West Seattle, Washington
14 Saturday
Wrapping up the first weekend of August, here are tonight’s virus-crisis updates:
KING COUNTY’S NEWEST NUMBERS: First, the cumulative totals from the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*15.510 people have tested positive, up 111 from yesterday
*649 people have died, unchanged from yesterday
*1,963 people have been hospitalized, up 6 from yesterday
*300,529 people have been tested, up 2,356 from yesterday
One week ago, the totals were 14,433/640/1,891/271,301.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 18 million cases and more than 689,000 deaths – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.
FOOD FOR KIDS/TEENS: Seattle Public Schools continues meal distribution at its designated sites 11 am-1 pm weekdays, as well as distribution by bus – full details here.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
We have begun the sixth calendar month of the pandemic. Here are tonight’s virus-crisis toplines:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*15,399 people have tested positive, 202 more than yesterday
*649 people have died, 2 more than yesterday
*1,957 people have been hospitalized, 9 more than yesterday
*298,173 people have been tested, 3,350 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 14,255/640/1,877/270,739.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
…BUT REMEMBER THE DATA DELAY: In last night’s roundup, we mentioned a state data delay. Here’s the latest update from the state Health Department:
Our data experts continue to work on the data processing issue reported yesterday which resulted in duplicate records in our COVID-19 database. We were unable to update the dashboard yesterday, however we anticipate updating the DOH dashboard this evening with data from yesterday and today.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 17.7 million people have tested positive, and more than 684,000 have died. Most cases: U.S., Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa – same as the past 2 weeks. See the breakdown, nation by nation,
ANOTHER COVID CLOSURE: For the second consecutive day, a local restaurant has announced a temporary closure after an employee’s positive COVID-19 test. This time, Mioposto Admiral.
MAYOR VS. COUNCIL: It’s not just “the other Washington” where politicians are fighting over pandemic relief. This morning, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced she had vetoed a City Council-approved bill that would have spent much of the so-called “rainy-day fund” (to be paid back next year from proceeds of the new “high-earners” business tax) on economic relief for people, busnesses, and nonprofits. Here’s her letter announcing the veto, arguing the city already has faced multiple emergencies this year (including the West Seattle Bridge closure) and needs to be ready for more; here’s the text of the bill. The council’s budget chair, Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, said the bill “provided $86 million to support Seattle small businesses and families through rental assistance, food assistance, support for child care, and flexible funding to support small businesses.” It was passed unanimously, which means the council is likely to override the veto, but they have to wait five days before bringing it up again.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
22 weeks ago tonight, King County’s first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced. We start tonight’s roundup with the numbers:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:
*15,197 people have tested positive, 158 more than yesterday
*647 people have died, unchanged from yesterday
*1,948 people have been hospitalized, 2 more than yesterday
*294,823 people have been tested, 3,747 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 14,047/638/1,866/265,108.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
STATE DATA FYI: From the Department of Health:
DOH experienced an outage with its reporting system today which caused interruptions in several functions. The data reported today is preliminary and only include cases through 7:00 pm on 7/30 (not 11:59 pm as is usual). DOH anticipates negative tests will be behind for a few days which will impact DOH’s ability to report out tests and percent positivity. Data dashboard visualizations will be impacted for a short time. DOH hopes to be back to normal by early next week.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 17.5 million cases, 679,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
NEW TESTING SITE ON THE WAY: While announcing today that the city is opening a new testing site in Southeast Seattle, the mayor also said a new “Southwest Seattle” is in the works too. No location disclosed yet, but the mayor’s office tells WSB it should be made public within a few weeks.
COVID CLOSURE: Chelan Café announced it’s closed because a cocktail-lounge staff member tested positive.
UPDATED RESTAURANT (ETC.) GUIDANCE: From the governor’s office:
The governor’s office today released updates to the July 24 guidance for restaurants, taverns, breweries, wineries, and distilleries as part of Washington’s Safe Start phased reopening plan. Changes include clarification about which establishments can offer indoor seating, temporary outdoor seating guidance and counter-style seating clarifications. Read the full restaurants, taverns, breweries, wineries and distilleries guidance document here and attached memo here.
NEED FOOD? Free lunches will be offered noon-1 pm tomorrow at West Side Presbyterian Church (3601 California SW).
