West Seattle, Washington
08 Sunday
(One more photo from Herring’s House Park during last weekend’s Duwamish Alive! – see the gallery from WSB’s Leda Costa here)
Here are some highlights for the rest of your Tuesday. First, from the WSB West Seattle Halloween (etc.) Guide:
EL VESTIDO DE TLAMANALLI: Looking ahead to Dia de los Muertos, at the South Park Library, 6:30 pm tonight – “El Vestido de Tlamanalli“:
In this beautiful fable, author and actress Nora Girón-Dolce takes us on an imaginary trip to the beginnings of the Mexican tradition of setting up the offering and altar for the dead. The audience will participate in the setting of a small offering that will help them understand its elements and their meaning. This program is presented entirely in Spanish. For children ages 3-11.
Details here. (8604 8th Ave. S.)
Now, two reasons you might want to go downtown tonight:
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARING: This is the council’s second evening public hearing to listen to what you want to, and/or don’t want to, see in the city budget. 5:30 pm at City Hall – signups for speakers start at 4:30 pm, according to the detailed budget-process update in City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s latest online post. (600 4th Ave.)
DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED JUNCTION REZONING: Remember those maps we published last week, the draft proposals for rezoning in “urban villages” as part of what the city calls Mandatory Housing Affordability? The process that led to those maps includes ongoing meetings of “focus groups” and the next one – open to the public – is tonight at City Hall. This group includes reps from the West Seattle Junction area, the West Seattle “urban village” with the most proposed changes.
(Direct link to West Seattle Junction map)
Particularly if you are a property owner in the area, you might want to go. 6 pm in Room 370. (600 4th Ave.)
And from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, on-peninsula highlights for tonight:
JUSTIN KAUSAL-HAYES: Live at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), 5-8 pm. No cover. Come early for Happy Hour specials 3-6 pm. (1936 Harbor SW)
DANCE AUDITIONS: A grant-funded program for young dancers 7-12 years old has hip-hop auditions at 6:30 pm, Bollywood auditions 7:15 pm, both at Dakota Place Park. Details and preregistration info are in our calendar listing. (California SW/SW Dakota)
WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, with an update from local police plus guests including Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon – see the preview at the end of last night’s Crime Watch roundup. You don’t have to be a Block Watch captain, or even member, to attend – all welcome. (2300 SW Webster)
JOE ROSS & THE BIRD WATCHERS: Honky-tonk jazz at Parliament Tavern, 8-11 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
LOTS MORE TO CONSIDER … on our complete-calendar page.
The calendar for the Southwest Design Review Board has been a little empty lately, but another meeting has just been set – what could be the final review for 4532 42nd SW, a 6-story mixed-use building planned for ~74 apartments over 5,302 square feet of retail and office space, with 71 offstreet parking spaces. This is immediately north of Capco Plaza (home to apartments and businesses including Junction QFC). The review is set for 6:30 pm Thursday, December 1st, at the Senior Center/Sisson Building (4217 SW Oregon). A 2008 proposal for the site fizzled; the current proposal went through three Early Design Guidance meetings (here’s our report on the third one last April), and you can find the city reports on them by following the links here.
Think global, act local. That applies to the Plant for the Planet youth movement, which the video above is about, and which is having its next daylong Plant for the Planet Academy for interested kids this Saturday, 9 am-5:30 pm, at Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Gatewood.
Do you know a young person who is concerned about climate change? Please spread the word about the upcoming Plant for the Planet Academy on October 29th. At this free day-long workshop, 50 students (ages 9-14) will learn how they can take action to protect and heal our environment, as part of Plant For The Planet – an international group of 34,000+ young people worldwide who are planting trees and leading communities to solve the climate crisis now.
At the Academy, students will learn how to present information to others about the science of climate change and ways to take positive action – both as individuals and as communities. Students will use hands-on activities to teach one another about climate science, how to plant a tree, how to give a climate presentation, and they will make plans with other ambassadors to engage our community on climate solutions. The upcoming Plant for the Planet Academy will culminate in an educational and moving slideshow presentation for families and the public, as the world’s newest Ambassadors for Climate Justice share what they have learned from each other and make their commitments to plant and speak for the trees, and for our environment!
