West Seattle, Washington

20 Tuesday

48℉

Spotlight Stories


  • WS5K

    WEST SEATTLE 5K: See & hear how it went

  • Park

    CAR IN THE PARK: Film crew spotted

  • Salmon

    SO LONG, SALMON: Halfway through the season

WEEK AHEAD: Morgan Community Association’s first in-person meeting in four years
January 14, 2024 11:13 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Some community groups haven’t been able to return to in-person meetings since going online because of the pandemic – finding (free or low-fee) places to host an evening meeting with room for at least a few dozen people is more difficult than you’d think. The Morgan Community Association, which meets quarterly, is finally going in-person this Wednesday, and president Deb Barker sent this announcement:

First, there’s all this equipment you need to find – a functioning laptop, a projector, remote speaker, microphone, an auxiliary camera, and heavy duty extension cords. Then you need a public place to set it up. Then you send out invitations. Check, check, and check. What is going on??

It’s the first time in four years that the Morgan Community Association will meet in person. And not just in person, but with a HYBRID meeting.

We are grateful to the Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation for letting us use their Social Hall for our meeting on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 from 7 to 9pm. The address is 7141 California Ave SW, and the zoom link is us02web.zoom.us/j/89608491338. Be sure to enter the Social Hall off the small parking lot on California Ave SW. Please do not park in the lot before 6:40 pm.

The meeting features Seattle City Light’s update on the Morgan Junction EV charging station, Seattle Parks’ introduction of Morgan Junction All Wheels Association and their ideas for Morgan Junction Park, welcoming the owner of Alki Arts Gallery and Event Space (newly located in Morgan Junction), and picking the date of the Morgan Junction Community Festival.

Here’s the full meeting agenda.

Everyone is welcome at the Morgan Community Association Meeting on January 17, 2024.

For a snapshot of history, here’s our report on that last in-person meeting, in January 2020. (And here’s our coverage of MoCA’s most-recent meeting, last October.)

Share This

WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: 8 notes
January 14, 2024 6:25 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous


(Photo sent by Eric – rain-soaked trees at Lincoln Park last Wednesday)

Here’s what’s happening on this extra-cold Sunday in West Seattle, mostly from our Event Calendar:

KING TIDE: The highest high tide of the day is predicted to be at 13 feet or higher today through Tuesday – 13.0 feet today at 7:40 am.

UK FOOTBALL: Admiral Pub (2306 California SW) opens early so you can watch Manchester United vs. Tottenham at 8:30 am. English breakfast available, too.

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at 9 am at rotating locations – today it’s Ampersand Café (2536 Alki SW).

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual between SW Alaska and SW Oregon on California, offering early-winter vegetables and fruit as well as cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, candy, more! Here’s today’s vendor list.

DRAG BRUNCH: At Lumber Yard Bar in White Center (9630 16th SW), 11 am-2 pm (show at noon), hosted by Jolene Granby – info in our calendar listing.

FREE CLASSICAL CONCERT: The Ladies Musical Club presents a free concert at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), 3 pm. The planned program is in our calendar listing.

AT THE SKYLARK: Pageant to crown the National Pacific Northwest Bearded Queen, 7 pm. More info and ticket link here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Triangular Jazztet plays The Alley (4509 California SW) as usual, 8-10 pm.

Something in the future for our calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Puget Sound Energy’s gas-saving request, and the outage it didn’t mention
January 13, 2024 8:58 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Puget Sound Energy provides natural-gas service in our area (and electricity in many other areas outside Seattle). If you’re a customer, you probably got an email alert tonight, requesting conservation and saying in part:

This evening, we’re asking customers to set their thermostats at a lower setting and limit the use of hot water, such as dishwashing or clothes washing, dryers and other appliances.

What the notice didn’t mention is that a major gas-storage facility operated by PSE suffered an outage earlier today – Jackson Prairie Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility in Lewis County. After seeing this report, and a PSE quote here, we contacted the utility and received the same statement:

Jackson Prairie went offline around 2 p.m. today. It has steadily been coming back on since then.

Puget Sound Energy is asking customers to conserve natural gas and electricity use through the evening hours. Due to the extreme cold temperatures facing our area, regional utilities are experiencing higher energy use than forecasted, and we need to reduce strain on the grid.

