��Xվ Newsradio staff – MyNorthwest.com

Anti-ICE protesters gather outside Federal Building

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 22:41:25 +0000

Anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters showed up at the Federal Building in downtown Seattle on Tuesday, showing solidarity with demonstrators in Los Angeles.

Some of the protesters piled up e-bikes and scooters to block the building’s driveway, preventing detained immigrants from leaving the facility.

Around 8 pm, at least one less-lethal round was fired, and the crowd was ordered to disperse. OC canisters were also deployed. As of 9 pm, two people had been arrested, according to the Seattle Times.

Protester in downtown Seattle on June 10, 2025. (Photo: James Lynch, ��Xվ Newsradio)

“Because that’s just what we want, is to show our immigrants, immigrant community, love and compassion, and we don’t want them to disappear in the dark of night,” one person told ��Xվ 7.

The federal building houses Seattle’s immigration court.

City works with Lake City Community Center to provide shelter for encampment

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Mon, 19 May 2025 18:22:32 +0000

The Tent City 4 encampment will not have to worry about shelter for a little longer.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell confirmed to MyNorthwest there will be a short-term lease at the Lake City Community Center until a better location is found for the encampment.

“After gathering all the facts, I directed the Human Services Department to offer Share/Wheel a short-term lease at the Lake City Community Center for the next one to six months until a more appropriate location can be selected,” Harrell wrote in a statement. “Share/Wheel has accepted, and this agreement is effective immediately, so all residents who rely on TC4 can access its services without interruption.”

The decision comes after reported about 100 people—including children—were at risk for losing shelter last weekend in Seattle. The city canceled a planned lease for a legal encampment, according to

Community pushes back against Lake City Community Center location

The Tent City 4 encampment had originally been staying at Seattle Mennonite Church. Officials were looking at the Lake City Community Center as a new location, but after community pushback, the city said that site isn’t an option.

According to The Center Square, Greg Thiessen, a member of the Mennonite Church, questioned why the Lake City Community Center was no longer considered an option.

“I understand that you all care about people and you want to get people into shelter, but the actions that I have witnessed over the last couple of weeks make me question that assumption,” Greg Thiessen said, according to the media outlet.

The Center Square reported that Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell directed his staff to contact the Mennonite Church about extending the lease while the city searches for an alternative solution.

“Knowing that you have a place to sleep and live each day is fundamental to everyone’s well-being,” Harell said in his statement to MyNorthwest. “I understand that recent uncertainty around TC4’s site relocation has been stressful for many. Everyone involved in this process can do more to ensure future moves are streamlined and effective. Improving coordination among the city, KCRHA, and Share/Wheel will allow for strengthened community engagement and more effective process timelines that lead to better outcomes and remove uncertainty from similar situations going forward. We also continue to expect partners across the region to do their part to offer and advance solutions that support those living unsheltered.

“I remain committed to rebuilding a state-of-the-art community center at this site, creating a welcoming space for the entire community with nearly 100 affordable homes for local families and onsite community programs as we seek to increase affordable housing across Seattle. We are keeping in mind anticipated construction timelines with regard to TC4’s lease to prevent any delay in making this needed housing available,” he continued.

Harrell said the city is working to find a location for a one year lease for Tent City 4.

This was originally published May 16, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.

Landscape still bears the scars of Mount St. Helens eruption 45 years later

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Sun, 18 May 2025 16:05:20 +0000

Sunday marks 45 years since Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people and reshaping the landscape of southwest Washington, which still bears the scars of that devastating event.

Diane Murphy was living on a ranch on a hill overlooking Yakima on May 18, 1980. She recorded audio cassettes to send to a friend back home in Iowa. In one of those recordings, she described what it was like when the eruption happened. In 2020, she shared that recording with

“The black cloud came over and it became as black as night,” she told her friend on the tape. “It was pouring down so hard you couldn’t see the roads or the stop signs. You could not see. There was just zero visibility.”

John Winkler told ��Xվ Newsradio in 2020 that he was camping near the mountain with his wife and young son. On the morning of the eruption, he had left them at the campsite to get supplies in the town of Randle when the volcano erupted.

“It’s like Niagara Falls, but goin’ in the opposite direction, and it’s all dirt and just turf,” Winkler said. “It’s going straight up into the air and I’m just sitting there with my mouth open. And then lightning shooting up out of the ground. God, I’ve never seen lightning come up out of the ground before. I mean, you know, because of all the debris hitting each other, I guess. It’s like a spectacular light show.”

45 years later, the scars from the eruption remain

Despite the passage of time, the scars of the 1980 eruption remain starkly visible, said Weston Thelen, a research seismologist at the Cascades Volcano Observatory.

“You go up there and it really doesn’t look like it’s 45 years old,” Thelen said. “There’s still a lot of evidence of that eruption. It’s still a really spectacular place to go to see the power of volcanoes.”

The eruption flattened hundreds of square miles of forest. Logs from that day still float in Spirit Lake.

“They’re just impregnated with ash and floating there,” Thelen said.

The north side of the volcano remains largely barren, a stark contrast to the dense forests below.

The eruption also permanently altered the landscape.

“Coldwater Lake and Castle Lake, which weren’t lakes before the eruption — the failure of the volcano actually dammed both those lakes,” Thelen said. “Right in the middle of Coldwater Lake is a big island that is a deposit from the big landslide that occurred there.”

The scientific community is also grappling with a different kind of loss: the gradual retirement of experts who witnessed and studied the 1980 event firsthand.