It’s free, with snacks, a T-shirt, and the book “Tree by Tree” provided to participants. Here’s how to register.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:06 AM: So far, no incidents in/from West Seattle. Transportation-related notes:
JUNCTION BUS SHELTERS UPDATE: Here’s our followup about the plan to remove two shelters at the west end of the south side of SW Alaska near 44th SW.
EARLY DISMISSAL TOMORROW: Seattle Public Schools are out two hours early on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES MEETING THURSDAY: 5-6:30 pm Thursday at The Hall at Fauntleroy (in the historic schoolhouse at 9131 California SW), WSF plans a meeting to listen to concerns about the “triangle” route.
NEARBY TRAFFIC ALERT THIS WEEKEND: Friday night through Monday morning, East Marginal Way S. will be closed at Diagonal Ave. S. for railroad-track replacement. This means detours – all detailed here.
(Chalk art outside ‘Lunches with Love’ assembly location last year)
Community generosity tends to rise as the winter holidays draw near – and sometimes, the number of requests can be overwhelming. Here is an opportunity to do something early in the season. West Seattle/South Park entrepreneur and community advocate Lashanna Williams is planning this year’s “Lunches with Love“ again and sends word that the effort is beginning with a dropoff donation drive for “living supplies” – literally, the supplies that unsheltered people need for daily living. This week and next, a dropoff spot is set up for you to use any time to give any or all of the items they’re looking for – click ahead to see what’s needed and where: Read More
4 reader reports, one followup, and a look ahead to a meeting you might want to attend Tuesday:
TRUCK AND TOOLS STOLEN: HWLP says thieves took their truck last night from Arbor Heights, near 35th/104th – despite its alarm system – and while the truck was found via its tracking system, its starter and door locks are broken and “all my power tools are gone as well as all my hand tools and tool bags, along with most of my material used for everyday repairs, (copper fittings/ brass fittings/ nipples, etc.), many thousands of dollars worth.” The truck is “in police impound where they are searching for fingerprints” and HWLP can’t work without it or the tools.
AUTO THEFT, BREAK-INS: From Sebastian in the 4500 block of Delridge Way SW:
I live in a new housing community across from the Delridge soccer fields. One of my neighbors had this car stolen that was parked on Delridge and 2 of my neighbors had their cars broken into last night that were parked in our small private parking lot. We’ve lived in North Delridge for 2 years, and this is the first time we are aware of break-ins and car thefts in that area. Just wanted to make residents in that area aware of what is going on! My neighbors have alerted the police about all of these incidents.
MAILBOX THEFT: From Brian:
Just wanted to say my mail box was broken into last night on 25th SW/Juneau off Delridge. We own a security box and they ripped the hinges clean off. This isn’t the first time I’ve walked out to my car in the morning to see neighbors’ boxes open. Please beware if you live in the area.
ANYBODY MISSING THIS CAR? Spotted by Debra at 28th/Yancy today – missing all four wheels, she says:
We checked @getyourcarback and didn’t see the plate among the thefts listed there.
FOLLOWUP ON ROBBERY SUSPECTS: The lone adult suspect in a West Seattle holdup spree, a 19-year-old East Admiral resident who was among those arrested after that pursuit and crash in South Park last week, remains in jail, with bail set over the weekend at $7,500. He does not appear to have a felony record, at least in this state. Tomorrow is the charging headline if he and three juvenile suspects are to continue to be held, for now; we’ll continue following up. The robberies in which they are under investigation happened last week at the Admiral and Harbor Avenue 7-11s and the 41st/Admiral Chevron. Probable-cause documents say the Chevron robbery was thwarted by the clerk, who refused to hand over any money, asking, “Is this a joke?”
TOMORROW – WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS’ NETWORK: You don’t have to be a Block Watch Captain, or even in a block watch, to attend this monthly meeting full of helpful, illuminating information. 6:30 pm Tuesday (October 25th), the WSBWCN agenda has expanded – in addition to the Southwest Precinct‘s Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon, two more guests are planned, precinct researcher Jennifer Burbridge to talk about this year’s Public Safety Survey (taken it yet? publicsafetysurvey.org) and Jake Hellenkamp from Seattle Neighborhood Group to speak briefly about a new crime-prevention project in eastern West Seattle. (2300 SW Webster)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
As promised, we followed up today on the Junction bus-shelter removal that was abruptly announced by the appearance of RIDER ALERT signs over the weekend (here’s our Saturday story).
Metro just announced it will “pause” the removal plan while soliciting feedback. Its answers to questions we asked this morning just came in; first, here’s what we learned while talking this afternoon with Lora Swift, director of the West Seattle Junction Association, who helped organize the October 6th walking tour that preceded the plan (WSB coverage here).
First, she confirmed that the shelters planned for removal are the two to the right of the trash can in our photo above, NOT all four of the blue non-RapidRide shelters on the south side of SW Alaska. Metro had placed notices in all four of the structures, which led to some confusion. These two shelters are at a spot which has about 200 boardings a day, according to Metro, a dramatic drop from pre-RapidRide days (the RapidRide stops on the block see 1,300 boardings a day).
“The ridership doesn’t support having four giant bus shelters there,” Swift said. In addition to removing a space that is used more often by loiterers, she said, removal will “open up visually the path between the sidewalk and parking lot, and give (space) between the Honey Bucket and the shelters.” She said that should cut down on illegal activities such as drug dealing in the Honey Bucket – paid for by the city Human Services Department, which says one has been there since the Junction Association requested it more than 20 years ago.
The Honey Bucket itself will “stay for now,” Swift said, so there’ll be a public restroom there.
In discussion of the removal decision following our Saturday report, some commenters wondered about increasing enforcement. According to Swift, Metro Transit Police (a division of the King County Sheriff’s Office) are now “doing plainclothes patrols … getting on and off those buses,” and working with transients to direct them to services they might need that are available downtown but not here. She says Seattle Police are patroling the area as well.
In addition, Metro’s facilities division will be cleaning the shelters five days a week instead of three. And the Junction Association already has taken action to remove a bench in the adjacent parking lot, which, along with the Junction’s other parking lot on 44th, is being evaluated for lighting improvements.
One factor pointed out in the October 6th walking tour as another possible draw for loitering in the bus-stop area was a fixture with open electrical outlets. While they can’t be removed because they’re required for events in The Junction, Swift says they will be raised out of reach on a pole and locked up.
This all began, she said, with messages from merchants who had pointed out “increased transient behavior” at the bus stops, including drinking and sleeping – both of which are against Metro rules – and harassment of passersby.
Now, via spokesperson Jeff Switzer, here is Metro’s reply, just received, to several questions we asked this morning (part of it, toward the end, synchronizes with some of what the WSJA told us):
The King County Metro transit facility at Alaska Junction is incredibly important to our customers and to the functioning of the transit network in West Seattle. Due to the attention possible changes have received over the weekend, Metro is willing to push “pause” on the shelter removal and actively solicit feedback before finalizing the shelter removal plan. New information will be posted at the shelters within the next couple days and will provide the appropriate contact information. We also read the West Seattle Blog and other forums and will compile comments along with all other feedback we receive.
But Metro would also like to take a moment to clarify the proposal to reduce the number of shelters on SW Alaska Street at the Junction. The Alaska Junction transit facility consists of six individual bus stops or “Bays”. Bays 1 through 4 are located on SW Alaska between California and 44th avenues Southwest. Bay 2, on the south side of Alaska between 44th and the alley, is the subject of this discussion. Bay 2 has about 200 Metro boardings per average weekday. For comparison, Bay 1, between California and the alley, has about 1,300 boardings, while Bays 3 and 4 on the north side of Alaska each see about 400 boardings. Bays 5 and 6 are on 44th north of Alaska, on the east side of the street and they remain unchanged by this proposal.
West Seattle businesses, residents, and others have been seeking to identify improvements to reduce illegal and uncivil behavior in the area. The shelters closest to the City of Seattle provided porta-potty have been identified as facilitating this type of behavior and creating an unwelcoming if not unsafe environment for transit riders and others.
