The woman, Grace, called the (SPD) response “disappointing” after she was approached by an unknown man while walking toward the in the Belltown neighborhood on First Avenue on April 26. She told ����Xվ Newsradio the man began following her and muttering.

“I kind of gave him the stink eye, so that he’d go away, which he did,” she told ����Xվ Newsradio. “And I made it into the bakery.”

But as she exited the bakery, the man approached her again.

More SPD news: Seattle mayor hires firm to probe SPD sexual harassment, discrimination claims

“I kind of told him just to f*** off and to just leave me alone,” Grace said. “I guess he didn’t like that. He just immediately slapped my butt very hard.”

Grace said she instinctively turned around and kicked him in the gut.

“It’s something I don’t normally do,” Grace said. “Usually, I freeze up.”

As the man began to walk away, Grace called 911 and followed him. The operator told her to stop and stay where she was, and that an SPD officer would meet her there shortly.

“I waited for an hour and they never showed up,” she said.

An SPD spokesperson confirmed the call came in shortly after 3 p.m., and an officer was dispatched to the scene at 5:48 p.m. By that time, Grace had gone home and asked someone to meet her there to take her statement. According to Grace, no one ever did. An officer called her later that night and told Grace he would file a report on her behalf.

Grace said she did not feel as if her situation had been taken seriously.

“The officer taking the report over the phone? Who does that?” Grace said. “I’ve never had the police call and say, ‘OK, well, I can’t show up to your place, so I’m going to go call you instead.'”

If it had escalated there on the sidewalk, she said she could have been in even more physical danger, with no officer nearby to intervene.

“The man could have been p****d off and turned around, and tried to find me and do something else to me,” she said.

Short staffing and delayed response times for Seattle police

A source within SPD told ����Xվ Newsradio “there’s no way an officer would just not respond to a call. We don’t do that.”

But Grace’s experience bears some similarities to another incident reported last month in which a man reportedly threatened and assaulted employees at a Pike Place Market coffee shop and bakery in Seattle. In that case, the business owner said his employees also called 911 but officers were not dispatched, reportedly due to staffing.

The SPD has a well-documented history of staffing shortages in recent years. The department told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH last month the current number of deployable officers is at its lowest level since 2009. Data from SPD showed response times have significantly increased since 2020, according to a .

����Xվ Newsradio reached out to city officials regarding both incidents. SPD confirmed in Grace’s case, the 911 call was received by the team. Officially launched last October, the department is separate from the SPD. It operates the city’s 911 Communications Center and consists of behavioral health specialists trained to provide support and resources to support people experiencing crises. Dispatched alongside an SPD officer, team members respond to 911 calls where it is determined there is no threat of violence and no medical emergency.

More on the SPD: What Seattle police officers are saying during exit interviews

Police records indicate the CARE team was responsible for assigning priority to Grace’s call. The officer who arrived on the scene nearly three hours after the initial report cleared it about an hour and a half after speaking to Grace by phone. The CARE public affairs department said it is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the other incident at Pike Place Market.

SPD’s handling of sexual assault cases

Amid concerns over delayed response times, Grace told ����Xվ Newsradio she thinks there could be major improvements to how officers treat people reporting crimes, especially of a sexual nature.

“He got my name and my date of birth, and then he kind of joked with me about, ‘You know, Valentine’s babies, our parents were having fun, haha,'” Grace said, referring to the phone call she had with an officer hours after the assault.

Grace said she found that treatment was inappropriate under the circumstances.

“We’re already in shock. And it’s fine. If you ask us questions, we’ll answer,” Grace said. “But making light hearted jokes like that, we’re not in the right headspace to deal with something like that.”

Emily, a woman who spoke to ����Xվ Newsradio after being attacked on the Howe Street Stairs last year, shared a similar story. She said the SPD officer who took her report “was super blunt.”

“I gave him all the details but he was not empathetic at all. Just asking me, ‘What’s your name? What’s your address? Be clear about what happened,” she said. “Which isn’t a great feeling when you’ve just been attacked.”

SPD has seen similar condemnation in the past

It’s not the first time SPD has faced such criticism.

A revealed an internal memo within the police department that said a lack of staffing in the sexual assault and child abuse unit meant cases with adult victims aren’t being investigated by SPD. It generated so much outcry that SPD Police Chief Adrian Diaz addressed it directly promising to devote more resources to investigating sex assaults.

More from Kate Stone: Ex-Bothell City Council member charged with South Seattle homicide

“Sexual violence is one of the most serious crimes our department investigates, and when I learned of staffing concerns in SAU in April (2022), I immediately began work to bolster the unit with additional detectives, as well as non-police staff who provide support to victims of sexual violence,” Diaz said in part. “If you are reporting a sexual assault, please do not call the non-emergency line; call 911. With the transfer of 911 to the new Community Safety and Communications Center, SPD does not have access to the non-emergency line, which is not always staffed. We want to make sure we are not missing any calls, and we are committed to ensuring every victim’s voice is heard.”

Grace said she did exactly that, and nothing happened.

“I told them I couldn’t wait any longer,” Grace said, stating she waited on the sidewalk for over an hour. “And the 911 operator said ‘Go home, give us a call when you get home and we’ll send an officer,'” she recounted. “I called them and I told them I was home. They said ‘OK, we’ll send somebody out there.’ And they never sent anybody.”

SPD could not confirm if the officer assigned to the case attempted to meet Grace at her home, as she requested. While some both inside and outside of SPD have blamed staffing shortages and long response times on the COVID-19 pandemic and the so-called “Defund the Police” vote by the Seattle City Council in 2020, Grace said getting help from officers was a problem long before that.

“I had an incident back in 2015, where I got hit by a car and I was riding my bike. And I didn’t want the driver to leave, I called the police,” she said. “We waited for two hours for the cops to come. They never came. So I had to go home. And finally a cop showed up like 30 minutes after I got home then to go take my statement. So this to me feels normal, and it should not feel normal.”

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

According to PSE, a typical residential electric customer will now see an average monthly bill increase of $4.11. A typical residential natural gas customer will see an average monthly increase of $7.68. Those are higher numbers than , which indicated a less than $2 bump for either service.

The rate changes are a result of several factors. One is the rising price of natural gas in the wholesale market. However, the main impact comes from the increasing number of customers now participating in the . The grant money from that program is rapidly being used up, according to PSE spokesperson Melanie Coon.

“This has caused the available amount of funding to decline at a faster rate than anticipated. To ensure customer needs are met, we are seeking additional funding for the remainder of the program year,” Coon told ����Xվ Newsradio.

Related coverage: Puget Sound Energy rate hikes are about to hit customers

She also said this rate increase is not related to the or , which was recently passed by the state legislature. It’s also not connected to PSE recently submitted to the (UTC) outlining their strategy for natural gas and electric service costs in the future.

More electric and natural gas rate hikes expected in 2025

However, that two-year plan will mean additional costs for PSE customers, on top of the increase, starting in Jan. 2025. If the UTC approves the request, an average monthly bill would increase by $7.84 for a typical electric customer. For natural gas, it would go up around $13.96 on average.

In 2026, another $11.20 would be added for residential electric customers and $1.51 for residential natural gas customers. Those rates, however, are not set in stone. The UTC has the authority to set final rates that may vary from PSE’s requests, either higher, lower or structured differently. The agency is expected to deliver a decision on the plan in mid-January.

Unlike the rate hike that took effect Wednesday, the proposed two-year plan’s rates are largely driven by the state’s climate laws. The plan includes significant investments to advance clean energy and provide safe and reliable service to PSE’s more than 1.5 million customers, according to the company. The rate increases would, among other things, funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to the Beaver Creek wind farm and the Baker River hydroelectric project. Numerous other existing facilities would also see significant upgrades or modernization.

PSE said it continually for customers, including a new bill discount rate in the plan that allows qualified customers to save between 5% and 45% on their bill each month. Another program rolling out this fall is designed to help customers with past-due balances.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

On Friday, McNeal was charged with murder in the second degree, according to the .

ORIGINAL STORY:

Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers are investigating a homicide in the city’s Brighton neighborhood.

Shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday, police officers responded to a call and located a dead 20-year-old woman inside a home in the 4600 block of South Orchard Street near South Beacon Hill.

Court documents state she was lying face up in a bed, fully nude, but covered by bedding. No one else was found inside the home.

, the woman had allegedly died by strangulation.

“It’s just really awful. She was really sweet,” a neighbor, who described the woman as a friend, told ����Xվ 7.

More Washington crime: Son of former Seattle Mayor McGinn pleads not guilty to child pornography charges

A 58-year-old man was arrested for homicide and booked into King County Jail. Additionally, he was treated for injuries by the (SFD) and transported to Harborview Medical Center. He is in stable condition, as of this reporting.

The man is former Bothell City Council member James G. McNeal, who was in office for nearly a decade before .

According to court documents, McNeal’s lawyer made the 911 call. When officers arrived, they arrested McNeal outside the home and saw that he had both fresh and dried blood on his clothes.

Court documents state photos of the woman and McNeal were found in the home, as well as several handwritten lists believed to be written by the woman.

