Latest news with #MountRainier
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts issue warning as dangerous wasp-like insects spread in US — here's what you need to know
Entomologists have warned that European sawflies — invasive bugs that resemble wasps — are taking over pine trees in Washington's Pierce County, perhaps most well-known as the home of Mount Rainier National Park. The News Tribune reported that the "wasp-like insects" have been observed laying eggs in pine needles and feeding on pine bushes throughout the county. While the bugs are more of a nuisance than a threat to nature, they can leave huge bare patches on trees, which can detract from the area's natural beauty, according to Todd Murray, an entomologist and director of Washington State University's research center. Murray explained that the insects are native to Europe and were identified in Washington state in 2008. Luckily, adult sawflies are weak fliers, so their spread throughout the United States and Canada has been relatively slow as they rely on the movement of infested nursery stock, soil, and other materials, per the Government of Canada. But if you have pine trees in your backyard, the bugs can make them look unsightly as they chow down on the needles. Since the bugs have been spreading in a popular tourist area, it could hurt the county's income from recreation and affect visitors' experience when they visit the park. Although they're not known to cause significant damage to trees in forests, the sawfly may negatively impact ornamental nurseries and Christmas tree farms, as it spreads easily through plants grown in these settings. Additionally, while pine sawfly larvae don't kill the host trees, continuous loss of pine needles can slow their growth, according to the University of Maine. When invasive species, such as pine sawflies, spread in a region, they disrupt the balance of forest ecosystems and consume resources that native plants and animals need to thrive. As the sawflies feed on trees, it leaves them more susceptible to attack from other insects and diseases. In some cases, invasive bugs can have severe economic consequences, such as in Hawaiʻi, where coconut rhinoceros beetles and little fire ants have caused thousands of dollars in damage to palm and banana trees, taro, and other crops. Murray told The News Tribune that the best way to get rid of sawflies if you spot them on plants is to either knock them off or use insecticides, although the former is better for your health and the environment. However, birds eat pine sawflies, so the easiest solution is probably to let nature do its thing, unless you have a large infestation that requires intervention. If you want to do your part in protecting native species and conserving the planet, consider starting a native plant lawn that attracts pollinators and saves money on water and lawn care. Native lawns promote biodiversity and create an environment that supports natural predators of sawflies, thereby helping to manage their populations. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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Travel + Leisure
23-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
One of the Most Scenic Amtrak Routes in the U.S. Is Getting a New Look—What to Know
One of the most beautiful train rides in America is getting a major upgrade. The famed Amtrak Cascades service, which operates throughout the Northwest corridor with stops including Seattle and Vancouver, recently revealed the first look at its brand-new train cars and interiors. From the front of the engine to the last passenger car, everything has been reimagined from the ground up. "With panoramic windows and additional table seating, customers can enjoy some of the best views and connect to some of the most scenic landscapes in the world," the Amtrak Cascades website shares about the coming upgrades. Amtrak announced that the refreshed train will hit the tracks in 2026, though a specific launch date was not disclosed. Amtrak is keeping the existing green and maroon color scheme and images of local landmarks on the train's livery. The train will have special graphics of both Mount Rainier and Mount Hood, both of which the train passes on its journey. Each train car will be completely brand new, including a redesigned café car with a menu featuring local flavors and bites. Amtrak also released dozens of images of the trains under construction in the May 29 update. The nearly finished cars feature a refreshing color scheme, hardwood tables, plush seating, and fresh carpeting. In addition to the new trains being more comfortable, Amtrak says it will also be more fuel efficient, contribute less air pollution, and be extremely environmentally friendly. It is calling the new trains the "next generation of train travel." The route was listed as one of the most scenic train routes in America by Visit USA Parks, due to the variety of landscapes and mountains. 'The whole ride was so beautiful and relaxing,' one traveler shared about their recent journey on the Amtrak Cascades in a social media post. While travelers will have to wait for the new trains until 2026, tickets for existing trains on the Cascade line are still available on Amtrak's website. The train makes 18 stops, with major destinations including Bellingham, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Seattle; and Vancouver, British Columbia.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
