The accident occurred after a semi-truck collided with a barrier near the 84th Street exit on I-5 north just after 4:45 a.m., the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) confirmed. The semi-truck toppled over after hitting the highway barrier, crashing into a power pole, which subsequently led to the vehicle catching fire. The driver of the truck died at the scene.

“I am saddened to announce that the truck driver has died as a result of this crash,” Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper John Datillo said. “Expect an extended closure as we investigate. We are working to determine the details that led to the crash.”

Crews are on scene of a semi truck collision. They are working to extinguish the fire. I-5 Northbound is blocked at 84th St. South. Unknown if there are any injuries at this time.

— West Pierce Fire & Rescue (@WestPierce)

The City has struggled for the past several years to recruit new officers, but now it appears the tide is turning

“Today we’re here to celebrate progress, a renewed investment in public safety with more officers entering the pipeline and real momentum in rebuilding a stronger, more responsive police force,” said Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson.

So far this year, the city has hired 60-new officers. That compares to 84-hires in all of last year. There are also some 160-recruits in the background stage of the process. Ultimately, the city would like to hire two hundred officers by the end of the year.

“We will get these officers trained, get them through field training, and put them where we need them the most, which is in patrol. Certainly, I believe, that’s the backbone of policing,” Seattle Policer Chief Shon Barnes said.

Rise in police could help address crime fears

Chief Barnes says getting back to full staff makes our city safer and improves morale within the department. But, Barnes says none of that matters if people in Seattle don’t feel safe

“Public safety is what the people in Seattle want. So as we calibrate and balance our budget, that is a lens by which we will make decisions,” Seattle mayor Bruce Harrell said.

Mayor Harrell and Chief Barnes also stressed the need to recruit more woman.

They also report an uptick in officers from other cities and other states who are looking to make a lateral move to Seattle.

Ryan Calkins, Commissioner, described the visible decline in vessel activity at major terminals. “We’re starting to see a real reduction in vessel calls and even the amount of time they spend there,” Calkins said.

He attributed the slowdown to the uncertainty caused by tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, which have strained trade relations with China, the region’s largest trading partner.

It’s not just about imports

The impact extends beyond imports.

“China is the largest consumer of soybeans coming out of the Midwest,” Calkins said. “Boeing sells a lot of airplanes to China. All of that has locked up, it’s not moving either way. And so, unless we get a resolution quickly, things are going to get a lot worse.”

In Tacoma, the situation mirrors Seattle’s challenges.

Dick Marzano, Commissioner, highlighted the toll on agricultural exports, particularly apples and cherries, which have struggled to regain market share after previous tariff hikes.

“It takes years to grow a partnership with these companies overseas,” Marzano said. “So even if tomorrow they come to some kind of an agreement, you’re gonna still see some tariffs that were imposed a little bit higher. And it’s gonna be hard getting back some of that cargo.”

Both ports are working to mitigate the impact by diversifying trade partnerships. Commissioners from Seattle and Tacoma are currently in Asia, exploring opportunities in Vietnam and Korea, where tariffs are less restrictive. “We’re looking at all avenues,” Marzano said. “We’re still open for business, we’re not shutting anything down, we’re going to do whatever we can to make things go.”

Supply chain disruptions probably coming soon

The slowdown has raised concerns about potential shortages of goods, reminiscent of the pandemic-era supply chain disruptions. Calkins warned, “For certain commodities, it’s probably weeks, not months,” before we see shortages.

“During the pandemic, the issue was it was actually a surge of goods that kind of locked up the whole system. We had so many things coming inbound, that it was hard to process everything coming through,” Calkins said.

Now, we have the opposite problem.

“So many fewer things are moving either from a factory to the water, across the water that by the time we do get resolution, it’s going to take a while to refill that pipeline,” he said.
Calkins said families may face challenges due to the trade war. He said affordable clothing brands could become less affordable as the trade war goes on, as most of those products come from China.

And Marzano said big-ticket items will also become more expensive.

“You look at people that maybe bought just recently because they knew the price is going to go up, you’re going to see the washer, the dryers, the refrigerators, automobiles, things of that nature not being in such great demand because of the sticker shock,” he said.

