silent is fuck West Seattle Blog… | 2020 | December

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month : 12/2020 333 results

CORONAVIRUS: Friday 12/11 roundup
December 11, 2020 11:56 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Tonight marks 41 weeks since the Friday night announcement of the first King County case of COVID-19. Here are the latest local updates:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:

*52,575 people have tested positive, 904 more than yesterday’s total

*932 people have died, 12 more than yesterday’s total

*3,588 people have been hospitalized, 45 more than yesterday’s total

*678,220 people have been tested, 3,117 more than yesterday’s total

One week ago, those totals were 46,931/894/3,347/650.564.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 71 million cases, 1,594,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.

SOME GOOD NEWS: While the numbers of new cases, and some other stats, are still high, Seattle-King County Public Health leader Dr. Jeff Duchin said in a briefing today that there’s some leveling off.

VIRUS-DELAYED ROAD WORK: SDOT disclosed today that its contractor stopped work on the Delridge RapidRide preparation project because of COVID cases.

WA NOTIFY: A week and a half after this “exposure notification technology” – a feature on iPhones, an app for Androids – was released, 1,350,000+ users have enabled it.

GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!

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FOLLOWUP: How you can help Save The Stone Cottage do ‘a great and magnificent thing’
December 11, 2020 9:13 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

(Photo by Stewart L.)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The family whose members lived at 1123 Harbor Avenue SW for decades called it the “Rock House.”

Now, as the “Stone Cottage,” the quirky little unofficial landmark has inspired a fight for its future..

We’ve been reporting for almost two years on local preservation advocates’ hopes of saving it, now that a redevelopment project on its site is about to begin.

Today, the West Seattleites leading the Save The Stone Cottage campaign formally launched a crowdfunding effort to cover the cost of moving it twice – first to a holding site, then to its yet-to-be-determined permanent new home.

They held two media briefings for the launch – one outside the 90+-year-old Stone Cottage, one online.

Read More

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NEW THIS YEAR: ‘Spirit of West Seattle’ luminarias on December 19th
December 11, 2020 7:33 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

(Photo provided by WSJA)

West Seattle will celebrate another form of holiday lighting next weekend. As part of West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays, you are invited to be part of the “Spirit of West Seattle” illumination on Saturday, December 19th, at 7 pm:

“The Spirit of West Seattle” is a celebration and reminder that while we may not be together in-person, we are together as a community.

On Saturday, December 19th at 7 PM light a candle, get a flashlight or light a luminaria as you take an opportunity for a moment to share your own holiday light.

The Junction is offering free luminarias at select stores that Saturday. The list will be revealed soon!

You can share your picture of your light using our #spiritofwestseattle hashtag or tagging the Junction (@westseattlejunction).

“The Spirit of West Seattle” can grow into an annual event, evoking the spirit of our community.

To surprise and delight, play the Accidental Island Christmas 2020 playlist too, curated by West Seattle neighbors on Spotify.

One day we’ll be together again – until then shine a light upon December 19th (7 PM).

Luminarias are what line the path around Green Lake during the “Pathway of Lights” most years (not this year, though). They’re also traditions in Southwest neighborhoods, like the one where we lived in San Diego before coming here 30 years ago. You can make your own, with paper lunch bags, sand, and tealight candles (or battery-powered versions).

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WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Corner cheer
December 11, 2020 6:08 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Two weeks until Christmas, and we are continuing to showcase West Seattle lights displays nightly. Thanks to Wyatt for tonight’s photo, showing his corner display at 3729 40th SW [map]: “I love doing this every year, and this was a wild year; I wanted to start early and go bigger than ever! Thank you to everyone that has come by to enjoy, and all the wonderful compliments! Be sure to check out my neighbors as well! Happy Holidays!” So many bright and beautiful displays this year, we’re happy to be able to share some of them with you – and we’re still happy to get tips, with or without photos, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! The list in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide includes what we’ve shown so far, and you can also scroll through our archive here.

