More than 85% of all travel will involve a car. Another 8% is expected to be through the air, according to the AAA. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is anticipating a busy holiday weekend period and asked travelers to prepare in advance. The numbers of passengers are expected to be at pre-pandemic levels with up to 170,000 travelers moving through the terminal this Friday, the busiest day. Security lines will be long. To save time, they suggest using Spot Saver to help move more quickly through security.

More on Spot Saver: SeaTac Airport unveils program to help cut TSA security lines

On the road, gas prices in Washington are close to where they were last year at this time, down approximately six cents a gallon from a month ago, but higher in surrounding states. The average price of a gallon of regular gas across the nation is around $3.60, about five cents higher than a year ago. In the western U.S. though, the price of gas remains higher than the national average. Washington is currently at about $4.60 per gallon. California sits at $5.19 per gallon, Oregon is at $4.37, Idaho sits around $3.81 and British Columbia is at about $5.10 per gallon (converted from liters to gallons based on the average price in the province reported via GasBuddy and from Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars).

Here are some holiday travel tips heading into the weekend.

Weather

Memorial Day Weekend has the stigma that it always rains. So far this century, there have been 10 years with no rain at all including last year, and seven more years where it rained but just one day during the three-day weekend. This year looks to have a good chance at another single wet day through the holiday weekend.

In Western Washington, the weekend will have a mix of clouds and sun. The only real threat of any light showers is on Saturday with highs around 60. The rest of the holiday weekend looks to have an increasing amount of sunshine with highs by Monday climbing to near 70 degrees. Lows throughout the weekend will be in the 40s.

Weather east of the Cascades will also offer a threat of showers and even a chance of a thunderstorm Saturday with highs ranging from 55 to 65. Sunday and Monday are expected to dry out and warm up with highs by Monday rising into the mid-60s to mid-70s. Lows will generally be in the 40s.

If heading into the Cascades or Olympics for the weekend, expect the best chance for showers to be on Saturday with conditions drying out Sunday and Monday. The snow level on Saturday is anticipated to be around 4,000 feet.

On the road

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) strongly suggests traveling during non-peak times during the holiday weekend.

If you are planning to head north toward the Canadian border, drive east of the Cascades, head south toward Portland, or take a ferry going west, Friday from about midday through about sunset is the busiest and slowest drive time period. WSDOT suggests hitting the road before 10 a.m. on getaway Friday. On Saturday in all directions, another peak in traffic volumes is late morning through mid-afternoon.

More on Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: Why was Sea-Tac Airport so busy Sunday? Will it get worse?

Returning from the holiday weekend will also be a chore. The peak times start late in the morning on Monday, Memorial Day and continue through to about sundown. Again, WSDOT suggests leaving Sunday, early Monday morning or wait until later Monday night, or even on Tuesday.

For the details of expected peak travel times heading north, south or east, as well as the return from your destination, WSDOT has a Memorial Day Weekend Travel Times page online.

The Washington State Ferries simply said to expect long terminal wait times on Friday heading west, and again on both Sunday and Monday for sailings going east.

Wherever you go this holiday weekend, drive safely and pack your patience. Your nerves will feel better by leaving way early or way late to avoid those peak travel periods. And on Memorial Day itself, remember and honor those who paid the ultimate price for our country and freedom.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X.

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, or email her here.

That’s what the Bothell Police Department (BPD) said happened on April 26, near Frank Love Elementary School.

Court documents say the girl, 17, was standing with her parents outside the school, waiting to pick up her siblings.

That’s when 26-year-old Fernando Rojas allegedly grabbed the girl and tried to pull her away and the parents intervened. In written statements to police, the parents say Rojas threatened to kill the girl and her mother.

Before the Bothell incident: Suspect met teen online years earlier

According to court documents, the teenager first met Rojas on social media when she was 14. At the time, the girl thought Rojas was a teenager.

But friendly conversations about music turned uncomfortable. When Rojas told her his real age, she cut all ties, blocked him, and changed her cell phone number. According to court documents, Rojas persisted. His tone changed and he began making threats to kill her.

More from the crime blotter: Man, 39, convicted of groping teen on flight from Dubai to Seattle

The girl says he stalked her, telling police he showed up repeatedly to her bus stop. She says he previously attacked her and tried to drag her away, threatening to rape and kill her. She eventually made the shift to online learning. She hadn’t told her parents at the time because she didn’t want to scare them, documents say.

Then on April 26, the girl and her parents were at the Bothell school, when she noticed Rojas walking toward them. Court documents say he tried to drag her away. The girl’s mother stepped in between them and managed to scare him away. The girl’s father reportedly chased him into a surrounding neighborhood.

Officers tracked down Rojas after reviewing surveillance video of attack on the day of the incident.

Rojas faces a multitude of charges, including first-degree kidnapping, attempted first-degree kidnapping, stalking, assault and harassment. His bail has been set at $500,000.

You can read more of James Lynch’s stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

You can read more of Sam Campbell’s stories here. Follow Sam Campbell on X, or email him here.

And this year, Labor Day is early as the event will be held Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1 at Seattle Center.

Chris Porter, the Bumbershoot music program director, has returned to the festival after a number of years away and is excited about the 2024 edition’s musical lineup, which was released Tuesday morning. The lineup includes headliners Pavement, James Blake, Cypress Hill, Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile, Kim Gordon, Freddie Gibbs and Aly & AJ.

But Porter also said finding new music to love is essential to a festival like Bumbershoot.

“I always say the essence of a festival is to discover new acts and maybe find your new favorite band at Bumbershoot,” Porter said to KIRO Newsradio. “And there’s always a lot of local and regional artists as well as internationally touring artists.”

In addition to the headliners, Porter called out a couple of other acts such as The Polyphonic Spree.

“They’re Texas based, but don’t tour very often,” Porter said. “They’ve been around a few years. But they’re essentially a choir, almost an indie-rock choir. They’re very unique. It will be quite a spectacle as well as wonderful music.”

Porter also noted Lol Tolhurst X Budgie as an act to watch. Tolhurst was a member of The Cure for many years and Budgie who was in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees. They’re a new duo doing something new and different together.

More summer music: Chateau Ste. Michelle announces concert series

What is it about Seattle that this festival is able to draw in a diverse group of artists?

Porter, who has lived in Seattle for decades after spending his formative years on the East Coast, credits the people in the area for being willing to expand their artistic palate, so to speak.

