Seattle Local Pulse: Pedestrian Fatality, Tech Boom, and Weather Ahead

Good morning, this is Seattle Local Pulse for Monday, January 13, 2025. We're starting the week with a mix of news and updates from around our city. First off, we have some tragic news from last week. A pedestrian fatality occurred on East Marginal Way near South Orcas Street, marking the first pedestrian road fatality of 2025 in Seattle. The incident happened when a woman was crossing the road in an unmarked area and was hit by a commuter on their way to work. The Seattle Police Department is reminding everyone to pay close attention and slow down, especially in dark conditions. Moving on to the job market, Seattle's tech scene is thriving. AI roles are experiencing significant growth, with machine learning engineers seeing a 63% increase in job postings. Data scientists are in high demand, with a 48% growth rate, and cybersecurity analysts are also sought after, with a 42% growth rate. Major employers like Amazon and Microsoft are expanding their operations, with Amazon alone having over 6,000 positions open in Seattle. The average tech salary is around $148,000, making Seattle a prime destination for tech professionals. In real estate news, home and mortgage prices in Seattle are up, but so is inventory. The median home price is around $850,000, with over 1,500 homes available for sale. New development projects are also underway, including the $806 million Waterfront Seattle Project, which is transforming the city's waterfront. From city hall, the 2025 legislative session kicks off today, with Governor Jay Inslee giving his final State of the State address on Tuesday. Governor-elect Ferguson's inauguration takes place on Wednesday. We'll be keeping an eye on decisions that affect daily life in Seattle. Weather-wise, it's going to be a mixed week. We're expecting 70 degrees on Thursday, but snow flurries are possible on Sunday. A potent storm system is also expected to hit the Seattle area on Monday, bringing windy conditions and high surf. In new business activity, several new restaurants are opening in Seattle in 2025. We'll be sharing more details on these openings in the coming days. Upcoming community events include the Space Needle's anniversary celebration, where five people will get the chance to paint the roof using Galaxy Gold. The event is part of a contest to commemorate the Space Needle's anniversary. In local school news, Seattle Public Schools is weighing changes to regular school hours. We'll be following this story and bringing you updates as more information becomes available. On a lighter note, the Hearst Foundations has awarded the University of Washington with a $300,000 grant, supporting educational initiatives in our community. Finally, in today's crime report, the Seattle Police Department is investigating the pedestrian fatality we mentioned earlier. They are also reminding everyone to be cautious on the roads, especially in dark conditions. This has been Seattle Local Pulse. We'll see you tomorrow with more This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.