West Seattle, Washington
10 Saturday
Not many taxi rides come with an open-water rescue. Today’s West Seattle Water Taxi ride, on the other hand… pic.twitter.com/NM6KiStv6I
— Skip Tognetti (@togneter) August 31, 2018
10:24 PM: Thanks to Skip Tognetti for the video via Twitter – it confirms what tipster Kevin told us about this evening, a Water Taxi crew rescue just off Seacrest:
It appeared at about 6:05 pm a person fell out of a small Lund motorboat. Water Taxi pulled person out of water.
For all the times we’ve seen false-alarm “water rescue” callouts, there was no callout for this one, so we were unable to confirm at the time, but the video tells the tale.
ADDED 5 PM FRIDAY: Read more about it on the official Water Taxi blog-format website.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
GUARDIAN ONE: Thanks to those who messaged us a few minutes ago that the law-enforcement helicopter was in the Westwood area; it wasn’t showing on flight tracker so we didn’t know until then. We checked in with them on Twitter and the reply: “Assisted Seattle PD with taking a felony suspect into custody near Westwood Village.”
STOLEN CAR: Alex e-mailed this report a short time ago: “My car was stolen outside of Southwest Youth and Family Services, at 25th SW and SW Alaska St. Blue Ford Taurus, 2005, WA license plate AVD0257. There is a Rover.com magnet on the back that may have been peeled off.” Call 911 if you see it. (SATURDAY UPDATE: Alex says his car has been recovered.)
Back-to-school time is also back-to-after-school time – and you’re invited to sign your kid(s) up for what Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) and Mode Music & Performing Arts are offering in West Seattle. Here’s the announcement:
Mode Music Studios and Mode Music & Performing Arts (MMPA) are pleased to announce our fall music and performing arts classes. After a successful summer of rock band and performing arts camps, group classes and private lessons are now open for registration. All fall group classes begin in mid-September 2018.
Now enrolling for fall music lessons and classes at Mode Music Studios. Find out more at modemusicstudios.com.
Mode Music Studios Fall offerings include:
1. Private music lessons for all ages
2. Year-round Rock Band sessions
3. Tiny Modes (ages 0-4)Now enrolling for fall performing arts group classes at Mode Music and Performing Arts. For a complete list of all the fall performing arts classes, full class descriptions and prices visit modemusicandperformingarts.org
MMPA Fall after-school classes include:
1. Hogwarts Scene Study, 2nd-5th grades
2. Comedy Combat, 5th-8th grades
3. Elephant and Piggie Story Drama, K-2nd grades and more!Scholarships are available for Rock Bands, Drama Camps and Classes. For details on scholarships, email info@modemusicandperformingarts.org.
Mode Music Studios and MMPA are partner organizations located in West Seattle, near the West Seattle Bridge. Mode Music Studios offers private music and vocal lessons, rock band camps, toddler music, and more. MMPA is a nonprofit that strives to provide exciting and innovative performing arts training. MMPA believes that it is vital every child experience the arts and have the opportunity to create on and off stage. Our professional teaching artists are skilled at offering a wide variety of performing arts classes from acting technique to musical theater to play creation and performance.
Questions? 206-388-6688 and info@modemusicstudios.com or info@modemusicandperformingarts.org.
Our area’s two biggest high schools both have football games Friday night. Chief Sealth International HS is home at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), 7 pm, vs. Kennedy Catholic High School. Meantime, West Seattle HS is on the road, with a time change – 8 pm Friday at North Thurston HS (600 College St. NE, Lacey).
4:40 PM: Teachers at Denny International Middle School were out with signs a short time ago on this second day of informational picketing around the district, with no contract agreement yet and six days left until classes are set to start. Their counterparts at adjacent Chief Sealth International High School walked a line this morning:
And outside Chief Sealth International High School: pic.twitter.com/aF88oPWpQh
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) August 30, 2018
So did Arbor Heights Elementary:
More @SeattleEA picketing today. These educators are at Arbor Heights Elementary. pic.twitter.com/gs08tCpq6I
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) August 30, 2018
And we received photos from educators at two other West Seattle schools – Madison Middle School:
And Sanislo Elementary:
(We have Wednesday photos from six schools in an earlier report.) No word yet on how negotiations went today between the district and union, but the latter reported “some progress” on Wednesday. We’ll update when there’s news. Meantime, preparations continue for the scheduled first day of school next Wednesday (September 5th) – no cancellations or changes in before-school-starts events since there’s no strike, yet.
10:57 PM: The union reports, “Our bargaining team worked until 9:30 pm. Continued conversations on substitute healthcare, nurses, and special education. Some progress made — we will be back at bargaining tomorrow morning!”
FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: The district has posted an update saying it has “every reason to believe that the team will reach a tentative agreement this weekend and that school will begin on Sept. 5.”
The photo and report are from Lauren, whose house was burglarized this morning:
We live in the Gatewood neighborhood on California Ave SW and SW Webster. While my boyfriend and I were at work, the house was broken into via the back door. It was kicked in and the panels that create the lower portion of the door collapsed. The only thing we have found stolen at this time was my wooden standing jewelry box/cabinet.
I’m pretty upset because most of my jewelry was not expensive, but sentimental. They got my watches, hair combs, costume jewelry, and some select few pieces of nice jewelry. I will keep an eye on the blog in case random bits get trashed or left in an alleyway, etc. The window for the break-in occurring was very small- I left for work at 7:30 am and my boyfriend returned at 11:30 am to meet a repairman for our dryer.
We’ll add the police report # when we get it from Lauren. (Update: 18-323552)
Yes, flamingo flocking is still a thing! The photo arrived in the WSB inbox from Robin Bernard, who explains:
My wife had a major birthday today and 60 pink flamingos were ‘deposited’ in our front yard last night as a surprise to her this morning by Westside Flockers in the Fauntlee Hills neighborhood.
Last night, we mentioned via Twitter a short-lived “brush fire with exposure,” so short-lived we didn’t head out to the scene at Fairmount and Stevens. But there’s more to the story. Today, neighbor Rosalie Miller sent photos and a report about the fire and what she found this morning:
I wanted to inform West Seattle residents that last night around 10 pm someone set an intentional fire across from our property. My husband was in the bedroom when he heard a car door close and moments later heard crackling sounds and saw flames and called the fire department.
The fire spread quickly through dry grass and foliage, approximately 10 x 20 feet before being extinguished. No one was injured. No property damage occurred although the fire stopped just short of the fence that encloses an adjacent property. This morning I found the casing from a firework called Ground Blossom fire bomb. I notified the fire department and they plan to add an addendum to their report. I sincerely hope that this was an isolated event. Glad to live in West Seattle where folk watch out for each other, and each other’s properties. Stay safe.
As noted in our second tweet, tipster Aaron told us neighbors had extinguished the fire. So we asked Rosalie about that. She replied, “We have a long hose that reached the street and we used it to extinguish the big flames while waiting for the fire department but there were still red hot embers present when the fire department got there and they finished the work and secured the perimeter around the fire location then left.”
(WSB photo: Lincoln Park driftwood sculpture silhouette at sunset)
An eclectic Thursday as we edge ever closer to summer’s last big weekend …
COLMAN POOL REOPENING: As we just reported, Lincoln Park’s outdoor pool will reopen today, Parks has announced, after a 2 1/2-day closure for repairs. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
WADING POOL: Per Parks’ daily hotline recording, it’s too cloudy/cool to open any of them in the city today.
MORE TEACHER PICKETING: This is the second of two days for Seattle Public Schools educators‘ informational pickets as their contract talks with the district go down to the wire. We photographed some picketing this morning, and others tell us they plan to be out after work this afternoon – update in the works.
END-OF-SUMMER PARTY: West Seattle (Admiral) Library is celebrating today, 3-4:30 pm. (2306 42nd SW)
BOOTCAMP & BEER: 6 pm at Fitness Revolution, a 50-minute bootcamp workout, followed by a beer at The Beer Junction – all as an
SOL (Save Our Lots) fundraiser – details here as well as the link for booking your spot. (4519 California SW)
TRIVIA: 7 pm and 8 pm at Great American Diner and Bar in The Junction. Free. Prizes! (4752 California SW)
THREE BANDS: 8 pm at The Skylark, Chase the Comet, Celia, and The Morning After. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
LOOK BEYOND THE HOLIDAY … via the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar!
(Colman Pool, photographed last year by Long Bach Nguyen)
Just announced by Seattle Parks via Twitter: “Colman Pool will be opening today for regularly scheduled programming. Thanks to our Facilities staff for their work fixing the broken pump.” The historic outdoor saltwater pool on the Lincoln Park shore has been closed since Monday afternoon because of the breakdown. Its 7-day-a-week season runs through Labor Day, and then the pool will close except for one postseason weekend, Saturday-Sunday, September 8-9. You can see the pool schedule here.
(Photo courtesy Project 968: Recent barre class @ Project Studio)
Project 968 (4617 37th SW; WSB sponsor) is expanding! Proprietor Michael Browder‘s fitness business in The Triangle has added a new studio location at 5621 Delridge Way SW, and new classes that you are invited to try for free over the next week and a half. Michael says the new Project Studio is “our new location for unlimited barre, yoga and Pilates classes that will sculpt, strengthen and stretch your body. Through September 7th, we are offering free classes and special limited pricing to the community to check out the new space, and services. Check out our schedule and contact us for a class. Space is limited.” Here’s the schedule of free classes:
Friday 8/31:
Barre @ 5:30 am
Barre @ 8:30 amMonday 9/3:
Closed in observance of Labor DayTuesday 9/4:
Yoga @ 6 am
Barre @ 8:30 am
Pilates @ 9:45 am
Yoga @ 8 pmWednesday 9/5:
Yoga @ 6 am
Barre @ 8:30 am
Barre @ 6:30 pmThursday 9/6
Barre @ 5:30 am
Pilates @ 8:30 am
Yoga @ 8 pmFriday 9/7
Barre @ 5:30 am
Barre @ 8:30 am
Yoga @ 8 pm
Contact info to book a spot in a free class (or find out about other Project 968 offerings) is here.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:29 AM: Good morning! The holiday weekend getaway starts in earnest today. So far this morning, no incidents in/from West Seattle.
STADIUM ZONE: Seahawks at home tonight, 7 pm, vs. Oakland. That means extended West Seattle Water Taxi service.
8:01 AM: Trouble on NB 35tb SW in Arbor Heights – stuck 21X bus blocking at 98th, just 2 blocks north of the sidewalk-project closure.
(Added – photo sent by Eric)
No tow truck yet.
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