Slog AM: 3,300 Lightning Strikes in Western Washington, Activists Collect Exterior DNC, Michigan City Elects Horse as Mayor

What a storm! Thunderstorms rolled in Saturday night time and introduced rumbles, flashes, and a deluge of rain with them. The Puget Sound space bore witness to three,300 lightning strikes. Did you sit outdoors and watch the free sky theater? It was superb. I like when climate makes me really feel small. Together with the spectacle got here the true value: the storm knocked out energy for 18,000 individuals in Western Washington, and it lit a brush fireplace now burning close to Leavenworth. 

A little bit lightning: I can not probably transfer on from the storm topic with out exhibiting you lightning. 

Lightning over the house needle 🙂 pic.twitter.com/3ymVMYjFVJ

— reanna (@reannasioux) August 18, 2024

Pleasure down at Elliott Bay Marina @KSeattleWeather pic.twitter.com/1k76Hy4mRK

— Emelie East (@leschistarboard) August 18, 2024

Extra climate stalls prepare: Was the hyperlink late yesterday? I imply later than typical? Massive wind gusts precipitated an influence outage in Rainier Valley on Sunday that screwed up mild rail stations close to SODO and Columbia Metropolis.  

One useless in SODO nightclub capturing: A 22-year-old man was shot a number of instances within the stomach inside a nightclub early Saturday morning. He died from his accidents on Sunday. Police are trying to find the shooter. 

Washington baseball groups preserve dropping: Puyallup’s South Hill baseball workforce misplaced within the Little League World Sequence this weekend. They misplaced 12-2 in 4 innings to Pennsylvania’s Council Rock Newtown workforce. Disappointing! 

Intercourse offender island may not be working that nicely: In Washington, we ship our worst intercourse crime offenders to McNeil Island for rehabilitation after they’ve served their jail time. About 515 individuals have been detained there within the 35 years because the behavioral remedy program referred to as the Particular Dedication Heart started. This system prices a staggering $440,000 per particular person. And, but, no matter remedy these sexual criminals obtain will not be sticking for some. A brand new report from the Seattle Occasions discovered that of the individuals launched from this system. One in 4 individuals “have reoffended” not directly, one in seven have “reoffended in a severe or violent method,” and half of that 1/7 “concerned sexual violence,” which works out to about 36 individuals.  In all, this system has a 15% recidivism charge for “severe or violent” crimes, which compares to 82% on the nationwide degree and north of 30% in Washington. 

Seattle’s Solely Information Quiz: Have you ever taken The Stranger’s weekly information quiz but? If not, then do it!! Jeopardy champions Sally Neumann and Leah Caglio learn Slog AM each week after which write up some very humorous questions on all the little horrible, deeply unusual, and sometimes heart-warming issues we write about right here. In case you join the Slog AM e-newsletter, you will get the morning information roundup AND the quiz delivered straight to your inbox. Have enjoyable teasing your brains. 🧠

Russian volcano blows its high: A 7.0 earthquake off of Russia’s jap coast triggered the Shiveluch volcano to erupt over the weekend. The volcano is about 280 miles from the closest metropolis. To this point, the eruption hasn’t disrupted civilian life, although it is spewed a five-mile excessive ash column and belched out lava. 

🇷🇺Video of a robust eruption of the Shiveluch volcano, accompanied by volcanic lightning.

📌 #Shiveluch | #Russia
Date: August 18.2024#eruption | #volcano | #Russia https://t.co/9wnvtIqaLH pic.twitter.com/FTXblwJiIB

— Climate monitor (@Weathermonitors) August 18, 2024

DNC kicks off: The Democratic Nationwide Conference begins in Chicago on Monday. President Joe Biden will converse tonight about his legacy. It’s going to be step one of the official torch-passing ceremony as Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz settle for the presidential and vice presidential nominations, respectively, on Thursday. The DNC plans to be all power and optimism. Vibes election, child.

Exterior the DNC is one other story: Tens of 1000’s of protesters are planning demonstrations outdoors the conference. Their vibe? Fuck Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians and the Biden administration’s position in it. In latest days, protesters have set their sights on Harris, who, because the presumptive nominee, will take the reins in the entire “supplying-arms-to-facilitate-genocide” factor. Many are drawing comparisons between this gathering of activists with the 1968 DNC, which was held after Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and after President Lyndon B. Johnson stated he wasn’t operating for one more time period. Tensions had been excessive again then. They’re excessive now. 

In the meantime: US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is assembly with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “eleventh hour” negotiations round a ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas conflict. Final week, worldwide mediators (US, Qatar, and Egypt) signaled a breakthrough might be shut and that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a “bridging proposal.” Nonetheless, as of Monday, Israel and Hamas officers do not appear to assume a breakthrough is on the horizon. 

The gloves got here off in Turkey’s parliament.

A fistfight broke out in Turkey’s parliament when an opposition deputy was attacked after calling for his colleague, jailed on prices of organizing anti-government protests however since elected an MP, to be admitted to the meeting https://t.co/M4NyyclfD2 pic.twitter.com/oCrNamNwCq

— Reuters (@Reuters) August 16, 2024

Do not blame the orcas for this one: Early Monday morning, a brilliant yacht sank close to Sicily. A fierce storm that includes over-water tornadoes referred to as “waterspouts” struck the realm in a single day, sinking the yacht. Onboard had been 10 staff and 12 passengers. Emergency response crews rescued fifteen individuals thus far and recovered one useless physique. Seven individuals—six passengers and one crew member—stay lacking. A mom and her one-year-old daughter had been among the many rescued. The mom stated she held her child above the waves “with all my power,” screaming for assist in the darkness, till rescuers arrived. 

Breaking Bend: Gary Hewitt, the manager director of St. Vincent de Pau of Bend, a nonprofit geared towards serving to the unhoused, in Bend, Oregon was arrested final week “on methamphetamine supply and possession prices [and] accused of promoting industrial quantities of the drug from his Redmond house.” Inside Hewitt’s home, detectives discovered “a industrial amount of meth, together with scales, packaging materials, and US foreign money.” 

You merely cannot make this up: ‘Most Needed’ fugitive sought in 2004 homicide discovered working as police officer

Large upset in Michigan mayoral election: Residents of Omena, Michigan chosen Fortunate the Horse as their new mayor, stunning residents. The place had solely been held by a canine. Nicely, and as soon as by a cat. Often, a cat can solely win if the canine vote is cut up. However, there’s drama in Fortunate’s ascension to the place. In line with the marketing campaign supervisor for Topsy & Turvy, two cats who would have been co-mayors, Fortunate does not even reside in Omena. 

A tune to your Monday: You want jazz?

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