Seattle, and solar, and bears! Oh my! Today So Far

• The bears are back in town.
• Where can Washington put all this solar energy?
• What unique and unexpected Seattle sights would you show visitors?

This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 13, 2023.

Quick hits

• Report: WA's high cost of child care hits single moms hardest
• Low-income domestic violence survivors face uphill battle in obtaining court-ordered protections
• Why can't we stop homelessness? 4 reasons why there's no end in sight

To the average Seattleite, a bear sighting might merely be something that happens on Capitol Hill. But for many others in our region, it means some other fuzzy Northwest residents are hungry and sniffing around their neighborhood.

Black bear sightings are up in Washington state, but as Cpt. Jennifer Maurstad with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recently told KUOW, this doesn't necessarily mean there are more of them around. Rather, there are more of us around to see them. Washington's population has grown considerably, which means there is increased potential for interactions.

Last month, a bear ate a goat in Bellevue's Bridle Trails neighborhood. A local pet rabbit and some chickens have also become dinner recently.

"This is the time of year when bears are out and about, and their number one goal is looking for food," Maurstad said.

So this is your annual reminder to keep any potential food source out of the open. That means trash, even bird feeders, and yes, pets too. Read more here.

Renewable energy. We all want it. We all need it. But not everybody wants to look at it.

That's just one issue that can arise when new solar projects go into Washington state: objections from neighbors who might have come to the area for the scenic landscape. It's probably the one you hear about most. But there are also other conflicts that snarl such efforts, such as farms and ranches, and potential effects to wildlife. So where can we put solar power? Well, now, there's a map for that.

A project out of Washington State University recently developed a map, with a focus on "natural habitat, productive farmlands and ranchlands, and tribal rights and cultural resources." It probably won't solve all the issues for residential neighbors, but it could help fast track solar projects by avoiding conflicts with farms or conservation land in advance. Of course, there's always more to a story. Northwest News Network reports more here.

Soundside just hosted a conversation that has had me thinking about one question over and over: What unique and unexpected Seattle sights would you show visitors?

Folks coming to town already know about the Space Needle, and Pike Place Market, and maybe even the Fremont Troll. But what are the experiences that are off the beaten path that locals know about? My initial thoughts went to MoPOP, which admittedly isn't off the beaten path, but it is awesome. Maybe Archie McPhees, Time Warp on Capitol Hill for the sci-fi and ramen, or a boat ride on Lake Union that goes past the "Sleepless in Seattle" house. Dick's, Un Bien, and Katsu Burger. A visit to the trailer park mall amid Georgetown Art Attack.

Soundside brought in travel writer Harriet Baskas, who literally wrote the book on the more quirky corners around Seattle — 111 of them, to be exact. They covered a few more ideas. But I'd like to hear your thoughts. Where would you take visitors around Seattle? Let me know at dyer@kuow.org.

AS SEEN ON KUOW

Patrick O'Neal shows off his three home-run balls he snagged at the Home Run Derby in Seattle on Monday, July 10, 2023. (Casey Martin / KUOW)

DID YOU KNOW?

"Seattle Now's" recent episode "All bagels considered" reminded me of a little known fact about our infamous and cherished Seattle Dog — it's supposed to be on a bagel. Which sort of explains the presence of cream cheese in this dish.

There's a long history around this, and disputes over the origin, but most signs point to Hadley Longe, a bagel vendor in Pioneer Square during the 1980s. He catered to the club-going crowd, but there was a problem. Bagels weren't exactly what the late-night folks wanted. Hot dogs were selling rather well, however. So Longe came up with an idea: Put a sausage on a bialy, which is a bread in bagel territory that can resemble a hot dog bun. After that, the bagel vendor found success and the Seattle Dog became a local sensation. At least, for folks up at 2 a.m. after pounding a few Rainiers, the meat, cream cheese, and onion offering seemed like a good idea. Other vendors copied it, using their traditional ingredients, which is why it comes as a hot dog today. But if you want to have a truly authentic Seattle Dog, you got to find one on a bialy.

ALSO ON OUR MINDS

Why inflation is losing its punch — and why things could get even better

The Labor Department reports that consumer prices in June were up just 3% from a year ago — the smallest annual increase since March 2021. Forecasters say inflation could fall further in the months to come. But two years of high inflation has left its scars, and people are adjusting their habits, potentially in permanent ways. Here are five things to know about the state of inflation today.

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