West Seattle, Washington
14 Wednesday
(Reader photo)
11:45 PM: Police and fire are responding right now to a shooting near Fauntleroy and Edmunds. Dispatchers reported 911 calls about shots fired, and a possible victim; first responders on the scene found a man reported to have two gunshot wounds. Updates to come.
11:51 PM: Police are trying to sort out exactly where the man was shot – possibly “a block or two east” of where they found him. They’re also looking for a vehicle that might be related, described as a red Ford F-150.
MIDNIGHT: Added the top photo texted by a reader, showing the emergency response outside The Whittaker; texter says they heard “three loud shots.” The victim is being taken to Harborview.
(Added: Reader photo)
12:26 AM: No new information on the investigation. We asked SFD about the victim; spokesperson David Cuerpo says the 22-year-old man is in serious condition.
34 weeks ago tonight, King County announced its first case of COVID-19. Here’s where we are now:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:
*25,969 people have tested positive, 229 more than yesterday’s total
*789 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*2,525 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total
*523.267 people have been tested, 5,631 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 24,773/784/2,475/498,283.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 42.1 million cases, 1,143,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
NEED TESTING? Our weekly reminder – the city-operated testing site in West Seattle – south side of the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) – is open Saturdays (as well as weekdays). Go here to choose an appointment time before you go.
VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLAN: The state has come up with its interim plan. It also has two feedback opportunities – one on prioritizing who would get the vaccine early on. Details on all of the above are here.
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS UPDATE: The district announced today that it will stay with remote learning until at least the end of this year’s first semester, three months away.
NEED FOOD? The Greater Seattle Filipino-American SDA Church (2620 SW Kenyon) is distributing free boxes of food – dairy, fruit, vegetables, meat, milk, bread) 1-4 pm tomorrow (Saturday).
NEW GUIDANCE FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS: Here’s the latest from the governor.
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
One month ago, SDOT told WSB that a traffic camera for busy West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way would be activated shortly. We checked the Travelers Map every day – no camera. So this week we finally asked SDOT whatever happened to it. Seems it was installed and sending images, but the icon hadn’t been added to the map. Now that’s fixed. There are actually two cameras visible by clicking on the map icon (we’ll of course be adding them both to our West Seattle Traffic Cameras page ASAP), but note that neither has video – just still images – to enable video cameras there, they have to upgrade to a fiber connection, which is under investigation. While we’re talking about SDOT’s map, they asked us to remind you about several useful but hidden features you can access by clicking the “map controls” bar on the left side:
You can use that area to add features to the map such as current travel times and any messages currently displayed on dynamic-message signboards along the roads – plus bridge openings and railroad crossings.
P.S. Next chance to hear from and talk with SDOT about bridge-traffic-related projects is 7 pm Wednesday (October 28th), when they’ll be at the online meeting of HPAC (the community council for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge). Connection information is on this page (scroll to Highland Park community check-in meeting).
Shawn Marie sent the photo – she’s in it with Joanne, and she explains, “She’s 85 years young, she’s had hip and knee replacements, but she hasn’t let it slow her down. Every afternoon this week she has stood for 3+ hours at the corner of Admiral Junction in West Seattle with her sign encouraging people to vote early!” And they certainly have – we checked the stats this afternoon, and as of King County Elections‘ noon update, they had received 225,017 ballots, from among Seattle’s 496,224 registered voters – almost half!
The tallies for specific ballot drop boxes lag a bit (and remember these numbers don’t include ballots sent by USPS mail, so they don’t reflect what total percentage of people here have voted so far), but as of the morning update:
West Seattle Junction – 9,752
High Point Library – 7,230
South Seattle College – 1,259
White Center Library – 4,975
South Park Library – 967
If you’re among those who have already dropped off or sent your ballot, you can go here to verify whether your ballot’s been received. If you’re still waiting to get a ballot – call KCE at 206-296-VOTE. If you haven’t voted yet, the drop boxes are mapped and listed here (and of course you can use the USPS mail too, no stamp necessary). If you haven’t registered yet – you can do it online until Monday (October 26th), or in-person after that, all the way up to Election Day (Tuesday, November 3rd).
This won’t surprise you, but Seattle Public Schools says it felt the need to make an official announcement that remote learning will continue at least through the end of the current school year’s first semester. From Superintendent Denise Juneau:
We are close to the two-month mark for this school year and while we continue to adjust to this new way of remote learning, we’ve received many questions about when SPS students will be able to return for in-person classes in our buildings. Currently, we’ve prioritized only a small number of students who receive special education services for in-person instruction.
We appreciate and hear your concerns and questions. Seattle Public Schools will remain remote with limited in-person instruction through January 28, the first semester of school. This approach is in response to an increase of COVID-19 cases in King County and after consultation with Seattle Education Association, Seattle Council PTSA, and the Principals’ Association of Seattle Schools.
There is also no guarantee that we will be able to increase in-person instruction next semester. There are many factors that need to be considered, as we closely monitor King County COVID-19 transmission rates as well as disproportionate impacts on communities of color.
Next Steps
The week of October 12, a Re-Entry Leadership Team including the Superintendent, representatives from Seattle Education Association, Principals’ Association of Seattle Schools, Seattle Council PTSA, students, and the School Board reconvened to talk about next steps. This team will meet regularly to discuss in-person learning recommendations, including prioritized students, return criteria and benchmarks, model flexibility, and options for families who aren’t ready to return in-person this school year.Transparency and making sure families and staff have opportunities for input will be crucial as the School Board makes challenging decisions.
A public work session on in-person learning will be held November 30, 4 – 5:30 p.m. The SPS community is invited to watch online via SPSTV on YouTube, or on television (Comcast channels 26 and 319, Wave channels 26 and 695, and Century Link channels 8008 and 8508).
We are hoping to provide some certainty in this uncertain time by making this announcement today and commit to keeping you informed and included as more decisions are made going forward. Opportunities to provide feedback directly to staff and the School Board will be shared in the next couple weeks.
In-person learning ended on March 11th; the district announced at the time that schools would close for at least 14 days. Across the country, some districts that reopened schools have closed them again, like Boston.
Next school year, West Seattle Elementary will be closed regardless of the pandemic status; construction will be under way on the project that will expand and modernize the school, including a 2-story, 20,000-sf addition east of the current building, with 12 new classrooms and two learning commons, plus a new entrance, upgraded mechanical systems, new play areas/fields, and technology upgrades. The project is in the permit phase, and Seattle Public Schools has scheduled a community-update meeting. It’ll be online at 6 pm Thursday, November 12th; information on how to watch/participate is on the project webpage, where you can also preview more of the design. The BEX V-levy-funded project, designed by Miller Hayashi Architects, is now budgeted at $28 million; when last we wrote about it in July, the cost was listed as $22 million. Assuming in-person learning has resumed by the 2021-2022 school year, WSES students and staff are expected to spend that year at the former Schmitz Park Elementary, returning to their newly expanded school in fall 2022.
If you watch “The Voice,” you might not realize that one of this season’s artists is a West Seattle music teacher! Phil Gustavson from School of Rock-West Seattle shares the news about Payge Turner:
(Photo by: Tyler Golden/NBC)
Seattle musician and School of Rock West Seattle teacher Payge Turner wowed the coaches during her blind auditions on season 19 of NBC’s The Voice and joined Team Gwen! Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Payge has lived and performed in the Seattle area for a few years and teaches part-time at The School of Rock in West Seattle. An electric performer, Payge sings and plays keyboards and guitar. She is known for her emotion-filled vocals and her passionate approach to singing and teaching.
Still an independent artist, Payge’s music can be found on Spotify, YouTube and other outlets. Visit her website at www.paygeturnermusic.com for more information.
:”The Voice” is a musical-competition show that airs on NBC Monday and Tuesday nights. Here’s how it works.
(Wednesday at Alki – photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Back on Tuesday, we warned you that the first freezing forecast of the year was on the way. Now the National Weather Service has an official alert about it, issuing a “Freeze Watch” for Sunday morning, 2 am-10 am. That means, the NWS says, “Sub-freezing temperatures of 27 to 32 degrees (are) possible.” Highs Sunday and Monday will be in the 40s, then warning to the 50s on Tuesday, the forecast says.
With the weekend in view, we want to be sure you know West Seattle Junction Harvest Fest has begun!
That’s the map for the Harvest Fest Scavenger Hunt – more than a dozen Junction merchants are participating; go get a map (free at participating businesses), and: “Once you’ve found the item, cross it off the map then go to the shopkeeper for your special treat or prize.” Participating businesses are listed here.
That same page shows you where to get cocoa and cider during Harvest Fest (which continues through Halloween). You’re also invited to wander The Junction and admire window decorations – including pumpkins – and six giant spiders!
One more special event to mention – online this (corrected) Monday, October 26, presented by Pegasus Book Exchange:
Spooky Trivia Night! October 26th 7:30-9 pm, on Zoom, family-friendly, prizes for all teams, grand prize of rare book of choice. Special prizes for Best Costume, Best Team Name, and Best Decorations! $25/team up to 6 people (email us to sign up!)
Register via pegasusbookexchange@gmail.com – and enjoy Harvest Fest weekend #1! (WSB is a festival co-sponsor.)
6:21 AM: Welcome to Friday – the 214th morning without the West Seattle Bridge, which closed exactly seven months ago tonight.
ROAD WORK, ETC.
*Delridge project: Edmunds will be closed at Delridge starting at 9 this morning, continuing through Sunday, reopening by early Monday. Then starting Monday, SW Alaska closes east of Delridge. Here are details for the week ahead.
*Tunnel closure: Tonight through Saturday morning (October 23-24), the Highway 99 tunnel will close both ways for maintenance, 10 pm-6 am.
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 are two cameras:
The other major bridge across the river is the South Park Bridge (map). Here’s the nearest 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 – Fare collection has resumed.
Water Taxi – Also no longer free.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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