That’s why Tyson O’Neill, owner of Generator Supercenter of Puget Sound in Lynnwood, said homeowners must stop treating backup power like a luxury. 

“Everybody who owns a home has insurance on their home,” he explained. “We look at this as being an insurance piece for protecting your home and your investment. Being without power is the most important appliance in your house, because without that, you can’t use any of the other conveniences you rely on every day.” 

Safety and security come first 

Losing power isn’t just inconvenient — it can be dangerous. 

Tyson recalls meeting an elderly couple who needed a whole-home generator because her husband’s declining health required reliable medical equipment.

“They wanted peace of mind, not only for their home, but for him,” he said. 

Medical needs aren’t the only concern. As O’Neill notes, storm season always brings a rush of panic buyers. 

“People say, ‘I don’t want to go through what I went through last year,'” he said. “Schools are back in session, the weather starts to change, and suddenly they realize they can’t risk being unprepared.”

The point is simple: Waiting until after your neighborhood goes dark isn’t an option. 

The process is much easier than you think 

For many homeowners, the biggest obstacle is uncertainty — how much it costs, how complicated the installation will be, or whether their home is even compatible. O’Neill explains that’s where Generator Supercenter steps in. 

“We send a representative to analyze your home, calculate the load, and determine the right size and placement of your generator. From there, financing can even be handled at the table, and installation is usually just two to three weeks out,” he said. 

And unlike one-off installers, the Supercenter doesn’t disappear after the sale. More than 90% of their customers choose ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Every morning, technicians remotely check the health of each unit. If a problem arises, they get priority service before the next storm hits. 

Why Generac — and why the Generator Supercenter of Puget Sound? 

Generac is the No. 1 generator brand in America, and for good reason. Their latest models feature quieter operation, improved efficiency, and even Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity that allows automatic software updates. 

But technology is only part of the story. O’Neill says the difference comes from the people installing and maintaining the systems. 

“We pride ourselves on being a servant for the community and the customer,” he said. “Even if someone doesn’t buy from us, our goal is to educate them so they can make the best decision.”

That commitment to service has already earned Generator Supercenter of Puget Sound dozens of five-star reviews. Customers repeatedly praise the company for its professionalism, education-first approach, and reliability in emergencies. 

Protect your home. Protect your family. 

A standby generator isn’t about convenience. It’s about protecting your investment, safeguarding your family, and ensuring peace of mind when the unexpected happens. 

As O’Neill put it, “Being prepared is a good motto. It’s like that Boy Scout model — be prepared. It’s about being in control of your home and your energy, no matter what happens.” 

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Savage, vying for the District 8 seat, filed a Seattle-specific version of the Compassionate Public Safety Act — a proposed ordinance in King County to ban unauthorized public camping and mandate directions to available shelter — on Tuesday. It’s modeled after an ordinance by the Quality of Life Coalition of King County, which is currently collecting signatures.

“This is exciting for the city of Seattle, and I think the citizens of Seattle are ready to take action,” Savage said exclusively to “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. “They’re tired of waiting for City Hall. They haven’t done enough, and this initiative makes public camping illegal, but what we want to do for people is move them to detox treatment and shelter, and this is going to help the fentanyl addicts and the severely mentally ill get the help they need and give us what we need as Seattle citizens, clean streets so we can get back to business and building our beautiful city and have safety and prosperity for all.”

Majority of King County voters support public camping ban, polls finds

Polling commissioned by the Quality of Life Coalition found 77% of King County voters support a public camping ban with shelter access. The proposed Seattle camping ban comes after similar ordinances passed in Burien and San Diego.

In May, King County Superior Court green lit Burien’s camping ban, finding it does not violate Washington’s constitution, as opponents contended.

The City of Burien prohibits sleeping outside within city limits. Initially, this ruling applied only between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. and was punishable only if there was available room at shelters. But after a 5-2 vote in late January, Burien’s city council ruled that sleeping outside is prohibited at all times.

The decision shortly followed the Supreme Court’s ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, a case that ultimately led to the decision on whether cities can prohibit sleeping in public spaces. The Supreme Court ruled that cities can, stating that it does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

At least seven other jurisdictions in Washington created or expanded camping bans in the last year, according to The Seattle Times, including Auburn, Bremerton, Chelan County, Lakewood, Washougal, Wenatchee, and Spokane Valley. Approximately 140 cities have enacted similar regulations nationwide.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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Vance took to a town meeting to suggest several large companies are laying off Americans to then apply to hire people from overseas. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan believes Vance is on to something, according to “The Jason Rantz Show.”

“J.D. is onto something here if, in fact, they’re doing it as just a purely economic decision. You’ve got good employees who are Americans, and you’re saying, ‘We’re paying them X, and we can get foreign individuals to come in and do the same job. We can pay them X minus something else. Some lower salary,’ — that’s just wrong and that’s what I think troubles Americans,” Jordan said on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

House Judiciary Chairman looks to pass stricter immigration bill

To prevent companies from hiring foreign workers, Jordan aims to push through the strict immigration bill that made its way through Congress last session.

“I think it puts in place the laws we need, so that in the future, if you get another Joe Biden-type president, they can’t do what Joe Biden did. Open the border, give all kinds of visas. Do all kinds of things they did,” Jordan said. “I want to pass that tough immigration law, and then, in the context of that, if there’s negotiations about some high-skilled visas and everything else, so be it, that’ll happen, but I want to pass the tough legislation.”

There will be 3,120 Microsoft employees laid off in Redmond and Bellevue by Aug. 1, according to the Washington State Employment Security Department. Microsoft stated the cuts were not related to performance, but instead an effort to reduce layers of management as it continues to heavily invest in artificial intelligence (AI).

Jordan said his committee is looking to pass legislation similar to H.R. 2 — a bill that tightens asylum eligibility and mandates that employers use an electronic system to verify employment eligibility.

“What we need to do is pass H.R. 2-type legislation. That’s what we’re looking to do out of our committee when we get back in the fall,” he shared.

Listen to the full conversation below.

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KIRO Newsradio uncovered court records Wednesday that showed Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank, who hired Dickerson to be a part of the command staff as head of criminal investigations, was also arrested for DUI 18 years ago while he was employed as a sergeant with the Seattle Police Department (SPD).

Swank believes the arrest, which happened on February 23, 2007, was mishandled. The incident began when he drove down to Raymond to help out his friend.

“I’m a hunter, in case you didn’t know, and a friend of mine got an elk, and I went down there to give my hand with it,” he said. “Afterwards, we did some celebrating.”

Swank said he had too much to drink, so he decided not to drive his vehicle. Due to it being a cold, rainy February day, he got into his car, where he sat and waited.

“I wasn’t even sleeping. I was just sitting in there, and figured I had to stay there for a while,” he explained. “My car wasn’t running, I didn’t have keys in the ignition, I put them in the back seat, on the floorboard, all the things that we always taught people to do if they had too much to drink, to make sure that if they could sit in the car outside of the elements.”

Washington State Patrol trooper arrests Keith Swank in 2007

A Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper saw Swank sitting in his car and approached him.

“Probably thought I was going to drive off somewhere,” he said. “I didn’t, and they came over to the car and talked with me. I opened the car door up, and he smelled intoxicants on me, of course, because I had been drinking, and he arrested me for DUI.”

Swank mentioned that even though he explained to the trooper he wasn’t driving and there were no taxis available in rural Raymond, the arrest continued.

“I believe that it was handled improperly,” Swank said. “However, I had to deal with it too, because here I am, a sergeant with the Seattle Police Department. It’s embarrassing for the agency, of course, and people are going to say their own stories about what happened and my behavior and all of that. So I went through the process, agreed, and took the breathalyzer and all that stuff.”

Swank ended up getting an attorney, but said the legal fees were too high.

He noted that during his 15 years as a patrol officer, he would approach people all the time who were intoxicated and sleeping in their cars. However, he would take their keys and have them sober up at the precinct before sending them on their way.

“We didn’t want them driving,” he said. “We wanted them to be safe, but we also didn’t want to just charge them with some crime.”

Pierce County Sheriff says Dickerson will be held accountable

While Swank made the choice not to drive under the influence, Dickerson allegedly did, crashing into an SUV with six people inside, including a pregnant mother. The woman’s 57-year-old mother suffered several broken bones. The other occupants appeared to be uninjured, according to a news release from WSP.

“This is tragic. I feel terrible about the victim’s family, the mother, the children, her husband, the grandmother,” Swank stated. “I heard there are injuries. I don’t know how bad they are. I hope everybody’s fine. It breaks my heart. I don’t want that going on. But at the same time, too, we’re going to hold our own people accountable.”

He added that deputies “don’t get special treatment” and that the sheriff’s office isn’t asking for that.

“It’s a serious deal, and we’re looking at it seriously, and I’m just very sad the whole way around,” he said.

When asked about the report that Dickerson left the scene of the crash, Swank said it is his understanding that Dickerson did not want to leave, but medics and a sergeant at the scene recommended he go to the hospital due to the severity of the collision. Swank said Dickerson still wouldn’t leave, but that his wife arrived and convinced him to go to the hospital.

“There were no other means of transportation, but that’s my understanding,” he shared. “She took him to the hospital, to an urgent care facility.”

Swank added that Dickerson earned the position of major in the sheriff’s office.

“He’s a leader. He’s a great guy. He has detective experience,” Swank said. “He’s a very compassionate, very nice guy. I think the world of him. I think of him as family. But at the same time, if my son were involved in something like this, I would say the same thing: He has to deal with the situation.”

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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Hazelo shared his side of the story on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH and said he’s not giving up.

Island County GOP chair claims his trial was unfair

Hazelo first recounted his time in court and claimed that his case was littered with objections that did not favor his arguments.

“When the deliberations were going on in the courtroom, the objections that came from the prosecution, and the upholding of the objections that came from the prosecution, the lack of our ability to admit evidence, we had already written it off, I was already thinking about appeals,” Hazelo said. “I was optimistic that a juror would say, ‘Wait a minute, if they aren’t allowed to present their side of the case, that creates some serious doubt.'”

KTTH host Jason Rantz asked Hazelo about the specific evidence that the judge chose to omit from being admitted in the case.

“We wanted to include what the auditor can and can’t do. The legislature gives an office the authority to do something, and that’s all they’re allowed to do,” Hazelo said. “If it’s not included in that authority, they’re not allowed to do that. It’s pretty simple.”

Hazelo noted the Washington Administrative Code (WAC), a set of regulations detailing each agency’s authoritative limitations, as part of their case for being unjustly accused.

“We wanted to present the WAC, and we were specifically told that we were objected by the prosecutor. The judge upheld the objection, and we weren’t allowed to present it,” Hazelo said. “The ironic part is the jury wanted it. The jury came back on day three and sent a question to the court asking for the WAC, and the court wouldn’t give it to them.”

What’s next for Tim Hazelo?

When asked about Hazelo’s next steps after being found guilty, he stated that he will continue to fight.

“We are going to appeal. I have a list of five things that stick out to me and my attorney, one being a conflict of interest with [the Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks],” Hazelo said. “Back in December, myself and two other sued Island County over the mask mandate. The fact that the suit is still in litigation, you would think that [Banks] would recuse himself from prosecuting me.”

Hazelo has a long history of working with the federal government and mentioned that the impact of this ruling would derail his career.

“The problem here is you’re someone who is a contractor, and you work with the federal government, but now you have a felony on your record,” Rantz said.

“I’ve had some of the highest clearances you can get based on the job that I performed for our country, and now all of a sudden, my security clearance is at risk,” Hazelo replied. “I was 19 when I got my first security clearance in the personal reliability program with the US Navy, and 38 years later, this whole thing is at risk over a face mask, in 2024.”

Hazelo revealed the importance of a security clearance in his field and related his experience being accused of an occurrence that could happen to anyone.

“If I lose the security clearance, my career is over. I suppose I’ll be giving people hugs at Walmart, it’s that devastating because without the clearance I can’t do what I do, period,” Hazelo said. “If they can do that to a guy like me, that’s been clean for his entire life, anybody can get charged with anything at any point in time. It’s unfortunate, and that’s what we’re fighting against.”

A GiveSendGo fundraiser has been created to help aid in Hazelo’s fight, which has already gained nearly $13,000 of his $100,000 goal.

“The hard part is it takes money to fight, and they know that I’m going to run out, and at some point, I’m going to have to give up and take what they give me,” Hazelo said.

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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KTTH host Jason Rantz noted that the topic of transgender women and girls in sports will come up during the race and asked Smith for his opinion on “The Jason Rantz Show.”

“I don’t think that any legislative body should govern that one way or the other,” Smith responded. “I think the individual leagues in question should make the decision that they believe is fair and competitive. And I think in some instances, yes, if you are a biological man, I think those individual sports — but I don’t want 11-year-olds having to go through a genital exam before they can join a
sport.”

Regarding undergoing an exam, Rantz said, “You realize that never happens, right?”

Smith ignored the question but said, “If you have a competitive problem, then I think the individual league should be allowed to make those choices.”

“But they can’t,” Rantz rebutted.

“Well, I think they should,” Smith responded.

Rantz pointed out that the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) stated that even if an amendment to separate genders was passed, the organization couldn’t enforce it because doing so would violate state anti-discrimination laws.

Rep. Adam Smith: Trans people in sports should be an ‘individual competitive decision’

“I don’t agree that those types of laws should be passed,” Smith replied. “I don’t think a law should be passed to dictate to individual sports leagues, on the transgender issue, who they have to play. I think that has to be an individual competitive decision.”

Smith added that he believes conservatives are blowing the issue out of proportion to score political points. He also thinks people are ignoring the fact that the transgender community is facing “massive discrimination.”

“The reason that they don’t want to allow you to be barred from doing this is to try to get to the point where they are treated at least somewhat equally,” Smith said. “When you got a president that is outright banning any transgender person from serving in the military — that is discrimination. That is denying the existence of transgender people, and that is what they’re concerned about.”

However, Rantz countered, saying, “It’s not that they’re denying the existence of transgender people. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s literally acknowledging the existence of trans people.”

“Banning them from being able to — well, I suppose you’re right,” Smith said. “In that particular context, it’s right, but there’s all kinds of conversion therapy issues. ‘No, you’re just a freak.’ ‘You’re wrong.’ I mean, you heard what Charlie Kirk has said about transgender people. He calls them freaks and lunatics and weirdos and crazy people, and then transgender people get beat up and assaulted. So the effort to try to get equality for transgender people is not the joke the conservatives seem to think it is.”

“Democrats argue that allowing and forcing sporting competitions is about discrimination or anti-discrimination?” Rantz asked.

“Yeah. Well, it’s about the broader issue of discrimination,” Smith responded.

Listen to the full conversation below.

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As threats persist against the Portland office, White House border czar Tom Homan said a visit and increased enforcement are necessary, as he believes Portland is “out of control.”

“Our support staff, clerical staff, administrative staff — they’re not trained law enforcement officers. And you would think the local Portland PD would protect them when they’re leaving work and driving to their home and being followed by these anarchists. But Portland PD doesn’t assist, and we’re going to ramp up enforcement personnel there,” Homan told KTTH host Jason Rantz.

U.S. border czar to visit Portland for increased ICE enforcement

Homan plans to visit the Portland office within the next five or six days to show staff they’re not alone and facilitate an extra layer of security.

“The president has your back. Secretary’s got your back. I’ve got your back,” he added. “We’ll send whatever resources we need to send here to number one, do the job that the president wants you to do, and I want you to do, and give you enough resources out here to protect you and your families.”

With 22 people facing federal charges from anti-ICE protests in Portland, Homan said the U.S. Attorney’s Office is “fully engaged” and is pushing a “zero tolerance policy.”

“You can protest ICE, you have that First Amendment right. You can hate ICE. You can scream and yell at them. You cannot support them. However, you can’t cross that line,” Homan added. “You can’t cross the line of knowingly harboring, concealing an illegal alien from ICE — that’s a felony. And you certainly can’t put your hands on an ICE officer.”

Rantz pointed out that Portland police officers are not getting involved because they are ordered not to respond, as Portland is a sanctuary city.

“Thanks for clarifying that, because those officers of Portland PD, they want to do the right thing,” Homan replied.

Homan warns of prosecution as SPD officers reportedly leak ICE raids

Rantz also shared that he spoke with the local director of ICE in Seattle, who said there are leaks coming from the Seattle Police Department and other Washington police departments regarding ICE raids.

“Is there going to be any kind of punishment for this kind of behavior in Seattle or elsewhere?” Rantz asked.

“If we can prove someone impedes our law enforcement efforts, we will seek prosecution of the U.S. Attorney,” Homan responded. “Zero tolerance, I don’t care who you are. And remember the left said for four years, no one’s above the law. President Trump isn’t above the law. But guess what? Neither are they. You impede law enforcement, you impede ICE from doing their job — we will seek prosecution. Zero tolerance.”

Listen to the full conversation below.

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“I’ve seen through my career how music can bridge divides, it can provide solace to those who are in need, and provide fortitude and clarity,” Ondrasik said on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. “(After 9/11) America came together in ways I’d never seen before, and haven’t seen since.”

I am Honored to collaborate with current hostage Alon Ohel’s mother Idit, brother Ronen, family and friends with this new version of “Superman” to support Alon, all the hostages, and their families.

May they all “Find a way to Fly – To a home I will soon see” 🎗️🧡 🇺🇸🇮🇱… pic.twitter.com/MymL79U3ZG

— John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) April 14, 2025

‘Superman’ dedicated to Israeli hostages

Ondrasik revised “Superman” to better reflect the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, putting a focus on the hostages left in the wake.

“I was reached out to by a hostage who has been in Gaza for more than 620 days, and her son is a piano player,” Ondrasik said. “She said, ‘Can we do something musically to keep the spotlight on the hostages,’ and I thought a new version of ‘Superman’ would be appropriate.”

To Ondrasik, supporting the hostages and victims of the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7 was a no-brainer.

“I’m not Jewish. You don’t have to be Jewish to condemn Hamas. You just have to be sane,” Ondrasik said. “We’ve seen such a horrible disgrace from the music industry. They stand for human rights and women’s rights, but their silence on October 7 has been disgraceful.”

Five for Fighting’s singer calls out Macklemore

Ondrasik said he’s been disappointed by the music industry’s response to the terrorism against Jews, with some artists, including Macklemore, for embracing antisemitism at a Palestine Will Live Forever Festival in Seattle last September.

“The first feeling is shame, it’s a shame that I’m a part of this industry,” Ondrasik said. “You see the younger acts like Macklemore and these bands that have been seduced by wokeism, and of course, that makes you angry.”

He argued that the artists who stood with him in New York after 9/11, should speak out again.

