Seattle, WA

Gee backs idea to turn empty Seattle office building into apartments – MyNorthwest.com

Published

3 hours ago

March 15, 2026

Gee backs idea to turn empty Seattle office building into apartments – MyNorthwest.com

As a developer looks to turn the Liggett Building, an empty historic office building in downtown Seattle, into apartments, KIRO host Gee Scott asks why not?

“It makes way too much sense to take some of these vacant, empty spots and turn them into an opportunity for people to live, and by the way, it shouldn’t be hard for Seattle, because right now Seattle got a Bellevue problem,” Gee said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “Everybody is closing up shop, moving, and a lot of times they move over to Bellevue. So why not? Why not have a situation where some of these empty spots can be used for living? Let’s do that.”

He believes one of Washington’s biggest issues is with inventory, dating back to the Great Recession.

“Probably the biggest problem that we do have here in the state of Washington is inventory,” Gee said. “We’ve had an inventory problem since the Great Recession, back in 2008. The state of Washington and other places have not been on pace to develop more inventory here.”

He pointed to the slew of red tape that blocks developers from getting permits. According to The Seattle Times, developers have submitted at least seven proposals, since 2020, to turn office space into residential living, but many of those fell through.

The Seattle Times noted large conversion projects are difficult because developers have to work with spaces that were never designed for housing.

But Jen Pasquier, the founder of Current Development, is hopeful she can bring the once bustling Liggett Building back to life. Pasquier and the architecture firm Graham Baba Architects have submitted preliminary proposals to the city to transform the building into 93 apartment units.

“I think this is an opportunity where you can do really cool, creative, unique things with these legendary buildings,” KIRO fill-in producer Paul Holden said. “Why not make these interesting communities, where you can have communal spaces on the bottom, the living at the top, kind of turn these office buildings not only into apartments, but centers for the people who live there.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.

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Seattle, WA

Match preview: Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride

Published

15 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Press Room

Match preview: Seattle Reign vs. Orlando Pride

The 2026 Seattle Reign season is finally here! On Sunday, March 15, the Reign travel to Florida to take on the Orlando Pride, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. The match kicks off at 1 pm PT and will air on Victory+, a new free streaming partner of the NWSL. It will also be available on Fox 13+ and the FoxLocal app in the Seattle area.

Both teams made limited moves this offseason, betting instead that their young players can grow and thrive alongside their veterans, so the teams have a bit more familiarity with each other than might otherwise be the case for such an early season game.

“We know they like to play,” Laura Harvey told reporters in her pregame remarks. “I think out of all the teams you could play first game of the season, playing the team that you played at the end of the season is always interesting. But but more importantly than that, the fact that they’ve same coach, a lot of the same players means that it’s not like a brand new team where you’re just not quite sure what you’re going to get. I think we know what to expect from Orlando, which will be a really tough game. They’re very good on both sides of the ball. We’ve been able to prepare maybe a little bit more than we maybe could have done if it was a team that had a lot of change.”

Seattle faced some challenges traveling to this game, with lengthy delays at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport due to snow on Thursday delaying their flight for over four hours.

Head-to-Head

The Reign are 7-6-8 all-time against Orlando; that includes a 2-4-5 record on the road against the Pride.

Key departures

The Pride saw Carson Pickett and Ally Brazier (formerly Watt) head to expansion club Denver Summit. USWNT defender Emily Sams, who was the 2024 NWSL Defender of the Year, transferred to Angel City, while NWSL veteran Morgan Gautrat departed to play in England. Kylie Nadaner is also out on maternity leave.

Key additions

In the offseason, the Pride added 2025 NWSL Shield winner Hailie Mace from the Kansas City Current along with acquiring Chicago Stars defender Hannah Anderson via trade. Orlando also added TCU forward Seven Castain, Georgetown goalkeeper Cara Martin, Thorns defender Nicole Payne, and Florida State forward Solai Washington.

