West Seattle, Washington

19 Friday

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month : 01/2019 292 results

A reminder that brown water can result from nearby hydrant activity
January 21, 2019 8:49 pm
|    Comments Off on A reminder that brown water can result from nearby hydrant activity
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

While we were out covering a meeting (story to come), residents near WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy noticed brown water. Even before we returned home to notice it’s affecting us too, they checked with Seattle Public Utilities, which told them it’s likely the result of hydrant usage during this afternoon’s fire call. So we’re using the occasion as a reminder – that’s one reason for discolored water, but always doublecheck with SPU at 206-386-1800 if it happens to you, because among other things it might be first sign of a water break. Here’s the official city advice on dealing with discolored water.

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TUESDAY: 911 in the spotlight at West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network
January 21, 2019 5:22 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

As announced by the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network for Tuesday night ([corrected] 6:30 pm January 22nd):

Our main presentation topic is 9-1-1, something most of us take for granted until something goes wrong…

Our guest speaker will be Kayreen Lum, the E-911 Outreach and Training Specialist for King County. She will talk about the recent 9-1-1 outage, what caused it, and what to do if it happens again. She’ll also explain when and how to use the relatively new option, to send text messages to 9-1-1 (which is now available in Seattle and King County).

As always, a police briefing/Q&A will be part of the meeting too. WSBWCN meets at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), all welcome – you don’t have to be a Block Watch captain or even member.

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UPDATE: Seattle Fire ‘full response’ in Upper Fauntleroy
January 21, 2019 4:13 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(Added: Texted photo – thank you!)

4:13 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to a possible house fire in the 8400 block of 42nd SW (map). Updates to come.

4:19 PM: Crews on scene report it appears to be just a dryer fire, “confined to the laundry room.” Biggest task ahead – ventilation.

4:23 PM: Fire’s out.

4:40 PM: No injuries reported. Most originally responding units have been dismissed.

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BIZNOTE: New, larger location for Alair
January 21, 2019 2:12 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

The West Seattle gift shop Alair is moving – but not far. Proprietor Shandon Graybeal sends word that she is moving to a larger space at 3270 California SW (former home to Equilibrium Fitness).

It’s just a few doors down from her current location at 3280 California SW, but with about 600 more square feet of space, “so we can start offering more print services (for screen printing and invitations, etc), calligraphy classes and pop ups, and eventually we’d like to have a letterpress back there. That’s years down the road though.” Alair is having a Moving Sale through month’s end – “offering 20% off everything and … a big section that’s 50% off,” open 10 am-6 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 am-4 pm Sundays through month’s end. She says she’s hopeful there won’t be much downtime for the move and expects to open the new storefront sometime in February, with a Grand Reopening party in March. She adds a special thanks to customers who’ve been patient as she has “had to utilize the ‘Back in 10’ sign a ton recently” and to other businesses that have been supportive. Alair is in its third year of business.

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MLK DAY OF SERVICE: WestSide Baby gets a boost
January 21, 2019 1:25 pm
|    Comments Off on MLK DAY OF SERVICE: WestSide Baby gets a boost
 |   Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a Day of Service for many – among them, thousands of volunteers organized via United Way of King County. Dozens of them are helping out at WestSide Baby‘s regional headquarters in White Center – including a big group of Starbucks workers, many of whom brought along their own kids.

WestSide Baby relies on a lot of volunteer help to “process gently used donated items and prepare them to be distributed to children in our community … quality checking clothing items, getting clothes on our shelves and filling actual orders from hundreds of social workers who help local low-income families.” Among the items they’re quality-checking, car seats:

The MLK Day of Service also points out that “WestSide Baby is the only social service agency in West King county area that collects, inspects and distributes free diapers, clothing, cribs and safety gear for babies and children. More than 114 local social service agencies, including shelters and food banks, rely upon us to provide critical necessities for low-income families.” WestSide Baby executive director Nancy Woodland says they have an ongoing need for volunteers, especially with car seats.

Contact WS Baby if you can help – here’s how.