“They know better. They know that Hamas is evil, and they have remained silent. And that harkens back to 1938 when those with an influence remained silenced before the Holocaust,” Ondrasik said.

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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June gloom is on its way, Atmospheric Sciences Professor at the University of Washington (UW), Cliff Mass, told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH Monday.

June gloom to arrive Thursday

“The June gloom will be here,” he said. “We’ll get it on Thursday, particularly, temperatures will struggle to get above the mid to upper 60s, so the marine air is going to come in. You’ll have the low clouds, and temperatures are going to be cool, and they’re going to stay cool for several days. So, June gloom will be here. It’s delayed, but it is definitely coming.”

Colder weather will be seen throughout western Washington, but temperatures in eastern Washington will remain warm, Mass added.

When asked about drought conditions, Mass said the reservoirs in the west are doing well.

“Seattle, for instance, is exactly at normal, and Tacoma is in good shape, and that’s true of Everett as well,” he said. “So the reservoirs are actually in pretty good shape on the west side, so that there’s not going to be a water shortage. But it has been drier than normal this month and last month. There’s no doubt about that.”

Cliff Mass on dry period: ‘You can’t pin it on global warming’

Mass also noted that the recent dry period has happened before and is not record-breaking.

“You can’t pin it on global warming, but you can pin it on natural variability of the atmosphere,” he said.

However, Mass said the Earth is steadily heating up.

“The truth is I think pretty clear, the Earth is warming slowly, and that’s having an effect on temperatures—they are one to two degrees Fahrenheit warmer than they were. So that’s true,” he said. “We have a warm period. Well, yesterday was 88 in some places, maybe it would have been 87 or 86 if there wasn’t global warming. That’s what we’re talking about. The question about droughts and things like that is much more tenuous. And so there’s no reason to think our precipitation here in the spring season is being affected by global warming.”

Listen to the full conversation below.

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Ryan Williams owns Epic Finish Painting on Camano Island. He said Google delisted his company last year. If you searched for painting services in or around Camano Island, his business wouldn’t be listed. Williams said he received an email from Google that said his business was no longer eligible.

“I got an email from Google last August telling me that my business had been suspended, and they cited the reason initially as the business is not eligible for a business profile. And since that time, they’ve given me several other reasons,” Williams said. “It’s been really hard to determine exactly what the problem has been.”

A months-long struggle to get back on Google

Williams complained how difficult it is to go through an appeals process to have his business reinstated. He uploaded numerous business documents to Google to prove his painting services were legitimate and not some of the bad actors that the search giant is targeting. But despite the documentation, nothing happened for months.

“So you’re really going in circles. A little frustrating, but you know, it’s your business, you’re gonna fight for it, and you’re going to try to get through it,” Williams said.

KTTH host Jason Rantz noted that Google delisting any company effectively means the company doesn’t exist in the eyes of many consumers. Williams notes that a Google business listing “adds legitimacy to your business in the eyes of the consumer.”

After media coverage, Google appears ready to finally list his business again. But Williams is part of online forums where desperate business owners are in listing limbo and need help.

“There are so many other people out there that haven’t had the good fortune or haven’t been able to be loud enough about this subject to actually have their businesses reinstated and get back on the map,” Williams explained.

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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“As painful as it is to have to vote to increase the debt ceiling, I think it serves as a reminder, periodic reminder to the Congress that, hey, we have to do this. We have to cover checks that we’ve written. It should be a stark reminder that we have to be more fiscally responsible,” Newhouse explained on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump explained he would like to get rid of the process because it gives too many people power to create an “economic catastrophe.”

Why not scrap the debt ceiling?

The concern is that in a deeply divided Congress, a handful of members should hold a vote on the debt ceiling limit hostage, harming the economic security of the United States.

“I am very pleased to announce that, after all of these years, I agree with Senator Elizabeth Warren on SOMETHING. The Debt Limit should be entirely scrapped to prevent an Economic catastrophe. It is too devastating to be put in the hands of political people that may want to use it despite the horrendous effect it could have on our Country and, indirectly, even the World. As to Senator Warren’s second statement on the $4 trillion, I like that also, but it would have to be done over a period of time, as short as possible. Let’s get together, Republican and Democrat, and DO THIS!” Trump explained on Truth Social.

While he understands the concern, Newhouse believes a debt ceiling forces a more public conversation about unsustainable federal spending.

“I think removing that responsibility could have a negative impact on members of Congress. They’re at least realizing that they have some obligation to the taxpayer to be fiscally responsible [with the debt ceiling vote]. So I’m not convinced that it’s the right move to make,” Newhouse explained.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. -7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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Frank Gillen, property owner of a now-former Bartell Drugs in Seattle, explained on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that he’s frustrated with the ongoing property damage due to the neighborhood homeless population that, he said, keeps breaking into his building. He said he’s been dealing with vandalism since the drug store closed.

