West Seattle, Washington
27 Saturday
Thanks for the tips. Capco Beverages (4100 SW Alaska) in The Junction – West Seattle’s only liquor store – confirms it’s closing in January. Manager Dolly Amend tells WSB that they’ve launched a big sale because “everything must go.” The store opened eight years ago in what had been a state liquor store. Online listings indicate the space has been offered for lease for a while. According to Amend, Swedish is moving into the space; we have a message out seeking more details on that.
(WSB file photo)
Not all local businesses face changes because of the new pandemic-related restrictions – some were already operating under those same guidelines. Among them, longtime WSB sponsor Illusions Hair Design (5619 California SW), which wants you to know it has been open and will remain open, as “personal services” :
Since opening up again in June, we have been operating at 25% with safety of staff & clients at a high priority. With the new rules, we will not need to change anything we have been doing currently. We do need to stress that clients MUST have reviewed our current COVID-19 protocols, and have filled out and submitted our online waiver (illusionshairdesign.com) prior to their first appointment. We ask that any client who has recently traveled out of state to not schedule until they have followed the state quarantine guidelines (currently set at 14 days). All clients with appointments are required to call from their vehicle when they arrive at the salon, and wait for instructions on entry time. We remain open M-F, and clients can currently schedule through Dec. 23 (unless we get completely shut down).
If people are interested in purchasing any of our retail items, and they do not have an appointment, we encourage them to call during business hours for item availability. We will take their credit card over the phone, and have their items available for curbside pickup (the same day if timing works out). Clients can always call our 24-hour phone line and leave a message about setting up an appointment or for retail purchase requests. 206-938-3675
Hair salons are under the “personal services” category in state guidelines, with 25 percent maximum indoor occupancy (see #14 here).
With a week and a half to go until Thanksgiving, and the recommendation to keep it small and simple at home, you might be looking for help with your holiday dinner. Here are (updated) seven places to start – NOT an all-inclusive list – let us know of others (that aren’t already sold out) – but what we have to start with:
WEST SEATTLE THRIFTWAY (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor): You can order a turkey dinner, ham dinner, or various a la carte main and side through the store deli; the form is in Thriftway’s latest newsletter. Thriftway tells us you have to order by 4 pm next Monday (November 23rd), in person or by phone (206-937-0245), and Thanksgiving Day pickup is available (though the day before is recommended).
WEST SEATTLE WHOLE FOODS MARKET (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW): Order online at least two days in advance, for pickup by the day before Thanksgiving. Here’s what’s available.
SALTY’S ON ALKI (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor): Meal kits for as few as two people are available, with the ordering deadline this Wednesday (November 18th), and pickups the day before Thanksgiving. Order by phone, 206-937-1600; here’s the menu.
PECOS PIT (4400 35th SW; WSB sponsor): Offering full Thanksgiving dinners, as well as a la carte components, for pickup. See the menu here. Order by Monday (November 23rd) for pickup the day before Thanksgiving. You can order online or by phone (206-708-7691).
METROPOLITAN MARKET (2320 42nd SW; WSB sponsor): Full precooked dinners are showing as sold out, but as of our check this morning, you have other options, such as a fully cooked turkey. Ordering deadline is next Monday, and you can order online.
HUSKY DELI (4721 California SW): You can order a “family-sized” Thanksgiving dinner (and other options), for pickup the day before Thanksgiving. Info’s online. Call 206-937-2810 or email huskydeliseattle@gmail.com by 7 pm Tuesday, November 24th. If you order and prepay by phone, you can arrange curbside pickup.
(added) HARRY’S BEACH HOUSE (2676 Alki SW): Offering options from a la carte turkey and sides to a feast for 8. Here’s the menu. Order online or by email no later than this Friday (November 20th) for pickup next Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
Someplace else to add? Email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Three quick traffic notes:
OLSON/2ND CRASH: Thanks for the tips – police are headed to a two-vehicle crash at the east end of the SW Roxbury corridor. One car is reported to be “facing the wrong way.” No SFD dispatch so far so apparently no major injuries.
CALIFORNIA/STEVENS LIGHT: Thanks for the tip on this – the light at California/Stevens is out; SDOT is reported to have arrived on scene. Reminder that out/flashing signals are all-way stops.
