West Seattle, Washington
10 Tuesday
We’ve had cooling clouds around quite a bit recently, as photos from Jim Borrow (above) and Theresa Arbow-O’Connor (below) show …
… but forecasters say that we’re in for a change. The weather will start warming up in a major way, and Monday could get to – or beyond – 90 degrees. (Weather analyst Cliff Mass explains why.) So unless you’re a fan of hot weather, there’s a big reason to appreciate the more-seasonal weather forecast for this weekend, with highs likely in the 70s. We haven’t been in the 90s for more than a year, though, and the upcoming heat isn’t expected to hang around long, subsiding again after Monday.
21 weeks ago tonight, King County announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19. We start tonight’s roundup with the numbers:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:
*14,047 people have tested positive, 213 more than yesterday
*638 people have died, 2 more than yesterday
*1,866 people have been hospitalized, 28 more than yesterday
*265,108 people have been tested, 8,520 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 12,807/624/1,790/231,848.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 15.6 million cases, 638,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
EVICTION MORATORIUM FOLLOWUP: Yesterday, Gov. Inslee announced his intention to extend the statewide eviction moratorium, with details to come. Here they are – in the full proclamation. The announcement notes:
The extension makes modifications to the prior moratorium, including:
*Makes minor clarifications to existing restrictions, such as clarifying that law enforcement may serve eviction orders that include findings required by the proclamation; and
*Creates a workgroup to help inform potential changes to the moratorium in the short-term and the long-term, if needed. The workgroup is specifically asked to consider how future extensions could address options to increase rent.
The moratorium is extended through October 15.
RESTAURANT/TAVERN GUIDANCE: Full details of those changes are out too.
NEED FOOD? Free lunches are offered noon-1 pm tomorrow at West Side Presbyterian Church (3601 California SW).
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Thanks for the tips (and to Mike Jensen for the photo) – a tree is down across California Way, uphill from Harbor Avenue SW, so you won’t be able to use that route between Admiral and Alki until it’s cleared.
Three business notes:
MY THREE LITTLE BIRDS: The shop at 4736 California SW is having a sale and food drive this weekend:
Our store is running our Annual Summer Sale this weekend. All customers who drop off their donation to the West Seattle Food Bank get one of our cool PNW stickers.
We are here Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-4.
HIGHSTRIKE GRILL: Though bowling alleys can’t reopen yet, the restaurant at West Seattle Bowl just announced it will reopen next week:
We are excited to announce that we are reopening the Highstrike Grill on Wednesday, July 29. We will be open for both delivery and dine-in. Tables will be limited to 50% capacity and maximum of 5 people of the same household per Governor’s orders. We have missed you and look forward to seeing you soon!
In addition to getting your favorites, we will be offering both food and beverage specials. Our hours will be Monday through Thursday Noon to 8:00 pm and Friday through Sunday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Friday through Sunday we will be serving breakfast items from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The restaurant is on the corner at 39th/Oregon.
LA RUSTICA: The 4100 Beach Drive SW bistro has launched something new:
We are now offering our first ever Happy Hour!
Hours are 8:00 pm until close, Tuesday- Sunday.
Our Happy Hour includes both food and drink choices. We wanted to offer our guests another safe option to dine out with us while we all try to find ways to support each other.
As ever we are adhering to all safety standards as required and consider our employees and guests safety first. Continued thanks for your support during these trying times. We are ever grateful.
See La Rustica’s Happy Hour menu here.
Some additional closures – including a parking-lot entrance – and overnight work are part of what’s ahead next week in the Delridge road-work megaproject paving the way for the RapidRide H Line. Here’s what the project team just sent. Note that they are continuing to work in all three project “zones” simultaneously.
What’s new
Temporary weekend street closure at SW Genesee St and Delridge Way SW
*For the weekends of August 7-9 and August 14-16, please expect no through access to or from Delridge Way SW from SW Genesee St-SW Genesee St will be closed between 25th Ave SW to Delridge Way SW during this work
-Local access to SW Genesee St will be maintained from SW Avalon Way
-Route 50 will detour from Delridge Way SW to SW Avalon Way.Sidewalk closures and detours between SW Orchard St and Sylvan Way SW
*The sidewalk on the west side of Delridge Way SW are closed during construction. Please follow posted detour signs.
