When I was a kid in the ’70s and early ’80s, Halloween costumes were … simpler. By “simpler,” I mean problematic.

We didn’t buy them at Target or Spirit Halloween. We raided Dad’s closet, stole Mom’s eyeliner, and hoped for the best.

One year, I went as a “hobo.” Twice, actually. I didn’t even know what that word meant. I just knew it involved rumpled old dirty clothes, charcoal smudged on my cheeks, and a stick with a red handkerchief on the end.

That was just what kids did back then. You dressed as a train-hopping drifter and went door-to-door asking for candy.

Another year, I went as a ghost. White sheet. Two holes for eyes.

Today? Yeah, that’s a hard no.

More than a few kids had paper feather headbands and plastic tomahawks. Bows and arrows. Can you imagine that today?

And every year, someone’s dad showed up in a giant sombrero and a fake mustache with a plastic six-shooter on their hip. Back then, it got laughs. Today, it would get a meeting with HR.

It was a different time.

For us kids, we didn’t think in terms of “problematic.” We thought in terms of “cheap.”

What are the costumes today that, 40 years from now, will make people cringe?

Maybe the kid dressed as a “social media influencer” who carries a selfie ring light and a fake sponsorship deal.

Or the “AI robot” costume, which will seem really offensive once the machines are running the planet.

Or the “tech billionaire” outfit: hoodie, sneakers, emotional detachment. An easy costume now, a scandal later.

Still, I love Halloween. I love that for one night, everyone steps outside themselves. Just some more literally than others.

And I especially love seeing the kids who come to our door.

We didn’t have a lot of money growing up, but I made myself a promise back then: When it was my turn to hand out candy, I’d do it right. No fun-size nonsense. Full-size bars.

And tonight, I’m keeping that promise. We’ve got the big Snickers. The big M&M’s. The full-size 100 Grand bars.

So have fun tonight, get a designated driver, and may your costume, whatever it is, still be socially acceptable in 40 years.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 31. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

Five trillion. That’s more than the GDP of Japan. More than the entire economy of the United Kingdom. One company, making computer chips that power artificial intelligence, is now worth more than nations that have existed for centuries.

Let’s give credit where it’s due. Nvidia didn’t stumble into this. They saw the AI revolution coming and built the shovels for the gold rush. Every ChatGPT query, every AI image generator, every machine learning model runs on their hardware. They bet everything on a future where computers would need to think, and they were right.

Wall Street is throwing a party. The stock split. The records broken. The analysts are upgrading their price targets. Five trillion dollars! American innovation at its finest.

Meanwhile, Amazon announced 14,000 job cuts this week. Many right here in our backyard. Fourteen thousand people are wondering if their jobs are gone. And those are just the ones we know about. More cuts are coming.

You see the disconnect? We’re celebrating the company that builds the AI hardware while the people whose jobs AI will replace are updating their resumes. We built the machines that think, and we’re cheering the stock price while they learn to do our jobs.

We used to think automation would take factory jobs and leave the office workers alone. Wrong. AI is coming for the spreadsheet jockeys, the middle managers, the analysts, the writers. If your job involves sitting at a computer and thinking, well, computers can think now. And they don’t need health insurance.

I’m not anti-profit. I’m not even anti-Nvidia. They took risks, they innovated, and they deserve rewards. But when one company controls all the computer chips that make AI work, we should probably pay attention. This is like if one company owned all the railroads during the Industrial Revolution. Or all the oil wells. Or all the phone lines. Oh, wait.

Actually, we’ve been here before

Remember when Boeing was Seattle’s crown jewel? When Microsoft could do no wrong? The concentration of power feels great when the stock is rising. It feels different when that single point of failure actually fails.

We keep hearing AI will make life easier, more productive, more efficient. So far, it’s mostly made a handful of people beyond wealthy, while everyone else worries about their mortgage. Nvidia’s CEO is worth over $100 billion. The software engineer in Redmond is wondering if AI can code better than she can. The customer service rep in Bellevue knows AI can already do his job.

I’ve been a tech worker. Many of my friends are in the industry. Tech workers with families, mortgages, and kids in school. They’re watching Nvidia’s valuation climb and their own job security crumble. They’re not celebrating the five trillion. They’re wondering what happens when the AI they helped build no longer needs them.

The irony is perfect. We created machines that can think, so we wouldn’t have to work as hard. Now those machines are making a handful of people unimaginably rich while the rest of us work harder just to stay relevant.

We built thinking machines to solve our problems. Instead, they’re solving us right out of our jobs.

Five trillion dollars says this is just the beginning, 14,000 pink slips agree.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

This time, it was westbound I-90 near Cle Elum. An oversized load slammed into the bridge, shut down the highway for hours, and forced backups through the mountains for days. It was the third bridge strike in recent months. State Route 167. Highway 410. At this point, you wonder if our bridges are shrinking or if truck drivers just stopped looking up.

King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn has had enough. He’s proposing what he calls the Stupid Motorist Law. Over-height drivers would face bigger fines and pay for the damage they cause, plus the economic ripple effects. We’re talking millions in repairs annually, not to mention the thousands of people stuck in traffic, wondering why they’re not moving.

Hard to argue with the logic. If your truck won’t fit under a bridge, maybe check before you leave. Revolutionary concept, I know. But it got me thinking: If we’re going to legislate stupidity on the roads, why stop at trucks?

How about the Stupid Merging Law? For the driver who speeds up to block someone from merging, then slams the brakes 10 seconds later. Or the person who merges onto I-5 doing 40 mph like they’re joining a funeral procession.

The Stupid Rain Law

Every October, the first drizzle hits and half of Seattle drives like water is a new invention. “Rain? Seattle? I’ve never seen such a thing. Better speed up and follow the car in front of me closely.”

The Stupid Roundabout Law

Apparently, we still need this one. You yield BEFORE entering, not after. And if you stop in the middle to think about it, you’ve already failed.

The Stupid Pedestrian Law

Let’s go multimodal. The Stupid Pedestrian Law covers anyone crossing mid-block at night, wearing all black, staring at their phone like cars don’t exist if you don’t look at them.

The Stupid Cyclist Law

The Stupid Cyclist Law is for riders who treat red lights as suggestions and bike lanes as optional. Nothing says “share the road” like ignoring every rule that makes sharing possible.

The truth is, we would all qualify for at least one of these. Everyone has done something careless, impatient, or just plain dumb that made someone else’s drive or ride worse. The difference is that when you do it behind the wheel of a truck taller than a bridge, it costs real money and sometimes real safety.

And maybe that’s the real point here. Not punishment, but a reminder that our decisions behind the wheel have consequences. Your impatience becomes someone’s three-hour delay. Your inattention becomes damaged roadways. Your “I thought it would fit” becomes another I-90 closure.

Reagan Dunn’s proposal makes sense because some mistakes are too expensive to keep making. But honestly? If we all just paid a little more attention and were a little less stupid about how we get around, we wouldn’t need a law at all.

