day : 11/04/2021 12 results

Tonight’s pandemic news:

PHASE NEWS TOMORROW: Though Gov. Inslee insists it won’t be “Judgment Day,” tomorrow nonetheless is the day on which he and state health officials will announce whether any of the state’s counties will have to change reopening phases. Last week he announced that counties would have to fail both metrics to be forced to roll back. As of Friday, King County was close to the danger zone, but not in it. Any changes announced tomorrow will take effect Friday.

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the King County Daily Summary Dashboard page, the cumulative totals:

*91,438 people have tested positive, 384 more than yesterday’s total

*1,483 people have died, unchanged since Friday

*5,446 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total

*991,687 people have been tested, 754 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, those totals were 89,356/1,472/5,372/976,899.

WEST SEATTLE TRENDS: Time for our weekly check. These numbers are shown in two-week increments via the “geography over time” tab on the daily-summary dashboard; to determine WS status, we combine the totals from the West Seattle and Delridge “health reporting areas” (HRAs): For the past two weeks, 120 positive test results; 95 in the 2 weeks before that; 77 in the two weeks before that. … We also are noting WS death totals each week. The total deaths for the entire pandemic in the two HRAs comprising West Seattle: 65, unchanged from last week.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 135.8 million cases and 2,935,000+ deaths, 562,000+ of them in the U.S. – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.

LOOKING FOR VACCINE? Here are links to try:

*Check for West Seattle city-run site appointments here; sign up for the city’s notification list for all four of its sites here.
*Health-care providers (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine (one reader specifically recommends Valley Medical Center), Franciscan, Swedish, Kaiser Permanente, Neighborcare, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator) – you can also follow its tweets for instant notifications
*The state’s Vaccine Locator (as mentioned above)
*The CDC’s Vaccine Finder
*Pharmacies big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca, Costco
*Sea Mar clinics

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

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FOLLOWUP: Next phase of Stone Cottage moving preps about to start

April 11, 2021 9:13 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

(January photo by Mark Jaroslaw)

The date for the big move isn’t finalized yet but over the next few days, if you happen to go by 1123 Harbor Avenue SW, you’ll see intensified preparations for getting the historic Stone Cottage on the road to its future. Deb Barker from the volunteer coalition Save The Stone Cottage tells WSB that structural-move specialists Nickel Bros will be back on site starting tomorrow. After some work such as caulking, they’ll be jacking up the stone-studded bungalow to get it on the piers that will support it for the move. As announced three weeks ago, Save The Stone Cottage has raised enough to ensure the move can be made, taking it to an interim site for storage until a permanent location is found. Crowdfunding continues so the Stone Cottage can then be restored.

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WEEK AHEAD: What’s next for Delridge repaving/utilities project

April 11, 2021 8:22 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Delridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

With a week of sunshine ahead, road work will be in high gear. That includes the Delridge repaving/utilities project preparing for next year’s launch of the RapidRide H Line. SDOT‘s weekly update on the work ahead (and beyond) includes these key points:

*Later this month, we’ll demolish and upgrade the intersection at SW Orchard St and Delridge Way SW in phases. We’re working to finalize the details of this work and will provide an update and detour map next week.

*Bus stop upgrades continue throughout the corridor. King County Metro will notify riders of all bus stop changes and relocations via their rider alert system.

*Roadway upgrades on SW Hudson St between Delridge Way SW and 25th Ave SW are scheduled to begin the week of April 19

*Intersection upgrades at Sylvan Way SW will be completed soon. This intersection will be reopened before the upgrades at SW Orchard St begin.

*Potholing for duct bank work will resume next week on Delridge Way SW

*Most of the utility work will occur in the roadway, with some trenching through driveways as needed. Residents may experience intermittent access restrictions when we are working near them

*Roadway, sidewalk, and curb ramp demolition on the west side of Delridge Way SW near SW Thistle St to begin next week

Of note, SW Cloverdale has reopened at Delridge. The full preview for the week ahead is here

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WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: Unusual sighting

April 11, 2021 7:28 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| South Park | West Seattle news | Wildlife

That’s a Mountain Bluebird, as seen by West Seattle photographer Mark Wangerin. He tells WSB, “Although rare on this side of the mountains, a few have been seen west of the Cascades in the past few weeks. There are 3 (all males) along the Duwamish by South Park. What a treat! I was going to go east of the mountains this week searching for them.” They are “the most migratory of the bluebirds,” Seattle Audubon explains here.

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SCHOLARSHIPS: 4 more days to apply for 2 offered by Rotary Club of West Seattle

April 11, 2021 5:19 pm

| Comments Off on SCHOLARSHIPS: 4 more days to apply for 2 offered by Rotary Club of West Seattle

| Rotary Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

Got someone in your household who could use more money for college? Next Thursday is the deadline to apply for two scholarships offered by the Rotary Club of West Seattle. We announced the first one last month – a $6,000 scholarship from the West Seattle Rotary Past Presidents’ Scholarship Fund. In addition to that, the Rotary is continuing to accept applications for this:

The Gambriell Scholarship is another offering that can be awarded to any student in Seattle, but preference is given to those who reside in West Seattle and those who would not be able to attend college or further their education without the scholarship. Variable amounts are awarded each year, depending on how many students apply. The Gambriell award is for one year and is annually renewable. Recipient(s) must re-apply for consideration each year before the stated deadlines.

The Rotary will accept applications for both through Thursday (April 15th) – applications are available here (though the Gambriell deadline is listed there as April 1st, the club has extended that two weeks).

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SPORTS: Chief Sealth International High School slowpitch team repeats as Metro League champions

April 11, 2021 3:25 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

The Chief Sealth International High School slowpitch-softball team has just wrapped up an undefeated season with their second Metro League title. Thanks to Sealth athletic director Ernest Policarpio for sending the photo and report. (Their previous title win was in fall 2019 but this year’s athletic seasons have had major schedule changes because of the pandemic.)

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West Seattle SkyLink: Gondola advocates plan presentations, start crowdfunding

April 11, 2021 1:47 pm

| 76 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

We reported back in January on West Seattle SkyLink, the rebranded campaign to advocate for gondola transit crossing the Duwamish River instead of light rail. Now the group promoting the idea has scheduled four more community presentations and started a crowdfunding campaign for their ongoing outreach. They’re hoping to persuade Sound Transit to conduct a “detailed engineering study” of the gondola option, which they contend could be built faster and cheaper than light rail. Right now, light rail to West Seattle is scheduled to open in 2031, but as we’ve reported, ST is in the midst of a “realignment” process that could push that date back further. If you’re interested in hearing more about the West Seattle SkyLink concept, here are the dates, times, and registration links for the upcoming presentations:

Monday, April 12 7-8 pm
Friday, April 16 noon-1 pm
Sunday, April 18 5-6 pm
Friday, April 23 noon-1 pm

The links are also in this flyer. The group also presented written comments to the ST Executive Board earlier this month.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: North Delridge gunfire investigation

April 11, 2021 12:19 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

If you thought you heard gunfire in North Delridge around 7 pm Saturday – police confirmed it. The initial police summary says calls came in from the 4700 block of 26th SW, where officers found multiple shell casings and a “bullet-riddled vehicle” in an alley between 26th SW and Delridge. No one was in the car and no one was hurt. When they found the vehicle’s owner, she told them, the report says, that “she had just purchased the vehicle and would not know who would have wanted to do this to her car.” The incident remains under investigation by Gun Violence Reduction Unit detectives,

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Remembering Mildred ‘Millie’ Foxy Findlay, ~2006-2021

April 11, 2021 10:48 am

| 16 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | Pets | West Seattle news

Most of the obituaries we publish are for people, but we have occasionally received and published remembrances in memory of pets (including our own last year). This is from Tony:

I don’t think people freely speak enough about the depth of grief we feel we lose a pet. The loss is profound because it’s not only a beloved family member who is with you day in and day out, but it’s a little life that we care for, and tend to, from start to finish. But, they take care of us too.

In 2008, Millie, a Border Collie mix, was found running wild on the side on Interstate 5 in Skagit County. She was rescued by Northwest Organization for Animal Help (NOAH) in Stanwood, after what was likely an exhausting game of chase. Somewhat emaciated but in otherwise good health, the estimated 2 year old pup was quickly adopted by her forever people and brought to live in Seattle.

In her younger years, Millie enjoyed chewing up shoes, running and hiking with her people, chasing balls without bringing them back, barking at every other dog she saw (only wanting a sniff), and running for hours on the beaches in northern Puget Sound.

Throughout her entire life, she had an affinity for eating the droppings of other animals, particularly cats and rabbits, and rolling in the smelliest things she could find (particularly dead fish), embedding the scent deep into her thick double coat. She was also well known for her “I do what I want” attitude and letting everyone know that with her distinctly unique, absolutely shrill bark. In her later years, she enjoyed casual walks with her people, lying at their feet, and taking naps in the Lamb’s Ear in the backyard garden.

Most of all, she was a deeply affectionate dog who showed nothing but selfless devotion and love to her people, serving as their rock from early adulthood to nearly middle age. She was fortunate enough to peacefully pass away with painless intervention, in the comfort of her own home in the embrace of her people, after nearly nine months of progressing degenerative myelopathy.

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

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TRAFFIC ALERT: Seattle City Light at 35th/Findlay after driver hits pole

April 11, 2021 9:22 am

| 23 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WSB photo)

That crash happened on the east side of 35th and Findlay, currently partly blocking northbound traffic on 35th as well as both ways on Findlay. Police say the driver hit the pole, “fracturing it at the base,” and say, “The pole began to lean over Sw Findlay St. but was stopped by the wedged vehicle and the overhead power lines.” City Light advised them to leave the wrecked car in place till they could come back and fix the pole, which they’re doing right now:

(Photo tweeted by @_neslo)

Police say the driver was unhurt but was driving “distracted” at the time of the crash.

11:20 AM: Just went by. City Light crews are still on scene; outside NB lane still blocked.

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UPDATE: Gray whale off Alki

April 11, 2021 9:12 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Whales

9:12 AM: Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch reports a gray whale is off Alki right now, just 100 yards out to sea “hugging the shoreline.” Let us know if you see it!

9:40 AM: Northbound, Kersti says, headed toward Duwamish Head at last report.

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Here’s what’s happening on your West Seattle Sunday!

April 11, 2021 6:34 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Robyn Kunsman for the photo of the Seattle Chinese Garden (on the north end of the South Seattle College [WSB sponsor] campus) on Saturday. We start again today with these traffic reminders:

EXPANDED LOW-BRIDGE ACCESS: Today is the second day that restrictions on the West Seattle low bridge start at 8 am weekend mornings rather than 5 am. (Here’s our Thursday report on all the changes in the works.)

TUNNEL CLOSURE: The northbound Highway 99 tunnel is scheduled to be closed until tomorrow morning.

Now, today’s events:

TODAY’S ONLINE CHURCH SERVICES: As we do every week, we’ve updated our list of more than 20 local churches’ online Sunday services (a few offer in-person options too), with the newest links – see it here.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in The Junction, the market’s open. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (Enter at California/Alaska; pickups for online orders are at California/Oregon)

DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE NATIVE ART MARKET: 11 am-7 pm, the second day of the Spring Fling Native Art Market at the Duwamish Longhouse (4705 W. Marginal Way SW).

Details are in our calendar listing.

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)’

CAMP SECOND CHANCE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: One week later than usual because of Easter, the community advisory committee for West Seattle’s city-sanctioned tiny-house encampment meets at 2 pm, online – the video participation link is here, phone-in number is 253-215-8782; in either case, meeting ID 858 5523 4269 and passcode 9701.

FREE TO-GO DINNER: White Center Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near the Bartell Drugs parking lot in White Center. (9600 15th Ave SW)

TONIGHT’S SUNSET: 7:54 pm!

Got something for our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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