West Seattle, Washington
01 Sunday
ORIGINAL REPORT: Yes, that’s I-5 closures, plural, next weekend (Friday night, June 1st, through Monday morning, June 4th). Besides the northbound I-5 closure at the West Seattle Bridge that you’ve probably heard about, I-5 is also closing multiple NB lanes starting near Southcenter, and some SB lanes north of downtown. This afternoon, WSDOT provided this explanation of how it’s all going to unfold:
… Northbound I-5 lane closures will begin at the I-405 interchange near Southcenter before tapering down to a single lane that will exit at the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Street/Spokane Street.
*All on-ramps to northbound I-5 between southbound I-405 and South Michigan Street except from eastbound SR 518 will close at 8 p.m. Friday.
*The SR 518 on-ramp to northbound I-5 will remain open all weekend.
*The northbound I-5 off-ramps all will remain open between southbound 405 and the closure at the West Seattle Bridge/Spokane Street/Columbian Way exit.
*The northbound express lanes will open afternoons with access only from the downtown on-ramps.
*A single lane of traffic will be able to enter northbound I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Street/Spokane Street on-ramp before heading into downtown.
*At the Duwamish River Bridge, three right lanes will be closed.
*At the southbound I-5 Lake Washington Ship Canal Bridge, the two left lanes will be closed from 3 a.m. to noon Saturday. The two right lanes and the 45th Avenue Northeast on-ramp will be closed from 3 to 11 a.m. Sunday.
A second weekend of major I-5 closures is tentatively planned for July 13-16. (We regularly include road-work reminders in our weekday-morning traffic coverage, but break out big things like this as merited.)
SATURDAY UPDATE: Two notes resulting from discussion in comments and elsewhere:
-You can check area traffic cameras any time on this WSB page
-You CAN get to eastbound I-90 via the exit to NB I-5 from the West Seattle Bridge – that’s been confirmed via a Twitter discussion with drivers who’ve done it as well as WSDOT.
Look familiar? Stolen? Lost? Karen sent the photo after spotting the suitcase and other items in Fauntleroy’s Endolyne area earlier today. Let us know if it might be yours.
(WSB photo, 2017 Morgan Junction Community Festival)
Now that Memorial Day weekend is past, it’s time to continue looking ahead to the rest of our sure-to-be-spectacular summer. Just added to the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar: Westwood Village has announced the date for this year’s Street Fair at the shopping center – 11 am-5 pm Sunday, June 17th. The past few years it’s been scheduled concurrently with the Morgan Junction Community Festival, but this year it’s the day after, so if you want to go to both, you’ll be able to do that without festival overload! WSB is again a co-sponsor of the Morgan festival, which will be presented 10 am-4 pm Saturday, June 16th, by the Morgan Community Association, in and around Morgan Junction Park (California just north of Fauntleroy) – live music, Bubbleman, the return of the Bark of Morgan dog parade, and more. Details on both as we get closer.
9:25 AM: We’re at KEXP‘s Seattle Center headquarters for the announcement everyone’s been waiting for … who’s playing at Alki Beach for Sub Pop Records‘ already-much-previewed 30th-anniversary party? Sub Pop just announced it! The poster here tells the toplines:
Or, if you prefer the text version, from Sub Pop’s news release:
Beach House, Clipping, Kyle Craft, Fastbacks, Jo Passed, Loma, LVL UP, METZ, Moaning, Mudhoney, Shabazz Palaces, Wolf Parade, plus Caspar Babypants, The Not-Its, and The School of Rock West Seattle House Band
“Special guests” are promised too. We first reported the party plan back in January. It’s expected to draw thousands to Alki for a free four-stage music-and-more festival noon-10 pm on August 11th – 30,000 was the estimated turnout for Sub Pop’s 25th anniversary in Georgetown in 2013.
(WSB photo added: Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper in-studio at KEXP)
Right after Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper (a West Seattleite) and team’s announcement, Shabazz Palaces is playing live at the KEXP Gathering Space, and we’re staying for some of that.
