West Seattle, Washington
18 Sunday
We’ve been keeping a list of local restaurants and beverage businesses since the day after the governor’s March 15th order closed them all to dine-in/drink-in customers, and we’ve continued to update the list as we get word from the businesses and/or customers. The 140+ businesses on the list are mostly West Seattle, with a few in White Center and South Park (you might be going that way for the alternate bridge!). Two additions today – Ma’ono is reopening for takeout/delivery, and Uncle Eddie’s (in South Park, owned by West Seattleites) has just reopened too. Got any other update/changes/additions/etc.? westseattleblog@gmail.com is the best way to get them to us – thank you!
(P.S. The list is findable any time in two fixed spots on WSB – the “Spotlight Stories” box on most home-page displays, or the RESTAURANT LIST on the WSB menu across all devices.)
Though Seattle Public Schools campuses are closed, some are open part of the day for meal distribution, so school-zone speed limits will be in effect near those schools during those hours, starting today and continuing until late June. As announced by SDOT:
The bright yellow flashing lights on 20MPH signs near schools will flash between 10:45 am and 1:15 pm to show when the school zone speed limits are in effect. The lights will be flashing at 16 local schools … to remind drivers that students are present and to drive slow. Cameras issuing tickets will not be turned on. Our goal is to reduce speeds and if we continue to see increases, we will consider other speed reduction measures.
We’ve seen an uptick in driving speeds since the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order has been in place.
With less cars on the roads, drivers are tempted to step on the gas. Don’t do it!
The local schools on the list are Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle), adjacent Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon), West Seattle Elementary (6760 34th SW), and Concord International Elementary (723 S. Concord, South Park).
(Photo courtesy Jason Hubbard)
The evergreen that serves as the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Christmas tree is lit in blue tonight. As previewed here last night, it’s inspired by the nationwide Light It Blue campaign to honor health-care heroes and others on the pandemic frontline. The tree in Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) was decked this morning with the help of Fleming’s Holiday Lighting:
(Photo courtesy WSJA)
The display is underwritten by Nucor.
No big news today, but here’s what we have for the nightly roundup:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the Seattle-King County Public Health COVID-19 data dashboard:
*4,620 people have tested positive, up 71 from yesterday
*303 people have died, up 7 from yesterday
One week ago, those numbers were 3,486 and 230.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
HOW IS COVID-19 AFFECTING SFD AND SPD? This week’s updates are here.
THE NATIONAL GUARD … has arrived, here to help out the West Seattle Food Bank.
NEED FOOD? Another local restaurant is extending a hand – full of tasty food – to those in need.
GOVERNOR TALKS TOMORROW: He hasn’t had a COVID-19-related media briefing yet this week, but that’ll change tomorrow at 3 pm. No guests or topic announced, so far. It’ll be livestreamed by TVW.
…AND HE ISSUED PROCLAMATIONS TODAY: Three miscellaneous ones.
PEP CHALK: Seen along 30th SW in Sunrise Heights, sent by a reader:
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Alki UCC photos. Above, Cinda Stenger, Outreach/Social Justice Team)
On Easter, we mentioned Alki UCC‘s all-day donation drive out front. Today we got a note to share w9th you, expressing gratitude for everyone who helped:
Alki United Church of Christ (Alki UCC) thanks everyone who came by our building Easter Sunday to donate food and clothing for our vulnerable neighbors in need, those who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID 19.
Your food contributions will be distributed via the White Center Food Bank; clothing donations will go to either the West Seattle Clothesline or the King County Drug Court to help men receiving treatment for minor drug offenses transition back into our community.
Your spirit and generosity will warm many, many hearts. Thank you.
Note: We hope to continue our socially-distanced food donations drive every other Sunday beginning April 26. Check alkiucc.org for details.
When Gov. Inslee activated the National Guard in our state to help with the COVID-19 response, the plan was for members to help out at food banks. We checked with the West Seattle Food Bank at the time and they were not yet sure if anyone would be assigned – but on Monday, they arrived! The photos and update are from WSFB development director Judi Yazzolino:
Our 2 National Guardsmen started yesterday. We so needed them and so grateful. 2Lt. Akana and SSG Roberts.
You can help WSFB too – donate money and/or register for the May 9th virtual version of the “Instruments of Change” benefit!
