West Seattle, Washington
24 Thursday
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.
And the Sealth fans rush the field: pic.twitter.com/YjOFVXdCgW
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) September 16, 2017
10:17 PM: Fans rushed the field moments ago as, for the first time since 2014, Chief Sealth International High School defeated West Seattle High School and won the Huling Bowl, the annual fall faceoff between the cross-peninsula rivals. Tonight’s score at Southwest Athletic Complex in Westwood: Sealth 52, West Seattle 24.
Though the rivalry has a long history, this year both teams have new head coaches – Ted Rodriguez for the Seahawks, Marcis Fennell for the Wildcats.
ADDED EARLY SATURDAY: In the first half, the game wasn’t as lopsided as the final score looked. West Seattle was in control in the early going, running up a 17-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the game.
WSHS quarterback Anthony Coats (above) did a lot of passing, but as the game went on, was repeatedly let down. Meantime, Sealth finally got onto the scoreboard with 3 minutes left in the first quarter, on a 62-yard touchdown run by Dontae McMillan.
A two-pointer followed, and the Seahawks continued their comeback, with a Diego Jackson TD bringing them to 17-14 by the last minute of the quarter. The Wildcats answered quickly with Coats throwing for a TD to #14 Lucas Bower, and the second quarter opened with WSHS up 24-14.
Those were West Seattle’s last points for the game, as Chief Sealth was in charge most of the way from there.
Midway through the second quarter, another Jackson TD brought the score to West Seattle 24, Chief Sealth 20. And with less than a minute to go in the half, another McMillan TD gave Sealth the lead for the first time, and they went into halftime ahead 28-24.
Three minutes into the second half, McMillan did it again. And toward the end of the third quarter, the Seahawks’ Jesse Brown got a TD.
That made it 40-24. And they just kept building to the final score of Sealth 52, WSHS 24, the Seahawks’ first Huling Bowl win in three years.
As always, the big game between the two local schools was about more than football – there were the fans:
And the mascots:
Merchandise sales and a pre-game barbecue, too.
This was the only time the two teams are scheduled to meet during the regular season. Next week, Sealth (2-1) plays at Lakeside, 3:30 pm Friday, September 22nd; that night, West Seattle (0-3) is home at SW Athletic Complex, 7 pm, hosting Cleveland.
One more big Saturday event to preview – Mountain Fest at Camp Long! Event director Jeff Smoot shares the schedule for tomorrow:
11:00 A.M. – Event Begins! Activities continue until 5:00 P.M. unless otherwise
noted.• Rock Climbing on Schurman Rock*
• Rappelling on the Glacier*
• Scavenger Hunt at Friends of Camp Long Table (Prizes!)
• The Falconer – Live Birds of Prey Presentation at West Shelter Area
• S’Mores at the Fire Circle
• Nature Programs
• And More!Noon – High-Ropes Challenge Course Opens (runs until 5:00 P.M.)*†
1:00 P.M. – Bouldering Competition on Schurman Rock (runs until 3:00 P.M.)*
2:30 P.M. – Oswaldo “Ossy” Freire – Mount Everest Presentation in the Lodge
5:00 P.M. – Event Ends*These events require signed waiver; parent waiver if under 18. Size/weight limits may apply due to
safety equipment availability.Start time may be later than 11 A.M. While supplies last!
†Challenge Course for ages 14 and up only; limited spaces so arrive early; size/weight limits may apply
due to safety equipment availability; last group starts at 4 P.M.Limited to 20 participants; experienced climbers only; event will involve difficult unroped climbing;
minors may participate with direct parent supervision and participation as spotter; participants must
supply their own crash pads and other gear.
Mountain Fest is free! Camp Long is at 5200 35th SW.
6:37 PM: Outside the auditorium at Chief Sealth International High School right now, 15-year-old Derek Juarez-Lopez – murdered the day before he was to start his sophomore year – is being remembered at a public vigil.
Some of his poems have been read (video added):
And his sister is speaking.
(Derek’s mother and sister)
It’s also been announced that there will be a moment of silence during the upcoming Sealth-West Seattle HS football game that starts across the street at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) at 7 pm. Police are continuing to investigate the murder, which happened at Westcrest Park a week and a half ago; no one’s been arrested yet. The SPD tip line is 206-233-5000.
