West Seattle, Washington
21 Friday
(WSB photo)
1:19 PM: Thanks to Joseph for the tip – he just asked about an aircraft carrier seen heading out from Bremerton; according to our friends at the Kitsap Sun, it’s the USS John C. Stennis, headed out for training after 16 months and $240 million of maintenance work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
2:07 PM: Thanks also to those who’ve sent photos! First one added (top photo) is ours – it was still in view from Alki, looking north, by the time we headed downhill, but moving fast. Others got even better views:
(Photo by James Bratsanos)
Adding a few more. The Kitsap Sun reports the Stennis will be back before Christmas.
Three months ago, we brought you the news that Zippy’s Giant Burgers planned to open a second location in Georgetown. Today, it’s open, weeks earlier than expected, a good thing for Zippy’s fans because the unplanned closure of their White Center location continues – they’re still working on repairs for a key piece of equipment that broke down last week. The Georgetown location is at 5633 Airport Way South (map).
ADDED: Zippy’s expects to reopen White Center on Thursday (December 4) morning.
(Saturday photo courtesy of Michelle)
We’re following up today on the big fire that gutted a unit at a waterfront apartment building in the 3800 block of Beach Drive this past Saturday (WSB coverage here):
FIRE’S CAUSE: Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore tells WSB that investigators still have not determined how it started.
FIREFIGHTER’S CONDITION: As reported on Saturday, a firefighter had to go to the hospital Saturday for treatment of unspecified injuries. Moore says he was treated and released the same day.
FAMILY’S REQUEST: Kindhearted community members asked in comments here (and in the neighborhood) if they could do anything to help the family whose apartment was gutted. Patricia, who lived there with daughter Amanda, says there is ONE thing they do need help with:
Thank you so much for everyone’s concern and offers of help. We are truly blessed at the response of both friends and strangers to this disaster. We are doing well and have temporary housing, and mom has a permanent place coming up, but what is really needed right now is long-term housing for my 27-year-old daughter who was staying with me at the time of the fire and also lost absolutely everything. She works in West Seattle and needs a long-term, affordable place to live. If anybody has any ideas, that would be greatly appreciated! Thank you again for the outpouring of support… It means everything at a time like this! I can be reached at raisen@chico.com
The Red Cross was called in to help the family right after the fire; here’s an explanation of how that works.
(Junco, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
Our featured photos today were shared over the weekend after our brief snowfall – but also serve as a reminder to check your bird bath(s) and feeder(s) on behalf of our winged friends, since temperatures have been (mostly) freezing/subfreezing for going on two days now. Meantime, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:
TRASH/RECYCLING/ETC. RATES: Today’s 2 pm City Council meeting at City Hall downtown includes a final vote on rate increases for trash/recycling/yard waste and other solid-waste services – see the tables in the legislation. (600 Fourth Ave.)
HOLIDAY COOKIE DECORATING: Check to see if there’s room left in this 6 pm workshop at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) – details including contact info for reservations are in our calendar listing. (1936 Harbor SW)
(Hummingbird, photographed by Karen Richter)
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT ‘COFFEE CHAT’: As previewed here earlier this morning, interim Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland, now suddenly up for the permanent job, will be at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center, 6-7 pm, for a community “coffee chat,” scheduled before the new development regarding his status. (6400 Sylvan Way)
SCHOOL BOARD REP’S COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: In addition to joining Dr. Nyland during his “chat,” West Seattle’s school-board rep Marty McLaren will have one of her periodic community-conversation meetings immediately afterward, 7 pm, also at High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way)
WEST SEATTLE HI-YU: The summer festival’s work is never done, and they’d love to have your help and participation. Just stop by tonight’s monthly meeting, 7 pm at Admiral Congregational Church. (California/Hill)
(Hummingbird, photographed by Debbie Runke)
NIGHTLIFE: Trivia, pub quiz, karaoke … see the individual venues/listings on our calendar.
HOLIDAY GUIDE: Tonight – see the lights now that the major displays are all on! They’re part of what you’ll find in our guide, along with tree-lot locations, upcoming holiday parties/tree lightings/open houses/Santa photos/concerts, and more … we’re updating it at least once daily as events and schedules continue to be added.
