First there was Flint, Michigan’s horrific revelations of high levels of lead in the city’s water supply. Last week, Tacoma revealed that it had found high levels of lead in samples taken from older homes, and this morning it was reported that two Tacoma schools tested for lead in its water last year. This has raised questions about whether the residents of Seattle should also be concerned about lead in their water. This morning, officials from Seattle Public Utilities briefed the City Council on the issue, and the good news is that almost no one in Seattle should be worried. …
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News roundup: NCIS, SODO Arena, and pretty much everything else
After a few days’ dry spell, everyone’s writing about the City Council again…
Continue readingNews roundup: NCIS, Housing levy, safe injection sites, and more
Lots of City Council-related news this morning…
Continue readingComing soon to your pharmacy: prescription drug disposal
This morning the City Council considered a resolution encouraging Seattle’s participation in a county-wide prescription drug disposal program.
Continue readingNews roundup: Larry Weis confirmation
Yesterday’s confirmation of Larry Weis as CEO of Seattle City Light tops the news coverage this morning. Plus a discussion of safe injection sites.
Continue reading$1M of State money for The Jungle: not (quite) what you heard
We all heard last week that the Washington State Legislature has allocated $1 million for building a razor wire fence around the unsanctioned encampment under three miles of I-5 known as “The Jungle.” This morning during the Council Briefing we learned more, and the details are a bit different.
Continue readingCouncil gets briefed on The Jungle: we’re going to need a bigger table
This morning the City Council got a briefing on the recent assessment of the East Duwamish Greenbelt homeless encampment, better known as “The Jungle.” You can read the assessment team’s written report here, or my summary here. The factual part of this morning’s briefing didn’t relay much information beyond what was in the report, instead the council members were eager to discuss an appropriate response.
Continue readingThe Jungle
Many of us heard about the Seattle homeless encampment known as “The Jungle” for the first time late last month when a double homicide occurred there. That same night, Mayor Ed Murray, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and Governor Jay Inslee agreed to a joint assessment of the site to gather data on the conditions there and the risks and hazards posed by its ongoing presence. That report is now in, and the City Council will be briefed on it tomorrow morning. And it’s far, far worse than you imagined.
Continue readingThis week: busy busy busy
Lots going on this week.
Continue readingNews roundup: homeless response
Yesterday’s City Council meeting on the emergency homeless response, and the wide conversations in the community, are dominating the news this morning.
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