KB Home Announces the Grand Opening of Its Newest Community in Desirable Orting, Washington
Bridgewater offers personalized, new homes close to schools, popular parks and recreation, priced from the low $500,000s. ORTING, Wash., June 20, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KB Home (NYSE: KBH), one of the largest and most trusted homebuilders in the U.S., today announced the grand opening of Bridgewater, a new-home community in desirable Orting, Washington, which offers small-town charm, vibrant community events and scenic beauty. The new homes are designed for the way people live today, with popular features like modern kitchens overlooking large great rooms, expansive bedroom suites with walk-in closets, and ample storage space. The community's two-story floor plans feature up to six bedrooms and four baths. Bridgewater is walking distance to schools, parks and the Puyallup River, and homeowners will appreciate the stunning views of Mount Rainier and the Cascade Foothills. What sets KB Home apart is the company's focus on building strong, personal relationships with every customer, so they have a real partner in the homebuying process. Every KB home is uniquely built for each customer, so no two KB homes are the same. Homebuyers have the ability to personalize their new home, from floor plans to exterior styles to where they live in the community. Their home comes to life in the KB Home Design Studio, a one-of-a-kind experience where customers get both expert advice and the opportunity to select from a wide range of design choices that fit their style and their budget. Reflecting the company's commitment to creating an exceptional homebuying experience, KB Home is the #1 customer-ranked national homebuilder based on homebuyer satisfaction surveys from a leading third-party review site. "We are pleased to offer homebuyers in the Seattle-Tacoma area spacious new two-story homes in the charming and scenic town of Orting," said Ryan Kemp, President of KB Home's Seattle division. "Bridgewater is situated on the banks of the Puyallup River, which features opportunities for bird-watching, fishing, kayaking, tubing and rafting. Homeowners will appreciate the stunning views of Mount Rainier and the Cascade foothills as well as the proximity to schools and family friendly parks, including Calistoga and Whitehawk Parks. At KB Home, we're here to help you achieve your dream with a personalized new home built uniquely for you and your life." Innovative design plays an essential role in every home KB builds. The company's floor plans inspire contemporary living, with a focus on roomy, light-filled spaces that have easy indoor/outdoor flow. KB homes are engineered to be highly energy and water efficient and include features that support healthier indoor environments. They are also designed to be ENERGY STAR® certified — a standard that fewer than 12% of new homes nationwide meet — offering greater comfort, well-being and utility cost savings than new homes without certification. Bridgewater is in a ideal location that offers homebuyers an exceptional lifestyle. The community is situated at the corner of Calistoga Way West and Chief Emmons Lane Northwest, providing easy access to Highways 167, 410 and 512, Interstate 5, downtown Tacoma, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the area's major employment centers. Bridgewater is close to shopping and dining at Orting's Pioneer Village Shopping Center. The new neighborhood is also near Foothills Trail, which offers walking, biking, running and horseback riding, and a short drive to Crystal Mountain Resort, White Pass and Mount Rainier National Park, which features hiking, biking, skiing and snowboarding. The Bridgewater sales office and model home are open for walk-in visits and private in-person tours by appointment. Homebuyers also have the flexibility to arrange a live video tour with a sales counselor. Pricing begins from the low $500,000s. For more information on KB Home, call 888-KB-HOMES or visit About KB Home KB Home is one of the largest and most trusted homebuilders in the United States. We operate in 49 markets, have built nearly 700,000 quality homes in our more than 65-year history, and are honored to be the #1 customer-ranked national homebuilder based on third-party buyer surveys. What sets KB Home apart is building strong, personal relationships with every customer and creating an exceptional experience that offers our homebuyers the ability to personalize their home based on what they value at a price they can afford. As the industry leader in sustainability, KB Home has achieved one of the highest residential energy-efficiency ratings and delivered more ENERGY STAR® certified homes than any other builder, helping to lower the total cost of homeownership. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Craig LeMessurier, KB Home925-580-1583clemessurier@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Restoring access to this part of Mount Rainier could cost up to $785 million
