West Seattle, Washington
24 Tuesday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Almost a decade ago, after five deaths in seven years, SDOT made big changes to two miles of 35th Avenue SW, between Roxbury and Willow.
Most of the stretch had its speed limit and number of travel lanes cut. In the years since then – no fatalities, on either the rechannelized section of 35th, or the street north of there.
Originally, that was 35th SW Phase 1, and the city planned a Phase 2. But in 2018, SDOT announced it had no plans for further rechannelization, while taking pains to say that wasn’t off the table forever. Phase 2 instead encompassed some one-off changes that have been made in the ensuing years – including signals at 35th/Graham and 35th/Dawson (Camp Long), restoration of a crosswalk at 35th/Kenyon, and addition of left-turn signals at 35th/Barton.
Then last year, the north stretch of 35th resurfaced as a named project in the new Seattle Transportation Levy (briefly removed, then restored). But the description was fairly vague – the section between Alaska and Morgan was labeled a “corridor for street maintenance and modernization” and so it remained through passage of the eight-year, $1.55 billion levy. Once the post-election dust settled, we started asking SDOT about specifics, given how much interest Phase 1 had drawn last decade.
Eventually, we were connected to two longtime SDOT communicators for an online chat about the project – which they also insisted has almost zero specifics, but at least attempted to explain why. Meghan Shepard and Dan Anderson stressed that the 35th SW project is not in the “earliest group” of levy-specified projects to be planned, and so is truly at “0 percent” design and planning. Pre-election materials say the “extent” of this and other projects will be decided by a “design process,” and Shepard said there’ll be a “long lead time” – two or three years of planning.
So why was it chosen if it’s not urgent? “Same reasons as (other projects in the levy) – it’s carrying a lot of vehicles, and the pavement needs attention.” The longterm vision comes from the Seattle Transportation Plan, and the levy is expected to fund “five or six” major paving projects such as this one. Once that “design process” is launched, key decisions will be made such as whether to totally rebuild the road in concrete – as has happened with most projects in recent years, such as the Delridge repaving accompanying the RapidRide H Line conversion , and the Fauntleroy Way repaving between The Triangle and Morgan Junction 15 years ago.
Project funding will come from a $330 million bucket of levy money which will have to cover all the levy’s paving projects, Anderson said. (Two others in West Seattle were identified – Fauntleroy Way in The Triangle, part of the shelved-because-of-light-rail “Fauntleroy Boulevard” plan, and the east end of the Roxbury corridor.)
Would the Alaska-to-Morgan section of 35th, much of which has kept two travel lanes each way, be evaluated for rechannelization whenever the paving project gets going?
Yes, said Anderson: “This is what planners do.” They’ll evaluate it compared to “current standards” including bicycling and transit. They’ll also be working with Seattle Public Utilities to see if any sections need a new water main, so that all the work can be done while the road’s torn up for paving. Sidewalk repairs and crossing improvements also could be part of the eventual plan.
So who makes the ultimate decision on what will get done and when?
Every year a “levy delivery plan” will be brought to the City Council by the end of January, the SDOT reps said (the first one is due by January 31 of this year). As was the case with the now-expired Levy to Move Seattle, there also will be an oversight committee – this one hasn’t been appointed yet, but in a change from past practice, it will include a member from each council district. And the SDOT duo promised there will be “engagement” (the previous 35th projects were preceded by many community meetings, although toward the end they moved from the “presentation to audience and Q/A for all” format to the “circulate around to easels for one-on-one conversations” format).
Bottom line – though it’s called out in the Transportation Levy, 35th SW’s future remains in TBA mode.
(Recent Alki scene, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s today’s list – highlights of what’s happening today/tonight, mostly from our Event Calendar, where you can preview what’s happening days, weeks, even months ahead:
POSTCARDS 4 DEMOCRACY: Long-distance advocacy via handwritten postcards sent to voters in other states – the work continues post-election – drop in 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), all welcome.
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: First lunch meeting of 2025, noon at West Seattle Golf Course (4470 35th SW), with guest speaker King County Executive Dow Constantine; also, a tribute to WSB co-founder Patrick Sand.
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)
HOMEWORK HELP: Students can drop in for free help, 4-5:45 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-7 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $10 fee, $5 off with bottle purchases.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t bring your own.
WEST SEATTLE PRESCHOOL FAIR (WSB sponsor): Meet reps from 15 area preschools, all in one place, the Hope Lutheran School North Campus gym (4100 SW Genesee) – no preregistration required, admission is free, drop in between 5:30 and 7 pm. Our preview has the list of preschools planning to participate.
WEST SEATTLE TAE KWON DO CLUB: 6 pm, first class of 2025, at High Point Community Center. All levels welcome. (6920 34th SW)
WEST SEATTLE RUNNER TRACK RUN: 6:15 meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for the free weekly track run.
MAKE POTTERY: Weekly 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance to work on your project(s).
TIDEPOOLING: Join Seattle Parks at Me-Kwa-Mooks (4500 block Beach Drive SW), 7 pm, to walk across the street and explore tidepools, 7-9 pm. Preregistration and fee required – do that here.
BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Play – free! – Tuesday night Belle of the Balls Bingo hosted by Cookie Couture, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 6: Now SIX trivia options for Tuesday night – 7 pm trivia with Amelia at Future Primitive‘s Beer Bar on Alki (2536 Alki SW) … The Beer Junction (4711 California SW) has Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7:10 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW) … Just added; Trivia Tuesdays at Christos on Alki, 7:15 pm (2508 Alki SW).
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Two boys’ varsity home games tonight. Chief Sealth IHS hosts Seattle Academy (2600 SW Thistle); West Seattle HS hosts Garfield (3000 California SW), both at 7:30 pm.
Hosting an event? Tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends are remembering David Benton, and sharing this with his community:
David Benton, a long-time resident of West Seattle, passed away at his home on December 5th, 2024.
Dave was born in February 1948 and was one of the eldest children in his family. His parents were committed missionaries, and in his youth, he traveled as far as Afghanistan with his family. As a young man, he was drafted and served in Vietnam as an avionics technician with the Marine Corps. This training reinforced his skills and sharpened the mechanical aptitude that served him well throughout his life and career.
He lived in many places on the west coast, from Southern California to Alaska, fishing in the Gulf for a spell. He met his future wife Linnea while living in Newport Beach, California, and relocated to West Seattle in 1990, eventually moving to their home in Alki, where they raised their son Erik.
Dave enjoyed his work as a specialty service mechanic working with doors and entryways for local companies and was often the expert called in to assist with troublesome problems. He also used his skills on many home improvements, as well as problem solving and repairs for family, friends, and sometimes complete strangers in need!
Dave and his family enjoyed vacationing. His recollections as the captain of a time-share catamaran voyaging throughout Puget Sound from Gig Harbor to the San Juans with Linnea, Erik, and Linnea’s brother John, were among his finest memories. Dave’s family enjoyed spending summer weeks in Cannon Beach and exploring the surrounding parks and neighboring towns. Mauna Kea in Hawaii was also a favorite family getaway. Dave’s wife Linnea passed away in 2013.
The final years of Dave’s life were a time of peace and contentment. He cherished the time spent with his son Erik and was grateful for his long-time friends and the love and support of his girlfriend Clairie. Dave is survived by his son, two brothers, and a sister.
His tribute wall is at emmickfunerals.com/obituary/David-Benton
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
7:45 AM: Texter reports stalled car on eastbound bridge just past curve.
Earlier:
6:00 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Monday’s forecast sunshine never showed up. Today, patchy early morning fog is expected to precede clouds, with a high in the mid-40s. Sunrise/sunset – 7:56 am and 4:35 pm.
TRANSIT
Water Taxi – Regular schedule.
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route with M/V Issaquah and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Tillikum as the “ghost boat.” Check here for last-minute changes.
ROAD WORK
*SDOT warns you may see work trucks parked on the high bridge while crews wrap up planned work inside.
*One last mention: The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project shifted traffic flow to the outside lanes last Tuesday as planned, and removed the temporary crosswalk at 39th. Fairmount Avenue remains closed beneath the bridge until the entire project wraps up.
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!
By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Director Andy Yardy, a West Seattle resident, shares the inspiring journey of world-class runner, coach, and former longtime West Seattleite Doris Brown Heritage in his documentary “Last Lap,” having its first local public screening this Thursday.
The film chronicles Heritage’s rise from running on the beach as a child to becoming one of the world’s fastest women –and includes scenes from Alki Beach, not far from her former home in the Fairmount Ravine area.
“People need to hear her story so they can pursue their passion, whether it’s running or something else,” Yardy told WSB in a phone conversation.
After two years of work, “Last Lap” premiered at several film festivals this summer, winning the “Best Washington-Made Film” award at the Gig Harbor Film Festival — Heritage’s hometown. The documentary also won the 2024 “Best Audience Choice Documentary Feature Film” at the Seattle Film Festival.
This Thursday, January 9, at 7 pm, the Seattle premiere will take place on a double bill at SIFF Cinema Uptown in Queen Anne, followed by a Q&A with Heritage and Yardy. Additional screenings will be held on Saturday, January 11, at 1 pm, 4 pm, and 7 pm at the SIFF Film Center downtown. The 46-minute documentary features footage of Seattle, including Alki Beach and Discovery Park, where more than 50 of Heritage’s fans and former athletes she coached joined her for a memorable run.
“That’s the point that pulls everything together,” Yardy said, reflecting on the rainy scene at Discovery Park. “She [Heritage] talks about that day as one of her favorite days of her life.”
Despite being a champion runner — she made history by winning the International Cross Country Championships five consecutive years from 1967 to 1971 and was the first woman to run an indoor mile in under five minutes — Heritage never earned an Olympic medal, a point Yardy found compelling.
“She was kind of the B-list Olympian,” Yardy said. “She was the best runner in the world, but she never got a medal at the Olympics.”
Heritage competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where she placed fifth in the 800 meters, and the 1972 Munich Olympics. Her coaching career at Seattle Pacific University spanned more than three decades; at SPU, she helped shape the careers of numerous athletes and assisted the U.S. women’s team at the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1987 World Championships. In 1976, Heritage was named “Washington’s Woman of the Year” by the Washington State Legislature. She lived in West Seattle 1977-2017 with husband Ralph Heritage (a West Seattle High School graduate) and now lives in Stanwood. (Read more of her life’s story here.)
(Photo courtesy Andy Yardy, who’s at left with producer Andrea Groenink, Ralph Heritage, Doris Brown Heritage)
Yardy hopes his documentary will inspire cross-country teams and coaches. While the film currently has no public wide-release date, it is expected to be available on Amazon Prime in the future.
Tickets to the upcoming Seattle screenings are free and can be obtained here.
(Thanks to Frank for the tip on this!)
(WSB photo)
ORIGINAL MONDAY REPORT: 10 months after it opened, Fauntleroy bakery-café Bel Gatto has closed, blaming new city wage/tax rules. Bel Gatto – operated by the owner of CHOW Foods, which also owns Endolyne Joe’s next door, took over the space where The Original Bakery had been for ~90 years. The closure tip came from Rich, who sent this photo of the note we have since confirmed is on Bel Gatto’s door:
When Bel Gatto opened last February, it had been a little over a year after The Original Bakery closed. We have an inquiry out to owner Peter Levy regarding the space’s future and whether any of his other venues are making changes because of the factors cited for Bel Gatto’s closure.
SIDE NOTE: This is the fifth West Seattle food/drink business to close in less than a month, after Locust Cider, Alki Beach Café, Pecos Pit, and Bebop Waffle Shop.
ADDED TUESDAY: Owner Peter Levy sent responses to questions we asked:
-The space’s future:”There is no decision yet as to what we will be doing with the space that housed the bakery. That will be determined in the next several weeks.”
-Money matters: “I do want to mention that prior to closing we assured that we had adequate financial resources to pay all of the employees and vendors in full. As far as business levels, we were approaching close to a break even status in the last quarter of 2024, but the requirement to absorb another $4,000 per month in payroll expenses with the new mandate by the City put a break even further from our grasp which is what led to the closure.”
-Are other CHOW Foods restaurants making changes because of the city rules he cited as a reason for closing? “At our other two Seattle restaurants, in anticipation of these wage/salary increases, we have had to review and alter the breadth of our menus, our menu pricing, physical plant layouts and personnel requirements. These are rather extreme issues to address that we have not had to consider in our Tacoma restaurants where we had a 2.3% increase in wage rates vs close to 20% in Seattle.”
We also asked if he had had any contact with the City Council regarding concerns about the new rules, before they took effect: “I sent all members an email in the early fall stating our case for consideration of extending the allowance of tips and benefits to be included in overall compensation, but all I got was crickets – not one response.”
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the photos! Seattle Fire‘s Ladder 13, based at Station 37 in Sunrise Heights, was seen with its ladder extended in upper Lincoln Park this afternoon. No calls logged to the area, so we asked SFD what they were doing.
Reply from spokesperson David Cuerpo: “They were doing a training exercise utilizing the aerial ladder for a rope rescue. Pulling up a Stokes basket.”
(Added: WSB photo, Cove Park entrance)
The King County Wastewater Treatment Division says its pump station next to Cove Park, north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock, had an overflow on Sunday, so warning signs are posted now to tell people to stay out of the water. Here’s what we received from KCWTD:
The King County Wastewater Treatment Division responded to an overflow at the Barton Street Pump Station in West Seattle on Sunday, restoring the pump station to normal operations within 3 minutes [of arrival].
At about 12:50 p.m., the pump station located in the 9000 block of Fauntleroy Way Southwest, just north of the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal, overflowed after equipment inside the facility experienced an electrical issue. A wastewater operator reset the pumps and restored the pump station.
King County notified the Washington State Department of Ecology and Public Health – Seattle & King County on Sunday.
Because combined flow of stormwater and sewer was released into Puget Sound through an emergency outfall, King County is working with Public Health to monitor water quality in the area. King County posted closure signage at Cove Park on Monday. The beach at Cove Park is expected to be closed until water quality testing indicates it is safe. The public is urged to avoid contact with the water until the signage is removed.
The announcement didn’t mention the volume of storm/sewer overflow that was released – nor is that mentioned on the KCWTD incident webpage – so we have a followup inquiry out about that.
UPDATE: KCWTD spokesperson Akiko Oda tells WSB that they estimate 3,500 gallons went into Puget Sound.
(WSB photo from start of work in March)
More followup information today on where the Hiawatha Community Center and play area projects stand. Late last month we checked in and learned that Seattle Parks was in the process of changing project managers for the community center “stabilization” project, but we did not request an update on the play area. Today we have a brief update on both, thanks to a community member who’s been concerned about the projects inquiring with Parks’ capital-project manager Mike Schwindeller. He says that the new project manager is “working with both the contractor and design team to confirm the schedule implications of the addition of scope associated with the decarbonization of the building.” Parks has applied for a permit for that additional work (explained in this document). Meantime, Schwindeller adds, “As far as the Play Area project, we will have the final Geotechnical Report in the next couple of weeks which will dictate our next steps and timeline. Unfortunately, SPU (and subsequently SDCI) required this enhanced level of documentation associated with the Stormwater Code for us to proceed with the project just as we were going out to bid.” Schwindeller also said yet more details are expected “next week” and that’s when they’ll update the project website, which hasn’t been updated since summer.
The photo is from Timothy Oliver (thanks!), who just saw the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) from Alki Point, noting it’s his first time seeing one so close-up. The Nimitz is currently headed northbound in Puget Sound, according to VesselFinder.
10:22 AM: Seattle Fire is responding to a gas leak in the 4100 block of 38th SW [vicinity map]. Updates to come.
10:28 AM: The response has been downsized – most units have been dismissed.
(WSB photo)
10:35 AM: A WSB team member at the scene says Puget Sound Energy has arrived.
11 AM: Our team member confirms all SFD crews have left.
11:41 AM: Reviewing audio from the response, this originally was reported as a leak inside a home, with a strong smell of natural gas in the basement, but firefighters weren’t able to confirm a leak, and left as PSE investigated further.
(Live SDOT cam in the heart of The Junction)
Post-holiday, routines are resuming – here’s the list for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: Blood-donation pop-up in West Seattle today – check if appointments remain. (4001 44th SW)
A CLEANER ALKI: The local volunteer cleanup group is out until 11:30 am in South Park:
We’ll be Sprucing along the Duwamish Trail South Park Connector to clear leaves and foliage growing out onto the trail. The stretch we’ll work on runs about two city blocks so you can park on either end though we’ll likely park on the south end by 10th Ave. S. & S. Henderson by the pedestrian overpass bridge over 99. The other end of the trail comes out at S. Trenton. We’ll be cutting back brambles, scraping the trail and limbing low hanging branches. There will also be trash-picking opportunities along the path and into the woods. Feel free to reach out with any questions at 206-852-9552.
FREE SEEDS: That’s one of the rewards you can get if you help out with this – High Point Library invites volunteers to drop in 11 am-1 pm and help pack seeds for the HP Seed Library. (3411 SW Raymond)
(added) CITY COUNCIL: Back from holiday break, the councilmembers’ first briefing meeting of the year is at 2 pm – here’s the agenda, which also explains how to watch (no comment period during briefings).
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 meditating – free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: The Alley in back of Bonjour Vietnamhas music Monday nights, with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
MONDAY KARAOKE 9 pm, it’s Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
If you have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar, please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Student and adult participants are invited to apply for this new “intergenerational” project at Chief Sealth International High School – here’s the announcement we were asked to share:
7-10 students from Chief Sealth International High School will join 7-10 adults (some preference will
be given to seniors, and applications will be considered in the order they are received) chosen by BAYFEST for
a monthly meeting of the new BAYFEST Intergenerational Theatre Project. Fun theatre games and exercises, guided discussions, group collaborations and playwriting will lead to a final “showing” in June.Project will be led by BAYFEST and CSIHS Drama Company Director Robert Shampain, who has more than 30 years experience leading this type of workshop-format project. Other BAYFEST teaching artists will join us for some sessions.
Over our 35 years, BAYFEST has often worked collaboratively with youth and adult performers, and we always find this kind of cross-generational partnership unbelievably rewarding for all. Now that our Chief Sealth Drama Company has been well established, we want to add this project to our roster of community offerings with the hope of making it a regular and sustainable program each year.
January – June, 2025 – Saturdays or Sundays (group will decide what works best for all). First meeting will take place on Saturday, January 18, from 10 AM – 1 PM at Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium and Little Theatre, 2600 SW Thistle Street.
Interested adults and students (NO THEATER EXPERIENCE NECESSARY – JUST A DESIRE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES AND, WE HOPE, CHALLENGE YOURSELF A BIT!) can fill out a brief application:
shorturl.at/EEAXwAPPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY JANUARY 11, 2025
COST: FREE. This project is being sponsored by BAYFEST Youth Theatre and our funders. We only ask that participants commit to being collaborative, having fun, and following our group-created charter.
NOTE: Because we are affiliated with Chief Sealth High School, adult applicants will also be required to complete the Seattle Public Schools “Volunteer Packet” at: bit.ly/4gTmD4f
YOU MAY SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH FRIENDS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED.
Any questions? Please contact BAYFEST at BAYFESTyouthTheatre@ gmail.com
6:03 AM: Good morning! Back to school, back to work, as we begin Monday, January 6, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Starting cloudy, becoming sunny, high in the upper 40s. Sunrise/sunset – 7:56 am (first day the sunrise is earlier than the day before!) and 4:34 pm.
TRANSIT
Water Taxi – Regular schedule.
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route with M/V Issaquah and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Tillikum as the “ghost boat.” Check here for last-minute changes.
ROAD WORK
*SDOT warns you may see work trucks parked on the high bridge while crews wrap up some planned work inside.
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project shifted traffic flow to the outside lanes last Tuesday as planned, and removed the temporary crosswalk at 39th.
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!
Police investigating a report of possible gunfire heard in Upper Morgan have found evidence – casings in an alley “south of Graham, between 38th and 39th.” However, officers also have told dispatch “these casings are for blanks.” (Still illegal, by all the references we can find.)
(Added Monday: 34th DDs’ video recording of forum)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Five elected officials were among the eight people who participated in an online forum this morning meant to help the 34th District Democrats choose nominees for one, possibly two appointments to state legislative seats.
It’s part of the process launched because Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson chose 34th District State Sen. Joe Nguyễn to become director of the state Commerce Department. The 34th DDs, King County Democrats, and King County Council all have roles in the fast-moving process, which is expected to end with county councilmembers making appointment(s) in a little over two weeks.
The “one or two” is because 34th District Position 1 State Rep. Emily Alvarado is seeking to succeed Nguyễn, so if she does, her State House seat will have to be filled too. She was the only would-be senator to participate this morning. The four elected officials hoping to be her potential successor are King Conservation District Supervisor Csenka Favorini-Csorba, Seattle School Board president Gina Topp, Burien City Councilmember Sarah Moore, and Highline School Board vice president Stephanie Tidholm. The other three candidates participating in the forum – which wasn’t mandatory, so others might surface – were Vashon-residing assistant state Attorney General Ben Carr, West Seattle-residing Mayor’s Office policy/labor adviser Brianna Thomas, and West Seattle-residing software engineer Geoffrey Wukelic.
The 34th itself is due for its every-other-year leadership elections this Wednesday; outgoing chair Graham Murphy introduced this morning’s forum, and chair candidate Jordan Crawley moderated. The format was standard – opening and closing statements, plus questions answered by each candidate. Though the general public doesn’t get a vote in this round, we covered the forum so those who didn’t attend can see what the candidates said, prior to one or two being chosen to represent you at least temporarily in Olympia, with some likely to surface in elections this fall.
Our recounting of the questions and answers are paraphrases/summaries unless the verbiage is between quote marks. Housing, education, and the cost of living were topics surfacing frequently. First, the opening statements:
10:39 PM: Police are dealing with another crash toward the Fauntleroy Way end of the West Seattle Bridge right now. Police are reporting the barrier pushed out of alignment again – we’re not sure which side the crash happened on, but the barrier is reported to be a hazard on the eastbound side. The vehicle reported to be involved was described as a Ford Ranger. No injuries reported, as SFD has not been dispatched.
(Image posted by commenter SeaKev)
10:58 PM: If you’re using that end of the bridge any time soon, note that there are short shutdowns as they reset the barrier (again).
11:25 PM: Officers have just told dispatch that all lanes are now open.
Another robbery at the Fauntleroy/Alaska Shell station/mini-mart. It happened early Friday; we saw the robbery on the SPD data map, requested narrative, and just found it in our mailbox though it came in later that day (forgive us the delayed reporting). The narrative says the store was robbed just before 5 am Friday by “two unknown-race males, wearing all dark clothing, with faces covered,” who took money, tobacco products, and beer, then left in separate vehicles. The officer who wrote the report reviewed security video with the station’s manager, subsequently noting:
One vehicle was a white van (unknown make/model). The other vehicle was a small white SUV (unknown make/model). One of the suspects … exited one of the vehicles and entered the store. The suspect acted like he was going to buy a drink and a bag of chips. Next … (the other robber) exited the second vehicle and entered the store. Using a diversionary tactic, (he) grabbed several racks of merchandise and threw them out of the store while the (other robber) rushed behind the counter and grabbed all the cash from the cash register. Although no gun was seen, the suspect behind the counter motioned with his hand in his waistband/hoodie pocket like he had a concealed firearm.
