West Seattle, Washington

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Spotlight Stories


  • Park

    FUTURE PARK: How to help make it happen

  • Tenant

    SEE WHO’S MOVING IN: Ex-bakery space

  • WS5K

    WEST SEATTLE 5K: See & hear how it went

Urgent call for help from the White Center Food Bank
September 29, 2008 4:36 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   How to help

West Seattle is actually served by two food banks with distinct boundaries – and the one that serves southern West Seattle, the White Center Food Bank, is in urgent, immediate need of help. Just got this note from executive director Rick Jump:

I don’t want to be like the boy who cried wolf so I don’t ask for anything unless the situation absolutely warrants it. Our numbers are up (way up) and donations are down. We are currently experiencing critical shortages of food which will begin to impact services in the next week or two. Our inventories are shrinking fast and we need almost all types of non-perishable food. Canned fruits and vegetables, soups, tuna, cereal, dry variety foods such as Hamburger Helper, Rice-a-Roni and Mac & Cheese are especially needed at this time.

Information on where to go and how to donate can be found at whitecenterfoodbank.org — at this page in particular (which also includes a link to donate $ online). Meantime, we’ll be checking with West Seattle Food Bank to see if they have any immediate needs as well.

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County Council OKs extra buses for Viaduct crunch
September 29, 2008 4:12 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle news

Today’s vote brings the formal approval of what was announced at an event we covered four weeks ago – read on for the official county news release:Read More

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Alki Beach Run followup: Results now available online
September 29, 2008 3:24 pm
|    Comments Off on Alki Beach Run followup: Results now available online
 |   West Seattle news

runwalk.jpgThanks to Sarah for posting this in comments following our coverage of the huge (1,000-plus participants!) Alki Beach Run for Northwest Hope and Healing (a West Seattle-based organization that helps local breast-cancer patients) — run results are now posted online.

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Welcoming a new WSB sponsor: Alki Bike and Board (with a sale!)
September 29, 2008 3:07 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle online

studemosws.jpgAlki Bike and Board actually joined the WSB sponsor lineup about a week ago but now that the shop’s annual Fall Sale is just days away – this Friday, Saturday, Sunday – we’re rolling out the red carpet today. Stu Hennessey (pictured at left presenting a demonstration at the last Sustainable West Seattle meeting) says he wants people to see Alki Bike and Board as a resource for people to find out everything about bicycles, particularly as a form of transportation – yes, they’re recreational, but with high gas prices and environmental concerns, he invites people not only to stop by and buy a bike but also to find out how it can be a useful transportation device. Stu hopes that this will lead customers to appreciate and enjoy the time they spend in Alki Bike and Board, seeing it not only as a shop, but also a place to learn about what they buy, so they can get better use out of their purchase. One more note – even though Alki Bike and Board is in the Admiral District, its name comes from the fact that the shop opened on Alki in the 1970s; it moved up to Admiral, at a location on the west side of California SW, then to its current location several years ago. Snowboards were added to the shop’s repertory in 1998 because Stu’s kids were snowboard fans and it seemed like a natural fit for his customers – if you’re into bikes, you’re often into boards. During the winter months, Alki Bike and Board sells boards and does ski tuneups. Back to bikes – if you go to the AB&B website, you can find out how to get one free bicycle-maintenance class; note that the classes are limited, and by appointment only. Alki Bike and Board is at 2606 California SW, less than a block south of Admiral. There’s more info about the Friday-Sunday fall sale – including the hours – on this page of the Alki B&B website, including “20%-50% STOREWIDE DISCOUNT on all Clothing, Shoes, Parts and Accessories.” We thank Alki Bike and Board for joining the WSB sponsor lineup; you can see the current list of sponsors – thank you for supporting them! – plus our latest traffic updates (September has already set a WSB pageview record with two days to go – 525,536, 9/1 through 9/28), by going to the WSB Advertise page.

