Ashley Gross

Seattle wants to give free-standing public toilets another go

Ashley Gross — Tue, 21 May 2013 03:01:00 +0000

Five years after Seattle had to get rid of its free-standing public toilet structures, Mayor Mike McGinn wants to give it another go, this time with a new design.

Sea-Tac workers aim for pay raise with ballot initiative

Ashley Gross — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:01:00 +0000

Workers at Sea-Tac Airport are trying to get a big pay raise by way of a ballot initiative. If approved, the increase would put them 60 percent over the state’s minimum wage of $9.19 per hour.

Why I ditched my smartphone

Ashley Gross — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:01:00 +0000

By the end of this year, about one and a half billion people will have a smartphone. That’s one for every five people on the planet—and remember, that number includes babies.

But I'm one of the ones who longs for the good old days—you know, when phones were just used to call people. It's not that I'm a complete Luddite; I just have a hard time restraining myself with such a cool gadget and not letting it take over my life. That's why I decided to ditch my smartphone.

Seattle Symphony, Opera musicians approve contract

Ashley Gross — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:25:23 +0000

Labor disputes have shut down performances across the country, but Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera fans don’t have to worry about cancelations anytime soon. The musicians have agreed to a new contract.

Inslee begins effort to secure Boeing's next jet

The Associated Press and Ashley Gross — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:50:16 +0000

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wants to streamline government permitting and review aerospace incentives in order to help convince Boeing Co. to build its 777X jetliner in the state.

Inslee said Thursday that other strategies that lawmakers need to implement include improving the state's transportation corridors and investing in education and workforce training programs. He added those efforts can help preserve thousands of jobs.

"Today what we are doing is starting for the competition not just for the 777x but for the replacement of the 737. We’re getting ready for that today. We’re thinking long-term," the governor said.

Number of on-the-job deaths falls, Wash. ranks third lowest

Ashley Gross — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:26:25 +0000

Washington state seems to be a safer place for workers than most other places in the country. A new report says the state has the third lowest workplace fatality rate in the nation.

New Hampshire had the lowest workplace death rate, followed by Rhode Island, then Washington. The three states with the highest on-the-job death rates were North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.

In wake of May Day mayhem, businesses assess damage

Ashley Gross — Fri, 03 May 2013 00:05:48 +0000

Business owners are assessing the damage after some anti-capitalist protesters broke windows in Seattle last night. Only a handful sustained property damage, but many more businesses were affected financially.

Amazon makes Kindle app to make e-books accessible to the blind

Ashley Gross — Thu, 02 May 2013 17:07:09 +0000

Amazon has released an app that makes it easier for the blind to read Kindle electronic books on iPhones. Advocates for blind people say it’s a significant step for a company that’s lagged other technology companies in making accessible products.

No show of violence as thousands gather for May Day rally, march

Martha Kang, Ashley Gross, Bellamy Pailthorp, Gabriel Spitzer and Paula Wissel — Thu, 02 May 2013 02:00:50 +0000

A planned rally and march for workers and immigration reform progressed without interruptions by anarchists Wednesday, easing fears of another violent May Day.

Thousands of people gathered at Judkins Park, behind St. Mary's Church, for the Rally for Workers and Immigrant Rights at 1 p.m. Several unions were present, as were some representatives of the Occupy movement. Many people were displaying the flags of U.S. and Mexico, as well as signs urging comprehensive immigration reform.

King Co. Metro urges lawmakers to pass transpo funding package

Ashley Gross — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:37:29 +0000

Even if you don’t ride the bus, you may feel the brunt of possible service cuts by King County Metro as roads get more crowded with cars. That’s one of the messages leaders of King County Metro told the Seattle City Council.

They’re urging the state Legislature to pass a transportation revenue package in the special session that starts in several weeks.

Marijuana Gold Rush begins as investors hunt for opportunities

Ashley Gross — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:56:33 +0000

The first state-licensed marijuana stores are still almost a year away, but business-minded people are already chasing profits. Today, entrepreneurs are pitching their pot-related ideas to dozens of wealthy investors in Seattle.

San Francisco-based ArcView Investor Network arranged the private forum akin to the TV show “Shark Tank.” Entrepreneurs will have a few minutes to pitch their idea—which includes everything from better grow lights to handheld vaporizers, to mobile apps for marijuana retailers—and explain why their idea is a worthy investment.

Starbucks sales and profit climb, company adds 590 new stores

Ashley Gross — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:52:28 +0000

If you have a daily Starbucks fix, you’re not alone. The company took in $3.6 billion in revenue in the most recent quarter.

Starbucks added 590 stores around the world— including Ho Chi Minh City—in the first three months of this year. And they weren’t just coffee shops; more than 300 were tea shops that Starbucks acquired through its purchase of Teavana.

Amazon profit falls, but analyst says not to worry

Ashley Gross — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:47:48 +0000

Amazon’s first-quarter profit dropped 37 percent, but at least one analyst says that’s nothing to worry about; it's all part of Amazon's master plan to keep edging out competitors by investing deeply.

Boeing aims for mid-May restart of 787 deliveries

The Associated Press and Ashley Gross — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:15:28 +0000

Boeing says it will begin delivering 787s again in early May.

The 787 has been grounded since mid-January because of smoldering batteries. Federal authorities have approved Boeing's redesigned battery system.

After son's death, father criticizes lack of fishing industry oversight

Ashley Gross — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:04:30 +0000

The 66 Washingtonians who died on the job in 2012 were honored at a memorial on Tuesday. A memorial bell was rung 66 times, once for each victim who died of a job-related illness or injury.

But the father of a 22-year-old commercial fisherman who died says not enough has been done; he voiced frustration over what he called a lack of government oversight of the fishing industry.