Last week for the first time, both the Seattle Police and Fire xepartments published by-the-numbers updates on how COVID-19 was affecting their personnel. One week later, both have published updates. First, from SPD (we’ve added the comparisons from last week’s report):
The following information is accurate as of April 14, 2020 at 07:00 AM
Seattle Police Department (SPD) employees in either Quarantine or Isolation: 26 [down from 50 a week ago]
SPD employees who have returned to work based on Public Health guidelines: 235 [up from 194]
SPD employees who have tested positive for COVID-19: 7 [up 1]
SPD employees who have been tested at our First Responder testing site, but tested negative for COVID-19: 103* [up from 87]
* denotes an approximate number
And from SFD (we have added the comparisons from last week’s report):
The following information is updated as of 4 p.m. on April 13:
Quarantine and Isolation:
Members currently in quarantine or isolation: 6 members [down from 29 a week ago]
Total number of SFD personnel impacted since the beginning of tracking COVID-19: 88 members [unchanged]
Total number of SFD personnel who have completed their 14-day quarantine and returned to work: 82 members [up from 59]Testing:
This includes those who have received testing at the site designated for first responders and those who have shared their results from testing conducted at a private physician.
Total number of known SFD personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19: 16 members [unchangedd]
Total number of SFD personnel with a negative test results at first responder testing site: 70 members pup from 58]
Total number of SFD personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have recovered: 6 members [up from 1]
No geographic or demographic breakdowns are available.
Though it’s been rocky times for restaurants, local independent eateries continue giving. As announced by Itto’s Tapas via Instagram:
We would like to sincerely thank you all for the support we have received over the past few weeks. The love West Seattle has show us has been truly humbling and honestly, we are blown away. We have received generous donations, vows of support and encouraging messages. We are doing our best to stay afloat during this crisis. An Instagram post can’t begin to properly put it into words but we are so grateful to have such amazing patrons. Thank you all so much!
We will be paying it forward by cooking free meals for anyone in need on Tuesday, April 14th at 5:30 pm at The West Seattle Eagles Club, just around the corner from Itto’s. Meals will be available until we run out.
Also, anyone who can’t afford their next meal, please feel free to email us from our website and I will take care of you.
Much love to all of you. Please stay safe and stay strong. We will get through this together! And I can’t wait to personally greet you through our doors when it is safe to do so!
The Eagles are at 4426 California SW.
P.S. Thanks to Manuel for the tip!
Exactly three weeks until the current expiration date on the “stay-home” order. What will happen then? You might look for clues in what happened today:
WESTERN STATES PACT: Gov. Inslee says he and his Oregon and California counterparts, Gov.Kate Brown and Gov. Gavin Newsom, have made a deal. Their joint statement says that “California, Oregon, and Washington have agreed to work together on a shared approach for reopening our economies – one that identifies clear indicators for communities to restart public life and business.” No reopening date(s) proposed yet.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the data dashboard:
*4,549 positive tests, up 123 from a day earlier
*296 deaths, up 4 from a day earlier
One week ago, the numbers were 3,331 and 220.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WERE THE PARK CLOSURES A SUCCESS? Yes, according to a short update from Councilmember Debora Juarez – who chairs the committee that oversees parks – at this morning’s City Council briefing meeting. No word so far of any further restrictions. We drove along Alki just after 5 tonight and didn’t see much of a crowd:
SPEAKING OF THE COUNCIL … it gave unanimous approval to a bill by Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Tammy Morales meant to help small businesses. From the announcement:
Council Bill 119766 …. enacts a moratorium on commercial property rent increases for small businesses and nonprofits while the City’s civil emergency is in place. The legislation also requires commercial property landlords to negotiate payment plans for overdue rent for small businesses and nonprofit tenants financially affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
The legislation applies to nonprofits, and to small businesses with 50 or fewer employees that have been closed due to public orders or that have seen at least a 30 percent drop in business.
ALSO FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: The 250 businesses getting $10,000 each from the city’s Small Business Stabilization Fund were announced today. Only a few are in West Seattle.
ONE WAY YOU CAN HELP … The Junction has launched a Small Business Relief Fund for any community members interested in donations to help local businesses. You can even specify exactly which one(s) you want your $ to assist (non-Junction OR Junction).
WHAT ELSE THE JUNCTION ASSOCIATION IS DOING: Light(ing) It Blue starting tomorrow night.
