PEMCO in the Northwest

​OK, not the walking dead. The walking distracted.The next time you're waiting at a stoplight during rush hour, take a good look at the pedestrians crossing in front of you. Eyes down. Oblivious to their surroundings. One overwhelming urge: Must. Check. Phone.In our latest PEMCO Poll, only about one-third of pedestrians admit to sometimes being distracted on sidewalks and in crosswalks. But those drivers sitting at the lights? Pshaw! Nine ouFull post

​Washington residents file more insurance claims for watercraft theft than all but three states, you can surmise from the latest National Insurance Crime Bureau report.Florida led the nation by far in 2016 with 1,291 craft stolen, followed by California, Texas, and Washington, which had 216 thefts. Oregon ranked No. 16 on the list.As you might expect, Washington's populous tri-county region – King, Pierce, and Snohomish – saw the most in-staFull post

​Five hikers have needed rescue on Mount Pilchuck since June 8, with lingering snow and poor preparation a factor in all five incidents.Snohomish Search and Rescue officials urge hikers to prepare for snow and always bring the 10 essentials, even if their target is just a routine late-summertime dayhike. The recent Pilchuck rescues involved:a woman who slipped on snow June 8 and wounded her leg trying to self-arrest with an ice axea Full post

​Washington's urban drivers now endure worse gridlock and longer commute times than ever before, with no cure-all in sight.The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) annual Congestion Report shows Seattle is not the only city plagued by jammed freeways. In just the past few years, since 2013:Between Olympia and Federal Way, I-5 congestion jumped 60%.Spokane's I-90 evening rush hour stretched 3.3 miles farther and lasts 35 Full post

The other day, I was chatting with my neighborhood barista on the usual waiting-for-your-coffee topics (weather, weekend plans, etc.) when I was surprised to learn the shop was having a hard time filling evening, weekend, and summer-schedule shifts. She asked, Where are those energetic, hardworking students who want to earn extra cash over the summer? We've also wondered how teen unemployment is connected to fewer teensFull post