West Seattle, Washington
06 Tuesday
9:27 PM: Police are searching by ground and air right now for three people suspected in what they’re describing as a “home-invasion robbery” in the 3600 block of California SW [vicinity map]. The descriptions broadcast so far are a white man, 18, 6′, 190 pounds, white Nike Tech sweatshirt (whose identity may be known), armed with a bb gun; a Black male (age not mentioned), 5’8″, slim, all-black clothing, red Jordan shoes, armed with a hammer; and a Hispanic male (age not mentioned), 6 feet tall, white shoes.
9:46 PM: The helicopter moved on as they’d exhausted the possibilities, plus there was a lag of up to half an hour between when the robbery happened and when it was reported. But officers are still searching on the ground, including checking for video cameras in the area.
FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: We asked SPD for whatever summary/narrative they have. So far: “At (9:08 pm), the victims were inside their apartment located at the 3600 block of California Ave SW. Three (people) entered through the front door and began grabbing items inside the apartment. (They) grabbed the victims’ cell phones, long BB gun, and marijuana products. The victims were able to recover their cell phones, and the (robbers) exited the apartment. Patrol, K9 and Guardian 1 responded to the scene. The suspects weren’t located. The SPD Robbery Unit was notified about the incident. This is an open and ongoing investigation.”
(WSB photo),
Never mind the weather – it’s a taste of summer tonight at Husky Deli in The Junction: First night of the season for its evening ice-cream window. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays – for starters – when the store closes at 7, the ice-cream window opens for sidewalk-side access, until 9. Husky Deli proprietor Jack Miller laughed at the weather’s refusal to behave for the window’s opening night, but noted with his usual sunny disposition that warmer, drier weather is due back soon.
(Added: Google Street View image)
Thanks to the multiple readers who sent word that they’ve received an announcement of Gentle Dental closing its office in the strip mall at 35th/Fauntleroy. Gentle Dental is part of a chain with more than 100 locations, mostly on the West Coast; the chain announced its affiliation with what was Smiles by Bond at that location in 2015. Today’s emailed announcement says the closure is effective tomorrow and refers patients to the Capitol Hill Gentle Dental office (206-757-2896) for account inquiries and “seamless transition of (their) dental records.” No reason is given for the closure.
With the weekend approaching, a few updates if you hadn’t checked our lists lately:
(WSB file photo)
EGG HUNTS: Four parks, one church, and one beer garden (Ounces, which is also bringing in the Dick’s Drive-In burgers-and-shakes truck) on Saturday, six churches on Saturday – here’s our updated list.
SUNRISE (AND OTHER) SERVICES: On Easter Sunday, our list now includes three sunrise services – on Alki Beach at 6:30 am with the pastors of all three local UCC churches, at Forest Lawn at 6:30 am with the West Seattle Ministerial Association, and at Westcrest Park at 6:45 am with All Souls. A variety of other services are on our list (which also includes Holy Week services in the days ahead of Easter); if your church hasn’t yet sent information, it’s not too late – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photo, December 2023)
West Seattle’s only emergency shelter – powered by donations and volunteers – is moving into spring mode. Its manager Keith Hughes sent a list of its current needs:
I want to thank the West Seattle Community for their generous and continuous support of our efforts to make a difference in the lives of those experiencing Homelessness in the West Seattle community.
For the springtime we are running the Morning Warm-Up Center every day from 7:30 am to 10 am, with breakfast, shower, and laundry available. Our current needs to sustain this effort are:
Regular oatmeal, instant oatmeal, instant hot chocolate, pancake mix, pancake syrup, cornbread mix, tea bags, 12-ounce hot cups (paper, no lids please), regular paper napkins, laundry detergent pods, toilet paper, paper towels.
You can take donations to the shelter at 3618 SW Alaska.
STOLEN SUV: From Jennifer:
(Photo altered to obscure face)
Our 2002 white GMC Denali was stolen from in front of our house this morning around 6:15 am. We live on Holly Pl SW and Fauntleroy Way SW. License plate number is AFN5614. Police report: 24-084094.
TRUCK-THEFT VICTIM: Just a few blocks south of there, near The Kenney, one of its workers’ trucks was stolen recently. Rick from The Kenney’s new management company says the victim is crowdfunding for help:
I’m sure you’ve heard about a couple of vehicle thefts that have occurred in the neighborhood around The Kenney. One of the thefts involved a vehicle owned by one of our staff members, Erick. Seattle Police were able to recover his truck but with substantial damages. Erick is working to help support his parents in Eritrea and the repairs are over $4,000. We are supporting his fundraiser on GoFundMe to help cover the costs.
STOLEN LAPTOP: Sent by Beth:
I had my car broken into at the Westwood Target (Wednesday) evening. I made the mistake of leaving my work bag on the floorboards of my front passenger seat while I ran in to grab a pickup order. While I’m sure my belongings are long gone, thought it was worth a mention as I was parked very, very close to the front of the lot/ front of the store so this seemed incredibly ballsy.
I’ve shopped/parked here a million times and never imagined I’d be in this situation so if it can save someone else the headache to be extra careful, at least there is some solace in that.
On the off chance it shows up as dumped somewhere, the most important thing that was stolen was a Microsoft Surface Pro 9. It was in a black carrier inside a pink/beige Anthropologie bag. It’s password protected, so if someone happened to find it I can prove ownership.
(Tulip, photographed by Janelle Otterholt)
Here’s what’s up today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
HOLY WEEK SERVICES: Our list includes services tonight at many of the 14 churches who have sent us their schedules.
FREE PLAYSPACE: Drop-in space open at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau) until noon.
DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: Get food from MOD Pizza at Westwood Village 10:30 am-11 pm, use the special code in our calendar listing, and part of the proceeds will benefit the West Seattle High School softball team.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Wine bar and tasting room open 1-6 pm at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com for info on where they’re playing today.
SOUND TRANSIT BOARD: 1:30 pm meeting includes scheduled vote on “early property acquisitions” for West Seattle light-rail extension. The agenda explains how to comment and how to attend, either online or in-person downtown.
STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm class at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: Every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Tummy Yummy Thai.
FREE ECO-ARTS CLASS: New time – 5-7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – you’re invited to drop in!
VISCON CELLARS: The West Seattle winery’s tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Future Primitive Beer Bar (2536 Alki SW) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run – more in our calendar listing.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: 6:30 pm, meet at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) for a 3-mile run through the neighborhood. (Walking option, too!)
BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: Online meeting at 6:30 pm with topics including the East Marginal Way project that’s now under construction. Connection info is in our calendar listing.
PARKS BOARD: The Seattle Board of Parks Commissioners‘ agenda for tonight (6:30 pm, online or at Parks HQ downtown) includes a final vote on the off-leash-area plan that includes a new dog park at West Seattle Stadium.
‘MEAN GIRLS: THE MUSICAL’: Opening night for West Seattle High School‘s new production, 7 pm. Ticket info is in our calendar listing.
THURSDAY NIGHT TRIVIA: Burger Planet (9614 14th SW) in White Center now has Thursday night trivia at 7 pm – prizes!
Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in daily preview lists like this one? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
You might already have seen this in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – PFLAG is expanding to West Seattle. Now we have the group’s announcement with full details:
PFLAG Seattle, an organization dedicated to supporting, educating and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them, is excited to announce that, starting in April, it will add a fourth monthly meeting to its roster with a group that will meet in person in West Seattle. With this fourth meeting, PFLAG Seattle now offers a meeting every week of the month.
PFLAG support meetings provide a comfortable and confidential atmosphere of openness where parents, families, friends, and LGBTQ+ individuals can share their experiences and support each other with love and pride.
Cori Luckenbach (above left) and Debbie Gordon (right) will co-facilitate the meetings. Andrew Conley-Holcom (above right), pastor at a North Admiral church, will host them.
“I have wanted North Admiral to have structured opportunities to discuss gender, sexuality, and intersectional liberation for as long as I’ve been here,” said Andrew. “I am over the moon excited to work with Cori to bring PFLAG to this wonderful neighborhood.”
