West Seattle, Washington
02 Tuesday
(WSB photo, July 3)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Three weeks after a woman was hit and killed crossing SW Barton by Westwood Village, the West Seattle Transportation Coalition brought in SDOT to find out what will be done to improve safety there, after years of community pleas.
That was the biggest of three topics dealt with at the WSTC’s July meeting.
With SDOT’s longtime Vision Zero leader Jim Curtin on another \assignment, the safety-emphasis program is now being led by Brad Topol. He spoke to the concerns on SW Barton that have been long spotlighted. “My goal is safety and trying to find the best solutions to get to that.” He notes there’s long been a pedestrian median there; it was rebuilt when a RapidRide stop was installed 5+ years ago. “We’re currently reviewing our full crash history at this location.”
Topol revealed the driver was arrested for vehicular homicide.
9:26 PM: A big response is headed to Alki/62nd SW (land and sea) for what was dispatched as a possible kayaker in trouble.
9:30 PM: Some units are being sent to Seacrest/Don Armeni, the usual rendezvous point if someone needs to be brought to shore for medical attention.
9:35 PM: Kayaker’s been found, per SFD, and is being helped to get to shore. A medic unit will be sent to the beach.
8:18 PM: Big SFD response was headed for 4500 block 42nd SW but it’s just been downsized.
8:21 PM: SFD says it was a kitchen fire and it’s already out.
7:25 PM: Usually the Blue Angels fly in for Seafair around midday, but the Museum of Flight – their “home” while here, at the south end of Boeing Field – says they’re due in around 8 tonight (they performed in Grand Junction, Colorado, this weekend). As we’ve reported over the years, the MoF is where you get the “behind the scenes” view as the Blue Angels take off and land before and after their practices and shows.
8:20 PM: They’ve arrived:
They’re here! #BlueAngels #avgeeks pic.twitter.com/M3I8Eh51tP
— The Museum of Flight (@museumofflight) July 29, 2019
ADDED: Reader video as they taxied at Boeing Field:
Though you’ll likely see/hear them on VIP flights the next few days, as usual Thursday-Sunday are the big days – Thursday with morning and afternoon practices, Friday-Sunday shows. The schedule indicates they’re flying a little later in the day than previous years. Also a reminder, Seafair says the I-90 floating bridge will NOT be closing for this year’s practices and shows.
Two reader tips we checked out:
PAPA MURPHY’S: We checked out a tip from Thomas, who said all seemed normal when he was last at the Jefferson Square store, but today he found it closed and saw “people moving stuff out.” No one was there when we went over to check, but the door had a lockbox and the website labels this location “temporarily unavailable.” The chain was sold earlier this year, but stores are run by franchisees. The newest online list of available outlets shows an “existing” Seattle opportunity but doesn’t get any more specific. We’ll check with corporate HQ tomorrow. (Added Thursday: They never replied. But even the sign is gone now.)
WESTWOOD VILLAGE LIQUOR STORE: Hard to tell how long this store’s been closed, but Jim is the first to mention it to us; he emailed after noticing the store shuttered.
No signage indicating its status, but a peek through the windows shows empty shelves, and the phone disconnected.
A caller asked us about a rally at Don Armeni, so we headed that way and found the group shown in our photo, gathering in opposition to the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Hawai’i island, atop Mauna Kea (which like Mount Rainier is a 14,000-foot dormant volcano). Project opponents say the “proposed 18-story observatory … would cause irreparable harm to our sacred mountaintop …” The project was supposed to start construction earlier this month, but protests continue on the mountain. Here’s the latest from Hawai’i.
(Photo by Lynne Barre, NOAA Fisheries)
Though West Seattleite Donna Sandstrom, founder and executive director of the nonprofit advocacy/education organization The Whale Trail, served on Gov. Jay Inslee‘s orca task force, she hadn’t met him until he visited one of the stops along the “trail” earlier this month. She shared the photo and explains:
We met him, First Lady Trudi, and their grandson Brody at West Beach in Deception Pass State Park, along with other Whale Trail partners from NOAA Fisheries, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, WDW Enforcement and Washington State Parks.
We talked about land-based whale-watching and its role in orca recovery. And spotted some seals too!
A big day for The Whale Trail, started in West Seattle a little over a decade ago, and inspired by watching orcas from Alki.
You can read the governor’s report on the visit here. See the full list of 100+ Whale Trail sites, from Southern California to British Columbia, by going here.
On Wednesday, you have a rare chance to see professional ultimate in West Seattle! From the Seattle Cascades:
Come to West Seattle Stadium on July 31st and see the Cascades take on Melbourne Ellipsis from AUSTRALIA! This is a benefit game for DiscNW Tier 206 Tour, and we’ll be collecting donations at the gate: recommended $15 adult, $5 youth. 100% collected will go to DiscNW. Gates open at 6:15 pm for a 6:45 pm game.
The Seattle Cascades are a professional ultimate team that competes in the West Division of the American Ultimate Disc League. Our home stadium is Memorial Stadium, in the heart of Seattle, right under the Space Needle. Our home games run April-August on weekends.
In addition to a women’s roster and open roster (all genders), we have a mixed roster that includes a set ratio of women’s and men’s division players. We play in three Cup games in July-August, including a MUST SEE international match with Melbourne Ellipsis from Australia!
Last pro disc team to play here that we recall was the now-defunct Seattle Rainmakers, which played home games at Southwest Athletic Complex in 2013.
Here are your Sunday highlights, beginning with the biggest:
ALKI ART FAIR, DAY 2: Shop 120+ artists/vendors, let your kid(s) enjoy the play area (above), listen to music … lots to do at the Alki Art Fair, 10 am-6 pm. Here’s the overview; here’s the music lineup for the main stage east of Alki Bathhouse. Free shuttle from Admiral/California by the gas station or from the park-and-ride under the bridge. (2701 Alki SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, see what’s fresh in the street in the heart of The Junction! (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
GARAGE BOOKSTORE: Noon-5 pm, garage bookstore open:
Super cheap Back-stock Pleasure Boat books, 20% discount on new releases, other used books, art & refreshments. If you have kids, my daughter Maude has a little kids area, and will often have a lemonade stand! Tax deductible receipt provided.
Visit: Pleasure Boat Studio: A Nonprofit Literary Press. (3710 SW Barton)
TOUR ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: 1-4 pm tours of the historic lighthouse on Alki Point – get there by 3:45 pm. No admission charge. (3201 Alki SW)
MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Correo Aereo at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
‘TRICKLE DOWN TOWN’: The documentary by West Seattleite Tomasz Biernacki will be screened at the STIFF film festival today in the “Social Awareness Doc Block,” 4-7 pm. Check here for tickets. At Factory Luxe. (3100 Airport Way S)
SONG SWAP: 9 pm at Parliament Tavern: “Folk/Americana songwriters swap tunes.” 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
WONDERING WHAT ELSE? See our complete calendar!
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