West Seattle, Washington

23 Tuesday

43℉

day : 09/07/2020 11 results

CORONAVIRUS: Thursday 7/9 roundup
July 9, 2020 10:24 pm
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Four months after West Seattle’s first publicly disclosed COVID-19 case, here’s the nightly virus-crisis news roundup:

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

*11,486 people have tested positive, up 167 from yesterday

*602 people have died, up 4 from yesterday

*1,662 people have been hospitalized, up 19 from yesterday

*198,710 people have been tested, up 3,718 from yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 10,596/589/1,606/175,993.

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

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

LOCAL TREND: You can use the daily-summary dashboard and choose the “geography over time” tab to see how many positive test results were reported in the past two weeks, and previous two-week periods. This map uses “health reporting areas,” with the peninsula broken into West Seattle and Delridge HRAs. The two had 82 positive tests total in the past two weeks, up from 25 during the two weeks before that. Total positives for the two combined, since the start of the pandemic: 397.

ANOTHER RESTAURANT CASE: The new MOD Pizza in Westwood Village reopened today after a short closure following an employee’s positive test.

WEST SEATTLE TESTING TOMORROW: Weekly reminder – Friday is the weekly drive-up testing day in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), 10 am-3 pm.

FREE FOOD TOMORROW: 2-5 pm Friday at Food Lifeline (815 S. 96th; map). The emergency food boxes – which FL says will include fresh produce and dairy products – are available to all, no paperwork or proof of need (you will only be asked for your zip code).

PHOTOS? TIPS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302 – thank you!

Share This

DEVELOPMENT: Design Review Board going online, with 2 Triangle sites scheduled for August meetings
July 9, 2020 8:59 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Triangle | West Seattle news

(Project-sites map as shown during February community meeting)

The last time the Southwest Design Review Board met was March 5th, just before in-person community meetings came to a halt because of the pandemic. Four months later, the city is working on getting the all-volunteer boards set up for online meetings, and two neighboring projects in the West Seattle Triangle are tentatively set for reviews in August: 4406 36th SW on August 6th – summarized as “a 7-story, 277-unit apartment building with retail. Parking for 188 vehicles proposed” and 4440 Fauntleroy Way SW on August 20th, summarized as “a 7-story, 209-unit apartment building with retail. Parking for 136 vehicles proposed.” Seeing those dates and knowing the board hasn’t been meeting, we checked with the Department of Construction and Inspections, whose spokesperson Wendy Shark told us:

We are hoping to launch the pilot of virtual Design Review Board meetings in August. At this time, these projects are intended to be conducted with the Board via an online platform. Details regarding the remote meetings will be forthcoming on the Design Review website.

You might also be wondering about big projects proceeding despite the bridge’s closure and uncertain future. These are part of the Sweeney family’s holdings centered on the current site of their longtime business Alki Lumber; we asked family spokesperson Lynn Sweeney, who replied, “We are moving forward with Design Review. I know there is a lot of uncertainty right now but we remain hopeful that our project will ultimately be well-timed.” We last spoke with her back in January, when these two sites were first entered into the city process; that was a year after the family announced they were “studying alternatives.” Our past coverage also includes February’s early community outreach meeting with the development team.

Share This

UPDATE: Rescue response for North Delridge crash
July 9, 2020 7:41 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news

7:41 PM: Seattle Fire has a rescue response for a crash in the 4400 block of 26th SW. One person is reported trapped. A texter says it’s a flipped vehicle. We are headed there. Updates to come.

7:55 PM: Police say the driver whose car went sideways hit a parked car. The driver is being taken to the hospital. (This is on 26th – which is a neighborhood greenway – just south of Genesee, just west of Delridge Community Center.)

Share This

Scenes from July’s West Seattle Art Walk, including drive-by sights in Arbor Heights
July 9, 2020 5:59 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

5:59 PM: That’s artist Mimi Miles outside Brace Point Pottery in Arbor Heights, with an unusual West Seattle Art Walk sight until 8 pm:

Brace Point Pottery opens its patio and gallery for an outdoor, drive by, wander through sculpture exhibition. Mimi Miles‘ ceramic torsos and portraits are ceramic manifestations of human emotion and movement. Eight larger than life size busts of old white men make up “SENATE MAJORITY” and occupy center gallery, visible from the street. Female torso, “Attitude” conveys its message clearly.

BPP is at 4208 SW 100th. Other Art Walk locations – and online links – are in our preview from earlier today.

6:51 PM: A few sights from the Junction:

Painter Linda McClamrock is showing her work outdoors, at the KeyBank corner. And indoors at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor), co-proprietor Frances Smersh (below with husband/co-proprietor John) is tonight’s featured artist:

Stop by The Junction before 8.

P.S. Not to get too morose … but if not for the pandemic, tonight’s the Art Walk that would have been combined with what we always called “Summer Fest Eve,” streets closed for setting up our area’s biggest annual festival. Here’s hoping for next year!

Share This

BIZNOTE: 2 women who led local nonprofits form new firm to help others
July 9, 2020 3:51 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Two women who led high-profile local nonprofits are launching a new business to help organizations learn and grow while dealing with one of the biggest challenges of our time. Here’s their announcement:

Erin Dury (left), former Executive Director of the West Seattle Helpline, and Nancy Woodland (right), former Executive Director of WestSide Baby, are partnering in support of nonprofit excellence and learning. With a combined 35 years working within the nonprofit sector throughout the Pacific Northwest, Erin and Nancy have created Ampersand Community, LLC to harness what each loved most and what each saw as opportunities for organizations and people serving communities, making a difference, connection and learning.

“Nonprofits are powerful vehicles for change. With that power also comes the responsibility to surface systemic inequities that create the situations of need in the first place,” shares Erin Dury. “I am committed to anti-racism in my daily life and believe the nonprofit community both addresses and upholds a culture that fails to center the voices the sector is meant to serve. Community voices are rarely part of the solutions, rather mostly-white leadership come in to save” and make decisions in isolation.”

Ampersand Community is grounded in a Both/And mindset. Nonprofits and the people who run them are amazingly impactful and can also cause unintended, but real, harm. Organizations can create new strategic plans, explore mergers, start new programs, and can do it better by including additional voices. The Both/And mindset is foundational to creating active and engaging spaces to fuel lasting impact, powered by the communities served.

Ampersand Community will provide training, connection and support to nonprofits looking to excel in all aspects, from internal culture to program design and advocacy. “I was so fortunate as an executive director to have a board and co-workers who understood the importance of training and professional development. The skill of consultants, candidness of colleagues of color, and space to make mistakes influenced my leadership more than anything else,” shares Nancy Woodland. “Whether considering where to spend money, how to shift board cultures, or provide basic needs, I believe leaders, staff, boards, volunteers and even supporters must engage in personal learning that can create lasting change. It’s not enough to simply do a board development or anti-racism training and it is also okay to start small as a first step. Both/And.”

After leading WestSide Baby through distribution of millions of diapers, car seats, and clothes, Nancy stepped away as Executive Director in December 2019. After several years as Executive Director at Oregon CASA Network, Erin led the West Seattle Helpline through a successful merger with the West Seattle Food Bank and stepped aside in February 2020. Both enter this work to answer the call of Black, Indigenous and Person of Color (BIPOC) colleagues and friends for white folks to lean in and do better. We will be engaging with incredible BIPOC advisers and consultants as well as white allies throughout our work and continued journey.

Community of Practice Cohorts geared to white leaders of nonprofit organizations interested in centering anti-racism are available now. BIPOC folks are always welcome, though we don’t ever want to give the impression that the often very frustrating work of organizing white people should be put on BIPOC folks non-voluntarily.

Their contact info is here.

Share This

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Recognize this thief?
July 9, 2020 2:40 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

On Wednesday evening we mentioned a smash-and-grab incident at Bellevue Rare Coins in The Junction. Today, the business shared a security-cam image with us in hopes that might help lead to a suspect. They tell us the thief mostly got away with jewelry. If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 20-208198.

Share This

TONIGHT: West Seattle Art Walk goes hybrid – part in-person, part online
July 9, 2020 1:03 pm
|    Comments Off on TONIGHT: West Seattle Art Walk goes hybrid – part in-person, part online
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

With King County going to Safe Start Phase 2 since the last West Seattle Art Walk, that opens more possibilities for in-person participation – so this month’s WSAW is hybrid: Part in-person, part virtual. From the preview on the WSAW website:

Visit an outdoors art show and reception under a shelter tent or overhang:
*Linda McClamrock, Key Bank Plaza, Alaska Junction

Visit an indoor art show and reception, following all state guidelines for masks and capacity:
*West Seattle Grounds, Admiral Junction
*Click! Design That Fits, Alaska Junction
*Capers Home, Alaska Junction
*Wild Rose, Alaska Junction
*West Seattle Cellars, Morgan Junction
*NW Encaustics, Morgan Junction
*Brace Point Pottery & Gallery, Arbor Heights

Stroll by businesses that have art featured in their windows during Art Walk or displayed during business hours:
*Flying Apron, Alaska Junction
*Mailbox West, Morgan Junction

Or – online! See the gallery here, which is where you’ll also find the times and addresses for the locations mentioned above. Plus – this YouTube playlist! Support your local artists and businesses however you can; see you on the Art Walk (whose community co-sponsors include WSB).

Share This

Westwood Village MOD Pizza reopens after brief closure following employee’s positive COVID-19 test
July 9, 2020 12:01 pm
|    Comments Off on Westwood Village MOD Pizza reopens after brief closure following employee’s positive COVID-19 test
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants | Westwood

A reader texted that photo last night after finding the “TEMPORARILY CLOSED” sign on the recently opened Westwood Village MOD Pizza. It didn’t explain the closure, nor could we find an explanation online, so we contacted company spokesperson Charlotte Wayte, who just replied: “Unfortunately, we did have to close temporarily due to a an employee testing positive for COVID [once we were informed, we immediately closed the store and performed a deep cleaning following the guidance of the CDC, and any impacted employees were immediately contacted and isolated per CDC guidelines], but we were able to safely open this morning.” (Closing is not required, by the way – here’s the Public Health Seattle-King County guidance for food-service businesses.)

Share This

VOTE! See the contenders in West Seattle Bridge T-shirt contest
July 9, 2020 10:59 am
|      49 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(SDOT image: Crews on the bridge today)

From the “if you don’t laugh about it, you’ll cry” department … Yes, we’re semi-stuck on West Seattle Island, but every so often, you can’t help but see a little humor in it – evidenced by the stickers and yard signs that have popped up. Today, here’s one of those chances to do more than despair: Your chance to vote in the T-shirt design contest presented by the West Seattle Art Walk and WS Junction Association. As featured here previously, they put out a call for designs – and now more than 70 entries are ready for your consideration! You can see them all here, and vote for your five favorites, before the end of the month. The top three vote-getting designs will be produced as T-shirts and sold locally.

Share This

UPDATE: Another Brace Point power outage
July 9, 2020 10:11 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

10:11 AM: Thanks for the tips. 337 customers south of Fauntleroy are out of electricity again. The same area lost power for a day and a half back in May. It went out around 8:30 this morning and is again attributed to “equipment failure.” As we reported in June, the area is scheduled for major work to replace its underground cabling, but the project has been delayed until early next year.

3:04 PM: Still out. We’re checking with City Light about the repairs’ status.

4:41 PM: Here’s how she replied:

This is the same location as the extended outage back in May in terms of customers impacted, but the issue is in a different area of the underground system. Crews have found the issue and have begun digging to reach it and make repairs. We expect this work will go well into the evening, potentially longer, before complete resolution.

Also, as you may have noticed on the outage map, the number of impacted customers has dropped from 337 to 43. This is because we were able to reroute service in a way that restored as many customers as possible while keeping necessary areas deenergized to safely make repairs. Please be aware that once repairs are complete, it is necessary to temporarily deenergize the broader area again to switch power back to the normal configuration.

Share This

ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Thursday notes, 16th week of West Seattle Bridge closure
July 9, 2020 6:16 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:16 AM: It’s Thursday, the 108th morning without the high-rise West Seattle Bridge.

ROAD WORK

Several locations on Delridge Way have lane reductions as the RapidRide H Line conversion project continues – here’s what crews are 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:

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.

Share This