Before entering the studio, Jasper told us she’s “so excited” to finally make the lineup public. Updates to come!
9:49 AM: The Shabazz Palaces mini-show has just begun (streaming live here).
Meantime, also announced by Sub Pop, three other events that weekend – not in West Seattle but you might be interested – details are on the special SPF 30 website.
And if you’re just tuning in to all this, Sub Pop reps have been visiting the Alki Community Council and Admiral Neighborhood Association for months to discuss logistics and answer questions, given the magnitude of the event – here’s our most-recent report.
(Song sparrow in teacup bird feeder, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SUB POP ALKI EVENT LINEUP: Starting at 9 am on KEXP radio, Sub Pop Records will announce the long-awaited lineup for the much-previewed Sub Pop 30th anniversary celebration at Alki Beach on August 11th. We’re at KEXP studios at Seattle Center to cover it as breaking news, so if you don’t want to or can’t tune in, just check back here on WSB in a bit!
LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: 10 am-12:30 pm, explore Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) or Constellation Park (63rd SW/Beach Drive)beaches at low tide with Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists – today, it’s out to -1.5 feet at 11:38 am.
BABY STORY TIME: Bring the littlest member(s) of the family to Southwest Library for story time, 10:30 am. (9010 35th SW)
STARBUCKS AFTERNOON/EVENING CLOSURES: Today’s the day Starbucks stores are closing early for anti-bias training. A quick check of the company website suggests West Seattle stores’ closing times are just after 1 pm.
SHARE YOUR ROXHILL MURAL IDEAS: What do you want the new Roxhill/EC Hughes mural to depict/reflect? 6:30 pm, come talk with artist Henry Luke at Southwest Library. (9010 35th SW)
KING COUNTY TOWN HALL FOR WHITE CENTER & VICINITY: Unincorporated-area residents just south of West Seattle are invited to the county’s annual Community Service Area Town Hall for North Highline, with information about local-government services. 7-9 pm at Seola Gardens. (10900 4th Place SW)
TUESDAY TRIVIA: Whisky West (WSB sponsor) hosts trivia with Geeks Who Drink, 7:30 pm Tuesdays. (6451 California SW)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … by browsing our complete calendar!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:03 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far this back-to-work-and-school morning.
CLOSURE REMINDERS: 35th SW between 104th and 106th in Arbor Heights is scheduled to close for at least two weeks starting today … In SODO, Lander St.’s year-and-a-half-plus closure continues … And this weekend, Friday night until Monday morning, WSDOT plans a full closure of NB I-5 north of the West Seattle Bridge.
STADIUM ZONE: Mariners’ homestand continues tonight.
7:44 AM: This morning we’re on the bridge with everybody else, headed downtown. So far things look pretty good. If you are wondering about the emergency response headed east across the bridge, there’s a fire callout on Beacon Hill.
7:54 AM: The bridge moved fairly fast and now we’re on 4th, where things are bogging down (as usual, in our limited experience) around the stadium zone.
8:15 AM: Made it to lower Queen Anne. Still relatively quiet otherwise.
Thanks to West Seattle High School track and field head coach Will Harrison for the report:
Congratulations to the West Seattle High School contingent for their accomplishments at the WIAA 3A Track and Field State Championships at Mt Tahoma High School last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
(Cunliffe’s state-record vault, video by Tim Reilly)
On Friday, the West Seattle girls had a special day. Junior Chloe Cunliffe had 3 very special pole vault clearances: She won the meet by being the only athlete to clear 13 feet even, then set the meet record by clearing 13 feet, 4 inches- but she wasn’t done there. She went on to clear 13 feet, 8.5 inches to set the all-time Washington record. Shortly afterward, she competed in the long jump and wound up 2nd by half an inch, with a leap of 17 feet, 9.25 inches. Hannah Hicks of Edmonds-Woodway won the event at 17 feet, 9.75 inches.Senior Symmone Davis continued to her rapid improvement streak in the 100m hurdles. She came into the meet seeded 10th and wound up 2nd with a time of 14.88 seconds. Ingraham’s Phoebe Salowey won the event with a time of 14.79 seconds. For Davis, this capped off a breakthrough season which also saw her set a school record in the 300m hurdles at the district meet.
