West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
Thanks for sharing the views of tonight’s super sunset! The photo above is from “Diver Laura” James; below, from Marc Milrod:
We might not be so lucky tomorrow night, as the forecast suggests rain will return.
(Photo courtesy West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails)
Ready to get out and walk in the city’s largest stretch of forest – which happens to be in West Seattle? The first hike of the season is this Saturday! Judy Bentley sends the invitation:
Hiking season is beginning in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. Hike with the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group (www.wdgtrails.com) on guided walks to find birds, bugs, mushrooms, native plants, geology, and history. Meet the first Saturday of each month at 10 a.m., usually at the trailhead at 14th Ave. SW and SW Holly Street, but starting places may vary; watch postings for individual hikes. We hike mostly on constructed and maintained gravel trails, suitable for family outings.
The West Duwamish Greenbelt is the largest contiguous forest in Seattle, spreading over 550 acres in West Seattle from the tip of Pigeon Point to Westcrest Park. Urban forests are important community spaces that increase our city’s natural beauty, contribute to our health, and make the natural world accessible for everyone to enjoy.
Here’s the schedule for the 2019 season. All hikes start at 10:00 a.m.
April 6 – Bird-watching hike with Scott Markowitz, an international birder, member of the board of directors at Tahoma Audubon. Meet at the Puget Park trailhead at 4418 21st Ave. SW.
May 4 – Insect hike with a bug club member.
June 1 – “Walking Native Land” on National Trails Day with Ken Workman of the Duwamish Tribe. Walk from the Chinese Garden at South Seattle College to the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center on West Marginal Way and back. Two miles, 200 feet elevation gain, some unimproved trails.
July 6 – Native plant identification with Steve Richmond of GardenCycles
August 3 – Geology and land use history with Paul West and Craig Rankin
September 7 – History of the greenbelt with Matt Groshong, Randy Nelson, and Craig Rankin
October 5 – Mushrooms with Kim Traverse of the Puget Sound Myco Society
6 PM: This time, SFD says, “Fireboat (is) responding to water near Lowman Beach Park in West Seattle for male kiteboarder who appears to be in distress approximately 1 mile from shore.” As often happens, some land units have been sent to Don Armeni in case a patient needs to be brought ashore.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
6:18 PM: The land units actually went to Seacrest, where SFD told WSB’s Christopher Boffoli that no one was hurt and no one needed to be transported.
We’re now two and a half weeks away from Easter weekend and the start of Passover. As always, we’re working on a one-page guide to local events and services, so if your organization, business, church, synagogue, school, etc. has something public planned, please let us know – and thanks to those who have sent info already – westseattleblog@gmail.com!
Commenters reported this during our morning-traffic coverage – and now we’ve just received e-mail that it’s happening still/again: The signal at 35th SW and SW Henderson is flashing red. Judy says that’s backing things up, as we’re into the evening commute. We’re checking to see if it’s on SDOT’s radar.
Two Seattle Parks closures you should know about. First, tomorrow:
All Seattle Parks and Recreation community centers, pools, teen life centers and small craft centers will be closed on April 4 for an all-staff Recreation Division training. In addition, all Recreation programs will be canceled, and the Camp Long visitor center will be closed.
School Age Care programs (Before and After School), Preschool programs, and Community Learning Centers will run as usual at the centers and school facilities where they are normally held.
Most rentals will not be impacted but we suggest customers verify with the facility where their rental is held.
(WSB file photo)
Then, one week from tomorrow, on April 11th:
Seattle Parks and Recreation is replacing the floating dock system and pilings at Don Armeni Boat Ramp in West Seattle. Design and permitting efforts are underway. As part of the permitting, the Department of Natural Resources requires an eel grass survey for the area impacted by the floating docks.
This eel grass survey work will require closure of the boat ramp on April 11, 2019. During the closure, boaters will need to use an alternate launch location. The nearest City of Seattle launch location is Eddie Vine Boat Ramp on the south edge of Golden Gardens Park, 8001 Seaview Ave. NW.
Construction is scheduled for 2020 after design and permitting is complete. The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office Boating Facilities Grant and Seattle Parks and Recreation fund this project.
For more backstory on the Don Armeni project, see our report from last November.
1:23 PM: Seattle Fire responders are arriving in the Fauntleroy ferry terminal vicinity for what SFD says is a “sailboat in distress” that might need help. Updates to come.
1:34 PM: The response has ended. According to radio communication, the sailboat had lost its sail but no one was hurt or in danger.
We received a few questions about what sounded like gunfire early this morning, heard in the 36th SW/SW Dawson and Fauntleroy/Edmunds areas. No injury reports on the SFD log, but Tweets by Beat showed a “property destruction” report this morning. When we followed up for details, Seattle Police confirmed evidence of gunfire was found in the 5000 block of 37th Avenue SW: “Officers arrived on scene and located … a bullet hole to the back hatch of an SUV. No other damage or evidence was located.”
(Photo courtesy West Seattle Coworking)
Next week is spring break for Seattle Public Schools and others. Returning WSB sponsor West Seattle Coworking is offering a deal for the occasion. Here’s the announcement:
With the kids at home, it may be harder to be productive next week. If you need the flexibility to work in a productive place, West Seattle Coworking is offering a promotional rate of $50 for an entire week. And even if you don’t have kids at home, this would a great time to come out and try it. Our regular members enjoy phone rooms for their private calls, a meeting room for face-to-face meetings, mail services, business grade internet, copying, scanning, faxing, free coffee, and community. We are a group of professional West Seattleites who like to be productive and in good company.
Come and escape the chaos.
West Seattle Coworking is on the north side of Morgan Junction, at 6040 California SW.
(Black-capped Chickadee with quince, photographed by Robin Sinner, shared in the WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SEATTLE READS ‘THE BEST WE COULD DO’: Thi Bui‘s book is the official Seattle Reads title this year. Talk about it at noon at Southwest Library. (9010 35th SW)
OZOBOTS: LibraryLab starts at 2 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library – all-ages drop-in! (2306 42nd SW)
DANCE TIME WITH LAUREN PETRIE: 6 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, keyboard musician Lauren Petrie plays for your dancing pleasure. (4217 SW Oregon)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, with Sound Transit light rail on the agenda – including a discussion of the property-acquisition process. (4217 SW Oregon)
SMALL BUSINESS & COMMUNITY FORUM WITH COUNCIL CANDIDATE: 6-7:30 pm at Flying Apron, with City Council District 1 candidate Jesse Greene:
Join small business leaders from the West Seattle, Morgan, and Admiral Junction Business Associations for a forum with Jesse Greene! Jesse, owner of Uncle Woody’s Popcorn in South Park, is a candidate for Seattle City Council here in District 1. Jesse will address Seattle’s most pressing issues, from homelessness and affordability to the feature of neighborhood businesses, as well as share his inspiring personal story. Bring your questions and passion for West Seattle’s future! Hosted by Angela Cough of Flying Apron Bakery.
(4709 California SW)
JIM PAGE: 7-9 pm, singer-songwriter Jim Page performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
‘INTO THE WOODS’ AT WSHS: With a 7:30 pm curtain time, the second and final week begins for the West Seattle High School Drama Club production of “Into the Woods.” Our calendar listing includes ticket info. (3000 California SW)
THE LOOSE HEELS & FRIENDS: 8 pm at Parliament Tavern, “danceable country classics.” No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
WHAT ELSE IS AHEAD? Preview our complete calendar any time by going here.
Registration is now open for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2019! This is the 15th year for the peninsula-wide sale day presented/coordinated by WSB – not one big sale, but many sales of all sizes, all over the peninsula – always the second Saturday in May, and this year, that’s May 11th. Official sale hours are 9 am-3 pm, but if you want to start early and/or end late, when you register, please include that information in the text of your “ad” for the map and list. As we do every year, we will have the printable and clickable versions of the map/sale list ready one week in advance so shoppers can make their plans and plot routes. If you’re planning on selling and ready to sign up, you’ll find the form here!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:57 AM: Good morning! No traffic incidents or transit alerts so far.
FERRIES: The south Vashon Island run (Tahlequah-Point Defiance) is back in service so the Tuesday alert for extra traffic on Fauntleroy-Vashon no longer applies.
7:55 AM: SDOT reports a crash at 41st/Fauntleroy. No SFD callout.
8:46 AM: Crash on NB 99 before the tunnel.
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