West Seattle, Washington
30 Wednesday
(WSB photo, late Tuesday afternoon, Beach Drive alongside Constellation Park)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Members of the Alki Point for All group tried last night to focus on what they propose, in addition to what they oppose.
The latter – the permanent features planned for the Beach Drive stretch of the city-designated Alki Point Healthy Street, particularly the foot/wheels path that will replace some parking spaces.
The former – traffic-calming alternatives such as street art.
Though SDOT has said repeatedly that construction is imminent, they are hopeful they can find a way to stop it. “I know we can do this,” said organizer Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail toward the end of the hastily called meeting at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor), attended by 20+ people.
Another coalition member, longtime West Seattle architect and community advocate Vlad Oustimovitch, said, “I am absolutely certain there is a a way almost everyone can be accommodated in a plan and feel good about it – this (SDOT plan) is (not it) – there is a way to step back and look at it.” He offered examples of street redesign including large-scale pavement art.
Sandstrom added, “We’d like to see the STREET CLOSED sign replaced with WELCOME TO (the park) … GO SLOW … we think there is a version of the Healthy Street that meets the greater (good).”
Other coalition members introduced by Sandstrom included longtime volunteer responders from Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. They explained that they are the ones whose work is potentially most impacted by the removal of shore-side parking, as they haul equipment such as sandwich boards and tape to beaches where harbor seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals strand.
Sandstrom stressed that they are not just concerned about their own access; she said SDOT offered them their “own private loading zone.” They are worried about all the other people who they say flock to the area for activities such as storm watching and tidepooling as well as whale watching and “seal-sitting.” Retirement homes bring vans full of people to park and enjoy the view, she said. “It’s important to a lot of people for many reasons, for generations.”
For the purposes of her organization – which has interpretive signage at 130 sites along the west coast of North America, where whales – especially Puget Sound’s endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales – might be seen. She estimates having helped thousands of people watch and learn about them from Constellation Park.
Victoria Nelson from Seal Sitters explained that the volunteer-powered organization has a “binding agreement” with the federal agency NOAA to tend to marine mammals that show up on the beach, alive or dead. “We are not just looking at seals – they are an indicator species on the Sound – if they’re ill they could be a danger to the community.” They partner with the organization SR3 to rescue and treat ailing animals.
(File photo of Constellation Park tidepooling, courtesy Alki Point for All)
Then there are the Seattle Aquarium‘s volunteer beach naturalist events at Constellation Park during low-low tides (the Aquarium is not part of its effort but local resident Buzz Shaw, who said he helped launch the program and was long involved with it, is). Those draw hundreds, Sandstrom said: “People are making connections to the Sound that can inspire conservation.”
She then recapped the four-year history of the Alki Point Healthy Street (Beach Drive and Alki Avenue, west of 63rd to where they meet at the point). Though the city touted surveys showing support for banning through traffic on the stretch, Sandstrom and other coalition members contend, the city never asked whether the plan – originally a Keep Moving Street early in the pandemic, now a Healthy Street – should be implemented, only how it should be implemented. Late last year “we were all surprised when they revealed a final design calling for the removal of 62 parking spaces,” she said, explaining that she didn’t feel she could sit back and watch it happen, because the changes already have depressed turnout when whales are present. People see the STREET CLOSED signage and turn around – “how is the impact being measured?”
Nelson said she originally was assured “no legal parking would be removed.” (This was reiterated on the city website, as shown in our February report.) Without the water-side parking on that stretch, she said, volunteers can’t “retreat to our car within line of sight” of the animals they’re watching. And people seeking to pull over and enjoy the view for a moment won’t be able to.
The coalition believes the decision wasn’t made with public comment aside from that early survey, and they’re skeptical about its participation – “58 percent residents, not a representative sample of who uses Alki Point.”
And yet, Oustimovitch said access to Constellation Park is important for people around the region. “It’s an entry drug to environmentalism.” That’s when he showed the example of a street in Asheville, North Carolina, with “illustrated pavement,” saying that immediately signifies it’s “public domain” – and yet the parking remains (added: here’s a safety study of similar projects) . “We have a whole arts community … that I’m sure would be really happy to be involved.” Maybe, he suggested, paint an “oversized octopus” onto the street. But instead, in his view – which includes 45 years of urban design work – “SDOT is erring on the side of brutal engineering options.”
