More than 18,000 fans were in attendance to watch the Storm take on the Fever, including the 12-year-old girls’ Seattle Rotary Lady Style Basketball team.

More on the Seattle Storm: Caitlin Clark brings record crowd to game with Storm

“I am here to see Caitlin Clark, Jewell Loyd and Nika Muhl,” 12-year-old Alliyah, a guard for the Rotary basketball team, said. “It’s crazy because I’ve never seen a girls’ basketball game sold out!”

After she said that, she walked to meet her friends beaming from ear to ear.

“Watching the game tonight and the fans gives me hope for when I make it to the WNBA!” Alliyah’s teammate, GG, told KIRO Newsradio. “I want to be the next Caitlin Clark or a guard in my own right.”

The other young women in attendance said they were in awe of the sold-out game and couldn’t believe so many people were there to cheer on women’s basketball.

“My favorite part of the whole night is just being here,” Nyla, another girl on the rotary basketball team said.

“The support people are giving Caitlin Clark is pretty cool,” her teammate Khloe said. “The energy was like, wow, I don’t know how to describe it.”

Among the record-breaking crowd were local celebrity athletes including former Seattle SuperSonics player and University of Washington Huskies star Detlef Schrempf, former NBA star Isaiah Tomas, former Storm forward Gabby Williams and a few current and former Seattle Seahawks, including wide receiver Tyler Lockett. A few members of the Seahawks even went onto the court during a timeout to throw shirts into the crowd.

Tasha Burns, director and head coach of the Seattle Rotary Lady Style basketball team said she felt a great deal of satisfaction watching the Storm and watching her team of players watch the Storm.

“As a coach committed to inspiring young talent in basketball, witnessing the Seattle Storm make history was an incredible experience,” Burns said. “There was a lot of pride as I watched my players’ excitement. The Storm’s achievements serve as a powerful reminder that dreams are attainable with hard work, dedication and teamwork. It’s not just about winning games, it’s about breaking barriers and setting new standards.”

Nika Muhl of the Seattle Storm, left, and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever watch the action while a player shoots a free throw during their matchup at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (Photo: Steph Chambers, Getty Images)

No surprise, the crowd erupted when Seattle Storm rookie Nika Mühl was called to the court to make her professional debut, recording two rebounds in two minutes in the third quarter while also being used as the primary defender on Clark.

Mühl, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, couldn’t join the Storm for its first four games due to complications converting her student visa into a P1A work visa. Mühl is a Croatian citizen who used a student visa during her four-year tenure at the University of Connecticut.

Rookie love 💚 pic.twitter.com/DoEkF7YC9a

— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) May 23, 2024

More on local women’s basketball: UW star basketball player is living her dream, looking toward the future

Storm fans got to go home happy as Seattle won a tension-filled game 85-83 after a nail-biting ending. For those who missed this matchup, Clark and the Fever return to Climate Pledge Arena June 27.

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

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According to Washington-based American Automobile Association (AAA) Vice President of Travel Michelle Glass, those who don’t have a timed entry reservation might not get in this weekend.

The national park hopes a pilot timed-entry reservation system will reduce wait times, heavy traffic and overcrowding.

“I asked our travel advisors, ‘Where are you seeing people going?'” Glass told KIRO Newsradio. “And, you know, they’re going to the national parks (like Glacier in Montana). They’re going early, before the parks get too crowded. Also, you might know, Rainier National Park is now starting on Friday by appointment only. You’re not getting in unless you make a reservation, a timed reservation.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Friday and Monday at Mount Rainier National Park have limited availability. But Saturday and Sunday appear to be sold out for the Paradise Corridor entrance.

This is how it works:

• Friday-Monday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day),  timed-entry reservations are required to enter the Paradise Corridor on the south side of the park from from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily.
• Thursday, July 4-Monday, Sept. 2 timed-entry reservations are required to enter the Sunrise Corridor on the northeast side of the park from from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily.

Take note because the website also states that visitors entering the park in a vehicle or on a motorcycle in one of these areas during these dates need two items:

1. A timed entry reservation or a service reservation (lodging, camping, wilderness permit, etc.)
2. A park entrance fee or a valid park pass (annual, senior, military, etc.).

Also note that the park entrance fee will not be available online through recreation.gov during the timed entry reservation period between May 19 and Sept. 2. They must be purchased in person at entrances to the park.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the park is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week and visitors may enter timed-entry reservation areas before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m. without a reservation.

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More here: Hyundai owners were able to get free anti-theft software updates

According to the website hyundaiantitheft.com, these clinics throughout the state were “intended to complement Hyundai’s nationwide network of dealerships and drive further installations of Hyundai’s free anti-theft software upgrade for customers who continue to be affected by the thefts.”

And now, Kia is offering the same type of event.

Bellevue Police Department spokesperson Drew Anderson said Kia car owners can scan the QR code below to find out if their car qualifies for the free anti-theft upgrade.

Anderson shared that over 200 cars have been stolen in Bellevue so far this year and 58 of them were either a Kia or Hyundai.

The upgrade event is going to be in Factoria Mall, at 4025 Factoria Square Mall Southeast in Bellevue. The event will be on Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at the same time on Saturday. On Sunday it will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anderson said there is also a similar event happening at the Tacoma Mall.

Car owners who don’t drive a Kia but want to protect their property can get a free steering wheel lock on Saturday at the Factoria Police Substation between noon and 4 p.m.

“Last month, we gave away 300 locks to folks. And in total, we have given over 1,000 locks to motorists and Kia and Hyundai owners,” Anderson said.

Nearby: Bellevue PD is teaching women to fight back with self-defense

He called it a successful program because wheel locks prevent a majority of thefts due to the length of time it takes to remove the steering wheel lock when it’s installed properly.

