day : 22/05/2021 9 results

Here’s where the pandemic stands tonight, locally:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:

*108,308 people have tested positive, 205 more than yesterday’s total

*1,575 people have died, 2 more than yesterday’s total

*6,099 people have been hospitalized, 18 more than yesterday’s total

*1,087,290 people have been tested, 3,616 more than yesterday’s total

ONE WEEK AGO: Last Saturday, those numbers were 102,756/1,559/6,030/1,065,311.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 166.7 million people have tested positive, and more than 3,454,000 people have died; U.S. deaths exceed 589,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, France, Turkey (unchanged again this week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.

SUPERMARKET UPDATE: Thanks to the reader who pointed out that along with Metropolitan Market, PCC, QFC. and Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market also has changed its mask policy and isn’t requiring fully vaccinated customers to wear them.

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

Share This

FOLLOWUP: How the South Delridge sidewalk camp shrank

May 22, 2021 10:40 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news

We’ve been reporting on the sidewalk camp along the west side of Delridge Way just north of SW Roxbury. At one point, more than a dozen tents were blocking the sidewalk there, but as we reported last week, it’s shrunk to just a few tents. That happened without a city “sweep” removal operation, though one was pending until outreach workers learned of a gastrointestinal-illness outbreak among people living there. Seattle-King County Public Health was investigating the outbreak. We finally got an update from Public Health spokesperson Kate Cole, who tells WSB, “We have completed this investigation. Based on gathering illness reports from outreach workers familiar with the encampment, we believe it to have been an outbreak of norovirus-like illness based on the clinical and epi picture. There does not appear to be any evidence of ongoing illness at this time and we are considering the cluster of GI illnesses resolved.” But that hasn’t led to a renewal of the original plan to clear the camp, according to SDOT, where spokesperson Ethan Bergerson subsequently told us there is no current plan for that, despite an outreach worker telling us they believed the city might seek to “post” the remains of the camp for removal.

As for those who left, here’s how it happened, according to Jesse Benet of CoLEAD, the program that worked with people camping at the site. Benet sent outreach workers to the site two weeks earlier to get to know the people there. Eventually, Benet said, after talking with people at a site like this, they “bring out the clipboards” and start talking about options. Once they have shelter for someone, they set a “moving-out day,” and talk with the person about what they want to bring to the shelter and what they don’t want to bring. Benet’s team is there on moving day; whatever is left behind is handled by city workers who are part of the Clean City Initiative.

(“Moving day” cleanup at South Delridge camp – photo courtesy CoLEAD)

The people they work with have been generally moved into hotel rooms that have been funded temporarily by federal dollars. But they’re not just delivered to the rooms and left alone. Benet says they have case managers who work with people in the program to get them health care and housing assessments, for example. The CoLEAD work at this camp was part of the LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) program’s long-planned expansion into the White Center area, Benet said, adding that the program had been collaborating with City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who talks about it in her latest weekly newsletter.

As for what happens with the small camp that remains at the south end of the block, that’s not clear, but we will keep following up.

Share This

MEMORIAL DAY: Invitation for Vietnam War veterans

May 22, 2021 8:39 pm

| Comments Off on MEMORIAL DAY: Invitation for Vietnam War veterans

| Holidays | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Vietnamese Cultural Center)

That’s the Fallen Soldiers Memorial at the Vietnamese Cultural Center (2236 SW Orchard) in West Seattle. It will be the site of a Memorial Day lunch, hosted by the VCC, inviting all Vietnam War veterans and their families for a reunion and gratitude. Center director Lee Ducly Bui, a South Vietnam Navy veteran, asked us to share the invitation for the lunch at noon Memorial Day (Monday, May 31st). No RSVP needed but if you hace questions, you can call him at 206-779 6875.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Car prowler; 2 dumped bicycles; more

May 22, 2021 6:56 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three Crime Watch notes:

CAR PROWLER: From a Sylvan Heights resident:

This man was seen in the Sylvan Heights neighborhood at 3:30 am. By the time the police had arrived he was gone. He was attempting to get into this car for at least 15 minutes.

DUMPED BICYCLES: From the dumped-and-likely-stolen file:

Found these two bikes dumped by the bus stop at Trenton and 16th today:

They’ve checked Bike Index – neither is registered. They’ll be checking with police too, but in the meantime, if you recognize either let us know and we’ll connect you.

SUSPECTED GUNFIRE INVESTIGATED: We don’t always receive police reports on suspected gunfire that goes unconfirmed, but we did on this one that happened just after 2 am today, so in case you heard it too: “Multiple callers reported hearing gunshots in the 4500 block of Beach Drive SW. Officers located two unidentified witnesses who reported hearing shots being fired and vehicles speeding away. No victims, shell casings, or evidence were located.”

