West Seattle, Washington
19 Tuesday
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
We first reported more than a year ago that Westside School (WSB sponsor) was looking at expanding its preschool by using space next door – the former New Apostolic Chuurch, which moved to Federal Way. Today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin includes approval for changing the site use from church to school; here’s the decision (PDF), which includes this:
Westside School proposes to expand into the neighboring, vacant New Apostolic Church. … Westside School operates on the property to the north, the former Hillcrest Presbyterian Church.
The proposal comprises renovation of the church and grounds to create new classrooms, parking, and playground for Westside School. Westside School would shift approximately 30 students from its current building and add approximately 30 new students. Approximately 8 new teachers and staff would use the building. The proposal would retain the current former church parking lot and vehicle access.
The decision issuance opens a two-week appeal period; here’s more on that (PDF).
5:44 AM: Three weeks ago today, the city closed the high-rise West Seattle Bridge, now empty for the 21st consecutive morning. Restrictions remain for the low bridge – transit, freight, and emergency responses; SPD presence continued on Friday.
For general traffic, the main route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) – that’s also the main way to get to I-5, cutting across Georgetown.
Or use the South Park Bridge (map), which drops you onto East Marginal Way a mile south of the north end of the 1st Ave. South Bridge.
Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if a bridge is opening for marine traffic.
TRANSIT ALERTS FOR THIS WEEK:
As first reported here, the Metro and Water Taxi schedules have been slashed. Use the lookup to see which bus trips are canceled.
ROAD WORK UPDATE:
Work on the last section of Avalon to be paved, west of 35th SW, is scheduled for tonight, which means that stretch of road will be closed; permanent striping in the project zone continues today, as do parking restrictions. Here’s the latest.
OTHER LINKS
SDOT’s traffic map
Our traffic-cams page
Let us know what you’re seeing if you’re still commuting – comment, or text (not if you’re at the wheel!) 206-293-6302.
(Photo courtesy WSJA)
When the coronavirus crisis eases and businesses are allowed to reopen, how many will be able to? That question is doubly important since the closure of the West Seattle Bridge means our community will have to be more self-reliant than ever. To help small local independent businesses hang on, the West Seattle Junction Association soft-launched the Small Business Relief Fund this past week. As explained on the WSJA website:
Love your favorite merchants? You can support yours through the Junction Small Business Relief Fund. Here you can support your favorite by donating to one or many businesses. Enter the name of the small business, then pick the dollar amount. 100% of the funds will be distributed directly to the business; the Junction will pay the credit-card processing fees.
If you want your donation to benefit a non-Junction business, that’s OK too, says WSJA executive director Lora Radford. The fund is off to a promising start and every additional donation helps give another small business a fighting chance. There are four ways to donate – all explained here.
As we continue into the seventh week since the first King County COVID-19 case, our nightly roundup:
NEWEST LOCAL NUMBERS: Seattle-King County Public Health has now moved to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday news-releawe schedule, but is still updating numbers daily on its COVID-19 page. For today:
*Positive test results: 4.426 (up 164 from a day earlier)
*Deaths: 292 (up 8 from a day earlier)
One week ago, those numbers were 3,167 and 208.
ONE MORE WEST SEATTLE DEATH: The county’s by-zip-code breakdown now shows 98126 with 3 deaths; 98106 and 98146 stlll have 2 each, 98136 has 1, 98116 has none.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
MAJOR PARKS’ CLOSURE, DAY 2: We drove along Alki around 5 pm. Few people in view on the promenade or beach. South of Alki Point, though, Beach Drive traffic/parking along Constellation Park (which is officially part of Alki Beach Park too) was busy.
The closures are scheduled to end at 4:30 am tomorrow.
IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE, IT’S TOO FAR: No, the “stay-home” order does not mean “stay INSIDE your home.” But you shouldn’t be driving somewhere to walk, run, etc., the state Health Department reiterates in a post today:
Do: Walk!
A lovely walk around our neighborhoods with the people (or dogs) who live with us is great for our physical and mental health. We can enjoy the sunshine, clear our minds, and get some exercise.
