West Seattle, Washington

13 Sunday

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month : 07/2020 314 results

CORONAVIRUS: Friday 7/17 roundup
July 17, 2020 9:49 pm
|      40 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

20 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:

*12,807 people have tested positive, 215 more than yesterday

*624 people have died, 3 more than yesterday

*1,790 people have been hospitalized, 40 more than yesterday

*231,848 people have been tested, 4.656 more than yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 11,632/603/1,674/201,745.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 14 million cases, 601,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.

‘EXPLOSIVE SITUATION’: That’s where things stand if you look at our state as a whole, according to the latest “situation report” (see it here). The report also warns, ” If current trends continue, we expect that schools will not be able to reopen safely in the fall.”

POSITIVE TEST AT THE KENNEY: The senior-living center announced tonight that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19.

ENFORCEMENT: The city has a new plan to step up enforcement of health rules for non-food businesses.

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

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UPDATE: Employee at The Kenney tests positive for COVID-19
July 17, 2020 8:54 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | The Kenney | West Seattle news

The parent company of The Kenney has announced an employee has tested positive for COVID-19. Here’s what we received:

Heritage President and CEO Lisa Haglund confirmed today that The Kenney, a Heritage senior living community in West Seattle, has a staff member who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus in their senior living community.

Haglund stated, “The staff member who tested positive is currently in quarantine, and will not return to work at The Kenney until further notice. All of our families have been notified. Out of an abundance of caution, all residents in Lincoln Vista at The Kenney will be quarantined for the next 14 days. All outside visits with families are cancelled during this time of quarantine. In accordance with HIPAA requirements, no further details will be released.”

Haglund shared, “At Heritage, the health and safety of both our residents and staff is of the utmost importance, and we are taking action to reduce the risk of exposure for all. The steps we are implementing are directly tied to the recommendations and guidelines of the CDC, and state, local, and federal regulations, and we will adjust these steps if those recommendations change. To date, we consider ourselves lucky to have limited our exposure as a result of the pro-active efforts of our staff working in conjunction with our COVID-19 task force.

Heritage has taken multiple steps to help prevent exposure for residents including restricting all visitors, daily employee and resident health screenings in accordance with CDC guidelines, and no group activities.

She continued, “Our COVID-19 task force has been preparing for this possibility, and we believe our incredible team of caregivers is well trained and ready to support our residents.”

ADDED 11:43 AM SATURDAY: In a followup exchange, Heritage offered to have Chief Clinical Officer Jeremy Rutter talk with us by phone this morning. Here’s what else we learned:

-This is actually the third positive test associated with The Kenney. A resident recently tested positive after becoming ill and being admitted to a hospital; before that, a staff member had tested positive in a test administered by their personal health-care provider. This new result is the first one from testing done by medical staff at The Kenney.

-Rutter says they’ve done three recent rounds of testing among residents and staff, and will be re-testing everyone “in about a week.”

-Because of the new case, all staff are wearing “head to toe” PPE, masks, eye shields, bonnets, gloves, gowns, booties.

They’re also working with Public Health Seattle-King County, he said, to be sure they’re doing everything they can to protect residents and staff.

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REOPENED, NEW NAME: J&J Public House
July 17, 2020 8:22 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

The former Pacific Room on Alki has reopened with a new name – but not the previously planned one. Now the establishment at 2808 Alki Avenue SW is J&J Public House. They emailed us an update:”We are only open for takeout and patio service from 11:30 am-9 pm, Wednesday-Sunday. We plan on continuing the live music (when we can, of course), and our cuisine is now considered ‘international gastropub’ with a more casually priced menu. Currently, we have a limited takeout menu that gives people just a glimpse of what’s to come. We are doing to-go cocktails and growlers, we also have bottles of beer to go. Our most notable item is our to-go flavored margaritas made fresh daily (with rotating flavors).” You can order takeout here or by calling 206-829-9695.

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2 West Seattle ‘swap’ events Saturday – books and boats
July 17, 2020 5:38 pm
|    Comments Off on 2 West Seattle ‘swap’ events Saturday – books and boats
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

The sun’s out and expected to stay that way through the weekend. Two “swaps” tomorrow might be of interest:

BOOK SWAP: 10 am-2 pm Saturday, Admiral Church presents “the Great Pandemic Book Swap. 4320 SW Hill St. Bring books, take books, on the lawn, masks and distancing required.”

BOAT SWAP: Saturday at Mountain to Sound Outfitters in The Triangle:

The Third Annual Boat Swap and Scratch & Dent Sale Is Approaching!

This community event is a great opportunity to buy and sell human powered watercraft (Kayaks, SUPs, Canoes) and accessories! We will have used Kayaks and SUPs from Alki Kayak Tour’s rental operation, as well as scratched and dented SUPs and Kayaks from Mountain to Sound for sale at amazing summer steal prices! Please view the information below to familiarize yourself with the organization of the event.

When: Saturday, July 18th | 10 am – 4 pm

Where: Mountain to Sound Outfitters, 3602 SW Alaska

Drop Off Date For Sellers: Saturday, July 18th | 9 am – 11 am

Sellers Pick Up Unsold Items: Saturday, July 18th | 4 pm – 5 pm

How To Sell at Boat Swap: Use (the form here) to register to sell your equipment. You’ll receive an email confirmation with more details.

Questions? Email gearswap@m2soutfitters.com

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YOU CAN HELP! West Seattle Farmers Market seeks volunteers
July 17, 2020 4:27 pm
|      27 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle Farmers' Market | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from May)

From the nonprofit that operates farmers’ markets including ours:

Volunteer opportunity to support local farms and food access!

The West Seattle Farmers Market is looking for volunteers to help on market days with social distancing protocols and logistics, helping to keep our beloved farmers market running smoothly and safely for all. If you’d like to be a friendly, knowledgeable (masked) face inside the market, please fill out our volunteer application form! Of course, we’ll make sure you have time to shop too!

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Three Tree Montessori School: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor
July 17, 2020 2:59 pm
|    Comments Off on Three Tree Montessori School: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Today we welcome Three Tree Montessori School as a new WSB sponsor. When sponsors join the team, they get a chance to tell you about what they offer:

Three Tree Montessori School is a nonprofit, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)-recognized school for children aged 15 months to 12 years old. We are guided by the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori and are dedicated to helping all children develop into confident, self-motivated, and responsible global citizens.

We offer three different programming levels: Toddler, Primary, and Elementary. Our toddler classrooms provide a peaceful space where young children develop skills and learn how to care for themselves and their environment. Every piece of furniture and material is specially designed and sized to allow even the youngest children the maximum amount of independence. Our Primary classroom builds on the values and principles learned in the toddler environment, expanding the fields of study from the individual to the entire world. As a child moves into the Elementary classroom, fields of inquiry expand from the world to the entire universe. The elementary curriculum is founded in the integration of language and literature, mathematics, science, geography, environmental studies, art, music, and drama.

Parents at Three Tree Montessori School often start their journey with us because they are looking for quality, affordable childcare for their toddlers. During their observation of our classrooms, they are constantly shocked at how calm and quiet a room full of 14 toddlers is; they are impressed by the gracious manner by which they are invited into a primary classroom; and they are baffled to learn that our elementary students don’t sit at standard desks. Once they join our community, they are impressed by how quickly their child learns basic responsibilities and executes those responsibilities with a grace and courtesy not generally found in their peers. Children who graduate from our elementary program go on to be incredibly successful in middle and high school and eventually grow to become life-long learners and responsible citizens.

Three Tree Montessori School is at 220 SW 160th in Burien, reachable by phone at 206-242-1500, or by email at admissions@threetree.org.

We thank Three Tree Montessori School for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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SUPPORT FOR BLACK LIVES: Overpass vigil tonight, West Seattle Junction mural work Sunday
July 17, 2020 2:15 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle protests | WS culture/arts

Two previews in the ongoing community support for Black lives:

(Last Friday)(June photo)

OVERPASS VIGIL: It’s Friday, and organizers again invtte you to be part of this:

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 17th, 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!

JUNCTION MURAL WORK: Last month, we wrote about the plan for on-street Black Lives Matter mural art in The Junction. This Sunday, while the street is closed to vehicles for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, the work begins at California/Alaska, with stenciling 10 am-2 pm. The project is led by West Seattle Artists for Social Justice; this update on the WS Art Walk website has more details, including how you can support the project.

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New city rule ‘to help enforce state-mandated business requirements’ aimed at COVID-19 prevention
July 17, 2020 12:01 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | Health | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

With Public Health Seattle-King County stepping up its enforcement of health rules for restaurants, the city announced today that “the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) has issued a new public health and safety measure to help enforce state-mandated business requirements, including protective face coverings, social distancing and capacity limitations. For customers, residents or employees who have concerns about non-compliance, FAS will conduct outreach, provide education, and help to enforce Governor Inslee’s Safe Start plan in non-food business establishments across the city.” Here’s how the announcement expands on that:

… Effective immediately, FAS will begin implementing the new measure through the use of a Director’s Rule. Understanding the complexities of navigating the COVID-19 environment, the City’s focus is primarily to conduct outreach and education to help businesses comply with the new rule. With repeated and/or egregious offenses, businesses may have their City of Seattle business license suspended and may be charged with a crime that carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Individuals or employees who are concerned that businesses are not enforcing the face coverings mandate, practicing social distancing or adhering to occupancy limits, and other measures identified in the statewide order can use the Find It, Fix It app or online form or call 206-684-2489 (CITY) to report their concerns. Businesses can also learn more by visiting the FAS website.

Read the new emergency rule here or below:

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READER REPORT: Children followed
July 17, 2020 10:59 am
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | West Seattle news

Shared by a father who wanted to alert others:

(Thursday) evening around 730 pm, my 12 yo daughter and 5 yo son walked from our home a couple blocks heading north to the water tower on 35th Ave near Our Lady of Guadelupe church.

They were testing the safety watch I just bought for my 5 yo son (Wednesday).

They were stalked by a man, 6 foot to 6 foot 6 inches, in 50s or 60s, thin build, gray straight shoulder length hair and a bald patch on the back of his head. He wore a blue gray tee shirt and blue jeans.

My daughter described seeing him arguing with someone across the street. He then noticed my children and walked past them heading opposite their direction of travel and on the opposite side of the street. My daughter’s instincts kicked in and she noticed once out of sight behind them he had turned around and crossed the street now following behind them.

He followed them when they crossed the street two separate times and changed pace to keep up with them. At the water tower play structure park, a neighbor noticed the man following my kids. She overheard my daughter tell her brother she was concerned about the man. Our neighbor stepped in to offer help. My daughter and son went straight home while (the neighbor) observed the man. He knew he was being watched, spit on the ground in her direction, making eye contact with her, and then left.

During this stalking he went so far as to follow my kids several blocks, keep pace with them, cross the street following them while my daughter attempted to ditch him, then tried to make himself appear as if he was taking photos on his phone at the park. This person is dangerous. The neighbor was thankfully in the right place to help and my daughter was savvy.

This incident is reported to Seattle Police as of the writing of this email. Please share this story to help protect our community and our children.

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Remembering Dorothy K. Wicklund, 1926-2020
July 17, 2020 8:55 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering Dorothy K. Wicklund, and sharing this with the community:

Dorothy Katherine (Webb) Wicklund

Lifelong Seattleite Dorothy Wicklund passed away peacefully at home on July 14 at the age of 93. She was born at Seattle’s Providence Hospital to Harry and Amalia Webb, the first of three children. In 1944 she graduated from West Seattle High School. She married Carl Wicklund in 1950 and they raised three children, Don, Janis, and Ken. The family spent summers camping and enjoying the family beach cabin on Vashon/Maury Island.

Dorothy had lifelong friends (“Sewing Circle”) and was active in her community. She led large Girl Scout troops in the 60s, was a leader for Local 609, and served on the finance committee of Hope Lutheran Church for many years. She was involved in the Swedish Club, was a strong advocate of voting, was a member of the 34th District Democrats, and had a prolific garden in her backyard with vegetables & dahlias every summer. She will be remembered for her quick wit, intelligence, outstanding organization, fierce pursuit of fairness, intense loyalty, and her memory – “which was like a steel trap.”

As a kitchen manager for the Seattle School District, Dorothy “was a legend,” says her granddaughter, Hailey. In retirement she and Carl traveled to Sweden, Russia, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Mexico, Morocco, and, her favorite – the Canary Islands. She felt most grounded, though, at home. She enjoyed watching the squirrels out the window with a cup of coffee or an occasional martini. She collected Steinbach nutcrackers and always read the newspaper cover to cover. Most of all she loved having her family around, especially when they were all together.

The absolute matriarch of her family, Dorothy was immensely proud of her children Don (& Jeanne) Wicklund, Janis Smith (& Doug Bacon) and Ken (& Connie) Wicklund, her four grandchildren (Erin, Patrick, Hailey, & Heather & their spouses), and her five great-grandchildren (Chloe, Ryker, Sawyer, Sylvie, & Kinley). Dorothy was preceded in death by her brother Harry in 1942, and by her husband Carl in 2001. She is survived by her sister, Maxine Martin of Olympia.

A memorial will be held with immediate family. Donations in Dorothy’s memory can be made to the Hope Lutheran Foundation.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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CLOSURES, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Friday notes, 17th week of West Seattle Bridge closure
July 17, 2020 6:16 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:16 AM: It’s Friday, the 121st morning without the high-rise West Seattle Bridge.

CLOSURES

Tonight, the northbound Highway 99 tunnel closes for maintenance, 10 pm-8 am.

Sunday night, it’s the first of 14 overnight closures of the northbound 1st Ave. S. Bridge, for deck work.

ROAD WORK

Major work continues on Delridge Way, with lane reductions, as road-rebuilding and utility work lead off the RapidRide H Line conversion project – here’s what crews are working on this week. (Watch for next week’s preview later today.)

TRAFFIC

Here’s the 5-way intersection camera (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Sppkane/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:

P.S. 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.

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CORONAVIRUS: Thursday 7/16 roundup
July 16, 2020 10:54 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

More words of warning from the governor, as we start tonight’s roundup:

ANOTHER STAY-HOME ORDER? Gov. Inslee says that’s a possibility if the growing outbreak doesn’t get under control: “We’re going in the wrong direction.” His words of warning were part of a media briefing with Secretary of Health John Wiesman this afternoon; you can watch the video here. he governor announced some new steps to take effect Monday – a reduced limit for gatherings in Phase 3 counties, and a statewide ban on live entertainment, outdoor as well as indoor.

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

*12,592 people have tested positive, up 239 from yesterday

*621 people have died, up 1 from yesterday

*1,750 people have been hospitalized, up 19 from yesterday

*227,182 people have been tested, up 5,428 from yesterday

One week ago, those totals were 11,486/602/1,662/198,710.

ANOTHER LOCAL CARE-FACILITY DEATH: The weekly update of the King County dashboard for long-term-care facilities says Providence Mount St. Vincent has had one more death, now 7 total. (We noted last night that the toll for that zip code, 98126, had risen by 1.)

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

CAVEAT ON THOSE STATEWIDE NUMBERS: For those who watch closely – the DOH had this media advisory:

Today’s increase of 1,266 new cases includes a backlog of about 300 cases from Yakima County. Despite the backlog, this increase suggests that community spread is accelerating. DOH is also reporting an increase of 115 hospitalizations today. This reflects a backlog following the agency’s data migration from last weekend. The 7-day average counts indicate hospitalization numbers continue to increase as well.

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

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), Note that we learned last week, thanks to a reader, that the originally announced time was wrong – it actually starts at 9:30 am and continues until 3 pm, and last week right at the start, they were filling up fast.

ALERT IF YOU’RE GETTING UNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENTS: Another state advisory:

Additional $600 in federal benefit for unemployed workers set to end July 25. Unless Congress acts to extend or adjust it, the additional $600 per week in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Program (FPUC) benefits, available under the federal CARES Act, will stop after next week. FPUC is entirely federally funded and available only at federal discretion.

GRILLBIRD UPDATE: The teriyaki restaurant that voluntarily closed last week after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 reports that everybody else has tested negative, but plans to wait a while longer to reopen “so we can finish up some improvements and reopen with 100% certainty.”

PERMANENT CLOSURE: Announced today by Kaiser Permanente:

Following the rapid adoption of, and increasing demand for, virtual care across Washington state as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaiser Permanente announced the permanent closure of CareClinic by Kaiser Permanente at Bartell Drugs locations, temporarily closed in March during the state-mandated stay-at-home orders.

The Jefferson Square Bartell Drugs had one of the clinics, until March.

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

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police search in south Admiral
July 16, 2020 9:40 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

9:40 PM: Thanks for the tips. Police are searching, with K9, in south Admiral, after what one neighbor tells us was gunfire, no known victim. They say it happened near 48th/Hanford and that a shell casing’s been found on the street. (Side note: We’ve heard a scanner mention of people standing around and watching. Be aware, that can get in the way of the K9’s suspect-tracking.)

9:54 PM: Still searching.

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FOLLOWUP: Show of support for Ian Scharks on his last marathon mile against inequality
July 16, 2020 8:59 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Sixth-grader-to-be Ian Scharks has just finished a marathon, one mile at a time. This afternoon, supporters showed up at Hiawatha as Ian walked the final mile-plus of his inequality-fighting fundraiser for Black Lives Matter (as featured here Thursday).

One spectator brought special recognition for Ian – West Seattle Runner (WSB co-sponsor) co-proprietor Tim McConnell, below with Ian’s mom Genya Scharks, brought him a WSR hat and T-shirt, and plans to talk with the Seattle Marathon about a finisher’s medal for Ian, declaring “he deserves something for the effort.”

Ian’s BLM fundraiser (find it here) is well past his $10,000 goal, with more than $14,000 as of this writing.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Hit-run driver damages cars
July 16, 2020 7:46 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

The photo and report are from Jim:

A hit-and-run driver in a distinctive red van clipped a bunch of cars down by Lowman Beach this morning shortly after 11:00 a.m.The van pulled over momentarily. Driver got out, looked at the damage, and decided to take off. While the van was pulled over, my neighbor took … pictures. She describes him as a thin man wearing a baseball cap, possibly in his 30s. The van has a solar panel on top, and will likely have some body damage. (Possibly an) early ’90s Chevy cargo van.

Jim says the driver hit at least three cars.

P.S. We’ll add the police-report number when we get it.

ADDED FRIDAY: It’s 20-214915.

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BIZNOTES: Two, by appointment
July 16, 2020 5:43 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Coronavirus | Health | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Twp business notes to share …

EASY STREET RECORDS: You can now shop by appointment at Easy Street Records (California/Alaska):

Each shopping appointment is for 30 minutes. There is a max of 2 people allowed in the loft at a time. Appointments are available from 10 am to 4 pm [Daily] To make your appointment, please call 206-938-3279.

Mask required! Easy Street also offers curbside pickup – more on that, and the café, here.

COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE PROJECT: Also by appointment in The Junction – the Community Acupuncture Project of West Seattle has reopened. It’s at 4545 44th SW, and you can reach CAP via phone at 206-933-7891 or email at westseapins@gmail.com.

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New Southwest Precinct commander @ Fauntleroy Community Association: Priorities, crime trends, ‘defunding’
July 16, 2020 3:25 pm
|      42 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Now that he’s had two weeks to settle in, new Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Kevin Grossman is making the rounds of community meetings. This past Tuesday night, he introduced himself to the Fauntleroy Community Association.

After sharing some of his background – which we reported here last month – he outlined his three top priorities for the precinct:

1. Violent crime (though he acknowledged it’s relatively low in West Seattle). That includes pre-emptive action – he said he tells his officers, if you can legally take a gun from someone who shouldn’t have it, do that. He also promised that shots-fired calls will be investigated thoroughly.

2. Auto theft – the city is in the top 25 nationwide for this crime, and though local numbers aren’t horrible, he wants to reduce them, as it’s a “very impactful” crime. He has a crime-analysis detective mapping for preventive action.

3. Burglaries – Also not high here but this is another “impactful” crime. So if there are hot spots, he wants to get resources on top of that..

