West Seattle, Washington
24 Tuesday
(Photo courtesy West Seattle Community Orchestras)
Two free concerts in five nights! That’s what the West Seattle Community Orchestras have in store for you this season. The first is tomorrow (Friday) night, with the WSCO Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra in concert, 7 pm at the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium. The program includes classical and holiday music, ranging from part of John Williams‘ “Home Alone” score to selections from Georges Bizet‘s “Carmen.” Then next Tuesday (December 10), also in the CSIHS auditorium but with a 6 pm start time, WSCO’s Debut and Concert Orchestras present a holiday salute, including a combination performance of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” inviting you to sing along! All are welcome to enjoy one or both concerts. (For a full lineup of holiday concerts and other performances, see our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!)
(WSB photos)
On this first Shop Late Thursday of the season, it’s Holiday Open House night at Menashe and Sons Jewelers (4532 California SW; WSB sponsor).
(Jack Menashe and sons – left, Josh; right, Jack Jr.)
Big sale – storewide 40% off (except Rolexes), with selected 60%/70%-off cases – and treats:
We found some VIP visitors – including Santa Claus and West Seattle Junction Association executive director Lora Radford:
You’re invited to visit too – this is on until 9 tonight.
P.S. As the holiday-shopping season continues, keep checking the list in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
Grab your minions and get to Lafayette Elementary (California/Lander) before 7 pm to enjoy the first night of the Winter Lights Festival!
Cute outdoor displays include this pathway lined in lights:
It’ll be open Friday night, 5-7 pm, too. Cookies, cocoa, coffee available too!
P.S. And note that Friday night at Lafayette, you’ll also be able to shop the Craft Fair and Book Fair.
Got a couple questions about a fire call at 38th/Barton, with smoke seen coming from Fauntleroy Park. After returning from court downtown, we went that way and caught up with Engine 37 as firefighters were packing up to leave after more than an hour on the call. What burned, they told us, was a tent, deep into the east area of the park (which is why the fire engine was not parked at the public entrance to the park). No other damage and no injuries, they told us.
(WSB photo from September 19, 2017)
2:22 PM: We’re at the county courthouse downtown, where the jury has just announced its verdicts in the trial of Anna Kasparova and Abel Linares-Montejo, charged in the September 2017 shooting death of 25-year-old Edixon Velasquez outside his Westwood home. Kasparova, 23, guilty of 1st-degree murder. Linares-Montejo, 21, guilty of 1st-degree murder. Both were found to have used a gun in the commission of the crime. He was accused of firing the deadly shots – ostensibly during a robbery attempt – after Kasparova, who had dated Velasquez, got him to come outside and help her park her car. She was arrested a few days after the early-evening shooting; he was arrested two weeks later. After closing arguments on Monday afternoon, the 8-woman, 4-man jury deliberated 2 1/2 days. More to come….
2:43 PM: Their sentencing date will be set later; both have been in jail since their arrests in fall 2017. The trial lasted a month, and Superior Court Judge Kristin Richardson thanked the jurors in open court for their service during a “long (and) difficult trial.” As deputies took them back to jail after the verdict, Kasparova was crying; Linares-Montejo told family/friends in the gallery, “I’ve got faith in God … I’m still coming home.” Someone said, apparently referring to the jury, “I hope they’re happy”; someone else responded, “No one’s happy.”
David Bader, Seattle Parks
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Neighbors gathered on Monday night to hear about plans for renovations to the Cottage Grove Park playground (aka Puget Boulevard Commons Park), and to give feedback on the design ideas.
The public meeting, held at the Delridge Community Center, was facilitated by project manager Pam Kliment and landscape architect David Bader from Seattle Parks.
The overall goal for the renovation of the park, located at 5206 26th Ave. SW, is to make the play area more usable for younger children by replacing some of the play equipment and reusing other pieces. The project was chosen by the public as part of the Your Voice, Your Choice program in partnership with the Department of Neighborhoods, Department of Transportation, and Seattle Parks. The design phase is happening now through the end of the year, with the renovation likely complete in late spring 2020.
Preliminary designs are located here. Bader described them as “very much a draft,” with lots of room for input and changes.
1:09 PM: From Jen: “Someone just notified me of an open suitcase in front of my house at 35th and Cloverdale. The suitcase is a green roller. Brand is Head. I brought it up to my porch. It looks to be all clothing and I don’t see any ID inside.” That’s in the general area that’s had a spike of burglaries/car prowls lately, so could be stolen/dumped. If you’re missing a packed suitcase like that, contact us and we’ll connect you.
1:37 PM: Photo added.
The photo and report are from Rick:
I would like to thank the person/persons who returned my sandwich board 2 weeks ago yesterday morning.
It was left on the side of my building at my new location after mysteriously disappearing from the old location 4 1/2 years ago. It seems to have been kept in a laundry room, as it had a heavy layer of lint on it, and I assume had been flipped inside out so the lettering was not visible. Anyway, it’s been returned to its new/old home with no damage, and best of all … no ransom was paid!
Rick’s Barber Shop
Even if you’re not a client, you might still know Rick from his “psychic barber” sign; after being displaced by development again, he moved earlier this year to 4845 California SW.
(Red-tailed Hawk, photographed in Gatewood by Mark Dale)
Highlights for the rest of your Thursday – first, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
LAFAYETTE LIGHTS: Second year for the Lafayette Elementary Winter Light Festival, 5-7 pm:
You are invited to our Lafayette Winter Light Festival, This is our second light festival (practically a tradition now). Come check out our twinkling winter wonderland, designed and built by our students and parent volunteers. This community-building event is for all students, their families and friends as well as our entire West Seattle Community. Come sip hot cocoa and enjoy a cookie while taking a stroll in the “snow” through our outdoor light display.
Suggested $2 donation. (2645 California SW)
OPEN HOUSE & SALE: Menashe and Sons Jewelers (WSB sponsor) invite you to the shop’s Holiday Open House, 6-9 pm. Storewide sale, 40% off entire inventory except Rolex, with select cases 60% and 70% off. Diamond stud giveaway, value $1,000, fill out entry slip in-store. (4532 California SW)
AND WHILE YOU’RE IN THE JUNCTION: Shop Late Thursday is part of West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays. Many businesses are open late!
And from our year-round West Seattle Event Calendar:
ARTISTS’ GROUP: 2-5 pm – info here – at Senior Center of West Seattle. (4217 SW Oregon)
WOMEN, WINE, AND WILLS: 6-8 pm, free event about comprehensive legal planning. At Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor). (5910 California SW)
WHITE CENTER’S COMMUNITY COUNCIL: The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meets at the NH Fire District HQ 7 pm, with a discussion of LEAD – a hot topic on both sides of the city/county border – on the agenda. All welcome. (1243 SW 112th)
‘HEAD OVER HEELS’: The musical continues at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) but tonight’s almost sold out – go here to check tickets for upcoming shows too! 7:30 pm curtain. (4711 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE SOUL: 9 pm at Parliament Tavern, “14-piece funk, soul, groove and dance extravaganza.” $10 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
9:40 AM: Again this year, members of the team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices NW Real Estate (WSB sponsor) are hosting a showing of “The Polar Express” (trailer above) at The Admiral Theater – and they have some free tickets available to the public if you RSVP ASAP. The showing is this Saturday (December 7th), 10 am, and you can only attend by RSVP’ing through one of the sponsors, Alice Kuder, first-come, first-served – email or call/text her, alice@alicekuder.com or 206-708-9800. Alice adds, “There is a limit of 5 tickets per family/group. We are providing free snacks (cookies, tangerines, coffee and hot cocoa) and the concession stand will be open. We will have a Toys for Tots donation barrel at the venue, for anyone who might want to donate. We have 10 co-sponsoring agents this year: Debbie Kerns, John Traweek, Karen Grace, Christian Jacobson, Larissa Wilson, Chariti Powers, Nadine Bivins, Darryl Eng, Ken Knoke, and me.” We’ll update this announcement when the tickets are gone.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: All tickets taken!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning. No alerts or incidents right now. Two alerts:
FRIDAY NIGHT/EARLY SATURDAY: The southbound Highway 99 tunnel will be closed 10 pm Friday-8 am Saturday.
SATURDAY: Saturday, starting around 11 am,SW Alaska will be closed between California SW and 42nd SW for the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting (6 pm) and Night Market (3-7 pm).
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