Weather: Who’s trying to have a frozen margarita on a rooftop tonight? WHO? Okay, maybe not frozen, but with the sun in full view and temperatures in the low 60s, I think outdoor drinking weather is truly upon us. Maybe Friday we can spring for the blended drinks since temperatures will be in the mid 60s. Check an actual weather website because this shit is subject to change as I’ve learned from spreading weather misinfo in Slog AM in the past. 

Around town: Of course, there’s other things to do around Seattle that do not involve a $16 alcoholic beverage in the sun. Check out EverOut for the best recommendations for how to fill your free time. Tonight you could go see indie rock band Sheer Mag at Vera Project or 4/20's Eve Eve Comedy Show at the Crocodile. 

Eruption in Indonesia: Indonesian officials have ordered more than 11,000 people living within six kilometers of Mount Ruang to evacuate as the volcano erupts. 

SPD: Wednesday afternoon, Seattle police officers shot and killed someone while trying to make an arrest at a hotel in Tukwila. In an obvious attempt at gaining public sympathy to justify the killing, the Seattle Police Department would only say that their investigation involved the "Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force," and that their target "produced a fire arm" and was killed "after a struggle," the Seattle Times reports. The TV news only cared about the story because a bullet grazed a cop. 

Classic CONSERVATIVE City Council: Yesterday, the Land Use Committee rejected Chair Tammy Morales's Connected Communities pilot program, which would loosen zoning restrictions for affordable housing in the midst of a housing crisis. Her committee colleagues Council Members Cathy Moore, Maritza Rivera, and Tanya Woo voted no, and Dan Strauss abstained. 

Not over: Personally, this vote really pissed me off. The "gentle density" conservatives grew smart enough not to outright oppose density and appropriated the language of social justice to help them accomplish their exclusionary goals. Instead of saying they hate density because they want to keep their neighborhoods wealthy and white, they say they oppose density for fear of displacement. Yesterday, Moore, Rivera, Woo, and Strauss showed their asses by opposing a bill designed to promote density and affordability specifically for communities at high risk of displacement, including "refugees, immigrants, communities of color, LGBTQ+ communities and people experiencing homelessness or at risk of economic displacement," which would mitigate the very apprehension they pretend to have. On paper, they should all be bending over backwards to co-sponsor this legislation, but alas. I linked their contact info because the bill will still go to full council April 30, so there’s still time to convince them.

Round and round: Okay, remember how earlier this month Israel killed some Iranian officials at a consulate in Syria? And then Iran did a lil retaliation? That really could be the end of their dick measuring contest tbh, but, according to the AP, Iran’s president vows to launch a “massive” attack should Israel strike back even the “tiniest” amount. 

Foreign aid: The AP wrote that President Joe Biden announced his strong support yesterday of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal to send $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, $26 billion to Israel, and $8 billion to Taiwan. For scale, that one-time aid package, a drop in the bucket for the US's continued support specifically to Ukraine and Israel, could forgive more than 40% of medical debt for Americans. Just saying!

Fuck Google: Last night, Google fired 28 workers who protested the company’s $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli government. In an internal memo, Google’s head of global security wrote “If you’re one of the few [employees] who are tempted to think we’re going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again.” The group leading the protests at Google, “No Tech for Apartheid,” said that the firings were clearly retaliatory, and I agree! Like, no shit. 

Asylum update: A few weeks ago, I wrote about the failure of the City, County, and State to get a group of migrants into longer-term housing so they can get their work permits and start making their own rent money. Just as Seattle seemed prepared to sweep them from the tennis courts where they established a makeshift camp, some donors swooped in and paid for some hotel rooms. When that money dried up, the Low Income Housing Institute helped extend the stays. Yesterday, King County awarded $2 million to nonprofits to help the asylum seekers. The Seattle Times has more information.

NO on 2117: According to Northwest Progressive Institute, the growing campaign to stop I-2117, which would repeal the Climate Commitment Act, unveiled a new website and campaign video yesterday. If you’re unsure whether ultra-wealthy farmer cosplayer Brian Heywood and that Star-of-David-mocking State GOP Chair Jim Walsh repealing a critical tax on major polluters is in your best interest, then take a look at the campaign's introductory video. I trust most Slog readers already hate these fuckers and their slew of bad ballot measures, so maybe send it to mom or something:

Big money: Not only did the No on 2117 campaign drop a new site and video, they also flexed some high profile donors. Bill Gates and Tableau Co-founder Chris Stolte each donated $1 million. Though it doesn’t show up on their campaign finance filings just yet, No on 2117 claims big-time polluter Amazon also threw in a good chunk of change. As the Washington Observer wrote on substack, “The company’s involvement here is especially notable because it spent millions to defeat a similar carbon-pricing scheme on the ballot just six years ago.” Growth.

Day three: Former President Donald Trump will be back in court today for a third day of juror selection in his hush-money case. The jury pool is under intense scrutiny because, like, how do you live in New York City and not have a major bias for or against Trump?? The court picked seven jurors so far—an information technology worker, an English teacher, an oncology nurse, a sales professional, a software engineer and two lawyers, but the case still needs five more people. Maybe they should just bring in the Stranger Election Control Board? We'll do it.

Tonight: I don’t like to inundate Slog readers with Ms. Swift, but her new album Tortured Poets Department drops at midnight (9 pm for us on the West Coast!!) and also this song felt like it applies to my life rn lol.