Seattle Forward

More Children Rescued

Seattle police have rescued 24 prostituted children from the streets so far this year.  In 2009, Seattle area law enforcement agencies rescued 30, the highest number of any city in the United States. 

Earlier today, U. S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced a new federal effort to protect exploited children, including those caught up in commercial sex trafficking enterprises.

Earlier this year, the city opened the nation's fourth residential recovery center for prostituted children.  Run by YouthCare, this safe-haven is designed to help juveniles who have been exploited for prostitution. 

The Sally's

Got squeezed between the Sally's on TV last week.  It's amazing what C. R. Douglas can pry out of us.  We covered a host of issues.

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Alaskan Way Viaduct Corridor: Full Speed Ahead

The Council voted 8-1 this evening to approve in principle three agreements between the City and the state of Washington related to technical issues surrounding the Alaskan Way Viaduct project.  The Council will pass legislation formally approving the agreements early next year after project bids are received and the design-build contract with the winning contractor has been negotiated.

Today's vote is a huge step forward for a truly remarkable project that will transform the city's central waterfront.  Let's remember our vision for this project.  It removes the double-decker freeway along our waterfront and replaces it with a deep-bore tunnel under downtown.  It opens up the waterfront and creates a broad pedestrian promenade, public open spaces, parks and space for outdoor cafes.  It establishes a downtown traffic grid that protects our environment, protects our maritime and freight industries and allows for the effective movement of people and supplies.  It creates jobs, but more importantly it protects the tens of thousands of jobs that already exist in our water-dependent businesses.