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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.

Stories

  • Seattle Public Schools' latest budget proposal: Tapping into reserves, changing school start times

    Education
    caption: From left, Maxwell Demas, 7, Gwen Yerkan, 9, and Hazel Demas, 9, take a picture before their first day of school on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at Daniel Bagley Elementary School in Seattle.
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    From left, Maxwell Demas, 7, Gwen Yerkan, 9, and Hazel Demas, 9, take a picture before their first day of school on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at Daniel Bagley Elementary School in Seattle.
    KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

    Seattle Public Schools might dip into its reserves for a second year in a row — and borrow money from other district funding pots — to cover the majority of a projected budget gap of more than $100 million next year.

    That's according to district leaders' latest proposal, unveiled Wednesday, to balance the budget for the 2024-25 school year.

    In all, the district would use $32 million of its ending fund balance, then borrow between $25 and $35 million from its capital building fund. That's called an interfund loan, and the district would need to repay the fund, with interest, by June of 2026.

    On Wednesday, Superintendent Brent Jones repeatedly acknowledged tough decisions lie ahead.

    "Please know we are carefully considering all perspectives as we navigate these complexities and strive to make decisions that are in the best interests of our students and staff," he said.

    Other proposals in the financial plan include changing schools start times from a two-bell system to three bells in 2025 — something parents rebelled against the last time it was proposed.

    The district has operated on a two-bell system since the 2016-17 year, as part of an effort to start the school day later for teens, who need more sleep than younger kids.

    But district officials now say switching back to three bells would shave about $9 million from its transportation budget — largely because about 80 fewer buses would be needed daily.

    The district also proposes cutting central office staffing and spending by about $8 million, and saving about $7 million by reducing school staffing.

    The plan also suggests the school board delay the repayment of the rainy day fund they drained to cover last year's $131 million budget deficit.

    The district also may once again charge students to participate in sports. The district hasn't collected athletic fees since 2015, when the district received $2.7 million to cover transportation costs. But now, district officials say the change could generate up to $1.1 million in revenue.

    No school closures are slated for next school year, but they might be part of a multi-year plan expected out in May.

    The school board won't vote on next year's budget until July.

    Continue reading »
  • As Seattle lost 10K Amazon employees, the company added corporate workers in Bellevue

    Business
    caption: "Hello world," says an Amazon office tower at the company's Seattle headquarters.
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    "Hello world," says an Amazon office tower at the company's Seattle headquarters.
    Monica Nickelsburg / KUOW

    Amazon’s Seattle headcount shrunk significantly over the past few years, while the tech giant steadily added employees in nearby Bellevue.

    At its peak in 2020, Amazon employed about 60,000 corporate workers in Seattle, a company spokesperson told KUOW. Today, Amazon has about 50,000 employees in its home city. Amazon attributed the decline to a combination of layoffs and relocations.

    RELATED: Disaster relief delivered by Amazon

    Meanwhile, Amazon has grown to nearly 12,000 corporate employees in Bellevue, where the company says its future growth will be concentrated.

    “I think that the Eastside in general has a reputation for being more business friendly, so that's definitely an attraction to invest there,” said Elliott Krivenko, a real estate analyst with CoStar Analytics.

    The numbers, which were first reported by the Puget Sound Business Journal, reflect a shift in growth strategy Amazon first signaled in 2019 following a series of political battles with the Seattle City Council. Amazon plans to grow to 25,000 employees on the Eastside, including its critical worldwide retail operations team.

    The shift has helped Downtown Bellevue’s commercial real estate market fair better than average for the region, according to Krivenko.

    “Downtown Bellevue is still outperforming,” he said. “The vacancy rate is a lot lower than it is elsewhere in the Seattle Metro and there has been quite a bit of leasing of late. The first quarter of 2024 has been the strongest quarter that I've seen since fall of 2020 and would be a stellar quarter anytime in history for that submarket.”

    It’s a shift Krivenko expects to accelerate when Bellevue is connected to Seattle via light rail. The East Link Extension from Seattle to Redmond is expected to open in 2025.

    RELATED: First stretch of light rail service arrives in Bellevue in April 2024

    “Once we have that line going across the lake, I think that's going to be the real game changer because then it won't really matter if you choose to work in Bellevue and live in Seattle or vice versa,” he said. “That's a one seat to ride fairly easy to hop on the train and get to one side of the lake or the other.”

