Seattle news

• In Today's Edition of "Gross Discoveries on Capitol Hill Sidewalks"...

  19-12-2017 23:20 via thestranger.com
  
  by Leilani Polk...this nearly full container of cottage cheese. At least it's not a pile of poop. LP[ Comment on this story ][ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]
  
  Read more

• Port of Seattle shifts direction, picks retired military commander as new leader

  19-12-2017 23:19
  Stephen Metruck, a former rear admiral and chief financial officer at the U.S. Coast Guard, will take over at the Port on Feb. 1 with a $350,000 salary. His selection is a shift away from the private sector, where the port’s former leader came from.
  
  Read more

• Savage Love Letter of the Day: Orphaned Blow Up Doll

  19-12-2017 23:09 via thestranger.com
  
  by Dan Savage
  I have a question for you, finally. Maybe it's a common question. Maybe it's just a story. I have an approximately 20 year old blow up doll, new in package, that has been in outdoor storage for part of that time, so I found a spider nest, a couple ants, some debris. Cleaned her up, she holds air, and—after dressed—I can see why they might appeal to imaginative doll or oddity collector. When I claimed the doll, I was thinking, "You guys can't throw this away! It was made
  
  Read more

• Microsoft to Adopt More Transparent Process For Sexual Harassment Claims

  19-12-2017 22:59 via thestranger.com
  
  The company faces allegations of gender discrimination.by Heidi GrooverThe Redmond-based company faces allegations of gender discrimination. WELLESENTERPRISES/GETTY
  Microsoft today became the first company to say it will stop using forced arbitration agreements when employees file claims about sexual harassment. Those agreements require employees who claim their rights were violated to go through arbitration with the company, away from public scrutiny, instead of through the courts. The Redmond-
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Vancouver, Wash. man charged with setting fire to 3 Oregon vending machines.

  19-12-2017 22:54
  Police said Jason Deschenes set the fires and then exchanged the stolen coins at a Walmart for $26 in cash.
  
  Read more

• In Tacoma, angry inventor has special gift for package thieves: revenge

  19-12-2017 22:51
  Jaireme Barrow, who says he has caught 20 thieves in the act at his home, concedes that his not-quite-exploding box is an imperfect solution. But he says he has 477 preorders and is shipping them as fast as he can make them.
  
  Read more

• We Have Entered David Foster Wallace's Dystopian Future

  19-12-2017 22:41 via thestranger.com
  
  When reality and humorous post-modern sci-fi collide...by Katie HerzogDavid Foster Wallace at the New Yorker Festival in 2002 Keith Bedford/Getty ImagesWhile reading "China's Selfie Obsession," a recent New Yorker article by Jiayang Fan, I was reminded, once again, that the late, great, brilliant, and troubled author David Foster Wallace correctly predicted a future he didn't live long enough to see.In Infinite Jest, Wallace's giant 1996 masterpiece, America, now united with Canada and Mexico (a
  
  Read more

• Pickup strikes, kills Oregon woman sitting in roadway

  19-12-2017 22:39
  PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon State Police say a pickup struck and killed a woman who was sitting in the middle of a road just south of Grants Pass. Sgt. Jeff Proulx says a 39-year-old man was driving the pickup an hour before sunrise, and realized too late that a woman dressed in dark clothing […]
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Washington’s U.S. House delegation votes along party lines on Republican tax bill

  19-12-2017 22:20
  Washington's congressional delegation split along party lines in Tuesday's House vote on the Republican tax bill, with Republicans supporting the tax-cutting measure and Democrats voting no.
  
  Read more

• Climate Change Is Sinking Coffins in Alaska

  19-12-2017 22:02 via thestranger.com
  
  by Charles Mudede DieterMeyrl/gettyimage.com
  The haunting story published this morning by Anchorage News Daily—"As permafrost thaws, Western Alaska village cemeteries sink into swampland"—is about one of the consequences of our rapidly changing climate. The "thawing [of Alaska's] Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta's permafrost" is causing the cemeteries of area villagers to sink. The article is focused on one particular community in the delta—the Kongiganak, or Kong. The loss of ice in the
  
  Read more

• These Four House Members from Washington State Just Voted for the Republican Tax Bill

  19-12-2017 21:40 via thestranger.com
  
  Zero Democrats supported this "heist."by Eli SandersThey represent your state and they voted yes on a tax bill that's being described as "an all-out war on any idea of opportunity in this country."CHIP SOMODEVILLA, ELAINE THOMPSON-POOL / GETTY
  Elections have consequences. Here in Washington State, the voters who've shown up in recent elections have given us a Congressional delegation with four Republicans (representing eastern and southern Washington) and six Democrats (representing western Wash
  
  Read more

• Would You Care to Hear Jeff Goldblum Think Out Loud for Two Hours? (Answer: Yes, You Would)

  19-12-2017 21:25 via thestranger.com
  
  by Sean NelsonPresley and Goldblum, a king and a prince.
  Christmas is almost here, Hanukkah's almost over, the House just passed the Rich People Are More Equal Than Poor People Tax Act, and the Senate seems likely to do the same. Plus it's raining, the sky is black, it will always be freezing.What I'm saying is: Don't you deserve a gift? Yes, you do.The wonderful elves at Shout! Factory have created just the thing, in the form of a new podcast, which employs the audio tracks of interviews and co
  
  Read more

• Probe of deadly Amtrak crash looks at safety delays, engineer

  19-12-2017 21:12
  A National Transportation Safety Board investigation into Monday's Amtrak derailment will likely focus on three key aspects, with a close eye on the speed of the train and the engineer running it.
  
  Read more

• Alex Jones's Gut Says: "The FBI Will Murder Trump in the Next Month"

  19-12-2017 20:35 via thestranger.com
  
  This kind of blathering might be funny if so many people didn't actually believe it.by Katie HerzogLiar, conspiracy theorist, and all around evil dude Alex Jones.YouTube/InfoWars
  Rabid dog and right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones took to the airwaves with some of his trademark "news" on Monday when he predicted that secret operatives working for the Clintons and within the Justice Department, the FBI, and the Secret Service will soon attempt to kill the President. A transcript, compliments
  
  Read more

• Baby bongo born, more likely soon at Species Survival Center

  19-12-2017 20:28
  NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A bouncing baby bongo has been born in New Orleans. The 46-pound female is from a highly endangered antelope subspecies. It’s the first calf conceived at the Species Survival Center created by the Audubon Nature Institute and San Diego Zoo Global. And more baby antelope are on their way, including two […]
  
  Read more

• The Awful Expression "Free Gift" Turns Up in an Unlikely Place

  19-12-2017 20:15 via thestranger.com
  
  Even the marketing departments of esteemed publications like Vanity Fair toss around the heinous expression "free gift."by Dave SegalYou, too, Vanity Fair? Dave Segal
  Leafing through a recent issue of the best-smelling [sic] magazine Vanity Fair in The Stranger's office, I came upon a blow-in subscription card for the ritzy publication. On said blow-in, in all caps, are the misguided words FREE GIFT. I griped about this and other redundant phrases in a Slog post that drew a lot of ire back in th
  
  Read more

• Man hospitalized after dispute ends in gunfire in North Seattle

  19-12-2017 20:12
  Police say the victim was shot by his girlfriend's former boyfriend during an argument in the suspect's Lake City home.
  
  Read more

• Washington Just Harvested Its Biggest Legal Weed Crop Ever. Is That a Problem?