The robbers’ getaway vehicles were last seen taking off northeast (toward the bridge) on Fauntleroy Way.
(File photo, courtesy Three Little Birds)
Another change ahead in the West Seattle Junction consignment-store scene – Three Little Birds is moving out of 4736 California SW after five years, and moving north to the same South Admiral building where its owner already has other businesses. We contacted proprietor Jennifer Young after commenter Vee mentioned the move in discussion following unrelated Junction biznotes we published last night, and she sent us this statement she says she’s shared with customers:
Our lease expired in Sept. 2024 and after a tremendous amount of thought and discussion, we have made the difficult decision to move our beloved store to a new location in 2025. Some of the factors that went into making this decision were:
*Inability to negotiate new lease terms that made financial sense for our business model.
*Concerns about the safety and maintenance costs of an aging building.
*Questions about the planned light rail extension.
*Rising costs for small businesses in 2025 and an uncertain economic future required thoughtful planning for those expenses to ensure we can remain a viable business moving forward.We love our West Seattle and beyond customers and hope you will follow us a little further north. Our new location is at 3270 California Ave. SW. We are excited to offer all of our stores and brands in one large building. Our long-term business goal of creating a one-stop shopping experience for our customers is finally beginning! We plan to re-open in that location by February 2025.
We will celebrate 11 years in business in the spring and we hope to be around for many more. Thank you for your support over all of these years! Keep it coming …. your independent local businesses need you now more than ever!
The other “stores and brands” mentioned in the announcement include Alair and Dylan, which changed ownership at 3270 California two years ago, and Kid Friendly Footwear, which moved from the south end of The Junction to merge into Three Little Birds in 2021. Young’s original Three Little Birds location was south Morgan Junction, at 6959 California SW, from which it moved north to the current Junction spot five years ago, after Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) moved south to 6400 California SW.
As for what’s next in Three Little Birds’ current space, we’re not seeing a public “for lease” listing so far, nor are there any permit applications for that space. It’s next door to the 4730 California space (different building, different ownership) vacated by Sound Credit Union last year, with a Gene Juarez Salon moving in.
If you have one or more students in the family, you’re likely well aware that winter break is ending and classes resume tomorrow (Monday, January 6). But if not – here’s your reminder that schools are reopening and that means everybody who needs to get to and from them will be back on the streets, sidewalks, paths, etc.
Key dates for the rest of this school year – from the Seattle Public Schools calendar, which many independent schools mirror – include:
January 20 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 17-21 – Midwinter Break
April 14-18 – Spring Break
May 26 – Memorial Day
June 18 – Last scheduled day of school
Some Sundays, we counter-program the Seahawks game with a bird-photo gallery, if stockpiled reader contributions allow. And we have six today, as the team closes out its season …
The first three are from prolific contributor Jerry Simmons, sent in the past month or so. Above, a Steller’s Jay; below, a Golden-crowned Kinglet:
And here’s a Yellow-rumped Warbler:
Christopher Boffoli photographed a Cormorant on a piling near Seacrest:
Rob Christian found a Barred Owl:
And Jon Anderson sent this Hummingbird close-up:
We also publish readers’ bird photos some mornings with our daily event list, so if you’re a bird fan, be sure to check that too. Meantime, though the Seahawks’ season is ending, we’ll publish bird galleries throughout the year as photo supplies allow, so thanks in advance to everyone who continues to share photos – westseattleblog@gmail.com is the best address!