Andrew identifies as a cisgendered heterosexual white man, who is seeking to build authentic relationships and shared power within North Admiral. His wife grew up in a queer family, and he has seen the impact groups like PFLAG can have on a young person’s sense of self, family, community, and worthiness.
The two facilitators of the West Seattle meeting are varied in their life experiences and backgrounds. This should work well to support the PFLAG community in West Seattle.
Cori Luckenbach lives and works in West Seattle. She is the owner of Bebop Waffle Shop and has spent the last 10 years employing and making safe space for all spectrums of genders and sexuality. Cori grew up queer in Seattle and has been married to her wife for the last seven years, raising their 9-year-old son. She is now looking for ways to work directly with her community. She lived in New York City for four years and was art director at GO NYC, a lesbian lifestyle magazine. She also co-created One Million Tampons where they raised menstrual products for people in need. Cori wants to give back, learn and “help others find love, acceptance, and celebration. All people benefit from the expansion of queer definitions and experience. What a beautiful time to grow up in the revolution of gender and who we are as humans.”
Debbie Gordon is an experienced PFLAG facilitator who will assist Cori and Andrew. Debbie is the mom of an adult transgender person. In the 10 years since her kid came out as non-binary, Debbie has learned that she is a pretty typical PFLAG mom. She loves her kid to pieces and wants to support them any way she can. She found PFLAG Seattle when she was looking for answers and community — she found both in PFLAG. She is happy to be working with Cori and Andrew in expanding the PFLAG community to West Seattle.
The first meeting of the West Seattle PFLAG group will be Tuesday, April 16, from 7:30 p.m to 9 p.m. and will continue every month on the third Tuesday. If you are interested in attending, go to the PFLAG Seattle website (https://www.pflagseattle.org/) and register. Registration is required for each meeting to ensure a safe space. Location details for the meeting will be provided upon registering.
Other PFLAG Seattle meetings occur in person in Renton on the first Wednesday of the month, online and in person in Capitol Hill on the second Monday of the month, and online on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Thursday, March 28, and it’s Opening Day for the Mariners – which means extra traffic in the stadium zone before and after the 7:10 pm M’s game vs. Boston. (And possibly a flyover.)
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Will the T-Mobile Park roof be open or closed? Hard to tell, given the showery forecast, with possible pm thundershowers again, high in the low 50s. Sunrise will be at 6:54 am, sunset at 7:34 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here. Two days now until the twice-yearly “service change” takes effect Saturday (March 30); here’s our look at West Seattle changes. (And if you’re taking the bus to/from the baseball game, here’s info.)
Water Taxi today – Metro will run the West Seattle Water Taxi late for the Mariners’ opening homestand. 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. 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 our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
(WSB photo)
Thanks to this WSB commenter for mentioning that those “no parking” signs had been placed near the 1st/Cloverdale encampment, one day after a gunfire report led to this arrest and weapon seizure. We’ve reported before on the encampment, which is on both state and city land; representatives of both governments said at last month’s meeting of HPAC, the nearest community coalition, that a resolution was in the works. After hearing about the “no parking” signs today, we checked with WSDOT spokesperson James Poling, who replied, “Our collaborative monthslong work with our partners at this site has led to the final steps of a site resolution taking place at this location, with the city’s no parking signs part of that process.” The signs are marked with the dates March 29 (Friday) through April 2 (Tuesday). HPAC also says they’ve been told the site will be cleared within a week.
TC reports seeing mail theft happen just before 4 pm today:
Two men smashed the window on the mail truck parked on my block and drove away with a tray of mail. The men were white but I couldn’t say how old they are or anything like that. Both wore face masks and hoodies pulled up. I got a picture of their SUV and submitted a police report online, and I talked with the postal worker and helped clean up the glass.
We’re at 47th and Andover. The mail carrier told me that there’s a shortage of mail trucks because so many are out of commission, waiting on window replacements.