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Received from the Chelan Café:
The Chelan Cafe will be closed until further notice.
On Friday, July 31st, a staff member from the cocktail lounge tested positive for COVID-19. As a result of this positive test and out of an abundance of caution, we are closing both the restaurant and the Ebb Tide Room temporarily.
During this closure, our employees will be tested and a company will be hired to conduct a deep cleaning. We will not be re-opening until all employees test negative. The well-being of our community, customers, and employees will always be our first priority, and we thank you for your support during this difficult time.
Thank you,
Mary Manning-Smith
Owner- Chelan Cafe
For the second night this week, a late-night protest took us away from the desk for a few hours, so the roundup is delayed, but here we go:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*15,039 people have tested positive, up 160 from yesterday
*647 people have died, up 3 from yesterday
*1,946 people have been hospitalized, up 11 from yesterday
*291,076 people have been tested, up 5,771 from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 13,834/636/1,838/256,588.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 17.3 million cases worldwide, and the U.S. is at almost 4.5 million. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.
WEST SEATTLE TESTING: Our weekly reminder – Friday is the weekly drive-up testing day in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), Despite the original announcement, it actually starts at 9:30 am and continues until 3 pm, and you’re advised to get there early if you can.
SPEAKING OF TESTING: The mayor plans a media briefing Friday morning to announce “the expansion of free citywide testing.”
ALSO TALKING ABOUT TESTING ... was the governor, issuing a proclamation that he says will safeguard personal information in the contact-tracing process.
WISH YOU HAD BEEN BETTER PREPARED … pre-pandemic? The city has a few questions for you.
GOT PHOTOS/TIPS? 206-293-6302, text or voice, or westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Thanks to West Seattle preparedness advocate Cindi Barker for the tip on this: A survey that gives you a chance to reflect on what you wish you had known before the pandemic hit – how prepared were you for some of the challenges these past five months have thrown at you? As the city-conducted survey explains, “We want to learn more about impacts to our community so we can help people be more prepared in the future.” You can answer the survey by starting here.
(Photo: Life as a Voyager, Brigit Stadler)
Outer Space Seattle, which had only been open for 2 months when the pandemic began, reopens Monday, with a different mission: Drop-off child care. From proprietor Caitlin Huertas:
Space Camp Drop-off Child care will be Monday through Friday for kids 3-10 years old, kids must be potty trained. Child care is an essential need for many parents, and we are delighted to serve the families in our community. Following Health Department and CDC guidelines, we will be limiting the number of children in our facility at a time, so reserve your spot by going to our website www.outerspaceseattle.com
Each child will have their temperature taken at check in, and must wear a mask for the duration of their stay at Outer Space Seattle. All children must have a waiver, intake form, and Covid-19 screening form filled out and on file before attending. Each 3 hour Space Camp session will be split into two groups of 8 kids, and will be supervised by one staff leader. Each group will be utilizing different locations of our facility at different times. Space Camp includes a space-themed craft and time playing on our indoor playground.
Outer Space Seattle is at 2820 Alki SW.
Here’s the virus-crisis news for a midsummer Wednesday:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*14,879 people have tested positive, 150 more than yesterday
*644 people have died, unchanged from yesterday
*1,935 people have been hospitalized, 35 more than yesterday
*285,305 people have been tested, 5.155 more than yesterday
One week ago, the four totals were 13,659/635/1,826/255,956.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
STATE HEALTH BRIEFING: Topics today included trends – the case count has flattened in recent weeks despite a steady increase in testing – plus a scam alert: Be watchful of people claiming to be health authorities ssking for money or card/bank info; the real public-health reps would never do that. Overall, though, “disease activity is still quite high in the state,” health officer Kathy Lofy said. Watch the entire briefing here.
BEACH-FIRE BATTLE: The fire rings were removed from Alki, in hopes of discouraging gatherings, but now people are setting fires in the sand, and a special beach-cleaning vehicle was dispatched today.
CURBSIDE LIBRARY SERVICE: The King County Library System announced today that it’s adding the White Center Library to its curbside-service program starting next Wednesday.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
That beach-cleaning machine had to be dispatched to Alki this morning, with people continuing to ignore the beach-fire ban, less than a week after Seattle Parks removed the long-locked fire rings people had been damaging. Seattle Fire has been dispatched to Alki five of the six nights since then – three times on Thursday, once on Friday, once on Saturday, three times on Sunday, once last night. We asked Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin if anything else is planned. She replied, “I think the next move would be to close the beaches. We are grateful to SFD for their support and grateful that you are covering this and reminding folks that beach fires are not permitted this summer. In case folks wonder why, it’s because beach fires are more often than not used as a place for larger groups to gather. As we are still in Phase 2 and gatherings must be 5 people or less, beach fires are not permitted.”
Five months ago tonight, King County announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case. So, into month 6 we go …
UPDATED GUIDANCE: The changes the governor announced last week are now in writing, as explained: “The memo outlines the updates to gatherings, live entertainment, restaurants and taverns, entertainment and recreational centers, card rooms, movie theaters, and weddings and funerals.”
KING COUNTY’S NUMBERS, WITH A CAVEAT: The Public Health daily-summary dashboard warns, “Negative lab results may be delayed and counts may not be representative of the actual count of tests.” That said, here’s what the page shows tonight:
*14,729 people have tested positive, up 110 from yesterday’s total
*644 people have died, up 1 from yesterday’s total
*1,900 people have been hospitalized, up 4 from yesterday’s total
*280,150* people have been tested, up 388* from yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 13,486/635/1,818/252,090.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
TELEWORKING EXTENDED: Many public-sector employers in the Metro area have decided to extend teleworking through the end of the year.
NOT-SO-SWIFT RECOVERY: Younger COVID-19 patients don’t necessarily get over it fast. King County’s newsletter shares this alert:
CDC report emphasizes COVID-19 can cause prolonged illness, including in younger people: Unlike early in the pandemic, most of the recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in King County have been in young people. In the last two weeks, over 65% of the positive cases were in people under the age of 40. People in this age group have lower likelihood of underlying health conditions and hospitalizations. However, the CDC released findings of a recent telephone survey that indicates more than one-third of people diagnosed with COVID-19 but did not have to be hospitalized had not returned to their usual state of health within 2-3 weeks of being tested. Among those between the age of 18-34 with no chronic medical conditions, one in five had not returned to their usual state of health. The CDC’s takeaway message? “Recovery from COVID-19 can take a long time, even in young adults.” Please share this message widely, especially if you communicate in networks that include young adults. You can refer to the entire CDC report here.
HELP SFD WITH PPE: Received today from the Seattle Fire Foundation:
Roughly 80 percent of the calls Seattle firefighters respond to are non-fire related, some of which are increasingly dangerous. In 2019, the Seattle Fire Foundation, the official non-profit organization of the Seattle Fire Department, was formed to help bridge the gap between the city budget and the changing needs of our city’s first responders. The initial ask of the community was to help raise funds to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the form of ballistic vests and helmets to respond to scenes of violence.
Last year, 70 sets of PPE were purchased to assist in providing Seattle firefighters additional safety. The Seattle Fire Foundation is asking for the community’s help to raise the funds to purchase an additional 88 sets by Labor Day. …
The foundation has laid out a goal of raising $135,000 by Labor Day in an effort to equip each Seattle firefighter with an appropriate set of PPE. It is critical that firefighters have the right resource for the right response.
Seattle Fire is not alone in adopting the use of this critical PPE. In 2018, the National Fire Protection Association adopted NFPA 3000, providing guidance and best practices for firefighters responding to active shooter and hostile events. The use of this PPE is an NFPA safety standard.
“Our heroes need heroes, and with the significant number of scenes of violence taking place, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to help ensure our first responders are properly equipped,” said Founder and President Debbie Steinhauer. “We are proud to help support the men and women who make up the Seattle Fire Department that risk their lives each day to serve our community. We are asking members of the community to consider making a donation at Seattlefirefoundation.org.”
STATE HEALTH LEADERS’ BRIEFING TOMORROW: 2 pm, you can get first word of the newest trends if you watch here as officials from the Washington Coronavirus Response Joint Information Center present their weekly media briefing.
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
This one’s a few hours late, as we were out of the house on breaking news, but here’s what’s new in the virus crisis:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here’s today’s daily summary from Public Health – the cumulative totals:
*14.619 people have tested positive, 186 more than yesterday’s total
*643 people have died, 3 more than yesterday’s total
*1,896 people have been hospitalized, 5 more than yesterday’s total
*279,762 people have been tested, 8,461 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the totals were 13,339/635/1,806/247,689.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
NEED FOOD? The pandemic economic crunch continues. So does help to prevent hunger. Free boxes of food are available at Food Lifeline‘s South Park-area HQ on Wednesday and Friday this week, 2 pm-5 pm (815 S. 96th).
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Wrapping up the last weekend of July, here are tonight’s virus-crisis updates:
KING COUNTY’S NEWEST NUMBERS: First, the cumulative totals from the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*14,433 people have tested positive, up 178 from yesterday
*640 people have died, unchanged from yesterday
*1,891 people have been hospitalized, up 14 from yesterday
*271,301 people have been tested, up 562 from yesterday
One week ago, the totals were 13,159/632/1,803/242,860.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 16.2 million cases and more than 647,000 deaths – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: The federally funded extra $600 is expiring, and what, if anything, will replace it isn’t clear yet, but Congress is supposed to work on it tomorrow.
FOOD FOR KIDS/TEENS: Seattle Public Schools continues meal distribution at its designated sites 11 am-1 pm weekdays, as well as distribution by bus – full details here.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
On this last Saturday of July, here’s the latest on the virus crisis:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*14,255 people have tested positive, 208 more than yesterday
*640 people have died, 2 more than yesterday
*1,877 people have been hospitalized, 11 more than yesterday
*270,739 people have been tested, 5.631 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 12,991/632/1,800/238,207.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 16 million people have tested positive, and more than 644,000 have died. Most cases: U.S., Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa – same as last week. See the breakdown, nation by nation,
FACE-COVERING REQUIREMENT EXPANDS: Today was the day the new rule expansion took effect. As the state recaps here, the rule “require(s) face coverings in any indoor setting outside of your home (not just public buildings) and expands the outdoor requirement to non-public settings when you can’t maintain 6 feet of distance from non-household members. This includes common spaces in congregate living settings, such as common areas in apartment buildings condos, fraternity/sorority houses, assisted living facilities and other similar places.”
SUPREME REOPENS: A week and a half after closing both its locations because of a positive COVID-19 test at its U-District location, Supreme has reopened both.
SOCIAL DISTANCING AT ALKI: Yes, it’s possible! Lynn Hall sent the photo:
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
21 weeks ago tonight, King County announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19. We start tonight’s roundup with the numbers:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily summary:
*14,047 people have tested positive, 213 more than yesterday
*638 people have died, 2 more than yesterday
*1,866 people have been hospitalized, 28 more than yesterday
*265,108 people have been tested, 8,520 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 12,807/624/1,790/231,848.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 15.6 million cases, 638,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
EVICTION MORATORIUM FOLLOWUP: Yesterday, Gov. Inslee announced his intention to extend the statewide eviction moratorium, with details to come. Here they are – in the full proclamation. The announcement notes:
The extension makes modifications to the prior moratorium, including:
*Makes minor clarifications to existing restrictions, such as clarifying that law enforcement may serve eviction orders that include findings required by the proclamation; and
*Creates a workgroup to help inform potential changes to the moratorium in the short-term and the long-term, if needed. The workgroup is specifically asked to consider how future extensions could address options to increase rent.
The moratorium is extended through October 15.
RESTAURANT/TAVERN GUIDANCE: Full details of those changes are out too.
NEED FOOD? Free lunches are offered noon-1 pm tomorrow at West Side Presbyterian Church (3601 California SW).
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Three business notes:
MY THREE LITTLE BIRDS: The shop at 4736 California SW is having a sale and food drive this weekend:
Our store is running our Annual Summer Sale this weekend. All customers who drop off their donation to the West Seattle Food Bank get one of our cool PNW stickers.
We are here Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-4.
HIGHSTRIKE GRILL: Though bowling alleys can’t reopen yet, the restaurant at West Seattle Bowl just announced it will reopen next week:
We are excited to announce that we are reopening the Highstrike Grill on Wednesday, July 29. We will be open for both delivery and dine-in. Tables will be limited to 50% capacity and maximum of 5 people of the same household per Governor’s orders. We have missed you and look forward to seeing you soon!