One read, “Do not interact w/James today.” Another read, “Trying to do the least with the most, him being 58 … and he doesn’t want to help me financially… also he turns everything on you can’t take ownership for anything.”

Another note with similar handwriting said, “Make sure you do not forget how you felt. The anger, hurt, neglect from James knowing you are struggling does not care dismissing any attempts to ask for help. Demanding sex, demanding access to everything. Ex. Key to home.”

Another note read, “is mentally, emotionally abuse, no empathy …”

Court documents reported the former council member was treated for self-inflicted cuts to his wrists and was taken to Harborview Medical Center.

More on ex-Bothell City Council member James McNeal

When McNeal was running for Bothell City Council in 2015, a found McNeal pled guilty to a felony for eluding police when he was 19 years old. He’s also had “extensive issues” with the IRS from unpaid taxes related to a business he owned, according to the investigation.

He was endorsed by The Seattle Times for the city council seat in 2015 and won the seat. He served in Bothell’s Position 2 chair for eight years before losing to Mason Thompson in 2023. McNeal grabbed 3,378 votes (37.9%), while Mason Thompson received 5,500 votes (61.8%).

In the 2023 Snohomish County Official Local Voters’ Pamphlet, McNeal stated he had been a construction manager for 25 years and a coach and program director for 10, specifically calling out time spent coaching football, lacrosse, baseball and basketball. He also stated he is a graduate of in Kirkland (A PDF of the pamphlet can be viewed .)

“We have had many successes during my tenure, including preserving open spaces (Wayne, and North Creek Forest), increasing police and fire staffing, building two needed fire stations, invested in our roads and sidewalks, saved the Senior Center from closure, built youth sports facilities, just to name a few,” McNeal’s statement read.

More from Bothell: Family says teen can ‘rest in peace’ after Bothell man convicted of 1993 murder

If anyone has information, please call the SPD Violent Crime Tip Line at (206) 233-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, Frank Sumrall and Steve Coogan, MyNorthwest

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

“The independent third-party investigation is complete and determined that there was not a preponderance of evidence supporting any of Mr. Smith’s allegations against WSDOT,” the agency said in a statement released Wednesday evening.

Scott Smith, a former transportation planner, last month, claiming he was pressured by the governor’s (OFM) and WSDOT to change the numbers in his reports that indicated that Washington’s was significantly impacting the cost of fuel. According to Smith, he calculated last year the program, part of the (CCA) would lead to a 45 to 50-cent increase on every gallon of gas.

More on the CCA:��State officials spar over impact of Climate Act on gas prices as drivers pay up

Smith claimed after he presented his report, his supervisors at WSDOT instructed him to keep that information quiet.

“On Jan. 18, 2023, I was told in a meeting with my direct supervisor that management would ‘prefer’ that I not include cap and trade surcharges in my quarterly fuel price forecast,” Smith said in March after the lawsuit was filed.

The��, a conservative advocacy group representing Smith in the lawsuit, said he and other staff members were instructed to not include “carbon tax issues” in any email so that the agency could avoid public record requests.

When Smith refused to alter his calculations, he alleged a retaliation campaign began. State officials changed his duties, denied him a promotion, refused to approve leave and remote work and attempted to backdate and change his job performance evaluation, according to the lawsuit.

“The last straw that broke the camel’s back was when they wouldn’t approve my leave request to visit my elderly mother out of state,” Smith told ����Xվ Newsradio.

He said he was forced into early retirement last November, after more than five years as a gasoline tax revenue and price forecaster for WSDOT, and more than three decades as a state government economist. He filed a whistleblower complaint the same day.

WSDOT investigates whistleblower claims

WSDOT spokesperson Kris Abrudan said the internal investigation did not reveal evidence “that WSDOT staff violated any executive orders or human resource policies, nor did it support Mr. Smith’s allegations of retaliatory behavior or actions.”

Abrudan said those conclusions were based on multiple interviews with WSDOT staff along with a review of over a thousand files, emails and related documents.

Regarding Smith’s claims that he was told to lie about the CCA’s impact on gas prices, the probe found “there was no support for Mr. Smith’s allegations regarding the integrity of the state’s transportation forecast.”

Critics of the CCA wholeheartedly disagree with that statement. They argue Smith’s predictions were largely accurate and that carbon auctions have driven up gas prices by as much as 50 cents a gallon. Those numbers come from multiple expert analyses, including the , a Dow Jones company that collects fuel-pricing information for AAA and other clients.

A growing number of lawmakers and CCA opponents now contend that Gov. Inslee and the state were less than truthful about the effect the climate laws would have on prices at the pump. However, the impact of the CCA appears to have plateaued and Washington’s current gas price spike appears more related to a nationwide trend, rather than state laws.

While the internal investigation is over, Smith’s lawsuit continues in Thurston County Superior Court. As of now, there is no timeline on when a judge might hear it.

More on the Mercer Island burst pipe: Residents evacuated due to landslide risk allowed to return home

(SPU) owns and manages the 24-inch high-pressure water pipe, which supplies most of the water to Mercer Island. City officials said it is still out of service and a smaller backup line is currently being used, but the smaller system won’t be able to keep up with demand this summer.

“It is likely water conservation efforts will need to be enacted to manage daily demands,” the city . “These may include reducing garden and lawn irrigation, running the dishwasher and washing machine only with a full load, using commercial car washes that recycle water, and reducing personal water use wherever possible.”

Initially, the estimate to fix the pipe was several days but is now projected to take much longer. SPU crews said repair work is being hampered by challenges with the site and topography. As of now, there is no official timeline for when things might be back to normal.

No mandatory water restrictions have been announced yet, but the city said those will likely happen soon.

“We know these types of restrictions can be inconvenient. While evaluation and planning work is still underway to determine what restrictions may be needed, we aim to provide you with advance notice that water conservation will likely be essential this summer,” the city wrote. “This will ensure the island’s water demand does not exceed the supply provided by the backup line and that city reservoirs will continue to meet resident needs while sustaining water quality, safety and firefighting requirements.”

On Thursday, SPU sent this statement on the leak and its steps to fix it:

Since April 3, Mercer Island and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) have been working together to address the water main leak and determine next steps with the water supply pipeline serving Mercer Island. The 1950s pipeline, which is is owned and operated by SPU, delivers wholesale water to two City of Mercer Island water storage tanks. Mercer Island in turn owns and operates its own water distribution system, including those tanks, which provides water to the homes and businesses on the island. Essentially, SPU gets the water to Mercer Island, and the City of Mercer Island distributes the water throughout the island. SPU and Mercer Island collaborate closely on capital improvements to SPU’s pipeline.

A team of engineers, geotechnical experts, and planners has been assessing the leak and identifying viable repair options, such as lining the pipeline. While water pipeline leaks are not uncommon and SPU crews routinely repair pipes, the particular pipeline and leak are in a complicated location that make it difficult to excavate, which limit our ability to assess the cause and the range of repair options available. We are making good progress on the situation, but repair decisions are impacted by the complicated location and are taking some additional time to work through.

SPU and Mercer Island are working together and will continue to closely collaborate to select the best path forward for Mercer Island’s water customers and the community surrounding the pipeline leak location. In the meantime, SPU’s pipeline remains shut down where the leak was occurring, and water is being routed to Mercer Island’s water storage tanks via an alternative, smaller pipeline owned by Mercer Island.”

More from Kate Stone: As homelessness rises, Supreme Court takes Oregon case, to decide on sleeping bans

Residents with questions or concerns are urged to contact the Mercer Island Customer Service Team by or phone at (206) 275-7600 during operating hours.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

Early indications appeared to show a divided court in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, as the justices seek to answer whether local jurisdictions can ban people from sleeping outside when shelter space is lacking. The question at the center of the case is whether the laws in Grants Pass, a city of roughly 40,000 in southern Oregon, went too far. (A PDF from the U.S. Supreme Court on this case can be viewed .)

More importantly, the court’s decision will clarify whether the laws in Grants Pass, and other cities like it, are a violation of the constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

“If the Supreme Court does rule in favor of Grants Pass, I think what we can expect is that cities across across the area will have the right to outlaw homelessness across the city,” said , a professor at and national expert on legal and policy issues relating to people experiencing homelessness.

The case is considered the most significant to come before the high court in decades on the issue, as are without a permanent place to live in the United States. There were an estimated 256,000 unsheltered people in the U.S. on a given night in 2023, according to a from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The state of Washington is no exception, ranking second in the country for most unhoused people per capita. The Grants Pass case presents major implications for cities in Washington who have taken steps to ban public camping, most notably the city of Burien.

Oregon case could decide if homelessness can be a crime

In 2013, the city of Grants Pass attempted to tackle a growing problem with encampments that sprung up as the cost of housing escalated. The city enacted ordinances that banned sleeping outdoors on public property or in city parks. Violations can include fines of up to several hundred dollars, and can escalate to jail time after repeat offenses.

The San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found in 2018 that such bans violated the U.S. Constitution’s by punishing people for something they don’t have control over. The 9th Circuit oversees nine Western states, including California, which is home to about one-third of the nation’s homeless population.

