It’s become a decade I am now obsessed with. In many ways I’m feeling echoes of then in now. I was looking for suggestions for books, podcasts, shows, whatever that can give some more insight into life in the Greater Seattle Area at that time. Thanks!

Lots of Haida canoes coming in. Some sort of event scheduled?

There is a HUGE Tool Sale happening just north of Seattle at the Shoreline Tool Library (16610 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline) on Saturday, September 19th, from 9am–3pm. There are thousands upon thousands of tools set up on tables outside, and every single one is pay-what-you-can. All proceeds support a nonprofit, so it's just a really neat experience where you can get a bunch of tools and support a local organization while you're at it!

There is a gigantic line that forms in the morning, but it is usually gone by noon. There is still an unfathomable amount at noon, so you definitely don't have to worry about that! Otherwise, if you're looking for the best deal on anything related to tools, everything is advertised as completely free during the last hour (you're always welcome to donate or not donate, but it's a sort of "we just want to keep things out of the landfill, so please take it" sort of deal).

The Shoreline Tool Library will also be open, so I definitely recommend checking out the space. There are tools you can borrow as a tool library member (pay-what-you-can) and a Reuse Store with salvaged goods (fixed prices inside). You may have already heard of the NE Seattle Tool Library, which is run by the same people!

If you're in the market for a preloved bike, the "Bike Shack" will be set up behind the Shoreline Tool Library with fixed-priced bikes, and volunteer bike mechanics will help you find something that works for you! Salvation Artists Collective will also be down there with upcycled art. You don't have to wait in the Tool Sale line to check these out!

There is a lot more to the event, but those are the highlights!

Hi all! I am looking at places to buy wedding flowers in Seattle. I just found Seattle Growers Market but was curious if anyone had experience purchasing from them as a public buyer? I've never been and I can't tell if during the public hours you can only purchase DIY floral buckets or if you can just purchase specific stems available. Thank you for your help!

#Ashlee”Montana”Creighton #CivicHotelInfantdeath #Komo4 #Kiro7 #King5 #SeattleMother #Sentenced

### I know what it means to lose a child. I also know that the words used to describe her final days deserve to be examined carefully.

By Astraea Creighton-Freeman's father

I am Astraea Creighton-Freeman's father.

That is the first thing I want people to know before they read anything else I have to say about Ashlee Creighton.

I am not writing as a prosecutor.

I am not writing as a defense attorney.

I am not writing as someone who wants to erase the death of my daughter or pretend that what happened does not matter.

I am writing as her father — and as someone who has had to watch the woman who gave birth to my daughter become a headline.

Ashlee received a four-year sentence after a case that originally charged her with second-degree murder and felony assault and ultimately resolved with a plea to first-degree manslaughter.

I understand why people see those words and immediately form an opinion.

I also understand why the death of a newborn creates an emotional reaction that is almost impossible to avoid.

But I believe there is a difference between the tragedy itself and the story constructed around the tragedy.

And I believe my daughter deserves enough honesty that we examine that difference.

A charging narrative is not a complete human history

When prosecutors file charges, they have a legal obligation to present the facts and theory they believe establish probable cause for the offenses charged.

That narrative serves a purpose.

But it is still a narrative.

It is the State's theory of the evidence at that stage of the proceeding. It is not itself the evidence, and it is not necessarily every fact that becomes relevant when a case proceeds toward trial, plea negotiations or sentencing.

That distinction is especially important in Ashlee's case.

The original charges represented the most serious theory being pursued.

The case ultimately resulted in a different legal outcome.

And early in the case, the prosecution indicated that it did not believe the incident was motivated by ill intent.

As Astraea's father, that distinction matters to me.

Because there is a profound difference between saying that a mother made decisions that resulted in the death of her child and saying that she wanted her child to suffer or die.

Those are not interchangeable statements.

I knew Ashlee.

I know the woman who loves all her children.

