Delivery app companies have tacked on additional fees in response to the city’s law guaranteeing earnings for the delivery drivers. Those companies say revenues have dropped since the law was enacted Jan. 13. Drivers say orders are also way down.

More on delivery app fees: Seattle looks to change controversial gig worker law

In response, Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson proposed making some changes to the ordinance, reducing the wage guarantees and mileage reimbursements to drivers. But, it does not require the app companies to reduce their added fees. After listening to testimony over multiple weeks, a council committee has approved sending the matter to the full council.

But, one delivery guy, Tony Illes isn’t affected by any of this.

A few months ago, he started his own delivery company, “,” where he promises to bring a customer’s food within a limited delivery area for a flat fee of $5.

More on Tony Delivers: Tony Delivers provides a local alternative to food delivery in Seattle

I wanted to check in to see how his business is going amid all this delivery angst.

“It’s been a hundred days,” Illes said. “Feels good. We’re doing well. I got a lot of orders, maybe too many for myself to handle.”

Because the city is at odds over whether to DoorDash or not, Tony maintains hour-by-hour, his earnings are steady.

“I’m probably making more than minimum wage,” Illes said. “On average, during the average hour. But, 80% of a restaurant’s earnings (are) probably within peak hours, and my earnings follow suit with that.”

He’s learned a few things along the way.

Illes has a limited Downtown-Lower Queen Anne-SLU delivery area, with approximately 70 restaurants to choose from. That hasn’t changed. What has changed is his flat fee.

All orders used to be just $5, but because somebody took advantage of the service, he now charges 10% of an order’s price if it’s more than $50.

“The order was too large. I could hardly handle it. Five bucks for $300,” Illes said. “I don’t know, so I was just like, ‘I’m going to tack a little fee onto it.”

Illes’ days are busy. He occasionally stays home and dispatches somebody else to take the scooter and the food to the customer. They get to keep the delivery fee and any tips. He doesn’t earn anything those days — other than the goodwill of the customer.

He’s been keeping a close watch on the Seattle delivery app driver ordinance. But, Illes said even if the full council votes to change the rules and app companies voluntarily drop their fees, he’ll keep plugging away.

“I’ve delivered to almost 750 people,” he laughed. “I don’t believe for a second even a third of those people are ever going back to the big delivery apps.”

It’s pretty clear Illes is no fan of the business model of the big delivery apps. In the end, he believes the little guy will win.

More from Lisa Brooks: Late-night dessert delivery service expanding to U-District for college cravings

“Food delivery is here to stay, forever,” Illes said. “I disagree with them in the sense that it has any potential to be more than just smaller businesses working together. I don’t think that it (the business model) works at that big a scale.”

The Seattle City Council Committee made a few changes to the newly-proposed ordinance last Thursday. The full council is scheduled to take up the matter on May 21.

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In a filing with the (ESD), the pharmaceutical company reported the layoffs will become effective on June 3.

More layoffs in the region: Nintendo to lay off 86 Redmond employees this spring

reported the Bothell-based drug company Seagen was the company building the plant until it was acquired by Pfizer in September for $43 billion. It planned to use the 270,000-square-foot building to make cancer drugs used in clinical trials, as well as sell them commercially.

After the acquisition, plans changed. In March, Pfizer had mentioned plans to “wind down construction,” according to the Herald.

The layoff notice was posted on the ESD website Wednesday.

More from Lisa Brooks: 5.7 magnitude earthquake strikes Oregon coast

In an email to the newspaper, Pfizer said the decision to close the plant was not a reflection of the performances of the workers, but was designed to meet the needs of the business. The company said it now intends to manufacture the medications at a North Carolina plant.

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They were recorded between 8:20 p.m. and 8:49 p.m.

More on local earthquakes: Small earthquake felt near Port Townsend

The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network reports six quakes, ranging in magnitude from 3.9 to 5.7 struck under the Pacific Ocean offshore from Port Orford, Oregon.

All the quakes had a depth of 6.2 miles and were all located between 103 and 110 miles from the community.

There were no reports of damage.

More from Lisa Brooks: SPD, FBI investigating string of Seattle bank robberies

The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network is a collaboration between the University of Washington (UW) and University of Oregon, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey.

