West Seattle, Washington

23 Tuesday

43℉

month : 10/2019 315 results

FOLLOWUP: What’s next after dead sea lion removed from West Seattle shore
October 16, 2019 8:16 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

From David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network tonight, the photo and more information on Tuesday’s sea lion removal and necropsy on the West Seattle shore:

Seal Sitters would like to thank Seattle Parks for their participation in the removal of the deceased California Sea Lion from the shoreline yesterday. They moved the carcass from Cove #3, along Harbor Avenue, over to the Don Armeni boat ramp where Casey Mclean of SR3 performed a limited necropsy due to the advanced stage of decomposition. Parks’ staff has arranged for the disposal of the carcass now that the necropsy has been completed. Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network had been tracking the location of this dead animal as well as another that had floated up on Port of Seattle property last Saturday.

Yesterday was a busy day for Seal Sitters. As well as coordinating and assisting at the necropsy site, our volunteers responded to a dead harbor seal pup on the other side of the West Seattle peninsula and watched over a live pup resting on the rocks along the Elliott Bay shoreline. Seal Sitters responds to all reports of marine mammals on West Seattle beaches – alive or dead. Please contact our Hotline (206-905-7325) if you observe any of these while out on local beaches. Our volunteers are on duty to protect any live animals and are responsible for entering details about any dead ones in NOAA’s online database.

We asked a followup about whether the necropsy had revealed anything about why the sea lion died: “All we can say at this point is that the sea lion was robust. Due to the very advanced decomposition after being dead for several weeks or more, the necropsy was much more limited than if the animal was fresh dead. The skull was removed and taken for x-rays.” They’ll report back if those show anything.

Share This

THURSDAY: You ready? ‘Great Washington Shakeout’ earthquake drill
October 16, 2019 6:20 pm
|    Comments Off on THURSDAY: You ready? ‘Great Washington Shakeout’ earthquake drill
 |   Preparedness | West Seattle news

You might already know this through your workplace, or your kid’s school – tomorrow is the annual “Great Washington Shakeout” earthquake drill, with more than a million people expected to fake a quake at 10:17 am (on 10/17). The goal this year: To be sure you know how to “drop, cover, and hold on” to protect yourself as best you can once the shaking starts. P.S. For West Seattle-specific preparedness info – covering more than quake readiness – go here!

Share This

SEEN OFF WEST SEATTLE: Purse seiner, fishing for chum
October 16, 2019 5:01 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks to Jim Borrow for the photo. Purse seiners often make a brief appearance off West Seattle this time of year, fishing for chum salmon. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife website says this area is open for purse-seine fishing until 6 tonight.

Share This

YOU CAN HELP: New oral-history project @ Log House Museum
October 16, 2019 3:25 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society has announced a new project – “War on the Homefront”:

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society (SWSHS) is conducting an exciting new oral history project. Staff at the Society’s Log House Museum are interviewing the West Seattle High School classes of 1944 and 1945. These classes had the unique experience of having their high school years during the Second World War.

Seattle is a strategic military location, both now and during World War II. Seattle’s southwest district is a particularly strong historical backdrop for the experience of wartime Seattle due to its placement between the waterfront and Boeing. As we lose period sites and markers, it is urgent now than ever to document the imprint of this period in history. Through oral histories, the SWSHS is asking: what was it like to live in Seattle in a time of war? High school is a formative time in a young person’s life – interviewing the classes that experienced wartime during their years of high school provides a particularly rich snapshot of those years.

Several interviews have already been conducted, during which these now 93 and 94-year-old West Seattle alums shared their experiences from rationing, USO programming, to wartime jobs. Jim Bonholzer related how he and his classmates would pool their gas ration stamps together to rent a U-Haul in order to go skiing in Snoqualmie.

Nancy McPhee (shown in both photos above) told of her time as a popular USO hostess versed in all the latest dances and entertaining servicemen. Bob Windom, a doctor’s son, shared that he would go on calls with his dad at night during blackouts, which meant driving without lights on through West Seattle neighborhoods. These and so many more stories and vignettes help us understand a critical time in our history at a local, and very personal, level.

