West Seattle, Washington
27 Saturday
It’ll be a warm evening Thursday as the August West Seattle Art Walk takes center stage from Alki to Arbor Heights, starting at 5 pm.
Some venues have air conditioning, like Fogue Gallery (4130 California SW), open until 8 pm with the opening reception for Abstracts in the Key of Flamingo, participants in the Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair.
Also participating in the Deconstructed Art Fair, multidisciplinary artist Shima Star will be at Virago Gallery (4537 California SW) 5-9 pm on Art Walk night.
Nearby at 4525 California SW, Capers Home will be hosting West Seattle artist/photographer Chandra Sandoval, also 5 pm-8 pm.
Those are also the hours you can visit the southernmost stop on the August Art Walk, Brace Point Pottery (4208 SW 100th) in Arbor Heights, this month featuring paintings by Lynn Davis-Smith and Bruce Howard as well as the fabric and concrete constructions of Su Cummings.
What we’ve mentioned are just a few of the participating venues – some with art, others with food/drink specials. You can check the official August Art Walk preview for many other suggestions of where to visit this month!
Thanks to Eric Bell for the cooling photo, looking toward Luna/Anchor Park. Keep that scene in mind as the next heat wave rolls our way. The National Weather Service has kicked the alert level up to an Excessive Heat Warning, starting at noon tomorrow, continuing until 7 pm Saturday. The highest temperatures are expected Thursday and Friday, with highs in the 90s, but higher-than-usual humidity is in the warning too, and that will increase the impact. The city released a list of air-conditioned libraries, community centers, and senior centers with air conditioning, but the West Seattle options are few – we’ll be checking tomorrow to see if any locations/hours will be added.
ADDED WEDNESDAY: The list has been updated – now the Delridge and High Point libraries, both air-conditioned, will be open 10 am-6 pm Wednesday-Thursday-Friday. (Follow the link above.)
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
GARAGE BURGLAR TAKES BICYCLES: DH sent the photos and report:
Around 3 am on Saturday, August 7th, we were victims of a burglar who broke into our locked condo garage and helped himself to our bikes, backpacking and camping gear, and suitcases full of clothes and shoes that were all packed into our car for our daughter’s drive over to WSU later that morning. A report has been filed with the Seattle Police department and a case # has been assigned.
Attached are the photos taken by our HOA security system. These do a good job of showing the burglar’s identifiable features.
I’m hoping these can be published in the Crime Watch section of the WSB with the goals of:
1) Asking if anyone knows this guy (if so, please notify the police)
2) Warning folks this guy is on loose, so protect your stuff or report him to the police if you see him lurking around
BIKE STOLEN FROM BUS: From Beth:
Bike stolen off Metro C-Line at approximately 9:45pm 8.9.21. Please be on the lookout for a Silver Allez Specialized road bike 56cm with multicolor handle bar wrap (green/yellow/red/black) or might be bare if they pull it off. Also has Grateful Dead Dancing Bear sticker on side. Reward if found!
ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER GONE: This report is from Neysa:
I wanted to share that my Honda Element’s catalytic converter was stolen from in front of my residence just two blocks south of the Fauntleroy Ferry docks. The theft happened sometime between Friday August 6th at 10:30 pm and Saturday August 7th at 10 am. I filed a police report. I have no leads or footage, but wanted to share to further alert those in the area of the ongoing cat thefts.
(Photo from seattle.gov)
In late July, we reported that Seattle Parks hoped to reopen Southwest Pool – West Seattle’s only city-run indoor pool – in September. No date was set at the time. Now, we have one: Monday, September 13th. That’s when SW Pool (2801 SW Thistle) will reopen “for lap swim, limited aquatic exercise classes, independent aquatic fitness, and swim team rentals.” No swim lessons, though, per today’s announcement. In the meantime, city-run Colman Pool, on the shore at Lincoln Park, remains open through September 6th. P.S. The city still has aquatic-job openings!
Tracking emergency dispatches, we usually check the Seattle Fire Department‘s Real-Time 911 page multiple times a day. It’s an automated log of where, when, and why SFD units are dispatched. From time to time, the call types on the log change – for example, what used to be “assault with weapons” if a weapon was believed to be involved changed in 2018 to “scenes of violence.” On Monday, we noticed a new designation – the word “encampment” was appearing before some fire and medical calls, such as this one from Monday’s log:
Many readers use the 911 page too, so we asked SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley about it when we saw her at the Joint Training Facility Monday afternoon. She checked into it and provided this explanation today:
In order for us to better track our responses to homeless encampments, we have added in new dispatch type codes that list “encampment” if this information is known when someone calls 911 to report an incident. Crews can also change the type code from a regular type code by contacting dispatch once they arrive on scene if it’s at an encampment. In addition to tracking, it also gives responding crews improved situational awareness that the response is at an encampment location.
So far today, the new labels have applied to six of the 200 (as of this writing, 16 hours into the day) lines on the call log.
(SDOT camera image from Twitter)
2:05 PM: A big emergency response for a collision is blocking the California/Edmunds/Erskine intersection. Updates to come.
