West Seattle, Washington
19 Friday
Though Seattle Public Schools campuses are closed, some are open part of the day for meal distribution, so school-zone speed limits will be in effect near those schools during those hours, starting today and continuing until late June. As announced by SDOT:
The bright yellow flashing lights on 20MPH signs near schools will flash between 10:45 am and 1:15 pm to show when the school zone speed limits are in effect. The lights will be flashing at 16 local schools … to remind drivers that students are present and to drive slow. Cameras issuing tickets will not be turned on. Our goal is to reduce speeds and if we continue to see increases, we will consider other speed reduction measures.
We’ve seen an uptick in driving speeds since the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order has been in place.
With less cars on the roads, drivers are tempted to step on the gas. Don’t do it!
The local schools on the list are Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle), adjacent Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon), West Seattle Elementary (6760 34th SW), and Concord International Elementary (723 S. Concord, South Park).
From Blake in The Admiral District:
This suspect broke into my car and stole a sub-woofer speaker, a Benro tripod, and other miscellaneous items. It happened last night … I just wanted to get the word out there in case someone else sees the man lurking around their property.
No police-report # yet but we’ll add it later when it’s available.
Friends and family are remembering Dave Robertson, who passed away last week at 70:
David E Robertson passed away peacefully on Thursday April 9th in Las Vegas Nevada, after a short fight with Pancreatic Cancer. Dave was born on July 16, 1949 to Earnest and Violet Robertson in Procter, Minnesota. Dave grew up in the greater Minneapolis area and enlisted into the Air Force soon after high school. After his service, Dave and Margaret (his previous wife) settled into life, raising his daughter in Minneapolis.
Throughout his life he had a few career changes, first he was a successful hair salon operator, then moved on to medical billing, telecommunications, and finally a small business owner. Dave and his former partner Paul Binder moved from Minnesota to Washington DC, then to the Pacific Northwest, where they settled in West Seattle. In 2005, their longing for getting out of the corporate office started PB&J Textiles, where Dave worked full time until his retirement October 2019.
Dave served 6 years as a Board Director for the West Seattle Senior Center, 2 years as Board President. During that time, Dave was very instrumental in navigating the Senior Center through difficult times. For those that attended a “Rainbow Bingo” at the Senior Center, Dave was famously known as the “Jello Shot Man.” On Bingo Day he would get up early to make Jello shots, then return later in the day to help out and sell those Jello shots to the attendees.
In recent years, Dave found a love playing Santa during the holidays. Dave juggled several gigs taking pictures with countless families, their children, and pets as the happy Santa.
Dave leaves behind his daughter and son in-law (CheFawn & Brian Holland) in Las Vegas; 3 grandchildren, Mya (Donato White), Nick, and Keana; 1 great-grandson, Nathan Alexander White; 2 step-grandchildren; and his beloved 2 dogs, Pete & Lillie.
At this time there will be no memorial service until after the COVID-19 virus passes.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
5:40 AM: The high-rise West Seattle Bridge is now empty for the 23rd consecutive morning. Restrictions remain for the low bridge – transit, freight, and emergency responses; SPD presence/enforcement continued Tuesday,in multiple dayparts.
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.
ROAD WORK ALERT: The last stretch of Avalon paving west of 35th is done:
But crews are continuing to work on permanent striping and marking throughout the full project zone.
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.
OTHER LINKS
SDOT’s traffic map
Our traffic-cams page
Let us know what you’re seeing – comment, or text (not if you’re at the wheel!) 206-293-6302.
(WSB photos. From left, SDOT’s Sam Zimbabwe and Matt Donahue, Councllmembers Alex Pedersen and Lisa Herbold)
11:56 PM: What was amnounced as a West Seattle Bridge “tour” with two city councilmembers and SDOT today was more of a visit and Q&A. We listened in as Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Alex Pedersen talked with SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe and roadway-structures director Matt Donahue.
They looked at the underside of the bridge and its piers from two spots, near the entrance to the Jim Clark Marina parking lot, and a short distance west. A steady stream of trucks from Harbor Island provided enough constant noise that, at a safe social distance, we didn’t catch every word, but here are the highlights of what we could hear:
The discussion centered on the complexity of the task of determining how to stabilize and then repair the bridge. Donahue went into detail of the modeling that’s being used to analyze the cracks, which – as Zimbabwe told us in our April 2nd interview – continue to grow, though not at the rate that led to the bridge’s sudden shutdown 22 days ago. Cracking isn’t the only concern – parts of the bridge aren’t “sliding the way they’re supposed to.” (There’s more elaboration on the added concerns in this report by SCC Insight, which details a “locked lateral bearing” on Pier 18, the one in the next photo with a pipe running down it:)
He also explained that thoroughly understanding the problem is vital in designing the solution, because they have to take care that the stabilizing – including “shoring” – doesn’t get in the way of the ensuing repairs. All the while, they’re in a “race against time.”
What clues has the bridge’s past provided? Donahue noted he was in elementary school when the bridge was designed, but SDOT has “14 file cabinets” stuffed with documentation. The emphasis of current efforts, though, is the work being done by a “team of highly specialized (engineers),” consulting firm WSP, which has a deep portfolio of bridge work.
It was reiterated that the stabilization/shoring has to be done to make the bridge safe for major repairs – to get the cracks to stop growing.
So no new revelations, but the councilmembers do have a new perspective for when SDOT presents that moved-up briefing next Monday, which will mark four weeks to the day since the shutdown.
ADDED 11:02 AM WEDNESDAY: And we’ll get more new info even sooner – the mayor and various transportation officials plan a media briefing at 3:30 pm today.
(Photo courtesy Jason Hubbard)
The evergreen that serves as the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Christmas tree is lit in blue tonight. As previewed here last night, it’s inspired by the nationwide Light It Blue campaign to honor health-care heroes and others on the pandemic frontline. The tree in Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) was decked this morning with the help of Fleming’s Holiday Lighting:
(Photo courtesy WSJA)
The display is underwritten by Nucor.
No big news today, but here’s what we have for the nightly roundup:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Seattle-King County Public Health COVID-19 data dashboard:
*4,620 people have tested positive, up 71 from yesterday
*303 people have died, up 7 from yesterday
One week ago, those numbers were 3,486 and 230.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
HOW IS COVID-19 AFFECTING SFD AND SPD? This week’s updates are here.
THE NATIONAL GUARD … has arrived, here to help out the West Seattle Food Bank.
NEED FOOD? Another local restaurant is extending a hand – full of tasty food – to those in need.
GOVERNOR TALKS TOMORROW: He hasn’t had a COVID-19-related media briefing yet this week, but that’ll change tomorrow at 3 pm. No guests or topic announced, so far. It’ll be livestreamed by TVW.
…AND HE ISSUED PROCLAMATIONS TODAY: Three miscellaneous ones.
PEP CHALK: Seen along 30th SW in Sunrise Heights, sent by a reader:
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(March 27th photo by Asher Morgan)
When we asked SFD today about whether investigators had determined the cause of last Saturday’s 48th SW fire, we also asked again about the March 27th Jim Clark Marina fire. SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says investigators also were unable to determine what started that fire. No one was hurt, but as we first reported the day after the fire, nine boats burned.
(Alki UCC photos. Above, Cinda Stenger, Outreach/Social Justice Team)
On Easter, we mentioned Alki UCC‘s all-day donation drive out front. Today we got a note to share w9th you, expressing gratitude for everyone who helped:
Alki United Church of Christ (Alki UCC) thanks everyone who came by our building Easter Sunday to donate food and clothing for our vulnerable neighbors in need, those who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID 19.
Your food contributions will be distributed via the White Center Food Bank; clothing donations will go to either the West Seattle Clothesline or the King County Drug Court to help men receiving treatment for minor drug offenses transition back into our community.
Your spirit and generosity will warm many, many hearts. Thank you.
Note: We hope to continue our socially-distanced food donations drive every other Sunday beginning April 26. Check alkiucc.org for details.
4:16 PM: A Seattle Fire “full response” was sent to California/Alaska after a report of dark smoke from a commercial building’s roof, but so far, the first arriving units aren’t seeing anything.
