West Seattle, Washington

10 Tuesday

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month : 03/2021 338 results

HYBRID HOLY WEEK: Local list in progress
March 29, 2021 8:24 pm
|    Comments Off on HYBRID HOLY WEEK: Local list in progress
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

You might call this a hybrid Holy Week leading up to Easter (Sunday, April 4th) – some churches are having in-person services, some are continuing entirely online, some are offering both. We’re building a list, as.we do every year, and have some listings already; consider this your invitation to send info about any Holy Week/Easter services in West Seattle, online or in-person – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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YOU CAN HELP: COVID-19 safety and supplies fundraiser for Roxhill Elementary
March 29, 2021 6:16 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photo from seattleschools.org)

Friends of Roxhill Elementary is hoping you can help with this:

TODAY, teachers are walking back into their classrooms—many for the first time in a year—preparing for the physical return of their students. And we want to make sure they have everything they need to keep themselves and our children safe.

We are launching an emergency fundraiser to make sure the school has the support and supplies they need not provided by the district; such as classroom air purifiers, extra masks, thermometers, buckets to keep coats and clothing from touching, and so much more. We are facing new challenges daily and know we will need to be able to respond to these evolving needs and costs quickly.

Our immediate goal is $4,500. Will you help us today?

Here’s the link if you’re able to donate.

We asked the district what PPE they’re providing; the response just pointed us to this webpage, which says “Seattle Public Schools will provide staff with PPE in accordance with Labor & Industries safety and health rules and guidance” and also notes that masks are available for students who don’t already have them.

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FOLLOWUP: Testing extended at city-run West Seattle site
March 29, 2021 3:58 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

One week ago, we reported that the city was going to stop offering COVID-19 tests at the Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot, to devote that site entirely to vaccinating. Today – with an ongoing countywide increase in cases – the city has changed its mind, and says it’ll keep offering testing there through at least April 17th. While our area is not described in the announcement from the mayor’s office as having a spike in cases, it is seeing a rise in testing demand at the West Seattle site. You can make a testing appointment by going here. (Vaccinations will continue there, too.)

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BIZNOTE: Yes, Sunfish Seafood on Alki WILL reopen
March 29, 2021 2:56 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

So many have asked – via email, text, even in the WSB Community Forums – and now we have an answer: Yes, Sunfish Seafood – the fish-and-chips-and-more restaurant at 2800 Alki SW – WILL reopen. While Sunfish fans are used to its annual vacation closure, for example, this shutdown has been longer, so many were worried. In a brief conversation today, the restaurant’s owner, Michael Vassiliou, told us that while it’s been a tough year, keeping track of all the changing business requirements (among other things), he does hope to reopen Sunfish within a few weeks.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Shoplift-turned-robbery
March 29, 2021 2:05 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | Westwood

One West Seattle Crime Watch incident to report so far today: A shoplifting case classified as robbery because it turned violent/threatening. It was reported just after 10:30 this morning at the Westwood Village Ulta Beauty store. The initial police summary says three people – two female, one male – were in the store grabbing “many items” and stuffing them into bags. One threatened to shoot store staffers who confronted them, and then claimed he had COVID before lowering his mask as if he was about to spit on the staffers. The trio subsequently fled the store with an estimated $5,000 worth of merchandise. No description in the report we obtained, but police say the store has security video.

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BIZNOTE: Pine Lake Cellars tasting room opening soon
March 29, 2021 12:19 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS beverages

West Seattle’s wine scene continues to expand. Next up: The new Pine Lake Cellars tasting room at 5405 California SW [map] is almost ready to go. We contacted proprietor Rob McCall after a reader messaged us on Saturday that the tasting room appeared to have opened. He explained that was a low-key soft-open event, and they’re planning to do the same this Saturday, but they are not yet officially open. Once they are, the hours are likely to be 5-8 pm Thursdays, 4-8 pm Fridays, 1-7 pm Saturdays, and 1-5 pm Sundays. This is Pine Lake Cellars’ second West Seattle tasting room – they had a smaller one on Harbor Avenue several years ago. As you’ll notice in the photo, this one has outdoor space.

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DEVELOPMENT: Six-house Puget Ridge project gets land-use approval
March 29, 2021 11:34 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

From today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin: A notice of land-use approval for a six-house project to be added on a site that currently holds one house on Puget Ridge, at 6550 21st SW [map]. You can read the decision here. The site is just over an acre. The city website says off-street parking is planned for 12 vehicles to go along with the six 2-story houses. The decision also notes that seven “exceptional” trees are on the site and that plans call for preserving all of them. The decision can be appealed – this notice explains how – with the deadline set at April 12th.

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YOU CAN HELP: Community cleanup Saturday around the bridge
March 29, 2021 9:45 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

(February photo, sent by Conrad)

That photo is from the last community cleanup that Conrad organized under and around the West Seattle Bridge last month. He tells WSB, “I got so many requests to hold another event that I’m hosting a second one – people felt such a pleasant sense of community and neighborliness at the last event,” It’s happening next Saturday afternoon (April 3rd), 1-3 pm, and you’re invited to join – here qre the basics:

Once again, we’ll meet at the cul-de-sac on SW Marginal Place. This project will focus on litter abatement, and it will have a larger focus on removing invasive and overgrown vegetation. Our work on vegetation will make the highly trafficked area safer for pedestrians and allow us to remove trash that’s currently covered in blackberries. We’ll also send people to the nearby Riverside Memorial Plaza to rake leaves.

Here’s where to RSVP.

P.S. If you’ve been participating in Jessica‘s monthly first-Saturday Alki cleanups – she’s joining this one for April, but will be back hosting Alki events in May and beyond.

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WEATHER, TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK: March’s final Monday
March 29, 2021 6:16 am
|    Comments Off on WEATHER, TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK: March’s final Monday
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:16 AM: Good morning! Sunshine in the forecast today!

ROAD WORK .

Delridge project – This week’s work plan includes closing the east end of Sylvan Way as soon as Wednesday.

TRANSIT

Metro is on its changed-for-spring regular schedule

The West Seattle Water Taxi is using the smaller Spirit of Kingston again this week

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

371st morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s how it’s looking on other bridges and routes:

Low Bridge: 12th week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily. Here’s a bridge view:

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden:

The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

And the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:

To check for bridges’ marine-traffic openings, see the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.

See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.

Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

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New ferry you’ll see off West Seattle starting today
March 29, 2021 6:03 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Kitsap Transit photo)

Kitsap Transit launches its third cross-Sound passenger-ferry route today, another one that’ll be in view off West Seattle – eight weekday round trips between Southworth and downtown Seattle. The system already runs passenger ferries to downtown >from Kingston and Bremerton, all authorized by a 2016 ballot measure. The Southworth run will use the same dock there as Washington State Ferries, using the M/V Enetai, the first of two bow-loading vessels built for Kitsap Transit. Crossing time is just under half an hour. It’ll be fare-free for the first month, then $2 eastbound and $10 westbound starting in May.

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From buses to bridges @ West Seattle Transportation Coalition
March 28, 2021 10:31 pm
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle Bridge Safety Project | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Will West Seattle get back some of the bus service it’s lost? And what’s the deal with some of the most-challenged policies post-West Seattle Bridge closure? Those were the two big topics at this month’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting, online this past Thursday night.

METRO’S FUTURE: King County Councilmember Joe McDermott and Metro planner Graydon Newman were the guests for this topic. McDermott said it’s a subject with which he has personal experience, since he took the 56/57 to downtown pre-pandemic, though now his commute route is a set of stairs in his home. However, he said, the council doesn’t get into the details of route planning – it sticks to big-picture issues. With that, Newman took centerstage. Having just launched the spring service change, he said, Metro is now in the thick of “service restoration planning” for September – “making a big effort” to restore some suspended service.

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CORONAVIRUS: Sunday 3/28/2021 roundup, including our weekly West Seattle trend check
March 28, 2021 9:27 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Tonight’s pandemic news:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: After two Sundays without updates on the King County Daily Summary Dashboard page, tonight they’re back.

*87,382 people have tested positive, 270 more than yesterday’s total

*1,461 people have died, unchanged from yesterday’s total

*5,288 people have been hospitalized, 32 more than yesterday’s total

*959,558 people have been tested, 440 more than yesterday’s total

WEST SEATTLE TRENDS: Time for our weekly check. These numbers are shown in two-week increments via the “geography over time” tab on the daily-summary dashboard; to determine WS status, we combine the totals from the West Seattle and Delridge “health reporting areas” (HRAs): For the past two weeks, 95 positive test results; 83 in the 2 weeks before that; 64 in the two weeks before that. … We also are noting WS death totals each week. The total deaths for the entire pandemic in the two HRAs comprising West Seattle: 64, unchanged from last week.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 127 million cases and 2,783,000+ deaths, 549,000+ of them in the U.S. – see the nation-by-nation breakdown here.

BACK TO SCHOOL: The first Seattle Public Schools students to return to campuses will start tomorrow.

TWO MORE DAYS OF TESTING AT SWAC: As we first reported last Monday, the Southwest Athletic Complex city-run site (2801 SW Thistle) stops testing and goes vaccination-only this Wednesday (March 31st). City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s latest newsletter includes a list of local testing alternatives.

LOOKING FOR VACCINE? Eligibility expands Wednesday – but if you’re eligible now, here are links to try:

*Check for West Seattle city-run site appointments here; sign up for the city’s notification list for all three of its sites here.
*Health-care providers (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine, CHI Franciscan, Kaiser Permanente, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator)
*The state says it’s improved its own lookup tool
*Here’s another multi-provider search to try
*Pharmacies big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca, Costco
*Sea Mar clinics

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

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MONDAY: Seattle Public Schools changes elementary, K-8 schedules, starts in-person-learning return
March 28, 2021 7:22 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Tomorrow’s a big day for many Seattle Public Schools students. First, bell times change for all elementary and K-8 students, as announced:

New Elementary and K-8 Bell Schedules

Elementary and K-8 schools will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. for students in both the remote and hybrid, in-person model (part-time in person and part-time remote).

This change does not include 6th-8th grade comprehensive middle schools. Comprehensive middle schools will continue to begin at 9 a.m.

Bell Schedule

8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Morning Block: 8 – 10:45 a.m.
Afternoon Block: 11:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

8 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Wednesday
All students will be remote

The district says the change will make it possible for them to offer more bus service as more students return to in-person learning. Tomorrow, meantime, is the first day of that for the first wave of returning students – preschoolers and students enrolled in elementary special education Intensive Services Pathways. Other district updates on returning to in-person learning are here. No word of a deal yet for bringing back 6th-12th graders.

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WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: The calm after the storm
March 28, 2021 5:20 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

After 5+ blustery hours, the weather has calmed, without reports power outages or downed trees this time around. The National Weather Service says it’ll stay breezy for the hours ahead – and dark clouds on the horizon suggest the rain might return – but one thing has vanished from the forecast – the mention of possible snow mixed in. The weather is getting drier faster than predicted, and should be clear by the early morning hours, when temperatures will drop into the 30s. And then – sunshine is on the way,

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Planning a teardown? Seattle Fire Department suggests an alternative
March 28, 2021 4:20 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

(2013 WSB photo by Nick Adams – firefighter training at to-be-demolished property by Lowman Beach)

Planning to demolish a house soon? Let the Seattle Fire Department have at it first! They’re looking for to-be-demolished houses for an upcoming round of training. Here’s the announcement:

The Seattle Fire Department is actively looking for single-family dwellings scheduled for demolition to help secure live-fire training for our newest Seattle firefighters on May 3-6, 2021. We are also open to discussing the use of duplex and apartment buildings on a case-by-case basis. The project must have a demolition permit in hand, and the owner would need to allow access to the structure a week ahead of the training for set-up.

If interested, please fill out our intake form online and email it to SFD_inservicetraining@seattle.gov. Questions can also be directed to this email address.

Live-fire training is an opportunity for our new fire recruits to work with our company officers and face real fire scenarios in a controlled setting. This experience is vital to the development of new recruits, as these fires act as a final evaluation of what they have learned over the past 12 weeks of training. The training focuses on fire attack, teamwork and communication.

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DEVELOPMENT: See design packet for Thursday’s 9218 18th SW review
March 28, 2021 12:40 pm
|    Comments Off on DEVELOPMENT: See design packet for Thursday’s 9218 18th SW review
 |   Delridge | Development | West Seattle news

That’s the Caron Architecture design packet (also viewable here) for 9218 18th SW [map], a South Delridge mixed-use project that goes back before the Southwest Design Review Board in an online meeting this Thursday (April 1st). The project is described as a 5-story, 58-unit apartment building with commercial space, plus offstreet parking for 28 vehicles and 63 bicycles. This is the second Early Design Guidance meeting for the project, after the board told the project team in October to try again. Thursday’s meeting is at 5 pm, with viewing/listening info here; here’s how to comment on the proposal before, during, and/or after the meeting.

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Tasty way to help: West Seattle High School’s 2nd annual Dine-Out Day
March 28, 2021 10:21 am
|    Comments Off on Tasty way to help: West Seattle High School’s 2nd annual Dine-Out Day
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

That short video is from the West Seattle High School students who organized the second annual Dine-Out Day for this Wednesday (March 31st). These four Admiral/Alki establishments are donating part of their proceeds to the WSHS student government that day:

Ampersand Café (2536 Alki SW)
Circa (2605 California SW)
Mission Cantina (2325 California SW)
Matchbox Food Hall (delivery only)

Be sure to mention you’re ordering in support of WSHS Dine-Out Day.

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What’s ahead for your West Seattle Sunday
March 28, 2021 6:43 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Early-spring flowers, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Last Sunday in March – besides the weather alert, here’x what’s happening:

TODAY’S ONLINE CHURCH SERVICES: It’s Palm Sunday; as we do every week, we’ve updated our list of more than 20 local churches’ online Sunday services (a few offer in-person options too), with the newest links – see it here.

PASSOVER: Tonight is the second night of Passover. West Seattle synagogue Kol HaNeshamah is celebrating – details here.

