West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
(J58 and her family, by Mark Sears, NOAA Research Permit 21348. L-R, J51, J22, J41, J58, J19, J37 – thanks to Maya Sears for IDs!)
Like so many things, The Whale Trail‘s annual “Welcome the Orcas” celebration went virtual this year. The announcement we published in December included an invitation to enter a writing contest. Today – news of the winners!
The Whale Trail announces the winners of its first Welcome the Orcas Writing Contest, held in December 2020 to celebrate the seasonal return of the endangered southern resident orcas to central Puget Sound. Writers Andy Havens and Hannah Lindell-Smith, both West Seattleites, took top honors in their age groups.
“We are grateful to everyone who participated, and helped us welcome the southern residents with heart, and art!” said Whale Trail director Donna Sandstrom. “With the recent additions of J57, J58 and L125, there are three new calves to welcome! The southern resident community has grown to 75 individuals — here’s to a new season of hope for the orcas, and the world.”
First Prize
The Librarian, by Andy Havens (Adult Category)
J57, by Hannah Lindell-Smith (9th to 12 grade)Second Prize
Love Them, Protect Them, by Lucy Larkin (Adult Category)
Orca Song, by Hannah Lindell-Smith (9th to 12 grade)Honorable Mention
Welcome Home, Orcas, by Bobbi Fabbelano (Adult Category)
Read all the prize-winning poems on The Whale Trail’s website here; the first-prize winners are below:
The Librarian
by Andy HavensThe orca’s tongue is tattooed in crowblack ink
with the whole history of the Hoh
and the names of Nisqually who breathed the air
in the sacred space between hawk and bear –
hung to cure in a frozen smoke.In the blackfish grin, written on salmon skin,
lives the library of the Lummi
and the forgotten words to S’Klallam songs
sung in the fog from which they’re drawn –
then gone like a dream’s unblooming.But the orca speaks, too, the newer words
of submarine and ferry boat
and the sharp dialect of high skylines
that replace the flesh with the crystalline –
concrete terms being asked to float.A blackfin ripple loops like cursive in the bay
as the orca pens the Pacific tome
and writes Sound verses beneath the surface
in a Salish hand whose arc is perfect –
the scrimshaw line of tooth and bone.*Andy Havens is husband, a father of two, and a US Army veteran living on the ersatz island of West Seattle. He is currently writing poetry focused on Pacific Northwest geography, nature, and history. His poetry has appeared in Fragments Literary Magazine and the online journal Whatever Keeps the Lights On.
(Backlit blows of J pod in Puget Sound. Photo by Mark Sears, NOAA Permit 21348)
J57
by Hannah Lindell-SmithYou are the wind.
You are the Sun and Moon that light the way.
You are the stars in the darkest of nights.
You are the rainbow after the storm.You are the waves you swim through,
the child of the life-giving water and your family’s tears.
You are the blood of a dying universe.You are the fighter and survivor.
You are the salmon that travel hundreds of miles
to give their lives to you.You are the stories your family will tell you.
You are all that they will give to you,
and the love you will give to all.You are everything that has come before.
You are the one we have been waiting for.*Hannah Lindell-Smith is a 14-year-old from Seattle. She is a student, activist, writer, and change-maker, future and present. Watch out, world!
Another reminder so you can get ready this weekend – next weekend starts with the FREE recycling/shredding event presented by the West Seattle Junction Association and WS Chamber of Commerce, 9 am-noon Saturday, March 20th. Different location this year so there’s lots of room to distance – the expansive north parking lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Guidelines for what the event will and won’t take:
ACCEPTED ITEMS INCLUDE:
Styrofoam
Household batteries
Fluorescent tubes and bulbs
Small electronics
Paper for shredding (limit 4 boxes) – you CAN bring confidential documentsNOT-ACCEPTED ITEMS INCLUDE:
Automotive waste
Furniture
Broken household goods
Construction waste
Latex paint
Large appliances
Garbage or yard waste
Hazardous waste
Car seats
Non-recyclable or non-reusable items
Commercial loads
NO clothing/linens (due to capacity)
NO household goods (due to capacity)
Masking/distancing protocol and other info is on the WSJA’s preview page.
