 and about 90 on Friday. Northwest Newstime, 1225. It's time for a Tech Mobility Minute.  A piece of 1950s technology has become a critical system in EVs and hybrid vehicles. The 12-volt lead-acid battery. That same box of energy that started engines and powered electrical accessories from the 1958 Boulevard Cruisers to the current internal combustion engines is getting a makeover. In the new electrified vehicles and those with self-driving capabilities, the 12-volt battery has a direct role in the vehicle's critical safety systems and reducing emissions in hybrid vehicles.  For example, with steer-by-wire, there's no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. A loss of power is not an option. There will need to be a redundant system in place to manage the safety of the function. That redundant system is the 12-volt battery. Battery manufacturers are focusing on updating two areas, the chemistry inside the battery and creating a 12-volt battery management system. The legendary car battery is getting an upgrade. I'm Ken Chester. This has been a Tech Mobility Minute.  A Better Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Working weird hours can wreak havoc on your health. Not just when you're working those super early or super late or overnight shifts, but even years later, according to a new study out of NYU. Of course, a lot of people who work those hours don't have a choice. But aside from messing with your sleep, one expert told us non-standard schedules can make it difficult to maintain other lifestyle habits important for good health.  like eating at regular hours, spending time with loved ones. What's more, another expert said, the financial instability of non-standard work can also create anxiety. So if you find yourself in this position, what can you do? Well, create a routine as best you can, one that includes an adequate amount of sleep in a quiet, dark, cool room. Plan your meals ahead of time so you don't just reach for junk and do make sure to make time to exercise.  I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, helping you live a better life. Less dollars, more sense.  Taxes and fees apply. Requires activation of iPhone 12 and a new silver unlimited plan or higher end auto pay enrollment. $25 a month service credit applied for up to 12 months of eligibility requirements are met. For network management practices, visit straighttalk.com.  When you've got real work to do, Metal Supermarkets will help you get it done fast. With a huge variety of metals in stock, we can help no matter what job comes your way. And we cut the size, because just like taxes and BS, we think metal is better when cut. Metal Supermarkets, the convenient stores for metal. Find a store or shop online at metalsupermarkets.com.  Homeowners, stop what you're doing right now and listen up because Puget Sound Energy has new rebates that have never been this high. This is Greg Herschelt, and if insufficient insulation or no insulation at all in your crawl space or attic are impacting your energy bills, now is the time to get your free inspection from Northwest Crawl Space Services because these PSE rebates can pay for up to 95% of your project. And that could mean thousands of dollars in savings on your job.  But make sure you hire a crawlspace company that's PSE certified because not every company can offer these rebates. Don't miss out. Call today and the team from Northwest Crawlspace Services are happy to give you a free energy savings consultation. Northwest Crawlspace Services will get rid of the critters, re-insulate your home, and hook you up with big-time savings and PSE rebates.  Remember, these guys can solve any crawlspace or attic problem. No exceptions. See if you qualify for savings from PSE. Go to nwcrawlspace.com. That's nwcrawlspace.com. Social media. It's the place to be. We're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Techmobility Show.  Several times a week, I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like, and subscribe. That's the Tech Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out.  Clogged stormwater drain? Wet basement? Rain Pros wants to remind you, don't pay plumber prices for your drainage needs. For your free estimate, go to rainpros.com. Rainpros.com.  Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Each week, I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like, and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out!  Newswatch never stops. News Radio 97.7 FM and AM 1000. The Northwest's only all-news station. It's 12.30. Time to go live to ABC News for an update on our world.  ABC News, I'm Michelle Franzen. Looking to expand voter support, GOP nominee and former President Trump fielded questions at the annual convention for black journalists in Chicago and weighed in on his rival's rise in the race. Appearing before the National Association of Black Journalists, the former president said this about his opponent. She was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was black.  