(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:57 AM: Good morning. It’s a cold post-Thanksgiving-weekend Monday morning – below freezing, so be careful of icy spots that might be lingering from the weekend, including sidewalks and planting strips as well as some roadsides that have been in the shade. (If you were out of town – in review, we had an inch-plus of rain Friday, followed by a temperature drop and about half an inch of snow Saturday morning, though the north-wind-fueled Alki surf eclipsed it visually.) No major problems in or from West Seattle, so far.
7:56 AM: Of note, the “low bridge” has opened for vessel traffic twice in the past 40 minutes, as logged via @SDOTbridges.
What was originally billed as a “coffee chat” tonight in West Seattle with Seattle Public Schools‘ interim superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland is suddenly being seen through a different prism: The School Board has decided to vote Wednesday on offering him the permanent job, rather than conducting a search to find candidates. The district didn’t even make an announcement – instead, the planned vote simply turned up on the meeting agenda published just before the long holiday weekend; it was first spotted and reported by Melissa Westbrook via her Seattle Schools Community Forum website.
West Seattle’s board member Marty McLaren has offered her explanation of why she supports giving Nyland the permanent job; if you didn’t see it via her mailing list, you can read it on her website. McLaren writes of Nyland, a former Marysville superintendent, that “in his 16 weeks in his job, he has demonstrated strong leadership, integrity, vast competence in his role, and deep awareness of the importance of relationships, among other vital skills.” If you want to ask her about this, or other current issues – such as the boundary-change concerns – she will be having a community-conversation meeting right after the superintendent’s “chat,” same location, which is Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way) – his meeting is 6-7 pm, hers starts at 7.
And if you’re interested in signing up to speak at Wednesday’s School Board meeting, signups start at 8 this morning, as explained on the right side of this document.
When 9-year-old Miles Trius returns to school at Our Lady of Guadalupe after Thanksgiving break, he has something big to talk about: His second half-marathon. The Seattle Marathon half-marathon on Sunday was the second half-marathon Miles has run with his dad, Navy Chief Ernesto Trius, who says they have run together for the past year and a half. Miles “looks forward to a marathon in his future when he is able to compete (age 12).” He runs cross-country/track for OLG in CYO Athletics. According to the Seattle Marathon online results, Miles finished in 2:17:39.
Tonight was the first night for the 2014 edition of the Menashe Family’s big, bright Christmas lights (5605 Beach Drive SW). You can certainly admire the densely decorated display from down the block, or driving by, but you’ll want to walk right up to see and hear it all.
That includes listening to your fellow light-watchers, who might be heard asking such questions as “Where do they store all this during the year?” But mostly, what we heard were exclamations of wonder. See why, ahead:
Quick note looking ahead to next weekend, as this one concludes: The southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct is scheduled to be closed overnight next Saturday night, from 11:59 pm December 6th until about 5 am December 7th, according to the newest “construction lookahead.” The reason for the closure between the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge is described as “… crews remov(ing) a crane from the adjacent job site.”
(WSB photo by Tracy Record)
6:14 PM: Westbound Roxbury is closed between 15th and 16th SW (map) after a hit-run crash that sent a woman to the hospital. Police told us at the scene that she was in the crosswalk when hit by what witnesses describe as a blue SUV. The road closure will last a while, since the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad has been called in. We don’t yet know the victim’s condition or age; the initial callout was on the 911 log as a simple medic response, but readers (thank you) alerted us to a major police presence and crime tape across the road, so we went over to find out what had happened. If you have any information about this crash, please call 911.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
8:15 PM: That section of road was still closed when we went back over about 15 minutes ago; TCIS is on scene doing its work. At this point we might not be able to get any more information until tomorrow; we’ll add an update when the road reopens tonight.
9:22 PM: Police have just announced (as monitored via scanner) that the road is open again.
MONDAY 10:58 AM UPDATE: We’re following up today with SPD and SFD. We’ve heard back from the latter, with spokesperson Kyle Moore telling us the woman is 35 years old and was in stable condition when taken to the hospital, where she was to be checked for possible serious internal injuries. (That’s all the information we will get about her without knowing her name, so if anyone reading this knows how she is doing, please consider either commenting, or e-mailing us at editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you.)
One week left to build your gingerbread house for the competition at the first-ever Holly Jolly Holiday Fest, presented next Sunday afternoon (December 7th) at The Sanctuary at Admiral, by the Admiral Neighborhood Association. Two divisions, with a prize for each! Build your creation ahead of time and bring it in for judging – here are the rules:
As previewed here earlier this week, the noon-4 pm holiday extravaganza also will include Santa photo ops, holiday music, a craft bazaar, treats … admission free! The Sanctuary, itself a beautiful (city-landmarked) sight to see, is at on the northeast corner of California/Lander.
While we have soccer on our minds (go, Sounders!) – a local update: Congratulations to the West Seattle Soccer Club‘s Girls U14 Team Streak and coach Rob McAllister, who shared the news of their recent tournament win. The girls went undefeated in the annual pre-Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot in Mukilteo.
P.S. Next round of WSSC registration starts February 1st for the spring season – keep an eye on westseattlesoccer.org.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
We hope you’re finding a multitude of reasons to shop at your local independent small businesses this holiday season (as well as the rest of the year!). Continuing our spotlight on many of those reasons, we stopped by West Seattle Fabric Company (in The Admiral District at 2210 California SW) this weekend after proprietor Monica Skov sent word that she’s added giftable merchandise “because not everybody sews” (you’ll see that on the sidewalk sign outside). The items she’s posing with are among the added lines – we found the beach-walking exhortation especially appropriate because we stopped in just after revisiting those wild waves at Alki. WSFC is open until 4 today, and expects to add more non-sewing “gifts and goods” in the days ahead, including West Seattle-themed merchandise.
P.S. Watch our West Seattle Holiday Guide for an ongoing list of shopping notes and highlights (including some local businesses’ online deals, too) as well as for the list of open houses still to come (if yours isn’t listed yet, send us info, plain-text e-mail at editor@westseattleblog.com).
11:34 AM: Orcas are back in Puget Sound today, and might be visible off West Seattle soon. After tips to a sighting off Kingston at midmorning – thanks to our friends at Killer Whale Tales and The Whale Trail for early alerts – we’re seeing mentions via Orca Network FB commenters that they’ve been seen from Discovery Park, still “trending southbound.” Expert advice for today includes using binoculars to watch from bluffs, rather than on the surface. Please let us know if you see them – comment here, or text/voice 206-293-6302; we’ll be looking too.
1:08 PM UPDATE: By multiple reports, including Gary‘s comment here, they’ve turned back northward just as they got close to our area … for now.
The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has announced a Stage 1 burn ban for King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties starting at 1 pm today and continuing until further notice. That means no use of fireplaces or uncertified woodstoves, unless you have a “previously approved ‘No Other Adequate Source of Heat’ designation from PSCAA,” and no outdoor fires of any kind.
One sunny September day, a Subaru showed up on the sand at Alki Beach …
(9/10/2014 photo by Don Brubeck)
Commercial shoots aren’t that rare over here, but we don’t often get to see the finished product. This time, we do – watch for the Alki scenes in the middle and at the end:
Thanks to Creighton for pointing out that the Subaru spot is now on the air, and that the Alki scenes feature a Make-A-Wish kid named Ryan. While the commercial itself doesn’t reveal much about Ryan – not even his name – Subaru also made a “behind-the-scenes” video about him, explaining that Alki was relevant because his “wish” is a trip to Hawaii. Further research turns up even more of his story, as well as his website. He is a Black Diamond resident diagnosed a year and a half ago with aplastic anemia, for which he received a bone-marrow transplant last May. His mom writes here about their experience being part of the commercial shoot on Alki, which didn’t promote a specific car model but rather the company’s charity-donation program.