Anderson also said if you show up on Saturday remember, “One lock per person. So that is that is our rule. They are free, though. So one lock per person per vehicle.”

However, if your household has three cars, for example, you need to drive all three cars to get a free steering wheel lock for each car.

This will be the last lock giveaway until further notice.

Editors’ note: This story originally was published on Wednesday, May 15. It has been updated and republished since then.

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“The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence also found that about one in three women – including about 41.4% of Washington women – experience some form of domestic violence from a partner or significant other,” BPD spokesperson Drew Anderson said.

It’s two of the biggest reasons BPD is teaching girls of all ages how to protect themselves.

“Being the one of the few police departments in the world that is certified to offer regularly occurring workshops like this is a special thing for us,” BPD Officer Craig Hanaumi, the creator of the Women Empowered Series, said. “With lots of help from our colleagues and friends in our community, we believe that the caliber of instruction in our workshops meets the standards set at Gracie University’s for-profit schools, and we are proud to provide this to women for free.”

Two Years In, More than 2,000 Women Attend Bellevue PD’s Women’s Self-Defense Workshop Series https://t.co/6Bbx6PLDRQ

— Bellevue, WA Police (@BvuePD) May 14, 2024

Hanaumi said more than 2,000 women have attended his self-defense workshop since it began. Some traveled more than 60 miles to be there.

He said a typical class holds about 25 to 30 women.

“And there’s no upper cap (for age), the oldest woman I believe — because you’re not supposed to ask right? — but she said she was 89,” Hanaumi said. The youngest member was 11.

“Young women are especially at risk with about 82% of juvenile victims being female. About 90% of rape victims are female,” Anderson said in an email.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence also stated in that one in three women who have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner mentioned previously, it includes “a range of behaviors (e.g. slapping, shoving, pushing) and in some cases might not be considered ‘domestic violence.'”

More on the self-defense courses for women

Information about the next two classes of the month can be seen below:

WHAT: Women Empowered Self-Defense Workshop

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday, May 19 and Sunday, May 26

WHERE: Bellevue City Hall (450 110th Ave. NE, Bellevue)

Hanaumi reiterated that the self-defense workshops are free. However, those interested in attending are encouraged to email to reserve a spot: chanaumi@bellevuewa.gov

More classes will be announced next month.

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Past coverage: Revive I-5 done for the year in Everett

“We’ll have the ramp to Pacific Avenue and Marine View Drive closed,” Pierce told KIRO Newsradio. “And then we are also going to have the onramps from Everett Avenue and U.S. 2 closed in downtown Everett.”

As a possible saving grace, State Route 529 bridge work will pause so drivers can divert and head north and south. Pausing 529 bridge work will keep traffic moving through the Snohomish River Bridge. However, that route does have stoplights, so be prepared for major delays.

“Work on that project starts at 7 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, and will reduce the northbound highway to one lane, 24 hours per day,” WSDOT said.

Pierce said crews are going to be fixing the roads.

“We are going to remove some asphalt pavement and we are going to replace it with concrete. And so that takes a lot of time because we need the concrete to cure and then of course we have to go back and restripe once that’s complete,” Pierce said.

WSDOT sent a news release that stated:

The freeway will be reduced to one northbound lane from 9 p.m. Friday, May 10, to 6 a.m. Monday, May 13, starting near 41st Street. During the lane reduction, contractor crews working for WSDOT will replace asphalt with concrete between Pacific Avenue and Marine View Drive. The work still is weather dependent. The work will require ramp closures for the entire weekend.”

Drivers should allow for delays of up to an hour. Consider public transportation as an alternative or plan to travel earlier in the day before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

Related news: Expect traffic! President Biden returns to Seattle Friday, Mariners back in town

Also, keep in mind President Joe Biden lands in Seattle on Friday and will most likely leave Saturday midday. So if you plan to travel to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, leave at least three hours earlier than expected.

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“The reason why this started is because there was a tick-tock trend,” Bellevue Police Spokesperson Drew Anderson said. “Everyone loves TikTok and they saw a lot of folks on TikTok showing how easy it is to steal Kias and Hyundais. So the Bellevue Police decided to get more proactive because we are a police force that likes to try to prevent as much crime as possible.”

More on steering wheel locks: Hyundai owners were able to get free anti-theft software updates

“They provided steering locks to us to where we have been providing folks who want to be proactive in protecting their vehicle to come get a lock and take that extra measure to help them be proactive for their cars,” Anderson added.

Before last Saturday’s event, Bellevue Police passed out more than 700 locks. The weekend before, more than 310 were distributed.

Do steering wheel locks prevent theft?

When it comes to stealing a car, time is of the essence and a steering wheel lock dramatically extends the time required, according to Bellevue Police.

“It’s definitely a preventative measure,” Anderson said, referencing the process of sawing off the steering wheel lock.

The Bellevue Police Department is currently in the process of planning another lock giveaway that is going to be announced next month. Drivers wanting a steering wheel lock can use a QR code to get in contact about the opportunity to upgrade their car.

More from Micki Gamez: Sextortion is trapping our teens but one major company is working to stop it

“We definitely did notice that there are groups like the “Kia Boyz” who are roaming not only Bellevue, but across the region targeting vulnerable vehicles and stealing cars whenever they want to go on joyride specifically,” Anderson said. “I think for us, the Bellevue Police, we definitely decided to be more proactive by announcing a vehicle task force where we do our own research.

“We decided to go after the folks that were really participating in those high-volume thefts across the area,” Anderson continued. “It has been going with moderate success, and it’s been definitely a program that we’re going to definitely continue until we see more thefts decrease in the area.”

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Sextortion is a recent online phenomenon that is considered image-based sexual abuse and Psychology Today calls it a worldwide crisis.

The online site says men are more susceptible because they are more open to online dating.

“They, (kids) all have phones. We’re all online. We’re all gaming, right? We have chat features in our games, as well. So all of the kids and teenagers are all exposed to this threat,” said Seattle Police Lieutenant Ben Morrison, Commander for the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit told KIRO Newsradio.

Since the pandemic, it has become easier for kids to connect with someone they think might be another teen online.

More from Micki Gamez: AAA: Washington is one of the worst states for distracted driving

“Predators online, who are very good at their craft, very good at reaching out to kids, finding kids manipulating kids using fear, guilt, shame, to get what they want. Which is partial or nude photos of our children, of our teenagers, so they can continue to manipulate them for that material. This is child sexual abuse online,” Morrison said. “And this is just simple, where someone reaches out. They text and sound just like that teenager appears, right? If it’s a 13-year-old online, it sounds like all their friends are online.”

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram wants to help in the fight against sextortion. The company recently added more guardrails for teen accounts.

Meta is taking steps to prevent sextortion. (Image courtesy of Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio)

“So you know, we’re always working to improve our tools around important topics like this. I am a mother of four, two of my children are teenagers. And so this is the thing that we think about a lot in our house. And we have to talk about it with our kids as well. So yes, we do have new tools that we’ve announced to help prevent this sort of thing from happening,” Meta spokesperson Lori Moylan shared with me last week.

The first concerns the images sent or received as a teen.

“If you’re using Instagram DM, or you have a Facebook account, and you’re using Messenger, obviously, this is a place where you can send or receive nude images,” Moylan said. “Obviously, that is not what we want teens to be doing on our platforms. And so the tools that we’re introducing will automatically blur those images.”

Meta is taking steps to prevent sextortion. (Image courtesy of Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio)

Here’s how it works: When a user sends a pic containing nudity, Meta will introduce friction.

Friction requires the user to jump through hoops before a possible sexually explicit photo can be seen, in hopes that a teen won’t open it.

“So for teenagers, they’ll automatically be opted into this,” Moylan explained. “Obviously, they can also report those images to us so that we know that these images are happening. And we’ll send them safety tools like the take it down tool, which will let us sort of take power over our own.”

The second thing Meta has implemented is improving signals around accounts that may be engaging in sextortion-related activities.

Related news: 6th graders selling feet pictures online to strangers, parents unaware

“So obviously, this is a thing we’ve been working to improve for a long time. And just in the second half of last year, we took down 21,000 groups and 37 different networks that people that we thought were engaged in some form of exploitation on the platform, of which sextortion could be one,” Moylan said.

It means that if Meta suspects an account is engaging in suspicious activity, the company will limit how they can interact with people online especially accounts that aren’t friends.

“If you were to try to message a teen that you are not connected, you would not be able to get the message button,” she said.

This means if a flagged user tries to message a teen, Meta won’t allow it.

Seattle police said it’s critical that parents become more involved in their teen’s internet use and implement stricter privacy settings because not all platforms are alike.

If your child is the victim of a sex scam — do not send money, save the online interaction and report it immediately to the FBI.

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While cell phones appear to be the biggest distraction for teenage drivers, AAA’s Laura Ray said — the biggest distracter is friends.

“AAA Washington research found that when teens are only driving with other teens in the car, and again, that’s anyone under 20, that if they get into a crash, that the rate of fatality for everyone involved increases by 51%,” Ray explained.

Reason being? Teens don’t have a lot of driving experience. Loud music is another factor.

“And so there’s often if I recall as a teenager, turning it (music) up really loud, dancing around, speeding and in addition to that, phones,” Ray said.

Trying to manage a car, turn the music up or down, change the song, laugh, dance and teens just being teens can become deadly.

“We (AAA) are proud to partner with Ishika Binu and the Safe Drive Club,” Ray said.

More from Micki Gamez: Local bike shop wants to keep you moving no matter your income

Binu created the online platform, Safe Drive Club, to encourage drivers to promise not to drive distracted after she was involved in a crash as a teenager. The goal is for parents and their teens to log on and take the pledge to help prevent distracted driving.

So @AAA_Washington says #WA is one of the worst states in the nation for distracted driving! Do you agree? #SafeDriveClub #VisionZero #distracteddrivers #DistractedDrivingmonth pic.twitter.com/h0N7juPjMU

— KIRO Newsradio Traffic (@KIROTraffic) April 22, 2024

“I think it’s all about mitigating risk, right? When you’re in the car, anything can be distracting … anything,” Ray said. “I rely on my passengers in my car to play DJ a lot. I rely on them to get the thing out of the purse if I need it. If I’m driving solo, I pull over to the parking lot. I’ll pull over and just stop the car and get what I need. I also am fortunate that my car has voice recognition. So I can use that safely because I’ve practiced it.”

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, distracted driving is so bad the agency begged the public to be more cautious while driving through work zones after workers were injured in crashes. A driver allegedly rammed into two of their maintenance crew vehicles. All three of the injured workers were evaluated at a hospital and were subsequently released.

Background: WSDOT pleas for safer driving in work zones after more workers injured in crash

However, there are an average of 626 highway work zone accidents per year in Washington. The top three causes are: following too closely, speeding and distracted driving.

Almost 95% of the people injured or killed in work zone collisions are drivers and their passengers.

And then there’s Vision Zero, which launched in Seattle back in 2015. It aims to end pedestrian deaths by 2030. Unfortunately, the city has averaged about 28 traffic deaths per year, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation.

Every Seattle resident should be able to feel safe getting where they need to go. This review and the concrete actions that follow reaffirm our ‘One Seattle’ commitment to safety, as we work relentlessly to get back on track to reaching our Vision Zero goals. We’re transforming our streets to promote walkability and a people-first transportation system, one rooted in safety and equity, where neighborhoods most impacted and historically underserved receive the support and improvements they deserve,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a statement.

