Seattle news update

1.  The Washington DOT announced this week that damage to Big Bertha is "worse than expected" and drilling won't resume until the end of the year at the earliest.  We've had so many of these "worse than expected" announcements people are losing interest in the whole thing. Hard to believe November 2015 was once the projected date for the grand opening of our fancy new tunnel.  But Bertha has only traveled about 1,000 feet, with a slog of 9,000 feet ahead. The projected opening date is now Spring 2018.

2. The City of Seattle is being sued by homeowners claiming that trash can searches to enforce the composting/recycling laws are an invasion of privacy.  The city attorney's office said they will "respond to the allegations at a later, appropriate time." (In court.) In the meantime, the city backed down and said garbage collectors would not open bags to inspect trash, but would instead "roughly estimate" how many food scraps were mixed with regular garbage.  The homeowner lawsuit claims Washington courts previously ruled that government officials can't search trash without a warrant. This one has "Supreme Court" written all over it. 

3.  Fake Willy, the mechanical sea lion repellent-scarer-offer.  No news.  Presumably still in the shop undergoing repairs and enhancements after capsizing and nearly drowning its "captain" back in May.

4.  Amy Trotter.  We haven't heard much since her big debut at the Seattle Kennel Club show in March.  But John has been bringing home some tantalizing hints about the project she's been rehearsing for this summer.  You can't hold back talent!  And when the story finally breaks, look for it here.