West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
(The Gatewood tulip festival continues! WSB photo)
Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FAUNTLEROY YMCA HOURS: Open until noon to conclude the second transitional week of new hours at the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor).
BEACH VOLLEYBALL: First of two days for the UW’s second and final Alki Beach tournament of the season – play started at 10 am; see the schedule here.
STAY & PLAY INDOOR GYM: Free drop-in play, 10-11:30 am at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd).
SSC GARDEN CENTER: Plants await you at the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus, 10 am-3 pm.
LIBRARY CLOSURE: The Seattle Public Library‘s just-announced closure days start today; the West Seattle (Admiral) branch will not be open, but it’s regular hours today for our area’s other libraries.
LOW-LOW TIDE: Beachwalking alert – the tide is out to -2.0 feet at 2:19 pm today.
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open tonight for wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
FREE CONCERT WRAPS UP HONK! FUTURE CAMP: 7 pm at Chief Sealth International High School‘s auditorium (2600 SW Thistle), three groups take the stage! From our calendar listing:
Please join us Friday April 12th at 7 pm for a free concert celebrating the close of our 1st Honk Future Street Band Camp. Honk! Future is a Honk!- style street band composed of 5th through 12th grade students, formed during a five-day spring break camp sponsored by Honk! Fest West and the Seattle All-City Band. The concert, made possible by support from Friends of All-City Band and the Music Performance Trust Fund will feature performances by Honk! Future, Soul Jambalaya, and Super-Krewe.
No charge for admission.
KENYON HALL CABARET: Monthly all-ages drag show at 7 pm – info and tickets here. (7904 35th SW)
SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: 7 pm doors, 8 pm show for Shaker Bloomheart, Some F—ing Vegan, Ruby Vision. $10 cover, 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SECOND WEEKEND FOR ‘ENGLISH’: The new play continues at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm. Ticket link – just a few available for tonight as of early this morning – is in our calendar listing.
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! Tonight: DJ Lady Coco. (4547 California SW)
MAKE IT LOUD! Skate to live music at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), 9 pm-midnight, this week featuring Atomic Pines, LipStitch, Eep Oop. $18 cover + $5 skate rental
LATE-NIGHT SINGING: 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:36 AM: Via text: “Brown water this morning on 41st SW between Hudson and Dawson.” This is the third report we’ve received this week; though we didn’t get the chance to publish it at the time, a reader notified us about “super brown water” near Gatewood Elementary on Wednesday, and we did publish this report from southeast Admiral on Monday. A leading cause is fire-hydrant testing, but it can also be a clue to system trouble like a pipe break, so always report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800.
4:14 PM: Also just heard from Tricia, reporting: “I have brown water in Gatewood. Southern and California.”
(2023 Garden Tour reader photo, by Bill Schrier)
This year’s West Seattle Garden Tour is still more than two months away – on June 23 – but the WSGT is already looking ahead to next year in one important part of what they do – giving grants to other nonprofits. Here’s the announcement:
Each year, the West Seattle Garden tour, a 501(c)(3) organization, provides grants to other nonprofits for projects that fit our mission — to promote horticulture, education, and artistic endeavors within West Seattle and neighboring communities. We are now seeking grant applicants for 2025 and nonprofits with eligible projects are invited to apply.
Our 2025 grant application form and guidelines are now available at westseattlegardentour.org/apply-for-a-grant. Completed applications are due by July 15, 2024. Grant amounts historically range from $2,000-$6,000, but larger and smaller grants have been awarded. Successful applicants will receive their funds in March 2025.
The list of this year’s grant recipients is here. You can buy a ticket for this year’s tour here.
6:02 AM: Good morning. It’s Friday, April 12, last day of spring break for those who were out this week.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Partly sunny, high in the upper 50s, on our way to a sunny weekend. Today’s sunrise will be at 6:26 am, sunset at 7:54 pm.
(Thursday evening photo by Bruce Gaumond)
ROAD-WORK ALERT, CONTINUING THIS WEEKEND
Repaving work today is scheduled to continue on 22nd/23rd east of Delridge – details here – and through the weekend, too.
SPORTS-RELATED TRAFFIC
-Alki might be busier than usual, with another UW beach-volleyball tournament today and Saturday – play starts today at 10 am.
-In SODO, Mariners’ homestand begins with 6:40 pm game vs. the Cubs.
