day : 19/01/2019 10 results

(WSB photo, August 2018)

Usually about this time on midsummer Saturday nights, a happy crowd is well into watching the week’s free presentation at West Seattle Outdoor Movies. But you won’t see that scene – or be part of it – this year, unless a new organization is found to take over the series for what would be its 15th season.

The movies long had a home at the courtyard adjacent to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse. But a few factors ended that, including proprietor Lora Radford selling the shop (she’s now executive director at the West Seattle Junction Association, and still a big booster of/adviser for the movie series), and the crowds simply outgrowing the space. The series moved to the “festival street” outside the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) at the end of the 2016 season, then shifting to its west parking lot, but that hasn’t proven to be the right fit for either the Y or WSOM, and so a new presenting organization is being sought – providing the site, equipment, among other things.

Ideas? Interest? Contact Lora Radford for starters, lora@wsjunction.org.

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Spokane

January 19, 2019 9:14 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

9:14 PM: Saturday night callout for one of SDOT’s Incident Response Team: They’re cleaning up after a crash at Harbor/Avalon/Spokane. This may block north-to-eastbound access to the bridge onramp (and lower Spokane) from Avalon for a while longer, so if you have to head out, consider another way. No serious injuries reported – SFD has cleared the scene and no medic unit was dispatched.

10:10 PM: Scene’s not clear yet, but the SDOT live cam shows traffic is now getting through onto eastbound lower Spokane and the bridge onramp.

10:19 PM: Clear now, reports SDOT.

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SR3’s progress, plus Neighborhood Street Fund, @ Alki Community Council

January 19, 2019 8:57 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Toplines from this past week’s Alki Community Council meeting:

SR3 UPDATE: SR3‘s Casey Mclean brought the ACC up to speed on her plans for a fulltime space off Harbor Avenue SW, not just for marine-wildlife rehab, but also for research. She said the space is on the Merlino industrial property east/south of Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), with permits in progress but no firm timeline so far. Nothing will go in until the permits are in hand, but she has two tanks on order and plans to add a modular building.

P.S. For a view of Mclean in action, Mark Jaroslaw shares this video from a harbor-seal-pup rescue at Don Armeni:

NEIGHBORHOOD STREET FUND: Ideas vying for a share of this city fund are about to go into what SDOT is now calling the Community Prioritization phase, starting on January 28th. That includes meetings in West Seattle and South Park in early February, as listed here. At the ACC meeting, safety advocate Don Brubeck asked the ACC to support the proposal for safety improvements on West Marginal Way SW between the parks on the east side of the street and the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse on the west side. (Here’s the clickable map showing what’s proposed around the city.)

HALA MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY: As noted here earlier this week, the upzoning proposal is now up for council consideration of amendments. HALA MHA would upzone multifamily and commercial property around the city, so Alki would be affected though it’s not an “urban village.” One amendment is specifically within the ACC’s area of interest, asking that the commercial node near Beach Drive/Carroll not be upzoned.

The Alki Community Council meets third Thursdays, 7 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds).

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Winter’s highest ‘king tides’ next week – but first, about that eclipse

January 19, 2019 7:53 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Tonight’s almost-full moon reminds us …

(WSB photo from December 17, 2012)

KING TIDES: Without stormier weather, we’re not likely to see a scene like that, but you still might want to know that the highest high tides of winter 2019 are just a few days away. Wednesday (7:01 am) and Thursday (7:43 am) will both bring 13.1-foot “king tides,” a bit lower than last January, which had two days with 13.2 tides. Here’s the full tide chart.

ECLIPSE: The forecast does not look favorable for seeing the Super Blood Moon lunar eclipse Sunday night. But if we get a break – here are the times to look.

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YOU CAN HELP! Get looped in on pitching in with Loop the Lupe 2019

January 19, 2019 6:46 pm

| Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP! Get looped in on pitching in with Loop the Lupe 2019

| Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from 2018 Loop the Lupe)

Summer is closer than you think. So are fun summer events like Loop the Lupe. They run on volunteer power and need to stock up on that early, so you’re invited to find out more. From organizer Brian Callanan:

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!

An informational meeting on how you can help make the Loop the Lupe Obstacle Course and 5K Fun Run in 2019 a smashing success is happening Wednesday, January 23rd, 7 p.m., at the Pastoral Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. School groups, families looking for volunteer hours, WE WANT YOU!! Help us take this event over the top- -it’s happening June 8 at Walt Hundley Playfield! RSVP to loopthelupe@gmail.com.

Thanks, and GET IN THE LOOP!

The OLG Pastoral Center is on the NE corner of 35th SW/SW Myrtle.

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VIADOOM, WEEK 1: Bridge-bicycling total

January 19, 2019 4:00 pm

| 20 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

The photo is courtesy of Andrew, one of hundreds who bicycled to work during the first week of Highway 99-less-ness – his view from the bicycle path in/out of West Seattle. Don Brubeck from West Seattle Bike Connections calls our attention to the Spokane Street Bicycle Counter (low bridge), which shows 4,553 trips Monday-Friday this week, compared to 2,556 for the same five weekdays last year. “We’d like to encourage people to try it and keep doing it to get through the viaduct/tunnel transition,” says Don. “You can be part of this.”

P.S. Not all riders crossed the low bridge, of course – the Water Taxi has some bicycle capacity (plus added parking at Seacrest) as do Metro buses.

