Local

Chef Tay Proctor-Mills Jr. blends Southern roots with contemporary flavor at Black & Tan Hall, a cooperatively owned Hillman City restaurant and event space. Featured in the Pack the House campaign, the Hall honors Seattle's historic Jackson Street nightlife while offering inclusive dining, live music and community gatherings for everyone.

Seattle Medium’s Pack the House campaign spotlights Black-owned coffee shops Avole Coffee, Boon Boona Coffee and The Scene, exploring how founders Solomon Dubie, Efrem Fesaha and Michelle Lang-Raymond blend East African heritage, hospitality and community. The 10-week initiative encourages residents to discover, support and return to these gathering spaces beyond just grabbing a cup of coffee.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has announced a gun violence reduction plan shifting over $5 million in community intervention contracts to the CARE department, expanding youth programs, police patrols and mental health services.

New federal Medicaid rules under H.R. 1 will reshape Apple Health coverage for King County residents starting Oct. 1, with work requirements, more frequent renewals, and shorter retroactive coverage following in 2027. Officials warn thousands could lose insurance, urging residents to update contact information and seek help from certified navigators through CHAP.

King County Executive Girmay Zahilay has proposed $100 million for 57 conservation projects protecting roughly 1,500 acres countywide, funded through Conservation Futures and the King County Parks Levy.

Single mother Sherika Moore overcame debt and a low credit score to become a homeowner in May, guided by Young Black Homeowners founder Anzhane Slaughter. Through personalized financial planning, down-payment assistance, faith, and discipline, Moore transformed her financial future, offering inspiration to other Black women facing similar barriers to homeownership.

King County Council members raised questions about employee advancement, the representation of women in the county workforce and whether recommendations from the county's Black Women's Experience study are adequately reflected in a proposed four-year Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Plan.

There is a certain responsibility that comes with helping carry a family legacy forward. For Miceala Thomas, shouldering that responsibility means working a full-time job during the week before spending her nights and weekends at Emma’s BBQ, handling catering requests, managing social media and helping wherever she is needed. Her grandmother, Tess Thomas Anderson, has spent years building Emma’s BBQ around recipes and traditions passed down through their family. Now, as the business works to recover from a major setback, Thomas and her sisters are doing what they can to make sure that legacy continues.

This year's Black Butterfly Awards will be held Sept. 26 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute in Seattle. The ceremony will recognize women from across the community, including special lifetime achievement awards for Gertrude Peoples and Charlotte Grady.

With Washington's Nov. 3 general election approaching, King County election officials are urging voters to check their registration, confirm their current address and understand key deadlines before ballots are mailed in October.