West Seattle, Washington
01 Sunday
West Seattle’s best-known musician/visual artist couple is leaving the peninsula for Vashon Island. Tomorrow is the last day in West Seattle for Chris Ballew (aka Caspar Babypants) and Kate Endle, and they’re inviting you to join the sendoff via their art and garage sale. Here’s the announcement they sent tonight:
Super Duper Art and Garage Sale
featuring Kate Endle and Caspar BabypantsNovember 21, Sunday 11 am-4 pm
5414 SW Beach Dr TerraceCome celebrate our last day in our West Seattle house with a garage and art sale! Items for sale include full-price art, deeply discounted art, Caspar CDs and merchandise (including the latest and last Caspar release, “Easy Breezy”!), books, home decor, art supplies, TONS of clothing and more.
Endle says you’ll still see them around town – “Our hearts will always be in West Seattle.”
Two weeks ago, we published two reader reports from Amy – first, that her car had been stolen on Alki, then that hours later, a burglar had broken into her home while she and her daughter were asleep.
Images from the break-in led to a WSB reader tip pointing police to a suspect, but he evaded at least two arrest attempts. Tonight, we have an update from Amy:
Our intruder has been caught!
He had taken his white GMC with his wife to Nevada and was caught in a high-speed chase with police. When they apprehended him, they found my kiddo’s phone, my wallet with most of the cards in it, along with other people’s stolen items. And a gun.
He’s in jail in Nevada … he will be charged in Nevada and then after he serves time he will then be sent up to Seattle to serve time here.
P.S. Still no sign of my stolen car.
Amy says the arrest happened Thursday in Mineral County, Nevada, and she found out via a call from a deputy there. We’ll follow up with their authorities and SPD to see if we can find out more.
Thanks for the photos of tonight’s splashy sunset! Above, that’s from Jan Pendergrass along Alki; below, from Kanit Cottrell in Gatewood.
This ended a dry day – and tomorrow promises to be another one. (With the rain total for the month close to twice the usual 4 inches, we can afford it.) Might be slightly frosty in the morning, so be careful if you have to head out early.
(Photo courtesy Southwest Seattle Historical Society)
If you want to just stop by the Log House Museum unannounced during its operating hours, tomorrow is your last chance for a while. Here’s the announcement from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society:
The Log House Museum will be CLOSED November 26th, 27th, and 28th for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will be reopening Friday, December 3rd by appointment only for the month of December.
Appointments to visit the Log House Museum are available from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM Friday-Sunday starting December 3rd, 2021. To make an appointment please email museum@loghousemusem.org by Wednesday of the weekend you would like to visit with:
-Your name
-The date of your appointment
-Your time of arrival
-The number of guests in your partyYou will receive an appointment confirmation within 24 hours of your request.
Please note: SWSHS requires proof of vaccination (or a negative test within 72 hours) for all visitors to the Log House Museum who are 12 years and older. This requirement is in compliance with King County’s mandate. Face coverings are still required in the Log House Museum for all visitors age 5 and older regardless of vaccination status.
The museum is at 61st/Stevens.
You still have a few hours to browse the holiday bazaar at the Alki Masonic Hall, continuing until 4 pm, with lots of gift possibilities. Some are fundraisers for community groups, such as the Southwest Seattle Business and Professional Women scholarship-fund tote bags:
Lots of handmade warm-and-fuzzies too:
We also saw booties, baskets, candles, even a creative combination of potholder/dishtowel. Or something to brighten this gray time of year:
Also baked goods and concessions. Enter the hall from the parking lot at 40th and Edmunds [map].
If you’re interested in some Saturday whale-watching, Kersti Muul just sent word that transient orcas are reported to be in the area, emerging from Colvos Passage (which runs along the west side of Vashon Island) and headed toward Southworth. So you can try looking, with binoculars, from west-facing West Seattle. Let us know if you see them!
Update from one of today’s vaccination clinics – the Louisa Boren STEM K-8 (5950 Delridge Way SW) clinic is no longer restricted to SPS students – ALL 5-to-11-year-olds are welcome, no appointments needed. Just be there before 3 pm.
After an early rush, it’s also “no waiting” in the north lot of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), where the West Seattle Food Bank is offering turkeys and other holiday staples to West Seattle families. We stopped by just before 11 and they had distributed almost 200 turkeys and food boxes so far, with another 300+ to go – just drive/ride into the lot, and volunteers will point out to the distribution stop.
WSFB’s development director Breanna Bushaw tells us the boxes include potatoes, onions, pears, carrots, celery, brussels sprouts, gravy mix, green beans, chicken broth, eggs, milk, and butter. If you can’t get there today (they’re expecting to be there until 2 but sooner’s better than later) but need holiday food, you can also visit the WSFB HQ at 35th and Morgan for a turkey before Thanksgiving – Monday: 10 am – 2 pm, Tuesday: 10 am – 2 pm, or Wednesday: 10 am -4 pm
9:54 AM: Lighter turnout than years past in the early going at Eastridge Church‘s West Seattle distribution of turkeys and groceries, about to go into its second hour. Lots of volunteers on hand to help, though.
The church does this every year at its West Seattle and Issaquah campuses, and this year has more than 1,600 turkeys between the two.
All are welcome, no questions asked – the church is at 39th SW and SW Oregon, and vehicles can approach from NB 39th (off Fauntleroy Way).
10:19 AM: Just went through the area again. No line.
(Lenticular clouds over the Olympics, photographed Thursday by Mark Dale)
Welcome to the pre-Thanksgiving weekend! Here’s what you should know about today/tonight:
TRAFFIC ALERT: SDOT Urban Forestry crews planned to be out starting early this morning, and continuing until 1 pm or so, doing tree maintenance along the 6000 block of West Marginal Way (north of SW Front), which will close the outside southbound lane of WMW.
Here’s the event lineup for today/tonight:
VACCINATIONS FOR KIDS: Three local clinics for today had appointments available for kids 5 to 11 – check if you’re looking to get yours vaccinated: Louisa Boren STEM K-8 regional clinic (for SPS students); Neighborhood House High Point city clinic; Neighborhood House pop-up this evening.
TURKEYS AND GROCERIES, #1: 9 am until they run out, Eastridge Church is handing out hundreds of free turkeys and bags of groceries – drive-up/ride-up again this year, approaching 39th/Oregon via northbound 39th. No early arrivals, they request.
HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Shop local and handmade! Your next chance is today’s bazaar, 9 am-4 pm, at the Alki Masonic Hall in The Junction (40th/Edmunds).
BIKE RIDE: Join West Seattle Bike Connections‘ annual Ride in the Rain social ride – details here. Meet by 9:30 am at Delridge Community Center (Delridge/Genesee).
TURKEYS AND GROCERIES, #2: 10 am-2 pm (or as long as supplies last), the West Seattle Food Bank is distributing turkeys/groceries in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) – approach via northbound 16th.
WAGYU SMASH BURGERS:,,, The periodic special offering at Lady Jaye (4523 California SW), 11 am until they run out – details in our calendar listing.
WARM CLOTHING DRIVE: Continuing through Sunday, noon-3 pm each day, Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill) invites you to donate warm clothing to help the families at Mary’s Place.
CAKE POP-UP: Lovely and Dapper Desserts will be at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW) 3-6 pm with some of their famous cakes.
OPEN MIC: All ages, 6-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way).
THE NICK MARDON TRIO: Performing at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 7 pm doors, 8 pm music.
SMASH BENEFIT: Not in West Seattle, but benefiting a fund that helps West Seattle musicians, so we were asked to list it – check out the all-star lineup, 7:30 pm at the Moore downtown (1932 2nd Ave.).
Anything else for today? Let us know – thank you!
With just weeks remaining until she leaves office, Mayor Jenny Durkan has launched a farewell tour, and tonight it stopped in the West Seattle Junction, with an ice-cream party at Husky Deli.
This also happened to be the one-year anniversary of her announcement that the cracked West Seattle Bridge would be repaired rather than replaced, ending months of suspense. Also at Husky Deli tonight, in fact, was Seattle Department of Transportation director Sam Zimbabwe (a West Seattle resident). At some point one of the businesspeople and community advocates there for her visit asked the mayor about the bridge – she turned and called out loudly across the room, “Sam Zimbabwe assures me it’s on time and on budget!” He affirmed that:
We asked him if there’s any update on the about-to-start repairs beyond what we published last night. Not yet, he said, but he said we can “expect some good news right after Thanksgiving.” The estimate for completion of repairs remains the same as what they said the day of that big announcement one year ago – “mid-2022.” In other topics, the mayor got a warm sendoff from Lora Radford, who herself just left a high-profile job, running the West Seattle Junction Association.
