Seattle, WA

Seattle Council Appoints Mark Solomon to Fill District 2 Vacancy – The Urbanist

Published

11 months ago

January 28, 2025

Seattle Council Appoints Mark Solomon to Fill District 2 Vacancy – The Urbanist

Mark Solomon was sworn in as District 2’s councilmember during a January 27 Seattle City Council meeting. (Ryan Packer)

The Seattle City Council has selected Mark Solomon to fill the District 2 vacancy created on the council by the resignation of Tammy Morales earlier this month. Solomon is a crime prevention coordinator at the Seattle Police Department who ran against Morales in 2019 and lost by a 21-point margin.

This year, Solomon was able to best the five other men vying for the seat as finalists — no women made Council’s cut for the final six.

District 2 includes all of Southeast Seattle, the International District, and parts of First Hill. Solomon will represent D2 until the results of this November’s election are ratified. In contrast with most of Council’s six other finalists for the opening, Solomon has said he will not file to run in that election (though former 37th Legislative District candidate Chukundi Salisbury also made the same pledge).

Seattle’s new District 2 councilmember is Mark Solomon, a crime prevention coordinator at the Seattle Police Department who lost to Tammy Morales by a 60-40 margin in 2019.
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— The Urbanist (@theurbanist.org) January 27, 2025 at 11:58 AM

Some of the other finalists may soon announce campaigns for the seat. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) communications lead Adonis Ducksworth was the runner-up for the appointment and had pledged to run for the seat this fall. Among those who are rumored to be mulling a run for the permanent seat is Dionne Foster, a long-time progressive organizer and activist who is executive director of Progress Alliance of Washington.

D2 has a reputation for electing progressive councilmembers — though only two officeholders have represented the district since it was created in 2015: Bruce Harrell and Tammy Morales. Morales ended up composing Council’s leftmost flank following Kshama Sawant’s departure, while Harrell executed a centrist campaign to perfection in his 2021 mayoral bid. Harrell narrowly defeated Morales in 2015, but walked away rather than face a rematch in 2019.

New land use chair

Morales was chair of Council’s Land Use Committee, which is a position that Solomon will inherit. Under the broader auspices of the Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan chaired by Joy Hollingsworth (District 3), the city council will be tackling a once-a-decade update to the Seattle Comprehensive Plan, which will guide housing growth and infrastructure investments for the next 20 years. Solomon cited “bringing the Comprehensive Plan over the finish line” as his first priority in his application for the position, followed by reining in after-hours clubs and reducing crime and disorder in Little Saigon.

Solomon’s vote could be instrumental in finalizing and approving the package, with Councilmember Cathy Moore (District 5) and Maritza Rivera (District 4) expressing skepticism about the direction of the mayor’s plan and a desire take a more cautious and incremental approach. Beyond including the state mandate to replace single family zoning with residential zones that allow fourplexes at a minimum, Mayor Bruce Harrell’s “One Seattle Plan” designates 30 neighborhood centers that add some allowances for mid-rise apartments around existing business nodes. Moore objected to one such neighborhood center in Maple Leaf, where she resides.

Talking to media Monday, Solomon stood by the answer he gave during a candidate forum that he would not be seeking to pull neighborhood centers out of the plan, as Moore has pledged to do.

“I do [stand by that answer]. Because, again, when we have neighborhoods that are walkable, where people can get groceries, school, whatever amenities, libraries,” Solomon said. “That makes sense, right? So, as opposed to having to jump in the car, jump on the bus to get some place. If it’s right in your neighborhood, making neighborhoods walkable helping activate those neighborhoods. To me, that makes sense.”

Solomon suggested that the wealthier parts of Seattle shirking their responsibility to add housing increases pressure on District 2, which is the city’s most diverse area, facing considerable displacement pressure.

“There may be some folks who object to [neighborhood centers],” Solomon said. “There are some neighborhoods who don’t want change. They don’t want eight-story apartment buildings in their community. That’s understandable, but if we’re one Seattle, one Seattle needs to come together so that again, it’s not all concentrated on North Rainier here in D2. It’s spread out.”

Permit reform, further tree protections, and fighting displacement

Solomon shared a desire to advance permitting reform during his time as land use chair. He also hinted at a desire to write permitting changes into the Comprehensive Plan, which isn’t necessary. Unlike zoning changes, permitting reform can happen without first updating the Comprehensive Plan.

“I want to fix the permitting process, because it is so onerous right now that it’s actually inhibiting our ability to build in the city,” Solomon told reporters. “So as looking at the comprehensive plan, how can we leverage permitting changes into the comprehensive plan? I also want to look at, how can we ensure that we have those anti-displacement measures in place. How can we ensure that we keep people in their homes and have the opportunity to build generational wealth? I benefit from that, you know? I benefit from the fact that I live in the house my grandparents built. I want to see other phone other families have that opportunity to build generational wealth as well. So, the anti-displacement and making sure that the density that is coming is shared throughout the city.”

The Harrell Administration has been slowly advancing a Seattle process around permitting reform since 2021 — with housing advocates raising issues with Seattle’s notoriously slow housing approval process for longer than that.

Like several of his new colleagues, Solomon expressed interest in revisiting Seattle’s tree ordinance passed in 2023, which some tree advocacy groups have argued didn’t go far enough — despite the expanded tree protections in the legislation.

“I believe you can do housing and trees. No, I don’t think it’s either or. I think it’s both,” Solomon said. “How do we make that happen? How do we restrict it, or improve the tree ordinance so we actually have more tree canopy? How do we have more green space? So definitely, going to be looking at all those things and engage the community to make it happen.”

Solomon will have to hit the ground running. Seattle faces a July deadline to pass zoning reforms to phase out single family zoning or fall under the state model code that will supersede local zoning in jurisdiction that fail to meet the new statewide middle housing standard greenlit in 2023. Given the threat of appeal and predatory delay, Council made need to use an interim ordinance to get it done in time.

In her resignation remarks, Morales had warned that her fellow councilmembers efforts to ostracize her and undermine her work ultimately disenfranchised D2 residents. She cited her colleagues’ decision to appoint her 2023 opponent Tanya Woo to Council to replace outgoing Teresa Mosqueda (who now serves on King County Council) as undermining pledges of civility and mutual respect. Appointing her 2019 opponent may not be much better in Morales’ eyes, but Solomon now has a chance to see if he can better elevate the needs of D2 residents — which can tend to be overlooked in the machinations of city hall.

Doug Trumm is publisher of The Urbanist. An Urbanist writer since 2015, he dreams of pedestrian streets, bus lanes, and a mass-timber building spree to end our housing crisis. He graduated from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington in 2019. He lives in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood and loves to explore the city by foot and by bike.

Ryan Packer has been writing for The Urbanist since 2015, and currently reports full-time as Contributing Editor. Their beats are transportation, land use, public space, traffic safety, and obscure community meetings. Packer has also reported for other regional outlets including Capitol Hill Seattle, BikePortland, Seattle Met, and PubliCola. They live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle Mariners sign free agent OF/1B Rob Refsnyder

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Seattle Mariners sign free agent OF/1B Rob Refsnyder

The Seattle Mariners have signed veteran Rob Refsnyder to add depth both in the outfield and at first base.

The Mariners could have one of spring training’s biggest stories

The team announced a one-year contract with the free agent on Monday afternoon. The contract is worth $6.25 million with a potential extra $250,000 in incentives, according to Boston Red Sox reporter Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

Refsnyder, 34, played 70 games in 2025 for Boston, finishing with 1.2 fWAR. At the plate, he hit .269 with a strong .354 on-base percentage and .838 OPS. He had nine home runs, 12 doubles, 30 RBIs and three stolen bases.

“Rob has been one of the most productive hitters against left-handed pitching over the last four seasons and provides balance and impact offensively to our lineup,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said in a press release. “We are excited to welcome Rob and his family to the Mariners.”

Refsnyder hit .302 against lefties with a .399 on-base and .560 slugging last season. Seven of his nine homers and nine of his 12 doubles came against lefties, which he faced 138 times as opposed to 71 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

Born in South Korea, Refsnyder attended Laguna Hills High School in California and played in college at Arizona. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees.

The 6-foot, 215-pound Refsnyder is a 10-year MLB veteran, having spent time with the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins and Red Sox. He had been with the Red Sox for each of the past four seasons.

Refsnyder has never played more than 93 games in a single MLB season but has solid offensive numbers with a career .255/.343/.387 slash line for a .730 OPS.

While the Mariners listed Refsnyder as an outfielder/first baseman, he has just 29 career appearances at first, and he last played the position in an MLB game in 2020. Refsnyder has 356 career appearances in the outfield, as well as 43 career appearances at second base.

Jorge Polanco embracing new position after leaving Mariners

Refsnyder, who hits right-handed, gives the Mariners a backup option behind one-time All-Star first baseman Josh Naylor, who Seattle re-signed to a five-year contract early this offseason.

The Mariners add Refsnyder to a list of additions in free agency that includes Naylor and backup catcher Andrew Knizner. Seattle also added left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer in a trade with the Washington Nationals.

Seattle Mariners offseason coverage

• Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh receives another award
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• Jorge Polanco sends impassioned message to Mariners fans
• Seattle Mariners sign backup catcher to one-year deal

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Seattle, WA

Rick Steves steps in to save Seattle-area hygiene center serving homeless residents

Published

18 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Rick Steves taking a selfie with community members outside the Lynnwood Hygiene Center near Seattle. He says his purchase of the property secures the future of the center, which provides hot meals and hot showers.

Rick Steves

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Rick Steves

An anonymous donor stepped in last month to save a Seattle-area community center that was slated to close.

