And just like that, they were gone: The Northern giant hornet seems to have completely disappeared from Washington, reports KIRO. Our state's agriculture department and volunteers set over 1,300 traps in probable hornet areas this summer—and all came up empty. Officials say Northern giant hornet eradication is "possible," though they will still set traps for these little buggers for three straight years to confirm their extermination. 

Big deal for the sports heads: The Seahawks are scheduled to play against Arizona on Sunday—the same day the winningest Mariners are scheduled to have their American League divisional playoffs. According to the Seattle Times, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said the NFL and MLB are in talks to shift scheduling to avoid massive crowds around the stadiums. Keep your head on a swivel for any announcements on game time changes, if that's your thing. 

Didn't want to have to relive this tragedy in the public square again: The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from mass murderer Dylann Roof to overturn his conviction and death sentence in his racist killing of nine members of a Black church congregation in South Carolina. 

Speaking of heinous people: Harvey Weinstein is back in court yet again for his second sex crimes trial in Los Angeles, reports NPR. If you'll remember, the disgraced Hollywood producer is already serving a 23-year sentence after being convicted of criminal sexual acts and third-degree rape in New York. At first thought to be symbolic, this trial carries a bit more weight now that the 70-year-old is trying to appeal his previous conviction. Among those testifying against him is film director and California Gov. Gavin Newsom's wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

And, um, speaking of Los Angeles: The fallout from the audio leak of racist comments from LA city officials continues with L.A. Labor Federation president Ron Herrera resigning from his post over his participation in the meeting, reports L.A. Times.  

Ok, now here's something to soothe your brain: Now I want a McDonald's apple pie.

Charges dropped against Adnan Syed, the subject of Serial podcast: After a circuit court judge vacated his conviction last month, Baltimore City State's Attorney Office said prosecutors "have dropped the criminal case" against Syed, reports Washington Post. In 2000, Syed was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for killing his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Lee's family is still in the process of appealing the motion to vacate Syed's conviction, but no word on how that'll impact today's news.

We've got some Floridian pet refugees: Hurricane Ian left many of God's domestic creatures with no home. On Sunday, the Humane Society airlifted (!!!) 181 animals—118 cats, 34 dogs, and 29 guinea pigs—from Florida and landed at Paine Field in Everett before distributing these furry guys to shelters in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, reports KIRO. A vet will look them over before they're put up for adoption. 

Tulsi Gabbard is leaving the Democratic Party: Calling it an "elitist cabal of warmongers, driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue & stoke anti-white racism" in a Twitter video. Blah, blah, blah. And, yes, this Dem spurning did coincide with the launch of her new podcast, lol. 

Alaska's Bering king crab harvest in fall and snow crab harvest in winter officially canceled: The move comes after conservation concerns and low crab populations due to warming seas, reports the Seattle Times. This is the second year in a row that the king crab harvest has been called off, likely disrupting many in the trade. 

Quick weather break: We got a couple of drops of rain last night, though nothing to write home about. My lungs already feel much better!

Lots of money coming to our state's arts nonprofit sector: ArtsFund and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation have teamed up to give away $10 million in grants to Washington-based "arts and culture nonprofits, tribal organizations, and organizations that are fiscally sponsored," reports the Seattle Times. The Allen Family Foundation is providing the ca$h while ArtsFund will distribute the Community Accelerator Grants, which range between $2,500 to $25,000. Applications open in January :) 

Beloved Capitol Hill cafe calls it: Joe Bar Cafe will close up shop for good on Wednesday, October 26, owner Wylie Bush announced on social media. In an Instagram post, Bush cited "the reality of business and those who lord over the land" as reasons for bowing out. Stranger genius artist Ben Beres will curate a closing art show, and the cafe will host a closing party on Friday, October 14 from 5 to 9 pm. Seattle poets, painters, and sandwich-appreciators plan a week of weeping to mourn the loss of a spot that nurtured artists and the arts while looking like a cafe from a French novel. 

 
 
 
 
 
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Ever wondered about Elon Musk's social calendar? Wonder no more. 

And, now we can rejoice: Blink-182 has reunited with founding member Tom DeLonge (good!), announced a tour (great!), and is releasing a single later this week (even better!). Next summer, they are sliding through Climate Pledge Arena with Turnstile as an opener, making this journalist extremely happy....

For your listening pleasure: Coco & Clair Clair's "Cherub."