🎤 Harrell raps up his campaign

Bruce Harrell Concedes to Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson

In a speech live-streamed from City Hall, Harrell said he’d just talked with Mayor-elect Katie Wilson “to congratulate her on a hard-fought victory.” He added, “I feel very good about the future for this country and city, still. That is the attitude we have to have." [Seattle Channel]

• Harrell-ton (this is a Hamilton joke from Liam, please laugh): Harrell went on to joke, “I made, by the way, exactly 16 mistakes – one each year. Unfortunately, it’s the same mistake every year … Every year I wanted to deliver a speech, particularly the state of the city speech, I actually want to rap it. I wanted to spit a rhyme. I wanted to unleash it. But I was smartly overruled.” Harrell also urged Seattleites to listen to the will of young voters. (Hey, this is Liam. I don’t actually like Hamilton).
• No Plans For a Recount: At the end of his speech, Harrell took questions, including one about recount plans. He replied, “Many are saying I shouldn’t concede … but I looked at the numbers and thought it was appropriate to concede … I wanted to give my staff some closure.”

☕ Starbucks Workers on Strike: Starbucks Workers United (SBWU) began a nationwide strike yesterday. This followed six months of trying to negotiate a fair contract with the company. More than 1,000 union baristas at 65 stores across 40 cities are striking. The union chose Red Cup Day, a major holiday promotional event and one of the biggest sales days of the year, in order to drive home their point. [The Stranger]

• What Are Their Demands? Workers are asking for higher wages, more hours, better staffing, and an end to the company’s unfair labor practices, hundreds of which remain unresolved.
• How Does This Impact Seattle? Workers picketed outside stores in the U-District (4147 University Way NE) and on Queen Anne (1144 Elliott Ave. W) yesterday morning. SBWU spokesperson Michelle Eisen at an online press conference said the union is prepared to make this the “largest, longest strike in company history.”
• Where Should I Go Instead? Executive Producer Ashley Smith has this handy guide for her favorite coffee shops. And, today on the podcast, our team shares some of our favorite spots with convenient drive-thrus and places where you can order your coffee online.

🗻 How This Shutdown Impacted National Parks: During the previous government shutdown, it felt like photos of trash piling up at national parks and destroyed public bathrooms were inescapable. This time around, the impact was much less visible. The Seattle Times explains why things looked so different during this shutdown. Apparently, maintenance and utility workers, as well as administrators and managers, were required to show up without getting paid. Fortunately, with the shutdown officially over, workers should begin receiving paychecks again.

🚢 The Not-So-Little Ferry That Couldn’t: Our state’s first hybrid-electric ferry is continuing to struggle due to mechanical setbacks. The Wenatchee was briefly pulled from service again on Sunday, Nov. 9. This is the third service interruption since the ferry rejoined the fleet in July. The vessel is nearly 30 years old and recently completed a conversion to a battery-hybrid propulsion package. The retrofit is part of the ferry system’s long-term plan to transition its largest vessels to hybrid-electric operation. Hopefully it’s smooth sailing from here! [WorkBoat]

🎒More Free Pre-School Funding: A philanthropic donation from a former Microsoft CEO will fund more free pre-school for Washington. The Ballmer Group committed up to $170 million per year for the next decade, which could fund an additional 10,000 slots in the state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program for low-income families. The program currently has just over 14,000 slots statewide at over 460 locations. [Washington State Standard]

🏘️ Seattleites Want More Money for Housing: Mayor Harrell’s new budget celebrated a “historic” $350 million investment in housing. And yes, it did beat last year’s budget by $1 million. But The Urbanist found that adjusting for inflation means funding for the Office of Housing is actually down. And in a recent City Council budget meeting, more than 200 people told the City Council there should be more funding for housing. The Stranger reports the meeting was so packed that people sat on the floor. [The Stranger]