“Seattle has always been a very fertile ground of creativity, which I think breeds a lot of interest from people in all kinds of diverse sounds and artistic disciplines and genres,” Porter said. “There’s always an open mindedness to discover new things and to try stuff and help nurture new sounds.”

From there, Bumbershoot has been able to capitalize on the people in the area being willing to experience something they haven’t seen or tried before.

“Seattle has just always been very open minded about trying on new things and Bumbershoot has been one of the many conduits of that … It’s a very eclectic festival, Porter said.”

Music at Woodland Park: Zoo Tunes announces lineup for summer series

Bumbershoot will offer more than its musical lineup

Bumbershoot also detailed its animation, culinary, and visual arts programming in its announcement Tuesday.

The Culinary Arts lineup will celebrate the best of the Northwest. That includes local restaurants, breweries, and wineries and even a couple of restaurants featured on The New York Times list of Best Restaurants in Seattle.

Also, new to the Visual Arts programming in 2024 is the Animation District which will host an array of installments around Seattle Center. As a statement explained, some of the highlights include presentations from the director of the Oscar-nominated “Nimona,” the VFX supervisor and production designer on the Oscar-nominated “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the writer/director of Netflix’s anticipated “Ultraman: Rising” and the VFX and visualization supervisors of Sony’s upcoming “Harold and the Purple Crayon.” This year also marks the inaugural Bigfoot Deepfake Competition.

Tickets are available now. A single-day ticket costs $70 (plus a service fee). For those who want to go both days and buy a two-day ticket, it will cost $125 (plus a service fee). A “Deluxe GA+ Weekend Pass,” which includes admission to both days, parking, a private lounge and more costs $350 (plus a service fee). Children under 10 are free with a limit of two kids tickets per order.

Heather Bosch is an award-winning anchor and reporter on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her stories here. Follow Heather on X, or email her here.

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, or email him here.

The United Front for Palestinian Liberation, leaders of the encampment known as the Popular University for Gaza liberated zone, announced Friday they have reached an agreement with the administration and will disband by 3 p.m. Monday. The encampment has been set up for weeks at the Liberal Arts Quadrangle, more commonly known as the Quad.

In a written statement obtained by The Daily, the university’s student-run media outlet, United Front leaders say the administration has agreed to concessions for the protesters.

In a separate piece, The Daily outlined five key points of the agreement from the United Front’s document.

Among them, the university will waive tuition for at least 20 displaced Palestinian students from Gaza. It also commits to fundraising to cover additional costs for these students.

Another one of the five points is that UW will “establish a faculty committee to recommend and solicit changes to study abroad programs, that exclude participation from students from specific countries or communities, including Palestinian or other Arab students,” The Daily reported.

The university also stated it will be “transparent about its investment holdings and fund managers.”

Protesters from the United Front have said they’re “not satisfied” with the concessions. However, they also stated this was the right time to disband the encampment.

The group’s press statement explained they “are under no illusions that this agreement is a win.”

“Many of our demands remain unfulfilled as the UW has shown clear reluctance to make even the smallest progress towards reducing our complicity in the ongoing genocide in Palestine,” the United Front statement reads.

More from Seattle: Pro-Israel march at UW comes face-to-face with liberated zone encampment

UW confirms agreement to end the encampment

UW President Anna Mari Cauce issued a statement through the UW Presidential Blog Friday confirming the administration and the people running the encampment came to an agreement on a resolution.

I shared how I and other University leaders continued to engage in dialogue to achieve a resolution that would result in the encampment’s voluntary departure in order to avoid the need for police interventions like those we have seen at other universities.

I’m writing to share that through serious and constructive conversations we have reached just such a resolution. It is consistent with our University’s values, shared governance, and state and federal law.”

Cauce’s statement also says that in addition to agreeing the encampment will disband by 3 p.m. Monday, a future encampment will not be re-established. In addition, the university will forgo referrals for citations or conduct violations for camping. However, Cauce stated, “any other violations of law and policy, such as for vandalism, harassment or discrimination, will continue to be investigated and acted on accordingly.”

The university president’s statement also links to a document that outlines what the administration plans to do going forward. The list includes what the United Front noted in its statement released, plus multiple other issue agreements. (A PDF of the document released as part of Cauce’s statement can be viewed here.)

Notably, the document Cauce links to says the university’s active task force on Islamophobia is “assessing the extent to which students, faculty, and staff are experiencing discrimination or harassment due to their identities, with an emphasis on those who identify as Palestinian, Muslim, Arab or of Middle Eastern/North African origin.”

Once that work is complete the university said it has “set aside funding to invest in educational strategies, including potential hires, to promote cultural competence at the university.”

KIRO Newsradio has reached out to the UW administration for a comment but has not yet heard back.

Agreement comes after group escalated its behavior with vandalism

UW faculty, staff and students arrived on campus in Seattle Wednesday morning and found just about every building surrounding the pro-Palestinian encampment covered with graffiti.

There’s no word on who was responsible for the graffiti. But Cauce said representatives from the encampment told administrators “the graffiti is an intentional escalation to compel the university to agree to their demands.”

The University of Washington community arrived on campus in Seattle on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 and found many buildings surrounding the pro-Palestinian encampment covered with graffiti. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)

UW coverage from James Lynch: Buildings covered with pro-Palestinian graffiti

Cauce issued a lengthy statement through the UW Presidential Blog that day addressing multiple topics, including the graffiti seen on campus and the tent encampment.

“The university’s response to students’ calls for change will not be based on an encampment — there are many ways for voices to be heard that don’t require tents, violent rhetoric and vandalism,” Cauce said in the previous statement.

The university president also used the statement Wednesday to call on campers to dismantle the encampment and leave the Quad voluntarily.

Cauce concluded her statement Friday by noting she was happy to come to a resolution and she is eager to move on to the future.

“I’m pleased to reach this resolution so that our campus can begin to heal – including by coming together for Commencement next month – and so that once again all UW community members, regardless of religion, race or national origin, can live, learn and work without fear,” Cauce said.

Contributing: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X here and email him here.

Charlie Harger is the news director for MyNorthwest and KIRO Newsradio. Follow Charlie on X here and email him here.

It is now up to the DOJ to weigh whether to file charges against the aircraft maker. Prosecutors will tell the court no later than July 7 how they plan to proceed, the DOJ said.

