hats the Blue Marlin, a heavy-lift ship carrying a Shell Arctic drilling rig called the Polar Pioneer toward Seattles port. As the sun came up this morning, the apparatus of planetary destruction was pulling into Port Angeles—Olympic Mountains in the background, Mosquito Fleet of kayaktivists in the foreground, and The Stranger buzzing around in an inflatable rubber boat, watching from the choppy water.
That's the Blue Marlin, a heavy-lift ship carrying a Shell Arctic drilling rig called the Polar Pioneer toward Seattle's port. As the sun came up this morning, the apparatus of planetary destruction was pulling into Port Angeles—Olympic Mountains in the background, "Mosquito Fleet" of kayaktivists in the foreground, and The Stranger buzzing around in an inflatable rubber boat, watching. Kelly O

Shell Arctic Drilling Rig Arrives in Washington Waters: Very early this morning, the Blue Marlin pulled into Port Angeles carrying the Polar Pioneer, the drilling rig Shell Oil plans to use in the Arctic this summer—after some spiffing up at the Port of Seattle. Activists (including kayaktivists) were there in the Strait of Juan de Fuca to not-welcome the rig, unfurling a banner that read, "Save the Arctic." The Stranger's Sydney Brownstone is there, too, and tweeting it all.



Load of Bees Spilled on I-5: First a load of salmon, now this.

Everyone Wants the State Auditor to Resign: "Washington State Auditor Troy Kelley, the elected official charged with rooting out government fraud and waste, pleaded not guilty Thursday after a federal grand jury indictment charged him with filing false tax returns, attempted obstruction of a civil lawsuit and possession of more than $1 million in stolen property related to his former business," the AP reports. Governor Jay Inslee wants him to resign, as does the state attorney general and both the state Democratic and Republican parties. Will he? Not yet. "In a statement, Kelley said he was disappointed by the indictment and that he would take a temporary leave of absence beginning May 1, but that he was 'determined to fight back,'" the AP reports.

One-Year-Old Hit in Drive-By Shooting: "We need to stop the Seattle violence," the baby's uncle, Edmond "Mackie" McNeil, told KIRO 7. "The CD [Central District], south end, whoever, wherever. It's over. We're trying to be living for our kids. Everybody needs to live for your kids, now. It's over. You ain't no gangster because you want to carry a gun. That's stupid. Live for your kids. Be a PTA parent. Do something."

Also, get out of my car.
"Get out of my car." State of Washington

Former Governor Christine Gregoire Foils Car Intruder: "Olympia police say quick action by former Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire foiled a man who tried to get into her vehicle as she left a home improvement store," the AP reports. "Sgt. James Partin says the police report shows Gregoire noticed the man watching her late Tuesday morning as she left a Lowe’s store and headed to her car. She picked up her pace, got in and started to drive away. The sergeant says the man opened the passenger side door, got his left foot into the car and was partially seated when she accelerated backward and the man fell to the ground."

Mayor Murray Funds Homeless "Rehousing" Program: Heidi Groover reports: "Mayor Ed Murray is making good on a promise in his 2015 budget to fund 'rapid rehousing' programs, which are meant to help people who are homeless for brief periods of time by offering them help with things like rent and utility costs, moving expenses, and finding employment. The city will provide $620,000, split evenly between Catholic Community Services and YWCA of Seattle, King County, and Snohomish County to provide these types of services—with a special focus on homeless veterans—beginning in June, according to Human Services Department spokesperson Katherine Jolly. 'The evidence is clear: Homeless diversion programs work,' Murray said in a statement. 'We look forward to working with service providers to scale this and other best-practices in reducing and preventing homelessness. This funding will leverage the investments we have already made to reduce disparities and create better outcomes.'"

Woman in Her 90s Dies in House Fire on Capitol Hill: "Seattle Fire responded to a serious house fire in the 400 block of 16th Ave E Thursday morning just before 9 AM," Capitol Hill Seattle Blog reports. "A Seattle Fire spokesperson said the victim, a female in her 90s, was found on the first floor of the house and was dead by the time firefighters arrived. A male victim was outside the house as crews arrived and reported that a person was trapped inside. SFD said the second victim was taken to Harborview for treatment of smoke inhalation."

Organizers and vendors from the advocacy group and newspaper Real Change held signs during public testimony arguing that a smoking ban could be used to “police the poor.
Organizers and vendors from the advocacy group and newspaper Real Change held signs during public testimony arguing that a smoking ban could be used to “police the poor." Heidi Groover

Board of Park Commissioners Holds Public Hearing on Smoking Ban: Heidi Groover reports: "About 40 people filed into a small meeting room at the Parks Department headquarters last night to testify about a proposed ban on cigarette smoking in all city parks. (E-cigarettes wouldn’t be included.) Testimony was split about evenly between people who support the ban on environmental and public-health grounds and others who worry it will be used by park rangers and police officers to unfairly target the homeless. Smoking in parks is already banned within 25 feet of another person or a playground, but opponents say an all-out ban would disproportionately affect the homeless because they spend more time in parks and may have nowhere else to go if they're banned for smoking. Parks staffer Susanne Rockwell acknowledged that concern when she introduced the proposal to the board. 'It is fair and honest to say we do suspect there could be a disproportionate impact,' Rockwell said. 'We observe more people that are homeless and people of color in our downtown parks,' which is where enforcement of the new rule would be concentrated. But, Rockwell said, rangers’ focus would be on education instead of enforcement, and 'the homeless have just as many equal rights to a healthy environment as those who have other areas of respite to go to.' Mayor Ed Murray and others have called for the all-out ban because they say the current rule against smoking within 25 feet of other people is too difficult to enforce. The board will make a recommendation about whether to pass the ban on May 14 and the parks superintendent—who’s already said he’s supportive of it—will decide on May 15 whether to impose the new rule."

Whooping Cough Cases Rising in Washington State: "Whooping cough is on the rise again in Washington State, with more than five times as many cases so far this year as in 2014," the Seattle Times reports. "Vaccination of pregnant women, children and teens is the most effective way to stop the spread, health officials said. As of April, there have been 319 cases of whooping cough, formally known as pertussis, compared with 49 cases for the same period last year, the state Department of Health reported."

Mt. Rainier National Park: free this weekend!
Mt. Rainier National Park: free this weekend! Jerry Sanchez/Shutterstock

Nature! Free All Weekend! "It’s a free-admission weekend for America’s national parks Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19, including Mount Rainier and Olympic parks in Washington," Brian J. Cantwell reports. "The weather forecast for both parks is for sunshine and clear skies." Try it in prescription strength.