A cross-section of Democratic and Republican officials contend that makes it difficult for them to manage encampments, which can have dangerous and unsanitary living conditions.

“When the 9th Circuit constitutionalized this area, it left cities with really no choice: either keep building enough shelter that may or may not be adequate or suitable to someone’s preferences or be forced to give up all of your public spaces. That is what’s happened,” Theane Evangelis, the lawyer representing the city, told the court.

But hundreds of advocacy groups argue that allowing cities to punish people who need a place to sleep will ultimately make the crisis worse.

“The city council president of Grants Pass went on the record, in a public statement, and said that the intent of the law was to drive homeless people out of Grants Pass,” said Rankin. “That’s the real concern here is, ‘Can cities make homelessness illegal city wide?’ It would effectively result in people being displaced to other cities, and then you can expect a downward spiral.”

Washington legislation regarding homelessness: Senate bill aims to prohibit use of hostile architecture preventing homeless camps

Cities can still regulate homelessness

While the Supreme Court’s decision in the Grants Pass case could have major impacts across the country, it does not strip cities of all authority to tackle challenges with homelessness.

“The Grants Pass case has nothing to do with whether cities have the right to sweep. It has nothing to do with whether cities can impose those reasonable time restrictions so that they could, for example, have people who can sleep in tents overnight, but then have to pack up their tents and leave in the morning,” said Rankin. “In fact, in Seattle, there are provisions in Seattle’s own administrative rules that say if an area is considered hazardous or a public health or public safety issue, they don’t even need to provide notice to folks before they’re swept.”

Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision would change that. The only thing the court will decide in this case is whether cities have the right to have a citywide ban against sleeping in public, even when that same city has inadequate shelter.

During two hours of oral arguments, the justices seemed disturbed at having a federal court hand down decisions that will affect local governments.

Justice Elena Kagan and Chief Justice John Roberts both expressed those concerns to Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler, who argued on behalf of the Biden administration against the city of Grants Pass.

“Many people have mentioned this is a serious policy problem, and it’s a policy problem because the solution of course is to build shelter, to provide shelter for those who are otherwise harmless,” Roberts said during Monday’s proceedings. “But municipalities have competing priorities. What if there are lead pipes in the water? Do you build the homeless shelter or do you take care of the lead pipes? What if there isn’t enough fire protection? Which one do you prioritize?”

Kagan questioned how the high court could make a decision that would be effective for jurisdictions of all shapes and sizes, each with unique circumstances. “These are tough judgments and usually they’re the kind of judgments that we think of as municipal officials make them,” she said.

Justices question whether criminalizing homelessness is effective

Rankin says the approximately 600 homeless people in Grants Pass are now serving as a case study for why criminalizing homelessness will not work. “Unless your homelessness is cured somehow, the reality is that you’ll be hit with multiple fines and fees. They have thousands of dollars in fines and fees, just from not having a safe and legal place to sleep. Not only do those make it harder for you to emerge from homelessness, but can actually evolve into criminal charges.”

Some of the more conservative-leaning justices, including Brett Kavanaugh, questioned the effectiveness of that process on Monday.

“If you run through that cycle and end up in jail for 30 days, then you get out, you’re not going to be better off than you were before in finding a bed, if there aren’t beds available in the jurisdiction,” he told Evangelis.

Grants Pass does have limited shelter options, including the Christian nonprofit . While some have embraced the resources provided there, others have criticized the organizations’ list of 29 rules, some of which have direct religious overtones. Beyond that, “there are zero overnight shelters that are accessible to anyone who wants them,” said Rankin.

Jason Rantz on SCOTUS taking the case: United States Supreme Court could save Seattle from homeless crisis

The same holds true for cities like Burien, which continues to have no overnight shelter space for single adults. While the city accepted an offer from King County last fall of $1 million and 35 pallet shelters, it has yet to decide on a location for them, despite months of discussion.

“We have multiple shelters for women and children. We certainly need to get investments for men’s shelters,” Burien Mayor Kevin Schilling told ����Xվ Newsradio at the time. “But the law only says in the vicinity, not in the city where someone is presently sleeping in a tent.”

Schilling said that could include places like Seattle, or other nearby cities in South King County. It’s become a major point of contention that��now has Burien engaged in a legal battle with the King County Sheriff’s office (KCSO) over whether the city’s anti-camping ban can be legally enforced. The situation there bears marked similarities to the one now being argued before the nation’s highest court.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked, “If every city every village, every town lacks compassion and passes a law identical to this? Where are they supposed to sleep?”

The court is expected to decide the case by the end of June.

Contributing: The Associated Press

The , several state and local health departments and (FDA) have recorded 19 cases of people who received injections of counterfeit or mishandled botulinum toxin () as of April 16. Those affected reported experiencing symptoms similar to , a serious illness that attacks the body’s nervous system, causing weakness and muscle paralysis. Nine of the 19 people had to be hospitalized.

More operations going wrong in Washington: After botched appendix surgery, man sues UW Medicine for removing wrong organ

“We are currently aware of five cases in King County that appear to be linked to this ongoing national investigation,” the King County Department of Health stated. “However, FDA is currently investigating and has not confirmed if the cases are a result of a potential counterfeit or mishandled product or a result of Botox side effects.”

The CDC said the between the ages of 25 to 59. All reported receiving injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-healthcare settings, such as homes and spas. Along with Washington, other cases have been reported in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York and Tennessee.

“Fake Botox” product sickens at least one in Washington

The source of the harmful reactions appears to be a counterfeit version of the FDA-approved Botox product. over the past two decades as a drug used to smooth wrinkles and appear younger. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons estimated the average cost of injections to be around $530, with effects lasting approximately three to four months.

Health officials said there is currently no indication that the genuine product, manufactured by the , is linked to any of the recent events. The FDA is looking into where the counterfeit products may have come from. More information about the fakes, and how to spot them, .

Anyone who suspects they may be experiencing a harmful reaction to botulinum toxin injections is urged to call the ��immediately��for consultation and antitoxin release. If no one answers, contact the CDC clinical botulism service 24/7 at 770-488-7100.

Symptoms of a possibly adverse reaction include blurred or double vision, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, constipation, incontinence, shortness of breath, weakness and difficulty lifting one’s head following injection of these products.

John Curley and Shari Elliker on Botox: Is John using too much Botox?

Healthcare professionals and consumers should report adverse events related to the use of any medications, including suspected counterfeit medications to the FDA’s :

• Complete and submit the report online at MedWatch Online Voluntary Reporting Form, or
• Download and complete the��, then submit it via fax at 1-800-FDA-0178.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

Adolfo Bailon’s office confirmed to ����Xվ Newsradio a letter sent to King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall, informing her he planned to seek a replacement for current Chief Ted Boe. Burien contracts with KCSO for police services via an .

Bailon wrote he could “no longer trust” Boe to fulfill the terms of that agreement and that his actions “no longer represent the City of Burien’s best interests, vision and goals.”

NEW: City Manager Adolfo Bailon is moving to replace Police Chief Ted Boe.

Bailon says he has “lost trust” in Boe to fulfill requirements in contract with King County Sheriff’s office, which provides Burien’s police services.

Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall fired back,…

— Kate Stone (@Kattressa)

His letter did not mention Burien’s recently updated camping ordinance as a specific reason for the move. But Cole-Tindall directly implied as much in her response Thursday afternoon. She fired back at Bailon’s accusations, saying she asked for details on “why the city manager has reached this conclusion. Bailon has yet to provide this requested information.”

Boe, a 24-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, has led Burien’s police department for the past six years. Reporting to both Bailon and KCSO, he has been largely caught in the middle of an increasingly bitter back-and-forth between the two sides.

Burien is already in a legal battle with KCSO, alleging in a lawsuit last month that the county breached its ILA for refusing to enforce a camping ban adopted (and repeatedly amended) by the city council. At the same time, King County and KCSO with the United States District Court, asking a judge to weigh in on whether the ordinance is constitutional.

Exclusive: City of Burien sues King County for breaking contract in homeless camping ban

Cole-Tindall has instructed her deputies serving Burien not to enforce the section on public camping, pending the judge’s decision. All criminal code violations are still being enforced.

Burien cracks down on public camping

The first ordinance, passed last September after months of debate, prohibited anyone from between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Those caught doing so could be fined and charged with a misdemeanor. However, the ordinance stated that police could not arrest or move people if there was no available shelter. This caveat was added to remain in compliance with a that does not allow homelessness to be criminalized without shelter resources in the area.

Background: Overnight camping ban going into effect in Burien

The next month, Burien’s city council , expanding the hours to between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Another update, passed in March, went even further. In addition to banning public camping around the clock, it expanded prohibited zones to include, among other things, all sidewalks. Tents and campsites were also not allowed within 500 feet of daycares, parks, libraries and schools.

But Burien’s definition of “in the area” faced intense scrutiny. The law provides a very vague description of what constitutes “shelter” and how far away it can be located. The ban itself currently faces multiple lawsuits from local housing advocate groups and unhoused people, who claim it is essentially zoning them out of the city.