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BASKETBALL: West Seattle High School girls honored at Senior Night
January 21, 2019 9:18 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

At the start of the holiday weekend, a celebration at West Seattle High School – a bittersweet one. The final regularly scheduled home game for high-school sports teams is traditionally Senior Night. WSHS honorees included their standout girls’ basketball team (third in the state last year), some of whom have played together since childhood. From the announcements on Friday night – Anissa Babitu is journeying the farthest, going to Fiji for college:

Jasmine Gayles, hoping to pursue a career in law:

Kelsey Lenzie, headed for the University of Portland:

Jenna McPhee:

Grace Sarver, headed for WSU:

Jayla Wilson:

Also honoring the seniors – the younger teammates they’ll leave behind:

The team went on to a 59-51 victory in their Friday night game against Roosevelt and are 13-2. They’re playing Prairie this afternoon at Showare Center in Kent, in the King Showcase; you do have another chance to see them without leaving West Seattle – at Chief Sealth International High School at 7 pm Friday, February 1st.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: MLK Day Monday watch; second post-Viaduct week
January 21, 2019 5:30 am
|      3 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! Schools and most government facilities are closed; Metro‘s on reduced-weekday service; Sound Transit has some changes; both the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxis ARE operating.

6 AM: Still relatively quiet, regionally too.

6:20 AM: No news is good news! Here’s the WSDOT wrap on week one of Viaduct-less commuting.

6:45 AM: West Seattle Bridge still flowing. I-5’s picked up.

7:06 AM: East end of the eastbound bridge has slowed but the westbound’s still well below usual.

7:30 AM: Forecast – mostly cloudy today, no rain expected until Tuesday morning.

8:05 AM: Still uneventful. Even the official SDOT description of West Seattle Bridge traffic is “light.”

8:30 AM: Watching the live-video bridge cams, it looks like a weekend out there. By the way, there’s another no-school day next week – Wednesday, January 30th, it’s the “day between semesters” for Seattle Public Schools.

8:55 AM: Wrapping up a quiet holiday commute. We’ll as always cover any breaking traffic news during the day/night, and will be back on AM watch at 5:30 Tuesday. Tips always appreciated at 206-293-6302 (our 24/7 hotline, text or voice) – thank you!

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AS IT HAPPENED: ‘Super Blood Wolf Moon’ eclipse over West Seattle
January 20, 2019 7:38 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Skies Over West Seattle | West Seattle news

(Added: Photo montage by David Hutchinson)

FIRST REPORT, 7:38 PM: Go outside right now and look high in the eastern sky. You should be able to see the start of the “Super Blood Wolf Moon” eclipse. If you can’t see it – or if you’d like to watch with an expert skywatcher – Alice Enevoldsen is at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) until 9:30 pm, in the field on the south side of campus as shown by the red star on this map she tweeted earlier:

The college is at 6000 16th SW on Puget Ridge. Alice also shared this info-sheet about the eclipse. Short version: Total eclipse starts at 8:41 pm. Updates to come!

8:20 PM: Haven’t looked yet? It’s very cool right now. About 2/3 covered.


9:04 PM: The moon is still covered, but duskily visible, if you haven’t looked yet!

(Photo by Jim Clark)

9:29 PM: Note that the total eclipse, according to the timeline Alice shared, ends at 9:43.

(Photo by John Nakatsu)

Meantime, overheard during totality – (1) People howling. (2) Per scanner, somebody (not sure if this was a SW or South Precinct dispatch; they share a channel) called in a possible burglar; officer reported back, “Homeowner is just trying to watch the moon. No burglary here.”

10:25 PM: Two-thirds-plus back out again. What a sight! Adding a few photos (thank you). Not just the moon – the one below from Trileigh Tucker shows part of the Orion Nebula, “where you can see the nebula clouds around the bright white area in the center. Star nursery!”

10:58 PM: Though the eclipse may look over, it’s not fully over – the penumbral phase doesn’t end unti 11:48 pm.