Until then, maybe check if your truck fits under the bridge. Just a thought.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

We’ve had Katie on the show. She’s thoughtful, and she genuinely cares about people getting priced out of Seattle. I get the appeal. The housing math in this city is brutal: the median home price is $885,000, you need a down payment of $175,000, about $5,000 a month, and an income of around $200,000 to qualify.

How many young couples have that? Right. So when Wilson says there’s another way, people listen.

Katie Wilson’s proposed solutions to Seattle’s problems

Her answer? Social housing, rent control, using public land for affordable development, redirecting money toward getting people housed now instead of waiting years for new construction.

Young voters heard someone who gets their urgency. Older voters heard ideas that haven’t worked before and worry about what comes next.

Let’s talk experience. Wilson runs the Transit Riders Union. No paid employees, an approximate $200,000 budget, and they’ve lost money three years running. She doesn’t draw a salary.

When I see Wilson running for mayor, I think of Loren Culp running for governor. Remember him? A conservative small-town police chief, managed one officer, cared about his community. But we knew the jump to running a state government was too big. Now progressives are making a similar leap with Wilson.

She’s equally passionate, but a job managing a staff of volunteers isn’t preparation for running Seattle either. Different sides of the political spectrum, same question about readiness. Just because you agree with someone’s political leanings doesn’t mean they’re qualified to do the job. Experience matters, even when the person shares your values.

Wilson is 43 years old and has never held a steady-paying job for more than a couple of years. Most people her age have decades of work history, meeting deadlines, and dealing with difficult bosses. That experience matters when you’re asking to be everyone else’s boss.

Her husband doesn’t have a job. Her parents are helping pay for daycare while Wilson campaigns for mayor. Look, that’s real life for a lot of people, and it explains why she connects with struggling voters. But running a major American city with a $9 billion budget and 41 departments?  The skill gap here is enormous. We’re talking about two completely different worlds.

Here’s the thing about being mayor: it’s not just about identifying problems. It’s about fixing them. Every day. Police, fire, utilities, transportation, housing, and human services. Union contracts. Federal requirements. Dozens of decisions that affect real people in real time. It’s a lot, and it could be overwhelming for someone with such little experience. Good intentions don’t balance budgets or keep streets safe.

If she wins, I hope her first call is to someone who knows how to balance a budget. Her second call should be to someone who’s managed a large group of paid employees. Her third should probably be to someone who’s actually worked in government.

Because it looks increasingly likely Seattle’s about to elect someone whose management experience is with a staff of volunteers and a budget smaller than what the city spends on coffee.

That’s the commentary for October 28, 2025. Text us at 888-973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.com.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

As I’ve mentioned, I don’t do endorsements. Even if I did, I don’t live in Seattle, so I don’t get a vote. But I work here, and like hundreds of thousands of others who commute into this city every day, I have to deal with the consequences of its leadership.

Bruce Harrell ran as the moderate choice. The pragmatist who would restore some common sense after years of battles at City Hall. Nearly four years in, let’s look at what he’s actually delivered.

Seattle’s crime improvements fall short of expectations

Crime is down. That’s real. Homicides fell 41%. Shootings dropped 29%. The city finally hired more than a hundred officers after years of hemorrhaging police.

But context matters too. Crime fell from crisis levels. It’s better, but “better than terrible” isn’t exactly a campaign slogan. Property crime is still near record highs. Businesses are still dealing with break-ins. Progress? Yes. Problem solved? Not even close.

Harrell championed a billion dollars for affordable housing. Sounds impressive until you realize Seattle’s been throwing money at housing for decades. What’s different now? The median home price is $885,000. Rents that were supposed to stabilize are climbing again. A billion dollars bought us… more of the same.

The homelessness response has been particularly frustrating. The city conducted hundreds of encampment sweeps. The camps come back within weeks. It feels as though we’re not solving homelessness; we’re just moving it around, and spending $125 million a year to do it.

The political numbers tell their own story. Harrell’s approval ratings are underwater. His primary showing was weak for an incumbent. Seattle hasn’t reelected a mayor in twenty years. The iPhone didn’t even exist yet. This is a city that keeps hoping the next mayor will finally fix things, then realizes they can’t or won’t.

Keep in mind, Harrell has enjoyed advantages that previous mayors didn’t. The economy recovered. Federal money poured in. The most extreme voices on the council lost their seats. If there was ever a moment for a moderate mayor to show that pragmatic governance works, this was it.

Instead, we got incremental improvements that don’t match the scale of the problems. Yes, crime is down from pandemic peaks. Yes, some housing is being built. Yes, the city is functioning. But “functioning” isn’t enough when people are looking for tangible change.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at Katie Wilson and her very different vision for Seattle. To be clear, different doesn’t mean better. But when the current approach isn’t connecting, voters often decide that different is worth the risk. And that’s Harrell’s real problem.

Seattle hasn’t reelected a mayor in twenty years. At some point, you have to wonder if the problem isn’t the mayors. It’s that voters keep asking for miracles from mortals. I wonder if Bruce Harrell will be the latest to learn that lesson.

That’s the commentary for October 27, 2025. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

Legendary Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs recapped how proud he is of the team, his favorite moment throughout the season, and what’s on deck for next year on “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio.

“Oh, what a year. It was the best year on the field in the history of the franchise. But it came to a disappointing end a few nights ago in Toronto,” Rizzs said. “They were just so close they could touch it, and that’s the hard part to deal with. They were just one win away from playing in the World Series.”

Mariners finish among the top teams in the league

As Rizzs looked back on the Mariners’ journey towards the postseason and deep, hard-fought battle through it, he couldn’t help but take a moment to recognize the Mariners as one of the premier teams in baseball.

“At the very end of the year, the last few days of the season, there are only three teams left standing. The Mariners were one of those three teams, and I think we have to take a lot of pride in that,” Rizzs said. “It was a remarkable season by this baseball team, and one that I’ll never forget. A tremendous year by this baseball team.”

The Mariners’ 2025 season was filled with favorable moments, including Catcher Cal Raleigh’s record-breaking home run totals and Home Run Derby crown, and Gold Glove nominee Julio Rodriguez’s fourth straight 20 home run, 20 stolen base season, but one shining moment stood alone for Rizzs.

“Jorge Polanco’s base hit in the bottom of the 15th inning to win the Division Series and send the Mariners to the American League Championship was, in my mind, the biggest moment. It kept the season alive, you know?” Rizzs said. “47,000 fans going crazy in T-Mobile Park was so much fun. There were so many great moments this year, but that stands out.”

While the team heads toward a brief off-season and prepares to report for Spring Training in February, co-host Charlie Harger asked Rizzs if we will hear him back in the broadcast booth for the Mariners’ highly anticipated 2026 campaign.

“Oh yeah, oh yeah, I’m coming back. It’s been a great run, and the best thing that has ever happened to me was Dave Niehaus,” Rizzs said. “I got here in 1983 as a young broadcaster. David liked my tape, and it was the greatest thing in the world that happened to me. I got a chance to raise my family and grandkids here because of David,

“I’ve had an incredible run. I love this organization and the fans. The fans have been so great to meet,” Rizzs continued. “You’re talking to a 71-year-old guy who’s living his dream, and I hope everybody has a chance to say that someday about what they do for a living. I love this game, and yeah, I’ll be back.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

The answer, we discovered, was yes. Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus had indeed supported Joshua Obadiah Headley.

