It’s Been One Year Since the Oso Landslide: On Wednesday, the state legislature awarded the Medal of Valor to the communities hit by the disaster. Now, those communities are bracing for the attention and emotions that’ll come with the anniversary on Sunday. “For me the other morning it was the rain,” Oso fire chief Willy Harper tells KUOW. “For some reason the rain got me. And it rains here all the time, but I walked up to get the mail, and the smell of the rain just took me right back. And you start thinking about the faces that you saw and the things that you saw, and the emotions that you had then come back up.”
What Happened to All the Money Donated After the Slide? The spending has now shifted from physical aid to mental health care, reports the Seattle Times.
Before and After Photos of the Area Hit by the Slide: Right here, from seattlepi.com photographer Joshua Trujillo.
US Senators Paid Tribute on the Senate Floor: “This hillside bears an unmistakable scar and it has inflicted deep wounds,” Senator Maria Cantwell said. “We want to make sure that those we lost, that their memories will fuel our determination to do better. It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be quick. But we will continue to build off of the strength that this community demonstrated in the aftermath of this disaster.” Watch her speech right here and one from Senator Patty Murray here.
Jean Godden’s Political Consultant Made a Joke About Godden’s Opponents: In an e-mail about Godden’s campaign kickoff event, Cathy Allen wrote this: “P.S. I’ll be leading a special training on how to write really negative direct mail pieces. Bring your facts and fiction about our four novice white guy talk-a-likes running against Jean.” (Those four are: Rob Johnson, Michael Maddux, Taso Lagos, and Tony Provine.) I called Allen about this yesterday because, honestly, I was hoping it was real. (Doesn’t it sound fun?!) She didn’t call me back. But she told Joel Connelly it was a joke about how people think she’s mean. Or something. Sick burn, Cathy. Let’s all go back to thinking about how awesome Jean Godden looks on that Segway thing.
Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Let All Adults Grow Pot at Home: This is an important part of fixing Initiative 502 that the majority in the state senate has been ignoring. Now, Senator Jean Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle) and Representative Brian Blake (D-Aberdeen) have proposed a bill to allow home grows of up to six plants for anyone 21 or older. It’s past the cutoff for new bills in the legislature, though, so its actual chances seem slim. But Kohl-Wells tells the Seattle Times she thinks it could be part of the eventual compromise on how to overhaul the state’s medical marijuana system.
A Big Piece of Bertha’s Front End Was Brought Aboveground Yesterday: But a bunch of regular people nearby were not impressed. My favorite is the lone optimist Dominic Ruelaz, who told KUOW: “I think it’s cool. Honestly. Big-ass drill under the city? Doing something new for our future? I mean, I think it’s cool. I just wish there weren’t as many technical problems. You know? But… whatever.”
Did You Read This Story on a Naturopath Targeted by the State for Giving Medical Marijuana Recommendations? “And do you know what the nursing board is accusing me of?” says Dr. Naughton, who after a complaint-free 40-year career was busted by the Department of Health for giving a patient a temporary marijuana authorization. “‘Moral turpitude.’ That’s what they accuse pedophiles of. It’s a really serious accusation.” Go read this story right now.
Why Is the DOJ Subpoenaing Documents from the State Auditor? That remains unclear. Auditor Troy Kelley, who’s on vacation, says he doesn’t know what the investigation is about and Gov. Jay Inslee’s office says the governor hasn’t spoken to Kelley, the AP reports. Earlier this week, the federal Department of the Treasury searched Kelley’s house, and now state Republicans are calling for his resignation. During his campaign for office, details surfaced about Kelley’s involvement in a case where the company Old Republic Title claimed he fraudulently transferred funds, evaded taxes, and hid millions from creditors.
Police Are Asking for Tips About the Drive-By Shooting of a High-School Senior on Beacon Hill Sunday: Anyone with information is asked to call the Seattle Police Department at 233-5000. Friends and family gathered at a vigil Tuesday to remember the victim, Robert Robinson Jr.
The Cascade Bicycle Club Will Stay Political: The group’s board has rejected the idea of becoming a charity nonprofit only.
Amazon Got the Go-Ahead to Test Its Delivery Drones: Prime Air just got a little closer to reality. After Amazon threatened to just take their drones to another country for testing, the Federal Aviation Administration caved and gave the company permission to test them here. It’ll happen in a “facility somewhere in Washington.“
Did You Have a Bike Stolen Recently? It might be in a storage unit where police found 27 bikes they think were stolen. See if you recognize yours here.
God, I’m So Sick of Kale: Aren’t you? Ugh, kale. Good thing kelp is, as KPLU reports, “gunning for the veggie du jour title.”
This post has been updated since its original publication.
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