West Seattle, Washington
29 Thursday
We’re on Phase Watch … no announcement yet. Here are tonight’s headlines:
GOVERNOR URGES PATIENCE: This afternoon, Gov. Inslee acknowledged about a dozen counties – including ours – are waiting anxiously for word on their requests to move to the next phase. He said the reviews take time to be sure they’re getting it right, so “Safe Start” lives up to its name. No word on how MUCH time, though.
SYMPTOMS? GET TESTED! The main point of the governor’s briefing today was a new testing strategy – if you have symptoms, or were exposed to someone who has COVID-19, get tested ASAP, and isolate until and unless you get a negative test result.
NEED A TEST? Tomorrow’s the next weekly drive-up/walk-up testing day at the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) north lot, 10 am-3 pm.
IF THAT DOESN’T WORK FOR YOU … the city just announced it will launch two free drive-up testing sites, including the former auto-emission-testing site in SODO.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard (which has some new data categories – tests and hospitalizations):
*8,333 people with positive tests, 56 more than yesterday
*564 people have died, 2 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 7,931 and 549.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
ONE MORE SET OF NUMBERS: Providence Mount St. Vincent reports that one more resident has died – 7 in all. But The Mount has hopeful news too – no new positive tests in 4+ weeks.
NEED FOOD? Reminder – you can go to Food Lifeline 2-5 pm tomorrow to get some.
REDUCED SCHEDULE TFN: Washington State Ferries, one of many transportation services that reduced schedules because of the virus crisis, says it’ll keep its current schedule TFN.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(WSB file photo)
We’ve reported previously on COVID-19 cases and deaths at Providence Mount St. Vincent in West Seattle. Today we have an update from The Mount’s Molly Swain:
We are grateful to share that it has been more than 4 weeks since we have had a positive case test result of COVID-19 here at The Mount. As of Monday, June 1st, we do not have any positive COVID-19 cases among residents or patients.
We are very sad to share, however, that one additional resident has passed away, for a total of 7.
There are still 8 caregivers who are positive and are recovering at home.
The Mount (4831 35th SW) is West Seattle’s largest long-term-care/assisted-living facility, with other programs on site including the Intergenerational Learning Center.
3:04 PM: In Olympia, Gov. Inslee is presenting a briefing, expected to be mostly about COVID-19 testing. We’re carrying it live since King County’s “modified Phase 1” state=approval request is pending – approval this quickly is not likely, but anything’s possible. Notes as this goes.
State Health Secretary John Wiesman is with the governor. Inslee says, “Our testing capacity has grown – we have now done more than 350,000 tests in our state.” He says he’s announcing “a significant broadening of our testing strategy” – the message is now, “If you think you’re sick, get tested.” That’s a big change from the early going, when some people with possible symptoms couldn’t get tested at all. He’s also urging people to get tested if a household member is suspected of having COVID-19, or had come into contact with someone who has it. Then – “stay home until you have a negative test.” He says science now shows much transmission happens before someone has symptoms. And he urges health-care providers to help patients get those tests.
3:15 PM: Secretary Wiesman elaborates – ideally, you’ll get tested within 24 hours of developing symptoms. The state insurance commissioner’s order waiving co-pays for COVID-19 tests will be extended at least through July 3rd.
The governor moves on to talk about ongoing county applications to move ahead in reopening phases, but hasn’t mentioned King County, except to say that “some modified Phase 1 applications are now in review.” He does urge everyone to “not lose intense focus” on the virus itself – wear your face covering, keep distancing, keep washing your hands, etc.
3:31 PM: In Q&A, it’s noted that some states have urged anybody who participates in the ongoing large protests to get tested, but ours is not. Wiesman acknowledged that but said they ARE urging high-risk people to stay home, and all others to take precautions – wear your face covering, take hand sanitizer, etc.
A reporter from Snohomish County noted that its modified-Phase-1 application was sent in Monday and no decision yet. The secretary says “a team of 9” is reviewing applications right now and has about a dozen, including some counties seeking to move from Phase 2 to Phase 3. “We know people are anxious to get their answers; we’re moving as quickly as we can, and we want to be thorough,” Wiesman said. The governor, asked something similar later, said, “The reason these can’t happen in nanoseconds is that we’re not a rubber stamp” and want to be sure the pandemic doesn’t make a comeback. “I don’t want to diminish the importance of doing this right.”
The briefing wraps up at 3:57 pm. The video window above should display the archived recording soon.
P.S. The mayor has a briefing at 5:15 pm about new testing availability, in a partnership with UW Medicine (which is doing weekly testing on Fridays here in West Seattle).
