West Seattle, Washington
23 Friday
Here are the pandemic-related toplines for August’s final Wednesday:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*19,049 people have tested positive, 172 more than yesterday
*715 people have died, 3 more than yesterday
*2,204 people have been hospitalized, 6 more than yesterday
*347,654 people have been tested, 2,700 more than yesterday
One week ago, the four totals were 18,130/697/2,130/327,448.
ANOTHER AREA DEATH: 98116 just recorded its third death. For the record, here are the current totals for the other four zip codes that are entirely or partly within West Seattle:
98136 – 3
98106 – 4
98146 – 12
98126 – 14
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS’ WEEKLY BRIEFING:Among the headlines from this – total case numbers statewide have been going down for the past few weeks, but the rate of newly diagnosed cases per 100,000 people remains about four times what health officials would like to see. Watch the briefing here.
WHO SHOULD GET TESTED? Also mentioned at the briefing, a clarification now that the CDC has changed its testing advice. From the accompanying news release:
The Washington State Department of Health’s guidance around testing has not changed: if you have symptoms, you need to get tested. If you’re a close contact of a confirmed case, you need to get tested. Close contacts of confirmed cases also need to stay at home away from others (quarantine) for 14 days after the last exposure even if they test negative for COVID-19, because it is possible for people who test negative to still be incubating the virus, and become contagious later.
People with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 should make testing their first priority. However, timing is key. Testing too soon after an exposure may give you a negative result, even if you’ve been infected. If exposed and you develop symptoms, testing that day or the next is recommended. If exposed and you don’t develop symptoms, waiting 5-6 days after exposure to get a test is recommended. People must stay in quarantine for the entire 14 days even if a test is negative.
BOOKING OPENS FOR NEW WS TEST SITE: Testing starts Friday at the city’s new site (labeled “Chief Sealth High School” though as we’ve reported, it’s not at the school, but rather across the street) – and now you can go here to make an appointment.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
As Jim Borrow‘s photo from today’s port-crane move reminds us, Puget Sound can be a busy place. If you’re among those who navigate its waters, the U.S. Coast Guard has a survey for you. Here’s the announcement they asked us to share:
The Coast Guard is seeking public comment in regard to its ongoing Waterways Analysis and Management System (WAMS) review of Puget Sound from Possession Sound to Dalco Passage. [map]
The Coast Guard uses WAMS to validate the adequacy of existing aids to navigation (ATON) system, as well as to get a better understanding of the uses of each waterway and general safety issues.
WAMS focuses on the waterway’s current ATON system, marine casualty information, port and harbor resources, changes in recreational and commercial marine vessel usage and future development projects.
The comment deadline is Nov. 20. For more information contact Lt. j.g Katie Matha at 206-220-7283 or Katie.E.Matha@uscg.mil.
To participate in the survey, go here and choose the Puget Sound North survey.
From Megan, who says this happened near California/Lander:
I came to my car this afternoon to have found it broken into. The only thing of note in the car was a black Dell desktop computer. I had planned to take it in to the computer repair shop on California to get past the lock screen—it was my deceased father’s and almost everything I have left of him (photos, documents, etc.) may now be lost forever. If someone comes across such a desktop with the lock name “Steve” or “Steve Scott,” please help me recover this computer. I am filing a report with the police and it can be turned in or notified there if something suspicious comes up.
We’ll add the report # when we get it but in the meantime, if you find it or have some other lead, please let us know and we’ll connect you with Megan.
5:03 PM: Thanks for the tips! We just got multiple reader reports that traffic on Admiral Way is being directed around a reported sinkhole near SW Stevens, by Schmitz Park [map]. We’re off for a look.
5:32 PM: Photo added. An SDOT Incident Response truck is next to it (another photo adedd below).
8:51 PM: We recalled something similar in the area and checked the archives – three years ago, a few blocks west.
One more reminder since we didn’t publish a daily-preview list today – if you’re interested in a racket court at Lowman Beach Park, once the seawall-removal project takes out the existing tennis court, don’t miss tonight’s online meeting – 6:30 pm. Our preview has info on how to view/participate.
