West Seattle, Washington
13 Sunday
(Saturday’s low tide, photographed by Lynn Hall)
What’s headed into Elliott Bay starts our list today. Those four big new cranes for Terminal 5 in West Seattle are due to arrive today aboard the heavy-lift vessel Zhen Hua 36. Right now the vessel is near Port Townsend – here is the MarineTraffic.com map. We’ll publish a separate story when it gets closer.
Also happening today:
TODAY’S ONLINE CHURCH SERVICES: Most local churches still offer online Sunday services (some offer in-person options too), so each week we compile the newest links for 20+ churches’ services, both streamed and recorded (and in one case, written).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Vegetables, fruit, flowers, cheese, meat, beverages, bread, more – something new each week at the Farmers’ Market, open 10 am-2 pm in The Junction. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (Enter at California/Alaska; pickups for online orders are at California/Oregon)
DELRIDGE GROCERY COOPERATIVE: Today’s the second Sunday you can shop for staples at the DGC store (5444 Delridge Way SW), 11 am-3 pm, as previewed here. Also, please take the DGC survey if you haven’t already.
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)
LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: The low tide is again low enough for decent exploring, so Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be out 11:30 am-2:30 pm at Constellation and Lincoln Parks. Low tide is -1.9 feet at 1:30 pm.
PRIDE ART EXHIBIT: As previewed here, “The Divine: Beyond the Bounds of Queerness”= is at Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery (9414 Delridge Way SW), open noon-6 pm.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Visit the home of West Seattle’s history today (noon-4 pm, 61st/Stevens).
SUNDAY RUN CLUB: It’s back at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), starting at noon – details in our calendar listing.
FREE TO-GO DINNER: White Center Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near the Bartell Drugs parking lot in White Center. (9600 15th Ave SW)
Got something for our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Mid-weekend pandemic notes:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*111,051 people have tested positive, 112 more than yesterday’s total
*1,615 people have died, 2 more than yesterday’s total
*6,271 people have been hospitalized, 5 more than yesterday’s total
ONE WEEK AGO: Last Saturday, those numbers were 110,258/1,602/6,224.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 175.6 million people have tested positive, and more than 3,795,000 people have died; U.S. deaths are about to pass 600,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, France, Turkey (unchanged again this week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
(WSB video/photos)
The fourth and final commencement ceremony for the four high schools in West Seattle was a double farewell. Tonight at Memorial Stadium downtown, Chief Sealth International High School said goodbye not only to its 249 2021 graduates, but also to principal Aida Fraser-Hammer, who’s retiring after 8 years at CSIHS.
“I’m graduating with you,” she declared, while saluting a long list of individual grads and groups for achievements including academics – 68 National Honor Society members and 27 International Baccalaureate diploma recipients – and athletics, music, languages, even cooking. She praised programs and classes from Proyecto Saber and šəqačib to Mock Trial. The student speaker was Khalia Tenari:
She noted the historic events the class had experienced – not just “the two-week break that turned into a year” – but also the fight for racial and gender equity, and more. “Who would have thought our lives would turn into a rollercoaster of historic moments?” On a more personal note, she urged all her classmates to keep a strong sense of self-worth, to “know that the world would be a little dimmer without you in it.” And there were heartfelt words from the staff speaker, teacher Gentle Tassione:
She spoke of a big life change after 16 years teaching at a school in a town where she’d long lived. “Say yes – say yes to change, say yes to something new. … Ask yourself the question, ‘What do I really want?’ … Whatever you love, keep saying it out loud … and when those doors fly open for you, go through them.”
Their departing principal affirmed hope for their future; “We are Seahawks, we are made to soar high.”
Three Crime Watch reports tonight:
MAN HURT TRYING TO STOP TOOL THIEF: According to a preliminary police summary, this happened mid-morning in the 7900 block of 34th SW. The victim was working on a house when a red Chevy Silverado pulled up. A man got out and, police say, “grabbed a Rotary hammer tool kit from the back of the victim’s truck, and placed it on the back of the Chevy. The victim jumped on the pickup bed, and the Chevy sped up. The victim was pleading for the (thief) to stop, but he increased speed and started swerving.” The truck slowed at 30th/Trenton St to turn, the report says, and “the victim grabbed his tool kit, and jumped from the truck.” He suffered non-life-threatening head and leg injuries and was taken to the hospital. Police searched for the thief but didn’t find him. The incident number is 21-145568.
CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFTS THWARTED: This happened in South Park but we have the preliminary summary since that’s also the Southwest Precinct, and the crime category is of wide interest. Police arrested two people after 5 am today who are accused of trying to break into a fenced property in the 8700 block of 7th Avenue South to steal catalytic converters off tour buses. The report says “in their possession were two electric saws with their initials on them (and) bolt cutters.” The buses’ owner had been hit a week ago by someone breaking into the yard and stealing five catalytic converters.
CAR WINDOW SHATTERED: Reader report from Michelle near Fauntleroy/California:
Sometime (Thursday) night, my car was shot with either a pellet or BB gun and shattered my window. The car in front of mine was affected as well. Reported this to the police at 7 am (Friday) morning. Thankfully no one was hurt and nothing stolen.
7:20 PM: Power’s out in the West Seattle Junction again – same area, same number of customers as Friday’s outage, 491. That one was blamed on “bird/animal” – no word on this one yet, though one texter says it’s the “same pole.”
9:09 PM: This one too is attributed to that same type of cause.
12:25 AM: Power’s back.
(Photos courtesy Girl Scout Troop 45180)
Something new outside the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse – by the hedge on the right side of the photo above – a brand-new Little Free Pantry!
Girl Scout Troop 45180 dedicated it this morning. It’s as distinctive inside as outside:
The space (9131 California SW) is to be filled with community food donations – which in turn will be retrieved by anyone in need. (Read more about Little Free Pantries here.)
(WSB photos/video)
That customized cap said it all at the West Seattle High School Class of 2021‘s commencement ceremony, this morning at Memorial Stadium downtown. The distanced seating on the field was another reminder of everything that’s happened as the pandemic raged in both their junior and senior years:
But while there was a moment of silence for COVID-19 victims, and other ceremony modifications – no music except for recordings of the National and Black National Anthems – the mood was as joyful as a graduation should be – listen to the cheers during the opening processional:
This was the ceremony that almost didn’t happen – earlier in the year, the district was leaning toward a second year of virtual graduations – but that drew a community outcry. Among the leaders of the campaign for in-person graduates, WSHS’s student-body president Ella Richardson, who spoke at today’s ceremony:
She noted that this was the first time she was able to address her classmates, and also said their WSHS years were about much more than the pandemic. They took action on many issues. And she expressed gratitude to the “small army” who got the 279-strong class to this point: “Support is a mystical and beautiful thing.” Among those who provided it, teacher Tom Burggraff, chosen by the students as the ceremony’s staff speaker:
He also had words of thanks, humorously expressing appreciation for the students who helped him through technology issues, and told the class he had an acronym for them – STUDs – “strive, think, understand, do.” The ceremony lasted just under an hour, with the traditional cap toss near its end:
Another memorable moment – principal Brian Vance led the grads, staff, and families in a “spelldown,” first of the year since they hadn’t been together for all-class gatherings – “W-E-S-T-S-I-D-E.”
From flowers to food, the inaugural vendors at the South Delridge Farmers’ Market are there for another half-hour plus!
We dropped by a little while ago and were told things had gone so well, at least one vendor had already sold out. They’re also taking suggestions for what future markets should offer:
A special addition for the first time out – a Seattle Fire Mobile Vaccination Team is there with all three vaccines, too. The market is coordinated by African Community Housing and Development:
They’ll be back on the second Saturday every month through November, 11 am-3 pm, at the courtyard of Hope Academy (9421 18th SW), so the next one will be July 10th.
