West Seattle, Washington
14 Thursday
This month’s final roundup of local pandemic-related information:
NO NEW KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Because of the holiday, there’s no update for the Seattle-King County Public Health daily summary – so tomorrow we expect two days’ worth of numbers.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: The state dashboard was not updated today, either.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 170.7 million cases, 3,550,000 deaths – 594,000 in the U.S. See the other stats – nation by nation – here.
COLLEGE VACCINATION CLINIC: The single-dose J&J vaccine will be offered to people 18+ during a clinic at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) 11 am-3 pm Thursday. Walk-up availability is expected but appointments are recommended.
VAX STATS: In King County, 75.1 percent of people 12+ have had at least one dose; 64.5 percent are fully vaccinated. In West Seattle, the most-vaccinated zip code remains 98136 – 86.5 percent of people 12+ have had at least one dose. (Maps and stats here.)
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
The photo is from local pilot Vlad Oustimovitch, taken the first time he flew a newly labeled departure route announced by the Federal Aviation Adeministration earlier this month for pilots using Visual Flight Rules while arriving at and departing from Boeing Field (officially King County International Airport) just east of West Seattle. (In the photo, that’s Alki Point toward the top, Schmitz Park near the bottom.)
He tipped us to the changes: The FAA says it canceled two previous routes and replaced them with “newly defined” routes, though its announcement and King County’s FYI stress that “The new routes follow existing air traffic flight tracks that are assigned by BFI ATCT [air-traffic-control tower] and no new areas will experience new air traffic overflights. The new VFR arrival and departure routes do not introduce air traffic to any new areas.”
The FAA says the changes were made to increase safety “by increasing separation between arrival and departure flows into (Boeing Field), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and Renton Municipal Airport.” The FAA says this is necessary because there have been some “Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) events involving VFR aircraft arriving and departing [Boeing Field].” To see the newly labeled arrival/departure routes, scroll through this FAA document below (or here):
Each route is labeled with the number of aircraft expected to use it daily. Oustimovitch says the main change he noticed was the addition of an Alki Point departure route, as shown in his photo above; he also sent this document that included the old routes.
Again, this change – which took effect two weeks ago – isn’t supposed to result in air traffic anywhere that you didn’t see or hear it before. But if you think you’re experiencing noise related to Boeing Field flights, here’s how to report that.
The photo and report are from Chad Caron:
Troop 282 supported our local veterans at Arrowhead Gardens this morning. It was an honor helping Norman out with the flag ceremony again this year. And yes, that’s our own trom-bugler who performed the calls.
(WSB file photo, Highland Park Spraypark)
The forecast for two days of hotter weather might have you wondering about the status of West Seattle’s city-run spraypark and wading pools. Seattle Parks had told us that this year’s schedule would be announced before the holiday weekend, but that didn’t happen. Here’s what we know so far: June 26th is the tentative start date for some, but not all, sprayparks and wading pools around the city. West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold said in a newsletter last month that she’s been told that the Highland Park spraypark – the only one in West Seattle – and the Lincoln Park and Delridge wading pools are among those that will open. We’ll publish an update as soon as the official info is out. And a reminder – outdoor Colman Pool at Lincoln Park opens June 19th (here’s the schedule).
The next two Saturdays are your next two chances to join in community-organized cleanups around West Seattle:
ALKI, JUNE 5TH: Jessica‘s been leading monthly cleanups on the first Saturday of each month
Meet up at 10 am at 2452 Alki Avenue SW. Bring your own pick stick, garden gloves, and a bucket (Jessica says they work better than bags, especially when it’s windy). She has a few pick sticks and buckets if you don’t have your own. Kids welcome. To RSVP, text Jessica at 206-769-6330.
UNDER THE BRIDGE, JUNE 12TH: Conrad is organizing another of these cleanups for Saturday, June 12th. Meet up at 1 pm at the SW Marginal Place cul-de-sac that meets the bike/foot trail along the west end of the low bridge. Sign up – and get more details – by going here.
