Christian Balderas

Vivid Seats projected 51% of attendees are 49ers fans, based off of ticket sales data. SEATTLE — There may have been more San Francisco 49ers fans than Seattle Seahawks fans at the Seahawks’ home opener Sunday. According to the ticket marketplace Vivid Seats, 49ers fans were projected to make up 51 percent of the crowd at Lumen Field, with people traveling an average of 672 miles for the matchup. "I'm not surprised," said Jared Lucas, a 49ers fan. "There's no way any team is going to Santa Clara, where we play, and outsell us or beat within an inch of us." RELATED: Here are 3 takeaways from the Seahawks' 17-13 loss in season opener to the 49ers Local 49ers fan clubs organized meetups and watch parties across Seattle over the weekend, fueling a takeover vibe. "I was expecting it because there's just such a tight community. Of course people are going to be traveling out here to support them," said Kenya Guzman, another 49ers fan. The surge of red and gold is no accident. The 49ers have long been known for their traveling fan base. In Los Angeles, some people even call the Rams’ SoFi Stadium “Levi’s South” — a reference to the 49ers' home stadium, Levi’s Stadium. "There is a lot of red out here. Since we're so close to each other, it's easier to fly here, I guess," said Laurie Cowling, a Seahawks fan. For Seahawks fans, the optics sting. Once considered one of the NFL's most intimidating venues, Lumen Field saw its home-field advantage slip last season, with Seattle finishing just 3–6 at home. The influx of rival fans only adds to concerns about whether the “12s” can reclaim their dominance this year. The rivalry between these NFC West foes is already one of the league's fiercest, and this season opener was expected to set the tone. Ultimately, the San Francisco 49ers took the win, 17–3.

The civil lawsuit demands the company change its popular handgun design to make it less susceptible to illegal modification. SEATTLE — Seattle is taking legal aim at one of the most recognizable names in firearms: Glock. City Attorney Ann Davison has filed a civil lawsuit against the gun manufacturer, accusing it of knowingly producing handguns that can be easily and illegally modified into machine guns. The lawsuit centers on the use of a device known as a “Glock switch,” which converts a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic weapon. According to the city, a converted Glock can fire 30 rounds in just two seconds. The lawsuit demands that Glock redesign its popular handgun to make it more resistant to modification, arguing that the current design violates Washington’s public nuisance laws. Davison said the legal action was prompted by a request from Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes shortly after he assumed his role. “Glock chooses to leave its handguns in this uniquely susceptible design, where they can be easily converted,” Davison said. “They’re choosing profits over public safety. It’s important to hold corporations accountable when they put the public at risk—just like we hold criminals accountable when they violate city and state laws.” The lawsuit also names three Glock-authorized retailers in the Seattle area: Pantel Tactical, Bulls Eye Indoor Range LLC, and Rainier Arms LLC. “Police have traced guns recovered at crime scenes, converted with switches, back to those retailers,” Davison said. Joshua Pantel, owner of Pantel Tactical, dismissed the lawsuit as “virtue signaling” and a “waste of time.” Bulls Eye Indoor Range and Rainier Arms declined to comment. Lawsuits against gun manufacturers are rarely successful due to federal protections under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, passed in 2005. The law generally shields gun makers from liability when their products are used in crimes. However, Davison argues that this case is different. “That’s a traditional defense,” she said. “I’m not suing any other gun manufacturers. This is specific to Glock’s design, which makes it uniquely susceptible to being converted within minutes from a semi-automatic to a fully automatic weapon.” Modified handguns are becoming a growing concern nationwide. In Seattle, police reported 38 incidents involving Glock switches in 2024—nearly double the number from the previous year. Seattle’s lawsuit joins a wave of similar legal actions across the country. Minnesota and New Jersey have also filed lawsuits against Glock, alleging the company’s design facilitates illegal modifications and contributes to rising gun violence. Both states argue that Glock should be held accountable for failing to adopt safer manufacturing standards used by competitors. These cases are testing the limits of the federal liability shield and could set new legal precedents for how gun manufacturers are held responsible for public safety risks.

