West Seattle, Washington
31 Thursday
After a second week of reduced restrictions, here’s where key local numbers stand, as drawn from the Public Health – Seattle/King County dashboard.
*7 percent more cases countywide in the past week than the week before
*Currently averaging 183 new daily cases countywide (up from 170 when we checked a week ago)
*19 percent fewer hospitalizations countywide in the past week than the week before
*Currently averaging 4 new hospitalizations daily (up from 3 a week ago)
*25 percent fewer deaths countywide in the past two weeks than the two weeks before (the dashboard doesn’t offer a one-week increment)
*Currently averaging 3 deaths daily (unchanged from a week ago)
For West Seattle, we have two-week comparisons (these are the combined totals from two “health reporting areas,” labeled West Seattle and Delridge):
*137 cases between 3/7 and 3/21, down from 187 between 2/20 and 3/6
*2 hospitalizations between 3/7 and 3/21, down from 3 between 2/20 and 3/6
*No deaths between 3/7 and 3/21, down from 1 between 2/20 and 3/6
And checking vaccination rates:
*80.3 percent of all King County residents have completed the series (up .1% from a week ago)
*85 percent of all King County residents ages 5 and up have completed the series (up .1% from a week ago)
*In West Seattle, here are the zip-code vaccination rates for ages 5 and up (note that 98106 and 98146 are not entirely within WS):
98106 – 87.4% (up .2% from a week earlier)
98116 – 92.1% (up .1% from a week earlier)
98126 – 83% (up .2% from a week earlier)
98136 – 93.1% (unchanged from a week earlier)
98146 – 82.1% (up .1% from a week earlier)
VACCINATION AND TESTING: Although the city’s West Seattle clinic is closed, you can still find vaccination locations via this statewide lookup. If you want to get tested and don’t have a kit at home, public testing sites include the city-supported site at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle, Mondays-Saturdays), the Curative kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor SW, Monday-Friday), and the Curative van at Summit Atlas (35th/Roxbury, Tuesday-Friday).
(Rendering from Draft EIS executive summary page 28, Avalon/Genesee)
One more month to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for West Seattle light rail – telling Sound Transit what you think about the routing and station-location alternatives. This Wednesday (March 30th), 5:30-7:30 pm online, is ST’s official public meeting for this section of the expansion, projected to open in 2032. The attendance link is on this page of ST’s online open house, which offers other ways to comment – as long as you do it by April 28th. (Our archived coverage of the project is here, newest to oldest.)
P.S. Wednesday is the only community-comment meeting ST has planned, but the West Seattle Transportation Coalition is planning a workshop-style meeting April 7th to help people with the commenting process – watch for time and attendance details (it’s being planned as a hybrid in-person/online meeting).
(Photo by Rick Rasmussen from December 2021 Southern Residents visit)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Another local organization just dove back into in-person events: The Whale Trail presented updates Thursday night at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), two years after its previous in-person gathering.
The Whale Trail’s founder/director Donna Sandstrom thanked attendees for “tiptoeing back into the world with us.” Here’s what they heard:
(WSB photo: Donna Sandstrom, center, with featured speakers Rachel Aronson and Mark Sears)
THE WHALE TRAIL UPDATES: Sandstrom began with a reintroduction to her organization, starting with her inspiration, Springer, the orphaned orca rescued after getting lost in Puget Sound 20 years ago – Sandstrom’s written a youth-geared book about it, “Orca Rescue!” Springer has given birth to two calves and is pregnant with a third. Sandstrom recapped the amazing story of how once Springer was returned to a cove in British Columbia, her family came for her. She says the story is heartening even all these years later “because sometimes we can get it right.” Then in 2005 she decided to get involved when Southern Resident Killer Whales were listed as endangered. Her founding idea for The Whale Trail was to “let people know where the whales live” – all over the region, not just in a specific confined place. The SRKWs range from Ucluelet, B.C., to Monterey, California. The Whale Trail encourages land-based whale-watching, for one – with markers placed starting in 2010, first on land, then on ferries starting in 2011. TWT has four signs in West Seattle, educating passersby about the species and their home. They have more than 130 sites, including aboard BC Ferries as well as Washington State Ferries. TWT presents programs and events, from impromptu watching when the orcas are around, to Orca Talks like this one.
(WSB photos)
Real-estate firm Metropolist has added a West Seattle office, and celebrated today with a donation presented in honor of their “office-warming.” The SODO-based firm has moved into the West Seattle Triangle space at 3518 SW Genesee. Above are Metropolist brokers Domenica Lovaglia and Chad Zinda at left and right, with Chloe Gale and Tavia Rhodes from Evergreen Treatment Services at center. Evergreen serves thousands of people dealing with opioid-use disorder, and also is known for its REACH work helping people experiencing homelessness. Metropolist’s $27,607 donation today was from a pledge to donate 25 percent of their 2021 profits to the organization. The presentation happened while they celebrated the new space with friends and family.
Metropolist’s new space was formerly home to Budget Blinds; that longtime WSB sponsor is now at 2403 Harbor Avenue SW.
(WSB file photo)
Back when we first reported that the West Seattle Water Taxi‘s summer season would launch April 21st, Metro hadn’t yet finalized the summer shuttle schedule. Now it has, and shuttle service is being restored to all runs as of tomorrow (Monday, March 28th). Metro’s announcement says that “all Water Taxi sailings will be met with shuttle service.” The online schedules for shuttle Routes 773 and 775 don’t yet reflect this, however; we’ll be asking about that tomorrow. Though the Water Taxi has stayed on a seven-days-a-week schedule throughout this bridgeless winter, the shuttle buses did not.
Two Three Four reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN WORK VAN: The report and photo are from Brenda:
Our housecleaner and her husband had their work van with all of their tools was stolen last Saturday night/Sunday morning (March 19/20th). The white Ford van, license plate C56039L, was parked near 27th and Roxbury and had an alarm system.
The family had a difficult time during the early days of COVID and built an outdoor window washing, power washing, and landscaping business to earn income during the time when service people couldn’t enter homes. Sadly, this work van had all of the tools inside to do their work — construction tools, ladders, power washer, lawnmower, weed whacker, etc.
Spring is their busiest time of year and now they don’t have the tools to run their business and make this income for their family. Please keep your eyes out for the van and ladders with the name “Obed” clearly marked on them. If you have any information on this incident or see these items, the police report number is 22-069329.
CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: From Christina: “Last night at 130 am, we were woken up by the sound of someone stealing our catalytic converter. We saw a black sedan drive off. We called the police and they said they would drive the neighborhood looking. We live in the Admiral District near West Seattle High School.”
(added 1:05 pm) AND ANOTHER: Just received email from Liz, who says, “I saw the post this morning about a catalytic converter theft near West Seattle High School and mine was stolen last night as well just a few blocks north of WSHS. I parked my car around 8 pm and came back to it at 11:30 this morning and it was gone. I assume the people stealing converters must have hit a few cars as well last night – I wonder if more were stolen.”
.. .
ADDED 7:48 PM: The comment discussion below includes other recent victims of catalytic-converter theft. Meantime, we asked Christina and Liz about the types of cars hit last night. Both were early-2000s Hondas (CR-V and Civic).
ADDED 9:11 PM: One more reader report, emailed anonymously: “Our 2003 Honda CR-V was hit at 2:15 am (Mar 27). Heard extremely loud grinding noise and noticed a vehicle stopped in the street alongside the car. It was a large black SUV that took off after we yelled out. Neighbor’s camera caught the activity – took 1 min, 20 sec. Unable to see suspect (s) or license plate. We are east several blocks from WSHS. Online police report filed.”
(Cast of “This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing” – photo by John McLellan)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“One of the most beautiful things about this story is, it’s universal, in so many different ways.”
That’s just one reason Johamy Morales, the West Seattleite directing the current play at ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, recommends you go see it.
“This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing” by Finegan Kruckemeyer isn’t just something to be seen, but also experienced, Morales explains, saying the production is interactive, breaking the “fourth wall.” “This Girl” tells the tale of three sisters, “left in the forest by their woodcutter father,” who take three different paths in life, as the title suggests, and meet again 20 years later.
It’s an all-ages play, Morales says, and “everyone in the audience can see a piece of themselves in a moment or two throughout the show … especially right now resonating … about so much need for creativity and imagination as we grapple with difficult things in our personal lives.”
(Photo by Jerry Simmons)
Here’s what’s happening today, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
ROAD-WORK ALERT: From SDOT, installation of a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon for pedestrian saety is scheduled to continue today, 7 am-4 pm, at 16th Ave SW and SW Myrtle.
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE JAMBOREES: Baseball at Bar-S (6425 SW Admiral Way) 9 am-7 pm, softball at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) 2 pm-6 pm – more info in our calendar listing.
CHURCHES: Many West Seattle churches are continuing online services, with most resuming in-person too – here’s our weekly update on 20+ churches.
WEST MARGINAL CLEANUP: 10 am-noon, if you can spare some time, go join Erik and friends to finish what they started last weekend – meeting place and other details are in our preview.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, find fresh food – produce, meat, fish, cheese, beverages, baked goods, and prepared food – at the weekly WSFM (WSB sponsor). (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
BENEFIT BOOK FAIR: Last day at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW), mention Louisa Boren STEM K-8 when you make a purchase and they’ll get part of the proceeds.
BOOK AND MOVIES CLUB: Works by Willa Cather will be discussed by the West Seattle Classic Novels (and Movies) book club, meeting at 3 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) – details in our calendar listing.
ARTSWEST MATINEE: ArtsWest‘s new play “This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing” continues this afternoon, 3:00 pm, in the theater at 4711 California SW. Tickets available here.
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: 3 pm to 5 pm, Silver Lining Duo plays folk music at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). No cover.
NEED FOOD? White Center Community Dinner Church serves a free meal (take-away available) at 5 pm Sundays at the Salvation Army Center in South Delridge (9050 16th SW).
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE: New time, 9 pm to 1:30 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
Have an event to list on our calendar? We’re adding more daily – email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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