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KUOW Blog

News, factoids, and insights from KUOW's newsroom. And maybe some peeks behind the scenes. Check back daily for updates.

Have any leads or feedback for the KUOW Blog? Contact Dyer Oxley at dyer@kuow.org.

Stories

  • Street racing cameras coming to 10 Seattle roads

    Seattle is revving up to add cameras throughout the city to push back against street racing.

    But not so fast. While the council voted in favor of creating "restricted racing zones" Tuesday, the Seattle Department of Transportation will conduct an equity analysis first. Mayor Bruce Harrell's office could also add a few more factors for deploying the cameras, most likely to sync the city's transportation and police departments in the effort.

    Eventually, 10 restricted racing zones in Seattle will get cameras.

    “Automated cameras are an effective enforcement elixir that discourage reckless driving, increase pedestrian safety, and increase efficiency by reducing time-consuming interactions between drivers and police,” said Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who sponsored the legislation and chairs the council's transportation committee. “This technology is another tool in our tool belt to reduce collisions and save lives on some of our city’s most dangerous roadways.”

    Councilmember Lisa Herbold also sponsored the restricted racing zones bill, and said in a statement that, "Our community has been pleading for help for years to stop drag racing."

    Washington state lawmakers approved the concept of "restricted racing zones" in 2022. Seattle officials jumped on the idea. It is an entirely new endeavor for the city.

    RELATED: Kirkland fights street racing with new tech

    Despite what the name "restricted racing zones" sounds like, racing is not restricted to these zones. Rather, speed cameras are placed along stretches of road known for street racing with the aim of capturing cars engaged in dangerous driving. A citation can be issued after that. The concept is similar to red light cameras, but tuned up for street racing.

    Seattle's 10 restricted racing zones that will receive cameras:

    • Alki Avenue SW between 63rd Avenue SW and Harbor Avenue SW
    • Harbor Avenue SW between Alki Avenue SW and SW Spokane Street
    • West Marginal Way SW between SW Spokane Street and Second Avenue SW
    • Sand Point Way NE between 38th Avenue NE and NE 95th Street
    • NE 65th Street between Sand Point Way NE and Magnuson Park
    • Roadways inside Magnuson Park including, but not limited to, NE 65th Street and Lake Shore Drive NE
    • Seaview Avenue NW between Golden Gardens Park and 34th Avenue NW
    • Third Avenue NW between Leary Way NW and N 145th Street
    • Martin Luther King Jr Way South between South Massachusetts Street and South Henderson Street
    • Rainier Avenue South from South Jackson Street south to the city limits.
    Continue reading »

  • Seattle could do more to counter rise in sophisticated retail theft, report says

    A Seattle City Auditor's report states that the city could "do more to tackle organized retail crime," such as using online video.

    “One of the things that we learned is that a bottle of perfume may be stolen in North Seattle and within 24 hours, it is on a shipping container destined for sale overseas,” researcher Claudia Shader told the City Council's Public Safety and Human Services Committee Tuesday morning.

    Shader wrote the auditor's 43-page report on organized retail theft. It was produced at the request of City Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Andrew Lewis.

    RELATED: Washington AG forms task force to tackle organized retail theft

    One idea Shader presented to the council committee is to allow victims to report theft over a system like Zoom or FaceTime, rather than waiting for a patrol car to show up.

    Known as “Rapid Video Response,” police in Kent, England, found that this system was 656 times faster than sending a patrol officer to the scene to take a report, according to Shader.

    Last year Seattle police responded to more than 13,102 calls from retailers, which took a combined 18,615 hours of time — the equivalent work of nine full-time Seattle police officers in a year. Shader said a video system would be more efficient.

    Continue reading »

  • Investigators sound alarm over string of Seattle fires

    Police and fire officials are sounding an alarm over a string of arsons in three Seattle neighborhoods.

    Seven fires have been intentionally set in the Chinatown-International District, First Hill, and Capitol Hill neighborhoods between July 13-20 (see a full list below). Most of these fires were lit in dumpsters and garbage bins, but some were set in the stairwells of vacant buildings.

    A couple of these incidents resulted in considerable responses from fire crews. A fire on 20th Avenue South destroyed an entire building and caused power outages across the CID.

    Fire officials are now working with the Seattle Police Department's arson and bomb squad to investigate the crimes.

