Its like the plot of Jaws but with sewage instead of sharks.
It's like the plot of Jaws but with sewage instead of sharks. GJQuinlan / Getty Images

Nine parents still detained in Tacoma and SeaTac facilities: The Northwest Detention Center and the Federal Detention Center are still holding nine mothers and fathers despite a July 26 deadline, reports Crosscut. As of yesterday, according to a ruling by a San Diego judge, families should have all been reunified. That is not the case in Washington state. That is not the case nationwide. According to the ACLU, the Trump administration claims it is on track to unify 1,637 parents. Still, “the government failed to identity the parents of approximately 40 children and may have deported as many as 463 parents without their children.”

Stop swimming at Juanita Beach Park: At least for the time being. Bacteria associated with sewage contamination was found in Lake Washington near the beach. It’s called fecal coliform so the sewage thing isn’t a complete surprise. Don’t worry, though. If you’ve taken a dip there recently you probably weren’t backstroking through human feces. Fecal coliform is typically from dogs and waterfowl. I hope that's reassuring. The beach is closed until bacteria levels return to normal.

SPD lip sync parody video calls out police: SPD made a happy, fun lip sync video to Macklemore’s “Downtown.” The people ate that shit up. A Seattle music producer was irked by the whole thing. He created a parody video that uses footage from the lip sync as well as videos showing SPD at protests in riot gear using pepper spray and flash bangs on crowds. I find it more moving than the original lip sync video. I know, hard to imagine.

KeyArena project will cost millions more than expected: The price tag has grown to more than $700 million. That’s a $100 million increase. But, the city won’t be responsible for picking up the tab. The Oak View Group will be responsible for all overruns. OVG will be announcing the contractor for the project soon.

Rideshare clogs up city streets: From 2016 to 2017 rideshare increased 47 percent in Seattle. The addition of cheaper carpooling options like UberPool or Lyft Line have increased the popularity of ride-hailing services and are adding private cars to the streets. These services appeal to people who wouldn’t normally shell out money for a private ride and who are more likely to take transit or bike. The study this data is from found that these services challenge transit and draw riders away from city buses or rails and increase traffic. Read the whole thing here. New York may become the first city to cap the number of rideshare vehicles.

Did fire clog up your commute? A brush fire in Northgate wreaked some havoc on evening commuters last night. The heavy traffic only lasted until 8 p.m. Hopefully the morning commute is less incendiary.


There are firenados afoot: A massive wildfire, fueled by 60 mph winds, jumped the Sacramento River and is blazing a trail of carnage through the outskirts of Northern California. About 15 structures and 28,000 acres have been destroyed. There is believed to be one fatality. The high speed winds and flame inferno is creating fire tornadoes.


Sad orca update: The grieving mother is still carrying around the corpse of her dead calf. This is the third day of mourning. Researchers, listening to the mother’s labored breathing, are concerned for her health.

A little gift from our good friend Kim Jong Un:


Dog days of summer in Korea: To beat the sizzling heat, North Koreans and South Koreans eat hot, spicy food. The hottest, spiciest dish is dog meat soup. Demand for dog is high this year because of an intense heatwave in East Asia. Interest in dog meat has waned substantially in South Korea, especially in the younger generations. It’s still holding strong in the North.

Papa John is suing Papa John’s: Papa John’s, the pizza company, is sad that Papa John, the person, is suing them. Papa John — or, John Schnatter — is looking into Papa John’s company documents because of the aggressive way the company handled him being a racist.

A 4.1 percent rise in GDP: The U.S.’s gross domestic product increased more in the second quarter than it has since 2014. Economists don’t expect this boom to last. A boon in exports and a stockpile of American goods due to trade tensions “pumped up Friday’s numbers,” according to the New York Times.

World’s oldest person dies: The age to beat is 117. Miyako Chiyo, from Japan, was born in 1901. She was a pisces. She died Sunday.

Seth Rogen is going to be the voice of Vancouver transportation: Well, TransLink BC had initially booked Morgan Freeman for the gig. But, there was an uproar from Canadians — why couldn’t a Canadian actor offer his or her voice to Canadian transit? So, they found the Canadian Morgan Freeman: Seth Rogen.

Headline of the week: Roseanne on racist tweet: ‘I wish I worded it better’

Fun fact for your Friday: Baby elephants suck on their trunks just like how human children suck their thumbs.

This weekend's best Seattle entertainment options include: The Seattle Punk Flyer Retrospective 79-85, the one-night-only Seattle Emerging Arts Pop Up Fair, and the immersive, blow-out show What is Home an Obscure Kingdom an Opera Buffa It's Always You.