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Queen Anne Elementary team wins
By Seattle Public Library
HANDS OFF!
Courtesy Laura Marie Rivera
Thousands of protesters flocked to Seattle Center Saturday for the “Hands Off!” rally. The noise from the massive crowd could be heard from more than a half a mile away. There were approximately 1,300 rallies across the country. An estimated 30,000 people showed up at Seattle Center and got to hear from U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, WA State Labor Council's April Sims, former Gov. Jay Inslee, many more local leaders, and emcee Kitty Glitter.
Indivisible was one of the many organizations that helped make the movement happen. According to their website, Indivisible is a grassroots movement of thousands of local Indivisible groups with a mission to “elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda.” The massive rallies all across the country were a result of the call for a mass mobilization in opposition to Trump and Musk's attempts to manipulate our public services and our democracy. More information at Indivisible.org
On April 2, after 60 tense minutes of competition in front of a cheering crowd in the Central Library auditorium, the Library Lynx team from Queen Anne Elementary won the title of 2025 Global Reading Challenge city champion.
Wearing orange headbands and purple T-shirts, the fourth and fifth graders competed against 10 other teams by answering rounds of trivia questions about this year’s Global Reading Challenge books. Three other teams tied for second place: Genesee Hill Elementary's Book Bandits, Kimball Elementary's The Purple Banana Slugs and Orca Elementary’s The Intelligent Foxes.
“As always, the Global Reading Challenge All City Final was a beautiful celebration of reading and teamwork,” said Chief Librarian Tom Fay. “We extend congratulations to Queen Anne Elementary’s team and all the students who participated in the program this year. By building literacy skills and a joy of reading, they are all winners. We are also grateful to Seattle Public Schools teachers, librarians, and administrators, and to The Seattle Public Library Foundation for their strong support of this program.”
“At a time when literacy rates are declining, the Global Reading Challenge is more important than ever,” said Brian Lawrence, CEO of The Seattle Public Library Foundation. “We have been delighted to support a program that’s been making a difference for kids for 30 years.”
A collaboration between The Seattle Public Library and Seattle Public Schools, the Global Reading Challenge promotes recreational reading at a pivotal elementary school stage when many students — especially boys — start to lose interest in reading.
This school year, 528 teams of more than 3,500 fourth and fifth graders in 72 SPS elementary schools worked with school librarians and teachers to form Global Reading Challenge teams. Teams that won their school’s competition progressed to the semi-final round, with 11 teams progressing to the City Final.
Global Reading Challenge books are chosen because they are rich, low-barrier books that reflect diverse cultural communities and have strong appeal to all kids. This year’s
The Library Lynx team from Queen Anne Elementary won the title of 2025 Global Reading Challenge city champion.
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For best audio results, please join by clicking on the link from your computer or smartphone and choose “Call Over Internet”
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Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons
Our weekly Bible Lesson Sermon may be found here: https://quarterly.christianscience.com/
Additional Healing Resources: ChristianScience.com CSWashington.com SeattleMetroReadingRoom.org
For additional assistance, please contact us at seattle12cs@gmail.com or 206.283.2300 ChristianScienceTwelfthSeattle.com
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Savvy Senior: How seniors can save on auto insurance
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you offer any tips to help seniors save on their auto insurance? I recently turned 70 and got hit with a 25 percent premium increase on my car insurance and am looking for ways to save.
Older Driver
Dear Driver, As auto insurance rates across the country continue to rise for all drivers, seniors can face an even bigger price hike, once they reach their 70s and their driving skills begin to decline. Fortunately, there are ways you can reduce your premiums. To find out what discounts may be available to you, contact your auto insurer and inquire about these options.
Increase your deductible: Paying a higher deductible could save you big on premiums. For example, raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000 can bring your annual premiums down by 15 to 20 percent, on average.
