Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand unless otherwise credited

The annual Fiestas Patrias parade in South Park celebrates not only Latin American cultures but their importance in the U.S., and that was more poignant and urgent than ever this year.

Underscoring the issue of justice, King County Superior Court Judge Veronica Alicea-Galván was this year’s Grand Marshal:

More than 60 entries, with hundreds of participants, paraded and performed down the route.

Horses and riders from Charros of Washington concluded the parade, and we have some video too:

Charros of WA at end of Fiestas Patrias parade in South Park pic.twitter.com/fhzcrxNXMO

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) September 16, 2017

Earlier in the parade, different kinds of horsepower were on display:

Share This

WEST SEATTLE SUNSET: Summer’s smoky final Saturday

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to Annika Bowden for that sunset view looking beyond Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, where the last Saturday night of summer is being celebrated at the last Salsa on Alki Beach session of 2017. We watched the wildfire-smoke-reddened sunset a few miles south at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook:

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)

The National Weather Service says smoke will persist into tomorrow morning and then we can expect “rain at times in the afternoon.”

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Another package thief on video; doorbell-ringing would-be intruder

September 16, 2017 8:28 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

In West Seattle Crime Watch:

PACKAGE THIEF ON VIDEO: Blake‘s security video captured the theft of two books from a porch near California/Charlestown just before 6 am Tuesday:

WOULD-BE BURGLAR THWARTED? A reader shares this neighborhood alert from 38th/102nd in Arbor Heights overnight:

Potential intruder rang our front doorbell. We awoke to the doorbell and thought for a minute that maybe the paper delivery person had rung the bell (which was odd). We got up to check (first looking through the window to make sure no one was on the porch) but there was no paper or person on the porch. We then heard scuffling around at our back door and someone trying to open/push/force our door in. We pounded loudly on the door from the inside and yelled to the intruder that we were calling 911 and to go away. The intruder then pounded back very loudly and forcefully. We yelled again that we were calling 911 and to go away. Officers arrived and searched our property. There was no one on our property at that point. They said this is a typical MO (mode of operation) for a burglary, first ringing the front doorbell or knocking to see if someone’s home, and, if no one answers they then move to the back door to break in. If you hear night-time activity at your door, listen to your gut and don’t hesitate . . . call 911.

REMINDER: Your next chance to hear about local crime trends and bring neighborhood concerns to police is on Tuesday night (September 19th), 7 pm, as the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).

Share This

Crash takes out hydrant on 35th SW

September 16, 2017 6:43 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| Sunrise Heights | West Seattle news

No injuries or traffic jams around 4:30 this afternoon when a driver went partly onto the sidewalk on southbound 35th SW at Holden – but he damaged another car and took out a hydrant:

That corner happens to be across the street from Fire Station 37.

Share This

UPDATE: Emergency closure at Delridge Library; school-board director’s meeting canceled

September 16, 2017 3:29 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news

3:29 PM: The Delridge Library would usually be open until 6 pm on Saturdays but is closed for the rest of the day after what the Seattle Public Library Twitter feed calls an emergency over the library. The SFD log shows a multiple-unit call at 5425 Delridge – the library itself is 5423 – just after 11 this morning, though three of the four dispatched units were canceled quickly. One immediate effect. School Board Director Leslie Harris was scheduled to be having her community-conversation meeting at the branch now through 5 pm; she in fact tipped us to the closure, but we don’t know if she’s moved to a backup location.

3:59 PM: No backup location, she says. We’ll be going over to the library soon to find out more about what happened. (Added – We did go over shortly after this note, but this sign is all we found, no one around, no sign of what the problem might be.)

Share This

RETURN OF THE SMOKE: What happened this time

September 16, 2017 3:14 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Multiple people have texted and e-mailed us today, certain something was on fire very nearby. Way too smoky and smelly for it to be the wildfires, again, they were certain. Nope, the Washington Smoke Information website says, the fires to our east are the culprit:

When the Canadian smoke model forecast some smoke in Seattle this morning, we thought it was over-doing the east winds. Turns out it wasn’t. Smoke from the Jolly Mountain and Norse Peak fire are now being transported to western WA.

But this won’t be another weeklong smother – “It is expected that these conditions will be with us until mid morning on Sunday.” And at some point after that, we’re promised rain. The National Weather Service says so too.

Share This

HAPPENING NOW: WestFest 2017 at Holy Rosary School

September 16, 2017 1:38 pm

| Comments Off on HAPPENING NOW: WestFest 2017 at Holy Rosary School

| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

It’s outdoor and indoor fun at this year’s WestFest, continuing until 10 tonight at Holy Rosary School – outside, there’s a full lineup of stage entertainment (see it in our morning lineup); when we stopped by a little while ago, the talent contest was just wrapping up, with a group dancing to “YMCA.” Steps away are the kid rides, including a bouncy slide:

Also a beer garden for the grownups and a food court for everyone, with wings, Caesar salad, burgers and hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy, even angel cakes. If you go inside the school, you’ll find the book sale and bingo – someone had just won the game that was being played when we walked in:

You’ll find a climbing wall, too, in the main festival zone on the north side of the campus, which is along 42nd SW between Dakota and Genesee.

Share This

HOW TO HELP: Firefighters’ ‘Fill the Boot’ drive next week for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

September 16, 2017 11:02 am

| Comments Off on HOW TO HELP: Firefighters’ ‘Fill the Boot’ drive next week for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

| How to help | West Seattle news

(September 2016 WSB photo)

You’ll see firefighters out in West Seattle and four other parts of the city next week for the annual Fill the Boot drive. Here’s the announcement:

Next week Seattle Firefighters will take to the streets with boots in hand to collect donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s (MDA) Fill-the-Boot campaign. The collections will take place at the below locations across the City from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 18, 19, 20 and 21:

15th Ave. NW and NW Market St.
Rainier Ave. S. and S. Ferdinand St.
Roosevelt Way NE and NE 50th St.
California Ave. SW and SW Alaska St.
4th Ave. and Pine St.

The Local 27 Seattle Fire Fighters Union is partnering with the Muscular Dystrophy Association on this campaign – a more than 60 year tradition. The goal of the campaign is to raise funds to free kids and adults from the harm of muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases that take away physical strength, independence and life.

In 2016, the generous community members of Seattle helped the Local 27 Seattle Fire Fighters Union raise more than $22,000. This has helped contribute to the more than $600 million that the International Association of Fire Fighters has raised for MDA since 1954.

The campaign has been successful over the years because of the support from community members. There is also an option to donate online.

Share This

YOUR SATURDAY: Mountain Fest, WestFest, Fiestas Patrias, sales, games, more!

September 16, 2017 7:15 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Danny McMillin for sharing the photo of last night’s moon. If it’s out tonight, it just might be red, since wildfire smoke has moved back in. But don’t let that get in the way of your Saturday – the last weekend of summer begins with these highlights rom the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

LIONS CLUB PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8-11 am at the Senior Center of West Seattle, $7 gets you breakfast courtesy of the Lions Club. (4217 SW Oregon)

2ND TIME SALE: 9 am-4 pm at Fauntleroy UCC, it’s day one of this mega-sale, as previewed here Friday. (9140 California SW)

TAI CHI ON ALKI: Just a few more Saturdays for this year’s series of free 9 am classes by Alki Statue of Liberty. Never been? Check out this new video. (61st SW/Alki SW)

SUNDODGER INVITATIONAL: Starting at 9 am and continuing through mid-afternoon, it’s this year’s big cross-country meet for high-school and college runners at Lincoln Park – see the schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

ALKI BEACH CLEANUP: It’s International Coastal Cleanup Day and Puget Soundkeeper is leading a cleanup at Alki, 9:30 am-noon.

