West Seattle, Washington
13 Tuesday
If you’re anywhere near California/Andover and hearing jackhammering – that’s what Erich, who sent the photo, reports is going on. The crew told him they’re looking for a gas leak. SFD logs don’t show any gas-leak callouts in the past day, so it does not appear to be any kind of immediate threat. We’ll check with Puget Sound Energy later this morning.
Here’s what you need to know about the pandemic tonight:
NEWEST NUMBERS: Since King County had no Wednesday update, the newest numbers from the Public Health daily-summary dashboard represent two days worth of totals:
*97,620 people have tested positive, 876 more than Tuesday’s total
*1,514 people have died, 9 more than Tuesday’s total
*5,784 people have been hospitalized, 42 more than Tuesday’s total
*1,036,081 people have been tested, 3,105 more than Tuesday’s total
One week ago, the four totals we track were 95,062/1,500/5,621/1,018,555.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 150.5 million cases worldwide, 32.2 million of them in the U.S. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.
ROLLBACK WATCH: King County is still way beyond the case and hospitalization rates that would allow staying in Phase 3. Monday is when the state takes a look at the numbers, with decisions announced Tuesday regarding whether anyone has to roll back on the following Friday.
VACCINATION HESITATION: Gov. Inslee talked about it during his briefing this afternoon. He called the slowdown in vaccine demand “terrible” while extolling the benefits of getting vaccinated – with an increasing list of things that vaccinated people will be allowed to do.
NEED A SHOT? City-run sites including West Seattle still have thousands of appointments – make yours here. Or call this hotline – 800-525-0127.
AND IF YOU’RE GOING TO A SOUNDERS MATCH … the team will be offering walk-up vaccinations to fans, starting Sunday.
COVID AT SCHOOL: Another local elementary school has reported a COVID case. This time, it’s a person at Lafayette Elementary, according to a letter to the staff that doesn’t specify whether the person is a student or staffer but says “Seattle Public Schools’ COVID Central team did not identify any individuals who came in close contact with this person.” Here’s the district’s notification policy. The district isn’t keeping school-by-school reports on its website but does have region-by-region numbers on this dashboard.
NEED FOOD? Two opportunities tomorrow: The nearest Food Lifeline distribution is 2-5 pm Friday at 815 S. 96th; Highland Park Elementary is offering drive-up grab-n-go food boxes during that same time period (1012 SW Trenton).
GOT INFO/PHOTOS/TIPS? 206-293-6302, text or voice, or westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Rendering by Atelier Drome Architecture)
Five months after passing the final stage of Design Review, the project planned for 3417 Harbor SW – just north of the west end of the West Seattle Bridge – has received land-use approval. Today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin includes the decision on the proposal for a 5-story building with 115 apartments and 65 offstreet parking spaces. This opens a two-week period for appeals – if you’re interested in filing one, this notice explains how; May 13th is the deadline. We first reported on the plan for this redevelopment project two years ago; its first Southwest Design Review Board meeting was the last one held in-person pre-pandemic; its second and final review was online last November. The project still needs other permits before construction – building and demolition among them.
Shop local! The Junction’s newest retailer is about to open. We first reported one month ago that Doll Parts Collective was moving from its north Morgan Junction location, where a redevelopment project is planned. The shop specializes in vintage clothing, home decor, housewares, and handmade goods. This weekend they’re officially opening their new location at 4448 California SW – Saturday, May 1st, 12 pm-5 pm, and Sunday, May 2nd, 11 am-4 pm. Doll Parts Collective’s proprietors Alyssa and Becky say, “All are welcome, as long as they’re wearing masks and being conscious of social distancing!”
Two days after Seattle Public Utilities closed the area off Bonair/Alki to “water activities” because of a sewer overflow, it’s open again. SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register tells WSB that the latest water-quality tests show it’s safe. As reported Wednesday, the overflow – approximately 1,655 gallons – is blamed on a century-old sewer line failing. We’re continuing to follow up to see what’s planned for repair/replacement.
5:05 PM: Thanks for the tip! That is a screenshot from the Seattle City Light outage map, which shows 31 customers without power near California/Dakota starting just after 4 pm. No official word yet what caused it.
6:44 PM: The SCL map now attributes the outage to “bird/animal”; commenter DEK says it was a crow.
9:40 PM: Restored since last time we checked.
As mentioned briefly in the morning traffic watch, sidewalk construction near the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse begins this weekend. After hearing about this last night, we asked SDOT for more details today, and here’s their reply:
SDOT is building sidewalks on the west side of West Marginal Way near the Duwamish Longhouse. The new sidewalk will provide safer and easier access to the Duwamish Longhouse and will also provide direct access for people in wheelchairs who are rolling to the Duwamish Longhouse from the parking lots on the east side of West Marginal Way SW. Construction will happen during the weekends and will begin on Saturday, May 1 through Sunday, May 30. Work hours will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. One southbound lane and at least one northbound lane will be maintained during construction. People driving through the area during construction should expect potential delays. If possible, we ask they plan weekend travels accordingly to detour around this work and avoid the work areas. For more information or questions, people can contact 206-684-7623 or 684-ROAD@seattle.gov.
The sidewalks are part of the long-planned project that will include installation of a crossing signal near the Longhouse later this year, separate from the protected-bike-lane proposal. A decision on that hasn’t been made yet, SDOT said at last night’s HPAC meeting, which is where we got first word of the sidewalk work. (Full meeting report to come.)
Thinking about getting out on the water? And/or – got gear to sell? Mountain to Sound Outfitters in The Triangle is presenting the 4th annual West Seattle Boat Swap this Saturday (May 1st). This is for “human-powered watercraft” such as kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and related gear. You are welcome to drop off your watercraft and gear 9 am-11 am that morning; shopping hours are 10 am-4 pm; pickup of unsold items is immediately afterward, 4 pm-5 pm. Along with whatever community members bring in, M2SO adds, “We will have used kayaks and SUPs from Alki Kayak Tours‘ rental operation, as well as scratched and dented SUPs and kayaks from Mountain to Sound for sale at amazing summer steal prices!” To register to sell, go here. It’s happening at Mountain to Sound, 3602 SW Alaska.
Almost two weeks have gone by since word that Lou Magor had died. Comments on our April 16th story included photos and memories from many whose lives he had touched and enriched, not only in his role running Kenyon Hall, but also as a performer and teacher. We promised to let you know when we heard of memorial plans, Here’s the first word we’ve received, from Pastor Paul Corner of Wallingford United Methodist Church, where Mr. Magor served as music director,
We at Wallingford United Methodist Church were discussing how best to remember Lou, and we thought his life was too big to try to do a comprehensive celebration of his life in a short amount of time that would include all the various communities which he was such a vital part of. (Tilden, Kindermusik, Kenyon Hall, Bach Choir, the Total Experience Gospel Choir, and others.) We also know that singing (and a lot of it) will need to be as part of that more complete celebration.
Because of COVID and the amount of planning that will be involved, that wider-focused celebration will need to wait a few months when it will be safe to gather in person and sing, but we are looking forward to working with those communities to that end. We do not have any date in mind as of yet, as that will need to be worked out with all these groups.
In the meantime, since Lou was our Music Director for 30 years, our church community has decided to have an online memorial service for him on Saturday, May 15, at 11 am that will focus more specifically on his life in our community. It will be on our church YouTube page, with a “coffee hour” to follow on Zoom. (This is the format we have been using for worship all through the pandemic.). As with our Sunday morning services, all are welcome to it.
The coalition with which Mr. Magor operated Kenyon Hall, Seattle Artists, has a tribute and biography on the hall’s website. Regarding the hall’s future, they note, “Even as we mourn the loss of a truly elegant musician who was our great friend, leader, and mentor, we dedicate ourselves to the task of moving forward as an organization with thoughtfulness, care, and joy. It will be difficult without him, but we will work especially hard to share his legacy and bring back as much joy as possible.”
Two days ago, we reported on the release from prison of 43-year-old Ryan J. Cox, three and a half years after he stabbed a man in West Seattle, following a string of increasingly violent crimes over an eight-year span (detailed here). Early this morning, we updated our Tuesday report with news that Cox is back in jail for violating conditions of his release. Now we have additional information: Southwest Precinct police arrested him on a warrant issued because he did not report to his Department of Corrections officer as required post-release. That’s considered “escaping” from community custody (parole), under which Cox was to be supervised for 18 months post-prison. Police say the DOC contacted them last night to advise that a warrant was forthcoming. Police say they got confirmation of the warrant at 10:30 pm and arrested Cox 16 minutes later. The police report says that after his release from prison, he “immediately returned to the area (where) the original crime occurred,” and that’s exactly where he was arrested – in the 7100 block of California SW. Cox remains in the SCORE jail in Des Moines this morning. What happens now? We’re researching that as part of a followup inquiry we already had out to the DOC. State law classifies escaping from community custody as a felony. (DOC photo, July 2020)
With eviction moratoriums continuing, some have asked about support for property owners as well as renters. King County has just opened applications for help in this year’s version of a county program that will help them as well as tenants. The King County Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program is now accepting applications from landlords who have five or more tenants behind in rent. On May 17th, it will start taking applications from tenants. The county announcement includes these points:
*The new program is significantly larger than the 2020 program, with over $125 million available to assist residents.
*EPRAP will help King County residents in danger of eviction by paying past, current, and future rent.
*Landlord sign-ups are being collected first and the Tenant pool will open in mid-May.
*The 2020 eviction prevention program provided rent assistance to 9,073 households countywide and expended over $37 million.
Find out more by going here.
6:07 AM: Good morning! Another partly sunny forecast for today – with rain expected tomorrow.
ROAD WORK
Delridge project – Delridge/Orchard work continues, and more, including paving on the far-north end of Delridge starting next week.
35th/Graham – Work continues to remake this intersection, including a signal.
SW Yancy east of Avalon – This closure has been extended.
West Marginal – Sidewalk work on the west side of the street, north of the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, starts this weekkend.
TRANSIT
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its spring/summer schedule – all day, 7 days a week, plus Friday and Saturday evenings.
Metro has increased the number of passengers allowed on buses. And now it’s rehiring laid-off drivers.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
402nd morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: 16th week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends, when the bridge is now open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are now available for some categories of drivers.)
Here’s a low-bridge view:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
And the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:
To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
Tonight’s local/state pandemic toplines:
NO KING COUNTY NUMBERS: No daily summary, as, Seattle-King County Public Health reported in its daily email update, “we have not been able to download today’s case summaries from the Washington State Dept. of Health’s master database.”
STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS’ BRIEFING: The weekly briefing by Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah and other officials happened this morning. They said the “fourth wave” appears to be plateauing “a little bit” around the state – this as the next assessment of phase eligibility, next Monday, approaches. Watch the briefing here.
VACCINATION VISITOR: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was in Seattle today and joined local leaders for a visit to the city’s Lumen Field mass-vaccination site:
Today, I talked with frontline workers and saw first-hand the incredible progress that Seattle is making on vaccinations. Thousands of people are stepping up to protect themselves and their communities at the Lumen Field Vaccination site. pic.twitter.com/s8B8cVyk9U
— Secretary Xavier Becerra (@SecBecerra) April 29, 2021
VACCINATION SITUATION: The latest statewide situation report is out. Key stat: 5.2 million doses of vaccine have been administered statewide.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A VACCINATION APPOINTMENT … The city still has tons of openings, whether it’s your first or second dose. Here’s that link. If you’re looking for other options, our most-recent list was in Saturday’s roundup.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:
GUNFIRE INVESTIGATION: Just after 10 pm last night, police were called to an apartment complex in the 5900 block of Delridge Way SW after a resident reported hearing a gunshot and seeing a bright flash of light. Officers told dispatch that they found.a shell casing, but the report says they found no victim and no suspect.
WOULD-BE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THIEF: Residents in the 3700 block of Beach Drive forwarded this alert circulated in their complex:
This past weekend (4/24-25), we encountered an incident of attempted property theft. At roughly 4:00 am on Sunday morning, an individual arrived on our property and checked for unlocked doors before proceeding to begin cutting off the catalytic converter(s) from a resident’s vehicle which was parked under the south carport. An alert resident heard the commotion and scared the would-be thief away from the safety of their deck.
Race: Caucasian or other light-complexion
Hair: Long brown hair with some gray, pulled into ponytail
Height: Between 6’0″ – 6’2″ tall
Weight: Unknown
Dress: Navy blue heavy jacket with a brown fur-lined hood, navy or black Adidas track pants, grey lace-less sneakers, blue bandana, and black skullcap.
The alert says police were called; we do not have the incident number, but if we get it we will add it.
From West Seattle High School cheer coach Nadine Nguyen:
Are you ready to become a part of the award-winning West Seattle High School Coed Cheer Team?
Now’s your chance. Tryouts will be held in person May 12th -14th from 4:30 pm- 6:30 pm @ WSHS. To try out, you will need to fill out all online forms.
If you are looking to get a little extra help before Tryouts, come to our virtual clinic where we will be teaching basic cheer skills such as jumps, dance, and cheers to help you get ready for Tryouts. Clinics are on Thursday, May 6th, 2021, from 4:30 pm-6:30 pm . (The Link will be provided to applicants after your Tryout application is submitted)
You will need to have a COMPLETED physical and completed your Final Forms paperwork, to participate in Tryouts and the clinic.
The tryout application and final forms link are available through this link:
Good Luck and Go Wildcats!!
For questions, please email westseattlecheer@outlook.com
The sign’s still up at Bonair/Alki, one day after Seattle Public Utilities reported a sewer overflow into Puget Sound. The warning zone is at the easternmost end of the beach – it covers “water activities” for about 600 feet in either direction. Today SPU spokesoerson Sabrina Register told WSB the amount of spilled sewage is estimated at about 1,655 gallons. And a pump station was not involved, she said – rather, “An initial assessment shows structural failure (a collapsed mainline) on nearly 100-year-old infrastructure.” SPU work crews were seen in the area earlier today:
Thanks to Chas Redmond for that photo. We’ll check on the repair plasn tomorrow; SPU has said the warning signage will remain in place until water sampling shows it’s safe.
The intrepid fundraisers of the Alki Elementary PTA have a Mother’s Day plan, open now for online shopping:
Mother’s Day is coming and it is time to honor those amazing women in our lives who are our ultimate nurturers.
A day of rest, mollycoddling and appreciation for the best.But what does one do for the one who does it all?
ALKI ELEMENTARY PTA PRE-SALE TO THE RESCUE!
We are here to help you make her day nothing short of magnificent (foot rub not included).
Shop our curated collection of local goods to save time, support local, and make mother feel superior.Our Mother’s Day Shop is open – get your orders in by May 2nd!
alkipta.square.siteEverything from Breakfast in Bed bagels from Eltana, Fresh Market Flowers from Lee Lor Gardens, Decadent Chocolate from Joe Chocolate Co., Seattle Candle Company Candles, Brush + Mallet Mother’s Day Cards, And Beautiful Hand-Crafted Remembrances!
Curbside pickup offered Saturday, May 8th (bonus points for being prepared!) from:
ALAIR GIFT SHOP, 3270 California SW, from 1-3 pm
So if you support a PTA fundraiser, where does the money go? We asked Alki PTA; here’s the reply:
When the pandemic hit, Alki PTA moved swiftly, creatively, and with great purpose to help our Alki community. We have fed those on the front lines, raised money to feed and care for our families at Alki, partnered with small local businesses prioritizing support of our greater local community, brought forward a legislative initiative to increase awareness and funding around mental health services within schools, provided Alki families with multiple opportunities for family engagement, connected parents to other parents for conversation and support, encouraged healthy habits and activity through virtual events and a season-long Alki-a-thon, and provided funding to Alki Elementary for much needed support staff including a half-time social worker, academic interventionist and additional nurse staff hours.
We are extremely proud of our efforts and the people behind them. We value and appreciative all who have supported our fundraising efforts during the most challenging year we have all known in our lifetimes.
You can find fundraisers we’ve spotlighted – school and otherwise – in this WSB archive. Got an announcement? westseattleblog@gmail.com is the best way to get it to us – thank you!
More than a year after closing in the pandemic’s early going, the Corner Pocket in The Junction is reopening next Tuesday. Co-proprietor Pete Olive emailed the announcement:
The Corner Pocket will be reopening on May 4th. We wanted to make sure our staff had a chance to get vaccinated before we moved forward. We will be open 2 pm to 11 pm Monday-=Thursday, and 2 pm to midnight Friday, Saturday, Sunday. We will be operating on a limited food menu, and will be requiring masks when standing, as per Washington Dept. of Health rules.
Olive says the Corner Pocket (California & Alaska, downstairs) has been closed since mid-March of last year: “It’s been a long year.”
Thanks to Steve for sending the photo and tip! The path atop the new seawall on the south end of Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook [map] is now open – just in time for a view of this week’s low-low tides. The path was completed this month after a few months of delay attributed to ADA compliance. The new 400-foot-long, $3 million seawall was built adjacent to the failing old one after years of planning.
