West Seattle, Washington

18 Thursday

37℉

month : 01/2022 300 results

No decision on Alki Point Stay Healthy Street yet, but here’s what survey respondents want
January 5, 2022 10:26 pm
|      72 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Throughout the fall, SDOT ran a survey, floating possible designs for the future of the Stay Healthy Street (aka Keep Moving Street) around Alki Point. Tonight at a joint meeting of the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Boards, an SDOT rep presented part of the results. SHS program manager Summer Jawson first gave the toplines of how many responses they got, and how people were reached:

She said the results from the Alki Point survey, which closed two weeks ago, are still being “processed,” but two questions relevant to the boards’ focus areas turned out this way:

In both those questions, 40 percent of respondents said they felt safe in the street’s current configuration while getting around a non-motorized way. Another 40 percent said they’d prefer to have separate paths for people walking/running and riding/rolling, Less than 20 percent favored a “multi-use trail” for non-motorized users.

Jawson did not offer a timetable for deciding the future of the Alki Point stretch. She did say that the Stay Healthy Streets program citywide has almost $2 million in funding, from a program earmarked for COVID relief. The rest of West Seattle’s Stay Healthy Streets -the Delridge/Highland Park stretch and the High Point stretch – were mentioned only briefly, but Jawson said that recommendations are expected “soon” regarding what should be made permanent. Some decisions about the east West Seattle SHS were announced last month.

Also shown tonight, the potential gateway/signage for SHS, same renderings shown at this West Seattle meeting in October. (See the full slide deck from tonight’s presentation here.)

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: ‘Halloween shooter’ not identified yet
January 5, 2022 8:33 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

The case of the “Halloween shooter” remains unsolved, and the victim asked us to republish the photo in another attempt to see if someone can identify him:

We first reported on the case in early November. It happened on 34th SW in Sunrise Heights; the victim and a neighbor spotted the man prowling their street and called 911 while the man was walking away. An hour later, he was back again, this time with a gun in his hand. The victim yelled at him – then, he says, his wife opened the door of their home, thinking her husband was in trouble, and the man fired at her. Bullets were found lodged in their house, and a casing and unspent bullet outside their house.

The victim tells WSB, “We met with the detective researching the case just prior to Christmas and he thought it would be helpful to see if the story could be posted again since 1) the shooter has yet to be identified and 2) the original story did generate a lot of tips. Any tips should be sent to the detective at spd6864@seattle.gov and the incident number should be referenced — 21-290133.”

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SNOW AFTERMATH: New potholes? Here’s how to get them fixed
January 5, 2022 6:24 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo – Sylvan Way, this afternoon)

One more post-snow problem – more potholes. So we asked SDOT about what’s planned and what to do if you notice new/renewed potholes. The email reply from SDOT’s Mariam Ali:

SDOT crews work year round to fill potholes, and filled over 14,000 potholes in 2021. But winter storms cause substantial damage to our roads and cause previously filled potholes to reappear throughout Seattle. We are expecting to receive a surge of requests to fill potholes in the coming weeks, and ask for the public’s patience as it will take us longer than usual to respond as our crews continue to work day and night to respond to a large number of storm-related issues.

Last year, we filled 85% of potholes within three business days after they are reported to us, however, with the recent snow and ice this may take longer than usual. The crew members who fill potholes are the same people who have been working day and night for the past 12 days on storm-response activities like driving snow plows and shoveling walkways. We’re still working incredibly hard to deal with multiple challenges and are prioritize our work based on public safety.

Snow and ice causes damage to our roadways as water finds its way into cracks in the pavement. Freezing temperatures causes the trapped water to expand into sharp ice which cuts through the pavement and forces apart fissions in the roadway. When heavy vehicles like trucks and buses drive over these fissures, pieces of pavement break loose and form larger holes.

The weather will continue to be a big challenge all winter long, as future storms may cause more potholes to form. Repairs that we make in weather like this don’t always last because the asphalt won’t bind to the surrounding pavement well when it’s too cold or wet. So many of the potholes we fill today will likely need to be repaired again over the next few months until the weather is warmer. 

New potholes appear all the time, and we can only fix potholes that we know about. If you see a pothole, report it on the report it on the FindIt FixIt App, submit an online report, email 684-ROAD@seattle.gov or call us at 206-684-ROAD [7623]. To learn more about where potholes have been reported and filled, check out our interactive Pothole Repair Status map. This map shows the locations of all the potholes which have been filled in the past 90 days (one dot may represent up to 30 potholes on a single block):

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UPDATE: Car fire at 38th/Juneau
January 5, 2022 4:59 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

4:59 PM: Thanks to Shaun for the tip and photo. That car fire happened at 38th SW and SW Juneau [map] – avoid the area for a while. Seattle Fire is still there, according to the log, 15 minutes after the dispatch. No word on cause or injuries – but no medic unit has been dispatched, suggesting no major injuries.

5:40 PM: The call is now closed, meaning firefighters have left the scene. We’re following up with SFD.

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DEVELOPMENT: New plan for long-stalled site at 5249 California SW
January 5, 2022 2:07 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(WSB photo this morning, with tagging pixelated)

What might be the longest-stalled development site in West Seattle has a new plan. At 5249 California SW [map], the small commercial building that was previously on the site was demolished almost a decade ago. The foundation for a new mixed-use building was put in six years ago, and some framing followed. After that, the site went dormant, and as reported here a year and a half ago, the property went up for sale. County records don’t yet show an ownership change, but city records show a new early-stage proposal – nine townhouses, with five offstreet-parking spaces. The site plan shows that two of the townhouses would face California SW, with the other seven lined up in north-south orientation, rowhouse style, behind them, and parking off the alley.

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FOLLOWUP: Where residential garbage, recycling, yard-waste collection stands on catch-up day 3
January 5, 2022 12:10 pm
|      60 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

That’s a Waste Management truck seen this past hour in Gatewood. We’ve heard from some readers whose neighborhoods have had solid-waste pickup so far this catch-up week and some who haven’t. We asked Seattle Public Utilities this morning for an update on where things stand – here’s the reply we received from spokesperson Sabrina Register:

Waste Management reports they had good success yesterday picking up scheduled garbage, recycling, and yard waste in West Seattle in neighborhoods, with the exception of customers located on hilly, icy streets where it remained unsafe for 25,000-pound trucks to operate. They also collected approximately 50% of ‘off-week’ recycling in West Seattle.

On all of their routes in different Seattle neighborhoods yesterday and operating on the announced one-day delay, they collected waste from 95% of Monday customers.

For customers in West Seattle who were missed both last week and this week, they can take their garbage, recycling and yard/food waste to one of our transfers station at no charge through January 9. They need to let staff at that transfer station know that they have been missed two times consecutively.

Seattle Public Utilities thanks customers for their patience as we and our contractors, Waste Management and Recology, prioritize safety to staff, customers and private property.

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VIDEO: Cougar sighting reported in West Seattle
January 5, 2022 10:48 am
|      50 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Watch the lower left of that enhanced security video and you’ll see what is reported to be a cougar (aka mountain lion), caught on camera near Westcrest Park in September. The video has just surfaced along with word of other suspected sightings – not on camera this time. We received the video and information via community naturalist Kersti Muul. She tracked down the video and the person who recorded it after first hearing about it earlier this week. After talking with him, she reports, “He has lived there for 40 years and has never seen anything like this. His house backs up to the greenbelt; a good travel route for the cougar.” She added in our email exchange, “I am assuming the cougar has moved on, which is good for all involved. It is my understanding that they don’t stay long when in urban areas. There were a few more sightings in the same area (Olsen Place SW/Westcrest Park/Roxbury) but none recently. To my knowledge, this is the FIRST confirmed Mountain Lion sighting in West Seattle.” Not the first in the city, though – for example, our friends at My Ballard noted one in Discovery Park a year ago. Find out more about mountain lions via the official state Fish and Wildlife Department page about them.

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WEST SEATTLE WEDNESDAY: District 1 Community Network, Washington State Ferries, Stay Healthy Streets, more…
January 5, 2022 9:54 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to the texter who sent that photo from the Alki seawall, taken during this morning’s high tide – highest predicted high tide of the year, as previewed here. Now on to what else is on the calendar for today/tonight:

GOVERNOR’S PANDEMIC UPDATE: The state’s COVID-19 response is part of what Gov. Jay Inslee will discuss in a media briefing at 2:30 pm. You can watch the livestream on TVW.

‘STAY HEALTHY STREETS’ UPDATE: That’s part of what’s on the agenda for tonight’s joint meeting of the city Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Boards, 6 pm online. The agenda explains how to watch/listen/comment.

WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES COMMUNITY MEETING: Also online at 6 pm, the first of two chances to hear Washington State Ferries updates. Viewing/listening information is in our calendar listing.

DISTRICT 1 COMMUNITY NETWORK: This monthly gathering of West Seattle and South Park community advocates is also online, at 7 pm. Our calendar listing has viewing/listening information.

(added) LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: At C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Seattle folk musician Jim Page from 7-9 pm. Note from C & P: “All customers and musicians will be required to show vaccination verification. Dress warmly because some windows are open with fans to circulate the air. We do have HEPA filters in place.”

OPEN MIC: Weekly open mic at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW) – signups start at 7:30 pm.

Event coming up? Email us so we can add to the calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you.

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Funeral Mass on January 15 for Helen G. Neudorfer, 1929-2021
January 5, 2022 9:00 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather January 15th to remember Helen Neudorfer, and are sharing this remembrance with the community:

Helen G. Neudorfer
5/29/21 – 11/28/21

Helen was born May 29, 1929, to William and Gertrude Hensleigh in Jordan, Montana, where she was the youngest of 7 children. Helen attended Carroll College of Nursing, earning her Bachelor of Science degree. After graduation, she moved to Seattle and, while working at Marine Hospital, met the love of her life, Bob Neudorfer, who swept her off her feet – and the rest is history! They were married September 19th, 1953 and raised their four children in West Seattle.

Bob and Helen started Neudorfer Engineers in 1970 and Liberty Bell Quick Print in 1972. Helen continued running the print shop until her retirement. She was a very active member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in West Seattle for over 65 years, being involved in ministering the eucharist to the homebound, volunteering with the soup kitchen, and giving eye and hearing exams to the children of Holy Rosary School. Helen, being a devout Catholic, attended daily Mass and was a faithful woman who loved the Lord, her family, church, and community.

Helen continued living in West Seattle until her recent move to Sequim in 2020. She returned to her heavenly home on November 28, 2021. Her devotion to her family and her firm belief in God, supported her in her illness and ultimately gave her peace. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, in 1986 and by her son, Scott, in 2009. She is survived by her sister Marion Shelton of Montana and her children Teresa (Don), Bill (Margaret), Mike (DeAnne), and daughter-in-law, Gail; six grandchildren, Greg, Morgan, Brad, Kelsey, Jenny, and Megan; and two great-grandchildren, McKenna and Wolfgang.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, January 15th at Holy Rosary Church in West Seattle, with a reception to follow at Lanigan Center.

(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)

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PLAY BALL! West Seattle Baseball registration begins
January 5, 2022 8:28 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

With the new year here, it’s not that long until spring … and baseball! Starting today, registration is open for West Seattle Baseball. Here’s the announcement:

West Seattle Baseball is excited to announce the opening of player and volunteer registration for the 2022 spring season!

Registration will be open through February 16 at the league’s new website. An early-registration discount is available to all registrations completed by January 20. [UPDATE: If that link doesn’t work, use this one.]

West Seattle Baseball offers six different divisions for players ages 4 through 18, with tee-ball and coach-pitch divisions for younger participants.

Prices start as low as $130 for the season. Registration costs include a ballcap and team jersey for each player, in addition to a full season of baseball with events three times per week from mid-March through early June.

West Seattle Baseball is a 100% volunteer-run, non-profit youth baseball league. Our goal is to provide comprehensive baseball programming which appeals to kids of all levels of enthusiasm and ability. The league prides itself on being a fun and enjoyable program that our players, their families, and their coaches want to participate in again each succeeding season. If you have questions about the league, please contact league president Peter Parker at president.wsbb@gmail.com

We hope to see you at the West Seattle PeeWee Fields soon. For the love of the game . . .

Practices Begin
Practices are set to begin on March 13 for the Pinto, Mustang, Bronco, and Pony divisions. Shetland players will begin practices on April 5.

Opening Days
Barring unforeseen delays, league play for Pinto, MuStang, Bronco, and Pony divisions will begin the same day Shetland begins practice, April 5. Shetland will begin on either April 17 or April 24.

The Big Pee-Wee Clean-up Day
Every year, volunteers gather at our baseball venue to help get the fields prepared for the season. There is plenty of work needed to have the fields and surrounding area ready for even the start of practices and tasks available for any and all levels of experience and capabilities. So please, if you are able, be ready to come to the fields on March 20th to help in any way you can!

