NEWS GLEAMS | SPD Fires Officer Who Killed Jaahnavi Kandula; WIC Mobile App Available in 22 Languages

Seattle Police Department (SPD)'s interim Police Chief Sue Rahr announced on Jan. 6 that she has fired SPD officer Kevin Dave, who was responsible for the January 2023 death of 23-year-old graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula. He hit her in a crosswalk in South Lake Union while going 74 mph in a 25-mph zone.

"I believe the officer did not intend to hurt anyone that night and that he was trying to get to a possible overdose victim as quickly as possible," Rahr wrote. "However, I cannot accept the tragic consequences of his dangerous driving. His positive intent does not mitigate the poor decision that caused the loss of a human life and brought discredit to the Seattle Police Department."

In March 2024, SPD was found not guilty of any criminal charges. However, Rahr's decision to fire came after the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) found that Dave violated four police department policies, including unsafe operation of a police vehicle.

Dave had been with SPD and was responding to a call about an overdose when he accidentally killed Kandula.

The case made nationwide news after bodycam footage showed fellow officer Daniel Auderer, vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, joking and laughing about Kandula's death after he responded to the scene. He said that Kandula was "just 26" and "had limited value," and that the City of Seattle should "just write a check."

Auderer was fired by Rahr late last July, also in agreement with the OPA.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has expanded its WICShopper smartphone application to accommodate 22 language options. WICshopper is a free application for families in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, and it includes lists of participating WIC retailers, recipes, and real-time translations of WIC benefits. About 90% of WIC participants in Washington State use the application to help them navigate the WIC system. The application was created in 2018.

The languages selected for the Washington WICShopper app expansion were based on the state's population demographics, and include Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Dari, English, French, Haitian Creole, Kiswahili, Korean, Lingala, Nepalese, Oromo, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya (Eritrean dialect), Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

"Washington state's WIC program serves a diverse population who speak a variety of languages," said Michele Roberts, assistant secretary for DOH's Prevention and Community Health Division. "Supporting WIC participants in their preferred language is a crucial way we can work towards eliminating accessibility barriers. Our hope is that this expansion makes it easier for participants to access vital nutrition benefits and support healthy choices for themselves and their families."

Presently, more than 200 WIC clinics across Washington State serve an estimated 200,000 people. According to DOH, this number includes nearly half the babies born in the state, 33% of the state's pregnant individuals, and almost 25% of children under the age of 5 statewide.

Apply for WIC by contacting a local WIC clinic or submitting aWIC interest form. Learn more abouteligibility online.

Among the many Tet activities that will be celebrated this weekend is one celebrated by VietQ on Jan. 12, in celebration of the Year of the Snake. Workshops and activities the organization will be hosting allow participants to learn how to create traditional rice cakes, try on traditional clothing, play classic games, create paper flowers, contribute to a shared altar, or take pictures in a photo booth.

VietQ Tet has a suggested sliding scale donation of $5 to $25, which will go towards assisting an East African elder who is facing eviction. Those who decide to participate in workshops are especially encouraged to contribute via VietQ's GoFundMe account or via @VietQSeattle on Venmo, with the note "Tet fundraiser."

VietQ Tet will take place at the Chinatown-International District Community Center from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12.

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