16TH SW WORK: SDOT says this weekend work is continuing into the week: “Crews continued paving work on 16th Ave SW near the north entrance to South Seattle Community College. This work will continue early this week until approximately Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. 16th Ave SW will remain one lane in each direction on the east side of the road (the northbound lanes), which means the capacity is maintained, but parking will remain restricted.” Today’s rain might stretch that out further (we’re checking).
Just in from Senior Center of West Seattle executive director Amy Lee Derenthal:
Following the Governor’s new restrictions announced Sunday, the Senior Center of West Seattle will be closed for most in-person programming beginning today.
The Senior Center will continue to provide essential services including weekday lunch delivery, food bank distributions, Meals on Wheels distributions, social worker outreach and phone counseling. If you are in need of services, please contact the Senior Center for help.
The Senior Center will continue to provide a variety of online and virtual classes, programs and social opportunities. Check out the list of activities on the Senior Center’s website.
The Senior Center’s Stop-n-Shop Thrift Shop, located at 4504 California Ave. SW, will remain open with a limited schedule. Hours are Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Monday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Donations accepted by appointment.)
Questions or to access resources: Contact us at 206-932-4044 or visit sc-ws.org.
We’re still working on Thanksgiving info – but just had a Christmas sighting. Trees have arrived at Junction TrueValue (44th/Edmunds). The store tells us they’ll be available for purchase starting by 4 pm or so. (Our forthcoming Holiday Guide will include a list of tree sellers as always – advance info appreciated, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!)
(Photo courtesy Wheels)
The city’s third approved scooter-share provider is distributing its scooters in Seattle starting today. This one is the seated-scooter company Wheels. From its announcement:
Wheels are designed far differently from traditional stand-up scooters. A seated riding position and low center of gravity provide a safer and more stable ride — one that’s more accessible for a much broader demographic, as evidenced by the fact that half of Wheels’ riders are women and one-third are over the age of 35. Large 14-inch tires create a smooth ride across bumps, cracks, and uneven surfaces. And, unlike other offerings, Wheels comes with its own integrated helmet system! Initially, 20% of Wheels scooters in Seattle will have integrated helmets, but this will soon be scaled up to cover the whole fleet.
Those reusable helmets include “removable biodegradable liners,” the company says. It’s also working on “self-sanitizing grips” with surfaces that it says contain “mineral nanocrystals … powered by any visible light to create a powerful and toxin-free oxidation reaction that continuously breaks down any organic contaminants at the microscopic level without the use of poisons, traditional heavy metals or dangerous chemicals.” As with other transportation-share options, this one requires an app for usage. We’re still waiting to hear back on West Seattle deployment plans; let us know if you see these anywhere on the peninsula.
6:12 AM: Welcome to Monday, the 238th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
ROAD WORK
Delridge project: Interesting notes in the weekly bulletin include the installation of temporary traffic counters on 26th and on Delridge to help guide the decision about diverters on 26th.
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.
A new crackdown, not a lockdown, is tonight’s biggest virus-crisis news:
GOVERNOR’S ANNOUNCEMENT: The “third wave” of COVID-19 is here, and so are new statewide restrictions to try to hold it at bay. No indoor dining/drinking tops the list announced this morning by Gov. Inslee; also, no indoor operations for fitness facilities; bowling alleys and movie theaters must close; retail and personal services are capped at 25% capacity indoors; no real-estate in-person open houses; new rules for weddings, funerals, indoor religious services, and long-term facilities; and more. See the full list here; our as-it-happened coverage from earlier today is here. The new rules take effect at midnight tomorrow night, except for the restaurant/bar changes, which go into effect at midnight Wednesday night.
KING COUNTY’S NEWEST NUMBERS: Now, the reason for the new rules – the surge continues, as shown by the cumulative totals from the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*34,537 people have tested positive, up 542 from yesterday’s total
*828 people have died, unchanged since Friday
*2,834 people have been hospitalized, up 36 from yesterday’s total
*597,550 people have been tested, up 5,351 from yesterday’s total
One week ago, the King County totals were 30,866/811/2,639/568,836.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 54.3 million cases and 1,317.000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.
NEED A TEST? It’s a daily question now – where to get tested? So we’re reminding you that West Seattle has one of the major citywide sites where you can get a free test, even if you’re not experiencing symptoms – Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle), Mondays through Saturdays, 8:45 am-5:30 pm. Go here to make an appointment. (That page says tomorrow’s appointments are fully booked, but so far, times are available on Tuesday.)
