Seattle Local — 2026-04-29#

Top Story#

Gunfire struck a building at the Yesler Community Center on Tuesday evening while Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson was attending an event with children and adults. No injuries were reported, and police are investigating after witnesses stated that three to four suspects fled the scene in a dark-colored sedan.

Local News#

Mayor Katie Wilson Announces Major Investments in Free School Meals and Preschool · The Seattle Times Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson revealed a comprehensive six-year plan to provide free meals for all Seattle Public Schools students and to expand the hours and availability of the city’s free preschool program. The initiative, funded by the previously passed Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy, also invests in childcare, afterschool programs, and tutoring to make the city more affordable for families. The proposal is scheduled to be considered by the City Council’s Library, Education, and Neighborhoods Committee, with a vote expected in late June.

King County Council Moves to Dissolve Homelessness Agency · FOX 13 The King County Council is taking official steps to dissolve their homelessness agency and establish a new independent watchdog. This action comes after a series of reports detailed millions of dollars in unaccounted funds and internal fraud within the organization.

Seattle Kraken and Kirkland Announce $60M Iceplex · KOMO News The Seattle Kraken are expanding their Eastside footprint through a public-private partnership with the City of Kirkland to build a second iceplex at the former Houghton Park & Ride site. The privately financed $60 million, 80,000-square-foot facility will feature two NHL-regulation ice rinks, a team store, a public restaurant, and a community center operated by the city.

Washington State Sues GEO Group Over Northwest ICE Processing Center · FOX 13 Bob Ferguson and Nick Brown have initiated a lawsuit against the GEO Group, the company operating the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, to allow health officials inside to investigate. State leadership announced the legal action to gain access to the private detention center after receiving thousands of complaints from detainees inside.

Seattle Metro Gas Prices Hit Record-High $5.72 Per Gallon · KING 5 Washington drivers are experiencing a spike at the pump, with the state average for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel reaching $5.53 and the Seattle metro area hitting a record-high of $5.72. The statewide surge is driven by global crude oil prices and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, surpassing the state’s previous record of $5.55 set in June 2022.

Sound Transit Introduces Paid Parking Permits at Three Garages · KIRO 7 Commuters will soon face new procedures as Sound Transit officially introduces paid parking permits at three of its parking garages.

Community & Lifestyle#

Early Wednesday morning, lucky viewers across the Puget Sound region spotted a bright meteor lighting up the sky, prompting 101 reports to the American Meteor Society from across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Looking ahead to the weekend, residents can expect a dramatic shift with the warmest weather of the year so far, potentially bringing record high temperatures to western Washington. Additionally, Seattle continues to embrace sustainable transit, recently ranking first among all U.S. cities for bike commuting with an impressive 3.3 million miles logged last year.