COUNTDOWN: 9 days to West Seattle Summer Fest 2019!
West Seattle’s biggest party of the year starts in just nine days: West Seattle Summer Fest, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association in the street in the heart of The Junction, Friday, July 12th through Sunday, July 14th. Though those are the official festival dates, locals know it all kicks off the night before with what we’ve come to know as Summer Fest Eve. On Thursday, July 11th, the streets close so festival setup can begin, so you can wander at will (California from Oregon to Edmunds, Alaska from 42nd to 44th) while also enjoying West Seattle Art Walk night. You’ll find performances at several spots in the street – including the kid-delighting Bubbleman – and outdoor cafes set up outside some of the year-round food-and-drink spots. When the festival officially kicks off on Friday morning, if you don’t have to be off-peninsula for, oh, say, work, come enjoy a quiet few hours before the music starts in midafternoon – here’s the lineup, as announced at the end of May. Thats all on the main stage at the north end of the festival grounds, California north of SW Oregon; even more music is planned on the Community Stage in Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW/SW Alaska) – that schedule is here. Lots more to preview, from kid stuff to pet stuff, vendors to community groups food and drink … just want to be sure for starters that your calendar is set!
ELECTION 2019: Talking with City Council District 1 candidate Phil Tavel
(WSB photo)
Two weeks from today, the county will mail primary-election ballots. So this week we’ve been presenting a series of new interviews checking in with the City Council District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) candidates. Tonight we conclude with Phil Tavel, one of two challengers aiming to make Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s first term her only term. Your WSB co-publishers sat down with him last week; video of our wide-ranging conversation is below, unedited:
If you can’t or don’t want to watch/listen, we have text toplines below – but note that they do not represent a full transcript, nor are they direct quotes except where signified by quotation marks, just (in some cases very) brief summaries of the questions/responses:
Read More
REMINDER: 25th annual West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade tomorrow!
(WSB file photo)
Start your holiday with West Seattle’s only Independence Day parade – the 25th annual 4th of July Kids’ Parade in North Admiral! Gather at 44th and Sunset (or as close as you can get) by 10 am – the route is on the parade website (you can sit on the curb and be a spectator if you want). Led by SPD, SFD, and the “neighborhood blue truck” as organizers call it, the parade features all the families who show up – often with decorated bikes, trikes, wagons, strollers, and scooters. After a few words from organizers Nicole Lutomski and Megan Erb, and the national anthem by Leilani Nitkey, it’s a low-key meander along a few blocks, ultimately ending at Hamilton Viewpoint Park for sack races and craft activities (presented by some of the parade’s community co-sponsors). Food and treat trucks will be there too, as well as the SPD and SFD vehicles that participate. We’re proud to be among this year’s co-sponsors – see you at the parade!
FERRY/TRAFFIC UPDATE: 3rd boat rejoins Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run; vehicle backup continues
2:50 PM: With the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run still down to two boats (Issaquah‘s been out with steering trouble since this morning), and the holiday getaway beginning, there’s a huge vehicle backup headed toward the dock – all the way to California/Fauntleroy, per both police and texters. WSF estimates the wait at 2 1/2 hours. The run is continuing to stay on the 3-boat schedule but all trips that would be the #2 boat are canceled TFN.
3:36 PM: Some good news – the Issaquah has just gone back into service, so the run is back to three boats.
5 PM: For everybody starting to call/text about the helicopter, just a TV chopper checking out the ferry traffic.
High Point Market Garden Farm Stand to open for the season next week
(WSB 2018 photo, High Point Market Garden)
Every summer, you have an extra chance in West Seattle each week to buy fresh-grown produce from the pople who grew it. That’s the High Point P-Patch Market Garden Farm Stand at 32nd SW/SW Juneau, and it will be open Wednesdays, 4-7 pm, starting one week from today – 4 pm to 7 pm every Wednesday through October 2nd. The adjacent mini-farm is tended by High Point residents. You can use EBT cards and Fresh Bucks at the farm stand if you participate in those programs. P.S. As our coverage from last year reminds us, the stand often sells flowers, too!
