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Trump administration asks appeals court to pause order halting White House ballroom construction

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is arguing that a judge’s order to halt construction of a $400 million ballroom creates a security risk for President Donald Trump as it asks a federal appeals court to pause the ruling.In a motion filed Friday, National Park Service lawyers say that the federal judge’s order to suspend construction of the new facility is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the President and his family, and the President’s staff.”“

Junior high school in Puyallup damaged by fire

A fire that broke out Saturday morning damaged a junior high school in Puyallup.The flames broke out at Ferrucci Junior High on Wildwood Park Drive, about a mile east of South Hill Mall.Fire crews say no one was inside the school at the time.<div id="attachment_4224837" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4224837" class="size-full wp-image-4224837" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2.jpg" alt="Fire engines respond to a smoky fire that damaged a junior high school in Puyallup Saturday. (Photo: Central Pierce Fire & Rescue)" width="900" height="506" srcset="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2.jpg 900w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2-700x394.jpg 700w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2-420x236.jpg 420w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire2-600x338.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a>Fire engines respond to a smoky fire that damaged a junior high school in Puyallup Saturday. (Photo: Central Pierce Fire & Rescue)</div>The fire triggered an alarm, which then caused a sprinkler system to deploy, as it is designed to do.Photos posted by Central Pierce Fire & Rescue shows firefighters checking for damage as they walk down a smoke-filled hallway.<div id="attachment_4224838" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4224838" class="size-full wp-image-4224838" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3.jpg" alt="Heavy smoke could be seen in an area near the school's electrical panel. (Photo: Central Pierce Fire & Rescue)" width="900" height="506" srcset="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3.jpg 900w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3-700x394.jpg 700w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3-420x236.jpg 420w, https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/puyallupschoolfire3-600x338.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a>Heavy smoke could be seen in an area near the school’s electrical panel. (Photo: Central Pierce Fire & Rescue)</div>Another image showed heavy smoke that appeared to be emanating from an electrical panel.One photo also shows water on the floor of an interior hallway, apparently from the sprinkler system.Fire crews say there was some smoke and water damage to the building.Fire Marshals with Central Pierce Fire & Rescue are investigating the cause of the fire.

US revokes green cards and visas of several Iranian nationals connected to Tehran government

Neither are still in the U.S.In early December, well before the surge of anti-government protests in Iran and the start of the war, the State Department revoked or declined to renew visas of several Iranian diplomats, including the deputy ambassador, and staffers at Iran’s mission to the United Nations.The department said Friday that action had been taken on Dec. 4 but declined to comment further “for privacy and security reasons” except to note that it was unrelated to either the protests or th

Judge halts Trump effort requiring colleges to show they aren’t considering race in admissions

<block>BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday halted efforts by the Trump administration to collect data that proves higher education institutions aren’t considering race in admissions. The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston granting the preliminary injunction follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general. It will only apply to public universities in plaintiffs The federal judge said the federal government likely has the authority to collect the data, but the demand was rolled out to universities in a “rushed and chaotic” manner. “The 120-day deadline imposed by the President led directly to the failure of NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) to engage meaningfully with the institutions during the notice-and-comment process to address the multitude of problems presented by the new requirements,” Saylor wrote. President Donald Trump ordered the data collection in August after he raised concerns that colleges and universities were using personal statements and other proxies to consider race, which he views as illegal discrimination. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in admissions but said colleges could still consider how race has shaped students’ lives if applicants share that information in their admissions essays.The states argue the data collection risks invading student privacy and leading to baseless investigations of colleges and universities. They also argued that universities have not been given enough time to collect the data.“The data has been sought in such a hasty and irresponsible way that it will create problems for universities,” a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Michelle Pascucci, told the court, adding that the effort seem was aimed at uncovering unlawful practices.The Education Department has defended the effort, arguing taxpayers deserve transparency on how money is spent at institutions that receive federal funding. The administration’s policy echoes settlement agreements the government negotiated with Brown University and Columbia University, restoring their federal research money. The universities agreed to give the government data on the race, grade-point average and standardized test scores of applicants, admitted students and enrolled students. The schools also agreed to be audited by the government and to release admissions statistics to the public.The National Center for Education Statistics is to collect the new data, including the race and sex of colleges’ applicants, admitted students and enrolled students. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has said the data, which was originally due by March 18, must be disaggregated by race and sex and retroactively reported for the past seven years.If colleges fail to submit timely, complete and accurate data, the administration has said McMahon can take action under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which outlines requirements for colleges receiving federal financial aid for students.The Trump administration separately has sued Harvard University over similar data, saying it refused to provide admissions records the Justice Department demanded to ensure the school stopped using affirmative action. Harvard has said the university has been responding to the government’s requests and is in compliance with the high court ruling against affirmative action. On Monday, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights directed Harvard to comply with the data requests within 20 days for face referral to the U.S. Justice Department. </block>

