West Seattle, Washington
05 Thursday
9 PM: Back on Monday night, we covered a protest – the Every Day March – as participants rallied outside Madison Middle School and marched south to City Council President Lorena González‘s neighborhood in The Junction, where she came out to talk with them. Tonight, the group is back in West Seattle – thanks for the tips that they were gathering at Bar-S Playfield in Alki. Last night they went to Councilmember Andrew Lewis‘s neighborhood in Queen Anne; this time, they might be headed to Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda‘s neighborhood in West Seattle. We’ll be updating. (You can also look for a stream here.)
(Photo by Mike Jensen – marchers’ advance bicyclists blocking Alki ahead of them)
9:30 PM: They are eastbound on Alki Avenue.
(Photo by Colin, from comments)
10:02 PM: Texter says they’re now on Admiral Way, uphill from Alki.
10:33 PM: As commenters point out, the march is in King County Executive Dow Constantine‘s west Admiral neighborhood.
10:37 PM: He’s now speaking with them, about juvenile justice/incarceration.
11:04 PM: The conversation has concluded.
11:45 PM: We returned to HQ but have been monitoring via the stream (linked above). They’re on the move again. For context on the conversation with Constantine: The county’s new juvenile detention center has been a target of the “No New Youth Jail” movement for years. He recently announced that he wants to see it phased out by 2025, though this group wants that to happen now. He said he set the 2025 date as a way of “challenging the actors in the system” to make that change possible, describing the ‘actors” as judges, prosecutors, public defenders, etc. They challenged him to go into the facility and meet the youth who are held there.
Thanks to West Seattle preparedness advocate Cindi Barker for the tip on this: A survey that gives you a chance to reflect on what you wish you had known before the pandemic hit – how prepared were you for some of the challenges these past five months have thrown at you? As the city-conducted survey explains, “We want to learn more about impacts to our community so we can help people be more prepared in the future.” You can answer the survey by starting here.
Thanks to Trileigh Tucker for the tip – she says Orca Network is reporting whales in Elliott Bay! Let us know if you see them.
The photo and report are from the Highland Park Improvement Club:
Please Help – Someone has stolen the BLM banners from the Highland Park Improvement Club fence – we have recovered half of them but are still searching for the rest. The piece we have was found around 14th & Thistle. Please email with any leads – hpic1919@gmail.com
HPIC is a nonprofit community organization headquartered in a century-old building at 12th and Holden, and has been busy even with the pandemic putting gatherings on hold, offering free food for families, among other things.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
While the major road project under way along much of Delridge Way right now is officially the RapidRide H Line conversion project, that doesn’t quite cover what’s happening – rebuilding miles of street in concrete, replacing old water pipes and other utility connections … and, eventually, installing high-tech bus stops.
The work began in June and has more than a year to go. We met with SDOT project-team members online Wednesday to talk about major work coming up.
But first – the story of what’s not happening, thanks to neighbors’ pushback. It’s a reason to pay close attention to what shows up in your mailbox or on your doorknob. Residents were surprised last week to get flyers like this about a plan for “diverters” on 26th at Genesee and at Brandon:
One new report and two followups in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
PUGET RIDGE GUNFIRE: After a reader report about confirmed gunfire on Puget Ridge last night, we requested the incident narrative from Seattle Police. It happened around 9:30 pm; a vehicle described as a “dark-colored sedan” was seen in the 5500 block of 18th SW. One block north, police found five shell casings, all described as 9mm Luger, from two different manufacturers. The police report says no property damage or injuries were reported.
STOLEN CAR FOUND: Kelly confirms what a commenter posted this morning below the report about her stolen white Honda Pilot, taken Friday in Admiral – it was found in the 9400 block of 17th SW.
STOLEN BACKPACK FOUND: The backpack belonging to Tina‘s son, reported stolen at Lowman Beach, turned up today nearby. (Thanks to the finder who texted us so we could tell Tina!)
(Photo: Life as a Voyager, Brigit Stadler)
Outer Space Seattle, which had only been open for 2 months when the pandemic began, reopens Monday, with a different mission: Drop-off child care. From proprietor Caitlin Huertas:
Space Camp Drop-off Child care will be Monday through Friday for kids 3-10 years old, kids must be potty trained. Child care is an essential need for many parents, and we are delighted to serve the families in our community. Following Health Department and CDC guidelines, we will be limiting the number of children in our facility at a time, so reserve your spot by going to our website www.outerspaceseattle.com
Each child will have their temperature taken at check in, and must wear a mask for the duration of their stay at Outer Space Seattle. All children must have a waiver, intake form, and Covid-19 screening form filled out and on file before attending. Each 3 hour Space Camp session will be split into two groups of 8 kids, and will be supervised by one staff leader. Each group will be utilizing different locations of our facility at different times. Space Camp includes a space-themed craft and time playing on our indoor playground.
Outer Space Seattle is at 2820 Alki SW.
Another local summer tradition that’s a little different this year: WestSide Baby‘s “Stuff the Bus” diaper drive. No in-person bus stuffing this time around, but no shortage of need … as WS Baby explains, “So far this year we have already distributed over 1.1 million diapers, about the same amount that we typically distribute in an entire YEAR!” The goal of this summer’s “Stuff the Bus” is to raise enough money for 350,000 more diapers, and WS Baby is still 50,000 short of that. If you can give, there are multiple options here.
(This morning’s sunrise, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Three events for today:
DEMONSTRATION: The twice-weekly streetcorner sign-holding demonstrations in support of Black lives and ending systemic racism continue today, 4-6 pm at 16th/Holden, organized by Scott from Puget Ridge Cohousing, endorsed by Hate-Free Delridge.
RECONNECT WEST SEATTLE: If you haven’t answered the bridge-closure-related survey(s) yet and have questions, SDOT has one more “virtual office hour” online tonight for you to drop in, 6:30-7:30 pm – find the connection info here.
ORCA TALK: The Whale Trail invites you to “Celebrate Springer,” the orphaned orca rescued in nearby waters nearly 20 years ago, now a mom herself. 7 pm tonight online, free but registration is required – our preview explains how.
6:16 AM: It’s Thursday, the 129th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
ROAD WORK/CLOSURES
*The Delridge RapidRide H Line project continues major work along Delridge Way – here’s what is happening this week. We talked with SDOT project reps on Wednesday and will have an update later today.
*Another 1st Ave. S. Bridge northbound closure is scheduled tonight, 10 pm-5 am. The West Seattle low bridge is open to all traffic during those hours.
CHECK THE TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO
Here’s the 5-way intersection camera (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Here’s the restricted-daytime-access (open to all 9 pm-5 am) low bridge:
The main detour route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) . Here’s that camera:
The other major bridge across the river is the South Park Bridge (map). Here’s that camera:
Going through South Park? Don’t speed.
Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed for info about any of those bridges opening for marine traffic.
You can see all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.
TRANSIT
Metro – Still reduced service and distancing – details here.
Water Taxi – Back to its “winter” schedule, with the 773 and 775 shuttles – see the schedule here.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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