West Seattle, Washington

16 Saturday

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month : 07/2020 314 results

CORONAVIRUS: Friday 7/10 roundup
July 10, 2020 11:00 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

19 weeks ago tonight, King County announced its first confirmed coronavirus case. We start tonight’s roundup with the numbers:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:

*11,632 people have tested positive, 146 more than yesterday

*603 people have died, 1 more than yesterday

*1,674 people have been hospitalized, 12 more than yesterday

*201,745 people have been tested, 3,035 more than yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 10,719/590/1,610/179,644.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 12.4 million cases, 560,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.

SANITIZER CONTAMINATION: The state wants to be sure you’re aware of this FDA alert about some hand sanitizers.

PICKUP MARKET: If you want to shop the West Seattle Farmers’ Market without visiting multiple booths, the new online-ordering system for one pickup point is offered again this week. Midnight tonight is the deadline for orders to be picked up this Sunday (July 12th).

NEED FOOD? West Side Presbyterian Church (3601 California SW) is serving free bag lunches (“turkey, ham or beef sandwiches plus other goodies”) from 12-1 pm tomorrow, all welcome.

FREE BUS RIDES: Noticed in a Metro advisory tonight that “fares will remain suspended through the month of August,”

GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

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CLOSURE ALERT: S. Michigan just off 1st Avenue S. Bridge, all weekend
July 10, 2020 9:24 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Georgetown | West Seattle news

(SDOT “live” camera showing work zone on S. Michigan)

Last month, an SDOT announcement about various road projects included news of two weekend closures for S. Michigan between E. Marginal and 4th Ave. S., just off the north end of the 1st Avenue South Bridge. The first one started a short time ago and could continue until 5 am Monday. This is for road restoration related to the King County stormwater-facility project, and it’s scheduled to be repeated next weekend (the night of July 17th through the early morning of July 20th).

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Southwest Precinct could close if Seattle Police budget is halved, chief tells mayor
July 10, 2020 7:28 pm
|      263 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police | West Seattle politics

(WSB photo, Southwest Precinct sign at Delridge/Webster)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

If the Seattle Police Department‘s budget is cut in half immediately, closing the Southwest Precinct would be one way to save money.

So says SPD Chief Carmen Best in a letter to Mayor Jenny Durkan, shared with WSB by the mayor’s office late today as the battle heats up over cuts the City Council might consider this month. Here’s the chief’s letter:

From the letter:

Read More

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ROAD WORK: What’s ahead for the Delridge Way project
July 10, 2020 5:32 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news

The Delridge Way road repaving/rebuilding project, literally paving the way for the RapidRide H Line conversion, continues. Here are the highlights of SDOT‘s preview for next week:

Throughout July, we will continue demolishing existing roadway and pouring new concrete panels, installing new curb ramps, and installing storm and water line pipework throughout the corridor in the three work zones listed below. We will also remove and trim trees as needed.

What to expect the week of July 13

We will work in all three zones at the same time, from north to south on Delridge Way SW. No Parking signs will be posted on both sides of the street in each phase of work to shift traffic around the work zones. As each zone progresses, parking will be restored.

In each of the three work zones, travel lanes will be reduced to one lane in each direction with restricted turns. Please follow posted traffic signs.

Upcoming closures

Temporary driveway closures near SW Juneau St

Expect intermittent delays to driveway access. Driveways will be covered with a steel plate when work is not occurring. Please contact us if you have concerns about accessibility during this work.

Waterline improvements at SW Hudson St

SW Hudson St will be closed on the east and west side of Delridge Way SW as we complete this work.Water may be shut off temporarily during this work. Please contact Seattle Public Utilities for information on impacts.

For people biking along the corridor, please dismount your bikes at the intersection of Delridge Way SW and SW Juneau St where the greenway crosses. There is a traffic control officer to help bikers safely navigate around the large equipment and construction activities.

