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Iran names former supreme leader’s son to succeed him as war sends oil prices soaring

<block>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s late supreme leader, was named Monday as the Islamic Republic’s next ruler, putting a hard-line cleric in charge as the war spreading across the Mideast sent oil prices skyrocketing with Iran launching new attacks on regional energy infrastructure.With Iran’s theocracy under assault by the U.S. and Israel for more than a week, the country’s Assembly of Experts chose the secretive, 56-year-old cleric with close ties to the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as the new supreme leader. The Guard has been firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states since the younger Khamenei’s father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed Feb. 28 during the war’s opening salvo.Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz has also all but stopped tankers from using the shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman through which a fifth of the world’s oil is carried. Brent crude oil, the international standard, surged to more than $114 a barrel on Monday, some 60% higher than when Israel and the United States first attacked Iran. As global concerns grew over economic effect, U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the spike in prices as temporary. “Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” Trump wrote on social media. Iran has been firing on Israel and American bases in the region since the start of the war, but has also been launching missiles and drones at energy and water infrastructure. On Monday, a fire broke out at an oil facility that was attacked in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted several drones attacking the Shaybah oil field. Israel, meantime, said it was launching new airstrikes on central Iran. <hl2>New Iranian leader seen as even more hard-line than his father</hl2>The younger Khamenei, who had not been seen or heard from publicly since the war started, had long been considered a potential successor. That was even before the Israeli strike killed his father, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position. There appeared to be some dissension over his selection. Political figures within Iran criticized the idea of handing over the supreme leader’s title based on heredity and thereby creating a clerical version of the rule of the shah, who was toppled during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But top clerics in the Assembly of Experts likely wanted Khamenei to prosecute the war.Khamenei, who is believed to hold views that are even more hard-line than his late father, now will be in charge of Iran’s armed forces and any decision regarding Tehran’s nuclear program.While the country’s key nuclear sites are in tatters after the United States bombed them during the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June, there’s still highly enriched uranium in Iran that’s a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Khamenei could choose to do what his father never did — build a nuclear bomb. Israel has already described him as a potential target, while Trump had called him “unacceptable.”“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump had said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support, as did the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.Top Iranian security official Ali Larijani, speaking to Iranian state television, praised the Assembly of Experts for “courageously” convening even as airstrikes continued in Tehran. He said the younger Khamenei had been trained by his father and “can handle this situation.”<hl2>Regional anger grows as attacks continue on energy infrastructure and oil prices spike </hl2>Saudi Arabia lashed out at Iran following a thwarted drone attack on its massive Shaybah oil field, saying Tehran would be the “biggest loser” if it continues to attack Arab states. The Foreign Ministry said Iranian attacks mean “further escalation which will have grave impact on the relations, currently and in the future.” In addition to targeting energy facilities also in the UAE, Iran on Monday also attacked Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, where it hit a residential area wounding 32 people, including several children, according to authorities.Bahrain has also accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online. Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region and thousands of stranded travelers, raising new fears of catastrophic risks in parched desert nations.In Iraq, air defenses show down a drone as it attacked a U.S. military compound inside the Baghdad International Airport, a security source told the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.There were no reported injuries or damage and it was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, but Pro-Iranian Iraqi militias have previously targeted the base.Elsewhere, the U.S. military had said a service member died of injuries from an Iranian attack on troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1. Seven U.S. soldiers have now been killed.The U.S. State Department early Monday ordered nonessential personnel and families of all staff to leave Saudi Arabia following the escalation in attacks. Eight other U.S. diplomatic missions have ordered all but key staff to leave: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon and at least 11 in Israel, according to officials. Israel reported its first soldier deaths Sunday, saying two were killed in southern Lebanon, where its military is fighting Hezbollah.___Rising reported from Bangkok and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press journalists Sam Metz in Ramallah, West Bank, Aamer Madhani in Doral, Florida, and Qassem Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed reporting. </block>

The Latest: Oil prices soar after Iran names new supreme leader and launches more attacks

The Saudi statement came after a new drone attack apparently targeted its massive Shaybah oil field.Here is the latest:China envoy urges end to fightingA Chinese envoy to the Middle East has called on all sides to stop their military actions and said attacks on non-military targets and civilians should be condemned.Special Envoy Zhai Jun, meeting in Saudi Arabia with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said Sunday that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of all Gulf countr