Most notably, the gave the city manager power to set aside places for people to camp overnight. As of this writing, Bailon has not publicly done so. That language was also stripped out of later versions of the ordinance and replaced instead with to eliminate tents and unhoused individuals from nearly any non-residential location in Burien.

King County sheriff challenges Burien camping ban

Over the past seven months, it has fallen to King County deputies to enforce Burien’s rapidly changing statutes. It culminated in Cole-Tindall’s direction to halt enforcement and dueling lawsuits filed by both sides.

Past coverage: Burien police officer not enforcing city’s new camping ban

“I do not want any of you to find yourself in a situation where you are asked or expected to do something that could violate legally established rights,” the sheriff wrote in an email shortly after the section of the Burien Municipal Code (BMC 9.85.150) was updated to its most recent version in March.

Burien Mayor Kevin Schilling criticized Cole-Tindall’s decision not to inform him or any other city council members about her directive.

“The City of Burien pays millions of dollars to the King County Sheriff’s Department with the expectation that they will enforce our city codes and laws to keep the community safe and publicly accessible for all,” Schilling said in a statement to The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “Right now, the Dow Constantine appointed sheriff is prioritizing politics over public safety.”

It’s unclear if Cole-Tindall made the announcement at the behest of King County Executive Dow Constantine, who appointed her to the position.

King County sheriff questions Burien leaders’ motives

On Thursday, Cole-Tindall called Bailon’s request for a new police chief “surprising.” She cited recent crime prevention and arrest statistics under Boe and highlighted decreases in auto theft, residential burglary, vandalism and assault in Burien compared to last year.

“The facts show that Chief Boe is doing a great job leading the Burien Police Department,” Sheriff Cole-Tindall said in her statement.

She also pointedly questioned Bailon’s motives, referencing Boe’s last month in the lawsuit over the ban’s constitutionality. In it, he described an increasingly tense and deteriorating relationship with Bailon.

“On March 11, the city manager met with me and could best be described as curt in his interaction,” Boe wrote in the court documents. “It is clear to me that he is angry that the county is challenging the ordinance and that he blames me for the sequence of events that culminated in the filing of this lawsuit.”

Cole-Tindall implied Bailon’s push for a new police chief stemmed from that testimony and cautioned him against the move.

“State law prohibits any local government from retaliating against a person for raising concerns with the constitutionality of government action,” she wrote.

She also pointed out Bailon has directed the city to stop paying the county for its police services.

“Until the city resolves this breach of its agreement with the sheriff’s office, there is little need to account for the city manager’s undisclosed concerns,” Cole-Tindall finished.

Bailon’s letter to KCSO can be read in full ��and Sheriff Cole-Tindall’s response .

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

Intermittent shutdowns begin this weekend, , and will last through June 4. Across all locations, it adds up to around 1,500 hours across the eight weeks.

The announcement from the comes after more than two years of unpredictable schedules throughout the library system. It’s been largely attributed to a lack of available employees.

The news triggered alarm within the Seattle community, and among city leaders. Council member Tammy Morales issued a statement Thursday which read in part:

“This is a wake-up call for our city. Without urgent action, things will get so much worse than this. The City of Seattle is facing a more than $240 million budget deficit. There’s no way to cut that much from the budget without decimating essential services like our libraries, work on homelessness, and public safety programs for years to come.”

Morales also highlighted a , during which library employees expressed their concerns about the impact hiring freezes were having on Seattle’s library system. She urged her colleagues on the council to consider increasing taxes on higher-income residents to address budget shortfalls.

Seattle Public Library struggles with staffing and safety concerns

Despite struggling to rebuild operations affected by COVID-19, the library reported success in recruitment and hiring. It in 2023, fulfilling a promise to expand services outlined in a 2019 property tax levy. The $219 million levy also set goals to eliminate late fees, which the library accomplished. Another objective, to improve facilities, remains an ongoing process plagued in some cases by rising construction costs.

But amid that progress, the Library faced a setback. An escalating series of reported “disruptive behavioral incidents” prompted an increase in minimum staffing levels at numerous Seattle locations to maintain security.

$434K in damage reported: Seattle Public Libraries cites increase in loitering, vandalism

A statement on the explains it must redirect staff from one location to another “if a branch doesn’t have the right number, or right mix, of staff to open and operate a building safely and with full library services.”

A hiring freeze implemented earlier this year for nearly all Seattle city departments added a layer of complication. While the library system operates independently from the city regarding hiring policies, the department also chose to press pause on bringing in any new employees, citing budget concerns. Chief Librarian Tom Fay recently approved several exemptions allowing for temporary hires. Those positions are expected to be filled in the coming weeks amid the rolling branch shutdowns.

The SPL says some locations will not see schedule changes to ensure ongoing library access in all areas of the city. A full list of the affected branches can be found . Many of the closures will be during the weekends, but some include additional weekdays.

More on the hiring freeze: Public safety spared as Seattle Mayor Harrell grapples with budget shortfall

Anyone hoping to visit a local branch is encouraged to check the updated schedule on the , as unplanned closures can still occur due to maintenance, safety or other staffing issues.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories here. Follow Kate on , or email her here.

New details emerging from court documents indicate UW officials were aware of at least one rape accusation against 18-year-old running back Tylin “Tybo” Rogers last fall, during the height of the Huskies’ and run to the CFP National Championship game.

After briefly suspending Rogers, school officials reportedly allowed him to return to the team and play in both the Sugar Bowl against Texas and the CFP title game against Michigan in January. While he didn’t have a significant role in the offense in either of the postseason games, he played and recorded 32 yards on eight touches.

More on the accusations: UW football player charged with raping two women

These revelations are not sitting well with some at the university.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re winning a football championship. I think holding everybody the same standards is really important,” UW student Sixtine Gurrey said.

Larry Kessler, a professor at the , agreed.

“Multiple allegations of rape should be taken very seriously, particularly in this climate,” he told ����Xվ Newsradio Wednesday, a day after Rogers was formally charged. “That makes this extra concerning that the University of Washington allowed this young man to play.”

(SPD) officers arrested Rogers Friday, at a location down the road from Husky Stadium. The charges of second- and third-degree rape stem from two assaults that allegedly occurred last October and November in Seattle’s Capitol Hill and U-District neighborhoods.

Court documents indicate the two women involved are both college students, but did not know each other. One is identified as a 19-year-old who attended . The other is a 22-year-old UW undergraduate student. According to prosecutors, Rogers connected with both women through the dating app Tinder.

UW player suspended, then reinstated after first rape accusation

One of the women reported her rape in late October, according to prosecutors. The next month, Rogers was suspended from the team for “personal issues,” per charging documents. At the time, UW Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb told reporters Rogers was “working through some things, some challenges he’s had off the field,” according to . Grubb is now the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator.

It’s not confirmed whether the coaches knew about the assault allegations. However, multiple emails obtained through a search warrant were sent within the during that time period, confirming Rogers should be taken off the travel roster for the PAC 12 Championship game on Dec. 1, 2023. Rogers returned to team activities and practices by mid-December. He suited up for both the and on and .

Gurrey says the university’s handling of Rogers’ situation is disappointing, but not shocking to her.

“I also went to the University of Florida, at a time when our football team was really good, too,” she said. “There were a lot of allegations against our football players at the time. I feel like it’s pretty common, actually.”

2023 message from the attorney general��Washington rape kit backlog has been cleared

She added that she only heard about the incident from media reports this week. To her knowledge, UW officials have not provided any communication to students or staff about the matter.

“I just hope, for this case and for future cases, that the university can be transparent about their process and how they manage and triage this kind of information as it comes to light,” she said.

When asked for comment, UW’s Athletic Department provided the following statement to ����Xվ Newsradio:

“The University of Washington Intercollegiate Athletics Department is aware of the arrest of a football student-athlete by the Seattle Police Department. The student-athlete has been suspended from all team activities until further notice. The UW will continue to gather facts and cooperate with law enforcement, as requested.”

Former UW Football coach Kalen DeBoer, who coached Rogers, sent the following statement to ����Xվ Newsradio on Thursday:

“While I am not able to comment specifically on the situation involving an individual at my former institution because of federal privacy laws and the ongoing criminal matters, I do want to make it clear that I take any allegation of sexual misconduct very seriously. I always have and always will follow established institutional policies and procedures to ensure prompt reporting and proper handling of allegations by the appropriate authorities.”

Rogers is out of custody after posting a $300,000 bail. He is set to be arraigned April 18.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories here. Follow Kate on , or email her here.

Around 2 a.m., officers arrived at at 8011 Steilacoom Blvd SW for reports of a shooting.

More on crime in Washington: After shooting of 2-year-old, Federal Way mayor vows to make city safer

“At some point during that fight, there were shots fired, from what appears to be a couple of different people,” Sergeant Charles Porche said with Lakewood Police Department (LPD).

A woman was hit in the legs. According to detectives, she ran from the scene to a nearby neighborhood for help. Officers located her there and she was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Detectives are still working to determine what led up to the gunfire.

