Members of the Chief Sealth Class of 1965 have officially presented their alma mater with the plaque we first told you about in September, in honor of Sealth graduates who lost their lives while serving their country.
It happened today at the school’s Veterans Day assembly, where, above, Sealth ’65 graduate and Navy veteran John McElroy was the spotlight speaker. He served in Vietnam in the ’60s while in the Navy and recently retired from the Merchant Marine. He spoke about the importance of service, and said he knew some of those whose names are on the plaque. Along with reading those names, he spoke of meeting Sealth’s current teachers and students, and said that if the young people he’s met are the future, we have nothing to worry about. One of those students, Mahala Provost, sang the National Anthem – listen!
Sealth’s flag team performed a routine set to “Stars and Stripes Forever“:
And the assembly concluded with a student-created video, with some students talking about family members in the military, and some faculty/staff members talking about their time in the service. (The official observance of Veterans’ Day, November 11th, is next Wednesday, and school will not be in session.)
7:11 PM:King County Elections has just published the only set of results it plans to release today/tonight. See the full list here; if you’re watching the District 1 City Council race, Shannon Braddock was ahead of Lisa Herbold by 729 votes as of last night, and tonight, her lead is 638:
Next update is scheduled for 4:30 pm Friday. Today’s 4:30 pm release was canceled because of technical trouble that the county explains here.
11:11 PM: According to King County’s ballot-return stats, updated nightly at 8 pm separate from the results, more than 10,000 ballots are waiting to be counted in this race.
According to Seattle Police‘s Tweets by Beat, there was a strong-arm robbery at California/Spokane this afternoon. Before we even saw that tweet, we received this report from a reader who reports witnessing it:
I witnessed this robbery/attack and feel compelled to write you. I am an eight-year West Seattle resident, but was appalled and shaken by seeing this event and how people behaved. I did not see the start of the robbery but here is what I did see:
As I came jogging down the block, I saw a loose circle of young people (roughly 10-14 year olds?) watching two guys kicking and beating each other on the sidewalk in front of the Westside Presbyterian Church. A metro bus was parked there with its doors open and it looked like the two guys had come from there. Initially I thought it was two teen boys so I ran towards them screaming at them to stop fighting. The two adult men broke apart and the victim started yelling that he was being robbed, please someone call the police and that the other guy had his Orca card… The victim seemed to be in shock and he just kept yelling for help, then sort of halfheartedly ran after the attacker how took off around the corner. The metro bus just closed its doors and drove off.
It’s bad enough seeing this in broad daylight in my beloved neighborhood. But observing the non-reaction around me was even more disturbing. I am a 5’3″ woman – so no help in a fight, and I didn’t have my own phone on hand because I was jogging. But no other adult did anything. No one came out from the church until the event was well and truly over. Nobody driving by, or nearby construction workers paid any attention. The kids did not even get out of the way of these two adult, and potentially dangerous, men fighting. I asked not one, but two separate kids to call 911. That’s when the kids got bored and started to leave. And I’m sorry to say that every one of those kids had their cell phones IN THEIR HANDS the whole time and looked like they were texting and taking pictures: Not calling the police, not running into the church for help, not even leaving the scene for their own safety.
I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help, but I’m even more sorry that we’ve become such a frightened and careless culture that people who could have helped didn’t. And shame on those kids for treating it like entertainment – they should have at least had the good sense to get far away from such an explosive situation.
We won’t be able to get the police report any sooner than tomorrow, so we don’t know the status of the investigation, including whether anyone was arrested and how the victim is doing.
Three weeks until Thanksgiving! If you’re thinking about having West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) put together the holiday feast for you – get to tonight’s Holiday Taste event before 7 pm and try some of what’s on the menu!
Vendors are there too, including, below, what you might call the “pie a la mode” team:
Lots more to try. And a bonus – spend at least $20 at Thriftway tonight and get 10 percent off. If you’ve never been to Thriftway, it’s in Morgan Junction, where California and Fauntleroy meet Morgan.
One day after people started asking us about the disappearance of the Beloved Mexico food truck – a five-year fixture along Fauntleroy just south of Alaska, next to West Seattle Produce – we’ve found out what’s going on: It’s closed forever.
That’s what co-proprietor Christian Guerrero just told us when we reached him by phone at home in West Seattle: “We decided to shut down the doors, just yesterday. We’re really sad to shut down, but we just weren’t making enough.”
Unprompted, he cited competition, in particular, Chipotle Mexican Grill, which opened in The Junction less than two months ago (and is currently closed along with the company’s 42 other Washington and Oregon stores because of E. coli illnesses). “We don’t have the buying power of multi-million dollar companies.”
Another factor, Guerrero said: They would eventually lose their spot, since a CVS drugstore is slated to be built there, and a permanent spot for a food truck is hard to find in West Seattle.