Urban salsa music pioneer Willie Colón to be remembered at New York funeral

His family said on social media that he passed away peacefully surrounded by relatives at a hospital in Westchester County, just north of New York City.“While we grieve his absence, we also rejoice in the timeless gift of his music and the cherished memories that will live on forever,” his family said in a statement.Born in New York City’s Bronx borough, Colón produced more than 40 albums that sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and collaborated with a wide variety of artists, including t

Jury selection to begin in South Florida for 5 charged in 2021 assassination of Haitian president

Solages was a CTU representative in Haiti who coordinated with Sanon and others, officials said.The conspirators met in South Florida in April 2021 and agreed that, once in power, Sanon would award contracts to CTU for infrastructure projects, security forces and military equipment, investigators said. Worldwide Capital agreed to help finance the coup, extending a $175,000 line of credit to CTU and sending money to co-conspirators in Haiti to purchase ammunition, officials said.CTU initially ret

Where things stand after another weekend of war

<block>Iran has named a son of its late supreme leader as his successor. U.S. President Donald Trump already had expressed disdain for Mojtaba Khamenei, calling him “unacceptable.” The Islamic Republic’s war strategy now has a new commander, and the powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has pledged allegiance.Oil prices shot above $100 a barrel. Both sides in the war struck new targets over the weekend, including civilian ones. Bahrain accused Iran of hitting one of the desalination plants that are crucial for drinking water in Gulf countries. Israel struck oil depots in Tehran, sending up thick smoke and causing environmental alerts.The U.S. announced another soldier’s death. Saudi Arabia announced the first deaths there. Anger grew in Arab countries over Iran’s launching of hundreds of missiles and drones around the region. The Israeli military’s chief of staff warned that the war “will take a long time.”Here’s where things stand as the war enters its 10th day.<hl2>Iran</hl2>Iran’s announcement of a new supreme leader came after the country’s remaining leadership appeared to show a rift. President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized for attacks on neighboring countries, but hard-liners criticized that and said the war strategy would continue.The new supreme leader had not been seen or heard from publicly since the war began. He has not made a statement in his new role. The younger Khamenei inherits both the war and domestic unrest after Iran earlier this year cracked down on some of its largest protests in half a century.Iran did not publicly update its death toll over the weekend from the over 1,200 previously reported. Some Iranians continued to flee the country.<hl2>Israel</hl2>Israel attacked both Iran and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in neighboring Lebanon, where authorities say over a half-million people have been displaced and over 300 killed.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed “many surprises” in the next phase of the war. Israel said it destroyed the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard Air Force, which operated the ballistic missile command, and struck ballistic missile launchers and missile production facilities.Eleven people have died in Israel since the war began. Multiple alerts continued to sound per day across Israel about incoming projectiles, almost all of them intercepted.<hl2>United States</hl2>The U.S. military warned Iranians to stay indoors, asserting that Iran was launching attacks from densely populated areas. Evidence mounted indicating that the U.S. was behind the deadly strike on a girls’ school in Iran on the first day of the war, but Trump suggested Iran was to blame.Trump also attended the return of the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the war. Seven have been killed.Families of U.S. detainees in Iran worried their loved ones are at risk.The U.S. military did not give an update over the weekend on the number of missiles and drones that Iran has fired in recent days, after saying the rate had gone down sharply. Experts said it’s possible that Iran is holding back some missiles in reserve.<hl2>Middle East</hl2>The head of the Arab League called Iran’s war strategy “reckless” as Gulf and other nations reported intercepting Iranian missiles and drones in areas of their countries with no U.S. military presence.No country other than the U.S. and Israel has said it is attacking Iran. Some countries in the region host U.S. military facilities or troops. Iran has urged countries not to allow the U.S. to attack it from their territories. A missile hit a helicopter landing pad in the U.S. Embassy complex in Iraq.More deaths were reported. Saudi Arabia said a falling military projectile killed an Indian citizen and a Bangladeshi one. Kuwait said two border guards were killed, and the United Arab Emirates reported a driver killed.Foreign residents and workers have made up most of the reported deaths in the Gulf. Over a dozen people have been killed there in all.<hl2>Globally</hl2>The U.S. sought to assure Americans that surging fuel prices are a short-term problem. Russia is profiting from the surge.Many travelers and pilgrims remain stranded in the Middle East. The U.S. State Department said over 32,000 Americans have left the region since the war began.Nervousness remained around some of the world’s busiest air hubs. Passengers waiting for flights at Dubai International Airport were ushered into train tunnels after several blasts were heard. Kuwait said fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport were targeted by drones.More states are becoming involved. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country will send experts to advise the U.S. and Middle Eastern allies on repelling Iranian drone attacks next week.</block>

