West Seattle, Washington
01 Tuesday
Tote bag, souvenir glass, and the chance to try a wide variety of local wines! That’s what you get with your ticket to the West Seattle Junction Association‘s next Wine Walk, 5-9 pm Friday, May 17. It’s usually sold out in advance but this time they’ve expanded the number of participating businesses and wineries – 30 wineries, 26 businesses! – and therefore the number of tickets available, so we’re mentioning it today to let you know that some tickets are still waiting to be snapped up! You can go here to see the list of wineries (which includes WSB sponsors Viscon Cellars and Spruce Hill Winery) and to buy your ticket (good for 14 tastes). Then on Wine Walk night, check in when you’re ready to start, and go to the venues of your choice!
Two years ago, we told you about a natural-gas pipeline replacement project that was at the time scheduled to start soon along a mile-long stretch of Beach Drive and two connecting streets. After what Puget Sound Energy describes as permitting delays, it’s finally about to begin.
Thanks to the area resident who recently told us the project notice was being distributed. We’ve since obtained it from PSE (see it here) – here are the key points:
PSE and InfraSource crews will be replacing portions of the existing underground natural gas main. We’re committed to completing our work safely and efficiently, and our crews will do their best to reduce impacts to you and your neighbors.
Project details
Who: Natural gas crews from PSE and InfraSource
What: Replacing a portion of the underground natural gas main
When: Expected to begin the week of May 13, and last for approximately six months.
Typical work hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Beach Drive Southwest, 48TH Avenue Southwest, and Lincoln Park Way SouthwestWhat you can expect
There will likely be noise from trucks and heavy machinery
Traffic control flaggers and signs will guide vehicles and pedestrians safely through the project area
o Beach Drive Southwest,48th Avenue Southwest,and Lincoln Park Way Southwest will be reduced down to one lane near the work area
o A portion of the sidewalk on Beach Drive Southwest,48th Avenue Southwest,and Lincoln Park Way Southwest will be closed. Detour signs will be posted
Some street parking will be impacted. “No parking” signs will be placed in the area prior to work beginning
We will work to maintain access to driveways whenever possible, in coordination with impacted neighbors
Some customers along the project route may experience a temporary interruption of natural gas. We’ll
notify impacted customers prior to beginning work requiring an interruption in service. For customers who will have their service interrupted, work inside customer homes may be required to re-light appliances after the service interruption. Please call 888-225-5773 for more information
After the construction is complete, you’ll notice temporary patches in the road and/or sidewalk. These temporary patches will remain until a restoration contractor crew returns to complete the final restoration. The restoration schedule is dependent upon weather, permitting and crew availability
We asked PSE about the work phasing; a spokesperson replied, “Crews will start on the north end and move south. PSE will be replacing an older section of infrastructure in order to continue to provide safe and reliable natural gas service to customers. The project will replace the gas main along Beach DR SW to SW Canada Dr.” Here’s another map sketching out what they’re doing and where. As noted above, the project is expected to last about six months (double the estimate given two years ago).
Texter reports it’s happening where they are and wonders if anyone else is affected. We keep track of these things because there’s no other publicly viewable record, but be sure to report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800. The cause is usually – but not always – hydrant testing, as SFD recently reiterated here, but sometimes it’s first word of a main break or other problem (nothing on the SPU water-outage map right now, though).
Thanks to Mary for the photo taken before the morning clouds cleared. As discussed here, the reason for the concentration of boats off west-facing West Seattle is that recreational fishing season is open for lingcod.
(One last tulip photo! This one’s from Arlene Rubin)
Highlights of what’s happening in West Seattle in the hours ahead:
EXPANDED FAUNTLEROY YMCA HOURS: Second month for the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) expanded hours – 9 am to noon and 4 pm to 7 pm, Mondays through Thursdays – now with classes (schedules are linked here).
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).
FREE ART CLASS: Watercolor mixed-media class, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), 6-8 pm.
FREE GROUP RUN + EVENT SPOTLIGHTS: As previewed here, there are bonuses with the weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run: Find out about Float Dodger 5K and Loop the Lupe! Enjoy root-beer floats! Raffles and registration discounts (wear a T-shirt from a previous event)! More!
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)
WORDSWEST REUNION AND BOOK LAUNCH: A literary night at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm, as WordsWest series founders and local writers Katy E. Ellis, Harold Taw, and Susan Rich reunite to launch Rich’s new book – with cake (among other things) – all welcome!
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)
FREE BALORICO CLASS: 8 pm at Viva Arts (4421 Fauntleroy 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!
Before we get to what’s happening today, an announcement for your weekend planning, from Chief Sealth Drama Company and BAYFEST Youth Theatre:
Following the wonderfully successful reinstatement of the drama program at Chief Sealth International High School last year with our productions of “She Kills Monsters” and this fall’s “Scenes About Teens: A Musical Extravaganza!” produced with the help of over 75 students, staff members, and Sealth alums, we are presenting a full production of Shakespeare’s beautiful and funny A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Directed by local director and BAYFEST teaching artist Keni Cohen, who taught and directed for many years with Seattle Children’s Theatre, the production promises to be full of love-gone-wrong-and-back-to-right, magic, fairies and lots of laughs. It is a truly timeless play that all ages will enjoy.
20 cast members, supported by 35+ student costume designers, musicians, set builders and technicians, parent volunteers and an amazing crew of Chief Sealth High School alums, have been working diligently since January to put the production together. Performances will be held in the large Chief Sealth Theater, with wonderful acoustics, comfortable seating, and is physically accessible.
This show is appropriate for all ages, and we encourage the community to experience the amazing work of our students and staff, and come out to support the drama program at Chief Sealth as we continue to build this exciting program.
Public show times are:
Friday, May 3 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, May 4 at 2pm and 7pm; Sunday, May 5 at 2PM
Chief Sealth International High School
2600 SW Thistle St.pre-purchase (online) individual tickets prices:
Students – $7.00
Adults – $12.00at the door:
Students – $9.00
Adults – $14.00FOR TICKETS: https://bayfestsealththeatrecompany.ludus.com
(The art featured in the announcement is by CSIHS student Evan Dortero.)
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, May 1.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Clouds, then clearing, high near 60. Today’s sunrise was at 5:51 am; sunset will be at 8:22 pm.
ROAD-WORK ALERTS
*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues at Delridge/Oregon, down to two lanes:
*Work has NOT started on the 30th/Holden sewer-pipe project, which will narrow Holden in the area for up to five weeks.
STADIUM ZONE
The Mariners conclude their homestand with a 12:40 pm game vs. Atlanta.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Because of the Mariners’ day game, Route 21 will be rerouted – see the table here. Otherwise, regular schedule; check 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 – Reminder, westbound lanes will be closed 5-9 am Sunday for the Emerald City Ride. Meantime, 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.
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!
“Flat rainbow” is how Gretchen described what she photographed this morning from Seaview. Thanks to everyone who sent photos of the unusually low-arcing rainbow – this one’s from Amber in upper South Alki:
With unsettled weather on Monday too, David Hutchinson got this rainbow view that day, looking east from Alki:
The forecast for tomorrow calls for more sun than anything, but first, a cold night – might get into the 30s.
7:27 PM: Avoid 26th/Roxbury for a while. A crash response is blocking most lanes; a motorcycle rider is seriously hurt and being taken to Harborview. We are told the rider and a car driver collided.
8:05 PM: SDOT says the scene is cleared. We’re following up with SFD regarding the injured rider.
WEDNESDAY MORNING: SFD says the rider, a 43-year-old man, was in critical condition when taken to the hospital.
Tomorrow night, you can join West Seattle Runner and Lake Washington Physical Therapy-West Seattle (both WSB sponsors) for a group run and spotlight on two upcoming running (etc.) events they’re both involved with (and hoping you will be too). From LWPT proprietor Mark Bouma:
Our team at Lake Washington Physical Therapy would like to highlight key events in the West Seattle community that we are supporting over the next few months!
Together with West Seattle Runner, we are once again a supporting sponsor of Float Dodger 5k and Loop The Lupe! To highlight these two community events, join us at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW) ahead of their Wednesday night group run on May 1 at 6:15 pm. We will lead the group through a proper race warm-up; there will be race registration discounts, and raffles available for a free Runeasi Running Evaluation at LWPT and WS Runner swag. Stop by West Seattle Runner on May 1st to learn more about these events and mingle with other runners in the community! BONUS: Root Beer Floats will be served after the group run! Here is more info about each of these events:
·Float Dodger 5k: July 20
(WSB photo, 2023 Float Dodger 5K)
Scheduled for July 20, 2024, the annual Float Dodger 5k (presented by WSR) is a highlight of the West Seattle summer calendar, coinciding with the West Seattle Grand Parade. The run starts and ends at Hiawatha Playfield. Waiting at the finish line will be your very own Root Beer Float to enjoy why you grab a seat to watch the West Seattle Grand Parade! LWPT has supported this event for the past three years and all funds raised go directly to the West Seattle Food Bank. For more details and to register, visit Float Dodger 5k.
·Loop the Lupe: June 8
Loop the Lupe is set for June 8, 2024. This obstacle course and fun run, held at Walt Hundley Playfield, features activities for everyone. The variety of events include the Elite Wave Obstacle Course, Family Obstacle Course, 5k Fun Run, Senior Saunter, and Youth Dash. The LWPT team will be at the event to provide a warm-up for racers and to cheer on participants as they near the finish line. LWPT has supported this event for the last 4 years and all funds support the social outreach programs of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Learn more and sign up at Loop the Lupe.
One more note:
Junction FC Official Physical Therapy Provider
West Seattle has our very own USL2 soccer team — Junction FC! When you are at the matches, you’ll see LWPT on the sidelines helping the athletes perform at their best. We have put together a comprehensive injury prevention and performance program that will take Junction FC from preseason through the playoffs. Our team will be utilizing GPS player movement data during training and throughout matches to ensure that the players are performing at their peak. There are many top local college players on the roster who will be playing home matches at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex starting May 19! You can find more information, purchase tickets, and view their season schedule at Junction FC.
Stay tuned for additional partnerships and events coming up later in the Summer and Fall! For more information about our clinic and to book an appointment online, click here. We are located at: 1309 Harbor Ave SW, Suite A, 206-906-9207.
Thanks to Ellen P. for the photo from Lincoln Park’s north shore. If you’ve never seen, nor heard about, that before, it’s a startling sight – orange-red water along the beach. But it’s not a spill. Just about every year in mid-to-late spring, an algae bloom called noctiluca shows up. Pending official verification (we have a inquiry out), that’s almost certainly what this is. The state Ecology Department says it’s not toxic but it can be irritating, so don’t go wading in it! (This is a bit earlier than our first mentions in many previous years – last year, it was late May.)
Back on April 12, we reported on an armed carjacking in an alley near 35th/Roxbury that led to a pursuit and search ending with the arrest of two teenage boys in Burien. Today, Seattle Police released this video from that night two and a half weeks ago:
Days later, as we reported at the time, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed felony charges against the 15- and 17-year-old suspects. We just checked the case files; both remain in secure detention – the 15-year-old suspect has another hearing tomorrow, while the 17-year-old is due back in court one week from today.
A few people have mentioned a new pothole in the ramp from the eastbound West Seattle Bridge to northbound Highway 99 – same ramp closed for a week by a through-and-through hole one year ago. We don’t have an image, but last night, we heard police dispatched to check it out, after a 911 call that it was “big as a tire” and showing rebar. The officer subsequently told dispatch that rebar was visible but it wasn’t a through-and-through hole. As we learned during last year’s situation, the ramp is a WSDOT (state) structure, so we asked spokesperson James Poling about it today. He says city and state crews have collaborated to address it:
SDOT was able to get our maintenance crews a picture overnight of this location. It was a small pothole at a location we have been monitoring. Unlike the significant closure in 2023, which was a hole through the bridge, this was a pothole above the rebar with a much smaller footprint (a few inches).
SDOT crews patched it overnight, and our crews briefly closed the bridge this morning (15 minutes) to further inspect the location, including the newly patched section of the bridge.
The ramp was built in 1959 (same year as completion of the now-demolished Alaskan Way Viaduct to which it connected).
While we’re talking about camps: Following up a season with the first trip to the state tournament in more than 40 years, the West Seattle High School team is raising money by leading two camps in June – here’s the announcement:
The West Seattle High School volleyball team is hosting 2 volleyball camps in June for middle-school-age players. Proceeds support West Seattle High School volleyball.
Camp #1: Girls Volleyball Camp
June 4-6 from 4:15 PM – 6:45 PM each day
Grades 5 through 8
Registration includes West Seattle Volleyball T-shirt
Location – West Seattle High SchoolCamp #2: Boys Volleyball Camp
June 11-13 from 4:15 PM – 6:45 PM each day
Grades 5 through 8
Registration includes West Seattle Volleyball T-shirt
Location – West Seattle High SchoolAny questions can be directed to westseattlevolleyballteam@gmail.com
Here’s the flyer with QR codes for signing up.
Today we welcome our newest sponsor – here’s their message for you:
Equip Your Child for Life’s Adventures: Social-Emotional Learning at Camp Branching Out, Led by Madyline Ekins, M.Ed., BCBA!
Does your child struggle with managing emotions, making friends, or bouncing back from challenges? Camp Branching Out, our Social-Emotional Learning Camp led by Madyline Ekins, M.Ed., BCBA, provides a fun and engaging environment to develop essential life skills!
Madyline Ekins is a passionate expert in social-emotional learning. She holds a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Behavior Analysis, giving her a deep understanding of how children learn and grow. For four years, Madyline honed her skills working within Seattle Public Schools, and for the past three years, she has been empowering children through social-emotional camps and after-school classes.
While primarily geared toward children aged 4-10, we understand that development varies! We may have some flexibility in this age range based on the applicant pool to ensure a positive and nurturing environment for all campers. Our primary goal is to foster an environment where this year’s campers will grow and excel in their social and emotional intelligence.
Your Child, Our Focus!
This year’s curriculum at Camp Branching Out will be crafted specifically for our campers! Once we receive applications, Madyline will carefully review the information provided by parents to identify common areas of need and focus. This ensures the camp activities directly address the most relevant social-emotional skills for this year’s unique group of campers.
Imagine your child:
Feeling calm and confident: Madyline will utilize the Zones of Regulation framework to help campers identify their emotions and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
Building strong friendships: Through engaging activities and the Superflex curriculum, campers will learn communication, collaboration, and empathy, fostering lasting friendships.
Thriving in the face of obstacles: Madyline’s camp fosters resilience with activities designed to build problem-solving skills and a growth mindset.
Don’t let summer be wasted! Give your child the gift of social-emotional intelligence with Madyline Ekins‘ expertise. Enroll them today in our limited-space Social-Emotional Learning Camp at Camp Branching Out!
Spaces are filling up fast! Contact us to learn more.
We thank Madyline Ekins, M.Ed., BCBA, and Camp Branching Out 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!
(Seen off West Seattle this morning, cruise ship Crown Princess and ferry Chimacum – photo by Rick Cocker)
Here’s what’s happening today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
EXPANDED FAUNTLEROY YMCA HOURS: The Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) continues its newly expanded hours – 9 am to noon and 4 pm to 7 pm, Mondays through Thursdays. Classes have been added, too.
ONLINE AUCTION: Day 2 of bidding in the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s weeklong auction, as previewed here – open to all!
FREE PLAYSPACE: Drop in Tuesday mornings 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 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.
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.
IN-PERSON TOASTMASTERS MEETUP: Toastmasters 832 usually meets in person but tonight they’re gathering for an in-person social at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 6 pm, and you’re invited.
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.
RUN + MOVIE: Meet up with the Mystery Made Run Club at the shop (4312 SW Oregon) at 6:15 pm for the pre-run briefing, then the 6:30 pm run, finishing at Good Society (California/Lander) for the “Dusted” movie premiere and more.
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).
(canceled tonight) 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 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
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!
It’s a fusion of art, chemistry, and community support! Chief Sealth International High School teacher Carolyn Autenrieth explains:
I teach Ceramics at Chief Sealth International High School, and we are gearing up for our RAKU clay event again in June! As with many of our HS Art programs, funds are usually tight, and to do this event with the wonderful folks of Seattle Pottery Supply, we have to raise an additional amount to cover expenses and clay: $750
This is our 4th time providing a wonderful experience for our students to witness art and chemistry come together in real time! We are lucky to have Eric from Seattle Pottery, who does a great job with the equipment, also engaging the students actively in the process.
Please consider donating through this link to support our event. Thank you so much.
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, April 30.
LOW BRIDGE HAS REOPENED
Just in case you missed the reopening Monday morning, we’ll reiterate that the West Seattle low bridge IS open again.
