That’s higher: Okay, this week examined the bounds of the human physique and our field followers, however temperatures needs to be far more bearable at this time than, say, Tuesday. Based on the Nationwide Climate Service, Seattleites can count on clear skies and a excessive of about 82 levels. Don’t get me mistaken, that’s nonetheless too sizzling, however earlier this week I felt faint strolling to the grocery retailer, so I’ll take an 82 diploma day!
Pearl-clutchers needn’t clutch so laborious: Based on the FBI and native cops, crime charges fell final yr in Washington. Total, crime in opposition to folks fell 0.6%, with violent crimes dropping 5.5% from 2022 to 2023, property crime dropping 11.9%, and murders dropping 5.8%. Regardless of an general lower, some particular areas noticed a rise. Automobile theft rose 5.4%, hate crimes rose 5.5%, and “vice crimes” involving medicine, intercourse work, and playing rose a stark 22% within the yr the place Washington state restarted the drug warfare.
Extra W stats: Based on the newest Client Worth Index Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shopper costs dropped 0.1% in June, bringing the annual price of inflation down from 3.3% to three%. CNN has extra data.
ICYMI: The Metropolis of Seattle permitted a $1.55 billion transportation levy for voters’ consideration on the November poll. Some urbanist sorts are tremendous happy. Transportation Decisions Coalition (TCC) despatched out a press launch saying their marketing campaign’s efforts to go what they touted as “historic investments” in transit, sidewalks, bike lanes, security, and fundamental upkeep. TCC Govt Director Kirk Hovenkotter mentioned, “Irrespective of who you might be, this levy will make it safer and simpler so that you can get round Seattle. Voters will quickly have the chance to make a generational funding in our metropolis’s transportation future.” However some urbanists say the levy didn’t go far sufficient. In a Substack submit, former metropolis council candidate and present transit wonk Ron Davis wrote that the levy nonetheless prioritizes automobile infrastructure, which can preserve Seattle from assembly necessary targets to curb local weather change and cease site visitors violence and loss of life.
WiFi returns to the library: As everyone knows, a cyber assault in Might knocked out the WiFi and shut down a number of key capabilities, however now the Seattle Public Library is again on-line! You may try progress on the restoration of providers right here.
Save Ark Lodge Cinemas: One more beloved Seattle arts establishment faces the scythe. Ark Lodge, the unbiased theater in Columbia Metropolis, say their landlords hiked the lease $5,000 and now demand all again lease or else they will undergo with an eviction. The theater wants $250,000 to outlive. Discover the GoFundMe right here.
Public Lands Commissioner? Extra like Public Lands Campaigner: Fifteen Division of Pure Useful resource (DNR) staffers advised the Seattle Instances that congressional candidate Hilary Franz used her job as Public Lands Commissioner for political achieve. They declare that Franz “blurred traces governing the usage of public assets for political functions” by pressuring DNR employees to arrange official occasions to assist her win endorsements, attend her marketing campaign fundraisers, and signal nondisparagement agreements. Franz denies any wrongdoing and the Seattle Instances makes the necessary disclaimer that these energy hungry little buggers use their places of work for political achieve on a regular basis. However, the truth that a bunch of state employees spoke out in opposition to Franz is “uncommon in Olympia, the place the danger {of professional} penalties for talking out in opposition to highly effective officers normally retains folks quiet.”
as a former legislative staffer, belief me after I say that elected officers’ employees have THE BEST learn on somebody’s character & servant management (or lack thereof).
employees prepared to go OTR about corruption like this, & additionally endorse their boss’s opponent?? extraordinarily telling https://t.co/73yTAV84LF
— Hannah Sabio-Howell (@hmshowell) July 11, 2024
That workplace constructing certain appears like a home: Earlier this week, the Seattle Metropolis Council handed a invoice to incentivize builders to show workplace buildings into housing by exempting such tasks from the Necessary Housing Affordability program. Now, you understand how I really feel about this—it is goofy! Tremendous goofy! It’s a actually, actually costly strategy to make 1,000 or so models in already dense areas to keep away from spreading the burden the love of latest improvement across the complete metropolis, which we will now not keep away from doing if we need to construct the 100,000 new houses we want over the following 20 years to claw Seattle out of housing disaster. For now, Seattle is simply dropping out on MHA funding that they most likely wouldn’t in any other case acquire as a result of these conversions wouldn’t occur with out the exemption, however the metropolis might go even additional and approve a gross sales tax break for these tasks. Should be good to get a tax break out of your native gov! Couldn’t be the working class!
Clooney speaks: The New York Instances ran an op-ed by actor and big-time Democrat George Clooney, who revealed that President Joe Biden, to place it meanly, introduced a bizarre geriatric vibe to the perform that Clooney didn’t actually like! Regardless of headlining a $28 million fundraiser for the president simply final month, Clooney known as on Biden to step out of the race. In a celebrity-obsessed tradition, Clooney’s op-ed might “change hearts and minds,” as they are saying within the biz. However Biden’s group pushed again, claiming that Biden out-partied Clooney, who allegedly known as it an evening hours sooner than the President.
Try the look on Jake Tapper’s face after he is advised that the Biden marketing campaign is suggesting that Joe Biden has extra stamina than George Clooney as a result of Clooney left a fundraiser earlier than Biden did. pic.twitter.com/0WlUooT2xl
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 10, 2024
He isn’t alone: Newly polling suggests 67% of Individuals assume President Joe Biden ought to drop out of the race, and it isn’t simply haters! Of the individuals who mentioned they’d vote for Biden in November, greater than 80% of them assume he is too previous for a second time period and 44%—lower than half—assume he ought to proceed. As for changing him, it isn’t so lower and dry. It will appear Vice President Kamala Harris can be the best individual to switch the marketing campaign funds to, however she’s not precisely a favourite. Whereas 70% of Democrats can be happy with Harris, solely 29% named her as their best choice. However, hey! That is a fairly large piece of the pie, contemplating voters named 30 potential decisions!
The strain is on: As increasingly Democrats name on Biden to exit the race, Biden’s set to face one other high-stakes public look in a press convention later at this time, the place he’ll take questions from the media for the primary time since he fumbled so traditionally laborious on the talk stage. It will likely be his first solo information convention since 2020, and it might be his final if he fails to show that he’s not on loss of life’s door.
Branding degree 1000:
No means the White Home is actually calling it Biden’s “big-boy” press convention pic.twitter.com/aK0NI5W5Oh
— The Each day Present (@TheDailyShow) July 11, 2024
Boo: Advocates for reproductive well being and autonomy are outraged after the Arkansas secretary of state rejected an abortion rights petition on some technicalities. The initiative would take away the state’s energy to “prohibit, penalize, delay, or limit abortion providers” as much as 18 weeks of being pregnant. However for now, the nice folks of Arkansas will proceed to reside beneath a close to whole ban.
Evacuation: Israel instructed everybody in Gaza Metropolis to maneuver south to the central Gaza Strip as Israeli troops ramp up operations within the north. Some Palestinians in Gaza Metropolis inform BBC they may keep put. “I cannot depart Gaza [City] I cannot make the silly mistake that others have made. Israeli missiles don’t differentiate between north and south,” mentioned Ibrahim al-Barbari.“If loss of life is my destiny and the destiny of my kids, we’ll die with honor and dignity in our houses.”
New Katy Perry tonight: As a fan of Ms. Perry’s previous work, I take no enjoyment of saying this diva has been washed for a lot of, a few years. Will the one she places out tonight usher in a brand new period for her? I’m not feeling assured, particularly since she’s hurting her fame by working with producer Dr. Luke, who singer Kesha accused of rape. Undecided if the women and the gays will admire that!
This appears like a parody music from SNL (derogatory) https://t.co/vnInBC5aam
— Frociaggine Brat Summer time (@Neil_McNeil) July 9, 2024