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TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Wednesday notes
January 5, 2022 6:01 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:01 AM Good morning!

WEATHER

Showers are in the forecast again, maybe with some snow as well as rain.

WEEKEND REMINDER

This Sunday (January 9th) is the first of four Sundays this month with low-bridge closures for pre-repair testing.

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES

West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes are back on their regular schedules.

Metro is on its regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.

Ferries: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

652nd morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Traffic cams are working again:

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. S. Bridge openings are also tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.

See all local traffic cams (when they’re working) 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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MAIL WATCH: Still missing deliveries? Plus, Westwood box out of service again (briefly)
January 4, 2022 9:31 pm
|      30 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather | Westwood

9:31 PM TUESDAY: Two mail-related notes tonight:

STILL MISSING MAIL DELIVERY? Though the snow’s mostly melted, we’re still hearing from some readers that they haven’t seen U.S.Postal Service mail since before Christmas. It may not just be the weather – one reader near The Junction, for example, says a neighbor finally got mail today from a fill-in carrier who said their regular person was out with COVID. Last week, a commenter reported being told about short-staffing. Other reports of skipped deliveries are from all over the peninsula – Fairmount Springs, Gatewood, Westwood, Admiral, Arbor Heights, to name a few; the missing deliveries were mentioned repeatedly in various comment threads this past week, and this week we’ve been getting email reports. We’ve tried repeatedly to get official comment from USPS, but so far, no reply. The last official regional statement was this on December 28th, urging people to help ensure carriers’ winter safety. (ICYMI, one West Seattle neighborhood even rescued a USPS van on Sunday.)

Meantime:

WESTWOOD BOX OUT OF SERVICE AGAIN: Just a few weeks after it was replaced and reopened, the drive-up/ride-up mailbox outside the Westwood Village post office is out of service again.:

A reader mentioned this last week, and we finally got over to check on it today. This is the new, larger box that was installed just two weeks ago, days after the old one was damaged.

1 PM WEDNESDAY: We just visited the Westwood post office and noticed the box is untaped, re-locked, and back in service.

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City Attorney Ann Davison takes office, with supporter saying she’ll be ‘like no other’
January 4, 2022 8:22 pm
|      80 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Among the elected officials ceremonially sworn in today was the new Seattle City Attorney, Ann Davison. She too had a brief speech after her oath of office. She was introduced by Victoria Beach, longtime chair of the Seattle Police Department African American Community Advisory Council, who said that “Ann has given our city hope” and would be “a city attorney like no other.” Davison herself noted that she’s the first woman to hold the position, making this “a big day for women and girls in Seattle.” Even more than that, Davison said, “this election showed that people are powerful and they’re demanding that we enforce our laws,” after a time in which, she contended, many felt powerless, unsafe, and afraid. “Our legal system must be used as a tool to stand up for victims,” Davison said. She didn’t get into policy specifics but did talk about a duty to “take guns off the streets” so that “misdemeanor gun violations” aren’t followed by felony violent crimes. Davison succeeds Pete Holmes, who came in third in the primary

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VIDEO: ‘Historic day’ as two new Port of Seattle Commissioners take office
January 4, 2022 6:18 pm
|    Comments Off on VIDEO: ‘Historic day’ as two new Port of Seattle Commissioners take office
 |   Port of Seattle | West Seattle news

A “historic day” for the Port of Seattle Commission – with Commissioners Toshiko Grace Hasegawa and Hamdi Mohamed taking office today, the commission has its first People of Color majority. The five-member commission’s other POC member, Sam Cho, was elected today as commission vice president, while Ryan Calkins will serve as president, and Hasegawa as secretary. Calkins was the only incumbent re-elected in November; the other two who were on the ballot were defeated by Hasegawa and Mohamed. The two new commissioners spoke to news media this morning, before the commission’s regular monthly meeting. Hasegawa said it’s “our responsibility to address the generations of environmental harm,” while Mohamed voiced priorities including “addressing the root causes of the supply-chain crisis.” We asked both about how they plan to be more accessible to their constituents (commissioners are elected in a countywide vote). Mohamed promised “listening sessions, town halls” and a “boots on the ground” presence in the community, while Hasegawa promised to be “authentically engaging” and to work to close the “equity gap.” Both also spoke of advocating for a new generation to join the maritime workforce, which is facing a ‘silver tsunami,” as Hasegawa put it, of retirements.

The imminent opening of cargo operations at Terminal 5‘s first modernized berth in West Seattle (with the first ship calling later this week, as we ” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>first reported Monday) was briefly mentioned – Hasegawa called it “exciting,” while Calkins described it as one of the “investments we’e been making (that) are starting to pay off.” During the commission meeting this afternoon, port executive director Steve Metruck noted that the first phase of T-5 construction officially concluded just last week.

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LOWMAN BEACH: Nighttime work ahead
January 4, 2022 4:02 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(December photo, by Mike Munson)

Three and a half months after work to remove the crumbling Lowman Beach Park seawall began, Seattle Parks says night work is ahead so the project can stay on schedule. Here’s the announcement:

Seattle Parks and Recreation and McClung Construction have reached a milestone with the Lowman Beach Park seawall and beach restoration project. Two main components of this project are complete: demolition of the existing failed concrete seawall, as well as drilling and installation of the steel piles that provide structural support for the new seawall.

The next critical phase of work involves installation of the new precast concrete seawall. This work will occur between January 11 – 24, 2022 and must be performed at night to take advantage of the low tides. The installation of the precast concrete seawall must occur before February 15 when the in-water work window that protects fish and shellfish habitats closes. The time limitation for work is a requirement of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the workable low tides in January and February occur outside normal working hours.

Two night work windows at low tides will occur for:

-Preparing for the permanent installation of new seawall segments which will require up to four nights of work, however, could possibly be completed in one or two nights.

-Installing the precast wall panels, which is expected to take another three to four work nights.

Our Temporary Noise Variance Permit is currently approved for work between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. starting Tuesday, January 11, 2022, and must be completed by Monday, January 24 at 7 a.m. Although the permit allows for 14 nights of work, we expect to work a maximum of eight nighttime shifts.

McClung Construction will do what is feasible to minimize noise levels as much as possible.

Thank you to the neighbors for their patience and cooperation during the Lowman Beach Park seawall and beach restoration project.

Project background is here.

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ALSO TONIGHT: Online town hall with four local elected officials
January 4, 2022 3:10 pm
|    Comments Off on ALSO TONIGHT: Online town hall with four local elected officials
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online | West Seattle politics

Lots of government-related news today. Just received one more announcement – an online event to which you’re invited tonight:

Your representatives in the State Senate, State House, and U.S. House of Representatives – all West Seattle residents – are inviting you to a live online town hall at 6:30 tonight:

Join Sen. Joe Nguyen, Rep. Eileen Cody, and Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, for a virtual town hall–featuring Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal!

The town hall will begin with an introduction by each participant, move into a conversation about the issues facing Washington in the build up to the 2022 Legislative Session, and end with questions from the audience.

The Legislators will also answer participant questions during the stream, but if you would like to submit a question ahead of time, please send an email to sdc.media@leg.wa.gov with the subject line “34th Town Hall.”

You can see the stream here.

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UPDATE: Downed wires cleared near Lincoln Park
January 4, 2022 2:23 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

2:23 PM: Avoid Fauntleroy Way near the south end of Lincoln Park – a downed wire has led to the street being blocked off. Updates as we get them.

2:35 PM: Here’s a live view of the scene, looking south down Fauntleroy:

For now, you can only reach the ferry dock from the south, until this is cleared.

2:48 PM: As the live image above shows, the road’s open again.

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FOLLOWUP: Water Taxi returning to regular West Seattle, Vashon service
January 4, 2022 1:44 pm
|    Comments Off on FOLLOWUP: Water Taxi returning to regular West Seattle, Vashon service
 |   King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

1:44 PM: Metro says West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi service should both return to regular schedules later today. You’ll recall that both M/V Sally Fox and M/V Doc Maynard were out of service for propeller problems, so M/V Spirit of Kingston was going to handle both routes – then windy weather canceled Vashon runs this morning. We asked about the plan for this afternoon/evening, and Metro spokesperson Al Sanders replied, “Water Taxi crew is on its way to pick up the Sally Fox for Vashon service tonight. We should be back to regular service on both routes.”

3:01 PM: That said, Metro has just announced one change in the transition: “3:00 PM Water Taxi departure from West Seattle canceled due to lack of crew. The Water Taxi will resume regular service beginning with the 3:25 departure from downtown Seattle.”