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HOLIDAYS: Holy Rosary Christmas Tree Lot’s final weekend
December 11, 2020 3:36 pm
|    Comments Off on HOLIDAYS: Holy Rosary Christmas Tree Lot’s final weekend
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

If you’ll be shopping for a Christmas tree this weekend – it’s your last chance to check out the Holy Rosary lot. Here’s the update we received:

Holy Rosary School’s tree lot will close Sunday evening for the season. A fresh load of trees was delivered for the weekend.

Wreaths, garland, and Seattle Lutheran High School’s poinsettias are also available for sale. Come to the lot, located behind the school, Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM-9 PM. This tree lot benefits Holy Rosary School, as well as three local nonprofits: Hickman House (a domestic violence shelter), Seattle Lutheran High School, and West Seattle Food Bank.

The lot is off 42nd between Genesee and Dakota. It’s also open until 9 tonight. Your options include shopping from your car (or stroll the lot, masked and distanced) as well as getting a tree delivered – details here.

P.S. If you can’t get to this lot, the full list of West Seattle sellers is in our Holiday Guide.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 2 stolen pickup trucks
December 11, 2020 2:27 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

2 pickup-truck thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

STOLEN PICKUP REPORTED NEAR JUNCTION: Shown in that photo is a silver 4-door Ford F-350, bought by Alyssa‘s dad yesterday and stolen hours later from the Southcenter shopping-mall parking lot. Here in West Seattle, she explains, “It was spotted this morning on a friend’s security camera where the thieves were trying to steal another car and stole a bunch of their neighbors’ packages.” Here’s a grab from that video:

Maybe it’s still in the area, so she’s asking you to be on the lookout. The truck has “a black front tow kit, black fender flares and it had a black tool box in the trunk.”

PICKUP THEFT REPORTED AT GAS STATION: We’re checking on the status of this one, since we haven’t heard directly from the victim, but we heard this via police radio this morning: A 1985 gold Chevrolet pickup was reported stolen from a customer who was doing business at Admiral Chevron (California/Admiral). It was described as having a trailer with a small boat, and a plate starting with C153. SUNDAY UPDATE: The owner contacted us with more information – the boat was actually in the pickup bed, not on a trailer; the boat has “Lily Ann” on its back. The truck also had a black canopy; its full plate is C15345B

If you see either one or any other known/suspected stolen vehicle, call 911.

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DELRIDGE ROAD WORK: Construction to resume next week after COVID pause
December 11, 2020 1:18 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

Separate from this morning’s news that the RapidRide H Line launch is again being pushed back, there’s word that SDOT’s contractor paused road work this week because of a virus outbreak:

Out of an abundance of caution and with the utmost concern for the safety of the crew and community members, our contractor on the Delridge Way SW construction project voluntarily suspended work this week after learning of an increase in COVID-19 by people scheduled to report to the jobsite. Work is expected to resume next week after further testing, quarantining, and reporting to the City is complete.

This work suspension is not expected to impact the overall project schedule at this time. We have already begun working with individual residences to address access issues. Solid waste collections will resume on individual residence’s next service day, and all extra solid waste will be collected at that time. We are aware of the impacts this pause has had on sidewalk, side street and driveway closures along the corridor. Thank you for your patience as we work to safely resume construction.

So far, SDOT projects the restart is likely to happen on Monday. Here’s the weekly update of what’s now scheduled for the week ahead.

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WEST SEATTLE SCENE: Dick’s Drive-Ins’ truck in The Junction
December 11, 2020 12:20 pm
|      40 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news

(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)

12:20 PM: Getting the Easy Street Records marquee welcome right now – the first-ever Dick’s Drive-Ins food truck. It’s selling burgers and shakes at the California/Alaska corner until 2 pm.

The (distanced) line stretches north along California to the corner of Oregon as of our visit a few minutes ago.

The truck is here as one of its first five stops because of an online vote – it’ll be here until 2 pm.

(Photo sent by Angelo Guerrero)

6:31 PM: After the truck left, we emailed Dick’s to ask how many burgers and shakes were sold today. The reply: “We don’t actually provide those specific numbers but I can share that we sold completely out of shakes and burgers today in West Seattle.”