Nancy Backus’ email to defense attorney.

But what we uncovered was a story far more complex than a single letter. It is a story of questionable judgment, apparently coordinated narratives, and a network of civic leaders who appeared to look the other way, allowing Headley to be celebrated by organizations like the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce before he went to prison, and then again almost immediately after his release as he operated under a new identity.

The investigation itself raised troubling questions about potential coordination. At 4 p.m. on Friday, October 3, KIRO Newsradio sent a confidential list of questions to Backus, and only Backus. The same day, a public records request was filed with the city. Just 29 hours later, at 9:53 p.m. on Saturday, Joshua Headley sent an unsolicited email to this reporter, writing, “I understand there may be a news story coming out.”

When asked to explain this timeline, Backus adamantly denied any contact. “I did not contact Mr. Headley – I do not have his contact information, nor did I ask anyone else to contact him in either my personal or official capacity,” she stated, adding that “Neither the City nor I have had official contact with him since his release.” She said she only spoke with the City Attorney and Communications Manager.

The mayor offered no alternative explanation for the timeline or who could have notified Headley about the confidential media inquiry that was sent to the mayor alone.

Two Auburn pastors who have been tracking this case for years spoke to KIRO Newsradio about their growing alarm at how their community’s leadership handled Headley.

“I have a lot of friends, but no rapist friends,” Pastor LaShund Lambert of Resurrection Church said. “I was blown away that they felt there was so little accountability that they could go on as if it never happened.”

The crime and the community response

To understand the weight of the mayor’s intervention, one must understand the crime. According to the probable cause statement filed by prosecutors, Joshua Headley, then a 27-year-old pastor at Auburn’s Northwest Family Church, groomed and sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl he was mentoring. Soon after the crime took place, Headley left Northwest Family Church.

The rape was reported to the Auburn Police Department in 2018. But Headley did not lie low. While under active investigation, his audacity peaked: he applied to be a chaplain for the very same police department investigating him. In January 2020, he was formally charged with Rape of a Child in the Third Degree.

Yet even after being charged, his public ascent continued. That same month, January 2020, he filmed the Miss Auburn and Miss Auburn Teen pageants for the Auburn Examiner.

In November 2020, while awaiting trial, the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce presented his organization, REVIVE Church, with its “Nonprofit of the Year” award.

Auburn Area Connect Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook post.

By May 2022, with Headley’s guilty plea just weeks away, Pastor Lambert called Backus directly with an explicit warning.

“I told her, ‘I’ve read the police report. It is horrible. It is sickening,'” Lambert recalled.

He explained to the mayor that this was why other ministers refused to participate in city events alongside Headley.

“She assured me that was not her. She had no knowledge of it… Like, full stop, ‘We’re going to make sure that we’re not affiliated.’ And later on, we find out that’s not the case,” Lambert said.

Just one month later, that assurance would prove hollow.

A plea for leniency, a plea for justice

On June 22, 2022, the same day he admitted his guilt, Joshua Headley emailed Backus asking for her personal email for a “more personal” matter. The mayor quickly provided her personal email address.

Josh Headley before sentencing.

Pastor Cheryl Olson of Crossway Church, who obtained the email through a public records request, immediately recognized the calculation behind it.

“When I first read the email … ‘Hey, can we talk about something personal? Can I have your private email?’ And I thought, man, you understand how to play the game. There’s some level of calculation there,” Olson said.

Four months later, Backus sent a declaration to Headley’s attorney. When asked about this, the mayor explained that the draft email KIRO Newsradio obtained “does not appear to have been sent to the court directly,” but rather a “declaration that I completed on my individual behalf that was sent to Mr. Headley’s attorney.”

She stated the declaration was “similar to the letter, but not identical.”

However, the draft email represents the mayor’s initial thinking and her own words at the time. In it, she praised his community work extensively:

“I have known Joshua Headley for the past six plus years in his role as a pastor and community partner. Josh has always enthusiastically looked for ways to help his community and make it a better place … During COVID, Josh and REVIVE worked tirelessly to ensure that healthy food was available for residents that were struggling to make ends meet,” Backus said.

The mayor then made her plea: “While I realize that Josh has pled guilty to the charges that were filed against him, I am asking the court for treatment for Josh vs. jail/prison time. I truly believe that our community would be best served by the treatment option. I do not take my comments and request lightly, as I am responsible for the safety of our City.”

The court heard a starkly different perspective. In her victim impact statement, the young woman wrote, “This case has impacted me by showing me that abusers have more rights than the victims … I hope Joshua Headley understands the damage he has caused me and my loved ones for life.”

“I was unsurprised that she (the mayor) would write a letter,” Olson said. “But to ask for no jail time, that really shocked me. That part was shocking.”

The judge sentenced Headley to 13 months.

A new name, a familiar network

Headley served only six months. His return to public life was immediate and apparently with open arms from the chamber and the political community. Just two months after his May 2023 release, a new business, Seeley Media, was formed. His name appears nowhere on the state license.

The Seeley Media post, which is now deleted.

He rebranded himself professionally as “J. Seeley.”

Under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 9A.44.130), registered sex offenders are legally required to report any aliases to law enforcement within three business days of use. Failure to comply is a felony.

It appears there were nearly two years between when Headley began using the “Seeley” alias and when it was added to the registry. According to an email from Brandyn Hull with the King County Sheriff’s Office, the “Seeley” and “J. Seeley” aliases were not added to the sex offender registry until March 17, 2025, after a tip was received.

“They were no longer going by their name that was on the registered sex offender registry,” Olson observed. “And so that part for me was just like, how does no one have a problem with this?”

Under this new identity, he immediately began monetizing his old connections. Public Disclosure Commission filings confirm Seeley Media received payments from more than a dozen political campaigns and committees.

The Seeley Media client list from seeleymedia.com, which is now deleted.

Perhaps most concerning, his work brought him back into proximity with children. Seeley Media was hired to record videos and handle social media for the “Yes 4 Yelm Schools” levy campaign, which included producing videos with teenage students. In social media posts, he appeared on school grounds near school buses, despite his sentence explicitly barring him from unsupervised contact with minors.

Seeley Media’s Instagram post.

By May 2024, Seeley Media was a celebrated nominee and sponsor at the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce’s Spotlight Awards. This decision was made while it appears his wife was serving as a member of the Chamber’s board of directors.

Information for the Auburn Area Connect Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Awards.

The idea that the Chamber’s leadership was unaware that “J. Seeley” was actually Joshua Headley strains credibility. This was the same organization that had awarded him “Nonprofit of the Year” while he awaited trial. The same civic network. The same small city. Did the Chamber know that this media company, run by a familiar face just back from prison, was their former award recipient operating under a different name? If they knew, why did they platform him again? If they didn’t know, what does that say about their vetting process? For the political clients who may not have known his true identity, the Chamber’s endorsement provided a veneer of legitimacy.

