month : 08/2017 316 results

At Lincoln Park, the removal of ~91 trees and trimming of ~170 more is under way. (We took the photo above along Fauntleroy Way this morning.)

This is the work we first told you about back in June after touring the area with a group of nature and park advocates.

At the time, Seattle Parks said the work – to remove trees and limbs that are dead or in danger of dying – was imminent, despite the fact that public outreach had been scant. Read More

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Recognize this found bicycle?

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| Crime | West Seattle news

The photo and report are from BrianD:

Our house sitter found this bike near the Fauntleroy Ferry dock over the weekend, Silver/gray with red front forks. To claim, give us some sort of identifying feature – what is printed on seat, what is printed on handlebars, or what sort of markings are on the frame. If not claimed in a few days, it will be turned over to SPD.

Yours? Contact us and we’ll connect you.

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PREPAREDNESS: Free, one-of-a-kind regional, accessible class for neighbor-to-neighbor emergency-response skills

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| Preparedness | West Seattle news

The storm scenes from Houston might have convinced you to review your disaster preparedness. Local preparedness advocate Cindi Barker shares word of a unique opportunity that’s not in West Seattle but might be helpful because this kind of training isn’t being offered by the city of Seattle at all any more. She summarizes it as “a special class offered for people who have access issues (ADA, seniors, learning barriers) so that they can take a class and train in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) skills, (which) can still be used by people at any time to respond to a disaster.” The Accessible CERT class is happening in Redmond, three full days:

It is a CERT class trained using a variety of learning styles. It is based on the concept of universal accessibility. It is designed for any person who self-identifies as having a disability and members of advocate groups for people with disabilities. Of course, all are welcome!

The class is three days long. Friday, September 29th, through October 1st, 2017. The first two days are interactive classroom training. The third day, participants will respond as a team to a staged mock disaster.

The entire course is free of charge, will have full accessibility, sign-language interpreters, lunch is included, and we will cover the cost of transportation for individuals with disabilities if requested.

Again, it’s free, but registration is required, and spaces are limited – go here. (Even more details are available via this fact-sheet flyer.)

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The case of the vanishing sidewalk signs

August 29, 2017 12:33 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news | Westwood

The photo and report – more of a request, really – are from Hillary:

My wheelchair-bound mother and I have had to keep our sidewalk at 24th Avenue SW and SW Holden closed until we can get a retaining wall replaced. Our retaining wall failed due to rain and contractor error in February. The city insists we keep the sidewalk closed and pay to do so. We have had to put up sidewalk-closed signs at our own expense. They have been repeatedly stolen and vandalized. It has happened again this week. Both signs, which cost us $152, were stolen. We get the wall replaced in September. We have spent several thousand dollars to keep the sidewalk closed already. We can’t keep replacing signs. Could you please appeal to the community on our behalf? We just want our signs back. No questions asked.

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West Seattle (and vicinity) Tuesday: From community to comedy

August 29, 2017 11:40 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Ben for today’s featured bird – video of a peregrine falcon seemingly oblivious to other birds’ harassment at Westcrest Park. Meanwhile, the week before Labor Day continues, it’s a smoky and warm Tuesday – here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WADING POOL AND SPRAYPARK: The only West Seattle wading pool still open for the season – this is the last full week! – is Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way); it’s open 11 am-8 pm today, as is Highland Park spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), both open daily (weather permitting, and today that’s certainly not an issue) through Labor Day.

FREE LUNCH FOR KIDS: From our ongoing listings for three West Seattle locations where kids can get lunch while school’s out – noon-1 pm at Neighborhood House High Point, 12:30 pm-1:30 pm at Delridge Library, 12:30 pm-1:30 pm at High Point Library.

FREE BUSINESS PLANNING CONSULTATION: 2:30-5:30 pm at Delridge Library – but you need an appointment; our calendar listing explains how. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

SOUTH PARK COMMUNITY SAFETY MEETING: 7-8:30 pm at South Park Neighborhood Center, tonight’s the community-requested meeting intended to discuss “emerging issues and growing concerns,” with city and community reps, including Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Lorena González. Doors open at 6:30 pm. (8201 10th Ave. S.)

COMEDIANS’ POWER HOUR: 8-11 pm at Parliament Tavern: “The joking-and-drinking roadshow that’s had showdowns from New York to New Orleans has come to the Pacific Northwest to find out which Seattle comic has what it takes to call themselves CPH Champion.” $6 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … for today/tonight/beyond, by browsing our complete calendar.

