New and returning theater shows cover the Big Issues (with laughs); Microsoft ‘shopping extension’ said to take influencers’ commissions; Ferguson talks of family at his inaugural; Biden talks of dangers to democracy.

Mama’s Mexican Kitchen building razed; Jackson’s Catfish Corner folds; Seahawks win last game but miss playoffs due to tiebreakers; Bill Nye gets a Medal of Freedom—of Science!

Remembering a vital music journalist and zine editor; another deadly Boeing plane disaster; Seattle’s oldest restaurant/bar closes tonight; Jimmy Carter’s proud legacy.

Remembering Seattle Times music writer Patrick MacDonald (and Kraken co-owner David Bonderman); big grocery-merger plan scrapped amid new lawsuits; an ‘adult cabaret’ (NOT a ‘strip club’) planned for Ballard.

Inside ‘Wyoming’s last abortion clinic;’ downtown street-people scene moves but doesn’t disband; Mayor Harrell will run for re-election; Tammy Morales supporters claim ‘institutional abuse’ drove her to quit.

Tammy Morales quits City Council; legal-aid lawyer runs for city attorney; Teamsters file union-bashing charges against Costco; HomeStreet Bank merger’s off.

Icelandic artist family (one of whom you may know) creates scented fake flowers; cyclone recovery proceeds as new storm awaits; Microsoft’s cheap PC substitute for businesses; Dan Savage revisits his ‘Urban Archipelago’ concept.

Century Ballroom closing sometime in ’25; Anheuser-Busch closing Elysian’s Georgetown brewery; Harrell announces expanded downtown ‘activation teams;’ Seattle Storm coaches accused of ‘player mistreatment.’

Sub Pop’s remastered Gits reissues; Seattle school-board head target of recall drive; local minister/homeless advocate accused of owning child-porn; Ferguson keeps fighting abortion-pill restrictions.

Newly-dedicated Jackson Street Jazz Trail; Amazon told (again) to let workers vote on unions; gov-elect Ferguson on resisting the neo-MAGA regime; what we all can/must do now.

Remembering a music legend’s Seattle roots; Machinists vote to end Boeing strike; Bell Canada buys a WA legacy phone/broadband company; oh, and something else is happening today.

The continuing scene of ‘renegade’ EDM parties; machinists’ strike goes on, as Boeing loses $6 billion; dad assaults teen son who outs himself; the WA Democrat who won’t admit to voting for Harris.

How to drink (moderately) through a birthday; Councilmember Tanya Woo wants no-protest zones around politicians’ homes; a robotic salad shop’s opening on Capitol Hill; Fall City teen charged with killing five people.

Seattle Opera’s ‘Jubilee’ celebrates Black spirituals; Boeing accuses Machinists of ‘bad faith’ bargaining; two historic restaurant reopenings; sexual-harassment claims at UW computer science lab.

Saving one of the region’s last big theater organs; survey says more folks are ‘optimistic’ about Seattle; lawsuit challenges Amazon’s hiring practices; Boeing’s bond rating perhaps headed for ‘junk’ level.