Read that again. It's been eleven years. The Seahawks dismantled the Patriots in dominant fashion, and the Dark Side… the defense everyone said was “rebuilding” absolutely murdered everything New England tried to do. This wasn't a squeaker. This wasn't luck. This was Seattle reminding the entire league that we still know how to play football in February. Quick Note - Parade Wednesday Feb 11

It's weird timing, honestly. The good feelings - the happiness this brought the city, in a time mixed with a lot of shit thats easy to hate on. Speaking of… Amazon laid off 1,400 people this week. The Times declared the tech boom officially over. Measles showed up at SeaTac. Two neighborhood bars closed forever and it kind of feels like Seattle's been taking L's for months now… maybe years, if you've been paying attention to rent prices and layoff announcements.

But sports have this funny way of making a city feel like itself again, even when the math doesn't add up. We're still expensive, still losing jobs, still arguing about upzoning. But today? Today we're Super Bowl champions. And that counts for something.

Anyway. Here's what else happened while you were screaming at your TV.

2,198 jobs gone in Washington. 1,407 in Seattle. 626 in Bellevue. Amazon's blaming AI, which is corporate-speak for "we figured out robots don't need health insurance." If your job involves repetitive tasks and you've been telling yourself you're safe... maybe update that resume this week.

The Times put the bigger picture together: Seattle lost 13,000 jobs last year, and AI is eating roles faster than anyone predicted. The two-decade boom that turned us from a nice mid-sized city into an unaffordable tech playground might actually be ending. Worth reading if you want to understand which jobs are most vulnerable… and what happens to a city that built its identity on the assumption that growth never stops.

State Democrats proposed a 9.9% income tax on anyone making over $1 million, including part-time workers based on what they earn while here. Yes, that means visiting athletes would pay on game-day income. It's a direct response to the budget problems and tech slowdown, and it'll face immediate legal challenges because Washington really doesn't do income taxes. (Yet.)

A measles case popped up at SeaTac, and now there are three more in Snohomish County. Measles is absurdly contagious, and with vaccination rates dropping, we're going to see more of this. If you flew through recently and can't remember if you got your MMR vaccine... maybe go check.

Seattle police identified the second teen killed in the Rainier Beach shooting as Tyjon Stewart. The city's offering $5,000 for information. If you know something, SPD wants to hear from you.

Seattle's finally implementing those state-mandated upzoning laws, and Capitol Hill gets to go first. The city's identifying which blocks will allow more housing types. If you have opinions about what your neighborhood should look like in five years… and you live in Seattle, so of course you do… now's the time to show up.

OPENING: Roman-style pizza by the cut just landed on the Hill. You point at what looks good, they weigh it, you eat it. The free grand opening slices are long gone, but the pizza remains.

OPENING: Slab Sandwich, which started as a Lark side project, is moving into the same spot where Lark opened 20+ years ago. Full circle energy. Chef John Sundstrom proved it's more than a pandemic pivot.

CLOSING: Light Sleeper (Capitol Hill) and Baker's (Sunset Hill) are done. Two neighborhood bars that actually had regulars - gone. Itsumono in the CID is also up for sale. RIP to places where people knew your name.

Remember that $1.55 billion transportation levy you voted for in 2024? SDOT's finally spending it. Capitol Hill's getting bus improvements on E John, First Hill Streetcar safety upgrades, better bike lanes on E Union, and planning for a transit-only lane on 24th Ave. Actual projects, not just words.

The G Line on Madison is testing a new tap-to-pay system! Credit card, phone, whatever. No more fumbling for your ORCA card while the bus driver stares at you. It's a soft launch, so expect some bugs, but it's progress… right?

Seattle Seahawks Superbowl Champs License Plate Frame You're gonna want proof you were here for this. Slap this chrome frame on your car and let every parking lot know Seattle's back on top. It's not subtle. It's not supposed to be.

Zojirushi Stainless Steel Travel Mug (~$30) For the victory coffee. Or the "I stayed up way too late screaming at my TV and now I have to function at work" coffee. This thing keeps drinks hot for four hours, which is roughly how long you'll be refreshing Threads looking at championship highlights instead of doing your job. Worth it.

That's Monday. The tech bubble might be deflating, the job market's brutal, and yes, it's definitely going to rain (which we desperately need more of). But Seattle just won the Super Bowl, and honestly? That fixes a lot. At least for this week…

See you Thursday with weekend plans.

If you need me, I'll be hoarse from screaming and busy shopping for parade gear!

See you there!

– The Drizzle