The weekly Avalon/35th project update from SDOT is just in. One zone of repaving is complete, another is just starting, and one closed road is reopening, among other highlights:

Paving is complete in Zone A and we have begun breaking the road in Zone C.

Zone A (SW Avalon Way from SW Spokane St to SW Yancy St)
To complete work in Zone A, we are continuing work on SW Avalon Way between SW Charlestown St and SW Andover St, including:

-Installing electrical work on the new bus island at SW Yancy St
-Opening SW Yancy St today
-Working on Saturday, August 10 to finish electrical work and begin curb ramp work
-Finishing work in Zone A as soon as the week of August 12
-Temporarily opening SW Charlestown St as soon as today, August 8. SW Charlestown St will close next week for curb ramp upgrades.

Zone C (SW Avalon Way from SW Genesee St to 35th Ave SW)

We are continuing work on SW Avalon Way between SW Genesee St and 35th Ave SW including:

-Breaking the north side of the road today, August 8
-Excavating the north side of the road as early as Friday, August 9
-Maintaining driveway access when safe and feasible during the workday
-Placing steel plates or building temporary driveways between 5 and 7 PM to maintain evening access
-Tentatively paving Zone C as early as the week of August 19
-Working on Saturday, August 10 to continue building the new road base

Zone E (35th Ave SW from SW Avalon Way to SW Alaska St)

We are continuing work on 35th Ave SW from SW Avalon Way to SW Alaska St, including:

-Excavating the west side of the road north of SW Snoqualmie St
-Beginning concrete paving as soon as the week of August 12
-Preparing road base which can lead to noise and vibrations
-SW Snoqualmie St remaining closed for staging
-Working on Saturday, August 10 to continue building the new road base
-We are monitoring the worksite on the weekends and will implement traffic control as needed.

Things we’ve heard from the community
Each week, we’ll plan to address a few common questions we’ve heard from your neighbors.

Where is work in Zone C starting?
Work in Zone C has started on the north side of SW Avalon Way between SW Genesee St and 35th Ave SW. Paving is anticipated to take place on the north side of SW Avalon Way as early as the week of August 19.

When are the intersection closures happening?
Intersection closures are anticipated to begin as soon as early September. We will update you through our email updates, post a detour map and work with local businesses to help maintain access during each weekend.

Will our trash still be picked up when construction is in our area?
We are coordinating with Seattle Public Utilities on trash collection so that your trash continues to be picked up when construction is in your area.

As noted earlier today, some additional street parking has opened back up on the west side of Avalon in the Luna Park business area.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Apartment garage burglarized twice

| Crime | West Seattle news

From Shay near 60th/Stevens:

Wanted to report that we’ve had two things stolen from our apartment garages (fully locked unless you have a key or garage door opener to enter/someone leaves the garage open…). First happened at some point Monday night (noticed Tuesday morning) and they stole a $500 amplifier. (Wednesday) afternoon, we noticed that my husband’s $4,000 mountain bike (which was mounted and locked/chained up) was stolen, which we think happened at some point (Tuesday) night. Our assumption is that the people who stole the amplifier came back with a chain cutter/saw and stole the bike.

We’ve reported the above for the police, but wanted others to be aware that theft seems to be on the rise. Make sure your garage doors shut when you leave & be on high alert.

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BIZNOTES: Luna Park parking, PCC progress, Papa Murphy’s postscript

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Three quick biznotes:

MORE PARKING FOR LUNA PARK BUSINESSES: As the Avalon/35th repaving-and-more project continues, an update today from John Bennett:

SDOT opened up 10 street parking spots for us on the west side of the street in front of Luna Park Cafe and Shack Coffee. They also predict that there will be parking on the east side opening up after the middle of August. This will help our parking problems down here temporarily. We thank all our dedicated customers for making the extra effort to get to Luna Park Cafe and Shack Coffee during this time of crazy construction.

SDOT’s next weekly construction update should be out later today.

PCC PROGRESS: Lots of questions about when the new West Seattle PCC Community Markets (WSB sponsor) store will open. We checked in with PCC and they’re stlll not ready to say anything but “fall” – yet. It’s been 2 years and 2 months since the old store closed. As you might have noticed in the WSB West Seattle Jobs Offered section (free listings for local businesses!), they’re having job fairs for the new store – next one 3-6 pm today at the Burien PCC (15840 1st Ave S.), and two more on August 21st and September 7th.

