos of their collections, providing maintenance tips, and organizing local type-ins (in-person meet ups for typewriter fans).
I too am one of those nerds, er … enthusiasts. I will sometimes pull down a typewriter to write birthday cards, post cards, or just to brainstorm ideas. By hardcore collector standards, I’m not impressive and only have about seven typewriters at home (four of which actually work). While Lewis’ personal collection once held more than 100, she currently has it down to about 50.
Still, could one of my prized typewriters make the calendar cut? When Lewis asked for submissions for the 2026 calendar, I began wondering if I had any model-worthy machines on the shelf.
The sleek and dainty Skyriter? Perhaps, but it could use a good cleaning and isn't runway ready. My Olympia SM3 is too hipster to be interested in such attention. The Smith-Corona is a bit of a wallflower and likes to blend in with the crowd. But perhaps, the Royal. Yes, a 1921 Royal No. 10. At over 100 years old, it’s got the look: smooth lines, shiny black paint, and gold lettering. It teases you with ornate glass windows, offering a peek at what's under the hood. It has angles that would make Zoolander proud!
But is it good enough for the Puget Sound typewriter calendar?
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How to talk sports in Seattle, and beyond, when you don't know ball
It might happen during holiday gatherings. Perhaps it will happen amid office chit chat. Inevitably, sports conversations happen, even if you have no interest in, or a clue about, the world of sports.
But as my KUOW colleague Paige Browning told me, there is value in knowing how to navigate sports talk, especially around the holidays.
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"I find sports to be a safe topic to bring up," she said. "You're not talking about politics, you're not talking about who is in the White House, who won the mayoral race, you're not talking about religion, or arguing over fossil fuels ... maybe you can kind of get into it with ... the uncle of course, but in general you're talking about entertainment. It's just for fun. So, it's kind of safe."
This article comes from "Meet Me Here", KUOW's arts podcast. Host Dyer Oxley discusses how to talk sports in Seattle, and beyond, with newscaster Paige Browning and local sports fan Danny Ball. Listen below.
It's not that I am completely ignorant about sports. I essentially know how baseball is played, or the difference between 2- and 3-pointers in basketball, and I know how many homeruns it takes to win a football game. Yet, the most excited I've been during a sports event was when a friend said something about a "hat trick" and I mistakenly thought there was going to be a magic show.
One of my favorite episodes of the sitcom "The IT Crowd" (if you haven't watched this show, your life is incomplete) is when the two main geeks, Roy and Moss, find a guide for talking about sports. Using it, they navigate through simple interactions with ... normal people. I always wanted such a guide for myself.
RELATED: Why Ichiro 'was everything' to Seattle Mariners fans
That's what brought me to Paige Browning and Danny Ball for a conversation on "Meet Me Here." Paige is a newscaster at KUOW and I've noticed that when the office is talking sports, she's usually at the head of the conversation. Danny runs marketing for Simply Seattle, a merch shop with a lot of local sports fandom. He also hosts the Iconic Sonics podcast, which is dedicated to the much-loved NBA team that Seattle lost in 2008 (you're really a fan if you're podcasting about a team that hasn't been around for nearly two decades). Between these two sports aficionados, we came up with a guide for camouflaging yourself among sports conversations, including Danny's very own "BALL Method."
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Seattle’s incoming city attorney Erika Evans promises vigilance on federal interference
Erika Evans won the race for Seattle City Attorney by 35 points over her opponent, the current city attorney Ann Davison. The Seattle Times called her victory on election night. Since then, Evans said she’s been busy preparing for a smooth transition.
But to her disappointment, Evans said Davison has never contacted her to concede or offer congratulations — in contrast to Mayor Bruce Harrell, who on Nov. 13 publicly conceded and congratulated mayor-elect Katie Wilson on her victory in a close race.
Evans said she thinks elected leaders have a responsibility to create a smooth handoff during a transition, and to be receptive to the will of the voters.
“I think that’s a part of leadership,” she said. “It might not feel good, it might be uncomfortable, but it’s the right thing to do.”
Evans said a deputy in the office has assisted with the transition. Davison’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Evans' victory is notable for its margin — and because it represents a milestone for the city. Evans said she’s excited to be the first person of color and the first Black woman to serve as city attorney for Seattle.
“Having different lived experiences, navigating as a Black female lawyer, it’s different I think than some folks’ experiences,” she said. “And I think that matters when we are at the table talking about issues that affect our community.”
Evans previously worked in the city attorney’s office under its former elected leader Pete Holmes. She also worked as federal prosecutor pursuing violent crime and terrorism, as well as civil rights cases — “a dream job,” she said. But she resigned over changes imposed by the Trump administration.
“After Trump took office it was a very clear rollback in civil rights,” she said. “I was getting those executive orders that were inconsistent with the oath we took as assistant United States attorneys. Being told that our interpretation of the law is limited to the interpretation of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Being told to report on colleagues doing diversity work in the office. That’s not the oath I took.”
Evans said the top priorities she heard from voters were public safety and protecting the city from federal overreach. One of her most immediate goals, she said, will be the reestablishment of a community court in collaboration with the city’s municipal court and public defenders. Those courts offer services as an alternative to prosecution.
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Emergency declared as Northwest’s main oil pipeline shuts down again
The Northwest’s primary oil pipeline has shut down for the second time in a week, this time leading Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson to declare an emergency.
The governor said Seattle-Tacoma International Airport could run low on jet fuel by Saturday evening.
For the next 14 days, Ferguson’s emergency proclamation allows fuel-truck drivers serving the airport to work longer hours than safety requirements usually allow.
Energy giant BP closed off the Olympic Pipeline again on Monday after finding diesel leaking where workers were responding to a previous jet fuel spill.
An undisclosed amount of jet fuel spilled into a drainage ditch on a blueberry farm near Everett on Nov. 11, leading to a pipeline shutdown for several days.
RELATED: Jet fuel spill shuts down Northwest's main oil pipeline
BP restarted the pipeline on Sunday and delivered jet fuel to Sea-Tac Airport before shutting down again a day later.
In a statement, BP spokesperson Cesar Rodriguez said there is no timeline for re-starting the pipeline.
Rodriguez declined to answer questions.
“There are no impacts to flights at this time,” airport spokesperson Perry Cooper said in an email on Wednesday.
Cooper said the airport’s most recent delivery of jet fuel arrived on Monday and encouraged passengers to check with their airlines on the status of their flights.
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