West Seattle, Washington
23 Friday
In the middle of a weekend with two big reasons to stay home, here are tonight’s virus-crisis notes:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*20,800 people have tested positive, 101 more than yesterday
*743 people have died, unchanged from yesterday
*2,294 people have been hospitalized, unchanged from yesterday
*396,731 people have been tested, 7,272 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 20,165/734/2,259/379,793.
WEST SEATTLE TREND: Here’s our weekly check of this stat, with numbers accessible in two-week increments via the “geography over time” tab on the daily-summary dashboard, checking the West Seattle and Delridge “health reporting areas.” In the past 2 weeks, 41 positive test results were reported; 43 in the 2 weeks before that; 62 in the two weeks before that.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 28.7 million people have tested positive, and more than 920,000 have died. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, Russia, Peru (India has moved up to #2 in the past week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
DONATION DRIVE TOMORROW: 10 am-3 pm Sunday outside Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds):
Starting this month, Alki UCC is inviting our generous neighbors to bring donations of school supplies and men’s casual/work clothing as well as non-perishable food.
We’re accepting all school supplies for all grades on behalf of one or more local schools to be distributed when students are back at in-person learning. Suggestions include backpacks, #2 pencils, black and blue ink pens, crayons, lined paper, glue, small scissors, colored pens, writing notebooks and colored paper.
Donations of clean, new or used men’s casual/work clothing are distributed through the Westside Interfaith Network’s hot lunch program for people experiencing homelessness, The Welcome Table. There is a constant and growing demand for denim apparel, khaki’s, hoodies, tee shirts, sweatshirts, clean underwear, socks, shoes and all kinds of outerwear for the fall and winter. Please … NO dress shirts, sport coats or suits.
Food donations are distributed through the White Center Food Bank. All contributions benefit our vulnerable neighbors in need.
FIRST DRIVE-IN CHURCH SERVICE TOMORROW: Despite the smoke, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church plans to go ahead with what so far as we know will be West Seattle’s first COVID-era drive-in church service, 9 am tomorrow.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
It’s a night for notes. We have three from the West Seattle food world:
SKYLARK @ THRIFTWAY: The Skylark in North Delridge is one of the restaurants that’s also been selling “provisions.” And now it’s branched out beyond its own premises. You can get The Skylark’s smoked meats at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor) – bacon in the store’s Meat & Seafood Department, smoked chicken and porkstrami in the Morgan St. Grill (deli). You can, of course, also still dine in (patio too) at, or take out/get delivery from Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW).
IL NIDO: The instant-legend restaurant at the Alki Homestead (2717 61st SW) closed in mid-summer after pursuing the provisions/market model for a while. Now it’s planning to reopen, dine-in only, September 22nd. Seattle Met‘s Allecia Vermillion broke the story.
ELLIOTT BAY BREWING: Though you probably won’t want to use it until early next week, EBB in The Junction now has an outdoor seating area!
(Photo via @westseattlejunction on Instagram)
#1 – The one-week-delayed (because of the holiday) Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee meeting is tomorrow (Sunday, September 13th), 2 pm, online. If you have questions or concerns about West Seattle’s only city-sanctioned tiny-house encampment, or if you want to hear updates firsthand, be there. Link here; password 9701; access code 858 5523 4269; or, call 253-215-8782.
#2 – No West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting this month, says WSCPC president Richard Miller, because precinct leaders are unavailable. (The meeting otherwise would be this Tuesday; instead, next meeting is October 20th.)
Thanks to Brenda for sending this:
With all the smoke and people staying inside today, I wanted to share another online event that is happening this evening. The Ethiopian Community in Seattle is having a virtual event tonight to replace their annual gala. Yesterday was Ethiopian New Year; Ethiopians follow the Coptic calendar, which is 7 years behind the Julian calendar, making it the year 2013.
There will be entertainment, and admission to the event is free. We have a sizable Ethiopian population in West Seattle so wanted to pass this along.
The event link is here. If you choose to donate, you can do that here.
Our toplines from the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s monthly meeting this past Tuesday:
BRIDGE DETOUR TRAFFIC: The SW Barton route to/from the Fauntleroy ferry dock is a lot busier since the West Seattle Bridge closed almost six months ago. The FCA is working on a letter to City Councilmember Lisa Herbold and SDOT‘s bridge-project leader Heather Marx, asking them to come take a look in person and see what can be done about it. The group is also collecting photos and video to show the problem.
FERRY WATCH: No major news, but anecdotally, long lines are making a comeback in Fauntleroy, though Washington State Ferries says traffic is still off a third from this time last year.
POLICE: Operations Lt. Sina Ebinger from the Southwest Precinct said one of the crime trends they’re keeping a close watch on is gunfire, with several reports in West Seattle so far this month. Regarding the department-wide shift of 100 officers to patrol, she said the SWP will likely lose its Community Police Team members in the redeployment, so the long-running projects/issues they’ve been working on will have to be rethought.
