Serving Queen Anne & Magnolia Since 1919 www.QueenAnneNews.com
APRIL 15, 2026
VOL. 107, NO. 16
Low Snowpack Residents Push Back on Parking Prompts Drought Removal Plan Tied to Fire Access Concerns Declaration Staff Report
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growing dispute over parking has reached City Hall, as residents push back against a proposal to remove dozens of street parking spaces in the name of public safety. The controversy centers on a stretch of 14th Avenue West, where the city is considering removing parking on one side of the street to ensure emergency vehicles can pass through. According to the Seattle Department of Transportation, the change is part of a broader safety improvement project designed to create enough space for fire trucks and other emergency responders to navigate the narrow roadway.
Staff Report
PARKING VS. PUBLIC SAFETY
PRESSURE ON AGRICULTURE AND LOCAL ECONOMIES Agricultural communities are often among the first to feel the effects of drought. With less snowmelt feeding rivers and irrigation systems, farmers may have to reduce planting, prioritize certain crops, or leavwe fields unplanted altogether. These decisions can ripple outward, affecting local economies, seasonal employment, and food supply. Even in areas where farming is not the primary industry, drought conditions can influence landscaping, small-scale agriculture, and property maintenance, particularly for
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SAFETY, 12
Seattle/King County Clinic Returns for 11th Year Helping Address Growing Gaps in Healthcare Access Four-day event provides free dental, vision & medical care to 3,000+ people in need Submitted
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eattle/King County Clinic will return to Seattle Center from April 2326, marking its 11th year of providing free dental, vision, and medical services to people who struggle to access or afford healthcare. Led by Seattle Center and Seattle Center Foundation, the Clinic transforms Seattle Center facilities into a large-scale healthcare operation staffed by more than 3,000 clinical and non-clinical volunteers. Since 2014, Seattle/King County Clinic has served 33,000 patients from more than 190 zip codes, saving them an estimated $30 million in healthcare costs. Available services include dental fillings and extractions, eye exams and prescription eyeglasses, primary care, behavioral health, immunizations, diagnostic services such as lab tests, mammograms, ultrasounds, and X-rays, as well as social work, and more. “Now more than ever, we are seeing people who never expected to find themselves in a position of need turning to clinics like ours for essential healthcare,” said Julia Colson, Project Executive. “In the past year alone, rising costs of living, higher insurance premiums, coverage cuts, provider shortages, and other barriers have deepened an already fractured
AUSTON JAMES
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR URBAN AND RURAL RESIDENTS While a drought declaration can sound alarming, its effects are not felt evenly. In more urban areas, many residents rely on large, managed water systems that store supply in reservoirs. Because of this, immediate impacts may be limited. Most households are unlikely to see sudden restrictions right away, though voluntary conservation measures may be encouraged if dry conditions continue. In rural areas, the situation can be very different. Households that rely on private wells or smaller water systems may begin to feel impacts sooner, particularly if groundwater levels drop or seasonal water sources dry up earlier than expected. For these residents, water availability can become a more immediate concern as summer approaches.
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ashington state officials have declared a statewide drought following a winter marked by unusually low snowpack, raising concerns about water supply heading into the warmer months. According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, the declaration reflects a growing gap between available water and expected demand. Snowpack-often described as the state’s natural reservoir-has fallen well below normal levels in many basins, leaving less water available to replenish rivers, reservoirs, and irrigation systems this spring and summer. Federal water supply forecasts reinforce the severity of the situation. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington’s snowpack measured about 54% of normal entering March, with several basins reporting significantly lower levels. With peak snowpack typically reached in early April, officials say there is little time left in the season to recover from the deficit. As a result, below-normal streamflows are expected this spring and summer, reducing water availability during the region’s driest months. Under state law, a drought is declared when water supply is projected to fall below 75% of normal and there is potential for significant impacts to communities, agriculture, or the environment.
The proposal follows concerns raised by the Seattle Fire Department, which reported that vehicles parked along both sides of the street have, at times, blocked or delayed emergency access. In some cases, firefighters have been unable to reach homes directly or return to service quickly due to tight street conditions.
healthcare landscape. Whatever the reason, this clinic is for anyone who cannot otherwise access the services they need.” Patients come from all walks of life, ranging from families, seniors, and veterans, to immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ+ individuals, and low-income community members. To be as low barrier as possible, services are offered on a first-come firstserved basis, and interpreters are available to support culturally responsive care for all patients. “I am so humbled to be able to receive care from the community. The entire process went
like clockwork,” said Seattle/ King County Clinic patient Riko. “Everyone treated us with the utmost care and compassion. If there is one word to describe what I felt at the Clinic, it would be ‘safe.’” Individuals who plan to attend the Clinic need to know: • Patients are treated on a first-come, first-served basis. No advance registration or appointments are available. • Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (200 Thomas Street) serves as the ticket distribution area. Free admission tickets are handed out
beginning at 5:30 a.m. each day. Tickets are limited. • Patients do not need to show documentation of any kind to receive care. • Patients do not need to be residents of Seattle or King County to receive care. • All onsite services are provided free of charge. • Interpretation is available. • Patients cannot receive both dental and vision care on the same day but may return on another day to get a ticket and pursue additional services. For more information, visit seattlecenter.org/patients