Page 4 The Skanner Seattle December 13, 2017
News & Announcements
Events
Community
Calendar 2017
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
MOVIE NIGHT: Join us for a screening of the new hit “Wonder
Woman.” We will provide the popcorn. Free. Parkland/Spanaway
Library, 13718 Pacific Hwy. S., Tacoma.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15
Net Neutrality
Several hundred people gathered outside a Verizon store in downtown Seattle Dec. 9 to protest the plan by the FCC to vote to end Net
Neutrality Dec. 14. Similar protests were held around the United States.
Seattle News Briefs
Council Bans Solitary Confinement
for Youth in Detention
The Metropolitan King County Council today voted
to ban solitary confinement for minors in detention.
The legislation also requires the County to provide
incarcerated youth with adequate educational re-
sources, and the use of detention practices suited for
youth and their brain development, regardless of the
location where the young person is detained.
Most youth detained by the County are held at the
King County Juvenile Detention Center in Seattle.
Some young people who have been charged as adults
are housed at the Maleng Regional Justice Center or,
occasionally, at
the King Coun-
ty Correctional
Facility. Those
youth are sepa-
rated from the
adult popula-
tion at these
facilities, but
solitary con-
finement/iso-
lation has also
been used for these young offenders where it is not at
the Youth Services Center.
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry has noted that even short periods of iso-
lation often have serious long-term mental health im-
pacts on juveniles, and research shows that solitary
confinement does not reduce behavioral incidents
and may increase aggressive or violent behavior by
youth.
The legislation adopted unanimously by the Coun-
cil seeks to implement reforms while ensuring the
safety of King County staff working in the detention
facilities and the safety of other detainees. It will end
the use of solitary confinement/isolation as county
policy, reducing its use to instances where, because
of safety, security or another reason, a less restric-
tive option is not available. The legislation also calls
for strict monitoring of those youth placed in solitary
confinement/isolation and requests the Executive en-
gage an independent monitor to report on the imple-
mentation of the requirements.
The legislation recognizes that engagement and ac-
cess to tools that can reduce recidivism are vital. It
also calls for the Department of Adult and Juvenile
Detention to take into consideration the developmen-
tal needs of young people in detention and take steps
to ensure they have access to education and therapeu-
tic programs that will set them up for success when
they leave the detention facility.
People’s Academy for Community
Engagement now accepting applica-
tions
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is accepting
applications to the People’s Academy for Community
Engagement (PACE), its civic leadership development
program for the next wave of community leaders.
The winter quarter begins February 24 and runs
through March 24.
During the five-week program, 25-30 emerging
leaders (18 years and up) will learn hands-on strate-
gies for community building, accessing government,
and inclusive engagement from experts in the field.
PACE has a strong focus on Seattle’s community and
neighborhood organizations and the city of Seattle’s
governmental structure and processes.
Winter quarter will be held on Saturdays from
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Langston Hughes Performing
Arts Institute. Topics include: Approaches to Leader-
ship, Accessing City Government, Community Orga-
nizing, Inclusive Outreach and Public Engagement,
Public Speaking, Conflict Resolution, and more.
Tuition for the five-week program is $100. Tuition
assistance is available. To apply, visit seattle.gov/
PACE. Applications for all quarters are accepted on a
rolling basis. The application deadline for the upcom-
ing winter quarter is Monday, February 5 at 5:00 p.m.
Given the popularity of the program, PACE is of-
fered three times a year: winter, spring and fall. For
more information, visit our webpage and for ques-
tions, email PACE@seattle.gov.
EPA Announces Funding for Puget
Sound Protection, Conservation &
Recovery
The Northwest office of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency announced today that through its Na-
tional Estuary Program it is providing $25.2 million
in grant funds to state, local and tribal Puget Sound
recovery and conservation efforts.
Among the efforts funded in whole or in part with
National Estuary Program funds announced today
are:
• The restoration of an additional 5,000 acres of key
Orca and salmon habitat;
• The re-opening of about 4,000 acres of shellfish
beds in Puget Sound; and
• Improvement of biological condition from fair to
good for at least 30 streams.
EPA distributes its National Estuary Program funds
to Washington’s Department of Ecology, Department
of Health, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Depart-
ment of Natural Resources, and Department of Com-
merce, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission,
Washington State University’s Stormwater Center,
the Puget Sound Partnership, and the University of
Washington’s Puget Sound Institute.
These agencies then fund projects that meet the
goals of both the National Estuary Program and the
Puget Sound Action Agenda which is developed
by the Puget Sound Partnership, the state agency
charged with leading the state’s collective efforts to
restore and protect Puget Sound. The Puget Sound
Institute conducts and funds scientific research that
PIONEER SQUARE HOLIDAY HOOKY HOUR: Come play hooky with
us, get your shopping list crossed off, an enjoy a delicious bite
to eat. Participating businesses around Pioneer Square will be
offering great promotions, fun prizes and festive activities all
day. Pioneer Square Seattle, 117 S. Washington St.
FRIDAY – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15 – 16
HOLIDAY SALE – DRESS FOR SUCCESS SEATTLE: Stop by Friday or
Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and grab those last-minute holi-
day purchases. Dress for Success Seattle, 1118 5th Ave.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16
FUN WITH FROSTY: Frosty the Snowman at Country Village. Meet
Frosty and his friends. Enjoy a magic show, participate in fun
games and activities, make a winter craft project. This is a free
event for children of all ages. Noon – 5 p.m., Country Village
Shops, 23718 Bothell Everett Highway, Bothell.
MONDAY – SATURDAY, DEC. 18 – 23
30TH ANNUAL ISSAQUAHREINDEER FESTIVAL: Come by the great-
est holiday festival in the Northwest. Enjoy the festive sights
and sounds of the holiday season with family and friends. Come
meet Santa and reindeer team. Free festival. Cougar Mountain
Zoo, 19525 SE 54th St., Issaquah.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23
CASCADIAN HOLIDAY POP-UP: A holiday gift pop-up with local
crafts, books and collectables. Free. Noon – 7 p.m. Horizon
Books, 1423 10th Ave.
informs decision-making.
Since 2006 Congress has appropriated $212 million
in National Estuary Program funds that EPA has used
to help restore over 49,752 acres of habitat (64 square
miles), and to protect over 140,000 acres of shellfish
beds. Other success stories over the last decade in-
clude:
• A net increase of approximately 5,000 acres of safe,
harvestable shellfish beds restored;
• Removal of 1,006 creosote treated pilings in North-
ern Hood Canal and Chambers Creek to protect
spawning herring populations and reduce embryo
mortality. NEP’s cumulative investment of approx-
imately $967,000 for all removals (and monitoring)
in these two areas, inspired the state legislature to
appropriate $2.5 in 2014 for other removals; and
• Re-opening 1.5 miles of Coho spawning and rear-
ing habitat in the upper Skagit River by the Upper
Skagit Indian Tribe. The projects helped restore
natural watershed processes critical to flood man-
agement.
In addition to providing grant funds, through the
National Estuary Program and other programs, EPA
experts provide their scientific expertise to local,
state, tribal, industry, and NGOs on strategy develop-
ment, and are typically involved in scientific research
and restoration projects throughout the watershed.
Encompassing 8 million acres of rivers, bays, beach-
es and shorelines, the Puget Sound watershed serves
as an economic and cultural hub for the region’s more
than 4.7 million people, including 19 federally recog-
nized tribes.
Learn more about EPA’s work to protect Puget
Sound: www.epa.gov/puget-sound
Find more information and project photos at: www.
pugetsoundinnovationstories.blog
More information about EPA’s National Estuary
Program: www.epa.gov/nep