7:24 PM: More photos added. We are at the game now, and have learned that the moment of silence was actually held before the game. As announced by Sealth’s principal on Thursday, Derek’s memorial service is at 4 pm Sunday
The Guardian One helicopter was over Westwood for a while within the past hour, but left to head to a South King County investigation just as we arrived in the area. Now they’ve tweeted what brought them here:
Assisted @SeattlePD with searching for a adult male wearing brown scrubs who was committed to Navos and left in the area of 2600 SW Holden.
— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) September 16, 2017
We don’t know whether that person has been found yet.
(Seattle Channel screengrab from Mayor Harrell’s announcement. Archived video is added below)
4:30 PM: Click the “play” button above for the live Seattle Channel feed of Mayor Bruce Harrell announcing his decision on whether to keep the interim mayoral position for the full two-plus months until the winner of November’s election is sworn in. He’s also scheduled to announce executive orders. It’s been two days since he became mayor following Ed Murray‘s resignation; city rules stipulated that the City Council President would ascend to that role but then have to decide within five days whether to keep it until the next election.
4:36 PM: Harrell has started not with word of his future intentions, but with word of the executive orders. He signaled Seattle’s intention to compete for Amazon’s 50,000 “HQ2” jobs. Another involves a partnership with King County to potentially change the plan for a $210 million youth detention center, and have the city “put some skin in the game.” Third, he said, involves the city having become – and this was his word – “filthy … as an elected official, I’m embarrassed driving around some of the areas of this city.” He says it’s time “to reset community norms” and is directing Seattle Public Utilities and other departments to “identify the 10 hot spots” in the city, and “then commit by saying how quickly we will clean those spots.” Fourth involves information technology. (We’ll add the documents when they’re available online.)
4:42 PM: Harrell has now made the big announcement – he’s declining the mayoral role beyond these few days, and will go back to being City Council President. This means the council will talk Monday afternoon about who’s next, from among their ranks.
4:46 PM: He’s moving on to Q&A. First one is about the youth detention center – instead of building a “traditional” facility as has been planned, he wants the city to move toward “zero detention” by finding other facilities, maybe near the current site on Capitol Hill, maybe outside the city, maybe leased, maybe built, including support services. Next, he’s asked if he’s confident that councilmembers will choose someone else to be mayor, as soon as Monday – it’s on their agenda for Monday afternoon. Then he’s asked why he decided not to keep the job. “I really care about the city, and I think there are issues” – including the upcoming budget process – “that need my leadership.” Staying on as mayor through November would have cost him his council seat (though otherwise he has two years left in his term); he’s not elaborating on how that played into his decision. Next: Why issue executive orders, as a short-term mayor? “This work needs to be done, I don’t care who’s the executive, I don’t care who’s calling the shots, this work needs to get done.” The last question – whether his executive order stops the youth detention center from being built. No, but “if we do this right, the county may look at what’s being built, and pivot.”
4:56 PM: The event’s over. To be clear, Harrell’s announcement wasn’t a resignation – so he remains mayor until the City Council appoints one of its own. We will replace the video window that was embedded atop this story with a still image until an archived video clip is available.
6:12 PM: Here are the executive orders, in PDF, as received from the mayor’s office:
Trash removal
Youth detention center
Business retention
Data management
Here’s the archived video of this afternoon’s announcement:
Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN BICYCLE: From Darcy:
My bike was stolen from 42nd and Andover behind my house, attached to the railing. This is it, but the seat is a larger white/black cushion.
MAILBOX PROWLER ON VIDEO: From Chris:
Just wanted to report a mailbox prowler that we caught on video on the corner of 36th and Henderson early (Wednesday) morning. Looks like a slight built gentleman, mid-length brown hair in a bowl-type cut, wearing a blue Seahawks jersey.
WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Just another reminder that, after a summer break, WSCPC’s next meeting is next Tuesday (September 21st), 7 pm, at Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). Bring your questions and concerns for local police.
(2016 Fiestas Patrias photo by Leda Costa for WSB)
3:18 PM: As we continue previews for some of this weekend’s big events – here’s a quick reminder about the Fiestas Patrias parade and festival tomorrow in South Park. The parade starts at 11 am Saturday at Sea Mar Community Care Center (1040 S. Henderson) and ends at South Park Community Center (8319 8th Ave. S.) – route details are in our calendar listing. Fiestas Patrias “commemorates the independence of Latin American countries, many of which celebrate their national independence day in the month of September,” festival organizers explain. The festival is at the community center post-parade, with food, music, games, and performances until 6 pm. Everyone’s invited!
