West Seattle, Washington
23 Saturday
Thanks to Marco for the photo and tip – he spotted that camera installation this week on Fauntleroy Way SW near Fairmount Park Elementary. SDOT had not announced a school-zone speed-enforcement camera for that stretch of street; the only new one previously announced this year in West Seattle was added on 35th SW near Our Lady of Guadalupe just before school started. That was the first new one in West Seattle since Delridge Way SW by Louisa Boren STEM K-8 in 2015, which in turn followed cameras on Fauntleroy Way SW by Gatewood Elementary and on SW Roxbury by Holy Family School. Today, SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson confirmed the new installation when we asked: “We are planning to install new school-zone safety cameras at Fairmount Park Elementary in early 2022. We are installing some of the components now but are still working with Seattle City Light on the exact timing for the cameras to be activated.” He says no others are currently planned for West Seattle, but elsewhere in the city, new cameras are on the way near Garfield High School and South Shore PK-8. Current fine for a speed violation detected by one of these cameras is $237.
Seattle Public Utilities has officially canceled residential solid-waste collection for tomorrow (Thursday), too – here’s the grid:
As we reported this morning, if your missed collection day this week would have included recycling, they’ll try to make that up next week. Tonight’s update reiterates that and answers a few other questions:
Customers missed this week will be allowed to set out double their normal amount of garbage, recycling, and yard waste at no additional charge, on their next scheduled collection day.
If you are setting out extra next week, here are a few tips:
-Extra garbage can be set out in bags or a personal can.
-Extra recycling can go out in a cardboard box or paper bag.
-Extra compost shouldn’t contain food and can go in a personal can or paper bag.
-See more details on our website.Customers whose recycling was not picked up this week due to unsafe conditions created by snow and ice should set out their recycling carts (along with garbage and food/yard waste carts) on their next collection day, even though it is not their scheduled week for recycling pickup.
Our Solid Waste contractors will make every attempt to pick up recycling next week but this requires servicing an additional set of routes they are normally not equipped to cover, in addition to collecting double volumes on regular routes, during the recovery week.
If a customer’s recycling is not collected next week, they can set out extra recycling, at no additional cost, on their next scheduled recycling pickup day.
Family and friends are remembering Douglas W. Palmer III and sharing this remembrance with the community:
Douglas Wylie Palmer III
January 10, 1941 – October 29, 2021Douglas “Doug” Wylie Palmer III, 80, born in West Seattle on January 10, 1941, to Douglas Wylie Palmer II and Alezena Francis Riley (nĂ©e Spanier), died at home in Port Townsend, Washington, surrounded by family, on October 29, 2021.
Doug grew up in West Seattle; lured by the prospect of good fishing, Doug followed his best friends to Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology. While in college, he was inspired by President JFK’s speech about the Peace Corps, joined, and was stationed in The Philippines for three years. He taught biology and botany at St. Mary’s School in Sagada, Mountain Province, where he met and married his wife, Diklawan Sylvia Solang.
After earning his master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Hawaii, Doug started his 28-year career as a public-health officer with USAID. His assignments brought him and his family to Vietnam, Cameroon, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and The Philippines.
After “retiring,” Doug and his family moved to Port Townsend and he took up a number of contract public-health positions with non-governmental organizations overseas. He worked with Project HOPE in Central Asia and Management Sciences for Health in Afghanistan for 14 years. He also worked aboard crab-processing boats in Alaska.
Doug was curious, adventurous, and an avid traveler. He enjoyed experiencing other cultures, appreciated art, was a passionate reader and archivist, and a collector of many things including stamps, fishing lures, aerogrammes, and artifacts from around the world.
In his last few years, Doug enjoyed playing pickleball, selling artifacts on eBay, cataloging photos and other memorabilia, telling stories of his many adventures, and fishing at his favorite spot — Point Wilson at Fort Worden.
Doug is survived and loved by his wife, Diklawan Sylvia Solang Palmer; his sons, Wylie Solang Palmer, Anton Degay Spanier Palmer, Evan Pekdasen Palmer; and daughter, Odawni Alezena Joy Palmer Sotka; and seven grandkids. He is also survived by his brother, Terry Spanier Palmer, and sister, Pam Palmer Lee.
Per Doug’s wishes, his body was donated for scientific research. There will be a memorial in honor of Doug in the next year when his family receives his ashes. Details to follow at a later time.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
4:20 PM: The National Weather Service is out with an official alert for the next wave of snow. It’s a Winter Weather Advisory for 1 am to 7 pm Thursday. They’re anticipating 1″ to 4″ of snow. (For context, the official amount from last weekend was 3 1/2 inches.) The city-specific forecast narrows that down to 2″-3″, and offers the heartening news that the temperature should get back into the 40s by Saturday.
11:50 PM: The snow started shortly after 9 pm, and the NWS put the advisory into effect a few hours earlier than planned, shortly after 10 pm. We’ll be on morning snow watch by 5:30 am.
That’s a photo from this month’s first pop-up vaccination clinic at the Community School of West Seattle, which reminds us today that they’re having another one this Sunday (January 2nd), open to all. “All doses, all types, 5 years and up, walk-ins welcome,” says Whitney Young of CSWS. It’s set for 3 pm-6 pm Sunday, 9450 22nd SW. Here’s the flyer.
