Seattle, WA

Ballard Bridge weekend closures coming this spring

Published

1 year ago

April 5, 2025

Ballard Bridge weekend closures coming this spring

SEATTLE – Multiple rounds of weekend closures are coming to Seattle’s Ballard Bridge this spring as crews complete a vital construction project.

The Seattle Department of Transportation is asking drivers to take the Aurora Avenue Bridge during the maintenance work, as the Fremont Bridge has a limited capacity and could see increased traffic backups.

Here’s when the Ballard Bridge closures are happening:

April 25-28
May 9-12
May 30-June 2
June 6-9

According to SDOT, the first weekend closure at the end of April will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and end by 5 a.m. on Monday. The timing of the closures will be the same for each weekend.

There are also some backup dates for closures, if needed. Those are set for June 13-16 and July 18-21. SDOT will notify the public if the additional closures are needed.

Dates and times are subject to change depending on weather conditions, crew and materials availability, and other circumstances.

Getting around

SDOT recommends drivers to take the Aurora Bridge (SR 99), and to only take the Fremont Bridge if you’re traveling to Fremont or Westlake.

Buses will be rerouted to the Fremont Bridge. Some bus stops near the Ballard Bridge may also be temporarily relocated during the closures.

For those biking and walking, you can still get across the Ballard Bridge. Bikers may be asked to walk their bikes across the bridge for safety reasons.

More information, including ways to sign up for updates, can be found on the SDOT website.

The Source: Information in this story is from the Seattle Department of Transportation.

‘Imagine you crushed a raccoon like a can’: Curley describes viral deformed ‘mutant’ Jimothy – MyNorthwest.com

Published

8 hours ago

July 18, 2026

Press Room

‘Imagine you crushed a raccoon like a can’: Curley describes viral deformed ‘mutant’ Jimothy – MyNorthwest.com

Jimothy, a raccoon who may have short-spine syndrome, has gone viral overnight after being spotted around Seattle.

KIRO host John Curley tried to describe the uniquely shaped animal, who has quickly become a local celebrity, on “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

“Just imagine a raccoon for a moment,” Curley said. “Normal raccoon in your mind. There’s a raccoon. He has the black around his eyes. You know why that is? That’s to cut down on glare, so he can see better. Like a football player has the black eye shade on there. So, a normal raccoon. Now, just imagine if you took the raccoon and you put one hand on his like snout, and you put the other hand on his backside there, and you had superhuman strength, and you were able to kind of crush him like a can, without killing him.

“No, then you kill him and throw him in the garbage. No, you just squish him a little bit, and you crush him up,” he continued. “Imagine if he’s made out of clay. Then all of a sudden, like, OK, you know he’s got this kind of bump on his back. Well, that’s what this thing looks like. Took me a long way to get to it.”

Jimothy seen on porches, wandering through Ballard

In one video, Jimothy is seen dipping his hands into a bowl on a porch. Curley debunked the common myth that raccoons wash their food, explaining that water actually stimulates nerve endings in their fingers, helping them feel what they’re eating better.

“The raccoon will dip the food, if they find food, in water all the time, and people like, ‘Oh, they’re always washing their food. They got hygiene on their mind.’ No, it helps to stimulate the end of their fingers so that the nerve endings are more sensitive,” he said. “So they do that, and even when they can’t find water, they’ll turn it like they’re spinning it to put it in water. It’s to create more sensitivity, so they have a better idea of what they’re eating.”

Ballard residents have reported seeing Jimothy wandering across backyard decks, drinking from a dog’s water bowl, and sitting in neighborhood trees.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to John Curley weekday afternoons from 3 – 7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/jcurleyshow

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Seattle, WA

Seattle real estate owner sentenced to prison for $4.7 million tax evasion scheme – MyNorthwest.com

Published

20 hours ago

July 17, 2026

Press Room

Seattle real estate owner sentenced to prison for .7 million tax evasion scheme – MyNorthwest.com

A 70-year-old Seattle real estate owner was sentenced to prison for tax evasion and filing false tax returns.

Steven Loo was convicted following a nine-day trial and ordered to spend 20 months in prison for his $4.7 million tax evasion scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Mr. Loo made a sustained, willful decision to evade taxes. The only thing that explains that is greed,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd stated. “A man who amasses $43 million in wealth can afford to pay his taxes — just like the 85% of us who pay our taxes fully and on time.”

Loo owned and operated multiple commercial real estate properties in western Washington and California, according to records filed in the case. He hired property management companies to manage the properties, and had the companies send profit from the properties to two bank accounts in the name of shell companies he controlled.

Loo hid real estate profits through shell companies, claimed zero tax for 20 years

Loo spent the money for his benefit and for his friends and family. He also re-invested funds in various businesses he controlled. However, Loo did not declare that income— over $4.7 million — on his tax returns. He used shell companies and repeated transfers of funds to conceal the income from the IRS, according to records filed in the case.

“At trial, the government presented evidence detailing the eight properties operated by Loo via various limited liability companies (LLCs),” the attorney’s office stated. “The income from the LLCs was funneled into bank accounts associated with two specific inactive entities that were established in Washington in 1999. Loo did not report this income to the IRS. Loo failed to inform his tax return preparer of these funds that were income from his properties.”

Loo claimed he owed no tax at all over 20 years and even claimed a net refund from the IRS.

“Loo is living the American dream yet believes he has no obligation to pay the taxes that support our nation,” prosecutors said in asking for a 51-month sentence. “Loo was not content with merely failing to report his income. Instead, he contrived a plan to hide his wealth from the IRS using shell companies and money-routing schemes. When Loo’s luck ran out, and an IRS criminal investigator knocked on his door, he continued his deception by trotting out a fairy tale about using imaginary losses to offset his income.”

Along with serving prison time, Loo must also pay a $250,000 fine and serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. The attorney’s office noted Loo has already paid back taxes to the IRS of $1,603,686.

Follow Julia Dallas on X. Read her stories here. Submit news tips here.

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Seattle, WA

Ticket Alert: Thundercat, Michelle Branch, and More Seattle Events Going On Sale This Week – The Stranger

Published

2 days ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

Ticket Alert: Thundercat, Michelle Branch, and More Seattle Events Going On Sale This Week – The Stranger

Get ready to rumble with tickets to these newly announced shows. Groovy genre-bending bassist Thundercat will come through Seattle to support his recent release, Distracted. Pop-rock singer-songwriter Michelle Branch has announced a new album and cross-country tour for the fall. Plus, Daily Show correspondent and former pro tennis player Michael Kosta brings his Big Dad Energy stand-up special to Seattle next spring. Read on for details!

ON SALE FRIDAY, JULY 17

MUSIC

The Amity Affliction: House of Cards 2026
Showbox SoDo (Fri Nov 27)

Bravo the Bagchaser & Peysoh
The Crocodile (Wed Sept 23)

Candlebox – Can’t Quit You Tour
Paramount Theatre (Fri Sept 25)

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