day : 30/12/2016 10 results

While we don’t usually spend much time looking back as each year wraps up, we do have a few reviews to share before 2016 makes its exit tomorrow night. First – our picks for the year’s top 5 West Seattle wildlife stories:

#5 – THE MYSTERY TURKEY(S)

(May 2016 photo taken near Alki Elementary by Emily)

Back in May, we started getting reports about, and photos of, a turkey ambling about West Seattle – from Pigeon Point to Lincoln Park to Alki. Then-Seattle Animal Shelter director Don Jordan (RIP) told WSB the sightings might have involved multiple turkeys. The mystery was never solved, but what might have been the same turkey turned up in North Seattle neighborhoods a few weeks later, we learned from commenters.

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#4 – ‘WESTLEY’ THE DEER

(November 2016 photo taken along Beach Drive by Jonny)

Some found it hilarious that West Seattleites were so interested in a deer, given their proliferation in other areas as close as Vashon Island, just across the water. But the deer that appeared here in November, quickly nicknamed “Westley” in comments, was the first deer seen in West Seattle in a very long time. It was also observed that Westley seemed to be the same deer dubbed “Lefty” during sightings in Union Bay months earlier. While here, he crisscrossed the peninsula, and many worried he would come to an end via someone’s bumper – but instead, he headed south, and at last mention had been seen in Federal Way.

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#3 – LINCOLN PARK GEESE PROCREATION, THEN RELOCATION

(Photo courtesy BaaHaus, from the geese’s trip to a vet)

In June, hearts were warmed by news that the well-known white geese of Lincoln Park (and vicinity) had babies. But it wasn’t long before the sad news that two had been hit and killed. Then one of the adults vanished. And in a startling development in September – the surviving geese were captured and relocated to a Vashon Island sanctuary. Later in September, we published this report with followup information (and backstory on how the geese got to Fauntleroy in the first place), and that’s the last we’ve heard.

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FERRY UPDATE: Repairs done, South Vashon route confirmed for Saturday resumption

December 30, 2016 9:57 pm

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

Just in from Washington State Ferries – final confirmation that Vashon Island will be back to two ferry routes as of first thing tomorrow:

Point Defiance dock repairs have been successfully completed and service on the Point Defiance/Tahlequah route will resume on Saturday morning 12/31, beginning with the 5:55 am departure from Point Defiance. Thank you for your patience throughout the unexpected terminal closure and please accept our apologies for the inconvenience this caused.

The dock was damaged while the ferry Chetzemoka‘s crew dealt with a Christmas Eve medical emergency involving its captain, who WSF says is expected to fully recover.

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Reader report: Divebombing owl in SW West Seattle

December 30, 2016 8:30 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

An alert from Lauren:

About 5:15 pm tonight we (myself, 1.5 yr old son, and large dog) were attacked by an owl on Marine View between SW 110 St and SW 108 St. [map] It divebombed at my son and I three times as we ran inside. Luckily it didn’t catch us. I think it was going after my son’s pom on his beanie.

They’ve seen it before in the area – brown, “couple feet wingspan,” possibly a barred owl. Here’s what the state Fish and Wildlife Department says about divebombing owls.

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UPDATE: 2 vehicles collide on Fauntleroy Way, 1 goes sideways

December 30, 2016 5:54 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Triangle | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(Added: WSB photo)

5:54 PM: Thanks to the texter who tipped us even before Seattle Fire‘s “heavy rescue” dispatch went out – they report a car is on its side in the middle of eastbound Fauntleroy Way in The Triangle. The SFD dispatch has SW Oregon as the cross-street. We’re on our way to find out more.

5:58 PM: Per scanner, all but three of the SFD units are being dismissed – the person feared trapped in the vehicle is out.

6:08 PM: No injuries, our crew has been told at the scene. Two vehicles involved; police are talking to the drivers, and awaiting tow trucks. Eastbound Fauntleroy is blocked between 38th SW and the YMCA annex at SW Oregon.

6:23 PM: It’s blurry, but this camera should show when eastbound Fauntleroy reopens, if SDOT doesn’t move it – you can see the closed stretch in the right foreground.

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LOOKING AHEAD TO 2017: Southwest Youth and Family Services ‘carefully watching’

December 30, 2016 2:33 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“We’re carefully watching the sort of direction that the new administration is going to take.”

That could be said by many. But for some agencies and organizations in our area, it’s not just a general sense of wariness as the Trump Administration heads for the White House in three weeks – it’s the need to be ready for what seem certain to be major changes.

The declaration was from Steve Daschle, executive director of North Delridge-headquartered Southwest Youth and Family Services. We talked to him recently as we began a process of finding out how local nonprofits – especially those who work with vulnerable populations such as immigrants and refugees – are getting ready.

“Our biggest fear is that the Trump Administration and his selection for Health and Human Services Secretary have made it very clear that their Job 1 is to dismantle the Affordable Care Act,” Daschle said.

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TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash at 35th and Avalon

December 30, 2016 1:24 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

1:24 PM: Thanks for the texts – a crash at 35th and Avalon has been blocking part of the intersection for more than half an hour. The southbound lanes through the intersection just reopened a minute ago, but one lane remains blocked by one of the vehicles involved, as currently shown in the “live” SDOT webcam view above, so avoid the area for a while if you can.

1:40 PM: Tow trucks are on scene.

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5 for the rest of your West Seattle Friday

December 30, 2016 11:36 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(American Robin, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, what’s happening for the rest of the final Friday of 2016:

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: Blood supplies tend to dwindle during the holiday season. If you can donate, consider doing it at Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood today, where a mobile blood drive is scheduled 1 pm-7 pm, with a 3-4 pm break. (39th SW/SW Thistle)

FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES: “Some Like It Hot” (1959) is the 1 pm feature at the Senior Center of West Seattle today. (4217 SW Oregon)

STAR WARS @ MEEPLES: New “Star Wars” RPG campaign, open to new players, starting at Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) at 6:30 pm – here’s the Meetup page; see other Meeples events on the store’s calendar here. (3727 California SW)

FOLK-ROCK AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Cameron Biscarret performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

3 BANDS @ SKYLARK: Magic Thread, Ol’ No. 7, The Johnstown Flood perform starting at 9 pm at The Skylark, $7 cover, 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

To look ahead to New Year’s Eve & Day, see the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!

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Redevelopment proposal at 4810 Delridge Way SW

December 30, 2016 11:10 am

| Comments Off on Redevelopment proposal at 4810 Delridge Way SW

| Delridge | Development | West Seattle news

Another Delridge Way SW redevelopment proposal has appeared in the city files today. Earlier this week, we featured one toward the south end of Delridge; this one is closer to the north end. The early-stage proposal would replace a 26-year-old single-family house at 4810 Delridge Way SW [map] with five townhouses. The 4,800-square-foot lot is zoned Lowrise 2; five open parking spots are planned between the townhouses and the alley behind the lot. The project will have to go through what the city calls Streamlined Design Review – which includes public comments, but no public meeting – so watch for the official comment period to eventually turn up on the twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin.

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NEW YEAR’S EVE/DAY: West Seattle restaurant list

December 30, 2016 9:09 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

As we do for Thanksgiving and Christmas, we contact local restaurants to see whether they’ll be open New Year’s Eve and/or Day. Here’s what we have so far. If a restaurant isn’t listed, either it’s not open either of those days, or it hasn’t responded to our inquiry – we can still add/change, though, if the info is sent to editor@westseattleblog.com. This list also is linked in our Holiday Guide – where you’ll find other West Seattle New Year’s Eve/Day events – and on our year-round Event Calendar.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT: Pre-holiday-weekend Friday, and what’s ahead

December 30, 2016 7:43 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

7:43 AM: Quiet Friday morning. Transit/transportation schedules are normal TODAY, but since New Year’s Day is on Sunday, as was Christmas, it will be “observed” on Monday, and here are the changes you’ll see then:

METRO: Sunday schedule on Monday.

WATER TAXI: The West Seattle and Vashon runs both will NOT be in service Monday.

SOUND TRANSIT: Route 560 (and light rail) will run Sunday schedules on Monday.

STREET PARKING: For the neighborhoods with city-operated pay stations, Monday will be a free-parking day.

8:10 AM: Still quiet. Two more notes:
–WSF says the South Vashon (Tahlequah-Point Defiance) route will return to service tomorrow (Saturday).
–The West Seattle Farmers’ Market is closed again this Sunday, so California SW in The Junction will be open to vehicle traffic between Oregon and Alaska instead of the usual closure.

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