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    CLOSURE AHEAD: Plan for dump station shutdown

Brown water in Junction, Admiral
May 15, 2024 6:45 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

Two reports of West Seattle brown water late today – one from The Junction, one from Admiral. The Junction tipster says the city told them it’s definitely hydrant testing; no incidents on the Seattle Public Utilities water-trouble map, so that may well be the cause in Admiral too. But if it happens to you, please report to SPU – 206-386-1800. (What discolors the water is sediment disturbed in the lines by activity such as hydrant use; it’s primarily rust.)

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Seattle Public Schools closures/consolidations? Here’s the date for the district’s West Seattle meeting about ‘well-resourced schools’ concept
May 15, 2024 6:16 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

When announcing that its plan for possible school closures/consolidations was getting closer, Seattle Public Schools said it would have a series of community meetings in May/June. Now the list of dates/times is out, including Saturday, June 1, 10:30 am at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle). As reported after the SPS board’s latest meeting, they’re only considering closing elementary schools to create “a system of well-resourced schools,” but that could mean 20 closures citywide. The district is offering this form for RSVPs and questions. Exactly what they’ll present isn’t clear, as the specific list of possible closures/consolidations isn’t expected to be given to the board before June 10th.

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Delridge Farmers’ Market returns this Saturday
May 15, 2024 4:45 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, Delridge Farmers’ Market, May 2023)

If you haven’t already seen this in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – the Delridge Farmers’ Market is returning this year, for five months of Saturday sessions, starting this weekend (May 18). We just received the full announcement:

The Delridge Farmers Market, a cornerstone of this Seattle neighborhood, is proud to announce its highly anticipated fourth season, from May 18th to October 26th, 2024. This vibrant community market is organized by African Community Housing & Development (ACHD) and prioritizes BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) entrepreneurship and access to fresh, healthy, and culturally relevant foods in Southwest Seattle.

Nestled at 9241 18th Ave SW, between SW Cambridge St and SW Roxbury St, the market welcomes locals and visitors every Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. It offers a diverse array of locally sourced produce, flowers, prepared food from global chefs, artisan goods, and more. The market is spearheaded by ACHD, a Black-women-led nonprofit serving King County’s African Diaspora. Bilan Aden, Vice President of ACHD, emphasized the market’s role as a social and economic nexus, stating, “We are proud to cultivate a welcoming market that supports our small businesses. We look forward to seeing everyone come together and support our local vendors.”

The Delridge Farmers Market is a vital resource, bridging the gap in this neighborhood’s access to healthy produce and resources. In 2023, over 25,000 pounds of free produce and over $33,000 worth of basic needs (i.e. diapers, hygiene and personal care products, etc.) were distributed to families in need. Additionally, health and wellness pop-ups, vaccine clinics, blood pressure checks, and health education workshops are available.

In alignment with its mission of inclusivity, the market provides free produce bags and accepts various forms of food assistance, including SNAP/EBT, Fresh Bucks, and WIC/Senior FMNP. Additionally, the Kid Bucks Program ensures every child attending the market receives a $5 voucher to spend on nutritious food. The Delridge Farmers Market invites everyone to celebrate local businesses, foster community connections, and support a healthier, more equitable Southwest Seattle.

For more information about the Delridge Farmers Market or African Community Housing & Development, visit their website at achdo.org/delridgefarmersmarket.

On its opening day this Saturday, the market is also part of the One Seattle Day of Service, and Mayor Harrell is expected to visit in the early going.

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More summer-music news! Admiral Neighborhood Association sets concert dates and reveals new series name
May 15, 2024 3:19 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo, July 2023 Admiral concert crowd)

In addition to the West Seattle Summer Fest music lineup announced this morning by the Junction Association, we have more summer concert news, this time from last night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association gathering. The longrunning concert series is now AMP – Admiral Music in the Parks! They’re still on Thursday nights – three this year, July 18, July 25, and August 1; Hiawatha is out of play this year due to construction, so the venues will be Hamilton Viewpoint, Belvedere Park, and California Place Park. They haven’t finalized the performer lineup yet. (ANA also will present music as part of the August 24th Admiral Funktion block party, and the organization also is now coordinating the West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade, led by Megan Erb. All these events welcome volunteer help and donations/sponsorships!)