“We are, you know, quickly losing a lot of our expertise from the people that were around during that time,” he said. “Those experiences and those stories and ideas are important to know when we’re going into our next eruption, our next sequence, whenever and wherever that is.”

Mt. St. Helens is the most likely of the Cascades Volcanoes to erupt again

While scientists can’t predict eruptions years in advance, historical data points to Mount St. Helens as the most likely volcano in the Cascades to erupt again.

“The activity at Mount St. Helens is way more than any other volcano in the Cascades, and because of that, we think that Mount St. Helens is the most likely to erupt next,” he said. “Now the rest of the volcanoes, they all have had times of activity before, and when we look at geologic records from those volcanoes, what we find is that basically every other volcano has about the same odds of eruption, but Mount St. Helens is obviously much, much higher.”

Still, he cautioned against putting specific odds on future eruptions, noting that scientists cannot predict them years in advance.

However, thanks to improved monitoring, scientists now have a better chance of detecting early signs of unrest. In 2004, for example, researchers had about a week’s notice before a minor eruption at Mount St. Helens. In 1980, there was only one instrument on the mountain. By 2004, there were many, giving scientists a more accurate picture of what was happening.

Washington’s AG calls 10-year ban on US states regulating AI ‘dangerous’

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Fri, 16 May 2025 20:56:24 +0000

Not allowing states to regulate artificial intelligence would be “dangerous,” Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said Thursday.

House Republicans surprised tech industry watchers and outraged state governments when they added a clause to Republicans’ signature “” tax bill that would ban states and localities from regulating artificial intelligence for a decade.

The brief but consequential provision, tucked into the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s , would be a major boon to the AI industry, which has lobbied for uniform and light touch regulation as tech firms develop a technology they promise will transform society.

Brown and more than three dozen attorneys general are speaking out against the idea.

“At the pace technology and AI moves, limiting state laws and regulations for 10 years is dangerous,” Brown said. “If the federal government is taking a back seat on AI, they should not prohibit states from protecting our citizens.”

AI clause faces long odds in the Senate

While the clause would be far-reaching if enacted, it faces long odds in the U.S. Senate, where procedural rules may doom its inclusion in the GOP legislation.

“I don’t know whether it will pass the Byrd Rule,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, referring to a provision that requires that all parts of a budget reconciliation bill, like , focus mainly on the budgetary matters rather than general policy aims.

“That sounds to me like a policy change. I’m not going to speculate what the parliamentarian is going to do but I think it is unlikely to make it,” Cornyn said.

Senators in both parties have expressed an interest in artificial intelligence and believe that Congress should take the lead in regulating the technology. But while lawmakers have introduced scores of bills, including some bipartisan efforts, that would impact artificial intelligence, few have seen any meaningful advancement in the deeply divided Congress.

An exception is a bipartisan bill expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump next week that on the distribution of intimate “revenge porn” images, both real and AI-generated, without a person’s consent.

“AI doesn’t understand state borders, so it is extraordinarily important for the federal government to be the one that sets interstate commerce. It’s in our Constitution. You can’t have a patchwork of 50 states,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican. But Moreno said he was unsure if the House’s proposed ban could make it through Senate procedure.

The AI provision in the bill states that “no state or political subdivision may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems.” The language could bar regulations on systems ranging from popular commercial models like ChatGPT to those that help make decisions about who gets hired or finds housing.

State regulations on AI’s usage in business, research, public utilities, educational settings and government would be banned.

The congressional pushback against state-led AI regulation is part of a broader move led by the Trump administration to do away with policies and business approaches that have sought to limit .

Half of all U.S. states so far have enacted legislation regulating AI deepfakes in political campaigns, according to a from the watchdog organization Public Citizen.

Most of those laws were passed within the last year, as incidents in in 2024 highlighted the threat of lifelike AI audio clips, videos and images to deceive voters.

California state Sen. Scott Wiener called the Republican proposal “truly gross” in a social media post. Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, authored landmark legislation last year that would have created first-in-the-nation safety measures for advanced artificial intelligence models. The bill was vetoed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a fellow San Francisco Democrat.

“Congress is incapable of meaningful AI regulation to protect the public. It is, however, quite capable of failing to act while also banning states from acting,” Wiener wrote.

Bipartisan group of state attorneys send letter to Congress

A bipartisan group of dozens of state attorneys general, including Washington’s Nick Brown, also sent a to Congress on Friday opposing the bill.

“AI brings real promise, but also real danger, and South Carolina has been doing the hard work to protect our citizens,” said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, in a statement. “Now, instead of stepping up with real solutions, Congress wants to tie our hands and push a one-size-fits-all mandate from Washington without a clear direction. That’s not leadership, that’s federal overreach.”

As the debate unfolds, AI industry leaders are pressing ahead on research while competing with rivals to develop the best — and most widely used —AI systems. They have pushed federal lawmakers for uniform and unintrusive rules on the technology, saying they need to move quickly on the latest models to compete with Chinese firms.

Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, testified in a Senate hearing last week that a “patchwork” of AI regulations “would be quite burdensome and significantly impair our ability to do what we need to do.”

“One federal framework, that is light touch, that we can understand and that lets us move with the speed that this moment calls for seems important and fine,” Altman told Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Republican.

And Sen. Ted Cruz floated the idea of a 10-year “learning period” for AI at the same hearing, which included three other tech company executives.

“Would you support a 10-year learning period on states issuing comprehensive AI regulation, or some form of federal preemption to create an even playing field for AI developers and employers?” asked the Texas Republican.

Altman responded that he was “not sure what a 10-year learning period means, but I think having one federal approach focused on light touch and an even playing field sounds great to me.”

Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, also offered measured support for “giving the country time” in the way that limited U.S. regulation enabled early internet commerce to flourish.

“There’s a lot of details that need to be hammered out, but giving the federal government the ability to lead, especially in the areas around product safety and pre-release reviews and the like, would help this industry grow,” Smith said.

It was a change, at least in tone, for some of the executives. Altman had testified to Congress two years ago on the need for AI regulation, and Smith, five years ago, praised Microsoft’s home state of Washington for its “significant breakthrough” in passing first-in-the-nation guardrails on the use of facial recognition, a form of AI.

Ten GOP senators said they were sympathetic to the idea of creating a national framework for AI. But whether the majority can work with Democrats to find a filibuster-proof solution is unclear.

“I am not opposed to the concept. In fact, interstate commerce would suggest that it is the responsibility of Congress to regulate these types of activities and not the states,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, a South Dakota Republican.

“If we’re going to do it state by state we’re going to have a real mess on our hands,” Rounds said.

AG Brown defends birthright citizenship as Supreme Court weighs order, nationwide injunctions

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Thu, 15 May 2025 23:33:35 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday, stemming from a lawsuit filed by Washington Attorney General Nick Brown. The case surrounds an executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship.

Brown attended the hearing and spoke to reporters outside the court.

“Time and time again, the Supreme Court has weighed in on this and affirmed that if you were born in the United States, that you are a citizen,” Brown said.

The Supreme Court seemed intent on maintaining a block on President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship while looking for a way to scale back nationwide court orders.

It was unclear what such a decision might look like, but a majority of the court expressed concerns about would happen if the Trump administration were allowed, even temporarily, to deny citizenship to children born to people who are in the United States illegally.

The justices heard arguments in the Trump administration’s emergency appeals over lower court orders that have kept the citizenship restrictions on hold across the country.

Nationwide injunctions have emerged as an important check on Trump’s efforts to remake the government and a source of mounting frustration to the Republican president and his allies.

Judges have issued 40 nationwide injunctions since Trump began

Judges have issued 40 nationwide injunctions since Trump in January, Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the court at the start of more than two hours of arguments.

Birthright citizenship is among several issues, many related to immigration, that the administration has asked the court to address on an emergency basis.

The justices also are considering the Trump administration’s pleas to for more than 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela and to from another 350,000 Venezuelans. The administration remains over its efforts to swiftly deport people accused of being gang members to a prison in El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law called the Alien Enemies Act.

Trump signed an executive order on the first day of his second term that would deny citizenship to children who are born to people who are in the country illegally or temporarily.

The order conflicts with that held that the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment made citizens of all children born on U.S. soil, with narrow exceptions that are not at issue in this case.

States, immigrants and rights group sued almost immediately, and lower courts quickly barred enforcement of the order while the lawsuits proceed.

The current fight is over the rules that apply while the lawsuits go forward.

Liberal justices firm in support of lower court rulings

The court’s liberal justices seemed firmly in support of the lower court rulings that found the changes to citizenship that Trump wants to make would upset the settled understanding of birthright citizenship that has existed for more than 125 years.

Birthright citizenship is an odd case to use to scale back nationwide injunctions, Justice Elena Kagan said. “Every court has ruled against you,” she told Sauer.

If the government wins on today’s arguments, it could still enforce the order against people who haven’t sued, Kagan said. “All of those individuals are going to win. And the ones who can’t afford to go to court, they’re the ones who are going to lose,” she said.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson described the administration’s approach as “catch me if you can,” forcing everyone to file suit to get “the government to stop violating people’s rights.”

Conservative judges question limiting nationwide injunctions

Several conservative justices who might be open to limiting nationwide injunctions also wanted to know the practical effects of such a decision as well as how quickly the court could reach a final decision on the Trump executive order.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh pressed Sauer with a series of questions about how the federal government might enforce Trump’s order.

“What do hospitals do with a newborn? What do states do with a newborn?” he said.

Sauer said they wouldn’t necessarily do anything different, but the government might figure out ways to reject documentation with “the wrong designation of citizenship.”

Kavanaugh continued to push for clearer answers, pointing out that the executive order gave the government only about 30 days to develop a policy. “You think they can get it together in time?” he said.

The Trump administration, like the Biden administration before it, has complained that judges are overreaching by issuing orders that apply to everyone instead of just the parties before the court.

Picking up on that theme, Justice Samuel Alito said he meant no disrespect to the nation’s district judges when he opined that they sometimes suffer from an “occupational disease which is the disease of thinking that ‘I am right and I can do whatever I want.’”

But Justice Sonia Sotomayor was among several justices who raised the confusing patchwork of rules that would result if the court orders were narrowed and new restrictions on citizenship could temporarily take effect in more than half the country.

Some children might be “stateless,” Sotomayor said, because they’d be denied citizenship in the U.S. as well as the countries their parents fled to avoid persecution.

New Jersey Solicitor General Jeremy Feigenbaum, representing 22 states that sued, said citizenship could “turn on and off” for children crossing the Delaware River between Camden, New Jersey, where affected children would be citizens, and Philadelphia, where they wouldn’t be. Pennsylvania is not part of the lawsuit.

Possible replacement for nationwide injunctions

One possible solution for the court might be to find a way to replace nationwide injunctions with certification of a class action, a lawsuit in which individuals serve as representatives of a much larger group of similarly situated people.

Such a case could be filed and acted upon quickly and might even apply nationwide.

But under questioning from Justice Amy Coney Barrett and others, Sauer said the Trump administration could well oppose such a lawsuit or potentially try to slow down class actions.

Supreme Court arguments over emergency appeals are rare. The justices almost always deal with the underlying substance of a dispute.

But the administration didn’t ask the court to take on the larger issue now and, if the court sides with the administration over nationwide injunctions, it’s unclear how long inconsistent rules on citizenship would apply to children born in the United States.

A decision is expected by the end of June.

Contributing: The Associated Press; Aaron Granillo, ��Xվ Newsradio

VIDEO: Police body camera footage of fatal officer-involved shooting in Poulsbo released

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Thu, 15 May 2025 02:35:00 +0000

Authorities have released police body camera footage of last week’s fatal in Poulsbo.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

The incident began around 9:15 p.m. on May 7 when a Poulsbo police officer attempted to stop a vehicle near Viking Way and Nordic Cove Lane. The driver refused to pull over, prompting a pursuit. Deputies from the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist, according to a news release from the .

After the vehicle came to a stop, officers approached the driver, who was reportedly armed with a large knife. Authorities said the suspect refused to comply with commands and posed a threat to officers and deputies on the scene.

Police pursuit turns into officer-involved shooting

“After attempts to de-escalate and the use of non-lethal options were unsuccessful, the suspect continued to present a lethal threat to officers, causing the use of deadly force, which resulted in the death of the suspect,” the police department said.

The video shows officers deploying pepper balls and a taser on the suspect. They can also be heard repeatedly ordering the man to drop the knife he was holding. The footage released Wednesday stops before the deadly shots were fired.

No officers or deputies were injured during the incident.

In accordance with standard procedure, the officers and deputies involved have been placed on administrative leave. The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) has taken over the investigation into the shooting.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on ��Xվ Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Clark County settles with family of motorist shot and killed by deputy in 2021

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Thu, 15 May 2025 01:20:51 +0000

Clark County has reached a $3.5 million settlement with the family of Jenoah Donald, an unarmed Black motorist who was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy in February 2021.

Deputies pulled him over for a defective taillight. His attorneys said a deputy shot him in the head during a struggle as they tried to get him out of the vehicle. Donald’s family has said he was on the autism spectrum.

“Jenoah’s family wanted accountability,” Mark Lindquist, one of the attorneys representing the family, said. “This settlement provides accountability and closure.”

Family attorney Angus Lee said the settlement sends a broader message.

“This outcome honors Jenoah Donald’s life and underscores a simple truth: When officers ignore their training and resort to needless lethal force, they will be held accountable,” Lee said. “The family’s determination ensures their story will not be forgotten.”

More details in death of motorist killed by Clark County sheriff’s deputy

In a news release announcing the settlement, Lee and Lindquist alleged that “not only did the deputy use unnecessary deadly force, but that Clark County’s policies and practices on deadly force were constitutionally deficient.”

“Our hope is that accountability will result in better training and more prudent use of deadly force going forward,” Lindquist said.

In 2021, five prosecuting attorneys from around the state conducted an of the case.

“The reviewing members cannot say the outcome would have been different, but it does not appear Mr. Donald was ever asked to step out of the vehicle or had it explained to him why the request was being made,” the review said. “The command to exit the vehicle appears to have been lawful (officer safety). Mr. Donald’s refusal to exit the vehicle quickly escalated, and Deputy Boyle, unable to reach his Taser, drew his weapon and shot Mr. Donald to protect himself and other deputies.”

The review went on to say, “The use of force in this instance by Deputy Boyle was done in ‘good faith.'”

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Clark County confirmed the settlement but maintained that it “continues to deny liability for this unfortunate incident.”

Washington sues Trump Administration over environmental protection rules

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Fri, 09 May 2025 20:01:15 +0000

Washington’s Attorney General has challenging another one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders. This time, in the name of environmental protection.

The order, “Declaring a National Energy Emergency,” was one of 26 filed on January 20, 2025 – inauguration day.

“Because of the President’s order, federal agencies are now bypassing or weakening critical reviews under the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Historic National Preservation Act,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown said in a press conference.

The order criticized the Biden Administration and claimed overreliance on foreign resources had created domestic energy uncertainty. The text directed agencies to use all emergency powers available to them to increase energy production and complete infrastructure projects—including loosening regulations and using eminent domain.

“This active threat to the American people from high energy prices is exacerbated by our Nation’s diminished capacity to insulate itself from hostile foreign actors. Energy security is an increasingly crucial theater of global competition,” read the order.

AG Brown: There is no ‘energy emergency’

But Brown said there is no energy emergency because U.S. energy production is at an all-time high.

“It is all about eliminating competition and shackling America to dirty fossil fuels forever,” he stated.

Brown also said the order undermines Washington’s environmental efforts.

Bill Iyall, chair of the Cowlitz Tribe, and Casey Sixkiller, Director of the Department of Ecology, were at the press conference to support the legal action.

“Environmental regulations exist because we’ve seen what happens when they don’t,” Sixkiller said. “The federal administration is proposing an end-run that ignores the hard lessons of the past. These protections aren’t red tape—they’re guardrails that protect our air, water, land, and keep our families safe.”

The lawsuit was filed in the Western District Court in Seattle on Friday, and 14 states, including California, joined Washington in backing the effort.

This is the Attorney General’s 17th lawsuit against the Trump Administration.

Seattle tourism bounces back as city gears up for World Cup

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Fri, 09 May 2025 12:01:05 +0000

More and more people are visiting Seattle and King County.

According to from Visit Seattle, 40 million visitors came through last year—a 5.3% increase from 2023 and almost as many as 2019.

