KOMO News

The latest breaking news, traffic, and weather from Seattle and Western Washington

News

Local & Regional Seattle Police Department expands crime forecasting program
By Michael Harthorne Published: May 20, 2013 at 11:47 AM PDT
Since February, Seattle Police Department officers patrolling the east and southwest parts of the city have been getting daily "crime forecasts" showing where and when crime is most likely to happen. Now, the department is taking that program citywide.
More News

Entertainment

Entertainment Seattle-born jazz singer Sara Gazarek comes home to give back Seattle-born jazz singer Sara Gazarek comes home to give back (Photo Gallery) (Video)
By Hanna Brooks Olsen Published: May 20, 2013 at 4:54 PM PDT Last Updated: May 20, 2013 at 5:20 PM PDT
Singer Sara Gazarek didn't grow up with a lot of exposure to jazz -- after all, Seattle is really known more for grunge (and, recently, hip-hop) than for crooning voices and downtown piano bars. But when she joined the jazz choir in high school, she fell in love with the genre. Now, she's an award-winning performer with a new album, who's using her star power to inspire future generations of musicians -- or at least help students understand a genre that often feels elusive.
Entertainment Manzarek, founding member of The Doors, dies at 74 Manzarek, founding member of The Doors, dies at 74
By CHRIS TALBOTT AP Entertainment Writers Published: May 20, 2013 at 10:40 PM PDT
Ray Manzarek, a founding member of the 1960s rock group The Doors whose versatile and often haunting keyboards complemented Jim Morrison's gloomy baritone and helped set the mood for some of rock's most enduring songs, has died. He was 74.
More Entertainment

Offbeat

Offbeat Slow pokes: Acupuncture helps hypothermic turtles Slow pokes: Acupuncture helps hypothermic turtles
By RODRIQUE NGOWI Associated Press Published: May 21, 2013 at 12:42 AM PDT
Two endangered sea turtles that are shells of their former selves after getting stranded on Cape Cod during a cold spell are getting some help easing back into the wild - from an acupuncturist.
More Offbeat

Your Photos

More YouNews Share your photos

KOMO 4 TV

Watch ABC shows online

Local & Regional

More Local & Regional

Around the World

National & World Angry mob pelts man thought to be sex attacker Angry mob pelts man thought to be sex attacker
By STEVEN K. PAULSON Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 1:28 PM PDT
Residents angry that police had not warned them about sex assaults of children took matters into their own hands, chasing down a man they thought was the attacker, pelting him with rocks and leaving him with a bloody face in Colorado, authorities said Monday.
National & World FBI agents killed in training were from elite hostage rescue team
By BROCK VERGAKIS Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 2:47 PM PDT
It will likely be weeks before a cause of death is determined Special Agents Christopher Lorek and Stephen Shaw because the state medical examiner's regional office is waiting for toxicology results. The FBI has declined to say what kind of training the men were doing when they were killed Friday.
National & World NYC: No racial motivation in stop-frisk tactic
By COLLEEN LONG Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 1:26 PM PDT
Police officers acted appropriately in carrying out the city's stop, question and frisk policy, and dozens of witnesses who claimed racial bias didn't prove their case, a lawyer for the city told a judge Monday.
More Around the World

Sports

Sports Castroneves, Franchitti chase 4th Indy 500 win
By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer Published: May 20, 2013 at 10:21 AM PDT
It's been 22 years since the last driver won his fourth Indy 500 title. Now Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti are trying to join the exclusive club at Sunday's race.
More Sports

Top Video

More Top Video

Your Life, Your Style

Health What do we eat? New food map will tell us What do we eat? New food map will tell us
By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 8:42 AM PDT
Until now, the only way to find out what people in the United States eat and how many calories they consume has been government data, which can lag behind the rapidly expanding and changing food marketplace. Researchers are trying to change that.
Health FDA has safety concerns on Merck insomnia drug FDA has safety concerns on Merck insomnia drug
By Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 8:37 AM PDT Last Updated: May 20, 2013 at 1:40 PM PDT
Federal health regulators say an experimental insomnia drug from Merck can help patients fall asleep, but it also carries worrisome side effects, including daytime drowsiness and suicidal thinking.