How close is the U.S. to a deal with China?

Recently, the Trump administration has said talks are ongoing with China and that a deal is being worked on. But China has said no talks are happening.

Calkins suggested internal disagreements within the Trump administration may be delaying resolution. He believes there are trade hawks in the administration who want to see high tariffs because they believe it will bring manufacturing back to the United States.

“And then you’ve got other parts of the administration who are saying, ‘Listen, this is going to bring economic cataclysm to the United States, and we have effectively shot ourselves in the foot here and we need to walk this back as quickly as possible,’” he said. “At this point, you know, the Chinese are just sitting back and, you know, got their bucket of popcorn and watching it all happen back in DC,” Calkins said.

The investigations come as Harvard fights a freeze on $2.2 billion in federal grants the Trump administration imposed after the university refused to comply with demands to limit activism on campus. A letter sent to the university earlier this month called for the institution to clarify its campus speech policies that limit the time, place and manner of protests and other activities. It also demanded academic departments at Harvard that “fuel antisemitic harassment” be reviewed and changed to address bias and improve viewpoint diversity.

Monday marked the first time that both sides met in court over the funding fight. The investigations by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services were announced separately on Monday, with authorities saying they were investigating policies and practices involving the journal’s membership and article selection that they argue may violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to the federal government, the editor of the Harvard Law Review reportedly wrote that it was “concerning” that the majority of the people who had wanted to reply to an article about police reform “are white men.” A separate editor allegedly suggested “that a piece should be subject to expedited review because the author was a minority.”

“Harvard Law Review’s article selection process appears to pick winners and losers on the basis of race, employing a spoils system in which the race of the legal scholar is as, if not more, important than the merit of the submission,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor in a statement. “Title VI’s demands are clear: recipients of federal financial assistance may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin. No institution — no matter its pedigree, prestige, or wealth — is above the law.”

An email seeking comment was sent Monday to a spokesperson for Harvard.

Harvard is among multiple universities across the country where pro-Palestinian protests erupted on campus amid the war in Gaza last year. Republican officials have since heavily scrutinized those universities, and several Ivy League presidents testified before Congress to discuss antisemitism allegations. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, institution was the fifth Ivy League school targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration, which also has paused federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, and Princeton universities to force compliance with its agenda.

According to the Seattle Police Department, officers responded around 4:59 a.m. to reports of a burglary at an ATM in the 6500 block of California Avenue Southwest.

As the investigation developed, officers traced leads to a storage business in Bonney Lake.

When authorities arrived at the storage site, they detained two individuals for questioning. However, a third person—identified as a suspect—fled the area in a vehicle.

The two people detained were later interviewed and released, according to police.

Seattle police’s General Investigations Unit (GIU) was contacted and responded to the scene. A judge later approved a search warrant for a storage locker connected to the identified suspect.

During the search, officers recovered multiple pieces of evidence, including two sets of the “jaws of life” hydraulic rescue tools.

Investigators also found the stolen vehicle believed to have been used during the ATM burglary. The vehicle was towed to the SPD Vehicle Processing Room, where it will be examined for fingerprints and other forensic evidence after an additional search warrant application.

Seattle Police Criminal Intelligence Unit was consulted regarding several pieces of recovered electronic evidence tied to the case.

The investigation remains ongoing.

©2025 Cox Media Group

Crews responded to the crash in the 5200 block of 152nd Street. When they arrived, firefighters found the driver, a passenger, and two dogs trapped inside the vehicle.

All were safely extricated through a back window, officials said.

Medics transported one person to Providence Regional Medical Center for treatment. No serious injuries were reported.

Marysville Fire District thanked North County Regional Fire Authority, Snohomish County Fire District 21, and Snohomish County 911 for assisting with the response.

In a statement, fire officials used the incident as a reminder for RV travelers to perform safety checks before hitting the road. They emphasized keeping emergency exits clear and accessible, securing items inside the vehicle to prevent injuries, and ensuring pets are tagged and microchipped in case they are separated during an accident.

The cause of the crash has not been released.

