He said for the third year in a row, the city is participating in 100 Safe Days of Summer which is coordinated with the King County Traffic Safety Coalition’s Target Zero.

“The Traffic Safety Coalition, also known as the King County Target Zero Task Force, works collaboratively with traffic safety and community partners to create equitable traffic safety programs and plans to reduce collisions, injuries, and fatalities in King County,” stated King County’s website.

Past coverage: Bellevue Police Department has had enough with traffic fatalities

Last weekend BPD alongside the Seattle Police Department and Washington State Patrol conducted a mobile impaired driving unit as a preventative measure to get drivers under the influence off the roads.

KIRO Newsradio acquired a video of a Bellevue officer pulling over a suspected impaired driver, you can watch it below:

However, the numbers are in from last weekend’s event, and BPD spokesperson Drew Anderson gave us an update.

“And over last weekend, the kickoff weekend, we had at least 36 DUIs across the county, and that’s holding people accountable for driving under the influence,” he said.

Anderson said that the overall message to drivers is to be responsible.

“Micki, as we said last week, if you are drinking, when you’re out, if you are impaired, be responsible,” he said. “That means taking a ride-sharing program, that means calling a family member or a friend, that easily could mean just simply as walking home, we don’t want you on the road, we don’t want you driving impaired and it’s because the state has seen its 33 year high and fatalities on the road.

We want to do what we can to bring that down. Doing that is a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the public to do what we can to be responsible and save lives,” he continued.

Anderson said that even though last weekend’s event is over, 100 Safe Days of Summer continues.

“Because as we all know, Washington State, especially in the summer is beautiful. So everyone’s out and about. So this is peak time for when people could be driving impaired. So it’s going to be happening all summer. But this is an ongoing effort that does not stop even after the summer ends,” he said.

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“We’re on track to strengthen 16 bridges across Seattle to be safer during an earthquake,” Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) Kitt Loo said.

Five of the bridges, including the Lower Spokane Swing Bridge, are already retrofitted. Loo said the bridges can’t be torn down and rebuilt. Instead, the bridges have to be upgraded.

“Some of these older structures are deemed historical, or have some type of landmark preservation designation associated with them,” he said. “So with those, we use a lot of seismic retrofit techniques that try to maintain a lot of those architectural characteristics that may include either just enlarging specific elements of the bridge, using concrete, or we may wrap the bridge with carbon fiber to increase the strength. Those are key components that help maintain seismic resiliency for those bridges.”

These are bridges to be retrofitted and some have already been worked on, according to SDOT:

Loo said SDOT plans to complete all the projects by the end of 2025. It’s all part of the Levy to Move Seattle which was voted on back in 2015. According to SDOT, the $930 million levy will be used to maintain streets and bridges and keep the roadways safe for travelers.

Typical modifications for a concrete arch bridge include (shown on the graphic below):

1. Repairing existing concrete components that are in poor condition.
2. Installing concrete bolsters and enlarging the bridge’s columns and crossbeams.
3. Strengthening the existing arch with a concrete infill wall.
4. Installing carbon fiber wrapping to the bridge’s crossbeams, columns and arches.
5. Replacing the expansion joints at both ends of the bridge.

Examples of the types of modifications SDOT typically makes during a bridge seismic improvement. (Image courtesy of SDOT)

The McGraw Street Bridge seismic retrofit construction began in March and the Delridge Way Pedestrian Bridge seismic retrofit construction began in April.

In general, during work for bridge seismic retrofit projects, neighbors can expect work in the public right-of-way near your home or business. You can also expect occasional traffic or lane restrictions, including closures on side streets and detours for people walking and biking, including potential closures of crosswalks and sidewalks.

Residents should also prepare for typical construction activities such as noise, dust, vibrations and construction equipment staged on the bridge and within the work area. Also, temporary on-street parking restrictions, with signs placed 72 hours in advance to notify residents not to park in the areas.

Construction work will generally occur on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., from Monday to Friday.

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As Carfax Editor in Chief Patrick Olsen explained, the recall is for nearly half a million Kia Telluride SUVs nationwide.

“It’s a popular three-row SUV and because of fears of a fire… it’s one of those rare but urgent recalls that they’re requiring owners or asking owners to park outside because of the fire risk,” Olsen said.

⚠️ CONSUMER ALERT ⚠️ Kia recalls more than 462,000 vehicles and advises owners to park outside.

More: https://t.co/pPrf9ef6LW pic.twitter.com/M8S9zPmnGG

— nhtsagov (@NHTSAgov) June 7, 2024

He said the federal government wants Telluride owners to avoid park in a garage, or any other structure.

Olsen said there’s an issue with the seat switch that moves the front seats.

“The powered front seat to lift it, raise it, moving forward and back, if it gets stuck, NHTSA says there is an elevated risk of fire,” Olsen said.

Other issues out there: Your car’s airbag might be a recall from over 10 years ago

Looking at the recall report more, it notes strong external impact to the recalled Tellurides’ front power seat side cover or seat slide knob can result in internal misalignment — and with continuous operation, that can cause overheating. People driving vehicles with the issue may find they can’t adjust the power seat, may notice a burning or melting smell, or see smoke rising from underneath the seat.

To fix this, dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs at no cost. Until the vehicles are repaired, owners are being instructed to park their cars outside and away from buildings.

Kia has until July 30 to mail out notices and inform car owners and Olsen said, “The first thing owners need to do at this point is be patient.”

He said, “One of the issues with recalls in this country is that it’s a law that automakers must alert owners as soon as they are aware of a problem. But very often that is faster than they can come up with a remedy. I’m not aware if a remedy is in place for this yet or not. But it seems like it won’t be ready to roll out to owners until the end of July.”

