West Seattle, Washington

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month : 02/2021 279 results

King County Council may be next to mandate ‘hazard pay’ for grocery workers
February 12, 2021 2:30 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | White Center

First the Seattle City Council did it, then the Burien City Council did it, and now the King County Council is considering also requiring “hazard pay” for grocery workers. The new proposal (read it here) would cover unincorporated King County; that would include White Center and the rest of unincorporated North Highline immediately south of West Seattle. The proposal would mandate $4/hour hazard pay – same as Seattle but $1 less than Burien – at “larger” grocery stores. Here’s the full announcement, which quotes a worker from Roxbury Safeway, Jeanette Randall, as saying, “Every day when I go to work I put myself and my family at risk, King County passing a hazard pay ordinance would make sure workers like me receive the same compensation for the essential work that I do as workers in neighboring Burien and Seattle.” The proposal has just been introduced; we’ll be checking on when it’s likely to come up for a vote.

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SCHOOLS: Should the Class of 2021 get an in-person graduation?
February 12, 2021 11:47 am
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photo: WSHS Class of 2020 drive-thru event, May 2020)

Because of the pandemic, the Class of 2020 ended high school with online ceremonies and drive-thru celebrations. With vaccinations under way and case numbers dropping, should the Class of 2021 get a chance to graduate in person? West Seattle High School‘s senior-class leaders say yes, and have just launched a petition drive. Here’s how they make their case, as sent by ASB president Ella Richardson;

As planning is getting underway, the school board has informed the student body that their graduation this year will be held virtually yet again. For the class of 2021, their entire year has been experienced virtually. They have missed out on all of the milestones that high-school seniors often look forward to, which has contributed to the mental-health crisis many students are facing.

Though this has been a year of loss, the Senior class has still held out hope for an in-person graduation. With vaccine rollouts rapidly increasing, and COVID numbers trending down, the likelihood of in-person events happening in June is a possible reality.

All of our schools hold weekly in-person distributions, and contact sports have resumed. Furthermore, many schools across the state have managed to safely return to in-person learning. These steps make it clear that a safe, in-person graduation is possible, and should be pursued by the Seattle Public Schools district.

If you agree the School Board should move beyond simply holding a virtual graduation, and begin planning for a safe in-person graduation, please sign this petition.

Some districts are planning for possible in-person graduations, like Highline (just south of Seattle). SPS’s website, meantime, lists only dates.

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Rejoy: Welcome, new West Seattle Blog sponsor!
February 12, 2021 10:48 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Today we welcome new WSB sponsor Rejoy, a new home-organizing service launched in 2020 by 15-year West Seattle resident Harmony Hasbrook. Rejoy‘s mission is to help people create new and functional space in their homes without hurting the planet.

(From ReJoy, founder Harmony Hasbrook at right, with Alder HenKu)

Harmony explains, “Born in a year of crisis – 2020 – out of a desire to do meaningful work and build a better world, Rejoy is looking at the problems of clutter and waste from a new perspective. Using our principles of frugality, generosity, and optimism, there is no puzzle we can’t solve. And man, do we love puzzles.”

Also: “Rejoy is a life lift. It radically improves our clients’ daily lives. They seek us out because they are frustrated with clutter and the feeling that they have too much stuff. But they keep coming back because we find solutions for their spaces and their lives that they never would have thought of and can’t get from a cookie-cutter tip on the internet.”

Rejoy clients say she’s a great listener who can address some of the stressful aspects of getting organized. They say Rejoy not only helped them reevaluate the things they have, but also helped them rethink how they use the space in their homes. You can read this page for more inspiration.

Rejoy is an active member of the local Buy Nothing groups and West Seattle Giving Tree. Harmony says she and her team work daily to forge partnerships with local nonprofits to create a virtuous cycle of passing on gently used things to people who need them.

Find out how Rejoy can help you by going here to schedule a free virtual consultation – “no sales pitch, no pressure, no judgement.”