Travelers encounter long waits at some airports as DHS shutdown affects security checkpoints

The Hobby airport on social media Friday said it expected more travelers than normal due to spring break.In a series of posts Sunday, the airport on X went from urging travelers to arrive early to asking them to arrive 3 to 4 hours before their flights to eventually asking them to arrive 4 to 5 hours early to allow extra time for screening, citing the partial government shutdown.A statement from Houston Airports, which counts Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Airport as part of its system,

Fox News apologizes for showing old video of a hatless Donald Trump at a dignified transfer ceremony

The return of the bodies of six soldiers took place Saturday at Dover Air Force Base.But Fox News said archival footage of Trump at an earlier ceremony was inadvertently pulled up by a staff member and used on two Sunday morning telecasts. A spokeswoman noted the correct footage was used at other times, including on Saturday.“We regret the error and apologize for the incorrect footage,” Fox said in a statement.Fox News anchor Griff Jenkins issued an on-the-air correction Sunday, saying “we exten

‘Country’ Joe McDonald, ’60s rock star, proud protest counterculture icon, dies at 84

<block>NEW YORK (AP) — “Country” Joe McDonald, a hippie rock star of the 1960s whose “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag” was a four-lettered rebuke to the Vietnam War that became an anthem for protesters and a highlight of the Woodstock music festival, died Sunday. He was 84. McDonald, who performed with his band, Country Joe and the Fish, died in Berkeley, California. His death from complications of Parkinson’s disease was reported by Kathy McDonald, his wife of 43 years, in a statement issued by his publicist.McDonald was a longtime presence in the Bay Area music scene, where peers included the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane and his onetime girlfriend, Janis Joplin. He wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs, from psychedelic jams to soul-influenced rockers, and released dozens of albums. But he was known best for a talking blues he completed in less than an hour in 1965 — the year President Lyndon Johnson began sending ground forces to Vietnam — and recorded in the Berkeley home of Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz.In the deadpan style of McDonald’s hero, Woody Guthrie, “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag” was a mock celebration of war and early, senseless death, with a chorus concertgoers and others would learn by heart:And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for? Don’t ask me I don’t give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam, And its 5, 6, 7 open up the pearly gates, Well there ain’t no time to wonder why, WHOOPEE we’re all gonna die At the time he wrote “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag,” McDonald was co-leader of the newly formed Country Joe and the Fish and he added a special “F-I-S-H” chant before the song: “Give me an F, give me an I, give me an S, give me an H.” By the time his group appeared at Woodstock in 1969, the Fish were on the verge of breaking up, the chant was a different four-letter word beginning in “F” and McDowell was performing before hundreds of thousands. Many would stand and sing along, a moment captured in the Woodstock documentary released the following year. (For the film, the song’s lyrics appeared as subtitles, a bouncing ball on top).“Some people alluded to peace and stuff (at Woodstock), but I was talking about Vietnam,” McDonald told The Associated Press in 2019. He called the opening chant “an expression of our anger and frustration over the Vietnam War, which was killing us, literally killing us.”The song helped make him famous, but brought legal and professional consequences. In 1968, Ed Sullivan canceled a planned appearance by Country Joe and the Fish on his variety show when he learned of the new opening cheer. Soon after Woodstock, McDonald was arrested and fined for using the cheer at a show in Worcester, Massachusetts, an ordeal which helped hasten the band’s demise.McDonald even performed the song in court. His friendships with such political radicals as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin led to his being called in as a witness in the “Chicago Eight (or Seven)” trial against organizers of anti-war protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. On the stand, he explained how he had met with Hoffman and others and told them about “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag.” When he began performing it, the judge interrupted and told him “No singing is permitted in the courtroom.”McDonald recited the words instead.In 2001, the daughter of the late jazz musician Edward “Kid” Ory sued McDonald, alleging that his song’s melody closely resembled Ory’s 1920s jazz instrumental “Muskrat Blues.” A U.S. district judge in California ruled in McDonald’s favor, citing in part the “unreasonable” delay between the song’s release and the suit being filed.