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  • NHL on the Eastside? New hockey arena discussed by Seattle Kraken and Kirkland

    Sports
    caption: The Seattle Kraken play a game at Climate Pledge Arena. To meet the region's growing interest in hockey, the NHL team says it needs to build more facilities and has proposed building a community hockey center in Kirkland.
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    The Seattle Kraken play a game at Climate Pledge Arena. To meet the region's growing interest in hockey, the NHL team says it needs to build more facilities and has proposed building a community hockey center in Kirkland.
    Juan Pablo Chiquiza / KUOW

    The Seattle Kraken are courting Kirkland city leaders for a proposed multimillion-dollar community hockey facility on the Eastside that meets NHL standards.

    "Kirkland recently received a proposal from the Seattle Kraken NHL team to build two regulation NHL ice rinks and ancillary support facilities ... at the former Houghton Park and Ride site that is now owned by the City," Kirkland City Councilmember Jon Pascal wrote in a recent Facebook post.

    RELATED: Kirkland is the 3rd best city to live in the USA (and Sammamish ain't too shabby either)

    If such a proposal is embraced by Kirkland, the team's home games would still be played at Climate Pledge Arena, and the Kraken would still maintain its offices and facility in Seattle's Northgate neighborhood (at Starbucks Rink, which can accommodate up to 600 fans to watch practices).

    "To meet the rising demand and to connect with fans across the region, the Seattle Kraken is exploring the construction of additional ice facilities," a Kraken spokesperson said in a statement. "We have submitted a proposal for the development of two community-centered ice rinks at the existing Houghton Park and Ride location."

    The spokesperson also noted that the potential Kirkland facility is "a direct response" to the region's growing interest in hockey. It could be used for youth and adult skating and hockey, figure skating, and other events.

    RELATED: Climate Pledge becomes first sports arena to earn zero carbon certification

    Currently, it's just a proposal as Kirkland leaders discuss how to use the public space that was once a park-and-ride. City documents state that any potential public-private partnership with Seattle's NHL team would be for long-term use.

    The old Houghton Park and Ride site is located at 7024 116th Avenue NE, sandwiched between residences to the east, and I-405 to the west.


    Continue reading »
  • ‘Safety shouldn’t be a privilege.’ Garfield High parents demand action after student was shot

    Education
    caption: Garfield High School on June 5, 2023
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    Garfield High School on June 5, 2023
    KUOW Photo / Sami West

    Garfield High School parents want Seattle leaders to do more to protect students after a 17-year-old was shot in the leg nearby the school last week.

    Some parents have organized a “protect and protest'' event Wednesday, exactly one week after the student was shot. Organizers invited the community to protest at each corner of 23rd Avenue at 2:10 p.m., before school ends, to help them bring awareness to the ongoing gun violence in the area.

    RELATED: What can be done to prevent further gun violence in or near Seattle schools?

    “Our kid's lives are at stake every single day,” said Melanie Skinner, one of the parents organizing the protest outside Garfield High. “God, I’ll try not to cry, but I just — I feel like [Seattle’s Central District] is a community that nobody cares about.”

    Parents and community members want city leaders and Seattle Public Schools to take stronger action to protect students and the larger Central District community. They told KUOW they feel like they have to do something to make it clear that something must be done about escalating violence they are witnessing.

    “It should not be a privilege to have safety. [It] should be offered to all students," said another Garfield parent, whose name we're not disclosing to protect their child's privacy.

    For Skinner, the tension and concern for safety is constantly on her mind.

    “I think about it every morning, sending my daughter off to school,” she said. “Like, is she going to be killed today? Is that terrible? I mean, that's how I feel.”

    According to a Seattle Police Department statement, the shooting on March 13 was not connected to a homicide that happened later in the day near 24th Avenue South and South Main Street. Investigators are still looking for a suspect. The student who was shot in the leg was not the intended target, according to police.

    Newly elected Seattle City Councilmember Tanya Woo attended the East Precinct Advisory Council meeting Monday night, where many Garfield High parents showed up to voice their concerns and talk about solutions.

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  • Last season was harsh on Washington cherry growers. The USDA is offering help

    Government
    caption: The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared 11 Washington counties as primary natural disaster areas after a harsh 2023 season for cherry growers. Emergency loans of $500,000 were made available to farmers.
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    The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared 11 Washington counties as primary natural disaster areas after a harsh 2023 season for cherry growers. Emergency loans of $500,000 were made available to farmers.


