Can Seattle festivals be safe?

Can Large Festivals in Seattle Be Safe?

Seattle is still reeling from a shooting on Sunday evening that killed 3 people and hospitalized 4 others. Monday evening, locals gathered at Seattle Center for a candlelight vigil, and there will be another on Wednesday at the International Fountain at Seattle Center. There are lots of outstanding questions, but with another large festival taking place this weekend, how can people feel safe at these events? [Seattle Times]

• Security under scrutiny: “You should not be able to just walk into this festival,” said local artist Caleb Mitchell on his Instagram account just a few hours before the shooting. “This is our first and last” Bite of Seattle, said vendor Martin Coon. KING5 says they spoke to many attendees who didn’t go through a metal detector (there wasn’t one) or security checkpoints. Friday afternoon, my daughter and I walked right through the area of Bite of Seattle where the shooting occurred after I picked her up from camp.
• How to increase safety: One former vendor believes that they must start charging for entry. Bite of Seattle has been free for most of its 44 years. In the mid-1990s, the festival charged $3 and saw attendance fall precipitously. Former Mayor Greg Nickels believes that a ‘heavy police presence’ is a good deterrent. Shon Barnes, who is being scrutinized for being out of town during Sunday’s shooting, said that dozens of police were at the event and said they helped save lives. Egon Orion, who organizes Pride Fest, says finding the line between security and the fact that it often causes people to wait in long lines is a ‘balancing act.’
• ✈️ Seafair begins Friday: Seattle’s ‘premiere boating event, air show, and festival all rolled into one’ runs through Sunday, and 180,000 people are expected to attend. CEO Emily Cantrell said that security has been in the works for months, that there will be a significant police presence, and that it’s “the best security measures possible.” Seafair is gated, has screenings, and requires tickets for Saturday and Sunday. The Seattle Times is calling to cancel the Blue Angel flyovers, citing an incident on July 15 where a Blue Angel flew dangerously close to civilians. For a full schedule of flyovers, check out Capitol Hill Seattle Blog.

🚌 Route 7 will become the R: King County Metro is going to upgrade Route 7 to a RapidRide R between Downtown and Rainier Beach, and will do so without seeking federal funding. While this avoids having to deal with the challenges that come from trying to receive federal funds, it does mean it could take until 2032 for the line to open, according to Ryan Packer. [The Urbanist]

🧊 Laborers must work, despite ICE arrests: With ICE arrests increasing, day laborers are trying to find work while they risk encountering ICE. They are still gathering outside a Shoreline Home Depot, where they can get a meal from the Shoreline chapter of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. “There were always deportations before,” said Polin, a day laborer, “but now there are lots of raids. They go around hunting us like animals.” [KING5]

🌭 Does Costco owe you money? Check your e-mail! You may have received a message from Costco that says you qualify for a cash payment over a class action lawsuit. Apparently, the company sent out some limited-time promotion e-mails but knew they were going to extend those promotions. It’s a $14 million settlement, which could buy nearly 9 million hot dog and soda combos! [Seattle Times]