He says they’re sad about closing and they appreciate the following they had, but financially, they had no choice. They had hoped it would someday lead to expansion into a permanent restaurant location, but that didn’t happen, and they’re not expecting to be able to open one. He and his co-proprietor brother have always had “day jobs” and that’s what they’ll be focusing on now. It’s been five years since Beloved Mexico opened – originally on the other side of Fauntleroy, as was WS Produce, on the site where The Whittaker is now being built; both moved across the street a year later.
Toward the end of our conversation, Guerrero told us he hopes West Seattleites will step up their support for the remaining small independent businesses – “to keep the flavor of West Seattle alive.”
Before we’re too much further into the day, three FOUR events you should know about, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GOLDEN TICKETS ON SALE: If you can get to the Log House Museum before 4 today or between noon-4 tomorrow, you can buy one of the 100 “Golden Tickets” being sold in connection with Saturday’s Champagne Gala Brunch (attendance not required for ticket purchase), $100 each, for a chance to win a cruise. (61st SW & SW Stevens)
WEST SEATTLE THRIFTWAY’S HOLIDAY TASTE: 4-7 pm, the holiday season begins with this traditional event at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) offering you a chance to try dozens of items you might want to serve at your holiday parties and feasts. Free! (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI OPEN HOUSE: It’s the 30th anniversary for West Seattle Montessori School and Academy (WSB sponsor) and you’re invited – all ages – to tonight’s open house, 6-7:30 pm, including a Middle School Meet-and-Greet 7-7:30 pm. The school says it’s “a chance to meet our staff, teachers and tour the facilities. You’ll be able to view samples of student work and pick up application materials. Our teachers and staff are available during and after the Open House to answer questions.” (11215 15th SW)
The West Seattle Food Bank is in need of pet food and kitty litter donations. We are a critical resource to more than 9,300 individuals, many of which have pets. Last year we distributed just under 10,000 pounds of pet food through requests we receive from families in need of being able to take care of their furry. Thank you in advance. Our clients appreciate the kindness and support of their community. Our location is on the SE corner of 35th & Morgan, with our garage entrance off Morgan. Donation hours are Monday – Friday 9 am – 3 pm.
Crews are in Morgan Junction right now, starting work on the sidewalk-repair project along the west side of California south of Fauntleroy. As previewed here last month, here are the key points you need to know:
Work hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking will initially be restricted 24 hours a day up to the driveway to the Subway parking lot driveway approach. After we complete the northerly section, we will then restrict parking 24 hours a day south of the Subway parking lot driveway approach. To maintain business access during construction, we will install ADA-compliant ramp “bridges” into each affected business until the new sidewalk is ready.
From LB: “Woke up this morning to find that my 1997 Honda Accord (4-door green sedan, plate 604HOI) was stolen from the parking lot at Shoremont Apartments on Alki, in the alley off 57th and Alki Avenue. SPD case number 15-387134.” Call 911 if you see it (or any stolen vehicle). P.S. If you missed it late last night, check our last WSCW roundup for stolen/found items you might see or have seen.
(Photo added: Northbound orcas, photographed from Alki Point by Guy Smith)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 8:16 AM: Two whale-watching notes: First, multiple reports this morning of orcas back in the area – seen off Beach Drive, and from the Vashon Island ferry run, headed southbound.
8:47 AM UPDATE: Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail just called – now the orcas are headed NORTH from the ferry lane – watch from Emma Schmitz Viewpoint soon.
9:06 AM: Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales texted with news they’re off Lincoln Park right now.
9:46 AM: Via Twitter, MetPatrick reports they’re now off Constellation Park (Beach Drive, south of Alki Point).
1:27 PM: Adding two more photos, from Vicky Piston on Alki:
In comments, Donna from TWT says they disappeared from view here about two hours ago. But this is the season – keep watch and let us know (206-293-6302, text or voice, any time) if and when you see them!
(back to original report) Second, humpbacks have been in the area a while, and West Seattleite Dennis Hinton shares the photo of a sighting off the south end of Blake Island on Wednesday:
He says he was fishing off Southworth in the morning when he thought he saw a humpback – then the captain confirmed the ID as seen from a ferry headed back this way in the afternoon.
(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page) 7:05 AM: As we head for the heart of the commute, a problem on NB I-5 downtown – a crash in the collector-distributor lanes at James Street – has just cleared, but as always, there’ll be residual backup.
7:52 AM: Different kind of “commuter alert” for Vashon ferry riders – orca sighting! That’s our second report that some orcas are heading south between Vashon and Lincoln Park right now. Publishing a separate update shortly.
12:07 PM: If you’re on the peninsula today, we’d advise avoiding California south of Edmunds – road is narrowed because of crews working on it, and it’ll take you a while to get through – we saw backups in big directions and, while headed northbound toward The Junction, managed to duck onto westbound Hudson to get around it. These types of projects don’t usually get preceded with alerts so if you see anything major, please let us know so we can share the word – we don’t always happen onto them as we did this one.
One day after people started asking us about the disappearance of the Beloved Mexico food truck – a five-year fixture along Fauntleroy just south of Alaska, next to 
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