West Seattle, Washington
13 Friday
(Photo from HPIC town-hall presentation, building’s south side along SW Holden)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
How much? How soon? How big?
The answers to those questions will help shape the rebuilding plan for fire-damaged Highland Park Improvement Club, as discussed at HPIC’s second post-fire “town hall” online this past Wednesday.
They’re all intertwined – the size of the rebuilding project will determine how much it’ll cost and how soon the building – closed half a year already – will be able to reopen.
Award-winning Wittman Estes – led by a Highland Park couple – is on board as the architecture firm that will design the remodeled/repaired HPIC, both the building and grounds. Their presentation started Wednesday night’s discussion, with more than 30 people in attendance. (You can watch a recording of the meeting here.)
Continuing our double features – we have two TV-inspired displays tonight:
In Admiral, Don Rice is again presenting West Seattle’s own “Charlie Brown Christmas.” He sent the photo and message: “Charlie Brown and the gang are happy to be back for the 46th year at this location: 2128 47th SW.” (Here’s a map.) P.S. If you’re a fan of the annual special, tomorrow night’s the only time this season that it’s on over-the-air TV – 7:30 pm Sunday, PBS channel 9.
Also in North Admiral, a display for “Doctor Who“ fans:
The photos are from Alex – “Tardis and Daleks for Christmas. SW College St & 41st.” (Here’s a map.)
We’ll keep showcasing lights through New Year’s Eve – let us know what you have or what you see, location (with or without photo) – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! Past spotlights are archived here and listed in our West Seattle Holiday Guide.
(SDOT camera image, 4:26 pm today)
Reminder, while we’re talking traffic – tomorrow (Sunday, December 19th) is the first of five Sundays that SDOT plans to close the low bridge to surface traffic for testing that’s required to get ready for next year’s repair/reinforcement work. The closures, lasting up to half an hour each, are scheduled at around 9 am, 1 pm, and 5 pm. Metro plans to reroute buses during the first two – here’s its advisory:
On Sunday, December 19, from 8:45 AM until 9:30 AM, and again from 12:45 PM until 1:30 PM, Metro routes 21, 50, 120, and the RapidRide C Line will be rerouted in both directions due to scheduled closures of the lower West Seattle Bridge in association with Seattle Department of Transportation’s Spokane St Swing Bridge Projects.
During these times, routes 21, 50, 120 and the RapidRide C Line will travel instead via the 1st Avenue South Bridge and may experience delays in transit service. While on this revised routing, routes 21, 50, and 120 will not serve the stops on SW Spokane St at SW Manning St, however the RapidRide C Line will not miss any of its regular stops.
Riders should also be prepared for brief travel delays around 5:00 PM during another bridge closure while SDOT crews take measurements.
The other four Sundays with testing closures are scheduled next month – January 9, 16, 23, and 30.
2:26 PM: A Seattle Fire “rescue extrication” response is headed to West Marginal/Andover [map] for what’s reported as a three-vehicle crash, “one overturned,” blocking the road both ways. Updates to come.
2:30 PM: The photo is from Bill Schrier, who says those are bystanders working to free the person(s) in the car even before emergency personnel arrived. Here’s a wider view he also sent:
2:35 PM: Firefighters just told dispatch the person has been extricated. (added) Bill reports one lane is open each way past the scene.
2:55 PM: The person will be taken to Harborview by private ambulance, which indicates their injuries are not life-threatened. Meantime, southbound WMW is blocked. Police are reported to be diverting that traffic to the low bridge.
3:28 PM: Officers have just told dispatch they’re opening the southbound lanes.
5:46 PM: Added a view of the scene from the other direction, sent by Eric Makus. Only additional information we have is from SFD, which says the person pulled from the car is male and was in stable condition when transported.
Earlier this week, on a rainy afternoon much like today’s, dozens of volunteers spent hours planting in the Seola Pond wetland [map], working with Arbor Heights resident Scott Dolfay, who’s been leading restoration efforts there for years.
This week, the volunteers included dozens of students and staff from Explorer West Middle School and The Bridge School (both WSB sponsors). Dolfay explains, “The planting was the culmination of previous work this year, beginning with site prep by Dirt Corps, funded by the King County Noxious Weed Control Program. When the restoration effort was started in 2017, 2 grants were received; one from The Washington Native Plant Society, the other from the King County Unincorporated Community Service Area Program. After a one-year hiatus, beginning in 2019, the KC Noxious Weed Control Program began to fund both site prep and native plant purchase. Additionally, volunteers have stepped up along with some local businesses.”
