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Harlem figure skating gala pivots from ice to internet


Unable to stage its big fundraiser because of the pandemic, Figure Skating in Harlem is going from the ice to the internet. The Figure Skating in Harlem Champions in Life Virtual Gala will be held May 14 and will feature Olympic champions Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi and Meryl Davis. The 23-year-old group is the only […]




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U.S. auto market glut leaves cargo ships loaded with vehicles parked at sea


For the auto industry, which saw U.S. sales plunge almost 40% in March, the crisis has left cars gathering dust on dealer lots, dealerships shuttered, auction prices slipping and tens of thousands of workers laid off or furloughed.




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Coronavirus recession ends the golden age for tech workers | Commentary


The economic shock caused by the coronavirus is accelerating a tech-industry shift from prioritizing growth to profitability, meaning rank-and-file workers will no longer be immune to the forces confronting so many workers throughout America.




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Coronavirus Economy daily chart: Health sectors register most first-time unemployment claims


This series of charts provides weekly data on how the Seattle-area economy is doing during the coronavirus crisis.




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SBA slashes disaster-loan cap to $150,000 from $2 million, shuts out nearly all new applicants


After initially telling businesses that individual disaster loans could be as high as $2 million, the Small Business Administration has now imposed a $150,000 limit without publicly announcing the change, people familiar with the situation said.




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With layoffs high but slowing, can US job market rise up?


WASHINGTON (AP) — Since its record-setting peak five weeks ago, the number of laid-off U.S. workers applying for jobless benefits, while still extraordinarily high, has steadily slowed. The trend suggests that the grimmest period of layoffs that began after businesses suddenly shut down in March has passed. Yet the economy — and tens of millions […]




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U.S. unemployment rate soars to 14.7%, worst since Depression era


The staggering losses are more than double what the nation experienced during the 2007-09 crisis, which used to be described as the harshest economic situation most people ever confronted.




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Coronavirus unemployment: Bartenders, dental assistants top list of Washington’s hardest-hit jobs


About 14,800 initial unemployment claims by bartenders were filed from March 8 through April 25, which closely matches the number of people estimated to work as bartenders in Washington in the second quarter of 2020.




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Fraudsters are faking Washington unemployment claims amid coronavirus joblessness surge


As Washington grapples with a tsunami of legitimate unemployment claims — more than 100,000 last week — the state also is seeing a rise in attempts by fraudsters to siphon off a portion of the benefits.




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Advertising adjusts for a new reality: sweatpants for staying home and toilet paper that cares


On the TV, a bearded man sits alone in an empty white room. He’s dressed like a military officer in a campy musical and is holding a giant bowl of popcorn that he touches only after using hand sanitizer. It’s a 15-second advertisement starring Captain Obvious, the spokesman for Hotels.com, urging everyone to keep their […]




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From goofy to grotesque, here are some horror options to stream that are a scream


Here's a quick survey of the good horror stuff you’ll find streaming on various services. There’s something to offer both casual and hard-core fans alike.




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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.




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Sunday Best: Finally, some relief in the form of parasols and bonnets from ‘Belgravia’


These costumes, from “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes’ new EPIX miniseries “Belgravia,” are made by their details — and are the perfect relief, in photo form, for the day/week/month/year’s stresses.




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New on Hulu in May 2020: ‘Rocketman,’ ‘The Great,’ ‘Solar Opposites,’ ‘Spaceship Earth’ and more


Here's a complete list of what's coming and going on Hulu in May.




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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.




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Now streaming: ‘Star Wars’ movies, ‘The Eddy,’ ‘Bloodshot,’ ‘Solar Opposites’ and more


Looking for something to stream? Here are this week's highlights.




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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.




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U District, Ballard farmers markets will reopen this weekend despite coronavirus


The markets, which had been closed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, will open with new rules.




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Farm unions sue Washington state in push for safer work conditions amid coronavirus pandemic


The suit, filed Thursday in Skagit County Superior Court, seeks an injunction requiring state agencies to expedite and toughen their oversight through emergency rulemaking.




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Trump Announces a $19 Billion Bailout for Ailing Farmers


(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump announced a $19 billion bailout package for farmers hurt financially by the coronavirus crisis. The aid plan includes $16 billion in direct payments to farmers to boost their incomes, along with $3 billion in government purchases of meat, dairy products and other foods, the president said Friday at a White […]




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Tyson Foods idles largest pork plant as virus slams industry


IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Tyson Foods suspended operations Wednesday at an Iowa plant that is critical to the nation’s pork supply but was blamed for fueling a massive coronavirus outbreak in the region. The Arkansas-based company said the closure of the plant in Waterloo would deny a vital market to hog farmers and further […]




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Through coronavirus pandemic and two world wars, this Des Moines nursery keeps people planting and believing


Zenith Holland Nursery has seen times like this before — and survived. The Des Moines nursery opened in 1907, survived two world wars and remains open during the coronavirus shutdown.




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Inslee: Washington state parks, recreational fishing, golf courses to reopen May 5, amid coronavirus outbreak


Gov. Inslee announced Monday that golf and recreational fishing could resume on May 5 and many state parks and public lands will reopen as well.




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‘Just glad we can help’: Free Idaho potatoes are feeding people at home, across U.S.


Like many farmers and ranchers in Idaho, Ryan Cranney began feeling the effects of COVID-19’s disruption in the restaurant supply chain in mid-March. What was supposed to be a good year for Cranney Farms’ crops quickly turned into a surplus he couldn’t sell. That is when he took to Facebook and put out a call […]




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Trump declares meat supply ‘critical,’ aiming to reopen plants


While companies have been drawing on stockpiles of meat in cold storage, they have warned that supplies to supermarkets could soon dwindle as plants remain closed amid illnesses. Pressure has been mounting on the Trump administration to take action.




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Early test results suggest widespread coronavirus infections at Washington state’s largest beef plant, Tyson


The plant, located in Walla Walla County, largely shut down last week amid a major outbreak that already had resulted in more than 125 workers sickened, including one who died. Since then, 56 more have tested positive, with more test results to come.




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In french fry heartland, spring turns bitter as coronavirus cuts into global demand


As global demand for french fries has slumped, potato farmers in Washington state are trying to figure out what to do with millions of pounds of tubers and avoid financial disaster.




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You can still get Pike Place Market flowers for Mother’s Day, thanks to the Drive-Thru Flower Festival


Twenty of the farmers who sell at Pike Place Market are participating in Saturday's event, with pickup sites in Seattle and Renton.




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Are you paying extra for eggs? Lawsuits accuse producers of price gouging


With Americans cooking much more at home, demand has grown for eggs — to scramble, fry, bake or crack into any number of meals. But it will cost you. The tripling in price of a dozen regular eggs in many parts of the country — to an excess of $3 — has prompted various lawsuits […]




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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.”




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Mariners pitching coach Pete Woodworth endures ‘second offseason’ before first season thanks to coronavirus


Sitting at his home in Florida, new Mariners pitching coach Pete Woodworth can only wait, like everyone else, for a return to normalcy while monitoring pitchers that are spread out across the country.




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With MLB shut down due to coronavirus, Mariners host video roundtable on Jackie Robinson Day


The Mariners have 10 African-American players on the 40-man roster — the most in MLB.




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Mariners’ Manny Acta remains mindful of Latin minor-leaguers’ plight amid coronavirus outbreak


Acta spoke candidly is issues in Dominican Republic and MLB players complaining about the proposed restart plan.




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Charitable works earn Mariners infielder Dee Gordon the 55th Hutch Award


Gordon is active in a variety of charities and community work, including victims of domestic violence.




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As 49ers and Cardinals impress in NFL draft, Seahawks’ road to NFC West title gets tougher


It wasn't going to be easy for the Seahawks. The NFC West was already considered the toughest in the NFL in terms of balance and strength. And Thursday's NFL first round made winning a division title just a little more difficult for Seattle.




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Get to know Darrell Taylor, the Seahawks’ second-round NFL draft pick out of Tennessee


Taylor, who has drawn comparisons to Clark by several draft analysts and scouts could bring a level of explosiveness that the defensive ends on the roster simply don't possess.




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NFC West roundup from Day 2 of the draft: Cardinals and Rams improve, while 49ers watch from the sidelines


Here's a look at how Day 2 of the NFL draft shook out for the rest of the NFC West.




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NFC West Day 3 roundup: Division gets scarier for Seahawks as 49ers trade for star tackle Trent Williams


The San Francisco 49ers didn't have a draft pick on Day 2 of the NFL draft, but general manager John Lynch made up for it on Day 3 by acquiring Washington Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams in a trade.




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Get to know Colby Parkinson, the Seahawks’ fourth-round NFL draft pick from Stanford


The Seahawks taking lanky tight end Colby Parkinson out of Stanford with their first fourth-round pick addresses a future and possibly current need




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Here’s what golfers should know as Washington courses prepare to reopen after coronavirus shutdown


Any course planning to reopen must comply to guidelines developed by the governor's office. The most notable will be the limit of two people per group instead of threesomes or foursomes in groups. The only exception: If all the people are from the same household, a foursome is acceptable.




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Coronavirus shutdown feels ‘kind of like the start of a lousy retirement’ for Mariners’ Tom Murphy


Murphy was supposed to be a month into an important season, his first as the Mariners' main catcher. Instead, he waits in a sort of baseball purgatory. “Yeah, I'm definitely struggling with it,” he said.




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Mariners announce ticket-refund process for games impacted by coronavirus shutdown


Single-game ticket buyers will get a refund while season-ticket holders will get credit.




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Mariners mailbag: Not a fastball, but guessing baseball returns on July 1


Money will be the motivation to return but if anyone tells you they know what's going to happen or when the season will start, they are just guessing. Flexibility remains the best option for Major League Baseball right now.




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Mariners players to face off against fans in MLB The Show video-game tournament


Sixteen players will face 16 fans in the first round of the video game tournament, which starts on Tuesday morning.




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MLB reportedly is finalizing proposal to start season in early July after coronavirus shutdown


Major League Baseball is reportedly considering a plan of restarting spring training in early June with the season starting in early July.




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The Korean Baseball Organization is back from the coronavirus shutdown. Is this what Mariners games will look like?


The quality of the games, which include a handful of former big-league players, isn’t great. But it’s real, live baseball being broadcast by ESPN. Beyond the joy of watching baseball, these games provide a glimpse of what Mariners games and other MLB matchups might look like if/when they return.




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‘I feel so much faster this year’: High-school seniors hoping coronavirus doesn’t take their final shot at glory


The WIAA hasn't canceled the spring postseason, but if schools remain shut down there will be no state tournaments.




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O’Dea’s Paolo Banchero named Gatorade player of the year for Washington


The 6-foot-9, five-star prospect was also the Star Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year.




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High-school coaches trying to coach from afar and hoping there’s still a season


Coaching in the time of social distancing means plenty of emails and social media.