West Seattle, Washington

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month : 01/2018 308 results

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch
January 18, 2018 6:48 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)

6:48 AM: The weather has calmed considerably since the early-morning storm; as noted here, almost 100 Arbor Heights homes are without power. As for traffic, we’ve checked around and no incidents are currently reported in/from West Seattle.

POST-COMMUTE NOTE: We monitor traffic around the clock and appreciate hearing about trouble if you see something that’s not already being covered here – when you can call/text safely and legally, our 24-hour hotline is always the best way to reach us immediately, 206-293-6302 – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Stormy early morning; Arbor Heights power outage
January 18, 2018 1:00 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

1 AM: Just in case you wondered … yes, that was thunder, and lightning. So far we’ve seen at least two big bolts to the west, not long after a short but major downpour. While the basic forecast didn’t mention thunderstorms, they were in the regional “forecast discussion.”

6:40 AM: Thanks for the tip – the City Light map says almost 100 Arbor Heights homes lost power overnight because of a downed tree. The current projected restoration is around 8 am.

7:22 AM Power’s back.

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Morgan Community Association: From HALA and mural money, to where Lowman Beach’s crumbling seawall stands
January 17, 2018 9:41 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The lower-level meeting room at The Kenney was full for tonight’s Morgan Community Association meeting, and everybody there had the chance to vote on some big decisions – including spending thousands of dollars:

MORGAN NEIGHBORHOOD FUND: MoCA has no dues but does have this fund that resulted from the settlement of the neighborhood appeal of the project that became the Viridian Apartments. In settling the appeal, its developers agreed to donate $25,000 to MoCA, though the organization was not a party to the appeal. MoCA has never done anything with the money, but now has two applications for a share of it.

Vice president Phil Tavel presented the applications – one for restoring and protecting the mural behind the California/Fauntleroy Starbucks/Peel & Press/etc. building.

(WSB file photo)
P&P (WSB sponsor) proprietor Dan Austin has been exploring the project for 2+ years; the family that owns the building has committed some money, and told Austin they have no plans to sell the building. The family says it’ll contribute $3,000; the total cost, Austin says, would be about $10,000 – $8,500 with a discount the artist has offered – and he’s applied for $5,000 from the fund.

The other proposal to spend some of the money was for contributing to the HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability Final Environmental Impact Statement citywide-coalition appeal, which MoCA and dozens of other community groups around the city are supporting. The coalition has raised about $15,000 so far; MoCA is proposing contributing $5,000 from the fund.

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What award-winning writer Jesmyn Ward told Chief Sealth IHS students
January 17, 2018 6:42 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Tonight, award-winning writer Jesmyn Ward, visiting Seattle from Mississippi, is speaking at Benaroya Hall downtown. Local students and teachers got the chance to hear from her this morning at Chief Sealth International High School. The report is courtesy of Sealth faculty member Katie Hubert, who also shared the student-made photograph above:

Jesmyn Ward, two-time National Book Award winner, fielded questions from an assembled group of about 150 students and their teachers.

Ward, a first-generation college graduate, spoke of her youthful self’s academic drive and the encouragement she received from her parents. They wanted her to study “practical subjects” as an undergrad, but, “I didn’t feel the love, you know, when I was studying other subjects. And so, even though I thought I was disappointing my parents, I decided I would study what I love. That’s why I majored in English.”

She said her intention following graduation was to take a couple of years off, then, “take the LSAT, and do something smart with my life.” But life had other plans. “Six months after I graduated from college, my brother died. He was 19 years old, and he was coming home from work, and he was hit from behind by a drunk driver.”

“It was at that moment that everything changed for me. All these concerns I had about what people expected of me because I’d gone to college, all of a sudden those things didn’t matter any more.” She realized she didn’t have “infinite time.”

“Anyhow, I asked myself, if you die tomorrow, or next week, what did you do with your life that would give it meaning, and the immediate response was, writing. I want to write stories.”

