Latest news with #MyNorthwest.com
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
18-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Underground bunker that housed ballistic missile for sale in Washington
This story was originally published on A unique property is for sale in rural Lincoln County, Washington. Doomsday lovers, or those who want an underground vibe, can now purchase a Cold War missile silo, The Seattle Times reported Tuesday. The 12,946 square foot Atlas E missile silo is listed on Zillow for $1,450,000. The property was built in 1950 and encompasses a 24.15-acre lot. It has an 820 square foot living area, connected to a 3,794 square foot metal garage above ground and a 1,906 square foot living area below, Zillow stated. The bunker was part of the 567th Strategic Missile Squadron, attached to a missile base in Spokane and held an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to The Seattle Times. It can withstand a 1-megaton airburst from 1.6 miles away, the media outlet stated. The owner, David McIntyre, lived in the home for 30 years before it was put up for sale by his daughter, The Seattle Times noted. Also in Washington, a fallout shelter sits beneath I-5 in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood. The shelter dates back to 1963 and was built during the construction of I-5 in the area beneath the southbound lanes of the freeway where it crosses Weedin Place, just east of Green Lake and just north of the University District, around 68th Street in North Seattle. The shelter interior isn't open to the public, but the entrance courtyard and the landscaped area around the shelter are easily accessible to casual visitors and Cold War history buffs. According to The Seattle Times, it is the nation's first shelter to be built into a freeway. Contributing: Feliks Banel Follow Julia Dallas on X. Read her stories here. Submit news tips here.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Multiple protests planned for Saturday in Seattle, one during UW graduation
This story was originally published on Seattle is preparing for two protests this weekend, including one during the University of Washington's (UW) graduation. Two 'No Kings' rallies are planned for Saturday, one at Cal Anderson Park and the other at UW. They are meant to run opposite to President Donald Trump's military parade in Washington, D.C., according to Axios Seattle. 'NO KINGS is a national day of action and mass mobilization in response to increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies,' event coordinators stated. In addition to the demonstrations' goal to end U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids ordered by the Trump administration, in solidarity with the movements in Los Angeles, the protests will also focus on what they claim is rising authoritarianism under the Trump administration. The protest at UW will also rally over the college's specific ties to Boeing and its response to a pro-Palestine campus protest. The Cal Anderson protest is supported in part by Seattle Indivisible, a grassroots and all-volunteer organization working to create and secure progressive policies. 'In his ruthless pursuit of power, Donald Trump has launched an assault on the American people—destroying livelihoods, dismantling democratic institutions, terrorizing communities, and defying the rule of law,' Seattle Indivisble said in a statement ahead of Saturday's rally. 'He has weaponized our government to silence dissent, seeking to dominate Congress, the press, universities, states, cities, and anyone who refuses to submit to his authoritarian agenda. Now, he has ordered the military to crush protesters in Los Angeles and threatens Seattle—and any community that defies him—will be next.' Katie Garrow, the head of MLK Labor, Noah Purcell, Washington Solicitor General, Palmira Figueroa, a long-time immigrant rights advocate, and U.S. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal are expected to speak at Cal Anderson Park. Participants in the Capitol Hill protest are expected to march to the Seattle Center or the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building in downtown Seattle, while the UW protest is expected to gather in the campus' Red Square, outside Suzzallo Library. According to UW Police, the UW protest could march downtown, potentially meeting and joining the other protest starting in Cal Anderson Park. Both protests are scheduled to start at 12 p.m., and could last anywhere between 3 and 6 p.m. UW's commencement ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., with doors opening at 12 p.m. Law enforcement around Seattle has been preparing for the rallies, especially in light of recent events. Similar protests are scheduled all across the state, including Everett, Tacoma, Olympia, Vancouver, and Spokane. A map tracking all the No Kings protests across the nation can be seen here. There are as many as 50-something protests set to occur in the Puget Sound region from Olympia to Bellingham. Wednesday night, eight protesters were arrested by the Seattle Police Department during an event outside the federal building. The building was tagged with 'Abolish ICE,' and a dumpster fire broke out. Thousands gathered downtown, demanding an end to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids ordered by the Trump administration. Two Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers were injured during the clash with protesters. Last month, at least eight people were arrested at what police called a 'First Amendment event' outside Seattle City Hall. Chaos steadily escalated as opposing protest groups clashed at the scene. The event was spurred after a Christian group's rally at Cal Anderson Park earlier that week turned violent.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WA car theft stats reveal a clear favorite among thieves
This story was originally published on A study from FinanceBuzz found which car models are the most susceptible to being stolen in each state. The most stolen car model in the U.S. last year was the Hyundai Elantra, which had 31,712 reported thefts, according to FinanceBuzz. A trend on TikTok in 2022 challenged thieves to steal a variety of Kia and Hyundai models made between 2010 and 2021. The trend, derived from the hashtag 'Kia Boyz,' involved thieves using a USB cord to hot-wire vehicles. 'With more than 31,000 stolen in the U.S. in 2024, the Hyundai Elantra was the most stolen model in the U.S. last year, and the No. 1 car stolen in 21 states,' FinanceBuzz stated. More than 850,000 cars were stolen in 2024, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which translates to one car being stolen every 37 seconds in the U.S. The most stolen car model in Washington for 2024 was the Hyundai Elantra, with 1,379 vehicles reported. Oregon reportedly had 435 Honda Civics stolen, making it their most common vehicle stolen in 2024, while Idaho had a measly 37 Ford F-150s stolen, making it their most common stolen car model. The states with the highest number of stolen cars per model in 2024 were Texas, California, and Maryland. Texas had 6,453 Chevrolet Silverados stolen; similarly, California's No.1 vehicle model stolen was the Chevrolet Silverado, with 6,248 stolen vehicles. Maryland had 1,966 Hyundai Elantras stolen in 2024. Hyundai landed in the top three nationally again with 26,720 thefts of their Sonata model in 2024. The Chevrolet Silverado 150 was the third-most stolen car model in the U.S., with 21,666. Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Providence Swedish lays off more than 100 nursing assistants at Everett hospital
This story was originally published on Providence Swedish laid off more than 100 nursing assistants in Everett as part of a significant restructuring of the company. Providence Swedish cited rising costs, insurance delays, inflation in the medical and pharmaceutical world, and looming federal government funding cuts to Medicaid and Medicare as reasons for the decision. In total, 600 full-time jobs are being eliminated across seven states Providence Swedish operates in. The layoffs will go into effect July 11. The Everett hospital laid off 73 full-time and part-time nursing assistants and 35 per diem assistants, totaling 24% of nursing assistant staff, according to The Everett Herald. Seven nurses took a voluntary separation package offered by the hospital. Follow Frank Sumrall on X. Send news tips here.
