Not bad: Today, Seattleites can expect mostly cloudy skies with temperatures peaking in the high 60s, maybe 70 degrees if you hold your thermometer just right. That kind of weather should stick around for at least the rest of the week.
Harris v. Trump: Presidential nominees Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will face off tonight at 6 pm Pacific Time in the second debate of the election—well, if you count the one that killed Joe Biden’s campaign. Good times! Block out some time afterward to watch the gubernatorial candidates debate at 8 pm. Don’t wanna watch alone? Join a bunch of gays at Massive for Drag the Debate, or stop by Rough & Tumble Pub to watch with the WA State Democrats.
The genocide wages on: Israel launched airstrikes on a tent encampment inside a designated safe zone in Khan Younis, killing at least 40 Palestinians, according to Gaza civil defense officials. Israel’s strikes injured another 60 people, set 20 tents on fire, and left craters 30 feet in the ground. For months, the Biden administration has had the moral obligation to broker a ceasefire, enact an arms embargo, whatever it takes to stop the genocide.
Justice for Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi: Palestinians in the West Bank held a funeral for Seattle activist Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi after Israeli forces shot and killed her last week. Meanwhile, the White House hasn’t even spoken on the phone with Eygi’s family as of a press conference yesterday, and officials also appeared to reject calls for an independent investigation into her killing.
”She wanted people to be free from oppression here and around the world” - Those are the words of an international activist who knew slain activist Ayşenur Ezgi. Ezgi’s funeral was held today in Nablus city in the occupied West Bank. A military procession was performed to honor… pic.twitter.com/Dq0e7T2CB8
— red. (@redstreamnet) September 9, 2024
Tomorrow: You can pay your respects to Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi at a vigil tomorrow night at Alki Beach.
Hey, cut out this racist shit: Yesterday, Republicans woke up and decided to spread baseless and straightforwardly racist rumors, accusing Haitian immigrants of killing and eating pets in Ohio. Sen. Ted Cruz, VP nominee JD Vance, and a Trump campaign account all tweeted racist bullshit about immigrants eating pets to try to energize the xenophobes and racists in their base.
Hello, Neighbors! The Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee votes today on whether to send Council Member Cathy Moore's prostitution loitering law to the full council for a vote. Ashley trailed a group of canvassers this weekend who found that many of Moore's constituents hadn't heard about the bill, and those who had didn't like what they heard. If you want to share what you think of the bill, public comment happens today at 9:30 am, but if you want to go in person then it genuinely may be too late.
My two cents: The public safety committee will also discuss and possibly vote on the Stay Out of Drug Area (SODA) zones, which let judges banish criminal defendants from a bunch of places around town. If the City can even enforce it (and don’t let them justify another dime to cops to do so, btw), these zones will only spread out people that the City deems unworthy of certain public spaces, which include light rail stations, parks, and social services essential to those navigating the criminal punishment system, substance abuse disorder, and homelessness. I live just outside of the proposed Capitol Hill SODA zone and I’m against it! Vehemently.
If CM Hollingsworth wants to improve safety in the proposed Broadway SODA, FIX THIS SIDEWALK https://t.co/kJZetA5vlb pic.twitter.com/sFwTtTqMe1
— Hannah Krieg (@hannahkrieg) September 10, 2024
More garbage takes from the Seattle Times: The Seattle Times Editorial Board wrote a really shoddy op-ed about I-137, which would tax employers who pay anyone more than $1 million to pay for the newly established social housing developer. I should really go point by point, but the gist is that the Board promoted an idea straight from the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce to make the social housing developer compete with affordable housing developers for money from the housing levy. Pitting affordable housing against social housing does not help homeless people or renters—it would only limit housing development in both categories and perpetuate the regressive taxation scheme that overburdens individual homeowners, all just to save big business some cash. Yawn.
Strike incoming: Boeing Machinists union leader Jon Holden told the Seattle Times yesterday that he expects rank-and-file union members to reject the tentative agreement the bargaining team reached with bosses on Sunday and instead will strike later this week. Solidarity!
Speaking of: Noisy Union (not a typo, we voted to cut “creek,” and we can argue about that later) will start bargaining our very first contract for workers at The Stranger, the Portland Mercury, Bold Type Ticket, EverOut, and Noisy Creek in general. Woohoo! Let’s see if the new owners make good on their big promise in the press to bring “more resources.” Follow our Twitter account for updates.
If you follow @NoisyUnion and comment a screenshot proving it, I will send you a never before shared picture of my cat
— Hannah Krieg (@hannahkrieg) September 10, 2024
Tyreek Hill: Newly released police body-cam footage shows a Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) officer pulling Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill out of his car before pushing him to the ground on Sunday.
SLATER SCOOP: Tyreek Hill body-cam video from Miami-Dade Police. pic.twitter.com/aJvD4SamZk
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) September 9, 2024
Ukraine: In its biggest drone attack to date, Ukraine struck Moscow today, killing at least one person, destroying dozens of homes, and diverting about 50 flights in the area.
Need feedback: Okay, I’ve been in search of a new karaoke song. What do you think about this one? Do people know it? I don’t want to pull out a deep cut that the crowd would rather skip.