day : 07/02/2019 12 results

The night before the storm …

7:36 PM: The grocery-line photo is from “Diver Laura” James. We’ve been at a couple other stores tonight and can confirm, it’s busy – though not unmanageably so. We also got a note from Seth, who reported as of late afternoon:

I just stopped at WS Home Depot in search of a snow shovel to replace my cracked one. They’re all out, and the helper had a constant stream of folks asking after shovels, salt and sand. They’re out on all accounts but for a few bags of sand. Called True Value and they confirmed that supplies have been flying off their shelves. They’re getting another load of shovels tonight, but don’t expect them to last long.

If you want to check in the morning:
Junction True Value (44th/Edmunds) opens at 8 am
Home Depot (Delridge/Orchard) opens at 6 am
McLendon Hardware (16th/102nd in White Center) opens at 7 am

Some other toplines:

(Photo by James Bratsanos)

THE FORECAST/ALERT: Upgraded this afternoon to a Winter Storm Warning, “heavy snow expected.” But so far – pending the mid-evening forecast update – the snow is not expected to start before noon. (Added: Weather analyst Cliff Mass says the many forecast models agree with that.)

SCHOOLS: Some early dismissals already planned for tomorrow – we’re continuing to update here. And in case anyone changes their mind in the morning, we’ll be reporting by 5 am.

OTHER CHANGES FOR FRIDAY: The West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) will close at 1 pm, including Early Learning; no afterschool child care or KidsU; basketball games and practices are canceled.

WEEKEND CANCELLATIONS/POSTPONEMENTS: The list will be linked here and in our calendar later tonight. What was to be the weekend’s biggest event, The Big Plunge at Alki, already has a new date – February 23rd. Anything to add? 206-293-6302, text or voice, 24/7.

ADDED 9:49 PM – METRO PLANS FOR FRIDAY: Thanks to the texter who pointed out this post on one of Metro’s websites announcing cancellations for tomorrow – including all trips on Routes 37 and 125. If you are a Metro rider – even on other routes – take a look, because it includes other info for the rest of the day.

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UPDATE: Stabbing investigation on West Marginal Way SW

February 7, 2019 6:21 pm

| Comments Off on UPDATE: Stabbing investigation on West Marginal Way SW

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

6:21 PM: The big police/fire response is for a stabbing in the 4200 block of West Marginal Way SW. According to initial radio communication, the victim is a woman with a stab wound to the hand. She is reported to have told police the attacker is someone she knows, a black man who left the scene headed southbound as a passenger in a “newer-model white van” with no plates, driven by a black woman – he was reported to have short hair, a silver zip-up jacket, and black pants, and the weapon was reported to be a boxcutter. Police ~~are closing~~ briefly closed the northbound lanes – but now they’re describing the scene as the west side of the West Duwamish Trail.

6:43 PM: SFD has closed out the call; a private ambulance was called for the victim, whose injury was not believed to be life-threatening. Police are still searching for the attacker.

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MISSING MAN: Mike – FOUND

February 7, 2019 4:56 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news

6:55 UPDATE: Mike, who was missing, has been found and is safe.

Earlier:

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SCHOOLS: Changes announced for Friday

February 7, 2019 3:18 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(UPDATED 9:29 AM FRIDAY)

With snow expected to start Friday afternoon, the first school change has just been announced:

SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Dismissing 75 minutes early Friday, regular transportation routes, after-school activities canceled.

(added 4:30 pm) HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: “All schools will be open and start on-time on Friday, February 8. Due to snow in the forecast, buses will stop at alternate stops before and after school.”

(added 7:18 pm) VASHON ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT: Early-release schedule Friday, evening activities canceled.

(added 7:18 pm) UW: Closing early tomorrow, staying closed Saturday – full details here.

(added 8:37 pm) SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE: Closing at noon Friday.

(added 9:17 pm) HOPE LUTHERAN: Noon dismissal Friday.

(added 9:17 pm) COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF WEST SEATTLE: 11:15 am dismissal Friday.

(added 5:11 am) KENNEDY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL: Dismissing at 11:30 am, closing noon.

(added 5:11 am) HIGHLINE COLLEGE: Closing at 1 pm.

(added 5:51 am) EXPLORER WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL: Early release, 12:30 pm.

(added 7:17 am) WESTSIDE SCHOOL: Early release – preschool/preK 12:45 pm, K-4 1 pm, middle school 1:15 pm.

