month : 11/2021 302 results

ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Pre-holiday Tuesday notes

November 23, 2021 6:02 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:02 AM Good morning! Two days until Thanksgiving.

WEATHER

Partly sunny with a chance of showers, by evening; high near 50.

ROAD WORK

26th SW – Southbound closure between Roxbury and Barton continues for RapidRide H Line prep work.

20th/Roxbury – Also part of the RapidRide project, with work starting on the SW side of the intersection.

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES

Metro remains on its regular weekday schedule, except for the rerouting in RapidRide H Line work zones, including 26th SW. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations. (Thursday will run on the Sunday schedule, Friday on a regular weekday schedule.)

Ferries and Water Taxi: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates. The Water Taxi is in service – here’s the West Seattle schedule. (No Water Taxi service this Thursday-Friday.)

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

610th 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.)

The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

South Park Bridge:

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden:

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

Are movable bridges opening for vessels? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed can tell you; 1st Ave. South Bridge openings are also 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.

CORONAVIRUS: More new cases in Seattle Public Schools this week than last

This week’s report about COVID-19 cases at Seattle Public Schools shows more new cases than the previous week, 70 newly reported among the district’s 90+. schools, up from 45 new cases in last Monday’s update. Here are the school-by-school breakouts for our area, cumulative school-year totals plus the changes from a week earlier:

Denny International Middle School – 21, up 1
Chief Sealth International High School – 20, unchanged
Highland Park Elementary – 13, up 2
Roxhill Elementary – 12, unchanged
Arbor Heights Elementary – 11, up 3
Madison Middle School – 11, up 1
Genesee Hill Elementary – 11, unchanged
Gatewood Elementary – 9, unchanged
Louisa Boren STEM K-8 – 8, up 2
West Seattle Elementary – 8, unchanged
Lafayette Elementary – 8, unchanged
Concord International (Elementary) – 7, up 1
Pathfinder K-8 – 4, up 1
Alki Elementary – 4, up 1
Sanislo Elementary – 4, unchanged
West Seattle High School – 4, unchanged
Fairmount Park Elementary – 3, unchanged
BRIDGES @ Roxhill – 1, unchanged

YOU CAN HELP: 3 chances to donate in West Seattle High School winter care-package drive

For the next three Wednesday afternoon, West Seattle High School‘s Teen Health Council is hoping you can help them collect items to create winter-break care packages for schoolmates in need. Here’s how WSHS junior Mevina Ott explains what they’re doing:

Addressing a wide spectrum of needs of our community at West Seattle High School requires attention to the diversity of situations and circumstances experienced by my peers, something very important to be considered.

During school closure in winter break (12/18 2021-1/2 2022), the Teen Health Center will be closed and students will not be able to access the Health Center’s services. The 16-day break can become a gap for those students who regularly rely on the Teen Health Center for access to hygiene products. With that issue, I proposed the idea to assemble winter care packages to provide the appropriate hygiene necessities needed throughout the break.

Here are hygiene necessities that would be included in care packages:

– packaged masks
– unopened hand sanitizer
– unopened protein bars/granola bars/snacks
– unopened bars of soap
– unopened deodorant
– unused toothbrushes
– unopened toothpaste
– unopened chapstick
– hand warmers

Donations of clothing (used): jackets, sweaters, pants, socks, gloves, hats, scarves, t-shirts, blankets

Donation collecting events:
at WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL’S HISTORIC ENTRANCE
3000 California Ave SW

– Wednesday, November 24th from 3-5 pm
– Wednesday, December 1st from 3-5 pm
– Wednesday, December 8th from 3-5 pm

The Teen Health Council will then assemble care packages and students at West Seattle High School can pick them up during the week of 12/13-12/17, the week before winter break starts.

The “historic entrance” is on the north side of the school, facing Hiawatha.

(Photo credit: Joe Mabel)

Police officer involved in 35th/Barton crash

Thanks to Ben for the tip. 35th and Barton is clear again after this crash involving two drivers, one an SPD officer. After the tip, we went over to check it out; a sergeant told us the officer hit the other driver, who was having trouble “trying to negotiate the intersection.” Nobody was hurt, and damage was minor – neither car needed to be towed. The scene cleared while we were there.

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Highland Park Way crash car-theft/kidnapping suspect charged, and has high-profile West Seattle history

Four days after a desperate father crashed into a stolen car to rescue his kidnapped toddler on Highland Park Way, the suspect is charged – and has a history that includes a case reported here earlier this year. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged 35-year-old Samuel M. Robinson with second-degree kidnapping and auto theft. Robinson has an extensive criminal history, including felony charges in three cases this year alone. One was reported here back in August, and its circumstances also were bizarre: Robinson was accused of breaking into a Westwood home, stealing car keys and the residents’ car, then returning to their cul-de-sac the next night – in the stolen car, to prowl other vehicles.

As we reported when Robinson was charged with burglary in that case, the suspect already had been charged with felonies in two other cases earlier in the summer – on July 8th, auto theft for stealing a pickup truck in southeast West Seattle, and on July 28th, second-degree burglary for a break-in at a Kent business a few days earlier. Despite all that, after the Westwood burglary/auto theft, King County Superior Court Judge Melinda Young set bail at half of the $50,000 that prosecutors had requested.

But the case gets more complicated from there. Robinson was found incompetent to stand trial, and was supposed to be admitted to Western State Hospital for 45 days of attempted competency restoration. Apparently there was no room, so in October, Robinson’s lawyer sought a dismissal for a due-process violation. Judge Young denied that motion but agreed to release Robinson on personal recognizance, with conditions including taking prescribed medication, so Robinson got out October 19th. After Robinson failed to show for a hearing November 8th, a warrant was issued. Robinson’s bail is now set at $315,000. The charging documents say the defendant, who has a Westwood address, claims to steal cars because of “projection” in which the cars communicate that they’re intended for Robinson’s use. In this case, Robinson acknowledged becoming quickly aware of the 15-month-old boy in the car but continuing to drive anyway, thinking about possibly taking the child to a relative’s house.

FOLLOWUP: 35th/Graham signal activated, West Seattle Greenway declared complete

(SDOT photo)

One month after SDOT told us the 35th/Graham pedestrian/bicycle crossing was a few weeks from activation, it’s finally in operation. The signal [map] was originally proposed as part of the 35th SW Safety Project, and then became part of the West Seattle Greenway extension, which SDOT has declared complete (see the map here). Along with the push-activated signal, this intersection – where two people biking and walking have been killed in the past 15 years – has other modifications including turn restrictions and green-painted bike lanes.

About the foot ferry stopped off Alki

We’ve received a few tips/questions about a foot ferry stopped off Alki. That’s the Kitsap Transit vessel Enetai. We contacted KT; spokesperson Sanjay Bhatt says it’s “rendering aid to a disabled vessel.” (No details on that other vessel, which isn’t showing on MarineTraffic.com.)

UPDATE: Crash at Highland Park Way/Holden

November 22, 2021 4:13 pm
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 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

4:13 PM: If you’re headed out or back on a route that would take you through the Highland Park Way/Holden intersection, heads up – a crash is reported, with SPD and SFD responding (the latter, for possible injuries). It’s said to be blocking southbound lanes.

4:53 PM: No further updates, but SFD has closed out of the call, so no major injuries.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Another business window broken

Yet another local business is dealing with the aftermath of a broken window. The photos and report are from Floors Plus Northwest (6959 California SW) co-proprietor Liliana Morales:

We just wanted to let you guys know that unfortunately this past Sunday we had our window broken. Someone threw a brick into the store. Luckily no one was hurt & nothing was stolen.

If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 21-308686.

WHALES: Resident orcas off West Seattle

1:25 PM: Southern Resident Killer Whales are visible off West Seattle right now, report Kersti Muul and The Whale Trail‘s Donna Sandstrom – both say they’re from K Pod, The orcas were visible from Constellation Park south of Alki Point, headed southbound. It’s been raining lightly so visibility is not great. Let us know if you see them!

2:09 PM: From south of the ferry dock, Susan Lantz-Dey reports seeing aa lone male across the water by Manchester.

4 PM: Kersti says some J Pod whales are in the area too. Still heading south, “Brace Point-ish” as of a little while ago.

