First of all, the weather: Yesterdayâs weather was beautiful, gorgeous, wonderful, yada yada, but I didnât get to enjoy a second of it because I was in cold sweats in my bed with an â¨illness⨠I probably wonât get outside today either, but Iâm not as pressed. Todayâs weather is pretty damn mid. Expect clouds, a high of 50, and showers in the afternoon. The Weather People say that Friday might be a little better with more sun, less rain, and slightly higher temperatures. Enjoy Friday. It's the only dry day in the 10-day forecast.Â
Bust out the champagne... or maybe just a prosecco: A federal appeals court decided mifepristone can stay on the market! But that ruling isn't all good news. The judges also decided to make the abortion pill more difficult to access. First, they knocked down the approved-use range from 10 weeks after your last period to seven weeks. Many people don't start feeling symptoms until four-to-eight weeks after conception, which comes after the first day of your last period, making that 10-week window begin potentially weeks before baby-making. The court also temporarily banned mail delivery. By-mail access is crucial for people with disabilities and others who may find it difficult to buy the drug at a pharmacy.Â
See ya, KUOW: Yesterday KUOW, the local NPR station, announced it plan to leave the bird app. This isnât like the time I said âlater liberalsâ and left for two days (I was trying to unplug for vacation). This is real. The decision follows NPRâs lead after the popular outlet ditched the platform because Twitter labeled it aâstate-affiliated media." Not super flattering! I asked one of my fav KUOWers, Bill Radke, if heâs staying on the platform, and he hasnât responded yet. The anticipation is killing me.Â
SMH:Â The City Council announced its nominees for the new Seattle Film Commission, and they didn't nominate Jas and Chase from Unstreamable. Tsk tsk.Â
Lock âem up: Want a steering wheel lock? The cops are just giving them away in response to a rise in car theft. According to KIRO 7, the cops especially want to give these locks out to people who drive a Kia or a Hyundai since those get stolen so often. Wild to me that people are stealing those boxy motherfuckers so often that the cops are just giving out free shit. Like, who wants a Kia? [Eds note: TikTokers.]
Speaking of those guys:Â Remember when the Seattle Times broke the news last year about cops performing a ruse that contributed to the rise of CHOP? And remember how Council Member Lisa Herbold said the City would crack down on that? Well, Herbold got her first look at the Seattle Police Department's proposed policy to limit deception. The policy said cops should only use a ruse when it is the "least intrusive option,â and they have to get permission from a supervisor if they've got the time. Seems like a big judgement call the cops have fumbled in the past!
The cops also want to ban officers from using trickery to get into places that they don't have permission to enter, or to get evidence or materials they do not have legal authority to collect. Finally, the proposal would prohibit cops from broadcasting their ruses on radio, social media, or other types of mass media. Still, Herbold said the policy may not go far enough.
Solid victory for marine life: Both the State House and State Senate passed a bill to keep boaters at least 1,000 yards away from southern resident orcas. These animals are incredibly vulnerable, with only 73 remaining. Loud boats put them at risk because the noise interferes with their ability to use echolocation to communicate with each other and hunt for food. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the orcas stop hunting if boats come within 1,000 yards, and theyâll stop feeding their babies when boats come within 400 yards. The bill is on the governorâs desk, ripe for signinâ!Â
You think this is a self-promo but its not: I just wanted to give yâall a second look at how fucking cool this art from Anthony Keo is. Like, I genuinely LOLâd when I saw it, not just let a little air out of my nose as I looked at my phone. Incredible work, Mr. Keo. Also, I hope you read this story and I hope it pisses you off.
Lewis joined City Council conservatives to side with landlords and raise the proposed late fee cap, but its not too late. Sawant will give the "labor Democrat" a chance to redeem himself and vote on her amendment to restore the $10 late fee cap on Tuesday. https://t.co/bgdAaDGY5P
â Hannah Krieg (@hannahkrieg) April 12, 2023
Unbeknownst Lorax vibes: Homeowners, you might be legally and financially responsible for a random-ass tree and not even know it. Thatâs what happened to one West Seattle homeowner when she called the City to deal with a tree and overgrown vegetation in a vacant lot next to her house. The City told her that the lot's maintenance was up to her, and boy did she do that maintenance. The homeowner put a ton of money and time into the lot, and now it's what Crosscut called a ârefuge for people and wildlife.â Sheâs a better person than me. I would not do that!
Louisville 911 calls: Yesterday, the Louisville Police Department released 911 calls related to a mass shooting at a Louisville bank earlier this week. One call came from the 25 year-old shooterâs mother, who relayed information to police from a note her son left her before he killed five people at his workplace. Â
Shingles fucking up the courts: U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California came under fire for her long-term absences from Washington D.C. Nobody knows when Feinstein will be backâshe got shingles, and it's taking longer than expected to recover. But California Rep. Ro Khanna is running out of patience. Feinstein sits on the Judiciary Committee, and her absence is hindering efforts to confirm the presidentâs federal court nominees.
âThis is a moment of crisis for womenâs rights and voting rights. Itâs unacceptable to have [Feinstein] miss vote after vote to confirm judges who will uphold reproductive rights," Khanna said.
Khanna and another House Democrat called on Feinstein to resign, but Feinstein countered, asking for a temporary replacement while she recovers.
We live in hell: Rich people use 12 times the amount of water as poor people because they have big, wasteful pools and gardens amid water shortages. NPR has more.
Justice for Gaylors: Rolling Stone exposed the truth. "Gaylors," or Taylor Swift fans who think the singer might be queer, are a minority group in the Swiftie fandom. This smaller group often gets harassed, exiled, and even doxxed by âanti-Gaylors,â who make up a much larger segment of the fanbase. Rolling Stone, keep seeking the truth and reporting it.
My friend likes Gracie Abrams, so I hope you do, too: