West Seattle, Washington
23 Monday
Before we get to our list of what’s happening today, a reminder about one of tomorrow’s events – noprofit Leaps and Bounds Children’s Therapy is hosting a women’s-clothing (and accessories) swap-and-shop event, from 11 AM to 3 PM at 7141 California Ave SW (Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation). To streamline the swap, you can drop off gently used items 10:30 am-4:30 pm today at the WSUU parking lot (look for the designated bin by the sunflower wall). Then on Saturday, here’s how to participate:
Entry on swap day is $20, and proceeds go directly to supporting Leaps and Bounds’ and our West Seattle families. You can purchase tickets in advance as well as a raffle ticket for a chance at early entry to get first pick at the fabulous finds at leapsandboundswa.org/swap
Participants are encouraged to bring gently used women’s clothing (clothes, shoes, purses/accessories) that are clean, in good condition, and free from stains. Be sure to label your donations with your name and contact information in case of any mix-ups. No personal undergarments please.
Leaps and Bounds has been sponsoring WSB this week to get word out even-more widely about the swap.
6:00 AM: Good morning – it’s Friday, January 31, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Rainy and breezy today, high in the upper 40s, possible snow showers tonight. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 7:36 am and 5:09 pm.
TRANSIT
Metro buses – Regular schedule. If we do see snow, check metrowinter.com!
Water Taxi – Also on a regular schedule today.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Salish as the “bonus boat.”
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 (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see 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!
(WSB photo)
8:25 PM: That was the scene in the 4000 block of SW Henderson [vicinity map] a short time ago, as police investigated gunfire in the Fauntlee Hills neighborhood. They told us at the scene that no one was hurt, but they found two shell casings in the street, and bullet damage to at least one parked car. They say the shooter left in a vehicle. We’ll add anything more we find out; if you have any information, the SPD incident # to refer to is 25-028468.
ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Police have released this summary:
At 1941 hours, the complainant was inside his house located at the 4000 BLK of SW Henderson St. The complainant heard his vehicle being tampered with in his driveway. The complainant looked out and saw his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend tampering with his vehicle. The complainant screamed at the two suspects, and they ran to a black Mercedes. The male suspect pulled out a gun and shot at the complainant. The suspects then drove away. The complainant didn’t have any injuries. Officers arrived and processed the scene. The suspects weren’t located.
(Seattle Police Department photo)
Six weeks after Mayor Bruce Harrell nominated Shon Barnes, then police chief in Madison, Wisconsin, to take over the Seattle Police Department, Chief Barnes has started work. SPD says his first day today was busy “with meeting new colleagues, media interviews, and getting to know the community.” Barnes, 50, is quoted as saying he will “be making sure we’re establishing a culture of excellence and procedural justice within the department.” Also still ahead: The City Council confirmation process.
(2024 photo by Tom Trulin)
“(W)e set multiple salmon records in 2024 – for participation in our annual drumming, spawners coming into Fauntleroy Creek, salmon watchers, and students learning in the watershed.” That’s the headline from the Fauntleroy Watershed Council‘s annual report for 2024, just released today. Fauntleroy Creek [map] is one of the few salmon-bearing creeks in Seattle city limits, after a volunteer-led effort revived it around the turn of the millennium; every year it gets various volunteer assists, from counting spawners to watching for “home-hatch” fry to helping hundreds of schoolchildren learn about the fish’s lifecycle through the Salmon in the Schools program. See the full report (only eight pages – not your typical “annual report”!) here, and find out how to get involved with the watershed here.
Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
HVAC SYSTEMS TARGETED: The West Seattle Junction Association is circulating this alert to businesses; we’re republishing it with permission:
… Seattle Fish had their refrigerator/HVAC system vandalized over the weekend. Someone had punctured it to drain the oil and relieve pressure. The would-be thief must have been scared off, as they not did take the system.
Last night, however, these thieves returned and broke into the back area of CenturyLink and stole two units. If your system is exposed, especially at street level, please take warning. There are thieves targeting these systems for scrap metal. We have alerted our security patrols to pay extra attention in the alleys. Please protect your property.
Seattle Fish Company and the CenturyLink facility are both on the west side of the 4400 block of California SW.
ASSAULT/ROBBERY SUSPECT ARRESTED: A 42-year-old man is in jail, accused in a shoplift-turned-robbery at Jefferson Square Safeway late last night. We requested and obtained the report narrative from police. It says police were called after 11 pm and told a man had thrown an employee into a shelf, hit a customer, took items, and left the store. Employees told them it began with the man yelling and causing a disturbance in the store. When confronted, he hit the person who confronted him “three times in his head with a toy guitar” (who the confronter was is not clear because of redactions). Earlier, officers were told, the suspect was seen “stuffing his backpack with stolen food products and merchandise”; he was reported to have become upset and lashed out when seeing an employee “recording him.” Nobody wanted/needed medical attention after all this, but the recordings helped police recognize the suspect from a different call, and they arrested him after spotting him walking near 35th/Avalon a half-hour later. The report says he was wearing the same clothes as during the store incident – and that officers also found the “toy guitar” as well as items stolen from Safeway.
TIRES SLASHED: This is from an anonymous reader:
I live at California and Hinds. I routinely park my car on 42nd. This morning two of my tires were slashed and the hood of my car scratched by a sharp object. As was another vehicle in the same block.
This happened around 11 pm last night 01/29/25. If anyone saw anything or knows of who may have committed this crime please contact the Seattle Police, two incident reports have been made.
I am beyond sickened that someone would do this. Destroying someone’s property with malicious and violent intent is a crime. Doing it in such an aggressive manner shows that it was done premeditated … let people know to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior, and Tesla drivers, no matter what your political leanings are, turn on your Sentry Modes.
We have a followup question out to confirm whether that means their vandalized car is a Tesla and if they know whether the other one was. (UPDATE: Yes, they say, both targeted cars are Teslas.)
Thanks for the photos, both sent this afternoon:
ISS OVER ALKI: The photo is from Steven Rice, who explains, “This was around 6:15 pm. The International Space Station was visible for well over 5 minutes (moving from right to left) and reached a height of 48°. I also noticed the sandbags in place awaiting the coming tides.” If for some reason there’s a break in the clouds tonight or tomorrow, here are the next ISS-viewing opportunities over Seattle.
DUCK ACROSS THE BAY: That photo is from a texter who looked across Elliott Bay from West Seattle and spotted the giant “rubber duck” atop the Lumen Field Event Center, where the 61-foot-tall duck has been placed as a promotion for the upcoming Seattle Boat Show.
Today we welcome a new WSB sponsor, the West Seattle restaurant Circa (2605 California SW). When new sponsors join, they get the chance to tell you about themselves – so here’s Circa‘s story:
With nearly 27 years in the Admiral District, Circa is a community hub filled with cheerful regulars, from-scratch cooking, and the best service in town.
Co-head chefs Bill and Gretchen Evans have owned Circa for the past 9 years, although Gretchen worked as a server for a decade before purchasing. Born and raised in New Orleans, Bill brings his own style and quality to many dishes at Circa, while Gretchen’s PNW roots keep things local and dialed in. Their 3 teenage boys attend West Seattle High School and keep them constantly engaged in and working with the West Seattle community at large.
Circa is open 7 days a week at 9 am! Weekday breakfast has a variety of dishes, from omelets & scrambles to pancakes and country fried steak. Beignets and Anson Mills white corn grits show Bill’s southern influence. Biscuits & Gravy and our vegetarian Potato Works can’t be beat. The Standard breakfast is anything but, with Stiebrs Farms eggs, Daily’s bacon, and house-made biscuit or coffee cake as a bread option.
At 11:30 they go right into lunch, where you can try many specialty sandwiches, salads, fish-n-chips, and soups (including Bill’s famous Gumbo YaYa). Happy hour starts at 2:30 and runs until 5:00 M-F!
Every Thursday, besides the regular menu, Circa offers the very popular 3-Course Thursday Lunch menu for $27! You choose between 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 desserts. Different every week. Always delicious and very fun. A great deal, too.
Weekend brunch brings all the specialty breakfast dishes and plenty of lunch items and runs from 9 am-2 pm (dinner resumes at 5:00). Fried oyster benedict, crab cake benedict, Eggs Sardou, all kinds of omelets, and much more. Weekend brunch has been served at Circa since 1998, so it’s always lively and the coffee stays hot and full by the fantastic and long-term waitstaff.
Thank you for your patronage, West Seattle!