(added 9:27 am) SEATTLE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL: Early release, 12:30 pm.

(added 12:30 pm) HOLY ROSARY SCHOOL: Now closed, per texter.

(added 12:59 pm) OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SCHOOL: Closing early and parents have been messaged to come get their kids, per texter.

(206-293-6302 text or voice if you have an announcement.)

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WEST SEATTLE ART: Desmond Hansen’s new Arbor Heights signal-box portrait

February 7, 2019 3:10 pm

| 36 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thanks for the tips! After word that artist Desmond Hansen was working on yet another signal box – this time at 35th SW and SW Roxbury on the north edge of Arbor Heights – we went over for a look. We found the artist packing up to take a break for some errands; he says this is a portrait of karate legend Chojun Miyagi (who is quoted on the website for West Seattle Karate, just steps away from the box). He’ll be back to finish it later today. This is his 10th signal box – here’s a montage of the first 9.

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FOLLOWUP: More about Harry’s Beach House on Alki

February 7, 2019 2:42 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

More info today about the restaurant on its way to the 2676 Alki Avenue SW space from which the former Tully’s Coffee was evicted. It’s from our friends at Capitol Hill Seattle Blog; Capitol Hill is the home neighborhood of Harry’s Fine Foods, whose proprietor Julian Hagood – as revealed in our community-collaborative coverage last Sunday – is opening Harry’s Beach House at the ex-Tully’s. Here’s the full CHS report, in which Hagood promises “killer brunches and seasonally driven fare” at the new place. CHS publisher Justin Carder also notes that the Alki property was sold for $1.5 million last September to a group that includes Hagood’s Capitol Hill landlord.

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YOU CAN HELP! Got books for the West Seattle Food Bank?

February 7, 2019 12:50 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| How to help | West Seattle news

As we’ve shown you before – the West Seattle Food Bank is also a book bank! And more books are needed – maybe you can take some over before the next storm, or perhaps you can spend some time sorting through yours while you’re indoors this weekend. From Judi Yazzolino at WSFB:

The West Seattle Food Bank’s Bookcase Program is in need of all kinds of gently used books, especially for children ages 5 years old and younger. Our Bookcase Program is growing tremendously, having distributed over 11,000 adult and children books thanks to generous donations from individuals and business in our community. Our clients are very appreciative of the program, where they can take home up to 10 books to keep.

Donation hours are Monday-Friday 9 am – 3 pm and we are located at 3419 SW Morgan St. on the corner of 35th & Morgan. Enter through our garage on Morgan and come in through the double doors. Our volunteers will be glad to help you with your donation. Thank you so much.

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FOLLOWUP: NOAA offers $20,000 reward in hopes of solving sea-lion shootings

February 7, 2019 11:42 am

| 12 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news | Wildlife

The poster was sent by Robin Lindsey of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, who explains:

NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement (OLE) is offering a $20,000 reward for information about the recent sea lion shootings, a confirmed total of 12 shot dead (9 in West Seattle alone). It is our hope that this will prompt someone to come forward and provide valuable leads. Seal Sitters’ hotline (206-905-7325) received numerous calls reporting shots heard along the Elliott Bay waterfront during the time period the animals were shot (September to early December). There is undoubtedly someone in the public who knows something about the shootings. It is time to get some justice for these remarkable, gregarious animals.

We reported on the shootings multiple times in the fall; the backstory is summarized in this post on Seal Sitters’ website, which also includes a higher-resolution version of the poster shown above, for anyone interested in printing and displaying it.

KNOW SOMETHING? As the poster says, call 206-526-4300, or go here.

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West Seattle Thursday: Today/tonight highlights, and renewed request

February 7, 2019 10:27 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Red-breasted Merganser, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

With snow not expected to return until tomorrow, we’re expecting the slate of events announced for today/tonight to go on as scheduled – but we’re also renewing our request that if you’re canceling something because of the expected storm, please let us know! We’re building a cancellations (and postponements) list and will publish the first take later today. Text/call our hotline, 206-293=6302, and/or email us, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Meantime, a few highlights for today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

CANNABIS EDUCATION FOR SENIORS: Free presentation at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 1:30 pm, courtesy of Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor). Call to register. (4217 SW Oregon)

STEM ELEMENTARY OPEN HOUSE: 6-7 pm at Louisa Boren STEM K-8, an open house for prospective elementary students’ families – details in our calendar listing. (5950 Delridge Way SW)

HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY OPEN HOUSE: 6:30 pm, prospective families are invited to visit Highland Park Elementary. Info and helpful form links are in our calendar listing. (1012 SW Trenton)

D-1 COMMUNITY NETWORK: New coalition of West Seattle and South Park community groups and organizations meets at 7 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. All welcome. (4217 SW Oregon)

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

THERE’S MORE … on our complete calendar.

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CAMP SECOND CHANCE: Concerns, costs, data access discussed @ Community Advisory Committee

February 7, 2019 9:31 am

| 14 COMMENTS

| Myers Way | West Seattle news

(UPDATED Thursday night with a second city response to the data question)

(At Sunday’s meeting, L-R: C2C’s Eric Davis, Alki UCC’s Cinda Stenger, city HSD’s Shawn Neal, committee chair Willow Fulton)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Just before the first blast of snowy weather hit our area Sunday, the latest updates on West Seattle’s city-sanctioned encampment were shared at the Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee meeting.

In attendance were C2CCAC chair Willow Fulton, members Aaron Garcia, Cinda Stenger, Judi Carr, and Grace Stiller, camp manager/co-founder Eric Davis, and Shawn Neal, a grants/contracts specialist with the city Human Services Department.

STATUS REPORTS: Davis provided the monthly report on the camp’s status via this one-sheet:

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT/WEATHER: Thursday AM watch, including shortlived Westwood fire call, plus newest snowstorm alert

February 7, 2019 6:27 am

| 46 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts | West Seattle weather

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

6:27 AM: Good morning. This is the one semi-normal day before the next threat of snow tomorrow; the weather alert was upgraded overnight to a Winter Storm Watch in effect starting Friday afternoon.

METRO ALERTS: Route 37 did not run at 6:16 am
Route 55 is not running at 6:31 AM, 6:48 AM & 7:30 AM .. also 8:34 am
Route 116 is not running at 6:33 AM, 7:13 AM & 8:00 AM …
Route 56 is not running at 6:43 AM & 7:33 AM … also 8:41 am
Route 57 won’t run at 7:20 am …
Route 113 is not running at 7:34 am …

6:33 AM: Seattle Fire “full response” headed to Daystar Retirement Village (WSB sponsor) across from the south side of Westwood Village. It’s a reported electrical fire. First crews on scene aren’t finding anything.

6:40 AM: The response is being downsized, “no sign of smoke or fire.”

6:55 AM: All SFD units dismissed. Back to the rest of weather/traffic watch.

7:07 AM: Updating the list of announced Metro cancellations above. In all, more than 30 routes around the greater Metro service area have had cancellation announcements so far this morning.

7:25 AM: One SFD unit is being dispatched to Roxbury/Olson for a reported crash. (added) It was called in as driver hitting a tree.

7:33 AM: Location has been updated (by first-arriving SFD crew) to 3rd/Olson [map].

8:10 AM: Two more north West Seattle bus runs have added cancellations – 8:34 am Route 55, 8:41 am Route 56. Adding to the list above. In comments, Metro’s Jeff Switzer says a factor in cancellations here and elsewhere is buses in the shop for repairs.

8:28 AM: Tunnel’s backed up on its second non-snow day- here’s a screengrab from a few minutes ago, looking at the south entrance to the NB deck:

Still awaiting that south-side exit ramp to handle some of the traffic – here’s our report from Wednesday. P.S. We’ll be adding tunnel cameras today to our traffic-cams page. (Here’s the “live” link to the one screengrabbed above.)

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CONGRATULATIONS! West Seattle High School athletes celebrate National Signing Day

February 7, 2019 12:34 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

As athletic director Corey Sorenson (above left) noted while these four West Seattle High School seniors celebrated their college commitments on National Signing Day, all have made school history: Ally Veenhuizen with the first WSHS girls’ soccer team to go to state:

She’ll play at Seattle Pacific University.

Chloe Cunliffe, track and field athlete, is a state recordholder:

She’s headed for Washington State University, as is Grace Sarver:

Grace and her basketball teammates finished third in the state last year – among them, Kelsey Lenzie:

Kelsey will play at University of Portland.

P.S. The center chair at the table in our top photo was in honor of another Wildcat senior who’s college-bound, Abdullahi Mohamed, who’ll play basketball at Eastern Washington University.

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