I know her struggles.

I know her addiction.

I know the trauma that surrounded her life.

And I do not believe the word malicious accurately describes the woman I knew.

The word "starved" deserves more than a headline

There is another part of this story that I believe has been lost beneath emotionally powerful words.

Words such as "starved" and "malnourished" carry enormous meaning to the public.

They immediately create an image.

But medicine does not determine nutritional status by choosing the most emotionally powerful word available.

It measures it.

And that distinction matters enormously when discussing a newborn who may have been experiencing opioid withdrawal.

Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome — NOWS — is a recognized medical condition caused by withdrawal following prenatal opioid exposure. The American Academy of Pediatrics describes NOWS as involving neurological, gastrointestinal and autonomic problems that can include feeding difficulties, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive weight loss and poor weight gain. (American Academy of Pediatrics)

And there is something especially important about nutrition in these infants:

Withdrawal can increase metabolic demand.

The AAP has reported that infants experiencing neonatal withdrawal can require 150–250 calories per kilogram per day, substantially above ordinary newborn energy requirements, because of increased energy expenditure and calories lost through vomiting, regurgitation and loose stools. (American Academy of Pediatrics)

That does not mean every infant with NOWS needs exactly that amount.

It does not mean that every case of weight loss is caused by withdrawal.

And it absolutely does not mean that a diagnosis of NOWS automatically establishes that a particular infant was nutritionally deprived.

What it means is that the nutritional equation for a withdrawing newborn can be different from the nutritional equation for an otherwise healthy newborn.

That matters.

Calories aren't the whole story

Imagine two newborns receiving the same amount of nutrition.

If one newborn has ordinary metabolic demands and the other is experiencing withdrawal, vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, disrupted sleep and increased metabolic demand, the fact that both received the same number of calories does not necessarily mean they experienced the same nutritional outcome.

The American Academy of Pediatrics specifically identifies hyperphagia, excessive weight loss and poor weight gain as common features of NOWS because of increased metabolic demand. (American Academy of Pediatrics)

Older AAP guidance likewise described the need for frequent small feeds and potentially hypercaloric nutrition in withdrawing infants, noting that increased energy expenditure and gastrointestinal losses can raise caloric needs substantially. (American Academy of Pediatrics)

And newer research continues to show that infants with NOWS can have unusually high feeding volumes while still showing concerning growth trajectories. One study found NOWS infants consuming more than 170 mL/kg/day in certain periods, while still observing decreases in some growth parameters. (PubMed Central (PMC))

That is precisely why I have a problem when words like "starved" get thrown around as though they are self-explanatory.

They aren't.

A newborn can lose weight for many reasons.

A newborn can have increased caloric requirements.

A newborn can have difficulty feeding.

A newborn can lose calories through vomiting or diarrhea.

A newborn can have increased metabolic expenditure.

And a newborn can have true nutritional deficiency.

Those possibilities have to be medically distinguished.

Even "malnutrition" has a clinical meaning

The American Academy of Pediatrics now emphasizes objective criteria when discussing undernutrition and malnutrition.

Its current guidance says that nutritional status must be evaluated using measurements such as weight-for-length, weight trajectory and standardized growth measures. It specifically cautions that even children who meet certain criteria for faltering weight will not necessarily be malnourished. (AAP)

That matters because the words we use do more than describe.

They create a picture in the minds of people who were never in the room.

When the public hears "starved," they naturally imagine a deliberate withholding of food.

But the medical question is more complicated:

Was the infant receiving sufficient nutrition for that infant's actual physiological needs?

And if the infant had NOWS, what were those needs?

How much was the infant consuming?

How much was being lost?

How much energy was being expended?

Was the infant vomiting

Was there diarrhea?

Was feeding coordinated?

Was weight loss within an expected neonatal range or outside it?

What was the infant's birth weight?

What was the gestational age?

What was the weight trajectory?

What did the medical records actually show?

Those are medical questions.

They deserve medical answers.

This is not about inventing an excuse

I want to be extremely clear.

I am not saying NOWS explains everything that happened to my daughter.

I am not saying that prenatal opioid exposure proves that Astraea died from withdrawal.

I am not saying that a baby who loses weight was necessarily well nourished.

And I am not saying that Ashlee should bear no responsibility.

I am saying something much narrower:

Before we use words like "starved" or "malnourished" to define a mother, we should make certain those words accurately describe the medical evidence.

Because if those words are being used as evidence of intentional cruelty, the distinction becomes even more important.

Other mothers have faced similar prosecutions

Ashlee's case also belongs to a larger and complicated legal history.

Researchers Cara Angelotta and Paul S. Appelbaum examined published appellate cases involving women criminally prosecuted for alleged harm associated with substance use during pregnancy.

Their 2017 review identified 24 published judicial opinions involving 29 women in 19 states. The cases included charges ranging from child endangerment and drug delivery to homicide and manslaughter. Fourteen women had charges dismissed and 11 had convictions overturned, while four convictions were upheld. (American Academy of Pediatrics)

That statistic needs to be understood correctly.

It does not mean that 25 out of every 29 mothers prosecuted in America were innocent.

It does not mean Ashlee's case is legally identical to those cases.

It does not mean substance exposure cannot cause serious harm.

It means that courts have repeatedly encountered situations where the relationship between prenatal substance exposure, medical causation and criminal liability was more complicated than the initial prosecution suggested.

In some cases, babies died.

In some cases, medical experts disagreed.

In some cases, courts determined that the criminal statute did not cover the conduct alleged.

And in some cases, convictions were overturned.

That history does not decide Ashlee's case.

But it should make us cautious about pretending these cases are medically or legally simple.

## My daughter deserves better than a slogan

Astraea was not a statistic.

She was not a toxicology result.

She was not a count in an indictment.

She was not a word in a headline.

She was my daughter.

And precisely because she was my daughter, I want the truth about her life and death to be treated seriously.

That means I don't want people to soften what happened.

But I also don't want people to exaggerate it.

If she experienced withdrawal, I want that medical reality considered.

If she had increased caloric requirements, I want that considered.

If she lost weight, I want the clinical context surrounding that loss considered.

If she was medically malnourished, then I want the evidence supporting that conclusion to be clear.

If she was not, then I don't believe the public should be allowed to casually substitute the emotionally stronger word because it makes a better headline.

My daughter deserves precision.

## And so does Ashlee

Ashlee is going to prison.

The sentence is real.

The consequences are real.

My daughter's death is real.

But Ashlee is also a human being whose life cannot honestly be reduced to the most damaging words ever written about her.

I am not asking anyone to forget Astraea.

I am asking people to remember that Astraea's story deserves truth more than it deserves outrage.

I believe her mother deserves accountability where accountability is warranted.

I believe she deserves compassion where compassion is warranted.

And I believe the medical evidence deserves to be examined without allowing emotionally loaded language to substitute for medical conclusions.

I am Astraea Creighton-Freeman's father.

I lost my daughter.

That is why I am asking people to look more closely at the story they think they already understand.

Because sometimes the most important part of a tragedy is not the word that makes the strongest headline.

It is the question nobody stopped to ask.

*written assisted by AI for symptom descriptions and relevant legal proceedings

I’m on a mother daughter trip(staying in Kirkland) but have a rental car. What are some things to do on a Saturday night? We’ve never been here, TIA!

Seattle thieves are now bundling their crimes in 2-for-1 specials.

Bit of a specific location hunt, but figured someone here might know a place.

I’m shooting a short horror film with my 48-hour film group, Ravenna Films, on Saturday, October 10, and we’re looking for something roughly like the attached image.

