Rest in hell, you old crook.
Rest in hell. Mario Tama/Getty Images

We gotta keep getting tested for the bug: Ever since vaccines rolled into the discourse around November 2020, COVID-19 testing declined in Washington. But testing is still important, especially now when cases are ticking up and new variants are running rampant. How are public health officials supposed to know anything about disease activity if no one's giving them any data? Let's go get swabbed. Just for kicks.

Three arrested in Seattle protests: Seattle police arrested three protesters last night after a group crowded in front of the downtown West Precinct. Police arrested two people for graffiti, and one for obstruction. Protesters said they were drawing with chalk. The Seattle Police Department oddly cited city code in its statements announcing the arrests.

Portland protesters set fire to police union building: Around 100 people in Portland gathered to protest the killing of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who was killed by police officer Kim Potter, who was also a police union president. Portland protesters marched to the Portland Police Association Building and set it on fire. Police declared a riot.

Here was the scene in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota: Protesters gathered for another night in the Minneapolis suburb where police killed Wright.

Gun or taser? The New York Times reviewed 15 instances where officers had mistaken their guns for tasers, what the Brooklyn Center Police Department say happened when an officer killed Duante Wright on Sunday. That mistake is rare—the Times said the alleged mix-up only happened those 15 times across 20 years. In those cases, only five officers were indicted, and only two of those officers were actually found guilty.

ICYMI: Boston's police union chief is an alleged child molester. The Boston Globe uncovered a 1995 criminal complaint filed against union president Patrick Rose for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old. He kept his badge for 21 more years and allegedly molested five more children.

Headline of the week: Man Fined for Farting On Cop Argues Farts Are Protected Forms of Expression

Who owns Parler? The conservative version of Twitter is still battling in court with Amazon, according to Katherine Anne Long at the Seattle Times. Amazon booted Parler off of Amazon Web Services after the Jan. 6 insurrection, and Parler sued to get back on the web. So far, that hasn't been working. One claim Amazon has raised during the case is that Parler is "concealing" who its true owner is. Long at the Times suggests that "prominent Republican political donor Rebekah Mercer controls the social network."

Another Health One: Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle City Council unveiled a second vehicle for Seattle's firefighter-social worker response team known as Health One. The program has been a successful example of unarmed, non-police crisis response, but the city only had one vehicle. The new Health One vehicle will serve the University District and Ballard. The first team covers Capitol Hill and downtown. The council set aside money for a third Health One vehicle, which will launch later this year.

Bernie Madoff is dead: The investment adviser convicted of running one of the largest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history died in prison at 82.

Try this YouTube rabbithole: North Korean refugee vloggers.

Former Bachelor comes out as gay: Colton Underwood first appeared as a contestant on the Bachelorette and was known as being a virgin. He later helmed the 2019 Bachelor season, looking for love among a host of women. Underwood came out as gay in an interview with Good Morning America.

This interview Underwood did with comedian Billy Eichner aged like fine wine.

Reparations bill is close to a vote: A bill that would establish a 13-member commission to discuss proposals "to help repair the lasting effects of slavery" gained traction in the House Judiciary Committee, which will hold a vote on the bill today.

Ramadan Mubarak! Here's some social distancing in Mecca as worshippers break their fast on the first day of Ramadan.

Sure, Nancy: In a perplexing interview, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that she would have fought off the insurrection rioters and used her stilettos as a weapon. "Well, I'm pretty tough. I'm a street fighter," Pelosi said. "They would have had a battle on their hands."

Speaking of the insurrection: The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) knew shit was going down that day. According to new records, the USCP learned that Congress was the target for the Jan. 6 attack. The USCP intelligence report asserted that the attack could “lead to a significantly dangerous situation for law enforcement and the general public alike.” Yet, USCP leaders instructed officers not to use their most aggressive tactics on the mob. So... tell me again, what was that argument about how rally-attendees, the USCP, and the FBI didn't know what was going to happen on Jan. 6?

I am in love with the English phonebooth graveyard.

A long read suggestion: This profile of couples therapist Esther Perel.

Cross some words today: With this free crossword.

Before I let you go: Please watch this real ad from New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams about how you should sweep your children's rooms for guns, crack pipes, and bullets.