In addition to getting your favorites, we will be offering both food and beverage specials. Our hours will be Monday through Thursday Noon to 8:00 pm and Friday through Sunday 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Friday through Sunday we will be serving breakfast items from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The restaurant is on the corner at 39th/Oregon.
LA RUSTICA: The 4100 Beach Drive SW bistro has launched something new:
We are now offering our first ever Happy Hour!
Hours are 8:00 pm until close, Tuesday- Sunday.
Our Happy Hour includes both food and drink choices. We wanted to offer our guests another safe option to dine out with us while we all try to find ways to support each other.
As ever we are adhering to all safety standards as required and consider our employees and guests safety first. Continued thanks for your support during these trying times. We are ever grateful.
See La Rustica’s Happy Hour menu here.
News from the governor, as we start tonight’s roundup:
GOVERNOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS: Several announcements from Gov. Inslee at his media briefing this afternoon – a few rollbacks for businesses, plus a plan to extend the statewide eviction moratorium. Details are here.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*13,834 people have tested positive, up 175 from yesterday
*636 people have died, up 1 from yesterday
*1,838 people have been hospitalized, up 12 from yesterday
*256,588 people have been tested, up 632 from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 12,592/621/1,750/227,182.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 15.4 million cases worldwide, and the U.S. has passed four million. See the nation-by-nation breakout here.
WEST SEATTLE TESTING TOMORROW: Every Thursday night we remind you that Friday is the weekly drive-up testing day in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), Despite the original announcement, it actually starts at 9:30 am and continues until 3 pm, and you’re advised to get there early if you can.
FREE FOOD TOMORROW: 2-5 pm at Food Lifeline HQ (815 S. 96th), free boxes of food.
RING REMOVAL: After months of people setting fires on and around the fire rings at Alki, they were removed today.
That didn’t stop fire fans -we’ve heard two dispatches to Alki in just the past hour. SFD reported to dispatch that they “put out seven fires” during the first call.
PHOTOS? TIPS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302 – thank you!
If you can donate blood, you have six chances to do it via Bloodworks Northwest‘s next roun of pop-up blood drives in West Seattle. They’re set for the first half of August in the gym at Our Lady of Guadalupe (7500 35th SW). From Bloodworks NW:
This pop-up (as with all our donation sites) is by appointment only to ensure social distancing. Here is the link to sign up. If folks prefer to have our scheduling department book an appointment for them, they can call 800-398-7888 or e-mail schedule@bloodworksnw.org.
Dates and times offered at Our lady of Guadalupe are as follows:
Mon Aug 3 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wed Aug 5 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri Aug 7 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Mon Aug 10 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wed Aug 12 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fri Aug 14 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
If you haven’t donated before and you want to know more about how it works, go here. Information about the safety of donating blood during the pandemic is here.
In his first media briefing of the week, Gov. Inslee has just announced new rules to try to slow the spread of COVID-19 – including limiting indoor dining to table-sharing only with members of your own household, and banning all indoor service for bars.
He also announced that indoor fitness businesses would be limited to 5 people.
And the state Secretary of Health is announcing new face-covering rules too – they must be worn in “common areas” like elevators, lobbies, dorms. You can watch the ongoing briefing here.
3:01 PM: The governor also announced the statewide eviction moratorium will be extended until October 15th. … Plus, new restrictions for weddings and funerals. We’ll add full details when they’re out. The briefing is continuing with media Q&A.
3:52 PM: Briefing’s over. In Q&A the governor said he expects to extend the statewide pause on phase-advancing, which otherwise was to expire next week.
ADDED 9:18 PM: Here’s the governor’s post about today’s announcements.
(WSB photos)
Thanks for the tips. A Seattle Parks crew has been out on Alki Beach this morning, removing the fire rings and cleaning up the debris/trash left behind. The fire rings have technically been “closed” for months but Seattle Fire crews have been called out many nights because people have set fires on or near them anyway.
And indeed, Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin confirmed to WSB after we photographed the ring removal this morning: “Fire rings have been locked all summer to prevent the crowding and congregating that happens with beach fires. Folks were lighting fires on top of the pits, so we are removing them for now.”
A day of decision for Seattle Public Schools – that’s where we start tonight’s virus-crisis roundup:
SCHOOL STARTS OFF-CAMPUS: Seattle Public Schools announced today that 2020-2021 will start without in-person classes after all. And it’s not the only district – others making the same announcement today include Highline Public Schools, immediately south. This Seattle Times report mentions others in King County.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard, the cumulative totals:
*13,659 people have tested positive, 173 more than yesterday
*635 people have died, unchanged since Monday
*1,826 people have been hospitalized, 8 more than yesterday
*255,956 people have been tested, 3,866 more than yesterday
One week ago, the four totals were 12,353/620/1,731/221,754.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
STATE BRIEFING: Some cause for optimism, and some for concern, when state health officials briefed journalists today. See the video here.
PANDEMIC PROPERTY-TAX EFFECTS: Announced by the King County Assessor:
The King County Assessor’s office has begun the annual process of mailing out re-valuation notices to taxpayers. Notices will begin arriving to commercial property taxpayers soon. Concurrent with these mailings, Wilson is launching an online portal allowing commercial property taxpayers to report impacts to their businesses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to assist the Assessor’s office in setting accurate property valuations.
Commercial taxpayers should go here www.kingcounty.gov/COVID-value-review to report these COVID impacts. The Assessor has been monitoring the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While residential housing values have remained relatively steady so far, some commercial sectors have had their values significantly impacted. These changes in value caused by COVID will be reflected in the 2021 assessed value for taxes payable in 2022.
CLOSE THE STREETS TO HELP BUSINESSES STAY OPEN? The city’s offering new permits to restaurants and other businesses that might want to use street space to keep staff and customers safer.
STAY HEALTHY STREETS SURVEY, LAST CALL: On another closure-related subject, tonight’s your last chance to tell the city what you tnink about those no-through-traffic, social-distancing-friendly streets. The survey‘s one-week extension is scheduled to end after tonight.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
The city says it’ll make street space available to restaurants and other businesses – if their neighbors are OK with it. From the announcement:
Building on the City’s free permits for sidewalk cafes and curb spaces, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today an expansion of street closure permit options for one or more blocks as part of the City of Seattle’s efforts to support businesses during the ongoing public health crisis. These new permits will give restaurants and retail stores more space to operate while providing their patrons and passersby more space to move following Governor Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan. The City will begin accepting applications for these street closures on Wednesday, July 29, 2020. …
Last month, the City announced free sidewalk café and curb space permits, which allow restaurants, retail stores, vending trucks and carts to operate in the sidewalk or curb space in front of their business. These new, temporary permit options help a business owner successfully and safety reopen by expanding their footprint outside. The permits are available for up to six months, and SDOT is expediting permit review to ensure eligible businesses can quickly access this new resource. To date, SDOT has received 92 sidewalk café and curb space permit applications. Business owners interested in applying for this type of permit should visit SDOT’s website for more information. ..
As part of the permitting process, permit applicants will need to notify and demonstrate support from neighboring businesses and residents of proposed street closures. While typical SDOT permit costs are waived, applicants are responsible for any expenses related to the street closure proposal – such as barricades, temporary no parking signs, and tables and chairs. Applicants will be required to conform to all relevant state and local public health guidance. Permit review times vary based on the complexity and the preparedness of the applicant, so we encourage you to use our coaching resources. Stay tuned for more information regarding the eligibility criteria for these new street closure requests.
For more information or to schedule an applicant coaching session about these new temporary permit types, please visit our website or e-mail publicspace@seattle.gov.
12:08 PM: Just forwarded to us by a Seattle Public Schools employee, this letter to district-wide staff:
At Seattle Public Schools, science and data continue to ground our response to COVID-19. We have been monitoring reports of increased COVID-19 cases in our community and are in close communication with Public Health Seattle & King County, OSPI, the Governor’s office, and neighboring school districts. We can’t imagine a way to open schools without the risk of significant transmission of COVID-19 based on the current trajectory of infections in King County. Superintendent Juneau is recommending to the School Board that Seattle Public Schools start the 2020-21 school year remotely.
We will follow the remote instruction model until the risk of significant transmission of COVID-19 has decreased enough to resume in-person instruction. The School Board will vote on the Superintendent’s recommendation and an associated plan for fall 2020 on August 12.
