Seattle’s Public Safety Committee is considering a bill to make in‑field diversion the preferred response to public drug use after SPD reported arrests up and diversions down.

The 25-story Fourth & Blanchard tower in Belltown — nicknamed the “Darth Vader” building — is on the market after a 2025 courthouse auction and is being offered at a steep discount.

A 10,167‑sq‑ft boutique gym will open inside Seattle House, the twin‑tower Denny Triangle project, and will be available to residents and the public. The amenity lands in a building pitched as a 50,000‑sq‑ft amenity hub near Amazon.

Seattle City Council expanded the Utility Discount Program to cover about 31,000 more low‑income households, offering steep electric and water discounts funded by tiny rate bumps. The move targets seniors and rent‑burdened families ahead of coming rate increases.

Seattle firefighters responded to a vessel fire in the 4400 block of 15th Ave NW; authorities urged people to avoid the area while responders worked.

Seattle Chamber Music Society plans a purpose‑built 271‑seat hall in the renovated U.S. Bank Center at Sixth and Union, with rehearsal space, a streaming room and a music library. Construction is slated to start this winter for a 2028 opening.

A Pierce County judge handed down life without parole to Joseph Ricky Emile after a jury convicted him of strangling his wife in December 2023. Prosecutors pointed to DNA, video and phone records tying him to the killing.

Seattle Fire is proposing up to three drones to give crews live overhead views during high‑risk fires, rescues and hazmat responses; the draft plan is now open for public comment.

A three-week-old harbor seal pup shot near Bellingham is recovering at SR3; rescuers and NOAA are seeking tips. Veterinary scans revealed a projectile and a CT is planned.

A Pierce County court arraigned 26‑year‑old Chaston Philes on second‑degree murder charges in the 2024 killing of Sean Miller; his attorney says he acted in self‑defense. Bail was set at $100,000.

Crews are fighting a commercial building fire on the 4500 block of 7th Avenue South. Officials asked people to avoid the area while firefighters operate.

Sunny and warm Wednesday with highs near 82°F. Showers and thunderstorms likely Thursday; Fire Weather Watch for the high country.

A Bellevue firm led by a former tech CEO plans an eight‑story apartment in Kenmore; the parcel was bought in August 2024 and construction is slated for late 2026.