Ray said one of the ways parents can teach teens to become less distracted while driving is to model good behavior.

Latest traffic: I-90 reopens after a closure due to an emergency tree removal

“I mean, we’ve been doing this our whole lives with our kids, and my kids will never see me pick up my phone in a moving car ever. So they have been witnessing that for quite some time. And they also know that again, I asked passengers to help,” Ray said.

So they see these behaviors from who’s in the car. So I would say opening the narrative, looking at the Safe Drive Club, information, listening to issue and just modeling really great behavior, I think are all worthwhile steps in helping support our teams as they they start off on this new adventure for themselves,” she continued.

To make the pledge to become a better driver, you can check out Safe Drive Club’s website.

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Every first and third Tuesday of the month, it offers free bike repairs to anyone in need.

“So we’re bike mobile,” the shop’s spokesperson, Ed Ewing, said. “Honestly, it’s really like an ice cream truck on wheels that hands out bikes and bike parts. And it’s kind of a magnet whenever we pull into a community.”

The bike shop teamed up with the City of Seattle to help the community stay mobile.

“We also know that downtown is a very active bike commuting area for those who can’t afford bikes,” Ewing said. “And so when those individuals stopped by the bike mobile for, say a flat tire change or whatnot, we encourage them to donate. We share what we do. And it’s kind of a pay-it-forward model for those who maybe can’t afford a bike or can’t afford bike repair. And so it’s a way for us to keep people moving.”

More from Micki Gamez: Going on a spring trip from Sea-Tac? Your car might not be there when you get back

Ewing shared the shop loves to help the community because not everyone has access to affordable transportation.

“We’re a social justice-minded organization,” he said. “We have been that way and operated that way for 28 years now. We only serve the South End, specifically the 98118 zip code. We specifically get bikes into the hands of people who may not be able to afford them, who may depend on biking for transportation. And that’s our mission, we actualize our mission through the bicycle.”

The next bike mobile will be on Tuesday, April 16 at Seattle’s City Hall Park.

“It’s first come first serve. We’re there 1-4 p.m.,” Ewing said. “And then we ask you know, if there is a line for people to be patient, and nine times out of 10 people are.”

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However, Cooper emphasizes that context matters. With approximately 2 million vehicles passing through the airport’s parking garage annually, the actual percentage of stolen cars remains quite low. “Ninety-nine point nine percent of vehicles make it through without incident,” Cooper stated. “We’re dealing with a very small number here.”

So why the sudden spike? Most of the stolen cars were left unlocked, and many had their key fobs conveniently inside. “Modern technology has made it easier for thieves,” Cooper explained. “They simply stroll along the rows of parked cars, looking for unlocked doors or key fobs left behind.”

Weekend Events: Spring fairs, bar hops, and plant sales

He said there are many ways to see when a car leaving the airport garage could be stolen.

“The way people get out of a garage when they have a theft of the vehicle, they’re either trying to piggyback with someone in front of them that has paid so basically, the person in front of them pays the, the gate arm goes up, and then they just go right by the cashier, bumper-to-bumper with the car in front of them and get through,” Cooper said. “Otherwise, they actually will just break right through the arm. And so that’s typically when you realize that a vehicle has been stolen.”

Besides cars, thieves are also on the hunt for valuables. Even a small change in the console or cup holders can attract unwanted attention. Cooper’s advice: “Don’t leave anything valuable in your vehicle. It makes you a target.”

Despite the rising theft numbers, reserved parking at the airport is completely sold out, especially during spring break. “Yesterday, we had fewer than 100 open spaces out of 12,000,” Cooper revealed. The availability fluctuates throughout the day as travelers arrive and depart.

Is living in the moment causing debt? Tips to curb ‘funflation’

Cooper said that last year, the airport also completed a parking guidance system project

“What that is, at least what people notice of it, is the green and red lights that indicate when a parking stall is filled or not as you’re driving through the garage,” Cooper said. “People may not realize that there are cameras within each of those devices. And so our Port of Seattle police can use those as potential opportunities to keep track and eye on thefts. Also, we have a dedicated garage unit that is in the garage throughout the day, and that’s keeping track of that as well.”

Whether you’re flying or driving, vigilance and smart choices can help keep your belongings safe.

As for those car thefts? “Once again, it’s a small minority of a small percentage of vehicles that end up getting taken,” Cooper emphasized. “Unfortunately, when you look at it for yourself—it’s your vehicle—you don’t care what the small percentage is, kind of like the way we talk about baggage theft.”

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

Contributing: Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

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King County Metro’s (KCM) Al Sanders said the Rapid-G will kick off shortly after the Lynwood extension is done in early September.

More on public transportation: Snohomish County Transit announces major changes as Lynnwood light rail set to launch

“RapidRide G line will be traveling from the Seattle Waterfront,” Sanders said. “It will go along Madison Street, and it will serve Capitol Hill, the Central District, First Hill and the Madison Valley neighborhoods.”

The RapidRide will connect passengers to four modes of mass transit: Light Rail, Washington State Ferries, Street Car and King County Water Taxi.

“It will provide access to north and south for a number of Metro routes along its path,” Sanders said.

Sanders told KIRO Newsradio the community can benefit from the line because it will operate 23 hours a day.

“And it will run every six minutes. Monday through Saturday, through most of the day,” Sanders said. “It will extend to 15 minutes late at night, but it will run every six minutes throughout the day. This is a service in which, quite honestly, you haven’t missed the bus. You’re just early for the next one.”

The G Line will also feature larger buses.

“There are going to be some center boarding platforms on Madison, in which people will be able to board off of what would be considered the left side … the driver’s side,” Sanders said. “There’ll be two doors on the driver’s side and there’ll be three doors on the regular curbside to help keep things moving.”

More from Micki Gamez: UW star basketball player is living her dream, looking toward the future

We know most transit agencies throughout the region suffer from a driver shortage. We had to ask KCM if it’s prepared for the demand, he said, “Mickey, we have the operators we need to have rapid ride move. We are prepared, and we’re ready to go.” Sanders said, “When does it launch, it will launch in the fall. The Lynwood link starts in August, and we want to coordinate that service at the start of our rapid ride G line as well as the expanded service.”

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Local veterinarian Dr. Mona Radashwar said allergies run the entire year for dogs.

“We’ll just see it all year round,” she said. “We also see it in the humans. You know, it manifests with the sneezing and itchy eyes. We see it more commonly in the dogs, just in the skin and the ears and in the anal glands.”

If your dog is scratching more than usual, you should take them in to be seen to figure out what’s causing the reaction.

The most common allergy — food.

“Honestly, we see food allergies a lot more,” Radashwar said. “Like that’s the number one thing we start with is food allergies.”

And the most cost-effective way to figure out what’s wrong is to do a food trial diet. It’s where you avoid one or more foods for a period of time to see if the allergy symptoms go away.

What is not a common allergy symptom in dogs? Sneezing. A lot.

“We see the sneezing for allergies, really less. So in that case, I would say, try Zyrtec and let time pass and see how it goes. But if you want to get to the bottom of it and figure out exactly what is causing the sneezing, then there is allergy testing available,” Radashwar said.

Local vet says blood tests can identify allergies for pets

Just like with humans, there are blood tests that can identify what pollen or environmental allergen is causing the irritation. Radashwar said once the allergen is discovered, your four-legged baby can try a specific vaccine that goes in the mouth.

But can dogs suffer from high pollen counts like humans?

“Yeah, sure. We’ll do one of these blood tests or go to the dermatologist and they’ll do the intradermal,” Radashwar said. “And they’ll put all the antigens in the skin and see which one swells up the most.”

And so then, you have a profile about what your dog is allergic to,” she continued.

But what are you going to do if your dog is allergic to pollen?

Radashwar said, most commonly, dog owners just ignore the symptoms.

If you suspect your dog is suffering, call the vet and follow their advice. If you can fork over a few hundred dollars or more, get the blood test and offer your pup some relief.

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Past coverage: Light rail expansion to Lynnwood opens in August

“We’re going to connect people from different places,” Sount Transit spokesperson Martin Munguia said. “From Snohomish County to light rail in Lynwood and Mountlake Terrace. And then, they can take the rail into downtown Seattle. So we’re effectively going to be eliminating our commuter routes that go into Seattle.”

It means that ORCA cardholders will tap the first ride. For example, if you catch the bus in Marysville you will pay $2.50 to take the bus from Marysville to Lynwood and then you connect to the light rail to Seattle and only pay another 50 cents.

“As long as you are traveling within a two hour period on your ORCA card, it doesn’t charge you for each trip, it only charges if there’s a difference in the fare between the two modes,” Munguia said.

And when you return home, it works the same way. Just make sure to tap your ORCA card.

Whenever fares change, Community Transit gives the public a period to comment.

“We’re not going to get a lot of comments, or the comments will be, hey, what a great deal,” Munguia said.

The change is expected to save passengers $10 a week.

Riders have until the beginning of May to sound off on any changes happening. Then, sometime in June, the Community Transit board plans to take a vote. According to Munguia, the measure will pass.

Beginning plans: Snohomish Community Transit proposes new connections to light rail, more frequent bus service

“And we expect that to happen. And then like I said, so after light rail starts up in Snohomish County this fall, and we get rid of our commuter fares to Seattle, we will simply sort of erase that fare category off our books,” he said.

The proposed fare change and the Title VI analysis can be found on Community Transit’s website.

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

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University of Washington (UW) basketball guard Jayda Noble is one of them. Originally from Spokane, she joined the Huskies in 2020.

“I met the girls (UW women’s basketball team), and the girls just did it for me,” Noble said. “I have a different coach than the coach I originally signed to, but what mattered to me was the people more than anything. And Seattle is an amazing location.”

Noble doesn’t hesitate to take crucial shots on the court. She scored a season-high 11 points in the win against Air Force and a new career high of 15 rebounds against Arizona State. She said she wanted to play basketball since the third grade.

More on UW: Univ. of Washington cherry trees close in on full bloom

“Basically, my dad just started coaching me a little bit harder in high school, and then, I just realized I could get a scholarship from it,” Noble said. “I always just loved it so much.”

When she’s not draining 3-pointers, Noble is working on her other passion — art.

Two years ago, she started painting designs on shoes, t-shirts and jeans for her friends and sister. Noble even created a website that received so much attention, she was asked to design an athletic tennis shoe.

“You know Jewell Loyd on the Seattle Storm? She reached out and she had me design her next shoe,” Noble said.

She said that her goal is to gain more collaborations, like her work with Loyd.

NIL redefining what a student-athlete is

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) created an interim policy in 2021 allowing student-athletes to make money from their personal brand through their name, image and likeness (NIL).

As Noble grows on and off the court, she said she loves being an NIL athlete. She is currently a sponsor of JBL headphones and speakers, an opportunity she’s more than grateful for.

“Music just inspires me, as an artist and on the basketball court,” Noble said. “I’m sure other athletes can attest to that as well. I just feel really grateful. Having this partnership with JBL has been really pivotal for me. Music helps me. It’s not only the music I listen to, but how I listen to it.”

The NCAA has previously been heavily criticized for profiting off student-athletes — using their name, image and likeness in the process — while barring student-athletes from receiving any of the profits.