(Snowy Olympics at sunrise – photo by Don Brubeck)
With chilly sunshine and a little snow on the ground here and there in the shade, the final day of the four-day holiday weekend is getting into gear. From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and our ongoing daily calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, year-round. (44th/Alaska)
And while you’re in The Junction:
PATHFINDER’S HANDMADE WREATHS: Available again this year, for three Sundays starting today, 10 am-2 pm (photo added 1 pm):
“Pathfinder K-8 would like to thank the West Seattle Community for supporting our Outdoor Education Programs through the purchase of our Holiday Wreaths. … Our wreaths are handcrafted by our students, faculty, and parents with locally donated greens. 100% of what we make goes directly into the classroom.” (California/Alaska)
Elsewhere around West Seattle:
DUWAMISH NATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR, DAY 3: 10 am-4:30 pm, last chance to find unique gifts made and sold by Native American artists and crafters at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse. Here’s our report from Friday. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
WREATH-MAKING WORKSHOP: Free workshop at Highland Park Improvement Club, 3-5 pm. Bring your own greens and tools, as explained here. All welcome. (12th/Holden)
ALL-AGES OPEN MICROPHONE: Last Sunday of the month is this popular event at Skylark Café, free all-ages open microphone, signups at 3, performances start at 4. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MENASHE FAMILY LIGHTS West Seattle’s biggest and brightest light display is scheduled to officially go on for the season around 6 tonight. And as explained in our preview from last week, bring that letter to Santa! (5605 Beach Drive SW)
MORE LIGHTS … Been to see West Seattle Lights or West Seattle Yuletide yet? Both continue tonight (and through December), and you’ll find the info in our West Seattle Holiday Guide.
On the waterfront from Avenue Collection on Vimeo.
If you didn’t get to Alki today, to join everyone gawking at the waves and spray, here’s a taste of what it was like, courtesy of your neighbors who sent us video and photos to share (in addition to the ones we published in coverage earlier today). First, two video clips so you can see and hear the wild waves – above, a one-minute series of cuts by Mark; below, a longer look from Jeff Miller:
(Video by Jeff Miller)
This seemed at least twice as ferocious as what we had found at the beach on Friday (as shown here) – fueled by a faster, colder north wind.
(WSB photo)
Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza‘s namesake artwork was a popular subject, at times appearing in danger of getting knocked down by the waves dwarfing it. David Hutchinson captured a rainbow in a slightly quieter moment of spray:
SEE A DOZEN-PLUS MORE VIEWS – from surfing to posing – after the jump:
Wondering about the weather and roads tonight? No more snow/rain expected – just a clear, cold night, into the 20s. SDOT has been treating the West Seattle Bridge with salt and magnesium chloride, according to information shared by City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. This city map shows de-icer’s been used on some other routes, too.
(SCROLL DOWN for newest information)
(1st, 2nd, 4th photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
3:10 PM: Big Seattle Fire response to an apartment building in the 3800 block of Beach Drive (map), and the first units say they’re seeing flames. More to come.
3:18 PM: Firefighters are reporting that one unit of the three-story 12-unit building is fully involved in flames. (added) You can see it in this photo tweeted by Vanessa:
@westseattleblog – yeah, looks pretty devastating. Fire fighters with hoses from the water side now. pic.twitter.com/7glUstkHAj
— Vanessa Fox (@vanessafox) November 29, 2014
That view is looking at the burning waterfront unit from nearby Harbor West, the condo building on pilings over the water, south of Cormorant Cove Park. So far, no word of any injuries.
3:37 PM: Radio communications indicate firefighters have searched the building and so far it appears everyone got out OK. Seattle Fire’s public-information officer is headed there, so our crew at the scene will get a full update before too long.
3:48 PM: Thanks to Tracy Dart for the view just above this line, with one of the ladder trucks summoned to the scene. Our crew says there’s no more smoke, but as you can also see in Tracy’s view, the response is so big, Beach Drive will remain closed for a while. Via the scanner, we’re hearing firefighters declaring the fire “tapped”; they’re trying to get a Metro bus so that the people who can’t get into their units will have someplace warm to wait. Our crew talked to residents who say they’re waiting to hear if and when they’ll be able to get back into the units that were not involved in the fire.
4:09 PM: The briefing at the scene was given by Fire Chief Gregory Dean (video added):
He says a firefighter was hurt and taken to a hospital – he didn’t have details on the nature of the injury. Otherwise, everyone who lived at the building is believed to have gotten out OK, including at least three dogs. Too soon to know how the fire started. Some of the units are being dismissed from the scene now that the operation is winding down.
