West Seattle, Washington
30 Friday
We start the weekend with our ninth Saturday-morning update on West Seattle’s standalone grocery stores:
QFC ADDS HOURS: Thanks to Jason for the tip on this. QFC stores (including the 2 in West Seattle) are now open 8 am to 10 pm.
SAFEWAY ADDS HOURS: Checking the websites for our area’s three Safeway stores, we see they’ve added hours too – now open 5 am to 1 am. In addition, the Tuesday/Thursday shopping times for seniors and others at elevated risk are now expanded to 6 am-9 am.
THRIFTWAY WINE & CHEESE TASTING: Next Friday, West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) plans a virtual rosé-and-cheese tasting. The store’s home page explains how to watch (4:30 pm May 22nd) and how to buy the wine and cheese in advance if you want to.
That’s the official info we’ve found; we’ve updated the hours on our original list. So, what are you seeing at local stores?
Midway through May, we present tonight’s roundup of virus-crisis info:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:
*7,360 people have tested positive, up 53 from yesterday
*516 people have died, up 2 from Wednesday (remember, no additional deaths yesterday)
One week ago, those totals were 6,940 and 485.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
REQUESTED, NOT REQUIRED; When restaurants start reopening for in-person dining in Phase 2 (our area is not there yet), customers will be ASKED – not REQUIRED – to provide contact info, according to an update from Gov. Inslee today.
MORE PHASE 2 INFO: This time, for photography, construction, and golf. (Today’s announcement about the latter also includes some Phase 1 clarifications –
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE: A state Health Department update provides the latest reason not to get complacent with your distancing:
A new statewide report shows COVID-19 transmission is persisting in western Washington and slowly increasing in eastern Washington. The measure of how many new infections a single COVID-19 case will produce – known as the effective reproductive number – has not changed significantly in either region since the last statewide report, and continues to be higher than ideal.
WANT TO HELP? Maybe you’ll consider giving a home to a Little Free Pantry.
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE: Another sweet neighborhood sighting, just emailed by Emily:
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
This week’s update from Keith Mathewson of KBM Seattle Commissary, whose resident chefs have been rotating in preparing weekly free meals for whoever shows up:
We will be giving away meals this week on Saturday from 4 pm to 6 pm. Last week saw a low turnout with Mother’s Day. As a result we had extra food, therefore this week the menu will remain the same. We presently have meals planned for 500 people.
The aforementioned menu, from last week’s announcement, is “baked vegetarian Ziti with rosemary focaccia … made by West Of Chicago Pizza and Los Panes Bakery with the help of the staff at KBM,” which is at 5604 Delridge Way SW.
Last night, we reported on the major West Seattle-specific topic from Thursday’s city-presented “Virtual Town Hall,” the bridge closure. The rest of the 2-hour-long event featured lots of information about city services and other aspects of the COVID-19 response, from utility bills to small-business support to artist assistance; you can see it in its entirety above (via SeattleChannel.org, whose recording is cleaner than the one we made as a backup). It was hosted/moderated by Andrés Mantilla, director of the Department of Neighborhoods and West Seattle resident. Mayor Jenny Durkan and Councilmember Lisa Herbold spoke and answered questions for the first 45 minutes, and then the event continued with city department heads presenting a “webinar.” (Among them, SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe, whose 10-minute presentation about the West Seattle Bridge was featured in our story last night.) The city’s resources are all linked here.
Another school fundraiser has gone virtual. Westside School (WSB sponsor) has a silent auction online, plus a virtual live auction tonight. The announcement:
Due to COVID-19, Westside School’s annual fundraiser has gone virtual! The Wolves Stick Together Spring Fundraising Campaign (through tonight) features a virtual silent auction with many great items to bid on and the chance to support Westside School. Need some retail therapy? Check out Westside’s virtual silent auction here!
TONIGHT – 7:00-7:30 p.m.
The Wolves Stick Together Campaign will conclude with a virtual live auction, hosted by Fred Northup Jr., which will feature some great “live” items to bid on, and a chance to raise your paddle for Tuition Assistance! Grab a cocktail and join us at 7:00 p.m. Check out the event on YouTube.
Tuition Assistance Program
Westside’s Tuition Assistance Program is the biggest fundraising priority of the year and your support impacts the quality of education for every student at Westside School. This year, one in seven Westside families received tuition assistance. NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) projects that the request for tuition assistance will increase 20% over the next three years. With uncertain times ahead, supporting the Tuition Assistance program is more important than ever to Westside’s educational program and to Westside families.
(Also published on our partner site White Center Now)
That’s a Little Free Pantry. In the spirit of Little Free Libraries, LFPs are a new neighborhood-based way to help address hunger – which has long existed in all neighborhoods, but is now worsened by the virus-crisis economic crunch. The project started in southeast Seattle and founder Molly Harmon says they are expanding west, looking for hosts:
A small movement has taken hold in SE Seattle and we are spreading the energy to West Seattle, White Center, and Burien – the building and installing of Little Free Pantries (LFP).
This project began with a micro-grant & six Little Free Pantries, and within a month we’ve raised over $3,000 and distributed nearly 44 Little Free Pantries. Little Free Pantries help neighbors feed neighbors. They aren’t intended to replace food security agencies nor eliminate the need to support them; rather they work alongside each other to draw awareness to food insecurity issues and create community through collective action in a neighborhood. We’ve begun working alongside Northwest Harvest & will work to reach out to area food banks, finding ways to utilize each other’s efforts in addressing food security.
The intention is to inform people on food insecurity and bring an issue, which hides in our society, to the surface. Millions of housed Americans are facing food insecurity on a daily basis and with our unemployment rate soaring due to COVID-19, food banks are struggling to access enough food to support those in need. It is imperative to educate the public on this growing need for food and LFPs bring this issue front and center to our neighborhoods, but in a supportive and caring way. Micro-communities form around this pillar (Little Free Pantry) and in turn, connect neighbors who otherwise would not have met. By neighbors stocking their neighborhood Little Free Pantry with non-perishable foods, it keeps the pantry full and helps those needing a meal. Whether a need for food or a need to give, Little Free Pantries help neighbors feed neighbors, nourishing neighborhoods.
We have hit our recent goal of $1150, which will enable us to build 18 pantries. We will distribute these pantries for free throughout Southwest Seattle. This is a grassroots, crowd-sourced solution to address immediate and local needs as a viable way to build community and support those facing food insecurity.
More information can be found at www.thelittlefreepantries.org. Additionally, if you feel a Little Free Pantry would work well in your neighborhood, please apply through the website.
Food insecurity is prevalent, whether you have seen it firsthand or not. And COVID-19 is intensifying the food insecurity that many of our neighbors are vulnerable to. With schools closed and layoffs rampant, many in our community are potentially going to bed hungry A quote from an owner of anewly installed Little Free Pantry in the Seward Park neighborhood, “Since it went up a little over two weeks ago, our LFP (located on Seward Park Ave, between Willow and Brighton) has been used daily, confirming that hunger is often hiding in plain sight, even in neighborhoods you might not think it would exist in.”
Questions? Ask here.
No new COVID-19 deaths reported in today’s King County update – that leads our nightly roundup:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Public Health “daily summary” dashboard:
*7,307 people have tested positive, up 86 from yesterday
*514 people have died, no change from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 6,863 and 480.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: More than 4.4 million cases – almost a third of them in the U.S. See the global outbreak breakout, nation by nation, here.
ANOTHER DASHBOARD: The county now has four of them – besides the daily summary, there’s also the long-term-care-facility dashboard, the race/ethnicity dashboard, and the syndromic-surveillance dashboard. Two charts on that last one show that emergency-room visits and hospitalizations for C-19 (or similar) peaked in late March.
GOVERNOR’S BUSINESS-FOCUSED BRIEFING: Gov. Inslee‘s media briefing this afternoon featured three reps from trade associations, talking about the rules for reopening. Our coverage includes video.
RECREATION CLARIFICATION: Today the governor’s office also ssued a memo with Phase 1 clarification for some forms of recreation, plus Phase 2 rules:
This memorandum applies to:
Staffed outdoor tennis facilities, public and private;
Guided ATV, paddle sports, horseback riding, and fishing;
Go-cart tracks, ORV/motocross facilities, and participant-only motorsports; and
All other activities substantially similar in operation and equally able to meet the requirements mandated by this memorandum.
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS-WASTE DROPOFF RESUMING: These dropoff sites closed in March but are now reopening. The one closest to us will be open Fridays and Saturdays starting tomorrow.
NEIGHBORHOOD SIGHTING: Thanks to Noodle for the photo:
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
With more retail stores allowed to start offering curbside pickup, the city has announced it’ll set up special parking for that, as was done for restaurants. From the announcement:
To support access to the Seattle businesses opening up for curbside delivery, we are rolling out new curbside priority pick-up zones.
The State of Washington’s phased approach to re-opening now allows retail stores to re-open for curbside pick-up. To support these businesses, we are installing temporary 15-minute loading zones to facilitate reliable customer access for pick-ups.
The 15-minute time limit gives people a chance to quickly and safely pick up purchases, while ensuring frequent parking turnover so the locations remain reliably available for use. …
… Interested in having a Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zone near your business? Here’s what you need to know:
*Businesses can call or email 206-684-ROAD to request a Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zone. They should provide business name, address and contact information.
*Staff will review requested locations to make sure a new zone will fit within the nearby curb regulations.
*Generally, we will install one new zone per block, so it may need to be located where it can serve several stores on the block.
*Curbside Priority Pick-Up Zone signs are not assigned to specific businesses, and can be used among several businesses along the block
Approved signs should be installed within a few days of a request. If a new zone cannot be installed, SDOT staff will follow up with businesses to consider alternatives.
SDOT says it’s “installed over 700 3-minute temporary Food Priority Pick-Up Zones at over 400 restaurants” since mid-March.
3:36 PM: All week, the governor has been releasing new business rules, mostly for industries that will be allowed to resume some in-person service in Phase 2 (our area is in Phase 1). Reps of trade associations for hospitality and retail are joining him for this afternoon’s media briefing. We’ll add notes as it goes.
First, the governor says, “There is no economic recovery without a recovery of our health in the long term.”
The Washington Retail Association‘s president Renee Sunde speaks first, noting that “curbside retall” opened in Phase 1, in time for Mother’s Day. “Retailers have risen to the challenge of the COVID-19 crisis to serve customers across the state.” As announced earlier this week, Phase 2 will allow some in-store retail. She says retailers big and small are ready to “safely serve” customers.
Next speaker is the president of the Washington Auto Dealers Association, Jennifer Moran. She’s followed by Anthony Anton of the Washington Hospitality Association. “We’re really confident in our ability to open safely,” he says. He talks about some of the new requirements – distance between tables, between waiting guests, Plexiglas between booths, and more. “We’re all in this together … we’re ready to serve.”
Asked by the governor if the new rules are “slowing down” retailers, Sunde acknowledges there’s been a learning curve, but they have to be sure customers are confident they’ll be safe. Answering a similar question, Anton says some menu items developed in the takeout/delivery-only phase – family-style meals, for example – may be keepers. He adds there’s been a lot of learning about things not previously imaginable, such as the right way to wear masks.
Moran also says some of the changes necessitated by new health rules – more online car-buying – will likely remain because they’re going over well with customers.
And Anton says customers can “help save our small businesses” by “being safe in the next few weeks.” The governor notes that June 1 isn’t a sure thing for Phase 2 in many areas but echoes that the state’s residents can help bring reopening sooner rather than later through behaving safely. (He reiterated that later in Q&A, too.)
4 PM: The governor moves to Q&A. First is about the criteria or ongoing reopening. “I think there’s a misperception about the status of the virus in our state.” (At this point, we lost the feed for a few minutes.) He says there’s some cause for optimism but also some causes for concern. Avoiding unnecessary contact with others is a “kind of heroism,” he says, where you’re saving someone but you may never know who.
Next question is about jobs coming back. He says he’s hopeful some are returning now but we’re still a long way – “longer than we would like” – before getting back to normal.
Are hospitals and dentists still “on target” for resuming service next week? he’s asked. No clear answer. Next – he’s asked for an “update on testing.” Inslee replies, “Good news and bad news” – there’s capacity to analyze up to 20,000 tests a day, but “significantly short supply” is still a problem with test-related materials such as swaps and re-agent.
With salons still closed, how does the governor keep his hair short? His wife Trudi Inslee cuts it, he replied.