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VIDEO: Mayor Bruce Harrell’s first speech, envisioning ‘One Seattle’
January 4, 2022 11:05 am
|      33 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Seattle Channel recording of this morning’s event)

11:05 AM: Two months after Seattle voters elected him, Mayor Bruce Harrell is now in office, and right now you can see his first speech as it happens – following a ceremonial swearing-in – by clicking into the Seattle Channel stream above. We’ll be publishing topline notes below.

He opens by saying “2022 is not like past years”- it’s not a time to open with exuberance but to acknowledge it’s been a fearful time for people, including fear that “Seattle is going in the wrong direction.” He promises an “obsession” with competence and kindness. He says – in first mentioning the homelessness crisis – that the city will be intolerant “not of the people who are unhoused but of the conditions that caused them to become unhoused.” He says, “We’ll implement ideas that work.” He declares, “We are not afraid.” He discusses the diversity of his executive team, including “three deputy mayors who are women of color.”

Looking to the future – “Seattle will be thriving – no more of this ‘dying’ narrative,” Harrell insists. “Everyone will have an opportunity to help us.” His request for the cynical: “Give us a chance.” He wants the city to be “one Seattle.” He says it’s time to move toward “healing and reparation and restoration” and “a real dialogue.” He promises “health care for all … we’ll make sure every resident in our city not only has health care but is healthy.” This will involve partnership with providers and he says talks are under way. Also: He promises everyone will feel “safe and supportive,” from gun-violence prevention to police accountability. He says Seattle has the chance to set a national example. Then regarding homelessness, he says “One Seattle” doesn’t let people suffer on its streets and promises to publish a plan “within the first quarter,” with an accompanying executive order.He mentions another executive order to review processes to expedite “affordable housing” construction.

He also says the city will be hiring a new Parks director (if that means the current superintendent is leaving, that’s the first time it’s been mentioned). Also, a new mentorship program in which he says the city will partner with Seattle Public Schools. He says that also will address violence and protect young lives. “We must be all in for protecting our kids.”

He promises that these aren’t just empty promises – they’re policy commitments. “We’re not going to play small ball,” says the former athlete. He also notes that “One Seattle” doesn’t mean bragging that Seattle is “number one” but rather unity that includes humility. “We will replace fear with love,” he promises in closing.

11:28 AM: It’s on to media Q&A. First asks about his creation of a Chief Equity Officer position. That will include “new outreach strategies,” especially for “small BIPOC businesses,” and ensuring that good-paying jobs are accessible to all.

Will he keep Interim Police Chief Adrian Diaz? Harrell says that hasn’t been decided yet, but “discussions” are continuing.

Asked to elaborate on “health care for all,” the mayor says they’re starting with addressing those who don’t have health care – so they’ll start by formulating a plan for those people within a few months.

Asked about his political position, he refutes the suggestion that he’s not “progressive” – “I ran on a progressive agenda … This is what progressive policy looks like. … My plea to those who claim to be the progressives, give us a chance and let us work together.”

Asked about the shortage of COVID testing and parents’ anguish in deciding whether to send kids to school, he says the city is partnering with the state and county, but has no new specifics, promising an “inventory” of how things are working.

Will he extend the eviction moratorium? “We’ll announce that in due time” – within the next week – he says, noting that “small landlords” are at risk as well as tenants. The decisionmaking process will include looking at whether the moratorium “worked.”

When will people see a difference in addressing homelessness? He promises “real progress in a short time” as well as more clarity with existing data – so that it’s easier to understand where people live now, and what’s happening.

11:45 AM: The event wraps up. We’ll add the recorded video above when it’s available. (Note: Video added at 12:20 pm – if you can’t see the embedded version above, go to this Seattle Channel page.)

5 PM UPDATE: We asked the mayor’s office about the “parks director” reference. They replied that superintendent Jesús Aguirre is “retiring from the office later this month.”

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WEST SEATTLE TUESDAY: New mayor’s first speech, and what else is happening
January 4, 2022 10:06 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Stewart L.)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:

NEW MAYOR’S FIRST SPEECH: Bruce Harrell has officially taken office as mayor. At 11 am on Seattle Channel, you can see his ceremonial public swearing-in, followed by his first speech, “about his vision for a united City.”

PORT COMMISSION: At noon online, the Seattle Port Commission meets, first time with its two newly elected commissioners Toshiko Grace Hasegawa and Hamdi Mohamed. The agenda includes information on how to watch/listen.