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Delridge’s RapidRide H Line launch delayed for the third time
December 11, 2020 10:41 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Screengrab from newly updated H Line website)

Another West Seattle transportation-project delay has just been announced. First, as we reported earlier this week, it was an extra year added to the schedule for Sound Transit light rail; today, King County Metro has sent word that the RapidRide H Line won’t launch until 2022, instead of the previously planned 2021. This is actually the third delay – the conversion of Route 120 was originally projected for 2019, then that was pushed to 2020, then to 2021, and now to 2022. Here’s how Metro explains the latest delay:

The revision in the service launch schedule is due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it had on reaching 100% project design. The RapidRide program also was impacted by King County Metro’s budget revenue shortfall and the difficult decision was made to suspend some RapidRide lines at this time. RapidRide H Line remains a priority to Metro and will be fully funded.

As drivers, riders, and pedestrians are well aware, an extensive road-rebuilding/repaving and utility-upgrade project is under way along much of Delridge Way to prepare for the H Line. We’re checking with SDOT – which is leading that part of the project – to see how this will affect that schedule.

ADDED: From SDOT’s project spokesperson Adonis Ducksworth: “Major construction for SDOT’s portion of the Delridge Way SW – RapidRide H Line project is still scheduled to be completed in 2021. We are committed to upgrading the roadway, sidewalks and utilities on Delridge Way SW and we want to limit the duration of construction impacts to the community to the extent possible. King County Metro’s service launch revision does not impact our delivery timeline and we will continue working as quickly and safely as possible.”

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HAPPENING TODAY/TONIGHT: 6 West Seattle notes
December 11, 2020 10:16 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Jerry Simmons)

Here’s what’s up in the hours ahead, including highlights from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and Event Calendar:

LAST DAY TO ORDER DELRIDGE GROCERY GIFT BASKET: Our original announcement explains what’s in the basket and how to order it.

DICK’S FOOD TRUCK VISITS: When Dick’s Drive-Ins launched a food truck (burgers and shakes, no fries), they invited votes on where its first stops should be, and West Seattle made the top five. So it’s visiting today, 11 am-2 pm, California/Alaska.

(updated) TOY DRIVE: The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle says Toys for Tots is still running behind its quota, so new, unwrapped toys are needed. A bin is set up through December 17th in the lobby at (corrected location) US Bank (42nd/Edmunds) in The Junction.

NEED FOOD? Along with the regular food-bank distributions, Fridays are the day you can go to Food Lifeline HQ in nearby South Park and get an emergency box of food, 2-5 pm. (815 S. 96th)

SECOND NIGHT OF HANUKKAH: West Seattle synagogue Kol HaNeshamah has two Hanukkah events on the calendar for today/tonight – details on the KHN website.

‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’: Watch the Seattle Lutheran High School Drama Club production of the radio play based on the legendary movie, 7:30 pm online. Our preview explains how to get your ticket(s).

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How you can join in this year’s virtual ‘Welcome the Orcas’ celebration
December 11, 2020 9:45 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

(Photo by Mark Sears, research permit 21348)

Whenever orcas are in our area, we share the news – and today’s news is how local advocates are inviting you to be part of the virtual “Welcome the Orcas” celebration. Here’s the announcement:

The Whale Trail and Seal Sitters invite the public to celebrate the annual return of the southern resident orcas to central Puget Sound. For 2020, the annual celebration has been transformed from a 1-day event into a series of activities that anyone can do from home. The community can show creativity and support for J, K, and L pods while maintaining physical distancing. The endangered orcas return to central Puget Sound each fall and winter, following chum salmon runs that are a critical part of their diet. The recent birth of two new calves is a ray of hope for this struggling population.

How to celebrate:

Put a Whale In your Window! Children and adults are invited to download, color, and display a welcome sign in their window. Use the downloadable template, or make your own. Display the sign in your window and share on social media with #welcometheorcas.