PAPA MURPHY’S POSTSCRIPT: After the abrupt closure of the Jefferson Square Papa Murphy’s a week and a half ago, we asked corporate HQ about it. They finally responded this week:

This location closed down without immediate plans to reopen. It is always sad news when a franchise owner decides to close their doors. It’s a tough decision, both personally and professionally, for them. We hope to be open again near you at some point in the future!

As PM fans probably already know, there’s one in White Center, 11202 16th SW.

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Hiawatha concert, Art Walk, more for your West Seattle Thursday!

August 8, 2019 10:59 am

| Comments Off on Hiawatha concert, Art Walk, more for your West Seattle Thursday!

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Highlights for the rest of your Thursday:

WADING POOLS & SPRAYPARK OPEN TODAY: Seattle Parks says afternoon sun and 70+ temps are expected, so it’s planning to open the pools: Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) is open 11 am-8 pm, Hiawatha (Walnut/Lander) is open noon-6:30 pm, South Park (738 S. Sullivan) is open noon-7 pm. And the Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open 11 am-8 pm.

WEST SEATTLE ART WALK, WITH ‘THE ART OF MUSIC’: 5 pm-late for this month’s West Seattle Art Walk – here’s the map/venue list:

And in The Junction, 6-7:30 pm, the first “Art of Music” outdoor performance – How Short will perform “happy swing and jazz” on the southwest corner of California/Alaska

BENEFIT TO BEAT BLOOD CANCER: 5-8:30 pm at Ounces. (3809 Delridge Way SW)

PLAN A FESTIVAL: First meeting to plan Roxhill Park’s World Music Festival, 6 pm at the picnic tables in the park. (29th/Barton)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: 7 pm, “Henry IV” at Lincoln Park with GreenStage. Free! (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

EASY STREET IN-STORE: 7 pm, Twin Xl acoustic set and signing. Free. All ages. (California/Alaska)

SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA: 6:30 pm on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center, the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s series of free Thursday night concerts continues with Ranger and the Re-arrangers. Bring your own chair/blanket. (Walnut/Lander)

PARLIAMENTALITY PRESENTS: “Funk/Jazz groove session with Bob Heinemann with Joe Doria, Ben Bloom, Grant Schoff.” 9 pm at Parliament Tavern. $5 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

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COUNTDOWN: What you’ll find at Delridge Day 2019 this Saturday

August 8, 2019 9:40 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Delridge | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

Two days until our area’s next big festival. Delridge Day, with co-sponsors including WSB. Organizers have just sent this update on what you’ll find:

The 2019 Delridge Day festival is this Saturday, August 10th, from 11 AM-3 PM at Delridge Community Center and Park [Delridge/Genesee]. This year’s festival will be our largest yet, with 50+ booths in our community area, and a number of new and returning festival features:

Rain City West Printing is sponsoring “The Eight Circle of Del” regional skateboard competition in the skatepark this year! The competition will be going on all day with registration beginning at 10:00 am, so don’t miss out on the chance to show off your skills and win some cool prizes for competitors of all ages! Registration is FREE and helmets are required.

Don’t know how to skate yet or feel intimidated by the skatepark? Skate Like a Girl will be back this year to offer lessons. Skate Like a Girl is a nonprofit organization empowering individuals, especially young womxn, to become strong, confident leaders who promote and implement equity through the vehicle of skateboarding. They believe that skateboarding is a tool to build confidence, resilience, and foster inclusive community.

Family-friendly martial-arts demonstrations will be on display thanks to local business Combat Arts Academy of Seattle, which offers programs for all ages and skill levels – whether you want to learn self-defense, get into shape, compete, or just have fun… they have a class for you, designed to help you reach your goals.

Once again, FREE picnic food will be provided as part of the annual Southwest Precinct Picnic, with support from returning sponsor the Seattle Police Foundation. Precinct Picnics provide opportunities for each precinct’s surrounding neighborhoods to come together and enjoy an afternoon of celebration with the officers who protect their families and businesses. The Seattle Police Department plans to make many officers and units available. Last year, they brought cars, a K-9 police officer, their Mounted Patrol (that happen to be based right here in our Delridge neighborhood), a Bomb Squad robot that was offering candy, and free ice cream and popcorn.