As the video shows, Radford also presented the mayor with a gift reminiscent of her past visits to The Junction, Bakery Nouveau macaronns, which the mayor had bought for one of her sons during a walking tour in February 2018. She had a parting request for West Seattleites tonight: “Let’s give the new mayor every chance to succeed.”
10:46 PM: Several Seattle Fire units are on the scene of what they’ve described to dispatchers as “a fully involved RV fire” on Marginal Place SW, which dead-ends near the west end of the low bridge, under the high bridge. We don’t know how close the fire is to that end, as it’s logged with 18th SW as the cross street, and the map doesn’t show the two meeting.
11:07 PM: The response is downsizing, and firefighters are calling for the department investigator. No indication anyone was injured.
ADDED SATURDAY: The burned RV was about midway up the stub of Marginal Place from West Marginal.
A crowd gathered tonight at High Point Commons Park for a first-ever seasonal celebration. It was billed as “Fruit Tree Lighting,” but the lights extended beyond the tiny trees planted last spring as the start of a community orchard. As shown in our video above, community builder Ella McRae led the crowd in a countdown that ended with attendees switching on battery-powered handheld tea lights, as well as the illumination of the little trees. The event also included a community resource fair with a variety of organizations participating, and music from the West Seattle High School Band. The orchard is near the West Seattle Bee Garden on the north end of the park.
In July of last year, we reported on a local doctor charged by federal authorities with fraud for allegedly fraudulently seeking more than $3 million in pandemic-relief loans. Today, the Department of Justice announced that a federal jury found Dr. Eric Shibley guilty. From the announcement:
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eric R. Shibley, 42, of Seattle, submitted several fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications to federally insured financial institutions, other Small Business Administration (SBA)-approved lenders, and the SBA, in the names of businesses with no actual operations or by otherwise misrepresenting the business’s eligibility. In the applications, Shibley falsified the number of employees and payroll expenses and concealed his own criminal history. To support the fraudulent applications, Shibley submitted fake tax documents and the names of purported employees who did not, in fact, work for the businesses for which Shibley claimed they worked. Shibley received over $2.8 million in COVID-19 relief funds as a result of the fraud.
Shibley was convicted of multiple counts of wire fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, and money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 22, 2022, and faces 20 years for each count of wire fraud, 30 years for each count of bank fraud, and 10 years for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to the online inmate roster, Shibley is in custody at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac. The announcement says the feds have “prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.” They accept tips online here.
Two notes about local COVID-19 vaccination clinics:
ANOTHER MAYORAL VISIT: Less than a month after visiting Neighborhood House High Point to announce a vaccination clinic would open there, Mayor Jenny Durkan returned today to tout its success. While the visit was announced before the news that the feds are authorizing boosters for all adults, Durkan took the occasion to hail that too. The High Point clinic is operated Fridays and Saturdays (here’s the appointment link), with Pliable as the provider – those are Pliable’s founders Nicole Warner and Tara Biller, both West Seattleites, above with the mayor. We asked them if they’re planning to add days of operation now that so many people are eligible for boosters; they said that’s up to the city and they hadn’t heard of anything yet. (P.S. The mayor had another unrelated West Seattle stop after that – that story later- and if you missed our coverage of her education-themed visit yesterday, that story’s here)
SATURDAY EVENING POP-UP KID CLINIC: Also at Neighborhood House High Point, but operated separately, a pop-up clinic is planned 5 pm-6:30 pm Saturday for 5-to-11-year-olds, with a second-dose follow-up clinic in three weeks. Here’s the announcement from Public Health Seattle-King County:
West Seattle COVID-19 Pop-Up Clinic
PEDIATRICS ONLY
Ages 5 to <12 years old only Pediatric Pfizer available for this clinic FDA Pediatric Pfizer (5 to <12) Fact SheetNeighborhood House High Point
6400 Sylvan Way SWDOSE 1
Saturday November 20th
5 PM-630 PMSIGN UP HERE FOR DOSE 1: prepmod.doh.wa.gov//appointment/en/reg/4012174969
DOSE 2
Saturday, December 11th
5 PM-630 PMAND…SIGN UP HERE for DOSE 2: https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov//appointment/en/reg/7946704129
Again, the clinic for kids tomorrow night is separate from the daytime city-run clinic, so be sure to use the unique link above if you’re interested in that one.