Lynnwood Police Department (LPD) said they responded to a call for a reported stabbing in the 18600 block of 42nd Pl W. LPD said the victim and her husband came outside of the house to meet with police, but her son would not step outside. Officers said the victim was still conscious and alert upon arrival, and they were able to transport her to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Following a brief standoff, the suspect exited the house and surrendered to officers. LPD discovered that the suspect had mental health issues as well as a self-inflicted injury, requiring him to be transported to the hospital prior to booking.

After hospital release, the suspect is expected to be booked into the Snohomish County Jail for Assault in the first degree.

“The Last of Us” is a television adaptation of the acclaimed video game series of the same name, with , the video game’s writer and creative director, operating as one of the show’s lead showrunners. While the first season followed Ellie and Joel as they embarked on a cross-country journey from Boston to Salt Lake City, the second season has a much more central location, as revealed in its latest episode, which aired Sunday.

Seattle hasn’t been explored much by the show’s central characters yet, but the video game features many prominent Seattle locations in a post-apocolyptic fashion, including the Paramount Theatre, located on 9th Avenue and Pine Street, Lumen Field in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, , the , the historic Chinatown Gate in the Chinatown-International District, Seattle’s Central Library, the , and, yes, the Space Needle.

The video game even included little Seattle details, like a series of rainbow crosswalks that adorn Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

“The Last of Us” Season 2 premiere on HBO Max drew 5.3 million viewers, according to , a 13% increase compared to the Season 1 premiere. reported that season one averaged nearly 32 million viewers per episode in total, making it the largest audience for an HBO Max debut season ever.��

The first season was nominated for 24 primetime Emmy awards, winning eight.

‘The Last of Us’ was filmed in B.C.

While “The Last of Us'” second season is set in the Emerald City, its principal filming occurred in Vancouver, British Columbia. The first season was filmed primarily in Calgary, Alberta.

British Columbia has played host to many filming sets for American television and film projects due to the province’s tax breaks and abundant production industry.

Seattle attempts to expand its film imprint

But Seattle, and the state as a whole, is trying to expand its film prowess to become a staple in the entertainment industry. In 2022, Washington passed a ��that thoroughly updated and expanded the state’s (MPCP). The bill increased the program’s funding cap by more than 400%, from $3.5 million—which ranked as one of the worst incentives in the state in the U.S.—to $15 million per year.

BREAKING📽️: The Council just passed legislation to create a Seattle Film Commission tasked with advising the City on policies that strengthen Seattle’s film and television industry. It was sponsored by Councilmember Sara Nelson ().

— Seattle City Council (@SeattleCouncil)

California, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and New York provided the largest incentives in the U.S.

States offer these incentives because in-state movie productions often boost the local economy. Incentive packages vary from state to state, but many include production rebates, which reduce the costs of making movies, TV shows, and commercials, in some states, according to .

Follow Frank Sumrall .������Ի���news tips here.

On Saturday, Puget Sound Fire responded to calls for a fire at an apartment on 32nd Ave. S, at the Windsor Heights Apartments, near the airport.

When crews arrived, they found a single apartment with heavy smoke and reports of someone inside.

A child was rescued from that apartment.

No other victims were found inside. The fire was quickly contained to only one unit.

The child was taken to a trauma center with life-threatening injuries.

����Xվ 7 has reached out to see the child’s condition as of Monday.

The Port of Seattle is anticipating 298 calls, with almost 2 million passengers on board.

Linda Springmann, the Director of Cruise Business for the Port of Seattle, told ����Xվ Newsradio that this will be “the most calls we’ve seen in a cruise season,” creating a new record for the port.

This cruise season is said to create more than 5,000 jobs and nearly $900 million in economic impact. In Seattle, the cruise line is expected to drive significant tourism and create millions of dollars for the local economy.

Bracing for tariffs

Despite many cruise lines utilizing international goods and workers, Springmann said that at this time, they do anticipate many tariff-related issues.

“We’re not hearing of any changes at this point, it’s on everyone’s radar,”�� Springman said, “We’re just watching things.”

Springman does note that the one thing tariffs could affect is the cost of provisions, but it won’t be very different from what people may experience day-to-day.

“It’s just like when you and I go do our grocery shopping,” Springman said. “If we start seeing an impact in local availability of things, it’s probably impacting the cruise lines as well.”