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RapidRide update: Two questions answered
September 29, 2008 1:44 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

With thousands of new West Seattleites on the way, the forthcoming Metro RapidRide line (dubbed the “C” Line as of June) to West Seattle gets mentioned a lot in development and transportation meetings. Between those meetings, though, a few questions keep surfacing. For one, in a few of those meetings, we’ve heard the year 2010 mentioned for RR’s start, rather than 2011. For two, some have wondered if the plan was still on to have the RR line end at Westwood Village, rather than Fauntleroy or even Morgan Junction, the other two options. We took those questions to Metro’s Jack Lattemann, and here are his answers:Read More

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Find out how the mayor wants to spend your $
September 29, 2008 11:02 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle politics

If you want to watch live as the mayor tells the city council what he wants to do with city $ for the next fiscal year, his speech will be live at 2 pm on Seattle Channel (online here; on TV, cable channel 21). The official reminder from his office makes a point of noting it will include the youth-violence-prevention proposal he announced a few weeks ago (which focuses on three areas of the city, including ours, with major involvement from West Seattle-based Southwest Youth and Family Services, whose director spoke with us for a followup).

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“Nickelsville” campers ask for permission to use another site
September 29, 2008 10:31 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

According to letters posted on the official website for the West nickelsvillesunday.jpgMarginal/Highland Park Way encampment this morning – after a weekend spent on the state-owned site adjacent to the city land from which campers were rousted Friday afternoon – they’re promising to move “after midnight Wednesday,” but asking the governor for permission to set up at another state-owned site described as “500 yards southeast.” We just checked Parcel Viewer; the site most closely resembling that description is adjacent to Highway 99, parcel #5367202516. We don’t know for sure that this is the site they’re targeting, but whatever site they have in mind, if the governor’s office tells them not to use it, the letter says, they won’t, but they “will move together as a group … to another location,” though they aren’t saying where that might be: “It could be anywhere” (here’s their open letter to “property owners”). The letter goes on to thank the governor for treating the campers “like human beings” and invites her and her staff to visit, ending “… we will always have an open tent there for you.” We just called the governor’s office to ask if Gov. Gregoire has an official response to the request yet; they’re checking. 2 PM UPDATE: Talked with Ron Judd on the Gregoire staff a short time ago. He visited the site over the weekend but had not officially received today’s request yet. He also noted that the Wednesday deadline is not one set by the state, but by the city.

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Monday morning site notes
September 29, 2008 6:43 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle online | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpg2 quick notes as the week begins: With Election Day just five weeks from tomorrow, we’ve added the WSB Election page, featuring links to info on ballot measures (pop quiz! do you know what I-1029’s about?) and candidates, plus continuously updated digests of area political headlines and political blog updates (like the automated twitter.jpgdigests on our Blogs and More pages). Find the Election page here (or from the tabs on any WSB page). Also, the Twitter box is back in the right sidebar – it’s one way to track what we’re saying on Twitter without signing up for it (as explained here) yourself – it’s been gone a few days, since some systemwide technical instability on Thursday, but seems OK now.

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Update: Pier fire on Harbor Island
September 28, 2008 11:34 pm
|    Comments Off on Update: Pier fire on Harbor Island
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

We’ve received a few notes from live 911 log-watchers about the “fire in building” callout on Harbor Island, listed as 16th/Lander (map). We heard it was tapped sometime back and didn’t go; there’s no official Fire Department update so far but a P-I blog says it was a pier fire at the former Fisher mill site.

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Homeless encampment update: Deciding what to do next
September 28, 2008 9:59 pm
|    Comments Off on Homeless encampment update: Deciding what to do next
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

nickelsvillesunday.jpg

We’re checking on the West Marginal/Highland Park Way encampment daily TFN. Tonight’s bottom line: A few dozen tents are still there (photo above is from just after 5 pm). We stopped by early this evening after reading a note on the “Nickelsville” announcement site saying that campers planned a meeting to talk about what to do on Wednesday, since that’s how long the state has said – so far – they’d be allowed to stay on the state land adjacent to the city plot from which they were booted Friday afternoon. Their meeting hadn’t happened by the time we stopped by, and things were pretty quiet, no TV trucks or rabblerousers in view. We’ll check again tomorrow, and we’re keeping an eye on various related websites too; the organizer who was the first person arrested on Friday, Anitra Freeman, put a short post on her blog today, pointing to an Associated Press article about an increase in tent cities around the country.