What about Memorial Day? Inslee says “there’s lots of ways to be outside without breathing on somebody.”
Shortly afterward, the governor wraps with his trademark closing line, “wash your hands,” and is seen on camera re-donning his face covering before the video feed ends.
For a second month, the West Seattle Art Walk – a longtime second-Thursday tradition – is happening online tonight. Organizers have just published the lineup of participants, with this introduction:
Our virtual Art Walk was such a success last month, we had to do it again! Check out the full gallery of work [on the website] or click this link to view a curated virtual Art Walk on YouTube!
We again opened Art Walk to all artists who wanted to join, so have a blend of business-coordinated and artist-led exhibits. Marvel at the wide and deep variety of media, formats, subjects and moods of our 46 artists, an Art Walk Record!!
As for any second Thursday, all art is available for sale. If you would like to purchase something from an artist coordinated by a business, please contact the business first. If you would like to purchase something from an artist exhibiting on their own, please reach out directly to them with the contact information listed.
The Art Walk usually begins – when an in-person event – at 5 pm, so the YT playlist isn’t final until then, but you can follow that link to get a preview of some of the art starting now.
Just announced:
Today, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan will host her third in a series of virtual town halls, connecting with residents in West Seattle about their specific needs during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Mayor Durkan will be joined by representatives from the Department of Neighborhoods, Department of Transportation, Human Services Department, Office for Civil Rights, Office of Arts and Culture, Office of Economic Development, Office of Housing, Office of Labor Standards, Seattle Public Utilities, and Seattle City Light.
A webinar will immediately follow the town hall, providing residents the opportunity to hear directly from City departments about essential services, resources, and other support available to residents and businesses.
In previous weeks Mayor Durkan has virtually visited the Central District and North Seattle. Next week the town hall will move to South Seattle.
WHEN: Today, May 14, from 4:30 – 6:15 PM
WHERE: You can join the meeting from any PC or mobile device browser with this link.
Time for our nightly roundup of local toplines in the coronavirus crisis:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the daily-summary data dashboard:
*7,221 people have tested positive, up 42 since yesterday
*514 people have died, up 3 since yesterday
One week ago, those numbers were 6,770 and 474.
ANOTHER LOCAL DEATH: The dashboard also shows a new death in 98146, which now has lost 6 people to COVID-19.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them, county by county, on the state Department of Health page,.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them, nation by nation, here.
NEED TO GET TESTED? A drive-thru testing event at not-far T-Mobile Park continues tomorrow
2 MORE HYGIENE STATIONS IN WEST SEATTLE: The Junction and South Delridge are the newest installation locations.
NEARBY QUARANTINE/ISOLATION CENTER STILL NOT NEEDED: We monitored the county’s weekly update call for White Center, started after the uproar that followed the announcement and establishment of a quarantine/isolation center in nearby Top Hat. County reps recently said the center won’t open unless those already open elsewhere in the county max out, and they’re a long way from that – today’s update noted 40 people total in the open centers (Kent, Issaquah, Shoreline, North Seattle), more than 100 below capacity. (And since that mid-afternoon call, there’s a new, lower total – 35.)
PHASE 2 RULES FOR SALONS, SPAS, OTHER PERSONAL-CARE BUSINESSES: The governor’s office has released the rules under which these types of businesses will be allowed to operate when reopening reaches Phase 2. See them here.
NEED FOOD? Food Lifeline has announced more distribution events – everyone’s welcome to drive up and get a 20+-pound box of food, no proof of need required. Here are the two closest to West Seattle:
Food Lifeline SODO Warehouse – 1440 East Marginal Way South
Friday, May 15th, at 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Food Lifeline (Main Location)– 815 South 96th Street (South Park)
Friday, May 15th, at 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
8 PM SALUTE: Washington State Ferries says its under-way vessels will blow their whistles at 8 pm nightly in honor of front-line workers. (Walking within earshot of the Fauntleroy dock at 8 tonight, we didn’t hear anything, but we did hear nearby residents “making a joyful noise” with bells and noisemakers!)
GOT INFO? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or phone us, text or voice, at 206-293-6302 – thank you!