Two factors – ridership that does not justify the number of shelters, and numerous complaints of illegal and uncivil behavior – combined to prompt Metro to plan for removal of the two shelters closest to the Porta Potty. The remaining two shelters would continue to provide very generous waiting space for Metro riders, as would the two Rapid Ride shelters in Bay 1 next to Key Bank. Bay 4 (immediately across Alaska Street) currently has two large shelters and twice as many Metro boardings as Bay 2, and we have observed the Bay 4 shelters provide adequate space for riders.
Metro regularly evaluates issues with Metro bus shelters and makes decisions on the installation and removal of bus shelters, as ridership and circumstances change at bus stops. The plan to remove these two Metro shelters arose out of concerns raised by the West Seattle Junction Association (WSJA), and subsequent meetings between WSJA, Metro Transit Police, the Seattle Police Department, and others regarding security issues in the junction, including loitering, public inebriation, fights, illegal dumping, public urination, and harassment of Metro bus riders and others. The removal of these shelters is one of several efforts in the Junction area that is attempting to address quality of life issues.
Removal of the two shelters at Bay 2 is one of several actions that WSJA and Metro are taking to improve security and maintenance at the Junction. Other efforts include:
· Metro Transit Police have started a “Problem Solving Project” in partnership with the Seattle Police Department SW Precinct to deal with code of conduct and quality of life issues to improve safety and security for business and citizens using the junction
· Possible additional lighting in the adjacent parking lots by WSJA
· Tree and bush trimming by WSJA in the adjacent parking lots to improve visibility into the lots
· Metro will increase custodial maintenance at the Junction bus stops from three times per week to five times per week.
Metro is looking forward to hearing further public comment and adjusting the proposal in ways that can both serve riders and improve public safety.
Seven quick biznotes from the local food/drink scene:
FIT BAR TURNS 1: Announced via Instagram, today is the one-year anniversary of the Fit Bar Café in The Admiral District (2222 California SW), with celebratory discounts tomorrow.
PEEL & PRESS TURNS 2: Today through Sunday, Peel & Press in Morgan Junction (6503 California SW) is celebrating its second anniversary, offering diners a free appetizer or dessert.
STUFFED CAKES TURNING 6: And at 9003 35th SW, Stuffed Cakes is about to turn 6 – mark your calendar for Saturday, November 5th, 10 am-3 pm, when the party will include free mini-cupcakes, face-painting, and prizes.
PELLEGRINI ITALIAN MARKET: Starting tomorrow, Pellegrini Italian Market in The Junction (4521 California SW) has new hours – 11:30 am-8 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, 10 am-4 pm Sundays, closed Mondays. They’ll also have a Happy Hour – 3-5 pm, including $4 glasses of wine with menu entrées.
OUNCES DELAY: If you checked in over the weekend, you might have seen the update that Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW) has delayed its soft open. New date soon.
Two notes from our partner site White Center Now:
COMPANY STORE: 21+ bar/restaurant now open in what was Company (9608 16th SW) – WCN story here.
MOONSHOT COFFEE: Soft-opened last weekend in what was Caffé Delia (9622 16th SW) – WCN story here.
12:40 PM: Thanks to the texter who pointed out that Orca Network spotters are seeing orcas heading this way – southbound from Discovery Park on the north side of Elliott Bay as of a little while ago. So if you can, watch for them from West Seattle shores, and please let us know if you see them; we won’t be able to check for a while.
P.S. Our most-recent whale report involved humpbacks passing by on Saturday – if you only saw the early version, we have since added an awesome photo.
1:33 PM: Another texter says they’re visible from Constellation Park right now.
2:01 PM: Thanks to Gary Jones for photos from Alki Point!
2:54 PM: They’ve passed Fauntleroy, according to comment updates; you’re advised to watch for Mark Sears’s small research boat. From up here on the hillside, we’re seeing seiners apparently chasing the same salmon as the orcas.
3:48 PM: If you’re out watching for the orcas, you might see another type of whale too – one commenter mentions a southbound humpback, while an e-mail tip mentions what looked like a northbound gray headed toward the lighthouse a little while ago. (If you’re not sure what you’re seeing, here’s the ID guide on West Seattle-based The Whale Trail‘s site.)
