Vivian McCall

Serve, protect, mechanize: The FAA granted the Redmond Police Department a waiver that allows them to deploy drones without a second officer to watch the airspace. As long as there’s one pilot-certified officer to fly, the department can deploy drones to any call they want. The cops say it reduces their staffing by 50%. Redmond is the second department on the West Coast to receive the waiver. While police say drones allow them to monitor dangerous situations without risking human life, there are immense privacy implications to expanding unchecked, warrantless aerial surveillance.

Serve, protect, mechanize: The FAA granted the Redmond Police Department a waiver that allows them to deploy drones without a second officer to watch the airspace. As long as there’s one pilot-certified officer to fly, the department can deploy drones to any call they want. Redmond is the second department on the West Coast to receive the waiver. While police say drones allow them to monitor dangerous situations without risking human life, there are immense privacy implications to expanding unchecked, warrantless aerial surveillance.

Turns out, a gay man assaulted in Capitol Hill the morning after the election wasn’t the only one who called the police.

Under normal conditions, there’s a standard order of operations for trans people updating their identity documents.

Weather: A dense fog warning from the National Weather Service is in effect until the sun breaks through around 10 am. Look both ways when you cross the street, and use low beams if you’re driving. Today, expect a high around 45 degrees, and a low of 35 degrees tonight. Thursday’s cloudy and Friday brings a 30 percent chance of rain, increasing to 80 percent in the evening ahead of a wet weekend.

The Stranger's morning news roundup.

State Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen’s House Bill 1038 to ban gender-affirming care for kids and House Bill 1027 to keep trans inmates convicted of a sex offenses out of gender-affirming housing, will die on the vine, just like they did last year.

Skrmetti Could Kill or Uphold Gender-Affirming Bans Across the US. But Win or Lose, It’s Doesn’t End There

They Allege DOC Is Violating Her State Constitutional Rights

That “lovely” weather we’re having: The rain from that dang atmospheric river crept into the morning, so stay alert if you’re driving in west central Washington. The National Weather Service in Seattle issued a flood advisory due to excessive rainfall. The clouds should clear after mid-morning, with rain possible again this afternoon. Rain is likely Thursday, less likely Friday, and very likely Saturday through next Tuesday. I’d get those steps in now unless you’re a little freak who enjoys walking in the cold wet.