Heavy rain and river flooding are anticipated this weekend By sbadg968er on December 8, 2025 The Puget Sound region is bracing for intense rain this week, formerly known as a “Pineapple Express.” Now called “atmospheric rivers, ” these are long, narrow bands of moisture from the tropics filling area rivers, which have and may again send some of them over their banks. With the rain expected to persist, the National Weather Service in Seattle has issued  flood warnings and wat

Link 1 Line extension adds three new stations to serve South King County and the South Sound Starting today, new Link light rail service to Federal Way begins, allowing passengers to travel the region while avoiding congestion. The nearly 8-mile 1 Line extension adds new options to travel quickly and safely between Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport and Federal Way and includes three new stations, one at Kent Des Moines, one at Star Lake and one at Federal Way Downtown, as well as two

Funding will support World Cup celebrations in every district and downtown experiences led by local artists and cultural leaders. SEATTLE, WA (Dec. 2, 2025) - Today, the City of Seattle announced nearly $1.3 million in investments to activate public spaces, celebrate local culture, and bring people together across the city through grants for World Cup community celebrations in all seven districts and downtown arts activations from local artists. We Still Dream a Future, a

2026 minimum wage As of January 1, 2026, the minimum hourly wage in unincorporated King County will be  $20.82 . There will be three temporary exceptions, based on business size and gross revenue. What this means for employers For number of employees, use the average number of people employed during the past 12 months, regardless of where each employee worked. For gross revenue, use the total worldwide revenue of the business. Document all hours worked by employees and keep r

T Line continues morning Tacoma Dome service for Seahawks game day Nov. 30     Seattle sports fans can save on travel time, parking and gas by taking Sound Transit’s popular Sounder trains to this weekend’s Seahawks game. Special Sounder service is in addition to regular Link light rail, ST Express and King County Metro service to and from Lumen Field.    The special service will be available Sunday, Nov. 30, for the 1:05 p.m. Seahawks game against the Vikings.      The first

First detection of this strain in a human, risk to the public remains low OLYMPIA – A Grays Harbor resident who was hospitalized with influenza symptoms in early November has been confirmed to have influenza A H5, a type of avian . Additional testing shows the virus to be H5N5, an avian influenza virus that has previously been reported in animals but never before in humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DOH currently considers the risk to the publi

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Ten states are involved, one of the 13 affected infants is from Washington  OLYMPIA  – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), and officials in nine other states are investigating a n outbreak of botulism linked to powdered infant formula produced by ByHeart .  Thirteen infants in 10 states have been involved in the outbreak, including one infant from Lewis County in W

Seattle – Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell released the following statement after the passing of Lenny Wilkens:  “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Lenny Wilkens, a trailblazing Seattle icon and legendary figure in the history of basketball. One of the most accomplished and respected individuals in professional sports, Lenny broke down barriers to become the second Black coach in NBA history. He opened the door for other athletes and coaches to follow, modeling a standard of

CiviForm has received over 50,000 applications for City benefit and discount programs to connect families with everything from fresh food and childcare to transit passes and home repairs  Seattle – This fall, the City of Seattle’s CiviForm platform was named one of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025 and also reached the major milestone of over 50,000 applications for benefit and discount programs. The CiviForm platform was developed by the City of Seattle in collaborati

Seattle – Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell released the below statement after the federal court granted the City a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit initiated by Mayor Harrell, City Attorney Ann Davison, and the City of Seattle. While the Trump administration has attempted to unlawfully withhold millions in federal funds to the City because of Seattle’s efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion and support LGBTQ+ communities, this ruling determined that Trump’s action

OLYMPIA — Governor Bob Ferguson provided the following statement on multiple court orders requiring the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide funding to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): “This is a big victory," Governor Ferguson said. “Multiple judges have made it clear: The Trump Administration must stop holding hungry families hostage. The USDA has funds to provide these food benefits, and the Trump Administration needs to follow the law and

Second half of 2025 property taxes due October 31 King County property owners who pay their property taxes themselves, rather than through a mortgage lender, have until Friday, October 31 to pay the second half of their 2025 bill. After that date, late charges will be added to the tax bill. To make the payment process easier, King County provides several ways for property owners to pay their taxes quickly and conveniently. Payments can be made: Online  using King County's sec

New ordinance will also require officers to clearly display badges or emblems of agency, increasing transparency and accountability Seattle – Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell proposed a new ordinance to prohibit the use of face coverings by law enforcement, with limited exceptions, and require all law enforcement officials to have visible emblems and badges that identify their agency while performing enforcement duties in Seattle. This legislation puts Seattle on track to be the

OLYMPIA – Benefits from Washington’s Paid Family & Medical Leave program are a vital source of support for Washington workers. More than 218,000 individuals have claimed Paid Leave benefits in 2025 thus far, totaling more than $1.76 billion dollars.   Starting Jan. 1, 2026:   The premium rate will be 1.13%. The rate for 2025 is 0.92%.   Employers will pay 28.57% of the total premium and employees will pay 71.43%.   The program is funded by premiums collected from employees an

1DDI VP Azziem Underwood, DDI Scholarship Committee Chair Eric Evans, Scholarship Winner Zainab Asker holding her Award Plaque, Julia Ishmael (Zainab's mother), DDI President Clarence Gunn SEATTLE — Democrats for Diversity & Inclusion (DDI) proudly announced the recipient of its inaugural $1,500 Annual Academic Scholarship, honoring a high school senior who exemplifies the values of equity, leadership, and civic engagement.  Renton High School senior Zainab Asker was selected

Free Extra Yard Waste Pickup Every Collection Day in November   Seattle Public Utilities encourages residents to keep streets leaf-free to prevent flooding   SEATTLE (October 30, 2025) – Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) offers free extra yard waste pickup for all household food and yard waste customers each week throughout November.    When customers keep leaves off streets and out of storm drains, it reduces ponding and flooding during fall storms. To support this, customers

Link light rail will serve three new stations in South King County   In just over five weeks on Dec. 6, 2025, the 1 Line will add 7.8 miles and three new stations with the opening of the Federal Way Link Extension. The extension includes stations at Kent Des Moines, Star Lake and Federal Way Downtown.   Leading up to opening day, the final phase of testing called simulated service has started, where light rail vehicles run a normal schedule without passengers between Angle La

Executive action provides emergency funding to support food programs through end of the year or until the federal government restores SNAP funding Seattle —Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell proclaimed a limited civil emergency in response to the looming potential lapse in federal funding for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) starting on November 1, 2025, due to the federal government shutdown and the Trump administration’s refusal to make funding available from

Additional trains scheduled for this week’s home games     Seattle sports fans can save on travel time, parking and gas by taking Sound Transit’s popular Sounder trains to this week’s Wednesday and Thursday Mariners playoff games, with 5:08 and 5:33 p.m. start times respectively, against the Toronto Blue Jays. Special Sounder service is available in addition to regular Sounder, Link light rail, ST Express and King County Metro service to and from T-Mobile Park.    For both d