West Seattle, Washington

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day : 14/06/2020 8 results

CORONAVIRUS: Sunday 6/14 roundup
June 14, 2020 10:24 pm
|    Comments Off on CORONAVIRUS: Sunday 6/14 roundup
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Midway through the fourth month of the local COVID-19 outbreak, here’s our nightly roundup:

KING COUNTY’S NEWEST NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:

*8,751 people have tested positive, 51 more than yesterday

*574 people have died, unchanged from yesterday

*1,520 people have been hospitalized, 2 more than yesterday

*123,508 people have been tested, 6,411 more than yesterday

One week ago, the cases/deaths totals were 8,465/566.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.

DECISION AHEAD: Next Friday is the official last day of the school year for Seattle Public Schools, and that’s also the day the district will announce its recommended “scenario” for next school year.

SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES: Even though many are now allowed to restore reduced-capacity in-person service, it’s by no means an instant remedy for the revenue losses that so many have suffered over the past three months. So fundraising efforts continue as a supplement the Small Business Relief Fund set up by the West Seattle Junction Association is one; also, a post in the WSB Community Forums links to a crowdfunding campaign for Seattle Yarn.

GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE BIRDS: Peregrine Falcon rescued, and nest news
June 14, 2020 8:44 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

This morning, Brian sent that photo, showing a juvenile Peregrine Falcon that seemed to have encountered trouble on the low-bridge bicycle/pedestrian path. Then, tonight, an update from Joel, including more photos:

To all the concerned cyclists and walkers that saw the disoriented juvenile Peregrine on the bridge yesterday, good news, he was picked up today and transferred to PAWS for rehabilitation:

We don’t know for sure if it’s from the same nest, but another reader had recently called our attention to the Urban Raptor Conservancy mentioning briefly in this online update that three peregrines had hatched in a nest on the now-closed high bridge. We asked SDOT for more information, and they reminded us it’s not the first time:

We have a long history of working with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Urban Raptor Conservancy’s Seattle Peregrine Project to support wildlife preservation efforts including protecting peregrine falcon nests on West Seattle High-Rise Bridge and the University Bridge. In the late 1990s, we assisted with the nest box’s placement on the bridge, and the site has produced young most years since 2005. In some years, we have also assisted the Urban Raptor Conservancy to band new falcon chicks in order to learn valuable information about the birds’ movement and migration habits. For example, in 2011 an SDOT bridge inspector discovered four young falcon chicks roosting beneath the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge, which were the offspring of a female peregrine who had travelled from a nest on a crane at the Port of Olympia.

We take extreme care not to disturb the current resident of the nest, who the Urban Raptor Conservancy informs us is a peregrine falcon born in downtown Tacoma. We are in frequent communication with Department of Fish and Wildlife and Urban Raptor Conservancy about the status of the bridge and plan to work closely with both agencies regarding the future of the bridge and nest.

SDOT also told us they and partner agencies have considered installing a streaming camera but not soon, as they “determined that it is too risky to the birds to install during nesting season (and also risky for our engineers, since the falcons are highly likely to attack anyone who comes near the nest). This is a seasonal nest, so we are considering installing a camera later this year after the fledgling season when birds have all learned to fly and left the nest.”

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CLASS OF 2020: Chief Sealth IHS seniors graduate Wednesday
June 14, 2020 6:45 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Minus the traditional ceremonies, graduation season continues. Chief Sealth International High School‘s Class of 2020 graduates on Wednesday (June 17th). Sealth activities coordinator Sarah Starr Martin sent details about the online ceremony:

Live on SPS TV at 8:30 pm Wednesday
Watch on YouTube here (note: updated link)

On cable:

Comcast 26 (standard-def) 319 (hi-def)
Wave 26 (standard-def) 695 (hi-def)
Century Link 8008 (standard-def) 8508 (hi-def)

Sarah adds, “If students and families cannot view the live broadcast, beginning June 20, SPSTV will rebroadcast the graduations through July 4. The full list of graduation-ceremony schedules can be found here.”

P.S. Sealth teacher Breanna Whited made a video tribute to the Class of 2020 and shares it – via PTSA co-president Bonnie Gilbert – with school permission:

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WEST SEATTLE PROTESTS: Hundreds march from High Point to Delridge
June 14, 2020 2:06 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle protests

2:06 PM: We are at Walt Hundley Playfield, where West Seattle’s next protest march is about to start. Organizers just told us they plan to go west on Myrtle, north on 35th, east on Morgan/Sylvan, then on Delridge to Boren STEM K-8. Updates to come.

3:05 PM: After several speeches (added: some video above, including Karen Taylor singing the Black National Anthem), the march is about to leave the playfield.

3:17 PM: Headed out, NB on 35th.

3:47 PM: Approaching Delridge.

3:54 PM: Now on Delridge, stopping just north of the precinct, chanting “no justice, no peace, no racist police” and “Black rights are equal rights.” Also, “Say his name/George Floyd.”

(added) And an invitation for the police whose building was yards away:

4:07 PM: The hundreds of marchers have now headed northbound for the endpoint, Louisa Boren STEM K-8. The organizers were a group of 5friends who say they just came up with the idea less than a week ago because they thought there should be more marches “in more urban communities.’

4:37 PM: The march is over; some participants are still rallying in the Boren parking lot.

(Photo courtesy Alex)

More photos later.