Boeing failed to make changes to prevent it from violating federal anti-fraud laws — a condition of the the 2021 settlement, Glenn Leon, the head of the fraud section of the Justice Department’s criminal division said in a letter.

The determination means that Boeing could be prosecuted “for any federal criminal violation of which the United States has knowledge,” including the charge of fraud that the company hoped to avoid with the $2.5 billion settlement, the DOJ said.

Attorney Mark Lindquist represents dozens of families of the 346 people who died in two Max 8 crashes, one in 2018 and 2019. He also previously said to KIRO Newsradio old and new evidence could presented in a new prosecution.

“Then this will be a fresh, full-blown prosecution with all the old evidence from the Max 8 crashes and, likely, new evidence from incidents such as the Max 9 door plug blowout.”

However, it is not clear whether the government will prosecute the manufacturing giant.

“The Government is determining how it will proceed in this matter,” the Justice Department said in the court filing.

Whistleblower: Boeing production a ‘disaster waiting to happen’

Investigations into the 2018 and 2019 crashes pointed to a flight-control system that Boeing added to the Max without telling pilots or airlines. Boeing downplayed the significance of the system, then didn’t overhaul it until after the second crash.

The DOJ investigated Boeing and settled the case in January 2021. After secret negotiations, the government agreed not to prosecute Boeing on a charge of defrauding the United States by deceiving regulators who approved the plane.

In exchange, the company paid $2.5 billion — a $243.6 million fine, a $500 million fund for victim compensation, and nearly $1.8 billion to airlines whose Max jets were grounded.

Boeing has faced civil lawsuits, congressional investigations and massive damage to its business since the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Many of the families of the Max 8 victims have pursued their cases in civil court. But Lindquist says the families also would like Boeing to be tried in criminal court.

“Right now, a lot of victims’ families feel like there has not yet been justice or full accountability or the necessary changes at Boeing, Lindquist said to KIRO Newsradio. “Victims’ families not only want justice and accountability, they want these problems fixed so they don’t happen again.”

Contributing: The Associated Press; Heather Bosch, KIRO Newsradio

The mare, originally misidentified as a stallion until Thursday, was rescued in the Riverbend neighborhood of North Bend after being on the run for nearly six days. The Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC), provided the update in a statement Friday night.

The zebra, now known to be named Shug, will be transported to Montana as the owner was moving the animals from Winlock in Lewis County to Anaconda, Montana, when the animal escaped and began its journey around the area, RASKC explained.

The owner of the animals, who has been identified as 35-year-old Kristine Keltgen, stopped just off Interstate 90 (I-90) in the North Bend area Sunday, reportedly to fix a problem with the trailer. When she went to secure the trailer, all four zebras took off. Three of the four were recaptured in a few hours with the help of intervening citizens and continued their journey east the next day. The fourth roamed in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains for nearly a week, becoming an international sensation in the process.

Private citizens joined with animal control officers from RASKC to make the rescue. RASKC reported the zebra appeared to be in good condition despite its nearly week-long adventure in the woods.

RASKC concluded its statement Friday by thanking its partners, including the King County Sheriff’s Office, King County Parks, the Washington State Patrol, the city of North Bend, and “the numerous residents of the area who assisted in this successful outcome.”

Previous zebra developments

RASKC said in an email Friday they would no longer be “actively searching” for the missing zebra. Officials had remained in contact with Keltgen about developments.

“They will continue to respond to credible reports of sightings, though,” the agency stated.

Shug, the fourth zebra, had eluded capture despite daily sightings from North Bend residents, property owners and hikers. Multiple neighbors told KIRO Newsradio Wednesday the zebra was spotted several times along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, with multiple encounters happening near the Riverbend neighborhood and Boxley Creek.

Nevertheless, as of Friday afternoon, the zebra remained wandering the forests surrounding North Bend with its black-and-white stripes standing in stark contrast to the green hills.

On Friday, King County officials closed off trail access points along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail in the Boxley Creek Natural Area, where the zebra was frequenting. People who tried to come out to see the zebra may have spooked it, they said.

In a statement sent to KIRO Newsradio Friday, RASKC said it has been in contact with Keltgen. She told RASKC she had a person local to the state of Washington familiar with animal behavior who attempted to capture the animal.

Keltgen previously told The Seattle Times she was bringing the zebras to a petting zoo she runs in Montana. She had been on the road for about two hours when she noticed one of the trailer’s floor mats was flapping and dragging behind her. When she opened the door to adjust the mat, the zebras ran out.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Keep them away from the interstate,'” Keltgen said to the Times. “Then my next thought was, ‘I need help.'”

Keltgen told The Associated Press Friday she was not giving any further interviews “until we find her.”

Exclusive zebra footage provided to MyNorthwest

Video from a North Bend resident’s trail camera showed the missing zebra wandering near North Bend Monday at 11:56 a.m.

The resident who provided the video and photos was out on horseback with friends looking for the zebra. He provided MyNorthwest another exclusive image of the missing zebra Tuesday at 8:26 a.m.

The resident’s trail cam that caught the missing zebra also caught a cougar patrolling the same area the night before.

“I have no idea if a cougar would go after a zebra or not, but they definitely go after deer,” Joe, a North Bend resident, told KIRO Newsradio.

Uh oh! Cougar spotted on same trail as missing zebra wandering North Bend

That same resident also noted a bear has been seen on the same trail cam.

The same resident revealed his trail camera also caught a cougar on the same path of the zebra sometime overnight Saturday, a day before the zebras got loose in North Bend https://t.co/JozC3wj2Y2 pic.twitter.com/Covz9ak3wP

— MyNorthwest (@Mynorthwest) May 1, 2024

In North Bend, residents were concerned about the possibility of the animal coming across predators roaming the area. But among the greater community, the zebra’s persistent evasion of law enforcement, animal control and other recapture efforts, has lead to countless memes posted to social media, like one supposedly AI-generated image of Bigfoot riding the striped animal.

Zebra ‘sightings’: Social media users embrace animal with memes and jokes

Residents told KIRO Newsradio that multiple “zebra x-ing” signs have also been put up around town, and at least one local bar introduced a new zebra-themed cocktail on the menu. On Wednesday, stores on 436th Avenue Southeast had a sign that read, “Team Zebra.”

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest; The Associated Press

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.

