West Seattle, Washington

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Spotlight Stories


  • Protest

    WEST SEATTLE PROTESTS: Hundreds on the corners

  • Artwork

    TO BE DEMOLISHED? Public artwork’s fate

  • Registration

    WS GARAGE SALE DAY: Register by Thursday!

NEW BOOK CLUB! West Seattle’s classic SF fans invited
December 10, 2024 9:00 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news

With several book clubs continuing to grow, it’s clear West Seattle is a reader’s paradise. Another book club is starting up this week and we’re mentioning it in case you haven’t already seen the listing in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. Ed explains, “I’m starting a new book club for fans of classic SF (speculative fiction) such as ‘Dune’ and ‘Lord of the Rings.’ It’s called ‘The West Seattle Classic SF Book Club’.” He’s launching at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW) Thursday night (December 12), 6 pm. “We’ll be reading ‘The Stars My Destination‘ by Alfred Bester (1956). If people want a new copy they can purchase the book at Paper Boat and get a 10% discount.” Ed notes, “It’s only 211 pages so there’s still time to read.”

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TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Tuesday notes
December 10, 2024 6:00 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Tuesday notes
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:00 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Tuesday, December 10th.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Frosty, then partly sunny, high in the mid-40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:47 am, while sunset will be at 4:17 pm – as early as the sunset gets – Saturday, it starts getting later! (But the sunrise gets later too, for a while longer.)

(Monday clouds, photographed by James Bratsanos @ Alki)

TRANSIT

Water Taxi today –  Regular service today.

Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route with M/V Issaquah and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Sealth as the “ghost boat.” Check here for last-minute changes.

Metro buses today – Regular schedule.

ROAD WORK/CLOSURES

*Beach Drive gas-pipeline work continues into January, PSE tells us – here’s our update.

*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project continues; the south half of the bridge is closed, with one lane each way on the north side. Fairmount Avenue remains closed beneath the bridge.

*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon. SDOT finally provided that update at the end of last week, with word of a lane shift, too.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:

Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:

Low Bridge – Looking west:

1st Avenue South Bridge:

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!

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Week and a half left to comment on new zoning plans. Morgan Community Association briefing Thursday
December 9, 2024 9:08 pm
|      40 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Even if you don’t live in the Morgan Junction vicinity, you might want to check out the Morgan Community Association‘s community briefing this Thursday (December 12) on the city’s new zoning plans.

Wherever you live, there’s likely change on the way, even if only to bring lots up to the new state-mandated “at least four units” law. Before the comment time runs out on Friday, December 20th, MoCA decided to set up a community briefing. We checked with MoCA president Deb Barker (a former municipal land-use planner) to verify that city reps will not be in attendance. She confirms that and adds, “It is solely community driven. Morgan Community Association wants folks to understand what types of zoning changes are proposed where. We also want community feedback on those proposed Morgan Junction Urban Center changes. The MoCA Board will forward the Urban Center comments to SDCI by the December 20th comment deadline. Copies of MoCA’s May 6, 2024 ‘One Seattle Plan’ comments will be available.” (The “Morgan Junction Urban Center” would be the city’s new name for what was the “Morgan Junction Urban Village.” Barker adds that they did get a bit of city support – “SDCI has provided MoCA with the following maps of proposed zoning changes which we’ll display: Morgan Junction – (Modified Urban Center, former known as Urban Village), High Point (a new Neighborhood Center), Endolyne – (a new Neighborhood Center, in Fauntleroy), Fairmount – (a new Neighborhood Center). Thursday’s briefing is at 6 pm in the High Point Library meeting room (3411 SW Raymond).

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TONIGHT’S LIGHTS: See ‘Wylights,’ twinkling by the tower
December 9, 2024 7:24 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Tonight’s photo of standout West Seattle Christmas lights is from Wyatt near the Charlestown water tower (aka standpipe):

Here is my house for this year! I am one of the organizers of Alki Holiday Lights, and the community may recognize my handmade trees from the event! This year I am debuting the name I came up with for my display: “Wylights”! I would also like to share a message with the community and younger people trying to find themselves: “Where I am today is a result of trusting the process and listening to my heart. You will build something beautiful when you follow what truly speaks to you. In that you will find self-fulfillment.”

