Protests at Microsoft, Summer Weather, New Trade Tariffs Impact Jobs | Seattle Local Pulse 08/21/2025

Good morning, this is Seattle Local Pulse for Thursday, August 21, 2025. We start today with breaking news from Redmond where police arrested 18 people after a protest erupted at the Microsoft campus yesterday. According to Fox 13 Seattle, the demonstration, sparked by concerns over the company's contracts with the Israeli military, led to significant property damage and clashes with police. Officers managed to restore order but the arrests are stirring conversations at city hall, with council members calling for added support for peaceful protests and reviews of public safety protocols. Turning to weather, we should expect a classic summer day in the Emerald City. According to the NOAA forecast and Cliff Mass Weather Blog, temperatures in Seattle will climb into the upper seventies by midday. It will be warmer in inland neighborhoods like South Lake Union and Capitol Hill, but you can find cooler breezes near the waterfront and around Green Lake. No rain in sight, but clouds may gather by evening, so it’s a good day for outdoor activities or to hit the parks before things get muggy. On the local job front, Seattle businesses are meeting this morning to discuss how new trade tariffs under the Trump administration will hit bottom lines and employment. KOMO News reports that business leaders expect to see costs rise on imported goods, which could slow hiring especially in logistics and tech. Current job listings tick upwards, with around 1,200 new postings since Monday, mostly for software engineers and healthcare workers. In real estate, market activity remains brisk. According to local agents, average home prices in Ballard and West Seattle hover around eight hundred thousand, with townhomes topping the popular listings. Renters in Queen Anne are bracing for slight increases, with average one-bedroom rates passing twenty-three hundred dollars per month. Developers are launching new apartment buildings in South Lake Union and Columbia City, promising hundreds of units by early next year. For personal interest, Washington’s first In-N-Out Burger has officially opened in Ridgefield. There are long lines from as far as Federal Way and Tacoma, marking a milestone for fast food fans in the state. Seattle sports brought drama last night but not in our favor: the Mariners dropped their fifth straight, losing to the Phillies, eleven to two, at T-Mobile Park. Meanwhile, the Storm heads to Dallas after Paige Bueckers' remarkable forty-four-point performance. Our local high school athletes also made us proud, with Roosevelt High’s girls soccer team clinching a playoff spot after a dramatic win at Memorial Stadium. From city hall, the Washington State Department of Transportation is asking for public feedback on the planned improvement project along State Route 900 in Skyway. The four-point-six million dollar upgrade aims to add a shared-use path and better transit access. Residents along Martin Luther King Jr. Way South are encouraged to have their sa This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.