More looking back at a year of COVID and its societal side effects, while Inslee announces a statewide ‘phase 3’ reopening (including sports fans in stands); King County gets a new ‘homelessness czar’ (maybe).

Microsoft’s weird vision for future VR conferencing; an ex-Sonic’s running for mayor; protesters’ lawsuit against Seattle expands. anti-Asian racism may be why a schoolteacher was attacked on the streets with ‘a rock in a sock.’

Teen musicians practice in plastic isolation booths; SAM gets a big-name art donation; we’re the last state to end ‘simple possession’ drug laws; Bellevue will no longer be ‘Dickless.’

After the Big Snow, get ready for the Big Melt; the Lava Lounge building gets closer to demolition; Sen. Murray says she was ‘within inches’ of the Capitol mob; the state reports 1 million vaccine shots.

Dina Martina’s V-Day greetings; waiting for the snow to get more serious; more of the state gets into a ‘phase 2’ reopening; could either or both of 2017’s temp-mayors run for the office this year?

Rapinoe & Bird, Wilson & Ciara as lovebird role models; waiting for snow’s big promise/threat; Tim Eyman fined and banned from political fundraising; a local inventor’s crosswalks light up under your feet.

Drive to replace Marcus Whitman’s DC Capitol statue with one of a Native-rights activist; claims of deliberate meddling in state unemployment system; City Council President Lorena Gonzalez runs for mayor; Amazon’s next CEO is a thorough ‘tech bro.’

Bezos to leave Amazon’s helm as company’s HQ2 gets a strange ‘Helix’ structure; SAM fires its beloved film guru; another local clinic hit by systemic-racism claims against its management; Durkan won’t veto grocery ‘hazard pay.’

Small-town residents want conspiracy-cult-promoting mayor out; big state unemployment data breach; the case for a ‘wealth tax;’ why Amazon can’t make hit games.

The first truly new blue pigment in ages comes on the paint market; ex-Evergreen profs turned ‘intellectual dark web’ celebs spread COVID lies, while right-wing militia people invade a Southwest Wash. hospital; activists for the homeless try to take over another hotel.

Remembering the Spanish Castle roadhouse; local bars, restaurants, and gyms can re-reopen Monday; protests try to stop encampment sweep outside Bellingham city hall; WA’s history of strife, battle, and survival.

A local angle on the ‘Welfare Queen’ myth/meme; Seattle Pride will be online-only again in 2021; Boeing loses almost $12 billion; are the City Council’s proposed new rules on SPD crowd control too lax?

The Duwamish fear getting left out of a bill mandating native history in schools; Amazon’s global workforce tops 1 million; Alaska Air’s pivot-to-cargo plan flops; the rich and connected try to cut in vaccine lines.

City asks artists and others to ponder their communities’ future; remembering one year of COVID in WA (and in the US); state makes a new vaccine distribution plan; man arrested at DC riot had tried to join Seattle protest groups, but was suspected of being a right-wing infiltrator.

Local indie-movie site’s now got original mental-health docs for young adults; SPD cop refuses to wear mask in hospital; promised federal COVID vaccine reserves don’t exist; what MLK Day means this year.