West Seattle, Washington

19 Friday

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month : 01/2019 292 results

UPDATE: West Seattle power problems
January 24, 2019 12:52 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

12:52 PM: The Seattle City Light outage map is itself out so we can’t gauge the situation without getting SCL comment, but we received some reports of flickering about an hour ago, and one report of power lost in Pigeon Point. Anyone still out, please let us know – thanks!

12:58 PM: The “full screen” version of the outage map is working – via that and a call to SCL’s media line, we’re told two areas are having problems – about three dozen customers between Charlestown Hill and Beach Drive, and the Pathfinder K-8 school area of Pigeon Point.

1:44 PM: Update from City Light – the school outage is resolved; the other two outages have separate causes, one related to a meter installation, one related to a fallen tree. And the main outage map should be functioning again by late this evening.

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From hamburgers to history, 7 for your West Seattle Thursday
January 24, 2019 9:54 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(River otter with lunch, photographed by Mark Wangerin. Yes, these are the otters you see in/near Puget Sound)

Lucky you – you don’t have to plunge into Puget Sound to get your next meal. You have options. Like the event starting today’s highlights list:

DINE OUT FOR ROXHILL: Until 9 pm tonight, Zippy’s Giant Burgers in White Center is donating part of its proceeds to Roxhill Elementary kids. (9614 14th SW)

WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Today’s luncheon is the annual meeting to look ahead to the Chamber‘s future. 11:30 am at The Sanctuary at Admiral. (42nd SW/SW Lander)

‘SEATTLE NOW & THEN, THE HISTORIC HUNDRED’: As previewed here Tuesday night, you’re invited to this free illustrated presentation with the book’s authors PauL Dorpat and Jean Sherrard and editor Clay Eals, 6 pm at Aegis Living. Appetizers and beverages, also free! (4700 SW Admiral Way)

WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: 6:30 pm, with special guest County Executive Dow Constantine. More on the agenda in our calendar listing. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

SOUTHWEST DESIGN REVIEW BOARD: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, in a meeting that will include public comment, the board reviews 18 townhomes proposed for 5242-5248 California SW. See the design packet here. (4217 SW Oregon)

M. BUTTERFLY, OPENING NIGHT: The new production at ArtsWest opens tonight, 7:30 pm curtain. Check here for ticket availability. (4711 California SW)

LUCKY BROWN’S FUNKWAYS: Band debuts at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm! Be there – providing you’re 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

THAT’S NOT ALL … see our full calendar here!

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YOU CAN HELP! Lafayette Elementary student leaders’ challenge for you
January 24, 2019 9:09 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Can you help student leaders at Lafayette Elementary help other kids? Their announcement:

To recognize the 100th year of Lafayette Elementary, the student council is organizing a fundraiser and community outreach to collect new and lightly used socks and shoes for kids in need. We also accept money as a donation, and all proceeds will be donated to Westside Baby and Youthcare for youth in need.

“The Lafayette Student Council wants to give back to our community for its support for the last 100 years and thought helping kids was the best way to do it. Our goal is to collect at least 100 pairs of new (and lightly used) kid sized shoes and socks (per grade level) so no kid has to go without” — Lafayette Student Council Members

You can drop off your donations between 7:30 am and 6:00 pm M-F (until) May 31, 2019 at Lafayette Elementary.

The school is in The Admiral District at 2645 California SW.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: AM watch, 2nd Thursday post-Viaduct
January 24, 2019 5:30 am
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times / WS-relevant traffic cams / Water Taxi schedule, other helpful info HERE)

5:30 AM: Good morning! Traffic watch is on for your Thursday.

5:36 AM: WSDOT reports a crash blocking the two left lanes on the NB First Avenue S. Bridge.

5:46 AM: This is about when the high bridge starts to get busy. Note it’s another wet morning.

6:02 AM: Tow and Incident Response are at the 1st Ave. S. Bridge scene – but now there’s an SFD medical callout, so that scene isn’t going to clear immediately.

6:25 AM: The first 1st Ave. S. Bridge scene is clear – the second one, further south, has not.

6:29 AM: A texter says this is backing this up all the way to Roxbury.

6:50 AM: Checking out the (high) West Seattle Bridge, as has been the case by this point in the morning, it’s filling up.

7:09 AM: Via RBWS, in comments: “2 car accident on Fauntleroy expressway in right lane before the Nucor plant. Drivers are standing around talking. Starting to back up toward 35th.”

7:19 AM: SDOT says that cleared quickly.

7:29 AM: The Fauntleroy curve is now backed up. Meantime, a South Park alert – in case you’re going that way to get around residual 509 backups – crash reported at 14th Ave. S./S. Henderson.

7:44 AM: Travel speeds via the city map show Delridge is particularly slow going right now just north of Genesee.

8:04 AM: Brenda tweeted, “On Upper bridge just saw unmarked police car pull into bus lane and put on his lights. All the bus lane violators immediately merged into lanes. No tickets but effective.”

8:17 AM: No new issues. Two notes for today:
-Our daily progress-report media briefing is back to a late-morning conference call, if anyone has questions.
-Tonight, King County Executive Dow Constantine is the scheduled guest at the West Seattle Transportation Coalition‘s monthly meeting, talking transit and more. All welcome. 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way).

8:42 AM: New trouble on the northbound 1st Avenue South Bridge – one lane blocked.

8:55 AM: WSDOT says that’s now clear.

9:22 AM: Still watching for incidents, but otherwise it’s off to the rest of the day’s news. If you see something, our 24/7 hotline is 206-293-6302 – text or voice – when you can use your phone safely/legally (after you get to where you’re going, if you’re not a passenger) – thanks!

10:31 AM: SFD response for a natural-gas leak at 14th/Roxbury. Not sure how/if it’s affecting traffic, but heads up.

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MORE CONGRATULATIONS: West Seattle High School Cheer Team’s second set of state qualifiers
January 23, 2019 11:27 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

When the West Seattle High School Cheer Team goes to state competition in a week and a half, they’ll be busy! Along with the news we shared earlier this month about the program’s Comp Team qualifying for state, head coach Jasmyne Agregado tells us 15 of the athletes that she and co-coach Nadine Nguyen lead also have qualified in the Co-Ed Game Day division. Agregado choreographed the Game Day team’s division-winning routine. State competition is set for Saturday, February 2nd, in the southwest Washington town of Battle Ground.

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VIDEO: Today’s #Realign99 progress report – ‘We are halfway there!’
January 23, 2019 6:50 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Whether it was out of jubilation, relief, or both, King County Executive (and West Seattle commuter) Dow Constantine opened today’s #Realign99 (aka Seattle Squeeze, aka Viadoom) media briefing by exclaiming “We are halfway there!”

The briefings before and during this time of Highway 99-less-ness have rotated between jurisdictions, from the WSDOT (state) work zone to SDOT (city) and Metro (county) operations nerve centers. This afternoon, media were invited to the latter.

Though there’s “light at the end of the tunnel,” as Constantine said wryly at briefing’s end, those present all but pleaded, don’t go back to your old ways. Though traffic’s been worse this week than last, they’re still seeing a significant amount of change, and that’s kept this more unpleasant than nightmarish. Before we get to today’s toplines, here’s the full video of this afternoon’s 25-minute briefing and Q&A at the Metro Transit Operations Center on the south side of downtown:

Speaking after Constantine were Metro’s Terry White, SDOT’s Heather Marx, and WSDDT’s Dave Sowers. Their key points:

White: No ridership stats for Metro yet but they’re working on it. They do know their added-as-needed buses have carried 27,000 passengers. The West Seattle Water Taxi is still running at triple the usual ridership for this time of year, 14,810 rides through this morning, and lots of room still left. Even the Vashon Water Taxi – which, unlike West Seattle, does not have added service – is up 17 percent, carrying 7,140 riders through this morning. “The marathon is not over … We really need you to continue the good work you’ve been doing.” He concluded by expressing gratitude for everything from the added bus lanes to Metro drivers.

(WSB photo: New ‘bike corral’ on Harbor Avenue SW by Seacrest)

Marx noted that bicycling across the “low bridge” (per its counter) has more than doubled. We asked her if the added police assigned to areas such as the temporary 4th Avenue (and bridge offramp) bus lane had started issuing citations; she said they have. Overall, she said, the commutes are peaking about an hour earlier than pre-Viaduct. As a result, they’ve been implementing traffic-control measures earlier (as early as 5 am in SODO), too.