Extras

Weather "What does ''EF-4'' mean?' and other tornado questions answered "What does ''EF-4'' mean?' and other tornado questions answered
By Published: May 20, 2013 at 4:10 PM PDT
With tornadoes in the news lately I figured it'd be a good time to post answers to some frequently asked questions about the powerful storms:

What does "EF-4" mean?

WIth the devastating tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, you'll be hearing a lot of about "EF" ratings -- that's from the Enhanced Fujita Scale that rates tornadoes on a scale of 0 to 5, 5 being the strongest.

The Moore tornado was given a preliminary rating of EF-4 ("Devastating") with estimated tornadic wind speeds of up to 200 mph, although many are thinking that rating could be increased to an EF-5 ("Incredible") once more damage assessment is done.

Sadly, it's not the first time Moore has had to deal with such a catastrophic storm. On May 3, 1999, Moore was struck by an EF-5 tornado which recorded the strongest wind speed ever registered near Earth's surface. this map provided by the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma shows just how close the two tracks were.
Weather Northern Lights peek out in Eastern Washington Northern Lights peek out in Eastern Washington (Photo Gallery)
By Published: May 18, 2013 at 9:57 AM PDT Last Updated: May 19, 2013 at 12:55 AM PDT
As we mentioned in the blog Thursday, there's a particularly active sunspot on the sun right now.

It had, as its opening salvo while starting to face the Earth, unleashed a moderately strong solar flare that reached us late Friday, triggering a display of the Northern Lights that reached as far south as Colorado.

Entertainment

More Entertainment

Technology

Technology A year after IPO, Facebook aims to be ad colossus
By BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writer Published: May 20, 2013 at 8:00 AM PDT Last Updated: May 20, 2013 at 9:10 AM PDT
It was supposed to be our IPO, the people's public offering. And then it flopped. Facebook's stock finished its first day of trading just 23 cents higher than its $38 IPO price. It hasn't been that high since.
Technology Expectations high for unveiling of next Xbox on Tuesday
By DERRIK J. LANG,AP Entertainment Writer Published: May 19, 2013 at 11:57 AM PDT Last Updated: May 19, 2013 at 12:54 PM PDT
Microsoft will likely take aim at Sony during Tuesday's next-generation Xbox unveiling at its headquarters in Redmond. Eight years have passed since Microsoft unveiled the last one, Xbox 360.
More Technology

Business

Business Earnings preview: PC slump hangs over HP's 2nd quarter
By Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 8:28 AM PDT
Hewlett-Packard's latest quarterly results will show how badly the deteriorating personal computer market damaged the company while CEO Meg Whitman tries to expand into more profitable areas of technology.
Business Ryanair keeps growing, reports record profits
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK, Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 8:19 AM PDT
Ryanair reported record profits Monday as Europe's largest budget airline relentlessly expanded its route network across the continent and into North Africa.
More Business

Offbeat

Offbeat 48-hour ride breaks Ferris wheel world record
By Associated Press Published: May 20, 2013 at 7:43 AM PDT
A manager of Chicago's Navy Pier rode the tourist spot's Ferris wheel for more than two days, bringing the world record for the longest ride to the birthplace of the amusement park favorite.
Offbeat Milwaukee backs off bra ban for historic bar
By CARRIE ANTLFINGER Associated Press Published: May 17, 2013 at 6:47 PM PDT
A historic Milwaukee bowling alley and bar almost went without the appropriate support after a city inspector decided dozens of bras hanging from its ceiling were a fire hazard.
Offbeat Texas senior, 18, bags 800-pound record alligator
By Associated Press Published: May 16, 2013 at 11:47 AM PDT
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials say 18-year-old Braxton Bielski bagged the record gator last week at Choke Canyon State Park, about 90 miles south of San Antonio.
More Offbeat