She answered questions from students ranging from her favorite authors (James Baldwin and William Faulkner), books she found influential (As I Lay Dying and Their Eyes Were Watching God), and whether her life or formal education were more influential. (Her formal education.) She described her writing process (she doesn’t use an outline), how to combat writer’s block (do an exercise such as having two characters meet at a coffee shop), and how to end a chapter (make sure there’s tension).

Ward won her first National Book Award in 2011 for her second novel “Salvage the Bones,” and her second one in 2017 for “Sing, Unburied, Sing”; she is the first woman to win two NBAs for fiction. She also received a MacArthur “Genius Grant” last year.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Junction business burglarized
January 17, 2018 4:14 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Mason at the Antique Mall of West Seattle e-mailed to say burglar(s) hit the store earlier this week:

The incident occurred sometime between 11:30 pm Monday night and 6:00 am Tuesday morning at the front entrance of the Antique Mall of West Seattle (4516 California Ave SW). The intruders made their way into the store after drilling out the front-door lock. It is suspected that they did not stay long as only the front few cases were disturbed and the number of items reported to be missing is minimal. This does of course further raise concern for potential future attempts at our store and other stores in the Junction as this sort of crime is becoming more frequent.

We have re-keyed the locks and readjusted our security system. Of course we don’t keep any cash in store after hours and we suggest that other area businesses update/increase their security as well.

If you have any information for police, the incident number is 18-019526.

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FILM-CREW ALERT: Here’s what will be happening in the West Seattle Junction on Sunday night
January 17, 2018 2:48 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Added: ‘No parking’ signs in Junction in advance of Sunday night filming)

Today we have a semi-rare case of advance notice that a film/video crew will be in West Seattle for commercial production. This Sunday night (January 21st), between about 5 pm and 10 pm, Seattle-based StraightEIGHT will be working on California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska, location planner Dave Drummond tells WSB. He says he can’t disclose “what product it’s for,” but what they’ll be doing is “filming a car traveling on California between Oregon and Alaska.” (Repeatedly.) Police will be there to help them manage traffic, which will be “held” intermittently, a few minutes at a time. Drummond is doing advance work right now to talk to businesses in the area and work out other details. So in case you see the crew Sunday night – and related equipment/vehicles staging nearby – now you know!

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Dumpster fire in Arroyos ruled ‘accidental’
January 17, 2018 1:54 pm
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 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

Seattle Fire crews were on the scene of a dumpster fire in The Arroyos for several hours this morning – so, given the recent wave of suspicious dumpster fires elsewhere in the city, we asked SFD what they’d found out about this one. Just got the update from SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley that this one was “ruled accidental, caused by improperly discarded oil-staining rags. The material spontaneously combusted.” A neighbor says it was a construction-type dumpster.

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UPDATE: About the police response on Puget Ridge
January 17, 2018 12:54 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Puget Ridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

12:54 PM: Thanks for the tips about a sizable police response on Puget Ridge, along 18th SW near SW Juneau. Police tell us they are dealing with a person believed to be in crisis who is inside a residence. They’re hoping to make contact and get them out safely.

2:54 PM: We’ve confirmed with police what neighbors reported in comments – the person is out of the house and in custody, safely, no one hurt.

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HIGHER FARES? Possible increase for Sound Transit Express buses
January 17, 2018 12:43 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Fare changes are under consideration for Sound Transit Express buses, including Route 560, which serves West Seattle. One option – a flat fare, whether you are riding the bus through one zone or two – would mean a fare increase for Route 560 and other one-zone riders:

They’re taking comments right now via a survey, via e-mail (fares@soundtransit.org), and by phone (866-940-4387). A public hearing is planned too – noon Thursday, February 1 in the Ruth Fisher Boardroom at Union Station (401 S. Jackson St.).

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West Seattle Wednesday: Delridge RapidRide; Morgan Community Association; WordsWest; Denny PTSA; more!
January 17, 2018 10:49 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Surf scoters in flight, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Busy night ahead in West Seattle – the highlights:

DISASTER SKILLS WORKSHOP: 5:30-7:30 pm at Southwest Library – details here, including how to preregister. Free! (9010 35th SW)

LEARN ABOUT DELRIDGE WAY CHANGES FOR RAPIDRIDE H LINE: It’s a two-event night at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, focused on the plan to convert Metro Route 120 into the RapidRide H Line. First, 5-6:30 pm, learn from and talk with SDOT and Metro reps about possibilities not only for the bus line itself, but also changes on Delridge – rechannelization and more, as previewed here. This is a drop-in meeting. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

TALK ABOUT DELRIDGE WAY CHANGES FOR RAPIDRIDE H LINE: Second event of the night – join your neighbors and the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council to talk about community needs, concerns, and ideas about the bus route and road changes. Also at Youngstown, starting at 7 pm; all welcome. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at The Kenney, quarterly meeting for MoCA, with – as previewed here – a big agenda including City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, HALA MHA, and the Lowman Beach Park seawall. See the full agenda here. All welcome. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)

WORDSWEST LITERARY SERIES: Nancy Pearl and Susan Landgraf are tonight’s headliners for the January edition of WordsWest Literary Series at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm, as previewed here. (5612 California SW)

DENNY IMS PTSA: 7 pm PTSA meeting at Denny International Middle School, with the featured topic “Alcohol and Drug Refusal Skills.” (2601 SW Kenyon)

BASKETBALL: Girls-varsity home games tonight, both at 7:30 pm, for West Seattle High School vs. Seattle Prep (3000 California SW) and Chief Sealth International High School vs. Lakeside (2600 SW Thistle).

DEADGRASS: 8-11 pm at Parliament Tavern, featuring the music of Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

THERE’S MORE … on our complete-calendar page.

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FERRY ALERT UPDATE: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth returns to 3 boats
January 17, 2018 10:35 am
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 |   Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

10:35 AM: Just in from Washington State Ferries – after two days on a 2-boat schedule, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run will return to 3 boats today, now that M/V Issaquah has been cleared to return to service. WSF says it’s not yet certain exactly when the regular schedule will be restored but promises an update, which we’ll add here when we get it.

1:49 PM UPDATE: WSF says the route returned to the 3-boat schedule as of the 1:25 departure from Fauntleroy.

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UPDATE: Car-on-side crash at Delridge/Trenton
January 17, 2018 9:09 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

em>(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)

9:09 AM: As mentioned a short time ago in our daily morning-traffic coverage, there’s a crash at Delridge and Trenton. Turns out (thanks for the tips!) a car is on its side, so this might not clear quickly, and we’re breaking it out into a separate report. No major injuries reported – the SFD dispatch does not include a medic unit.

(Photo courtesy Melanie)

9:16 AM: Our crew has talked to police at the scene and reports two vehicles are involved; no one is hurt. Delridge is completely blocked at the scene just north of SW Trenton, and tow trucks have been called.

10:21 AM: Just went back to look – scene is now clear, road fully open again.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch
January 17, 2018 6:58 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)

6:58 AM: Good morning. As we begin, a Seattle Fire response is arriving at a collision on the Western Avenue offramp from northbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct.

FERRIES: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth continues the two-boat schedule today.

7:07 AM: Via scanner, SFD has just told dispatch that the 99-at-Western incident isn’t a crash, it’s a broken-down school bus, so their units are being dismissed.

7:56 AM: SFD medical response at 26th/Genesee.

8:50 AM: Crash at Delridge and Trenton. Avoid the area. (Note: We’re covering the crash separately, here.)

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WEST SEATTLE SCENE: TLC on MLK Day for Fairmount Playground’s forest
January 17, 2018 1:01 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Last week we previewed an MLK Day work party for the forest at Fairmount Playfield … and forest steward Christine Deppe just sent us that photo of everyone who showed up on Monday!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Phone theft; purse-theft update; another abandoned bicycle
January 16, 2018 8:01 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:

PHONE THEFT: From Chelsea:

Last night, as I was walking home from LA Fitness, I was standing on the corner of Edmunds and Fauntleroy when 3 males approached me from behind as I was sending a text. They then grabbed my phone out of my hand (they did not assault me or pull any weapons). After they grabbed the phone, they proceeded to run West on Edmunds (away from me), where they split up right around 40th Ave. Two of them booked it into an alley behind the apartment building there while one of them ran toward and then crossed Alaska.

I didn’t end up filing a police report because I didn’t get a good look at them plus I didn’t have a phone to call. They appeared to be younger, based upon their clothing, which was dark hoodies with jeans and at least one of them had a backpack on.

As we told her, it’s vital to file a police report so this is on record at the very least, and it’s not too late to file one. (Wednesday update: She has filed a report – incident #18-019576.)

PURSE-SNATCHING FOLLOWUP: We still haven documents with full details of the Saturday night incident in The Junction, but we’ve got a few more than we did on Sunday. We’ve confirmed that two 19-year-olds booked into jail for theft on Saturday night are the adult suspects in this case (police told us a juvenile also was arrested, but juvenile detention rosters are not available online). Both are still in jail, one with bail set at $20,000, one with bail set at $1,500. Both have been ordered – if they do get out – to have no contact with the Junction Starbucks, which at least one witness told us is where the purse theft happened.

ABANDONED BICYCLE: Latest sighting is reported by Becky:

She spotted it at the corner of 47th SW and SW Edmunds.

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SEEN OFF WEST SEATTLE: USS John C. Stennis, headed out for training
January 16, 2018 7:00 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks to Gary Jones for the photo from Alki Point as the Bremerton-based aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) headed out, northbound in Puget Sound, late today. According to this post on the Stennis’s website, the vessel and its sailors are headed out for “routine training … scheduled to conduct flight operations, damage control and firefighting training, seamanship training, medical training, and exercises designed to maintain technical and tactical proficiency in a variety of warfare areas.”

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FLU: Providence Mount St. Vincent bars visitors, to be ‘vigilant’
January 16, 2018 5:01 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Health | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

In the past few days, several readers with family members at Providence Mount St. Vincent have e-mailed to let us know the center is currently barring visitors because of the flu. One wondered how this was affecting its renowned intergenerational preschool. We checked today with The Mount spokesperson Susan Clark to find out more. Her response:

Like the entire country, Providence Mount St. Vincent is experiencing flu among our residents in both our assisted living apartments and our skilled nursing neighborhoods. There have been no cases of the flu among the children from our Intergenerational Learning Center.

Because the average age of our residents is 94 years, we have a vigilant approach when it comes to protecting this vulnerable population. At this time, we are not allowing visitors, including our volunteers, unless it is an emergency. We are taking additional infection control measures to prevent the spread of flu at The Mount, such as canceling social activities including visits with the children.

Here’s general state Department of Health info about flu.

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FOLLOWUP: What SDOT says about the recurring Admiral/California signal trouble
January 16, 2018 3:33 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

After the Admiral/California stoplight went into flashing-red mode again over the 3-day weekend – far from the first time – we promised to follow up today to see what SDOT is going to do about it. Here’s what SDOT spokesperson Karen Westing found out from the department’s Transportation Operations staff:

This signal you’re referring to is one of our older ones (circa 1980s), which explains why it’s been acting up recently. Our Transportation Operations team has been troubleshooting the problem and did a fix this weekend that they think will solve the issue. If it doesn’t hold, then we’ll replace the signal in the next few months.

If you do see a problem at this or any other signal, please report it as soon as you can. During regular business hours, SDOT has a hotline at 206-684-ROAD; the rest of the time, the 24-hour dispatch number for urgent problems is 206-386-1218.

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WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST 2018! Here’s how to be part of it
January 16, 2018 2:40 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(July 2017 Summer Fest early-evening photo by Paul Weatherman)

One month into winter … we have another look ahead to summer! The West Seattle Junction Association is planning the peninsula’s biggest party of the year, Summer Fest 2018 – now less than six months away – and wants to let everyone in the community know that applications are open for:

*Vending – apply here
*Food – apply here
*Performing – apply here
*Sponsorships – apply here
*GreenLife sustainability expo – apply here
*Pet Junction – apply here
*Free community-partnership booth – apply here

(Each of those links also includes qualifications/description info.) The dates for this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest are July 13, 14, and 15, in the street, in The Junction, as always!