KIRO Newsradio reached out to Chamber CEO Kacie Bray via email, asking whether the Chamber knew “J. Seeley” was Joshua Headley when nominating Seeley Media for the 2024 award, what vetting process exists for sponsors and nominees, and whether members were ever informed of his identity and criminal history. Bray did not respond by our publication deadline. She did reach out with a limited response, which is noted at the end of this story.

“One of the things about platforms, right, is that they legitimize somebody,” Olson explained, referring to how organizations like the Chamber elevate people. “If I have somebody come and speak at my church, for instance, I am saying, I support this person enough to give them a platform.”

Lambert was more direct in his assessment of the city leaders, politicians, and Chamber: “We’re not dealing with someone that cusses every now and then. We’re dealing with a child rapist. For our city not to say ‘absolutely not, this will not be tolerated here’… Apparently it’s inclusive if you are productive in a way that I want.”

The restorative justice question

When asked by KIRO Newsradio to explain her intervention on behalf of a man who had pleaded guilty to raping a child, Backus repeatedly cited her belief in “restorative justice.”

At a June 4, 2025, meeting of the 30th District Democrats, audio obtained by KIRO Newsradio captured her defending her actions, saying she was “a firm believer in restorative justice.” She repeated this claim in her initial written statement to KIRO Newsradio.

Notably, Headley himself used the same terminology when he reached out to this reporter, mentioning his “journey in restorative justice.”

But “restorative justice” has a specific meaning in Washington’s legal system, referring to formal programs that facilitate victim-centered healing and accountability. KIRO Newsradio asked the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office whether any such process was used in Headley’s case.

The answer was unequivocal. “No restorative justice on this one — that doesn’t typically happen on sex assault cases,” Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, said. “This was a traditional prosecution.”

When pressed on this, Backus clarified her meaning.

“I’m familiar with the KC Restorative Community Pathways program, so I would have called it out specifically if I was referring to it,” the mayor wrote. “I’m using restorative justice as a general term.”

This clarification revealed that the mayor was using the term in a personal, philosophical sense rather than referring to any formal restorative justice process. The use of this specific legal terminology, when no such process existed, may have created confusion about what actually occurred in this case.

Lambert, who has spent 29 years in ministry working with survivors of sexual assault, offered his perspective.

“A restoration requires restitution. You have to make it right … We can’t just restore the perpetrators. We must restore the community and the individuals,” he said.

A mayor’s regret, a community’s reckoning

When asked about this timeline, Backus expressed regret.

“I would not write the letter today, if asked, because of my present awareness of the facts of the case,” she stated, admitting she was unaware he would have to register as a sex offender.

The mayor remains adamant she has not spoken to Headley in years, stating “Neither the City nor I have had official contact with him since his release.”

In her response to KIRO Newsradio, the mayor finally acknowledged someone her 2022 letter never mentioned: the victim. “My heart goes out to the survivor and to everyone impacted by this case,” she wrote.

Headley, for his part, initially reached out to KIRO Newsradio, offering to “share information about my journey in restorative justice, treatment completion, and work in DOC.” But when asked for specifics about his restorative justice process and DOC work, along with a request for a brief recorded interview, Headley promised to send additional information “this evening.”

He never followed through. Despite providing contact information for his DOC officer and treatment provider, Headley himself went silent when pressed for details about his claims.

Lambert, who had warned the mayor about Headley in May 2022, was direct in his assessment:

“I was blown away that they felt there was so little accountability that they could go on as if it never happened,” Lambert said, his frustration evident. “That this young lady’s pain had just been dismissed because it was more convenient than saying ‘I was a bad judge of character, and I’m walking away and I will not help this person be in a place to do it again.'”

Olson offered a path forward for the mayor.

“Acknowledging that you made a mistake is a really powerful tool for healing in the community,” she said. “Being willing to own a mistake, call it a mistake, and offer an apology to people who are hurting, I mean, really hurting and wounded in our community.”

For the victim, now in her mid-twenties, both pastors offered words of support.

“There are people that will stand up and make sure that what was done to her is not considered to be a small or an insignificant thing,” Lambert said. “I would want her to know that there are people that are pursuing righteousness in our community and that we will defend her right to be safe.”

Olson added, “That she matters, that her life matters … There’s a lot of people that care about her and hate that this happened to her.”

Website taken down

Within the past 45 days, Joshua Headley’s public business, Seeley Media, has been scrubbed from the internet, but public records show political campaigns are still paying him.

The Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce has not responded to questions about its vetting process or whether it informed members about his identity and criminal history.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Kacie Bray responded at 5:59 PM on October 22, 2025, after KIRO promoted on-air and online that this story would run the morning of October 23rd , citing recent PTO and illness with MRSA for the delay in responding to our October 7, 2025 inquiry.

Bray states the Chamber was not aware of Headley’s criminal investigation when they awarded his organization “Nonprofit of the Year” in November 2020. Headley had been charged with Rape of a Child in January 2020, according to public court records.

When discussing Seeley Media, Bray identifies Marissa Flannery as the Chamber’s primary contact, describing her only as “a longtime community member who has and continues to give back to businesses and community members.” Bray’s response fails to acknowledge that Marissa (Mars) Flannery is Joshua Headley’s wife and that she serves on the Chamber’s Board of Directors, as confirmed on the Chamber’s own website. While Bray discusses not knowing about Headley’s criminal investigation, she has not directly answered whether the Chamber knew that J. Seeley was an alias of Joshua Headley.

The Chamber states they “believe in restorative justice” and that they expect members who hire convicted felons to “follow the law provided by the WA State criminal justice system and DOC.”

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

The Republican position? “We’ve passed a clean funding bill 11 times. Democrats keep blocking it because they want healthcare subsidies extended. This is extortion. Open the government first, then we’ll talk healthcare.”

The Democratic position? “Those Affordable Care Act subsidies expire Nov. 1. Twenty-four million people are about to see their premiums double. Also, you cut Medicaid in July. Fix it now, or we don’t budge.”

Both sides are right, both sides are wrong

You know what? They’re both right. And they’re both being ridiculous.

Keep in mind, recent polling shows 77% of all Americans, including 56% of Trump supporters, want these subsidies extended.

Republicans, you control everything. You could include the healthcare stuff and pass it tomorrow. Yes, it would feel like giving in to Democratic demands, but you’re the majority. How about you rename a few provisions, add a requirement to audit the system to find inefficiencies, approve it, and say, “We fixed the Democrats’ mess.” Your base will eat it up.

Democrats, you’re blocking paychecks for 1.4 million workers to protect healthcare subsidies. Yes, healthcare is important. Yes, those premium hikes would hurt people. But you’re literally stopping paychecks today to prevent premium increases next month. How about letting the paychecks flow and making this a campaign issue? “Republicans doubled your premiums” writes itself.