*People walking will need to cross at the marked intersections at SW Myrtle St or SW Holden St
*Access to some driveways at or near the SW Orchard St intersection may be impacted. Businesses will be open during construction and access will maintained at other driveways.Driveway closure for the northern parking lot at the Delridge Playfield
*We are planning to demolish and rebuild the driveway into the parking lot entrance between SW Genesee St and SW Oregon St as early as Wednesday, July 29
*People driving will not be able to access the parking lot at this time
*Please plan to park in the southern parking lot near SW Alaska St during construction You may access this parking lot by taking 26th Ave SW to SW Alaska StWhat’s continuing
*Temporary driveway closures near 21st Ave SW and Delridge Way SW
*Expect intermittent delays to driveway access. Driveways will be covered with a steel plate when work is not occurring.
*We will work our way south towards SW Thistle St in the next few weeks. Properties will be notified in advance of this work occurring.Temporary access restrictions at 24th Ave SW/SW Graham St near the Longfellow Creek Greenspace
*This week, we began excavating a trench across 24th Ave SW/SW Graham St to complete utility work in the roadway
*Access to 24th Ave SW, 25th Ave SW and SW Graham St will be interrupted during this work
*If you need to exit at 24th Ave SW onto Delridge Way SW, please plan for delays of up to 30 minutes to exit and enter your street during working hours
*You can coordinate with crews onsite to have a steel plate placed over the work area as needed to allow access
Ahead, next week’s planned work, zone by zone: Read More
2:14 PM: Thanks for the tip: Windows on the two unfenced sides of the Southwest Precinct are being boarded up right now.
So far it’s just boards – no sign of the heavier fortification seen downtown. Protests previously have steered clear of this precinct, aside from the march from High Point on June 14 that stopped on Delridge yards short of the police building before heading north.
2:56 PM: A little more context – this is happening after Police Chief Carmen Best warned that a new city ordinance restricting what police can use for crowd control will result in “an adjusted deployment in response to any demonstrations this weekend.” She contends, “The Council legislation gives officers no ability to safely intercede to preserve property in the midst of a large, violent crowd.” Best and Mayor Durkan held a media briefing this morning in which they urged protesters to stop the violence, saying it’s distracting from their cause.
10:16 PM: At a federal court hearing tonight, a judge blocked the new city rule from taking effect. It’s complicated, as SCC Insight explains.
(Renderings from Ankrom Moisan)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
As we first reported 2 weeks ago, two 7-story mixed-use buildings proposed for the Sweeney family’s property in the West Seattle Triangle are going before the Southwest Design Review Board next month. Though these will be reviewed as two projects – 4406 36th SW (277 apartments) and 4440 Fauntleroy Way SW (209 apartments) – the all-West Seattle team behind them says it’s one vision, and met with us this week for a design preview, 5 months after we covered their “early community outreach” session.
First, remember that the reviews on August 6 and 20 are in the Early Design Guidance stage of Design Review, which means the focus will be on the proposed size, shape, and location of the buildings. In this case, as explained by developer Ed Hewson and architect Jenny Chapman in our conversation, there’s a vision for the street between them – 36th SW south of Fauntleroy – too:
The street factors heavily into the plan – explained as a “reinvention.” Over the years, 36th has seemed more like a default loading zone for the Sweeneys’ legacy business, Alki Lumber; this development will change that in a big way, transforming this gateway to West Seattle (with a potential light-rail station nearby in 2030, as well as the eventual restoration of bridge traffic before then). The project is envisioned with “boardwalks” between the building and sidewalk – here’s a cross-section:
The project team is working with SDOT on the plan, which proposes that about 6′ of the boardwalk would come from city right-of-way (they note that the street is 80′ wide) and 4′ from their property. That would all be in addition to a standard sidewalk. So what might it look like? Here’s a street-level concept drawing:
Because the “boardwalk” would lead to an extra setback at street level, they are proposing a zoning exception – “departure,” which the Design Review Board will be asked to consider – that would skip the upper-story setbacks instead.
Lynn Sweeney explained that the ground-level retail vision includes part of the family business – a “heritage hardware store” – as well as café-type space, and other retail potential, with a “market feel” – in an “unexpected” area that they hope will synergize with other businesses new and old, including the family’s Grove/West Seattle Inn lodging as well as the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor). Another envisioned synergy – the midblock connection heading eastward toward 35th SW just south of Avalon, with RapidRide stops and West Seattle Stadium access:
The connection would be to the hillclimb stairway at Aura on 35th.
The project is going into review a year and a half after the Sweeney family first announced it was studying “alternatives” for some of their property. So what happens next? Both Design Review meetings are scheduled online for 6:30 pm – these city-website links will show how to watch/participate/comment:
4406 36th SW (August 6) – includes meeting link & design packet
4440 fauntleroy Way SW (August 20) – meeting info not linked yet
11:53 AM: Thanks for the tip: After a report of broken glass at Second Gear Sports in Morgan Junction (6529 California SW), we stopped by to inquire, and found out they were cleaning up after a burglary. No other details yet – they were still working on determining what was taken. We’ll add the police-report number when it’s available.
4:39 PM: An update just received from the proprietors:
To Our Community,
We have upsetting news that our beloved, family-owned store Second Gear Sports was burglarized in the wee hours on July 24, 2020. The front glass to our storefront was completely shattered. Two of our new Flash-brand electric bicycles were stolen, both gray in color, as well as a few backpacks and about three dozen pairs of sunglasses. A police report has been filed. We would welcome any assistance by our community if you have information.
Second Gear Sports is still here for you, and we ask that you continue to support us. If you have any questions or concerns, please message us at info@secondgearsports.com or call 206-935-3552.
Thank you,
Ellen & Mark Bremen, and our staff
Nonprofit City Fruit plans pop-ups to distribute homegrown fruit to anyone who wants/needs it – including four events in West Seattle. Here’s the announcement:
City Fruit is bringing fresh, hyper-local, FREE fruit to your neighborhood!
Fruit for All is a program designed to ensure that everyone in our community, regardless of their finances, has access to fresh, healthy fruit grown in the city. Over the next few months, City Fruit will host 12 Fruit for All Pop-ups, especially focusing on Seattle’s underserved neighborhoods, to share FREE fruit with community members.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of Seattleites are experiencing food insecurity, and demand for fresh, nutritious produce is particularly high. City Fruit puts our city’s fruit trees to their best and fullest use by harvesting otherwise unutilized fruit and sharing it with those who need it most.
The fruit will be super fresh, picked just a few days earlier or even that morning. The selection and quantity available will vary depending on the week’s harvest.
To ensure the safety of the community, everyone will be required to wear a mask and follow the safety protocol detailed here.
Those who wish to support City Fruit’s Harvest and Fruit for All programs can do so by becoming a member. City Fruit members can RSVP for up to 6 pop-ups and receive a full assortment of fruit at each pop-ups. For more information please visit www.cityfruit.org/join-us/fruit-all-pop or contact lisa@cityfruit.org.
The West Seattle dates are August 5, August 19, September 2, and September 16, all 4-6 pm, all at the High Point Community Garden (32nd/Juneau).
An FYI from the city:
On July 25 at 12 p.m., the City of Seattle Office of Emergency Management will send a test message through the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system. The alert will only be sent to those who have opted in to receive local test messages through WEA and to a small geographic area under and near the West Seattle Bridge. The message will state: “This is a test of Wireless Emergency Alerts by the City of Seattle. No action is required.”
The national WEA system is an essential part of the City’s emergency preparedness and response. This public safety system allows customers who own compatible devices to receive geographically targeted, text-like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area. The most common example of these alerts is the “Amber Alerts” sent by Washington State Patrol that directly ping mobile phones.
This is the second test to be conducted as a part of the West Seattle Bridge planning. The first test was conducted on June 26. Though not predicted, the City has emergency plans in place to use the WEA and AlertSeattle systems among other methods to notify people under or near the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge in the event of an immediate collapse.
This test is not linked to any specific action or report related to the condition of the West Seattle Bridge. The test is part of our proactive contingency planning to prepare for unanticipated changes in the bridge that may require an evacuation of community members on Harbor Island.
The City has successfully used the WEA system several times in 2020, though it’s important to test the geographical capabilities of the system to ensure the correct area is targeted. Twenty volunteers from Seattle’s Office of Emergency Management Auxiliary Communication Services will stage in locations on and surrounding Harbor Island during the test to confirm receipt of the message. Results will be collected by Seattle OEM to determine the reach of the system.
