[SEATTLE] – (MTN) A person is in custody after carjacking a black Honda, driving it through a group of protesters, and colliding with multiple parked vehicles. Two different events converged in downtown Seattle as Black Lives Matter protesters marched from the West Precinct into the Amazon South Lake Union campus.
a carjacker drives through a black lives matter protest in Seattle is later arrested
The march was to commemorate 300 days of continuous protest in Seattle and started at Cal Anderson Park. About 200 peaceful protesters marched to the West Precinct, where several speakers addressed the group, including City Council candidate Nikkita Oliver. The group was followed by a heavy police presence, with over a dozen police vehicles visible on the surrounding blocks and many bike officers just out of sight.
As the group approached the intersection of Virginia, Fairview, and Boren, the carjacker attempted to turn on Virginia, finding it blocked. The carjacker struck a cyclist as protesters scattered. Seattle police bike officer following the protesters rode into the intersection to a scene of chaos. Police officers asked if anyone was injured. A destroyed bicycle lay on the ground, but there were no reported injuries to the officers’ amazement.
Video captured on the scene shows protesters running in two directions while a car brigade moves to protect the group. Another video shows a person narrowly missed by the fleeing car as it makes a u-turn on Boren. The driver then collides with several parked vehicles before wrecking at Denny and Fairview.
A Seattle Police photo shows the Honda wrecked after colliding with several parked cars and striking a fire hydrant.
A diverse group of protesters representing Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and insurrectionary anarchists have been marching and engaging in direct action since May 2020. The three groups at times march together using different tactics and seeking a variety of goals. Last night’s march was Black-led, with organizers admonishing those in the group trying to take direct action.
Dr. Anthony Fauci talks with Malcontent News in Wide-Ranging Interview about COVID, AIDS, and the Opioid Epidemic
In cooperation with Unite Seattle Magazine, Dr. Anthony Fauci sat down with Renee Raketty of Malcontent News in a wide-ranging interview. Dr. Fauci spoke with Renee about battling COVID, and what it was like working within multiple Presidential administrations, the continuing fight against AIDS, and shared his views on the criminality of drug abuse.
Unite Seattle Magazine April edition with the full interview with Dr. Fauci will be available at the beginning of April.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is featured in Unite Seattle Magazine
[MARYSVILLE] Extracurricular activity can open doors for secondary education and help lay a foundation for continued growth. Online threats toward a target list of Black students in December 2020 have spilled over into ongoing hate speech and targeting through social media.
On December 14, 2020, in an Associated Student Body Junior Leadership virtual meeting, things took an ugly turn for Marysville Pilchuck High School students. Two students during a Zoom meeting stated, “let’s kill all Black people,” and then went on to identify several Black students by name in the call.
A criminal investigation followed, and Marysville police interviewed two impacted Black families. According to police and a press release from the NAACP, one family stated they did not want to pursue charges. The two students that made the statements received suspensions from school and transferred to a different facility.
On January 28, 2021, a different student came forward and provided images of Snapchat conversations. In one of the screenshots, one of the students involved in the December incident was brandishing a handgun with the caption, “killing minorities soon.” The student who reported this went on to state this wasn’t the first time this type of comment was made.
The Marysville School District released a statement saying in part, “[The Marysville School District] will absolutely not tolerate hateful, racist speech or actions. Our job is to denounce hate and intimidation where we work, create environments where students feel safe to learn, and hold students accountable for their words or actions consistent with the law.”
In a press release the Snohomish County NAACP wrote, “We call for the Marysville Police Department and the Snohomish County Prosecutor to pursue the issue as a hate crime and prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent the law allows.“
Marysville Pilchuck High School is no stranger to gun violence. On October 24, 2014, 15-year-old freshman Jaylen Fryberg shot five, killing four, before committing suicide in the school cafeteria. A year later, his father, Raymond Fryberg, was arrested and convicted for illegally purchasing the gun used in the mass shooting.
In December of 2018, the school was placed on lockdown after a group of students got into a brawl. There was a large police response and the campus was closed at 12:45 PM in that incident.
It became a tale of two cities as vigils and protests in honor of Breonna Taylor swept the United States on Saturday. Seattle and Portland both had vigils and marches with two very different outcomes from Direct Action marchers.
In Seattle, activists gathered outside Cal Anderson Park for a candlelight memorial and chalk art before marching into downtown Seattle. SPD met the group with a heavy and aggressive presence as they marched downtown and to the waterfront. Smaller groups splintered off and broke windows. The Seattle Police used a level of force not seen since November, resulting in fourteen arrests.
Activists created a candle and flower memorial for Breonna Taylor in Seattle, Washington
Later on Saturday, Direct Action protesters gathered in Occidental Park, where one of the activists chastized the group for lack of planning and poor tactics. KOMO released the video on Monday, and an infiltrator of the group allegedly filmed it.
Disagreements between the various protest groups in Seattle are well known and have spilled over into the public view on social media. Direct Action marches are described as a “venue” and are considered leaderless. An increasing presence by the Youth Liberation Front, an organization born out of Portland, vacillates between allowing independent journalists to tell their story and threatening violence against reporters.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”35″ gal_title=”Breonna Taylor 365 Day Protests”]
Black activists, including those within Direct Action, have expressed the frustration of the coopting of the Black Live Matters message with insurrectionary anarchist tactics. In January, Black leaders in Tacoma condemned a protest that tore through Black neighborhoods.
Black leaders have expressed that any property destruction caused by insurrectionary anarchists gets blamed on Black Lives Matter and the Black community. The court of public opinion frequently conflates Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and anarchists into the same grouping. In reality, they represent three different philosophies with overlapping goals but use divergent tactics.
For example, systemic racism against the Black community has roots within corporate America, especially in banking and financing. Acknowledgment, correction, and compensation for wrongs against the Black (and BIPOC) are common goals. Some groups seek reform, another dismantlement, and others destruction. These critical differences are often lost within the message and actions on the street.
In contrast, Black leaders in Portland assembled for a vigil for Breonna Taylor. A group of about 100 gathered outside while maintaining social distance for a candlelight vigil. The vigil featured live music, speeches from Black leaders, and impacted family members. The details of the actions taken by Louisville Police and the multiple policy violations were outlined with documentation. Candles and flowers surrounded a large painting of Breonna Taylor as people paid their respects.
A drawing of Breonna Taylor was surrounded by flowers and candles during a vigil in Portland, Oregon
The group then drove to the Blackburn Bridge, where activists released 60 lanterns into the Columbia River to commemorate Breonna Taylor’s life. With musicians playing, a group of about 100 marched over a mile to the Federal Courthouse. When they arrived around 10 PM, Direct Action protesters had already gathered outside the courthouse for a third day. On Thursday, federal officials used pepper balls and tear gas, while on Friday, Portland police kettled about 100 people, including journalists, arresting 13.
As the Direct Action protesters painted graffiti on the boards covering windows and columns and probed for weak points, Black leadership demanded they stop. A heated exchange exploded between the two groups, with Black leaders expressing frustration that Portland’s continued violence does not support Black lives. Black activists repeated words heard last year that Black voices should be listened to when protests are happening to support Black lives.
A Black activist appeals for support and to end Direct Action in Portland, Oregon on Saturday
Like in Seattle, the fissure between Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and anarchists was on full display. Some pleaded for the primarily white audience watching and listening to intervene and stop the direct action group. Some people moved to the courthouse sidewalk, and gradually most left the courthouse perimeter.
After the exchange, many left the area. As the night progressed, tensions rose several times, with announcements from the courthouse that those on the sidewalk were trespassing and could be subject to action. The sounds of rocks hitting the wooden barricades and windows filled the air multiple times. Music known to result in DMCA takedowns played in an attempt to blackout media coverage. By 1 AM, most had left, and not one Portland Police officer or federal agent made an appearance.
Twenty-four hours later, Portland police declared an unlawful assembly as Direct Action hit the streets again. On Monday, a coalition of Black leaders condemned insurrectionary anarchists in particular and put out a call for the tactics of property damage and threats to end.
Many expect an increase and larger protests in the coming months. Better weather, the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, the imminent decision on charges against police officers involved with Manny Ellis’s death, and the Jeff Nelson trial are all on the horizon.
A variety of groups and tactics will continue to be employed by different factions. If there is one thing the media should strive to achieve in those coming months, it is clearly differentiating between the groups, their tactics, and their goals.
Clark County District Court Judge Darvin Zimmerman, 70, stated he was taking time off after being caught on camera during a Zoom meeting making comments about Kevin Peterson Jr. and Black suspects in general.
Last week between court cases, Judge Zimmerman spoke to another court official while the Zoom meeting was running. During his conversation, he demonstrated judicial and racial bias while disparaging defendants and their family members. The Oregonian released a video of his comments on Monday after a YouTube video was removed on Saturday.
The Barrar Law Firm, one of the largest criminal defense firms in Western Washington, called for Zimmerman’s resignation following the broadcast. Moments later, the other five judges at Clark County District Court condemned Zimmerman’s comment, stating, “racial bias displayed by a judge is unacceptable, unethical, unjust and cannot be tolerated.”
By morning, county prosecutors and defense lawyers alike were filing motions to disqualify Zimmerman on cases he was presiding over. In a story by Oregon Public Broadcasting, Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik stated, “We’re not indicating that the prosecutor’s office feels like we would necessarily get an unfair ruling. We’re worried more about people that are accused.”
During the Zoom meeting where Zimmerman talks to another unnamed court official, he stated that Kevin Peterson, Jr. had a “death wish” and that he was “so dumb” for fearing a lifetime in jail if he didn’t cooperate with a regional task force. Peterson Jr., a 21-year-old Black man, was shot by police in October during an alleged drug bust. Security camera video and phone records call into question police actions during the attempted arrest of Peterson Jr.
In a further twist, Judge Zimmerman’s son, Erik Zimmerman, was one of the Clark County Sheriff deputies present during the attempted arrest of Peterson Jr. As the suspect ran away from police, the younger Zimmerman was one of three deputies who shot at Peterson Jr.
During the Zoom meeting, Judge Zimmerman suggested that Peterson Jr. family was trying to capitalize on his death, saying, “he wakes up with dollar signs in his eyes and George Floyd’s attorneys.”
Several defense attorneys and public defenders who have petitioned Judge Zimmerman have come forward this week with questions on his conduct and his attitudes towards non-English speaking defendants.
[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) On Monday morning, bleary-eyed Washingtonians felt the impact of losing an hour on Sunday. In 2019, the Washinton state legislature overwhelmingly passed a measure to approve permanent Daylight Savings Time. With 46-2 approval in the state senate. Governor Jay Inslee signed the measure into law on May 8, 2019. Why did we move the clocks back, and why did we move them forward again this weekend? First, a bit of history.
Before 1883, time was set by “solar noon,” when the noon sun crossed a location’s meridian. Before creating intercontinental railroads, having over 300 local times tracked in the United States wasn’t a significant problem. As railroad travel became commonplace, the difference in time created scheduling problems for passengers, stations, and train engineers who could cover hundreds of miles in a day.
On November 18, 1883, the government divided the United States into four time zones in an effort headed by the Weather Service Bureau. A year later, Greenwich, England, was made the prime meridian, where all time around the world would set.
The idea of moving the clocks ahead was a wartime invention by Germany in 1916. European nations quickly followed, and the United States adopted the idea in 1918. It wasn’t until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 that Daylight Savings Time (DST) became standardized in the United States. With the passage of the Act, Arizona and Michigan opted out of DST in 1967. Michigan adopted DST in 1972, while Arizona continues to leave clocks unchanged. Indiana ended recognizing DST in 2006.
The Act doesn’t require states to embrace DST; however, the Act did not provide individual states a legal path to stay on permanent DST. In the last decade, California, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington have passed state measures to adopt year-round DST. Alabama and Arkansas are considering measures to do the same.
The states that have adopted permanent Daylight Savings Time have two paths forward: Congress could pass a bill allowing states to make the change, or the U.S. secretary of transportation could authorize the change. It is unlikely Congress would take up the measure in our current political climate.
Senators confirmed Pete Buttigieg as the U.S. secretary of transportation on February 3, 2021. The Office of the General Counsel administrates time zones for the Department of Transportation (DoT). To let Secretary Buttigieg know you support a declaration to move to permanent Daylight Savings Time, you can contact:
Mava Lewis Office of the General Counsel 1200 New Jersey Avenue, Southeast Washington, D.C. 20590 mava.lewis@dot.gov (202) 366-4723 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Time
It is possible Washingtonians can leave our clocks set where they are if enough residents request the DoT to make a declaration.
[OLYMPIA] – (MTN) Governor Jay Inslee announced that he would be making an emergency proclamation requiring all schools to provide the option of in-person classes by April. The proclamation will require the option for students in K-6 grades to return by April 5, and students in 7-12 grade to return by April 19.
The opening plan does not have to be full-time instruction. Schools will be required to offer a hybrid model of in-person learning for at least two days. The time does not need to be linear, so in-person instruction could be done as partial days.
School systems moved to remote instruction last year but could not overcome numerous obstacles. Zoom fatigue, inequality in access to the Internet and technology, security issues, and student disengagement has many researchers concerned.
“There is unfortunately and undeniably a mental health care crisis in this state regarding our youth,” Governor Inslee said this morning. “Now is the time for our schools to return…for in-person learning.”
The Lake Washington School District restarted optional in-person classes for K-1 grade students on February 18. The district had previously announced that optional in-person classes for 2-5 grade students would begin on March 30. The District’s website stated this afternoon, ” Later today, secondary families (grades 6-12) will receive an email with instructions to complete a survey in Skyward Family Access. The survey will ask families to indicate their preference for an in-person hybrid or a fully remote learning experience for their student(s) starting in April. Secondary staff will also receive an email later today with instructions to complete a survey in Skyward.”
The number of COVID infections across the United States has stabilized, however still at an elevated level. In Washington state, new cases are in decline with less than 4% of tests coming back positive. The American Medical Association wrote a report last month indicating that infection rates have declined due to more people wearing masks. Additionally, with 25% of the United States population estimated to have been infected with COVID, the number of new hosts for the virus has decreased.
The Biden Administration announced today that it met the goal of 100 million Americans vaccinated, 49 days ahead of schedule. Thirty-five-million Americans are now fully vaccinated and the administration set a goal of anyone adult wanting to get a vaccination being able to get a virtual place in line by May 1.
[OLYMPIA] – (MTN) Governor Jay Inslee announced that all Washington counties will be moving to Phase 3 reopening effective March 22, 2021. Also, it was announced that all people in the Tier 2 group for immunization will be eligible ahead of schedule, on March 17, 2021.
An industry-by-industry list of changes has not been provided by the governor’s office, however, the list represents a major move toward normalcy for residents and businesses alike.
Restaurants will be able to seat at up to 50% capacity or 400 people indoors, whichever is lower
Indoor venues with permanent seating for 800 people or less, such as movie theaters, will be able to reopen at 50% capacity
Indoor venues with permanent eating for 800 or more people, such as indoor arenas, will be able to reopen at 25% capacity
Outdoor venues such as stadiums will be able to have in-person spectators again, at 25% of maximum capacity, this includes high school sports, professional sports, rodeos, motorsports, and other spectator events
All indoor spaces, including offices, factories, gyms, fitness centers, and others will be able to open up to 50% capacity or a maximum of 400 people, whichever is lower
Masks and social distancing rules will still be required. This is a breaking news story with more information to come.
[SEATTLE] – (MTN) On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. The sweeping measure provides a wide range of support to states and municipalities, businesses, and individuals impacted by COVID-related hardship.
The bill provides sweeping measures that will provide benefits for many in Washington state. Individuals tax filers who earned less than $75,000 and households that earned less than $150,000 can expect to receive their $1,400 stimulus check by the end of March. A household of four that made under $150,000 could receive as much as $5,600 in stimulus money. A reduced benefit is provided for individuals who earned up to $80,000 and households that earned up to $160,000.
For the unemployed, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) have been extended to September 6, 2021. For Washington state residents, the extension will end on September 4, 2021. Also, the $300 federal boost to unemployment will continue through the same period. The Washington Employment Security website indicates that most recipients will not have a gap in benefits. However, those that are on extended unemployment benefits will need to apply for PUA or PEUC. A spokesperson for the state indicated that PUA is the last resort for those who don’t qualify for PEUC.
The first $10,200 of unemployment compensation paid in 2020 and 2021 is tax-exempt. Individuals that have already filed their 2020 tax return will have to make an amended return.
Another benefit for Washingtonians will provide financial relief to those buying health insurance through the federal health exchange or state marketplace. The amount paid is capped for the next two years at 8.5% of income, significantly reducing healthcare premiums for hundreds of thousands.
If you’re paying for health insurance through COBRA, and your job loss was COVID-related, the government will pay 100% of the premiums from April 1 to September 30, 2021.
For government, healthcare, and direct COVID response
$219.8 billion available through December 31, 2024, for states, US territories, and tribal governments to mitigate the fiscal impact from COVID response
$195.3 billion is set aside for direct federal aid to states and districts
$4.5 billion is set aside for direct federal aid to territories such as Puerto Rico and Guam
$20 billion is set aside for direct federal aid to tribal governments
$130.2 billion is set aside for direct federal aid to cities, towns, and counties
$91 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to accelerate the production of COVID vaccines and fund continued research while expanding testing and contact tracing
$47.8 billion to HHS to diagnose, trace, and monitor COVID infections, directing HHS to implement a national, coordinated strategy, including the use and distribution of testing kits, adding lab capacity, and creating mobile test capacity to support rural communities
$7.5 billion for the Centers for Disease Control for tracking vaccination nationally and monitor efficacy long term
$7.6 billion to assist Community Health Centers in rural and poor regions of the country to provide vaccinations and COVID related medical services
$7.7 billion to HHS to rehire and expand staffing that was cut by the prior administration
$58.5 billion to be set aside to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster fund through FY2025, to reimburse states for COVID related expenses, and to help states fund rural health care, providers
For individuals
$,1400 in direct payments to individual US social security number holders who filed a tax return or were claimed on a tax return and made $75,000 or less in 2020, or $150,000 or less per household – the direct payments represent 21% of the entire cost of the bill
The direct payment phases out for individuals tax filers making $80,000 or more and households making $160,000 or more
Removes the income gap for two years for health insurance premium tax credits for individuals and families using the federal health exchange or Washington state marketplace for health insurance
The amount paid out of pocket is limited to 8.5% of income, as measured by the exchange
Any taxpayer who received too much tax credit during the 2020 tax season won’t have to pay back the excess to the IRS
Extends Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation until September 6, 2021, providing extended unemployment payments for those out of work due to COVID related shutdowns or slowdowns
Extends Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) which supports 1099, gig workers, and the self-employed who have lost work due to COVID related shutdowns or can’t work due to being in a vulnerable group
Extends the additional $300 federal unemployment increase through September 6, 2021, for anyone drawing unemployment
Exempts the first $10,200 collected through unemployment compensation in 2020 and 2021 from federal taxes
Expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from $2000 to $3000, and to $3600 for children under the age of 6
Expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit increasing the credit to $4,000 for one child and $8,000 for two or more children
$21.5 billion in Emergency Federal Rental Assistance to aid those facing eviction for unpaid rent
$5 billion to support community efforts to provide support services and housing solutions to the homeless
$10 billion through the Department of Treasury to provide direct assistance to homeowners and small landlords facing foreclosure due to job loss or uncollected rent
For businesses
$28.6 billion in relief to small and midsized restaurants, expanding money available in the Restaurants Revitalization Fund
$1.25 billion added to the Shuttered Venture Operator Grant program to help live music venues, performing arts centers, independent movie theaters, and museums
$15 billion in new funds for the Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan grant
$7 billion added to the existing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is expanded to support 501(c)(5) non-profits
$10 billion to aid the creation of state-led programs which utilize private capital for low-interest loans and other investment to support entrepreneurs
Extends the Employee Retention Tax Credit through December 31, 2021
Restores Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) tax credits providing payroll tax credits to employers who voluntarily provide paid sick leave through the end of September 2021 to those infected with COVID, or have to care for an FMLA qualified relative who has COVID
Controversial pork projects were largely removed from the bill as it was reconciled in the Senate. Not a single Republican voted in favor of the bill.
[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) The weather yesterday put on a choose your own adventure show across the region. Torrential rain, gusty winds, graupel, hail, and lightning crashed from black skies followed by periods of calm. Rinse, recycle, and repeat until the evening hours came. The weather may have seemed wild, but it isn’t an unusual March weather pattern. The picture of what is affectionately called a “mothership,” in meteorology? That wasn’t taken yesterday. That picture was snapped on March 6, 2016, in Kirkland!
To produce the wild weather we had yesterday you need moisture, atmospheric energy, and instability. When colder air rides over the top of warmer air, the warmer air wants to rise, and the colder air wants to sink. Throw in our microclimates, terrain, and the Convergence Zone, and you end up with some crazy weather. Warm air rushing up can carry raindrops into the colder air above, which freeze. They fall back down to be carried aloft again and build another layer. Eventually, the frozen raindrops grow so heavy the updrafts can’t carry them anymore, so they fall as hail. The miniature snowballs that fell yesterday are called graupel. Graupel forms when snowflakes at a higher elevation clump together, and are lifted repeatedly by updrafts like hail. The little snowballs reach a weight where they can’t be carried anymore.
Thunderstorms in the Pacific Northwest are unlike those that form in other parts of the country. In the Midwest and even out to the Northeast, supercell thunderstorms can tower 50,000 to 60,000 feet in the air. Here, the Pacific Ocean moderates our temperatures so thunderstorm rarely grow taller than 15,000 to 20,000 feet. The rumbles yesterday were created by the same instability that produced downpours, hail, and graupel. There are exceptions for Pacific Northwest thunderstorm development but they are exceedingly rare. For example, September 8, 2019, had a line of thunderstorms form after dark that would be more at home in Alabama than Washington.
Our bursts of wild lowland weather in March happens because of changing weather patterns as we approach astrological spring (meteorological spring started on March 1) and the Jet Stream starts to shift. The moisture and instability create our wild weather.
Pictures of Mammatus clouds flooded social media yesterday. These formations look like pouches hanging from the sky and are more associated with severe weather in the Midwest. They are formed when cold air is falling and pulls the cloud formations downward.
As for the rest of the week? The weather forecast is calling for normal conditions with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. Wednesday will produce a little rain, but no wild weather ahead!
Journalists, activists, and researchers defending the First Amendment
Subscribe to Malcontent News
Register to feed your head holes with the Malcontent News newsletter.
Submitting your e-mail address gives us permission to send you e-mails. We do not sell or distribute our e-mail lists or share them with third parties.