We’ve talked to police about a threat widely posted on social media by someone who called us about it too. After numerous readers asked us about it via email and text, we wanted to let you know what we’ve found out so far. The caller said he works at The Alley, the bar behind Be’s Restaurant in The Junction, and that another employee had had a dispute with the owner and made death threats. We went to Be’s but it’s closed, and The Alley would not normally open until later in the day. We also talked by phone with the Southwest Precinct watch sergeant, who said officers had spoken with the person who reported the threats, but had not heard directly from the business owner, nor had they found the person who is reported to have made the threats. So it’s an open case but there is no warning or safety advisory at this point. If you have any information for police, the incident number is 21-145363.
Thanks for the tips. SDOT crews are out today doing more speed-hump installation – including on SW Holden. We just went through the area and saw crews there west of 16th. No traffic issues apparent, but just FYI.
West Seattle’s second 2021 graduation filled the gym at Seattle Lutheran High School last night. The Saints’ Class of ’21 numbered 27.
Student speakers included valedictorian Tad Eisenberg, above, and salutatorian Carsen Broga, below:
Also speaking, class president Melina Menashe, seen below accepting an award from Denis Shapiro of the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle:
One major theme at this and other 2021 graduations … making up for time lost to the pandemic. P.S. The ceremony was livestreamed and you can see the archived video here.
9:54 AM: Saturday morning whales! Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch tells us northbound transient orcas are just coming out of Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island. Let us know if you see them!
7:24 PM: Photos added. The two above are from David Hutchinson, as seen from Alki.
(Ever-evolving display at Lincoln Park, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
So much happening today/tonight! Here’s our list:
LITTLE FREE PANTRY & FOOD DRIVE: You’re invited!
Please join local Girl Scout Troop 45180 for their
Little Free Pantry Grand Opening and Food Drive
Saturday June 12, 10:00 am – Noon
Located at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse
9131 California Ave SW
Benefiting those with food insecurity in the neighborhood as well as passersby.
THE DANCING COWBOY @ WYATT’S JEWELERS: Meet the artist and enjoy 20 percent savings today at Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) at Westwood Village. Open 10 am-6 pm.
DRIVEWAY ROCK & GEM SHOW: 10 am-4 pm, see/shop rocks, gems, minerals! (2009 SW Dakota)
SOUTH DELRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET OPENS: 11 am-3 pm in the courtyard at Hope Academy (9421 18th SW), it’s the debut of a brand-new farmers’ market, as previewed here.
VACCINATION POP-UP: Pop-up at/during the new Farmers’ Market – as previewed here – no appointment needed.
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION: 11 am at Memorial Stadium downtown; if you don’t have a ticket, don’t worry, you can watch here.
FURRY FACES FOUNDATION PLANT SALE: 11 am-4 pm, one more chance to shop this amazing array of plants while knowing your money’s going to help people and their pets stay together. 3809 46th SW; more info in our calendar listing.
MORE SALES: Check the WSB Community Forums!
LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: 11 am-2 pm, meet Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists at Constellation and Lincoln Parks. Low tide is out to -2 feet at 12:50 pm today.
BRIDGE CLEANUP: 1-3 pm, join Conrad in this community cleanup; meet at Marginal Place under the bridge. Details in our calendar listing.
CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION: 5 pm at Memorial Stadium downtown; if you don’t have a ticket, don’t worry, you can watch here.
IN THE HEART OPENING NIGHT: 5-11 pm, the New Orleans-inspired speakeasy-style bar behind Lika Love Boutique opens, starting with a ribbon-cutting celebration. (See our story about In The Heart here.)
