The Stranger's morning news roundup. by Megan Seling Let’s Do Something a Little Different: If you want this morning’s headlines—both the good and the bad—then read on. There is news about death, murder, fire, and Trump, and almost none of it is good! But if you want to exist in a world that’s all lollipops and roses, and act as though nothing is terrible, click here for the first (only?) installment of Slog AM: Only Good News!  Executive Order Whiplash: There are a lot of headlines flying around about all the executive orders that Trump has signed so far—he’s rolled back diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, halted all refugee travel to the US, increased large-scale deportations across the country, withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, and demanded the government only recognize two genders, for example. If you’re starting to feel nauseous from it all, Axios has this handy running list of the executive orders that he’s signed so far, what they are, what it means. Let the Lawsuits Begin: Twenty-two states are suing Trump “to block an executive order that refuses to recognize the U.S.-born children of unauthorized immigrants as citizens,” reports the New York Times. The National Treasury Employees Union is also suing his administration for his DEI rollback, resulting in “reclassification of thousands of federal workers as political hires.” Several groups have also filed lawsuits against DOGE.  X Marks the Nazi: Politicians, celebrities, and media outlets are leaving X en masse after Elon Musk’s Sieg Heil-looking salute at Monday’s Inauguration. Several subreddits have also banned links to X posts (and r/Seattle is considering it). We're talking about it too. I think everyone should leave X, tbh. Including The Stranger! I hate that we’re on there! EVERYONE GET OFF X NOW!  And Now For Something Completely Different: According to BBC's breaking news, Trump "says Russia will face 'high levels of taxes, tariffs and sanctions' if President Vladimir Putin does not end the war in Ukraine." Wait, what? Trump is daring to stand up to Putin? Is this a trap? This feels like a trap.  Take a Couple of Minutes to Watch This: It's satisfying to see people say things Trump needs to hear directly to his face. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde to Trump: "I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender people in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives ... and the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals" [image or embed] — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) January 21, 2025 at 10:49 AM Pedestrian Killed by Train: A man is dead after being hit by a freight train at Broad Street and Alaskan Way Tuesday morning. According to the SPD blotter, the man “waited as the Southbound train went by. When he walked across the tracks, he was unaware of the incoming northbound train and was fatally struck.”  Elijah Lewis Murder Trial Has Begun: Opening arguments were made yesterday in the trial of Patrick Cooney, the man charged with killing Elijah Lewis during a traffic dispute on April 1, 2023. Cooney is charged with second-degree murder, and first-degree assault for allegedly shooting Lewis’s 9-year-old nephew as well, who was in Lewis’s car. Defense attorney James Dixon said in his opening arguments that “there was ‘no question’ Cooney killed Lewis and injured his nephew, but argued Cooney had reason to shoot,” the Seattle Times reports. Dixon said “two witnesses would testify during the trial that they saw Lewis swerve his vehicle toward Cooney, who was riding a scooter.” Prosecutors have noted Cooney’s history of reported road rage incidents, including one confrontation where he allegedly threatened a driver with a gun. Testimony continues today. I Told You There Would be Good News and Bad News: The good news is that rain is expected in Los Angeles starting Friday. The bad news is weather conditions are gonna get worse first. As the LA Times writes, “On Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service extended its red flag warning until 8 p.m. Thursday due to an anticipated boost in wind coupled with persistent low humidity.” As of Tuesday evening, officials have confirmed that 11 people have died in the Palisades fire and 17 people have died in the Eaton fire. The fires have also destroyed a total of 15,798 structures and burned nearly 38,000 acres. Seattle’s city limits is 53,620 acres. Snow! In Florida and the Gulf Coast!? I've seen The Day After Tomorrow. I know how this ends. WATCH OUT FOR WOLVES. Ichirooooooooooo!: Ichiro Suzuki, the former Mariner All-Star, is the first Japanese player to be elected into the baseball Hall of Fame. The AP reports he was just “one vote shy of unanimous,” receiving “393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.” (WHO WAS THE HOLD OUT? THE FUCK’S YOUR PROBLEM?) The induction ceremony is set for July 27.  Garth Hudson Has Died: Hudson played organ, keyboards, accordion, and more for the Band, and was the last surviving member of the original lineup. He was also a prolific session musician and solo artist who played with Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty, Emmylou Harris, Van Morrison, Neko Case, Neil Young, and many more over the years. Watch The Last Waltz tonight. Is Oprah a Bastard?: The latest subject of Robert Evans’s great Behind the Bastards podcast is Oprah Winfrey. It’s a fascinating listen so far and he’s only like halfway through the 50-SOMETHING PAGES he wrote for the script. THAT’S A BOOK, ROBERT. Slog AM: The Only Good News Version!    Here Comes the Light: We are just days away from a post-5 pm sunset! On January 26, the sun will set at 5:01 pm and then continue to set a couple of minutes later every day thereafter.  Ichirooooooooooo!: As mentioned in the bad news version of this post above, Ichiro Suzuki, the former Mariner All-Star, is the first Japanese player to be elected into the baseball Hall of Fame. The AP reports he was just “one vote shy of unanimous,” receiving “393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.” The induction ceremony is set for July 27. Planets on Parade: This month, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars will be visible to the naked eye. Neat! “In the first couple of hours after dark, you’ll find Venus and Saturn in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead, and Mars in the east,” says NASA. “Planets always appear along a line in the sky, so the ‘alignment’ isn’t special. What’s less common is seeing four or five bright planets at once, which doesn’t happen every year. Is it a ‘planet parade’? This isn’t a technical term in astronomy, so call it what you wish!” Consider it the silver lining to these early sunsets!  Want to See a Picture of My Dog? He loves you. Good news: Johnny Waffles loves you. MS Speaking of Good Boys: Animal Planet has announced the lineup for Puppy Bowl XXI! Pawticipants include Smoosh, a Pekingese from Florida, Maxx, a three-legged Doberman Pinscher from Las Vegas, Mr. Pickles, a pug mix from Dallas, and Whoopie, a great Pyrenees mix from Nashville. See all the cuties here.  Seattle Gets Some James Beard Love: The 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalists were announced this morning and Seattle is all over the place! Quynh Pham and Yenvy Pham or Phở Bắc Súp Shop, Phởcific Standard Time, and The Boat, are up for Outstanding Restaurateur; Atoma and FamilyFriend are up for Best New Restaurant; Saint Bread is up for Best Bakery; Archipelago is up for Outstanding Hospitality; Ltd Edition Sushi is up for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program; Roquette is up for Outstanding Bar; Sophon is up for Best New Bar; Linda Milagros Violago at Canlis is up for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service; Anu Apte of Rob Roy is up for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service; and Janet Becerra of Pancita, Logan Cox of Homer, and Aisha Ibrahim of Canlis are up for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific. YAY, FOOD! Congrats! Today, a couple in Charlotte, North Carolina, celebrates their 70th wedding anniversary. QCity Metro reports, “Elmore beat cancer in his 70s. Marie survived Covid in her 80s. Both endured the Civil Rights era, economic downturn and everything in between.” The traditional 70th wedding anniversary gift is platinum, in case you want to send them a present. Speaking of Love: Same-sex marriage will be legal in Thailand starting January 23, and they’re throwing a big party to celebrate. NBC News reports, “The organizers of Bangkok Pride have collaborated with relevant government agencies to hold a grand celebration in central Bangkok and facilitate couples who wish to register their marriage on the very first day. They said that more than 300 couples have registered to officially tie the knot on Thursday at the event.” Contagious Piss: I don’t know if it’s good news, but it makes me giggle, so we're going with it. You know how yawning is often contagious in humans? Well, the same is true for peeing and chimpanzees. Spread Love: You have until Friday at noon to submit your FREE Stranger valentine! We’re going to pack hundreds of your sweet love notes in our next print issue, out February 5!  Don't forget: You're stronger than you think.