You can read more of Sam Campbell’s stories here. Follow Sam Campbell on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

Five have been charged with second degree criminal trespass and disorderly conduct and one was charged with disorderly conduct. These are all misdemeanor charges.

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is still investigating five other people.  There is an active request to the WSP for additional information on those five individuals in criminal trespass and disorderly conduct investigations, KCPAO spokesman Casey McNerthney stated in email sent to KIRO Newsradio Friday. He reiterated those cases have not been declined and the investigations are ongoing.

More on what happened in January: Protesters blocked I-5 in downtown Seattle at Pine Street

One case was declined because photo and additional evidence was insufficient to prove charges against the specific defendant, McNerthney’s statement reads. The evidence submitted did not indicate the person in the case was on I-5.

The law enforcement agency forwarded recommendations for charges against 12 people in February, all of whom are believed to have played an integral role in the demonstration that closed a stretch of I-5 north for several hours, beginning around 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6. At one point, the backup stretched for several miles in the area near Pine Street. Troopers say an estimated 500 people used a dozen vehicles to completely block traffic.

Demonstrators chanted “Free, free Palestine” and “Hey hey, ho ho, the occupation has got to go.” They called for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas.

Troopers say eight people tied their arms together inside pipes in what is called a “Sleeping Dragon” technique, in an effort to make it more difficult for law enforcement to remove them from the area. Some protesters also cut through a WSDOT security fence in order to get access to the freeway, according to court documents.

The protesters dispersed around 6 p.m., following a sudden onset of threatening weather. Troopers didn’t arrest anyone at that time, and allowed participants to leave peacefully. Afterwards, troopers searched the abandoned vehicles using bomb-sniffing dogs, before towing them away.

Why weren’t the protesters charged sooner, like those at the airport?

The KCPAO said that because the protesters were not arrested at the scene, the state patrol needed time to gather evidence that would prove they were part of the protest, notably evidence that will hold up in court.

By contrast, Port of Seattle police arrested 46 pro-Palestinian protesters who shut down the highway leading to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Monday.

The expressway to the airport Monday was blocked by protesters for several hours. Of those arrested, 30 were booked into the South Correction Entity (SCORE) and 16 were booked into the King County Jail, according to spokesperson for the Port of Seattle Perry Cooper.

Airport protest coverage: 46 arrested after pro-Palestinian protest shut down key road for hours

Within 24 hours, the SeaTac’s city attorney had filed misdemeanor charges against them.

“The people in the SeaTac cases were arrested immediately. And they were fingerprinted and they were booked and they were photographed. So, there were no question with identity,” KCPAO spokesman Casey McNerthney said to KIRO Newsradio Friday.

In his statement emailed to KIRO Newsradio, McNerthney also noted there were differences in the specific police announcements, admissible evidence, and the circumstances of the police investigations in the two incidents.

“Even when cases seem the same by investigation type, each case is unique and reviewed individually for what is needed in court,” McNerthney said in his statement.

WSP investigation continues

The WSP has faced criticism for its response and the length of time it took to clear the freeway. Chief John R. Batiste defended the department’s actions. He emphasized that troopers focused on ensuring no one got hurt.

Previous coverage: WSP to recommend charges for recent pro-Palestinian protest on I-5

“The sophistication and scale of the event presented unique challenges for law enforcement and safety risks to everyone on the freeway,” he said in a statement days after the shutdown. “State and local law enforcement prevented escalation of a situation that could have ended very badly.”

Contributing: Steve Coogan, MyNorthwest

Heather Bosch is an award-winning anchor and reporter on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her stories here. Follow Heather on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

You can read more of Kate Stone’s stories here. Follow Kate on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

The state of Washington has an Aug. 20 deadline for the Democratic and Republican parties to notify the state who their nominees are.

“It allows for the county elections offices to get their ballots prepared and in the mail on time,” Stuart Holmes, the director of elections for the secretary of state, told KIRO Newsradio.

But the Democratic National Convention — where the party will officially announce Biden as the nominee at a major event in Chicago — doesn’t begin until Aug. 19 and it goes until Aug. 22.

Holmes emphasizes that there’s a procedural fix for that.

“It’s a formality, at this point,” he said.

This week, Holmes sent a letter to Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jamie Harrison, warning that the deadline for ballot certification falls during the Democrats’ event in Chicago. ABC News obtained the letter and was first to reported about it Thursday. The Seattle Times also obtained the letter and linked to it in its coverage published late Friday morning.

With that letter, Washington became the third known state this week to alert the Biden campaign and the Democratic party Biden could be left off general election ballots this November. Republican secretaries of state in Ohio and Alabama — states Republican and former President Donald Trump carried in the last two elections — also have indicated they would enforce similar state election codes.

Provisional certification for Joe Biden possible in Washington

Holmes said the secretary of state has told the Democratic Party his office will accept a letter, ahead of time, provisionally certifying Biden as the nominee, and securing his place on the ballot.

“In conversations with them it doesn’t sound like there’s going to be any issues, whatsoever,” Holmes explained.

In fact, he says the secretary of state did the same thing for both the Democratic and Republican parties in 2020, when their national conventions were held late in the summer.

“We let both of those parties know at that point and time what our state law rules were and they both were able to submit their provisional certifications, timely,” Holmes said.

2024 election: Biden, Trump win Washington presidential primaries, clinch parties’ nominations

Biden’s campaign has provided similar responses when earlier news stories were published about the potential schedule conflict, stating they expect the current president to be on the ballot in every state. A new statement also addressed Washington providing that provisional certification in 2020.

“Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states,” the Biden campaign said in a statement, according to ABC News. “State officials have the ability to grant provisional ballot access certification prior to the conclusion of presidential nominating conventions. In 2020 alone, states like Alabama, Illinois, Montana, and Washington all allowed provisional certification for Democratic and Republican nominees.”

Alabama law: Nominee names must be submitted 82 days ahead of election

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen sent a letter to Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Randy Kelley saying that the state’s Aug. 15 certification deadline is just four days before the party’s convention is set to begin. Allen indicated Biden’s name will not appear on the ballot unless the deadline is met.

“If this Office has not received a valid certificate of nomination from the Democratic Party following its convention by the statutory deadline, I will be unable to certify the names of the Democratic Party’s candidates for President and Vice President for ballot preparation for the 2024 general election,” Allen wrote.