(View of low bridge from SDOT camera, 11:29 am today)
SDOT has opened applications for more categories of new low-bridge access authorization. They were all announced earlier this month; applications first opened for one added category, people undergoing life-saving medical treatments, and SDOT had already approved 27 as of a week ago. The new applications are for less-urgent categories, so applications received by May 15th will be reviewed for potential authorization starting June 1st. From the SDOT announcement:
The following user groups can now apply for access to drive on the low bridge:
*On-call medical workers (only for traveling to and from an on-call work shift; employer verification required)
*West Seattle-based restaurants and retail businesses (limited to urgent trips to pick-up equipment or supplies)
*Rideshare vehicles (vans, shuttles or official carpools with a state-issued rideshare license plate. This does not include Uber and Lyft)
And as already announced:
*People traveling to and from lifesaving medical treatments (authorization from your medical provider required) via West Seattle; includes driving to treatments via the Fauntleroy Ferry.
The application is available here, in these languages: English, Spanish, Korean, Somali, Chinese (Traditional), Vietnamese, Oromo, and Khmer. Questions/problems? Call 206-400-7511 or email WestSeattleBridge@seattle.gov. SDOT also notes, “Access does not begin immediately after receiving confirmation because license-plate information must be processed into the photo enforcement system.”
(Baby waterfowl, photographed by Lindsi Griggs along Longfellow Creek)
A few reminders before the afternoon arrives:
FOOD DRIVE: Bring nonperishable food and/or cash for the West Seattle Food Bank to the office of State Farm Agent Terry Gangon (4727 44th SW) all week in honor of his impending retirement.
IN-BUILDING SERVICES AT SOUTHWEST LIBRARY: This is the second day for the first West Seattle library building to reopen for some indoor services, noon-6 pm. (9010 35th SW)
LOW-LOW TIDE: Today it’s out to -2.5 feet at 12:34 pm – tomorrow afternoon, even lower. Tread lightly if you go out for a beach walk.
WEST SEATTLE SKYLINK: 5 pm online, advocates of a gondola system instead of light rail plan another online presentation – go here to get the viewing link,
TRAFFIC MITIGATION AT HPAC: The “Home Zone” work continues as part of Reconnect West Seattle traffic mitigation, and HPAC – the community council for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – talks with SDOT at 7 pm, online. Participation information, and other agenda details, are on HPAC’s website.
Got an event coming up – online or in-person? Email us info! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
In case you haven’t seen this in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar yet, an event next Tuesday morning offers you the opportunity to both boost your own mental health, and help local nonprofit Transitional Resources. Here’s the announcement for the 8 am live event on May 4th:
Since we cannot celebrate in person, our 2021 Toast to TR spring fundraiser will take place virtually, over toast! Start your day with us for our live morning event, or stream it later at your convenience. Grab your laptop and a cup of coffee and learn how you can create habits and rituals that will improve your day – and your mental health. Plus, you’ll hear about how some of our clients have been able to create positive routines in their own life thanks to the TR community and have the opportunity to support our work!
We have a generous matching pool from our presenting sponsor, Verity Credit Union, and our Board of Directors to help your gift go further. We are excited to partner with Live Oak AV and Caffe Ladro for this event.
Live stream participants will receive a digital goodie bag with printable materials and an ebook from our speaker, specialized recommendations for further reading/listening/watching on our topic, and a coupon from our partner, Caffe Ladro, for a discounted beverage and a free cookie to use at the West Seattle and Capitol Hill locations on the day of the event!
Registration: Advance registration required to participate in the livestream and receive event materials, including the Caffe Ladro coupon. Tickets are $10 and will be available until 5/3/2021. Register at Fresh Starts: Morning Habits for Better Mental Health Tickets, Tue, May 4, 2021 at 8:00 AM | Eventbrite.
6:03 AM: Good morning! Partly sunny forecast for today.
ROAD WORK
35th/Graham – Work continues to remake this intersection, including a signal.
Delridge project – Delridge/Orchard work continues, and more.
SW Yancy east of Avalon – This closure will continue a few more weeks, the project team says.
TRANSIT
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its spring/summer schedule – all day, 7 days a week, plus Friday and Saturday evenings.
Metro has increased the number of passengers allowed on buses.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
401st morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: 16th week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends, when the bridge is now open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Read about other changes here.)
Here’s a low-bridge view:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
And the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:
To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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