West Seattle, Washington
09 Tuesday
Tonight’s pandemic toplines:
VACCINATING TWEENS & YOUNGER TEENS: Seattle Public Schools is working on student-vaccination clinics, starting as soon as Monday. Tomorrow, a CDC advisory committee meets as the next step toward finalizing authorization for offering the Pfizer vaccine to 12- to 15-year-olds, and after that, King County’s health officer Dr. Jeff Duchin plans a briefing at 3 pm.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: So here’s where’re we’re at tonight, per the today’s daily summary from Seattle-King County Public Health – the cumulative totals:
*101,389 people have tested positive, 115 more than yesterday’s total
*1,544 people have died, 2 more than yesterday’s total
*5,973 people have been hospitalized, 11 more than yesterday’s total
*1,061,360 people have been tested, 2,090 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the totals were 99,420/1,527/5,897/1,047,286.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
NATIONAL/WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 159.6 million cases worldwide, 32.7 million of them in the U.S. – see other nation-by-nation stats by going here.
HEALTH OFFICIALS’ BRIEFING: At 8:15 am tomorrow online, state health officials will present their weekly briefing and media Q&A. Watch the livestream here.
VACCINATION PROGRESS: 69.9 percent of King County residents 16+ have had at least one shot.
SATURDAY POP-UP REMINDER: We’ve been telling you about the plan for vaccination in The Junction’s 42nd/Oregon parking lot on Saturday. Today, the mayor’s office sent the official announcement – 10 am to 1 pm Saturday, with the first 50 people getting coupons for a free Husky Deli ice-cream cone.
\GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
9:09 PM: Just in from Washington State Ferries:
The #2 Kittitas is tying up at Vashon due to lack of Coast Guard qualified crew. #1 Issaquah will make an unscheduled stop to pick up Fauntleroy traffic. (updated 9:40 pm) #2 Kittitas will plan to resume service tomorrow for a late 05:20 a.m. Vashon to Fauntleroy sailing tomorrow morning. The #1 vessel schedule will be the only schedule running tomorrow morning on 5/12/21, until the late 05:20 a.m. Vashon to Fauntleroy sailing resumes the two-boat schedule.
The route was supposed to be on a 3-boat schedule as of Sunday but a vessel shortage has pushed that back at least a month.
WEDNESDAY MORNING: The Kittitas is back in service and the route is back to two boats.
We’ve had a few reports of bobcat sightings in West Seattle over the years, but no photos. Tonight, Ellen sent these photos of what she believes was a bobcat, seen in the 5000 block of 38th SW [map]:
Consulting the official state Living With Wildlife page about bobcats – it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. Or maybe a hybrid cat?
(2019 photo by Lynn Hall)
Remember that sighting off West Seattle two years ago, as four massive new cranes passed by on their way to Tacoma? As we’ve been reporting in our coverage of briefings on the Terminal 5 project, a similar sighting is expected soon – and this time West Seattle is the destination. Northwest Seaport Alliance project-team members have told local community groups that the cranes’ voyage would take about four weeks, and that they were expected to arrive in June, so we checked in today with NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh. She says the four new T-5 cranes, also made in China by ZPMC, are expected to ship out later this week, with arrival expected the week of June 14th. Stambaugh says NWSA will announce the departure and plans to track the cranes’ progress. The first of two berths at T-5 is expected to go into service next year.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
BICYCLES STOLEN: The screenshot above is from this security video sent by Zach after 2 bicycles were stolen from his home near Admiral/59th last Thursday:
He reports, “Thieves came into our garage (we left it open for a few hours) and they took both our bikes off the rack and loaded them into a truck and sped away. My bike is an REI City 1.1 hybrid in teal color and my wife’s is a Novara Fiona beach cruiser style in teal/white. A police report has been filed and the bikes have been reported stolen on BikeIndex.com.” The SPD report # is 21-110902.
SAFETY ALERT: A reader wants to alert neighbors about a suspicious driver following her as she walked in north Morgan Junction last night, pushing her bicycle at first: “A black sedan pulled up next to me slowly and was slowly driving right next to me keeping pace with me as I walked. I looked over and noticed the windows were pitch black. You couldn’t see into them at all. For the first second or two I didn’t think anything nefarious was happening and was expecting them to maybe roll down a window and ask for directions or something like that. But the car just kept slowly driving next to me and all of the sudden I felt like I might be in a bad situation so I walked faster and they followed and then I hopped on my bike and took off really fast.” The driver did not follow from that point. No further description of the car; she just wanted to get this out there in case it had happened to anyone else.
With final approval expected for dropping the Pfizer vaccine eligibility age from 16 to 12, Seattle Public Schools is helping organize clinics for students. Here’s what Chief Sealth International High School principal Aida Fraser-Hammer sent this message to families:
Seattle Public Schools is partnering with the City of Seattle, Seattle Fire Department, and city’s Department of Education and Early Learning to organize and host a vaccination clinic at the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex for all students 12 and up. The first dose will be administered next Monday 5/17 and the second dose will be administered on 6/7. Clinics will be operated and staffed by Seattle Fire Department and students must bring a signed permission slip with them to get the vaccine. More information will be shared with you this week.
But it’s not just for CSIHS students. We subsequently checked with district spokesperson Tim Robinson, who replied, “The city and SPS are partnering to hold several student vaccination clinics, starting next Monday. In the coming days, additional efforts to vaccinate 12+ will be announced.”
So many people have helped the West Seattle Food Bank in so many ways – donating to food drives, volunteering, giving money. We are now four days away from the biggest way each year that you can support WSFB and its missions of preventing hunger and keeping people from becoming homeless – “Instruments of Change.” It’s online again this year, featuring activities including silent and live auctions. It starts at 5:30 pm Saturday (May 15th) – you can register for free, and you’ll get the link.
Just go here to sign up and join neighbors and friends in strengthening our community while having fun. (Co-sponsors for Instruments of Change include WSB.)
When last we checked on the next step in West Seattle Bridge repairs – choosing a contractor – SDOT told us they’d received six proposals, and that a “shortlist” would be chosen by the start of May. Checking back, we’re told there are three teams on that shortlist. Interviews inviting them “to show how their experience and qualifications make them the best fit for the work” began yesterday, SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson tells WSB, adding that the interviews “will be followed up by asking the candidates to submit price proposals and then developing a pre-construction scope of work. We expect to finalize the contract by the end of June.” The contractor will be doing low-bridge work as well as the high-bridge repairs, totaling about $72 million. The next public bridge briefing is tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon, when the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force meets (here’s the livestream link).
(Pump Station 38 art concept by Sarah Thompson Moore)
10:44 AM: Back in March, we brought you an update (with video) on the art project planned for the Alki Pump Station 38 project, which also revealed a new design detail – a guardrail. At the time, the project website still said construction at the site in the 1400 block of Alki Avenue SW [map] was expected to begin this year. Today, an update from Seattle Public Utilities: The pump-station project is now expected to start early next year, with work lasting at least 9 months. They’re circulating a fact sheet and FAQ about the project:
And if those don’t answer whatever questions you might have, they’ve set up a survey to collect construction-related questions. SPU says the main reason for the project is to handle increased flows in the area; most of the work will be below-ground. We’re asking SPU about the latest projected cost; last year the utility told us it was budgeted at $1.2 million, with about $50,000 for the public-art component.
4:19 PM: SPU spokesperson Dylan King says the budget is still estimated at $1.2 million, but, “SPU is in the process of finalizing the design and will reevaluate the cost estimate once design is complete. The project team is also expecting increased budget needs for the artwork to accommodate the addition of the decorative panels and other art features included as part of the safety guardrail.” That rail, by the way, is expected to be 38.5 feet long and 49 inches high. The project is scheduled to go out to bid this fall.
(Ring around the sun on Monday, photographed by Jill Duffield)
More sun today! Here’s what else to expect in the hours ahead:
TALKING ABOUT TOLLS & FERRY FARES: As previewed here, the state Transportation Commission meets online starting at 9 am to talk about the process of getting ready to raise tolls (including the Highway 99 tunnel) and state-ferry fares.
DONATE BLOOD: Bloodworks Northwest is at Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor) all day today, starting at 9 am – check to see if any appointments are open.
CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES: 9:30 am, the Public Safety and Human Services Committee (agenda and viewing info) talks about the future of the 911 Call Center and parking-enforcement officers; 2 pm, the Governance and Education Committee (agenda and viewing info) talks about child care.
ARTIST AS STORYTELLER: The next event in this virtual speaker series is online at 1 pm with Nic Masangkay, Seattle-based Filipinix cultural worker in music, poetry, multimedia, and transformative justice. Attendance info is in our series preview.
DEMONSTRATION: From organizer Scott, the weekly announcement:
Black Lives Matter sign waving
Tuesday, May 11, 4 to 6 pm, corner of 16th SW and SW Holden
Thursday, May 13, 4 to 6 pm, corner of 16th SW and SW Holden
Come build awareness & stimulate actions to tear down the systems that have oppressed Black lives for over 400 years on this continent. Hold signs, meet neighbors and stand for racial justice. Scott at Puget Ridge Cohousing, endorsed by Hate-Free Delridge. Signs available.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION:7 pm online (register here), with the agenda including a variety of topics including the annual survey, ferry issues, and police updates.
6:07 AM: Good morning. More sunshine today!
ROAD WORK UPDATES
35th/Graham – The work zone has now expanded into both southbound lanes of 35th at Graham, so it’s one lane each way using the northbound side.
Delridge project – This week’s plan spotlights the 21st/Delridge closure and says the end is in sight for Delridge/Orchard,
SW Yancy east of Avalon – Still closed for utility work related to housing construction.
FERRIES/BUSES
Washington State Ferries is delaying the return to 3-boat service on the Triangle Route for at least another month.
The West Seattle Water Taxi continues on its spring/summer schedule – all day, 7 days a week, plus Friday and Saturday evenings; the free 773 and 775 shuttles are running daily too.
Metro is on its regular schedule.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
414th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: 18th week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends, when the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are now available for some categories of drivers.)
Here’s a low-bridge view:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
And the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:
Are bridges opening for boats or barges? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
| Comments Off on CORONAVIRUS: Tuesday 5/11/2021 roundup