West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
From the scanner: Someone called 911 to report a “small bear cub” seen near 35th SW/SW Trenton. The dispatcher told officers it would be reported to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Checking our archives, we had a bear-sighting report five years ago, in the Beach Drive greenbelt vicinity.
Here are tonight’s local toplines in the pandemic:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: First the numbers, as shown in today’s daily summary from Seattle-King County Public Health – the cumulative totals:
*60,799 people have tested positive, 167 more than yesterday’s total
*1,066 people have died, 10 more than yesterday’s total
*4,100 people have been hospitalized, 34 more than yesterday’s total
*739,941 people have been tested, 3,367 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the totals were 58,286/1,012/3,895/720,714.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
NATIONAL/WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 81.9 million cases worldwide, 19.5 million of them in the U.S. – see other nation-by-nation stats by going here.
BRIEFING TOMORROW: Even during this between-holidays week, state health experts will present their weekly Wednesday briefing tomorrow. You can watch at noon – here’s the link.
NEED FOOD? Food Lifeline‘s South Park HQ offers emergency food boxes 2-5 pm tomorrow, at 815 S. 96th.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
On TV, the Grinch’s sleigh got stuck on a mountaintop … in West Seattle, you’ll find it high-centered on Lacey‘s fence. As we continue our stretch week of lights-spotlighting, she sent photos of her display on 18th SW near Roxbury [vicinity map]. “Our Grinch is not as lit up as I would like, but he is very realistic!” she notes.
You can see all the lights we’ve featured over the past month-plus by scrolling through this WSB archive. We are so grateful for all the tips that made it happen; still time for a few more if you think we’ve missed someplace special – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
One year after we first reported on a redevelopment plan for a HALA-upzoned Morgan Junction site, the early-design proposal has appeared on the city’s Design Review site. You can see the packet here. The site’s official address is 6314 41st SW, but it also spans 6308 41st and 4023 SW Grahamp. The project will go through Administrative Design Review, which means no public meeting, though comments will be taken via email. The proposal is now described as “three apartment buildings (3, 4, and 5 stories) with 6 Efficiency Dwelling Units and 30 apartment units (36 units total). Parking for 15 vehicles proposed.” The design packet shows a mix of studios, 1 bedrooms, and 2 bedrooms. The developer/designer is still Texas-based StoryBuilt, though property records still don’t show a change in ownership. The parcels in this project were originally put on the market in 2017, as part of a package that floated the idea of a larger project, but instead the area’s seen smaller proposals such as this one and townhouse clusters. Design comments for this project? greg.johnson@seattle.gov is who to email.
(WSB photo)
3:01 PM: The date is set for the city to start using the new enforcement cameras on the West Seattle low bridge: Monday, January 11th – just under two weeks away.
Starting that day, SDOT says, unauthorized low-bridge use will put you at risk of a $75 ticket. No grace period needed because this isn’t a new enforcement activity, it’s supplementary to traffic police having staked out the low bridge off and on in the nine months since the high bridge’s closure led to low-bridge restrictions.
The cameras were installed earlier this month. The city’s ability to use them for this traces back to a state-law change passed last Legislative session and then City Council authorization in September.
The low-bridge rules are recapped in SDOT’s announcement of the camera-activation date:
The rules for which vehicles may use the Low Bridge are not changing:
• The only vehicles authorized to use the Low Bridge from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. are emergency vehicles, buses, employer shuttles, vanpools, freight, and certain pre-authorized vehicles. See the Low Bridge webpage for a complete list.
• People riding a bike, scooter, bus, or walking may continue using the Low Bridge any time.
• All other vehicles (including personal cars, motorcycles, taxis, and ride-hailing app vehicles like Uber and Lyft) may not use the Low Bridge from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be sent a $75 citation.
• Everyone may drive on the Low Bridge overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. No citations will be issued during these times.
The list of authorized “West Seattle business vehicles” has been made in collaboration with the West Seattle Junction Association and Chamber of Commerce. SDOT’s announcement also notes that low-bridge rules might keep evolving: “SDOT will be monitoring Low Bridge traffic volumes in early 2021 after the new enforcement system is turned on. If traffic data shows us that there is room to expand access, we will work with the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force to recommend a balanced approach for Low Bridge access.”
ADDED 5:44 PM: The SDOT Blog post about today’s announcement introduces a slogan for all this: “Don’t Go Low.”
So many scam callers these days – here’s another one to be aware of. The alert is from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office:
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is aware of a scam call going to Western Washington residents regarding criminal cases and demanding money be transferred immediately.
These calls are a scam and they are targeting people who have no involvement in a crime. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is not calling demanding money from people involved in prostitution cases or any type of cases. Our office has never done that, and will not.
If you are charged with a crime, the way you will find out is through a formal summons or a warrant. Both must be handled in person.
Here’s the outline of one of the previous scam calls:
-The caller identifies themself as King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg and says the call recipient is being prosecuted for contacting someone underage.
-The number being faked is 206-477-1200.
-The call recipient is told to send a MoneyGram for $890 in order for the charges to be dropped. Do not wire money to this person. Our office will never call and demand money in exchange for charges being dropped.
Similar scams happened back in July and mid-August.
If you receive what you believe to be a bogus call from someone pretending to be from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, here are steps you can take. This information comes from our Economic Crimes Unit, which handles felony fraud cases such as this.
-Don’t panic. This threat is not legitimate. Even if you take no action you will not be charged with a crime.
-Write down any information you can gather about the call. This may include the time you received it, what number showed on your called ID and any statements made by the fraudulent caller. While a recording of the conversation may be helpful to law enforcement, in Washington it is illegal to record someone without first telling them the conversation will be recorded. So, if you decide to record the call, give them notice, turn on the recorder, and then repeat your notice.
-Contact your local law enforcement to report the attempted fraud. The non-emergency number for the Seattle Police Department, for example, is 206-625-5011 and you also can make a report online. Save the documentation regarding the report after you’ve filed it.
-If the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has actually charged you with a crime, separate from these scam calls, notify your attorney.
If you have questions or want to verify that a communication you received actually came from us, the phone number for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is 206-477-1200 and our email is Prosecuting.Attorney@kingcounty.gov. We are happy to help you.
Nine years after launching an initiative to remove abandoned batteries from local waters, West Seattle’s “Diver Laura” James is at it again. She sent the video above, from a preparatory dive, along with this update:
Back by popular demand, I bring you the first steps for our Great Battery Roundup 2021.
The ‘wreck’ of the Honey Bear has decayed enough that we have recently noted some big marine batteries buried in the remains that made up her power banks … we went out and I removed obstructions and gained access to the batteries in preparation for removal.
We will be out doing these dives over the next few weeks and hope to remove the batteries, bring them into shallower water so that the tide can encourage any residents to leave, and then once they have seen a few tide cycles, pull them fully and take them to Seattle Iron and Metals Co. and drop them off for recycling. They appear to be the larger marine batteries, in the 65-lb. range but will know more when we bring them to the surface.
“Cove 2” is in the Seacrest vicinity; the batteries are believed to have been dumped back when a marina was there.
That’s the almost-full moon last night, photographed by Jerry Simmons. The official full-moon moment is 7:28 pm tonight, three-plus hours after it rises, but if the forecast bears out, we might not get to see it. (Added 9:27 am – Jerry did catch a little sunrise color:)
Other notes for today/tonight:
FOOD FOR STUDENTS: 11:15 am-1:15 pm, food boxes with breakfast and lunch items to get Seattle Public Schools students through the rest of winter break will be available at two West Seattle locations: Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon) and Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW).
DEMONSTRATE FOR RACIAL JUSTICE: From organizer Scott:
Black Lives Matter sign-waving
Tuesday, Dec. 29, 4 to 6 pm, corner of 16th SW and SW Holden
Thursday, Dec 31, 4 to 6 pm, corner of 16th SW and SW Holden
Come show support for BLM and ending systemic racism. Hold signs, meet neighbors, and stand for racial justice. Scott at PR Cohousing, endorsed by Hate-Free Delridge. Signs available.
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: 5-8 pm, last chance to borrow a tool before next year – the WSTL, on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, will be closed New Year’s Eve. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
6:12 AM: It’s Tuesday, December 29th, the 281st morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
ROAD (ETC.) WORK
Delridge project: Here’s the plan for what’s nect. No work planned Friday (New Year’s Day).
TRANSIT
Metro – Regular schedule today through Thursday (running a Sunday schedule on New Year’s Day).
Water Taxi – Regular schedule today through Thursday (no service New Year’s Day).
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.)
To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
You can view all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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