We know this will be a disappointment to our passionate educators who have devoted their careers to supporting students in-person, and for many of our students and families who rely on the relationships with adults in their school.
It is our responsibility as a school district to ensure that all students succeed in their education, no matter the circumstances. Thank you for your hard work laying the groundwork for high-quality remote learning and for thoughtfully engaging, planning, and refining our remote learning practices with over 15,000 students this summer. We have distributed over 2,000 internet hot spots and 25,000 devices to students to support learning, and we will continue to assess and fill technology gaps around the district to support student access to remote instruction. Students should not and cannot be left behind due to lack of access to a reliable internet connection and technology. Thank you to our staff who continue to work tirelessly to support students.
Additionally, all educators will be provided with training to ensure live, high-quality remote instruction with a predictable and consistent schedule on common platforms, as well as racial equity training. Families have shared that students’ mental health and wellness is a top concern, and these supports will be prioritized as we reopen school online in partnership with licensed community mental health providers. Additionally, SPS will make sure our students receiving special education services are provided instruction in alignment with students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans – which may include small group instruction if it is determined that services can be provided safely in-person and services cannot be accessed successfully through remote learning.
We understand that this decision for remote learning may cause frustration and hardships for many families and staff. We will be working with the Seattle Council PTSA, the City, and other community partners to develop community-generated solutions for childcare and learning at home. We will also continue to provide childcare in our buildings for essential staff in partnership with the City, as well as provide meals for students at our meal sites across the city.
More information, including specifics around school schedules, will be shared as soon as possible. As the environment and information around COVID-19 continues to shift and change, we will adapt and respond as quickly as possible. In the meantime, please check our website for the most up-to-date information, including a FAQ that will be published this Friday, July 24: www.seattleschools.org/fall-planning.
Followups to come.
12:28 PM: SPS also has sent a news release about this – see it here.
ADDED 1:50 PM: The Seattle Council PTSA sent this statement about the announcement:
Seattle Council PTSA recognizes the complexity of the decision of recommending remote learning for Fall 2020. As the largest parent advocacy organization in the largest school district in the State of Washington, we stand with our families and center the health, safety, and well being of our students as our highest priority.
We demand from the District (SPS), the School Board, the educators union (SEA), the City of Seattle, King County, and Governor’s office the following:
-Robust, reliable, equitable remote learning to all students, with a specif focus on students furthest from educational justice, students receiving special education services, students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness and English Language Learning students;
-High-quality child care solutions for all families in need through authentic collaboration and partnership with community based organizations;
-Collaboration between the above-mentioned entities to pursue solutions for those that cannot access education online to find safe spaces for students and teachers to come together. Outdoor education is a very important topic to discuss and collaborate;
-Appropriate budget to offer robust mental health support to our communities;
-Mandatory anti-bias, anti-racist training to all educators, building administrators, staff, and childcare providers serving Seattle Public Schools students;
-Authentic Family Engagement with clear and transparent communication to families and community partners who support learning and care for our children.
We are committed to supporting our communities and holding the District, Union, City, County, and State leadership accountable on behalf of the more than 54,000 students in Seattle Public Schools.
Sports and food are part of tonight’s virus-crisis roundup. But first:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here’s the daily summary from Public Health, with cumulative totals:
*13,486 people have tested positive, up 147 from yesterday’s total
*635 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total
*1,818 people have been hospitalized, up 12 from yesterday’s total
*252,090 people have been tested, up 4,401 from yesterday’s total
One week ago, those totals were 12,244/606/1,706/217,633.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
PANDEMIC-ERA SPORTS: The Washingon Interscholastic Athletics Association has come up with a plan for next school year’s sports. Among other things – spring football. Here’s tonight’s announcement.
RESTAURANT REOPENING: Grillbird Teriyaki, which closed almost two weeks ago after reporting an employee tested positive for COVID-19, says it will reopen this Friday (July 24th).
FREE FOOD: Food Lifeline is distributing emergency food boxes this week – sites and times are listed here, including tomorrow and Friday afternoons at FL HQ in South Park.
ALSO TOMORROW: The governor hasn’t given a briefing yet this week but his office and other state officials will present an update on the state’s COVID-19 response at 2 pm tomorrow. Livestream will be here.
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
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