AVALON/35th PROJECT: What’s next – holiday weekend and beyond
With the long holiday weekend about to begin, SDOT has just sent its weekly update on what’s next for the Avalon/35th repaving-and-more project:
There will be no work taking place on July 4 or 5, but traffic control will remain in place.
Over the holiday weekend, the following side streets will remain closed:
SW Andover St at SW Avalon Way
SW Bradford St at SW Avalon Way
SW Charlestown St at SW Avalon Way
SW Snoqualmie St at 35th Ave SW
Work resumes the week of July 8 with continued work on:
SW Avalon Way with
-base repairs between SW Charlestown St and SW Andover St
-tentative paving between south of SW Charlestown St and south of SW Andover St on July 12
-sidewalks at SW Spokane St
-water utility work on SW Charlestown St
35th Ave SW with
-road excavation on the west side between SW Alaska St and SW Oregon St. Driveways will remain accessible at this time.
-water utility work on the new water main
Our second water shutdown will take place the evening of Monday, July 8, from 9 PM to 6 AM. The same area that experienced the first shut down, will experience this shut down. If you are impacted by this shutdown, SPU will notify you with a flyer or door hanger. If you have questions about, or experience problems with, your water service, contact SPU’s 24/7 Operations Response Center at 206-386-1800.
UPDATE: Woman hit and killed on SW Barton by Westwood Village
9:39 AM: SW Barton is closed at Westwood Village and likely to remain so for a few hours. Police are investigating after a person was hit and seriously injured by a person driving a pickup truck. The Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is coming out and the area’s being taped off.
9:49 AM: The victim is a woman; the driver is a man; no ages yet but both are believed to be over 50. We don’t know her condition yet; he appears unhurt and is being questioned by police.
10:08 AM: Added a photo of the pickup showing the location where the driver came to a stop. Our crew says that’s a bag of groceries visible beneath the truck.
10:15 AM: SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley says the woman, believed to be about 60 years old, was taken to Harborview in critical condition.
11:40 AM: According to a Metro alert, the scene has reopened to traffic. No further updates on the victim so far.
10:42 AM THURSDAY: We noted in comments last night that all indications were that the victim did not survive. This morning, a commenter identifying themselves as a relative confirms it.
What’s up for your pre-holiday West Seattle Wednesday
(Red bird Monday, white bird Tuesday, blue bird today! Steller’s Jay, photographed by Robin Sinner, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
4th of July eve – here are some of the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
LOW-LOW TIDE, WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Explore the shore with expert advice from Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists, 10 am through 2 pm this time, at Constellation and Lincoln Parks. (Today’s lowest tide is -3.4 feet at 11:58 am)
HOT TOPICS: All welcome for this discussion event at Southwest Library at noon. The U.S. Supreme Court is the topic this time, as explained in our calendar listing. (9010 35th SW)
JIM PAGE: Singer-songwriter live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
AMERICAN CHEEZ: At Parliament Tavern, 9 pm: “Your favorite cheezy tunes this land hath wrought, featuring THE LOOSE HEELS plus a cascading raclette wheel of talented performers.” 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Pre-holiday Wednesday; 15th/Henderson crash
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:57 AM: Good morning. Notes for tonight and tomorrow:
STADIUM ZONE TONIGHT: Mariners game @ 7:10 pm vs. the Cardinals; fireworks follow.
4TH OF JULY: If you plan to be on California SW in North Admiral on Thursday morning, remember the 4th of July Kids’ Parade will be crossing to finish at Hamilton Viewpoint Park. See the full route and other info on the parade website. … Yes, the West Seattle Water Taxi DOES run on the 4th!
8:01 AM: Crash on 4th near Royal Brougham.
9 AM: Thanks for the tips. Crash at 15th/16th/Henderson has taken out a pole and wires. Not seeing an SFD response logged so apparently no serious injuries. We’ll be heading over to find out more. Avoid the area.
9:27 AM: We got there just before the car was towed. Traffic in the area is moving again. … Now there’s an incident on SW Barton at Westwood Village, blocking westbound. We’re on the way to check on that.
9:32 AM: Barton blocked both ways and someone is getting medical attention. Separate story shortly. (UPDATE: That story is here.)
10:38 AM: The Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route is down to 2 boats due to a steering problem with MV Issaquah.
| 3 COMMENTS