West Seattle, Washington
21 Wednesday
The pandemic has been tough for everyone – but especially for seniors, whose vulnerability to COVID-19 has meant isolation at a time of life when connection is more important than ever. So today, organized by the city’s Lifelong Recreation program, “art cars” are journeying to several senior-living centers and care facilities in West Seattle to spread some joy.
We caught up with them as they got ready to head out from the West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) lot in Morgan Junction at mid-morning.
This isn’t an official public-viewing event for health/safety reasons – but the stops along the “parade” route had advance notice, of course.
After leaving Thriftway, over the span of about two hours, they were scheduled to visit The Mount, Brookdale West Seattle, Westwood Heights, and The Kenney.
If “art cars” are new to you – here’s a bit of background.
Nine years ago, they had a meetup in West Seattle.
(American Constellation passing The Arroyos while headed from Tacoma to Anacortes this morning – photographed by Chris Frankovich)
As noted last night, some smoke has shown up again. But forecasters insist we will NOT be dealing with bad air quality – nothing worse than a dip into “moderate.” In the meantime, here’s what’s happening today/tonight:
THE MISSING PIECE OPENS: First day for the new game café. (35th/Roxbury)
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET MEETINGS: After the introduction of the mayor’s proposal Tuesday, the council begins its meetings as the Select Budget Committee. First meeting of the day – outlining the process, and presenting the plan – is under way ; then, department presentations begin with a 2 pm session. It’s all streamed via Seattle Channel; the agenda for both sessions, with document links, is here.
ICE CREAM TRUCK ON GENESEE HILL: Across from GH Elementary, the PTA is hosting the Full Tilt Ice Cream truck, selling $6 cones to help their school-supply drive. 3-6 pm. (50th/Dakota).
BURRITOS FOR LAFAYETTE: Another PTA fundraiser – this one for Lafayette Elementary, 4-8 pm, at Chipotle in The Junction. (4730 California SW)
TOWN HALL: City Councilmember Lisa Herbold is hosting her first one since April, online 5:30-7:30 pm tonight – first hour on public safety, featuring Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz and Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Kevin Grossman, second hour on the West Seattle Bridge. It’ll be streamed live on YouTube; RSVP via this form to get the link for asking questions.
Family and friends are remembering Wanda E. Carney, and sharing this remembrance with her community:
Wanda Elizabeth Carney passed peacefully in the early afternoon of September 7th, 2020 in Seattle.
Wanda was born July 6th, 1930 in Toronto, Canada to Susan and William MacKay, and was the little sister to her four older brothers. She graduated from Winchester Street School in 1947, and became a nursery school teacher in Toronto. A brief leave was taken in 1953 to cross the ocean and tour Europe with a friend. In 1955 she ventured with friends to teach nursery school in Los Angeles.
On June 22, 1957, she married William E. “Bill” Carney of Seattle after meeting him at a wedding of mutual friends. A long-distance romance via letters between them blossomed into true love and marriage only ten months after they first met. The courtship was short, but the love affair lasted their entire lives.
Wanda and Bill settled in Seattle, and eventually made West Seattle their home for over thirty years. They later moved to the town of Dayton, WA in the 1990s.
Wanda pursued her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher by graduating from South Seattle Community College in 1974, and then from the University of Washington with a degree in English and Elementary Education in 1977. She received her Professional Education Certificate in 1976, and did substitute teaching at grade schools all over the Seattle area.
Wanda was very proud of her Canadian heritage, only becoming an American citizen in 1979 because of a new employment rule requiring it to teach in Washington. As protest, she celebrated Canada Day and Canadian Thanksgiving with even more enthusiasm.
She was a friend to many, and always seemed to be able to make new ones while staying in touch with her old ones. This included neighbors and friends in Seattle and Dayton, people from her church, and her many relatives and old friends from Canada. Her taco dinners were legendary, and her friends and family would eagerly await her annual Christmas gift of homemade shortbread from an old MacKay family recipe.
From an early age, music was a big part of Wanda’s life and passion. She sang in recitals, amateur musicals, choirs, many weddings and the Seattle Chorale. She was often asked to do solos in her United Methodist Church choirs, both in West Seattle and in Dayton. While her children did not inherit her musical talent, they all appreciated and treasured it. Wanda would often sit down at a piano and play a tune, or sometimes just burst out with a favorite song from her memory. It was very special to be able to hear her sing.