4:56 PM: Now headed northbound, says Susan in comments.
ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: Thanks to Monica Zaborac for two more photos of the orcas that visited today!
(West Seattle Blog/White Center Now photo by Patrick Sand)
11:46 AM: A busy route between West Seattle and White Center/Shorewood is blocked right now by a crash response. 26th SW is closed at the intersection where SW 106th becomes 107th because of the crash in our photo above. Our crew says 2 vehicles were involved and one person is being taken to Harborview. King County’s major crash investigations team is on the way out so this is likely to be closed for a while. Our crew says east-west traffic is being allowed through one lane at a time, but we’d advise avoiding the area entirely.
12:11 PM: Metro has sent this re-route alert – “not serving stop at 26th/106th, use stop at Seola Beach Dr. SW & SW 106th or 26th/SW 100th.”
2:21 PM: Just went back to check – intersection completely blocked.
3:53 PM: Metro has just texted/tweeted that its bus stop on 26th SW has reopened, which we’ll take as an announcement that the intersection has opened to all vehicles.
ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: A bit more information from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West – the collision happened around 11:13 this morning. The driver of the Toyota SUV suffered a “head laceration” and reportedly lost consciousness at some point so that’s why he was taken to Harborview. She expects access to the crash report at some point tomorrow so we’ll check back to see if there’s anything more to report.
ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Sgt. West gave us this additional information: The 61-year-old man driving the Toyota Sequoia had the green light; the 69-year-old woman driving the Nissan Murano briefly stopped while northbound on 26th but then proceeded to run the red and hit the Toyota, which then hit the light pole. Its driver was taken to the hospital with a head injury, but as his wife reported in comments, he has been released and is back home.
She also says their dog, assisted at the scene as shown in the reader photo above (thanks for sending it and our apologies for not adding it yesterday), was found at a shelter.
Thanks to James Bratsanos for capturing the brief moment this morning when the sunrise turned the Olympics’ new snowcaps pink, before the grayness reclaimed it all. Now, on to what’s ahead for the rest of today/tonight. First, as Hallo-week begins, here are two events from the WSB Halloween (etc.) Guide:
DECORATE SUGAR SKULLS: 4-6 pm, faculty and families of the Southwest Early Learning Bilingual Preschool are inviting you to join them in decorating sugar skulls for an upcoming Dia De Los Muertos celebration! At the SWEL Bilingual Preschool. (5405 Delridge Way SW)
HARVEST FESTIVAL, 5-7 pm at The Salvation Army‘s gym. “Come dressed up in costumes to win a costume contest, play carnival games, win prizes, and of course- a ton of candy before Halloween even gets here! Free. Fun. Safe. All ages. No drugs or alcohol permitted.” (9050 16th SW)
And from our regular year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
TINKERLAB DROP-IN: 6 pm at Delridge Library, this week’s drop-in Tinkerlab STEM-based crafts focus on “Future Fashion” – details in our calendar listing. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
ALL-AGES MONDAY QUIZ: 7:30 pm at The Skylark. Free! (3803 Delridge Way SW)
CRACKER FACTORY AT WSBC: 8 pm at West Seattle Brewing Company in The Triangle, live music with Cracker Factory. No cover; 21+. (4515 Fauntleroy Way SW)
PUB QUIZ @ SHADOWLAND: 8 pm at Shadowland in The Junction, they have questions, you have answers! (California SW/SW Oregon)
SOMETHING FOR THE CALENDAR AND/OR HALLOWEEN (ETC.) GUIDE? E-mail the info – plain text in the body of your e-mail, please, not as an attachment – to editor@westseattleblog.com; thank you!
P.S. Reminder – Southwest Pool is closed for the next three weeks, as previewed/explained here.
Two West Seattle Water Taxi notes this morning:
EXTENDED SCHEDULE ON THURSDAY: Just announced via text and on the WT website, the West Seattle Water Taxi will run on an extended schedule this Thursday, for the Sounders FC playoff match. The times are on the schedule page.
LAST WEEK OF THIS YEAR’S 7-DAY-A-WEEK SCHEDULE: This also gives us the opportunity to mention that it’s the final week of this year’s seven-day-a-week schedule – after next Sunday, the 5-day-a-week fall/winter schedule begins on Monday (October 31st). You can also preview that on the WSWT schedule page. The 5-day-a-week schedule runs through March 31, 2017.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:20 AM: The fire call at 12th/Cloverdale in Highland Park is wrapping up, so we’re moving on with today’s traffic coverage.
Notes for this week include:
JUNCTION BUS SHELTERS: If you’ve seen the notices on the south side of SW Alaska near 44th, here’s what they’re about. Watch for our followup later today.
EARLY DISMISSAL WEDNESDAY: Seattle Public Schools get out two hours early on Wednesday (October 26th).
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES MEETING THURSDAY: 5-6:30 pm Thursday (October 27th) at The Hall at Fauntleroy (in the historic schoolhouse at 9131 California SW), WSF comes to Fauntleroy to talk with you, open-house-style, about the latest round of traffic challenges related to the terminal.
ADMIRAL TRICK-OR-TREAT FRIDAY: The sidewalks and crosswalks in The Admiral District will be extra-busy 3-6 pm Friday (October 28th) for the annual business trick-or-treating event.
7:55 AM: Just spun through the live cameras; the low bridge is moving a little slower than the high bridge, but otherwise, no incidents.
7:02 AM: A big Seattle Fire response is on the way to a house near 12th SW and SW Cloverdale. The first unit arriving says it’s a “small kitchen fire.”
7:08 AM: SFD confirms it’s a kitchen fire, put out quickly, and is downgrading the call, though you’ll still see several fire units there for a while.
7:18 AM: Our crew is there and has talked to SFD, which says no one was hurt. Units are continuing to wrap up and depart. We’ve added a photo, above.
Photos by Leda Costa for West Seattle Blog
So much happened in West Seattle this weekend … but we would argue, this is the most important. On the Duwamish River and in its watershed, hundreds of volunteers gathered to offer some help via the twice-yearly Duwamish Alive! habitat restoration and cleanup gatherings. All sizes of volunteers, including Paislee Kelm and Nash Randow-Kelm:
They were working at Herring’s House Park on the river – explained on the Duwamish Alive! website as “a 15.5 acre location created in 1999 primarily as habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon as they journey to Puget Sound.” It’s across from the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, one of nine areas where people gathered on Saturday, one of two visited by WSB photojournalist Leda Costa – more of her photos ahead: Read More
Runners, walkers, and bikers stopped along Alki for a while this morning to try to figure out what Martin Garthwaite and Alex Miller were doing in that human-powered watercraft going back and forth along the boardwalk seawall. They weren’t rowing, and they weren’t pedaling. They were using the fishBOOT, which “swims like a marine mammal,” as its inventor Garthwaite explained, and as could be seen once it was out of the water – one moving part, a flexible hull, and “a big flipper”:
The fishBOOT is a means to an end – call it a small fish in a big project. Garthwaite is using it to research the principles behind what he calls the fishBOAT. That would be an unmanned vessel – a waterborne drone – with many possible uses and benefits including using less fuel. He explained some of it to us as he and Miller came back to the beach:
Miller has his own track record with unmanned watercraft, as a member of a team we’ve reported on here before, AMNO & CO, award-winning ROV competitors. He said the difference between that work and this project involves many factors, from water flow to math. We hope to follow up on where this project goes!
With the Seahawks on the road, the biggest football event in the city happened at West Seattle Stadium this afternoon.
Hundreds came to watch as the Snoop Youth Football League and its founder, music and TV star Snoop Dogg, joined with Seattle Parks and local football organizations to present the first West Coast Clash. (Above is a play from the opening game, the Ravens vs. the Cowboys.)
As promised, Snoop was on the sidelines as the second game sent his Diamond Valley Steelers from Pomona, California, up against Seattle’s Rainier Ravens.
Snoop has been coaching youth football for more than a decade, as chronicled in an online documentary series earlier this year. He was being tracked by a Netflix crew during today’s event.
The celebrity coach wasn’t the only draw at today’s event – youth football-and-cheer leagues are popular in neighborhoods around the city, including ours.
Also spotted at WS Stadium today – Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, who is also, as the Seattle Globalist noted earlier this year, a youth football coach.
By the way, final score of the big game, per this online broadcast, Ravens 24, Steelers 7.
Now that this weekend’s big events have wrapped up, we’re looking ahead to Hallo-week, and we’re continuing to update the WSB West Seattle Halloween (etc.) Guide. Additions this weekend include the confirmation that the popular animatronic show Skeleton Theatre will be back (October 31-November 1st) and the Duwamish Longhouse Halloween Party next Sunday night. Plus you’ll find info on myriad other events including the Junction Harvest Festival, also one week from today. If you’re having a Halloween/harvest/fall/Dia de Los Muertos event open to the public between now and November 1st and it’s not already listed, please send us info ASAP – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
2:50 PM: The Fauntleroy Fall Festival might be the only place you’ll hear a Prince cover with ukuleles:
Prince tribute with ukuleles at Fauntleroy Fall Festival… pic.twitter.com/uMOk2ivuCC
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 23, 2016
The Back Porch Apostles are playing in the Fauntleroy Church/Y parking lot right now, which is one of the centers of activity during the festival, continuing until 5 pm. Lots of kid activities in the lot, including an annual favorite – making salmon hats, in honor of nearby Fauntleroy Creek:
On the north side of the lot, Seattle Fire Engine 37 from Sunrise Heights was visiting, along with the local Seattle Police Mobile Precinct:
Another center is The Hall at Fauntleroy on the other side of the 9100 block of California SW. Inside – more music plus the cake-decorating contest, to be followed by the cakewalk. We were totally surprised to see the cake on the left:
(3:40 pm note – the truck cake on the right won the “advanced” division!) More festival updates to come – here’s the schedule of what’s happening, where, and when, and here’s the list of food/drink available for purchase (everything else here is free).
3:30 PM UPDATE: Some of the festival activities are hidden gems – you have to wander into the church lobby to find the West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ “instrument petting zoo”:
In the Vashon Room of The Hall at Fauntleroy, meantime, it’s cakewalk time!
And on the east side of The Hall, the West Seattle Big Band will be playing at 3:45 – lots of room to dance!
4:09 PM UPDATE: Evidence of that last statement:
The WSBB plays until 5 pm, when the festival wraps up. It’s always musically abundant – in addition to offering the instrument “zoo” mentioned above, the WSCO had a Brass Sextet (plus percussionist) performing in the church’s fellowship hall:
Thanks to Toni Reineke (third from the left) for sharing that photo. One more festival center we haven’t mentioned yet – outside Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, to the west, pony rides, music, a playground, and a petting zoo with goats among other fuzzy friends:
The festival is a collaboration between community groups, institutions, organizations, and businesses, running on volunteer power and donations. If you would like to donate and missed the chance at the festival, just go here.
P.S. Some of the festival faces – first, Fauntleroy Creek watershed steward Judy Pickens, who’s a legend with the salmon hat-making:
Festival partner Fauntleroy Community Association:
The D Squared/Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes/Hall at Fauntleroy team:
And Lonjina Verdugo from Wildwood Market, soon to open in Fauntleroy:
Next event in Fauntleroy – gather to drum and sing the coho home to the creek, 5 pm next Sunday (October 30th) at the fish-ladder overlook across from the ferry terminal.
The most-important agenda at the quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting this past Wednesday was the briefing on the then-impending release of the draft rezoning maps for Morgan Junction and West Seattle’s three other “urban villages.” We covered that part of the meeting in this report on Thursday, when the four maps went public for Morgan, Admiral, Westwood-Highland Park, and The Junction. So today, we’re publishing the rest of the toplines from the MoCA meeting, which touched on many other topics, with updates that might interest you even if you don’t live/work in Morgan:
LOWMAN BEACH SEAWALL, WITH A SURVEY FOR YOU
10:57 AM: We have just received reader reports about two stolen cars you are asked to help look for:
SILVER HONDA CIVIC: Russell says his brother’s 3-door silver Civic, license #AZH2263, was stolen from 13th/Webster this morning. He adds, “Also, he is a construction worker. There was a copious amount of hand tools and power tools. Possible that people will be pawning his tools soon.”