We thank Rejoy for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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TONIGHT: Save The Stone Cottage invites you to the Karaoke Rock Concert & Music Trivia Competition
February 12, 2021 9:31 am
|    Comments Off on TONIGHT: Save The Stone Cottage invites you to the Karaoke Rock Concert & Music Trivia Competition
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle history | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(Stone Cottage, circa 1940s)

As moving day nears for the historic Stone Cottage, the volunteers working to save it are inviting you to the last of four “Finding the Story Stones” events – live online tonight, the family-friendly Karaoke Rock Concert & Music Trivia Competition. Some of the singing’s already handled:

In the photo, Save The Stone Cottage committee member Mike Shaughnessy recorded Steve Theile and Lora Radford of the West Seattle Junction Association singing the Steve Miller Band‘s “Rock’n Me” in the middle of Walk All Ways.

They’re among the local business owners and special guests – including Chris Ballew (Caspar Babypants) and Blaine Cook (Zippy’s Giant Burgers and rocker) and more! It’s an interactive event that will allow you to join in the fun and compete for prizes; the :winner” of the fourth and final Story Stone will unlock the “Story of the Duwamish.”

It’s happening on Zoom at 7 pm tonight if you want to participate in trivia; if not, you can also just view here.

P.S. Crowdfunding for the Stone Cottage’s move to its new temporary home continues here.

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BIZNOTE: Luna Park Café reopens indoor dining
February 12, 2021 8:59 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | Luna Park | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

West Seattle’s Luna Park Café is reopening indoor dining today, at 25 percent capacity as per state guidelines. Proprietor John Bennett says the restaurant will be open 8 am-9 om seven days a week and will still offer takeout orders (206-935-7250) plus “for the hardy … we have a few tables outside. Join us for Valentine’s weekend ! Boozy raspberry vodka shakes and cranberry mimosas.”

Luna Park Café is at 2918 SW Avalon Way.

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WEATHER, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Frosty Friday
February 12, 2021 6:07 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts | West Seattle weather

6:07 AM: Good morning. The next wave of snow isn’t likely until pm, but it’s been a sub-freezing night, so beware of icy roads.

ROAD MAP: See where SDOT crews have been. (7:51 AM UPDATE: We’ve been out. Bare dry arterials.)

TRANSIT: Check for Metro changes here.

Now, our usual checks:

BRIDGES

Low Bridge: Fifth week for automated enforcement cameras, while restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. Here’s a bridge view:

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden – with a new left-turn signal for northbound HP Way, turning to westbound Holden:

The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:

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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CORONAVIRUS: Thursday 2/11/2021 roundup
February 11, 2021 10:40 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

The governor’s latest updates top tonight’s roundup:

GOVERNOR’S BRIEFING: Under the latest version of the reopening plan, the state reviews stats by region every two weeks, and announces by Friday where everyone will be the following Monday. Today, Gov. Inslee announced all but one region (South-Central) will be in Phase 2 as of Sunday (moving it up a day for Valentine’s Day, at a reporter’s suggestion). “We are making real progress on the pandemic,” he declared, touting the dropping case numbers.

He also cited “huge” progress in vaccination acceleration, though the story was the same one we’ve heard for a while now – many more people could be vaccinated if only enough vaccine was available. So for counties like ours that are already in Phase 2, when will there be word of criteria for Phase 3? No timeline yet, Inslee said. You can watch the briefing here.

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, here are today’s cumulative totals (no data notes explaining the extra-low numbers in some categories, if you’re wondering):

*79,233 people have tested positive, 66 more than yesterday’s total

*1,305 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total

*4,958 people have been hospitalized, 16 more than yesterday’s total

*867,522 people have been tested, 89 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, the four totals we track were 77,841/1,279/4,846/841.693.

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

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 107.7 million cases worldwide, 27.3 million of them in the U.S. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.