Write for the Whales. Write a poem or share your story. Share what the orcas mean to you, and your hopes for their future. Do you have a favorite orca, or orca story? We want to hear about it! Orca-themed prizes will be awarded for the top three poems or stories in each category: K-2nd grade, 3-5th grade, 6-8th grade, 9-12thgrade, adults. Limit of 3 submissions per person. Submission accepted on The Whale Trail’s website. Prizes are non-monetary. Winners will be announced in January 2021.

Snap a Selfie! Take a picture of your welcome sign. If you live near a Whale Trail site, show us what you see. (Wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and follow all other COVID restrictions.)

“There’s nothing like seeing J,K or L pods in our own backyard, an urban fjord where they have thrived for thousands of years,” says Whale Trail director Donna Sandstrom, a former member of Governor Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force. “In one human generation we’ve brought them to the edge of extinction, through threats that are all human-caused. Join with us to welcome the orcas with heart and art and commit to making the Salish Sea a place that can sustain them again.”

From a high of 98 animals in 1996, the southern resident population has declined precipitously, to a current near-historical low of 74 individuals. In 2019 Governor Inslee’s Task Force recommended 49 actions to recover the southern residents by increasing prey availability, reducing toxin accumulations and reducing noise and disturbance. Welcome the Orcas offers a creative way to celebrate our connection to the orcas and confirm our commitment to protect them.

Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network was founded in 2007 to protect marine mammals and to educate the public about our shared environment. “The Whale Trail is a natural ally in this work, said Lynn Shimamoto, Co-Investigator of Seal Sitters. “We are thrilled to join with all our partners in welcoming the orcas back to Puget Sound.”

Welcome the Orcas is co-sponsored by The Whale Trail, Seal Sitters, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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ROAD/BRIDGE WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Friday 12/11 watch
December 11, 2020 6:16 am
|    Comments Off on ROAD/BRIDGE WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT: Friday 12/11 watch
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:16 AM: It’s Friday, December 11th, the 263rd morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

SPEAKING OF BRIDGES

Low Bridge: Camera installation continues today, which could mean lane closures, though SDOT says none were required Thursday.

Terminal 5 Bridge: The Port is live-load testing, continuing today. This weekend, that will affect part of West Marginal Way. Details, with maps and times, are here.

OTHER ROAD (ETC.) WORK

Delridge project: Here’s what’s happening this week.

TRANSIT

Metro – Regular schedule.

Water Taxi – Regular schedule.

CHECK TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO

West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden:

The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

Restricted-daytime-access (open to all 9 pm-5 am) low bridge (note: camera ticketing will NOT start today):

The main detour route across the Duwamish River, the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) . Here are two cameras:

The other major bridge across the river – the South Park Bridge (map) – see the closure advisory above. Here’s the nearest camera:

Going through South Park? Don’t speed. (Same goes for the other detour-route neighborhoods, like Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge.)

Checking for bridges’ marine-traffic openings? See the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.

You can see all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.

Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

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CORONAVIRUS: Thursday 12/10 roundup
December 10, 2020 11:58 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Tonight’s pandemic-related local notes:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:

*51,671 people have tested positive, up 820 from yesterday’s total

*920 people have died, up 3 from yesterday’s total

*3,543 people have been hospitalized, up 57 from yesterday’s total

*675,103 people have been tested (fewer than yesterday’s total – the state says data is still in flux)

One week ago, those totals were 46,173/886/3,305/628,862.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,. *Note the state has announced a change in death data.*

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 69.5 million cases worldwide, 15.6 million of them in the U.S. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.

VACCINE PLAN UPDATE: From the state Health Department, an update rolling together all the vaccine-related news from recent briefings – see it here.

OUTBREAK UPDATE FROM THE MOUNT: Getting ready for the vaccine, increasing testing, and dealing with an ongoing outbreak that’s taken three more lives – that’s all in this update from Providence Mount St. Vincent, along with how you can show support for residents.

GROCERY-STORE CASE: We watch various business websites for COVID-19 updates, including this page on the Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) website. Tonight we note it reported:

One of our Admiral team members tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, December 8th. The team member last worked in the store on Thursday, December 3rd. We are following the recommended response guidelines from public health authorities, including the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) and the King County Department of Health. In addition to the rigorous sanitation protocols we already have in place, the store undergoes a commercial-grade, electrostatic disinfectant service twice a week, and we are able to safely remain open at this time.

All team members who came into close contact with the person who tested positive have been identified, notified, and are required to self-quarantine for 7-days and may return pending a negative COVID-19 test.

We’ve also noted that past case reports from other stores have been removed from the website after a few days; here’s a screengrab in case that happens before you look at the link.

GROCERY WORKERS’ SAFETY: The main union for grocery workers in this region, UFCW 21, has launched a campaign asking customers to help them track safety concerns.

HELPING: Many ways you can do that in the days ahead, including two donation drives in The Junction on Saturday, and a toiletries drive at Delridge Community Center through early January.

GOT PHOTOS/TIPS? 206-293-6302, text or voice, or westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 5 reports
December 10, 2020 10:44 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Five items to report in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STORE ATTACK: An angry customer choked and threatened an employee who went outside the High Point Walgreens to empty trash cans on Wednesday night. Police were told the suspect usually visits the store to buy cigarettes once or twice a week, but that night didn’t have ID with him, nor did his mother, who was accompanying him. They left the store a few minutes later with other purchases, and minutes later the employee was attacked; he told police the attacker said, “I’m gonna kill you the next time I see you” and then left in a vehicle. The victim declined medical help.

CAMP ARREST: A 37-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday at Camp Second Chance for investigation of malicious harassment after a clash with other residents that police say involved racial slurs. She was accused of forcing her way into another tiny house at the camp, pushing one of its residents and calling him a racial slur. Police were told she then continued to wander around the encampment, assaulting two more residents. She was arrested and booked into King County Jail, from which she was released today.

THREATENED IN NORTH DELRIDGE: A resident reports:

(Tuesday) around 4:30 pm, I stepped out to walk the dog near Nevada St. and 26th Ave SW. and noticed an unfamiliar man had made himself at home on my neighbor’s covered porch. My husband and I approached him and asked him to leave when he pulled out a long aluminum tube and threatened us with it. After a few minutes, my husband was able to get him to unplug his radio, pick up his belongings and leave. He proceeded to walk up the street knocking down garbage cans and striking things along the way with the tube in his hand.

A police report was filed.

CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: Katie emailed to say hers was stolen Tuesday night. She didn’t say where but did add, “The tow truck driver said mine was the *7th* tow for this in two weeks, all in West Seattle.”

MISSING AN EMERGENCY KIT? Bill discovered this in his Upper Fauntleroy rockery on Wednesday:

Car prowlers hit his neighborhood the night before, but it didn’t belong to those victims, so maybe it’s from a prowl elsewhere. If you recognize it, let us know.

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BRIDGE UPDATES: Low-bridge camera installation continues Friday; 1st Avenue South Bridge repair-plan update
December 10, 2020 8:27 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Three bridge notes tonight:

LOW-BRIDGE CAMERAS UPDATE: SDOT sent the photo, announcing “that crews installed the first camera today without any need for lane closures. They plan to install a second camera close to 11th Ave SW tomorrow.” We went out on the low bridge this afternoon and noticed several new signboards like the one in the photo. SDOT says those will be used to let people know when enforcement is happening and when (like 9 pm-5 am nightly) it’s not. The cameras are expected to be activated next month; this SDOT post recaps the current rules for low-bridge use.

1ST AVENUE SOUTH BRIDGE UPDATE: As we first reported in October, repair work will bring lane closures to the southbound 1st Avenue South Bridge next month. This week, we checked back with WSDOT – this is a state bridge, not a city bridge – to see if the dates were set yet. Short answer: No. Long answer: No, because they haven’t chosen a contractor yet. Five bids were received, and opened yesterday; the three lowest bids are listed on this WSDOT webpage. The contract likely will be awarded next week, and the work schedule will be set after that.

