Reflections on 2022: Today So Far

You likely don't need to be reminded about all the big stories of 2022, so here are a few stories you may have missed, prominent issues, and through lines over the past year.

This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for December 28, 2022.

It's that time of year, when all your favorite news sites roll out "best of" lists and "look back" articles. And you can bet that I have my own line up just for you. What can I say, I love making lists.

After watching KUOW's newsroom, daily, Today So Far is in a unique position to reflect on the news of 2022. You likely don't need to be reminded of the big stories — Roe v Wade overturned, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, January 6 hearings, elections, and yes, Chris Rock got slapped. Rather, I've noticed a few through lines over 2022, spanning local communities and the issues we face. Below are a few of those stories that you may have missed, or at least should be highlighted as we move forward into 2023.

The Leavenworth-Whidbey Island connection

This is really a connection that spans Washington, and it's really about affordability, housing, and solutions. KUOW's reporters spent a lot of time over in Leavenworth and on Whidbey Island. Some folks around Seattle might wonder why. And to those folks, I'd say, "You should get out more. There's a whole Northwest out there, and Seattle is part of it."

Yes, there was also news about a plane crash off of Whidbey Island. And it's probably worth noting that the island helped give us "Top Gun: Maverick." But it's also a community attempting to address its corner of the housing crisis. Folks on Whidbey Island have come to an important understanding: If workers can't live there, then their lives can really suck. Those are my words, of course. What good is a night out on the town when there is no one around to dish up food, mix drinks, and so forth? So the town of Langley tweaked its zoning codes to allow for more housing. Then it went further. As folks know, you can build housing, but new problem arises when folks can't afford that housing. Langley's new housing is built with workers in mind. It all centers on a "community land trust."

Langley is not alone in this predicament. Leavenworth residents have also noted a phenomenon familiar to cities like Seattle: Big money moves in, and locals can't afford to live locally anymore. Like Whidbey Island towns, Leavenworth relies on tourism. So it's a big problem when you don't have locals to mind the shops, cafes, and other local businesses. As the "west side's" success grows, affordability is an issue that has spread to Leavenworth, showing that this issue is not isolated to the Seattle area. It's almost like it ripples out through the region.

Leavenworth also proved to be a valuable insight into political perceptions leading up to 2022's election. It falls within the boundaries of the 8th Congressional District, which was expected to be a toss up. KUOW's David Hyde visited the mountain town and found that political leanings were not so cut and dry.

Also, Leavenworth has alphorn flash mobs. That doesn't have much to do with anything, but it's pretty cool.

Easing out of the pandemic

This wasn't the same pandemic as in 2020 or 2021. In 2022, we all eased out of pandemic era precautions. Some masks came off, and others stayed on. The takeaway in 2022 is that some people are living in a different pandemic era than others, all in the same space. And despite Washington's Covid emergency orders expiring, some pandemic rules have stuck around. Here's a few stories on that.

• As the world moves on, one mom's plea for Covid caution
• The pandemic made these seniors rethink the 'years they have left'
• Many children have lost parents to Covid. Here's how they're coping
• Where are you when it comes to masking?
• Washington students doing worse in math and reading after pandemic years
• 2022 Seattle cruise season exceeds pre-pandemic levels

Food

Stories about food — food insecurity, new restaurants, food trucks changes, etc. — were often subtext about pandemic effects. The big issue this past year is the growth of food insecurity, which is just another term for "hungry," "affordability," and "not knowing where your next meal is coming from." For example, Washington ranks among the top five states where military families more often experience food insecurity.

Food bank inventories are considerably short as these banks attempt to evolve to meet the need. Meanwhile, community members are finding their own ways to help, such as a Tacoma gardener organizing other gardeners to provide fresh food for those in need. Or the growing effort around Little Free Bakeries.

On the other end of this, there are foodies who risked opening their own restaurants during the pandemic, and thrived. Seattle has also decided to keep some pandemic era programs moving forward, specifically streeteries. This program allows sidewalks and portions of the street to be used for restaurant and shop space. Yep, Seattle has gotten with the times ... if the time we're talking about is 2007. But better late than never.

Guns

Guns, and issues surrounding guns, became more prominent throughout 2022. Firearm sales considerably rose in 2020, starting a sales trend that has continued into this year. For example, the King County Sheriff's Office ran 14,999 background checks for gun purchases in 2019. It then ran 28,522 in 2020, and 25,923 in 2021. Seattle police ran 6,707 background checks for gun purchases in 2019, then 15,825 background checks in 2020, and 10,766 in 2021. It adds up to a lot more guns around us, and a lot of new, perhaps inexperienced, gun owners.

Another noticeable rising trend during this time has been gun violence. The rise was partially pushed by a change in demographics. In the past, younger people were more often involved in shootings, but over the past year, numbers of older people involved in shootings rose. Domestic violence related gun violence has also gone up. That's not to say that younger folks are not showing up in shootings, they are, and social media is now part of the issue, too.

Amid all this, a local Seattle business owner and community leader was shot and killed in front of his store. And a shooting at Ingraham High School killed one teen. A firearm reported as "lost" was used in that incident.

It's therefore no surprise that lawmakers passed a series of gun safety bills in 2022, including a ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines. In the months that followed the ban becoming official, the Attorney General's Office found two gun stores selling high-capacity magazines and attempting to hide it. At the same time, the Department of Justice began pouring millions into Washington state to fund counter measures to gun violence.

You can expect another round of gun safety bills next legislative session, in 2023, including a ban on assault rifles.

AS SEEN ON KUOW

Daneca Tran shares a story during a dinner party on Thursday, October 6, 2022, in South Park. The Seattle metro region is growing, and will probably hit 6 million people by 2050. That’s almost 50% more people. Yet, builders haven’t produced enough homes even for the people here now. In Seattle’s South Park neighborhood, a neighborhood defined by freeways and the Duwamish River and hemmed in by industry, homes sell for about two-thirds the regional average. Read more in KUOW's recent housing series, The Ripple Effect. (Megan Farmer / KUOW)

DID YOU KNOW?

The Foo Fighters released a horror movie this year (before the tragic death of drummer Taylor Hawkins). It's called "Studio 666." OK, that is not news to a lot of people, yet, I've come across folks who had no clue this happened this year. Which is sad, because the movie is actually pretty great, plus there is an album that goes along with this film, "Dream Widow," which is freaking amazing! It's in my top 2022 music discoveries, and it got me thinking: What are my 2022 music takeaways? What stood out?

"Dream Widow" by Foo Fighters. If you want to know what it felt like going to a 1990s dark metal show at the Backstage in downtown Olympia, this album will open up a gateway to the past and take you there. Be prepared to bang your head and high five the dark lord.

"Blackberry Rose" by Lavender Country. The song "I can't shake the stranger out of you" is reason enough to listen to this album. "Blackberry Rose" is more than a country album, it's a connection to Northwest history that is not well known. Lavender Country, fronted by Patrick Haggerty, released one album in Seattle in 1973. They only produced 1,000 copies. It was the first-known openly-gay country album. Nearly 50 years later, it garnered a new audience putting the band on track to record a follow-up record, "Blackberry Rose," which was released in February. In November, months after the album's release, Haggerty passed away at 78.

"SZNZ" by Weezer. This is actually four albums themed for each season of the year: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each album has a different feel, capturing the diverse sound of the band.

"Odin of Oyvind" by Odin og Oyvind. OK, this album actually came out in 2021, but it was a late entry and I discovered them in 2022. And judging from its Spotify numbers, it hasn't spread too far. Yet, this folk/pop EP has been in steady rotation for me, particularly the song "Telephone." I once reached out to them to see if they had any merch. Turns out, it's just two dudes in Norway who don't see each other too much these days, but get together every now and then at some cabin to record music for fun. I'm glad they do.

Just a couple mentions for singles released in 2022. You can always count on Vancouver, B.C.'s Bob Sumner to serve up country ballads that make you stop what you're doing and tune in. "Broken Record" is one such single that was released in 2022. This song is a new take on the classic country tale of screwing up love. "Big Time" by Angel Olsen and Sturgill Simpson is another ballad about the other side of love. If you haven't heard Sturgill Simpson, he's a country rabbit hole worth going down. One album will have you singing "Life ain't fair and the world is mean" for a whole day. Another album will show you how psychedelic rock and country can blend. Another shows how well Nirvana's "In Bloom" works as a country ballad. It's a trip.

And of course, feel free to share your 2022 music takeaways by emailing me at dyer@kuow.org.

ALSO ON OUR MINDS

A deep freeze is breaking pipes and creating a water crisis across the South

Days of freezing temperatures in Deep South areas that usually freeze for only hours are threatening dozens of water systems as burst pipes leak millions of gallons of water. The problems were happening Monday in large, troubled water systems like Jackson, Miss., where residents were required over Christmas to boil water months after most lost service because of a cascade of problems from years of poor maintenance.

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