West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
The first returning salmon of the season has been spotted at Fauntleroy Creek. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it far before dying. But her appearance gives hope that others will show up during favorable high tides starting this week. With that as context, creek advocate Judy Pickens and musician Jamie Shilling led drumming and singing this evening to call the coho home.
It’s an annual tradition, with all ages welcome.
The short gathering is always whimsical as well as reverential – including “Habitat,” to the tune of long-ago hit “Lollipop”:
This year, something extra – it’s the 25th anniversary of the revived creek’s first modern-day spawners, Harry and Louise. The 30+ people who participated tonight were invited to sign a commemorative card.
You can do the same at next weekend’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival (at the church, Y, and schoolhouse, 2-5 pm Sunday, October 27th). Pickens told the backstory:
Meantime, volunteers have begun monitoring the creek for signs of more potential spawners. Once there’s a sighting, an “open creek” visitation opportunity will be announced.
Thanks for the tip: Summit Atlas, the charter middle/high school at 35th/Roxbury, has told families it will be closed tomorrow because of a water problem. The email sent to families says the city had to shut off the school’s water supply because of “a major breakage in the water main.” We haven’t heard of a break in the area but the school email also mentions plumbers trying to fix it, so it might be just a campus problem; we’ll check with Seattle Public Utilities tomorrow.
8:09 PM: Now SFD is sending a “rescue extrication” response to a flipped-car crash reported at Delridge/Holden.
8:11 PM: SDOT says the southbound lanes of Delridge are blocked. Via radio communication, SFD reports one person is injured but out of the vehicle, so the response is being downsized, no extrication needed.
8:18 PM: Reader photo added – thank you; Megan adds that this is between Holden and Kenyon. As shown, a second vehicle was damaged; it was parked, police have reported over the air. The medic unit originally assigned to the call has been dismissed, so no major injuries.
10:58 PM: SFD says the 42-year-old driver was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
7:31 PM: Another crash on the Highland Park Way hill. This one is reported via radio communication to be two vehicles, head on, blocking the southbound lanes. SPD and SFD are on the way.
7:41 PM: Someone who just passed the scene reports it’s a car and minivan. Firefighters have reported that everyone involved is “conscious and alert.”
10:25 PM: Despite that initial assessment, three people were eventually taken to the hospital, SFD tells us. From one vehicle, a 51 year old man in critical condition; from the other, two women, 45 and 67, both in serious condition.
Signs like that one are up along SW Avalon Way, both sides, between the bridge and 35th SW, declaring no street parking for three weeks, around the clock starting tomorrow. SDOT says that’s needed for the “final striping” of the repaved street, originally planned for spring. We asked the project team to clarify:
While it’s standard practice to stripe a street within a few weeks of asphalt paving being complete, we are not always able to add in final striping if paving takes place to close to winter months. As our final asphalt paving of SW Avalon Way happened ahead of schedule, we are able to stripe the corridor during a good weather window.
The three-week parking ban is apparently just in case a “good weather window” hits during that time:
In order to stripe the corridor, we need to place “no parking” signs along SW Avalon Way. As “no parking” signs must be up for 72 hours prior to their enforcement and the wet weather is unpredictable during the fall, we have placed the current signs along the corridor to allow us to stripe as soon as we have a dry weather window. There may be opportunities for signs to be lowered if inclement weather is forecasted.
As for the frequently asked question of when the whole project will be done: “We’ll be finishing major work at the SW Avalon Way and 35th Ave SW intersection this November. We expect to continue concrete work along 35th Ave SW and SW Alaska St through the fall with anticipated wrap-up in summer 2020, as planned.”
Two months ago, kid-rock superstar Caspar Babypants closed out the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series with another lawn-filling performance; next Sunday, he opens Kindiependent‘s new Sunday family concert series at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW). This show is at 1 pm, right before the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, but the other nine shows in the twice-monthly series will be on Sunday mornings, 10:30 am. Tickets are required for everybody over 6 months old – series passes are on sale here; tickets for the Caspar Babypants show are on sale here. (Second show: The Not-Its, 10:30 am November 10th.)
West Seattle Community Orchestras invite you to a night full of great music as well as food, fun, and fundraising:
Sassy, Brassy, Classy; A bountiful harvest dinner & auction: October 26, 2019
Join the West Seattle Community Orchestra (WSCO) on Saturday, October 26th for WSCO’s biggest event and fundraiser of the year! The evening will include chamber music performed by WSCO members, a performance by the West Seattle Big Band, and a silent auction featuring experiences from the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Teatro Zinzanni, and Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra to name a few. There will also be a chance to win a $400 gift certificate to Canlis. Support WSCO programs while having a blast at our 2019 Gala event!