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ELECTION 2019: School-levy vote soon. Here’s what happened when the West Seattle school up for a rebuild got briefed

January 19, 2019 1:47 pm

| 54 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics | West Seattle schools

By Brian Bergen-Aurand
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The February 12th special election is three and a half weeks away. Voting starts in days.

The only measures on the ballot in our area are two Seattle Public Schools levies. The district is asking voters to approve both the “Replacement for Educational Programs and Operations Levy” and the “Capital Levy” (BEX V) measures.

As part of a series of community information meetings, Deputy Superintendent Stephen Nielsen addressed about a dozen teachers and parents last Tuesday in the Alki Elementary School lunchroom. Nielsen presented a brief overview of the proposed 2019 levies and fielded questions and comments for an hour. (See the Seattle Public Schools website for more information on these meetings and the levies.)

While schools throughout the city are scheduled for some sort of upgrade, renovation, or replacement, Alki Elementary is the only facility in West Seattle earmarked for a new building, should BEX V pass. (Here’s the full citywide project list/map.) And this replacement plan provoked several important questions during the meeting.

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West Seattle whale-watching: Orcas return!

January 19, 2019 12:05 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo by Monica Zaborac)

12:05 PM: Another orca alert from Kersti Muul: Whales have been spotted in the Bainbridge Island ferry lanes, southbound, so are likely to be within view from West Seattle soon. As always, please let us know if you see them!

12:29 PM: An update from Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales – seven to ten orcas, closer to the Bainbridge side but coming into view off Constellation Park south of Alki Point and likely visible from Emma Schmitz Overlook/Me-Kwa-Mooks within half an hour.

ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: Thanks to everyone who provided location updates in comments. Adding a photo sent by Monica Zaborac.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 3 reader reports, including the case of the leisurely package thief

January 19, 2019 11:46 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three reader reports and a reminder in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ARBOR HEIGHTS CAR PROWL: From John:

The one night I forgot to lock my doors, my car gets prowled (west end of 107th near California). Nothing of significant value taken, but console and glove box rummaged through.

They took the parking key card for my office garage, so if anyone sees a discarded ‘thank you note’ w/ a white office key card, please let me know.

A police report has been filed.

PACKAGE THIEF WHO TOOK HER TIME: Usually security video shows package thieves stealing in seconds. This one took her time. You can watch the video here; Brett, who sent it, included this screengrab:

This happened in the 4800 block of 38th Avenue SW on Wednesday.

FENCE-MANGLING HIT-RUN: Not far from there, also on Wednesday, David is wondering if anyone witnessed this:

(Wednesday) sometime between noon and 3:00 pm, somebody drove his or her vehicle onto our property and did substantial damage to our cyclone fence, taking the post with it. The damage extends to our neighbors property as well, taking out an ajoining gate and affecting the operation of separate gate. An eight foot arbor vitae and Mason bee house were also a casualty.

The only entrance in and out of this location is the alley entrance on Findlay just SE and across the street from Fairmount Park Elementary School.

Police were contacted via online. We’re hoping somebody saw anbody coming and coming during that time. There’s only a few vehicles that regularly use it as it’s a dead end. And we’re at the end of the dead end which is why people try to turn around in our in yard when I leave the gate open.

And now a reminder:

WEST SEATTLE BLOCKWATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: Your next chance to bring concerns to local police is during the first WSBWCN meeting of the year, Tuesday (January 22nd), 6:30 pm, at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). The guest speaker will talk about 911 – spotlighting both the new texting access and the recent outage – as previewed here. All welcome.

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9 ways to spend your West Seattle Saturday

January 19, 2019 6:07 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Since we are still Highway 99-less for a second Saturday, here’s a bridge cam in case you’re headed off-peninsula:

Our selection of West Seattle-relevant cameras is here. But why leave? Here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

GROUP RUN: Been getting up early all week because of Viadoom and feeling energetic even now that it’s the weekend? Meet at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) at 8 am for the free group run! (2743 California SW)

DEVELOPMENT SITE TOUR: 10 am, Early Outreach for Design Review site tour at ex-substation where up to 14 townhouses are proposed. All welcome. (8822 9th SW)

COFFEEHOUSE MORNING MUSIC: 10:30 am-noon, Marco De Carvalho and Friends at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). No cover. (5612 California SW)

SELF-DEFENSE AND EMPOWERMENT: Special workshop this morning for women 13+ at Combat Arts Academy (WSB sponsor) as a benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank – admission by donation of $30 or 30 nonperishable food items. Preregister ASAP! Then be there 11 am-1 pm. (5050 Delridge Way SW)

COAT DRIVE: Admiral UCC hosts Rev. Rick Reynolds to talk about how to help your unhoused neighbors, and is accepting new/gently used coats when you drop in between 2 and 4 pm. (4320 SW Hill)

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH YOUR SCHOOL-BOARD DIRECTOR: 3-5 pm at Delridge Library, stop by to talk with your elected representative on the Seattle School Board, its president Leslie Harris. We’re told drug and alcohol prevention will be part of the discussion. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

ROO & THE FEW: “Eclectic mix of covers and originals” at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

BANDMIXERS AT THE SKYLARK: Curated cover bands, in a first-of-its-kind live-music event at The Skylark, 8 pm – details in our calendar listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

TAVERN TUNES: 8:30 pm at Parliament Tavern, Memphis Radio Kings with Tripp Rezac Band and Brad Yaeger. $5 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

SEE THE FULL LIST … on our complete calendar!

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