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It?s so true: The best way to listen and to know what is happening in Seattle is to get out of City Hall.
Since I?ve become mayor, I?ve had the chance to do 23 different neighborhood tours, in every corner of our city.
Last week, I met with amazing young people in South Park who are part of the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps to learn more about how the City can help them build a better future for themselves and their loved ones.
As I told them, we will keep listening, keep coming back, and keep investing in them and safer communities.
 This week, I joined leaders from the Seattle Police Department and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins on a neighborhood tour of Ballard, where we talked to residents and small business owners about their needs and priorities.
 And today, I?m touring West Seattle with small business owners and other community leaders.
When I?m out in community, I always ask the same question: What else can the City do to support you?
One thing I heard time and time again was a call for an increased emphasis on public safety. And I heard over and over that our community-based emphasis patrols have really made a difference.
That?s why my 2020 Proposed Budget includes investments to continue our community-based emphasis patrols in 2020. We know that this program is having a positive impact.
True public safety means that everyone, regardless of their background or history, can have access to lasting opportunity. That?s why we need to look at public safety solutions holistically, and not let ourselves work in siloes.
My budget plan does just that. In addition to investments to ensure we can continue to build the best community-based police department in the country, we are elevating programs that help communities navigate the criminal legal system at every level. That includes restorative justice initiatives that focus on young people impacted by the criminal legal system. And we?re also investing in new programs that focus on our hardest to serve communities who often cycle through our criminal legal system.
We need a balanced, holistic set of solutions to advance public safety.
As a growing city, we must be a place that takes care of people who are in crisis and need help, and addresses real public safety issues.
Finally, I want to say thank you to all the community members who?ve taken the time to talk with me on neighborhood tours, walks, and roundtables across Seattle. I'm so grateful.
As always, please continue to write me at?[email protected], reach out via?Twitter?and?Facebook, and stay up-to-date on the work we?re doing for the people of Seattle on?my?blog.
Sincerely,
 
On October 24, the City of Seattle recognized #PurpleThursday, a day when we work to raise awareness about gender-based violence, and the impact it has on our communities. We must do more to prevent and end-gender based violence.
 For ideas and steps you can take to end gender-based violence, visit the?Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence.
Mayor Durkan joined nearly 500 Seattle IT employees at the kickoff for the first-ever City of Seattle IT Learning Conference. The two-day conference, held at the Seattle Center Armory, featured local and national leaders in technology discussing topics ranging from design thinking to diversity, client service to the cloud, privacy to leadership, AI to analytics and more.
 Under the leadership of new Chief Technology Officer Saad Bashir, Seattle IT has embarked on a journey to become a true best-in-class digital service delivery team. The Seattle IT learning conference represents a significant investment in training, education and skills building for technology professionals within the City of Seattle.
The Mayor?s opening remarks focused on the important role of the IT department within the city, noting that IT is the ?backbone of city government.? She also praised employees? commitment and applauded their willingness to ?come together to engage, learn, collaborate and connect to the mission of Seattle IT: To be a best-in-class digital service delivery team for the City of Seattle and the residents we serve.?
 Congratulations to the Seattle Sounders, who advanced to the Major League Soccer Western Conference Final on Wednesday night after defeating Real Salt Lake 2-0 in front of a loud crowd at CenturyLink! They will play in the Conference Final this Tuesday, October 29, at 7:00 p.m. against Los Angeles FC in Los Angeles. Go Sounders!
 The Museum of Fright: Sunday, October 27
Across the Museum galleries, you?ll find Halloween carnival-style games and activities to spark imagination, innovation, and get in the Halloween spirit. Design and build soaring, swooping, and spooky fliers below a high-flying glider, hop through an obstacle course under the Blackbird, and encounter other frightful surprises! Free for kids 17 and under in costume!
CREEPTACULAR at Seattle Animal Shelter: Saturday, October 26; 1:00 p.m. ? 5:00 p.m.
For the third year in a row, the shelter dons spooky decorations and invites the public to meet and greet furry, scaly and feathered critters. Visitors to this free, kid- and adult-friendly experience can pet and feed rabbits, come face to face with lizards, and delight in the antics of guinea pigs and small mammals. Visitors are welcome to wear costumes to get in the holiday spirit!
Costumes on the Cobblestones at Pike Place Market: Saturday, October 26; 11:00 a.m. ? 4:00 p.m.
Pumpkin Bash and Trick or Treating at Woodland Park Zoo: Saturday, October 26; 9:30 a.m. ? 3:00 p.m.
Seattle Opera Halloween Party: Saturday, October 26; 10:30 p.m. ? 1:00 a.m.
Gothic Rainbow Bingo at the South Park Senior Center: Saturday, October 26; 5:30 p.m. ? 10:00 p.m.
 For this week?s edition of the weekend read, we encourage you to read KUOW?s recent story covering a letter signed by 160 Seattle businesses requesting additional investments in public safety in Seattle. It begins:
Dozens of Seattle business owners and residents are demanding that the City Council invest in tougher crime-stopping measures in next year's budget.
Ben Rainbow is one of the 160 people signing a letter to the council. He said he's used to crime at his doorstep near Pioneer Square.
Just Monday, he said, he found the lock to his business, Back Alley Bike Repair, had been damaged.
"Tried to burn the padlock off and break in with a lighter, a pocket lighter," he said.
Rainbow and the other signers complain about City Attorney Pete Holmes and demand more investment into public safety.
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