PSE has not yet commented on what caused the facility to go offline.

Share This

BIZNOTE: Easy Street Records hosts Sleater-Kinney signing Tuesday
January 13, 2024 8:29 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Northwest rock legends visit Easy Street Records in The Junction on Tuesday (January 16th) – Sleater-Kinney will be signing their 11th studio album, “Little Rope,” three days before its official release date. Easy Street’s Matt Vaughan calls them “one of the most essential bands to ever come out of the NW … queens of the riot-grrrl movement.” To get in to the signing, Easy Street says, you have to buy the album – pre-orders are available here, and the store will sell copies of the album on the day of the event, which will start at 6 pm. The band is going on tour next month, including dates at The Showbox in April.

P.S. Even if you don’t know Sleater-Kinney, you might know one of its members, Carrie Brownstein, as co-founder and co-star of the award-winning parody series Portlandia, which ran for eight seasons last decade.

Share This

BIZNOTE: Tattoo Pizzazz moves (back) to Morgan Junction
January 13, 2024 6:43 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Tattoo Pizzazz, briefly located in north Morgan Junction four years ago, has moved back to that area. Co-proprietor Johnathan Fleming sent the announcement and photo:

Our West Seattle tattoo shop Tattoo Pizzazz has relocated to 6021c California Ave SW, just north of Morgan Junction.

Our shop “opened” in March 2020 on California Ave at Juneau Street, although we immediately were closed due to the 3-month pandemic closure. We were most recently in a unit at ActivSpace on Harbor Ave. My wife Shannon Perry and I are owners and also tattoo at the shop. We both have over 10 years of experience each, and our shop specializes in portraiture, traditional, realism, and coverups. We are available by appointment via an inquiry form on our website tattoopizzazz.com … People can contact us via email with any questions – tattoopizzazz@gmail.com

The artists’ individual direct links are on the shop website too.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Warmer night ahead (update: maybe not), and other notes, including a street closure
January 13, 2024 4:14 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo by Jerry Simmons)

4:14 PM: The snow-covered Olympics have shown themselves today, bringing in some pretty pictures to go with this update on our continuing colder-than-normal weather. Some good news this afternoon – the National Weather Service‘s newest forecast suggests it will NOT drop into the teens again tonight; the temperature is expected to stay about where it is now, the low 20s, before “warming” into the low 30s tomorrow.

(Anonymously submitted reader photo)

Monday and Tuesday are expected to have highs in the mid-30, and a rain/snow mix is possible Tuesday and Wednesday. Meantime, no reports of major problems in West Seattle related to the mid-teens temperatures early this morning, though we did hear from someone whose pipes froze. That’s also been a problem today for Washington State Ferries, with a source telling us both terminals and boats have had trouble with frozen pipes; the official WSF alerts show the restrooms out of service at Vashon Island as a result.

4:20 PM: Moments after publishing this, we heard police report in to dispatch that SPU needs to be contacted about what appears to be a break beneath the 3800 block of 55th SW.

6:03 PM: Thanks to commenter SJ for posting the photo of what’s happening there:

Meanwhile, the day ended with a scenic sunset:

Thanks to Brooke Gosztola for that photo!

7 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent an update on the 55th SW water problem – and this photo:

As the sign shows, there’s a closure now at Charlestown/55th – both streets. (Added) And here’s video sent by David, showing the water bubbling up from road cracks:

1:35 AM: The NWS forecast proved a bit too optimistic – the temperature has fallen into the teens again after all. The Saturday early-morning low was 15 (not a record for the date – that was 11 in 1950) so we’ll see where this goes.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Man assaulted with golf club
January 13, 2024 1:55 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Last night at about 8:40 pm, SPD and SFD responded to a report of an assault at 35th/Henderson. Medics reported the victim was a man around 50 years old hit multiple times in the head with a golf club, according to archived audio we checked after a witness sent this reader report today:

I want to report an upsetting incident that happened last night. I witnessed a houseless man that was in front of the Southwest Branch library on 35th get attacked by a man with a golf club. I was walking my dog at 8:30 pm on 35th, saw the houseless man by the library when I first started my walk, and when I turned around to head back home there was a man dressed in all black (did not appear houseless) talking to him. The men started to argue and the victim was trying to shoo the other man away. The man in black then threw a bunch of liquid on the man’s face, the victim started running toward the Shell station on Henderson and unfortunately ran straight into the telephone pole. He hit the ground and the man and black who was chasing him started swinging the golf club at the victim’s head. I called 911 immediately and went into my apartment as the man with the golf club was also taking swings at cars that were passing by and honking.

