Seattle celebrates Women’s History Month (WHM) across the city with exhibitions, group events, and festivals across the region. These events highlight the history of women’s fight for equality and equity, while addressing ongoing issues such as the wage gap, gender-based violence, and reproductive rights.

WHM takes place every March, recognizing the achievements of women throughout history and the ongoing struggle for gender equality.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA), planned a brunch for the Latina women in the community. 

Upon arrival at the brunch, guests were greeted with multiple members of ALPFA and were even gifted a little box with goodies. They also had a photo booth where a member would take a picture using a polaroid camera.

The Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) kicked off this weekend in the ever-busy streets of Seattle, with about 90,000 people attending the con over the four days. Every year, the city turns into a playground for comic book fans at the ECCC. 

One way to think of the Comic Con is to think of it like a multi-day party where you can meet the people who make your favorite comics, learn from experts, and hang out with others who are just as excited as you are. These comic cons, like ECCC, are usually big events spanning a long weekend.

The SAT is a standardized test used to assess academic readiness, but for students who perform well in school yet struggle with timed exams, it can serve as an unfair barrier in college admissions, especially with those who aren’t as successful during exams, such as myself.

For high school students, the SAT is a defining moment in the college application process. It serves as a standardized measure that colleges use to compare applicants from different educational backgrounds. While some institutions have adopted test-optional policies, many still consider SAT scores an important factor in admissions and financial aid decisions.

Groundhog Day, observed annually on Feb. 2, has origins that intertwine ancient European traditions with American customs. The day is marked by the belief that if a groundhog sees its shadow, winter will continue for six more weeks, while an overcast sky signals an early spring.

Though today it is largely seen as a lighthearted tradition, its roots date back centuries to weather lore and religious observances.

Plane crashes have been happening in the U.S. on a near-daily basis, and while the Trump Administration argues that diversity is the culprit, experts are posing a different explanation for the string of tragedies that have made the front page for the past several months – and it is the likely combination of public perception of social media and years of aggressive budget cuts.

The Trump Administration’s firing of roughly 400 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees came on the very day of President Trump’s 2025 inauguration, in the midst of an already troublesome shortage of air traffic controllers.

There’s been a statistic rapidly growing among the King County area – juvenile crime has skyrocketed in recent years, concerning citizens, businesses, and law enforcement. While Seattle ranks #21 for most dangerous cities, according to US News, a disturbing percentage of crime is committed by juveniles. 

“Renton data shows police were called to reports of juveniles committing crimes with guns almost three times more often in 2023 than the year before,” K5 reported in their “Underage and Under Arrest series. They found that the most common instances were armed robberies of gas stations and convenience stores.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were institutions established to provide higher education for Black students before desegregation, playing a crucial role in Black history by expanding access to education and professional opportunities.

HBCUs were founded in response to the systemic exclusion of African Americans from mainstream higher education. These institutions created opportunities for African Americans to pursue careers that were otherwise inaccessible.

As the weeks advance in President Trump’s second term, he has been true to his word on past promises with deportation and immigration. With the current administration considering pulling from the Department of Defense funds to hire contractors and expand detention facilities to process the hundreds of undocumented persons that have been targeted for their immigration status. 

Democrats have opposed these executive decisions, arguing that deporting immigrants is not a smart move, citing that it could affect labor shortages. These deportations may affect, and   reduce crop yields because with fewer agricultural workers to plant, tend, and harvest crops, farmers may struggle to maintain productivity.

Congress has had their sights on starting off with the expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) along with the tax foundation to provide the insight and analysis on the policies at stake since the enactment in 2017. 

They have overlooked some of the weaknesses and strengths of the TCJAs. “We have also analyzed fundamental reforms that would dramatically improve the U.S. tax system to support economic growth as well as greater efficiency and simplicity,” said the writers of tax foundation.

President Donald Trump has announced plans to expand the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay to hold up to 30,000 migrants. Multiplying the current capacity of less than 200 by a factor of over 150. With ICE setting up tents to prepare for the incoming wave of migrants, Trump and his administration are moving fast to enact this unprecedented move. 

Guantanamo Bay Detention Center, also known as GITMO, is one of the most infamous places in modern American history. A military prison located in Guantanamo Bay Cuba, the place was opened in 2002 to hold prisoners of war during the War on Terror. Since then it has been home to countless human rights violations.

White Day, celebrated on March 14, is a holiday in several Asian countries where men give gifts to women in return for the chocolates or presents they received on Valentine’s Day. This tradition is common in Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China.

