day : 03/02/2021 11 results

Congratulations to the West Seattle High School athletes who signed letters of intent for National Signing Day today! WSHS qthletic director Corey Sorenson sent word of these five:

Nate Rasmussen: Signing with Bellevue College for baseball, planning to major in business.

Aliya Couillard: Signing with Long Island University for soccer, planning to major in forensic science.

Kambel Fiser: Signing with Adelphi University for volleyball, planning to major in exercise science.

Nic Chantorn: Signing with Bellevue College for golf, planning to major in civil engineering.

Lauryn Nguyen : Signing with Northwestern University for golf, planning to major in communications, with a minor in business institutions.

All five also shared memories and gratitude you can read about here, or below:

Share This

2021 roundup

February 3, 2021 9:25 pm

| Comments Off on CORONAVIRUS: Wednesday 2/3/2021 roundup

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Midweek pandemic toplines:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Seattle-King County Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:

*77,577 people have tested positive, 391 more than yesterday’s total

*1,270 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total

*4,843 people have been hospitalized, 22 more than yesterday’s total

*838,171 people have been tested, 2,531 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, the four totals we track were 75,289/1,241/4,763/822,897.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.

VACCINATED: More than 281,000 doses have been administered in King County. Still no West Seattle locations on the state list. As of yesterday, Public Health/Seattle-King County tweeted, that included 87 percent of nurses, 79 percent of doctors, 31 percent of people ages 75 and up.

BRIEFING TOMORROW: State Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah and other state health officials will present their weekly briefing at 10:30 am Thursday. You can watch it here.

ALSO TOMORROW: Reminder that Seattle Public Schools plans a 5:15 pm Thursday update on its plan to offer some students the chance to return to in-person learning March 1st.

GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!

Share This

ELECTION 2021: First West Seattleite in mayor’s race is City Council President Lorena González

February 3, 2021 7:06 pm

| 77 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Since West Seattle Junction resident Lorena González – current City Council President – announced her run for mayor this morning, her phone’s been blowing up.

“80 text messages from friends and neighbors and family,” not to mention conversations like the one we had this afternoon, González replied when we asked her what the hours since her announcement have been like. “A really humbling outpouring of support … so overwhelming.”

The announcement was expected, even before Mayor Jenny Durkan announced two months ago that she wouldn’t run for re-election. She’s had aspirations for higher office for a while, launching a brief campaign for state attorney geenral a year and a half ago. She was a civil-rights lawyer before becoming the first Latinx member of the City Council, elected to citywide Position 9 for a two-year term in 2015, re-elected for a four-year term in 2017. She has owned a Junction condo for a decade, sharing it now with her husband and their toddler daughter.

Given the council’s strength, overriding mayoral vetoes in recent months, we asked her, why leave it to run for mayor?

Share This

About the police response in Morgan Junction

February 3, 2021 6:37 pm

| Comments Off on About the police response in Morgan Junction

| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

A sizable police response at an apartment building in Morgan Junction (42nd/Graham) – we went there to find out what was going on, after hearing a negotiator dispatched; Police told us they are investigating a suspected domestic-violence situation, and someone is holed up in an apartment, refusing to talk to them. No traffic blockage or danger to the public.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: West Seattle vaccination-site plan just awaits vaccine

February 3, 2021 4:40 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

As noted here Friday, West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold says the mayor’s office has committed to a COVID-19 vaccination site in West Seattle. At the council’s Monday morning “briefing meeting,” she mentioned a meeting with the mayor’s staff was planned for the next day. So we followed up. As is the case right now for so many providers and potential providers, the bottleneck is vaccine access, Herbold says she was told, “Timing is dependent upon when there is an adequate supply of vaccines. King County is getting 25% of Washington State’s weekly dispersal. Most of Seattle’s vaccines are being given to health care providers, though Seattle Fire Department is still receiving a weekly allotment for its mobile teams and pop-up program.” But when sufficient supply becomes available, the city could set up the site in as little as two days. We’ll hear more about this next Tuesday (February 9th), when the committee Herbold chairs, Public Safety and Human Services, gets a pandemic briefing from SFD and Public Health Seattle King County. The county is currently running two mass vaccination sites, and the state has four, none in Seattle.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: What’s next for West Seattle’s low bridge, 3+ weeks into camera enforcement

February 3, 2021 2:42 pm

| 48 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

(File photo)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Lots of new information today in the fourth week of camera enforcement on the West Seattle low bridge.

Its use has been restricted since just after the high bridge closed last March 23rd. Seattle Police were periodically present in the area to enforce the restrictions, but a new state law allowed the city to pursue automated enforcement, and two cameras were turned on January 11th.

A subcommittee of the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force has met more than a dozen times to review and discuss low-bridge policy, current and future. Subcommittee member Lora Radford of the West Seattle Junction Association joined us in a conversation this morning with SDOT’s Meghan Shepard.

According to Shepard, traffic is down about a quarter on the low bridge since the automated-enforcement cameras were activated.

