A mission to revitalize Seattle neighborhoods with displays of exuberant public art is bringing more than 40 new murals to public spaces across the city.

Why it matters: The initiative is part of Mayor Bruce Harrell's broader plan to breathe life back into the heart of the city after the COVID-19 pandemic while also supporting local artists.

Driving the news: The city has commissioned the new murals in Belltown, Downtown, Pioneer Square, the Chinatown-International District and SoDo, each designed to reflect the unique character and history of its location.

• Several of the murals are inspired by books with Seattle ties, including a piece by artist Craig Cundiff on First Hill that's based on "The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown.
• 16 pieces have been completed and nearly all had been started as of this week, per the Downtown Seattle Association.

Two pieces by Louie Gong will be installed in November to align with Bruce Lee's Nov. 27 birthday.

Additional artists include Stevie Shao, Ty Juvinel, Celeste Byers, EGO, Yoonmi Cho and Joey Nix.

What they're saying: "Murals are impactful cultural art," said Myron Curry, the local artist behind the mural inspired by Ed Schmid's book, "Beginning Glassblowing."

• "It not only beautifies but empowers the community to connect and be proud of who they are."
• Interest in murals exploded during the pandemic when boarded-up windows became canvases, Shao told the Seattle Times.
• "Having publicly accessible art allows people to discover new artists and learn about different mediums."

Behind the scenes: The project is supported by more than $700,000 from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture's Hope Corps and is a collaboration between the city and partners including the Wing Luke Museum.

The big picture: Check out Visit Seattle to see a map of all the mural locations.

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The Washington Huskies start a new era facing off against Weber State at Husky Stadium tomorrow.

Why it matters: This is the University of Washington's first year in the Big Ten Conference — a massive change for UW athletes, who will travel more often and face a wider range of competition.

Context: The traditionally Midwestern conference spread to the East Coast 10 years ago and sprinkled in some West Coast flavor in 2024.

The addition of USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon has pushed the Big Ten from 14 teams to 18, making it the largest NCAA conference.

• The Big Ten's raiding of the Pac-12 makes it the second-strongest conference in all of college football behind the SEC. For example, last year's national championship game would have technically been an all-Big Ten affair with today's teams.

Flashback: The Big Ten finished last season with four teams ranked in the AP Top 25, tied for the third-most of any conference.

• The Michigan Wolverines are the reigning Big Ten champs, routing Iowa 26-0 in the title game and winning the 2024 College Football Playoff 34-13 over Washington.

State of play: Though the Huskies played for the national college football title, the team isn't ranked among the top 25 teams heading into the fall.

The intrigue: Excitement for the remixed conference is so high that it helped college football tickets increase 42% year over year.

Guide to the expanded Big Ten

The University of Washington will travel more miles for games in the 2024 season than any other college football team.

Why it matters: The amount of time these athletes spend bouncing back and forth between time zones can affect academic performance and disrupt the body's circadian rhythm.

• That travel can "have profound effects on physical and mental health and performance," according to a white paper published in November 2023 by physicians and sleep scientists.

🧢 The Mariners sliced the Astros' lead in the American League West during their first games under new manager Dan Wilson this week with three home runs from a trio of outfielders in their win against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. (Sports Illustrated)

🔥 The 2620 Road Fire near Brinnon on the Olympic Peninsula is out, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. (KIRO 7)

🍔 The popular Portland burger chain Killer Burger is set to expand in Washington with six new locations in Tacoma, Puyallup and Olympia over the next five years.