West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
(WSB file photo, past Special Olympics Polar Plunge)
If the forecast holds, it won’t be very “polar” for Saturday’s Special Olympics Washington-benefiting Polar Plunge at Alki. But it’s good news overall for the “winter beach party” that the event promises to be, with a beer garden, food trucks, and costume contest, before all the “plunging” gets going. The party starts near Alki Bathhouse (60th/Alki) at 10 am Saturday (February 24); the costume contest starts around 12:10 pm, and even if you’re not going in the water (that begins at 1 pm), you have a role to play, since the costume judging will be by audience acclaim. If you do want to go in, there’s still time to register online. P.S. The beer garden also offers a tasting experience – tickets are available in advance online here.
Just one scripted shoutout to West Seattle in Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s State of the City speech today – in the context of the planned Sound Transit light-rail extension. Other topics in his speech, delivered at the Museum of History and Industry in South Lake Union, were familiar and timeless, public safety chief among them – he hailed some ongoing changes, like the creation of the CARE Department (with 911 and a crisis-response team), and said – as we’d heard last week – that Seattle’s Park Rangers will soon be working citywide. He also promised to convene a public-safety forum next month to hear from community members. And he said that when he proposes the next transportation levy, it will focus on “the basics” – repaving, bridge maintenance, signage and striping, potholes (District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka got a shoutout there), etc. And he acknowledged that the pressure is on, since he can pretty much count on support from the mostly-new City Council: “There is a new level of expectations.” On homelessness, he hit the points made in the media briefing we covered last week. Read the speech here (or watch the video above).
P.S. Set your calendar – the mayor said the next citywide Day of Service is set for May 18th.
Just in from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce – it’s nomination time for the businesses, organizations, and people you’d like to see recognized with this year’s Westside Awards. Here’s the announcement we received:
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presents the annual Westside Awards in May and the nomination process is now open for submissions. The Chamber is seeking nominations in the following categories:
1) Business of the Year
2) Not-for-Profit of the Year
3) Emerging Business of the Year
4) Westsider of the YearThe community is invited to submit nominations online here: loom.ly/qS8SmDE. The deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 12, 2024, by 5 pm.
The Westside Awards honor leadership in entrepreneurship, innovation, and community impact, highlighting the achievements and contributions of businesses, organizations, and individuals within our West Seattle community.
“The Westside Awards represent the heartbeat of our community’s resilience,” said Rachel Porter, executive director of the West Seattle Chamber. “The Awards showcase the extraordinary contributions of businesses and individuals who make West Seattle such a vibrant, thriving community.”
Mark your calendar for the annual Westside Awards Breakfast to be held in person on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The West Seattle Chamber will honor the award winners as well as the awardee finalists at the Awards Breakfast — event details to follow at wschamber.com.
“Our Chamber has a long history of recognizing leadership,” notes Porter. You can take a look back at the previous Westside Award winners in each category online, by visiting wschamber.com/westside-awards.
16 minutes into that Seattle Channel video, the City Council Transportation Committee – chaired by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka – hears SDOT recap the past eight years of the $930 million Levy to Move Seattle, which expires at the end of this year. (See the slide deck here.) This is a precursor to announcing the plan for the next levy, which Mayor Bruce Harrell said in his State of the City address today that he expects to do in spring. The SDOT contingent briefing the Transportation Committee today was led by director Greg Spotts and Francisca Stefan. They noted that the levy funding comprises almost a third of SDOT’s budget, and that this is the 18th year SDOT has had levy funding. They also noted the levy “pivot” for the pandemic, and then the later course correction to get back on track with its original intent. One program that’s getting back on track is seismic upgrades for bridges – though no new specifics were given, two are pending for West Seattle this year, the Delridge pedestrian overpass and the twin Admiral Way bridges over Fairmount Ravine. (A check of records shows that the contract for the former is about to be awarded, and bidding is still open for the latter.)
It was also noted that one major West Seattle project promised when the Levy to Move Seattle went to the ballot in 2015, known as Fauntleroy Boulevard, remains “paused,” as it has been for six years, since Fauntleroy Way became a possible path for the Sound Transit light-rail extension, which now seems likely to tunnel into The Junction instead. (The project actually was included in a revised version of the levy announced by then-Mayor Ed Murray, two months after the original proposal.) Not mentioned today, but also unfulfilled though it was expected when the levy was passed – Roxbury repaving. (Initial planning happened, but then in 2019 we discovered it was shelved until at least the next levy.)
12:47 PM: Police are helping SFD block off traffic on 40th SW between Hudson and Dawson [map], southeast of The Junction. Fire crews say a 3/4-inch gas line has been severed and they’re evacuating some homes in the area. They’re awaiting Puget Sound Energy to shut off the gas.
1:13 PM: The incident commander has just told dispatch that PSE has arrived and is “assessing.”
1:51 PM: Firefighters have deemed the nearby houses safe to re-enter, and they’re getting ready to leave the scene.
(Rendering by Wittman Estes)
11:34 AM: From today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin, word of a key land-use approval for the Highland Park Improvement Club rebuild. Two and a half years have passed since a fire shut down the community organization’s historic headquarters at 1116 SW Holden, and HPIC has been working ever since to reach the rebuilding stage. They’ve obtained some major grants and other donations, but are still fundraising; meantime, the announcement of this city approval opens a two-week window for appeals of the decision – this notice explains how. You can read the full decision here. We have a message out to HPIC for an update on the project status (this is by no means the last stage of the permit process); meantime, here’s our coverage of their most recent “town hall” about the project, one month ago.
3:22 PM: Responding to our request for comment, HPIC board president Rhonda Smith says this is very good news for the project:
We also received notice this morning that SDCI has approved the MUP [Master Use Permit]. Finally we know that we can proceed with the building permit process without having to make any changes to the design we submitted that triggered the MUP. This is a huge day for HPIC and the community as we were not certain which direction SDCI would take.
We can now finalize the standard building permit set for the project and reactivate plans to remove unusable portions of the building. This involves the architects and our general contractor’s schedules. Demolition work will be the first opportunity for community hands-on involvement on the property since the fire, and will make such a big visual change to the site to get ready for construction.
In addition, we can begin in earnest actively fundraising now that we know the City is on board with this project. As we reported at the January Town Hall, we have about a $2M funding gap. This is where we will be emphasizing our focus this year, along with community outreach and events.
(Monday’s sunset photographed from Alki Pump Station 38 by Dan Ciske)
Here’s what’s scheduled for the rest of your West Seattle Tuesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE PLAYSPACE: Drop in Tuesday mornings 9 am-noon at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).
CITY COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: The second meeting of the committee chaired by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka starts at 9:30 am. Scheduled topics include an update on what’s been funded so far by the Levy to Move Seattle. Here’s the agenda. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
STATE OF THE CITY: Mayor Bruce Harrell delivers his midterm progress report at noon. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP: 2 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Regular weekly meeting of the Seattle City Council, 2 pm. There is a public-comment section – in person or by phone – if there’s something you want to tell the council. The agenda explains how. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
FIREFIGHTER STORY TIME: 3:30 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW), bring the kid(s) to meet firefighters and learn about safety.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration continues at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
LEARN ASL: Free weekly classes, 6 pm at West Seattle’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (4001 44th SW). Start any Tuesday night! Details in our calendar listing.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FREE TRACK RUN: Run with friends old and new! Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 pm.
WEST SEATTLE TOASTMASTERS 832: “Improve your public speaking, communication, and leadership skills” at this online meeting, 6:30 pm.
MAKE POTTERY: 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance to work on your project(s).
AKIRA GALAXY AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Live in-store show, free, all ages, 7 pm. (4559 California SW)
BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Play – free! – Belle of the Balls Bingo hosted by Cookie Couture, 7 pm Tuesdays. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 4: Four places to play Tuesday nights – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW) now has Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
OPEN MIC: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way). 21+.
BINGO AT TALARICO’S: You’re invited to 8 pm bingo every Tuesday. (4718 California SW)
What are you planning? Tell everyone via our event calendar – please email the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends are remembering Jeff Heald. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with the community:
Longtime West Seattle resident Jeff Heald died at his home in Buckeye, Arizona, on 1/3/2024 after a hard-fought battle against a very rare Salivary Gland cancer which metastasized into Lung Cancer.
Jeffrey Stephen Heald was born in Seattle on 9/18/1955 to Charles Heald and Joanne Chicketti Heald, and passed away surrounded by family on 1/3/2024.
Jeff attended Lafayette Elementary School, James Madison Jr. High, West Seattle High School Class of 1974, and finally Western Washington University, Class of 1978. Jeff married Donna Taylor in 1977, and settled in West Seattle, before moving to Mukilteo in 1995. Jeff and Donna had three children, Ryan in 1978, Danielle in 1981, and Jacinta in 1983; sadly Danielle did not survive more than a few hours. Jeff was co-owner of a commercial drywall construction company, Firstline Systems Inc., starting in 1987, where he was also CFO before retiring in 2015. Jeff and Donna had several vacation homes in Arizona over the last 24 years before finally settling full time in the residential community of Verrado in Buckeye.
Jeff loved all sports and played Soccer until he was 60, but his passion was Golf, which he played at least three times a week until he wasn’t physically able last summer. Jeff was also a huge New England Patriots fan for many years and traveled around the country with his family to watch them play.
Jeff loved life, his wife, his children, grandchildren, extended family, and his many friends. Jeff is survived by his wife Donna, son Ryan, daughter Jacinta, grandchildren Olivia and Collin, and great-granddaughter Ava arriving in July, his mother Joanne, sister Jodi Van Campen, numerous nieces and nephews, and extended family and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at The Verrado Golf Course Grille on 2/24/2024. And another will be held in Seattle this Summer, date and time TBD.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, February 20; midwinter break continues for many local schools.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
More showers and a high in the low 50s are in today’s forecast. Sunrise will be at 7:06 am, sunset at 5:39 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here. Monday will be on the regular weekday schedule.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
That’s one of seven windows at Hope Lutheran School‘s future north campus – the former Seattle Lutheran HS – broken by a vandal early this morning. The report and photos are from Hope’s Sally Heit, who says it happened at 1:50 am. “Repairs are underway, but needless to say it is very frustrating.”
She also sent this image of the vandal, who she says matches a photo of a person shown on social media “panhandling at the Jefferson Square Safeway with what is reported to be an aggressive dog (which you can see in the photo; he’s on the guy’s back).”
Police report # for the vandalism is 24-047421.
TUESDAY UPDATE: Here’s security video of the vandal as he threw the rock, twice.
Several readers texted Sunday to ask about the story behind that tent set up in the triangle at Fauntleroy/Oregon known as Fauntleroy Place Park. We weren’t able to go over and talk with its operators yesterday, so we looked late this morning to see if they were back. The park was empty when we went by just after 11 am, but then a reader texted just before sunset that it was there, so we went back. There we found Ben, who told us he’s the “helper” – that the owner was off taking a break. Ben said they are here because it’s a “liberal area” – that they travel up and down the West Coast setting up their tent in liberal areas because that’s where they feel their message, support for former President Donald Trump, needs to get out. He wasn’t sure how long they planned to stay – they might be back tomorrow, or might not. He also said they didn’t have a vendor permit, which is generally required for selling in parks.
(WSB photo)
Those newly striped spaces on the west side of the office building on the northwest corner of Delridge/Dakota are a reminder that the building will soon be home to West Seattle’s driver-licensing office. As announced February 1, this is the new location starting March 1 – officially 2420 SW Dakota – but the office will be closed for a week of moving, so this is the final week at the old location east of Westwood Village, 8830 25th SW. We first reported more than a year ago that the Department of Licensing was seeking a new location because the current one is slated for demolition, with 140+ apartments to be built in its place.