The origins of White Day trace back to Japan in 1978 when the National Confectionery Industry Association launched it as a marketing campaign to promote sweets.

President Trump started off his second term by signing a slew of executive orders, including one attempting to revoke birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents with unlawful or even temporary status.

The public response has ranged from nationwide protests to preliminary injunctions against the order.

On a day marked by shifting skies in Seattle, voices rose in unison against the policies of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), echoing the rallying cry, “Families belong together.” The morning had greeted the city with snowfall, but by the time the protest began, the sun had broken through, casting a sharp light on the determined crowd gathered in solidarity. 

Despite the earlier snow, the streets of Alki remained clear, with no snow on the ground—a striking contrast to the wintry backdrop seen elsewhere in the city. As a journalist, I rode King County Metro’s #50 bus, arriving at the protest around 2:38 p.m., ready to capture the spirit of the day through photos and videos.

After 15 months of horrendous fighting in the Gaza strip, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement just days before the second Trump administration.

The cease fire began on Sunday, Jan. 20 and phase one is projected to last six weeks. The pause in fighting is meant to allow Palestinians to return to their homes in Gaza and for humanitarian aid to be flooded into the region.

Since returning to office, Donald Trump has taken several controversial actions that have attracted public attention.

These actions include mass deportation efforts, attempting to end birthright citizenship, imposing tariffs that strained relations with Colombia, withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement again, and rolling back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. 

As 2025 begins, Washington State and King County announced increases to their minimum wage rates, marking a commitment to the people to provide fairer wages for workers across the region. These increases, which are connected to inflation, and the ever-rising cost of living, aim to ensure workers are compensated adequately for their labor.

The statewide and local wage increases in Washington for 2025 has been set to $16.66 per hour, a 2.35% increase from the previous year. This raise reflects the ongoing efforts to adjust salaries in line with inflation and rising costs.

Social media, despite its widespread use and connectivity benefits, has been increasingly linked to negative impacts on mental health. One of the most significant concerns is the way social media fosters unrealistic comparisons. 

Platforms like Instagram and Facebook often highlight curated, idealized images of people’s lives, leading individuals to compare themselves to these filtered versions of reality.

Los Angeles investigators are still on the search for the origins of the Palisades fire, which has destroyed over 5,000 homes and businesses, along with the lives of 25 people, as of the release of this article.

Members of the public actively mourn the loss of life and home, while news outlets report a combination of safety updates, as well as speculation on the qualifications of LA officials charged with carrying out public safety. 

Within a week of this article, President-Elect Donald Trump will have been formally sentenced for his 34 felony count conviction, in which a guilty verdict fell down on him like a hammer for paying off a porn-star, and he will also be inaugurated as America’s 47th president, serving two non-consecutive terms; a feat that only President Grover Cleveland accomplished.  

Did you know that there are at least 24 known New Year’s traditions from around the world, and all of them have some different meaning or superstition attached to them?

The most popular tradition in the United States that millions gather to watch, is the annual ball drop in Times Square. According to Times Square, this tradition started in 1907 when the first New Year’s Eve ball, made of iron and wood and adorned with one hundred 25-watt light bulbs, was 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds.

Washington State, known for its dreary, gray weather and depressing atmosphere, ranks highest in adults, 18 years of age and older, who feel symptoms of depression, anxiety, loneliness, or just feeling down. 

Although, Washington is at the tops in these statistics, it may surprise readers that the states inhabitants don’t score that much higher than the rest of the country when it comes to depression amongst adults and suicide rates.

As fall comes to an end and we enter the winter season, we can see the shift in temperature dropping.

With this in mind it’s essential to know how to properly take care of your body to help protect your immune system so it can be healthy during these chilly months. 

Most of the Puget Sound region was under a dense fog advisory from the National Weather Service. Bellevue, Bremerton, Everett, Seattle, Tacoma, and the Hood Canal region are all included in the advisory.

The moist air cools until its humidity reaches 100% and fog occurs when the cool air combines with the warm, humid air over the water.

Before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and turkey trots dominated Thanksgiving traditions, the holiday holds a dark and gruesome past not very well taught in schools. 

Originating from a harvest once ‘held’ by the Pilgrims in 1621, the original European settlers in the New World celebrated growing relations with Indigenous tribes, but the economic tool covers a sordid tale. 

UGGs became popular in the 90s then, after a decades-long hibernation, they found success again in the 2000s. The brand is no stranger to ebbing and flowing through the market; and only recently, UGGs have skyrocketed yet again – proving that the furry boots will always have a place in consumer’s hearts.

