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.