If King County gets to go to “modified Phase 1,” it’ll restart more than first proposed. That’s where we start tonight’s roundup.
KING COUNTY SEEKS ‘MODIFIED PHASE 1’: Two days later than originally planned, King County has sent the state its request to move to a “modified Phase 1.” (Here’s the full application.) In addition to what was mentioned when the plan was announced last Friday, the county also seeks permission for some indoor dining and indoor fitness – here are the details. How soon will the state decide? Could be just a few days.
CONFUSED ABOUT THE PHASES? This doesn’t speak to the “modified” part, but as for the 1/2/3/4 basics, here’s a refresher.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*8,277 people have tested positive, up 42 from yesterday
*562 people have died, up 2 from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 7,931 and 549.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
GOVERNOR’S BRIEFING: Gov. Inslee spoke at mid-afternoon; it was part about the protests, part about COVID-19. No major announcements. But here’s the video if you’re interested.
UTILITY RESTART: As the post-stay-home era proceeds, there’s much to unravel. Seattle City Light says it’s resuming planned outages when and where they’re needed for projects like pole replacement.
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
As we start to proceed through reopening so much of what’s been closed because of the virus crisis, the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) has a message for its members:
We are getting ready to welcome you back to the Y.
We miss you! It’s been hard to be away from the people we care about. Thank you for persevering and doing your part to stay safe and stop the spread of coronavirus. We are so looking forward to welcoming community back to the YMCA of Greater Seattle. Visit the link on our website to learn about what we are planning for your welcome back, as well as where to find updates as more information becomes available.
Due to our Fauntleroy YMCA location being used for summer camp, it will not be reopening immediately for member use. Instead, when we do reopen, we ask that all members utilize the West Seattle location through the summer.
King County has just officially asked the state for permission to go to a “modified Phase 1” status (see the letter here), and it’s got more than first announced last week – including some indoor dining. From the announcement:
King County submitted a plan to the state Department of Health to allow for limited openings of businesses in a modified Phase 1 of the Safe Start plan, including allowing some indoor seating at restaurants.
King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci, and King County Board of Health Chair Joe McDermott today submitted a plan to the state Department of Health that would allow limited and modified openings for a wide range of businesses and personal activities.
The county’s application includes recommendations from King County local health officer Dr. Jeff Duchin that would:
-allow all outdoor recreation permitted in Phase 2 in Gov. Inslee’s Safe Start plan
-expand opening indoor fitness studios for one-on-one activities
-allow restaurants to begin opening indoor seating at 25% of normal capacity
-allow hair stylists and other personal services at 25% capacity“Our plan to safely reopen our region’s economy is based on the latest data, recommendations by Public Health experts, and insight from communities and businesses,” said Executive Constantine. “We are ready to take the next careful step toward an equitable recovery that benefits everyone who calls King County home.”
The state is expected to decide within the next several days whether it will accept the modified plan which was developed in consultation with Public Health experts, community leaders, businesses, and the King County Council.
Public Health – Seattle & King County recently posted a new dashboard featuring key indicators, with targets that help inform reopening decisions. Based on trends toward all the targets, public health officials and policymakers believe these openings, done safely, will enable much-needed economic activity while also protecting the public and managing the spread of disease in our community.
With the limited re-opening, maintaining the safety principles that led to the success against the outbreak has never been more important. These include continuing to practice physical distancing of 6 feet or more, minimizing contact with others outside the home, frequent hand washing or sanitizer, use of cloth face coverings in public, and avoiding group gatherings and poorly ventilated spaces. …
See the full list by going here. The state has said it might need as little as “a few days” to review and approve proposals like this, but that approval is needed before any of this can happen.
Back in April, when checking on a notice received in one local neighborhood, we got first word that Seattle City Light was putting planned outages on hold. That’s ending, the utility has announced:
In April, as our community was observing Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, City Light voluntarily paused all work that required an outage to minimize service disruptions to our customers.
Now, as we turn our attention to reopening and recovery, it’s critical that we resume essential critical infrastructure work to improve electrical reliability and ensure the safety of our infrastructure. Beginning June 8, we will resume critical work that requires planned outages.
Why Outages are Necessary
Planned power outages are important to maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure. Planned outages are necessary to ensure that City Light crews can complete their work in a safe, efficient manner. We understand that outages can be burdensome, and even more so as our customers are at home working, teaching children, and maintaining a healthy life during the COVID-19 crisis.
Planned outages are scheduled for a variety of reasons. Depending on the type of work, outages can occur during the day, at night or on the weekends. Our approach to scheduling planned outages is consistent throughout our service area. Safety, reliability and customer needs are considered as employees plan and schedule any outage-related work.
What Impacted Customers Should Expect
If a planned outage will be taking place in your neighborhood, you can expect to receive a notification at least five days ahead of the planned outage. The notification will be a door hanger, notice letter, or possibly an email for residential customers who live in an apartment complex or condominium building. The notification will contain detailed information about the planned outage, including the date, time, and anticipated duration of the outage. If an outage is cancelled or rescheduled (due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances), customers can expect to be notified about the change.
At this time, work will be moving forward for City Light’s Accelerated Pole Replacement Program. Crews are replacing aging utility poles throughout the utility’s service area to enhance safety and electrical reliability. For more information about this essential work and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit powerlines.seattle.gov/poles. Additional capital improvement projects and construction activities, including joint use work (e.g., telecommunications companies installing and maintaining equipment on our poles), will resume as work continues to restart across our service area.
To learn more about how you can prepare for an outage, please visit powerlines.seattle.gov/outage.
With all that’s happening, the virus crisis continues too – here are the local toplines in our nightly roundup:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*8,235 people have tested positive, 50 more than yesterday
*560 people have died, 3 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 7,896 and 544.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
MASKS ON THE JOB: From the state’s daily roundup of COVID-19-related news:
Which Mask for Which Task guidance was issued today by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health at the state’s Labor and Industries. Complete guidance for workers and businesses is found here. Beginning June 8, all employees will be required to wear a cloth facial covering, except when working alone in an office, vehicle, or at a job site, or when the job has no in-person interaction. Employers must provide cloth facial coverings to employees, unless their exposure dictates a higher level of protection under the Department of Labor and Industries’ safety and health rules and guidance. Employees may choose to wear their own facial coverings at work, provided it meets the minimum requirements.
NEED FOOD? Reminder – boxes of food, free, if you need some, 2-5 pm tomorrow and Friday at Food Lifeline in South Park.
HOW WILL SCHOOL RESUME? Before summer starts, schools/districts have to decide about fall. Here’s what’s under consderation for Seattle Public Schools.
AMAZING ART: During all these weeks of neighborhood walks, seeing sidewalk/window art has been heartening. Monibelle sent these photos of a sighting during one of her walks:
She reports that this was created by a 5th-grade Alki Elementary student named Stella.
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
By the time Seattle Public Schools‘ unexpectedly hybrid year ends on June 19th, it’ll announce how next school year will look. Today’s announcement says three scenarios are being considered:
Seattle Public Schools this week begins an intensive three-week project designed to create an adaptable plan for the 2020-21 school year and student re-entry this fall.
The project – “Learning Plan – Returning to School Fall 2020” – is comprised of four “engagement teams” which will consider a wide range of factors as they deliberate over seven meetings between June 4-16.
The teams will present their recommendations to the project leadership group, which will announce a decision on June 19, 2020. At that time, the decision will be communicated to staff, students and families.
Three scenarios will be explored by the engagement teams:
• Pre-kindergarten to 5th grade students attend school in-person full-time; students in grades 6-12 on an A/B schedule, receive part in-person learning and part remote learning;
• PK- 12th grade students on an A/B schedule, receive part in-person learning and part remote learning;
• 100% remote learning.Engagement teams will be tasked with determining an adaptable plan that:
• Mitigates and minimizes the spread of coronavirus;
• Keeps students and staff safe;
• Prioritizes access to learning for students furthest from educational justice;
• Provides services through a racial equity lens;
• Enables staff and students to return to learning;
• Supports social-emotional well-being and safe environment interactions;
• Supports families through this transition.The planning process will be guided by the tenets of Seattle Excellence, the district’s strategic plan, and will explore safety requirements, delivery of remote instruction to various student groups, and budget constraints. The process will include feedback gathered in recent staff, family, and leadership surveys.
Engagements teams will prioritize staff and student health and safety, following the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and public health agencies, while continuing to focus on high quality teaching and learning.The four representative engagement teams are comprised of school leaders, parents, SEA members, partners, students, and central office staff. Each team will be comprised of approximately 18 members (details are still being finalized).
The project’s swift timeline is purposeful, in order to provide educators with as much time as possible to begin preparing. Staff will receive the final decision for re-entry plans before they depart for the summer.
This year’s last day of in-person SPS classes was March 11th.