Are we missing something? Text us – 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Tonight’s pandemic headlines:
KING COUNTY NUMBERS: We start with the daily stats from the Public Health daily-summary page, cumulative totals:
*110,939 people have tested positive, 70 more than yesterday’s total
*1,613 people have died, 1 more than yesterday’s total
*6,266 people have been hospitalized, 4 more than yesterday’s total
Now our weekly check of key numbers on the COVID Vaccination Among King County Residents dashboard:
*1,484,440 people have received one dose (76% of everyone 12+)
*1,307,132 people have received both doses (66.9% of everyone 12+)
One week ago, the first three totals were 110,117/1,599/6,214, and the vaccination totals were 1,460,642/1,243,683.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 175.2 million cases, 3,785,000+ deaths – see the nation-by-nation numbers here.
VACCINATION POP-UP TOMORROW: One more reminder that the Seattle Fire Mobile Vaccination Team will be at the first-ever South Delridge Farmers’ Market, all three vaccines available, 11 am-3 pm Saturday, 9421 18th SW.
SCALING BACK: Public Health’s every-weekday pandemic-roundup email will go to once-weekly starting next Thursday. So far it appears they’ll continue updating the daily-summary board daily, and until they stop that – or after the June 30th reopening, whichever comes first – we’ll continue with nightly roundups.
GOT INFO OR PHOTOS? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Thanks to the co-organizers at Youngstown Coffee and HeartBeet Organic Superfoods Café for these photos from the Morgan Junction Pride parade/gathering this evening. They promised it would happen rain or shine, and it did. Also organizing the event, the Louisa Boren STEM K-8 PTA:
Organizers tell us about 150 people turned out for the festivities.
After the parade/walk around the neighborhood, it was back to Youngstown and HeartBeet:
Upcoming Pride events include a Lincoln Park Pride picnic on June 26th (info here), rainbow flags in The Junction on June 26th and 27th, and later in the summer, Alki Beach Pride on August 14-15.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
43 years ago today, the West Seattle Bridge’s predecessor was abruptly taken out of service by an off-course freighter.
Will one more of those anniversaries pass before the current bridge finally reopens?
Even without an official schedule update, the repair timeline was a major topic at Thursday’s monthly meeting of the West Seattle Bridge Community Task Force. The video is above; our report is below.
WHAT’S UP WITH REPAIRS: SDOT’s Greg Izzo says “everything’s on schedule and on track” now that Kraemer North America has been chosen as the contractor – though, it was mentioned later, the contract has yet to be finalized.
5:14 PM: Thanks for the tips. A power outage in The Junction is affecting some businesses – we’re told at least part of the east side of California between Alaska and Oregon. Also, Gary Potter from Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) says the traffic signal at 42nd/Alaska is out, “transformer blew.” Updates to come.
5:22 PM: Seattle City Light’s map (from which we’ve added a screengrab, above) says 20 customers are out.
5:31 PM: The map has been updated again – now it says 491 customers are without power. We’re updating the map above, too.
6:50 PM: SCL now attributes the outage to “bird/animal.” Though the estimate for restoration is tomorrow morning, please remember that the restoration estimates are just speculative and generally bear no relation to when the power actually is restored – could be a lot sooner, could be later.
9:26 PM: City Light map hasn’t updated yet but we’re getting multiple reports of power restoration. (Added: The map caught up; outage over.)
(Texted photo)
4:11 PM: We’re covering this on partner site White Center Now but wanted to let you know here because deputies are blocking 16th SW in the heart of downtown White Center and may extend the closure to Roxbury: At least one person has been shot on 16th SW just south of SW 98th. No arrest reported so far. Updates to come.
4:39 PM: We’re continuing to update the WCN report; the investigation is likely to keep the center of downtown WC blocked for hours to come.
Multiple shell casings have been found and other apparent victims have shown up at Harborview Medical Center.
5:27 PM: Our crew is still at the scene and we expect a briefing soon by KCSO’s spokesperson; we’ll add the update on both sites when that happens. Also, if you’re noticing a helicopter in the area, that’s TV.
