Fuck off, Brett.
Fuck off, Brett. HIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES

Seattle’s Navigation Team grows with $500,000 from the county and state: The team responsible for removing homeless camps is growing. The Navigation Team currently has 22 members. It will grow to 30. The additional roles of the new hires remain ambiguous. According to the mayor’s spokeswoman who contacted the Seattle Times, the additions will include “more outreach workers, (police) officers, field coordinators and data administrators.” So, everything. Will this increase the removal of unsanctioned homeless encampments? Maybe. But, if you recall, city guidelines prevent removals when there aren’t enough shelter beds to house every camper. Removals slowed down in February because of this.

Sen. Patty Murray is worried about Roe v. Wade: And the sliver of hope that our country isn’t sinking completely into total despair shrinks just a bit. Murray, like most people aware of current events, is worried that the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh makes abortion rights being overturned a very real possibility. Of course, the motherfucker who will drive a stake through women’s rights would be named Brett. Murray has launched a campaign asking people to share their stories of Roe v. Wade. She’s doing what she can to fight a Supreme Court conservative majority.

Joey Gibson embroils Portland in political turmoil yet again: He’s got an election to win on Tuesday, what else is the Patriot Prayer leader going to do to drum up support besides stage another politically-charged rally? Gibson and the Patriot Prayer, accompanied by the Proud Boys, of course, will descend on Portland Saturday where they are expected to exercise their freedom of speech, carry weapons and a plethora of American flags, and likely stir up some violence. The Patriot Prayer rally held in Portland on June 30 was the most violent ever. Hopefully, with Gibson vying for a Washington state Senate seat on Tuesday they won’t try to top that. Or, maybe that means they will.

Please vote: We’ve hammered it into your head over the last fortnight (no, not the game your 13-year-old brother won’t stop playing). But, you really gotta vote. Ballots are due Tuesday! Don’t be someone in my generation and wait until Tuesday to mail it. Postage is free, we’ve got everything you need to know about voting here — what are you waiting for?

Help is on the way for another orca: While the orca mother has been carrying her dead calf’s corpse around another whale in her pod has been suffering. J50, the 4-year-old whale, is in the same pod as the orca mother. J50 is emaciated beyond belief. Officials are saying she only has days to live. An emergency plan is being put in place to feed J50 live chinook dosed with medicine. She has lost 20 percent of her body weight and giving her food is just as much about feeding her as it is about rehydrating her. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Lummi Nation are trying to save the whale.

RIP sea lions: A bill that makes it easier to kill sea lions just cleared a key committee in the U.S. Senate, reports KING5. The government will be allowed to issue federal permits to tribes that lets them hunt sea lions. Proponents of the bill say it will help declining salmon runs. Critics aren’t so sure.

Head of public defense blacklisted after opposing new youth jail: Crosscut reports that Anita Khandelwal, recently elected interim director of King County’s Department of Public Defense, has had people refuse to meet with her because of her public opposition to the new Children and Family Justice Center — “new youth jail.” Others, such as King County Executive Dow Constantine, have allegedly said that Khandelwal’s position makes it clear that she will not be appointed to the permanent position which she’s seeking. Is being blacklisted because of her political stance a breach of independence?

Make way for the Blue Angels: The I-90 floating bridge is going to close during the weekend so that the U.S. Navy Blue Angels can practice and perform for Seafair Air Show 2018. Plan accordingly. It’s going to close between 12:55 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from the I-5 in Seattle to Island Crest Way on Mercer Island.

Some drizzle today: But it’ll change over the weekend.


Nebraska Governor goes against the Pope and his faith: This guy is Roman Catholic. Doesn’t that mean that the Pope’s word is god? I’m not a Catholic so I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to try one of those Communion crackers, though (yeah, I’ve seen Lady Bird and also my mom is was Catholic). Back to this thing, Gov. Pete Ricketts loves the death penalty. When Nebraska tried to do away with it in 2015, Ricketts poured his family money into a referendum to restore capital punishment. It was eventually restored thanks to his hard work. But, the Pope announced that the death penalty is not Catholic and morally abhorrent. Ricketts is arguing with the Pope’s stance and sticking firmly to his pro-death penalty ways.

Mystery swarm of goats wreaks havoc on Idaho neighborhood: This is the most recent glitch in the simulation.


UPDATE:


Shark snatcher was just trying to help: Remember that video of the people stealing a shark by smuggling it into a stroller? The 16-inch horn shark named Miss Helen (you can’t make this shit up) was stolen by a group of three people and put into an amateur aquarium. Apparently, the aquarium owner is an aquatic activist and thought the shark needed help. He had previously posed as a “salt distributor” to gain access to the aquarium and snoop around. That’s when he saw Miss Helen in a state of apparent distress and he decided he needed to act.

Move to California they said, it’ll be great they said: What they forgot to tell you about the land of opportunity and what comes with all the glitz and glamor of the Golden State is that it is on fire for months. And that now there are fire tornadoes. The fire tornado in the Northern Californian Carr Fire had 143-mile-per-hour winds. There’s no outrunning that bullshit. Move back to Kansas, let your dreams die, and deal with regular tornadoes like god intended.

A moment of silence for MoviePass: I never bought the service. I always intended to. I mean, $11 a month for unlimited movies? Unbelievable. Which is exactly why its stock is plummeting. It’s down 99 percent in just weeks. Wall Street has signed MoviePass’ death warrant — there’s no way the company’s business model is sustainable.

Russian spy was working in Moscow U.S. Embassy: She was hired by the Secret Service and had access to the agency’s intranet and email services. Then, she was assigned to work for the U.S. Embassy. She worked there for over a decade. She had had regular meetings with FSB, Russia’s principal security agency, reports The Guardian. She came under suspicion in 2016, but the Secret Service never launched an inquiry of its own, instead choosing to let her go quietly. This is like an episode of The Americans. I don’t know how similar it is, really, because I’m only on season 2 so please don’t spoil it for me.

Headline of the week: Local utility company says it accidentally sent N-word as password to black woman. This happened in Washington.

Fun Fact for your Friday: Dry counties (where the sale of alcohol is banned) have a drunk driving fatality rate about 3.6 times higher than wet counties.

This weekend's best Seattle entertainment options include: The Seattle Art Fair extravaganza, Orcas Island's four-day grassroots festival Doe Bay Fest, and the Seafair Weekend Festival