In all, Cunliffe scored 18 points, and Davis an additional 8. Those 26 points in fact put West Seattle in first place in the team scoring going into the third and final day of the meet, and was ultimately good enough for a 7th-place finish – the top finish of any Metro League school.
On the boys’ side, Senior Cass Elliott defended his 300m hurdle title with a time of 37.68 seconds. His prelim time of 37.13 seconds was just 0.02 seconds off his own meet record from last year and the fastest time in any classification this year. It was an impressive bounce-back from a serious ankle injury he suffered in November while playing basketball, which forced him to take several months off and even miss the early weeks of the spring season. Elliott will continue his career at the University of Washington next year.
Senior Joe Kirk-Woodbury had a storybook ending to his high-school discus career. He came into the meet ranked 11th in that event (all competitors get three throws at state, and then the top 9 get three additional throws). He had been motivated all year by Jay Morgan‘s school record of 150 feet, 6 inches from 2003. He was already having a great day by making finals with the 5th best mark overall, with 5 throws in the 140’s. On his sixth throw of the meet and final throw of his high school career, he launched a throw of 152 feet, 1 inch to notch the record, as well as a 3rd place finish. Kirk-Woodbury will continue his track career at Olympic College next year.
(The 4 x 400 team of Delaney, Maroon, Elliott, and Farrison)
Junior Rylee Farrison ran a time of 50.92 seconds in the prelims of the 400m dash to finish 9th overall in that event, just one place shy of making the final. Elliott, Farrison, Jackson Delaney, and Alec Maroon ran to a 6th-place finish in the 4 x 400m relay with a time of 3 minutes, 26.42 seconds to finish the meet.
All together, the boys’ team compiled 19 points to finish 12th in the team scoring – second among Metro Schools (Chief Sealth was 10th). Gig Harbor won both the boys’ and girls’ team titles. Full results can be found here.
The heavy equipment is in place along 35th SW in Arbor Heights, where the first phase of the Safe Routes to School sidewalk project is set to start tomorrow, according to SDOT, as previewed here 2+ weeks ago – replacing the underground stormwater drainage and detention system on 35th between 104th and 106th. That will require a full closure of 35th in the area for at least two weeks, SDOT says.
Since that is near both Arbor Heights Elementary and Westside School (WSB sponsor), here are the detours for school traffic:
The project will install sidewalks on the west side of 35th between SW 100th and SW 106th.
“The duty and honor of our veterans, past and present, is the backbone of the nation.”
So declared David Bailey toward the conclusion of the annual Memorial Day service at Forest Lawn Cemetery and Funeral Home (WSB sponsor) in High Point. He also led attendees in song, before and after short speeches by two U.S. Army veterans – Steve Strand, representing VFW Post 2713, and Keith Hughes, representing American Legion Post 160, both headquartered in The Triangle.
This was a different, shorter service than recent years. We of course recorded it all – here are our 17 minutes of video:
No Taps this year, but a wreath was placed at a replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
It was Scott Weaver‘s Eagle Scout project and took almost a year – he’s at left, below, with Sean Dunbar and troop leader Brian Hutchison:
This is the 150th anniversary of Memorial Day. Both veterans included looks back to the time when it originated. From Strand’s speech:
America’s heroes come from every background. They are made up of every race, religion, color, and creed. They have fought in the air, sea, and land, at home and abroad. Despite all their differences they were united in their fight for a better world, and they paid with their lives. They leave behind families, friends, and colleagues. We come today to mourn their passing and to keep their memory alive.
I pray that God comforts each of you that are grieving a loss and I would like to leave you with the words from President Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address, “To do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”
Hughes also quoted President Lincoln, from his Gettysburg Address, including, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did … we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.” And he noted that the U.S. number of war dead, since the Civil War, has now passed one million. After also quoting from the famous poem “In Flanders Fields,” Hughes offered this wish: “I pray that you will all rededicate yourselves to the cause of peace and freedom.”