P.S. The sponsoring nonprofits run on volunteer power, and a couple spots remain for peoplr to help the event go smoothly. Sign up here!
A West Seattle woman is in the bug business this time of year. Tiny Science proprietor Jen the Entomologist says it’s time for Mantis Madness – science lessons you and your kid(s) can explore at home:
Tiny Science started 5 years ago when Jen brought a praying mantis tank to her kids’ preschool. Visiting to care for the tank, those preschoolers asked some awesome questions. Jen started planning weekly visits to discuss insects with preschoolers and Tiny Science was born. Jen has taught around West Seattle (including WorldKids School, Senior Center of West Seattle, The Tilden School, Gatewood and Arbor Heights Elementaries, Westside, and more).
The praying mantis hatching kit from Tiny Science comes with everything you need for a summer full of fascinating praying mantis encounters. Purchase your hatching kit online at tinyscience.org/mantis-madness
This simple and memorable project includes observing newly hatched mantises, releasing them into your outside space, and encountering them all summer long. Mantises are completely self-sufficient from hatching and require no care. This is an excellent educational experience for all ages, especially wonderful for multi-generational relationships. Kids and grownups spend the summer outside searching for (and finding!) these charismatic arthropod ambassadors of nature as they hunt and grow in your natural space.
Some FAQ include “Is it responsible to release these here?” and “Are they safe to hold?” These are Chinese mantids, a naturalized generalist predator with no direct native competitors. They contribute to their ecology as a prey item for many birds and arthropods and rarely generate offspring in our mild, wet climate. They are safe and fascinating to hold. Find more answers to frequently asked questions on the Tiny Science website.
High-quality ootheca (egg cases) are treated with expert care by Jen the Entomologist, West Seattle mom and small-business owner. We expect high viability from this robust bunch. Tiny Science’s mission is to improve science literacy and learner confidence in science. Contact Jen to learn more about awesome online science “Field Trips” for your class or school. Tiny Science teaches entomology to all ages and groups.
*Purchase your kit online
*Porch pick-up in West Seattle (Seaview, near the Junction) beginning mid-March. Hatching is expected to begin sometime in April with kits available through that month.
Mantis Madness is an annual springtime educational science experience from Tiny Science. Jen the Entomologist is a West Seattle mom and business owner of Tiny Science, a community resource for science education. Tiny Science online classes for early elementary boost learner confidence.
Jen says Tiny Science offers classes, parties, and badges too.
(View from Westcrest Park, photographed by Gill Loring)
Welcome to the last weekend of winter – by this time next Saturday, spring will have officially begun, Here’s what you should know about the rest of today:
TRAFFIC ALERTS: Two for today – lane closures on the southbound 1st Avenue South Bridge continue around the clock all weekend, and work is planned all day today at the Delridge/Genesee intersection – but it’s NOT part of the ongoing SDOT/Metro work; SDOT says it’s utility work related to residential development at that corner. ADDED 1:52 PM: Genesee is blocked at Delridge while this work continues. Also – thanks for the tips – the 35th/Roxbury signal is in flashing-red mode.
(Sunny weather also often brings unannounced road work, so if you see anything else major, please let us know – text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!)
BEIGNETS & COFFEE: 8 am-1 pm, Jet City Beignet (WSB sponsor) will be selling their creations at Realfine Coffee in The Triangle (4480 Fauntleroy Way SW).
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM: 1-5 pm, stop by the tasting room (5910 California SW) to sip, and/or buy, Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) wine – you can even pre-order.
DESTINATION DELRIDGE – LIVE FROM THE HEART: Celebrate and support DNDA with an online gala full of art, music, and community, 7 pm online. Our preview includes ticket info.