WSCO provides community musicians of all ages and abilities with opportunities for performance and growth. Join them for an evening of fun as you support them in continuing to provide FREE TUITION to all K-12 students!
Tickets are available online.
Saturday, October 26, 2019 | Alki Masonic Hall
6:00 PM Doors Open
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM Dessert Dash & Raise the Paddle
Thanks for the tip. We just checked out a big but short-lived emergency response on the northeast end of the Home Depot lot, which is also immediately north of the Southwest Precinct. Police told us there was a report of someone injured in a fight – possibly with a weapon, which is why SFD’s call was designated “Scenes of Violence/Aid” – but the purported victim declined treatment and the response was downsized quickly, wrapping up just as we arrived.
Burglary is down, but not out, in the Southwest Precinct jurisdiction (West Seattle and South Park). So the last West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting of the year got in-depth advice on how to make homes as burglary-resistant as possible.
First, those in attendance Tuesday night got an update from precinct leadership. Operations Lt. Steve Strand said burglaries are down eight percent this year compared to last, but had a spike a few weeks back. He acknowledged that many people are catching prowlers or thieves on security video and sharing that with neighbors, but not reporting it to police, so if they get a call such as “hey, that guy who’s been prowling (a specific area) is here now,” they have no idea what you’re talking about – so report everything to them too.
Also in precinct updates: Police met earlier in the day with the new Westwood Village Business Block Watch … The Anti-Crime Team had been out looking for a “prolific three-county auto thief” and “almost had him” when a chase and crash ensued; an attendee asked why the suspect’s photo couldn’t be distributed so everyone could be on the lookout, and precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis explained they didn’t want to tip their target about the search … Davis also noted that “shots fired” incident are down this year, 32 so far.
One community concern was brought up – drug dealing near Solstice Park. Capt. Davis invited the resident to call him and get a “long-term project” started. That sort of exchange is what the WSCPCC meeting is all about – come to this meeting, get your questions answered, “this is why we do this.” They’d like to see better turnout, too (Tuesday was single-digit, not counting precinct/police personnel).
One reminder: Drug Take-Back Day is next Saturday, October 26th – 10 am-2 pm as usual. Bring your unwanted/expired prescription medication to the precinct (2300 SW Webster).
BURGLARY PREVENTION: Detective Jon Flores spoke first. He’s in his 12th year with SPD, all in Southwest Precinct, previously patrol and Community Police Team. Here’s what should happen if you’ve been burglarized:
-Report it. Even if it’s something like, your neighbor’s out of town and you think they’ve been broken into.
-Leave the scene undisturbed. Police will be searching for fingerprint evidence, DNA evidence. “When our officers are there, we need it to be as undisturbed a possible.”
-Video is a big deal. Not that it’s going to prevent you from being victimized but it’s a “great tool for identification.” Check with neighbors whose cameras might have caught the suspct – officers will canvass but might not get to everyone.
-Case gets assigned to burglary/theft unit. When it arrives on his desk, he’ll review – evidence? fingerprints? video?
Something you can do now just in case:
-Document serial numbers. It might help police recover stolen property. Highly recommend – model numbers, photos of valuables like jewelry. That too might help them find it.
Print cards – or items with prints – go into evidence. Not a guarantee it’s going to lead to a match but they get examined. Can you get prints from, say, a candy wrapper? asked WSCPC president Richard Miller. Generally no, says Flores, adding that 206-233-2623 is the SW Burglary Unit, if you have a tip. Got video of someone behaving suspiciously? Doesn’t necessarily have to be a confirmed crime for SPD to possibly be interested in it.
Also: Cases labeled “inactive” don’t mean closed forever. Cases can be fluid. May be reopened.king cou
And then – Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner and her North Precinct counterpart Mary Amberg took over. Here’s the slide deck from their presentation (or here in PDF):
Highlights:
(Dark-eyed Junco, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Sunday highlights:
WATER TAXI’S FINAL WEEKEND DAY: After next Friday, the West Seattle Water Taxi will be on its fall/winter schedule, so today is its final weekend day of the year.
TLC FOR LINCOLN PARK: With Friends of Lincoln Park, 9-noon. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Freshness and flavors abound, 10 am-2 pm in the street in the heart of The Junction. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
REFRACT SEATTLE: Celebrate art glass with open tours of studios including two in West Seattle, 11 am-3 pm. See the details here.
‘SUNSET BABY’ CLOSING PERFORMANCE: Last chance to see this – 3 pm curtain tonight at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), “Sunset Baby” by Dominique Morisseau. Ticket info here. (4711 California SW)
ART SALE & FOOD DRIVE: Local artists’ work, 4-7 pm reception, and nonperishable donations for the West Seattle Food Bank! All happening at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – info here. (5612 California SW)
DRUMMING TO WELCOME THE SALMON HOME: 5 pm, an annual tradition to call the coho home to Fauntleroy Creek – join in singing and drumming, all ages welcome! Bring a drum if you have one, or just your voice if not. (Fauntleroy/Director)
(Saturday evening photo by Jim Borrow)
PUBLIC ART EVENT: Music plus paintings by Lezlie Jane, in the gallery @ Brace Point Pottery in Arbor Heights, 6-8 pm. (4208 SW 100th)
BLUEGRASS JAM: 7-10 pm at Whisky West, monthly jam with live bluegrass music. 21+. (6451 California SW)
DRUNKEN OWL THEATER: 7 pm at Parliament Tavern, actors read works by local playwrights. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
NORTH CORNER CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: 7:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, featuring the Aspen String Trio. Concert details here. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
SEE IT ALL … this is just part of what you’ll find for today, tonight, and beyond on our full calendar.
9:49 PM: Not a lot of details on this but in case you are seeing/hearing the police activity around 35th/Roxbury – a robbery was reported at the commercial building on the northeast corner. A K9 team is helping with the search. No other info so far.
12:05 AM: We haven’t heard anything further, aside from a description that this was a “strong-arm robbery” at one of the businesses; we’ll pursue the police report when available Monday.
Three local high-school football scores to report. The weekend began with Chief Sealth International High School playing at Bainbridge Island Friday night; the Seahawks lost 10-7 … West Seattle High School played this afternoon at Sehome in Bellingham, losing 40-0 … Seattle Lutheran High School was home at West Seattle Stadium today vs. Quilcene, losing 56-8.
NEXT WEEKEND: Friday (October 25th), WSHS is home at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) vs. Sammamish, 7 pm … CSIHS plays Roosevelt at Memorial Stadium downtown, 7:45 pm … Saturday (October 26th), SLHS‘s homecoming game is at WS Stadium (4432 35th SW) vs. Rainier Christian, 1 pm.
(WSB photo from 2018 Harvest Festival)
Time to start counting down to next weekend’s biggest event, the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival (Sunday, October 27th, 10 am-2 pm). First preview: A popular feature, the Chili Cookoff, which raises money for the West Seattle Food Bank. Nine local restaurants/caterers donate chili so hundreds of “flights” can be served for $10 donations; tasters get to vote, and at 1:30 pm, the winner will be crowned. From Lora Radford of the West Seattle Junction Association, this year’s list of competitors:
Duos Catering
Easy Street Café
Elliott Bay
Girls Gone BBQ
Husky Deli
Ma’ono
Pecos Pit
Shadowland
The Westy
All but Ma’ono were part of last year’s lineup; the 2018 winner was Duos. Who will win the taste test this year? Look for the chili being served on the southwest corner of California/Alaska during the festival, which also includes a Hot Cocoa/Cider Garden, the costume parade at 11:30 am, trick-or-treating at noon, and the Farmers’ Market ongoing throughout.
ORIGINAL SATURDAY REPORT: Roxhill Bog was one of more than a dozen sites where hundreds of volunteers devoted several hours today to Duwamish Alive! work parties, supporting the river and its watershed. These volunteers were preparing for followup plantings later this fall.
Roxhill Bog is where Longfellow Creek begins; it’s chabneled underground until emerging just east of the Chief Sealth International High School campus, and continues north-northeast until emptying into the Duwamish.
P.S. There’s also a spring edition of Duwamish Alive! – watch for word of that early in the year.
ADDED SUNDAY: More, from the Duwamish Alive! Coalition:
The 13th annual fall Duwamish Alive! event was held on Saturday, bringing communities together from Seattle to Auburn, in an effort to restore critical salmon habitat at 19 urban parks and open spaces supporting the environmental health of the river, its salmon, and the endangered Southern Resident Orca. Starting at 10:00 am, hundreds of volunteers worked at multiple locations throughout the Green-Duwamish Watershed in a day of major cleanup and habitat restoration in the ongoing effort to keep the Green- Duwamish River healthy for local communities, salmon, and the Puget Sound orca. The Green-Duwamish River is home to 5 salmon species including the critical Chinook salmon which the Southern Resident Orcas depend upon for food. October is the height of the river’s salmon runs and best viewing.