Wanda loved to read (something she definitely passed on to her children), and to attend plays, the opera and symphony, musicals and movies. If the movie had good music in it, so much the better. “The Sound of Music” was a favorite of hers. Also, anything with a bagpipe!
She is survived by her daughter Susan Carney, sons Robert Carney (Susanne) and Thomas Carney (Julie Nugent-Carney), and grandchildren Will Kulm, James Kulm, Elizabeth Kulm, Jacob Carney, Cade Carney, and Jackson Carney.
Wanda celebrated her 90th birthday on July 6th of this year outside her residence at the Kenney retirement home, surrounded by family. Jokes were told, laughter rang out, and everyone there had a big smile on their face (especially Mom) – clearly visible despite the protective masks.
She lived a full life, and is dearly missed by her family. A celebration of her life will be held in the near future. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Dayton United Methodist Church, 110 S. 3rd ST, Dayton, WA, the Salvation Army, or the Special Olympics.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
6:21 AM: Welcome to Wednesday, last day of September, 191st morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
ROAD WORK
*Delridge project: The SW Oregon closure is still set for early Friday (October 2nd) until early Monday. And here’s the newest bulletin, with word on where work is scheduled this wwek.
*Westwood Village lot repaving: We updated this on Monday.
TRANSIT
Metro – Remember that fare collection resumes tomorrow
Water Taxi – Fares for the foot ferry also resume Thursday.
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 the nearest 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.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
Tonight’s toplines, as we start the eighth month of the pandemic response:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here’s today’s daily summary from Public Health – the cumulative totals:
*22,263 people have tested positive, 51 more than yesterday’s total
*758 people have died, unchanged since Friday
*2,369 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total
*435,194 people have been tested, 1,052 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the totals were 21,590/753/2,337/(unavailable).
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
NATIONAL/WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 33.5 million cases worldwide, 7.1 million of them in the U.S. – see other nation-by-nation stats by going here.
PROPERTY TAXES: From King County:
Seniors, people with disabilities, and others with qualifying conditions who applied for property tax exemptions or deferrals but are still waiting for a determination will be able to extend payments until January 31, 2021.
Affected property owners will be contacted, and will need to notify the Assessor’s Office via the web at kingcounty.gov/taxreliefextension, call 206-296-3920 or email exemptions.extension@kingcounty.gov to opt in to this program. The statutory deadline of November 2 remains in effect for all other property taxpayers.
BRIEFING TOMORROW: Want to hear firsthand what state health officials are saying about the pandemic? You can watch tomorrow’s weekly briefing live at 2 pm here.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Even as they fight to stay afloat in the pandemic economy, local businesses have continued to give back to the community. The West Seattle High School ASB is hoping to find one that can answer their call, and asked us to publish it:
Dear West Seattle community,
The West Seattle High School Senior class ASB is looking for a restaurant’s help in fundraising for the school year. Usually, the Senior class hosts an annual Homecoming dance; however, because of Covid-19, hosting an in-person dance is not an option. This means that the Senior class is losing out on thousands of dollars from ticket sales that would fund the majority of our prom. In an effort to stay financially on track with being able to afford the cost of a Senior prom at the end of the school year, we are searching for a restaurant who would be willing to host a restaurant fundraiser.
The fundraiser would be a one-day “takeover” where we encourage our large community of staff, hundreds of students, and families to dine in your restaurant or order takeout and a portion of the sales would be donated back to the Senior class. Some benefits restaurants would receive from hosting this fundraiser include a tax write-off, good publicity, and an increase in foot traffic to their business.
We chose to take this route instead of directly calling restaurants because we did not want owners to feel pressured to help us when they might be experiencing financial troubles due to the pandemic. If you are a restaurant that is interested in hosting our restaurant takeover. please contact Senior Class President Ella Richardson at wshsco2021@gmail.com .
West Seattle High School ASB hopes everyone is staying safe and healthy during these trying times, and we are looking forward to being together again soon.