With the 911 operator on the line I went back outside to see the victim being helped by another man who was out walking his dog and the Shell station employees. The police showed up quickly right as I returned to the scene. The victim had a bad head wound and was taken to the hospital. The man in black ran off, which is frightening because he truly came out of nowhere swinging and I’m convinced if a few of us hadn’t been walking our dogs on this cold night this would have resulted in a death. As far as I know this guy is still on the loose.

The only descriptive info we heard on recorded dispatch audio was: Black, male, about 5’8″, dressed – as the witness said – in all black, including a pulled-up hoodie. The dispatcher also mentioned a possible accomplice: white, male, black beanie and hoodie. We won’t have access to followup info from SPD until Tuesday; if you have information, the case number is 24-011199, and the violent-crimes tip line is 206-233-5000.

ADDED 3:35 PM: SFD says the victim was in stable condition when taken to Harborview Medical Center – by private ambulance, which generally means the injuries were not expected to be life-threatening.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen black Forester (update: found, but with somebody else’s backpack inside)
January 13, 2024 11:31 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

SATURDAY: Reported by John via email:

We wanted the neighborhood to know that at approximately 7:50 am this morning, our black 2016 Subaru Forester (plate # BOS 2514) was stolen from the front of our house on the 3400 block of 41st Ave. We started the car and turned on the heat. I went back inside for about 3 minutes to put our daughter in her infant carrier and the car was gone from the driveway. A warning for others that may be warming the car on these cold days.

The SPD incident number, if you see this car and call it in, is 24-011562.

UPDATED 12:37 PM SUNDAY: The car’s been found, in Tukwila. Inside, though, somebody else’s large Osprey backpack – if you’ve had one stolen recently, let us know and we’ll connect you,

Share This

WEST SEATTLE SATURDAY: 20 notes
January 13, 2024 6:16 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Frosty Friday morning photo by Terry Blumer)

Here’s what’s scheduled for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. (So far, no cancellations because of the weather – if you know of one, please text us at 206-293-6302 so we can update this list.)

FREE GROUP RUN: Start your Saturday with this weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW) group run! All levels welcome. Meet at the shop by 8 am.

HEAVILY MEDITATED: Arrive by 8:50 am for community meditation at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska). Free event but registration required.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR: As previewed here, vaccinations and many other services, as well as giveaways including jackets, are available at Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton), during a health fair open to all community members, 10 am-2 pm.

(added) REPUBLICAN CAUCUSES: As noted in comments, the 34th District Republicans are caucusing today at Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW) – it started at 10 am.

SSC GARDEN CENTER: Scheduled to be open today:

We are open 10 am-2 pm on Fridays and Saturdays! We have all your indoor plant needs, with pots, advice and more! Plus, any last-minute winter outside plants you might need. The Garden Center at South Seattle College provides Landscape Horticulture students the opportunity to increase their knowledge of plants while gaining real-world retail experience. Plants available for sale are selected, propagated, grown and presented by Landscape Horticulture students. Additional plants are brought in from local growers. Proceeds benefit Landscape Horticulture Program projects.The selection includes perennials, ground covers, shrubs, some annual edibles and flowers, as well as indoor plants. Cash and electronic payments accepted. The Garden Center is located in the North Parking Lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th Ave SW)

FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am in West Seattle, registration required – see full details in our calendar listing.

FAMILY READING TIME: Every Saturday at 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).

VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2234 SW Orchard)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM OPEN: The home of West Seattle history is back open, noon-4 pm. (61st/Stevens)

VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).

POTTERY WORKSHOP: Introduction to Sculpting, 1-3 pm at The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), $40.

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar open 1-6 pm, north end of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.

THE HALF-BROTHERS: 3 pm at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), “skewed bluegrass” – tickets and info here!

BASKETBALL: West Seattle High School (3000 California SW) has home games today – girls vs. Arlington at 4 pm, boys vs. Sumner at 7 pm.

HEAR IT EARLY! Preview Green Day‘s “Saviors” at an Easy Street Records listening party, 6 pm. (4559 California SW)

COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: 7 pm, Steve & Kristi Nebel and Gary Kanter at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), all ages, no cover.

ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: 7-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way)

LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: Punk fusion with Panic Grass, Deft Lips, Negative Passengers at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm, $10, 21+.

BEATS: Saturday night DJ at Revelry Room – 9 pm, tonight it’s Baby Van Beezly. (4547 California SW, alley side)

KARAOKE: Saturday night, sing at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW), starting at 10 pm.

Planning a concert, open house, show, sale, event, meeting, seminar, reading, field trip, fundraiser, class, game, or ? If the community’s welcome, get your event on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Share This

GRAND OPENING: White Center Food Bank celebrates new home
January 12, 2024 10:19 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

(WSB/WCN photos)

We’ve shown you the mural-enhanced exterior of the White Center Food Bank‘s new home – tonight we got a chance to look inside. On this icy-cold night, the WCFB threw a housewarming party of sorts, less than a week after officially starting operations in the new building.

It has a lot more room for storage and service than the WCFB’s old space at 8th/108th, from which they had to move because of its impending redevelopment as affordable-housing and community-space project “The HUB.” The new location at 10016 16th SW was revealed in fall 2022.

Six months after that, remodeling construction began, and now their shiny new facility is in use, with room to grow.

It’s full of reminders that the work is about people – not just the 95,000+ they serve each year, but also the many who volunteer – they have an upgraded space in the new HQ too:

The front rooms are full of welcoming messages:

The community members in attendance tonight included dignitaries – below with WCFB executive director Carmen Smith are new District 8 King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, 34th District State Senator Joe Nguyễn, and Mosqueda’s predecessor, Joe McDermott:

The grand opening isn’t quite the finish line for the move.

WCFB is three-fourths of the way to its fundraising goal for the new location. and expanded vision, explained here. It’s a regional resource, as the food bank serves south West Seattle as well as White Center and vicinity.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Eight bidders for Hiawatha Community Center work
January 12, 2024 7:58 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB file photo)

Last month, we reported the long-planned stabilization project for Hiawatha Community Center was finally out to bid. Now the bidding process is closed and a list of eight bidders is now viewable online. The lowest “base bid” is $2,518,284 from Optimus Construction and Development of Burien; the highest, $2,989,000 from WS Contractors of Buckley. The project webpage lists the project’s total budget as $3.9 million. The center has been closed now for almost four years, and Parks officials admitted last month that it was a mistake not to reopen it while waiting for the stabilization project. If the rest of the contractor-selection process goes well, they also said last month, they hope work will start in March. It could last more than a year.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Notes as we head into a very cold night
January 12, 2024 4:51 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Off we go into a frosty night. David Hutchinson‘s photo, above, shows freezing mist “sea smoke” above Elliott Bay, as seen from Alki. This is forecast to be a dry but extremely cold night – low in the teens, wind chill as low as single digits. Also from Alki, another idea for keeping hummingbirds fed, as previously discussed:

Lance writes, “Using a lava lamp base and placing the hummingbird feeder on top to keep from freezing. Works great, even on windy Alki right now.” Meantime, SDOT crews continue treating the roads.

We photographed that plow-equipped truck on Thursday. We also learned from a reader that just in case of trouble, SDOT had crews staying at West Seattle’s only motel, The Grove, last night. We asked about that, and here’s how spokesperson Mariam Ali explained: “To facilitate seamless and safe operations, we have secured hotel accommodations for our crews throughout Seattle. Given that a majority of our team resides outside the city limits, this step is crucial in enabling them to reach their job sites promptly and safely. Our crews often work extended hours and face demanding schedules, and it is paramount to us that they have access to a nearby resting place.” SDOT has more than 100 people assigned to about 50 vehicles, including plows, de-icing trucks, and salt spreaders. You can find links to SDOT’s winter-weather maps here.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: One West Seattleite among eight finalists for City Council vacancy
January 12, 2024 4:50 pm
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

4:50 PM: One day after a list of 72 qualified applicants was made public, the City Council has just sent word of the finalists for the City Council vacancy created by Teresa Mosqueda‘s move to the County Council.

Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson (Position 9 – Citywide) announced today that the Council identified eight finalists to fill the vacancy left by now-former City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda (Position 8 – Citywide). The finalists for Position 8 are:

· Juan J. Cotto
· Neha Nariya
· Mark Solomon
· Vivian Song
· Steven K. Strand [West Seattle resident]
· Mari Sugiyama
· Linh Thai
· Tanya Woo

A list of the 72 eligible applicants and completed application materials were made available to the public via the Council Vacancy webpage on Thursday, January 11. Councilmembers selected the eight finalists from the list of 72 qualified applicants provided by the City Clerk.

During today’s special meeting, the Council also selected Seattle CityClub to host a community forum with the finalists, giving the community a chance to hear from the candidates before the final selection is made.

NEXT STEPS:

· A Community Forum hosted by Seattle CityClub will be scheduled.

· A Special Council Meeting for Councilmembers to consider the finalists has been scheduled for Monday, January 22, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. Finalists who participated in the Community Forum will have the chance to address the Council during this meeting.

· The anticipated vote by City Council on the appointment will occur on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.

More information on the vacancy-filling process is here.

8:41 PM: The news release above did not mention which councilmember nominated which finalist; we watched the meeting recording to verify that. District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka nominated Mark Solomon, SPD crime-prevention coordinator for the South and (temporarily) Southwest Precincts, at the end of a 7-minute speech (starting 1:18:28 into the video) in which he said his “personal evaluation criteria” included “someone who has an ability to collaborate across differences … find common ground and get stuff done … someone who doesn’t view me as the enemy … doesn’t view any of my colleagues as the enemy either.” His military experience, Saka said, was a time when he was fighting against enemies, and this work should not involve that kind of “mindset.” His other criteria, he continued, included a “strong record of service” and a “growth mindset” as well as the ability to handle criticism and to “think critically who’s in the room, who has a seat … and who doesn’t.” Multiple councilmembers said they would have nominated Tanya Woo – who lost a close race with Councilmember Tammy Morales – if she hadn’t been nominated in the early going by new Councilmember Bob Kettle.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Volunteer cleanup group’s work van stolen (update: found)
January 12, 2024 2:22 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

ORIGINAL REPORT: That’s the work van used by A Cleaner Alki, the volunteer group founded by Erik Bell, who’s organized cleanups far beyond Alki – all over the peninsula. Erik emailed us today with a different kind of request – asking you to be on the lookout for the van, which somebody stole early this morning:

2006 Chevy 1500 Work Van

Stolen 1/12/24 around 6 am from Admiral area

White with some peeling paint around front window and door jam. Black bumpers, grille, rear light surround and door handles. No side windows, clear glass in the back doors and cab. Has a gray metal bulkhead behind the cab with circular cutouts. Kind of nondescript otherwise, no exterior graphics. Used for community cleanups and full of EGO brand tools and other gear.

Paper plates A6652308

If you see it, call 911.

UPDATE, 1/16: Erik emailed this morning to say that “Our van was recovered last night at 61st & Stevens with the help of Good Samaritan neighbor Christine and the SPD.” Christine told him she recognized it from the WSB post.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Here’s what our area’s only shelter needs now
January 12, 2024 1:38 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(WSB photo, last month)

Weather like this is dangerous for many, and potentially deadly for people who live outdoors. As you probably know, West Seattle has only one emergency shelter, powered by volunteers and donations, and it could use some help – here’s an update from Westside Neighbors Shelter manager Keith Hughes:

My heartfelt thanks to the West Seattle Community for your overwhelming response to getting the shelter kitchen stocked up for the winter. Thanks to all of you we are now fully stocked with paper goods, coffee, creamer, peanut butter, and pancake syrup.

Now that the bitter cold has arrived, we are going to be open 24 hours a day at least through January 18th to meet the needs of our unhoused neighbors.