6:12 AM: It’s Friday; the 123rd morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
CLOSURE
No 1st Ave. S. Bridge closure scheduled tonight, but nearby, it’s another all-weekend closure for S. Michigan between East Marginal Way S. and 4th Ave S., 9 pm tonight to 5 am Monday, for utility work and restoration. (The next NB 1st Ave. S. Bridge closure is 10 pm Sunday to 5 am Monday.)
ROAD WORK
Major work continues on Delridge Way as road-rebuilding and utility work continue for the RapidRide H Line conversion project – here’s what crews are working on this week.
TRAFFIC
Here’s the 5-way intersection camera (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Here’s the restricted-daytime-access (open to all 9 pm-5 am) low bridge:
The main detour route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) . Here’s that camera:
The other major bridge across the river is the South Park Bridge (map). The camera is back:
Going through South Park? Don’t speed.
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, with 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.
News from the governor, as we start tonight’s roundup:
GOVERNOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS: Several announcements from Gov. Inslee at his media briefing this afternoon – a few rollbacks for businesses, plus a plan to extend the statewide eviction moratorium. Details are here.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*13,834 people have tested positive, up 175 from yesterday
*636 people have died, up 1 from yesterday
*1,838 people have been hospitalized, up 12 from yesterday
*256,588 people have been tested, up 632 from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 12,592/621/1,750/227,182.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 15.4 million cases worldwide, and the U.S. has passed four million. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.
WEST SEATTLE TESTING TOMORROW: Every Thursday night we remind you that Friday is the weekly drive-up testing day in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), Despite the original announcement, it actually starts at 9:30 am and continues until 3 pm, and you’re advised to get there early if you can.
FREE FOOD TOMORROW: 2-5 pm at Food Lifeline HQ (815 S. 96th), free boxes of food.
RING REMOVAL: After months of people setting fires on and around the fire rings at Alki, they were removed today.
That didn’t stop fire fans -we’ve heard two dispatches to Alki in just the past hour. SFD reported to dispatch that they “put out seven fires” during the first call.
PHOTOS? TIPS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302 – thank you!
8:13 PM: Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader report
WINDOW SHOT OUT: From Jenny:
My car was shot with a shotgun in the middle of the night last night. The police officer said it had happened to several other cars in West Seattle as well. (I live a few blocks west of the Junction.)
We have a BLM sign up in our window, and I’m wondering if we were targeted because of it. It would be helpful to hear from the other victims if they had signs up as well.
ADDED 10:21 AM FRIDAY: A Southwest Precinct update on the car-window vandalism:
Southwest Officers responded to a shots fired call with property damage. Several cars along Fauntleroy Way SW were damaged—apparently with a shotgun. No injuries reported. On arrival, officers located a vehicle with the rear driver side and passenger side windows shattered. A second vehicle with similar damage was located one block away. No evidence located at either scene, additionally- no suspects or suspect vehicles. Officers canvassed for external video and nothing of value found.
Anyone with info — or video — please call the SW Detectives at (206) 233-2612 (Sgt Jeff Durden) or (206) 233-2623 (Main line).
(back to original post) PROWLER: From Jessica at 35th and Cloverdale:
10:47 pm Wednesday night. Motion lights scared him off. This is the second prowl in a few months.
(WSB recording of the meeting, added 9:30 pm)
5:09 PM: Just started – late – the “town hall” meeting for West Seattle, as announced by the mayor’s office. Department of Neighborhoods director Andres Mantilla, a Highland Park resident, introduced the mayor, who says the city has a “trilogy” of challenges – the pandemic, its economic consequences, and the fight for racial justice. After a few minutes, she mentions reinventing policing and her opposition, along with SPD Chief Carmen Best, to “drastic” cuts proposed in SPD.
5:15 PM: Now she moves on to the West Seattle Bridge closure. “We know it’s a lifeline, not just for West Seattle, but for the port, and our regional economy.” Then it’s on to Chief Best, who declares, “I love West Seattle.”