4:21 PM: This was determined to be a “smoking pizza oven”; units are being dismissed.
(WSB photo, Saturday)
Ever since that 2-alarm fire in the 2300 block of 48th SW early Saturday, we’ve been checking back with SFD to see if they had determined the cause. Today, the official word is that “Our fire investigators were unable to determine a cause,” according to SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo. He says the estimated loss in the fire – which damaged neighboring residences as well as gutting five under-construction rowhouse units – was $910,000. No one was hurt but the fire spread burning debris over a distance – one Alki Avenue condo resident even reported finding some of it.
When Gov. Inslee activated the National Guard in our state to help with the COVID-19 response, the plan was for members to help out at food banks. We checked with the West Seattle Food Bank at the time and they were not yet sure if anyone would be assigned – but on Monday, they arrived! The photos and update are from WSFB development director Judi Yazzolino:
Our 2 National Guardsmen started yesterday. We so needed them and so grateful. 2Lt. Akana and SSG Roberts.
You can help WSFB too – donate money and/or register for the May 9th virtual version of the “Instruments of Change” benefit!
Last week for the first time, both the Seattle Police and Fire xepartments published by-the-numbers updates on how COVID-19 was affecting their personnel. One week later, both have published updates. First, from SPD (we’ve added the comparisons from last week’s report):
The following information is accurate as of April 14, 2020 at 07:00 AM
Seattle Police Department (SPD) employees in either Quarantine or Isolation: 26 [down from 50 a week ago]
SPD employees who have returned to work based on Public Health guidelines: 235 [up from 194]
SPD employees who have tested positive for COVID-19: 7 [up 1]
SPD employees who have been tested at our First Responder testing site, but tested negative for COVID-19: 103* [up from 87]
* denotes an approximate number
And from SFD (we have added the comparisons from last week’s report):
The following information is updated as of 4 p.m. on April 13:
Quarantine and Isolation:
Members currently in quarantine or isolation: 6 members [down from 29 a week ago]
Total number of SFD personnel impacted since the beginning of tracking COVID-19: 88 members [unchanged]
Total number of SFD personnel who have completed their 14-day quarantine and returned to work: 82 members [up from 59]Testing:
This includes those who have received testing at the site designated for first responders and those who have shared their results from testing conducted at a private physician.
Total number of known SFD personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19: 16 members [unchangedd]
Total number of SFD personnel with a negative test results at first responder testing site: 70 members pup from 58]
Total number of SFD personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have recovered: 6 members [up from 1]
No geographic or demographic breakdowns are available.
Though it’s been rocky times for restaurants, local independent eateries continue giving. As announced by Itto’s Tapas via Instagram:
We would like to sincerely thank you all for the support we have received over the past few weeks. The love West Seattle has show us has been truly humbling and honestly, we are blown away. We have received generous donations, vows of support and encouraging messages. We are doing our best to stay afloat during this crisis. An Instagram post can’t begin to properly put it into words but we are so grateful to have such amazing patrons. Thank you all so much!
We will be paying it forward by cooking free meals for anyone in need on Tuesday, April 14th at 5:30 pm at The West Seattle Eagles Club, just around the corner from Itto’s. Meals will be available until we run out.
Also, anyone who can’t afford their next meal, please feel free to email us from our website and I will take care of you.
Much love to all of you. Please stay safe and stay strong. We will get through this together! And I can’t wait to personally greet you through our doors when it is safe to do so!
The Eagles are at 4426 California SW.
P.S. Thanks to Manuel for the tip!
We’re continuing to publish updates about how local businesses are operating these days. This morning, from longtime WSB sponsor Emmick Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services:
Funeral Homes, Cemeteries, and Crematories have been deemed “essential workforces” by
Gov. Inslee.Although, we are adjusting how we make and arrange for our services: We decided to temporarily stop meeting in-person with people back on March 13th.
We can facilitate funeral & cremation arrangements by mail, e-mail, phone, and/or fax. We are still available and able to bring people’s loved ones into our care. Funeral services are very limited at this time, if occurring at all, but it fluctuates day to day, it seems. Some cemeteries aren’t allowing people to be present for a service; other cemeteries are allowing only immediate family members.
