West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
Tomorrow brings the second episode of Tossed Popcorn, a weekly podcast co-hosted by West Seattleite Siena Jeakle. She describes it as “a comedy podcast about classic movies.” And it’s in a bright spotlight, since Jeakle and co-host Lianna Holston won the iHeart Radio network’s “Next Great Podcast” contest (under the working title Frankly, My Dear). Tossed Popcorn launched last week by taking aim at “The Godfather,” and the goal is to take on another movie every week from the American Film Institute’s “100 Greatest American Movies of All Time.” You can listen here – and Jeakle says you also can find it on the “iHeartRadio app, Spotify, and all other online podcast streaming services.”
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN RED LEGACY: The report and photo are from Valdies:
The car was stolen probably last night from in front of my house at 4th Ave SW and Cambridge Ave in Highland Park. 1998 Subaru Legacy sedan. The Plate is BKG8833. Incident # 21-212718.
Call 911 if you see it.
ANOTHER CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: After three reports over the weekend, here’s another one. Brent‘s security cam recorded the thief approaching his neighbor’s hybrid Toyota Highlander, and then the sound of the theft. The video is not embeddable but you can watch/listen here. This happened around 4:46 am near Highland Park Way and SW Holden.
(added 9:27 pm) AND ANOTHER: Just received from Debbie:
After spending my lunch reading the weekend catalytic converter thefts on the blog, I received a text from my husband (I was at work) that he discovered the catalytic converter in his Ford Truck was stolen sometime between midday Friday 8/13 and midday today 8/16. His truck was parked on 39th Ave. SW between Thistle & Cloverdale.
Another reminder – tomorrow night is when the historic Stone Cottage will be moved off its original site at 1123 Harbor Avenue SW, taken by structural-moving specialists Nickel Bros to a temporary holding site on Port of Seattle land to the east/southeast. Over the weekend, we published the plan for moving night – even if you’re not planning to go watch, be aware of the traffic effects. In case you missed it, here again are the key points, from the group that’s coordinating the move, Save The Stone Cottage:
Approximately 8 p.m.: Nickel Bros’ crew will maneuver the Stone Cottage from wooden cribbing piles onto oversized dollies, and connect them to the semi-truck.
11:30 p.m.: Special remarks by VIP’s at the Information area,
11:55 p.m.: VIP’s lead a countdown, then the ‘Big Go Button’ is pressed by the Save the Stone Cottage auction winner. Lights and fog will erupt from the Stone Cottage.
11:59 p.m.: Drivers and riders enter their convoy vehicles: Nickel Bros Truck Cab, Pilot Car, and Sweeper Car
12:05 a.m.: Nickel Bros truck pulls the Stone Cottage into the Harbor Avenue SW roadway and gets in line between the Pilot Car and the Sweeper Car.
12:15 a.m.: Stone Cottage convoy heads south on Harbor Avenue SW at parade speed – approx 5mph. The rolling convoy may stop to let vehicular traffic from cross street through.
By 1 a.m.: Nickel Bros truck pulls the Stone Cottage through the SW Florida Street gates while the Pilot Car and Sweeper Car turn around and head back to the starting point.
By 2 a.m.: Nickel Bros crew will have the Stone Cottage securely parked onto wooden piers in the Port of Seattle storage lot.
During the move:
No public will be allowed in or near the Nickel Bros Stone Cottage work crew area on the west side of Harbor Ave at Maryland Place.
No public will be allowed within the driving roadway during the move.
The Harbor Avenue SW ‘No-Parking zones’ will ONLY be along Don Armeni Boat Launch and near the Calif. Ave intersection.
SDOT and SPD are responsible for maintaining one-way vehicular flow along eastern side of Harbor Avenue SW during the move. .
Sidewalk closure on the west side 1100 block of Harbor Avenue SW (Stone Cottage block)
Sidewalks along Harbor Avenue SW will provide great elevated viewing opportunities.
SIDE NOTE #1: Save The Stone Cottage, which has led the community campaign to save it, notes that their effort is noted in this summer’s edition of Preservation Magazine, published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
SIDE NOTE #2: Never seen a house move before? Here’s our coverage, with video, from a move almost three years ago at a development site just a few blocks from the Stone Cottage.
That’s an image from the peak of the power problems we covered here Friday/Saturday. Today as promised we followed up with Seattle City Light; spokesperson Julie Moore just responded with this explanation:
On Friday, Aug. 13, we actually experienced two separate events that impacted customers in the same area of West Seattle. The first one was an equipment failure in the underground system that initially impacted ~200 customers. We restored power to some Friday evening, but the final 59 were still out until mid-day on Saturday. As you know, underground outages can sometimes take longer to identify the location of the failure and also to make the necessary repairs.
The second, larger outage impacting ~2,000 customers, occurred in an overhead system. During a regularly scheduled maintenance job, a piece of electrical equipment failed and resulted in an overhead pulling rope dropping down on to our primary voltage electrical system, causing the lines to fault. The crew first made the area safe for the general public. A clearance – when we intentionally cut power to a particular area – was needed for the electrical workers to safely remove the pulling rope from the primary lines and then we were able to restore the system to its normal configuration.
2:35 PM: Thanks to Brandon for the photo. Though we haven’t seen rain yet, there’s water on the road at 8th and Roxbury after what was described by dispatch as the possible result of a semitruck hitting a hydrant/pole on the northeast corner but proceeding on, unaware. We’re headed that way for a closer look.
2:55 PM: Traffic is getting by OK. Firefighters from both Seattle and North Highline are there, as is Seattle Public Utilities, but it’s still gushing.
5:04 PM: In comments, nearby residents are noting low water pressure in the area. The SPU map has the area marked as experiencing an “emergency outage.”
6:40 PM: An SPU crew was still on scene at 8th/Roxbury when we passed by a short time ago.
9:11 PM: Texter reports the hydrant is fixed.
You might have seen this post in the WSB Community Forums, announcing a plan for a new “neighborhood market/convenience store” on Alki, and linking to this survey with questions including what potential customers would want the market to carry. We followed up to see what the prospective owners are planning and where. They tell us they’re finalizing a lease for 2718 Alki Avenue SW – that’s the spot where Alki Cleaners closed three years ago. We had reported that the building, also formerly home to Phoenecia, was up for sale in February 2020, listed for $1.2 million; records show it sold the following month for $1.4 million. Alki Beach Market’s prospective proprietors hope to open in November. It’s been almost four years since Alki’s last neighborhood store, Alki Urban Market, closed at 2820 Alki SW.
Thanks to Ingrid for noticing that SDOT‘s Highland Park Way/Holden traffic camera has been showing a very non-West Seattle scene for at least a few days. We’ve had the camera image in our traffic-cam lists for months, and hadn’t changed the link; investigating further, we found the SDOT Travelers’ Map has also changed the view for that location:
So we checked with SDOT. Spokesperson Ethan Bergerson responded:
The portable camera was moved last week to NE 45th St and Roosevelt Ave NE in the U District to monitor detour traffic during the WSDOT Montlake Bridge closure. We plan to move it back to West Seattle when that construction project is completed in a few weeks. We had actually purchased a new portable traffic camera so that we could monitor conditions in both locations, but unfortunately the parts did not all arrive on time due to supply chain issues. So there’s some possibility we may be able to re-install a camera Highland Park Way SW & SW Holden St sooner depending on when the new camera components arrives.
The camera’s description as “portable” refers to its technically temporary status – it was placed at the intersection after the temporary signal was rush-installed the week after the West Seattle Bridge closure almost a year and a half ago. A permanent camera with upgraded technology is expected to be part of the permanent signal, now on hold until after the bridge reopens next year.
The United Communities of Laos are continuing to work toward building a cultural center, and this week you can order flower bouquets with a pickup spot in West Seattle. The group explains, “Our goal is to raise $25k so we can complete our feasibility study with our consultant. This will bring us one step closer to starting a capital campaign and building a cultural center that supports our Hmong, Khmu, and Lao ethnic communities and preserve our unique cultures.” The mixed bouquets are $25. They’re also selling vegetable boxes for $18 but the pickup locations for those are only on the Eastside. Here’s the flyer about both; the local bouquet pickups will be 9:30 am-noon this Saturday (August 21st) at the West Seattle YMCA (36th SW and SW Snoqualmie; WSB sponsor). You can order bouquets – and learn more about the communities and the plan – by going here. (If you don’t want to buy flowers but do want to donate, you can do that at the same link.)
6:03 AM: Good morning. Smoke’s gone, heat’s gone, dramatically different forecast!
ROAD WORK
26th SW– Closure continues, northbound between Roxbury and Barton.
Delridge project – This week’s plan focuses heavily on sidewalk work.
CLOSURE
SW Andover pedestrian/bicycle overpass – This remains closed, explained by SDOT as related to “trespassing” problems and neighborhood concerns in advance of the fall seismic-retrofit project.
TRANSIT
Buses are on regular schedules – except for the 26th rerouting. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of bus cancellations.
For ferries and water taxis, regular schedule. Watch @wsferries for updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
511th 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? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed will tell you. (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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