WSB’er “d” got the sighting of the day – sharing video of a tide-exposed rock inscribed with 2/5/10 and some words about love and healing. Over by Me-Kwa-Mooks, Lillian spotted what we swear really IS an octopus this time (unlike the misidentified one from last night’s report):
And Gene shared a photo from Alki, showing how it looked when the tide bottomed out this afternoon:
If you have the opportunity to go tidewalking tomorrow (Monday) afternoon, around 2 pm the tide’ll be almost as low as today. After that, your next chance for a minus-two-foot-plus tide will be May 26-29 (here’s the chart). We’ll have -3 tides in mid-June and July, and those’ll be the lowest of the summer.
Another reminder to owners who allow their pets outside: Coyotes can be anywhere. And they might see your pet as a snack. That’s what Siobhan thinks happened to her cat:
I live right off of Barton, on 23rd Ave. SW [map] and I went into my backyard this morning to find what was left of my cat. Her body was gone, which is what leads me to believe it was a coyote, that and 2 weeks ago on 22nd Ave. S.W. one darted across the road in front of my car. My neighbors down the road have seen them in the street and have also lost a cat.
A few days ago, Laura Sue e-mailed us about something similar – someone’s cat (microchipped, so the owner has since been notified) dead and partly eaten in her backyard near Duwamish Head. Not to be hysterical about this, but pet owners should be aware of the risks. P.S. Here’s the link we often include with coyote mentions – state info about coyotes, from the “Living With Wildlife” series.
We’ve been reporting on it for months, and, for the past week or two, publishing reminders almost daily – but better over-reminded than under-reminded – tomorrow is the day that the 1st Avenue South onramp to the westbound (high) West Seattle Bridge closes permanently, as part of the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project. SDOTsays it will be closed first thing in the morning. It will be replaced by a new ramp to the westbound side of The Bridge, but SDOT says that will take at least 16 months to build. So if you’re trying to get to West Seattle from SODO, you will either have to use the “low bridge” detour – per the map on this page – or take the “back way” (head to the 1st Avenue South Bridge and enter West Seattle via Highland Park Way or Myers/Roxbury).
Remember that SDOT will use electronic signs and Twitter to warn of “low bridge” openings during rush hour, in hopes you will be forewarned if you’re heading to West Seattle that way; you don’t have to be a Twitter member to check out what SDOT posts at twitter.com/seattledot – that works as a regular weblink – but in case you lose the link, we’ve added it to the top of the WSB Traffic page. And also remember that bus routes are affected (Metro’s explanation here). If you use the low-bridge detour by car, bus or bike tomorrow, please consider sharing your story – any of these ways – about how it goes. One more reminder – for eastbound surface-street drivers in the area – as SDOT announced during the media tour we covered on Friday, lower S. Spokane Street will reopen by tomorrow morning, from East Marginal to 1st.
For more than 40 years, Elois Gruenhagen has taught at Hope Lutheran – but now, it’s time to pull back, so she got a big sendoff today at a special reception after the 10:30 service, cakes and all:
As the church newsletter explained:
Elois has taught several generations of first-grade students at Hope, teaching the children of students who were at one time in her first-grade class, as well as having several of Hope’s current teachers as her first-grade students.
The newsletter also noted that her retirement follows the death of her husband last fall as well as some health challenges, but she’s not leaving Hope entirely – she’ll do some part-time library work.
Thanks to Kippy Jo for sending photos from the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float’s 2010 debut in the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival Parade. She reports that the new “Dreams Do Come True” float won the Mayor’s Award – following in the tire tracks of its 2009 predecessor, which had an award-winning season.
Might have more “official” photos to add later! Meantime, if you don’t happen to see them in an out-of-town parade sooner, you will see the Hi-Yu float and royalty in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade, which travels its Admiral-to-Edmunds route along California SW on July 24th. ADDED 3:55 PM: Thanks to Carrie for sending a few more photos – first, the Senior and Junior Courts with the trophy for the aforementioned Port Townsend award:
A followup this morning on the deadly shooting early Saturday in White Center (here’s our original report), a case with which police and fire crews from West Seattle initially assisted since it was reported right on the city/county line – King County Sheriff’s Office investigators are looking for help from anyone who may have seen something – click ahead to see their news release:Read More
Yet another local neighborhood got a dose of volunteer help on Saturday – this time, a group of West Seattle mothers and daughters picked up trash around closed Genesee Hill Elementary School (formerly home to Pathfinder K-8, which is now on Pigeon Point). They picked up 8 bags of trash with city-provided supplies; according to Carl Guess, who shared the photos and info, the group was inspired by The Mother-Daughter Project, and “celebrated afterward with a quick game of kickball that ended in a 5-5 tie.” He says participants included Jenna and Grace Riggs, Christina and Emma Figgins, Nancy and Elizabeth Giese, Laurie and Raena Mathews, Doreen and Kassy Sifferman, and Katy Lloyd and Bailey Guess – here’s a group shot:
We’ve been reporting on it for months, and, for the past week or two, publishing reminders almost daily – but better over-reminded than under-reminded – tomorrow is the day that the 1st Avenue South onramp to the westbound (high) West Seattle Bridge closes permanently, as part of the 
A followup this morning on the deadly shooting early Saturday in White Center (
| 2 COMMENTS