Last week, community members learned that the new owner was travel writer and TV host Rick Steves, who pledged to keep it open and free for people needing hot showers and hot meals.

“I vividly remember what it’s like as a kid backpacking around the world to need a shower, to need a place to wash your clothes,” Steves told a crowd who gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the purchase over cake and with words fait accompli written in red icing.

Many homeless people had come to depend on the Lynnwood Hygiene Center, which had operated rent-free on the property since 2020.

But the center said in November that it would close after the property was sold to a developer.

Steves said he learned about the hygiene center’s impending closure by reading about it in a local online newspaper — just weeks before it was set to shut down.

Despite living nearby, he said he hadn’t even known the center existed.

In fact, Steves told NPR he didn’t even know what a hygiene center was until he read about the closure — a place where people can shower, wash clothes, grab a hot meal and spend a few hours indoors.

“I realized, oh my goodness, there’s an invisible community with an invisible center helping invisible people. And it’s not right. It needs to be kept alive,” Steves said.

In a series of posts on Bluesky, Steves said was struck by how difficult it would be to replace.

Steves said he bought the property for $2.25 million.

Members of the community pitched in another $400,000 in donations, which the center says will go toward renovations and expanding services.

“It’s huge,” said Sandra Mears, executive director of the Jean Kim Foundation, which runs the hygiene center.

Rick Steves Gets Uncomfortable In 'Travel As A Political Act'

Mears says before Steves came in, she had been told to plan a goodbye party.

“I didn’t want a goodbye party,” she said.

Thanks to the donations, Mears says the Lynnwood Hygiene Center will continue serving around 700 people in the community, providing upwards of 16,000 hot meals and 10,000 showers a year.

Steves called the purchase the best $2.25 million he could imagine spending.

But he says private donations are also not a substitute for public investment — and shouldn’t determine whether essential services survive.

He describes his decision as a response to what he sees as a failure of public priorities, not a model to be relied upon.

“If we don’t have [$2.25 million] for a whole county to give homeless people a shower and a place to get out of the rain and a place to wash their clothes, what kind of society are we?” Steves said.

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Seattle, WA

Walker’s big night an encouraging sign for Seattle Seahawks

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Walker’s big night an encouraging sign for Seattle Seahawks

It got somewhat lost amid all the late-game drama, but Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III just had one of the best games of his four-year career.

The anatomy of a comeback: How Seahawks stunned the Rams

Highlighted by a pair of explosive plays, Walker totaled 164 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in Seattle’s wild 38-37 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. It was the second-most scrimmage yards of Walker’s career, just shy of his 167 scrimmage yards against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7 of his 2022 rookie campaign.

Walker rushed for 100 yards on 11 carries against the Rams’ stout defense, including a 55-yard TD run early in the third quarter where he burst through a crease and hit a top speed of 21.07 mph while racing downfield, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. He also added three catches for 64 yards, including a 46-yard gain on a throwback screen pass that set up a first-quarter TD.

KENNETH WALKER III 55-YARD TD RUN 🚨
LARvsSEA on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4ezXS8hbok
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2025

In doing so, Walker became the first NFL running back since five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry in 2020 to have both a 45-plus-yard run and a 45-plus-yard catch in the same game, according to NFL Media senior researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming.

Walker’s two big plays against the Rams were also among the six longest plays of his career. He had five gains of 40-plus yards over his first two NFL seasons, but none over the past two seasons until Thursday night.

During Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Friday, Mike Salk praised both Walker and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

“Best and hardest I’ve seen him run in forever,” Salk said. “Most decisive, most he’s hit holes hard, picked up extra yards. Credit to Kubiak for getting him the ball in space and allowing him to really do the things that he does well.”

Kenneth Walker III all the way down inside the 10!
LARvsSEA on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/YjVCQMxByg
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2025

Led by Walker’s performance, the Seahawks finished with 171 rushing yards and a season-high 6.8 yards per carry on Thursday night. Even more encouraging was that it came against a strong Rams run defense, which entered the game ranked eighth in the NFL at just 3.9 yards allowed per carry.

The Seahawks have struggled for much of the season to get their run game untracked – including this past Sunday, when they mustered just 50 rushing yards and 2.3 yards per carry in a low-scoring Week 15 win over Indianapolis Colts.

But prior to that, Seattle had made some strides on the ground, averaging 140.2 rushing yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry from Weeks 10-14.

Walker’s showing on Thursday night was another positive step.

“He was a major factor,” Salk said. “Ran for 100 yards in the game. They ran for over 170 as a team, which kind of gets lost in a lot of the other storylines of the game. A huge credit to Ken Walker. … That’s the best I’ve seen him play in forever.”

Listen to the full Brock and Salk conversation at this link or in the video player at the top of this story. Tune into Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

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• Seahawks’ Derick Hall suspended 1 game for stepping on player
• Brock Huard: The reason Darnold was able to lead Seahawks over Rams
• Macdonald explains Seattle Seahawks’ game-winning 2-point decision

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