Sowers said WSDOT’s noticed an increase in walk-on state ferries passengers on Seattle-bound routes including Vashon. As for the work to get the tunnel connected and open, he said construction continues to be on schedule for the February 4th tunnel opening goal, and that 80,000 people have registered for the celebration-weekend events – free viaduct and tunnel walking, fee-required fun run and bike rides.(Here’s where to go to register.) Last night’s downpour forced crews to hold off on some paving but that’s not a setback and they’re expecting more-favorable weather in the days ahead. A lot of electrical work remains to be done, Sowers added.

After the speaking-at-podium briefing/Q&A ended, reporters were invited to talk with a Water Taxi captain and Metro operator who were on hand. We took a moment to ask the former – Neal Amaral – what it’s been like. He’s a longtime captain of the boat that’s regularly on the route, the Doc Maynard. He said it’s been good to see some “new faces” as well as regular riders, and that it’s been pretty good sailing weather – no fog problems. Balancing the fast turnaround with other vessel traffic at the downtown dock, including the Kitsap fast ferries, has been a challenge.

P.S. Questions about the Water Taxi or Metro? You might be interested in tomorrow night’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting, 6:30 pm Thursday, Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW), with County Executive Constantine expected as the spotlight guest.

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DEVELOPMENT: See the packet for tomorrow’s 5242, 5248 California SW Design Review
January 23, 2019 5:00 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(Rendering by Hybrid: How the project would look from California SW)

Tomorrow night, the Southwest Design Review Board takes its next look at 18 rowhouse-style townhouses proposed to replace the vacant strip-mall building at 5242-5248 California SW. The packet for the meeting is available here (57 MB PDF). The plan includes one offstreet-parking space for each unit and describes the site as “a mix of street-facing & courtyard townhouses.” The 6:30 pm meeting at the Senior Center/Sisson Building (4217 SW Oregon) will include public comment. The packet explains how the project incorporated feedback from its first review back in November 2017.

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West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network talks safety, community, 911, more
January 23, 2019 1:59 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis gives a status update with help from Operations Lt. Steve Strand, as WSBWCN co-founders/co-leaders Deb Greer and Karen Berge lead the meeting.

Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Neighborhood advocates gathered on Tuesday night at the Southwest Precinct for the first 2019 meeting of the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network (WSBWCN), to discuss issues and opportunities for the community.

It was the group’s first meeting since October, and featured idea-sharing for neighborhood improvement, an update from police leadership and a presentation about 9-1-1 effectiveness.

WSBWCN co-leaders Deb Greer and Karen Berge called the meeting to order and asked attendees to go around the room and share thoughts regarding two key questions:

  1. What are the major problems in your neighborhood?
  2. What issues do you plan to work on with your Block Watch this year?

Read More

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FOLLOWUP: West Seattle Pizza Hut closure
January 23, 2019 12:33 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

On the second day since the closure of the West Seattle Pizza Hut at 6501 35th SW (as previewed here two weeks ago), we went by to look for signs of the space’s future. As our photo shows, the signage is already stripped; a dumpster’s in place on the south side of the building, but nobody is around to ask, and there’s still nothing in city files. The signage posted in the ex-restaurant’s windows says CLOSED, and nothing more. As originally pointed out in a comment on our previous story, Checkmate Dry Cleaners to the west also has closed (though its signage remains).

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Highland Park gunfire investigation
January 23, 2019 11:07 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

We checked with police this moning about a dispatch we heard early today following reports of gunfire seen/heard in Highland Park. SPD spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson checked the resulting report for us and summarizes:

At around 12:35 am, 911 received several calls reporting possible shots being fired near SW Holden St / Highland Park Way SW. A witness was standing on his ground floor balcony and reported hearing a single shot to the west of that location before observing a vehicle traveling east on SW Holden St. The vehicle stopped in the street near the witness and one occupant fired three additional shots into the air before the vehicle left the area heading northbound on Highland Park SW. No victims, property damage, or shell casings were located. An area check was conducted but officers did not locate the vehicle.

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6 for your West Seattle Wednesday
January 23, 2019 9:09 am
|    Comments Off on 6 for your West Seattle Wednesday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Recent photo in Lincoln Park by Anjanette Nelson-Wally)

Midweek already! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BABY STORY TIME: Bring your up-to-1-year-old(s) to High Point Library at 11:30 am for stories, songs, and rhymes. (3411 SW Raymond)

GROUP RUN: 6:15 pm, get out and run with West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor). Meet at the shop. (2743 California SW)

HPAC TALKS CAMP SECOND CHANCE: At 7 pm, the centerpiece of tonight’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting is a “facilitated, structured conversation” about whether the group should support extending the sanctioned encampment’s stay in southeast West Seattle. The full agenda is outlined on the HPAC website. HPAC meets at the Highland Park Improvement Club. (1116 SW Holden)

SCHOOL LEVY INFO: Ballots are going out for next month’s Seattle Public Schools levies. Still have questions? Get answers during a presentation at tonight’s West Seattle High School PTSA meeting. 7 pm at the school. (3000 California SW)

VOLUNTEER FOR LOOP THE LUPE 2019: 7 pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Pastoral Center, find out about ways you can be part of this unique summer event, as previewed here. (35th SW/SW Myrtle)

OPEN MIC: 7 pm signups at Great American Diner and Bar for weekly open-microphone session, hosted by Alan Sobel. (4752 California SW)

SEE WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING … by going here.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: 2nd post-Viaduct Wednesday, AM watch
January 23, 2019 5:30 am
|      71 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times / WS-relevant traffic cams / Water Taxi schedule, other helpful info HERE)

5:30 AM: Good morning! Nothing major so far.

BUS LANE ENFORCEMENT TODAY: We brought this issue up during Tuesday’s media conference call with transportation/transit agencies. SDOT’s Dawn Schellenberg later told us, “We checked in with SPD and they confirmed [today] an officer will be posted at the beginning of the 4th Ave/Spokane off-ramp where it begins to loop off of mainline, and also one down the loop ramp approximately midway to prevent reentries into the bus lane.”

5:42 AM: Early train activity – SDOT and Metro have both tweeted alerts about East Marginal/Spokane.

5:53 AM: Camera still shows that blockage, so if you’re eastbound, we’d advise high bridge if possible rather than surface.

6:15 AM: High bridge is starting to fill up.

6:27 AM: Train has finally cleared on lower Spokane Street.

6:36 AM: Trouble on NB I-5 just north of the West Seattle Bridge, by I-90. One lane blocked. Meantime, after a rainy night, it’s just misting right now.

6:49 AM: I-5 problem is cleared. Spokane Street cam shows the train arm down again – so if you are planning to take lower Spokane, be forewarned, busy morning at the railroad crossings.

7:09 AM: No new problems – just busy. Meantime, the Tacoma crash mentioned by AdmiralDon in comments has just cleared, if you have to head that far.

7:27 AM: Thanks for the commute reports in comments! Monitoring regional traffic watch, “better than yesterday” seems to be a common sentiment … so far. … AbBr tweeted about a stall just past the Fauntleroy entrance to the high bridge. Haven’t seen it on a camera but – heads-up in case it hasn’t cleared yet.

7:45 AM: LOW BRIDGE ALERT – it’s closed to surface traffic as of a minute ago. Also, another mention of a stalled/pulled-over vehicle on the eastbound high bridge.

8:02 AM: Low bridge has reopened.

8:05 AM: If you’re Beacon Hill-bound at the east end of the bridge, SDOT reports a Columbian Way/Spokane blocking situation. … If you’re noticing the SFD response headed for South Park, there’s a medical emergency (not a fire) aboard a barge along S. Riverside.

8:30 AM: The Incident Response Team has arrived to deal with the stall. Also – the rain has intensified. Bridge still packed both ways.

8:50 AM: No change as top of the hour approaches. … Today’s progress report will be focused on an afternoon media briefing about how transit’s going, so if you have questions on that front (Metro/Water Taxi/Ride2 in particular), please let us know!

9:39 AM: Belated report as we just had to cross the bridge ourselves. Bus and car pulled over just at the merge point. Looked like collision aftermath. SPD was there. Also noted them in the 4th exit ramp bus lane. Now heading back to WS!

10:51 AM: Back from downtown errands; took a surface route back and experienced some of the things we’ve written about, such as traffic revisions at certain intersections – no right turn allowed on Dearborn from 5th to get to 4th, so we had to head to 6th, where right turns to Royal Brougham were prohibited. Finally got back to 4th from Spokane (no left from westbound, so we had to deploy the “u-turn route,” just short of a train track that was in use). 4th was clear from Spokane to Michigan to the 1st Ave. S. Bridge to Highland Park Way. (By the way, here’s that bus-involved crash we mentioned last hour.)

