Keep these tips in mind to stay safe when driving.

Seattle alarm companies were given just two weeks' notice that, starting October 1, the police department will no longer respond to unverified intrusion alarms.

Olympia, WA — The owner of a Seattle construction company is facing a second-degree manslaughter charge stemming from a 2016 employee death, marking the first time a workplace fatality in Washington state has prompted a felony charge, according to the Washington Department of Labor & Industries.

The alternative to Portland cement produces almost no carbon dioxide in its manufacturing and absorbs CO₂ from the air over time.

Children's Geographies; 04/01/2022
(AN 155952639); ISSN: 14733285
Academic Search Premier

Publication date: January 2025 Source: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Volume 119 Author(s): W.C. Su, S. Srinivasan, A.N. Bhat Read the full article ›

The post Effects of creative movement, general movement, or seated play interventions on motor performance in children with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot randomized controlled trial was curated by information for practice.

by Anonymous

Just checking in here, currently riding home from work via TriMet. I'm bored so I thought I'd write an IA post. On the seat next to me lay an empty soda can, an opened Lunchables package and last, but not least, a banana peel. Something tells me it wasn't a fifth grader who went rogue and left this here after finishing their lunch. I'm not triggered (at least not as much as I used to be.) Although I do like TriMet overall, this is common place on our public transportation system. And it's pretty sad quite frankly.

by Suzette Smith

The Mercury provides its readers with interesting and useful news & culture reporting every single day. If you appreciate that, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. If you read something you like, something you don't like but are glad to know about, and/or something you can't find anywhere else consider a one-time tip. It all goes in the same pot and it all goes to the editorial team. Thanks for your support!

Good Morning, Portland! We're still "turning and turning in the widening gyre" over here, and we may be for quite some time.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Last night's round of election results arrived without any notable changes in the Portland City Council races. News editor Courtney Vaughn writes: "With Keith Wilson securing the mayor’s seat the day prior, results in City Council districts largely held firm."

• While the national election results have been [understatement incoming] pretty distressing, local races are lined with silver. The Columbian reports Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez has maintained her lead over far-right, perennial challenger Joe Kent. The Oregonian has a good breakdown of the race and history of Gluesenkamp Perez's hard-fought win.

• PCC Automotive Service Technology Program instructor Jay Kuykendall has been named this year's Educator of the Year by the North American Council of Automotive Teachers, Portland Tribune reports. "Kuykendall oversees the auto shop lab and teaches engine performance classes, along with elective courses like Subaru U, electrified vehicles and light-duty diesel."

• Beloved local coffee chain Jim and Patty's Coffee announced earlier this week that it will close its remaining two locations, in Beaverton and in Portland, on November 11. "Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your support..." owner Patty Roberts wrote. "Now I will need to find a job. If anyone has any ideas for an old lady who has been off the job market for over 40 years, let me know!" ???? For more backstory, check out this Mercury piece about the struggling coffee shops from October.

• There was once a time in Portland when one could easily—well, depending on connection issues—rent a cheery little blue and white hybrid car to drive. The little smart cars were great for unforgiving rain showers and surprisingly solid in the snow. Car2Go merged with Reachnow in 2018, then tanked in 2019. In 2021, Free2Move announced it would drop a "fleet of 200 Jeep Renegades" for Portland consumers to rent, but the cumbersome cars departed once more in 2023. This week MSN reposted that story from 2023, so some people have been letting us know about it. Sorry about MSN, and this all happened last year. Still fun to revisit this tweet:

so let me get this straight

car2go joins sharenow, while reachnow becomes reachnow pic.twitter.com/gJi7R6YZ8e

— Cabel Sasser (@cabel) March 4, 2019

• Politicians are politicians, but I find Sen. Jeff Merkley's vibe calming:

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Senator Jeff Merkley (@senjeffmerkley)

• Every week, the Mercury gives out free tickets to local shows and this week we've got sweet tix for Reverend Horton Heat, Des Demonas, Karina Rykman and moooore—check'm out and win with our Free Ticket Thursday giveaway!

IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
• I can't immediately find who said this, but I think it's a valid concern: As we watch the transition back to a Trump administration presidency, the cabinet appointments are probably going to feel like being repeatedly punched in the face. President-elect Donald Trump named Florida strategist Susie Wiles as his White House chief of staff on Thursday. Wiles has run his political operation for nearly four years, making her one of the few people to survive at his side for any length of time. What's Wiles deal? Nepo baby. Ronald Reagan campaign staffer. Wiles has been credited with putting Rick Scott in Florida's governor’s office. Associated Press has a nice, long profile on her this morning. Is she going to tear the tampon machine out of the White House bathroom again? We're watching.

• A Biden administration initiative known as “Keeping Families Together” was struck down by a Texas-based US District judge yesterday; Judge J. Campbell Barker argued that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority with its attempt to lessen barriers to citizenship for undocumented immigrants married to US citizens.

• Soccer fans did violence again, but this time it might be motivated by cultural and political friction. NPR reports that "leading political figures in the Netherlands have condemned the violence that followed a match between a Dutch team Ajax and Tel Aviv's Maccabi. According to NPR, "Dutch police said 62 people have been arrested following several clashes." Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema described local men seeking out Israeli fans on scooters. Dutch police chief Peter Holla said fans of Tel Aviv Maccabi had "set a Palestinian flag on fire in the city and attacked a taxi." Dutch authorities have banned demonstrations through the weekend.

• Happy Martian New Year... soon! In Scientific American Phil Plait writes: "Why would anyone pick November 12 as New Year’s Day for Mars? And why does our official reckoning of Martian time set the eons-old Red Planet only in its 38th year? The answer involves a combination of natural cycles and the human need to impose order via somewhat arbitrary timekeeping—pretty much like on Earth."

• And now we part—wishing a fine weekend to my naysayers and hatchet men in the fight against violence.

Portland will have the most racially diverse City Council the city has ever seen, with a progressive majority. by Courtney Vaughn

A fourth round of preliminary election results was released Friday, showing little to no changes in presumptive winners. That means Portlanders now have a clear idea of what the city's future leadership will be, come January.

Portland City Council is likely to have a progressive majority and for the first time, and a roughly 40 percent BIPOC Council.

Portland Mayor-elect Keith Wilson is slated to receive onboarding and training at City Hall starting next month, before the new City Council and mayor are sworn in in January.

City Council races

In District 1, Candace Avalos, who previously ran for a seat on Portland City Council and served on Portland's Charter Commission, is leading handily and is a presumptive winner. She will most likely serve alongside former Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith and Jamie Dunphy, whose career has been spent helping to shape public policy while formerly working for US Sen. Jeff Merkley and the late Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish. Dunphy has recently led the charge to stop a Live Nation music venue from being developed in Southeast Portland. While Dunphy is leading for third place, he currently sits at just 23 percent, which is less than the 25 percent threshold for election. County officials say that can happen when ballots become "exhausted." Dunphy will likely still win election.

In District 2, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Sameer Kanal, and current City Commissioner Dan Ryan are all but guaranteed Council seats. The latest results show Ryan and Pirtle-Guiney were neck-and-neck in first-round counts, with just 73 votes separating the two. Pirtle-Guiney is a labor organizer and member of former Gov. Kate Brown's executive team. She also led the charge for Oregon Measure 114, which sought to limit gun magazine capacity and add a required permit for gun ownership. The measure passed but is currently held up in a court battle. Kanal served as the project manager for Portland's Police Accountability Commission and also serves on the city's Parks & Recreation Board.

District 3 saw Steve Novick, a former city commissioner, pull off a first-round win, guaranteeing his return to City Hall. He will be joined by elementary school teacher Tiffany Koyama Lane and nonprofit policy advocate Angelita Morillo, who were nearly tied with 19 percent of the overall vote in round one counts. Both Koyama Lane and Morillo ran on a progressive agenda, with Koyama Lane picking up an endorsement from Portland's Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Candidates in District 3 will be up for election again in two years.

In District 4, Olivia Clark, a communications professional who previously worked in Gov. John Kitzhaber's office, secured a first-round win Thursday. She'll be one of three city councilors representing the district that includes Southwest Portland, including downtown, and small portions of Southeast Portland like Sellwood. Along with Clark, energy economist Mitch Green is a presumptive winner. Green emerged as easily the most progressive front-runner candidate in District 4, securing an endorsement from the Portland DSA. The third-place winner is appears to be political insider Eric Zimmerman, though first-round results show him with less than a percentage point lead over Eli Arnold and the race is still close.  Both candidates secured 11 percent of the overall vote in round one counts. Zimmerman previously worked in Mayor Ted Wheeler's office and currently works for Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim Edwards. Arnold is a Portland police officer. District 4 seats will be up for election again in two years.

Congressional race

In a closely watched federal race for Oregon's 5th Congressional District, Democrat Janelle Bynum secured a win over Republican incumbent Lori Chavez DeRemer, flipping the US House seat from red to blue. Other winners include incumbent Suzanne Bonamici in the 1st District and Maxine Dexter in the 3rd Congressional District.

By Friday, the vast majority of ballots were received and counted, though the Multnomah County Elections Office says it still has about 45,000 ballots to count. Overall voter turnout in Multnomah County is now hovering around 71 percent.

Results won’t be finalized until Dec. 2.

As of October 1, 2012, Catawba County EMS has been named a Permanent Car Seat Checking Station by Buckle Up NC. Car seat checks will be conducted Monday thru Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., by appointment, at the Newton EMS base, located at 1101 South Brady Ave, Newton, NC 28658.

Imagine if just by sitting on the toilet, you could collect actionable information about your health. Although health and fitness wearables can help do that job, people tend to lose interest after a few months. Fitbits are forgotten at home or put in a drawer when the battery dies. Even stepping on a scale or using a Bluetooth blood pressure monitor can be difficult tasks to remember, if they’re not part of your routine. This can be especially true for seniors, who are generally less likely to use wearable gadgets.

For people who use wheelchairs, air travel comes with many hardships. A new report assesses the feasibility of securing travelers’ personal motorized wheelchairs in the cabin of an airplane as well as the safety and other considerations that must be analyzed.

"In 1970, my dad and uncle opened our first restaurant," says Daniel Schwartz, president, Schwartz Brothers Bakery, Renton, WA. "Three years later, they opened a concept called The Sandwich Shop and Pie Place. They were looking to source the very best pies to serve at their restaurant, and they couldn’t find any that they liked."

With new programming, more exhibitors, and expanded special events, this year's Expo is charting a new course for the fishing and workboat industry

Release of Washington State Maritime Economic Impact Study, an in-depth education program including sessions on impact of off-shore wind development and climate change, more than 5,000 maritime professionals, a packed trade show floor highlight PME

Bring a smile to those who need it most this Holiday season! Donate a new toy, gift card, or gently used coat and Enter to Win (2) Glass Seats to an upcoming Seattle Kraken game.

An affordable, sustainable, stackable chair that can hold your plate, drink, and phone.

Pacific Marine Expo, the West Coast's largest commercial fishing and marine industry trade show, returns to Seattle Dec. 1 - 3. The Expo serves commercial vessel owners and operators, commercial fishermen, boat builders and seafood processors.

Pacific Marine Expo, the largest commercial marine trade show on the West Coast serving commercial mariners from Alaska to California, returns with in-person show in Seattle Nov. 18-20.

Seattle, WA – Keep Medical Charts and Paper Records Safe from Fire, Theft or Loss with Full Scanning and Digitization Solutions

Fast Guard Service is now providing quality security guard services in Seattle, WA

Outstanding Craftsmanship, Service, and Dedication Shine Through

The Better World Regulatory Coalition Inc. ("BWRCI"), a newly formed international self-regulatory organization (SRO), is pleased to announce the publication of a groundbreaking PCT patent pending and the seating of its founding Board of Advisors.

Offering Comprehensive Sewer Services with a Commitment to Customer Satisfaction

Dorel Juvenile is the world's leading juvenile products company. When they wanted to develop a new infant car seat, they turned to Pennsylvania-based ID firm DesignThink.

DesignThink as the Innovation Incubator for the Ultra Lightweight Maxi Cosi Coral XP

A Cold January Day in 2017

The team at DesignThink was asked to visit Dorel Juvenile Group USA to review a "Special Project". The development team at Dorel JG wasted no time introducing us to their latest infant car seat (ICS) project. They were experimenting with the idea of developing a seat that would reduce the struggles parents faced when trying to transition their baby from the car and carry their baby in the removable seat portion of the ICS. The team at DesignThink has designed several car seats over the years and we instantly recognized the unique opportunity, as well as the challenge that this project offered, and were eager and excited to get started.

Our Role as the Innovation Incubator

We partnered with Dorel to act as the innovation incubator to lead the project team through the fuzzy front-end and define the product's overall features and characteristics of use. Upon successful concept definition, the project would be positioned under the Maxi Cosi brand and ultimately transferred to the Maxi Cosi team in Europe and a European design group to carry the innovation to production.

The Problem at Hand

By removing the seat from the base that is installed in the car, parents can take the baby with them while running errands or visiting people and places. However, a problem associated with this system is that some removable seats can weigh up to 16 lbs. and the baby can weigh up to 35 lbs. for a combined arm-crushing weight of 50+lbs.!!

We established two primary goals: 1) reduce the overall weight of the seat to lighten the load, while maintaining structural integrity as to achieve a top crash test rating, and 2) develop new methods that enable parents to more easily lift the seat when moving in and out of the vehicle and when transporting the child in the seat.

