West Seattle, Washington
06 Monday
With in-person meetings out of the question, some support-group participants have lost a lifeline – but online meetings are springing into the void. Thanks to Pam for sending word that AA is among them – if you haven’t already, you can find the list of Seattle-area online meetings by going here.
If you usually ride the 37 or 125 – you have to find another way to get around starting Monday. Those are the two West Seattle routes entirely axed in Metro‘s temporary “reduced service” plan.
If you usually ride the 22, 60, 118, 119, or 128, no change – those West Seattle routes are untouched.
Everything else – as listed here – will have “fewer trips and/or reduced hours of operation.” But, Metro spokesperson Jeff Switzer assured us, that does not mean anything drastic, such as a route starting hours later than usual. But there are no printed/online timetables for the reduced schedules, so for starters, he advises, “Riders should prepare to head to their stops a little earlier and before they leave home should confirm whether their trip is operating.” To confirm that, use “Next Departures” on the Metro website or app, or use “Text for Departures” (text your stop ID to 62550) to get the next departure time. If you don’t know your stop number, Metro says you can do that via Trip Planner or by calling 206-553-3000.
Also remember that Metro (including Access and the Water Taxi) and Sound Transit have suspended fare collection – rides are free. And Metro is emphasizing rear boarding for (almost) all.
Here are the last 24 hours’ toplines, 23 days after the first King County COVID-19 case was announced:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s Seattle-King County Public Health news release:
Public Health—Seattle & King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on 3/21/20.
1,040 confirmed cases (up 106 from yesterday)*
75 confirmed deaths (up 1 from yesterday)This additional death includes:
A man in his 80s, who died on 3/13 at Overlake Medical Center
Of the 75 deaths reported, 35 are confirmed to be associated with Life Care Center of Kirkland.
For comparison, the numbers one week ago were 420 cases, 37 deaths.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
PLAY STRUCTURES TAPED: Two days after play structures and sports courts at city and county parks were declared off-limits, local parks started sporting yellow tape.
METRO REDUCTIONS START TOMORROW: We’ll have a detailed update on this within the next hour. But in the short run, remember that Metro is reducing service on most routes and cutting some entirely (West Seattle’s cut routes are the 37 and 125) starting Monday. The transit system already has stopped collecting fares – both Metro and the Water Taxi are free TFN, as are all Sound Transit modes.
ONE WEEK AGO: It’s been exactly a week since the governor ordered more business closures, including telling restaurants and beverage businesses to close except for pickup/delivery services. We’re continuing to update our West Seattle list of who’s open in that mode – whether you’re a businessperson or customer, we appreciate your help with updates – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you! This week we’re also working on updates of businesses in the sectors that were shuttered completely, such as salons and fitness – info appreciated on those too!
TONIGHT’S FINAL WORD … joy. One neigbborhood expressed it in chalk. In another part of West Seattle, someone found it in a solo dance at sunset:
(Thanks to Hoku for the photo.)
(Texted from California/Southern)
We were SO close. Got multiple reports of The West Seattle Turkey in Gatewood again today, in one instance just a block from WSB HQ. After 11 months of writing about it, maybe it’ll visit us, we thought.
(From Debby on SW Holden)
Alas, no. But enjoy these reader photos anyway.
(From Mike at 44th/Southern)
And let us know if YOU see it!
(From Long Bach Nguyen, seen near California/Kenyon)
As noted the other day, The Turkey was first seen in SW West Seattle last April but has spent most of its time in southeast Admiral/Belvidere since then … until now.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
STOLEN CAR: From Kelsey near California/Juneau – her 1986 light blue 4-door Honda Accord was taken Friday morning. Awaiting plate; meantime, if you see a car like this obviously abandoned somewhere, call it in.
PACKAGE THEFT: This happened around 5:15 pm Friday near 26th/Trenton, says Josh, who sent this video link.