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LOVE HISTORY? Another chance to see ‘Seattle Now & Then: The Historic Hundred’ authors
January 22, 2019 11:47 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle books | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

Love history? You have a chance this week to celebrate it as Paul Dorpat and Jean Sherrard return to West Seattle with an illustrated talk about their recently published book “Seattle Now & Then: The Historic Hundred.” West Seattle historian and writer Clay Eals, who edited the book, will be part of the presentation, 6 pm Thursday (January 24th) at Aegis Living (4700 SW Admiral Way). Everyone’s welcome to what will be, Eals notes, “the 25th event on behalf of the book since its launch on Paul’s 80th birthday last October 28.” Find out about the previous presentations – including videos – on the book’s website. Better yet, just go! It’s free, and Aegis will treat you to appetizers and beverages.

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KING TIDES: ‘Coastal Flood Advisory’ alert for Wednesday morning
January 22, 2019 7:48 pm
|    Comments Off on KING TIDES: ‘Coastal Flood Advisory’ alert for Wednesday morning
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

As noted here previously, the next two mornings bring winter’s highest high tides, aka “king tides” – 13.1 feet both days (7:04 am tomorrow, 7:43 am Thursday). Though no major problems are anticipated, the National Weather Service nonetheless has issued a Coastal Flood Advisory for 5 am to 10 am, advising, “The combination of high astronomical tides, low atmospheric pressure and waves from onshore winds will result in minor coastal flooding Wednesday morning.” If you’re out at that early hour, let us know what you see (photos to 206-293-6302 or westseattleblog@gmail.com) – thanks!

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PM TRAFFIC ALERT: Stalled vehicle on low bridge; Ambaum fire; other updates
January 22, 2019 5:00 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle video

5 PM: Thanks for the tip. The SDOT video camera on the “low bridge” confirms a stalled vehicle on the right side of the westbound lanes. Rainy commute, so bring your patience; if you’re headed eastbound out of West Seattle, for example, the high bridge looks as backed up as any AM commute.

5:10 PM: A second vehicle (unofficial apparently, no rollers) showed up/pulled over to help, and now both vehicles have moved along, so the low bridge is clear again.

5:25 PM: Given it’s so ugly out there, we’ll keep this atop the stream for a while. Another problem: 1st and Massachusetts, a blockage, blamed on “debris.” (Update: According to radio communication, a sign of some sort.)

6:20 PM: If you are heading to or from Burien, heads up – there’s an apartment fire just south of White Center, Ambaum and 122nd. Even some Seattle Fire units are now being sent to help out.

6:46 PM: Metro says the Ambaum fire is delaying Route 120. Meantime, the low bridge has closed so a vessel can get through.

7 PM: Low bridge has reopened to surface traffic.

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Plea bargain in Ryan Cox case?
January 22, 2019 3:55 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Almost a year and a half after repeat offender Ryan J. Cox was arrested and charged with stabbing a man in Gatewood, the case may again be on the verge of resolution. His omnibus (trial readiness) hearing has been postponed twice in the past week; the document filed today says, “Parties have a resolution with all terms finalized” and that Cox is expected to enter a plea Thursday. Nothing’s final, of course, until it actually happens: Last July, as reported here, there was also word of a “resolution” but it fell through; today’s document also notes, “Parties will be asking for a continuance if case does not resolve.” Cox has been in jail since the night of August 8, 2017, when he was arrested after allegedly stabbing another man, and himself. We detailed his criminal history in this followup the next day.

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PROGRESS REPORT: Updates on week 2, weekday 2, of Highway 99-less-ness
January 22, 2019 2:15 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Highway 99 tunnel | Transportation | West Seattle news

“If 90,000 drivers decide to get back in their cars, there’s no question that things will get worse quickly – don’t do it!” So said WSDOT’s Laura Newborn toward the end of today’s multi-agency media conference call, something WSDOT has organized most weekdays since the Alaskan Way Viaduct shutdown, and other participants echoed that: Keep those alternative commuting practices going if and when you can!

Meantime, toplines from the call:

(Framegrab from WSDOT construction cam)

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: WSDOT’s AWV Replacement Program deputy administrator Dave Sowers said they’re still on track to open the tunnel February 4th, right after the February 2-3 celebration weekend, with the NB 99 non-tunnel traffic exit ramp opening a week to 10 days after that. There’s a big concrete pour today, for “load distribution,” as they continue working on the ramps in the south portal area; it’s the groundwork for a future pour, “several hundred cubic yards of concrete.” So far the weather hasn’t really been a problem – absent truly heavy rain, or snow, they’re working through it. The next weather-dependent work is asphalt and striping, likely to happen this Friday, when drier weather is expected.

TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT: Though, as commenters on WSB and elsewhere observed, it felt worse than last week, WSDOT and SDOT reps on the call thought it wasn’t that different – WSDOT traffic engineer Morgan Balogh said “the peak started early and lasted longer,” and observed that people coming into Seattle from points south (via I-5, for example) had an added 15 minutes or so of travel time. SDOT’s Traffic Operations Center supervisor Tim McCall noted the West Seattle Bridge and East Marginal Way were key slowdown spots. As for the truck traffic that contributed to the latter …

PORT TRAFFIC: Port of Seattle spokesperson Peter McGraw said Terminal 18 on the east side of Harbor Island was the main contributor. They have more truck traffic this week because of more vessel calls starting last weekend … T-18 was so backed up that trucks couldn’t even get off the island, he said. And, “you can expect heavier traffic for the rest of the week.”

BUSES: They don’t have passenger counts yet, said Metro’s Jeff Switzer, noting that not all buses have counters. He was able to say that standby buses made 570 trips January 12th-19th, carrying nearly 20,000 riders. (We might hear more about the Metro overview tomorrow afternoon, when King County Executive Dow Constantine is leading a media briefing.) … We asked about bus-lane enforcement plans on the bridge besides the lane to 4th; SDOT is checking with SPD on that. They also are looking into the Avalon Way snarl. They altered the 1st and 4th Avenue S. signal timing today to help with traffic including buses.

WATER TAXI: No numbers for today yet. Last week Monday-Friday saw 11,456 passengers, said Switzer, compared to 3,490 in the comparable period last year. (2:45 PM UPDATE: 938 Water Taxi passengers this morning, down from 1,200 last Tuesday but still way up from a year ago, when 367 used it. Also up: The free parking at Pier 2 – which has a free shuttle to the dock – 71 cars today, vs. 53 last Tuesday. Still lots of room.)

P.S. We’re told the post-Viaduct situation is on the agenda at Thursday’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting, with County Executive Constantine the tentatively scheduled guest, 6:30 pm Thursday (January 24th) at Neighborhood House High Point, 6400 Sylvan Way.

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SHUTDOWN SURVIVAL: City offering utility-payment deferrals
January 22, 2019 12:15 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

Out of the WSB inbox, from the mayor’s office:

As furloughed federal workers across the country and across Seattle continue to be hurt by President Donald Trump’s partial shutdown of the federal government, Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan issued a new Executive Order to help impacted federal employees with their utility payments.

The partial shutdown began on December 22, 2018 and is now in its 32nd day. According to an analysis by Governing Magazine, the State of Washington has over 54,000 federal employees. Approximately 11,000 of them work in agencies currently without appropriations and are being directly impacted by the shutdown by working without pay or being furloughed.

Nationally, it is estimated that 800,000 federal employees across the country are working without pay or are currently on furlough.

Mayor Durkan’s Executive Order (EO) builds on existing City assistance programs. The EO directs Seattle City Light (SCL), Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), the City Budget Office (CBO), and the Human Services Department (HSD) to immediately develop a plan to offer deferral of utility bill payments to federal employees and community members who have been negatively impacted by the federal government partial shutdown.

“Every day that the crisis of the government shutdown continues, public servants in Seattle are forced to live without knowing if they can provide for their families – and Seattle is put at risk by the lack of federal services that we rely on, from earthquake monitoring to the Coast Guard to affordable housing support,” said Mayor Durkan. “We are acting urgently to help support Seattle families being hurt by the Trump shutdown. But to truly help families and help Seattle, we need the White House to re-open the federal government today.”

The four City departments will develop their plan for initial execution by this Friday, January 25. The program will include a phone number for impacted residents to call for eligibility information and enrollment.

The shutdown continues to threaten our most vulnerable residents throughout Seattle, the Puget Sound, and Washington State. The shutdown is impacting nutrition assistance programs, TSA agents, federal grant programs, and earthquake monitoring capabilities in the Northwest.