Environmental advancements

The port is also making environmental strides this season, continuing its mission to be

This will be the first full season that Seattle’s cruise berths will have “shore power,” meaning that cruises can shut off their engines while at anchor, which is expected to, on average,

The 2025 cruise season will run from April through October.

Officers with the Tacoma Police Department (TPD) arrived at the 4800 block of East Q Street just before 7 p.m. after receiving reports of a possible shooting. They found two victims inside a car with gunshot wounds, a woman and a man. Both victims were reportedly in their 20s.

They were both brought to the hospital, where the man later died from his injuries. The woman is currently in stable condition, as of this reporting.

TPD is unsure what led to this incident, and no arrests have been made. Detectives are investigating the shooting as a homicide.

This is an ongoing investigation, check back for updates

Homemade traps and snares intended to capture and harm cats have begun popping up in unspecified spots in Seattle, according to posters on Seattle Reddit. The return of the cat traps coincided with the release of Antoine Leander Runner Jr., a 43-year-old man who spent time in prison for first-degree animal cruelty alongside charges for setting up traps without a permit and for mistreating, injuring, and/or killing animals.

“Runner was charged with animal cruelty for a series of grisly cat killings in 2023,” the post on read. “After his release, makeshift traps and snares started popping up again: it became clear he had returned to his hunting grounds.”

Seattle Police Department (SPD) was quickly notified of Runner Jr.’s reappearance.

“While I was conducting an area search for the suspect, a second 911 caller called in to report the same suspect had just walked onto a trail behind the Olympic Foundry, 5210 Airport Way South,” SPD stated. “Officers checked this area and located a male who matched the provided description. He also responded to the name Antoine. I placed Mr. Runner under arrest for the misdemeanor warrant.”

Alleged serial cat killer targets feral cats

According to Seattle Reddit, he would visit food banks for cat food, kennels, collars, leashes, and treats to lure cats and kill them.

“Several of the cats killed in ’23 were from feral cat colonies managed by the Alley Cat Project,” the post on Seattle Reddit read. “Since his return, our trail cam footage shows he comes to the colonies every night to hunt for cats.”

The Alley Cat Project discovered the body of one of the cats from a colony on March 31, disemboweled and publicly displayed. Animal Control confirmed the injuries to the cats were human-caused.

Seattle Animal Control and the Alley Cat Project are warning pet owners to keep any cats indoors, and to take photographs of any makeshift traps discovered.

This is a developing story, check back for updates

Follow Frank Sumrall .������Ի���news tips here.

It happened Monday around 2:40 a.m. on southbound I-5 near Boeing Field in Seattle.

WSP said its trooper was conducting a stop on the right shoulder at the time.

That’s when a passing car hit the patrol vehicle and pushed it into the other one, according to WSP.

No one was hurt.

The causing driver was arrested.

Pictures from WSP show the severe damaged the crash caused to the patrol car.

Around 2:40am this trooper was on a stop SB I-5 near Boeing Field on the right shoulder. A vehicle traveling SB struck the patrol vehicle and pushed it into the other vehicle. Causing driver arrested for suspected impairment. No injuries sustained by any involved.

— Trooper Rick Johnson (@wspd2pio)

The two officers, Corey Foy��and��Michael Griffin, filed their lawsuits against the Seattle Police Department (SPD) separately, but on the same day earlier this month, claiming they were harassed, humiliated, and retaliated against during their time there. The pair also claimed they were both denied opportunities to advance and move upward.

Examples of racist behavior towards Foy, Griffin

Foy shared an incident with , an activist and watchdog group monitoring SPD officer misconduct, where SPD Officer Andrew Marksallegedly said Foy looked like a “f* thug” after he showed up to the precinct in workout clothes. The Office of Police Accountability the incident, and subsequently recommended suspension for unprofessionalism.

Another officer, Cody Alidon, told Foy that he looked “shady” walking through the South Precinct parking lot in a hoodie, according to DivestSPD. When Foy asked him if it’s “because I’m Black,” Alidon laughed and drove off.

