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Rant & Rave: Reader not happy with neighbor


RAVE to the person who found my credit card that fell out of my pocket at the Fourth Avenue Costco! I didn’t realize I had lost it until I got home. I called Costco and sure enough, they had it. Thank you for your honesty and thanks to the Costco staff who held on to […]




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Rant & Rave: Reader encourages shoppers to wear masks


RAVE to the Washington State Employment Security Department. I had never submitted an unemployment claim before and wasn’t sure what to expect, particularly as I am self-employed. The process was explained clearly and took about 25 minutes. The money was in my account in two days. I am so grateful that I plan to contribute […]




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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. 




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Rant & Rave: Readers observe others not social distancing


RANT to families that are not social distancing their kids from others. Including those families from Western Washington that come to weekend homes in Central and Eastern Washington and don’t wear masks or social distance. RAVE to the O’Reilly employee who not only helped me, but took the time to teach me how to change […]




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Seattle expert estimates 20,000 novel coronavirus infections in the U.S. now


A Seattle expert is estimating about 20,000 people in the U.S. are now infected with the new coronavirus, nearly 10 times more than the roughly 2,300 confirmed cases. Trevor Bedford, a computational biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, posted his estimates in a series of 13 tweets Friday night. “I could easily be […]




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How big will the coronavirus outbreak get? This Bellevue scientist is figuring that out


Staff at Bellevue's Institute for Disease Modeling estimate that social distancing measures aimed at cutting the transmission rate in half could reduce the number of infections in the Seattle area in early April by a factor of five — from roughly 25,000 to 4,800. Deaths would be reduced from 400 down to 100.




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Is one generation better at social distancing than others? Gen X might have a leg up


Some millennials ignored the risks and jammed Capitol Hill this weekend. Some boomers dismissed the coronavirus outbreak as a public health crisis. But what about Generation X?




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‘We’re in this human experiment’: UW researchers study effects of coronavirus social isolation


The study will add a "real-time" element to what UW researchers already know about social isolation, loneliness and their related health risks.




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Mapping a pandemic: Track the spread of coronavirus across Washington and the world


COVID-19 has spread across Washington, the U.S. and the world at staggering speeds. Here's what we know so far about the spread of coronavirus and its global impacts.




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More than 250 people in Washington hospitalized last week with coronavirus symptoms; state data shows upward trend


Hospital admissions tracked by the state Department of Health offer a window into the pandemic's impact on the health care system. Right now, officials are not seeing a surge of patients, but worry one could still be coming.




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Not everyone changed behavior because of coronavirus; here are a Seattle poll’s findings


"It's not insignificant," said Michael Simon, co-founder & CEO of Elucd, a Brooklyn-based public-sentiment polling firm that conducted the surveys over a 10-day period.




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UW model says social distancing is starting to work — but still projects 1,400 coronavirus deaths in Washington state


Modeling from the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) forecasts that hospitalizations will generally peak in mid-April, with 64,000 more patients than licensed beds nationwide.




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People of color hard hit by coronavirus in King County, but numbers are incomplete


Public health officials warned against drawing conclusions from the demographic breakdown, because race and ethnicity data was known for only about 51% of confirmed cases in King County.




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Coronavirus flight: As the affluent head to Washington vacation homes, some year-rounders worry


In King and Snohomish counties, one in 10 households own a second home or real-estate property elsewhere. Many are fleeing to those vacation homes to hunker down during the coronavirus pandemic.




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What’s the true state of our state’s coronavirus fight? These charts explain.


How many people will die? How many jobs will be lost? All around us, the coronavirus pandemic has caused an immense human tragedy in Washington. Here’s what we know and don’t know right now. How this all ends is still anyone’s guess.




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What U.S. leaders say affects whether Americans stay home during coronavirus pandemic, CDC data suggests


The decision by Americans to hunker down during the coronavirus pandemic has been heavily influenced by pronouncements from national and local leaders, according to data released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report offers the most robust information to date showing the relationship between people’s behavior and official policies announced by […]




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Washington young adults are getting slammed financially by coronavirus crisis, new survey shows


Among those 18 to 29 years old, more than one out of three say that they have, or someone in their household has, lost a job or been laid off because of the coronavirus outbreak. And nearly half have taken a pay cut or had their hours reduced.




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King County has big racial disparities in coronavirus cases and deaths, according to public-health data


Hispanic people in King County are dying from COVID-19 at much higher rates than white people, according to a new study. The insight into the coronavirus’ uneven impact in King County comes into focus as people of color represent an increasing percentage of the county's COVID-19 cases. 




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Seattle residents will continue social distancing long after coronavirus stay-at-home order is lifted, survey shows


When asked what changes they anticipate making for the next year or longer after the lockdown is lifted, a majority of Seattle residents say they will continue to avoid social gatherings and physical contact — in other words, people.




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Washington seems to be avoiding the dramatic nationwide spike in deaths during coronavirus pandemic


As the nation’s overall death toll soared past historical averages, preliminary data shows a less dramatic trend in Washington during the first months of the novel coronavirus outbreak. 