One more school video to share – thanks to everyone who has been sharing them so the entire community can see them! This one features Madison Middle School staff, telling their students how much they’re missed.
That’s the newest city-provided “hygiene station,” installed this morning in the northeast corner of Junction Plaza Park – portable toilets with a hand-washing station. We reported in late March on the first round of installations, which included one at Westcrest Park; the second round of installations did not include any West Seattle sites. After getting a tip about this one, we asked the city if any others were being installed in West Seattle; the reply – “A hygiene station was also deployed at Salvation Army White Center, located at 9050 16th Ave SW” (in South Delridge). The original city announcement says these sites “will be accessible 24/7 and serviced daily, with waste removal, needle disposal, and supplemental cleaning.”
We start today with two notes about COVID-19 testing. First: Public-health authorities say it’s increasingly available, and urge people to get it ASAP if they start showing symptoms. That info is here. Meantime, people who need testing may be eligible for a drive-through event happening today and tomorrow in SODO. Registration is required. From the announcement:
QFC and Fred Meyer announced a partnership with the City of Seattle and the Seattle Mariners for free COVID-19 drive-thru testing. The first testing will be at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, May 13-14.
Testing Site Information:
● Dates: Wednesday, May 13 and Thursday, May 14
● Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
● Location: T-Mobile Park Parking Garage at 1250 1st Ave S. Seattle – south entrance (Massachusetts and Occidental)
● Registration is required. Register at krogerhealth.com/covidtesting or call 1-888-852-2567 (select option 1, then option 3).
Those eligible will next select a testing location and appointment time. Then, registrants will receive an email confirmation with pre-appointment paperwork to complete. When a person arrives for their test, they should have their photo ID ready and should leave their window rolled up for check-in, until a health-care practitioner comes to the car to administer the test.
For the testing, patients remain in their cars throughout the process, which is completed in just a few minutes using self-administered test kits. The test uses self-administered nasal swabs, which are less painful and designed to increase safety. This onsite testing is supported with laboratory services provided by eTrueNorth, a contractor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Test results are expected within approximately 48 hours. The Seattle testing site is estimated to have capacity for 250 vehicles per day.
Testing was the topic when the governor held a media briefing this afternoon. But before we get to that, we start the nightly virus-crisis local roundup with the updated numbers:
KING COUNTY: From the Public Health Seattle-King County data dashboard:
*7,179 people have tested positive, up 64 from yesterday
*511 people have died, up 6 from yesterday
One week ago, those totals were 6,653 and 467.
ANOTHER LOCAL DEATH: Also from the data dashboard, the West Seattle zip code with the highest COVID-19 death toll, 98126, is now up to 11.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
CONTACT TRACING: That’s what the governor spoke about during his afternoon media briefing. Here’s the news release; here’s the video; and here’s a graphic:
HOW PHASE 2 WILL AFFECT RETAILERS: Also from the governor’s office today – here are the rules under which retail stores will be expected to operate under Phase 2 of the reopening.
SPEAKING OF RETAILERS … the city Office of Economic Development published the story of the West Seattle Junction boutique Carmilia’s and how its proprietor Linda Sabee has adapted her business to the current challenges.
ALSO IN THE JUNCTION: A restaurant reopening, after 2 months!
NEED FOOD? Another Junction restaurant is offering a free meal to anyone in need. Want to help fund that program? Sign up for a live online experience with the chef Saturday.
‘FLY-BY’ ON THE GROUND, AT THE MOUNT: The photo and report are from Providence Mount St. Vincent:
A flight team flew by Providence Mount St. Vincent today to thank nurses and caregivers for their “NONSTOP EFFORTS” to serve the residents and patients at The Mount.
Thanks to Flight Officer Blake Reynolds, Flight Attendants Jessica Eller and Drew Minzghor and Captain Chris Philbrook (all West Seattleites!) for delivering 100 fruit and cheese boxes! We are so grateful for their generosity and we hope to see them in the air soon!
(Photo L-R from Providence – Tanisha Mojica: Director of Clinical Services; Charlene Boyd: Administrator; Colleen Farrell: Annual Giving and Public Relations Manager; Molly Swain: Foundation and Public Relations Director; and from Alaska Airlines — Flight Officer Blake Reynolds, Flight Attendant Drew Minzghor, Flight Attendant Jessica Eller, Captain Chris Philbrook)
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Though students and school staff are apart, they’ve been finding ways to stay together in spirit, including the videos we’ve been sharing. Tonight – a video made by West Seattle High School students to show appreciation for teachers. (Thanks to Breanna for telling us about it!)