Our Approach (Decades of Experience and User Understanding Put to Test)

DesignThink is one of the leading firms in car seat development having brought several seats to the market and has a long history of creating break-through innovation, but this project pushed our team in new ways. The structure for the project utilized DesignThink's simplified "DEEP" process;

Define that for which we will solve

Express possible solutions as quick thumbnail stories

Explain the "what – why – wow" related to user needs

Prototype to demonstrate the merits of the idea

How the Project Unfolded

A series of innovation workshops were hosted at our studio to enable the team to think and problem solve with product at hand. The objective was to think in the "ideal" (do not worry about cost and construction initially) and to "fail fast" (explore, evaluate, and evolve). The following provided the high-level framework for how the team identified and pursued their ideas.

Established Design Targets

Led by our usability team, along with team members from Dorel, we hosted a several day innovation workshop at our studio. We began with a collaborative defining of the design targets based on use, expectations, pain points, and opportunities, which we affinitized and moved directly into physical prototyping to address and evaluate how well the concepts improved the user experience during day-to-day interactions.

DEEP: Innovation Workshops to prototype your idea. You are encouraged to be chaotic and messy! Fail fast! Dorel made sure plenty of product was on hand to fuel the innovation.

Inutitive Carry

Enhanced Confidence

Improved Transitions

Development of Design Targets

Role-Play is the Best Way

To truly understand and empathize with users, we role-played, exploring typical use-case scenarios to inform our ideation. Placing ourselves in the same situations helps us quickly evaluate and improve our concepts.

Handle-Carry:

Evolution for improved ease when attaching the seat to the base and removing the child from the vehicle

Cradle-Carry:

Exploration to improve how parents can bond with the baby in a more natural holding position

Cross-Body Strap:

Exploration to provide alternate ways to carry the baby while reducing the effects of weight and fatigue on the parent

Iterative User Evaluation Cycle

Our early thoughts and ideas were evaluated by the team and with parents in our research lab. These ideas were then refined to strengthen the evolving direction. The learnings obtained through this method enabled the team to focus on the most meaningful directions and build their value. Listening, understanding, and empathizing allowed our team to develop new ideas in this category that were previously unexplored.

DesignThink presents the refined design direction.

A series of prototypes and user evaluations enabled us to reach a stage of concept definition for an ultra lightweight car seat that provides parents with improved ways to carry, hold, and secure their baby.

Our Results

User-Centered Insights lead to Market Defining Solutions

Having developed many juvenile products such as car seats, strollers, and highchairs, DesignThink understands the day-to-day challenges parents face, both physically and emotionally. We embarked on this project with Dorel to define a new car seat with features that take into account those challenges and offer relevant and meaningful solutions. Exploring innovation that is rooted in user insights enabled our team to quickly define those solutions and overcome technical hurdles to deliver new experiences to address real problems faced by parents when using an ICS.

Defining the Direction

As mentioned, DesignThink was hired as the innovation incubator in the fuzzy front-end to develop and define a new architecture for this seat. Our work was documented and handed off to the Maxi-Cosi team in Europe. The output of our innovation incubation became the driving framework used by the teams in Europe to create a truly meaningful and relevant solution for parents in this category.

The DesignThink team is very proud to have been selected by Dorel to play such an important "behind the scenes" role in setting the direction for, and contributing to the success of, the Maxi Cosi Coral XP.

It takes a Village to Design a Car Seat

Snapshot of the iterative concept development that led to the final product

You can see more of DesignThink's work here.

Aerial antics, magic tricks, and unwelcome rescue missions. In this hour, stories of momentous decisions, massive undertakings, and opportunities with no second chances. This episode is hosted by Catherine Burns. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media.

Storytellers:

In an attempt to be Maverick (from Top Gun), Will Mackin goes to Navy Flight School.

Siegfried Tieber gets hooked on magic.

Samantha Mathis goes on a mission to bring her father home.

The Daikin Seattle Experience Center is equipped with cutting-edge technology and interactive exhibits that provide a hands-on learning experience for all ages, the company said in a press release.

The Fieldpiece booth commanded a lot of attention on the show floor at this year’s AHR Expo in Atlanta. Those who didn’t have time to wait in line to find out why may be wondering, “What was all the rage about?”

Fundamental Overview

The puzzling weakness in the US Dollar following Trump’s victory looks more and more like it was just a “sell the fact” reaction. The greenback is now back in the driving seat, and we might also be seeing some pre-positioning into a potentially hot US CPI report tomorrow.

