According to the SPD Blotter, the stabbings happened near West Roy Street around 11:16 p.m.

The first man was found just outside the park. He had knife wounds and was transported to the hospital. He’s listed in stable condition.

“Based on the circumstances, and another disturbance call they received, they believed that there might be another victim somewhere in Kinnear Park,” SPD Officer Shawn Weismiller told KIRO Newsradio on Thursday.

A K9 unit found the second man stabbed to death inside the park. Police don’t know if the two are related.

Other local crime: Mill Creek man arrested after crashing into rideshare vehicle carrying four elderly people, killing one

KIRO 7 spoke to parkgoers about the incident.

“It’s scary, it’s somewhere I take my dog almost every day and so having the park as an amenity is really important to us, and knowing that it’s not safe is not a good feeling,” a woman walking her dog in the park told KIRO 7 on Thursday. “I do carry pepper spray, having the dog helps, having a big dog helps, I feel pretty good with her around and I generally don’t like to go to the park after dark.”

Another person noted they should avoid the park at night.

“My girlfriend actually lives a block away from the park at the bottom and I live two blocks away, I would suggest she doesn’t walk through it at night,” a man walking through the park told KIRO 7.

KIRO Newsradio asked SPD if there were any other details about the suspects.

“The incidents that led up to the stabbings are under investigation. Once officers get a chance to talk to the surviving victim, they may be able to ascertain more detail,” Weismiller said.

Anyone with information is asked to call SPD’s Violent Crimes Tipline at 206-223-5000.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

You can read more of James Lynch’s stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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CarFax’s Patrick Olsen told KIRO Newsradio over six million cars in the United States still have the Takata Airbag installed.

“There are 133,000 in Washington State and more than 76,000 in the Seattle Tacoma area,” he said.

More from Micki Gamez: Another Kia software upgrade is happening in Bellevue

Olsen told us the Takata airbag killed 27 people in the U.S. and almost 400 people have been injured.

“That is an incredible number,” he said.  “And frankly, we were alarmed to see it (the recall) was still quite so high. We figured after 10 years, we check in and see what kind of progress has been made.”

Olsen said even though the number of people who’ve been hurt or killed is low, the risk keeps growing.

“The longer these airbags stay in the car, now we’re talking about their second, third, fourth owner. So it can be difficult to track those owners down,” he said.

What’s the issue with recalled airbags?

Olsen said the danger is cumulative.

“The issue is now for some of these cars, these airbags have been in there for 20 years, getting moisture into those chemicals getting heat and humidity applied to it,” he said. “A lot of cars in Seattle now may have come from other states and been driven down in Arizona or California before they came up to Seattle and were exposed to a lot more heat or a lot more humidity.”

He told KIRO Newsradio the heat isn’t going to set the airbag off.

“It’s if you ever get involved a crash. And I know some people will say, ‘Hey, I’m an excellent driver, I will never be in a crash.’ But that doesn’t stop the guy from running into you, you know, on an accident,” he said

What to do if you have a recalled airbag 

Olsen said to call your car dealer and find out if they have a replacement airbag.

More on recalls: What you should do when you own a product that has been recalled

“Now automakers have stocked up … dealers should be stocked up, make an appointment, it’ll take one to two hours to fix, but it will cost you nothing. And the peace of mind you get from it is incalculable,” he said.

Olsen added that people can go to Carfax’s website, put in their vehicle identification number or license plate information and it will tell them for free if their car is an open recall. He also said car owners can check with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, put in their vehicle identification number, and it will tell them the same thing.

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

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Earlier this month, KIRO Newsradio spoke to a pair of federal officials directly involved for a preview of what’s to come in what will be a long process to develop and build the new facility. All of this new activity with an eye to the future is a radical departure from the roller-coaster ride for the National Archives in Seattle which stretched from January 2020 to April 2021, and which ultimately ended when the Office of Management and Budget formally withdrew plans to close the current Seattle facility and sell the real estate.

The $9 million in funding is for planning and design of a structure to replace the aging warehouse near Sand Point which NARA currently calls home for its collection of materials related to Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The building, which NARA has occupied since the early 1960s, dates back to World War II when it was created as a warehouse for the nearby U.S. Navy base at what’s now Magnuson Park in Seattle.

‘A very large project’

The current building needs some major repairs in order to protect the important and often priceless U.S. government documents, photos and maps dating as far back to the 19th century; a small portion of the $9 million will be used for the most urgent repairs at Sand Point.

It has not yet been determined what the total budget for the new NARA facility will be, but those funds will be significant, and will require separate Congressional approval. Also not determined yet is the timeline for when the new facility will open, but officials told KIRO Newsradio that a 7-to-10-year range is a good estimate.

A decade is a long time, even in the world of history and archives. However, because the threatened closure of the current Seattle facility in 2020 was so contentious and came completely out of the blue – courtesy of the obscure federal agency called the Public Buildings Reform Board – KIRO Newsradio reached out to the federal agencies directly involved to hear sooner rather than later about how plans will unfold, and how the public will be engaged in the process.

More from Feliks Banel: Grassroots preservation campaign saves Parkland School

The agencies involved include NARA, the federal administrators and archivists who run the current Seattle facility as well as a network of similar facilities around the United States, and major operations in Washington, D.C., and in nearby College Park, Maryland. Also taking part were officials from the General Services Administration (GSA) the federal agency that manages real estate, and builds and owns offices, warehouses, lighthouses, etc., for the U.S. government.

One way to look at the Seattle project is to think of GSA as the developer and future landlord, and the National Archives as the client and future tenant.

Deputy Archivist of the United States Jay Bosanko is one of the officials who sat down with KIRO Newsradio.

“This complete replacement is a very large project,” Bosanko said. “And yes, this is probably the largest and most visible project that we’re working with GSA on at this time.”

Bosanko didn’t say it in so many words, but likely because of what happened in Seattle a few years ago, NARA is already in discussion with stakeholders for the current and future facility, particularly the Indigenous tribes who were blindsided by the threatened closure.

“As you can imagine, there was a great deal of public interest and interest with all of our stakeholders that came out of all of the discussions previously about the condition of the building and its possible sale,” Bosanko said. “So, we’ve actually been receiving input for some time. And then, of course, we’ve been engaging with some tribal nations. I’ve met with representatives of tribal nations just within the last month, and that effort will only continue and grow as we move closer through this process.”

And “this process” also includes the General Services Administration (GSA), whose staff and contractors are responsible for property acquisition, and for design and construction of the new facility.

For the current Seattle NARA facility, Ryan Kennedy, the GSA’s regional chief architect, says the priority is fixing the leaky the roof.

“We do have a project in place,” Kennedy told KIRO Newsradio. “It is geared up to start this year. Specifically, we need to do repairs at the roof so that we can make sure that the building stays nice and dry.”

“So, that’s our highest priority at the moment,” Kennedy said, “to protect the existing facility.”

For creating the future facility, Kennedy says GSA has a process for “design excellence” which includes a focus on engaging stakeholders.

“So, really early on, we’re collecting from everybody ‘Who do we really want to hear from?,’ and it’s not going to be a closed circle, it’s going to be very open, because we know that this will be potentially a prominent legacy building here in the Seattle area,” Ryan Kennedy told KIRO Newsradio. “And we’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on that, so we’ll be developing that stakeholder analysis, and then an engagement plan.”

“And through the early phases of this work, once we’ve collected enough information to share,” Kennedy said, “presentations, potentially open houses, websites and other public-facing forums will come about that will give people information and also collect their input.”

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Key fact: New facility’s location has not yet been determined

One very important fact Kennedy shared: the location of this new facility has not yet been determined, and it won’t necessarily be located within Seattle city limits. This also means that the future of the Sand Point real estate where the current facility stands is also to be determined. There is sure to be an interesting formal process to figure out what will ultimately happen with that land, and plenty of informal interest from the city of Seattle and other interested parties. That, as they say, is a topic for another day.

Wherever the new facility is built, many have been wondering if it can be designed and built as something more like a “destination” – with an auditorium, special event spaces, exhibit areas – not unlike a museum which would attract visitors beyond those who wanted to do research or comb through the documents, photos and maps.

Is this approach a little too wacky for NARA?

“No, not wacky at all,” Bosanko said.

“We are very interested in being a vibrant and engaged part of the communities where our facilities are located,” Bosanko continued. “And we will be working with GSA to identify all the requirements, and obviously, that starts with the storage of the records.”

Along with a traditional research room where materials would be available to study, Bosanko says, “We want to have space where we can conduct public programs, where we can do outreach, and where we can emphasize the role we can play with educators, and especially in the K-12 space.”

“We are absolutely interested in being this active participant in the broader community,” Bosanko said.

One issue that came up in early 2020 when the materials held in Seattle were being threatened with removal to California and Missouri was the need to digitize more documents, photos and maps to, at that point, at least partially compensate for them leaving the region – that is, providing online access would make up for the materials no longer being held in Seattle. Then, just months later, the value of digitizing materials became even more obvious during the pandemic, when most archives were closed to in-person visits.

Material digitization is a priority

Regardless of what happened four years ago and regardless of how long it might take, digitization of materials is clearly a priority for NARA.

“Digitization is neither fast nor easy to do, it’s expensive,” Bosanko acknowledges. “And there are a lot of questions about how do we, given our massive volumes, increase our ability to do digitization.”

Bosanko calls digitization a “force multiplier” to extend the reach of the National Archives beyond each of their brick and mortar locations. He adds that an initiative already underway at their main branch in Maryland will inform design of the Seattle facility, and will, ideally, create what he hopes will be unique ways to engage the public, and to get the public’s help.

“We have just opened a brand new, state of the art digitization center at our facility in College Park, Maryland,” Bosanko said. “So there’s some opportunities for lessons learned there that we can then bring to all of our field sites,” he continued, by creating similar spaces where NARA could, for example, invite “a group of people in that have an interest in a particular body of records, and (work) with them to digitize those records.”

“That kind of flexible space is absolutely going to be important to us,” Bosanko said.

Reporting live from Seattle’s past: Going deep on forgotten ‘Lakes of Washington’ books

What about the building’s exterior?

The inner workings of an archival facility are the heart and soul of the operation – the shelving, HVAC, fire suppression and other systems which protect the valuable contents. But what about the exterior? Must the new Seattle facility look like a big sterile suburban warehouse?

Or, is there potential for this new facility to be a visual landmark, perhaps some kind of inspiring structure that has elements of distinctive design, too?

“With all of my effort, it’s going to be a ‘yes’ to that” last question, Ryan Kennedy said.

In her role as regional chief architect for the Northwest/Arctic Region of GSA, Kennedy again cites the GSA concept of “design excellence.” This includes, Kennedy explains, a series of questions that get at the root of the many factors which influence those working to create a physical structure that represents and serves the needs of the client – in this case, the National Archives and Records Administration.

“What does a federal government building look like? How does it represent the community? How does it showcase innovation?” Kennedy said, reeling off some of the key questions. “How does it really look at future generations and its need?” she continued.

“A goal that we have is to make this building not only functional but resilient, and also just exemplify what NARA is,” Kennedy said. “We want to make sure that that is represented physically in the building as well as functionally in the building.”

And how soon might the public be invited to get involved in answering those questions and shaping the design of the project and, by extension, the future of the once-threatened Seattle branch of the National Archives?

“I’m probably going to over commit, but since I’m working with the project team, our goal is really to get something this year out there, whether it’s just a notification that things are happening,” Ryan Kennedy of GSA said. “But we are being aggressive with our work, we want to get started.”

“NARA has been interested for a long time,” Kennedy said. “And we want to support that.”

The same might be said of the Indigenous tribes, historians, museums, local archivists and amateur history researchers who are eager to be part of what comes next, and who want to do all they can to make sure the National Archives always have a home in the Pacific Northwest.

You can hear Feliks Banel every Wednesday and Friday morning on Seattle’s Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien. Read more from Feliks here and subscribe to The Resident Historian Podcast here. If you have a story idea or a question about Northwest history, please email Feliks. You can also follow Feliks on X.

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The encampment was located on Harrison Street between 6th Avenue North and 7th Avenue North and neighbors said it had been there for at least a month.

Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews, police and homeless advocates were on hand to assist with the move and to prevent any trouble. There was none. Campers woke and began to tear down … not knowing where they would go.

Other news: Group agrees to disband UW encampment after reaching deal with administration

“It’s like, we’re not allowed to be anywhere. You know what I mean? So, it’s hard to even find a spot when we’re trying to wait on resources,” a homeless man, who requested anonymity, told KIRO Newsradio.

A South Lake Union homeless encampment was cleared on May 29, 2024. People living there said they’re not sure where they will go. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)

For most people living at the encampment, it’s all about timing. Some said they are immediately moving into a tiny home. Others said they would move back into their parent’s house, but most don’t know where they will sleep in the coming days.

For people who live and work in South Lake Union and who passed the encampment every day, the uncertainty is troubling.

“I just feel bad because this is not the first time I’ve seen a camp cleaned up,” a neighbor who requested anonymity told KIRO Newsradio. “I’m just not sure where these people are supposed to go. As far as I’ve heard a lot of the shelters are filled up and they don’t have space. So, I feel really bad for these people. They don’t really have an option.”

City crews were on hand with garbage trucks to clean up the mess left behind.

More local news: Hundreds of asylum-seeking refugees create encampment in Central District park

Earlier this month, the City of Seattle requested the King County Regional Homelessness Authority to cut its budget by $21 million compared to last year’s spending.

The $21 million is a 19% decrease from last year and, according to The Seattle Times, could potentially eliminate about 300 emergency shelter beds and a 125-bed shelter for Black men in the Central District among a loss of behavioral health services or beds at tiny home villages.

A spokesperson for Mayor Bruce Harrell explained to The Seattle Times the budget reduction is because temporary funding, retrieved through pandemic relief aid, has expired.

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

You can read more of James Lynch’s stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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During an announcement Wednesday afternoon, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said Rahr has no plans to become the permanent chief and will assist Harrell and former police Chief Kathleen O’Toole in a national search for Adrian Diaz’s replacement. Rahr served as the executive director of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission and was a member of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st-century policing.

Former Seattle Police Chief Diaz to work on ‘special projects’

Harrell faced repeated questions during a one-hour press conference about the timing of the change. He said he has had ongoing discussions with Diaz about issues, and recently, Diaz accepted an offer to stay with the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and work on “special projects.” When pressed, Harrell did not specify what those job duties would entail or what Diaz’s title and rank would be.

“He has agreed to put the needs of the city first and work on special projects. To realize the kind of culture change we want, it could be better served with him stepping aside,” Harrell said.

From Jason Rantz: Adrian Diaz out as Seattle Police Chief, will stay with department

“Culture change” was a mantra Harrell repeated five times in his answers. When asked if that meant finding a new chief from outside of Seattle, Harrell said, “No. Anyone who feels they are qualified can apply, but the kind of culture change that I’m looking at, one has to question whether that can come from an internal candidate.”

Since Diaz took over as interim chief in 2020 after Carmen Best voluntarily stepped down, and in the two years since Harrell made him permanent chief, there has been a slow disintegration of trust by members of his department, including members of his command staff. That disarray behind the scenes has resulted in several lawsuits against the chief and claims of discrimination and harassment.

Officers file tort claim against Diaz

After four officers filed a $5 million tort claim against Diaz and the department alleging gender discrimination, Mayor Harrell hired a legal firm to investigate those claims and others. The mayor added that his executive team decided it did not want to wait until the investigations were complete before making the move to bring in a new chief. Harrell denied the timing was a political move to avoid the specter of a chief shrouded in controversy with open investigations when Harrell’s reelection bid begins a year from now.

“I make decisions based on logic, strategy, and the need for effectiveness. It wasn’t a political decision. It’s a decision we think is in the best interest of the city and in the best interest of this department,” Harrell responded.

Harrell also explained there was no specific incident that led to the decision to make a change despite reporters present asking the same question about what exactly the tipping point was.

More on SPD: Seattle Police Department faces staffing shortages causing slower response times

Rahr to make ‘meaningful change’

Rahr said at the news conference that she’s “incredibly honored to step into the big shoes being filled.” She went on to say that she will start listening to the men and women of the Seattle Police Department, asking them to be brutally honest with their assessments while speaking to her.

She also said it’s going to take a lot of time to change and she will take the time to listen.

“I think the Seattle Police Department is open to doing something meaningful, and implementing systemic change because we can’t keep playing Whack-a-Mole every time there’s an allegation here or there,” she said. “Until we change the system, we’re not going to have meaningful change. And that was one of the things that really drew me to this opportunity is to actually do something that’s going to matter.”

In her remarks, Rahr mentioned a desire to see Seattle be known for recruiting women to the department and being the best at it.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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Ilyiss Abdi, 18, and Salman Haji, 19, are charged with murder, robbery and attempted robbery. Abdi is behind bars on $5,000,000 bail but, according to court documents, Haji has fled the country.

Court documents stated the two teens were in a stolen car and on a crime spree on January 26. They allegedly stole a car in Seattle and then tried to use stolen credit cards in Normandy Park. Then they drove to a crowded Costco parking lot and saw two elderly sisters loading their car. They jumped out and allegedly tried to rob the women but when they resisted, Haji allegedly shot Huang once in the chest, while Abdi waited in the car. The two then sped off.

Huang died in the parking lot.

The shooting happened around 10:40 a.m. about 50 feet outside the front door of the store.

Other local crime: Attempted robbery near Auburn Walmart goes awry, victim shoots at suspects

According to those close to the investigation, Huang had no prior connection to the shooter before the fatal encounter.

Following the shooting, police agencies all over Western Washington were on the lookout for the suspects and the vehicle they were driving.

“I think people wondered when they didn’t see a headline of an arrest right away, or a charge right away if things were happening and they certainly were happening behind the scenes,” Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorey’s Offices said.

Court documents stated that less than a month later, Abdi was allegedly involved in another deadly incident. In that case, Abdi was charged with assault and firearm enhancement. He was previously convicted of attempted burglary.

Both teens are due in court on June 5 at 9 a.m.

You can read more of James Lynch’s stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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The Pacific Northwest does not get hurricanes but does get hurricane-force winds with strong north Pacific storms that manage to brush the coast or track inland. Yet for those with relatives and friends who live in hurricane-prone areas along the east and gulf coasts, or if you plan to visit these regions, this outlook can be quite important in early readiness.

The outlook focused on yet another high-activity tropical cyclone season in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions that began in the mid-1990s. There are 17 to 25 named storms anticipated, eight to 13 of which are expected to become hurricanes, and four to seven strengthening to major hurricanes — Category 3 or higher.

From soggy to sunny: This week’s Washington weather roller coaster

The hurricane wind scale ranges from a Category 1 with sustained winds of 74 to 95 mph, a Category 3 of 111 to 129 mph, to the top Category — a 5 with sustained winds of 157 mph or higher. To give perspective, the granddaddy of all non-tropical wind storms to strike the lower 48 in American history, the 1962 Columbus Day Storm, had winds of up to 150 mph along the Oregon and Washington coasts, and in excess of 100 mph in the western interior valleys from Eugene, Oregon, to Vancouver, BC.

The primary reason for the anticipated high number of tropical cyclones is the record warmth of sea surface temperatures from the African coast to the Gulf of Mexico and the eastern seaboard. Those sea surface temperatures are already well into the 80s.

Tropical cyclones feed off warm waters of 80 degrees or warmer, and can rapidly intensify with these record warm waters. An example last October in the eastern Pacific was hurricane Otis which intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours before making landfall in Mexico.

More weather: Does Washington get tornadoes? Here’s what you need to know

Another key reason for the expected high number of tropical cyclones is that El Niño has ended. El Niño tends to tear apart Atlantic tropical cyclones. With the El Niño weather pattern removed, these tropical cyclones have more room to strengthen, hence the more active hurricane outlook for this season.

It is important to prepare in advance for any tropical cyclones. Not only do they produce strong damaging winds, but also heavy rain amounts and flooding, and even tornadoes. But most important is wind-driven storm surge. Since the 1960s, more than half of all tropical cyclone fatalities have involved storm surge flooding. There are a number of storm surge examples, but one significant recent event was Hurricane Katrina which struck Louisiana and Mississippi, resulting in over 1,300 fatalities.

So if you have friends and relatives in these hurricane-prone regions, they need to prepare for what may be a very active hurricane season. If you plan to visit these same areas this summer or early fall, know in advance of any potential incoming storms and prepare ahead of time. Waiting until the storm approaches may be too late.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X.

“We’re dealing with some bad actors here, and it’s impacting the community. It’s impacting our system and our staff,” SPL spokesperson Laura Gentry told KIRO Newsradio.

She said they became aware of the attack Saturday morning and took all of their systems offline.

“Basically, any system that needs to connect to the internet is down, right now. That includes things like our online catalog, our staff and public computers, access to e-books and e-audio books, and even our website, at this time,” Gentry explained.

Gentry did not go into details about the ransomware attack, but typically cybercriminals use malware to block users from accessing their data until they pay a ransom to the hacker.

SPL stated in a news release that it quickly engaged third-party forensic specialists, contacted law enforcement and took systems fully offline to assess the impact.

“With our external partners, we continue to investigate the source of this disruption and are working as quickly and diligently as we can to confirm the extent of the impacts and restore full functionality to our systems. Privacy and security of patron and employee information are top priorities,” stated the news release.

Other news: Will the minimum wage for delivery drivers in Seattle be lowered?

SPL said the systems will remain offline until they can ensure security.

“Unfortunately we don’t have a timeline for resolution at this time. I don’t want to make any promises,” Gentry said. “We’re working as hard as we can to bring any and all systems back online securely.”

The library stated it will continue to release updates.

“We are an organization that prides itself on providing you answers, and we are sorry that the information we can share is limited. At this time, securing and restoring our systems is where we are focused. We will update you in this space as we make progress on that work,” the release continued. “We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this difficult situation.”

However, the library is still open to patrons. SPL said people are welcome to enjoy spaces; check out physical books, CDs and DVDs in paper forms and that staff will continue to answer referral and reference questions.

The library also said while patrons cannot currently place holds, they are welcome to pick up holds already on the shelf. Also, people are encouraged to hold onto their materials a bit longer as the library will not charge daily late fines until the system is back up.

SPL also asks people to bring their physical library card or card number. It also noted that library summer hours will start June 20 and several locations will be open longer.

Seattle Public Library faces budget cuts, staffing shortages

In April, SPL announced it was closing 22 or its 27 locations for at least one day per week until the beginning of June, amid increasingly problematic staffing shortages and safety concerns.

In March at a Seattle City Council meeting, librarians expressed their frustrations, reported KIRO 7.

More deficits: Seattle Public Schools’ budget in disarray, could close 20 elementary schools

“When libraries close, it means the whole community loses a place to turn for learning and joy and safety and connection with each other,” Jacob, a local librarian, said according to KIRO 7.

Council member Tammy Morales released a statement stating she is worried the City of Seattle budget deficit will affect the libraries.

“This is a wake-up call for our city. Without urgent action, things will get so much worse than this. The City of Seattle is facing a more than $240 million budget deficit. There’s no way to cut that much from the budget without decimating essential services like our libraries, work on homelessness, and public safety programs for years to come,” Morales said.

Heather Bosch is an award-winning anchor and reporter on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her stories here. Follow Heather on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

After grappling with unexpected officer separations over the past three years, SPD is still not hiring enough officers to replace those who have left. While the rate of officer separations has become more predictable and is steadily decreasing, the department is now on track to hire even fewer recruits than last year.

The department had 1,002 fully trained officers at the end of 2023, but new estimates expect that number to drop by 10 officers to 992 by the end of 2024. SPD’s original 2024 staffing plan assumed 120 hires and 105 separations. SPD is now planning for 20 fewer hires and five fewer separations in 2024.

The new projections reflect changes realized in the first quarter. The projections are not adjusted for future months (April-Dec 2024), which are likely to produce fewer hires than previously planned.

‘Personally alarmed’: Seattle police chief presents ideas as officer numbers sink

SPD staffing woes have impact on public safety metrics

SPD’s staffing woes are having a noticeable impact on public safety metrics. Response times for emergency calls are worsening as the department struggles to maintain adequate staffing levels. SPD’s response time goal for a priority one call is a 7-minute median time, meaning half of the calls were over 7 minutes and the other half were less than 7 minutes.

A priority one call is when someone’s life could be in danger. Priority two is still an emergency but not life-threatening, potentially resulting in an injury. Priority three is a non-emergency incident like a noise complaint or illegal campfire, requiring an officer to respond to take a follow-up report.

From January to March 2024, the median response time citywide was 7.9 minutes, with an average response time of 11.4 minutes. For priority two calls, the median was 33.1 minutes, and the average was 75.7 minutes. For priority three calls, the median was 81.8 minutes, and the average was 154.5 minutes, more than 2.5 hours.

Comparing the first quarter of 2024 to the same period last year, all five precincts lagged behind their 2023 average and median response times for all priority calls, except in the Southwest Precinct, which improved priority two call times. The West Precinct, which is in downtown Seattle, had the best median response time at 6.3 minutes, while the Northwest Precinct, the largest geographically in the city, had the worst median time at 9.8 minutes.

Council President Sara Nelson expressed concern over reassigning detectives and beat cops to patrol due to staffing issues.

“If we have removed the investigators and put them into patrol, that means we can’t do proactive policing; we are just responding to emergency calls,” Nelson said.

‘SPD is dying’: What Seattle police officers are saying during exit interviews

SPD faces budget issues

Compounding these issues is SPD’s budget management. As of the first quarter of 2024, the department has already spent 24% of its annual overtime budget. Projections suggest that SPD may overspend its overtime budget by the end of the year. The current hiring shortfalls have inadvertently provided salary savings of $3 million that could be used to offset the potential overtime budget overspend. However, this balance is precarious and may shift if hiring improves and overtime spending continues to rise.

Council member Rob Saka questioned the need for executive protection for Chief Adrian Diaz, suggesting it could represent a cost-saving measure if reduced.

“We normally would expect to have executive protection for the mayor versus chiefs of police without a response to a specific threat,” Saka said.

The impact of the recently passed CB 120776, aimed at improving SPD’s recruitment and retention, has yet to be felt due to delays and the recent approval of a 23% retroactive pay raise for officers. SPD’s ability to manage its budget effectively in the coming months will largely depend on its success in recruiting new officers and controlling overtime expenditures. The department’s leadership is under pressure to address these challenges promptly to prevent further deterioration of response times and to maintain public safety.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

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The man slipped and fell on Saturday near the High Steel Bridge, southwest of Hood Canal. Mason County Sheriff’s Corporal Tim Ripp told KIRO Newsradio it’s always dangerous when people explore the nearby canyon walls.

“The terrain on the side trails changes drastically and it’ll look like you’re walking on a trail and the brush and growth and everything, you’ll walk right off the cliff,” he explained.

Other news: Why were Washington ferries out of service this weekend?

The 19-year-old was with his family at the time, when he ventured off on his own and fell. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office said rescue crews pulled the man to safety from the bottom of the bridge.

Ripp told KIRO Newsradio when crews found the man, he was cold and wet because he went into the Skokomish River and then went on top of a rock.

“He was cold and wet but he was alive and that was very fortunate because many have not ended in the same manner,” he said.

Ripp shared he was happy the man survived because not everyone does.

“It was a relief actually hearing him yell for help because it’s a good sign that he’s alive because we’ve had many over the years that unfortunately have been fatal,” he said.

From soggy to sunny: This week’s Washington weather roller coaster

According to the Washington Trails Association, High Steel Bridge is the tallest railroad bridge ever built in the U.S. It was built by the Simpson Logging Company in 1929 and was converted into a road during the 1950’s to 1960’s.

“This is not really a hike but you can walk across the bridge and check out the excellent dizzying views down into the canyon.  There is a trail that descends into the canyon but it is closed because it is too dangerous,” states the Washington Trails Association website.

Ripp explained the area near the High Steel Bridge is a trouble spot because the side trails are so unstable that people easily lose their footing. And even though there are signs in the area warning people to stay off the side trails, crews respond to about five deaths every year below the bridge.

Contributing: Aaron Granillo, KIRO Newsradio

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

“When she was on the starting line, we did notice that this athlete was quite differently built. And we could tell something was a little different at that point, but their backs returned to us so we couldn’t see their faces,” Wilson told “The John and Jake Show” on KIRO Newsradio last week. “And so we had no idea. And it wasn’t until they stepped up on that podium that the chatter started to go around the field.”

Video: John’s strange barn rental request – John and Jake

Wilson’s daughter later told her the first-place winner was a boy. Her daughter also shared that she believed she could have won first place if she had known that, to which Wilson responded that she just wasn’t sure.

“It’s just he’s just stronger and faster. And you could see that as he did that last, you know, 100 meters. He was he just came flying by and she had given it everything she had. And he just had more,” she said.

John Curley host of “The John and Jake Show” noted that the way the rules are written is that anyone can compete by what gender they identify as.

Curley added that boys are built with a larger lung capacity and a different hip structure, inferring a biological advantage

Wilson shared that she thinks it isn’t fair for girls to compete against a biological boy. However, she also believes the online attacks the transgender child faced were unfair.

Other news: Woodland Park Zoo shares ultrasound pictures of popular animal for the first time

“I hope that we can find a way to make it fair for girls, and also for this transgender child as well, that he can race somewhere and not be ridiculed,” she said.

Wilson added the solution is simple — create a co-ed division where anyone can race.

To listen to the entire podcast with more details about what happened during the race and how Wilson’s daughter was affected, click below:

Listen to John Curley and Jake Skorheim weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

The cool and somewhat soggy holiday weekend is expected to give way to breaks in the cloud cover revealing some sunshine on Memorial Day. Highs will warm to around average for late May – in the mid-60s to lower 70s.

The wet weather is not over yet though. Another Pacific frontal system just offshore is posed to swing onshore Tuesday for another round of much-needed rainfall. Highs will again be cooler than average Tuesday, climbing only into the mid-50s to lower 60s.

Buehner: Will it rain (like always) during Memorial Day Weekend?

Lower pressure aloft with its cooler unstable air mass is forecast to move ashore behind the frontal system Tuesday night and Wednesday for a mix of showers, sunbreaks and the threat of an afternoon thunderstorm. Highs again will only reach into the mid-50s to lower 60s. Low temperatures will dip into the 40s. For those spending time in the mountains Wednesday, the snow level will temporarily fall to near 4000 feet.

The rainfall is vital. This month so far as well April has been below average for precipitation. The rain in the past week has helped narrow that deficit, though many places in Western Washington remain one to three inches below normal for the year. Forecast total rain amounts Tuesday and Wednesday in Western Washington will range from about a half inch to just over an inch, while in the mountains, up to two inches of rain is anticipated.

Some relief from the recent period of rain is anticipated for the rest of the week. Higher pressure aloft is expected to build over the region on Thursday and Friday for increasing sunshine. Highs are forecast to warm into the 60s with some of the usual warmer spots cracking the 70-degree mark on Friday.

Anticipating weather for Sounders, Mariners games

For those going to the Seattle Sounders soccer game against Real Salt Lake at Lumen Field on Wednesday evening, there is the possibility of lingering showers with temperatures in the 50s during the match.

Also this weekend: What’s open and closed on Memorial Day

The Seattle Mariners return home for a 4-game series against the Houston Astros Monday through Thursday. The stadium roof will likely be open Monday evening but closed Tuesday and Wednesday. First pitch temperatures Monday evening should be in the lower 60s, while the two games are expected to be in the cool 50s. For the final game of the series Thursday afternoon, the roof should be open with sunshine and temperatures in the 60s.

Then the Los Angeles Angels visit the Mariners Friday through the weekend. First pitch temperatures should again be in the lower to mid-60s Friday.

After rather cool and moist spring weather, warmer sunshine is anticipated before the end of the week to finish the month. At least the rainfall has diminished the pollen count.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X.

According to court documents, the teens face multiple felony charges, including auto theft, assault, strong arm robbery and burglary.

“When you have allegations like this it’s got to be before the court. These aren’t diversion cases and if there are youth who think there are no consequences, I can just go home, that’s not the case,” Casey McNerthney, director of communications for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO), said.

The group was in a stolen car, trying to evade police, on May 7, when a SWAT Team and the King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One helicopter were called in. It was all recorded, including their arrests.

“It’s a very difficult situation because nobody wins out of it. The best we can do is try to decrease recidivism and have accountability in the clearest possible way,” McNerthney said.

More from the crime blotter: High-speed chase reaching 114 mph ends in arrest at Federal Way Trader Joe’s

More charges are possible

Investigators believe the group may be responsible for more crimes than they currently are being charged with. Similar crimes that happened at the same time period are under investigation and could lead to additional charges.

McNerthney says their arrest and charges will hopefully be a wake-up call for other juveniles headed down the wrong path.

“I think there are some kids who think, “Oh, I’m never going to get in real trouble for this.’ But there are many kids who do, and those decisions can be life changing for a lot of people,” McNerthney said.

The juveniles were placed in secure detention at the Patricia H. Clark Family Justice Center in Seattle.

You can read more of James Lynch’s stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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More than 18,000 fans were in attendance to watch the Storm take on the Fever, including the 12-year-old girls’ Seattle Rotary Lady Style Basketball team.

More on the Seattle Storm: Caitlin Clark brings record crowd to game with Storm

“I am here to see Caitlin Clark, Jewell Loyd and Nika Muhl,” 12-year-old Alliyah, a guard for the Rotary basketball team, said. “It’s crazy because I’ve never seen a girls’ basketball game sold out!”

After she said that, she walked to meet her friends beaming from ear to ear.

“Watching the game tonight and the fans gives me hope for when I make it to the WNBA!” Alliyah’s teammate, GG, told KIRO Newsradio. “I want to be the next Caitlin Clark or a guard in my own right.”

The other young women in attendance said they were in awe of the sold-out game and couldn’t believe so many people were there to cheer on women’s basketball.

“My favorite part of the whole night is just being here,” Nyla, another girl on the rotary basketball team said.

“The support people are giving Caitlin Clark is pretty cool,” her teammate Khloe said. “The energy was like, wow, I don’t know how to describe it.”

Among the record-breaking crowd were local celebrity athletes including former Seattle SuperSonics player and University of Washington Huskies star Detlef Schrempf, former NBA star Isaiah Tomas, former Storm forward Gabby Williams and a few current and former Seattle Seahawks, including wide receiver Tyler Lockett. A few members of the Seahawks even went onto the court during a timeout to throw shirts into the crowd.

Tasha Burns, director and head coach of the Seattle Rotary Lady Style basketball team said she felt a great deal of satisfaction watching the Storm and watching her team of players watch the Storm.

“As a coach committed to inspiring young talent in basketball, witnessing the Seattle Storm make history was an incredible experience,” Burns said. “There was a lot of pride as I watched my players’ excitement. The Storm’s achievements serve as a powerful reminder that dreams are attainable with hard work, dedication and teamwork. It’s not just about winning games, it’s about breaking barriers and setting new standards.”

Nika Muhl of the Seattle Storm, left, and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever watch the action while a player shoots a free throw during their matchup at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (Photo: Steph Chambers, Getty Images)

No surprise, the crowd erupted when Seattle Storm rookie Nika Mühl was called to the court to make her professional debut, recording two rebounds in two minutes in the third quarter while also being used as the primary defender on Clark.

Mühl, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, couldn’t join the Storm for its first four games due to complications converting her student visa into a P1A work visa. Mühl is a Croatian citizen who used a student visa during her four-year tenure at the University of Connecticut.

Rookie love 💚 pic.twitter.com/DoEkF7YC9a

— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) May 23, 2024

More on local women’s basketball: UW star basketball player is living her dream, looking toward the future

Storm fans got to go home happy as Seattle won a tension-filled game 85-83 after a nail-biting ending. For those who missed this matchup, Clark and the Fever return to Climate Pledge Arena June 27.

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

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“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel, stated.

Going further, road trips are expected to set a record. AAA projects 38.4 million people will travel by car during the Memorial Day weekend, the highest number for that holiday since AAA began tracking in 2000. The number of drivers this year is up 4% compared to last year and 1.9% higher than in 2019.

Traveling by car is appealing for many people because of the convenience and flexibility it provides. But while it may be convenient, many other people throughout the Pacific Northwest will likely have the same idea and get in the car for their trip. That’s going to cause a lot of traffic.

“I say this every year on holiday weekends like Memorial Day and Labor Day. Leave early or leave late. It’s really just that simple,” KIRO Newsradio traffic reporter Chris Sullivan said this week. “If you don’t want to be stuck sucking on the fumes of the cars in front of you, you need to beat them to the road or wait until they’ve already gone through.”

Sullivan also advised listeners to expect issues on the afternoon and some of the major roadways.

“You really don’t want to be on the road late this afternoon, as some people head out early,” Sullivan said. “The worst time to be on the road Friday will be between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. The worst roads will be Interstate 90 (I-90) East from North Bend to Ellensburg and Interstate 5 (I-5) south from Tacoma to Olympia.”

Some notes on specific Washington roads

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) released their Memorial Day weekend travel charts and the agency noted that I-5 between Lacey to Tacoma will see some level of congestion all day Sunday before it lets up later in the day. This was after drivers saw congestion in some spots through 7 p.m. Friday and large parts of Saturday too.

The news from WSDOT on I-90 between North Bend and Cle Elum is a bit better. But the travel charts reveal that area will see some level of congestion going west Sunday afternoon before the traffic completely lightens up later in the evening. Going east should be better, but travelers will see some “moderate to heavy traffic” between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday.

Drivers can also expect to see heavy traffic or congestion at various times all weekend on U.S. 2 between Stevens Pass and Skykomish and on I-5 between Bellingham and the U.S.-Canada border. Notably, travelers can expect to see congestion or “moderate to heavy traffic” going west from Stevens Pass to Skyhomish between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and both directions between Bellingham and the Canadian border Sunday.

Friends don’t let friends travel on Memorial Day weekend without checking the travel charts for I-5, I-90 and US 2: https://t.co/RbRAD9UOUJ pic.twitter.com/lZ6PjKrnAf

— Washington State DOT (@wsdot) May 22, 2024

“The worst day of these three-day weekends is always the ‘get-back’ day on Monday. That’s going to be a grind from about 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” Sullivan said.

Looking at the Washington State Ferries (WSF), more than 350,000 people are expected to use the ferry system over the next four days, Sullivan said. The westbound trips will be jammed through Friday. Coming home eastbound on Monday, you had better be in line early, Sullivan added.

Also causing issues for ferry riders: Low tides. WSF had to cancel sailings Saturday and was forced to cancel several more Sunday. Head here for the latest information.

Expect the airport to be busy

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expected to screen over 365,000 passengers leaving Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport) from through Tuesday. That is a nearly 10% increase from last year, KIRO 7 reported.

Airport officials estimate 760,000 passengers will be departing and arriving at the airport over the holiday.

When fliers take off and which airline they have booked with likely will make a difference for travelers as well.

JW Surety Bonds analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report to identify the best and worst airlines to rely on for fights.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac Airport) has the second most on-time departures during Memorial Day weekend, with 86.1% of all flights departing on time, according to the company’s analysis. Hawaiian Airlines, Alaskan Airlines, and Delta Air Lines are the best airlines to fly during Memorial Day weekend. Meanwhile Virgin Atlantic, Frontier Airlines, and JetBlue Airways are the worst airlines.

The company also reported flights scheduled between 6 and 7 a.m. across various airports tend to have the highest on-time departure performance, with percentages as high as 96.4%. On the other side, afternoon and early evening flights generally have the worst on-time departure performance, with flights between 2-3 p.m. tending to have lower on-time percentages. Some airports drop as low as 64.8% during that time.

Some advice to navigate the airport

In addition to this being a busy travel season, KIRO 7 notes travelers are also having to navigate through all the construction inside the airport which has shut down one of the TSA checkpoints, making lines longer and causing tons of confusion

Sea-Tac Airport spokesperson Peter McGraw told KIRO Newsradio earlier this week that he recommends users check Sea-Tac Airport’s website ahead of time to see what the recommendation is for arriving. A good rule of thumb is to get to the airport two to three hours before the flight is scheduled to depart.

To keep up to date on security waiting times, travelers can download the flySEA app. The app has information about ground transportation, parking, security screening, international travel and more. Head here for a few more tips on getting around Sea-Tac Airport.

More on PNW travel: Why was Sea-Tac Airport so busy last weekend? Will it get worse?

For those people who are heading to the airport, but not to travel, one tip Sullivan brought up during an appearance on KIRO Newsradio’s “The Gee and Ursula Show” Friday was to “think opposite.” The essence of the advice is for drivers who need to do a pickup during a busy period, consider getting people coming in at the departures area and if you need to do a drop off during a busy time, bring those people to the arrivals area.

“It works. It really works,” Sullivan said.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest; Tom Brock, KIRO Newsradio.

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, or email him here.

“I’ve been living in my van, couch-surfing and showering at my gym,” he said. “None of this makes sense to me, and I ask myself every day who wins in this situation.”

Roth was informed that a backlog of unlawful detainer cases in King County is pushing his court date back by six to eight months.

More on Roth’s tenant: Seattle homeowner’s ‘nightmare’ situation resolved one year later

He’s not alone.

King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Ketu Shah reported a 24% increase in hearings for unlawful detainer cases, resulting in months-long delays before hearings are set. King County has seen cases rise from an average of 57 per month in 2021 to 622 per month in 2024. As of March 31, 2,151 cases are pending, with only about a dozen resolved per day.

King County is struggling with this workload due to a constitutional requirement that unlawful detainer cases must be heard by a constitutional commissioner. Each county is limited to three commissioners, regardless of population size.

“This is where our system is broken,” Democratic Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah, who is also running for governor, said. “We have 39 counties; some have 40,000 people, and some, like King County, have 2.3 million people — they all have a three-commissioner limit. We need to change the constitution.”

Republican King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn agreed.

“It might have made sense in 1889, but King County has a third of the state’s population,” Dunn said. “Three commissioners just aren’t going to get it done.”

A change to the constitution requires a two-thirds vote in both the state House and Senate. Dunn attributes the rise in unlawful detainer cases to the expiration of pandemic-era tenant protections.

“Most of those provisions have sunsetted, even in Seattle, and now landlords have the legal right to remove tenants from their property,” Dunn said.

Additionally, state legislators have assigned more duties to constitutional commissioners, including cases regarding guardianship, right to counsel and domestic violence protection orders.

“This is the trifecta that’s created our current headache and misery,” Mullet said.

More from Matt Markovich: Washington Republicans face internal feud over endorsements ahead of elections

Senate Bill 6210, sponsored by Mullet, proposed authorizing “statutory commissioners” to hear unlawful detainer cases and included $5.25 million to fund these positions. However, it was defeated due to additional requirements for income limits on state-funded legal representation in evictions.

Mullet believes a “clean bill” focusing solely on increasing constitutional commissioners would garner bipartisan support. Dunn is also seeking funding in the 2025 King County budget for more commissioners, pending legislative changes.

“I have a lot of anxiety if we don’t fix the system,” Mullet said. “We will end up with people not wanting to be housing providers in Washington because they feel there’s no certainty.”

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/mattmarkovich

College fight songs get most of the love and attention and airplay around here, and most people can recognize “Bow Down To Washington” or whatever they call that song from that school over by Pullman. Even high school fight songs get a fair amount of love and attention, while those from junior highs and middle schools seem to languish in obscurity. Either way, the songs sung by sometimes cracking voices from 6th grade to 9th grade are worth shining some light on now as the school year winds down, and worth assembling something of an online archive around.

More from Feliks Banel: Grassroots preservation campaign saves Parkland School

Thanks to fellow Rose Hill Royal, Bill Wixey of FOX 13 Seattle, for joining me in a sample video to sing the fight song for Rose Hill Junior High, which is now called Rose Hill Middle School. It didn’t hurt my feelings that my old friend Bill called me “Alex” by mistake, and that he didn’t know all the words to the song.

Bill Wixey was, is and always will be a Rose Hill Royal. And look at that hair! (Photo: 1981 Rose Hill Junior High yearbook courtesy of Feliks Banel, KIRO Newsradio)

To join in the fight song challenge fun, just film yourself alone or with a group of alums or family members or friends singing the fight song from your Puget Sound area junior high or middle school. Share the video via my Facebook page, or share on some other video site and then share the link. (You could also send your song to my email below.) There are no prizes to be had other than pride of accomplishment, and pride in your alma mater, of course. The deadline is sometime in early June so that we can share on the radio before the end of the school year.

Special thanks to Rose Hill Middle School Band Director Angie Laulainen for making a new recording of the Rose Hill fight song so Bill and “Alex” had something to sing along to.

You can hear Feliks Banel every Wednesday and Friday morning on Seattle’s Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien. Read more from Feliks here and subscribe to The Resident Historian Podcast here. If you have a story idea or a question about Northwest history, please email Feliks. You can also follow Feliks on X.

Follow @https://twitter.com/feliksbanel

The couple’s claim the charge Rankine faced was “politically motivated false accusations of racial and bias policing and criminal misconduct creating a hostile work environment, inciting hatred, threats, and violence against me and my family.

The tort claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit, seeks $35 million for Rankine and $12 million for his wife.

According to the claim, Rankine’s wife suffered damage to her marriage, personal safety and severe emotional distress.

“Mr. Rankine is stepping forward together with his wife to seek redress for vilifying him and falsely accusing him of misconduct and basically murder,” Rankine’s attorney Joan Mell said.

A spokesperson for the city of Tacoma said in an email to The Associated Press Tuesday that the city doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

Rankine, 2 others went on trial for the 2020 death of Manny Ellis

Rankine, along with fellow former officers Matthew Collins and Christopher Burbank stood trial in 2023 and were acquitted for the death of Manny Ellis, 33, in March of 2020. Rankine testified during the that he pressed down on Ellis’ back despite Ellis saying he couldn’t breathe. Rankine was acquitted of manslaughter but said in the claims filed that his reputation has been destroyed.

2023 verdict: 3 police officers found not guilty in the death of Manny Ellis

Rankine and the other officers each received $500,000 from the City of Tacoma after they agreed to leave their positions with the city.

Attorneys for the three had argued that Ellis died from a lethal amount of methamphetamine as well as a heart condition, not from the officers’ actions. The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and said it was caused by a lack of oxygen during the physical restraint.

Rankine’s attorney says that’s not near enough to compensate for what the couple has lost.

“They became national public figures for a race discussion for which they had no control. They became the poster family for divisiveness,” Mell said.