Adjust your coverage: If you’re driving an older vehicle, you may want to consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverage if your premium is more than 10 percent of the car’s value. Collision insurance covers damage to your car if you’re involved in a crash (or if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run) and comprehensive covers damage caused by acts of nature (such
as storm damage), vandalism, theft or fire. But if you’re scaling back to liability coverage, make sure you have enough to pay for damages out of pocket if you’re in an accident or your car sustains damage due to weather, theft or another non-collision event.
Take a defensive driving course:
Some insurance companies offer defensive driving discounts – between 5 and 15 percent – to drivers who take a refresher course to brush up on their safety skills. Organizations such as AARP (aarpdriversafety.org), AAA (aaa.
Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival celebrates 50th anniversary
Submitted
The Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival, part of the Seattle Center Festál series, promotes cross-cultural exchanges and fosters a deeper understanding of Japanese and Japanese American culture and heritage through both traditional and contemporary means. This free annual festival, celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2025, will take place from Friday, April 11, through Sunday, April 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Armory Food & Event Hall and Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center.
Attendees of all ages can enjoy an array of cultural stage presentations including tea ceremonies, koto music, taiko drumming, traditional dance performances, and martial arts demonstrations. The fine art of Shodo calligraphy and ikebana displays will be showcased in the Armory Lofts. Family-friendly activities and workshops include children’s kite-making and kimono dressing. Delicious culinary treats will be served all three days. As part of a special 50th
anniversary expansion, the festival will also host a sumo tournament in the Exhibition Hall (Saturday only) and a new art exhibit by local visual artists, located in the hallway of the Armory Lofts.
The Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival was first held in Seward Park in 1976 but moved to Seattle Center in 1979 and has now grown into a three-day celebration enjoyed by thousands of people.
“Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival has a long-distinguished relationship to the Festál series, being the first ethnic festival held annually at the Center,” said Heidi Jackson, Seattle Center Managing Artistic Director of Cultural Programs. “Cherry blossoms are a renewal of spring and life. Everyone is invited to enjoy this renewal together at this entertaining, family-friendly cultural celebration.”
This festival is part of the Festál series of 25 festivals, presented by various cultural organizations and hosted by Seattle Center throughout the year.
com/stop) and The National Safety Council (nsc.org) provide these classes, for around $20 to $30 and they can be taken online.
Report your milage: Most insurers offer discounts to customers who drive limited miles each year, which is usually beneficial to retirees who drive less because they don’t commute to work every day. These discounts usually kick in when your annual milage drops below 7,500 or 10,000 depending on your provider.
Bundle policies: If your auto insurance policy is issued by a
different company from the one insuring your home, call each insurer and ask if bundling the policies would be cheaper.
Sign up for driver monitoring: Some insurers offer discounts based on how and when you use your car. They will monitor things like your acceleration, braking habits, driving speeds and phone use, via smartphone app or a device that plugs into your car’s diagnostic port. Drivers can be rewarded anywhere from 10 to 30 percent for safe driving.
In addition, many insurance
providers also offer discounts to drivers who do not have any violations or accidents for three or more years.
Ask about membership discounts: Many insurers offer discounts through professional associations, workers’ unions, large employers or membership organizations such as AAA, NARFE, AARP, etc. You could even qualify for savings based on the college you attended or the fraternity or sorority you belonged to decades ago.
Improve your credit: You may be able to lower your car insurance premium by paying your bills on time and reducing the amount of debt you carry. Insurers look at how their customers manage credit to get an idea of risk and to price policies. Better rates are given to those with good credit scores, typically 700 or above.
Comparison shop: To find out if your current premium is competitive with other insurers, shop around through insurance marketplace websites like TheZebra.com, Insurify.com, Lemonade.com or Policygenius.com. Or use an independent agent (see trustedchoice. com/agent) to help you compare.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
King County garbage fees may increase regardless of changes to capital projects
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
A recent audit of King County’s Solid Waste Division planned capital projects found that per-ton garbage disposal fees could double in 10 years as a result, but the division notes delaying these projects could also increase fees for customers.