… the answer is “tentatively.” A few readers asked us if a flyover is planned tomorrow night as the M’s open the season vs. the Boston Red Sox (7:10 pm Thursday, T-Mobile Park), so we asked the team. M’s spokesperson Sarah Alamshaw replied, “Weather dependent, there will be a flyover tomorrow.” Right now, the late-afternoon weather looks unsettled, like today, but we’ll see how things go. We don’t know (yet) which aircraft will be waiting in the wings – but we’re checking around and will add to this whenever we find out. (Last year, the flyover featured helicopters from Joint Base Lewis-McChord‘s 16th Combat Aviation Brigade.)
The long-in-the-works East Marginal Way Corridor Improvement Project has begun, on a path many West Seattleites take into downtown. If you have questions, the West Seattle Transportation Coalition‘s meeting Thursday is the place to get answers – SDOT will be at the online meeting to talk about the project. The agenda for WSTC’s every-other-month meeting also includes a representative from the office of City Councilmember Rob Saka, who chairs the council’s Transportation Committee. All are welcome at the 6:30 pm meeting; see our calendar listing for online/phone connection information.
The West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) is taking the first step toward expanding its hours, a key community request in the past few months’ discussion of the location’s future. Here’s the flyer in circulation today:
(Reader photo)
West Seattle/Fauntleroy Y branch executive Cleveland King tells WSB that the April 1 change will be a “soft open,” giving members the chance to adjust their schedules to new hours (50 percent more than the hours Fauntleroy’s been open in recent years). He says they’ll also be announcing new programs when the expanded hours are finalized in mid-April. And he says community members can help by showing support: “As we continue to grow, we will need the community to re-engage with our Fauntleroy YMCA.”
ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY REPORT: Just received – this West Seattle teenager is missing (updated flyer):
That’s all the information we have right now – will add anything more, including the police report #, when we get it.
ADDED THURSDAY: The police report number is 24-079360. We received an updated flyer today and substituted it for the original one.
SATURDAY: The flyer has been updated again.
Today we welcome Just in Case Disaster Preparedness Services as a new WSB sponsor – here’s what to know about what they can do for you:
Alice Kuder is on a mission. She wants every household in West Seattle to be prepared for the next, inevitable, natural disaster. Her goal is to see an emergency Flee Bag™ in every home.
A Flee Bag™ (aka, Go Kit or Bug-out Bag) is a portable tote such as a duffle bag, backpack or luggage containing basic emergency supplies to get you through the first 1-3 days following a disaster. And assembling a Flee Bag™ is a first, important step toward disaster preparedness.
“Everyone wants to be prepared for disasters, but many, if not most people allow fear and procrastination to prevent them from taking even the first steps,” Alice explains. “It’s just human nature. It may not be completely rational, but disaster preparedness has a lot in common with buying insurance and writing a will. Everyone knows that they are things you should do, but sometimes we get afraid that preparing for bad things will bring them on. It’s not true, of course, but that fear is still an obstacle. In reality, preparation provides peace of mind.”
Alice founded her business, Just in Case, to help people surmount those common hurdles and propel them toward preparing for disasters.
One means of achieving her goal of “a Flee Bag™ in every home” is to offer a series of free, Ready Freddy Prep Parties at various times and locations throughout West Seattle. Participants are invited to BYOB (bring your own bag) and begin creating Flee Bags™ on the spot with inexpensive supplies she will make available at cost.
The first prep party will be 7 PM Easter Sunday, March 31 at West Seattle Coworking, 9030 35th Ave SW. The second will be 7 PM, Sunday, April 7 at The Missing Piece Cafe, 9456 35th Ave SW.
Alice is also a residential real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway Northwest Real Estate. She sees a symbiotic relationship between selling homes and making them safe for their inhabitants. Her passion for promoting preparedness is obvious. “The resources for DIY disaster preparedness are easy to find online, but they are scattered all over the internet and none of them do a good job of helping you figure out how to customize a plan for your particular situation. One-size-fits-all emergency supply kits really don’t cut it.”
The Just in Case website offers a combination of free resources and paid services. The free, downloadable resources (e.g. supply checklists) make it possible for most anyone to do their own preparations. The paid services are intended for those who lack the time, energy and interest to do it on their own.
“Just in Case is a truly unique approach to helping with disaster preparedness, in that I meet with clients one-on-one in their homes, and conduct a Readiness Assessment. Together, we review what they have, what they need, what they know and what they need to learn in order to be fully prepared for the next disaster. Following that assessment, we tour their home and property to determine where they can store the supplies and where to shelter in each room if the ground starts to shake.”
But the service doesn’t stop there.
“After the in-home visit, I prepare a customized action plan, dividing the tasks up into manageable chunks over the course of eight weeks. I check in with the homeowners at the beginning of each week to see what they have accomplished, and what’s on their list for the coming week. Most people tell me that this accountability significantly contributes to their success.”
You may recognize Alice as the orchestrator of the free community events Winter Wander Scavenger Hunt and Summer Scramble Treasure Hunt, both of which entice hundreds of West Seattelites to participants each year. Why does she sponsor these events for free? “It’s my way of giving back to a community that I love. I don’t have kids of my own, so my neighbors are even more like family to me. ”
Alice admits that maintaining the “free” aspect is more challenging as she heads into her lower-income, retirement years. She is counting on Just in Case to succeed and produce the income necessary to “keep all these balls in the air.”
“The folks in the Office of Emergency Management tell us that it is likely to be at least two weeks before the public can expect to get any help following a major earthquake. A real catastrophe will require everyone working together and sharing resources, so when one person prepares for emergencies, it benefits us all. I want Just in Case to be a valued leader in our community’s efforts to be prepared, not scared.”
We thank Just in Case Disaster Preparedness Services for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here; email patrick@wsbsales.com for info on joining the team!
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11:30 AM: SPD has released information today on the Tuesday investigation that blocked traffic at 1st/Cloverdale, alongside Highway 509, as mentioned by a commenter following our daily traffic roundup. Police say it started as a domestic-violence report just before 6 am. Officers talked to a woman near “an RV trailer close to an encampment” who reported that she was almost hit by a bullet when a man shot at her. They arrested the suspect “after several calls for others to come out of the RV” and booked him into jail, eventually recovering the weapons shown below in a photo from SPD, which describes them as “an AR-15 without a serial number, a bow gun, arrow, and ammunition.”
Police say the suspect is “lawfully prohibited from having any guns.” We are checking on his status; since he was booked yesterday, he would likely be scheduled for a bail/probable-cause hearing today. The victim was not injured.
12:28 PM: The suspect is still in jail, and we discovered in past court documents that he was already wanted in another case in which he is charged, so we are identifying him: 42-year-old Pascual Ferrer-Gonzalez, whose last known address on one document was in Burien. That other case is an auto theft in which he was charged in October 2021 but had yet to go to trial – there’s a long case history online; we downloaded some of the documents. He was found with the stolen car on I-5 in SeaTac in December 2020, and charged in October 2021. (One document notes that was two months after he was convicted in an assault, domestic violence, and burglary case.) He didn’t appear for arraignment in the auto-theft case, so a warrant was issued, and he was arrested two months later. Judge Veronica Galvan granted his release on personal recognizance. Various case delays ensued; he ended up in jail again for four weeks last November and December, until he was granted release again on personal recognizance, this time by Judge Johanna Bender, on condition he show up for a day-reporting program. A little over a week later, court documents show, he didn’t, so another arrest warrant was issued. He didn’t show up for a hearing this past January, either, so a warrant from that hearing was still in effect when he was arrested yesterday.
7:55 PM: We don’t yet have the documents from this afternoon’s hearing, but the jail docket shows Ferrer-Gonzalez’s bail is now set at $305,000 – that’s $5,000 for the unresolved auto-theft case, $300,000 for this new case.
(Barred Owl – staying out of the rain? – photographed on Bonair by Nathan May)
Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are reminders for the rest of today/tonight:
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY CLOSURE: All branches are closed today for a staff in-service day. Book drops remain open.
HOLY WEEK SERVICES: Our list is here; there’s still time to send your church’s list (westseattleblog@gmail.com).
DROP-IN CREATIVITY: Bring your art/craft project to West Side Presbyterian Church (3605 California SW) 9:30-11:30 am Wednesdays!