The UGG brand was founded in 1978 in Southern California by two young Australian surfers, Brian Smith and Doug Jensen. Only 28 pairs were sold in the company’s first season. But in 1994, when the U.S. winter Olympic team sported them, they garnered a lot of international attention.

Animal testing, used extensively in the cosmetic industry, is a harsh reality of millions of small animals, and protest efforts have led to legislation banning the sale of such companies that engage in the practice.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), an animal rights activist group, held a worldwide campaign after anger over animal testing statistics were released. Across the globe public protests were held, phone calls were made, and thousands of emails sent to legislatures.

A ‘bomb cyclone’ swept into Western Washington Tuesday night, leaving half a million people without power and killing two individuals.

Puget Sound Energy reports over 400,000 of their customers suffered outages, many of which could potentially last for multiple days. 

Satirical newspaper and media company, The Onion, has officially purchased Infowars at bankruptcy auction, following Alex Jones’ recent court loss to victims of Sandy Hook.

Infowars was founded by Alex Jones in 1999, carrying the McCarthyism torch from the ‘Satanic Panic’ through the ‘Obama Birther Movement’, and has had its fingers in nearly every conspiracy theory you’ve heard of in the Western Hemisphere.

As Thanksgiving fast approaches, the Thunderword is proud to serve up a steamy selection of the top dishes that you’ll want on your family table to ensure happiness and joy this holiday season.

Follow our findings and these approved recipes will have your family and friends coming back for seconds and thirds.

Companies and private workers suffer from the existence and sale of counterfeit products, and not just because of loss of sales hurting revenue and company reputations. The more alarming fact is that the counterfeit industry has actually been linked to terrorist activity. 

In the 21st century, advanced machinery enables factories overseas to create a 1:1 replica of  products from luxury brands like Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Gucci. This huge counterfeit industry is worth over “$3 trillion dollars annually” as reported by AlpVision.

There are less than 100 math museums in the entire world, and only a handful in America. We, however, have one of them right here in Seattle, called the Seattle Universal Math Museum (SUMM).

What is SUMM? SUMM is located all around Seattle and although it is not currently in a physical location, they host all sorts of events in the area, such as family events, hands-on exhibits, and conversations, all about math.

The creators are extremely passionate about math and want to share that with the community.

The LGBTQIA+ Task Force and Q Center invite you to participate in Transgender Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20).

During this time, we honor and uplift the trans community and reaffirm Highline’s commitment to a learning environment rooted in social justice, mutual respect, understanding, civility, and non-violence.

With the election closed, analysis begins on voter turnout, demographics, and how we got to where we are. As the results of the election settle, and the reality of Donald Trump being elected to return to the presidency, some recent campaign events can be looked on with a clearer light. 

Perhaps most recently, Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico being an “island of garbage,” became the centerpiece of a national argument about what damage a joke can do, or not do in this case, on the political stage.

Bob Ferguson is Washington state’s newly elected governor, leading his competitor, Dave Reichert by almost 400,000 votes.

The Seattle-born former Washington Attorney General has been in the public eye for some time, but may not be as ubiquitous as his contemporaries–at least for now. So who is Ferguson?

Almost everyone has kept a goldfish in an aquarium once in their life, right? But have you ever thought about how disastrous they are to our environment if they were to be released into the wild? 

Goldfish seem to be inexpensive and low maintenance which make them among a  favorite in home aquarium pets. In pet stores they can be seen as tiny little swimmers but in the wild they can grow as big as 10 lbs and 18 in.

Strike action at 14 ports on the US east and Gulf coast has ended, after a temporary new wage agreement was reached. The union representing the U.S. dockworkers agreed to suspend the strike while further negotiations continue.

After the initial short-lived strike concluded, a temporary agreement on wages was put in place. This agreement will last until Jan. 15, when the parties will need to return to the bargaining table on other issues under the threat of another strike.

The finish line for this election season is less than a week away.

Along with the hotly contested Presidential campaigns pushing all they can in the final days, Washington has its own hot-button ticket issues that will racket through its own economy, depending on how the votes go. 

Over the weekend there was a 45-car pileup accident that happened on southbound I-5 in Kent, Wash. This forced the closure of all five lanes on southbound I-5 to allow for first responders and tow trucks to get to the scene.

The accident occurred on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 around 1:20 p.m. and expanded a little over five miles in total.

Diaspora refers to a large group of people who share a cultural and regional origin but are living away from their traditional homeland. This dispersion can be due to various reasons such as economic opportunities, political instability, or conflicts.

Diasporas play a significant role in fostering cultural exchange, economic development, and maintaining connections between their homeland and host countries.

