Seattle Local — Week of 2026-03-28 to 2026-04-03#
Top Story#
The highly anticipated Crosslake Connection is officially open to the public, marking a global transit milestone as the world’s first light rail line to operate across a floating bridge. The 7.4-mile Link 2 Line extension seamlessly connects downtown Seattle to the Eastside via Interstate 90, successfully passing its first major test as commuters packed the trains this week.
Local News#
Governor Signs “Millionaires Tax” Into Law · The Seattle Times Governor Bob Ferguson officially established the state’s first-ever personal income tax by signing the “millionaires tax” legislation into law on Monday. The sweeping measure imposes a 9.9% tax on earnings over $1 million to fund public services like health care and education, though political opponents are already preparing constitutional challenges to block it.
100,000 March Across Seattle in “No Kings” Protests · FOX 13 An estimated 75,000 to 100,000 demonstrators took to the streets from Capitol Hill to Seattle Center over the weekend in a massive protest opposing authoritarianism and the Trump administration. Despite the massive turnout and rolling street closures throughout the downtown core, local police reported no major incidents or crowd issues.
Seattle Enacts 60-Day Pause on Police Surveillance Data · KOMO News Following a mayoral town hall regarding data privacy and community security, city leaders approved a 60-day pause on the collection of police surveillance data. The new restrictions heavily impact the use of CCTV cameras and automated license plate readers, while also blocking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from accessing the information.
State Audit Flags $37M in Questionable Child Care Subsidies · KOMO News The Office of the Washington State Auditor released an estimate indicating the state distributed $37 million in questionable subsidized child care payments in 2025. The audit pointed to severe system weaknesses, missing records, and poor oversight within the Department of Children, Youth, and Families for detecting improper federal fund distributions.
King County Pushes Ambitious Housing Goal as City Debates Shelter Expansion · KIRO 7 King County Executive Girmay Zahilay signed the “Breaking the Cycle” initiative on Tuesday, setting a goal to construct 500 new shelter and affordable housing units within 500 days. Concurrently, Seattle city councilmembers are weighing an interim rule change to expand emergency tiny home village capacities to 150 people to help bring more individuals indoors.
Violent Weekend Shakes Pierce County · KING 5 Local authorities responded to a string of deadly incidents, including a chaotic South Tacoma house party where shooters fired over 100 rounds, leaving one woman dead and another injured. In Puyallup, a deadly domestic violence dispute claimed two lives after an armed aggressor was fatally shot by a neighbor who intervened.
Community & Lifestyle#
Spring has officially arrived in the Pacific Northwest, with an unusually warm winter prompting early blooms at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival ahead of their official opening. In local entertainment, hometown heroes Death Cab for Cutie have been announced as the headliners for the 2026 Bumbershoot festival at Seattle Center this Labor Day weekend. If you are heading out for Easter, expect partly to mostly sunny skies with temperatures climbing into the mid-to-upper 60s, though drivers should plan for delays due to I-90 and SR 18 interchange closures near Snoqualmie.