Also in this edition: REGISTER TO VOTE, Fare Share signing ceremony, and Seattle Storm bring home a fourth WNBA Championship



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In this unprecedented year, COVID-19 has forever altered our City. While we were an original epicenter of the virus, the actions that each of us are choosing to take are literally saving lives.

As reported by theSeattle Times [ [link removed] ] this week, Seattle is recording the lowest cases of COVID-19 compared to the top 30 other major cities with currently available data. In addition, our City has some of the lowest hospitalization rates and death in the country.

Seattle is leading the country in our response to COVID-19 because of the continued actions of Seattles residents and businesses. We must continue our actions, because in recent weeks we have seen an increase in cases across King County and the state. In the last 14 days, our City has seen 492 cases, 16 hospitalizations and 8 deaths.

Unlike the other Washington, every step of the way, our local officials, residents, and businesses have understood how dangerous and deadly COVID-19 is to our community. Our community believes in practicing physical distancing, wearing face coverings, washing their hands, and limiting their gatherings. Most of our businesses have modified their business models to transform into safer establishments to minimize the risk to both employees and customers. When individuals believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 or feel sick, they can visit our free citywide testing sites, which have now surpassed 250,000 tests (more on that below).

There continues to be no national leadership on the COVID-19 crisis or recognition of basic scientific facts. We are not taking our leadership cues from a White House whose actions continue to put at risk the lives of so many.

To address both the public health crisis and economic crisis, I continue to listen and learn from other cities. In the early days of the virus, many cities like New York City did not act quick enough and saw an astonishing surge in cases, deaths, and hospitalizations. We have now seen that many cities have reopened too quickly, leading to a dramatic increase in cases.

Heres what we know [ [link removed] ]: seven months into the crisis, Seattle has the lowest cumulative cases of the top 30 major cities in the U.S. Seattle also has the lowest hospitalizations per resident and the second lowest deaths per resident.

Chart showing the cumulative COVID-19 cases per 1000 residents in Seattle

Across the country, there are now7.6 million cases and 213,000 deaths [ [link removed] ]. Many individuals have been hospitalized. We must never forget that these loved ones are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends. Many families could not be with their loved ones in their final days or mourn their losses. Ultimately, we are taking actions locally to protect our friends and family while preventing our health care system from being overwhelmed.

COVID-19 will continue to be in our community until there is a vaccine or proven treatments.

We need to continue to be vigilant and continue our efforts to save lives. The actions of individuals who ignore public health guidance will hurt the health and wellbeing our friends, families, and community. In this challenging year, lets continue to prove to the country and the other Washington that science prevails and saves lives.

As always, please continue to write me at [email protected], reach out via Twitter [ [link removed] ] and Facebook [ [link removed] ], and stay up-to-date on the work were doing for the people of Seattle on my blog. [ [link removed] ]

Stay Safe and Healthy,

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Mayor Durkan Signs Fare Share Wage Ordinance to Ensure Uber and Lyft Drivers are Paid Fairly
Grid showing the Mayor and supporters from the Fare Share initiative on a video call

Surrounded virtually by supporters and community members, Mayor Durkan signed legislation today creating a new minimum compensation standard for Uber and Lyft drivers in Seattle. This new ordinance ensures all drivers are paid at least the Seattle minimum wage plus reasonable expenses, guarantees that drivers are paid for all of the time they spend working, and protects drivers from unlawful deductions. Todays bill signing ceremony follows the unanimous passage of the Mayors proposal by City Council last week.

The minimum compensation standard established by this ordinance is based ona study by James Parrott of The New School and Michael Reich of the University of California, Berkeley [ [link removed] ], which found that drivers in Seattle were making $9.73 an hour after expenses, well below the Seattle minimum wage. Using the study, Seattle will mandate that TNCs pay drivers at least $0.56 per minute and $1.33 per mile and will ensure drivers are paid for all of their time, including the time spent circling and waiting for a ride.

Read more [ [link removed] ]
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City of Seattle Free Testing Sites Administer 250,000 Total Tests So Far

The City of Seattle continues to lead the way in our COVID-19 response with widespread free testing across the City. Our existing testing sites are testing thousands of individuals each day, and have administered 250,000 tests since opening in June. [ [link removed] ]

Under the leadership of Chief Scoggins, we have pioneered innovative testing programs that have been replicated across the state and country. In the initial days of the crisis, the City of Seattle created a site to test first responders exposed to COVID-19 and deployed our firefighters to test seniors and workers at Long Term Care Facilities, where the virus had spread rapidly due to the lack of testing.