Investigation under way after bone found at Alki

Police were at Alki Beach early this morning after someone found what the SPD summary describes as “a bone she thought to be of human origin.” One of the two people who found it near the west restroom building brought it home and contacted police around 2 am. Officers took possession of it and transported it to the Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation. They then looked around where it was found, but, the report says, “A search for a scene was inconclusive.” No further description of the bone so far.

UPDATE: SFD ‘full response’ south of Brace Point

November 22, 2021 12:09 pm
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 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

12:09 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to the 5100 block of SW 98th [map] for what’s described as a “fire in bathroom vent, flames showing.” Updates to come.

12:16 PM: SFD is downsizing the response.

12:21 PM: SFD says it was a “minor electrical fire” and it’s out.

WEST SEATTLE HOLIDAY GUIDE: Version 1.0 is published. Got something to add?

November 22, 2021 10:51 am
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE HOLIDAY GUIDE: Version 1.0 is published. Got something to add?
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

The WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide is published! As with every year, this is an evolving page that holds a variety of holiday-related information from pre-Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, and we update it with new listings (and removal of old ones) at least once a day, all season long. So far, the lists include:

-Thanksgiving Day info
-Holiday bazaars/markets/art fairs
-Lighting events
-Where to get Christmas trees
-Holiday concerts/shows
-Santa photo opportunities
-West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays
-Donation drives/fundraisers
-Shopping spotlights (Small Business Saturday specials, etc.)
-Christmas Ship stops
-Hanukkah
-Christmas Eve/Day info
-New Year’s Eve/Day info

Again, what you see there now is just the start – we’ll keep adding – so if your business, school, organization has something to add, please send the information (what/when/where basics) as soon as you can! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! (And if your event/sale/etc. is online again this year, that qualifies too.)

BIZNOTE: Chase Bank in Admiral saying farewell to ‘friendly branch manager’

The staff at Chase Bank‘s Admiral branch wants you to know their manager is moving on:

On behalf of the Chase Bank Admiral Branch, we would like to inform the community that our friendly branch manager, Jeff Glessner, has been promoted to a new position within the firm. Some of you may have known him from the Morgan Street Thriftway Branch.

Jeff came to JP Morgan Chase with a background in teaching and coaching football. His management style reflected both. He provided positive fun energy, at the same time noticing and promoting each employee’s qualities . Mistakes were learning experiences where he would encourage us to focus on the “next play.”

The game is not over. Having planted their roots on this “accidental island,” he and his wife Dakota, along with their son Lincoln, can’t escape.

Congratulations, Jeff, Dakota, and Lincoln!

His last day at the Admiral branch is November 30th.

ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Pre-holiday Monday notes

November 22, 2021 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Pre-holiday Monday notes
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM Good morning! Three days until Thanksgiving.

WEATHER

Dry weather ending by evening; might be frosty this morning.

ROAD WORK

26th SW – Southbound closure between Roxbury and Barton continues for RapidRide H Line prep work. We’re checking on the reopening timeline

20th/Roxbury – Also part of the RapidRide project, with work starting on the SW side of the intersection as soon as today.

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES

Metro remains on its regular weekday schedule, except for the rerouting in RapidRide H Line work zones, including 26th SW. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.

Ferries and Water Taxi: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates. The Water Taxi is in service – here’s the West Seattle schedule. (No Water Taxi service this Thursday-Friday.)

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

609th 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.)

The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

South Park Bridge:

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden:

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

Are movable bridges opening for vessels? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed can tell you; 1st Ave. South Bridge openings are also 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.

PANDEMIC UPDATES: Weekly check-in #20, 11/21/2021

Here’s our every-Sunday-night update on local pandemic stats and notes.

KING COUNTY CUMULATIVE NUMBERS (through Friday, since they’re not updated on weekends):

*171,007 cases – 2,125 more than a week ago (6,042 total in West Seattle, up 27)
*8,699 hospitalizations – 83 more than a week ago (257 total from West Seattle, unchanged)
*2,066 people have died – 16 more than a week ago (74 total in West Seattle, unchanged)

VACCINATION RATE

King County is now making stats available for ages 5+, so we’re switching to counting that as of this week:
77% of King County residents 5+ have completed their vaccine series

By West Seattle zip code – note that these numbers are NOT yet available as 5+, so they reflect 12+:
98106 – 86%
98116 – 89.5%
98126 – 81.5%
98136 – 90.9%
98146 – 81.6%

(Find more COVID-related King County stats here)

THE WEEK’S PANDEMIC HEADLINES

Boosters – Now available for everyone 18 and up, as explained in this state Health Department announcement.

‘Disability-friendly’ kids’ clinic – Announced at week’s end, “an upcoming disability-friendly COVID vaccine clinic in West Seattle, specifically for kids ages 5-11, scheduled for November 28 (with the 2nd dose event on Dec 19th). You must register for an appointment in advance. The nurses for this pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinic are trained and skilled in working with kids with disabilities. They will have a separate area for kids with sensory needs. In-car vaccination may be possible if requested in advance. You can request accommodations through their online contact form.” It’s set for 8:30 am-4:30 pm next Sunday at Neighborhood House High Point, 6400 Sylvan Way SW. Register here.

NEED TO GET TESTED IN WEST SEATTLE?

The UW Medicine testing service in the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) continues to operate; you can make an appointment here. Meantime, the Curative testing kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1222 Harbor SW) is also still operating, as is a Curative location at Summit Atlas (35th/Roxbury). In addition, both West Seattle Walgreens stores are offering drive-up testing (35th/Morgan and 16th/Roxbury) – more info here.

DEVELOPMENT: 2 approvals at Southwest Design Review Board doubleheader

At its second-to-last scheduled meeting of the year, the Southwest Design Review Board took its second look at two West Seattle mixed-use projects. Here’s how the Thursday night reviews went:

4440 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: Two weeks ago, the board gave its final approval to the first of two mixed-use buildings that comprise the Sweeney Blocks megaproject in The Triangle [map]. Thursday night online, they approved the second (westernmost) building. Architect Jenny Chapman from Ankrom Moisan outlined this building as 222 units, 13,000 square feet of retail, and 150 offstreet-parking spots. She noted the first review in August of last year approved the massing (size/shape) in a “stacked-lumber” concept evocative of the site’s legacy as Alki Lumber. She passed the baton to David Cutler of Northwest Studio to talk about the streetscape, with a proposal for “boardwalks” along the ground floor, on 36th SW:

Read More

ROAD-WORK ALERT: 20th/Roxbury

One new road-work alert for the week ahead: The King County-led phase of RapidRide H Line preparations will start work at 20th SW and Roxbury next. From the announcement:

Starting as soon as November 22, crews will set up traffic control to begin construction at the southwest corner of the 20th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street intersection. Work will include demolishing the existing pavement, paving the roadway, and making improvements that will serve Routes 113, 120 (future RapidRide H Line), and 560. This work is expected to last through late February 2022.

We have an inquiry out with King County regarding how soon they expect to reopen southbound 26th SW north of Roxbury, also part of the RapidRide project.

WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: Nine feathered neighbors – afloat, aloft, alighted

A Bufflehead coming in for a landing, photographed by James Tilley, starts this gallery of West Seattle bird photos shared by WSB readers, a periodic feature on football-game afternoons. Also seen in local waters, Harlequin Ducks, photographed by Michael Fischer:

Sharon Wada zoomed in on this Common Merganser snacking at Alki:

Two owl sightings:

Above is a Northern Saw-whet Owl that visited Jill Duffield‘s yard; below, @muddelicious tweeted us their photo of an owl (Barred?) just hanging out on a Delridge fence:

The ever-regal Bald Eagle is represented well in Mark Wangerin‘s photo:

In White Center, Samantha Burton photographed a Crow that neighbors have nicknamed “Beaky“:

That bird’s corvid cousins, Steller’s Jays, hang out – raucously – in Theresa Arbow-O’Connor‘s yard:

And we conclude with a daintier, speedier backyard bird, an Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Jerry Simmons:

Huge thanks as always to everyone who has shared their photos – westseattleblog@gmail.com is the best way to send us pics unless it’s breaking news, in which case you can text 206-293-6302 – thank you!