Dolfay is seeking another King County grant to keep the project going, adding that the community help has been invaluable: “As always, volunteers can stretch the budget. People have provided native plants from their yards, too.” As noted in our 2017 report, the site – along the Seattle/unincorporated King County line – is used as neighborhood open space, in addition to its official function as stormwater storage. It hosts wildlife, too – including the ducks we saw during the restoration work party:
Stolen from White Center, but Peyton sent this report and photo to ask for watchful eyes on both sides of the city-limits line:
*STOLEN VEHICLE**
White Ford box truck with 2 LED lights on back and extendable ladder on the side
License plate- C95272LMy dad Sean Sullivan woke up yesterday morning 12/16 to an unimaginable nightmare – his work truck was gone. It was parked in White Center off 14th and 100th in front of the old La Mexicana building. One unit south of WestSide Baby. It was holding an estimated 50-100k worth of tools and equipment. My father started his company about 7 years ago and has worked extremely hard to grow both his company and the tools he had stored in his truck. This is his daily work truck so it had an extensive amount of his important tools as well as his daily working tools, excess parts, extra wire, hundreds of breakers, just about anything you can imagine you would need as an electrical contractor was in this truck. We are hoping someone may have seen or heard something. I can only imagine the heartache my father is feeling having lost what seems like his livelihood..especially with the holiday season right around the corner! If you have any leads or think you may have seen or heard something, please reach out to myself or my father! The police were (alerted) and there is an open case C-21040633 with King County Sheriffs.
Sullivan Electric LLC
Peyton- 425-312-4461
Sean- 206-419-8884
If you see it, also call 911.
(Snow-covered Cascades, photographed Friday by Jim Borrow)
Last weekend before Christmas – lots to do!
C&P COFFEE ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR: Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 8 am-2 pm. “Jewelry, toys, clothing, prints, paintings, furniture, and more!” (5612 California SW)
LAST DAY FOR HOLY ROSARY TREE LOT: Everything must go! Open 9 am-9 pm at 42nd SW and SW Dakota:
The Holy Rosary tree lot will be closing for the season today. Thank you to the West Seattle community for supporting our tree lot. Proceeds from the lot benefit Holy Rosary School, Seattle Lutheran High School, West Seattle Food Bank & Clothesline and Salvation Army Hickman House. All remaining inventory will be sold at 50% off today; please stop by to purchase a tree, wreath, garland, or poinsettia. Wishing our West Seattle community a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
PAJAMARAMA SHOPPING: “Shop The Junction, 10 am to 1 pm. Limited-edition diner mug when you spend $20 or more (limited quantities) and cocoa-filling station. Dress in your pajamas!” The cocoa station is at Windermere (4526 California SW).
GIFT-WRAPPING FUNDRAISER: Stop by Alair (3270 California SW) 11 am-6 pm to shop and get your gifts wrapped for a donation to the West Seattle Food Bank – info here.
SHUG’S MINI POP-UP: Holiday pop-up with Baked Alaska, ice cream, more. Noon-4 pm, also pre-order-able. Info here. (California/Charlestown)
HOLIDAY MAKERS’ MARKET: At Best of Hands Barrelhouse (35th/Webster): “From 2-8 pm we will be hosting Perch Paper Goods & Chocolate Spiel for a holiday makers’ market. Come share in some holiday cheer, craft beer, and get your holiday shopping wrapped up as we will be featuring local handmade cards, chocolate, jewelry, and other gifts. Chocolate flights will still be available while supplies last.”
SANTA’S ENCORE AT MENASHE FAMILY LIGHTS: First time for a second visit! Bring a nonperishable-food donation to get a photo with Santa at West Seattle’s brightest Christmas lights (5605 Beach Drive SW), 6 pm-9 pm.
WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY: All invited, 6 pm, food and drink plus:
Enjoy some truly inventive and interactive group games, ornament-making, cookie decorating, gingerbread houses, a reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, photo booth, Christmas Carols … and lots and lots of Christmas cheer! Don’t forget to wear your best (or worst) sweater for the UGLY SWEATER CONTEST.
(4400 42nd SW)
‘WE’VE BATTLED MONSTERS BEFORE’: Fourth weekend for the ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) musical, 7:30 pm. Tickets are available online. (4711 California SW)
‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ RADIO PLAY: Twelfth Night Productions‘ holiday show at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW) continues this weekend, with a 7:30 pm performance tonight. Our calendar listing has more info, including ticketing.
DUSTY 45s HOLIDAY SHOW: The popular band presents a free show at Shadowland (4458 California SW), 9 pm.
There’s even more on our calendar. Got a listing to add? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Someone burglarized and vandalized St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Admiral Friday evening. We learned about it late Friday after the church’s priest-in-charge, Rev. Elise Johnstone, forwarded a message she had sent to her congregation. From that message:
… Not long before 5 PM, an individual broke into our library in the office/education wing of the building, and then proceeded to set 3 small fires in the library. Providentially, a pedestrian walking on California Avenue heard the glass break and called 911. The police and fire department came, but the individual had already run away from the property by the time the police and fire department arrived. While we have sustained some damage, the situation could have been much worse. One large window in the library will need to be replaced, but a damage assessment company is on their way to SJB this evening to board up the window securely. The fires have damaged 3 places in the carpet in the library and with one of the fires, sadly, the individual lit a wooden cross and a dictionary of the Bible.
There is glass all over the library floor, so for the time being, until an industrial cleaner can come, we will keep the library closed.
The Seattle Police and Fire Department staff were all very helpful, kind, and thorough. This incident is now under investigation, and we will continue to be in communication with the appropriate people at SPD. …
We don’t have the police-report # yet but will add it when it’s available.
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