until a number of years ago when she happened to turn black, and now she wants to be known as black. Kamala Harris was born to immigrant parents, a father from Jamaica and a mother from India. Asked about his running mate, Trump distanced himself from J.D. Vance, saying he does not agree with Vance's views of childless adults.  Extreme heat and whipping winds fueling nearly 100 large wildfires in western states. The Park Fire in Northern California has charred more than 360,000 acres in less than a week. And the Federal Reserve leaving interest rates unchanged for now, waiting to see if inflation cools even further. This is ABC News. 97.7 FM and AM 1000. All news, all the time. For Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue and beyond. The Northwest's only all news station.  Good afternoon. It's 1231. I'm Taylor Van Syce. And thanks for joining us today at Northwest News Radio. Boeing's new CEO is going to take over next week. And what's more, he'll be based right here in Seattle. Kelly Ortberg replaces the outgoing CEO, David Calhoun, at a time of turmoil for the company. But aside from the safety and PR problems, Ortberg's first task is going to be getting a new contract with local machinists.  Contract negotiations with the Touch Labor Union, the IAM 751, that contract expires September 12th or 13th, I think it is. That's aviation analyst Scott Hamilton, who says the plan to have Ortberg based in Seattle will certainly help and could indicate the company wants to move its headquarters back to Washington state. Boeing hasn't said anything one way or the other about moving the HQ.  Four suspects are now charged in the murder of 13-year-old Matthew Stachowi earlier this month in Kent's Turnkey Park. One of them was charged last week's. The other were charged just yesterday. The suspects all range in age from 16 to 20. In new court papers, prosecutors underscored just how much of a set up.  This really was, saying the suspects, quote, planned an approach route. They had a getaway drive. They arrived early so they could stage themselves. This shows a surprising amount of planning. Prosecutors also say this case almost became a double tragedy. That's because they say Matthew's sister narrowly avoided being shot herself as she and her brother made a frantic attempt to escape this robbery and ambush.  And despite their young ages, bail for each of those suspects is $2 million. And that's Como 4's Ryan Sims. The three teens accused of bringing loaded guns to the Chinatown Seafair Parade in the Chinatown International District last week are now all home. Como 4's Lin-An Nguyen reports a judge released them and put them on electronic home monitoring.  Suspect, get down. Court documents say the three teens showed up to the parade appearing to taunt a murder victim's family. One of the teens made a show of pulling his hoodie up from his waistband and reaching into his waistband to retrieve a handgun. That's when witnesses say they heard gunshots and people started running. The judge making it clear she does not want to see these teens back in court for any new crimes. You invited me into your life by engaging in the behavior you're engaged in. That's it.  So if you want us out of your life, what do you have to do? Try not to come back here. Not just try. You've got to see. Reporting in Seattle, Lynn Ann Wynn, Como News. The 13-year-old and two 14-year-olds are due back in court next month. It's 1234. Traffic updates every 10 minutes on the 4s. And in the High Performance Homes Traffic Center, here's Sienna Axe.  In Federal Way, that construction on southbound 5 between South 260th Street and 272nd Street has started up. That'll have the right lane closed around the clock through Monday, August 5th. Down in JBLM, a reminder that the off-ramp from southbound 5 to the DuPont Gate will also be closed until Monday, August 5th. Right now, that's causing delays of around four minutes.  Lake Forest Park, the right lane of westbound 522, is still closed for construction between 153rd and 523. We still don't know when that will reopen. And taking another look at ferries, it looks like now the Point Defiance to Likwa route is definitively seeing delays of around an hour following that medical transport earlier today. This report is sponsored by Unbound.org. A girl in Kenya dreams of becoming a doctor.  An elder in Guatemala dreams of being part of a community. Reach out and change their world and it will change your own. Unbound.org. Our next Northwest traffic at 1244.  Our forecast is sponsored by Northwest Crawl Space Services. And today's temperatures are getting pretty toasty eventually. Here's Shannon. In the short term, we'll wrap up the month of July today with loads of sunshine. Eventually, we'll just get through the morning cloud cover in the next couple of hours. And eventually, it will be bright and blue with highs close to 80 today. But by tomorrow, mid to upper 80s, you'll feel that heat really take over by Friday with highs around Seattle and Tacoma close to 90 degrees. In the Comafort Weather Center, I'm meteorologist Shannon O'Donnell.  