    Washington's sweet cherry growers can now apply for federal aid to help them bounce back from a disastrous 2023 season.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making $500,000 loans available to growers who lost crops — and cash — to poor conditions.

    RELATED: $10 cherry grown in Washington state

    Washington's Democratic Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Rep. Kim Schrier requested this help in a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

    "Through no fault of their own, our cherry growers experienced immense challenges and economic losses last season, with data showing growers experienced losses of more than 50%," Schrier said in a statement. "That's why I proudly joined my colleagues in the Washington delegation in calling for a disaster declaration to help our growers recover and prepare for this upcoming growing season."

    Extreme high temperatures in Washington state, and heavy rains in California, led to a bad season for growers, who ultimately lost about half their crops. The USDA declared 11 Washington counties as "primary natural disaster areas." They included Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Walla Walla, and Yakima.

    RELATED: Rare, super-luxe greenhouse Northwest cherries fetch top dollar in Asia

    In a statement, Cantwell said this disaster designation would help keep cherry industry going this season — "and ensure Washington's famously delicious sweet cherries make it into shopping carts."

    Continue reading »
  • Salmon-spilling company ends fight to resume farming at Puget Sound sites

    Environment
    caption: Cooke Aquaculture's ruined Atlantic salmon farm off Cypress Island on Aug. 28, 2017.
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    Cooke Aquaculture's ruined Atlantic salmon farm off Cypress Island on Aug. 28, 2017.
    Washington Dept. of Natural Resources

    The company behind a massive spill of Atlantic salmon in 2017 has thrown in the towel on its efforts to keep farming fish at two sites in Puget Sound.

    Cooke Aquaculture withdrew its appeal Friday of a 2022 Washington Department of Natural Resources order to shut down its floating farms off Bainbridge Island, just west of Seattle, and Hope Island in Skagit County.

    New Brunswick, Canada-based Cooke Aquaculture is one of the world's largest aquaculture businesses, with operations in 14 countries.

    The company’s decrepit Cypress Island farm, rusting and overgrown with algae and other marine life, tore apart in August 2017, releasing 250,000 fish from another ocean into Puget Sound.

    RELATED: Divers' videos capture new suspects in salmon farm collapse

    In a press release, the company said the department withheld public documents, making it impossible to argue the case at Thurston County Superior Court effectively.

    "At the rate DNR has produced records to date, it would take another six to seven years for all responsive records to be produced by DNR, which is an untenable and inconceivable situation," Cooke Aquaculture said in a statement.

    "A further hearing on this matter is futile without Cooke having an opportunity to review DNR's internal records," the company concluded.

    In an email to KUOW, Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Michael Kelly accused the company of going on "a lot of fishing expeditions" for public records.

    "As a public agency, we have a proud record of providing records to litigants and the public as a whole as thoroughly and quickly as possible," Kelly said.

    Public Lands Commissioner Hillary Franz has characterized Cooke's actions as "corporate tantrums."

    Continue reading »
  • Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer will not run for re-election

    Government
    caption: In this Feb. 18, 2020, file photo, then-Pierce County Sheriff's Dept. spokesman Det. Ed Troyer answers questions during a news conference in Tacoma, Wash. The Washington state attorney general on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, filed two misdemeanor criminal charges against Troyer, now the Pierce County sheriff, stemming from his confrontation with a Black newspaper carrier in January. Troyer has denied wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
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    In this Feb. 18, 2020, file photo, then-Pierce County Sheriff's Dept. spokesman Det. Ed Troyer answers questions during a news conference in Tacoma, Wash. The Washington state attorney general on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, filed two misdemeanor criminal charges against Troyer, now the Pierce County sheriff, stemming from his confrontation with a Black newspaper carrier in January. Troyer has denied wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
    Ted S. Warren / Associated Press

    Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer will not run for re-election in 2024.

    KUOW confirmed with Troyer's office Tuesday morning that the sheriff does not plan to seek re-election on November's ballot.

    RELATED: 'I'm being called a racist. Not true,' says embattled Sheriff Ed Troyer after trailing Black newspaper carrier

    Troyer first started working at the Pierce County Sheriff's Office in 1985, and was elected to the sheriff's job in November 2020. His name was well known before that. As the spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office since 1999, he was often the face and voice in front of media cameras.

