Summer break continues for Seattle students. Tomorrow was supposed to be the first day of school. Now it will not be, because Seattle Public Schools canceled class after the teachers union voted to authorize a strike by an overwhelming margin. The union says the district will not give them what they need, which is more money to live and a cap on student-to-teacher ratios in classrooms that include students with special needs, according to The Seattle Times. Hannah will have more on the details of the conflict tomorrow. 

After the district called off school, the union rallied outside the district's office to call for a fair contract.

Sound familiar? The teachers went on strike in 2015. They also planned to strike in 2018, but then the two sides reached a deal. The issue at the time remains the core issue today: the State Legislature "fully funds" schools according to a formula that does not pay for enough staff to actually run the schools. Until every single parent starts screaming at the Legislature to fix this problem until they actually fix it, then, every time a contract expires, teachers will continue to strike for reasonable working conditions while districts continue to claim they don't have the money. 

Council transportation OKs Harrell's pick for SDOT director: The vote to confirm Greg Spotts was unanimous, according to the West Seattle Blog, which noted that he planned to join the Mayor in walking kids to school tomorrow, but that plan is now probably called off. Lately, he's been taking in the city's art: 

More memories of the floatplane dead: Seattle Times reporter Dan Beekman writes of Pat Hicks, 66, a retired teacher who died in the crash along with her partner, Sandy Williams, a civil rights activist out of Spokane. She "blessed Spokane with her gentle nature, community spirit and dance moves," he writes. 

Someone give the whole Seattle Office of Labor Standards a raise: Another week, another six-figure settlement for Seattle workers. This time, the OLS will return nearly $360,000 to more than 250 workers at a pawn shop company called Cash America. OLS claimed the company failed to pay workers the minimum wage and giving required breaks, and now the company is paying up, KIRO 7 reports.

COVID-19 is still going around: King County Public Health Chief Dr. Jeff Duchin says we're down from our peak in mid-July, but the current hospitalization levels track "what we see during the peak of a moderate-severity influenza season." The good news? Omicron boosters are ready for you. Set up an appointment now.

HARRY DID NOT SPIT ON CHRIS!!!! Everything is fine! There was no spit! Gossip-loving film fans freaked out this weekend because there have been some real weird vibes during Don’t Worry Darling’s press tour, and it all culminated in the theory that Harry Styles spit on Chris Pine as the singer took his seat during a press screening. But he didn’t! Not of it is real! It’s Olivia Wilde’s attempt to get the Ryan Murphy Feud treatment 10 years down the road, I’m sure of it!

Some judges like Trump: A federal judge decided an independent arbiter needs to review the thousands of records the FBI seized during a search at Mar-a-Lago. Sounds weird for an arbiter to have access to highly classified information such as a “foreign nation’s nuclear capabilities” that even senior national security officials haven’t seen, right? It is! Legal experts who spoke with the New York Times called the move “unprecedented” and “deeply problematic.” Fun fact: The judge, Aileen M. Cannon, was appointed by Trump in 2020.

Some judges don’t like Trump: A New Mexico judge called the Jan. 6 Capitol riot an “insurrection,” which is “the first time any court has done so,” reports CNBC. The judge also ruled that Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin will be removed from office “immediately” for his participation in the Jan. 6 events. Griffin founded a group called Cowboys for Trump, and this ruling also prevents him from holding any state or federal elected positions in the future, CNN reports. 

Speaking of Trump (ugh, gross, sorry): Some new Coffee County Surveillance video has more footage of Pro-Trump activists visiting the county’s elections office in January 2021. The data breach is currently being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and investigators are, uh, investigating whether or not any laws have been broken.

Why am I writing this news roundup from a studio apartment? 

It’s super hot in California: Sacramento hit 116 degrees today. Officials say California residents should conserve energy and prepare for rolling blackouts. Related: More than 4,000 firefighters are attempting to put out over a dozen large fires and, according to officials, “45 new fires erupted on Sunday alone.” Four people have died in the blazes.

Still looking: Canadian police are still searching for Myles Sanderson, the suspect in Sunday’s fatal stabbing spree in Saskatchewan. Ten people were killed and 18 were wounded. Ten of the injured victims are still in the hospital. There’s no known motive.

Let's end PM with a real one:Â