ROAD-WORK ALERTS
*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues at Delridge/Oregon, down to two lanes:
*We didn’t get to check Monday but work was due to start on the 30th/Holden sewer-pipe project, which will narrow Holden in the area for up to five weeks.
STADIUM ZONE
The Mariners have another 6:40 pm home game tonight vs. Atlanta.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Chance of rain, then clearing, high around 55. Today’s sunrise was at 5:52 am; sunset will be at 8:21 pm.
(Clouds photographed Monday from Lincoln Park by Susan Romanenghi)
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check 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
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 – reminder, westbound lanes will be closed 5-9 am Sunday for the Emerald City Ride. Meantime, 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.
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!
As first mentioned in a comment below tonight’s earlier attempted-pickup-theft report, Stacia‘s truck has been taken too:
Our GMC 2500 truck was stolen at around 6:30 pm on Monday outside The Bridge restaurant on California Ave. It is champagne-colored with a black canopy. There is a fire fighter sticker on the back of the truck and the license plate # is C12280X. If seen, please call police. Incident #: 24-116220.
If you’ve traveled the SW Morgan hill east of Fauntleroy in the past few days, you might have noticed that plywood. Sabrina and Jenny sent the photos with word of what happened:
An unknown driver in an SUV crashed into (our) residence, 1:30 a.m. Thursday, SW corner of SW Morgan Street and 39th Avenue SW. It was late in the evening and the hill was wet with rain.
Police response was immediate. A patrol car was driving westbound on SW Morgan Street just after it happened and we did not have time to call 911. The driver fled but was apprehended, bleeding with a head wound, tended by fire fighters and taken away in a patrol car. Had our home not been reinforced with an above-ground concrete foundation on that corner, we would have awoken to the vehicle inside our building, built in 1915.
We sustained no interior damage but have been advised by the worker who temporarily weather-proofed the corner that our home has been structurally damaged. The corner beam is splintered and askew. We are awaiting assessment from our insurance company. We thank the officers and fire fighters on the scene and ask all drivers to consider their speed while driving. The accidents of late seem to be unreasonably violent for neighborhood streets with a 25 mph speed limit.
Sabrina and Jenny sent the photos and report over the weekend; we followed up with police today, and here’s the summary they provided: “When police arrived, there was no one in the car, but the driver returned to the scene. Investigators developed probable cause to arrest a 43-year-old man for DUI. He appeared to be hurt. Seattle fire crews responded to the scene to treat him and he was then taken to the hospital for further treatment. The man was the registered owner of the vehicle. It was towed from the scene.”
Thanks to Mike Munson for the photos. In case you’ve been wondering, work continues on the Lincoln Park South Play Area project, almost seven years after the previous play structure was closed for safety concerns. Contractor L.W. Sundstrom recently concluded work on the Westcrest Park Play Area – bundled with this one for bidding – and Seattle Parks said they would then move on to focus on this.
When last we asked Parks about Lincoln Park South, spokesperson Karen O’Connor said, “We anticipate Lincoln will be completed in June.” The new play area is supposed to have a marine theme, as chosen in community meetings six years ago.
We’ve received reader reports of two Ford F-350 pickup trucks stolen in the past week or so, and just received this text about an attempted theft a short time ago:
Attempted theft of my 2002 F-350 at 5:20 pm in front of my house 1500 block of 45th Ave SW:
Saw thief in my truck, heard truck attempting to start, I ran outside towards my truck, thief jumped out of my truck and into silver/ champagne Honda Civic license plate CAY7778 and took off.
Police were called.
Field trip to Fauntleroy Creek this morning for fifth-graders from Arbor Heights Elementary, the first of this year’s Salmon in the Schools participants to release the fry they’ve been raising in tanks.
It’s been four months since volunteers Judy Pickens and Phil Sweetland coordinated getting salmon eggs from hatchery to teachers so that students could start fry-raising. Over the next month, Fauntleroy Watershed Council volunteers will team with teachers and students for 19 release visits.
Above is volunteer Dennis Hinton, one of those who helped with this morning’s Arbor Heights visit. These sunglasses factored into the event too, but not for the usual reason:
Polarized glasses helped the students see the baby fish in the water after they’re released. They’re part of a growing tradition – last year almost 1,000 people participated in the releases, the most since the first one in 1991. As for the fish, those that survive a year in the creek will head out for salt water next spring.
| 6 COMMENTS