Our TWO entertainment stages will feature another great lineup of local live music and cultural groups as always, supported by returning sponsor PNTA, your experts in theatre and stage equipment:

· Khmer Dancers
· Brazilian Dancers
· Polynesian singer John Fanene
· Jazz Night School Band
· and much more…

We are excited to announce that this year’s GreenLife Festival, a dedicated summer programming area curated by Sustainable West Seattle. The mission of GreenLife is to facilitate a public space where topics of sustainability can be demonstrated and realized. Come check out their booths and learn about local initiatives to promote sustainability in West Seattle and beyond. Along with information, Alki Bike & Board will be hosting e-bike tours of the Puget Ridge Edible Park project and Diver Laura will have the VR Virtual Salish Sea on site!

And if that isn’t enough, our local Seattle Emergency Hubs group will be hosting the Urban Survival Skills Fair, offering an opportunity to gain a variety of preparedness-related skills and useful knowledge from experts!

The VieWS planning committee would like to give a shout-out to our Feature Sponsors, Rain City West Printing and Port of Seattle. We also want to recognize our Community Sponsors: Alki Bike & Board, Combat Arts Academy of Seattle, Nucor, PNTA, Seattle Parks & Recreation, and Seattle Public Utilities.

We are also supported by a generous grant from 4Culture, which provides funding and support for the cultural work that makes King County vibrant! And we are proud to be recognized as a Seafair community festival.

Without them, our other sponsors, and all of our volunteers, none of this would be possible! The sponsorship and vendor fees not only support the festival but also allow us to give back to the community, as VieWS will continue our tradition of donating a percentage of all fees to the ARC (Associated Recreational Council), which provides money to fund scholarships for Community Center classes at the Delridge Community Center, and to a local organization helping to educate and connect our neighbors.

We’ll be on site covering Delridge Day as it happens. See you there!

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ELECTION 2020: West Seattleite Lorena González running for state Attorney General

August 8, 2019 9:04 am

| 10 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

After almost four years in citywide Seattle City Council Position 9, West Seattle-residing Lorena González is running for statewide office. She announced early this morning that she’s seeking the job of state Attorney General, with a campaign video that includes a few West Seattle waterfront backdrops.

I'm a first generation immigrant. Daughter of two migrant farmworkers. Civil rights attorney. Councilmember. And now I'm running for WA Attorney General. https://t.co/svKmC7RD4I pic.twitter.com/9YcTtBFNTF

— M. Lorena González (@MLorenaGonzalez) August 8, 2019

González was a civil-rights lawyer before becoming the first Latinx member of the Seattle City Council, elected for a 2-year term in 2015 and then re-elected for a 4-year term in 2017. She is the first high-profile candidate to announce a run for that job regardless of whether a number of other dominoes fall – such as, it had been speculated that if Gov. Jay Inslee (currently running for president) decides next year not to seek re-election, current AG Bob Ferguson might go for the governorship.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch; pm bus reroutes

August 8, 2019 7:06 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)

7:06 AM: Good morning!

SEAHAWKS TONIGHT = BUS REROUTES: 7 pm home preseason game vs. Denver. So Metro says southbound buses will be routed off 1st Avenue S., 4 pm-8 pm. Here are the details (PDF).

NO WATER TAXI SERVICE THIS WEEK: The week without service on the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes continues, because of the downtown dock move. Route 773 and Route 775 shuttles are still running.

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West Seattle scene: ‘Solidarity with El Paso’

August 8, 2019 12:19 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

(WSB photo)>

As previewed in the morning highlight list, the new advocacy group West Seattle Mamas Mobilize took to the Delridge/Oregon overpass Wednesday evening. Their messages included “solidarity with El Paso” and opposition to white supremacy; sign-wavers faced both directions of traffic – our photo shows those facing the southbound side. It’s been four days since the El Paso shooting rampage that left 22 people dead and 27 more injured in what officials call a case of “domestic terrorism.”

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Locker-room thefts

August 7, 2019 7:55 pm

| 19 COMMENTS

| Crime | Triangle | West Seattle news

Thanks for the texted tip about multiple locker-room thefts at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) on Tuesday. One of the victims reports:

At least half a dozen lockers (Men’s) were broken into between 10:45-11:15 am at the West Seattle YMCA. Only wallets were stolen. Cell phones and other valuables were not taken. This was discovered rather quickly and most of us were able to cancel or put a hold on our cards. Cards were attempted to (be used) at QFC and Safeway near Alaska Junction as well as the Walgreens and gas station near 35th & Morgan.