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DEVELOPMENT: Teardown time for long-vacant Highland Park house
May 15, 2024 1:26 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Thanks for the tips. This is the site of a long-awaited demolition in Highland Park – one of the vacant houses at 9th/Henderson, the subject of numerous complaints as well as fire calls. It was originally among the holdings of the late prolific real-estate investor Harvey Rowe but most recently, records show, it changed hands again three months ago, attributed to foreclosure. The status of permit applications for a 12-townhouse development on the 13,000+-square-foot site isn’t clear – they were originally filed almost two years ago before the ownership change; there are townhouse proposals for the parcels to the north, too.

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Months-long closure of Fairmount Avenue part of Admiral Way Bridge project plan
May 15, 2024 11:29 am
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

As promised, last night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association community gathering brought new information about the Admiral Way Bridge earthquake-strengthening project – one of two seismic retrofits planned in West Seattle this year (the other, the Delridge/Oregon foot/bike overpass, is already under way). An SDOT rep, Dr. Matthew Howard, was at the meeting. Though ANA was not able to display his slide deck, we received a copy from SDOT (see it here, with selected slides below). First, a bit of background – as noted previously, this bridge is actually two bridges:

At the time of our most-recent update, published in March 2023, SDOT said the project would be completed this year. That timeline has slid a bit – they’re now expecting to start in June, but with an expected duration of up to nine months, it’ll stretch into 2025.

The points that generated the most discussion at the meeting involved the traffic effects expected while the work is under way – including a total closure of Fairmount Avenue beneath the bridge(s), for the entirety of the project:

The Fairmount closure drew more interest than the lane and bridge closures planned up top. Detour plans are yet to be finalized, Howard said, so he promised to get back to the group with more information about those. Same goes, he said, for neighbors on the streets closest to the bridge – they’ll get route plans but not until the work is close to starting.

He also was asked about the contractor and cost and said neither was finalized yet. (However, the city’s bidding website says the project has been awarded to Max J. Kuney Co., total base price $7.1 million.)

P.S. We’ll report on the rest of the ANA meeting’s toplines – primarily focused on the summer events the group is presenting – later.

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MUSIC: See the West Seattle Summer Fest 2024 main-stage lineup!
May 15, 2024 10:07 am
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(2023 photo by Paul Weatherman, Summer Fest stage/beer garden area on California north of Oregon)

Now just under two months until the biggest West Seattle party of the year – Summer Fest! It’s presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, Friday-Sunday, July 12-14 this year, and WSJA has just released the main-stage music schedule. Again this year, the main stage will be on California north of Oregon, with performances Friday and Saturday (Sunday, that’s where you’ll find the Farmers’ Market). Here’s the lineup!

FRIDAY

3:00 Quid Quo
4:00 Bexley
5:00 Low Hums
6:00 Angry Blackmen
7:00 The Little Lies
8:00 La Fonda
9:00 Girl Trouble
10:00 The Long Winters

SATURDAY

11:00 Mode Music Studios Showcase
12:00 School of Rock
1:00 NOVACHROME
2:00 Bouquets
3:00 Society of the Silver Cross
4:00 Frond
5:00 Johnny Nails
6:00 Chimurenga Renaissance
7:00 M.Krebs
8:00 Bowie/Rex & His Boogie Army
9:00 Walking Papers
10:00 Sonny & the Sunsets

The festival also will include a smaller stage, plus vendors, food/drink, an expanded kids’ area, and more – we’ll bring you more updates in the weeks ahead!

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12 options for your West Seattle Wednesday
May 15, 2024 9:40 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Caspian Tern and Crow at Alki, photographed by James Tilley)

Here’s what’s up for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

LOCAL YARN STORES TOUR: Seattle Yarn (2701 California SW) is participating again this year!

DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: Get food from MOD Pizza at Westwood Village today and part of the proceeds go to White Center Heights Elementary – this flyer explains.

TODDLER READING TIME: 10:30 am Wednesdays at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).

FIX-IT WORKSHOP: DO fix what IS broke, to reconfigure the saying. Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).

WEST SEATTLE KIWANIS HOSTS STATE SENATOR: 6 pm dinner meeting of the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle features State Sen. Joe Nguyen, at Great American Diner and Bar (4752 California SW). All welcome – please RSVP to Denis at 206-601-4136 or dsapiro@live.com. “There will be a question and answer period. Attendees are encouraged to arrive prior 6 PM to order off the regular menu.”

FREE ART CLASS: Watercolor mixed-media class, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), 6-8 pm.

FREE GROUP RUNS: The weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run welcomes all levels, 6:15 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).