What we need now are stocking caps, gloves, warm clothing like sweatshirts, sweaters (washable) coats, and long underwear.

A friend of the shelter, Mike, adds this:

Note that shoes, socks, and blankets are not needed at this time.

Dropoffs can be made in person between 7 am – 5 pm:
Map can be found on the website.
3618 SW Alaska St.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Icy scenes, and what’s next
January 12, 2024 11:05 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to Debra Salazar Herbst for the first photos in from this deep-freeze Friday – both from a walk on Alki. Below, the north wind whipping waves against the seawall is what’s continuing to propel the cold air this way:

The temperature has fallen several degrees since daybreak – currently 19 degrees at SEA, 20 at Boeing Field, and the midday forecast update still foresees an overnight low no warmer than the teens.

Share This

YOU CAN HELP: Fund to help students afford the basics
January 12, 2024 10:02 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Some of the funds featured in the Giving Opportunities section of our Holiday Guide this past season are still open to donations, such as this one for Chief Sealth International High School, trying to ensure help for their most-vulnerable students. School staff asked us to publish this request:

Please consider donating to the CSIHS InvestEDF fundraising campaign. These funds are used to help our students that are struggling to fund the basic needs for a successful high school experience. Our current funds will not meet the many needs of our students this year so we are asking the community for help. The CSIHS InvestED fund helps provide students with necessities such as school supplies, clothing, emergency gear, and bedding.

Beyond the basics, these funds can help with test and activity fees too, so that students in need have the same opportunities as their schoolmates. Just use the drop-down on this page to designate that your donation is for Chief Sealth International High School. “Any donation is greatly appreciated!” they add.

Share This

Orcas in Elliott Bay
January 12, 2024 9:02 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales

They were visible from 54th/Alki, Kersti Muul tells us. But beware that cold north wind!

Share This

TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Freezing Friday
January 12, 2024 6:00 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts | West Seattle weather

7:41 AM: West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxis are canceled for the rest of the morning because of wind. Metro says the shuttle buses will keep running.

2:26 PM: From Metro – “The West Seattle Water Taxi will be resuming regularly scheduled service beginning with the 2:30 p.m. departure from Pier 50 in downtown Seattle.”

Earlier:

6:00 AM: Good morning. It’s Friday, January 12th, and the below-freezing air is here. Local roads are clear, though, as a dusting of snow is all we got (although some other areas around the region saw more).

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

We’re in the 20s now and the forecast suggests that’s where we’ll stay all day, with the sky gradually clearing, and wind from the north, then an overnight low in the teens. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:54 am, sunset at 4:40 pm.

LOOKING AHEAD

Monday is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – school and government closures, and some transit changes.

TRANSIT NOTES

Water Taxi today – UPDATE: CANCELED Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you’re wondering where the boat is. For Monday’s holiday, the WT will be out of service.

Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

(The video options on SDOT‘s camera map are working again.)

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: See all working traffic cams citywide here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!

Share This

Entrepreneur proposes three ways to make Admiral District more walkable. Next step, community support
January 11, 2024 9:32 pm
|      104 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(California/Admiral intersection – Google Maps Street View image)

Stu Hennessey has a dream – a walkable Admiral District.

It’s where he does business as the proprietor of Alki Bike and Board (WSB sponsor), and it’s home to an increasingly busy collection of homes and businesses, including newer apartment buildings such as Luna, Admiral Station, and Element 42, plus Lafayette Elementary, West Seattle High School, and a senior-living complex.

While The (Alaska) Junction has a “walkability score” of 98, the Admiral Junction area scores only 70, says Hennessey, who presented his ideas for fixing that to Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association gathering.

In a written version of his presentation, he asks, “Is it our fate to have so much less walkability than the Alaska Junction? Both intersections have about the same amount of daily traffic volume. Both intersections should have the same regard for pedestrian safety. There have been plenty of pedestrian or bicycle accidents along California Ave. SW from SW Stevens to SW College St. Considering the schools, assisted-living facilities, and business storefronts, this neighborhood requires the same amount or more safety improvements to raise our walkability score to the level of the Alaska Junction. The call for better walkability is a call for economic development that will serve businesses and neighbors alike.”

