Washington
Charlie Harger: The melting pot that is the Washington State Fair
There’s something about the Washington State Fair in Puyallup that just feels right. It’s a long-standing tradition in my family, and I suspect it is for many others across the state. This past Sunday, we kept the tradition alive, heading to the fairgrounds for a day of rides, food and, as it turns out, a little bit of reflection.
We arrived early, which turned out to be a great decision. The lines were almost nonexistent. We jumped on the big wooden roller coaster without much of a wait, and the kids hit the Gravitron with the same ease. The food was fresh, and the weather was practically perfect — like the fair gods were smiling down on us.
Now, maybe it’s because I’ve been subbing in for Dave Ross on Seattle’s Morning News on KIRO Newsradio the past couple of days, but I found myself in an unusually observant mood. Let’s just say I had my Ross-colored glasses on. What struck me as I wandered through the fairgrounds was the sheer diversity of people, all mingling together, seemingly getting along just fine amidst the dairy cows and the Dole Whip.
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For instance, as I passed by one of the barbecue stands, I noticed a guy wearing a shirt with that image of President Trump — fist in the air after the assassination attempt, accompanied by the bold statement, “You Missed.” Just a few minutes later, as we checked out the Quarter Horses — or maybe they were Clydesdales; I’m no equine expert — I spotted a dad wearing a hoodie that read, “No One Is Illegal.”
It was like a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting, with a modern twist. Here we were, in the heart of Puyallup, with people wearing their beliefs on their sleeves — literally — and yet, there wasn’t a hint of tension in the air. It was just … normal.
Later, in the shopping pavilion, I encountered the Gideons dutifully handing out New Testament Bibles. Step outside, and there, right next to an ice cream stand, was a booth set up by a local Muslim group, spreading the word about how Jesus is mentioned in the Quran. It was a veritable buffet of religious and political perspectives, served up alongside elephant ears and funnel cakes.
And you know what? No one was losing their minds. Despite what some cable news channels would have you believe, people with different views were coexisting just fine. It was a refreshing change of pace from the usual doom-and-gloom narrative we’re seeing lately.
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Of course, I’m not naive. I know disagreements are part and parcel of life, and I’ve witnessed more than my fair share of heated political and religious debates recently. But at the fairgrounds in Puyallup this past Sunday, everything felt surprisingly, almost annoyingly, fine.
So, here’s a thought: Maybe the solution to the divide in this country is simpler than we think. Maybe what we need are more big gatherings where people can come together, enjoy some good food and maybe even pet a goat or two. Imagine fairs popping up in every town across America, with farmers showcasing their cutest animals, dads firing up the grills and everyone enjoying warm, delicious scones. It might not solve all our problems, but it could be a start.
After all, who can argue when you’ve got a scone in hand? It’s a fair idea — pun very much intended — that might just bring us closer to finding some common ground. So, let’s give it a shot. It’s time we all did a little more “Puyallup” in our lives.
Charlie Harger is the News Director for MyNorthwest.com and KIRO Newsradio
Federal authorities are planning a “summer surge” aimed at reducing crimes committed by young people in D.C. sources tell News4.
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro is expected to announce Friday that the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force will do additional enforcement and get more resources, law enforcement sources said.
The move comes about two weeks after the D.C. Council chose not to vote on extending Mayor Muriel Bowser’s emergency youth curfew zones over the summer.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order in March 2025 that established the task force. He declared a crime emergency and temporarily federalized the locally run Metropolitan Police Department in August 2025.
Trump threatened to seize control of MPD after teens attacked then-Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee Edward Coristine, who was known by the nickname Big Balls.
Pirro has repeatedly railed against youth who commit crimes and told News4 she would like to see children as young as 12 prosecuted as adults.
“The time for coddling young people – 14, 15, 16, 17 – is over. And it’s time that we lowered the age of criminal responsibility,” she said in August.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The owner of a popular Washington Avenue restaurant says he was arrested after a dispute with city health inspectors over whether his business had a valid permit to operate.
Surveillance video recorded May 6 inside Betelgeuse Betelgeuse shows owner Chris Cusack speaking with Houston Health Department officials before he was taken into custody.
“I was pretty dazed, and all I could do is comply until it all got figured out,” Cusack said.
Cusack was charged with failure to comply with local health and sanitary laws after authorities accused the restaurant of operating without a food dealer’s permit.
The Houston Health Department says food dealer permits are valid for one year and must be renewed annually.
Cusack disputes the allegation, saying he has paperwork he believes proves the business had renewed its permit in March.
“I pulled it off the wall and showed it to him,” Cusack said. “He said it wasn’t the right business. I said it has my business’ name and address on it.”
Cusack said inspectors questioned whether the permit was tied to the correct business identification number.
“(The inspector) saw the first ID and said, ‘Ah ha, that’s the one you’re working under, so therefore this isn’t valid,’” Cusack said.
ABC13 reached out to the Houston Health Department with questions about the arrest. The department referred questions to the Houston Police Department.
According to HPD, the health department ordered the business closed in October 2025 for operating without a permit, though officials did not specify which type of permit was involved.
Police said the business was instructed to remain closed until it complied with health regulations. On May 4, inspectors learned the restaurant was open, according to HPD. Inspectors returned two days later, when Cusack was arrested.
Cusack said he was never told to shut down the business and questioned why inspectors waited months before returning.
The restaurant, known for pizza and drinks, reopened following the arrest and was serving customers again on Wednesday.
Cusack also expressed concern about what he described as aggressive enforcement targeting Washington Avenue businesses.
The entertainment district has faced increased law enforcement scrutiny in recent years as city leaders attempted to curb reckless behavior and nightlife-related crime.
“Washington Avenue business owners are just being confused by these intense raids on businesses for what are typically really basic scenarios,” Cusack said.
Court records show Cusack is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday on the charge.
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Metro is not recommending the construction of a new Metrorail station at the Commanders’ future home at the RFK Stadium site, documents released Tuesday reveal.
The transit agency instead recommended the creation of a rapid bus line called the Gold Line that would connect to Metrorail and buses at Union Station.
Metro also recommended major improvements to the Stadium-Armory Metro station. Without these measures, they warned it could take more than two hours to clear crowds after events at the stadium.
Metro said it projects that building a new rail station would cost about $1 billion and not be complete by the time the stadium is set to open in 2030.
More than half of people heading to events at the new stadium are expected to take public transportation.
Metro studied potential locations for a new Metro station, including Oklahoma Avenue and Benning Road NE.
Neighbors have repeatedly said they’re worried about traffic and parking.
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