West Seattle, Washington
22 Friday
From tonight’s high-school basketball playoff games:
CHIEF SEALTH BOYS’ NAILBITER: One-point win for the Chief Sealth International High School boys, coached by Colin Slingsby, tonight – 62-61 over Bishop Blanchet – so they move on to the district tournament as Metro #9.
This sets up a crosstown showdown, we just learned via the updated bracket, because of this:
WSHS BOYS FINISH FOURTH: Losing to Cleveland tonight, 59-56, the West Seattle High School boys, coached by Keffrey Fazio, finish fourth in the Metro League, and will host Sealth on Saturday in a loser-out game, 7 pm.
One team’s season ended tonight:
CHIEF SEALTH GIRLS’ SEASON OVER: The CSIHS girls’ run is done, with a loss at home to Holy Names, 60-45. We stopped by the Sealth gym in the final moments:
(WSB photo: Sealth #33, Kamryn Thomas)
The Seahawk girls, coached by Katie Jo Maris, have season highlights to remember including a six-game win streak between January 8th and January 27th.
And one local team had tonight off, playing for a title tomorrow:
WSHS GIRLS PLAY TOMORROW: The undefeated Wildcat girls, coached by Darnell Taylor, play Bishop Blanchet for the Metro League championship on Friday night, 5:45 pm at Ingraham HS. However it turns out, their first district-tournament game will be on Tuesday.
Two more local teams start postseason play Saturday:
SEATTLE LUTHERAN GAMES ON SATURDAY: In the Tri-District basketball tournaments, the SLHS girls host Cedar Park Christian at 5 pm Saturday, followed by the boys hosting Lummi Nation at 7 pm.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight, starting with video of a package-taker who reportedly was in for a surprise:
‘LITTER BOX’ PACKAGE TAKEN: Megan says her surveillance-camera video shows a woman taking a box from her porch in Greenbridge (near 8th/Roxbury), with a surprise inside: Used kitty litter. The bait box was taken just after noon today, according to Megan, who says neighbors report seeing this woman in the area before.
Two more Crime Watch reports to share tonight:
BIKE STOLEN: Josh reports a black Trek 830 Mountain Track mountain bike with red shocks on the front was stolen from under the deck/carport at his home on a dead-end street near Lincoln Park. He initially noticed because “one of the motion sensor lights was out. It was unscrewed, which made me believe someone was trying to get to our cars.” The cars were fine, he reports, but the bike was gone.
CAR PROWL: After our long list of car prowls in Crime Watch here last night, Steve wanted to make sure the one that happened to him two weeks ago was on the record here too (it’s long since been reported to police): “Night of Jan. 25 into morning of Tues., Jan. 26, perps smashed out passenger-side front window of my Audi and took my 64-gig iPad mini and didn’t touch anything else.” This happened in the 10000 block of California SW in Arbor Heights.
CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL NEXT WEEK: Just another reminder that you can talk with police, and hear their updates on local crime trends, during the next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm Tuesday (February 16th) at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).
(WSB file photo from low tide at Constellation Park)
Spring and summer are rolling this way, sure as the tide, and if you love being out on our beaches, here’s a unique volunteer opportunity:
Volunteer with the Seattle Aquarium at a beach near you!
Why do barnacles stand on their heads? What do sea stars like to eat? How do moon snails lay their eggs? Learn to answer these and other fun questions by volunteering as a Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalist this summer. Naturalists receive training in the spring, and then spend three low-tide days educating beach visitors about inter-tidal life and beach etiquette at one of eleven Puget Sound beaches, including Constellation Park and Lincoln Park in West Seattle.
Training begins on March 2.
If interested, please email beachnaturalist@seattleaquarium.org, call 206-693-6189, or visit seattleaquarium.org/beach-naturalist. Registration required.
See this flyer for more info.
6:40 PM: Until 8 pm, you can help decide which kinetic-sculpture concept will soon grace the north side of Junction Plaza Park – a 20-foot moving sculpture, with a stainless-steel base, in front of the tallest blank wall in West Seattle. The concepts are being shown off at an open house right now at Cupcake Royale (northeast corner of California/Oregon).
Troy Pillow is the artist chosen for the installation, funded by public-benefit money from area development as well as a Department of Neighborhoods grant. He’s here to answer your questions (as are reps from the West Seattle Junction Association and Junction Neighborhood Organization). Pillow says the concepts represent the “coming together” nature of The Junction, present and past; as you can see from the renderings above (which aren’t the only ones), color choices are up for discussion too. He says there will be “uplighting” for the installation.
Along with printed-out renderings of the design options, you can also look at animated versions on screens when you stop by – there’s been a steady stream of people. If you just can’t get here tonight, you’ll be able to offer opinions online too – stand by for the info on that.
ADDED EARLY FRIDAY: Here’s where to go to see all the options, and to tell the project team what you think.
Thanks to Steven for sharing that photo, taken around 2:30 pm from a condo window in the 1200 block of Alki Avenue SW, looking at the hillside behind the building.
Not necessarily applicable when you’re viewing from inside your home, but remember that the best thing to do if and when you see one is to try to scare it away, for its sake as well as yours. Read more in the State Fish and Wildlife Department’s “Living with Coyotes” guide.
Where else have West Seattleites seen coyotes? Almost everywhere. Check our archive here.
Three biznotes this afternoon:
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
NEW HOME FOR WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: As mentioned here last month, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has been looking for a new headquarters. At today’s lunch meeting (full report to come), Chamber CEO Lynn Dennis announced one has been found, courtesy of Potter Construction (WSB sponsor). We talked to Gary Potter afterward, and he has confirmed they’ve just signed a lease – not at Potter’s HQ but not far – the Chamber will be relocating in a few weeks to the building Potter owns at 5639 California SW (which is also home to WSB sponsor Sound Yoga).
PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT, VALENTINE EDITION: Want to go out (or hang out) on Valentine’s weekend while knowing your kid(s) are having a blast? Straight Blast Gym (WSB sponsor) is offering you the chance to do just that – 6-9 pm Saturday (February 13th), SBG coaches will offer a “ton of fun – play games, watch a movie, eat some pizza – while parents get three hours to either go out and enjoy or stay in and relax.” $30/kid – call SBG ASAP to save space – 206-420-1834.
CHOPSTIX MYSTERY: We haven’t been able to reach anyone to directly confirm whether this is a permanent shutdown, but we – and a few readers who have e-mailed about this – have noticed that Chopstix hasn’t been open for some time. The hand-lettered sign on the door simply says CLOSED; the phone goes unanswered. Chopstix opened three years ago, after Pan Africa Grill spent one year at the location, following a 12-year run by the Chinese restaurant Ho-Win.
On Wednesday, we wrote about the demolition work at 3219-3221, clearing an old commercial building for residential development.
Today, WSB’s Christopher Boffoli sends the photo above, showing faded signage on a newly revealed brick wall alongside 3225 California (which is not part of the current project – the building is currently home to West Seattle Healing Tree). These are what are now known as “ghost signs” – you’ve probably seen a few in West Seattle, and other parts of the city.
Christopher points out that the words “WHOLE FAMILY” and “We do boot repairing here” are visible. Online archives show the Jurians’ Family Shoe Store was in operation there for a dozen years until selling the business in 1931. (The King County Assessor’s Office website, however, traces the building only to 1922.)
Ghost signs are usually painted onto buildings – old brick buildings like this one – but sometimes there are other signage surprises, like the one we showed in 2013 after demolition at 4730 California SW.
(Wednesday photo, by Karen Baer)
Biggest night of the week! Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
MAKE VALENTINES AT THE LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Today through Sunday, Valentine-making supplies are part of what you’ll find during a visit to a place full of West Seattle love – the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum. During regular hours, noon-4 pm – more info here. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
MID-WINTER WINE RELEASE: The Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) is celebrating its mid-winter release. Find the NWWA on the north end of campus. (6000 16th SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: Tonight’s games include one at home – the Chief Sealth IHS girls host Holy Names, 5:45 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: Second Thursday is here and that brings the Art Walk, 6-9 pm. Here’s the map/venue list:
Find highlights on the official Art Walk website.
YOUR THOUGHTS ON JUNCTION PLAZA PARK ART INSTALLATION: Special event during tonight’s Art Walk, as previewed here – stop by Cupcake Royale and meet artist Troy Pillow, chosen for the 20-foot-high art installation slated for Junction Plaza Park. Take a look at the design-concept options and offer your opinion! 6-8 pm. (California SW/SW Alaska)
STEM OPEN HOUSE/TOUR: 6-7 pm for elementary, 7-8 pm for middle school – tour Louisa Boren STEM K-8 tonight; details here. (5950 Delridge Way SW)
BILINGUAL EDUCATION MEETING: As previewed here, the state Bilingual Education Advisory Committee is at Denny International Middle School tonight to hear from parents and guardians of students in bilingual/ELL programs, 6-8 pm. (2601 SW Kenyon)
ROBOTICS/CODING/DESIGN FOR KIDS – OPEN HOUSE! This is also in The Junction – 6:30-8 pm, stop by the Seattle App Academy (WSB sponsor) for a robotics demo and open house: “Students from Skunkworks Robotics at Raisbeck Aviation HS will present a robot and share what it takes to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition.” Free – just drop in – 4th floor of Jefferson Square’s office building. (4700 42nd SW, Suite 467)
STUDENTS PERFORM POETRY: Chief Sealth International High School students invite you to tonight’s “Page to Stage” performance – previewed here – 6:30 pm in the CSIHS Auditorium. (2600 SW Thistle)
MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: Prospective students are invited to visit Madison MS tonight, 6:30-8 pm. (3429 45th SW)
LAFAYETTE PTA TALKS BELL TIMES: 6:30 pm at Lafayette Elementary, the PTA meeting’s main topic is bell times, with assistant superintendent Pegi McEvoy as a special guest. Will Lafayette continue as West Seattle’s only elementary with a late (9:40 am) start? Here’s a chance to speak up. (California SW/SW Lander)
HIGHLINE PREMIER FOOTBALL CLUB ‘TOWN HALL’: Find out more about HPFC and what next year might look like, at a “Town Hall” gathering tonight, 6:30 pm:
• Meet our new Director, Lee Hitchen
• Learn about the USSF mandated changes (birth year, field size, roster size)
• Birth Year training
• See our fresh new look for next year (badge, logo, uniforms)
• Team and Player recognitions
• College prep
All welcome – players, parents, any community members interested in finding out about HPFC. At Grace Church. (10323 28th SW)
THAT’S JUST THE START … even more events for today and tonight are on our complete calendar.
One West Seattle project of note in today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin: It’s comment time for a South Delridge project going through Streamlined Design Review (a process that doesn’t require a public meeting). Four 3-story, 2-unit townhouse buildings, with 8 offstreet parking spaces, are planned to replace a house at 9043 18th SW (map). February 24th is the comment deadline if you want to be sure the city takes into account potential design issues for this project and this site. Here’s the official notice published today, which includes information on how to send a comment. No design packet is visible on the city website yet, and we’re asking the planners if one will be available; you can watch for it here.
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:23 AM: No incidents so far in or from West Seattle. As of right now, though, some of the regular SDOT cameras are stuck on earlier views – we’re checking to see if the others are being worked on.
7:36 AM: Fixed now, SDOT confirms. And since it’s still quiet:
TRANSPORTATION NEWS: Last night we reported on the changes in the works for the Fauntleroy/Endolyne Triangle … if you’re interested in light rail to West Seattle, the WS Transportation Coalition‘s survey remains open, looking for specific local opinions on route preference.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
The perfect-record season continues for the West Seattle High School girls’ basketball team – they defeated Roosevelt Wednesday night 53-39, and moving on to Friday’s Metro League title game.
We covered the WSHS game, but before we get to more on that, three other scores:
*The WSHS boys lost to Rainier Beach, 67-57, and will play Cleveland at 7:30 pm tonight (at Ingraham HS)
*The Chief Sealth IHS boys lost to Franklin, 85-45, and play again tonight (awaiting word on time/team)
*CSIHS girls lost to Rainier Beach, 44-41, and play Holy Names at home, 5:45 pm tonight
Now, back to the Wildcat girls’ victory:
Led by Metro League Coach of the Year Darnell Taylor, the WSHS girls ran out to a 20-point lead at one point in the second half, but Roosevelt went on its own run and closed to within five points.
WSHS managed to break Roosevelt’s full-court press and roar on to victory. Metro League MVP Lydia Giomi and All-League First Team Lexi Ioane both had 18 points.
The championship game is a rematch of a game two weeks ago when Blanchet was the only other undefeated Metro League team. They meet again at 5:45 pm Friday at Ingraham HS (1819 N. 135th).
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