Seattle Public Schools Are Staring Down Their Worst Budget Shortfall Since the '70s: Public schools are missing $74 million to educate students for the 2017-2018 school year because the state Legislature is refusing to fund education. "Closing the $74 million gap will be the most difficult challenge we’ve faced in decades," SPS spokesperson Luke Duecy wrote in a press release. This could mean teacher layoffs.
But Now You Can Use Your Phone to Buy Metro and Some Sound Transit Tickets: The TransitGoTicket app now allows you to skip an ORCA card when buying tickets and day passes. It's a six-month pilot project funded by the Federal Transit Administration. Check it out.
Seattle Will Open Three New Homeless Encampments Next Year: "Beginning in early 2017, about 200 people experiencing homelessness will be housed in three new authorized tent and tiny house encampments," Heidi reports. More details here.
Non-Native Mountain Goats Have Doubled in the Olympic Mountains: And National Park officials are concerned. The non-native goats were first introduced in the 1920s as a hobby for sport hunters. Now they won't stop eating and fucking. "Those that are mating can become quite aggressive," KNKX reports. "And they sometimes seek out humans when they’re looking for food or salt. In 2010, one fatally gored a park visitor."
Park Officials Are Proposing Shooting the Goats with Paint Ball Guns or Firecrackers: This is so they can be intimidated away from humans and relocated to eat and fuck elsewhere.
The Department of Homeland Security Recommends Continued Use of Private Immigration Detention Facilities: Ansel wrote quite a bit about the issues with immigrant detention centers like these. Read, for example, the story of an undocumented immigrant who was fighting cancer and deportation at the same time behind bars in Tacoma.
Congressman Adam Smith Says He's Going to Fight the DHS Decision: "I am extremely disappointed by this announcement, as this policy will continue the status quo of systemic problems in our immigration detention system that we know must be fixed," Washington Congressman Adam Smith said in a statement. "I will continue to fight for polices that will comprehensively reform our flawed detention policy. It is unacceptable for our immigration detention system to be allowed to benefit private corporations at high cost to taxpayers, detainees, and their families.”
Undocumented Seattle University Student Says He Refuses to Feel Afraid After the Election: "As an undocumented immigrant, I have hidden in the shadows of American society while at the same time dedicating so much to it," Carlos Rodriguez wrote in a letter to his fellow students a week after the election. "Last week I was afraid and I still carry that fear, but the panic and unease I saw in so many students on our campus and around the nation has moved me to act and fight for our most basic human rights. I should not have to feel afraid any longer."
Domestic Violence Calls Are Some of the Most Dangerous for Police Officers: "That’s partly because they're so frequent even though domestic violence is still under-reported," KNKX says.
Tacoma's Domestic Violence Center Was Created After a Fatal Police-Involved Shooting, Too: But it was after then-Tacoma Police Chief David Brame who shot his wife Crystal before killing himself. "Crystal had repeatedly asked for help from city leaders and friends," KING 5 writes. "A lawsuit against the City and the ensuing settlement led to the creation of the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center a couple of years later."
Facebook Has Leased Two Seattle Buildings from Vulcan: "The move is the latest sign of the seemingly insatiable appetite for expansion by Silicon Valley companies with outposts in Seattle," Geekwire reports.
Thousands of People Have RSVP'd to "Seattle Women March Against Hate" in Capitol Hill on Saturday: It starts at 1 p.m.
And If You're Looking for Other Stuff to Do: The Stranger has just launched its new calendar app. It's freely available for iPhone and Android. Check it out!
