This week: reopening, interrupted and solar farms backlash

Bill Radke reviews the week's news with Seattle Channel producer and host Brian Callanan, independent journalist Jane C. Hu and KUOW newscaster and reporter Paige Browning.

On Tuesday, King County got a temporary reprieve when Governor Jay Inslee announced a two-week pause on the state’s reopening plan. The county was expected to rollback from phase three to phase two because of rising rates of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. But health officials said that new infections appear to be plateauing in the state and don’t anticipate a surge in Covid-19 deaths. So should Washington continue to use its phased approach to reopening? And whether it's free vaccinations at Seattle Mariners games or free Uber and Lyft rides to vaccination clinics, what incentives will work to get more people to roll up their sleeves for a dose?

While Washington is still in a fourth wave, and waiting to see what happens next as far as phased reopening goes, neighborhoods are beginning to think about getting back to normal. Some businesses in the International District are already reporting a growth in business since the winter, and others are hoping that the summer, and increased vaccination rates, will bring a return of tourists and funds. But the effects of the pandemic certainly still linger. What will it take for the International District to thrive again? And will the nationwide rise in anti-Asian hate affect the district's economi recovery, given its large Asian American and Pacific Islander population?

Also, this week the Seattle city council’s homelessness committee met to discuss opening up more hotel rooms to house homeless people. King County Executive Dow Constantine recently announced a new $100 million plan that could include purchasing more hotels to use as shelter space. Although hotels have proven successful for transitioning people into housing, they're expensive to secure and maintain. And as more people get vaccinated and the weather warms up, Seattle can expect a bigger influx of tourists compared to a year ago. Will the city, or local businesses, still want hotels turned into dedicated shelters when there are tourists that could pay for the rooms instead?

Meanwhile, a debate is growing bettween redder, rural parts of Washington and bluer, more uban parts of the state as residents in south central Washington resist the development of massive solar and wind projects their communities. In Klickitat County, construction has already commenced on the largest solar installation in the state, stretching 1,800 acres. Proponents of the commercial renewable energy projects say they are critical to the state's efforts to stop using fossil fuels to generate electricity which it must do by 2045. Does the opposition to these projects amount to eco-NIMBYism? Or does their construction come at the cost of protecting ecosystems and native wildlife?

Finally, Bill and Melinda Gates announced this week they would be divorcing after 27 years of marriage. The pair are worth an estimated $146 billion, and own and run the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is located in downtown Seattle. What impact will their split have on the foundation's philanthropic priorities and goals?

(Note: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a business supporter of KUOW)