the

Pike Place Market’s Hmong flower farmers adapt during the coronavirus pandemic


“My parents have been through worse,” one farmer said. “We'll get through this.”




the

Small businesses band together to sue insurers over coronavirus damage


In many cases, the response from insurers has been: We don't cover viruses.




the

Coronavirus daily news updates, May 9: What to know today about COVID-19 in the Seattle area, Washington state and the nation


While this year’s Mother’s Day weekend promises warm weather, Seattle officials are restricting hours in city parks out of fears that large crowds hoping to enjoy the sun could further spread the novel coronavirus. A recent report shows the COVID-19 transmission rate in Western Washington may be steadily increasing, suggesting that the number of virus cases […]




the

Tech giants are profiting — and getting more powerful — even as the global economy tanks


As the pandemic wreaks havoc on the economy, tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft are benefiting enormously from a potentially permanent shift in consumer habits, leveraging their political clout by arguing that they are essential services, and gutting their competition.




the

‘The hardest time we’ve ever faced’: Amazon revenue surges, but coronavirus costs may wipe out operating profit


The company's first-quarter sales rose 26% year over year to $75.5 billion. But expenses related to Amazon’s pandemic response weighed on the bottom line in the three-month period ended March 31.




the

Amazon, Instacart workers launch May Day strike to protest treatment during the coronavirus pandemic


The onset of the coronavirus and the subsequent classification of many of these workers as "essential" have heightened some existing tensions. Workers have accused companies of being slow to provide protective gear and implement precautions, something that may put them in danger.




the

The Backstory: A global premiere of Earth Day art, and a collection of rare, local talent   


ON APRIL 22, 202o, a billion people around the world will mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day — except, this year, likely not together. Ironically, a small forest of trees will be sacrificed for print publications around the globe to analyze the lasting impact of Earth Day, deep-dive into a half-century of environmental activism […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

Even in the winter, this cultivated ‘conifer kingdom’ on Fox Island shines with layers, shapes and constant interest 


IT TAKES A brave gardener to show off a winter garden. And it takes a seasoned gardener to understand the subtle beauty that can be found during the slowest growing season. Enter the Capers: Lucinda and Jerome, who have lived on their expansive property for 15 years and continue to cultivate growing spaces. You press […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

The Backstory: I’ve cleaned up my act — but the system needs to be cleaned up, too


UNTIL I STARTED working on this week’s story about global challenges that rocked recycling in Washington and beyond, I had no idea what a dirty business it was. People throw all manner of things into their recycling bins: soiled diapers, old blue jeans, hose caddies, leather belts, tubs of spoiled hummus, wadded-up plastic wrap streaked […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

A rising star: For Conor O’Neill and The Cottage at Blue Ridge, baking bread is all about creating community


The Cottage at Blue Ridge has become a sort of local phenomenon: A bread popup launched last summer in the Edmonds enclave of Perrinville, that typically sells out its weekly goods in less than two hours.



  • Food & Drink
  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

Jefferson school days echo in the May memories of its West Seattle students


IN OUR CORONAVIRAL days of school closures and social distancing, and with May Day here, this week’s “Then” image might be poignant. It depicts 130 people posing for a group photo at West Seattle’s Jefferson Elementary School on Saturday, June 1, 1985, just 17 days before it fell victim to the wrecking ball. As editor […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

‘Cultivated’ makes a compelling case for the natural power of a beautifully arranged garden in a vase


CHRISTIN GEALL IS a Victoria-based gardener who arranges flowers, and a floral designer who grows much of what she uses in her designs. She also is the author of “Cultivated: The Elements of Floral Style,” a gorgeous new book from Princeton Architectural Press. “Flowers shape my years now,” she writes. “They are both calendar and […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

Whether you forge a new trail or follow these tips, a hike can help heal our collective spirit 


LESSON NO. 1 in skipping rocks: the hunt. Searching for the proper stone can be tedious, but it’s the most crucial step. The right rock must be flat; it must be smooth; and it must be just the right size — not too heavy but not too small. You’ll know you’ve found it when you pick […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

The Backstory: The more we’re indoors, the more powerful the appeal, and the hope, of the great outdoors


THE DEEPER WE got into our isolation, the more I missed the old routines and simplicities of daily life. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed making the kids’ lunches in the morning, or quiet time in a coffee shop to work alone, or watching baseball, or hands that didn’t crack and bleed from frequent […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

Nobody’s playing in person these days — but there’s a whole new dimension of fun and friendship in videoconference game nights 


BEFORE CERTAIN CURRENT events upended all of our lives, a few friends and I had a goal: more old-fashioned game nights, involving old-school boards, mysterious card decks and little plastic figures. There’s something wholesome and cheering about gathering around a table and jointly figuring out the rules of some new game. And you can mix […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

