Category Archives: News

News

Local Leaders, Activists React to What They Need in New King County Sheriff

by Elizabeth Turnbull

Without the Emerald, the true narrative of our community would rarely be told. For too long, and for too often, most media has painted our community in a negative light. When I say community, I include everyone who our mainstream media often ignores, diminishes, and casts aside. The Emerald has been here to remind our community of its worth, and that like all emeralds, karat for karat, the people of our community are worth more than gold. Join me in supporting the Emerald as a recurring donor during their 8th anniversary campaign, Ripples & Sparks at Home, April 20–28. Become a Rainmaker today by choosing the “recurring donor” option!

—Phillip “Papa” Green, The Publisher’s Dad (and Longtime Community Curmudgeon)

As the process of appointing a new King County sheriff progresses, local activists and leaders are looking to make sure that past issues do not repeat themselves. 

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News

Metro Wants to Get Rid of Cash Fares. Will Vulnerable Riders Be Left Behind?

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by Erica C. Barnett

(This article originally appeared on PubliCola and has been reprinted with permission.)

Join me in helping the Emerald create ripples and sparks everywhere! Information is Power! Imagine media for, by, and accountable to the community — thankfully, you don’t have to, because the Emerald already exists! As a founding board member living in a community so often treated as powerless, I’ve seen the Emerald grow to become a beacon of light that reminds us of our power, our wisdom, and our agency. But we can’t continue to do it without sustainable financial resources that allow us to thrive. Help us celebrate authentic community stories during the Emerald’s 8th anniversary campaign, Ripples & Sparks at Home, April 20–28, by becoming a recurring donor! 

—Bridgette Hempstead, Community Activist, Founding Board Member, & Rainmaker

Sometime in the not-too-distant future, King County Metro plans to rip out its existing fare boxes, which accept cash, tickets, and ORCA transit passes, and replace them with a cash-free payment system — part of a long-term plan to expedite boarding, integrate the County’s bus system with Sound Transit, and reduce conflicts between riders and drivers. “Every second you save at the curb is money you can reinvest at keeping service operating,” said Carol Cooper, Metro’s Market Innovation Section manager.

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News

Environmental Activists Hold Earth Day Protest as Biden Visits Seward Park

by Ronnie Estoque

The Emerald blows loudly as the royal trumpet, signaling that there is indeed life abundant. It’s the sound of information, the sound of challenge, the sound of change and — maybe most importantly — the sound of hope. Join me in supporting the Emerald as a recurring donor during their 8th anniversary campaign, Ripples & Sparks at Home, April 20–28. Become a Rainmaker now by choosing the “recurring donor” option on the donation page!

—Marcus Harden, Educator, Author, & Rainmaker

On Friday, local community members showed up in droves to watch President Joe Biden’s arrival at Seward Park. Environmental activists representing the “Ship It Zero” campaign were in attendance for the event and held various signs encouraging Biden to commit to zero-emission shipping by 2030. The event also included advocates in support of vaccines for children under the age of 5.

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News

Rainier Beach Iftar Meal Focuses on Ramadan and Stewardship

by Ronnie Estoque

The Emerald is the only place that truly covers my neighborhood’s news stories and makes my news puzzle (and me) whole. I used to feel exasperated at the invisible South End news pieces, but the Emerald makes my picture complete. Join me in supporting the Emerald as a recurring donor during their 8th anniversary campaign, Ripples & Sparks at Home, April 20–28. Become a Rainmaker today by choosing the “recurring donor” option on the donation page!

—Susan Davis, Rainmaker

Last Saturday evening, community members gathered at the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands for Iftar, a meal eaten by Muslims after sunset during Ramadan. The event was organized through a partnership between Wasat, Masakan, and Tilth Alliance. 

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News

Police Use More Force Against BIPOC Individuals, Report Shows

by Guy Oron

(This article originally appeared on Real Change News and has been reprinted with permission.) 

The Emerald is a blueprint to showing, sharing, and bridging Black and Brown folks through the power of storytelling. The Emerald is what we should be truly striving for as a community. Don’t just talk about it. Create a way to practice and be about us coming together. The Emerald is setting the example. Join me in supporting the Emerald as a recurring donor during their 8th anniversary campaign, Ripples & Sparks at Home, April 20–28. Become a Rainmaker today by choosing the “recurring donor” option on the donation page!

—Sharon Nyree Williams, Artist, Orator, & Rainmaker

A preliminary report released by the Seattle Police Monitor shows that Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers committed violence against Black people in 2021 at a disproportionate rate, consistent with previous years. The report also suggests a small decline in minor uses of force by police officers and an increase in higher severity uses of force.

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News

NEWS GLEAMS: A Day to Serve, A Day to Be Well, And a Day to Connect Across the Atlantic

curated by Emerald Staff

A round-up of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

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News

Cases Continue to Rise, but Mask Picture Gets Muddy for People Measuring Risk

by Sally James

The Emerald community has been creating ripples with its creativity and genius for 8 magnificent years! Those ripples are felt far beyond South Seattle — community, after all, is not a place but its people. And home can be a place, people, or both. The energy our people generate at home and beyond ignites sparks that prove perennially that even the tiniest of sparks illuminates dark places in all directions and can guide us to wherever we need to go.

Please help us continue to serve our community by becoming a recurring donor during our 8th anniversary campaign, Ripples & Sparks at Home, April 20–28. Become a Rainmaker today by choosing the “recurring donor” option on our donation page! 

—The Emerald Team

Should I wear a mask?

Should I get a second COVID-19 booster vaccine?

Suddenly, questions and answers about staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic seem as mercurial as Seattle’s spring weather, where it may rain, hail, or shine depending on the hour and where you are.

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News

Davison’s Plan to Clear Case Backlog Includes Dismissing Nearly 2,000 Misdemeanors

by Erica C. Barnett

(This article originally appeared on PubliCola and has been reprinted with permission.)

City Attorney Ann Davison’s office announced Davison will decline to prosecute nearly 2,000 misdemeanor cases referred by the Seattle Police Department as part of an effort to eliminate what she has described as a 5,000-case backlog left over by her predecessor, Pete Holmes. “In order to maintain close-in-time filing for present day cases, some cases from the backlog will be declined, including those involving: Property Destruction, Theft, Criminal Trespass, and Non-DUI Traffic,” the announcement from Davison’s office says.

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News

What Led to an Impending Hutchinson Park Overhaul: An Advocacy Story

by Ari Robin McKenna

Following an early afternoon shooting in October 2020, where almost 70 shots were fired and five people were hit with bullets on the dead-end street between Hutchinson Park and Emerson Elementary School, neighbors were on edge.

For some, it set the tone for the nervy pandemic months that followed, the violence echoing across Hutchinson Park and its playground. Community members in this slice of Rainier Beach pined for a playground and park that reflected their hopes for public, communal space to ease the isolation of the pandemic. The Hutchinson Playground is also the playground for Emerson Elementary School students and neighborhood children, a place for play and learning.

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News

Delridge Traffic Barrier Causes Hardship for Community Preschool

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by Lizz Giordano

Luz Casio spends many of her mornings directing traffic outside the Refugee and Immigrant Family Center Bilingual Preschool (RIFC) in West Seattle’s Delridge neighborhood. As director of the preschool, she’s trying to help make drop-off a little less chaotic for families.

Casio says this extra duty wasn’t needed before Seattle’s Department of Transportation (SDOT) installed a yellow concrete median in the middle of Delridge Way that cut off left-turn access to the preschool. The road redesign was done in anticipation of the RapidRide H Line, a new King County Metro bus route set to start running frequent service between Downtown Seattle and Burien along Delridge in late 2022.

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