West Seattle, Washington
17 Saturday
No new crackdown yet, but the governor hinted something’s in the works:
INSLEES’ ADDRESS: Earlier tonight, Gov. Jay Inslee and wife Trudi Inslee gave a seven-minute address, echoing what health authorities said two days ago – stop socializing, and stay home for the holidays. The governor mentioned in passing that “additional measures” were expected in a few days.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Still on the rise. From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals – and no disclaimer for the first number:
*32,570 people have tested positive, up 622 from yesterday’s total
*826 people have died, up 10 from yesterday’s total
*2,772 people have been hospitalized, up 19 from yesterday’s total
*583,480 people have been tested, up 4,391 from yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 29,465/810/2,629/558,794.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 52.6 million cases worldwide, 10.5 million of them in the U.S. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.
WS FOOD BANK CLOSED AGAIN TOMORROW: The West Seattle Food Bank was closed today and will remain closed tomorrow after a “helper” tested positive. WSFB advises calling 211 if you’re having a food emergency. Also note: Free emergency food boxes are available again 2-5 pm tomorrow at Food Lifeline HQ (815 S. 96th).
2 RESTAURANT UPDATES: Mashiko announced a temporary closure because a “family member” was exposed; Talarico’s reopened after a four-day closure also blamed on an employee’s family member testing positive.
GOT PHOTOS/TIPS? 206-293-6302, text or voice, or westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
If you live or work in Fauntleroy, watch your USPS mail for a postcard from the Fauntleroy Community Association, announcing its every-two-years survey. We’re sharing the announcement too:
Every two years, the Fauntleroy Community Association conducts a survey of more than 3,000 residents in Fauntleroy. We ask questions about current issues affecting the Fauntleroy community, West Seattle, and Seattle as a whole. This allows us to understand what is important to our community members and helps the board set priorities.
The FCA exists to consider and act on concerns affecting the quality of life and character of the Fauntleroy community. Examples of issues and projects we have engaged in include public safety, the ferry, zoning and parking. We also sponsor or co-sponsor events such as the Fall Festival, the Fauntleroy Food Fest, the business triangle planter boxes, and this year’s Halloween pumpkin hunt.
Start the survey here.
The survey was launched just before FCA’s monthly board meeting. We were there for toplines – they’re after the jump:
5:30 PM: Just under way in Olympia, Governor Jay Inslee and the state’s first lady Trudi Inslee have a message for you about the surging COVID-19 pandemic. Watch live (and later, archived) above; we’ll add notes as it goes.
“We have to rethink the holidays,” he begins, saying his family will share the holidays “virtually.” But, he promises, “we’re only going to have to do this once … We’re optimistic that Thanksgiving 2021 will be the best ever. But this year, it’s just too dangerous.” Scrapping plans to gather in person “is an act of love,” he says. “Please don’t gather with people outside your household … Our weekly number of COVID cases has doubled in the past two weeks … We’re in a time of exponential growth.” He says some “further measures” to tamp down the pandemic will be announced “in the past few days,” but right now, he says, what you do in your personal life matters the most.
“We’re all fatigued, and it’s OK to feel not OK right now,” Trudi Inslee says. The governor urges “difficult conversations” with relatives if that’s what it takes. “This is a temporary situation … we WILL get back to normal,” he reiterates.
They conclude the 7-minute address by thanking everyone in the state for “having (each other’s) back.”
5:58 PM: Archived video of the address is now playable above.
All that glitters is … jewelry art! The annual Jewelry Invitational at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor) is part of what’s in the spotlight during tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk. Click! says the “Invitational features work from new artists Twyla Dill + Heather Kraft, new work from Jennifer Graves, and expanded collections from Ann Chikahisa and Adia Mei Jun Bobo.”
The shop is open until 7 tonight, but if you miss it, the jewelry will be featured all month and into December – some of it will be available for online shopping too. See this page on the WS Art Walk website for the rundown of every business participating this month, from North Admiral to Arbor Heights, and scroll through to enjoy the artists’ work even if you aren’t going to see it in person. (WSB is a WS Art Walk community co-sponsor.)