The event included joy as well as solemn contemplation:
It was bookended, as usual, by the Duwamish Dixieland Jazz Band, with lively renditions of patriotic classics.
Thanks to Gary Jones for the photo – a few orcas, transients according to Orca Network, were back in view from West Seattle this afternoon, though closer to the Kitsap side. Gary saw them from Alki Point in the noon hour; ON’s last reported sighting, less than an hour ago, was still off south Bainbridge.
We just confirmed – after getting a tip late last night (thanks!) – that the West Seattle KFC (3501 SW Avalon Way) is shutting down. Staff there told us this morning that next Saturday (June 1st) is scheduled to be their final day. While the quarter-acre site is zoned for potential mixed-use development – NC3-65 – city files show another fast-food franchise is planning to take over: The Habit Burger Grill, which has 200+ locations nationwide. The Southern California-rooted chain announced four years ago that it had signed a Seattle-area franchisee to add more than two dozen restaurants in this area; so far, the closest one is in Tukwila. The West Seattle site plan shows a renovation on what appears to be the same footprint as the KFC, with the drive-thru staying (the company’s recent quarterly report mentioned an increasing interest in drive-thrus). No timeline or other details, but we’ll do our best to track down the franchisees. Meantime, if you are a KFC fan, starting Sunday, your nearest one will be in White Center (10050 16th SW).
Volunteers of all ages joined in a holiday tradition, helping American Legion Post 160 deck the West Seattle Junction with flags. They included Scouts from Troop 282 and firefighters from Station 32:
The volunteers gathered at the northeast corner of California/Alaska, and that’s also where you are welcome to meet up at 5 pm to help take them down.
In the meantime, the Stars and Stripes are lining the heart of “downtown West Seattle”:
It is a busy day for Post 160, with the 2 pm Memorial Day service at Forest Lawn (6701 30th SW; WSB sponsor) and a community cookout afterward, starting at 3:15 pm (3618 SW Alaska) – you are welcome at both!
A texter asked about police and the Medical Examiner on Alki early this morning; we just went over to check and were told it’s a suicide investigation. The SFD log says the call originated as a “scenes of violence” (formerly “assault with weapons”) dispatch to 55th SW/Alki SW at 5 am. When we arrived, the ME had left; the last police on scene had no other details and were about to leave.
As always when we mention suicide, we want to remind you that the Crisis Clinic hotline is available 24/7 for anyone contemplating self-harm … 206-461-3222.
(Flags across from Don Armeni, photographed Sunday night)
Good morning! It’s Memorial Day, and we start with some info you might find helpful:
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT: No traffic report today because of the holiday, but you can see local cameras here. … Metro buses are on a Sunday schedule … So are the West Seattle Water Taxi and its shuttle buses … Sound Transit Route 560 is not running today … And the Washington State Ferries Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on the regular weekday schedule.
OTHER MEMORIAL DAY NOTES: Seattle Parks community centers, teen centers, Environmental Learning Centers, and indoor pools are closed … Schools are closed … Seattle Public Library branches are closed … Today is a U.S. Postal Service holiday … If you’re going to a Seattle neighborhood with on-street pay stations/metered parking, you won’t have to pay, because it’s a city “free parking” day.
What’s happening today:
HELP PUT UP/TAKE DOWN JUNCTION FLAGS: American Legion Post 160 appreciates community volunteers to help put up and take down the flags in the West Seattle Junction. Meet on the northeast corner of California/Alaska at 9 am for the morning help and 5 pm for the evening removal.
SPRAYPARK OPEN: Third day of the 7-day-a-week season for Highland Park Spraypark, 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
COLMAN POOL, LAST DAY OF FIRST PRE-SEASON WEEKEND: Three swim sessions, noon-7 pm, at the city-run outdoor saltwater pool at Lincoln Park. See the schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
MARINERS FLYOVER: If you see a Boeing C-17 Globemaster flying in the area around 1 pm, it’s a Mariners‘ game flyover.
