Specials & Shorts
Trey Lamont, owner of Jerk Shack Caribbean restaurant in Belltown, wants to expand to a South Seattle neighborhood to better serve the Black community. More than just a restaurant, his vision is to build community and create jobs with health insurance, college tuition assistance, and child care stipends.
Trey Lamont's Jerk Shack
Trey Lamont, owner of Jerk Shack Caribbean restaurant in Belltown, wants to expand to a South Seattle neighborhood to better serve the Black community. More than just a restaurant, his vision is to build community and create jobs with health insurance, college tuition assistance, and child care stipends.
"There's a great demand for this testing." Since their launch on June 5, the City of Seattle's two free COVID-19 testing sites in Sodo and North Seattle have tested more than 50,000 people since opening. Administering the test takes between two to three minutes, with a swab poke in both nostrils - results average a 72-hour turnaround. Testing by appointment is desired, but not a requirement. For more information, including site locations, health insurance requirements, and availability, visit the City of Seattle's website.
Carving through the pain
"I don't want another family to go through this." It's been nearly 10 years since the police shooting death of John T. Williams. A woodcarver like his brother, Rick Williams, along with his son Eagleson Williams, was carving a totem pole at the CHOP (Capitol Hill Organized Protest) until it was cleared on July 1. Williams spent many days at the CHOP carving, supporting protestors, and sharing his story.
"We are not the class of COVID-19, we are the class of courage." Accepting a diploma in front of classmates, family, and friends is a rite of passage for graduating high school seniors. But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed in-person commencements for the class of 2020. In June, thousands of Seattle Public School seniors celebrated their educational accomplishments with online graduation ceremonies.
Paramount donation that saves lives
There's a surge in need for blood donations as local hospitals return to business as usual. To keep everyone safe while filling an essential need, Bloodworks Northwest is finding new locations for their blood drives. One of these new sites is a pop-up donation center in the Paramount Theatre's historic lobby. John Yeager tells us about the dire need to get as many donations as possible by July 4th. The pop-up blood drive at Seattle's Paramount Theatre is by appointment only Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday through July.
When COVID-19 hit the region, nobody knew what Pride Month would look like. But finding new ways - and new reasons - to connect, celebrate, organize, and thrive is a task well suited to Seattle's LGBTQ+ community. Video by Vincent Pierce
Across Seattle, from Ballard to Columbia City, local artists paint colorful murals and words of encouragement on businesses boarded up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seattle Channel General Manager Shannon Gee was inducted into the Silver Circle of the Northwest Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) on June 6, 2020. The award recognizes Gee’s 25-plus years of lasting contributions to the television industry, which include a succession of award-winning documentaries featuring culturally diverse community-driven content.
This short video was produced in 2018 to screen at the Rainier Beach Town Hall of September 27, 2018.
The Rainier Beach community came together for a town hall to promote the Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) initiative occurring in all six of Rainier Beach schools. The regularly occurring Rainier Beach Town Hall Meetings are opportunities for Rainier Beach stakeholders and residents to learn what is going on in Rainier Beach and to share ideas for addressing the critical issues impacting the community. This video gives an overview of how the PBIS framework is structured and gives a history of the initiative, which began in 2013.
Keep the Music Playing
When the coronavirus pandemic hit Seattle, live music venues had to close their doors without knowing when or if they'd be able to open back up. Andy Palmer, Booking Manager at Nectar Lounge, gives us a backstage pass to what they and many other struggling music venues are doing to connect audiences with live virtual performances. Special thanks to Rob Miller at Boundless Northwest for providing concert and live stream set up footage.
Holding signs reading "Black Lives Matter" and "American music is Black Music," more than 100 people participated in the Arts March for Racial Justice and Equity protest to speak out against racism and police brutality on June 2. The demonstration was organized by professionals in the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera, and the event also put a spotlight on the need for greater Black representation in the arts.
Many homeless assistance programs have had to suspend operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a handful continue to help Seattle's most vulnerable population, including the Chief Seattle Club. The Pioneer Square based organization provides social services for the city's homeless Native Americans, but during the coronavirus crisis, has expanded their outreach to help all in need. Video by Ian Devier
COVID-19 has left 1.6 million people in Washington state struggling to put food on the table. The need is especially high in parts of Seattle and South King County. Various city departments including Human Services and the Office of Sustainability and Environment have funded food access and nutrition for older adults and people experiencing homelessness. A grocery voucher program is now helping 9,000 Seattle families. Seattle senior centers are making meals for delivery. And philanthropic organizations, businesses, and nonprofits, like FareStart, are also assisting in the community-wide effort to battle hunger. For updated information please go to seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19.