And let’s be real: Both parties are reading from the other side’s old playbook. In the 2018 shutdown, Democrats begged Republicans to think about federal workers. Now Republicans are begging Democrats to think about federal workers. Back then, Republicans said the wall was worth the fight. Now Democrats say healthcare is worth the fight. You’ve all swapped jerseys and pretend we don’t notice.

While Congress debates, workers decide which bill to skip

Healthcare IS important. Keeping the government open IS important. But while you’re having this philosophical debate, 80,000 federal employees in Washington state alone are having a different debate: which bill to skip this month.

And remember, furloughed federal workers will eventually get their back pay. It’s the law. But the contractors, the people who clean the offices, run the cafeterias, and provide security? They’re just out of luck. Those paychecks are gone forever.

To any functional adult remaining in Congress: Turn off the cable news. Meet face to face. Skip the press conference. Do the math. Then keep the government open.

Day 22 and counting.

Fun fact: Members of Congress never miss a paycheck during shutdowns.

Sure makes it easier to take principled stands when the principle doesn’t cost you anything.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 22. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

If you don’t like sports, stick with me, because this is actually a story about what happens when the boss finally invests in the team and you get this close to the promised land.

Sometimes that’s how progress works. It just happens to involve grown men throwing a ball really hard, and one devastating loss last night.

Seattle has never been to a World Series, ever. We’re talking 48 years of “maybe next year.” But last night? Last night we were right there. Game 7 of the ALCS, nine innings away. That’s closer than we’ve ever been.

We’ve been reminded of futility since Griffey left, since A-Rod left, since Randy left, since Felix never got a ring. We’re basically the corporate department that keeps losing its best people to Google because management wouldn’t spring for standing desks and decent coffee.

Except this year, they finally bought the standing desks.

The budget meeting that actually worked

John Stanton is our team owner. Nice guy, local, made his money in wireless communications, genuinely seems to care. For years, he has run the Mariners with a close eye on the bank account.

Jerry Dipoto, our general manager since 2015, is like that middle manager who’s brilliant at making Excel work miracles but keeps getting told there’s no budget for the good printer paper, until this year.

Our catcher, Cal Raleigh, walked into contract negotiations last March and basically said what we’ve all wanted to say. Paraphrasing here: “I’ll stay, but only if you actually invest in making the team, you know, actually competitive.”

Picture the one employee who actually knows how everything works, finally speaking up.

The message was clear: Stop being cheap, stop pretending we’re competing when we’re not. Actually try.

And here’s the beautiful part: They did.

From store-brand to name-brand baseball

Stanton opened the checkbook. It wasn’t Dodgers money, but more like finally upgrading from store-brand to name-brand cereal money, but for Seattle, this was revolutionary.

Dipoto got to shop in the actual store instead of the clearance rack at the Outlet Collection. They brought in Josh Naylor, brought back Eugenio Suárez, and pushed payroll up to $160 million.

It’s like your boss finally gave you that $10 million budget increase you asked for. Your PowerPoints have animations now, and your spreadsheets don’t crash. The TPS reports are printed on actual paper instead of recycled napkins. You didn’t win the contract this quarter, but for the first time, you were actually in the room when they made the decision. That’s progress.

Most of us are told to “be creative with resources,” which is corporate for “figure it out.” But this year, Cal Raleigh asked for actual rocket parts and got them. The rocket flew higher than it ever has. It just didn’t quite reach orbit. Yet.

John and Jerry, this is working. You got us to Game 7 of the ALCS, one game from the World Series. That’s not failure; that’s foundation. Keep listening and investing. Cal was right, we were right, and you were right to trust us.

The Seattle Mariners are going to the World Series. Maybe not this year. But if you keep this up? Soon.

Time to rub a little dirt into the wound us fans got last night. We have more baseball to play.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 21. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

If the team wins, it erases the distinction of being the “only MLB franchise to never reach the World Series.” If the M’s lose, it’ll be among the most disappointing results to a season in the city’s history.

As Game 7 approaches, “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio fielded texts from listeners detailing their journey as fans of this franchise, and how essential a victory Monday night would be.

“Would we even be Seattle if it didn’t come down to game 7?” one listener wrote in.

“I’ve been an Ms fan since the beginning. My dad took me to games at the Kingdom and I got to meet Spike Owen,” another listener texted in Monday morning. “I then got to take my dad to a game at (then Safeco) he’s been gone 20 years, I want to go to the WS for him. You guys got me crying now.”

“Lost my dad this May. He was a Lefebvre believer and season ticket holder at the Kingdome,” another listener texted. “He was so stoked about this team and had high hopes for this season. He was right. Refuse to lose! LFG!”

After outlasting the Detroit Tigers in an epic, 15-inning Game 5 of the ALDS, the Mariners had a commanding 2-0 lead in the ALCS against the Blue Jays after stealing a pair of wins at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays won three of the four next games, including two at T-Mobile Park, to even the series.

“In ’95, I was in the Kingdome watching Edgar make Mariners & Seattlites dreams come true!!!” a KIRO listener texted. “It was so amazing it blew our minds and is indelible, forever etched in our minds.”

The Seattle Mariners are 6-0 when they play on the same day as the Seattle Seahawks.

“Go M’s for my dad, Frank, in Heaven — lifelong, diehard fan!” one “Seattle’s Morning News” listener wrote. “We used to drive up to ‘Cheapskate Hill’ above Sick’s Stadium to watch!!!”

Fans are dipping into every favorable superstition they have, including paying for “Etsy witches” to cast spells. This trend started when a local fan spent $16 for a curse-lifting spell from a “witch” on Etsy, a global online marketplace for handmade gifts and crafts, to break a bad losing streak. An incredible winning streak followed after the Etsy witch cast the spell, creating a viral sensation in the process.

“Good Morning Beautiful People! GO MARINERS!!! I’m keeping the good witchy vibes going here,” a listener texted.

“Again, I wish the announcers calling the game were Dave & Rick,” one listener, Randy, wrote. “I listened to them every night while washing dishes at a restaurant in Bellingham while going to Western.”

The Seattle Mariners are going with right-hander George Kirby as their starter for Monday night’s do-or-die Game 7. The Toronto Blue Jays will counter with two-time All-Star right-hander Shane Bieber.

“I saw my 1st Ms game in 1979 at the Kingdome, Floyd Bannister was the starting pitcher against the Tigers,” another “Seattle’s Morning News” listener wrote. “Willie Horton hit his 300th HR, and the Ms won 4-3. Long suffering … that’s 46 years ago, for those keeping track!”

Game 7 of the ALCS is set for 5:08 p.m. Monday at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Radio coverage will be on Seattle Sports, with the TV broadcast airing on FOX and FS1.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Follow Frank Sumrall on X. Send news tips here.

For me, it starts with good, hearty wheat bread. Not that soft, sugary stuff pretending to be healthy. The kind with little seeds that make you feel like you’re doing something good for your body while you’re about to eat half a jar of peanut butter.

Chunky peanut butter. Always chunky. The kind that fights back. If your forearm doesn’t get a workout spreading it, you’re doing it wrong.

And raspberry jam. Never grape. Raspberry. Preferably that Danish kind that comes in the navy-blue plastic bucket. It’s like the champagne of jam. If you know, you know.

Now, here’s the secret. Peanut butter on both sides of the bread. Keeps the bread from getting soggy. I’m always surprised when people don’t know this.

But then comes the part that divides families.

The controversial choice to use the same knife for the same sandwich

After I finish the peanut butter, I don’t get a new knife for the jelly. Nope. I wipe the knife clean, and I dip it right in. Half of you just gasped while the other half is applauding. And I know who you gaspers are. You’re the people who use a separate, dedicated spatula just for mayonnaise.

Look, I’m not trying to start trouble. I just hate being wasteful. Why dirty another knife? Why make the dishwasher run early? I’m not here to keep Big Dishwasher in business. I swear, every time I grab a second knife, I can hear the dishwasher groan. I start worrying: is this the knife that finally tips it over the edge?

Like, one more utensil and suddenly we’re calling a plumber and taking out a second mortgage. It drives my wife absolutely insane.

She’ll open the jam jar, see that little peanut-buttery swirl, and act like she’s discovered a crime scene. It’s like I’ve defiled the kitchen. I say I’m saving water. She says I’m a monster.

She’ll hold it up like evidence. “CHARLIE… what is THIS?” I respond, “That is efficiency.”

“That is disgusting,” she retorts.

I tried to explain it’s no big deal, but she looks at me like I’d just confessed to putting ketchup on ice cream.

But you know what? This is what real relationships are built on. Not the big stuff. Not communication or trust. It’s this. The eternal question: Do you need two knives for one sandwich?

And for those of us brave enough to say no, we are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Saving water. Saving soap. Saving marriages. Because if love can survive a little cross-contamination, it can survive anything.

Next time, we’re tackling something even more divisive: The top sheet and why it’s not optional, it’s civilization. Unfortunately, I’m apparently the only person in my house who believes in it.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 17. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

As the Mariners’ series lead was shortened to one game, the club’s longtime broadcaster, Rick Rizzs, joined “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio to reassure Mariners fans of the team’s resiliency.

“In baseball, there’s always a reset. The guys forget about the night before, whether it was good, bad, or otherwise. The Mariners have forgotten about it, they flushed it, and now they hope to score a bunch of runs,” Rizzs said. “One thing about this baseball team that I’ve seen all season long, they’re very resilient. They bounce back after tough losses and tough stretches.”

Mariners look to bounce back after lopsided Game 3 loss

Rizzs explained how fast narratives can change in baseball, especially in the playoffs. The Mariners jumped out to an early lead in Game 3, but the Blue Jays showed up in Seattle with something to prove as their backs were up against the wall.

“It was a tough night at the office last night. We were looking to see if the Mariners could make it three in a row. But man, the Blue Jays came out swinging last night,” Rizzs said. “It was a really quick change in momentum. It looked like the Mariners would be doing the bashing after Julio hit a rocket of a two-run home run, but all of a sudden, the Blue Jays came up with five runs.”

Starting pitcher George Kirby had a rough outing in last night’s game, surrendering eight earned runs on eight hits over four innings of work. Mariners fans are gearing up for the second of the ALCS home games, with veteran pitcher Luis Castillo leading the charge in tonight’s matchup.

“George Kirby just couldn’t get out of the middle of the order. The Blue Jays didn’t miss anything in the 3rd inning, they kept adding on, and Toronto won their first game,” Rizzs said. “The Mariners still have a two games to one lead, they’re at home before a sellout crowd tonight for Game 4 and Game 5 tomorrow. They’re still just two games away from getting to the World Series.”

The Mariners and Blue Jays play in Game 4 of the ALCS tonight at 5:33 p.m. Tune in to Seattle Sports 710 for pregame and live coverage.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

We’ve been talking for years about the sex trade on Aurora Avenue in North Seattle. Women being trafficked. Women being kept drugged and dependent. Pimps fighting over territory with actual shootouts. And the neighbors? They’re fed up.

These aren’t statistics. These are families trying to live their lives while women stumble through traffic at all hours. Johns picking up sex workers and pulling into residential side streets. Parents have told me they’ve had to explain to their young children why there are naked people in the car outside their driveway.

Think about that. Your kid is asking what those people are doing — in front of your house.

For years, almost nothing has been done. Police cite one john, maybe two. But the operation continues. The violence continues. The exploitation continues.

Time for SPD to try something different

But now, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is trying something different. And I’m here for it.

KOMO reported that detectives are sending warning letters to the registered owners of vehicles they observe picking up sex workers. The letter is blunt: “A vehicle registered to your name was observed by detectives with the Seattle Police Department Human Trafficking Unit on Aurora Avenue N. engaged in suspected illegal sexual exploitation activity.”

They include photos. Details. Time and location. No arrest, no criminal charge. Just a, “We saw you. We know what you were doing. And now everyone at your address will know too.”

That’s why women need to check the mail. Because often the family has no idea. The husband who says he’s working late. The boyfriend who’s “running errands.” The dad who’s supposedly at the gym. This letter shows up, and suddenly, there are questions to answer.

Good. There should be questions.

Look, I get that some people will say this is overreach. That it’s an accusation without due process. Fair point. But here’s what else is true: traditional enforcement hasn’t worked. The arrests don’t stick. The fines don’t deter. The problem gets worse.

Meanwhile, real people are suffering. The women being trafficked aren’t choosing this life. They’re victims. Studies show most were first trafficked as teenagers. Many suffer from PTSD as severely as combat veterans. The pimps keep them dependent on drugs, move them city to city, and control every aspect of their lives.

And the neighborhoods? They’ve become open-air markets for human misery. Kids can’t play outside. Residents find needles and condoms in their yards. They hear gunshots as pimps fight over territory.

So yes, I support these letters. Name them. Shame them. Make them explain to their wives, their girlfriends, their families what they were doing on Aurora at midnight.

To the men getting these letters: This isn’t “Pretty Woman.” This is real exploitation. Real violence. Real victims. You’re not customers. You’re predators enabling a cycle of abuse.

And to everyone else: Check your mail. Because sunlight is the best disinfectant, and it’s time to shine a light on Aurora.

Is public shaming the answer? Maybe not. But after years of looking the other way, at least it’s something.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 14. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

It’s a small example of an issue we need to have an adult conversation about.

Last week, Steve spoke to Tony’s mom, Diane, outside the municipal courthouse in Everett. She had just spoken to a judge after Tony was released from jail again because he wasn’t mentally competent to stand trial. Diane said Tony caused several disturbances that week:

“Tuesday, he went to Glenwood Elementary School. He pressed the button, they let him in. They saw that he wasn’t all there, and they escorted him out with no problem. Then they had a lockdown. Then, about 3:15 in the afternoon, he went back to the school at the door, and they called the police. The police put handcuffs on him, and they let him go. Yesterday, he went to the Navy base, telling them that he was with the CIA and FBI and all that good stuff. They arrested Tony,” she said.

