West Seattle, Washington
14 Monday
(WSB photos. Above, kids’ zone, presented by Hope Lutheran School)
11:33 AM: If you’re not already in The Junction, this is the epicenter of West Seattle fun on autumn’s first Sunday – the Fall Festival is on, in the street on California SW south of Alaska.
Music (The Potholes, above) and games started at 11 – including the cornhole tournament:
(added) How about giant checkers?
Starting at noon, you can buy chili tastes and vote on your favorite. Noon is also when the Seattle Thrillers are scheduled to dance, and two sets of pie-eating competitors will face off, kids and adults. This is all on until 2 pm (while the Farmers’ Market continues in its usual area north of Alaska).
12:32 PM: Go get your chili while it lasts, right in front of KeyBank as usual:
(Competitors: Admiral Pub, Brookdale, Camp West, Elliott Bay Brewing, Husky Deli, Margie’s Cafe, Pecos Pit BBQ – voting results announced at festival’s end.)
2:12 PM: Congratulations to Husky Deli, which won the chili-cookoff vote, with Margie’s Café (from the Senior Center) coming in second. (~300 flights of chili were purchased for $10 each – proceeds help the West Seattle Junction Association, a nonprofit, cover festival costs.)
P.S. Next up in The Junction – the Wine Walk this Friday (buy your ticket fast – this always sells out) and trick-or-treating on Sunday, October 29th (costume parade too)!
10:47 AM: Tomorrow night – Monday, September 25 – we’re presenting your next chance to see the candidates in two major races that’ll be decided in the general election. Voting starts in mid-October, so if you haven’t decided yet, it’s a good time to see the contenders side by side. At 6:30 pm, we’ll talk with County Council District 8 (West Seattle, White Center, Vashon/Maury Islands, Burien) candidates Teresa Mosqueda (current Seattle City Council citywide rep) and Sofia Aragon (current Burien Mayor). After a short break at 7, City Council District 1 (West Seattle, South Park, Georgetown, part of south downtown) candidates Rob Saka and Maren Costa (neither of whom has previously held elected office) are in the spotlight. This is at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction (4217 SW Oregon), and you are welcome to be there in person. We’re planning questions in advance, so if there’s something you’d like us to ask, please email it by tonight – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
7:06 PM: We just got word that one of the COUNTY Council candidates will be unable to attend in person, due to illness, so the first part of the night will have to be postponed to a TBA date. However, the CITY Council candidates are still a go – we’ll start their forum at 7 pm Monday.
(Saturday rainbow, photographed by Kevin Freitas)
Extra middle-of-the-street fun in The Junction today – that tops our highlight list:
FALL FESTIVAL: For the first time, The Junction’s big fall celebration has become a two-part festival – today, 11 am-2 pm, it’s part one, the Fall Festival, with an extra block closed to traffic (see Metro advisories here) so all this can happen on California south of Alaska:
The Potholes play at 11, The Everlovers at 1 (and between them, “Thriller” dancers at noon). Most of this is free but bring $ for the chili (noon; competitors this year are Admiral Pub, Brookdale, Camp West, Elliott Bay Brewing, Husky Deli, Margie’s Cafe, NW Texas BBQ, Pecos Pit BBQ, and The Westy). Pies for the competition (noon; registration is closed) are provided as always by A La Mode Pies.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Meantime, 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual between SW Alaska and SW Oregon on California, offering fruit and vegetables as well as flowers, cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, more. Here’s today’s vendor list.
Here’s what else is happening in West Seattle today/tonight:
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Now they’re running on Sunday mornings too – meet at 9 am at Dough Joy Donuts (4310 SW Oregon).
BUSINESS MOVING SALE: West Seattle Wellness is moving from Westwood Village to The Junction and selling some items at its WWV location today – wall art, filing cabinets, wardrobes, massage tables, and a printer. 10 am-3 pm. (2600 SW Barton, Suite A-24, above NK Nails)
DOUGH JOY AT OUNCES: Another 10 am-2 pm Dough Joy Donuts popup at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW).