Two incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
HOME-INVASION ROBBERY: According to a brief SPD summary, officers were called to a residence in the 7900 block of 8th SW last night around 10:10 pm. A home-invasion robbery was reported there, with two armed men coming in and robbing a couple of money and jewelry.. The robbers then fled and got into a vehicle. No one was hurt. No description information in the summary; we have requested the detailed report narrative and will add anything more we find out.
BUILDING BURGLARY: The report and security-camera image were sent by Rick:
We have had some recent security issues in our building. We are on Harbor Ave SW right by the water taxi. Recently someone tried to break into our main entry door, damaging the lock and rendering it unusable. Over this past weekend this man pictured broke into our building, broke into a secured room, and stole keys.
Prior to this, an outside camera was stolen by the main entrance. It’s obvious these are professionals and our building is being targeted for theft and who knows what else. The police are being contacted, and yes, I realize we can’t expect much from them right now, and we are replacing locks and codes and stepping up security. Neighbors on Harbor Ave and in the area at large, be on the lookout for this individual. He carries a duffel bag which likely has tools for picking locks, which is how he gained access to a secured room to steal keys. Incident occurred early Sunday morning 11/14.
We’ll add the case number when/if we get it.
(Images from meeting presentation – above, Roxhill Park and Bog)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Imagine you want to take a bath – but not only can you not draw enough water to fill the tub, the water you do get keeps draining out.
That’s the problem with Roxhill Bog, experts and advocates believe, and as unveiled at this week’s community meeting, they have a plan that might fix it.
“Might” is the important word here – so they’re going to try an experiment on part of the endangered wetland, which is all that’s left of a 10,000-year-old peat bog that once stretched far beyond the remnant that exists – dry as it is – mostly on the south side of city-owned Roxhill Park.
Wednesday night’s meeting had many of the same participants who gathered more than a year and a half ago – just before the pandemic shut down in-person meetings – to accelerate the effort to keep the bog from being lost forever.
This time, interested and/or involved parties gathered online to talk and hear about what’s been learned and what happens next.
Six days until Thanksgiving, and if you need help ensuring a holiday feast for your family, we’re reminding you today that you have two chances tomorrow, both while supplies last:
(WSB file photo)
EASTRIDGE CHURCH: The church’s annual tradition of giving away turkeys and bags of groceries is drive-up/ride-up again this year, starting at 9 am Saturday. No early queueing. Approach the church, which is at 39th/Oregon [map], via northbound 39th (accessible from westbound Fauntleroy Way SW). Open to all.
WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK AT SSC: This is also a drive-up/ride-up event, but for West Seattle families only – turkeys and bags/boxes of holiday produce (etc.), starting at 10 am in the north parking lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW [map]; WSB sponsor) – approach from northbound 16th SW.
Thanks to Tracy for sending the photo! That’s the view Madison Middle School students and staff had, minutes ago – at 11:11 am, Tracy says – as that beam was hoisted atop the ongoing addition project on the campus’s north side. This is a tradition for “topping out” the steel bones of a building; note the beam inscription for Ironworkers Local 86. Construction began over the summer for the a href=”https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/capital_projects_and_planning/school_construction/projects/madison” rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank”>2-story, 8-classroom, 12,500-square-foot, $10 million project.
Noticed the new art installations in South Delridge? It’s part of the RapidRide H Line project. It’s been almost four years since the announcement that artists had been chosen – and now the results are in place. From SDOT:
This month, the Office of Arts and Culture and the Wowhaus artist team worked with our crews to install some new public art at the intersections of Delridge Way SW at SW Henderson St and 18th Ave SW.
The artwork titled “Know How” was created by Wowhaus artist team Ene Osteraas-Constable and Scott Constable. The area will be restored with groundcover later this year.
In the development of the artwork, the artist team attended several community meetings, held impromptu focus-group meetings while riding the 120 Metro Bus, hosted a site walkthrough with elementary students from Roxbury Elementary School, and delved deep into the history of the area through resources at the Seattle Public Library and Museum of History and Industry. From this engagement work, the idea for the artwork Know How was developed.
This project is funded through SDOT’s 1% for Art funding.
ADDED: Here’s a city post with more backstory on the new art.
(This morning’s moonset, photographed by Jim Borrow)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what’s happening for your Friday:
VACCINATIONS: As reported here last night, the city’s West Seattle Clinic at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW) has appointments available today and tomorrow for kids 5 to 11 – check here.
WARM CLOTHING DRIVE: Daily through Sunday, noon-3 pm each day, Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill) invites you to donate warm clothing to help the families at Mary’s Place.