ILLEGAL DUMPING: As if a small business that’s had most of its operation closed by the virus crisis doesn’t have enough to worry about – Best of Hands Barrelhouse (WSB sponsor) co-proprietor Nicholas sends word of this:
On Tuesday I noticed illegal dumping on our lot. It must have been there a day or so because animals had gotten into the bags already. I began to clean up the mess & sort the trash as there was all sorts of materials mixed in – dirty diapers, plastic bottles, compostables – when I noticed at least four used hypodermic needles.
Furthermore, the lot behind the brewery is not part of our lease. It belongs to Clearview. However, folks are letting their dogs s–t all over the lot. They are being terrible neighbors, and either leaving the feces there, or bagging it and leaving the bags there. I know the majority of West Seattle folks are better than this. Some people just don’t want to take responsibility, & have no empathy for small business owners.
We have no other choice but to add outside cameras to the premises as these aren’t the first or only instances of illegal dumping and bad behavior directed at the lot on 35th & Webster.
lllegal dumping is a misdemeanor.
After multiple reports that Beach Drive by Constellation Park was clogged with driver groups that police were trying to clear, we went over to check. Only the police remained. But we heard other dispatches before – and after – about driver groups along Alki, as well as speeding on the West Seattle Bridge. One resident sent us a note about the same time we found the officers, saying, “It gets bad around here in the summer but this week has been really bad … feels like we are at a racetrack.”
3:59 PM: Seattle Parks crews are continuing to make the rounds, taping off playground and fitness equipment at parks, now off-limits by order of the mayor. Thanks for sending photos of what you are seeing – above, Carolyn sent that from the Lincoln Park north play area; below, from Mark, outside Hiawatha:
We’ve been checking south end parks – here’s one scene we found:
Just the sound of the new cordon fluttering in the wind at Roxhill Park playground. @seattleparks pic.twitter.com/NcQ0Ejb9sX
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) March 22, 2020
5:36 PM: We’ve just been out checking on more playgrounds and it appears Park staff had been to every place we looked – here’s Highland Park Playground:
Southwest Teen Life Center’s little-kid area:
And the Alki spot unofficially known as Whale Tail Park:
Lowman Beach’s swing set, too.
(Added: Photo by Hobey Grote)
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip – transient killer whales are in the area, southbound off Fay Bainbridge State Park (map) at last report. Closer to the west side of Puget Sound, though, so you’ll definitely need binoculars.
Though Providence‘s campaign has been called off, here’s a new local call for help:
Hello West Seattle Friends,
As you know, the request for homemade masks from Providence has been fulfilled. If you are looking for other mask-making opportunities, we have a beloved local grocery store who can use 150 masks, especially as they have set aside special hours for at-risk folks. Employees are not required to wear them but many have expressed an interest. While these are not medical-grade masks, they are the two-ply, 100% cotton model being used by Deaconess Hospital in Indiana that created this instructional video. According to the NIH “homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection.” We are also waiting to hear from Harborview to see if they too would like some of the homemade masks. If so, we will put out another call for volunteers. Please email bettertogether206@gmail.com
Thank you. Stay safe. Stay Hopeful.
Other ways you can help are in our longrunning “How to Help” WSB coverage archive.
(WSB photo, March 8th)
That photo is from March 8th, the last West Seattle Farmers’ Market before markets were shut down by order of Mayor Jenny Durkan, who grouped them with other “permtted events.” Today is the second Sunday without a WSFM; the order affected others around the city too. Market managers have launched a letter-signing campaign to get the mayor to change her mind. They’re asking for signatures. The letter begins:
To Mayor Durkan & City of Seattle Partners,
It is our firm conviction that farmers markets are an essential part of Seattle’s food supply and that they should remain open, along with grocery stores, during the COVID-19 outbreak. We are gravely concerned about the abrupt closure of farmers markets at a time when food supply chains and our economy are under threat.
The truth is, if we cannot support and strengthen our region’s farmers during this crisis, that many small farms will not recover from the market closures and that our local food supply and regional network of farmland will be forever changed. Moreover, farmers markets serve shoppers who rely on using their SNAP and SNAP-incentive benefits like Fresh Bucks to purchase fresh food. For those who have already withdrawn benefits at the markets, they cannot now use them at grocery stores.
We are calling on City of Seattle leaders in local government to:
1) Designate farmers markets as an essential business and exempt them from the blanket suspension of permitted events;
2) Work with market management organizations to approve operating plans that support public health orders and CDC guidance on distancing, sanitation, and employee health, and;
3) Commit to closing the policy loophole that lumps farmers markets in the City of Seattle with events, festivals, and other street-use events.
We urge leaders in Seattle to take the actions above, and ultimately to ensure that Washington’s small family farms can continue to provide a vital service in feeding the community during a time of increased need.
The letter goes on to mention other areas of the country in which farmers’ markets are designated as “essential” businesses – you can see for yourself in San Francisco’s shelter-in-place order, for example. The letter also notes that the markets also have not been part of any of our governor’s orders, just the city. If you are interested in signing, go here and scroll to the bottom.
Meantime, market managers have compiled a long list of vendors and how to get their wares while the markets remain closed, some with pickups and pop-ups in West Seattle – see it here.
Thanks to the texter who sent the invitation to “find joy,” chalked at 54th/Andover. What’s YOUR neighborhood doing? Photos always welcome at westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Good morning. Thanks to Mark Wangerin for the photo of a (updated) Common Goldeneye in West Seattle waters! On to a Sunday list of what is/isn’t happening – first, our second Sunday with a list of churches that have taken their services online:
ADMIRAL UCC: The video service for today is posted online here.
ALKI UCC: 10 am Town Hall-style worship with House Group Leaders, via Zoom – info and link on lower right of this page.
ALL SOULS SEATTLE (WSB sponsor): Daily online worship here
ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CHURCH: Planning to livestrream here at 10 am.
BETHANY COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 9:30 am, 11 am, 7 pm.
EASTRIDGE CHURCH: Livestreamed and recorded services, here.
FAUNTLEROY UCC: Livestreaming here,10 am.
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE: Today’s online liturgy is here.
GRACE CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10:30 am.
HALLOWS CHURCH: Livestream at 10 am via YouTube – link will be on this webpage.
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming in English at 8:30 am, en Español at 10 am, here.
HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming Mass at 9:30 am here.
HOPE LUTHERAN: Today’s recorded service will be here by 8 am.
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming Mass here at 10 am.
PEACE LUTHERAN: Watch here for the pastor’s message for today.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 10 am.
TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): The video service for today is posted here.
TRINITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10 am.
WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The video service for today is here.
WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming here, 11 am.
WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN Plans are explained here, including livestreams at 8:30 and 10 am today.
WESTSIDE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION: Livestreaming via Zoom, 10:30 am.
Any other churches to add? Please email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Also happening:
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – go check out something for that at-home project you suddenly have time to do. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
WESTSIDE BABY’S COMMUNITY IN BLOOM: At 1 pm, go here to be part of the “virtual brunch” supporting WestSide Baby‘s work
FREE COMMUNITY DINNER TO GO: High Point Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield, as previewed here. (34th/Myrtle)
What’s NOT happening:
CANCELED: West Seattle Farmers’ Market (announcement) Miss the market? Check out this list of how to get the vendors’ products even while it’s on hiatus. And watch for our story later today on an effort to bring the market back.
Here’s what happened today, 22 days after the first King County case of COVID-19 was announced:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s Seattle-King County Public Health news release:
Public Health—Seattle & King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on 3/20/20.
934 confirmed cases (up 141 from yesterday)*
74 confirmed deaths (up 8 from yesterday)*These additional deaths include:
A woman in her 80s, who died on 3/19
A woman in her 100s, who on died 3/15
A man in his 80s, who died on 3/20 at Swedish Ballard
A woman in her 70s, who died on 3/20 at Northwest Hospital
A man in his 70s, who died on 3/20 at Northwest Hospital
A woman in her 70s, who died on 3/20 at Highline Medical Center
A man in his 60s, who died on 3/20 at Swedish Issaquah
A man in his 80s, who died on 3/20 at Valley Medical CenterOf the 74 deaths reported, 35 are confirmed to be associated with Life Care Center of Kirkland.
*After case investigation, one previously reported death was confirmed to be a resident of a different jurisdiction. We have removed this person from our overall confirmed case and death counts.
For comparison – the totals one week ago were 388 King County cases, 35 deaths.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 1,793 cases, 94 deaths; other state stats here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
WEST SEATTLE COVID-19 DEATH: One of the three diagnosed Bridge Park residents has died.
MASK SALES SCRAPPED: Given that just yesterday the mask (and other protective equipment) shortage was announced as so grave that people were being recruited to make them and/or donate them, some were shocked today to discover masks for sale at Westwood Village Target. Some who saw them offered to buy them all and donate them, but reported being rejected. The situation was solved by day’s end:
We heard reports that a @target in Seattle was selling n95 masks.
My staff and others stepped in.
Those masks are now on their way to the health care workers who desperately need them. https://t.co/7sCM5kqyfs
— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) March 21, 2020
Today in select Seattle stores, N95 masks were available for purchase in error. We’re removing & donating them to the WA State Dept. of Health. We’re also reviewing inventory for additional masks to be donated. Target’s commitment to communities is unwavering & we apologize.
— Target (@Target) March 21, 2020
Meantime, as for the mask-sewing campaign, the organizers at Providence told volunteers via email, “Your response, and the response of so many others, actually served as a catalyst for a local business to step up and offer their equipment and facilities to produce large numbers of face masks.”
GOOD THING THE RAIN’S RETURNING: Despite Gov. Jay Inslee‘s Friday plea for more social distancing and less park crowding, Alki drew a big turnout again this afternoon. That in turn led to a summer-style traffic jam after sunset – Kersti Muul photographed it:
Seattle Parks said earlier in the day they would send employees to parks to reinforce the new rules about no playground/sport-court use; we also heard via scanner that at least one Seattle Police precinct was dispatching officers to “directed patrol” and issuing “dispersal orders” at parks. We didn’t see any sign of that when we drove past Alki just after 6 pm, though.
WIDE-OPEN SPACES: By contrast, the lack of a crowd early this afternoon in The Junction was a reminder of the dramatic hit most small independent local businesses are taking because of the health orders.
About that same time, city leaders were announcing that they’ve decided to roll back some types of parking enforcement.
SPEAKING OF GETTING AROUND – METRO UPDATE: Still awaiting full details on the Metro service cuts that take effect Monday, but we noticed something that’s changed since the Friday announcement of which routes will be affected – now Metro plans to temporarily ax TWO West Seattle routes, the 125 as previously announced, plus the 37. (added) And remember – Metro and the Water Taxi are free TFN.
RESTAURANT/BEVERAGE LIST REMINDER: Still updating and adding to our list of 110+ local restaurants and coffee/wine/beer/etc. establishments – see it here and if you can, help them keep their doors open!
GROCERY-STORE HOURS (ETC.) LIST: We’re continuing to update that list too, since things keep changing..
SIGN OF THE TIMES: Thanks to the two readers who’ve sent a pic of this sighting at West Seattle Nursery:
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT: westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Another update provided to families of residents at High Point senior-living complex Bridge Park: One of the three residents with confirmed cases of COVID-19 has died. Thanks again to the people who have shared this news, including the person who sent this image of the notification letter:
The third case was reported three days ago. The residents have been asked to stay in isolation in their apartments since the first case was reported nine days ago. That has led to a community effort to show support from outside – like the chalk art we showed earlier today.
More at-home time = more repair/improvement/gardening time. You might need a tool you don’t have. Still open and ready to help: The West Seattle Tool Library, which is in North Delridge, on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. It’s a nonprofit that’s been serving the community for more than a decade. WSTL’s Christina Hahs tells WSB, “We are open regular hours and sterilizing all the tools going out and coming in.” Open tomorrow (Sunday) 11 am-4 pm – also 5-8 pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and 11 am-4 pm Saturdays.
Another category of small food/beverage businesses hit hard by restrictions required to try to slow the COVID-19 outbreak – food trucks and other vendors who use commissaries in West Seattle. We heard from the owner of one, Keith Mathewson of the KBM Seattle Commissary at 5604 Delridge Way SW. He explains:
KBM Seattle Commissary members are suffering along with the rest of the food service industry from C-19. The majority of whom have lost most if not all of their income. There is a point of sale window which previously was used exclusively by West Of Chicago Pizza. We will be expanding the number of companies which will have access to that window.
Here is a list of the companies who, at present, will be vending in the very near future (using the window)-
9th & Hennepin Organic Donuts
Cheese Steak Madness
Exotic Wingz
Roll Pod Food Truck
Taqueria La Jarochita
T’Juana Tacos
Tummy Yummy Food Truck
West of Chicago Pizza
West of Chicago and T’Juana Tacos are both on our updated restaurant/beverage-business list already and we’ll add the others when we get word of their plans.
That’s the sign on the door at the West Seattle Junction Starbucks, one of the stores now closed because the company’s gone (mostly) drive-through for at least a few weeks, as explained here. The only two drive-throughs in our area are Fauntleroy/Avalon and White Center (16th/100th). But there are other walkup coffee shops near most of the shuttered stores, such as:
MORGAN JUNCTION – Youngstown Coffee Co. (north), Caffe Ladro (south)
ALKI – Top Pot (next door), Ampersand (east)
ADMIRAL – Freshy’s (southwest), West Seattle Grounds (northwest)
THE JUNCTION – Flying Apron (west), Easy Street Café (west), Lula (northwest), Hotwire (north)
Get links/addresses to most of those coffee shops (and others that are open in other WS areas!) via our frequently updated restaurants/beverage-businesses list. (Who’s missing but open? Let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com!)
NOTE: Again, the mentions above are ONLY THE COFFEE SHOPS CLOSEST TO SHUTTERED STARBUCKS STORES – West Seattle has MANY others still open and most of them are in our food/beverage-biz list. (If they’re not, tell them to send us info ASAP!)
Residents at senior-living complex Bridge Park in West Seattle’s High Point neighborhood have been in isolation because three were diagnosed with COVID-19. So one resident’s daughter asked us to publish her request for people to consider brightening the shut-in seniors’ lives – maybe with chalk art, or (solo) music … and people responded! She sent these photos and a note: “Such a bright and beautiful response to the blog post about Bridge Park! Thanks neighbors for spreading joy during this time. – Michele Nelson (and my mom Mary Lee)”
Bridge Park is at 3204 SW Morgan, with more than 100 residents.
Not that parking is much of a problem right now, at least in business districts … we’re just back from a West Seattle Junction walkabout and the views above and below are part of what we saw.
But all the same, the city has just sent this announcement, which applies to residential areas too:
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that the Seattle Department of Transportation and Seattle Police Department are implementing temporary changes to parking enforcement in the City of Seattle. As parking and transportation needs have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SDOT is adjusting its parking rules to better support residents’ and businesses’ needs during this time.
…
Rule changes will be made to the following three areas:
72-Hour Parking Rule
Booting and Towing
Temporary Restaurant Loading ZonesThe following three changes will be in effect until further notice:
72-Hour Parking Rule
The City will temporarily suspend enforcement of the 72-hour parking rule. People should still follow posted signs regarding other time restrictions. Vehicles without Residential Parking Zone permits must still obey time limits in those zones. This suspension will initially last for two weeks. During this time the City will actively monitor health and safety conditions and impacts to surrounding communities. The City may extend the suspension or make additional temporary adjustments to the enforcement procedures.
Booting and Towing
The City will limit towing to situations which create safety hazards, block access, or create other major issues. The City will suspend booting of vehicles with unpaid parking tickets for the duration of the Seattle Municipal Court closure.
Temporary Restaurant Loading Zones
SDOT is installing temporary loading zones at restaurants to support businesses and facilitate food pick-up. No payment is necessary for quick food pickups in the three-minute load zones. Residents can find all temporary loading zones on the COVID19 – Food Pick-Up Zone Map. Restaurants can request temporary load zones by contacting SDOT at 206-684-ROAD or 684-ROAD@seattle.gov.
All other standard parking rules will continue to be enforced, including unpermitted parking or blocking access to an existing or created zone at clinics and hospitals, fire hydrants, police precincts or other public health and safety locations, and illegal parking in a bicycle or transit lane. Payment will still be required for on-street parking at metered spaces and other parking time limits will continue to be enforced so that there will still be available parking spaces in front of businesses and other destinations. Time limits and use of special zones will still be enforced (e.g., transit zones, shuttle bus zones, taxi zones). SDOT and SPD will continue to evaluate potential additional changes to parking regulations and enforcement.
Information on changes to parking citations, fines, and adjudication can be found on SDOT’s COVID-19 parking page…..
See the full news release here.
Thanks to Josie for tweeting the photos and reporting, “Pop-up art walk happening in Seaview on 49th between Dawson and Hudson with kid art at several houses! Bringing a little bright spot to our days.”
What are YOU and your neighbors doing for each other? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 (or via Twitter, we’re at @westseattleblog) – thank you!
With gyms and other fitness facilities closed, many are staying fit by going out for a run – even if they weren’t regular runners before. You want to be safe so you don’t get hurt – especially considering non-emergency medical care is not a option. So West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) offered to write up some advice on safe running:
We see lots of runners out on the streets, tracks, and trails of West Seattle these days. We have heard many say that they are taking up running since they don’t have access to their typical workout routine at this time. We hope that you will enjoy running as much as we do! We also thought it might be helpful to share a few tips on how to get started running in a way that will reduce injury, increase enjoyment and keep you running for years to come. Our best tip is to start conservatively and gradually build. Here’s how:
1) Begin by setting out for a walk/run workout. If you have never run before (or it has been a long time) but you are consistently doing walks of 30 minutes now, you can start to add in two-minute intervals of running followed by walking for an interval of time that allows your heart rate to restore to normal. Then you can add in another two minutes of running. Continue to do this until you are soon running your entire 30 minutes. *If you have been walking for 20 minutes, you can use the same protocol, just start with a 20 minute segment. If you have not been doing any aerobic activity, start with building your endurance with 20-30-minute walks and then work into the protocol described earlier.
2) If you are already able to run for 30 minutes, you can gradually add to your time every other day. You can choose to run by time or miles. But the general rule of thumb is that you don’t increase your overall volume by more than 10 percent each week.
3) We don’t recommend that you run every day. Your body does need time to recover. At first, it might be best to go every other day and allow yourself to determine how you are adjusting to the new activity.
4) Be able to hold a conversation while running. While this is going to be more of a solo sport for right now due to COVID-19, a “conversational pace” is still a great way to gauge if your pacing is right. If you are gasping for air and unable to talk, you are simply running too fast and you need to slow down. That will sometimes mean slowing to a walk. That is okay, you won’t have to do that for long. Going at a conversational pace allows you to build your aerobic base, makes for a more enjoyable experience and reduces the risk of injury.
5) Join a community where you feel supported, connected, and get your questions answered. Join our West Seattle Runner Group Page on Facebook where we’ll do FB live kickoffs to virtual group runs each Wednesday night. Our runners are also posting pictures and reports on how their runs are going. They are an encouraging group and love to answer questions and share tips.