‘$325 for what?’: Jake, Spike question Bumbershoot’s value with unfamiliar artists

Bumbershoot, one of Seattle’s longest-running festivals, just announced its 2026 lineup — and the release has been met with strong criticism due to the unfamiliarity of some of the artists.Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill, co-hosts of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, questioned the high admission price for a festival that includes acts they can’t even name, and reminisced about years prior when global icons headlined the event.“I noticed the cost for gene

‘It’s expensive as heck here’: Gee blames cost of living for 35K people leaving WA yearly

We can’t even afford to park downtown Seattle.”RELATED STORIES'I'm glad you see it now': Gee responds after Jonathan Choe admits Vegas arrest changed his view on policing'Frustrating and angering': King County Councilmember Dembowski says 'serious missteps' led to DCHS fraud investigation'We treat them like the enemy': Angela Poe Russell says Seattle is failing its businessesIncreased tech layoffs spur cross-state moveGee noted that the ever-growing number of tech workers who have be

‘It’s really bad news’: DCYF asks for more money after $2M in overpayments found

A recent audit of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families revealed $2 million in overpayments from the $10 million that was audited.Senator John Braun joined “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio to reiterate that the overpayments could extend further, possibly even to hundreds of millions of dollars, due to 20% being overpaid in the small sample size being audited.“What the auditor found, and frankly, good for them, but it’s really bad news. They found that on

‘A game-changer for our community’: New 10-court pickleball club brings the heat to Fremont

A massive indoor pickleball club just opened in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, and it’s free to play all day Saturday.The Picklr, a North American pickleball club franchise, has officially expanded to Seattle, opening The Picklr Fremont at the former Theo Chocolate at 124 North 35th Street.The 27,000-square-foot indoor facility features 10 courts, including one championship-sized, fully fenced, indoor court, outdoor-style court surfacing, a full pro shop, and private event space, ac

In rural Virginia, excitement and dread grows over Democrats’ redistricting referendum

Helmer is now one of at least four Democrats running in the 7th District.Helmer said Republicans “think that in red areas like Louisa and in rural areas, that people don’t know what’s going on. But I’m looking around right now, I see strong, proud patriots who know exactly what is going on, who know that we have an aspiring dictator who is trying to take away our democracy.”Jennifer Lee, who has lived in Louisa for 33 years, said she was eager to support the new district lines. Lee said she felt

Can Kennedy lineage and hype over ‘Love Story’ help send JFK’s grandson to Congress?

Conway, a lawyer who helped create the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, said he does think Schlossberg has a big advantage because of his family name and excitement around “Love Story.” But he believes voters will ultimately opt for someone who has more experience.“There’s something very appealing about a young, fresh face and I think he’s very smart to play that up,” Conway said. “But I also think there’s something to be said for an older, experienced fresh face and that’s wh

Orting City Council meeting video shows nude woman in blurred background

A nude woman could be seen on a live video feed of the Orting City Council’s study session on Wednesday. However, no one at the meeting was aware of this “brief embarrassing moment” until Friday afternoon, the city said.<div>Orting Deputy Mayor Jeff Sproul attended the meeting virtually. His background was blurred, but at one point, what appears to be a woman’s bare back can be seen in the frame. A short time later, the unclothed person appears again.“The councilmember had blurred their computer background, but it was insufficient,” the city said in a statement on its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Hi8EfS9af/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> page Friday. “None of the staff or members of the community attending the meeting caught this moment.”<a href="https://piercecountytv.org/1284/Orting-Meeting-Player?clientID=1872740071&eventID=2026031024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Video of the meeting</a>, including the portion approximately 11 minutes in where the nude person is on camera, was posted on the city’s website as of Friday evening. However, it appears that the portion where they can be seen for the second time has been further blurred.</div><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcityoforting%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0RX7a9kyaKFXL4uUqJrESjdtKowQ75bA1fjZuxuTjzpuvgCniNfz9b4fDx3eNJT32l&show_text=false&width=500" width="500" height="498" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>“We take this event seriously and will be taking measures to investigate it, as well as create additional guardrails around virtual attendance at our meetings,” the city’s statement read.KIRO Newsradio has reached out to Orting city officials, including Sproul, for further comment.<a class="twitter-follow-button" href="https://twitter.com/gotfederer" data-show-count="false" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow @gotfederer</a><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Nearly a century of wondering: The American UFO saga, in reality and in fiction

More than 12,600 reported sightings were investigated between 1948 and 1969.1950: Hollywood jumps inRelease of the spy film “The Flying Saucer.”1952: Unexplained objects above WashingtonRadar operators, pilots and others pick up or see up to a dozen unexplained objects in the sky above Washington, D.C. in July.1955: Area 51 construction startsConstruction begins for what would become the Area 51 site northwest of Las Vegas as an Air Force facility. Area 51 becomes a hotspot for UFO conspiracy th

Hollywood’s narrative on UFOs and ETs reaches back many decades

Before zombies shambled about, ghoulishly feasting on the flesh of those too slow to flee, aliens from outer space ruled movie theaters, drive-ins and late Saturday night creature features on television.Even as Hollywood still drives how Americans envision little green men with big eyes and bigger heads, fiction soon could be separated from — or revealed as — fact if government agencies release secret files related to extraterrestrials and UFOs as called for in February by President Donald Trump

As Trump orders UFO data released, a question hangs: If aliens exist, what would they think of us?

UFOs, the term for unidentified flying objects, has in recent years given way to UAP — unidentified aerial phenomena or unidentified anomalous phenomena.“Absolutely, there are such things” as UAPs and UFOs, says Diamond, whose SETI — Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence — seeks to explore, search and understand the nature of life and intelligence in the universe.“People observe things in the sky that they can’t immediately identify or recognize as either human engineering such as planes or d

Moms for Liberty wanted a seat on the school board. Trump gave them a voice in the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Donald Trump signed an executive order against transgender athletes last year, he took a moment to thank Tina Descovich, co-founder and CEO of Moms for Liberty.Descovich was back at the White House a few months later, seated alongside CEOs of Google and IBM to weigh in on artificial intelligence and education policy.Last month, when first lady Melania Trump hosted a global technology summit in Washington, Descovich was there, too.Her presence at the White House u

US military aircraft hit in Iran war are first shot down by enemy fire in over 20 years

<block>WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran shooting down two American military aircraft marks an exceedingly rare assault for the U.S. that has not happened in more than 20 years and shows the Islamic Republic’s continued ability to hit back despite President Donald Trump asserting it has been “completely decimated.”The attacks came five weeks after U.S. and Israeli strikes first pounded Iran, with Trump saying earlier this week that Tehran’s “ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed.”Iran shot down a U.S. F15-E Strike Eagle fighter jet Friday, with one service member getting rescued and the search still underway for a second, U.S. officials say. Iranian state media also said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed after being hit by Iranian defense forces.The last time a U.S. fighter jet was shot down in combat was an A-10 Thunderbolt II during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, a former F-16 fighter pilot.But, he said, that’s because the U.S. had largely been fighting insurgents who didn’t have the same anti-aircraft capabilities. The fact that there have not been more fighter jets lost in Iran, Cantwell said, is a testament to the capabilities of U.S. forces.“The fact that this hasn’t happened until now is an absolute miracle,” said Cantwell, who served four combat tours and is now a senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “We’re flying combat missions here, they are being shot at every day.” <hl2>Shoulder-fired missile likely used, experts say </hl2>U.S. Central Command said in a statement Wednesday that American forces have flown more than 13,000 missions in the Iran war while striking more than 12,300 targets.After more than a month of punishing U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, a degraded Iranian military nonetheless remains a stubborn foe. Its steady stream of strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab neighbors have been causing regional upheaval and global economic shock.When it comes to American dominance over Iran’s airspace, there’s still a distinction between air superiority and air supremacy, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran program senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank. “A disabled air defense system is not a destroyed air defense system,” he said. “We shouldn’t be shocked that they’re still fighting.”American planes have been flying missions at lower altitudes, which makes them more vulnerable to Iran’s missiles, Taleblu said. It’s possible that Iran fired at the F-15 with a surface-to-air missile, but it’s more likely that a portable, shoulder-fired missile was used, he said. Those are much harder to detect and reflect how Iran is “weak but still lethal.” “This is a regime that is fighting for its life,” he said.Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and a senior defense adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, agreed that a shoulder-fired missile was likely used against the fighter jet. Nonetheless, the American air war against Iran has been a “tremendous success” so far, he said. To put things in perspective, he said the loss rate for American warplanes flying over Germany during World War II was 3% at one point, which would equal about 350 warplanes in the U.S. war against Iran. “But then there’s the political side — you have a American public that is accustomed to fighting bloodless wars,” Cancian said. “Then a large part of the country doesn’t support the war. So to them, any loss is unacceptable.” <hl2>Pilots are trained on what to do if their plane is hit</hl2>The last U.S. jet shot down in combat was struck by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile over Baghdad on April 8, 2003. The pilot safely ejected and was rescued, according to the Air Force.In high-threat environments like missions over Iran, Cantwell, the retired general, said an aviator’s blood pressure goes up and they become highly alert to incoming missiles. Those are typically either infrared- or radar-guided missiles, he said, requiring different evasive tactics.If they are hit and need to eject from their aircraft, they are trained on what to do next, he said.Pilots learn to check for wounds after a violent ejection and the shock of a missile explosion and, most crucially, how they are going to communicate their location so rescuers can find them. At the same time, he said, the enemy is likely working to intercept the communications or even spoof the location.<hl2>Helicopters are more at risk than other aircraft</hl2>The planes that went down Friday were not the first crewed American aircraft to be lost overall in Iran.A military helicopter and airplane exploded in 1980 during an aborted mission to rescue several dozen American hostages at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, according to the Air Force Historical Support Division.After a series of setbacks, including severe dust storms and mechanical failures, the mission was called off. As the aircraft took off, the rotor blades of one of the RH-53 helicopters collided with an EC-130 aircraft full of fuel and both exploded, killing eight.More U.S. helicopters have been shot down in recent decades, including a MH-47 Army Chinook helicopter that was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan in 2005, killing 16. Helicopters are more dangerous because “the lower and the slower, the more susceptible you are,” Cantwell said.That’s why those who went out on this week’s rescue missions, likely in helicopters, he said, did “such a brave and honorable act.”___Bedayn reported from Denver.</block>

KIRO Newsradio’s Charlie Harger and Patrick Janicek nominated for Northwest Emmy

The 2026 Northwest Regional Emmy Awards are coming up next month, and two of KIRO Newsradio’s best have been nominated in the Investigative Reporting category.“Seattle’s Morning News” host Charlie Harger and video producer Patrick Janicek have been recognized for their extraordinary multimedia work surrounding Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus.The investigation began when a tip from the community led Harger to ask a question that few could believe. Did Backus really support a pas

China aims to show global leadership with Iran war diplomacy. US appears uninterested

“Because China’s growth model is so export-heavy, prolonged energy shocks and shipping disruption will mean costlier inputs and weaker global demand that damage its vulnerable economy.”Besides not wanting to see a long war, China “welcomes the opportunity to suggest that it is helping mitigate a crisis of America’s making, especially as the Trump administration’s lack of a considered strategy for containing the fallout becomes more apparent,” said Ali Wyne, a senior research and advocacy adviser

Tribal gas stations see surge in business as fuel prices hover significantly below WA state average

Tribal gas stations in Washington are experiencing a significant surge in business as drivers seek lower prices amid rising fuel costs.A spokesperson with the Tulalip Tribe told KIRO 7 that demand for gas at its stations has been brisk over the past few weeks.The lower prices at these locations are the result of state fuel tax refunds and sometimes federal excise tax exemptions provided to tribes. These financial incentives allow tribal stations to offer fuel at rates significantly lower than th

Former death row inmate asks Utah judge to dismiss murder case slated for retrial

PROVO, Utah (AP) — A man who spent decades on death row in Utah asked a judge Friday to throw out his aggravated murder case after the state Supreme Court last year ordered a new trial due to misconduct by investigators.Douglas Stewart Carter, 70, was sentenced to death in 1985 after a jury found him guilty of murdering Eva Olesen, the aunt of a former Provo police chief. No physical evidence linked him to the crime scene, but the jury convicted Carter, a Black man, based on a signed confession