First night out of the stay-home order … and instead we’re under an unrelated curfew. But the virus crisis isn’t over yet, so on with the nightly roundup:
APPLICATION DELAYED A DAY: King County says the application to reopen more businesses by entering a “modified Phase 1” will be sent to the state tomorrow:
As part of the Governor’s Safe Start reopening plan, King County anticipates submitting its application for a modified Phase 1 permit to the Washington State Department of Health on Tuesday, June 2nd. This will allow for limited re-opening of some businesses that are able to meet the State’s reopening guidance. Assuming full state approval, local businesses should prepare for modified Phase 1 activities as soon as Friday, June 5th.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*8,192 people have tested positive, up 33 from yesterday
*557 people have died, unchanged from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 7,879 and 542.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
ALL ABOUT ANTIBODIES: The state Health Department put together this mini-briefing to answer questions.
NEED FOOD? Three more chances this week to get it, free, no questions asked.
OPEN AGAIN: The parking lots at West Seattle’s Port of Seattle parks are open again.
NOT OPEN YET: Thanks to Thomas, for just pointing out this update from Seattle’s Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner.
SURVEY: You’re invited to fill out this economic-recovery survey if any of these categories applies to you:
Artists
Creatives
Cultural workers
Creative small businesses
Large arts institutions
Everybody in-between and within the arts and cultures sectors.
Background info here.
GOT INFO? PHOTOS? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
At right, that’s John Moore from longtime WSB sponsor Northwest Insurance Group (5431 California SW), modeling a face mask like the ones his agency just donated to the West Seattle Food Bank. Northwest Insurance Group gave the nonprofit hundreds of masks, along with $3,000 to help WSFB help feed people and prevent homelessness. John said he’s just “trying to give back and do something positive at a time when we really need more good news!” (You can help WSFB too – donating money, and/or other ways.)
12:36 PM: The stay-home order has ended but the pandemic’s economic crunch will not be over any time soon. If you or someone you know needs food, tomorrow brings the next chance to get some in West Seattle. Here’s the announcement we received:
West Seattle Friends and neighbors! FREE produce! Farmer Frog will have a truck loaded with 300 – 20-poundd boxes of produce this coming Tuesday, 6/2, at the Eagles parking lot on California! Each 20 lb box will contain apples, potatoes, and onions and will be distributed first come/first served. The distribution begins at 1:00 p.m. and will run until around 4:00 p.m. or whenever the food is gone, whichever comes first!
The Eagles are at 4426 California SW.
ADDED 3:25 PM: Food Lifeline has just announced two distributions at its South Park HQ this week, also free and no questions asked:
Food Lifeline – 815 South 96th Street
Wednesday, June 3, at 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday, June 5, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
(WSB photo: Jack Block Park driveway gates, now open)
The parking lots of three more waterfront parks in West Seattle are open again. The Port of Seattle has reopened the lots for Jack Block Park (2130 Harbor Avenue SW) and T-105 and T-107 (both on the east shore of the Duwamish River, off West Marginal Way SW). Port spokesperson Peter McGraw tells WSB the parks and lots are on a “dawn till dusk” schedule and reminds parkgoers, “Visitors should be ready to follow public health guidance and wear a mask while respecting physical-distancing measures.” The parks lots were closed in late March as part of the COVID-19 response.
The stay-home order is ending, but the pandemic isn’t over, and a long transition to reopening has just begun, so we’re continuing our nightly roundups – this one’s later than usual, though, because of a wave of unrelated breaking news:
GOVERNOR’S NEW PROCLAMATION: The extended Stay Home/Stay Healthy order expires at midnight, and Gov. Inslee has signed the proclamation that replaces it – Safe Start/Stay Healthy. Read it here. At the heart of it:
… until there is an effective vaccine, effective treatment or herd immunity, it is crucial to maintain some level of community interventions to suppress the spread of COVID-19 throughout all phases of recovery; and, therefore, throughout all phases, individuals should continue to engage in personal protective behaviors including: practice physical distancing, staying at least six feet away from other people; wear cloth face coverings in public places when not eating or drinking; stay home if sick; avoid others who are sick; wash hands frequently; cover coughs and sneezes; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; and disinfect surfaces and objects regularly …
WHAT’S NEXT: King County will apply for state permission to move into a “modified Phase 1” mode, which if approved would mean additional types of businesses would be able to operate at partial capacity (as detailed here). Back when all this was announced Friday, the plan was to apply tomorrow – we’ll be watching to see if any of that has been affected by the weekend’s other events.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*8,159 people have tested positive, up 105 from yesterday
*557 people have died, up 1 from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 7,819 and 540.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
FARMERS’ MARKET CHANGES LAYOUT: After four weeks with booths lining both sides of the block, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market took a step toward its old format today, with booths back in the middle of the street:
Other format changes remain, including one entrance, at California/Alaska.