She then notes that Capt. Kevin Grossman has taken over the Southwest Precinct (as of 3 weeks ago), while former commander Capt. Pierre Davis has moved on to the Collaborative Policing Bureau. Then: A dozen shootings are under investigation citywide in recent weeks; homicides so far are at 31 for the year, compared to 19 at this time last year. West Seattle’s crime rate overall is “relatively decent” – down 16 percent; there’s been one homicide, in January, solved, and she says they’re not counting the Duwamish Head suitcase-bodies discovery as West Seattle murders because they didn’t happen here. Property crime is down except for arson and auto theft.
Then she moves on to reiterate that if SPD funding is halved, “we would likely not staff the Southwest Precinct” – there wouldn’t be enough staff for it, so what officers remain would likely move to the South Precinct, which also handled this area until the SW Precinct was built in 2003. She says so far it looks like they will NOT face cuts like that this year. Whatever cuts are faced, her priority would be responding to 911 calls. She says she and the mayor want to hear from the community about “what you want to see” regarding public safety.
5:23 PM: Next up, Public Health Seattle-King County director Patty Hayes, who identifies herself as a West Seattle resident. She presents some COVID-19 toplines, including the current “uptick.”
Her briefing isn’t West Seattle-specific, however, but she reminds people that you can’t just take solace in a lower death rate – people who survive get “very sick.” She talks about the efforts to test more and trace contacts, and the continued work on a vaccine. She says she was riding her bicycle on Alki last week and dismayed to see people not physically distancing enough – “we really need to all participate.”
5:32 PM: Next, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. He says he has two updates. Since adding units to West Seattle and South Park post-bridge closure, “we’re holding strong” on response times in the area. He also talks about SFD’s involvement in COVID-19 testing- 68,000 people tested at the two city sites, 2.8 percent positive rate among those tested at those sites.
5:36 PM: Jason Johnson, director of the Human Services Department and also a WS resident, presented updates on homelessness response, including added beds at the Southwest Teen Life Center to allow more distancing in permanent shelters. “As a result, COVID-19 transmission at city-funded (facilities) has been flat,” he said. He also talked about “youth and family safety” projects/programs, including a $6 million suite of programs for 18- to 24-year-olds “harmed by the criminal legal system.”
5:42 PM: Yet another city department director who lives in WS, SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe, is speaking now. He notes that two of four work platforms are now installed on the bridge – two more are going up next week, “weather permitting.” He said that instrumentation installed to monitor the bridge was watched during the platform-raising so they could learn more about its response. He also noted the information presented to the Community Task Force yesterday, most notably that repairing the bridge MIGHT give it 15 more years of use rather than the 10 years previously cited. He also had dates/times for the “office hours” next week to discuss Reconnect West Seattle if you have comments/questions:
Wednesday 7/29 at noon, Thursday 7/30 at 6:30 pm,
5:49 PM: Now it’s Q&A time. First one – how will the city support people’s basic needs when we don’t know when the pandemic will end? “The city won’t be able to do it by itself,” says the mayor, but she’s talking to others such as the state and feds. She hopes to extend the eviction prohibition through year’s end, for one. She adds that they’re hopeful of getting federal support for the WS Bridge. The city meantime will keep trying to help with things like grocery vouchers.
What other cities are Durkan and Best looking to for examples of successful police reform? “Nobody has done this right” yet, Durkan says, contending that in some ways, Seattle is already ahead, with crisis training and more, but “the community has to lead the way” in helping them improve. Best said she’s involved with national organizations that discuss the topic “often” but says much of what’s discussed already has been implemented here. That said, she goes on to say that some things officers respond to, might be better handled by others – but they would have to be available around the clock as are police. Neither, in long answers, mentions any specific city. The mayor declares “a lot of the answers we need are right here at home” with community organizations.
6 PM: Followup question, what’s the timeline for 2020 and 2021 budget changes? The mayor says the former is happening now but “extensive community engagement” for the latter will happen over the next month. She promises “additional engagement in West Seattle – we’re coming to you.” The chief says there needs to be ‘a plan” so there’s no gap in services.
Next, has the mayor outlined specific 2021 plans? She mentions what she and Best presented last week (WSB coverage here). She also repeats that they promise an “open conversation” with community members. And she again touts some things already happening, like the SFD “Health One” unit responding to people in crisis.