It has been over a month since the Washington State Department of Transportation permanently closed the state Route 165 Carbon River Fairfax Bridge — and now it wants to hear the public's thoughts on how to move forward. The 103-year-old, single-lane bridge was the only way for the public to access key areas of Mount Rainier National Park, such as Tolmie Peak, Mowich Lake and Spray Park, from state Route 165. WSDOT closed the bridge on April 22 due to safety risks. In an online open house for the public, WSDOT has identified seven potential projects. Each project has different cost estimates and time frames. The options are to: Maintain the permanent bridge closure. Replace the bridge at its current location. Replace the bridge north of its current location. Replace the bridge south of its current location. Realign state Route 165 and place a new bridge near Carbonado. Realign state Route 165 to connect with state Route 162 near Crocker. Realign state Route 165 east of Wilkeson and Carbonado. WSDOT does not currently have funding for any of the options; all of the agency's estimated time frames would start from whenever officials are able to identify funding. The first option would simply remove the existing bridge and not build a new one, according to the open house. 'The existing bridge would remain closed to all users with a dead end in Carbonado,' WSDOT wrote. 'With this no-build option, the bridge would be removed. This work would take about three years to complete once funding is received.' It would cost between $35 million and $50 million to remove the current bridge, WSDOT estimates. The second option would remove the existing bridge and build a new one in its place. WSDOT estimates that it would take six years to remove the current bridge and do design, permitting and construction for a new one. This would cost between $80 million and $130 million. WSDOT's third option would build a new 650-foot bridge north of its current location and realign half a mile of state Route 165. 'This alternative would take about six years from receiving funding and would include removal of the bridge, design, right-of-way, permitting, and construction,' WSDOT wrote. The cost would be between $60 million and $100 million. WSDOT's fourth option would build a new 650-foot bridge south of its current location and 'would require a minor realignment' of state Route 165. This project would take six years and cost between $60 million and $100 million. The fifth option would reroute state Route 165 to the south of Carbonado, starting by Wilkeson-Carbonado Road. 'A new bridge would be built spanning the Carbon River south of Carbonado,' WSDOT wrote. 'West of the Carbon River, the new alignment would follow Lilly Creek and reconnect to the existing SR 165 alignment near Lilly Creek Road East.' This option would take about five years and cost between $465 million and $785 million. WSDOT's sixth option would realign state Route 165 and connect it to state Route 162 near Crocker. This option would not require building a new bridge over the Carbon River. 'The new alignment would follow Lilly Creek and connect to the existing SR 165 alignment near Lilly Creek Road East,' WSDOT wrote. This would take about seven years and cost between $440 million and $735 million. The seventh and final alternative would realign state Route 165 east of Wilkeson and Carbonado. 'It would reconnect to the existing SR 165 south of the current Fairfax Bridge,' WSDOT wrote. 'It would upgrade 12 miles of road to highway standards and include a new or upgraded Kolisch Road bridge over the Carbon River.' Two new bridges would be required on Kolisch Road and Wilkeson Creek, WSDOT said. This would take about six years and cost between $375 million and $610 million. WSDOT is running its online open house until June 17. Residents can submit their feedback online until then at There is also an in-person open house on June 11 at Wilkeson Elementary School from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 'These are drop-in style events; you are welcome to come and go at your convenience,' WSDOT wrote. 'The content of the in-person open houses will be the same as this online format, but you will also be able to speak with the project team and ask questions.' The open house is part of WSDOT's $1.5 million planning study about the future of the bridge.