Alabama law requires the names of presidential nominees to be submitted 82 days before the election.

The Republican-controlled Alabama Legislature in 2020 passed legislation to change the certification deadline for the 2020 election. The bill stated the change was being made “to accommodate the dates of the 2020 Republican National Convention.”

The deadline was pushed forward about a week that year. It was a one-time change that only applied to that year.

But he asked Kelley to call his office if he had questions.

Kelley told The Associated Press Tuesday night he had contacted the DNC about the matter to see what could be done. An option could be for the party to send in a provisional certification.

Biden’s fraying coalition, Trump’s struggle with moderates: AP data shows nominees’ challenges

Ohio law: Names must be in 90 days before election

Ohio’s deadline to certify presidential candidates for the general election is Aug. 7, nearly two weeks before the Democrats’ convention.

Ohio law requires that presidential candidates be certified 90 days before the general election, which is on Nov. 5 this year, said a letter written last week by Paul DiSantis, chief legal counsel for Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

“Please contact me as soon as possible with any information that can assure this office of timely compliance with Ohio law,” the letter said.

A similar situation came up before the 2020 presidential election. In that case, both the Republican and Democratic conventions were scheduled outside the deadline window so Ohio lawmakers approved changing the cutoff to 60 days — but only for that election.

The letter sent to Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters said that the legislature would need to act by May 9 to create an exception to the 90-day deadline or that Democrats would need to move up their convention, which would seem unlikely.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Heather Bosch is an award-winning anchor and reporter on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her stories here. Follow Heather on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.

Bankrate Senior Industry Analyst Ted Rossman said overall, prices have increased about 20% since the pandemic, but you are likely paying even more for discretionary items.

“Things like airline tickets, hotel rooms, concert tickets, dining out, I mean these are all things that have grown more rapidly than the overall price growth we’ve seen,” Rossman said.

But, Rossman insisted he’s not trying to be a killjoy.

Jack and Spike video: Inflation is hitting fast food. That’s a good thing!

“I always try to be careful when I talk about this because I don’t want to tell people you can’t have any fun, but I do want to warn about the dangers of credit card debt,” he said.

Rossman said the average credit card interest rate is at a record high of 20.75%. Nationally, Americans owe $1.13 trillion on their credit cards.

“To put it in a little bit of context, that figure is up 47% from the beginning of 2021,” Rossman said.

Set aside money to fund your fun

Yes, there’s still some post-pandemic, pent-up demand. So, he suggested doing a few things to help fund your fun.

First, set up an entertainment fund by putting money aside every month.

“Things are going to come up. And it’s good things, right? You get invited to a wedding, or a concert, or a sports event or something. We want to be able to do these things, but we don’t want to put it on a credit card and finance that forever and ever,” he explained.

More news: Surging home prices prolong Seattle’s ‘bidding wars’ era

Next, he said to tap into unused gift cards, airline miles or credit card reward points. But if you have a cash-back or rewards credit card, remember to pay it off every month.

“It doesn’t make sense to pay 20% in interest, just to get 1% or 2% or even 5% in cash back or airline miles,” Rossman explained.

He said the perks don’t make up for what you’re paying in interest.

Ursula says she’ll spend the money to travel

Ursula Reutin, host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio, said Rossman offered great advice, especially when it came to unused gift cards.

“I wanted to see what I have in my wallet. I have five gift cards that are unused,” Ursula shared. “And that is a great idea because I think a lot of you, if you look right now, there are probably things that you’ve just kind of forgotten you even have.”

Rossman also said 38% of Americans Bankrate talked to shared they were willing to go into debt to do something fun.

“I think just everything that transpired last year for me has made me think I need to do things when I am able physically to do things. And one of those things is to travel and take vacations. And I’m not going to wait until, you know five years down the road, or 10 years down the road to do these things that I want to do. Because no day is promised,” Ursula said.

That said, you don’t want to get so heavily in debt that it starts to really actually ruin your quality of life as well,” she continued.

Gee Scott, host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio also weighed in, revealing some past spending habits.

“No matter how broke I got Ursula, I always kept getting haircuts,” he said. “There’s always money for that.”

Gee added that the number of people risking debt for fun might even be higher than 38%.

Do you take on debt for concerts, shows, trips?

“I just think that so many people, maybe in my age group, don’t have as much expendable income,” KIRO Newsradio producer Paul Holden said. “If you see that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, if there was a concert, show, trip and you really only had one shot, I think some people might say, ‘Hey, I’ll take the debt.’ And I’ll try to pay it off over the next couple of years because I might not be able to get another chance to see this artist or go on this trip with these friends to this location.”

Gee and Ursula: How Canlis’ new hours could make or break its future

Ursula said she liked the idea of an entertainment fund. She shared that she recently purchased a book where on the first day, you put in $1, and on day 100, you put in $100 and eventually, you save $5,500.

Gee added that he once got so mad at his credit card, he put it in his dresser drawer.

“Yeah, don’t make it easy,” replied Ursula.

But Gee said it didn’t help because his card was linked to his accounts online.

“I can’t stop, I get another pair of shoes” he joked.

Heather Bosch is an award-winning anchor and reporter on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her stories here. Follow Heather on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

The city reported the news on its website and in a post on its Facebook page.

The original evacuation order came from the City of Mercer Island and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) Wednesday night after a geotechnical engineer detected unstable soil, near 95th Court SE, in the Mercerwood Estates neighborhood and traced it to a leaking water pipe.

“City crews were able to isolate a section of pipe that restricts water flow in the affected area, mitigating the risk of property damage if the water main were to break according to the geotechnical engineer,” a statement from the city reads.

Also, the city’s statement notes that SPU, which owns and maintains the 24-inch high-pressure water pipe that provides water to Mercer Island that caused the soil issue hired a contractor through an “emergency contract” to begin assessing the slope and fixing the water main.

“The next steps in responding and addressing the leak are to excavate above the pipe and actually get eyes on where the water is leaking. That will tell us quite a bit about the fix itself and potentially the cause,” SPU’s Wylie Harper said, according to KIRO Newsradio before the city made its announcement Thursday evening.

Harper added repairs could take several days, but they won’t know for sure until they dig up the pipe.

More Mercer Island news: 2 arrested in connection with Mercer Island man’s murder

The damaged section of the pipe was installed in 1956 and was scheduled to be replaced in the next year or so.