“I think that it just comes down to them not understanding what it’s like to be a student-athlete,” Noble said. “We really are professionals. In retrospect, it’s a business. Our coaches get paid so why not us?”

She believes NIL students are on their way to becoming paid professional athletes.

Setting the trend as an endorsed athlete

When Noble walks on or off the court, she’s not only representing UW, she’s representing JBL, too.

(Photo courtesy of DKC and Jayda Noble)

“It helps me think about how I present myself off the court more than anything,” Noble said.

Incoming freshman players ask her about what it’s like being an endorsed athlete, and she’s proud of the way they ask and their intentions.

“They’re just like, ‘What do they make you post?’ ‘How did you do this?’ ‘Did you look over your contract?’ Just really important questions,” Noble said. “I think that’s really cool to see them being so thoughtful about it.”

More from Micki Gamez: ‘Got Milk?’ could soon mean ‘Got Insulin?’ after scientists genetically alter cow

When it comes to Noble’s future, she plans on going pro, but not here.

“I do eventually want to go overseas,” Noble said. “I think having that balance of art allows me to do that more overseas than in the WNBA. So that’s why I want to take that route.”

She’s more than proud to be an endorsed athlete. It means she gets to work her dream job and get paid to do it.

Despite the Washington Huskies struggling on the court this year, it continues to build support for women’s basketball and financial opportunities for the next generation of players — with Noble and others leading the way.

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

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

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“It’s called Stream Community Line and it will run from Spanaway to Tacoma Dome Station in downtown Tacoma and make connections there with Sound Transit express buses that drive up Seattle,” Pierce Transit spokesperson Rebecca Japhet said.

We have the Tacoma Link Light Rail. We have Amtrak. So there’s a whole bunch of services that are accessible there. And it only makes 14 stops,” she continued.

More stops around Western Washington: Sound Transit sets April opening date for 8 new Eastside stations

She explained the community line is “like an express service and it will make it a lot quicker to get from South Sound.”

New transit will help MultiCare Health Tacoma workers

The route will only make 14 stops. The new “stream” line will give commuters more options to catch Sound Transit and help MultiCare Health’s Tacoma employees.

Japhet explained how both services work.

“So you might be going to Tacoma Dome Station to catch a bus to the airport, to catch one of the Sound Transit express buses to the airport. So rather than pay for airport parking, you can get on this (Steam line) with your with your luggage. And you might take that line to go back and forth,” she said. “There’s also the route one option which runs in that same corridor but stops at all of the stops. So if you need to make some of those stops in between, then you can take that as well.”

Japhet said the agency is also implementing a Gig Harbor on-demand runner service.

“It’s like it’s on-demand transit. We’re implementing one of those in Gig Harbor. And so we’ve just got a lot going on,” she said.

Runner on-demand service provides first and last-mile connections for commuters in areas that aren’t serviced with mass transit.

“This will be our sixth runner service in Gig Harbor,” Japhet said. “We have other ones along Ruston and in some other locations, but what it looks like is you will have the Pierce Transit Runner app on your phone potentially and you get on there and you order a ride. You can see the vehicle in real-time, and it will come and pick you up. You might share a ride with folks that are going the same direction at the same time. And anywhere within the zone.”

What else is new: Sound Transit parking changes on the way

Japhet said Pierce Transit is “thrilled and excited to offer these enhancements.”

Pierce Transit recently adopted a bus improvement plan which has six phases. They’re timed over the course of many years and implementation will depend on resources and staff availability.

“But this is the first of six phases that we’re implementing. So we’re excited to jump out and offer even better services for our customers,” Japhet said.

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

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University of Illinois Professor Matt Wheeler and his team genetically altered a Jersey cow in Sao Paulo, Brazil to produce human insulin in its milk.

“The mammary gland of a cow is a bioreactor to make a specific protein that we wanted to increase the amount of,” Wheeler said. “And so there is a little bit insulin in milk already. But basically, what we did is, we developed a DNA fragment account, we call it a DNA fabric construct, that basically targets the production of human proinsulin into the mammary gland of a cow.”

He said to speed up the process, the bovine underwent lactation induction. It’s when the body produces milk without being pregnant.

“When you do induced lactation, you really don’t know the amount that she’s (the cow) going to produce. I mean, she produces some grams per liter, but we don’t know if that’s two grams per liter, or 10 grams per liter, because you really don’t get an accurate number when you do lactation,” Wheeler said. “I mean, typically, a Holstein cow average Holstein cow in the Midwest or California would produce somewhere around 80 liters of milk a day. So if she made a gram per liter, and I think I did the math in the article, I mean that one gram per liter would treat about 2,800 (diabetic) patients.”

More from Micki Gamez: How parents can help prevent children from falling victim to online sex crimes

What happened next was just short of a miracle.

“What’s special about this cow is we put in proinsulin, the gene for proinsulin, which is a precursor for insulin,” Wheeler said. “And the reason is because you don’t want active insulin being secreted unless it’s needed. And so these precursor molecules are produced and then the body (of the cow) enzymatically processes off a portion of it, we call the C-peptide. And then active insulin was there.”

But! We expected to have to take the milk and purify the pro-insulin and then process it enzymatically. Degrade it into insulin for it to be active. Well, (dramatic pause) … the cow did it herself,” he continued.

Wheeler provides background on insulin milk project

But it wasn’t easy getting to this step. Prior to the heifer producing human insulin milk, it took ten years of hard work and study.

“These kinds of projects are complicated. And, you know, funding is always an issue,” Wheeler said. “So this was one of those projects where we didn’t have a large amount of funding to do it.”

Wheeler and his colleague, Paulo Monzani, spent six months working on the construct and writing published papers back in 2014.