Las Vegas, also known as Sin City, is popular for being the biggest place in America to host adult entertainment and gambling, but this year, it was also the host of the biggest trading card game and its convention Magic: The Gathering!

Created by game designer and mathematician Richard Garfield, Magic: The Gathering (or MTG for short) has become one of the most popular card games ever since its initial release in 1993 and has enjoyed immense popularity since then.

Early voting is open! Mail-in ballots have been sent out, and registration is still open for anyone needing to request a new ballot.

As the Presidential race has everyone’s attention, the Thunderword wished to remind everyone that local decisions are also on the ballot this November.

Many people are questioning whether the Netflix series “Monsters: A Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” is accurate or not. Recent claims made by Erik Menendez about the Netflix series involving the murder of their parents he and his brother were convicted of committing says that the show is full of “Blatant lies” about him and his brother.

Liam Payne, 31, a former member of the hit British boy band One Direction, which gained a massive international fanbase, was found dead on Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

Police reported that they found Payne’s body after emergency services were alerted by hotel staff from the pop star’s accommodation in the Palermo area of the city.

Due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza, many people have chosen to boycott corporations that invest money in Israel. 

The current Gaza conflict surged on Oct. 7 when Hamas-led forces from Palestine gained access to Israel and caused a tragic loss of 1,200 lives, taking around 250 people hostage. Since then Israel has taken the lives of more than 40,000 innocent civilians. This conflict has raised a multitude of boycotts against companies due to their stance on the situation. 

As October finally begins the greater Seattle area has many options for those looking to get thrilled as the spooky season is upon us and everyone is wanting to get into the spirit.

To enjoy the turning of the seasons, some like to sit inside, watch movies and be all around cozy, some enjoy walks and outings in the crisp autumn air, while others enjoy horror (albeit, a lot of us enjoy a mix of them). But for those who are willing to step out of their comfort zone here is a short list of Seattle locals’ favorite “happy haunts”.

Between the dark hours of 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. EST, Florida residents braced themselves for another catastrophe. Entire towns were abandoned, debris left behind, and homes vacated. Those watching from the screens urge friends and family to get out, get safe, and stay alive.

Hurricane Milton made landfall on central Florida’s west-coast as a Category 3 hurricane in the evening hours of Wednesday. The once tropical storm took less than 36 hours to strengthen into a Cat 5, but slowed and downgraded to a Cat 3 upon approaching the state.

The Vice Presidential debate between Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance, was one of the most polite political stages seen the past few election cycles.

The 90-minute face off between the two men duking it out to be second-in-command was a spectacle in that it was a night of civil oratory discussion – edging on even exchanging polite pleasantries.  

As the fall starts to settle in, the wind blows colder, and the leaves start to fall and brown, people gather around Puyallup, Wash. in a yearly tradition that is beloved by locals, the Washington State Fair.

This year, the fair ran for four weeks, from Aug. 30 through Sept. 22. Throughout its long history, the fair continues to celebrate a community of people gathering for fun games, rides, entertainment, and amazing food from all different types of places brought from local vendors.

The recent unsealing of bribery and campaign finance charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams has narrowed the public eye into the past few years of his behavior and business dealings.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York unsealed the indictment on Thursday, Sept. 26, sparking public outcry for his resignation.

Have you ever wanted to buy a Rolex, thinking all you have to do is walk into a Rolex Authorized Dealer and tell them which watch you want and automatically think that you’ll be walking out the store with a shiny new watch? The simple answer is that’s definitely not going to be the case. 

Rolex does a process where if you want a specific watch they’ll tell you they only have the exhibition models and they currently don’t have any watches available at the moment. Then they would take your name and information and put you on a waiting list, after which they will run a background check on you.

As the fall quarter kicks off at Highline, there is a realization that the political world we live in now, in September, is vastly different than the political scene we left in June.

The last issue of The Thunderword reported on the historic conviction of former President Donald Trump. This was shortly before the disastrous debate with current President Joe Biden, who at the time, was the presumed democratic nominee for this year’s election.

Welcome back Highline scholars! You have likely come across the myriad of world-changing news that has been unfolding over the past few months, and things can slip by if we don’t give them their due diligence, so let us recount some of the biggest pop culture events that have happened since our last issue of the Thunderword.

After a near 12-hour deliberation over the course of two days, jurors made U.S. history last week by finding former President Donald J. Trump guilty on all 34 felony charges of falsifying business records. The verdict has been the center of stark debate across the nation, highlighting the divide between voters of the Republican and Democratic parties.

Immediately after leaving the Manhattan courtroom, Trump decried a “rigged trial”, and made multiple comments on the dangers inflicting the United States, should he be convicted. These comments echoed his intentions to exercise revenge-laden control of the country if he wins a second term as president.

The Live Nation-Ticketmaster conglomerate is now under the scrutiny of the Department of Justice for maintaining an illegal monopoly. Whether it’s a concert at Lumen Field, a Mariners game at T-Mobile Stadium, or an event on Capitol Hill, the big live event giant handing out your tickets has now been thrust into its own spotlight after years of skirting the dark side of the stage.

The entertainment industry is a curtained machine of artist management, venue operations, concert promotion, and ticket sales. After a 2010 merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, the one company now owns and controls every single one of these aspects. The lawsuit, set forth by the DOJ against Live Nation, says they “control around 60% of concert promotion at major concert venues across the country.”

Over 100 firefighters and EMS staff working at Boeing facilities in Washington are locked out in an attempt by Boeing to force a contract agreement for low wages and longer progression periods.

At midnight on May 4, Boeing deactivated all security and parking passes of its on-site EMS and firefighters at its six Washington facilities around Seattle.

The lockout began at 12:01 a.m., as the current contract between Boeing and the International Association of Firefighters union expired at midnight, and a new contract had not been agreed upon. The lockout comes after months of failed contract negotiations on wages between the company and the union representing the workers.

Each year, the Karen Community Church of Greater Seattle hosts “Run for Hope for Burma”, a fundraising race to raise money for humanitarian aid in South Eastern Asian country Burma, which is currently known as Myanmar.

This year, the 5K race was held at Chambers Creek Regional Park in Pierce County on Saturday, May 25. Although it was cold and windy, the racers weren’t deterred as they empathized with refugees and internally displaced people who’ve faced worse conditions while in civil war, as a lot of the racers were previously refugees themselves.

On the morning of April 29, students from University of Washington Seattle campus pitched tents on the Quad, establishing the Popular University for Gaza Liberated Zone. Situated in between the Raitt and Miller buildings, the encampment tripled in size within the first 24 hours. The most contentious demand is for the school to cut ties with Boeing, a long-time partner.

The encampment includes organizations from the UW Progressive Student Union as well as the UW United Front For Palestine Liberation and the UW Student Muslim Association.

While the Arctic regions are renowned for their unparalleled views of the Northern Lights, this celestial phenomenon made a rare, breathtaking appearance in the skies above the Pacific Northwest this past weekend. From the shores of Puget Sound to the peaks of the Cascade Range, the dancing lights graced our region with their ethereal presence during a period of particularly intense solar activity.

This past weekend, stargazers across the United States were treated to an extraordinary display of the aurora borealis, thanks to an “extreme” geomagnetic storm classified as a G5 – the highest level. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, this was the first G5 storm to hit our planet since 2003, resulting in power grid irregularities and communication disruptions.

Over the past several months, 2,600 students have been arrested at protests across the country as encampments crop up on quads and in squares. The main call for these protests have been to end US involvement in the war, bringing it to their school administrators demanding divestment from Israel-supporting companies.

For context, on October 7, 2023, Hamas, a Palestinian militant force who has had control over the Palestinian population for the past 18 years, launched an attack into southern Israel, resulting in the death of 1,400 and the capture of about 250 people, including women and children.

On a beautiful, sunny weekend the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, the Pacific Bonsai Museum hosted its fourth BonsaiFEST! to celebrate World Bonsai Day. During the May 11-12 event there were many exhibitions, hundreds of bonsai’s displayed, art activities, food trucks, and more.

This photo story, highlights some of the bonsais to learn more about the culture, history, and art of these miniature trees.

The touring circus Paranormal Cirque II began its western Washington leg at the Puyallup fairgrounds on Friday, May 10. Featuring an eclectic cast of tightrope walkers, sword swallowers, jugglers and burlesque dancers, this circus appeals to an older audience with a taste for the macabre.

Taking place under an ominous black tent and headed by the neon red sign displaying the name, Paranormal Cirque II feels as though the carnival from Ray Bradbury’s “Something Wicked This Way Comes” has come to life.

With Panera Bread dropping its Charged Lemonade in response to multiple wrongful death lawsuits, it may be time for a stroll down memory lane back to 2013, when an enraptured gym culture felt the side-effects of another nearly unregulated stimulant, Jack3d.

Jack3d (pronounced ‘jacked’) is a caffeinated pre-workout supplement that was banned in the U.S. in 2013 because of the illegal substance, dimethylamylamine (DMAA), though its updated formula sits on store shelves to this day.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what better gift is there than one you hand crafted yourself? For sons, daughters, offspring, children, step-children, or chosen-children on a tight budget or anyone who simply wants to create something personal, take a look at three of the easiest, personalized crafts you can make for your beloved mother. 

“There are so many fancy and sophisticated things that we can buy and gift for Mother’s Day. One might even equate that the more expensive the gift, the more it shows our love for our moms,” says Panther Lake Community Church’s youth leader, Ehler Win.

“However, for students who are on a tight budget, handmade gifts are just as valuable, if not more than the expensive store-bought gifts,” continued Win. “Handmade gifts allow us to spend time and creativity crafting the gift.”

Free comic book day has been an active promotion since 2002, encouraging people to visit their local libraries and independent bookstores, where sample issues of popular comics are distributed for free.

As the event takes place on the first Saturday in May, this year the promotion happened to coincide with national “Star Wars” day (May the fourth), it’s a Barbenheimer level event for nerds across the country.

The play “Almost, Maine” starts with a prologue containing the line, “The farthest away you can be from someone is if you’re sitting right next to them.”

The show is fast-paced yet simple, humorous and heartfelt all at once. It is made up of eleven scenes – eight vignettes as well as a prologue, interlogue, and epilogue – with each of them taking place at the exact same time, in the same town, on the same evening.

Tucked away in Federal Way, in a pavilion near the transit center, is a barbershop you might miss if you don’t already know it’s there. But inside this shop resides some of the best in the business. From the owner Hussien Azeez all the way through to those who apprentice under him, if you’re looking for a sharp looking cut and a clean job look no further than Castle Barbershop.

The shop opened in 2016 and has had its own dedicated following in addition to the numerous awards for Best Fade the shop has won.

In moments we feel wonder, admiration or an almost foreign feeling of pure connectedness when we take a second to stop and look, we are experiencing “awe”. It’s the feeling we get in the presence of something greater than ourselves as it challenges us to reconstruct our understanding of the world.

Take having the privilege to witness the birth of a child for the very first time, or simply listening to a song you had no idea would be your favorite from there on out. It’s often we come across experiences that should make us feel that warm, yet strangely daring feeling of “awe.”

Located alongside south Dash Point road in Federal Way, there lies hidden floral grounds: Powellswood Garden, a 37-acre preservation of luscious botanicals as well as native plants and wildlife. Powellswood Garden is the perfect spot to enjoy a nice stroll through the gardens or a short hike on their trail to take your significant other for a date, your family for a day trip, or your friends for a chill hang-out day. 

Last week, we got to look into some amazing local solo artists of Washington state. If there was one thing those artists agreed upon (and what this week’s artists agreed upon), it was how music unites people.

This week, we get to learn about the unity of multiple musicians brought together; the creation of a band.

Let’s get to know your local bands!

With access to your favorite celebrities’ inner thoughts and visual diaries or your favorite content creators at your fingertips, it’s easier than ever to cultivate a one-sided relationship with pop culture figures. But are parasocial relationships as toxic as the buzz term makes them seem?

Celebrities have been a constant throughout the fluctuating trends of pop culture but the definition of celebrity is in near constant flux as content creation develops and changes.

Upon entering a restaurant and seeing a dog in a bright red vest on, it’s hard to tell whether the pup is about to start begging for food or alerting their handler to something wrong. With a “Service Dog – Do Not Pet” patch attached, there’s still a level of mistrust these days.

Due to the easy access of service dog attire, it’s commonplace for people to purchase working dog harnesses for household pets in order to bypass “no-pet policy” places. Some might claim their dog is an ESA, maintaining a privilege above business policies.

Hey there you procrastinating pupils! Tax season is pretty much the worst thing ever when you’re juggling classes, activities, and just trying to survive college life. But ignoring tax deadlines will only compound the stress worse than showing up to an 8 a.m. final without any pencils.

“This is my first year ever filing taxes and I’m so lost,” confessed Noah C. “Between trying to decode all those crazy forms and documents, not to mention actually doing the return itself, I’ve just been avoiding it completely. As a first timer, this whole tax thing is straight-up intimidating!”

Music is truly a universal language that anyone can enjoy. Regardless of language barriers or personal differences, musicians from all around the world share a culture of sound and style that creates a beautiful connection between one another.

With endless genres to choose from – like Hiphop, Pop, or Jazz – there is a style of music for everyone. In the Washington community, we get a taste of a wide variety of genres from some awesome local creators.

Let’s get to know your local artists!

One of the most inspiring and rejuvenating seasons has arrived. If you’ve been feeling the weight of winter’s eternal gray clouds and the sting of sharp cold air, dread no longer. Spring season officially began March 19, and with that, a renewed sense of you.

For most of the year, the earth’s axis is either tilted towards or away from the sun, meaning that the warmth, light, and of course, energy the sun provides us with is spread out unequally on the northern and southern halves of the planet. But spring equinox, where the earth’s axis and its orbit finally align, allowing both hemispheres to get an equal amount of sun occurred March 19. 

Windows bursting mid-flight. Wheels falling during take-off. A whistleblower found dead. Since the start of this year, the Seattle-born plane manufacturer Boeing has been embroiled in controversy and accidents back-to-back. Whatever happened with the company to cause such a fall from grace?

The Seattle company was founded in 1916 after William E. Boeing, inspired by an aviation show, built and flew his first plane. Boeing then brought on more staff and engineers to keep the company afloat. Eventually, after an order and connection with the United States Navy, the company struck gold.

As March 14 (3.14) rolls around, mathematicians, educators, and pie enthusiasts worldwide are gearing up for the most irrational and delicious holiday of the year: Pi Day! This annual celebration of the never-ending number has become a cultural phenomenon, with festivities ranging from pi recitation contests to pie-baking competitions.

Speaking of which, do you know why pi isn’t on X? Because 280 characters isn’t enough for it to express itself! We hope you like pi-puns, because you’re about to be served your fair share.

The Light Rail has a lot of goals to meet by the end of 2026 in hopes to benefit the community later on in the future. However, many obstacles stand in the way of meeting that deadline, including that they have to buy more land – often ousting local business that have been in the community for decades.

The Federal Way Light Rail will be making alternative routes to meet the Tacoma Light Rail. One of those routes will go behind local shops on Pacific Highway. Another route even goes through where local shops used to and currently reside. The Light Rail has made offers to buy part of this land from Federal Way Tire City.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has made global sanitation a priority, committing over $370 million since 2011 to develop sustainable waste treatment solutions for the 2.5 billion lacking adequate facilities.

This effort originated with the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, which provides grants to researchers developing innovative toilet designs that operate off-grid without connections to water, sewers, or electricity.

Every four years, the calendar makes room for an extra day, creating what is known as a leap year – a phenomenon that is intriguing, puzzling, and practical. Today, at the end of February, the world is celebrating this unique occurrence, which adds a touch of novelty and an extra 24 hours to our usual month.

Leap years, marked by the addition of an extra day to the month of February, are necessary to keep our calendar in sync with the Earth’s revolutions around the sun.

Downtown Auburn is best known for its outlet mall and not much else, but venturing a little further into the heart of the small city, it houses several hidden gems that are worth checking out.

Klay Crazy Ceramics sits on a residential corner, with its main wall facing a busy highway, with the unpainted pottery pieces rattling on their shelves as cars cruise by. It’s a charming building, painted baby blue on the inside, and smelling sweetly of stale paint and unbaked clay.

Get ready for an exciting change! The Federal Way Transit Project is on track to wrap up in 2026, and the community is ready for the future of local transportation.

The Federal Way Transit Project, scheduled for completion in 2026, is set to transform transportation in this region of Washington, according to Sound Transit. This significant upgrade aims to create a more connected transit network, providing residents with an efficient way to navigate their daily lives.

Identity theft occurs when another person steals your personal information and uses it without your permission or knowledge. Fraud and identity theft affect hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, of people annually. Being a victim to such a crime can be traumatic, so taking necessary precautions will not only save you money, but also bring you peace of mind.

The stress from this ordeal can cost a person more than just their cash, it can bring with it an emotional toll that makes the experience feel unbearable and isolating. It is important to note, victims of this fairly modern crime are far from alone.

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) play a critical role in the American system of higher education. HBCUs have existed for 180 years, and today there are 101 HBCUs in America.

In the wake of emancipation, Black Americans founded HBCUs to educate Black students. During the segregation era, HBCUs offered one of the only paths to a college degree for Black students.

What was once seen as a nerdy niche seemingly became a trendsetter overnight. From Beanie Babies to Squishmallows, stuffed toys and plushies have followed this cycle in pop culture with new fads coming and going. When did this trend cycle start, and when will the current plushie boom end?

Since the dawn of the stuffed toy, plushie companies have been devising the next big toy to kick start a bigger trend. Some attempts like the first Peter Rabbit in 1903 or Paddington Bear in the 1970’s saw success. However, none were even close to the reign of Ty’s Beanie Babies.