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Alki Statue of Liberty vandalism, but not all what it seems
September 28, 2008 6:30 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Alki Statue of Liberty | Crime | West Seattle news

plaquetorn.jpg

Just three weeks after the plaza dedication, we’ve received a couple reports of vandalism on the new Alki Statue of Liberty pedestal – a missing plaque – but David Hutchinson of the Statue of Liberty Plaza Project Committee reports it’s not exactly what it seems: What’s missing off the pedestal is a placeholder plaque, with the real thing scheduled to be installed sometime soon. He adds that he “noticed over the past 3 weeks as the corners of the fake plaque were gradually peeled back and finally someone simply ripped the whole outer layer off. There have also been a few other acts of minor vandalism – scratching graffiti on an armrest and on some of the blank bricks.” (Thanks to David for the pedestal photo; he also sent photos of the armrest and bricks but since we don’t want to publicize the actual tags, we’re not using them.) MONDAY MORNING UPDATE: More information from Libby Carr of the plaza committee:

The plaque on the street side of the Statue was a temporary until
the new bronze plaque, containing the background story of our Statue, was
cast. It’s now done and will be permanently mounted very soon on the street
side of the pedestal.
We also wanted to let folks now about our concerns about some of the
bricks in the plaza floor. We are having a meeting this week with the brick
engraving company to determine what the problem is with about 100 of the
bricks having what looks like faded lettering. We are not sure what the
cause is, so we are having a meeting to discuss it and find an acceptable
solution. We want brick owners (and potential brick buyers for the
remaining) to know that we are addressing this problem and will be fixing
it.
Also, since many people didn’t have a chance to see Ken Burns
documentary “The Statue of Liberty” on the day of the Celebration event, we
are showing it again at the Log House Museum (61st & Stevens) on Saturday
October 11 (at 1:00 & 3:00 PM) and again on Sunday at 2:00 PM. We will send
in more info as the time approaches, but people may want to put that on
their calendar. People who have seen this thought provoking and informative
historical film have been very impressed with it.

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Huge turnout for Northwest Hope and Healing’s Alki Beach Run
September 28, 2008 1:51 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

Video thumbnail. Click to play
Click pic to play video

(if you’re looking for someone in the crowd, here’s a slightly larger version of that clip)
Last night, we told you West Seattle-based Northwest Hope and Healing had 750-plus people signed up for today’s Alki Beach Run 5K run-walk to raise money for its mission of helping breast-cancer patients. Today – just take a look at that first video clip atop this report; we had a great eagle’s-eye view of the start of the race, and in our video, you can see all ONE THOUSAND-PLUS participants stream by – huge turnout! We talked to Northwest Hope and Healing director Shari Sewell during the run/walk, and she told us they had printed up 900-plus bibs, but ran out during registration this morning! Now – did you notice the flag in the video clip? Read on to see what it symbolizes, see a clip of what the flagbearers did just before the run, and hear from the person they walked in honor of – oh, plus, see the first finisher, all ahead:Read More

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First Lutheran Church of West Seattle celebrates 90th anniversary
September 28, 2008 1:02 pm
|    Comments Off on First Lutheran Church of West Seattle celebrates 90th anniversary
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle religion | West Seattle video