FAUNTLEROY EGG HUNT: Go look for the eggs hidden by the Fauntleroy Community Association! Details are here.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in The Junction, the market’s open. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (Enter at California/Alaska; pickups for online orders are at California/Oregon)

POETRY IN THE JUNCTION: Typewriter poet Sean Petrie plans to be outside Pegasus Book Exchange (4553 California SW) during the market, weather permitting.

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

THEATER: Four comedy shorts from “All in the Timing” will be performed live online by Twelfth Night Productions again today, 3 pm. Our calendar listing has ticket/viewing info.

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. (9600 15th Ave SW)

TONIGHT’S SUNSET: 7:34 pm!

Got something for our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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CORONAVIRUS: Saturday 3/27/2021 roundup
March 27, 2021 11:56 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Midway through March’s final weekend, here’s the latest pandemic news:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard – note that tonight includes one “data correction”:

*87,112 people have tested positive, 576 more than yesterday’s total

*1,461 people have died, 2 more than yesterday’s total

*5,256 people have been hospitalized, 5 fewer than yesterday’s total*

*959,118 people have been tested, 935 more than yesterday’s total

ONE WEEK AGO: Last Saturday, those numbers were 85,283/1,452/5,203/942,501.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 126.7 million people have tested positive, and more than 2,777,000 people have died; U.S. deaths exceed 548,000. Most cases: U.S., Brazil, India, France, Russia (France jumped past Russia and the UK to get into the top 5). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.

LOOKING FOR VACCINE? Eligibility expands Wednesday – but if you’re eligible now, here are links to try:

*Check for West Seattle city-run site appointments here; sign up for the city’s notification list for all three of its sites here.
*Health-care providers (particularly bigger ones like UW Medicine, CHI Franciscan, Kaiser Permanente, etc.)
*covidwa.com (volunteer-run aggregator)
*The state says it’s improved its own lookup tool
*Here’s another multi-provider search to try
*Pharmacies big and small – Safeway, Rite Aid, QFC, Pharmaca, Costco
*Sea Mar clinics

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

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UPDATE: If you wondered about all the sirens …
March 27, 2021 9:19 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

…several people have asked, so here’s what was happening: According to radio communication, a driver hit a house in the 2700 block of 49th SW, then got argumentative with the house’s residents. Somebody involved was reported to have mentioned a gun. Things seemed to be escalating and police briefly needed extra backup. It’s all being sorted out now; no injuries reported.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The driver, a 26-year-old woman, was booked into jail for investigation of DUI.

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Public safety, public art discussed @ HPAC
March 27, 2021 9:07 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Delridge | Highland Park | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Two high-profile topics filled the agenda as HPAC – the community council for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – met online this past week: Public safety and public art.

To talk about public safety, HPAC invited a neighbor, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who chairs the Public Safety and Human Services Committee, which was back in the spotlight again this week for a proposed cut in the police budget. (We explained her compromise proposal here; the committee agreed the next day to substitute it for the previous version.) “We wanted to hear your thinking” on the big picture, explained HPAC co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick. “How can we make meaningful change, while staying safe?”

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FOLLOWUP: ‘Bey’ the Bald Eagle, post-release
March 27, 2021 7:02 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

A week and a half after her post-rehab release in North Admiral, the Bald Eagle nicknamed “Bey” is still in our area. We received photos of two sightings in the past day-plus – Mike Russell spotted her atop a tree by the Admiral Way Bridge over Fairmount Ravine this morning and watched for about 20 minutes until she flew away – the photos above and below are his.

On Friday afternoon, Frank Smith was driving through the ravine when he happened onto “Bey” and prey:

In both cases, the birdwatchers saw the green band verifying her identity, placed while PAWS Wildlife Center was caring for her after her rescue from Don Armeni Boat Ramp a month ago and subsequent internal-bleeding diagnosis.

Today we checked in with Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch, the local advocate/steward who was involved in the rescue. She is continuing to track “Bey” and reports that the eagle did eventually reunite with her mate “Jay.” If you see her you can contact Kersti at kersti.e.muul@gmail.com. But whatever you do, don’t approach “Bey” (or any other wildlife). Kersti adds, “I would absolutely advise giving her a wide berth. As with any wild animal, but especially her right now. She just recovered from an infection that almost killed her. And the infection was from an environmental exposure, perhaps something she ate. She’s better but is just a week and a half out of rehab.” Kersti also notes that “when birds on the ground are startled, they flush and fly straight up quickly, often right into the grill of a car.” So help save wildlife by keeping your distance.

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WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Wind Advisory alert for Sunday
March 27, 2021 4:26 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Wind Advisory alert for Sunday
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

It’s charge-everything time – the National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory alert for our area (the taupe area on the map above), expecting strong wind noon-6 pm Sunday: The prediction is for “southwest winds 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph.” Rain is forecast for much of the day, and believe it or not, some snow might be mixed in tomorrow night!

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