West Seattle’s crime trends right now: Overall, 16 percent down from this time last year, “no other part of the city is looking as good as West Seattle right now” – and of course he acknowledges COVID-19 and the bridge closure are major factors. Violent crime is down 15 percent, auto theft down 5 percent, burglaries are down 22 percent. For Fauntleroy in particular, violent crime is almost non-existent, burglaries are down 38 percent, but auto theft is up 18 percent over this time last year.

Capt. Grossman said he hopes to focus on prevention efforts – such as making free “Club” type devices available, which he had done as South Precinct commander, via a Seattle Police Foundation grant.

In Q&A, he was asked who’s doing all the car-stealing. Mostly people who use the cars to commit other crimes, such as mail theft. He was also asked about the current political battle between the mayor and council over “defunding” SPD (the council discussed this further at its Wednesday budget meeting but has not yet voted on anything). He said he has spent several days reassuring officers at roll calls who are “wondering if they’re going to get a pink slip any day now,” while also hearing older officers wondering “how soon can I get out.” He’s hoping “the rhetoric calms down a bit” – he agrees that there’s an overreliance on 911 to solve our society’s problems, and acknowledges that police have traditionally ben asked to do a lot of things they shouldn’t do. “There’s room for a bigger conversation about what police should be doing, shouldn’t be doing.” but he hopes there’s room for a rational conversation, though he says 50 percent would be too big a cut – “a cut like that would be devastating and would seriously affect the level of service we would provide.” As for specific types of change, Grossman offered support for the CAHOOTS model. “That would take a lot of work away from us – that’s all right, but that’s not in place yet. … Would probably save the city a bunch of money and might turn out better than some of our calls.”

One other question – about the whereabouts of Steve Strand, since Grossman has a new second-in-command, Operations Lt. Sina Ebinger (the position Strand previously held). He noted that Strand has been promoted to captain and is now one of three citywide night captains.

Capt. Grossman is scheduled to be a guest at tonight’s Alki Community Council meeting, as noted in our morning preview.

Also discussed at the FCA meeting – the recent Washington State Ferries online community meeting (here’s our report), the recent District 1 Community Network meeting (here’s our report), and planning for the next annual community survey to be conducted by FCA.

The Fauntleroy Community Association will next meet in September; watch fauntleroy.net for updates.

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DEVELOPMENT: Demolition for 6-house Alki Point project
July 16, 2020 1:56 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

Thanks to Jim Borrow for the photo and tip. Four old houses at 65th/Admiral Way have been demolished to make way for new ones. Records show that the site at 65th SW/SW Admiral Way, sold last year to an entity of Blackwood Builders Group for $1.8 million, has six new houses on the way. Readers have noted that the site has history; for one, Jim recalls that it once held flower beds and greenhouses “started by the founder of Neilsen Florists at the corner of California Ave SW & SW Oregon (now Shadowland).” We’re told the old houses also had drawn some attention for their Modernist architecture –

We photographed that one last week after a tip that a backhoe had arrived:

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After 4 months, West Seattle Bridge closure is finally an emergency. And – the bridge is still looking fixable
July 16, 2020 11:02 am
|      85 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo)

11:02 AM: Two announcements from the city today, almost four months since the sudden shutdown of the West Seattle Bridge.

First – the mayor has finally officially declared the closure a city emergency, signing a proclamation today (see it here). That potentially paves the way for state/federal assistance with paying for repair/replacement (see that document here).

It’s been a long time coming; at least one community advocate – Morgan Junction’s Deb Barker, who’s a member of the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force, has been suggesting it since June (we followed up with the mayor after that and were told she was considering it). Barker said today, “The Mayoral Proclamation of Civil Emergency tells the rest of the City and the region that the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge closure is a life-impacting event of epic proportion for thousands of people, and that it is not business as usual in West Seattle until the bridge connection is restored.”

Whether that will be via repair or replacement won’t be determined until later this summer; that’s what SDOT communications director Michael Harold reiterated last night in a presentation to the Morgan Community Association (full report on that later). But today there’s another indication that repairs are possible – the Technical Advisory Panel has issued a new statement to that effect:

The TAP has not been presented with any information that indicates that a long-term repair is infeasible or economically unviable. We therefore recommend that this option be retained and fully explored.

