Civic – Page 10 of 59

Seattle-area transit agency partners with tech company Via for first- and last-mile rides

King County Metro, the transportation agency serving Seattle and surrounding communities, this week launched a new app-based on-demand ride service… Read More

New bill wants FCC to collect data on IoT devices to assess spectrum needs

Congress needs better data on Americans’ use of smart devices, says Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), so it can plan for… Read More

Seattle mayor encourages companies to hire people of color at inaugural Black Tech Night

Tech companies can benefit from hiring Black employees because of the grit they bring, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said at… Read More

Downtown dreams: Leaders share 10 ideas to make Seattle’s core more vibrant

In his “State of the City” address on Tuesday, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said the word “downtown” more than 30… Read More

‘Profound and historic’: Seattle becomes first U.S. city to ban caste discrimination

Seattle lawmakers on Tuesday approved legislation to ban caste discrimination in a move that could impact tech workers and companies.… Read More

Seattle mayor praises Amazon’s back-to-office policy in ‘State of the City’ address

Speaking from Seattle Center on Tuesday in his annual “State of the City” address, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell reflected on… Read More

Washington state lawmakers seek to further curb drug prices as biotech leaders raise alarm

Lawmakers in Washington state are considering legislation that would give a governor-appointed board extra authority to curtail the price of… Read More

Amazon’s new back-to-office policy is welcome news to small businesses around Seattle HQ

Inside a dog daycare business in Seattle’s South Lake Union on Friday, a handful of pups were scurrying around and… Read More

Washington state chips in $250K for First Mode’s zero-emission proving grounds

First Mode, the clean-energy company that was recently transformed from a Seattle startup into an Anglo American subsidiary, is getting… Read More

Seattle Police union objected to use of body-cam analysis tech and alleges officers were ‘spied on’

The Seattle Police Department discontinued its use of an artificial intelligence platform designed to analyze body-cam footage because of pushback… Read More

What to do with dead batteries? Washington lawmakers consider plan to energize recycling

Batteries power all kinds of consumer goods, and their use is rapidly expanding. Seattle plans to ban gas-powered leaf blowers… Read More

Seattle-area police use adhesive GPS trackers to catch fleeing suspects, prevent high-speed chases

The Redmond Police Department implemented new GPS technology last month that has helped result in three arrests. The technology, called… Read More

Meta lawyer wants to build more public-private partnerships as he runs for Seattle City Council

Rob Saka, a University of Washington graduate, Air Force veteran and attorney who has worked for Microsoft and Meta, announced… Read More

Seattle Police Dept. discontinues use of AI platform to analyze body cam footage and office behavior

The Seattle Police Department has stopped using an artificial intelligence platform designed to analyze police body-cam footage in search of… Read More

Proposed wealth tax in Washington state is another attempt at tax code reform

Democrats in the Washington state legislature are trying again to make the state’s wealthiest residents pay up with a bill… Read More

Washington state lawmakers seek to ban at-home rape test kits after AG takes aim at startup

Washington state lawmakers are considering a bill to ban over-the-counter sexual assault test kits that critics say give false hope… Read More

Twitter’s API change forces Seattle PD to deactivate accounts that shared crime info

Update, Feb. 9: SPD now says its accounts won’t be impacted given the new free tier announced by Twitter this… Read More

‘Baby bond’ legislation aims to address wealth gaps in Washington state

People born into low-income families in Washington state will get a financial boost at the outset of their lives with… Read More

Seattle Police Department using AI software to analyze body cam footage and officer behavior

Seattle is one of a handful of cities where police departments are using an artificial intelligence platform to sift through… Read More

Privacy bill aims to protect health data on apps and websites in Washington state

Consumers in Washington state will gain new privacy protections over their health data if lawmakers pass proposed legislation called the… Read More

In effort to ban caste discrimination, Seattle councilmember cites system’s link to tech industry

When Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant introduced legislation this week to ban caste discrimination in Seattle, her supporters included tech… Read More

Go inside the $2 billion Seattle Convention Center expansion, viewed as a big boost to downtown

The sparkling new addition to the Seattle Convention Center is a $2 billion statement piece in the downtown Seattle landscape. Now state… Read More

Seattle sues Kia and Hyundai, accusing carmakers of omitting anti-theft tech, spurring thefts and public harm

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison on Monday filed a lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai, alleging that the automakers failed to… Read More

Washington Supreme Court case for controversial capital gains tax begins this week

The Washington state Supreme Court will hear arguments this week on whether a statewide tax on capital gains in excess… Read More

‘The good old days are gone’: Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on reimagining downtown

As his city tries to emerge from the pandemic, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is thinking about how to revitalize downtown… Read More

Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, long a thorn in Amazon’s side, won’t seek re-election

Councilmember Kshama Sawant, who took on Amazon and others over the years in an effort to tax big businesses, will… Read More

Washington lawmakers consider rules restricting robocalls and holding telecoms accountable

Washington state lawmakers are considering new rules that aim to limit robocalls and empower residents to sue companies over unwanted… Read More

Washington Technology Industry Association lays off 14% of staff

The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) trade group is laying off 11 employees, or 14% of its workforce, with cuts mostly… Read More

New bill aims to allow digital driver’s licenses in Washington state

Washington state residents may no longer need to carry a physical driver’s license — as long as they have a… Read More

After moving to Austin, longtime Seattle business leader says new city is the ‘complete opposite’

Michael Butler is a Seattle guy. He was born there, graduated from the University of Washington, and grew his investment… Read More