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‘A hard conversation to have’: Sound Transit faces residents who might be forced from their homes by West Seattle light rail
January 20, 2019 6:51 pm
|      55 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Sound Transit | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo: Youngstown-area residents gathered to hear about light rail that might force them to move)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Light rail does not just appear one day in a neighborhood where it didn’t exist the day before.

Years of construction follow years of planning.

Some of that construction is preceded by demolition – tearing down homes and businesses that, to put it bluntly, are declared to be in the way.

That will happen to some in West Seattle. Just where, and how many homes and businesses, won’t be settled until the route and station locations for the due-to-open-in-2030 line are finalized. But some people for whom it’s a possibility are already grappling with it. This past Wednesday night, dozens of them gathered at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center with pointed questions for Sound Transit – questions that in many cases, ST reps said, it’s too soon to answer. Most of the people in attendance were from nearby streets where construction of the Delridge station might push them out, depending on what location is chosen.

The briefing/Q&A event was organized by a neighbor, Dennis Noland, who opened by saying, “It was devastating news to me” to find out that Sound Transit’s West Seattle light-rail plan might cost him and some of his neighbors their homes. Noland took it on himself to personally talk with neighbors after that revelation last fall.

The next step in that was organizing the meeting, intended for neighbors – “specifically a two-block area” bounded by, as he explained it:

SW Genesee on the south
SW Dakota on the north
West side of Delridge Way SW on the east
26th SW transecting 25th SW on the west

We recorded the 2-hour-plus event, but our video is mostly just of use for the audio as the projected slides could not be captured – they’re all in this slide deck (7 MB PDF) – and we didn’t have a separate crew member to zoom from person to person while we took notes. Nevertheless, here’s the recording:

Now, our chronicling of what happened:

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SHUTDOWN SURVIVAL: Ways to help Seattle’s U.S. Coast Guard personnel
January 20, 2019 4:53 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

(U.S. Coast Guard photo – aerial view of Seattle base)

From the WSB inbox – in case you haven’t already heard of this way to help local U.S. Coast Guard personnel as the shutdown continues, we were asked to publish this:

Seattle! Our local United States Coast Guard families are affected by the current federal shutdown. Please consider donating if you can.

Seattle Area CPOA in conjunction with CGEA, CWOA and PSOA have opened a Food Pantry located in the CPO Mess 3rd deck of Building 7. It is open to all AD CG, Reserve on AD, CG Civilians affected by the shutdown.

Hours are M-F 1100 – 1400.

Anyone wishing to help [can do so] by donating non-perishable items or toiletries to the front gate. If you can access the base, the OOD will take donations or you can bring them to the pantry.

Anyone wishing to send a check, it will be used to buy grocery gift cards; send it to:

Coast Guard CPOA
C/O US Coast Guard Base
1519 Alaskan Way So.
Seattle, WA 98134

Other ways to help… Consider donating to USONW online at usonw.org. Click on the DONATE tab then scroll down to Coast Guard. There is a dollar for dollar match for all money contributed up to $50k! All money contributed there will go to grants for Pacific NW CG personnel. Thank you so much for your consideration on helping our families!

While other servicemembers are not affected, the USCG is because it’s under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense. Here’s the map to its Seattle base, toward the south end of the downtown waterfront, so it’s not far from here.

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Seen off West Seattle: Aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, headed to new homeport
January 20, 2019 2:48 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(Photo by Jim Borrow)

2:48 PM: Thanks to Joseph for the heads-up: The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is in view from west-facing West Seattle right now, headed southbound toward Rich Passage and on to Bremerton. The Vinson (CVN 70) is switching homeports from San Diego to Bremerton, starting with a maintenance period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

3:10 PM: Added above, a photo just sent by Jim Borrow. He notes the detail that many cars are visible on deck – likely because of the aforementioned relocation.