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT? OR? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
(SDOT photo – mayor inside West Seattle Bridge work zone last Monday)
Reminder – as announced back on Thursday, Mayor Jenny Durkan is hosting another “Town Hall” about the West Seattle Bridge tomorrow night, before making her repair-vs.-replace decision (most-recent timeline for that: “soon”). The mayor’s office summarizes the event this way: “The West Seattle Bridge Town Hall will give residents a chance to hear from the Mayor and key department staff about recently completed work to stabilize the bridge and reduce the traffic impacts of the closure as well as give an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions.” It’s planned for 5-6:30 pm Monday (November 16th), online – you can RSVP here and send an advance question; the link for attending is here.
Second vehicle-theft report we’ve received today. This one’s from Ryan:
Ford F-350 stolen last night after 2 am off Beach Drive near Me-Kwa-Mooks. It has a utility rack and an 8-inch lift. WA plate C99304T.
Call 911 if you see it.
As reported here earlier, the governor has announced a new round of restrictions aimed mostly at local businesses. (Here’s the governor’s office document with the complete list.) Many businesses that were already required to operate at reduced capacity are now under orders to cut back further.
Your spending decisions matter more than ever. A dollar spent with a local independent business has direct impact on whether we’ll still have a local independent business community when this is past. And the West Seattle Bridge closure, about to go into its ninth month, has intensified the need for local businesses.
So we’re going to do what we did when the first wave of restrictions happened back in March. We’re going to step up all the info we can bring you about local businesses. In the next few days before restaurants/bars are required to suspend indoor service, for example, we’re going to refresh/relaunch the food/drink-establishment list we launched back in March (which has been used almost 100,000 times), with updated information about takeout and outdoor service. We’ll also be collecting, for our forthcoming holiday guide, information about local retailers with online shopping.
If you’re a businessperson, we invite you to send us a quick update (hours, link for online ordering/shopping, whether you have in-house delivery, curbside service, outdoor service or shopping, etc.). We’ll do our best to proactively gather updates too, but help is appreciated. westseattleblog@gmail.com – or if texting is more convenient, 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch reports orcas are visible West Seattle again – northbound, visible from Constellation Park south of Alki Point, right now. This time, transient killer whales, coming out of Rich Passage off south Bainbridge Island.
11:02 AM: As previewed last night, Gov. Jay Inslee is briefing the media on new restrictions to try to stop the surge of COVID-19 – the feed (and afterward, archived video) is above. His office says he’s being joined by “Dr. George Diaz, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards, King County Executive Dow Constantine, State Health Officer Kathy Lofy, and Spokane COVID unit nurse Clint Wallace.” We’ll post notes as it goes, and will link official documents when they’re available too.
The governor says this is “the most dangerous day” in our state’s public health history, in more than a century – the “third wave” of the pandemic – and says the virus cannot be “left unchecked. … Inaction here is not an option.” He stresses that the biggest concern is that the health-care system will be overwhelmed. He then recaps the current stats, including another statewide daily record yesterday in number of cases, and another one expected today.
This is a “more dangerous” place than we were in last March, he says.
11:08 AM: He says he’s announcing executive orders “to give us reasonable hope” that the virus can be gotten back under oontrol. The restrictions will be in place until December 14th, and will take effect at midnight Monday. They include:
*Indoor social gatherings with people from outside your home are prohibited unless people have quarantined for 14 days or (added) quarantined 7 days AND received a negative test less than 48 hours ahead
*Outdoor gatherings limited to 5 people
*No indoor operations for bars/restaurants
*Indoor retail limited to 25 percent capacity, including grocery stores
*Personal services also limited to 25 percent capacity
*Religious services limited to 25 percent indoor capacity – with some restrictions on live music; no choirs
*Indoor service closed at fitness facilities and gyms
*Youth and adult amateur sporting activities limited to outdoors only with facial coverings
*Bowling alleys, museums, zoos, aquariums, and movie theaters closed for indoor services
*Timeline: “The restrictions are statewide and will take effect Monday, November 16 at 11:59 PM and will remain in effect until Monday, December 14. The modified restrictions of restaurants, however, will take effect Wednesday, November 18 at 12:01 AM.”
(List has been updated; more info here … and here’s the complete list.)
He acknowledges that restrictions are painful for businesses and employees – but “what’s at stake here is life itself.”
He says he’s committing another $50 million in business “grants and loans” before year’s end to try to get businesses more help. “But we know that’s not enough … but it’s what we’ve been able to do so far.” He says they’re also trying “to get the federal government to step up to the plate” and send more help to people. If that doesn’t happen, he says, the state will talk to legislators about unspecified “other” possibilities.
He also says guidance for child care and education is NOT changing.
11:18 AM: Now Dr. Lofy, the state health officer, is speaking. She notes the state’s daily case numbers have doubled recently and hospitalizations are increasing too. She says the “rationale” for the governor’s announcements are based on the newest knowledge about how the virus can spread, through “aerosols,” and that indoor exposure is the biggest danger. Droplets and aerosol particles can even travel beyond 6 feet, she says. She also says it’s not easy to pinpoint where people get infected. But “if we act now, we can be successful.”
11:27 AM: After the nurse says conditions are as bad as he’s seen them, Mayor Durkan speaks. She thanks everyone for their response over the months – “I want to call out Seattle residents and businesses for taking the pandemic so seriously … their actions have saved lives.” She notes that while Seattle hospitals are not overwhelmed yet, the hospitalization rate is increasing. She says she’ll be working on more small-business relief and more flexibility for outdoor dining. “We will continue to fast-track those programs.” She also says the city needs the state and feds to do everything they can. “Please show some love for your local businesses … go and buy from local restaurants and local shops,” she adds.
Next up is Executive Constantine. “Every generation has its sacrifice … this is our moment.” For the businesses and workers that are sacrificing most, “we owe them our patronage,” he says. He also thanks people for doing what they can, saying 93 percent of people in the state are wearing masks “in the appropriate circumstances.”
11:44 AM: The governor insists “there is light at the end of the tunnel.” He also urges people not to hoard (this as we received a reader photo of a long line outside 4th Avenue Costco). He repeats that action is important now, not once things get even worse. “We make the decision about whether this pandemic is going to swallow us whole.” He says “the single most important message” is that “the single most dangerous place … is inside our own homes” if people are socializing there with people from outside their households. Then he goes to Q&A.
Why crack down further on businesses when they’re not the most dangerous place? is the first question. They’re “not doing anything wrong’ by operating, says the governor, but “we have to close this window of transmission, every window we can.”
No further limits on pro/college sports, he says, in response to a question. He says the teams already have “rigorous” precautions in place.
Why restrict grocery stores when they’re not a major outbreak source? He says it’s not a major change, as they’re currently supposed to be limited to 30 percent – dropping that to 25 percent is an issue of “equity” among retailers.
What metrics will determine if these do indeed end after four weeks? Nothing specific but “at a minimum” they hope to see a decrease in “the rate of infection.”
Though construction does not have new restrictions, the governor says they’re watching it closely and “hope we get better compliance” with existing rules.
Will there be a special legislative session for business relief? Right now the governor says they don’t believe that’s necessary, that they should be able to take action without it, but he also warns that they have to figure out a way “to finance” more help. (He later noted that they’re thinking about a “state substitute” for federal help but they’d have to be “very creative” in figuring out where the money would come from, given that there’s already a multi-billion-dollar “hole” in the budget.)
What about enforcement for businesses that don’t comply? They’ll be asked to comply, the governor says, but if they don’t, action could be taken (liquor licenses could be pulled, for example).
Why did he just loosen the restrictions for restaurants a month-plus ago, only to now crack down again? He says they were hoping the fall surge wouldn’t happen … but it did.
Are further restrictions possible? “Obviously” – but he hopes they won’t be necessary.
12:33 PM: The briefing is over. The window above will display the archived video soon; also above, we’ve updated the list of restrictions that were announced, with a link to the governor’s first online post, and will add anything more (such as detailed proclamation documents) that emerges today.
3:54 PM: Here’s the document with all the newly announced “guidance.”
10:46 AM: SPD and SFD have responded to a report of a shooting in South Delridge, at 15th and Cambridge. First 911 reported calls about gunfire – then came word of one person with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Updates to come.
10:50 AM: According to radio communication, the initial assessment is that the victim was “grazed” on the abdomen. … Police are looking for evidence and trying to determine exactly where the shooting happened.
11:25 AM: No one in custody so far. The victim is male and we’re told his injuries are not life-threatening; he was being taken to the hospital by private ambulance.
12:44 PM: SPD says the victim is 55 years old.
