Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Forecast here.
Making headlines around the Northwest:
- UW graduation is Saturday and traffic will be tough
- Tacoma celebrates 100 years of roses
- Offbeat news: Geese on the interstate, dead weasel attack
- Gregoire ramps up efforts to keep Boeing line
UW graduates will be happy, drivers should avoid the area
Some 40,000 people are expected Husky Stadium Saturday for the annual day of graduation at the University of Washington. Seattle Department of Transportation is expecting heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic surrounding the stadium between noon and 6 p.m. as well as congestion on I-5 and SR-520.
The U District Daily reports that at approximately 3:30 p.m., Seattle Police will set up traffic controls closing Montlake Boulevard between NE Pacific and NE 45th streets to through traffic to help move cars parked in the stadium lots out of the area after the ceremonies.
Traffic approaching the closure will be detoured around the area. This restriction, which is similar to traffic routing for Husky football games, will be in effect until approximately 5:30 p.m. Southbound traffic headed for the UW Hospital should take 15th Avenue NE to NE Pacific Street. Those traveling northbound to the hospital may travel across the Montlake Bridge and will turn left on NE Pacific Street.
SDOT has all the information for this event and others here.
Tacoma's love affair with the rose is 100 years strong
The News Tribune reports that in the early 1900s school kids started singing "Tacoma, the Rose of the West" to the throngs of visitors who flocked to the rose garden at Point Defiance Park and they've done it every year since.
Those who love the rose the most will celebrate the centennial of the Tacoma Rose Society this month. The group will hold a two-day celebration June 25 and 26, featuring its annual rose show, a salute to the organization's history and guided tours of the Gertrude E.V. Baker Memorial Rose Garden at MultiCare Medical Center in Tacoma.
Offbeat news: Interstate goslings, weasel attack
Seattle-bound commuters got some unexpected company when a Canada goose and her goslings decided to walk across a section of highway that links the city to its suburbs. State troopers in three cruisers escorted the flock to an off-ramp after motorists became concerned about the geese's safety during the Wednesday morning rush hour. The BBC got a kick out of the "chaos"and posted the below video which quickly rose to the top of their most watched list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSXHKrPVopg
Police say a man was carrying a dead weasel when he burst into an apartment and assaulted a man in Washington state. The victim asked, “Why are you carrying a weasel?” Police said the attacker answered, "It's not a weasel, it's a marten," then punched him in the nose and fled. The attacker was apparently looking for his girlfriend and had gone to her former boyfriend's apartment Monday where the victim was a guest. He left the weasel behind.
After the latest attack by a pack of wild dogs killed a 350-pound llama at Deer Park, the Stevens County sheriff's office is warning residents in the southern part of the county to protect their animals and families. Deputy Keith Cochran told a local television station they are concerned because the dogs are cruel and bloodthirsty and killing for fun. Since the end of March, there have been at least 15 attacks that have killed more than 100 animals.
Gregoire creates team to keep Boeing 737 line
Gov. Chris Gregoire has announced the creation of a team that will begin working to keep Boeing's 737 manufacturing line in the state. Gregoire says the aerospace giant is due to announce later this year whether to put a new engine on the 737, or make an all-new plane that would be sold around the end of this decade.
The Democratic governor says that she wants the state to be ready to make the bid necessary to keep the 737 here and is dubbing the efforts "Project Pegasus."
Greogire says that the state has already taken steps to address Boeing's concerns, including making changes to the state's workers compensation system, a priority for the Chicago-based company during this past legislative session.