ADDED 3:53 PM: Thanks to Huy Hoang at Sea Mar for the list of parade participants – more than 60! – see it here.
Just in from SDOT:
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) advises travelers that paving work along 25th Ave SW between SW Hudson St and Puget Blvd SW will begin on Tuesday, September 19 through Friday, September 22 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. SDOT would like to thank the public for its patience while this work is completed.
What to expect:
*Parking will be restricted.
*72 hours before the work starts and parking restrictions begin, “NO PARKING” signs will be placed on the street.
*Traffic will have slight delays during operation hours.
*You may enter and exit driveways, but you may have to wait up to 15 minutes for equipment to clear.
*25th SW will be Closed during construction.
*Overnight Parking will be limited.
*25th SW will remain closed 24 hours a day till construction is finished. Please use alternate route during construction.
With the weekend in view, it’s time for some previews of big events – starting with the 2nd-Time Sale, both days this weekend. The photos and preview are from Judy Pickens:
One of the largest sales in the 23-year history of the 2nd Time Sale is shaping up at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California Ave. SW). Bargains on nearly everything imaginable will overflow Fellowship Hall on Saturday, Sept. 16, 9 am – 4 pm, and again on Sunday, Sept. 17, 11:30 am – 2 pm. Cash or checks only at this “clean, culled, and organized” fundraiser for the church. Special items include this new ready-to-party diner jukebox with CD, FM, and MP3 capabilities:
Several pieces of Melissa and Doug play equipment await new homes in the toy section:
P.S. Next weekend, the church hosts a different kind of recycling event – the one where you bring stuff instead of buying it – the Recycle Roundup is a week from Sunday.
(WSB photos)
12:30 PM: Having previewed them last night, we decided to stop by the three West Seattle “mini-parks” on the city’s map for PARK(ing) Day, promoted as a chance to re-envision use of public spaces such as streets and sidewalks. Above, flowers and greenery comprise the display you’ll find outside Junction flower-and-gift shop Fleurt, courtesy of mother-and-daughter proprietors Sam and Keonii:
At Westwood Village, Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) has been a consistent participant in PARK(ing) Day. Co-proprietor Kirk Keppler was hanging out in the mini-park with canine companion Rascal when we visited:
They were awaiting assistance to get some games going in the space. And back in The Junction, the display outside Red Cup Espresso is a simple one – tricycles and flowers:
If you’re spending the day outside West Seattle, there might be a mini-park near you somewhere, with almost four dozen around the city – see SDOT’s citywide map in our preview from last night.
ADDED 1:06 PM: Red Cup Espresso has a face-painter on site until 4 pm!
The sunset panorama is from Wednesday night, courtesy of Jamie Kinney (as with most WSB photos, if you are using laptop/desktop/landscape tablet, click the image for a larger version). We would guess there’ll be a colorful sunset to watch tonight, too. Before and after, lots more to do – here are the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
PARK(ing) DAY: As previewed last night, three West Seattle businesses are setting up mini-parks in parking spaces as part of this citywide event that continues into early evening: Wyatt’s Jewelers (Westwood Village; WSB sponsor), Fleurt (4536 California SW); Red Cup Espresso (4451 California SW). We’re out visiting all three right now – separate update to come.
DAVE HOLO TRIO: Live New Orleans jazz at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), 5-8 pm. (1936 Harbor SW)
DUWAMISH NATIVE ART AND CRAFTS MARKET: At the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse until 6 pm, and again both days this weekend, 10 am-6 pm – details in our calendar listing. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
VIGIL: As previously announced, a vigil is planned at 6 pm tonight outside the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium for 15-year-old murder victim Derek Juarez-Lopez, killed at Westcrest Park the day before he would have started his sophomore year at CSIHS. (2600 SW Thistle)
WESTFEST: Holy Rosary School’s annual fall festival starts tonight, 6-10 pm:
Please be a part of West Seattle’s ‘Carnival of Community’ brought to you by Holy Rosary School! Come experience great music, eat delicious food, and crazy fun kid rides! There is so much to do and see, including BINGO, a classic cake walk with scrumptious prizes, a kids’ talent show and carnival style games galore. There’s a beer garden for adults, too.