TUESDAY EVENING: SPD told us Monday there was no additional information. However, tonight there’s a “significant incident” summary with a few more details:
On 11-15-2020 at 1040 hours, officers responded to 15 Ave SW/SW Cambridge St for a male who was shot in the stomach. The victim was inside a motorhome. Officers located the victim and were able to determine that the shooting occurred in the alley west of the 9000 BLK of 17 Ave SW. The victim stated that he was in an argument with two males and a third male walked up and shot him. The victim didn’t want to give any suspect information. Officers recovered evidence. The victim had a gunshot wound to his right rib and his upper left arm.
9:58 AM: An unusual, and heavy, theft target in northeast Morgan Junction – the photo is from Dana, who reports, “I had a tree stolen from my truck at 39th and Graham the afternoon of November 14th. around 3:30. It is a weeping beech in a pot and weighs over 300 pounds.”
ADDED 10:07 AM: Minutes after we published that, we received one more Crime Watch report via email, so we’re adding it:
Jim reports, “Our trusty 2001 Honda CRV was stolen overnight from in front of our house – just 2 blocks south of the West Seattle Junction. It’s an older car, but reliable and needed and used every day. It also has our car seats inside. We can’t afford to replace it. And insurance won’t give us much value. Perhaps a reader has seen it. It is gold, and has a spare tire and folding bike rack on the back. The license plate is 709XMA.” Call 911 if you see this or any other known stolen car.
(Olympic Mountains seen from Gatewood on Saturday morning, photographed by Mark Dale)
Here’s what’s ahead for today in West Seattle and vicinity:
TODAY’S ONLINE CHURCH SERVICES: The list of more than 20.churches’ Sunday online services (with a few also offering in-person options), with updated links, is here.
DINE OUT FOR LAFAYETTE @ MISSION CANTINA: 10 am-10 pm, dine/drink at Mission Cantina (2325 California SW; WSB sponsor) in The Admiral District, and support Lafayette Elementary – be sure to tell Mission that’s why you’re there, takeout or dine-in.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in The Junction. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (Enter at California/Alaska; pickups for online orders are at California/Oregon)
SOCKS/FOOD DONATION DRIVE: Help people stay warm and fed:
It’s never too early to share the holiday spirit. Alki United Church of Christ (Alki UCC) is hosting an in-person socially distanced Thanksgiving Food Drive this Sunday, November 15 between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Collections are being taken outside the church’s main entrance at 6115 SW Hinds in West Seattle.
Priority items, distributed through the White Center Food Bank, include Boxed Stuffing Mix, Instant Mashed Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, Yams, Cranberry Sauce, Canned Veggies, Cornbread Mix, Canned Fruit Pie Filling, Pie Crust Mix, etc. Donations of personal-care items and (clearly labeled) packets of pet food are also welcome.
Donations of Men’s Casual/Work Clothes are also welcome, as well as SOCKS, SOCKS, SOCKS — the clothing item most requested by our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
TOYS FOR TOTS COLLECTION: 10 am-1:30 pm near the market’s entrance/exit, look for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. (California/Alaska)
GOVERNOR SPEAKS: 11 am, he’s expected to announce new restrictions to try to stop the surge of COVID-19. We’ll show the stream here with live updates, or you can watch on TVW‘s website.
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FREE TO-GO DINNER: White Center Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near the Bartell Drugs parking lot in White Center. (9600 15th Ave SW)
On the eve of new restrictions, here’s the latest on the pandemic:
GOVERNOR SPEAKS AT 11 AM: As announced tonight, he’ll be joined by the mayors of Seattle and Tacoma, and the King County Executive. The stream will be here, and we’ll feature it here too, with as-it-happens toplines.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: First, here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*33,995 people have tested positive, 627 more than yesterday’s total
*828 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*2,798 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total
*592,199 people have been tested, 4,464 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 30,415/811/2,635/567,658.
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 continuing on a big upswing – in the past 2 weeks, 329 positive test results were reported; 103 in the 2 weeks before that; 59 in the two weeks before that.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 53.9 million people have tested positive, and more than 1,311,000 people have died; U.S. deaths have passed 245,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, France, Russia (same top three as last week, while #4 and #5 traded places). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
CLOSURES & REOPENINGS: We started the day with word of one more COVID-related restaurant/bar closure and within a few hours, there was word of four more – the list grew to Shadowland, Supreme, Can Bar, Pizzeria 22, Ma’ono. Meantime, two closures we’d reported earlier are over – Mashiko and Zeeks (WS) have reopened.
