King County Health Gives Out Free COVID Supplies (and Advice) to Area Restaurants

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King County Health Gives Out Free COVID Supplies to Area Restaurants

Last week, a team from the King County health department called Safe Starts for Taverns and Restaurants (SSTAR) launched a mobile outreach effort in order to help businesses adjust to Gov. Jay Inslee’s new restrictions. A specially outfitted van nicknamed the SSTAR Ship gave out free COVID-19 supplies — such as antimicrobial cleaning solvents, hand sanitizers, gloves, and masks — to restaurants in the Kent and Auburn areas, and team members got local chefs, owners, and staff up to speed on the state’s latest “Safe Start” guidance. The van will continue traveling around King County over the next few weeks. Lest restaurants become wary that this might be a ploy to root out potential COVID violations, the team alerts restaurants by email before arriving, and then usually meets in an “atmosphere outside the normal inspector-inspectee setting,” the health department said.

Central District’s Cortona Cafe Will Close at the End of November

Cortona Cafe — a cozy spot known for serving Herkimer roasts, as well as a solid selection of snacks, including tiramisu waffles — announced its closing up shop permanently at the end of November after 11 years in business. Owner Isolynn Dean told the South Seattle Emerald that impacts from COVID was not the primary reason for the decision. She’s soon moving to Georgia to pursue a career in agriculture, and has chosen a successor that she feels will be good stewards for the community hub — Melo Juice co-founders Hanan Hassan Diriye and Ambrosia Austin will eventually take over the space, creating an offshoot of their popular juice shop, while also keeping some of the Cortona staples (such as the waffles).

Greenwood Hockey Pub the Angry Beaver Launches GoFundMe

Seattle’s most well-known hockey bar, the Angry Beaver, decided to close down during the current restrictions on indoor dining, and now has launched a GoFundMe in an effort to stay afloat. Ever since it opened in 2012, the pub has been a destination for both hockey fans and those looking for Canadian-influenced dishes, such as peameal sandwiches (corn meal-wrapped bacon) and poutine (it sold gravy by the flight). With the Seattle Kraken planning on making their debut for the 2021-22 NHL season, the Angry Beaver is looking for some community support in order to make it to opening day.