(SDOT camera image, midday today)
From SDOT today, an update on West Seattle Bridge work:
Last week, crews completed the hydro-blasting work. This created access points for the work platforms to hang from and openings in the bridge deck to access the inside of the bridge.
We’ve also been working to attach rigging that will hold the work platforms in place underneath the bridge. These components consist of 10- to 14-foot-long metal cables that are being fed through the holes in the bridge deck. Next, we’ll install stairs and scaffolding inside the bridge.
In the coming weeks, we’ll begin core drilling on the inside of the bridge at Pier 16, where we’ll install post-tensioning cables to reinforce the strength of the bridge’s concrete. We’ll also be relocating utility lines at this location to make room for the additional post-tensioning cables.
(SDOT photos)
We’re continuing to build the work platforms, which we expect to will hoist up to the underside of the bridge in January. These platforms create a workspace to complete epoxy injections and carbon-fiber wrapping on the outside of the bridge.
Heads up that there may be limited weekend traffic impacts on SW Manning St and E Klickitat Ave while we raise the work platform on the east side of the bridge – stay tuned for more details about timing in future updates.
Here’s an SDOT graphic showing where those platforms will go up:
The contractor’s project manager provided an in-depth briefing of the work plan at this month’s Community Task Force meeting (WSB coverage here).
Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
AUTO-THEFT ARREST: Somebody called police late last night about what appeared to be an unoccupied car with major front-end damage, left on the northwest corner of California and Fauntleroy, jutting into the westbound lane of the latter. When officers arrived, they found a 31-year-old man in the car, which turned out to be stolen. The man, who refused to identify himself, claimed the car had broken down and he was waiting for help; when told the car was stolen, he claimed he had bought it from someone in the U-District, though he didn’t know their full name. Police arrested him and found he was carrying ammunition including a loaded 9mm magazine, which as a convicted felon he wasn’t allowed to possess. They also discovered in the suspect’s possession “a large amount of vehicle keys and other miscellaneous keys of various makes,” plus “a small amount of suspected crystal methamphetamine.” The car was impounded and the suspect was taken into jail, where, the report adds, he “made threats to harm officers … after he is released.” The report also notes that the suspect is on probation. Records show his record includes assault, auto theft, and burglary cases.
STOLEN CAR FOUND ABANDONED: Jeph sent this video of a car reported crashed and abandoned in Highland Park early Tuesday morning, engine running and airbags deployed:
In addition to reporting it to 911, Jeph called the phone number stenciled on the car and was told the car had been stolen Friday night from the Westwood Village Target parking lot.
ABANDONED BICYCLE: The photo and report are from Bolo:
Possible dumped bicycle?
Found near 5700 block Fauntleroy Way SW.
Bolo has already checked bike databases – no luck. If this might be yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.
10:35 AM: If you have eyes on Elliott Bay, watch for whales – just got word from Kersti Muul of “at least four orcas” seen in Elliott Bay. Let us know if you see them!
1:04 PM: Thanks to everyone for updates in comments. Kersti just texted that they’re now southbound passing Brace Point.
(Photo by James Borrow, taken from Alki Point)
Still snowy out there, so we have another day of closures/schedule changes. We’ll be adding as announcements are made – thanks to everyone who’s shared info:
CLOSED/CANCELED
Facilities/services:
Senior Center of West Seattle
West Seattle Food Bank
City residential solid-waste pickup (here’s the current plan for tomorrow & beyond)
Seattle Public Library‘s Delridge, West Seattle (Admiral) branches
Businesses
Alki Beach Pub (broken pipe)
Illusions Hair Design
Head To Toe Day Spa
Rambo Total Pest Control
OPEN BUT WITH CHANGES
Facilities/services:
West Seattle YMCA (9 am-4 pm)
City-run COVID testing site at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex opens at 10:30 am
Seattle Public Library‘s High Point (11 am-6 pm), Southwest (noon-6 pm) branches
West Seattle Golf Course (no golfing but “snow activities” and walking OK)
Other Seattle Parks changes
Businesses
Youngstown Coffee (10 am-2 pm)
HeartBeet Café (9 am-2 pm)
The Birdhouse (open until 1 pm)
Alki Mail & Dispatch (open until 5 pm)
If you have info to add, westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!
6:12 AM: Good morning. No incidents reported in our area right now, Here are our links:
ROAD/TRANSIT INFO
-City map of treated/closed roads, here
-City map of traffic cams, here
-Our page with West Seattle-relevant cams, here
-County map of traffic cams (choose “south” tab for White Center), here
–Metro is again running Emergency Snow Network reduced service
–West Seattle Water Taxi is operating but Vashon is not
–Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth state ferry route on regular two-boat service
WEATHER
Mid-twenties right now. Today’s forecast – breezy, sunny, high near 30, more snow not expected until very late tonight.
If you encounter any trouble on your drive/ride, let us know once you get to where you’re going – thank you. (Also be aware that the city map linked above has some inaccuracy regarding closures – it’s shown SW Avalon Way as closed since yesterday, for example, but we verified firsthand yesterday afternoon that it was clear and open.)
7:36 AM: Still quiet.
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