Wyatt’s house is at 3729 40th Ave SW (we publish full addresses if we hear directly from the resident; otherwise we publish vicinities) – and Wyatt plans to add more lights this season! If you have, or see, lights we should spotlight on WSB, please email the location (with or without photo) to westseattleblog@gmail.com, or text our hotline, 206-293-6302. Go here to scroll through our archive of past spotlights!

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FOLLOWUP: West Seattle, White Center Food Banks celebrate Nathan Tavel’s big bowling benefit
December 9, 2024 6:49 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(WSB photo, this afternoon)

10 days after 13-year-old Nathan Tavel spent the morning after Thanksgiving in a one-person, one-hour bowl-a-thon to benefit local food banks, reps of both met up with him at West Seattle Bowl for a celebration of the final tally: $9,383, according to Nathan’s dad Phil Tavel. That’ll be split between the White Center Food Bank – whose Randy Nguyen is at left in our photo – and the West Seattle Food Bank, whose Fran Yeatts, Whit Carter, and Robbin Peterson are at right with Nathan, who bowled a perfect game during the fundraising hour.

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FOLLOWUP: Burned boat still sunken, as investigation continues
December 9, 2024 6:12 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(Sunday photo by Andrew Vernon)

The U.S. Coast Guard is now handling the investigation of Sunday afternoon’s boat fire in Elliott Bay, so we asked them today if the cause has yet been determined. Short answer: No. Longer answer, from USCG public-affairs officer Lt. Chris Butters, no, and what’s left of the boat is still submerged: “The cause of the fire is still undetermined. Divers attempted to refloat the vessel with airbags, however, their efforts were unsuccessful due to the condition of the vessel. They will return tomorrow with a crane barge. It is located just offshore in Elliott Bay near the 32nd Ave Boat Ramp.” That’s on the Magnolia side. No one was hurt; authorities say only one person was on board, the person seen jumping into the water to escape the flames, before a nearby private vessel picked him up. The fire drew attention for miles around because the black smoke billowing from the boat was visible even inland.

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THINK SPRING: West Seattle Baseball opens 2025 registration
December 9, 2024 4:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Another local youth-sports league has started spring registration, just as we get to the earliest sunsets of the year. Here’s the announcement West Seattle Baseball asked us to share with you:

West Seattle Baseball is excited to announce the opening of baseball and softball registration for the 2025 spring season!

Registration will be open now through February 14,2025 on the league’s website. An Early Bird discount of $15 off is applied to all registrations completed by December 31st. Scholarships and multi-sibling discounts are available as well.

Prices start as low as $130 for the season. Registration costs include a ballcap and team jersey for each player, in addition to a full season of baseball/softball with events three times per week from mid-March through early June.

West Seattle Baseball will offer six different divisions for baseball, covering players aged 4 through 18, including tee-ball and coach-pitch divisions for younger participants.

West Seattle Baseball also has a goal to field four softball teams this spring season, spread across all ages. Softball registration is $150 per player for the 2025 spring season. If anyone wants to bring their own team, a $200 discount will be applied to the cumulative registration fee for that team’s players.

West Seattle Baseball believes that every child deserves to benefit from the games of baseball and softball. For families needing financial assistance, we offer reduced-fee league registration through the West Seattle Baseball Scholarship Assistance program. If you wish to apply, please contact wsbbregistrar@gmail.com.

West Seattle Baseball is a 100% volunteer-run, non-profit youth baseball league. Our goal is to provide comprehensive baseball programming that appeals to kids of all levels of enthusiasm and ability. The league prides itself on being a fun and enjoyable program that our players, their families, and their coaches want to participate in again each succeeding season. If you have questions about the divisions or anything else West Seattle Baseball, please email the league at communications@westseattlebaseball.com.

We hope to see you at the West Seattle PeeWee Fields soon – for the love of the game.

The PeeWee fields are in Riverview.