Federal offices in and around Seattle where federal employees are either furloughed or are working without pay include:

· NOAA’s Western Regional Center in Sand Point
· NOAA’s Seattle Forecast Office
· NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center & Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Montlake
· NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Sand Point
· The Federal Detention Center in SeaTac
· U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington
· Seattle Immigration Court
· EPA’s Pacific Northwest Regional Office
· Federal Trade Commission’s Northwest Regional Office
· U.S. Coast Guard Base Seattle
· TSA & FAA Employees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
· HUD’s Seattle Regional Office
· USGS Earthquake Hazards Seattle Field Office
· Small Business Administration’s Seattle Office
· Seattle’s IRS Service Center

The City of Seattle has several ongoing programs to ensure that residents are able to afford basic services such as water, sewer, garbage, and electricity. The City’s Utility Discount Program offers reductions on Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities bills to income eligible customers. Through Project Share, City of Seattle customers can set up individual payment plans and deferrals during times of financial hardship. The program is funded by donations from City of Seattle customers.

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911, school levies, meditation and more for the rest of your West Seattle Tuesday
January 22, 2019 9:49 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Sharp-shinned hawk, photographed in Fauntleroy Park by Mark Wangerin)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BABY STORY TIME: Geared toward babies up to 1 year old. 10:30 am at Southwest Library. (9010 35th SW)

TODDLER STORY TIME: 10:30 am at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)

911 @ BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: You don’t have to be a captain or even a Block Watch member – all welcome at tonight’s 6:30 pm WSBWCN meeting at the Southwest Precinct, with your chance to hear from and talk with local police, plus a special guest with info on the recent 911 outage and the new text-to-911 service. (2300 SW Webster)

LEVY BRIEFING: Your ballot arrives in a few days. Still have questions about the Seattle Public Schools leviesstir? 7 pm tonight, you’re welcome at a briefing with Schools First at Lafayette Elementary. (California/Lander)

MEDITATION: The antidote to traffic! Or whatever else is disquieting you. 7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center – details in our calendar listing.

TAVERN TUNES: She’s back from New York! Jessica Lurie Ensemble at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

THAT’S NOT ALL! See our complete calendar here.

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YOUTH SPORTS: West Seattle Girls Softball signup time
January 22, 2019 9:22 am
|    Comments Off on YOUTH SPORTS: West Seattle Girls Softball signup time
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Another youth-sports league is signing up players for the upcoming season – this time, West Seattle Girls Softball. The announcement is from WSGS president Chrysta Torres:

Registration for the 2019 softball season is now open – and there is a $20 discount for registering in January. Practices will begin in mid-March, with games starting in mid/late April. The season will conclude the first week of June.

We invite girls 6-15 with any level of softball experience to join us for a fun season of recreational league fast-pitch softball. We teach the basics and build skills as players continue with the program and work to place players on teams that will be most beneficial to their needs.

We’d also like to thank the local businesses that sponsor our league year after year – we cannot do it without their support.

You can follow the registration link from the WSGS home page.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: 2nd post-Viaduct Tuesday AM watch
January 22, 2019 5:30 am
|      57 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times / WS-relevant traffic cams / Water Taxi schedule, other helpful info HERE)

5:30 AM: Good morning! Welcome to the first non-holiday commute of the second post-Viaduct week. Traffic/transportation authorities hope those whose changes made last week a success keep it up this week. No trouble reported in our area so far.

5:40 AM: The high bridge is busy but flowing.

6 AM: East end of the eastbound high bridge – the backup to I-5 has begun (screengrab here for the record). WSDOT notes that northbound I-5 is busier all the way from south King County.

6:15 AM: Commuting via the West Seattle Water Taxi? Runs to downtown start now. The expanded (two-boat) schedule continues all the way until the spring/summer schedule change at the end of March.

6:24 AM: And now the traffic extends to the midspan (screengrab).

6:38 AM: Seems busier all around. Check out the headlights looking south onto NB 35th SW from Fauntleroy. LOW BRIDGE ALERT: Closed to surface traffic as of a couple minutes ago.

6:50 AM: Low bridge has just reopened, verified by tweet and video camera. Noticed via the latter, a steady stream of bicycles headed east immediately.

6:57 AM: Continuing our moment-in-time screengrabs, here’s the backup on the Fauntleroy-end curve (this camera was down for a long time, until last week).

7:02 AM: Surface-traffic alert from SDOT, first one of this kind that we’ve seen post-Viaduct:

7:11 AM: Commenters report Admiral and Delridge are backed up. Also got a text from Al that, to be specific, Admiral’s backed up the hill to 37th.