They did get an audience with the city two weeks ago, Sandstrom said, but even after their presentation, like the one they gave last night, the department said it’s “going to proceed with construction as planned … and see what problems arise” (if any). Sandstrom said SDOT liked the “Welcome” sign ideas – “they’re going to put them right next to the ‘Street Closed’ signs.” The mayor’s office also told them they intended to let SDOT go ahead, she said, and evaluate it after a year. Nonetheless, she said, the coalition wants to figure out how to “halt construction, open the discussion, arrive at solutions that meet the needs of the wider community.” But time’s running out, she acknowledged, if they can’t generate “a lot of noise and heat” to convince the city to hit the brakes.
The subsequent Q/A and discussion was wide-ranging. Not everyone present was a supporter; one attendee said the coalition should be concerned about 15 storm drains that carry automotive fluid and debris into the Sound, unfiltered. She and Nelson engaged in a back and forth, with Nelson ultimately suggesting they could and should work together on a “surgical” solution to the road’s problems, not the planned blanket restrictions. (Sandstrom at one point addressed those who’ve said to her “how dare I be a conservationist and promote the use of cars … if there was another way to get (to Alki Point) but we’re not there yet … better thing is to give more people the chance to see (the whales) in their home.”)
Another person said he lives in the Alki Point area and was opposed to the Healthy Street restrictions until he saw how well they were working to calm the area, which had historically been a magnet for driver gatherings, partying, littering, and racing (as we reported in 2020, local police acknowledged the street restrictions were a way to solve that recurring problem). So he spoke repeatedly in favor of proceeding with the city’s plan, including declaring, “We’re talking about the convenience of parking for humans vs, the environment.”
Some suggested alternatives – what about closing the street at night and leaving it open all day? What about making it a one-way street? Sandstrom said they would love the chance to work with local residents on solutions “if we could just convince (the city) to go back to the table.” Another supporter warned that once the parking’s gone, “it’s never coming back – it’s gone forever . the only way to stop this thing, is to stop this thing.”
But how?
There may be legal criteria that would be an argument against restrictions, it was suggested – denying access to the shoreline? Thwarting specific educational uses of the waterfront? Legal action is possible, agreed Sandstrom, “some members of our group might be in favor” – but, she stressed, they strongly prefer to make progress through “persuasion.” But respectful persuasion, no demonstrations, sit-ins, picketing, etc. – “real discussions between real people is what I want to foster.”
Another attendee suggested that the city is “picking the wrong place, the wrong Healthy Street to advance … pitting people who care about good things (against each other).” And one who said she’d been in West Seattle a year after previously living in Fall City and bringing schoolchildren here at low tide noted that she knows people who have been scared away from the park by the “street closed” signage.
After two hours, the meeting ended with Sandstrom reminding attendees about their online petition and other potential action steps, inviting anyone interested in working with them to let them know.
By Sean Golonka
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Residents from across West Seattle and South Park expressed concerns about community safety and a desire to see more alternatives to policing at a city-convened public forum tonight, but most people in attendance described feeling at least somewhat safe in their neighborhood.
Among the few dozen attendees — who reported hailing from all over the area, South Park to Alki — 32 people responded to a poll at the event asking how safe they feel in their neighborhood, with 12% selecting “very safe,” 51% “somewhat safe,” 15% “somewhat unsafe,” and 6% “very unsafe.”
The forum held at Concord International Elementary in South Park was one of four community-safety forums held by the mayor’s office, with a fifth and final forum scheduled in Queen Anne later this week.
The Tuesday forum offered local residents a chance to speak with staff from about a dozen city agencies, including Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Seattle Department of Transportation, and was designed for local government officials to collect feedback meant to shape the One Seattle Safety Framework.
The framework, which has not yet been released, will guide the city’s strategic approach to public safety, and includes six key goals:
If you want to hear what the city is doing about crime and/or other public-safety issues – and share your thoughts about what you’d like to see done – here’s another reminder: Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 14) brings Mayor Harrell‘s regional public-safety forum. It’s happening at 6 pm at Concord International Elementary School, 723 S. Concord in South Park (here’s a map). This is the third in a series of five, one in each of the city’s SPD-precinct areas (the Southwest Precinct serves both West Seattle and South Park). Here’s how the format’s been described in media advisories:
The public forum is part of a series of forums held in neighborhoods with community members across Seattle over the next month to share more about Mayor Harrell’s public safety framework and to receive input and feedback on safety priorities, allowing neighbors to engage in direct conversation with City leaders and representatives on public safety ideas and solutions.
Mayor Harrell and City leaders will make opening remarks, followed by interactive input sessions for participants. Community members will rotate in small groups to engage directly with City leaders and provide input informing action and policy priorities.
According to an SPD event announcement, these are the city departments expected to be represented:
Seattle Police Department
Seattle Fire Department
CARE (Community Assisted Response & Engagement Team)
Seattle Police Department Alternative Response Team
PARKS – Park Rangers
Seattle Police Department Youth Liaison
Department of Education and Early Learning
Seattle Department of Transportation
King County Metro
Department of Neighborhood
Office of Economic Development
(corrected) Human Services Department
Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
They’re asking for attendees to RSVP – you can do that here.
At the top of the list of mayor’s-office cabinet/staff changes announced today is a new role for a West Seattle resident: Natalie Walton-Anderson is the new director of public-safety for Mayor Bruce Harrell. Until recently, Walton-Anderson led the criminal division in City Attorney Ann Davison‘s office, appointed by Davison in 2021. Today’s announcement also notes her background includes management roles in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. You can likely expect to see her at next Tuesday’s mayoral public-safety forum for District 1, 6 pm at Concord International Elementary in South Park (RSVP required – the link is in our calendar listing).
A few people have mentioned a new pothole in the ramp from the eastbound West Seattle Bridge to northbound Highway 99 – same ramp closed for a week by a through-and-through hole one year ago. We don’t have an image, but last night, we heard police dispatched to check it out, after a 911 call that it was “big as a tire” and showing rebar. The officer subsequently told dispatch that rebar was visible but it wasn’t a through-and-through hole. As we learned during last year’s situation, the ramp is a WSDOT (state) structure, so we asked spokesperson James Poling about it today. He says city and state crews have collaborated to address it:
SDOT was able to get our maintenance crews a picture overnight of this location. It was a small pothole at a location we have been monitoring. Unlike the significant closure in 2023, which was a hole through the bridge, this was a pothole above the rebar with a much smaller footprint (a few inches).
SDOT crews patched it overnight, and our crews briefly closed the bridge this morning (15 minutes) to further inspect the location, including the newly patched section of the bridge.
The ramp was built in 1959 (same year as completion of the now-demolished Alaskan Way Viaduct to which it connected).
If you’ve traveled the SW Morgan hill east of Fauntleroy in the past few days, you might have noticed that plywood. Sabrina and Jenny sent the photos with word of what happened:
An unknown driver in an SUV crashed into (our) residence, 1:30 a.m. Thursday, SW corner of SW Morgan Street and 39th Avenue SW. It was late in the evening and the hill was wet with rain.
Police response was immediate. A patrol car was driving westbound on SW Morgan Street just after it happened and we did not have time to call 911. The driver fled but was apprehended, bleeding with a head wound, tended by fire fighters and taken away in a patrol car. Had our home not been reinforced with an above-ground concrete foundation on that corner, we would have awoken to the vehicle inside our building, built in 1915.
We sustained no interior damage but have been advised by the worker who temporarily weather-proofed the corner that our home has been structurally damaged. The corner beam is splintered and askew. We are awaiting assessment from our insurance company. We thank the officers and fire fighters on the scene and ask all drivers to consider their speed while driving. The accidents of late seem to be unreasonably violent for neighborhood streets with a 25 mph speed limit.
Sabrina and Jenny sent the photos and report over the weekend; we followed up with police today, and here’s the summary they provided: “When police arrived, there was no one in the car, but the driver returned to the scene. Investigators developed probable cause to arrest a 43-year-old man for DUI. He appeared to be hurt. Seattle fire crews responded to the scene to treat him and he was then taken to the hospital for further treatment. The man was the registered owner of the vehicle. It was towed from the scene.”
Those two River Otters photographed recently by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor were seen by Anchor/Luna Park on Duwamish Head, not far from water. But otters’ dens are often far enough inland that they have to cross streets to get to them, so this is a reminder for drivers to beware: We received a report of a dead otter by the roadside near the north end of Delridge Way over the weekend. Whether or not it was hit by a driver, we don’t know, but certainly that area near the entrance to the bridge is busy and treacherous. And that area is not as far from the water as you might think, with Terminal 5 and other docks just downhill under the bridge. Otters are often seen crossing Alki Avenue, and several years back, two little ones made it all the way up Fairmount Ravine. So along with everything else to be mindful of if and when you drive – including people on foot and on wheels and in other vehicles – keep an eye out for low-to-the-ground creatures crossing. (Learn more about River Otters via this fact sheet.)
Here’s a reminder about three events this weekend that can help with your spring cleaning in a variety of ways:
FREE RECYCLING SATURDAY: That’s the list from Fauntleroy Church for its twice-yearly Recycle Roundup, happening 9 am-3 pm Saturday (April 27) in the church lot. (You can also see it here in PDF.) Just drive up or ride/walk up and Recycle Roundup partner DTG Recycle/1 Green Planet will take your item(s). The lot is at 9140 California SW.
DRUG TAKE-BACK WITH SHREDDING SATURDAY: Also on Saturday, the twice-yearly Drug Take-Back Day dropoff event is happening outside the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), 10 am-2 pm, and this year SPD is offering free shredding, too (up to three boxes) – bring nonperishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank.
FREE SHREDDING AND FOOD DRIVE SUNDAY: On Sunday (April 28), 9 am-noon, you can shred with John L. Scott Real Estate Westwood (WSB sponsor), which will be accepting food/money donations for the White Center Food Bank. Look for the canopy and truck in the northwest lot at Westwood Village (west of the former Bed Bath and Beyond, north of the future Daiso).
(WSB photo, Tuesday)
As we’ve been noting in our weekday-morning traffic notes, the project to reinforce the Delridge Pedestrian Bridge is officially under way. SDOT says it’s expected to last about a year, during which time the Delridge/Oregon intersection will be narrowed. Here’s the official fact sheet for the project, and today we also have more information about the phases of work:
To complete the work as safely and efficiently as possible, the bridge will be closed to people walking, biking, and rolling during construction. In addition, we will be closing sidewalks and car lanes under the bridge on Delridge Way SW in three phases to divert people walking, rolling, biking, and driving away from where work is occurring. At least one lane of travel in each direction and a sidewalk on one side of the street will be maintained throughout each phase.
We understand these closures will impact everyone who uses the bridge and Delridge Way SW regularly and we will do what we can to minimize impacts. The three phases will include the following closures:
Phase One
Our first phase of sidewalk and lane closures is currently in progress. Delridge Way SW will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with car traffic shifted to the east. Between SW Genesee St and SW Oregon St, the sidewalk on the west side of Delridge Way SW will also be closed while crews work on the west side of the bridge. We will share a map showing the sidewalk and lane closure soon.Phase Two
During the second phase of sidewalks and lane closures, Delridge Way SW will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with car traffic shifted to the west. Between SW Genesee St and SW Oregon St, the sidewalk on the east side of Delridge Way SW will also be closed while crews work on the east side of the bridge. We will share a map showing the sidewalk and lane closure in phase two as we approach the end of phase one.Phase Three
Our final phase of sidewalk and lane closures will reduce Delridge Way SW to one lane in both directions. The innermost lanes will be closed and traffic will be shifted to the outermost lanes while crews work underneath the middle of the bridge. The sidewalks on both sides of Delridge Way SW will remain open to people walking and rolling during this phase. We will share a map showing the lane closures in phase three as we approach the end of phase two.
Though the project page doesn’t cite a number, the city previously has listed the project budget as $5 million; the successful “base bid” by Ferndale-headquartered contractor IMCO Construction is shown online as $2.3 million. At one point the city contemplated demolishing the bridge rather than upgrading it, but community feedback led to the city scrapping that idea.
SIDE NOTE: An earthquake-safety project is ahead for the Admiral Way bridges over Fairmount Ravine, too. The city is in the process of finalizing the contract for the north bridge, so we should have a timeline soon.
That’s Seattle Channel video of the public-safety forum led by Mayor Harrell and chiefs/department heads last month, at which time it was promised that regional forums around the city would follow, one for each police-precinct area. Today, the dates and locations of those forums have just been announced; the one for our area will be Tuesday, May 14, in South Park. Here’s the city announcement:
Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced five additional community safety forums that will give the public opportunity to help shape the soon-to-be-released One Seattle Safety Framework.
Building on lessons learned from the citywide public safety forum held in March, the five community forums will be held in neighborhoods across the city, starting at Garfield High School on April 30, 2024. Each forum will give the public opportunity to share their ideas for how to make Seattle safer and interact with officials from the city’s public safety departments.
“Public safety is our highest priority – the One Seattle Safety Framework defines the outcomes we aim to achieve and the vision to help get us there, based on what we know works and have put into effect, new approaches, and our shared values,” said Mayor Harrell. “Ensuring the framework is informed by meaningful community input is critical for its success – and these public forums will help add and enhance specific actions most impactful to neighbors and communities. I am grateful for the hard work our emergency responders do every day, and I look forward to working with them, the City Council, the City Attorney’s Office, and our neighbors to continue building a safer Seattle.”
Mayor Harrell’s vision for the One Seattle Safety Framework is to create a city where everyone, in every neighborhood, is safe and feels secure. The framework includes six key strategies, which the public is invited to comment on at the upcoming community safety forums.
-Reduce gun violence and other violent crime with evidence-based solutions and enforcement strategies.
-Respond to 9-1-1 calls efficiently and effectively by hiring more officers and diversifying response options.
-Address the root causes and impacts of violence by investing in community-based solutions and upstream interventions.
-Prioritize a public health and trauma-informed approach to reduce overdoses, reduce violence, and better support victims and survivors.
-Coordinate community safety efforts to avoid duplication and inefficiencies by breaking down silos between departments.
-Build and maintain community trust through strong accountability systems and community engagement on law enforcement priorities.Based on feedback received at the upcoming forums, the City will continue to refine a comprehensive One Seattle Safety Framework with detailed approaches for the above strategies. The City is also releasing a new promotional video showcasing the coordinated approach of the CARE, Fire, and Police departments under this framework, watch here.
The community forums “will feature staff from the Seattle Mayor’s Office, Police Department, Fire Department, CARE Department, Department of Transportation, and youth liaisons,” and will “include specific local information,” the city says. For our area, it’s 6-7:30 pm Tuesday, May 14, at Concord International Elementary School in South Park (723 S. Concord); RSVP here.
(Texted photo)
Thanks for the tips and photos. Close call in The Junction about an hour ago – what was dispatched as a two-car collision left one of the vehicles up on the sidewalk and against the exterior of Season’s salon on the ground floor of Mural, across 42nd from Jefferson Square.
(Photo sent by Mike)
The other car was a Camry. No serious injuries reported, nor was anyone reported hit on the sidewalk, but we’re following up with SFD to verify.
(March 2020 photo)
Four years after the “temporary” signal went up at Highland Park Way/Holden, shortly after the West Seattle Bridge closure dramatically increased traffic there, the signal’s permanent replacement is almost complete. “Final steps” of the project start tomorrow, according to this advisory sent by SDOT:
We are on the final stretch of construction for the permanent traffic signal at the intersection of Highland Park Way SW and SW Holden St. Over the next few weeks, we will attach the traffic signal heads to the metal mast arms so they are no longer hanging from a wire.
After that, we will hang traffic cameras to monitor and adjust the signal in real-time and install traffic loops in the pavement on all four sides of the intersection so the signal can recognize when a person driving is waiting at the light. We will also activate the crosswalk button on the sidewalk, so people can request a signal change when they need to walk across the street.
All of these steps will improve traffic signal timing for people who are driving, while providing signalized crossings for people who are walking.
When
This work is scheduled from April 22 – May 10, though that could shift based on weather and crew availability. Our work hours are from 7 AM – 4 PM.
What to Expect
Alternating traffic lanes will be closed during some of this work, but there will always be one lane open for cars to get through. There will also be temporary sidewalk closures and detour routes for people walking. This is not particularly noisy work, but if you live or work in the area, you may hear construction equipment running and some beeping when crews back up equipment.
The signal is the centerpiece of a wider safety project at the intersection following years of community advocacy for improvements.
Tomorrow is the night for the long-planned community-safety forum at Chief Sealth International High School, organized by the CSIHS PTSA and newly formed Campus Safety Team after the January shooting death of Chief Sealth student Mobarak Adam at nearby Southwest Pool/Teen Center. The meeting will be held in the school auditorium 6:30-8 pm and will include not only principal Ray Morales and other school administrators, but also officials from the school district and city – Seattle Police, Seattle Parks, Seattle City Council, Seattle Housing Authority, all of which have been asked to provide an update on how their work enhances student safety. Interpretation will be available in Oromo, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. All are welcome.