SERENADING HIS STREET: Through these many weeks of the stay-home order, we’ve been pleased to share neighbors’ stories of how they’ve supported each other in ways big and small. This report and photo are from Erica:
In case you want to post another uplifting video of neighborhood cheer, here’s one of our neighbor Clem Zipp giving a piano concert as he has been doing from his front porch a few afternoons a week since March when restrictions began.
He’s near the corner of California Ave SW & SW 98th Street. Bikers, dog walkers, strolling families, and neighbors pause on the street to listen and voice their appreciation of the music and of his wife Monica’s garden. It really sweetens the hood.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Second-to-last night of the Stay Home/Stay Healthy order, and we’re moving on from the other big news of the day:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*8,054 people have tested positive, 48 more than yesterday
*556 people have died, up 2 from yesterday
One week ago, those numbers were 7,764 an 538.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: More than 6 million people have tested positive. Most cases: U.S., Brazil, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain. See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
BIG CHANGE AT FARMERS’ MARKET TOMORROW: Sunday will bring the fifth West Seattle Farmers’ Market since the coronavirus-crisis closure ended. And market managers say there’ll be a big change:
The market layout will look like a version of its former self with vendors in the middle of the street this week.
Otherwise, other modifications remain in place, including the one entrance at California/Alaska, with the line stretching east along Alaska. And don’t forget your face covering! Here’s the vendor list for this week.
GROCERY-SHOPPING UPDATES: As usual, the commenters have updates to share following our weekly grocery-shopping notes.
LIFE GOES ON: Donna B. sent this photo of a waterfront wedding on Alki last night:
Congratulations!
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
We’ve seen many heart-tugging videos with schools’ staff showing students how much they’re missed – and vice versa. This time, though, it’s not just the students who are missed, but also their parents/caregivers – because cooperative preschool is for them as well as their little ones! Jen Giomi sent the clip, explaining, “South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools managed to keep the program intact and move to online operations for all of spring quarter, a heavy lift for sure. Here is a link to a video that we made for our community to express our gratitude. We are so grateful to our community and the legacy of all of the Co-op Preschool families in the community.”
Less than a week before the about-to-expire Stay Home/Stay Healthy order kicked in, we started tracking local standalone grocery stores’ hours and policies – updating this list since March 18th. Every Saturday after that, starting March 21st, we’ve published a grocery-shopping update. After several stores/chains expanded their hours in the past few weeks, no changes are reported this week. One store has an update of note: PCC West Seattle notes that “as we prepare for Phase 2 of the re-opening of our counties, we will keep our stores at 30% capacity. We appreciate your patience should you need to wait briefly before shopping.” P.S. Even if your store’s not crowded, health authorities continue to stress that grocery shopping is an important time to wear your face covering. … Anything different at YOUR favorite store this week?
Busy afternoon, with news conferences by the governor, county executive, and mayor. That’s where we begin our nightly roundup:
SO WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? After Gov. Jay Inslee‘s event at 2:45 pm, Executive Dow Constantine‘s event at 4 pm, and Mayor Jenny Durkan‘s event at 4:35 pm, this is what’s happening: The statewide Stay Home, Stay Healthy order will NOT be extended – when it expires Sunday night, it’s done. The “Safe Start” reopening plan now has new county-by-county flexibility – so some counties like ours that aren’t eligible for Phase 2 can instead seek to move into a “Modified Phase 1”:
Details of the revised reopening plan are here. Our county plans to apply for Modified Phase 1 permission, and the review could take just a few days, What would be allowed to resume? The King County news release has details of what they’re seeking permission for. Some of it, though, requires further accommodation – most notably outdoor dining, which most restaurants don’t have. Expanding space for sidewalk cafés or “streeateries” would require city permission, and the mayor said during her news conference that discussions are under way.
MORE FACE-COVERING USE: One big component of what the governor announced today – more use of face coverings will be key to continuing to keep the virus at bay. From the announcement:
Beginning June 8, all employees will be required to wear a cloth facial covering, except when working alone in an office, vehicle, or at a job site, or when the job has no in-person interaction. Employers must provide cloth facial coverings to employees, unless their exposure dictates a higher level of protection under the Department of Labor and Industries’ safety and health rules and guidance. Refer to Coronavirus Facial Covering and Mask Requirements for additional details. Employees may choose to wear their own facial coverings at work, provided it meets the minimum requirements.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO *YOUR* BUSINESS? Are you gearing up to reopen or resume service? How and when? Share your story – westseattleblog@gmail.com.