6) Enlisting the help of a running coach can be helpful to get a program that is tailored to your specific needs. P3|Running offers coaching that can all be done virtually via online calendars, phone calls, video chatting etc.
7) Have fun! We are in love with this sport for a reason and we hope it gives to you the way it gives to us at this time. It is our bias that running is good for physical and mental health.
Sincerely,
The West Seattle Runner Team
WSR is West Seattle’s only running store. They’re also still open, with “safe shopping” measures in place, as shown here – 2749 California SW.
Going grocery shopping this weekend? We hope you have a successful trip. (The photo above shows the paper-products aisle of Roxbury Safeway, this past Thursday morning around 8:30 am – the only truly near-empty aisle.) Since we first published a list of local hours back on Wednesday, several stores have changed their hours, and more have added special times reserved for people 60+ and others at elevated risk. (At least one chain also is adding a layer of protection between checkers and shoppers – Safeway‘s putting in Plexiglas.) Anyway, before you shop – check our updated list of locations/hours! And thanks again to everyone who’s tipped us to changes.
Three weeks after the first King County case of COVID-19 was announced, here are the toplines from a busy Friday:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s Seattle-King County Public Health news release:
Public Health—Seattle & King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on 3/19/20.
793 confirmed cases (up 100 from yesterday)
67 confirmed deaths (up 7 from yesterday)These additional deaths include:
A man in his 80s, who died on 3/19
A woman in her 90s, who died on 3/17
A man in his 70s, who died on 3/18
A woman in her 80s. who died on 3/18
A woman in her 70s, whose date of death has not been confirmed
A man in his 70s, who died on 3/19 at Valley Medical Center
A woman in her 60s, who died on 3/19 at Harborview Medical CenterOf the 67 deaths reported, 35 are confirmed to be associated with Life Care Center of Kirkland.
One week ago tonight, it was 328 cases and 32 deaths in King County.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 1,524 cases, 83 deaths; other state stats here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
GOVERNOR SAYS BEHAVE OR ELSE: Gov. Inslee had an announcement to make this afternoon, but – as covered here – it was NOT an order to “shelter in place.” But he said that’s still in his toolbox if need be, so he pleaded with people who aren’t obeying existing health orders to please stop that because lives are at risk. (The actual announcement was new protection for elevated-risk workers to be able to stay home without losing their jobs.)
MAYOR AND COUNTY EXEC ANNOUNCE PARK RESTRICTIONS: This went public right after the governor’s plea – no more playground or sport court use, among other things, say Mayor Jenny Durkan and King County Executive Dow Constantine. (But taking a walk is OK. Here are some places to explore.)
METRO WON’T CHARGE YOU: Even before those service cuts kick in Monday, Metro will stop collecting fares tomorrow, while also having almost everyone board through the rear doors. Water Taxi will be free too. Here are the details.
SOUND TRANSIT TOO: It’s also suspending fare collection on its buses and trains.
HOW FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE COPING: King County Executive Dow Constantine hosted a media briefing today at which representatves of several faith traditions/cultural organizations spoke. (Our favorite quote, “Surely after difficulty comes ease.”) Here’s the video:
This weekend we’ll have another roundup of churches’ Sunday plans – let us know what yours is doing!
WAYS TO HELP: For more than a week, many people have been yearning to help. More ways to do that emerged today. Be a pen pal! Donate protective equipment! There was also a request for help sewing masks – but that filled up fast. Also – here’s a new umbrella site to help coordinate assistance.
SAFE BEEF: Seen outside Meat the Live Butcher in South Delridge:
SPEAKING OF FOOD: Still adding to our restaurant/beverage business “open for takeout and/or delivery” list – lots of updates to do tonight right after we publish this roundup. (We’re still updating our grocery-store-hours list, too.)
GOT NEWS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
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