BLACK AUDI Q7: Received by text: “Our Black 2015 Audi Q7 was stolen last night (Saturday) sometime between 11pm and 7 AM (Sunday) from the North Admiral neighborhood (45th Ave SW). The license plate # is VM8672.” One distinctive thing: “Right rear lower door panel was missing showing white plastic panel attachments.”
Call 911 if you see either car.
UPDATE: The Audi’s owners texted to say that thanks to this post, it’s been found.
(WSB photo – Jimmy and Johnny Rolfe with Java)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Nook is taking over what was the Mind Unwind/Treehouse Lounge space in the north end of The Admiral District.
It’ll be a “cozy, quaint” neighborhood bar/lounge/small-plates space run by brothers Jimmy and Johnny Rolfe, with whom we talked this weekend as they worked on the space, which they just bought on Friday from Krystal Kelley, Jason Nivens, and Zac Hutchins. (Kelley’s art collaboration with students will continue – more on that below.)
Many West Seattleites will know Jimmy from his roles at Matador, from West Seattle bartending to his current corporate beverage/bar-operation responsibilities. Johnny has a culinary background. Since the space at 2206 California SW [map] is limited – “not much of a kitchen” – their food offerings will be small plates.
But The Nook will have a full bar, along with beer and wine – with a “local focus,” the brothers say, in an “eclectic array” of offerings. When you add in the second-floor loft space, there’s seating capacity for about 70 people. It will be open to all ages, with a couple of screens that also will likely display an “eclectic” mix – “might be golf one day, snowboarding another,” say the Rolfes. And there’s some outdoor seating, too.
Hours? They’re still deciding, but ultimately they plan to “let the neighborhood tell us” what hours make sense. And they hope to be open within a few weeks.
Now, the future of Mind Unwind, which opened in the then-newly built space almost five years ago as an art/events space, with the addition of Treehouse Lounge less than a year later: Kelley says it will continue as a nonprofit foundation working with students on art and other creative projects – she’s been primarily working at elementary-school campuses anyway.
Meantime, The Nook is working on its online presence (remember, the deal just closed!) and we’ll add a link when they’re up.
(Morning beach scene, photographed by Don Brubeck)
Good morning! First, this weekend’s road-work reminder:
LOWER SPOKANE STREET DETOURS: Through tonight, you need to be aware of the detours if you’re headed for Harbor Island or using other parts of the surface route east of the low bridge – details are in this SDOT alert.
Now, the happenings – from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in the street in the heart of The Junction. The WSFM is open year-round. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
SKI SWAP: 11 am-4 pm, it’s the annual West Seattle Ski Swap, presented by Mountain to Sound Outfitters at Post 160 next door. (3618 SW Alaska)
SNOOP YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE FEATURING COACH SNOOP DOGG: It’s the West Coast Clash – Seattle Ravens vs. Pomona Steelers – at noon at West Seattle Stadium, presented by the Snoop Youth Football League – whose founder Coach Snoop Dogg will be on hand – and Seattle Parks. Lots of background in this Seattle Medium preview. Tickets $5 youth/$10 adults. (4432 35th SW)
JUNCTION EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION HUB OPENS: Noon-3 pm, a special chance to go get familiar with West Seattle’s newest volunteer-powered Emergency Communication Hub – the 13th Hub is in The Junction, in the parking lot at Hope Lutheran Church. (42nd SW/SW Oregon)
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: 2-5 pm in and around Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, The Hall at Fauntleroy, Fauntleroy Church/YMCA, it’s three big hours of fun – see the activity list/schedule here! Everything’s free except the food if you choose to indulge – here’s the list of what’s being sold and at what price. Go have a great time! (9131-9140 California SW)
LIZ NAVARRO @ C & P: Texas singer-songwriter performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
MAGGIE LAIRD @ SKYLARK: All-ages show, 6-9 pm, $5 cover, at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
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