WA Gov. Ferguson delays conversion of ferries to electric power

By  Nicholas Deshais Seattle Times staff reporter Traffic Lab is a Seattle Times project that digs into the region’s transportation issues to explore the policies and politics that determine how we get around and how billions of dollars in public money are spent. Gov. Bob Ferguson said Thursday he was shelving the project to convert more

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Ask Angi: What are accessory dwelling units?

By  Angie Hicks Tribune News Service From bringing in passive income to creating more space for family fun, accessory dwelling units have a lot of uses. If you have some extra space on your property, consider making it useful by building an ADU. ADUs, or accessory dwelling units, refer to secondary homes, houses or apartments that

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Empower local WA communities to sail their own ferries

By  The Seattle Times editorial board Ferry possibility: Whidbey Island to Everett A bill in the legislature would make it easier for local jurisdictions like ports and cities to form taxing districts to establish passenger-only ferries. Among the most promising is a direct route between South Whidbey Island and Everett, from Clinton to the marina at the

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Return of the hydrofoil: Puget Sound passenger ferries in the works

By Nicholas Deshais Seattle Times staff reporter A flying ferry sounds like a flight of fancy, but it may soon be the way some waterborne commuters get across Puget Sound. Two local endeavors are aiming to build passenger-only boats with hydrofoils — underwater wings that lift a boat’s hull out of the water, lessening drag

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Seattle-area first-time homebuyers may not see much relief this year

By  Victor Whitman Special to The Seattle Times The Seattle-area housing market, one of the least affordable in the country, could become even tougher this year as buyers continue to face higher costs and more competition for starter homes. Along with the unexpected sunny weather of last month, the market saw more listings and sales

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More concrete, less green: A cautionary tale about upzoning from South Park

By  Alex Fryer Seattle Times Opinion columnist You don’t need a crystal ball to see the future of Seattle residential neighborhoods envisioned by Mayor Bruce Harrell. Just go to South Park. In 2019, this diverse South Seattle enclave was upzoned to accommodate more housing. The result was called “Residential Small Lot,” and it models what

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5 ways WA lawmakers can steer our ferries back on course

By  Josh Farley Seattle Times Opinion columnist ABOARD THE M/V TACOMA — As a watertight steel door glides open, the heat of the motor room gives way to cool, marine air. I’ve stepped into M/V Tacoma’s shaft alley, an inner cavity cradling the ferry’s whirring propeller shaft. Not far beyond, the vessel’s steel hull cuts

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As Burien touts ‘nation’s highest minimum wage,’ some say it’s misleading

Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks Seattle Times staff reporter Organizers behind Burien’s minimum wage ballot initiative say the city has been using public funds to mislead residents and drum up opposition to the measure, which will come before voters in a February special election. If approved, Measure 1 would replace the City Council-approved minimum compensation ordinance that took effect this month.

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The new report on homelessness shows a catastrophe for WA

By  Danny Westneat  Seattle Times columnist In some ways, the report to Congress last week that homelessness is surging wasn’t news in Seattle or the state. People living under bridges has long been part of the fabric here. Plus the local count showing the largest number of homeless people ever in King County was already released

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U.S. homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people

By  MICHAEL CASEY The Associated Press The United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country, federal officials said Friday. The U.S. Department of Housing and

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