At the latest Fed’s decision, Fed Chair Powell said that they expect bumps on inflation and that one or two bad data months on inflation won’t change the process. This keeps the 25 bps cut in December in place even if we get higher inflation readings.

The market though is forward-looking, and the rise in Treasury yields showed that the market sees risks to the inflation outlook. Moreover, the red sweep could increase those fears if the progress on inflation stalls, or worse, reverses.

USDJPY Technical Analysis – Daily Timeframe

On the daily chart, we can see that USDJPY continues to consolidate above the key 152.00 support zone maintaining a bullish bias. If we were to get another pullback into the support, we can expect the buyers to step in once again to position for a rally into the 160.00 handle. The sellers, on the other hand, will want to see the price breaking lower to pile in for a drop into the 148.00 handle next.

USDJPY Technical Analysis – 4 hour Timeframe

On the 4 hour chart, we can see that we have a minor upward trendline defining the current bullish momentum. The price recently bounced near the trendline and we can expect the buyers to keep leaning on it, while the sellers will look for a break lower to gain more conviction for a bigger correction to the downside.

USDJPY Technical Analysis – 1 hour Timeframe

On the 1 hour chart, we can see that we have a minor support zone around the 153.40 level. This is where the buyers are stepping in with a defined risk below the zone to position for the continuation of the uptrend. The sellers, on the other hand, will want to see the price breaking lower to target a pullback into the trendline. The red lines define the average daily range for today.

Upcoming Catalysts

This week is a bit empty on the data front with the most important releases scheduled for the latter part of the week. Tomorrow, we have the US CPI report. On Thursday, we get the latest US Jobless Claims figures. On Friday, we conclude the week with the US Retail Sales data.

See the video below

This article was written by Giuseppe Dellamotta at www.forexlive.com.

Border 2 Border National Seat Belt Initiative on May 20 Joint Effort Targets Unbuckled Motorists in Maryland, Delaware Buckle Up, Every Seat, Every Time FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT:  Cynthia Cavett, Delaware Office of Highway Safety (302) 744-2743 DOVER, DE (May 15, 2019) – The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (DOHS) and the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle […]

Where do the world’s big cruise lines, a major cog in South Florida’s tourism industry, go from here? Answers emerged quickly at the annual four-day Seatrade Cruise Global conference at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Broward County Convention Center

Seattle-based real estate AI tech firm, Quantarium, is challenging the standard two-month lag used by the Case-Shiller Index to determine changes in home prices with its TerraIndex HPI; the company says its index provides real-time estimates made available on the second Wednesday of the following month.

Sensors act as a middle ground between the physical and digital. They measure all sorts of variables from touch, temperature, and heart rate across many different sectors, which IDTechEx’s report “Printed and Flexible Sensors 2024-2034: Technologies, Players, Markets” explores in detail.

Australian Federal Parliament calls through its Seat on the United Nations Security Council and the International Community to take Appropriate Steps to Protect the Rights of the Rights of the Assyrian Christian People of Iraq

A retired Capitol Hill police officer announced his bid for Congress on Friday, citing the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the need to stop "MAGA extremists."

Short Run Comix Festival, Diwali: Lights of India, and More Cheap & Easy Events Under $15 by EverOut Staff

We hope you're not too tired from Halloween partying because there's plenty of fun events to hit up this weekend, from Short Run Comix Festival to Diwali: Lights of India and from the Polish Fall Bazaar to Seattle Art Museum's Día de los Muertos Community Celebration. For more ideas, check out our guide to the top events of the week. P.S. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday—don't forget to set your clocks back!

FRIDAY COMMUNITY

Día de los Muertos Community Celebration
Each year, in honor of Día de los Muertos, printmaker and artist Fulgencio Lazo creates a tapete. (Spanish for "rug," tapetes are large-scale sand paintings created on the ground). Inspired by ancestral Oaxacan traditions, the tapete has become an annual tradition at the Seattle Art Museum in observance of the role death plays in the life cycle. This year's Día de los Muertos celebration will also include a musical performance by La Banda Gozona, dances performed by energetic Oaxacan troupe Grupo Cultural Oaxaqueño, and art-making activities with printmakers Edith Chávez and Ivan Bautista. LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Seattle Art Museum, Downtown, free)

Our news quiz is back and ready to roll, just in time for... well, a week that feels like it might be kind of important! by Sally Neumann & Leah Caglio

 

In between playing defense and scheming to win back Seattle’s voters over the next few election cycles, we should carve out some time for self-reflection. It’s tempting to think of the present moment as a backlash against progress, a temporary deviation in the arc of the moral universe—or perhaps, for the pessimist, to doubt the notion of progress altogether. But was this reaction really inevitable? by Katie Wilson

It’s a trying time for Seattle’s left.

The city’s new council members are rounding the curve on their first year in office, and I don’t know about you, but I’m wishing it was time to pass the baton. It’s depressing enough that City Hall is no longer a laboratory for progressive policy innovation. But it’s the Bad Idea Whac-A-Mole that’s truly exhausting: rolling back minimum wages and renter protections; defunding community-driven development; reinstating so-called SOAP and SODA zones; turning our big business tax into a slush fund. The left is having to fight like hell just to defend the achievements of the past decade.

In between playing defense and scheming to win back Seattle’s voters over the next few election cycles, we should carve out some time for self-reflection. It’s tempting to think of the present moment as a backlash against progress, a temporary deviation in the arc of the moral universe—or perhaps, for the pessimist, to doubt the notion of progress altogether. But was this reaction really inevitable? Can we draw any lessons from it? What should the left do differently in the future to regain influence and maintain it?

Critics of progressive-left political culture, as it’s developed over the past dozen or so years, often emphasize its supposed impotence: its penchant for loudness on social media, insistence on ideological purity, and zeal for “canceling” individuals instead of changing systems. Its adherents operate mainly in the symbolic realm and can’t break out of their echo chamber long enough to affect the real world.

Whatever the merits of this kind of critique, it doesn’t fully capture what’s happened in Seattle. Precisely what characterizes our city (and just a handful of others) is that the progressive left has been effective, relatively speaking, at winning real things. But our success is not due to some special organizing prowess or because we’ve avoided the pitfalls of the wider culture. It has more to do with our city’s demographic peculiarities.

Over the past several decades, progressive politics have come to correlate ever more strongly with educational attainment, while “dealigning” from markers of working class status. The gradual replacement of old Seattle’s blue collar workforce, displaced by rising housing costs and the dwindling of maritime and industrial jobs, with the younger, more affluent tech worker set hasn’t made Seattle any less blue; perhaps the opposite. Add to that some political self-selection among new arrivals, and the average normie non-activist voter just happens to be a flaming lib. On top of all that, union density in Washington state is among the highest in the country, and when Seattle’s labor unions decide to throw their weight around in local elections, left-leaning candidates tend to get a leg up.

With these advantages, Seattle’s left hasn’t had to be extraordinarily smart or strategic to win a modicum of political power. And a movement with power faces different problems than a movement in opposition. From the outside, it’s easy to lambaste the status quo and its obvious failings. But actually governing is more complicated. It means passing policies, implementing them, defending their results. It also means being vulnerable to blame for whatever’s going wrong in the city, whether or not it’s your fault or within your power to fix.

Of course, even at its strongest, Seattle’s progressive left held only partial power—through a city council majority that was often undermined by more centrist mayors. In such circumstances, governing also means having to decide when to remain oppositional, and when to compromise and win what you can. Either way, you have to tell a good story, explaining what you’ve done and why you couldn’t do more, to avoid being seen as ineffective.

All this means that the progressive predisposition of Seattle’s electorate is a trap, as well as an advantage. If it were harder to get lefties into office, that might force us to be more strategic about what they should do when they get there—and to build the kind of movement that can support them when the going gets rough.

Winning power is one thing, holding it is another.

Over the last two election cycles, the left lost it. The backlash began in 2021 with the victories of Mayor Bruce Harrell, Councilmember Sara Nelson, and City Attorney Ann Davison. Last fall finished the job, ushering in the most conservative city council Seattle has seen in a long time.

In my new column for The Stranger, I plan to look both backward and forward. I’ll dig through the past ten-plus years in search of lessons that can help Seattle’s left into the future. I write as someone who’s been involved in many—though by no means all—of the progressive policy battles of this period, primarily through my work with the Transit Riders Union. But I’m speaking for myself, not for any organization, and I don’t expect that all my opinions will be popular. There is too much groupthink on the left; so let’s disagree!

The backlash elections of 2021 and 2023 centered most obviously around the issues of homelessness, policing, and public safety. I will start the journey there, looking critically at the question of what our goals should be and how we frame and explain these goals.

These are themes we share with other progressive big cities, but our politics have a unique side, too. No look back at the past decade of Seattle’s left can bypass an assessment of Kshama Sawant’s tenure on the council, and the influence of her former organization, Socialist Alternative.

And these discussions will raise larger questions about progressive-left organizing. Who is “the left,” anyway, and does “progressive” mean anything anymore, if it ever did? Whom are we trying to organize and how? Toward what ends?

The left is not a monolith. In practice, Seattle’s left today is an uneasy alliance of labor unions, community organizations from the long-established to the ad-hoc, issue-based advocacy groups, service-focused nonprofits, parties and other overtly political formations, and freelance activists, coalescing imperfectly and temporarily around specific campaigns or policy goals. Between and also within these entities there exists a multiplicity of worldviews, theories of social change, and visions of a future, better social order.

When someone on the left (like me) talks about what “we” should be doing, only in the most abstract sense are they speaking to and about this whole constellation of actors. But throughout these institutions and broader left milieu there are individuals who, to a greater or lesser extent, can choose to do things differently, or to do something new.

There is a gleam of light on the horizon. In next Tuesday’s special election for citywide council position 8, the left looks poised to claw back a seat. Next year will bring a larger opportunity, with the mayor and city attorney up for re-election as well as the two citywide council positions. But progressives won’t have a chance at a reliable governing majority until 2027.

So let’s make sure that when we win that majority, we’re prepared to hold onto it. It’s easy to bemoan the hypocrisy of Seattle liberals, the reactionary and ungenerous impulses too often hiding behind those “in this house we believe” yard signs. I’ve done that myself. But if the left can’t maintain the edge in a city where your average voter is at pains to prove his progressive bona fides, what chance do we have at power anywhere?

Probiotic Bentos, Cà Phê, and Coffee in a Van by EverOut Staff Welcome to November! We're starting the month off strong with a new bento destination, a Green Lake coffee shop, and a Vietnamese cafe and restaurant in Beacon Hill. Plus, learn where to find pan de muerto and spiced apple chai cake. For more ideas, check out our Seattle Restaurant Week guide and our food and drink guide.

NEW OPENINGS & RETURNS

Anbai
The Japanese bento pop-up Anbai hosted the grand opening of its new permanent location in the long-vacant kitchen space inside Chophouse Row (formerly home to By Tae) on Monday. The restaurant focuses on promoting gut health with fermented foods like brown enzyme rice, pickles, and koji.
Capitol Hill

Sabrina Carpenter, Freakout Festival, and More by EverOut Staff

November is here, which means a deluge of holidays are coming your way, from Election Day to Veterans Day to Thanksgiving. Plus, it's Native American Heritage Month and the first round of festive winter events are coming down the pike. Of course, there's also the usual array of concerts, festivals, food & drink events, and tons more. As we do every month, we've compiled the biggest events you need to know about in every genre, from Sabrina Carpenter to Freakout Festival and from Gobble Up Seattle to Wicked.

COMEDY

Julio Torres: Color Theories
If you're keyed into comedy up-and-comers, you're probably already familiar with Julio Torres, the Salvadoran American SNL writer who also appeared in Search Party, Shrill, Los Espookys, and Fantasmas. Torres' A24 feature Problemista featured Tilda Swinton and a side of surreal quirk, following a Salvadoran toy designer whose work visa runs out as he toils as an assistant for an art-world weirdo. I'm a fan of Torres' thoughts on all things millennial—design aesthetics (wavy mirrors, Canva flyers), internship hell, and crushing student loan debt. This comedy set will continue to tap into the zeitgeist. LINDSAY COSTELLO
The Crocodile, Belltown (Nov 11–12)

Sabrina Carpenter, Freakout Festival, and More by EverOut Staff

There's plenty of first-rate events to check out this week, from Sabrina Carpenter's Short N’ Sweet Tour to Freakout Festival and from Wicked to An Evening with David Sedaris, but first, make sure to VOTE! And for a look at the month ahead, check out our November events guide.

MONDAY READINGS & TALKS

Author Talk and Demo: Bebe Black Carminito, The Curated Board
Truly, is there any occasion where a big spread of snacks isn't welcome? Author Bebe Black Carminito aims to take your entertaining game to the next level with her new book The Curated Board: Inspired Platters for Any Occasion, which shows you how to prepare show-stopping boards and platters with over 50 recipes, including pickled champagne jalapeños, marinated citrus and herb olives, and dill and artichoke dip, as well as drink pairing suggestions. Join her for a board demo, Q&A session, and book signing. JULIANNE BELL
(Book Larder, Fremont)

Mute Steve Kornacki, unclench your jaw, and scroll through these sweet scenes from Sea-Meow. by Megan Seling

Photos by Madison Kirkman

Sea-Meow, which bills itself as Washington’s largest cat convention, invaded Seattle Center’s Exhibition Hall over the weekend and brought with it appearances from the Two Crazy Cat Ladies, Moshow the Cat Rapper, and Christopher Watson aka the Catluminati, as well as a cat costume contest, a cat-calling contest, cat bingo, and dozens of vendors slinging everything from cat beds to catnip to cat coffee. (That is, cat-themed coffee that benefits cat rescues and not, like, coffee for cats.)

But most importantly, there were cats. So many cats. Old cats, young cats, kitten cats. Cats available for adoption, cats available for snuggles, and cats being pushed, carried, and cradled in backpacks and strollers and those bags with little clear bubble cutouts that make them look like grumpy-faced astronauts. 

Election results won’t be in for several hours, and even then, it may take days to know who won. So close Twitter (what are you still doing on that hell site anyway???), mute Steve Kornacki, unclench your jaw, and scroll through these sweet scenes from Sea-Meow.

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Situ Tacos, Frelard Tamales, and More by EverOut Staff Today, November 6, is National Nacho Day, but let's be real: Is there ever a bad time to dive into a huge stack of chips smothered with cheese? Whether you're looking for a game day snack or just some shareable comfort food, nachos are here for you. Here are seven of our favorite versions in Seattle, from Situ Tacos to Spice Waala.

Fogón Cocina Mexicana
Capitol Hill's ever-reliable Mexican standby serves nachos heaped high with beans, cheese, onions, tomatoes, crema, and guacamole. Bulk it up with your choice of shredded beef, chicken, chorizo, or carne asada.
Capitol Hill

Last night, The Stranger's reporters spread across the city, watching the results roll in with local politicians. And everywhere we went, Emerald City Dispatch went, too. by Hannah Murphy Winter

Photos by Emerald City Dispatch

Last night, The Stranger's reporters spread across the city, watching the results roll in with local politicians. And everywhere we went, Emerald City Dispatch went, too. The photographer collective joined the Democrats' watch party at the Convention Center, the Washington Bus' Party at the Ballot Box on Capitol Hill, the victory party for Shaun Scott and Alexis Mercedes Rinck at Saint John's, and, eventually, Linda's Tavern, where all of Seattle's politicos often land at the end of a long, hard, emotional election night. 

The night started with high hopes, strong drinks, and good music. By the end of the evening, after many anxious hours and panic-inducing updates from MSNBC, the inevitable began to sink in. Still, people found community in each other. These four photographers captured it all. 

DJs Riz Rollins and Larry Mizell Jr. at The Stranger's watch party at the Crocodile. Ryder Collins/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At the Convention Center. Ryder Collins/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At the convention Center. Ryder Collins/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At the Convention Center. Ryder Collins/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At the Convention Center. Ryder Collins/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At the Convention Center. Ryder Collins/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger Miss Texas 1988 and Stranger Editor Hannah Murphy Winter At The Stranger's Watch Party. Ryder Collins/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger Outside of the Convention Center. Marcellus Bonow-Manier/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger Police at a protest near Cal Anderson Park. Marcellus Bonow-Manier/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger Bob Ferguson's victory speech at the Convention Center. Marcellus Bonow-Manier/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At the Convention Center. Marcellus Bonow-Manier/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger The Stranger's Shane Wahlund at the Crocodile. Marcellus Bonow-Manier/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At the Washington Bus' Ballot Box Party. Alex Bunting/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At The Stranger's Watch Party. Alex Bunting/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At Saint John's. Alex Bunting/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger Crafts at the Shout Your Abortion booth at The Stranger's watch party. Alex Bunting/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At The Stranger's watch party. Alex Bunting/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At Linda's. Liam Griffith/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At Linda's. Liam Griffith/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger Liam Griffith/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger At The Stranger's watch Party. Liam Griffith/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger Liam Griffith/Emerald City Dispatch for The Stranger

Plus, More Event Updates for November 7 by EverOut Staff

Henry VIII’s six wives will belt pop songs on the Paramount Theatre stage when the Tony Award-winning musical Six returns to Seattle next spring. Post-hardcore band Chiodos is coming to Seattle next year to celebrate 20 years of their debut album All’s Well That Ends Well. Plus, Billboard-charting hard rock outfit Catch Your Breath has dropped dates for their Broken Souls tour. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

ON SALE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8

MUSIC

Catch Your Breath - The Broken Souls Tour
The Crocodile (Feb 6, 2025)

Chiodos: 20 Years of All’s Well That Ends Well
The Showbox (Mar 28, 2025)

Fleetmac Wood
The Crocodile (Apr 4, 2025)