We thank Circa (2605 California SW) for supporting community-collaborative news by sponsoring WSB. If you’re interested in joining our sponsor team too, call 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(File photo from past ‘king tide,’ by David Hutchinson at Alki)
While most are focusing on the possibility of snow this weekend (no alerts yet!), it’s also of note that Sunday will be one of three days this year with the highest predicted high tide – 12.9 feet – one of the so-called “king tides.” That’s what’s expected at 7:42 am Sunday (February 2), as well as on the mornings of December 6-7. Will that truly be the year’s highest tide? Shore-watchers know that atmospheric conditions can affect what actually happens; you can track the actual water levels via this page, which you can always find linked from the WSB West Seattle Weather page.
(More photogenic West Seattle crows, this time photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor during Tuesday’s sunrise)
Here’s our list of what’s happening today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BILLION-DOLLAR BAKE SALE: Today’s the big day for education-funding advocacy in Olympia. If you didn’t head south to join in, this page has other ways to get involved from afar.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: The center is 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.
STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm yoga class at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of three events tonight at this venue – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Levantine Cuisine.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Also a regular Thursday feature at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – details here.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: And then, run or walk the neighborhood with the Run Club, leaving from HPCS at 6:30 pm – info here.
VISCON CELLARS: The West Seattle winery’s warm, cozy tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor). Stop in for wine by the glass or bottle!
DENNY INTERNATIONAL MS OPEN HOUSE: 5 pm open house for prospective Denny 6th-grade students and families. (2601 SW Kenyon)
WEST SEATTLE ELEMENTARY OPEN HOUSE: Also welcoming prospective students and families tonight is West Seattle Elementary, 5:30 pm. (6760 34th SW)
WEST SEATTLE HS OPEN HOUSE: And the open house for incoming students and families at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW) is also tonight, starting at 6 pm.
KIDS’ KARAOKE: New at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 6 pm – bring the whole family to sing and have dinner!
RESCHEDULED WORDS, WRITERS, SOUTHWEST STORIES: 6 pm online, the rescheduled presentation about “The Untold Story of Northwest Rock ‘n’ Roll,” as previewed here – registration required to get the link.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: This group’s 6 pm weekly Thursday run departs from Future Primitive on Alki (2536 Alki SW).
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy – details in our calendar listing.
THE GITS AT EASY STREET: Listening party and signing for the re-release of The Gits‘ iconic debut album “Frenching the Bully,” 7 pm at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW)
PARENTS’ CUP-FILLING WORKSHOP: Free workshop’s meeting this week is online, 7-9 pm – details in our calendar listing.
TRIVIA: 7 pm at Burger Planet (9614 14th SW).
DJ NIGHT: The weekend starts early at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Kingblind & Teenage Rampage, starting at 8 pm.
Are we missing anything for today/tonight? Also – looking ahead – are you planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB file photo)
After we published the reunion announcement for Chief Sealth‘s Class of 1965 earlier this week, we heard from the class that graduated 10 years later, trying to get the word out about their milestone reunion too:
Attention, Chief Sealth High School Class of 1975 Graduates!
The date, time and location for this auspicious occasion – our 50-Year Class Reunion, has been secured. Classmates have already begun registering for this epic event. Deposits are due, so early registration would be greatly appreciated. The registration form is attached. You can find detailed information on the flyer posted on the Chief Sealth High School Class of 1975 Facebook site. Below are a few of the details for our awesome event:
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2025
Time: 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Location: The Museum of Flight, 9404 East Marginal Way South – Skyline Room
Catering: Buffet dinner catered by McCormick & Schmick’s
Cost: $90 per person (up to 150 attendees, then $98 per person); cost includes free entrance for a self-guided tour of the Museum day of the reunion
Attire: Casual
Parking: Free
RSVP: Advance registration only – send your registration form in now!We anticipate this to be an affair to remember! Looking forward to seeing you May 17th!
Debra Zueger Taylor
d_taylor_97@comcast.net
Reunion Committee Chair
9:44 AM: Crash involving a Metro bus blocking the southbound bus lane at Delridge/Andover. Live camera shows a Route 125 bus is involved. No serious injuries reported.
Earlier:
6:01 AM: Good morning – it’s Thursday, January 30, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy, then rainy, high in the mid-40s, low in the low 40s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 7:37 am and 5:08 pm.
TRANSIT
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Water Taxi – Also on a regular schedule today.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Salish as the “bonus boat.”
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 (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see 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!
Charges have been filed against the two men whose Harbor Avenue arrests – which started with police investigating a parking violation – were reported here Tuesday. First, the suspect charged with a felony: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged 27-year-old David Valdovinos, now listed as a Des Moines resident, with first-degree unlawful possession of a gun. According to the charging documents, the gun officers spotted in, and seized from, his 2006 Honda Civic early Saturday was a “Springfield .40mm pistol with a round in the chamber” and had been stolen in a burglary in Tacoma in 2016. These images are from the charging document:
Valdovinos cannot legally possess any gun because he is a convicted felon; the documents say he was convicted of three felonies as a juvenile in 2011 – child rape, unlawful imprisonment with sexual motivation, and burglary. He was not charged with possession of a stolen firearm because, the case detective wrote, “There is insufficient evidence to establish the knowledge element by Valdovinos that the firearm was a stolen gun.” He claimed to officers that he had bought it from a friend in Portland for $700. The charging papers say he was also found in possession of a “small baggie of cocaine,” though no drug charge is filed. Meantime, Valdovinos remains jailed in lieu of $25,000 (bail cannot be changed from the initial amount set unless significant new evidence is brought to light).
His passenger early Saturday, 24-year-old Nayel G. Orduno-Araujo of Graham, is charged with two misdemeanors, unlawfully carrying a pistol, and resisting arrest. Case documents filed by the City Attorney’s Office say Orduno-Araujo was concealing a “loaded M&P 9mm” handgun but admitted he did not have a concealed-pistol license. There is no other background on the gun, which police had said in the initial summary also was stolen; he was said to be in possession of 27 grams of fentanyl but no drug charge was filed. The documents say the City Attorney’s Office wanted bail set at $5,000 but a judge set it at $3,000; he too remains in jail.
9:43 PM: Thanks for the tip. A crash scene on the westbound West Seattle Bridge near 99 continues to back up traffic. If you have to head that way, you might consider avoiding the bridge. SFD was there for a while earlier; we’re checking with them regarding injuries.
9:58 PM: SDOT says the scene is now clear.
11:30 PM: SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty says no injuries were reported.
By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Around 200 West Seattle parents and community members attended a discussion about cell phones, social media and mental health on Tuesday night at Gatewood Elementary.
Much of this discussion was inspired by Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Anxious Generation.” The event aimed to kickstart a community conversation focused on supporting the mental health and development of West Seattle’s children as they navigate the challenges posed by modern technology.
West Seattle is joining other communities across the state in scrutinizing phones in schools and their impact. Vashon Island’s McMurray Middle School recently implemented a “phones away for the day” policy; Chief Sealth International High School was a trailblazer in this in fall 2023.
“Away for the Day,” created by the team behind the Screenagers documentary series, encourages phone-free schools after research studies linked phone proximity to reduced attention, mental health struggles and more. Speakers at the event highlighted HB 1122, a bill in the 2025 legislative session aimed at restricting mobile devices for public school students, as one to watch and support.
Caitlyn McGuire, a longtime public-school teacher and Gatewood parent, shared a story about a couple of students who were so worried about taking their masks off at lunch that they wouldn’t eat. They feared classmates would see their true appearances since they had created avatars on social media. This concern reflects a broader issue McGuire highlighted: the growing mental-health challenges among youth using social media.
“In the fall of 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Surgeon General declared a national emergency in child mental health,” McGuire said. “We know that our teenagers are spending more time on social media than any other activity. We also know that in recent years, we’ve seen soaring rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidality among youth.”
McGuire discussed how social media algorithms are designed to be addictive, tapping into the novelty, emotion, and reward centers of the brain, which particularly appeal to teens who have not yet fully developed their frontal lobes.
“Kids feel bad, they don’t want to be up late on their phones and tablets,” McGuire said. “They do the same things that we do, saying, ‘Okay, I’m going to get off soon. I’m going to get off.’”
McGuire emphasized that parents, schools, and government need to intervene to help teens set healthy boundaries with technology.
The connection between social media and eating disorders was also discussed, highlighted by a video, “The Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film,” (eating disorder trigger warning) which moved many in the audience to tears.
Megan Fisher, a Gatewood Elementary parent and mental-health therapist, emphasized that parents must allow their children to grow independently, noting that children face too much protection in the real world and not enough in the virtual world.
She referenced the Let Grow Project, which encourages kids to try new things on their own — like climbing trees, running errands, and cooking — to foster independence. McGuire stressed that it is essential that kids get play-based childhood, not a phone-based one.
“Let’s give our kids what they truly need: a childhood filled with play, connection and freedom from constant digital pressures,” Fisher said.
Presenters encouraged parents to sign the nationwide “Wait Until 8th” pledge, which advocates delaying kids from getting a smartphone until 8th grade. The pledge also connects families with others who are actively supporting the cause, fostering solidarity. Once 10 families from your child’s grade and school sign the pledge, it becomes active.
Several ideas and solutions were presented during the event, including:
-Instead of giving kids a smartphone, consider a “Tin Can” — a landline phone that connects via Wi-Fi and only allows calls from programmed numbers, created by a local West Seattle parent.
-Consider a smartwatch or a more basic flip phone.
-Wait until the end of 8th grade to give kids a cell phone, and until they are 16 to allow social media account(s).
-Be mindful of your own phone habits, as children often model their behavior after adults.
-Have open conversations with your children about why waiting to give them phones and social media protects their mental health. Create clear guidelines, like no phones until after 8th grade, while also acknowledging their feelings.
-Focus on encouraging activities away from the phone, like sports, spending time with friends and exploring new hobbies.
The meeting was recorded and may be available upon request. Contact gatewood.pta.advocacy@gmail.com for more information.
After last week’s announcement that Cascadia Fresh Market had closed in the ground-floor commercial space of Cottage Grove Commons (5444 Delridge Way SW), we asked the building’s owner/manager, DESC, about whether they planned to open the space for lease. The market had been a pilot project in the space that otherwise would have been vacant after the Delridge Grocery Cooperative closed its store; DGC was an iteration of the nonprofit for which the space was intended from the start. Today, DESC spokesperson Jessica Schreindl had a reply for us: “Today I got word that ‘the commercial space will be available soon if anyone in the community has interest’.” We’ll watch for the listing; in the meantime, you can contact DESC at info@desc.org.
Longtime WSB sponsor Canna West Seattle wants you to know about new hours for the shop at 5440 California SW, starting this Saturday (February 1). Canna CEO Maryam Mirnateghi tells WSB that the new hours are:
Friday and Saturday, 8 am-11:30 pm
Sunday, 8 am-10 pm
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 8 am-11 pm
(Friday and Saturday hours are unchanged, while the other nights are slightly earlier closings.) The shop was founded in 2016 and offers curbside service, happy hours, and medical consultations as well as a wide selection of merchandise. P.S. There’s a store app that Maryam says you “can use to keep informed of upcoming events and promotions” – downloadable here.
The latest wave of business openings includes a sizable dose of the arts. Today, we have news that Low Tide Arts is about to open a studio in the Fauntleroy Church building, with a “studiowarming” chance to visit this weekend. The founder, teaching artist Kim Hamlet (right), says Low Tide Arts will be a “nonprofit community art studio … offering art classes, workshops, and open studio hours for youth and adults.” Kim is a West Seattle resident who “spent 15 years working as a graphic designer before transitioning to teaching art and founding Low Tide Arts.” The motivation for Kim’s first business? “The goal of giving back to the creative community here in West Seattle.” You can visit Saturday (February 1) between 11 am to 5 pm. Fauntleroy Church is at 9140 California SW.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:
CAR BREAK-INS: Mat sent the report and video, wondering if anybody recognizes the thieves and/or their vehicle:
I live on Juneau and 26th and last night at 2:17 am at least 4 neighbors including myself had our cars broken into. I filed a police report and have this video.
We’ll add the report # when we get it.
PACKAGE THEFT: Kelsey sent this report from Alki, hoping someone’s found her stolen package:
We had a porch pirate steal a package yesterday Between 12:30 and 5 pm of rental women’s clothes, which is incredibly frustrating as I need to return them! Please be on the lookout in case a Rent The Runway package was ditched somewhere. Our address is 30xx 61st Ave SW – we are on 61st Ave SW between admiral and Stevens. Thanks for being on the lookout!
Thanks to everybody who shares crime reports to keep the wider community alerted – email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 if it’s happening now (after 911, of course) – thank you!