    Business owners are being advised to keep their exterior lights on and their dumpsters locked in a secured area, if possible, and don't overfill them.

    The Seattle Fire Department reports that five of the fires were set between July 16-17:

    • July 16: 900 block of South Jackson Street – Debris fire set inside stairwell of building.
    • July 16: 900 block of South Jackson Street – Second set fire in stairwell of building.
    • July 16: 1200 block of South Jackson Street – Debris fire set in underground parking garage.
    • July 16: 800 block of Madison Street – Debris fires inside derelict apartment building.
    • July 17: 1200 block of 15th Avenue East – Multiple garbage cans and dumpsters burned.

    A two-alarm fire occurred at a vacant building in the 1000 block of Ninth Avenue on July 13. Another two-alarm fire struck a vacant building in the 1000 block of King Street on July 20.

    Continue reading »

  • What's your 2023 summer song? (and is this even a thing anymore?) Today So Far
    • Environmental news from across the Northwest.
    • What is your summer song for 2023? Is this even a thing anymore?

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 25, 2023.

    Quick hits

    Our partners over at Northwest News Network have recently been kicking some environmental coverage butt lately. It's been hard to keep up, so here are some highlights.

    A lot of eyes are on Washington's Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River. It's currently keeping an invasive species behind its massive wall. Officials want to prevent the northern pike from traveling farther downstream. Years ago, folks thought it would be a good idea to transport these fish from out-of-state lakes to Washington's lakes for some fun fishing. The thing is — these fish are kind of monsters. They eat up just about everything, sometimes that includes ducks and bats. So there is some concern if these fish ever meet salmon swimming just a couple dams down the river.

    Dams on the Snake River are an entirely different story. Conservation and fishing groups aim to sue the federal government with the goal of removing them. Their argument is that these dams contribute to warming waters, which could potentially be lethal to salmon.

    Over at Oregon's Willamette River, tribes are celebrating an impressive return of lamprey upstream, the best in many years. Lamprey have been a significant food source for Indigenous peoples in the Northwest, so tribes have made an effort to protect them. They often catch and transport lamprey around dams on the river. This year, the return has been so heavy, they're at capacity for that effort. Read more here.

    And up on lands across Washington and Oregon, golden paintbrush flowers have been blooming in great numbers, so great that this flower is being removed from the endangered species list. They were only found in about 10 places throughout the Northwest region in 1997. Today, they're blooming from Puget Sound to the Willamette Valley. Read more here.

    Let's change the tune real quick. Has a "summer song" emerged for 2023? In our modern era of streaming music, is the summer song still a thing?

    Think about that for a second, because I'm going to ask you a question down below. Soundside recently considered these questions while having an intriguing conversation with KEXP DJ Miss Ashley, SubPop's Bekah Flynn, and Seattle artist SassyBlack. A few songs and artists came up, from past years, like "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey, "This is How We Do It" by Montel Jordan, and "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman. "Fast Car" was originally released in 1988, but has experienced a surge in popularity due to Luke Combs' recent cover that is currently second on the Billboard Hot 100 list.

    Billboard is where a lot of summer songs have historically been decided. Carly Rae Jepsen's epic "Call Me Maybe" was the summer song of 2012. Nelly really wanted us to know it was "Hot in Herre" in 2002. Sir Mix-A-Lot dominated 1992 with "Baby Got Back." But what about 2023? If I was going to make a Dyer prediction, summer 2023 will go down as very chill few months. Right now, Morgan Wallen's laidback country tune "Last Night" is number one. Taylor Swift has three songs in the top 10, one of which is titled "Cruel Summer," which isn't so much a toe tapper as it is a head nodder — ya know, when you just sort of nod your head to the groove of a song, as opposed to a head banger when the music rocks, or a head shaker which is the side-to-side motion you make while listening to System of a Down. That's all just to say, even the more upbeat songs in the current top 10 have a relaxed vibe. We've certainly come a long way since 2011's "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO. But these trends come in cycles. Heck, the summer song if 1989 was Richard Marx's "Right Here Waiting."

    Continue reading »

  • Judge rules some of Seattle’s encampment removal rules are unconstitutional

    A recent King County Superior Court ruling takes aim at some of the rules governing homeless encampment removals in Seattle.