DATAPOINT: The Stay Home, Stay Healthy order was originally announced March 23rd. We’ll never forget that day for another reason – that same afternoon is when the city announced it was closing the West Seattle Bridge.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*8,006 people have tested positive, 29 more than yesterday
*554 people have died, 2 more than yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 7,697 and 537.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
DON ARMENI BOAT RAMP REOPENING: This got lost in all the afternoon announcements – we just discovered this news on the city website, saying that Don Armeni Boat Ramp reopens tomorrow. Goes with this photo Stewart L. sent tonight, showing new signage:
The parking lot is also now sporting some of the large concrete blocks most recently seen in the Lincoln Park south lot before it reopened.
FOOD BOXES TOMORROW: 10 am-2 pm Saturday at Holy Family Catholic Church, for anyone in need.
INSPIRATIONAL CHALK ART: Another out-on-a-walk sighting from Noodle:
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Tonight, more details on a Saturday food distribution we mentioned previously, briefly:
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington (CCSWW) is partnering with United States Department of Agriculture contract awardee Pacific Coast Fruit Company to distribute over 200,000 lbs. of Farmers to Families Food Boxes weekly through the end of June. CCSWW will partner with parishes across Western Washington to disseminate the food via 25-pound boxes of dairy, produce, and protein across 17 sites.
On Saturday, May 30, Holy Family Parish at 9622 20th Ave SW in White Center will host a pop-up pantry and provide 2,250 boxes from 10 am – 2 pm to the general public. Holy Family Parish is partnering with Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in West Seattle, local faith communities, schools as well as multiple St. Vincent de Paul Conferences to organize volunteers and ensure that families experiencing food insecurity are aware of the pantry.
Holy Family Parish serves 1,100 families across Greater Seattle. Pastor Fr. Alvarez expressed the profound need for the food boxes, “At Holy Family Parish, we are in the middle of the community that has been most affected by unemployment and we are happy to host the pop-up pantry. Due to the pandemic, many people lost their jobs or have had their hours of work reduced and are having difficulty paying their bills. Food is the last thing they should worry about and the distribution of food will help tremendously to improve their quality of life.”
With over 170 programs, CCSWW is the largest private social service provider in the state, serving nearly 100,000 people in need each year. Organizer and Network Builder at CCSWW, Erin Maguire expressed her deepest gratitude for all the partners that have made the event happen, “With great compassion our partners have enthusiastically united in service to their communities. We know that the need is great and I am proud that so many organizations have responded with even greater love.”
Physical distancing practices and masking will be followed during delivery and distribution.
This will be happening in the parish parking lot. All are welcome, no questions asked.
4:48 PM: After briefings by Gov. Inslee and King County Executive Dow Constantine about reopening the economy, it’s now Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan‘s turn. She’s first addressing the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Notes as it goes.
She expresses grief and sympathy, promises continued improvement for SPD – whose Chief Carmen Best is standing behind her – and acknowledges protest plans in this city.
The chief then speaks, saying, “A few days ago, we all watched the tragic murder of George Floyd. .. What really bothers me about this … is that everyone there, including the officers, showed a grave indifference to life.” She says the SPD will support “peaceful protest.” She’s followed by Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. “As the mayor and police chief have said, this was wrong.” He adds that SFD has a plan – that he hopes won’t be needed – for responding to fire and other emergencies during protests. The mayor stressed that they’re not expecting violence here, but have to be prepared.
4:57 PM: Now on to the COVID-19 economic reopening and King County’s plan to pursue a “modified Phase 1” reopening. For 12 weeks, she says, Seattle has been “a model for the rest of the country” as well as starting out as “the epicenter of the pandemic.” As reopening begins, she stresses,”we can’t relax all the restrictions simultaneously.” Mask-wearing, distancing, etc., are vital to keep the virus from spreading.
The mayor says she knows business owners and others have lots of questions. She is now taking Q&A from reporters. First: Will the mayor attend any of the George Floyd protests/events? She hasn’t decided yet.
5:10 PM: Most of the other questions have focused on the preparations for expected Seattle demonstrations rather than the reopening.
Regarding outdoor dining space expansion, the mayor says a plan is being worked on right now with multiple departments as well as communities – she says it’s another potential opportunity to “turn the streets” into something community-enhancing.
At 5:14 pm, Durkan wraps up to say that everything was going great until “the bottom fell out” when the pandemic hit, and now it’s time to “build resiliency” and help people, because we are “not out of the woods” – even the George Floyd protests don’t worry her so much for a violence potential as for a virus-spreading potential. “I believe in Seattle, I believe we can come through this (and be) better than we ever were before.”