6:01 PM: We’ve added some photos above. Still to come: Video from just before the march. The speakers had many messages, including this one that was repeated by multiple speakers: Marching is not enough. “You have to put in the work,” said Amanda Scott. “There’s so much work to be done.”

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Another West Seattle bridge project: SW Andover overpass seismic retrofit
June 14, 2020 1:36 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

It’s a bridge that tens of thousands previously drove or rode under every day, but unless you’ve walked, run, rolled, or bicycled over it, or live near it, you probably haven’t seen the SW Andover overpass in almost three months. It’s not out of sight/out of mind for the city, though. A long-planned project to retrofit the overpass for earthquake resistance is getting closer, according to this update emailed by SDOT this week:

Earthquakes could have a significant detrimental effect on Seattle’s infrastructure. To address seismic risks to city infrastructure, the City of Seattle established the bridge seismic retrofit (BSR) program.

As part of the BSR program, we’ll seismically retrofit the SW Andover St Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge, a vital pedestrian connection between the Youngstown and Genesee neighborhoods. The bridge was built in 1961, prior to the modernization of the seismic design code.

The planned retrofits to the SW Andover St Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge will strengthen key bridge components to better withstand seismic events.

What’s happening now?

We are currently in the final stages of design and expect to complete design this summer. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2020 and last approximately 2-3 months.

What to expect during construction

To complete this work safely and efficiently, the bridge will be fully closed for the duration of construction. Detours will be in place for those walking and biking. The detour route will be confirmed closer to the start of construction.

We’ll inform residents, nearby businesses, and people traveling through the area of the closure schedule and timing of construction throughout the project. This project will not interfere with, nor be impacted by, the West Seattle Bridge closure.

This will be funded by the Move Seattle levy and was on its original project list, which included both Admiral Way bridges as well as the Delridge pedestrian/bicycle overpass (as well as some non-bridge projects that were later delayed indefinitely). The project website is here.

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WEST SEATTLE PROTESTS: Pigeon Point’s neighborhood march
June 14, 2020 12:05 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Pigeon Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle protests

(WSB photos)

Just south of the now-empty West Seattle high bridge sits Pigeon Point. That’s where, this morning, dozens of Pigeon Pointers of all ages showed up for a neighborhood march to affirm that Black Lives Matter.

As reported here on Friday, this is also a response to the defacing and removal of a support banner that had been hung in the neighborhood.

P.S. This was the first of two West Seattle events announced for today – the next is at 2 pm at High Point Community Center, with an announced plan to march to Delridge Community Center.

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WHALE-WATCHING: Orcas in the area
June 14, 2020 10:53 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip to keep an eye out for orcas today – as of a short time ago, “Orcas are northbound again at entrance to Colvos Passage. Two groups today – one went south and is at Pt. Defiance.” That’s Tacoma, so you might not see them any time soon, but Colvos Passage is along the west shore of Vashon Island, so if those whales continue heading northbound, they will be in view from here. Let us know if you see them!

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WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: Online church services, protests, more…
June 14, 2020 6:34 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

(Lightning & rainbow looking NE from Duwamish Yacht Club, June 5. Photo by D. A. Soleimany)

Welcome to Sunday! Here’s our list of what’s happening today, starting with this week’s updated links for West Seattle churches’ online services, most livestreamed, some not:

ADMIRAL UCC: The video service is here. Also – follow that link for 11:15 am sharing and 11:45 am coffee hour.

ALKI UCC: 10 am online service, via Zoom – info and link on church’s home page.

ALL SOULS SEATTLE (WSB sponsor): Online worship will be linked here at 10 am.

ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 10 am.

BETHANY COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am, 7 pm.

CALVARY CHAPEL: Service will be viewable here, plus 11 am fellowship via Zoom, 6 pm all-church prayer and 7 pm evening worship (info on home page).

EASTRIDGE CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 9 am and 11 am.

FAUNTLEROY UCC: Livestreaming on the church’s YouTube channel at 10 am.

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE: Today’s online liturgy is here.

GRACE CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10:30 am.

HALLOWS CHURCH: Streaming at 10 am via the church’s YouTube channel.

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming in English at 8:30 am, en Español at 10 am, all here.

HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming at 9:30 am here.

HOPE LUTHERAN: Today’s worship service and children’s story are viewable here.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming at 10 am, both here.

PEACE LUTHERAN: Livestreaming at 10:30 am on YouTube.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Viewable on YouTube: All Ages Sunday School at 10 am, Morning Prayer at 10:15 am (here’s today’s bulletin), Kids’ Club at 11:30 am.

TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): The video service for today is viewable here.

TRINITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10 am.

WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The video service for today is viewable here.

WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming here, 11 am.

WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN Livestreaming at 10 am on the church’s YouTube channel.

WESTSIDE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION: Livestreaming via Zoom, 10:30 am.

WESTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: Online worship at 11 am; info here.

Any other churches to add? Please email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Also today:

(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm. Here’s the vendor/product list for this week. (Enter at California/Alaska)

DEMONSTRATION: 11 am, Pigeon Point neighbors will gather at 20th/Charlestown. (Backstory here.)

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)

MARCH: Gather at 2 pm at High Point Community Center for a march in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. (6940 34th SW)

FREE TO-GO DINNER: High Point Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near High Point Community Center. (6920 34th SW)

LAST DAY: Today’s the last chance to bid in the Fauntleroy Children’s Center online auction.

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