(Chilly crow, photographed by Jerry Simmons)
Here’s our list of what’s happening on your Wednesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
NO LIBRARY CHANGES HERE: You might hear about the Seattle Public Library system making some days/hours changes starting today. We compared before/after schedules and did NOT find any changes at libraries in West Seattle.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 10 am in Lincoln Park – meet up at 47th/Fauntleroy to “move together in nature.”
TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT CANCELED: No reading time today because the shop is closed for its move to The Junction.
REJUVENATE YOGA: Weekly class at Viva Arts, 1:30 pm. Drop-in. $20. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)
TODDLER STORY TIME AT SW LIBRARY: Canceled today per SPL website.
HOMEWORK HELP: Volunteer helpers are available 4-7:30 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Fix it, don’t toss it! Weekly event, free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center). Don’t know much about the WS Tool Library? Learn about it via last month’s West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlight!
WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: New group meets, as previewed here, 6-8 pm at Great American Diner and Bar in The Junction (4752 California SW).
DRAG BINGO: 6 pm at Pine Lake Cellars with Jolene Granby. Free to play! Prizes! (5405 California SW)
FREE GROUP RUN: All year ’round! All runners, all levels, are welcome to join the weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run – meet at the shop by 6:15 pm.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
PIANO NIGHT: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way).
YOGA/MEDITATION/GONG BATH: 7-8:30 pm at Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska), $35, ticket info here.
BASKETBALL: One home game tonight – the West Seattle HS girls host Roosevelt, varsity at 7:30 pm. (3000 California SW)
TRIVIA x 3: Three Wednesday trivia locations: Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night begins at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW), all ages until 10 pm.
MUSIC BINGO X 2: Two places to play on Wednesdays! Play at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm … Or, at Three 9 Lounge (39th/Oregon), you can play MINGO music bingo, hosted by Mingo Maniac, at 7:30 pm Wednesdays.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: Ready to take the mic and show your stuff? 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Planning an open house, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, show, meeting, presentation, etc., that’s open to the community? Please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
That’s the trailer for the current season of the Byrd Ensemble, which is bringing its vocal artistry back to West Seattle this Saturday, and sponsoring WSB for the week to amplify the announcement. In addition, they’re offering a ticket deal again – a special code to get 30 percent off. But first, let’s talk about the concert. This time, the vocal group directed by Markdavin Obenza is presenting Renaissance music from Scotland and England, at 7:30 pm Saturday (February 1) at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (4139 42nd SW). Here’s how the program is described:
The program showcases English and Scottish Renaissance music from the Carver Choirbook, a unique 16th-century collection that is one of Scotland’s only surviving sources of Renaissance polyphony. In addition to the Renaissance works are three contemporary pieces by Scottish composer James MacMillan and English composer Alexander Campkin.
You’ll find more details here. For tickets, go here, and be sure to enter the code WSBLOG30 at checkout to get the discount.
8:10 AM: Incident blocking Admiral exit on WB bridge, per readers.
Earlier:
6:00 AM: Good morning – it’s Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
BRIDGE/ROAD NOTES
*The Delridge pedestrian bridge (“live” image above) is scheduled to reopen by 5 pm today after some tasks remaining from the seismic-strengthening project.
*16th SW in the SW Kenyon vicinity has some utility work today, with both sides of the street marked as “no parking,” but Seattle Public Utilities tells us it’s a small project that shouldn’t disrupt traffic.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy then clearing, high in the mid-40s, low around freezing. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 7:39 am and 5:06 pm.
(Tuesday’s sunset, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
TRANSIT
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Water Taxi – Also on a regular schedule today.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Salish as the “bonus boat.”
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 (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see 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!
Tomorrow (Wednesday, January 29) is the day our state will officially observe Lunar New Year. We’ve received announcements about three celebrations coming up in West Seattle as the Year of the Snake begins:
(2023 photo courtesy Vietnamese Cultural Center of West Seattle)
SATURDAY, VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center at 2236 SW Orchard welcomes everyone to join its Vietnamese New Year celebration this Saturday (February 1), noon-3 pm, with festivities including a lion dance and flag-raising.
FEBRUARY 7, WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL: For the second year, the WSHS AAPI Club and Chinese Program are presenting a Lunar New Year celebration, promising food, music, and culture, 7-8:30 pm in the school’s commons (3000 California SW).
FEBRUARY 8, SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN: The garden just north of the South Seattle College campus (6000 16th SW) promises a Lunar New Year Festival, with performances and other activities, 11 am-3 pm. Free, but $6 donation appreciated.
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