Drones, Seahawks & More News

Nearly 4,000 people turned out for last Saturday’s Pawsitive Alliance’s 4th Annual Statewide Shelter Open House, an effort that helped find homes for 417 homeless cats and dogs in Washington. It was the largest turnout to date, with 32 animal shelters—including Auburn Valley Humane Society, Benton County Animal Control and Blue Mountain Humane Society—in attendance. “We are thrilled with how much this event has grown each year,” Yolanda Morris, board president and co-founder, said. “Seven shelters participated during the first Open House in 2011. But most important, 417 animals found their new people and homes, and 1,084 shelter animals were provided additional exposure and opportunity to be adopted.” Pawsitive Alliance’s mission is to help end the euthanasia of adoptable dogs and cats in Washington by increasing adoptions, supporting spay and neuter programs, and providing education and resources to improve pet retention.

Attention, drone enthusiasts. State officials in Olympia may ban the use of drones near the capitol or several other state properties, KIRO News reports. With nearly a million more drones expected to be in the air next year, officials in Olympia are worried that people on the grounds near the capitol could get hit. A state agency is expected to make an official ruling Thursday.

Wayne Apartments in Belltown received landmark status this week, meaning the century-old structure will not be demolished to make way for redevelopment, KING 5 News reports. Additionally, nearby businesses like Shorty’s, Rocco’s and Tula’s Restaurant are safe for now, although the designation is not a guarantee there won’t be redevelopment in the future. “If it is going to be replaced with a cookie cutter building and a nail shop here or a coffee shop there, I think that is the end of Belltown as we know it,” Avout Vanderwerf, owner of Shorty’s, told KING News.

In the “Duh” news of the day, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters at Wednesday’s press conference that the offensive line needs work and “we need to get better there,” according to the team’s website. Russell Wilson was sacked six times during Monday’s win over the Detroit Lions, bringing the season total to 18, tied for most in the league. “We had some issues and it wasn’t just any one guy,” Carroll told reporters. “It’s just ongoing and we’ll continue to work at it.” The Hawks head to Cincinnati for their Week 5 matchup with the Bengals.