(Duwamish Alive! Coalition photo)
The returning salmon spawn not only in the river but also in its streams and creeks, including the 3 mile Longfellow Creek which runs from Roxhill Bog, north through Delridge and out to the Duwamish River. Longfellow Creek’s Coho salmon have declined in recent years due to loss of salmon habitat and high levels of pollution in the creek causing pre-spawn mortality. This is where the salmon die before releasing their eggs into the stream bed.
(Duwamish Alive! Coalition photo)
The event focused on improving salmon habitat, with State House Representative Joe Fitzgibbon joining volunteers with King Conservation District to help a local residential owner remove invasive plants along Longfellow Creek which runs through their property in an effort to improve the health of the creek. Also: Planting of trees next to the creek in White Center Heights Park with King County Councilmember Joe McDermott:
(Duwamish Alive! Coalition photo)
And improving the Green Wall in Georgetown which will help reduce air pollution by filtering particulates, and improving salmon habitat along the Green-Duwamish River:
2:02 PM: Thanks for the tips. If you have to head eastbound from the Fauntleroy end of the West Seattle Bridge, wait a while – multi-vehicle crash reported.
2:18 PM: SDOT says the EB bridge is closed at Fauntleroy because of this.
3 PM: Still closed but a tow truck is on scene.
3:26 PM: All clear per SDOT,
Fall isn’t just rainy season, it’s salmon-spawning season. Notes from two West Seattle creeks:
LONGFELLOW CREEK: Thanks to Tom for that photo from earlier this week. He reports, “I saw this lone salmon in Dragonfly Park about halfway up the stream to the Salmon bridge (Monday). The fun has begun.” Here’s info on looking for salmon along the creek, which runs through east West Seattle.
FAUNTLEROY CREEK: As spawning season begins here, you’re invited to the ceremonial start tomorrow:
(WSB photo from past drumming event)
Rain or shine, gather to drum and sing to welcome the coho home to the creek, 5 pm Sunday (Fauntleroy/Director). This is a special year – the silver anniversary of the first two spawners to return to Fauntleroy Creek in modern times, as explained in our preview. All ages!
Received via text last night just before all the weather havoc:
Hi from Pigeon Point… just had a Buck sighting in our backyard that borders the Duwamish Greenbelt near Pathfinder K-8…. wanted to share; he’s heading East back into the greenbelt at this time.
Last deer sighting we heard about was more than two years ago; that in turn was almost a year after a few weeks of sightings of a deer eventually dubbed Westley – last seen heading into South King County.
(Red-breasted Sapsucker, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Welcome to the (soggy) weekend! Here are Saturday highlights – first, from our West Seattle Halloween Etc. Guide:
ALKI ‘GARAGE HAUNT’: “Nightfall Orphanage” is back, second night tonight, 7:30-10:30 pm=. Details in our listing, and even more on the official website. (2130 Alki SW)
And now from the regular WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: Mobile blood drive at Westwood Village, 9 am-3 pm. Walk-ups welcome but note that the drive will be closed for a break 11 am-noon. (2600 SW Barton)
DUWAMISH ALIVE! 10 am, the twice-yearly multi-site work party to help our area’s only river. Here’s the list of where volunteers are working. Opening ceremony is at T-107 Park. (4500 W. Marginal Way SW)
MORNING CANDIDATE DEBATE: Missed all the previous City Council District 1 debates/forums because you just can’t (or don’t want to) get out at night? 11 am today, join us at the Senior Center/Sisson Building for an hourlong debate with Lisa Herbold and Phil Tavel. Presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, moderated by your WSB co-publishers. (4217 SW Oregon)
FAMILY READING TIME: 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers. (6040 California SW)
REFRACT SEATTLE: Celebrate art glass with open tours of studios including two in West Seattle, 11 am-3 pm. See the details here.
KITTENS/CATS ADOPTION EVENT: Ready to give someone a forever home? Noon-2 pm at Mud Bay in Admiral. (2611 California SW)
TALK WITH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: Community-conversation availability with Leslie Harris, 3-5 pm at High Point Library. (3411 SW Raymond)
‘SEATTLE NOW & THEN: THE HISTORIC HUNDRED‘: 3:30 pm at Paper Boat Booksellers, see Paul Dorpat and Jean Sherrard‘s illustrated talk about their award-winning book, edited by West Seattle’s Clay Eals.
This will be the 34th event about the book – all listed here, with video of past presentations. (6040 California SW)
OPEN HOUSE AT NEPENTHE: Art, music, more, 5-8 pm. (9447 35th SW)
NADAFEST, NIGHT 2: 7 pm at The Skylark, the second night of this “yearly event where we showcase a bunch of the emerging or under-appreciated local bands.” See tonight’s lineup here. $10 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
ROO & THE FEW: Originals and classics at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
MILES AND KARINA: On screen and stage at Kenyon Hall, as explained here, 7:30 pm.
‘SUNSET BABY’: Final weekend – 7:30 pm curtain tonight at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), “Sunset Baby” by Dominique Morisseau. Ticket info here. (4711 California SW)
TRIBUTE TO ROBERT HUNTER: Second of two nights at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SEE MORE … on our complete calendar!
12:20 AM: Seattle Fire is sending a “rescue extrication”-level response to the 8800 block of Delridge, where a driver is reported to be trapped in her car after hitting two parked cars.
12:24 AM: No injuries, according to police arriving at the scene.
12:27 AM: Downsizing the response, canceling all but two SFD units.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The ballots are arriving, so the voting is beginning. But 2 1/2 weeks of campaigning remain for Phil Tavel and Lisa Herbold in the City Council District 1 race – including debates. Next one is at 11 am Saturday – more on that after our report on the one the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presented last night.
First, our video:
The debate was held at Westside School (WSB sponsor) in Arbor Heights, whose head of school Steve de Beer had words of welcome. The Chamber’s government-affairs committee chair Rik Keller moderated. The format was “Lincoln-Douglas-ish.” They began with opening statements; see the video for those. Our toplines below are summaries/paraphrases unless quotation marks are used.
Q: Regulation and compliance cost businesses more than taxes. How will you be a voice of moderation before more are enacted?
6:56 PM: The thunderstorms that moved through this past hour have done some damage. Seattle Fire is on scene in the ~10700 block of Marine View Drive SW, where residents report lightning hit multiple houses; no fire, but some damage is reported. In that area, more than 200 homes are without power, according to the City Light map.
7:56 PM: We’ve been to two of the homes with lightning damage.
In both cases, glass was broken, but no one was hurt.
Some tree damage too. At one home, the damage was focused on a detached dwelling unit which had no one inside at the time.
9 PM: Photos added. The residents report the lightning strike was colorful – they saw red at one point – as well as powerful.
12:33 AM: Could be more overnight, says @WestSeaWx.
6:37 PM: An emergency response is blocking most if not all of California at Dakota, north of The Junction. We don’t have details yet – we have a crew on the way – but at least one person is injured and being taken to the hospital, according to radio communication.
6:51 PM: At the scene, we’re told a driver hit a pedestrian. She was crossing California. She’s being taken to the hospital. The Traffic Collision Investigation detectives are on their way to investigate; California is closed in the meantime.
7:33 PM: SFD tells us the pedestrian is a 17-year-old girl, in serious condition when taken to the hospital. … Also note, Metro has sent an alert that bus routes 50 and 128 are delayed because of the closure.
8:08 PM: Metro says the buses have resumed normal operations so that suggests the road has reopened (we won’t be able to go verify for a while).
8:55 PM: See comments for updates on the street’s status.
(File photo)
Back in August, we reported on a months-long closure ahead for West Seattle’s only dog park, the Westcrest Park off-leash area, because of a drainage project. At the time, Seattle Parks was only planning to keep the “small/shy dog area” open as an alternative. Now they have a new plan, just announced:
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is investing in the maintenance of Westcrest Park and the Off-Leash Area (OLA). Over the past few years, the maintenance project has grown from a simple drainage improvement project to a $505,000 project that will address drainage, access and erosion.
To address the impacts to the community during construction, SPR is proposing establishing a temporary OLA north of the P-Patch at the park. SPR will present the construction project and temporary off-leash plan on Wednesday, October 23 at 7 p.m. at the Highland Park Action Coalition (HPAC) meeting. The meeting will be held at the Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden St.
Due to the scope of the project and the nature of the work, the north parking lot and the entire OLA will be closed for the duration of construction. After initial outreach and discussions with the project team, SPR is working to accommodate a temporary off-leash area during the 6-month construction window and will also keep the shy/small dog use area open for everyone’s use.
Please join us at the upcoming HPAC meeting to learn more about the proposal. SPR anticipates construction will begin in the spring of 2020 and will run through the fall of 2020.
For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/westcrest-park-drainage-improvements
HPAC’s meeting also is scheduled to include SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe talking about the latest Highland Park Way/Holden safety-improvements plan.
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