West Seattle, Washington
04 Friday
4:28 PM: Thanks to Dane Salle for the photos. SW Barton is blocked at 41st SW in Fauntleroy after a driver hit a pole that then fell onto the roadway. The driver was described via radio communication as “alert and conscious” when SFD got there.
5:58 PM: Just went by. Traffic is getting through now; the pole is coned off on the downhill side of the road.
First Little Free Libraries; now, the “Little Free” movement has expanded in a variety of ways, and here’s another one! The report and photo are from Brad:
My partner has installed a shoebox full of love letters for neighbors inside our Little Free Library. She’s deemed it the Little Free Love Letter pop-up and it’s pretty adorable, full of kind, funny, thoughtful cards for anyone to take and enjoy. She’s always been a serious card-giver, but here she’s taken it to a new level. She knows people are struggling out there, big problems or small; she’s sending some handmade love. So please, stop by and grab a letter! If you’re feeling inspired, feeling the love, drop one off for a random neighbor! 3224 61st Ave SW
Thanks to Ben for sharing Denny International Middle School‘s Staff Appreciation Week video, so the wider community can see it too. It starts with a message from Denny principal Jeff Clark, and continues with other staffers and a student too.
As of today, that’s the new map for the South Alki “Stay Healthy Street,” according to SDOT traffic engineer Dongho Chang, who announced via Twitter this morning that it “has been revised based on feedback from SPD and community. We’ll update with additional signing and ADA parking … next week.” The expansion – adding the west end of Alki Avenue, west of 63rd – was foreshadowed by the exchange we featured in Friday night’s virus-crisis roundup. “Stay Healthy Streets” are closed to through traffic to expand space for “distanced” pedestrian and bicycle use, as explained in the original announcement. The city said last week that 20 miles of them will be permanent, including West Seattle stretches in High Point and Puget Ridge/Highland Park. A new round of announcements followed, with Beach Drive’s northern end included, and now the west end of Alki Avenue’s been added to that.
When the Alki Art Fair‘s 2020 cancellation was announced two weeks ago, organizers promised special “at home” programming ahead. Today – the first presentation! Here’s the announcement, with word of more next weekend too:
Although we are unable to gather in our usual beautiful beach location this year, the Alki Art Fair is excited to announce #AlkiArtFairatHome – a Virtual Art Fair throughout the month of May. Over the next few weeks we will feature local artists, performers and businesses. Tune in to Facebook and Instagram for artist spotlights, studio tours, live performances, creative tutorials and more!
Mother’s Day Concert w/ Jaspar Lepak of Raising Hazel
5/10 @ 5-6 pm PTGabriel Wolfchild of the band Wolfchild
5/16 @ 7 pm PTTo learn more about these artists you can visit alkiartfair.org and also explore a variety of local artists and performers. You’ll find a wide range of performers, painters, illustrators, ceramicists, sewers and more for you to peruse in your pjs.
Local artists add more than just beauty and sound to our community so let’s continue supporting them. Many artists have a true passion for making our community a better place to live through their work. So stay healthy, stay safe and support your local creative community.
(Recent sunset, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Welcome to Sunday! And, happy Mother’s Day to everyone who’s celebrating, whatever format your celebration is in, during this unusual time. Again this week, our list of what’s happening starts with West Seattle churches’ online services
ADMIRAL UCC: The video service is here. Also – coffee hour via Zoom at 11:30 am.
ALKI UCC: 10 am online service, via Zoom – info and link on church’s home page.
ALL SOULS SEATTLE (WSB sponsor): Online worship will be linked here at 10 am.
ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 10 am.
BETHANY COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am, 7 pm.
CALVARY CHAPEL: Service is viewable here, plus 11 am fellowship via Zoom, 6 pm all-church prayer and 7 pm evening worship (info on home page).
EASTRIDGE CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 9 am and 11 am.
FAUNTLEROY UCC: Livestreaming on the church’s YouTube channel at 10 am.
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE: Today’s online liturgy is here.
GRACE CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10:30 am.
HALLOWS CHURCH: Streaming at 10 am via the church’s YouTube channel.
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming in English at 8:30 am, en Español at 10 am, all here.
HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming at 9:30 am here.
HOPE LUTHERAN: Today’s worship service and children’s story will be viewable here.
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming at 10 am, both here.
PEACE LUTHERAN: Livestreaming at 10:30 am on YouTube.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Viewable on YouTube: All Ages Sunday School at 10 am, Morning Prayer at 10:15 am (here’s the bulletin), Kids’ Club at 11:30 am.
TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): The video service for today will be viewable here.
TRINITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10 am.
WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The video service is viewable here.
WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming here, 11 am.
WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN Livestreaming at 10 am on the church’s YouTube channel.
WESTSIDE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION: Livestreaming via Zoom, 10:30 am.
WESTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: Online worship at 11 am; info here.
Any other churches to add? Please email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Also today:
FOOD DRIVE: 10 am-4 pm, drop off donations outside Alki UCC – details are in our preview. (6115 SW Hinds)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the second market after almost two months without one. Enter at California/Alaska; the line goes east on Alaska. Here’s the info on policies and procedures; here’s the vendor list for this week.
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FREE MEALS @ KBM COMMISSARY: 4-6 pm at KBM Seattle Commissary, this week’s free meals will be distributed – details here. (5604 Delridge Way SW)
FREE TO-GO DINNER: High Point Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near High Point Community Center. (6920 34th SW)
Yet another creative way students and educators are honoring school traditions despite campus closures:
Ella Richardson sent the link and announcement:
The West Seattle High School Junior Class ASB is hosting a virtual talent show.
It is filled with spectacular acts by West Seattle High School students and teachers! Our annual talent show is usually a huge fundraiser for the West Seattle Junior Class. However, due to Covid-19, we were unable to host this event in person, and miss out on money made from ticket sales. Please donate to our GoFundMe if you would like, so come next year our Junior Class ASB has the funds to plan exciting events for the student body. Thanks! Hope you guys enjoy!
The talent-show video premiered last night.
9:39 PM: Avoid 8th/Roxbury – a crash is under investigation on the county side, and a reader reports Roxbury is blocked both ways. We’re headed to check.
10:24 PM: Still blocked from the east side of the intersection eastward, taped off, when we were there. Two damaged vehicles were in view. Deputies on the scene aren’t commenting so we’re seeking info from KCSO’s media-relations sergeant.
SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Sgt. Ryan Abbott of KCSO tells us, “Deputies attempted a traffic stop of a mini-van. It did not stop and instead accelerated away. Deputies pursued the van for a short distance but terminated soon after starting. After the pursuit was terminated. the van crashed. The driver fled from the car but was arrested a short distance away by deputies. The passenger did not get out of the car and was arrested by deputies. The mini-van was taken for a search warrant.”
As we start the 11th week of the COVID-19 outbreak in King County, here’s the nightly roundup:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the county’s data dashboard:
*7,000 people have tested positive, 60 more than yesterday
*490 people have died, 5 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 6,507 and 456.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: More than 4 million people have tested positive, 1.3 million of them in the U.S. See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHERE THE SIGNS: If the pandemic had an anthem in Seattle, it might be the Five Man Electrical Band‘s 1971 classic. Today, Seattle Parks employees continued putting up the signs noting that Alki and Lincoln Park are closed at 8 pm TFN:
Thanks to David Hutchinson for that photo and this one, just in:
David, an Alki resident, reports, “SPD vehicle made a sweep to the west and back to the east along the walkway and promenade. It’s now about 9 PM and very few people are on the beach in this area but still some extra traffic and some groups on the sidewalks” near the promenade.
ANOTHER SIGN SAGA: Meantime, south of Alki Point, on the new “Stay Healthy Street” stretch of Beach Drive, a resident reports someone stole a “Street Closed” sign and traffic cones around 3:30 am. Signs were back in place later in the day.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET TOMORROW: The market returns for its second Sunday following a two-month mayor-mandated shutdown. While the entrance remains at California/Alaska – with the line stretching alongA Alaska, and north up 42nd if necessary – you will NOT be asked to move one way once inside. Here’s the info on policies and procedures; here’s the vendor list for this week.
BUSINESS SURVEY: If you have a small business or a nonprofit, or if you’re an independent worker, consider taking the 2nd round of a 3-round survey on how the pandemic has affected you.
BE A HELPER: Food drive Sunday, if you can donate.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Ann Anderson sent the photo and story of a small act of kindness on this sunny Saturday:
Wanted to send out a big thank you to these West Seattle residents who were taking a row off of Duwamish Head early this morning. Their lifeboat was called into action when a photographer dropped her camera into the water off the small pier near Salty’s. After unsuccessfully attempting to get the attention of nearby scuba divers, the lifeboat rowed over and stood by while the photographer (me) jumped in and dove down retrieve the camera from under the pier. It turns out that the familial group – Hayden, Emily and Katherine – were out celebrating not one, but two birthdays today (in a quiet, isolated, C-19-responsible way) when they so kindly assisted a stranger in distress.
As if it’s not tough enough trying to keep a small independent restaurant afloat right now – Peel & Press proprietor Dan Austin is dealing with cleaning up after a burglary.
Dan told us, “They broke in and mostly caused damage trying to break through my wall in 3 different spots to get into Starbucks as well. Pic is of the person removing the glass panel of my door not to trip the door and glass-break sensor.” On social media, he had a direct message for the burglar”
To the special folks who broke into my restaurant last night, I would have helped you if you need help. We have given away 1400 meals since this pandemic started. We have donated groceries to people. I have even ran tabs for regulars who have lost their jobs but don’t want “anything for free.” Why would you do this to us? What give you the right to violate my hard work and jeopardize my ability to give back to the community? You didn’t just steal from me, you stole from the whole community!!!
If you have any info, the SPD case # is 20-153344. (Thanks to Sandy for the tip on this.)
Tonight’s the night – we’re now less than 2 hours away from the West Seattle Food Bank “Instruments of Change” event to help WSFB continue helping neighbors in need. Here’s the reminder:
There’s still time to register and join us for the first-ever virtual Instruments of Change!
Join us tonight from 5:30 – 6:15 pm. This short virtual event celebrates our community and the merger between the West Seattle Food Bank and the West Seattle Helpline and raises funds to support our programs to keep our neighbors safe, fed, housed, and healthy. While short, this online event will include fun games, an exciting auction, and a compelling program.
For more information and to register, visit westseattlefoodbank.ejoinme.org/IOC
WSB is among this year’s community co-sponsors.
In case you missed the announcement earlier this week:
The City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, Greater Seattle Partners, and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (have) released the second round of the COVID-19 Business Impact Survey.
The first round of the survey was open March 18 – 31 and had over 5,000 total respondents — over 2,000 of which were businesses in Seattle. The first round of the survey established baseline profile data of the businesses, nonprofits and independent workers in the Seattle region, captured the initial impact COVID-19 had on businesses, nonprofits, and independent workers in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, and documented real-time concerns people had in an evolving environment. Round two of the survey will build upon the initial survey questions to measure potential changes over time, seek to further understand operational changes business have implemented since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and evaluate the impact private and public funding have had on businesses’ ability to stay afloat.
… Business owners, nonprofits and independent workers who participated in round one of the survey are encouraged to participate in round two, however, participation in round one is not required to complete the second round. The survey will be open until May 21, with the third and final round set to open by early June. By conducting multiple rounds of the survey, OED will be able to measure impacts over time. The survey will also be made available in the following languages: Amharic, Chinese – Traditional, English, Japanese, Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Businesses, nonprofits, and interested workers can take the survey here. …
(Photo courtesy Alki UCC)
That’s what generous community members donated in the most-recent in-person food drive outside Alki UCC – and you have another chance to help tomorrow:
Thanks to our community’s continuing generosity, Alki UCC’s next In-Person, Socially Distanced Food Drive is set for this Sunday, May 10 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. We will be collecting donations outside our building at 6115 SW Hinds.
Contributions of non-perishable food and other items will be distributed via the White Center Food Bank; top requests include Canned Meat/Soup/Fruit (pop‐top cans preferred), Rice, Noodles, Peanut Butter, Oats, Toilet Paper, Diapers, Similac Formula, Cleaning Supplies, Hand Sanitizer, and Baby Wipes.
The drive will benefit our vulnerable neighbors in need, those who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
The food drives continue every other Sunday (May 24, June 7, etc) until further notice. Tell your friends!
Information at alkiucc.org.
(WSB photo)
That’s the view from the west side of Duwamish Head a little over an hour ago, as we head toward this month’s lowest tide, -2.9 feet at 1:09 pm. If you’re headed out walking/running/rolling, the views are great – and the crowd thinner, at least when we were out – the further east/northeast you are along Alki Avenue (and part of Harbor Avenue as well). Tomorrow brings a low-low tide too, -2.6 feet at 1:46 pm, and then on Monday it’s -2.0 at 2:33 pm. Later this month, the tide will be out to -2.1 feet on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25th). Next month, it gets even lower, with tides out to -3 feet and beyond on June 5, 6, and 7.
P.S. The Alki shore is of course far from the only place to enjoy the low-low tide view. Don Brubeck took this photo at midday Friday along the West Seattle side of the Duwamish River:
12:05 PM: Procrastinating on those Mother’s Day flowers? An update from the Lafayette Elementary PTA benefit-bouquet sale:
We have 20 bouquets left to sell! Call or text Jenny King at (206) 637-1004 to place your order – $30 each, pay here. For every bouquet sold, $5 will be donated back to school.
Your flower bouquets will be ready for pickup Today (May 9, 5-7pm) or Sunday morning (May 10, 8:30-9:30am). Pick-up location: 4224 Beach Drive SW, Seattle. NO CONTACT PICKUP.
2:05 PM: All gone!
If not for COVID-19, today would have been the 16th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, the one event each year that we present/coordinate. But like so many other organizers of the big spring/summer events, we had to cancel or event. Today, like so many WSCGSDs, it’s sunny and warm, perfect day for being outdoors … but we hope you’ll instead enjoy the sun safely – walking, bicycling, running, etc. Garage-sale fans and sellers can look forward to May 8, 2021. Before then – if it’s safe to have sales later THIS summer, remember that you’re welcome to post yours in the WSB Community Forums‘ Freebies/Sales/Trades section. (If you don’t have a log-in for the forums, go here.)
Every Saturday morning – for eight weeks now – we check in on the state of grocery shopping at West Seattle’s standalone stores:
Only one major official change we’ve found, looking around – Trader Joe’s is adding an hour, and will be open until 8 pm starting Monday (May 11th).
West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) is still the only late night store, open until midnight. It also remains the only local standalone store telling customers they must wear face coverings. (That topic dominated discussion last Saturday.)
There’s been concern in national news coverage about possible meat shortages because of COVID-19 outbreaks at packing plants, but so far we haven’t heard of anything major at local stores. Let us know if you do!
And if you need to check hours, our original list of those is still up to date.
Another West Seattle food-and-beverage business has launched in defiance of the coronavirus crunch.
Philip Sudore has opened The Spot West Seattle at 2920 SW Avalon Way, where Shack Coffeehouse closed six months ago.
You might know him already for his music, with the band Mercy Parker. Eventually, he hopes you’ll know him for a restaurant with a full bar, once COVID-19 is past – a tapas-style menu with craft cocktails and craft beer. But for now, “We have an amazing, dynamic, and fun waffle menu, plus great coffee and espresso.” (Scroll down this page to see that menu.)
The coffee is from K&F Roasters out of Portland – the award-winning Café Jondo, an organic fair-trade blend of African and South American coffees.
Current hours at The Spot are 6:30 am-4 pm weekdays, 7 am-4 pm Saturdays, 8 am-4 pm Sundays. (Post-pandemic, they’ll have evening hours too.)
Don’t throw caution to the wind – well, the sun – this weekend. That’s the big message as we present the Friday edition of the nightly roundup, exactly 10 weeks after King County’s first confirmed COVID-19 case was announced:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the county’s data dashboard:
*6,940 people have tested positive, up 77 from yesterday
*485 people have died, up 5 from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 6,407 and 449.
ONE MORE LOCAL DEATH: The county’s by-zip-code-breakdown map shows 98126 now has lost 10 people, one more than the Thursday update.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
ONE STAT OF CONCERN: Today’s Seattle-King County Public Health spotlight noted that a key metric – how many additional infections can be expected for each case – may be on the rise again in Western Washington.
SO DON’T STOP NOW: Keep up the distancing so things don’t get worse – that was a key message from the governor at his media briefing this afternoon.
He said this is a dangerous time because people may feel more and more like they can let their guard down, when they absolutely shouldn’t. “With COVID-19 lurking,” he said, you need to protect yourself and loved ones.
REOPENING UPDATE: Meantime, the governor has released safety/health rules for a variety of reopening businesses. The releases include:
Curbside Retail & E-commerce Memo
Curbside Retail Requirements
Pet Walking Memo
Pet Walking Guidance
Landscaping Memo
Landscaping Guidance
Those are all linked here.
TESTING UPDATE: The governor also said the feds have sent 37,000 test swabs, with 60,000 more due next week, and a promise of 100,000 a week after that.
8 PM PARK CLOSURES: Alki Beach, Lincoln Park, and other “major parks” citywide are supposed to be closed by now – we’ll be going out shortly for a look.
We saw that sign on the north gate of Lincoln Park’s north lot; there was one on the west side of the south lot too (which now has spaces open for disabled visitors, and a Parks employee was stationed to watch the lot by the time we went by late in the day).
‘STAY HEALTHY STREETS,’ 3RD ROUND: The signs went up this morning to block off Beach Drive between 63rd and Alki to through traffic, as announced Thursday. That didn’t keep all drivers away, it appeared from our early-evening spot check as well as police-radio dispatches.
On Twitter tonight, a local resident suggested signage belongs at 63rd and Alki, and city traffic engineer Dongho Chang said that’s under consideration:
“Local access” street closure should really be at Cactus restaurant and not lighthouse. Causing a lot of u-turns. Police on bikes agree.
— Lynn Drake (@lynndr3415) May 8, 2020
Thank you! We're hearing that too. We'll consider the revision for updates that we are making next week. Our communication and setup for the weekend with SPD/Parks was for just the Beach section. Let us know any other suggestions/observations. I'll relay this when the team meets
— Dongho Chang (@dongho_chang) May 8, 2020
DE-INTENSIFYING SHELTER SPACE OPENING: A month and a half after the plan was announced, Southwest Teen Life Center in Westwood is now hosting young adults who need shelter, the city announced today.
DON’T GO HUNGRY: This week, KBM Seattle Commissary‘s free-meal distribution is on Sunday – details here.
MORALE FLYOVER: Some West Seattleites got to see the flyover this afternoon:
Flyover of #Seattle by C-17s this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/aXRaVvoX1V
— Kevin Freitas (@kevinfreitas) May 8, 2020
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Two road-work notes tonight:
TWO BLOCKS OF ROXBURY PAVING: From this week’s West Seattle Bridge-related update in City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s weekly newsletter:
SDOT is planning to repave the westbound lanes of Roxbury between 16th and 18th Ave SW as early as mid-May, depending on weather. SDOT indicates they are coordinating with King County, which has jurisdiction over the eastbound lanes. SDOT will be doing outreach in advance.
We’ll be following up on Monday.
35TH/AVALON WRAPUP: From SDOT this afternoon:
• We will begin work to make safety improvements to the northbound bus stop at SW Genesee St as soon as May 11. Please expect:
o No parking signs and traffic control in the work area
o Loud noise and increased truck traffic
o Bike lane shifts as we work at the bus stop
o A temporary closure of the nearby sidewalk with a posted detour route
o A temporary closure of this bus stop• Next, we will continue installing pavement markings on 35th Ave SW and SW Avalon Way as well as install flex posts for the protected bike lane and complete miscellaneous minor activities
o Please follow any posted no-parking signs on SW Avalon WayWe will take down our no-parking signs where and when they are no longer needed.
Just got word from SDOT today – they’ve added six new publicly viewable traffic cameras, on SW Roxbury and on 35th SW. We’ll be adding them to our traffic-cams page and weekday-morning traffic watch. From east to west and south to north, they are:
15th/Roxbury:
16th/Roxbury:
35th/Roxbury:
35th/Barton:
35th/Holden:
35th/Morgan:
Any more on the way? We’ve asked, and we’ll add the reply when we get it.
P.S. You also can find these cameras, and others around the city, via SDOT’s traffic-info map.
(Seattle Fire Department photo of Ladder 13 in 2010)
Not long after the West Seattle Bridge‘s sudden shutdown, we and others started asking whether West Seattle would get additional SFD resources, as happened during the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project (east half of the bridge) in 2011-2012. The early answer was: It’s being discussed. New answer today: Yes. In addition to West Seattle-based Medic 32, SFD will station Medic 26, staffed with two paramedics, at Station 26 in South Park. And joining WS-based Ladder 11 will be an extra truck, Ladder 13, to be based at Station 37 in Sunrise Heights. The announcement says, “Beginning in June, these units will be in-service for responding to emergencies 24-hours per day, seven days a week.” (Ladder 13 was based at Station 11 in Highland Park during the SSV project.) The SFD announcement adds, “The new medic unit and ladder truck are coming from SFD’s reserve apparatus located at the City’s Fire Garage. The department will continue to have other apparatus on reserve to support scheduled maintenance and for any unforeseen mechanical issues. The funding required for staffing the two new units, apparatus maintenance and fuel, and room accommodations at the fire stations is approximately $2.5 million for the remainder of 2020 and will be covered from existing resources.”
| 8 COMMENTS