Photos have long played a pivotal role in bringing news stories to life and engaging readers. As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” This rings true now more than ever in our visually driven digital age. The use of photographs in news reporting dates back to the early days of the camera in the 19th century.

Mathew Brady was one of the first to demonstrate the power of images in journalism during the Civil War, bringing home the grim realities of war through his photographs of battlefields strewn with bodies. His work showed how photographs could evoke raw emotion and provide an unfiltered look at historic events.

New fighting game franchise, “Granblue Fantasy Versus”, is a popular game played here in Washington. Locust Cider First Hill has been the main-hub for anime fighting games for the Seattle area; this is how a community was formed around the love for the game.

Thank you for watching the video and supporting the team here at the Thunderword. This video is our foray into video journalism!

Starting a small business or having a side job to bring in extra income has many worthwhile benefits. Some of the benefits that a person can enjoy by bringing in extra income can include paying off debt early, taking more vacations, and saving money for retirement.

But before you get started, you will need to consider this: How will you fund, structure, register, and get your tax identification for your business? There are organizations that can help you start your own project though, like the Business Development Center at Highline College which can assist you on your journey.

Washington’s scenic hikes offer a place for you to leave behind your chaotic reality and enter the silent world of nature. You might think you’ve seen it all already, even so, whoever said discovering gems is easy? Commonly known as the “Evergreen State,” here, trails thrive anywhere and everywhere.

Hiking may not seem like the best idea with our ongoing rainy climate, but with spring season drawing closer, trails are bound to be fused with the complexity of Washington weather: damp grounds, blooming wildflowers, and sunbeams peeking through the trees. 

Migraines pummel over 37 million Americans annually with throbbing cranial pain, nausea, light and sound sensitivity, explains Dr. Matthew Preston, a neurologist and distinguished headache specialist.

“I used to get horrible migraines that made me miss so much school,” said Kiana W. “The headaches, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound were awful. I felt so alone and like no one understood what I was going through.”

The streets are cold and quiet, but energy is high at a small bar in First Hill as a community gathers once again to compete in the new game, “Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising!”

Seattle Skyfarers Rising, held on Jan. 13, is the fourth installment of a series of tournaments for the franchise, “Granblue”. It is one of many fighting game events in the continuously growing Pacific Northwest fighting game scene.

Taking place at Locust Cider First Hill, it acts as the local hub for anime fighting games for the Seattle area. 

After two years of lockdowns and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are indulging in what experts are calling “revenge spending” — making up for lost time by spending more than usual.

Urban Dictionary defines revenge spending as: “A shopping spree wherein one member of a romantic partnership whose finances are intertwined spends extravagantly and beyond the couple’s means in order to exact vengeance on the other member. Such sprees are generally motivated by jealousy, rage, spite, etc., and come about in relation to specific instances where one member of a couple feels him or herself to have been excluded from the other’s experience of pleasure.”

As risky “beauty” fads like waist trainers, detox diets, and digital alteration apps trend among youth, experts warn these can promote unrealistic expectations and even pose health dangers.

“Many of the popular ‘beauty’ trends among youth these days, like waist trainers and Facetune, promote unrealistic and unhealthy standards that teens feel pressured to achieve,” said adolescent psychologist Dr. Aubriana Teeley. “This can negatively impact self-esteem and body image during the already challenging teenage years.”

Mindfulness is a practice, which, if done regularly, can produce positive outcomes surrounding the reduction of stress and anxiety.

To practice mindfulness means to “calm, silence, or train the mind,”according to Dr. Renee Enriquez, an assistant professor at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. Telling your mind to calm down when you have a list of assignments calling your name isn’t always easy, which is why there are multiple ways of going about this exercise.

The new year is underway, and we are already halfway through January, so this begs the question: How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? 

Whether a person makes a fitness goal, plans to spend more time with family, or even spending less time on their phone, the follow through of these resolutions seems to be the biggest challenge. 

No need to fear, the Thunderword is here to simplify the problem and offer three tangible solutions to help make this year’s plans come through to their fullest!

Hydroplaning often happens when it’s raining heavily and you’re driving too fast. It’s when your tires lose contact with the road and ride on a thin layer of water between your tires and the road’s surface. This loss of traction can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Here are some tips on how to avoid hydroplaning and what to do if it happens to you.

What it is and how to avoid it:

Hydroplaning occurs when your tire tread cannot channel away enough water at a fast enough rate to maintain contact with the road. The water pressure in front of the wheel pushes water under the tire, causing it to lift off the road surface.