Help us solve the mystery of this Suess & Smith masterwork 


THIS WEEK, WE present a puzzle. It centers on a national innovator in aesthetic glass that brightened downtown Seattle more than a century ago. The glitter of the Gold Rush lured members of two German families, named Suess and Smith, to Seattle from Chicago in the late 1890s. But physical gold was not their destiny. […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

Whether she’s tending her garden, her yoga clients or her own family, Suzette Birrell nurtures growth and generosity


SUZETTE BIRRELL IS a mother and a grandmother. Also, for the past 17 years as a pre- and postnatal yoga instructor, she’s helped new moms navigate a precious, profound and sometimes-chaotic period of life. Birrell is also an ardent gardener. She believes it’s all connected. “Gardening and nurturing is the same thing,” she says. “Tending […]



  • Pacific NW Magazine

the

Broadway-bound Seattle theater star Sara Porkalob shares the books she reads to find joy


Sara Porkalob, Seattle-based playwright, director, activist and more, is off to Broadway — but before she goes, she shared what she’s been reading and rereading lately.




the

From ‘Jeopardy!’ to opera, our arts critic picks 6 of the best events to watch or listen to May 1-7


Here are a few arts-and-entertainment-y online diversions for the week, from near and far, including Seattle Opera on KING-FM and New York City Ballet.




the

‘We find a way’: Seattle drag artists contend with the pandemic that threatens their livelihoods and their lifeline


Like countless others in the arts and beyond, drag performers have been hit hard by venue closures and stay-home orders. But the drag community has always found ways to endure, connect and celebrate — during and after the coronavirus pandemic, that much will remain true.




the

Car Seat Headrest’s reinvention: How a comedy EDM project redirected the Seattle indie rock stars’ new album


Seattle indie rock stars Car Seat Headrest get a sonic makeover with its electro-charged new album “Making a Door Less Open,” dropping May 1.




the

What’s in the water in Maple Valley? ‘The Voice’ contestant Zan Fiskum follows in musical footsteps of Brandi Carlile and Benicio Bryant


When Maple Valley's Zan Fiskum appears on “The Voice” Monday night, she'll be continuing a growing tradition started by Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, and continued by wunderkind musician Benicio Bryant.




the

Dave Matthews Band will skip its annual Labor Day weekend Gorge run due to coronavirus pandemic


Dave Matthews Band announced it's rescheduling its entire summer concert slate — including the annual Labor Day weekend bash the band's hosted at the Gorge Amphitheatre for years — due to COVID-19.




the

Maple Valley’s Zan Fiskum picked by judge John Legend to move to next round of ‘The Voice’


Fiskum destroyed an updated, slow-fast version of Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” on the NBC singing competition show on Monday night.




the

When coronavirus dealt Seattle record stores their latest blow, Easy Street Records got creative


The COVID-19 pandemic is the latest challenge for Seattle’s independent record stores like Easy Street, but these titans of vinyl continue to rise to the occasion.




the

Axl Rose, Steven Mnuchin and the pandemic Twitter feud no one saw coming


By all accounts, 2020 has been, to put it mildly, a weird year. This week alone has already seen a 5-year-old boy from Utah attempt a solo drive to California on a mission to buy a Lamborghini, a llama named Winter emerge as a potential key player in the race for a treatment targeting the […]




the

Celebrate Mother’s Day and more with these weekend activities


Between Mother's Day and the expected sunny weather, there's lots to celebrate this weekend! Whether you'll be enjoying nature or continuing to stay inside, here are some things you can do while maintaining social distancing.




the

Seattle Times Features Staff Picks: How to make mom feel special on this socially distant Mother’s Day


With social distancing efforts (or just distance) keeping many families apart for Mother's Day, our features staffers share how they'll be celebrating their moms this weekend. Happy Mother's Day!




the

Brandi Carlile reschedules Echoes Through the Canyon show at the Gorge due to coronavirus pandemic


Brandi Carlile has rescheduled her June 6 Echoes Through the Canyon show at the Gorge Amphitheatre to Aug. 14, 2021.




the

What’s bringing you joy amid the coronavirus crisis? Washingtonians share what’s getting them through the pandemic.


From an unexpected friendship across species, to a cluster of clay llamas, to finding a way to remotely produce a song featuring multiple collaborators, people across Washington state have found ways to stay connected to their artistic communities, their jobs and their routines — or to find beauty in the changes themselves. 




the

Gather ’round the (virtual) campfire: Mount Baker Council Boy Scouts is hosting an online campout


With campouts in the outdoors currently not allowed, the Mount Baker Council, which has troops in Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties, is hosting a virtual campout this weekend for Boy Scouts and their families.




the

More than 100 Washington state parks will reopen Tuesday. Here is the list


Good news amid the coronavirus gloom: More than 100 Washington state parks will reopen for day use on Tuesday.




the

Celebrate Mother’s Day and more with these weekend activities


Between Mother's Day and the expected sunny weather, there's lots to celebrate this weekend! Whether you'll be enjoying nature or continuing to stay inside, here are some things you can do while maintaining social distancing.




the

What’s bringing you joy amid the coronavirus crisis? Washingtonians share what’s getting them through the pandemic.