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WEST SEATTLE GIVING SPIRIT: Meet the trailblazing West Seattle Tool Library
December 9, 2024 2:47 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle Giving Spirit | West Seattle news

The West Seattle Giving Spirit sustains thousands of people in our neighborhoods, as local nonprofits help with an array of community needs Three times a week through year’s end, WSB is bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn more about, and support, some of those amazing nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation. Today – see how the West Seattle Tool Library can help you in the midst of its second decade:

At the not-for-profit West Seattle Tool Library, our mission is to provide pay-what-you can community access to a wide range of tools, training, and relevant advice. Over the last fourteen years, the West Seattle community has donated thousands of tools, from hammers, shovels, and bolt cutters, to power saws, lawn mowers, ladders, and more. We house and maintain the tools and loan them out to community members. We were one of the first tool libraries in the world; today there are more than 700 nationwide.

This year, over 1,500 members borrowed more than 6,200 tools, and our community workshop hosted hundreds of members for classes and projects.

We’re now offering in-person classes for folks to gain skills with workshop tools, woodworking skills, and home and yard maintenance. Thanks to a grant from Seattle Public Utilities to reduce items going to landfills, we also offer a free “Fix-it Night” every Wednesday to bring broken appliances, tools, and other items back to life. We’re almost entirely funded by donations from the community, such as our suggested donations for memberships and checkouts, employee matching funds, and sustaining annual donations.

Our members regularly share heartwarming stories about the empowerment, resilience, pride, and sense of community WSTL instills in them:

Member: “In our family, WSTL has been an invaluable resource. When we bought our house, it needed many repairs, but hiring professional contractors would have stretched our budget too thin. Instead, we turned to WSTL, where we were able to borrow all the tools we needed, from power drills to ladders. Furthermore, WSTL’s workshops and educational resources empowered us to tackle these repairs ourselves, helping us to save a significant amount of money while also gaining new skills.”

Member: “We borrowed a variety of tools needed to remodel our kitchen. A tile saw for the backsplash, to name one. When we finished, we had our house appraised and saved hundreds on homeowners-insurance premiums required due to a small down payment. Our equity increased a bunch, as we then used a home-equity line of credit from BECU to change out the windows and add air conditioning! It started with a tile saw and other tools from WSTL.”

Member: “When we bought our house, the expenses of buying and moving plus the necessary upgrades for safety ended up being more than we expected. We anticipated trying for a kiddo and knew that we needed to knock out any projects sooner rather than later, but we had no liquid assets to make the tool purchases in addition to the materials. WSTL equipped us to supply a crew of family and friends to paint the whole interior, knock down a wall, repair the floor and wall, and make exterior improvements as well. By the time the kiddo showed up, we’d completed every major project we could do on our own. This allowed us to host family holidays and bring the baby home to a safe environment. We could not be more grateful.”

Please stop by if you need tools for a project, or you’d just like some advice. Be a part of our DIY / Maker Community! We’re located at 4408 Delridge Way SW in the northeast corner of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, across the street from Delridge Community Center. Our hours are Tue/Wed/Thur 5 pm to 8 pm and Sat/Sun 11 am to 4 pm.

It’s easy to get involved:

·Join us for an in-person DIY class

·Membership, or gift an annual membership for someone on your holiday list

·Donate to help subsidize classes, restock consumables, and maintain and repair our inventory

·Volunteer and support others while deepening your own DIY knowledge and skills

Scroll through our archive of West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlights here (newest to oldest), and watch for the next one on Wednesday!

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ELECTION 2025: Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announces he’s running for re-election
December 9, 2024 12:30 pm
|      56 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Just out of the inbox, Mayor Bruce Harrell has announced he wants a second term. According to the news release we received, he has officially registered his campaign for the 2025 city elections. Harrell was elected as mayor in 2021, one of a crowded field that filed that year, two years after deciding not to run for re-election to the City Council. The news release includes a statement from Harrell reading in part “… there is more work to do – this is the time for proven leadership to stand up for our values and keep Seattle moving forward as a city that is welcoming, affordable, and safe.” He was preceded by Jenny Durkan, who decided not to run for a second mayoral term. The last two-term Seattle mayor was West Seattleite Greg Nickels, who served 2002-2010. Only one other person has registered a mayoral campaign so far, Alexander Barickman.

