day : 28/09/2020 12 results

Seven months ago tonight, King County announced its first COVID-19 case. Our nightly pandemic-related toplines continue:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here’s today’s daily summary from Public Health – the cumulative countywide totals:

*22.212 people have tested positive, 94 more than yesterday’s total

*758 people have died, unchanged since Friday

*2,362 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total

*434,142 people have been tested, 2,280 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, the totals were 21.533/753/2,324/unavailable.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

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

WHY 98116’S DEATH TOLL DOUBLED: Earlier this month, we noted the death toll in 98116 going from 3 to 6 in the span of one week. Those 4th, 5th, and 6th deaths were all residents at Aegis Living of West Seattle in west Admiral, the company confirms. Aegis says it does not currently have any cases among the residents or staff there. (Thanks to Jennie for the tip.)

NEED FOOD? One place to get some free – Food Lifeline will distribute emergency boxes to anyone who shows up, 2-5 pm Friday (October 2nd) at its South Park HQ, 815 S. 96th.

MEALS FOR STUDENTS & FAMILIES: All students/parents/guardians – regardless of family income – are welcome to pick up meals at 7 Seattle Public Schools sites in West Seattle/South Park, 11:15 am-1:15 pm weekdays. (Also at that link: Info on the one bus route by which meals are delivered in north WS.)

GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!

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UPDATE: Water-rescue response off Harbor Avenue, canceled

September 28, 2020 9:10 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

9:10 PM: Seattle Fire has a water-rescue response headed to the 1700 block of Harbor Avenue SW, by land and sea. They’re responding to.a report of a flashing light, “possible distress signal,” offshore.

9:16 PM: Initial assessment – it’s a blinking light attached to a buoy marking a net, and no one in the area has heard any calls for help. SFD is canceling the call.

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PARK & WATCH: West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presenting ‘Secret Life of Pets’ October 9th

September 28, 2020 8:55 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| Fun stuff to do | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

That’s the trailer for “Secret Life of Pets,” which the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce will show as a park-your-car-and-watch movie Friday, October 9th, in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Tickets are limited – $50 per carload, which includes one bag of popcorn, two boxes of candy, and two sodas. The lot will open at 5:30 pm, with the movie at 6:45 pm. You don’t have to be a Chamber member to go – register here to get your ticket, while they last.

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FALL FUN: What West Seattle Junction Harvest Fest will be like this year

September 28, 2020 7:43 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

Another traditional fall-fun event is reformatting for this pandemic year – Harvest Fest, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association. It’ll span 10 days, including a scavenger hunt, with a map that’ll be part of the Harvest Fest Box for Kids, available for online pre-orders this Thursday:

The Junction is bringing the joy of Harvest and Halloween in one special box. Each box has a seasonally-themed or musically-themed craft, individually wrapped Halloween treats, and a special surprise from the Junction! Includes the scavenger map!

Also available for pre-orders starting Thursday – the Harvest Fest Box for Adults, which “brings you all the local and cozy feelings of the season.” Junction beverage purveyors will offer special seasonal drinks. And there’ll be free fun – a Junction Pumpkin Walk to enjoy decorated windows, and an online Haunted Concert with West Seattle School of Rock. (You can also get the Scavenger Map without buying a box = it’ll be in stores October 20th.) In the middle of the 10 days of Harvest Fest – Haunted Trivia. Watch for details on all this within a few days

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FOLLOWUP: Westwood Village repaving moves southeast

September 28, 2020 5:37 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Westwood

Thanks to Robin for the tip. The Westwood Village parking-lot repaving continues, section by section, and now it’s moved to the south and east, closing off the lot north of QFC. All the businesses remain open, but be patient with the detours. Part of the north-central lot remains closed, too, so you can’t get to the Post Office from the SW Barton side.

The work, which we first mentioned three weeks ago, is expected to last into late October.

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CONGRATULATIONS! Commendations for 2 Chief Sealth IHS students

September 28, 2020 4:19 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

From Chief Sealth International High School:

Principal Aida Fraser-Hammer of Chief Sealth International High School announced today that seniors Elijah Allen-White and Ptolemy Bear have each received a Letter of Commendation from the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers from more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2021 competition by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This Commendation recognizes their accomplishments and the key role their schools play in their academic development. Congratulations, Elijah and Ptolemy!

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DEVELOPMENT: Key approval for mixed-use building at 9037 35th SW

September 28, 2020 2:39 pm

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| Development | West Seattle news

(Rendering by JW Architects)

Another small-ish mixed-use building is proceeding in south West Seattle. Seven months ago, we featured the design packet for the proposed building at 9037 35th SW [map] as it went through Administrative Design Review (no community meetings). Today, the city’s twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin includes the decision approving the project, and the notice explaining how to appeal (deadline October 12th). The proposal is for a four-story building with 25 microapartments (Small Efficiency Dwelling Units), 839 sf of ground-floor retail, and off-street parking for six vehicles, replacing a house and small commercial space. It’s been two years since we first mentioned the plan, before HALA upzoned the site to 55′.