TONIGHT’S SIGN OF THE TIMES: Sent by Noodle and crew, seen on the door of Rick’s Barber Shop, aka The Psychic Barber:
GOT INFO? PHOTOS? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Thursday night photo courtesy Carolyn Newman)
Remember that scene from Thursday night, downtown, lit blue to honor health-care workers and other heroes of the coronavirus response? ‘Downtown West Seattle’ will join in, starting tomorrow night – the Junction Plaza Park evergreen that serves as the area’s official Christmas tree will be decked in blue by Tuesday night. West Seattle Junction Association executive director Lora Radford explains:
Inspired by the nationwide #LightItBlue campaign that lights up blue landmarks for health care workers, the Junction had an idea to show support for the people on the frontlines during COVID-19. The West Seattle community tree that sparkles with lights during Hometown Holidays, was the perfect choice to show support on behalf of West Seattle community members.
Nucor is sponsoring the lights, which will be installed tomorrow by Fleming’s Holiday Lighting.
As you’ve heard us point out multiple times … the coronavirus crisis’s many ripple effects include a double punch for social-service nonprofits: Demand is higher than ever, while at the same time, the event ban has canceled fundraisers that provide a big part of their budget. Some are morphing those fundraisers into virtual events, like the West Seattle Food Bank‘s “Instruments of Change” – and you’re invited!
With the health and safety of our neighbors in mind, we have changed our Instruments of Change Dinner/Auction benefit to an online event.
We are excited to be celebrating our wonderful community and raising funds to help our neighbors through an online Instruments of Change on May 9th at 5:30 pm. This virtual event will include a silent and live auction, fun activities, and a compelling program.
Join the fun for free! Register today to spend a short time celebrating our community, the merge between the West Seattle Food Bank and West Seattle Helpline, and to raise funds to help our neighbors stay safe, fed, housed, and healthy. Plus, everyone who registers and attends is automatically entered into a drawing to win 2 round-trip tickets on Alaska Airlines!
Thank you all! We are so grateful to be part of such a caring community, especially during these challenging times. We can’t wait to see you all (virtually) on May 9th for Instruments of Change.
As we’ve been in years past with the in-person event, WSB is a co-sponsor.
We don’t know how many West Seattle businesses were among the 9,000 citywide that applied for grants from the city’s Small Business Stabilization Fund. But the list of 250 recipients contains just a few we recognize as local businesses. The list is in this news release. Each gets a $10,000 grant. The $2.5 million is from federal Community Development Block Grant money; the city is hoping philanthropy will refill the fund for future grants.
(Photo courtesy WSJA)
When the coronavirus crisis eases and businesses are allowed to reopen, how many will be able to? That question is doubly important since the closure of the West Seattle Bridge means our community will have to be more self-reliant than ever. To help small local independent businesses hang on, the West Seattle Junction Association soft-launched the Small Business Relief Fund this past week. As explained on the WSJA website:
Love your favorite merchants? You can support yours through the Junction Small Business Relief Fund. Here you can support your favorite by donating to one or many businesses. Enter the name of the small business, then pick the dollar amount. 100% of the funds will be distributed directly to the business; the Junction will pay the credit-card processing fees.
If you want your donation to benefit a non-Junction business, that’s OK too, says WSJA executive director Lora Radford. The fund is off to a promising start and every additional donation helps give another small business a fighting chance. There are four ways to donate – all explained here.
As we continue into the seventh week since the first King County COVID-19 case, our nightly roundup:
NEWEST LOCAL NUMBERS: Seattle-King County Public Health has now moved to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday news-releawe schedule, but is still updating numbers daily on its COVID-19 page. For today:
*Positive test results: 4.426 (up 164 from a day earlier)
*Deaths: 292 (up 8 from a day earlier)
One week ago, those numbers were 3,167 and 208.
ONE MORE WEST SEATTLE DEATH: The county’s by-zip-code breakdown now shows 98126 with 3 deaths; 98106 and 98146 stlll have 2 each, 98136 has 1, 98116 has none.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them here.
MAJOR PARKS’ CLOSURE, DAY 2: We drove along Alki around 5 pm. Few people in view on the promenade or beach. South of Alki Point, though, Beach Drive traffic/parking along Constellation Park (which is officially part of Alki Beach Park too) was busy.
The closures are scheduled to end at 4:30 am tomorrow.
IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE, IT’S TOO FAR: No, the “stay-home” order does not mean “stay INSIDE your home.” But you shouldn’t be driving somewhere to walk, run, etc., the state Health Department reiterates in a post today:
Do: Walk!
A lovely walk around our neighborhoods with the people (or dogs) who live with us is great for our physical and mental health. We can enjoy the sunshine, clear our minds, and get some exercise.
Don’t: Drive to your walk
Please avoid the areas that crowd easily like playgrounds or walking paths. Stay around your home. If you need to drive to your walk, that is too far away.
FERRIES EXTEND WINTER SCHEDULE: With usage way down, Washington State Ferries has extended the winter schedule until June 20th.
METRO’S REDUCED SCHEDULE CONTINUES … this week and TFN.
WATER TAXI TOO: Its reduced schedule is here.
SPRING BREAK: Since school campuses are closed, you won’t see a change there, but this week is officially “spring break” for Seattle Public Schools.
SEEN IN GEORGETOWN: A “trap” for our times:
(Thanks to John Bennett, the West Seattle entrepreneur who also has a stake in G’town, for the photo.)
GOT A PHOTO? INFO? TIP? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice our hotline, 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(WSB photo, last month)
Since we first reported a week and a half ago on West Seattle’s strong>Nucor Steel making face shields with 3-D printers, the effort has scaled up in a big way. Here’s an update Nucor sent us to share with you:
After the initial deliveries, the massive scope of the shortage of appropriate personal-safety equipment became more apparent.
To scale up production beyond its initial capability of 100 face shields per week, Nucor Seattle turned to the community, collaborating with the West Seattle Blog to help elevate the effort in the West Seattle neighborhood, where Nucor Seattle’s mill has operated for more than 100 years. The resulting response included several area high schools, technical schools, and residents, who have loaned idle equipment or are using personal equipment to print components and donate supplies for assembly at the steel mill.
Nucor now estimates its capacity at around 100 face shields per day and growing.
School partners include: Franklin Pierce School District, West Sound Tech, Seattle Christian, the
Chehalis School District, and the Tacoma School District.
The first production of about 20 face shields was donated April 2nd to Providence Mount St. Vincent, a long-term-care facility located around a mile from Nucor Seattle’s mill and with which Nucor Seattle has partnered for the last decade.
Since last week, around 500 shields have been delivered to area hospitals, clinics, and care facilities. The team at Nucor Seattle has so far focused on immediate support for the public health response:
• Donation of excess Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to local area medical centers, including hundreds of N95 dust masks and nitrile gloves.
• Organizing on-site additive manufacturing (3D printing) capabilities and expanding efforts to include teammates, local schools, and community resident-owned equipment to help address critical shortages in PPE.
Nucor Seattle engineers specializing in additive manufacturing have worked around-the-clock to research needs and test designs. Currently, the effort is focused on producing National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved face shields for medical workers and frontline caregivers. Nucor is now printing holders for these face shields and has purchased and received donated plastic and straps under the guidelines issued by the NIH. Nucor is also researching and designing various forms of respirator components that can be fitted with household media such as coffee and vacuum filters.
“Our teammates are working hard to design, optimize and produce materials approved by the National Institutes of Health, as well as reaching out to local medical centers and caregivers to learn how we can best support them on the frontlines of this public health crisis,” said Patrick Jablonski, Environmental Manager. “When our community learned of this effort, they stepped up to help and we have gone from 100 face shields in a week to about 100 face shields per day. We are proud to be able to use our resources to contribute to solutions but we are even more humbled by the response and immediacy with which our neighbors acted to help. We are all in this together.”
More than 300 people work at Nucor in West Seattle, which describes itself as “the biggest recycler in Washington State, using recycled scrap to produce materials used in building projects.”
We’ve heard several reports of West Seattle musicians serenading their neighbors – at a safe distance. This one came with video. Singer/songwriter Larry Murante‘s concert for his block in Westwood included percussion by Chris Odell.
We have begun the seventh week since King County’s first COVID-19 case. Here’s our nightly roundup:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the daily Seattle-King County Public Health news release:
4,262 confirmed positive cases (up 145 from yesterday)
284 confirmed deaths (up 7 from yesterday)
One week ago, those numbers were 2,898 and 200.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 10,224 cases and 491 deaths, up from 7,591 and 310 a week ago; other state stats are here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
PARK-CLOSURE WEEKEND: Here’s what we and readers saw today at the three West Seattle parks included in the mayor’s order closing 15 major city parks until early Monday. This evening, we noted the SPD mobile precinct at Alki:
Of course, the MP was sometimes there on clear-weather spring evenings pre-pandemic, too.