From an unexpected friendship across species, to a cluster of clay llamas, to finding a way to remotely produce a song featuring multiple collaborators, people across Washington state have found ways to stay connected to their artistic communities, their jobs and their routines — or to find beauty in the changes themselves. 




the

The ‘woman in the red dress’ started a Mount St. Helens climbing tradition on Mother’s Day that endures today. Meet trailblazer Kathy Phibbs


Every Mother's Day, climbers flock to Mount St. Helens in festive dresses in the continuation of a tradition started by 'the woman in the red dress.' This Mother's Day, a new mini-documentary from OPB tells the story of Kathy Phibbs, a gifted alpinist who paved the way for a more inclusive outdoors community — and pink flamingos on mountain summits.




the

Del Mar preemptively cancels racing for Nov. 21 because of weather


DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Del Mar is preemptively canceling racing for Nov. 21 because of projected rain from the season’s first storm in Southern California. Track officials said Friday the cancellation is due to “an abundance of caution” because rain forecast from Tuesday through Thursday likely will result in a muddy main track and […]




the

Filly dies after workout at Del Mar, other horse euthanized


DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — A 3-year-old filly has collapsed and died after a workout at Del Mar, while another horse that was injured in a race on Nov. 10 has been euthanized, making it four horses that have died since the track’s fall meet began Nov. 8. Slewgoodtobetrue died in the barn area Sunday. […]




the

Emerald Downs president confident there will be horse racing this season — it’s just a matter of when


Phil Ziegler, president of Emerald Downs, is confident there will be horse racing this season at the Auburn racetrack -- it's just a matter of when.




the

Solve stay-home lockdown boredom with these 3 new crime novels


From the godfather of crime fiction to a fresh new voice in the genre, here are three gripping new cases for you to solve from the comfort of your reading chair.




the

Escape into American history with these 6 books, which offer lessons of leadership for trying times


This is a stressful, frightening and unprecedented time in American history. Nonfiction books can inform us about past disasters in American history, and help guide us as we navigate the coronavirus pandemic.




the

Storytelling in Neah Bay forms the fault line in brilliant debut ‘Subduction’ from Seattle’s Kristen Millares Young


The plot in Kristen Millares Young’s new novel centers around a history of storytelling in Neah Bay, with a quiet, powerful narrative that shakes readers like an earthquake.




the

Broadway-bound Seattle theater star Sara Porkalob shares the books she reads to find joy


Sara Porkalob, Seattle-based playwright, director, activist and more, is off to Broadway — but before she goes, she shared what she’s been reading and rereading lately.




the

From ‘Jeopardy!’ to opera, our arts critic picks 6 of the best events to watch or listen to May 1-7


Here are a few arts-and-entertainment-y online diversions for the week, from near and far, including Seattle Opera on KING-FM and New York City Ballet.




the

‘Walk the Wire’ is the top national fiction bestseller


BESTSELLERS From Publishers Weekly Hardcover fiction 1. Walk the Wire, David Baldacci 2. If It Bleeds, Stephen King 3. Masked Prey, John Sandford 4. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Charlie Mackesy Most Read Stories Seattle will permanently close 20 miles of residential streets to most vehicle traffic Coronavirus daily news updates, […]




the

Motherhood, a cult church and recovery form the core of glittering debut ‘Godshot’


With a narrative that follows a 14-year-old seeking liberation from a cult church, Chelsea Bieker gets under readers’ skin with heart-filled prose in her sparkling debut “Godshot,” out now via Catapult.




the

Listen to these 9 audiobooks for an uplifting refresher during Mental Health Month


As we move beyond two months of stay-home orders and life under the cloud of pandemic, everyone deserves a carefree laugh. These audiobooks offer guffaws and elicit smiles by the dozen.




the

How a ‘raucous predeath farewell birthday party’ inspired Luis Alberto Urrea’s bestseller ‘The House of Broken Angels’


Moira’s Seattle Times Book Club will meet online on May 13 to discuss “The House of Broken Angels.” Author Luis Alberto Urrea will speak online in a Seattle Arts & Lectures presentation on May 20.




the

Celebrate Mother’s Day and more with these weekend activities


Between Mother's Day and the expected sunny weather, there's lots to celebrate this weekend! Whether you'll be enjoying nature or continuing to stay inside, here are some things you can do while maintaining social distancing.




the

Seattle Times Features Staff Picks: How to make mom feel special on this socially distant Mother’s Day


With social distancing efforts (or just distance) keeping many families apart for Mother's Day, our features staffers share how they'll be celebrating their moms this weekend. Happy Mother's Day!




the

As coronavirus looms over sports world, fans must ask themselves some tough questions


As we face a unique health-care crisis with the proliferation of the coronavirus, the ramifications for sports are just one piece in a giant, complicated puzzle. But I can’t remember an event in my lifetime with the potential to have a greater impact on the world of athletics.