Hannah Murphy Winter

Three things are certain in life: death, summer music festivals, and the absolute poetry that The Stranger’s death-themed issue is my last at this paper. Our August issue’s feature package started with a pitch for a photo series from photographer Madison Kirkman. Two years ago, they lost a dear friend, quickly and unexpectedly. The grief hit them like a Mack truck. And because we don’t learn how to grieve before it happens, no one showed them how to keep it from isolating them. Consuming them.

Photography by Ryder Collins On July 24, Erika Kirk’s Make Heaven Crowded tour stopped in the Pacific Northwest, at the Kirkland branch of the Pursuit NW church. You’ve heard us talk about Pursuit before. They’re part of a Christian supremacist movement in the US, with strong ties to the Trump White House, and a mission to make it look like they’re fighting a spiritual war in blue cities. Last weekend, they tried to do exactly that.

Goooood morning. Today we have to talk about gun violence. In a weekend slated to be full of art fairs and food festivals, at least nine people were shot in two different shootings, and three people were killed. We all know this, but let’s say it out loud: This isn’t normal. The Second Amendment does not trump the right to survive in public. It should not be this easy to end a life. Let’s do the news.