'Seattle News Weekly': Wildfires across the state, Jimothy across the nation
Seattle News Weekly S1E48: Jimothy craze and wildfire haze
On this episode of the Seattle News Weekly podcast, FOX 13's Bill Wixey and Matthew Smith discuss the wildfire smoke choking up the air in Seattle this week, as well as a new report finding ICE agents are circumventing state law to look up driver records for immigration enforcement. Lastly, they touch on the viral ‘Jimothy’ craze taking over Seattle!
SEATTLE - Jimothy, the short-spined raccoon, has taken the internet by storm in both Seattle and nationwide. Meanwhile, Seattle is seeing the first of the wildfire smoke make its way over to the west side of the state.
On this week's episode of the Seattle News Weekly podcast, Bill Wixey and Matthew Smith discuss the top headlines of the week.
Wildfire smoke in WA
Wildfire smoke in our state is traveling over to Seattle. Bill outlines the wildfire situation across Washington, noting dangerous air quality in some areas and Red Flag Warnings driven by potential thunderstorms.
Matthew shares personal experience smelling smoke during his commute and advises residents to heed weather forecasts.
Bill reads local Air Quality Index (AQI) values:
- Tacoma: 65 (Moderate)
- Bellingham: 74 (Moderate)
- Yakima: 113 (Unhealthy)
- Chelan: 132 (Unhealthy for sensitive groups)
- Republic: 232 (Very Unhealthy)
Bill highlights that over 100,000 acres have already burned across the state as firefighters tackle ongoing blazes.
UW Study: Federal ICE/CBP access to WA driver data
Bill introduces new research from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights showing federal agencies accessing state driver data despite Washington’s laws (such as the Keep Washington Working Act) prohibiting cooperation for civil immigration enforcement.
Matthew and Bill analyze how federal agents utilize the INLETS national law enforcement network to pull Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) information, noting 58 confirmed immigration-related arrests tied to these searches despite standard state disclaimers.
They go in-depth about FOX 13 Seattle reporter Alejandra Guzman's story on the topic.
The hosts wrap up the segment by reflecting on how state data can fall through administrative loopholes and express interest in whether Washington will close these pathways.
'Jimothy' the viral short-spined raccoon in Ballard
Bill brings up "Jimothy," an oddly shaped, short-spined raccoon that went viral in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. Matthew notes the explosion of local hype, including merchandise, mugs, T-shirts, and tattoos.
The hosts play a field report from Lauren Donovan that looks into whether there is more than one short-spined raccoon in Ballard, as some residents reported sightings dating as far back as 2017 while others claimed the raccoon was only a year old.
In the report, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park keeper Wendy Mallow explains that wild raccoons typically live only 3 to 5 years, making a 2017-to-present lifespan unlikely and raising the possibility of multiple raccoons with similar spinal deformities.
Mallow praises how the viral attention turned a usually avoided pest into a beloved local community mascot.
The hosts conclude the podcast episode with a conversation about the viral videos that have blown up across the internet, including videos of other raccoons helping Jimothy navigate obstacles.
Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible or YouTube.
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The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.