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GIVING: Nucor’s annual special holiday-season delivery for West Seattle Food Bank
December 9, 2024 12:10 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   High Point | How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

12:10 PM: A big morning at the West Seattle Food Bank‘s headquarters in High Point! Nucor Steel employees delivered the results of their annual WSFB donation drive – more than two tons of food, and $21,850 in cash, cards, and company match!

Monetary donations to the WS Food Bank go far (here’s how to do that), as they have extra bulk purchasing power, but all this food will also help fight hunger this winter – lots of protein, grains, soups, pasta, and more.

We asked the WSFB crew if there’s anything in particular at the top of their wish list for your donations as we get further into the holiday season. We’re told ingredients for holiday meals – “the fixin’s” – are especially welcome. And next Sunday (December 15), please bring new or gently used coats to the south end of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market for the Hometown Holidays Cocoa and Coat Drive (you donate the coats, you get the cocoa), 10 am-1:30 pm, with the West Seattle Junction Association and Kiwanis Club of West Seattle.

1:25 PM: Full stats from Robbin Peterson at WSFB: “4,520 pounds of food donated – $4,864 in gifts from employees (cash, checks, and gift cards) – Nucor match: $16,986.”

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West Seattle Community Orchestras’ free concert and 13 more options for your Monday!
December 9, 2024 9:58 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Community Orchestras’ free concert and 13 more options for your Monday!
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Here’s our event list for today/tonight, from our WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and West Seattle Holiday Guide:

(Tree at Fauntleroy Church Festival of Trees, added since our first visit)

FAUNTLEROY CHURCH FESTIVAL OF TREES: Second week you can go see the decorated trees in the Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), until noon, and “vote” for your favorite(s) with nonperishable food donations. If you miss it today, they’re open for viewing 9 am-noon Mondays-Thursdays all month, plus one hour before the church’s upcoming holiday concerts.

FORGOTTEN CHILDREN’S FUND TOY DRIVE: Today starts the third week that you can bring new, unwrapped toy donations to the John L. Scott Westwood offices (WSB sponsor) on the breezeway at Westwood Village (2600 SW Barton).

BABY STORY TIME: Noon at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), for kids 0-2.

COOKIE DECORATING AT ARTHUR’S: 4 pm – part of the Twelve Days of Christmas festivities at Arthur’s in The Admiral District. (2311 California SW)

WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS, 1ST OF 2 CONCERTS: Two West Seattle Community Orchestras fall/winter concerts this week – both free admission (“donations gratefully accepted”) – Debut Orchestra and Concert Orchestra at 6 pm tonight, Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra at 7 pm Wednesday (December 11). Both concerts are at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle).

BINGO! Monday nights at Locust Cider on Alki, 6 pm. (2820 Alki SW)

GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday is “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.

D&D: Weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, including first-time players.

LISTENING TO GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP: 6:30 pm with Tamara Kubacki, meeting at Mama Be Well Healing Studio (4034 California SW). “Grief groups are brave and safe spaces where bereaved people can share their stories and speak their loved one’s name without fear of getting advice, platitudes, or being shut out, no matter how long it’s been since their loved one’s passing.” – you can attend once or multiple times. Fee. Preregistration requested – our calendar listing explains how.

MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Three places to play tonight! 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)

MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: Monday night calm – free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.

MEDITATION IN ALKI: More Monday night calm – the Alki Dharma Community also hosts Monday night meditation at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), 7-8:30 pm.

MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: The Alley in back of Bonjour Vietnam is open – Monday nights, live music from The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.

MONDAY KARAOKE 9 pm is the start time for Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).