We are doing all that we can do to help our community to the absolute best of our ability, and we appreciate the understanding, patience, compassion, and kindness we have received from the Families we serve.
As explained online, theirs is a “small, local, family-owned and operated company,” based at 3243 California SW.
6:30 AM: The high-rise West Seattle Bridge is now empty for the 22nd consecutive morning. Restrictions remain for the low bridge – transit, freight, and emergency responses; SPD presence continued on Monday.
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:
Permanent striping/marker placement in the Avalon/35th/Alaska project zone is scheduled to continue today, as are parking restrictions. Here’s the latest.
OTHER LINKS
SDOT’s traffic map
Our traffic-cams page
Let us know what you’re seeing – comment, or text (not if you’re at the wheel!) 206-293-6302.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Hours before she gets a firsthand look at the West Seattle Bridge danger zone with SDOT, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold provided an update tonight to the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council. The neighborhood closest to the bridge’s crest held its every-other-month meeting by videoconference/phone, and we dialed in.
One major headline: After SDOT briefed the council on the bridge situation one week ago, it was expected they’d be back on April 27th. Herbold told PPNC that SDOT had asked to move the briefing up a week, to next Monday (April 20th), “I’m hoping there’ll be some news for us” about a time frame and plan for “shoring” the bridge, a necessary step before any permanent repairs can be made.
She said the biggest question she’s getting asked is why the bridge cracked so badly that it had to be closed.
Exactly three weeks until the current expiration date on the “stay-home” order. What will happen then? You might look for clues in what happened today:
WESTERN STATES PACT: Gov. Inslee says he and his Oregon and California counterparts, Gov.Kate Brown and Gov. Gavin Newsom, have made a deal. Their joint statement says that “California, Oregon, and Washington have agreed to work together on a shared approach for reopening our economies – one that identifies clear indicators for communities to restart public life and business.” No reopening date(s) proposed yet.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the data dashboard:
*4,549 positive tests, up 123 from a day earlier
*296 deaths, up 4 from a day earlier
One week ago, the numbers were 3,331 and 220.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WERE THE PARK CLOSURES A SUCCESS? Yes, according to a short update from Councilmember Debora Juarez – who chairs the committee that oversees parks – at this morning’s City Council briefing meeting. No word so far of any further restrictions. We drove along Alki just after 5 tonight and didn’t see much of a crowd:
SPEAKING OF THE COUNCIL … it gave unanimous approval to a bill by Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Tammy Morales meant to help small businesses. From the announcement:
Council Bill 119766 …. enacts a moratorium on commercial property rent increases for small businesses and nonprofits while the City’s civil emergency is in place. The legislation also requires commercial property landlords to negotiate payment plans for overdue rent for small businesses and nonprofit tenants financially affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
The legislation applies to nonprofits, and to small businesses with 50 or fewer employees that have been closed due to public orders or that have seen at least a 30 percent drop in business.
ALSO FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: The 250 businesses getting $10,000 each from the city’s Small Business Stabilization Fund were announced today. Only a few are in West Seattle.
ONE WAY YOU CAN HELP … The Junction has launched a Small Business Relief Fund for any community members interested in donations to help local businesses. You can even specify exactly which one(s) you want your $ to assist (non-Junction OR Junction).
WHAT ELSE THE JUNCTION ASSOCIATION IS DOING: Light(ing) It Blue starting tomorrow night.
TONIGHT’S SIGN OF THE TIMES: Sent by Noodle and crew, seen on the door of Rick’s Barber Shop, aka The Psychic Barber:
GOT INFO? PHOTOS? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
One of the businesses completely closed by the coronavirus crisis has announced it won’t be reopening. The farewell message for you is from Many Moons Trading Co. (which also provided the photos):
To all the people who have crossed our path over last 33 years, it is sadly time to say goodbye. You have all blessed us in so many ways. I looked forward, as did Terry, to seeing all of you every week.
My daughter Angela Nichols, owned Funky Janes, and we worked side by side for many years. She sold her business last April. Now this April, we say farewell for good. We have decided to retire in the face of this crisis.
We have donated the merchandise to Regina House of Providence. They will be giving it away to those in need of a helping hand.
Thank you, West Seattle, for all the love & loyalty you’ve shown over the past 33 years. Stay well, stay safe and always be kind.
Farewell,
Mary Many Moons & Terry Bell
Owners, Many Moons Trading Co.
If you have somehow never been to Many Moons, it’s at 4461 California SW.
(Thursday night photo courtesy Carolyn Newman)
Remember that scene from Thursday night, downtown, lit blue to honor health-care workers and other heroes of the coronavirus response? ‘Downtown West Seattle’ will join in, starting tomorrow night – the Junction Plaza Park evergreen that serves as the area’s official Christmas tree will be decked in blue by Tuesday night. West Seattle Junction Association executive director Lora Radford explains:
Inspired by the nationwide #LightItBlue campaign that lights up blue landmarks for health care workers, the Junction had an idea to show support for the people on the frontlines during COVID-19. The West Seattle community tree that sparkles with lights during Hometown Holidays, was the perfect choice to show support on behalf of West Seattle community members.
Nucor is sponsoring the lights, which will be installed tomorrow by Fleming’s Holiday Lighting.
(WSB photo, Friday night)
Back on Friday night, we covered what started as gunfire at 35th/Morgan and continued as a search after suspects ran from a car near Avalon/Genesee. One adult suspect remains in jail, an 18-year-old Auburn man for whom bail was set over the weekend at $75,000. Probable-cause documents in his case say witnesses on Friday night heard gunfire in the alley north of Walgreens – where we photographed the shell-casing markers shown above – just before they saw three people get into a red car that then left the scene. An officer on his way to the gunfire scene spotted the car less than four minutes later; three passengers ran from the car. Two were eventually caught, the 18-year-old suspect and a 17-year-old; the 24-year-old woman who was driving was questioned and released. Documents say the two guns found in the car were.38 caliber and .22 caliber, and the latter matched the caliber of the 19 shell casings found at the original scene. During questioning, police were told this was all preceded by a confrontation at the Delridge ARCO/AM/PM with a man in a black Mercedes who allegedly pointed an “AK-type rifle” at the suspects’ car. The passengers apparently spotted that car at 35th/Morgan and that’s what led to the gunfire there. Though there was one report of someone being hit by gunfiire, to date no evidence of that has been found. We don’t know the status of the 17-year-old suspect, who was booked into juvenile detention, but he’s described in the probable-cause document as a convicted felon. The suspect who was not caught is 18.
As you’ve heard us point out multiple times … the coronavirus crisis’s many ripple effects include a double punch for social-service nonprofits: Demand is higher than ever, while at the same time, the event ban has canceled fundraisers that provide a big part of their budget. Some are morphing those fundraisers into virtual events, like the West Seattle Food Bank‘s “Instruments of Change” – and you’re invited!
With the health and safety of our neighbors in mind, we have changed our Instruments of Change Dinner/Auction benefit to an online event.
We are excited to be celebrating our wonderful community and raising funds to help our neighbors through an online Instruments of Change on May 9th at 5:30 pm. This virtual event will include a silent and live auction, fun activities, and a compelling program.
Join the fun for free! Register today to spend a short time celebrating our community, the merge between the West Seattle Food Bank and West Seattle Helpline, and to raise funds to help our neighbors stay safe, fed, housed, and healthy. Plus, everyone who registers and attends is automatically entered into a drawing to win 2 round-trip tickets on Alaska Airlines!
Thank you all! We are so grateful to be part of such a caring community, especially during these challenging times. We can’t wait to see you all (virtually) on May 9th for Instruments of Change.
As we’ve been in years past with the in-person event, WSB is a co-sponsor.
We don’t know how many West Seattle businesses were among the 9,000 citywide that applied for grants from the city’s Small Business Stabilization Fund. But the list of 250 recipients contains just a few we recognize as local businesses. The list is in this news release. Each gets a $10,000 grant. The $2.5 million is from federal Community Development Block Grant money; the city is hoping philanthropy will refill the fund for future grants.
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