$12 million a mile: SDOT might not be able to provide the 50 bike lanes it promised during the 2015 Move Seattle levy. It's saying maybe only half of that will actually be possible. Thatâs because each mile of protected bike lane installed in downtown is costing $12 million a mile. Thatâs four times the national average. The agency said it made a mistake estimating the cost of 50 bike lanes back in 2015. They failed to take into account different location-specific costs to each new lane.
âNo Head Tax Hereâ: Tacoma is attempting to capitalize on the Seattle measureâs unpopularity. Tacoma has always been the jealous type. It's watched Seattleâs growth, seen its seduction of the tech industry, and consistently asked, âwhy not me?â The city released an ad that advertises Tacomaâs scenic waterfront while big, bold, capital letters broadcast their head tax-less society and how great it is for jobs. Maybe after that 30 seconds of propaganda thereâs a chance youâll like the south sound.
Washington Department of Health to start testing water for trace contamination of chemicals: Over a dozen chemicals known as polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have been found in five drinking-water systems at above the limit set by EPA guidelines. The chemicals are most prevalent in some fire fighting foams. Naturally, several drinking-water wells near firefighting training areas are contaminated. Washington is just part of a national PFAS pollution problem. The chemicals are undergoing a federal toxicology review.
Breaking: The Supreme Court is upholding arbitration contracts.
Breaking: The Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote has delivered a major blow to workers, ruling for the first time that workers may not band together to challenge violations of federal labor laws.
â NPR (@NPR) May 21, 2018
Cougar attacks two cyclists northeast of Snoqualmie: The two were riding their bikes when they realized they were being chased by a cougar. It attacked. One of the cyclists was killed, the other managed to escape on his bike. He looked back and saw his friend being mauled. The attack is extremely rare. This is only the second time in 100 years a cougar has killed someone in Washington.
As Katie Herzog notes, the National Park Service advises anyone who encounters a cougar to, "act aggressively, raise your arms, make yourself as big as possible, speak loudly, firmly, and slowly back away."
Dead humpback beaches on Ocean Shores: The juvenile whaleâs carcass is 20-feet long. It was entangled in crab pots but it isnât clear whether that happened before or after death. Scientists conducted a necropsy on the animal.
Donât you love the smell of hot magma in the morning? So far, two lava flows have reached the ocean. This causes thick hazardous clouds known as "laze" that "contain hydrochloric acid and glass particles which can cause irritation and breathing difficulties," reports BBC.
This is the lava flow this morning in Hawaii. https://t.co/dCqmds5gYo pic.twitter.com/d6jDvPkGMB
â NBC News (@NBCNews) May 21, 2018
Washington women running for office: Emerge America is an organization that teaches women the ins and outs of running for office. After Donald Trump was elected president, two Washington women created the Washington chapter of Emerge America. Since then, Emerge Washington has attracted large swaths of interested women. There will be 24 women from Emerge running for office within the next two to five years. One Emerge bootcamp alum is Kim Schrier, a strong candidate in the 2018 run for congress. Schrier will be facing off in the battle for the 8th Congressional District, formerly Rep. Dave Reichertâs territory.
Great catch: Mariner Mitch Haniger fell backwards into the crowd on Saturday to make an unbelievable catch. His advice to fans in the future is to get out of the way as much as possible if it looks like a player will fall into the stands.
What a catch by Mitch Hanigerđł pic.twitter.com/rOq7yMK8rA
â Daily Dingers (@BCNDailyDingers) May 20, 2018
Where is the backstory! This video is wild. Itâs got drama, suspense, action â Hollywood, take notes!
Dramatic showdown outside a nail salon as argument over bill escalates when a customer who says she paid attempts to drive away while a worker jumps on the car and doesn't let go.
Police in Tennessee say the incident is now under investigation. https://t.co/5qyRobG9Xf pic.twitter.com/wdO5Gk8zmz
â ABC News (@ABC) May 21, 2018
NYC Mayor de Blasio calls for an end to marijuana smoking arrests: Taking a puff in public could get you thrown in the clink in the Big Apple. Well, at least arrested, thrown in the clink is a different thing entirely. Either way, thatâs some pretty strict action. The mayor told the NYPD to issue summonses instead of arrests for public smoking. Meanwhile, the NYPD is conducting an evaluation of its marijuana enforcement procedures.
Trump wants to invest the investigators, see how they like it: He wants the Justice Department to look into whether the FBI âinfiltrated or surveilledâ Trumpâs presidential campaign. That's right, give 'em a taste of their own medicine. Experts say there is âlittle precedent and could force a clash with the Justice Department reminiscent of the one involving Richard Nixon during Watergate,â writes the New York Times.
Venezuelan president wins second term in election allegedly heavily rigged in his favor: Venezuela is in turmoil currently. It is on the brink of economic collapse. President NicolĂĄs Maduro is the political heir of Hugo ChĂĄvez and has shown no signs of being able to fix the countryâs growing problems. Voter turnout was extremely low with more than half of voters not turning in ballots. Even before the election, the U.S. condemned it as rigged and undemocratic. Still, Maduro has declared this a victory.
Hereâs Maduro celebrating with his supporters:
Maduro victoriously waving to an empty plaza yesterday is the perfect metaphor for the Venezuelan presidential election. His new term ends in 2025. pic.twitter.com/UO8Iwugki3
â Hannah Dreier (@hannahdreier) May 21, 2018
Georgiaâs unbelievable gubernatorial race: Itâs turned into a racist pissing contest. There are two candidates, both elected officials, who are competing in a competition of âwho can deport the most illegal immigrants.â Itâs not a real competition and itâs also quite fucking racist. One of the candidates, Sen. Michael Williams, is on a multi-county campaign tour in his so-called âDeportation Bus.â It has the words âfill this bus with illegalsâ painted on the side. There are five candidates running for the Republican nomination, only one hasnât jumped on the anti-immigration bandwagon.
The âpolitically incorrect conservativeâ: Yep, thatâs him. I cannot believe this ad is not a parody and I immediately want to parody it. Whoâs in?
This episode of Pimp My Ride kinda sucks: Hop on the Michael Williamsâ deportation bus! All aboard!
Sobering headline to start your week: Pakistani girl who died in Texas shooting âwanted to experience American culture
Tonight's best Seattle entertainment options include: An evening of poetry with Aimee Nezhukumatathil, an experimental pop show with TV Girl and Wished Bone, and the return of On the Boards' 12 Minutes Max.