REMINDER – SOUTH PARK BRIDGE CLOSURE TONIGHT: Quick reminder that tonight is the second scheduled night for an inspection closure of the South Park Bridge, 10:30 pm-6 am.

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WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Magical in Morgan
December 10, 2020 7:23 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Magical in Morgan
 |   West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Thanks to Nick for the photos – multiple recommendations have come in for this home in north Morgan Junction, on 42nd SW between Graham and Raymond [vicinity map].

Nick says this is only the second year that residents Kim and Gabe have been decorating, but they are continuing to add more daily.

Driving around looking at Christmas lights are one of the safe ways to celebrate this season – state health authorities even made a point of that in their briefing this week. So we are continuing to spotlight them nightly, and adding to the list in our West Seattle Holiday Guide – you can scroll through the archives here, and if you have a suggestion, with or without a photo, email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Seen on the West Seattle Art Walk, holiday edition
December 10, 2020 6:12 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

(WSB photo)

That’s Brittany Philbin, who’s at West Seattle Grounds in North Admiral (2141 California SW) as part of tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk. The photo she posed with is one you might remember seeing here on WSB back in October, when that pregnant Southern Resident orca – J46 Star – was part of a group that passed West Seattle. Brittany is a conservation advocate and health-care worker as well as a photographer; she’s at WSG tonight until 8 pm, one of several artists having indoor receptions this month. In The Junction, you can drop in on a few – among them, Erika Bell is at Verity Credit Union (4505 California SW; WSB sponsor) until 8 pm, and a group show is at Wild Rose’s (4529 California SW). Some businesses are just showing art during regular hours, but you can preview it all here – and for holiday shopping, remember that most artists are selling their work too.

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UTILITIES: Water outage scheduled tonight north of Morgan Junction
December 10, 2020 5:31 pm
|    Comments Off on UTILITIES: Water outage scheduled tonight north of Morgan Junction
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

(From SPU water-outage map)

Everyone affected should already have received notice, but just for the record – about 145 Seattle Public Utilities customers along California SW between Juneau and Graham are scheduled to be without water tonight, potentially 9 pm-5 am. SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register tells WSB this is the same kind of work that required a nighttime outage earlier this week in Pigeon Point/Puget Ridge – “SPU water crews will be installing a 12” valve on a nearby water main. Valves allow smaller sections of a water main to be shut down, impacting fewer customers, when repairs and maintenance are needed in the future. They also provide an additional safety measure should an emergency water-main shutdown need to occur.”

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HOLIDAYS: Yes, Virginia, there will be ‘Wonderful Life’ and ‘Miracle on 34th’ this year
December 10, 2020 3:33 pm
|    Comments Off on HOLIDAYS: Yes, Virginia, there will be ‘Wonderful Life’ and ‘Miracle on 34th’ this year
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle online | WS culture/arts

In case you haven’t seen these in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – two holiday movies-turned-radio-plays will be presented live online by local groups in the next week and a half!

‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’: Tomorrow (Friday) night at 7:30 pm, Seattle Lutheran High School presents the radio-play version of this classic:

Seattle Lutheran Drama is proud to present a rare holiday-themed performance! It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by Joe Landry is an adaptation of the classic film interpreted as a 1940’s-style radio drama. Clarence, an Angel 2nd Class, is given the daunting task of teaching George Bailey about all the good he has put into the world in order to prevent George from taking his own life. George sees his hometown and the changes that would have occurred if he had never been born. Our talented actors will each perform from their homes, assisted by live practical sound effects. Filled with all your favorite characters and lines, this heart-felt Christmas classic is sure to please! Streaming ONE NIGHT ONLY! Friday, December 11th = Tickets: $15 per device: Purchase tickets here.

‘MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET’: Twelfth Night Productions will perform this radio-play “version of the classic 1947 film ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ … based on the holiday movie favorite of the same name and presented as a live 1940s radio broadcast. ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ tells the timeless story of an old man who calls himself Kris Kringle and is hired as the Macy’s department store Santa. His claim to be the real Santa Claus becomes a court case and a young child’s belief could make all the difference.” It’ll be live online at 7:30 pm Saturday, December 19th, and 3 pm Sunday, December 20th; your pay-what-you-can ticket (donate here) will allow you to watch either or both, and/or to view it later.

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The Missing Piece Café and Game Lounge: Welcome, new West Seattle Blog sponsor!
December 10, 2020 2:14 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS beverages

The Missing Piece Café and Game Lounge is open at 35th/Roxbury, and joining the WSB sponsor team. New sponsors get the chance to let you know what they’re all about:

The Missing Piece isn’t just a place for coffee (roasted by Seattle’s own Victrola) and tea, but also for shopping.

First, about the café: Its a bright, friendly, and clean space that hosts fantastic coffee and pastries that are all sourced from other businesses within the area. They are impressing a wide array of people from gamers to tea drinkers. Both the owners are extremely passionate about all things board game-related and they love to share their extensive knowledge with the friends and neighbors in our community. Tea drinkers have consistently complimented the way they steep their loose-leaf tea, along with how large their selection is. Here’s the menu.

Shopping: The Missing Piece has a curated selection of retail games for sale and we sell used games – on consignment, so if you would like to sell a used game, there is a form to fill out on our website. (The seller sets the price, and we shrink-wrap the game and put a sticker on it with the information the seller provided. The seller has 60 days for the game to sell and gets 70% in store credit when it sells.)

When indoor service is allowed again, The Missing Piece has distanced seating space that’s open until 10 pm daily.2 private rooms that are available for rent (which can be booked from our website). You’ll always be welcome to bring in your own games and play. COVID is delaying their free-to-play game library, but it is coming soon.

Their friendly, at-home, atmosphere is bringing people back along with their coffee and bakery items. The neighborhood is so excited to have a close-by coffee shop; for many, it is within walking distance. They are ready and excited for when they can host events and are already planning on hosting their own events as well, such as backgammon night.

In the meantime, The Missing Piece is open 7 days a week from 8 AM-10 PM on the northeast corner of 35th/Roxbury. Call ahead to order cafe items or put a game on hold for pickup. 206-420-8960

We thank The Missing Piece for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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SURVEY: Questions for you about local youth drug/alcohol use
December 10, 2020 1:57 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Health | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

If you have a few minutes to answer some questions, a community group would appreciate your assistance. Here’s the announcement:

The SW Seattle Youth Alliance, a school and community coalition formed to address the high rates of youth substance use in Southwest Seattle, would like your help in learning more about community concerns related to drugs and alcohol. The coalition will use these surveys to guide their work in selecting effective prevention programs and services for youth and the community. Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey.

The survey is online in English y en Español.

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CORONAVIRUS: Providence Mount St. Vincent increases testing and prepares to vaccinate, as ongoing outbreak leads to 3 more deaths
December 10, 2020 12:10 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

We’re continuing to check on ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks at West Seattle care facilities. We asked Providence Mount St. Vincent (“The Mount”) for a status report on theirs, as well as whether any community support is needed. Here’s the update they provided in response, also including word that they’ve increased testing and are getting ready for vaccine availability:

The outbreak at Providence Mount St. Vincent continues to reflect the surge of Covid-19 in the broader community. Since the update provided just prior to Thanksgiving, 3 additional people have died. Since the beginning of the pandemic, The Mount has lost a total of 14 people to Covid-19. Right now, 19 residents and 21 caregivers have tested positive in the current outbreak following a period of 6 months with no resident cases. Most all who are positive are in the process of recovery.

“Our hearts go out deeply to those who have lost a loved one and for those fighting to get well either here at The Mount or in the broader community,” said Dr. David Roesel, who serves as an on-site medical provider. “It’s disheartening for all of us to see this. While the entire team of caregivers at The Mount are taking this incredibly seriously, doing everything possible and often with great personal sacrifice, we are seeing across the state and the nation how difficult it is to contain the virus once it is started in congregate settings.”

