WA tweaks its police pursuit law, but is this the end of the issue?: Today So Far

• This report says SPD should apologize for actions during 2020 protests.
• Lawmakers have tweaked Washington's police pursuit laws, but is this the end of the issue?
• A new Soundgarden album? Yep.

This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for April 18, 2023.

The Seattle Police Department needs to "issue a public apology" for its actions during the 2020 protests. That's the recommendation of a special panel that has been looking into police responses during the ongoing 2020 protests, following the murder of George Floyd.

This recommendation stands out in a panel report released this morning. There are a total of 22 recommendations, most of which deal with processes, policies, and tactics at the Seattle Police Department. Recommendation 20 reads, in full: "Acknowledge the harm to BIPOC community caused by SPD actions over time and issue a public apology for the actions of SPD during the 2020 protests."

This latest report from the OIG is the fourth and final review of the 2020 protests. It started this process in the fall of 2020, following public concerns over police response to the protests.

News of this report broke this morning. I've reached out to SPD for comment about it, so stay tuned in case they return my call. Read the full story here.

The debate has concluded over how to handle Washington state's police pursuit laws. At least, the debate has ended this session. It seems that enough Democrats and Republicans were able to work a few tweaks to the rules this time around, but comments from both sides of the aisle indicate that neither party wants to stop here.

In short, after Gov. Inslee signs the bill into law, police will be able to pursue suspects in cases of vehicular assault and some domestic violence cases. If officers have reasonable suspicion for a sex offense, they can pursue as well (previously, the standard was probable cause).

State Sen. John Lovick, a Democrat who previously spent 31 years serving with the Washington State Patrol, commented that a larger goal is to find "technological alternatives" to police pursuits, which he argues is still dangerous for all involved, including bystanders. Republican Rep. Gina Mosbrucker says she reluctantly voted for the House version of the bill. She wants to open the law further around police pursuits, but for now she says this is "a step forward." Read more here.

Good news for Seattle music fans: Soundgarden is slated to release a new album.

The news marks the conclusion of some drama around the band and Chris Cornell's estate. Seven songs are reported to have been recorded by the late singer in the months before his death. The band had planned on finishing the songs, each adding their own parts. Cornell's widow, Vicky Cornell, sued the band, arguing that the songs were the work of the singer alone. The band argued otherwise. Little is known about how the legal process worked out over the past few years, but it seems that things resolved out of court. As of this week, the two parties are A-OK moving forward.

Soundgarden is now planning to finish recording and eventually release "the final songs that the band and Chris were working on." Read more here.

Also, just some random news today — a toddler breached the fence at the White House.

AS SEEN ON KUOW

Libby Huse pours drinks at Jude's, a co-op bar and restaurant in Rainier Beach. Employee ownership is rare, but it’s gaining popularity as younger generations seek to democratize their workplaces. It's one point raised in KUOW's recent reporting, "What workers want: How industries hollowed out by the pandemic are getting folks back." (Monica Nickelsburg / KUOW)

DID YOU KNOW?

It was 32 years ago this week that Nirvana debuted the song that would rocket the band to iconic heights.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" was first performed live on April 17, 1991, at the OK Hotel in Seattle's Pioneer Square. As HistoryLink reports, the debut was unremarkable at the time. The gig was a last-minute request. The show was at an all-ages club in the middle of the week. There happened to be a film crew at the show, however, and the song was captured on video. Nirvana was locally known at the time, and was not yet an international sensation. Yet, record company representatives had their eyes on the band. Less than two weeks after the OK Hotel performance, Nirvana landed a record deal with DGC.

The song itself was heavily inspired by The Pixies, according to Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. The title phrase is drawn from a statement that Kathleen Hanna (member of the band Bikini Kill) scrawled onto a wall of an apartment where Cobain lived in Olympia — "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit." The reference was to a brand of deodorant, but Cobain was unaware of this at the time. In fact, he said he wasn't aware of the brand until after the song was recorded and released. The Olympia home where "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit" was written has now become an unofficial historic site for Nirvana fans. The apartment is part of a triplex located at 114 Pear St NE. Cobain lived in the apartment from 1989 to 1991 and wrote a significant portion of Nirvana's songs there.

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