Another reminder that this year’s West Seattle Preschool Fair (WSB sponsor) is coming up Tuesday night – meet reps from 15 local preschools, all in one place, at one time, 5:30 pm-7 pm January 7th at the Hope School Gym (4100 SW Genesee). Here’s the list of schools planning to participate:
Schools Attending:
ARK Preschool
Bloom Preschool
Cometa Playschool
Community School of West Seattle
Fauntleroy Children’s Center
Giddens School
Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School
Holy Rosary Preschool
Hope Lutheran School
Our Lady of Guadalupe Early Learning Center
South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools
Southwest Early Learning Bilingual Preschool
St. Bernadette Early Learning Center
The Cove School
Westside School
The Preschool Fair is a drop-in event, no RSVP necessary. If you’re driving, a parking lot is directly across Genesee from the gym entrance.
Friends and family will gather Wednesday to celebrate the life of Scott Janzen. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community:
Scott Kenneth Janzen, devoted sports fan, consummate PR man, passionate cruiser, and quickest of wit, died on October 21, 2024. He was 69.
Born and raised in West Seattle, he grew up in a modest mid-century home, with a roughly finished basement bedroom perfectly fit for large house spiders and precocious boys. Still, he was able to “sell” his room upstairs to his older sister Sue, not once, but twice. His love for writing and persuasion began in grade school with his first manual typewriter and a regular newspaper he generated about the goings-on in the neighborhood and sports. He was a lifelong sports fan and loved nothing more than to be in the stands or in front of the wide screen rooting for his beloved Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders, Kraken, or Huskies. Even in his final days, he joked, “I always said I wouldn’t go before the Mariners won the World Series.”
Scott considered his dad Ken Janzen (deceased) his best friend, who with the help of Scott’s eldest sister, Sandy, helped to raise him after his mother Marion’s death when Scott was 13. He was deeply affected by her passing. Scott married Cris Benson in November 1999 and for 12 years they made their home in Magnolia with their kittens Sammy and Tater. He adored his nieces Kim and Tammy and his nephew Aaron. While obtaining his degree in Journalism from Seattle University, he wrote for the school newspaper. (of course) Scott was close to his family and made his famous crock pot meatball appetizers on request.
Scott loved all things Seattle. He got excited for every festival that came to town, every street fair and The Bite, which may partly explain why he lived in lover Queen Anne for so many years-close to the Seattle Center, his second home. One of his first PR jobs was with the Pacific Science Center, where he created the “Edible Chair Contest” , garnering international media coverage and his first real street cred as a hot PR talent. One of Scott’s mentors, Ron Elgin of Elgin Syferd, said, “Scott ‘Janbo” Janzen was probably the most creative PR professional in the long history of our company. On top of that, EVERYONE in the agency and our clients absolutely loved him. Hell of a guy: hell of a longtime friend. I miss him a lot.”
For several years in the ’80s and ’90s, he and his buddy Tom hosted an Argosy Cruise “Bop Till You Drop” dance cruise, the hottest ticket in town. That’s about the time his love for cruising began. He sailed nearly 30 cruises, all over the world, and would have sailed more if his disability hadn’t restricted his mobility. He particularly loved sailing to Alaska with friends.
Scott mentored many young people entering the industry and made time to help them out throughout his career. His friends and colleagues thought of him as just easy to be around. “Smart, funny, kind , and brimming with amazing ideas. He made whatever space he was in better.”
Scott died after a long battle with inclusion body myositis (IBM), a rare degenerative muscle disease that slowly stole his ability to enjoy the life he loved so much. Scott would still be cracking jokes today and wanted much laughter when remembering him.
A celebration of his life will be Wednesday, January 8, 2025, from 4 pm-7 pm at Steelheads Alley (formerly Pyramid Brewing) 1201 1st Avenue South, Seattle. He had a close group of friends who are raising funds to host this event, so as not to burden Scott’s family. Whether or not you think you might attend, your generosity in any amount will be greatly appreciated.
If you wish to contribute, please send to Tom’s Venmo (@Tom-Phillips-6) or Zelle (Tomphillips1001@outlook.com)
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
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