Get me back up in Fremont! We've got another jay-walker. Credit: Malven/Getty Images
Get me back up in Fremont! Weve got another jay-walker.
Get me back up in Fremont! We’ve got another jay-walker. Malven/Getty Images

Annual count of homeless people drops for first time since 2012: But don’t break out the confetti just yet. Officials counted just over 11,000 people struggling with homelessness in King County, which is an 8% drop from last year but still may not reflect an actual decrease in the homeless population. Homeless advocates don’t really see this as a win, they see it as a rallying cry that there are still so many people that need assistance. About half of those 11,000 people are unsheltered in part due to a lack of available beds in King County shelters.

Seven Seattle neighborhoods will get special attention from the police: The warm weather of late spring and early summer is almost always accompanied by an uptick in crime, so Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a plan to increase police presence in seven neighborhoods. This is operating on the assumption that a greater police presence will deter crime—that isn’t exactly fact. According to the Seattle Times, downtown (near Third Avenue and Pine Street), Pioneer Square, Sodo, Georgetown, South Park, Fremont and Ballard will see an uptick in cops under this “pre-summer emphasis” program. The program is only running through June 1.

This summer is going to be lit: As in the dry forests of Washington will be lit on fire. There is an elevated probability of wildfires in Western Washington this season and it’s not entirely clear that we’re prepared for it. We know this is the driest start to a year that Washington has seen since 2008, which does not bode well for wildfires west of the cascades.

House Judiciary Committee directs their questions at an empty chair: It’s just a smidge less bonkers than that time Clint Eastwood lambasted an empty chair at the Republican National Convention. Attorney General William Barr was a no-show today to testify in front of the House after a full day of questions from the Senate. But that didn’t stop the committee from holding the hearing anyway, which ended after opening statements from the Democratic and Republican leaders. Withholding people from testifying may be the Trump administration’s new tactic.

Today will be okay: But this weekend will be gorgeous!

Ascent Outdoors is filing for bankruptcy: The beloved Ballard outdoor retailer is closing its doors for good. Long-time fans were shocked to hear of their financial troubles but employees at the store said they could kind of see it coming. The owner opened up a second store in Redmond last year as a way to buoy the Ballard location and bring in extra money, but it wasn’t enough.

A flood in Davenport, Iowa has brought the city to a standstill: The levee breached and the river ran straight through their downtown, burying cars and businesses in at least a foot of standing water. That said, at least this store owner still has a sense of humor.

May Day march was large and peaceful: Hundreds turned out yesterday to celebrate the annual March for Workers and Immigrant Rights, which was led by a tireless group of Native dancers in colorful regalia. Labor unions, immigration activists, and allies alike marched from the Central District to the downtown courthouse in a day that was largely free from conflict. The police made no arrests, the right-wing agitators were scarce and kept separate from the crowds, and not a single rock was thrown at the Amazon spheres. Although a crowd did chant “fuck Jeff Bezos” as they walked past. What was it that they said about sticks and stones? I followed along with the march so keep an eye out for a gallery of photos published later this morning.

May Day.
May Day. Timothy Kenney

Now listen here you $#!%: TOKiMONSTA is the bomb and so is this song.

Tiger Woods is getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom: That’s a pretty good ending to what I can only assume is a Disney biopic already in the works. Trump likes giving this highest civilian honor to athletes. I guess he feels it meets the threshold of “especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

Tonight’s best Seattle entertainment options include: A show with fresh Seattle rockers Versing, the opening of Akio Takamori: To Be Human, and Yussef El Guindi’s play Language Rooms.

Timothy Kenney is a former Slog AM intern. He's written for multiple Seattle outlets, helped CNN cover a mudslide in Sierra Leone, and almost threw up on James Franco once.