Gov. Jay Inslee celebrated Washington state's reopening on Thursday in typical Seattle fashion: on the roof of the Space Needle under a cloudy morning sky.
Coming off a record-breaking heat wave, the wind and cooler weather were a welcome relief as Inslee and other officials took turns hoisting the bright yellow and green "Washington Ready" flag up the spire of the Space Needle. The flag raising is part of Inslee's tour of the state.
"We're reopening the state," Inslee said. "We're able to this because Washington has pulled together and we know when we pull together, we get through together."
Inslee was joined by former Gov. Christine Gregoire, state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah, health care workers and representatives from the Washington National Guard, Seattle Fire Department and the COVID-19 Vaccine Action Command and Coordination System.
Only a few dozen people were allowed on top of the Space Needle, and Inslee left quickly after 8:30 a.m. Afterward, a five-person drum line performed below on the observation deck in view of downtown Seattle.