LIVE FROM HPIC: First livestreamed music presented from Highland Park Improvement Club – Hot Rod, here at 8 pm.
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: On sale online this year! Go here for links, including local scouts offering contact-free local delivery.
SPRING FORWARD TO DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: Tonight’s the night we “spring forward” one hour – 2 am Sunday instantly becomes 3 am Sunday.
(WSB photos)
Friday night brought the fourth consecutive Huling Bowl win for Chief Sealth International High School. The cross-peninsula football faceoff between Sealth and West Seattle High School happens every season – we can’t say “every year” because the pandemic cut 2020 out of the picture. Besides the change of seasons, something else was very different at Southwest Athletic Complex:
Spectators won’t be allowed in the stands until next week. But on the field – a full complement of players and coaches (Daron Camacho for the Seahawks, Jeff Scott for the Wildcats), as Sealth piled up the points for a 40-17 victory. Sealth #4 Quinn Killham scored the first TD, but then #3 Zack Cunningham racked up the TD’s:
#41 Ethan Heathershaw forced a WS fumble, recovered it, and ran it in for Sealth’s last touchdown:
Both of West Seattle’s two touchdowns were by #6 Jimmy Fomby:
The Wildcats’ JP Dufour kicked a field goal:
Without fans, the game was short on the usual celebration and ceremony. We did photograph athletic directors Ernest Policarpio (Sealth) and Corey Sorenson (WSHS) with the trophy pre-game:
The Huling Bowl tradition goes back almost 20 years – here’s the backstory. As for what’s next in this one-of-a-kind season, Sealth (1-1) plays at Ingraham at 7 pm next Friday, same time/day that WSHS (1-1) hosts Lincoln at SWAC
For the second consecutive night, a big announcement from the governor leads the roundup:
GET BACK IN THE CLASSROOM, SAYS GOVERNOR: By mid-April, “every student” must have the option of some in-person learning, by order of the governor. Seattle Public Schools says it’s waiting until the governor puts this all in writing to “analyze” it; no official reaction yet from the Seattle Education Association yet, either. Side note: Oregon’s governor announced a similar order today.
KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the latest stats from the Public Health daily-summary page, cumulative totals:
*83,806 people have tested positive, 153 more than yesterday’s total
*1,435 people have died, 6 more than yesterday’s total
*5,166 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total
*926,928 people have been tested, 1,867 more than yesterday’s total
Now, our weekly check of key numbers on the COVID Vaccination Among King County Residents dashboard:
*459,191 people have received one dose
*260,713 people have received both doses
*714,115 doses have been allocated to King County
One week ago, the first four totals were 82,818/1,412/5,125/913,804, and the vaccination totals were 393.154/218,184/622,155.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 119 million cases, 2,639,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
STATEWIDE SITUATION REPORT: The newest one was released tonight. Key points:
-Case counts have increased slightly in western Washington and plateaued in eastern Washington as of late February.
-Most counties have seen declines in case counts since the first week of January, but cases have flattened in several counties and are starting to increase again in others.
=Cases are increasing among younger adults aged 20-29 and 30-39. This has previously been an early warning sign of larger surges in the general population.
-We are seeing sharp declines in hospital admission rates among people 70 and older, possibly because those groups are among the first to get vaccinated.
-COVID-19 transmission is continuing at about the same level after declines through January and February.
‘
-The estimated prevalence (percentage of people with active COVID-19 infections) began to plateau in early February after declines in January.
COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER’S BRIEFING: In his weekly briefing, Dr. Jeff Duchin said “The forecast is partly sunny with a chance of rain.’