Shown at the White Center welcome sign in South Delridge are three of the 65 volunteers who answered the call (published here two weeks ago) for volunteers to help with Spring Clean/Refresh the past two weekends. The photo is courtesy of Mark Ufkes, who sent a full report and words of gratitude from the White Center Community Development Association – see it on our partner site White Center Now.
No formal ceremony again this Memorial Day at Forest Lawn Cemetery (WSB sponsor) in High Point, but the Unknown Soldier memorial that’w usually the centerpiece of the ceremony is under a canopy, easy to visit. Veterans’ graves across the cemetery are marked with American flags:
Piper John Dally had just arrived:
No formal Memorial Day ceremony at Forest Lawn again this year, but they hired a roaming piper. pic.twitter.com/yomd8oMZgn
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 31, 2021
(WSB photos)
About 20 volunteers of all ages showed up this morning in The Junction to place the American flags that fly along the street for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day.
Veterans were among them – above is Keith Hughes, commander of West Seattle’s American Legion Post 160.
Volunteer help is also welcomed when it’s time to take the flags down this afternoon – the meetup is at 4 pm at the northeast corner of California/Alaska.
(“Bey” the Bald Eagle, photographed by Jerry Simmons)
Good morning. Notes for the holiday:
TRANSIT
Metro: Sunday schedule
Water Taxi: Reduced schedule today
Sound Transit: Sunday schedule
TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Our page highlighting local cameras is here
SDOT’s map with cameras and alerts from around the city is here
HAPPENING TODAY
Junction flag help – 9 am and/or 4 pm, meet up with volunteers at the northeast corner of California/Alaska to help put up and/or take down the American flags commemorating the holiday.
Vietnam War veterans’ lunch – The Vietnamese Cultural Center (2236 SW Orchard) invites Vietnam War veterans and their families to a free thank-you lunch.
The Clay Cauldron open house – Noon-8 pm, come see the new pottery studio at 5214 Delridge Way SW; find out about classes and studio-space bookings.
Outdoor-movie fundraiser – The Heron’s Nest outdoor community spacw (4818 Puget Way SW) hosts a movie (“Tank Girl”) to celebrate its 1-year anniversary and raise money – details here.
Anything else? Text us – 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Tonight’s pandemic notes:
ONE MONTH TO REOPENING? Unless we hit the “70 percent vaccinated” milestone sooner, today marks one month until the June 30th full-reopening date set by Gov. Inslee. The state says we’re up to 61.79% of people 16+/
TONIGHT’S KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the King County Daily Summary Dashboard page:
109.658 people have tested positive, up 67 from one day earlier
1,592 people have died, unchanged from one day earlier
6,159 people have been hospitalized, down 2 from one day earlier (data adjustment)
No stats last Sunday night, so no comparisons tonight.
WEST SEATTLE TRENDS: Sunday is the night we check these numbers, shown in two-week increments via the “geography over time” tab on the countywide 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, 69 positive test results; 109 in the 2 weeks before that; 206 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: 68, unchanged from last week. And a look at hospitalizations: 194 total have been attributed to people in the two West Seattle HRAs since the start of the pandemic, adding two this week.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here (but again, note there was no update this weekend).
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 170.3 million cases and 3,541,000+ deaths, 594,000+ of them in the U.S. – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here
READY TO GET VACCINATED? If you or someone you know is just getting around to it, you can find a vaccine location here.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
(Saturday photo by James Bratsanos)
Checking on weather for tomorrow and beyond … the National Weather Service says 80s are still on the way, but not until after the holiday. Memorial Day’s forecast is sunny and 70s; then Tuesday and Wednesday could get into the mid-80s. (Today’s high was 73, four degrees above the usual high for this date.)
(WSB photo)
We’re just back from Alki, after checking to see if police were expanding their presence again tonight, one night after a big gathering at the beach led to three arrests and an early park shutdown (WSB coverage here). What you see above is part of what we found – bicycle officers taking off from Don Armeni Boat Ramp, where multiple SPD cars and other vehicles are parked. No rumors of a repeat tonight; this is just precautionary, we were told. Earlier, Alki photographer David Hutchinson spotted this vehicle on patrol:
We traveled Harbor and Alki Avenues all the way west to 63rd; busy but far fewer beachgoers than this time last night.
