Also in this edition: Safely Celebrating the Fourth of July



Durkan Digest Standard Header



Since I became Mayor, we have faced countless crises, from a historic snowstorm, to wildfire smoke that choked our communities, to infrastructure challenges in bridges and piers, a once-in-a-century pandemic, and this past week, the hottest two days in Seattle’s history. Over the past week, the City worked around-the-clock to open over 30 cooling centers, staff up our beaches, spray parks and pools, and offer resources and shelter to our neighbors experiencing homelessness. I am incredibly grateful to our City workforce for consistently responding to protect the health and safety of our communities.  

We’re also approaching a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. This week marked the statewide reopening, where capacity limits at our businesses, homes, and events are lifted, and we can once again come together as a community. We were able to reach this point – which came so much sooner than expected – because of our work together to combat COVID-19. Seattle has the lowest COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths of any major American city, and more than 80 percent of our residents have begun the vaccination process, and 75 percent are fully vaccinated.  

As we safely reopen as a city and state, we must focus on one of our biggest challenges ahead: recovery in neighborhoods across Seattle. Last week, I announced our Road to Downtown Recovery plan [ [link removed] ], which outlines key actions the City is taking to bring small businesses, workers, and visitors back downtown.  

Graphic stating that Welcome Back Weeks will happen July 12-26

With the return of tourism, people from across the country are traveling to Seattle, which is known as one of the safest cities in the country because of our work on vaccinations. The waterfront and market are thriving. As we celebrate reopening of Seattle, one core element for our residents and businesses is our Welcome Back Weeks, which will occur from July 12 – 26, and will feature promotions across downtown neighborhoods and large-scale events will take place in the Chinatown-International District, Pioneer Square, and Westlake. You can find more details on each event here [ [link removed] ].  

The City is proud to host these events with a focus on supporting local BIPOC artists and musicians, small businesses, and community-based and neighborhood organizations. Our Welcome Back Weeks are about celebrating what makes Seattle the best city in the country, and I hope you and your loved ones come back downtown to celebrate alongside us! Bring your friends, family, and neighbors, and enjoy our beautiful Seattle summers and everything our local artists, small businesses, and community organizations have to offer! 

Here’s to a shared, equitable recovery.  

As always, please continue to write me at [email protected], reach out via Twitter [ [link removed] ] and Facebook [ [link removed] ], and stay up-to-date on the work we’re doing for the people of Seattle on my blog [ [link removed] ].    

Sincerely,   

Mayor Jenny Durkan's Signature________________________________________________________________________

Safely Celebrating The Fourth of July

King County Fire Chiefs Association giving a press conference on the dangers of fireworks

Dr. Sam Arbabi speaks about devastating fireworks injuries seen at Harborview Medical Center

With the 4th of July nearly here, the Seattle Fire Department and Seattle Police Department would like to provide you with some important reminders about safety, fireworks and how you can help ease the strain on our 911 center during the busy holiday. 

With record heat and dry conditions, skip the fireworks this year in Seattle. While we have a lot to celebrate on vaccinations and reopening, the possession, storage, sale and use of fireworks is prohibited in Seattle.  

Read more [ [link removed] ] 
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More Flexibility to Reopen Empty Storefronts and Support New Businesses Coming to Downtown

Photo of Downtown Seattle

Downtown Seattle

This week, Mayor Durkan transmitted legislation [ [link removed] ] to the City Council to allow more flexibility in permitted uses for empty downtown storefronts as Seattle seeks to revitalize the heart of the city with new shops and businesses. If passed by the City Council, the new temporary proposal would provide flexibility for businesses, artists, and other organizations to activate empty storefronts by allowing art installations, museums, and a greater variety of businesses, among other new options. 

“Downtown is Seattle’s economic engine and heartbeat, and it’s up to us to help it come back better than ever for all those who live, work, or visit. As part of our effort to revitalize downtown, we’re making it easier than ever to pursue new, innovative uses for storefronts, like art installations or museums,” said Mayor Durkan. “This temporary change to allow more uses for our storefronts will help restore the vitality of our downtown. Building on my plan to invest in downtown small businesses and recovery, I hope the City Council swiftly passes this bill.” 

Read more [ [link removed] ] 
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Lake Washington Blvd Stay Healthy Streets to open on weekends July 4 – September

Two residents skating on Lake Washington Boulevard

Residents enjoying the Lake Washington Boulevard Stay Healthy Street

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is excited to bring back the Lake Washington Stay Healthy Streets. Below is the information shared by SDOT last week. 

Starting Fourth of July weekend, three (3) miles of Lake Washington Boulevard (from Mt. Baker Park to Seward Park) will open to people walking, rolling, and biking on weekends* and holidays through at least September.   

Read more [ [link removed] ] 
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First Permanent Waterfront Artwork Installed at Pier 62

Land Buoy Bells on the Seattle Waterfront

Land Buoy Bells on the Seattle Waterfront

Land Buoy Bells, artwork designed by Stephen Vitiello for the floating dock at Pier 62 [ [link removed] ], was installed on, June 30. This is the first of several permanent artworks that will be installed as part of Waterfront Seattle. Photos are available here [ [link removed] ].  