VACCINATION SITUATION: Dr. Duchin and the county continue warning that supply is far behind demand, and that’s even before the eligibility expansion that kicks in next week. If you’re seeking vaccine:
If you’re eligible now, here are places to look:
*For the city-run West Seattle and Rainier Beach sites and Lumen Field Event Center hub – get on the notification list here; check for West Seattle appointments available in the next few days by going here
*Your health-care provider (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine, CHI Franciscan, Swedish, Kaiser Permanente, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator)
*Pharmacy chains big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca (a reader reports they opened up appointments tonight), Costco
*Sea Mar clinics
IF YOU NEED TESTING SATURDAY: The city’s West Seattle test site (2801 SW Thistle) continues to be open on Saturdays.
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
From the WSB inbox, two more tales of welcome surprises:
MYSTERY MUG: The photo and report are from Robin:
About two weeks ago, this completely fantastic mug was left on the hood of my truck outside my home between 4 and 10 PM. I questioned friends and neighbors, but no one has yet fessed up to leaving it for me, so I wanted to thank whoever did. I live right on the Duwamish bike trail, so maybe it was someone traveling by the house who happen to see my unicorn sticker on the truck and thought I would enjoy it? I do, and I wanted to thank to thank my Anonymous secret Santa!
THESE ROCKS ROCK: The photos and report are from JD:
Someone is leaving beautiful hand-painted rocks in random flowerbeds around West Seattle. These were spotted in beds on Alki Ave. What a sweet surprise!
In the early weeks of the pandemic, we received so many reports of neighborhood joy – bears in windows, chalk art on sidewalk, signs in yards – glad to see it’s still happening a year later!
Thanks to JayDee for the photo – tonight brought the second-to-last sunset of Standard Time, with Daylight Saving Time arriving tomorrow night (technically Sunday morning, 2 am “springs forward” to 3 am). More sunshine is in the forecast for tomorrow, and another high near 60 – today hit 57.
4:55 PM: Police including SWAT officers are at Camp Second Chance, the tiny-house encampment on Myers Way in southeast West Seattle, right now. So far, all that police are saying is that it started as an attempt to make a felony warrant arrest. The suspect is holed up in one of the tiny houses and might be armed – which is why the SWAT team is there. No report of injuries. We’ll update when more information is available.
6:38 PM: Not resolved yet. Negotiators have been talking with the suspect by phone off and on.
6:45 PM: The suspect has emerged and is in custody.
9:09 PM: We’ve obtained the initial police summary of how this unfolded. The suspect, police say, was a former camp resident, kicked out for threatening other residents. Police were called when he showed back up at the camp, and after they arrived, he ran into his former tiny house. He refused to come out and threatened to try to provoke officers to kill him. Police “established probable cause for (his) arrest for investigation of Harassment, burglary, and a previously reported assault.” They called in negotiators to try to talk him out, and obtained a search warrant. He eventually surrendered and “was taken into custody without further issues.” He is 38 years old and currently in the King County Jail.
The agendas for next week’s City Council meetings have gone public, and there’s one item of extra interest – the Transportation and Utilities Committee meeting at 9:30 am Wednesday will include a West Seattle Bridge briefing. The slide deck is already available – most of it is information we reported earlier this week (bridge status here, low-bridge access discussion here), but there are a few more details on funding, for example:
(SDOT presentations are usually framed in blue, but this one appears to be green – with shamrocks – since the meeting’s happening on St. Patrick’s Day.) As with all City Council meetings, this one will be streamed live on Seattle Channel (cable 21 or online here).
(King County Assessor photo)
The West Seattle space that Swedish is vacating at 3400 California SW will remain a health-care clinic. We’ve been covering the plan for Swedish to move into The Junction but didn’t know until today what would happen to the building it’s leaving. Here’s the announcement we received:
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is announcing the opening of a new medical clinic in West Seattle this fall. This facility will expand options for new and existing patients in the community as the closure of the West Seattle Bridge creates a barrier for residents to access quality health services close to home.
The new facility will house primary care, internal medicine, laboratory and limited radiology services.