Your neighbor Jon thought other parents of small children should know about this since, he says, “Finding someplace to recycle old child car seats is a struggle!”: Westwood Village Target is participating in the chain’s car-seat trade-in promotion for the next two weeks. You have to be a member of their loyalty program to get the reward, described as “Guests who trade in their old car seats will receive a 20% off bonus toward a new car seat, car seat base, travel system, stroller or select baby home gear.” This is happening through April 27; the dropoff box is near Guest Services in the front of the store.
P.S. If you just want to donate no-longer-needed car seat(s), White Center-based WestSide Baby accepts them – if they meet the parameters listed here.
(WSB photos)
11:18 AM: As reported here earlier this week, today is the first day of a clearance operation at the encampment that’s been growing on 1st Avenue South, just north of the Highway 509 Cloverdale overpass [map].
The road is narrow and traffic is backed up on southbound 1st in the area. The site includes both state and city land, so multiple agencies are involved. The first thing they’re doing is removing and towing vehicles.
Agencies on site include SDOT, SPD, SPU, and WSDOT, and they expect to be there “all day.”
Though the city and state say they’ve been planning this for months, clearance plans acquired extra urgency after a man was arrested at the encampment on Tuesday after allegedly shooting at his girlfriend.
4:18 PM: We asked state and city spokespeople for details on today’s operation. “Ten individuals were offered housing from the Cloverdale site, and all 10 accepted,” said WSDOT’s James Poling. He says the vehicles removed were on the city part of the site, so city spokesperson Lori Baxter addressed that: “A total of 13 vehicles were towed today from City property as part of this site resolution, nine of which were abandoned and partially stripped. One box truck, one RV, and one motorcycle were also included in the towed vehicles.” She added, “Outreach coordinators from the Unified Care Team were also onsite to offer same-day shelter referrals for anyone at the site that had not already received an offer of housing. One additional shelter referral was made.”
8:14 PM: We drove through the area late today – above, the view of the cleared site from the road; below, a section of fencing placed along the road just to the south:
(WSB photo)
Thanks to this WSB commenter for mentioning that those “no parking” signs had been placed near the 1st/Cloverdale encampment, one day after a gunfire report led to this arrest and weapon seizure. We’ve reported before on the encampment, which is on both state and city land; representatives of both governments said at last month’s meeting of HPAC, the nearest community coalition, that a resolution was in the works. After hearing about the “no parking” signs today, we checked with WSDOT spokesperson James Poling, who replied, “Our collaborative monthslong work with our partners at this site has led to the final steps of a site resolution taking place at this location, with the city’s no parking signs part of that process.” The signs are marked with the dates March 29 (Friday) through April 2 (Tuesday). HPAC also says they’ve been told the site will be cleared within a week.
Thanks for the tip. Public Health – Seattle & King County is reporting a recent E. coli outbreak linked to PCC West Seattle (WSB sponsor). Here’s what the notice posted on the PHSKC website says:
Public Health is investigating an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 (also known as STEC). Three of the five people who got sick had testing that matched by genetic fingerprinting. This means they most likely got sick from the same source.
Based on information collected, we found one common source for all sick people, which was a store-made guacamole purchased at PCC Community Markets – West Seattle Co-op on February 10, 2024. Even though we think this is the most likely source of illness, we do not know for certain. We did not find out how the guacamole might have been contaminated with STEC and did not have any left to test.
This outbreak appears to be over.
The Public Health report says the five people got sick between February 14 and February 28 and all had gastrointestinal symptoms. None were employees. The agency adds these details:
Four people who became sick had testing that was positive for STEC O157:H7. Three people also had further testing showing they matched by whole genome sequencing or WGS (like genetic fingerprinting) at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory. One person who became sick did not have any testing done.
Public Health also subsequently visited the store last Friday (March 15) to review rules and prevention strategies. We contacted PCC and they pointed us to this announcement on their website’s “recalls” page. It reiterates the PHSKC information about the outbreak and adds:
PCC has fully cooperated with Public Health. West Seattle PCC temporarily ceased all production of guacamole, conducted a deep cleaning of food production areas, and reinforced safe food handling procedures with our staff.
We are so sorry to those impacted by this unfortunate incident. At PCC, we believe in providing open information and responding swiftly if a food safety concern arises. We hold ourselves to a higher standard and know we are trusted in our region for our high quality standards.
As a leader in fostering and promoting healthy, resilient and sustainable food systems, the co-op makes these commitments to our staff, members and customers:
Prioritize and educate: Food safety is top of mind for all of us at PCC — from our staff, food handlers and certified food safety managers at each neighborhood PCC store, to the leaders of our supplier approval process, right up to the co-op’s leadership team.
Teamwork:Every role at the co-op is important to strengthening PCC’s food safety culture. We work collaboratively across all departments, so team members understand how they impact food safety and quality, as well as how they can reduce food safety risks.
Excellence: PCC works with local, state and federal health agencies to ensure that we meet and exceed safety compliance standards.
Continuous improvement: We regularly review our food safety program, procedures, processes, tools, and technology to ensure support and resources to effectively and efficiently manage food safety risks.
Listen deeply: Finally, we will continue to listen deeply to our staff, co-op members and customers when a concern about food safety arises.
You may learn more about recall protocols here. All shoppers can sign up to receive recall notifications here.
We asked a PCC spokesperson if they’re certain no one has this still in their fridge: “As indicated by Public Health, the one common source for all sick people was store-made guacamole purchased on February 10. Given the short shelf life, it is unlikely that any shoppers have this guacamole (still).” But if anyone hearing about this thinks they might have gotten sick too, they should contact Public Health.
(WSB photo, January 23)
A month and a half after the deadly shooting of a 15-year-old at Southwest Teen Life Center, the Seattle Parks-operated facility has working security cameras again, as announced by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka today in his weekly newsletter:
I am very happy to report that the security cameras are now installed and working at West Seattle’s Teen Life Center, the location of the tragic shooting of Chief Sealth International High School student Mobarak Adam in January – Seattle’s first homicide of 2024.
I want to thank Mayor Harrell and our Parks Department for their partnership in helping us deliver this new camera system at the center. We continue to monitor progress on the investigation into this tragic event. As more information becomes available from the SPD, we will share out. Mobarak’s family deserves answers. I will continue to partner closely with the Mayor and SPD to ensure that the City provides Mobarak’s family with the clarity about what happened at the facility that they so desperately need.
As for who monitors the cameras and how, that’s a followup question we’ll be asking. Meantime, three weeks after Parks Deputy Superintendent Christopher Williams said his department would be part of a community meeting regarding safety at school and Parks facilities in the area, a date is set: The Chief Sealth IHS PTSA tells WSB that the meeting, with city, district, public safety, and other reps expected to participate, will be at the school at 6 pm April 16th.
The question is often asked: What are city leaders actually doing to improve public safety? Mayor Bruce Harrell has announced a series of community forums to try to answer that question. The first is tomorrow night (Thursday, March 14), 6-7:30 pm. In-person attendance at the downtown library is already maxed out but it’ll be streamed live via Seattle Channel (with a recording available afterward). The mayor will talk with moderator Enrique Cerna, and a panel discussion featuring other leaders including the city’s three public-safety chiefs – CARE Chief Amy Smith, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, Police Chief Adrian Diaz – will follow. Next month, forums are promised in all five SPD precinct areas, so that means there’ll be one in West Seattle/South Park, though specific dates and locations haven’t yet been announced. The forums are described as “open discussion(s) about community safety challenges, accomplishments, and opportunities.”
As announced at last month’s Alki Community Council meeting, the ACC is teaming up with SPD for a free personal-safety training session, this Wednesday (March 13), 3:30 pm at West Seattle Library (2306 42nd SW). ACC president Charlotte Starck tells WSB tonight that they still have room for more people – you can register here right now! The training is summarized as: “Officers will teach you how to be safer in a variety of situations with a specific focus on shopping areas and neighborhoods from Alki to North Admiral and the West Seattle Junction. This is not a self-defense tactical class, but an engaging lecture and run-through of various scenarios, with Q & A following.” It’s for anyone age 14 and up.
The long-awaited East Marginal Way corridor project – including safety improvements for the bicycle riders who use the corridor to get between West Seattle and downtown – is finally about to start, more than two years after the city announced the project was fully funded. The first work will be on the north segment (map above). Here’s the announcement from SDOT:
We are excited to announce that construction on the North Segment of the East Marginal Way Corridor Improvements project will start as early as March 11!
We’re making improvements between S Atlantic St and S Spokane St that will benefit freight operations, reduce conflicts between people biking and trucks accessing the Port of Seattle, and increase safety and efficiency throughout the corridor. For more information about what to expect during construction, please visit the East Marginal Way Corridor Improvement Project website.
East Marginal Way S Closures and Detours
To complete our work as quickly and safely as possible, we are closing East Marginal Way S to general purpose traffic. Detour is not yet active and we will notify the community prior to the detour taking effect. When the detour is active, we will:
-Convert East Marginal Way S to one-way northbound and access will be limited to freight vehicles and Port of Seattle traffic only. See the above route map for freight and Port-bound traffic.
-Detour all non-Port of Seattle vehicle traffic to nearby streets
-Maintain access for people walking, biking, and rolling along East Marginal Way S using different routes to avoid active construction areas. Detour routes may change to accommodate project work.
-Detour routes for non-Port of Seattle vehicle traffic and for people walking, biking, and rolling may be in place before construction activities start in areas between S Atlantic St and S Spokane St.
You can send questions to EastMarginal@seattle.gov or call 206-257-2263.
(WSB photos)
The memorial outside Southwest Teen Life Center/Pool lingers, one month after the January 23 shooting death of 15-year-old Mobarak Adam inside the center. Steps away from the memorial, a crew worked on the outside of the building today:
We believe, but have not yet confirmed, they were working on the new camera system promised for the center. Last night, Seattle Parks’ chief deputy superintendent Christopher Williams told the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners that the new cameras would be in place within “a couple of weeks.” City records show an electrical permit was granted this week for installation of what the application described as “a CCTV system with 16 camera locations.” (The city website shows a similar permit was granted to a different contractor last June; we’ll be following up on why the cameras apparently weren’t installed then.)
Meantime, no new information from police; we had filed a public-records request four weeks ago for the initial report on the incident, and received a notice today that the request has been denied, with the explanation that “the records requested are associated with a case that is under active investigation and non-disclosure is essential to effective law enforcement.” (The reply invited us to try again in about six weeks.) But during Williams’ briefing at the Parks Board meeting last night, he said the city and Seattle Public Schools planned to participate in an upcoming meeting organized by the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA focusing on safety at the adjoining Chief Sealth and Denny International Middle School campuses as well as the center, pool, and stadium facilities across the street. He mentioned a tentative date in mid-March; we have checked with the Sealth PTSA and they say a date isn’t finalized yet.
“Practical solutions for keeping our teens safe in a changing world” is the focus of the newest film in the “Screenagers” series, and local families are invited to a free screening next Thursday at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW). In case you haven’t already seen it in our Event Calendar, here’s the announcement:
The fentanyl crisis is escalating. Kids are vaping in classrooms and school bathrooms. Dealers direct message teens on social media. And substance use among youth in West Seattle is a big issue. The Healthy Youth Survey in 2021 showed that one quarter of 12th graders at West Seattle High School used cannabis in the previous 30 days–almost 10 percentage points higher than the state average.
Parents and caregivers are looking for ways to protect their kids from substance use. But they’re up against some powerful industries that have literally copied the playbook of tobacco companies from decades ago and supercharged that strategy for our digital age. With the constant, 24-hour deluge of content pushing the normalcy of drugs, alcohol, and vaping on social media, TV, movies, ads, influencers, etc., the substance use culture has never been more appealing and accessible to teens than it is today.
Youth substance use prevention groups in West Seattle and White Center welcome parents, caregivers, and youth to watch the new documentary Screenagers Under The Influence: Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age. The screening is free and will take place at the West Seattle High School auditorium on February 29, 6:30 – 8:00 PM. Register at tinyurl.com/ScreenagersWSHS.
Screenagers Under The Influence is the third feature documentary in the Screenagers trilogy from award-winning Seattle-based filmmaker Delaney Ruston, MD. Trained at Stanford Medical School, Delaney has split her time over the past two decades creating documentaries and providing primary care. She has spent the past 11 years intensely researching the impact of screen time on youth and solutions for screen time balance.
She grounds her latest film in teens’ current reality of being flooded by images on social media, movies, and TV shows about vaping, drugs, and alcohol. Like the first two Screenagers films, Screenagers Under The Influence interweaves cutting-edge science with personal stories to create an informative and entertaining film experience for young people and adults alike. The documentary focuses on practical solutions for keeping our teens safe in a changing world.
The February 29 screening at West Seattle High School is hosted by:
–Westside HEY Coalition, a community group focused on youth substance use prevention in the Madison Middle School and West Seattle High School attendance zone;
–SW Seattle Youth Alliance, which is working to prevent youth substance use in the Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School attendance zone;
–Coalition for Drug-Free Youth, which works to keep youth off of substances in the White Center and North Highline areas;
–West Seattle High School PTSA
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