TRANSIT NOTES, INCLUDING WATER-TAXI-LESS WEEKEND
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here – lots of trip cancellations this week.
Water Taxi today + this weekend – Regular schedule today. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is. Reminder, NO WATER TAXI this weekend – April 13-14 – to prepare for the spring/summer season (which adds Friday/Saturday later-evening sailings starting Friday, April 19). The shuttle buses WILL run, though, Metro says.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, 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 – remember, it’ll be closed to surface traffic April 19-28:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are open for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
The city Office of Labor Standards announced today that it has settled with Chipotle over alleged labor-law violations at eight area restaurants. We confirmed with the city that the West Seattle location (opened nine years ago at 4730 California SW) is one of them. First, from the city announcement, here are the basics:
The Office of Labor Standards (OLS) investigated Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. for alleged violations of the Secure Scheduling and Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) Ordinances throughout Chipotle’s eight operations in Seattle.
Chipotle settled the allegations and agreed to pay a total financial remedy of $2,895,716.73 to 1,853 employees and $7,308.63 to the City of Seattle. Chipotle also agreed to develop and implement a written Secure Scheduling Ordinance (SSO) policy.
This is the largest SSO settlement since the ordinance’s creation and the fourth largest overall in the history of the office. …
Under the Secure Scheduling Ordinance, OLS alleged the employer:
-Failed to consistently provide premium pay for schedule changes when required;
-Retaliated against an employee for declining to work or consent to a shift change made with less than 14 days’ notice;
-Retaliated against an employee for requesting not to be scheduled at certain times in conflict with a second job; and
-Failed to maintain records of original work schedules, as required by the Secure Scheduling Ordinance.Under the Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance, OLS also alleged the employer:
-Failed to provide PSST accrual at the correct rate;
-Lacked a compliant written PSST policy; and
-Retaliated against an employee for calling out sick.
We asked the OLS how the West Seattle Chipotle factored into this. The response: “There were 99 employees who worked at that location during the relevant violation period, of whom 79 were aggrieved parties under the Agreement. 12 received civil penalties for Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance violations and 78 for Secure Scheduling Ordinance violations.” The OLS also provided the settlement document; it lists the workers but does not match them to which restaurant they worked at. Reviewing that list, we note the largest sum awarded to any one employee appears to be $23,083, which includes back wages, interest, damages, and civil penalties.
We have more information tonight about what the burglar who hit Fauntleroy Schoolhouse earlier this week did across the street on the Fauntleroy Church campus. According to a church representative, he didn’t break into that building, but “took items from the exterior of Hazelwood Preschool which were of low value and very strange.” The preschool is on the lower level of the church building, off the parking lot. The church representative says the items stolen from the preschool included these:
Outdoor mat
Acorn birdhouse
Rainbow whale windsock
Rainbow fish windsock
Wind Chimes and Windcatcher
Sign
Garden gnomeHe also took daffodils from the planting done by the students.
A security camera shows him leaving via Junction-bound RapidRide C Line – which stops in front of the schoolhouse (9100 block California SW) – after bringing the stolen items (including larger ones from the schoolhouse businesses) onto the bus via a stolen hand truvk. If you have any information about the burglary/theft, the SPD incident # is 24-095013.
Thanks for the photos!
Ann Adachi‘s image of the pre-sunset rainbow is the most vivid one we received. … Earlier in the day, before those glimpses of blue sky, clouds presided over a low-low tide:
Thanks to Lynn Hall for that view over Duwamish Head. Tomorrow’s low-low tide will be out to -2.0 feet, almost as low as today, at 2:19 pm. If you can’t get out to beachwalk until Saturday, it’ll be -1.4 feet at 3:07 pm. And all this is just a warmup for next month’s low-low tides – including -3.2 feet at 12:24 pm on May 9.
6:09 PM: We’re out visiting a few of the three-dozen-plus venues participating in tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk:
First stop, ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), where, until 7 pm, you can meet artist Audineh Asaf, whose work is on display in the gallery through May 13. Her work features “a blend of materials and techniques including collage, acrylic transfer, embossment, sewing, and digital art.”
7 PM: Robert Kinsey is exhibiting, as is Emily Criswell, at Kingtide Ink (4222 SW Walker) until 8 pm:
(It’s Kingtide’s Art Walk debut!) … B Line Dot is at West Seattle Grounds (2141 California SW):
Also in Admiral, you’ll find Autumn Tranquilino at West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor) until 9 pm:
And at Hawthorne Massage and Self-Care (2237 California SW) – the artist whose work is featured on this quarter’s Art Walk poster, Aude Arutunian:
Though we spent most of our time in Admiral tonight, you’ll find displays in neighborhoods from Alki to Morgan Junction – see the previews (including venues offering food and beverage specials) here!
Just out of the inbox, from the Corner Pocket in The Junction: “A vendor of ours at the Corner Pocket just had ‘Iron Maiden’ pinball machine stolen off the back of his truck. They stole the machine and a dolly that he had in his truck.” This happened in the lot off the north side of 44th/Alaska between 1:30-2 pm. We’ll add the SPD incident # when we get it.
The Sound Transit System Expansion Committee‘s monthly meeting just wrapped up. The only formal mention of the West Seattle Link Extension was this brief update toward the end of the meeting:
While presenting that slide, ST’s Don Billen mentioned another possible stretch in the timeline, saying – without elaboration – that the time between the Final EIS and the Record of Decision (which follows the board’s final vote on the exact routing and station locations) might be “longer than we’re used to.” They’re also waiting for final federal signoff on the plan recently approved to start the process of “early acquisition” of some properties in North Delridge and SODO.
At the start of the meeting, during open public comment, the only person to speak about West Seattle light rail was King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. She pleaded with the board members to consider slight “refinements” in the Delridge station location and route that she said could save money and businesses. Along Yancy, for example, a short distance west of the Delridge station, she said a 20-foot shift in pillar locations could prevent some demolition. Same for moving the station location about 100 feet. “Use surface streets and parking lots” rather than going over existing businesses on which a thriving community – including her family, North Delridge residents – relies. She told the board that, to be clear, she and the businesses are all very much in favor of light rail – “we WANT light rail” – they just think that “refinements” could make it more of a win-win. (Added: Here’s everything she told, and wanted to tell, the board members, in PDF.)
Meantime, two of the businesses in the current path of the station location, Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) and The Skylark, both have sent open letters to their mailing lists in the past 18 hours, asking for community help. We’re working on a separate followup about that.
Saturday, May 11, is this year’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – coordinated by WSB – so we are exactly one month away! Another date to note if you are planning on having a sale – registration, which opened last week, will continue for two more weeks, until April 25. Almost 200 sales are already registered – in every West Seattle neighborhood, offering an amazing array of items … and sales pitches, like “Come say hi to our cute dog,” “We are fun to hang out with,” “Two storage units worth of stuff,” “Everything is $1,” and most curiosity-piquing, “Ephemera, flotsam, forgotten dreams.” The listings are all in the printable guide as well as attached to their respective spots on the map, and that will be ready one week in advance of WSCGSD (which runs 9 am-3 pm May 11, though some choose to start early and/or end later). Ready to register your sale? Go here!
Today we’re welcoming Devonshire Landscapes as a new WSB sponsor. When new sponsors join us to advertise their local businesses to you, they get the opportunity to tell you about who they are and what they do – here’s what Devonshire Landscapes would like you to know:
Devonshire Landscapes is a full-service landscape company located near White Center, exclusively serving our neighbors in West Seattle, Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines. Our local small business has earned a well-established reputation over 25 years. Please see our many 5-star reviews from your neighbors on Google!
We offer landscape design and installation including patios, decks, fences, and much more. We can help with ECA and steep-slope projects including permitting for retaining walls and native-plant restoration. We have a team dedicated specifically to irrigation, drainage, and lighting.
Devonshire Landscapes‘ maintenance services differ from others in that we send the same crew on the same day around the same time. We can even send them a text-message reminder the morning of service visit days. Clients pay the same amount each month and can pay online or set up automatic credit card payments, AND they can cancel anytime if they are not happy. We use Organic fertilizers and little/no pesticides to protect pets, children, and our environment/ wildlife/ Puget Sound. We use electric equipment to minimize disruption of our clients’ lives, and their neighbors, and to reduce emissions. We don’t just “mow, blow, and go.” We weed, rake, prune, fertilize, maintain irrigation and low voltage lighting systems, and can help with lawn renovations, mulching, gutter cleaning, and pressure washing.
We invite you to see why 350+ of your neighbors LOVE our service. Comments include “We see your trucks everywhere!”, “We never knew when the ‘other guys’ were gonna show up.”, “Your employees are so nice and professional.”
We treat people and the environment with respect and integrity. In community involvement, we are active partners with the PREP community garden in Puget Ridge. We have teamed up with West Seattle Nursery and Zenith Holland Nursery to create award-winning display gardens at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival. We are also active members of the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals, the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, and the Master Builders of King & Snohomish County. Our management team is Eco-Pro certified, which means we hold preserving the environment and soil health top of mind in what we do.
Devonshire Landscapes is online at devonshirelandscapes.com, and contact information is here!
We thank Devonshire Landscapes for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here; email patrick@wsbsales.com for info on joining the team!
(Reader photo from High Point branch closure last Sunday)
You’ll soon see signs like that one more often at local libraries – at least for a while. One year after the Seattle Public Library expanded schedules, resulting in all four of the branches in West Seattle opening seven days a week, it’s cutting back. SPL has just announced a temporary cutback that will leave only one local branch open every day. SPL says staffing shortages, combined with the city hiring freeze, will lead to cutbacks for at least the next eight weeks. According to this SPL update, 22 of its 27 branches will be affected, including these three in our area:
High Point Branch
Closed Sundays through June 4Southwest Branch
Closed Saturdays from April 20 through June 4West Seattle Branch
Closed Fridays through June 4
SPL explains, “Several factors have impacted the Library’s staffing capacity, including changes to the Library’s minimum staffing levels and increased leave usage. Our impacted staffing capacity has led to unplanned closures, as the Library must redirect staff from one location to another if a branch doesn’t have the right number, or right mix, of staff to open and operate a building safely and with full library services.” The minimum staffing has increased, SPL says, to “help ensure staff are able to provide full library services and are supported and prepared to manage any challenging or disruptive situations in and around our libraries.” In addition to simply deploying more staffers, SPL spokesperson Laura Gentry explains, “We are looking for a certain mix of position types to be present as well. For example, we have staff identified as ‘building leads,’ and at several locations have identified that at least two lead staff need to be present to open.”
While they are affected by the city’s budget-related hiring freeze, “Chief Librarian Tom Fay has approved several exemptions, allowing the Library to hire temporary staff to help stabilize operations.” Will everything go back to seven days a week on June 4? Gentry tells WSB, “We’re hopeful that this will resolve most unplanned closures during this period of time, but we don’t yet know what our schedule will look like past the June 4 date. We’re working on it and will have more info on that in May.”
Starting our preview for the hours ahead – it’s the first West Seattle Art Walk of spring 2024, which means you can meet artists and enjoy food/drink specials at these 40+ venues:
The Art Walk’s “official” hours are 5 pm to 8 pm, but artist receptions may start/end at different times, so browse the April previews here to get venue-by-venue details on artists and schedules. Here are the other highlights of what’s up today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
EXPANDED FAUNTLEROY YMCA HOURS: Second week of the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) soft-opening its newly expanded hours – 9 am to noon and 4 pm to 7 pm, Mondays through Thursdays.
FREE PLAYSPACE: Drop-in space open at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau) until noon.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Now open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com for info on where they’re playing today.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar now open Thursdays-Saturdays 1 pm-6 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
THE LAST DINNER PARTY AT EASY STREET: 2 pm meet-greet and signing for album buyers – info in our calendar listing. (4559 California SW)
STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm class at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: Every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s CocinaMX32 (last-minute change from what’s on the HPCS website).
(added) UNDER-21 OPEN MIC: 5 pm signup, 6 pm start for the Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) under-21 open-mic night at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW).
FREE ECO-ARTS CLASS: New time – 5-7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – you’re invited to drop in!
VISCON CELLARS: The West Seattle winery’s tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle.
WORDS, WRITERS, SOUTHWEST STORIES: 6 pm online, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society presents Kestrel Smith on “Fish Wars.” RSVP here to get the link.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Good Society (California/Lander) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run – more in our calendar listing.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: 6:30 pm, meet at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) for a 3-mile run through the neighborhood. (Walking option, too!)
BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.
OPEN MIC: All genres! 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
THURSDAY NIGHT TRIVIA: Burger Planet (9614 14th SW) in White Center now has Thursday night trivia at 7 pm – prizes!
SECOND WEEK FOR ‘ENGLISH’: The new play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) takes the stage at 7:30 pm. See our calendar listing for info, including the ticket link – just a few seats left for tonight as of publication time.
Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in daily preview lists like this one? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:41 AM: Seattle Fire has several units near 50th and 97th in Brace Point [map] after an excavator ruptured a gas line. They’re awaiting Puget Sound Energy to help handle it.
9:48 AM: Responders told dispatch they’ve cleared the affected buildings, but PSE isn’t expected for another 15+ minutes.
10:17 AM: Firefighters just told dispatch that PSE has arrived but is still figuring out the best way to shut off the gas to the broken 1 3/4″-inch line.
10:33 AM: They’ve revised that to a 5/8″-inch line, but they’re “still working on the solution,” firefighters told dispatch.
10:44 AM: SFD says PSE has clamped off the line and stopped the leak.
(Photo courtesy Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA)
Even if you don’t attend the gala dinner/auction events that benefit local nonprofits, you often can help their fundraising anyway by bidding in the online auctions that precede the galas. Right now, the Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA is welcoming your participation in theirs, for items from local-business gift cards to the superstar-autographed musical instrument shown above! Here’s the announcement:
It’s that time of year again – the Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA‘s online silent auction is officially underway! From now until April 19th, you have the chance to bid on an array of incredible experiences and items, all while supporting our beloved school community.
There are so many incredible items and we are so grateful for all of the donations. However, we are very honored to offer a ukulele signed by Eddie Vedder.
This auction is vital to our school. The funds raised provide critical support for music, art, classroom materials, transportation for field trips, 5th-grade camp, and other essential elements that make school fun and engaging for our students.
So, let’s come together as a community and make this year’s auction a resounding success! Bid early, bid often, and help us continue to provide enriching experiences for our Arbor Heights students.
Thank you for your support and happy bidding!
6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Thursday, April 11, West Seattle Art Walk night, and second-to-last weekday of spring break for Seattle Public Schools and independent schools with similar calendars.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy, rain expected tonight, high in the mid-50s. Sunrise will be at 6:26 am, sunset at 7:54 pm.
(Wednesday evening photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
ROAD-WORK ALERT
Repaving work today is scheduled on 22nd/23rd east of Delridge – details here.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here – lots of trip cancellations this week.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is. Reminder, NO WATER TAXI this weekend – April 13-14 – to prepare for the spring/summer season (which adds Friday/Saturday later-evening sailings starting Friday, April 19). The shuttle buses WILL run, though, Metro says.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, 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 – remember, it’ll be closed to surface traffic April 19-28:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
By Sean Golonka
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Two Seattle city councilmembers — District 1’s Rob Saka and citywide Position 8’s Tanya Woo — appeared tonight at the monthly meeting of the area’s largest political group, the 34th District Democrats, talking about ongoing city issues including transportation and the contested minimum wage for gig workers.
Saka and Woo’s appearances come as the city, with a council dominated by first-year members, is in the midst of a major year for long-term planning, with an update to its 20-year comprehensive plan in the works and an eight-year $1.35 billion-or-more transportation levy set for the November ballot.
Also tonight, the 34th DDs voted to oppose a trio of Republican-backed statewide initiatives headed for that same ballot, including proposals to repeal the Climate Commitment Act – major environmental legislation designed to cut greenhouse-gas emissions – and to repeal the capital-gains tax.
Saka and Woo talk transportation, public safety, more
Saka, who was elected to represent District 1 last November, said his legislative agenda in his first year “has largely been set for me” as chair of the transportation committee in a year the city is pursuing a new transportation levy, valued at “a minimum” of $1.35 billion.
(Framegrab from traffic camera, with NB Delridge/Henderson stop at right)
We had a question about a Burien Police car with what looked like a body at Delridge/Henderson, so in case you passed by and wondered too, here’s what happened: SFD originally responded just after 7 pm to a report of an unconscious man at the northbound bus stop there, with drug paraphernalia nearby. Recorded radio exchanges detail how they tried to revive him, but could not. Burien PD responded because they’re part of the King County Sheriff’s Office, which has jurisdiction for Metro transit facilities (and buses). The man who died was estimated to be in his mid-30s; the King County Medical Examiner’s Office will make the official determination of why he died. (Public Health – Seattle & King County tracks drug-overdose and alcohol-poisoning deaths here; so far this year, 306 deaths are confirmed in the county, another 37 suspected pending toxicology results. If that rate continued all year, the 2024 total would be close to the 2023 total, 1,338.)