Q: With more people staying at home, is the city seeing rising domestic violence, and what’s being done about it? The mayor first says, please call 911 if it’s happening, resources are in place. The chief says there was an early spike in domestic violence this spring and they circulated a lot of information about how to get help. She also talks about the SPD victim advocates and resources they can access to get victims safely out of danger. The problem has “tapered off” lately, she adds.
Now, a WS Bridge question: When can the low bridge be reopened to more traffic? Zimbabwe notes that they’ve already done what they can including opening it to all overnight. “If we opened it up to everybody to access all the time, nobody would be able to access it.” He also says some Sylvan Way improvements are ahead (no details – we’ll follow up on those) as well as a left-turn signal at 16th/Holden.
School issues – how can the city help with child care, etc.? “We have to have extra help” for families, she acknowledges, and says the city’s talking with Seattle Public Schools about issues such as emergency child care. Given that many people will be working from home at least through year’s end, they are trying to find ways to perhaps repurpose preschool levy money to help.
6:16 PM: The event is wrapping up after a little more than an hour. The mayor urges everyone to take pandemic precautions, and vows to “put pressure on” other levels of government for help. She also says it’s time for reparations because of the generations of “omissions and commissions that have led to” unfairness at so many levels. “We are in an unprecedented time, so unprecedented that the word ‘unprecedented’ doesn’t seem to capture it.” She says she “looks forward to more discussions.”
If you didn’t get your question(s) answered, you’re invited to email jenny.durkan@seattle.gov. Meantime, we recorded all this on video and will add it above when ready (the city also promises a recording in the days ahead.)
If you can donate blood, you have six chances to do it via Bloodworks Northwest‘s next roun of pop-up blood drives in West Seattle. They’re set for the first half of August in the gym at Our Lady of Guadalupe (7500 35th SW). From Bloodworks NW:
This pop-up (as with all our donation sites) is by appointment only to ensure social distancing. Here is the link to sign up. If folks prefer to have our scheduling department book an appointment for them, they can call 800-398-7888 or e-mail schedule@bloodworksnw.org.
Dates and times offered at Our lady of Guadalupe are as follows:
Mon Aug 3 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wed Aug 5 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri Aug 7 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Mon Aug 10 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wed Aug 12 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri Aug 14 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
If you haven’t donated before and you want to know more about how it works, go here. Information about the safety of donating blood during the pandemic is here.
In his first media briefing of the week, Gov. Inslee has just announced new rules to try to slow the spread of COVID-19 – including limiting indoor dining to table-sharing only with members of your own household, and banning all indoor service for bars.
He also announced that indoor fitness businesses would be limited to 5 people.
And the state Secretary of Health is announcing new face-covering rules too – they must be worn in “common areas” like elevators, lobbies, dorms. You can watch the ongoing briefing here.
3:01 PM: The governor also announced the statewide eviction moratorium will be extended until October 15th. … Plus, new restrictions for weddings and funerals. We’ll add full details when they’re out. The briefing is continuing with media Q&A.
3:52 PM: Briefing’s over. In Q&A the governor said he expects to extend the statewide pause on phase-advancing, which otherwise was to expire next week.
ADDED 9:18 PM: Here’s the governor’s post about today’s announcements.
During Wednesday’s meeting of the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force (WSB coverage here), a member asked why motorcycles aren’t allowed to use the low bridge at all times. SDOT’s Heather Marx said traffic engineers had recommended against it, calling it a safety issue, and promised to provide the inquiring member with the detailed explanation. We subsequently requested it, since many WSB readers have asked, and received it today:
While a motorcycle is physically smaller than a car, they still require roughly the same amount of room on all sides to travel safely. This is because a large truck or bus needs just as much room to stop safely when they are following a motorcycle as they do for any other kind of vehicle. While two motorcycles could theoretically travel side by side, most motorcycles would likely be travelling on their own and occupy and entire lane.
This means that from a traffic engineering perspective, motorcycles take up essentially the same amount of room as a car. This is especially true at traffic signals or in stop-and-go conditions where congestion is created by the cumulative reaction time of every individual driver waiting to go forward after the vehicle in front of them moves ahead. In this situation, the number of vehicles in a line of traffic is just as important as the size of each individual vehicle, and so motorcycles could be expected to add to congestion at the Chelan 5-way intersection just like cars do.