In addition to months of routine, weekly testing of caregivers and as-needed symptom-based resident testing, last week The Mount began point-of-care rapid testing for residents and caregivers. All residents are additionally being tested this week. Any positive resident test result is immediately followed up with communication with the resident and their family.

(Director of Transitional Care Teresa Goodwin, RN, assists with on-site rapid testing setup at The Mount)

Additionally, caregivers will now be tested twice per week. “The new, on-site lab took a herculean effort to get approved and set up, but is already making a difference”, said Dr. Roesel. “It has enabled us to identify asymptomatic caregivers in under an hour rather than multiple days, and to stop the transmission of the virus from that individual.”

“Continuous transparency with our community of residents, family members, Intergenerational Learning Center parents and caregivers has been our goal since day one,” said Administrator Charlene Boyd. “In addition to weekly written updates; a daily family recorded phone-line update; and a dedicated phone line for family members to call at any time; we have conducted at minimum monthly virtual Town Halls followed up with written notes for all. Since the start of this recent surge, The Mount has increased the Family Virtual Town Hall to bi-weekly. The Town Halls are conducted by our on-site Infection Preventionist, our Director of Clinical Services, our on-site Physicians, and myself. Nurse and administrative leaders for all neighborhoods and living areas throughout The Mount’s campus have also increased weekday morning standup infection-prevention briefings to seven days a week and I couldn’t be more proud of their efforts”.

The team at The Mount has additionally been working hard to be ready to administer the vaccine on-site through a partnership with a national pharmacy and with support from Providence Health and Services.

“The vaccine cannot arrive a moment too soon as we work to protect the most vulnerable residents and caregivers here at The Mount as well as for our broader community,” said Dr. Roesel. “We have the potential to end this pandemic if people are willing to accept the vaccine and keep up public health measures and social distancing until we get there.”

Given the continued surge expected through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, we implore people to stay home, wear masks and maintain social distancing.

And, please join us in our efforts to make Christmas special for all of the residents at The Mount and to thank the tireless efforts of the caregivers.

A wish list has been developed to fulfill individual resident Christmas wishes and to add a Christmas decoration to their rooms and apartments. Gifts purchased online will be shipped directly to The Mount and team members will ensure a special delivery.

bit.ly/PMSVWishList

Additionally, ornaments may be purchased in gratitude for The Mount’s residents and caregivers through our hallelujah tree program. You may personalize a note to be delivered to them with the ornament, and funds raised support other wonderful life activities through the Providence Mount St. Vincent Foundation.

bit.ly/HallelujahTrees

With immense gratitude to the entire West Seattle community for their outpouring of love and support for all those who make The Mount their home and all those who care for them.

The Mount is West Seattle’s largest facility of its kind.

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HAPPENING TODAY/TONIGHT: 6 West Seattle events
December 10, 2020 10:57 am
|    Comments Off on HAPPENING TODAY/TONIGHT: 6 West Seattle events
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(2 busy backyard squirrels, photographed by Machel Spence)

Reminders before the day gets too much further along:

DEMONSTRATE FOR RACIAL JUSTICE: Scott from Puget Ridge Cohousing continues leading the twice-weekly sign-waving at 16th and Holden, 4-6 pm.

DECEMBER ART WALK: Support local businesses and artists – in-person and online – via tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk. See who’s participating, where, and when/how, by going here.

‘HOLIDAY GUIDE’ ONLINE SHOPPING: More ways to spend local! As previewed yesterday, tonight’s the night The Junction features local stores in a live online gift guide, starting at 5 pm.

CLICK, MINGLE, & JINGLE: The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s annual holiday business-networking party is online this year. Our calendar listing explains how to attend.

WORDS, WRITERS, SOUTHWEST STORIES: 6 pm online. “Hidden Child of the Holocaust” is this month’s presentation, sponsored by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society – here’s how to attend.

YOGA/ZUMBA BENEFIT FOR BLACK VOTERS MATTER: 8 pm online, the Pigeon Point Anti-Racism Project invites you to a yoga and Zumba benefit, supporting Black Voters Matter – our calendar listing explains how to be part of it.

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