Maskless in Seattle: Today So Far

• Washington's indoor mask mandate ends.
• Postcards from the pandemic.
• Big changes coming out of Olympia.

This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for March 14, 2022.

It has begun. I went to my local laundromat on the first day that Washington's indoor mask mandate went away. Some folks are keeping the masks on, others are dropping them. And both camps were washing clothes that day. Now I know what you're thinking, and yes, people still go to laundromats (a lot of us, actually).

And you might also be thinking that it feels weird to go maskless after wearing them for so long. Or you might feel relieved and inspired to run maskless through the streets like Julie Andrews. All that and a few other feelings are what Seattleites conveyed to KUOW recently. I'm personally keeping my mask on indoors for a while longer. And there remain some situations where masks will still be required, like health care settings or on airplanes. And despite the case numbers going down, Covid is still quite common. Obama just tested positive. Outbreaks are emerging yet again overseas. And it seems like we're looking at a fourth vaccine dose.

Our experiences over the past two years are likely to go down in history as quite unique. Check out KUOW's Pandemic Postcards — an audio time capsule of sorts, with people sharing their experiences during this time. KUOW is still collecting these audio postcards. We've posted a few to kick things off. There's Matt from Beacon Hill who talks about his dog walks. And Lauren from Lynnwood, a bartender who was laid off amid shutdowns, but still found joy in a new furry friend discovered at a gas station. Drew from the Central District became captivated by sidewalk art that expressed a mix of anxiety and hope. Check them out here.

Down in Olympia, lawmakers recently made their final votes on legislation that will affect you in the coming years. A lot of bills passed, and a lot didn't. A $5 billion boost in state spending was approved. As were some fixes to police reform laws left over from the last session. There's even a new law aimed at catalytic converter theft. Inslee's goal of making election lies illegal died in the Legislature. Middle housing hopes didn't survive. And addressing the governor's extensive emergency powers also didn't make it through.

What did make it through is the state's new transportation package that was largely pushed through by the Democratic majority. Republican input was minimal, if not ignored, and that isn't sitting too well with the state GOP. This $17 billion package will span the next 16 years, though only about half of it is going to roads and car-related projects. There's a big chunk for new high-speed rail from Vancouver, BC to Portland. And lawmakers opted not to go with the controversial gas tax on neighboring states. Instead, this will be largely paid for through higher licensing fees. So be prepared for some sticker shock at the DOL.

AS SEEN ON KUOW

Seattle police officers watch crews with the city's parks department remove tents from Westlake Park on Friday, March 11, 2022. It was the second encampment to be removed from downtown Seattle within the week. The first was in front of City Hall. (Casey Martin / KUOW)

DID YOU KNOW?

According to Niche (a school information website), Seattle is the 13th best city in the USA. But when you break it down to specific interests, it gets better. Seattle is the top city in the country for outdoor activities. It's the third best city for young professionals. When it comes to diversity ... well, perhaps we should move on to the rankings for best cities to raise a family, of which Seattle comes in 17th. (Side note: Kent comes in at 7th for diversity.)

This is a guilty pleasure of mine — when online companies dive into data from the census, FBI, etc. to come up with rankings and conclusions. Partially because it's fun, but also because it's a good reminder that data is often void of nuance and context.

For example, Niche also ranked the best places to live in Washington state. Topping the the list is Sammamish Valley. Not Sammamish, rather Sammamish Valley in Redmond, which consists of a golf course, sports fields, and some office/light industrial buildings. That's it. I'm not sure who is "living" in that neighborhood. Niche came to its conclusions by adding up factors like housing and home values, schools, job numbers, crime rates, etc. Which is why the rest of the top five best places to live in Washington are: Southeast Redmond; North Redmond; Wilburton; and Overlake. So basically the stretch of neighborhoods lining Highway 520 through Bellevue/Redmond. Now I'm sure that will provoke a few opinions.

ALSO ON OUR MINDS

Black business ownership is higher than pre-pandemic. Women are driving that growth

Today, as the pandemic wanes, the number of Black-owned businesses in the U.S. is currently around 30% above pre-pandemic levels. That growth is being driven by Black women.

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