📉 Unemployment going down?

📹 Surveillance debate continues: A Chamber of Commerce poll, taken after last month's Bite of Seattle shooting, found roughly 75% of the 500 registered voters polled support expanding the city's police surveillance camera network. Anti-surveillance groups pushed back on this result at a City Hall press conference, arguing the poll's questions were slanted to make cameras seem like the only solution. [KNKX]

📚 The largest sorter in North America!? The King County Library System opened a new $5.2 million book-sorting facility in Renton on Wednesday, which it says is the largest library materials sorter in North America. This new facility replaces a nearly 25-year-old distribution center in Preston and can process up to 8,000 items per hour, handling the roughly 25,000 items that circulate daily across KCLS's 50 libraries. [GeekWire]

📉 State unemployment going down: Washington's jobs report for July showed unemployment falling slightly to 5% (from 5.2% in June). This is the first decline in over a year and a half, though still above the national average. The state also reported adding about 21,000 jobs. Economists called the numbers encouraging and attributed the boost largely to World Cup-related hiring. [KUOW]

Local Food and Drink News That You Can Use Before Summer’s Over

Did you know that August is National Coffee Month? Definitely something worth celebrating here in Seattle. We shared a list of what we think are the best coffee shops in the city, as well as recommendations for where to cool off with cold coffee. Okay, now onto the news.

• Bars: Here Today Brewery & Kitchen are now the owners of the old Theo Chocolate building in Fremont, and they just announced that they’re planning to open three different businesses in the space. Good Bones Coffee, a snack bar called the Glitter Paw Lounge, and Marigolds, a tiny cocktail and oyster bar. All three concepts are expected to open this fall. And while we’re talking about openings in that neighborhood, what’s going on with Big Bud Press!? [KIRO]
• Teriyaki: Local spot Kyoto Teriyaki went a year and a half without receiving payment for deliveries ordered through Uber Eats, totaling $40,000 from nearly 1,500 orders! Maybe stop by in person next time you have a craving? [FOX13]
• Pizza: Stevie’s officially opened their new location on Phinney earlier this month! Their new bright blue building is hard to miss, and if the slices aren’t enough to get you to check it out, they also have arcade games and a patio. [Seattle Met]
• Ice Cream: Former JuneBaby chef, Edouardo Jordan, has been serving ice cream in his old space in Ravenna since July. The once acclaimed local chef has mostly been flying under the radar since sexual misconduct allegations came to light in 2021. [Reddit]