Tony’s mom begged the judge to send her son to somewhere like Fairfax Hospital, where he can get intensive treatment. She told the judge she worries he might hurt someone. The judge said his hands were tied, and they were. The judge released him. No bail. No mandated follow-up.

Tony’s previous crimes

Steve reported that Tony was convicted of first-degree robbery in 2008. The judge told him that he’s now a felon who can’t ever have a gun after he gets out of prison.

In 2015, The Everett Herald reported Tony used a 40-caliber Smith and Wesson to blow out a window at Everett Community College while high on meth. Got two and a half years for that.

And Tony’s case isn’t an outlier. Not even close.

There was that guy last year who stabbed 10 people over two days in the International District. His attorney called him “fully delusional.” A judge ordered a mental health evaluation.

There’s the man who killed 80-year-old Ruth Dalton in Madison Valley. Dragged her with her own car. He was found mentally unfit to stand trial.

Think about that list. Stabbings. A homicide. We’re not even talking about the recent transit and hatchet attacks and transit violence. The system is struggling to deal with this.

The cops think their hands are tied. The judges think their hands are tied. They’re probably right. In Washington, if someone is found incompetent, judges often must release them unless the state can quickly place them. And we don’t have enough secure treatment beds.

Something needs to change

I don’t have all the answers. But what we’re doing isn’t working. I want to have a conversation, and I’m willing to acknowledge I could be dead wrong.

But should Washington build more humane, secure medical settings where people in crisis go before they hurt someone? Not jail, but not optional. A therapeutic place with locked doors, licensed staff, and clear rules.

This is a question for our conversation. What if release wasn’t automatic? Release could come after stability is demonstrated. With supervised follow-through. Medications. Appointments. Case managers who actually show up. If someone stops treatment and the risk returns, they go back to the facility quickly. Not optional.

I get it. Forced care is serious. The guardrails would have to be incredibly tight. Lawyers. Independent reviews. A clear path out when someone proves they can stay well.

Yes, it will be expensive. Maybe the idea is flawed. But what is the cost of doing nothing?

We can be compassionate and careful at the same time. But if my idea isn’t right, let’s hear yours. Because what we’re doing now isn’t working. It’s time for an adult conversation.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

Washington Rep. Adam Smith called it a major positive development but stressed that planning is needed to prevent another conflict.

“The overarching issue is there has to be a future built for the Palestinian people,” Smith said on “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio.

He said the first step is creating an alternative governing structure for Hamas.

“For that to happen, number one, President Trump and the U.S. have to stay engaged and keep the pressure on all parties. Number two, Prime Minister Netanyahu has to do what he has not done for the last 15 years, and that is support an alternative to Hamas, give the Palestinian people some hope of self-governance, and some sort of path forward to economic opportunity,” Smith explained.

He noted the Arab partners in the region will also have to live up to their end of the deal.

“They have to engage both with their money and with their security apparatus, and just with their commitment. So all of those people can’t just celebrate the peace that happened. They got to go to work over the course of at least the next year or two to try to put in place something that is sustainable,” he said.

The fourth part, Smith said, is containing Hamas.

“This war happened because of Hamas. And the people in Palestine know that obviously, and I believe that Israel prosecuted the war much longer than they should have, but it was primarily driven by Hamas’ actions that has brought absolute devastation to the Palestinian people. Hamas is at a very low point. They have to be kept down and out,” he explained.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

But then I got to thinking about arenas. The biggest arenas. The best arenas. And who better knows arenas, or stadiums, in this awkward metaphor, than Seattle Mariner superstar Cal Raleigh? After all, he’s the one literally calling the shots, every pitch, every play, the brain behind the mask. He knows what it takes to win when it feels like the whole city is about to lose its mind.

And that’s why I’m turning my back on that whole “not endorsing” thing. Sorry, Bruce. Sorry, Katie. I know you’re the actual candidates for mayor of Seattle, but I am officially endorsing Cal Raleigh for the mayor of Seattle.

He’ll protect home plate. He’ll lift the city on his shoulders and bring us all to victory. A vote for Cal Raleigh is a home run for civic pride.

And yes, I know some of you are thinking, “You’re just jumping on the Big Dumper bandwagon.” Yes. Yes, I am. Because if anyone can clean up this town, it’s the Big Dumper.

Now, I realize he has no desire to be mayor. And frankly, it would probably be bad, really bad, for the Mariners if he took the job, but I can’t help but think he’d make the good calls. The tough calls. Like knowing when it’s time to pull a pitcher or a department head.

So, how about this? Cal could do both. He could be the mayor of the 18th-largest city in the country in his spare time. Call the balls and strikes within city policy, then make the lineup card.

Let’s talk logistics regarding Cal Raleigh’s tenure as Seattle mayor

When he’s off on a road trip or catching a 99-mile-an-hour fastball somewhere in Texas, the team’s beloved mascot, Mortimer “Mariner” Moose, can run things. The moose doesn’t travel, has a great smile for ribbon cuttings, and can’t possibly make things worse. If that’s somehow unconstitutional, we can all just promise to be really cool until Mayor Cal gets back.

I know, this whole mayor idea has no chance of happening. But neither did that 15-inning miracle on Friday night, and look how that turned out. If the Mariners can pull that off, maybe Seattle can too.

Maybe, with Cal Raleigh at the helm, we can get through our extra innings as a city, together, one exhausted, but hopeful fan base at a time.

So let’s get the bumper stickers ready: “Finally, a Mayor Who Can Handle the Heat.” “No Errors. No Excuses. No graffiti on I-5.” “Make Seattle Safe at Home.” “Big Dumper, Bigger Dreams.”

Because at this point, if anyone deserves to call the shots around here, it’s the guy who’s been calling them from behind the plate all season long.

And next time, I’ll give you my full endorsement of Jorge Polanco for city attorney.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

Mariners veteran broadcaster Rick Rizzs joined “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio ahead of the game to detail the gravity of tonight’s matchup, facing the reigning AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, for the second time this series and fourth time this season.

“The Mariners knew there was a possibility of facing Tarik Skubal twice, which they’re going to do, and they beat him in the second game of the series,” Rizzs said. “They also defeated Skubal twice earlier this season. They’ve done it three times, and the challenge now is to do it one more time. This team is ready.”

Seattle Mariners elimination game v. Detroit

Rizzs encapsulated his excitement for the Mariners’ big-time players making big-time plays in its most pivotal game of the season thus far, a win-or-go-home Game 5.

“I’m feeling excited. I got up at five o’clock this morning. I couldn’t sleep; it’s the biggest game of the year,” Rizzs said. “I think George Kirby is going to pitch the game of his life. Big guys step up for the big moment. I look for Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, and the guys to play a great game today and get everybody to the American League Championship Series.”

As the Mariners look to push past the ALDS and face the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), Rizzs summarized the All-Star pitching matchup slated to go toe-to-toe in tonight’s highly anticipated game.