Interviews will be conducted through the rest of the year and early 2020 and will be turned into a future exhibit. The interviews will also be added to the permanent collection of the Society, which already includes over 10,000 documents, archives, oral histories, and artifacts.

In order to preserve their collection; collect stories; and share local history through exhibits, tours, and special events, the SWSHS needs support. You can help by visiting loghousemuseum.org/get-involved/donate. This project is partially funded by a grant awarded to the SWSHS from 4Culture.

If you have any questions, please contact Registrar Rachel Regelein at the Log House Museum, registrar@loghousemuseum.org, 206-350-0999

ADDED: Thanks to Forest for pointing out a video interview with Nancy McPhee from 2014:

Share This

TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash on Highland Park Way hill
October 16, 2019 2:39 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Thanks for the tips. Seattle Police are working to clean up a crash near the bottom of Highland Park Way hill. While it’s had traffic impacts, apparently no serious injuries, as there was no SFD dispatch.

Share This

BIZNOTE: Opening day for Harry’s Beach House on Alki
October 16, 2019 11:41 am
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

(WSB photos)

Eight and a half months after we first reported that the ex-Alki Tully’s would become a restaurant called Harry’s Beach House, it’s opening day. As our photos show, the space at 2676 Alki SW has undergone a thorough transformation.

It’s the second Seattle restaurant for Julian Hagood, who runs Harry’s Fine Foods on Capitol Hill. As the name implies, the decor is highlighted by a seaside/nautical theme:

As for the food – Harry’s Beach House is serving brunch and dinner for starters. The brunch menu includes biscuits and gravy, steak and eggs, pancakes, granola, and schnitzel; the dinner menu includes fish, beef, pork, chicken, and vegetarian entrees. Hours for fall and winter are 10 am to 10 pm Wednesdays-Sundays, closed Mondays and Tuesdays, with changes expected when the warm-weather season arrives.

Share This

From ‘scary trail’ to ‘gorgeous’ murals, mayor’s budget-season South Park stroll
October 16, 2019 11:20 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   South Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Back from talking climate on an international stage in Europe, Mayor Jenny Durkan visited South Park on Tuesday to gird for potential budget battle back home. Public-safety concerns were in the spotlight as Police Chief Carmen Best and Fire Chief Harold Scoggins accompanied her on a walking tour with the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps. The sights ran from gritty to pretty, the former embodied by the “scary trail” (photo above) running along Highway 99 south of 8th and Trenton, where Youth Corps members said they had found four needles during a recent cleanup event. For the latter, she got to see three murals the Youth Corps, led by Carmen Martinez, created in and around Duwamish Waterway Park.

The mayor pronounced the murals “gorgeous.” Corps members explained they had worked with artist/storyteller Roger Fernandes to create the mural telling the Duwamish River’s story, past, present and future.

Between the murals and the trail, a photo-op outside South Park Library:

Serious moments too. The mayor took questions from the teens at the South Park Neighborhood Center pre-tour:

Among those questions, one Youth Corps member voiced worry about the upcoming renovations at the South Park Community Center, and that they’d be “pushed out.” The mayor and Seattle Parks‘ Christopher Williams reassured them that the work would be done in phases and that other locations were being sought for temporarily displaced programs. Another teen asked if there could be a police station closer to South Park than the Southwest Precinct; Chief Best said response times are actually on par with what the rest of the city experiences. South Park is one of the communities where “emphasis patrols” were added earlier this year, and the mayor’s proposed SPD budget would continue that.

WEST SEATTLE NEXT WEEK: The mayor and chiefs are expected to visit West Seattle next week for a similar tour; we’re awaiting specifics on when and where.

Share This

6 for your West Seattle Wednesday!
October 16, 2019 10:49 am
|    Comments Off on 6 for your West Seattle Wednesday!
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Western Grebe, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES: 1 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, today’s classic is “Juke Girl.” $1 members/$2 nonmembers, popcorn included. (4217 SW Oregon)

LEARN ABOUT ZONING: What does Residential Small Lot zoning mean for West Seattle neighborhoods? Learn about it with local architect Matt Hutchins, 5 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)

MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Quarterly meeting at The Kenney (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. See the agenda in our calendar listing. All welcome. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)

MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL PTSA: General meeting at 7 pm, Madison MS library. (3429 45th SW)

OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm at The Skylark, free, all ages until 10 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

THE SUFFERING F-HEADS: “Punk/jazz provocateurs,” 9 pm at Parliament Tavern. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

MORE ... on our complete calendar!

Share This

FRIDAY: Japanese storytime at High Point Library
October 16, 2019 10:16 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   High Point | West Seattle news

We often feature local libraries’ storytimes in our calendar and daily preview lists. One that’s coming up on Friday is a community member-presented event rather than library-sponsored: Japanese storytime, 11:10 am Friday (corrected: October 18th) in the meeting room at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond). They’ve been presented occasionally by Sayoko for seven years and she’s hoping to reach families who hadn’t heard. She says, “It is a fun time with Japanese picture books, songs, and craft time for little ones and also for parents or caregivers who seek Japanese community. All are welcome!” 日本語のお話の会 10月18日金曜日11:10からハイポイント図書館のミーティングルームで開催します.

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wet Wednesday
October 16, 2019 6:57 am
|      24 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)

6:57 AM: Good morning! Rain’s back. No current incident/alert reports.

8:44 AM: Tipster says a broken-down trailer is backing things up at the east end of Roxbury corridor.

Share This

From the law to The Marines
October 15, 2019 11:09 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

A special ceremony today in West Seattle: Alex Anbarcioglu, a second-year UW law student who’s been working with local lawyer Brian Waid, took the oath to join the U.S. Marine Corps and is headed for Marine Officer Candidates School. USMC 1st Lt. Kathryn Cardinal administered the oath at the law office of Shane Carew, big enough to hold all the well-wishers:

Alex told the story of a relative who inspired him:

His training will be in Quantico, Virginia.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Sea lion removed from Seacrest beach
October 15, 2019 10:07 pm
|    Comments Off on FOLLOWUP: Sea lion removed from Seacrest beach
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

For everyone who wondered why that dead sea lion remained on the beach at Seacrest Park for several days – here’s why: Moving one is no easy task, given their weight. The photo sent by Rodney Mash shows today’s removal with the help of heavy equipment. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife tells WSB they “helped with coordination” of the removal but the necropsy was to be done by SR3; we don’t have any information yet on what happened from there.

Share This

CONGRATULATIONS! Chief Sealth IHS wins slowpitch softball championship
October 15, 2019 6:47 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

6:47 PM: Meet the champs! The Chief Sealth International High School slowpitch softball team won the Metro League title this afternoon, 16-4 over Cleveland, at Southwest Athletic Complex. More photos and info to come.

8:23 PM: (corrected) Leitu Faga pitched a complete game for Sealth. She also hit a 3-run homer in the second inning. Sealth was so far ahead, the game was called after 5 innings because their lead surpassed 10 runs.

([corrected] Taatia Faga sliding into home plate)

Head coach of the team – in its third season – is Alex Alicea, at left with Sealth athletic director Ernest Policarpio:

This was Sealth’s first league-championship game in any sport in eight years. The team has non-league games left in the regular season – here’s the schedule.

Share This

VIDEO: 3 weeks before Election Day, another Q&A session with City Council District 1 candidates
October 15, 2019 4:00 pm
|      51 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

If you haven’t yet settled on a choice for City Council District 1, with ballots going out tomorrow, this is a big week for evaluating the candidates side by side.

The first of three forums/debates this week was last night at Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Walmesley Center. The Westside Interfaith Network and League of Women Voters presented it. Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist (and West Seattleite) Brian Callanan served as volunteer moderator:

That’s Callanan at center in our pre-forum photo above, with candidates Lisa Herbold at left and Phil Tavel at right. We recorded the entire event on video:

No surprises this time, unlike last Thursday’s event in North Delridge. The questions for this one, some of which were from written suggestions made by members of the audience, largely trod familiar ground, though there were a few small clashes, most notably over something The Stranger (which has endorsed Herbold) said about Tavel; while answering a question about homelessness-related funding, he said that publication said he had “gotten it right,” while she said what The Stranger said he got right was that their biggest difference was on homelessness funding. (This appears to be the story in question.)

Both were given two minutes for opening statements; you can watch the video if you’re interested. Below, we summarize how the Q&A went from there; it’s all paraphrasing/summarizing unless we use quotation marks to signify a direct quote.

First question: What is the most pressing issue for District 1?

Read More

Share This

FOLLOWUP: West Seattle Helpline’s gratitude for ‘Neighbors Helping Neighbors’
October 15, 2019 2:02 pm
|    Comments Off on FOLLOWUP: West Seattle Helpline’s gratitude for ‘Neighbors Helping Neighbors’
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

(Photo by Kelsey Graham)

Saturday night, we showed you a few scenes from “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” the dinner/auction that raised money so the West Seattle Helpline can keep helping people avoid homelessness. WSB was the event’s media sponsor. Today, the Helpline sends word of the final tally, and gratitude:

Thank you for making our 10th Annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors Dinner & Auction a great success. Whether you attended, volunteered, donated to our auction, or sponsored the event, you helped make it a spectacular night.

We are thrilled to announce that your support raised over $115,000, keeping over 400 neighbors in their homes!

Your generous support will keep our West Seattle and White Center friends and neighbors from experiencing homelessness. You helped keep the house warm, the water running, and the lights on for hundreds of families recovering from hardships. Together we are ensuring our neighbors stay safe and our community remains strong and vibrant.

On behalf of our staff, Board of Directors, volunteers, and the members of our community that we serve, we extend heartfelt gratitude for the support and kindness you shared with us Saturday evening. We are so fortunate to have such caring and dedicated neighbors!

Thank you again!

Here’s how to help the Helpline any time.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Law-enforcement changeover at Fauntleroy ferry terminal
October 15, 2019 12:10 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, earlier this month)

As reported here last week, the Washington State Patrol is taking over providing traffic-control/law-enforcement officers at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, a role previously filled by off-duty Seattle Police. Though the changeover was supposed to happen last week, ferry commuters weren’t seeing troopers. Washington State Ferries explains:

In July, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) notified WSF that, as of Oct. 6, they would no longer be providing off-duty officers to help with traffic control at Fauntleroy and Seattle’s Colman Dock so they could focus on supporting city events.

As this law enforcement assistance is vital for getting vehicles on and off the dock at Fauntleroy, addressing line cutters, and making the challenging terminal work as smoothly as possible, we have been working on an agreement to have Washington State Patrol take over traffic control for both Fauntleroy and Colman Dock.

We expect WSP to begin working at Fauntleroy this week. Our terminal staff will be working with the new WSP officers to help train them on how to successfully manage the traffic at Fauntleroy.

The agreement is for troopers to be at Fauntleroy 10 hours each weekday during the fall/winter – 6-10 am and 1-7 pm – plus Saturday middays during the summer schedule. The agreement, provided by WSF, can be seen here (PDF), with the last page spelling out expectations of what the troopers will do.

Share This

Six Tuesday highlights, featuring The West Seattle Turkey
October 15, 2019 11:02 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo sent by Rosalie)

#TurkeyTuesday is back thanks to readers who sent photos of The West Seattle Turkey in the past few days; after a week-plus without sighting reports, we were starting to worry. Photos are interspersed with highlights for the hours ahead, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

SINCE IT’S ALSO TACO TUESDAY: Today’s the day you’re invited to support the West Seattle High School ASB by visiting the El Chapulin Oaxaqueño truck while it’s visiting the school for lunch. 12:30-1 pm is the optimal time, the students say. (3000 California SW)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: 4 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex, cheer on Chief Sealth International High School for the slow-pitch softball championship, as previewed here. (2801 SW Thistle)

(Photo sent by Brooke Eades)

‘BASIC AID’ WORKSHOP: How can you help after a major disaster, before medical aid can get to you? This “basic aid” workshop presented by the city Office of Emergency Management is free. RSVP here. 5:30 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 SW 42nd)

FOR RUNNERS: Free injury assessments at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), 6-7 pm. (2743 California SW)

(Photo sent by Andrew Musselman)

WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Home-burglary prevention is the spotlight topic for tonight’s meeting, which also includes your chance to bring community crime/safety concerns to local police. 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct. (2300 SW Webster)

OPEN MICS: “Unplugged” acoustic gathering at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7 pm; Jazz Open Mic at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm; Open Mic at Parliament Tavern (4210 SW Admiral Way) hosted by Joey V, 9 pm.

SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … by browsing our complete calendar!

Share This

PUBLIC SAFETY SURVEY: This year’s questions for you
October 15, 2019 10:24 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

From Taylor Lowery, the Seattle University intern at the Southwest Precinct:

Seattle University is administering the 5th annual citywide Seattle Public Safety Survey. The purpose of the survey is to solicit feedback on public safety and security concerns from those who live and/or work in Seattle. A report on the survey results will be provided to the Seattle Police Department to assist them with making your neighborhood safer and more secure. The survey is accessible at publicsafetysurvey.org from October 15th through November 30th and is available in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, English, Korean, Oromo, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya and Vietnamese.

6,500* people citywide answered last year’s survey. Results toplines are here.

Share This

WHALES: Orcas off West Seattle
October 15, 2019 9:01 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

9:01 AM: Texter says Southern Resident Killer Whales are off Fauntleroy, northbound.

10:01 AM: Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail just called to say they’re now passing Discovery Park, so out of our viewing range.

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch
October 15, 2019 7:02 am
|      26 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)

7:02 AM: Good morning! No current incident/alert reports.

Share This

UPDATE: Fire callout in Arbor Heights
October 15, 2019 12:30 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

12:30 AM: A Seattle Fire “full response” is headed to 35th SW and SW 98th, with a report of smoke and flames visible in a yard. But the first unit to arrive isn’t seeing anything. Updates to come.

12:35 AM: Turns out to be a trash-can fire, according to radio communication. Most responding units are being canceled.

Share This

In search of ‘sustainability,’ Admiral Congregational Church shows early concepts of its site’s potential future
October 14, 2019 11:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

(King County Assessor’s Office photo)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Five years after becoming pastor of Admiral Congregational Church, Rev. Andrew Conley-Holcom has to shepherd it through a process with much at stake: The church and its neighborhood’s future.

That’s happening not through sermons, but through conversations like the one he led last week, standing before dozens of people in the church’s living-room-esque gathering space, wearing not a collar but a beanie.

“You’re here on the ground floor,” he explained, as a preface to the presentation on Tuesday night (October 8th).

If that was the ground floor, then you could say the foundation for the conversation was laid last December, when the church hosted an Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, and the pastor told ANA the same thing: Not changing is not an option.

He began last week by putting it all in context, for those not familiar with the church’s operations and the role in the community. “Our goal is to be the neighborhood church of North Admiral.” And with the Jehovah’s Witnesses moving out, he said, “we kinda are.”

Read More

Share This

COUNTDOWN TO VOTING: Here’s who else is on your ballot
October 14, 2019 10:04 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgVoting starts in two days, as King County Elections opens its vote centers Wednesday, the same day it mails ballots. Tonight we continue previews with a look at who else is on your ballot besides the City Council District 1 candidates (yes, we covered tonight’s forum; story and video tomorrow). Here are the contested races, with each link going to a page with info about the candidate (incumbents are marked by asterisks):

KING COUNTY ELECTIONS DIRECTOR – Julie Wise*, Mark Greene

KING COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8 – Joe McDermott*, Michael Robert Neher

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION POSITION 2 – Sam Cho, Grant Degginger

SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION POSITION 5 – Fred Felleman*, Garth Jacobson

Though Seattle School Board members represent geographic districts, they are elected by a citywide vote in the general election, so these three are on your ballot (District 6 is West Seattle and most of South Park):

SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 6 – Leslie Harris*, Molly Mitchell

SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1 – Liza Rankin, Eric Blumhagen

SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 3 – Chandra Hampson, Rebeca Muniz

NOT REGISTERED YET? Our state now allows you to do it all the way through Election Day (November 5th) – but the deadline to do it online is two weeks away, and that’s the simplest way, so go here.

Share This