West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
From the archives of the camera that peers into the pit from which pieces of the Highway 99 tunneling machine are being lifted for repairs, the view above shows the second part to be brought up. It happened early this evening and was just announced by WSDOT:
Seattle Tunnel Partners has successfully hoisted the second piece of the SR 99 tunneling machine to the surface for repairs. This evening crews lifted one of the machine’s upper sections, which weighs less than 100 tons.
Two more pieces of the machine will be removed from the pit as part of STP’s repair plan, which this narrated video explains in detail. Up next, crews will lift the right side body section of the machine, which weighs approximately 90 tons. The final lift will bring to the surface Bertha’s massive cutterhead and main drive unit, which weigh a combined 2,000 tons.
Here’s the view after tonight’s lift was done:
If you haven’t seen the time-lapse video of the first lift on Thursday, check it out here.
By the way, this gives us another chance to remind you the Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for its twice-yearly inspection next weekend, 6 am-6 pm Saturday and 6 am-6 pm Sunday. A section of Highway 99 north of the Battery Street Tunnel, meantime, will be closed throughout next weekend, late Friday through early Monday.
Thanks to Coach Rob Wright for sharing news of these girls’ awesome accomplishment:
I wanted to let you know about a great girls’ basketball team that just wrapped up their season.
Our 10-year-old-girls team based out of Hiawatha Community Center had a dominating season, going undefeated in the regular season and a top seed in the playoffs. The girls lost in the city championship today against a much-larger Rainier Beach team that played a great game. We’re very proud of their efforts this season, especially considering a number of the girls have never played basketball before. Quite an accomplishment to reach the city finals out of nineteen teams in our division across the city. Great job, girls! The future of girls’ basketball in West Seattle is really looking great!
From left to right:
Zoey Adams
Wynn Larsen
Hannah Bonsack
Brooke Swanson
Emily Larsen
Josaphine Contreras
Kaylei Campbell
Lauren Wright
Chloe Stephens
Angelina Smith (not pictured)
Coaches Rob Wright & Jeff Larsen
(WSB photo)
5:35 PM: Crash at West Marginal Way SW/Puget (map), and SFD has dispatched a sizable “automobile rescue” response. Avoid the area; we’re on our way to find out more.
6 PM UPDATE: Southbound W. Marginal is blocked off at the Duwamish Longhouse; NB has a lane open. Police tell us one person was taken to the hospital, in stable condition. SFD says the victim was a female passenger and had to be cut out of the car; two others didn’t need medical attention. NB lanes open now, SB not likely to be long.
6:49 PM UPDATE: Commenters say the road has reopened both ways. We’re back at HQ and adding photos.
ADDED: The photo above this line is by Amy, who adds, “I live off of West Marginal and Puget Way and have seen several accidents at this spot. For your sake, and ours, please slow down on West Marginal!”
SUNDAY UPDATE: We’ve confirmed with police that the driver was arrested for suspected DUI. He and the other two people in the car were all in their early 20s and speed is believed to have been a factor as well.
That’s Max, and he’s helping keep Puget Sound cleaner by building a raingarden at one of five homes just east of the Southwest Branch Library that are getting RainWise. That’s the Seattle/King County program offering incentives to eligible households to get off the storm-drain grid, so to speak, by installing raingardens and cisterns – at little to no cost, because of rebates.
This morning, RainWise team members invited neighbors and media to the 9000 block of 34th SW for a celebration as those five households ceremonially broke ground for their new stormwater-diverting setups. Fittingly, cloudbursts graced the gathering – but held off at photo-op time.
At left in that photo (with Lucy, Izzy, and Max) is John, whose company Home Grown Organics is one of many contractors working on the program. You can find out by going here whether you’re eligible for RainWise. Even if you’re not, the team would love to talk to you. You will find them at three upcoming public events:
APRIL 11: 11 am-2 pm, RainWise contractors’ open house at West Seattle Nursery (California/Brandon)
APRIL 25-26: 10 am-4 pm, RainWise info table at the Seattle Chinese Garden‘s Peony/Bamboo Festival (6000 16th SW)
MAY 9: 10 am-noon, RainWise Fair at Highland Park Improvement Club – see HPIC’s cistern, pervious-paver patio, raingardens, and art (12th/Holden)
Disclosure: RainWise is advertising on WSB to help get out the word about the program.
4:23 PM: Another successful “Scouting for Food” drive – on behalf of Troop 282, Regina Arceo-Schulz shares photos and a wrapup of what they delivered to the West Seattle Food Bank today after circling back around to neighborhoods where they had left doorhangers last weekend:
We collected close to 300 pounds in the area we covered from SW Genesee St and SW Charlestown St, 44th Ave SW and 55th Ave SW. Thank you, West Seattle!
Regardless of whether you donated to SFF, other opportunities to donate are coming up – a big day of donations at local supermarkets, for example, is set for April 11th. You can also support the WSFB by buying tickets to the Instruments of Change Dinner/Auction in May – here’s how.
ADDED 10:21 AM SUNDAY: And thanks to Brian Christenson for sharing the news and a photo from Pack 793:
Pack 793 Cub Scouts would like to thank the North Admiral residents for their extremely kind support of Scouting for Food. This small band of scouts braved the wind and rain Saturday morning to collect 496 pounds of food for the West Seattle Food Bank! The Pack would also like to thank the Admiral Congregational United Church of Christ for allowing us to use their space for a meeting place since the grassy triangle is occupied with the temporary Fire Station.
The West Seattle High School baseball team won its first conference game of the season on Friday in a big shutout, 12-0 over Rainier Beach. Thanks to Caryn Johnson for the photo and report:
Jamie Maples #6 pitched the entire game. He struck out 12 and only gave up 1 hit. The West Seattle defense was able to keep Rainier Beach off the bases for the most part, only allowing one runner to reach as far as 2nd base. Lots of offense for the game by West Seattle. In the 2nd inning, they sent 11 batters to the plate.
Next game is Monday against O’Dea, at Hiawatha at 3:30.
Also coming up, the team’s game vs. Sedro Woolley at Safeco Field, one week from today, 12:30 pm on March 28th, admission free! To qualify for the High School Baseball Classic at Safeco again NEXT year, as well as to raise money for the Wildcats’ team, boosters are selling tickets for a Mariners game THIS season – 7:10 pm Monday, June 22nd, vs. Kansas City. You can buy one or more $12 tickets by e-mailing wshsmarinerstickets@gmail.com. (You’ll get a reply with info on what to do from there.)
Memorial services are planned on Monday for Roger O. Loken, a U.S. Army veteran whose long and storied life also included careers in teaching and real estate. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing:
It is with deep sadness that we announce our dad, Roger Osman Loken, passed away on March 15, 2015 at the age of 94. He was born on November 26, 1920, in Seattle to Gilbert and Maud Loken. He grew up in Ballard, where he met his wife of 69 years at a dancing school. He graduated from Ballard High School in 1939 and shortly thereafter enlisted in the Army at the age of 18, serving as a First Lieutenant in WWII in the Army Signal Corps in North Africa and Italy.
In 1948 Roger graduated from the University of WA with a BS in Zoology and earned his degree in teaching. He was awarded a full scholarship to Oregon State University, earning a Masters Degree in Biology in 1962; he learned to write and speak German in order to research his thesis on tardigrades.
His teaching career began in 1949 at Kettle Falls High School, where he taught science and was Principal until 1954. For over 60 years, his beloved Kettle Falls students kept in touch with him through annual reunions and correspondence. After leaving Kettle Falls, he returned to his native Seattle, where he taught science at Denny Middle School from 1954-1957. He finished his teaching career at West Seattle High School from 1957-1967 where he taught Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
(SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Pole fixed, store open)
10:25 AM: Thanks for all the tips (and the photo!). Police and firefighters are at PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) because, we’re told, a utility pole was hit by a truck and is in danger of toppling. The store is still open, we’re told, but Stevens is closed off at California on the south side of the store’s parking lot. We’re en route to find out more.
10:47 AM: Here’s what our crew found out: Until the pole problem (which is on the alley off the west side of the store and its lot) is fixed, much of the parking lot is blocked off, as is Stevens from the alley to 44th SW. Thanks to David Whiting from the Admiral Neighborhood Association for this photo:
The parking that remains open is on the east side (along California). The store itself is not affected otherwise. (Added: Here’s a photo from our crew, showing the entirety of the pole:)
We’ll check back again later.
1:20 PM UPDATE: The store confirmed, when we stopped by a short time ago, what commenter OVR said – they’ll have to close temporarily when the repairs are under way, because power will have to be cut. No ETA for that so far. More of the parking lot is open (about half), in the meantime.
6:23 PM: Went back to check. Store is temporarily closed while pole repair is under way.
6:59 PM: Back at HQ, added the photo of repairs under way. No ETA on reopening but we’re told the store does hope to reopen sometime this evening (midnight is the usual closing time), so we’ll update when there’s word.
8:23 PM: Now that the pole repairs are over, the store’s open, says Melissa via Twitter, but no hot bar/soup for the rest of the night.
(Tulip photographed last weekend by Flickr member Yel0Rose, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Happy Saturday! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SCOUTING FOR FOOD PICKUP: If you received a tag or scheduled a pickup as part of local Scouts’ door-to-door food drive, get your donation outside ASAP today.
RAINGARDENS’ GROUNDBREAKING: Five new raingardens are getting started today with a groundbreaking celebration as part of the RainWise program. 10 am-11 am, come join the party and find out how you might benefit from the same program – celebratory toasts and kids’ activities. (9009 34th SW)
SEAFAIR COMMODORES BOWL-A-THON: 9:30 am at West Seattle Bowl, get rolling with the Seattle Seafair Commodores, benefiting the Seafair Scholarship Program for Women. All the info’s here. (39th/Oregon)
TWO MARIONETTE SHOWS! 10 or 11 am at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), catch a performance by Puppets Please Marionettes, to benefit the scholarship fund of the West Seattle Cooperative Preschool program. More info here. (3940 41st SW)
CUB SCOUT PACK 282 FOOD DRIVE @ THRIFTWAY: Another way to donate food and help fight hunger today – 11 am-4 pm with Pack 282 at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) – more info here.
PINE LAKE CELLARS: Noon-5 pm, visit the West Seattle tasting room of Pine Lake Cellars (WSB sponsor) and try what this family-owned winery has to offer. (3400 Harbor SW)
ZUMBA-THON FOR Y’S ANNUAL CAMPAIGN: Party from 4:30-6:30 pm in the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) gymnasium, to boost the Y’s Annual Campaign – details in our listing. (4515 36th SW)
‘STARRY NIGHT’ FOR PATHFINDER: The annual dinner/auction is tonight, 5 pm, at The Hall at Fauntleroy, as previewed here. If you’re going – browse the auction catalog here. (9131 California SW)
SLHS SPRING BINGO: 6 pm at the Seattle Lutheran High School Gym – ticket info here. (41st/Genesee)
COFFEE AND MUSIC: Roo Forrest and Friends are live tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘CHINGLISH,’ 2ND-TO-LAST WEEKEND: If you haven’t been to see this comedy at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), consider that since its last performance is a week from tomorrow, why not check out the 7:30 pm show tonight? (4711 California SW)
MATT BAKER AT KENYON HALL, AFTERNOON & EVENING: “A high-energy, one-man variety show” is what you’ll see at Kenyon Hall at 3 pm today (family-oriented) or 7:30 tonight. (7904 35th SW)
BLACK VINYL ALL-STARS: 9 pm, live at Feedback Lounge in Morgan Junction. (6451 California SW)
LOOKING AHEAD 2 WEEKS … we’re putting together our customary Easter/Passover event page right now, so if you have anything special (brunch? egg hunt? services?) to share with the community, please e-mail us ASAP – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
Dancing, drumming, and dinner were part of the festivities last night at Highland Park Elementary, as Native community members, family, and friends gathered for a Traditional Mini Pow Wow. We photographed Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen after the blessing she gave to open the event:
This was the second year of the event.
The group Niksokowaak – “all my children, all my relatives” – organized the Pow Wow.
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