🚆 More good news for light rail

How To Prep for a Local Emergency

Planning for major disasters like “The Big One” is a good idea, but being prepared for bad weather and other more likely problems is even better.

• Don’t Freak Out: On today’s podcast, we talk about staying calm and being logical. Even the thought of packing an emergency kit can stress people out. ‘Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good,’ as they say. So maybe just focus on putting together a bag that has at least a week of what you need. Here are the essentials to include:
  • First Aid: Public Health has a full checklist that you can follow and it goes beyond just gloves and band-aids.
  • Food/Water: Obviously, right? But Seattle.gov has recommended amounts and even more details on their Emergency Management list. If you have kids, definitely have some easy stuff they always eat. Kids can be picky even if there’s not much else.
  • Meds: Speak to your doctor about having duplicate or extra medications in the event you are unlikely to get more prescribed. Obviously this can be challenging, but worth trying if possible. At the very least: keep a written copy of your prescriptions and orders for medical equipment and supplies in your kit.
• Know Where Your Important Stuff Is: Have a list of documents you want to save and include your insurance cards. Passports, family photos, and/or whatever is the most important to you and your family.
• Don’t Forget Your Pets: If, similar to City Cast Seattle host Jane C. Hu, you have an adorable pet like Cookie, make sure you have food, water, leash/carrier, and whatever else they need to make it at least a week.

Tech Pay Climbs As Gender Pay Gap Widens 📈

According to new census data, the median earnings for King County residents employed in “computer and mathematical” jobs hit $163,600. No other job category came close to that figure. At the same time as wages increased, the gender pay gap widened. In 2015 women in tech made 87.9% of what men earned. In 2024, that figure fell to 78.7%. [Seattle Times]

Washington Lawmakers Propose Ban on Police Face Coverings 🚫

The ban is in response to multiple incidents in Washington, including an April raid at a Bellingham roofing company where ICE agents donned masks when they arrested 37 workers accused of being in the country without legal status. Washington’s proposal resembles a law California passed in September. Both the House and Senate will need to pass the bill before it can get to the governor’s desk. [Washington Standard]

The Crosslake Connection Is Almost Done! 🚆

More good news for Light Rail riders: Sound Transit has confirmed that service on the I-90 floating bridge between Seattle and Bellevue will begin by the end of May, but may start even sooner if possible. [KIRO 7]

World Cup ‘Pride Match’ to Be Played by Countries Where Queerness is Criminalized ⚽

A designated “Pride Match” at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seattle will feature the national teams of Egypt and Iran. The local organizing committee had planned the Group G match before the teams were assigned to the fixture, as it coincides with Pride weekend. That said, there are queer people in every country regardless of the law and/or government. Plus, it’s not like our country is a human rights utopia. [Bloomberg]

Locals Are Crowd Sourcing the Best Deals in Town 🍺

We discovered this excellent website via reddit called Seattle Bar Deals. They’re submitted and verified by locals and are genuinely great deals! We love the simple interface, too. [Reddit]