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Washington adds just over 100,000 unemployment claims, but layoffs might be peaking


For the week ending May 2, the state received 109,167 initial claims for unemployment insurance, down almost 22% from the prior week, according to U.S. Labor Department figures released Thursday morning.




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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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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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Kyle Larson returns to racing in World of Outlaws event


The resurrection of Kyle Larson’s career began with a 25-hour drive from California to Iowa for a $15,000-to-win World of Outlaws race. Larson hitched a ride with the team that fielded a car for him Friday night at Knoxville Raceway. It’s a total reset for a driver who less than a month ago was the […]




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AOC’s John Coates: Tokyo could be the greatest Olympics ever


SYDNEY (AP) — Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates has predicted that next year’s coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Games “may ultimately be amongst the great games ever, if not the greatest.” The Sydney-born Coates, who oversees planning for the Tokyo Olympics for the International Olympic Committee, told the AOC’s annual general meeting on Saturday that he would […]




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Lyon men’s and women’s teams test negative for coronavirus


PARIS (AP) — All players in Lyon men’s and women’s teams have tested negative for the coronavirus, club president Jean-Michel Aulas said. The French soccer club’s squads were tested by team doctors at Lyon’s training center. “The men’s and women’s squads were tested on Thursday on site. There were no positive cases,” Aulas told regional […]




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Senior spotlight: With state javelin title in hand, Tahoma’s Gabriel Shouman has no regrets


The Washington State-bound senior won the Class 4A title with his last throw last year.




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Falcons’ Allen says idea of practice is ‘nerve-racking’


ATLANTA (AP) — Ricardo Allen didn’t budge when Georgia was one of the first states to open businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. The Atlanta Falcons safety believes it is smart to stay home. He says he worries about the time when teams across the league open for practice. Restaurants, barber shops and other businesses were […]




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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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Crash Course: Steelers rookies adapting to “virtual” path


PITTSBURGH (AP) — This isn’t quite the way Anthony McFarland expected his NFL career to begin. Then again, the rookie running back knows he’s not the only one whose first taste of the pros is coming via conference calls with members of the coaching staff followed by self-administered tests in a nearby park to see […]




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Many businesses may follow Amazon in stretching out work-from-home policies, crimping downtown recovery


Business and government insiders say other companies and organizations are contemplating similarly extended time frames as they consider the new realities of the workplace in the COVID-19 era.




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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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Democrats Challenge Trump’s Pick to Oversee Pandemic Funds


(Bloomberg) — Senate Democrats challenged a vow of “fairness and impartiality” by Brian Miller, President Donald Trump’s nominee to oversee trillions of dollars being spent in the effort to rescue the economy from the coronavirus pandemic. “President Trump has shown outright hostility to anyone who has tried to hold him accountable to the American people,” […]




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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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Unofficial numbers show $7 billion hit to Washington state revenue through 2023 from coronavirus downturn


In the unofficial forecast numbers, Washington would lose $3.8 billion in revenue this current budget cycle. An additional $3.27 billion would be sheared off the 2021-23 budget cycle.




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ADP: More than 20 million jobs vanished in April


BALTIMORE (AP) — U.S. businesses cut an unprecedented 20.2 million jobs in April, an epic collapse with coronavirus outbreak closing the offices, factories, schools, construction sites and stores that propel the U.S. economy. The Wednesday report from payroll company ADP showed the tragic depth and scale of job losses that left no part of the […]




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Small businesses cut jobs while waiting for government loans


NEW YORK (AP) — While thousands of small businesses waited for coronavirus relief money to arrive, they were shutting down and laying off workers. Two reports issued this week shed light on the crisis that business owners have been struggling through since the coronavirus hit. On Wednesday, payroll provider ADP said its small business customers […]




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33 million have sought US unemployment aid since virus hit


WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades. Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close […]




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Washington adds just over 100,000 unemployment claims, but layoffs might be peaking


For the week ending May 2, the state received 109,167 initial claims for unemployment insurance, down almost 22% from the prior week, according to U.S. Labor Department figures released Thursday morning.




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Proposal to tax big businesses will be shelved by Seattle City Council during coronavirus emergency


The decision by Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda will stall the big-business tax championed by Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales, which already faced opposition from Mayor Jenny Durkan.




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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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Small businesses band together to sue insurers over coronavirus damage


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




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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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Now streaming: ‘Hollywood,’ ‘Sonic the Hedgehog,’ ‘Never Have I Ever,’ ‘Bad Education’


Here are this week's highlights on Video on Demand, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and other services.




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Anderson Cooper is a father; gives infant son a special name


NEW YORK (AP) — Anderson Cooper is a father, a milestone the CNN anchor says for a while he didn’t believe would ever happen. Cooper announced the birth of his son, Wyatt, Thursday evening on his show and in a lengthy Instagram post. His son was born on Monday via a surrogate, the newsman said, […]




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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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Need a laugh? Some comfort? Seattle Times features staffers pick TV shows to fit your mood


Here are our features staffers’ recommendations for shows to check out if you’re craving comfort or nostalgia, want to feel inspired or empowered, or simply need a good laugh.




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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.