West Seattle, Washington
22 Thursday
From the WSB inbox this morning and overnight:
CAR-THEFT ATTEMPT FAILS: Someone tried to steal Aaron‘s car in south Morgan Junction:
My car was broken into for the second time last night. This time, prying the door locks open with something. Also forcing something into the ignition. They couldn’t keep it running, however, and got to the end of my street and left it. (4300 block SW Frontenac)
MORE MYSTERY BOOMS: Three different times and places mentioned in e-mail reports:
-Heard from Arbor Heights, one “crazy explosion noise” around 9:45 pm
-Heard east of Chief Sealth International High School, “two large explosions” around 12:15 am
-Heard near lower Westcrest Park, “several loud explosions” around 3:30 am
All we can say for sure is that we haven’t found any fire/injury/outage calls related to any of these.
(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)
6:39 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far. Chance of showers/thundershowers today, says the forecast, and other parts of the metro area are seeing them already.
LOOKING AHEAD: The west end of the West Seattle Bridge will be closed overnight Wednesday and Thursday nights, as announced last week … Next Saturday morning (July 23rd) brings the West Seattle Grand Parade, Kiddie Parade, and Float Dodger 5K, which close California SW south of SW Admiral Way into early afternoon – here’s our most recent preview.
8:25 AM: Trouble on the Northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct – a crash just before the Western Avenue exit. WSDOT says it’s “blocking the right lane and partially blocking the off-ramp.” We’re also seeing an SFD crash response for 1st Avenue S. at East Marginal Way S. – no details on that one, though.
8:41 AM: SDOT says the Viaduct crash scene has cleared. No injuries reported; SFD was not dispatched.
If you live near any of these projects, we hope you’ve received the notification flyers already. Otherwise, you might have seen “no parking” signage and wondered – so we’re passing along the news from Seattle Public Utilities. Follow the “official notice” links for full details, including maps:
TODAY: In the 1600 block of Edgewood SW in North Admiral, SPU expects to start emergency repair work today on a broken sewer line and “roadway void.” Here’s the official notice.
THIS WEEK: On 46th SW north of Hudson, SPU expects to start sewer-repair work in two spots starting this week. Here’s the official notice.
NEXT WEEK:: One week from today, SPU expects to start work on mainline sewer repair along 50th SW between Spokane and Charlestown. Here’s the official notice.
Thanks to Angie for the photos: Her North Admiral neighborhood has a “Play Street” set up for Sunday afternoons/evenings this summer, at 44th/Massachusetts. It’s been two years since the city launched the program, which allows residents to apply for permits to close up to a block of a non-arterial neighborhood street so people of all ages can get out and play. You need to set up road-closure signs, too; here’s one from 44th/Massachusetts:
The map on this city webpage shows four other “Play Streets” in West Seattle right now – three others in Admiral, one in Seaview. Angie says 44th/Massachusetts will be open for play 3-9 pm Sundays for the rest of the summer. Want to have one too? Here’s the application.
On this perfect sunny Sunday, today’s annual West Seattle Garden Tour drew hundreds to 10 homes. We stopped at three:
In the upper Arroyos, the southernmost WSGT stop was the “Off the Grid” bluffside home with a showstopper Puget Sound view that almost overshadowed the garden. Almost, but not quite:
The home was called “Off the Grid” rainwater-storage-and-circulation system and solar power were the draws; the water system supplies indoor uses in the rainy months, as well as garden irrigation when needed.
From there, we headed north to Westwood/Sunrise Heights, and the “Little City Farms Hideaway” home:
As described in the Tour guide, this is “a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired home surrounded by copious fruit and vegetable gardens”:
Statuary in a corner offered, and brought, a smile:
ALKI GARDENER’S RETREAT: None of our stops were sprawling gardens at mansions – all were at relatively small homes, inspiring dreams of what could be done with even the smallest of spaces.
This home was billed as belonging to “a botanist who was head gardener at Seattle Center for 20 years and goes to plant nurseries for entertainment.”
That was easy to see, with unusual plants and memorable color combinations:
Also from Alki:
WHAT IT TAKES TO GET READY: Local arborist and photographer Michael Oxman sent this photo of the honey locust tree that towers over another stop on today’s tour, “Whitecap,” as Robert Oxman climbed it to prepare it for its day in the spotlight:
As explained in the WSGT guide, the owner is also responsible for the now-iconic ALKI sign spelled out in white rocks at Admiral/59th, not far from Whitecap.