    The ruling from judge David Keenan found that one of the city's frequently used reasons for clearing encampments is overly broad in its definition and, in some cases, unconstitutional.

    At issue in this case is the city's removal of encampments labeled as "Obstructions."

    For such camps, city rules do not require prior notice, outreach, storage of belongings, or offers of shelter, aspects required for other removals.

    Keenan’s ruling acknowledges that there are instances when the city has the right to remove camps without notice, for instance if there's an immediate safety risk, or a true obstruction of a public sidewalk.

    But the ruling also states that the city defines “obstruction” too broadly, making some removals unconstitutional.

    “Under the obstruction definition, the City can remove a tent or person anywhere in a park, and anywhere on a public sidewalk, irrespective of actual obstruction,” Keenan wrote.

    The city’s rules “do constitute cruel punishment to the extent that they rely on the overbroad “Obstruction” definition, because that definition allows the City to move unhoused people who are not actual obstructions, without offering unhoused people shelter,” the ruling states.

    The ruling comes from a lawsuit filed in 2019 by the Washington chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU-WA) on behalf of two individuals, Bobby Kitcheon and Candance Ream. The plaintiffs say they were subject to multiple encampment removals, also known as "sweeps," while experiencing homelessness.

    They say some of these removals included no warning and resulted in loss of property.

    “Unhoused people have a right of privacy in the places that they call home. Absent a significant governmental interest and an offer of shelter, the City cannot simply invade the homes of people. The City’s practice ultimately destabilizes people, their communities, and can result in prolonged houselessness,” said ACLU-WA legal director, La Rond Baker, in a statement.

    Continue reading »

  • Why do you go to SoDo? Today So Far
    • Why do you go to Seattle's SoDo area?
    • Seattle's GO Center has to go.
    • Leaded fuel at local airports.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 24, 2023.

    Quick hits

    Why do you go to Seattle's SoDo area?

    Personally, the only reasons that have drawn me to SoDo in recent years have been "Stranger Things: The Experience," when Ace Comic Con came to Seattle in 2019, and when Jeremy Enigk performed at a winery. I've heard there are also sports stadiums in the area. The fact that SoDo has increasingly become more associated with entertainment than the industrial activity that founded it, has a lot of people rethinking the neighborhood — such as, turning SoDo into more of a neighborhood.

    KUOW's Joshua McNichols reports that industry is still happening in SoDo, and the Port of Seattle is still up and running. But folks are starting conversations around how to allow uses like entertainment and even residential into the mix. Seattle's zoning codes just went through an update. A lot of compromises were made. In SoDo, industry was protected against the potential invasion of big box stores. That compromise didn't include residential or arts, etc.

    In a former life, I lived just outside of Munich, Germany. In a small pocket of the city, right next to an array of train tracks, is Werksviertel-Mitte. It was once a thriving industrial district with massive warehouses, and a patchwork of concrete and iron structures. When I was there, it had been transformed into a late-night club district, packed with bars and more. I saw Coldplay perform in an old warehouse there. The district has continued to evolve since then. Wanting to keep the creative and startup vibe, folks now aim to add apartments, hotels, shops, and more.

    This is not an apples to apples comparison with SoDo, but I could see a similar evolution happening locally, something that fits Seattle; an evolution that accommodates industry while also catering to the creative scene of breweries, wineries, entertainment, and more that has emerged in the area. Don't worry, we don't have to bring Coldplay into it. But such an evolution is not easy. For the full story on this, read here.

    Go is a game that is about 4,000 years old. It continues to be played today by fans spanning the globe, including at the Seattle GO Center.

    The Seattle GO Center has been in the U-District since 1995, but it now faces the challenge of an evolving Seattle. The building is slated to be torn down to make way for new development. Managers of the GO Center previously thought they had a path forward with the developer, but that path got rocky and they now have to vacate. Check out the full story on this here.

    The U.S. House of Representatives recently voted in favor of requiring airports to sell leaded fuel for airplanes.

    Continue reading »

  • Snoqualmie Tribe says Wedgwood protest is about more than one tree

    Reports started circulating last Friday that an activist had climbed and camped out in a giant tree in Seattle's Wedgwood neighborhood. A developer planned to remove the approximately 150-year-old Western redcedar to make way for a multi-unit housing project.

    Over the last week, crowds of tree-loving community members joined the protest. Jaime Martin is the executive director of governmental affairs and special projects for the Snoqualmie Tribe. She spoke to KUOW’s Paige Browning about the significance of this and other area trees.

    RELATED: How Luma, an ancient cedar, has transfixed Seattle

    This interview has been edited for clarity.

    Paige Browning: What is your understanding of why removal was approved for this tree, one of the relatively few left in the Seattle area of this stature?

    Jaime Martin: Yeah, it's perplexing. Honestly, I've spoken with multiple tree service providers that are registered in the city. And they've also remarked that they were surprised that it was permitted for removal. It's healthy. It's a gorgeous tree. It's on the very edge of the lot, so it's not impeding building from happening in a responsible way.

    A lot of folks are not familiar with Culturally Modified Trees, or CMTs. And really, the only way to become aware of them is to make sure that there's proper tribal consultation prior to a project being permitted so that tribes — Snoqualmie and others in the area — can make sure that something like a CMT is not being impacted. In this case, it appears the city did no assessments, and did not consult with any tribes on this issue. That has resulted in very unfortunate projects being permitted by the city.

    Can you say more about what CMTs are?

    CMTs are often in this area. They're redcedars and sometimes other tree species. They can be found all across the Pacific Northwest, all the way from Alaska to Northern California. In this region, there are a few characteristics that they tend to have. Sometimes you can see a spot where a tribe harvested cedar bark from the side of trees. This is done in a way that's very sustainable and is a traditional practice where the bark can be removed in a way that the tree still lives. And then the bark can be used for things like weaving.

    Some of the other characteristics you see on culturally modified trees are bent branches that are indicating various types of information. Sometimes it's communicating something like a directional sense even, so kind of like a living signpost, if you will.

    Was there knowledge ahead of time that this particular Western redcedar was culturally modified?

    Not to my knowledge, although this area, the Wedgwood neighborhood of northeast Seattle, was only developed in the late 30s and 40s. The area was heavily used by tribes before that. So there were some sites in the area, there were trails, and so it's known as an area that is where CMTs are prevalent.

    The developers in the area, in the 1940s, purposefully retained these trees because they saw their value. They're really beautiful. They provide so many ecological benefits, and they really make the neighborhood the neighborhood that it is. So it's not necessarily that this particular tree was known to be a CMT, but there are CMTs prevalent in the area.

    Continue reading »

  • How Luma, an ancient cedar, has transfixed Seattle

    Seattle is a young racehorse of a city, a mere babe at 172 years old, who propelled herself through the jet age and now a tech boom, amassing wealth and dreamers and high rises and artisanal bakeries that sell $11 loaves and no one bats an eye.

    She is a city whose residents haven’t, until recently, reflected on the past, because past is footnote here, because present is a blur, and anyway, what was in that spot before? A parking lot? We don’t remember.

    But recently, an undercurrent of nostalgia has gripped the city, along with an uneasy feeling that old Seattle is vanishing, and that the liberal values she professes may not match the capitalist reality she manifests. Nowhere is that more present right now than in Wedgwood, a sleepy neighborhood in northeast Seattle, where neighbors and activists and tribal members have rallied around a cedar tree they call Luma.

    Luma, believed to be 120 to 200 years old, was a sapling when white settlers arrived here. Now reaching eight stories high, the tree oozes a sticky sap that glints gold, and boasts a trunk so thick that it would take four people, arms spread wide and fingers touching, to embrace it.

    Luma is also in danger of being cut down.

    RELATED: Snoqualmie Tribe says Wedgwood protest is about more than one tree

    For years, Luma shared a 10,000-square-foot lot with a massage therapist and his house. Last year, the massage therapist sold his property to developers, Rock House Builders in Des Moines, Washington, who tore it down with plans to build six new homes. The original drawing shows Luma still standing.

    The story would be a triumph if it ended here, an example of Seattle preserving its tree canopy while providing more housing to a city that desperately needs it.

    But the developers changed their mind about Luma. Tree advocates, already concerned about the city’s dwindling tree canopy, spotted the permit to fell the giant evergreen, and activated their network.

    “We used to have modest homes under the trees,” said Meegan McKiernan, an activist who grew up nearby. “We lived with the trees. Yes, we need to build more housing, but this could still be six homes with the tree.”