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Delridge Grocery Co-op ready to sell you food – one box at a time

September 28, 2020 12:10 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Delridge | How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Despite the pandemic, the Delridge Grocery Co-op has grown to reach another milestone – selling fresh food, regularly, to local residents.

Not as a full-fledged store, yet, but the DGC’s in-development store space is the operational base for what’s just emerged from five months of testing: Weekly sales of the “DGC Essentials Box,” 10 pounds of produce for $20.

Starting this week, the co-op is opening up orders for weekly pickup or delivery on Saturdays to the community at large – and even if you don’t need it, there’s a donation program too. We stopped by DGC HQ (5444 Delridge Way SW) this past Saturday as half a dozen safely spaced volunteers assembled the boxes for distribution.

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FERRY NOTES: Two with tugs; dock work

September 28, 2020 11:29 am

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| Seen at sea | Transportation | West Seattle news

Two Washington State Ferries notes:

TWO WITH TUGS: Thanks to Maureen for the photo. That’s MV Spokane with tugs this morning, passing Alki. Don sent a similar photo of MV Tacoma going by with two tugs on Saturday. WSF spokesperson Ian Sterling confirms Spokane was headed to drydock at Vigor on Harbor Island today, while Tacoma was headed out after the same, sending this photo taken while work was under way:

Tacoma is back in service on the Bainbridge Island route today.

VASHON ISLAND DOCK WORK: If you use the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route, note that it will be affected this afternoon/evening by repair work:

(Today) WSF maintenance crews will be doing necessary repair work to components on one of the vehicle loading ramps at the Vashon dock. This work will begin after the 3:30 pm departure from Vashon and will require a closure of approximately 11 hours to complete. During this time, only one functioning loading slip will be available at Vashon, which will likely lead to vessel delays in the afternoon and evening. Updates will be provided as they become available.

If you’re awaiting a ferry, you can check its status via Vessel Watch.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen Jeep Cherokee, with extra wheels

September 28, 2020 10:30 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Crime | West Seattle news

From Diana:

Just wanted to see if people could be on the lookout for our 1991 Jeep Cherokee that was stolen from in front of our house on 51st Street near Schmitz Park. It was taken Friday night, on Sep. 25. Just thought I’d see if any neighbors noticed that someone got a new car. It also had 5 tires with wheels inside that our neighbor gave us that day and we never had a chance to unload them. It has a firefighter sticker on the back.

(We’ll add the plate when we get it.) Call 911 if you see this vehicle.

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LOW-BRIDGE CAMERAS: Council to vote on authorization Tuesday

September 28, 2020 9:00 am

| 30 COMMENTS

| West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Reader photo)

This week, the City Council meets Tuesday instead of Monday, and the afternoon agenda has several items of West Seattle interest. Biggest among them: The bill to authorize enforcement cameras on the West Seattle low bridge. SDOT first mentioned the plan for them in June. The general authorization is under state legislation authored by local State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, passed last session on the second try, but now the city has to change its laws to make it happen. The meeting documents include some numbers of interest: The city projects the enforcement cameras will bring in more than $2 million in revenue next year, but the council-staff memo says that won’t be going to general SDOT coffers:

Under the state law, only warning notices with no monetary penalty are allowed in 2020, and fines of up to $75 per infraction are allowed beginning in 2021. After paying for administrative costs, half of the remaining funds are to be remitted to the state’s Cooper Jones active transportation safety account, which the state uses to fund grant projects or programs for bicycle, pedestrian, and non-motorist safety improvements. The remaining half of the funds may only be used for transportation improvements that support equitable access and mobility for persons with disabilities.

The initial cost to set up two cameras will be $29,000, and that will come out of the initial $70 million bridge-related funding recently approved by the council. The documents also say the cameras will cost $4,000 a month to operate. And the council staff memo notes one other cost:

Citations from cameras are required to be reviewed by a Seattle Police Department (SPD) officer for a ticket to be issued. In 2020, the pilot program can make use of existing officers that are currently funded through the school zone camera program, as COVID-19 has suspended school zone camera enforcement activity. Staffing needs for any expansion of the program in 2021 and 2022 would need to be addressed in subsequent budget proposals.

That “expansion” would likely be elsewhere in the city, as it’s noted in agenda documents that “SDOT plans to roll out cameras at locations in 2021 to enforce bus lane and ‘block the box’ restrictions.” The low-bridge camera bill is on the agenda for the 2 pm Tuesday council meeting; the agenda explains how to comment, during or before the meeting, and how to watch/listen.

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ROAD WORK, TRANSIT, TRAFFIC: Monday 9/28 notes

September 28, 2020 6:21 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:21 AM: Welcome to Monday. It’s the 189th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

ROAD WORK

*Delridge project: The SW Oregon closure is now set for early this Friday (October 2nd) until early the following Monday, and this time it looks like the weather will hold up. Meanwhile, here’s where crews are expected to work this week..

TRANSIT

Metro – Remember that fare collection resumes Thursday.

Water Taxi – Fares for the foot ferry also will resume Thursday.

CHECK THE TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO

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