The thefts were all included in one police report, which we requested and obtained this afternoon. It says the police have obtained security video showing five “males” (no further description) arriving outside the Y in a “white 4-door sedan.” They went into the Y at 10:56 am. Two started talking to desk staff; the other three walked toward the locker room. Less than 15 minutes later, all five left. There were at least six victims; police obtained some broken-lock fragments as evidence. Some of the victims were already getting “fraudulent activity” alerts from their banks/credit-card companies, so police followed a trail including, as mentioned above, the 35th/Morgan gas station and Walgreens. The suspects tried to buy $500 gift cards at the latter, the police report says, but were unsuccessful. We also asked Y executive director Shalimar Gonzales about the thefts; she says they’re working with police and “in the meantime have increased staff visibility in those spaces and added signage. We’re encouraging everyone to keep valuables at home or use our lockers in the cardio center.”

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SLOW BUSES: What your King County Councilmember says

August 7, 2019 6:09 pm

| 23 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

We’ve continued to follow up on the “bus crawl” – as at least one commenter called it – that’s been slowing Metro riders’ trips home to West Seattle recently. SDOT says it’ll try tweaking signal timing; Metro is reluctant to reroute. One voice we hadn’t heard from yet is that of County Councilmember Joe McDermott, the West Seattleite who represents this area (and beyond). He’s a member of the council’s Mobility and Environment Committee, which has a portfolio including transit. So we asked what he’s doing about it:

I’m both hearing about the problem from constituents and experiencing it myself. By all conclusions, it’s awful.

In response, I’ve been talking to Metro closely to elevate the issue and push for solutions. I’ve also kept in touch with Councilmember Herbold’s office since many of the solutions are going to require cooperation from SDOT. As a result, Metro is looking at several improvements and you can read more about them on their blog here.

As it has been explained to me by Metro, they looked at a few options when planning for the removal of the viaduct and the “period of maximum constraint” that we are suffering through now. Every route has challenges and made finding a predictable and reliable route difficult – whether it be contending with stadium event traffic, using the lower bridge and then risking delays due to boat traffic, or the current route which was better than other options but has clearly proven impossible on Fridays and challenging otherwise. You might remember Metro using 4th and 6th Avenues during the February shut down of the viaduct and I brought this up with Metro. They pointed out that in order to use the high bridge they need to go down First. If they use 4th or 6th Avenues outbound to West Seattle, they use the lower bridge. This worked during the closure in February because they had a special agreement with the Coast Guard not to allow boat traffic during peak bus commuting hours. Now, they can’t be guaranteed boat traffic won’t significantly delay their buses. Of course, we get that they are seeing significant delays anyway so that is why we are encouraging them to take another look at the options. There is also conversation about adding service to the 50 so that people might avoid the situation by taking light rail and then transferring to the 50 at the SoDo station.

Metro has assured us they are working closely with SDOT on solutions that will help improve the temporary route. The permanent route will avoid First Avenue all together by using Alaskan Way and the newly rebuilt Columbia Street, but that permanent pathway is scheduled to open in early 2020.

We will continue to work with Metro and Councilmember Herbold’s office/SDOT. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions and feedback.

He’s at joe.mcdermott@kingcounty.gov.

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CLOSURE ALERT: Short shutdown for Southwest Pool

August 7, 2019 5:42 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Westwood

Just in from Erin @ Southwest Pool:

Southwest Pool will be closed for repairs all day Friday, August 9th and Saturday morning August 10th. All group lessons, personal lessons, and drop in programs are cancelled. Lesson participants will receive full refunds. The pool will reopen for regular business at noon on Saturday, August 10th.

The pool was closed for two months of maintenance work earlier this year.

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ELECTION RESULTS, DAY 2: Seattle City Council District 1 gap widens a bit

August 7, 2019 3:55 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

The second-day election results are out. The end results haven’t changed for anything in our area, but if you’re watching for percentages, here’s how the Seattle City Council District 1 race changed: Lisa Herbold now has 48.55 percent of the vote, up from 47.95% in the first round; Phil Tavel now has 33.62%, down from 33.83%; Brendan Kolding, 17.38%, down from 17.76%. The total number of votes counted so far is 19.537, which is 28.69% of the district’s 68,101 registered voters (today’s count added 4,218 ballots). Next count, tomorrow afternoon.

P.S. A little more history beyond what we noted last night: The August 2015 primary had 29.3% turnout from among the then-registered 60,474 voters; the November 2015 general election had 45.5% turnout.

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ORCAS: Three more Southern Resident Killer Whales missing, presumed dead

August 7, 2019 2:39 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

(November 2018 photo by Trileigh Tucker – resident orcas being observed by licensed researchers)

The Center for Whale Research says the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population is down to 73. CWR has announced:

We are saddened to report that three adult killer whales (orca) are missing and presumed dead as of July 1, 2019. These whales are from the extremely endangered Southern Resident killer whale population, that historically frequent the Salish Sea almost daily in summer months. Due to the scarcity of suitable Chinook salmon prey, this population of whales now rarely visit the core waters of its designated Critical Habitat: Puget Sound, Georgia Strait, and the inland reach of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The missing whales are J17, K25, and L84.

J17 is a 42-year-old J pod matriarch and mother of Tahlequah (J35), who carried her dead calf for an unprecedented 17 days last year. We reported that J17 was not in good body condition last winter, perhaps from stress. She is survived by two daughters and a son, J35, J53, and J44, respectively.

Also missing is 28-year-old, K25, an adult male in the prime of his life who was not in good body condition last winter. He is survived by two sisters and a brother, K20, K27, and K34, respectively.

And, lastly, 29-year-old male, L84, has been missing all summer in encounters conducted by our Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans colleagues along the west coast of Vancouver Island. L pod has not come into the Salish Sea yet this summer. L84 was the last of a matriline of eleven whales, ten of whom died previously.

73 is just two above the population’s historic low, 71. And the numbers don’t represent the entire picture of their plight, as explained during The Whale Trail‘s April featured lecture in West Seattle.

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THURSDAY: West Seattle Art Walk, with ‘The Art of Music’

August 7, 2019 1:47 pm

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| West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

Tomorrow night’s West Seattle Art Walk will have something extra – “The Art of Music”! Not that the Art Walk itself isn’t full of options – first, here’s the map/venue list:

New venues for summer mean the Art Walk now stretches from Alki to Gatewood! See who’s displaying there, and other highlights for tomorrow night, via this preview on the Art Walk website. Official Art Walk hours are “5 pm until late.”

You’ll find the biggest concentration of participants in The Junction, where you’ll also find the first “Art of Music” outdoor performance:

Starting at 6 pm, How Short will be performing on the southwest corner of California/Alaska – the duo is described as “happy swing and jazz with sweet harmonies, featuring Andy Short (guitar/vocals) and Josh Hou (accordion/vocals).”

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3 West Seattle projects recommended for Neighborhood Street Fund money

August 7, 2019 12:15 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Three West Seattle safety projects got Neighborhood Street Fund approval at last night’s meeting of the Levy to Move Seattle Oversight Committee. That’s a key decision near the end of the road that started with community project proposals and ends with decisions on which projects to fund, design, and build. West Seattle committee member Joe Laubach tells WSB that out of the five finalists (scroll down this page for the list) in District 1 (West Seattle/South Park), three got approval, including pedestrian improvements for the Westwood Village transit center (the area where a pedestrian was killed a month ago). Here’s the original proposal and previous feedback for that. The other two District 1 approvals are a pedestrian crossing in South Delridge (original proposal here) and a bicycle connection from the 26th SW greenway to the West Seattle Bridge Trail (original proposal here). Joe says the projects will be designed next year and built in 2021.

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West Seattle rally to support El Paso, and what else is up for your Wednesday

August 7, 2019 10:57 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photographer Mark Wangerin explains, “Down on the Duwamish, a newly fledged Osprey practices its hunting skills by reaching its talons for something in the river.”)

Highlights for the rest of your Wednesday:

WADING POOLS & SPRAYPARK OPEN TODAY: The city says it’s another “open” day for the pools since the sun’s expected later: Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) is open 11 am-8 pm, Hiawatha (Walnut/Lander) is open noon-6:30 pm, South Park (738 S. Sullivan) is open noon-7 pm. And the Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open 11 am-8 pm.