“We are excited to announce the installation of Land Buoy Bells at Pier 62,” said Marshall Foster, Director of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. “This commission launches a program of permanent artworks that will be integrated into the Seattle waterfront to help tell the story of the environment and culture of this unique place.” 

Read more [ [link removed] ] 
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DEEL Awards $1M to Community-Based Organizations for K-12 Student Learning and Enrichment Programs in Summer 2021

"Funding Will Expand and Enhance Community-Based Programs to Support Student Success and Wellness in Response to COVID-19" 

This week, the City of Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) announced $1 million in community investments to enhance summer programs for more than 1,300 K-12 students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded programs are designed to help students better prepare for academic success and social-emotional well-being this fall as students and schools return to full-time learning in the classroom. Programming will occur late June through August 2021. 

Read more [ [link removed] ] 
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Watering the Fremont Bridge!

Photo of Fremont Bridge being watered, that creates a rainbow

The Fremont Bridge being watered on Monday

While Seattle was facing record high temperatures, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) was working to keep our roads and bridges cool and safe. Extreme heat can damage roads and bridges! Crews were proactively spraying down steel draw bridges for three days in a row to help keep them cool whenever the temperatures hit 85 degrees or more as part of SDOT’s ongoing bridge maintenance program. This is necessary because the high temperatures can cause the steel to expand and potentially create problems for opening and closing functions.   

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Seattle Times Guest Op-Ed: Our daughter exemplified policing for the people

Officer Lexi Harris

Officer Lexi Harris

By Laird Harris,  [ [link removed] ]and Rebecca Brenneman [ [link removed] ] 

"Special to The Times" 

Early Sunday morning on June 13, our daughter, Lexi Harris, was killed when she stopped to help at an accident scene on Interstate 5 south of downtown Seattle. She was headed home after her shift as a Seattle Police officer ended. She had no duty to stop. Hundreds of people sped on by the crash scene. But Lexi stopped to try to get the victims of the crash to safety. 

This is who she was and why she decided to become a police officer in Seattle. 

Lexi was born in Seattle and was part of a left-leaning family. She went to alternative Seattle public schools. She was a World Trade Organization protester who was tear gassed in front of the Sheraton Hotel on Sixth Avenue in 1999. Not a likely candidate for the Seattle Police Department, but exactly the kind of person they were seeking. 

Lexi served SPD for five years during a period of significant change. Before joining the department, she worked as a physical trainer. That experience shaped her attitude about achieving positive change. She understood real change does not happen overnight and requires more than good intentions. A week or a month in the gym was good, but real change comes slowly and only after committed effort.   

Read more [ [link removed] ] 
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WEEKEND READ: Seattle Met: Washington Reopens, and Seattle Wants You to Celebrate Downtown

Crowd at Pike Place Market

By Benjamin Cassidy 

"The city rolls out a slate of festivities as the state rolls back restrictions on activity. "

IT’S FINALLY HERE. After 15 months of shutdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic, of quarantine and masking up and streaming endlessly, Washington removed nearly all of its restrictions on social and economic activity today. As of 12:01am this morning, restaurants, bars, and all other businesses can return at full capacity, with the exception of indoor events in excess of 10,000 people. Restaurants can fill their dining rooms, provided they can find the staff. Bar crawls can drag on into the wee hours. Packed gyms, live music [ [link removed] ], shoulder-to-shoulder Nordstrom browsing [ [link removed] ]—it’s all happening. 

To commemorate the occasion, governor Jay Inslee embarks on a three-city tour this morning, perhaps a bit chagrined that the state couldn’t reopen sooner. Despite a vaccine lottery [ [link removed] ] and other incentives to lure Washingtonians to get vaccinated, the state couldn’t quite reach the 70 percent initiation carrot [ [link removed] ] that the governor had dangled for an earlier return to normalcy. The restriction rollback also arrives without a coronavirus vaccine authorization for many children (Washington schools and child care centers will still have mask and distancing requirements), and a new Delta variant threatens to reverse the state’s mask-lifting for vaccinated people [ [link removed] ]. 

But when Inslee hoists a somewhat aspirational “Washington Ready” flag above the Space Needle on Thursday [ [link removed] ], its message will at least hold true in Seattle. The city has experienced precipitous drops in coronavirus case tallies, hospitalizations, and deaths in recent weeks because it is exceedingly well-vaccinated. Mayor Jenny Durkan’s office was not shy about proclaiming Seattle the first major metropolis in the U.S. to fully vaccinate 70 percent of its 12-and-up residents [ [link removed](June%209%2C%202021),12%20years%2Dold%20and%20older. ]. And it’s clear where Durkan wants her constituents to celebrate in the coming weeks: downtown. 

Read more [ [link removed] ] 
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