If you have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar, and/or something for our Holiday Guide, please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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GRATITUDE: Kiwanis Club of West Seattle’s pancake-breakfast thank you, and last day for benefit bidding
December 9, 2024 9:13 am
|    Comments Off on GRATITUDE: Kiwanis Club of West Seattle’s pancake-breakfast thank you, and last day for benefit bidding
 |   Holidays | Kiwanis Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

(WSB photos, Saturday)

One of the events we covered and co-sponsored this weekend was the well-attended Kiwanis Club of West Seattle pancake breakfast on Saturday morning. This morning, the club’s president Denis Sapiro sends words of thanks, with a reminder that this is the final day for their online auction of donated local items:

The Kiwanis Club thanks all the attendees and donors for making the Community Breakfast a grand success. Scout Troop 284 & 8284 did a great job getting the Hall arranged, serving the meal, and cleaning up! Seattle University Circle K members cooked the meal.

Key Club members from West Seattle High and Chief Sealth International assisted with the raffle, Santa photos, and technical support. Gunnery Sergeant Samuel Hernandez and Sergeant Angalina Roseberry represented Toys for Tots standing with Santa in the photos, too.

Today, Monday the 9th, is the last full day to contribute to the Kiwanis online Silent Auction at: app.charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/kiwanis-club-of-west-seattle-2024-auction-43120

Donations to the Kiwanis 21st Century Scholarship Fund can be tax deductible, https://kiwaniswestseattle.org

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TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Monday info
December 9, 2024 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK: Monday info
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Monday, December 9th.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Mostly sunny, with a high in the mid-40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:46 am, while sunset will be at 4:17 pm – as early as the sunset gets – in less than a week, it starts getting later! (But the sunrise gets later for a while longer.)

TRANSIT

Water Taxi today –  Regular service today.

Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route with M/V Issaquah and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Sealth as the “ghost boat.” Check here for last-minute changes.

Metro buses today – Regular schedule.

ROAD WORK/CLOSURES

*Beach Drive gas-pipeline work continues into January, PSE tells us – here’s our update.

*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project continues; the south half of the bridge is closed, with one lane each way on the north side. Fairmount Avenue remains closed beneath the bridge.

*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon. SDOT finally provided that update at the end of last week, with word of a lane shift, too.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:

Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:

Low Bridge – Looking west:

1st Avenue South Bridge:

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!

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UPDATE: About the emergency response at Admiral/Stevens
December 8, 2024 11:50 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: About the emergency response at Admiral/Stevens
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

11:50 PM: For those asking about the police/fire response at Admiral/Stevens – it was dispatched as a man in his 30s either jumping or falling out of a moving car. He’s been taken to the hospital. We’re checking with SFD on his condition when transported.

ADDED MONDAY MORNING: SFD says the man was in stable condition.

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VIDEO: Students explain their visions of how Schmitz Park’s creek could be brought fully back to life and light
December 8, 2024 9:10 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

If you didn’t get to Alki Bathhouse Friday or Saturday to see UW students’ visions for Schmitz Preserve Park Creek‘s future – we can show you what you missed.

Their professor, landscape architect Paul Peters, explained that the inspiration for the “studio” in which his master’s-degree students created their proposals began when he read about the grassroots effort Schmitz Park Creek Restore on WSB, shortly after their launch event last May. Peters is a West Seattle resident and had been looking for something to assign his students to work on. Over 10 weeks, amid site visits, his nine students worked on plans for how the creek could come back to life.

Friday afternoon, on the first day of a two-day open house, the students presented their concepts. We recorded each group’s presentation so you can see for yourself, starting with the two-part introduction and acknowledgments by Daniel Nye from Schmitz Park Creek Restore:

=

Nye turned it over to professor Peters, who told the story of how the project launched, and how – when they saw the creek undergrounding – they all agreed “there’s a lot of opportunity here”:

Peters explained that the students worked in three groups, focused on the forest, on the park (Whale Tail to Alki Playground), and the beach. The forest group gave their presentation first:

The forest presentation continues in this clip:

Next, the park group:

They continued in the next clip (as everyone switched locations to see the second set of renderings) and explained how they’ve designed their idea to a “100-year storm surge” situation:

Finally, the students who reimagined Alki Beach:

Keep in mind, none of these ideas is an official proposal yet – they’re ideas, visions, even dreams of what could be, so there’s no official feedback process, though Schmitz Park Creek Restore would certainly love to hear from you about these or anything else relevant to their dreams and goals – here’s how to reach the group.

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Brown water in Seaview
December 8, 2024 8:37 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seaview | Utilities | West Seattle news

Just received by text:

Very brown water 6000 block of 44th Ave. Southwest.

Nothing on the Seattle Public Utilities water-trouble map; they have just reported it to SPU at 206-386-1800 (which you ALWAYS should do if your water is discolored), and report that the utility promised a call back.

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BIZNOTE: Westwood Village GameStop closing
December 8, 2024 6:50 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | Westwood

Thanks to Will for sending the photo. The Westwood Village GameStop store is closing; tomorrow is the last day, a staff member said by phone. This is not a surprise, as the space has been posted “for lease” for months, according to our periodic check of local listings. But several weeks ago, when a reader got email saying their “local” GameStop would be closing – without specifying an address – we went in to ask, and at the time, they told us no. The Westwood store opened in 2011. The chain said in September it would be closing some of its 2,000+ stores after a less-profitable-than-expected earnings report; its next quarterly-earnings announcement is expected this Tuesday.

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TONIGHT’S LIGHTS: Aglow in Admiral
December 8, 2024 5:31 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Our holiday-lights spotlights continue with this photo sent by Dayna:

Our neighbor has a really great light display on 45th Ave SW between Admiral and Lander!

(That’s just west of Lafayette Elementary.) If you have lights – or have seen lights – to suggest for a WSB spotlight, please email us (with or without photo), westseattleblog@gmail.com, or text 206-293-6302 – thank you! (Scroll through this WSB archive to see what we’ve shown already – plus past year’s features.)

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WEEK AHEAD: Find out what’s next in Fauntleroy ferry-dock replacement project
December 8, 2024 3:56 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

(The size/shape alternatives under consideration for Fauntleroy terminal/dock replacement)

As Washington State Ferries moves closer to deciding on a “preferred alternative” for replacing the Fauntleroy ferry dock, two of the project’s advisory groups are meeting online this week, and all are welcome to watch and listen. First, on Tuesday (December 10), the Technical Advisory Group meets 10 am-11:30 am; then on Wednesday (December 11), the Community Advisory Group meets 6-8 pm. (The project page has information on who comprises the two groups.) You can register to get the meeting links by going here. Construction of the new dock, currently budgeted at almost $100 million, is not expected to start before 2027; the intersection at the dock’s entrance/exit, however, is scheduled for changes including a signal, with work starting in fall of next year. Our report on the Community Advisory Group’s most-recent meeting a month and a half ago is here.

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UPDATE: Boat fire in Elliott Bay sends dark smoke into sky, visible for miles; 1 person escapes without injury
December 8, 2024 12:02 pm
|      34 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(First texted photo – thanks)

12:02 PM: Thanks for the tips and photos. SFD and the Coast Guard are responding to a boat fire visible from Alki. They’re also mobilizing on shore in case there are patients to be brought to shore – right now the mobilization point is Seacrest. There’s word that one person is in the water “being picked up by a bypassing boat.” Updates to come.

12:08 PM: The closer view above this line is from Curry Gibson, who confirms that the boat (the one on the left) picked up a person in the water. And according to SFD radio, everyone is off the boat, which as the photos show is fully engulfed in flames.

12:14 PM: The view above this line is from Rick Cocker. SFD radio says the fire was reportedly preceded by some kind of “explosion” on the boat. (Added – video from another person onshore:)

12:19 PM: No fireboat on site yet, people who can see the boat are reporting, and emergency radio confirms that the nearest fireboat is still about 10 minutes away. SFD confirms one person was rescued by a “civilian vessel” and they say the person is OK but “refusing treatment” so the land response will demobilize.

12:37 PM: A fireboat (Chief Seattle) has finally arrived on scene (texted photo above).

