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Your favorite summer reading adventure underway

The Seattle Public Library (SPL) and Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL) are joined by new partner King County Library System (KCLS) to launch Summer Book Bingo 2025. Readers in all corners of King County can now participate in the summer reading program that encourages adults to read widely for pleasure and to talk about books with friends, family and neighbors.

Give Blood. Rescue a Human ongoing

Bloodworks Northwest has announced the launch of the “GIVE BLOOD. RESCUE A HUMAN.” campaign. This three-month effort emphasizes the powerful connection between pet lovers and the lifesaving act of blood donation, thus fostering a healthier bond with our four-legged friends and the people we care about.

Saving Water Partnership Rebates: Save water and money

Spring into action and save water by upgrading your older toilets and sprinkler timers. The Saving Water Partnership (Seattle Public Utilities is a member) offers rebates for replacing water-intensive fixtures with efficient models.

King County officials urge caution around water

With summer activities kicking off this Memorial Day weekend, King County officials are urging residents to take extra precautions around water as new data shows a continued high number of preventable drowning deaths. From 2018 through 2024, 190 people lost their lives to preventable drowning in King County, averaging more than 27 deaths annually.

Seattle’s summer safety plan includes fewer hours, more cops and locked toilets

After a recent shooting, Seattle parks will have more police officers present as part of a new summer safety strategy that focuses on reducing crimes in public areas. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the strategy on Wednesday, saying that the city will boost patrols at high-traffic areas like parks and boat ramps, as these areas see more visitors during the summer season. High-priority parks include Alki Beach, Golden Gardens, Magnuson, Cal Anderson, and Seward.

Seattle’s high buy-rent gap stirs policy debate

Housing market experts say rent control is a factor in Seattle having one of the biggest cost gaps between renting and buying. According to a recent study from Bankrate, the Seattle metro area has a buy-rent gap of 119.5%, behind only San Jose (185.6%) and San Francisco (190.7%), two other tech hubs.

Wildfire risks in western WA could put King County’s disaster budget up in smoke

Wildfire threats in western Washington are expected to rise in late summer even as King County prepares for the possible loss of federal funding for its emergency management department. On Tuesday, King County Office of Emergency Management Director Brendan McCluskey told Transportation, Economy, and Environment Committee members that his office is anticipating cuts in federal funding that directly affect wildfire services for the region.

New protections for WA workers facing mass layoffs

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson last week signed a bill into law that will require employers with 50 or more full-time employees to give a minimum of 60 days’ notice to the state, any union, and/or employees affected by mass layoffs or a business closing.

Microsoft to cut thousands of workers despite strong sales and profits

Microsoft has announced plans to lay off thousands of employees across the company. The 3% workforce reduction was confirmed by a Microsoft spokesperson in a Tuesday email to The Center Square.

Savvy Senior: How much Ibuprofen is too much?

I take Advil pretty regularly for arthritis pain and headaches, but how can I tell if I’m taking more than is safe?

Seattle police eye GPS tech as alternative to high-speed pursuits

The Seattle Police Department is seeking the implementation of a GPS tracking device in some patrol cars to prevent dangerous vehicle pursuits. SPD is required to develop a plan to end a police pursuit that complies with recent state law updates regarding pursuit mitigation.

Seattle Memorial Stadium developers promise zero risk of cost overruns to city

Developers of the Seattle Memorial Stadium project ensured city council members that there is little financial risk for the city if there are any cost overruns. The city and the Seattle Public School District are funding the replacement of the 78-year-old Memorial Stadium in the Seattle Center due to a lack of reinvestment into renovations.

New York, Washington, Vermont see most illegal northern border crossers

Of the 14 northern border states that share a land or water border with Canada, the greatest number of apprehensions of illegal border crossers were reported in New York, Washington and Vermont during the Biden administration, according to the latest data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

WA bill's changes to public pension funding could cost taxpayers, critic warns

For years, Washington state’s public pension system has been considered one of the best funded in the nation. However, one critic of a new bill passed by the state Legislature warns that it could undermine the system’s solvency in the long term and at the expense of taxpay-ers.

Recipe: Time for dessert? Add bananas for extra taste

Adding bananas to a dessert increases its creamy texture and richness. When sautéed, bananas’ sweet taste grows even sweeter. Such is the case with the following recipe for “Roast Banana with Maple Pecans” from Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson’s “Tartine” (Chronicle Books).

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