(gentle music) (bright music) - Welcome to "The Newsfeed."

In today's episode, the shuttering of business in and around Seattle has cast a spotlight on the idea of third places.

You may have not heard the term before.

Now there's renewed interest following COVID-19 and the uptick in screen usage.

We'll also look at the measures King County is considering to fill correction officer positions amid a long training wait list.

And your property taxes will go up this fall if voters approve Seattle Mayor's for post-transportation levy.

I'm Paris Jackson.

Today's top story, in this post-pandemic era, we're seeing a trend around Seattle, the closure of what's called third places.

There's a not so new economic phenomenon happening in Seattle affecting the way people live in the city.

Places where people spend a lot of time outside work or home like coffee shops, churches, or gyms are also known as third places.

Many of these third places are closing, and one project is documenting that in real time.

While the idea of third places isn't new in Seattle, it has seen a renewed interest in recent years after the emergence of COVID-19.

"Vanishing Seattle" is a media project highlighting the disappearing institutions and cultural spots around this city.

For an episode of Cascade PBS's "Northwest Reports" podcast, Co-host Maleeha Syed taps the project creator, Cynthia Brothers, to understand the impact of third places.

Brothers gave the example of what the closure of local restaurant Bush Garden meant to her.

- [Brothers] Aside from a place of like joy and fun, it was a really seminal place for my own coming into my identity as like a Asian American activist, which I think Bush Garden has played that role for a lot of people.

(bright music) - For our company, Cascade PBS, 2024 marks a big year of transition and excitement.

The organization has a new name and headquarters, and now 7 2023 Northwest Regional Emmy Award nominations from the Northwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences or NATAS.

Here's a glance of the nominated titles and categories.

For the category Environment and Science Short Form, "Human Elements: The Range Rider" and "Nick on the Rocks: Moses Coulee."

For Arts and Entertainment Short Form Content, "Black Arts Legacies: Reginald Andre Jackson."

Under Historical and Cultural Short Form Content, "Mossback's Northwest: The First Around the World Flight" and "Mossback's Northwest: The Day Germany Bombed Seattle."

Rounding out the final nominations, Photographer Short Form or long Form Content and Editor Short Form Content.

The winners will be announced on June 1st at the NATAS Northwest Chapter Emmy Awards Gala.

(bright music) King County is considering launching its own training program to combat a correctional officer shortage.

There's a correctional officer shortage in the state's largest county, but the agency that trains those officers is also experiencing a lengthy training wait list.

Now, King County officials are exploring ways they can create their own officer training program.

King County operates two adult jails, one in downtown Seattle and the other in Kent.

County officials say there are more than 100 officer vacancies between the two jails.

Officers have to be trained by the state's Criminal Justice Training Commission before they can take on these jobs.

But its program has a long wait list for the mandatory State Academy as it's seen a boom in interest post-pandemic.

The King County prosecuting office sent a letter to the State Attorney General Bob Ferguson in November, asking for an analysis on whether counties have the legal authority to run their own corrections officer training.

Meanwhile, training commission leadership does not support the idea.

(bright music) We are learning about the new directors appointed to the Seattle Public Schools Board following the resignations of two members earlier this year.

Sarah Clark is the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Director of Policy.

She'll represent District II.

Clark is a Garfield High School and University of Washington graduate.

Board members say Clark would be the only graduate of the Seattle public school system on the board.

The other new face is Joe Mizrahi, who has three children in Seattle public schools, and his wife is a Bellevue Elementary school principal.

Mizrahi will represent District IV.

Board members cite his understanding of the board's role and involvement in his neighborhood schools as factors for his selection.

(bright music) Seattle's mayor unveils his historic transportation levy that could bring more than a billion dollars worth of repairs to streets, bridges, and sidewalks.

A fix to Seattle potholes, streets, and bridges could be on the way if voters approved Mayor Bruce Harrell's historic large transportation levy in the fall.

The plan would renew Seattle's transportation levy with the new price tag of $1.35 billion.

The tag would pay or the next eight years of major city transportation projects.

It would add $150 per year to a median homeowner's property tax bill compared to what homeowners have been paying since the $930 million levy passed in 2017.

Here's a breakdown of what the levy will go towards.

About $420 million on repaving and street improvements of Seattle's 50 most heavily used streets, over $200 million for bridge maintenance and repair, and another $120 million would pay for bus-only lanes, lighting, and crosswalks.

The city seeks your feedback on the proposal now through April 26th.

I'm Paris Jackson.

Thank you for watching "The Newsfeed," your destination for nonprofit Northwest News.

Go to crosscut.com for more.

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