NOTE: Since the video feed has now gone back to regular Seattle Channel programming, we’re replacing with a screengrab from the briefing until archived video is available.
4:01 PM: A little over an hour ago, Gov. Inslee announced the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” will end Sunday night as scheduled, and will be replaced with new directives and a county-by-county philosophy for reopening. So King County Executive Dow Constantine and health leaders are speaking now about this county’s next steps. We’re adding notes as it goes.
First – a news release is now out – here’s the full text:
King County Executive Dow Constantine, in consultation with Public Health – Seattle & King County leaders, announced that pending state approval, King County will begin to re-open some business activity with limited or modified openings for a number of sectors.
Working with community, business, and government partners – including the County Council and Board of Health leadership – King County Executive Dow Constantine announced that the county is prepared to move forward to allow limited or modified openings for several business sectors and personal activities.
King County has not yet met key criteria to enter Phase 2 of the Safe Start plan and case counts are still unstable, so it will move forward with a modified approach, including partial re-opening of the following businesses and activities:
Recreation and fitness
Only allowed outdoor with 5 — not including the instructor — or fewer people outside of householdGatherings
Only allowed outdoor of 5 or fewer people outside the householdAdditional construction
As outlined in Phase 2 guidanceManufacturing operations
As outlined in Phase 2 guidanceReal estate
25 percent of building occupancy
Indoor services limited to 30 minutesIn-store Retail
15 percent of building occupancy
Indoor services limited to 30 minutesPersonal Services (clarification: barbers/salons are part of this category)
25 percent of building occupancyProfessional services
25 percent of building occupancy
Indoor services limited to 30 minutes for customersPhotography
As outlined in Phase 2 guidancePet grooming
25 percent of building occupancyRestaurants
No indoor dining allowed
Outdoor dining is permitted but seating at 50 percent of existing outdoor capacity.King County will continue monitoring progress over the course of two weeks, and if metrics are more stable and meeting the state’s criteria, more businesses and activities will reopen in accordance with Phase 2.
“Thanks to the people of King County, whose united efforts have flattened the curve and saved thousands lives, we are ready to continue safely, carefully reopening our economy,” said Executive Constantine. “Our continued vigilance against the virus can help make this a one-way journey from lock-down back to prosperity, and I’m excited that folks will soon be able to support our local businesses by doing simple things like dining at an outdoor restaurant, getting a haircut, or shopping for a summer outfit.
On May 27, Public Health – Seattle & King County released a new dashboard featuring key Indicators, with targets that help inform reopening decisions. Based on trends toward all the targets, public health officials and policymakers believe these openings, done safely, will enable much-needed economic activity while also protecting the public and managing the spread of disease in our community.
“Working together, King County residents have made real progress in decreasing the number of COVID-19 cases and the burden on our healthcare system, allowing us to move forward cautiously at this time,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public health – Seattle & King County. “The virus continues to circulate widely and most of us remain susceptible. With increased activities at work and other settings, there will be more opportunities for the virus to spread, so it’s absolutely essential that we sustain significant changes in how we go about our lives for the foreseeable future.”
With the limited re-opening, maintaining the safety principles that led to the success against the outbreak has never been more important. These include continuing to practice physical distancing of 6 feet or more, minimizing contact with others outside the home, frequent hand washing or sanitizer, use of cloth face coverings in public, and avoiding group gatherings and poorly ventilated spaces.
With testing increasingly available in King County, it’s critical that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 seek a test immediately. Testing as soon as possible after symptoms appear is important to prevent COVID-19 from spreading to family, friends, and the community. Public Health’s COVID-19 website has more information about the testing, including to get tested.
4:05 PM: Constantine says all of this is a “big step” toward recovery, though the cost of the outbreak has been “devastating.” Though the county doesn’t fully qualify for Phase 2, things are “moving in the right direction.” He says this can be a “one-way journey back to prosperity” if everyone continues to act prudently and safely.
Next up: County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin. He says this is a manageable level of cases but would like to see fewer.
In Q&A: Constantine says he’s confident that vigilance, plus contact tracing when there’s an infection, can work to keep the disease’s numbers down from hereon out. If anyone can do it, he says, King County can.
What about new CDC guidance advising that people drive to work alone? Constantine says it’s “not realistic to think that everyone in our region is going to be able to drive alone to work” so they’ve one everything they can to make transit safe. He says in particular, because of the West Seattle Bridge, our area will require more transit to get around (Water Taxi as well as buses).
What about high-risk people? They’re still at high risk, Dr. Duchin says, so advice continues that they stay home as much as possible. In response to another question, he says he beiieves what the county’s seeking is “appropriate.” He also reiterates the importance of getting tested quickly, and isolating if you’ve been exposed.