Work by zone

Zone A (West Seattle Bridge to SW Findlay St)

Demolition work from SW Charlestown St to SW Dakota St

We have begun moving to the east side of Delridge Way SW to demolish curb ramps at SW Andover St. We will then pour and install new curb ramps. Lanes will be shifted around the work zone

Demolition work from SW Alaska St to SW Genesee St

We are demolishing road on the west side of Delridge Way SW from SW Alaska St to SW Genesee St

Waterline improvements at SW Genesee St, SW Edmunds St and SW Hudson St

We are making improvements to the waterline at SW Genesee St. This work is expected to last through late July. Late next week we will begin making improvements to the waterline at SW Edmunds St. This work is expected to last through July.

Concrete work for bus pads throughout Zone A

We will begin installing bus pads and completing electrical work to prepare for the arrival of RapidRide on the corridor. This work will include demolishing and pouring concrete in the roadway, as well as some electrical work, at bus stop locations.

Zone B (SW Findlay St to north of SW Orchard St)

SW Findlay St to SW Juneau St

We will continue installing utility pipes. Please expect traffic to be shifted to one side of Delridge Way SW.

Zone C (North of SW Orchard St to White Center)

We will continue with the installation of the utility storm mainline and connecting catch basins throughout this zone.

If yo have water trouble during construction, please alert SPU at the 24/7 line, 206-386-1800.

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TONIGHT & BEYOND: How to comet-watch
July 10, 2020 3:34 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Skies Over West Seattle | West Seattle news

(Comet seen from ISS, from NASA Photo of the Day)

With a clear sky forecast from tonight, you might be interested in trying to get a look at Comet NEOWISE. West Seattle sky-watcher/educator Alice Enevoldsen has published a post on exactly how to do that from here. You’ll have to be up REALLY early, though, and you might need to try a non-West Seattle vantage point. Or, wait a couple days and it’ll be visible earlier – after sunset. (Monday’s weather looks promising.)

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DEVELOPMENT: New, bigger proposal for 35th/Holden/Ida
July 10, 2020 2:11 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(Google Maps’ Street View image of site)

Two years after a development proposal at 7617 35th SW stalled in Design Review, with the property put back up for sale, a new, bigger proposal has just appeared in city files. This time, the proposed redevelopment site spans 35th frontage from Ida to Holden – 3507 SW Ida, 7603 and 7617 35th SW, per the early-stage site plan. That includes the former Howden-Kennedy Funeral Home building as well as the Complete Auto Repair site. The proposal is for a five-story apartment building with underground parking, which would have an entry off SW Holden; the city website shows 124 apartments are proposed, with 60 vehicle-parking spaces and 140 bicycle-parking spaces. The city site also lists LDG Architects as working on the project; they were also architects of record for the previous proposal, which had envisioned up to 50 apartments. Property records show the owner of the Complete Auto Repair site bought the other two parcels last October for $1.4 million total. Since this is an early-stage proposal, it’s not at the public-comment stage yet, but we’ll be watching for that. (Thanks to John for the tip.)

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Reconnect West Seattle: They’ve got the questions; you’ve got the answers
July 10, 2020 11:29 am
|      78 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

One month after its first public mention of Reconnect West Seattle as an umbrella label for dealing with post-bridge-closure mobility issues, SDOT has just gone public with the tools for you to help shape it.

RWS has two goals – “to restore travel across the Duwamish to similar levels seen before the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge closure and reduce the impact of detour traffic in Duwamish Valley neighborhoods such as Highland Park and South Park.”

Toward the first goal, there’s a survey for everyone on the peninsula – more than 30 questions, from your commute/travel habits pre-bridge/pre-pandemic, to what you would need to try a different mode of travel – as shown in the graphics above (displayed at recent briefings), something they hope thousands of people will do.

Answer the peninsula-wide survey here.

The information will help SDOT and its partners – other transportation agencies such as Metro, primarily – figure out what they’re going to have to do to avoid total gridlock once people get back to cross-Duwamish commuting in much larger numbers. The questions all have opportunities for you to explain your answers if you want to, so give yourself some time – it’s not one of those quick one-pager types.

