West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Family and friends are remembering Paul Appenbrink, and sharing this with his community:
Paul E. Appenbrink made his final train ride to heaven on March 21, 2021.
Paul was born on August 26, 1940 in Moweaqua, Illinois. He graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, with a business degree in marketing in 1964. Prior to following his lifelong dream of working with the railroads, Paul was in sales and marketing for various shipping lines in the Midwest. In 1991 he started with AMTRAK in Chicago, becoming a conductor in 1993. His love of the Pacific Northwest drew him to Seattle in 1996, finding a position with AMTRAK as conductor. He retired from AMTRAK in 2008 but never really retired from his abiding love for all things “trains.”
Paul was a long-time, active member of the West Side Presbyterian Church in Seattle and was involved in two men’s Bible Studies. He volunteered at the West Seattle Food Bank. His many friends knew him as a great storyteller, having a story at the ready for any occasion.
He will be greatly missed by his ten nieces and nephews, John, Sally, Jessie Ann, Jac, Dave, Martha, Laurie, Jane, Linda, and Anita. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother, sisters Gloria and Edna, and brother Dave.
Memorials may be given to West Side Presbyterian Church in Seattle at 3601 California Avenue SW, Seattle, Washington, 98116 and the West Seattle Food Bank at 3419 SW Morgan St, Seattle, Washington 98126 or donor’s choice.
A private family service will be held at a later date.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
6:07 AM: Good morning! Sunshine expected today, after a rainy night.
BACK TO SCHOOLS
One more reminder that some Seattle Public Schools elementary students have returned to in-person learning – so school-zone speed limits are back in effect. (Here’s the districtwide map of schools.)
ROAD WORK .
Delridge project – The east end of Sylvan Way, just west of Delridge, is now closed for work. Here’s the rest of this week’s plan.. (Also note that Delridge/Holden was a trouble spot Wednesday and may be again.)
The Highway 99 tunnel is scheduled to close both ways Friday night to Saturday morning for its monthly inspection, with the NB side staying closed until Monday morning.
TRANSIT
Metro is on its regular schedule
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
381st morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: 13th week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. Here’s a 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:
To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see 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.
Tonight’s local/state pandemic toplines:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Seattle-King County Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*90,026 people have tested positive, 283 more than yesterday’s total
*1,480 people have died, 5 more than yesterday’s total
*5,408 people have been hospitalized, 10 more than yesterday’s total
*986,427 people have been tested, 335 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the four totals we track were 88,067/1,464/5,331/969,956.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find all the numbers, county by county, on the state Department of Health data page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
$ FOR ‘SHUTTERED VENUE OPERATORS’: Nightclubs, movie theaters, and other venues hit especially hard by pandemic shutdowns will be able to apply for grants from a new fund. Starting Thursday, the city is offering technical assistance.
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS’ BRIEFING: The weekly briefing by Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah happened this afternoon. Vaccination was as usual a big topic. On some recent days, the state says, 80,000 shots were administered. Watch the briefing here.
IF YOU’RE VACCINE-ELIGIBLE AND LOOKING FOR IT … here are links to try:
*Check for West Seattle city-run site appointments here; sign up for the city’s notification list for all four of its sites here.
*Health-care providers (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine (one reader specifically recommends Valley Medical Center), Franciscan, Swedish, Kaiser Permanente, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator) – you can also follow its tweets for instant notifications
*The state’s Vaccine Locator
*The CDC’s Vaccine Finder
*Pharmacies big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca, Costco, Bartell Drugs
*Sea Mar clinics
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
10:02 PM: Police are blocking northbound Beach Drive at Atlas because of a crash. So far one vehicle is reported involved, one engine but no medic unit dispatched so injuries are not believed to be major.
(Added: Photo by James Bratsanos)
10:50 PM: Commenter Peter describes the crash as a rollover.
ADDED THURSDAY: Police are investigating this as suspected DUI.
If you’re planning on late-night ferry travel, note that the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is down to 1 boat for the rest of the night. The #2 vessel, M/V Issaquah, has a “shortage of Coast Guard-documented crew” requiring it to go out of service, Washington State Ferries says, so the only sailings tonight are those scheduled for the #1 vessel M/V Kittitas.