2:22 PM: We just got there and the scene is now clear, street reopened, SPD tells us via email that a pedestrian was taken to Harborview after being hit by a driver. We’ll check with SFD on their condition.
3:22 PM: SFD says the person who was hit is a 66-year-old man, in stable condition when transported.
The West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) is one of six regional Y’s with hiring fairs this Saturday. You’ll find, the Y tells us, “on-the-spot interviews, prizes, food, and fun” as well as the opportunity to “take advantage of our limited-time sign-on incentives of up to $600!” The Y says working with them is your chance to “be a changemaker.” The local hiring fair is at the main West Seattle branch in The Triangle, 36th SW and SW Snoqualmie, 10 am-1 pm this Saturday (August 14th). Job openings in the region include Day Camp Counselors, Resident Camp Counselors, Lifeguards, Swim Instructors, Early Education Teachers, more. If you can’t go to the hiring fair, you can also apply right now at seattleymca.org/jobs.
12:11 PM: Thanks to Jennifer for calling the WSB hotline to suggest readers who are airport-bound should know about a big problem at Sea-Tac – the lower arrivals drive is closed right now while a “suspicious package” is investigated. That’s led to a massive traffic backup. The airport advises via Twitter, “If you’re looking to use the lower arrivals drive, we encourage you to use the south entrance at S. 182nd St. Upper departures drive is open, but has heavy traffic.”
(WSDOT camera image)
12:38 PM: The lower arrivals drive has reopened. But keep in mind that traffic backups take a while to dissipate.
(WSB on-the-road photo, looking toward the bridge from West Marginal Way)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The next public updates on the 16-months-closed West Seattle Bridge and associated projects are expected this Thursday (August 12th) at the monthly Community Task Force meeting.
But you’re not likely to hear anything revelatory about the repair/reopening timeline. SDOT‘s bridge project director Heather Marx tells WSB a schedule update is more likely next month, as repair contractor Kraemer North America is using the “60-percent design” to work on that right now.
Some repair preparation is under way, too – an asbestos survey has been completed, and ordering of materials is getting under way, according to Marx, who was joined in our conversation by Sara Zora, who heads up the Reconnect West Seattle program.
(Lincoln Park at dusk – photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
More of what’s ahead today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:
POLICE STAFFING & COMMUNITY-SAFETY ALTERNATIVES: Both are on the agenda as the City Council Public Safety and Human Services Committee, chaired by West Seattle/South Park Councilmember Lisa Herbold, meets at 9:30 am today. Here’s the agenda; here’s where to watch.
FERRY-FARE HEARING: The state Transportation Commission’s hearing on ferry-fare increases is at 10 am today, online – participation information is in our preview.
DONATE BLOOD: Pop-up today at Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor) – some donation spots available; appointment info is in our calendar listing.
DEMONSTRATE FOR RACIAL JUSTICE: From organizer Scott:
Black Lives Matter sign-waving
Tuesday, August 10, 4:30 to 6 pm, corner of 16th SW and SW Holden (note–starting at 4:30p now)(We are no longer doing Thursday sign-waving at his time.
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.
PLAY ALONG IN THE PARK: Last Tuesday night to join the West Seattle Community Orchestras to play music in Lincoln Park (or watch) – 6 pm easy, 7 pm not-so-easy. More info in our calendar listing.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE SPOT: 6 pm, Andrea Lockwood performs at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way).
TRIVIA & TACOS: 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).- help the pub defend its TopTV Trivia title!
Got something for our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Seattle Lutheran High School invites you to meet the Saints’ new volleyball coach tonight. Here’s the announcement:
Saints Athletics is pleased to announce our new volleyball head coach for the 2021-2022 season, Dylan Lavis.
Coach Lavis grew up playing the game on the beaches of California. He is a former high school and college volleyball player. He has coached high school and club volleyball, as well as played professionally in Europe. He is a graduate of Humboldt State with a degree in Business Administration.
Coach Lavis lives in West Seattle and is excited to be at Seattle Lutheran, and he hopes to be able to build a strong program at Seattle Lutheran High School with a love and excitement for the game.
There will be a Meet & Greet for Coach Lavis on Tuesday (tonight), from 6:00 – 7:00 pm, in the Seattle Lutheran gymnasium. We invite the West Seattle community to welcome Coach Lavis and his fiancée Saraya to our Saints community.
The SLHS gym is at 4100 SW Genesee.
7:10 AM: WSF has a crew shortage this morning so it’s canceled some sailings on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth #2 vessel M/V Issaquah – through at least 8:25 am.
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6:01 AM: Good morning, Today’s forecast is still pleasant, but that heat wave is rolling this way, for Thursday and Friday in particuar.
ROAD WORK
26th SW – Closed northbound between Roxbury and Barton. See project details here
Delridge project – Here’s the plan for this week.
TRANSIT
Buses are on regular schedules – except for the South Delridge and 26th rerouting. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of bus cancellations.
For ferries and water taxis, regular schedule. Watch @wsferries for updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
505th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are views of other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:
Are draw/swing bridges opening for boats or barges? See the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed. (1st Ave. South Bridge openings also are tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.)
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also 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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