Last week’s King County Auditor’s Office report found that per-ton garbage disposal fees could increase from $203 per ton in 2025 to over $413 per ton by 2034 in order to cover the estimated $1.36 billion cost between 2025 and 2040 for capital projects.
According to the audit, "SWD funds capital spending largely through bond sales, and the increase in capital spending means that debt service for these bonds could grow over 450 percent between 2024 and 2034."
Residential customers could see a wide range of garbage disposal fee hikes.
An increase of about $210 to $252 per ton for commercial haulers by 2034 would also result in an average residential
curbside annual increase of around $73 to $396, depending on customer can size.
For self-haul minimum users, who make up almost half of all self-haul trips to transfer stations, per-ton garbage disposal fee increases mean that the cost to enter transfer stations to dispose of garbage could increase from $32.60 in 2025 to over $68 per transaction in 2034, according to the audit.
The King County Solid Waste Division provides
garbage transfer, disposal, and recycling services for approximately 1.9 million people in King County.
With a large number of customers that would be affected by the fees, the division acknowledged the report’s findings and is reevaluating its future capital programs.
“King County’s Solid Waste Division will be seriously considering the auditor’s feedback to better inform our capital project investments,” Department of Natural Resources and
Parks Director John Taylor said in a statement. "Already, our teams are reevaluating our capital program, and we will include the Auditor’s recommendations in this review.”
However, customers could see costs increase no matter what the division chooses to do. King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Communication Specialist Joe Basile told The Center Square in an email
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King County Metro restarts fare inspections with expected revenue boost ahead
King County Metro has officially resumed bus fare inspections after initially pausing it during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Metro is implementing a phased-in approach to returning to fare inspection with the first phase starting on Monday.
The agency is now deploying 30 fare enforcement officers across the system from among the ranks of 175 Transit Security Officers to ask riders for proof of fare payment and issue "friendly, verbal reminders" to nonpaying riders.
Metro's fare is currently $2.75 for adults. People under the age of 18 can ride free with an ORCA Youth card.
The return of fare checks will help the agency ensure the multimillion dollars in fare revenue is collected. For context, King County Metro’s 2024 bus ridership was about 90 million systemwide with fares accounting for an estimated $73 million in revenue.
Notably, King County's 2025 budget acknowledges that Metro’s fare revenue is not expected to return to pre-pandemic numbers, which typically made up about 25% of operating costs. Fare revenue now makes up only 9% of operating costs, according to the county.
Despite this, King County anticipates fare revenue on all Metro modes to total $100 million in 2025.
In 2024, the annual budget for Metro’s Transit Security Contract was approximately $18.2 million, but did not include costs
associated with operating a fare violation program due to fare violations not being issued.
Fare enforcement efforts were suspended for all of 2024.
With the need for fare inspectors and an increased security presence on buses and bus stops, the King County 2025 budget includes
$11.8 million to sustain an extra 100 transit security officers from 2023-2024.
The next phase in fare checks will begin on May 31, when the department will start implementing a warning system that culminates in fines or required community service for multiple violations.
If someone receives a third violation, that person could be required to pay a fine of $20 within 30 days, or $40 within 90 days. However, if someone is presumed to be unable to pay a fine, the offender could be subject to alternative resolutions, including performing two hours of community service.
Federal funding cuts threaten King County’s public health and disaster preparedness
The King County Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee received a grim presentation on the potential impacts of federal funding cuts on the region’s public health and natural disaster responses.
In fiscal year 2025, King County is set to receive about $200 million in federal revenue. This does not include federal funding that goes through the state, including Medicaid.
On Tuesday, King County Chief Operating Officer Dwight Dively briefed the King County Health, Housing, and Human Services Committee on three kinds of risks the county is facing with the federal government, including money that is already appropriated being unilaterally stopped.
This includes grants that are already signed and contracts that are already in place.
Dively noted this is what is mostly happening at a federal level currently. The second risk comes from federal grants that are routinely renewed that now have conditions applied that King County is unable to accept. This is because some of these conditions violate either county ordinances or state law.
