West Seattle, Washington

21 Sunday

63℉

day : 23/08/2020 7 results

WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE NOW: Coalition implores mayor to get it fixed fast
August 23, 2020 9:58 pm
|      70 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Tonight marks exactly five months since the city closed the West Seattle Bridge out of safety concerns, with just a few hours’ public notice.

Stabilization work is now under way. But SDOT says it won’t decide until October whether to pursue a course focused on repair now/replace later or replace ASAP.

The advocacy coalition West Seattle Bridge NOW thinks SDOT should just get on with fixing the bridge, since the agency has already said all indications are that it would be possible, and that the decision mostly hinges on whether repairs are feasible. And the group has sent Mayor Jenny Durkan a letter.

Read More

Share This

CORONAVIRUS: Sunday 8/23 roundup
August 23, 2020 8:37 pm
|    Comments Off on CORONAVIRUS: Sunday 8/23 roundup
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Here what’s new as the virus crisis continues:

KING COUNTY’S NEWEST NUMBERS: First, the cumulative totals from the Public Health daily-summary dashboard:

*18,678 people have tested positive, up 108 from yesterday’s total

*708 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total

*2,155 people have been hospitalized, up 5 from yesterday’s total

*339,194 people have been tested, up 797 from yesterday’s total

One week ago, the totals were 17,643/687/2,096/319,046.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 23.3 million cases and more than 807,000 deaths – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.

NEW WEST SEATTLE TESTING SITE OPENS THIS WEEK: As announced by the mayor back on Thursday, Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) will become a new COVID-19 testing site. Starting Wednesday, this page should give you the opportunity to make an appointment for Friday or beyond.

FIVE MONTHS AGO: Looking back to March 23rd – it was the night the governor announced the stay-home order. (Also the night the West Seattle Bridge shut down – but that’s the topic of tonight’s NEXT story.)

GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!

Share This

NEIGHBORHOOD INSPIRATION: Sowing security and serenity at Puget Ridge Edible Park
August 23, 2020 5:26 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Among the pandemic’s side effects: A growing interest in food security, resulting in more vegetable gardens and fruit trees.

West Seattle’s Puget Ridge neighborhood is years ahead of the trend.

The 2/3-acre city-owned, community-tended mini-farm at 18th and Brandon known as Puget Ridge Edible Park (PREP) is in its fourth season, and feeding even neighbors who haven’t been participating in growing crops.

One way is through a monthly free “farm stand” for neighbors. We visited PREP during this month’s farm stand, which drew visitors even though it was happening in the heart of last Sunday’s upper-90s heat. Whlle some volunteers helped neighbors fill bags and baskets with fresh vegetables including squash, beets, chard, carrots, and cherry tomatoes, as well as bundles of herbs, others worked the land.

Longtime sustainability advocate Stu Hennessey led a community contingent shepherding the site from dream to reality, promising the Parks Levy Oversight Committee in 2010, as they considered funding the site purchase, “We will be producing a lot of food on this land.” And so they are, six years after site development began with demolition of an old house.

(L-R, Stu, Helen, Rudy, Joy, Chris, Kerry)

Stu says they changed the operational plan this year – instead of a monthly work party, they amassed a core group of volunteers who work on the site more frequently. It’s not just one big garden like, for example, the High Point Market Garden, but it’s instead split into sections, including a “giving garden” and a “food forest,” with fruit trees including apples and plums.

For the future, there are hopes of an “edible playground” where kids can dig and learn as well as play. And Stu says PREP nourishes in another way: “This park has become a special place for many to escape the daily concerns brought on by current events.”

They’ve made the most of the land that’s being used on the site. Near the farm stand, one patch held sunflowers towering over beans and lettuce. And though the site is a city park, “We don’t go to Parks for anything,” Stu says proudly – the volunteers manage it all, with some donations and purchases (piles of wood chips, for example). They’ve also raised some funds through SeedMoney.org.

The community synergy goes beyond offering free produce to neighbors; they plan to support the Delridge Grocery Co-op when its store is up and running. More broadly, they hope to inspire other neighborhoods. Even if you don’t have an entire parcel to farm, there are other creative ways and places to grow food.

This year’s growing season at PREP, meantime, is expected to stretch at least into October, Stu says. Maybe beyond, if they get some winter crops going. There’s still space left, and there’s room for more neighbors to get involved – if you’re interested, you con contact Stu via email, alkistu@hotmail.com.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 3 reader reports
August 23, 2020 3:27 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

VANDALISM/THREAT: An Alki resident says someone threw a baseball rock through her window around 11:30 pm Thursday night, with a threatening note, addressing her by name, wishing her children harm, and using a misogynistic slur. Police report is 2020-245673.

ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT: The thefts continue. Just got a note from Jason in the 4100 block of 54th SW:

At approximately 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning, 8/23/2020, a catalytic converter was stolen off my Toyota Prius parked on the street. Neighbors who heard a scraping sound woke up to investigate saw a white van with a roof ladder rack and one ladder attached drive south on 54th Ave SW with its lights off. A police report has been filed.

CAR PROWL: From James:

Last night, 10:15 pm. 100th Street right up from 35th Ave. We’ve been hit several times by prowlers (I assume same person, because there was a brazenness to his behavior this time. He’s taken kids’ bikes, jackets, and anything else he can take.)

This time he got my wallet from my car. I saw him walking into the driveway and by the time I walked out he was already walking away saying, ‘I was looking for a friend, I didn’t do nothing wrong’ and then he walked quickly away from me west on 100th. At that point I didn’t know if he was armed and I didn’t realize I had left my wallet in the car so I just let him walk away (he gave off a creepy vibe).

He had a dark hood on, a face mask, and very difficult to see any identifying features. Police report being filled out. They didn’t send anyone by. I just wanted to let you guys know so our neighbors can be aware and take precautions.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: ‘Trump Baby’ balloon in The Junction
August 23, 2020 1:09 pm
|      104 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Texted photo)

Thanks for the tips and pics. This inflatable caricature of the President just might be the biggest political prop to appear in The Junction since the giant toilet that one group brought some years back. Local real-estate agent Christian Castro tells WSB he just bought the “Trump Baby” balloon and plans to tour it around West Seattle between now and Election Day, to remind people to vote. Today he’s on the KeyBank corner in The Junction and says he’s planning to be there until the nearby Farmers’ Market wraps up at 2 pm, and will be back next week.

(WSB photo)

The first “Trump Baby” balloon sighting was in London two years ago, and others have turned up since then. Castro says it took some work to procure – he tracked it down by first finding the people who flew the one in London; they referred him to the balloon’s creator, who in turn pointed him to the manufacturer. He says he has an accessory on order – a sign with a QR code that’ll take you to a voter-registration page, which he notes is safer in these pandemic days than setting up a table with paper documents. (Registration info is here.)

Share This

SEEN OFF WEST SEATTLE: USS Carl Vinson, headed to new homeport
August 23, 2020 10:57 am
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks for the tips, and to Gary Jones for the photo. That’s the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), headed out of Puget Sound after a year and a half of maintenance at Bremerton:

The Carl Vinson arrived in January 2019; now it’s switching homeports to San Diego.

(Added: Photo by Danny McMillin)

P.S. The Kitsap Sun reports that we won’t likely have another carrier sighting for a while – USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is out on deployment; the next carrier due for major work at Bremerton is USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), next year.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: Local churches’ online services, and more
August 23, 2020 6:43 am
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: Local churches’ online services, and more
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle religion | WS miscellaneous

(Seen on Elliott Bay Friday; photographed by Jim Borrow)

We start today’s preview with our weekly list of online church services:

ADMIRAL UCC: The worship service for today is here.

ALKI UCC: 10 am online service via Zoom – info and link on church’s home page.

ALL SOULS SEATTLE (WSB sponsor): Online worship will be viewable here.

BETHANY COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming for West Seattle here at 9:30 am.

CALVARY CHAPEL: Today’s service is here, plus 6 pm all-church prayer and 7 pm evening worship (info on home page, as well as word that in-person services have resumed too).

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS: West Seattle Ward has Sunday services via Zoom at 10 am, one hour long, all welcome. They last an hour. Here’s the link.

EASTRIDGE CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 9 am and 11 am.

FAUNTLEROY UCC: Service will be streamed at 10 am on the church’s YouTube channel.

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE: Today’s online liturgy is here.

GRACE CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10:30 am.

HALLOWS CHURCH: Streaming at 10 am via the church’s YouTube channel.

HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Streaming Mass at 10:30 am here.

HOPE LUTHERAN: Today’s worship service and children’s story are viewable here.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming at 10 am, here. (In-person Saturday Masses have been added – registration required.)

PEACE LUTHERAN: Livestreaming at 10:30 am on YouTube.

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Viewable on YouTube: Sunday School and Sunday Services at the times below or anytime thereafter.

9:15 a.m. Kids Club — note new time!
10:00 a.m. Spiritual Formation for All Ages
10:15 a.m. Sunday Service. Click on this link for the bulletin
12:00 p.m. Sunday Grief and Gratitude Circle – In person. Meet in the Churchyard.

TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): The video service for today will be here.

TRINITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10 am. (In-person services too.)

WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The video service for today is viewable here.

WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming here, 11 am.

WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN Livestreaming at 10 am on the church’s YouTube channel.

WESTSIDE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION: Livestreaming at 10:30 am – information on today’s service is here.

WESTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: Online (and in-person) worship at 11 am; info here.

Any other churches to add? Please email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Also today/tonight:

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (Enter at California/Alaska)

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)

ALKI BEACH PRIDE: Day 2 features a skate/bike “rollout” from Statue of Liberty Plaza at 1 pm. (61st/Alki)

FREE TO-GO DINNER: White Center Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near the Bartell Drugs parking lot in White Center, SW Roxbury St. & 15th Ave. SW (9600 15th Ave SW)

Share This