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE: The traditional service presented by American Legion Post 160 and community partners is at 2 pm this afternoon at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor), all welcome. (6701 30th SW)
… FOLLOWED BY A COOKOUT: Again this year, after the Forest Lawn event, Post 160 invites you to a community cookout at its headquarters in The Triangle, 3:15-5 pm. (3618 SW Alaska)
10:20 PM: We were just looking out at the almost-full moon and wondering about the “star” visible west of it; the WSB inbox has yielded an answer, and then some. Trileigh Tucker e-mailed to say that’s Jupiter and “it’s clear enough that you can see several of Jupiter’s moons!” You can try looking with a telescope or binoculars. Trileigh explains, “Jupiter’s very bright, to the slightly upper right of the moon. Jupiter’s moons are the tiny white specks lined up on a tilted angle to Jupiter, pointing upper right.” Scientists believe Jupiter has more than 60 of them!
ADDED 11:27 PM: Thanks to Greg Snyder for the Jupiter photo!
(Photos courtesy Loop the ‘Lupe)
You can run, you can crawl, you can climb … you can even laugh because it’ll be so much fun! Just six days until the 5K with personality (and options), Loop the ‘Lupe, next Saturday in West Seattle.
You can tackle the entire obstacle course, or make it a 5K family run/walk, or try two other options – the Senior Saunter, a quarter-mile loop, and a 1K Kids’ Dash. It’s all happening at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle), kitty corner from Our Lady of Guadalupe, which organized the event for the first time last year and found it to be so much fun, they’re doing it again. Did we mention, there’s live music and a beer garden? This is an event for everybody, whether you can barely get yourself off the couch, or whether you’re so fit you ca barely sit still. Here’s the timeline for Loop the ‘Lupe day on Saturday (June 2nd):
11:00 AM – Loop The ‘Lupe! Obstacle Course Challenge
11:45 AM – 5K Family Fun Run/Walk
12:15 PM – Senior Saunter
1:00 PM – Youth Dash
ALL DAY – Loop The ‘Lupe’! after party featuring live music with Northwest party legends BottleRockit, plus food & drinks for purchase and a beer garden provided by The Beer Junction!
You can get a special 10 percent discount on the obstacle course or 5K right now by signing up with the code WSB10. Go here to register right now! (WSB is Loop the ‘Lupe’s media sponsor, and we look forward to seeing you there!)
5:23 PM: Firefighters have made quick work of what’s described as a “car fire near a structure under construction” in the 4500 block of 23rd SW [map of vicinity]. We’re on our way to check it out.
5:37 PM: At the scene. Added photo of the vehicle that caught fire.
5:40 PM: Our crew is told the vehicle caught fire after crashing into the under-construction building, which is just south of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. The driver took off and is not yet in custody.
7:25 PM: The vehicle’s been towed and police have left the scene. We checked the area just as they were departing – and shortly thereafter found ourselves behind the tow truck taking the vehicle away:
The tow driver had paused (for reasons unknown). And a P.S. – as mentioned in comments, “Avalon Tom” caught some video that shows the thick dark smoke that briefly called this fire to many people’s attention:
We’ll be following up on this post-holiday.
Now it’s two state championships for Chief Sealth International High School track-and-field athlete Elijah Jackson – part of this update from Sealth athletic director Ernest Policarpio:
Congratulations to Sadique Calloway, Chloe Myers, Elijah Jackson, and Quinn Wiley for competing in the state championships this weekend at Mt. Tahoma.
Congrats to Quinn Wiley (second from right, above), who took 2nd in the 300 Hurdles.
Congrats to Elijah Jackson, who took 3rd in the high jump and took 1st in the triple and long jump!
Amazing Group of Kids! #ROLLHAWKS
Full state results are here.
Thanks to assistant coach Joel Snow of the West Seattle High School golf team for the report and photos:
(Congratulations to) our West Seattle High School Golfers on our successful trip to the High School State Championships in Spokane this past Tuesday & Wednesday (May 22nd & 23rd).