Business owners’ cause for concern

Gillen complained that doing business in Seattle has become an endless battle of reporting property damage, then dealing with the costly clean-up.

“[The homeless] are constantly graffitiing [the building], spray painting, ‘tagging it.’ We have been painting [the building] over and over again,” Gillen said. “It’s non-stop, and then all four sides of the building have been targeted over and over again.”

Gillen mentioned that the vandalism was not limited to the building’s exterior, and vital aspects of the property’s interior received substantial damage.

“I go inside the building, and I see the electrical panels all torn out, destroyed wires, literally like a tornado went through the place,” Gillen said. “They went underneath the building, cutting up all the copper wires, tearing out all the electrical conduits, tearing out the ceiling, pulling out the insulation…It’s just been a nightmare.”

Homeless vandalism makes renting property difficult

Gillen told Rantz that it took a couple of months to clean up recent vandalism on the property. But the homeless continued to do damage to the building, making it difficult to lease the property. 

“[The property] was all cleaned up and in fairly good shape. Then they show a prospective tenant, and I see the doors flung open. I walk through the building and see more damage and destruction, back in the same room again, tearing all the electrical panels apart,” Gillen said.

Gillen said that other business properties in the area, such as the neighboring QFC, have also been affected by homeless vandalism over the last five years.

“The QFC has graffiti on it. They’ve had a problem with shoplifting, and they’re afraid to say something. Well, I’m not,” Gillen said.

Gillen noted that the property has cost him more than $180,000 in damages to fix.

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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In a letter sent Monday to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Newhouse requested “an immediate investigation” into “coordination between career staff in the EPA Region 10 office in Seattle, Washington, and extreme environmental activist groups.” Newhouse said this collaboration resulted in Yakima’s Cow Palace dairy shuttering its operations, costing more than 120 local jobs and forcing the liquidation of its 7,500-head dairy herd.

“For the last fifteen years, and perhaps longer, career staff in several divisions—including the Air and Radiation Division, and Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division—had free rein to pursue their own activist agenda,” Newhouse wrote. He argued this “coordination was the closure of the Cow Palace dairy which had been in operation since 1972.”

Newhouse has email receipts of coordination

In one September 2023 email, attorney Charlie Tebbutt wrote to EPA staff and several activists, stating, “It is more than time to take action against all Large CAFOs [Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations], not only in the Lower Yakima Valley, but also across the nation.” Another email from April 2024 shows an activist pushing for “commitments from EPA so that state efforts do not drag on,” with appreciation for the EPA’s “promise that it’s not going anywhere.”

Newhouse highlighted a September 2024 Department of Justice meeting invite titled “U.S. v Cow Palace et al Coordination,” which included DOJ officials, EPA career staff, and activists.

“This coordination is appalling and should be investigated; if career staff did in fact coordinate with activists to target farmers, then those staff are not worthy of a taxpayer-funded salary,” Newhouse said.

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Dan Kinley is the owner of KINEX Commercial, a brokerage firm based out of Yakima that focuses on commercial real estate. Earlier this week, he took to LinkedIn to express his frustration with high taxes, stating that he is now shifting his focus to markets outside of the state.

Kinley told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that the passing of House Bill 1217, a measure designed to cap annual rent increases, is the primary motivation for his shift.

“I know some of it’s probably not all Washington’s fault, like our insurance increases,” Kinley said, “But we’ve got properties here in Yakima where I saw a 40% increase in my real estate taxes and a 30% increase in my insurance.”

Kinley said that even with these taxes, he still must find a way to cover costs as a landlord, and this will inevitably impact the consumer.

“No matter how you look at it, everything trickles down at the end of the day to just the everyday person in Washington state,” Kinley said. “If I get an increase in my real estate taxes, eventually, I have to raise my rents, and those tenants have to raise their prices, and so on and so forth.”

The politics of taxes

KTTH host Jason Rantz asked Kinley if he thinks the problem is rooted in political ideology.

“I think that people’s philosophies and ideologies are not in line with businesses in the state,” Kinley said. “It does tend to be, unfortunately, more Democrats that don’t think about the business person and even how those costs trickle down.”

Kinley does most of his business with his family in Yakima but is now working on some capital-raising projects in Kansas City. After the recent passing of his father, Kinley said his Yakima estate taxes “were enormous.” Now he is wondering if it is time to stop dealing with real estate in Washington altogether.

“I feel like it just continues to get worse,” Kinley said. “There’s so many other things…we deal with as landlords…it just continues to get harder and harder to deal with.”

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Shaun Darby, the guild president, told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH that the department feels unsupported.

“[Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello] spoke to the membership at a monthly guild meeting in the spring of last year, and he absolutely stood on a platform speaking about how he was going to support us, how he was going to get us better wages and benefits, how he was a champion and advocate for law enforcement,” Darby said. “Clearly, now that he has settled into his role as the executive, that is not the case.”

“My message to my membership wasn’t necessarily to gain attention in the media and in the county executive’s office, but it’s to just put my membership on notice,” Darby continued. “If you’re waiting for a competitive wage and benefit package that compares to your surrounding law enforcement agencies, because you want to start a family, buy a house, settle down here in Pierce County, it is just falling on deaf ears with the county executive’s office and the county council.”

Pierce County sergeant: County executive is putting extra strain on 911 calls

When asked if Darby or the members believe Mellow sold them out, Darby responded: “What the membership thinks is that he simply doesn’t care. He is putting millions and millions of dollars into affordable housing, into the homeless issue that we are all facing. A lot of that affordable housing is coming down here to unincorporated Pierce County. I’m in Spanaway right now. Who does he think are going to respond to the 911 calls for these hundreds of affordable housing homes that he’s putting in? That is going to strain our membership even more.”

“We don’t even have the ability to handle the 911 calls now. [Mello is] putting himself in a position where he’s going to create more calls for service and take our bodies away from us so we don’t have the ability to do our job. It’s just mind-boggling to me,” he continued.

Darby said earlier attempts at reform were met with silence.

Listen to the full conversation below.

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Senior Advisor to President Donald Trump for the White House Faith Office, Paula White, told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH on Wednesday that the president plans to take “swift action” in response to the troubling events.

The counterprotest at Cal Anderson Park was in response to a rally by Fire Ministries, a religious organization. The event was meant for people to stand “together for Biblical truth and values” and to fight back against the National Education Association’s attempts to indoctrinate children on LGBTQ+ issues, social justice, and other liberal efforts, according to event organizers.

After counter protesters stormed the event, the group decided to hold another rally at the steps of City Hall, after the mayor called them “far right” and effectively blamed them for the attack. However, the scene once again turned hostile, leading to eight arrests.

White House says it will protect Americans from discrimination

White said the White House Faith Office’s task force is working to prevent similar incidents.

“Part of the task force that is in our office and that works with DOJ and Attorney General Pam Bondi, and, of course, FBI and everyone else, is the task force against antisemitism and the task force against Christian bias and all other forms of religion,” she said. “And this was so important because our Faith Office came out with a very strong message yesterday, condemning the violent disruption of Seattle’s MayDay USA worship event, because we absolutely support the fundamental right to free speech, religious freedom for all Americans, that’s protected by federal law. It’s non-negotiable.”

White added that the Trump administration “will not tolerate any form of discrimination against people faith, people religion.”

She added that public officials must protect the rights of all citizens regardless of their beliefs.

“This is our number one bedrock,” she shared.

White said there are eight initiatives under the White House Faith Office, but their number one is religious liberty.

“When this happened, we were appalled at it, as so many people should be,” she said. “So we’ve urged the city of Seattle to uphold this and to back off on the areas that they were wronged and make those corrections.”

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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He released the following statement Wednesday:

A year ago, Mayor Bruce Harrell relieved me of my duties as Seattle’s Chief of Police. The city of Seattle holds a special place in my heart, and I have always believed in its potential and its people. Over the course of 28 years, I proudly maintained an impeccable record as a Seattle Police Officer and dedicated myself to serving the Seattle community with integrity.

While city leaders unfairly accused me of dishonesty and unprofessional conduct, there is critical evidence disproving those allegations that the city intentionally overlooked, minimized, and ignored. Additionally, I voluntarily took a polygraph test that confirmed the truthfulness of my statements during the investigation, and a handwriting expert has discredited the so-called key evidence the city purportedly relied upon in terminating my employment.

The Mayor and city leaders have unfortunately left me with no other choice than to seek justice through legal action.”

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Once the dust settled, after items were thrown at officers, fencing was knocked down, and lots of things were exclaimed, 23 people were arrested.

“How did you think the Saturday event went, prior to SPD having to be utilized?” KTTH host Jason Rantz asked Mike Solan, the president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG). “I mean, were you guys expecting that this would become something potentially dangerous?”

“Any time you put a peaceful group into what I call Antifa Land, Cal Anderson Park, you’re going to have some problems or potential problems,” Solan answered. “Granted, the people who got the permit to go there, they have every right to go into any park that they want and exercise their First Amendment rights. That’s a fact. The issue is, for our piece of this on the outside, the cops were attacked.

An additional eight people were arrested Tuesday, including multiple protesters for alleged assault, after a “First Amendment event” was held.

Russell Johnson, the lead pastor at Pursuit NW, announced his church would hold the protest at the steps of City Hall to demand the resignation of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell after he blamed the religious group’s event for the weekend altercation, according to Johnson. On the day of the rally, counterprotestors announced that they would also be at the steps of City Hall an hour earlier.

Fourth Avenue was shut down from Jefferson to Cherry Street, and James Street, a popular thoroughfare, was shut down from 3rd Avenue to 5th, as protesters gathered in the vicinity.

“The city, in my view, has not taken this as seriously as they should,” Solan continued. “Whether it was naiveté or deliberate, we hope that good media personalities can unpack why this decision was made to hold it in a real contentious area of the city.”

SPD’s staffing holds them back from stifling violent confrontations

Solan believes situations like this only escalate due to a depleting number of available officers to quell escalating tensions.

“Whether or not we have the staffing for this, we don’t,” Solan said on “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH. “That’s echoed in our statement we put out, we just cannot handle these types of events. That’s not me throwing the white flag up and surrendering. What we’re saying is this is directly tied to our contracts and the continued march of calls for more accountability to control the police and dismantle us in the manner that they’ve done successfully. Now we’re seeing the results of this disastrous march towards criminal reform. You’ve neutered the agency.”

The Seattle LGBTQ Commission released a statement blaming the Seattle Police Department (SPD) for escalating the violence instead of diffusing it.

“Cal Anderson Park is not just public land but a sacred space for 2SLGBTQIA+ Seattleites in a neighborhood historically shaped by queer resistance, celebration, and visibility,” Seattle LGBTQ Commission’s statement read.

Solan was not surprised that the commission took this stance.

“You know, if you dig into who that group is, there are 16 of them: Eight appointed by the city council, eight appointed by the executives, and it’s my understanding the remainder comprise the Office of Civil Rights,” Solan said. “I really don’t give them any type of weight in terms of having an opinion that I care about. As we predicted in our press release, we said we’re (going) to get blamed again, and this city will not learn. Even the people who are appointed to be so-called representatives of a certain group of people that are part of the community here in Seattle, they still don’t get it.”

Listen to the full conversation here.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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“As the elected sheriff of Pierce County, I am committed to addressing serious criminal activity to ensure the safety of our community and uphold the constitutional rights of all citizens,” Swank explained. “Recent state firearm regulations affecting licensed firearms dealers and introducing additional permit requirements for firearm purchases—beyond the state’s existing enhanced background checks—raise concerns regarding their alignment with constitutional rights. While respecting the legislative and judicial processes, it is essential to consider the constitutional implications of such laws that could affect enumerated rights.”

Swank explained that “many of these new laws are on uncertain legal footing and venture into uncharted territory, much like the state’s new ‘sanctuary’ policies.”

”To be clear: the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office will not engage in enforcing politically motivated mandates. Instead, we will continue to prioritize enforcement efforts on criminal activities that pose significant threats to public safety. The PCSO is dedicated to serving our community with integrity, ensuring that our actions reflect both the letter and spirit of our laws and Constitution,” Swank explained.

This “law” is unconstitutional. PCSO will not enforce it. Join me and fight for our rights. https://t.co/D2xnbmOtw3

— Sheriff Keith Swank (@Swank4America) May 25, 2025

Here’s how the gun permit law works in Washington

To get a permit under the new law, applicants must submit fingerprints, complete a detailed background check, and pass a state-certified firearms safety course that now includes live-fire training.

That means every applicant must physically go to a range, handle a gun, and demonstrate basic shooting proficiency. The concealed carry training specifically requires applicants to fire a minimum of 50 rounds as part of their instruction.

Democrats argue the law will help prevent gun violence and suicides, while Republicans and 2nd Amendment advocates called the law unconstitutional. Legal challenges are expected.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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According to a Talker Research survey, only 27% of young Americans know the real reason behind Memorial Day. They often confuse it with Veterans Day. Rantz said he’s not as upset with the mix-up as he originally thought he’d be, but warned not to say “Happy Memorial Day.”

“I think their intent is good, and I wonder how you explain (the correct way) to people?” Rantz asked. “Maybe say, ‘I get what you mean, but it’s not happy Memorial Day—and here’s why.'”

Jake suggested the correct way to approach it.

“It is a national holiday,” Jake said, “So I will always say, ‘I hope you enjoy your three-day weekend,’ and you’re not saying something like, ‘I hope you have an awesome Memorial Day.'”

What is Memorial Day to Jason Rantz?

According to the survey, only 27% of Gen Z could explain the purpose of Memorial Day. Millennials didn’t fare much better at 38%, while 56% of baby boomers were able to do so.

For Rantz, Memorial Day isn’t just about mattress sales, barbecues, or three-day weekends—it’s a solemn day of remembrance for the brave men and women who gave their lives defending this country. It’s about honoring sacrifice—not “celebrating” a day off.

But he notes that, if you don’t understand the true meaning of Memorial Day, it’s not because the meaning changed, but because our culture got lazy, distracted, and increasingly disconnected from patriotism.

Listen to the full conversation below. 

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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