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Yes, the King County Water Taxi will run on MLK Day
January 20, 2019 12:37 pm
|    Comments Off on Yes, the King County Water Taxi will run on MLK Day
 |   King County Water Taxi | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from Friday, M/V Doc Maynard sailing in to Seacrest)

If you missed our mention in Friday’s expanded traffic/transit coverage – the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi service WILL run tomorrow on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, though that holiday in previous years has been a no-service day for the foot ferry. Also note that the West Seattle route will be on the same expanded two-boat schedule it’s been running since the first Highway 99-less commute a week ago; expanded shuttle service and free Pier 2 parking will be available too. (If you haven’t tried it yet, here’s the brochure with the overview. One change, says King County: A downtown departure was moved up to 5 pm, 5 minutes earlier than in the brochure. The website schedule here is correct.)

P.S. Though traffic is bound to be lighter since schools and most government facilities are closed, we will launch our expanded traffic/transit coverage at 5:30 am Monday as we’ve done since last week, too. Thanks again to everyone who has contributed comments, tips, questions, alerts!

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FOLLOWUP: West Seattle Junction parking-lot boxes removed, new donation option added
January 20, 2019 10:15 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

If you park in one of the West Seattle Junction Association‘s “free” lots today while visiting the Farmers’ Market, you might notice something missing: The donation boxes are gone. As reported here earlier this month, the Junction Association was served with an order from the lots’ owner, the consortium Trusteed Properties, to remove the boxes or be found in violation because TP considered the boxes to be charging for parking, which the lease forbids without permission.

WSJA removed the boxes earlier this week after its response to the order drew no reply. So the donation boxes are in storage. The small replicas at local businesses are still in place and WSJA has launched another way you can chip in:

You can choose to “round up” your purchase at participating local merchants to the nearest dollar, to contribute to the fund to cover the rent increase that imperils their ability to keep offering parking ($90,000 in 2016 to $245,000 this year). You can also text WSPARK to 44321 to donate by credit card. Or donate here online. (The Junction Association is a nonprofit.)

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6 for your West Seattle Sunday
January 20, 2019 6:07 am
|    Comments Off on 6 for your West Seattle Sunday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(WSB photo: Sunrise on Elliott Bay, from Seacrest earlier this week)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

START YOUR SUNDAY @ LINCOLN PARK: 9 am-noon, Friends of Lincoln Park offers you an “eco-friendly workout” when you join them to help restore the forest. Info here, including: “Meet near the NORTH parking lot Kiosk (Fauntleroy Way SW & SW Rose St). If you miss us at 9 am, check the kiosk map to see where we are working or call Lisa at 248.506.7155.”

WOMXN ACT ON SEATTLE + FOOD DRIVE: Followup to Saturday’s march – an all-day event at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center:

Following the inspiration of Saturday’s Womxn’s March, on Sunday, we get down to the real work of breaking down barriers for womxn in neighborhood trainings and workshops throughout Seattle. An exciting choice of workshops and programs will be offered in West Seattle from 10 AM-5 PM at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Please bring food donations for Food Lifeline when you come; all donations will be picked up by 4PM. For more information and details, see (the schedule). Organized by Seattle Womxn Marching Forward, Seattle Chapter of the Women’s March.

(4408 Delridge Way SW)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, see what’s fresh at the year-round market, in the heart of The Junction. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)

COMETA PLAYSCHOOL NEW-LOCATION OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-1 pm, visit Cometa Playschool‘s new space in The Admiral District. (4311 SW Admiral Way)

WEST COAST SWING DANCE LESSONS & SOCIAL DANCE: Offered by the Seattle Swing Dance Club at Alki Masonic Center in The Junction:

4:00-6:00 PM Intermediate+ Level Workshops
6:00-9:30 PM Social dance w/ DJ
6:00-6:30 PM FREE Beginner Lesson upstairs

Fees and other info here. (4736 40th SW)

DRUNKEN OWL THEATER: 7 pm at Parliament Tavern. “Live readings of works from local playwrights.” Details in our calendar listing. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

WHAT NEXT? Look ahead via the complete calendar!

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CASTING CALL: Organization to fill the role of new West Seattle Outdoor Movies presenter
January 19, 2019 10:17 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

(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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UPDATE: Crash cleanup at Harbor/Avalon/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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