The boys’ tournament was held at the Creek at Qualchan, with Senior Alex Nguyen (above) and Junior Cameron Smith (below) competing for our boys’ team.
The girls’ tournament was held at Indian Canyon, with Freshman Lauryn Nguyen competing for our girls’ team, with Lauryn taking home the medal for 2nd place in the individual category. (Photo below, left to right, are Athletic Director Corey Sorenson, Assistant Coach Joel Snow, Lauryn Nguyen and Head Coach Velko Vitalich)
Tournament information and results can be found here.
Last October’s recycle/reuse event in The Junction was so popular, an encore is set for next month – and this time, shredding is included! 9 am-1 pm Saturday, June 30th, bring your recyclables, reusables, and shreddables to the southwest corner of the West Seattle Junction Association parking lot off 42nd SW, just south of SW Oregon. WSJA is partnering with the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Public Utilities, Waste Management, and Windermere to present the event – see this flyer for guidelines on what they will and won’t be taking.
9:31 AM: Just texted by Kersti Muul and by Alisa Lemire Brooks from Orca Network – at least 10 orcas reported in/near the Southworth ferry lane, northbound. On the Kitsap side, so if you’re going to go look from this side, good binoculars are a must! Let us know if you see them.
10:24 AM: As of a few minutes ago, per the Denniston Family in comments, “They are directly in front of Manchester by the big ship.” (Not sure where Manchester is? Here’s a map.)
(Thanks to Mark Wangerin for two views of the beautiful Western Tanager)
Day 2 of the three-day weekend! Highlights from our calendar:
MEMORIAL DAY POPPIES: American Legion Post 160 will be back at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), 8 am-5 pm, offering the traditional red-crepe-paper poppies that are made by and raise money for veterans. (4201 SW Morgan)
CLEAN UP WITH THE LITTER LEAGUE: Also in Morgan Junction, get your Sunday started by joining Jill and the Litter League in a quick community cleanup, 9:30-11 am. She will have “vests, litter picker-uppers, buckets and bags for everyone” – just bring/wear your garden gloves. More info here. Meet by the ATM just south of Thriftway. More info here. (6540 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: No holiday for the hard-working growers and makers who bring their food and beverages to The Junction on Sundays. Open 10 am-2 pm in the street as always. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
HELP DESIGN A MURAL: The new Roxhill/EC Hughes mural needs your ideas, hopes, and dreams! Come talk with project-leading artist Henry Luke at Dubsea Coffee, 11 am. (9910 8th SW)
SECOND DAY OF SPRAYPARK SEASON: Just a reminder that Highland Park Spraypark is now open daily, 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
SECOND DAY OF COLMAN POOL’S FIRST WEEKEND: Noon-7 pm, three swim sessions at Colman Pool on the Lincoln Park shore on this second day of its first pre-season weekend. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SEASON’S FIRST ALKI LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: 1-4 pm, the Coast Guard Auxiliary‘s first day of free tours at the historic lighthouse – this year, only on Sunday afternoons, as previewed here. (Alki SW/Beach Drive SW)
SACRED SERVICE FOR WAR DEAD: West Seattle Contemplative Church and WS Baptist Church will co-present this “religious service recogniz(ing) those who have died, acknowledges the life given, and commits them to God. It is also an honoring of those for whom the traditional rites of memorial and burial may not have happened.” 5:30 pm. Both pastors are veterans. (4157 California SW)
MEMORIAL DAY VETERANS’ SERVICE: A service “remembering veterans and their families” is planned at the Junction Church, 5:30 pm. Light refreshments afterward. (4157 California SW)]
Something for our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – as far in advance as possible; thanks!
Seattle Police are asking for the public’s help in finding Jackie Dupras.
Though their tweet – the only announcement of the search – says the 74-year-old woman was last seen near Seattle Center, she is a West Seattle resident.
If you see her, please call 911.
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: She has been found safe.
| 13 COMMENTS