Griffin revealed he was a target of harassment when white SPD officers superimposed Griffin’s picture onto a photo of a Black suspect and hung it up next to Sergeant John Marion’s desk. This joke lasted weeks, with the officers later crossing out the suspect’s name and writing Griffin’s on it.

Additionally, Foy and Griffin alleged they would get in trouble for behavior white officers would rarely get reprimanded for, and that they were granted a lower priority for overtime. Griffin alleged he was passed over for a job on the hostage negotiation team. He was also denied an opportunity to be a field training officer, despite having more than 30 years of experience.

Ongoing SPD lawsuits

Foy and Griffin’s lawsuits are the newest among a series of complaints alleged against the SPD, with multiple officers, both current and former, alleging that former Chief Adrian Diaz fostered a culture of sexual harassment and retaliation. Meanwhile, Diaz filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, and seeks $10 million.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is hosting a press conference Monday at 11:30 a.m. to celebrate the hiring of new police officers who are in training and are part of a significant increase in police hiring in 2025. He will be joined by SPD Chief Barnes and other law enforcement and local leaders.

Follow Frank Sumrall .������Ի���news tips here.

The driver allegedly slammed on the brakes after the motorcyclist hit the windshield. Once the rider slid off the car, the driver attempted to run them over, dragging the motorcycle a few hundred feet. After the incident, the driver left the vehicle and escaped on foot.

“K9 Asher and deputies tracked for approximately one hour but did not catch up to the suspect,” Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said on . “K9 Asher remained in the area and continued searching, locating the suspect running down the street. I was on my way back from a community event and stopped to assist.”

After approximately an hour, deputies found the driver and arrested them. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office shared the dashcam footage of the arrest. The driver was charged with DUI, vehicular assault, and felony hit and run. They were also booked for a previous domestic violence case from a year ago.

Follow Frank Sumrall .������Ի���news tips here.

The climber was close to the Upper Town Wall and suffered non-life-threatening injuries, but reported extreme pain in their legs and lower back.

Nearby climbers, including an ER technician, were quick to help the victim before crews arrived, SRFR posted.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, SnoHawk, airlifted the climber to Provident Medical Center in Everett.

“…We encourage all climbers to know their limits, check and double-check safety equipment, and monitor gear wear throughout the climbing season for wear. Always climb with a partner in case of unexpected situations,” Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue posted on Facebook.

Here are some images from the intense rescue today in Index. SRFR, Sky Valley Fire, and SCFD4 tech rescue were involved with the rescue. Snohomish County Sheriff used SnoHawk to rescue and airlift to hospital. This is the second rescue in that area this week.

— Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue (@SnoRegionalFire)

Cpt. Smith rushed to the beach and dove into the waves to reach a toddler who was unconscious. Bystanders brought the mother and second child out of the water.

He brought the child to shore and started to do rescue breaths. She regained consciousness within minutes.

“Firefighters are never truly off duty. Whether active, retired, or on vacation, they respond when needed,” the department posted.

“Please join us in recognizing Captain Smith for his courageous and selfless actions that undoubtedly saved the life of a helpless child caught in the ocean’s powerful grip.”

This places the city among the top five in the nation for annual transaction growth, ��The greater Seattle area marked a 3,598 increase compared to the same month last year. Only San Francisco, Fayetteville (AR), Dover (DE), and Las Vegas posted higher gains.

While home sales increased, so, too, did concessions.��Seattle leads all major U.S. metropolitan areas in concessions for home buyers as the trend continues to escalate nationally.

Home sellers offered concessions to buyers in a whopping 71.3% of transactions during the first quarter of 2025, nearly double the mark from a year ago. In 2024, just 36.4% of house real estate transactions included concessions. Not only does Seattle lead all metro regions in 2025, it’s also the largest year-over-year increase among the metros Redfin analyzed.

Seattle sees surge in home sales

Despite increasing demand, officials say that Seattle remains one of the most undersupplied housing markets in the U.S., ranking third nationwide for the lowest inventory.

The median sale in the same month was $730,000, projecting only a slight increase from the previous year. Homes also sold more quickly, spending an average of 50 days on the market—a 15.7% drop from February. However, it is still 15% higher than the same time last year.