P.S. In other big-Junction-event news, the date for the second Wine Walk will be May 18th, and we’re told tickets will be on sale soon.

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THURSDAY AT DESIGN REVIEW: See the packet for Junction Landing, 4417 42nd SW
January 16, 2018 1:33 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

Next up at the Southwest Design Review Board: Thursday at 6:30 pm, board members will take their next look at the Junction Landing apartment project, 4417 42nd SW [map], a short distance north of the same West Seattle developers’ Junction Flats. The packet for Thursday’s review, from architects Nicholson Kovalchick, is now available – see it (PDF) on the city website, or embedded below:

Junction Landing proposes 58 apartments, 4 live-work units, with 29 underground parking spaces (accessed from the alley), in a four-story building, replacing three houses built in the 1930s. This is its second and potentially final Design Review; the project received Early Design Guidance approval at its first review last May. There will be a public-comment period during Thursday’s meeting, which is upstairs at the Senior Center/Sisson Building (4217 SW Oregon)

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WEDNESDAY: Nancy Pearl, Susan Landgraf at WordsWest Literary Series
January 16, 2018 11:43 am
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 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

She just might be the most famous librarian ever – she even inspired an action figure. Tomorrow night, Nancy Pearl (above right) will be in West Seattle, appearing in the next edition of WordsWest Literary Series, 7 pm (Wednesday, January 17th) at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). Pearl and poet Susan Landgraf are this month’s headliners. The theme, as described in WordsWest’s announcement, is “‘Broken Promises — Resolutions, Riots, and Repair,’ an unearthing of the stories that lie under promises made to loved ones and to the land, promises abandoned, and the incremental mending.” Pearl has recently added “novelist” to her resumé, with the publication of “George and Lizzie.” Landgraf’s most-recent poetry collection is “What We Bury Changes the Ground.” You can read the full announcement in our calendar listing. Susan Rich, one of WordsWest’s curators, says they’ll also be collecting donations at the event (for which admission is always free) for C & P’s down-payment crowdfund.

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West Seattle Tuesday: WS Crime Prevention Council; dancing; reading; music; more…
January 16, 2018 9:04 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Tuesday: WS Crime Prevention Council; dancing; reading; music; more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Chris Frankovich)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, for the rest of your mid-January Tuesday:

BABY STORY TIME: Bring little ones up to 12 months old to Southwest Library, 10:30-11 am. Free and fun. (9010 35th SW)

JUSTIN KAUSAL-HAYES: Live music with a view! Acoustic hits of the last four decades at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), 5-8 pm. (1936 Harbor SW)

EVENING BOOK GROUP: 6:30 pm at High Point Library. This month’s title is “The History of Love” by Nicole Krauss. All welcome! (3411 SW Raymond)

WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (meeting room’s next to the parking lot). Bring neighborhoods crime/safety concerns; hear trends and updates from local police. This month’s special guest will discuss drug trends. (2300 SW Webster)

DANCE CLASSES: New series launching at Senior Center of West Seattle – intermediate swing at 7 pm, foxtrot at 8:15 pm. More info in our calendar listing. (4217 SW Oregon)

BASKETBALL: 7:30 pm, home games for the boys-varsity teams at Chief Sealth International High School (vs. Lakeside, 2600 SW Thistle) and West Seattle High School (vs. Seattle Prep, 3000 California SW).

UNPLUGGED, A MUSICAL GATHERING: Acoustic musicians are invited to this session at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

SOUTH SOUND TUG AND BARGE: 8-11 pm at Parliament Tavern, West Seattle group with “… the best in power trio busking Americana folk power love blues with a bunch of punk rock aesthetic.” No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Post-holiday Tuesday updates
January 16, 2018 6:53 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

6:53 AM: Good morning. If you’re headed toward northbound I-5, there might be a bit of a backup, after an SFD medical response just north of the West Seattle Bridge exit – but the call just closed a moment ago. That’s the only in-or-outbound-from-West Seattle incident so far.

Other notes:

-The Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth Washington State Ferries run remains on a two-boat schedule.

-Utility work on 45th SW in front of Madison Middle School will close the street to all but school buses for a few days, starting as soon as today.

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