In Seattle right now, blue skies. It's 70 degrees. Northwest News Time, 1236. King County elections workers are getting ready to process ballots for next week's primary election. Como 4's Lee Stoll reports. We're going to have about 300 employees who are going to process them for the primary. And that number jumps to 800 for the general election, now less than 100 days away. Earlier this month, staff ran their annual accuracy test for the ballot machines.  They ran test ballots through the scanners, checked the results, all of them matched. The Secretary of State's office, they're spreading $2 million over 29 county election offices to bolster security ahead of November. It is the second year for that funding in particular.  The elections offices, they can use it to buy or upgrade election security software and hardware, hire IT security personnel and make structural improvements. It is also now a felony to harass election employees. Several offices got suspicious envelopes in 2023. Two of them tested positive for fentanyl. So we're doing training, active shooter training, de-escalation training.  Those ballots are due by August 6th, which is this upcoming Tuesday. Election workers in King County, they say they expect to process about half a million ballots in this election cycle. That would be about a 40% voter turnout rate.  Como 4's Lee Stoll. Ballots are on the way to Pierce County voters. In some areas, though, there were some delays with how the voter pamphlet got out into the mail. Officials say Pierce County is currently at 7% ballot return, which is typical for this point in the election process. You need to have that ballot postmarked by August 6th or in a ballot drop box by 8 o'clock that night.  Seattle's minimum wage is going to go up nearly $3 an hour come January 1st. But there is an effort to extend the so-called tip credit for small businesses and not force them to raise the minimum wage. Ethan Stoll has built a restaurant empire in Washington and believes the council should stay the course. Stick with it.  Go forward and just stop changing the rules and stop changing the plan. There was no, no one could know where we're going to be 10 years later. Amy Fair Gunner runs the Portage Bay cafes and likes the new legislation for small chains like hers. Is that a good thing or bad thing?  It is 100% a good thing for us. Just the cost of doing business here is making it really difficult for people to survive. This is a blatant attack. With no immediate answer, expect those old voices to continue roaring until a final vote is tallied. Como 4's Chris Daniels.  A word to the wise, don't get caught up with that illusion of AI and other sales buzzwords. Northwest News Radio's Tim Hull explains. A new study from Washington State University has uncovered a surprising twist in consumer behavior. Products branded as AI-powered may not be the selling point companies hope for.  In fact, the research suggests these labels could be a hard sell, leading to fewer purchases compared to identical products without the AI tag. Published in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, the study surveyed over 1,000 U.S. adults and consistently found the mention of AI in product descriptions detracted from their appeal. Study authors say when AI is in the picture, emotional trust tends to take a backseat, which can leave consumers feeling hesitant to buy.  Researchers say companies should focus instead on highlighting the specific features and benefits of their products. Tim Holt, Northwest News Radio.  It's time for an update on sports from the Beacon Plumbing Sports Desk and Bill Swartz. In the NFL, it's Seahawks and Hawkeyes. Ever since football games began, a chain gang has run out to measure 10 yards and whether the offense reached the first down line to gain. That whole process could change. The NFL plans to test Sony's Hawkeye technology in some preseason games this summer. Cameras and other infrastructure will have to be installed at every stadium.  So the system will not be ready for the 2024 regular season. Seahawks now in week two of training camp in Renton. And new head coach Mike McDonald asked whether he will use analytics to help him decide whether to gamble and go for it on fourth down and short. But we do want to be aggressive, you know, so we do have. But in order to do that, you have to be good at those situations. So we need to be a good short yardage team. We need to be able to move people off the ball.  McDonald and the Seahawks at Lumenfield Saturday for the Football Fan Fest. Righty George Kirby, the Mariners' starting pitcher today. Series and road trip finale at Boston. The Red Sox counter with righty Brian Bayo. So Seattle has a predominantly lefty batting lineup. The M's 10-6 winners last night and have the AL West lead alone. Former Washington State Cougar Trinity Rodman scored a first-half goal. The U.S. women's soccer team defeated Australia 2-1 to capture its Olympic group.  