“There’s a group that apparently had gone there for a birthday celebration, and then ran into some others,” Porche told ����Xվ Newsradio.

More from Kate Stone: Students return to Meadowdale Elementary School months after flood damage

One man was detained at the scene and brought back to the ��for questioning. Police said the man fired shots during the incident, but they do not believe he was responsible for hurting the victim. They are still searching for the second suspected shooter, but claimed the shooting was not random and there is no danger to the public.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

Before the first bell, students raced from the parking lot, passing under a big blue sign reading “Welcome Back, Eagles!”

The school, located in Lynnwood, has undergone extensive work since a bitter cold snap hit Western Washington in mid-January. Despite monitoring and preparations in advance of the weather, several water pipes had frozen and burst over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, the said.

Previous coverage: Bitter cold sweeps through Western Washington

Edmonds District Assistant Superintendent Greg Schwab said Meadowdale was inspected and given the all clear about a half-hour before the flood.

“We knew this was coming. We left our boilers on, let our buildings run 24/7. We had people checking on our buildings during the long holiday weekend,” he told ����Xվ Newsradio. “We thought we did everything right. And still the damage happens.”

After closing school for two days, the students briefly transferred to remote learning before being moved to in Edmonds, a vacant school about eight miles away.

Numerous local school districts in the area also suffered damaged water and sewer pipes. Schwab said just within the insurance group that covers Meadowdale, “there over 40 claims for damaged pipes from this last cold snap.”

But Meadowdale saw some of the worst damage, with 14 of its 22 classrooms affected by the flooding. Schwab said the long-term cleanup involved removing carpet and tile, tearing sheetrock off walls, and removing damp and damaged insulation.

Fortunately for the school, most of the repairs will be covered by insurance. While many general homeowner and business policies do not cover flood damage, some opt to add additional coverage through the federally-run , especially if they reside in flood-prone areas.

School gets upgrades after flood damage

While the district aimed to restore the building to its original condition, a few additional improvements were implemented.

“Some additional insulation was put in the ceiling,” Schwab said. “That’s where the pipes were. We wanted to make sure that this didn’t happen again.”

The students’ spring break last week provided an opportunity for furniture and equipment to be moved back into the school.

“Our maintenance staff and our custodial staff and contractors that worked on the school, they did an amazing job of getting it ready,” Schwab said. “We were aiming for spring break. And we got there.”

More from Kate Stone: Man arrested after car plows into scaffolding in downtown Seattle crash

Schwab also credited the Meadowdale community saying they, “did an amazing job of rolling with things.”

“They made it work. It was definitely not what anybody wanted to do. And I think we ended up only needing four days of remote learning before we were able to reopen at Woodway,” Schwab said.

Teachers took the day Monday to set up their classrooms before welcoming the approximately 450 students back Tuesday morning.

The Edmonds School District created a “before and after” video of Meadowdale Elementary to showcase both the damage and the repair work completed. It can be seen below or you can view it on YouTube .

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories here. Follow Kate on , or email her here.

Cars passing underneath the Seattle Center Monorail were able to get through Fifth Avenue and Stewart Street Monday morning. But the leftmost lane, already blocked off for construction, became the scene of a pile of twisted wood and metal following a crash the night before.

According to the Seattle Police Department (SPD), around 11:30 p.m. Sunday officers got reports that a car had crashed into a scaffolding on Stewart Street.

SPD said when officers arrived, they saw that two cars were damaged and broken scaffolding was strewn across the street. A Ford SUV was buried under the scaffolding and a Toyota had severe frontend damage. Both drivers were still at the scene, inside their cars.

Police said the drivers were examined by Seattle Fire and had not suffered severe injuries. Police then arrested a 47-year-old man, who was the driver of the Ford, for investigation of DUI. He was later booked into the King County Jail.

More Wash. news: Good Samaritan intervenes during ATM robbery-turned-shooting in Covington

Previous coverage

Some people who live nearby and saw the aftermath of the crash told ����Xվ Newsradio the sedan appeared to veer off the road before the rear of the vehicle came to rest against the side of the five-story , a registered landmark in Seattle.

Tess Corrigan lives nearby and was walking her dog early Monday morning when she stopped to survey the damage. She said incidents like this are not uncommon.

“Cars usually speed by here and they’re on their phone or running red lights, distracted,” Corrigan said. “A lot of times it does happen at night.”

While not confirmed by officials, the sedan appeared to have avoided hitting the building, which now houses multiple retail businesses and a nonprofit organization on its first floor. The car, however, was heavily damaged, with several of the airbags deploying. Even hours after the crash, the car’s doors were all flung open, with hazard lights flashing. There was no sign of the driver. It was not clear if they left the scene themselves or were taken to the hospital with injuries.

The sedan became completely encased by the scaffolding, which prevented it from being towed away until the debris was removed. Crews were still determining how to safely clear the area Monday morning. The other car, and its driver, were not on scene when ����Xվ Newsradio crews arrived around 5 a.m. Neither were the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) or any other emergency crews. A tow truck responded shortly after 7 a.m. to begin cleanup operations.

More from Kate Stone: Oregon ends decriminalization of drugs, joins Washington in pushing jail or treatment

����Xվ Newsradio has reached out to Seattle Police and the SDOT for more details.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek Monday. It rolls back a 2020 voter-approved measure that made so-called “personal use possession” of illicit drugs including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. Under the now-defunct law, having those drugs was only punishable by a ticket and a maximum fine of $100.

Now, possession is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail. But the law also establishes ways for treatment to be offered as an alternative to criminal penalties. It encourages law enforcement agencies to create deflection programs that would divert people to addiction and mental health services instead of the criminal justice system.

Wash. drug possession laws: Legislature passes drug law with modified gross misdemeanor

In a signing letter, Kotek said the law’s success will depend on “deep coordination” between courts, police, prosecutors, defense attorneys and local mental health providers. She described them as “necessary partners to achieve the vision for this legislation.”

Oregon’s unique approach to stemming addiction to drugs

was passed by voters with 58% support in 2020. Supporters said treatment is more effective than jail in helping people overcome addiction. They argued the decades-long approach of arresting people for possessing and using drugs hasn’t worked.

The law directed hundreds of millions of dollars of the state’s cannabis tax revenue toward addiction services. But the money was slow to get out the door. Health authorities, already grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, struggled to prop up the new treatment system, .

Another setback was the lack of people with substance abuse disorders who sought help after being ticketed for drug possession. Those caught with small amounts of drugs could have the citation dismissed by calling a 24-hour hotline to complete an addiction screening within 45 days. But those who don’t do a screening are not penalized for failing to pay the fine.

A state audit found that the first year after the new approach took effect in February 2021, only 1% of people who received citations for possessing controlled substances sought help via the new hotline.

At the same time, Oregon saw an explosion of public drug use fueled by fentanyl and a surge in deaths from opioids,��. The cycle of addiction and homelessness spurred by fentanyl was most visible in Portland, where it’s not unusual to see people shooting up in broad daylight on busy city streets. In January, Kotek joined local officials in declaring��a��fentanyl state of emergency in the downtown area of the city.

Backers of Oregon’s approach say decriminalization isn’t necessarily to blame. They pointed out many other states with stricter drug laws have also reported increases in fentanyl deaths.

But mounting pressures prompted Oregon Democrats to shift their stance on decriminalization policy in recent months.

Some who, historically, supported the measure voted for the new law during this year’s short legislative session. Other Democratic lawmakers opposed it, concerned it would result in more arrests and exacerbate social inequities. It ultimately passed the Democratic-controlled legislature last month.

Republican leaders had long sought to overhaul Measure 110. After Kotek’s signing, House Minority Leader Jeff Helfrich said the law illustrated how Republicans “stood united and forced Democrats” to restore criminal penalties.

The changes take effect Sept. 1.

Oregon, Washington fighting drug addiction with mixed approach

from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show, among the states reporting data, Oregon had the highest increase in synthetic opioid overdose fatalities when comparing 2019 and the 12-month period between Jun. 2022-23. It amounted to a 13-fold surge from 84 deaths to more than 1,100. Among the next highest was neighboring Washington, which saw its estimated synthetic opioid overdose deaths increase seven-fold when comparing those same time periods, CDC data shows.

Washington narrowly avoided decriminalizing drugs statewide last year. Democratic and Republican lawmakers heatedly sparred over how substance use disorder should be handled by the criminal justice system. With the existing law set to expire in July, Gov. Jay Inslee was forced to call a special session after the legislature adjourned without an approved bill.

The law that ended up passing struck a compromise. It increased criminal penalties for drug possession, upping it to a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail for the first two offenses and up to a year after that. But it also encouraged police and prosecutors to divert cases for treatment or other services, and invested��tens of millions of dollars in diversion programs

Under the law, the sale of drug paraphernalia, such as glass tubes for smoking fentanyl, is a civil infraction. But possession of those items is not banned. Additionally, public health programs are allowed to distribute such materials, as well as test strips that can detect the presence of fentanyl or other substances in drugs.

