West Seattle, Washington
18 Sunday
This week’s report about COVID-19 cases at Seattle Public Schools shows more new cases than the previous week, 70 newly reported among the district’s 90+. schools, up from 45 new cases in last Monday’s update. Here are the school-by-school breakouts for our area, cumulative school-year totals plus the changes from a week earlier:
Denny International Middle School – 21, up 1
Chief Sealth International High School – 20, unchanged
Highland Park Elementary – 13, up 2
Roxhill Elementary – 12, unchanged
Arbor Heights Elementary – 11, up 3
Madison Middle School – 11, up 1
Genesee Hill Elementary – 11, unchanged
Gatewood Elementary – 9, unchanged
Louisa Boren STEM K-8 – 8, up 2
West Seattle Elementary – 8, unchanged
Lafayette Elementary – 8, unchanged
Concord International (Elementary) – 7, up 1
Pathfinder K-8 – 4, up 1
Alki Elementary – 4, up 1
Sanislo Elementary – 4, unchanged
West Seattle High School – 4, unchanged
Fairmount Park Elementary – 3, unchanged
BRIDGES @ Roxhill – 1, unchanged
For the next three Wednesday afternoon, West Seattle High School‘s Teen Health Council is hoping you can help them collect items to create winter-break care packages for schoolmates in need. Here’s how WSHS junior Mevina Ott explains what they’re doing:
Addressing a wide spectrum of needs of our community at West Seattle High School requires attention to the diversity of situations and circumstances experienced by my peers, something very important to be considered.
During school closure in winter break (12/18 2021-1/2 2022), the Teen Health Center will be closed and students will not be able to access the Health Center’s services. The 16-day break can become a gap for those students who regularly rely on the Teen Health Center for access to hygiene products. With that issue, I proposed the idea to assemble winter care packages to provide the appropriate hygiene necessities needed throughout the break.
Here are hygiene necessities that would be included in care packages:
– packaged masks
– unopened hand sanitizer
– unopened protein bars/granola bars/snacks
– unopened bars of soap
– unopened deodorant
– unused toothbrushes
– unopened toothpaste
– unopened chapstick
– hand warmersDonations of clothing (used): jackets, sweaters, pants, socks, gloves, hats, scarves, t-shirts, blankets
Donation collecting events:
at WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL’S HISTORIC ENTRANCE
3000 California Ave SW– Wednesday, November 24th from 3-5 pm
– Wednesday, December 1st from 3-5 pm
– Wednesday, December 8th from 3-5 pmThe Teen Health Council will then assemble care packages and students at West Seattle High School can pick them up during the week of 12/13-12/17, the week before winter break starts.
The “historic entrance” is on the north side of the school, facing Hiawatha.
(Photo credit: Joe Mabel)
Thanks to Ben for the tip. 35th and Barton is clear again after this crash involving two drivers, one an SPD officer. After the tip, we went over to check it out; a sergeant told us the officer hit the other driver, who was having trouble “trying to negotiate the intersection.” Nobody was hurt, and damage was minor – neither car needed to be towed. The scene cleared while we were there.
Four days after a desperate father crashed into a stolen car to rescue his kidnapped toddler on Highland Park Way, the suspect is charged – and has a history that includes a case reported here earlier this year. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged 35-year-old Samuel M. Robinson with second-degree kidnapping and auto theft. Robinson has an extensive criminal history, including felony charges in three cases this year alone. One was reported here back in August, and its circumstances also were bizarre: Robinson was accused of breaking into a Westwood home, stealing car keys and the residents’ car, then returning to their cul-de-sac the next night – in the stolen car, to prowl other vehicles.
As we reported when Robinson was charged with burglary in that case, the suspect already had been charged with felonies in two other cases earlier in the summer – on July 8th, auto theft for stealing a pickup truck in southeast West Seattle, and on July 28th, second-degree burglary for a break-in at a Kent business a few days earlier. Despite all that, after the Westwood burglary/auto theft, King County Superior Court Judge Melinda Young set bail at half of the $50,000 that prosecutors had requested.
But the case gets more complicated from there. Robinson was found incompetent to stand trial, and was supposed to be admitted to Western State Hospital for 45 days of attempted competency restoration. Apparently there was no room, so in October, Robinson’s lawyer sought a dismissal for a due-process violation. Judge Young denied that motion but agreed to release Robinson on personal recognizance, with conditions including taking prescribed medication, so Robinson got out October 19th. After Robinson failed to show for a hearing November 8th, a warrant was issued. Robinson’s bail is now set at $315,000. The charging documents say the defendant, who has a Westwood address, claims to steal cars because of “projection” in which the cars communicate that they’re intended for Robinson’s use. In this case, Robinson acknowledged becoming quickly aware of the 15-month-old boy in the car but continuing to drive anyway, thinking about possibly taking the child to a relative’s house.
One month after SDOT told us the 35th/Graham pedestrian/bicycle crossing was a few weeks from activation, it’s finally in operation. The signal [map] was originally proposed as part of the 35th SW Safety Project, and then became part of the West Seattle Greenway extension, which SDOT has declared complete (see the map here). Along with the push-activated signal, this intersection – where two people biking and walking have been killed in the past 15 years – has other modifications including turn restrictions and green-painted bike lanes.
We’ve received a few tips/questions about a foot ferry stopped off Alki. That’s the Kitsap Transit vessel Enetai. We contacted KT; spokesperson Sanjay Bhatt says it’s “rendering aid to a disabled vessel.” (No details on that other vessel, which isn’t showing on MarineTraffic.com.)
4:13 PM: If you’re headed out or back on a route that would take you through the Highland Park Way/Holden intersection, heads up – a crash is reported, with SPD and SFD responding (the latter, for possible injuries). It’s said to be blocking southbound lanes.
4:53 PM: No further updates, but SFD has closed out of the call, so no major injuries.
Yet another local business is dealing with the aftermath of a broken window. The photos and report are from Floors Plus Northwest (6959 California SW) co-proprietor Liliana Morales:
We just wanted to let you guys know that unfortunately this past Sunday we had our window broken. Someone threw a brick into the store. Luckily no one was hurt & nothing was stolen.
If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 21-308686.
1:25 PM: Southern Resident Killer Whales are visible off West Seattle right now, report Kersti Muul and The Whale Trail‘s Donna Sandstrom – both say they’re from K Pod, The orcas were visible from Constellation Park south of Alki Point, headed southbound. It’s been raining lightly so visibility is not great. Let us know if you see them!
2:09 PM: From south of the ferry dock, Susan Lantz-Dey reports seeing aa lone male across the water by Manchester.
4 PM: Kersti says some J Pod whales are in the area too. Still heading south, “Brace Point-ish” as of a little while ago.
Police were at Alki Beach early this morning after someone found what the SPD summary describes as “a bone she thought to be of human origin.” One of the two people who found it near the west restroom building brought it home and contacted police around 2 am. Officers took possession of it and transported it to the Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation. They then looked around where it was found, but, the report says, “A search for a scene was inconclusive.” No further description of the bone so far.
12:09 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to the 5100 block of SW 98th [map] for what’s described as a “fire in bathroom vent, flames showing.” Updates to come.
12:16 PM: SFD is downsizing the response.
12:21 PM: SFD says it was a “minor electrical fire” and it’s out.
The WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide is published! As with every year, this is an evolving page that holds a variety of holiday-related information from pre-Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, and we update it with new listings (and removal of old ones) at least once a day, all season long. So far, the lists include:
-Thanksgiving Day info
-Holiday bazaars/markets/art fairs
-Lighting events
-Where to get Christmas trees
-Holiday concerts/shows
-Santa photo opportunities
-West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays
-Donation drives/fundraisers
-Shopping spotlights (Small Business Saturday specials, etc.)
-Christmas Ship stops
-Hanukkah
-Christmas Eve/Day info
-New Year’s Eve/Day info
Again, what you see there now is just the start – we’ll keep adding – so if your business, school, organization has something to add, please send the information (what/when/where basics) as soon as you can! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! (And if your event/sale/etc. is online again this year, that qualifies too.)
The staff at Chase Bank‘s Admiral branch wants you to know their manager is moving on:
On behalf of the Chase Bank Admiral Branch, we would like to inform the community that our friendly branch manager, Jeff Glessner, has been promoted to a new position within the firm. Some of you may have known him from the Morgan Street Thriftway Branch.
Jeff came to JP Morgan Chase with a background in teaching and coaching football. His management style reflected both. He provided positive fun energy, at the same time noticing and promoting each employee’s qualities . Mistakes were learning experiences where he would encourage us to focus on the “next play.”
The game is not over. Having planted their roots on this “accidental island,” he and his wife Dakota, along with their son Lincoln, can’t escape.
Congratulations, Jeff, Dakota, and Lincoln!
His last day at the Admiral branch is November 30th.
6:03 AM Good morning! Three days until Thanksgiving.
WEATHER
Dry weather ending by evening; might be frosty this morning.
ROAD WORK
26th SW – Southbound closure between Roxbury and Barton continues for RapidRide H Line prep work. We’re checking on the reopening timeline
20th/Roxbury – Also part of the RapidRide project, with work starting on the SW side of the intersection as soon as today.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro remains on its regular weekday schedule, except for the rerouting in RapidRide H Line work zones, including 26th SW. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.
Ferries and Water Taxi: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates. The Water Taxi is in service – here’s the West Seattle schedule. (No Water Taxi service this Thursday-Friday.)
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
609th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are views of other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable bridges opening for vessels? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed can tell you; 1st Ave. South Bridge openings are also tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also 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.
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