West Seattle, Washington
23 Monday
As October ends, here’s our roundup of news and notes related to the virus crisis:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: First, here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*27,757 people have tested positive, 334 more than yesterday’s total (97 in Seattle)
*804 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*2,577 people have been hospitalized, 4 more than yesterday’s total
*537,516 people have been tested, 185 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 26,181/789/2,527/526,121.
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, combining the totals from the West Seattle and Delridge “health reporting areas.” As with the county in general, we’re on an upswing – in the past 2 weeks, 112 positive test results were reported; 62 in the 2 weeks before that; 45 in the two weeks before that.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 46 million people have tested positive, and more than 1,194,000 people have died; U.S. deaths have passed 230,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, Russia, France (same as last week except that Brazil and Russia have traded places). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
DONATION DRIVE TOMORROW: The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is at California/Alaska every Sunday, by the Farmers’ Market entrance, continuing tomorrow, 10 am-1:30 pm, collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.
NO-CONTACT TRICK-OR-TREATING: So much creativity in this pandemic-era Halloween! We put little bags of candy out on a chair and had more trick-or-treaters than any year in memory, but so many others deployed much-more-fun setups. Here are a few of the photos sent to/tweeted at us. First, MC‘s candy wall:
Matthew‘s candy chute:
Here’s how things looked at Robin‘s house:
John invited trick-or-treaters to howl:
Lisa‘s kids Sawyer and Ella designed this:
And see Melani‘s “trick-or-treat tree” on Instagram.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Voting can be fun. Just ask Ellie and her boyfriend:
She sent the pic, explaining that they decided to wear their Halloween costumes to The Junction’s ballot drop box Friday. That box had collected 16,900 ballots as of the most-recent count; High Point Library, 12,454; South Seattle College, 2,188. (Here’s the full list of drop-box totals.) As for total ballots, no West Seattle breakout is available but citywide, 76.4 percent of ballots are in as of tonight; countywide, 72 percent. (Here are all those totals.) If you haven’t yet checked to be sure your ballot’s been received, do that here. If you haven’t yet voted, get to a drop box before 8 pm Tuesday!
One way to do that – be part of this election-related event tomorrow (Sunday, November 1st): At Puget Ridge Edible Park (18th/Brandon), kids will have a chance to learn about democracy and participate, by voting and joining a “parade” to the SSC ballot drop box. The day starts with a harvest festival 11 am-1 pm including kids voting on what they want to see at the park, and then the 1 pm parade – details are in our preview.
After a gorgeous day, the full “Blue Moon” has risen. The photo above is from Carolyn Newman; (added) below, from James Tilley:
Not long before that, a swirls-of-pink sunset, photographed by Marc Milrod:
And this morning’s moonset, photographed by Dan Ciske:
Before the next moonset, sunset, and moonrise, we’ll be “falling back” an hour as Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 am Sunday – the next sunset will be at (sigh) 4:50 pm.
The Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth Washington State Ferries run is down to 1 boat right now – MV Issaquah is “out of service until further notice due to lack of crew.” Until that’s remedied, the only runs are the ones served by vessel #, MV Kittitas.
Thanks to Monica Cavagnaro for the photo. That’s the icebreaker USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10), in Elliott Bay today. It’s based in Seattle so it’s not an unusual sighting, but soon it will be off on an unusual deployment – headed to the Arctic, the first Polar-class icebreaker to go there in 26 years, reports Military.com. The Coast Guard‘s announcement says the 399-foot Polar Star will head to the Arctic this winter “to help protect the nation’s maritime sovereignty and security in the region.” It usually goes to the Antarctic, but that’s not happening this year, as explained by the announcement:
Typically, the Polar Star travels to Antarctica each year in support of Operation Deep Freeze, the annual military mission to resupply the United States’ Antarctic stations, in support of the National Science Foundation.
This year’s maritime resupply at McMurdo Station was cancelled due to COVID safety precautions, and a limited resupply will be conducted via aircraft. However, Operation Deep Freeze is an enduring mission that requires a heavy icebreaker for a full resupply, and the Coast Guard anticipates resuming this critical deployment next year.
The 44-year-old Polar Star is currently the U.S.’s only heavy icebreaker. A new one is in design and due for completion in 2024.
Thanks for the tips. Police are at Caffe Ladro in south Morgan Junction after a man broke the glass in the coffee shop’s door. We’re told the man was clearly in crisis, yelling obscenities, at the time. He is in custody. Medics were checking out people who were in the shop when it happened; nobody had to be transported. The shop is closed right now for cleanup.
(Photo from seattle.gov)
Another fall tradition – keeping leaves from clogging storm drains. In November – which (in case you’ve lost track) starts tomorrow – Seattle Public Utilities allows customers to put out up to 10 additional bags of yard/food waste at no extra charge. (Monday update: We confirmed that this HAS changed from past years – it’s now 10 extra bags PER COLLECTION DAY.) The city sent this reminder:
Here are ways to manage fallen leaves:
1. Rake leaves and put them into your yard waste cart. If you have more than will fit into the cart, place extras in a compostable lawn and leaf bag or a reusable container with a lid. Put them out next to your yard waste container on collection day – no plastic bags.
2. Place raked leaves on bare soil as mulch in your landscape and garden. This conserves water, controls weeds and fertilizes the soil. Contact the Garden Hotline to learn more – 206-633-0224 or visit gardenhotline.org.
You’re also reminded that if you’re clearing storm drains, “stand on the curb, not in the street,” and leave the arterial drain clearing to the city – if it’s non-urgent, you can report it online; if it’s urgent – as in, a blocked drain causing flooding – call 206-386-1800.
(WSB file photo)
Another Thanksgiving-season tradition will continue with pandemic modifications. Three weeks from today, Eastridge Church will give away hundreds of turkeys and bags of groceries – this year, drive-thru style. Here’s the announcement:
The Eastridge Church annual turkey and groceries giveaway is Saturday, November 21 and we will again be giving away 1,500 meals at our Issaquah and West Seattle campuses. We are excited to bless our neighbors with these free meals!
In light of Covid-19 restrictions, the giveaway will be contactless this year as a drive-thru. We ask that everyone wear a mask and remain in their cars when receiving their turkey. We also ask that people refrain from arriving too early to avoid traffic back-up on public streets.
Sadly, we can’t provide coats [this year] but will be providing children and adult gloves. As always, we don’t require proof of need for a family to receive any of the services.
This will start at 9 am Saturday, November 21st, outside the church at 39th/Oregon. We’ll check on the traffic-plan specifics as this gets closer.
Halloween, full moon, time change, pre-election weekend’s first day … all in one:
(One of tonight’s decoration/trick-or-treat locations – see the guide!)
HALLOWEEN! Tonight’s the night. Actually, the fun starts this afternoon. In our West Seattle Halloween Guide, you’ll find:
-Decoration displays to see by day or night (some with trick-or-treat plans)
-No-contact trick-or-treat events (mostly this afternoon) at locations including the Duwamish Longhouse, Combat Arts Academy, Highland Park Improvement Club, Brookdale West Seattle, Grace Church, Arbor Heights Community Church, and Nightfall Orphanage – see the Guide for times and locations
Here’s what else is up:
VOTING: Best place to drop your ballot is into an official King County Elections drop box. In our area:
–The Junction, south side of SW Alaska between California SW and 44th SW
–High Point Library, 3411 SW Raymond
–South Seattle College, 6000 16th SW
–South Park Library, 8th Avenue S. and S. Cloverdale
–White Center Library, 1409 SW 107th
Already sent/dropped off your ballot? Check here to be sure it’s been received/verified. Need a replacement ballot, or to register? Go to a Vote Center (none in West Seattle, but one’s on the south end of downtown).
STORE OPENING: Today’s the planned “soft open” for Floors Plus Northwest in south Morgan Junction, 11 am-4 pm. Drop by and welcome proprietors Luis and Liliana Morales. (6959 California SW)
SCOOTER LAUNCH PARTY: Noon-2 pm at Seacrest Park (Cove 2 area), LINK Scooters‘ launch party: “LINK staff and community partners will be on hand to provide free helmets and fittings, educate riders about safe riding techniques, and provide e-scooter demonstrations, ride coupons, and test rides.” (1660 Harbor SW)
FULL MOON: On Halloween! It’s the “Blue Moon,” points out Jamie Kinney, who took the photo above and adds, “If you look to the right of the moon in the night sky, you’ll also be able to see Mars.” Moonrise is at 6:17 pm.
ARTSWEST GALA WRAPUP: A week of giving and celebrating West Seattle’s playhouse/gallery concludes with a 7 pm online party. Not too late to register! Go here.
(Photo by James Bratsanos)
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS: Early Sunday, we “fall back” an hour – at 2 am, it becomes 1 am.
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