ON THE MOVE: FCA tracks new community arrivals and says 100+ people have moved into Fauntleroy this past quarter.
The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets second Tuesdays, 7 pm; community members are welcome – watch fauntleroy.net for info. And check out the newest quarterly “Neighbors” newsletter!
On a day when you might be looking for diversion … how about some history? Local preservationist/entrepreneur John Bennett texted us that photo, saying he just bought this at an estate sale. So far, we’ve found a bit of information about Helen’s Hol’N One Donuts – while this says 4454 California SW, the city lists the building as 4452 California SW – most recently a real-estate office. The building dates to 1956; this site says the donut shop was there 1957-1960, with proprietor Helen Allen then operating Helen’s Fine Foods with husband Earl.
Young writer(s) in the house? Need college money? This year’s VFW essay competition – three categories, for 3rd graders through high-school seniors – might be of interest:
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2713 in West Seattle announces this year’s VFW essay contests:
Voice of Democracy scholarship competition: Students in grades 9-12 must write and record an essay on “Is This the Country the Founders Envisioned?” Each state first-place winner receives a four-day trip to Washington, D.C., and the chance for their share in scholarships. The first-place national winner receives a $30,000 college scholarship. Local Post 2713 awards: $500 – 1st place; $400 – 2nd place; $250 – 3rd place.
Patriot’s Pen is for grades 6-8. The national first-place winner wins $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. The essay theme is: “What Is Patriotism to Me?” Local Post 2713 awards: $150 – 1st place; $100 – 2nd place; $75 – 3rd place.
Both programs are approved by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Also: A VFW Washington State Department competition for students in Grades 3-5. The theme is: “Why Should We Honor Veterans?” Local Post 2713 awards: $100 – 1st place; $75 – 2nd place; $50 – 3rd place.
This program is completely voluntary; a student (including homeschooled) does not have to go through their school to participate. Interested students and teachers should contact Bill Dwyer, wcajmg@gmail.com, telephone (206) 419-3998 after 5 pm, or Ben Skwiercz, bens@halcyon.com, telephone (425) 941-4651.
Local Post winners compete at the District level in December, and District winners advance to the state.
All entries must be in to Farwell Roosevelt VFW Post 2713 by Oct. 31, 2020 at 3601 SW Alaska Street, Seattle, WA 98126.
Also note that you can get entry forms and rules by following the links above, or find information/links for all three categories here.
Just got word of one more online event today with West Seattle involvement: The first of two days for the Northwest Green Home Tour, all online this year. It’s continuing until 1 pm today, showcasing both new houses and remodels, and again 9 am-1 pm tomorrow. Word comes from WSB sponsor West Seattle Realty, which is presenting one of today’s “stops,” the Tsuga Townhome project. Ticket options (including a free pass for the hours the tour is “live”) are here.
(Friday sunset photo by Crystal C.)
The air-quality alert remains in effect – with wildfire smoke still lingering, “unhealthy to locally hazardous air quality conditions will persist into Saturday,” warns the National Weather Service. We have a few reminders for today, starting with what’s being affected by the smoke.
(Looking toward downtown from Jack Block Park – photo by David Hutchinson)
Seattle city parks, playfields, boat ramps, beaches, and golf courses are all closed through the weekend, as announced Friday. Also, Seattle Public Library curbside service is canceled again today – if you had an appointment, it’ll be rescheduled.
(6:15 pm Friday from Alki Avenue – photo by John Saalwaechter)
You’re advised to stay indoors as much as you can. But if you choose to go out, two local small businesses are having anniversary sales today:
(6:30 pm from Fauntlee Hills – photo by Michael Burke)
PAPER BOAT BOOKSELLERS: Celebrating anniversary #1; today, 10 percent off your book purchase. (6040 California SW)
(10:21 am update – SGS is closing today because of the smoke and will extend the sale into the week depending on whether they’re open or closed tomorrow) SECOND GEAR SPORTS: Celebrating anniversary #7 with a sale through Monday. (6529 California SW)
(Luna/Anchor Park area – photo by Jan Pendergrass)
Looking for entertainment?
LIVE THEATER TONIGHT: As previewed here earlier this week, “Everyone Wants to Love Your Beating Heart,” directed by West Seattleite Kelly McMahon,is live online at 7 pm – get your ticket here.
(From Sunset Avenue – photo by Greg Snyder)
SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES: Today, 6:43 am and 7:26 pm.
ADDED 10:21 AM: The Vietnamese Cultural Center is closed today because of the smoke.
ADDED 2:53 PM: As noted by a commenter, West Seattle Nursery is also closed today.
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