Don’t: Drive to your walk
Please avoid the areas that crowd easily like playgrounds or walking paths. Stay around your home. If you need to drive to your walk, that is too far away.
FERRIES EXTEND WINTER SCHEDULE: With usage way down, Washington State Ferries has extended the winter schedule until June 20th.
METRO’S REDUCED SCHEDULE CONTINUES … this week and TFN.
WATER TAXI TOO: Its reduced schedule is here.
SPRING BREAK: Since school campuses are closed, you won’t see a change there, but this week is officially “spring break” for Seattle Public Schools.
SEEN IN GEORGETOWN: A “trap” for our times:
(Thanks to John Bennett, the West Seattle entrepreneur who also has a stake in G’town, for the photo.)
GOT A PHOTO? INFO? TIP? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice our hotline, 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(WSB photo, last month)
Since we first reported a week and a half ago on West Seattle’s strong>Nucor Steel making face shields with 3-D printers, the effort has scaled up in a big way. Here’s an update Nucor sent us to share with you:
After the initial deliveries, the massive scope of the shortage of appropriate personal-safety equipment became more apparent.
To scale up production beyond its initial capability of 100 face shields per week, Nucor Seattle turned to the community, collaborating with the West Seattle Blog to help elevate the effort in the West Seattle neighborhood, where Nucor Seattle’s mill has operated for more than 100 years. The resulting response included several area high schools, technical schools, and residents, who have loaned idle equipment or are using personal equipment to print components and donate supplies for assembly at the steel mill.
Nucor now estimates its capacity at around 100 face shields per day and growing.
School partners include: Franklin Pierce School District, West Sound Tech, Seattle Christian, the
Chehalis School District, and the Tacoma School District.
The first production of about 20 face shields was donated April 2nd to Providence Mount St. Vincent, a long-term-care facility located around a mile from Nucor Seattle’s mill and with which Nucor Seattle has partnered for the last decade.
Since last week, around 500 shields have been delivered to area hospitals, clinics, and care facilities. The team at Nucor Seattle has so far focused on immediate support for the public health response:
• Donation of excess Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to local area medical centers, including hundreds of N95 dust masks and nitrile gloves.
• Organizing on-site additive manufacturing (3D printing) capabilities and expanding efforts to include teammates, local schools, and community resident-owned equipment to help address critical shortages in PPE.
Nucor Seattle engineers specializing in additive manufacturing have worked around-the-clock to research needs and test designs. Currently, the effort is focused on producing National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved face shields for medical workers and frontline caregivers. Nucor is now printing holders for these face shields and has purchased and received donated plastic and straps under the guidelines issued by the NIH. Nucor is also researching and designing various forms of respirator components that can be fitted with household media such as coffee and vacuum filters.
“Our teammates are working hard to design, optimize and produce materials approved by the National Institutes of Health, as well as reaching out to local medical centers and caregivers to learn how we can best support them on the frontlines of this public health crisis,” said Patrick Jablonski, Environmental Manager. “When our community learned of this effort, they stepped up to help and we have gone from 100 face shields in a week to about 100 face shields per day. We are proud to be able to use our resources to contribute to solutions but we are even more humbled by the response and immediacy with which our neighbors acted to help. We are all in this together.”
More than 300 people work at Nucor in West Seattle, which describes itself as “the biggest recycler in Washington State, using recycled scrap to produce materials used in building projects.”
Before Easter ends, bunny sightings from the inbox:
Along Alki Avenue this morning, Stewart L. saw that skateboarding “bunny.” Later in the day in Gatewood, Troy Sterk saw the more-common kind:
Also caught on video, more running than hopping:
Thanks again for all the photo contributions!
We’ve heard several reports of West Seattle musicians serenading their neighbors – at a safe distance. This one came with video. Singer/songwriter Larry Murante‘s concert for his block in Westwood included percussion by Chris Odell.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon:
STOLEN CAR AND KAYAK: John‘s silver 1993 Subaru Legacy was stolen last night in the 4800 block of 48th SW, orange-and-white kayak and all. (We’ll add the plate # when we get it.) If you see it, please call 911. (update – found!)
DUMPED BIKE WITH CART: From Rick:
Someone left this bike with tow cart in the 6700 block of 14th Ave SW (near Myrtle and green belt), last night/early morning. Possibly stolen.
We’ve been saving up these contributed photos (THANK YOU!) over the past week:
Above, from Mindi Katzman; below, from Jeffrey Jones:
Below – if you saw this, you might think it’s a passing orca, but it’s not:
That’s a sea-lon behavior known as “sailing” (explained here in the past). Above, from Jim Spraker; below, from James Moore:
Later today, some great bird photos from the past week (not The Turkey, who by the way is still in Burien at last report!).
(Art by Tara J., photographed by Ann Anderson)
Good morning! Notes for the day ahead:
ONLINE EASTER SERVICES: Two dozen West Seattle churches are on our list – with services as early as 6:30 am.
DONATION DRIVE: Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) invites you to be a helper on this holiday:
The COVID19 pandemic is disproportionally hurting our most vulnerable neighbors. Here’s how you can help!
This Easter Sunday, there will be donations barrels outside Alki UCC, for your donations of clothing and non-perishable foods. Social distancing observed! The bins will be available from 10 am to 5 pm.
Food donations will be distributed by the White Center Food Bank. Top requests include Canned Meat/Soup/Fruit (pop-top cans, if possible); Rice, Noodles, Peanut Butter, Oats, Toilet Paper; Diapers, Similac Formula, Baby Wipes, Cleaning Supplies and Hand Sanitizer.
Clothing Donations will be distributed via the West Seattle Clothesline and the King Country Drug Court, which serves our neighbors receiving treatment for minor drug offenses. Many men have been moved into supportive housing during the current crisis; they need shirts, jackets, pants, shoes, underwear, socks, etc. for a smooth transition back into our community. Alki UCC’s Easter Service will be streaming live beginning at 10:00 am. If you’re in the neighborhood before 11:30 am or so, you’ll be able to enjoy a bit of the service music as you walk or drive by.
GROCERY SHOPPING TODAY? Some different hours for the holiday – see our Saturday story.
EASTER TAKEOUT: We’re continuing to update our West Seattle (etc.) restaurant list – some are even offering Easter dinners.
FREE TO-GO DINNERS: High Point Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near High Point Community Center. (6920 34th SW)
(added) MORE FREE MEALS: This offer is from the West Seattle Eagles (4426 California SW):
2 FREE MEALS at your West Seattle Eagles !!!
First up, Gabby and her Mom Debbie will step into the Kitchen from 12 – 2 pm. Our delicious Easter Brunch menu offers up Eggs Benedict, Potatoes and Fresh Fruit.
Round 2 begins at 5.30 pm, when John hits the kitchen to prepare his WORLD FAMOUS SMASH BURGERS !!! You can’t just eat one…
As always, all meals are FREE and open to the PUBLIC !!!
Please enter through the blue door located at the SE corner of the building. We adhere to all CDC Social Distancing Guidelines, so please follow the 6 feet rule. Donations gladly accepted.
And two reminders:
THREE PARKS CLOSED: Stay out of Alki, Lincoln Park, and West Seattle Stadium, which are closed until early Monday.
NO FARMERS’ MARKET … though it apparently almost happened.
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 11, 2020
If you’re a fan of actor LeVar Burton – you might know he’s reading stories live on Twttter/Periscope these days. Last night, the story he chose to read was “Magnificent Pigs,” by West Seattle-based writer Cat Rambo, immediate past president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (among other accomplishments). She explained that the SFWA “arranged for people on this year’s Nebula Awards ballot (I am on there for a novelette, CARPE GLITTER) to send stories in for consideration for LeVar. He called yesterday morning and said he was reading my story last night, which absolutely flabbergasted me. I’m so happy my story got a chance to entertain that many people, and holy cow, having your work read by LeVar Burton is about as good as it gets.” (Click above to see/hear him read it.)
That’s the plate on Tamara‘s niece’s car. She just arrived in West Seattle – and on her first night, her car was stolen. It has a UW sticker on it. Some stolen cars are abandoned miles away, but some are dumped near where they were taken, so we publish these reports in hopes you can be on the lookout too. If you see it, call 911.
We have begun the seventh week since King County’s first COVID-19 case. Here’s our nightly roundup:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the daily Seattle-King County Public Health news release:
4,262 confirmed positive cases (up 145 from yesterday)
284 confirmed deaths (up 7 from yesterday)
One week ago, those numbers were 2,898 and 200.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 10,224 cases and 491 deaths, up from 7,591 and 310 a week ago; other state stats are here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
PARK-CLOSURE WEEKEND: Here’s what we and readers saw today at the three West Seattle parks included in the mayor’s order closing 15 major city parks until early Monday. This evening, we noted the SPD mobile precinct at Alki:
Of course, the MP was sometimes there on clear-weather spring evenings pre-pandemic, too.
WHEN WILL RESTRICTIONS END? SKCPH’s daily update includes this explanation of what authorities are watching for:
When it appears safe, Public Health will be looking at the following indicators to help inform the timing and approach for the gradual relaxing of one or more social distancing measures:
*A steady decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for at least two weeks;
*Healthcare system readiness, including sufficient staffing, supplies, and bed space, to be able to accommodate the increase in cases we expect to see when we loosen social distancing measures;
*Widespread availability of rapid testing and reporting of results, beyond what is currently available, so people who are infected can take quick action to slow the spread of COVID-19;
*Capacity to conduct widespread case and contact investigations to quickly identify people who are infected and their close contacts and help them isolate and quarantine;
*Availability of proven COVID-19 treatments, which are currently under evaluation.
At the same time, we are sensitive to the unintended economic and social impacts from a prolonged Stay Home order. We must advocate for and provide support to those who are experiencing hardships as a result of this necessary disease-control strategy.
More on the topic here.
AT THE STORES: Our fourth weekly grocery-shopping update is here, with commenters sharing their observations too. (Note that the Easter holiday is affecting some stores’ hours tomorrow.)
SPEAKING OF EASTER … here’s our list of 24 local churches with online services.
THANK YOU, POSTAL WORKERS: Seen at a local USPS Post Office and tweeted by Bill Schrier with words of gratitude:
(Three weeks ago, we published a letter carrier’s plea for people to keep their distance.)
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
That stretch of California SW in The Junction will be open to traffic, instead of closed for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, again tomorrow, for the fifth consecutive Sunday. When the mayor announced this past week that her recent orders would be extended to concur with the new May 4th end date of the governor’s stay-home order, the news release specifically noted that her decision included “Suspension of City-permitted events, with the exception of farmers markets which will continue to be for a potential re-opening.” The governor’s order calls farmers’ markets “essential.” But the nonprofit that runs the West Seattle Farmers’ Market and others says it will NOT be reopening tomorrow despite a short-lived belief it would be allowed to. Here’s what they told their email subscribers today:
We were sure that markets would reopen this weekend. We held off on announcing it, but if you spoke to me privately, I would have told you to make a list and gather your tote bags. However, yesterday (Friday) at 11:30 am, we received a call from the Mayor’s Office saying they could not approve the re-opening of markets this weekend. That came after receiving direct and unilateral communication from Public Health, Office of Sustainability and Environment, and the Office of Economic Development that the markets would indeed be operating this weekend. We had already told the farmers. We had already trained them on the new operating procedures and standards for each market. We were ready to give farmers their main source of income back.
We were ready to run safe and successful food access points for the City of Seattle. This is our job and our staff and vendors are really damn good at it.
Why the reported turnabout? We haven’t heard from the mayor’s office and won’t be able to ask them until Monday. Market managers told us last week they had been planning to operate the market in an “extremely modified” format.
(Photo by Sharon Nickels)
If not for COVID-19, today would have been full of Easter egg hunts, since it’s the day before Easter. While those had to be canceled, for those who celebrate Easter, worship goes on … online. Here’s our list of West Seattle churches with Easter Sunday services (and a few tonight):
ADMIRAL UCC: The video service will be here. Also – coffee hour via Zoom at 11:30 am.
ALKI UCC: 6:30 am online sunrise service; register here. 10 am online service, via Zoom – info and link on lower right of church’s home page.
ALL SOULS SEATTLE (WSB sponsor): Daily online worship is here
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 will be available via the church’s website.
EASTRIDGE CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 9 am and 11 am.
FAUNTLEROY UCC: Livestreaming here at 10 am.
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE: The online Easter liturgy is here.
GRACE CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10:30 am.
HALLOWS CHURCH: Streaming at 10 am church website.
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming bilingual Easter Vigil at 8:30 pm tonight, then Easter Sunday in English at 8:30 am, en Español at 10 am, all here.
HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming Easter Vigil tonight at 8:30 pm, Easter Sunday at 9:30 am, both here.
HOPE LUTHERAN: The service will be viewable here at 8 am.
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming Easter Vigil at 8:30 pm tonight, Easter Sunday at 10 am, both here.
PEACE LUTHERAN: Livestreaming at 10:30 am here.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 10:15 am, or view later on the church website. The bulletin to accompany the service is here.
TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): The video service will be viewable here.
TRINITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10 am.
WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The video service will be viewable here.
WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming here, 11 am.
WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN Livestreaming at 10 am here.
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!
Three notes this afternoon:
STOLEN BICYCLE: From Sophia:
Unfortunately i’m writing this hoping anyone can help find my stolen bike ? I took it out around 8 and around 10 it was gone. I live in a gated complex [near California/Brandon], so i’m still unsure how this happened … the police report is 20-121584 and it’s a women’s Giant.
FOUND BICYCLE: Dominic reports, “Missing a new green women’s cruiser bicycle? It was throw over a fence in a residence in the 90xx block of 17th Ave SW at 4:35 pm (Friday) afternoon.”
DUMPED: Aaron reports, “I woke this morning to find a seemingly brand-new cooler and tent that appears to have been thrown down the hill from Marine View Dr. – we are near 100th. We are going to try to locate the owner for the next day or so. Seattle police were down our street at about 1030 last night and it must be related because we are on a dead end. We already reported to the non emergency line.”
12:46 PM: We’re out checking on the parks that the mayor ordered closed through early Monday. Updates as we go:
First stop, West Seattle Stadium – the driveway is blocked off right at the 35th entrance. Next, heading toward Alki; this portable sign is by Don Armeni’s north/west entrance:
It’s a closure reminder; we saw it being set up (but not activated) Friday evening. Westward…
1:10 PM: Just drove the entire stretch of Alki, including south of Alki Point. People are out walking, running, and biking, but only a handful are off the trail and actually on the sand or promenade. Did not see any marked SPD or Parks vehicles, nor additional sugnage.
1:22 PM: Moments after that update, we saw the SPD Mobile Precinct headed toward southbound Beach Drive. We’re heading toward Lincoln Park next.
1:58 PM: Most of Lincoln Park, of course, is not visible from the road, so all we can report is what we could see by driving past – one person in view on a trail by the north lot, two people walking in across the south lot. As evening approaches, we will take another look at Alki.
4:43 PM: See comments below for what others are seeing at the parks.
5:10 PM: Alki photographer David Hutchinson took these photos around 3 pm:
He explains the photo immediately above: “One of a number of people with Seattle Parks & Recreation yellow vests who have been patrolling the Alki Beach area and at Don Armeni earlier.”
For the fourth consecutive Saturday morning of the coronavirus crisis, we have grocery-store notes. We’re continuing to update our ongoing list of local stores’ hours, etc. This week’s highlights:
EASTER CHANGES: If your regular shopping trip is on Sunday, be aware that the Easter holiday tomorrow brings some changes. Trader Joe’s will be closed. Both QFC stores will be open 8 am-5 pm. All three Safeway stores will be open 6 am-7 pm.
SPECIAL SHOPPING HOURS: QFC is now open 7-8 am Mondays-Fridays for seniors and other at-risk people, one day more than previously.
WATCH THE FLOOR: More stores are marking spots on the floor to ensure you are safely spaced from the next person in line. One-way aisles are also starting to catch on.
COVER YOUR FACE: With the recent recommendation to wear a mask, especially in a setting like a grocery store where you might wind up less than six feet from someone no matter how hard you try, we noticed a dramatic increase in usage when we went shopping this past week – both in shoppers and staff.
What are YOU seeing at YOUR store?