Tammy Canavan, President and CEO of Visit Seattle, told ��Xվ Newsradio the uptick is promising.

“Life is changing sort of minute by minute,” she said. “So I think we’re really encouraged by seeing continuous growth in most markets, and this will be an interesting year to watch.”

However, Canavan noted federal policies are impacting the market.

“We have seen a decline in international visitation to the United States in the first quarter of this year, and we saw flights into Seattle from Canada actually increased from last year, where cross-border traffic has been down,” she said. “It’s complicated and we will continue to keep our finger on the pulse and make sure that we are being nimble enough to invest where we’re gonna be able to create the best return for our community.”

Seattle expects 750,000 visitors for World Cup

Seattle is expecting 750,000 visitors in 2026 for the FIFA World Cup.

“We are very excited for the World Cup and that really affords us such an enormous opportunity to use that—not just for the moment of the six matches that we get to host and all of the people that will come here—but really taking advantage that the eyes of the world are on Seattle and King County and being able to use that as a baseline for further awareness and being able to tell our story in a different way that we wouldn’t otherwise have,” she shared.

Tourism in Seattle and King County generated $12.3 billion in 2024, a 7.8% increase from 2023.

Contributing: Frank Lenzi, ��Xվ Newsradio and Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

‘I am blessed’: Local Catholics celebrate first American pope at St. James Cathedral

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Thu, 08 May 2025 16:40:54 +0000

Local Catholics gathered at Seattle’s St. James Cathedral after the announcement that American Cardinal Robert Prevost has been selected as the next pope.

“I just heard some noise erupting, and I just heard them clapping and cheering, so I was like, ‘Oh, they found a new pope!'” Parishioner Joseph Jackson told ��Xվ Newsradio.

Prevost, 69, took the name Pope Leo XIV.

“Fingers crossed, everything turns out smoothly,” local Catholic Shannon Burnett said.

Burnett told ��Xվ Newsradio she hopes Pope Leo will have values more in line with the Catholic Church than his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.

“We have poverty, we have the homeless, we have the drug epidemic, we have, you know, the suicides, we have massive, massive, massive issues. Bring Jesus, bring God back into everyday life, and all of this will change,” she said.

Meanwhile, Geraldine Carey told ��Xվ Newsradio she’s hopeful Pope Leo will continue the ways of Pope Francis.

“I am blessed, definitely, to have Pope Leo,” Carey said. “What do I look forward to seeing? Maybe a continuity of some of the things of Pope Francis. Bless his soul. And a continuation of inclusivity.”

The U.S. president posted his reaction on his Truth Social social media platform.

“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump said on social media. “What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

Who is Robert Prevost?

The former pope, in 2023 to of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost has a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had.

The new pope was formerly the prior general, or leader, of the Order of St. Augustine, formed in the 13th century as a community of “mendicant” friars dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization.

The order’s requirements and ethos are traced to the fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity.

The order works in about 50 countries, according to its promoting a contemplative spirituality, communal living and service to others.

From the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, history’s first American pope recalled that he was an Augustinian priest, but a Christian above all, and a bishop, “so we can all walk together.”

He spoke in Italian and then switched to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Which cardinals were the leading contenders?

There are never official candidates for the papacy, but or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope. Some names include , who oversaw the conclave, , dubbed the “Asian Francis,” , a conservative cardinal native to the Congo, and , potentially the first Italian pope in decades.

In the crowd at St. Peter’s Square

Pedro Deget, 22, a finance student from Argentina, said he and his family visited Rome during the and were hoping for a new pope in Francis’ image.

“Francis did well in opening the church to the outside world, but on other fronts maybe he didn’t do enough. We’ll see if the next one will be able to do more,” Deget said from the piazza.

The Rev. Jan Dominik Bogataj, a Slovene Franciscan friar, was more critical of Francis. He said if he were in the Sistine Chapel, he’d be voting for Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem who is on many papal contender lists.

“He has clear ideas, not much ideology. He’s a direct, intelligent and respectful man,” Bogataj said from the square. “Most of all, he’s agile.”

A long wait on the first ballot

On Wednesday night, the black smoke of the first ballot poured out of the chapel chimney just after 9 p.m., about 4.5 hours after the cardinals filed into the Sistine Chapel to take their oaths at the start of the conclave.

The late hour prompted speculation about what took so long: Did they have to redo the vote? Did someone get sick or need translation help? Did the papal preacher take a long time to deliver his meditation before the voting began?

“They probably need more time,” said Costanza Ranaldi, a 63-year-old who traveled from Pescara in Italy’s Abruzzo region to the Vatican.

Some of the cardinals had said they expected a short conclave. But if recent history is any guide, it will likely take to settle on the 267th pope.

For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I — the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 — was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

Conjecture on contenders

The cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create. Bright red cassocks, Swiss Guards standing at attention, ancient Latin chants and oaths preceded the slamming shut of the Sistine Chapel doors to seal the cardinals off from the outside world.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and a to succeed him as pope, assumed leadership of the proceedings as the most senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.

Parolin seemed to have received the blessings from none other than Re, the respected elder among the cardinals. During the traditional exchange of peace during the pre-conclave Mass on Wednesday, Re was caught on a hot mic telling Parolin “auguri doppio” or “double best wishes.” Italians debated whether it was just a customary gesture acknowledging Parolin’s role running conclave, or if it might have been an informal endorsement or even a premature congratulations.

The voting process

The voting follows a strict choreography, dictated by church law.

Each cardinal writes his choice on a piece of paper inscribed with the words “Eligo in summen pontificem” — “I elect as supreme pontiff.” They approach the altar one by one and say: “I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.”

The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and tipped into a silver and gold urn. Once cast, the ballots are opened one by one by three different “scrutineers,” cardinals selected at random who write down the names and read them aloud.

The scrutineers, whose work is checked by other cardinals called revisers, then add up the results of each round of balloting and write them on a separate sheet of paper, which is preserved in the papal archives.

As the scrutineer reads out each name, he pierces each ballot with a needle through the word “Eligo.” All the ballots are then bound together with thread, and the bundle is put aside and burned in the chapel stove along with a chemical to produce the smoke.

Contributing: The Associated Press; James Lynch, ��Xվ Newsradio

Sen. Murray warns of supply chain strain as WA imports set to drop 40%

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Thu, 01 May 2025 22:03:35 +0000

U.S. Senator Patty Murray is sounding the alarm over the nation’s supply chain.

Murray said ports along the West Coast are already seeing a decline in incoming cargo.

“Less cargo at our ports means less goods for our truckers to transport, and that ultimately means bare shelves for our retailers and the American consumer,” she said.

The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma are projecting a 40% drop in shipments later this month amid the ongoing trade war. Analysts are warning the public about potential supply chain issues not seen since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Less cargo coming into ports means less out

Port Commissioner Ryan Calkins said less cargo coming in also means fewer U.S.-made products going out.

“Port of Seattle is a major agricultural exporter, and when imports are frozen because of these tariffs, it means that we also don’t have an opportunity to export those agricultural goods,” he shared.

Calkins added that consumers could begin to feel the pinch by mid-May, with higher prices and fewer products on shelves.

Some retail analysts are even warning of shortages and layoffs similar to those during the pandemic.

Contributing: Aaron Granillo, ��Xվ Newsradio; Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

Poll shows voters feel Seattle is ‘making progress’ in reducing crime

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 22:00:59 +0000

Most Seattle voters say the city is making progress in reducing crime, according to a recent poll by the .

“Seattle won’t go backwards,” President and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Rachel Smith said.” “People are feeling significantly safer visiting downtown at night and nearly half believe that we’ve made progress on public safety,” Smith said.

Concern about public safety dropped 10 percentage points compared to the Chamber’s previous survey. The poll found that 85% of respondents feel safe visiting downtown Seattle during the day, while 45% said they are comfortable being there at night.

While a majority of voters said they have seen improvements in the removal of homeless encampments, homelessness remains the top priority in the survey. Concern about homelessness and the cost of living showed little change from the Chamber’s last poll.

“More Seattleites believe the city has made progress on reducing encampments than they did just six months ago,” Smith said.

Majority of Seattle voters believe city should stand up to Trump

According to the survey, 72% of voters say the city should “aggressively stand up to the Trump Administration” when they believe “there is overreach by the federal government.”

“We can and should oppose the Trump Administration when there is overreach or when its activities don’t align with our Seattle values,” Smith said. “At the same time, we need leaders to continue to make progress on our top priorities here at home and not let the mayhem of what is happening federally distract from making progress on quality-of-life issues.”

Heather Bosch is a reporter for ��Xվ Newsradio. Read more of her stories here.

Frank Lenzi is the News Director for ��Xվ Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.

Skagit County to host unclaimed remains ceremony

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 12:12:40 +0000

Skagit County is hosting a remembrance ceremony at Mount Vernon Cemetery Chapel on May 2nd at 11:00 a.m.

The event will honor 59 people who died and had their remains go unclaimed since 2019. The community is invited to join in paying respects to those who lost their lives so they can be remembered with dignity.

Skagit County Coroner Hayley Thompson emphasized the importance of honoring these individuals.

Skagit County to honor unclaimed remains

“While we may not have known who they were in life,” Thompson said. “We will respect and honor who they are at death.”

Remains will be scattered at sea, and a plaque will be placed at the cemetery commemorating those who died. The ceremony marks the first since October 2019, following a thorough effort by the Coroner’s Office to identify the deceased.

For information, community members can call the Skagit County Coroner’s Office at (360) 416-1996.

Beacon Hill hit-and-run leaves woman in critical condition

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:54 +0000

A woman is in critical condition after a hit-and-run in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.

The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Beacon Avenue South and South McClellan Street.

Seattle police said the 32-year-old woman was walking through a pedestrian crosswalk when she was struck by a vehicle.

According to a post on the , she “was propelled into the air and suffered a serious injury to her head.”

“The suspect vehicle, a gray or white Ford Mustang, ran a red light at the intersection and struck the victim as she was walking through the pedestrian crosswalk,” the post said.

Police have not located the driver or the vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad at 206-684-8923.

Delaying Seattle World Cup games? State senator fears immigration policies could affect dates

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:00:04 +0000

An influential state senator says the president’s immigration policies could have a profound impact on when Seattle hosts several World Cup games next year.

Democratic Washington Senator Manka Dhingra made quite the statement Wednesday during a weekly Democratic press conference. She was asked if the state will help financially with World Cup preparations.

“This could have been an event that would have been incredible for the state of Washington,” Dhingra said. “But what is happening at the federal level? It is not safe for people from other countries to come to the United States right now because people are literally being picked up from the streets and taken away.”

Seattle to host 6 World Cup matches

Dhingra said she’s curious about who from other countries will actually show up. Seattle is set to host six games starting in June of next year.

In January, officials announced nine cities that will host FIFA fan zones. The cities include Bellingham, Bremerton, Everett, Olympia, Lacey, Pasco, Richland, Kennewick, Spokane, Tacoma, Yakima, and Vancouver, Washington.

The goal is to make sure families who can’t make it to the soccer matches will have a place close by to watch, socialize with like-minded fans, and enjoy the festivities—including live music, food, drinks, and interactive activities.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup gets underway on June 11 and runs through July 19.

Contributing: Matt Markovich and James Lynch, ��Xվ Newsradio; Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

2 found dead after ‘suspicious’ Gig Harbor house fire; Sheriff’s office investigating

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 23:27:31 +0000

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) is investigating a fire that ravaged a home in Gig Harbor Tuesday night.

PCSO deputy Carly Cappetto called the fire near 14th Avenue Northwest “suspicious” after it was discovered that a man whose body was pulled from the house did not die from the fire or from natural causes. However, she stopped short of calling it arson.

“This was a suspicious fire in nature,” she said. “It wasn’t caused from any of the natural reasons a fire would start.”

House Fire with Two Deceased

Pierce County Deputies, along with Gig Harbor Fire, responded to a fully engulfed house fire located at the 15500 Block of 14th Ave. NW in Gig Harbor. Two deceased victims have been located inside the home.

— Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff)

Neighbors hear explosion before Gig Harbor house catches fire

Capetto also said neighbors heard a commotion before the fire.

“Deputies had interviewed some bystanders and some neighbors who reported, just prior to the fire, they had heard and felt a large explosion, and then the house fully was engulfed in flames,” she shared.

Capetto said the body of a second victim, who also appeared to be an adult, will remain in the rubble until it’s safe enough for first responders to remove them. However, it’s unclear how the person died.

“It was too burned to really see if there were other unnatural causes of death for that particular victim,” Capetto said.

She said the fire marshal will determine what caused the explosion and the fire. Meanwhile, a medical examiner will determine how the victims died, confirm their identities, and determine if they were the residents of the home.

“It was a rental home, and people had only recently moved into it two weeks prior,” Capetto explained.

Contributing: Heather Bosch, ��Xվ Newsradio; Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

Previously convicted Lummi Nation member charged with allegedly shooting eagles

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 19:51:59 +0000

A member of the tribe has been charged with violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act after shooting and killing a golden eagle.

The suspect has been charged with illegal firearms possession in addition to charges for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Joel David Ridley, 38, was arrested by Lummi Nation Police Feb. 23 after police found a dead eagle in his SUV. While the Lummi Tribe can legally possess dead eagles, shooting or trapping them is not permitted.

Lummi Nation member accused of shooting eagles

A witness told law enforcement that they heard gunshots before seeing Ridley pick up a dead bird. While the witness was on the phone, another eagle allegedly fell from the sky. Police stated they found Ridley’s SUV with a dead eagle in the back seat. While searching the SUV, police also found a .22 caliber rifle hidden between the seats.

Ridley is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2003 assault conviction and was immediately arrested. Both eagles were juveniles and had gunshot wounds. The surviving eagle was euthanized because its injuries were too severe.

Ridley faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for firearm possession. Additionally, he could receive up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The case is under investigation by the Lummi Nation Police and the FBI.

King County Executive Dow Constantine tapped as Sound Transit CEO with up to $650K salary

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:24:22 +0000

Sound Transit is officially nominating a new CEO, and it’s a familiar name to King County residents: Executive Dow Constantine.

The Sound Transit Board of Directors made the announcement Monday after having previously named Constantine as a finalist. The board said they picked him out of 60 applicants.

“Being CEO of Sound Transit is a tough job with many constituencies to serve, and Dow has proven over his career in public service that he can deliver large capital projects, successfully oversee a major transit agency, and foster partnerships across our region that are essential to make Sound Transit function at the highest possible level,” Snohomish County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dave Somers, Pierce County Executive and Sound Transit Board Vice Chair Ryan N. Mello, and King County Council member and Sound Transit Board Vice Chair Claudia Balducci wrote in a joint statement.

Appointment process plagued by claims of conflict-of-interest

The appointment was not without controversy. The process to pick the next Sound Transit CEO has been criticized as secretive and some have called out a conflict of interest with board members appointed by Constantine being the ones to hire him to a six-figure salary. reported the transit CEO could make up to $675,000 annually.

The board is set to vote this Thursday to appoint Constantine as head of the agency. The 63-year-old already sits on the Sound Transit Board—he’ll recuse himself from this week’s vote.

Constantine is expected to step down from serving as county executive, a position he’s held since 2009.

Sound Transit faces series of issues

The announcement comes as the agency has faced a series of technical issues and closures. In January, MyNorthwest reported months-long service disruptions. MyNorthwest also reported on several violent incidents that occurred onboard trains and on platforms last year.

“We know this is a crucial time for the agency, and there are difficult and complex discussions on the near horizon, along with reforms that will require knowledge and commitment to continue forward,” the statement from officials continued. “These include operational and maintenance challenges that need to be addressed immediately by an incoming CEO, increased accountability measures, as well as rising financial pressure from inflation and economic uncertainties. As board leaders, our priority remains delivering on the voter-approved ST3 package, while operating a safe and dependable system,” the statement continued.”

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest; Sam Campbell and Aaron Granillo, ��Xվ Newsradio

New King County transit safety task force begins work following driver’s death

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 20:25:25 +0000

The inaugural meeting of the King County Regional Transit Safety Task Force kicked off Thursday morning in South Seattle.

The task force was born out of the tragic December of driver Shawn Yim. It will include members of the King County Council, the Metro Bus union and law enforcement to develop a safety plan to improve transit safety and security.

Amalgamated Transit Union President Greg Woodfill previously called for the task force and said the situation is dire.

“Public safety issues spill onto our transit system, and it can’t just be metro or the county or Sound Transit to take care of all this,” he said. “We need all the mayors and police chiefs, everyone to work together.”

The task force will meet regularly through the spring and then come up with an initial list of safety recommendations.

“While we continue to take proactive steps to support our employees and riders, a regional approach will tackle the broader challenges that can negatively affect transit,” King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison said. “Making our communities and neighborhoods safer will, in turn, make public transportation safer.”

Bus drivers identify issues amid King County transit safety task force

Bus drivers have identified a few specific actions they believe would make both them and the ridership safer, such as better barriers separating them from riders and an updated, enforced code of conduct for riders. They also want fare enforcement and security measures at bus stops, such as more lighting.

Yim was attacked with pepper spray after a rider demanded the 59-year-old bus driver close his window, according to the Seattle Police Department (SPD). Investigators said that the attack spilled off the bus where the suspect, 53-year-old Richard Sitzlack, kicked Yim before dragging him into a nearby parking lot and stabbing him to death.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest; James Lynch, Frank Lenzi and Luke Duecy, ��Xվ Newsradio; ��Xվ 7

SPD investigating after officer shoots, kills person in West Seattle

��Xվ Newsradio staff — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 19:32:53 +0000

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) reported that police are investigating after an officer shot and killed a person in West Seattle Wednesday, according to .

The incident happened at SPD’s Southwest Precinct in the 2300 block of Southwest Webster Street.

I’m here at the scene with the latest. Listen on

— Sam Campbell (@HeySamCampbell)

Firefighters said the suspect was around 30 years old and was shot three times after he allegedly continued to approach officers after gaining access to a fenced area. Police said the man was wielding a knife and refused to stand down even after officers deployed what was described as a “sponge round.”

It’s not known what happened afterward, but police said the encounter happened quickly and an officer fired his department handgun, striking the man.

The suspect was given CPR but succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead at the scene.

Although it’s not clear why the man entered the Southwest Precinct’s lot or how he was able to access what police called a secure portion, Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said officers were looking into a 911 call that came in shortly before the shooting at the neighboring Home Depot. A man was reportedly suicidal. Police could not confirm whether it was the same man.

SPD’s blotter states the events leading up to the shooting are under investigation and per policy, the department will release a video of the incident within 72 hours.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest; Sam Campbell and Luke Duecy, ��Xվ Newsradio

����Xվ Newsradio staff – MyNorthwest.com

Anti-ICE protesters gather outside Federal Building

City works with Lake City Community Center to provide shelter for encampment

Community pushes back against Lake City Community Center location

RELATED STORIES

Landscape still bears the scars of Mount St. Helens eruption 45 years later

45 years later, the scars from the eruption remain

Mt. St. Helens is the most likely of the Cascades Volcanoes to erupt again

Washington’s AG calls 10-year ban on US states regulating AI ‘dangerous’

AI clause faces long odds in the Senate

Bipartisan group of state attorneys send letter to Congress

RELATED STORIES

AG Brown defends birthright citizenship as Supreme Court weighs order, nationwide injunctions

Judges have issued 40 nationwide injunctions since Trump began

Liberal justices firm in support of lower court rulings

Conservative judges question limiting nationwide injunctions

Possible replacement for nationwide injunctions

RELATED STORIES

VIDEO: Police body camera footage of fatal officer-involved shooting in Poulsbo released

Police pursuit turns into officer-involved shooting

RELATED STORIES

Clark County settles with family of motorist shot and killed by deputy in 2021

More details in death of motorist killed by Clark County sheriff’s deputy

RELATED STORIES

Washington sues Trump Administration over environmental protection rules

AG Brown: There is no ‘energy emergency’

RELATED STORIES

Seattle tourism bounces back as city gears up for World Cup

Seattle expects 750,000 visitors for World Cup

RELATED STORIES

‘I am blessed’: Local Catholics celebrate first American pope at St. James Cathedral

Who is Robert Prevost?

Which cardinals were the leading contenders?

In the crowd at St. Peter’s Square

A long wait on the first ballot

Conjecture on contenders

The voting process

Sen. Murray warns of supply chain strain as WA imports set to drop 40%

Less cargo coming into ports means less out

RELATED STORIES

Poll shows voters feel Seattle is ‘making progress’ in reducing crime

Majority of Seattle voters believe city should stand up to Trump

Skagit County to host unclaimed remains ceremony

Skagit County to honor unclaimed remains

RELATED STORIES

Beacon Hill hit-and-run leaves woman in critical condition

Delaying Seattle World Cup games? State senator fears immigration policies could affect dates

Seattle to host 6 World Cup matches

RELATED STORIES

2 found dead after ‘suspicious’ Gig Harbor house fire; Sheriff’s office investigating

Neighbors hear explosion before Gig Harbor house catches fire

RELATED STORIES

Previously convicted Lummi Nation member charged with allegedly shooting eagles

Lummi Nation member accused of shooting eagles

RELATED STORIES

King County Executive Dow Constantine tapped as Sound Transit CEO with up to $650K salary

RELATED STORIES

Appointment process plagued by claims of conflict-of-interest

Sound Transit faces series of issues

New King County transit safety task force begins work following driver’s death

RELATED STORIES

Bus drivers identify issues amid King County transit safety task force

SPD investigating after officer shoots, kills person in West Seattle

��Xվ Newsradio staff – MyNorthwest.com