day : 19/03/2021 12 results

Here are the major local pandemic updates as we head into the weekend:

KING COUNTY NUMBERS: First, the latest stats from the Public Health daily-summary page, cumulative totals:

*85,073 people have tested positive, 214 more than yesterday’s total

*1,450 people have died, 6 more than yesterday’s total

*5,200 people have been hospitalized, 1 more than yesterday’s total

*942,237 people have been tested, 1,640 more than yesterday’s total

On to our weekly check of key numbers on the COVID Vaccination Among King County Residents dashboard:

*535,724 people have received one dose

*291,838 people have received both doses

*802.355 doses have been allocated to King County

One week ago, the first four totals were 83,806/1,435/5,166/926,928, and the vaccination totals were 459,191/260,713/714,115.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 122.2 million cases, 2,701,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.

COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER’S BRIEFING: In his weekly briefing, Dr. Jeff Duchin said “The forecast is partly sunny with storm clouds on the horizon.’ But he said clear signs of the vaccines’ success is the drop in case numbers among older people – the majority of new cases now are in younger and middle-age adults. Bad news is, cases are on the rise again, “and we can’t let optimism blind us to the situation.” He urged everyone – vaccinated or not – to keep taking precautions, particularly masking and (when you’re indoors) ventilation.

VACCINATION LEFTOVERS: Dr. Duchin said that right now the county is only getting an average of 1 dose a week for every 8 eligible people, though the supply is expected to increase soon. In light of that, before we get to the “where to look” list, we have an interesting report from reader Brian: He says people are gathering at the West Seattle community vaccination site late in the afternoon, hoping for a chance at a leftover shot – as you’ve probably heard, the two-dose vaccines can’t be saved, once opened. (Brian sent a photo of the crowd gathered today, but we don’t want to violate anyone’s medical privacy, so we’re not publishing it.) He reports that yesterday, about 50 people showed up, and 8 got shots; today, about 100 were there, and 12 shots were available. We asked city spokesperson Kelsey Nyland about the official policy for these “leftovers.” She replied:

Generally, the Seattle Fire Department has around four-five doses left at the end of each day at our Rainier Beach and West Seattle vaccination hubs. We have found that residents in the area gravitate toward each site at the end of each day. If unused vaccine is available, SFD will vaccinate the oldest people in the line outside the site. SFD has found that this approach results in more older adults getting vaccinated through end-of-day doses than the standby list we previously used.

IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE AND LOOKING FOR AN APPOINTMENT … here are the links we’ve amassed:

*Check for West Seattle city-run site appointments here; sign up for the city’s notification list for all three of its sites here.
*Health-care providers (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine, CHI Franciscan, Swedish, Kaiser Permanente, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator)
*Pharmacies big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca, Costco
*Sea Mar clinics

IF YOU NEED TESTING SATURDAY: The city’s West Seattle test site (2801 SW Thistle) continues to be open on Saturdays.

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

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UPDATE: Power outage in The Arroyos

March 19, 2021 10:08 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news

10:08 PM: Thanks to Colby for the tip: He reports an “explosion” preceded this 109-customer power outage in The Arroyos, at the southwesternmost edge of West Seattle. The City Light outage map already identifies it as a case of “equipment failure.”

1:08 AM: Still out. (For the record, the outage started at 9:40 pm.)

9:45 AM: After 12 hours, not fixed yet, per the map.

4:25 PM: And it continues.

7:31 PM: Colby points out that almost half the affected homes have their power back now; the SCL map says 60 are still out.

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DEVELOPMENT UPDATES: 1116 Alki, 6007 California

March 19, 2021 9:07 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

Two updates on development sites we’ve mentioned before in their earliest stages:

(Image courtesy Google Maps/Street View)

1116 ALKI SW: It’s been almost a year since we first mentioned an early-stage concept for “50 to 65” residential units replacing houses on six lots including the one with the official project address. Now it’s officially entering the Early Design Guidance phase of Design Review, and the description has firmed up to “a six-story residential building with 65 units, 100 parking stalls, and a rooftop terrace.” (The Alki area has a “parking overlay” that requires one and a half spaces for each residential unit.) The formal comment period hasn’t opened yet, but if you have a question, there’s a project-contact email address in this notice.

6007 CALIFORNIA SW: Four days ago, we mentioned the early-stage site plan for a four-story mixed-use building to replace the preschool and fourplex on this site in north Morgan Junction. No new details on the plan yet, but the project team has just launched a webpage and hotline for community comment as part of the “early outreach” requirements.

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SATURDAY: West City Rope Ninjas’ pop-up outdoor show

March 19, 2021 7:47 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(File photo, courtesy Jet City Ninjas)

Just got word of something fun at Alki tomorrow, if you’re contemplating heading to the beach:

The West City Rope Ninjas jump-rope team will be doing 2 pop-up performances tomorrow (Saturday, March 20) near the Alki Bathhouse at 12 and 12:45 pm. The team is made up of about 30 elementary and middle school students, coached by Rene Bibaud.

The coach is a world-champion jump-rope athlete, profiled here in 2010.

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UTILITY ALERT: Planned water outage

March 19, 2021 5:52 pm

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| Utilities | West Seattle news

Seattle Public Utilities was scheduled to provide notification today to residents and businesses along SW Yancy between Avalon and 28th who will be affected by an upcoming water outage.

Those are the properties affected, as shown on the SPU Water Outages map – about two dozen customers. The shutoff is planned for 8 pm next Friday, March 26th, until 8 am the following morning. SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register says, “SPU is shutting down the water main and water service to customers as a safety measure to protect the City’s pipe while a private developer (Lotus Development Partners) conducts underground work associated with their construction project.” That’s the Transitional Resources supportive-housing project on Yancy.

P.S. The outage map’s list of upcoming planned outages also includes one next Thursday, 8 am-4 pm, affecting 59 customers in the vicinity of 3009 SW Myrtle.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 5 followups

March 19, 2021 3:43 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Here are five followups on cases we’ve been tracking via court records:

SOUTH DELRIDGE GUNFIRE: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 40-year-old Tony R. Britt with first-degree unlawful gun possession. Britt has been in jail since the incident we reported last Saturday, in which a passerby reported seeing a man firing a gun near 16th/Barton. Britt is a convicted felon, with a four-state record including convictions for assault, burglary, drugs, and theft, so it was illegal for him to have the 9mm handgun that police say was holstered in his waistband. Case documents say Britt first told police it wasn’t his, then pointed out that no one was hurt, and finally declared it was his “God-given right” to protect himself. They couldn’t check on the gun’s ownership because its serial number had been ground/etched off. He’s behind bars at the Regional Justice Center, bail set at $25,000, awaiting arraignment March 31st.

GAS-STATION CAR-THEFT SUSPECT: The 42-year-old arrested in an attempted car theft at the Delridge Arco on Tuesday isn’t charged yet in that case but he is charged in Kitsap County with second-degree assault, so we’re publishing his name: Jaycee C. Thompson. Details of that case aren’t available online except that the warrant for his arrest set bail at $100,000 when it was issued last month, putting him on the Kitsap sheriff’s “most wanted list.”

SWAT STANDOFF SUSPECT: Last Friday, we reported on an arrest following a SWAT standoff at Camp Second Chance. This suspect too turned out to have a warrant from another jurisdiction; 38-year-old Ricco Graves is not yet charged in the West Seattle incident but has been transferred to the federal detention center in SeaTac because of a federal warrant.

WESTWOOD VILLAGE BURGLARY SUSPECTS: Almost 3 weeks ago, we reported on the filing of charges against Rafael Meyers and Jerry Plute Jr., both 34, arrested after a break-in that left three business spaces damaged at Westwood Village last month. Both, you’ll recall, were released the next day. Records show neither appeared for their arraignment on March 10th, but King County Superior Court Judge Melinda Young declined to issue bench warrants, citing a state Supreme Court order in response to the pandemic giving judges that discretion. Days later, the court file shows, the court notice sent to Plute’s Top Hat address came back marked “moved, not here any more.” Online records show Meyers has two hearings scheduled next week for three prior felony burglary cases in which he is charged; Plute has no other cases pending.

