Information from King County Metro
Planning on joining up to a million of your closest friends in downtown Seattle on Wednesday, Feb. 11?
Get ready to celebrate with the Super Bowl winning Seattle Seahawks by taking transit to be part of the festivities!
Sound Transit is asking state lawmakers for permission to issue bonds with maturities of up to 75 years, a major shift in how the agency finances its projects and one that could directly affect the timeline for bringing light rail to West Seattle.
The proposal, introduced by Senate Transportation Chair Marko Liias (D‑Edmonds), (Senate Bill 6148) would change state law to allow Sound Transit to take on ultra‑long‑term debt. The agency currently operates under a 30‑year limit. Sound Transit officials have been in Olympia in recent weeks urging lawmakers to approve the expanded authority.
For West Seattle residents watching the long‑promised ST3 extension inch forward, the request signals the financial pressure the agency is under. Construction cost estimates for the West Seattle–Ballard Link Extension have climbed sharply over the past several years, and Sound Transit faces a long‑term funding gap that could force delays without new financing tools.
By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR
Chief Sealth 56, Nathan Hale 52
The Seahawks scored a home victory Friday.
Roosevelt 55, West Seattle 52
The Roughriders trampled the Wildcats this past Friday.
Kennedy Catholic 67, Mt. Rainier 59
Kennedy Catholic rallied by the Rams on Tuesday.
Granite Falls 74, Tyee 57
Granite Falls swept Tyee aside last Tuesday.
Franklin 59, Ballard 54
Ballard fell to Franklin on Tuesday.
Rainier Beach 107, West Seattle 39
Rainier Beach blasted the Wildcats in a Tuesday clash.
Lincoln 75, Chief Sealth 61
The Lynx pounced on Chief Sealth last Monday.
The West Seattle Food Bank has announced a special clothing drive to stock the shelves of its new West Seattle Clothesline location at 5444 Delridge Way SW, Suite 100.
The community is invited to donate new or gently used, season-appropriate clothing for both adults and children. While all clean items are welcome, organizers noted that menswear is especially needed at this time. The donation events are scheduled for Saturday, February 7; Tuesday, February 10; and Thursday, February 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m..
The West Seattle Clothesline is a program dedicated to providing free clothing to neighbors experiencing hardship. By offering essential items for daily life, the program aims to provide local residents with dignity, choice, and access to necessary resources. These upcoming donation days are critical to ensuring the facility is prepared for its official reopening to clients on Tuesday, February 17.
King County experienced a significant decline in gun violence throughout 2025, with shooting victim numbers falling to their lowest levels since before the pandemic. According to the 2025 Year End Shots Fired Review from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO), the total number of shooting victims for the year was 235—a sharp contrast to the 487 victims recorded during the peak in 2021. Total shots fired incidents for the year reached 1,057, moving closer to pre-pandemic figures.
The Seattle Public Schools project to replace the original Alki Elementary School with a modern, multi-story facility reached several major milestones as of late 2025. The approximately 80,000-square-foot replacement school is being built while also modernizing the existing gymnasium and preserving the nearby community center.
information from the City of Burien
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SDOT’s second-year draft Transportation Levy plan (2026) includes over 430 projects citywide, with targeted investments in West Seattle and Ballard focused on paving, safety, transit access, bike/pedestrian improvements, and bridge maintenance. These plans were released in early February 2026 and are being reviewed by the City Council’s Transportation Committee.
The 2024 Seattle Transportation Levy was approved by voters on November 5, 2024. The measure, known as Proposition 1, passed with approximately 66.8% support and replaced the expiring Levy to Move Seattle. It aims to modernize the city’s aging infrastructure by funding road paving, bridge repairs, transit connections, and enhanced pedestrian and bicycle safety across 11 key program areas.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes delivered his first State of the City address on February 2 at the Northwest African American Museum, reporting a significant 18% decrease in overall crime throughout 2025 compared to the previous year. Attributing the progress to his "Seattle-Centric Policing Plan," Barnes emphasized that while 2025 showed positive momentum, the department remains committed to a "long marathon" toward city-wide safety.
Dramatic Reductions in Violent Crime and Homicides
A primary highlight of the address was the decline in the city's most serious offenses. Homicides fell by 36%, with 37 lives lost in 2025 compared to 58 in 2024. This represents 21 fewer lives lost and marks the lowest homicide level the city has seen in over five years.
As WestSide Baby celebrates its 25th year of service, the organization has released its 2025 Community Impact Report, revealing a massive effort that distributed $2.62 million worth of essential items to children across the Puget Sound region. Despite a challenging economic landscape characterized by declining pandemic-era funding and government support, the nonprofit successfully provided diapers, clothing, and safety equipment to 28,687 children.
Last year was described as an "inflection point" for the Seattle-based organization. To ensure long-term sustainability, leadership undertook "thoughtful rightsizing," which resulted in a 14% increase in revenue and a 10% decrease in expenses. By the end of 2025, WestSide Baby achieved a balanced budget and secured six months of operating reserves, positioning itself to navigate future funding uncertainties.
