King County Metro bus driver Samina Hameed, 59, died on Thursday, Metro confirmed. She is the first Metro driver to die from the coronavirus.

Samina Hameed, 59, died Thursday from complications due to COVID-19, the first Metro driver who is known to have died after contracting the illness.

The “temporary optimal/ideal” passenger limits are 12 riders on a 40-foot bus and 18 on a 60-foot bus, according to a bulletin to drivers from Metro.

Lyft is laying off 17% of its staff, the company announced Wednesday, after the coronavirus crisis wrought havoc on the ride-hailing business and cut substantially into its revenue. The layoffs will amount to nearly 1,000 jobs. In an email to the company’s thousands of employees, chief executive Logan Green announced the “difficult news,” including the […]

The closures include streets in Lake City beginning Friday and in Aurora-Licton Springs, Ballard and Delridge/Highland Park.

The couple, who were married for 23 years, are among the hundreds of people in Washington state who have died after testing positive for coronavirus.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican-controlled legislatures are increasingly trying to strip Democratic governors of their executive authority to close businesses and schools, a power grab by lawmakers that channels frustration over the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic but could come with long-term consequences for how their states fight disease. The efforts to undermine Democratic […]

While this year’s Mother’s Day weekend promises warm weather, Seattle officials are restricting hours in city parks out of fears that large crowds hoping to enjoy the sun could further spread the novel coronavirus. A recent report shows the COVID-19 transmission rate in Western Washington may be steadily increasing, suggesting that the number of virus cases […]

PICURIS PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — On a dusty plaza in a Native American village that dates back nearly a millennium, a steady trickle of vehicles inched through a pop-up coronavirus testing site. From the bed of a pickup truck and backseats of cars, wide-eyed children stared from behind hand-sewn masks and then sobbed as testing […]

U.S. regulators have approved a new type of coronavirus test that administration officials have promoted as a key to opening up the country. The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday announced emergency authorization for antigen tests developed by Quidel Corp. of San Diego. The test can rapidly detect fragments of virus proteins in samples collected […]

In the U.S., Starbucks has temporarily closed half its 8,000 company-owned stores. It's planning to reopen 90% of those with modifications by early June.

Costco will require shoppers to wear masks that cover their mouth and nose while in the store starting Monday, the company says.

The company’s first-quarter earnings report will provide a view of how the pandemic has accelerated trends already working in its favor, and the extent to which coronavirus restrictions on businesses and consumers have boosted Amazon’s sales.

The onset of the coronavirus and the subsequent classification of many of these workers as "essential" have heightened some existing tensions. Workers have accused companies of being slow to provide protective gear and implement precautions, something that may put them in danger.

When the crafts market at Pike Place Market was forced to temporarily shut down, vendors are turning to online sales and getting help in doing that from their fellow workers.

Amazon-owned Whole Foods will provide grocery shoppers with free single-use masks at all its stores beginning this week, in keeping with the chain's "request" that all shoppers wear masks.

J. Crew announced that its parent company, Chinos Holdings, had filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Before the pandemic, many brands and wholesalers kept Amazon at arm's length. Now, consultants that help brands navigate Amazon's marketplace say the company is attracting a broad range of vendors that sold at physical stores.

The Seattle-based company also said Wednesday it will make changes to how its stores function when they do open in a “market-by-market” approach.

Since health officials began recommending (but not requiring) that everyone cover their faces in public to reduce the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new divide has emerged over who wears a mask and who doesn't.

The most popular online grocery category was packaged foods such as breakfast cereal and pasta; followed by toiletries, personal care products and diapers; household cleaners and paper products; and frozen food.

Kroger-owned QFC and Fred Meyer will discontinue their $2-an-hour "Hero Bonus'' premiums paid to workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Ohio-based Kroger has set May 16 as the program's final date while other large grocery retailers ponder the future of similar bonuses.

Companies struggle to meet surging demand, especially for vegetables. “It feels like we are selling toilet paper,” said the founder of a seed company.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, many local plant nurseries say there’s been a run on seeds as people all over Seattle take to gardening to grow food and provide solace during an uncertain time.