A 74-year-old woman drove through the store, killing Sheila Stanton, a well known community volunteer. KIRKLAND, Wash — A beloved community figure is being remembered after a car crashed into a Kirkland Grocery Outlet on Sunday, killing her and injury three others. Kirkland police say the driver, a 74-year-old woman, smashed through the store’s front entrance at the Bridle Trails Shopping center before 2 p.m. Investigators are still working to determine the cause. RELATED: 1 dead, 3 injured after car crash into Kirkland Grocery Outlet The driver, who was among the injured, is not being detained at this time. Police are reviewing surveillance footage and awaiting the results of her blood tests. Two other people – a mother and her child – were also hurt. All three injured individuals, including the driver, are expected to recover from non-life-threatening injuries. The woman killed in the crash has been identified as Sheila Stanton, a fixture in Kirkland’s volunteer community. She was an active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, where she hosted a monthly community dinner to the hungry in partnership with a Muslim community group. “Initially, we thought she had just been badly injured,” said Michael Ryan, a priest at St John’s. “It was a gut punch for me, for everyone. Everyone in this community.” “Sheila would’ve been the first person to reach out to the elderly woman who hit her, just to see if she was doing okay. That’s the kind of person she was,” he said. Sheila also belonged to the Kirkland Eagles, a volunteer-focused club. “If the dictionary had a picture of what a ray of sunshine looks like, Sheila’s picture would be there. She’s just happy all the time, always smiling. If you know her, you totally get it,” a Lisa La Fontaine, a friend and Kirkland Eagles member, said. Professionally, Sheila was a bailiff and served as a commissioner with the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs, a role to which she was reappointed to in January. She lived in Kirkland for 35 years. “She is a community leader in every sense of the word,” Ryan said. The Grocery Outlet remains closed indefinitely as crews repair damage and investigators continued their work.

Riders in the eastern part of the county may notice news signs telling them certain routes have been deleted or revised. REDMOND, Wash. — King County Metro has rolled out a major update to its bus system, changing routes and pickup times—particularly in the eastern part of the county—as part of a broader plan to modernize transit and improve connections to Sound Transit’s expanding 2 Line light rail. Riders may notice new signage at bus stops alerting them to discontinued or revised routes. The changes include the launch of four new bus lines and increased service frequency on five others. Metro officials said this is the first phase of a two-part plan, with additional updates expected next spring. The goal, according to Metro, is to strengthen the county’s transportation network and streamline access to the 2 Line. But for some riders, the transition has been confusing. “I just don’t understand why they would change the route. Now I have to figure out how to get to work,” said Ben Banai, who was trying to catch his usual bus at the Downtown Redmond Transit Station on Saturday. In Redmond, Route 222 has been replaced by Route 223, which no longer serves the East Hill neighborhood and now terminates at the transit center. “It’s kind of confusing,” Banai added. Starting Saturday, people can take these new routes:  Route 203: Connects Issaquah Highlands, North Issaquah, Issaquah Transit Center, Newport Way, Factoria, and South Bellevue Station.Route 222: Serves Overlake, Idylwood, Downtown Redmond, Education Hill, Cottage Lake, and connects to Downtown Redmond and Redmond Technology Stations.Route 223: Links Eastgate, Lake Hills, Overlake, and Downtown Redmond Station with 20-minute weekday service.Route 256: Offers peak-only service from Woodinville to South Lake Union and Downtown Seattle.  These routes will have more pickup times during the weekdays:  DART Route 224: Hourly service between Duvall and Redmond.Route 226: 20-minute peak service in Bellevue, connecting to South Bellevue Station.Route 240: 20-minute service during peak and midday hours between Bellevue, Newcastle, and Renton.DART Route 249: 30-minute weekday service with added evening trips. Route 106: Now arrives every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., with 30 new weekly trips connecting Chinatown-International District to Rainier Valley and Renton. This is in effect every day of the week.