(UPDATED 2:07 PM>)
(Video by Ryan O’Keven)
3:27 AM: Major Seattle Fire callout in the 2300 block of 48th SW [map] – a house site under construction is reported to be on fire, described as “fully involved.”
(Photo by Liz Murdock)
3:34 AM: They’ve just called for a second alarm.
(Video by William Skibitzke)
3:45 AM: This is reported to be a multi-unit building under construction.
(Added, photo by Laurie Cecil, from blocks away)
3:54 AM: The fire is under control.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand from here down)
Our crew has just arrived and says it’s clearly “a total loss.”
4:04 AM: The address is 2329 48th SW, not 2325 as logged by SFD. We wrote about this project two years ago. It was planned as two rowhouse-style townhouse buildings, one five units, one two units – the larger one is what burned. Meantime, there’s concern about power lines in the area coming down, so City Light is being called in.
4:15 AM: SFD reports that “residents in nearby homes were safely evacuated with no injuries reported.”
4:45 AM: Some crews are being dismissed. We don’t have official word yet on how this affected the buildings on both sides (here’s the two-unit building next door:)
But firefighters have had to put out hot spots including a tree stump “across the gully” from the fire site. (And a few minutes later, “a pile of construction materials … is burning.”)
5:09 AM: Going on 2 hours now from the original dispatch. Thanks again to the person who called to tip us, and thanks to everyone who sent photos/video. About half the crews have been dismissed. No indication of the fire’s cause yet; we’ll have updates later today.
2:07 PM: Just went by for a daylight look. We also checked with SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo, who tells us 75 firefighters battled the fire. “The building is a total loss and the neighboring homes sustained minor damage. Several residents from the neighboring homes were evacuated as a safety precaution and no injuries were reported. Our crews are still on scene to monitor for hot spots. The incident is under investigation. “
Stay home this weekend! The governor repeated that today, topping our nightly roundup, six weeks after King County’s first COVID-19 case was reported:
GOVERNOR REPEATS ‘STAY HOME, STAY HEALTHY’: In a mid-afternoon news conference, Gov. Inslee was joined by local leaders of tourism-dependent areas from Ocean Shores to the San Juans, as they all repeated the refrain: Stay home this weekend, to help keep the coronavirus from spreading.The governor also hauled out a few charts to show what could happen if people get complacent. Here’s video of the briefing.
REMEMBER, DON’T GO TO ALKI OR LINCOLN PARK: From late tonight until early Monday, they’re closed (as are West Seattle Stadium and 12 other major city parks). We’ll be checking around midday to see how that goes. We noticed an SDOT crew setting up a messageboard sign along north/westbound Harbor Avenue tonight, perhaps to warn of the closure.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s Seattle-King County Public Health news release:
4,117 confirmed positive cases (up 231 from yesterday)
277 confirmed deaths (up 19 from yesterday)
One week ago, the county reported 2,787 cases and 186 deaths.
NO MORE DAILY NEWS RELEASES: Starting next week, SKCPH says, they’ll only send out news releases on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, unless something huge happens. But they say the daily numbers will continue to be updated on the data dashboard.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 9,887 cases, 475 deaths; see the full iist of state stats here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them – nation by nation – here.
NEED HELP WITH RENT? The city and county have joined private donors in contributing to a new United Way of King County fund to help people who can’t pay their April rent. It was announced in a news conference in which we participated this morning. The fund has $5 million for starters. Our area has an emergency rent assistance social-service agency, the West Seattle Food Bank, so we asked WSFB how people would know how to seek help. UWKC is among the resources to which they direct people, explained executive director Fran Yeatts. Find out more about the new fund, and apply if you need to, here.
NEED FOOD? More giving going on, this time courtesy of Delridge’s KBM Commissary.
THIS WEEKEND: As we did today for Good Friday, we’ll be publishing Easter and Passover online-event links Saturday by mid-afternoon. (Not too late to send us yours!)