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COUNTDOWN: 8 days to first-ever Westside Job Fair

August 29, 2017 9:50 am

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Looking for work? For the first time ever, West Seattle employers are joining forces to look for you. We’re now just eight days from the Westside Job Fair, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, and WorkSource, with co-sponsors including WSB (where we offer local businesses free help-wanted ads year-round). You can see the updated list of participating employers here. The event is set for 10 am to 1 pm Wednesday, September 6th, at Great American Diner and Bar (4752 California SW) – bring resumés and be ready for on-the-spot interviews.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch

August 29, 2017 7:29 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

7:29 AM: Good morning! No incidents so far in/from West Seattle.

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DELRIDGE GROCERY CO-OP: Promising news, in advance of Wednesday’s ‘town hall’

August 28, 2017 8:52 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news

(WSB photo: That’s the Delridge Grocery space at lower right, on the north side of Cottage Grove Commons’s ground floor)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The dream of a grocery store on Delridge is still alive and well, and closer than ever to reality.

How close? You’ll hear for yourself at Wednesday night’s “town hall” (6:30 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW).

The Delridge Grocery Co-op board will tell you what was revealed by a professional market study whose results are now in.

Two years ago, a lender who turned down the co-op for a loan cited the lack of such a study as one big reason.

Now its findings have news that should improve their chances on the next try.

Board members are optimistic enough that they’ve launched the process of applying for permits for the store buildout in the 1,500-square-foot space that’s been waiting for it ever since the Downtown Emergency Service Center opened Cottage Grove Commons (5444 Delridge Way SW) almost four years ago. (They are working with North Delridge architect Parie Hines of LD Arch Design, a WSB sponsor.) The project was not originally intended to have commercial space, but community clamor led to its addition, with the grocery store in mind from the start.

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WEST SEATTLE SUNSET: Yes, that’s wildfire smoke again

August 28, 2017 8:17 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

What a sunset! (Thanks to Jim S. in Fauntleroy for the photo.) This time, though, the wildfire smoke that reddened the setting sun wasn’t from British Columbia, but from Oregon, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. More than 300,000 acres are burning in Oregon, according to this update from The Oregonian; the biggest is near the southern coast, as shown on this map.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Genesee Hill burglary; bicycle & package thefts; Casey Carlstedt update

August 28, 2017 6:13 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

In West Seattle Crime Watch, three reader reports plus a court-case followup:

BURGLARY: From Wendy:

I live at 54th & Dakota on Genesee Hill. I was away from 10:30 am – noon this morning and returned to find my back door kicked in and my bedroom ransacked. We have a 6-foot fence and both gates were locked, so they must have scaled the fence. Many drawers’ contents strewn about, furniture stacked on the bed to facilitate closet access. So far it appears jewelry and cash were taken. Have not yet been able to do a complete inventory. Our neighbor noticed a red Camaro (guess) with two white stripes parked beside our house during the time – may or may not be related. The police officer investigating said it appeared that we interrupted them, based upon the scene – looked mid-ransack. One missing ring had huge sentimental value. They even tore the wrapping paper on the box containing my gram’s ashes. Gutted.

BICYCLE THEFT: Sonia just moved to Alki last month and has been “welcomed” by bicycle theft. Between August 18th and 21st, she says, “My bike was stolen from the back porch of my house (near Bonair/Alki) where it was locked up. Chain was cut. Cannondale Quik 4 women’s bike — black frame with blue and white accents and accessories as well (headlight, taillight, bell, and rack on the back) Worth about $750+ from REI. Reported to police and filed in their stolen registry. Police said if it turns up at a pawn shop they’ll know from the bike’s serial number.”

(added) PACKAGE THEFT: Marion reports that:

… package thieves hit us this morning between Brandon/Findlay just south of the Junction. Came home to find empty Amazon box on my doorstep – contents missing. Delivery tracking notes indicate package was “delivered” sometime around 9:30 am. Joke’s on them I suppose since box only contained cornhole game bean bags colors navy and gray (16 bags total). Guess it’s a reminder to switch to office or locker delivery if possible…

CASEY CARLSTEDT UPDATE: While we were at King County Superior Court this morning for the hearing that didn’t happen, we did get an update on another West Seattle defendant, Casey Carlstedt.