If you were on or near the Fauntleroy ferry terminal at mid-afternoon, you might have seen those students sending a message they hope will be heard thousands of miles away. They’re from the Summit Atlas hub of the Sunrise Movement, which organizer Hannah Lindell-Smith describes as “a youth-led organization to stop the climate crisis and create good jobs in the process.” Today, school hubs around the city were holding actions like this to send a message to U.S. Senator Patty Murray, asking her, Hannah says, “to stand up for our generation’s right to good jobs and a livable future and sign onto the Green New Deal and Good Jobs For All Pledge.”
This week we’re publishing the winning entries in the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s youth-writing contest, for essays on “Women History Makers of the Duwamish Peninsula.” Tonight, we conclude with the high-school winner:
Bertha Landes
By Halle Morgan
Bertha Ethel Knight Landes was born in 1868. She was born into a world where women couldn’t vote and where there were barely any women in politics. Landes paved the way for many, becoming the first female mayor of a major US city. All her adult life was devoted to making the city of Seattle a better place.
Landes saw the community as an extension of home and was always very active in it. She founded the Women’s City Club and played leadership roles in many organizations including the Women’s University Club, the Woman’s Century Club, the League of Women Voters, the Women’s Auxiliary of University Congregational Church, and was the president of the Washington State League of Women Voters. This leadership led her to be appointed by the mayor to serve on a commission studying unemployment.
In 1922, Landes and Katheryn Miracle were elected to serve on Seattle City Council, becoming the first women to do so. As a city council member, Landes supported city planning and zoning as well as social concerns such as hospitals and recreation programs. In 1924 when Landes was reelected, she became the council president. The mayor at the time, Edwin Brown, left the city to go to the 1924 Democratic National Convention, leaving Bertha as the acting mayor.
In 1926, Edwin Brown ran for reelection and Landes ran against him. Landes ran on a platform that emphasized “municipal housekeeping,” vowing to clean up the city government. Landes won the election by over 6,000 votes and quickly set to work. She continued to work for things she supported when she was on the city council as well as fought against bootleggers and reckless drivers.
Landes fulfilled her promise of cleaning up the government by putting the city’s financial house in order. She also improved public transportation and parks and advocated for municipal ownership of utilities such as Seattle City Light and street railways. One of her great accomplishments as the mayor was building the Civic Auditorium, which was later used for the Opera House at the 1962 World’s Fair.
A bill that Landes signed that personally affected West Seattle was Seattle Ordinance 54627, which authorized a new pump station in West Seattle, and the equipment and personnel needed to maintain it, which was much needed at the time. This measure helped get water to West Seattle residents. Previously, people on the peninsula hadn’t gotten the water they needed. There wasn’t a lot of water in the area, and the lack of water had many unfortunate health effects on people in these neighborhoods. While there was still much to be done to reform and strengthen West Seattle’s water infrastructure issues, Mayor Landes’s initiatives and legislation were able to create real change in the lives of many people living in West Seattle.
In 1928, Landes ran for reelection. Although she was supported by local newspapers and her ratings were high, Landes lost to Frank Edwards. Despite this, Bertha Landes continued being active in the community. She wrote for national newspapers and was chair of the Sewing Room Work for the Women’s Division of the Mayor’s Commission for Improved Employment. She was also the first woman to serve as moderator of Washington’s Conference of Congregational and Christian Churches.
Bertha Landes had an everlasting impact on the city of Seattle; after her time as mayor, she endlessly encouraged other women to get involved in politics. Today Bertha’s work is still in the city – the largest meeting room at the Seattle City Hall is named in her honor. The tunnel-boring machine that was used to create the tunnel in replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct was named after her as well. Like how that machine paved its way through the ground, Bertha Landes paved the way for many others. With her accomplishments and encouragement, Landes convinced many women that they too, can make a difference.
“Let us, while never forgetting our womanhood, drop all emphasis on sex, and put it on being public servants.” -Bertha Landes.
If you missed the other winning essays earlier this week, here’s the elementary winner published Monday; here’s the middle-school winner published Tuesday. Congratulations to all three!