YES, WE WILL: Thanks to Melissa for the chalk art from SW Rose:
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Three reader-contributed scenes from today/tonight before we move on with more news…
SUNSET: Thank you to John Brosnan for sharing that view. (added) Here’s the Lincoln Park view from Fatiha:
And from Lynn Hall:
FLYING PIANO: Jim Borrowsaw that from Upper Alki this morning – apparently a piano being lifted by crane to a buildings upper level:
And speaking of flying … bird news:
THE WEST SEATTLE TURKEY … seems to be in danger of becoming The Burien Turkey. Late today, it was seen in Seola, and then this video came from Tom Myers, who saw TWST this evening at “the west end of SW 116th”:
She apparently had been southbound all day, because we got earlier reports from south Arbor Heights and Seola.
(Photo tweeted by @ReganConley)
5:37 PM: If you’re seeing a big police response near 35th/Avalon, here’s what it’s about: Police were responding to a report of gunfire near 35th/Morgan, and then caught up with a possibly related vehicle near 35th/Avalon. People ran from the car; police just radioed that they have two guns and the driver in custody. They’re still looking for three others, at least some of whom may have headed east. At least one suspect is barefoot, having left his shoes behind. One part of the scene is reported to be near 30th/Genesee.
5:45 PM: The Guardian One law-enforcement helicopter is joining the search. The only descriptions available are that the people they’re searching for are all men in their mid-20s, one white, two black.
5:57 PM: The search continues, with multiple K9 teams involved too.
6 PM: Potential suspect reported in custody at 30th/Dakota. That means two suspects are in custody, two still being sought.
6:16 PM: The 2 still being sought are described as “white, no shirt, no shoes” and black, dressed in dark clothing. Meantime, we are checking out the original scene – many casing markers in the alley north of Walgreens.
(WSB photo)
(WSB photo)
6:32 PM: Suspect vehicle is about to be towed from Avalon.
(WSB photo)
6:54 PM: One more suspect reported to be in custody.
(Photo sent by John F)
The first person detained, the driver, is female. Meantime, we just came up Avalon again; most of the police vehicles are gone.
7 PM: The original scene off 35th has cleared too.
7:51 PM: Commenters report one more arrest. We’re adding more photos. Additional followup info isn’t likely to be available before Monday, unless this incident turns up on SPD Blotter.
8:32 PM: And it just has. The post says one suspect is still at large:
Police arrested three people and are still searching for one more after shots were fired in West Seattle early Friday evening.
Police were dispatched to the 3500 block of SW Morgan Street after witnesses reported shots fired around 5:45 pm.
Officers flooded the area and spotted four people attempting to flee the area in a car. The suspects stopped their vehicle near SW Avalon and Genesee Street and continued to flee on foot.
Officers from the Southwest and South precincts pursued the suspects and with the help of a K9 unit and King County Guardian One helicopter captured three of the four.
Police continue to scour the area for the remaining suspect.
Officers have not received any reports of a victim at this time.
Gang Unit detectives will continue investigating and are asking anyone with information to please call the tip line at 206-233-5000.
(WSB photo, low-bridge enforcement earlier this week)
5:35 PM: If you’re not on Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s email list, you can read her latest update on the West Seattle Bridge closure here. Along with some recaps of other recent developmenss, the roundup starts with an update on how one public-safety agency is reviewing how the high-bridge closure is affecting response levels:
With the length of the bridge closure uncertain, but not short, ensuring good access to fire and EMS services in West Seattle is of vital importance.
My office inquired with Fire Chief Scoggins about Fire and EMS response in West Seattle during the closure of the West Seattle Bridge. Chief Scoggins noted in an update,
“The Seattle Fire Department is currently conducting a comprehensive GIS analysis of the impacts on fire and EMS response times due to the closure of the West Seattle Bridge. We expect that analysis to be completed by April 17.
“The analysis includes a review of response times before and after the bridge closure, how often and when the lower bridge opens for marine traffic as well as the delays caused by rail traffic.
“During the Spokane Street Viaduct construction project another ladder truck was added in West Seattle with funding provided by the Seattle Department of Transportation. This deployment model is just one of several options we will be considering.”
Read the rest of the update here.
9:20 PM: In her post, Councilmember Herbold mentions an announcement SDOT was to make today reiterating the low-bridge restrictions. That’s finally appeared tonight on SDOT Blog.
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