Talarico’s Pizza in The Junction – whose fans were alarmed by the papered-over windows during its current closure – is reopening. Ami at Talarico’s confirms that this Thursday (May 14th) is the day, and thereafter it will be open 7 days a week, noon-9 pm, offering beer, wine, and cocktails as well as food. You’ll be able to order online at talaricospizza.com or via the Heartland Guest app. Ami adds, “We look forward to seeing our community.”
P.S. We’ll be adding this to the 140+-venue “who’s open” list of restaurants/beverage businesses that we’ve been keeping for almost two months now. Got change(s)? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Last Saturday night, the West Seattle Food Bank‘s annual “Instruments of Change” happened online because of COVID-19 … but one thing didn’t change: Major community support. With that video, and this message, WSFB is expressing its gratitude:
Thank you for supporting your neighbors!
We are so grateful to the guests, donors, volunteers, supporters, and sponsors who made Saturday night’s first ever virtual Instruments of Change such an incredible success!
In the midst of so much uncertainty, it warmed our heart to see so many of you join us to help strengthen our community. Together, you raised over $95,000 to stop hunger and homelessness before it starts!
Despite the fact that we could not meet in person, you all really showed up for us and our neighbors. In case you missed the event, you can see some highlights in our short thank you recap video.
Your support for our neighbors and dedication to uplifting our community continues to inspire us. Thank you for showing the power of neighbors helping neighbors!
If you missed the event but would still like to support your neighbors, you can make a gift here.
WSB was one of the event’s community co-sponsors.
With a lot of discussion sparked by the city’s most-recent “Stay Healthy Streets” announcements, you might be interested in this (online) meeting Wednesday: The program is scheduled to be discussed when the Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board meets tomorrow (Wednesday, May 13th). This isn’t a vote or review, but rather, it’s on the agenda of the SPAB as “Stay Healthy Streets and Social Distancing Q&A,” with guests from SDOT. The meeting also includes two public-comment periods. You can “attend” the meeting either online or by calling in (206-686-8357, conference ID 150 994 262). The meeting is set to start at 6 pm Wednesday, with public comment at 6:15 and 7:40, bracketing the SHS/Social Distancing discussion.
Another stay-home week begins, and our nightly roundup hits the local COVID-19-related toplines:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s data-dashboard update:
*7,115 people have tested positive, up 69 from yesterday
*505 people have died, up 7 from yesterday
One week ago, those numbers were 6,582 and 463.
MOURNING A WEST SEATTLE VICTIM: We learned today that longtime music educator and former West Seattle Big Band leader Donn Weaver lost his fight against COVID-19.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
SFD, SPD UPDATES: Seattle’s public-safety agencies have been publishing weekly updates on how COVID-19 is affecting their staffs. One positive note in SFD’s report – no one currently in isolation or quarantine. SPD, though, has 17 employees with that status.
GOT YOUR MASK YET? The mayor and county executive held a media briefing today with Public Health Director Dr. Jeff Duchin, “strongly urging” everyone in King County to wear face coverings in public. Here’s Dr. Duchin’s directive. Note Part F:
Violation of this Directive does not create grounds for residents or law enforcement to stop, detain, issue a citation, arrest, intimidate, or harass individuals who do not comply with it. This Directive may and should be used to educate, encourage, and persuade individuals to wear face coverings.
But a business is totally within its rights, it was noted, to require customers to wear face coverings – that’s Part G.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RESTAURANTS FIRST REOPEN? The governor’s office issued Phase 2 guidance today. The list of rules is here – it includes these:
1. Hand sanitizer should be available at entry for all staff and patrons (assuming supply
availability).2. No bar seating is permitted during Phase 2. If an establishment has bar seating it must be closed
off to prohibit use.3. If the establishment does not offer table service, they must have protocols in place to ensure
adequate social distancing at food and drink pick-up stations, and seating within their dining
area.4. All parties and tables must be 5 guests or less.
