NEWS GLEAMS | Activists Push to Save Denny Blaine Park; Vigil for Journalists Killed in Gaza
A roundup of news and announcements we don't want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!
by Vee Hua 華婷婷
Seattle Parks and Recreation Hosts Dec. 6 Info Session as Activists Push to Save Denny Blaine Park
In mid-November, Capitol Hill Seattle Blog broke news of the potential development of a small children's play area in Denny Blaine Park, which Seattle Parks and Recreation said would address "the current gap for play areas in the neighborhood." Denny Blaine Park was created after the creation of the ship canal lowered the water level in Lake Washington. Located between the neighborhoods of Washington Park and the Central District, Denny Blaine has become a well-known place for the queer community, which has been using it as a nude beach for over 40 years.
"While nudity is legal everywhere in the city, and kids' spaces are great, we think this is an attempt to put our communities in conflict and displace our city's historical queer and naturist community. There are other great places nearby for a playground," the @SaveDennyBlaine Instagram account wrote in a post.
According to a sign posted within the park, the project has a budget of around $550,000 for construction costs and contingencies. Its community engagement and early design phase were slated for fall 2023, with final design in winter 2024, permitting in winter and spring 2024, and construction in late summer or early fall 2024. The timing shows that plans for the park were already well underway before it was noticed by the public. Those who oppose the creation of the play area have proposed three alternate parks that might be suitable for its construction.
Seattle Parks and Recreation will host a meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Martin Luther King FAME Community Center (3201 E. Republican St.) to "learn about and provide input for the Denny Blaine Play Area project."
More information and a petition can also be found at @SaveDennyBlaine or SaveDennyBlaine.com. Public comment can also be sent to DennyBlainePlayArea@Seattle.gov or by calling 206-684-4075. Ask to speak with reception, as it will collect comments and pass them along to the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation.
Opportunity for Public Input on Rulemaking for Private Detention Facilities
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is inviting the public to participate in community listening sessions throughout December 2023 and January 2024, as it considers the development of new Washington Administrative Code (WAC) for private detention facilities.
According to a press release from the DOH, WAC 246-385 would potentially set new "inspection and operational standards for private detention facilities, health and safety standards for detained persons, and issuance of civil penalties pursuant to Second Substitute House Bill 1470 (HB 1470), Chapter 419, Laws of 2023, Regular Session."
HB 1470, passed relatively recently in April 2023, gives the DOH rulemaking authority to address topics such as: use of personal belongings, cleaning and sanitation of lying areas, laundry, personal hygiene items, nutritious foods, food handling practices, indoor air quality, room temperatures, infection control programs, site inspection protocols, and civil penalties.
The DOH encourages the public to learn more about the process on its website, or to join one of its listening sessions:
Those who would like to stay involved are invited to email Nina.Helpling@DOH.WA.gov to add their name to a mailing list, remove their name from the mailing list, or ask any questions about the rulemaking process.
Additional public engagement events will include rule language work groups from February to May 2024, and an informal comment period from June to July 2024.
Vigil for Journalists Killed in Gaza at Dr. Jose Rizal Park
Seattle-area journalists and media-makers are hosting a vigil for journalists in Gaza on Sunday, Dec. 10, at Dr. Jose Rizal Park in North Beacon Hill. Taking place at 5 p.m., the candlelight vigil will "honor the many fallen journalist[s] who have lost their lives … for simply showing the truth behind … what it's like to live under Israeli occupation."
The vigil comes after a time the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has described as "the deadliest period for journalists covering conflict since CPJ began documenting journalist fatalities in 1992."
Ongoing documentation of journalists who have been killed in Palestine while covering wartime conflicts — including their English and Arabic names, news outlets, when they were killed, and how — can be seen in the "Killing the Story" document. According to the document, 109 journalists have been killed since 2000; 44 of those were killed between 2000 and 2022, while 65 have been killed in 2023 alone. The numbers are increasing by the day and are updated regularly via Visualizing Palestine.
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a long-time member of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. They have a master's in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the American Indian Studies Department at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
📸 Featured Image: A beach area at Denny Blaine Park. Photo is attributed to Seattle Parks and Recreation (under a Creative Commons, CC BY 2.0 DEED license).
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