“The Tigers know what George Kirby is going to feature, and the Mariners know what Skubal is going to do. He’s going to throw his fastball about 98-100 mph, and he’s going to have the great change-up, and that’s not going to change,” Rizzs said. “When you’re the best pitcher in the American League, you’re not going to make any adjustments.

“It is an advantage to both sides, the Tigers know Kirby very well, and now the Mariners are getting very acquainted with Tarik Skubal, a young man who started at Seattle University some years ago,” Rizzs continued.

The last time the Mariners played in the ALCS was in 2001, following a historic 116-win season. The franchise last appeared in the ALDS in 2022, falling to the Houston Astros in three games. Seattle is among a short list of teams that haven’t won the World Series, and is the only team in the league that has yet to appear in the World Series.

“You play your heart out for 162 games just to get to the postseason for the chance to move on. This team has played so hard to get to this point. This game means everything,” Rizzs said. “This is what you play for, this is why you put on the uniform. You want to get to the World Series, and I think this team is pumped up and definitely ready to go. I know the fans are too.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

That could go either way, politically. Far right-wing rage or extreme left-wing destruction.

Let me be clear. I didn’t need to know which side to know how I felt. It’s all beyond the pale. Violence is violence. Wrong is wrong. But my brain immediately went to politics. To teams. To scorekeeping. That’s sick. That’s what this moment has done to us.

Someone knocked over statues. Burned flags. Torched a priceless rug. And my first instinct was to figure out the political angle.

The lieutenant governor immediately condemned it as part of the “significant escalation in violence-tinged political rhetoric.” Everyone assumed it was political violence. Then the Washington State Patrol released their findings: a mental health crisis. Not political.

But here’s what tells you everything about 2025. We all assumed it was political. Someone attacks a government building, and we don’t think “troubled person needs help.” We think “which side was he on?”

What was your initial reaction to the news?

And I’m a mild case. I watch maybe 45 minutes of cable news a week. I can’t imagine what it’s like for people mainlining Fox News or MSNBC every night. If my brain is this trained to see everything through a political lens, what’s happening to theirs?

Here’s the thing. We’re usually right to assume it’s political because, look around. Political assassinations. Targeted arsons. Church shootings. This year keeps erupting.

The big violence makes headlines. But watch how we treat the small stuff.

When did we decide the rules don’t apply to people we disagree with? A signature gatherer gets shoved. A pride flag gets stolen. Someone’s Tesla gets keyed because Elon. The car with the Black Lives Matter bumper sticker gets flipped off. And what’s the response?

“Oh, well, violence is never the answer. I condemn it completely.”

Then comes the ‘but’

But those initiatives are hateful. But that candidate is dangerous. But they’re destroying democracy. Always a “but” that really means: different rules for different teams.

I’ve covered news for decades. This year feels different. Like we’re unraveling. Each unpleasant or violent act justifying the next. Each side convinced they’re just defending themselves. Leaders say turn down the temperature. How, when everyone thinks they’re the victim? When everyone thinks their violence is justified?

Meanwhile, those of us outside the extremes go to work. Raise our kids. Try to pretend things are normal. But that knot in your stomach? That dread? We all feel it.

Here’s what I keep telling myself. The fact that I’m embarrassed by my first thought means I’m not completely lost. The fact that it bothers me means I can still see what’s wrong with this picture.

The extremes want us to pick a side in their war. To accept that violence is inevitable. To stop being shocked.

No.

This is still our beautiful and flawed country, where we can all get along. The center holds when we hold it. One conversation at a time. One refusal to hate the other side at a time.

Even when our first thought is tribal. Especially then.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said the state has been laying the groundwork for the past year.

“We’ve been preparing for this sort of thing from the beginning, not just during my nine months as Attorney General, but over the last year,” Brown said on “Seattle’s Morning News.” “Plus, states across the country, including Washington, have reviewed what the president said, reviewed statements in Project 2025, which contemplated this sort of thing, to make sure that we had all the legal research done and all the analysis done to see how we might have to respond to this.”

Brown believes National Guard deployment to Seattle is unwarranted.

“There’s certainly not an insurrection happening in Washington. There’s not anything in Seattle that would necessarily necessitate that kind of action. But we have to be ready for this sort of recklessness that we’ve seen from DC,” he shared.

Brown added that the president’s actions violate the law.

“It’s not lawful to do it in the way that the president is doing it. That is why multiple judges across the country have found it unlawful, including judges appointed by the president himself,” he explained.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Leesa Manion is a Democrat. She’s not a law-and-order, hang-’em-high crusader looking for headlines. She’s the elected prosecutor in one of the most progressive counties in the country. And even she’s saying that the system is broken.

She explicitly said she’s not calling for cuts to public defense. She just wants parity. Equal resources to protect victims’ constitutional rights. That’s not happening.

Her anger is expressed in a letter she sent to the King County Council regarding next year’s budget proposal. Despite documenting crisis-level caseloads, her office receives zero new prosecutors, while public defense receives 17.

In that letter, Manion said one of her deputy prosecutors is handling 136 cases involving adults accused of targeting and grooming children online. One person, 136 predators.

Meanwhile, under new statewide standards taking effect in 2026, public defenders handling similar cases will be limited to approximately 10 cases per year.

One prosecutor has 136. Public defenders get 10.

Those are real children being groomed. Real families waiting for justice. One exhausted prosecutor standing between 136 predators and their next victim.

It’s not just child predators. Elder abuse. Wage theft. Small businesses getting vandalized repeatedly with no consequences. These aren’t statistics, they’re your neighbors.

In her budget request earlier this year, Manion laid out exactly what her office needs: 21 prosecutors, 21 paralegals, and 16 victim advocates. The interim executive reviewed that request and said no — zero new prosecutors. Somehow, there was money for 17 new public defenders.

So the defense side grows again, while those handling the most serious crimes are told to do more with the same resources.

Everyone deserves a fair and adequate defense

That is part of justice. But fairness does not mean forgetting the victims.

When the county council approved a sales tax increase in July, Manion supported it because they had promised balanced funding for prosecutors, police, and defenders. Now look what they’re doing with it. That revenue is being routed mostly to public defense and public health programs, while the prosecutor’s office gets told to maintain, not expand.

So the side already better staffed and carrying lighter caseloads gets more help. The office handling the worst crimes gets told to make do.

How does that make sense?

Families of murder victims are still waiting for their day in court. Survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence are trapped in a system that keeps reopening old wounds. Victims of robbery and assault see their cases delayed again and again until they stop believing anyone cares.

They don’t see justice. They see a government that has moved on.

Public comment is set for Nov. 12. Things can still change before the final vote on Nov. 18.

If the County Council wants voters to believe it cares about public safety, this is where it proves it.

Here’s what bothers me. We’re so focused on protecting defendants’ rights, which we absolutely should, that we’ve forgotten victims have rights too. Constitutional rights. To timely justice. To have their cases heard. When child predator cases stack up 136 to one prosecutor, that’s not balance. It’s telling victims they matter less.

And it’s telling criminals something too: The system is too overwhelmed to hold you accountable.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie