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DECEMBER 20, 2023
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VOL. 104, NO. 51
King County Airport could do more to address environment, equity, new audit finds
Submitted
Courtesy Hello There You photos Seattle leaders and film lovers come together to assist Mel Eslyn in cutting the ribbon and welcome the public to the newly reopened SIFF Cinema Downtown.
Seattle reopens an Icon By Laura Marie Rivera Contributing Writer
On Thursday afternoon, leaders from Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) and across the region gathered to officially cut the ribbon and welcome visitors to SIFF Cinema Downtown, the theater formerly known as Cinerama. Local politicians, business leaders, and film lovers gathered in the lobby of the historic theater and waited for their first taste of the famous chocolate popcorn since the theater closed in 2020. The Seattle Cinerama Theater, at the corner of Lenora and 4th Avenue, opened in 1963.
Originally part of an elite group of theaters across the country, it is one of only three remaining Cinerama theaters. Built for the latest 70mm technology, the three projectors and 97-foot curved screen made it a premier destination for film makers and film lovers alike. Because the 70mm film is twice as large as 35mm film, the picture is bigger, brighter, and more vivid. The theater has been through its ups and downs over the years and was almost turned into a dinner theater in the 1990s. Luckily, Paul Allen, Microsoft founder and philanthropist, was also a film lover. He saved the theater and upgraded accessibility and state-of-the-art
technology. Tom Mara, SIFF Executive Director, said, “I am particularly appreciative of Paul Allen for stepping up to save Cinerama and I feel a strong responsibility to continue that legacy.” He explained that this has been a huge effort of staff, government, and community. And his most recent round of appreciation started with District 7 City Councilmember Andrew Lewis. Mara recalls Lewis reaching out to him before he had even started his role at SIFF. He said, “Andrew is a real movie fan and played a key role in this acquisition. He
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An audit released Tuesday by the King County Auditor’s Office found that while the county has set lofty goals on improving equity, fighting climate change, and doing both hand in hand with the communities it impacts, the King County International Airport (KCIA, also known as Boeing Field) could do more to help the county reach those goals. While communities around the airport are largely Black, Indigenous and People of Color, KCIA has not documented goals and strategies to address environmental impacts on those communities, the audit found. Though the airport has taken steps to gather community input, airport leaders haven’t adopted a formal strategy to incorporate that input into its processes, leaving community members feeling frustrated. “King County International Airport is a vital economic asset for the region, but its surrounding communities are some of the most environmentally burdened in King County,” said Kymber Waltmunson, King County Auditor. “By adopting a thoughtful strategic plan, KCIA could amplify its efforts to mitigate its environmental impacts and advance sustainability and equity.” The audit was presented Tuesday to the King County Council’s Government Accountability and Oversight Committee. Auditors did acknowledge recent steps by KCIA to equity and environmental efforts into its work, including pursing accreditation certification through the Airport Carbon Accreditation program with a goal to be carbon neutral by 2030, and hiring a community liaison in 2022. But broadly, auditors found that KCIA lacks a clear strategy to achieve its goal of becoming a world class green airport. Nor has it demonstrated how its efforts align with larger county goals like the King County Strategic Climate Action Plan and the Equity AUDIT Page 3Æ