The Newcastle City Council reversed its previous decision Tuesday night and elected to raise the Pride flag at City Hall on a 4-3 vote after hours of public comment and debate.

More on Newcastle flying a Pride flag: Pride flag raised at Newcastle City Hall after City Council reverses decision

During the four-hour city council meeting, Clark, who argued against raising the flag, fired off thoughts regarding the local LGTBQ+ community and reparations for Black people in Washington and California.

“To all of you in the pride movement, you’re very welcome in our city, but be very careful of the hate that’s in your midst,” Clark said. “It’s not coming from outside, it’s coming from within.”

Clark used this topic to talk about the importance of forgiving one’s country, as no country is “without sin.”

“These flaws or sins have historically led to bad outcomes, marginalization and so on. But you got to ask yourself, at what point do you just continue to hold on to these, or do you let go and move forward? Are you going to hold on to something forever?” he said.

Clark referenced the Civil War, which ended 160 years ago, but the state of California is just now establishing a committee to study reparations.

“California was a free state with no slaves and nobody is a slave there today,” Clark said. “But they can’t let go and that causes the division and hate and creates victim groups.”

“How long do we hold on to grievances? A couple of years, a couple of decades, a couple of centuries?” Clark continued. “You want to pass down to your great-, great-grandkids that, ‘Hey, one day, you know, I was called a bad name, you know, 200 years ago, so don’t forget, man. Be a victim.'”

Clark made these comments on the evening of June 18, one day before Juneteenth — a federal holiday in the U.S. to commemorate the ending of slavery.

KIRO host Gee Scott responds to Newcastle mayor

“This isn’t a Newcastle problem, this is a Newcastle mayor problem,” Gee Scott, co-host of “The Gee and Ursula Show,” said on “Seattle’s Morning News.” “It’s not OK what he’s doing. It’s not OK with this environment that is happening. I am not going to laugh this off. This is not funny. It’s not fair to the people who live in Newcastle that this is happening.”

“I also want to say that it’s really important to understand and know that the injustices that have happened here in this country, they have to be known so we can know how to do things going forward in understanding the history of injustice in America. All it does is help folks become more aware of the systemic issues that have plagued this country,” he continued.

Gee cited the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, the median wealth of white households was $285,000 while the median wealth of Black households was $44,900 — just 15.8% of the white median. The gap between Black and white households increased by $49,950 between 2019 and 2022.

Reichert on ‘The Gee and Ursula Show:’ Ferguson trying to ‘undermine my reputation’ as honest public servant

“The reason why I am bringing that wealth gap up is so everybody can understand that gap is a result of historical and systemic inequalities that have disproportionately impacted Black communities in terms of access to education, employment opportunities, home ownership, wealth, building assets, real estate, I can go on,” Gee continued. “It is not the tropes in the narratives that some have given, claiming African Americans have been lazy, been wanting handouts, or in the case of the Mayor of Newcastle to say, being a victim.”

“We have to stop empowering and encouraging these words, and I’m going to continue to talk about the Mayor of Newcastle in this way because I think those words are awful,” Gee concluded. “I think what you represent is awful.”

Newcastle mayor ‘doubles down’ on comments

In response to an interview request, Clark reiterated his thoughts to The Seattle Times via email.

“The perpetual victim mentality has to stop somewhere,” Clark told The Seattle Times. “Of course, our history has had some imperfections. We are supposed to learn from them and grow stronger as a people. We are not supposed to linger on past slights forever. That is what is happening now. It’s not healthy and it tears the country apart.”

As for why California was used as an example, he explained the state’s situation regarding reparations “was just something that came to mind because of how ridiculous it is. Juneteenth is just a coincidence.”

Rantz exclusive on Semi Bird: Video shows Bird wearing military badge he didn’t earn

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

I can’t imagine what it feels like to not be able to live your truth and I hope that Diaz feels like a burden has been lifted now that he’s no longer keeping that secret.

But that’s not his only struggle.

During that same time, Diaz has also been the embattled chief of a police department that is suffering from historically low staffing, poor morale, and scandals. In the past year, Diaz has been hit with lawsuits and claims from women who accuse him of sexual harassment, misconduct, misogyny and gender discrimination.

Report: Seattle mayor hires firm to probe SPD sexual harassment, discrimination claims

In his exclusive interview with “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH, Diaz said he hasn’t had the opportunity to share his side of the story.  And he believes if people knew the truth about him being gay, we would understand how the allegations couldn’t also be true. (Even though he also acknowledged that being gay doesn’t mean you can’t be a misogynist).

What he said in this interview is mind-blowing to me! Diaz wants us to believe that all these women at SPD are making up their allegations because he is gay and wouldn’t have an interest in them. As far as everyone knew, until yesterday, he was married and has three children. What he was feeling internally doesn’t absolve him from what those women were feeling because of his external actions. The disclosure of his sexual orientation changes absolutely nothing about these cases. It also doesn’t explain some of the other issues that have been raised about his leadership style or the actions of others on his leadership team.

Rantz Exclusive: Former Seattle police Chief Adrian Diaz announces he’s gay

So why did he only make this announcement to one talk show host instead of having a news conference? It’s clearly a tactic to control the message and to avoid any follow-up questions that other reporters will have. Diaz said his decision to step down was made together with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, who opted not to wait for an independent investigation to be completed. The mayor named former King County Sheriff Sue Rahr as interim chief while Diaz will work on unspecified special assignments.

Rantz asked whether anyone in the mayor’s administration pressured him NOT to come out publicly. Diaz’s answer was vague, saying it’s something that will be discussed at a later time. He then went on to say he’s had an immense amount of support from the community but also predicts there will be people who will try to “de-gay” or “un-gay” him because it doesn’t fit their narrative.  Then he finally admitted that yes, he got pushback from the mayor’s office but he wants to move forward for his and the community’s sake.

More from Ursula Reutin: The outside investigation of SPD can’t come soon enough

Does this mean that Diaz will make a claim against the city or get a payout to leave? I hope not but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s in the pipeline. Seattle taxpayers are already on the hook for so many of SPD’s issues, so just add this to the list.

Diaz is now vying for the police chief job in Austin, Texas. He’s one of more than 30 candidates. Austin better do its homework.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/UrsulaKIROFM

There have been 21 reported shootings over the last six days, just Rahr’s second week on the job.

“The first big most important step is we need to get a larger pool of applicants,” Rahr said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO 97.3 FM. “If we want to improve diversity, if we want to have more choices of who we choose to put in a uniform, we need to have a bigger group to select from. I am focused on improving and expanding our recruiting and hiring. We have some very tangible steps in mind.”

‘SPD is dying’: What Seattle police officers are saying during exit interviews

Among the steps, Rahr mentioned was lobbying the Civil Service Commission to change the testing for recruitment in order to “dramatically increase” the size of the police force’s applicant pool. Streamlining the hiring and onboarding processes, removing the “many” barriers blocking quality candidates and staffing the field training program are other immediate goals for Rahr and her team.

“When we make these changes, we’re going to have a deluge of new applicants and we have to be ready to bring them on board,” Rahr added.

One of the violent instances that occurred in Seattle over the past week was the shooting and killing of 17-year-old Garfield High School student Amarr Murphy-Paine. The high school canceled classes for two days, increased its police presence when it reopened and became a hub for multiple rallies led by parents and students. The suspect in the shooting has yet to be caught, as of this reporting.

