The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency warned Wednesday morning that air quality in Seattle has reached unhealthy levels in the central city due to smoke from nearby wildfires.
The agency said that shifting winds have redirected a plume of smoke from the nearby Bolt Creek Fire along Highway 2 near Index.
This morning we are seeing air quality that is UNHEALTHY for everyone in downtown and north Seattle from a plume of smoke from the Bolt Creek fire. Winds are blowing from Skykomish west to Everett then south to downtown. Stay indoors when possible.
The state of emergency was enacted in early 2020 when we were still getting used to face masks
(Image: Washington State Department of Health)
Just under 1,000 days and after what will be more than 14,000 deaths from the virus in the state, Washington’s COVID-19 state of emergency will end October 31st.
“We’ve come a long way the past two years in developing the tools that allow us to adapt and live with COVID-19,” Governor Jay Inslee said in Thursday’s announcement as his administration credited the response for Washington’s relatively low death rate during the waves of outbreaks. “Ending this order does not mean we take it less seriously or will lose focus on how this virus has changed the way we live. We will continue our commitments to the public’s well-being, but simply through different tools that are now more appropriate for the era we’ve entered.”
Through the pandemic, Capitol HIll residents and businesses lived through new restrictions and requirements including social distancing, mask, and vaccination mandates as officials tried to fine tune the public response to slowing the spread of the virus.
Many elements of the emergency have already ended or been canceled but the lifting of the February 2020 declaration will bring a new milestone in emerging from the pandemic across the state with the end of requirements like vaccination mandates for state workers.
It will also more fully unhinge a complicated framework of legal structures and policies ranging from counties, to cities, to institutions like schools and hospitals, to private businesses that have built rules and requirements around the official emergency status.
Public Health Seattle-King County wants to hear from you about “what the public knows about rodents and your experiences with rodent control and prevention.”
A new Rodent Prevention and Control Survey has launched to gather feedback as the health department works to “improve our programming and technical assistance offerings” —
“Public Health – Seattle & King County wants to learn more about what the public knows about rodents and your experiences with rodent control and prevention,” the survey’s introduction reads.
The county says it fields complaints about infestations and “neighborhood rodent issues” and and provides information to property owners about rodent control. In some cases, health officials can call in enforcement. There is also a Seattle Sewer Baiting Program if rats show up in your toilet.
Public Health says the survey has 19 questions and should take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Note: Don’t go chattering about squirrels — “For the purpose of this survey the term ‘rodents’ refers to rats and mice and does not include squirrels and other animals,” Public Health explains.
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The warming waters of Lake Washington off popular Madrona Beach are closed to swimmers this week after a power outage caused a sewage overflow at a city facility Monday.
Health officials have ordered the closure between Madrona Beach and Howell Park to the north “over the next several days” saying bacteria levels could make people or pets sick.
King County Wastewater says its crews responded to a power outage at the East Pine Street Pump Station in Madrona that shut down equipment Monday afternoon “and caused an overflow into Lake Washington.” Continue reading →
Mayor Bruce Harrell signed four new bills into law Monday to protect abortion access in — and beyond — Seattle.
“After the Supreme Court’s dangerous Dobbs decision, we must use every tool available to protect the fundamental rights of privacy and autonomy,” Harrell said in a statement on the signing ceremony. “These bills ensure abortion and reproductive healthcare remain safe and legal in Seattle for all who seek it.” Continue reading →
The Seattle City Council passed more legislation this week to help protect abortion rights and the rights of those seeking gender-affirming care.
One bill will add people who have received or are seeking abortions as a protected class in Seattle, ensuring their civil rights protections while the other creates a misdemeanor charge for people who “encroach on individuals seeking abortions or gender-affirming care.”
The newly approved bills follow passage of legislation from District 3’s Kshama Sawant last week directing the Seattle Police Department and the City Attorney Ann Davison “to refrain from cooperating with out-of-state law enforcement agencies or other entities about abortion-related matters,” according to a statement from the council. Continue reading →
A protester at a May #BansOffOurBodies rally in Cal Anderson
Seattle has prohibited its police department and city attorney from cooperating with law enforcement and legal actions related to abortion bans in other states.
Tuesday, the Seattle City Council passed District 3 representative Kshama Sawant’s legislation directing the Seattle Police Department and the City Attorney Ann Davison “to refrain from cooperating with out-of-state law enforcement agencies or other entities about abortion-related matters,” according to a statement from the council.
If abortion were to become unlawful in Washington, it would make enforcement of those laws among the lowest priorities, the statement said. Continue reading →
Federally distributed monkeypox vaccine is coming to Seattle but only enough to provide protection for the highest priority exposure cases. Meanwhile, health officials say sex clubs — including some of the few remaining in Seattle on Capitol Hill — represent environments with “a higher likelihood of spreading monkeypox.”
Chris Peterson, general manager of Steamworks Seattle, says his Capitol Hill bathhouse is working with health officials and others in the industry to try to bring the orthopoxvirus vaccine and awareness directly to patrons with hopes of hosting at-venue clinics.
But officials at Public Health – Seattle & King County say there isn’t enough vaccine being sent here for anything but the highest priority exposure cases.
The first round of distribution allocated to King County will include only 250 courses of vaccine from CDC. Continue reading →
As officials responded with anger and pledges to protect access in the city and across the state, thousands marched in downtown Seattle Friday night, with large groups gathering in Westlake and in front of the Seattle Federal Office Building following the Supreme Court ruling reversing Roe vs. Wade and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion.
The entire block is filled with people in downtown Seattle protesting for abortion rights following today’s #SCOTUS decision. I have so far not seen any counter protesting groups. pic.twitter.com/xyZ81v0iMe
State and local officials are pledging to maintain access to abortion and reproductive health services — and making preparations to be a “sanctuary” for those in need.
“The law remains unchanged in Washington state, but the threat to patient access and privacy has never been more dangerous. Even in Washington state, Republicans have introduced about 40 bills in the past six years to roll back abortion rights and access to reproductive care,” Governor Jay Inslee said in a statement Friday morning as Washington joined Oregon and California in “a Multi-State Commitment to defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, and committed to protecting patients and doctors against efforts by other states to export their abortion bans to our states.”
King County Executive Dow Constantine, meanwhile, announced $1 million “in emergency funding to ensure safe access to abortion in King County.”
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said his office is seeking to spend $250,000 “in efforts to expand access to reproductive health care through the Northwest Abortion Access Fund.” Continue reading →
Gay City’s sign is up outside its new location (Image: Gay City)
The LGBTQ health and community center Gay City is moved into its new Capitol Hill home and inviting visitors to stop in Sunday over Pride weekend for an open house.
Whether you need to take a break from Pride festivities or just want to check it out, join us in our NEW space at 400 E. Pine St. Seattle, WA 98122 for an open house! We’ll have snacks, water, sunscreen, onsite HIV/STI testing, comfy areas to rest, and more.
The center’s Michael C. Weidemann LGBTQ+ Library will also be open to check out books, Gay City announced.
CHS reported on the center’s move from E Pike where Gay City lost its space to make way for planned redevelopment.
Gay City’s new home on the ground floor of the Pine Bellevue office building at 400 E Pine has room for an expanded slate of services and offerings at the center including a new pharmacy in partnership with Kelley-Ross and new services added to its mix including a new “Youth Space” in the middle of the center. Continue reading →