Dively provided one example: for a federal grant to be renewed, a county has to accept and comply with
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selection includes three graphic novels. All children who participate have access to the selected books and a chance to read for fun and discuss the books with their peers. They learn about conflict resolution, group dynamics, and resiliency in the face of disappointment.
Eighteen talks with Global
any and all executive orders issued by President Donald Trump.
“By not getting that money in a timely way, we are likely going to be in a situation where some critical services are reduced or eliminated and, in some cases, people who work for this government will have to lose their jobs,” Dively said during Tuesday's committee meeting.
The third risk is that the U.S. House budget resolution implies major cuts to
Reading Challenge authors were also held at schools that receive full or partial funding through Title 1.
Global Reading Challenge finalist teams
■ Broadview-Thomson K-8’s Depressing Unicorns
■ Cascadia Elementary’s mAGnificent Muffins
■ Cedar Park Elementary’s Sigma Peppa Pigs
■ Dunlap Elementary’s Willy
domestic discretionary programs such as Medicaid. Dively noted that much of that potentially cut money flows to programs delivered by Seattle-King County Public Health and the Department of Community and Human Services.
Last month, SeattleKing County Public Health saw two of its COVID-19 response grants canceled. Originally this was put at a $20 million loss, but the actual spending impact is $2 million, which was set to be distributed to about 40 nonprofit organizations.
Further blows to the region’s public health network are possible if Congress is able to pass the 12 appropriations bills as part of the federal budget. King County would see “substantial cuts in programs that are domestic discretionary funding, including Medicaid,” according to Dively. This would happen as soon as Oct. 1, meaning the impacts
Wonka
■ Genesee Hill Elementary’s Book Bandits
■ Kimball Elementary’s The Purple Banana Slugs
■ John Muir Elementary’s Legends of Books
■ Lafayette Elementary’s Confidential
■ Orca Elementary’s The Intelligent Foxes
■ Queen Anne Elementary’s Library Lynx
could be felt in the current budget.
Seattle-King County Public Health has a fund balance that is set aside for emergencies. In a situation where the department loses grant funding, the department will explore this fund balance to provide some flexibility to continue programs.
The same can not be said for DCHS, which does not have the same available fund balance. Almost all of its revenue comes from federal, state, or voter-approved sources for specific purposes. If the department loses grant funding, it’s challenging to find any way to backfill for that grant.
Cuts to Medicaid can hinder the region’s six local health centers, including HealthPoint. Company CEO Lisa Yohalem told committee members that 77% of its funding comes from Medicaid, and that cuts to the program would increase the
■ Rising Star Elementary’s Silver Hawks
The Global Reading Challenge, now in its 30th year, is a reading incentive program for fourth and fifth graders enrolled in Seattle Public Schools. The Global Reading Challenge is supported by The Seattle Public Library Foundation, the Loeb Family Charitable Foundations, the Northwest Literacy Foundation and Pemco Insurance.
The Library believes that the
number of uninsured people and the demand at these local health centers.
According to Yohalem, 62,000 of HealthPoint’s patients are covered by Medicaid.
The potential elimination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency concerns county leaders as well, with U.S Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently stating her intent to eliminate the agency.
According to Dively, about 40% of the King County Emergency Management Department’s staff is fully funded by federal grants. In the case of a natural disaster occurring in King County, FEMA typically picks up 75% of the allowed costs, while the state picks up about 12.5%.
“If we have to pay 100% ... I think it goes without saying I don’t know how we do that,” Dively said.
power of knowledge improves people's lives. We promote literacy and a love of reading as we bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and empower community. Find more events at www.spl.org/Calendar. Contact the Library’s Ask Us service by phone at 206-386-4636 or by email or chat at www.spl. org/Ask. Staff are ready to answer questions and direct you to helpful resources and information.
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
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Last year’s cyberattack on Seattle airport stole personal info from 90K people
By Spencer Pauley The Center Square
The Port of Seattle has revealed that some 90,000 people were impacted by August's cyberattack on the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. In its investigation, the Port found that approximately 71,000 of those affected live in Washington state.