Mercer Island officials and SPU said the threat was limited to the immediate area. The leaking pipe was immediately shut off and water to the island was redirected to a backup, secondary water main.

The water for those on the island is safe to drink as this incident had no impact on water quality.

‘Firemen came to our door’: More on what happened in Mercer Island

The city ordered about two dozen residents downstream of the leak to evacuate Wednesday night.

“At around 9:45 p.m., three firemen came to our door to let us know we were going to be evacuating,” Jackie Tan, a Mercer Island resident, previously told KIRO Newsradio. “I’m worried, uncertain about what’s going to happen the next few days.”

Only those homeowners who were evacuated Wednesday night were affected.

“If you are on Mercer Island and you did not receive a notice to evacuate, you are not at risk and there is no need to evacuate your home,” Mercer Island City Manager Jessi Bon said.

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

The Mercer Island Community & Event Center served as a gathering place for evacuated residents and their pets. Most affected families stayed at a hotel in Bellevue.

Initially, there was no timeline for when everyone was able to return to their homes. But during a broadcast featuring Mercer Island Mayor Salim Nice and Bon Thursday afternoon, Bon said some of the homes were deemed “safe” residents who live in those home were able to return. Others had not received word about returning until later.

“I want to say thank you to affected homeowners. We were knocking on their doors about 9:00 last night asking them to leave. Not the greatest time to be knocking on their doors,” Bon said earlier in the day.

One was found between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Thursday night and the other was discovered at around 8 a.m. on Friday morning.

King County WSP Trooper Rick Johnson told KIRO Newsradio that late Thursday the WSP received a report that a pedestrian was seen lying on I-5 north about a half-mile away from the NE 85th Street exit. Johnson noted there was no indication the person found on the freeway was struck by a vehicle. So, that quickly turned into a homicide investigation.

Then on Friday morning, Johnson told KIRO Newsradio the WSP received a call about someone lying in a ditch on the on-ramp from NE 85th Street to I-5 north. The law enforcement agency discovered the second person also had sustained gunshot wounds.

KIRO 7 reported Friday that, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, the teen found Friday morning was identified as 16-year-old Jahaz S. Phillips of Seattle.

Johnson explained the WSP has not established a connection between the two victims, but they’re working to get more information on these cases. He also said they’re also trying to determine if the killings occurred on or off the freeway.

Western Washington news: Renton juvenile crime skyrocketing, one tactic up 900%, says chief

When asked whether these incidents might be tied to unhoused people staying in that area, Johnson said that “it doesn’t appear” there is any connection to that population in the area.

Johnson went on to say the WSP needs assistance from the community in this case as Department of Transportation (DOT) cameras weren’t recording and detectives spent hours Friday unsuccessfully canvassing the neighborhood to see if anyone had cameras.

“We need the public’s help,” Johnson said to KIRO Newsradio. “If they saw anything or know anything, they can remain anonymous. We also are in close contact with Seattle Police Department.”

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of My Northwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.

You can read more of Lisa Brooks’ stories here. Follow Lisa on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

“I’m not sure if I’m laughing or crying at this point,” Stuart Kranick, the Chief of Skagit County Fire District 15, told KIRO Newsradio. “We were working to become a Red Cross shelter by putting in an emergency backup generator, and we added a larger propane tank so we could have a place that would have the heat on and water, supplies, and things for the community. This is another thing that hurts us in that quest.”

The station suffered heavy damage when it caught fire early Tuesday morning.

Kranick said the fire destroyed the station office. They lost their computer, all their files and some expensive training programs.

Other news: Family escapes burning Kent home, firefighters save man on roof

Appears arsonist set fire to toilet in Mount Vernon fire station

Kranick said it appeared an arsonist set fire to a portable toilet.

It was there because the station was undergoing repairs after pipes burst in January’s cold.

“We’re thankful that we didn’t lose the whole building, but there was certainly a lot of damage,” Kranick explained

“They were able to pull our vehicles out of the station, fortunately,” Kranick said. “So our vehicles weren’t destroyed in the fire.”

He told us his fire station’s sad story while sick in bed.

Kralnick also recounted that while station repairs were underway, one of Lake McMurray’s fire trucks was deemed too old to repair and pulled from service. Darrington’s fire department heard the news and is giving them a surplus fire truck.

Other fire department news: Whatcom County Fire Captain dies off-duty in snowboarding accident

“That fire truck was supposed to be picked up today, but we’re going to leave it in Darrington because we don’t have a station to put it in.”

Kranick said that his 20 volunteers from Fire District 15 can still respond to emergencies, and two other neighboring fire station crews are ready to step in if needed.

“I’m definitely a little overwhelmed. It’s a tough job even without the extra issues,” Kranick said. “We’re all volunteers, and it takes a lot of time to organize this and come back from that, and it’s going to be a struggle.”

Kranick is a volunteer with a family and a full-time job in tech. He said that just like the burst pipes, his team of 20 will have to fight fires, deal with their insurance company, and then replace and rebuild after the fire.

Diane Duthweiler is an editor at KIRO Newsradio and Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest.

Deputies stopped a group of “suspicious” people at a smoke shop at the intersection of 72nd Street East and McKinley Avenue just after 1 a.m. The smoke shop had previously been a victim of multiple burglaries.

“When you’re doing patrol, especially at graveyard, you get to know your districts,” Pierce County Sheriff Public Information Officer Sgt. Darren Moss, Jr. told KIRO Newsradio. “This is a very busy area for us on 72nd and McKinley.”

Crime update: Seattle man arrested for 14 counts of indecent exposure, most near schools

When they pulled over to investigate, they found one man had an outstanding felony warrant.

“They arrested that individual, and when they went to talk to the other person, he ran and produced a handgun,” Moss told KIRO Newsradio later on Monday.

By 1:44 a.m., the suspect took off running alongside railroad tracks, gun in hand. Minutes later, deputies caught up with the man. Shortly after they called on the radio that shots had been fired. While deputies were trying to perform CPR they noticed he was wearing body armor.

Despite CPR and life-saving efforts from deputies, the suspect died at the scene. The suspect was a male approximately 35 to 40 years old. No deputies were injured in the shooting.

Officers respond to a deputy-involved shooting in Tacoma early on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Image courtesy of KIRO 7)

“Very concerning that the guy took off,” Moss told KIRO Newsradio. “He had a gun and when they were doing first aid on him, they found body armor that he was wearing as well.”

