COVID-19 UPDATES
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) is reporting 108 new positive cases of COVID-19 (19,819 total) and 5 new COVID-19-related deaths (729 total) as of this afternoon. I’d been hoping the numbers would be down further than they were yesterday, but that unfortunately is not the case. The number of new hospitalizations is 5 (2,239 to date). Of the 14,710 cases in which race and ethnicity information is available, 5,643 of those are white and 9,067 are Black, Indigenous and People of Color.
Yesterday, Public Health reported 46 new positive cases of COVID-19 (19,711 total) and 4 new COVID-19-related deaths (724 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 5 (2,234 total). On Monday, Public Health reported 111 new positive cases of COVID-19 (19,665 total) and 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (720 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 4 (2,229 total).
Statewide, according to the state Department of Health (DOH), as of yesterday, September 1st, the total number of positive cases was 75,377. Total number of deaths statewide was 1,935, and total hospitalizations were 6,795.
Detailed information about demographics of those who died from COVID-19, including by age and gender, as well as on rates of hospitalization, is available on Public Health’s data dashboard.
The graphs that we normally include here are not available today. We apologize for the inconvenience.
COVID UPDATES
Food assistance: Applications due September 11th for the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program
 As we’ve noted before, food insecurity has increased in King County since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. (See this August update from Public Health.) The Pandemic EBT program provides families with children that are eligible for free or reduced-priced meals a food benefit that allows them to buy groceries while schools are remote. It is estimated that King County has about 41,000 families that are eligible for this program. The deadline to apply has been extended to Friday, September 11th at 5:00 p.m. Apply online at WashingtonConnection.org or by calling DSHS at 877–501–2233 (translation available). See this article for details on the Pandemic EBT program (links to other languages included).
Council passes Fourth COVID-19 Emergency Budget
 The County Council approved a fourth round of emergency funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic yesterday. As Budget Chair, I along with my staff have been very busy with these emergency budgets as this funding is absolutely crucial for many County residents. This fourth COVID-19 emergency budget continues the County’s efforts to get relief to those most in need and to facilitate recovery from the economic recession that has resulted from the pandemic. The funds for the County’s fourth emergency COVID budget were provided by the U.S. Treasury from the CARES Act passed by Congress and signed by the President last April and by Washington state for local governments and health districts.
Totaling nearly $100 million, our Fourth Emergency COVID Omnibus budget was passed unanimously and provides funding for a variety of needed services and programs. The vast majority of funding is to continue to bolster Public Health’s response to the pandemic, to expand testing, and to maintain the isolation and de-intensification sites throughout the County. The budget also includes funding to help restaurants, bars and taverns comply with the Governor’s safe start orders; provides funding to continue our support of the arts, culture, and science organizations that have been adversely affected by closures, cancellations and loss of work and that can help bring tourism back; expands funding of emergency child care; provides rental assistance for local non-profits that are responding to COVID-19; and provides expanded flu vaccination in communities disproportionally impacted by COVID-19. (This last item was originally suggested to me by a constituent.) And, importantly, throughout our allocations we have prioritized services for those communities that have been underserved and have been affected by systemic racism. See the above link for details on what was included in the budget. We anticipate one more COVID-19 budget prior to the end of the year.
Support for domestic violence survivors added to emergency COVID budget
I am pleased that the amendment I sponsored with Councilmembers Claudia Balducci, Kathy Lambert and Rod Dembowski, that provides an additional $750,000 for domestic violence and sexual assault victims and survivors, was unanimously approved by my colleagues on the Council. Studies show that incidents of domestic violence have increased since the start of the pandemic, most likely driven by stay at home orders, economic and other stressors and job losses. Calls to domestic violence hotlines across the United States have surged upwards of 25% since social distancing measures were enacted.
See the following articles for more information:
Domestic abuse survivors worry as WA detains more inmates at home - Crosscut
Why the Increase in Domestic Violence During COVID-19? – Psychology Today
Domestic violence rose during lockdown — and injuries are dramatically more severe, study finds – The LA Times
Behind Closed Doors: Domestic Violence And Abuse During Covid-19 - Forbes
King County Metro is "Ready When You Are" with new safety innovations and route changes
 Executive Dow Constantine, joined by Councilmember Rod Dembowski and me, announced today that Metro is rolling out more than 1,400 first-of-their-kind automated safety partitions between passengers and the driver, to be installed on Metro buses, including Sound Transit Express buses operated by Metro. Metro also will equip over 100 buses with on-board dispensers to provide masks on the busiest routes.
The plexiglass safety partitions will swing into position when a driver opens the front door, minimizing interaction between boarding passengers and the driver. The partition also can be opened manually by the driver to allow them to leave their seat to assist passengers, including those who use mobility devices.
Alongside new safety partitions, Metro is installing mask dispensers on 102 buses this month, starting with RapidRide buses on the A and F lines in south King county and 60-foot trolley buses on routes 7, 36, 43, 44, and 49 in Seattle. Metro intends to install more dispensers on other high-ridership routes in the future. Each dispenser holds about 150 masks, and Metro will monitor demand and refill them as needed. The Council designated funds in our Third COVID Budget in late June - in a proviso sponsored by my Council colleague Rod Dembowski and me (shown above) - to provide dispensers and masks on public transportation.
JUSTICE UPDATES: RACIAL, ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, CRIMINAL
Executive Constantine to host series on an equitable, sustainable post-COVID future
 County Executive Constantine will be hosting a free three-part series exploring one burning question: How can we make our region’s post-COVID future more equitable and more sustainable? The first of the three events will be held Thursday, September 10th at 5 – 6 p.m. Pacific Time. The next two sessions will take place at the same time on the 15th and 17th.
In these three discussions, Executive Dow Constantine will be joined by twelve local leaders to explore the challenges our region faces, and what we can do during this period of upheaval to address issues including economic inequality, racism, access to healthcare, climate change, unemployment, small business recovery, education, housing, childcare, food access, and transportation.
The panel on September 10th will focus on Identifying and agreeing on the gaps to focus on in recovering from the pandemic. Speakers include Dr. Benjamin S. Danielson, Clinic Chief, Seattle Children's Odessa Brown Children's Clinic; Estela Ortega, Executive Director, El Centro de la Raza; Harpreet Dha, Owner, Punjab Sweets; and Gordon McHenry Jr., President & CEO, United Way of King County.
Register via Eventbrite to confirm your seat today! Space is limited. For more information see this post on Facebook.
OMISSION / CORRECTION: Seattle Storm and WNBA are taking aggressive steps against racial inequity!
I am chagrined to acknowledge that we inadvertently left out the important anti-racism work being done by the Seattle Storm and the WNBA in Monday’s enewsletter blurb about professional sports involvement in anti-racism efforts. (I’ve worked for decades on Title IX and promotion of women in sports, including of the Storm. A reader brought this omission to our attention.)
In fact, the Storm and the rest of the WNBA skipped two games in protest. The WNBA is dedicating its entire season to social justice and has emblazoned the words “Black Lives Matter” on the courts. In addition, Breonna Taylor’s name is on every player’s jersey and each game is dedicated to someone lost to police violence or a hero in the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for racial justice. For more on the WNBA’s actions and history of activism, see this article from CNN.
Also, for more on the Storm’s anti-racism efforts, see this article. Thank you, Jennifer, for supplying these links and alerting us to this oversight!
OTHER UPDATES
King County Elections is challenging voters to hit 90% turnout in the November General election.
 King County voters have consistently outperformed turnout expectations over the last year, including surpassing expectations by 13% in the August Primary. 90% turnout would be record-breaking, with a previous high of 85% in the 2012 General election. Read more on the challenge here.