“And then he (Monzani) went back home to Brazil and tried to get funding to get the other piece (of the project) done,” Wheeler said. ” By the time we got all the analysis done, I mean, it normally would not take that long if you’d had adequate funding, but you know, we had to piece things together.”

And now, opportunity knocks. There’s more funding for further studies.

The hope is to create a small farm of Holstein cows that produce human insulin in milk because, “Over the last 20 years, the cost of insulin has gone up 600%. Well, it doesn’t need to.” Wheeler said.

Milk prices: Seattle has some of the highest grocery prices in the country

And to me, the ultimate goal is not to have to do anything, if we know it makes bioactive insulin, so a child with diabetes, doesn’t have to take a shot anymore. Maybe one day, they can take a pharmaceutical glass of milk, and that’s it, or yogurt or ice cream,” he continued.

What about the pharmaceutical industry?

And what about the pharmaceutical industry… are they beating down Wheeler’s research door?

“Well, I’m sure there are some folks that are not happy about it. But that, I mean, you know, I’m an academic scientist at a public institution, my job is to help, you know, feed people and hopefully alleviate, you know, disease. And so that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.

And lastly, why cows and not goats or pigs? Simply put, Wheeler said it’s because they are bigger and produce more milk.

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

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My interest in this story began almost the same time last year when my daughter came home and recalled a moment at school that took my breath away. Her 11-year-old friend asked to take feet pics on her cell phone to post online for her friend to sell. At first, I didn’t believe what I was hearing.

So, like any other parent, I Googled ‘Do teens sell feet pics?’ and, low and behold, they do. The dangerous trend became popular during the lockdown when we were home-schooling and working remotely, according to Detective Brandon James of the Seattle Police Department (SPD).

More Micki Gamez: Want to travel on a budget? Try ‘destination dupes’

Fast foward almost a year, and new numbers are out. According to Seattle Police Lieutenant Ben Morrison, Commander for the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit, “They, (kids) all have phones. We’re all online. We’re all gaming, right? We have chat features in our games, as well. So all of the kids and teenagers are all exposed to this threat.”

Since the pandemic, it has become easier for kids to connect with someone they think might be another teen online.

“Predators online, who are very good at their craft, very good at reaching out to kids, finding kids manipulating kids using fear, guilt, shame, to get what they want.  Which is partial or nude photos of our children… of our teenagers, so they can continue to manipulate them for that material. This is child sexual abuse online.” Morrison said, “And this is just simple, where someone reaches out. They text and sound just like that teenager appears, right? If it’s a 13-year-old online, it sounds like all their friends are online.”

That’s the hook, line, and sinker in most cases.

“So it’s not unusual at all for people to reach out to another teenager who may be a stranger to say I’m a 13-year-old at another school or I play this sport, or I see from your online digital presence that you like these activities. And so you know, I do as well,” Morrison said. “And then they just start that conversation. Some of the red flags though, are that these conversations will turn in very quickly (as in hours) to threatening behavior. They will solicit those pictures and videos.”

Online predators start out with innocent requests, Morrison said.

“Show me a photo of your feet. Show me a photo of you and your school t-shirt, your nightgown,” he continued. “You know, maybe they share a photo of a kid that they pulled from online; it’s not them clearly. And then that also entices or lures the victim to share an image. And then it becomes threatening language.”

Morrison said this is when extortion begins.

“I am going to now share this image and embarrass you. If you don’t do X, Y and Z share more images. I will threaten you,” he explained.

The threats range from the kids to the parents. It can be in the form of violence in addition to shame and guilt.

Gamez asks: Do you need rental car insurance?

“I’ll give you another frightening statistic. Right now, the ICAC)Task Force receives approximately 1600 cyber tips a month,” Morrison said. “So we received those from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that don’t all resolve to the Seattle area.”

He said those numbers don’t include local crime reports. “Parents and kids must understand the nature of this problem,” Morrison explained. It’s really an epidemic.”

If a parent finds their child in a compromising situation, they should immediately report it to the FBI. The number is 1-800-CALL-FBI.

“Do not send any money, do not send any more images, do not engage in any more conversations,” Morrison said. “You can block but do not delete any of the conversations, and do not delete any images they may have sent you. Preserve that information as best as possible for law enforcement.”

Morriso said it is critical parents become more tech savvy. He advised parents to add all the parental and privacy settings that they can with all the apps and all the devices.

He also said to disconnect your Wi-Fi network every day.

“Shut off the Wi-Fi if you have to, to a certain time of night,” Morrison said. “If your kids are old enough to be alone with these devices, that’s on you as a parent to decide, but I would err on the side of caution and not allow children to be in their bedrooms at night with these devices and access to the internet.”

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

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According to the website hyundaiantitheft.com, these clinics throughout the state were “intended to complement Hyundai’s nationwide network of dealerships and drive further installations of Hyundai’s free anti-theft software upgrade for customers who continue to be affected by the thefts.”

Two took place in Tacoma, one at Robert Larson Hyundai on S. Tacoma Way and the other at the Tacoma Dome. The other events occurred at Factoria Mall in Bellevue and at Doug’s Hyundai on State Route 99 (SR 99) in Edmonds.

“In the Puget Sound region, we’ve been experiencing a spike in thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles,” Bellevue Police Department spokesperson Seth Tyler said. “Specifically, this is related to the Kia boy trend that was popularized online. So in Bellevue alone, we’ve seen almost a 50% increase in vehicle thefts in the last year.”

He told us the BPD is committed to reducing the number of thefts.

“We are fortunate to partner with Hyundai Motor Company,” Tyler added.

More Micki Gamez: Want to travel on a budget? Try ‘destination dupes’

Hyundai owners were able to choose their location and receive a free software upgrade that will make their car harder to steal.

“They (Hyundai owners) may also be eligible for an ignition upgrade that will make the ignition harder to break into,” Tyler said. “And they can also get a free steering wheel lock courtesy of Hyundai.”

Event opportunity to bypass wait for dealership

The reason for the event is that owners of Hyundai are experiencing a three to four-month wait at dealerships to get the security update done.

“So this is an opportunity to bypass that line,” he said.

There’s no appointment necessary, and the work should only take about 30 minutes.

What about Kia owners?

“So if you drive any other make or vehicle, we are still offering the steering wheel locks,” Tyler said, “You can stop by any of our substations, no questions asked. We’ll give you one. So if you have another make of vehicle and you want to protect yourself, that is a way to do that.”

‘This was my way of helping Seattle’: Local vet makes huge donation to free pet clinic

He said the prevention crime group will also be on hand.

“They’ll be assisting with those steering wheel lock giveaways. So the weather should be fantastic. It should be a great event,” he said.

More information on the events

Tacoma Dome: East D St. between Tacoma Dome and Lemay America’s Car Museum
8 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Friday, March 15; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, March 16; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, March 17

Factoria Mall: 4055 Factoria Blvd. SE, Bellevue
8 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Friday; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday

Doug’s Hyundai: 22130 SR 99, Edmonds
9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday

Robert Larson Hyundai: 7601 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma
8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday

The website  hyundaiantitheft.com states the software upgrade should take fewer than 30 minutes.

Editors’ note: This item originally was published on Thursday, March 14. It has been updated and republished multiple times since then.

Contributing: Steve Coogan, MyNorthwest

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

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According to Forbes Advisor’s 2023 projections, destination dupes have become popular because the cost to travel abroad has increased by 32% since 2022. Per TikTok influencers, travelers are strapped for cash and want to vacation for cheap as the average price for a family of four to visit somewhere overseas is approximately $4,000.

More from Micki Gamez: Do you need rental car insurance?

@calebthill #ExpediaPartner Some popular destinations are popular for a reason but honestly it’s so fun exploring the less crowded destinations! I’m so excited that @expedia group just released their Unpack ‘24 Travel Trends report and one of the Travel Trends is Destination Dupes – less obvious and sometimes cheaper destinations that are swaps for more popular destinations! Such a cool list! Curaçao definitely didn’t disappoint! #UnpackTravelTrends #curacao #stmartin #traveltiktok #affordabletravel #curacaotiktok #beautifulbeaches #travelinspo #travelbucketlist ♬ original sound – Calebthill

Destination dupes give vacationers alternatives to popular and expensive places with a similar vibe. People have begun to share — primarily on social media — destination dupes, or duplicates, which are typically lower-budget, less-crowded destination “twins” to a more popular destination.

More on travel: Volume of vacation bookings jump as Americans take off

Dupes to check out if you plan to travel this year, according to Expedia, include Curacao instead of St Martin for a Caribbean vacation; Taipei in Taiwan instead of Seoul in South Korea for those visiting east Asia; Perth instead of Sydney for an Australian vacation; and Pattaya instead of Bangkok for anyone wanting to travel to Thailand.

Some others include Palermo instead of Lisbon to explore Western Europe, Quebec City in Canada instead of Geneva in Switzerland, Memphis instead of Nashville within Tennessee, Liverpool instead of London to visit England and Akumal instead of Tulum, both in Mexico.

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

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But, a King County service is offering a space for low-income families to take their fur babies — the Doney Coe Pet Clinic in Seattle.

The start of Doney Coe Pet Clinic

Marti Casey is on the board of directors for the clinic. She said the space opened its doors almost 40 years ago when Dr. Charles Doney saw an unhoused person with a pet by Pike Place Market. But, Doney passed away soon after the clinic opened its doors.

Fortunately, Dr. Stanley Coe promised to continue the practice with the clinic’s mission of serving families with low to no income and their pets. And so, the doors remained open. In part because a veterinarian and longtime clinic volunteer, Dr. Mona Radheshwar, closed her practice and gave all her equipment to Doney Coe.

“And then I called Marty, and I’m like, ‘Hey, you guys want to come in and have a free clinic?'” Radheshwar said. “And we worked it out and that was my graceful exit from downtown.”

Here’s her story:

“So I had been volunteering with Doney Coe for like 10 years when they were at the Union Gospel Mission,” Radheshwar said, “So I was familiar with their work, right? And then I opened my practice in downtown Seattle because there were no other practices down there. And I saw that it was going to be a neighborhood. So our clientele was very interesting because it was super high-end condo people. And then also low-income people that lived in downtown.”

And then the pandemic hit.

“The homelessness crisis arrived at our door. Okay, so we were doing so much like pro bono work, and all of this. And, it ended up being kind of my exit strategy, because I had put so much effort into building this beautiful clinic, and the community relied on it. And then, I just realized my staff didn’t want to come to work anymore because it was dangerous,” Radheshwar said.

She said the crisis caused a bunch of crazy stuff to happen.

“My receptionist was on the news, because someone drove through the back window of her Uber, like, just crazy stories, like every single day,” she explained.

What led to the large donation

But the real story, according to Radheshwar, is the homelessness crisis.

“I was literally walking over bodies every morning to get to the front door of the clinic. And to see people in so much pain, and just not be able to help them. So this was kind of, in the end, my way of helping Seattle,” she said.

That’s when Radheshwar called up Doney Coe and said she was donating everything. The cost of everything was somewhere around $150,000.

“I mean, it feels like I can help and contribute to society. Because it’s the worst feeling when you see something, and you can’t help. So this was a way that I could help,” she said.

Doney Coe has a forever home in SoDo.

Casey said the new location is very close to the stadiums at the southern end of the Chinatown-International District.

“So now we are able to operate a full-service veterinary clinic for those qualified families, which is any family that is making 200% or less of the federal poverty limit,” she said.

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

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