The latest volley in the long-running battle over an historically nude Seattle beach comes down to a new question: Is topless sunbathing allowed in the clothing-required section?

The big picture: It's the latest development in a very Seattle clash — a cheeky gathering space with deep LGBTQ+ roots versus lakefront locals pushing for more modest rules.

State of play: Denny Blaine Park on Lake Washington has functioned for decades as a place to literally let it all hang out, but tensions between park users and neighbors have flared for years.

The latest: Friends of Denny Blaine, a group representing clothing-optional park patrons, filed a motion Monday asking a judge to clarify that topless sunbathing is allowed in the "clothing required" section.

• The group argues toplessness isn't banned under the city's rules but is being treated that way by private security hired by nearby homeowners.
• Those guards "continuously direct parkgoers to put on a top and report it as a violation to the police," the motion states.
• A 2025 court order was aimed at "nakedness associated with public sex acts and masturbation" — not mere toplessness, the group argues.

The motion also argues banning toplessness could violate gender equality laws.

Catch up quick: That motion stems from a conflict that first erupted in 2023, with a proposal to build a children's playground at the site, widely seen as a way to limit nudity.

• The project — backed by $1 million from an anonymous donor later identified as nearby property owner Stuart Sloan — sparked mass backlash, including a packed public meeting and thousands of petition signatures.
• The city ultimately scrapped the playground plan in December 2023.

The fight shifted to the courts in 2025 when neighbors sued the city, alleging public sex, drug use and other illegal activity had turned the park into a public nuisance.

• Nudity itself is legal in Seattle, though lewd or obscene conduct is not, per the Seattle Police Department.
• A King County judge ruled a few months later that nudity at the park — alongside lewd behaviors — was likely contributing to a public nuisance.
• He ordered the city to address the issue, and the city responded by creating separate "clothing optional" and "clothing required" zones, adding fencing, signage and increased enforcement.
• A judge later allowed the park to remain open at least through this spring.

What's next: The motion about topless sunbathing is scheduled to be heard on May 1.

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Washington's gray wolf population rebounded in 2025, reversing a decline seen the previous year.

Why it matters: A new state report counted a minimum of 270 wolves — the most in Washington in decades — reflecting years of recovery efforts.

By the numbers: Washington's gray wolf population was 17% higher in December than a year earlier, according to the report from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Context: Gray wolves are native to Washington. But they had virtually disappeared from the state by the 1930s after being killed for hides and as part of predator-control programs.

• They're now considered federally endangered in the western two-thirds of the state, while Washington law classifies them as endangered statewide.
• Under state law, killing a gray wolf could get you fined $5,000 or sentenced to up to one year in jail.

What's next: For gray wolves to be removed from the state endangered list, multiple breeding pairs would need to settle in the state's southern Cascades and northwest coast recovery region.

• No breeding pairs have been spotted there, but the state's other two wolf recovery regions have met their goals.

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💰 Seattle says its gig worker pay law is boosting driver earnings without hurting demand, citing a sweeping new dataset — countering claims from DoorDash, Uber and others that the policy backfired. (GeekWire)

🚍 Mayor Wilson unveiled a plan yesterday to speed up Seattle's notoriously slow Route 8 bus this summer by adding 13 blocks of red bus-only lanes along Denny Way. (Seattle Times)

🛍️ Japanese outdoor brand Snow Peak opened its first Seattle store on Stone Way, expanding options for camping and apparel shoppers. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

🩺 The Seattle/King County health care clinic returns to Seattle Center today through Sunday, offering free medical, dental and vision care. (KOMO)

Some Seattle-area home sellers are turning into what Zillow calls "accidental landlords," pulling their homes off the market and renting them out instead.

Why it matters: As more homeowners nationally rent out homes that don't sell, Seattle stands out for having a higher share of these listings.

• Nationally, 2.3% of rental listings on Zillow in October were previously for sale, according to the real estate site. That's the highest level since late 2022, when mortgage rates topped 7%.
• In the Seattle metro, the rental listing rate was higher, at 3.1%.

The fine print: These homes were listed for sale on Zillow for at least two weeks, then delisted and relisted as rentals within three months of being off the market.

• The trend typically peaks in the fall because home sales slow around the holidays, per Zillow.

Accidental landlords also add homes to the rental pool, which can help ease rent prices.

A whimsical North Bend treehouse is Washington's most wishlisted Airbnb right now.

• Airbnb unveiled its annual lineup of each state's most wishlisted homes earlier this month, highlighting some of the most unique stays travelers are eyeing this spring.

Tucked in old-growth forest, the cedar treehouse features a wraparound deck, soaking tub and a loft bed accessed by ladder, just steps from hiking trails.