STAGE LINEUP – FRIDAY
6:00 PM Music Beats by Wes Wunder
7:00 PM West Seattle Big Band
(42nd/Genesee/Dakota)
FOOTBALL: The Huling Bowl matchup between Chief Sealth IHS and West Seattle HS is early this year – 7 pm tonight at Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)
GARY BENSON: Solo performer at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
OKTOBERFEST: Three-day celebration starts tonight at Prost! West Seattle, 7 pm. “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. Join us for this three day celebration starting today (9/15 @7pm) with Benediktiner. Raffling off soccer jerseys and koozies and Prost! Oktoberfest steins for sale. Featuring these Oktoberfests throughout the Season Oktoberfest season. Andechs, Weltenburger, Dinkelacker, Weihenstephan, Hofbrau, Paulaner, Ayinger, Hacker-Pschorr, Benediktiner, Warsteiner.” (3407 California SW)
THE RIFFBROKERS, THE FUZZ, VAGUE CHOIR: “A night of power pop twang and rock and roll action” at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm. $5 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
OF COURSE THERE’S MORE … on our complete-calendar page.
10:09 AM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the texted alert – she says transient orcas have been sighted headed this way, southbound toward Alki Point – one week after this visit. Let us know if you see them!
10:42 AM: Update from Kersti (also in comments below) – they’re now visible from Alki Point Lighthouse.
3:07 PM: Three photos added above, all taken by Kersti at Constellation Park. (If you see whales off West Seattle, that’s always breaking news, so please let us know, text or voice, via our 24/7 hotline, 206-293-6302 – thank you!)
As previously noted, Metro‘s service change one week from tomorrow will include closure of a bus stop downtown used by many West Seattle-and-beyond riders, at Columbia and 2nd. Metro’s Scott Gutierrez says it’s just the start of changes for that street, related to the impending replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct by the Highway 99 tunnel:
The bus stop on Columbia Street and Second Avenue in downtown Seattle is a busy place for those commuting to West Seattle, Southwest Seattle, and Burien. Soon commuters who use that stop will have a more convenient location to catch the bus.
Work began in August to relocate the westbound bus stop one block up the hill to Third Avenue’s main transit thoroughfare. The new stop will open Sept 23 in coordination with Metro’s fall service change.
About 27,000 weekday riders will be affected, including routes 21X, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 125 and the C Line.
Temporary wayfinding decals will be installed to point customers to the new location. A new street kiosk and off-board ORCA card reader will be installed for customers who use the RapidRide C Line.
The new bus stop marks the beginning of major changes for Columbia Street. It will be transformed into a two-way transit corridor from First to Fourth Avenues to provide a vital connection for buses moving through downtown once the new State Route 99 tunnel opens and the Alaskan Way Viaduct is demolished. Buses traveling from the State Route 99 off-ramp in SODO will use the corridor to connect with Third Avenue, downtown’s primary bus thoroughfare.
Construction to create a new eastbound transit lane from First to Third Avenues is expected to start in early 2018, and will take about four months.
Initially after construction, Columbia Street will function as it does today; the project will simply reconstruct the pavement and prepare the curb line for the future configuration. When WSDOT opens the State Route tunnel in early 2019, the Columbia Street on-ramp will be permanently closed and Columbia Street will temporarily end at First Avenue; West Seattle buses will be routed via interim pathways.
After the Columbia Street on-ramp is demolished, the City will reconstruct Columbia Street between First Avenue and Alaskan Way as part of the Waterfront Seattle Main Corridor project, with Columbia Street reopening to traffic in late 2019.
King County is funding reconstruction of Columbia Street between First and Fourth Avenues. Columbia Street between First Avenue and Alaskan Way will be reconstructed as part of Waterfront Seattle’s Main Corridor project, which also includes dedicated transit lanes on Alaskan Way south of Columbia Street that will be operational once that project is completed in 2023.
The official alert about the bus-stop closure is here; details of other September 23rd changes affecting riders in our area are here.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:01 AM: Good morning. We start with a crash on Highway 99 northbound, north of the West Seattle Bridge, blocking one lane.
7:21 AM: SDOT now says the crash is blocking two lanes, and Metro warns of delays in bus routes that use 99:
Transit Alert – Expect delays on rts 21, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125 & C Line due to blockage on NB SR-99 near S Lander St.
— King County Metro 🚌 (@kcmetrobus) September 15, 2017
7:35 AM: SDOT says the 99 crash has been cleared to the shoulder, and all lanes are open. The residual backup, though, will persist a while.
7:44 AM: Reader reports a crash near the crest of the eastbound West Seattle Bridge. So in summary – if you’re heading out and can wait, do!
7:52 AM: SDOzt says that has just cleared.
The future looks as bright as the weather that graced today’s celebration of the newest 13th Year Promise class at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). That’s the program offering a free year at SSC for graduates of certain Seattle Public Schools high schools, including Chief Sealth International High School, and starting in a year, West Seattle High School. Today marked the end of orientation for the students, as they look ahead to fall-quarter classes a week from Monday. Their guest speaker in Olympic Hall was City Councilmember M. Lorena González, who found herself suddenly acting City Council President as of yesterday, and had a few words about the city leadership changes at the start of her speech:
But she spent much more of her time explaining how she fought to prove wrong those who had told her “people like me don’t go to college”:
The students also got inspiration from the 13th Year program’s leader Julius Moss:
And they heard from the college’s new interim president Peter Lortz:
(If you missed it – here’s our report on our conversation with the new president.) This year’s class is the largest in the 10-year history of the 13th Year Promise program – 150 students.
Parking seems to be today’s theme – this is the third story involving it. Tomorrow is PARK(ing) Day, the day each September when temporary “parklets” pop up in parking spaces around the city. Above is this year’s map from SDOT, which put out the call for participation over the summer. Of the 47 one-day parklets planned around the city, three will be in West Seattle – outside Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village, which participates every year, and outside Fleurt in The Junction (4536 California SW). Fleurt proprietor Sam Crowley says, “We are installing a 12-foot floral tepee out front. We will be set up by 10:30 am and plan to have it up until 6:30 tomorrow night.” They’re also planning cupcakes and deals. Plus, we see via the map that Red Cup Espresso in The Junction (4451 California SW) is participating too.
6:27 PM: Beautiful night for the West Seattle Art Walk! Above, that’s this month’s Makers’ Market at Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska). Below, one of the booths you’ll find there – Flowers to the 2nd Power, glass art by Mary Kay Anderson:
Right around the corner at 4540 California SW, you’ll find Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), tonight featuring two West Seattle artists, Stephanie Hargrave and Click! co-proprietor Frances Smersh:
6:35 PM: If you like wine, Art Walk is a great night to go out. Both of our winery sponsors have art/artists until about 8 pm tonight. At Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW), artist Pamela Resnick is painting live:
And at Welcome Road Winery (3804 California SW), you’ll find art by Deborah McCarroll and Brooke Belman:
Find tonight’s full Art Walk map/venue list in our West Seattle Thursday preview.
(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
5:26 PM: Seattle Fire is arriving at a “heavy rescue” call at Admiral and Lander [map] and is reporting that it’s an overturned vehicle. Avoid the area. More to come.
5:34 PM: Our crew has just arrived. Photo added.
5:38 PM: Our crew reports no one is hurt. Seattle Fire just left. A tow truck is awaited.
(Added: Photo by Dennis Rossignol)
5:46 PM: Our crew confirms what commenter Kristine reports, that a second vehicle is involved. That one was some distance down the hill, so it’s not in the photo, and does not appear seriously damaged, our crew says. Traffic is getting through.
Late last night, several people messaged us with links to a Facebook post in which a person identifying himself as an employee of private-ambulance company AMR said his employer had been banned from parking ambulances at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) while crews awaited their next call.
As we often mention in breaking-news coverage, AMR is called in when people are not injured seriously enough to need transport by city-owned-and-operated medic units (those units are based at fire stations – West Seattle has one medic unit, Medic 32, based at Fire Station 32 in The Triangle). AMR doesn’t have a headquarters facility in our area, so you will often see a between-calls ambulance crew parked somewhere – we’ve seen them on the street and in supermarket and restaurant parking lots.
We told the people who messaged us last night that we’d look into this today. (Online comments suggested it had been circulated to TV stations hours earlier, and this story ensued late last night.) Today, Thriftway – a locally owned independent store – published this message on its own Facebook page:
AMR is a privately owned for profit company held by Clayton, Dubilier and Rice, a private investment firm worth approximately $17 Billion. In an effort to lower costs and increase profits AMR’s management has instructed their employees to operate their business out of West Seattle Thriftway’s facility.
This action consisted of parking for several hours at a time and taking up several parking stalls due to the size of the vehicles limiting spaces for our customers at peak business hours. Over the last two years several requests have been made by West Seattle Thriftway to not use prime parking during peak business hours and has been met with little compliance from AMR staff.
Contrary to what has been posted, West Seattle Thriftway HAS NOT banned anyone from shopping with us and we fully support all of the fine EMT’s, Nurses, and Emergency Professionals.
What we cannot support is an outside company’s desire to increase their bottom line profit by impacting our ability to operate our facility efficiently and provide our customers with parking during peak hours.
We are open to discussing use with AMR during non-peak hours if compliance could be assured.”
If you have any questions, we welcome your email: http://westseattlethriftway.com/contactus.html
We also spoke by phone with Thriftway’s owner Paul Kapioski, who reiterated to WSB that he has been trying to work with AMR on this for two years “and getting very little response for them. … We simply wanted to ask them to not impact customers during our prime times … I hate to tell anybody they can’t park here, but it’s a private business, running their business out of our lot.” Meantime, we have a message out to the media-relations department at AMR (whose website says the company’s in the process of being sold) asking if they have encountered similar situations elsewhere
ADDED: Here’s the response we received from AMR spokesperson Jason Sorrick:
In the 10 years I have been with the company, I cannot recall ever dealing with such a request. We post vehicles and move locations similar to police officers, and select locations based on easy access to freeways and main roads. We also tend to choose areas that are well lit at night and visible to the public to help keep our emergency crews safe while they are waiting for their next call.
Businesses are generally welcoming to our crews, and appreciate the patronage of our employees. Places like Starbucks understand our role in the community and are very accommodating to emergency personnel. If a business owner has an issue, they can simply contact us and we will be more than willing to change our posting.
(WSB photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
It’s a fall tradition – the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly lunch gets a “State of the Port” briefing at port-owned Jack Block Park on the northeast WS shore.
This year’s keynoter was port commmissioner John Creighton, speaking solo before taking questions. He is running for re-election in November after 12 years on the commission.
Sound Transit 3, approved by voters last November, was the topic that started his speech, as he noted that the commission unanimously approved a resolution to support it. “The more people you get out of cars and into transit, the better for freight mobility,” he explained. (But, he joked, his enthusiasm was a bit dampened when he got his car-tab bill last week “and it went up $500.”) He noted that since “part of the alignment goes through port property,” they’ll be “watching it closely.”
He also mentioned the port’s recent $10 million contribution to the Lander Street Bridge project, and what it’s given to other parts of the corridor. “We’re trying to be more comprehensive in our dealings with the city and planning with the city.” He believes the relationship “will help the region going forward.”
Then on to Terminal 5, the still-shuttered-and-awaiting-modernization West Seattle port property next to the park:
The West Seattle Art Walk is the major highlight for the rest of your Thursday:
That’s the map/venue list for the Art Walk, which runs “5 pm to late.” Note the venues offering drink/food specials, and also note that there’s a Makers’ Market in Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) again this month! Other highlights include:
CLICK! DESIGN THAT FITS (WSB sponsor): “Our featured artists are our own Frances Smersh in collaboration with Stephanie Hargrave, both West Seattle artists. Stephanie is known for her encaustic (wax) paintings (she teaches workshops in encaustic in her West Seattle studio), Frances has primarily been known as a jewelry artist but has expanded into 2-D in the last several years. They’ve created a large body of work including many very small paintings.” (4540 California SW)
VISCON CELLARS (WSB sponsor): Pamela Resnick will be painting live in the Viscon Cellars Winery Tasting Room from 5-9 pm. (5910 California SW)
WELCOME ROAD WINERY (WSB sponsor): Works by Deborah McCarroll and Brooke Belman, who will both be on hand at the tasting room. (3804 California SW)
WALLFLOWER CUSTOM FRAMING: “Identity Works,” photography of dancers, by Michelle Smith-Lewis, open until 8 pm. (4735 42nd SW)
More venue/artist highlights for tonight are on the official Art Walk website!
Also of note today:
COMMUNITY CENTERS CLOSED: As noted here earlier this week, Seattle Parks’ community centers are closed citywide today for an employee event. That includes, in our area, Delridge Community Center, High Point Community Center, Hiawatha Community Center, and Southwest Teen Life Center. (SW Pool is open.) They will reopen tomorrow.
TRIANGLE TASK FORCE & PROTEST: The community-member task force appointed to work with Washington State Ferries on trying to improve Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route procedures meets 4:30-7 pm at Fauntleroy Church. A group of Vashon residents say they will protest at the ferry terminal afterward to call attention to the problems they say have been worsened by the procedure changes. (9140 California SW)
HORSE AND TIGER: “Funky instrumental improv” at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
PELLEGRINI AND TAMBO: Live music at The Skylark, 9 pm. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
AS ALWAYS, THERE’S MORE … on our complete-calendar page.
(Easel photographed at one of the city’s HALA-and-more “open houses” last December)
Back in 2012, some were surprised by the city rule change that enabled some development projects to be built without off-street parking, provided they were close to what the city considered “frequent transit service” (FTS). In recent months, the city’s been reviewing that policy and others related to parking – for example, the topic was included in the famously overcrowded HALA-and-more “open house” in The Junction last December and other versions of that event. Today, the city has just announced the results – proposed parking-policy changes. This notice in today’s Land Use Information Bulletin has the documents with all the fine print linked at the top, and then these toplines in the notice itself:
The City of Seattle is proposing to modify parking requirements by amending the Land Use Code (Title 23 SMC), and parking-related environmental policies in Chapter 25.05 of the Environmental Protection and Historic Preservation Code (Title 25 SMC).
The legislation would:
EXPAND ACCESS TO OFF-STREET PARKING
-Create a new use category, “flexible-use parking,” to allow for greater sharing of parking in certain zones, including in: Lowrise 3, Midrise, Highrise, most commercial, and industrial zones; and in mixed-use development garages in light rail station areas.
-Allow park-and-ride facilities within garages as a permitted use in certain zones, including in Lowrise 3, Midrise, Highrise, most commercial, and industrial zones.
-Clarify and update parking provisions by allowing off-site parking to be within one-quarter mile (1,320 feet) of the uses served, up from 800 feet.
OTHER CHANGES IN PARKING REQUIREMENTS
-Clarify and reduce the parking requirements for income-restricted housing, including for the disabled.
-Add a new maximum parking limit for flexible-use parking.
-Delete a special exception allowing more parking than the maximum parking limit in Downtown zones.
-Change the Northgate overlay zone parking provisions to be consistent with the city-wide approach.
-Provide for reduced parking minimum requirements for public uses/institutions (non-Major) in frequent transit service areas.
-Allow required parking amounts to be reduced in any zone, except Downtown zones, to a level needed to serve the parking demand for proposed uses as demonstrated by a parking demand study performed by a licensed professional engineer.
-Apply parking stall size requirements to parking for residential and live-work uses whether parking is required or not.
CLARIFY HOW FREQUENT TRANSIT SERVICE IS MEASURED
Allow for more flexibility in route timing and total length of daily service by updating transit measurement criteria to be more consistent with King County Metro’s and the City’s transit planning, and by simplifying provisions. The proposal includes Land Use Code amendments and a Director’s Rule that describes scheduled transit service measurement criteria and other details about physical measurement and mapping.
BICYCLES
-Update bicycle parking requirements and performance standards, and consolidate the Downtown bicycle parking requirements with requirements for the rest of the city.
CHANGES TO PARKING-RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES IN CHAPTER 25.05
-Update SEPA parking policies to better align with Comprehensive Plan and City transportation policies.
OTHER SUPPORTING CHANGES
-Require unbundling of parking space rental from multi-family dwelling unit rental and lease agreements in new structures 10 dwelling units or greater in size, new commercial lease agreements in existing structures 10,000 square feet or greater in size, and leases in new structures 10,000 square feet or greater in size.
-Allow surface parking for up to three car share vehicles in building setbacks in commercial, Midrise, and Highrise zones.
-For new structures with a garage in zones where flexible-use parking may occur, require a pedestrian access door and route between the garage and a public right-of-way to accommodate non-resident garage access and use.
The document that elaborates on the rationale for the proposed changes is this one. We found a specific West Seattle reference of how the proposed changes would affect one particular area:
With increased FTS there are also areas outside Urban Villages where the proposed FTS frequency measure would newly allow for a 50% reduction in the required minimum parking level. These
include multifamily and non-residential zoned areas in the following locations:
• In West Seattle, near the 21 bus route, portions of land along 35th Avenue SW between approximately SW Edmunds Street and SW Kenyon Street
HOW TO COMMENT: The publication of all this today opens a comment period until October 5th. Comments go to:
City of Seattle, SDCI
Attn: Gordon Clowers
P.O. Box 94788
Seattle, WA 98124-7088
gordon.clowers@seattle.gov
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