day : 01/06/2021 10 results

A cooling sight at the end of a very warm day (86 was the official high, 17 degrees above “normal” for this date) – the fireboat Leschi off Alki. Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo above, Ethan Frank for the photo below:

P.S. SFD plans to livestream from aboard the Leschi during Fire Day this Saturday.

WEDNESDAY: Neighborhood planning, Fauntleroy ferry terminal @ District 1 Community Network

June 1, 2021 8:51 pm

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

First Wednesdays of each month are when the District 1 Community Network meets. Two spotlight topics are on the agenda for the West Seattle/South Park community coalition tomorrow: The city’s upcoming neighborhood-planning process for Westwood-Highland Park, and the Fauntleroy ferry-terminal replacement project. The meeting’s online, starting at 7 pm Wednesday, all welcome; here’s the videoconferencing link, meeting ID 850 4211 4712, passcode 165919.

P.S. Here’s our coverage of last month’s D1CN meeting.

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FOLLOWUP: Here’s what’s in the police reports from Saturday’s Alki Beach bedlam

June 1, 2021 6:15 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Here’s what we have found out today after requesting police reports from Saturday night’s Alki Beach bedlam.

As reported in our as-it-happened coverage, the crowd that showed up for a social-media-organized megaparty got to be so big, Seattle Police and Parks closed the beach and cleared the street. Police reports show an estimate in the thousands by nightfall.

(Saturday photo by David Hutchinson)

The next day, SPD said three people had been arrested. So far, the reports we’ve read show that only one was booked into jail, a 20-year-old Puyallup woman who was released Monday, after spending two nights in jail for investigation of assault and obstructing officers. The police report says the arrest happened while police were clearing the area around 9:30 pm. They say she “shoved an officer in the face with both hands” while they were trying to push the crowd back. The report says the officer suffered “pain but no other readily apparent injury.” The woman faces potential misdemeanor charges. 2 other people were detained for involvement in what police called a “large fistfight,” taken to the precinct and questioned, then released and told not to return to the beach.

The man from whom a gun was seized, as noted in the SPD Blotter report on Sunday, was not arrested. He wasn’t a visitor for the beach party, either – the police-report narrative says he’s an Alki resident. The parking lot in which he was seen “pacing” with a gun is next to his apartment. When police arrived, the report says, they asked him “to secure his weapon and walk out to the street to speak with officers. (He) complied with that request, though he simply placed his pistol in his pocket before walking out to meet us.” He told the officers he had armed himself in self-defense after a confrontation with someone parking in the lot without authorization. They noted he seemed and smelled intoxicated and asked him “if he was aware of the danger he caused by handling a firearm while intoxicated.” He claimed he had a concealed-pistol license but police couldn’t find an evidence of that; they seized the gun as evidence.

No arrest was made in the street robbery reported that night, but here’s what the police report says happened: Just before 8 pm, they were flagged down by the victim, who said she and her friends had been “jumped” by four people who pushed down her and her friends and kicked them, then stole her phone. A tracker briefly showed the phone was nearby but then was deactivated before it could be found. Seattle Fire medics were called to tend to head lacerations the victim had suffered.

Otherwise, the report narratives overlap to some degree, but the major problem mentioned, repeatedly, was large fistfights. There were no reports of shots fired. One DUI arrest was reported in the Alki area, but police say it’s not clear whether the person was in the area for the beach party or not.

One other note from the reports: Some of the officers were from the Community Response Group, a roving team that SPD assigns to situations when they feel reinforcements are needed, particularly protests.

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VACCINATION: Saturday pop-up in High Point

June 1, 2021 5:49 pm

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| Coronavirus | High Point | West Seattle news

Another pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic is coming up in West Seattle: The mobile nurse-practitioner service Pliable invites you to get vaccinated – first or second dose of Pfizer, or the one-dose J&J – at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW) this Saturday (June 5th), 8 am-11:30 am. You can make an appointment online now by going here.

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BIZNOTE: West Seattle Junction Verizon store closes

June 1, 2021 3:58 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

The West Seattle Junction Verizon store (aka Sound Advice) on the street level of the Senior Center of West Seattle building has closed. Proprietor Mike Ellis is retiring, and the Senior Center will be looking for a new tenant. Sound Advice has been in The Junction for more than 30 years, at 4702 California SW until the Junction 47 project forced the move northward nine years ago. Store fixtures are for sale – including display cabinets, file cabinets, and racks – and if you’re interested, you can reach Mike at 206-940-3215.

