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Seattle continues to lead the way, as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While we are all learning more about the new Omicron variant, we know what works: vaccines, testing, and masking.
As we begin the holiday season, and families are likely to gather - it is so important, now, more than ever to get vaccinated and get booster doses. The CDC is now recommending boosters for every individual age 18 and older to help protect against the Omicron variant.
With an increased demand for COVID-19 booster, this week we announced expanded hours at the City?s South Lake Union Clinic. Approximately 88.2% of have received a vaccine against COVID-19
Beginning on Saturday, December 11, the South Lake Union Clinic will have expanded hours individuals can receive their first, second, or booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The South Lake Union Clinic will now operate from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., adding capacity for up to 2,000 additional poses per day compared to the previous hours for a total of around 5,500 doses per day. I encourage all who are eligible, to get boosted. The City also plans to open new appointments nearly every day.
In addition to expanding hours, the City and our partners continue to vaccinate children ages 5-11. Currently, 57.2% of our 5-11 year old children are vaccinated. Appointments are required at City vaccine clinics for kids 5-11, Seattle Public Schools has school-day and regional clinics for kids 5-11 (see schedule), and many community partners may have appointments for kids 5-11 (search here, filter by vaccine type).
It is up to us to prevent another surge in infections this winter by wearing masks, washing hands, getting vaccinated, getting booster doses, and getting tested at first sign of symptoms or exposure.
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.?????
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed an?Executive Order?directing City departments to begin to identify projects and actions to leverage local and federal funds to bring additional benefits and new growth to communities impacted by large infrastructure projects in communities at risk for displacement.?
As?Sound Transit begins decisions of regarding the alignments on the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions (WSBLE) light rail project, this new directive will assist the Chinatown-International District (CID) in partnering with the community, the?City, and Sound Transit to consider ways to provide new benefits to the CID to balance the impacts of multiple large transportation projects that risk displacing residents and businesses. CID is currently a hub for the Link lines to Northgate and Angle Lake in addition to the Seattle Streetcar. It will also serve as the transfer hub for East Link opening in 2023, and future light rail extensions to Lynnwood, Tacoma, West Seattle, Ballard, and Everett.?
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Building off this summer?s highly successful ?Welcome Back Weeks,? Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced that the?City?will be enlisting creative community partners to host ?Home for the Holidays,? a series of holiday activations in Pioneer Square, Pacific Place, Japantown, and Chinatown-International District. In partnership with the?Downtown Seattle Association, the City of Seattle?s ?Welcome Back Weeks??attracted?an estimated 30,000 people downtown, hired hundreds of creative workers to activate public and historic arts and culture spaces and stimulated tens of thousands of new dollars in spending at small businesses.????
Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan and the SDOT team celebrated the final phase of West Seattle Bridge repairs beginning and SDOT being on schedule to reopen the bridge at full strength next year.??
?Since March 2020, our city has faced unprecedented challenges, including the closure of the West Seattle Bridge. After the important work to stabilize the bridge then design the specialized repairs, SDOT is starting the final repair phase of the West Seattle Bridge. Because of the work at SDOT, the end is in sight to reopen the bridge in the coming months. This is an important milestone for our residents, commuters, and businesses as we urgently work to reconnect West Seattle to the greater region,? said Mayor Durkan.?
This week, Mayor Durkan signed the City of Seattle's 2022 adopted budget into law. The 2022 budget totals over $7.1 billion with $1.6 billion for the general fund that includes additional federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to invest in urgent local priorities.?
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After the historic Seattle venue announced it was moving just a couple of blocks down the street to the former location of El Gaucho at First Avenue and Wall Street, The Crocodile is?reopen?to the public. The new space includes two dedicated music stages, a comedy club, cafe and hotel.?
After completing a move to a new location, the historic Crocodile theater reopened its doors on Wednesday at First Avenue and Wall Street in Seattle. The Crocodile is a Belltown fixture that?s been around since 1991, when it cemented itself in Seattle?s grunge history with icons like The Posies, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, and Nirvana gracing its stage.?
But the venue is turning a page reopening at its new location. This isn?t the first time The Crocodile shook things up. Back in 2005, ownership changed hands and it got a makeover. This time, it?s the same core people but a brand-new, larger space.?
Nikki Barron, the venue?s marketing manager gave a tour of the main showroom, which includes a 40-foot replica of a crocodile skeleton.?
The natural history theme extends throughout the Crocodile?s new space into its new cafe, the Society, where there are historical photos of Seattleites and dioramas. One notable Seattleite they honored in the new space is Madame Lou, someone they felt has been overlooked in the city?s history.?
"Madame Lou was a famous Seattle madam in the late 1800s. And?so?you know where the mission is down in Pioneer Square? That building was actually her brothel," Barron said. "She's really not been celebrated in the way that we felt that she should as an entrepreneur. Everybody went to Madame Lou's, but nobody talked about going to Madame Lou's.?So?she's been sort of faded into history [and] we wanted to have this space dedicated to her."?
Besides seeing local artists and touring bands in town, The Crocodile is now home to a 17-room hotel, a cafe and stage for comedy acts and movie screenings. That?s all on top of its two music stages. It's a big step up from its ?grungy? origins.?
But return patrons like Jessica Johnson aren?t too worried that the venue will lose its touch as a champion of the local music scene.?
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