What to watch

The Reign press: Orlando has been one of the toughest defensive teams the last two years but will be rotating through several new and untested players on the backline. This could give the Reign a chance to press high and pressure Orlando’s defense onto mistakes. The Reign have indicated they want to be a team that puts opponents under pressure this year, a departure from their low block on 2025. Can the Reign set a new tone from the beginning?

Crosses: Last year, the Pride attempt the most crosses in the league and averaged the second most corner kicks. They liked to push their fullbacks high to overlap with wing players, or send balls over the top to their speedy wingers (the Pride led the league in completed long balls). The Reign will need to put pressure on the ball higher up the field to prevent those long balls, and on the wings to limit uncontested crosses into the box. On the other end, can the Reign get in more dangerous positions to cross this game?

Creating chances: The Reign have said they want to build on last year by continuing to be hard to break down while also creating more chances in the attack. The Reign created the fewest expected goals in the league in 2025, but did a good job converting the limited chances they had. Can the Reign keep the ball in their attacking half against Orlando and create more shots in dangerous positions? And who steps up to provide that service?

Who to watch

Barbra Banda: One of the reasons the Pride struggled at times last year was because they lost Banda to injury for the second half of the year. When healthy, she’s one of the hardest forwards to stop. She’s strong, hard to get off the ball, a great dribbler, and a lethal shooter. She knows how to sneak into dangerous spots on corner kicks, too.

Jacquie Ovalle: Before the summer window closed, the Pride added Mexican forward/midfielder Jacquie Ovalle, paying a world-record transfer fee for women’s soccer at $1.5 million. Ovalle is unpredictable and crafty on the ball, she loves pressure, and as she demonstrated in the final regular season game against the Reign, she can whip in a dangerous cross.

Jacquie Ovalle drops it in perfectly and Carson Pickett finishes with ease 💪
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-11-02T23:59:18.099Z

Injury / Availability Report

Seattle Reign

OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (Maternity leave), Jordyn Bugg (Leg), Shae Holmes (Lower Leg), Sally Menti (Knee), Cassie Miller (Leg – SEI), Holly Ward (not due to injury)

Orlando Pride

OUT: Kerry Abello (Hip), Zara Chavoshi (Lower Leg), Marta (Excused Absence), Cosette Morche (Ankle – D45), Kylie Nadaner (Maternity Leave), Nicole Payne (Knee – SEI), Viviana Villacorta (Knee)
QUESTIONABLE: Angelina (Thigh)

How to watch

Seattle Reign kicks off against the Orlando Pride on Sunday, March 15. The game begins at 1 pm PT and will air on Victory+ nationally, and on Fox 13+ in the Seattle area.

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Seattle, WA

WEST SEATTLE SATURDAY: 32 notes!

Published

1 day ago

March 14, 2026

Press Room

(Friday photo by Jeff Johnson)

Happy Saturday! It’s still just a bit above freezing as we start the day, but the forecast calls for some sun and a high in the 40s. Our notes for today/tonight are as usual mostly from our West Seattle Event Calendar:

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: Final weekend! Find times and locations for nearby cookie booths using the search tool here.

SATURDAY GROUP RUN: At West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor), you can join the Saturday 8 am free group run.

FREE MEDITATION: Get a calming start to your weekend with Heavily Meditated, 9 am free meditation at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska).

INTRODUCTORY WALK and WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 9:30 am, walk a mile before the 10 am well-being walk (or just show up for that one). Both start from 47th SW and Fontanelle.

GET IT FIXED! Need help repairing something? Bring it to the fieldhouse at Steve Cox Memorial Park (9:30 am-12:30 pm) for today’s repair event – details in our calendar listing. (1321 SW 102nd, White Center)

SINGALONG BRUNCH: 10 am weekends, sing to classics and enjoy a breakfast buffet at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), ticket link in our calendar listing.

SSC GARDEN CENTER: 10 am-3 pm, open today! New plants in! St. Patrick’s Day sale continues today. North end of campus at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor)

STORY TIME AND CRAFTS: For the kids! 10 am at Highland Park Corner Store. (7789 Highland Park Way SW)

DAHLIA TUBER SALE: 10 am-3 pm sale. (4557 51st Place SW)

MORNING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Info about Marco’s music is here.

VILLAGE GREEN OPEN HOUSE: Learn about senior living at Village Green West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor) by visiting during today’s open house, 10:30 am-noon.

FREE WRITING GROUP CANCELED: 10:30 am free, weekly, in-person, critique-free group will NOT meet today.

FAMILY STORY TIME: 10:30 am at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), for families with kids up to 5 years old.

FAMILY READING TIME: At Paper Boat Booksellers, 11 am family reading time. (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: The home of West Seattle’s history is open, noon-4 pm (61st SW and SW Stevens).

VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open for community visitors on Saturdays, noon-3 pm. Free. (2236 SW Orchard)

‘CHAOS NO MORE’ WORKSHOP: 1 pm, get ready for spring cleaning! Workshop at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska)

VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open, with wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY TASTING ROOM, WINE BAR, STORE: Open 1-6 pm on north end of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus. Special event today: “St. Patrick’s Day Celebration: Join us for mystical wine, corned beef and colcannon!”

DROP-IN SEED PLANTING: 1-2:30 pm today and tomorrow for members of the Growing Gardeners Club at West Seattle Nursery (5275 California SW; WSB sponsor).

CABI SHOWCASE: Fashion at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California sW), 2 pm.

LEARN ABOUT PREPAREDNESS VOLUNTEERING: Neighborhood Emergency Hubs are where you’d go in case of catastrophe – and they run on volunteer power. 2 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), come learn how to be part of yours.

FREE MASSAGE: 3-5 pm walk-in clinic offering short, specific massages at Nepenthe. (9447 35th SW)

‘ROOTED IN WHITE CENTER‘: At its new White Center HUB (8th SW and SW 108th), the White Center Community Development Association hosts the first official screening of its new documentary, 6:45 pm.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 6-8 pm at C & P Coffeehouse (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Travis Bear and Friends with acoustic music including Celtic sounds and fiddling. Free, all ages.

RANGER AND THE RE-ARRANGERS Live at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), 7:30 pm, with “Hot Club Swing“ – get tickets here.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE MEAD CENTER: 7 pm at Mr. B’s Mead Center (9444 Delridge Way SW), The She-Shandies, perform a special St. Patrick’s Day show. No cover, all ages.

LIVE AT TIM’S: Irish Fest 3 at Tim’s in White Center, 7 pm. $10 cover. (16th SW & SW 98th)

NORTHWEST SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: “Music for the Soul” concert, 8 pm at Holy Rosary Church (42nd SW and SW Genesee), presenting “epic and uplifting pieces,” including two by Northwest composers. Tickets at the door.

REVELRY ROOM: 9 pm, Soul Focus FM with the tunes tonight. (4547 California SW)

SKATE PARTY: 9 pm-midnight at Southgate Roller Rink (9676 17th SW), with rotating DJs spinning old-school funk & hip-hop, $18 plus $5 skate rental.

KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: Want to sing? Karaoke with Rone starts at 10 pm at Talarico’s Pizzeria. (4718 California SW)

Have a West Seattle event coming up? If community members are welcome, your event is welcome on our calendar, where listings are free of charge, always! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Seattle, WA

Mystery orcas thrill Seattle-area whale watchers

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2026

Press Room

Mystery orcas thrill Seattle-area whale watchers

Three mystery whales have been surprising whale watchers from Canada to Olympia.

When somebody gets the thrill of seeing an orca in Northwest waters, that whale is almost always well known. Scientists have probably given it a number and documented its family tree, perhaps even its DNA. Whale lovers have probably given it a cutesy name, like Yoda or Kelp.

But on March 6, a trio of orcas showed up in Canada’s busy Vancouver Harbour, later heading south to Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia, that were a mystery to scientists.