(Photo credit: Seattle Municipal Archives)
(WSB file photo)
Last June, we reported on the then-impending closure of Quality Cleaners (2601 California sW), one of The Admiral District’s oldest businesses, after a sudden death in the owners’ family. When it closed, many customers still hadn’t picked up items left for cleaning. In subsequent months, we have heard occasionally from customers trying to find out how to retrieve those items – not just clothing; at least two had family keepsakes. Now, we’ve heard from the family that owns the building. They have put it up for sale (here’s the listing) and are planning to open the doors for three upcoming afternoons so people can come get those items. Those dates are noon-4 pm on Saturday, April 17th; Sunday, April 18th; and Monday, April 19th. Masks required. After that, anything unclaimed will be donated.
For a year, West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor) has opened its doors to shoppers 60 years and older only on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 7-9 am. Now with a high rate of vaccination among seniors, Thriftway is cutting back to one morning a week – Tuesdays, 7-9 am, will continue to be reserved for shoppers 60+. The store also continues to offer curbside service on weekdays – here’s how that works.
Police are investigating the death of a person whose body was found in the Duwamish River. They received a report around 11 am of a body spotted in the river off a dock in the 5400 block of West Marginal Way SW, which cross-references to the Lafarge plant. The initial police report says, “Patrol coordinated with the Harbor Unit and local businesses to use their property and equipment to assist with recovering the body,” but no other information is available so far – no age, gender, possible cause of death. Right now SPD says this is just classified as a “death investigation.”
The abbreviated school-sports seasons continue, with word from West Seattle High School that its golfers did well in the Metro League tournament:
(Photos courtesy WSHS)
That’s senior Lauryn Nguyen, who won her fourth consecutive Metro League individual title. The girls’ team tied for third in the tournament with Holy Names Academy, “with only three strokes separating first and third place,” WSHS reports. The boys’ team finished seventh, “with only 15 strokes separating first and seventh.” For the boys, senior Nic Chantorn finished 7th, earning all-Metro League honors.
As reported here back in February, both Lauryn and Nic are going on to play collegiate golf – she signed with Northwestern University and he signed with Bellevue College.
(Southwest Branch, WSB file photo)
It’s the news Seattle Public Library patrons have been awaiting – SPL is reopening some branches for in-building service. OF the first three branches to reopen, one is in West Seattle – the Southwest Branch at 9010 35th SW. Here’s the SPL announcement of what it’ll offer starting Tuesday, April 27th:
The schedule for in-building services will be Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. with closed cleaning breaks between public use sessions. Patrons will be able to enter the buildings at 25% capacity during public-use sessions to pick up available holds and check them out, use a physically distanced computer, use a restroom, speak to a Library staff member, charge a device, or sit and read. Masks will be required of all patrons and staff.
The opportunity to browse a branch’s collection or use meeting rooms or study rooms will not be available initially. The Library will continue to expand services and access to the collection and other Library spaces as state health guidance, Library safety protocols, and staffing allow.
These are the first three branches to offer in-building services since the Library’s systemwide building closure in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More locations will open incrementally as it is safe and feasible to do so, similar to the rollout of the Library’s Curbside Pickup Service that began last August and is now provided at 15 libraries.
Highlights of in-building services include:
· Public sessions: Patrons may enter the building when a public-use session (around 90 minutes) begins; once the capacity limit is reached, the Library will allow new patrons to enter only as others leave. Patrons may enter the Library for multiple time blocks a day. In between public sessions, Library staff will clean and reset the interior space.
· Physically distanced layout: Seating, tables, computer stations, and other furniture have been rearranged to enable physical distancing. Plexiglass will be installed between computers and in other service areas.
· Computers, wi-fi, printing: Library cardholders can use public computers on a first-come first-served basis for up to two hours a day. Patrons will be able to print, copy or scan up to 10 pages of black-and-white pages for free a day (faxing is also available at the Beacon Hill Branch). Staff assistance with technology support or information requests will be offered at a distance. Free wi-fi is also available.
· Charging stations: Two charging stations at each location will allow patrons to charge their devices. As with computers, these will be available on a first-come first-served basis.
· Safety first. Masks will be required for all patrons, staff and visitors entering Library buildings; disposable masks and hand sanitizer will be available on site. (If you require an accommodation, call 206-386-4636.) Eating and drinking in public areas of the building will not be allowed. As always, the Library Rules of Conduct will be enforced to ensure the safety of patrons and staff.
· No meeting room use: For now, meeting rooms and study rooms will remain closed to the public.
Learn more about in-building Library services at spl.org/InBuilding. Curbside Pickup Service for holds will continue to be available at 12 other locations and bookdrops (which also accept DVDs and audiobooks) will continue to be open at 19 locations. Check www.spl.org/Hours for a complete list of services and hours at each branch.
The other two branches that will offer in-building service starting April 27th are Beacon Hill and Lake City.
(SDOT camera, 11:26 am today)
Updates on the high and low bridges are expected when the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force meets tomorrow afternoon (Thursday, April 8th). When the CTF last met on March 10th (WSB coverage here), SDOT announced it had opened the bid process for prospective contractors to work on both bridges; the window for applications ends next Monday (April 12th). There was also a promise they would be working out details for increased low-bridge access, particularly the issue of how to allow people to use the low bridge to get to and from life-saving medical treatments on the other side of the water. Tomorrow’s meeting starts at 4 pm and will be streamed live via YouTube; here’s the link.
(Seen at sunset Tuesday – photo by Jonny Layesky)
Lots happening today/tonight:
DONATION DRIVE: Last chance to drop off food and other supplies in for West Seattle High School students’ donation drive, noon-2 pm at the school’s north entrance (3000 California SW).
PANDEMIC BRIEFING: 2 pm online, state health officials will present their weekly briefing and media Q&A. Watch the livestream here.
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUND: 3 pm online, you’re invited to the first of three community workshops about the next phase of playground improvements. Participation info is in our preview.
MADISON MS ADDITION: 3:30 pm online, the city Landmarks Preservation Board considers the project. Participation info is in our preview.
SCHOOL BOARD: 3:30 pm online, with items including a final vote on renaming Southwest Athletic Complex in honor of the late Nino Cantu. The agenda includes viewing/listening information.
DOW CONSTANTINE’S RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN KICKOFF: 5:30 pm online, County Executive Dow Constantine officially launches his re-election campaign with an event focusing on West Seattle (where he lives), White Center, and vicinity. Register here to get viewing details.
SUMMIT ATLAS OPEN HOUSE: 6 pm online, prospective families/students are invited to a virtual open house for the middle/high school in Arbor Heights. Go here to register.
DISTRICT 1 COMMUNITY NETWORK: 7 pm online, the community coalition for West Seattle/South Park has its monthly meeting, with guests/topics including Community Land Trusts and city attorney Pete Holmes. The agenda includes participation information.
Send event info – whether it’s online or in-person – to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
6:07 AM: Good morning! Rain expected today, and breezy too.
BACK TO SCHOOLS
Third day for some Seattle Public Schools elementary students returning to in-person learning. (Here’s the districtwide map of schools.)
ROAD WORK .
Delridge project – The east end of Sylvan Way, just west of Delridge, is now closed for work. Here’s the rest of this week’s plan..
The Highway 99 tunnel is scheduled to close both ways Friday night to Saturday morning for its monthly inspection, with the NB direction staying closed until Monday morning.
TRANSIT
Metro is on its regular schedule
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
380th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: 13th week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. Here’s a 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:
To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see 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.
Tonight’s pandemic toplines:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Checking today’s daily summary from Seattle-King County Public Health – here are the cumulative totals:
*89,743 people have tested positive, 100 more than yesterday’s total
*1,475 people have died, 3 more than yesterday’s total
*5,398 people have been hospitalized, 17 more than yesterday’s total
*986,092 people have been tested, 4,909 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the totals were 87,726/1,462/5,333/969,362.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
NATIONAL/WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 132.3 million cases worldwide, 30.8 million of them in the U.S. – see other nation-by-nation stats by going here.
PANDEMIC BRIEFING: At 2 pm tomorrow online, state health officials will present their weekly briefing and media Q&A. Watch the livestream here.
CITY’S BIGGEST VAX WEEK EVER: The city says it’ll vaccinate more people this week than any other so far – 30,000 doses.
LOOKING FOR A VACCINATION APPOINTMENT? Here’s our ongoing list – updated when we get tips:
*Check for West Seattle city-run site appointments (updated) here; sign up for the city’s notification list for all four of its sites here.
*Health-care providers (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine (one reader specifically recommends Valley Medical Center), Franciscan, Swedish, Kaiser Permanente, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator) – you can also follow its tweets for instant notifications
*The state’s Vaccine Locator
*The CDC’s Vaccine Finder
*Pharmacies big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca, Costco, Bartell Drugs
*Sea Mar clinics
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
That map shows where SDOT is planning speed humps to slow drivers near Arbor Heights Elementary and Westside School (WSB sponsor). We contacted SDOT for more details after a postcard landed in Arbor Heights mailboxes and reader Andrew forwarded it as an FYI. The map (here’s a PDF version) shows 29 speed humps planned for streets that already have 20 mph school-zone signage, says SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson. He adds that this is part of the Safe Routes to School program. Construction isn’t scheduled yet, he says, but won’t happen any earlier than May; the mailer was meant to be an early warning of sorts.
ADDED WEDNESDAY: SDOT explains the color-coding as – red for speed humps, blue for speed cushions. Here’s an explanation of how they differ.
This week we’re publishing the winning entries in the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s youth-writing contest, for essays on “Women History Makers of the Duwamish Peninsula.” Tonight, the middle-school winner:
“We’re Still Here”
By Elliott NevesCecile Hansen, chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribal Council and descendant of Chief Si’ahl (also known as Chief Seattle), has made a significant impact on women and the Duwamish Tribe. Over the years she has accomplished many of her goals through hard work and determination, and the positive outcomes have pushed the Duwamish closer to recognition. As a woman in a leadership position who isn’t afraid to fight for what she wants, she is an inspiration to many.
When Cecile was a young woman, she started attending the Duwamish council meetings after hearing about them from her brother. During those meetings Cecile learned about the Treaty of Point Elliott, which was an agreement saying the tribe would get fishing rights on the Duwamish River. Unfortunately, those rights were not being recognized and Cecile had to witness the outcome as her brother got citation after citation for fishing.
One thing that Cecile fought very hard for was getting the Duwamish to be federally recognized. That means they could get benefits like health care, grants, social services, and the rights to their fishing and hunting grounds. If tribes are not recognized it is very hard (if not impossible) to get these rights and was the reason why Cecile’s brother kept getting those fishing citations. On top of the physical benefits, there is also a mental benefit that comes along with being recognized. Everyone wants to feel like they are valued and a part of things. When a whole community is denied that inclusivity it is very disheartening.
In 1975 Cecile Hansen was elected chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribal Council. She led the charge to establish the Duwamish’s first tribal headquarters. This was a big step because it is important in every community to have a place where you know you can get help, and where everyone is working towards the goal of making the group better. A few years later, Cecile took on the role of Protocol officer at the Seattle Burke Museum. This position enabled her to become a liaison to other Northwest tribes. In working towards her goal of gaining recognition, she joined a group of other unrecognized tribes and testified before the U.S Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about the Federal acknowledgment process.
Through thick and thin, Cecile Hansen has been there for the Duwamish Tribe. She has been a role model to women of all ages with her perseverance, and everyone should strive to have her dedication. In addition to all her other accomplishments, she also helped secure enough land to build the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural center. This center can help members of the tribe feel more connected to their heritage and ancestors. With a memorable motto of “We’re still here,” Cecile works very hard to make those words true for the Duwamish Tribe.
Tomorrow night, we’ll publish the high-school winner’s essay; if you missed it last night, here’s the elementary winner.
This week, the city says it’ll be administering the highest number of vaccine doses of any week since it started vaccinating people in January – 30,000. That includes 8,000 at Lumen Field tomorrow, its biggest day since opening last month. And the West Seattle hub at Southwest Athletic Complex is giving almost 6,000 shots of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week; the city’s update says that will be done “with a focus on critical workers.” So we asked mayoral spokesperson Kelsey Nyland how they are carrying out that focus. She replied, “Through our notification list, we have the ability to be as broad or as targeted as we want with registrations. For Johnson & Johnson, we wanted to focus in on critical workers for whom it would be difficult to identify – because of their work schedule – a concrete time to schedule a second appointment. So we sent West Seattle registration links first to construction, food service, manufacturing, and restaurant workers, and then we sent it to public transit/rideshare drivers, social workers, and homeless shelter staff.” Eligibility barriers fall next week, when everyone 16 and up becomes eligible in our state on Thursday, April 15th. Meantime, to get a notification from the city when it adds appointments, get on the list here or call the city’s Customer Service Bureau at 206-684-2489 Monday through Saturday, between 8 am and 5 pm. The city efforts, also including mobile teams, are just part of the local vaccination availabilities, which also involve health-care providers and pharmacies. We include links in our nightly pandemic-news roundups every night (here’s the roundup from last night).
Interested in more-affordable homeownership? You can learn about Community Land Trusts at Wednesday night’s online meeting of the District 1 Community Network, whose members/participants span West Seattle and South Park. Also on the agenda: City Attorney Pete Holmes, who is running for re-election this year, so far unopposed; we covered his appearance at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting in February. Wednesday’s meeting starts at 7 pm; here’s the full agenda, which includes information on how to participate or listen.
Starbucks, like many coffee purveyors, has not yet resumed accepting personal cups. But for customers uneasy about all the resulting waste, they’ve just launched a pilot program called Borrow A Cup – testing it at five stores, four of them in West Seattle.
(Fauntleroy/Avalon cup return – photo courtesy Starbucks)
At a participating store, you can “borrow” one of these cups for your hot or cold beverage for a one-dollar deposit, which is refunded when you return the cup in one of two ways: Scanning and dropping it in a special box at a participating store, or having door-to-door recycler Ridwell pick it up if you’re a member. Either way, baristas don’t have to handle used cups – they’re collected, cleaned, sanitized, and returned to stores by a company called GO Box. Starbucks says the cups are USA-made “from a very lightweight polypropylene plastic … the same material used in our current cold cups and both our hot and cold cup lids, and is recyclable in Seattle.” Each cup is expected to get about 30 uses The pilot program is running through the end of May; participating stores are at California/ Fauntleroy, California/Alaska, Westwood Village, and Avalon/Fauntleroy. (the fifth is at 4th/Diagonal in SODO).
P.S. The “borrowable” cups are available for 12-, 16-, and 24-ounce drinks, but 31-ounce drinks are still only available in single-use cups.
(Photo courtesy Pegasus Book Exchange)
Thanks to Sue for the tip. Pegasus Book Exchange in The Junction has a crowdfunding campaign going – not the first local independent business to try one to survive the COVID crunch, but the first that we’ve heard of citing this reason: The lifeline promised by a PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loan has been dangled for so long, they’re out of personal bridge funding:
We got the PPP2 loan, which was going to cover our payroll until we can all get vaccinated and open to in-store shoppers again! Hooray! Right?
Except…the bank has been telling us we will have the money “soon” for over a month now. :( In the meantime, two paydays have come and gone, and the only way we made it through was by me (Emma) and the owners (Fred and Lanthe) loaning Pegasus money, as well as not drawing our own pay. We just can’t do this again. :(
Our landlord has been flexible and we’ve reduced our new book inventory, but payroll is by far our largest expense. No reduction of expenses is going to even remotely touch what we need to pay our employees.
The Pegasus team explains further on the donation page. Not a Pegasus customer? You can learn a bit about the shop’s backstory in this 2019 story.
(EPA slide explaining ways in which people come into contact with pollutants)
If you have something to say to the Environmental Protection Agency about a plan to reduce the Duwamish River cleanup, today’s your last chance. (10:36 AM UPDATE: This has just been extended until April 21st.)
We reported back in February on the proposal to remove scattered areas totaling about five acres (not yet mapped) from the cleanup zone because the government increased the allowable level of a particular pollutant – benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a “carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (cPAH).” On the night of the EPA community meeting we covered, the agency agreed to extend the public-comment window, and has since extended it again, but the deadline is tonight.
The reminder came in emails from two interested parties sharing the comment letters they have just submitted. The first is from BJ Cummings, longtime area advocate, who points out “significant questions about the scientific merit of the BaP reassessment” as well as a lack of time for discussion with community members who will be most affected by a cleanup change, which would leave a higher level of the substance in shellfish. Here’s her comment letter:
She refers to comments from an unofficial community coalition called the Duwamish River Accountability Group, which also sent us their letter:
That group’s points also include the time frame as well as the fact the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, an official advisory group, only released its own fact sheet on the proposal about a week ago;
The DRCC fact sheet also notes that the scientists from the UW are concerned that “inconsistent results” among studies including those that led to the proposal to change the cleanup “means that there is still a high level of uncertainty about the cancer risk of BaP.”
As linked in our February report, the full document for review is here; an explanatory one-sheet is here. If you are interested in commenting, 11:59 pm tonight April 21 is the deadline to send email to Region10@epa.gov.
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