Good Morning! It’s sunny. Like summer-time sunny. If the forecast means anything in this little climate we have, highs will be around 70 today, and then they’ll dip back down with some clouds tomorrow. But they’ll climb all the way up to 80 on Sunday, for the first time this year. It’s outdoor shenanigans weather. Just don’t forget: your sunscreen, some water, and the fact that the lakes and the sound are still so cold.
But first, let’s do the news.
Voting Wrongs: On Wednesday, the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s voting map, arguing that it was illegal to consider race when making a majority-Black district and undermining the Voting Rights Act. As expected, the decision was split between the six conservatives and the three liberals. The conservative majority claimed that the decision doesn’t gut the core of the VRA, but the court’s liberal wing—and everyone else who knows how to read—says this was the last nail in the coffin of our landmark civil rights law. The only silver lining is that it might be too late for it to completely scramble the midterm elections.
Earth Is Round, Hegseth Lies: The House Armed Services Committee demanded to know why Hegseth is firing military leadership left and right, and his clapback was essentially “Well, Obama did it too!” He claimed that Obama removed 197 general officers during his presidency. But that number, as NYT put it, “has no basis in fact.” Its citation is Breitbart.com’s Facebook page. Then today, at the Senate hearing, Senator Jack Reed pointed out that 60 percent of the two dozen generals and admirals that Hegseth fired were Black or women.
Here’s a Headline for Your Nightmares: “City Learns Flock Accessed Cameras in Children’s Gymnastics Room as a Sales Pitch Demo, Renews Contract Anyway.” They used the cameras in suburban Dunwoody, GA, in sales pitches to police departments around the country. Other cameras in the pitches included views of a playground, a school, a Jewish community center, and a pool.
ICYMI: Stranger staff writer Hunter Pauli reported that 90 percent of union members at McClatchy Media newspapers in the PNW (The Tacoma News Tribune, The Olympian, Tri-City Herald, Bellingham Herald, and Idaho Statesman in Boise) have voted to approve a strike after 11 months of contract negotiations. At this point, the fight is over pay. Right now, their salary floor is $48,000 for people who were on staff when the Washington and Idaho contracts were ratified, and $45,000 for anyone hired after that. In the new contract, McClatchy won’t budge on a floor that’s higher than $52,000. Washington state has the fifth-highest cost of living in the country, and while the Seattle-area affordability crisis is certainly cooking those books, the whole state is dealing with rising costs. The union’s raising money through GoFundMe to pay rent and bills in case they’re off the job.
TurningPoint Wenatchee: You might not see Pride flags in Wenatchee this June—at least not the city-sanctioned ones. The city implemented a new system for applying for banners on the city’s light poles this year. The North Central Washington Equity Alliance submitted their application on March 25, and according to them, told City officials in person that the banner would be the same as it’d been in previous years. But because the art wasn’t physically part of the application, the city deemed it incomplete. Then the next day, the local TurningPoint USA chapter applied for a banner that’s a “celebration of Family.” That application was accepted, and so far, it looks like they’re moving forward with it. Can’t wait to see the AI-generated art on those banners.
Okay, so let me tell you a story. Back in April 2024, 73-year-old Michael Flegle died by suicide in a house fire at his home. He was an engineer at Boeing, he lived alone, and he didn’t have any close family. At the same time, according to King County Prosecutors, Ronald Wisner was looking through death notices and spotted Flegle. Wisner proceeded to break into Flegle’s home, steal his car, gain control of his retirement and bank accounts, and eventually sell his home. In all, prosecutors say he stole $2.6 million.
Sheriffs Throw Fit, Judge Obliges: The new state law that would oust Sheriffs who aren’t certified for the job was supposed to go into effect today, but a group of Sheriffs successfully sued to partially block the law for now. They argue that running for office is a constitutional right, and that the law undermines the will of the voters. I argue that people who get to drive a two-ton battering ram at whatever speed they want, carry a gun, and enforce county laws should have some baseline qualifications.
Chef Tita Fans, Rejoice: Oriental Mart, the Filipino lunch counter at Pike Place Market, is back open after its annual winter break. When you go, I know the adobo and longanisa are tempting, but don’t skip the salmon sinigang.
It’s a Light Rail Day: If you’re trying to commute on Southbound I-5 this morning, maybe don’t. Multiple lanes will be closed “for a while,” according to police, after a motorcycle accident. The rider was taken to Harborview, but it’s not clear yet how they’re doing.
Another Reason to Take the Train: There’s no sign that Trump’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz will lift anytime soon, and oil prices are feeling it. They hit a four-year high on Thursday at about $120 a barrel.
By the Power of Grayskull: Roger Sweet, a Lake Stevens resident and the toy designer who created the He-Man action figure for Mattel, died this week after a battle with dementia. He was 91. “Roger played a pivotal role in the early development of Masters of the Universe, helping introduce iconic characters including He-Man and Skeletor to the world and inspiring generations of fans to find their inner power,” the toy company said in a statement. “His legacy endures in the characters he helped bring to life and the imaginations he ignited.”
Another Departure: We also lost the scientist who decoded the human genome, J. Craig Venter. In the ’90s, Venter decided that the $3 billion government program called the Human Genome Project wasn’t moving fast enough, and he thought he could beat it. He was right.
Looking for Something to Do Tonight? Stranger senior staff writer Charles Mudede recommends the 23rd Annual Seattle Black Film Festival. “Some festivals you just show up to, others you leave having truly experienced,” he writes. “The Seattle Black Film Festival is definitely the latter.” It’s held at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, and this year’s theme, “The Sound of Us,” centers on the music and cultural soundscapes that have carried Black communities across generations.