Sports with Swartz at 10 and 40 after the hour. Northwest News Radio. Make-A-Wish needs your help getting wishes in flight. Other than having cystic fibrosis, he's your typical 8-year-old. We didn't know if in 8 years he's going to be bedridden or if he's going to thrive. More than 75% of wishes require airline travel, and that's where you come in. Donate your Alaska, Delta, or United Airline miles and become a part of sending wish kids on their dream trips.  at eight years old to be able to do this. It was great. Donate now at wishesandflight.akwa.wish.org. That's wishesandflight.akwa.wish.org. My parents thought they were ready for retirement. Then the health problems started. I took care of them at home as long as I could. Eventually, they had to go to a nursing home. They didn't want to go. They thought their nest egg would be enough to keep them at home.  But it wasn't. My parents did all the right things to plan for retirement, but my life was turned upside down by their needs. I don't want to do that to my kids. So I attended a free retirement planning seminar with Rajiv Nagayich. I'm so glad I did. Rajiv showed me how to create a retirement plan that will help me age at home without running out of money and without turning my kids into my unpaid caregivers. My advice to you? Listen to what Rajiv says and then do it.  There's a free retirement planning seminar near you. Federal Way on August 3rd. Puyallup on August 6th. To register, visit lifepointlaw.com or call 253-838-3454. That's lifepointlaw.com or 253-838-3454. Home ownership. At Progressive, we know it's part of the American dream. It's sea to shining sea. And water damage as far as the eye can see. It's America.  It's freshly mowed grass, an offense that was freshly vandalized by a pack of unruly teens. It's also around-the-clock protection when you bundle your home and auto with Progressive, which can help keep the American dream of homeownership alive and kicking. Get a quote at Progressive.com. Progressive Kensalty Insurance Company affiliates and other insurers. Not available in all states.  You know, summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors. And perhaps as you relax poolside and your thoughts begin to drift, you could think about that jewelry you don't wear anymore. It's just sitting gathering dust when you could actually gather some real cash for it when you take it to Bellevue Rare Coins. Brian Calvert here reminding you that this is a great time to sell your gold and silver. Prices are definitely in your favor.  You're not wearing that necklace or those rings anymore, so why not trade them in? At Bellevue Rare Coins, their trusted staff offer you a no pressure experience. They'll tell you what your jewelry is worth, give you a generous offer, then you decide what you'd like to do. Again, no pressure. Whether your jewelry needs repair or not, you can trust their experts for the  fairest offer all those five-star reviews speak for themselves there's a reason so many people trust bellevue rare coins visit their stores today in bellevue linwood issaquah and tacoma or visit online at bellevuerarecoins.com that's bellevuerarecoins.com northwest news time 12 44 traffic updates every 10 minutes on the fours sienna axe is back in the high performance homes traffic center  In Centralia, we're seeing some debris blocking the left lane of northbound 5 at 507. Doesn't seem to be causing any significant delays just yet, but make sure you use caution if you're headed over that way. It does look like the roads are starting to slow down a bit throughout the area, bringing delays to some common commutes. Right now, Bellevue to South Center is at 24 minutes.  Everett to Seattle's at 40 minutes. Linwood to Seattle's at 30 minutes. Marysville to Seattle, 42 minutes. And Bellevue to Seattle via 90 is at 21 minutes. That's about five minutes slower than via 520. This report is sponsored by WhatsApp. LOL and ROFL without the green bubbles. There's a way to share no matter what phone you use. WhatsApp, the place to safely send messages between different devices. Message privately with everyone. Our next Northwest traffic at 1254.  And the forecast, it's sponsored by Northwest Crawl Space Services. Today's temperatures are nothing to complain about yet. About 80 or so is what we expect to hit today. Tomorrow, though, mid-80s and about 90 by Friday. Mid-80s for the upcoming Seafair weekend with plenty of sunshine. Right now, downtown, sunny skies, 71.  The Northwest's only all-news station. News Radio 97.7 FM and AM 1000. Where the news watch never stops. Sponsored by Fast Water Heaters.  