The people behind the cyberattack downloaded personal information from Port networks, the majority of which come from current and former Port and other airport employees and contractors.
The personal information that was downloaded in the cyberattack includes combinations of names, dates of birth, at least the last four digits of Social Security numbers, driver’s license or other government identification card numbers, and some medical information, according to a news release from the Port.
The cyberattack occurred on Aug. 24, 2024. On that day, the Port became aware of unauthorized activity on its system. Soon after, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport requested travelers avoid checking their luggage.
GARBAGE
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At the time, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport officials said the cyberattack impacted internet access to some of the airport systems, impacting
that delaying capital projects will likely contribute to higher garbage disposal fees for customers in the long run. This is due to planning and construction costs increasing over time.
Basile noted the Solid Waste Division has already paused the planning of a redevelopment project for its transfer station in Renton and is currently building a new transfer station in south King County that is anticipated to open sometime in 2026.
The division is also in the planning phase of a new station in Kirkland.
These projects are intended to replace aging stations across the county in order to make recycling and transfer of waste materials easier for the public and safer for employees.
“These new modern recycling and transfer stations are needed across King County to serve a growing population with services such as recycling, yard waste, and household hazardous waste disposal,” Basile told The Center Square. “They will replace facilities that are past their life use and were built when stations were designed to only accept garbage.”
Along with Solid Waste Division leadership, the King County Council and county executive would be required to approve legislation to delay any capital projects as part of a plan to minimize rate impacts on customers.
the ability to send and receive data, including emails.
The incident did not affect the ability to travel to or from the airport or use the Port’s
maritime facilities.
The systems of major airlines, cruise partners and federal partners like the Federal Aviation Administration,
Transportation Security Administration, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection were not affected.
For the 90,000 affected
people, the Port sent notices via mail that includes information on how to access free credit monitoring services from the Port.
WA House passes $15.2B transportation budget, setting stage for talks with Senate
By Brett Davis The Center Square
The Washington State House of Representatives passed its $15.2 billion transportation budget for 2025-27 on Wednesday, setting the stage for negotiations with the Senate, which previously passed its own more expensive version of a transportation budget.
While the two budgets differ in some significant ways, they do have something in common: increasing the state gas tax.
The House version looks to raise the tax 9 cents, indexed to inflation, while the Senate version calls for a 6-cent hike that would rise 2% annually to account for inflation starting in 2026.
The House only passed its transportation budget, not the revenue bill to fund it.
The House transportation budget allocates funds for construction, preservation, operations and multimodal projects across the Evergreen State, including support for the Washington State Patrol, the Department of Licensing and the Washington State Department of Transportation.
House Transportation Chair Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, noted the budget’s focus on completing
existing projects.
“We’ve made the investments. Now we’re taking the necessary steps to pay for them – and protect them – for the long haul,” Fey said in a news release. “Washingtonians deserve a transportation system that works and lasts.”
Key projects in the House budget include safety improvements on State Route 18 in southeastern King County; continuation of the North Spokane Corridor freeway project to provide a faster, more efficient north-south route through Spokane to reduce travel time and congestion on existing arterials; the Puget Sound Gateway Program to complete critical missing links in the state’s highway and freight network; and maintaining a commitment to repairing fish passage barriers
to restore access to spawning and rearing habitats as part of salmon recovery efforts.
Rep. Suzanne Schmid, R-Spokane Valley, spoke out in support of the Senate transportation bill as amended by the House. She had some reservations about certain aspects of the legislation, but threw in her support largely due to its funding the long-standing Spokane project.
“This is a top priority for my community,” she said. “It is in the budget; it’s part of the budget.”
The House approved its budget on a 66-30 vote that included a handful of Republican “yes” votes and a few Democrats voting “no.”
Teams from the House and Senate will negotiate a final budget before the scheduled end of the legislative session on April 27.
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