Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has tapped Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes for top cop. Demoted former police chief Adrian Diaz, meanwhile, was sent packing for lying to investigators over his romantic relationship with his chief of staff.

The Seattle City Council is preparing to pass new crowd control legislation in January that would largely defer to police over use of "less lethal" weapons. These weapons are still very dangerous and should be tightly regulated, critics contend.

The Sara Nelson-led Seattle City Council passed their first city budget in an 8-1 vote. It greenlit the mayor’s plan to slash investments in affordable housing and social services and trim 48 staff positions in order to boost police spending by 16% and close a large deficit without raising new taxes.

Progressive challenger Alexis Mercedes Rinck's election win could mean a 5-4 majority for a capital gains tax — or even a supermajority, if Rob “this is the right tax at the wrong time” Saka can be convinced that the time is right. Other progressive taxes are also on the table.

Despite public outcry and limited outreach, Seattle City Council’s public safety committee greenlit Mayor Harrell's pilot program installing 24/7 surveillance cameras in three neighborhoods and purchasing real-time crime center software and staff. The legislation moves to a full council vote on October 8.

London's Pavilion Road, fully pedestrianized in 2021, represents a strong contrast with Seattle's plans to reduce pollution by transforming streets, still stuck in the planning stage despite nearly seven years of work.

A year into announcing its ambitious Downtown Activation Plan, the Harrell Administration is touting successes. But so far those are primarily spot improvements, with many big initiatives in limbo or on hold.

Mayor Bruce Harrell and Governor Jay Inslee were on Thursday's program at Bloomberg Green Festival hosted at the Seattle Center. Both touted local leadership on environmental issues, even as that work remains tenuous.