The West Seattle Garden Tour is a fundraiser for local nonprofits. And because gardens are peaking earlier these days, next year’s tour will be in June, not July, according to information circulated to volunteers; thanks to Mike for the tip on this.
Recognize that bicycle? Carol sent the photo, explaining:
Friday night, two of our bikes were stolen from our garage in the Fauntleroy neighborhood and the attached bike was left behind. We’re assuming this bike was stolen. The found bike is with the local police if anyone recognizes it. Our bikes are both white. One is a woman’s Diamondback and the other a K2 Astral. We have filed a police report and know the bike’s serial numbers if they are found. Sadly, our teenage girls have had a damper put into their summer with their bikes gone.
Think it’s calm out there this afternoon? Not for a few moments just before 4 pm at Highland Park playground, according to someone who called us. A “whirlwind” swept through, picking up and swirling wood chips in the air. Nobody was hurt but, the caller said, it was startling, to say the least. We asked the National Weather Service about this via Twitter; they hadn’t heard anything, but then Marcia joined the conversation, saying, “It was CRAZY! Blankets and clothes went flying in the air. Someone lost their kite!” The NWS says it sounds like a “whirlwind/dust devil” – apparently these can and do happen anywhere.
Thanks to Greg for the photo of San Francisco’s future fireboat, “which has been circling (and enjoying a wonderful sunny Sunday afternoon) in Puget Sound, south of the lighthouse for the past few hours.” It’s been in the area a while – the 88′ x 25′ x 14′ “super-pumper” fireboat was built at Vigor on Harbor Island. According to a Reddit member who included a photo from on board earlier today, the fireboat will head south for delivery within the next week. It cost about $12 million, reports the San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco kids were invited to enter a contest to name the new fireboat (so far we haven’t found word of a winner).
P.S. Checking MarineTraffic.com right before publishing this at 4:29 pm, we see it’s still out there, labeled as “Fireboat 3.”
Something extra on the Alki Beach promenade west of Statue of Liberty Plaza today – a piano that you’re invited to see, and play!
The piano will be there until 7 pm, as part of this year’s Pianos in the Parks; it’s one of 10 “artistically enhanced pianos” that have been placed, mostly for one-day stops, in parks around the region. This one is by artist Brittany Carchano and titled “Nostalgic Tides“; she says it was inspired by growing up in West Seattle.
Just found out about this – it’s an update to our standing calendar listing for the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting (coming up this Wednesday), and an update to the mention in our latest edition of WSB EXTRA:
Pete Spalding from the DNDC tells WSB that in the wake of Mayor Murray‘s announcement last week about cutting city ties with, and support for, neighborhood-district councils (WSB coverage here), DNDC is inviting DC reps from all over the city to their meeting at 7 pm Wednesday. It’s moving locations to Highland Park Improvement Club for the occasion.
Spalding says the goal will be a discussion of “what the DCs bring to our neighborhoods, the city, and its agencies – (not a) bash-the-mayor event but more along the lines of what we have (accomplished) and can accomplish with more city support in addition to what we already do.” Public welcome as always. HPIC is at 12th SW/SW Holden. Watch for more on this.
(Bald eagles on the beach, photographed by Ben Oleson)
Here are some of the ways you can enjoy this summer Sunday – from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE GARDEN TOUR: 9 am-5 pm, ticket-book buyers can tour 10 inspiring West Seattle gardens at their own pace. You need a ticket book for admission (including the 12:30 pm lecture) and locations – check West Seattle Nursery or Junction True Value all day, or, between 8:30 and 11 am only, Metropolitan Market-Admiral (WSB sponsor). Proceeds benefit local nonprofits; children under 12 are free.
PIANO IN THE PARK, IN WEST SEATTLE 10 am-7 pm, find a special piano at Alki Beach Park, one day only! You’re welcome to play it – and/or, come watch a performance by Nader Kabbani, noon-12:30 pm. (60th SW/Alki SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, peak summer produce, and more. Back in the street this weekend. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
MEDITERRANEAN FANTASY FESTIVAL, DAY TWO: 11 am-5 pm, nonstop bellydancing in and outside Hiawatha Community Center (free admission), plus vendor and food booths. 29th year! No admission charge. (2700 California SW)
SUNDAY FUNDAY: 1-3 pm at the Log House Museum, special family activities and refreshments. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
WHILE YOU’RE AT THE BEACH … TOUR ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: 1-4 pm (be there by 3:40 pm), the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary welcomes your visit to historic Alki Point Lighthouse. (Alki SW/Beach Drive SW)
JAMTIME: 1-4 pm old-time music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) with Jamtime. (5612 California SW)
BOEING’S WEST SEATTLE ROOTS: Peder Nelson from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society presents a look at Boeing’s origins on this side of the Duwamish, as previewed here. 2 pm at South Park Library. (8604 8th Ave. S.)
AND IN WHITE CENTER … the Jubilee Days festival continues, with the street fair keeping 17th SW closed between Roxbury and 100th all day, and the parade on 16th SW between 100th and 116th, 10 am-1 pm.
At @wsmovies – still an hour to sunset, courtyard at @hotwirecoffee is wall to wall. @starwars Ep VII at dusk! pic.twitter.com/KC2cXzz4Mw
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 17, 2016
8:18 PM: We’re in the courtyard at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) with a wall-to-wall crowd ready to enjoy the first of 2016’s six West Seattle Outdoor Movies – at dusk, “Star Wars Episode VII.” The movie’s free but it’s also a fundraiser for local nonprofits – the Southwest Seattle Historical Society sells, and benefits from, concessions; donated prizes are up for grabs in raffles that tonight will benefit WestSide Baby (whose big Stuff The Bus diaper drive is a week from tomorrow). Pre-show trivia (put together by WSB co-publisher Patrick) is about to start. More to come!
8:30 PM: In the photo above, that’s Hotwire proprietor Lora Swift, who has produced the outdoor-movie series for more than a dozen years now – this is a momentous year because at season’s end, it moves to the “festival street” by the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), where there’s more room (and tonight’s turnout is another reminder that it’s much-needed)! Lora was taking a group photo of tonight’s crowd – we’ll link to it when it’s up. (Update: Here’s the actual pic)
8:41 PM: Trivia’s under way. Starting with an easy one – “Who said ‘it’s a trap’?” and it’s been getting tougher from there.
9:06 PM: Congratulations to “T,” trivia winner! The moon is rising over the building with the WSOM screen, and now we’re just waiting for it to be dark enough to see the movie. If you didn’t make it here (or get a seat) this week, next week is “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” with live music pre-show. Sponsors will include The Beer Junction, which promises “ice cream floats with Husky Deli Ice Cream and Snoqualmie Root Beer.” By the way, you never know what treats you might get at WSOM, besides the concessions (which are a deal at $1) – tonight, for example, Coastline (the burger joint just down the block) brought over some of their world-famous cookies.
11:40 PM: Movie over, courtyard cleanup commencing. Perfect night! Thanks to everyone who came.
(WSB photo: Girl Scout Troop 45180 in last year’s Grand Parade)
Just making sure that you know we are now one week away from the West Seattle Grand Parade – 11 am Saturday, July 23rd, it starts in The Admiral District, at California/Lander, and heads south on California to The Junction, where it ends at Edmunds about two hours later. In the week ahead, as is a WSB tradition, we’ll bring you a closer look at who and what you’ll see.
It’s not just a day for sitting and watching – before the big parade arrives, kids have the chance to participate in the Kiddie Parade, which travels a shorter route in the heart of The Junction:
The Kiddie Parade goes from California/Genesee to California/Edmunds starting around 10 am Saturday, with the Junior All-City Band scheduled to participate as well as the West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court. And all this follows the Float Dodger 5K run:
(Float Dodger 5K: WSB file photo)
West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) presents the Float Dodger 5K at 9:30 am on parade morning – this year, it will start and finish on the track at Hiawatha Playfield, which is right next to the start of the parade route at California/Lander. It’s a benefit for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and West Seattle Food Bank – costumes encouraged! – and you can register online right now. (Or register tomorrow or any time this week in person at West Seattle Runner, 2743 California SW.)
(WSB photos. Above, Benu Rising from Eugene)
Looking for something to do this afternoon? Go to Hiawatha Community Center and see the dancers at the 29th Mediterranean Fantasy Festival!
The performances are close to continuous – here’s the schedule – inside the gym and on the outdoor stage to its south, up until 7 tonight. And browse dozens of vendor booths/tables:
You’ll meet interesting people from near and far, like dancer/artist Dina Lydia Johnson of Highland Park:
Admission is free, and the festival continues with another full slate of performances 11 am-5 pm tomorrow.
1:39 PM: A “full response” Seattle Fire call to an apartment building in the 8400 block of Delridge Way SW has been downsized already. But we’re en route to see what’s happening.
1:50 PM: “Grease fire,” we’re told. Nobody hurt, but some damage to the apartment. Cloverdale is impassable at the moment east of Delridge because of the fire units.