Additional Kia recall issues

This isn’t the only recall impacting Kia Telluride owners. In March, Kia America said it would be recalling more than 427,000 of 2020-2024 Telluride SUVs due to a defect that may cause the cars to roll away while they’re parked.

Last fall, Kia and Hyundai announced previous “park outside” recalls for 3.4 million other car and SUV models due to the danger of engine compartment fires. Amid long-delayed repairs, many of those vehicles remained on the road months later, posing serious concerns from drivers and consumer safety advocates.

“Hyundai and Kia, back in September recalled 3.3 million vehicles for a potential issue with their anti-lock brakes,” Olsen said. “So, it’s a very different issue.”

Hyundai owns part of Kia, though the two companies operate independently.

More from Micki Gamez: Bellevue Police Department has had enough with traffic fatalities

The NHTSA offers additional tips for car owners looking to check for recalls.

• Use NHTSA’s recalls lookup tool to use a license plate number or vehicle identification number to search for any open safety recalls, including the urgent Kia recall.
• Download our SaferCar app and let it check automatically.
• If a vehicle does have a safety recall, call the automaker’s local dealer to schedule the free recall repair.
• Sign up at NHTSA.gov/alerts to be notified by email if a vehicle is affected by a future recall.

Contributing: The Associated Press

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He said for the third year in a row, the city is participating in 100 Safe Days of Summer which is coordinated with the King County Traffic Safety Coalition’s Target Zero.

“The Traffic Safety Coalition, also known as the King County Target Zero Task Force, works collaboratively with traffic safety and community partners to create equitable traffic safety programs and plans to reduce collisions, injuries, and fatalities in King County,” stated King County’s website.

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is undergoing Vision Zero, a program to end traffic fatalities by 2030.

“Last year, I was working in Bellevue. I wrote over 500 tickets for distracted driving. That’s a huge number. And that is way too high. Folks are still talking on their cell phones, but they’re texting. They’re using apps. They’re video chatting. And the one thing they’re not doing is paying attention to the road. And that’s contributing to our traffic crashes and traffic deaths,” Tyler said.

BPD said it’s focused on accident-causing violations like speeding and talking on the phone.

“I work on a motorcycle. So it’s super easy for me to see inside those cars if someone’s holding their phone. Normally, people are just staring at their crotch while they’re driving. So that’s a good indication that maybe something’s going on with their phone,” Tyler said.

More from Micki Gamez: Bellevue PD is teaching women to fight back with self-defense

And so I can just look down in the window and see if they’re trying to text on the fly. They’re on their phones. So it’s not hard for us to see these violations. It is a moving violation. So it will affect your insurance. So yet another reason to stay off your phone and focus on the road,” he continued.

Tyler talked about being on-site during a fatality crash in Bellevue and how devastating it was.

“I’ve had to make those notifications to the families, you know, to tell them that their loved one won’t be coming home that night. And it’s kind of the call that I never want to have to go to ever again,” he said.

In Bellevue, if you get a DUI the officer is going to place you under arrest, according to Tyler.

“There’s going to be a court hearing. It is a misdemeanor in Washington with jail of up to 30 days for your first offense,” he said.

Tyler told us the fines range up to $10,000.

“And you’re also going to have an interlock device put on your car before you can drive it. So that’s going to be an extra expense, you have to pay for that. And there’s also a monthly fee for that interlock device,” he said.

But legal expenses can be up to $10,000. And so as I like to tell anyone who is like ‘You know what, I just had a couple beers.’ I’m like, ‘Well, is it worth $10,000?’ Because that’s what it could cost you and our prosecutors are on board with this effort to if you get a DUI, you can expect to see them in court,” he continued.

BPD’s Drew Anderson said the department has already had 94 DUI incidents in the city from January to June. He added the city has seen a 15% increase in DUI incidents over the last year.

“So enforcement is needed, not just because of fatalities and reckless driving … it is reaching a 33-year high across the state and we want to do our part to really curb that,” he said.

Numbers from AAA: Washington is one of the worst states for distracted driving

The city is hosting a mobile impaired driving unit starting Friday through Saturday night.

“The preventative measure is we are asking residents if they’ve been drinking and even if they question whether or not they’re able to drive, to take a ride-sharing program, or call a family member or a friend for help. It is not worth it to hop behind the wheel,” Anderson said.

If a Bellevue officer pulls you over for driving under the influence, you will get arrested for driving impaired, Anderson said. The fine is $10,000 worth of legal fees and it will go on your record.

Editors’ note: This story originally was published on Thursday, June 6, 2024. It has been updated and republished since then.

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For those planning to travel on Interstate 5 (I-5) south near Boeing Access Road, expect delays of more than 20 minutes depending on the time of day. The traffic will be a result of Revive I-5 in South Seattle to replace concrete panels and joints, according to Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) spokesperson Tom Pearce.

“This weekend, on southbound I-5 near Boeing Field, we’re going to be replacing concrete near the Military Road overpass. So we’re going to have to reduce the freeway down to two lanes. And people will have to prepare for delays,” Pearce said.

He said the work is part of the Duwamish River to Lucille Street project, which the agency has been working on and replaced a lot of concrete.

“So now we’re getting down to the last few weekends,” Pearce said. “We’re going to replace the concrete approaching the Military Road overpass southbound and then we’re gonna be back for a couple more weekends to replace expansion joints on both the southbound and northbound Military Road overpasses.”