We also have safety concerns about motorcycles travelling next to large trucks and buses in stop-and-go conditions, especially because congestion would likely increase considerably if more motorcycles took this route.
If you have a question about that – or any other bridge issue – note that SDOT will be part of both community meetings we’ve previewed for tonight, the Town Hall at 6 pm and West Seattle Transportation Coalition at 6:30 pm.
Thanks for the tips. A Seattle Parks crew has been out on Alki Beach this morning, removing the fire rings and cleaning up the debris/trash left behind. The fire rings have technically been “closed” for months but Seattle Fire crews have been called out many nights because people have set fires on or near them anyway.
And indeed, Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin confirmed to WSB after we photographed the ring removal this morning: “Fire rings have been locked all summer to prevent the crowding and congregating that happens with beach fires. Folks were lighting fires on top of the pits, so we are removing them for now.”
(Photo by Anjanette Nelson-Wally)
Four quick notes about the hours ahead:
DEMONSTRATION: 4-6 pm at 16th/Holden, Scott from Puget Ridge Cohousing leads another streetcorner sogn-waving event in support of justice for Black lives.
RETIREMENT PARADE: If you’ve been involved with Fauntleroy Children’s Center, you know Gerry Cunningham – and you should know she’s retiring! A car parade in her honor will be held in the nearby Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) parking lot 4:30-6:30 pm today. Drive/ride/walk/run through and wish her well!
WEST SEATTLE ‘TOWN HALL’: As first previewed Monday, the mayor, police chief, SOOT director, and otheer city department heads plan an online “Town Hall” for West Seattleites starting at 5 pm. Here’s how to attend.
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: 6:30 pm online, Sound Transit is in the spotlight, plus a West Seattle Bridge update – here’s our preview, including info on how to attend.
Family and friends are remembering Dean Barney, and sharing this with the community:
Dean was a man of quiet strength with an unwavering moral compass who loved to explore throughout his career and life. Whether delighting in well-planned excursions with family to explore nature’s vast treasures, carefully stewarding the financial strength of many diverse organizations, or being there to build puzzles with his daughter, share sports tips with his son, or share a laugh with his wife, Dean was a pillar of strength who faced life with good humor and a commitment to supporting others.
On July 12, 2020 at the age of 73, Dean died peacefully surrounded by family and a lifelong friend after a two-and-a-half-year valiant battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Birdsong, sunshine, and a gentle breeze accompanied Dean on his final journey. He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years Ginny Barney, daughter Beth, and son John.
Born a twin in Portland, Oregon in 1946 to USAF Colonel Russell Barney and Mrs. Helen Barney (née Funderburgh), Dean was an 8th generation descendant of Ian Robbins, a pioneer on the Oregon Trail. Dean and his three sisters – Myrna Barney, Gini Corvi, and his twin Connie Gill – were raised in many places in the US and abroad during their father’s military service. After high-school graduation from Highland HS in Albuquerque, NM in 1964, Dean attended the University of Colorado in Boulder on an ROTC scholarship for two years, followed by two years of service in the Navy. He worked several jobs to fund his education, completing his degree at UCB in business in 1970 before attending the University of Washington, where he completed his MBA in 1971.
Dean’s professional career as a financial executive began in public accounting and spanned many diverse areas from cable television to mineral water to the performing arts. Later in his career he devoted his many talents to bolstering the financial capabilities and stability of many notable Seattle arts organizations including the Intiman, Seattle Children’s, and ACT Theatres, where his financial acumen and dedication to sharing his knowledge across organizations helped support vibrant theatre in the region for years.
Throughout life, Dean enjoyed exploring nature’s bounty with Ginny, family, and friends – camping, hiking, and cycling through the diverse natural treasures of the American West and around the world. From paddling the rivers of the Pacific NW to exploring the red rock canyons and rich cultural history of the desert Southwest, Dean loved adventure.
As four-decade residents of West Seattle, the Barneys welcomed many friends into their home near Lincoln Park to appreciate the beauty of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains along with their hospitality and playful presence.
Dean’s family and friends will miss his quiet, strong presence, meticulous planning, love of nature, dry wit, and unwavering banter about the perils of pets.