All eligible voters can register and update their registration online through October 26th. Voters are encouraged to make sure they’re registered at their current address as soon as possible. After October 26th, voters will need to visit a Vote Center in person to get registered or make changes to their registration. There will be Vote Centers open to serve voters during the voting period, including locations at Elections headquarters in Renton and CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle. Additional locations will also be available across King County.
Ballots will be mailed to voters on October 14th and most voters should have them in hand by Monday, October 19th. Those who have not received their ballot by October 19 should call King County Elections at 206-296-VOTE (8683) or can access and print their ballot online and then return by mail or drop box. All voters are encouraged to return their ballot as early as possible, whether utilizing the mail or one of the more than 70 secure ballot drop box locations around the county. Ballots must be postmarked or deposited in a drop box by 8 p.m. sharp on Election Day.
Voters can find more information on what they can do now to make a plan and get ready to vote in October by visiting the County Elections blog, Election Connection.
AUDIO: A costly subsidy for 'refined coal' is failing to achieve air pollution goals, researcher finds
 From Yale Climate Connections/Photo credit: TripodStories- AB / Wikimedia
The U.S. government provides about $1 billion annually in tax credits for chemically-treated coal that is supposed to cut air pollution. According to the study’s researcher, Brian Prest, a post-doctoral fellow at a research nonprofit called Resources for the Future, the tax credit can make it profitable for some older power plants to keep burning coal for longer. So it may actually increase carbon pollution and worsen global warming. Listen to the story and read more here.
Additional helpful and informative links
- COVID-19 has likely passed Alzheimer’s as the 3rd leading cause of death in King County - The Seattle Times
- People under 40 have the highest coronavirus infection rates and yet they keep going to brunch – The Stranger
- U.S. advisory group lays out detailed recommendations on how to prioritize Covid-19 vaccine – Stat News
- Coronavirus live updates: US to shun world effort to develop vaccine; Here's who should get first vaccinations; Fauci debunks COVID theories – USA Today
- Steroids cut death rates among critically ill COVID-19 patients, major study finds – NBC News
- Pandemic's emotional hammer hits hard – NPR
- The nudists spreading coronavirus in a French resort – BBC
- CDC issues sweeping temporary halt on evictions nationwide amid pandemic - NPR
- After backlash, USDA agrees to extend free-meal program for children - The Seattle Times
- Number of area families going without enough food rises – KUOW
- How do reopening plans in Washington compare to schools nationwide? – King 5
- U.S. CBO sees FY20 federal budget deficit of $3.3 trillion amid coronavirus spending – Reuters
- For BIPOC communities, local news crisis extends beyond major cities - Columbia Journalism Review
- Systemic racism has consequences for all life in cities - UW News
- The perils of ‘helpful’ white people shaken by police violence – Crosscut
- How to win an argument: brainstorm instead - NPR
- Seattle’s museums are reopening - mostly – Crosscut
- Mortgage lenders face increasing risks from sea-level rise - Yale Climate Connections
- WWF: Canada endangered species face 'staggering losses' - BBC
Today’s moment of inspiration
Ugandan gorillas in Bwindi National Park have 'baby boom'
 Photo: BBC/Uganda Wildlife Authority
A couple of weeks ago we told you about an elephant baby boom at a national park in Kenya. That boom was attributed to recent increase in rains (which brought more food for elephant grazing) as well as better enforcement of anti-poaching laws. The BBC is now reporting the Ugandan Wildlife Service (UWS) has declared a baby boom after five baby gorillas were been born in a six week period in Bwindi National Park.
According to the BBC story, the UWS reports that seven gorilla babies have been born since January compared to three for the whole of 2019. Mountain gorillas are endangered with just over 1,000 in existence.
“The UWS told the BBC that this year was unprecedented for gorilla births but it is not clear why there has been this uptick.” However, the parks have just begun slowly opening up primate locations to visitors, following a long closure due to the coronavirus. Read the BBC article here.
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I’m sending out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - - and sometimes more frequently. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. And you can click here to visit the archive page where you can find all of my previous enews updates.
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