5:50 PM: KCSO’s Sgt. Tim Meyer confirms that, as we reported on WCN, four people were shot – and he says two have died. He would not confirm anything else, though, not even whether anyone was in custody. (Added – our video of his briefing:)
Friday afternoons bring the latest update on the Delridge Way repaving/utilities/more project preparing for RapidRide H Line. Today, there’s word of weekend work and more overnight work. First, the key points highlighted by the project team:
*SW Barton Pl intersection upgrades are nearly complete and the street will reopen soon
*The east side of the SW Henderson St and Delridge Way SW will be closed as early as Monday, June 14 for upgrades.
-This work will last approximately three weeks. I’ve also attached a detour map for this work to this email.*Seattle Public Utilities will be demolishing areas throughout the corridor for underground water utility upgrades this weekend, June 12 – 13
*We are continuing to paint final lane markings along the corridor. Parking restrictions will be in place while this work occurs. As a reminder, we will be working overnight.
*Bus-stop upgrades continue at SW Myrtle St and SW Holly St at the site of the future RapidRide stations
*We are wrapping up electrical utility upgrades between SW Holden St and SW Thistle St
-We will begin restoring the street as early as June 21
(That’s separate from the work that has SW Thistle still closed on the east side of Delridge.) Here’s the full preview for the week ahead.
(WSB photo from last year’s event)
It’s a popular question this time of year – when’s the next chance to get no-longer-needed documents shredded for free in West Seattle? John L. Scott Westwood (WSB sponsor) has announced that it’s presenting its annual shredding event/food drive in two weeks – Saturday, June 26th – in collaboration with Evergreen Home Loans. Bring your shreddables to the northwest parking lot at Westwood Village (2600 SW Barton) 10 am-noon. The shredding is free of charge, but please bring nonperishable food (or cash) to donate to the White Center Food Bank. Last year’s shredding event brought in a half-ton of food and more than $4,000 in cash, along with 4+ tons of shredding!
Azuma Sushi in The Junction wants you to know it has a temporary closure coming up:
We will be closed for a week to allow our staff to spend time with their families during school graduations, starting Sunday, June 13th and going through Sunday, June 20th. We will reopen again for lunch on Monday, June 21st.
Until then, Azuma (4533 California SW) is open regular hours today and tomorrow – still takeout only.
11:59 AM: Thanks to Collin for the photo and report: A crash and the resulting emergency response are blocking part of eastbound/northbound Olson Place on the approach to the 509 ramps. As Collin notes via text (206-293-6302), this area is particularly slippery when rain returns.
12:27 PM: The SFD response has closed out. We’re checking on injuries.
(WSB photos/video)
The first of this week’s four graduation ceremonies for West Seattle high schools happened last night in the Brockey Center at South Seattle College.
In our video are the first-ever high-school graduates from Summit Atlas, West Seattle’s first and only charter school, which opened four years ago and has been adding grades each year until reaching a full complement of 6th through 12th grade classes this year. The “founders’ class” numbered 33 graduates. Five Class of 2021 students spoke – Zahria Perry, Zakariya Osman, Esther Mumbi, Anishta Rojini Kathireson, and Jackson Alvis, with whom we spoke before the ceremony:
Jackson is one of the 30 grads that the school says are headed for college. The ceremony also featured keynote speaker Toyia T. Taylor, the award-winning educator/advocate who chaired the 2020 Seattle Children’s March.
Teachers and staffers spoke too, including the high school’s executive director Dan Effland. Along with diplomas, the graduates received parting mementos such as a founders-class commemorative painting of orcas (the school’s mascot):
This milestone for the school comes 6 1/2 years after we broke the news that a charter school was taking over what had been a church and former supermarket at 35th/Roxbury. Summit Atlas opened in fall of 2017 as the second of California-based Summit‘s two Seattle schools.
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