Specialty services will rotate weekly and will include:
Cardiology
Orthopedics
General surgery
Gastroenterology
Endocrinology
Women’s healthIn addition to the clinic, West Seattle patients will have integrated access to nearby St. Anne Hospital if needed, as well as on-site specialists from our network, including legacy Virginia Mason and CHI Franciscan locations.
Virginia Mason became part of CHI Franciscan earlier this year. Meantime, Swedish is moving providers into two Junction sites, as reported here.
11:39 AM: Almost exactly one year after he ordered schools to close, the governor says he’s issuing an emergency proclamation to “give every K-12 student” the “option” of in-person learning. (Watch his briefing live above.) He says there’s “now undeniably a mental-health crisis” for youth and so it’s imperative that they have the opportunity to go back. He adds that “the order allows for staggering the re-introduction”:
*By April 5th, all elementary students must have the option of in-person learning
*By April 19th, all other students must have the option
He underscores that districts “are still required” to follow health/safety precautions. He says his order will require at least two in-person days a week. He acknowledges that returning to in-person learning won’t instantly solve the mental-health crisis, so other measures will be taken to address that.
11:47 AM: The governor turns the microphone over to state superintendent Chris Reykdal. He says about 50 percent of the state’s students are already getting some in-person learning. He expresses concerns such as a high absence rate in middle and high school, and an increase in F/incomplete grades for their work, with a 50 percent jump in students as a result not getting credit for coursework, so “this is the time for us to double down” – reopening “needs to be sped up significantly. … The science says we can open schools up safely.”
11:56 AM: Swedish‘s director of pediatrics Dr. Nwando Anyaoku is speaking now. She says they’ve seen a dramatic increase in children needing emergency attention for mental-health crises “and that’s just the tip of the iceberg … that’s something we can’t allow to continue.” She’s followed by Dr. Peter Asante, from the board of the Washington state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The “impact of school closures (is) now at epidemic proportions,” he says. Masking, screening, ventilation are among “simple strategies that work” to keep everyone safe – so far outbreaks at schools have been “highly uncommon.”
12:10 PM: They and the governor all reiterate that the pandemic has brought inequities into the light and work to remedy them will have to continue long term. Inslee now moves on to media Q&A. He’s asked what changed enabling him to make this kind of order, since he’d said before that he couldn’t, and what happens if unions/district defy it? “Look, this is a legally binding proclamation,” he replies. But “we’re not here today for threats, we’re here for success.” As for the authority, he cites the new information about the mental-health crisis: “We’re responding to the new science that we have. … The conditions changed. The scientific information changed. The authority did not change – the conditions did not exist in which (we could) use the authority.” He also says vaccination of educators should not be an issue, as “they have an almost exclusive” access through the federal pharmacy program, along with access via other channels.
Pressed again, what happens if a district says it can’t meet the new deadlines? “That’s not going to happen because we know they can,” Inslee insists. “… Schools are making it work in every imaginable (type of) district across the state of Washington.” He declares the situation a “win-win-win,” and also reiterates that this is an order to offer the option, not to require families to send their kids back to school if they’re not comfortable with it. (Still no reply to the question of what happens if the order is defied.)
12:41 PM: The briefing is over. The archived video should be available in the same window above shortly. We’ll be updating as reaction comes in.
2:46 PM: Here’s the official statement we obtained from Seattle Public Schools:
Seattle Public Schools has been working to bring back our students, beginning with our most vulnerable, for in-person instruction: students receiving special education services and preschool students.
We are in active negotiations with the Seattle Education Association for a safe and successful return. We have a plan and have been on track in partnership with SEA to come to an agreement that would return these students beginning on March 29.
The governor’s proclamation and details will be released on Monday. We will need time to analyze the details of the proclamation and determine the impacts for our students, families, and staff.
3:26 PM: A spokesperson for the Seattle Education Association tells WSB that the union has no official comment yet.
7:15 PM: Here’s what SEA has sent to its membership, noting, “With our bargaining team in non-stop bargaining, we have not had time to fully process how this will impact the current negotiations.”
