day : 08/07/2020 13 results

A pandemic first tops tonight’s roundup:

SHUT DOWN: Duke’s on Alki is the first local restaurant closed by health authorities because of a COVID-19 outbreak. We reported on the first case June 27th, then a second June 30th. We had just reported last night on new guidance about businesses with outbreaks.

VOLUNTARY CLOSURE: Also this afternoon, Grillbird Teriyaki announced it was closing temporarily after an employee tested positive.

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:

*11,319 people have tested positive, 113 more than yesterday

*598 people have died, 2 more than yesterday

*1,643 people have been hospitalized, 12 more than yesterday

*194,992 people have been tested, 3,127 more than yesterday

One week ago, the four totals were 10,356/589/1,600/171,737.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.

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

MORE ON THE MASK-DECLINE DESTRUCTION: We got the police report today on the Trader Joe’s incident we mentioned last night.

NO NIGHT OUT: Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner sent official word today that the block-party event in August will be anothe COVID cancellation this year.

YES, ART WALK: Some outdoor art will be part of the second-Thursday event this month – check the official website tomorrow!

GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!

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VIDEO: Tolls? Taxes? Or? Paying for West Seattle Bridge repair/replacement, and other topics @ Community Task Force meeting #4

July 8, 2020 8:14 pm

| 57 COMMENTS

| West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

(Reader photo)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The decision on whether the West Seattle Bridge will be repaired or replaced has not yet been made. but the topic of the day was how to pay for whichever option is chosen.

Not only was that a spotlight topic as the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force‘s fourth meeting, it was also the topic of an SDOT Blog post published during the meeting. So that’s the topic with which we begin, after the slide deck and first of two videos from the meeting:

BRIDGE FUNDING: During her part of the meeting, SDOT’s Heather Marx reviewed the “fundamental funding truths” of the bridge project – all based on the premise that the city doesn’t have the money to fund repair or replacement without supplementation.

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Grillbird Teriyaki closes TFN after employee tests positive for COVID-19

July 8, 2020 6:21 pm

| 23 COMMENTS

| Coronavirus | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Thanks for the tips on this: Grillbird Teriyaki announced this afternoon that it’s closed after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The note posted online and on Grillbird’s door:

We are closed until further notice

On Wednesday July 8th, a staff member at Grillbird tested positive for COVID-19. This individual was not customer facing and was immediately sent home to recover. Our entire staff will receive testing over the next couple days.

As a result of this positive test, we will be closing our doors temporarily so that we can wait for the results and disinfect/clean the restaurant. Our hope is to re-open as soon as possible, but until we can test everyone on our team, we cannot re-open. Your health and safety along with the health and safety of our team are of the utmost importance to us. We will be taking every precaution to ensure that when we do re-open, the environment will be safe.

We share this so we can be 100% transparent with all of our loyal customers and community that have been so supportive of Grillbird since we’ve opened.

We are grateful that our staff member who tested positive is not exhibiting any symptoms. We operate with a strict mask-wearing policy in our kitchens and at the counter, and will continue to reinforce this and rigorous daily cleaning practices. Please stay tuned about our reopening dates. We love you all and look forward to serving you again soon.

Matt & Danette

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police search in The Junction

July 8, 2020 5:19 pm

| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police search in The Junction

| Crime | West Seattle news

While out following up on a few things, we happened onto a lights/sirens police response in The Junction. They were headed for Bellevue Rare Coins at California/Oregon, where, they told us, someone walked in, smashed a display case, grabbed items, and ran. A K9 will be joining the search. No description available.

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FOLLOWUP: Duke’s Alki closed by Public Health because of COVID-19 outbreak

July 8, 2020 3:46 pm

| 72 COMMENTS

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

3:46 PM: We’ve reported twice in the past two weeks on COVID-19 cases among employees at Duke’s on Alki. We had followup questions out to Public Health Seattle-King County after reports of more cases – and PHSKC has just announced that the restaurant has been closed because of “ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 in employees” and “potential for workplace and customer transmission.” PHSKC also cited “non-compliance wth Washington State’s “Stay Safe, Stay Healthy” requirements.” The restaurant had closed for three days last week because of the initial outbreak, reopening on July 3rd.

4:45 PM: More from Public Health:

“At this time, all the cases have been in employees of Duke’s restaurant and we are not aware of cases among customers. The risk to diners is generally lower because they are typically not in close contact with employees for prolonged periods of time. For these reasons, customers do not need to quarantine, but should monitor their health closely for any symptoms and get tested at any sign of COVID-like illness,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer, Public Health- Seattle & King County.

“With the recent increase in cases, everyone – including all restaurants, businesses and individuals – needs to remember the importance of physical distancing, limiting the number and duration of contacts with others, use of face coverings, good ventilation, and hand washing to the reduce risk of COVID-19 to customers, employees and the community. Anyone who knows they were in close contact with a COVID-19 case or has symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate themselves away from others and seek testing. And older adults and people with risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection should take extra precautions and limit activities to the extent possible.”

In response to rising COVID-19 cases county wide, Public Health is expanding efforts to educate and enforce compliance of Governor Inslee’s Safe Start COVID-19 reopening requirements in food establishments.

Information for customers of the restaurant

If you were a customer at Duke’s at Alki, watch closely for any symptoms daily until 14 days after you were at the restaurant. Symptoms of COVID-19 infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or a change in smell or taste perception. Other symptoms include recent or increasing tiredness or weakness, headache, muscle aches, diarrhea, chills, and sore throat. These symptoms occur within 2–14 days of your last exposure to a person diagnosed with COVID-19.

If you do not have any symptoms you do not need to quarantine. You can continue to go to work and out in public spaces as normal, but you should wear a face covering and stay at least 6 feet from people who do not live in your home.

If you develop any symptoms, even if minor, call your doctor or healthcare provider for a medical evaluation. Explain that you might have been exposed to a person with COVID-19. Follow their instructions for testing.

If you do not have a doctor or healthcare provider: free or low-cost testing is available at several King County locations to anyone, regardless of immigration status. Call the King County COVID-19 Call Center at 206-477-3977 for assistance. The Call Center is open from 8am to 7pm, 7 days a week. If you need an interpreter, say the name of your language.

6 PM: We went over to Duke’s to verify the closure. They are indeed closed, but no explanatory note on the door.

ADDED EARLY THURSDAY: Duke’s posted a statement on social media confirming the 7 Alki cases that commenters have reported, The restaurant’s owners contend they have been “strictly following CDC and local health department guidelines.”

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DEVELOPMENT: Long-stalled redevelopment site up for sale

July 8, 2020 3:10 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

Thanks for the tips! The long-stalled development site adjacent to Ephesus, with the same property owner, is up for sale. Listing price: $1.7 million, including the plans for the three-story mixed-use building that was in progress, and the foundation and underground garage that have already been poured. The site held a small commercial building – before demolition in 2012; its businesses included a quirky retail shop called Cavvy’s, and Rick’s Barber Shop (which in the ensuing years has had to move again because of redevelopment). Work started in 2016, but didn’t get beyond the concrete and a bit of framing. Our archives show the site described with addresses including 5247 and 5251 California; the previous permits were granted for 5247, but the real-estate listing identifies the site as 5249.

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FOLLOWUP: West Seattle Trader Joe’s customer’s mask-refusal rampage

July 8, 2020 1:20 pm

| 39 COMMENTS

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

As mentioned in last night’s virus-crisis roundup, a reader reported that a West Seattle Trader Joe’s customer went on a rampage after being asked to wear a mask – on the first day that businesses statewide are mandated to do just that. We promised to seek out the resulting police report, and obtained it – the narrative says there was a bit more to it:

On 7/7/20, at approximately 1031 hours, officers responded to a theft call at the location of 4545 Fauntleroy Wsy SW, Trader Joes. Upon arrival, a community member informed officers the suspect got on a bus prior to our arrival.

RP advised the suspect, a white male in his 20’s, brown hair, skinny build, with all-black clothing, was asked to put a mask on upon entering the location. RP advised because of this, the subject grabbed a case of Nova Vodka, and attempted to walk out the store. At this point, staff took the items out of the subject’s hand. RP advised the subject became angry and began to knock over rope barriers, air plants, then began to uproot a flower pot. According to the RP, the subject then walked away from the location, toward the QFC. … There were no injuries as a result of this incident. Unfortunately, the RP advised there are no security cameras that observed the incident.

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REOPENING: Sunfish on Alki

July 8, 2020 11:20 am

| 17 COMMENTS

| Coronavirus | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

We’ve received lots of questions in recent weeks about the status of Sunfish (2800 Alki Avenue SW) – and today we can finally report that it has reopened. We drive Alki just about every evening, and saw no change in the hand-lettered CLOSED note on the door – until last night, when we noticed that was gone. So we just went back for an early check, saw the open door, and went in to confirm: Yes, they’re open, for takeout only, 11 am-6 pm.

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TRAFFIC ALERT: Another Sylvan Way crash

July 8, 2020 10:26 am

| 19 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Another crash on Sylvan Way, this time at SW Holly (just after we got word that SDOT is out trimming trees on the increasingly busy corridor). Per Seattle Fire radio exchange, four vehicles are involved, no major injuries reported so far.

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TODAY: 4th meeting for West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force

July 8, 2020 9:54 am

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| West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

9:54 AM: Just a reminder that the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force has its fourth meeting today, online at noon. You can watch here – or, if you’d rather call in to listen, the number is 408-418-9388, access code: 146 162 4832. We’re awaiting the agenda, but one major topic today will be the impending release of neighborhood-specific lists for potential Reconnect West Seattle projects to address detour-route traffic. SDOT had said the lists would be made public this past Monday but now tells us Thursday or Friday.

11:13 AM: Here’s the agenda.

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From White Center Now: 2-alarm fire

July 8, 2020 8:38 am

| 15 COMMENTS

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news | White Center

For the second time in three months, a fire callout at the former Yarington’s Funeral Home at 16th/107th in White Center – this time, much bigger, 2 alarms. We’re covering it on partner site White Center Now.

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ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Wednesday notes, 16th week of West Seattle Bridge closure

July 8, 2020 6:12 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:12 AM: It’s Wednesday, the 107th morning without the high-rise West Seattle Bridge.

ROAD WORK

Lane reductions continue at several locations on Delridge Way as the RapidRide H Line conversion project continues – here’s what they’re working on this week.

TRAFFIC

Here’s the camera for the restricted-daytime-access low bridge:

The main detour route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) – which has up to 14 overnight closures planned later this month. Meanwhile, here’s that camera:

The other major bridge across the river is the South Park Bridge (map) – this camera shows the SP-side approach:

If you’re going through South Park, neighbors need you to slow down.

P.S. Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed for info about any of those bridges opening for marine traffic.

You can see all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.

TRANSIT

Metro – Some service has been restored – details here.

Water Taxi – Some service has been restored on the WT too, plus the 773 and 775 shuttles – see the schedule here.

Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

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District 1 Community Network tackles top topics, from bridge to virus

July 8, 2020 12:30 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Toplines from the District 1 Community Network‘s July meeting last week:

WHO WAS THERE: Always hard to get a full roll call in online meetings, But this one included attendees from neighborhod-based groups (South Park, Fauntleroy, Pigeon Point, Pelly Place, Admiral, Highland Park, Alki, The Junction) as well as peninsula-wide groups such as West Seattle Bike Connections and the West Seattle Transportation Coalition, the Emergency Hubs. A few individual attendees were there too; we noted one from Fairmount Springs. D1CN is open to anyone with an interest in West Seattle and/or South Park. The group has an administrator (Larry Wymer) but no officers; each meeting has a volunteer facilitator – for this one, it was Phil Tavel.

WHAT THEY DISCUSSED – THE BRIDGE: The West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force was a hot topic – three members were in attendance:

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