The law also allows cities and counties to ban drug paraphernalia and regulate recovery residences and harm-reduction programs. That includes such as those that provide methadone or other medication to treat addiction.

Previous coverage from Oregon: After GOP walkout, Oregon lawmakers reconvene to focus on housing and drugs

Fighting fentanyl with funding

The success of both Oregon and Washington’s approaches may hinge partly on how much money state officials are willing to throw at the growing drug crisis.

Oregon’s new law will put $211 million towards a variety of court and treatment programs. Listed in the legislation are new and expanded residential treatment facilities and recovery houses. Counties can optionally set up deflection programs that people can participate in to avoid jail and criminal charges. So far, 23 of Oregon’s 36 counties have signed on.

In Washington, the statute passed in 2023 provided $44 million for investments that include methadone mobile units, crisis centers and short-term housing for people with substance-use disorders.

Local jurisdictions are similarly jumping in to try to stem the deadly flow of drugs in communities. Last July, Seattle Mayor $27 million in investments to combat the opioid crisis in the city. Others, including Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, have announced similar efforts.

In the fight against drug use, particularly fentanyl, the stakes are only increasing. Some lawmakers say Washington’s policies don’t go far enough, and have led to deadly consequences. That claim, in particular, got attention after a 3-week-old baby in Port Townsend died earlier this year in the custody of his father, a known drug user. That case and others have reignited scrutiny of a state law passed last year. It states poverty or substance abuse by themselves do not constitute “imminent physical harm” to a child that would allow state agencies to remove them from the home.

On the federal level, U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier and other members of Washington’s congressional delegation continue to push for fentanyl to be designated as a Schedule 1 drug, classified as those with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Last month, Inslee signed a that included more than $50 million in new funding for drug treatment services, recovery support, opioid education and naloxone in schools and increased emergency response measures.

“Fentanyl is a scourge in the state of Washington,” Inslee said at the time. “It is the nuclear weapon of opiates.”

A sentiment echoed by Kotek as both states struggle to find a solution that works against the opioid and fentanyl epidemic.

“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly and addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” she said in a news release, calling the new law a “roadmap for next steps.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

Crews arrived at the home at 6th Avenue West and 112th Street Southwest around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday.

More Wash. fires: Mount Vernon fire station burns down, leaves volunteers with a lot of work

“There were flames coming out of the house when they arrived,” spokesperson Leslie Hines told ����Xվ 7 TV at the scene. “There’s a lot of damage to the house and the first floor.”

Ten people were inside the house when the fire started. All of them were able to escape, though two were taken to the hospital. Firefighters did not give immediate details on their conditions. No one else was hurt.

An overnight house fire in south Everett displaced 10 adults. Two men were transported to the hospital. No one else was injured. No word yet on a cause.

— South County Fire (@SouthSnoFire)

The fire was extinguished before 5 a.m., though crews remained on scene to mop up hot spots. Officials stated it is not yet clear what sparked the flames.

����Xվ 7 TV reported the home is operated by , a nonprofit offering sober living housing options and outreach services in Snohomish County. Firefighters said the home is heavily damaged and uninhabitable. The Red Cross will be assisting those displaced by the fire.

Contributing: ����Xվ 7

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories��here. Follow Kate on��, or��email her here.

The approximately 900 SPD officers represented by the have been working without a contract for nearly three years since the previous one lapsed.

The City of Seattle confirmed the tentative agreement in a statement to ����Xվ Newsradio. But a spokesperson declined to give details pending ratification by the union.

However, the city’s statement offered some clues about what might be contained in the deal.

Our focus throughout negotiations has been on the ultimate goal of creating an excellent police service and a safe Seattle, rooted in a commitment to accountability, operational improvements, and increasing the recruitment and retention of good officers through fair wages and working conditions.”

Police accountability has been a focal point of contention between the guild and city officials. SPOG has faced criticism from police reform advocates, who claim the union exerts too much influence over officer accountability and discipline procedures.

Officer caught on bodycam faces discipline

Seattle’s ongoing police accountability concerns will be getting special attention soon. SPOG’s own vice president, Officer Daniel Auderer, faces a disciplinary hearing over his comments made after another officer hit and killed 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula in a crosswalk last year. The hearing was set to take place Monday. But the SPD told MyNorthwest Monday afternoon, it didn’t take place. It will occur at another time.

Related news: Closed-door hearing for SPD officer caught laughing after Kandula’s death delayed

In January, Seattle’s civilian-led police watchdog group, the Office of Police Accountability (OPA), found Auderer violated professional standards after he was captured on his own body camera joking about the cost of potential lawsuits for the woman’s death. SPOG said Auderer self-reported his comments to OPA after he realized he had been recorded.

Auderer’s upcoming hearing, overseen by SPD Chief Adrian Diaz and known as a “loudermill hearing,” will allow the officer to a chance to explain himself. If found to have violated policy, he faces a lengthy suspension or possible termination.

Officers’ guild agreement has federal implications

The details of the tentative contract are especially important for another reason: they offer SPD a chance to be released from federal oversight. The so-called “consent decree” has been in place since 2012 after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) ��Seattle officers regularly engaged in excessive force and biased policing.

Facing a federal lawsuit, the city reached a settlement with the DOJ. It involved spending more than $200 million on training and technical upgrades, among other improvements. Additionally, in 2017 the city council overhauling oversight and disciplinary procedures for SPD.

But as the city prepared to be released from the federal obligations in 2019, a judge ruled that Seattle was partially out of compliance with the reform agreement. U.S. District Judge James Robart warned that the contract between the city and SPOG, ratified in 2018, did not address all of the points laid out in the federal settlement.

Ex-US Rep. McDermott: Former lawmaker found what he fought for when he went abroad

Citing SPOG’s history of resistance to proposed accountability measures, Robart ordered the city to address those issues before federal oversight could end. He specifically expressed concerns over an arbitrator’s decision that forced SPD to rehire Officer Adley Shepherd. Shepherd was fired in 2018, two years after he punched an intoxicated and handcuffed young woman in the face.

A King County court later reversed that decision, and a state court of appeals upheld it. Slamming the ruling, SPOG vowed to fight it, announcing a plan in 2021 to petition the Washington Supreme Court.

Police accountability likely central focus of negotiations

Last year, following what it called “significant progress” towards departmental reform within SPD, the city and the U.S. Justice Department filed motions last year, asking Judge Robart to lift the consent degree. The judge did so last fall, : SPD’s crowd control measures and officer accountability. Both remain under federal oversight for now.

The citizen-led , formed as part of the federal settlement to provide community input in policing matters, released its own written statement Monday.

Commissioners Rev. Patricia Hunter, Joel Merkel and Rev. Harriett Walden wrote in part, “The community—and the federal court—are closely watching. SPOG currently has the right to bargain for how its officers will be held accountable for misconduct. That’s because state law allows police unions to treat elements of the accountability system as bargaining chips in negotiating ongoing labor agreements. Until our state’s labor leaders and legislators come together to change this, cities have the responsibility to ensure police union contracts include transparent, fair, and robust accountability.”

A PDF of the entire statement can be read .

While details of the contract are not yet public, it appears a foregone conclusion that procedures surrounding police misconduct allegations will be a centerpiece. That was the case for the between the city and the Seattle Police Management Association (SPMA), which represents lieutenants and captains.

SPOG’s last approved contract was in 2018, and it included an overall 17% pay increase for officers. According to SPD, it expired on December 31, 2020.

No details are available yet on when the guild might consider or vote on the tentative agreement. ����Xվ Newsradio reached out to SPOG president Mike Solan for comment but did not receive a response.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories here. Follow Kate on , or email her here.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed ��Thursday afternoon. He did so despite the growing calls for a veto, including from progressive and environmental groups. Those critics say the new law’s final language primarily benefits — at the expense of customers.

The natural gas bill was arguably the most controversial to be approved during the 2024 legislative session. After failing to pass last year, a significantly altered version barely made it through the state House this time. And that came only after House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, left the final roll call vote open until she could convince enough members of her own party to vote “yes.” Every Republican opposed it.

Because of the bill’s emergency clause, it takes effect immediately. Those against it say that means ratepayers are about to get hit — hard.

What the law does — and doesn’t do — for natural gas customers

At its core, the new law speeds up PSE’s move away from natural gas. Under ESHB 1589, the company will present plans for a phaseout of natural gas to the state by 2027. As PSE puts it, “It will help us, under the supervision of the UTC, thoughtfully plan for the electric and natural gas choices of our customers consistent with our state’s aggressive climate goals.”

The change is not optional for PSE, which serves more than 900,000 customers in six counties, making it the state’s . It also to about 1.2 million customers. Because of Washington’s already-existing climate laws, companies like PSE are legally required to transition to clean energy sources, quickly. As it stands, PSE must generate 80% of its energy from renewable energy sources by 2030 and 100% by 2045.

How the company gets there, and how quickly, has now become a hotly debated question.