In March, Henry Liu looked around Seattle's Chinatown/International District and noticed nearly all the neighborhood's seniors had vanished. Many are sheltering indoors and avoiding the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19, a virus that can be more deadly for the elderly. So how would this vulnerable population get food needed to survive? Henry and the organization he works for, InterIm Community Development Association (InterIm CDA), sprang into action. For the past several months, the nonprofit has been delivering free groceries to the International District's seniors, serving more than 1,000 households weekly.
Have you noticed a parade of fire engines, police cars, ladder trucks, and other first responder vehicles winding their way through Seattle neighborhoods on Friday nights? Don't be alarmed, it's Seattle Fire Department, teaming up with Seattle Police Department, for Friday Night Lights. They're driving engines and ladder trucks through residential streets to let you know they are here to serve. Residents can come to the window, porch, balcony, or front lawn to check out the "light show."
If you are a Star Wars fan, you know that May the 4th is a big day! The date serves as a worldwide celebration for the most ardent fans of the popular film series, many of whom dress in elaborate Star Wars inspired costumes. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused in-person local events to be cancelled, including visits to children at area hospitals. But for one local fan group, the Star Wars 501st Garrison Titan, they are finding new ways to reach out to these vulnerable youngsters. Produced by Randy Eng
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A recording studio hits pause
It's an all too familiar story in the arts. Audio engineer Joe Reineke, owner of Orbit Audio and co-founder of Seattle Recording Arts, is struggling to keep his business alive during the pandemic. Reineke reflects on the future of art as he looks for a path forward for his Pioneer Square studio.
Social distancing restrictions may have shut down your hair salon, but that doesn't have to mean a bad hair day. Hairdresser Ivy Lou Jacobs from Beehive Salon in Seattle's Tanglewood neighborhood shows some simple ways to stay well-coiffed at home when your hairstyle is overdue for a 'do!
In early April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended voluntary use of masks in public. Many people with textile skills have stepped up to make masks for others, including Susan Ishii-Yin. These days, she's sewing masks for herself, her family and some very lucky friends, and helping build community along the way. Additional photos and videography provided by Shelby Yin.
COVID-19 has forced us to take unprecedented measures to help stop the spread of the deadly disease. One group especially vulnerable is the homeless population. The City of Seattle, under Mayor Durkan, has moved swiftly to protect these residents by opening seven new shelter locations. The added shelter capacity has helped re-distribute homeless residents, enabling them to use social distancing to stay healthy. For updated information please go to seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19.
In her regular studio practice, interdisciplinary artist Timea Tihanyi of Slip Rabbit Studio uses 3D-printing to create ceramic sculptures. But lately, she's been using the studio's technology to produce reusable face shield cradles for front-line caregivers addressing the coronavirus pandemic at UW Medicine. Slip Rabbit Studio's efforts are part of a UW campus-wide maker collaboration to address the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) in this timely example of the old saying "many hands make light work."
On Thursday, April 16, 2020, firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs from across the county, along with Seattle Police, AMR, and Airlift NW displayed their support for all healthcare workers by celebrating, encouraging and thanking them for their compassion and dedication in caring for our community in midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Crews parked their vehicles curbside in front of each hospital's main entrance and stood in formation holding signs of encouragement while cheering healthcare workers during the 7 p.m. shift change.
Mark Siano was quarantined in Paris when he noticed that at 8 p.m., the city came alive with noise. When he looked into it, Siano discovered that it was the city collectively applauding the health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. When he returned to Seattle, he helped spread the word about "Make a Joyful Noise," a way to celebrate the health care workers, grocery store clerks, supply chain specialists, janitors, and others working tirelessly on the front lines of the pandemic response.
"We are at the start of a marathon, this is not a sprint." Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, along with other local and state leaders, welcomed the U.S. Army and FEMA as they begin to set up a field hospital at CenturyLink Field Events Center. The facility plans to treat non-COVID-19 cases, in order to reduce the burden on local healthcare facilities. Watch the full press briefing for details.
"Ever since I was little I heard 'I have a dream.' So I'm trying to keep it alive." -Carleton Slade, Seattle Parks and Recreation supervisor. Watch as more than a thousand people marched to honor Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday in Seattle.