The work will also include overnight lane closures during the work week, which give crews time to complete other work like removing ruts in the road.

More from Micki Gamez: Vashon Islanders can’t wait another 4 years for new ferry

Looking more at the Revive I-5 project

“This Revive I-5 project is just one aspect of the critical preservation work occurring in the state,” Pearce explained. “Lane and ramp closures on northbound and southbound I-5 will continue between Seattle and Tukwila until fall 2024.”

Even though lane closures create big backups, the more than 200,000 daily commuters between Seattle’s SODO neighborhood and Tukwila, will have to grin and bear it until construction season is over.

The Revive I-5 project which is an umbrella of dozens of preservation projects for I-5 in King and Snohomish Counties, aims to smooth the surface by replacing concrete panels and expansion joints. The construction project will also grind down any ruts to preserve the lifespan for decades to come.

Renton drivers rejoice: Lind Avenue overpass over I-405 reopens after 2 years

This is not the first time the Revive I-5 project has led to road closures and possible traffic backups this year. Portions of downtown Everett were closed in the middle of May; work took place between Seattle and Tukwila at the end of March and construction occurred at Boeing Access Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Tukwila in February.

For the latest construction closure information, visit the WSDOT real-time travel map, download the WSDOT traffic app or sign up for email updates.

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Previous coverage: Vashon Island struggling economically due to state ferry crisis

Islanders for Ferry Action, a community organization based on Vashon Island, said that small businesses are struggling to make ends meet because of the frequent delays and outages with the ferry system to the island.

According to Amy Drayer, Director of Islanders for Ferry Action, small business owners said they are struggling to thrive and are tired of sitting by and waiting for the state to fix the problems.

“We often had one boat service to Vashon Island. This occurred during our annual Strawberry Festival event. We went down to one boat service, we had multiple interruptions,” Drayer said. “And, of course, that’s a big example. When disruptions happen at pivotal times, it makes a big impact.”

Drayer shared updated results from the latest state agency survey which showed 70% dissatisfaction among Vashon Island correspondents.

“You know, we understand that our riders have struggled in this ferry crisis. And we continue on Vashon to identify this as a crisis. We have not seen really improvement in service,” she said.

Drayer said as the community heads into the summer season, there will be more shortfalls and delays, furthering the crisis.

“So for us, a crisis is over Mother’s Day weekend when we went down to one boat, right? And that’s a crisis moving people on and off the island,” she said. “But it’s not just an inconvenience when you’re waiting three or four hours. It’s not an inconvenience when a friend of mine, you know, her son came over on a 7 a.m. boat and left on a 9 a.m. boat so that he can see his mom having to wait hours in line.”

For Drayer, an Islander, it IS a crisis when small businesses have a two or three-hour gap in midday service and cannot receive goods and services and can’t go off the Island to purchase goods and services.

Travel alert: Washington ferry prices have gone up amid wave of riders

Drayer explained how some businesses aren’t delivering to the island anymore.

“We have a number of businesses whose delivery companies have started refusing to come to Vashon. And if we can’t move goods and services off our island, that’s a problem,” she said.

And when it comes to health care and living on the island, Drayer told KIRO Newsradio, don’t break a bone because you can’t set it on the island.

“So if it’s a Monday and you’ve broken a bone and you happen to fall in that two-hour gap when the boat the south end and the north end, you’re sitting in line. And if it’s Monday during commute time, you can’t get medical priority loading unless you’re in an ambulance,” she explained.

She said fire and rescue are doing basic transport for those who might otherwise go to urgent care.

“But if you’ve got a broken leg, you’re sitting hours in line waiting for the boat. That’s a terrible crisis, a healthcare crisis for our community,” she added.

KIRO Newsradio asked Drayer what the ferry system can do to help soften the blow of this crisis.

Related news: Calmer waters ahead for Washington State Ferries?

“Washington State Ferries has acknowledged that we’re asking for a timeline to fix the two-boat schedule. Bringing back reliability to our service is going to be a huge driver of satisfaction. And it’s going to be a huge driver of success for our community,” she said.

WSF’s released a statement via email:

WSF is aware of the FROG survey results and appreciates all the work the Washington State Transportation Commission does to gather input from our customers. We certainly understand the frustration of Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth customers who have been on reduced service since the pandemic. Per our Service Contingency Plan, that route is the next to be restored. If we have a vessel and the crew available to operate it, we intend to run unscheduled three-boat service on the route this summer.”

Starting July 1, King County Metro will implement more midday water taxi services from Vashon Island to Seattle. The route will go from six round trips daily to 10, during the weekdays only.

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CarFax’s Patrick Olsen told KIRO Newsradio over six million cars in the United States still have the Takata Airbag installed.

“There are 133,000 in Washington State and more than 76,000 in the Seattle Tacoma area,” he said.

More from Micki Gamez: Another Kia software upgrade is happening in Bellevue

Olsen told us the Takata airbag killed 27 people in the U.S. and almost 400 people have been injured.

“That is an incredible number,” he said.  “And frankly, we were alarmed to see it (the recall) was still quite so high. We figured after 10 years, we check in and see what kind of progress has been made.”

Olsen said even though the number of people who’ve been hurt or killed is low, the risk keeps growing.

“The longer these airbags stay in the car, now we’re talking about their second, third, fourth owner. So it can be difficult to track those owners down,” he said.

What’s the issue with recalled airbags?

Olsen said the danger is cumulative.

“The issue is now for some of these cars, these airbags have been in there for 20 years, getting moisture into those chemicals getting heat and humidity applied to it,” he said. “A lot of cars in Seattle now may have come from other states and been driven down in Arizona or California before they came up to Seattle and were exposed to a lot more heat or a lot more humidity.”

He told KIRO Newsradio the heat isn’t going to set the airbag off.

“It’s if you ever get involved a crash. And I know some people will say, ‘Hey, I’m an excellent driver, I will never be in a crash.’ But that doesn’t stop the guy from running into you, you know, on an accident,” he said

What to do if you have a recalled airbag 

Olsen said to call your car dealer and find out if they have a replacement airbag.

More on recalls: What you should do when you own a product that has been recalled

“Now automakers have stocked up … dealers should be stocked up, make an appointment, it’ll take one to two hours to fix, but it will cost you nothing. And the peace of mind you get from it is incalculable,” he said.

Olsen added that people can go to Carfax’s website, put in their vehicle identification number or license plate information and it will tell them for free if their car is an open recall. He also said car owners can check with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, put in their vehicle identification number, and it will tell them the same thing.

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More than 18,000 fans were in attendance to watch the Storm take on the Fever, including the 12-year-old girls’ Seattle Rotary Lady Style Basketball team.

More on the Seattle Storm: Caitlin Clark brings record crowd to game with Storm

“I am here to see Caitlin Clark, Jewell Loyd and Nika Muhl,” 12-year-old Alliyah, a guard for the Rotary basketball team, said. “It’s crazy because I’ve never seen a girls’ basketball game sold out!”

After she said that, she walked to meet her friends beaming from ear to ear.

“Watching the game tonight and the fans gives me hope for when I make it to the WNBA!” Alliyah’s teammate, GG, told KIRO Newsradio. “I want to be the next Caitlin Clark or a guard in my own right.”

The other young women in attendance said they were in awe of the sold-out game and couldn’t believe so many people were there to cheer on women’s basketball.

“My favorite part of the whole night is just being here,” Nyla, another girl on the rotary basketball team said.

“The support people are giving Caitlin Clark is pretty cool,” her teammate Khloe said. “The energy was like, wow, I don’t know how to describe it.”

Among the record-breaking crowd were local celebrity athletes including former Seattle SuperSonics player and University of Washington Huskies star Detlef Schrempf, former NBA star Isaiah Tomas, former Storm forward Gabby Williams and a few current and former Seattle Seahawks, including wide receiver Tyler Lockett. A few members of the Seahawks even went onto the court during a timeout to throw shirts into the crowd.

Tasha Burns, director and head coach of the Seattle Rotary Lady Style basketball team said she felt a great deal of satisfaction watching the Storm and watching her team of players watch the Storm.

“As a coach committed to inspiring young talent in basketball, witnessing the Seattle Storm make history was an incredible experience,” Burns said. “There was a lot of pride as I watched my players’ excitement. The Storm’s achievements serve as a powerful reminder that dreams are attainable with hard work, dedication and teamwork. It’s not just about winning games, it’s about breaking barriers and setting new standards.”

Nika Muhl of the Seattle Storm, left, and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever watch the action while a player shoots a free throw during their matchup at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. (Photo: Steph Chambers, Getty Images)

No surprise, the crowd erupted when Seattle Storm rookie Nika Mühl was called to the court to make her professional debut, recording two rebounds in two minutes in the third quarter while also being used as the primary defender on Clark.

Mühl, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, couldn’t join the Storm for its first four games due to complications converting her student visa into a P1A work visa. Mühl is a Croatian citizen who used a student visa during her four-year tenure at the University of Connecticut.

Rookie love 💚 pic.twitter.com/DoEkF7YC9a

— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) May 23, 2024

More on local women’s basketball: UW star basketball player is living her dream, looking toward the future

Storm fans got to go home happy as Seattle won a tension-filled game 85-83 after a nail-biting ending. For those who missed this matchup, Clark and the Fever return to Climate Pledge Arena June 27.

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According to Washington-based American Automobile Association (AAA) Vice President of Travel Michelle Glass, those who don’t have a timed entry reservation might not get in this weekend.

The national park hopes a pilot timed-entry reservation system will reduce wait times, heavy traffic and overcrowding.

“I asked our travel advisors, ‘Where are you seeing people going?'” Glass told KIRO Newsradio. “And, you know, they’re going to the national parks (like Glacier in Montana). They’re going early, before the parks get too crowded. Also, you might know, Rainier National Park is now starting on Friday by appointment only. You’re not getting in unless you make a reservation, a timed reservation.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Friday and Monday at Mount Rainier National Park have limited availability. But Saturday and Sunday appear to be sold out for the Paradise Corridor entrance.

This is how it works:

• Friday-Monday, Sept. 2 (Labor Day),  timed-entry reservations are required to enter the Paradise Corridor on the south side of the park from from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily.
• Thursday, July 4-Monday, Sept. 2 timed-entry reservations are required to enter the Sunrise Corridor on the northeast side of the park from from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily.

Take note because the website also states that visitors entering the park in a vehicle or on a motorcycle in one of these areas during these dates need two items:

1. A timed entry reservation or a service reservation (lodging, camping, wilderness permit, etc.)
2. A park entrance fee or a valid park pass (annual, senior, military, etc.).

Also note that the park entrance fee will not be available online through recreation.gov during the timed entry reservation period between May 19 and Sept. 2. They must be purchased in person at entrances to the park.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the park is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week and visitors may enter timed-entry reservation areas before 7 a.m. or after 3 p.m. without a reservation.

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More here: Hyundai owners were able to get free anti-theft software updates

According to the website hyundaiantitheft.com, these clinics throughout the state were “intended to complement Hyundai’s nationwide network of dealerships and drive further installations of Hyundai’s free anti-theft software upgrade for customers who continue to be affected by the thefts.”

And now, Kia is offering the same type of event.

Bellevue Police Department spokesperson Drew Anderson said Kia car owners can scan the QR code below to find out if their car qualifies for the free anti-theft upgrade.

Anderson shared that over 200 cars have been stolen in Bellevue so far this year and 58 of them were either a Kia or Hyundai.

The upgrade event is going to be in Factoria Mall, at 4025 Factoria Square Mall Southeast in Bellevue. The event will be on Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at the same time on Saturday. On Sunday it will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anderson said there is also a similar event happening at the Tacoma Mall.

Car owners who don’t drive a Kia but want to protect their property can get a free steering wheel lock on Saturday at the Factoria Police Substation between noon and 4 p.m.

“Last month, we gave away 300 locks to folks. And in total, we have given over 1,000 locks to motorists and Kia and Hyundai owners,” Anderson said.

Nearby: Bellevue PD is teaching women to fight back with self-defense

He called it a successful program because wheel locks prevent a majority of thefts due to the length of time it takes to remove the steering wheel lock when it’s installed properly.

Anderson also said if you show up on Saturday remember, “One lock per person. So that is that is our rule. They are free, though. So one lock per person per vehicle.”

However, if your household has three cars, for example, you need to drive all three cars to get a free steering wheel lock for each car.

This will be the last lock giveaway until further notice.

Editors’ note: This story originally was published on Wednesday, May 15. It has been updated and republished since then.

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“The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence also found that about one in three women – including about 41.4% of Washington women – experience some form of domestic violence from a partner or significant other,” BPD spokesperson Drew Anderson said.

It’s two of the biggest reasons BPD is teaching girls of all ages how to protect themselves.

“Being the one of the few police departments in the world that is certified to offer regularly occurring workshops like this is a special thing for us,” BPD Officer Craig Hanaumi, the creator of the Women Empowered Series, said. “With lots of help from our colleagues and friends in our community, we believe that the caliber of instruction in our workshops meets the standards set at Gracie University’s for-profit schools, and we are proud to provide this to women for free.”

Two Years In, More than 2,000 Women Attend Bellevue PD’s Women’s Self-Defense Workshop Series https://t.co/6Bbx6PLDRQ

— Bellevue, WA Police (@BvuePD) May 14, 2024

Hanaumi said more than 2,000 women have attended his self-defense workshop since it began. Some traveled more than 60 miles to be there.

He said a typical class holds about 25 to 30 women.

“And there’s no upper cap (for age), the oldest woman I believe — because you’re not supposed to ask right? — but she said she was 89,” Hanaumi said. The youngest member was 11.

“Young women are especially at risk with about 82% of juvenile victims being female. About 90% of rape victims are female,” Anderson said in an email.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence also stated in that one in three women who have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner mentioned previously, it includes “a range of behaviors (e.g. slapping, shoving, pushing) and in some cases might not be considered ‘domestic violence.'”

More on the self-defense courses for women

Information about the next two classes of the month can be seen below:

WHAT: Women Empowered Self-Defense Workshop

WHEN: 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., Sunday, May 19 and Sunday, May 26

WHERE: Bellevue City Hall (450 110th Ave. NE, Bellevue)

Hanaumi reiterated that the self-defense workshops are free. However, those interested in attending are encouraged to email to reserve a spot: chanaumi@bellevuewa.gov

More classes will be announced next month.

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Past coverage: Revive I-5 done for the year in Everett

“We’ll have the ramp to Pacific Avenue and Marine View Drive closed,” Pierce told KIRO Newsradio. “And then we are also going to have the onramps from Everett Avenue and U.S. 2 closed in downtown Everett.”

As a possible saving grace, State Route 529 bridge work will pause so drivers can divert and head north and south. Pausing 529 bridge work will keep traffic moving through the Snohomish River Bridge. However, that route does have stoplights, so be prepared for major delays.

“Work on that project starts at 7 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, and will reduce the northbound highway to one lane, 24 hours per day,” WSDOT said.

Pierce said crews are going to be fixing the roads.

“We are going to remove some asphalt pavement and we are going to replace it with concrete. And so that takes a lot of time because we need the concrete to cure and then of course we have to go back and restripe once that’s complete,” Pierce said.

WSDOT sent a news release that stated:

The freeway will be reduced to one northbound lane from 9 p.m. Friday, May 10, to 6 a.m. Monday, May 13, starting near 41st Street. During the lane reduction, contractor crews working for WSDOT will replace asphalt with concrete between Pacific Avenue and Marine View Drive. The work still is weather dependent. The work will require ramp closures for the entire weekend.”

Drivers should allow for delays of up to an hour. Consider public transportation as an alternative or plan to travel earlier in the day before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

Related news: Expect traffic! President Biden returns to Seattle Friday, Mariners back in town

Also, keep in mind President Joe Biden lands in Seattle on Friday and will most likely leave Saturday midday. So if you plan to travel to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, leave at least three hours earlier than expected.

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here. 

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“The reason why this started is because there was a tick-tock trend,” Bellevue Police Spokesperson Drew Anderson said. “Everyone loves TikTok and they saw a lot of folks on TikTok showing how easy it is to steal Kias and Hyundais. So the Bellevue Police decided to get more proactive because we are a police force that likes to try to prevent as much crime as possible.”

More on steering wheel locks: Hyundai owners were able to get free anti-theft software updates

“They provided steering locks to us to where we have been providing folks who want to be proactive in protecting their vehicle to come get a lock and take that extra measure to help them be proactive for their cars,” Anderson added.

Before last Saturday’s event, Bellevue Police passed out more than 700 locks. The weekend before, more than 310 were distributed.

Do steering wheel locks prevent theft?

When it comes to stealing a car, time is of the essence and a steering wheel lock dramatically extends the time required, according to Bellevue Police.

“It’s definitely a preventative measure,” Anderson said, referencing the process of sawing off the steering wheel lock.

The Bellevue Police Department is currently in the process of planning another lock giveaway that is going to be announced next month. Drivers wanting a steering wheel lock can use a QR code to get in contact about the opportunity to upgrade their car.

More from Micki Gamez: Sextortion is trapping our teens but one major company is working to stop it

“We definitely did notice that there are groups like the “Kia Boyz” who are roaming not only Bellevue, but across the region targeting vulnerable vehicles and stealing cars whenever they want to go on joyride specifically,” Anderson said. “I think for us, the Bellevue Police, we definitely decided to be more proactive by announcing a vehicle task force where we do our own research.

“We decided to go after the folks that were really participating in those high-volume thefts across the area,” Anderson continued. “It has been going with moderate success, and it’s been definitely a program that we’re going to definitely continue until we see more thefts decrease in the area.”

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Sextortion is a recent online phenomenon that is considered image-based sexual abuse and Psychology Today calls it a worldwide crisis.

The online site says men are more susceptible because they are more open to online dating.

“They, (kids) all have phones. We’re all online. We’re all gaming, right? We have chat features in our games, as well. So all of the kids and teenagers are all exposed to this threat,” said Seattle Police Lieutenant Ben Morrison, Commander for the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit told KIRO Newsradio.

Since the pandemic, it has become easier for kids to connect with someone they think might be another teen online.

More from Micki Gamez: AAA: Washington is one of the worst states for distracted driving

“Predators online, who are very good at their craft, very good at reaching out to kids, finding kids manipulating kids using fear, guilt, shame, to get what they want. Which is partial or nude photos of our children, of our teenagers, so they can continue to manipulate them for that material. This is child sexual abuse online,” Morrison said. “And this is just simple, where someone reaches out. They text and sound just like that teenager appears, right? If it’s a 13-year-old online, it sounds like all their friends are online.”

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram wants to help in the fight against sextortion. The company recently added more guardrails for teen accounts.

Meta is taking steps to prevent sextortion. (Image courtesy of Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio)

“So you know, we’re always working to improve our tools around important topics like this. I am a mother of four, two of my children are teenagers. And so this is the thing that we think about a lot in our house. And we have to talk about it with our kids as well. So yes, we do have new tools that we’ve announced to help prevent this sort of thing from happening,” Meta spokesperson Lori Moylan shared with me last week.

The first concerns the images sent or received as a teen.

“If you’re using Instagram DM, or you have a Facebook account, and you’re using Messenger, obviously, this is a place where you can send or receive nude images,” Moylan said. “Obviously, that is not what we want teens to be doing on our platforms. And so the tools that we’re introducing will automatically blur those images.”

Meta is taking steps to prevent sextortion. (Image courtesy of Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio)

Here’s how it works: When a user sends a pic containing nudity, Meta will introduce friction.

Friction requires the user to jump through hoops before a possible sexually explicit photo can be seen, in hopes that a teen won’t open it.

“So for teenagers, they’ll automatically be opted into this,” Moylan explained. “Obviously, they can also report those images to us so that we know that these images are happening. And we’ll send them safety tools like the take it down tool, which will let us sort of take power over our own.”

The second thing Meta has implemented is improving signals around accounts that may be engaging in sextortion-related activities.

Related news: 6th graders selling feet pictures online to strangers, parents unaware

“So obviously, this is a thing we’ve been working to improve for a long time. And just in the second half of last year, we took down 21,000 groups and 37 different networks that people that we thought were engaged in some form of exploitation on the platform, of which sextortion could be one,” Moylan said.

It means that if Meta suspects an account is engaging in suspicious activity, the company will limit how they can interact with people online especially accounts that aren’t friends.

“If you were to try to message a teen that you are not connected, you would not be able to get the message button,” she said.

This means if a flagged user tries to message a teen, Meta won’t allow it.

Seattle police said it’s critical that parents become more involved in their teen’s internet use and implement stricter privacy settings because not all platforms are alike.

If your child is the victim of a sex scam — do not send money, save the online interaction and report it immediately to the FBI.

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While cell phones appear to be the biggest distraction for teenage drivers, AAA’s Laura Ray said — the biggest distracter is friends.

“AAA Washington research found that when teens are only driving with other teens in the car, and again, that’s anyone under 20, that if they get into a crash, that the rate of fatality for everyone involved increases by 51%,” Ray explained.

Reason being? Teens don’t have a lot of driving experience. Loud music is another factor.

“And so there’s often if I recall as a teenager, turning it (music) up really loud, dancing around, speeding and in addition to that, phones,” Ray said.

Trying to manage a car, turn the music up or down, change the song, laugh, dance and teens just being teens can become deadly.

“We (AAA) are proud to partner with Ishika Binu and the Safe Drive Club,” Ray said.

More from Micki Gamez: Local bike shop wants to keep you moving no matter your income

Binu created the online platform, Safe Drive Club, to encourage drivers to promise not to drive distracted after she was involved in a crash as a teenager. The goal is for parents and their teens to log on and take the pledge to help prevent distracted driving.

