Tag Archives: SeaTac

News

Incumbents Face Off With Social Justice-Minded Challengers for Port Commission

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by Hannah Krieg

Paige Robertson is a young climate justice advocate who lives under the flight path of Sea-Tac International Airport. This means an aircraft could be over her head as often as every 45 seconds, said another concerned resident of the SeaTac area. 

According to a 96-page report by Public Health – Seattle & King County, more than 50% of the people in King County who identify as Black/African American, Hispanic, Latino, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander live within 10 miles of the Sea-Tac airport. This same radius also has the highest rating for negative health outcomes such as heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, premature birth, and cancer. 

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News

Will Local Governments Reflect the Changing Demographics of South King County?

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by Phil Manzano

When talking about his run for Renton City Council, Joseph Todd’s voice breaks slightly and wavers. “I’m sorry, I get a little emotional here.”

He recalls George Floyd’s death a year ago, which sparked a worldwide racial reckoning.

“When we saw a man get murdered in daylight, it begins to bring home, for real, for real, that these systems are trying to kill you,” Todd said. “So that’s why when we created the Renton Residents for Change, it was really all about, ‘We have to get ahead of this.’”

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Voices

Growing South King County Pride Events Show Queer Communities We’re Welcome 

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by Allison Fine

The term “Gay Pride,” coined by gay rights activist Thom Higgins in Minnesota, has become the most common way to articulate the many celebrations held during this month every year. In the U.S., Prides and festivals are usually held in the month of June to commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, a series of demonstrations by the New York City Queer community protesting a violent raid of the Stonewall Inn and the ongoing brutality they were experiencing at the hands of the New York Police Department. Today, Pride Month is a time to celebrate the increased visibility of and continued desire for equality and self-affirmation for the LGBTQ+ community.  

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News

Forum To Address Air and Noise Pollution in Beacon Hill, South King County

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by Chetanya Robinson

Community advocates are fighting on multiple fronts to diminish the harms caused by air and noise pollution in Beacon Hill and South King County.

An upcoming online forum from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 10, Earth Day Aviation & Health Zoom Rally, will give those interested a chance to learn about how local politicians are addressing the problem.

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News

NEWS GLEAMS: Vaccine Updates, Calls for Artists, Earth Day Zoom Rally, and More!

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curated by Emerald Staff

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

Vaccines: Here’s the Latest — UPDATED 4/7 @ 11:30 a.m.

This Week, the City Will Vaccinate a Record 30K People — The City of Seattle will administer approximately 30,000 vaccines across multiple sites this week including Lumen Field Event Center, the Rainier Beach and West Seattle Community Vaccination Hubs, and via Seattle Fire Department Mobile Vaccination Teams (MVTs), which will visit locations where formerly homeless adults live in permanent supportive housing. The MVTs will also administer second-dose shots to older adults living in affordable housing.

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News

As COVID-19 Cases Skyrocket in South King County, PHSKC Plans to Unveil New Financial Relief Program

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by Carolyn Bick

In an effort to better support people who either are or may be infected with the novel coronavirus who would not be able to quarantine themselves at home without risking financial hardship, Public Health – Seattle & King County will be rolling out a financial support program for people infected with the novel coronavirus.

The program has not yet been formally announced, but Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin briefly talked about it in a press conference on Nov. 6, as he was answering the Emerald’s question about the driving factors behind the rapid and concerning rise in COVID-19 cases in South King County, and how — aside from encouraging behavior modification — PHSKC plans to try to combat this rise.

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News

Why Is South King County Dealing With Higher Numbers of COVID-19 Cases Compared to Rest of County?

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by Elizabeth Turnbull

While COVID-19 cases have increased in King County since the beginning of the month overall, South King County, one of the most diverse parts of the Seattle area, has recorded disproportionate numbers of cases.

Whereas 3.2% of all tests in King County come back positive for the novel coronavirus, simply looking at the map of positive tests in the county on King County’s Daily COVID-19 Outbreak Summary webpage (you must choose the “Geography tab” in the dashboard to view the map) will show you that these numbers increase the more you travel south. For example, overall positivity rates in Auburn stand at 8.4% and of individuals tested at the Auburn testing site at 2701 C Sreet Southwest, 12.8% of tests have come back positive since Sept. 1, according to a Seattle Times article.

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News

SeaTac Federal Detention Center Exposed Prisoners to the Coronavirus by Allegedly Failing to Follow Coronavirus Protocols

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by Luna Reyna

In April, ACLU Analytics and researchers from Washington State University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Tennessee predicted that if the United States continued to operate jails and prisons as usual and refused to reduce the number of people incarcerated, estimated fatalities from the coronavirus would double. That same month, in Washington state, Gov. Jay Inslee authorized the release of approximately 1,100 individuals nearing the end of their sentences, but organizations like Human Rights Watch believe that this is far too few. Currently, Washington state prisons have been exposed to COVID-19. Washington State Immigrant Detention Centers have been exposed to COVID-19. And now, the Federal Detention Center (FDC), SeaTac has been exposed. 

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Voices

OPINION: It’s Time for a People’s Budget for SeaTac

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by Takele Gobena

In the weeks since a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd, millions have taken to the streets with a clear rallying cry: Stop propping up the failed systems that hurt Black and Brown communities, and start prioritizing the things that allow us all to live safely, joyously, and free. 

This is not a vague demand. It is a direct call to action for lawmakers at every level of government to take a long, hard look at their budgets and to harness the power of their office to begin to make meaningful change.

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News

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by SeaTac Business Owners Seeking Displacement Benefits

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by Aaron Burkhalter

A King County judge has dismissed a lawsuit by business owners from SeaTac Center, a commercial complex in in the city of SeaTac that is set to be sold and redeveloped, displacing a business community made up of Muslim immigrant populations, predominately people of color.

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