Last night we reported briefly on the rescue of a kayaker off Alki Point. Turns out the Seattle Police Harbor Patrol pulled him – and his kayak – out of the water, and this afternoon SPD Blotter published video of the rescue.
(WSB file photo, American Legion Post 160 volunteers placing flags in The Junction)
Quick Memorial Day reminder – volunteers of all ages are welcome to help place American flags in The Junction tomorrow, and/or help remove them. If you can help, meet up on the northeast corner of California/Alaska at 9 am and/or 4 pm. Volunteers get a souvenir mini-flag.
Kathy sent the photo and question. Maybe you know the answer?
Saw this fabulous salt-and-barnacle-encrusted bike on a walk yesterday near the water taxi dock. Would love to know the story behind it – I assume some divers brought it up and left it as urban art….
2 PM: Seattle Fire crews are at a house in the 6000 block of 49th SW because of what they described to dispatchers as a “small outdoor gas leak” after a residential line was “severed.” While they await Puget Sound Energy, they’ve evacuated the houses next door as a precaution.
3 PM: The call has closed.
After one month of Saturday operations, the Delridge Grocery Cooperative store at 5444 Delridge Way SW will add Sundays starting next weekend. The co-op announced the plan in its newsletter (which you can read here even if you’re not on the mailing list). Starting next weekend (June 5-6), the store will be open 9:30 am-1:30 pm Saturdays and 11 am-3 pm Sundays. They’re still selling weekly “essentials boxes,” too. On June 6th, and on the first Sunday of every month thereafter, member-owners will get a 10 percent discount at the store; here’s how to become a member. They’re working toward fully opening the store in the fall and are also conducting a survey right now for input as they take the next steps – you can participate by going here.
If you or someone in your family graduated high school in 1971, this summer is the 50th anniversary. We’ve already published an announcement for the West Seattle High School Class of ’71 reunion. Now the John F. Kennedy High School Class of ’71 is casting a wide net for its grads – the school’s in Burien but has and had attendees from other communities including West Seattle. This was sent by ’71 alum Marcee Stone-Vekich:
The years 1967-1971 were transformative years in this country. The times they were a-changing. The Vietnam War protests, civil-rights marches, the Chicago Seven, the first Earth Day, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. We also witnessed the moon landing, Woodstock, the first black woman elected to Congress (Shirley Chisholm), and the NY Jets winning the Super Bowl. As the Buffalo Springfield sang “Something’s happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear.” What we do know is that it was a very interesting era.
These were the events happening outside of Kennedy High School, which certainly impacted us, but our high school years went on. We were only the second class to graduate from Kennedy, a newly built high school that grew from one class of freshmen to a full four-year school by the time we were Juniors. We showed up daily, the girls in their uniforms with pleated skirts, the boys in slacks and dress shirts. No jeans, corduroys, or T-shirts allowed. No long hair permitted on the boys and no short skirts for the girls. And a principal who roamed the halls enforcing these rules.
The teachers had high expectations and supported us in achieving those expectations. Some of us were involved in extracurricular activities such as drill team, debate club, drama, and athletics. Others went to school and at the end of the day worked a part-time job. Many of us attended the occasional dances on Friday nights, enjoying live bands such as Merilee and the Turnabouts, swaying to “Angel of the Morning.” Then there were the formal events. The boys wearing their rented tuxes, several with pastel-colored coats, and the girls in their gowns going to the Homecomings, Tolos, and Proms. And we can’t forget the occasional retreats. The way high school should be.
That was then, this is now. Fifty years later we are about to gather again. The old cliques will be gone, like the classmates who have passed on before us, and we will all share about our lives post-graduation and reminisce about those high-school years.
(Photo by Machel Spence)
Good morning! Options for your Sunday:
TODAY’S ONLINE CHURCH SERVICES: Most local churches still offer online Sunday services (some offer in-person options too), so here are the newest links for 20+ churches.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Vegetables, fruit, cheese, meat, beverages, lots more – and berries top what’s new this week at the Farmers’ Market, open 10 am-2 pm in The Junction. 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)
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)’
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Now open to the public! Visit the home of West Seattle’s history today (noon-4 pm, 61st/Stevens).
ONE LAST LOW-LOW TIDE: -2.5 feet at 2:37 pm, and you’ll find Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists at Lincoln and Constellation Parks, 12:45-3:45 pm.
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)
LIVE MUSIC: At The Alley, behind 4509 California SW, the Triangular Jazztet plays two sets tonight, 8 pm and 9 pm.
Got something for our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Late update because of Saturday night’s breaking news:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*109,591 people have tested positive, 211 more than yesterday’s total
*1,592 people have died, 1 more than yesterday’s total
*6,161 people have been hospitalized, 22 more than yesterday’s total
ONE WEEK AGO: Last Saturday, those numbers were 108,308/1,575/6,099.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 169.9 million people have tested positive, and more than 3,533,000 people have died; U.S. deaths exceed 594,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, France, Turkey (unchanged again this week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
PLAYGROUND ACCESS: Seattle Public Schools has announced that it’ll decide at the end of the school year – just 3 weeks away – which of its playgrounds can be restored to public accessibility, which was taken away when pandemic restrictions began.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
9:50 PM: Police report at least two arrests and “multiple fights” amid a big gathering on Alki. They also have blocked off traffic at multiple spots. This after a large preparatory police presence all afternoon and into the evening, as reported here earlier. Updates to come.
10:02 PM: Police are announcing that Parks is closing the beach due to the crowd size. We are on foot in the area. … The announcement now says they may issue a dispersal order due to “multiple acts of violence.” Police tell us they have detained one person with a gun.
(Added: WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
10:19 PM: Police also mentioned via loudspeaker that robbery (we heard a call around 8 pm) and assault have happened too. They have now cleared the street.
Also from a few minutes ago pic.twitter.com/Ousz0o5tbR
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 30, 2021
Police clearing the street pic.twitter.com/7cKWYETz1S
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 30, 2021
11:03 PM: We’re back at HQ; will be adding photos/video. Some police are demobilizing, according to radio communication. There’s also a medical response at Admiral/Lander for what’s reported as an intoxicated teenager.
11:15 PM: David Hutchinson reports from 59th/Alki that things have quieted down. He also sent this video of the crowd there just as police ordered them to clear.
11:30 PM: The police presence is downsizing further, per a radio exchange. No updates on total number of arrests but we’ll update whenever we get that information.
5:45 PM SUNDAY: Police say they arrested three people, and one officer suffered a broken thumb. Here’s their recap via SPD Blotter.
8:32 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a water-rescue response to Constellation Park. Updates to come.
8:37 PM: Medics also have been sent to Don Armeni. We don’t know what the circumstances were but one patient is reported to be on board a Port of Seattle vessel; they’ll be transferred to an SFD boat and taken to Don Armeni.
8:42 PM: Patient is described as a “31-year-old man who was in the water an hour, hour and a half.” He is reported to have been kayaking.
A little low-low tide exploring can give you new appreciation for what you don’t see when walking Puget Sound beaches the rest of the time. We have photos from Friday that we didn’t get to show you last night because of breaking news – first two, from Michelle Green Arnson, show a Moon Snail above, an Ochre Sea Star and Christmas Anemone below:
She was out at Constellation Park and has rave reviews for the volunteer Seattle Aquarium beach naturalist, too. Elsewhere on the West Seattle shore, Stewart L. photographed this Great Blue Heron (yes, with a long lens, at a distance):
And we were out along Duwamish Head, just east of Luna (Anchor) Park, looking out at the former site of its namesake amusement park:
Not everyone was looking for wildlife:
Tomorrow’s low tide is still fairly low but not nearly as much as the past three – it’ll be out to -2.5 feet at 2:37 pm Sunday; the naturalists will be out at Constellation and Lincoln Parks again (12:45-3:45 pm). Then set a reminder for 11:54 am June 25th, when the lowest low tide of the summer arrives, -4.0 feet.
ADDED: One more photo – this one from Gill, taken at Constellation Park, looking toward Alki Point:
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