More on the Garfield High School shooting: Teen killed in Garfield High School shooting in Seattle; classes canceled

“We have just a mountain of digital information from cell phone cameras and all other kinds of cameras that are around the community,” Rahr said. “Lots of people have pieces of information. Lots of people are posting things on social media. What people are not doing is calling our tip line, so we can’t take a piece of information that is posted online when we can’t go to the original source to validate and verify whether that information is accurate or not.”

“Are you confident that you will get the suspect in this case?” Gee Scott, co-host of “The Gee and Ursula Show,” asked Rahr.

“Yes,” she answered.

The removal of school resource officers

School resource officers were active and apparent on campuses across the city until the summer of 2020 — when the Seattle School Board canceled the job during the backlash against policing after George Floyd’s murder. Now, after a string of violent crimes on campuses with no school resource officers in sight, leadership among the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and the city are considering bringing them back.

“I 100% stand on that there is a great benefit to having police officers in the schools, but their role has to be crystal clear,” Rahr said. “Their role should not be, ‘We are we’re extra school security, we’re here for discipline.’ That should not be the role of the police officer. The greatest benefit of having resource officers in the schools with carefully designed roles and responsibilities is to build relationships.”

Jason Rantz on the end of school resource officers in Seattle: Latest Seattle school shooting again shows Democrats to blame

More than one in 10 schools with a regular police presence removed officers from facilities since 2020, according to new federal data. Before 2020, 58% of schools, including 72% of high schools, had resource officers. That number was just 36% by 2004.

“I think in the last five years, the idea of police in schools has been politicized,” Rahr said. “I know there are bad stories out there about school resource officers being misused. I would like to start a dialogue with the Seattle Public Schools and say, ‘Can we please hit the reset button?'”

“Rahr, I would like to see you put that on a t-shirt,” Gee said. “The next time I see you at a press conference, I want to read on your shirt, ‘Hit the reset button.’ Reset Seattle. That is the message to everybody.”

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

But The Seattle Times revealed Reichert’s feelings toward Trump, claiming he nodded that he would vote for the former president during a private conversation with a group of Republicans back in March. The Times leaked that conversation in a piece published online Thursday morning.

During a lengthy appearance on KIRO Newsradio’s “The Gee and Ursula Show” Friday, Travis Mayfield, KIRO Newsradio guest host, directly asked Reichert, “Will you be voting for Donald Trump in the presidential election?”

“That question seems to be almost comical,” Reichert responded. “No. 1, why does it matter who I’m going to vote for? Secondly, it seems that the Ferguson campaign is very focused on this. He’s got trackers on me. Every comment I make, his strategy is to take those comments out of context. So, it doesn’t matter who I’m voting for. I’m not going to nationalize this campaign by answering that question directly.”

More on Donald Trump: Trump becomes first former US president convicted of felony crimes after trial

In the leaked audio from the Times, Reichert stated publicly supporting Trump would be a “nail in the coffin” for his candidacy. Reichert later said in his interview on “Gee and Ursula” that no matter what Trump’s policies are, if he’s elected in 2024, it would have no impact on his policy decisions as governor of Washington.

“On policy, I’m going to make that decision based upon what the people of Washington state would like us to do,” Reichert continued. “That’s what I did for 14 years in Congress in a Democrat district. I’ve been accused of being a rhino by one side and MAGA Trump by the other side. So whether I say I’m voting for Trump or not voting for Trump, if I told you today I was not voting for Trump, what would happen is I’d still be labeled as a MAGA Trump person.”

Reichert’s top priority as governor: Public safety

Reichert, a former sheriff of King County and former congressman of Washington’s 8th District, has valued public safety throughout his career as a public servant, a sentiment echoed in his travels around the state for his gubernatorial campaign.

“Sadly, we’re hearing about violent crime occurring on the streets of Washington almost every day now, so public safety is priority No. 1,” Reichert said.

Working previously as a patrol cop, a jailer for King County Sheriff’s Office, a homicide detective, a SWAT commander and as a hostage negotiator before taking on more managerial roles within law enforcement, Reichert’s 10-point plan focuses on police recruiting, directing the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to enforce the law, utilizing grant program funds to identify and arrest cartel and gang members trafficking drugs into the region while also prioritizing efforts against domestic violence and human trafficking.

According to the findings of the annual Crime in Washington report for 2022 from the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs (WASPC), the state’s per capita total of officers was 1.36 that year, the lowest on record, compared to the national average of 2.31 officers per capita. (A PDF of a shorter presentation related to the crime report can be seen here. A PDF of the full report can be viewed here.)

“My second priority is the homelessness issue, which is definitely directly related to public safety and really has to do with mental illness and substance abuse — those two major things are causing homelessness,” Reichert added, while also promising that the state’s economy and education are other immediate issues he wants to address.

“Do you think that we have lowered the standard when it comes to holding those responsible for those that are committing these crimes in this state?” Gee Scott, co-host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” asked.

“I do. People have to have an expectation that when you commit a crime, there are consequences to the crime. And that goes for police officers too,” Reichert answered. “We all are human beings. We all make mistakes. I do believe in second chances, third chances, but sooner or later, you have to learn a lesson that you can’t continue a life of crime and have no consequences attached to that. I do think there is a lack of accountability.”

Reichert cited that approximately 250,000 people left Washington for good last year, with many of them citing public and personal safety as a primary reason for departing.

Reichert on gay marriage, LGBTQ+ rights

During a meeting with the Pierce County Republican Party on Feb. 21, Reichert claimed marriage is only between a man and a woman while also revealing he does not support transgender students participating in athletics.

“I have my own personal beliefs:“ Reichert speaks on same-sex marriage following Ferguson’s post

“Is your marriage to a woman better than my marriage to a man?” Mayfield asked Reichert.

“Absolutely not,” Reichert answered. “These laws that you talked about — gay marriage, abortion — both have been decided by the people of Washington. As governor, I intend to honor those laws that have been passed by the people and that have been codified in law and set in place in Washington.”

Dave Reichert explains who he is, takes on Bob Ferguson

“Which Dave Reichert are we getting? In my opinion, there seems to be a Dave Reichert in some of these rooms where he’s talking to others (privately). There’s a Dave Reichert where he is talking to everyone,” Gee said. “Tell me personally, who am I voting for if I pick you for governor?”

More from Gee and Ursula: Owner of recovered zebra describes escape, getting kangaroos

“What I’ve just shared with you and your listeners, is the Dave Reichert that people should expect — my personal beliefs and my expression of my personal beliefs.

“In any meetings, I know that I’m being recorded every time. So these aren’t statements made without knowledge that somebody is recording me,” Reichert continued. “These are statements that are taken out of context in the middle of a conversation that are given to the news media by my opponent, Bob Ferguson who, right now, has decided he doesn’t want to talk about his effort to support defunding of police. He doesn’t want to talk about the non-pursuit policy that he supported. He doesn’t want us to talk about supporting legalizing fentanyl on the streets of our cities.

“You’ve got a candidate on the other side of the aisle who’s running a campaign that is specifically directed at trying to undermine my reputation as an honest cop and honest member of Congress.”

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.

Shug was one of four zebras being taken from Winlock, in Lewis County, back to their home at an unofficial petting zoo in Anaconda, Montana, operated by Kristine Keltgen.

“I kind of felt helpless,” Keltgen said on KIRO Newsradio’s “The Gee and Ursula Show” Tuesday regarding the week-long search. “I’m in Montana, my life is still here. I have animals to take care of. I have my kiddo and stuff going on, so it would have been really hard for me to just pick up and spend weeks looking for a zebra. So I felt more or less helpless, like I had my hands tied.”

More on the zebra’s capture: Evasive missing mare recovered in North Bend, is safe

Keltgen just recently bought the zebras for her petting zoo, claiming the process started merely with a Google search. A few months later, the zebras were hers — all she had to do was pick them up in a trailer.

“Everything was set to go as planned, but I had a mat that was coming out the back of the trailer. When I went to adjust that mat, it loosened the latch,” Keltgen said. “So as I’m driving down the road, I’m getting some funny looks and I look back and the latch is loose. I immediately stopped to secure the situation and that’s when I think they saw their opportunity.

“It all happened so fast. It was just one right after the other,” Keltgen continued, describing the zebras’ dramatic escape. “My first thought was to keep them off the interstates. I mean, if anything, just get them away from the interstate. I don’t think I’ve ever ran so fast to get them out of traffic.”

Zebra owner: ‘I had plans of starting a petting zoo’

Keltgen has been acquiring mostly domestic animals for her seven-acre enclosure. After buying a house with some land a year ago, miniature cows, horses, sheep, goats and ponies are found throughout, serving the approximate 9,500 population of Anaconda.

“I had plans of starting a petting zoo. I’m still kind of on the fence with that at the moment,” Keltgen said. “I’ve just been having friends and family come over, people in the community. They’ll just be like, ‘Hey Kristine, I bringing my kid over kid over to see the animals’ and I’ll just have people over. It hasn’t been an official petting zoo.”

Keltgen told “Gee and Ursula” that a license or a permit is not required in the state of Montana to own a zebra, as they are considered equine. Just standard paperwork, similar to what owning a horse would require.

More on zebra ‘sightings’: Social media users embrace ‘Z’ with memes and jokes

“They’re just like horses. I own quite a few horses. They’re my babies. I love all of them,” Keltgen said. “They are just pets. I would love to train them. Get them halter broke. I mean, people ride zebras. Not if I was interested in, I don’t know, I’m looking at kangaroos now …”

“Kangaroos?” Gee and Ursula both ask her. “Are you building Noah’s Ark?”

“Well, you do have to have a permit for animals like that and I do not at the moment, so that’s my holdup. I would have to apply for a permit for animals considered exotic,” Keltgen explained. “But zebras are just considered equine and you just treat them like horses. They do have a different temperament. You have to start them young, in terms of training them to like people. If that is done properly, they are wonderful. They are sweet. They greet you at the fence.”

Zebras express happiness upon reuniting

According to Keltgen, the zebras expressed an immense amount of joy when reunited with Shug, making “zebra noises” and staying close together.

“I think (Shug) missed being around people and being in that secure environment,” Keltgen said. “She was scared so she took off, but I think she missed being here with the others.”

“Is it good for a zebra to be in a small, enclosed area?” Ursula asked. “I mean, that’s not their usual habitat.”

More from Ursula: The outside investigation of SPD can’t come soon enough

“To take a wild zebra in and pen him up, that probably would not be a good thing,” Keltgen answered. “But these zebras are domesticated. They were born in the U.S. They feel most comfortable (here) and these guys are doing great.”

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

The decision comes on the same week that four women within SPD filed a $5 million tort claim, alleging sexual discrimination and harassment by Chief Adrian Diaz and other department leaders. SPD is strongly rejecting the allegations, calling them hearsay in an effort to stop the chief from making necessary changes.

Report: Seattle mayor hires firm to probe SPD sexual harassment, discrimination claims

But the complaint is just the latest in a growing number of accusations and lawsuits filed by female officers at SPD. In January, Assistant Chief Deanna Nollette filed a lawsuit against SPD and Diaz, alleging gender, wage and job discrimination. Detective Denise “Cookie” Bouldin filed a lawsuit, claiming she faced daily racism and gender discrimination during her 43 years with SPD.

In his letter to the city council, Mayor Harrell wrote, “We will not malign those who come forward and, to the contrary, will give these claims the close attention they deserve. Our goal is to understand the implications of these allegations and take actions as appropriate.”

This outside investigation can’t come soon enough. It’s desperately needed to address what many within the department have described as an unhealthy, “good ol’ boys” culture. The women who have made the allegations in the tort claim, and in recent interviews with KUOW, are credible. Some of them have worked with us in the media and it was their word that we used and trusted to report news events involving Seattle Police. Mayor Harrell is correct in saying their claims need to be given close attention.

SPD, under Chief Diaz, has made it a goal to have women represent 30 percent of the staff by 2030. But in their so-called 30×30 report, which was made public earlier this year, numerous women made allegations of sexual harassment in the police force. They said the culture at SPD discourages women from leadership. It’s obvious there’s a big disconnect between these stated goals and what is festering within the department.

Lawyer: Women suing SPD for sexual harassment are face of recruitment efforts

It’s not just the women who are complaining. Many of the hundreds of officers who’ve left the department in recent years have mentioned distrust in leadership and poor morale in their exit interviews. Right now, SPD has a culture problem that’s turned into a PR nightmare. It’s no wonder that it also has a very difficult time recruiting new officers. Although the city is now offering 103K dollars for starting officers, bigger paychecks won’t help Seattle Police recruit new talent when there’s something rotting from within.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/UrsulaKIROFM

Listen to The Gee & Ursula Show weekdays from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM or on-demand wherever you listen to podcasts.

More info on The Gee & Ursula Show here: https://mynorthwest.com/category/gee-and-ursula/

In the video shot at Cal Anderson Park, one man is taken down to the ground in a chokehold. Moments later, you see a group of people surround him and start attacking the man performing the chokehold. They start kicking and punching him in the head until he is knocked out cold.

What started the fight remains somewhat of a mystery. According to comments online, the fight stemmed from a woman’s dog being off leash and trying to eat people’s food.

The Seattle Fire Department sent the following response to KIRO 7 about the incident:

That response came at the request of Seattle Police for an incident that matches your description. However, the patient declined medical care as our crews arrived on scene.

Gee and Ursula respond to the viral video on KIRO Newsradio

“This large crowd is watching as men and women are kicking, punching, and swearing at each other,” Ursula Reutin, co-host of “The Gee and Ursula Show,” said on KIRO Newsradio. “Witnesses say the brawl was sparked by the husky trying to steal some food.”

People have said that dogs being off their leashes at Cal Anderson Park are a big problem.

Crime report: Antisemitic instances up 800% nationally, 300% in Washington

“There aren’t a lot of options in Capitol Hill to take your dogs,” Ursula continued. “They question whether there’s actually too much park space for kids and not enough for our four-legged friends.”

“Gee and Ursula” co-host Gee Scott said he was actually upset that Ursula and show producer Andrew Lanier wanted him to watch the viral video.

“I hate watching fight videos,” Gee said. “One brother in the fight is probably in his 50s. He’s too old to fight. He can’t fight. He’s swinging all over the place.”

Gee called out one of the people involved in the incident, which saw a person bombarded by punches and knocked out at the end of the three-minute video.

“You got about eight people kicking one person on the ground. And then, at the very end, one dude takes some money out of his pocket.,” Gee continued.

Other news: 4 Snoqualmie businesses destroyed in fire, city asks for donations

He explained that he wanted to use the fight as a teaching moment.

“A rule that my father used to tell me is never to stand around and watch a fight,” Gee explained. “There are a bunch of people standing around watching this fight, and that is dangerous. Don’t do that.”

Ursula responded by saying the was another option besides a brawl.

“How about just explaining, ‘Hey, your dog ate my food? Could you please get your dog on a leash?,'” she asked.

Ursula added that there aren’t enough dog parks in Seattle, especially on Capitol Hill.

“I am not taking that excuse,” Gee responded. “There was one dog in the video. And there were all these people. And I bet you some of them folks had a little alcohol in their system.”

Contributing: KIRO 7

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here. 

The protest disrupted both arrivals and departures, causing significant travel delays for passengers.

“It’s not just missed flights, it is those moments that are missed,” Gee explained. “And sometimes, you need to make that connection somewhere, you need to be able to because if you miss that connection, now you’re going to have to stay there and not everyone has money for a hotel. And even if you are reimbursed, you still missed the time. They lost me with that now, because of because of the connection to Sea-Tac Airport.”

FlightAware data indicated that Sea-Tac experienced nearly 120 flight delays and four cancellations as of the previous night, further exacerbating the inconvenience for travelers.

Original coverage: 46 arrested after pro-Palestinian protest shut down SEA Airport road for hours

“In 2021, I personally missed attending a funeral of my namesake in Chicago due to flight delays caused by the Omicron variant. Such missed connections affect people’s lives beyond the immediate inconvenience,” Gee said.

Ursula Reutin countered with, “You know what they would argue? They would say your little inconvenience is nothing compared to what children and women and men and innocent people are dealing with in Gaza. And this needs to end so your little inconveniences are mild compared to what is happening.”

The protesters employed a tactic known as the “sleeping dragon,” where they lay across the roadway with their arms locked together using tubes. This strategic obstruction persisted for hours, compelling some travelers to abandon their vehicles and walk the remaining distance to the airport terminal.

One frustrated passenger, interviewed by KIRO 7, revealed that she missed her flight due to the prolonged closure of the airport expressway.

“You have a right to voice your opinions. You have a right to protest. When you block traffic or your protest negatively impacts so many other people’s lives, your message is lost. I believe it will not be well received,” Ursula explained. “When people head to the airport, they often have important destinations: spring breaks, family visits or personal vacations. These moments matter.”

However, Ursula also said much of the change we see today is because of these kinds of protests.

“Past protests were not convenient. Life was different then but civil rights protests were not about making it convenient for people,” she said.

Gee said the difference was that the civil rights movement was happening in the U.S.

“The things that are going on there, they have been going on for a long time. For me personally, I can’t do anything about it,” he said.

As the nationwide protests continue, travelers and demonstrators alike grapple with the consequences of their actions. Gee said there are a myriad of factors.

We as a country, we really don’t have real discussions about what’s going on in other countries, unless it involves and connects the United States or unless it’s our men and women that are actually going to war. But other than in the media, no everyday conversations discussions are being had. They’re not being had because it is a very sticky topic, a topic that did not just start on October 7. When you talk about it you have to talk about all of it including all the context. It gets deep and you want to know whose hands aren’t clean in this discussion? The United States of America. So when you have these discussions, you got to go deep into the topic and you got to go below the surface on it.”

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here. 

Bankrate Senior Industry Analyst Ted Rossman said overall, prices have increased about 20% since the pandemic, but you are likely paying even more for discretionary items.

“Things like airline tickets, hotel rooms, concert tickets, dining out, I mean these are all things that have grown more rapidly than the overall price growth we’ve seen,” Rossman said.

But, Rossman insisted he’s not trying to be a killjoy.

Jack and Spike video: Inflation is hitting fast food. That’s a good thing!

“I always try to be careful when I talk about this because I don’t want to tell people you can’t have any fun, but I do want to warn about the dangers of credit card debt,” he said.

Rossman said the average credit card interest rate is at a record high of 20.75%. Nationally, Americans owe $1.13 trillion on their credit cards.

“To put it in a little bit of context, that figure is up 47% from the beginning of 2021,” Rossman said.

Set aside money to fund your fun

Yes, there’s still some post-pandemic, pent-up demand. So, he suggested doing a few things to help fund your fun.

First, set up an entertainment fund by putting money aside every month.

“Things are going to come up. And it’s good things, right? You get invited to a wedding, or a concert, or a sports event or something. We want to be able to do these things, but we don’t want to put it on a credit card and finance that forever and ever,” he explained.

More news: Surging home prices prolong Seattle’s ‘bidding wars’ era

Next, he said to tap into unused gift cards, airline miles or credit card reward points. But if you have a cash-back or rewards credit card, remember to pay it off every month.

“It doesn’t make sense to pay 20% in interest, just to get 1% or 2% or even 5% in cash back or airline miles,” Rossman explained.

He said the perks don’t make up for what you’re paying in interest.

Ursula says she’ll spend the money to travel

Ursula Reutin, host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio, said Rossman offered great advice, especially when it came to unused gift cards.

“I wanted to see what I have in my wallet. I have five gift cards that are unused,” Ursula shared. “And that is a great idea because I think a lot of you, if you look right now, there are probably things that you’ve just kind of forgotten you even have.”

Rossman also said 38% of Americans Bankrate talked to shared they were willing to go into debt to do something fun.

“I think just everything that transpired last year for me has made me think I need to do things when I am able physically to do things. And one of those things is to travel and take vacations. And I’m not going to wait until, you know five years down the road, or 10 years down the road to do these things that I want to do. Because no day is promised,” Ursula said.

That said, you don’t want to get so heavily in debt that it starts to really actually ruin your quality of life as well,” she continued.

Gee Scott, host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio also weighed in, revealing some past spending habits.

“No matter how broke I got Ursula, I always kept getting haircuts,” he said. “There’s always money for that.”

Gee added that the number of people risking debt for fun might even be higher than 38%.

Do you take on debt for concerts, shows, trips?

“I just think that so many people, maybe in my age group, don’t have as much expendable income,” KIRO Newsradio producer Paul Holden said. “If you see that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, if there was a concert, show, trip and you really only had one shot, I think some people might say, ‘Hey, I’ll take the debt.’ And I’ll try to pay it off over the next couple of years because I might not be able to get another chance to see this artist or go on this trip with these friends to this location.”

Gee and Ursula: How Canlis’ new hours could make or break its future

Ursula said she liked the idea of an entertainment fund. She shared that she recently purchased a book where on the first day, you put in $1, and on day 100, you put in $100 and eventually, you save $5,500.

Gee added that he once got so mad at his credit card, he put it in his dresser drawer.

“Yeah, don’t make it easy,” replied Ursula.

But Gee said it didn’t help because his card was linked to his accounts online.

“I can’t stop, I get another pair of shoes” he joked.

Heather Bosch is an award-winning anchor and reporter on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her stories here. Follow Heather on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

The driver of a tiger-striped Dodge Charger Hellcat — a vehicle tormenting Belltown residents for months due to its excessive speeds and noise — has been barred from driving the infamous car for a year within Seattle, per the conditions of the social media influencer’s release from a Tuesday hearing for reckless driving. The influencer can still drive in general, just not in the Hellcat.

Original Story

A 20-year-old Instagram influencer has been charged with reckless driving in downtown Seattle after the City Attorney used the suspect’s own videos posted online in the case.

The person has been accused of driving 107 miles per hour through Belltown in a Dodge Hellcat, decaled with tiger stripes, using a modified exhaust and engine that made his car backfire. The sound of his car was similar to gunfire, according to The Seattle Times.

“It has gotten so bad for people who live in the area, even those living 30 stories high have been calling police to complain about all the loud noise he’s been causing,” Ursula Reutin, co-host of The Gee and Ursula Show, said. “His Instagram account with 600,000-plus followers features videos of him driving that souped-up car at night and early in the morning. You can’t do that.”

More on social media: Bill that could ban TikTok passes House, Wash. lawmakers weigh in

The Seattle City Attorney’s Office charged the suspect with two counts of reckless driving last week, using his Instagram profile as evidence. The speed limit in the area he was driving is 25 mph.