For all earthquake updates in Washington and surrounding areas, check MyNorthwest’s earthquake tracker.

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The Seattle Police Department (SPD) reported the most recent robbery happened on March 22 in North Seattle. SPD, alongside the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, is actively engaging in an investigation and is asking for help in identifying the man.

More from Lisa Brooks: Seattle attorney on Boeing CEO: ‘His days were numbered as soon as that door plug blew out’

Detectives did not mention if a weapon was used, but stated the suspect typically passes a note to a bank employee and demands money in each of the robberies.

If anyone has information about the identity of the pictured suspect, please call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-Tips.

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

You can read more of Lisa Brooks’ stories here. Follow Lisa on , or email her here.

“If Boeing wants to return to engineering excellence, if Boeing wants to rebuild their brand, Boeing needs to clean house,” Lindquist, who specializes in cases involving aviation and personal injury, told ����Xվ Newsradio.

He said the only thing that surprised him about the decision of CEO David Calhoun to resign was that it took him so long to make the announcement.

More on Boeing’s leadership changes: Boeing CEO, president step down amid company turbulence

“His days were numbered as soon as that door plug blew out at 16,000 feet and endangered 178 lives,” Lindquist said. “That incident alone should have been enough to cost him his job.”

Lindquist said he doesn’t understand why Calhoun will stay with the company through the end of the year.

“There’s no reason to believe Mr. Calhoun is now going to do, in the next few months, what he has failed to do over the last five years,” Lindquist said.

Captain Dennis Tajer is a pilot with American Airlines and flies a Boeing 737 MAX. He told he flies at a heightened state because of all the issues with the jetliner.

“Your vision gets clouded when the dollars start stacking up,” he said. “Boeing’s problems didn’t just start happening the last several months. It’s been decades in the making.”

Also, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary released a statement praising the decision of Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Stan Deal to retire immediately.

More from Lisa Brooks: Vet clinic for low-income, homeless had ambulance ‘trashed, stripped of equipment’

“Ryanair welcomes (the) management changes,” O’Leary said. “Stan Deal has done a great sales job for Boeing for many years, but he’s not the person to turn around the operation in Seattle, and that’s where most of the problems have been in recent years.”

Boeing has about 60 days left of a 90-day order from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to come up with an improvement plan.

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is now regrouping after its van was stolen and trashed Thursday.

Executive Director Rachele Raj said the vet clinic on wheels was reported missing from its storage garage early in the morning.

“We are completely mobile, which makes this particularly devastating for us,” Raj told ����Xվ Newsradio.

More from Lisa Brooks: No harmful substance found in Port Orchard evacuation

Everett Police found the converted ambulance later in the day, but it was trashed and stripped of equipment.

“All of our medication was taken and all of our veterinary supplies were taken,” Raj said.

What’s especially devastating to Raj is the amount of medication in the mobile clinic was much greater than it usually carries.

“The medication is hard because we had just ordered, thanks to a grant, a large amount of medication,” Raj said. “And that has all been taken.”

In addition, the thieves broke a window, stole the generator that operates all the equipment and damaged the ignition.

Raj said while the van itself is insured, it is an older vehicle they converted, so it’s doubtful they’ll get much of a settlement to repair the damage. Buying new veterinary equipment and medications for the animals is a daunting expense because they have no way to provide veterinary care to the homeless and low-income communities they serve now.

Some mobile pop-up clinics have been canceled, but Raj is hopeful.

More from Lisa Brooks: Late-night dessert delivery service expanding to U-District for college cravings

“We’ll work it out” she sighed. “This is going to give us a setback, but we’re gonna get back out there, as soon as we can.”

When she talked about the community’s response to this loss, it strengthened her resolve.

“As difficult as it is to see that someone stole an ambulance from a non-profit that supports the most vulnerable people in our community, at the same time it’s amazing to see all the people sharing and offering supportive words,” Raj added.

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The facility was closed and everyone was evacuated after the Auditor’s Office received some election mail containing a suspicious substance, county officials confirmed Tuesday. Responders from the Washington State Patrol (WSP), Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, Port Orchard Police and South Kitsap Fire and Rescue were called in to investigate the situation.

More from Lisa Brooks: Late-night dessert delivery service expanding to U-District for college cravings

Additionally, since the substance was found in the mail, The U.S. Postal Inspection Service responded.

However, the search for hazardous substances did not turn up anything of concern. Investigators with USPS will continue to look into the matter.

Port Orchard Police also request anyone with information about the incident to contact them by calling 911, or by emailing Port Orchard Police with reference case number #D24-494.

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That’s what is hoping.

More on local food delivery: Tony Delivers provides a local alternative to food delivery in Seattle

The reported the Philadelphia-based late-night cookie company plans to open its first Seattle location in the University District later this year. The company leased a ground-floor retail space in an apartment tower at 4215 Brooklyn Ave. NE, just blocks from the University of Washington’s (UW) campus.

“Insomnia Cookies, a big dream, was born in (founder) Seth’s little dorm room,” Insomnia Cookies stated on its website. “And from that first melty, warm, delicious bite, not only was a company launched, but an entire category too, redefining the late-night, delivery-focused, food-service industry as we know it.”

Insomnia Cookies uses an app for delivery options of hot, fresh cookies as well as ice cream, brownies and other treats in the evening hours until 3 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. The company, which expanded to more than 200 stores by 2021, are mostly located adjacent to college campuses — including having bakeries near Western Washington University in Bellingham, Gonzaga University in Spokane and Washington State University in Pullman.

Tom Carusona, Chief Marketing Officer with Insomnia Cookie, told about 65-75% of the dessert stores are in some way associated with a university.

More from Lisa Brooks: 3 Seattle-area high school jazz bands named finalists at prestigious jazz competition

It has since created locations in Canada with hopes to reach 50-100 stores in the country.

Insomnia Cookies plans to move into the University District tower on Brooklyn Avenue, with construction costs estimated at $275,000.

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SPD reported a woman was shot sometime after 8 p.m. Wednesday evening in the Central District, just a few blocks from where a 17-year-old female was shot and wounded earlier that afternoon.

More on the earlier shooting: 17-year-old girl shot near Garfield High School

In a post on the , Officer Shawn Weismiller said officers were already in the area near 24th Avenue South and South Main Street when the gunshots were reported by multiple people.

When they arrived at the scene of the crime, they found the woman, reported to be about 30 years old by ����Xվ 7, lying on the sidewalk. Despite lifesaving efforts first by SPD officers and then by Seattle Fire Department (SFD) medics, the woman died at the scene.

Homicide detectives as of last night were uncertain if the gun was fired by someone on foot or, like the earlier shooting a few blocks away, by someone in a vehicle.

Police hope to review video surveillance footage of the incident and ask anyone with a camera that was recording around 8 p.m. in the area to please come forward.

More from Lisa Brooks: Witness shares new details on I-5 shooting injuring Navy veteran

And, as in any shooting or violent attack, people with information are asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.

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has released a darkly humorous video, featuring their spokesman, actor (“Oppenheimer,” “The Suicide Squad,” “Dune,” the “Ant-Man” movies) flanked by clocks and a Titan Casket behind him, urging viewers to support an effort to convince Congress to permanently end Daylight Saving Time.

The ad begins with Dastmalchian, dressed all in black, citing about a 6% increase in fatal car accidents during the work week after the start of the time change.

More on Daylight Saving Time: 7 p.m. sunsets start this weekend, but at a price

“At Titan Casket,” he said during the ad, “we obviously have an interest in you dying. But…we can wait. That’s why we invite you to visit ‘‘ where you can join the effort to put our national nuisance six feet under. If an actual casket company still doesn’t think it’s worth keeping around, who does?”

Spring forward and fall back… are just two ways it could happen. Let’s Bury Daylight Savings.

— Titan Casket (@TitanCasket)

Joshua Siegel, co-founder of Titan Caskets, said the idea for the unusual promotion started with the company they’ve been using for their marketing: . It’s probably best known for its owner, Ryan Reynolds, who named the firm after one of the catchphrases used by his character Wade Wilson in the movie “Deadpool.”

Siegel said it was easy for Titan to approve the idea because the humor and message were a natural fit. He also said the viewers are also enjoying it.

“So far the response has been almost universally positive. There are tons of comments on social media” Siegel told ����Xվ Newsradio. “We’ve seen almost universally positive comments like ‘this is funny.'”

One unusual aspect of the ad campaign is that it incorrectly refers to the time change as “Daylight Savings,” with an “s” at the end. The actual name is “Daylight Saving.” Why go with the incorrect name?

“We will call it whatever Mr. Reynolds wants to call it”, laughed Siegel. He says while Ryan Reynolds was not involved in the pitch to Titan about the spot, he was personally involved in all aspects of it and he “even tweeted about it.”

But even a lighthearted advertisement about dying can have a dark response.

“We have gotten a few notes from farmers, who surprisingly were upset with the ad because we said that farmers want to keep Daylight Saving,” Siegel said. “Actually, they don’t. Farmers in general — it throws off their cow’s milking cycle and they would love to see Daylight Saving Time go away as well.”

Turns out farmers were not behind the reason for moving the clocks forward an hour every spring. It was , to conserve fuel and make better use of daylight during World War I. It was repealed in 1919, but was reinstated during World War II, and has been around ever since.

Only Arizona and Hawaii do not observe the time change.

Some lawmakers in the Washington State Legislature proposed a bill for the 2024 session eliminating the practice as well, but it never made it out of committee.

More from Bellevue: Officer after losing health benefits says ‘I’ve learned we can’t expect things from the city’

In 2019, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill into law in opposition to that. It would make Daylight Saving Time permanent here, but we continue to bounce between Standard and Daylight Saving Time twice a year because it would take an act of Congress to allow the shift.

It’s curious a company that sells online caskets would be interested in political activism of the kind needed to nudge Congress to take action, but co-founder Siegel has a ready response for that.

“Part of our mission is political,” he said. “We have worked with the Federal Trade Commission these last two years to improve the funeral laws that exist. I think with Daylight Saving, the advertising is meant to amuse, but this is also something that I think, universally, Americans are ready for, and so, we’re very comfortable having that conversation.”

So comfortable, in fact, that the ad ends with a little nudge … into the grave.

As Dastmalchian says: “Enjoy Life! We’re playing the long game here. What are you going to do? Not die?”

Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper Rick Johnson said the witness, identified only as a California resident, was headed to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport via Southbound Interstate 5 at approximately 10:45 p.m. when he witnessed the attack.

The victim, Navy veteran Evan Hershey, was shot multiple times on I-5 in Tukwila in his 2015 Ford Mustang, suffering several injuries including a bullet striking his spinal cord. According to the witness, the vehicle that fired on the Mustang was a silver older model of a KIA Optima.

More on Wash. crime: Accused Seattle home invasion robbers face hate crime charges

“They observed the right-front passenger sitting on the windowsill, firing an automatic weapon — (a) rifle — over the top of the car toward the Mustang,” Johnson told ����Xվ Newsradio.

Johnson stated the witness did not see any interaction between the two vehicles prior to the gunfire. There may have been others inside the car shooting as well, according to the witness.

“The fact that there are three different calibers (of bullets) the detectives have determined leads us to determine there were other individuals firing on this vehicle,” Johnson added.

The witness said they watched the silver KIA after the attack, as it continued down I-5. They reported the car maintained freeway speeds, driving normally, as if it had not just attacked the driver in another vehicle. The witness then turned off I-5 and onto Hwy 518 toward the airport and had no other encounters with the KIA.

Trooper Johnson claimed this was the first witness who had come forward with significant information about this incident. He’s hoping the details will jar the memories of others who may have seen or heard something that night.

The victim’s current status

In the meantime, the victim continues a long journey to recovery. Susan Gregg with the Harborview Medical Center said he is still hospitalized in satisfactory condition.

A has been created for Hershey, who served two years as a Ceremonial Honor Guard and six years as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman.

A post from his brother, Adam Hershey, said Evan and his vehicle were struck by more than 20 bullets.

More from Lisa Brooks: 3 Seattle-area high school jazz bands named finalists at prestigious jazz competition

“The most damaging of them struck his right flank, destroying Evan’s right kidney and striking his spinal cord,” Adam wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Without the control of his lower body, Evan defended himself by completing a controlled stop of his vehicle, rendering self-care, coordinating with emergency services and entrusting his employer to contact his parents. Evan’s courage under fire saved his own life.”

The family is raising money to help Evan deal with what they are calling his “new normal.”

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Olivia Sarriugate, a project manager who helped to organize the ninth annual event, said a big takeaway from the President’s Day Weekend clinic was how many insured people needed basic services.

“This year we saw a huge interest in just seeking medical care, prioritizing medical care,” she told ����Xվ Newsradio. “I think that’s really indicative of the growing gaps we’re seeing in our healthcare system. We primarily serve what we refer to as the ‘missing middle,’ which is folks who might make too much (money) to qualify for assistance, but definitely not enough to afford the care they really need.”

More on free clinics in King County: Free healthcare clinic to aid Washingtonians who can’t afford healthcare

Patients are asked anonymous questions about their living situations and insurance. This year, over 95% of them reported having a home. Approximately a third also have some sort of health insurance.

All are welcome to receive the free appointments, with no restrictions on things such as income level, citizenship or other forms of documentation.

Sarriugate said, just like in years past, patients started lining up the evening before with the doors opening at Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion at 12:30 a.m. each morning from Feb 15 – 18.
The first appointment tickets were handed out each morning at 5:30 a.m. and after about two hours, all that day’s tickets were gone. Every day, hundreds who were seeking visits to doctors, dentists and optometrists had to be turned away.

“We could have seen more patients if we’d had more volunteer providers come through,” Sarriugate said. “There was definitely a need.”

A news release from The Seattle Center lists this year’s services as dental cleanings, fillings, extractions, eye examinations, physical exams, behavioral healthcare, immunizations, laboratory tests, mammograms, ultrasounds, x-rays and more.

More than 1,100 people sought services including specialized care like dermatology and acupuncture, while more than 1,500 had substantive dental work done. Social service agencies were on hand to help patients make connections to other needs, or help them sign up for health insurance.

Some 3,000 volunteers provided support this year. Their jobs ranged from doctors and nurses, to volunteer registrars and vital “runners,” who escorted each patient from Fisher Pavilion to the various care centers at McCaw Hall, The Exhibition Hall and the Cornish Playhouse on the Seattle Center grounds.

More from Lisa Brooks: 3 Seattle-area high school jazz bands named finalists at prestigious jazz competition

One doctor donating some of her time was 8th Dist. WA U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier. Because she is a licensed physician, she was able to help with patient intake, including recording vital signs and assisting others in referrals to appropriate areas for care.

Since the free clinic services began in 2014, some 27,000 patients have been given care. Sarriugate said she is always moved by who comes to give and who receives help.

“These are our neighbors, They’re our family, They’re our friends,” Sarriugate said. “Each one of us usually sees someone that we know. A lot of volunteers become patients (and) a lot of patients become volunteers.”

You can read more of Lisa Brooks’ stories here. Follow Lisa on , or email her here.

and and were selected to compete against a dozen other bands from across the country. The same three schools were also selected in the previous year’s “Essentially Ellington” competition.

More on music in WA: Pearl Jam to embark on global 2024 tour for new album “Dark Matter”

The festival is held at Lincoln Center in New York City every year. It not only gives the top bands in the land a chance for a trophy — it also allows the young musicians opportunities to hone their skills in improvising, technique and other aspects of jazz musicality.

Garfield and Roosevelt High have won the competition four times. Bothell hasn’t won yet, but it has made it to the final 15 each of the past three years.

Organizers of this year’s Essentially Ellington festival said there were more than 100 high school bands that applied and that Western Washington is often represented by more than one band. For example, in 2008, one-third of all 15 finalists came from Western Washington. Roosevelt High took first prize, followed by Garfield High School in second place. Shorewood High School received an honorable mention. Also competing in 2008 were South Whidbey High School and Mountlake Terrace High School.

Garfield High’s is one of the most prestigious in the country, dating back to iconic alumni like Quincy Jones and Ernestine Anderson. Garfield last won the competition in 2010, while Roosevelt High last won in 2019. Roosevelt High’s jazz band has been a finalist for Essentially Ellington 24 times, more than any other competing jazz band.

More from Lisa Brooks: Tony Delivers provides a local alternate to food delivery in Seattle

The festival and competition are held May 9-11 this year, with judges looking for musicianship, soloing abilities and how well the band swings.

Essentially Ellington is named after Duke Ellington, one of the best-known and most prolific pianists, composers and band leaders from the swing era. He died in 1974 at the age of 75.

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Preliminary results from Tuesday’s special election in Washington showed passing with 57.5% of the ballots in favor of the increase. King County Elections officials said approximately 20% of all registered voters in Renton returned their ballots by the 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

The next group of ballots will be released after 4 p.m. Wednesday.

More on voter turnout: 2023 King County election had the lowest voter turnout in nearly 90 years

As of Jan. 1, Renton’s minimum wage is $16.28 per hour. If the initiative is officially approved, that wage will jump on July 1 to $20.29 for employers with more than 500 workers, and $18.29 for those employing between 15 and 500 people. Businesses with fewer than 15 employees are not impacted by the new rules.

Initiative organizer Guillermo Zazueta said supporters did the legwork to ensure the voters marked their ballots.

“The culture of voting is so much less in special elections,” Zazueta told ����Xվ Newsradio. “I think this is all grounded in community work.”

Zazueta stated nearly a third of all workers in Renton earn less than $19 an hour, and this raise will mean a lot to them and the city.

“They’re going to have a little more money in their pocket every paycheck, and we’re also going to see they’ll be re-circulating that money into the local economy,” Zazueta added.

Those opposed to the increase argued some employers may have to reduce the number of employees they hire while also increasing prices for shoppers and restaurant customers.

More special election results

Other election results revealed Kitsap County’s North Kitsap School District levy is failing. The first round of returns showed the “no” votes leading the “yes” votes 63% to 37%.

This election drew statewide attention because School Superintendent Laurynn Evans was put on paid administrative leave over claims she stole campaign signs opposed to the election. Evans has since denied the claims. She is currently on leave while prosecutors investigate the allegations.

Levy renewals passed in Bremerton and Bainbridge Island while Tahoma, Tukwila and Vashon Island levy proposals are trending toward passing.

In Pierce County, Auburn’s Proposition 1 — which would replace the expiring educational programs and operations levy — has a wide approval margin of 62% of the vote.

Puyallup School District levy voters are rejecting Proposition 1 by just 35 votes in the first ballot release.

Tacoma’s Proposition 1, a $650 million bond that would replace five deteriorating neighborhood schools, has been approved. The money will also be used to upgrade existing operable campuses within Tacoma. The two propositions in the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, including the Educational Programs and Operations Levy which funds 16% of the total district budget, have also passed.

More from Lisa Brooks: Tony Delivers provides a local alternate to food delivery in Seattle

In Snohomish County, all of the Arlington and Edmonds School District propositions are passing. Early results in the Lakewood School District show voters narrowly rejecting propositions.

Marysville voters have approved a levy continuing a sales tax to pay for transportation improvements.

In Thurston County, the North Thurston Public Schools propositions are both ahead, as is a levy replacing an expiring tax in the Olympia School District.

For additional results from the Washington Special Election, please visit the Secretary of State’s and click on your county.

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When the city’s “” ordinance, guaranteeing a basic wage for app-based delivery drivers, went into effect in January, it prompted many food delivery services to increase the fees they charge customers.

Tony Illes began delivering for DoorDash and UberEats in Los Angeles in 2019, and he used to make good money, schlepping schwarmas and burgers to hungry tech workers and city dwellers.

“I made up to 12, 13, 14 deliveries an hour when it was raining,” Illes said.

More on WA: Chinatown-International District Sound Transit station re-opened after demonstration

But, when the 30-year-old Washington State University grad started losing customers due to the high costs of food delivery within the state, he decided to seize the moment, deploy his e-bike and start his own delivery service. This month, was born.

“I’m not making any money on UberEats and DoorDash,” Illes said. “So, I decided to open up shop, cut out the middle man, help the consumer and help myself.”

The good news is he’s charging one basic fee for each delivery — “five dollars flat.” Illes doesn’t even expect a tip, expecting to make money from sheer volume instead.

“There’s probably within any hour, per hour, two to three hundred deliveries, minimum,” Illes said. “I figure I can service a lot of those customers.”

On Illes’ , customers schedule a delivery time, then go to the restaurant’s website and order food directly from them. The customer provides a screenshot of the order to Tony Delivers, and as long as both the restaurant and customer are within the same delivery area, Tony will pick up the food and bring it to the hungry customer. He accepts Apple Pay, Google Pay and cash.

Because it’s just Tony and his bike, he’s limited the delivery area to Seattle’s SLU, Belltown, Denny Triangle, Downtown, Cascade and Lower Queen Anne neighborhoods.

Customer service is incredibly important to Illes, who believes customers aren’t making any personal connections with their app-based meal providers.

“There’s kind of a disconnect (with them),” Illes said. “I think that I could brighten your day. It’s like, ‘oh! I’m happy to see this guy.'”

Ultimately, Illes said he’s hoping to change the whole customer experience.

More from Lisa Brooks: Thousands of Raterlabs employees laid off 1 year after pay raise

“You want mostly positive experiences, and that’s what I think I could provide that as a young entrepreneur,” Illes added. “And, I hope to be able to help other people who have similar aspirations to me.”

If you do want to tip Tony on top of the $5 fee, he won’t turn you down. He wants it to be your choice though and doesn’t want it to feel forced.

“More of just, ‘hey Tony, you did a great job, you made my day, here’s (another) five bucks ’cause I was having a bad day at work,” Illes said.

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According to postings from the Washington State Department of Employment Security, is permanently furloughing more than 3,600 workers. The notice was received on Tuesday.

More on Seattle-area layoffs: Microsoft, REI start 2024 with workforce reductions

According to the “” blog, the thousands of job reductions are tied to losing a major contract with Google.

Raterlabs, based in Kirkland, was acquired by an Australian data company called Appen in 2017. The employees appear to mostly be remote workers. RaterLabs is an artificial intelligence (AI) training supplier whose only known client is Google, according to .

More from Lisa Brooks: Alaska Airlines flight attendant saves rare flamingo eggs during flight

RaterLabs’ employees are contract workers responsible for training and testing Google’s search algorithms. Last year, through a union campaign, these workers secured their first-ever pay increase, bumping their hourly wages from $10 an hour to approximately $14-14.50 an hour.

The union that was awarded the wage bump was (AWU-CWA), a group that represents workers throughout Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc. The workers represented include contracted and temporary staff, like RaterLabs employees.

According to ComputerWeekly, RaterLabs employees are responsible for evaluating Google’s search results by testing and rating how accurately the algorithm responds to various prompts, as well as the relevance and quality of the ads served.

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

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Usually they have to do with drinks or bags or passenger comfort.

But a flight attendant named Amber, working a trip from Atlanta to Seattle last summer had to get creative, when a flier needed some special assistance she hadn’t heard before.

“A passenger rang the call button and asked if I would help keep some eggs warm,” Amber said.

Turns out those eggs were coming from Zoo Atlanta and headed to Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. They were rare Chilean flamingo eggs and the incubator keeping them warm was malfunctioning.

If the eggs cooled down too much, they wouldn’t survive.

So Amber got creative. She filled the rubber gloves in the galley with warm water, and brought them to the passenger.

They wrapped the gloves around the eggs.

Other news: South Sound on-demand ride service is now easier to use

Passengers nearby also donated scarves and coats to help maintain the temperature.

Amber and other cabin crew members would switch out the gloves when the water cooled down, and with all that attention, the eggs arrived, safe and warm in Seattle.

Several months later, Amber was invited by the Woodland Park Zoo to visit the baby chicks she helped save.

“I was honored and so happy that the chicks had hatched—all six of them!” she said.

Amber visited the exhibit with her granddaughter, Sunny, who has now become a namesake for one of the chicks.

According to the zoo, the fledgling flamingos mark the first hatching of the species at Woodland Park, since 2016.

Their addition brings the current flamingo flock to 49.

The names of all the chicks are: Magdalena, Amaya, Rosales, Gonzo, Bernardo—and Sunny

Going further, a federal survey shows Seattle residents pay more for groceries than just about any other city in America.

A new analysis shows that while the average household in the U.S. pays an average $270.21 on food at the grocery store weekly, residents of Washington have to pay an average $287.67 per week.  That translates to at least $1,150 a month, depending on how the calendar falls.

The evaluation came from data from the collected from Oct. 18-30, 2023 and presented in .

Question of the Day: Most people who live in Seattle say the cost of living ‘is getting to be too much’

The only states with higher weekly grocery costs are California ($297.72), Nevada ($294.76) and Mississippi (290.64). Alaska and Hawaii were excluded from the report.

The state with the lowest food cost is Wisconsin, which comes in at $221.46 a week.

When it comes to ranking individual cities for grocery prices, lists Seattle as the sixth most-expensive city in the country, ahead of New York City, Dallas and Chicago.

Weekly grocery expenses in Seattle come in at $289.23 a week, or at least $1,156.92 for the average household every month, depending on the calendar.

The cities with higher average weekly grocery costs are Miami ($327.89), Houston ($302.65), Riverside, California, ($300.50), San Francisco ($298.44) and Los Angeles ($295.33).

National news: US inflation edges up, fueled by food and housing prices, but many other costs rise only mildly

The U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey looked at data measuring the average amount of money households spent on food prepared and eaten at home. It did not take into account meals eaten at restaurants or other venues.

The says the Consumer Price Index for food prepared and eaten at home was up 1.7% in November, in a year-over-year average.

Ferguson takes on grocery chain merger over potential higher prices

This recent analysis comes on the heels of Washington filing a lawsuit to block the proposed merger of the two largest grocery store chains operating in the state: Kroger, which owns Fred Meyer and QFC, and Albertsons, which owns Safeway.

“If Kroger and Albertson’s merge, they will – simply put – dwarf the competition,” Ferguson said. “Shoppers will have fewer choices and less competition, and that results in higher prices.”

Ferguson’s office: Kroger-Albertson merger ‘bad’ for consumers

And Ferguson said the companies, themselves, know it.

“During our investigation, we reviewed hundreds of thousands of records. We uncovered internal chats – between corporate executives and other employees,” Ferguson said. “After rumors of a proposed merger surfaced, a vice president of marketing with Albertsons wrote – and I’m quoting – ‘You’re basically creating a monopoly in grocery, with the merger.’ It makes no sense.”

In a statement to ����Xվ Newsradio, the companies said, “We are disappointed in Attorney General Ferguson’s premature decision to file a lawsuit while the merger is still under regulatory review.”

Contributing: Heather Bosch, ����Xվ Newsradio

You can read more of Lisa Brooks’ stories here. Follow Lisa on , or email her here.

According to Seattle Police, reports came in just before 5:30 p.m. that the man, described only as being in his 30’s, had been shot in the leg.

He was taken to Harborview Medical Center in serious but stable condition.

The incident happened on Roosevelt Way Northeast, around Northeast 110th Street, when witnesses tell police the victim was pushed from a green sedan following some sort of altercation.

Police say that the vehicle fled the scene.

Detectives from the SPD Robbery Unit are working to figure out what led up to the shooting.

The SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line hopes someone comes forward with additional information.  The number is 206-233-5000.

According to a post from Edmonds PD on “X”,  it happened just after 5:30 PM in the 7200 block of 179th St. SW.

They report the suspect stole mailbox keys for several mail routes in Edmonds, including apartment and public lockboxes.

The robber is described as a Black male in his 20’s, about 5′ 10″,  weighing around 150 lbs, his hair in 5-inch long tight dreadlocks.

The suspect was reportedly wearing a blue disposable surgical mask and a black puffy jacket.

Police describe the getaway car as a black, Nissan-style sedan.

They ask if you see someone matching the description, do not approach him, but instead call 9-1-1.