TODDLER READING TIME: Wednesdays at 10:30 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
FREE TODDLER GYM: 3-5 pm drop-in playspace at the Salvation Army Center in South Delridge (9050 16th SW).
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Repair your broken item instead of replacing it! Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
‘MEAN GIRLS’ FUNDRAISER AT CORNER POCKET: 6-8 pm, have a special drink (21+) at Corner Pocket (California/Alaska) in The Junction, and part of the proceeds will benefit West Seattle High School‘s new production (which opens tomorrow!).
FREE GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for the weekly free group run, 6 pm.
FREE ART CLASS: Watercolor mixed-media class, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), 6-8 pm.
TRIVIA x 4: Four places to play tonight. At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) offers trivia … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night begins at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
HPAC HANGOUT: No presentations on the agenda for the Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge community coalition this month – just an hour to hang out online and talk about whatever’s on your mind, 7-8 pm. Connection info and other community notes can be found here.
PIANO MUSIC AT OTTER ON THE ROCKS: 7 pm-10 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
If you’re planning a presentation, meeting, performance, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, etc., and it’s open to the community, please send us info for West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
10:04 AM: Transient killer whales are in Elliott Bay again on this rainy morning – off Duwamish Head, Kersti Muul reports. Let us know if you see them.
11:16 AM: See comments for updates!
Family and friends are remembering Jo Oss. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community:
Mary Jo Reichelt Oss was greeted by our Lord on March 14, 2022 and was reunited with her husband Richard, son Rick and Brother Edward. She was 90 years old.
Jo was a lifetime resident of West Seattle and Arbor Heights. She was an active member of West Side Presbyterian Church until her later years. She was a member for almost 70 years.
Jo started working when her children were little, doing home typing. She then worked for many years at a finance company. She finished her career with City of Seattle. Jo worked for the City of Seattle for over 25 years and was an Administrative Assistant to three Seattle mayors.
After she retired, she volunteered weekly at West Side Presbyterian Church and the Seattle Aquarium.
Her favorite activity was gardening and you could always find her outside tending the hundreds of roses in her yard.
She was an advocate of animal rights and supported many animal rescue centers such as Seattle Humane and Best Friends. Her home was never without a kitty or two.
Jo was also a baker. She enjoyed keeping family and friends well stocked with cookies, especially chocolate chip. Her home would fill with the tantalizing smell of Christmas cookies every December.
She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Her last 14 months were under the loving care at Florence of Seattle.
She is survived by son David and Debi Oss, daughter Michele and John Malgren, grandson Ryan and Jessica (Meadowe, Maxim), granddaughter Allison and Scott (Macieo, Jack, Eleanor, Lainey and Andrew), granddaughter Lynnette and Craig (Orin, Karis), and granddaughter Olenna and David (Ezra and Georgie).
It is hard to sum up the life of a remarkable woman in just a few words. Jo is so missed and loved forever.
(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)
6:02 AM: Good morning. It’s Wednesday, March 27.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Rain, maybe some pm thunder, high in the mid-50s. Sunrise will be at 6:56 am, sunset at 7:33 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here. Don’t forget – the twice-yearly “service change” happens on Saturday (March 30); here’s our breakout of West Seattle changes.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is. Also: Metro will run the West Seattle Water Taxi late for the Mariners’ opening homestand.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes. 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 our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
Police, including a K-9 team, are searching for two people who held up the Harbor Avenue 7-11 shortly after midnight. They’re described as two Black men in their early 20s, (revised) one about 6′ and the other around 5’9″, slim to medium build, wearing black hoodies, face masks, and jeans, both armed with handguns, one with a black backpack with “rainbow numbers reading either 100 or 1,000.” They were last seen leaving on foot northbound on Harbor. If you have any information, the incident number 24-082819.
10:04 PM: A report of a water break at EC Hughes Playground has police first on the scene, with an officer saying the break is “flooding the whole park.” Dispatch is reporting it to Seattle Public Utilities.
10:39 PM: Officers just reported to dispatch that the water’s been turned off.
11:59 PM: Thanks to “Sunrise Heights” for sending the video and photo, added above.
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