West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(Video of Sealth celebration after the game – more video, photos to come in 2nd report)
Just in from Southwest Athletic Complex: Chief Sealth International High School wins the Huling Bowl, 19-15 over West Seattle High School. Photos, video, and details in report #2, later. (For some of the game’s toplines, check out our live-event Twitter feed at @wsblive.)
A memorial service is planned at West Seattle’s Forest Lawn tomorrow afternoon for Darrell Locklin, who died a week ago at age 78. His family shares this remembrance:
West Seattle native Darrell Locklin was born February 21, 1934, and graduated from West Seattle High School in 1952. He entered the army in 1956, and was stationed at Killeen Base in Texas, where he earned commendations for scholastic achievement and finishing first in his class in special weapons training (despite a life-long dislike of guns). And he met Katherine Kelly.
They married in 1958, returned to Seattle, bought a house in 1964, and settled in to raise a family, and where they lived until his death. He put many hours and even years into improving the house. Even in the past year, when it looked and felt like it was finally done, he said he still had some things he wanted to do.
In 1970 he graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in social work and went to work for the Department of Social and Health Services. He transferred to the Department of Corrections and became a probation and parole officer. In 1984 he moved to Reynolds Work Release (a transition facility for offenders re-entering the community), and retired in 1995, completing a 20+-year career in social and public service.
His interests in life were varied. He played and coached softball, and coached both his children in little league baseball. He passed on (or tried to) his interest in baseball, cars, and hydroplane racing.
(Photos by Tony Bradley)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:11 PM: Big Fire Department response to the 6900 block of California Avenue SW right now, possible house fire, though the first engines are not seeing any flames.
7:14 PM UPDATE: Apparently a small fire that’s out, but there’s a big traffic backup because the fire units are blocking California SW northbound – avoid the area (California/Frontenac vicinity).
7:32 PM UPDATE: Firefighters are calling for Red Cross help for two adults and two children who got out OK but will need some place to stay.
7:59 PM UPDATE: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore tells us this started as a kitchen fire and was indeed tapped within 10 minutes. Medics evaluated one person, but no treatment was needed.
11:59 PM UPDATE: Moore has more info on the fire – investigators confirm it was an accidental cooking fire, with damage estimated at $10,000 to the structure, $10,000 to contents.
Almost two months after we brought you first word of The Copper Coin, coming to the ex-Porterhouse spot in The Admiral District, it’s about to open. Proprietor Aaron Shepherd just sent word:
We are aiming to open our doors at 5:00 on Monday the 15th for our soft opening, and then follow that up on Wednesday with our Grand Opening. Starting Wednesday we will be serving lunch and dinner seven days a week, with hours from 11:30-11:00 Sunday-Thursday and 11:30-12:00 Friday & Saturday. A Sunday brunch will be added to the lineup in about 4 weeks.
We are excited to open our doors to the neighborhood and to finally welcome everybody to our dining room. The neighborhood’s support and enthusiasm has been fantastic. Just last night, we had delicious cake delivered to us by Brent Amacher, our State Farm neighbor.
As noted in our August story, Shepherd is a co-owner of the popular Hill’s Neighborhood Restaurant. He told us then that he wants The Copper Coin (website here) to be “a good neighborhood joint.”
Thanks to Chris for the tip via Twitter – most of the “rechannelization” striping is in on the north end of Delridge Way SW, basically between the south side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center and the West Seattle Bridge. Above, our dashcam view driving the northbound side just now; next, the southbound view:
The rechannelization was announced as part of a plan announced last spring to speed up Route 120 buses – we just happened to wind up behind one while our camera was rolling on the southbound side. As you might notice in the video, some painting remains to be done – bike lane and bus lane stenciling, for example. Here’s the county’s explanation of what was changed (see the link in that page’s sidebar).
From the just-published edition of West Seattle High School‘s online newsletter Westside Weekly, edited by Bev Corey:
Girls Volleyball Team Currently #1 in the Metro Sound Division with an Undefeated Record!
WSHS Volleyball is currently 9-0 in the Metro Sound Division, 9-3 over all. All the volleyball teams (Varsity, JV, JVC) are improving with every match. The Varsity team has 2 matches remaining this season. The big rematch will be against Chief Sealth, who is 2nd in the division, on Wednesday, Oct 17th in our house!!! This happens to be Senior night also. We will be honoring four seniors, Captains Maddie Collins, Ellen Cleveland, Athena Lamyuen and Nanna Darden. The Metro Tournament at the end of the month should be very tough – 9 out of the last 12 years, the 3A State champ has com from our League!! The girls are excited to compete and stir things up at Metro’s.
The Wednesday volleyball game between WSHS and CSIHS is at 7 pm next Wednesday in the WSHS gym (3000 California SW). Their last faceoff was September 24th (WSB photo coverage here).
(RapidRide C bus photographed near Seattle Center this afternoon)
As West Seattle bus riders conclude the second week of Metro’s RapidRide C Line launch and other service changes, the numbers we’ve requested have arrived – ridership and number of buses before and after – along with an update on what Metro is considering to address ongoing concerns. Here’s the full text of the reply we received:
Current Ridership Indicators
Metro along with its riders in West Seattle has seen the crowded conditions and unfortunate pass-ups of some riders on the RapidRide C Line and the Route 120 since our fall service change period began on September 29. All indications are that RapidRide C Line ridership, and ridership on the entire body of service Metro operates between West Seattle and Downtown Seattle is up substantially from last spring in the first two weeks since its launch. At this time Metro has only raw data from several in person field counts for service operating via the Alaskan Way Viaduct. In a four day peak period count of passenger loads entering downtown in the morning and exiting downtown in the afternoon/evening, buses have about 25% more people on board than routes in spring 2011 and about 18% more than in the spring 2012 (February to June) period. In real numbers, passenger counts averaged 2537 with a high of 2611 in the morning and 2830 with a high of 2919 in the afternoon.
These passenger counts were conducted between 7 and 9 a.m. at the Seneca and 2nd Ave intersection and between 4 and 6 p.m. at the Columbia and 2nd Ave bus stop on Thursday 10/4 and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10/9, 10 and 11.
Peak Commute Period Bus Trips between West Seattle and Downtown via the viaduct or SODO before and after this service change
With hours to go till the big football game, West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School vying for the Huling Bowl, the two schools’ marching bands have spent the past few hours on the field practicing – that’s Marcus Pimpleton coaching them from the ladder in our top photo. The big focus was marching when we got there – so our video includes some drumming and a little singing but to hear the instruments, you’ll just have to be there tonight:
Here’s our earlier preview, including game info and history from one of the game’s sponsors/namesakes. Pregame barbecue at 5, game at 7, Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
Tomorrow at the Feedback Lounge, friends and family will gather to celebrate the life of “Stumbletown” Steve Adams. Feedback co-proprietor Jeff Gilbert sends this remembrance:
It is with profound sadness that we announce the loss of West Seattle resident and fixture “Stumbletown” Steven E. Adams, 56, who unexpectedly passed away on October 8, 2012.
A lifelong West Seattle resident, Steve was extremely passionate about his neighborhood, family, friends, sports, his beloved cat Scully. He was also a prolific songwriter and collaborated on several community charity music projects and even recorded three albums of original material.
Steve attended West Seattle schools and graduated from Western Washington University. He went on to work for the Boeing Co. for the last 26 years.
In 2006, Steve was named King County Big Brother of the Year. An endlessly enthusiastic and positive personality, he said recently, “I like a little about everything. I need to have good books, good music, good food and great friends. I’ve been lucky enough to have all fall into my world.”
Steve is preceded in death by his parents; Bill and JoAnn Adams, and is survived by his wife Mary Anne Spada, sons Matt Adams and Eric Adams, brothers Kevin Adams (wife Terry) and Tim Adams, plus, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews and in laws, along with a community of friends who will miss him.
Steve was a wonderfully free spirit. In keeping with his character, his celebration will be held at the Feedback Lounge (6451 California Ave SW, West Seattle) at 1:00 PM, Saturday, October 13.
We reported two days ago that the long-closed, then sold and rebranded, gas station at Fauntleroy/Alaska, now Fauntleroy Shell (4580 Fauntleroy Way SW), could open as soon as today if tech work was complete. We stopped by a little while ago to check – the store and mini-mart are open. The station had been closed more than a year, since shutting down in the middle of what had been a rebranding from 76 to Arco.
Fairly quiet day on the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar, besides the Huling Bowl football game (previewed here earlier), but one daytime exception: It’s the first of two days for the semi-annual Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) rummage sale – till 4 pm today, and 10 am-3 pm tomorrow, 3940 41st SW. Never know quite what you’ll find among what our grandma called bric-a-brac:
Elsewhere in West Seattle, tonight’s music highlights include duo The Old Way visiting Kenyon Hall at 7:30 pm. See more – and take a peek ahead at the weekend (and beyond) – on the calendar! (Tip: Mouse over and click the right-side “plus” on any calendar line to expand it, with an option then to go to the page with full details and a location map.)
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to the third edition of the daily WSB traffic/transit report, a dedicated space each weekday (weekends if necessary) for updates on the roads and buses, from you and from us. While it goes live each morning, we’ll updating it with any notable traffic/bus news throughout the day, and we hope you will do the same. You will always find the current edition linked under the BIG STORIES heading on the sidebar. We start Friday with some notes:
*No classes today for Seattle Public Schools (and independent schools following the SPS calendar).
*Rain is indeed moving through the region as forecast (here’s the radar – thanks to Patrick K for the link) – share what you’re seeing, when you can do so safely (no driving/reading/typing, please!).
Two Metro-related notes so far today:
*County Councilmember Joe McDermott‘s office confirms a tip we got from Lisa – explained by McDermott staffer Michelle Allison: “In order to give (Denny) students a bit more time to catch the bus, the Route 22 2 pm southbound trip from Alaska Junction will be adjusted to depart five minutes later. School gets out at 2:10 and the bus has been going by at around 2:15, which was tight for the students. Starting next week, the bus will pass the SW Thistle/26th Ave SW stop by about 2:20.” Councilmember McDermott’s latest “e-newsletter” is all about the bus changes – in case you missed it on yesterday’s traffic/transit thread, here’s the link again.
*Jon Grant has started a petition “to return bus service to Arbor Heights.” He writes:
The new schedule changes have been a calamity to many in our neighborhood.
For anyone who does not commute during peak hours and cannot or does not own a car, this means walking quite a distance to catch the once an hour bus that only runs til between 6 and 7 pm. Before 9 am (on weekends, during the week we have the 21X) or after 6/7 pm (everyday) the closest stop is 35th and Barton, up to 2 miles for some Arbor Heights residents.
My son is 8 and he has had to walk with either myself or my wife that long walk 6 times in the past 10 days that the new routes have been in effect. I truly worry about what we and others in our area will do once it gets colder and darker – the hills are steep, the lighting poor, and in many places the sidewalks are nonexistent or unusable for disabled residents.
If you could, please post the link to my petition. If the response is good, I will deliver the first batch of signatures to Seattle City Councilman Tom Rasmussen this Monday at Sustainable West Seattle’s transit forum.
The goal is to have some sort of transit every 30 min run the Arbor Heights loop.
Here’s more on the forum Jon mentioned – 7 pm Monday, Senior Center of West Seattle (Oregon/California), tackling all facets of West Seattle transportation, with a panel including county and city reps.
10:10 AM UPDATE: Trouble on the ramp from the eastbound bridge to northbound 99 – one of our team members just saw it and we also have a reader note: “I was just on the bridge and a semi has died at the end of the on-ramp from the west seattle bridge to Highway 99. Its location is blocking all vehicles from getting past it and people are backing off the on-ramp.” (Our info on this is about 10 minutes old so if you have been through and saw the ramp open again, please comment – it’s out of webcam range.) Metro has issued an advisory:
Routes 21, 120, 125 and RapidRide C Line are temporarily rerouted off of the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct, due to an incident. Metro service heading toward downtown Seattle is rerouted via 4 Av S until further notice. Expect delays for RapidRide C Line until the incident is cleared.
11:00 AM UPDATE: Metro says the ramp is clear and bus service is back to normal, which means other traffic can use the ramp now too.
2:35 PM UPDATE: Metro has sent the numbers we’ve been looking for – ridership estimates before and after the changes, and number of runs on the corridor. Way too much info to add to this story so we’ve published it separately – find the story here.
3:48 PM UPDATE: From WSDOT – “On SR 99 southbound just north of W Marginal Way (MP 25) there is a collision blocking the HOV lane. Medical Aid, Fire Assistance, and the WSP have arrived on the scene.” This is in the 1st Avenue South Bridge vicinity, according to the Seattle Fire 911 log.
4:30 PM UPDATE: Via Twitter, Chris says the rechannelization striping (related to Route 120) appears to have been done today in North Delridge. We’re off to check.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tonight, West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School face off on what is now their shared home field, in the annual quest for the Huling Bowl.
Rather than out-and-out rivalry, it’s a celebration of community, points out Sam Reed, athletic director and activity coordinator for Sealth, which is this year’s host: A barbecue, the two schools’ bands and cheer squads performing together, for starters (more later).
But what about the game’s namesakes – the Huling family?
The name might not be familiar to the high schools’ players and students, since it’s been more than five years since the family’s name topped signs and buildings along Fauntleroy Way and Alaska Street, on sites that are now largely taken over by other businesses, like Trader Joe’s and Les Schwab Tires.
But while their namesake auto businesses are gone, the family is still deeply involved in the community, particularly in the support of education.
On Thursday, one day before Game Day, we sat down to talk with Steve Huling (Chief Sealth Class of 1965) and Sam Reed – not only about the game, but about the Huling Bowl’s origins.
Huling is a lifelong West Seattleite. He notes that he grew up at a house on Erskine Way, not far from Uptown Espresso, where we interviewed him.
Though he went to Sealth – where his graduating class numbered 700, suggesting a school population twice today’s 1,300 – he had cousins that went to West Seattle High School, and his best friend went to WSHS, also a ’65 grad. So many longtime West Seattleites who went to one of the schools have friends and relatives who went to the other, he considers it a “blended family.” Reed concurs, noting this game almost could be held without separate seating sections.
“Our family has always been particularly interested in education and youth and helping the community, it’s kind of what we do,” Huling told us, as he started to tell the story of how the Huling Bowl came to be.
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