Share This

COUNTDOWN: Getting Colman Pool ready to reopen

May 22, 2021 3:16 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Seattle Parks photos)

Four weeks from today, West Seattle’s only city-owned outdoor pool will reopen. Historic Colman Pool is at Point Williams on the Lincoln Park store. Today, Seattle Parks tweeted photos of work being done to get it ready to open for the first time since September 2019.

Parks says, “Crews made plaster and pool-shell repairs, tested a new filtration system, and started filling it up with salt water.”

One bonus photo: “A couple of orcas even swam by to see the action!”

Parks announced in April that Colman Pool would reopen this year, then said earlier this month that June 19th would be opening day. More details on this year’s season (set to last through September 6th) are here.

Share This

Southwest Seattle Historical Society presents ‘Pressing the System: How Newsprint Won Women the Right to Vote’ online Thursday

May 22, 2021 1:28 pm

| Comments Off on Southwest Seattle Historical Society presents ‘Pressing the System: How Newsprint Won Women the Right to Vote’ online Thursday

| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

(Cartoon image from ‘Votes for Women Volume 1, Issue 11,’ courtesy SWSHS)

Our state was a leader in granting women the right to vote, and the movement’s leaders included Alki’s Katherine Smith. This Thursday at 6 pm, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society explores part of what brought suffragists to victory, with an online presentation and panel discussion (and we’re honored to be part of it). Here’s the announcement of “Pressing the System: How Newsprint Won Women the Right to Vote”:

Join us for a presentation discussing suffragist Katherine Smith’s utilization of newsprint to inform voters, and hear from SWSHS volunteers Bethany Green and Kathy Mulady, as well as Tracy Record from West Seattle Blog in a panel discussion reflecting the power of the press. Registration is required.

Newspapers were instrumental in convincing voters that women deserve the right to vote in Washington state 10 full years before the 19th amendment passed in Congress. This program will dig deeper into that journalistic legacy, and explore how the press protects and promotes the basic rights of the American people today. We’ll discuss how the press shaped the way that the public perceived the suffrage movement in Washington for 50 years while women fought for the right to vote and reflect on that power today.

The program will consist of a 20-minute presentation from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, followed by a 30-minute panel discussion, and an opportunity for an audience Q&A.

For more details and to register, please visit our website at loghousemuseum.org/blog/may-27-pressing-the-system

Questions? Curator Maggie Kase can answer them – maggiek@loghousemuseum.org.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: Rabbit vs. crows

May 22, 2021 11:43 am

| 21 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to Kevin Freitas for sharing that view of urban wildlife going head-to-head in his neighborhood southeast of The Junction. When he first published it on Twitter, general consensus was that the rabbit was defending a nearby nest, and it is indeed baby-bunny season. For info on rabbits, you can check out the state’s “Living with Wildlife” species-specific guide.

Share This

MEMORIAL DAY: West Seattle Junction flags to return, and you can help

May 22, 2021 10:08 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from Memorial Day 2018)

Making a comeback this year: Holiday flags in the West Seattle Junction. They’ll go up for Memmorial Day (Monday, May 31st), says Lora Radford of the West Seattle Junction Association, with the assistance of American Legion veterans, and volunteers of all ages are welcome to help. Meet outside Cupcake Royale (northeast corner of California/Alaska) at 9 am Memorial Day to help put them up, and/or same place at 4 pm that day to help take them down.

Share This

8+ options for your West Seattle Saturday

May 22, 2021 6:34 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Jerry Simmons)

Morning through night, your West Seattle options include:

SSC GARDEN CENTER PLANT SALE, WITH WEDESIGN: 10 am-3 pm, second sale day of the season at the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) Garden Center. Special guest, Michael Lockman of WEdesign (WSB sponsor), answering questions about plant selection, landscape design, and the SSCC Horticulture program (for which he’s a faculty member).

ROCK SHOW: In Herbert and Mary‘s driveway!

“Please join us for a rock and gem show. Come see the best selection/collection in West Seattle. 10 am to 4 pm, 2009 SW Dakota.”

SKYLINK VOLUNTEERING: 10 am at Ercolini Park (48th/Alaska), meet up to help West Seattle SkyLink advocates distribute promotional material.

FURRY FACES FOUNDATION PLANT SALE: 11 am-4 pm, help people and their pets by buying plants – many varieties – with afternoon tunes. 3809 46th SW – more in our calendar listing.

MORE SALES! See the listings in the WSB Community Forums‘ Freebies/Deals/Sales section.

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Open to the public again! Noon-4 pm, 61st/Stevens.

ALKI DAZE: Community celebration this weekend, with a 1 pm potluck starting today’s festivities. Info’s in our preview.

HIGHLAND PARK DECANTED: 4-8 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club (1116 SW Holden), as previewed here. Pop-up bar outside (and wine purchases), tours by donation, all to raise money for and awareness of HPIC repairs/renovations.

Anything else? Text us! 206-293-6302 – thank you!

Share This