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Yahoo
15-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Washington bans sale of a common plant, deems it noxious weed
This story was originally published on The sale of a common plant will soon be illegal in Washington. Washington added Common (English) Ivy and Atlantic/Boston Ivy to its list of noxious weeds, which prohibits the sale and distribution of the plants, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture's (WSDA) website. The weed threatens trees by taking away sunlight, Susan Hutton, executive director of the Whatcom Million Trees Project, told The Bellingham Herald. 'English ivy is kind of an equal opportunity creeper,' Hutton said, according to the media outlet. 'It will come to a tree and it will start to climb it, and as it climbs the tree, it starts to compete with the tree's leaves for sunlight, and in the process, it gradually weakens the tree. Once ivy gets up into the crown of a tree, it's almost certain to kill the tree in a short period of time.' Ivy also increases the risk of trees falling in storms, as the vines add extra weight, King County stated on its website. Common and Atlantic Ivy can outgrow native plants on the forest floor, shrub layer, and canopy. 'When ivy takes over, it reduces animal foraging habitat,' King County wrote on its website. 'It makes it difficult for understory plants to grow and kills understory and overstory trees by shading them out.' The sap of ivy stems can also cause skin irritation for some people. Although the plant is quite a nuisance, it stemmed an idea to solve another annoying issue. A few years ago, former KIRO Newsradio host Dave Ross had the idea to use ivy to prevent graffiti. 'I noticed that along I-5 downtown, the areas with no graffiti have one thing in common: ivy. Ivy has spilled over the top of the retaining wall! Vandals want a clear canvas, and the ivy ruins that. So what we need is to cover everything with ivy,' Ross wrote on MyNorthwest. The idea stuck with KIRO Newsradio Traffic Reporter Chris Sullivan, who brought it to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) last year. He found out the City of Tacoma tried installing fake ivy in a handful of spots to combat graffiti. 'We had what we call the panels, which are a one-by-one foot panel of ivy, and then we have individual strands of it as well,' Rae Bailey, a Public Works Division Manager in Tacoma, said. 'We tried both of them in various areas throughout the city to mixed reviews.' Unfortunately, the panels didn't work well, but the individual strands of the fake plant did. 'We've had a couple of the strand areas get tagged in the last year or two, but for the most part, everything that we put up by the strands is doing its job,' Bailey said. Tacoma was planning to continue the fake ivy project, but then the pandemic hit, and it was no longer a top priority. The city was looking to start the project again, but the vendor went out of business, and unfortunately, the material was too expensive to install in large sections. As for the real plant, the ban will go into effect on Aug. 9. Contributing: Chris Sullivan, KIRO Newsradio Follow Julia Dallas on X. Read her stories here. Submit news tips here.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘Just want to see him home safe': Wooden bear gifted by late husband stolen in Mount Vernon
This story was originally posted on A cherished wooden bear was stolen from the porch of a Mount Vernon home, the police department reported Tuesday. The bear's owner, Merrylee, told 'The Jake and Spike Show' on KIRO Newsradio Wednesday that the bear holds sentimental value, as it was gifted by her late husband as a Christmas present in 1991. 'My husband and I lived in Kirkland at the time, and he had his own wheelhouse tree service in the Redmond Kirkland area, and he had cut a tree down and took the log to a carver out in Fall City, and had this bear carved by this man, I can't remember his name, and that became my Christmas present for 1991 and it was our first Christmas together,' she said. Merrylee would even dress up the bear for different occasions. During football season, he would wear his Seahawks shirt, on Halloween, he was Superman, or sometimes he would be casual with a green bow tie. 'He's a very festive bear,' Jake Skorheim, co-host of 'Jake and Spike,' commented. Merrylee said the bear was wearing a red, white, and blue hat and matching scarf when he was stolen. He is approximately 4 feet tall and weighs 75 pounds. But beyond his charm, the bear is very meaningful to Merrylee. 'Quite a sentimental attachment. My husband passed away in 2018, so this is one of the things that he gave me that is very special to me. And like I say, he's been sitting on my front porch since 1991,' she shared. Unfortunately, Merrylee doesn't have a security camera, and neither do her neighbors. 'I drove around the neighborhood this morning, and I thought to myself, 'Here's all these people out here with all this stuff on their lawns, what made my bear stand out, that they would come up onto my porch?' Because they had to come right up to my front door to get him, and they had to have transportation to take him away. Probably have two men to carry him because he's right around 75 pounds,' she said. Merrylee thinks her stolen bear might have been part of a high school prank, adding she just wants to get it back, no questions asked. 'I just want to see him home safe and sound,' she shared. The bear went missing Monday night from the 400 block of South 28th Street. Anyone with information is asked to call Mount Vernon Police Department's non-emergency tip line at 360-428-3211.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
King County Council votes no confidence, urges assessor's resignation amid restraining order
This story was originally posted on The King County Council has no confidence in King County Assessor John Wilson. Members voted unanimously Tuesday, calling on Wilson to resign amid allegations that he stalked and harassed his former fiancée. 'I see it as a pattern, a very dangerous pattern, and certainly not one that we want in our highest levels of government in King County,' King County Council member Girmay Zahilay, running against Wilson for County Executive, said. Multiple local leaders called for Wilson to step down after another restraining order was filed against him. King County Council member Claudia Balducci introduced a motion at last week's council meeting, calling for Wilson's resignation. 'There is a cycle of control and manipulation that underlies domestic violence and stalking and harassing behaviors like we are seeing from our county assessor that I think should cause us to be very assertive in our willingness to stand up and say, 'We don't accept it,'' Balducci said during the council meeting. The council struck down the motion, but Balducci indicated she may reintroduce it. Wilson has since filed an ethics complaint with King County against Balducci, which reads in part: 'This motion relies on unsubstantiated allegations made against me to impugn my reputation, generate more media attention, and undermine my campaign for King County executive.' Balducci and Wilson are both running for the position of King County executive. Wilson told 'The John Curley Show' on KIRO Newsradio Tuesday, 'There's never been any domestic violence.' 'The audacity of her to come at me about domestic violence when she doesn't know my family history,' he added. Wilson also mentioned on the show that Lee Keller, his former fiancée, who filed the temporary restraining order, had mentioned getting it dismissed. 'She's come back each time and said, 'Look, I'm really sorry. I want to make it work.' And this happened even after this, DVRO (domestic violence restraining order), and through an intermediary, she said, 'Will you let John know I so love him. I'm so sorry about this. I'm getting it dismissed,'' he said. However, Keller's attorneys subsequently reached out to the show, telling KIRO Newsradio, 'The restraining order is very active.' Keller also issued an email statement to KIRO Newsradio on Tuesday, defending the order. 'The restraining order against John Wilson remains in place. I will not be changing my mind, despite his repeated efforts to coerce me to dismiss it,' she wrote. 'A hearing on the restraining order will be held on June 30, 2025. I welcome the opportunity to address John's reference to a signed agreement at that time, and inform the court of John's continuing violations of the very active restraining order.' The order was issued by Keller against Wilson on May 13—the second one in a year, according to The Seattle Times. The order requires Wilson to stay 1,000 feet away from his former partner and will remain in effect until his court hearing on June 30, the media outlet stated. Wilson is accused of consistent stalking and harassment. Keller previously filed a restraining order last year, The Seattle Times reported, claiming Wilson falsely accused her former boyfriend of sexual assault and made a false police report. That restraining order lasted seven weeks. In light of the events, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell urged Wilson to step down Thursday. 'I am appalled by the stories of County Assessor Wilson's conduct and want to add my voice to the community and elected leaders calling on him to resign his position,' Harrell wrote in a statement, via a news release. 'While he has a right to due legal process, the published allegations are disqualifying for public office. We need to send a clear message to survivors of intimate partner abuse that this type of behavior by people in positions of trust is not tolerated.' Wilson released a statement Tuesday in response to the allegations: 'I had hoped we could respond firmly to the exaggerated allegations made by my former fiancée, Lee Keller. My attorney has advised me to wait until the court takes action on the dismissal motion already signed by the attorneys for both Ms. Keller and me. These one-sided allegations have been treated as if they are proven facts. They are NOT. I will have a statement soon. In the meantime, I will not be hounded or bullied out of office by my two opponents for King County Executive. They have appointed themselves judge, jury, and executioner. They are not. As attorneys themselves, I find their conduct shameful and an appalling rejection of our core democratic principles—namely, due process. As some voters have noted, this is a brazen attempt to remove voters' choice for King County Executive. I will stand before the voters this August for King County Executive. I will continue to advocate for public safety, tax relief, affordable housing, and the tangible actions I will take to advance the public interest. I will not resign as Assessor, and I am proud to stand on my record. No one–especially not my opponents–has fought harder for meaningful tax relief for the working homeowners, renters, and small businesses of King County. Finally, minutes ago, Council member Claudia Balducci proposed a no-confidence motion to the King County Council, calling for my resignation, using the unsubstantiated allegations in the court documents. This represents a clear and troubling misuse of official authority for political gain, and I have filed a complaint with the King County Office of the Ombudsman. I will have more to say about this matter soon.' This story was originally published on May 29, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then. Contributing: Aaron Granillo, KIRO Newsradio
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Service dog ‘life changing' for Sequim military veteran
This story was originally posted on For some military veterans, the wounds of war are invisible, but ever present. 'I have PTSD,' Mike Abkem told KIRO Newsradio. It's a condition Abkem said he developed during two tours in Iraq. He said he first noticed the symptoms when he became fearful of going into crowds. 'I used to not even go out,' he shared. 'Like if my wife wanted to go shopping, I'd just stay at home, or if (my family) wanted to go to the fair or any type of activity like that, I would just stay at home because of the crowds.' Abkem and his wife have seven children, five of whom still live at home with them in Sequim. He said PTSD not only affected him, but also his entire family. Then, he found Scotty. 'Scotty? He's special,' Abkem said, beaming. Scotty is a pure-bred English lab and service animal he was connected with through K9s for Warriors. 'Our program is provided at no cost to the veterans because we are a nonprofit and because of generous donors we have in our program,' spokeswoman Carly Kramer explained. She said K9s for Warriors is the United States' largest provider of trained service dogs for veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma—in short, the hidden wounds of war. Kramer said the program goes beyond matching a veteran with a dog. 'Every veteran goes through a three-week training program with their service dog that has already been trained for six to eight months, and that three-week training period is for the veteran to really find that irreplaceable bond with a service dog,' she shared. After training, she said, 'We send them home and keep up with their journey. Whether they've been in our program five months ago or five years ago, we're still keeping up with their journeys.' For Abkem, those journeys now include what once seemed impossible. 'Going through crowds and stuff,' he said, noting the fear eases with his service dog beside him. And Abkem said Scotty can sense when he's in trouble. 'If I have an anxiety attack, I could have him lay down on my lap, putting pressure on my legs to relieve some of the anxiety and give me something to concentrate on as he's trying to help me relax my body and center myself on him,' he explained. Abkem said service animals can truly be life-changing for veterans and their families. 'He is my best friend, that's not human,' he shared.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Getting in the water this holiday weekend? Put that life jacket on
This story was originally posted on The holiday weekend is almost here, and it will be warm. Are you heading out on the water? Put on your life jacket! Washington has seen 23 boating deaths in the past two years. Officials said 61% of those involved paddle sports, like kayaking or canoeing. 'Eighty-six percent of those fatalities were not wearing life jackets,' Rob Sendak, the state's boating law administrator, said. Today is the last day ofNational Safe Boating Week. Sendak recommends that anyone who gets in the water wear a life jacket. 'It's our mission to save lives,' Sendak said. U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Tom Bower told KIRO Newsradio that when someone gets in trouble, time is of the essence. 'That's the hardest thing for any—I think any law enforcement agency or search and rescue agency would say the same thing—because of the cold water that we have here,' Bower said. Puget Sound is only in the lower 50s right now. Sendak urges everyone to wear a life jacket, no matter how calm the water looks. Officials said paddlers are especially at risk in spring and early summer.