6:16 PM: That was the view from Alki Avenue late this afternoon, as smoke from the south arrived. But the National Weather Service says it will not be anything like what we experienced earlier this month:
Smoke from California fires is making its way into Western Washington. This smoke will mainly be aloft and the air quality index is expected to remain in the good category. The skies are expected to become hazy starting this evening.
One of the newer large fires in Northern California is ravaging wine country north of San Francisco.
ADDED: Two views of the slightly smoky sunset – from Dan Ciske:
And from Vanessa Carr:
(Photo courtesy The Missing Piece – above, co-proprietor Lauren)
In the final days of 2019, we told you about plans for The Missing Piece to bring games, coffee, and more to 35th/Roxbury. Proprietors Lauren and Alex hoped to open in spring … but the pandemic delayed that plan. Nonetheless, they continued working on the space, and tomorrow, they finally open! Here’s the announcement:
Hello, West Seattle and beyond. We are proud and excited after months and months of hard work and planning your home away from home, we will be passing go and opening our doors in the coming days.
On September 30th at 8:00 AM, The Missing Piece will welcome its first visitors with smiles, coffee in the air, warm pastries in the case, and comfortable seating for all of your hobbies.
We are thrilled to be able to offer the greater Seattle area respite from their busy lives to take a moment to be in the moment. Whether this is sipping coffee, watching the clouds roll by through our beautiful windows, or enjoying your loved ones while playing a board game.
Also worth noting: we are going above and beyond to ensure that The Missing Piece is following all city, state, and federal COVID guidelines to promote safety, sanitation, and cleanliness throughout your entire stay with us.
The Missing Piece is a cafe with locally-sourced coffees, teas, and pastries. We provide an all-inclusive, welcoming environment where one can relax, play board games, read a book, and simply feel at home. Swing by to pick up your favorite drink and/or snack. Or make a table reservation on our website to enjoy one of our many games. We thank you for supporting us and being on this journey from the beginning.
To our friends and neighbors: thank you, we are excited to be a part of the community, and we will see you all very soon.
Before The Missing Piece, the space was home to a medical-marijuana dispensary.
Just a week after the conclusion of a battle over “rebalancing” the current city budget, the 2-month process of working on a new budget has just begun. Mayor Jenny Durkan‘s proposal is now public, released in connection with the prerecorded speech you can watch above. Here’s the 751-page document:
Reporters got a preview this morning, with the mayor as well as city budget director Ben Noble and staff; we participated. It’s a $6.5 billion budget – about $2 billion of that for the city-run utilities. While the mayor says the COVID-19-caused shortfall will be largely covered by the new “JumpStart” tax, she also said more than once that it’s time to get busy on a city income tax.
From both the briefing and our scan of the document, here are some specific points of interest:
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE: The budget proposes $100 million – the $70 million recently advanced by a City Council vote, and $30 million more. We asked at the briefing, what happens if it costs more to get the bridge back in service, whether by repairs or replacement? Noble said they’re well aware they’ll likely need to spend more, and SDOT is working on that. The mayor added that they’re hoping for state/federal assistance – the former in recognition of the bridge serving the port, “the heartbeat for much of the commerce in the Pacific Northwest,” the latter because they already have “broad support” from our state’s congressional delegation. “In any other year, this would be” the budget headline, Durkan observed, but this year, the pandemic and the fight for equity are atop the list. She also noted that the city is working on “ways to help businesses” as well as mobility issues for people ‘including front-line health-care workers.” Another bridge-related expenditure mentioned at the briefing: $4 million to continue stationing an extra Seattle Fire ladder truck and medic unit on this side of the Duwamish River while the bridge is out.
PARKS: With so much park property in West Seattle, this spending is always of interest. The mayor’s budget anticipates only opening four of the city’s 10 swimming pools next year. Southwest Pool is one of them, but this means Colman Pool will be closed for a second year. Hiawatha Community Center will be closed all year, though that’s planned in connection with the stabilization work. The budget also proposes converting Alki Community Center from a full-service community center “to a childcare and preschool hub,” which would save $100,000 in operating costs. Many capital projects will remain deferred – West Seattle has several in waiting, including three landbanked parks (Junction, Morgan expansion, and 48th/Charlestown). The prospect of a new Park District levy – deferred for a year though the current one is expiring now – might be needed to raise money for capital projects.
POLICE/LAW: The City Attorney’s Office plans to go back to combining the Precinct Liaison positions for the South and Southwest Precincts. As for the public-safety-reform big picture, from the “budget book” overview:
• The Seattle Police Department was budgeted for 1,422 sworn officers in the 2020 Adopted budget, but will only be funded for 1,400 in 2021. The IDT referenced above will work in the fall of 2020 and into early 2021 to assess the appropriate force size for the long run.
• SPD’s Parking Enforcement unit and its 120 employees will be transferred to the Seattle Department of Transportation.
• The Office of Emergency Management, which coordinates the City’s efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies, will be moved out of SPD and become an independent office.
• The existing 9-1-1 Communications Center, currently housed in SPD, will also be transferred out into its own independent, stand-alone unit. As non-sworn, community-based alternative responses to calls are developed, the 9-1-1 Communications Center, now to be called the Seattle Emergency Communications Center, will be crucial in dispatching those responses.
• The 2021 budget will make permanent the transfer of the Seattle Police Department’s Victim Advocacy Team to the Human Services Department (HSD). This transfer was initially made by the City Council in the 2020 2nd Quarter Supplemental Budget Ordinance. This team is comprised of 11 FTEs and a budget of $1.25 million. These resources will be added to the proposed new Safe and Thriving Communities Division in HSD.
(Here’s how Chief Adrian Diaz summarizes it.) The mayor said she’ll unveil her vision for the future of the homelessness-addressing Navigation Team separately, soon. Meantime, no, there is NOT any proposal to close the Southwest Precinct, as once suggested by the former chief. Its operational budget is in for $17 million, down from $18 million this year.
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY: One thing noted in passing during the briefing, and also underscored in the “budget book” (page 147) – some library-levy dollars that were supposed to go toward expanded hours will instead be shifted to cover basic services/operations. So that could mean reduced hours once libraries are fully open again.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS: We’re still reading! More coverage to come.
WHAT’S NEXT: The budget proposal goes to the City Council, and they start almost two months of meetings, hearings, proposals, and counterproposals. First meeting is tomorrow, 9:30 am – here’s the agenda. Meantime, there’s of course a lot more in the budget, and we’ll
1:55 PM: Seattle Fire has sent a “full response” to the 6400 block of 29th SW. The first units arriving are seeing “light smoke” but have assessed it so far as a kitchen fire.
1:58 PM: The fire is already out and the response is being downsized.
Frank sent the photo, explaining that bicycle has been on a planting strip along SW Graham in Seaview near 48th SW since at least Sunday. Nobody in the neighborhood has claimed it, so in case it was stolen and dumped, Frank wanted to get the word out.
(Lowman Beach Park, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Four ways you can help your neighbors this week!
GENESEE HILL ICE-CREAM TRUCK: The Genesee Hill Elementary PTA‘s school-supply-drive fundraiser had to be postponed earlier this month because of smoke – but what perfect weather for the new date, tomorrow (Wednesday, September 30), 3-6 pm. The Full Tilt Ice Cream truck will be at Dakota Homestead across from the school (50th/Dakota) with cones for $6, including vegan options.
LAFAYETTE DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: Also on Wednesday, you can help the Lafayette Elementary PTA by getting food from Chipotle (4730 California SW), 4-8 pm. No third-party orders – if you’re ordering online in advance, it has to be via Chipotle’s website or app. More info in our calendar listing.
FOOD DRIVE AT OLG: On Saturday (October 3), 10 am-2 pm, a food drive is part of Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Drop-In Services Day. Here’s everything that’s happening:
Get your flu shot. Register to vote or update your voter registration. Pick up a mask and care kit. Help restock the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. One stop … a lot of good. Flu shots are provided by Walgreens and are free with many insurance plans (bring your card). Needed pantry items include non-perishable food (canned tuna/soup/chilis/stews, mac & cheese, pasta, peanut butter, pasta sauce), tp, hygiene items (soap, shampoo, conditioner), and household cleaning supplies (laundry and dish detergents, all-purpose spray cleaners, paper towels). Open to all wearing a mask and presented by OLG’s Immigrant Ministry.
This will be in the church’s north parking lot, 35th/Myrtle.
TOYS FOR TOTS: The pandemic will make this a challenging season for holiday helping, so some of it is starting early! Starting this Sunday (October 4th), the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle will collect Toys for Tots at the exit of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market (in front of Easy Street) from 10 am until 1:30 pm every Sunday until December 6. New unwrapped toys for all ages are needed. Also: An ongoing collection box is at Be’s Restaurant (4509 California SW) if you can’t make it to the Sunday dropoff.
We received multiple questions last night about a police/fire response on SW 104th last night because SFD classified the call as “scenes of violence, aid.” The last word is key – it’s a lower-level medical response than the usual “scenes of violence” callout; the “scenes of violence” designation is usually because of how a victim was injured, generally involving a weapon of some kind. We don’t automatically go out on the “aid” level of calls but with all the questions, we went over to try to find out more. The response was already wrapping up and officers on the scene wouldn’t comment. We found out from SFD later via email that a 30-year-old man had been taken to a hospital, in stable condition, but had to wait until this morning to ask SPD media relations for more information on their part of the response. The response: “This was a crisis call and a domestic-violence assault. One person was arrested.”
4 bridge-related notes:
STABILIZATION-WORK UPDATE: That photo of the bridge’s underside, credited to Alex Francis, is part of this week’s SDOT update on bridge-stabilization work. From the update:
This week, the contractor is planning to:
*Continue prepping for the post-tensioning work
*Continue prepping for Pier 18 access
*Continue inspecting, mapping, and filling cracks
The work continues atop, beneath, and inside the bridge.
MAYOR’S BUDGET PLAN: With the repair-or-replace decision still up to a month away, what will Mayor Jenny Durkan propose for the bridge in her 2021 budget? We’ll find out in a few hours – her plan goes public at 1 pm today, and the council’s budget work starts tomorrow. So far, the city has allotted $70 million via an “interfund loan,” but that’s just a down payment. The council doesn’t finalize the budget until November, so there’s theoretically time for change once the decision is in.
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: After the mayor’s presentation, the council has its weekly business meeting at 2 pm today, one day later than usual because of Yom Kippur. Besides the low-bridge-camera legislation we reported on Monday, the agenda has one other bridge-related item. A resolution calling for review of potential Comprehensive Plan amendments that would be considered next year includes one now described as a “review of policies and maps in the Comprehensive Plan to determine whether any changes are warranted due to the failure of the West Seattle Bridge.” This is a revision of the proposal from community member Deb Barker, which we first reported on three weeks ago.
REMINDER – TOWN HALL TOMORROW NIGHT: The bridge is scheduled to be the focus of the second hour of City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s two-hour online “town hall” 5:30-7:30 pm Wednesday (as announced last Friday). To get the viewing link, and info on asking questions, you have to RSVP here.
6:16 AM: Welcome to Tuesday. It’s the 190th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
ROAD WORK
*Delridge project: The SW Oregon closure is now set for early this Friday (October 2nd) until early the following Monday. Meanwhile, here’s the newest bulletin, with word on where work is scheduled this wwek.
*Westwood Village lot repaving: We updated this on Monday. Part of the work has moved over to the southeast area of the center, just north of QFC.
*Olson/Myers/1st repaving: Last weekend’s work was completed on schedule; next round is scheduled for October 10th-11th.
TRANSIT
Metro – Remember that fare collection resumes Thursday.
Water Taxi – Fares for the foot ferry also will resume Thursday.
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.
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
Seven months ago tonight, King County announced its first COVID-19 case. Our nightly pandemic-related toplines continue:
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here’s today’s daily summary from Public Health – the cumulative countywide totals:
*22.212 people have tested positive, 94 more than yesterday’s total
*758 people have died, unchanged since Friday
*2,362 people have been hospitalized, 7 more than yesterday’s total
*434,142 people have been tested, 2,280 more than yesterday’s total
One week ago, the totals were 21.533/753/2,324/unavailable.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.
WHY 98116’S DEATH TOLL DOUBLED: Earlier this month, we noted the death toll in 98116 going from 3 to 6 in the span of one week. Those 4th, 5th, and 6th deaths were all residents at Aegis Living of West Seattle in west Admiral, the company confirms. Aegis says it does not currently have any cases among the residents or staff there. (Thanks to Jennie for the tip.)
NEED FOOD? One place to get some free – Food Lifeline will distribute emergency boxes to anyone who shows up, 2-5 pm Friday (October 2nd) at its South Park HQ, 815 S. 96th.
MEALS FOR STUDENTS & FAMILIES: All students/parents/guardians – regardless of family income – are welcome to pick up meals at 7 Seattle Public Schools sites in West Seattle/South Park, 11:15 am-1:15 pm weekdays. (Also at that link: Info on the one bus route by which meals are delivered in north WS.)
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
9:10 PM: Seattle Fire has a water-rescue response headed to the 1700 block of Harbor Avenue SW, by land and sea. They’re responding to.a report of a flashing light, “possible distress signal,” offshore.
9:16 PM: Initial assessment – it’s a blinking light attached to a buoy marking a net, and no one in the area has heard any calls for help. SFD is canceling the call.
That’s the trailer for “Secret Life of Pets,” which the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce will show as a park-your-car-and-watch movie Friday, October 9th, in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Tickets are limited – $50 per carload, which includes one bag of popcorn, two boxes of candy, and two sodas. The lot will open at 5:30 pm, with the movie at 6:45 pm. You don’t have to be a Chamber member to go – register here to get your ticket, while they last.
Another traditional fall-fun event is reformatting for this pandemic year – Harvest Fest, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association. It’ll span 10 days, including a scavenger hunt, with a map that’ll be part of the Harvest Fest Box for Kids, available for online pre-orders this Thursday:
The Junction is bringing the joy of Harvest and Halloween in one special box. Each box has a seasonally-themed or musically-themed craft, individually wrapped Halloween treats, and a special surprise from the Junction! Includes the scavenger map!
Also available for pre-orders starting Thursday – the Harvest Fest Box for Adults, which “brings you all the local and cozy feelings of the season.” Junction beverage purveyors will offer special seasonal drinks. And there’ll be free fun – a Junction Pumpkin Walk to enjoy decorated windows, and an online Haunted Concert with West Seattle School of Rock. (You can also get the Scavenger Map without buying a box = it’ll be in stores October 20th.) In the middle of the 10 days of Harvest Fest – Haunted Trivia. Watch for details on all this within a few days
Thanks to Robin for the tip. The Westwood Village parking-lot repaving continues, section by section, and now it’s moved to the south and east, closing off the lot north of QFC. All the businesses remain open, but be patient with the detours. Part of the north-central lot remains closed, too, so you can’t get to the Post Office from the SW Barton side.
The work, which we first mentioned three weeks ago, is expected to last into late October.
From Chief Sealth International High School:
Principal Aida Fraser-Hammer of Chief Sealth International High School announced today that seniors Elijah Allen-White and Ptolemy Bear have each received a Letter of Commendation from the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers from more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2021 competition by taking the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This Commendation recognizes their accomplishments and the key role their schools play in their academic development. Congratulations, Elijah and Ptolemy!
(Rendering by JW Architects)
Another small-ish mixed-use building is proceeding in south West Seattle. Seven months ago, we featured the design packet for the proposed building at 9037 35th SW [map] as it went through Administrative Design Review (no community meetings). Today, the city’s twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin includes the decision approving the project, and the notice explaining how to appeal (deadline October 12th). The proposal is for a four-story building with 25 microapartments (Small Efficiency Dwelling Units), 839 sf of ground-floor retail, and off-street parking for six vehicles, replacing a house and small commercial space. It’s been two years since we first mentioned the plan, before HALA upzoned the site to 55′.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Despite the pandemic, the Delridge Grocery Co-op has grown to reach another milestone – selling fresh food, regularly, to local residents.
Not as a full-fledged store, yet, but the DGC’s in-development store space is the operational base for what’s just emerged from five months of testing: Weekly sales of the “DGC Essentials Box,” 10 pounds of produce for $20.
Starting this week, the co-op is opening up orders for weekly pickup or delivery on Saturdays to the community at large – and even if you don’t need it, there’s a donation program too. We stopped by DGC HQ (5444 Delridge Way SW) this past Saturday as half a dozen safely spaced volunteers assembled the boxes for distribution.
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