PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 39 NO 12 MARCH 21 – MARCH 27, 2020 FREE 38 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Senior living residents worried after ID case of COVID By NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Restaurants, bars closed till March 31 Inslee signs emergency aid bill
On March 16, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a two-week closure of restaurants, bars via streaming and telephone to practice social distancing measures.
By MARTHA BELLISLE and RACHEL LA CORTE SEATTLE (AP) — As the death toll from COVID-19 in Washington state reached 54, Gov. Jay Inslee signed a measure drawing $200 million from the state’s emergency “rainy day” fund for the state’s coronavirus response this week. Inslee said the funding bill “is really about protecting see RESTAURANT CLOSURES on 12
■
The exterior of International House on Maynard Avenue South.
School’s out, parents scramble for resources for their kids Photo from Bellevue School District’s Facebook page.
see INTERNATIONAL HOUSE on 11
Photo by Assunta Ng
Residents at International House Senior Living in the Chinatown-International District are nervous. Pinnacle, which manages International House, sent a letter to residents on March 10 that one of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. “I and other seniors are very worried,” a resident told the Northwest Asian Weekly. The woman in her 80’s asked to remain anonymous. “I don’t know what to do. My children have offered me to go live in their homes. But I don’t know if [the employee] has spread the virus to me or not. If I am affected, I will hurt my children if I go to live with them.” The employee is “currently under quarantine at the direction of the King County Health Department,” the letter stated. Two other employees who were in close contact with the employee who tested positive have been instructed to self-quarantine and to not return to work for a period of 14 days. The resident said that all of the crew and manager have left the building.
Donation by Trader Joe’s to families in the Bellevue School District.
By Kai Curry NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY Once the decision was made, it happened quickly. On March 10, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced that Cleveland STEM High School would be closed for one day after the identification of a staff member who may have been exposed to coronavirus, or COVID-19. On March 11, SPS Superintendent Denise Juneau and the Seattle School Board decided to close SPS for at least 14 days to “disrupt widespread
infection.” On March 12, Gov. Jay Inslee mandated that all K-12 schools in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties would close until April 24. Then, on March 13, after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, Inslee ordered all public and private K–12 schools in Washington state to close through April 24. It was not an easy decision. “Closing schools is the last thing we ever want to see SCHOOL CLOSURES on 15
412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • editor@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com