The other Reconnect West Seattle component that’s going public today: The Neighborhood Prioritization Process. Potential-project lists have been created for four areas that have been hit the hardest by bridge-detour traffic – Highland Park/Riverview/South Delridge/Roxhill, South Park, Georgetown, and SODO. People who live, work, and/or study in any or all of those areas are asked to review the lists – compiled from a slew of suggestions already made – and pick up to ten they think would help. (If you have a suggestion that’s not on the list, there’s a chance to suggest it.) Note that these aren’t all traffic-moving suggestions – the idea is to address the effects of the detour traffic.

Direct links to the survey-format prioritization lists:

Highland Park/Riverview/South Delridge/Roxhill
South Park
Georgetown
SODO

Both the all-WS survey and the neighborhood prioritization process are open until the end of the month. SDOT says it’s trying hard to be sure as many people as possible. If you know someone who would rather have a paper “ballot” for prioritization, here are PDF versions you can print: Highland Park/Riverview/South Delridge/Roxhill, South Park, Georgetown, SODO. (Each has instructions nn how to send it in.) Also, you can request paper ballots by calling 206-400-7511 or emailing westseattlebridge@seattle.gov.

Other languages? The ballots are available in seven languages – Chinese Traditional, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, Khmer, Korean, Oromo; the links will be available via a Reconnect West Seattle webpage that should be live soon. (11:48 AM: Here it is.) The city also is sending a postcard about all this via postal mail to every household in West Seattle – look for that in about a week.

So what happens after you’ve sent in your answers? The West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force will be involved in reviewing the results in August, at its August 5th and 19th meetings. A plan will be shaped from there, with action to follow. All the while, SDOT is also in discussions with those partner agencies – and your feedback can shape the path of those discussions too.

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UPDATE: Gas leak at road-work site in 4000 block Delridge Way
July 10, 2020 9:52 am
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Utilities | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(Part of the response. Photo by Erica, in comments)

9:52 AM: Avoid the 4000 block of Delridge Way SW – a major Seattle Fire response is arriving to help deal wth a gas leak at the road-construction site. Puget Sound Energy is there too.

9:57 AM: According to radio communication, three households have been evacuated.

10 AM: Also per a radio report to dispatchers, this will take some time to fix as repair crews have to excavate around the line. .. Traffic will be blocked to the north at Delridge/Spokane.

10:36 AM: Rough estimate: At least another hour. Meantime, some of the SFD units are being dismissed.

10:46 AM: The 5-way intersection camera, which was down for days, is back up.. Here’s what it’s showing for Delridge/Spokane.

10:56 AM: The leaking line has been shut down, dispatch was just told.

11:12 AM: The 5-way camera shows SB traffic is being allowed onto Delridge again. Per radio, they’re “opening everything up.”

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TODAY: Delridge overpass vigil for Black lives
July 10, 2020 9:46 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle protests

(Seen in 4500 block of 40th SW)

Another Delridge overpass vigil later today. From organizer Nancy:

With the release of the transcripts from Mr. Floyd’s murder and the news he said he couldn’t breathe more than 20 times, it’s critical we continue to show up to stand up against racism.

Please join us to show support for our Black friends, family, and neighbors, to #SayTheirNames, and remind each other that people are still suffering injustice.

What: #SayTheirNames
When: Friday, July 10th, from 5:30-6:30 pm
Where: Pedestrian overpass on Delridge at the Delridge Community Center/Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
.
Please remember to wear your masks!

We stand with Hate-Free Delridge and encourage you to join them on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 to 6:30 pm at Delridge/Orchard

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Friday notes, 16th week of West Seattle Bridge closure
July 10, 2020 6:07 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:07 AM: It’s Friday, the 109th morning without the high-rise West Seattle Bridge.

ROAD WORK

Major work continues on Delridge Way, with lane reductions, as the RapidRide H Line conversion project continues – here’s what crews are working on this week; look for next week’s preview later today.

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 to start mid-July. 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? Don’t speed.

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 – Still reduced service and distancing – details here.

Water Taxi – Back to its “winter” schedule, 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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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!

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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.

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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.)

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.)

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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.

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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.

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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.

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CORONAVIRUS: Wednesday 7/8 roundup
July 8, 2020 11:14 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

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
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 |   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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