Knute Berger
There’s More to PNW’s Sky-high Aviation History Than Just Boeing
Seattleites have been looking to the skies to innovate since the Klondike Gold Rush—Knute Berger explores our deep aviation roots
There were numerous attempts to invent flying objects, which coincided with UFO sightings in the late 1890s
Local Bird Population Decline Catches Birders by Surprise
Knute Berger reflects on how birds add richness to our surroundings
When I was a kid growing up in Seattle I was largely oblivious to birds. We had robins in the neighborhood and occasionally found their cracked blue eggs on the ground in the spring. There were seagulls aplenty. The garbage dump used to be at Union Bay near Husky Stadium where we dumped our trash….
The New ASUW Shell House Will Pay Homage to Its History Through a Restoration
An old UW building where the ‘Boys in the Boat’ hung out has many layers of history, says Knute Berger, who is all for the current effort to restore it to its former glory
Historic photos on the walls of the old ASUW Shell House, including this one, help tell the storied history of the UW crew. This team is from 1945
Human Composting Becomes an Option in Washington, But Is It for Everyone?
Human composting will soon be a choice in our state, but Knute Berger has a different end in mind
AFTER LIFE: Walking through Lake View Cemetery in Seattle is a walk through Seattle’s past; the cemetary holds the gravesites of the city’s founders as well as famous citizens
100 Hundred Years Later, Seattle Still Loves Hockey and Bad Baseball
Seattle has always been sports town—Knute Berger notes how in 1919, hockey and baseball were both making headlines
I was dialing the way-back machine to 1919 and noticed a couple of interesting reminders of our times, a century later. Hockey was in the news, and so was bad baseball. Seattle had a Pacific Coast league baseball team, at various times called the Giants, Indians and Rainiers. In 1919, the team played at Dugdale…
What the Seattle Mariners Need Now
A little more beer could make watching losing games a little more fun
There’s little dispute that this year’s Seattle Mariners suck. The team said that this would be a “step back” year—though stepping back from years of consistent failure suggests that they are stepping back into an abyss. A promising start proved an illusion. Yes, it’s a long season, but as we head into summer, that hope…
The Tall Order Facing Seattle’s New City Council
We have a bumper crop of City Council candidates this year, notes Knute Berger. Are they likely to fare better than the current incumbents in solving the city’s problems?
VOTE FOR ME! ME! ME! ME! There is a bumper crop of City Council candidates this year; those elected will face a daunting slate of problems
Local Billionaires’ Impact Is Seen in Seattle and Beyond
Seattle’s wealthy once liked to hide, but today’s billionaires, says Knute Berger, are openly impacting the city and beyond
EYE SPY: Seattle’s billionaires are throwing around more than a few Benjamins these days, changing the shape of the city
Why Seattle’s KeyArena Matters
Sports stadiums may not make economic sense, but they’re priceless in other ways
The Seattle Times recently reported that the private group, Oak View, which is remodeling the Seattle Center Coliseum (aka KeyArena) to host NHL hockey and, it is hoped, NBA basketball, has indicated that the costs to renovate and rebuild the facility will be upwards of $900 million—a third more than recent estimates of around $600…