WHEN WILL RESTRICTIONS END? SKCPH’s daily update includes this explanation of what authorities are watching for:
When it appears safe, Public Health will be looking at the following indicators to help inform the timing and approach for the gradual relaxing of one or more social distancing measures:
*A steady decrease in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations for at least two weeks;
*Healthcare system readiness, including sufficient staffing, supplies, and bed space, to be able to accommodate the increase in cases we expect to see when we loosen social distancing measures;
*Widespread availability of rapid testing and reporting of results, beyond what is currently available, so people who are infected can take quick action to slow the spread of COVID-19;
*Capacity to conduct widespread case and contact investigations to quickly identify people who are infected and their close contacts and help them isolate and quarantine;
*Availability of proven COVID-19 treatments, which are currently under evaluation.
At the same time, we are sensitive to the unintended economic and social impacts from a prolonged Stay Home order. We must advocate for and provide support to those who are experiencing hardships as a result of this necessary disease-control strategy.
More on the topic here.
AT THE STORES: Our fourth weekly grocery-shopping update is here, with commenters sharing their observations too. (Note that the Easter holiday is affecting some stores’ hours tomorrow.)
SPEAKING OF EASTER … here’s our list of 24 local churches with online services.
THANK YOU, POSTAL WORKERS: Seen at a local USPS Post Office and tweeted by Bill Schrier with words of gratitude:
(Three weeks ago, we published a letter carrier’s plea for people to keep their distance.)
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
That stretch of California SW in The Junction will be open to traffic, instead of closed for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, again tomorrow, for the fifth consecutive Sunday. When the mayor announced this past week that her recent orders would be extended to concur with the new May 4th end date of the governor’s stay-home order, the news release specifically noted that her decision included “Suspension of City-permitted events, with the exception of farmers markets which will continue to be for a potential re-opening.” The governor’s order calls farmers’ markets “essential.” But the nonprofit that runs the West Seattle Farmers’ Market and others says it will NOT be reopening tomorrow despite a short-lived belief it would be allowed to. Here’s what they told their email subscribers today:
We were sure that markets would reopen this weekend. We held off on announcing it, but if you spoke to me privately, I would have told you to make a list and gather your tote bags. However, yesterday (Friday) at 11:30 am, we received a call from the Mayor’s Office saying they could not approve the re-opening of markets this weekend. That came after receiving direct and unilateral communication from Public Health, Office of Sustainability and Environment, and the Office of Economic Development that the markets would indeed be operating this weekend. We had already told the farmers. We had already trained them on the new operating procedures and standards for each market. We were ready to give farmers their main source of income back.
We were ready to run safe and successful food access points for the City of Seattle. This is our job and our staff and vendors are really damn good at it.
Why the reported turnabout? We haven’t heard from the mayor’s office and won’t be able to ask them until Monday. Market managers told us last week they had been planning to operate the market in an “extremely modified” format.
12:46 PM: We’re out checking on the parks that the mayor ordered closed through early Monday. Updates as we go:
First stop, West Seattle Stadium – the driveway is blocked off right at the 35th entrance. Next, heading toward Alki; this portable sign is by Don Armeni’s north/west entrance:
It’s a closure reminder; we saw it being set up (but not activated) Friday evening. Westward…
1:10 PM: Just drove the entire stretch of Alki, including south of Alki Point. People are out walking, running, and biking, but only a handful are off the trail and actually on the sand or promenade. Did not see any marked SPD or Parks vehicles, nor additional sugnage.
1:22 PM: Moments after that update, we saw the SPD Mobile Precinct headed toward southbound Beach Drive. We’re heading toward Lincoln Park next.
1:58 PM: Most of Lincoln Park, of course, is not visible from the road, so all we can report is what we could see by driving past – one person in view on a trail by the north lot, two people walking in across the south lot. As evening approaches, we will take another look at Alki.
4:43 PM: See comments below for what others are seeing at the parks.
5:10 PM: Alki photographer David Hutchinson took these photos around 3 pm:
He explains the photo immediately above: “One of a number of people with Seattle Parks & Recreation yellow vests who have been patrolling the Alki Beach area and at Don Armeni earlier.”
For the fourth consecutive Saturday morning of the coronavirus crisis, we have grocery-store notes. We’re continuing to update our ongoing list of local stores’ hours, etc. This week’s highlights:
EASTER CHANGES: If your regular shopping trip is on Sunday, be aware that the Easter holiday tomorrow brings some changes. Trader Joe’s will be closed. Both QFC stores will be open 8 am-5 pm. All three Safeway stores will be open 6 am-7 pm.
