day : 26/04/2021 9 results

Our nightly roundup of local pandemic-related information:

STILL THOUSANDS OF APPOINTMENTS: On Sunday, we reported that the city was suddenly energetically encouraging anyone and everyone to use this link to get a vaccination appointment. Today, they shouted it even louder, including an AlertSeattle bulletin. At last check, they still have 15,000+ appointments available at city-run sites including Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). If you don’t want a city appointment – see our list of other options in Saturday’s roundup.

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Seattle-King County Public Health daily summary:

*96,597 people have tested positive, 256 more than yesterday’s total

*1,503 people have died, unchanged since Saturday

*5,713 people have been hospitalized, 21 more than yesterday’s total

*1,028,782 people have been tested, 398 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, those totals were 93,937/1,493/5,590/1,009,048.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 147.5 million cases, 3,117,000 deaths – 572,000 in the U.S. See the other stats – nation by nation – here.

ONE WEEK TO NEXT REVIEW: One week from today is the state’s next assessment to decide whether counties can stay in their current phases or move backward/ahead. If the decision was made today, King County would be rolling back, because we’re flunking both of the criteria, as shown here.

VACCINE DAY OFF: Arthur’s in Admiral will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday, April 27th) so its staff can get vaccinated.

NEED FOOD? Two opportunities this week – both on Friday (April 30th): The nearest Food Lifeline distribution is 2-5 pm Friday at 815 S. 96th; Highland Park Elementary is offering drive-up grab-n-go food boxes during that same time period (1012 SW Trenton).

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

Share This

Bridge, Terminal 5 updates @ West Seattle Transportation Coalition’s April meeting

April 26, 2021 8:59 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| Port of Seattle | Transportation | West Seattle news

Progress reports comprised most of this month’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting:

BRIDGE UPDATES: Heather Marx, director of the West Seattle Bridge Safety Program, led the briefing. The schedule hasn’t changed – construction of repairs starting by year’s end, completion by “mid-2022.” As we reported a week and a half ago, they’re reviewing six applicants for the project, “and hope to have a decision we fan announce in May.” The next official schedule/budget update should be in “early July,” Marx added, Monitoring is still going well.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: See Jeb the miniature horse in his new home

April 26, 2021 7:14 pm

| 23 COMMENTS

| Pets | West Seattle news

That’s Jeb the miniature horse, formerly of West Seattle, now in Taos, New Mexico, getting used to his new home. Eight days ago, we reported on his impending departure. He had lived in a greenbelt-adjacent Admiral yard for more than 15 years, a present for two little girls who are now grown. He’s now with them in the Southwest, where the weather and grazing grass are expected to be better for his health, and he’s with other horses (as shown above). His family sent the video to let you know he arrived OK and is settling in!

Share This

YOU CAN HELP: Full Tilt Ice Cream’s extra-sweet fundraiser for White Center Co-op Preschool

April 26, 2021 5:22 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | White Center

Full Tilt Ice Cream is offering a tasty way to help the White Center Cooperative Preschool:

We need you to eat ice cream, cookie dough, and cotton candy for a great cause!

The past year has brought all sorts of challenges for schools. Our local preschool, the White Center Co-Op Preschool (part of the larger South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools) has seen a huge increase in financial assistance requests, and outdoor classes and remote learning has meant new demands for class materials. But through it all, the school has kept kids learning and playing, and given families invaluable support through community and the parent education program. Now we are offering our newest and most sugary Covid Pack ever to help raise money for this incredible school.

The Sugar Rush Covid Pack includes a pint of ice cream, a pint of vegan chocolate chip edible cookie dough, and a quart of cotton candy. You’ll also get a one of kind piece of art from one of the kids you are supporting. The cost is $30, with half going straight to the school.

Order online now through Thursday, April 29 and pick up starting Friday, April 30th at Full Tilt in White Center

Full Tilt is at 9629 16th SW.

Share This

More West Seattle Junction public art defaced by racist vandalism

April 26, 2021 3:33 pm

| 18 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo, June 2020)

That’s our photo from June 6, 2020, when artist Desmond Hansen painted a Black Lives Matter mural on the signal box at 42nd/Alaska, same day that thousands gathered in the heart of The Junction to call for racial justice. A reader tip called our attention to recent vandalism defacing the mural – a vandal has painted out the fist and the words. The original mural was commissioned by the West Seattle Junction Association, whose executive director Lora Radford tells WSB this box has been vandalized, and repaired, before. Fixing it again will cost at least $250, and WSJA, a nonprofit, welcomes donations, either here, or via Venmo to @westseattlejunction. This follows a vandal targeting depictions of a family of color in the mural on the Junction post office; that’s undergone recent repairs as part of planned restoration work.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Should Sound Transit hold off on major ‘realignment’?