    Continue reading »

  • NAACP defends Lynnwood Councilmember Binda, accuses council president of retaliation


    The NAACP Snohomish County has released its first report on accusations surrounding Lynnwood Councilmember Josh Binda.

    The report, which the NAACP says is the first in an ongoing investigation, focuses on Lynnwood Council President Shannon Sessions and alleges she created a hostile work environment, used retaliatory tactics, and had inappropriate communication with the media.

    Following the release of the report, Binda, said at a press event that he has "been targeted, subjected to a web of lies orchestrated by my own council leadership, and also lies intended to aid an effort to recall me out of my position that I was elected to."

    The NAACP began an investigation into what it calls the "targeting of Lynnwood City Councilmember Joshua Binda" in May, following a string of controversial headlines. A recall effort began around the same time, which was approved by a judge in June.

    At the Thursday press event, Gerald Hankerson, president of the NAACP of Alaska, Oregon and Washington, called Sessions a "Karen" and alleged that she used "racists tools" because she didn't like that Binda, a Black man, had beat an incumbent.

    One allegation addressed in the report is that Binda attended a leadership conference in Washington, D.C., as a Lynnwood city official. He then requested that the cost of the trip be paid for with city funds. Sessions has said that the trip was not approved by the council and was therefore unsanctioned and should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars.

    The NAACP disputes Sessions' characterization of Binda's trip. According to the organization's report, "City policy states that each Council member is allocated $2,500 to be used at their discretion for personal edification or City business. Mr. Binda had the authority to utilize his allocated funds for the trip. He did not need permission from the Council President or the Council."

    Sessions also said that there was little evidence that Binda attended conference events, and that he did not provide receipts for the trip. But according to the NAACP report, "Witnesses and video evidence confirmed that he gave the closing speech for the youth delegates session as a replacement for Congressman Maxwell Frost..."

    The NAACP report also concludes:

    "Based on the NAACP Snohomish County’s investigation, to date, it is evident that the allegations made against Councilperson Joshua Binda by Council President Shannon Sessions were found to be untrue or lacking merit. The investigation established that Mr. Binda had the authority to use his discretionary funds for travel. Concerns were raised regarding the Council’s attempts to influence reimbursement decisions and actions taken to create barriers that interfered with Mr. Binda’s ability to perform his duties as a council person, suggesting potential violations of proper protocol. Additionally, the complaints regarding ethics were acknowledged as unintentional and resolved by mutual agreement."

    Continue reading »

  • Who is covering your local news? Today So Far
    • What will happen to this small-town newspaper in Washington?
    • Lake Forest Park creates "Octavia Butler Avenue" in honor of sci-fi author.
    • Why you should prepare for harsh traffic in Seattle this weekend.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 21, 2023.

    Quick hits

    • Organizers, politicians predict ‘massive wave of enthusiasm’ will revive labor movement
    • UW researcher says there's a simple way to help people addicted to fentanyl
    • Washington's first case of potentially deadly fungus found in Pierce County

    What will happen to the La Conner Weekly News? That question is part of a larger mystery about what will ultimately happen to local newspapers.

    Northwest News Network's Jeanie Lindsay brings us this story. The La Conner Weekly News' publisher and editor Ken Stern is looking to retire. That means the future of this small-town newspaper is in limbo. Stern wants to sell it to someone who will keep it going. Otherwise, it could go the way that so many others have in our region. Lindsay notes that Washington state has lost about 20% of its local newspapers since 2004. Right now, there are a few more across the region looking to sell, or their owners have passed away.

    I'm just going to be blunt about something (and my apologies to my news colleagues). Our region's major newspapers, which shall remain nameless, are not likely to send reporters to cover city hall in Issaquah, or Kent, or Bremerton, or Puyallup, or any of the small towns that add up to our Western Washington community. Here's another thing that I probably shouldn't say: The big news operations, they get a lot of their news from community newspapers, like the ones I used to work at. Without actual local reporters and newspapers, the big operations will have a little less to report, and you will be a little less informed. That local subscription holds a lot more value than you may realize.

    This is not a condemnation of our region's news sources. They do great work. There are just a lot of communities and only so many reporters to go around. This is about how important local newspapers are as they disappear one by one. While a lot of eyes and ears are drawn to major TV and news websites, it's the local newspapers that are covering the information that impacts you directly. They let you know about what is happening down at city hall, at your kids' schools, about the taxes you have to pay, and other details. Check out the full story on this here.