(WSB file photo of Colman Pool)
Thanks to Keith for the tip. He discovered via the Seattle Parks website that Colman Pool rental reservations opened today, and the season opening date is set. If you’re new – Colman Pool is the only city-run outdoor pool in West Seattle, on the shore at Lincoln Park (approximately midway between the north and south waterfront entrances), filled with heated Puget Sound salt water. This year, the Parks website says, Colman Pool will open Saturday, May 25, for the first of multiple preseason weekends. The website doesn’t have a date (yet) for the summer seven-days-a-week schedule to start, but this might be a hint: Rentals are available daily, starting at 7 pm (when the pool closes), June 30 through September 1. Some kids’ swimming lessons will be offered this summer too, according to session and registration dates on the Colman Pool page, which is also where you’ll find the link for booking a rental. One more note, the dates are set for the annual swim-meet closures: June 27-29 and July 12-13.
Thanks for the tips. What’s going into the former Pizzeria Credo space at 4520 California SW has finally been revealed, with the new awning signage shown above: Pegasus Pizza. The owners are the same as the Pegasus Pizza that closed on Alki more than a year ago, according to the liquor-license application for this space (filed under the business name “Flying Horse”). Court files say the case related to the Alki closure was closed this past February with “full satisfaction of (the) judgment.”
With warmer, sunnier weather, more people are outside, and that invariably means more lost/found items. If you don’t frequent the WSB Community Forums, you might not realize we have a lost/found (non-pets) board there, and right now we have several new listings – lost/found keys and a found backpack, for starters. The forum boards are self-post zones (though we assist if needed) and you can get a login by going to westseattleblog.com/log-in (only required if you want to post something – otherwise it’s open to all for reading).
P.S. Our West Seattle lost/found pet listings are in the same place as usual – here.
Four incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch:
FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE BURGLARY: We first heard about this when it was mentioned at last night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, so we followed up with schoolhouse management today (the schoolhouse is a city landmark, nonprofit-operated home to multiple organizations and businesses):
This is the culprit who broke into the schoolhouse Sunday evening.
He first broke into Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes area about 10:45 pm. After he took their computer, sound system, and other oddities, he went across the street to Fauntleroy Church to do some damage over there before coming back to the schoolhouse into our hallways. He was able to break into one of our tenants’ rooms, stole their laptop, Bose system and some very personal items that were given to them by family members that are irreplaceable. One of our tenants’ clients recognized this guy from Morgan Junction area. Apparently, this client has seen him personally provoke & bother people within that neighborhood.
If you have any information, the police incident # is 24-095013.
FOUR VEHICLES DAMAGED IN AVALON HIT-RUN: Thanks for the tips this morning after people saw the damaged cars from this overnight incident.
(WSB photo)
As one tipster this morning, Michael, described it, “Someone SMASHED a parked car so bad the three cars ahead where pushed together.” SPD hasn’t been able to find the report on it but archived audio from the initial response around 1:15 am indicates the hit-run vehicle was a black GMC Yukon registered to someone in North Seattle; a man was seen walking away. Four other vehicles were reported damaged. Here’s another aftermath shot from this morning, sent by Jill, of vehicles still at the scene:
No injuries were reported, as there was no SFD response.
HIT-RUN ON VIDEO: Angela is hoping to find the driver who did this to her car before abandoning the car they were driving:
(Monday) night around 11 pm my vehicle was hit on the 4500 block of 47th Ave SW by a 2013 Ford Flex. My daughter woke me up when she got home around 1am to let me know there was a vehicle blocking the road with airbags deployed and door open. I went outside and called police who arrived in minutes. Vehicle was not reported stolen and driver is captured on video walking around and looking at my vehicle. Also spoke to neighbors. I’m hoping they reach out to me to provide insurance and take care of the damage they caused.
The license plate on the abandoned car started with AKV, in case that helps jog any memory (police impounded it). If you have any information, the incident # is 24-095491.
CAR BREAK-IN: The image and report were sent by Rachael:
We had two of our car windows smashed at 2:53 am on Ferry Ave. Just wanted to alert folks.
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