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FERRY FARES: Comment time for 2 increase options

June 1, 2021 2:21 pm

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo)

Ferry fares are going up – they have to, to keep up with the fare-generated funding required by state law. As discussed during last week’s Washington State Ferries community meetings, there are two alternatives. The state Transportation Commission makes the decision, not WSF, and the commission is now asking your opinion on the options:

Alternative 1: 2.5% increase applied to all fares on October 2021 and 2022

Raises passenger and vehicle fares 2.5% in October of each year.

This approach spreads the fare increase equally between vehicles and walk-on passengers.

Alternative 2: Passenger fares remain unchanged in 2021 but increase in October 2022, and vehicle fares increase in 2021 & 2022

Passenger fares do not increase in October 2021.
Vehicle fares increase 3.1% in October 2021.
In 2022, both passenger and vehicle fares increase 2.5% in October.

This approach continues to encourage walk-on passengers which continue to be significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

Go here to comment by June 10th. The commission will settle on one by early July, and the final decision is expected in October.

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Part of Walker Rock Garden site to be redeveloped

June 1, 2021 12:19 pm

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| Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

Thanks to the neighbors who’ve sent photos, including the one above. Redevelopment has begun on the site that holds part of the Walker Rock Garden, a backyard work of art created more than a half-century ago as a true labor of love (here’s the backstory), east of Fairmount Park.

The original owners are long gone. A decade ago, relatives put the site up for sale, hoping to find a buyer interested in maintaining the rock garden. That time, it didn’t sell. Two years later, they listed it again. No sale that time either. Finally, last fall, the south part of the site was sold to a developer, and a permit was sought for redevelopment with two houses.

When we inquired about the sale and the garden’s status, the family told us, “The Garden, due to time and time’s natural impact on things, has experienced significant deterioration on the rock and structures. Unfortunately, no one was identified who could make the hefty financial and time investments needed to restore and maintain the Garden.” It used to be made available for public visits on Mother’s Day; last one we have record of was in 2014.

The north part of the site still holds the original house, now a rental, and at least some of the rock art. But the Walker Rock Garden’s most-famous feature, the gazebo – seen in the photo above – is on the parcel where the new houses are to be built.

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MYSTERY: Found at a school playground

June 1, 2021 10:39 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

From the “too unusual for the Lost/Found/Non-Pets section of the WSB Community Forums” department:

This was found in the Holy Rosary playground. Hat with red folder that contains helicopter landing notes. Name on it is Mackey. Call Holy Rosary if it’s yours. 206-937-7255

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Notes for your West Seattle Tuesday

June 1, 2021 8:59 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Wisteria in bloom, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Three notes for today so far:

CITY COUNCIL: The regular week-starting full-council meetings are happening today, 1 day later than usual because of the holiday. 9:30 am “briefing” meeting agenda is here; 2 pm agenda is here (including police funding, utility-bill relief, more). Those agenda links include information on how to watch and/or comment.

LIBRARY HOURS EXPAND: Starting today, the only Seattle Public Library branch in West Seattle open for in-building services, Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), will expand hours to 10 am-6 pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays.

DEMONSTRATION: The weekly announcement from organizer Scott:

Black Lives Matter sign waving

Tuesday, June 1, 4 to 6 pm, corner of 16th SW and SW Holden

Thursday, June 3, 4 to 6 pm, corner of 16th SW and SW Holden

Come build awareness & stimulate actions to tear down the systems that have oppressed Black lives for over 400 years on this continent. Hold signs, meet neighbors, and stand for racial justice. Scott at Puget Ridge Cohousing, endorsed by Hate-Free Delridge. Signs available.

Something for the calendar? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, WEATHER: Post-holiday Tuesday notes

June 1, 2021 6:07 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:07 AM: Good morning. Holiday’s over but the warm weather isn’t – 80s are predicted again today. Our featured weather pic – Monday’s sunrise, by Stewart L.:

ROAD WORK UPDATES

Delridge project – Crews resume work today. The Delridge/Orchard work is done, the north-end Delridge paviing is done, the east side of Delridge/Barton/Henderson and Delridge/Thistle are still closed. Here’s the rest of this week’s plan.

SW Yancy – Still closed west of 28th SW because of drainage/utility work related to construction.

FERRIES/BUSES

Regular schedules today. Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry route might see some extra use because another boat breakdown has the Seattle-Bremerton run down to 1 boat. (Watch @kcmetrobus for word of any bus cancellations, @wsferries for any major WSF changes.)

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

436th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are the views of other bridges and routes:

Low Bridge: 21st week for automated enforcement cameras; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends, when the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available for some categories of drivers.)

Here’s a low-bridge view: