West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Big win for Chief Sealth International High School tonight, but the Seahawks didn’t really run away with it until the last quarter of their 40-24 victory over Ballard at Southwest Athletic Complex. Among those cheering in the stands, members of the Sealth Class of 1968, celebrating their 50-year reunion:
The game started in sunshine, and head coach Ted Rodriguez had reason for a sunny outlook right from the start.
Sealth star #8 Dontae McMillan got his first TD with 7:36 to go in the first quarter. With a two-point conversion, the Seahawks led 8-0, and that held until midway through the second quarter, when the Beavers kicked a field goal. It was 8-3 but not for long.
The teams swapped possession shortly thereafter, with Sealth #6 Jalonie McMillan recovering the ball on a fumbled punt, followed by a Ballard interception, and then a safety adding two points for Sealth, bringing the Seahawks’ lead to 10-3 – until the Beavers had a huge TD run with 2:42 to go in the first half, tying the score 10-10.
The Seahawks answered fast with their own big TD run and went into halftime ahead 16-10.
Ballard briefly took the lead with 3:51 left in the third quarter, 17-16. How briefly? Sealth’s Dontae McMillan scored a TD on the kick return. With the two-point conversion, Sealth was up 24-17 and never looked back. They added two more TD-plus-two sets, starting with this one:
Another Sealth TD. With 2-pt conversion, now 32-17 CSIHS over Ballard with 8:10 left in the game. pic.twitter.com/qRJVlee7NI
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) September 29, 2018
And at just under 7 minutes left in the game, the next 6-plus-2 widened the Sealth lead to 40-17. Ballard managed a TD with :22 left but it was too little, too late, and the Seahawks finished with the 40-24 triumph.
That brings Chief Sealth to 3-2 and puts them atop the Metro League‘s Sound Division. Next Friday at 7 pm, they’re on the road, playing Lakeside at Northwest Athletic Complex.
(Texted photo – thank you!)
7:26 PM: A “full response” is arriving at a house in the 9000 block of 17th SW [map]. First crews on scene are seeing “heavy smoke” from a basement window.
7:31 PM: Crews confirm a fire in the basement and have water on it.
7:35 PM: Texted photo added. SFD is searching the house – no word of injuries so far.
7:40 PM: The fire is declared “tapped.”
7:50 PM: Some units have been dismissed. But note that there’s SFD apparatus on both Barton and Henderson in the vicinity, so avoid the area.
8:15 PM: Firefighters at the scene tell us no one is hurt – no one was home when the fire started. Damage is mostly to “contents” in the basement. Cause is under investigation.
6:38 PM: Perfect night for a Wine Walk … second one this year presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, and another sold-out event. More than a dozen Junction businesses are hosting wineries; the WSJA photo above is from CAPERS, where Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) is pouring. (Our other winery sponsor, Welcome Road, is featured too, pouring tonight at Carmilia’s boutique.) Here’s the full lineup. Watch for word of more Wine Walk action next year, and remember to get your ticket(s) early!
8:59 PM: And as it wraps up – from the loft at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), where the wine was from Mercer Wine Estates:
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A week and a half after the big news that the Alaskan Way Viaduct will close forever on January 11th, with three weeks of Highway 99-less-ness to follow before the new tunnel opens (and other traffic effects beyond that), the West Seattle Transportation Coalition got a high-level briefing.
Leading that briefing last night: WSDOT’s Viaduct/99 project boss Brian Nielsen, SDOT’s downtown-mobility director Heather Marx, and King County’s Chris Arkills.
There were a few new bits of information – but even the not-so-new info bears hearing over and over as the 99-less period approaches.
Marx began with the overview that getting around the city is about to change – “it’s not going to be super-fun, for a few years” – with the promise that after those “few years,” things will be much better.
She showed the five pillars of how “downtown mobility” will be managed.
She made way for Nielsen, who promised specifics on “what’s going on in the Viaduct program now and the next couple years.” The number 5 figured into his early going, too – 5 things that have to be completed before the tunnel can open.
Just in from SDOT:
Saturday morning, we’ll be closing (the inside lanes along) 500 to 1000 feet of the Fauntleroy Expressway portion of the West Seattle Bridge. Approximately 9 Jersey Barriers struck in a recent vehicle collision must be moved back into their protective alignment.
What you can expect:
Our Roadway Structures team will maneuver and realign the jersey barriers, in an area currently coned and taped off.
September 29 | 7 AM – 3 PM
500 to 1000 feet of WB and EB left lanes of Fauntleroy Expressway, just E of 35th Ave SW
Excited about Halloween yet? You can get in the spirit starting Monday by bringing your dog to Dutchboy Coffee in Highland Park – in costume. (Your dog, not you, although you’re certainly welcome to dress up too.) Dutchboy proprietor Jenni Watkins shares the rules:
To participate, the Pupstomer must be in costume at the shop within the month of October. Each Dogstume (dog in costume) will be photographed at Dutchboy Coffee and will be judged on originality, quality, and pizazz. All pupstomers’ pics will be on Instagram for all to vote.
Jenni adds that there are prizes: “A fancy custom dog collar made by local artist Angelia, a drink for the human, and a picture of the lucky dog in costume on our wall for all to see.” Judging will happen on Halloween, and the winner will be announced November 1st. Dutchboy is on the southeast corner of 16th SW/SW Holden.
Having a Halloween/harvest contest, event, etc.? Let us know – for our calendar and our annual Halloween Etc. event guide, launching soon – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Today, we welcome a new WSB sponsor: Seattle Design and Print, having its grand opening tomorrow.
During the grand opening on Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm, you’ll see the store, meet the Seattle Design and Print team headed by manager Sarif Ahmed, and receive 20% off your order for standard prints and posters just for stopping by.
Sarif says that after 16 years of working passionately for a major print company, “we decided to start our own company. Our own goal is to provide a high-quality, affordable product with the care and dedication that you deserve, without the hassles of the big chain printers.” Seattle Design and Print offers a full line of print products such as posters, signs, and banners, along with copying and graphic design.
Sarif has lived in West Seattle since 2007. He says, “We are proud to be the preferred print provider for the Georgetown Arts and Cultural Center, and look to make many more partnerships that benefit local businesses and organizations.” Seattle Design and Print also offers a full line of banners and he invites all local groups to email or give him a call.
Seattle Design and Print is at 2445 4th Ave. S., Unit 104, open 8 am to 6 pm Mondays-Fridays, 9 am-3 pm Saturdays, 206-535-7955.
We thank Seattle Design and Print for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Two more West Seattle businesses hit by crime.
(WSB photo)
STARBUCKS BREAK-IN: Thanks for the e-mailed tips on this. The sign above warns customers that the back entrance at the Morgan Junction Starbucks is closed (the store itself is open). Both the store and police confirm the break-in early this morning. The burglar(s) got in by breaking door glass. No other details available so far.
TOSHI’S ROBBERY: After our report last night on a shoplifting-turned-robbery incident at Home Depot on Delridge, a commenter mentioned Toshi’s Teriyaki in Westwood Village had been robbed earlier in the evening. We followed up this morning with SPD; they tell us it was a tip-jar robbery and that a “female suspect … was later located on a Metro bus and taken into custody.”
(Thanks to Al for the photo of one of those ubiquitous, industrious spiders)
Highlights of fall’s first Friday!
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE DROP-OFF: You can be part of the Southwest Library‘s 27th annual Artist Showcase! Today’s the second of three days during which you can stop by the library (open until 6 pm tonight) to sign up while dropping off up to three pieces of your visual art. (9010 35th SW)
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES: “Good Will Hunting” is this afternoon’s movie at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 1 pm, $1 members/$2 nonmembers. (4217 SW Oregon)
WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION WINE WALK: Tonight’s 5 pm-start event is sold out! Just mentioning as a reminder, in case you do have tickets.
FOOTBALL: Chief Sealth IHS homecoming game at 5 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) vs. Ballard. West Seattle HS plays Franklin at Memorial Stadium downtown (401 5th Ave. N.) at 7:45 pm. Also, tonight’s West Seattle Stadium (4432 35th SW) game is O’Dea vs. Seattle Prep, 7 pm.
ALKI SKATING! The Alki Community Center has resumed Friday night skating, 5:45-7:45 pm. (5817 SW Stevens)
EVE AND DAY: 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), “an acoustic duo featuring warm harmonies and a unique chemistry.” (5612 California SW)
‘SKELETON CREW,’ NIGHT TWO: 7:30 pm, it’s the second weekend for the new production at ArtsWest. You can check ticket availability here. (4711 California SW)
LOOK AHEAD TO THE WEEKEND – AND BEYOND! Our complete calendar is back up and running.
9:38 AM: Thanks for the texted photo. That crash is on NB 35th at Thistle. No major injuries, as SFD closed out of the call fairly quickly. We will check on it shortly.
9:53 AM: One of the vehicles hasn’t cleared yet.
Though we weren’t able to publish morning-traffic watch this morning, we did want to remind you one more time about this weekend’s planned I-5 offramp closure. From WSDOT‘s “Revive I-5” project page:
The northbound I-5 off-ramp to the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Way/Spokane Street will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28 to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 1, for repaving work. This work is weather-dependent. Drivers should consider alternative routes, including SR 599 and West Marginal Way.
Also, the weekly SDOT Construction Lookahead (which covers both city and state routes) has advance word of two tentatively planned Highway 99 closures next month:
October 12 – 15: SR 99 Southbound will be closed from the south end of the Battery St. tunnel to S. Spokane St., Fri 9 PM – Mon 5 AM.
October 19 – 22: SR 99 will be fully closed from the West Seattle Bridge to the Battery St. tunnel, Fri 9 PM – Mon 5 AM.
Watch for official confirmation of those two when they get closer.
(SPD presentation starts 1:16 in)
In her Thursday afternoon appearance during the City Council’s first-round budget review, Police Chief Carmen Best revealed three goals for crime reduction in the year ahead: Cutting auto theft, residential burglary, and commercial robbery. She said that residential burglary had hit the Southwest and South Precinct areas particularly hard, so she wants to bring it down five percent in those areas, while reducing vehicle theft by five percent citywide, and reducing commercial robbery by two percent.
As noted when the citywide budget plan was rolled out by the mayor on Monday, the chief hopes to add 10 officers next year – beyond replacing those who leaving – and 30 in 2020. Councilmembers spent a significant amount of time grilling Best on staffing levels, saying they are hearing from constituents over and over again that the city doesn’t have enough police. The force currently numbers 1,457, she had said, “more deployable officers than it has ever had,” while acknowledging “we need more officers.” Recruiting, she said, is currently a big challenge.
Another number of note: The proposed SPD budget for next year is $363 million, a 10 percent increase, with most of the increase attributed to technology investments that have to be made next year.
SPD was the last department to present its budget overview in 2 days of presentations to the council. Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s latest weekly update outlined where the process goes from here, including a public hearing at City Hall next Thursday (October 4th).
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