Share This

BIZNOTE: Circa’s anniversary celebration

February 3, 2021 12:41 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Another big restaurant anniversary ahead – Circa (2605 California SW) marks 23 years this Saturday (February 6th). On that day, proprietors Gretchen and Bill plan to reopen indoor dining (25% capacity) and offer anniversary specials: “$2.30 pieces of our chocolate cake, $2.30 discounts on our burgers, items from our original menu, and big discounts on our growlers and growler fills.”

Share This

SAVE THE DATE: West Seattle recycle/reuse event planned for first day of spring

February 3, 2021 11:35 am

| 10 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, September 2020)

While many in-person events were shelved last spring/summer because of the pandemic, and will likely skip this year too, here’s one that WILL happen: The West Seattle Junction Association confirms that another recycle/reuse event is set for this spring – the day of the spring equinox, in fact – Saturday, March 20th. A few changes from last fall’s event – no housewares, as that quickly overwhelmed capacity last time, and led to more disappointment than recycling; and a new location – South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge, where there’s much more space to handle drive-up traffic. Plans include electronics recycling, Styrofoam recycling, light-bulb recycling, and paper shredding. Watch for more info as the date gets closer.

Share This

District 1 Community Network, West Marginal Way, and what else is up for your Wednesday

February 3, 2021 10:03 am

| Comments Off on District 1 Community Network, West Marginal Way, and what else is up for your Wednesday

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Snow-capped Olympics this morning, photographed by Lynn Hall)

Notes for the hours ahead:

WESTSIDE SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN TOUR: Online tour at 1:30 pm for prospective Westside School (WSB sponsor) kindergarten families. Email tedh@westsideschool.org for participation information.

PATHFINDER K-8 ELEMENTARY TOUR: Online tour at 5:30 pm for prospective K-5 families at Pathfinder K-8. For participation information, see our calendar listing.

WEST MARGINAL WAY OPTIONS: On Sunday, we reported on what SDOT is now considering for southbound West Marginal Way SW, north of the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse. Tonight at 6 pm, a presentation/discussion is part of the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board‘s online monthly meeting. The agenda has information on how to watch/comment.

DISTRICT 1 COMMUNITY NETWORK: All are welcome as the West Seattle/South Park coalition of community advocates meets online at 7 pm. Our calendar listing includes agenda topics and how to watch/participate.

(Panoramic view of the Olympics this morning, photographed by James Bratsanos)

TONIGHT’S SUNSET: 5:14 pm. Might even be visible!

Share This

Remembering Todd R. Martin, 1976-2021

February 3, 2021 8:59 am

| 14 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering Todd R. Martin, and sharing this with his community:

How can one sum up such a remarkable life in a few paragraphs?

In the spring of 2020, Todd Raymond Martin was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. Being the private person that he was, he wanted to keep the circle of people who knew about his illness small. Despite receiving treatment, the cancer spread rapidly. We are heartbroken to report that Todd passed away on January 31st at University of Washington Medical Center at the age of 44.

Todd was truly a Renaissance man in every sense of the term. He was a historian, a very gifted writer, impressionist painter, bluesy rock musician, black truffle loving foodie, photographer, explorer, entrepreneur, and a self-taught programmer with a successful career. He was a lover of books, rye whiskey, old typewriters, and roads less traveled.

He was the son of a farmer, a hillbilly, and a gentleman who always put his loved one’s comfort before his own. Todd was a Midwesterner by birth, and a lifelong Ohio State football fan.

He taught literature, rhetoric, and creative writing at Miami University, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of South Carolina.

He traveled the world and made friends wherever he went. He lived all over the country, eventually settling in Seattle where he met the love of his life, Danelle Jay and landed his “dream job” at Microsoft, working with a team of people who became an extended family. The impact he has had will last far beyond his time with us. He was a calm and steadying presence, always optimistic and a fighter until his last breath. He was loved by many, and the way he loved others was very evident.

In his typical fashion, he was adamant that no pomp and ceremony surround his passing. His ashes will be dispersed in areas that were meaningful to him. Should any wish to honor his memory further, he requested that any donations made in his name be directed to cancer research facilities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Donations to the Todd Raymond Martin memorial fund can be made at www.giftfunds.stjude.org/trmmf

Alternatively, Todd was passionate about being a good steward of our natural resources.

Todd and Danelle’s church was the forest, and it would make him smile to know more trees were planted in his memory.

While we are devastated by his death, there is comfort in knowing that his pain and suffering are over. His mother and fiancée were by his side when he passed, holding his hands and reminding him that he is so very loved by so many.

He is survived by both of his parents, his older brother, and his fiancée.

“When you’ve nothing else construct ceremonies out of the air and breathe upon them.”
-Cormac McCarthy

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

Share This

ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Wednesday watch

February 3, 2021 6:03 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Welcome to Wednesday, February 3rd, the 317th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

ROAD WORK & MORE

Delridge project – The SW Thistle closure continues between Delridge and 20th. Here are other key points of this week’s work.

Fauntleroy Way work this week – Tomorrow (Thursday), about two weeks of utility work is scheduled to start on Fauntleroy between Alaska and Edmunds, as previewed here.

Tunnel closure – The Highway 99 tunnel is scheduled to close both ways Friday night.

CHECK TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO

Low Bridge: Fourth week for automated enforcement cameras, while restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. (No stats on citations/traffic effects, yet.) Here’s a bridge view: