West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
Congratulations to West Seattle athlete Tom Donohue for his victories at the USA Cycling National Track Championships, which continue through tomorrow on the Eastside. The report and photos are by proud wife Lisa Donohue:
Fauntleroy resident Tom Donohue earned his 2nd Gold medal Saturday at the USA Cycling National Track Championships at Marymoor Velodrome in Redmond. Tom slayed the competition in both the Match Sprint and 500m Time Trial 50-54 year-old category. In addition, he also set a new track record in the 500m.
Tom is a member of the Cucina Fresca cycling team. You might spot him sprinting along the streets of West Seattle in his red and black jersey.
Tom will be traveling to the Manchester England for the World Championships this October. Last year he ranked top 10 in World, and hopes to make it to the podium in 2014.
You can see his 500m time in the results on this page detailing today’s highlights, and his sprint time in the highlights report from Thursday.
Full house at @WSMovies – with 'Frozen' in about half an hour – last WSOM of the year! pic.twitter.com/fTHLIZtI8p
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) August 24, 2014
It’s wall to wall in the courtyard next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) in The Junction for this year’s sixth and final West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation, “Frozen” – with movie time coming up around 8:15 (amazing how sunset/twilight suddenly get so much earlier as the season goes along). As requested, diaper donations for WestSide Baby have come in from moviegoers.
WS Baby also benefits tonight from concession and raffle proceeds, which are fundraisers for a different local nonprofit each week. Lots of sponsors make the series possible; PB&J Textiles donates the concessions each week, and we at WSB are happy to have been the media sponsor again this year. Every week also features spotlight sponsors for that movie – tonight’s lineup includes Bend n Move, which just led a round of Zumba:
Tonight also featured a free barbecue courtesy of West Seattle Christian.
P.S. Watch these pages next spring – we’ll let you know when movie host and emcee Lora Swift (above – of Hotwire and more) sends out the call again for movie suggestions.
5:42 PM: With the Alaskan Way Viaduct out of commission this weekend, the exits on the Spokane Street Viaduct – east half of the West Seattle Bridge – are carrying more traffic. That might be complicating matters now that there’s a four-car crash near the 4th Avenue South exit. Big backup on the bridge, according to the nearest cam:
(“Live” views are on the WSB Traffic page.)
5:53 PM: Multiple lanes are closed and an officer was just heard (via scanner) saying they’ll be closed “a while.
7:12 PM UPDATE: SDOT has tweeted that the scene is clear.
It took 52 minutes and 9 seconds for those four rowers to make the 7-mile round trip between Alki and Bainbridge during Sound Rowers’ Great Cross-Sound Race this morning. Their quad was listed as entry #1, and that’s where they finished. In second at 53:40, Megan Yount and Bruce Rolfe:
Finishing third and fourth, Evan Jacobs (multiple past winner) in 54:10 (right) and Robert Meenk in 54:31:
No immediate rest at race’s end:
Full list of the almost three dozen entrants and their finishing order is here.
Big turnout for the Duwamish River Festival, on until 4 pm at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park! It’s a chance to learn about what’s happening on, in, and near the river …
… and to experience the river!
(Kayaks courtesy of West Seattle’s own Alki Kayak Tours/Mountain to Sound Outfitters.) There’s live entertainment too (see the schedule here) – during our visit, the Sounders FC band Sound Wave was performing:
The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition organizes the festival; many organizations and businesses sponsor it (including WSB and partner site The South Park News). Check it out until 4 pm at 7900 10th Avenue South.
FIRST REPORT, 12:57 PM: A car-motorcycle collision in the 4700 block of West Marginal Way has police blocking the road, so avoid that area. No word yet on injuries.
1:17 PM: We’re at the scene; West Marginal is blocked just south of T-107 Park. According to emergency radio, the motorcycle rider is a 58-year-old man who is being rushed to Harborview Medical Center, and a preliminary description of the collision indicated that he was riding “at traffic speed” when a pickup truck “pulled out in front of him.” His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, so they’ll be reopening the road after tow trucks arrive and clear wreckage.
12:32 PM: Seattle Fire crews are at a condominium building in the 5000 block of California SW on the south end of The Junction for a “fire in building” call. The street is shut down at the scene.
They’re finding light smoke but still looking for its source. More shortly.
12:46 PM: Our crew on scene has talked to the incident commander, who says the fire was traced to a dryer. No injuries. California SW shouldn’t be closed too much longer, maybe 20 minutes or so.
On the sidewalk next to the volleyball courts on Alki, you’ll find Barbara Clabots and other Surfrider Foundation/Seattle Chapter volunteers getting out the word to get cigarette butts out of the sand, as previewed here the other night. The ones in the container next to Barbara were collected from beach cleanups last year at Alki and Golden Gardens. Surfrider is trying to combat the widely held (and erroneous) belief that the material in cigarette filters is biodegradable – it’s actually plastic. They’re also offering businesses the chance to sponsor canisters like this one for ongoing disposal:
Out yard saling today? Here’s a fundraising sale to visit. Photo and announcement just in:
La Leche League of West Seattle is holding its annual fundraiser yard sale, bake sale, and lemonade stand. Items range from a giant Barbie to suitcases, toys, clothes, espresso machine, super-fancy ice-cream maker, infant items, puzzles, and more. Folks are invited to pay what they want, since it’s for charity. 5281 45th Ave SW, 10-3.
Find more listings in the WSB Forums‘ Sales/Deals/Freebies section, where you can post YOUR yard/garage sale, too.
We start today’s daily preview with a traffic alert/reminder:
VIADUCT CLOSED ALL WEEKEND: As detailed on the WSDOT website, the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Highway 99 south to the West Seattle Bridge are *closed for the weekend only* (reopening early Monday). From the Battery Street Tunnel north to Valley Street, 99 is closed for four days (reopening early Wednesday). Above, the “live” image from a stretch of 99 where concrete-repair work will be under way, among other things.
Now, all the reasons you don’t need to leave anyway:
GREAT CROSS-SOUND RACE: At 9 am, this rowing race presented by Sound Rowers starts just off the Alki Boardwalk, heads across toward Bainbridge, and comes back.
HUB AND SPOKE COURSE @ CAMP LONG: Two sessions today for adults and teens to try out Camp Long‘s challenge course, starting at 9:45 am – details in our calendar listing. (5200 35th SW)
‘HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTTS’: As previewed here earlier this week, the Surfrider Foundation will be out on Alki starting at 10 am to campaign against cigarette-butt litter, far more toxic than you might think.
ALKI BEACH 5K REGISTRATION/PACKET PICKUP: 10 am-2 pm at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), you can pick up your packet for tomorrow’s Alki Beach 5K, or sign up if you haven’t already (online signup is now over) and want to beat the pre-race rush tomorrow morning. (California/Charlestown)
DUWAMISH RIVER FESTIVAL: Noon-4 pm, it’s a free festival with boat/kayak rides, entertainment, and more, at Duwamish Waterway Park on the river’s bank in South Park – here’s our preview with the music/dance (etc.) schedule. Co-sponsors include WSB and our partner site The South Park News. (7900 10th Avenue South)
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Second-to-last weekend this summer to take a free tour of historic Alki Point Lighthouse with US Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers, 1-4 pm. (3201 Alki SW)
MODE MUSIC STUDIOS GRAND OPENING: Join new WSB sponsor Mode Music Studios for the grand-opening party featuring music and more at Skylark next door as well as studio tours (with punch and cake!) at Mode’s new HQ, 3-6 pm. (3805 Delridge Way SW)
K-5 STEM BACK TO SCHOOL BASH: 4-7 pm at the north end of Lincoln Park, all K-5 STEM families welcome – details and directions on the PTA website. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SUNRISE HEIGHTS STREET DANCE: Starts at 5 pm – details in our calendar listing (30th SW)
TYRONE IN CONCERT/SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE: 5-9 pm at West Seattle Christian Performance Hall in The Junction, concert by Tyrone “The Working Class Hero” and school-supplies drive (folders, binders, pens, pencils and backpacks for foster kids) presented by nearby Unified Outreach. Details in our calendar listing. (4400 42nd SW)
FINAL ‘WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES’ – BRING DIAPERS! The sixth and final West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation of 2014 is “Frozen,” on the big screen in the courtyard by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor). Come early – while 6:30 pm is the official “gates open” time, there’s really no way to lock down the courtyard, so when it’s a hot movie, stakeouts might start sooner. Preshow entertainment will be courtesy of Seattle Balloon Arts – and there’s a free community barbecue too, courtesy of West Seattle Christian. Along with bringing your own chair/blanket, bring diapers! This week’s official community nonprofit beneficiary for concessions and raffle tickets is WestSide Baby. Every package of diapers you bring will get you three raffle tickets. Movie’s at dusk, around 8:30 pm. (4410 California SW)
TONIGHT’S LIVE MUSIC: Multiple venues – see the listings on our calendar.
‘YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN’ MATINEE: 7:30 pm is your second-to-last chance to applaud the young performers in the ArtsWest youth-conservatory production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown“; tickets online here. (4711 California SW)
| 6 COMMENTS