April 26, 2021 1:35 pm

| 34 COMMENTS

| Sound Transit | West Seattle news

As Sound Transit rolls toward a “realignment” decision this summer that could delay West Seattle light rail (currently planned for 2031) and other projects for years, there’s a call to slow down, for reasons including a less-dire financial outlook. The suggestion comes in a letter to ST board chair Kent Keel from three board members – Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci. The letter was mentioned during last week’s monthly board meeting; we requested and obtained it today from the mayor’s office:

At the heart of the letter is a request to extend the decision timeline until summer of next year, “to allow the board to examine the pros and cons of extending realignment until additional information is available, including the prospect of acquiring additional new revenues, the benefits of a clearer economic picture, identifying new flexible approaches to station access, incorporating additional information about the nature of capital cost increases and conducting meaningful public engagement.” The letter also notes that when the realignment talk began, the pandemic-related revenue shortfall was the biggest problem, and now that’s only half what it was. But cost increases have emerged as a major challenge (as reported here in January), and might require a different evaluation process than the one they’re using. The letter requests additional information in time for a discussion at the board’s next meeting (May 27th).

ST, meantime, is continuing to ask for your thoughts on “priorities” in the realignment process – there are no specific proposals yet (the board has just been exploring “scenarios”), so they are asking “what’s important to you?” via a short survey on this page. Friday (April 30th) is the deadline.

Share This

West Seattle legislators end session with high-profile bills passing. Here’s your chance to ask them about it

April 26, 2021 11:37 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

The State Legislature has just adjourned for the year. Two of the bills getting the most post-session buzz have West Seattle sponsors – Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon was lead sponsor on the clean-fuels bill, HB 1091; Sen. Joe Nguyen was a co-sponsor of the capital-gains tax, SB 5096. Both bills have gone to the governor’s desk. If you have questions about those bills or others passed – or not passed – by state legislators, the 34th District Democrats are presenting a Town Hall this Sunday (May 2nd) with Sen. Nguyen, Rep. Fitzgibbon, and Rep. Eileen Cody, online at.1 pm. Also scheduled to join them is our area’s U.S. House rep – also a West Seattle resident – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. You can send questions in advance via this link; no RSVP required for the event itself – here’s that link.

Share This

CONGRATULATIONS! Environmental Slam success for students from three West Seattle schools

April 26, 2021 9:40 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

When you can spare five minutes, watch that video – a big winner at last week’s annual Environmental Slam. Its creator was among students from three local schools whose work was honored at the event. Here’s a report by two educators whose students were among them, Stacia Bell of Madison Middle School and Tim Owens of Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor):

West Seattle students from area schools had a big night at the city-wide Environmental Slam, sponsored by the Washington Foundation for the Environment (WFFE). Due to the pandemic, this year’s Slam was conducted virtually using Zoom and pre-recorded entries. The Environmental Slam is an annual event that encourages middle- and high-school students to prepare 5-minute presentations on any local environmental issue. Winners are recognized and donations from WFFE will be made to the students’ chosen environmental non-profit organization that works specifically with the environmental issue that students focused on.

Madison MS 8th grader Aria Erickson won both the Judges’ Choice 1st-place award (with a perfect score for the first time ever in Slam history) and the Audience Choice award. Her presentation, titled A Single Fish (video above), was about the pain plastic inflicts on marine life in Puget Sound. Aria won $1,000 and will be donating it to the local environmental organization, the Washington Environmental Council. When asked what she loved about the event, Aria said, “Watching the other presentations, I not only was made aware of the dangers facing the Earth, I could also feel in each the passion and dedication of my fellow youth environmentalists. This was incredibly encouraging, and I am so honored to have been a part of it.”

Teams from West Seattle High School and Explorer West Middle School had a three-way tie for 2nd place. West Seattle High School 9th grader Tim Deppe won with his presentation about the effects of consumerism on our environment. One Explorer West team – made up of sixth graders Diane Heckman, Sylvie Kaufman, and Ali Lazar – focused on fertilizer runoff and dead zones in Puget Sound. The final 2nd=place winners, Delia Hutchinson and Sarah Deppe, focused on how contaminants reach Puget Sound, having a drastic effect on salmon. These students will be donating their winnings to Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, the Surfrider Foundation, and 350 Seattle.

If you haven’t had a chance to attend an Environmental Slam, it happens each year in April around Earth Day and is a city-wide event designed to amplify young people’s voices on environmental issues. This year’s event had 10 participating teams from Seattle area middle and high schools, including Madison MS, West Seattle HS, McClure MS, Whitman MS, Explorer West MS, and SAAS. The Slam will be back next year, and without a doubt, you will walk away from this event inspired by the passion of these young activists, as they speak their truth for the environment!

Share This

ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, WEATHER: April’s final Monday

April 26, 2021 6:03 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts | West Seattle weather

6:03 AM: Good morning! Partly sunny forecast for today, after the weekend concluded that way – Jerry Simmons sent this photo from Lincoln Park:

ROAD WORK

35th/Graham – As work continues, Graham is closed on both sides of the intersection.

Delridge project – Delridge/Orchard work continues; here’s what else is in the plan for this week.

SW Yancy east of Avalon – As first noted on Friday, this closure will last a few more weeks, according to the project team.

TRANSIT

The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its spring/summer schedule – all day, 7 days a week, plus Friday and Saturday evenings.

Metro has increased the number of passengers allowed on buses.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

399th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:

Low Bridge: 16th week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends, when the bridge is now open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Read about other changes here.)

Here’s a low-bridge view: