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News from Seattle's Office of Economic Development

Seattle – cultural capital of the Pacific Northwest

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Seattle – cultural capital of the Pacific Northwest   
Wall Street Journal
Seattle’s culture is vibrant and diverse. Most of what’s going on here is about the present-the brick warehouses, dive bars and century-old storefronts that have been repurposed to suit a Seattle of bold chef-owned restaurants, handcrafted-cocktail bars, art galleries, rock venues and coffee shops where you can easily lose an afternoon.
City Council Committee green-lights food-truck plan   
Seattle Weekly
City Council’s Committee approved new rules for food vendors, capping a years-long conversation about ways in which Seattle could stimulate its street-food scene. Under new regulations, food-cart vendors and trucks will be able to sell an expanded selection of food in a variety of new locations. Truck spots will be distributed by lottery, despite opposition from a few restaurant owners.
A shortage of healthy food is not the only problem   
Economist
The US Department of Agriculture reports that 10 percent of the country is now a “food desert” – where low-income families have little or no access to healthy fresh food. One area in Renton is cited as an example of a food desert that is home to a roadside stand serving fresh fruits and vegetables and a health-food shop. However, the causal link between food deserts and dietary health has yet to be explained.