Natural gas bill sparks heated debate, multiple revisions

PSE is the one that requested the bill be brought forward during the legislative session, with the company’s attorneys helping to draft it. But the measure that ultimately passed is markedly different from the one introduced in January. The original bill, written by House lawmakers, included a provision that would prohibit new residential and small commercial natural gas services after June 30. That part was stripped out at the eleventh hour, as was a provision that would have eliminated PSE’s legal obligation to provide natural gas to existing customers — which has been state law since 1911.

“This bill creates the roadmap and tools for our state’s largest utility to get out of the fossil fuel business and achieve net zero emissions by 2050,” Inslee said as he .

But critics say that’s not all it does. They argue this sets the stage for a total statewide natural gas ban and will drastically inflate utility rates for everyone, as homeowners and businesses will bear the cost of converting from gas to electricity. As evidence, they point to the bill’s own language, which states that by 2027 PSE must, “achieve all cost-effective electrification of end uses currently served by natural gas.”

Simply put — if PSE determines an appliance (like a gas-powered heat pump) is not effective, state utility commissioners can require PSE to move customers from natural gas to electricity, regardless of the obligation to serve.

Supporters of the bill, including a majority of Democrats in the state legislature, say ESHB 1589 is simply a planning tool for PSE. Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, the bill’s primary sponsor, said it helps guide the transition from natural gas as part of an overall plan to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Progressives say bill helps PSE, hurts customers

But even those on Inslee’s side of the aisle have expressed serious concerns about the parts of the legislation that stayed in. Multiple progressive organizations, including the , , ��and urged Inslee to veto part of the bill that allows for what’s termed “accelerated depreciation.”

“The amended version of the that passed in Washington’s 2024 legislative session is lopsided, with too many financial perks for PSE and too few financial solutions for managing the costs of the gas-to-clean-energy transition for consumers,” wrote Sightline Institute fellow and former Puget Sound Energy engineer, Laura Feinstein, earlier this month.

Accelerated depreciation would let PSE speed up how quickly it’s passing the costs of natural gas infrastructure to customers, instead of spreading increases over multiple years as it has previously. WSCAP, which is in favor of decarbonization efforts, says the last-second changes to ESHB 1589 have turned it into a “poison pill” that helps PSE and hurts everyone else.

“This will lead to significant short-term rate increases which will disproportionately impact low and moderate-income households without corresponding commitments from the utility to retire gas infrastructure to meet climate targets and save customers money,” the group wrote in a public statement.

The legislation does offer some financial assistance to lower-income homeowners. But the money can’t be used to replace gas appliances or make other home modifications. Republicans, who have made no secret of their staunch disapproval of the bill, said it ultimately imposes enormous costs on customers in order to protect PSE from the financial consequences of bad energy policy.

“Customers will be responsible for replacing gas furnaces, water heaters, stoves and commercial and industrial equipment,” said Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup.

estimates PSE’s residential customers will face a cost of $7 billion to $10 billion converting to electricity, with average costs expected to be about $40,000 per home.

“Owners of older homes can expect much higher costs because of necessary upgrades to wiring, electrical panels and other equipment,” Gildon added.

Puget Sound Energy defends phase-out plan

PSE pointed to data showing natural gas energy use is declining, down 7% for residential and 3% for commercial customers in 2023, and forecasted a continued decline over the next five years. Electricity use, by contrast, is increasing and is forecasted to continue to rise.

“We know many consumers are choosing to electrify their homes and businesses and are taking advantage of state and federal incentives,” issued the day the bill was signed into law. “PSE has dramatically expanded our low-income bill assistance programs and established a new bill discount rate for qualifying customers to protect them through this long transition.”

PSE spokesperson Melanie Coon sent a statement to ����Xվ Newsradio Monday evening about the bill’s signing, pointing out Inslee’s leadership.

“We appreciate the thoughtful leadership of Governor Inslee and the efforts of the state legislature to enact House Bill 1589 into law,” the statement reads. “This is a positive step in what will be a lengthy process of planning for the future energy choices of our electric and natural gas customers and meeting our state’s aggressive clean energy goals.”

The company did not provide details on any assistance for middle-income ratepayers. It also did not address potential impacts on renters, who could potentially absorb the costs of their landlords’ electrification efforts.

It appears customers will not be waiting long to see their utility costs rise. Even before this bill was signed into law, PSE presented a to the UTC. The company said the price jump was necessary for maintaining essential utility services and ensuring the safe and reliable delivery of energy. Additionally, it would supposedly help PSE comply with what it called Washington’s “aggressive” environmental policies.

Under the proposal, the typical residential electricity customer would see a monthly increase of $7.84 starting in 2025 and an additional $11.20 in 2026. The typical natural gas customer would see a $13.96 increase in 2025 and $1.51 in 2026, according to the utility.

Over two years, that would amount to around a 17% increase for residential electric customers. For residential gas customers, it goes up a total of 20%. However, those numbers are not final, and the commission may choose to set and structure the rates differently.

More changes ahead for Washington natural gas policy

The so-called “PSE bill” has gotten the lion’s share of attention in the energy debate. But other measures spearheaded by state officials are quietly forcing through some of the same edicts that were taken out of this legislation. The approved new building and energy codes last year. Which, after a months-long delay, went into effect Mar. 15. The codes require new homes and buildings to achieve the same total energy performance as buildings built with electric heat pumps, while allowing builders flexibility to choose appliances.

But those against it say it’s a subtle way to . BIAW and other homebuilding and gas industry representatives are currently engaged in an ongoing legal battle to repeal the codes – arguing the council overstepped its authority in an attempt to “implement Governor Inslee’s environmental agenda through building and energy codes.”

Additionally, Republicans have argued that this entire debate could be a moot point if Washington voters choose to repeal the through an initiative on the November ballot. However, a PSE spokesperson told ����Xվ Newsradio that even if the CCA goes away, other state climate laws, like the will continue to dictate how the utility company shapes its .

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Pierce County deputies now believe the shooter was on foot and fired from the woods nearby. They do not believe the suspect targeted the woman, who was driving to work on Spanaway Loop Road when she was hit near the downtown area.

The crash was first reported just after 4:30 a.m. near 17400 Spanaway Loop Road South. (PCSD) deputies arrived to find the two cars, but only moderate damage to each, indicating the crash had not involved high speeds. The male driver of the second car involved in the accident was not hurt and deputies quickly determined he was not the shooter.

More on Wash. crime: Road rage on SR167 ends in gunfire, troopers search for suspect

While circumstances surrounding the woman’s death remain unclear, PCSD Public Information Officer Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. confirmed the crash did not kill her.

“We’re not 100% sure who a suspect could be, or who may have fired a gun at this woman,” Moss told ����Xվ Newsradio. “What we know is just that she was in her vehicle. The other driver said she started drifting across into his lane, he slowed down and then they collided. We don’t have anyone that called in as a witness to the shooting.”

A SWAT team canvassed that part of Spanaway Loop Road for several hours Wednesday. They are working to determine if a nearby homeless encampment could be connected to the crime.��Moss said the passenger side window of her car was shattered, making it difficult to determine how many rounds may have entered the car.

More from Kate Stone: Costco cracks down on food court access

Because that stretch of road is often busy during the morning commute, deputies are now asking for information from anyone who may have seen or heard something suspicious on Spanaway Loop Road or 17600 St. South early Wednesday morning. Those who wish to remain anonymous can submit a tip through Crimestoppers or by calling (800) 222-TIPS (8477).

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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The retail giant is reportedly restricting food court access in the latest move to ensure only paying members enjoy Costco’s in-store prices and products.

A photo has caught attention nationwide. It’s of a sign posted at a store in Orlando, Florida, which read, “effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court. You can join today. Please see our membership counter for details.”

More from Costco: Costco policing memberships to limit card sharing

Costco said food court access has always required a membership. However, enforcement of that policy has varied across store locations. In 2020, reported the company expanded it to outdoor food courts, which previously did not require a Costco card.

Costco has long been known for leniency with non-member visitors. Typically, only active members have been able to purchase products (with Costco cards verified by a cashier at checkout). But in the past, those who have already joined Costco have been allowed to bring in up to two guests, who can browse, sample, and enjoy a food court snack.

Previously, a common “hack” for non-members would be to use self-checkout to make purchases, thereby avoiding having the card physically inspected by an employee in regular checkout.

Now, Costco workers are stationed at self-checkout in many locations, monitoring every purchase and matching each membership card against a photo ID. And it appears the food court will be employing the same techniques.

More from Costco: Financial expert believes Costco’s 1-ounce gold bars are a ‘mug’s game’

Costco also appears to be ramping up scrutiny of who walks in and out of the store doors. Previously, a shopper could flash a Costco card at the entrance (which may or may not be borrowed) to gain access.

Last summer, the warehouse retailer announced it will now more closely examine the cards and photograph of the cardholder on them, before allowing people to enter the store.

“We don’t feel it’s right that nonmembers receive the same benefits and pricing as our members,” the company wrote in a prepared statement at the time.

In its latest escalation, Costco is testing out a system that requires members to scan their membership cards at the store entrance. Reddit users in Washington state ��in January at the club’s Issaquah store that appears to show the new scanners in action.

More from Kate Stone: ‘Oso Strong’ memorial completed 10 years after deadly landslide

A significant piece of Costco’s earnings comes from membership fees, according to the company’s . The retailer currently charges $60 a year for annual memberships and $120 a year for its higher-tier plan, called the Executive Membership. Costco membership cards are non-transferable, but the company allows members to give a second household card to one other person in their home. According to , a global data and business intelligence platform, the company made $4.58 billion in membership fees last year.

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Dayn Brunner, whose sister Summer was one of those killed, spoke at the ceremony. “Today marks 10 years. Ten years. Seems like yesterday, doesn’t it?”

The two-acre memorial site sits at the foot of the deadly slide’s path is meant to be a symbol of hope, forged by unthinkable tragedy. It comes after a years-long effort to raise the money needed to complete it. At Friday’s ceremony, those in attendance observed a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m., the moment the hillside collapsed and tore through the Steelhead Haven neighborhood. The roaring, deadly wave of mud and trees smashed into homes at the speed of a car on the freeway. It wiped away 49 homes and dozens of lives in seconds.

Many of the victims — retirees, grandparents, military veterans, office workers, young families — were simply at home on a weekend. Others, such as the three contractors working on a house, just happened to be there. Someone was installing a satellite TV dish. A plumber was servicing a hot-water tank.

Brunner was one of the first to begin frantic search efforts for his sister. Summer Raffo, 36, was driving on State Route 530 on her way to shoe a horse for a client. Seconds earlier or later, she would have been fine. Instead, the slide buried her, ripping the roof off her blue Subaru.

He and hundreds of others began digging through the millions of tons of sand, mud, and debris— some with their bare hands.

“I had to tell my mom, I couldn’t find her,” Brunner said, choking back tears. “And she started crying and she said, ‘Dayn, you just need to find your sister, go find your sister.'”

He finally did, four days later.

“We had to cut some of the car away to get her out,” he told ����Xվ Newsradio. His voice trembled as he told the story he has repeated hundreds of times. “Her foot was, was still on the accelerator. Both hands were on the steering wheel and got her down. We just pulled her out, got her cleaned off and laid her on a blanket and everybody left,�� and I got to say my goodbyes.”

An Oso survivor tells his story

Eleven people were rescued in the hours after the slide. Tim Ward was one of them. But Brandy, his wife of 37 years, did not survive.

Tim said he and Brandy heard rumbling inside their home on an otherwise quiet Saturday morning.

As the ground began to move beneath them, “My wife was at one end of the house and I was at the other and as she got close to touching my hand and I got close to touching her hand the slurry of earth came up around us … she disappeared, I heard her call my name and that was it … then I said a prayer and that’s the last I remember.”

Previous Oso landslide coverage: ‘Don’t forget our history’

In��, teams that included 900 responders from near and far plus volunteers — firefighters and police, military members and local loggers — helped find every victim, often slogging through what they came to call “the pile” as rain fell. They would silence their chainsaws and other machinery whenever they discovered bodies. The official search efforts ended in April, but Brunner says he and others in the community refused to give up until every person was recovered and returned to their families. They found the last set of remains in July, in what federal and local officials deemed a “remarkable” achievement.

The scope of the tragedy reverberated across the country. On April 3, President Barack Obama declared the mudslide a major disaster, after a request from Inslee. Later that month, Obama visited the collapsed hillside and met with survivors, victims’ families, and first responders coping with unimaginable loss.

“The country is thinking about all of you and have been throughout this tragedy,” after viewing the devastation. “While very few Americans have ever heard of Oso before the disaster struck, we’ve all been inspired by the incredible way that the community has come together and shown the love and support that they have for each other in ways large and small.”

In the aftermath of what remains the worst landslide disaster in U.S. history, Jessica Pszonka made a promise to herself, to her bereft parents and to her late sister, who was buried along with two young sons, her husband and in-laws.

“My sister was an amazing person. She was selfless,” said Pszonka. “She was the glue that kept our whole family together.”

A long journey to get to the memorial dedication

Brunner, Pszonka and other family members spent years working on the idea of a permanent memorial — where relatives and visitors could feel the presence of their lost loved ones and reflect on the serenity that drew people to Oso, as well as the forces that left an immense scar in the forested Cascade Mountain foothills.

But the journey to get to Friday’s dedication ceremony was an arduous one for many whose lives changed instantly on Mar. 22, 2014.

“It was definitely not a fun process to go through with the fundraising,” Pszonka remarked.

10 years later: Ted Buehner recalls Oso landslide sweeping everything in its path

Snohomish county officials presented the survivors and victims’ families with a plan to honor all who were lost. But the price tag, estimated to be several million dollars, presented a serious challenge.

“We held a couple of fundraisers and I think we made $150,000,” Pszonka told ����Xվ Newsradio. “For a small community was a lot, but it wasn’t enough. And my parents were very discouraged. And they’re like, this at this rate, this thing is not going to be built in our lifetime. And I was like, you are wrong. I will make it work.”

A temporary memorial went up six months after the slide, made up of 43 trees for each of the lives lost, covered in pictures and personal items placed by loved ones. In 2018, rows of bronze mailboxes followed.

But community members wanted a permanent tribute. They held fundraisers, lobbied lawmakers for money and attended planning committee meetings. They wanted to honor not just the lives lost, but the community response.

����Xվ Newsradio was in Oso on the 10th anniversary of the landslide that killed 43 people on Friday, March 22, 2024. The SR 530 Slide Memorial was dedicated after a years-long effort to complete it. (Photo: Kate Stone, ����Xվ Newsradio)

After years of work, they were able to gather the approximately $5 million needed to realize the dream, aimed at helping the Oso community rebuild. Construction began in 2022 and was completed shortly before Friday’s dedication ceremony.

Exploring the ‘Oso Strong’ Memorial

A walkthrough of the memorial travels through the community’s past, present, and hopes for the future. A wooden archway at the entrance bears the date and time that so many lives in Oso changed forever. Beyond it is a paved pathway, and a concrete courtyard with a large bronze statue in the center. The ravaged hillside is clearly visible in the backdrop.

Each feature and design choice within the memorial is intentional, to both mark the devastation of that day while forging a path forward.

“The memorial site itself has four main items. You come in and it talks about the geological event itself, the first responders, the community and the community response, the survivors, and the victims,” Brunner explained.

A beacon in the courtyard is specifically placed so that when the sun hits it every Mar. 22 at 10:37 a.m., it shines light on a large jade boulder. The boulder was recovered amongst the debris, but is now inscribed with the words, “Hope is seeing the light despite the darkness.”

“It was very important to us that that this area didn’t feel like a giant cemetery or tombstone,” Pszonka said.

Along the walkway, carefully placed colored rocks along the path mimic the curves of the Stillaguamish River that flows near Oso. Monuments to first responders and search and rescue dogs can be seen alongside informational panels about life before and after the slide.

“There’s a paved trail, which is used to be the railroad tracks,” said Brunner. “But it’s paved for only a mile, which represents where the slide started and ended.”

At the end of the walkway are 43 large, curved metal panels by Seattle artist Tsovinar Muradyan, one for each victim. Each family chose their own unique cutout designs filled with colorful epoxy — and the unique quotes and photos honoring each life cut short.

“Like with my wife, she had a love of hummingbirds,” Ward said, sitting in front of the panel he helped customize. “And she loved her flowers, she had plants everywhere.”

Many survivors, family members have left the area

Many of those caught in the devastation of the Oso tragedy have left the area. Ward now lives in Florida. Pszonka says now that the memorial is finished, she is relocating her family to Texas. But they all agree they will come back, This tiny logging town will forever be etched in their histories.

“The beauty of the area is still here. The beauty of the people is still here. One of my daughters and her family are still here,” Ward said.

But while he has sought peace elsewhere, he believes the memorial is a chance to say the goodbye he never got to 10 years ago.

“I didn’t get a chance to say ‘I love you’ to my wife. I just got to be able to look at her eyes,” he told ����Xվ Newsradio.

Looking more at landslides: 10 years after Oso, climate change is increasing the danger

����Xվ Newsradio was in Oso on the 10th anniversary of the landslide that killed 43 people on Friday, March 22, 2024. (Photo: Kate Stone, ����Xվ Newsradio)

Pszonka wants those who visit and those who seek solace at the memorial to look at it as a space to heal and reflect.

“I want people to come here and see hope. I want them to see that what transpires when a community comes together,” she said while looking up at the ruins of what was once a quiet neighborhood.

For Brunner, the memories are as raw as they were a decade ago. But finishing the memorial is also fulfilling a vow he made to his sister in the days after the tragedy.

“I had made a solemn promise to her out here that I would make sure that the world knew who she was,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. He gave a wry smile through the tears in his eyes. “She wouldn’t have liked any of this at all. She was extremely shy, and it glorifies her life. But that’s okay. She can… she can be mad at me.” His voice wavers. “I miss her a lot.”

The memorial is now accessible to the public daily from dawn to dusk.

Editors’ note: This story originally was published on Friday, March 22. It has been updated and republished multiple times since then.��

Contributing: The Associated Press