West Seattle, Washington
12 Friday
Police are arriving at the scene of what the dispatcher described as a “rollover” on SW Austin just past the Dumar curve. No word of any serious injuries, but SFD is being called out to clean up a fuel spill. Police are looking for another vehicle, described as a black Cadillac, reported to have left the scene.
SDOT‘s weekly “what’s next” report on the Avalon/35th project arrived this evening. Biggest item on the list: The second of three planned 35th/Avalon intersection closures, scheduled to start next Friday (October 4th), but that’s not all:
A relatively quiet weekend ahead on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, with a few exceptions, including 
tomorrow’s City Council District 1 candidates’ debate. This one, like the one two weeks ago, is presented by the D-1 Community Network. This time, Phil Tavel and Lisa Herbold will be at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW), starting at 4:30 pm Saturday. Here’s our coverage of their D1CN-presented debate two weeks ago; after this, at least four more in-district forums are ahead – October 10, October 14, October 17, and October 19.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand unless otherwise credited)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The joy of a wedding in West Seattle last weekend went far beyond the bride, groom, attendants, and those who gathered to witness the ceremony and celebrate with them.
The celebration was made possible by countless community members, some of whom have never met the happy couple, Mirna and Magdiel.
The spouses are a story all their own … immigrants in their 20s from Honduras, awaiting their chance to make their case for asylum. Their road to get here, with their 3-year-old son Joshua, has been long and difficult. At the wedding, he carried the train of his mom’s gown:
The family eventually found their way to this area; Mirna has a sister in south King County. Here in West Seattle, members of the Kol HaNeshamah faith community decided to support them, through the International Rescue Committee. Mirna and Magdiel’s time in limbo has stretched – and so has that support, from housing o legal help. Right now, the U.S. government doesn’t have time to hear their asylum case until the end of next year.
(WSB photos)
Have you voted yet? 11 West Seattle/South Park safety projects are vying for funding as Your Voice/Your Choice voting goes into its final weekend. Supporters of one proposal rallied again this morning:
The safety concerns at 45th/Admiral, on the path to both Lafayette Elementary and Madison Middle School, actually surfaced separate of the YVYC process. But once Hollye Bondurant learned the current voting includes a proposal for 44th/45th/Admiral, she signed up to be a YVYC “champion” and has been recruiting voters, including at recent school curriculum nights, and today at streetside:
She also invited local elected officials to come see for themselves – two more did today:
Councilmembers Lisa Herbold (meeting Bondurant’s son Noah) and Lorena González, both West Seattleites, stopped by his morning. She talked with them about what else could be done if funding doesn’t emerge from this procsss. They lauded her for her advocacy. Meantime, here again, as first published September 3rd, is the full list of projects that are on the District 1 ballot, all proposed by community members – each location links to a PDF with full details of the project:
ADMIRAL
Crossing Improvements on intersection of SW Admiral Way and 44th Ave SW
Estimated Cost: $120,000ALKI
Traffic Calming Improvements on 61st Avenue SW between SW Admiral Way and Beach Drive SW
Estimated Cost: $30,000HIGHLAND PARK
Crossing Improvements on 16th Ave SW & SW Holden St
Estimated Cost: $30,000HIGHLAND PARK
Crossing Improvements on 9th Ave SW from SW Kenyon St, SW Elmgrove St, and SW Thistle St
Estimated Cost: $120,000PUGET RIDGE
Crossing Improvements on 16th Avenue SW
Estimated Cost: $120,000SOUTH DELRIDGE
Sidewalk/Trail Improvements on SW Barton St between 21st Ave SW and SW Barton Pl
Estimated Cost: $112,700SOUTH DELRIDGE
Crossing Improvements on Olson Pl SW & SW Roxbury St
Estimated Cost: $35,000SOUTH PARK
Crossing Improvements on 700 S Cloverdale St
Estimated Cost: $90,000WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION
Crossing Improvements on Glenn Way and Oregon St
Estimated Cost: $10,000WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION
Crossing Improvements on the corner of 39th Ave SW and SW Oregon
Estimated Cost: $45,000WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION
Crossing Improvements on SW Alaska St. & 36th Ave. SW
Estimated Cost: $20,000
You can vote for any three; voting closes Monday. Here’s the online ballot, open to those 13 and up. If you want to use a paper ballot, open to ages 11+, you can get one at any Seattle Public Library branch (or print one from the city YVYC webpage).
(SDOT camera image showing bus lane’s location, screengrabbed long after commute peak)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
All week long, since the return of a bus lane to northbound Highway 99 north of the West Seattle Bridge, it’s generated complaints, from bus riders (whose buses can’t get to it without slogging through the backed-up exit to 99) as well as drivers. Not just in WSB comments – also for transportation agencies and elected officials.
So we set out to find out, among other things, who’s monitoring its effects.
First big question: Who’s responsible for the decision and its effects?
Two coffee biznotes:
WEST SEATTLE GROUNDS TURNS 1: In our photo are Celia and Michelle at West Seattle Grounds (2141 California SW), which is celebrating its first anniversary all day and into the night, until 10 pm: “To say thank you, we are giving away donuts from a trendy donut wall all day with a purchase of a coffee.” And 6-10 pm tonight, they’ll have live music with Jonny Gold, “playing an acoustic set of classics and originals.”
On to Highland Park:
BEDHEAD COFFEE UPDATE: Since we reported last week on the opening of BedHead Coffee (1513 SW Holden), proprietor Michelle has locked in her hours: Tuesdays-Fridays 6:30 am-2:30 pm, Saturdays 8:30 am-2:30 pm, closed Sundays/Mondays.
No injuries or house damage when that big tree came down around 10 am near SW Walker/Arch SW in east North Admiral. We checked it out after a tip; neighbors say they heard a loud cracking noise – and down it came. The tree took down some wires/cables, so Seattle City Light is there, though no outage is shown; the street is relatively remote so no traffic effects.
(Surfbird, just back from breeding season in Alaska, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Here’s what’s up as we head toward the last weekend of September:
BINGO! Every Friday, you can play at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 11 am-2:30 pm, as long as you’re at least 18. (4217 SW Oregon)
WEST SEATTLE FALL NIGHT MARKET: Shop local artists, makers, and bakers at this “curated pop-up market” at Duos, 5-9 pm. (2940 SW Avalon Way)
FOOTBALL: Tonight’s home game at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) is the Chief Sealth International High School homecoming game vs. Ingraham. Early kickoff – 5 pm. Meantime, the game at West Seattle Stadium (4432 35th SW) tonight is Garfield vs. Seattle Prep.
LAST CHANCE TO HELP FIREFIGHTERS ‘FILL THE BOOT’ FOR MDA: Until 5 pm tonight, it’s the final day of West Seattle firefighters are in The Junction, collecting donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. (California/Alaska)
CITIZENS OF EARTH: Acoustic trio at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
‘SUNSET BABY’: 7:30 pm curtain again tonight for the new production at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), by Dominique Morisseau:
When the tough, independent Nina is visited by her father, a former revolutionary in the Black liberation movement, she can’t tell what he’s after–a fix to their broken relationship, or the cache of letters that ties their fates together. As father and daughter circle one another, old wounds are revealed, generational differences exposed, and blazing truths laid bare.
Ticket info here. (4711 California SW)
AT THE SKYLARK: Brian Di Julio & the Love Jacks, and Rain City Rewind, 8 pm. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
AT PARLIAMENT TAVERN: Kiro Skiro, David Kelly, and guests, 9 pm. $8 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
PREVIEW THE WEEKEND … via our complete calendar.
The family of Emily Malgren is sharing this remembrance with the community:
Laura (Emily) Malgren (1928-2019)
Emily Malgren passed on September 21, 2019. She was 90 years old.
Emily was born to Frank and Helen Dorrance in 1928. She grew up in Lower Queen Anne and graduated from Queen Anne High School.
She married Arthur Malgren in 1950. They moved to West Seattle in 1953, where she has lived ever since. They had had four sons, Eric, John, Bill, and Robert. Arthur passed away in 1980.
Emily lived her life as active as she could. Most of her activities had to do with children. She was a PTA officer before her children were old enough to be in school. She was always a room mother, was a den mother for son’s Cub Scout pack, and heavily involved with the PTA.
In her later years she was very active as a volunteer at the West Seattle Senior Center and at her church, St John the Baptist Episcopal Church.
Emily received a degree in education from Seattle University and was a teacher with the Head Start program, teaching at various schools including Horace Mann School and High Point School. She was also a teacher’s aide at Pike Place Market Daycare Center.
She loved children and was a professional in-home child care provider when she retired from the Market Daycare.
She celebrated diversity her whole life. She loved everybody and even if she didn’t know you, you were her friend. Her kind of love makes the world go round.
She is survived by her four sons Eric (Elizabeth), John (Michele), William, and Robert. She has 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband Arthur, brother Jack Dorrance, and daughter-in-law Darlene (Bill’s wife)
The world has lost a lot of love in her passing.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her name to your favorite charity.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:11 AM: Good morning! No incidents/alerts reported so far.
STADIUM ZONE: The Mariners‘ final homestand continues, 7:10 tonight vs. Oakland.
BUS LANE FOLLOWUP: Let us know how the NB 99 commute goes – whether you’re in a car or bus – this morning. We will be writing a followup later this morning with what we learned when following up yesterday, including what SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe said at last night’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting.
7:43 AM: Metro just sent an after-the-fact alert that the 7:26 am Route 57 didn’t run.
8:32 AM: Texter reports a crash blocking the middle lane EB near the crest.
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