🌡️ Free ways to stay cool

It’s Hot: WA Protects Tennant’s Rights To Be Cool

In June, a new Washington law went into effect that gives renters the right to install portable AC units. This feels especially important this week as temperatures in Seattle are slated to reach 90 degrees, and the National Weather Service has enacted a heat advisory running from 10 a.m. today through 11 p.m. Wednesday for much of the central Puget Sound. Starting a few years ago, over half of homes in King County began having AC. Now renters’ rights to stay cool are protected as well. Senate Bill 6200 does, however, include specific restrictions depending on the kinds of AC units a tenant is looking to install. [KUOW]

• Cooling centers: If you do not have AC or just need a place out of the house to cool down, KCHRA has a list of cooling centers available. They also offer a Severe Weather Shelter Navigation Hotline at (206) 245-1026. It’s staffed from 7:00 am to 10:30 pm daily during severe weather activations, and anyone can call for information on shelter locations. Families with children can call to be connected with a shelter and a ride to that location, as available. Seattle Public Libraries also operate as cooling centers, and a list of their locations is available here. [KCRHA]
• Family activities during the heatwave: ParentMap put together a great guide for activities to beat the heat with kids. This includes a guide to spray parks in the greater Seattle area; a Seattle wading pool guide, and a list of South Sound spray parks. We also suggest going to see a movie, checking the water quality, and then heading to the lake or making a DIY swamp cooler. [ParentMap]
• Remember, stay hydrated! King County has this great mini comic book about how to stay safe during a heat wave, including a reminder to drink extra water and watch for signs of heat-related illness. And as a treat, maybe check out some of our soft serve recommendations. [City Cast Seattle]

🔥Cal Anderson turf repairs complete: A 4th of July bonfire fueled by… burning Lime bikes and scooters (?!) scorched a large mark in the artificial turf in Cal Anderson Park. The parks department told CHS Blog they were weighing a smaller repair against bumping up a much larger $2.8 million scheduled replacement of the turf. It’s now settled: there is a large green square of brand new turf in the park. [CHS Blog]

💹 Prediction market Kalshi halted by WA judge: A King County Superior Court judge ruled this week that the “prediction market” likely violates state gambling laws. The judge granted a preliminary injunction in Washington’s case against Kalshi. The court will issue a final order laying out specific terms Aug. 5. Online gambling is illegal here, though Kalshi says it is not a gambling site. We recently covered the wildfire betting happening on Kalshi. [Seattle Times]

🎤 Protestors challenge Microsoft CSO: A ‘fireside chat’ between Microsoft Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa and GeekWire’s Lisa Stiffler at the annual Pacific Northwest Climate Week event was heavily attended by protestors asking questions about the company’s use of fossil fuels in its AI data centers and its contracts with Israel. Security guards removed some protesters from the space, and Stiffler wrote “Issues raised by the crowd were on my list of questions.” [GeekWire]