VACCINATION EQUITY: A new state report is out. It includes these datapoints:

*The percentage of vaccinated people who are Hispanic (4.7% of people who have received at least one dose, 5.9% of people who are fully vaccinated) is lower than Hispanic representation in the state population (13.2%).

*The percentage of vaccinated people who are Black (2.2% of people who have received at least one dose, 2.7% of people who are fully vaccinated) is lower than Black representation in the state population (3.9%).

*Multiracial groups are also underrepresented compared to the overall state population, both among people who have received at least one dose of vaccine and people who are fully vaccinated.

SCHOOL OUTBREAKS: Another new state report has stats on outbreaks in K-12 schools:

Local health jurisdictions reported 84 COVID-19 outbreaks that occurred in K-12 schools across thirteen counties between August 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. The number of outbreaks by county ranged from 1 to 33. A total of 305 COVID-19 cases were associated with these outbreaks. The median number of cases per outbreak was three. Sixty four percent of all outbreaks involved two or three cases. The smallest outbreak involved two cases, and the largest involved 13.

NEED FOOD? 2-5 pm tomorrow at Food Lifeline (815 S. 96th) HQ, it’s the weekly distribution of emergency food boxes.

HIGHLAND PARK ‘SNACK PACK’ EVENT POSTPONED: Because of the likelihood of more snow, this food-distribution event tomorrow afternoon at Highland Park Elementary is off, but the one set for 3-5 pm February 26th is still on.

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

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police alert about mail-theft suspect
February 11, 2021 8:37 pm
|      40 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

Southwest Precinct police have sent an alert about a mail-theft suspect who they say is active in North Delridge, 37-year-old Jason A. Turner:

Turner is a repeat offender who continues to victimize the residents of West Seattle. Turner continues to steal mail and packages from mailboxes and porches, most commonly in the area of 4800-5200 Delridge Way SW.

Turner has 3 arrests for mail theft since 2020. Turner’s most-recent arrest was Feb. 3. He was released the following day and returned to the area, where additional mail was stolen. Residents are fed up with his actions.

Turner has been witnessed following USPS and UPS drivers and stealing mail and packages that were just delivered. He does this in broad daylight, often in the morning hours before noon, showing no concern for being witnessed.

Turner has no felony record but as noted by police, has multiple misdemeanor theft arrests. If you have any information about the suspect, contact Det. Nick Kartes at nick.kartes@seattle.gov.

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GRATITUDE: Community donations keep neighbors warm, thanks to Dave Newman State Farm Agency’s clothing-drive
February 11, 2021 7:50 pm
|    Comments Off on GRATITUDE: Community donations keep neighbors warm, thanks to Dave Newman State Farm Agency’s clothing-drive
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

On this freezing night, it’s heartwarming to know that some neighbors have coats and other warm clothing because of community generosity. The annual donation drive coordinated by Dave Newman State Farm Agency (WSB sponsor) drew the most donations ever, the agency reports:

Thanks, West Seattle!

The West Seattle Helpline annual clothing drive has once again been a big success! This year’s donations from generous friends and neighbors allow the West Seattle Helpline to assist local citizens at a critical time of year.

The clothing drive at Dave Newman State Farm Agency happens every year in December and January. This year marked the most donations we have ever received – THANKS, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. And thanks to volunteers like lifelong West Seattle resident Rodger Tanner, who not only volunteers with the clothing drive every year but also assists the Helpline with facilities, maintenance and equipment.

Watch for the clothing drive at the end of this year – December and January are hard cold months for many citizens.

Respectfully,
Dave Newman

You can help the Clothesline clothing bank year-round, too – here’s how.

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Scenes from West Seattle Art Walk, chilly pre-Valentine’s Day edition
February 11, 2021 6:16 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

In our photo above, that’s Reeve Washburn, coordinator of the West Seattle Art Walk – and tonight, Reeve is also a featured artist at one of the indoor receptions. Meet her and see her paintings at CAPERS (4525 California SW) in The Junction until 7 pm, just a few doors south of another of tonight’s receptions:

Until 8 pm, photographer Doug Early is at Verity Credit Union (4505 California SW; WSB sponsor). But if you can’t, or don’t want to, get out to any of the (distanced and masked, of course) receptions, you can enjoy Art Walk other ways – see some of the featured work on this month’s lineup update, for starters. That link is also where you’ll find out about businesses where you can see featured art all month long during regular hours; much of it is for sale, too. The Art Walk (co-sponsored by WSB) is every second Thursday.

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WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: First round of snow – updates
February 11, 2021 2:03 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

2:03 PM: No, that’s not snow in our photo – it’s salt, seen on SW Thistle east of California SW, as SDOT crews continue their pre-treatment of roads. However, we’ve been hearing about flurries all day – thanks to everyone who’s texted/called (206-293-6302 is our 24/7 hotline), emailed, and/or tweeted, from North Admiral to south of White Center. The light snow we’re seeing right now is exactly what was forecast, and the National Weather Service does NOT expect snow to accumulate today/tonight (though the temperature’s only in the mid-30s). The heavier snow is still predicted for tomorrow afternoon and beyond. We’re awaiting the mid-afternoon forecast updates, though, so we’ll see if anything changes!

(Photo sent by Karen Therese near 25th/Roxbury)

3:14 PM: We ARE seeing some light accumulation on the ground where we are (300+ feet elevation). The alert level is still Winter Storm Watch. The NWS forecast for Seattle begins:

TONIGHT…Snow likely in the evening, then cloudy with a chance of snow after midnight. No snow accumulation. Lows in the mid to upper 20s. East wind 10 to 20 mph.

FRIDAY…Cloudy with a chance of snow. Highs in the lower to mid 30s. East wind 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.

FRIDAY NIGHT…Snow likely in the evening, then snow after midnight. Snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches. Lows in the mid to upper 20s. East wind 10 to 20 mph.

Here’s the full updated forecast. Meantime, snowplow sighted on our 2-arterial nearby corner, though nothing to plow yet:

Snow photos/reports? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

4:45 PM: Roads are still bare and wet. The snow has slowed down, too.

(Photo sent by Madeline Hoover on Puget Ridge)

6:29 PM: Still no need to plow – but SDOT de-icer trucks are out. This map shows which roads have been treated and how recently, if you have to make a decision about heading out.

(West Seattle Stadium – photo by Jason Hubbard)

8:55 PM: Forecast now suggests the major snow will arrive Friday night.

(Beach Drive shore – photo by Diane McGee)

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FOLLOWUP: Alki restrooms now rubble
February 11, 2021 1:35 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Thanks for the tip. Three weeks after construction started for the Alki Beach restroom rebuild at 57th SW [map], crews have turned the old restroom building into rubble. It will be replaced by summer with a ~$638,000 comfort station that will have three individually accessed all-gender restrooms meeting ADA requirements – a 50% increase in capacity from the old one – plus a new shower. The contractor is Burien-based JEM.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Crash nets burglary (and more) suspect; charge filed in stolen-car-on-side case
February 11, 2021 11:25 am
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

In West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, two Delridge crashes that resulted in arrests for more than the crash:

DELRIDGE/ALASKA: This crash just after 7 pm last night led to the arrest of a suspect who police say had been harassing employees at a South Park coffee stand, trying to break into the stand at least twice after they refused his solicitation of sex for money. Police had responded multiple times but had been unable to catch the suspect. Then last night, a driver crashed into “multiple vehicles and a business” at Delridge/Alaska and was recognized as the suspect officers had been seeking in the South Park case. He was arrested and booked into jail for what the report describes as “investigation of burglary, eluding, DUI, and requests for solicitation and assault.”

STOLEN-CAR CRASH FOLLOWUP: On Saturday we reported on this car-on-side crash at Delridge/22nd that led to the arrest of an auto-theft suspect:

(Saturday photo sent by Nate)

The suspect, 35-year-old Allan Navas-Panchame of Kent, is now charged with one count of felony auto theft. The court documents say the car’s owner left it running while in the mini-mart at the Chevron station (our initial report erroneously said it happened at the Arco station) at Delridge/Orchard, and that Navas-Panchame ran from the sidewalk, got into the car, and sped away. Witnesses say the car was going about 100 mph when it crashed and went sideways in the construction zone a few blocks north. They told police Navas-Panchame ran out of the car and got into a nearby parked car, where officers found him. The charging papers say he has six felony convictions, for assault, theft, and vehicle prowling; jail records say he was arrested last week in an indecent-liberties case in South King County and had been out of jail less than 48 hours before the Delridge theft and crash. He remains in jail today, bail set at $2,500.

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Impact 100 Seattle: Welcome, new WSB sponsor!
February 11, 2021 10:21 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

If you can give in this time when so many more need help, consider involvement with Impact 100 Seattle. With membership open now, they’re sponsoring WSB to let you know what they do:

Impact 100 Seattle is a women’s collective-giving organization, employing trust-based philanthropy. We connect women to each other and local nonprofits, harnessing the collective strength of our community to support transformative change in the Puget Sound region.

The organization launched in 2019 and in 2020 granted $100,000 to a handful of small, community-based nonprofits in the Seattle area: Community Passageways, East African Community Services, Para los Niños, Somali Family Safety Task Force, and Y-We. These organizations are run by members of their community – four out of five are run by women, women of color. We believe that the leaders of these organizations have a vision and a way to connect with the communities that they are serving to make a lasting impact.

In addition to trust-based philanthropy, our decisions around grants are based on the following key principles: Partner for transformative change; embrace risk; listen, learn, and evolve. We build partnerships with our grantee recipients and provide support beyond the check.

Membership for 2021 closes on March 31st, 2021 – join Impact 100 Seattle to make an impact!

We thank Impact 100 Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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WEST SEATTLE THURSDAY: Art Walk, bridge meeting, school open houses, more…
February 11, 2021 9:22 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

(Photo by Machel Spence – just three days until Valentine’s Day)

While we watch and wait to see what the weather brings, here are events that might interest you this afternoon and evening:

WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE: 4-6 pm online, with updates about planning for high-bridge repair, changes in low-bridge access, proposals for West Marginal Way, and more. Our preview includes attendance links.

DEMONSTRATION: 4-6 pm, you’re invited to demonstrate at 16th/Holden with organizer Scott in support of racial justice. Signs available if you don’t have your own.

WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: 5 pm online and/or in-person – as usual you have many options for enjoying art this month. Go here to see who’s having a reception – note that artist Jenna Roby will be at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor) early, 4 pm-6 pm – and who’s online only and/or presenting an ongoing display. New businesses have joined, too, like Floors Plus NW at 6959 California SW, hosting Kat Honda Whitham, 5-7 pm.

LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY ONLINE OPEN HOUSE: Find out about
Lafauyette in a virtual open house at 5:30 pm.
Click here to join or call in (audio only) 206-800-4125 (Phone Conference ID: 423 932 196#).

WORDS, WRITERS, SOUTHWEST STORIES: 6 pm online, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s speaker/author series features historian Brad Holden discussing his book about Prohibition in Seattle. Our preview includes the link for registering to attend.

CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HS ONLINE OPEN HOUSE: Future CSIHS students and their families are invited to learn more about the school tonight, 7 pm. Info is here, including the attendance link.

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ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Thursday notes
February 11, 2021 6:12 am
|    Comments Off on ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Thursday notes
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:12 AM: Welcome to Thursday, February 11th, the 325th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

ROAD WORK & DOCK WORK

Fauntleroy Way work – The sewer repair on Fauntleroy between Alaska and Edmunds had begun.

Delridge project – The SW Thistle closure continues between Delridge and 20th. Here’s this week’s full plan.