LISTENING PARTY AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Hear The Avett Brothers’ new album, 6 pm. (4559 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)

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 so we can get it onto West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WHALE SIGHTING: Humpback off West Seattle
May 15, 2024 8:57 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales

8:57 AM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the alert – a baleen whale (gray or humpback, generally) is northbound off Brace Point, “very close to shore.” Let us know if you see it!

10:28 AM: Kersti says it’s a humpback, now off Constellation Park.

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK, WEATHER: Wednesday FYIs
May 15, 2024 6:01 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, May 15.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Partly sunny, high in the low 70s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:31 am; sunset will be at 8:41 pm.

ROAD-WORK ALERTS

*SDOT says the permanent Highland Park Way/Holden signals are now working. But they have to repair the sidewalk at the intersection’s northwest corner, restripe the road, and rebuild the curb ramps to fix accessibility issues.

*PSE’s Beach Drive gas-pipeline project could start this week.

*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon:

WEEKEND ADVANCE ALERT

Harbor and Alki Avenues will be closed approximately 8-11 am Sunday morning for the West Seattle 5K.

TRANSIT NOTES

Metro today – Regular schedule; check for advisories here.

Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is. (ADDED LATE: The Water Taxi *is* running late tonight for the Rolling Stones concert.)

Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Low bridge: Open.

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):

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 open for vessel traffic. (SDOT says it’s working on the low-bridge absence from the feed.)

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!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 1 person shot on Harbor Avenue, after gunfire on Beach Drive
May 15, 2024 12:46 am
|      42 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

12:46 AM: Police are arriving in the 1100 block of Harbor Avenue, where a man is reported to have been shot in the leg. The four suspects are said to have fled southbound on Harbor in a black Acura MDX with no plates and tinted windows. Police are investigating whether this is related to a report that someone was shot at on Beach Drive by a black SUV with four people inside.

(Reader photo via text, Harbor Avenue scene)

12:49 AM: Officers just told dispatch they have found several casings at the Harbor Avenue scene. They’re closing the street in both directions while they investigate.

(Reader photo via text, Harbor Avenue scene)

12:53 AM: Police told dispatch they now do believe the two are related. The black Acura is reported to have one headlight out. Officers say they’ve found 23 casings; SFD is treating the injured person, who they say has “minor injuries to the ankle.” The Beach Drive gunfire location, meantime, is described as near Andover.

1:04 AM: Officers investigating the Beach Drive report say they’ve found one casing so far, in the 4000 block. … Minutes later, a second one near Carroll (Weather Watch Park cross-street).

1:24 AM: Now the Beach Drive investigation is “up to five casings.” Meantime, the Harbor Avenue victim is reported to have had injuries so relatively minor that he declined to be taken to a hospital.

ADDED MONDAY: SPD summarized the incident on its SPD Blotter website over the weekend. As we noted in a followup mention Friday in our report on the Alki Community Council’s meeting, it appears the one person who was injured was shot after a traffic-related dispute.

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Former high-level SDOT manager departs Councilmember Rob Saka’s staff
May 15, 2024 12:44 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

After less than four months, former high-level SDOT manager Heather Marx is no longer working in District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s office. This was revealed by an auto-response message local community leaders received earlier this week after CC’ing Marx on email to Saka. We asked him about it at Tuesday night’s public-safety forum in South Park; he would only say, “Not going to comment on personnel matters.” That’s similar to a response we received from a council-staff spokesperson at day’s end, that “Heather Marx is no longer employed with the Seattle City Council. We can’t comment further on personnel matters at this time, though.” Marx, a West Seattle resident, had been serving as policy adviser, a role in which her SDOT background had been considered important, since Saka chairs the council’s Transportation Committee and is also leading the full-council Select Committee vetting the transportation levy. Marx led the West Seattle Bridge repair project 2020-2022 and then worked for SPD for a year and a half before joining Saka’s staff. Her online resume now describes her as self-employed.

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Light turnout for city’s West Seattle/South Park public-safety forum
May 14, 2024 11:23 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Safety | South Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

By Sean Golonka
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Residents from across West Seattle and South Park expressed concerns about community safety and a desire to see more alternatives to policing at a city-convened public forum tonight, but most people in attendance described feeling at least somewhat safe in their neighborhood.

Among the few dozen attendees — who reported hailing from all over the area, South Park to Alki — 32 people responded to a poll at the event asking how safe they feel in their neighborhood, with 12% selecting “very safe,” 51% “somewhat safe,” 15% “somewhat unsafe,” and 6% “very unsafe.”

The forum held at Concord International Elementary in South Park was one of four community-safety forums held by the mayor’s office, with a fifth and final forum scheduled in Queen Anne later this week.