Testing at these City of Seattle sites is free, so if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to a family member or individual with COVID-19, please visit [link removed] [ [link removed] ] to get tested.

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Seattle Firefighters Honor the Fallen During the 2020 Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Screen capture of the Fallen Firefighters Memorial [ [link removed] ]

Every year, during the Fallen Firefighters Memorial, the City of Seattle remembers and recognizes each of the firefighters who have given their lives to protect our community since 1889, and salute all fallen firefighters and their loved ones across the country. We add Seattle Fire Lieutenant Jay Wheelers name to the memorial of line of duty deaths, as Lieutenant Wheeler died of a duty-related illness in March of this year.

In the face of grave danger, these firefighters remained steadfast in their commitment to protect lives and property, and put their own health and lives on the line to be a hero to others. Join us in remembering the sacrifices and celebrating the contributions of those who gave so much of themselves and put their lives on the line to protect the people of Seattle.

You can watch this years Fallen Firefighters Memorial ceremony here. [ [link removed] ]

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Mayor Durkan Declares October 9, 2020 Seattle Storm Championship Day
Seattle Storm proclamation [ [link removed] ]

Ahead of todays virtual celebration, Mayor Durkan declared today Seattle Storm Championship Day, recognizing Seattles WNBA team for their incredible season that culminated in a fourth WNBA Championship title. In a proclamation issued today, Mayor Durkan commends the players, coaches, and staff of the Seattle Storm who have inspired residents of Seattle on and off the court. In addition to an incredible performance all season, the Storm continually uses their platform to bring a voice to the voiceless in support of Black Lives Matter, fairness and equity, and voter rights.

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Register to Vote! Ballots Hit Mailboxes Next Week

November 3 is less than four weeks away. And we all need to make our plans to vote and vote early in this election!

Washington State has successfully and safely voted-by-mail for over a decade. King County Elections will mail out ballots next week on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and individuals should receive your ballot by Monday, Oct. 19 at the latest. If you do not receive you ballot, call 206-296-VOTE (8683) or print your ballot online: [link removed] [ [link removed] ]. Return your ballot: no stamp needed if you drop it in the mail but you can also find a ballot box near you. [ [link removed] ]

If you are not registered to vote, there is still time to register to vote. You can register online through October 26 or visit a King County Elections vote center.

You can find more information:


* Register to vote or change your address [ [link removed] ]
* Learn about candidates and measures on the ballot [ [link removed] ]
* Map of 24/7 Drop Boxes across Seattle [ [link removed] ]
* King County Elections Vote Centers [ [link removed] ]
* Track My Ballot [ [link removed] ]
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Weekend Read: Q13 Fox: Seattle Fire's Health One unit for city's vulnerable population to expand in 2021
Screenshot of the masthead from Q13 website

For this weeks edition of the Weekend Read, we encourage you to read Q13 Foxs coverage of the Citys Health One program that serves some of our Citys most vulnerable residents. The Mayor has proposed expanding this program in her 2021 budget:

"Early next year, the Seattle Fire Department is looking to expand Health One. Its a unit that consists of two firefighters and three case managers who respond to some of the most vulnerable individuals in the city."

"Essentially people who cannot advocate for themselves, or really cannot navigate the system, so thats where we step in, said Jon Ehrenfeld, the Program Manager for Seattle Fire Mobile Integrated Health. We understand that people are part of a system, and very often what we are looking at is the result not of just individual choices and individual actions, but larger systemic factors."

"Ehrenfled said any person in the city is a potential client, and the team uses a compassionate and trauma informed approach."

"On one level this is the hardest work Ive ever done, said firefighter Roger Webber. Getting the human stories that we never got on an EMS run of 15 minutes and then to the ER. Now well spend hours with someone."

"Health One launched as a pilot program in 2019." [ [link removed] ]"Since that launch, the unit has served nearly 500 people in Seattle, with a focus on the downtown core, South Seattle and Ballard."

"About 50 percent of their clients are people experiencing homelessness."

Read more [ [link removed] ]
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