LIBRARYLAB: Drop in for Gizmos and Gadgets at Delridge Library, 1-3 pm. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARM STAND: Fifth week for this year’s weekly farm-stand sessions, selling fresh produce and flowers, all grown by nearby residents, at the mini-farm steps away from the stand. 4 pm-7 pm. (32nd SW/SW Juneau)

KAYAK THE DUWAMISH RIVER: 6 pm, from T-107 Park, with Alki Kayak Tours and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. $49, or $20 if you bring your own kayak. Registration info in our calendar listing. (4500 W. Marginal Way SW)

DANCE TIME WITH LAUREN PETRIE: Go dancing at the Senior Center of West Seattle! 6-8 pm: “Live music, friendly people, and some darn good dancers. Dance your heart out or come and enjoy the music. All ages, abilities, and skill levels welcome.” More info in our calendar listing. (4217 SW Oregon)

‘WEST SEATTLE IN SOLIDARITY WITH EL PASO’: Rally at the Delridge/Oregon foot bridge (south of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center) at 6:30 pm to show support for El Paso in the wake of last weekend’s massacre and against white supremacy. Organized by West Seattle Mamas Mobilize as one of many events around the nation. (Delridge/Oregon)

GROUP RUN: Don’t run alone! Join the free Wednesday group run from West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor). Meet at the shop. (2743 California SW)

THE LOOSE HEELS: “Danceable country classics” at Parliament Tavern, 8:30 pm. 21+ only. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … by visiting our complete calendar.

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See Seal Sitters’ ‘surprise visitor’

August 7, 2019 10:05 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

The photo and report are from David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:

Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network had a surprise visitor this week.

“Pearl,” an adult female harbor seal, who gave birth and nursed her pup for weeks along the West Seattle shoreline in 2018, returned with a new pup this season. She was identified by comparing new photos of the spots on her fur with similar photos taken last year. The 2018 pup was nicknamed “Jam”, as they were first spotted the day after the Alki Sub Pop concert. This year’s pup has been named “Minnie Pearl” in keeping with the entertainment theme – although you probably would have to be of a certain age to get the connection.

It is very unusual to have the opportunity to observe a nursing mom and pup in busy West Seattle. Newborn harbor seals rely exclusively on their mother’s milk, so it’s extremely important that Pearl not be frightened away and possibly abandon her pup. Pups remain with their mothers for only 4 – 6 weeks before having to survive on their own. Seals this young don’t have the strength to swim for extended periods or an adequate blubber thickness for warmth. They need every opportunity to haul out of the water to rest and warm up. Their first year mortality rate is approximately 50%.

All marine mammals are protected by federal law. Any observed violations are referred to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for investigation. It’s now “pupping season” in south Puget Sound. If you come across Pearl & Minnie Pearl, or any other seal on the beach or on a nearby offshore rock, we’re asking you to give them plenty of space, keep others and pets away, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325. To learn more about harbor seals and other local marine mammals, please visit our website at www.sealsitters.org

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch

August 7, 2019 6:59 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)

6:59 AM: Good morning! One alert – a crash on NB I-5 just before I-90, blocking one lane. One reminder:

NO WATER TAXI SERVICE THIS WEEK: No service on the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes this week because of the downtown dock move. The Route 773 and Route 775 shuttles are still running.

STADIUM ZONE: Mariners host the Padres at 3:40 pm.

7:18 AM: WSDOT says the NB I-5 crash scene has cleared.

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ELECTION RESULTS: Seattle City Council District 1 – Herbold and Tavel lead

August 6, 2019 8:06 pm

| 103 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

8:06 PM: Three candidates running for the West Seattle/South Park seat on the Seattle City Council – District 1 – and two will advance to the general election in November. The first ballot count has just gone public, and incumbent Lisa Herbold leads with 48 percent, Phil Tavel next with 34 percent, Brendan Kolding with 18 percent.

8:24 PM: Here’s the results table:

Herbold – 7,048 – 47.95%
Tavel – 4,972 – 33.83%
Kolding – 2,610 – 17.76%

We just talked with Herbold at her party (Zeeks Pizza) and are headed for the Tavel party (Talarico’s). Photos and video later.

