West Seattle, Washington
11 Friday
Options for the hours ahead, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:
THANKSGIVING LUNCH: 11:30 am at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), turkey and music – call to see if reservations remain!
SOUTHWEST LIBRARY REOPENS: After an extra day of closure for HVAC work, the Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) will reopen at noon today, SPL says.
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.)
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration continues at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
LEARN ASL: Free class, 6 pm at West Seattle Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (4001 44th SW) – info’s in our calendar listing.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FREE TRACK RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 pm.
TOASTMASTERS 832: Boost your communication skills! Meet new people! Just two reasons to check out West Seattle Toastmasters 832‘s online gathering at 6:30 pm.
THE CLAY CAULDRON: 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance or drop in to work on your project(s).
SING! Singers have an open invitation to join the Seattle Metropolitan Singers – “all treble voices welcome” – just attend one of their rehearsals, Tuesdays 7-9 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
TRIVIA X 4: Four places to play Tuesday nights – 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); also, 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).
BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with Cookie Couture at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm. Free, all ages!
You can look ahead any time via our event calendar – if you have something to add to it, please email the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Candy lovers on your holiday list? Friends of Roxhill Elementary will benefit if you buy See’s Candy through their online shop. Orders are being accepted through December 1st, and the organization explains, “Candy is the exact same cost as in See’s stores or website, but they donate a portion of sales to us!” Here’s the link.
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, November 21st, two days until Thanksgiving.
WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Increasing clouds, pm rain likely, high in the low 50s. Sunrise today is at 7:23 am; sunset, 4:26 pm.
(Monday sunrise photo by Jerry Simmons)
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro – Regular schedule today; check advisories here.
Water Taxi is on its regular schedule too. Advance holiday alert – the Water Taxi will be out of service Thursday (Thanksgiving) and Friday.
Washington State Ferries – The usual 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. That’ll be the Thursday level of service too. Check alerts for changes, and use Vessel Watch to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, 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 – southeastern route across the river:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on Twitter/X shows whether the city’s movable bridges (including the West Seattle low bridge) are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!
Every year, we assemble a list of West Seattle restaurants planning to be open on Thanksgiving Day. (We say “planning” because sometimes their plans change after we finish making phone calls.) If you don’t want to cook, go here to see what’s on our list so far. We have nine, and can add if you know of somewhere we missed – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
P.S. You can also stay out of the kitchen by going to one of the free community dinners at The Hall at Fauntleroy (noon-3 pm) or the West Seattle Eagles (2-5 pm).
(Photos by Tom Trulin. Above, one of the last of this year’s 34 spawners)
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
After two years of amazingly high numbers of coho spawners in Fauntleroy Creek (244 in 2021, 254 in 2022), this season’s 34 isn’t all that impressive unless, like veteran counter Dennis Hinton, you take the long view.
“Since the first spawners in modern history arrived in 1994, we’ve had 13 years with 10 or fewer, including some years with none,” he said. “A glut of fish draws a lot of attention, but when that happens in this small creek, late arrivals dig the redds of earlier fish and we lose hatch potential.”
(Veteran salmon-watch volunteers Pete Draughon, Dennis Hinton, and Mark Sears)
On October 22, 20 volunteers began watching the spawning reach in the lower creek during the five hours after high tide. Mark Sears led a special cadre of volunteers to relocate drift logs on the beach to ensure spawners could reach the mouth of the creek.
Watchers recorded the first robust spawner on November 4 and the last a week later. They also recorded two cutthroat trout in to snag what salmon eggs they could.
Harbor seals and other predators in Fauntleroy Cove were especially active eaters this year. Most carcasses above the spawning reach soon disappeared, likely in the jaws of raccoons.
By November 18 when the watch ended, watchers had invited at least 88 visitors down to creek level from the fish-ladder viewpoint across from the ferry terminal. Another 136 came during an “open creek” on November 12 to talk salmon and habitat.
