July 2, 2021
.
.
It's hard to believe, but the Fourth of July weekend has arrived! This week's record breaking heat is just the start of what experts say will be a long, dry summer season and as we prepare for celebrations this weekend, it is more important than ever that we all stay aware of the possible fire dangers.
As you've heard me say (or write) many times, if it goes up or blows up, it's illegal in Auburn.
Large fireworks can be traumatic for those with PTSD and pets, and many of the fireworks that are legal in the city, including things like sparklers that can seem like a safe choice, still have dangers.
It only takes a small spark to start a flame on dry grass and the tip of a sparkler can reach 1,200 degrees. That's enough to melt glass!
No matter how you celebrate, I hope you will stay safe, follow fireworks laws, and sit back and enjoy this extra time with family and friends.
 As we celebrate our second day of reopening, I wanted to share this article from the Department of Health about what that means for us in our everyday life:
What exactly does reopening mean?
You can think of reopening as a return to “business as usual.” Most businesses — including restaurants, bars, movie theaters, grocery stores and offices — get to operate like they did before the pandemic. That means no capacity or occupancy limits, so long as they’re following the workplace safety requirements set by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).
There are no capacity limits for outdoor events or most indoor gatherings. The only exception is for very large indoor events (10,000+ attendees). Those events will stay at 75% capacity, for now.
Do I need to wear a mask or physical distance?
That depends largely upon your vaccination status.
There is still a mask order in place for unvaccinated people ages 2 and older. This helps protect not only those who are unvaccinated, but also vulnerable people with auto-immune or other conditions that prevent them from being vaccinated.
People who are not vaccinated should continue to keep 6 feet of distance in public and keep gatherings small.
Fully vaccinated people generally do not need to wear masks in public and do not need to distance from others. However, masks are still needed for travel and public transportation, at schools, in health care settings, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters.
Even though that’s state policy, counties and businesses have the right to enforce masking and distancing, regardless of vaccination status. That’s why our mantra is to “respect the room you’re in.”
Isn’t COVID-19 still spreading?
Washington’s reopening was based on either reaching 70% of people ages 16 and older getting their first dose of the vaccine; or by hitting June 30, whichever happened first. Well, we hit June 30th and 68.8% of people 16 and older in Washington have had their first vaccine.
We can all give ourselves a pat on the back for reaching this milestone. Washingtonians have been cautious in reopening, and it’s paid off.
Just remember, COVID-19 will stay with us as long as new variants keep showing up. And the best way to stop the new variants is through vaccination. That’s why it’s so important to get your vaccine as soon as you’re ready. Unvaccinated people should continue to get tested for COVID-19 if they have any symptoms or had any known exposures.
We encourage everyone to sign up for WA Notify as an added layer of protection for yourself and your community. This free tool alerts you if you’ve been near another user who tested positive for COVID-19 without sharing any personal information.
|
.
“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
.
 On Thursday morning, our facilities crews unloaded our very first parklet on Main Street in one of the parking spaces in front of Rail Hop'n Brewery on Main Street.
If you aren't familiar with parklets, they are public seating platforms that convert curbside parking spaces into spaces that the community can enjoy. The City purchased the materials and staff have been at work quickly assembling them.
We will be deploying more of these this year in order to help eating and drinking establishments in their efforts in economic recovery and we are giving priority to place these parklets in front of restaurants in the downtown area that don’t have outdoor seating.
Right now, we have plans to add four more of these parklets during the summer months, and they will likely stay in place through the early fall. Each summer, we will redeploy them and in the coming years, we may expand their placement for general use.
As we place these throughout downtown, keep in mind that it can take a few days before they are able to be used because Liquor and Cannabis Board regulations require the structure to be in place in order to issue a liquor license that allows beer and wine service within the parklet.
Rail Hop'n tells us that they have been approved for use and should have the final sign off by this weekend, so if you are downtown, I hope you will stop by and try it out!
 .
 If you took part in our Peter Cotton Trail event this spring, you are going to love the newest adventure our Parks team has put together.
Just like the bunnies, the nutty squirrel will be hidden in various parks and trails in Auburn through July 11.
All you have to do is find the squirrels and you will have a chance to win prizes!
Here's how it works:
Print the Nutty Scorecard (PDF) or bring something on your search to track your squirrels (a pen, phone, etc). You will not need to turn your scorecard in, just use the On-line Scorecard Submission Form. You can also get printed copies of the scorecards at:
- Auburn Community & Event Center, 910 Ninth Street SE, in a pamphlet holder, June 28 - July 11.
- Auburn Grocery Outlet, 102 Cross Street SE, during open hours, starting June 28.
- Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro, 18 Auburn Way S, during open hours starting June 28.
- Sound Credit Union, 1202 Outlet Collection Way SW, during open hours starting July 1.
- White River Valley Museum, 918 H Street SE, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM, July 7 - 11.
All of the squirrels will look like the one in the picture above and each has a unique number. (Remember not to take or move the squirrels so everyone can enjoy the activity.) All you need to do is find 10 squirrels then fill out the submission form in the link above. Be sure to submit it before midnight on July 11! Here are the prizes that are available:
- Four (4) Auburn Golf Course Gift Cards (value of $100 each)
- Eight (8) $50 Haggen Food & Pharmacy Gift Cards
- Five (5) $40 Vinifera Food & Wine Bar Gift Cards (may also be used for Smuggler's Deli)
- Four (4) $40 Auburn Grocery Outlet Gift Cards
- Four (4) $40 VISA Gift Cards, compliments of Sound Credit Union
- Three (3) $35 Painting with a Twist Gift Certificates
- Fourteen (14) $20 Jimmy John's Gift Cards
- Four (4) 3-in-1 Tailgate Combo
- Two (2) 16-foot Splashy Shark Slide
- Two (2) Gopher Bop Splash Table
- Three (3) Wigglin' Water Sprinkler
- Five (5) Duck Duck Splash Water Pad
- Eight (8) Make & Take Kits from Auburn's Maker Space
 Next Thursday, we will be holding our July Town Hall event at 6 PM on Zoom, Facebook and YouTube.
This month, the focus will be on the Auburn Police Department as we talk about the many changes and new programs that Chief O'Neil and his officers have started in the past 18-months and introduce you to their new Public Information Officer, Kolby.
We will also have several members of the Police Advisory Committee on the panel to talk about the work of that group during the past year and what's ahead on the horizon.
I hope you will set some time aside to join us! Information about our town hall series and how to log on is at auburnwa.gov/townhalls.
.
Links for information and updates regarding COVID-19:
Sign up for the COVID vaccine
Seattle King County Public Health
Washington State Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office of Governor Inslee
White House
|