More on Wash. crime: Teen girl shot near Seattle’s Garfield High School likely not intended target

The deputies involved are on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The Pierce County Force Investigation Team is currently handling the investigation.

James Lynch covers crime and other local stories for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

It’s a wet one out there! A frontal system moving across the area today will continue to bring periods of steady, heavy rain to the lowlands and heavy snow to the mountains. Precipitation will taper to scattered showers late tonight into Thursday in the wake of the system. #wawx pic.twitter.com/VomlmFt1Lm

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) February 28, 2024

“We have somewhat of an atmospheric river setting up across the area right now,” NWS Meteorologist Dev McMillian told KIRO Newsradio. “We do have a flood watch in place for a number of counties across Western Washington, including King, Lewis, Pierce and Thurston County and a couple of others. Looks like the area could see anywhere ranging from about one to three inches of rainfall across the interior lowlands with much, much higher amounts across the Cascades and Olympic mountains.”

The flood watch is expected to last through Thursday afternoon.

More from Ted Buehner: With March around the corner, thunderstorm season is fast approaching

This system will also produce blustery winds, the strongest being along the southern coast and from Snohomish County northward, reaching 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. A wind advisory went into effect at 4 a.m. Wednesday, expecting to last through 7 p.m.

McMillian stated the high winds could move unsecured objects, such as loose tree limbs or fencing, and a few power outages may result from the weather.

“Keep in mind, the rainfall totals we will see from tonight is also through Thursday afternoon, a multi-day thread. We’re not going to expect to see anything as far as, say severe or completely damaging (weather), but just a good dose of rain, that’s for sure,” McMillian said. “The last atmospheric river we had, the one that impacted us in December, brought numerous hydrological concerns across the area. And the threat of hydrological flooding is here too, but it seems to be mostly tied to some of the more sensitive rivers in our area.”

Weather later this week: March will come in with a roar

Earlier this week, heavy showers containing sleet, soft hail and wet snow occurred sporadically between sunbreaks on Monday and Tuesday. After this system moves inland late Wednesday, another surge of colder unsettled air will swing onshore with more showers, possible thunderstorms and dropping snow levels to around 500 feet again by Friday, meaning March will come in like a lion.

In the lowlands, rain amounts through Wednesday will range from one to two inches. Highs Wednesday will rise to nearly 50 degrees before another surge of colder unsettled air arrives Thursday and Friday for more showers and a threat of thunderstorms.

In the mountains, snow levels will pop up to 3,500 feet Wednesday and then plunge to 1,500 feet Thursday and 500 feet by Friday. Another two to four feet of new snow is expected, making Cascade travel conditions quite difficult. These heavy accumulations of snow will also increase the threat of avalanches and road crews may need to do avalanche control, closing the highways for a bit of time.

From Cliff Mass: Where ‘there will be massive amounts of snow’

Contributing: Lisa Brooks, KIRO Newsradio

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, published Thursday afternoon, the agency stated crew members were working near Renton when “a person stepped out of a vehicle and fired a gun at the crew before driving away.”

The X post states the incident occurred Monday night. But the Renton Police Department (RPD) confirmed to KIRO Newsradio Thursday afternoon it occurred Tuesday night.

The crew told RPD they were setting up for a job, when they saw a black sedan parked on the other side of the river.

“Two people got out of the car, walked down to the river’s edge. They walked down to the river’s edge. They saw three flashes and heard three shots,” RPD spokesperson Meeghan Black said to KIRO Newsradio.

No one was injured in the shooting. Investigators say they found three spent shell casings and one live round.

Crime in Washington: Man faces multiple charges after WSP trooper shooting in Kent

No one was injured, but the shooter or shooters remain at large.

One big question – were they firing at the works, or at something else

“We don’t know, at this point in time, if those shots were fired at the crew, in the air, across the river,” Black said. “We simply don’t know.”

RPD is asking for help. If anyone saw a black sedan or know anything about this shooting or the shooters, they are encouraged to call RPD or 911 as soon as possible.

The state agency’s X post concluded with a message to those out there on the road who may encounter workers taking care of business on a project.

“And please be extra nice to road workers. They deal with more than you can imagine,” the post reads.

~10pm Monday, our crews were working near Renton when a person stepped out of a vehicle and fired a gun at the crew before driving away.
If you saw anything suspicious, please contact @RentonpdWA. And please be extra nice to road workers. They deal with more than you can imagine. pic.twitter.com/je1aKJZuHB

— Washington State DOT (@wsdot) February 22, 2024

Steve Coogan is the lead editor of My Northwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.

You can read more of James Lynch’s stories here. Follow James on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.

It all started around shortly after noon on Wednesday, with a call that a man was shooting at random in a neighborhood north of Paine Field.

“They returned fire and (it’s) unknown whether or not the suspect was hit. (The suspect) returned back into the house,” EPD Sgt. Kyle Coleman said to KIRO Newsradio.

None of the officers were hurt, though there was a scanner call requesting aid for a K9.

The streets around Paine Field Way and 112th Street Southwest were filled with police and fire vehicles, and were blocked off to traffic.

Due to an ongoing PD incident in the 11100 block of Paine Field Way, roadways are closed in the area. 112th St SW is closed from Airport Rd to Evergreen Wy & Paine Field Way is closed in its entirety. Please avoid the area. Updates will be given when the roadways are open again. pic.twitter.com/PW5RYVVnoM

— Everett Police (@EverettPolice) February 1, 2024

People in the area were kept away from their homes, or were advised to shelter in place.

Marcus Castro, told KIRO 7 he, like many others in the area, wasn’t allowed to go home while the incident was unfolding.

“Pretty surprising and kind of eye opening that it’s right down the street from where I live, Castro said. “Anything can happen.”

Around 1 a.m, EPD opened 112th Street between Airport Road and Evergreen Way.

Update: 12:17 AM
112th Street SW between Airport Road and Evergreen Way will be opening shortly. Paine Field Way will continue to be closed.

— Everett Police (@EverettPolice) February 1, 2024

The investigation will be handled by Skagit and Island County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART).

A witness shared video with The Daily Herald in Everett, showing an armed man wearing a sweatshirt outside the home. The gunman turned to the camera and fired one gunshot at a window where the witness was filming. It didn’t appear anyone was hit. The video published by the outlet can be seen here, but the footage may be disturbing to some. Viewer discretion is advised.

Contributing: KIRO Newsradio Newsdesk; Steve Coogan, MyNorthwest

“This protest on the University Bridge started at about 4 p.m. when a group of about 100 protesters, mostly Jewish and some Palestinians, blocked the bridge with cars and then unfurled a huge banner calling for a ceasefire,” KIRO Newsradio reporter James Lynch said.

More on the Israel – Hamas conflict: Israel-Hamas war tensions roil campuses

The protesters left the scene around 6:30 p.m.

Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) cameras showed demonstrators blocking both sides of bridge in two separate groups on either side with a banner reading “the whole world is watching.”

The protesters appear to belong to a group known as Jewish Voice For Peace Seattle (JVPS).

According to a press release from JVPS sent out shortly after the demonstration began, protesters are calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

“This action is part of Jews across the nation who are shutting down bridges to call for a ceasefire,” one protestor told KIRO Newsradio.

Hamas attack survivor: ‘We knew it was Hamas’ because few could cause such carnage

Police were on the scene, but did not make any arrests.

Contributing: KIRO 7

This is a developing story — we will provide more information as it becomes available.

They were staging a sit-in outside of the office of President Ana Mari Cauce, demanding the school break financial ties with Israel and Boeing. They also want the university to stop what they call the repression of pro Palestinian students and university staff.

Around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, a group of pro-Palestine protesters who had been marching around campus since 11 a.m. entered Gerberding Hall, the university’s administration building around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, university spokesperson Victor Balta said in a statement. Balta added officials and police took steps to ensure the safety of personnel in the building.

“While such protests are not a frequent occurrence, it is also not unprecedented for protesters to come into the administration building,” he said.

In all, 36 protesters removed from the building and processed for investigation of criminal trespassing, the statement said.

“University officers provided opportunities for each protester to voluntarily walk out of the building, which some did. Others resisted to varying degrees and were escorted out of the building by police,” Balta explained. “At times, protesters outside the building blocked the exits. Seattle police assisted in escorting several protesters out of the building and keeping doorways clear to allow officers to bring protesters out of the building.”

Student organizer Mathieu Chabaud believes a large amount of university money ends up being allocated to items that exploit Palestinians.

“A lot of this university’s funding is either coming from or is spent on things that oppress the Palestinian people such as such as receiving millions of dollars in funding from Boeing.”

International news: Palestinians crowd into ever-shrinking areas in Gaza as Israel’s war against Hamas enters third month

The protesters entered the administration building, even hanging a Palestinian flag from it. Initially, they refused to leave until Cauce met with them.

Chabaud says ultimately, they have a larger goal in mind.

“We do believe this will provoke action on a national scale,” Chabaud said.

During the removal process, protesters claim university police were too forceful with them.

“Just grabbing them. Dragging them with physical force and shoving them outside of the various entrances,” Alon Lapid with Super UW said, according to KIRO 7.

The university has been the site of numerous pro-Palestinian rallies since the start of the Israel-Hamas war two months ago.

Previous demonstration: Protesters clash at UW in Seattle over Mideast conflict

Protest not linked to nearby menorah lighting

As the protest unfolded Thursday night, a menorah-lighting ceremony took place at Red Square to mark the beginning of the Jewish festival Hanukkah. The event went forward peacefully and undisturbed. It was not related to the nearby protest, Balta said in his statement.

“Which is that light will always outshine darkness. Love will always out power hate,” Rabbi Mendel Weingarten, co-director of Chabad of UW said, according to KIRO 7.

Weingarten says ever since the conflict in Israel began, there has been a lot of antisemitism around campus that has had a big impact on students.

“Especially when they wake up in the morning and there are calls of hate and destruction all throughout campus,” he said.

And while tensions remain high during the ongoing conflict, many are hoping peace comes soon.

“Without peace, we don’t have anything. Peace is what we all strive to have in this world,” Weingarten added.

Kate Stone is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. Lisa Brooks is an anchor and editor at KIRO Newsradio. Steve Coogan is the lead editor at MyNorthwest.

South Seattle was hit the hardest with about 12,000 homes and businesses without power Thursday afternoon. About 5,000 customers were still without power as of 6:33 p.m.

Northgate Mall appeared to have power, but nearly 5,000 customers to the east were blacked out.

There was a big outage in the Echo Lake area, and also some spots in Edmonds and Lynnwood in south Snohomish County.

Other big news: Barge runs into Seattle waterfront before water taxi pushes it away

Wind also forced the Woodland Park Zoo to close early.

Click below for updated power outage updates from Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy, and Snohomish PUD.

Seattle City Light Updates

Puget Sound Energy Updates

Snohomish PUD

This is a developing story. Check back for updates or for the latest, listen to KIRO Newsradio 97.3.

The county’s first customer, a real estate equities company in South Lake Union, is keeping their 1.6 million-square-foot campus warm using heat from sewage.

It works because the sewage pipe transfers heat to the building’s pipes but the two never mix.

More Washington news: City of Tacoma announces immediate closure of bridge for safety concerns

“It does not smell,” Erika Kinno from King County Waste Management told KIRO Newsradio. “The system is completely sealed, so when it is up and operational, you should not smell it at all. If you were in a building that is being heated by wastewater, you shouldn’t have a clue at all.”

Warm and hot wastewater flushed from homes and businesses is a significant energy source. The U.S. Department of Energy estimated that 350 billion kilowatt-hours of heat energy are flushed down the drains in the United States every year — roughly enough to power 30 million homes.

“The Wastewater Treatment Division is the first in Washington state and one of the first wastewater utilities in the nation to offer sewer heat recovery (SHR),” King County’s website reads. “Private commercial property owners and developers can recover heat energy from our sewer pipes for heating or cooling their buildings. SHR technology is fairly common in Europe and parts of Canada, but standardized SHR use agreements are pioneering in the U.S.”

This technology captures a portion of wastewater in an underground holding tank, transferring its heat energy to a heat exchanger. This allows a heat pump to extract that energy and transport it to a connected building’s domestic hot water or heating or cooling system.

Related news: WM invests $56 million on new recycling technology in Washington

Repurposing this otherwise wasted heat energy resource is another way building owners can meet sustainability goals and positively contribute to climate action.

The county said sewage is a great source of renewable energy, one that they don’t want to go to waste.