For decades, researchers have compiled photographic catalogs of essentially all the orcas of the Pacific Northwest, including the endangered southern resident killer whales and the more abundant, mammal-eating Bigg’s killer whales, also known as transients.

Photos taken during the four days that the trio of whales spent in a busy harbor bounded by Vancouver’s Lions Gate and Trans-Canada Highway bridges showed these were Bigg’s killer whales, but they matched none of the whales in the catalogs.

“We couldn’t place these individuals,” said Jared Towers, head of Bay Cetology, a whale-research organization based in Alert Bay, British Columbia. “At first, the photos weren’t great quality, but from what we could see, these whales were new. It took a few days, but when we finally got good photos, we were able to confirm that they were indeed new whales for the region.”

Towers said it was very rare for a new orca to be spotted anywhere in British Columbia.

“In the Salish Sea, it’s absolutely unheard of,” he added.

RELATED: Rare orca superpod comes to Seattle

Higher-quality photos revealed the trio had highly unusual, circular markings, about the size of a large chocolate-chip cookie.

“One of the things that was really notable were these circular scars, which are remnants from cookie-cutter shark bites,” said Gary Sutton, a whale researcher with the Vancouver-based nonprofit Ocean Wise.

Cookie-cutter sharks live far from land in the deep, open ocean, usually in much warmer waters, typically south of Hawaii. The small sharks, sometimes called cigar sharks, spend their days 3,000 feet or more underwater and have undersides that glow green in the ocean depths. They rise closer to the surface at night.

How this tiny shark feeds might be its most unusual characteristic: It latches onto much larger prey with sucking lips and sharp teeth, then spins its body to remove a cookie-shaped plug of flesh from its victim.

“They’re micro-predators, like a horsefly or something,” Towers said.

All three of the orcas, a female and two younger males, had scars indicating they had spent time in cookie-cutter shark country.

RELATED: Bolder efforts needed to save Northwest’s endangered orcas, report finds

Word and photos of Vancouver’s mystery orcas reached marine biologist Emma Luck in Alaska. A year earlier, she had been alerted to a trio of mystery orcas in Turnagain Arm near Anchorage. Orcas are fairly common in Alaska but rare near Anchorage.

“Apparently, the whole of Anchorage had received the same news, because cars were packed into every available inch of highway pullouts and shoulders,” Luck said on Facebook. “People climbed on top of their vehicles, trying to catch sight of the three black dorsal fins cutting through the water.”

The Anchorage trio had never been documented before or since.

When Luck saw photos of the Vancouver trio, something clicked.

“To my astonishment, I recognized them immediately: they were our Anchorage whales,” Luck said.

“They have been spending time in the tropics, occasionally, and obviously, they’ve been seen up in Alaska, so they’re moving around a lot,” Towers said.

The well-traveled trio apparently left Canada on Monday and swam to Seattle, even entering the heavily industrial Duwamish Waterway before continuing south to Tacoma and Olympia.

“It was almost a year ago that these animals were seen up in the biggest city in Alaska, and the next time they were seen was the biggest city in British Columbia, of course, followed up by the biggest city in Washington State,” Sutton said. “So, these guys are on a little city slicker tour.”

An underwater microphone at the Highline College aquarium in Des Moines captured their calls as they swam into south Puget Sound on Wednesday.

It remains unclear which population of killer whales the mystery trio belong to. Bay Cetology has given them numbers: T419, T420, and T421, while California-based researchers with the Oceanic Research Alliance have given them competing monikers: OCX085, OCX086, and OCX087.

“My best guess is that they are either poorly documented Gulf of Alaska Bigg’s killer whales or perhaps far-flung visitors from the Aleutian Islands or Bering Sea,” Luck said.

The trio was spotted hunting seals at the Port of Olympia on Thursday.

Why these ocean-roaming predators have been hunting in such urban waters instead of their usual haunts is anyone’s guess.

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