<hl2>A man of the ’60s</hl2>McDonald continued touring and recording for decades after Woodstock, but remained defined by the late 1960s, a time period he openly longed for in the late 1970s rocker “Bring Back the Sixties, Man.” His albums included “Country,” “Carry On,” “Time Flies By” and “50,” and he would continue writing protest songs, notably the 1982 release “Save the Whales.”Although defined by his anti-war activism, McDonald would acknowledge conflicted feelings about Vietnam. He had served in the Navy, in Japan, in the late 1950s, and found himself identifying with both the protesters and those serving overseas. In the 1990s, he helped organize the construction of a Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Berkeley, formally unveiled in 1995.“Many remembered the ugly confrontations that had happened during the war years in the city,” McDonald later wrote of the ceremony. “Yet the atmosphere proved to be one of reconciliation, not confrontation.”McDonald was married four times, most recently to Kathy McDonald, and had five children and four grandchildren. He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart. When McDonald told her he thought they should break up, she asked him to write a song, which became the ballad “Janis”:Even though I know that you and ICould never find the kind of love we wantedTogether, alone, I find myselfMissing you and IYou and I___<hl2>Raised on politics, and music</hl2>Country Joe McDonald did not come from the “country.” He was born on Jan. 1, 1942 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in El Monte, California. He was the son of onetime Communists who named him for Josef Stalin and otherwise encouraged him to love music and identify with the working class. He was still in his teens when he began writing songs, playing trombone well enough to lead his high school marching band and teaching himself folk, country and blues songs on guitar.After returning from the Navy, in the early 1960s, he attended Los Angeles State College, but soon moved to Berkeley and became immersed in folk music and political activism. He founded an underground magazine, Rag Baby, for which “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die Rag” was written to help promote, and helped start such local groups as the Instant Action Jug Band and the Berkeley String Quartet.In 1965, he formed Country Joe and the Fish with fellow singer-guitarist Barry “The Fish” Melton, later adding Bruce Barthol on bass, organ player David Bennett Cohen and Gary “Chicken” Hirsh on drums. The name was suggested by magazine publisher Eugene “ED” Denson, who cited a quote from Mao Zedong that revolutionaries are “the fish who swim in the sea of the people.” McDonald was dubbed “Country Joe” because Denson had heard that Stalin was known as “Country Joe” during World War II.Like the Jefferson Airplane, the Byrds and other bands, the Fish evolved from folk to folk-rock to acid rock. “Electric Music for the Mind and Body,” their debut album, was released in May 1967 and featured a minor hit, “Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine,” along with numerous long jams. A month after the album came out, they appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival, the first major rock gathering and a highlight of the so-called Summer of Love.“I think the ‘Summer of Love’ thing was manufactured by the media or something, because I don’t remember us thinking, ‘Wow, this is the “Summer of Love,′ ” he told aquariandrunkard.com in 2018. “(But) I was just thrilled to be a part of this new counterculture and new tribe because I had never really felt comfortable in the other tribes that I was a part of growing up and in the Navy. My parents were actually Jewish Communists. I never felt a part of it, but I was really thrilled and happy to be a hippie.”</block>

Red Lion Hotel in Longview-Kelso heavily damaged in 2-alarm fire

A major two-alarm fire has destroyed a large part of the Red Lion Hotel in Kelso.The fire broke out Saturday afternoon, just after 1:30.Fire crews with Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue were the first to respond as flames ripped through the structure.The hotel is more than 50 years old and was built in 1970.When firefighters got to the scene, smoke was billowing from the front of the hotel, and fire commanders quickly upgraded the response to a two-alarm commercial fire.An aerial ladder truck pours wate