12:50 PM: SFD told dispatch they’re still using Seacrest to shuttle some extra personnel out to the fireboat. Meantime, the texter – David – who sent the photo above says “fire’s out” and just sent this:

1:03 PM: Part of what they’re doing now, and the reason they’re sending out more personnel, is “dewatering” what’s left of the burned boat.

1:23 PM: Now they’re discussing towing what remains of the boat to “beach it at Duwamish Head” and figure out what else to do from there.

2:30 PM: Thanks to James Tilley for the photos above and below this paragraph. We just talked by phone with SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty. Here’s what we learned: The boat instead has been towed to Fourmile Rock on the north side of the bay – the Coast Guard decided to change the location. The person who escaped by jumping into the water, then getting picked up by another private vessel, was the only one on board and indeed was not hurt. (Added – Stephen King‘s photo, first uploaded in a comment, shows that person escaping.)

As for why a fire boat did not arrive sooner – Lafferty says they do indeed have one stationed on the waterfront downtown, but they were not in active patrol mode today and it took a while to mobilize. The first one on scene was Fireboat 3, based near Ballard. They don’t yet know the cause; the fire wasn’t fully out, because it was burning below deck, and firefighters could not safely board the boat. The first word of the fire came in from 911 callers who saw it, not from the person on board, so SFD says they really appreciate hearing from those people, and they also want to remind people on boats to keep communication devices and personal flotation equipment handy too, and to always have a fire extinguisher on board (there’s no word whether this person did or did not, it’s just a reminder). No word if the fire has led to any water pollution, but the crews that responded did have equipment to deal with that if it was needed.

11:47 PM: Update from the Coast Guard: “While under tow by the commercial salvage company, the vessel sunk near the 32nd Ave Beach Access in Elliott Bay. Boom has been placed around the vessel and divers have been contracted to remove remaining fuel while a salvage plan is promulgated. There is approximately 250 gallons of diesel fuel onboard.”

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Get ready to play ball! Registration open for West Seattle Little League’s spring season
December 8, 2024 10:26 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Even as we get to the shortest days of the year, there are reasons to think ahead to the warming months of spring. For one: Youth-sports leagues are opening spring registration, and this morning we have the announcement from West Seattle Little League:

West Seattle Little League Spring (WSLL) 2025 registration is now open for all youth ages 4-14.

Join us, your West Seattle neighbors in the bleachers, for another incredible season of hot dogs, cool drinks, sunny afternoons, and fun moments that your child and your family will cherish forever!

We are competitive, but most important, our coaches encourage fair play, teaching, and positive sportsmanship. Whether that’s summoning up the courage to swing the bat or running the bases with passion, we are here to listen, teach and inspire West Seattle youth to find their best self.

Each year, we want to make sure all kids have the opportunity to write the next chapter in the Little League story, regardless of their situation. No child will be denied an opportunity to play due to financial reasons. If you are in need of a full or partial scholarship, please visit our scholarship page for more info. We are dedicated to finding a confidential financial solution for families.

WSLL is excited to announce the fourth year of the Challenger Program! The Challenger program is Little League’s adaptive baseball program which offers additional support for athletes with disabilities.The Challengers program is free to all participants and open to West Seattle residents between the ages of 4-18 or up to age 22 if still enrolled in school. Inclusion and opportunity is the cornerstone of Little League, and it’s our passion to ensure everyone has an opportunity to play. Find more info here or email challenger@westseattlelittleleague.com with any questions.

The WSLL spring season will run from March – June and features fun activities including the jamboree, sandlot days, and end of the year bash. Interested to know more details? Check out westseattlelittleleague.com to find information about boundaries and divisions of play.

Register by February 9th. Registering early helps streamline our league operations – sign up today!

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WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: 22 events!
December 8, 2024 6:03 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Saturday photo by Christopher Boffoli)

Again today, we have two lists for you – first, the holiday happenings, from our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

FINAL DAY FOR ALKI CO-OP PRESCHOOL BOOK FAIR: Last day to make purchases at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW) and have part of the proceeds benefit Alki Co-op Preschool!

MOUNTAIN TO SOUND OUTFITTERS SALE: Winter-clothing flash sale, 10 am-6 pm at the shop! (3602 SW Alaska)

HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR AT OLG, LAST DAY: The popular fair-trade-gift fair concludes at Our Lady of Guadalupe, 9:30 am-1:30 pm. (35th/Myrtle)

PATHFINDER WREATH SALES: As featured in the Holiday Guide, the school’s beloved handmade wreaths are on sale just south of the Farmers’ Market today and the next two Sundays, plus available online. (California/Alaska)

HOLIDAY ART SHOW & SALE: Rain City Clay in Arbor Heights is hosting a holiday show & sale again this year, featuring artists who work with clay: 1-5 pm today. (4208 SW 100th)

VASHON ISLAND HOLIDAY STUDIO TOUR: Take a ferry to explore this event! “Vashon Island artists offer art lovers and gift shoppers a fun and inspirational event, the Vashon Island Holiday Studio Tour, continuing today, 10 am to 4 pm. The tour, which is organized by Vashon Island Visual Artists, features 44 studios and galleries representing more than 140 artists and craftspeople. The organization’s website also offers an interactive online map with details about each studio or gallery.”

THUNDER ROAD GUITARS: Open 7 days a week until Christmas – that includes 11 am-5 pm today. (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor)

SHOP SMALL SOUTH PARK: Go explore our neighboring community during their 11 am-4 pm art market, plus “retail crawl” at many SP small businesses. Details in our calendar listing. (14th Ave. S./S. Cloverdale)

GRINCH AND GRAHAMS: 1:00-2:30 pm. Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill)
Family Holiday Event! FREE! “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” the beloved 30-minute holiday classic movie, followed by making and decorating graham-cracker houses! All welcome!

‘SNOWED IN (AGAIN)’: ArtsWest‘s holiday musical has a 3 pm matinée today; get your ticket(s) here. (4711 California SW)

THE KENNEY CHIMES CHOIR: “The Kenney, 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW, 2 pm, Chime In for The Holidays! Join The Kenney Chimes Choir featuring The WestSide Ringers and The Kenney Singers for Carols At The Kenney! (Event is free, donations welcome) Email: tickets@thekenney,org to reserve your seat.”

ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, times vary. Tickets and info here.

NORTHWEST BOYCHOIR: Northwest Boychoir‘s annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” at Holy Rosary Church, 7 pm. Tickets here. (42nd SW/SW Genesee)

And here’s the non-holiday list with everything else – mostly from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet for today’s run at 9 am at Ampersand (2536 Alki SW).

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Open 10 am-2 pm, with almost-winter produce (root vegetables! greens!), plus beverages, holiday greenery, flowers, cheese, fish, meat, prepared food, nuts, candy, condiments, more. (California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Fall is project time. Need a tool to make yours happen? Borrow it from the Tool Library, open 11 am-4 pm on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

THE DOWNTOWN SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: This WSB sponsor welcomes families to its independent high school campus downtown today, 12:45-3 pm. (160 John Street)

‘THE RAKE’S PROGRESS,’ FINAL PERFORMANCE: Last chance to catch the Chief Sealth IHS student performance! 2 pm in the campus Performing Arts Center – ticketing and other details are in our preview. (2600 SW Thistle)

BABY MOTOR-SKILLS PLAY GROUP: 3:30 pm at Viva Arts, geared toward 3 months to pre-crawling. Preregister here. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)

HIGHLINE PREMIER FC INFO NIGHT: 6 pm online, for families interested in this soccer league – details in our calendar listing.

JET CITY IMPROV AT ARTSWEST: 7:30 pm, “a night of laughter and musical magic.” (4711 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Sunday night music with the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW) – 8-10 pm.

Are you planning, organizing, and/or publicizing something that should be on our community event calendar – one-time or recurring – and/or in our Holiday Guide? Please email us the basic details – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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READER REPORT: Lasers pointing at ferries again
December 7, 2024 8:57 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Report from a reader on the water: Somebody in Fauntleroy with a green laser is pointing it at ferries again. Striking navigable vessels with a laser is a felony crime, not to mention a health and safety hazard. If you see anyone doing it, call 911.

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