A roundup of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!
by Vee Hua 華婷婷
Vice President Kamala Harris Visits Seattle to Highlight Inflation Reduction Act Initiatives
Vice President Kamala Harris landed in Seattle on Tuesday morning, as a part of a national tour to highlight the achievements of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed a year ago in August 2022. The Inflation Reduction Act is the biggest green investment in United States’ history, which makes $369 billion in climate-related investments over a decade.
The legislation expands upon solar and wind energy production, lowers energy costs for working-class families, encourages electric vehicle development, and builds high-voltage transmission lines to bring energy from rural and coastal areas to larger cities, among other things. It is a step on the path towards reaching the Biden administration’s goals of “reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50–52% below 2005 levels in 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by no later than 2050,” according to the EPA.
“Every day around the world, the impact of the climate crisis is stark, and it is vivid. We are seeing it in real-time,” Harris said in a 15-minute speech. “Here of course in Washington State, you had enduring deadly heat waves and devastating wildfires. Across our nation, we see communities choked by drought, washed out by floods, and decimated by hurricanes. And, of course, we are all praying for the people of Maui.”
“This year alone, already we have created 2,500 new solar manufacturing jobs which have opened up in Dalton, and across the country, we have created 175,000 new clean energy jobs,” she continued.
In addition to a public speech, Harris toured McKinstry, a South Seattle design and green construction firm that will benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act. She also offered examples of other projects nationwide, such as a solar factory in Dalton, Georgia, and power lines in Arizona. It was her first visit since October 2022 and was paired with a fundraising event at Microsoft.
New EG.5 COVID-19 Variant on the Rise
Following a spring with low infection rates, 17% of new COVID-19 cases around the country are now comprised of the EG.5 variant, “a spin-off of the XBB recombinant strain of the omicron family,” according to CNN. XBB has been the primary variant circulating around the United States over the past six months.
“Besides the [genetic] sequence of the virus, it has been tracked recently to be associated with a rather fast increase in case numbers. It’s important to note that, while it’s increasing quickly, the total case numbers are still pretty low and pretty reasonable,” says virologist Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a professor in molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University. “We’re not talking about a potential surge similar to what we saw when omicron first emerged. But anytime we see a virus causing a rapid increase in cases, we always want to pay attention.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s new director, Dr. Mandy Cohen, has estimated that an updated COVID-19 booster, which will target the XBB variant, will be available in October, following sign-off from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Center City Cinema Screens Films in Parks Throughout the City
The City of Seattle’s Department of Parks and Recreation continues its Center City Cinema program through the remainder of the month and into early September. Their film screenings are generally family-friendly and take place throughout the city at locations such as Hing Hay Park in the Chinatown-International District and Freeway Park between downtown and Capitol Hill.
Remaining screenings include:
Ballard Commons Park
Thursdays, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
- Aug. 17: Mars Attacks!
- Aug. 24: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Freeway Park
Fridays, with films beginning at dusk
Free popcorn and drinks
- Aug. 18: Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Aug. 25: Nope
- Sept. 8: The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Hing Hay Park
Saturdays, 7:00–11:00 p.m.
- Aug. 19: Easter Sunday
- Aug. 26: Vale Ni Yaloyalo: A Celebration of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Films
View full details at the Department of Parks and Recreation’s website.
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a co-chair of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. Learn more about them at linktr.ee/hellomynameisvee.
📸 Featured Image: Photo via lev radin/Shutterstock.com.
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