😡 Pricey health premiums for WA

Tentative Agreement With Police Reached, But Questions Remain

Mayor Bruce Harrell and the Seattle Police Officers Guild have come to a (tentative) agreement that makes CARE (Community Assistance Response Engagement) more central while increasing police hiring and boosting starting pay by 13 percent. Harrell also says the contract increases police accountability and discipline. [The Stranger]

• Some Good News: CARE can double its staff and also respond to calls without a police presence as long as there’s no threat to the public. This agreement makes CARE a permanent program, which is positive for those who want to see an alternative crisis response. [KUOW]
• CARE Still Has Limits: However, The Burner has pointed out that CARE can only be dispatched to public places and must call in the police if drugs or drug paraphernalia are present. The contract also gives SPD more power in investigating officers' conduct and offenses, which could potentially decrease accountability. [The Burner]
• The Effect On The Election: The agreement is still tentative and requires approval from the City Council. It comes just two weeks before the mayoral election. Harrell’s opponent, Katie Wilson, has criticized previous contracts with SPOG. It remains to be seen how this latest contract will affect voters as they head to the polls in the coming weeks. [KUOW]

⚕️Insurance Prices Are About to Go Up for 300,000 Washingtonians: The expiration of federal tax credits for insurance, a big part of the impasse keeping the government shut down, may lead to an average increase of 21% for insurance premiums. This could leave many Washingtonians unable to afford health insurance. Enrollment begins Nov. 1 on the marketplace. [Washington Standard]

🕷️ Spiders In, Dinosaurs Out: The Pacific Science Center reopened yesterday, but it appears a comet has hit the dinosaurs: only one of the eleven animatronic dinos remains, and they’ve opened a new exhibit dedicated to spiders 😨. The brave among us can visit during their ‘welcome back period,’ which runs through Nov. 20. [Seattle Times]

💦 It’s Atmospheric River Time! Are you ready for the first fall storm? We’re expecting some serious rain this weekend, which is prompting City Cast Seattle host Jane to ask if you’ve washed your rain jacket lately. [KOMO/Reddit]

📰 Is Katie Wilson the Next Zohran Mamdani? Mayoral candidate Kate Wilson’s focus on housing and her social media presence have led the New York Times to compare her to their mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani. [New York Times]

🎧11 Days to Go: If you’re loving what we’re putting down in this newsletter, we recommend you follow our Instagram to count down the days until we release our first podcast episode! You’re gonna love our voices. [City Cast Seattle]

🫠🥶 Melt The Freeze: Please let this very nice-sounding person know where she can find the nice, mustachioed men with tattoos. We all want a little happiness in life. [Reddit]