SPECIAL SHOPPING HOURS: QFC is now open 7-8 am Mondays-Fridays for seniors and other at-risk people, one day more than previously.
WATCH THE FLOOR: More stores are marking spots on the floor to ensure you are safely spaced from the next person in line. One-way aisles are also starting to catch on.
COVER YOUR FACE: With the recent recommendation to wear a mask, especially in a setting like a grocery store where you might wind up less than six feet from someone no matter how hard you try, we noticed a dramatic increase in usage when we went shopping this past week – both in shoppers and staff.
What are YOU seeing at YOUR store?
Stay home this weekend! The governor repeated that today, topping our nightly roundup, six weeks after King County’s first COVID-19 case was reported:
GOVERNOR REPEATS ‘STAY HOME, STAY HEALTHY’: In a mid-afternoon news conference, Gov. Inslee was joined by local leaders of tourism-dependent areas from Ocean Shores to the San Juans, as they all repeated the refrain: Stay home this weekend, to help keep the coronavirus from spreading.The governor also hauled out a few charts to show what could happen if people get complacent. Here’s video of the briefing.
REMEMBER, DON’T GO TO ALKI OR LINCOLN PARK: From late tonight until early Monday, they’re closed (as are West Seattle Stadium and 12 other major city parks). We’ll be checking around midday to see how that goes. We noticed an SDOT crew setting up a messageboard sign along north/westbound Harbor Avenue tonight, perhaps to warn of the closure.
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From today’s Seattle-King County Public Health news release:
4,117 confirmed positive cases (up 231 from yesterday)
277 confirmed deaths (up 19 from yesterday)
One week ago, the county reported 2,787 cases and 186 deaths.
NO MORE DAILY NEWS RELEASES: Starting next week, SKCPH says, they’ll only send out news releases on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, unless something huge happens. But they say the daily numbers will continue to be updated on the data dashboard.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 9,887 cases, 475 deaths; see the full iist of state stats here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: Find them – nation by nation – here.
NEED HELP WITH RENT? The city and county have joined private donors in contributing to a new United Way of King County fund to help people who can’t pay their April rent. It was announced in a news conference in which we participated this morning. The fund has $5 million for starters. Our area has an emergency rent assistance social-service agency, the West Seattle Food Bank, so we asked WSFB how people would know how to seek help. UWKC is among the resources to which they direct people, explained executive director Fran Yeatts. Find out more about the new fund, and apply if you need to, here.
NEED FOOD? More giving going on, this time courtesy of Delridge’s KBM Commissary.
THIS WEEKEND: As we did today for Good Friday, we’ll be publishing Easter and Passover online-event links Saturday by mid-afternoon. (Not too late to send us yours!)
YES, WE WILL: Thanks to Melissa for the chalk art from SW Rose:
GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Photo courtesy Monica Rodriguez, showing food from West of Chicago Pizza, T’Juana Tacos, Jemil’s Big Easy, Ka Pow Thai on Wheels)
Among the restaurants/prepared-food sellers on our West Seattle list are multiple businesses selling takeout from a window at the KBM Commissary, many of them known for their food trucks and/or catering services. The commissary’s owner Keith Mathewson sends word of a plan they have to give back to the community:
The stay-at-home order has placed many people in the West Seattle community at home without a job. The people who operate their business out of KBM have seen their business either shut down or greatly reduced. This means that a large production kitchen with many skilled cooks are going idle while the need for meals is great.
Members of KBM Seattle Commissary Kitchen would like to start giving out 100 four-person family meals each week while the stay at home order is in place. Each week a different company would create a menu for that week and members of the kitchen would help that company to prepare the meals. To ensure that demand is not greater than supply and that people do not come hoping to receive a meal and are turned away empty-handed I have set up an email address whereby the person can contact me with their name and perhaps the business where they are either laid off from or no able to go to so that we can match names with meals. The email address is kbmcovidrelief@gmail.com.
Since my wife and I will be funding the project and the stay-at-home order may last until June, I have set up a Go Fund Me page, given that we may not have the resources to pay for perhaps 3000 meals on our own. It is hoped that people who’s income has not been impacted may wish to contribute financially. We hope to begin Thursday, April 16th.
Thanks to Carolyn Newman for the photo. As seen from this side of Elliott Bay, downtown participated in the nationwide “Light It Blue” initiative tonight – a show of support for health-care workers, first responders, and others providing essential services.
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