    At the end of this month, there will be an Octavia Butler Avenue in Lake Forest Park. You might wonder why this small town would dedicate a street to a sci-fi author, mostly known for her life in California. Turns out, Butler lived in Lake Forest Park in the latter years of her life.

    After moving to the area in 1999, Butler told a neighbor that she had few requirements for a new home. She wanted access to the city, but she didn't want to live in it. She didn't drive, so she needed access to a bus, a grocery store, and a bookstore. That's it. This Seattle suburb seemed to fit the bill. It's where she wrote her final book, "Fledgling" (a novel about vampires in Washington state by an author who actually lived in Washington state). She passed away in 2006. Now, Lake Forest Park will join a handful of other places that honor her name (including a mountain on Pluto and a landing site on Mars). Read more here.

    In case you're planning to go out and about around Seattle this weekend, maybe don't. Or at least, don't use your car.

    The events happening in Seattle this weekend are pretty massive, starting with the two Taylor Swift concerts at Lumen Field. There are also Mariners' games, the Bite of Seattle, Capitol Hill Block Party, and more. And on top of all that, there are some pretty significant road closures. If there was a time to ever hop on the light rail, this is it. Read more here.

    Continue reading »

  • Could Seattle street racing run out of gas? Today So Far
    • The Seattle City Council moves forward a proposal to set up street racing cameras around the city.
    • What is behind all the high gas prices around Washington.
    • Mullets. 'Nuff said.

    This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for July 20, 2023.

    Quick hits

    Seattle's proposal to pump the brakes on street racing just shifted into high gear as it heads for the finish line at the City Council dais later this month.

    Aside from passing through the City Council's transportation committee, not much has changed from when I first covered this street racing story last month. The basic idea here is to place special traffic cameras to catch racers in areas known to have a lot of street racing. There is one notable difference, however — Seattle is now considering even more areas to put these cameras up. There were six proposed streets in June. The council is now talking about 10 — and for some reason, 35th Avenue NE (aka "I-35") is still not included on this list. See which streets the city is currently considering here.

    There may be a more immediate tool that could cool down local street racing — gas prices.

    Washington state currently has the highest gas prices in the nation. According to Thursday's numbers, gas prices are around $4.93 per gallon of regular gas. That is high, but keep in mind that one year ago, a gallon cost $5.20. As Scott Montgomery, a geoscientist and lecturer at the University of Washington’s Jackson School, pointed out to "Soundside," there is a pretty basic equation that adds up to gas prices: crude oil + refining + distribution + federal and local taxes = gas prices.

    But there are also a few other factors that can sway prices up or down. Gas prices can be seasonal, for example. Also, recent maintenance costs on the Olympic pipeline (which brings the Northwest a lot of its gas), has added a bump to prices. And the big one that a lot of folks are talking about is Washington state's new cap and trade program, which places a price tag on carbon pollution. Gas companies are paying for that pollution, at least they are paying up front. Customers are truly paying for it at the pump.

    “That is a program intended to raise the price of gasoline," Montgomery said. "When you put a price on carbon and that adds an extra cost to the producers and suppliers, that is going to raise the price."

    The big question right now is: How much does cap and trade raise the price of our local gasoline? Is it a big or small bump? Right now, there is a lot of debate around the answer.

    “The unfortunate side to it is that it is highly politicized," Montgomery said. "These are gasoline prices and they are the most politicized prices associated with energy in the country. It is difficult to say at this particular point how much of an impact that has on our high prices, but it does have an impact.”

    Continue reading »

  • Weekend of big events, road closures means harsh traffic for Seattle


    Drivers may want to, literally, steer clear of the downtown Seattle area this weekend, July 21-23, 2023. The Seattle Department of Transportation is urging people to find ways of traveling into the city, other than driving.

    In addition to the thousands of people who will be at Lumen Field for the Taylor Swift concerts Saturday and Sunday, the Mariners are playing afternoon home games all weekend long.

    The Seattle Storm is also playing a home game Saturday at 6 p.m.

    The Bite of Seattle kicks off at Seattle Center on Friday and will run through the weekend.

    Continue reading »