HIGH POINT FRUIT TREE LIGHTING: First-ever event at Commons Park between 31st and Lanham south of Graham [map], community fair with local organizations starts at 5:30 pm, fruit-tree lighting at 6 pm. Live music with the West Seattle High School Band! Bring warm clothes for the donation drive.
DJ NIGHT: Enjoy the DJ at The Spot West Seattle (2930 SW Avalon Way), 6-10 pm.
CONEDY NIGHT: Laugh it up at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), doors at 7 pm, lineup in our calendar listing.
(Another moonset view – by James Bratsanos)
Something for the calendar and/or forthcoming Holiday Guide? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
8 AM: The Water Taxi has been canceling departures because of vessel trouble. … So far the cancellations extend through the 8:15 departure.
8:51 AM: No word yet if the WT has resumed.
9:01 AM: MarineTraffic.com now shows the Doc Maynard at Seacrest, so looks like service has resumed.
9:15 AM: Just heard the dispatch for a crash at Olson/2nd, at the east end of the Roxbury corridor.
Earlier:
6:07 AM Good morning!
WEATHER
Breezy, cloudy, cool forecast, maybe some clearing later.
ROAD WORK, TODAY & THIS WEEKEND
26th SW – Southbound closure between Roxbury and Barton continues for RapidRide H Line prep work. We’re checking on the reopening timeline
West Marginal on Saturday – From SDOT: “On the 6000 block of West Marginal Way (North of SW Front St), Urban Forestry crews will be in the area doing some tree maintenance work. Traffic impacts include closure of the southbound curb lane. The work is anticipated to begin on Saturday as early as 5:00 AM and conclude by 1:00 PM.”
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.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
606th 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.
(WSB video, photos)
On her second day in office, Mayor Jenny Durkan came to South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge to announce a plan to expand the Seattle Promise “free community college” program. Today, with weeks left until she leaves office, Durkan returned to SSC with word that the city’s partnering with the state to support some Seattle Promise students as they continue on with studies in STEM, health care, and the trades. “An almost-bookend,” she called the visit. She was there to announce that the city is contributing up to $400,000 of federal pandemic-relief money to help dozens of Seattle Promise students extend their education via the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship. WSOS will match that money, so this makes the city the first “Municipal Match” partner for the WSOS. Its board chair, Microsoft president Brad Smith, said this will enable more local people to “fill high-paying jobs.”
Kitsap County State Rep. Drew Hansen, who advocated for this type of scholarship expansion, reiterated Smith’s point simply and enthusiastically, “A couple of trillion-dollar companies in this state hire kajillions of people from all over the planet” – and more of them should be homegrown. City education director Dr. Dwane Chappelle agreed, and said “Equitable access is the key.”
Equitable access is the hallmark of the Seattle Promise program. As SSC president Dr. Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap noted, SSC is the “birthplace” of Seattle Promise, which offers up to two years of free college to Seattle Public Schools graduates. It began as the “13th-Year Promise,” one year free at SSC for students from certain Seattle high schools. Participation has quadrupled since the program expanded, she said – 230 Promise students in 2018, 1,100 this year.
From the city’s announcement, here’s how the new partnership will work:
The City will invest up to $400,000 in WSOS through 2023 as part of the City’s economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Washington state will match the City’s investment dollar-for-dollar. The municipal match partnership will be funded by Federal Coronavirus Local Recovery Funds (CLFR), resulting in a total of $800,000 in new scholarship funds for up to 60 Seattle Promise scholars. While all students in the State of Washington are eligible to apply for the WSOS, only Promise Scholars will be eligible for funding made available through the City of Seattle’s new partnership.
The city’s announcement also describes the two WSOS “scholarship pathways,” which offer mentorship as well as money:
-The WSOS Baccalaureate Scholarship (BAS) will provide students pursuing bachelor’s degrees up to $22,500 in financial assistance to continue their third year of college. Scholars could use the funding to pay tuition, fees, and additional student costs including housing, transportation, food and other expenses.
-The WSOS Career and Technical Scholarship (CTS) will provide scholars pursuing associate degrees, certificate or apprenticeship programs up to $1,500 per quarter. Similarly to the BAS pathway, CTS funds are flexible and can be used to cover costs beyond tuition.
SPS seniors graduating next year can apply now for Seattle Promise; January 5th is when WSOS applications open. You can learn about the fields of study available at South Seattle College by going here.
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