Fauntleroy ferry dock work – One-lane loading/unloading again today because of maintenance work, explained here.

CHECK TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO

Low Bridge: Fifth week for automated enforcement cameras, while restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. Here’s a bridge view:

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden – with a new left-turn signal for northbound HP Way, turning to westbound Holden:

The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

The main detour route across the Duwamish River, the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

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 all the other detour-route neighborhoods, both the arterials and neighborhood streets!)

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.

TRANSIT

Water Taxi – On its regular schedule but with the lower-capacity Spirit of Kingston continuing until Friday at the earliest. No service Monday (February 15th) because of the holiday.

Metro – On regular weekday schedule. If you’re not subscribed to alerts, watch @kcmetrobus on Twitter for updates.

Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

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CORONAVIRUS: Wednesday 2/10/2021 roundup
February 10, 2021 11:50 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

We end the night with the latest on the pandemic:

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

*79,167 people have tested positive, 186 more than yesterday’s total

*1,305 people have died, 5 more than yesterday’s total

*4,942 people have been hospitalized, 23 more than yesterday’s total

*867,433 people have been tested, 4,167 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, the four totals we track were 77,577/1,270/4,843/838,171.

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

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

GOVERNOR SPEAKS TOMORROW: Gov. Inslee plans a 2:30 pm media briefing Thursday, announced as “an update on the the state’s response to the ongoing pandemic, including rental and business assistance, and vaccine distribution.” It’ll be streamed by TVW, but no direct link yet.

VACCINATION SITUATION: That was the main topic during today’s weekly briefing by state health officials. The state’s periodic update on the vaccination situation is here. Key excerpt: “As of Feb. 6, more than 940,000 doses of vaccine have been given across the state, which is nearly 80% of the 1,195,207 doses that have been delivered to our providers and long-term care programs. Washington is currently averaging 26,857 vaccine doses given each day.” Also:

Supply from the federal government continues to be our greatest challenge. This week our providers requested more than 440,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including 281,100 first doses and 165,750 second doses. In all, we received just over 200,000 doses from the federal government, which is less than half.

Although doses are not where we would like them to be right now, we are optimistic about the future. We have been told by the federal government that allocations for both Pfizer and Moderna will increase in the coming weeks and months.

They’re also hopeful the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will get authorization. And one last note – the state has for the first time “received a 3-week allocation forecast from the federal government” – which, even if doses are fewer than hoped for, will enable better planning. And they briefly mentioned some pharmacies in the state getting some vaccine as part of a separate federal allotment.

STORM PREPS: At a city briefing today looking ahead to the potential snowstorm(s), Mayor Durkan said that plowing plans include prioritizing COVID-19 testing sites.

SHELTER CASE: Also noted in our weather coverage, West Seattle is without an emergency shelter in the cold weather because a COVID case at the WS Veterans Center shelter has forced it to temporarily close.

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

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FOLLOWUP: PCC, union agree on hazard pay chain-wide
February 10, 2021 10:10 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Two weeks ago, we reported on the PCC Community Markets CEO’s letter to the mayor opposing the new Seattle law that was about to take effect mandating $4/hour hazard pay for most grocery workers in the city. Then the day after the law took effect, PCC said it was negotiating with UFCW Local 21 to extend that pay to workers throughout its chain. Earlier this week, another city in which PCC operates, Burien, passed a hazard-pay mandate for $5/hour. Then tonight, PCC and the union have announced an agreement on the chain-wide $4/hour. From the union announcement, received via email:

PCC agrees to extend $4 per hour hazard pay to all PCC workers in all stores through June 5th, 2021, expanding on the Hazard Pay ordinances won by UFCW 21 workers in Seattle and Burien.

*We have a commitment from PCC to bargain over extending this agreement, including hazard pay, at least 30 days before it expires.

*The agreement provides for Quarantine Pay for workers who get diagnosed with COVID 19 as well as other safety provisions.

*PCC will begin a curbside pickup program that captures work for union members instead of giving it away to the gig economy.

*We also reviewed our continued commitment to discuss new technologies in the stores with the Union before implementation.

PCC’s announcement is on the chain website here. Six of its 15 stores are outside Seattle/Burien and therefore wouldn’t be paying the extra money if not for the agreement.

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THURSDAY: West Seattle Bridge updates, W. Marginal Way proposals @ Community Task Force
February 10, 2021 7:42 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

(West Seattle Bridge as seen tonight on SDOT camerq)

The West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force continues meeting online monthly to hear and talk about the bridge and associated projects, and its next meeting is scheduled for 4-6 pm tomorrow (Thursday, February 11th). Here’s the agenda; it includes an update on progress toward repairs, a look at low-bridge access, and a review of the proposals for West Marginal Way SW north of the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse. That will include the attendees breaking into two discussion groups; the link for watching the meeting including group A is here, and the link for group B is here. If you can’t watch the meeting, but are interested in what’s happening with repair planning, SDOT published this update last week. They’re still projecting “mid-2022” for reopening, spokesperson Ethan Bergerson told WSB this week, “and we will be able to give a more certain schedule update once the contractor is selected and the project reaches a further stage in design.”

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WEATHER UPDATES: Winter Storm Watch, preparations, shelter …
February 10, 2021 5:39 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

5:39 PM: No formal alert for our area so far, but the National Weather Service is still saying we’re likely to see snow in the days ahead – maybe flurries tonight, more likely an accumulation of up to half a foot starting Friday night. As usually happens when a forecast of serious snow is looming, the city held a media briefing, with regional transportation agencies, to talk about how they’re getting ready. The video above is from this afternoon’s briefing, led by Mayor Jenny Durkan, with department heads including SDOT, Human Services, and Emergency Management, as well as Metro, Sound Transit, and WSDOT. Of note: The mayor said snow routes have been updated to reflect the bridge closure. The citywide map is here, showing “gold” and “emerald” routes – the goal is to clear all travel lanes on the former, one lane each way on the latter. Here’s the West Seattle section:

After the snow starts, this map will show you where crews have been. The city also says it is ready to clear pedestrian paths and bike lanes as needed – but reminded residents and businesses that they are responsible for the sidewalks alongside their homes. (And if you have a disabled or elderly neighbor, lend a hand and clear their stretch of sidewalk.) If you encounter a road obstacle such as a fallen tree, report it to 206-684-ROAD

For bus riders, Metro’s storm info will be at metrowinter.com.

For people experiencing homelessness, the city and county are opening some emergency spaces, but nothing in West Seattle was mentioned. We checked with the West Seattle Veterans’ Center in The Triangle; they can’t open their emergency shelter because they had a COVID case and had to move people to a county-operated quarantine site. So call 211 if you need help or need to help someone find it.

P.S. Here’s the city news release with full multidepartmental reports on what’s being done to get ready.

8:34 PM: Now there’s an alert for our area and beyond – a Winter Storm Watch (read it here), Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.

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FOLLOWUP: West Seattle’s regular Water Taxi won’t be back for a few more days
February 10, 2021 5:07 pm
|    Comments Off on FOLLOWUP: West Seattle’s regular Water Taxi won’t be back for a few more days
 |   King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

This is the third week that the smaller M/V Spirit of Kingston has been filling in for West Seattle’s regular King County Water Taxi vessel Doc Maynard, which has been on the Vashon Island run while M/V Sally Fox has been undergoing work. King County Metro’s Torie Rynning tells WSB today, “We are now looking at Friday or Tuesday to restore the Doc Maynard to the West Seattle route. Cold weather delayed some of the painting [on Sally Fox] and there were also some delays in procuring some of the materials we needed for other repairs.” The Water Taxi won’t be running at all on Monday because of the Presidents Day holiday.

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Here’s what happened at first Washington State Ferries community meeting, with second one tonight
February 10, 2021 3:28 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

A(M/V Cathlamet approaching Fauntleroy during last Saturday’s windy weather – photo by Jerry Simmons)

Two questions during the first of two Washington State Ferries community meetings dealt with a major WSF project that’s just a few years away in West Seattle – the Fauntleroy dock overhaul.

“We’re just starting to look at (it),” said WSF’s Nicole McIntosh. I-976 and COVID pushed back planning but “the 2025-2027 biennium” is when they expect construction, “but we have a lot of planning to get there.” Will WSF consider separating passenger and vehicle loading? McIntosh said they’ll be looking at a wide range of alternatives as they plan – those could include overhead loading, a larger dock, even relocating the dock. She promised the process would include “interacting with our customers and stakeholders.”

At the start of the meeting, Patty Rubstello, new WSDOT assistant secretary in charge of WSF, introduced herself. She said she spent most of her career – with an engineering background – “on the highways side of WSDOT.” She’s been in charge of the WSDOT toll program. She mentioned the recently reported ridership drop – 41 percent, lowest since 1975, first time since 1951 that the systems carried more vehicles than people. They’re still stressing travel “for essential trips only.”

(WSB photo, September 2019)

In overall highlights, ferry-system electrification – spotlighted when Gov. Inslee visited Vigor on Harbor Island a year and a half ago – remains a priority. A new hybrid Olympic-class ferry starts construction later this year, to go into service in 2024. In Q&A, more details came up – one is funded, they could build four more. They’re expected to run on the Mukilteo-Clinton and Seattle-Bremerton routes. WSF’s Matt von Ruden said they’ve just completed preliminary design and haven’t yet negotiated the price.

WSF’s Stephanie Cirkovich reviewed service plans for this spring and summer, after a quick review of how service changed and was reduced because of the pandemic. It’s still too “unpredictable” to set service-change dates like in the past, so now they are focused on the “four pillars of service.” That’s why they are expecting to make a few changes on May 9th, including returning a third vessel to the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route, to operate “8 hours a day on weekends.”

More questions: Will WSF require vaccination for employees in customer-facing roles? No, replied McIntosh. But they’ll continue requiring masks for everyone.

When will galleys be reopened on the ferries? Their vendor is ready to get back up and running, said Cirkovich, but it’s not safe yet. When they do return to service, it’ll be gradual. “At this time we’re still telling people to stay in their cars,” for example.

Has the staffing shortage stabilized? Short answer, no. WSF’s Kim Monroe said training has been difficult during the pandemic which means hiring has been tough. They used to have 18 people per training class – now they’re limited to 5. And of course COVID has affected existing staff, too.

What’s the remaining lifespan on the Issaquah-class ferries (three of which usually serve Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth)? They’re just past midlife, said von Ruden. “They’re very good designs … the workhorse of the fleet.” No vessel-replacement plan for them yet.

Future changes? Cirkovich hopes they’ll be good ones but the pandemic is still unpredictable – hoping to get back eventually to something that resembles “normal, regular service.” No plan to restore late-night sailings any time soon since there aren’t events that would require them. Jon Vezina added that funding is uncertain too – since budget matters aren’t final and the legislature runs to April.

Eleven WSF managers were there to answer questions, so if you have one, tonight’s 6 pm meeting is an excellent chance to ask yours – register here to get attendance info. Or you can send questions any time to wsfcomms@wsdot.wa.gov.

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Need a snow shovel? Visit the West Seattle Tool Library
February 10, 2021 1:09 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

While we await the mid-afternoon forecast update to get the latest on snow probability, many are preparing, just in case. The West Seattle Tool Library wants you to know it has 12 snow shovels available for rent, first-come first-served, for just $1. The Tool Library is on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW. Executive director Eric Renn adds, “Also note that kindness is key in these challenging times, and if you’ve got neighbors that are elderly or unable, please help them out and shovel their sidewalks or vehicles.” The Tool Library is open 5 pm-8 pm today and its inventory is online at wstools.org.

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