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

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Republican Kevin McCarthy Ousted as Speaker of the House

Presently — and for the first time in history — the U.S. House of Representatives is operating without a speaker of the House, following a Tuesday vote to oust Republican Kevin McCarthy from the role. The vote came following McCarthy’s decision to compromise with Democrats on a spending bill that temporarily avoids a government shutdown until Nov. 17, which was passed by the majority of Democrats but upset some of McCarthy’s Republican colleagues, including Republican Matt Gaetz of Florida, who orchestrated the “motion to vacate” McCarthy from his role.

Back in January 2023, McCarthy saw 14 rounds of votes before he was finally able to attain the position of speaker of the House on the 15th round. He was eventually voted in for the role, primarily due to a contingent of right-wing Republicans who disagreed with his fiscal policies. McCarthy eventually secured the position by making a number of compromises; among those was that any member of the House could petition for his removal at any time.

In his mission to vacate McCarthy from his role, Gaetz sought both Democratic and Republican support for his motion, and on Tuesday, succeeded in a vote of 216 to 210, with support from both Republicans and Democrats. The vast majority of the Republicans supported McCarthy in his role as speaker; the vote would not have succeeded without support from all 208 Democrats and eight far-right Republicans.

McCarthy has stated he will not run again for the position, and Republican Patrick McHenry of North Carolina will serve as the acting temporary speaker of the House, as Republicans prepare for elections next Wednesday. The role is open to individuals who are not in Congress, and a number of potential successors are starting to be identified.

The speaker of the House can be considered the most important role of the legislative branch, and is third in line for presidential succession, as necessary.

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The Emerald’s Oct. 5 Electoral Debate Between District 2 Candidates Tammy Morales and Tanya Woo

At 7 p.m. on Oct. 5, 2023, the South Seattle Emerald will host an electoral debate between Seattle City Council District 2 incumbent Tammy Morales and challenger Tanya Woo, moderated by Mike Davis, the Emerald’s Voices editor.

The candidate forum is free and open to the public; interested members of the public can attend in-person at Rainier Arts Center or livestream the event on the Emerald’s Facebook page. Some of the questions that will be asked were submitted directly by Emerald readers!

The Emerald has also published articles with both candidates prior to the Forum so audiences can hear directly from incumbent candidate Councilmember Tammy Morales and incoming challenger Tanya Woo. The Q&A portion of the piece allows each candidate to share their perspectives in their own words.

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‘Bites and Ballots’ Forum to Discuss Public Education With School Board and City Council Candidates

All are welcome to join a consortium of education nonprofits in “Bites and Ballots,” a public forum that invites Seattle School Board and Seattle City Council candidates to discuss the future of public education. The event will begin with a free family-style meal, followed by small roundtables with candidates cycling through to encourage more personal questions and face-to-face time between the candidates and community members. Topics covered will include funding for schools, equity and access to high-quality education, curriculum development, community engagement, school safety, and student well-being.

The free event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rainier Avenue Church (5900 Rainier Ave. S.). Attendees are encouraged to RSVP and submit questions in advance through an online form, available in the following languages: Amharic, Cantonese, English, Oromo, Tigrinya, Vietnamese, Somali, and Spanish.

The “Bites and Ballots” forum is organized by Alliance for Education, Black Education Strategy Roundtable, League of Education Voters, Seattle Council PTSA, Seattle Student Union, Southeast Seattle Education Coalition, and the South Seattle Emerald.

Translation and interpretation will be available for ASL, Amharic, Cantonese, Oromo, Tigrinya, Vietnamese, Somali, and Spanish; the event will also be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend. For additional information, accessibility, and updates about the event, please visit the “Bites and Ballots” webpage.

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Spokane Low Bridge Closed for Repairs Oct. 7–14

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has announced closures to the Spokane Street (Low) Bridge from Oct. 7–14. All activities, including driving, walking, and biking, will be prohibited at this time. The connection point across the west Duwamish Waterway was built in 1991 and requires ongoing maintenance; it opens for waterway vessels over 1,500 times a year.

Many other options for travel exist while the low bridge is closed, and they can be seen on SDOT’s website. They include:

• Drive across the West Seattle Bridge’s “high bridge”: The high bridge is open to drivers, though it is not accessible to pedestrians or bikers.
• Ride the bus: Bus travel is, in fact, the fastest way to get across the Duwamish Waterway without driving, and routes can be mapped via King County Metro’s Trip Planner. SDOT is offering free credits for trips during this closure; view details on its website.
• Ride the water taxi: The West Seattle Water Taxi provides direct service from West Seattle to downtown Seattle. SDOT is offering free credits for trips during this closure; view details on its website.
• Use freight and business access to Harbor Island and Terminal 5: SDOT states that truck drivers, port workers, and others who need to access either Harbor Island or Terminal 5 can still do so, with route amendments. Exact details can be seen on its website.

This closure follows repairs made in January 2023, and involves reinstalling the turn cylinder that was removed from the bridge last year for refurbishment. Other updates made on the bridge between 2020 and 2022 can be seen via the Spokane St Swing Bridge Rehabilitation Program. According to SDOT, they included “injecting epoxy resin into existing cracks in the low bridge and adding carbon-fiber wrapping in several locations on both interior and exterior surfaces to strengthen the bridge.”

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📸 Featured Image: Photo by Cliff Owen via Consolidated News Photos/Shutterstock.com

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