NTSB member says he was fired without explanation by the Trump administration

WASHINGTON (AP) — A National Transportation Safety Board member who was a public face of the investigation into last year’s deadly collision of an airliner and an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital said Sunday that he had been fired by the Trump administration without explanation.Todd Inman said in a statement that he received notice Friday from the White House personnel office that his position on the board was “terminated effective immediately.” He said he had not yet

Counterprotester threw improvised explosive at anti-Islam event in NYC, police say

In a social media post Sunday, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department’s bomb squad determined the object wasn’t a hoax device or smoke bomb, but an “improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death.”The device extinguished itself steps from police officers, Tisch noted. The same person who threw it then received a second device from another counterprotester, which was dropped and did not appear to ignite, the commissioner said. Charges against the two cou

Suspect arrested in early-morning arson in Tacoma

L St., about a block south of People’s Park.Authorities say someone had stacked a pile of garbage near the front door of an apartment and set it on fire.The flames spread to the outside of the building, then smoke filled the inside.Fire crews made their way to the interior of the unit and pulled one person out of the building.They treated the victim’s injuries at the scene.Investigators say evidence indicates the fire was deliberately set.Police officers arrived and arrested one pers

International Women’s Day is a celebration and a call to action. Here are things to know

In the United States, March is celebrated as Women’s History Month.As in other aspects of life, social media plays an important role during International Women’s Day, particularly by amplifying attention to demonstrations held in countries with repressive governments toward women and dissent in general.When did it start and why does it fall on March 8?While the idea behind a women’s day originated in the U.S. with the American Socialist Party in 1909, it was a German feminist who pushed for a gl

Photos show women marking International Women’s Day

<block>Women around the globe on Sunday marked International Women’s Day taking part in marches and demonstrations that underscored efforts to combat discrimination and accelerate the drive for gender parity.This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.</block>

3 Palestinians killed in West Bank clash, bringing toll from week of violence to 6

<block>ABU FALAH, West Bank (AP) — Three Palestinians were killed in a violent clash with settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday, bringing the number of Palestinians killed in recent days to six. The surge in violence comes as much of Israel and the world’s attention is focused on the regional war with Iran.The Israeli military said it responded to reports of Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians near Khirbet Abu Falah, east of Ramallah. Two Palestinians were killed by gunfire and a third died from suffocation, likely due to tear gas, the military said.Two of the victims, Fare’ Hamayel and Thaer Hamayel, were cousins. The third man killed was Mohammad Murra. All three were buried in a joint funeral.Amin Shouman, a resident of Abu Falah who witnessed the attack, told The Associated Press that dozens of Israeli settlers approached the village from the north and opened fire when they were confronted by a community guard committee along the border of the village. In 2025, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported 240 Palestinians were killed in the territory, with the vast majority by Israel’s military and nine attributed to Israeli settlers. Thus far this year, a far larger share of fatalities has been directly attributed to armed settlers.Sunday’s fatalities followed several deadly incidents last week. One Palestinian was killed in the South Hebron Hills on Saturday by an Israeli reservist, and settlers shot and killed two Palestinian brothers in the northern West Bank on Monday.In a rare rebuke, the Israeli military strongly condemned the settler violence and said it opened a criminal investigation against the settlers involved.“This is an unacceptable incident. There will be zero tolerance for civilians who take the law into their own hands,” said Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, the commander of the military’s Central Command that includes the West Bank. “Especially at a time when the IDF is striking our bitter enemies, Iran and Hezbollah, with a firm hand — we cannot allow reckless internal violence to undermine the rule of law and the security of the region.”Palestinians and rights groups say Israeli routinely fails to hold settlers accountable for violence.The Palestinian Authority’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday accused Israel of “exploiting the atmosphere of war” and the lack of international attention to issues in the West Bank to intensify intimidation, violence and forced displacement.Yesh Din, an Israeli rights group, tracked more than 50 incidents of settler violence against Palestinians in the first four days of the war with Iran, which started on Feb. 28.The Palestinian Red Crescent said checkpoint and gate closures imposed as a result of the war are creating mounting obstacles for first responders in the West Bank, including in incidents involving settler violence.While there is no full lockdown, as there was following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and last year’s war with Iran, Israel has erected hundreds of new gates across the territory, tightening movement between Palestinian towns and making emergency response significantly more difficult. There are now around 1,100, the Red Crescent said, compared with roughly 800 at the time of last year’s war.Doctors and emergency workers say movement restrictions hamper their ability to respond quickly, especially following violent attacks by Israeli settlers. Many of the communities most vulnerable to such violence are in parts of the West Bank under full Israeli military and civil control, far from city-center hospitals and dependent on roads that can be sealed without notice.___Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel.</block>

‘They don’t have a plan B’: Intentionalist survey shows Seattle’s small businesses struggling more than during COVID

A recent survey from the Intentionalist gauged how small businesses in Seattle and the surrounding area are doing financially. The survey of 136 small businesses found that many are under more financial stress than they were during the COVID-19 pandemic.The Intentionalist founder, Laura Clise, joined <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/gee-and-ursula" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Gee and Ursula Show”</a> on KIRO Newsradio to provide more insight into the findings that the survey uncovered, and what surprised her the most.“Honestly, the fact that only two out of three businesses felt like things are worse, from a financial pressure perspective, than during the pandemic. I expected it to be worse,” Clise said. “I think that what’s important for us to remember is that small businesses don’t have a plan B. These are families and neighbors. The rest of us have kind of gone back to normal since the disruption of the pandemic. The reality is that the vast majority of the small businesses that we love never recovered.”Clise explained that of the many businesses represented in the survey, a vast majority are small, family-run operations with limited resources.“For the Intentionalist survey, 80% of the respondents are at small businesses with gross revenue less than $1 million. We’re not talking about profits. [They have] fewer than 10 employees, including the business owner,” Clise said. We’re really talking about the mom and pop restaurants, cafes, and salons that are in our communities. We’re talking about the places where we all eat, drink, and shop.“I think it’s important as we dive into the numbers and the data and the analysis to remember who, not just what we’re talking about,” Clise continued. “We believe that small businesses are essential community infrastructure. These are the places and spaces where community happens, and so for them to be in a state of invisible crisis is something that should alarm all of us.”Watch the full discussion in the video above.Listen to Gee and Ursula on <a href="https://mynorthwest.com/gee-and-ursula" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Gee and Ursula Show”</a> weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.

National rent study reveals most and least expensive WA cities

cities, noting that crossing a municipal boundary — sometimes just 20 to 40 miles — can mean saving or paying tens of thousands of dollars per year.Washington’s cheapest city for average rent, Moses Lake, clocked in as the eighth-most expensive “cheapest” city in the country. Only Delaware ($2,000), Nevada ($2,000), Massachusetts ($2,472), Arkansas ($2,500), Connecticut ($2,500), Rhode Island ($2,550), and Maine ($3,200) had more expensive “cheapest” cities. Oregon&

Seattle’s $30M CHOP verdict: Breaking down how wrongful death damages are calculated

So both sides are trying to predict what a jury might do in the case, and that’s where you start as far as valuing the claim at hand,” Chris Davis, founder of Davis Law Group, answered.According to Davis, several components contribute to the overall damages: Economic damages, which typically refer to the medical bills, past and future, and wage losses, and non-economic damages, which are commonly referred to as pain and suffering, including humiliation, mental anguish, emotional dist

Democrat Roy Cooper needs to defy North Carolina history to keep winning streak alive in Senate race

Rather, Cooper criticizes administration policies that he says hurt the state, especially working-class and middle-class voters, and then hammers Whatley for supporting that agenda.Democrats see that as a way to capitalize on Trump’s declining public support overall without Cooper risking alienating right-leaning voters he might be able to attract.For Whatley, there is no option to continue embracing Trump while trying to maximize Republican voters, McCrory said.“I don’t think he has any choice

Trump’s ‘roaring’ economy meets a rough start to 2026: What the latest numbers show

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump promised that 2026 would be a bumper year for economic growth, but instead it has kicked off with job losses, rising gasoline prices and more uncertainty about America’s future.In his State of the Union address less than two weeks ago, the Republican president confidently told the country: “The roaring economy is roaring like never before.” The latest batch of data on jobs, pump prices and the stock market suggests that Trump’s roar has starte