WESTFEST: 10 am-10 pm at Holy Rosary School, it’s the annual “carnival of community,” with rides, games, food, and entertainment. Here’s the stage schedule:

10:30 AM Toddler Time w/Friendly Clown
12:00 PM West Seattle’s Got Talent “Dance Off”
2:00 PM Raymond The Magician Magic Show
3:00 PM Mode School of Music
4:00 PM Comerford Irish Dance
5:00 PM Intermission
6:00 PM Live Fly
7:00 PM The Maddy Wyse Band
8:00 PM Raffle Winners Announced!
8:05 PM Dad Band

(42nd/Dakota/Genesee)

DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE NATIVE ARTS/CRAFTS MARKET: 10 am-6 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse – details in our calendar listing. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)

FIESTAS PATRIAS PARADE AND FESTIVAL: 11 am-1 pm parade, followed by a festival and health fair until 6 pm, in South Park. Our preview from Friday includes information on the route and the participants.

MOUNTAIN FEST: 11 am-5 pm at Camp Long, a day of free fun celebrating mountaineering – including the park’s legendary Schurman Rock. See the schedule of events, activities, and highlights in our preview from Friday night. (5200 35th SW)

CELEBRATION OF CHINESE CULTURE: Noon-3:30 pm in the garden courtyard at Seattle Chinese Garden: “This family-friendly event for all ages includes performances of dance, music, and song from 1 to 2:15, followed at 2:30 to 3:30 by a class for children demonstrating how to do a Chinese dance (parents and others welcome to watch). Come early for a Chinese painting demonstration from noon to 1 pm. Also enjoy Chinese dishes and snacks at a food booth.” Ticket info in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)

TALK WITH YOUR SCHOOL-BOARD REP: Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors‘ representative for West Seattle and South Park, Leslie Harris, will be at Delridge Library 3-5 pm for a drop-in community-conversation meeting. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

URBAN HOMESTEAD FOUNDATION PIG ROAST: 5-9 pm, dine and celebrate at the site the UHF is working to save and transform. Details in our preview, including ticket info. (50th SW/SW Dakota)

MEET THE ARTIST: At Virago Gallery in The Junction, 5-9 pm:

Dahlia Elsayed’s first show with Virago Gallery features works on paper on the theme of language, landscape, poetry and shifting perspectives. The 16 works in the show include paintings and a series of 12 painted paper collages with handwritten text as part of the image. Dahlia Elsayed combines text and imagery to create visually narrative paintings that document internal and external geographies. She begins with verse as a starting point of each work and uses the edited texts in created landscapes, mixing the psychological with the topographical.

(4306 SW Alaska)

CIDER TASTING: At Sound & Fog in The Junction, 5 pm-8 pm. (4735 40th SW)

OKTOBERFEST AT PROST! “Come drink big biers, win prizes, play hammerschlagen, and dance on tables! We are doing it all and doing it in our dirndls and lederhosen. 7 different Oktoberfest biers on draft and great swag to win all weekend.” 7 pm tonight at Prost! West Seattle, “Warsteiner ceremonial keg tapping and party. Lots of giveaways, Brotzeitteller to share, and plenty of David Hasselhoff on the playlist.” (3407 California SW)

FREE FAMILY GAME NIGHT: 7:30 pm-9:30 pm at Kenyon Hall:

Geri Cooper brings back her vast game collection to Kenyon Hall for another Free Family Games Night. She has Yahtzee, Sorry, Monopoly, Parcheesi, Trivial Pursuit, Dominoes, Hearts, Spades, Rummy, Rummikub, Checkers, Cribbage, Pictionary, Jinga, The Worst Case Scenario, Go Fish, Jacks, Manacles, Backgammon, Chinese Checkers, Sequence, Apples to Apples, Battleship, and Uno.

Not enough variety? Then bring your own favorite game to share. Prizes will be given to the winners, and the Mighty Wurlitzer will be played!

Free admission, but be sure to bring something from your collection of White Elephant treasures for our fall gift exchange.

We’ll serve punch and popcorn.

(7904 35th SW)

THREE BANDS: Iron Kim Style, Nosretep, Fraktal Phantom are live at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm. $5 cover. 21+.(4210 SW Admiral Way)

SERIOUSLY … there’s more! See all the listings for today/tonight on our complete calendar.

Share This