New poll doesn't tell us much about the city races: After an initial ask, here's the candidate who wins in each race with a 4.3% margin of error: Mayor: Not Sure (54%); City Attorney: Not Sure (72%); City Council Pos 8: Not Sure (69%, nice); City Council Pos 9: Not Sure (58%). If you hold a gun to their head and ask them again, and then combine those answers, as the Northwest Progressive Institute did, then you get the following, which looks better than I would have imagined for Nikkita Oliver in the Position 9 race and Ann Davison and Nicole Thomas-Kennedy in the City Attorney's race.
.@nwprogressive did an online poll of the Seattle elections with Change Research. 617 people, 4.3 margin of error, poll was in the field July 12-15. Here are the results: pic.twitter.com/Hc2YuTBIdr
— Rich Smith (@richsssmith) July 16, 2021
You can find all the actual answers to these questions on the Stranger Election Control Board's endorsements page. Your ballot should be in your mailbox. Vote the way we tell you to, or else we'll be ruled by a bunch of corporate simps.
Richard Sherman pleads not guilty, expresses remorse: This morning King County Prosecutors charged the former Seahawk with five misdemeanors, including "criminal trespass in the second degree with a domestic-violence element, reckless endangerment of roadway crews, driving under the influence, resisting arrest and malicious mischief with a domestic-violence element," the Seattle Times reports. In a tweet, Sherman expressed remorse, suggested he'd been going through some personal issues but aimed not to excuse his behavior, vowed to get the help he needed, and thanked his support system.
Driver hits and kills woman near the Museum of Flight: On the other side of the highway from the museum, a driver hit and killed a woman at 11:15 am on the 3700 block of South Pilgrim Street. KIRO 7 says the cops are still looking for witnesses and tips.
Cook the hell out of your recreationally harvested shellfish, people: The Washington Department of Health is reporting a major vibriosis outbreak that "has already surpassed the highest number of cases ever recorded by the state for the month of July." Vibrosis bacteria occurs naturally and gets into oysters, clams, and other shellfish. When those contaminated oysters and clams get into us, they cause "diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills." Symptoms begin in most people one day after slurping up raw, contaminated shellfish. The bacteria thrive in warm temps, so the DOH is blaming the outbreak on high heat and low tides. Check out the DOH's shellfish safety map to look for hot spots, and learn more about vibriosis here.
Our waters tragically claim another body: 15-year-old Lincoln High student Mahamed Mohamud accidentally drowned in Green Lake on Wednesday, the Seattle Times reports. This line drew a tear: "Family friend Qadro Mohamud, 31, who is unrelated, described Mohamud as a polite and kind student, who wouldn’t dare to arrive home even a minute late." Cops still haven't determined the exact circumstances of his death—he was last seen en route to the Green Lake branch of the library.
South King County motorcycle mechanic wins Washington's $1 million vaccine lotto: Congratulations to Kameron M, who has "done something for the state of Washington himself, which is to get this vaccine and save other people’s lives,” Governor Jay Inslee said. Read all about it over at KING 5.
Congratulations to Kameron, the "Shot of a Lifetime" lottery $1 million grand-prize winner. A 23-year-old mechanic from South King County, & he got the vaccine because his gut told him it was the right thing to do. I hope his story inspires more people to get vaccinated as well. pic.twitter.com/9wsrWXW6Zz
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) July 16, 2021
Washington state retains its good credit rating : According to a press release from our new Democratic State Treasurer, Mike Pellicciotti, the state's credit rating remains in tip-top shape. On Wednesday Moody's gave us its highest rating and predicted a "stable" outlook. Fitch and S&P offered the same analysis.
Party on Sunday for the Youth Achievement Center: Go hang out and learn what you can do to support the push to build a new facility on two vacant lots near the Columbia City light rail station. The proposed YAC would provide housing and services for Black and brown youths.
And come to the YAC Block Party this Sunday, 12pm in Columbia City, to learn more and support the vision for more supportive housing for unhoused youth. pic.twitter.com/vt6JmyrEe4
— Girmay Zahilay (@GirmayZahilay) July 16, 2021
100 dead and 1,300 missing in Western European floods: Such flooding from rain hasn't been seen in the area in "500 or even 1,000 years," the New York Times reports. And surprise-surprise, or whatever the opposite of surprise is: "Extreme downpours like the ones that occurred in Germany are one of the most visible signs that the climate is changing as a result of warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Studies have found that they are now happening more frequently for a simple reason: A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, generating more, and more powerful, rainfall."
Abolish federal judges in Texas: One of them stopped the Department of Homeland Security from processing any more DACA applications after siding with a bunch of psychotic Republicans and declaring the Obama-era program "unlawful," the Washington Post reports. The program lets undocumented immigrants brought to the country as kids work in the U.S. without fear of deportation. Those who qualified can stay, but the country can't process any new applicants. All eyes now turn to Congress to see if they'll pass immigration reform. In a statement, Seattle Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said, "Dreamers are Americans and Dreamers are home. Today’s cruel ruling does not change that; it only underscores the urgency behind permanently protecting Dreamers." In the meantime, we wait to see if someone appeals.
While the district court ruled that #DACA program is unlawful, the court also put part of its decision on hold, so people who already have DACA will not be immediately impacted by this decision & will be allowed to keep their work permits & continue renewing them. 1/2 https://t.co/O8fPdFjWdH
— Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (@iandraffairs) July 16, 2021
The national GOP is putting its money where its mouth is: After Democrats hosed them in the money game for a few years, Republicans have now closed the gap after embracing "digital fundraising, the maturation of their fledgling WinRed platform and donor optimism after a successful showing down-ballot in 2020," according to the Politico. Democratic candidates are still out-raising GOP candidates on the whole, but that slim majority we're enjoying in Congress is looking like it'll slip away unless people start giving a shit.
Reporter: "What's your message to platforms like Facebook?"
President Biden: "They're killing people."pic.twitter.com/z9QPC2DO3t
— The Real Facebook Oversight Board (@FBoversight) July 16, 2021
"They're killing people:" Biden told reporters that misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines is "killing people," the BBC reports. The outlet points to a March report showing "anti-vaccine activists on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter had reached 'more than 59 million followers, making these the largest and most important social media platforms for anti-vaxxers.'" Unvaccinated people account for "nearly all" of the current COVID-19 deaths.