A heat wave hits the west, COVID restrictions are lifting, and revitalization efforts begin in Seattle, this week

Bill Radke reviews the week's news with Q13 reporter Jennifer Lee, Seattle Channel host and producer Brian Callanan, and Kitsap Sun reporter Joshua Farley.

Seattle has reached 100 degrees Farenheit three times in recorded history. Starting this weekend it’s possible it’ll hit it three more. An excessive heat warning will be in effect for most of Western Washington starting Friday, with a "moderate risk" Friday for those sensitive to heat. Saturday through Monday there will be "high risk" for sensitive populations and those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration. With night time temperatures forecasted to only drop to around 70 degrees, there won’t be much relief there either. New temperature map data from King County also shows that places with more pavement and fewer trees will be the hottest. Some of those warmest, in industrial and dense areas, are Auburn, Kent, Renton and Burien, also home to the highest populations of Black and indigenous and people of color. Plus, one tried and true method for beating the heat is heading to your nearest body of water -- be that the Sound, or your local pool.

Also, Washington State is set to fully reopen on June 30th. The state has reportedly reached a 70 percent vaccination level, which is the threshold needed to justify rolling back coronavirus restrictions. That said, gamma and delta variants of the virus are continuing to spread, leading some to wonder if a full opening is getting ahead of true virus containment. While many celebrate a potential ‘return to normal’ after next Wednesday, pandemic problems aren’t all gone. Mayor Jenny Durkan extended the city’s eviction moratorium into the fall, and as did Governor Jay Inslee. Rent relief has been distributed to state and local coffers, but distributing those funds has been difficult. While the moratorium is getting a bump, Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda is set to propose legislation to end the $4 hazard pay bonus for grocery workers, which has been in effect since January. And Canada is also in the midst of a new phased border reopening plan, which means tourists could be allowed back in as soon as late July. That’s welcome news for Point Roberts, which is in the midst of a “humanitarian crisis” as the pandemic has forced the peninsular town into near-total isolation.

Plus, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that the city is making major investments to revitalize downtown after 450 businesses in the area have closed since the beginning of the pandemic. Money will also be allocated for beautification, summer events, and will aim to improve safety for downtown visitors and workers. King County Councilmember Regan Dunn is also trying to get the park by City Hall condemned, so the county can sweep its encampment, which has seen a number of high-profile incidents in the last year. Many see homelessness as a major reason for the decline in downtown’s popularity. Compassion Seattle is proposing an amendment to the city charter that would make sweeps regular, and they’re collecting signatures to put the amendment on the November ballot. With safety also in mind, a recent fire killed two people at a homeless encampment, and a recent shooting in Mount Baker took place just feet away from a preschool. Seattle fits within the trend of cities around the country seeing spikes in crime.

Lastly, this weekend is meant to be the capstone of Pride month. Events are planned throughout Capitol Hill, even with the hot weather. But, this week dozens of scheduled participants, including mayoral candidates, community groups, and entertainers dropped from a planned festival in Cal Anderson Park. Seattle City Council President and mayoral candidate Lorena Gonzalez was one of those people, saying, “I will no longer be attending Capitol Hill Pride after reading their letter to the Seattle Human Rights Commission… I simply cannot support an organization that is trying to stop Black people in the LGBTQ+ community from celebrating Pride in the manner that they choose.” The letter she’s referring to was a complaint made by Charlette LeFevre and Philip Lipson, the founders of Capitol Hill Pride. They wrote to the city asking them to investigate an event taking place this weekend at Jimi Hendrix Park called Taking B(l)ack Pride. The event is encouraging white attendees to pay “reparation fees” ranging from $10 to $50 to pay performers and keep the festival free for Black and brown trans and queer community members. Capitol Hill Pride called the act “reverse discrimination”, saying they felt it violated local and federal equality laws. The city’s Human Rights Commission posted their complaint to Facebook, as well as a response telling them to, “...educate yourself on the harm it may cause Seattle’s BIPOC community in your pursuit of a free ticket to an event that is not expressly meant for you and your entertainment.” Capitol Hill Pride has since apologized for the complaint, but it doesn’t seem to be stemming the tide of people pulling out of their festival.