Earlier this week, we published the saga of the large Lincoln Park driftwood stump taken to Alki Beach by a Seattle Parks crew. Tonight – more Lincoln Park driftwood on the move, but this time it’s via the “king tides.” The photos show one of the logs carved by artists on the LP beach last year. Karann MacNealy spotted it on the beach just north of Cormorant Cove, in the 3600 block off Beach Drive, today, and shared the photos.

After last month’s “king tides,” it turned up in front of an apartment building just north of there – Keith sent a photo on December 22nd, but we didn’t get around to publishing it. When the tide started rising again this week, we asked him if it was still there – he checked, and it was gone; then Karann reported spotting it today. (So did David, who posted photos on the WSB Facebook page.) But the next few days are bringing another round of “king tides” – 13 feet, before dawn – so no guarantee it’ll still be there tomorrow!

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Be careful – icy night

January 12, 2013 8:09 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts | West Seattle weather

(Photo by Karen Fejta)
Beautiful sunset, but now, a treacherous night – it’s already below freezing just after 8 pm, and the National Weather Service still has a special weather statement out about the cold weather. So far we’ve heard of at least two trouble spots for drivers/riders – the hill down to Harbor Avenue from the north end of California SW, and a few patches on the bridge. Anywhere the icy spots from last night/this morning melted, it wouldn’t have taken them long to re-freeze tonight. Let us know if you know of any other spots that people should be warned about.

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Update: House fire in Fauntleroy, near the ferry dock

January 12, 2013 4:35 pm

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| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

4:35 PM: Crews are en route to a house-fire call in the 4500 block of SW Trenton, which is about a block east of Fauntleroy Way. More shortly.

4:44 PM UPDATE: Lots of smoke from the back of the house when we arrived, not much now. No flames visible.

4:55 PM UPDATE: The incident commander tells WSB the fire started in a back bedroom. They’re not sure yet how it started; they’re still checking to make sure it didn’t extend into the walls, attic, etc. No report of injuries at this point; two people who were home at the time are reported to have gotten out safely. Added above this update, a photo from neighbor Emily, with a wider perspective than ours.

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High-school basketball: Sealth-Nankai tonight; plus, Friday roundup

January 12, 2013 2:04 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

International high-school basketball tonight – and updates on last night’s games – in this roundup. First, the Sealth and Nankai (China) teams are getting ready for tonight’s international friendship game:

They had a clinic at Sealth this morning, with former Sonics player James Donaldson as a guest expert:

Tonight’s event is more than basketball – there’s also a lion dance and mayoral greeting – tickets on sale when doors open at 6 at Sealth’s gym.

Meantime, Sealth, WSHS, and Seattle Lutheran all played varsity basketball games last night – girls and boys – reports ahead:

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West Seattle wildlife: Harbor porpoises off Alki Point

January 12, 2013 12:32 pm

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| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to Gary Jones for sharing today’s marine-mammal sighting: Harbor porpoises! Not rare, experts say, but certainly not reported as open as their larger cousins (orcas, etc.) Last harbor-porpoise report we published was the sad saga of one found dead on Alki last March. According to this 2011 research, they were common in the area back in the 1940s, then dwindled, then started making a comeback.

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West Seattle traffic-alert update: ‘Low bridge’ open again

January 12, 2013 10:20 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

10:20 AM: We are off to verify, but wanted to offer a heads-up as soon as possible (can’t really tell from the nearest traffic cam) – a texter just sent word there’s trouble at the “low bridge” (describing it as “broken”) and that they were told it would be closed at least an hour.

10:52 AM: We are at the bridge. Definitely not open to traffic. An SDOT maintenance person who just arrived could tell us only that it’s stuck. No ETA on fix. Closed to peds and bikes, too.

11:41 AM: The traffic camera for the intersection west of the bridge shows vehicles coming from it – so we believe it’s open again, but are heading back to verify.

11:50 AM: Verified – it’s back in service. Thanks again to the person who originally texted us about the temporary shutdown; SDOT does not send traffic alerts on weekends, so we wouldn’t have known without a reader alert.

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West Seattle Saturday: International basketball; Fauntleroy chili; nightlife; more

January 12, 2013 9:58 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Thanks to Tony for sharing the photo – Anna’s hummingbird, 41st/Dawson area)
With the big Seahawks game tomorrow, we know many minds may already have turned to Sunday. But don’t look past this big slate of highlights for Saturday. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (and ongoing traffic coverage):

TRAFFIC ALERTS THIS WEEKEND: The I-5/Spokane St. Interchange Bridge Repair project continues – this weekend’s closure, till 5 am Monday, involves ONLY the Columbian Way ramps from Beacon Hill to the West Seattle Bridge and 6th Avenue. Also, remember that the first phase of the Delridge Way repaving project means southbound Delridge is closed (for about two months) between Trenton and Henderson, with a few other effects.

FOOD DRIVE: Till 1 pm today, a food drive organized by Gay For Good Seattle is happening at PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor; California/Stevens).

PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: At The Cove School, 9:30-11 am, details here.

SCHOOL BOARD REP’S COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: Something to ask West Seattle’s school board rep Marty McLaren? She’s at the Delridge Library 10:15-12:15 for a community conversation.

GRETCHEN’S GRAINS DEMO: The West Seattleite who’s trying to make it easier to cook with whole grains is doing a demonstration at 11 am at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor, California/Fauntleroy/Morgan).

OVERWHELMED BY DEBT? Occupy West Seattle is sponsoring community conversations about debt, starting with one at 2 pm today at Salvadorean Bakery (south side of Roxbury just west of 17th).

NATURE WALK AT CAMP LONG: West Seattle naturalist Stewart Wechsler will lead interested walkers through Camp Long to check out salamanders, edible nettles, and more, 3:30 pm – details here.

1ST ANNUAL LINDA CRANK MEMORIAL DINNER: 5-7:30 pm at the West Seattle Eagles‘ HQ, with a menu including homemade smoked lasagna – details in the calendar listing.

CHIEF SEALTH-NANKAI FRIENDSHIP BASKETBALL GAME: Huge international sports and cultural event tonight at the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium – the visiting girls’ basketball team of Nankai (China) vs. the Sealth girls, plus a lion dance, mayoral appearance, and more. It all begins at 6 pm; tickets available only at the door – details here.

FROM LIVE MUSIC TO THE CANDYLANDIA DANCE PARTY … tonight’s nightlife is all on the calendar – click the right-side plus sign in any line on the calendar (and then “read more,” if you need to) for details on each individual entry.

FAUNTLEROY CHILI COOK-OFF: 6:30 tonight, it’s on! And you’re invited to come taste, Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) – info here.

PERSONAL SIDE NOTE: NEED AN ICE SCRAPER? We mentioned the WSB-branded ice scrapers (given away at two festivals last fall) this morning on the WSB Facebook page and a couple people asked how to get one. That inspired us to make our remaining stock available tonight at Skylark Café and Club, 6-9 pm, during an event we hadn’t publicized here otherwise because it’s sort of personal and WSB is about you, not us … the young artist in our family is having a silent auction to raise $ for the production of a one-man play. Maybe you’ll be out and about anyway; stop by Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW) any time between 6-9 if so. First come, first serve for a scraper, while supplies last. (The donated auction items are pretty cool too – signed books by local authors and a few other things including a Full Tilt Ice Cream certificate, Hotwire Coffee card, Skylark swag …)

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From the WSB Pets page: A cat, a car, and caring people

January 12, 2013 8:08 am

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| Pets | West Seattle news

Someone lost their cat last night and may not even know yet that he won’t be coming home … he was hit by a car. Some caring people tried very hard to help, and asked that we share the story (crosslinked on the Pets page):

Please share the attached photo and info so this kitty’s owners can find some peace.

My wife and I saw a large white and orange cat on the side of the road on 35th between Barton and Henderson on January 11th at 11:30PM. We drove by initially thinking he was killed by a car as he was not moving, then saw him lift his head slightly. We’re cat people. We pulled over, found him bleeding from the mouth, breathing heavily, coughing blood and struggling to get out of the street but unable to do so. We pet him and diverted traffic away from the lane he was in.

Within a few moments, West Seattle neighbors from the Barton Court apartment complex and multiple drivers pulled over and turned on emergency lights to keep oncoming traffic out of the lane.

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