In making this statement, we have relied on documents provided by SDOT in the WSHB Technical Advisory Panel file repository, as well as presentations, responses to formal questions, and technical discussions with SDOT and WSP. No original bridge calculations, shop drawings or field notes were available for TAP review as those records do not exist within SDOT records or City archives. It should be noted that aspects of the As-Built drawings have come under scrutiny by SDOT and WSP and that the TAP has been advised to consider these documents as only partially representative of the final configuration of the bridge at the time of construction. No current survey data, geotechnical assessment, or seismic vulnerability evaluation were provided for consideration. While photos inside the box girders were made available, the TAP did not perform any visual observation of bearings or the box girder structure.

This recommendation is predicated on SDOT’s acceptance that the bridge will not be brought up to current seismic standards if repaired. We note that there is currently uncertainty with respect to the capacity (number of travel lanes) that a repair option would provide.

We understand that WSP is currently analyzing a Phase 2 long-term repair option; no analysis or calculations for the proposed long-term repairs were reviewed to confirm adequacy of such repairs. If/as more information is provided to the TAP, we reserve the right to revise this statement accordingly.

This reinforces what SDOT’s Matt Donahue told the Community Task Force a month ago, as reported here. SDOT elaborated on that less than a week later, explaining that they’re also evaluating “how long repairs would take, how much they would cost, whether or not repairs would allow traffic to return to previous levels, and how long and in what capacity the bridge could remain open after potential repairs were completed so that we can tell whether or not fixing the bridge is a worthwhile investment.”

Regardless of which path is pursued, the bridge still has to be stabilized first, SDOT says, and that work is under way; the hoisting of a work platform up to the bridge is now set for early next week, Harold told MoCA last night.

1:40 PM: After reading the TAP statement while writing this story, we asked SDOT’s Michael Harold about the TAP note regarding documents, since we recalled Matt Donahue at one point mentioning the existence of a sizable amount of old documents. SDOT just sent this clarification:

We have provided the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) with all West Seattle High-Rise Bridge documents and information which we knowingly possess after performing a meticulous search for digital, physical and microfilm records in the records vaults and archives of several City departments and requesting records from the original bridge contractors. Nothing that the TAP has asked for which is knowingly in our possession has been withheld. We want the best possible outcome, and need to use the best possible data to make that happen. To clarify, the TAP is not implying that all of this information exists yet; for example we did not conduct new survey data because we determined that the exhaustive data provided by our daily inspections, intelligent monitoring system and non-destructive testing was both a sufficient and superior basis for our analysis. The TAP believes it is important to be explicit about what information they did or did not have to inform their conclusions, and we support that approach.

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CLOSURES AHEAD: 1st Avenue South Bridge project starts this weekend
July 16, 2020 9:54 am
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(Reader photo)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Many West Seattleites have become a lot more familiar with the First Avenue South Bridge in the almost four months since the West Seattle Bridge was suddenly shut down. With this week’s update on the West Seattle low bridge, some have asked about the condition of this bridge. As we’ve been previewing for weeks, it has some major work coming up: During 14 nights spread across three weeks, the northbound side will be closed for replacement of 14 of the bridge’s 96 deck panels.

The First Avenue South Bridge is actually two drawbridges – a little over half a mile long, built 40 years apart; northbound opened in 1956, southbound opened in 1996. And you should also keep in mind that it’s a state-owned-and-operated structure, so to find out more about the bridge itself, we talked with bridge-preservation engineer Evan Grimm at WSDOT (which has an FAQ page about the bridge here).

The state has ~3,000 bridges to maintain, and 40 inspectors who keep track of them – crawling under them, dangling off them, clipboards in hand. The bridges are routinely inspected every two years (that’s the federal standard, we’ve learned since the West Seattle Bridge closure). Bridges like this also get specialized inspections – underwater, for example, every five years. The state also has a full-time maintemance crew that Grimm says is “constantly out greasing gears, fixing broken wires,” etc., on bascule bridges. Even before the upcoming deck work, WSDOT was wrapping up a project upgrading mechanical and electrical equipment on the 1st Avenue South Bridge.

As for the project that starts this weekend to replace deck panels, Grimm says it’s necessary because some of the deteriorating panels are “giving us fits.” They’re trying to extend the life of the bridge – again, this is on the northbound side, now 64 years old, and Grimm notes that when it was built, they might have considered 75-80 years as a likely lifespan. “But as we look to the future, it might be a lot longer,” due in no small part to the cost of replacement.

Of those ~3,000 WSDOT bridges, by the way, only a handful are this type – primarily in Seattle and out in Aberdeen, Grimm noted. But he says with pride, this one is “a really cool bridge.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ... about the upcoming work on the 1st Avenue South Bridge:

-Starts Sunday night (July 19th)
–(corrected) 10 pm-5 am each night of work
-Northbound full closure – you won’t be able to get onto NB 509/99 from the West Seattle/South Park onramps
-Southbound remains open
-14 nights of work are planned, Sundays-Thursdays (no work on Fridays or Saturdays)
-West Seattle low bridge is open to all traffic during those hours, and you can cross the Duwamish River via the South Park Bridge, too

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WEST SEATTLE THURSDAY: What’s up today/tonight
July 16, 2020 8:05 am
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE THURSDAY: What’s up today/tonight
 |   West Seattle news

(This morning’s sunrise, photographed by Stewart L.)

Four notes ahead for today/tonight so far:

STOP N SHOP: Scheduled to resume taking some donations, but no clothing. Open 11 am-2 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).

MILE-A-DAY MARATHON: Sixth-grader Ian Scharks is finishing his mile-a-day BLM-benefit marathon at Hiawatha, 4 pm – read about it here.

DEMONSTRATION: 4-6 pm on the corners at Delridge/Orchard:

Come show support for BLM and ending systemic racism. Hold signs, meet neighbors and stand for racial justice. (Organized by) Scott at PR Cohousing, endorsed by Hate-Free Delridge. Signs available.

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Meeting via Zoom, 7 pm. Agenda includes meeting the new Southwest Precinct leadership. Here’s the meeting link; meeting ID: 938 2764 4239; password: 578986

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CORONAVIRUS: Wednesday 7/15 roundup
July 15, 2020 10:41 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Here’s tonight’s roundup:

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

*12,353 people have tested positive, 109 more than yesterday

*620 people have died, 14 more than yesterday

*1,731 people have been hospitalized, 25 more than yesterday

*221,754 people have been tested, 4,121 more than yesterday

One week ago, the four totals were 11,319/598/1,643/194,992.

TWO MORE LOCAL DEATHS: Today’s update includes one new death reported by each of two of the five zip codes that are either entirely or partly wtthin West Seattle – 98106 and 98126.

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

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

OPENING SCHOOLS SAFELY: New modeling shows it can be done in King County this fall – but it depends on more than what happens on campuses. From today’s news release:

Grouping students by age, physical distancing, wearing masks and safe hygiene may be able to reduce the impact of school reopenings on transmission, but how much of an impact these measures have will depend on the level of COVID-19 transmission outside of schools. Even with countermeasures, students and staff would need to be screened for symptoms daily and both work and community mobility would need to stay below a certain threshold. “Every part of our society is connected when it comes to COVID-19,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “How well we control transmission in workplaces, businesses, recreation, families, and social networks are related and all impact whether we can safely reopen schools.”

COVID-RELATED CLOSURE: After an employee at the U-District location of Supreme tested positive, the restaurant closed its West Seattle branch too.

STAY HEALTHY STREETS SURVEY EXTENDED: Love those no-through-traffic, social-distancing-friendly streets? Hate ’em? Or? Whatever you think, tell the city – the survey that was supposed to close today has been extended a week.

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

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Wheels stolen – silver Lexus, blue scooter
July 15, 2020 8:54 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two reader reports (neither specified location aside from West Seattle):

STOLEN CAR: From Sean:

Silver 2000 Lexus RX 300
Liscense plate BPP 6873
Stolen between 11 pm Tuesday 7/14 and 8 am today.

Call 911 if you see it.

STOLEN SCOOTER: Taken out of a reader’s garage in broad daylight: “Blue Razor Scooter A5 Kick Scooter.”

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