Heeeeeeres DINO!
Heeeeeere's DINO! Rich Kelly

Dino Rossi Is Back: The King County Council just appointed Dino Rossi, a former Republican Washington State Senator to serve as the interim Senator representing the 45th Legislative District, which covers Redmond, Kirkland, and other areas. The district's previous senator, Republican state budget writer Andy Hill, died of lung cancer in October. Rossi will serve the 45th until a special election is held in 2017. He told the King County Council that he has "zero intention" of running for the seat next year, The Seattle Times reported. ā€œItā€™s an honor to fulfill Senator Hillā€™s legacy from now until November,ā€ Rossi said in a statement. ā€œOnly two Republican budget writers are still alive and Iā€™m one of them. I look forward to helping the State Senate with the budget and will do everything I can to help us be successful."

Some History: Rossi previously served on the state Senate from 1997 to 2003. He also ran for governor in 2004 and 2008, but narrowly lost both times to Christine Gregoire. He was known for dodging questions about his anti-LGBTQ rights and anti-abortion stances. Delightful.

New Yesler Terrace Park Needs a Name: The city's Parks Department is taking suggestions from neighbors. If you need name brainstorming fodder, per Parks Department guidelines, you should consider "geographical location, historical or cultural significance, and natural or geological features" or an important Seattleite at least three years deceased. Submit your ideas by Feb. 1, 2017 to the Parks Naming Committee. You can send submissions to or email them to Paula Hoff at paula.hoff@seattle.gov.

Wallingford Gets a New Garbage Dump Complete with Public Amenities: The North Transfer Station dump is apparently very quiet and doesn't emit odor unlike its predecessor, which closed two years ago, KUOW reports. As requested by the Wallingford Community Council, the new facility has a play area, art installations, and exercise equipment outside.

Lindy West's Shrill Memoir Coming to Your TV Screens: Actress/director/producer Elizabeth Banks optioned former Stranger writer and Genius Award-winner Lindy West's memoir, Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, for her production company Brownstone Productions.


Seattle Might Get More Snow. Here Are Some Resources for Folks Struggling with Homelessness: These shelters are open:

Seattle Severe Weather Shelter

Location: Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion, near 2nd & Thomas St. South of Key Arena
Time: 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Capacity: 100 beds
Population: Co-Ed Shelter: 18+, no children
Contact for information: (206) 684-0231

King County Administration Building Shelter & 420 4th Ave Shelter

Location: 500 & 420 4th Avenue Downtown Seattle (Between Jefferson and James)
Line up for the shelter in front of the loading dock garage door at the corner of 4th and Jefferson.
Both Admin Shelter & 420 4th Ave open regularly every other night with 50 beds each
Time: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Capacity: 100 beds in Admin, 50 beds at 420 4th Ave
Population: men (pets welcome at 420 shelter)

Seattle City Hall Shelter

Location: 600 4th Ave
Time: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Capacity: 81 beds
Population: men & women

West Seattle Bar Owner Was Allegedly Serving More Than Pints and Whiskey Gingers: The unnamed bartender and owner of Corner Pocket, which stands in The Junction in West Seattle, was arrested for allegedly selling heroin to an undercover cop multiple times. He has not yet been formally charged. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board have suspended the bar's liquor license during the investigation.

Ben Carson Is the "Wrong Choice" to Lead Housing and Urban Development, says WA Sen. Patty Murray: President-elect Donald Trump recently announced he selected Carson to head up HUD. But Wash. Sen. Patty Murray has vowed to fight this appointment as the West Coast's housing crisis worsens, Heidi reports. "Families across our state, and in Seattle in particular, are struggling with an affordable housing crisis that cannot be understated," Murray wrote in an e-mail to The Stranger, "and the person who sets our national policy can actually be the difference between familiesā€”including homeless veterans and their families, and survivors of domestic violenceā€”having safe homes or sleeping on the streets."

Mostly White South Carolina Jury Can't Decide Whether Cop Who Shot Walter Scott Is Guilty of Murder: Scott was 50 years old and unarmed when North Charleston Police Officer Michael Slager fired a series of gunshots at his back as he fled from a traffic stop last April. Dash cam footage from the killing went viral. The jury, which was comprised of 11 white people and one black man, was unable to come to a unanimous decision for Slager's case. Scott's attorney said that Slager would be tried again after "dodging [justice] by a hair," The Washington Post reports.



U.S. Veterans Beg Indigenous Elders for Forgiveness After Decades of Physical and Cultural Violence: Watch the moving speech below delivered by Wes Clark Jr., the son of retired U.S. Army general and former supreme commander at NATO Wesley Clark Sr. amidst celebrations after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced they denied an easement construction workers needed to build the Dakota Access pipeline beneath the Missouri River. Dakota Access officials, however, have since said they'd ignore the Corps order.