P.S. Bird lovers interested in participating in the Seattle Audubon Christmas Bird Count December 19th – even if you’re a casual bird-watcher and can only tally who shows up in your yard/at your feeder – can sign up here.

WEST SEATTLE HOLIDAYS: Christmas-tree season begins

That was the scene this morning at Trees By The Sea (2530 Alki Avenue SW), which – as noted in our daily what’s-happening list – opened today. Every year we feature Christmas-tree sellers in our Holiday Guide (which launches tonight), and they’re the first freestanding lot to open this year. Tony’s Market (35th/Barton) is setting up for its tree-selling, and Holy Rosary School‘s annual fundraiser lot opens Friday (north of the school, 41st/Dakota). We noticed West Seattle Nursery (California/Brandon) has trees already, too, and local hardware stores should have them soon if they don’t yet.

P.S. All holiday-related info is welcome for our calendar and guide – email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Water outage in Gatewood

November 21, 2021 12:02 pm
|    Comments Off on Water outage in Gatewood
 |   Gatewood | Utilities | West Seattle news

Seattle Public Utilities says it’s working on a water problem that’s affecting more than 60 homes in Gatewood. Late last night, Steve called SPU to report a problem with a “leaky water main” near 41st/Holden. Thanks to Alex for the tip that it’s still affecting homes today. The utility hopes to have service restored this afternoon.

From the ‘dumped and possibly stolen’ file: Shoulder bag, with PlayStation

From Lori:

(Saturday in High Point) we found a shoulder bag with some electronics and other items in it sitting by the side of the road on Juneau Street, between 32nd and 33rd Streets. We brought it home and looked through it to see if we could find any name or contact info, but there wasn’t anything like that. Among other items in the bag, there was a PlayStation5. Happy to return it if someone can claim it by describing the bag and other items in it.

If this might be yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.

WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: 13 notes

(‘Salmon-egg slime mold,’ photographed in Schmitz Park by Rosalie Miller)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead:

CHURCHES: Most continue streaming, along with holding in-person services. Here are this week’s links for 20+ West Seattle churches’ services.

TREES BY THE SEA: Opening day for the Christmas-tree lot on Alki:

It will be our 7th year there and we are very excited to be back and bringing our fresh weekly cut trees and holiday hut that will have our line of products from Shipwreck Apiaries, our honeybee company that produces amazing raw honey, gorgeous beeswax candles, and other beeswax-based products. We will be open daily until the week before Christmas. Our last day will be Sunday, December 19th.

The daily hours are:

Mon-Thursday – 12-7
Friday – 11-8
Saturday & Sunday – 8-8

(2530 Alki SW)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Still lots of fresh produce even in mid-autumn. Shop 10 am-2 pm on California between Oregon and Alaska. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (The market is a WSB sponsor.)

TOYS FOR TOTS: During the market, you can drop off new unwrapped toys at the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle booth (west side, near the north end). … Also collecting for Toys For Tots: C&P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), open 7 am-7 pm.

CANCELED HARMONICA POCKET: The Kindie West family-music concert series at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) presents Harmonica Pocket at 10:30 today – get tickets here.

CLOTHING AND FOOD DRIVE: Bring donations to Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) 11 am-3 pm – our calendar listing has details on what they’re requesting.

SUPER DUPER GARAGE AND ART SALE: As previewed here last night, Chris “Caspar Babypants” Ballew and Kate Endle are saying goodbye to West Seattle with a big sale 11 am-4 pm today, 5414 SW Beach Drive Terrace.

SUNDAY RUN CLUB: Meet at noon at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW).

WARM CLOTHING DRIVE: Last day, noon-3 pm – Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill) invites you to donate warm clothing to help families at Mary’s Place.

CLASSIC NOVELS BOOK CLUB: Meets 3 pm outdoors at C&P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) “to discuss the Russian novelist Karolina Pavlova’s novel ‘A Double Life’ (1848) in the modern translation by Barbara Heldt.” (5612 California SW)

NEED FOOD? White Center Community Dinner Church serves a free meal (take-away available) at 5 pm Sundays at the Salvation Army Center (9050 16th SW).

SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE: 8 pm to 1 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).

SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.

Got an event for listing in our calendar and previews? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!