If you’re unemployed or have a job but are living pay check to pay check, Seattle’s City Council wants you to think of them the next time you’re in a financial jam. 

How long would you guess it takes to raise more than $4 million dollars for charity? In King County, give it 17 hours. That’s how long it took The Seattle Foundation to raise more than 18,000 donations in its one-day GiveBIG Challenge.

America's fascination with flying saucers began in Washington state on June 24, 1947. Businessman and pilot Kenneth Arnold was flying his small plane from Chehalis to Yakima when he spotted what appeared to be a formation of nine strange aircraft traveling near Mt. Rainier. Arnold calculated they were flying at supersonic speeds of at least 1,200 miles an hour, something military aircraft of the day were incapable of doing. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has compiled a list of the top 10 achievements in global health over the past 10 years.

The report notes, however, that “major disparities persist” and much remains to be done even in these areas that have shown most improvement.

Read more.

Two men allegedly planning to attack a military recruiting station in Seattle have detention hearings set for Wednesday.

The two men – one from Seattle and one from Los Angeles – appeared in federal court yesterday to hear the charges filed against them. Their court-appointed lawyers declined to comment.

Just a day away from public viewing, the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium has released a new photo (above) and a new video of the newborn clouded leopard cubs.

The Washington State Board for Community and Technical colleges voted Thursday to raise tuition by an average of 12 percent next year. That's the maximum the Legislature allowed in the state budget.

Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 63. Forecast here.

Making headlines in the Northwest:

• Drunk boaters targeted this weekend
• Off the wire: Backlash against traffic cameras and more
• Unemployment checks going up between $3 and $13
• Edmonds concerts series kicks off July 10

Advisers to U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee say he will launch his campaign for Washington governor next week.

Inslee's political team said in a statement late Thursday that he would officially announce his candidacy on Monday morning in Seattle, followed by a second event south of Yakima. He will make additional campaign stops in Tacoma, Vancouver and Spokane on Tuesday.

He's not hitting or fielding well. His manager is losing patience. Fans are booing him. Yet, there's not much the Mariners can do about third baseman Chone Figgins. KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel says the best thing to do is bench him.

More people who work in downtown Seattle are riding mass transit than driving to the office. That’s according to a survey just released by Commute Seattle, a non-profit that tries to reduce the number of people who drive alone. 

"If this isn't the best jazz festival in the world, please send us tickets to a better one."

~Paul de Barros, The Seattle Times

Vancouver's signature festival and British Columbia's biggest music showcase will animate the city for ten days, June 24 - July 3.

From noon to the wee small hours, a rich tapestry of jazz, blues, funk, Latin, fusion, electronica and world music will fill the air at venues big and small, indoor and outdoor across the city.

The University of Washington’s highly-ranked school of nursing is plagued with low-morale, internal strife and a lack of trust between faculty and the department head, according to a new report.

The report by the Seattle consulting firm MacDonald Boyd and Associates attributed the deep divisions largely to choices made over budget cuts.  The state has slashed funding for University of Washington by more than 50-percent in the past 3 years. (Follow the link to the consultant's report)

Lisa Hallett was cradling her 2-week-old daughter at a military family support meeting when a commander called her out of the room.

"There’s just this panic. And we walk across this big field. We're in one building, we're going to this other building and I'm like tell me John's okay, tell me John's okay."

But he wasn’t.