Seattle Now

In 2018 Amazon launched Amazon Go, "the store of the future." Customers walk in, grab what they want, and go. No cashier, no line.

On Friday, the retail giant announced they would close eight of those stores–including in Seattle.

It's another cost-cutting measure, part of the company's streamlining plan to get it right in other "just walk out" locations.

Lauren Rosenblatt, the Seattle Times Amazon reporter, is here to help us make sense of Amazon's latest moves.

Washington state may soon take responsibility for its role in restricting housing rights for Black, Indigenous, Jewish, and people of color before the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

If passed, House bill 1474 would provide loans to people and their descendants previously affected by Washington’s restrictive housing laws. KUOW reporter Joshua McNichols is here to tell us about the bill.

This week… Expanded SNAP benefits from COVID ended. Sea Tac Airport got a bunch of federal money to make improvements that will speed up security lines. And Seattle summers might get even hotter as the city loses its tree canopy, but at least we’ve got some cool music festivals to celebrate the summer season. We’re breaking down the week with arts writer Jas Keimig and The Ticket’s Chase Burns.

In April, King County voters will get to decide if they want to fund five new mental and behavioral health crisis centers. These centers promise some intensive but temporary plans.

It’s a pivot from the long term solutions the city has utilized over the years. Seattle Times mental health reporter Hannah Furfaro is here to dig into mental health plans of the past, how far we’ve come… and how much further we have to go.

Having a baby carries a lot of risk.

But it’s even riskier for Black and Native people.

Infant mortality for Black and Native people is higher and in our area data shows many of the deaths are concentrated in areas of South King County.

Dila Perera is here to explain how her organization tries to help.

She’s executive director of Open Arms Perinatal Services which connects people and their newborns to care.

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Tree Canopy Report: https://seattle.gov/documents/Departments/OSE/Urban%20Forestry/2021%20Tree%20Canopy%20Assessment%20Report_FINAL_230227.pdf

In case you didn’t notice, it’s cold outside. If you’ve felt cold, the plants in your neighborhood likely feel it even more. Garden designer Sue Goetz says we can all play a role in making green spaces climate-resistant in our communities.

Volunteer help keep Seattle humming.

They tackle all sorts of needs, from providing food to hospice care to entertainment.

But the pandemic shifted the landscape for volunteers in the city.

Seattle Now talked with some volunteers alongside leaders with Books to Prisoners and Real Change on how they’ve adapted since the pandemic.

This week… Mayor Bruce Harrell gave his state of the city address and re-upped his love for downtown. A proposed bill would limit the reasons for traffic stops. And despite the chill in the air, the Mariners are kicking off spring training. Andrew Walsh, co-host of the Too Beautiful To Live podcast, and Seattle Times food and drink writer Tan Vinh are here to break down the week with us.

A new ordinance from the Seattle City Council wants to ban caste discrimination. The legislation is off to Mayor Bruce Harrell to sign. If he does, Seattle would be the first city to add caste to a list of protected classes.

Councilmember Kshama Sawant, a bill sponsor, says it's a simple question. Should discrimination based on caste be allowed to continue in Seattle? But, critics of the ordinance say the current discrimination law should be enough.

Sital Kalantry, a Seattle University law professor, is here to help us untangle the ordinance.

Look around and you'll see the first signs of spring. But don't be fooled, we still have lots of dark and cold ahead of us.