VOLUNTEER AT THE BEE GARDEN: As announced here, the West Seattle Bee Garden (Graham/Lanham) can use volunteer help 11 am-1 pm to get it ready for fall.
CLASSIC NOVELS (AND MOVIES) BOOK CLUB: Monthly gathering at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW), 3 pm; see our calendar listing for the topic!
‘MATT & BEN’: Matinee performance at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 3 pm. Check for tickets here.
COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: Sean Morse performs 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). No cover.
(Fall’s first sunset, photographed by Marc Milrod)
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? Email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Reported by Isam:
My silver 2019 Kia Optima has been stolen from the Jefferson Square parking lot, around 7 pm in the Safeway parking lot. It has black trim, black wheels, and left side of the bumper is slightly out. License plate is BWR8910.
8:42 PM: Avoid the eastbound bridge for a while – SFD and SPD are at the scene of a crash at the 99 overpass and traffic is clogged in that area. Initial reports suggested possible serious injuries.
8:51 PM: Only one eastbound lane is getting through at the scene right now.
8:57 PM: According to police radio, it’s believed this was caused by one driver spinning out and winding up in the path of another that couldn’t avoid colliding. No life-threatening injuries.
9:55 PM: The crash scene is now clear and lanes have reopened.
(Photo by Joanne Murray for Admiral Church)
For four years, we’ve been reporting on Admiral Church‘s soul-searching over how to best ensure its future viability, while utilizing its half-acre campus for community good, ideally including affordable housing. In April 2022, the church announced it had decided what path it would follow, working with Homestead Community Land Trust “to gift them the total of our real estate for the development of permanently affordable, ownership-focused housing (including) a flexible use space exclusively for Admiral Church’s ministries …” Now, a year and a half later, the church and Homestead have just announced they’ve formalized the plan. First, the announcement:
Homestead Community Land Trust and Admiral United Church of Christ have signed an agreement that will lead to the development of permanently affordable homeownership on church land in the Admiral neighborhood of West Seattle.
Under the terms of the agreement, Admiral Church will convey its land in exchange for the ability to continue its ministries in the Admiral neighborhood in a newly constructed gathering and worship facility in the new development, representing a cost that is significantly below the market value of the property. Admiral Church and Homestead’s agreement makes it possible for most of the homes developed to be made affordable to those who make less than 80% of area median income.
“Admiral Church seeks to open the neighborhood to households that have historically been disadvantaged and excluded from homeownership,” said Reverend Andrew Conley-Holcom, pastor of Admiral Church. “We selected Homestead as a partner because their model creates generational wealth for its owners and Homestead is committed to partnering with us and the surrounding community in imagining and developing the homes.”
Admiral Church has served the North Admiral neighborhood in West Seattle since its founding over a century ago and is partnering with Homestead to continue that service well into its next century. The church conducted significant outreach with the neighborhood to gauge support for the concept of an affordable-housing project, including hosting neighborhood meetings, doing one-on-one meetings with interested individuals, and conducting an online survey through a neighborhood association. Over 80% of the 200+ respondents supported an affordable-housing project on the church’s site.
“By donating a significant amount of their land equity to this project, Admiral Church is going the extra mile to achieve its social and racial justice mission. Thanks to the members’ generosity, people who have been historically excluded from owning a home will have that opportunity in a lovely, walkable neighborhood with great schools and a thriving business district” said Kathleen Hosfeld, Homestead CEO and Executive Director. Hosfeld herself lives in the Admiral district.
Affordability at the site will be achieved through lower-cost land and the investment of public and private subsidy. The church, which will be temporarily relocated within West Seattle during construction, will return to a newly constructed gathering and worship facility co-located at the site.
The partners conducted initial feasibility to substantiate the terms of a purchase and sale agreement for the land. However, the site plan and project pro forma has yet to be finalized. The partners will host a community meeting to discuss their partnership and listen to the community’s vision for homes at the site on October 22, 1:30 pm at the Church, 4320 SW Hill Street.
Affordable housing timelines are subject to change, but the partners hope that construction will begin in 2025 and be completed in 2026.
Homestead is a classic community land trust, following the model created by Civil Rights era leaders in the 1960s and 1970s to prevent displacement and allow people to build wealth through ownership. Homestead builds new homes, fundraises to reduce the price of homes to what is affordable to a lower-income household, and keeps homes affordable permanently through agreements with our homeowners and post-purchase support. Homestead lowers barriers to homeownership for those excluded by discrimination, and has nearly 60% ownership by people of color. Typical home prices through Homestead range from $240,000 to $330,000. Homestead has 245 homes in trust and has created over 300 first-time homebuying opportunities for income-qualified buyers.
Admiral Church has been serving the people of the North Admiral neighborhood in West Seattle since its founding in 1899. The church is welcoming to all, having voted to be explicitly “open and affirming” decades ago. The church is a congregation that is God gifted, love centered, open to the future and extending Christ’s footsteps into the world. The church is committed to reach out to the un-served and the unseen in our community and seek diversity, peace, and justice in our world.
Homestead currently has 70 homes in West Seattle, said Hosfeld in response to one of the followup questions we asked her. Also:
How many homes will be built on the Admiral Church site? No estimate yet. What type? “They will not be single-family detached for sure. We have run studies to make sure the project was feasible but haven’t come up with the final mix. We do want to be sensitive to surrounding structures and homeowners and make sure the project fits in well.”
How affordable? “Affordable to below 80% AMI. The AMI levels for our homes in recent years have been 60% to 72% AMI. We will seek subsidy to get the prices as low as possible. There may be several “market rate” homes in the mix. We include market rate homes in projects to provide an internal form of subsidy so we can lower the prices of the homes for income-qualified buyers. We haven’t determined how many yet. We set the initial price of market rate homes to be at or below local comps at the time of sale.
Finally, we asked about terms of the agreement between Homestead – which is a nonprofit – and the church. “There is a technical purchase and sale agreement, and the payment from Homestead involves a limited amount of cash that serves as a bridge for the church while the project is completed. Payment also includes building and conveying a new church facility. The assessed value of the church property, according to King County Records, is $4 million. What the church might have received by selling it to a for-profit developer would be considerably higher. There isn’t a precise dollar amount value of the church facility at this point.”
P.S. For a bit more on how Homestead’s model works, see our summary in this past WSB story.
Jill just sent this:
After a near-miss in which my child was almost struck by a reckless driver, we wanted to both remind our community to drive safely and ask if any witnesses have any information about the incident.
Just before 12:30 pm this afternoon, my husband was walking with our son on Charlestown, crossing California westbound, on the north side of the crosswalk, on a green light with a walk sign. When the light turned green, the car that had been stopped on Charlestown facing east entered the intersection and then turned left (northbound) onto California and accelerated through the crosswalk. My husband says that they had looked both ways and were alert prior to crossing, but that there was no way that he could have anticipated the acceleration of the car. He stopped and yelled loudly as the car came toward them, and our child reacted by running out of the way just in time–otherwise, our child would have been struck, with who knows what awful outcome. My husband believes the car was a small black Prius, and he is certain that he saw the driver on his phone–but didn’t get a license plate number before the car sped off.
We want to say thank you to the driver of the car behind the reckless driver, who got out to make sure my husband and child were okay, as well as to the passersby on the sidewalks who also expressed concern and care in that frightening moment.
We contacted the non-emergency police line to report this case of reckless driving (which we thought was the proper course of action, since the situation had passed, and there were no injuries.) However, because we didn’t have a license plate number, or other identifying information, they wouldn’t take a report. If anyone who witnessed the situation has information, we would appreciate if they would be willing to share.
(For what it’s worth, we were advised that if something like this were to happen again, we should call 911 immediately, so that officers in the area could be on the lookout for a car matching the description.)
3:22 PM: SFD and SPD are arriving at a reported crash on the Delridge offramp from the westbound bridge, with a “rescue extrication” response. More to come.
3:25 PM: Responders report everyone is out of the one vehicle that crashed, so they’re downsizing the response. … They’re calling for help cleaning up a fuel spill.
You’ll find family fun all day and into the night during Holy Rosary School‘s WestFest “carnival of community.” We stopped by for a few photos – festivalgoers are bouncing, climbing, even throwing:
Food and beverages too:
Plus onstage entertainment – here’s the schedule. And if you’d rather hang out indoors, you can play bingo. WestFest is on until 10 pm tonight; the campus is on 42nd SW between SW Genesee and SW Dakota.
86-year-old Jim Price of Pigeon Point is still missing, for a fifth day. Again this afternoon (Saturday, September 23) volunteer searchers will fan out to look for him. If you can help, please meet up at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW; map) at 2 pm. His family says, “Please come. We cannot express the appreciation enough.”
Don’t need it? Don’t throw it away – recycle it! The twice-a-year chance to do that courtesy of Fauntleroy Church – working with partner 1 Green Planet – is happening right now, until 3 pm. Electronics, appliances, batteries, and more are on the long list of what they’ll accept (which also is clear about what they WON’T accept). You can drive up, ride up, walk up, and drop off your item(s) in the church lot, 9140 California SW [map], no charge – but please don’t wait until the last hour if you can possibly get there sooner.
(Last sunset of summer, photographed by John Skerratt)
Welcome to the first Saturday of fall! Here’s what’s happening:
BENEFIT RUMMAGE SALE, TAKING DONATIONS: 8 am-10 am, you can drop off donations for the Highland Park Elementary PTA rummage sale, then shop 10 am-2 pm, by donation
FREE GROUP RUN: Get your weekend off to a fast start with this weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW) group run, All levels welcome. Meet at the shop by 8 am.
RECYCLE ROUNDUP: It’s your twice-yearly chance to drop off many kinds of recyclables – stuff you generally can’t put in curbside pickup – at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), free, 9 am-3 pm. Here’s the list of what you can and can’t drop off this time!
SALVATION ARMY FUND RUN: 9 am at the Salvation Army Center in South Delridge, 1K and 5K run/walks to raise money. (9050 16th SW)
PARK VOLUNTEER EVENT: Get over to White Center Heights Park (10208 7th Place SW) and pitch in, 9 am-noon, to start your autumn with outdoor volunteering.
WESTFEST: Second and biggest day of the Holy Rosary School “Carnival of Community,” 10 am-10 pm. See the entertainment schedule here, from Princess Story Time at 10 am to West Seattle rockers DAD at 8 pm. (Off 42nd SW between Genesee and Dakota)
TEST DRIVE ELECTRIC CARS: Though the page for this Seattle City Light event at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) asks you to register, SCL says it’ll have walk-up spots too, so you can try several types of electric cars.
SOUTH DELRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET: The weekly farmers’ market on the grounds of Hope Academy (9421 18th SW) is open for shopping 10 am-2 pm, prioritizing vendors of color, presented by African Community Housing & Development.
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).
SATURDAY COOKOUTS: Highland Park Corner Store is grilling, 11 am-2 pm on Saturdays through the end of the month. (7789 Highland Park Way SW)
OKTOBERFEST IN THE JUNCTION: Food, beer, music, games, even a costume contest! Noon-5 pm, it’s West Seattle’s first big Oktoberfest party, happening at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds), raising money for scholarship funds. Get your ticket(s) here!
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2234 SW Orchard)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: See what’s new at the home of West Seattle’s history – visit the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens) 12-4 pm.
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
WEST SEATTLE QUILTERS’ SHOWCASE: Admire dozens of locally made quilts – from traditional to improvisational – at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), 1-4 pm. Admission free.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: 1-6 pm, with student-produced wines available. North end of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. (6000 16th SW)
BURGERS & BEATS: Saturday night food and music at Revelry Room – burgers start at 6, DJs at 9. (4547 California SW, alley side)
UNPOPPABLE FUN(DRAISER): Enjoy local treats, beverages, and fun while supporting early learning, 6:30-8:30 pm at Educare Seattle in White Center (625 SW 100th) – details and attendance info here.
AT THE SKYLARK: West Seattle’s own Full Life Crisis, with Moss and Cadillac Black, at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), doors 7 pm, music 8 pm, $10 cover.
ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: 7-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way)
‘MATT & BEN’: Third weekend for the season-opening play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm. Check for tickets here.
Planning a concert, open house, show, sale, event, meeting, seminar, reading, field trip, fundraiser, class, game, or ? Get it on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
10:24 PM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” in the 10400 block of 41st SW in Arbor Heights. We’re on our way to find out more.
(Added: WSB photo)
10:40 PM: Our photographer just talked to SFD at the scene. This was a fire in a shed behind a house. It’s out now. No one hurt. Cause not yet known – the investigator’s on the way.
9:37 PM: At Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex, West Seattle High School just won back the Huling Bowl trophy in the annual crosstown-rivalry game with Chief Sealth International High School. After WSHS went up by two TDs, CSIHS battled to a 17-17 tie with 1:18 left in the game; then a Wildcat field goal with :05 to go sealed the West Seattle win, 20-17. Full story and photos to come.
1:21 AM: Both teams went into the game undefeated – Sealth at 3-0, WSHS at 2-0. But the Wildcats had the upper hand on offense for the first quarter and half of the second. Here’s the moment they got on the scoreboard:
#3, Bo Gionet, ran that one in with 8:03 to go in the first quarter. He passed to #5, Gibson Aguilar, for West Seattle’s second TD at 3:22.
#34, Scott Bremen, landed both point-after kicks plus a field goal at 6:17 in the second quarter to boost WSHS to a 17-0 lead.
Then Sealth’s comeback began, starting with the first of two touchdowns by #3, Jeylen Pham-Arejaga, at 1:15 to go in the first half:
The halftime score was 17-7. The energy in the stadium kept rising. Both schools’ bands and cheer teams helped with that.
Almost four minutes into the second half, the Seahawks scored their next touchdown, bringing them to within three points of the Wildcats. And that’s where things stayed until less than a minute and a half remained. Running out of downs but within field-goal range, Sealth went for the three, and #26, Ogi Petronijevic, made it:
That tied the score 17-17. Was overtime unavoidable? As it turned out, no. The Wildcats marched down the field and got close enough for Bremen to nail another field goal with just :05 to go:
With that, West Seattle reclaimed the Huling Bowl trophy:
Among those in the stands tonight, the Huling brothers themselves, Steve and Tom – the backstory of why this annual game carries their name is in this 2012 WSB story.
They are Chief Sealth alumni, as is the man between them in the background – Mark Denniston, who was on Sealth’s undefeated 1968 football team. Even with tonight’s loss, the Seahawks and head coach Daron Camacho have much to celebrate at 3-1 on the season. And West Seattle, under head coach Anthony Stordahl, keeps its loss-less record, now 3-0. Here’s what’s next for both teams:
–WSHS, road game vs. Roosevelt next Thursday (September 28th) at 7 pm
–CSIHS, home game vs. Ingraham next Friday (September 29th) at 4:30 pm at NCSWAC (2801 SW Thistle)
Here’s what happened after court appearances this afternoon for two people arrested in West Seattle Thursday afternoon/evening.
HELICOPTER SEARCH: The most notable arrest was that of a 33-year-old man who became the subject of an air and ground search for two hours after being spotted naked, possibly with a “knife or box cutter,” near the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. He was found in a brushy area between the 10200 blocks of 47th SW and Marine View Drive. (A commenter says the machete police reported finding near him was taken from their nearby yard.) He was released after today’s initial appearance. We haven’t yet seen the documents we requested from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, so we don’t know why, and whether he might still face charges. The jail docket shows he spent four days in jail last month after being arrested elsewhere in King County on suspicion of trespassing and resisting arrest.
ADDED 7:39 PM: Moments after publishing this, Casey McNerthney from the KCPAO explained what happened, saying he wasn’t even sent before a judge because the case was weak:
There was little information in the initial document we received that showed his intent to commit a crime or clearly steal something, which we need to clearly show in a probable cause argument before a judge. The house was not lived in. That and a detail that a worker at the construction site offered him a cookie and then he left works against our argument for probable cause for burglary on a felony matter (rather than criminal trespass).
In previous unrelated cases, courts have only found probable cause for criminal trespass when someone is in a space unlawfully but without a clear intent to commit a crime – and in Seattle that gross misdemeanor crime of criminal trespass has to go to the City Attorney’s Office.
But if more information emerges, McNerthney says, charges could still eventually be filed.
BURGLARY SUSPECT: As mentioned briefly in our coverage of that story – and by two commenters – another man was arrested on suspicion of burglarizing a house north of Fauntleroy Park. He is 30 years old and probable cause was found this afternoon to hold him for investigation of burglary. The court document says police who were “in the area on another call” saw him enter a residential garage and start “rummaging around.” The house’s resident was home at the time and said the suspect was a stranger who didn’t have permission to be there, so he was arrested on suspicion of residential burglary. The KCPAO’s office says bail wasn’t addressed today – that’ll be at another hearing. Records show the suspect has one prior felony conviction in King County, for assault, seven years ago.
(Courtroom image via Zoom. Claudia Mason at lower right, Mohamed Yusuf with lawyer at center table)
After an hour-long hearing in King County Superior Court, Judge Andrea Darvas gave the man who hit and killed Robb Mason a slightly longer sentence than prosecutors recommended in his plea bargain: 4 years. The recommendation had been just under 3 1/2 years, but the judge said that while she usually follows agreed-to recommendations, “it’s not enough in this case.” She sentenced 21-year-old Mohamed A. Yusuf – who pleaded guilty last week to vehicular homicide and hit-and-run – after hearing from Mr. Mason’s widow and her brother, and from Yusuf and a cousin. In opening the hearing (which we covered via Zoom), prosecutor Amy Freedheim lauded the painstaking investigation through which SPD Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives found Yusuf, enabling him to be charged, almost half a year after he hit and killed Mr. Mason just east of the low bridge, as the victim rode his bike home to Magnolia from his job as a West Seattle massage therapist. That is a career to which he changed in his 40s – 20 years before his death – his brother-in-law told the judge, a change he made because he “chose to care” about people and wanted to help them heal. “In the blink of an eye, this remarkable man was taken away from us.”
Claudia Mason told the judge that she has counted the days since her husband was killed – 434 so far – because “each day is another day of the life sentence” with which Yusuf’s actions left her. She said her husband was so healthy, he could have lived another 30 to 40 years and that’s time they could have spent together. “I believe Robb went directly to heaven, but I went straight to hell.” She called Yusuf, sitting in the courtroom feet away from her, “reckless, vicious, callous, cruel … a coward” and “a thief,” declaring that he “stole my life from me … nothing is the same.” She spoke not only of the ongoing pain but also of what happened that night – she didn’t know what had happened to him for hours – and days after, unable to see his “annihilated” body until the funeral. She told the judge that leniency would only do “more harm.”
But leniency is what Yusuf’s defense lawyer asked for, proposing a “first-time offender waiver.” Judge Darvas said that request was a surprise, as she hadn’t received the standard pre-sentencing report from the lawyer, who went on to say that her client had lost his jobs (security and food-delivery driving) while at home under electronic “house arrest” since the charges were filed in January. A cousin spoke briefly to vouch for Yusuf’s character, and then Yusuf spoke: “Please forgive me if you can – I was stupid and ignorant” and, he contended, so afraid afterward that “I didn’t know what to do.”
Facing a courtroom with more than 20 people in the gallery (another two dozen online) and photos of Mr. Mason on easels and benches, Judge Darvas then spoke, saying that Yusuf owed two things: To live a life that would make up for cutting Mr. Mason’s life short, and “a penalty.” She told Yusuf that what he did was “breathtakingly selfish and self-absorbed” and chided him for not taking responsibility “until the police found you.” The judge also acknowledged receiving many community letters and reading them.
It was noted early in the hearing that the 256 days which Yusuf has spent on electronic home monitoring will be applied to the 4-year sentence as “credit for time served.” He will also face a year of community custody (probation) after he is released. Once the proceedings ended, with various paperwork, he was handcuffed and taken out of the courtroom by deputies.
3:05 PM: A bus “has gone sideways” at Delridge/Henderson and is blocking the intersection, according to emergency-radio exchanges. Avoid the area for a while.
3:56 PM: The live traffic camera shows everything’s moving again.
Just received from a family member via comment on a previous story: “There is a Search Group meetup again today at 2 pm to continue to search for Jim. Meet at the Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW) for quadrant assignments. Please show up if you are able! Thank you so much!” Jim Price, 86, has been missing since leaving his Pigeon Point home Monday night, on foot, possibly headed for The Junction. A community search Thursday afternoon yielded no new clues as to where he might be.
(SDOT camera image, this morning)
Multiple readers messaged us earlier this week after noticing that the Walk-All-Ways intersection at California/Alaska in The Junction had reverted to its previous signal sequencing, almost half a year after SDOT changed it. We asked SDOT about it, and received this explanation today:
Our team at SDOT initially changed the sequence as part of our work to decrease overall delay at the intersection for people traveling into and through this part of the neighborhood. After giving drivers some time to adjust to the change, we observed the intersection performance and discussed the change with our partners at KC Metro. We learned that the original sequence worked better for bus reliability, so we changed the sequence back while retaining 5 seconds of additional time for pedestrians to cross the intersection. The walk time was increased by 2 seconds and the flashing don’t walk time was increased by 3 seconds.
P.S. Reminder that an extra block of California SW in The Junction will be closed for this Sunday’s Fall Festival, south of SW Alaska, which will remain open to traffic during the festival and Farmers’ Market.
(Heron early this morning, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
In the hours before autumn arrives late tonight, you have many options! Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
STAY ‘N’ PLAY: Free drop-in indoor gym for kids 5 and under and their caregivers, 10-11:30 am at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd).
FREE BUSINESS TOOLS WORKSHOP: Noon at West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW; WSB sponsor).
SCRABBLE CLUB: You’re invited to play 12:30-1:30 pm at Margie’s Café inside the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: 1-6 pm on the north side of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), student-produced wine by the glass or bottle.
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
WESTFEST: Holy Rosary School‘s annual two-day “carnival of community” is back! WestFest starts 6-10 pm tonight on the campus (off 42nd SW north of SW Genesee) – here’s the entertainment schedule.
EQUINOX EVENT WITH ECLIPSE INFO: Join expert skywatcher/editor Alice Enevoldsen for not only her fall equinox sunset watch, but also info on watching next month’s solar eclipse – she’ll have free viewing glasses! Upper Solstice Park (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW), 6:30-7:30 pm (the sun sets around 7).
FOOTBALL: High-school season continues, with the annual Huling Bowl game tonight between West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School at 7 pm at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). Also at 7 pm, at West Seattle Stadium, Seattle Prep plays O’Dea.
COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: John Brazell and Mark Wagner at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm, no cover.
LIVE IN-STORE AT EASY STREET: Kitchen Radio performs at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 7 pm.
DANCE NIGHT AT THE SPOT: Fridays are DJ Dance Night at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
‘MATT & BEN’: Third weekend for the acclaimed play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm. Check for tickets here.
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: Shadow Pattern EP Release with special guests Denim Genie and Fragile Bloom, doors 7 pm, show 8 pm at The Skylark, $10 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! (4547 California SW)
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB file photo)
One of West Seattle’s unique treasures needs some autumn TLC this weekend, and you are invited to volunteer. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share:
Maintenance Day at the West Seattle Bee Garden:
This volunteer day will be this Sunday, September 24th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Tasks will include building raised garden beds, transferring soil into these built garden beds, cleaning the apiary, and pulling weeds. Please make sure to dress appropriately (gloves, rain gear, covered shoes) for the weather and bring any tools you think would be necessary for these tasks. The garden has a limited supply of tools.
Volunteers will get a chance to meet with WSBG founder Lauren to get to know the history of the garden. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up using the following form to get a good head count to make sure there are enough refreshments.
The Bee Garden is on the north side of High Point Commons Park, at Graham/Lanham.
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, September 22nd, and fall arrives at 11:50 pm tonight.
WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny, high in the mid-70s. Sunrise today is at 6:56 am; sunset, 7:07 pm.
(Thursday night photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Water Taxi – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – 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 cam:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate 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 Twitter/X feed shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!
(WSB file photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
To borrow a sports phrase, this is a “rebuilding year” for the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA, with an all-new board.
This week, they kicked off the year with the first quarterly general meeting, and were heartened by the turnout – ~30 parents, students, staff gathered in the Sealth library to talk about everything from school spirit to the new no-cell-phones-in-class policy.
New co-presidents Shannon McDonald and Cami Peloza led the meeting. First, some internal business – the board still has a few openings, from vice president to some committee chairs. (If you’re interested, email chiefsealthptsa@gmail.com.) The PTSA plans a fundraising auction in December and a “direct drive” in spring. Right now they’re also interested in more members (the coordinator is community member Preston Anderson), to rebuild that base too; here’s how to join. Students are free, and there’s a scholarship fund for anyone else who can’t afford the nominal dues.
That’s all in line with th PTSA’s “strategic plan” for this year, which calls for encouraging more student/staff/family involvement in the organization and with the school in general. Other parts of the plan: Be more inclusive of families of color, to “get the PTSA away from being primarily white women”; to work more closely with the ASB (student leadership) and school leaders; develop strong relationships with staff; work with other major school-support organizations like Denny-Sealth Performing Arts; and to bolster CSIHS’s image in the West Seattle community, shining a light on student achievements, supporting caretaking of the school property, etc.
CELL-PHONE POLICY: As it happens, this new policy (no cell-phone use except before/after school and at lunch, as noted here earlier this week) is also bolstering Chief Sealth’s image – principal Ray Morales says he’s heard from other high schools interested in implementing something similar themselves. But before he spoke, reps from the Building Leadership Team explained how they came up with the policy. A teacher proposed it, said Maha Giundi of the BLT, which is a group, elected by school staff, that meets every other week. They worked on it over the summer; “we were really nervous about it but so far it’s been successful.” Even the rollout to students went more smoothly than expected; Giundi said they thought they’d be booed for it. Parent support is overwhelmingly in favor, according to a survey sent out with principal Morales’s original announcement. “It’s not punitive – it’s a policy, not a rule.”
Overall, Giundi explained, the motivation is increased mental health – it’s been shown that being glued to their phones has been detrimental to that. So far, they’re seeing people “talking to each other!” And there’s no question it’s a boon to teachers too – “we were tired of asking folks to put their phones away.” One attendee described the policy as “courageous.”
Principal Morales followed the BLT reps.
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