The Tuesday forum offered local residents a chance to speak with staff from about a dozen city agencies, including Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Seattle Department of Transportation, and was designed for local government officials to collect feedback meant to shape the One Seattle Safety Framework.

The framework, which has not yet been released, will guide the city’s strategic approach to public safety, and includes six key goals:

Read More

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UPDATE: Police response on 16th SW by South Seattle College
May 14, 2024 9:49 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

9:49 PM: Police have closed both directions of 16th Avenue SW in front of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) while they try to get someone out of a vehicle; as our photo shows, it’s the area with a few parked RVs, but police are asking over a loudspeaker for someone to exit a “car.” We don’t know yet exactly what this is about – we have a crew at the scene hoping to speak with an officer – but wanted to let you know to avoid the area.

9:54 PM: We just talked with a sergeant who says someone they believe is armed is in one of the RVs and that’s who they are telling to come out – no details yet on why he came to their attention in the first place, though. The sergeant warns that it’s a standoff so far and could last a few hours.

10:46 PM: Not resolved yet, per update officers just gave to dispatch.

11 PM: Another update from officers to dispatch: They’ve seen no indication anyone is actually in the trailer and have no indication that there’s an active danger to anyone, so they’re leaving. The street is reopening.

ADDED: From the SPD summary of the incident:

Officers responded to a report of a disturbance with a gun. Responding Officers established probable cause for Felony Harassment with a firearm by a known suspect. Officers contained the suspect’s trailer/residence and attempted to hail possible occupants of the trailer. During these attempts, the 6300 block of 16 Ave SW was blocked to vehicle traffic. After a sufficient amount of time, Officers were unable to determine whether the trailer was occupied. No continued threat to life or public safety was determined and Officers disengaged and cleared from the scene.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police release video of arrests in April incident
May 14, 2024 9:17 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

That’s an edited video released by Seattle Police tonight showing two arrests – one following a foot pursuit that crossed SW Roxbury at one point – following an incident two weeks ago at the Walgreens in South Delridge. The accompanying SPD Blotter post says it happened the evening of April 28; police were flagged down about a cash-register theft at the store, and as the video shows, they were there as a 20-year-old woman walked out of the store holding the stolen register; it took a while longer to arrest the 40-year-old man they say was with her – the video shows him initially walking away, unchallenged. Police say both were booked into jail that night, the woman for theft and unlawful gun possession, the man for obstructing a law enforcement officer and “a previous incident of domestic violence.” We don’t know whether either was subsequently charged, as we won’t be able to get their names until tomorrow.

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CONGRATULATIONS! Admiral Pub team wins pinball championship
May 14, 2024 7:27 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Thanks to Michael for the photo and report:

Admiral Pub’s pinball team (named the Admiraballs) won the Seattle Monday Night Pinball league championship last night after 14 weeks of play.

Michael says 34 teams of 10 players per team competed in the league, and that the championships were held at Add-a-Ball in Fremont. “Our team had the number-one seed going into playoffs so every game up until the finals was played at the Admiral Pub.”

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UPDATE: City Council approves police officers’ contract; ‘good first step,’ says Saka
May 14, 2024 4:16 pm
|      57 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police | West Seattle politics

4:16 PM: District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka was one of eight “yes” votes on the years-in-the-works Seattle Police officers contract approved during today’s just-concluded council meeting. The only “no” vote was Councilmember Tammy Morales, who wanted to delay the vote, saying the public hadn’t had enough time to hear about and comment on the agreement. But no other councilmember supported that idea. Saka said that, like Morales, he is also concerned about officer accountability and civilian oversight, and hopes to find “other ways” to “strengthen” them. Saka, vice chair of the Public Safety Committee, said he believes the pay increases in the new contract will bring SPD closer to “competitive pay,” which he sees as a “central component” in retention as well as hiring. It’s been two weeks since the mayor announced the tentative agreement, which covers contractless years through the end of 2023 (by which point the wage increases total 23%); read the full agreement here.

P.S. This is likely to be a topic at the mayoral public-safety forum for West Seattle/South Park tonight – 6 pm at Concord International Elementary (723 S. Concord) – the online RSVPs have closed but you can still attend if you didn’t sign up in advance, that page says.

6:05 PM: Shortly after the council vote, Mayor Harrell signed it.

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BIZNOTE: Haymaker closes in The Junction
May 14, 2024 2:21 pm
|      53 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

After two reader tips, we’ve just confirmed with a spokesperson for restaurateur Brian Clevenger that one of his West Seattle restaurants, Haymaker (4706 California SW), has closed. His other restaurants – including West Seattle’s Raccolto and GH Pasta and Pizza – remain open. Here’s the statement we received in response to our inquiry:

Haymaker is officially closed and most teammates are transitioning to other General Harvest locations.

After a great five years and a ton of support from the West Seattle community, General Harvest has decided to focus on the two brand concepts the company has grown over the last several years and will continue to develop in the future.

The first is small neighborhood spaces offering a selection of handmade pastas, fresh local vegetables, and a variety of seafood and protein dishes – similar to Raccolto, Vendemmia, Autumn, and recently opened Haerfest.

The second is the GH Pasta and Pizza model, offering fan-favorite large bowls of fresh pastas, a variety of 12” pizzas with rotating specials, starters, and salads, all at approachable prices.

Haymaker, while well loved, was a bit of an outlier and thus it made sense to move on to new ventures aligned with the above. We’re wishing the next restaurant the best of luck!

No restaurant has announced a takeover plan for the space yet, but it’s been listed for sale. Haymaker opened in the space in summer 2019, a little over half a year after the first restaurant in the space, Vine and Spoon, was evicted (at the same time as Vine and Spoon’s sister establishment Alchemy). The Haymaker closure comes just months after another restaurant closure in the Junction 47 complex – The Lodge Sports Grille closed there at the end of last year.

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SUMMER: Admiral Funktion returning – vendor signups start now!
May 14, 2024 12:19 pm
|    Comments Off on SUMMER: Admiral Funktion returning – vendor signups start now!
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from 2023 Admiral Funktion)

So much summer (and late spring) fun ahead! Today the Admiral Neighborhood Association wants you to know it’s bringing back the Admiral Funktion block party in the heart of The Admiral District, Saturday, August 24th, from 11 am to 10 pm … and while that might sound far away, planning and preparation starts early for festival organizers and participants, so they’re launching a call for vendors now! Registration is open via this link. (And if you want to get early intel about this event and other Admiral summer fun, be at the Admiral Neighborhood Association gathering tonight at 7 at Admiral Church!)

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WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: Wandering guinea fowl (no, they’re not turkeys) seen near bridge
May 14, 2024 10:46 am
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Reader photo sent Monday by Lara)

Every day we’re continuing to get reports about the pair of birds we’ve dubbed the wandering guinea fowl of West Seattle, including people who haven’t seen our previous stories and/or who mistake them for turkeys. So we’ve been meaning to mention them again, and today’s the day, because we received a call from someone who saw them near the bridge entrance at 35th/Fauntleroy and was worried the birds were in danger of wandering into traffic. That, they’ve done, in other parts of The Triangle and The Junction, so the concern is not necessarily unmerited. In short, we first mentioned them last year; they have a home northeast of The Junction but they are allowed to roam, and seem to do so avidly. Because of that, the Seattle Animal Shelter told us last month, they’ve attempted to capture the guinea fowl, but haven’t had any luck with that. So what would happen if they did capture these birds? SAS spokesperson Melissa Mixon told us, “If they were in our custody, they would go on a stray hold. If no one reclaimed them, they could be placed for adoption.”

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VIDEO: What was the Senior Center of West Seattle reveals new name: Center for Active Living
May 14, 2024 8:50 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

(Added: WSB photo, center’s executive director Amy Lee Derenthal and board president Dawn Schaper)

8:50 AM: We are at Alki Masonic Center in The Junction, where what was the Senior Center of West Seattle has just concluded its annual fundraising breakfast with the “big reveal” of its new name: The Center for Active Living. They’ll be celebrating all day at the center (California/Oregon). More on the event, and what’s next, later!

ADDED 12:24 PM: The new name is meant to showcase “the vibrancy” of the center as a “welcome and inclusive place for everyone.” And the center is growing – more than 1,300 members, double what it was pre-pandemic (despite a nearly 50 percent drop during the pandemic peak) – the youngest 27, the oldest 102.

Memberships alone won’t sustain the center, as more members – and visitors – means more users for its services. So this morning’s goal was $50,000, “to make sure this community has everything it needs to support people as they age,” explained emcee Ryan Sheaffer. In our clip below, you’ll hear from him as well as some of the event speakers – one of the center’s 150+ volunteers, Joe Lamy; executive director Amy Lee Derenthal; and supporter John Bennett:

The “big reveal” itself was announced from the stage at the end of the program, as was the artist chosen for the new mural that will grace the center’s exterior, as well as the team overhauling the center website.