  19-12-2017 19:52 via thestranger.com
  
  Supply and demand.by Lester BlackOutdoor pot plants grow on a hillside in Chelan County. Lester Black
  This year’s outdoor pot harvest appears to be the largest in state history. The state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) reported over 90,000 pounds of cured pot in October alone, the biggest haul for a single month in state history. This huge outdoor crop is hitting a market that was already saturated with lots of cheap weed, heightening worries across the industry of an oversupply p
  
  Read more

• Former Head of Secret Government UFO Program Says We Are Not Alone

  19-12-2017 19:45 via thestranger.com
  
  by Katie HerzogDeclassified Footage of "unidentified aerial phenomenon" To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science
  On Sunday, Politco and the New York Times published dual reports on a formerly top-secret Pentagon program launched in 2007 and tasked with investigating reports of UFOs. Supposedly shut down in 2012, the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program was championed by Nevada Sen. Harry Reid and funded with $22 million a year, most of which when to an aerospace research company ru
  
  Read more

• Idaho jail looks to save money by limiting shower times

  19-12-2017 19:34
  COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) — A jail in northwestern Idaho is reducing the amount of time inmates can spend in the shower and when showers are available as part of a plan to cut back on costs. The Coeur d’Alene Press reports Kootenai County commissioners on Monday approved the plan that officials estimate will save […]
  
  Read more

• The Port Commission Will Vote on a New Port "Executive Director" Today

  19-12-2017 19:30 via thestranger.com
  
  No "CEO" this time.by Sydney BrownstoneThese unsuspecting people don't even know WHO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PORT IS!!!! STEPHEN BRASHEAR/Getty
  It's a big day for port-watchers. This afternoon, the five-person Port Commission—with two outgoing port commissioners, John Creighton and Tom Albro—will take a vote to confirm a new executive to run the multi-billion dollar engine that is the Port of Seattle.
  The vote arrives in the midst of a makeover. The last person who held the job
  
  Read more

• Report: Opioid abuse crisis taking toll on New Hampshire newborns

  19-12-2017 19:30
  CONCORD, N.H. — A report says New Hampshire’s worsening opioid crisis has led to a five-fold increase over the past decade in the numbers of newborns suffering from a drug-related condition that causes tremors, seizures and breathing problems. The report released Tuesday from the University of New Hampshire and New Futures Kids Count found the […]
  
  Read more

• Report: Drug crisis taking toll on New Hampshire newborns

  19-12-2017 19:30
  CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Babies in New Hampshire are increasingly paying a price for their parent’s drug addiction, with rising numbers of newborns suffering from a condition that causes symptoms ranging from tremors to breathing problems. A new report released Tuesday found that the state’s opioid crisis has led to a five-fold increase over the […]
  
  Read more

• Here is a rundown of serious train crashes, derailments nationwide

  19-12-2017 19:07
  Over the past 24 years, serious train crashes or derailments have killed or injured dozens of people across the country. Here is sampling of notable incidents.
  
  Read more

• Resist/Recharge: Chat About Trumpism and Mental Health With The Stranger and Seattle Counseling Service!

  19-12-2017 19:06 via thestranger.com
  
  Tonight!by Steven HsiehOur first Resist/Recharge event with SOMOS.
  Free this evening? Swing by St. John's Bar and Eatery on Capitol Hill for Resist/Recharge, The Stranger's series of talks with community leaders and nonprofits opposed to President Trump's agenda. So far, we've held events with SOMOS, Northwest Harvest, Greenpeace, 21 Progress, Langston, Totem Star and Red Eagle Soaring.
  This week, we're hosting Seattle Counseling Service for a talk on the impact of Trumpism on the mental health
  
  Read more

• Photos: Investigation continues at scene of fatal Amtrak train derailment

  19-12-2017 19:04
  The National Transportation Safety Board, citing the train's data recorder, shared preliminary findings that the train was traveling at 80 mph when it jumped the tracks.
  
  Read more

• Longtime rail advocates among those killed in Amtrak train derailment in Washington state

  19-12-2017 19:04
  Zack Willhoite and Jim Hamre were both members of enthusiasts’ group All Aboard Washington and were riding on the train to experience an inaugural Amtrak service.
  
  Read more

• Close friends who loved trains among those killed in Amtrak train derailment in Washington state

  19-12-2017 19:04
  Zack Willhoite and Jim Hamre, who died in Monday’s train derailment, were both passionate advocates for rail travel. Both were riding on the train to experience the inaugural service of the new Amtrak route.
  