DONATION DRIVES TOMORROW: First, 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. … Also tomorrow, socks and food will be collected outside Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), 10 am-3 pm.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Reminder now that we’re one week away: Next Saturday (November 21st) is the day Eastridge Church is giving away hundreds of turkeys and bags of groceries. This year, because of COVID-19, it’s drive-up distribution instead of line-up. The hours are the same, though, as announced last month – starting at 9 am and continuing for as long as they have turkeys (and groceries, and gloves) left to give away.The church is on 39th SW just south of SW Oregon, across from West Seattle Bowl, and they’re asking people not to show up early so there’s not a traffic jam.
5:09 PM: Two nights ago, Gov. Inslee said he expected “additional measures” within a few days to try to crack down on COVID-19. Tonight, it looks like he’ll make the announcement tomorrow. That’s according to email from the Washington Food Industry Association to its measures; we’ve received a copy. The email says the governor’s office briefed the WFIA’s president today, with word of new restrictions including:
*A ban on indoor social gatherings
*No indoor service for restaurants/bars (takeout and limited outdoor service will continue)
*25% capacity limit for retail, including grocery stores
(It’s been 5 1/2 months since limited indoor dining started being allowed again.) We haven’t yet received an official announcement from the governor’s office; though the WFIA memo said the announcement is expected around 10 tomorrow morning, multiple regional news outlets say 11 am.
7:33 PM: The official announcement is finally in, confirming the 11 am time; it’ll be streamed here (and we’ll carry the stream here too). No details in the announcement other than that it’s a media briefing with “an update on the state’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” and adding:
The governor will be joined by:
Dr. George Diaz, infectious disease physician, Providence Regional Medical Center, Everett
Jenny Durkan, mayor, Seattle
Victoria Woodards, mayor, Tacoma
Dow Constantine, county executive, King CountyDr. Kathy Lofy, state health officer and Nick Streuli, external affairs director, will be available for questions.
That Seattle City Light truck is the reason SW Charlestown is closed west of 46th SW – and a block away, SW Spokane is closed in the same spot. Planned work, according to the SCL map, which shows a 34-customer outage as a result of the work. No word how long it will last – the map shows the power in the area was expected to be restored four hours ago.
While we wait for a COVID-19 vaccine, there’s one virus you CAN get immunized against right now – influenza – and health authorities are stressing that it’s more important this year than ever because of the pandemic. If you have a Seattle Public Schools student in your household and they’re still not vaccinated, another free outdoor clinic is coming up this week: This one is hosted by the health center at Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton), 11:15 am-4:15 pm next Friday (November 20th). It’ll be behind the school, next to the gym doors, and you can schedule an appointment for your student(s) by using this online form or calling 206-455-9025. Here’s the informational flyer in English and en Español. (If Friday doesn’t work for you, check to see if the Thursday Roxhill clinic we mentioned earlier has room.)
11:09 AM: Thanks for the tips. Shadowland in The Junction is the latest to announce a closure after positive COVID-19 testing. The restaurant/bar announced online that “a customer alerted us that they tested positive for COVID-19. Shortly after, one of our employees’ results came back positive as well. Out of an abundance of caution, Shadowland will not be open until all of our staff members have tested negative, and our restaurant has been fully sanitized.” This is at least the sixth West Seattle COVID-related closure announced in the past week; our ongoing coverage is archived here.
11:37 AM: Make that at least eight closures. Moments after we published this, commenters pointed to online announcements by both Supreme in The Junction and Can Bar in South Delridge that they too are closed temporarily after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
Meantime, another of the previously announced closures is ending – Mashiko has announced that “the test results are pouring in negative” and that the restaurant will reopen tonight. (Added: Allison from Mashiko emailed to confirm everyone tested negative.)
1:18 PM: And another announcement: Pizzeria 22 in The Admiral District, which says a staff member has tested positive, and offers a broader message:
Effective immediately we will be closed until all our employees have been tested and quarantined for the appropriate time frame as per King County Public Health guidelines. We will then perform a thorough sanitation of our entire establishment and will reopen when or if deemed safe by city, county, and State officials.
Please note that many restaurants in West Seattle have now closed due to Covid-19. We are all in this together and we encourage you to please wear a mask , wash your hands and practice social distancing. And please continue to support your local restaurants and businesses that are still open. We will get through this and we look forward to safely reopening soon.
1:28 PM: And as just also pointed out in comments (thank you), Ma’ono has announced a temporary closure because of an employee’s positive test.
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