On Saturday, we previewed Alki UCC‘s monthly donation drive, with an urgent call for warm outerwear, with many chilly nights still ahead before the warm season. Today we received this report from Cinda:
Alki UCC reporting in on how wonderful the response was from the West Seattle community due to your feature of our donation drive on the WS Blog. We received many warm coats, as well as hats, gloves, long underwear, blankets, etc. It was so great to greet everyone as they dropped off yesterday, to experience their positive spirits contributing to a deep need in the wider community. Thank you everyone who took the time out to search your closets and to drop by Alki UCC with your donation. Every single piece will go toward making someone a little warmer this month. We appreciate you so much!
We feature various ways to help – donating items, money, and/or time – almost daily, so if you’re having a drive/campaign/event/etc. in which the community can participate, please let us know by sending info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
After a reader tip, we went over to Super Deli Mart (35th/Barton) to check on a report they’d been broken into overnight. Indeed, the telltale broken window told the story. Part of it, anyway – staff told us that the vaping-related items stolen were worth far less than it will cost to replace the window. According to recorded dispatch audio, their security company got an alarm notification around 2:40 am. If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 24-046976.
(WSB photo from Saturday night’s WSHS-Eastside Catholic game)
In case you haven’t seen the update added to our coverage of Saturday night’s West Seattle HS boys’ basketball district-championship game, the time and location are set for the team’s first game in this year’s state competition: 2 pm Saturday (February 24) at Bellevue College (3000 Landerholm Circle SE). They won’t know who they’re playing until tomorrow night – it’ll be the winner of that night’s game between Lincoln HS (Tacoma) and Lake Washington HS. You can buy tickets in advance online here.
UPDATE: Their opponent will be Lincoln.
After a little more than one year in business, Camp West in The Junction (4539 California SW) is expanding its schedule. Toni from Camp West messaged us to say, “Camp West is moving to opening 7 days a week. We will now be open from 4-9 on Monday and Tuesday.” The change starts today. The restaurant/bar remains 21+.
(Photo by James Tilley – ‘Bey the Bald Eagle in a very focused dive’)
6:01 AM: Good morning and welcome to Monday, February 19th, Presidents Day. Here’s what you should know:
TRANSPORTATION
Transit – No Water Taxi service today; Metro is on a regular weekday schedule; no planned state-ferry changes; here’s the Sound Transit holiday plan
Traffic cameras – Here’s our page of West Seattle-relevant cameras; the citywide map is here
Parking – No charge today for pay-station spaces on city streets in neighborhoods with them
OTHER SERVICES
Schools – Closed
Libraries – Closed
Parks facilities – Here’s what’s closed and what’s open
Mail – Holiday for most USPS facilities/services
Banks – Holiday
WEATHER
Mostly cloudy, chance of rain, high in the low 50s.
EVENTS
Check the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – a highlight for tonight is 7 pm comedy at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way) – check here to see if any tickets are left.
If you see news – including traffic trouble – please call or text 206-293-6302 when you can do so safely – thank you!
Noting for the record: From more than a few neighborhoods in north West Seattle, people texted us tonight, wondering about what one reader described as “racing cars and loud bangs,” audible all the way up to Admiral. Reviewing police-radio audio, we note the activity was a summer-size crowd of drivers drawn to Don Armeni Boat Ramp. One police officer dispatched in the 7 pm hour reported back, “There’s too many people here for me to do anything.” But others were sent and before 8 pm, one officer reported that they were planning to close the entrance to Don Armeni, where police estimated hundreds of cars/drivers had gathered. There were no confirmed shots-fired incidents; some cars are modified to generate backfire noise similar to gunshots (early in the evening, eastbound on Roxbury, we were right behind one). No injury incidents logged.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Public safety was first up at the second meeting of the new-era Alki Community Council this past Thursday.
For starters, ACC leaders are inviting you to a free personal-safety-training event the ACC is organizing with Seattle Police crime-prevention experts, 3:30 pm Wednesday, March 13, at West Seattle Library (2306 42nd SW) – here’s the registration link.
