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This Week On PubliCola: June 6, 2026

AI use by SPD, doubling taxes for transit, fare gates at light rail stations, and more. By Erica C. Barnett… The post This Week On PubliCola: June 6, 2026 appeared first on PubliCola.

Seattle Nice: Mayor Wilson Doubles Down on Transit Sales Tax

By Erica C. Barnett On this week’s third (!) edition of Seattle Nice, we have a short but (I think)… The post Seattle Nice: Mayor Wilson Doubles Down on Transit Sales Tax appeared first on PubliCola.

Microsoft Build decoded: Solara, Scout, AI models, GitHub’s woes and more with Mary Jo Foley

This week on the GeekWire Podcast, we break down the news from Microsoft Build from Project Solara and the Scout agentic assistant to Microsoft's push to rely less on OpenAI and Anthropic, and the mounting pressure on GitHub. Read More

Wilson Caves on Stadium Surveillance, Two More Cops Allege Discrimination as SPD Settles Earlier Claims

1. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson used unspecified “general but credible threats to safety and security” during the upcoming World Cup games… The post Wilson Caves on Stadium Surveillance, Two More Cops Allege Discrimination as SPD Settles Earlier Claims appeared first on PubliCola.

SPD’s Chief Spokesperson Asked AI for Help with Interview Prep, Rewriting Blog Posts, and More

SPD says the communications director only used AI tools a handful of times, and only “to evaluate their utility” By… The post SPD’s Chief Spokesperson Asked AI for Help with Interview Prep, Rewriting Blog Posts, and More appeared first on PubliCola.

Spectator 2026-05-28

Spectator 2026-06-04

Investigation Found That KCRHA Director Retaliated Against Staffers Who Complained

By Erica C. Barnett An investigation last year found that a “preponderance of the evidence” supports the conclusion that King… The post Investigation Found That KCRHA Director Retaliated Against Staffers Who Complained appeared first on PubliCola.

The big AI labs are eating the startup playbook — here’s where founders can still compete

Startup founders used to worry that tech giants would make their product obsolete. Now it’s even trickier: AI labs are not only encroaching on startup turf, they’re also offering tools for customers to attempt DIY solutions of their own. But there are approaches that work, and niches to be found, according to speakers and panelists at the Tech Alliance Seattle Investor Summit+Showcase this week. Read More

Tech Moves: Salesforce names president; Microsoft execs coming and going; Amazon departures

A pair of Microsoft security executives are on the move — one headed to Salesforce, one returning to fill the vacancy. Meanwhile, two Amazon veterans are calling it quits at the company. Read More

Zuckerberg’s superyacht moves north out of Seattle, dwarfing ferries along the way

Launchpad was spotted this week making the move from Elliott Bay in Seattle. According to MarineTraffic, the vessel anchored in Port Gardner Bay near Naval Station Everett around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Read More

Link Ridership Soars 46% After Crosslake Connection Opening

Sound Transit’s Link light rail system continues to break its own ridership records. After the highly-anticipated Crosslake Connection opening at the end of March, system-wide ridership jumped 46% to 4,675,216 passengers in April 2026. This equates to an average 155,840 boardings across the 1 Line, 2 Line, and T Line every day. Since the pandemic, … Continue reading "Link Ridership Soars 46% After Crosslake Connection Opening"