Video thumbnail. Click to play
Click pic to play video

Just north of The Junction, quite a sight this morning outside one of West Seattle’s historic churches: First Lutheran Church of West Seattle marked its 90th anniversary with a bagpipe-led procession, beginning from the original 1918 church site (photo here) behind the current one, heading along Dakota to the 1950-opened sanctuary — designed by a member of the Seattle-founding Denny family — front. The video clip above shows the start of the procession (which FLCWS’s pastor, the Rev. Ronald Marshall, previewed in this article we published earlier this week), led by Tyron Heade, Pipe Major from St. James Cathedral downtown; just ahead, three more clips as the ceremony moved to the church’s door:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Chill bench pinched
September 28, 2008 11:32 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Chill bench pinched
 |   Crime | Gatewood | West Seattle news

From the “when bad things happen to good people” file: We last heard from massage/aromatherapy purveyors Chill, in Gatewood/south Morgan Junction, when they were raising money this summer to help Jan’s Salon next door recover from this eyepopping crash. Now, Nicole at Chill just e-mailed bad news of their own:

Last night 9/27/2008, someone stole the bench (wrought iron and wood) from out front of Chill at 6969 California Ave SW. It’s a shame – people in the neighborhood really seemed to like having it there. Any sight of it, contact Nicole at Chill 206-724-9555 – thanks.

12:02 PM ADDITION: We asked Nicole for a photo of the bench:

chillbench2.jpg

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West Seattle weekend scenes, 1st Sunday morning of fall
September 28, 2008 11:22 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle weekend scenes, 1st Sunday morning of fall
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle religion

runwalk.jpg

Thanks to David Hutchinson for that photo of the Alki Beach Run 5K this morning to raise money for West Seattle-based Northwest Hope and Healing. More than 900 people participated – not even counting those who lined the route to cheer. We have a full report coming up with video and more photos, plus an interview with the breast-cancer patient for whom the Seattle Lutheran cheerleaders were marching (note the flag in David’s photo). Also this morning:

lutheran.jpg

That’s the end of a ceremony this morning outside First Lutheran Church of West Seattle, celebrating its 90th anniversary. We also will bring you a full report on that, including video of the bagpipe-led procession and rededication ceremony. On the way back to WSB HQ after both those events, we stopped for this solemn scene:

flowerspole.jpg

Fresh hydrangeas rest at the bottom of the utility pole at 35th/Graham, two years and one day after the crash that killed bicyclist Susanne Scaringi. We also photographed the pole on the anniversary last year. Next year, those who want to pay tribute to Susanne on the anniversary probably won’t be able to do this, as this will likely be a construction site – proposed for three mixed-use buildings (next Design Review session coming up October 9). On the back of the pole, by the way, an artwork – we don’t know if it’s related to the memorial, or just there for whomever passes by:

poleback.jpg

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West Seattle Farmers’ Market today: First fall session
September 28, 2008 6:30 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Farmers’ Market today: First fall session
 |   West Seattle Farmers' Market

What’s an aprium? Find out at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market today (44th/Alaska, 10 am-2 pm); it’s one of the items on this week’s Ripe ‘n’ Ready “fresh sheet.”

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Election: Parks Levy campaign stops in Delridge
September 27, 2008 11:36 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle parks | West Seattle politics | West Seattle video

childcampaigns.jpg

Some people just get involved in politics young. That little girl seemed determined to get the day off to a running start, along with one of three groups that toured the city today to campaign for Seattle Proposition 2, the $145 million, six-year parks levy (text/pros/cons/$ impact here) that’s going before voters just as the old Pro Parks Levy expires. This group started its day with a stop at Delridge Playfield, one of the West Seattle spots that stands to benefit if the levy passes, according to West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen: (who chairs the council’s Parks Committee):

Video thumbnail. Click to play
Click pic to play video

Specifically, Delridge Playfield would get $3-plus million to replace its sand fields with artificial turf; the fields were hosting games when the levy campaign stopped by today:

sandfield.jpg

The official pro-Prop 2 website has a map of other projects in West Seattle (and around the city). This is one of three local money-raising measures you’ll be considering on the November 4 ballot – the others are Seattle Proposition 1, the Pike Place Market levy (text/pros/cons/$ impact here), and Sound Transit Proposition 1 (text/pros/cons/$ impact here), which would expand light rail and includes money to study a potential future expansion into West Seattle.

