West Seattle, Washington

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day : 19/09/2021 9 results

PANDEMIC UPDATES: Weekly check-in #11, 9/19/2021
September 19, 2021 11:59 pm
|    Comments Off on PANDEMIC UPDATES: Weekly check-in #11, 9/19/2021
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Here’s our weekly collection of local pandemic updates, starting with the newest numbers.

KING COUNTY CUMULATIVE NUMBERS AS OF FRIDAY:

*145,662 people have tested positive – 3,892 more than a week ago (5,202 in West Seattle, up 114)
*7,810 people have been hospitalized – 139 more than a week ago (237 from West Seattle, up 4)
*1,835 people have died – 23 more than a week ago (71 in West Seattle, unchanged)

VACCINATION RATE: Note that King County has this disclaimer on its page: “On 9/14/2021, population estimates used to determine the percentage of the population vaccinated were updated from 2019 estimates to recently released 2020 estimates for sub-county geographic divisions (i.e. zip codes, health reporting areas, and regions). Due to population growth, some percentages for sub-county geographies are now slightly lower than previously reported. Countywide percentages were already using 2020 population estimates, so they are unchanged by this update.” So this explains what a commenter noticed about the zip-code-specific stats.

79.2% of King County residents 12+ have completed their vaccine series (up .7% in the past week)

By West Seattle zip code (see disclaimer above):
98106 – 80.6%
98116 – 85.5%
98126 – 77%
98136 – 87%
98146 – 76%

(More COVID-related King County stats here)

PANDEMIC NEWS

Vaccine or negative test required – Announced this week, a variety of venues in King County are required to ask you for proof of vaccination or a recent negative test result starting October 25th.

Seattle Public Schools cases – The district is updating its dashboard on Mondays, and started including individual schools’ numbers. Here’s our West Seattle/South Park breakout of last week’s update..

Boosters or not? An FDA advisory committee says they’re not necessary yet for most people. but that’s not the final word.

NEED TO GET TESTED IN WEST SEATTLE?

The UW Medicine testing service at the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) continues to operate; you can make an appointment here, though readers report walk-ups have been accepted. Meantime, the Curative testing kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1222 Harbor SW) is also still operating. In addition, both West Seattle Walgreens stores are offering drive-up testing (35th/Morgan and 16th/Roxbury) – more info here.

NOT VACCINATED YET?

Go here to see where you can change that. Also note clinics in the week ahead: White Center locations on Wednesday and Friday and Louisa Boren STEM K-8 next Sunday (flu shots at that one too).

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Police staffing, new community-advocacy group, Stone Cottage’s future @ Alki Community Council
September 19, 2021 9:27 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

September means community groups are back on their meeting schedules again, with most still meeting online. Last Thursday night, three topics were in the spotlight as the Alki Community Council resumed its third-Thursday schedule:

POLICE STAFFING: That made up most of what the ACC heard from Southwest Precinct Lt. David Terry. As he’s said in past briefings, they’re understaffed – minimum number of officers at night is supposed to be 9, and that night (Thursday) they were down to 7 – SPD offers OT for officers interested in filling the gap, but more and more are saying no. “So we’re running the shift with shorter numbers, which is crazy” – this weekend they faced the possibility of being down to 6 or 7 on a shift. Lt. Terry summarized, “We’re out of bodies.” In response to an attendee’s questions, Lt. Terry acknowledged that they sometimes have even fewer in West Seattle/South Park because they have to lend officers to a “task force” callout elsewhere in the city, and when that happens – these days, mostly for nightlife safety – the SW Precinct may be down to “4 or 5 officers for 17 square miles.” Attendees mentioned they are disappointed that Seattle Parks returned to regular closing time at Alki this week and asked what SPD thinks about it. Lt. Terry said he couldn’t offer an opinion, just the observation that it would most likely mean “more calls for service.” As for Alki police responses over the summer – there was a “small spike” in June and July but a drop in August. “You’re still the second safest area in all of West Seattle” (after Fauntleroy), he noted.

FRIENDS OF ALKI NEIGHBORHOODS: Quality-of-life concerns – crime among them – have given rise to this new group, FANS for short. Reps formally introduced themselves at the ACC meeting with a presentation. Here’s the new group’s purpose:

“We want to voice our interest as one connected neighborhood … we’re all experiencing the same thing,” said Mollie Means, who led the presentation. What they all have in common: Proximity to Alki Beach Park. Means estimates that 24,000 people comprise the Alki neighborhoods. They’re putting together a survey to identify the key issues they want the city to address. “We want to gather data to support strategic initiatives.” They hope that will lead to change that enhances the experience of residents and visitors alike. This past summer was problematic in multiple ways, she said – first “car caravans” visiting, then the chaotic “kickback” crowd in May, then the June quadruple shooting that left one man dead. “What was really effective is that (after that) Police and Parks worked together to ‘tweak” the way things work at the beach.

Pending survey results, here’s some of what FANS hopes to advocate for:

Read More

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Wheels, catalytic converters stolen
September 19, 2021 7:29 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three reader reports about items taken from cars:

STOLEN WHEELS: The photo and report are from John, who says the victim is his neighbor:

Wheels stolen off this car in front of Holy Rosary last night after 1 am.

And two more stolen catalytic converters:

SOUTH OF THE JUNCTION: Another reader named John reports, “I got back from lovely vacation (Saturday) night to find some lowlife a–hole stole my catalytic converter from my Honda Element. 42nd SW and SW Dawson. Sometime between September 4 and 18.”

BEACH DRIVE: Deborah reports, “I started my car around 8:15 (Saturday) morning to a horrendous racket. Neighbor heard noise and looked out at the parking lot around 3:30 am, to see a blue 4-door sedan departing the complex. We assume this vehicle contained the thieves who removed my catalytic converter. My car was parked in a well-lit lot of a small apartment building at 4120 Beach Dr SW. No other hybrids in our small lot appear to have been hit (yet). The theft has been reported to SPD.” (Her car is a 2008 Prius.)

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TOMORROW: Taste of West Seattle week begins, with seven more participating establishments!
September 19, 2021 5:43 pm
|    Comments Off on TOMORROW: Taste of West Seattle week begins, with seven more participating establishments!
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants | WS beverages

When we previewed the Taste of West Seattle last week – a weeklong dine-out benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank‘s work to end hunger and prevent homelessness – 20 food/drink businesses were in, Now, with The Taste starting tomorrow, the list is up to 27!

Bakery Nouveau
Best of Hands Barrelhouse
Box Bar
Coastline Burgers
Copper Coin
Flying Apron
Grillbird
Harry’s Beach House
Hotwire Coffeehouse
Itto’s Tapas
Lady Jaye
Locust Cider
Mission Cantina
No Name Diner Alki
Nos Nos Coffee House
Ounces Taproom & Beer Garden
Pecos Pit Bar-B-Que
Phoenecia
Pot Pie Factory, Inc.
Soprano’s Antico Pizza and Pasta
Talarico’s Pizzeria
The Bridge
The Good Society Brewery & Public House
The Westy
West 5
West Seattle Cellars
West Seattle Grounds

During Taste of West Seattle week – Monday, September 20th through Sunday, September 26th – participating establishments will either “donate a percent of sales from a special ‘Taste Menu’ created by the restaurant, or a percentage of sales.” Also, remember that there’s potentially more in it for you than the knowledge you’re getting good food/beverages and doing a good deed – note that this is an update since our last preview:

All participating restaurants will be listed on a restaurant “passport.” The more stamps/ signatures someone gets on their card by ordering from participating restaurants, the more times they are entered into the drawing. Each stamp = 1 drawing entry. We will select 5 winners for a $100 gift card to a West Seattle Restaurant or Whole Foods. Customers will need to mail/drop off their passport to the WSFB by October 3rd to be entered into the drawing.

Pick up your “Taste Passport” at a participating restaurants, at the West Seattle Food Bank, or email your address to breanna.bushaw@westseattlefoodbank.org to have one mailed to you.

Again, this all starts tomorrow. (WSB is a Taste of West Seattle community co-sponsor.)

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WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: 8 new views of our winged neighbors
September 19, 2021 3:09 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos, we have another gallery of West Seattle bird sightings, always fun on a football afternoon. The top photo is by Kersti Muul, who explains it’s a Virginia Rail:

A rare treat to see in West Seattle. Was called by the Port to assess an injured bird and was stunned to find that it was a rail. I’ve never seen one here, and they are rare to see anyway, easier to hear. Very secretive, marsh-dwelling birds. This one had taken up residence behind the bathrooms at Jack Block Park. Stunning bird, and great camouflage.

Down in The Arroyos, Mark MacDonald photographed a Killdeer:

Next photo is from Robin Sinner, who says this Surfbird is “back from the tundra”:

Meantime, this Rufous Hummingbird will soon depart, according to Mark Wangerin:

Mark also sent this photo of an American Goldfinch:

Two views of California Scrub-Jays – first, from Susan Hayes-McQueen:

And from Jerry Simmons:

Finally, a photo taken from a Fauntleroy-bound ferry by middle-schooler Eva, who saw a Great Blue Heron sharing space with a seal:

(Just a reminder if you haven’t clicked – all the bird species names are linked to their pages on the Seattle Audubon BirdWeb, which includes photos and audio files of the birds’ calls.)

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About the military jets over West Seattle
September 19, 2021 1:14 pm
|      35 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

1:14 PM: For those who are asking: Still looking for official confirmation but this is one of those things on which we can make an educated guess: Seahawks pregame flyover.

1:26 PM: A reporter covering the game verifies the flyover.

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THIS WEEK: After summer break, HPAC tackles traffic, crime, more
September 19, 2021 12:51 pm
|    Comments Off on THIS WEEK: After summer break, HPAC tackles traffic, crime, more
 |   Delridge | Highland Park | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

HPAC – the community organization for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – resumes monthly meetings this week with hot topics including traffic and crime. Here’s the announcement:

We welcome all back for our first meeting of the 2021-22 season. This month we’ll be hearing from Seattle Police Department with neighborhood crime trends, plus the Port of Seattle sharing impacts we can expect to neighborhood traffic as Terminal 5 reopens in January 2022.

Finally, we will be hosting Home Zone and Reconnect West Seattle team members from SDOT for a report out on the projects they are working on. There have been some changes in direction, particularly for residents on 16th Avenue SW, we’ll have them explained at the meeting with opportunities for suggestions and comments.

If you are noticing new detour route incursions of vehicles, or other traffic pattern changes to report, your voice is needed!

See you at 7 PM on Sept. 22 – virtually on Zoom during the HPIC rebuilding process.

You can find the meeting link (and call-in number) on HPAC’s website. The group also has opened a survey to ask neighbors what they would like future meetings to address – go here to participate.

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Remembering Ragna E. Gardanar, 1944-2021
September 19, 2021 10:57 am
|    Comments Off on Remembering Ragna E. Gardanar, 1944-2021
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering “Snookie” Gardanar and sharing this remembrance with the community:

Ragna “Snookie” Eleanor Gardanar passed away on September 3rd, 2021, at the age of 77.

She was born on May 24th, 1944, at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. She was the youngest of 2 kids. She is survived by her 3 kids Duane, Greg, and Karie; grandkids Kelsie, Bradley, Ava, Owen, and Benjamin; and great-grandchild Marcus.

Snookie went to school in West Seattle; Highland Park Elementary, Denny Junior High, Sealth High School, and South Seattle CC. Mom lived most of her life in West Seattle, then moved to Kent. She retired from Allied Solutions and DSHS as a clerical specialist. Mom’s favorite job was working for Bogle & Gates Law Firm in Seattle.

Mom loved music, spending time with family, watching Seahawk games, going to the ocean, walking on the beach and hanging out on the balcony feeding seagulls she always named Jonathon. Mom loved dogs, especially “Lady” and most all other poodles. She loved Bingo, Solitaire, and Rummy. Mom checked off a bucket-list item when she traveled to Memphis to visit Elvis Presley’s memorial – she loved that trip.

Snookie was a loving Mother and Grandmother to her children and grandchild, who will miss her dearly. “WE LOVE YOU, MOM & MAMA!!!”

(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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WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: 14 notes for today/tonight
September 19, 2021 6:34 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(WSB photo – clouds seen from Don Armeni at midday Saturday)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:

ROAD WORK ALERTS: Weather permitting, SDOT plans more West Marginal Way work today, both the Duwamish Longhouse interim signal/crossing and the Highland Park Way intersection.

ORCA HALF, DAY 2: Starting at 7:30 am, about 350 runners will leave this half-marathon‘s starting line in Lincoln Park in waves, headed for Don Armeni Boat Ramp. No road/lane closures. This is the second of two days for the Orca Half; here’s our coverage of the first.

CHURCHES: Many continue streaming, along with in-person services. Here are the newest links for 20+ West Seattle churches’ services.

COVID & FLU SHOT CLINIC: 10 am-3 pm at Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW), as previewed here.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm on California between Oregon and Alaska. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (The market is a WSB sponsor.)

DONATION DRIVE: 11 am-3 pm outside Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds):

Alki United Church of Christ (Alki UCC) has joined St. Vincent de Paul and the Westside Interfaith Network (WIN) to support 13 Nicaraguan families resettling in White Center as recent immigrés to the United States. We welcome them to our larger community and hope to be instrumental in helping them thrive in their new homes.

Children’s school clothing donations are critically needed. We call on our generous neighbors to look through closets and bring clean, new-or-gently used children’s clothing to the drive, outside the church’s main entrance.

As always, we welcome non-perishable food and hygiene items to be distributed through the White Center Food Bank. Suggestions include: aseptic and nut milks, cereal, peanut butter, tuna fish, pasta and sauces, canned soup, chili, and beans (poptop preferred).

Donations of Men’s Casual/Work Clothes are also needed, as well as NEW socks — the clothing item most requested by our neighbors experiencing homelessness.

MAKERS’ ART MARKET: Browse artist/crafters’ creations at Alki Beach, noon-6 pm.

PUNK ROCK FLEA MARKET, DAY 2: Rain or shine, a lot full of vendors offers an “underground shopping experience” outdoors noon-5 pm in White Center, $1 admission. Here are some scenes from Day 1. (9834 17th SW)

SUNDAY RUN CLUB: Noon at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW) – info in our calendar listing

CLASSIC NOVELS & MOVIES BOOK CLUB: Meeting at 3 pm outdoors at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) to discuss Langston Hughes‘s “Not Without Laughter.”

ROO AND THE FEW: Live music at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm.

NIGHT OF A THOUSAND STARS: 6:30 pm show at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW) to benefit LGBTQ youth. $15 at the door

SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE: 8 pm to 1 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW; WSB sponsor).

SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.

Got an event for listing in our calendar and previews? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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