Toplines from the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s March board meeting ranged from ferries to police to a spring celebration:
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES: WSF’s Hadley Rodero was there to talk about the kickoff of the planning process for the replacement of the circa-1950s Fauntleroy ferry terminal.
(WSB photo – maintenance work at Fauntleroy dock last month)
The current dock’s problems include deterioration and its low level. She memtioned next week’s public meetings (March 17-18, details here) and a process that will follow to recruit Community Advisory Group members for the project.
Three West Seattle food and drink notes this morning:
(WSB file photo, north end of market)
HOT FOOD @ FARMERS’ MARKET: The West Seattle Farmers’ Market management says it has Seattle/King County Public Health approval to bring back hot food, so vendors can again cook and serve at the market. But rules remain – for example, the announcement says:
Shoppers are not allowed to congregate in front of booths to wait for orders. When you arrive at market, check-in with your favorite prepared food vendor first thing. If it looks like your meal will take more than five minutes to prepare, do a lap, take care of your grocery shopping, then pick up your food on your way out. Each vendor will have their own method of managing wait times that best suit their business.
And once you have your food, it’s take-home time – no eating or drinking at the market. Plus – of course – masks are still required for all. The Farmers’ Market operates 10 am-2 pm Sundays on California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon.
FREE YOGURT: Ellenos, a Seattle-based company, is giving away cups of its new Milk and Fruit yogurt at Whole Foods West Seattle (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW) 9 am-12:30 pm Saturday. However, you can’t just show up – they’re asking you to sign up for a time slot here.
LIQUOR STORE: One month after Capco Beverages closed, the store’s new ownership has just filed for permits to overhaul the new space at 4712 42nd SW, the former Subway and Junction Fitness spots in outer Jefferson Square next to Nikko Teriyaki.
Got food/drink news? Let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
We often feature school-related fundraisers. Today, one with a twist: West Seattle High School students are asking you to join them in supporting a nonprofit. WSHS senior Lexi Reifel explains: “In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’ve teamed up with a local non-profit organization, Dress for Success Seattle … Women have been the hardest-hit employment group with the onset of Covid; that’s why now more than ever it’s critical we help our local unemployed and underemployed women!” Here’s the announcement:
Join the WSHS Feminist Club in supporting and amplifying Dress for Success Seattle, the local affiliate of the global non-profit that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, development tools, and professional attire to thrive in work and in life.
WSHS Feminist Club is raising awareness of Dress for Success Seattle’s programs, and raising funds. We’ve set the goal to raise $2,000 in the month of March for Women’s History Month, investing in DFS Seattle’s always-FREE programs in service to women achieving financial stability, please donate here to continue the vital work of empowering women in the Seattle community.
All proceeds net expenses will be held in trust by Seattle Public Schools until disbursed to Dress for Success Seattle, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization
6:07 AM: Good morning! Another sunny day! Likely on our way to another glowing sunset like last night, photographed by Marc Milrod:
ROAD WORK
1st Avenue South Bridge – Southbound lane closures continue today:
*Through noon Monday (March 15th), two southbound lanes closed around the clock
*The entire southbound bridge is scheduled to close Sunday night (March 14th) and Monday night (March 15th), 9 pm-5 am both nights
Delridge project – Here’s the plan through today. Though it’s not mentioned there, a Metro alert suggests Saturday work at Delridge/Genesee – we’re trying to get more info.
West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway – As noted Monday, work has begun on Phase 2, including 42nd SW south of The Junction.