  Read more

• Cannon Beach businesses frustrated by delayed flood maps

  19-12-2017 19:01
  CANNON BEACH, Ore. (AP) — For the past two years, Cheri Lerma of Cheri’s Cafe & Cannon Beach Cookie has spent almost $10,000 on flood insurance she knows she doesn’t need. As a part of a countywide study by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, preliminary mapping in 2014 showed flood hazard zones shrinking by 27 […]
  
  Read more

• Good Thing the President of the United States Isn't Vain and Insecure

  19-12-2017 18:59 via thestranger.com
  
  by Dan SavageDisney added a Trump robot to their Hall of Mildly Creepy Robot Presidents in Orlando......and the best theory right now is that Disney, like everyone else on earth (Trump and Putin included), thought Hillary would win and they had a Hillarybot ready to go and rather than start over they just slapped on some extra jowls and a long tie and called it a day.Disney just reopened its Hall of Presidents attraction with a brand new addition — President Trump. pic.twitter.com/SXGt1CRE
  
  Read more

• Recount overturns Idaho local election won by coin toss

  19-12-2017 18:58
  RUPERT, Idaho (AP) — A recount for a local election in southern Idaho has overturned a win that was decided by a coin toss last month. Dick Galbraith and Glen Loveland ran against each other for a seat on the city council in the small southern city of Heyburn. Officials said the race ended in […]
  
  Read more

• After election tie and coin toss, a hand recount switches winner of Idaho city council race

  19-12-2017 18:58
  RUPERT, Idaho — A southern Idaho city has filled a council seat after an election that ended in what officials thought was tie and was followed by a coin toss and a recount. The Times-News reports Minidoka County officials recounted ballots Monday, finding Dick Galbraith had won the seat on the Heyburn City Council by […]
  
  Read more

• Date Set for the Return of Roseanne

  19-12-2017 18:45 via thestranger.com
  
  A TV reboot that will (hopefully) be funny, smart, and, relevant.by Sean NelsonThe only difference is that the couch is now stuffed with thousand dollar bills.
  There are many good reasons to be skeptical of reboots of old favorite TV shows.There are also plenty of reasons to wonder whether certain performer/creators' noxious political and social media tendencies might have a deleterious effect—both on the work itself and on an audience's willingness to get on board.If you're seeking pre-di
  
  Read more

• Seattle Uses Bike Racks to Discourage Homeless Camping

  19-12-2017 18:15 via thestranger.com
  
  The racks are in Belltown.by Heidi GrooverBike racks for cyclists or to keep homeless people out? photo courtesy of jeff few
  Before Jeff Few left his Belltown condo for a two-day business trip in September, homeless campers regularly pitched tents on the sidewalk across the street. When he came back, the same sidewalk was lined with bike racks.
  The area was under the viaduct, near an onramp, and rarely used for bike parking. The reason for the empty racks seemed obvious to Few.“They serve
  
  Read more

• These are some of the people who rushed to help survivors of the Amtrak train derailment

  19-12-2017 18:12
  Dr. Nathan Selden was among those who stopped to help emergency responders triage victims of the Monday derailment, including a baby pulled from the wreckage. The baby, who seemed unhurt, was ticklish, giggling and smiling.
  
  Read more

• Hospitals report most injured victims of Amtrak derailment improving

  19-12-2017 17:49
  Many victims who were injured in Monday's Amtrak derailment are improving and most have been released from the hospital, officials said.
  
  Read more

• 27 derailment victims remain hospitalized; several still serious or critical

  19-12-2017 17:49
  Many victims who were injured in Monday's Amtrak derailment are improving and most have been released from the hospital, officials said.
  
  Read more

• UPDATE: I-90 eastbound closed again over Snoqualmie Pass

  19-12-2017 17:36
  Under heavy snowfall that triggered multiple spinouts, Interstate 90 eastbound over Snoqualmie Pass closed just after 8 a.m. Tuesday.
  
