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🌱 Patch AM: Downtown feels busier—how far has Seattle’s core really rebounded?

Also, don't miss Award-Winning Author Appearance on the Seattle Patch calendar

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Thursday September 17th Patch AM
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Coffee in hand, Seattle? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Downtown feels busier—how far has Seattle's core really rebounded?
  • What's changed as Seattle's Sinking Ship garage reopens?
  • What's changing under Seattle Public Schools' new three-year teacher contract?

Also on today's calendar: Award-Winning Author Appearance and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Delightful with sunshine, with a high of 74 and low of 54 degrees.
  • Friday: Partly sunny and nice, temps: high: 70, low: 53.
  • Saturday: Partly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 70 and low of 53 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Downtown Seattle hit 9.2 million visits in August, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 12% (mynorthwest.com) — Downtown Seattle is drawing more people than before the pandemic, with 9.2 million visits in August, 12% above 2019 and hotel stays also surpassing pre-COVID levels. While visitor spending topped $164 million in July, weekday office worker traffic remains at about 62% of 2019, even as the city's core grows busier with events, dining and tourism.
   

2. Iconic Sinking Ship parking garage linked to violence reopens after being shut down (krem.com) — Drivers in downtown Seattle now have partial access again to the Sinking Ship parking garage in Pioneer Square, which has reopened its top level under new management and tighter security rules. Premium Parking is adding attendants, nightly security, earlier closing times, and cameras after past shootings and stabbings raised serious safety concerns.
   

3. Seattle Public Schools and teachers union ratify new contract (fox13seattle.com) — Seattle families and school staff now have a three-year contract in place, with an 8.8% pay increase and more support for special education and student services, after Seattle Public Schools and the teachers union both ratified the deal. The agreement, reached just before school started, adds staffing for nurses, psychologists, social workers and counselors while giving the district clearer financial footing through 2029.
   

4. Pioneering Seattle City Councilmember and civil rights champion Dolores Sibonga passes away (nwasianweekly.com subscription) — Seattle is remembering Dolores Sibonga, a trailblazing Filipino American lawyer and the first woman of color to serve on the Seattle City Council, who has died at 95. Raised in the Chinatown-International District, she broke barriers in law, media, and public service, championed civil rights, and inspired generations of local Asian American leaders through her work and mentorship.
   

5. Oracle to lay off 359 Washington workers in November (fox13seattle.com) — Hundreds of Washington workers, including staff at two Seattle Oracle offices, will lose their jobs starting November 13 as the company restructures while investing more in AI infrastructure. The Seattle locations will stay open, but 359 positions statewide are being permanently cut under a WARN notice filed with state officials.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • If you have raised beds coming empty after the summer crops, the next three weeks are the window to sow a cover crop here in Seattle.
    After about October 10 it is too late. A bed that sits bare until March loses a lot of what you put into it this year, because the rain washes the… (Nextdoor West Phinney Ridge)
  • Roses have a way of tugging at my sleeve whenever I wander the neighborhood, and this one practically waved me over with its petal flags flying.
    I believe it may be a Rosa 'Playboy', dressed in a jubilant swirl of pink, crimson, orange, and yellow. As I drew closer, those bright, bustling… (Nextdoor Hawthorne Hills)
  • Arconic Corporation posted a job opening for Fabricator/Assembler - 1st Shift in Seattle. Apply here.
  • Government Jobs posted a job opening for Administrative Specialist II - Sheriff's Office in Seattle. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Seattle here.

Ok Seattle! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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