TRANSIT
Metro and the Water Taxi are on regular schedules – but tomorrow, note this Route 50 reroute during work at Delridge/Genesee.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
354th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: Ninth week for automated enforcement cameras, while restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. Here’s a bridge view:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden – with a new left-turn signal for northbound HP Way, turning to westbound Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
And the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) – remember those southbound lane closures:
For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:
To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
Big announcements at the top of tonight’s roundup:
MORE REOPENING, MORE VACCINATION ELIGIBILITY: Two big headlines from Gov. Inslee‘s midafternoon briefing (video here) – both involving phases:
*Reopening moves to the newly defined Phase 3 on March 22nd. Here’s how the governor’s announcement explains it (pending full details next week):
Sports guidance will change in Phase 3 to allow in-person spectators at events for the first time in a year. Spectators will be allowed to attend outdoor venues with permanent seating with capacity capped at 25%. The change affects both professional and high school sports, as well as motorsports, rodeos, and other outdoor spectator events. Social distancing and facial covering are still required.
The new phase also allows for up to 400 people maximum to attend outdoor activities, as well as events in indoor facilities — so long as 400 people does not exceed 50% capacity for the location, and physical distancing and masking protocols are enforced. Larger venue events are capped at 25% occupancy, or up to 9,000 people, whichever is less, and must follow spectator guidelines.
Additionally, Phase 3 will allow up to 50% occupancy or 400 people maximum, whichever is lower, for all indoor spaces. This applies to all industries and indoor activities currently allowed; restaurants, gyms and fitness centers and movie theaters, among others, may all increase their capacity. A full list of industry-level changes for the new phase will be released next week.
*Vaccination eligibility opens to everyone in Phase 1B, Tier 2 – including “workers in agriculture, food processing, grocery stores, public transit, firefighters and law enforcement” and “people over the age of 16 who are pregnant or have a disability that puts them at high-risk.”
PRESIDENT’S ANNOUNCEMENT: President Biden spoke to the nation this evening (here’s the video), and said he’s telling states that vaccination eligibility has to open to all adults in the U.S. by May 1st. How’s that going to happen? This White House-issued fact sheet has the detailed plan.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, here are today’s cumulative totals:
*83,653 people have tested positive, 182 more than yesterday’s total
*1,429 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*5,159 people have been hospitalized, 3 more than yesterday’s total
*925,061 people have been tested, 562 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the four totals we track were 82,716/1,411/5,113/912,028.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 118.5 million cases worldwide, 29.2 million of them in the U.S. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.
ANOTHER VARIANT; The one from Brazil has turned up here, Public Health says.
VACCINATION UPDATE: King County’s status report says 76 percent of the people eligible in the county have had at least one dose.
SEEKING VACCINE? If you’re eligible now, here are places to look:
*65+ Seattle residents are eligible for the city-run West Seattle and Rainier Beach sites and Lumen Field Event Center hub – go here
*ADDED: The mayor’s office says WS appointments are available in the days ahead for ANYONE now eligible, not just 65+ – register here
*Your health-care provider (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine, CHI Franciscan, Swedish, Kaiser Permanente, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator)
*Pharmacy chains big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca, Costco
*Sea Mar clinics
NEED FOOD? All welcome at the weekly distribution of food boxes 2-5 pm tomorrow at Food Lifeline (815 S. 96th).
GOT PHOTOS/TIPS? 206-293-6302, text or voice, or westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Thanks for the tip. Two vehicles are reported to have collided at West Marginal Way SW and Puget Way; one hit a pole. Apparently no major injuries, as SFD has already closed out its involvement in the call.
(Added: WSB photo)
7:22 PM: A Seattle Fire “scenes of violence” response is headed to 30th/Roxbury after a report of gunfire, possibly a drive-by shooting that left cars damaged too. One person is reported injured. The Guardian One helicopter may be joining the search. More to come.
7:29 PM: Though SPD and SFD are assisting, most of this is unfolding on the county side of Roxbury. The vehicle description so far: Black Charger, last seen southbound on 30th. Guardian One is arriving in the area.
7:39 PM: Deputies have told dispatch that witnesses said two other people were shot but left the scene to go directly to a hospital. The victim who was at the scene when SFD medics arrived is being taken to Harborview. … At the scene, we’re told only that the victim is male. Meantime, Guardian One has moved on, as the shooter is believed to be long gone.
