Seattle Tunnel Partners Employees Accused of Being Drunk: This looks bad, bad, bad for Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP), the Washington State Department of Transportation's contractor on the deep-bore tunnel replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct. KING 5 got hold of a letter one STP worker sent to WSDOT in January, alleging that a supervisor and some of his coworkers would "show up to work drunk" on a project that's already in the spotlight for high-stakes public safety concerns. Four other employees confirmed seeing coworkers drunk on the work site to KING 5, and even more reported that Bertha workers exchanged bottles of Grey Goose for favors, like more hours.
Also, Sexual Harassment: The original letter writer also described sexual harassment on the work site, too. KING 5 found workers who described a supervisor texting female employees inappropriately.
But STP Denies It: WSDOT knew about the letter at least as early as January 15, when the state wrote union reps about the alleged behavior, according to KING 5. STP denied the allegations described above, describing them as unsubstantiated or already resolved. Still, KING 5 reports, it appears that STP failed to interview the original letter writer in its investigation of the claims.
Can We Let That Sink In? Very likely not the last time we'll be hearing of this.
Ansel Has New Video of a Seattle Police Officer Calling a Person of Color "Racist": Two witnesses allege that two men with signs reading, "I'm a Muslim. People Label Me a Terrorist. If You Trust Me, Give Me a Hug," at Pike Place Market were harassed and threatened by a Seattle police officer. New video shows Officer Thomas Christensen calling one of the men racist.
SHARK, SHAAAAAAARK! THERE'S A GREAT WHITE SHARK CRUISING OFF THE WASHINGTON COAST: In news so important it had to be in all caps, OH MY GOD there is a great white shark that's mauled at least one harbor seal pup and it is not too far away. Which is kind of cool, when you think about it. Biological diversity!
Protesters Don't Like Oil Trains Rumbling Under Seattle: After two separate oil trains derailed and erupted in flames in West Virginia and Ontario, Seattleites held a protest last night over concerns in the century-old King Street tunnel, where oil trains pass beneath the city and head to refineries in Northwest Washington. Crude-by-rail transportation has skyrocketed in recent years, and oil train safety regulations have not yet caught up to the times.
Speaking of Crude Oil, Obama Spikes Keystone XL: President Obama vetoed Republicans' Keystone Pipeline bill, the third time he's vetoed anything in his six-years-plus as president. But the project's not dead yet. The State Department still has to review the Keystone XL proposal, and then the president will make the final decision. Possible weird side effect if Keystone doesn't happen: more tar sands crude-by-rail in Washington? *cue Alanis*
Seattle Police Union Wants to Keep Top Hires In-House: The Seattle Times reports that the Seattle Police Management Association (SPMA) has an unfair-labor-practice complaint that's attempting to shut down a city ordinance allowing police chief Kathleen O'Toole to hire outsiders for top positions. O'Toole came to Seattle by way of Boston and Ireland.
Some Monster Stole 50 Birds from King County Bird Sanctuary: Who would do such a thing? The birds included "cockatoos, Senegal parrots, Meyer's parrots, brown-headed parrots, and red-bellied parrots" worth some $10,000, reports the Seattle Times. "I’m devastated," Bob Dawson, owner of the sanctuary and rescue, told the paper.
Speaking of Birds, Driver Says He Crashed Into Pole Because He Was Chasing an Owl: Man, people must be bored these days.
The FCC is About to Vote on Net Neutrality: And the new rules would likely mean a win for internet freedom activists and pretty much everyone who isn't a big corporation. John Oliver does a fantastic job of explaining why you should care about regulating the internet like a public utility. Net neutrality is something that sounds deadly boring, but it's really the opposite.