Another well-known West Seattleite has died. Seven years after finally retiring from his Admiral District service station, Dick Barnecut is gone. We just received this remembrance from his family:
Richard J. Barnecut died peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning, November 8, 2020. “Dick” was born in Seattle on July 20, 1926, and was the oldest son of the late George and Imogene Barnecut. Dick’s father was part of a large clan (sixteen children!) that first settled in Seattle in 1889.
Dick graduated from West Seattle High School, Class of 1944, and was the right-fielder on the city championship baseball team of 1943. He enlisted in the United States Navy immediately after graduation and was honorably discharged two years later after serving as a radioman and gunner on a PBM seaplane. He married his high-school sweetheart, Dolores “Dee” Anderson, in 1947. They first met in junior high school and Mom must have overcome her initial impression of her future husband as “pretty obnoxious” because they were married for 68 years before her demise in 2015. Dick and Dee resided in West Seattle for all of their married life.
In 1953 Dick took over the ownership and management of the West Seattle service station business his father established in 1924. It is unlikely that Dad spent any time writing up a “business model” but he definitely had a philosophy: The customer comes first. A frequent reminder to his employees regarding the clientele was that “we need them more than they need us.” His authentic commitment to customer service and a tireless work ethic explain how a small business survived for almost ninety years.
Dick’s involvement in the community was not merely as a businessman. He was a longtime member of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, the Monogram Club of West Seattle, and he was a member of the Lions Club for sixty years. He contributed generously, and often, to numerous local charities.
Mom and Dad shared an optimistic, positive outlook on life. They worked hard but they made time to play as well and they had fun together. They owned a vacation home on Hood Canal for many years and they were loyal supporters of Husky football as season ticket holders for five decades. They were not extensive world travelers but they did visit Europe, which included Paris and the ancestral home of the Barnecuts in Cornwall, England.
Mom and Dad emphasized that family came first. And they meant it. By setting a good example, they gave to their children perhaps the greatest gift of all.
Dad will be remembered as a “people person” and it was not an act. He continued working late into life and it was an open secret that it was not the work that he liked so much as it was the opportunity to schmooze with his many longtime customers. In his later years there were some indications that the filter was not fully operational. However, those who really knew him would freely attest to his fairness, his integrity, and his tolerance.
Dick truly loved his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his country, and West Seattle. His passing is a loss for his family and the community and he will surely be missed.
Dick is survived by his four adult children and their spouses: Margaret (Paul) Abrahamson, James (Jamie) Barnecut, Mary Ellen (Ron) Smulski, and Andrew (Lisa) Barnecut. He is also survived by his six grandchildren: Tom Smulski, Jill Deimling, Jenny Abrahamson, Rachel Barnecut, Nick Barnecut, Angelina Barnecut, and his great-granddaughter, Kate Deimling.
A celebration of Dick’s life will have to be deferred due to COVID concerns. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to: West Seattle High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, 4742 42nd Ave SW, #215, Seattle, WA 98116; or St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 3050 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116.
Please visit www.emmickfunerals.com to sign the guest book.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
1:05 PM: Texter in High Point says they heard a boom, and they’re out. Here in Upper Fauntleroy, we had a big flicker, but power returned fast. While we await the map update, anyone else out?
1:07 PM: 893 customers, per SCL map.
1:12 PM: Added screengrab of map, showing this is centered in High Point. No word yet what the aforementioned “boom” was – no area calls on the SFD log so far.\
1:38 PM: A texter tells us they’ve spoken to the crew working on the problem – they said the crew was doing maintenance at 32nd/Juneau when a transformer blew, and that it could take up to four hours to fix.
3:48 PM: After almost three hours, it’s fixed, according to messages we’re getting (thank you!).
4:35 PM: We asked SCL spokesperson Julie Moore for details on the cause, and the report that a crew was in the area doing work when it happened. Her reply: “Crews were in the area doing maintenance on an unrelated piece of equipment. A switch failure caused the outage.”
Photographed atop the West Seattle Bridge this past Monday, that’s – clockwise from center – Mayor Jenny Durkan, West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force co-chair Greg Nickels, SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe, WSBCTF co-chair Paulina López, and SDOT’s Kit Loo. The mayor was there for a firsthand look at the stabilization work, including inside the bridge:
And as she gets ready to decide repair vs. replace, she also has announced another community Town Hall meeting to hear feedback, 5-6:30 pm next Monday (November 16th). From the announcement:
Before reaching a critical decision point about repair or replacement of the West Seattle Bridge, I will be hosting a West Seattle Bridge Town Hall to hear directly from community members – both those who are dealing with the loss of the connection to the West Seattle peninsula and those in the Duwamish Valley acutely feeling the traffic impacts.
This West Seattle Bridge Town Hall will give you a chance to hear from me and key department staff about recently completed work to stabilize the bridge and reduce the traffic impacts of the closure, updated information for both repair or replacement pathways, and ongoing opportunities for communities to provide feedback. And we will save some time for you to ask questions directly.
You can RSVP and send a question via this form; the direct meeting link is here. This is the mayor’s third West Seattle “town hall” in six months (the others were in May and in July), though the previous two addressed other topics as well as the bridge.
Three days after Monday’s town hall, Mayor Durkan will be back before the Community Task Force – a conflict in her schedule has led to a day/time change for that meeting: It’s now set for 3:30 pm next Thursday (November 19th), one day later than originally planned. CTF members were told the mayor plans to “present updates” to them. No viewing link for that meeting yet.
Another West Seattle restaurant has announced a temporary closure. Just posted by Mashiko in The Junction:
Unfortunately Mashiko will be closing temporarily. We have had a COVID exposure to a family member and will not reopen until everyone gets tested and the results come back negative. Stay safe everyone and hopefully we will see you soon.
Thanks for the tips on this. It’s at least the fourth local restaurant with a temporary closure since Sunday (after Talarico’s, Zeeks, and Haymaker).
10:37 AM: Another closure just announced because of a positive COVID-19 test. We received this from West Seattle Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts:
The West Seattle Food Bank will be closed for distribution today, Thursday, November 12. Last night we learned that a helper at the Food Bank tested positive for COVID-19. We’re not too concerned about exposure as all were wearing masks, socially distanced, and outside most of the time, but we do want to make sure we follow all protocols and keep everyone safe.
We will keep you all posted as we determine our operating status moving forward. Anyone needing food today can call 211 for additional resources.
We thank you all for your support and are truly sorry for any inconvenience this will cause anyone in the community. We will work diligently to reopen as quickly as possible.
As mentioned in our daily preview, with the pandemic in a surge, the governor has an address to the state planned tonight at 5:30. Meantime, all our ongoing pandemic-related news can be accessed any time by going here.
4:28 PM: An update:
The West Seattle Food Bank will be closed for food distribution again tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 13th. However, home deliveries already scheduled will be going out tomorrow. We are waiting to confirm with King County Public Health that we can get back to normal hours next week.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Very busy Thursday evening ahead, starting just before sunset:
DEMONSTRATION: Scott‘s twice-weekly sign-waving for racial justice, endorsed by Hate-Free Delridge, 4-6 pm at 16th/Holden.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: 5 pm, some participants are online, some in-person, and there’s also some art you can enjoy right now simply by scrolling through the images featured on the official WSAW website – it’s all here.
GOVERNOR’S ADDRESS: Two days after state and health officials’ dire warnings about the pandemic, Governor Jay Inslee and wife Trudi Inslee will speak to the state live at 5:30 pm. The announcement we received described it as an update on the pandemic but did not hint at whether any new restrictions will be announced. The stream will be here (and we’ll feature it here on WSB once it begins, too).
WEST SEATTLE ELEMENTARY ADDITION MEETING 6 pm tonight online, an update/Q&A meeting is planned for community members; attendance info is in our preview.
MADISON MS ADDITION MEETING: This project also has a community-update meeting tonight, 6 pm online – our preview includes attendance info.
POLICE-BUDGET TOWN HALL: “Police defunding” advocates are having town halls with City Councilmembers regarding the status of the SPD budget. Tonight’s guest is West Seattle/South Park Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee – 6 pm online. You can go here to register to attend.
TRANSPORTATION HISTORY: The Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s monthly Words, Writers, SouthWest Stories series rolls into “Washington on Wheels: Odd and Innovative Transportation Ideas from the Pacific Northwest” tonight at 6 pm, with broadcaster Harriet Baskas, live online. Our preview includes attendance info.
(Added: Photo by Rick Rasmussen)
8:55 AM: Another chance to see orcas – Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch says they are southbound off Eagle Harbor!
9:14 AM: Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail called to confirm they’re in view, and we’ll repeat her reminder from Wednesday – if you’re going, wear a mask and keep your distance.
9:42 AM: Update from Kersti in comments – off Lincoln Park.
Family and friends are remembering Diane Creighton, and sharing her story with the community here:
Diane Lovell Creighton passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on July 18 at her home in West Seattle.
Born in Seattle on Oct. 19, 1938 to Alfred and Anna Finch, Diane spent her entire life living, working, and raising her family in the West Seattle area. Growing up, she attended Lafayette Elementary School, James Madison Junior High School, and graduated from West Seattle High School in 1957.
It was in history class at West Seattle High where Diane met her future husband, James “Jamie” Creighton. She spent many weekends and evenings cheering him on at football games, both in high school and into his college career.
Although Diane pre-dated Title IX opportunities her own daughters benefitted from in sports, she was a fierce competitor on the high school bowling team, as well as on the ski slopes and in the water, waterskiing with friends.
Much of Diane’s youth was spent working alongside her mother at her parents’ grocery store (Al’s Market) on California Avenue. The lessons of hard work and business management helped shape who she was personally and professionally.
Diane worked for more than 40 years as the office manager for Southwest Pediatrics in Burien. There, she enjoyed watching generations of families come through the office.
An active gardener, Diane spent countless hours working in her yard, creating a haven for hummingbirds, which she enjoyed watching from her kitchen windows. She also loved watching football with Jim, cheering for (and critiquing) the Huskies and Seahawks.
Diane and Jim were married for 57 years, much of the last 10 spent with Diane caring for Jim in the final stages of Parkinson’s disease. Her dedication is a testament to their love and commitment to one another – in sickness and in health. They were devoted parents, raising strong and independent women reflective of their own upbringing in West Seattle.
Diane is survived by her two daughters, Jocelyn (Chris) McCabe and Jennifer Creighton; and grandson Ryan McCabe. She was preceded in death by her husband, James N. Creighton; her parents Alfred and Anna Finch; and her brother, Alfred (Al) Finch.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Medic One and Seattle Children’s Hospital.
A joint memorial for Jim and Diane will be held in West Seattle when it is safe for all to gather and remember these two remarkable people – hopefully sometime soon.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
6:12 AM: Welcome to Thursday, the 234th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
ROAD WORK
Delridge project: 23rd SW remains closed at Delridge. This week’s other major work zones are detailed here.
CHECK TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO
West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Restricted-daytime-access (open to all 9 pm-5 am) low bridge:
The main detour route across the Duwamish River, the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) . Here are two cameras:
The other major bridge across the river – the South Park Bridge (map). Here’s the nearest camera:
Going through South Park? Don’t speed. (Same goes for the other detour-route neighborhoods, like Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge.)
Checking for bridges’ marine-traffic openings? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed is working again.
You can see all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page (we’ve added the new Highland Park Way cameras).
TRANSIT
Metro – Fare collection has resumed.
Water Taxi – Also charging again.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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