Just released by the West Seattle Junction Association – that new video inviting you to “experience the magic of West Seattle.” WSJA commissioned it with funding from a Port of Seattle grant; Ryan Cory photographed and directed it; many West Seattle businesses – and some of our area’s most glorious scenery – star in it.
Aircraft noise is no rarity over much of West Seattle, but after we heard what sounded like the same jet pass over HQ multiple times, we checked it out. Our favorite flight tracker showed a repeated oval (screengrab above) but didn’t identify the plane. With some help from Twitter crowdsourcing, we’ve since confirmed with the FAA that the plane (a Learjet 60) was theirs, “performing flight checks of the instrumentation at Sea-Tac Airport.” The tracker shows it’s done now and headed back eastward.
12:02 PM: Thanks for the photo! Last week, we reported that three cranes are moving from West Seattle’s Terminal 5 to Tacoma, now that Matson has moved its weekly Hawaii service there. The first crane is being moved today – it’s just left T-5 by barge, and the Northwest Seaport Alliance says it’ll arrive in Tacoma around 5 pm, passing West Seattle shores along the way. Two more are to be moved next week, says the NWSA. Three others will be dismantled and removed later this year; new cranes will arrive next year in time for the opening of the first expanded berth of the T-5 modernization project.
12:18 PM: Now visible off west-facing West Seattle. (added) Photo sent by Sue in Morgan Junction:
That video is part of an update today in Monday’s hit-run homicide near Longfellow Creek:
SPD Homicide detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in locating two vehicles believed to be connected to this homicide. Both vehicles were captured on a surveillance camera near the scene. Detectives have asked anyone who might have known the victim – identified as Derrick Lacomb – or have information about the incident to call the Violent Crimes Tipline at 206-233-5000.
Here’s another look at the two vehicles:
As first reported here Monday evening, Mr. Lacomb’s body was found near 24th/25th SW; police said on Tuesday that they believe he was hit and killed by a driver who then left the scene.
How might federal funding factor into the West Seattle Bridge situation? At 6:30 pm Thursday, you can hear directly from the West Seattle resident who represents our area in the U.S. House of Representatives. Here’s the announcement from the West Seattle Transportation Coalition:
We are very pleased to welcome U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal as our special guest this month. Congresswoman Jayapal will be joining us to talk about how the Federal government could possibly help with West Seattle Bridge repair or replacement and other transportation infrastructure needs. Please join us for what should be a very informative meeting!
Thursday, August 27, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.
Zoom Meeting ID 885 7359 6107
On the web
Via phone: 253-215-8782
You can watch archived video of recent WSTC meetings on YouTube.
6:12 AM: It’s Wednesday, the 156th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
ROAD WORK/CLOSURES
*Time to start spotlighting this weekend’s closure on Delridge Way as work continues on the RapidRide H Line prep project, SDOT explains:
We will be working in the roadway to install a catch basin between SW Barton St and 18th Ave SW on Delridge Way SW. This work will require us to operate very large equipment in this area. Considering the area where this work will be done is a narrow stretch of Delridge Way SW with just two lanes of traffic, this work will include a full closure of Delridge Way SW from SW Barton St to 18th Ave SW. This closure will take place the weekend of 8/29/2020 and will last up to 2 days.During this work, SW Roxbury St to SW Henderson St will be local access only, except for a full closure at the work zone between SW Barton St and 18th Ave SW. People driving between SW Henderson St and SW Roxbury St will need to detour to 16th Ave SW to get around this work.
It’s important to note that businesses in the area will remain open during this work. If people plan on visiting a business in or around the work area during this time, they will still be able to access Delridge Way SW in areas where local access in maintained. However, there will be no access between SW Barton St and 18th Ave SW, local or otherwise.
Meantime, here’s the newest bulletin detailing where crews are working this week and how that affects traffic/access.
*Also this weekend: More pavement repair is expected to close part of 44th SW between Edmunds and Alaska.
CHECK THE TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO
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). Here’s that camera:
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 – No recent changes – still reduced service and distancing – details here.
Water Taxi – Still on its “winter” schedule, with the 773 and 775 shuttles running – see the schedule here.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
| 1 COMMENT