All articles tagged with #seattle
Meta plans to lay off approximately 1,395 workers in Washington this summer, with about 699 jobs at its Bellevue campus, plus cuts at Seattle and Redmond offices and 231 remote WA employees. Separations start July 22, with pay and benefits through the date. The company says changes vary by team—including layoffs, open role closures, and shifting staff to business-critical priorities—as part of broader cuts tied to AI investments.
Frustrated by ongoing gun violence along Seattle’s Aurora Ave corridor, residents on nearby side streets have begun placing improvised barricades to deter shootings and gang turf activity, highlighting concerns about neighborhood safety.
Seattle’s Department of Transportation (SDOT) is urging residents to rely on public transit when possible as FIFA World Cup-related road work and lane changes are planned across key corridors, including I-5, the Ship Canal Bridge, and I-405. Drivers should anticipate detours and congestion and plan extra travel time or opt for transit; monitor updates from SDOT and KOMO News for real-time advisories.
Terrified residents in a Seattle neighborhood have erected a makeshift barricade across several streets to deter crime as a surge in criminal activity has raised safety concerns and spurred community action.
Residents along Seattle’s Aurora Avenue report a surge in shootings that have bullets hitting homes and threatening families, calling on city officials to take immediate action to improve safety and protect property.
After another shooting near Seattle’s Aurora Avenue N. in the Greenwood area, residents blocked three residential side streets (N. 97th, 98th, and 102nd) with large industrial planters to pressure city officials to address the violence. A week earlier bullets tore through a home near N. 98th, narrowly missing a six-week-old baby, prompting letters on the planters demanding action. City reps visited but offered no long-term plan, leaving neighbors worried about retaliation and anxious for a concrete fix as shootings continue; Council member Debora Juarez cited SPD staffing cuts as part of the broader problem.
With gas prices near a four-year high, Western Washington drivers are cutting Memorial Day trips or choosing shorter getaways as millions nationwide plan to travel this long weekend.
The tech and startup community mourns Soma Somasegar's unexpected passing, with tributes praising his brilliance and generosity as Madrona, Microsoft, and Seattle's ecosystem rally to support his family and colleagues.
Ballard’s Syttende Mai celebration returns Sunday with a full lineup: a 6 p.m. 17th of May Parade down Ballard streets, open houses at Leif Erikson Lodge noon–4:30 p.m., Skål Beer Hall music and food throughout the day, and an after-parade party at the Ballard Alki Odd Fellows (7–9 p.m.); Bergen Place Park hosts noon–4:30 p.m. live music, and neighborhood street closures and Metro reroutes (Routes 40 and 44) will affect several streets from 2–8:30 p.m. on Sunday. The day-long events celebrate Norway’s Constitution Day and Ballard’s Nordic heritage.
The University of Washington community is mourning 19-year-old student Juniper Blessing, who was killed earlier this week, as memorials appear and grow across the UW campus.
Seattle launches a yearlong pilot of four solar-powered, cellphone-unlockable public toilets in Pioneer Square and SODO, operated by Throne Labs, with 10-minute visit caps and 7am–10pm hours to address downtown sanitation ahead of World Cup crowds.
Seattle added 11,572 residents between July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, bringing its population to about 784,777 and ranking fifth in numeric growth among large U.S. cities, even as growth for big cities nationwide slowed from about 0.9% to 0.3%; the country’s housing stock rose to roughly 148.3 million units.
The family of 19-year-old University of Washington student Juniper C. Blessing, a transgender woman described by loved ones as gifted and compassionate, mourns her death after a May 10 stabbing in an off-campus laundry room near UW; a 31-year-old suspect turned himself in days later, is jailed on a $10 million bail, and prosecutors have until May 18 to file charges.
Seattle is hosting the Seattle Soccer Celebration, a first-of-its-kind waterfront World Cup 2026 experience on a floating pitch off Pier 62 on Elliott Bay, June 11–July 6, featuring live match broadcasts on a massive waterfront LED screen, interactive soccer experiences, and daily programming. Hosted by Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Reign FC, and the RAVE Foundation with Lenovo support, the event celebrates the city’s soccer culture, includes the RAVE 52 initiative for free play fields, and offers private rentals for groups of 100–500. Tickets will go on sale soon and updates can be requested.
A 31-year-old man turned himself in to Bellevue police Wednesday after 10 p.m. and was arrested by Seattle homicide detectives for the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old University of Washington student at the Nordheim Court Apartments Sunday night. The motive is under investigation, and the suspect is being held in the King County Jail.