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Alki Beach Run tomorrow: Record turnout expected
September 27, 2008 10:38 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

We’ve been telling you about West Seattle-based Northwest Hope and Healing‘s Alki Beach Run tomorrow, to raise money to help local women diagnosed with breast cancer. Should be a busy morning at the beach – we got word tonight that more than 700 participants are expected, more than triple last year’s turnout (the race format and location were different), for the 5K run/walk. But there’s still room for you to join in – register starting at 8 am at Alki Bathhouse; get details on the official website.

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From partner site White Center Now: Hicks Lake cleanup
September 27, 2008 7:33 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   White Center

We’d never visited Hicks Lake, in White Center’s Lakewood Park, till we dropped by today to cover the annual cleanup there. We found the park and the 4-acre lake so lovely, we wanted to share the story with you, if you’re interested in checking out more of the green spaces that lie just beyond West Seattle; read the story here. (Also new on WCN, a short update on the White Center Swap Meet, debuting next week in the old roller rink.)

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Worried about saving history before it’s … history? Learn how
September 27, 2008 6:29 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle history

With so much development in West Seattle, many people have asked what can be done to keep historic buildings from being lost. One step: Get educated and find out what’s possible (what’s not). Historic Seattle offers a chance to do just that, just a few weeks from now, and preservation advocate Christine Palmer sent this announcement specifically for you, calling the event a “training opportunity for neighborhood residents to protect what’s left of West Seattle’s heritage” (and other neighborhoods whose residents may choose to participate):

HISTORIC SEATTLE PROVIDES A WORKSHOP FOR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO BECOME THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION EXPERTS

Struggling to understand Seattle’s historic preservation ordinance?
Disturbed by insensitive new construction in your neighborhood?
Seeking procedures for dealing with local historic properties?
Who is on the landmarks board anyway?

PROTECTING HISTORIC SITES

Good Shepherd Center
4649 Sunnyside Avenue N., Room 202 (map)
Saturday, October 18, 2008, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Reservations required
$30 admission includes lunch

Historic Seattle will provide the answers to these questions and more at a full-day workshop featuring presentations by local historic preservation experts. Advance reservations are required! Workshop fees are $25 for Historic Seattle members and $30 for the general public. Please register online at:
www.historicseattle.org/events/eventdetail.aspx?id=303

Workshop participants will enjoy a lunch delivered to the Good Shepherd Center and receive an extensive packet of useful information about local, state, and national preservation issues and opportunities. The agenda will cover the following topics:

WHAT ARE HISTORIC PROPERTIES? Presenters will provide an overview of Seattle’s diverse and unique historic resources including the distinctions between “eligible” and “designated” sites.

NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION. Want to know more about rallying local residents for preservation issues? What should you do if the owner opposes the landmark designation? What are the alternatives to designated historic buildings and neighborhoods? Would a conservation district provide enough protection?

SUCCESS STORIES FROM NEIGHBORS WHO LANDMARKED PROPERTIES IN SOUTH PARK, FREMONT, AND CAPITOL HILL

COUNTY, NATIONAL AND STATE PRESERVATION PROGRAMS. Seattle and King County preservation legislation is different, but how? What are the advantages of listing on the Washington Heritage Register or the National Register of Historic Places?

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. Help is out there, but you need to find out if your historic building qualifies.

Presenters will include:

Staff for the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board in the Seattle
Department of Neighborhoods
Local Consulting Historians and Architects
Former members of the City Landmarks Preservation Board
Staff from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
Staff for the King County Landmarks Commission
Staff from 4Culture
And more!

Deadline for registration at the workshop: Wednesday, October 15, 5:00 pm (online registration link)

By the way, if you’re wondering what West Seattle has on the list of official city landmarks – all 14 are shown here.

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Homeless encampment update: Still at Highland/W Marginal
September 27, 2008 4:28 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Just drove through West Marginal/Highland Park Way intersection on the way back from somewhere else, and noted that dozens of pink tents are still on the site to which they moved after yesterday’s city sweep of “Nickelsville.” The “new” site on state property isn’t “across the street” as some describe it; it’s an adjacent parking-lot-type clearing just over a berm from the city land (left side of the start of the first video clip in last night’s report; photo at the bottom of the official “Nickelsville” web page). One unmarked TV-news truck, mast up (likely for a 5 pm report), was visible as we passed. Organizers’ official e-mail group says 23 people (police had said 22) were arrested in yesterday afternoon’s sweep and claims all “were back on site … by 3:30.”

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Click! Design That Fits birthday party tonight, and you’re invited
September 27, 2008 4:05 pm
|    Comments Off on Click! Design That Fits birthday party tonight, and you’re invited
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

clickopeningnight.jpg

John and Frances Smersh posted that photo on the Facebook page (find it here) for their Admiral shop, Click! Design That Fits (one of WSB’s first sponsors), and noted it was from October 1, 2004, opening night. Tonight – another party – their fourth anniversary, with champagne, cupcakes, a jewelry sale, and more, 6-9 pm (full details on the Click! blog). 6:10 PM UPDATE: The Smershes just sent this photo of the custom Sugar Rush Baking Company cupcakes baked for the party, complete with Click! logo:

cupcakes.jpg

P.S. To see the official Click! news release about the anniversary – “click” ahead:Read More

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West Seattle weekend scenes: Walk ‘n’ Roll; mystery; colors
September 27, 2008 12:01 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Seen around town | West Seattle news

ataxiaawareness.jpg

That’s the start of the Ataxia Awareness “Walk ‘n’ Roll” along Alki this morning. (Here’s more about ataxia, a nervous-system disorder; here’s how to reach the local support group.) P.S. The Alki Beach Run for Northwest Hope and Healing is tomorrow (online registration is closed, but race-day registration starts 8 am tomorrow @ the bathhouse). Second note – on the way to Alki this morning, we MAY HAVE solved part of a mystery:

tent3.jpg

That tent is on the industrial site just east of the Bronson street end, which in turn is just east of Salty’s. Between the tent, the nearby rental trucks, and the lights (photo below – one of at least two such setups on the site), we think it MIGHT be … we emphasize, MIGHT … be part of the answer to the movie-site mystery we reported two days ago. Maybe.

tent2.jpg

Of course, whatever’s happening there might have happened yesterday .. might be happening tonight … or who knows when. But we’ll keep an eye out. (SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Karen says now that more setup has happened, it looks like a wedding. Oh well.) Meantime, close by, a quick pic of one of our favorite pockets of West Seattle fall colors:

fallcolors.jpg

That’s at Duwamish Head Greenspace. As for what else is up this weekend – check the West Seattle Weekend Lineup! Which is missing one activity we just were reminded of, in e-mail from West Seattle naturalist Stewart Wechsler, who says a few spots are still left:

Owl Hoot at Camp Long
Tonight, Sat September 27 7-9 p.m.
Ages 5 and older

A family friendly program. All ages and levels are welcome. Barred Owls
are likely (they’re usually around at Camp Long, but not always vocal or
visible) We will at least be able to see remnants of old pellets under old
perches. We’ll also keep an ear and a number of eyes out for Screech Owls,
which are possible, but not very likely anymore, since Camp Long was taken
over by Barred Owls. Great Horned sometimes show up in late October, but
we’ll try hooting for them just in case. After a short presentation with our
mounted owls of several species, we’ll look for owls. Remind me to bring
the Bat Dectector, as there are likely still some bats around. We’ll poke
around for pellets to pull apart and hear how to hoot. Please call (206)
684-7434 to register.

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