  Read more

• Online game to players: Don’t touch black people’s hair

  19-12-2017 17:36
  WASHINGTON — Art director Momo Pixel moved to Portland, Oregon, in 2016, and confronted a challenge she had never experienced before: Strangers reaching out to grab or stroke her long braided hair, often without her permission. “I would be walking down the street visibly mad,” Pixel recalled. One day, she told her boss about it. […]
  
  Read more

• I-90 closed eastbound over Snoqualmie Pass after collisions

  19-12-2017 17:36
  Under heavy snowfall that triggered multiple spinouts, Interstate 90 eastbound over Snoqualmie Pass closed just after 8 a.m. Tuesday.
  
  Read more

• Idaho lands nation’s first International Dark Sky Reserve

  19-12-2017 17:34
  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A giant chunk of central Idaho with a dazzling night sky has become the nation’s first International Dark Sky Reserve. The International Dark-Sky Association late Monday designated the 1,400-square-mile (3,600-square-kilometer) Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve. The sparsely populated area’s night skies are so pristine that interstellar dust clouds are visible in […]
  
  Read more

• The Morning News: Tax Bill Vote Expected Soon, Gorsuch Ate Trump's Ass, Crashed Amtrak Train Was Speeding

  19-12-2017 17:28 via thestranger.com
  
  by Dan SavageBob Corker: voting for a the GOP tax bill that will benefit him greatly. Alex Wong / Getty
  GOP TAX BILL A LOCK: Now that Sen. Bob Corker has been brought on board bought off and Sen. Susan Collins has decided she'd rather not win another election, the GOP's tax bill — a "win" for the president and other billionaires, a loss for everyone else — is expected to pass. The bill has gotten worse, not better, over the last few days: the top 1% will now get 83% of the gains
  
  Read more

• Space station gets 3 new astronauts, making full house again

  19-12-2017 17:07
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The International Space Station has three new residents, making it a full house again. An American, Russian and Japanese arrived at the orbiting lab Tuesday, two days after launching from Kazakhstan. They received special greetings from the new U.S. ambassador to Russia, who gathered with the astronauts’ families at Mission […]
  
  Read more

• Space station gets 3 new astronauts, bringing crew back to 6

  19-12-2017 17:07
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The International Space Station has three new residents, doubling its crew size. An American, Russian and Japanese arrived at the orbiting lab Tuesday, two days after launching from Kazakhstan. They received special greetings from America’s new ambassador to Russia. Ambassador Jon Huntsman gathered with the astronauts’ families at Mission Control […]
  
  Read more

• Cars of Amtrak train that was traveling 50 mph over limit when it derailed are being removed from I-5

  19-12-2017 16:43
  Traffic congestion in communities surrounding the crash site on Interstate 5 near Mounts Road, between Lakewood and Olympia, began building around 5:30 a.m. Officials urge caution and preparedness.
  
  Read more

• Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over limit when it derailed at curve before I-5 crossing

  19-12-2017 16:43
  The National Transportation Safety Board shared preliminary findings that showed the train was traveling at 80 mph when it jumped the tracks, citing recordings from the train's data recorder.
  
  Read more

• More than a foot of snow at passes, rain in Seattle Tuesday

  19-12-2017 15:55
  A heavy storm system was already bringing snow to mountain passes and continued to drench Seattle in rain Tuesday morning.
  
  Read more

• A foot of snow at passes, rain, wind in Seattle Tuesday

  19-12-2017 15:55
  A heavy storm system was already bringing snow to mountain passes and continued to drench Seattle in rain Tuesday morning.
  
  Read more

• I-5 south still closed near derailment site in DuPont

  19-12-2017 15:29
  Interstate 5 remained closed Tuesday morning as investigators worked to piece together what happened Monday morning to cause an Amtrak Cascades passenger train to jump the tracks onto the highway.
  
  Read more

Follow @Seattle_news_ on Twitter!