Solidarity forever: I hope I caught you before you read your morning New York Times (if you have a subscription lol) because journalists and other New York Times staffers went on a 24-hour site strike last night. Don’t cross the picket line. BREAK YOUR WORDLE STREAK.

Welcome home: After months of suffering in Russian detention, a one-to-one prisoner exchange will bring WNBA star Brittney Griner back to the United States. Russian officials sentenced Griner to nine years in prison this summer because, as she testified, she accidentally packed cannabis oils in her luggage. Many clocked the sentence as racist because a white woman got off the hook much sooner for smuggling much more weed into the country. Glad she's out of prison. Now free all the people in America who sit in prison for cannabis charges.

Tripledemic: Many people don’t bother with masks anymore (along with several other COVID-19 precautions). But with not one, not two, but three respiratory viruses running amuck, health experts urge all of us to put the masks back on, especially in crowded places like public transit, planes, and stores. If the term “tripledemic” doesn’t put the fear of God in you, I don’t know what will. 

Fuck these bigots: Yesterday, some intolerant piece of shit allegedly shot into the Renton Taproom, which will host a Drag Story Hour. Check back in later this morning, Will Casey will have the full story.

Speaking of Will Casey: Conservative commentator Jason Rantz accused a City employee of “anti-male bias.” Will Casey says Rantz has no evidence. 

Seattle climate goals: Yesterday, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced an executive order that directed City Departments to work toward a whole slew of climate goals. To be frank, there’s not much to say. He told the people who work for him to mostly make plans in the next couple of years to eventually do cool stuff. No additional funding to actually do any of the cool stuff. 

What kind of cool stuff, Hannah? I’m glad you asked! There are a few highlights in the executive order that caught my eye...

15-minute city: The Mayor ordered a few City departments to “explore expanding 'complete communities,'” which basically means building a 15-minute city where people in every neighborhood can reach the places they need to go every day via “short trips under 3 miles by walking, biking, or taking transit.”

Super block: The Mayor also mentioned super blocks, which could help pedestrianize our neighborhoods. Whenever I hear "super block," I sing Lorde's "Supercut" in my head. I would like to have that experience more often.

Healthy Streets: Additionally, the Mayor ordered the Seattle Department of Transportation to make 20 miles of Healthy Streets permanent, which the last Mayor already called for.

Sports! Lastly, ever the jock, the Mayor said the City needs to “take advantage” of the international spotlight on Seattle in the 2026 FIFA World Cup by showing off our commitment to sustainability.

Rest in peace: Today, the Iranian government announced it executed the first protester in the ongoing women’s and anti-government movement, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. His name was Mohsen Shekari. According to Amnesty International, at least 28 people, including three children, could face execution. The Iranian government has already sentenced six protesters to death, adding to at least 458 protesters killed in the streets. 

Don’t mess with Bob: Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit against a gun shop in Federal Way, WA after investigators discovered the store illegally sold high-capacity magazines four times. King 5 has the full story. 

Idaho quadruple homicide: Weeks after four students were stabbed to death, the Moscow Police Department is asking the public for help tracking down a car seen at the scene of the crime in the early hours of the morning of the killings. The AP has more.

Design review: Here’s some good news. The Land Use Committee of the Seattle City Council will discuss legislation to extend pandemic exemptions for some affordable housing, saving the critical projects from the long, tedious, and almost completely unnecessary process of design review. 

Seattle Human Rights Commission update: Earlier this week, the Seattle Human Rights Commission hosted a Human Rights Day celebration at City Hall. According to several attendees, turnout was “embarrassingly low” as about 30 people showed up to an event space that can hold 800. Since the City gave the commission $12,000 to host the celebration, if the commission spent all that money, that prices the event at over $400 per attendee.

That's a lot of money! You’ll remember some members of the commission supported a resolution to give that $12,000 to the mutual aid group, Stop the Sweeps. But that transfer got scratched from the bill because it was a sticking point for many commissioners and probably illegal. Commissioners still want to pass the resolution, which would publicly state the commission's opposition to sweeps and call a meeting with the Mayor and the City Council. They’ll discuss the resolution for the third time next month. 

Don’t say gay, say fraud: The author of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in the Florida legislature is in big trouble. And not just for being homophobic, but for COVID relief tax fraud. Politico has the whole story. 

Lana Del Rey understands me more than anyone else: