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Boost your pH IQ, and then test — and amend — your soil


With a fall application, your soil should be at the right level by the beginning of next season.




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Seattle Urban Farm Company cultivates customized rooftop crops for local-food-focused restaurants


Produce selection is geared toward each chef’s menu offerings.




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If you give purslane a chance, this weed will grow on you


The best thing about embracing a plant like purslane is that you don’t have to worry about seeding, watering or fussing about it.




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Pair of valuable bonsai trees missing from Federal Way museum


The Pacific Bonsai Museum did not provide a dollar value for the trees, but called one "truly irreplaceable" and said both were at risk of damage or death if not returned to the museum's care.




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A native plant guru’s radical vision for the American yard and the environment


How your garden can help the planet and all life around you.




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A sure sign of spring on the way: The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival


The 2020 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is Wednesday, Feb. 26, through Sunday, March 1, at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle.




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Jessica Cantlin proves you don’t have to work forever to create a scent-filled garden full of simple highlights


SOME GARDENERS ARE always fussing with their landscape, never quite satisfied, consistently digging up or adding in plants. Not so for Jessica Cantlin, who purchased her Denny-Blaine neighborhood home with her husband, Alan, and their two children, in 2012. Her yard, she feels, is now full and done. Cantlin grew up in this neighborhood, and […]




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Before you plant your vegetable garden, read these tips from an expert


NO DISRESPECT TO anybody who really loves the winter holiday season, but for most gardeners, spring is actually “the most wonderful time of the year.” Here in the Northwest, spring starts early. March is the de facto launch of each year’s vegetable garden season. Of course, with proper planning, you can have crops in the […]




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Panic buying comes for the seeds as coronavirus quarantines prompt surge in gardening


Companies struggle to meet surging demand, especially for vegetables. “It feels like we are selling toilet paper,” said the founder of a seed company.




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Feed the soul: In chaotic times, gardening becomes therapy


CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Dig. Plant. Breathe. As spring’s arrival in the Northern Hemisphere coincides with government stay-at-home orders, the itch to get outside has turned backyard gardens into a getaway for the mind in chaotic times. Gardeners who already know that working with soil is a way to connect with nature say it helps […]




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Your garden can be a treasure trove of activities for your kids, so look around you


Mother Nature can be an accessible and interesting teaching assistant. With spring here, use your garden or a neighborhood garden to help keep your little ones occupied.




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Coronavirus pandemic triggers a wave of self-sufficiency around Seattle: Vegetable gardens, urban chickens are in-demand


Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, many local plant nurseries say there’s been a run on seeds as people all over Seattle take to gardening to grow food and provide solace during an uncertain time.




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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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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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Spiny and delicious, sea urchins shine in a new documentary


NEW YORK (AP) — They are briny and sweet — once you get past those formidable spines. Biting into one has been likened to kissing a mermaid. Now they are ready for their close-up. Sea urchins — which contain the prized meat the Japanese call uni — are the subject of a new documentary “The […]




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Spiny and delicious, sea urchins shine in a new documentary


NEW YORK (AP) — They are briny and sweet — once you get past those formidable spines. Biting into one has been likened to kissing a mermaid. Now they are ready for their close-up. Sea urchins — which contain the prized meat the Japanese call uni — are the subject of a new documentary “The […]




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New this week: A Bieber reality show, comics and their moms


Bored with your surroundings? Justin and Hailey Bieber are showing off their lives in their Toronto home in a new series, while Hulu this week is premiering a documentary looking back at an early 1990s isolation tale — Biosphere 2. Even if you already know the answers, a re-airing of last year’s epic “Jeopardy!” Greatest […]




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New this week: A Bieber reality show, comics and their moms


Bored with your surroundings? Justin and Hailey Bieber are showing off their lives in their Toronto home in a new series, while Hulu this week is premiering a documentary looking back at an early 1990s isolation tale — Biosphere 2. Even if you already know the answers, a re-airing of last year’s epic “Jeopardy!” Greatest […]




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Court overturns Quincy Jones’ win in Michael Jackson lawsuit


LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court on Tuesday overturned most of a 2017 jury verdict awarding Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties and fees from the Michael Jackson estate over the use of Jones-produced Jackson hits in the concert film “This Is It” and two Cirque du Soleil shows. The state’s 2nd District […]




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Court overturns Quincy Jones’ win in Michael Jackson lawsuit


LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court on Tuesday overturned most of a 2017 jury verdict awarding Quincy Jones $9.4 million in royalties and fees from the Michael Jackson estate over the use of Jones-produced Jackson hits in the concert film “This Is It” and two Cirque du Soleil shows. The state’s 2nd District […]




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Mother’s Day amid the coronavirus pandemic means digging up old pastimes to find new ways to connect with mom


As Mother’s Day approaches, staff writer Megan Burbank thanks her mother for instilling in her a love for screwball heroines, old movies and strong female role models.




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For Mother’s Day: 11 movies with remarkable mothers or grandmothers


For this Mother's Day, a lot of us wish we could be watching a movie with our moms. As we celebrate from afar, here are some suggestions for movies to watch at home.




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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.




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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!