If creek conditions continue to be favorable, eggs will hatch late January/early February, and fry will emerge from the gravel a few weeks later. Area schools will get eyed hatchery eggs in early January to rear and release as fry in May through the Salmon in the Schools program.
Lauren reports her car was stolen from her garage in Gatewood just before 1:30 this afternoon: “It’s a black Subaru Crosstrek. License place is BWV1276; has a “life is good” magnet on the back. The incident # is 23-335354.”
UPDATE: Found – see comments.
Another highlight just in for the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) has a monster event planned for Black Friday:
So let’s recap that: Buy a $10 raffle ticket at TRG on Friday starting at 10 am and not only are you entered in the guitar drawing, you get lunch (burger and shake) from the Dick’s Drive-In truck, which will be there noon-2 pm. (One lunch per person, though you can buy more raffle tickets if you want!) Holiday sale continues Saturday and Sunday too! Shop local, shop musical at this one-of-a-kind West Seattle shop.
(WSB photo – 2022 Alki Arts pop-up in The Junction)
A recently vacated business space on the north side of Morgan Junction has a new tenant: Alki Arts is opening a gallery in the former Launchpad coworking/event space at 6030 California SW. Alki Arts proprietor Diane Venti has long been part of the local art scene – she tells WSB, “This is our 14th year selling local affordable original art, which all started in West Seattle on Alki … since then we have had 3 long-term locations, 4 pop-up locations, and 2 collaborations with other galleries … all in the aim of keeping rent low enough to be able to make a viable business of accessible original art for everyone. In keeping with our business model since day one, we will feature monthly musical performances for local musicians and will also be renting our space out for private events, giving a deep discount to nonprofits.” Alki Arts plans a soft-opening this Friday (November 24) and grand opening Saturday, December 2nd – regular hours will be Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-6 pm and by appointment. (The original Alki Arts location was at 2820 Alki SW, where Outer Space Seattle is for now.)
Thomas reports, “My car got stolen this morning around 8:30 am. In front of my apartment, the address is 4208 Beach Dr. The stolen vehicle is the 2015 Lexus CT200, white with black top. Please help me find the car.” We’re still awaiting the plate and report #s and will add when we have them.
Overdose responses are sadly not rare. Those with multiple patients are. That’s what brought the sizable Seattle Fire response to Roxhill Park this past half-hour. According to SFD radio communication, a woman and man, both 33 years old, were found “unconscious and unresponsive” after “suspected opiate overdoses.” They were able to revive her, and thought that – after many efforts including 10+ rounds of CPR – they had revived him, but he’s just been declared dead. The woman, meantime, will be taken to a hospital.
From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, to which we’re adding more events and info every day – the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship sets sail the day after Thanksgiving, and its three West Seattle visits will be on the same schedule as last year:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24: Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor SW), 5:35 pm.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, WS STOP 1: Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor), 5:35 pm
ALSO NOVEMBER 25, WS STOP 2: Alki Beach Park (usually near the Bathhouse), 8:35 pm, with a bonfire
So far, the forecast looks clear and dry for both nights. If you haven’t seen the Christmas Ship before, it’s a brightly lit boat (used for tours the rest of the year) with a choir on board (and paid passengers), stopping offshore for a free 20-minute mini-concert of holiday songs. Again this year, the singers for all three West Seattle performances will be The Dickens Carolers. See this year’s full regional Christmas Ship schedule here.
(Southwest Branch, WSB file photo)
We’ve just learned that the Southwest Library HVAC work wasn’t finished in time to reopen the branch today as planned. We’re told that insulation work is a major component of what remains. They’re not sure yet if they’ll reopen before Thanksgiving. So if you need to visit a library this week, here’s a reminder that Seattle Public Library has four other area branches – High Point, Delridge, West Seattle (Admiral), and South Park; the King County Library System has the White Center branch, too. All libraries will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving.
Here’s an opportunity for pre-Thanksgiving giving – to help West Seattle High School students and their families:
Support WSHS Families This Holiday Season
Our Care Coordinator, Stacey Fernandez, is organizing a Thanksgiving & Holiday Gift Card Fund. Your donations will go directly toward providing WSHS students and families with items to meet their basic needs, including food, warm clothing, and personal hygiene supplies. No donation is too small. Give today! Questions? Stacey Fernandez 206-252-8800 stfernandez@seattleschools.org
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, November 20th, three days until Thanksgiving.
WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Partly sunny, high in the upper 40s. Sunrise today is at 7:21 am; sunset, 4:27 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro – Regular schedule today; check advisories here.
Water Taxi is on its regular schedule too. Advance holiday alert – the Water Taxi will be out of service Thursday (Thanksgiving) and Friday.
Washington State Ferries – The usual 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use Vessel Watch to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, 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 – southeastern route across the river:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on Twitter/X shows whether the city’s movable bridges (including the West Seattle low bridge) are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!
(Added 5:15 am: Photo of van being towed, sent by @WestSeaWX)
3:58 AM: Rush Hour, the Junction shop hit early Friday by crash-and-grab burglar(s) driving a stolen Silverado, has just been hit again. This time a Kia Sedona (registered in Kent, not yet confirmed stolen) was used – someone saw it lodged in the building, and called it in just after 3:30 am. Police are there now investigating. Dispatch told officers that there was a report of a gray SUV leaving the scene after the van was abandoned. Rush Hour already was planning a move to a new location in two weeks.
ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: As linked in comments, a crowdfunding campaign has launched to help Rush Hour recover.
9:10 PM: If you’re heading to or from the South Park Bridge, be aware that the main intersection in downtown South Park – 14th Avenue South and South Cloverdale – is closed off right now, as is the bridge’s northbound side, by a big fire response. The fire is reported to be in the business building on the northeast corner of the intersection. The smoke is visible on the nearest traffic camera (which points toward the bridge’s south end), as shown in the screengrab above.
9:22 PM: SFD is still fighting the fire. Southbound traffic off the South Park Bridge is being detoured onto westbound Dallas.
9:25 PM: SFD says the fire’s under control.
9:40 PM: No injuries, per SFD. Meantime, southbound traffic on the bridge is now being held behind a bus, and the traffic camera shows cars turning around and heading back northbound.
9:45 PM: SFD has declared the fire “tapped” (out). Some of the units are being dismissed.
10:37 PM: 14th/Cloverdale is still blocked but south/westbound bridge traffic is flowing again and the camera shows some vehicles getting onto the north/eastbound side from Dallas.
10:53 PM: Officers just told dispatch they’re reopening SB 14th and one lane of NB 14th. The fire, meantime, is under investigation.
2:37 AM: As commenter David points out, SFD has summarized the fire response here, including the determination that the fire was accidental, “likely caused by faulty electrical.” The photo confirms it’s the building that’s home to the cafĂ© Good Voyage.
It was a night for farewells when the Alki Community Council met this past Thursday night.
Three longtime officers said goodbye. So did our area’s city councilmember.
But with endings came beginnings – a new president and vice president. We’ll start there.
OFFICER TRANSITION: Months ago, longtime ACC leaders announced their intention to step down before this year was out, and the resulting need for new leadership – or else, they warned, like so many other West Seattle neighborhood groups in recent years, this one too would go dormant.
Departing:
President Tony Fragada
Vice President Randie Stone
Secretary/Treasurer Kathy Olson
Succeeding them:
President Charlotte Starck
Vice President Lindsey Pearsall
Secretary – vacant
Treasurer – vacant
Staying on are trustees Greg Showalter, Peter Stekel, and Will Winter; now-past president Fragada – who’s been involved with the group since the ’90s – becomes a trustee too. If you are interested in either of the vacant positions, contact info is at alkicommunitycouncil.org. Starck said she’s “excited” about the ACC’s potential and hopes to launch a membership drive. Pearsall added that she’s “super-passionate about building community.”
COUNCILMEMBER LISA HERBOLD: Our area’s city councilmember, about to leave office after eight years, made a brief visit in the meeting’s early going. She promised to help, in her waning weeks, with the issue Starck nand neighbors brought to the ACC last month – the need for traffic calming on 56th Avenue SW, a gateway from Admiral Way down to the beach. Herbold also suggested that the neighbors get it on her successor’s radar; she and Councilmember-elect Rob Saka were scheduled to meet the next day, and Herbold said she’d bring it up. Meantime, the neighbors are continuing to circulate an online petition, which asks for speed bumps, for starters. The group recalled a walking tour with SDOT director Greg Spotts suggesting there’d be a wider planning effort for the Alki area, but nothing had happened yet. Meantime, the ACC thanked Herbold for her assistance with various issues over the years and wished her well.
POLICE: Community-emphasis Officer German Bareto participated in the meeting online (this was a hybrid meeting, both online and at Alki UCC). He gave a quick update on crime trends – mentioning that aggravated assaults and robberies are up. The talk turned to the pervasive problem of dogs on the beach; he was asked how to reach Animal Control officers, and suggested surfacing the issue to Parks employees if they’re on hand.
FOLLOWUP ON DEFACED ART: Stekel reported that since his push to get utilities to clean up the paint markings with which they defaced the Constellation Park artwork – including artist Lezlie Jane‘s sidewalk octopus – they’ve done just that.
DONATIONS: The ACC will be sending $200 each to the West Seattle and White Center food banks.
NEXT MEETING: The ACC meets third Thursdays most months, in person at Alki UCC and online – watch alkicommunitycouncil.org for updates.
Just four days until Thanksgiving, and the free community dinner at The Hall at Fauntleroy. For those interested in helping either instead of, or in addition to, enjoying the dinner, here’s an update:
We are full on volunteers (yay!), but if people would still like to be involved, they can deliver desserts day-of [Thursday] starting at 9 am, or warm clothes/socks/blankets to the schoolhouse hallway anytime leading up to Thanksgiving.
As noted here, the dinner – a quarter-century tradition – is set for noon-3 pm on Thanksgiving Day, and everyone is welcome. The Hall is at 9130 California SW, on the south end of historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.
Two reader reports this afternoon:
IS THIS YOUR TENNIS BAG? Sent by Jonathan – could be lost, could be stolen-and-dumped:
Discovered this apparently discarded tennis backpack at 3 pm Sunday on the sideway just west of the intersection of 42nd Ave. SW and Findlay St., just off the alleyway behind C&P Coffee.
All the zipper pockets were opened. I peeked inside for ID but found none. Maybe someone can be reunited with their tennis gear, which included two racquets, can of tennis balls and shoes.
If you’re missing this, email us and we’ll connect you. (UPDATE: Owner found, reunion in progress. The bag fell off her motorcycle.)
ILLEGAL DUMPING: From Ian:
Someone dumped a large amount of junk in the middle of the road at the intersection of 37th and 102nd SW around 7:30am. Looks like they stole a random pallet worth of literal trash, found nothing valuable, and just randomly jettisoned it. Neighbor said he saw a white truck driving away.
If you see something dumped in the public right of way, you can report it to SDOT – 206-684-ROAD or, after hours, 206-386-1218. If urgent and causing a major safety hazard, you also can call 911.
Thanks to Amy for the report:
I wanted to give a shout out to the Louisa Boren STEM K-8 Middle School Ultimate Frisbee team, who won their championship game (Saturday)! The team worked together, practiced hard, built strong bonds and friendships, and had a lot of fun in the process. Congratulations to all the middle schoolers on the team and their awesome coaches! Well done, Owls!!!
10:40 AM SUNDAY: Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos of that scene outside 3622 California SW this morning. The crash happened around 4:30 am; Theresa tells us what she saw:
I was awakened by a crash, and then screaming, and loud arguing. A sedan crashed into the light pole at mid block 3622 California, in front of Manning Place Apartments, and the Barber Shop. The pole stopped the car from hitting the building, but car is up on the sidewalk diagonally.
Two men got out of the car and ran away. A bicylist convinced the young men to come back. One came back, then eventually, the other. Not clear who was driving, but one of the young men. I know first aid, so I ran down and helped the girl stay still and talked to her. She said she hurt her legs and her teeth hurt.
Listening to audio from the dispatch and response, SFD was called to treat her; Theresa says she was taken away in an ambulance. City Light also was called. Theresa says a new pole’s been delivered, but the car hasn’t yet been removed.
Since the wrecked car is a Hyundai Elantra, you might wonder about its status. So far from recorded incident audio we’ve learned that it had not been reported as stolen but its plates were expired and registered to someone in SeaTac. But that’s where the audio trail has ended, so we probably won’t be able to access further info from police until tomorrow.
10:26 AM MONDAY: Police told us today the car was not stolen – it belongs to a relative of one of the occupants. No one has been cited so far as police were not able to determine who was driving.
More holiday-bazaar shopping today! This is the gift fair inside Walmesley Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Myrtle) until 2 pm, with a special focus on handmade and fair/ethical-trade items.
There’s also a bake sale raising money for WestSide Baby:
You can have lunch there too – mac and cheese, lumpia, and Frito chili pie are promised. This is one of two gift fairs/bazaars today, along with the second day at Peace Lutheran (noon-3 pm, 39th/Thistle).
Welcome to this pre-holiday Sunday! First, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
THANKSGIVING ORDERING DEADLINES: Two of note today – Pecos Pit West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – Order here. … Bakery Nouveau – See Thanksgiving items here.
HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR AT OLG: Shop, eat, make a wreath at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Nyrtle). Ethically sourced gifts and food, plus hot lunch (Frito chili bowls! mac and cheese! lumpia!) available to eat there or take home. Student bake sale benefiting WestSide Baby. 9:30 am-2 pm.
PEACE LUTHERAN HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Second and final day, noon-3 pm at 39th/Thistle. See our story from Saturday. Proceeds benefit church programs plus West Seattle Food Bank, White Center Food Bank, Westside Neighbors Network Shelter.
And now the rest of today’s lineup, mostly from our WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WESTIES RUN CLUB: They’re running on Sunday mornings too – meet at 9 am at rotating locations.
WEST SEATTLE BEE GARDEN TLC: If you can give a couple hours to this West Seattle treasure, they’d be happy to see you, 10 am-noon. (Graham/Lanham)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual between SW Alaska and SW Oregon on California, offering fall fruit and vegetables as well as flowers, cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, more. Here’s today’s vendor list. The market is on California north of Oregon.
BUY YOUR PANCAKE-BREAKFAST TICKETS! At the market’s south end, go look for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle booth, and buy your ticket(s) for their December 2nd pancake breakfast (which features Santa photo ops)!
FOOD DRIVE: One more reason to go to the market – donate to the West Seattle Food Bank via Farmlink fellow Ariel Cook‘s food drive. Look for her booth amid the vendors, 10 am-2 pm.
CLOTHING/BLANKETS/FOOD DRIVE: Also collecting donations today, Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds). 11 am-3 pm.
CAT ADOPTION EVENT: Friends of the Animals Foundation is at Mud Bay (2611 California SW) noon-3 pm with adoptable cats.
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS QUESTIONS/CONCERNS? Our area’s outgoing School Board rep Leslie Harris hosts her last community-conversation meeting, 2-5 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), with guests and lasagna. Drop in when you can.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: At C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor): The Heartache and Heartbreak Show, 3-5 pm, no cover.
LIVE AT EASY STREET: Red Dress, 5 pm free in-store, all-ages show at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW).
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
Something for our calendar – one-time or recurring? Or for our upcoming West Seattle Holiday Guide? Please email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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