Affordable Housing and Homeless Top Priorities of Seattle’s New 2-Year Budget

KOMO News | Jennifer Sullivan | November 23

http://komonews.com/news/local/affordable-housing-and-homeless-top-priorities-of-seattle-new-2-year-budget

“Seattle Mayor Ed Murray signed Seattle’s new two-year, $5.8 Billion budget on Tuesday. It includes more police officers, no pronto bike share and millions to combat homelessness. About $29 million is also earmarked for affordable housing, but Seattle is still feeling the pinch of rising rent costs…The city’s plan is to curb move-in fees for renters, including capping the price of their security deposit.”

 

Where’s Bertha? Seattle Tunnel-Boring Machine Nears its Deepest Point

Puget Sound Business Journal | Jim Hammerand | November 22

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2016/11/22/bertha-seattle-tunnel-boring-machine-viaduct-99.html

“Seattle Tunnel Partners’ Bertha tunneling machine is nearing the deepest point of its route below downtown Seattle. The gigantic boring device has completed 60 percent of its 9,270-foot mission as of Monday. It is now about 210 feet below the surface near Virginia Street between First and Second avenues. Crews have installed 880 of the project’s 1,426 concrete tunnel rings.”

 

Quarter-Mile Walk from Light Rail to Sea-Tac Could Get a Little Cozier

Seattle Times | Mike Lindblom | November 21

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/quarter-mile-walk-from-light-rail-to-sea-tac-could-get-a-little-cozier/

“Thousands of people who make the quarter-mile walk from a light-rail train to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will soon be shielded from the elements. High-strength plastic wind barriers, bright ceiling paint, radiant heaters and four electric golf carts for people who have trouble walking would be provided in a $3.5 million plan, to be funded by airport operating revenues. Port of Seattle commissioners will vote Tuesday, as the first crowds of Thanksgiving travelers make their train-to-plane connections. Improvements would begin late this year and be finished by summer.”

 

Seattle Police, Neighbors Use Technology to Fight Vehicle Prowls

GeekWire | Jesús Hidalgo | November 19

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/seattle-police-neighbors-use-technology-fight-vehicle-prowls/

“As car prowl became the top safety concern among Seattleites according to a 2015 Seattle Police Department community survey, the Seattle Police Department North Precinct is partnering with neighbors to apply diverse technological strategies to fight against this property crime. The department has designed online surveys to learn about community concerns and is also advertising micro-groups involving police officers and neighbors—called “Living Room Conversations”. The police also facilitate focus groups through the social network Nextdoor.com, at which citizens can connect with their neighbors and the police can explain SPD’s new Micro Community Policy Plans. SPD North Precinct Research Assistant Jessica Chandler said that she hoped these strategies would help the North Precinct find out what the Northgate-Maple Leaf neighbors’ main concerns and specific needs are.”