West Seattle, Washington
03 Tuesday
Last pandemic-news roundup before summer arrives (8:31 pm Sunday):
NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: Here are the cumulative totals from Public Health‘s daily-summary dashboard:
*111,584 people have tested positive, 75 more than yesterday’s total
*1,616 people have died, 4 more than yesterday’s total
*6,312 people have been hospitalized, 8 more than yesterday’s total
ONE WEEK AGO: Last Saturday, those numbers were 111,051/1,615/6,271.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS: See them here.
WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: 178.1 million people have tested positive, and more than 3,859,000 people have died; U.S. deaths have passed 601,000. Most cases: U.S., India, Brazil, France, Turkey (unchanged again this week). See the breakdown, nation by nation, here.
SWIM TIME: Colman Pool welcomed swimmers today for the first time in more than a year and a half. We didn’t get to the pool today but The Seattle Times has some cool pics. Two West Seattle wading pools, and our area’s sole spraypark, open next Saturday, also for the first time since end-of-summer 2019.
NOT VACCINATED YET? Besides checking whether your health-care provider offers vaccinations, you can use this search tool or call 833-VAX-HELP.
GOT SOMETHING TO REPORT? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302, text/voice – thank you!
Clear, warm weather is expected all week. That’s good news for the city’s Rec’N The Streets program, which is offering a free outdoor movie next Friday (June 25th) in the Southwest Teen Life Center parking lot (2801 SW Thistle). It’s billed as “drive-in/walk-in”; bring your own chairs and snacks. The movie will be the original 1984 “Karate Kid” (here’s the trailer). All ages welcome, no RSVP/tickets necessary. The movie’s expected to start around 7:30 pm and runs just over two hours.
Transient orcas are back in the area, southbound off the north edge of Elliott Bay, reports Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch – in view looking north from Alki. Let us know if you see them!
<(Friday night sunset – second-to-last of spring 2021 – photographed by James Bratsanos)
Tomorrow, summer arrives at 8:31 pm. Fourteen minutes later, West Seattle skywatching expert/educator Alice Enevoldsen hosts her 49th solstice/equinox sunset watch, always a fun and informative way to mark the change of seasons. This is likely the last one Alice will host online because of the pandemic -join her 8:45-9:15 pm via Zoom, register here; more info here. (If technical difficulties arise during the sunset watch, Alice’s backup is Twitter – @alicesastroinfo.)
NOTE: As of 9:31 pm, the registration link isn’t working – we’ll check with Alice and update if there’s a new link.
ADDED SUNDAY: Here’s the new registration link.
5:03 PM: Washington State Ferries says the Triangle Route will be back down to two boats this evening because of a crew shortage. Here’s the WSF alert:
Due to a shortage of Coast Guard-documented Crew, the #2 Sealth will tie up after completing the 4:40 p.m. Fauntleroy to Vashon, and the 5:05 p.m. Vashon to Southworth.
The following sailings are canceled for the remainder of the day:
5:30 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. Southworth to Vashon
5:50 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Vashon to Fauntleroy
6:20 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Fauntleroy to Vashon
6:45 p.m. Vashon to Southworth
5:50 PM UPDATE: The Sealth is now sailing, but at reduced capacity. The updated alert:
The #2 Sealth will sail at reduced passenger capacity due to lack of Coast Guard documented crew.
This will affect the following sailings:
5:30 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. Southworth to Vashon
5:50 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Vashon to Fauntleroy
6:20 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Fauntleroy to Vashon
6:45 p.m. Vashon to Southworth
Three notes about West Seattle businesses:
TAILS TO ASTONISH: The new comic-book shop at 4850 California SW is now open. We stopped by on Friday – the inventory is still coming in, so it was mostly collectibles to start:
The plan for starting hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays 11 am-7 pm, Sundays 10 am-4 pm, closed Mondays.
ALAIR: Starting Monday, the gift shop at 3270 California SW will close for in-person purchases for about two weeks while work is done to consolidate the space with the former Coastal next door. But Alair will remain available for online shopping throughout the storefront closure – offering curbside pickup, free local delivery, and shipping options.
WEST SEATTLE LIQUOR: The former Capco Beverages, under new ownership, continues preparing to move into a new space on the outer west side of Jefferson Square (by Nikko Teriyaki). Dolly Amend, who will continue as store manager, sent the photo:
She says they’re aiming for a mid-July opening, adding, “We are still going to be the specialty spirits and wine outlet.”
Two sightings in local parks, abandoned items that might have been stolen:
The photo is from Dave, one of multiple readers who’ve reported seeing those abandoned bags on a bench in Lincoln Park, where they’ve reportedly been for several days. Dave says the bench is “near the north end of the upper level of Lincoln Park, facing the water. Meantime, in Schmitz Park:
Theo sent the photo and reported seeing the bike “at the dead end of Hinds at the east end of Schmitz Park.”
For smaller, less-likely-stolen-and-dumped lost/found items, see this section of the WSB Community Forums.
(WSB photos)
Father’s Day is tomorrow. Gift-buying is one reason to visit the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse (4705 West Marginal Way) for this weekend’s Native Art Market. Among the artists you’ll meet: Margaret Morris, a Tlingit drum-maker from Edmonds:
This hand-crafted/hand-painted art is by Elena Jackson:
You can have lunch at the Longhouse, too – $25 for a salmon-bake meal, until 3 pm today, again noon-3 pm tomorrow – fry bread and corn are available too, and lots of outdoor seating:
The Art Market continues until 5 pm and again 10 am-5 pm Sunday.
When Lowman Beach‘s failing seawall is removed, the tennis court next to it will be removed too. That’s already settled, but what remains to be decided is, will a new sport court be built elsewhere in the park? A community group called the Seattle Sports Complex Foundation has been advocating for that, and with grant funding, it’s been leading a design process. The third meeting has just been announced for June 29th, 6:30 pm online. The announcement says that since the second meeting in October (WSB coverage here), “important discussions and much feedback” have led to development of two concepts that will be shown at this meeting. Video/phone participation information is on the project webpage, along with links to information and visuals from the first two meetings. P.S. The seawall-removal project is expected to start by midsummer.
(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s what’s happening on our sunny Saturday:
JUNETEENTH MOTORCADE & RALLY: Not in West Seattle, but the closest Juneteenth event that we know of – motorcade and rally starting at the ILWU Local 19 Hall (3440 E. Marginal Way) and heading to other spots including Terminal 46 on the downtown waterfront. Details are in our calendar listing.
FATHER’S DAY NATIVE ART MARKET: 10 am-5 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse – you’re invited to shop and snack. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
ORCA MONTH KAYAK TOUR: 10 am, leaving from Alki Kayak Tours. Reservation required – see our calendar listing.
DRIVEWAY ROCK & GEM SHOW: 10 am-4 pm, see/shop rocks, gems, minerals! (2009 SW Dakota)
COLMAN POOL OPENING DAY: Noon-7 pm, it’s the first day in more than a year and a half that swimmers will be allowed back into this outdoor saltwater pool on the Lincoln Park shore. See the schedule here.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: You can visit the home of West Seattle’s history today (noon-4 pm, 61st/Stevens).
Got something for our calendar? Please email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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