Zenith Holland Nursery has seen times like this before — and survived. The Des Moines nursery opened in 1907, survived two world wars and remains open during the coronavirus shutdown.

As Mother’s Day approaches, staff writer Megan Burbank thanks her mother for instilling in her a love for screwball heroines, old movies and strong female role models.

Those businesses are part of phase two in the four-phase gradual reopening plan released Friday by Gov. Jay Inslee.

The city council, however, rejected a proposal to exempt landlords with four or fewer housing units.

In the unofficial forecast numbers, Washington would lose $3.8 billion in revenue this current budget cycle. An additional $3.27 billion would be sheared off the 2021-23 budget cycle.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim Gov. Inslee has not adequately considered targeted measures to protect that population, while allowing others to return to work and school.

Tribes operate their facilities on their lands, where they retain decision-making authority -- despite Gov. Jay Inslee's stay-home order, in place until the end of May.

Amid a national frenzy to buy medical supplies for use in the COVID-19 outbreak, Washington state suspended competitive bidding and recruited help from the private sector. Gov. Inslee connected personal contacts with state buyers.

Since health officials began recommending (but not requiring) that everyone cover their faces in public to reduce the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new divide has emerged over who wears a mask and who doesn't.

Brown said that on May 15 she will loosen restrictions statewide on day cares and on retail shops that were previously closed, including furniture stores, boutiques, jewelry stores and art galleries.

The decision by Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda will stall the big-business tax championed by Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Tammy Morales, which already faced opposition from Mayor Jenny Durkan.

Gov. Jay Inslee this week continued lifting restrictions included in his stay-home order meant to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, part of phase one in his four-phase plan to reopen the state. Some outdoor recreation opened earlier this week.

Phase two is expected to begin for most areas on June 1, provided public-health data still looks favorable.

Inslee's stay-home order, initially issued in March, bans church and religious services, but permits one-on-one "religious counseling," state lawyers argued.

In the middle of a pandemic, the subject of the public's health never came up during a 90-minute GOP candidates for governor forum. It's like a metaphor for the alternate realities of our politics — and also why the GOP may be in more trouble than usual in the local elections this year.

As Washington grapples with a tsunami of legitimate unemployment claims — more than 100,000 last week — the state also is seeing a rise in attempts by fraudsters to siphon off a portion of the benefits.

The pandemic's effects are putting us in unknown territory, but we're already in a recession. It could be the worst of our lifetimes. Columnist Jon Talton explains why.

Behind shortages of masks and ventilators is a staggering disruption of the global system of making, assembling and delivering critical products.

Even President Trump now realizes the need for a prolonged shutdown. But when the economy finally restarts, we have no guarantee it will bounce back quickly. The danger is a "Greater Depression."

Globalization was already unpopular among many Americans. Now it's one of the suspects in the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus. But trashing the world order will make us sicker.

What used to be an annual May Day march for workers’ and immigration rights has taken on a different look this year due to coronavirus stay-at-home restrictions. This year, the march from Judkins Park to downtown Seattle has been canceled. Instead, march sponsors El Comité and the May 1st Action Coalition have scheduled a vehicle […]

The list of events that have been canceled in the Seattle area continues to grow as we head into the third week of the novel coronavirus outbreak. We'll keep this list updated throughout the week.

On Tuesday, the City of Seattle announced a $1.1 million, arts-specific recovery package and rent suspension for cultural organizations, designed to help an arts sector heavily hit by the coronavirus shutdowns.

Due to restrictions on gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19, many organizations are canceling public gatherings and social events around the city, and are, instead, holding their events, concerts, classes, activities and more online. Submit your events and we will add them to our updating list. Loading…

In the face of ever-tightening restrictions on gatherings, wave of Seattle musicians and artists are taking their shows online.

From baking a Japanese-style souffle cheesecake to making trivets out of wine corks, here's what our features staffers recently learned from YouTube videos.