More on this case: US Attorney’s Office to launch its own probe in the death of Manny Ellis

Former Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist provided legal analysis during the former officers’ trial. He says it’s hard for him to see the merits of the lawsuit.

“When a jury finds a defendant not guilty, the jury is simply saying the prosecutor failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury is not saying the defendant is innocent. The jury is not saying we approve of the defendant’s conduct. The jury is just saying the prosecutor did not prove the case,” Lindquist said to KIRO Newsradio.

Lindquist went on to say that the jury finding Rankine not guilty of the charges doesn’t mean that there was no merit to file the charges to begin with.

“Prosecutors have broad discretion to bring criminal charges. Here, the prosecutor was the attorney general. A judge reviewed the criminal complaint and found probable cause for the charges. There’s no legal basis to pursue the AG for filing these charges,” Lindquist continued.

Christopher Burbank departs: Officer acquitted in Manny Ellis’ death, hired in Thurston County resigns

Now that the tort claim has been filed, there is a 60-day wait before the actual lawsuit can be filed.

“It’s not a race issue but it’s been exploited and made into a race issue by politicians and officials who have no business arguing the race claim at all. I think that’s exploitation,” Mell said.

Contributing: The Associated Press

You can read more of James Lynch’s stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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The divide will become even more apparent as the Mainstream Republicans of Washington hold their annual Cascade Conference from May 31-June 2 in Yakima.

In four of the most prominent races in the state — U.S. Senate, governor, 4th Congressional District and state lands commissioner, there was only one overlapping endorsement between the Mainstream Republicans and the Washington State Republican Party.

Over 1,800 delegates made their endorsements in late April during the party’s annual convention in Spokane.

It featured raucous debates with many delegates sporting MAGA hats and waving Trump banners.

But before the convention, Mainstream Republicans of Washington released its endorsements of former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert for governor, incumbent Dan Newhouse for the 4th Congressional District, and former former U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler for state lands commissioner. The current commissioner, Democrat Hilary Franz, is running for the 6th Congressional District seat.

Delegates at the convention endorsed Semi Bird instead of Reichert for governor, Jerrod Sessler instead of Newhouse in the 4th District, and Sue Kuehl Pederson instead of Herrera Beutler for state lands commissioner.

Both groups endorsed Dr. Raul Garcia as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in the race against Democratic incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell.

It was the first time convention goers endorsed candidates so early in the election cycle, even before the candidate filing period had ended, and delegates did not follow the Mainstream Republicans’ endorsements.

More from Matt Markovich: Signature gathering begins for initiative to keep natural gas in Washington

Reichert left the convention claiming his own party and the event were in a state of “disarray.”

“Our priority is supporting electable candidates, not necessarily the popular ones,” Mainstream Republican Chairwoman Deanna Martinez  said to KIRO Newsradio.

Panelists listed for the Cascade Conference do not include Bird, Sessler, or Pederson. Reichert will be the conference’s keynote speaker Saturday night.

‘The Republican Party is a big tent’

State Republican Party Chairman Rep. Jim Walsh says the public should not read too much into the different sets of endorsements.

“The Republican Party is a big tent, and we have all kinds of perspectives. We are at the beginning of the process,” Walsh said to KIRO Newsradio.

He presided over the Spokane convention and is listed as a moderator and speaker at the Cascade Convention.

“I represent everybody who is moderate, right-of-center politically in Washington, and there are increasingly more and more of those people,” Walsh explained.

By the nature of his job as state party chairman, Walsh sees himself as the peacemaker and coalition builder in support of all Republican candidates.

Martinez, on the other hand, sees her group as backing the candidates that are electable in a state that currently holds the longest streak of Democratic governors in the nation. The last Republican elected as governor of the state of Washington was in 1980.

Voters are not required to list a political party preference when they register to vote.

A January 2024 Crosscut/Stu Elway poll of 403 respondents statewide indicated 53% would register as a Democrat or are independent leaning Democrat. The poll also showed 34% would register  Republican or are independent leaning Republican and 13% declared to be independent. (A PDF of the poll results can be seen here.)

Republicans can ill afford to fracture their vote in what is clearly still a very blue state.

‘Discriminatory practices’: Seattle police captain sues city, Chief Adrian Diaz

When asked if she’s satisfied with the current direction of the Republican Party in the state, Martinez replied, “That’s a big question to answer.”

She added, “Am I satisfied? No, I don’t think anybody is satisfied because we really need to work together. Not that we are not, but I think certain areas of the state may not agree with some of what we stand for.”

A gamble to endorse candidates so early

State Republicans took a gamble by endorsing candidates at the April convention so early in the election cycle.

Walsh said the gamble was worth it.

“Yes, I think it was. It activated a lot of new voters. A large majority of delegates on the floor of that convention were first-time delegates. They were people new to the political process. Getting them involved and activated is critically important,” Walsh said.

Martinez believes the intention to endorse candidates early on is a good step to minimize the number of candidates in each race.

“I don’t know if it was successful,” says Martinez.

Both Martinez and Walsh agree the “disconnect” among Republicans is being made a bigger issue than it really is.

While Walsh is trying to be all things to all Republicans, Martinez stresses the party needs to focus its support on the most electable candidates.

“Beating the Democrat is all that really matters,” says Martinez said.

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/mattmarkovich

According to Washington-based American Automobile Association (AAA) Vice President of Travel Michelle Glass, those who don’t have a timed entry reservation might not get in this weekend.

The national park hopes a pilot timed-entry reservation system will reduce wait times, heavy traffic and overcrowding.

“I asked our travel advisors, ‘Where are you seeing people going?'” Glass told KIRO Newsradio. “And, you know, they’re going to the national parks (like Glacier in Montana). They’re going early, before the parks get too crowded. Also, you might know, Rainier National Park is now starting on Friday by appointment only. You’re not getting in unless you make a reservation, a timed reservation.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Friday and Monday at Mount Rainier National Park have limited availability. But Saturday and Sunday appear to be sold out for the Paradise Corridor entrance.

This is how it works:

• Friday-Monday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day),  timed-entry reservations are required to enter the Paradise Corridor on the south side of the park from from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily.
• Thursday, July 4-Monday, Sept. 2 timed-entry reservations are required to enter the Sunrise Corridor on the northeast side of the park from from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily.

Take note because the website also states that visitors entering the park in a vehicle or on a motorcycle in one of these areas during these dates need two items:

1. A timed entry reservation or a service reservation (lodging, camping, wilderness permit, etc.)
2. A park entrance fee or a valid park pass (annual, senior, military, etc.).

Also note that the park entrance fee will not be available online through recreation.gov during the timed entry reservation period between May 19 and Sept. 2. They must be purchased in person at entrances to the park.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the park is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week and visitors may enter timed-entry reservation areas before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m. without a reservation.

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/onairmichelle