Eric Heintz at the editor's desk. I'm Taylor Van Syce. And thanks for joining us today here at Northwest News Radio. President Biden set to kick off the Democratic National Convention with a primetime speech as we check our headlines today. Reports say the president's speech will focus on passing the torch to the VP, Kamala Harris. And the Federal Reserve says interest rates will remain unchanged. Rates have been the same in that same range, that is, for the past year. However, many investors believe rate cuts are likely to begin sometime in September.  Today, you have the chance to make a lifelong difference for children in the Pacific Northwest. And all it takes is a few clicks or minutes on the phone. We're in the middle of our Wishes in Flight airline mileage drive to help Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington grant the wishes of critically ill children. And joining us today at Northwest News Radio is Trina Cottingham, the Vice President of Wishes at the organization. Trina, thanks for joining us today.  Yes, thanks for having me. VP of Wishes. That's a heck of a title. What happens to all those miles that I've built up once I decide to donate? What do you do?  Oh my goodness. About 75% of our children wish to go somewhere. As you can imagine, if you're dealing with an illness and you're sitting in the hospital room or getting your treatment, you are dreaming of being somewhere else, somewhere fun, somewhere where you can be a kid. And these miles are directly what helps us make these wishes happen. We are able to go online and book flights, you know, for us, but no cost, but because of the generous donations of miles and they just are an immediate source  yes to kids going on their trips. It's a great way to help us grant wishes. Over the last couple of months, I've been reading some travel articles about how a number of mileage plans have been changing rules and redemption policies in recent years. For an individual, maybe it's harder to use miles these days, but does that impact you at Make-A-Wish? Do you need more miles now as a result of these changes?  You know, the great thing is that once individuals donate their miles to us, the airlines very graciously eliminate all of the expirations and things like that. And by pooling the small amounts or large amounts of miles that each individual can give to us, we can put those together to book a full ticket. So while you might not have enough for a full ticket and someone else might not, your miles together donated to us equal a free ticket for a child to go on a wish. How quickly do you burn through a year's worth of donated miles? Oh.  Oh my goodness, so fast. There's the answer right there, I think. Yeah, I mean, if you think about like a family wants to go to Hawaii, you know, a mileage trip to Hawaii on Alaska Airlines, for example, might be 75,000 miles. You've got a family of four or five or more, and those just add up really quickly. And so we immediately translate those donations into actual trips for wish kids. So when July 31st comes up on your calendar this summer, how critical is today for the whole operation there at Make-A-Wish?  Oh my gosh, it's so critical because we're just at the cusp of booking all of our expensive fall travel. You know, families want to be at Disney World over Halloween and they want to travel over Thanksgiving break. And we're just now starting to book those flights for our families. And so it could not be more perfectly timed.  Trina, as I've been looking through my talking points here, I noticed that you've been at Make-A-Wish for quite a while now, something like 25 years. 25 years in October. How many millions of miles do you think you've handled in that time? Oh, my gosh. That's a huge question. Oh, my. Wow. I would guess, man.  If you did at least 5 to 10 million miles per year times 25, I don't know. Let's do the math. That's a lot. A lot of wishes and a lot of kids. Let's just say that. Well, and so we need to raise as many as possible today, right? I mean, do you have a goal in mind for how many you want today?  We do have a goal, and I don't want to misspeak it, which is terrible, but I know we're already doing really well, and we're cruising towards that goal. Last I heard, we had just over 2 million miles, so I'm really excited to see what we can do. That's outstanding.  I know before we even got to the lunch hour, it was at least a million and a half miles. So now we're over two million. And you, our friend on the other side of the speaker and microphone system, can donate online anytime you like through our banner at the top of nwnewsradio.com. That's our website, but you'll see the Wishes in Flight Make-A-Wish banner there at nwnewsradio.com. Or you can click on the events page at our website, too. You can also donate directly through the Make-A-Wish website by going to wishesinflight.fm.  akwa.wish.org or if you want to ask a question or talk through your donation you can do that as well we have a phone bank full of volunteers standing by for you until seven o'clock this evening the number is uh it's a lot of fours so if you're having trouble remembering phone numbers these days just think about the number four 206-404-4444  206-404-4444. There are several hundred kids waiting to have their wishes granted this year from Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington, and your donation helps kids right here in the Northwest to have those wishes granted. Again, nwnewsradio.com. Click on the Wishes and Flight Make-A-Wish banner or give a call to 206-404-4444. And thank you.  It's 1250 and at 20 and 50 past each hour, we check in on Wall Street. How's your money doing today? Maybe you have an extra couple of bucks to throw toward Make-A-Wish. Not a bad idea. NASDAQ performing quite well today. Stocks there up by two and three quarters percent or 471 points. The S&P 500 is up almost 100 points, which is better than one and a half percent. And the Dow today up by about a half percent, 245 points. We check your money news at 20 and 50 past each hour and a traffic update is next.  News Watch never stops. Don't miss a thing with News Radio 97.7 FM and AM 1000. Check back often for breaking news, traffic, and weather on Seattle's only all-news station, 97.7 FM and AM 1000. Make sure your air conditioning system is ready for a hot summer. Visit DEARservices.net for our $49 tune-up with no service fee and a no-breakdown guarantee. Dear Services.  Picture yourself sailing away on a luxurious cruise, relaxing on the beach, or visiting someplace new. Valentine Roofing wants to send you on a vacation, and it's as easy as replacing your old roof. We're gifting a vacation voucher, good for a cruise or condo stay, to every homeowner that purchases a roof replacement this month. The voucher is even valid for two years, which gives you some time to plan the trip of your choice. Just mention Northwest News Radio when you schedule your free estimate, and we'll give you all the details.  If it's time to have your roof replaced, don't miss your chance to have Valentine Roofing send you on a dream getaway. We even have financing options that allow you to pay zero down and zero interest until 2026. So for all your roofing needs, get three bids. Just make sure one of them is Valentine Roofing. Simply call 206 Roofing to schedule your free estimate.  Make sure to mention Northwest News Radio to receive a vacation voucher with the purchase of a new roof. That's 206 Roofing. Clogged downspouts? Backed up French drains? Water in your basement? Rain Pros wants to remind you, don't pay plumber prices for your drainage needs because Rain Pros can permanently fix them for half the price of a local plumber. From start to finish, Rain Pros has the expertise, technology, and digging solutions to tackle any drainage problem at a fraction of the cost of a plumber.  Schedule your inspection today. Just $70 per downspout. Go to rainpros.com and never pay plumber prices again for your drainage and basement waterproofing. That's rainpros.com. What is dadication? The thing that drives me every day as a dad is Dariana. We call him Day Day for short.  Every day he's hungry for something, whether it's attention, affection, knowledge. And there's this huge responsibility in making sure that when he's no longer under my wing, that he's a good person.  I think the advice I would give is you don't need to know all the answers. The craziest thing was believing that your dad knew everything. So as a dad, you felt like you had to know everything. You had to get everything right. It's okay to make mistakes. As long as it's coming from love, then, you know, it kind of starts to work itself out. I want him to be able to sit back one day and go, we worked together, we did a good job. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov.  Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. It's 1254 and time for an update on traffic. We do that every 10 minutes on The 4s. Sienna Axe is in the High Performance Homes Traffic Center.  Well, in Seattle, a new crash is blocking the left lane of southbound Martin Luther King Jr. Way at South Willow Street. Centralia, that debris that was on northbound 5 at 507, has been cleared, but watch for any remaining delays. Back in Seattle, congestion is continuing to grow on southbound 5. That's looking pretty much stop and go all the way from 523 in the north to 520 in the south. And taking a look at westbound 90, those couple of construction sites have your Bellevue to Seattle drive at around 20 minutes, five minutes slower than via 520.  This report is sponsored by WhatsApp. LOL and ROFL without the green bubbles. There's a way to share no matter what phone you use. WhatsApp, the place to safely send messages between different devices. Message privately with everyone. Our next Northwest traffic at 104. Our forecast is sponsored by Northwest Crawl Space Services. Temperatures today are pleasant enough, but it's going to get pretty hot once we head toward the weekend. Friday, specifically, about 90 for Seattle. And it's going to be warmer than that in the foothills.