(Photo courtesy Fresh Flours Bakery)
Three months after Fresh Flours Bakery opened in South Delridge – an expansion for the mini-chain, and a homecoming for West Seattle-residing proprietors Etsuko and Keiji – its patio is now open. When they bought the 9410 Delridge Way SW site, now their production bakery for all Fresh Flours locations, they tore down the small old house on the north side of the commercial building, and that’s where the patio is now. FF is open 7 am-4 pm.
Might be some looky-loo slowdowns on northbound 35th Avenue SW just north of SW Trenton for a little while; the two cars in our photo got into a collision – the one in the foreground has front-end damage, the one in the background has rear-end damage – but have been moved off to the side. SFD was checking out a few people for possible injuries but no medic unit has been called, so nothing serious.
More baseball champs to congratulate! From Steelheads coach Darrell Glover:
Just wanted to let you know the West Seattle Steelheads won the West Seattle Baseball U10 Mustang Tournament last Sunday with a 10-0 victory over the West Seattle Baseball All-Stars. It was a true battle of West Seattle.
(The courtyard screen where West Seattle Outdoor Movies starts its 2016 season tonight – see below)
Good morning and welcome to the weekend! Here’s some of what you can do in West Seattle today/tonight – from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
MAKE ‘LUNCHES WITH LOVE’: 10 am-noon at West Seattle Art Nest, your helping hands – and/or ingredient donations – are appreciated, as volunteers make and distribute “Lunches with Love.” Details are in our preview. (4138 California SW)
URBAN FARM AND CHICKEN-COOP TOUR: Seattle Tilth tells us five West Seattle locations are part of today’s tour. Buy your ticket online and you’ll get the map for this self-guided tour. More info, and ticket link, here.
MEDITERRANEAN FANTASY FESTIVAL: 11 am-7 pm, the first of two days of belly-dancing performances and related vendors, happening inside and outside Hiawatha Community Center. The schedule and other info is linked in our preview. (2700 California SW)
COLMAN POOL CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC: Today is the final day of the swim-meet closures; the outdoor pool in Lincoln Park reopens to the public tomorrow.
KITTY HARBOR ADOPTIONS: 30 kittens and 12 adult cats await their new forever homes this weekend at Kitty Harbor in the Luna Park area. Just a few:
Open noon-4 pm. (3422 Harbor SW)
TOUR ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: 1-4 pm (be there by 3:40 pm), the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary welcomes your visit to historic Alki Point Lighthouse. (Alki SW/Beach Drive SW)
TALK WITH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: Questions, concerns, or anything else you want to discuss about Seattle Public Schools? Your elected School Board member Leslie Harris has her next community-conversation meeting at 3 pm today at Southwest Library. (35th SW/SW Henderson).
WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: 6:30 pm, the gates at the courtyard next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) open for this year’s first West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation: “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.” Movie’s at dusk (after 9 pm) but don’t be late – seats fill up fast AND you won’t want to miss SW trivia, with prizes! Free; bring $ for concessions and raffle, all raising $ for local nonprofits. Hotwire is open pre-movie for your beverage pleasure, too. WSB is proud to be a WSOM sponsor again this year, along with many fab local businesses and organizations – show them some love for making this happen. (4410 California SW)
ROO FORREST AND FRIENDS: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – “an eclectic mix of originals and covers.” (5612 California SW)
COLLAPSIBLE RODEO: 9 pm at Parliament Tavern, “old-timey music.” No cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
AND IN WHITE CENTER … remember that the Jubilee Days street fair is happening all weekend, which means 17th SW is closed between Roxbury and 100th.
THERE’S MORE … on our complete-calendar page!
Been waiting to see what’s next for 35th SW? A week and a half ago, we reported that SDOT had updated its website for the 35th Avenue SW Safety Project to announce an August 4th meeting for information on the next phase of the project (north of SW Morgan). We expected more details would emerge shortly thereafter. Finally, they have – published on the SDOT Blog:
We’re hosting a public meeting for our continued work with the 35th Ave SW Safety Corridor and new West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway planning.
The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW).
In 2015, we redesigned 35th Ave SW to reduce speeding, collisions, and injuries as part of our Vision Zero plan to end traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030. We have some early data to share at the meeting and want to hear your observations and experiences along the corridor.
We’re also studying routes for a new north-south neighborhood greenway parallel to 35th Ave SW. The new West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway will prioritize people walking and biking on residential streets.
At the meeting, we will share traffic data and you can help us find out where people want to walk and bike in the neighborhood, as well as what barriers stand in their way. Neighborhood greenways mean safer, calmer streets for you and your family.
We’re pairing our outreach and engagement for these two projects – the safety corridor and neighborhood greenway – to get the people who live, work, and travel in West Seattle comprehensive information.
Please join us at the open house and learn how we plan to improve the safety for everyone.
Open House on the 35th Avenue SW Road Safety Corridor Project
Thursday, August 4 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Neighborhood House
6400 Sylvan Way SW, Room 207
Project manager Jim Curtin had told us that the next phase of 35th SW was being tied to the greenway work. Meantime, still no media notification about this meeting, so hat tip to Michael Taylor-Judd of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition for spotting the SDOT Blog link and posting it tonight on the District 1 discussion page.
9:20 PM: If you didn’t know Peder Nelson already, you might have met him at West Seattle Summer Fest last weekend – he’s vice president of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society board, and he was taking the 360-degree We Love The Junction photos (among other things, including conducting walking tours). In the SWSHS video clip above, he invites you to SWSHS’s next SouthWest Stories presentation – in honor of The Boeing Company‘s centennial (today!), you can find out about Boeing’s West Seattle roots. Be at the South Park Library (8604 8th Ave. S.) for his presentation at 2 pm Sunday (July 17th).
ADDED 12:30 AM: Unlike the aforementioned event, most of the official Boeing Centennial celebration is private. But here’s an iconic image captured along the way by West Seattle pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen:
Those nine jets spanned Boeing models from the 707 to 787.
Thanks to the Lafayette Elementary parent who just forwarded this e-mail from Seattle Public Schools official Jon Halfaker:
While the search for a new Executive Director of Schools for the Southwest Region is underway, I have been asked to communicate an important change in your school’s principal. Principal Robert Gallagher informed us yesterday that he has chosen to pursue a leadership position with another district, and is resigning from his position as principal of Lafayette Elementary effective July 31. The process for replacing Mr. Gallagher will commence immediately in an effort to have a principal in place by the beginning of August.
We thank Mr. Gallagher for his service to the Lafayette community, and wish him much success in his future endeavors.
Lafayette is a great community and I know that the caring, supportive circle of staff and families will be able to help our students remain focused on all the positive aspects that will continue to make Lafayette an amazing learning environment.
Gallagher took over at Lafayette three years ago, after two years of multiple principal changes, and told WSB at the time that he planned to stay “for the long haul.” At least two other SPS elementaries in West Seattle will have new principals next year: Alki and Roxhill. (Added Saturday morning: Thanks to commenter Christopher for pointing out Sanislo’s principal also has left. We have since been forwarded that announcement, which also mentioned Erika Ayer‘s appointment as the new principal.)
P.S. We hadn’t previously heard that this region’s executive director of schools Israel Vela was leaving too; (updated) turns out he’s leaving to be assistant superintendent of the Kent school district. (Like Gallagher, Vela joined the district three years ago.)
In the meantime, if you have questions, concerns, or anything you want to discuss about SPS, take note that our area’s elected School Board member Leslie Harris has her next community-conversation meeting at 3 pm tomorrow (Saturday, July 16th), at Southwest Library (35th SW/SW Henderson).
(WSB photos)
“A four-month labor of love” – after 2 years of planning – has finally brought Justin Krebs to opening day for Sound & Fog in The Junction, on the ground floor of Broadstone Sky (4745 40th SW). The coffee/wine bar with beer and “small bites” opened its doors for the first time around noon and will be open until 9 tonight (official hours below).
We first told you about Sound & Fog back in March; he’s the first-ever tenant in the commercial space on the north side of the building, next to the future city park that’s currently temporary home to Fire Station 32 while its reconstruction is under way in The Triangle. (As we type, some of the firefighters from FS 32 are here trying out what Justin has to offer; they were heard to promise him, “We’ll keep you in business!”)
Available for starters at Sound & Fog – 12 different wines, $6-$12/glass; rotating selection of beer (today, it’s Wander Shoetoss Rye IPA and Holy Mountain Wit); coffee (rotating roasters – Olympia and Broadcast are available today) and tea; espresso soda; Cascara soda. The food selection includes pastries from Standard Bakery, sandwiches and salads from Molly’s, and “small bites” including olives, almonds, and cheese.
Hours for starters, Justin says, will be 6:30 am-7 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 6:30 am-9 pm Fridays, 7 am-9 pm Saturdays, 7 am-7 pm Sundays. More photos when we’re back at HQ.
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