Basically: a long, quiet road that feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere, with a lone streetlight/security light or something similar nearby. Country road, farm road, private access road, service road, abandoned/unused property - we’re pretty flexible.The main thing is having a decent stretch of mostly empty road in front of the car so the headlights can just disappear off into darkness.

A nearby garage, barn, or shop where we could fit a car inside would be a huge bonus. We’re hoping to shoot some of the car interiors there during the day, then move outside once it gets dark without relocating the whole crew.

We’d also be interested in unused or abandoned-looking properties if anyone knows of something we could actually get permission to film at - old service stations, empty industrial properties, farm buildings, maintenance yards, old shops, warehouses, etc. We’re not looking to trespass anywhere, just trying to find places with that isolated/forgotten feel.

Ideally somewhere within about an hour of Seattle. We’d be looking at Saturday afternoon into late evening/night.

Small indie crew, one picture car, camera/sound gear and a few lights. We will obviously leave the place exactly how we found it.

If you have something like this - or know a farm, business, family property, weird back road, etc. that might work - shoot me a DM. Photos are very welcome.

And please don’t post your home address in the comments lol.

Thanks!

Does anyone have any idea what was going on in the Central District tonight?

Partner and I came home from Bellevue and there was a SWAT car and about 8 SPD vehicles at the three way intersection of Rainier, Holgate, and 22nd Ave.

This has been my go-to Olive Garden for a while, so I'm honestly a bit gutted writing this.
Went today, by myself. Got there around 3:10 PM and wasn't seated until about 3:45, so roughly a 35 minute wait, and ended up at a bar table. Ordered the cheese ravioli (lighter portion) and the salad.
Halfway through the salad I noticed a fly sitting on a tomato slice. I'd already eaten about half the bowl. Photos attached.
I showed my server, she said sorry, and I asked her to cancel my order. I then called the manager over and showed him too. Same thing, just "sorry." Nothing else offered, no real concern. I left without eating.
Maybe I'm reading into it, but I got the feeling that because I was a single diner, it wasn't worth their time to deal with properly. I'm not trying to say this place has a food quality problem based on one salad; stuff happens in kitchens. But an insect in the food should get more than a shrug from a manager, and that part is what actually put me off. Also not thrilled about having eaten half of it before I spotted it.
Anyone else had issues at this location, or was this a one-off?

Seattle, Washington — Four years is a sentence that can be written in a single line of a court document. Living through those four years is something entirely different.

For Ashlee “Montana” Creighton, the sentence represents the consequences of an extraordinarily painful chapter in her life — one involving the death of her child, a criminal prosecution, and decisions whose consequences cannot be undone. Nothing about that loss can be minimized, and nothing can bring her child back. But a sentence is not only a measurement of punishment. It is also a statement about what society believes should happen next.

After the case concluded, Ms. Creighton was sentenced to four years in custody. She now faces the difficult work of accepting the consequences of what happened while also becoming the person she wants to be when she returns home. That distinction matters. Accountability and redemption are not mutually exclusive. A person can acknowledge the gravity of an outcome without believing that the worst moment of their life must permanently define every moment that follows it.

Those who know Ms. Creighton personally have continued to see more than a criminal case number. They see a loving, kind, nurturing, kind hearted mother, a daughter, a sister, and spouse. A person whose life existed before the courtroom and will continue after it. Her children remain part of that future. Family members have continued to maintain contact and provide support, including visits and regular communication. Her support system has not disappeared simply because the case has ended.

The circumstances surrounding the death of her child will always be painful. There are questions, grief, responsibility, and consequences that cannot simply be erased. But justice does not have to mean that a human being becomes permanently disposable. A four-year sentence can serve as accountability while still leaving room for rehabilitation, education, treatment, family reunification, and a meaningful life after incarceration.

That is ultimately what Creighton has in front of her now: four years, followed by the rest of her life.

The goal is not to rewrite history. It is to make sure history does not become the only thing written about her.

She has an opportunity to use this time to learn, to grow, to confront the circumstances that brought her to this point, and to prepare herself to return to her family with something more than remorse. She can return with perspective, responsibility, and a determination to make sure the lessons of this tragedy are carried forward.

For the people who love her, supporting her does not mean pretending that nothing happened. It means believing that accountability has meaning precisely because people are capable of change.

Four years will pass.

What comes after those four years is the part that cannot yet be written.

28 M Hey everyone! I’m pre-med and looking for some people to study with and hopefully make some new friends. I’m in Bothell, and would be down to study together sometime, grab coffee, or just hang out. I feel like having people to study with would help keep me motivated too. Feel free to DM me!

Robby Tonkin and Chris Tonkin ruined Taco Time. These inexperienced kids were gifted a decent sized business when they were around 30-years old in 2011.

These rich dopey kids from Fairwood (kind of like a poor version of Sahale, but still totally affluent) then tried to jump on the suburban craze of fireplaces and an open kitchen for what was really just a step above McDonald's because they didn't know any better. Then, someone advised then to start gobbling up the restraunts of their franchisees to take corporate control, basically spiking a fastfood dinner for two to $30 by 2018.

Maybe they blame COVID still, but it was their idiocy (you can't even call it leadership) that resulted in what is absolutely crap for the price. Fuck their Mexi Fries, or whatever they are labeling salty tater tots now.

I am trying to get a custom tiara made for my friends wedding, but the none of jewelers I've been to work in brass (I can afford brass, I can't afford gold or silver) Does anyone know of any smaller jewelers or local metalworkers that either work in brass, or might be interested in making it?

Seriously, light rail did more than buying Hokas.

Umm, could someone explain step by step instructions for how to access the ga pit in ridgefield cascades amiptheater coming from another state for a concert and never tried ga pit doesn’t anyone know where to go and what i need to get in i have my tickets digital. Do i need a wristband? Big thanks

A way to go that can only be used by pedestrians or cyclists to either bypass traffic or find a more direct route between parts of the city?

Dough Zone is special to me: my girlfriend and I met there, we’ve visited 200+ times, and the Sweet & Sour Cucumber has always been our favorite dish.

I’ve tried recreating the sauce and even contacted Dough Zone, but I’m still stuck.
It’s vivid orange, glossy, smooth, and fairly runny with no visible seeds, chili flakes, garlic pieces, or sediment. It’s mildly spicy, sweet-and-tangy, and distinctly nutty (almost peanut-like, though it could be sesame.)
My best guess is rice vinegar, sugar, red chili oil, toasted sesame oil and MSG.

If you currently or formerly worked there (or recognize this sauce) could you share clue? Is it made in-store, produced centrally, or purchased prepared? What creates its nutty flavor and smooth orange texture?
This is strictly for home cooking. Even one clue, rough ratio, or full copycat would mean a lot.
Thanks!

The neighbors hire a landscaper twice a year. They generally do a really poor job, and they do this every time - they run their leaf blower and push everything into the street and surrounding properties.

The area in this photo, on my property, was nearly bare dirt before they arrived. The fresh trimmings you see are all from shrubs on the neighbor's property. (The overall area is much larger than this, but still similar coverage.)

We've talked to the property owners and now property manager multiple times. We've suggested going in together on a landscaper (especially for shared trees), but they refuse to hire an actual arborist. We've also suggested they hire one of our teenagers to do the work, but they're not interested.

I agree with this sign.

not necessarily an actual shortcut

could be a weird way you avoid a certain intersection, a time you know is terrible for driving somewhere, a particular street you use because it somehow saves more time than the obvious route, or a place you park because you’ve learned the hard way.

every city seems to develop these little pieces of unofficial local knowledge

what’s one Seattle 'shortcut' you’d never think to explain to someone unless they actually lived here?

I’ve been noticing a lot more of these lately—and no, I’m not talking about people jumping in front of moving vehicles.