CITY COUNCIL: First council meeting of the year, 2 pm – with agenda items including election of the council’s new president. The agenda has viewing/commenting info.

DEMONSTRATION: 4:30-6 pm at 16th/Holden, Scott leads the weekly sign-waving demonstration for racial justice.

ENDOLYNE CHILDREN’S CHOIR: 4:30 pm, it’s the start of winter session. Registration is still open for new participants, as explained here.

TAE KWON DO: Winter session starts at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), 6 pm – registration info here.

TRIVIA X 2: 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).

There’s more on our calendar – and if you have something for a future listing, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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MUSIC: Endolyne Children’s Choir winter session starts today – new singers welcome!
January 4, 2022 9:00 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Young singer in the household? Endolyne Children’s Choir welcomes new participants for its winter session, which starts today! Here’s the announcement:

Endolyne Children’s Choir is excited to welcome all three of our choir levels back to in-person rehearsals this Winter Session. This is the first time that our youngest singers in our Debut Choir have been in person for two years and we are excited to welcome new singers to our non-audition choir. Registration for all levels, kindergarten to 12th grade, is open now. Visit form.jotform.com/213500279812148 to register!

Winter session dates: January 4 – March 8, with a concert on March 13.
Rehearsal location: Parish Hall at St. John the Baptist church: 3050 California Ave SW.
Rehearsal times:
Debut: 4:30-5:30 (for all singers in grades K-2)
Encore: 5:45-6:45 (for all singers in grades 3-5, and new ECC choristers in grade 6)
Advanced Ensemble: 7:00 – 8:30 (returning ECC choristers in grade 6, and all singers in grades 7-12)
Tuition: We offer 5 tiers of tuition pricing, from full tuition to full scholarship. You will select your tuition option when registering.
Covid Info: We will continue to follow our successful Covid Safety Plan.
Our staff and volunteers are fully vaccinated.
Our rehearsal space is large and well-ventilated.
All singers must provide proof of Covid vaccination, with the date of their second shot on or before 1/4/2022.
Singers will maintain a minimum 6 feet of distance when singing.
Singers must wear medical-grade 3-layer masks at all times (we always have masks available at rehearsal.)
Singers will have their temperatures checked upon arrival each week.

Winter session begins Tuesday, January 4th. Please visit endolynechoir.org for more information.

You can see part of the choir in concert in this video.

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Tuesday notes
January 4, 2022 6:02 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

7:59 AM: WS water taxi is back to regular schedule this morning – Vashon is canceled because of wind.

Earlier:

6:02 AM Good morning!

WEATHER

Rain and snow are in the forecast again, so be ready for anything.

SCHOOL NOTES

Seattle Public Schools are scheduled to reopen today.

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES

West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes are sharing a boat today, as announced last night, because two boats need repairs – see the temporary schedule here.

Metro is back on its regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.

Ferries: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

651st morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Many area traffic cams were still down as of early this morning – here are two we have right now:

The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

South Park Bridge:

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

See all local traffic cams (when they’re working) 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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UPDATE: 1 arrested in stabbing near southeast West Seattle gas station
January 4, 2022 1:43 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

1:43 AM: SPD and SFD have sent a sizable response to the gas station/mini-mart in the 7800 block of Detroit SW [map] after a reported stabbing. No word yet on the severity of the victim’s injuries. Dispatch told officers the suspect claimed it was a self-defense situation; they’ve radioed in that they are talking with him now.

9:27 AM: No additional details from police yet, but SFD reports treating a 56-year-old man who was in stable condition and then is reported to have gone to a hospital in a “private vehicle.”

12:31 PM: From SPD:

One man was stabbed early Tuesday following a dispute between a landlord and tenant in a rented motorhome … Around 1:30 AM, the landlord called police and said he’d been stabbed near Detroit Ave Southwest & 1st Ave Southwest.

The tenant had also called 911 and claimed he had stabbed the victim in self-defense during a dispute.

Officers found the victim, who was bleeding from his abdomen, and learned he had gone to the motorhome to contact the tenant, who had allegedly changed the locks and stopped paying rent.

The victim had asked to be let inside, had asked to use the bathroom, and then emerged to find the suspect armed with a knife. The tenant then stabbed him.

The tenant told police he believed the victim had previously stolen several hundred dollars worth of items from the motorhome and thrown water on his bed.

Officers arrested the tenant and booked him into the King County Jail.

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