    Shortly after taking office, Troyer became the center of a controversy that led to a high-profile trial.

    In 2021, Troyer called for backup on an early morning Black newspaper carrier, alleging he was acting suspiciously. Troyer claimed the newspaper carrier threatened his life and referred to him as a potential porch pirate. Multiple agencies responded to the incident. Troyer was eventually charged with making false or misleading statements to a public servant as well as false reporting.

    A jury found Troyer not guilty. The sheriff, however, was added to the Brady List, a list maintained by prosecutors that identifies law enforcement officials with credibility issues.

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  • Is Seattle headed toward preschool for all? Another expansion announced for 2024-25

    Education
    caption: Seattle Preschool Program student Jason, 5, uses glue to make crafts in teacher Hien Do's class on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, at the ReWA Early Learning Center at Beacon, in Seattle, Washington.
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    Seattle Preschool Program student Jason, 5, uses glue to make crafts in teacher Hien Do's class on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, at the ReWA Early Learning Center at Beacon, in Seattle, Washington.
    KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

    The Seattle Preschool Program will serve nearly 2,500 children next school year, thanks to a 16-classroom expansion that will create 279 additional slots.

    Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the $3.5 million expansion Monday, and encouraged any city resident with a 3- or 4-year-old child to apply.

    "Our commitment through programs like the Seattle Preschool Program is that every child, every neighborhood in our city can access education and opportunities to build the future that they deserve — that they have a right to," he said.

    RELATED: Everett is the latest community to open a Bezos-funded free preschool

    The pre-kindergarten program has expanded every year since it launched in 2015.

    The goal is to improve kindergarten readiness for all Seattle kids — but especially children of color, those experiencing homelessness, or children in foster care who are less likely to be able to afford or access quality early education.

    State data shows readiness rates for Indigenous, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Black children remain substantially below their white and Asian peers.

    Harrell said Monday that about 70% of families currently in the program pay no tuition, because program costs are calculated based on household income and family size. About three in four kids identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color.

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  • Democrats compete for endorsements in race for Washington's 6th district

    Government
    caption: Washington state Sen. Emily Randall represents the 26th Legislative District (Bremerton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor). In 2024, she is running to represent the 6th Congressional District.
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    Washington state Sen. Emily Randall represents the 26th Legislative District (Bremerton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor). In 2024, she is running to represent the 6th Congressional District.

    The race for Washington's 6th Congressional District is not just a competition to represent the region in Congress, it's a competition for local endorsements as Democrats garner the backing from different corners of their party.

    U.S. Sen. Patty Murray announced Monday that she is throwing her support behind Washington state Sen. Emily Randall, who is running for Congress. Murray's is one of the biggest names to come out in support of Randall.

    RELATED: Longtime Washington powerhouse politician Frank Chopp is stepping down

    "I'm with Emily for Congress because I know she will be a strong voice for working people – the friends and neighbors she grew up with – in a district that is her home," Murray said in a statement. "Emily will be a strong voice for women's rights and health care at a crucial moment, and she's someone with a proven track record of being able to deliver on common sense legislative solutions that will make life better for the people she represents. Emily is someone who really cares and wants to hear about the problems and challenges facing her neighbors; importantly, she will roll up her sleeves and work to make a real change – let's send Emily to Congress."

    State Sen. Randall currently represents Washington's 26th Legislative District, which covers part of Bremerton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor, and rural areas at the south end of the Kitsap Peninsula. Of the three state representatives for the district, she is the only Democrat. She is also deputy majority leader.

    Washington's 6th Congressional District has been represented by Democrats since the 1930s (aside from 1947-65 when it was represented by Republican Thor Tollefson). It covers much of the Olympic Peninsula, as well as parts of Tacoma. It's currently represented by Congressmember Derek Kilmer, who previously announced he would not seek re-election this year. It didn't take long for other local lawmakers to jump into the race to replace Kilmer, such as state Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, who was running for governor but switched to running for the 6th District.

    RELATED: U.S. House approves TikTok ban with help from Washington state delegation

    Democratic support has been split.

    While Sen. Murray is the most recent high-profile figure to announce their support for Randall, Randall's campaign is also boasting Democratic support from U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington, as well as a handful of other Congress members from other states. She also has the backing of Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and state Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (who is stepping down at the end of 2024).

