5 things to know Friday

USA –

Power outages possible during strong winds expected Friday in western Washington

The first days of February were unusually quiet with mild temperatures, dry, sunny weather and light winds. That quickly changed on Friday when a system ahead brought widespread lowland rain, mountain snow and gusty winds.

The Seattle National Weather Service has issued a Strong Wind Warning and Wind Advisory beginning at 10:00 a.m. Friday, lasting for much of the day, for areas west of Washington where winds are likely to be strong. can jerk up to 45 to 60 mph within the wind warning range. Read more

Mom fights to make fentanyl test strips more accessible in Washington

A parent who lost her daughter to a fentanyl overdose is trying to change state law to make fentanyl test strips more accessible.

Allisone McClanahan struggles with fibromyalgia and chronic pain. In 2021, the 26-year-old died of a drug overdose after a friend gave her what she thought was oxycodone, but turned out to be fentanyl.

Her mother, Genevieve Schofield, wanted to turn her daughter’s tragedy into a lesson, so she reached out to lawmakers about a potential way to save lives: fentanyl test strips. Read more

Woman recounts being held hostage inside Gold Bar grocery store

Tami Ball turned her fear into compassion. On January 10, Ball said a man walked into her Gold Bar grocery store, half-naked, found her in the back office, locked the door, and pulled out a pistol.

For the next three and a half hours, Ball worked to defuse the situation — keeping the gunman calm, even giving him something to eat and drink. Her co-workers were able to evacuate the store and call 911 – and the SWAT team responded.

Eventually that man, later identified as Charles Randall, 55, let her go. Read more

The case of 2 men in Moses Lake killed with homemade explosives hours apart is still unsolved

Two people were killed in an explosion 10 hours apart in Grant County 14 years ago.

Sheriff John Turley said a man, 69-year-old William Arleigh Walker, was found dead of severe injuries to his neck and chest in his shop outside Lake Moses.

The next day, Javier Martinez Adame, 53, was found dead on the kitchen floor with wounds to his chest and abdomen. The house smelled of sulfur, and authorities determined “an explosive device that Adame may have been handling at the time exploded, killing him almost instantly,” Turley said. Read more

Seattle Retirement Communities Celebrate Black History Month with Bingo

The Lakeshore retirement community south of Seattle is celebrating Black History Month by combining history and one of the community’s favorite pastimes: bingo.

Black History Bingo focuses on many Black pioneers and will test residents on their knowledge of some iconic historical figures.

Sheila Flowers, event planner for The Lakeshore, said: “We are honoring Black Pioneers like Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr. and even Oprah. Read more

RELATED: Western Washington Forecast

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