West Seattle, Washington
03 Tuesday
As is customary on Election Night these days, there’s one round of results – the major races are on this page of The Seattle Times (WSB partner)’s website. For the two ballot measures voted on in this area, both are ahead so far – Seattle Prop 1, for library funding, 62 percent yes, and King County Prop. 1, youth/family justice center funding, 53 percent yes. (Both need only a simple majority to pass.)
The most prominent West Seattle candidate in the primary, former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, may not make it to the general-election runoff for secretary of state – he’s in third, with Kim Wyman leading at 39 percent, Kathleen Drew at 22 percent, and Nickels at 16 percent. In the Seattle-area Congressional District 7 race, incumbent Rep. Jim McDermott has 70 percent of the vote, with Ron Bemis next at 16 percent, and Andrew Hughes at 6 percent (the top two advance to November). In the statewide governor race, Democrat Jay Inslee is at 47 percent, Republican Rob McKenna at 43 percent. To get results directly from the county website, go here.
6:00 PM: We’re on the road to check out Night Out parties around West Seattle – thanks in advance to everybody who e-mailed to say we’re welcome to stop by, and to everybody who shares a photo from theirs! Coverage to come.
6:12 PM: We’re stopping first in Westwood, where Aaron sent the invite. Above, a makeshift barricade that seemed synergistic with the just-ended strike. Or maybe just the best thing handy. Driving to this neighborhood, we passed five closed side streets in a row – everybody’s having a block party! More than 1,300 registered, says SPD. Here’s the early turnout on Aaron’s block:
Before leaving WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy, we loaned our neighborhood block party the tent we usually take to street fairs. The neighbors are bringing the fun stuff, like Bob with his authentic 1962 World’s Fair souvenir glass:
Our block’s been pretty quiet this year, despite bordering a two-arterial intersection. It’s been almost two years since the wrong-way hit-run crash.
6:30 PM UPDATE: Next stop, the block party in the Hansen View neighborhood, where West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network leaders Karen Berge and Deb Greer reside. And their neighborhood is signing up more neighbors for Block Watch, along with, of course, the block party repast:
6:51 PM UPDATE: From there, we veered over to Howie‘s neighborhood just uphill and west of Avalon/Genesee, where it’s a Hawaiian theme tonight:
They had the most creative flyer we’ve seen – we’ll have to add a link later. Baby Olivia was the youngest partier on hand:
Howie told us that Pagliacci Pizza had come by with three free pizzas. We then got a text saying they’re randomly picking Night Out parties to drop by with freebies – so maybe you’ll see them at yours!
7:04 PM UPDATE: Just south of Gatewood Elementary School, The Whale Trail‘s Donna Sandstrom invited us to stop by her block party. So you won’t be surprised to see what the kids are working on:
The inflatable orca made it into the group shot, too:
To the east of there, on the west-facing slope of Gatewood Hill, Cathy and neighbors had flags for decor – our group shot includes a few of them:
We’re told neighbor Fred decided to put them up. This party also had multiple grills going:
Next stops, Fairmount Springs and Seaview, before we zig-zag south again.
7:25 PM UPDATE: We’re taking neighborhood group shots when we can – here’s Alison‘s block party in Seaview:
And in Fairmount Springs – maybe more like east Morgan Junction – Jennifer and neighbors:
If you use Twitter, while the national hashtag tonight is #NNO, the local one is #seattlenightout. We’re tweeting along the way too.
7:38 PM UPDATE: Let’s call Kate‘s neighborhood east Gatewood, a couple blocks west of Fire Station 37:
And speaking of the Seattle Fire Department, we’re a few blocks east of Westwood Village now and a fire engine has just shown up – SFD and SPD are both making rounds tonight, to block parties that registered in advance on the official police page. Here’s Engine 11 from Station 11 with Amanda and neighbors:
(Minutes later, Engine 11 had to rush off on a call!)
Next party photo came to us via text (thank you!) – same number you text or call 24/7 if there’s breaking news, 206-293-6302:
The text just said that was a block party on 28th SW.
8:10 PM UPDATE: Another photo via text – the kids on 56th SW, Genesee Hill area, are enjoying a bouncy house at their block party:
When that came in, we were in Highland Park, 13th and Cambridge, where Lisa and neighbors gathered:
From there, west to Arbor Heights, where we stopped by JoDean‘s neighborhood – she’s a Block Watch captain and hosted the “Living Room Conversation” event with police that we covered back in March:
By the way, have you noticed the clouds tonight?
8:34 PM UPDATE: Just checked out a party south of The Junction (east of the California SW Rite-Aid), to say hi to Fiona and neighbors:
Meantime, from North Admiral, Erik shared photos from a block party on Palm:
They got a fire-engine visit, too:
By the way, we have also been by a couple that appear to have broken up early – since it’s mostly cloudy tonight, it’s darker than some past Night Outs have been by the last half hour.
8:46 PM UPDATE: That said, we’re now at 48th and Dawson, a few blocks west of the previous stop, where they’ve got a band!
This was probably the biggest party we stopped at all night – and these neighbors are proud of a past WSB group shot, too – Christopher Boffoli photographed them during a previous Night Out and that photo wound up on the SPD Night Out home page!
Very organized group – the dots here track which neighbors were on hand:
(added) From that same party, Nick later shared this photo of the neighborhood kids’ bike parade:
9 PM UPDATE: We wrapped up with a stop at Pagliacci in The Junction to check in on their pizza giveaway, mentioned earlier. Totals: 8 parties, $500 worth of pizza. Here’s the kitchen crew – who were almost too busy to stop for a pic:
Next, we’re adding the photos shared with us from parties we didn’t get to or didn’t know about. Here are the kids at a Belvidere block party:
That photo is courtesy of Sara, who says, “The kids loved having a closed street to play on.” Next, to Pigeon Point, where Pete Spalding (below right) shared photos, including this one of him with mayor/police liaison Harry Bailey (left) and SPD Capt. Joe Kessler, former SW Precinct commander, now the department’s Ethics and Professional Responsibility captain:
Chalk art graced the Pigeon Point party’s asphalt – visible in this photo of visiting Engine 36 from North Delridge:
Here’s a party in a park: Nine families who live just east of Hiawatha gathered there for Night Out:
Thanks to Sarah for the photo. It’s a night for so many to celebrate neighborhood pride; Maureen in the 9000 block of 13th SW in Highland Park wrote, “We have such an awesome block!” as she shared this picture:
Here’s Mark‘s block in Gatewood:
And Claire‘s neighborhood, block-partying in Seaview:
Night Out – originally National Night Out Against Crime – is in its third decade around the country (read its history here). The neighbors who know each other will watch out for each other, so the concept goes, and that ultimately means stronger, safer neighborhoods. If yours isn’t part of a Block Watch yet, you can find out here how to get one started.
Another business is joining Umpqua Bank (WSB sponsor) and Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt in the retail building north of Admiral Safeway: The fitness studio Inspire Seattle, based on Queen Anne, is expanding to West Seattle. Thanks to Crys for tipping us to a brief announcement on the Inspire Facebook page; we contacted owner Sue Hahm to find out more. She replied:
We’re expanding to West Seattle because we felt it was the right demographic for our target client base. Queen Anne has been very successful for us so we wanted to open our second studio in a similar neighborhood. We provide an effective and intense workout in 40 minutes, so it’s important that we’re in a neighborhood where clients can take advantage of the quick workout and not have to commute too far to work out… because clients tend to stay more motivated to work out if it’s convenient.
According to its website, Inspire Seattle is the city’s only studio offering the Lagree Fitness system. Hahm says they expect the West Seattle location (2620 California SW) to open late this year or early next.
Admiral/California is one of five West Seattle intersections where firefighters were scheduled to start this year’s round of “Fill the Boot” collections for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, till 6 pm today, and again 2-6 pm tomorrow. There with Engine 29, we found Mike Bastrom (above) and John Cizin (below):
Engine 29 is based at North Admiral’s Station 29, one of the city’s five West Seattle fire stations Also look for “Fill the Boot” firefighters at California/Alaska, California/Fauntleroy, Delridge/Orchard, Harbor/Spokane, and if you’re in South Park, at 14th/Cloverdale (but keep in mind that the schedule is subject to last-minute change).
Just got some information from Seattle Public Utilities that explains the mixed messages received by Monday and Tuesday pickup customers – with, according to web messages as well as WSB readers’ robocall reports, the city saying “put out all your carts” while Waste Management said “just put out the carts we’d normally pick up on this date.” In response to our inquiry, SPU spokesperson Susan Stoltzfus explains, “Yes – SPU does want you to put out all three carts because we have exercised a part of the Waste Management contract that specifies that we can request that they pick up recycling during a non-recycling week if they missed the collection the week before. We are counting any missed non-recycling week recycling collections in our inspections that lead to the fine assessments.” She adds, “We are counting any missed collections in our inspections that lead to the fine assessments. … While we hope that Waste Management will collect recycling today, if they do not, then we will be counting any missed collections in our inspections that lead to the fine assessments.” And she stresses that you should have EVERYTHING out, because “free unlimited extra curbside collection of garbage and yard waste extends through tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 8.” Bottom line seems to be, if you didn’t get recycling picked up yesterday or today (or previous days post-strike), even if it was not your “regular” day, DO report the missed collections – the SPU website explains how.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Bartell Drugs, which has two stores in West Seattle, soon will have its corporate headquarters here too.
The company has leased space in North Delridge at the West Seattle Corporate Center, confirms marketing vice president Theron Andrews.
That’s the building known best for its huge flag, a legacy from its 1991 origins as the headquarters of Services Group of America, which moved to Arizona six years ago, blaming a “punitive estate tax” here. (A related entity still owns the building.)
Bartell Drugs, family owned and operated since 1890, is moving here from Georgetown, where it’s been headquartered for more than a quarter-century.
(Summer flowers, photographed by Flickr member old desolate, shared via the WSB group pool)
VOTE! As noted in our reminder earlier this morning, drive your ballot up to the West Seattle “drop-off van” till 8 or get it to a Post Office by tonight. We’ll see one round of results around 8:15 pm, and then the counting will continue, as usual, in the days ahead.
TWO TRAFFIC ALERTS: Till about 3:30 this afternoon, a westbound lane closure is scheduled on the West Seattle Bridge for what SDOT calls a “routine inspection” – here’s the alert; then tonight, the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct is scheduled to close again, 10 pm-5 am (meaning no West Seattle Bridge access from I-5 or Beacon Hill).
TRASH/RECYCLING NOTE: We’re checking into what seems to be a case of mixed messages for Monday customers regarding Waste Management saying it’s back to regularly scheduled pickups, but Seattle Public Utilities reportedly advising in robocalls to put out ALL your carts, whether it’s recycling day or not. As a result, many in north West Seattle put out recycling yesterday and didn’t get it picked up; that may be the result today in the Tuesday neighborhoods – we’re seeing what we can find out from SPU.
FIRST CHANCE TO ‘FILL THE BOOT’: 2-6 pm, at five West Seattle intersections (previewed here) and one in South Park (previewed on partner site The South Park News) among other places around the city, Seattle firefighters will collect donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. (Tomorrow too!)
NIGHT OUT: Dozens of street parties are in the works all over West Seattle, 6-9 pm, to celebrate neighborhood strength and safety, as part of the every-year national event. STILL not too late to register yours with SPD if you see this before noon – just go here. Meantime, thanks to everyone who answered our annual call for parties that wouldn’t mind us possibly stopping by for a photo – we also appreciate a photo from YOU, so we can include your party in our coverage – editor@westseattleblog.com, or share it via the WSB Facebook page or WSB Twitter feed.
TWO CANCER-FIGHTING FUNDRAISERS: 6:30 tonight at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), a fundraiser for the Pete Gross House – details in the calendar listing … Also tonight, a Trivia Night fundraiser at The Wing Dome in The Junction, 8 pm, to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE: 9 am-3 pm, you can drop off school-supplies donations at Mars Hill Church in West Seattle, which is collecting five days a week (details here) through August 22nd for distribution later this month.
Lots more for today/tonight and far beyond, on the calendar!
Haven’t voted yet? Technically today’s election is the primary – but two major ballot measures, and the judicial races (as explained here), will be settled today, so don’t just let the day slide by without having your say. The ballot-dropoff van – which is drive-up/ride-up/walk-up – will be set up along the West Seattle Stadium driveway till 8 tonight. Or, if you’re mailing your ballot, make sure it’ll be postmarked today. Last-minute research? Here’s the official pamphlet.
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