(Added: WSB photo – broken glass by van is from window being shot out)
8 PM: Deputies tell us this all happened at the gas station. We’re checking on the victim’s condition; haven’t heard anything further about other possible victims. Traffic at the scene is back to normal now that the initially sizable SFD response has left.
8:19 PM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo tells WSB the victim taken to the hospital by their medics is 18 and was transported in stable condition.
ADDED 12:29 PM FRIDAY: KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Tim Meyer tells WSB that the investigation continues and “I am not aware of additional victims and know of no arrests.”
The photo is from Gretchen, co-proprietor of Admiral District restaurant Circa. She emailed us today to say, “Got to work today and someone had painted our 3 huge recycle, compost & garbage bins in their bright, fresh, original colors. They’d been tagged with graffiti many times and looked terrible. No idea who did this, if it was the city or an amazing Good Samaritan??? Did it happen anywhere else?” Since Seattle Public Utilities crews do indeed do some painting over graffiti vandalism, we asked SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register if that includes solid-waste containers. She replied, “Our contractors will paint out graffiti or replace the dumpster entirely. They do this on a rotating basis throughout the City.” (Contractors = Waste Management and Recology.)
Emily Juarez is one of the artists you can meet during tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk. She’s at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) until 7 pm – preview her work here. WSR is one of the newest participants in the Art Walk. You can visit several other businesses hosting artist receptions tonight – from North Admiral to Arbor Heights – or you can enjoy art online; the official Art Walk preview for this month explains how (and where, and when – as late as 9 pm for at least one venue)!
2:37 PM: The governor says on March 22nd, every county in Washington will move into Phase 3 – which means 50 percent restaurants, fitness, movie theaters, more. Click above to listen. We’ll add more as it goes.
2:41 PM: He also says sports guidance is changing – so sports venues “with permanent outdoor seating” will be open up to 25 percent capacity – that means, for example, he says up to 9,000 fans when the Mariners open their season. High-school sports is included too. He says youth sports and summer camps are being evaluated as well.
He has vaccination news too – with more open appointments, he says, the next tier of eligibility will kick in March 17th, sooner than previously expected – “everyone in tier 2 will be eligible.” That’s food processing. grocery stores, law enforcement, firefighters, pregnant people, transit, farmworkers, and those with disabilities that put them at higher risk.
But even with all this, he says, “we gotta understand, we’re still in a fight,” so don’t drop your safety precautions. “If we do this, we (should) have a tremendous summer.”
2:47 PM: On to Q&A. Yes, the governor’s office got Seattle/King County signoff on the stadium-reopening plan. … As for youth sports, March 18th is the date they’ll open to some spectators “so more parents and loved ones can watch kids play sports,” said Inslee staffer Nick Streuli. … What about the variants? The governor says they’ll be assessing stats like hospitalizations, county by county, to see if anyone needs to regress to an earlier phase but if people keep up masks and distancing, he’s optimistic that won’t be necessary. Today’s announcement also again changes the metrics they’re watching to assess reopening readiness – see below:
3:03 PM: Here are the details. Counties will be evaluated individually every three weeks, so the next evaluation for reopening will be April 12th. The full industry-by-industry changes will be published next week.
3:17 PM: The briefing is over – the video window above should take you to archived video soon. Meantime. the announcements have started coming in – Mariners expect fans for their April 1st home opener; Sounders FC says it’s hoping to have fans at Lumen Field for its April 16th home opener.
5:59 PM: The governor has issued one correction – the vaccine eligibility is going to Tier 2 *of Phase 1B*.
Thanks to Greg for sending the photo, taken from the hillside east of Weather Watch Park. He notes, “Seems most likely it’s the USS Connecticut based on the MMSI number provided by Marine Traffic.” The Connecticut is indeed based at Naval Base Kitsap, and made headlines earlier this week for a reported bedbug infestation; the linked story notes it had training scheduled this week.
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