Then the members in attendance got to go home with a goodie bag featuring the center’s new logo/name:

Assisting in the morning’s fundraising was Nucor Steel, which pledged to match donations up to $15,000:

Besides the new name, Derenthal said they’re expecting to grow beyond the 40 classes and activities they already offer each week (and the lineup is already varied, she reminded everyone, with recent offerings such as Cannabis 101 and Pickleball Injury Prevention) in addition to their café (open for lunch!) and Stop & Shop thrift store. The newly renamed Center for Active Living promises to be “a place where our community can gather, learn and thrive.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Signage with the new name was expected to go up today. It’ll be a “few months” before we see the work of selected muralist Brady Black joining it.

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4 community meetings, free Seattle Symphony concert, dine-out fundraiser, more for your West Seattle Tuesday
May 14, 2024 8:46 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Rhododendron that caught the attention of photographer Jerry Simmons)

Here’s what’s happening today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

ALL-DAY DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER FOR ALKI CO-OP PRESCHOOL: Until 5 pm, Ampersand Café (2536 Alki SW) is donating part of its proceeds to Alki Co-op Preschool – be sure to mention you’re there in support of the preschool.

EXPANDED FAUNTLEROY YMCA HOURS: The Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) continues its recently expanded hours – 9 am to noon and 4 pm to 7 pm, Mondays through Thursdays. Classes have been added, too.

FREE PLAYSPACE: Drop in Tuesday mornings 9 am until noon at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).

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.)

CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Regular weekly meeting of the Seattle City Council, 2 pm. There is a public-comment period – 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.

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.

MAYOR’S PUBLIC-SAFETY MEETING: Tonight at 6 pm at Concord International Elementary in South Park (723 S. Concord), it’s the West Seattle/South Park version of the meeting that city reps are presenting in each police-precinct jurisdiction, as explained in our calendar listing (where you’ll also find the RSVP link).

PARENTING WITH COURAGE AND CONNECTION: All West Seattle parents are invited to this free workshop at Pathfinder K-8 (1901 SW Genesee), 6 pm – RSVP here.

FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Monthly board meeting (community members welcome to attend too), 6 pm at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) – here’s the agenda.

FREE INTRODUCTORY ASL CLASSES: This start-any-time series continues, 6 pm at the West Seattle Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (4001 44th SW), info here.

SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm tonight, play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).

FREE TRACK RUN: Run with your neighbors! Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 pm.

ALKI POINT FOR ALL: 6:30 pm community meeting organized by opponents of the final plan for the Alki Point Healthy Street, as explained in this announcement, which includes the RSVP link. At C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).

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).

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill), with an update on the Admiral Way Bridge earthquake-strengthening project and new info about summer events, as previewed here.

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) 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; 7:10 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).

FREE SEATTLE SYMPHONY CONCERT: 7:30 pm community concert with Chief Sealth IHS musicians joining the Seattle Symphony at the CSIHS Auditorium (2600 SW Thistle), free admission.

BINGO AT TALARICO’S: You can play 8 pm bingo every Tuesday. (4718 California SW)

What are YOU planning? Are community members invited? Tell everyone via our event calendar – please email the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK, WEATHER: Tuesday info
May 14, 2024 6:00 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, May 14.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Sunny, high in the upper 60s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:32 am; sunset will be at 8:39 pm.

ROAD-WORK ALERTS

*SDOT says the permanent Highland Park Way/Holden signals are now working. But they have more to do at the intersection:

Over the next couple of weeks we will repair the sidewalk at the northwest corner of Highland Park Way SW. It was damaged by freight trucks driving over it when turning right onto SW Holden St. To address this, we will also adjust the lanes on Highland Park Way SW to allow for wider turns.Additionally, we will rebuild the curb ramps on the northwest and northeast corners of Highland Park Way and SW Holden St to address issues caught during our ADA accessibility inspection. This work is scheduled through May 24 … Our work hours are generally 7 AM – 4 PM. However, we will need to work overnight to adjust the lanes, which involves removing the current traffic lane markings and repainting the lines to mark the new lane widths.

*PSE’s Beach Drive gas-pipeline project could start this week.

*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon:

TRANSIT NOTES

Metro today – Regular schedule; check for advisories here.

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 last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Low bridge: Open.

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):

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 open for vessel traffic. (We’re aware that the low bridge hasn’t shown up in this feed since the recent closure, and we’re awaiting word from SDOT on whether that’ll be fixed.)

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!

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