So @AAA_Washington says #WA is one of the worst states in the nation for distracted driving! Do you agree? #SafeDriveClub #VisionZero #distracteddrivers #DistractedDrivingmonth pic.twitter.com/h0N7juPjMU

— KIRO Newsradio Traffic (@KIROTraffic) April 22, 2024

“I think it’s all about mitigating risk, right? When you’re in the car, anything can be distracting … anything,” Ray said. “I rely on my passengers in my car to play DJ a lot. I rely on them to get the thing out of the purse if I need it. If I’m driving solo, I pull over to the parking lot. I’ll pull over and just stop the car and get what I need. I also am fortunate that my car has voice recognition. So I can use that safely because I’ve practiced it.”

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, distracted driving is so bad the agency begged the public to be more cautious while driving through work zones after workers were injured in crashes. A driver allegedly rammed into two of their maintenance crew vehicles. All three of the injured workers were evaluated at a hospital and were subsequently released.

Background: WSDOT pleas for safer driving in work zones after more workers injured in crash

However, there are an average of 626 highway work zone accidents per year in Washington. The top three causes are: following too closely, speeding and distracted driving.

Almost 95% of the people injured or killed in work zone collisions are drivers and their passengers.

And then there’s Vision Zero, which launched in Seattle back in 2015. It aims to end pedestrian deaths by 2030. Unfortunately, the city has averaged about 28 traffic deaths per year, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation.

Every Seattle resident should be able to feel safe getting where they need to go. This review and the concrete actions that follow reaffirm our ‘One Seattle’ commitment to safety, as we work relentlessly to get back on track to reaching our Vision Zero goals. We’re transforming our streets to promote walkability and a people-first transportation system, one rooted in safety and equity, where neighborhoods most impacted and historically underserved receive the support and improvements they deserve,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said in a statement.

Ray said one of the ways parents can teach teens to become less distracted while driving is to model good behavior.

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“I mean, we’ve been doing this our whole lives with our kids, and my kids will never see me pick up my phone in a moving car ever. So they have been witnessing that for quite some time. And they also know that again, I asked passengers to help,” Ray said.

So they see these behaviors from who’s in the car. So I would say opening the narrative, looking at the Safe Drive Club, information, listening to issue and just modeling really great behavior, I think are all worthwhile steps in helping support our teams as they they start off on this new adventure for themselves,” she continued.

To make the pledge to become a better driver, you can check out Safe Drive Club’s website.

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Every first and third Tuesday of the month, it offers free bike repairs to anyone in need.

“So we’re bike mobile,” the shop’s spokesperson, Ed Ewing, said. “Honestly, it’s really like an ice cream truck on wheels that hands out bikes and bike parts. And it’s kind of a magnet whenever we pull into a community.”

The bike shop teamed up with the City of Seattle to help the community stay mobile.

“We also know that downtown is a very active bike commuting area for those who can’t afford bikes,” Ewing said. “And so when those individuals stopped by the bike mobile for, say a flat tire change or whatnot, we encourage them to donate. We share what we do. And it’s kind of a pay-it-forward model for those who maybe can’t afford a bike or can’t afford bike repair. And so it’s a way for us to keep people moving.”

More from Micki Gamez: Going on a spring trip from Sea-Tac? Your car might not be there when you get back

Ewing shared the shop loves to help the community because not everyone has access to affordable transportation.

“We’re a social justice-minded organization,” he said. “We have been that way and operated that way for 28 years now. We only serve the South End, specifically the 98118 zip code. We specifically get bikes into the hands of people who may not be able to afford them, who may depend on biking for transportation. And that’s our mission, we actualize our mission through the bicycle.”

The next bike mobile will be on Tuesday, April 16 at Seattle’s City Hall Park.

“It’s first come first serve. We’re there 1-4 p.m.,” Ewing said. “And then we ask you know, if there is a line for people to be patient, and nine times out of 10 people are.”

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However, Cooper emphasizes that context matters. With approximately 2 million vehicles passing through the airport’s parking garage annually, the actual percentage of stolen cars remains quite low. “Ninety-nine point nine percent of vehicles make it through without incident,” Cooper stated. “We’re dealing with a very small number here.”

So why the sudden spike? Most of the stolen cars were left unlocked, and many had their key fobs conveniently inside. “Modern technology has made it easier for thieves,” Cooper explained. “They simply stroll along the rows of parked cars, looking for unlocked doors or key fobs left behind.”

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He said there are many ways to see when a car leaving the airport garage could be stolen.

“The way people get out of a garage when they have a theft of the vehicle, they’re either trying to piggyback with someone in front of them that has paid so basically, the person in front of them pays the, the gate arm goes up, and then they just go right by the cashier, bumper-to-bumper with the car in front of them and get through,” Cooper said. “Otherwise, they actually will just break right through the arm. And so that’s typically when you realize that a vehicle has been stolen.”

Besides cars, thieves are also on the hunt for valuables. Even a small change in the console or cup holders can attract unwanted attention. Cooper’s advice: “Don’t leave anything valuable in your vehicle. It makes you a target.”

Despite the rising theft numbers, reserved parking at the airport is completely sold out, especially during spring break. “Yesterday, we had fewer than 100 open spaces out of 12,000,” Cooper revealed. The availability fluctuates throughout the day as travelers arrive and depart.

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Cooper said that last year, the airport also completed a parking guidance system project

“What that is, at least what people notice of it, is the green and red lights that indicate when a parking stall is filled or not as you’re driving through the garage,” Cooper said. “People may not realize that there are cameras within each of those devices. And so our Port of Seattle police can use those as potential opportunities to keep track and eye on thefts. Also, we have a dedicated garage unit that is in the garage throughout the day, and that’s keeping track of that as well.”

Whether you’re flying or driving, vigilance and smart choices can help keep your belongings safe.

As for those car thefts? “Once again, it’s a small minority of a small percentage of vehicles that end up getting taken,” Cooper emphasized. “Unfortunately, when you look at it for yourself—it’s your vehicle—you don’t care what the small percentage is, kind of like the way we talk about baggage theft.”

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here. 

Contributing: Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

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King County Metro’s (KCM) Al Sanders said the Rapid-G will kick off shortly after the Lynwood extension is done in early September.

More on public transportation: Snohomish County Transit announces major changes as Lynnwood light rail set to launch

“RapidRide G line will be traveling from the Seattle Waterfront,” Sanders said. “It will go along Madison Street, and it will serve Capitol Hill, the Central District, First Hill and the Madison Valley neighborhoods.”

The RapidRide will connect passengers to four modes of mass transit: Light Rail, Washington State Ferries, Street Car and King County Water Taxi.

“It will provide access to north and south for a number of Metro routes along its path,” Sanders said.

Sanders told KIRO Newsradio the community can benefit from the line because it will operate 23 hours a day.

“And it will run every six minutes. Monday through Saturday, through most of the day,” Sanders said. “It will extend to 15 minutes late at night, but it will run every six minutes throughout the day. This is a service in which, quite honestly, you haven’t missed the bus. You’re just early for the next one.”

The G Line will also feature larger buses.

“There are going to be some center boarding platforms on Madison, in which people will be able to board off of what would be considered the left side … the driver’s side,” Sanders said. “There’ll be two doors on the driver’s side and there’ll be three doors on the regular curbside to help keep things moving.”

More from Micki Gamez: UW star basketball player is living her dream, looking toward the future

We know most transit agencies throughout the region suffer from a driver shortage. We had to ask KCM if it’s prepared for the demand, he said, “Mickey, we have the operators we need to have rapid ride move. We are prepared, and we’re ready to go.” Sanders said, “When does it launch, it will launch in the fall. The Lynwood link starts in August, and we want to coordinate that service at the start of our rapid ride G line as well as the expanded service.”

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Local veterinarian Dr. Mona Radashwar said allergies run the entire year for dogs.

“We’ll just see it all year round,” she said. “We also see it in the humans. You know, it manifests with the sneezing and itchy eyes. We see it more commonly in the dogs, just in the skin and the ears and in the anal glands.”

If your dog is scratching more than usual, you should take them in to be seen to figure out what’s causing the reaction.

The most common allergy — food.

“Honestly, we see food allergies a lot more,” Radashwar said. “Like that’s the number one thing we start with is food allergies.”

And the most cost-effective way to figure out what’s wrong is to do a food trial diet. It’s where you avoid one or more foods for a period of time to see if the allergy symptoms go away.

What is not a common allergy symptom in dogs? Sneezing. A lot.

“We see the sneezing for allergies, really less. So in that case, I would say, try Zyrtec and let time pass and see how it goes. But if you want to get to the bottom of it and figure out exactly what is causing the sneezing, then there is allergy testing available,” Radashwar said.

Local vet says blood tests can identify allergies for pets

Just like with humans, there are blood tests that can identify what pollen or environmental allergen is causing the irritation. Radashwar said once the allergen is discovered, your four-legged baby can try a specific vaccine that goes in the mouth.

But can dogs suffer from high pollen counts like humans?

“Yeah, sure. We’ll do one of these blood tests or go to the dermatologist and they’ll do the intradermal,” Radashwar said. “And they’ll put all the antigens in the skin and see which one swells up the most.”

And so then, you have a profile about what your dog is allergic to,” she continued.

But what are you going to do if your dog is allergic to pollen?

Radashwar said, most commonly, dog owners just ignore the symptoms.

If you suspect your dog is suffering, call the vet and follow their advice. If you can fork over a few hundred dollars or more, get the blood test and offer your pup some relief.

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here. 

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Past coverage: Light rail expansion to Lynnwood opens in August

“We’re going to connect people from different places,” Sount Transit spokesperson Martin Munguia said. “From Snohomish County to light rail in Lynwood and Mountlake Terrace. And then, they can take the rail into downtown Seattle. So we’re effectively going to be eliminating our commuter routes that go into Seattle.”

It means that ORCA cardholders will tap the first ride. For example, if you catch the bus in Marysville you will pay $2.50 to take the bus from Marysville to Lynwood and then you connect to the light rail to Seattle and only pay another 50 cents.

“As long as you are traveling within a two hour period on your ORCA card, it doesn’t charge you for each trip, it only charges if there’s a difference in the fare between the two modes,” Munguia said.

And when you return home, it works the same way. Just make sure to tap your ORCA card.

Whenever fares change, Community Transit gives the public a period to comment.

“We’re not going to get a lot of comments, or the comments will be, hey, what a great deal,” Munguia said.

The change is expected to save passengers $10 a week.

Riders have until the beginning of May to sound off on any changes happening. Then, sometime in June, the Community Transit board plans to take a vote. According to Munguia, the measure will pass.

Beginning plans: Snohomish Community Transit proposes new connections to light rail, more frequent bus service

“And we expect that to happen. And then like I said, so after light rail starts up in Snohomish County this fall, and we get rid of our commuter fares to Seattle, we will simply sort of erase that fare category off our books,” he said.

The proposed fare change and the Title VI analysis can be found on Community Transit’s website.

You can read more of Micki Gamez’s stories here. Follow Micki on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email her here. 

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