We last mentioned Carlstedt in April, when he was charged in a bicycle-theft case that had been featured here on WSB and was solved with readers’ help. By that time he had been in jail about a month, and he’s remained there ever since, also charged in misdemeanor cases from harassment to reckless driving, held in lieu of what the jail register lists as $6,000 total bail. Today his case came up for a status check – he wasn’t present, but lawyers told the judge that he is about a week away from a competency evaluation, and what happens next in his case depends on results of that.

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BIZNOTES: Elliott Bay 2-day closure, & more

August 28, 2017 3:44 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Three West Seattle biznotes:

ELLIOTT BAY TWO-DAY CLOSURE: Elliott Bay Brewing Company in The Junction is closed today and tomorrow “for beautification and repairs,” and plans to reopen at 11 am Wednesday.

WAITING FOR MOD PIZZA? We checked to see if the pizza place signed last year for The Whittaker (WSB sponsor) is opening any time soon. The reply from spokesperson Charlotte Wayte: “This opening has been pushed out a few months, and we’re now looking at June 2018.”

NEW AT CHARLESTOWN CENTER: The second-floor corner space at 3727 California SW that housed West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) before their move to 2743 California SW a few years ago finally has a new tenant as of this month: Schoeb Chiropractic. The announcement from Ryan Schoeb, D.C., and wife Molly Schoeb says they have lived in West Seattle for more than 10 years, and he’s now moved his practice close to home, after 13 years on the Eastside. They are Genesee Hill Elementary parents and Dr. Schoeb has coached West Seattle Little League, West Seattle Baseball, and West Seattle Soccer Club teams.

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CAMP SECOND CHANCE: Residents get drug-and-alcohol-free commitment from new operator LIHI; neighbors voice anger over the rest of Myers Way

August 28, 2017 1:53 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Myers Way | West Seattle news

(WSB photo: L to R, Lisa Gustaveson and Tom Van Bronkhorst from the city, Josh Castle from LIHI)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Camp Second Chance residents got the commitment Sunday that they didn’t get four days earlier – that the city-sanctioned encampment on Myers Way can keep its drug-and-alcohol-free policy, even under new city-contracted management.

It happened Sunday afternoon as the encampment’s Community Advisory Committee met at nearby Arrowhead Gardens.

Five committee members were in attendance, along with two city representatives, a representative of the Low-Income Housing Institute – which seems to have been all but finalized as the camp’s new city-contract-holder – and 20+ others, who, as self-identified during Q&A, ranged from CSC residents to Myers Way-area residents to Arrowhead Gardens residents to North Highline community advocates.

That was a much bigger turnout than the CAC’s last meeting in early July, but a lot has transpired since then, starting with the postponement of this meeting’s original early August date, for then-unspecified reasons soon revealed to be upheaval in camp leadership and management (as first reported here a week and a half ago).

The original contract-holder, Patacara Community Services, is withdrawing as of the end of this month, amid questions about the status of privately donated money, and its leadership did not have a presence at this meeting or last Wednesday’s city/LIHI briefing for residents at the camp (WSB coverage here).

The questions, however, have not gone away, as was clear during Sunday’s meeting, despite repeated declarations that the donations’ status was outside the purview of the Community Advisory Committee, as noted by its leader Willow Fulton.

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Ryan Cox arraignment rescheduled after he refuses to appear in court

August 28, 2017 11:33 am

| 14 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

(August 8th WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)

We’ve just left the King County Courthouse downtown, where Gatewood stabbing suspect Ryan Cox was scheduled to appear for arraignment this morning. These are usually brief appearances, one in a long list of hearings brought sequentially before one judge, but by the time the 8:30 am arraignment calendar ended at 11 am, there’d been no sign or mention of him, so we checked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Spokesperson Dan Donohoe tells WSB that Cox “refused to appear,” so the arraignment is rescheduled for the 8:30 am calendar on Wednesday. The hearing is for Cox to enter a plea to the charge of second-degree assault that was filed on August 14th, six days after the August 8th attack at California/Orchard that sent a 40-year-old man to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. In the meantime, Cox, who is 39, remains in jail in lieu of $150,000 bail, which was set when he was charged, after he refused twice to appear for a bail hearing .