Guests from SPD were up first, including crime-prevention coordinator Mark Solomon, who brought trends and data: “2023 was a bad year”; though many categories of crime decreased slightly, all neighborhoods citywide saw a continued rise in auto theft. Alki had more homicides (two) and robberies (nine). Regarding specific recent crimes, the police delegation briefly addressed the one-night wave of Starbucks burglaries; we covered two, Admiral and Alki, but it turns out there was a third that night, 35th/Avalon. The burglars “knew enough to get in but didn’t know Starbucks doesn’t keep cash in the register,” they observed. Solomon said that while there were four assaults logged in Alki in recent weeks, they all involved people known to each other. And there was one “shot fired” incident (February 3rd).
Looking ahead to summer, there was some discussion of how disorder on the beach will be handled. Solomon said that park rangers will be deployed “in the neighborhoods” such as Alki, not just downtown as in years past. The SPD contingent explained that rangers – who will be uniformed in brown vests and brown pants – have powers of “citation and exclusion” but not arrest, and they’re unarmed. So, “if something bad happens, we will go onto the beach.”
One attendee asked about the carjackings in recent months.
SUNDAY: The photo and report are from Juan:
I noticed that a number of bus stops along 16th Ave SW in Highland Park had signs stating the stops were under consideration for closure by Metro. The provide a deadline of February 29, 2024 to submit comments. I have not seen this information provided anywhere else and this came as a complete surprise.
The feedback address on the sign is busstopsw@kingcounty.gov. We’ll be inquiring with Metro on Tuesday (since offices are closed for Presidents Day tomorrow); if you’ve seen closure alerts elsewhere, please let us know.
ADDED MONDAY: We traveled along 16th for a closer look at where the stops are posted for removal. We saw the signs on some – not all – stops from south of Donovan to south of Holden.
If you have questions about the new “pre-pro” soccer team West Seattle Junction FC, which just announced its schedule for home matches at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex this spring and summer, here’s your chance to get answers: The organization will host a community meeting at adjacent Southwest Teen Life Center on February 29th. From the announcement:
West Seattle Junction FC is hosting a community meeting at the Southwest Community Center on 2/29/24 from 4:30-7 pm for any interested parties who wish to hear more about the club or to ask questions of our staff.
WHO: West Seattle Junction FC
WHAT: Community Meeting for those who would like to know about the club or ask questions.
WHERE: Southwest Community Center
WHEN: 4:30 pm – 7 pm on 2/29/2024A new USL League 2 soccer team, West Seattle Junction FC, will be playing their inaugural season May through July of this year at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Center. This Community Meeting will provide an opportunity for people in the community to ask questions about these events. There will be 8 home games this season.
General Game Information:
● We will set-up the field approximately 1 hour to the start and tear down within an hour of each game.
● We will leave the neighborhood as we found it: litter and recycling will be handled professionally.
● During the event hours, we expect between 500-1000 attendees.
● No streets will be closed and our spectators will be encouraged to take public transportation.
● Sound amplification will be limited and non-audible beyond the field. .We are working closely with the City of Seattle Parks Department to minimize the impacts of the event. Our goal is to create an enjoyable and positive experience in the neighborhood.
Junction FC says the meeting will be open-house format – just drop in during that window. See the full announcement, including contact information if you have questions before then, in our calendar listing.
4:16 PM: Avoid Fauntleroy Way just south of Fairmount Playfield for a while – a two-car crash at Fauntleroy/Findlay [map] has blocked northbound Fauntleroy, and police are detouring traffic. No major injuries, but SFD was called in to check out one person with pain from airbag deployment.
4:49 PM: Police have reopened northbound Fauntleroy.
(WSB photo)
When the Seattle Kraken hockey team’s mascot Buoy showed up for story time at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library this morning, children’s librarian Leslie Sumida had the perfect books: “I’m Cool,” featuring a Zamboni (the machine used to smooth the rink for hockey) and “The Three Silly Billies,” starring a troll tending a bridge. We counted about 50 people there (including a few little kids who found Buoy a bit scary!).
Local libraries have regular story times, sometimes with other guests – for example, this Tuesday (February 20th), it’ll be Firefighter Story Time, meant for preschoolers, at 3:30 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW).
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