REPEAT MAIL-THEFT SUSPECT: 37-year-old Jason A. Turner is back in jail for the second time since his release 16 days after he was charged with felony mail-theft. He is the man police have arrested multiple times on suspicion of mail theft, usually in the North Delridge area, a. This time, he was arrested elsewhere, accused of shoplifting $224 worth of merchandise from the SODO Home Depot; he had been ordered in January to stay out of all of the chain’s stores for three years. The KCPAO tells us they requested Wednesday that he be held on $5,000 bail; District Court Judge Fa’amomoi Masaniai set bail at half that. This arrest came four days after Turner spent a day in the South King County SCORE municipal jail for a theft warrant. He is due back in court this afternoon. (ADDED SATURDAY: He was released Friday night.)

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BIZNOTE: Giveaway, Night Market ahead @ Lady Jaye

March 19, 2021 1:27 pm

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

Two upcoming events at Lady Jaye in The Junction:

On Sunday (March 21st), we will be giving away 100 German “Street-Style” Bratwursts to the first 100 people that come by starting at 11 am. It will basically be a Bratwurst in a split-top bun with mustard and curry ketchup. We’ve also been having a pop-up every Sunday with Sweet Nothings and More (an amazing pastry company) and they will be giving away 100 free chocolate chip and sea salt cookies to the first 100 people too! Bratwursts and Cookies!!!

Then on Tuesday (March 23rd) we will be having our quarterly “Night Market.” It will be a walk-through market with about 14 different stations that people can check out. We are bringing in A5 Wagyu beef and are building an outdoor grill on our patio to serve wagyu cheeseburgers! We will have cool things at the market such as:

Mini bottles of high end whiskey, A5 Wagyu beef, local Pacific Rogue American wagyu beef, repurposed vintage houseware and jewelry items from ReVvealed: Vintage glassware candles, vintage magnets, vintage bookmarks and vintage repurposed jewelry

It will be a fun night out. We start at 4 pm and end at 8 pm!

Lady Jaye is at 4523 California SW.

Got an upcoming event/change/addition at your business? westseattleblog@gmail.com is where to send the info – thanks!

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LAST CALL: West Seattle Junction egg-hunt tote bags almost sold out

March 19, 2021 12:10 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Two weeks from tomorrow, in pandemic-era style, the West Seattle Junction Association hosts three sessions of egg-hunting, as previously previewed. Participation is limited to purchasers of special goodie-filled tote bags, and just a few dozen are left. Here’s the WSJA update:

The Junction volunteers are busily stuffing almost 2,000 eggs that will be hidden around The Junction. There’s three start times for socially distanced bunnies and chickies too. The community support has been overwhelming; we’re almost sold out of the 300 earth-friendly totes and Easter Egg Hunt spaces (less than 50 remain)– it’s $30 for both. The totes will be filled with local items from around the Junction too – books from Pegasus Book Exchange, brownies from Bakery Nouveau, cookies from Hotwire Coffee, toys from Curious Kids and Fleurt and chocolate bunnies & carrots from beloved Husky Deli. Parents will know their kiddos will have a fun and safe time, while also supporting their favorite small businesses.

While they last, you can order tote bags (and choose your egg-hunt time) by going here.

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FOLLOWUP: On again, off again, on again, off again – North Delridge diverter decision

March 19, 2021 10:57 am

| 18 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

(SDOT graphic from last fall)

Last year, after reader tips, we reported on neighbors’ concern about a seemingly sudden SDOT plan to install “diverters’ to restrict 26th SW traffic at two intersections, Genesee and Brandon. While SDOT saw it as a way to lower traffic on the 26th SW Delridge Neighborhood Greenway, neighbors noted that it would create chokepoints at two of the few east-west connections between North Delridge and the rest of the peninsula. After saying the idea was shelved last summer, SDOT revived it last fall; a community meeting ensued in October, with SDOT suggesting options, and a offering a survey online.

Today, half a year later, SDOT has announced a decision, though it’s still not the final word: No diverters … for at least another year and a half or so. The email announcement notes that “a majority of the comments and survey responses want(ed) to maintain the current access at the two intersections and not install the diverters.” Today’s announcement continues:

We also gathered traffic counts along 26th Ave SW and the surrounding streets where we were planning to evaluate several traffic management and street calming options, including the traffic diverters at the intersections with SW Genesee St and SW Brandon St. The data from these counts showed that traffic volumes and speeds were lower since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge in 2020.

We have decided to hold off on this work and will begin reevaluating these potential traffic-calming measures again after traffic returns to the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge some time in 2022.

In the meantime, the Delridge Neighborhood Greenway will still see upgrades as part of the Delridge RapidRide H Line project. This includes:

Building additional speed humps
Refreshing the pavement markings with new paint
Updating directional signs
Upgrades to neighborhood greenway connections from Delridge Way SW on SW Andover St, SW Hudson St, and SW Findlay St, including making signal updates, refreshing the pedestrian crossings, and improving ADA accessibility.

SDOT also cited reduced traffic when dropping the plan the first time last summer, but revived it anyway; The diverters were not part of the original corridor plan.

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Free food and more for your West Seattle Friday

March 19, 2021 9:58 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Thursday rainbow, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Notes for your Friday!

CURBSIDE SERVICE: On Fridays, noon-6 pm, you can get it at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).

FREE FOOD: 3-5 pm outside Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton), drive up, ride up, or walk up to get a box of free food. Face coverings required.

GATEWOOD CELEBRATION: The Gatewood Elementary PTA‘s all-week silent auction concludes today, leading up to a live event online tonight at 6 pm. All welcome – here’s how to be part of either or both!

HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: The short season continues with West Seattle hosting Lincoln at Southwest Athletic Complex and Chief Sealth visiting Ingraham, Both games are at 7 pm. (Added: Despite the governor loosening the rules, still no spectators, the district tells us.)

Anything we’re missing? Event announcements are welcome via westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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YOU CAN HELP: Food, supplies, clothing donation drive Sunday

March 19, 2021 9:20 am

| 1 COMMENT

| How to help | West Seattle news

Outside Alki UCC on Sunday, it’s the next in a series of food/clothing donation drives. Here’s their announcement of how you can help, as so many have already:

11:00 am to 3:00 pm Sunday
Front courtyard at 6115 SW Hinds

Last month we had another terrific response from our West Seattle neighbors, who brought bags and boxes and cases of food, toilet paper, men’s clothing and socks! While ALL nonperishable food donations are welcome, following is some wisdom shared by a food bank volunteer:

• Boxed milk is a treasure.

• Canned foods should be pop-top OR donate a can opener.

• Cooking oil is a luxury and much appreciated.

• Spices, salt and pepper are a real gift.

• Tuna and crackers make a good lunch.

• Don’t forget the jelly for PB&J’s.

Essential supplies are also needed:

• Toilet Paper

• Diapers/Similac Formula/Baby Wipes

• Can Openers

• Personal hygiene items

• Hand Sanitizer

Food and supplies are distributed through the White Center Food Bank.

Donations of Men’s Casual/Work Clothes are also being taken, as well as NEW socks — the clothing item most requested by our neighbors experiencing homelessness.

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WEATHER, TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK: Friday watch, last day of winter

March 19, 2021 6:03 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

10:17 AM: Crash partly blocking the westbound 5-way intersection (Spokane/Chelan). No injuries reported – no SFD dispatch – so far.

Earlier:

6:03 AM: Good morning! Spring arrives at 2:37 am Saturday. Showers and breezes are expected for this last day of winter.

ROAD WORK .

Delridge project – Here’s the work plan, with next week’s update due later today.

TRANSIT

Metro and the Water Taxi are on regular schedules. REMINDER: The Metro “service change” happens tomorrow – here’s our preview of local changes.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

361st morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:

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