day : 05/12/2020 10 results

Midway through December’s first weekend, here are tonight’s pandemic toplines:

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

*47,255 people have tested positive, 324 more than yesterday’s total

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

*3,370 people have been hospitalized, 23 more than yesterday’s total

*650,890 people have been tested (the county continues to say this number was frozen 11/21, but it’s continued to rise)

One week ago, those totals were 43,384/856/3,164/626,095.

WEST SEATTLE TREND: Here’s our weekly check of this stat, with numbers shown 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.” For the past two weeks, 276 positive test results; 384 in the 2 weeks before that; 207 in the two weeks before that.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 66.5 million people have tested positive, and more than 1,528,000 people have died; U.S. deaths have passed 281,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, Russia, France (the last two switched places this week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.

DONATION DRIVE TOMORROW: Look for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle tent at California/Alaska, by the Farmers’ Market entrance, 10 am-2 pm. They’re collecting coats, hats, and gloves.

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

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VIDEO: See the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays virtual tree lighting

December 5, 2020 9:40 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

The West Seattle Junction Christmas tree is officially aglow. This year, instead of gathering the community for a ceremony, caroling, and Night Market, the lighting event was streamed tonight on video, but with familiar guests – Santa Claus, longtime Junction entrepreneur and Christmas decorator Jack Menashe, the Endolyne Children’s Choir, and County Councilmember Joe McDermott. If you missed it, you can watch the 20-minute tree-lighting event here, on YouTube. Afterward, families were invited to switch over to social-media channels to see Santa reading children’s stories. We caught up with him as he settled in to get ready to read “Katy and the Big Snow” by Virginia Lee Burton:

West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays (with community co-sponsors including WSB) continues tomorrow with a coat drive near the Farmers’ Market entrance – look for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle tent, 10 am-2 pm, by Easy Street. Bring coats, gloves, and hats to help your neighbors stay warm.

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WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Starry show

December 5, 2020 7:15 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Thanks to skywatching expert Alice Enevoldsen for tonight’s photos of a starry show here on Earth! She reports spotting this gleaming display on 48th SW between Hinds and Spokane [vicinity map].

We’re adding it to the list in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. Thanks to everyone who’s sent suggestions so far, with or without photo(s) – we’re showing lights nightly through Christmas – more suggestions welcome at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Drive by to see Santa

December 5, 2020 6:16 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle news

Thanks to Al for the photo – as featured in our daily preview, Santa is outside Circa (2605 California SW) until 7 pm to wave at families in passing cars (southbound side of the street). “Snow” too.

P.S. Another chance to see Santa tonight is coming up online at 7 pm – the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays tree lighting, with Santa participating and then reading stories live, here.

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FOLLOWUP: Seacrest pier reopens after Water Taxi dock work; Water Taxi resumes service Monday

December 5, 2020 5:02 pm

| Comments Off on FOLLOWUP: Seacrest pier reopens after Water Taxi dock work; Water Taxi resumes service Monday

| King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

5:02 PM: The pier at Seacrest reopened this afternoon after replacement of the Water Taxi dock float that holds its passenger ramp. We took the photo just before sunset. On Friday, David Hutchinson caught the old float being lifted out:

Metro explains the work here; the new float will be more weather- and wave-resistant. This should mean the West Seattle Water Taxi service is clear to resume tomorrow, but we’re waiting for an official update on Sunday.

11:48 AM SUNDAY: The official update is in – WT servive WILL resume as normal Monday morning.

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UPDATE: Driver hits pedestrian at 37th/Trenton

December 5, 2020 3:55 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

3:55 PM: Thanks for the tips. Avoid 37th/Trenton in Upper Fauntleroy – major SFD/SPD response. We are headed over to find out more.

4:10 PM: Though passersby said it looked major, the scene has totally cleared. We are following up with SFD.

5:31 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo tells WSB, “Our crews treated a 29 year old male who is in stable condition. He was transported to (Harborview) by AMR. Reported as a vehicle and pedestrian collision.”

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WEST SEATTLE HOLIDAYS: ‘Winter Wander’ scavenger hunt begins

December 5, 2020 1:46 pm

| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE HOLIDAYS: ‘Winter Wander’ scavenger hunt begins

| Fun stuff to do | Holidays | West Seattle news

Another holiday tradition has had to evolve because of the pandemic. Local realtor and preparedness coach Alice Kuder usually sponsors a free holiday movie. Can’t do that this year – so she’s come up with a scavenger hunt! “Winter Wander” is happening now through December 13th, open to all, free to participate. There’s a prize drawing for $200 in local-business gift certificates if you send qualifying selfies to WinterWander2020@gmail.com. The clues to more than 30 local businesses and homes, and map, are on her website – and if you have a question, you can email her at that same address.

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ORCAS: In the area again today

December 5, 2020 10:59 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Whales

Orcas are in the area again today. About an hour ago, whales were spotted in the Bainbridge ferry lanes, southbound, according to Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch, so if you’re by the water any time today, be on the lookout. She says the whales that passed by yesterday were transients, not residents.

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UPDATE: Driver hits, snaps pole along West Marginal Way SW

December 5, 2020 9:40 am

| 22 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Photo sent by Elizabeth)

9:40 AM: Thanks for the tips and photos! That crash scene is attracting attention along northbound West Marginal Way SW [map], with a pickup-truck driver hitting and breaking a utility pole.

(Photo sent by Bradly)

The SFD log shows this was reported before dawn, just after 5:30 this morning. Texters say repairs are still under way; we are headed that way to look shortly. The log also indicates no medic unit dispatched, so apparently no major injuries, but we are following up with SFD to confirm.

10:24 AM: Truck and pole are still there, and the NB lanes are coned off, but traffic is getting by both ways. The City Light map also shows a 2-customer outage in the area.

1:12 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says the driver was an 18-year-old man with no reported injuries.

6:03 PM: Via @essrez on Twitter, pole repairs were under way at dusk.

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WEST SEATTLE SATURDAY: See what’s up!

December 5, 2020 6:34 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Eye-catching cloud formation photographed by Jan Pendergrass)

Welcome to the first weekend of December! From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and Event Calendar:

KIWANIS LIVE EVENT & SILENT AUCTION FINALE: No community pancake breakfast this year, so the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is having a live event online 9 am-11 am – go here – and also continuing bidding until 11 am in its silent-auction fundraiser.

DRIVEWAY ROCK & GEM SHOW: 10 am-4 pm, the Saturday show invites you to stop by – outdoors, masked, distanced. (2009 SW Dakota)

WASHINGTON’S UNDISCOVERED FEMINISTS: 11 am online: Writer Mayumi Tsutakawa presents five “woman warriors” in the arts and journalism from the past century whose stories inspire. Details and registration info are in our calendar listing.

THE BRIDGE SCHOOL’S ONLINE OPEN HOUSE: 1 pm online, The Bridge School Cooperative Elementary has a live information event and Q&A opportunity online. Our calendar listing has the info you need to sign up.

DRIVE-BY SANTA: 5-7 pm outside Circa (2605 California SW), drive southbound to wave and – if you want – drop a wish list into his curbside box.

JUNCTION TREE LIGHTING + STORIES WITH SANTA: 7 pm online, enjoy the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting event safely – segueing into Santa reading stories for kids! Here’s where to watch. More info in our preview.

(Friday’s sunset, photographed by Dan Ciske)