    Franz has been endorsed by Rep. Kilmer, the district's current representative, as well as Norm Dicks, the Democrat who held the seat before Kilmer (1977-2013).

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  • Covid isolation reduced to 24 hours in Washington state

    Health
    covid test generic
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    Washington’s Department of Health announced Monday that people experiencing Covid symptoms only need to isolate for 24 hours or until their health improves. Previous guidelines from the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended people stay home for at least five days to stop the spread of the disease.

    Health officials say previous guidelines were based on time, while the new ones are focused on symptoms.

    “When their symptoms are getting better overall and they've not had fever for at least 24 hours without having to use fever-reducing medicines,” Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, chief science officer for Washington’s Department of Health, said in an interview with KUOW.

    RELATED: Do doctors have a right to free speech, even when it includes spreading misinformation?

    Kwan-Gett said, even though Covid remains a “significant threat,” vaccinations and population immunity in Washington have led to a decrease in case numbers.

    The guidelines are exactly that — recommendations for people to stay healthy. They are not enforced and could change from place to place.

    “Any organization, business, facility, or jurisdiction can choose to have more protective recommendations,” Kwan-Gett said. “So, people should always be aware of the place you're visiting has different recommendations from these general guidelines.”

    The new guidelines apply to all respiratory infections, Kwan-Gett said. That includes the flu, respiratory syncytial virus, Covid, and others. Combining this information should make guidance clearer and simpler for people to follow, he said.

    Not much should change at hospitals and clinics, he said. Health care settings have their own specific CDC guidance, with which Washington remains aligned.

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  • Seattle Reign reportedly sold for $58 million to group that includes the Sounders

    Sports
    caption: Seattle Reign forward Bethany Balcer, right, points at teammate Jordyn Huitema after scoring on a penalty kick won by Huitema against the Washington Spirit during the first half of an NWSL soccer match Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Seattle.
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    Seattle Reign forward Bethany Balcer, right, points at teammate Jordyn Huitema after scoring on a penalty kick won by Huitema against the Washington Spirit during the first half of an NWSL soccer match Sunday, March 17, 2024, in Seattle.

    The French company that owns the Seattle Reign announced Monday it will sell its stake in the women’s soccer team to a group that includes the Seattle Sounders.

    The Reign’s majority owner, Olympique Lyonnais (or OL) Groupe, is based in Lyon, France. OL Group says it's selling the team for $58 million to a group that includes the Seattle Sounders and global investment firm Carlyle.

    RELATED: Seattle Reign fans gear up for a new era, minus Rapinoe and plus a new look

    OL Groupe originally bought the Reign for $3.5 million in 2019.

    In addition to new ownership, the Reign is playing this season under a new name, new colors, and a new logo. The team will drop "OL" from its name and return to its original moniker "Seattle Reign FC." This is the name the team played under during its firs six seasons (the Reign was founded in 2012).

    The team is also returning to blue and gold colors, which can be seen in a redesign of its old crest. It features a blue woman — who many fans call the Queen or the Valkyrie — with a gold crown.

    The Reign said in a statement that the deal is expected to close early this year, pending approval from both the National Women’s Soccer League and Major League Soccer.

    The Sounders wouldn’t confirm the news of the sale, but they hope to have more information in the coming days.

    The Reign made a surprise appearance in last season’s NWSL Final. This is their first season without franchise icon Megan Rapinoe.

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  • Seattle cherry blossoms are nearing peak bloom 2024

    Arts & Life
    caption: A Seattle street lined with cherry blossom trees.
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    A Seattle street lined with cherry blossom trees.


    It's March 2024. That means a few things for Western Washington — rain turns into sun, sun turns into hail, and hail turns into more rain, but not the same kind of rain as before. All of this adds up to the annual cherry blossom bloom around Seattle.

    The main hotspot for cherry blossom action is the Quad at the University of Washington, where 29 large Yoshino cherry trees are located.

    Peak bloom for 2024 at the UW Quad is expected March 20.

    “Historically, peak bloom in the Quad typically begins during the third full week of March and goes into the fourth week of March. That seems to be what this year is going to look like,” UW arborist Sara Shores said in a statement. “Right now, I would guess that the last two weekends of March are ideal viewing conditions.”

    RELATED: Seattle will save cherry blossom trees on Pike Street, but the old ones still have to go

    Below is a live view of the UW Quad.

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