Geek Wire
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Wire
With a great view of Mount Rainier and Sea-Tac Airport, a YouTuber's new livestream takes off
Geek Life: Fun stories, memes, humor and other random items at the intersection of tech, science, business and culture. SEE MORE An airplane takes off from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday morning, with Mount Rainier as a backdrop, in a screenshot from the YouTube livestream 'Rainier Aviation.' (Photo via YouTube / Rainier Aviation) Mitch Sutton has always been into airplanes, but things really took off five years ago when he bought a house in Burien, Wash., with a great view of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Mount Rainier. The house to the northwest of the airport runway provides a unique vantage point, where Sutton can see planes taxiing as well as taking off and landing all day and night. 'I love airplanes, but it's different when you live under them,' Sutton said, recounting his reservations about buying the house. 'But the airport with the mountain behind it? I was just like, 'I can't pass up this view.'' Mitch Sutton, with Sea-Tac Airport and Mount Rainer over the shoulder, from his home in Burien, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Mitch Sutton) A month into the East Coast native's move, he didn't even hear the planes anymore. And now he's so soothed by flyovers that he leaves a bedroom sliding glass door open so he can hear them at night. To bring that joy to others in some form, Sutton is running a new project called Rainier Aviation which includes a 24/7 YouTube livestream so that other aviation geeks and plane spotters can marvel at aircraft and the mountain that provides Sea-Tac's quintessential Northwest backdrop. He pairs the video with real-time flight traffic control audio. 'Being an enthusiast, I do look for plane-spotting channels, and Sea-Tac just didn't have one,' Sutton said. 'It's something I see every day and appreciate every day, so I just felt like it was time to share that view with everybody else.' Sutton runs the livestream from equipment mounted on a 10-foot rooftop mast that's stabilized with guy wires. He uses two pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras with 600mm zoom, complete with night vision. He's also a budding aviation still photographer, using a Sony DC-10 Mark IV for close-ups of planes taking off against Rainier, which he shares on his website and Instagram. In just a few weeks, Sutton's YouTube channel has attracted a little over 900 subscribers and 23,000 watch hours. The livestream audience peaked on one recent Saturday with about 1,300 people watching at one time. It has attracted some diehards to a live chat where they comment on types of planes, where they're headed, the view of the mountain and the weather. Sutton said people treat him like a forecaster, asking him when the sun is coming out. One of Mitch Sutton's livestream cameras tethered to roof of his house with Sea-Tac Airport in the distance. (Rainier Aviation Instagram) 'I'm learning a lot about lineups and the different runways, which I didn't know before I started the stream,' he said. 'Obviously, I see it every day, but I didn't know, 16 left, 16 right, 16 center. And if they're coming in from the south, it's 34.' Sutton has a day job as a human resources manager for a non-profit. Launching his livestream has been a heavy lift — waking up at 3:30 in the morning to work on equipment set-up and learn how everything works. He said it's been a ton of research. The payoff could be worth it. Other plane-spotting channels on YouTube have attracted sizable audiences, including Airline Videos, a channel that has more than 800,000 subscribers and includes a livestream from LAX. Creator Kevin Ray — and the worldwide fascination around such content — are the subject of a profile this week in The Hollywood Reporter. A 2024 list in Frommers rounded up 15 of the best airplane livestreams. Isaac Alexander, a chief content officer at Hype Aviation and editor of Jet City Star, said it's amazing to see the growth of plane-spotting channels, and that they're a great way to turn non-aviation people into enthusiasts. Along with passenger planes, people can watch cargo jets come and go and get a sense for how much commerce is operating out of the region. Alexander said there is a decent-sized plane-spotting community in the Seattle area, and multiple Facebook groups devoted to the hobby, with hundreds of members each. 'A great feature with this new livestream is that it's angled to have Mount Rainier center screen,' Alexander said. 'Not many airports globally have a mountain/volcano nearby. Something peaceful about seeing airplanes flying with a large mountain in the background.' Sutton didn't grow up in Seattle, but like a lot of transplants he fell in love with the beauty of the place, and the proximity of Mount Rainier. And he appreciates the 'Jet City' history with Boeing, the Museum of Flight and more. 'I don't think any of us see Rainier and aren't just inspired every time we see it, and feel incredibly lucky to have something like that,' he said. 'And I think it's cool that Seattle really is an aviation city. It's a great place to have a livestream that really represents that.'