(Added: Photo courtesy Michelle)
4:31 PM: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore is there too and tells us the firefighter’s injuries are minor. The building has 12 units; 7 people and 4 dogs were home when this started, he says, confirming all got out OK.
5:17 PM: More post-fire logistics at the scene, per scanner: They’ll be keeping a fire watch with a crew at the scene in case of flareups; the Red Cross is being called to help the unit’s residents and their dog; there’s a call out to get the road sanded so residual water from the firefight doesn’t create an ice hazard.
9:06 PM: We don’t know yet how the fire started. But we have one more view of the scene, shared by artist Joshua Boulet, who lives nearby:
That is one of two sketches he made; you can see the other on his website.
9:55 PM: An update from SFD – they still don’t know the cause, but damage totaled $180,000. Everyone was able to go back into their apartments but the people living on the beach level, where the fire was.
This is also the first weekend for the Holy Rosary School Tree Lot, which just opened for the season on Friday and is sponsoring WSB again this season to get the word out. The lot is on the north side of the campus, between 41st and 42nd, just south of Dakota. Part of the proceeds benefit three local charities, and that includes the fresh wreaths they’re selling too:
Hours are 9 am-9 pm Fridays-Sundays, 2 pm-8 pm Mondays-Thursdays, through December 14th.
P.S. You’re invited to the newly expanded community celebration that includes this year’s “blessing of the trees” – now dubbed Deck the Halls, also featuring hot cocoa, games, crafts and wine for sale, and more, 6-8 pm. next Friday, December 5th.
Santa Claus has arrived at CAPERS in The Junction (4525 California SW) – where you’ll find him noon-3 pm every Saturday and Sunday until the weekend before Christmas. Kristen and Brian were posing with him when we stopped by – this is a DIY photo op, so bring your camera, your friends, your neighbors, and donations for the West Seattle Food Bank. He’d already listened to at least 40 Christmas wishes by the time we showed up barely an hour into Day 1.
P.S. The full list of this season’s local Santa Claus photo ops (as reported by helpful elves) can be found in our West Seattle Holiday Guide.
(Big waves at Alki again this morning – thanks to Meredith Jones for the photo)
After a snowy morning, the sun’s out! So we’re getting on with the first big Saturday of the holiday season, moving on to highlights from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and our ongoing daily calendar:
SHOP LOCAL! We hope you will shop local EVERY DAY this holiday season (and nights, too – the first holiday-season Shop Late Thursday in The Junction is coming up December 4th, 6-9 pm). Our Holiday Guide includes a list of info from West Seattle businesses who answered our open call to share info on some of their holiday highlights. especially for this first weekend of shopping.
DUWAMISH NATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR, DAY 2: Native American artists and crafters are filling the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse in West Seattle again today, until 4:30 pm. We stopped by on Friday:
That’s some of what artist Khobie Niccia Alexander is selling. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
GIVE BLOOD: Supply runs low during the holidays, so if you can donate, please do – you’ll find the Bloodmobile at Westwood Village until 3:30 pm today, and walkups are welcome, except during the 11:30-12:30 break. (2600 SW Barton)
SANTA DEBUTS AT CAPERS: DIY Santa Photos at CAPERS in The Junction, with “ex-Westwood Santa.” Bring cameras/phones, kids/friends, and a donation for the West Seattle Food Bank. Noon-3 pm. (4525 California SW)
GIFT WRAPPING FOR A GOOD CAUSE: The West Seattle High School National Honor Society is wrapping gifts for donations 6-10 pm tonight in the foyer at Barnes and Noble in Westwood Village. Donations benefit the club’s “future endeavors into the realm of volunteering.” (2600 SW Barton)
GARY BENSON AT C & P: Get cozy at the coffeehouse and enjoy live music tonight, 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
JAZZ AT KENYON HALL: 7:30 pm, Market Street Dixieland Jass Band is in the house at historic Kenyon Hall.
AND THERE’S MORE … light shows and tree-shopping, for starters – in our Holiday Guide, plus more nightlife on our regular calendar!
| Comments Off on Seen from West Seattle shores: Carrier USS John C. Stennis