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WEST SEATTLE DEVELOPMENT: Comment time for 62-unit building at 4417 42nd SW

August 28, 2017 10:12 am

| 18 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

There’s one West Seattle project in today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin – 4417 42nd SW [map]. We first reported on the plan last December; it passed the first round of Design Review in May (here’s the city report). It’s currently planned as a “four-story apartment building containing 58 units and 4 live-work units” with 26 underground parking spaces, to be built where three 1930s-built houses currently stand at 4417, 4421, and 4423 42nd SW. Today’s notice says you have until September 11th to comment on the land-use application for the project; here’s how.

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Highlights for your West Seattle Monday

August 28, 2017 8:45 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Osprey over the Duwamish River, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Last full week of summer vacation for many. Here are highlights for the rest of your Monday:

WATTS BASKETBALL CAMP: 9 am-3 pm every day this week at Delridge Community Center, for second through eighth graders. (4501 Delridge Way SW)

FREE LUNCH FOR KIDS: From our ongoing listings for three West Seattle locations where kids can get lunch so they don’t go hungry while school’s out – noon-1 pm at Neighborhood House High Point, 12:30 pm-1:30 pm at Delridge Library, 12:30 pm-1:30 pm at High Point Library.

AGING WELL: 1-2 pm group meeting at Senior Center of West Seattle:

Are you feeling overwhelmed by changes in your health, relationships, housing, mobility, or income? Looking for ways to make new connections, communicate, increase self-esteem, manage anxiety, cultivate acceptance? You are not alone.

More info in our calendar listing. (4217 SW Oregon)

END-OF-SUMMER PARTY: High Point Library celebrates summertime achievements, 5-7 pm, starting with recognition at the library, and then a walk to the park to play a game created by program participants at the library. Ice cream, too! (35th SW/SW Raymond)

FALL YOUTH VOLLEYBALL: Ages 10-13. Practices are scheduled to start tonight at Hiawatha Community Center. If you’re not already signed up, contact the coach ASAP! Our calendar listing explains how. (2700 California SW)

MONDAY NIGHT PADDLEBOARDING: Every Monday night, 6-8 pm, Alki Kayak Tours offers a special round of paddleboarding, including a lesson. Details in our calendar listing. (1660 Harbor SW)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday watch

August 28, 2017 6:28 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

6:28 AM: Good morning! We start with trouble on the bridge. NLB tweeted that a RapidRide C Line bus was broken down, and SDOT now says “a stall” is blocking the right and transit lanes on the eastbound bridge, with the camera image (currently the top right, above) including buses.

6:47 AM: All clear at that scene.

7:35 AM: No other incidents so far. Meantime, an advisory for Metro riders who travel to/from downtown:

During the week of August 28, the shelter, information kiosk, ORCA reader, benches and litter receptacle will be removed from the bus stop on Columbia St just east of 2nd Av in preparation for its September 23 permanent closure.

Prior to September 23, this bus stop will remain open at all times, and routes 21 Express to Arbor Heights, 55 to the Admiral District, 56 to Alki, 57 to Alaska Junction, 120 to Burien and 125 and the RapidRide C Line to Westwood Village will continue to serve this location as usual.

Beginning Saturday, September 23, all of the above routes will serve a new bus stop just east of this location, southbound on 3rd Av just north of Columbia St.

There is no change in routing. All of these routes will continue to operate on Columbia St to the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

8:24 AM: Had to head downtown for a court hearing this morning – bridge traffic wasn’t bad just before 8 am. On 4th Avenue South, the ongoing repaving project is entering its third week. Road crews had lanes blocked just north of S. Stacy St.

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NEW FIRE STATION 32: See what’s inside

August 27, 2017 8:46 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Triangle | West Seattle news

It’s been a week and a half since local firefighters moved into the new Fire Station 32 in the West Seattle Triangle. You’ve likely seen its gleaming, glass-laden exterior at 38th/Alaska – now, take a look inside. We had a longstanding request in for a tour, and got it this past week, once the move-in was well-enough along for a visit.

The $18 million station opened 10 years after the date originally projected when voters passed the 2003 Fire Levy (we reported on the schedule changes in 2015). It is now officially the central fire station for this area – home to Ladder 11, Engine 32, and Medic 32, as it had been before, plus the area’s battalion-chief unit, Battalion 7, moved to Station 32, from Station 29 in North Admiral.

The new station has three floors plus a basement. Our tour began up top, in the kitchen/dining area, known in fire stations as “the beanery.”

This one opens onto a north-facing deck, which has a barbecue and a cornhole-game setup:

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LABOR DAY: Disabled American Veterans hosting pancake breakfast, open house in North Delridge

August 27, 2017 7:08 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news

That’s the newly renovated meeting hall that’s headquarters to Disabled American Veterans Chapter 23 in North Delridge, and they are inviting you to come visit on Labor Day (Monday, September 4th), with a pancake breakfast 9 am-noon, and an open house noon-3 pm.

Leo Potts from DAV #23 says, “We want to invite the community, especially veterans, to the open-house event! Enjoy hot cakes, sausage, and hot coffee, then take a tour of our facility. Learn of the free services and assistance offered to our American veterans.” The hall is at 4857 Delridge Way SW.

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UPDATE: Crash on southbound Delridge at Trenton

August 27, 2017 5:37 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

5:37 PM: A three-vehicle crash is blocking southbound Delridge at Trenton, according to the initial dispatch and the first emergency crews on the scene. We’re off to check it out.

5:51 PM: We’re told no one is hurt – SFD was leaving. The three cars are in a row on the southbound side. Police are directing traffic around the scene, but we’d still advise avoiding the area for a while.

6:34 PM: Just went back to check. Traffic is flowing freely again. One police car remains, but it’s on the side, out of the travel lane.

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PHOTOS: Celebrating Central America at Westcrest Park

August 27, 2017 5:35 pm

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| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Festival Centroamericano – one of today’s highlight events – continues until 7 pm on the big field at Westcrest Park. This is the second year that this celebration of Central American culture has come to Highland Park. The group that put it together includes organizing secretary Keylee Fernandez:

Performances have continued throughout the afternoon:

Among the festival’s aims – “embracing our Central American heritage and culture (for) a community that is not well exposed to it.”

Still time to check it out at Westcrest Park, which is at 9000 8th SW.

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West Seattle wildlife: New deer sighting

August 27, 2017 2:33 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Last year, WSB readers tracked the deer eventually nicknamed “Westley” on his journey through West Seattle and to points south – he was first sighted on Pigeon Point in October, last reported in south King County about three weeks later. Today, a new West Seattle deer sighting:

The photos and report are from Amy:

Spotted about 15 minutes ago in our backyard. We live surrounded by the West Duwamish green belt, overlooking West Marginal Way. We’ve lived here over sixteen years, and this is the first time we’ve ever seen a deer!

We also got a call earlier this month about a deer sighting in Top Hat, but no photos and no other reports – until now.

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HAPPENING NOW: Arts in Nature Festival, day 2

August 27, 2017 1:38 pm

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| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

Didn’t get to the Arts in Nature Festival on Saturday – or did, but didn’t experience everything? Day 2 still has more than four hours to go, and Camp Long‘s cool forests and cabins await, as well as the sunny meadow where you’ll see the fish – part of a youth-art project about the Duwamish River. In our Saturday coverage, we spotlighted “Dream Hatching,” the “nest” you can add to – here’s how it’s grown:

Another chance to envision and hope for the future is at Cabin 9 (here’s the full list of cabin installations – these are in the cabins otherwise available for overnight camping), with Alyssa Anne and Wynn Adele‘s “Fertile Ground”:

And music continues throughout the afternoon. Ky Burt opened the day on the Nancy Stage outdoors:

The schedule also includes the lineup for performances inside Camp Long’s historic lodge, and by the park’s pond. There’s also a beer garden (presented by premier event producers Monumental Undertaking), food trucks, and more. The festival continues until 6 pm; it’s presented by DNDA/Nature Consortium, with co-sponsors including WSB.

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VIDEO: West Seattle’s first Cosmo 7K on Alki

August 27, 2017 12:20 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

Almost 900 runners and walkers filled Alki Avenue this morning for the first-ever West Seattle edition of the Cosmo 7K. As noted here previously, Cosmo is a multi-city run series that previously held its local races in Kirkland. It moved our way this year as successor to the Alki Beach 5K that Northwest Hope and Healing is no longer organizing – though NWHH is this year’s Cosmo beneficiary; we caught up with its immediate-past executive director Kristina Dahl pre-race:

(Photos/video from here down are by WSB’s Patrick Sand)