5. Guest occupancy must be 50% of maximum building occupancy or lower as determined by the
fire code. Outdoor seating is permitted but must also be at 50% capacity. Outdoor seating does
not count toward the building occupancy limit. Outdoor seating must follow all other
requirements in this document.6. Tables must be placed far enough apart when measured from occupied chair to occupied chair,
to ensure dine-in guests seated at a table are a minimum of 6 feet away from guests at adjacent
table, or there must be a physical barrier or wall separating booths or tables.7. It is strongly suggested customers wear a cloth face covering anytime they are not seated at the
table (while being seated or leaving, or while going to the restroom).8. Buffets and salad bars are not permitted at this time but may be addressed through subsequent
interpretive guidance.9. If the establishment offers table service, create a daily log of all customers and maintain that
daily log for 30 days, including telephone/email contact information, and time in. This will
facilitate any contact tracing that might need to occur.10. Single use menus are required for in-person dining.
11. Any condiments typically left on the table (ketchup, soy sauce, etc.) must be single-use or
sanitized after each use.12. Restaurants must have implemented a plan to ensure proper physical distancing in
lobby/waiting areas/payment counters.13. Minimize the number of staff serving any given table. It is strongly recommended that one staff
person take a table’s order, bring all of their beverages/food/utensils, take their payment, etc
No date yet for Phase 2 in our area, but some smaller counties are making the transition, so that’s why the guidance is out now.
SCHOOL PARADES: Two months ago today, Seattle Public Schools announced it would close its campuses – and within days, all schools were shutting down in-person learning. Some schools have been having “parades” so students and staff can see each other at a distance; today, Sanislo Elementary had one, and we also featured a video of the recent parade at Hope Lutheran.
GOT INFO? PHOTOS? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(WSB video and photos unless otherwise credited)
Sanislo Elementary is the latest school in West Seattle to “reunite” students and staff, at a distance, via a parade! Our video above shows participants just after they left the school on Puget Ridge early this afternoon. Some of the sights:
Even a classic fire truck!
And along the route, Chris got this video of some of the students on the roadside:
It was two months ago today that Seattle Public Schools announced its campuses would close for at least two weeks, which as everyone knows then became the rest of the school year.
(Added: Seattle-King County Public Health graphic)
2:48 PM: We’re monitoring an online media briefing with Mayor Jenny Durkan, County Executive Dow Constantine, and city/county Public Health Director Dr. Jeff Duchin. They’ve just announced they are urging everyone to wear a mask (face covering) in public. Why now? It’s a “precarious” time, said Constantine. It’s a new public-health “directive.” Durkan, meantime, says advice and directives keep evolving because “there is no playbook” for “this virus.” Dr. Duchin says the fight against the virus is likely to last “many months.” He says his directive re-emphasizes the CDC’s recommendation. He also notes that it’s not a matter of protecting yourself, but protecting others. PHSKC’s Matias Valenzuela stresses that there won’t be penalties or law enforcement of this, and that they are working on mask availability for those who are having trouble getting them.
3 PM: In Q&A, Constantine is asked, why issue this directive if it won’t be enforced? He says he believes that as with other directives, people will comply. Dr. Duchin reiterated that people can be contagious without symptoms, and so – again – wearing a face covering is “an important strategy” to protect others, just in case. … Durkan and Constantine says the city and county will be distributing masks/face coverings to community groups – 45,000 and 115,000, respectively. … “Wearing a mask is a sign that together, we care about one another,” adds Dr. Duchin, while reiterating that his directive is “strongly urging,” not requiring masks. But: Businesses CAN require customers to wear face coverings, the mayor notes, if they choose to have that requirement. … What works best, in fabric face coverings? Snug, multiple layers, Dr. Duchin elaborates. … He’s also asked to elaborate on current trends. The number of cases/deaths has “stabilized,” he says, but they’d like to see fewer. “We’re continuing to see too many cases. … We haven’t suppressed transmission as much as we should.”
3:17 PM: The briefing is over. Video is expected soon via Seattle Channel (added below); we’ll add that and official links when available.
4:13 PM: Here’s the official news release. It also notes that while the directive is a request, face-coverings will be required on public transit – though compliance is “voluntary.”
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