(California between Admiral and Lander – Google Maps Street View image)

Here are Hennessey’s three proposals – two of which would mirror what’s in place at Alaska Junctiion:

—Walk-All-Ways intersection at California/Admiral. He says, “The biggest safety concern for pedestrians crossing the streets is the right turn on red. The all-walk design would eliminate the right turn on red. Traffic-light synchronization would both keep the traffic flow from backing up and increase the mobility and safety for pedestrians with a 40-second all-walk crossing.”

—Mid-block raised crossings on California between Lander and Admiral and College and Admiral. These would serve people going to and from the Admiral Theater and Admiral Safeway.

—Permanently close SW Lander between California and 44th. Hennessey elaborates, “This is an often-ignored one-way and daytime-temporarily-closed street that could be used as an emergency gathering point for Lafayette School, auto-free pickup of students, and a potential event space such as a farmers’ market.”

So what would it take to make any or all of that happen? He hopes to engage everyone with a stake in the area – residents, businesses, schools, even law enforcement – to petition SDOT. Support could be voiced through a variety of feedback channels, he suggests, and shown via yard signs with a QR code as well as flyers in shop windows, all pointing to the petition.

How to pay for it? Hennessey has thought about that too: “Beyond the next transportation-plan levy, there is available federal funding, and matching grants.” Last year, he said, the feds made $5 billion “available for community-safety improvements. To date, $813 million has been granted to 385 community groups like ours.”

Hennessey is no stranger to community advocacy; he is a co-founder of Sustainable West Seattle and led the campaign to create Puget Ridge Edible Park. His next step toward a more-walkable Admiral District is to build a stakeholders group, and he suggested the ANA should be involved. President Joanie Jacobs said their board will discuss it, but first reaction was positive. Hennessey emphasized that the funding is out there – what will be needed to make any of this happen is widespread organized community effort. He expects to return to the ANA at its next general gathering in March with updates.

Share This

COUNTDOWN: Four months until West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2024
January 11, 2024 8:30 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

We’ve already received questions about this year’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – so here’s a quick “countdown” note: It’s now exactly four months away, second Saturday in May as always, and that’s May 11 this year. If you’re new, this isn’t one big sale, but rather sales large and small all over the peninsula, one of the first events of the spring/summer season. In the spirit of other community-wide sale days around the country, this one was founded by a now-defunct nonprofit in 2005, and we took over as coordinators starting in 2008. Registration to be on the official WSCGSD map will open in early April. (Here’s our coverage from last year.)

Share This

Seen on 2024’s first West Seattle Art Walk
January 11, 2024 6:59 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

Still time to bundle up and get out to see art tonight!

Photographer Iris Margell is one of the West Seattle High School students showing their work tonight at West Seattle Grounds (2141 California SW) during the January 2024 West Seattle Art Walk. Magnus Payne is another student artist showing work there until 8 pm:

WSHS musicians are providing the soundtrack:

Toward the south end of tonight’s Art Walk (see the map/list of venues here), Alki Arts (6030 California SW) also has a reception until 8 pm:

Above, Kate Flückinger Petty; below, Brooke Borcherding:

Those are just two of dozens of places you’ll find art and/or food and drink specials on the second Thursday of every month – find highlights for each month here. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of the West Seattle Art Walk.)

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Sound Transit Board votes to hire Goran Sparrman as interim CEO for $385,000+
January 11, 2024 6:35 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Sound Transit

Three days after Sound Transit announced Goran Sparrman was under consideration to become interim CEO, board members voted this afternoon to hire him for a year. Outgoing CEO Julie Timm‘s last day will be tomorrow, and Sparrman will start work right after that. Timm was hired less than a year and a half ago for $375,000; Sparrman’s salary will be $385,000, plus a $30,000 signing bonus and $29,000 retention bonus if he stays the entire year, according to the board-motion document. Sparrman is a former director of the city of Bellevue’s transportation department as well as former deputy director and interim director of SDOT; most recently, he worked for private-sector infrastructure firm HNTB. Major ST action expected during his year at the helm is expected to include the board’s final vote on West Seattle light-rail routing and station locations, after the Final Environmental Impact Statement is published (currently expected “midyear”).

Share This