Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson announced her transition team yesterday. Andrés Mantilla, a partner with consulting firm Uncommon Bridges, is the director. Co-chairs include Karen Estevenin, executive director of PROTEC17, a union that represents more than 3,000 city workers, Tiffani McCoy, the co-executive director of House Our Neighbors, Quynh Pham, executive director of Friends of Little Saigon, and Brian Surratt, president and CEO of Greater Seattle Partners.
SIFF Shifts: Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) Executive Director Tom Mara is exiting his role “effective immediately,” according to an internal all-staff email obtained by the Seattle Times. The email said it was a mutual decision between Mara and SIFF’s board of directors. Mara’s exit comes after SIFF laid off 21% of its administrative staff and ended its lease at the Egyptian Theater.
Trump and Epstein: After almost every member of Congress voted for a bill to release the Epstein files, Trump announced he “JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!” Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files, which he’s always had the power to do as President. He changed his mind. He’s in them, after all. Then, when this vote was imminent, he changed his mind again. It’s less a 180 than a 540. The Department of Justice has 30 days to release the documents. May it be a day for wonderful secrets?
Weather: Morning showers. Clouds and sun throughout the day. High of 54 degrees. It will be mostly cloudy tonight with a low of 41 degrees.
Another Airport Issue: Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Wednesday after the Northwest’s main oil pipeline shut down again this week, choking off the fuel supply to Sea-Tac. For the next two weeks, truckers will be able to haul fuel for longer hours than they’re usually allowed to.
It’s a whole pipeline thing. On Nov. 11, the pipeline leaked jet fuel into a drainage ditch on an Everett blueberry farm. BP shut it down for a few days, restarted it on Sunday, and shut it back down again Monday after finding diesel leaking near the jet fuel spill. BP’s spokesperson said there’s no timeline for restarting the pipeline. He refused to answer questions, KUOW reported.
Missing Boy in Duvall: The King County Sheriff’s Office said 14-year-old Hudson Graham was last seen at his home Monday. He may have boarded a bus heading toward University of Washington Bothell so he could get to Lynnwood. According to the authorities, his parents believe he was “lured” away by someone online. Hudson was last seen wearing a dark colored sweatshirt and carrying two backpacks.
That’s Not What That’s For: Democratic Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother Edwin Cherfilus were indicted for allegedly stealing with her brother more than $5 million in FEMA disaster funds and routing the money into her 2021 congressional campaign. Prosecutors said the funds—overpayments to the family’s healthcare company—were moved through multiple accounts before she spent them on her campaign and herself. She faces up to 53 years in prison.
Trump vs. Comrade Mamdani: New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani will have the displeasure of meeting the president at the White House tomorrow to talk about public safety, economic security, and affordability. Trump has repeatedly called Mamdani a communist (he is a Democratic Socialist), questioned his citizenship (he’s a naturalized citizen) and threatened to pull the city’s federal funds over his election. Mamdani has talked about “Trump-proofing” New York, but also said he’ll work with anyone—the President included—if it benefits New Yorkers.
For Sale: Three months after an alleged arson, the historic Columbia City Funeral Home and Crematory property is selling for $7.5 million. Owner Russ Weeks said the cost of repairs far exceeded the funeral home’s value. Weeks hopes to relocate.
In Honor of Tomorrow’s Wicked: For Good Release:
Mamdani should be prepared for Orange Asshole’s dominance handshake – go in hard and yank his arm back first. Don’t let go; keep shaking. When he relaxes to pull away, yank again.
Thank you for the refreshing banner photo. I’m glad the urban blight series is over.
Who knows, maybe Zorhan and Donald will enjoy a pleasant visit. Opposites attract.
@1: On the one hand Trump is 79 years old, but on the other hand Mamdani cannot bench press 135 pounds without assistance … Both these guys might be at risk of injury in a handshake contest! 😂
Mamdani asked Cuoma about his sexual assault allegations straight to his face so maybe he’ll do the same to Trump.
Correct outcome. Charges dismissed against woman shot by border patrol agent in Chicago.
https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/doj-prosecutors-dismiss-assault-charge-against-woman-shot-border-patrol-agent
The evidence does not support that she used her vehicle as a weapon against the officer.
Let’s see if Trump now wrongly fires the Federal prosecutor for doing what the evidence demanded.
@3: And after Trump denies it and returns a thunderous reply, do you think Mamdani will be ready?
@6
Mamdani’s
From nyc
stooge
Protec17 is the most ineffective union in the history of labor unions. But at least maybe they’ll chase Our Unhoused Neighbors out of Little Saigon.
@8 why would you think that? One of Wilson’s policy positions was no more sweeps.
@9 actually, she wouldn’t give an answer to that question (aka, expect sweeps to continue).
@10: If there were one progressive officeholder in Seattle who might possibly—I say possibly!—continue sweeps as a necessary-but-not-sufficient component of a homeless strategy, it would be Katie Wilson.
In Katie Wilson, an incisive mind is perpetually at war against a noxious instinct. 😃 Most likely, she will instinctively and unwisely bow to progressive orthodoxy on the homeless issue, but there is some small chance she may, after much struggle, recognize the merits of policing our public spaces against crime, disease, and misery, not as a “magic” bullet but at least as “a” bullet. 😆
If you want to see the sweeps continue under the new administration, leave your empty Starbucks cups in front of the tents.
@12: tell her the homeless people support Israel 😂😂😂
@10: I certainly hope you’re correct, but D13 has made the case in another thread that she’ll revert to the failed homeless policies of Seattle’s recent progressive past.
In addition to keeping Seattle’s shared public spaces free of crime, needles, dead addicts, etc., the Stranger’s epic meltdown over Mayor Wilson continuing Mayor Harrell’s sweeps would provide no small amount of amusement.
She won’t explicitly say it because it would have cost her votes however read between the lines of her homeless policy.
“We can reduce public disorder and misery by providing the care that people need, in dignified settings — not leaving people in the streets or moving them around endlessly.”
She states “moving people around” is a failure. Sure sounds like no sweeps to me.
@15 “She states “moving people around” is a failure. Sure sounds like no sweeps to me.”
Maybe she plans on increasing the frequency and intensity of the sweeps so the bums don’t have a chance to setup another camp. Just sweep sweep sweep them right out of the city.
Nah, you’re right we’re probably screwed
Oh well Ballard Commons was nice while it lasted. I’m sure the junkies are going to enjoy the new play area.
Moving the homeless around endlessly exposes the dead bodies.
@7 kristofarian, re @6: I’m still laughing over Calvin Clueless getting caught with his rants down in a previous SLOG comment thread (thank you shout out to DOUG on calling Calvin out on his trolling bullshit). ;-D
@17: Calvin dear, don’t you have 7th grade remedial homework to catch up on? Quit while you’re centuries behind. However do you manage to keep chasing your tail with your head so far up your butt?
The hurrieder you keep goin’, the behinder you’re gettin’, sweetie. Just sayin’.