7:22 AM: Consensus seems to be that this is the day some people started going back to old routines. Regional transportation/transit agencies are resuming the daily media conference calls so we’ll see what the take is then. Meantime, plenty of commute to get through.

7:31 AM: Getting to Delridge – tough too. Amy tweets that the Andover approach is backed up to 28th SW. Meantime, that truck backup near the port is likely the reason for a surface Spokane backup east of the low bridge.

7:46 AM: Though we don’t have a crew at the Water Taxi dock this morning, we’re watching the boats via MarineTraffic.com and all appears to be well. Jennifer sent this photo, captioned “Beautiful morning commute!”

7:52 AM: Texter reports it took “one hour travel time from top of Admiral Way by viewpoint to the lower bridge.”

7:57 AM: Aid response (low-level medical) call to 4th and Spokane. Heard this mentioned on scanner as truck/bicycle collision. It’s not visible on the SDOT cam for that intersection.

8:05 AM: Still a bridge jam – here’s a screengrab from the Walking on Logs curve.

8:30 AM: Doesn’t look any better out there.

8:35 AM: Toward the east end of the Roxbury corridor, SDOT reports a “blocking vehicle at Olson/Cambridge.”

8:55 AM: Top of the hour nears and it’s still jammed on the bridge.

9:04 AM: 1st Avenue South Bridge closed to surface traffic at the top of the hour. (added) Back open at 9:08.

9:21 AM: Thanks for all the firsthand reports in comments and via Twitter! (And text/voice if you can call safely and legally – as a passenger or after you get to where you’re going – 206-293-6302.)

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‘This is the model’: Camp Second Chance supporters gather to make their case for allowing it to stay
January 21, 2019 10:22 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Myers Way | West Seattle news

(WSB photo of Camp Second Chance entrance, December 2017)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”

That was part of a collection of quotes from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., read aloud by those in attendance on this MLK Day night at a special Westside Interfaith Network meeting, devoted to rallying support for keeping city-sanctioned Camp Second Chance in place in southeast West Seattle.

Three city reps were there to hear the testimonials that drew applause and the occasional “amen!” during the gathering that filled the Fauntleroy UCC Fellowship Hall with more than 100 people: Jackie St. Louis and Lisa Gustaveson from the city Human Services Department, and City Councilmember Lisa Herbold.

The timing is critical because the encampment is close to the end of its second sanctioned year (following nine unsanctioned months) on the city-owned Myers Way Parcels. City law currently says two years is the maximum stay allowed for an encampment. Another group, the Highland Park Action Committee, is meeting Wednesday to listen to arguments about whether it should or should not support an extension. Throughout tonight’s WIN meeting, speakers including camp residents made the case that the camp must not be forced to leave.

Cinda Stenger, a lay leader at Alki UCC who is also on the Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee, noted that the church has built 13 “tiny houses” at the site. (We have chronicled these reports in our coverage of most CAC meetings.) She said this is the only Seattle community that can build on site at a sanctioned encampment. “If this camp is to move, this powerful work will no longer be possible,” she said, calling the relationship between community supporters and the camp “a love affair. … Everything is about relationships … If they are to be relocated or worse, disbanded, (the city) will be breaking our hearts.”

She recapped Camp Second Chance’s backstory, with a group breaking away from a Tent City, launching on a site outside the city, then moving to the Myers Way Parcels (without authorization at first, and after a brief time on private property across the street).

Stenger said C2C, which usually has about 50 people living on the site at 9701 Myers Way S., is vital because there’s not enough low-income housing for the campers to move into. “If the camp has to move, the level of disruption to (campers’) lives is unconscionable.” Most have jobs and/or take classes, she noted.

She handed the mic to Willow Fulton, who chairs the CAC and lives near the camp, just south of the city/county line.

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LUNAR LOOKS: Skyline moonrise, and one more multi-phase eclipse view
January 21, 2019 9:28 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Skies Over West Seattle | West Seattle news

Just can’t get enough of the moon! From the WSB inbox tonight – above, the skyline moonrise, photographed by Susanna Moore (from WSB sponsor Niederberger Contracting); below, one more multiphase look at last night’s incredible eclipse, from Dan Ciske:

Dan says, “All taken over a 3+ hour time frame from our West Seattle deck, then merged into a collage.” (If you missed last night’s as-it-happened eclipse coverage, with other contributed photos, it’s here.)

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