In response to two other questions, a timeline: They expect it’ll be a “few days … once we get the documentation together.” What about zoning to allow more outdoor dining? For the cities, it’s up to them; the county only has zoning jurisdiction for the unincorporated areas (such as White Center).
4:30 PM: More on the timeline – a statement from Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan says she was told the county will apply on Monday. So theoretically – within a week.
Asked about testing availability, Dr. Duchin says they’re continuing to work on expanded availability, and there should be more information about that on Monday. (The list he mentioned includes the new Friday testing at South Seattle College.) They’re already working on home testing.
At 4:37 pm, Constantine wraps up with words of gratitude. “Everybody stepped up in King County” to fight the outbreak. “We fought it, and got ahead of it, and we’re going to keep fighting it.” He says the trip “from lockdown to prosperity” needs to be a “one-way trip” … with “sustained control of this virus. … I am very confident that we have what it takes to keep this under control.”
Next up, a media briefing with Mayor Durkan. We’ll be covering that separately – it’s starting around 4:45 pm.
With two days left until his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order expires, Governor Inslee is presenting an update right now. We’ll add notes as it goes. Whatever he announces, King County leaders plan their own update shortly afterward; we’ll carry that live, separately, too.
He says the stay-home order WILL end Sunday night. He says the tough measures weren’t an over-reaction – they’ve resulted in lower death rates because “we got it right.”
What’s next? County-by-county rules and policies, Inslee says, using those “new tools” such as testing, contact tracing, masks. He cautions this does NOT mean a “return to normal.” He says metrics will be used to approve whether counties can move forward or be “dial(ed) back,” and he’s outlining the metrics that will be watched, including targets such as notifying 90 percent of an infected person’s contacts within 24 hours of a positive test result. Another focus: “Protecting the vulnerable.”
He notes that counties are now getting more “flexibility” to move ahead – maybe with some activities in the next phase but not all, if they don’t meet the phase-advancing criteria. And now he’s talking about th importance of face coverings, which he says “can be very effective in protecting the other person” – a “small thing” to protect someone else’s life. “A face covering is an expression of love … a badge of commitment,” so that means new guidance for workers to wear them unless they’re working alone. Employers will need to require them. This will take effect June 8th.
2:55 PM: If you have trouble with the TVW feed, refresh the page or try the direct link. Now speaking, Dr. John Lynch from Harborview/UW Medicine, who says he’s been working on the COVID-19 response from the start; he underscores the importance of mask wearing because you could be asymptomatically spreading the virus, unaware. Physical distancing remains important too. Staying home when you’re sick is also vital.
The governor then reiterates, “We’re not done yet” – the outbreak could resurge – and that’s why taking precautions is vital. The stay-home order was a “lifeboat” for a few months and “we’re getting out of that lifeboat now” but getting into a different one. And staying close to home remains important, not overwhelming popular tourism spots – the day will return when traveling freely will be OK, he promises.
Now Q&A: How long will the turnaround time be for counties’ applications to move ahead, under the new criteria? State Health Secretary John Wiesman says at least a few days for conversations and evaluation, but “as quickly as we can.” The governor adds that the contact-tracing program will be county-managed – “you need to show us it’s really working.”
Second question is about the new looser case # per 100,000 – why is it OK now but wasn’t weeks ago? The health secretary says they wanted to start “conservative(ly)” to make sure it was safe. “There is no magic number here,” he insists, also noting that the new number is the one some other states are using now, such as California. The governor says new modeling also gave him confidence.
What about the possibility of flare-ups? The governor says that’s in our hands – taking simple steps (mask wearing, distancing, etc.) can prevent it. What about schools and colleges? That’s a separate process, and discussions are under way already. … Why weren’t masks required sooner? Their value wasn’t clear in the early going, the governor says – learning about this disease and how to fight it has been “an iterative process.” To clarify, retailers won’t be forced to refuse service to non-mask wearers (though they can CHOOSE to) but they WILL be required to post a sign asking people to wear masks. That’s the state rule, anyway, though, the governor points out, counties have the right to have tougher rules.
The governor wraps at 3:37 pm by saying, “These decisions today are based on our confidence in Washingtonians.” Archived video should be available soon, and we’ll link documents such as the new replacement order when available. Now on to the county briefing.
The photo and report are from Amanda:
We’ve got a lemonade stand set up on the corner of 62nd and SW Stevens st. In the Alki neighborhood. They are raising money to buy face masks and donate them to people in need at hospitals.
Amanda says they’ll likely be there a few more hours – “until we run out of cups.”
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