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‘SNL’ writer’s memoir co-stars Billy Crystal, Gilda Radner


LOS ANGELES (AP) — You may not know it, but if you treasure the early years of “Saturday Night Live” or are a fan of “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” or “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Alan Zweibel makes you laugh. In nearly 50 years and counting as a writer, Zweibel helped shape the tone of “SNL” and […]




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Fore! ‘Caddyshack’ tees off at No. 4 on AP sports movie list


DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — It happens all the time. Someone will pull up to the big metal gate in front of the clubhouse, press the intercom button and ask to see Bushwood Country Club. Or they’ll start dancing on the 12th fairway. Or they’ll inquire if the striped fedora for sale in the pro shop […]




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‘Slap Shot’ still iconic in hockey despite sport’s changes


A few nights after one of their players was injured by a dirty hit, the Johnstown Jets plotted to exact some revenge on Buffalo’s Greg Neeld. An all-out brawl broke out during warmups and the North American Hockey League game was postponed, much to the dismay of ownership and presumably the fans at a sold-out […]




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County has highest rate of COVID-19 cases on West Coast


SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The highest rate of coronavirus cases of any county on the U.S. West Coast is in Washington state’s Yakima County. Health experts point to a large number of essential workers, a large number of cases in long-term care facilities and a large agricultural workforce living and working in close quarters as […]




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Vote-by-mail debate raises fears of election disinformation


WASHINGTON (AP) — A bitterly partisan debate unfolding on whether more Americans should cast their votes through the mail during a pandemic is provoking online disinformation and conspiracy theories that could undermine trust in the results, even if there are no major problems. With social distancing guidelines possibly curtailing in-person voting at the polls in […]




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Seattle City Council authorizes $8M to buy and prep site for new Fire Station 31


The new Fire Station 31 will replace an existing station that shut down last June, due to concerns about unhealthful conditions, including mold.




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Snohomish County to pay fourth settlement over former prosecutor


The lawsuit echoed allegations made by other former employees claiming Mark Roe spoke and acted inappropriately while serving as the county’s top prosecutor from 2009 until his retirement in 2018.




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Four Republican lawmakers sue Inslee over coronavirus stay-home order, contending ‘the emergency has been contained’


Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim Gov. Inslee has not adequately considered targeted measures to protect that population, while allowing others to return to work and school.




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Some tribal casinos reopen amid coronavirus pandemic, despite Washington state’s stay-home order


Tribes operate their facilities on their lands, where they retain decision-making authority -- despite Gov. Jay Inslee's stay-home order, in place until the end of May.




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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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A flurry of activity, confusion as Washington continues phase one of reopening amid the new coronavirus


Gov. Jay Inslee this week continued lifting restrictions included in his stay-home order meant to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, part of phase one in his four-phase plan to reopen the state. Some outdoor recreation opened earlier this week.




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At a Republican candidate forum for Washington governor, the coronavirus barely exists


In the middle of a pandemic, the subject of the public's health never came up during a 90-minute GOP candidates for governor forum. It's like a metaphor for the alternate realities of our politics — and also why the GOP may be in more trouble than usual in the local elections this year.




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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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Snohomish County will not pay for sheriff’s legal defense in recall effort over his refusal to enforce state’s stay-home order during pandemic


Prosecutor Adam Cornell likened the decision by Sheriff Adam Fortney to publicly question and refuse to enforce the stay-home order "to yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater."




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Stock shock shows how Trump keeps gambling with the economy


The trade war with China is a self-inflicted blow. Only a strong economy is cushioning us against bigger pain — so far.




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‘Wealth work’ captures only part of the stark jobs divide


The rich are employing more people to cater to their desires. But that's only part of a tidal wave of change coming to the workforce.




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Reshaping corporations to look beyond shareholders’ profits will take hard work


One of the most powerful business lobbies says it wants to change the calculus that is giving capitalism a bad name. It's a good idea, but faces tremendous resistance.




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For Labor Day, tallying the many cuts that bled unions and the long road back


Jon Talton | No single source can explain the big decline in union membership. Rebuilding organized labor, and worker bargaining power and rights, will be a hard battle.




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Are workers ready to flee big cities? It’s not that simple.


The most recent Census numbers show some major metropolitan areas that shone during the post-recession years now are losing population. But that doesn’t mean an equitable spreading of economic assets, much less a halt to the “back to the city” era. At least not yet.




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A stab at the heart of Saudi oil puts Trump to his biggest test yet


The weekend attack on critical oil facilities rattled the market. No wonder: Spikes in petroleum prices are closely associated with recessions.




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After 37 years, time for reflections and thanks


Jon Talton, The Seattle Times economics and business columnist for the past 12 years, says goodbye and offers some parting thoughts.




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How climate change, politics and our ability to coexist will shape the new decade — and Seattle’s future


2020 is here as a new decade, ready or not. But decades as clear political, cultural, social and historical eras are as elusive as centuries.



  • Pacific NW Magazine

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Coronavirus is making the economy very sick


The pandemic's effects are putting us in unknown territory, but we're already in a recession. It could be the worst of our lifetimes. Columnist Jon Talton explains why.




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How the novel coronavirus infected the global supply chain


Behind shortages of masks and ventilators is a staggering disruption of the global system of making, assembling and delivering critical products.




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Once restarted, post-coronavirus economy might enter unprecedented rough seas


Even President Trump now realizes the need for a prolonged shutdown. But when the economy finally restarts, we have no guarantee it will bounce back quickly. The danger is a "Greater Depression."




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Now’s not the time for anxiety about the national debt


Federal red ink was exploding even before the pandemic required a historic rescue stimulus. But the national debt only becomes dangerous if the United States is seen as an untrustworthy borrower.