9:40 PM: We asked each candidate for their reaction to tonight’s vote. Both said they are “excited” about the campaign ahead:

Here’s a little historical context we noted earlier via Twitter:

HISTORY: In 2015, Herbold won her first term after what started with a nine-candidate primary. Results for D-1 in August 2015 were Herbold 30 percent, Shannon Braddock 28%, Phil Tavel 18%. Herbold won the 2015 general over Braddock by 39 votes.

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) August 7, 2019

Next round of results will be out tomorrow afternoon.

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ELECTION RESULTS: Library and park levies, School Board, King County Council, Port…

August 6, 2019 8:05 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Along with the Seattle City Council District 1 results, we’re also tracking the six other decisions West Seattle voters were asked to make – toplines from the results just released:

SEATTLE LIBRARY LEVY: 73% approval

Yes – 79,722 – 73.0%
No – 29,479 – 27.0%

KING COUNTY PARKS LEVY: 67% approval

Approved – 174,400 – 67.25%
Rejected – 84,944 – 32.75%

SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 6: Harris and Mitchell lead

Leslie Harris – 6,898 – 53.41%
Molly Mitchell – 4,365 – 33.80%
Crystal Liston – 1,482 – 11.47%

KING COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8: McDermott and Neher lead

Joe McDermott – 23,826 – 82.48%
Michael Robert Neher – 3,424 – 11.85%
Goodspaceguy – 1,445 – 5.00 %

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION POSITION 2: Cho and Degginger lead

Sam Cho – 69,673 – 28.27%
Grant Degginger – 64,017 – 25.97%
Preeti Shridhar – 42,377 – 17.19%
Kelly Charlton – 28,813 – 11.69%
Dominic Barrera – 17,021 – 6.91%
Nina Martinez – 14,807 – 6.01%
Ali Scego – 7,842 – 3.18%

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION POSITION 5: Felleman and Jacobson lead

Fred Felleman – 169,350 – 69.85%
Garth Jacobson – 52,508 – 21.66%
Jordan Lemmon – 18,649 – 7.69%

Next round of results, tomorrow afternoon.

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AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE: Night Out 2019 in West Seattle and beyond

August 6, 2019 6:32 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news

6:32 PM: Night Out is here, and hundreds of block/building parties have begun! We’re starting our annual rounds at a park party – in White Center, at Steve Cox Memorial Park, and heading north from here. If you’re having a party, send a pic so we can include in our coverage – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text to our 24/7 hotline, 206-293-6302 – thanks!

6:45 PM: Thanks to Jon for that pic from his neighborhood’s party in the 4800 block of 46th SW. … Some parties have live music, like the one at 36th and Charlestown where Athena reports the tween musicians of OK-ish are getting ready to play:

Athena says this is only their second gig – their first one was opening for Carrie Akre at Easy Street! (added) Video of the musicians, who she says study with School of Rock:

6:57 PM: We stopped in Arbor Heights, where JoDean and neighbors are gathered for their ninth annual Night Out party:

We asked about the menu highlights: Fried chicken!

7:11 PM: Just visited the annual “South Park Putts Out” community Night Out party in the 800 block of South Thistle. Mini-golf is the highlight, including artist-designed holes:

~~We’ll add a few more photos later.~~ More photos:

This party had an SPD visitor too, Community Police Team Officer Powell – police and firefighters are out visiting some of tonight’s events.

7:44 PM: The Seattle Police Pipes and Drums just performed at the 36th/Dawson block party. ~~Video later.~~ Video:

Group photo, too:

Meantime, this aerial view was just texted from the 34th SW party between Andover and Charlestown:

We have one more stop to make before we have to switch gears to election-night mode …

8:03 PM: Thanks to Walter for inviting us to visit his neighborhood party at 48th/Dawson (above)!

10:30 PM: Adding more of your photos – first, from Pete Spalding, the big annual party on Pigeon Point:

Pete reports:

We had well over 100 Pigeon Point neighbors come out tonight. We had a visit from SPD in the form of Lt Steve Strand and former precinct commander Steve Paulsen. We also had a visit from Engine 36.

They let all of the kids climb all over the fire truck. Then we had a large contingent of DOC officers pay us a visit as well. In one of the pictures you will see that one of our neighbors was helping the kids make rocket ships out of construction paper and then they were launched into the air.

What a great neighborhood we have with so many caring folks that came out to meet their neighbors tonight.