March 2020

By Ken Robinson

We asked a random group of friends how they are coping with the demand for social distancing beyond the trips for TP and food. Here are their responses.

Greg W., Bainbridge Island

We live on Bainbridge which at one point seemed safely removed until islanders began falling ill.  We know it’s here now, but the wild variation in symptoms makes it impossible to track.  My wife had an unusually bad “cold” with fever several weeks ago, but my son and I feel fine.  Are we “survivors” now?  Are we a danger to others?  There’s no testing and no way to know.

Larry B., West Seattle

It's all new territory. But here in no particular order is a long answer to a short question. If you only get part way through, it might be useful as a cure for insomnia. 

information from Boeing

Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced a temporary suspension of production operations at its Puget Sound area facilities in light of the state of emergency in Washington state and the company's continuous assessment of the accelerating spread of the coronavirus in the region. These actions are being taken to ensure the well-being of employees, their families and the local community, and will include an orderly shutdown consistent with the requirements of its customers.

By Jean Godden

Seattle newsrooms -- usually busy, noisy and irreverent -- are nearly empty. But our local papers and airwaves are filled with the latest, most critical news. Take KUOW's Deborah Wong. She recently posted a picture showing how she's been broadcasting from home using a microphone  set up in a closet.

Each morning I read Seattle Times updates, the latest coronavirus news gathered by more than a dozen reporters. Many of those reporters are working from home, relying on their phones, pads and laptops to bring us a round-up of latest developments. Community papers like Westside Seattle are also bringing us truth in troubled times. We owe them our thanks.

While our community is navigating this difficult time, the Seattle Police Department would like to provide some quick suggestions for securing businesses that now have reduced hours, or who have been forced to temporarily close.

• Business address and business name should be clearly visible from the street. Post emergency contact number on the front and rear of your business

• All exterior entrances and interior security doors should have deadbolt locks. Install latch guards no smaller than 11 inches (full length preferred) over locks

• Windows should have secure locks and burglar-resistant glass. Consider installing security film on vulnerable windows

• Remove all expensive items from window displays to deter smash and grabs

• Light the inside and outside of your business, especially around doors, windows, skylights, or other entry points

• Keep your cash register open and obviously empty after closing

As the results of COVID-19 become clearer there is no denying that it is both dangerous and deadly. The number of those diagnosed and those dying from it continues to climb at an alarming rate, especially in our region.

The Governor is evaluating next steps, as are we. As your local elected officials, we may take additional steps to protect our communities and mandate those best practices issued by health professionals are followed. The most imperative practice to reduce the spread of this virus is to stay home and avoid contact with others.

We strongly urge our residents follow those best practices to prevent additional measures from being enacted. If these best practices are not followed, we will need to take further action.

You can follow these best practices by:

information from City of Seattle

 Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Seattle Police Department (SPD) are implementing temporary changes to parking enforcement in the City of Seattle. As parking and transportation needs have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SDOT is adjusting its parking rules to better support residents’ and businesses’ needs during this time.

Rule changes will be made to the following three areas: