West Seattle, Washington

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day : 07/11/2020 8 results

UPDATE: Car-on-side crash on California SW
November 7, 2020 11:53 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

11:53 PM: That car-on-side crash has California SW blocked south of Edmunds right now. Only buses are being allowed through. The driver appears to have hit a parked car. Apparently no major injuries – a medic unit was dispatched but them quickly canceled.

12:54 AM: Officers have just told dispatch that the street is open again, both ways.

9:54 AM: The case is classified as a DUI investigation.

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CORONAVIRUS: Saturday 11/7 roundup, including our weekly West Seattle trend check
November 7, 2020 11:23 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

One week into November, here’s the latest on the pandemic:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: First, here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:

*30,415 people have tested positive, 418 more than yesterday’s total (97 in Seattle)

*811 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total

*2,635 people have been hospitalized, 2 more than yesterday’s total

*567,658 people have been tested, 3,576 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, those totals were 27,757/804/2,577/537,516.

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 a big upswing – in the past 2 weeks, 217 positive test results were reported; 50 in the 2 weeks before that; 63 in the two weeks before that.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 46 million people have tested positive, and more than 1,250,000 people have died; U.S. deaths have passed 237,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, Russia, France (same as last week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.

STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S WARNING: The King County numbers are just part of a trend noted here. An excerpt:

These numbers reflect an overall surge that started in mid-September and are very troubling as we head into darker, colder months, the holidays and respiratory virus season. The fall surge, which is showing no signs of stopping, has erased the progress that we made this summer. Western Washington, specifically King, Snohomish and Pierce counties, are hot zones for disease transmission, and they’re following a troubling nationwide trend. This week, the United States broke two records in as many days: more than 100,000 cases reported on Wednesday, and more than 116,000 on Thursday.

The state acknowledges people are tired of precautions and lonely because of separation from friends and relatives, but says this is no time to pull back.

TOY DRIVE TOMORROW: Our weekly reminder – the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is at California/Alaska every Sunday, by the Farmers’ Market entrance, 10 am-1:30 pm, collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.

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

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WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: Election boosts mayor’s federal-funding hopes
November 7, 2020 8:05 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, last month)

The election of Joe Biden as America’s next president means “we have a federal partner,” said a relieved Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan at a noontime media briefing today. We attended since we’re continuing to cover the biggest project looming in need of federal dollars as well as other third-party money – the West Seattle Bridge. Durkan said she was “ecstatic” to hear this morning that Biden had won. A continued Trump Administration would mean, among other things, a threat to federal funding for local projects – particularly because of the review ordered by the so-called “anarchist jurisdiction” declaration.

We asked the mayor how soon she would start pushing the new administration to help fund the bridge project; she said “as soon as possible” and said she would continue working with the local/state congressional delegation as well. As we reported in July, there’s already a bit of federal money involved; plus, federal funding covered 40 percent of the cost of the original bridge project. As part of the justification for major federal funding, she said, a “chart” is being developed to show the nationwide impact of commerce facilitated by the port and the mobility enabled by the bridge. We also asked if she has a new date yet for announcing the repair-or-replace decision; “soon” was her only reply. (A member of the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force says the mayor has promised they’ll be the first to know; their next scheduled meeting is November 18th.)

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WEST SEATTLE SCENES: Election celebration continues past sunset
November 7, 2020 6:56 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)

West Seattle’s Statue of Liberty had a new accessory tonight, we noticed while on rounds just before dark. The inbox brought word of other flags:

The photo is from Xuu206, who explained, “Flags are popping up on houses all over the neighborhood. (Genesee-Junction) Feels so good to be proud to fly our flag again! Ours will be up through Inauguration Day!” And flags were still being waved in The Junction at sunset, more than six hours after we first found revelers at Walk All Ways:

Late in the day, as one reader put it, this turned into more of a dance party, with a DJ in the garage-door-open Easy Street Café:

The DJ: West Seattleite Derek Moon of Soul Focus:

Outside, signs and sightings:

(This photo and next, courtesy FoldingFan)

We went back through California/Alaska after nightfall and just a few people remained outside Easy Street. (Our earlier coverage is here.)

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HELPING: Local Scouts set up Little Free Toy Chest
November 7, 2020 4:12 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

The photos and report are from Karen Vegors:

I wanted to share with you what some scouts from Troop 284 have been up to this month. The nuclear Narwhal Patrol has spent the last three weeks designing, building, and decorating a Little Free Toy Chest for the neighborhood kids. It started with a discussion about the Little Free Libraries and how there should be some thing for little kids who are stuck at home with school out. The kids found an old hutch and ups cycled it by adding legs and painting it. Today they put on the finishing touches and moved it out to the sidewalk. Then they filled it with toys and treats that they donated!

I’m super proud of these boys for thinking of this and putting in so much time and effort! The toy chest is located on 18th Ave SW between Trenton and Cloverdale.

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Hit-run murder suspect in jail
November 7, 2020 1:41 pm
|    Comments Off on CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Hit-run murder suspect in jail
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, August 24th)

A month and a half after Steven J. Abrahamson was charged in the hit-run murder of 34-year-old Derrick Lacomb, he is in jail. We don’t know details of the arrest yet, but we’ve been watching the King County Jail Register, and today it shows that Abrahamson, 37, was booked last night. Court documents say he didn’t appear for his scheduled arraignment on September 30th, two weeks after he was charged with second-degree murder. That was four weeks after Mr. Lacomb was found dead in the 6500 block of 25th SW. Charging documents said the suspect, who lives near the murder scene, knew the victim, and allege that the killing followed some kind of argument. Abrahamson’s bail is set at $2 million.

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VIDEO: West Seattle Junction celebration after Joe Biden and Kamala Harris become president-elect and vice-president-elect
November 7, 2020 8:50 am
|      72 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(WSB photo, added 10:29 am)

8:50 AM: In case you haven’t seen/heard it somewhere else already – the presidential race has been called. We heard when someone here on the Gatewood/Fauntleroy line went outside their house and yelled “JOE BIDEN GOT THE WIN!” and now the scanner has multiple reports of fireworks. This is because the state of Pennsylvania has been called for Biden, meaning he’s got 273 electoral votes, three more than needed for election. California Sen. Kamala Harris makes history as the first woman on a winning president/vice president ticket, 36 years after the late Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman on a major-party ticket.

LOCAL NOTE: In King County, the most-recent results count shows 75 percent of the countywide vote for Biden/Harris, 22 percent for Trump/Pence.

9:26 AM: Via Twitter, a sample of West Seattle-residing elected officials’ reactions:

Meantime, multiple drivers have gone through the two-arterial intersection near our HQ, honking,

10:29 AM: We went out to look for spontaneous celebrations, and found some, big and small, In Admiral, outside Circa:

On our second pass through The Junction, flag- and sign-wavers had gathered at Walk All Ways:

Video:

12:30 PM: The Junction revelry continues. Jess sent us this clip, also from Walk All Ways:

Earlier this hour, we participated in a media Q&A with Mayor Jenny Durkan, who says the Biden win increases the chance of federal money for the West Seattle Bridge. Separate story to come. On a more personal note, she said, “I’ve waited a lifetime to see a woman elected to one of the highest offices in America.”

1:20 PM: People are still at Walk All Ways celebrating.

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WEST SEATTLE SATURDAY: Weekend notes, round 1
November 7, 2020 6:34 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Machel Spence)

November’s first weekend has begun. West Seattle notes:

ROAD-WORK ALERTS; As previewed here Thursday, repaving work is planned both days this weekend on the southbound side of 16th SW by the north entrance of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). Tree work is planned both days in the 6000 block of West Marginal Way SW [map].

ROCK & GEM SHOW: 10 am-5 pm, collector’s show and sale. Face covering required. (2009 SW Dakota)

DELRIDGE GROCERY CO-OP ANNUAL MEETING: 3 pm online, find out about the progress Delridge Grocery Co-op has made and what you can do to help keep the progress going. Our preview includes the link you can use to register for info on how to be part of the meeting.

QUICK BIZNOTES: Four to mention – Meeples Games (3727 California SW) is having a West Seattle Food Bank donation drive for the next week – bring nonperishable food and get 20 percent off any one item … Cupcake Royale (California/Alaska) is offering free babycakes today with any purchase, as a celebration of democracy … Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) is open with fine local wine, 1-4 pm … Lady Jaye (4523 California SW) is featuring Wagyu beef this week, on the menu and as steaks/cuts for you to take home from the General Store (small steaks as low as $8).

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