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Georgetown is featured in a recently launched podcast focusing on lost and forgotten stories of Seattle’s past. From collaborators Cari Simson and Elke Hautala, Invisible Histories aims to explore and amplify the voices of marginalized people who have historically not had the chance to tell their stories. The podcast’s first topic: Potter’s Field, a cemetery established in 1876 located in Georgetown next to the County Poor Farm. Over three decades of operation, 3,260 people were buried in Potter’s Field. However, when the Army Corps of Engineers began dredging the Duwamish River in 1912, the bodies in Potter’s Field were exhumed and cremated, and the site was covered with industrial properties. Little information, save for several old maps and stories of ashes being dumped in the river, remains about this lost cemetery. Simson, a creative mixed media artist and producer of the Georgetown Haunted History Tour, and Hautala, a visual anthropologist, filmmaker and performer, have combined their talents and interest in the Duwamish Valley to creatively and theatrically explore the Potter’s Field story. They also have many ideas for future episodes, including the history of the Hat & Boots in Oxbow Park, the Comet Lodge Cemetery, an affordable housing development between Corson Ave S. and E Marginal Way that was torn down in the 1950s and further afield in the Seattle area. Interested to listen along? Access the podcast at http://www.foghi.org/pottersfield. Want to share your own story, participate in a haunted tour, or volunteer? Contact invisiblehistoriespnw@gmail.com.

The Department of Ecology has two comment periods available for public comment through mid-January 2024. Don’t miss a chance to submit your comments and questions on these two Lower Duwamish Waterway cleanup sites. Boeing Isaacson Thompson Cleanup Site (November 6, 2023 – January 11, 2024) This comment period was extended for seven days as requested by DRCC. The old ending date for this comment period was January 4, 2024. The new ending date is now January 11, 2024. South Park Landfill Cleanup Site (December 4, 2023 – January 17,2024) In addition, the Department of Ecology will have a table at Georgetown Brewing Company on January 10 from 4:30-6:30. Come with your questions about these comment periods as well as the Lower Duwamish Waterway cleanup in general. If you have questions about these comment periods please reach out to Meredith Waldref (Community Outreach) at meredith.waldref@ecy.wa.gov or call 425-229-3683.

Available for public comment starting November 6, 2023! Site Background: The Boeing Isaacson Thompson cleanup site is located in an industrial area of Tukwila on the east bank of the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW). The cleanup site is comprised of two properties owned by The Boeing Company and one property owned by the Port of Seattle. The site is a former tidal marsh area which was reclaimed when the Duwamish River was straightened and channelized to form the current Duwamish Waterway in the early 1900s. After dredging, the area was used as farmland and then for a variety of industrial purposes. The former Duwamish River channel (later Slip 5) in the middle of the site was filled over time with contaminated materials from unknown sources. More Information can be found here: https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/cleanupsearch/site/1944

Available for Public Comment Starting April 28! The United States Environmental Protection Agency is requesting public comment on the Proposed Cleanup Plan for the 157-acre East Waterway Operable Unit of the Harbor Island Superfund Site in Seattle, Washington. EPA will accept public comments on the Proposed Plan for 60 days, starting on April 28, 2023. Please visit EPA’s Harbor Island website for updated information about the East Waterway Proposed Plan, including how to provide public comments: www.epa.gov/superfund/harbor-island What is EPA’s Preferred Cleanup Alternative in the Proposed Plan? EPA’s primary objective is to reduce contaminant concentrations in the sediment of the East Waterway to levels that are protective of human health and the environment. As a result, EPA is proposing an aggressive remedy that includes a combination of technologies to address the entire East Waterway Operable Unit and would actively clean up approximately 121 acres of contaminated sediments over a period of about 10 years. This would be an interim remedy, meaning that EPA will select cleanup levels after active cleanup activities have concluded and source control efforts can be evaluated. This preferred alternative aligns with EPA’s long-term vision for the East Waterway Operable Unit, which is to obtain the lowest contaminant levels possible in sediments to reduce contaminant concentrations in fish tissue, to include achieving sediment PCB concentrations equivalent to the concentrations measured in the non-urban background for Puget Sound (i.e., 2 parts per billion PCBs). Achieving this will rely both on an effective cleanup of the East Waterway Operable Unit and robust source control efforts throughout the Green/Duwamish River watershed using a range of federal, state, and local regulatory authorities. Documents: The Proposed Plan and administrative record are on EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/superfund/harbor-island Questions? Contact Laura Knudsen, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator at 206-553-1838 or knudsen.laura@epa.gov

Chemical or Unnatural Burning Smells: Puget Sound Clean Air: 1-800-552-3565 or file a compliant here. Department of Ecology: Submit a issue here Washington Air Quality, Smoke Complaints Hotline: 1-866-211-6284 Illegal Dumping: Seattle Government: online illegal dumping report form or use the Find It, Fix It mobile app. You can call (206) 684-7587 to report problems on public property. For language interpretation, call (206) 684-3000. For historic landmark graffiti removal, call (206) 684-0228. Gas Leaks: Puget Sound Energy: If you suspect a gas leak, leave the area immediately. Once you are at a safe distance call us at 1-888-225-5773 or call 911. Drug Activity: Call 911: For drug activity that is in progress or needs an immediate police response Narcotics Department: On-going drug activity, which police need to be aware of but doesn't require immediate response can be reported online as a Narcotics Activity Report. Call narcotics at (206) 684-5797 between the hours of 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. After hours you can call the non-emergency line at (206) 625-5011. Suspicious Behaviors: Call 911. What is suspicious behavior? If it's suspicious to you, it's worth reporting it to 911. According to Seattle Police Department, examples include: Unusual noises, including screaming, sounds of fighting, breaking glass People in or around buildings or areas who do not appear to be conducting legitimate business Unauthorized people in restricted areas Vehicles driving slowly and aimlessly through neighborhoods, around schools or parking lots People peering into parked vehicles that are not their own People who change their behavior when they notice they have been seen People dressed inappropriately for the weather or occasion, (i.e., heavy coat in warm weather) Abandoned parcels or other items in unusual locations (i.e. in a lobby or elevator)

The Bicycle Master Plan (BMP), which provides a framework for improving the bicycling environment in Seattle. The BMP recommends a protected bike lane connecting Georgetown to Downtown, which will act as a final link in regional bike trails that provide north-south bike travel for communities between Seattle and South King County. The new bike lane will also create connections regional light rail network. Project Goals Enhance safety for all roadway users Improve access and travel options from downtown to Georgetown and South Park Retain as much parking as possible along the corridor Provide a comfortable and predictable bicycle connection between Georgetown, South Park, SODO, and Downtown For additional information visit follow updates from the Seattle Department of Transportation, Bike Program.