The Barney family extends their deep thanks to the dedicated nurses and doctors of Kaiser Permanente, the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and UW Medicine for their encouragement and extraordinary care throughout Dean’s hard-fought battle with cancer.
Friends wishing to honor Dean’s life are encouraged to support the Leukemia Lymphoma Society through his daughter’s dedicated website and local organizations dedicated to the beautiful trails of the region: the Washington Trails Association and the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
6:07 AM: It’s Thursday; four months ago today, the city closed the West Seattle Bridge.
SPEAKING OF CLOSURES
Tonight ends the first week of overnight closures for the northbound 1st Ave. S. Bridge, as deck work continues. 10 pm-5 am. After tonight, the next scheduled closure is Sunday night.
ROAD WORK
Major work continues on Delridge Way, with lane reductions and side-street closures, as road-rebuilding and utility work continue for the RapidRide H Line conversion project – here’s what crews are working on this week.
TRAFFIC
Here’s the 5-way intersection camera (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Here’s the restricted-daytime-access (open to all 9 pm-5 am) low bridge:
The main detour route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) . Here’s that camera:
The other major bridge across the river is the South Park Bridge (map). The camera is back:
Going through South Park? Don’t speed.
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, with 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.
A day of decision for Seattle Public Schools – that’s where we start tonight’s virus-crisis roundup:
SCHOOL STARTS OFF-CAMPUS: Seattle Public Schools announced today that 2020-2021 will start without in-person classes after all. And it’s not the only district – others making the same announcement today include Highline Public Schools, immediately south. This Seattle Times report mentions others in King County.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*13,659 people have tested positive, 173 more than yesterday
*635 people have died, unchanged since Monday
*1,826 people have been hospitalized, 8 more than yesterday
*255,956 people have been tested, 3,866 more than yesterday
One week ago, the four totals were 12,353/620/1,731/221,754.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
STATE BRIEFING: Some cause for optimism, and some for concern, when state health officials briefed journalists today. See the video here.
PANDEMIC PROPERTY-TAX EFFECTS: Announced by the King County Assessor:
The King County Assessor’s office has begun the annual process of mailing out re-valuation notices to taxpayers. Notices will begin arriving to commercial property taxpayers soon. Concurrent with these mailings, Wilson is launching an online portal allowing commercial property taxpayers to report impacts to their businesses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to assist the Assessor’s office in setting accurate property valuations.
Commercial taxpayers should go here www.kingcounty.gov/COVID-value-review to report these COVID impacts. The Assessor has been monitoring the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While residential housing values have remained relatively steady so far, some commercial sectors have had their values significantly impacted. These changes in value caused by COVID will be reflected in the 2021 assessed value for taxes payable in 2022.
CLOSE THE STREETS TO HELP BUSINESSES STAY OPEN? The city’s offering new permits to restaurants and other businesses that might want to use street space to keep staff and customers safer.
STAY HEALTHY STREETS SURVEY, LAST CALL: On another closure-related subject, tonight’s your last chance to tell the city what you tnink about those no-through-traffic, social-distancing-friendly streets. The survey‘s one-week extension is scheduled to end after tonight.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
FIRST ITEM, 8:57 PM: From Linda:
My SUV was broken into last night (I accidentally left the door unlocked) in the Fauntleroy neighborhood near the ferry. There was nothing of value to the thieves, but they took my work crate full of financial brochures and notes. This won’t be of value to anyone, but me. I’m expecting the papers to be dumped somewhere and have walked the neighborhood looking for them. I’m hoping if someone finds them, I can retrieve them. They also took my kiddo’s epi-pens, which they probably won’t realize until they open the case. It’s a small black case with two generic epinephrine injectors, some Benadryl and Pepcid for allergies. I can replace them, but if found, would love them back.
Let us know if you think you’ve seen any of that, and we’ll connect you.
ADDED 10:24 PM: Just received from Katherine, a rude “welcome” for her new neighbors:
On Tuesday morning around 4 AM, a man in a white pick up truck stole a trailer off of my new neighbor’s Penske moving truck that was parked on Admiral way facing uphill, just before the Schmitz Park bridge.
My security footage is a little grainy, so we couldn’t get a license plate. Any tips would be greatly appreciated as they are on the hook for the costs.
| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: 90 reasons to appreciate this weekend