The influencer said he wasn’t aware of the charges and doesn’t plan to stop driving his car, according to The Seattle Times.

“And when he was pulled over by officers last week, he told one officer that he’s an Instagram influencer and the money that he makes filming those videos paid for that car,” Ursula added.

“I’m looking at his videos and I’m screenshotting the different times where he’s at 90 mph, 97 here, 98 there,” Gee Scott, co-host of The Gee and Ursula Show, added. “There are reports that say that he was going 107, that’s not just speeding. That is reckless. That’s dangerous. And this dude needed to be stopped for that. That’s not funny.”

In Washington, traffic fatalities were up 38% in 2022 compared to 2019, reaching a 30-year high for the state, according to The Washington State Standard. Driver deaths increased by 21%, deaths of pedestrians and motorcyclists rose by 18% and bicyclist deaths jumped by 12%.

In 2023, 788 people were killed on Washington roads.

More on dangerous driving: Nearly 70% of fatal crashes on US 101 in WA involved DUI, speeding

Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle claimed he has received more than 100 complaints over this person’s driving.

“This is what I hate about social media because he has 600,000 followers, and he even said it. Even if people are hating the car, any publicity is good publicity,” Ursula said. “This was another quote in The Seattle Times. He said ‘I feel like people are more bothered that a young black man has a nice car. There are way bigger issues than a black man with a nice car who makes noise occasionally.'”

“No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no we ain’t doing that,” Gee responded. “I don’t care what your ethnicity is. You were driving recklessly and I’m glad that there is more of a focus being brought to the speeding problem because I felt like I’ve been talking to myself about it for the last few years.

“If I was to grab that young man, I would tell him, ‘Stop. You don’t have to do the speeding. Stop that. You’re going to win by the way. It is lucrative to be a social media influencer. It is very lucrative. And you can live downtown. Stop with the reckless stuff,'” Gee continued.

“But would he still attract people if he wasn’t doing this and flaunting it?” Ursula asked.

Dangerous trends have been embedded within social media since its existence. While some social media challenges, including the ALS ice bucket challenge in 2014 or the mannequin challenge in 2016, can be positive and safe, others can be harmful to those who participate. Dangerous viral social media trends have included the Tide pod challenge, where someone consumes a laundry detergent pod. According to a 2018 report from KUTV, nearly 50 people across the nation reported being poisoned by consuming liquid detergent pods, with half of the exposures being intentional.

In 2016, another dangerous trend emerged called the choking game — or blackout challenge — where asphyxiation is used to obtain a “high.” Another was the Benadryl Challenge, where people involved taking dangerous amounts of Benadryl to achieve a high and even experience hallucinations. Several teenagers had been hospitalized as a result of participating in the challenge, and one teenager from Oklahoma reportedly died.

Most recently, carjacking became a social media trend where “Kia Boyz” would target and steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles manufactured between 2011 and 2021.

More on Kia Boyz: ‘Kia Boyz’ allegedly execute crime spree in south King County

“Well think about it this way, how many young men drove or still drive like a maniac when you’re 16? 18? 20?” Andrew Lanier, the producer of The Gee and Ursula Show, offered. “Because nothing bad has ever happened to you and you feel invincible and you have a sweet car? Now imagine you’re a teen driving like that and someone was paying you to do it and you’re getting hundreds of thousands of likes every time you posted it.”

“What he needs to hear is the story about that 18-year-old who had his third crash and that third crash killed four people and critically injured two,” Ursula said.

More on the fatal accident: 3 children, 1 mother killed, multiple injuries in major vehicle accident in Renton

Is social media designed to reward people acting badly?

“Social media rewards outrageous behavior and the more outrageous, the bigger the bragging rights,” the American Academy of Pediatrics stated. “It’s a quick-moving, impulsive environment, and the fear of losing out is real for teens. That environment plays into a teen’s underdeveloped ability to think through their actions and possible consequences.”

It’s gone so far that the FDA had to release statements preventing the dangerous behavior.

“These trendy social media challenges can cause serious injuries and poisonings, and some can even be fatal,” the FDA stated in response to the Sleeping Chicken Challenge (where someone cooks chicken in NyQuil). “Being aware of these challenges and understanding why they lure teens is important for all parents.”

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

However, the schedule shift could be a major disruptor as weekends are vital for the restaurant industry with Saturdays usually raking in the most money.

Have you eaten at one of these restaurants? 6 in Washington up for major culinary award

According to the Seattle Times, the idea was originally posed by Canlis’ Director of Hospitality and Senior Dining Room Manager Kyle Johnson.

Canlis owner, Mark Canlis, told the Seattle Times with the upcoming change they risk losing customers which could negatively impact their future.

Yet, Johnson said, “Any night of the week at Canlis is special. It can be Tuesday or Wednesday, and for summer 2024, it can be Monday nights,” reported the Seattle Times.

The Seattle Times also said an extra incentive to dine on Mondays will be the return of pianist Walt Wagner.

“Saturday is the No. 1 play day of the week,” Mark Canlis told the Seattle Times. “And we’ve asked our staff to not play for 74 years.”

So is closing weekends a good or bad idea? Gee Scott, host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio asked his colleagues what they thought.

Travis Mayfield, who filled in as Gee’s co-host on “Gee and Ursula” on Thursday said they are missing the bigger headline — “Seattle restaurant now open on Mondays,” he replied.

“I saw this on Instagram and I was just like, — what now? — Canlis?” Mayfield continued.

I kind of am into seeing how this works. I love the idea of treating your staff if the staff really genuinely want this. Because that’s my question, does the staff actually want this?” he continued.

Gee said he’s never stepped foot in Canlis but has heard great things. He said the schedule change is the restaurant saying two things.

“One, we value our employees that much and our staff, we want them to really enjoy their time to get Saturdays off. I bet you for some of them is going to be just huge. And two, I think this is Canlis doubling down and saying our stuff’s good. We’re really good,” Gee said.

And when you’re really good, you can do what you want to do. Right? You could be a restaurant that says I’m going to open three days a week, if you’re good people will come it doesn’t matter,” he said.

KIRO Newsradio producer Andrew Lanier, who has spent years working in kitchens, said he doesn’t know if he would be happy with the change.

“As a cook, I’d probably be better off with this than as a server because I’m going to be anticipating less guests. It’s not going to be as much work for me. But if you’re a server, you’re missing out on your moneymaker,” Lanier said.

Lanier also mentioned Canlis has said the money it makes in the summer keeps it afloat the rest of the year.

“So if you’re looking at basically taking away one year’s worth of profits, Boy, you better believe in that,” he continued.

Gee and Ursula: Idaho band turns ‘Van-Dogs’ as they rep. Yale for March Madness

Lanier also noted that during his time in the restaurant industry, having Mondays and Tuesdays off “is glorious,” because no one else is out.

“You’ve never need to make reservations or think ahead for anything. It is wonderful. I wish I could have Mondays and Tuesdays off now,” he said.

But, what do local servers think? Gee said the majority of those who texted into the show said they wanted their Saturdays.

This brought Gee to ask: “Is it possible Travis, even though that’s their day, where Canlis is so good, that now it increases during the week?”

Mayfield pointed out that when he’s going to Canlis, it’s already for a very special occasion, so no matter the day of the week, he is still going to tip very well.

So if you’re planning a Canlis dinner, it will have to be during the week starting Memorial Day, according to the restaurant.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Coverage: Officer acquitted in Manny Ellis’ death, hired in Thurston County resigns

One of the Tacoma Police Department (TPD) officers who was charged and later acquitted of murdering Manuel (Manny) Ellis, has been hired by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).

Background: Officers acquitted in Manny Ellis death leave Tacoma PD

The TCSO, which is based in Olympia, announced Christopher Burbank’s hiring in a Facebook post Monday.

Burbank will be a lateral patrol deputy and “will provide immediate relief in our patrol division,” states the post.

“This lateral hire marks the end of a drought for TCSO, which has not had a lateral patrol deputy apply and pass all phases of the background process since 2021,” it continues.

Sheriff Derek Sanders said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press (AP) Tuesday that Burbank underwent a two-month background check, including a polygraph. Sanders stressed that his office has strived to improve its crisis response by incorporating mental health co-responders, adding that dashboard and body-worn cameras help provide transparency.

“While acknowledging the distressing nature of the events in Tacoma four years ago, we want to emphasize that Deputy Burbank has been cleared of any wrongdoing both by Tacoma PD, Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office and a jury trial,” Sanders said.

However, many reactions to TCSO’s post were not happy with the decision as Burbank was one of three officers charged with murdering Ellis — “a Black man who was shocked, beaten and restrained facedown on a sidewalk as he pleaded for breath,” wrote the AP.

The officers’ attorneys argued that Ellis died in March 2020 from a lethal amount of methamphetamine as well as a heart condition, not from the officers’ actions. The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and said it was caused by a lack of oxygen during the physical restraint.

Past coverage: 3 police officers found not guilty in Manny Ellis case

Host Gee Scott comments on Washington law enforcement

However, Gee Scott, host of “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio felt the decision was “business as usual.”

“If you’re found not guilty, you should be able to move on with your life. OK, I just wanna put that out there first. Now I want to explain the feeling that I have personally. When I see that and I hear that, it makes me feel like it’s business as usual, right? I do believe that the state of Washington, when it comes to law enforcement, I think they’re some of the best in the country,” Gee explained. “I actually think the standard of law enforcement in the state of Washington is better than most places in the country. I also believe that other places in the country are so far behind that it is heartbreaking as well.”

Gee again noted that Burbank is free to live his life, but also said decisions like this affect the community and their feelings about it.

“I guess there’s nothing I can say to this because he was found not guilty. He should be able to go and live on and move on … But this is another example of why sometimes some in the community have this feeling of distrust. They have this feeling of, it feels like there’s law enforcement and then there’s the rest of society. It feels like there’s different rules, but again, I understand how he is able to move on,” Gee said.

How do Thurston County residents feel?

Gee also wondered how Thurston County residents would feel about having Burbank working for their sheriff’s office.

“Imagine being excited that TCSO hired a police officer that cost his last department and city untold millions of dollars. Seems like a liability to me,” wrote one Facebook user on TCSO’s post. That comment had 43 “like” and “love” reactions as of Tuesday night.

“If you think we have already forgotten Burbank, you are wrong! Keep this guy OUT of our communities!” wrote another Facebook user, garnering 43 likes (and one ‘laugh’ reaction) as of Tuesday night.

On the other side, another user wrote, “Burbank is one of finest human beings around. Congratulations to him.” That comment picked up 36 reactions, with 24 being of the “like” and “love” variety.

Is Thurston County Sheriff’s Office making a statement?

Travis Mayfield, who filled in as Gee’s co-host on “Gee and Ursula” Tuesday, said that by publicly announcing the hiring, it seemed as if TCSO was making a statement. Also, although the trial is over, there is still an ongoing federal investigation.

Background: US Attorney’s Office to launch its own probe in the death of Manny Ellis

“The FBI is looking at this case, the Western District of Washington State and the spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office says that if a review of the case reveals violations of federal criminal statutes, they will act on those,” “Gee and Ursula” producer Andrew Lanier explained. “There’s also an open federal civil rights lawsuit against the city of Tacoma and the officers, that case is still pending. This feels a little bit like somebody hiring Kyle Rittenhouse, you know, to do a public speaking event. It’s a message. It’s a statement. Also not guilty. But there’s very complex feelings about this on both sides in the community and by choosing to do so I believe Sheriff Sanders is making a statement.”

Gee ended the segment by saying he would also like to hear from law enforcement.

“A lot of them don’t want to work around bad apples, right? I’m not calling Christopher Burbank a bad apple because he was found not guilty, but there’s still some type of investigation going on in the federal level. So I would like to hear from law enforcement, your thoughts on when a hire happens like this, do you think it’s a statement or are you perfectly fine with it?” Gee asked.

‘My brother was murdered’: Tacoma verdict reaction to verdict in intense, but peaceful

Host Jack Stine finds ‘nothing wrong’ with the decision

On the flip side, host Jack Stine of “The Jack and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio sees nothing wrong with TCSO’s decision.

“I find nothing wrong with this. He and his cohorts were found innocent in a court of law for the murder of Manny Ellis. I don’t agree with the way that Manny Ellis was treated. I think he was treated horribly. I think that, quite frankly, the the family should be entitled to a certain amount of financial compensation because the way that Many Ellis was treated, no American let me repeat for emphasis, no American should be treated in the way that Manny Ellis was treated, regardless of the amount of intoxicants they had in their system,” Jack said.

Jack went on to reiterate that despite the Washington attorney general’s efforts, the officers were found not guilty and are free to move on and get new jobs.

“Now, besides that, we have adjudicated it. Despite Bob Ferguson’s protestations, it went a different way than he wanted it to go, and now these men are free and fair citizens, who can now move about their lives as they see fit. I don’t see anything weird or wrong with this,” he continued.

“Jack and Spike Show” co-host Spike O’Neill agreed with Jack’s sentiments.

“I think it’s exactly how the system is supposed to work,” Spike said. “I mean, these officers all had their day in court. Officer Burbank has found employment in a different community. Of course, nothing’s gonna make everybody happy. It’s going to make some people very, very unhappy, as it should. That’s how you move forward, you make changes.”

What do you think?

So, after hearing from both shows. What do you think? KIRO Newsradio listeners can text 888-973-5476 with their thoughts.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

Be sure to check out their foundation: https://championsofchangefoundation.org/

The Game Changer Gala – June 27th @ 6:00 PM
Champions of Change All-Star Basketball Game – June 28th @ 7:00 PM

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show every weekday at 9am on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM Listen to KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

The Vandals heard that the Bulldogs’ band couldn’t make it to Spokane, so they transformed into the “Van-Dogs Marching Band” for the weekend, as multiple media outlets, including The Associated Press (AP), explained. That included wearing Yale shirts at the event and playing the university’s fight song.

KIRO Newsradio hosts Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin discussed the rally of support on “The Gee and Ursula Show” Monday.

Is it sweet or a betrayal?

Producer Andrew Lanier begged the question: Is that really sweet? Or is it a betrayal of their own school?

“It’s really sweet,” Gee answered without hesitation.

“It’s always interesting when people have this, ‘You can’t cheer for the other team, and how dare you, you don’t want to do anything nice for them. And, if they do something good, and it was really something that you enjoyed, don’t clap for them. Because you’re a part of this team. And if when you’re a part of this team, you accept and tolerate anything that this team does. And that other team, there’s nothing you can say good about the other team,'” he continued, mocking upset fans.

Ursula said she definitely agrees with Gee.

“I think it’s a sweet thing. I think it’s recognizing that, you know, they are unable, but they would want to have their band present,” she said. “And I think it’s just a wonderful gesture. And I don’t think of it as a betrayal because it doesn’t mean that they don’t cheer on their team. But here’s an opportunity to just show some humanity.”

The AP reported Yale’s band was unavailable because of spring break and “pulling together a travel group wasn’t possible.”

However, the school found stand-ins from the Idaho band, which the AP said “quickly became a viral sensation on social media” following the upset.

They even wore Yale apparel 👏

(📸 @uidaho) pic.twitter.com/Q6R6Vwmx02

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 23, 2024

“We want to help out another university. We want to help out another band,” Director of Athletic Bands at Idaho, Spencer Martin, told the AP.

Speaking of helping out another band, Washington State University’s (WSU) marching band stood in for the University of Washington’s (UW) band when one of their busses crashed on the way to the Apple Cup in Pullman in 2018.

WSU’s band made sure the Husky Marching Band had a presence by playing UW’s fight song, “Bow Down to Washington,” before the game.

A WSU percussionist told Sports Illustrated his band took it as an opportunity to “demonstrate what can be accomplished when people put their differences aside.”

However, many die-hard fans have a hard time putting differences aside.

Gee pointed out how fired up people can get when athletes choose to go to a college out of state.

“It’s like when fans demonize kids for choosing to go to a college in another state. They say ‘Those kids betrayed us. I can’t believe they did that,'” Gee said. “I’m not saying any fans here would do that. I’m just saying. Hypothetically.”

Ursula brought up that when she can’t cheer for her team, the Oregon Ducks, she cheers for the team’s rivals, the UW Huskies.

“Am I betraying the Ducks?” she asked.

To which Gee jokingly replied, “Yes, how dare you.”

What if the situations were reversed?

Then Andrew brought up a new point: Would Yale have stepped in if things were reversed?

“I very much doubt if the Yale marching band would step in for anyone, any other schools. So good on you University of Idaho. The game was played over in Spokane, they were very close, hence their ability to come over and play a couple of tunes, but I just kind of doubt that the Yalies or anyone from the Harvard’s or Cornell’s would be stepping in for other marching bands,” said Andrew.

To which Ursula replied, “I don’t know about that.”

“Am I making a broad sweeping statement? Gross generalization?” asked Andrew.

“Yes, you are,” said Ursula.

Whether in Connecticut or Washington, fans everywhere know how fierce rivalries can be.

But as shown at the 2018 Apple Cup, even rivals can come together in times of need.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

The company announced early Monday that three senior executives, including CEO David Calhoun, were stepping down. In a statement posted on Boeing’s website, Calhoun acknowledged that the mid-air blowout of an Alaska Airlines door panel was a watershed moment that changed the company. He’s leaving at the end of the year.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal is retiring, effective immediately. Board Chair Larry Kellner announced he will not run for re-election at the next shareholders’ annual meeting.

Good! This is finally a step in the right direction.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been saying on The Gee and Ursula Show that I don’t understand how Calhoun still has his job. I’ve also questioned why Boeing’s Board has largely been silent during these turbulent times.

Background story: Boeing CEO, president step down amid company turbulence

Calhoun was brought in as CEO in 2020 after the two 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people but there’s no evidence that the culture has improved during his tenure. If anything, it seems to have gotten worse. And this is a guy who made $22 million dollars in 2022!

On CNBC this morning, Calhoun said the decision to step down was 100 percent his own. He pointed out that he’ll be close to turning 68 at the end of the year.

“I’ve always said to the Board, and the Board has always been prepared, that I would give them plenty of notice so that they could plan succession in regular order. And that’s what this is about. It’s me giving them notice that at the end of the year, I plan to retire,” he explained.

Frankly, I don’t think Calhoun or Boeing had a choice.

While Boeing is dealing with the recent string of disasters, Airbus has been eating the company for lunch when it comes to orders and deliveries.

Boeing’s shares have dropped more than 25 percent this year. That’s not all.

Airline CEOs are hacked off because Boeing’s troubles are also affecting their bottom line. The FBI has now informed passengers on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that they may be a possible victim of a crime.

The National Transportation Safety Board is accusing Boeing of dragging its heels in the investigation of that incident. The lawsuits are piling up and plaintiffs are sharing their horror stories of almost getting sucked out of the plane at 16,000 feet.

Other Boeing news: Attorney ‘stunned’ to see similar Boeing quality control problem 6 years later

Late last week, we learned that Boeing’s most important airline customers asked to meet with the company’s board of directors without Calhoun present.

Sorry, I’m not buying that this was Calhoun’s decision. But it’s a way to ensure that he gets a golden parachute on his way out.

During the CNBC interview, Calhoun acknowledged the ongoing production challenges at Boeing.

“We have this bad habit in our company,” he said. When you move it down the line, it sends a message to your own people that ‘Wow, I guess the movement of the airplane is more important than the first-time quality of the product.’ And we have got to get that in a way more balanced. Without a doubt.”

Wow! A bad habit? It’s more like a serious issue with your company’s culture and the buck stops with Calhoun, and all the others in the C-Suite.

This seismic change in leadership is an opportunity for Boeing to undergo a drastic overhaul and return to an emphasis on safety and quality over profit.

I’m still rooting for Boeing and for the first time in a while, I feel optimistic about the company’s future.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/UrsulaKIROFM

The city, which appoints a mayor instead of electing one, posted the open position last Wednesday. Although, Deputy Mayor Terry Carter is serving as the mayor in the interim.

Council members debate applications for Bonney Lake mayor

According to The News Tribune of Tacoma, the decision to allow applicants wasn’t an easy one. Council member Gwendolyn Fullerton voted against it, saying the city doesn’t have a policy outlining what happens when a mayor steps down and, therefore, must rely on state law. The law says an incumbent council member can be appointed to fill the vacancy.

More from Ursula Reutin: The Burien homeless crisis highlights an even bigger problem

Fullerton argued they should not take applications and give the position to Carter.

“Carter was appointed,” Fullerton said to the Tribune. “We gave him our faith and trust.”

However, as Carter positioned himself to become mayor, things about his past came to light.

“If you want to find out about yourself, try to be mayor or something like that,” co-host Gee Scott said during Monday’s “Gee and Ursula Show.” “Try to be high up there and then you’ll find out all of the tea about yourself or you find out about someone.”

Investigation into Deputy Mayor Terry Carter

In 2021, Crosscut reported Carter “broke the law” after he “failed to report suspected child abuse.”

During that time, Carter was an officer in the Pacific Police Department and an elected council member in Bonney Lake.

Crosscut documented records showing the department suspended Carter earlier in 2021 for “letting child abuse and neglect cases sit dormant.”

In 2013, as reported by Crosscut, an investigation in Bonney Lake cited Carter for several policy violations and he was put on a list of officers with credibility issues, referred to as the Brady List.

Gee said when he heard the news about Carter he felt both discouraged and encouraged.

“I think that society is turning over a new leaf. Things that were maybe OK and not talked about years ago are not OK anymore,” Gee said. “There are people (on) our text line that have been talking about this. This is, obviously, a conversation and it is a big deal for some. Ursula, I’m encouraged now that people are no longer, just because you’re in a certain profession, they are allowing some of these things to go untalked about. We are in a new day now. This isn’t an attack on anyone. This is basically saying, ‘Uh, hello, hold up, wait a minute, this is concerning. Let’s discuss.'”

“Gee and Ursula” co-host Ursula Reutin said she liked Gee’s “optimism” but the issues about Carter have come up in the past and people “maybe didn’t pay attention or people turned a blind eye.”

Appointing a mayor vs. voting for one

Producer Andrew Lanier said the issue brings up a bigger point: Whether mayors should be appointed or elected.

More from ‘Gee and Ursula’: Should judges be elected or appointed?

Ursula agreed, saying people on the council might not want a person to be mayor, but in the case of Carter, he had already been on the council for six years.

“He claims that it was his work at the Bonney Lake Police Department that made him want to become a city council member. But again, there are enough issues that put him on the Brady List, which basically means you’re not trustworthy,” Ursula said.

From there, Gee asked: “For some of you that live in Bonney Lake, did you notice what’s going on? Did you even know that your mayor stepped down?”

Gee then said it goes back to the discussion of appointing rather than voting.

“When that person messes up, nobody can do anything because they’re untouchable because the voters elected elected him. So essentially that person who’s not doing a good job, the voters are like, well, they answer to you, the voters, not anyone else. So, there’s a downside to both sides,” he said.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Medved was referring to last week’s Washington presidential primary.

Appearing on The Gee & Ursula Show, Medved said there were many issues with this year’s vote.

“My wife was enraged about the way that the election was conducted,” Medved explained.

She did not like that you had to put your party affiliation on the outside of the ballot.

“And she is not proud to be a Republican right now,” Medved said. “We’ve both been Republicans for a long time but Diane won’t even call herself that designation anymore.”

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Medved votes for Nikki Haley

Medved said that he and his wife both voted for Nikki Haley even though he knew that wasn’t going to make any difference.

“You want to show your support for the ideas and candidates you believe in,” Medved said. “The idea that that you have to put on the outside of your ballot before you drop it in the mail, which party or you’re going to cast your ballot on. It just was, it could have been handled better.”

With more than 90% of the votes counted, Donald Trump got more than 75% with Haley garnering 20%.

On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden got 84%, with the category of Uncommitted trailing badly at 10%.

“I don’t think that most of the people who voted uncommitted were necessarily supporters of Hamas and the Middle East or opponents of Israel are opponents of American aid to Israel,” Medved explained. “It’s such a level of abstractions that you keep building on and building on. People were dissatisfied and wanted to vote uncommitted, because they wanted choices other than Biden and Trump.”

Medved believes that people are unhappy with their choices during this presidential cycle. He said that because both men were president, people knew what to expect.

“Especially because Trump talks about it all the time and talks about retribution. He talks about pulling out of NATO, and talks about a 10% tariff on everything,” Medved said.

All the talk from Trump could be an advantage

Medved all the talk from Trump could be an advantage come election day because “people say they don’t like the direction the country is going in.”

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He thinks people are also disappointed in the Biden administration.

In terms of who he believes will win the general election, Medved said it’s going to be all about turnout.

“So the idea is that we can get people to show up by scaring the bejesus out of them, you’ll pardon the expression,” he said. “And just indicating that if the other guy wins, it’s the end of America. We’re finished. No more history for our country. And both sides are doing this.”

Medved believes that we will have all kinds of problems the next president will have to contend with.

“We have all kinds of dangers abroad. We have dangers to the economy and dangers at the border. All of this is true,” he said. “But this idea that America is ready to split apart and have a Civil War and the country can no longer exist is overstated, to try to scare people to go to the polls.”

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

For the past year, Burien’s been struggling with what to do with the dozens of homeless people who’ve set up tents on public property. Last week, the City Council approved a stricter ordinance that creates a 500-foot buffer zone around schools, parks, libraries and sidewalks, any hour of the day. Essentially, the ban leaves very few options for the unhoused to go. At the same time, Burien still only has two shelters: Mary’s Place for about 150 family members and a women-only shelter for nine.

As the result of a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, police in Washington cannot arrest or fine a homeless person for public camping if they have nowhere else to go.

Because of the lack of alternatives, King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall ordered her deputies not to enforce a recently passed camping ban in Burien. She and the county also asked a federal judge to weigh in on the constitutionality of the new ordinance.

The sheriff said she doesn’t want her deputies to be held liable if they arrest people, simply for being homeless. On top of that, Burien’s new ordinance also gives the city manager broad discretion to change the no-camping zones, without public comment. Because of that, the sheriff said it would become a moving target for deputies to enforce.

More background on the legislation: Burien facing lawsuit over ordinance banning homeless encampments

The Burien ordinance sounds like another lawsuit waiting to happen

I don’t blame her for asking for clarification from the courts. This sounds like another lawsuit waiting to happen.

Mayor Kevin Schilling dismissed the sheriff’s legal challenge as mere politics. He called this a violation of their contract for public safety services. He told The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH that Burien’s law mirrors what’s being done in Bellevue and SeaTac. In actuality, both of those cities are more specific about where and when their public camping bans can be enforced. Cole-Tindall said Burien’s previous ordinance was enforceable. However last week, the city rushed to pass even more restrictions without giving her much notice.

Schilling said it was the CITY that was blindsided by the sheriff’s decision not to enforce the new ban. He blamed King County Executive Dow Constantine and his “appointed sheriff” for having an agenda. He is now talking about possibly cutting ties with the department and creating the city’s own police force.

Schilling said they’ll put a levy on the ballot asking voters to approve a sales tax increase to raise more money for public safety.

Lawmakers are spending more time bickering

Like many other situations involving our homelessness crisis, those in charge are spending more time bickering about what to do instead of working together toward solutions.

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For the record, I understand the frustration of tents on sidewalks and other public property and am in favor of reasonable bans. But Burien shouldn’t have passed this more restrictive law without including the sheriff’s department that would have to enforce it.

It’s also ridiculous the city still doesn’t have a shelter for single adult men or young adults. There’s clearly a desperate need for more beds. As long as more energy is spent on political grandstanding instead of working together on solutions — I don’t see the homelessness crisis getting better any time soon.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m.- noon on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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The office detailed mounting concerns about Vaddadi’s conduct and rulings from the bench that have prevented the city from receiving fair hearings and trials, according to a memo sent to assistant city attorneys last week obtained by the The Seattle Times.

“So now essentially, this judge is not going to be able to handle arraignments, pretrial hearings or trials for new cases,” Ursula Reutin explained. “Even though the courts are already stretched. So these cases are going to have to be assigned to other judges and fillings.”

City Attorney doesn’t have confidence in Vadaddi

Vaddadi is a former public defender who was elected to the bench after defeating the incumbents in Nov. 2022. The problem is the City Attorney’s Office claimed that she has routinely overruled other judges’ findings of probable cause to arrest a suspect or do a search and she has also repeatedly failed to find probable cause in cases where it clearly exists.

“In other words, they think she is incompetent and doesn’t understand the law,” Ursula said. “It looks like The Seattle Times tried to reach out to this particular judge, but I don’t think that she is responding to comments for requests.”

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Therefore, Gee and Ursula said the Vaddadi case begs the question: Should judges be elected or appointed? In the Vaddadi case, she beat the incumbent.

“Now I just ask anyone filling out ballots, ‘Do you even know anything about the judges you’re being asked to vote on?'” Ursula said.

How much information do we have about judges?

Gee said many times he voted based on a rating from the King County Bar Association.

“You’ve got to realize that is just one source,” Gee said. “But again, in the case of a judge like this, I would say this makes a great case for having judges appointed.”

Ursula said she felt judges should initially be appointed by an independent commission.

“But then I think they should be voted on so people can just say, ‘Hey, are you doing a good job or not?'” Ursula said. “I think that would be the best compromise.”

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Although Gee said he does his due diligence by reading up on the judge in the pamphlet.

“But I don’t know this judge from anywhere. And I make my decision on this pamphlet,” Gee said. “That’s very little info.”

Gee explained that he’s clear on the topic. He wants judges to be appointed.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.