West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
6:02 AM Good morning!
WEATHER
Foggy and cloudy again today, high in the 40s.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on a regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.
West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes are on regular schedules.
Ferries: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
672nd morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras are still 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 here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
Tonight Seattle Public Schools updated its COVID-19 case-numbers dashboard. Districtwide, the cumulative SPS case total for this school year is now 4,587, 997 more than a week earlier – which is two-thirds the size of last week’s increase. Here’s the local school-by-school breakout (as always, these totals also are cumulative):
Chief Sealth International High School – 102, up 25
Madison Middle School – 73, up 22
Arbor Heights Elementary – 60, up 20
Fairmount Park Elementary – 55, up 28
West Seattle High School – 53, up 9
West Seattle Elementary – 52, up 9
Louisa Boren STEM K-8 – 48, up 16
Denny International Middle School – 48, up 8
Highland Park Elementary – 46, up 31
Concord International (Elementary) – 41, up 13
Genesee Hill Elementary – 39, up 8
Sanislo Elementary – 39, up 3
Roxhill Elementary – 36, up 8
Lafayette Elementary – 31, up 11
Gatewood Elementary – 31, up 6
Pathfinder K-8 – 31, unchanged
Alki Elementary – 29, up 6
BRIDGES @ Roxhill – 2, unchanged
Denny IMS (2601 SW Kenyon) continues to serve as a regional testing site for SPS students, families, and staff, 4-8 pm weekdays.
(WSB photo, January 8th)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Two months short of two years since the West Seattle Bridge closed, no date is set yet for its reopening, aside from “mid-2022.” SDOT‘s contract with the company fixing it, Kraemer North America, says they’re supposed to finish their work no later than June 30th. Testing will follow. And at some point around the reopening, a community celebration is expected (as we first noted in October). What kind of celebration? That’s up to the community – so a brainstorming session today officially kicked off the planning.
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce and Junction Association convened a call with dozens of neighborhood advocates and businesspeople to invite ideas and to solicit volunteers for planning committees. The many ideas ran largely along two paths – celebrating the bridge itself, and welcoming visitors back to the peninsula. Celebrating the community members who’ve endured bridgelessness for two years should also be a goal, it was suggested. One big event? Multiple events? Merge the celebration with already-planned events like West Seattle Summer Fest, which is expected to return July 15-17, or the West Seattle Grand Parade, also likely to return this summer? Celebration on the bridge? Somewhere else, like a park or stadium or street? This was a “no bad ideas” type of conversation, so every suggestion and question was duly noted.
The executive directors of the WSCC and WSJA, Whitney Moore and Chris Mackay, said they’d had some preliminary conversations with SDOT, describing the department as “open” to possibilities, but with one big stipulation, which SDOT itself noted in October: The actual bridge reopening can’t be delayed in any way. If a celebration is planned on the bridge for a certain Sunday, for example, and the bridge is deemed ready to go on the preceding Friday, sorry, the bridge won’t wait, the WSCC and WSJA leaders say they were told. So that is a factor to consider. The only thing they said SDOT could say for sure in terms of a timeline is the same thing the city said in October – that they’ll know one month in advance.
P.S. Wondering if money is budgeted for a celebration? The WSCC and WSJA said no. (We are checking with SDOT to see if that goes for the city too.) So that could mean sponsors will be sought to cover any costs. That’s another reason why volunteer help is being sought now. If you’re interested in helping, contact WSJA or WSCC.
(WSB photo)
We’ve received questions about when the new play structure between Fairmount Park Elementary and Fairmount Playfield is going to open – it’s remained fenced off, three months after installation. The most recent project-website update blamed the concrete strike for recent delays and suggested it’ll be open next month. We followed up directly with Seattle Parks today and spokesperson Karen O’Connor tells WSB the main delay now is the material they need to put under the structure:
We were hoping to open this week, but we are awaiting delivery of the engineered wood fiber (EWF) needed for fall attenuation. In addition to the unexpected concrete strike, we have been challenged by long lead times to have EWF delivered due to labor and material shortages.
We were alerted this AM that the full amount of EWF will not be delivered tomorrow as planned. The project landscape architect is working with our vendor to see if we can schedule additional deliveries this week. After delivery we need to have the final inspection and then can remove the construction fencing. We are hoping to open the play area open early next week.
This is almost two years behind the original schedule detailed on the Parks sign that’s still up at the project site. Planning began in 2019.
A remembrance from the family of Charlie Nickels:
Charlie Nickels
May 22, 1995-January 22, 2021 The more one is loved, the more they are missed. Charlie, you are missed beyond measure.
(WSB photo, last month)
Three and a half weeks have passed since the “sneak peek” day at the future Ezell’s Famous Chicken location in Morgan Junction, but it still hasn’t opened. “Late January” was the likely timeframe mentioned then, so since that’s arrived, we asked the company for a status. Reply: “At this point, our timeline has shifted and early-mid February is our new target.” So in case you were wondering too, now you know. We first reported a year ago that the regional fried-chicken chain was headed this way.
P.S. As listed on our West Seattle Jobs Offered page, they’re still hiring.
(L-R, Alexander Kilian and Lamar Legend – photo by John McLellan)
Wednesday night is your first chance to see the next production at ArtsWest Playhouse (WSB sponsor), the world premiere of “Monsters of the American Cinema” by award-winning playwright Christian St. Croix. That’s your chance to see a 7:30 pm discount-ticket preview; then Thursday is the official opening night. Here’s the synopsis:
When his husband dies, Remy Washington, a Black man, finds himself both the owner of a drive-in movie theater and a caregiver to his late husband’s straight, white teenage son, Pup. United by their love of classic American monster movies, the two have developed a warm and caring familial chemistry – but their relationship fractures when Remy discovers Pup and his friends have been bullying a gay teen at his school. “Monsters of the American Cinema” is a haunting and humorous tale about fathers and sons, ghosts and monsters.
Lamar Legend stars as Remy and also directs the play. Legend is from Seattle, as is co-star Alexander Kilian, who plays Pup. The official run of “Monsters of the American Cinema” is Thursday (January 27th) through February 20th; after the preview, regular performances will be at 7:30 pm Thursdays-Saturdays and 3 pm Sundays. As with ArtsWest’s first play of the season, there will be an opportunity to see it online, too. Tickets are available online here or by phone at 206-938-0339.
Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
WEST BAY BREAK-IN: Just as West Bay Coffee and Smoothies worked to recover from weather damage, with community help, they got hit by crime. The image and report were sent by proprietor Jennifer West:
After all the trouble with our year starting out, the new storage shed that we got funded by the community lasted 3 hours and is already been broken into. Here’s the burglar vehicle, no plates.
We’ll add the incident number when we get it.
STREET ROBBERY: From weekend SPD summaries – a sale arranged online led to a holdup in person. Police say they were called to Delridge/Edmunds just after 9 pm Saturday. The victim told them he had arranged via Facebook Marketplace to buy a phone from someone. The person who showed up “brandished a silver handgun and stole victim’s cell phone and wallet,” then took off on foot, southbound. The summary does not include a description.
The King County Water Taxi‘s 1:00 pm run to downtown from Seacrest Park is running up to 20 minutes late, according to Metro: “Vessel Captain and crew had to switch vessels due to unexpected issue with a generator.” We’ll update if that leads to any additional problems later in the day.
ORIGINAL MONDAY REPORT: Two months ago, we reported on the then-pending sale of West Seattle’s last freestanding Christian Science church, at 3601 SW Barton [map]. There was no hint at the time of who was buying it and what the one-acre site’s future would be; it was being marketed with possibilities including eight new homes. The sale still hasn’t shown up in county records but a new filing with the city proposes a use for the site – a preschool. WorldKids School, which already has two locations in West Seattle and others elsewhere, has filed an early-stage site plan that would convert the church building into a preschool. The site plan also shows a playground at the northeast corner of the site. We have an inquiry out to WorldKids seeking more information about their plan. As for the former church, a regional spokesperson for the denomination told us that the small group that had continued to meet at the site was disbanding. This wouldn’t be the first former West Seattle church converted into a preschool – we reported last year on Westside School (WSB sponsor) doing the same thing with the former New Apostolic Church adjacent to its Arbor Heights campus.
ADDED TUESDAY: We heard back today from WorldKids founder Nicole Chaudry:
WorldKids School has been looking for properties that can serve more families in our community for a while now. We currently have a 1-2 year waitlist at all of our current locations and this new space will allow us to serve more families.
We are thrilled that the church group has agreed to sell the building to our organization. Plans are very preliminary at this point but we will be obtaining financing through the SBA. The remodel, permits etc will take 6-12 months. We will remodel the church building in order to bring it up to code and make it suitable for our preschool center. We have no plans to develop the property but might expand our playground at some point.
(Lincoln Park – photo by Theresa Arbow O’Connor)
Here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead:
NODE MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES BEGIN: As previewed here – you can check with MMPA (nonprofit sibling of WSB sponsor Mode Music Studios) to see if there are still openings.
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING: On their new schedule, the council’s weekly “briefing meeting” is at 2 pm Mondays, with their regular business meeting at 2 pm Tuesdays. Watch live at seattlechannel.org.
COVID TESTING AT DENNY IMS: 4-8 pm weekdays, Seattle Public Schools students, staff, and families are welcome at this walk-in testing site. In the cafeteria (2601 SW Kenyon).
FREE POWER YOGA/PILATES CLASS: 5 pm at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW), ages 16 and up welcome.
TRIVIA X 3: Here are tonight’s three options – 7 pm at Best of Hands (35th/Webster), 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
6:03 AM Good morning!
WEATHER
Foggy, cloudy, cool, high in the 40s.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on a regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.
West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes are on regular schedules.
Ferries: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
671st morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras are still 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 here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
Four short reader reports tonight:
STOLEN CAR: Missy lives in Arbor Heights. Her car was stolen on Capitol Hill. In case it winds up here – or you see it off-peninsula – here’s what to watch for:
It’s a white Chevy Sonic, flat black rims, plate #BUE0342, stolen Friday night. Call 911 if you see it.
PACKAGE TAKEN: The security-camera image and report were sent by Charles:
This morning at 9:48 this lady stole a package from our front door in the Admiral District; please advise neighbors to be on the lookout.
TENNIS-COURT DAMAGE: The photo and report were sent by Brian:
The net on one of the (Lincoln Park) courts was recently cut out. I played yesterday 1/22/22 and noticed the damage.
Note that if you see damage, whether vandalism or not, at a city park facility, you can report it at 206-684-7250.
DRIVE-BY VANDALISM: A reader sent this early today: “Some teens are going around West Seattle egging houses. They are driving an old silver Ford Explorer.” Yes, that’s vandalism, as we’ve discussed here over the years – it can cause damage that you can’t just clean off, for one.
Staffing shortages at two city-government agencies were part of what the Alki Community Council heard about at its January meeting, held in-person and online this past Thursday night:
TENDING TO PARKS: The ACC has had a longstanding collaboration with Seattle Parks, including stewardship of Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, which was a community-created/-funded project in the 00s. This area’s longtime crew chief Carol Baker recently retired, and the acting crew chief was a guest Thursday night.
(December photo by James Tilley)
They did it in December, and Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are returning for another nighttime low-tide beach walk at Constellation Park south of Alki Point. They’ll be at the beach next Saturday (January 29th), 7-9 pm. The tide won’t be out quite as far it was during the December beach walk, but far enough for (careful) exploration: -2.4 feet at 8:39 pm. No need to pre-register – just show up.
Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos enabling us to publish another Sunday bird gallery! Above, Stewart L. spotted a flotilla of waterfowl in Elliott Bay. Below, Tom Tulin caught a lone duck ready to take the plunge at Lincoln Park:
Matthew Olson photographed a Belted Kingfisher keeping a lookout onshore:
Moving inland, two Northern Flickers, courtesy of Chi K Photography:
From Trileigh Tucker, a Townsend’s Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler:
Three divergent perspectives of Anna’s Hummingbirds feeding – photographed by Bandit, sipping from rosemary:
Jon Anderson, with an aerial view:
And Jerry Simmons, in silhouette:
Theresa Arbow-O’Connor‘s resident Steller’s Jay struck a pose:
And we conclude with an honorary guest, though photographed outside West Seattle, in Seward Park – Bette Horishige is a fan of the bird galleries and sent in this Pileated Woodpecker
We appreciate all the photos, from birds to breaking news and beyond – westseattleblog@gmail.com is the best way to send something non-urgent – thank you!
For the first time in three months, HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – will gather (virtually) this Wednesday. The agenda includes two topics of perennial concern for every neighborhood – crime and traffic. SPD will be there for trends and Q&A about the former; SDOT will be there to talk about Flip Your Trip, which the department says is now up to 5,000 signups from people trying commute alternatives. All are welcome to the online meeting at 7 pm Wednesday (January 26th) – connection/call-in information is on the HPAC website. (Here’s our coverage of the previous HPAC meeting back in October.)
1:54 PM: Seattle Fire is arriving at a “full response” callout (updated) at a building at 3703 California SW. Updates to come.
1:56 PM: They’re sending a second alarm. Dispatchers told firefighters there had been reports of possible fire-setting related to a domestic-violence incident, and they’re sending an arson investigator.
2 PM: Northbound California is blocked at Charlestown.They’re now canceling the investigator, telling dispatch “there was no fire.” Most of the response has been canceled. We’re still heading that way to see if we can find out more at the scene. Only two units are remaining on scene.
2:15 PM: At the scene, the incident commmander confirms there was no fire, but somebody “pulled the fire alarm.” Peopl who were briefly evacuated from the building have been allowed back inside, and SFD is leaving.
That’s video from a burglary right before Christmas at Mystery Made in The Junction. As we reported at the time, that was the second time in less than two years that the independent shop has been hit; the first was a few months before Mystery Made moved to The Junction from Admiral. Local real-estate broker Mara Haveson, a friend of proprietor Cory Cote, emailed today to say she has organized a crowdfunding campaign, explaining, “He is struggling with the repairs needed to make his shop safer and can use a little help from the community.” If you’re interested in helping, here’s how.
Winter is time to look ahead to next fall, for many families with students. Many schools are continuing online open houses and tours. Our calendar has some of them – we just got word, for example, that West Seattle’s most populous elementary, Genesee Hill, has an event Tuesday for prospective kindergarten families:
Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by August 31st and entering Kindergarten this Fall? Genesee Hill Elementary will be hosting a Virtual Open House on Tuesday, January 25th at 7:00 PM. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the administrative staff and learn about the school program. We will be re-hosting again on February 10th for those of you who are unable to join us this Tuesday. You can find more information about Genesee Hill and access the Zoom tour link on the website geneseehilles.seattleschools.org . For more information about enrolling your child in Seattle Public Schools, visit seattleschools.org/news/new-student-enrollment
For other Seattle Public Schools tours/open houses, see the list on that same district webpage. Our calendar, meantime, also has an announcement we’ve received for this week from Lafayette Elementary. If your school – public or independent – wants to spotlight theirs, please email information to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Slime mold in Schmitz Park, photographed by Rosalie Miller)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what’s up for your Sunday:
TRAFFIC ALERT – LOW-BRIDGE CLOSURES: Today is the fourth of five Sundays during which SDOT plans to close the low bridge three times, up to half an hour each time, for measurements needed to prepare for repair work, as explained here. The closures are expected to happen around 9 am, 1 pm, and 5 pm.
ROAD WORK ALERT – REPAVING: SDOT crews are expected to conclude repaving SW 106th between 39th and 42nd today.
CHURCHES: Many West Seattle churches have reverted to online-only for now because of the recent COVID surge – here’s our weekly update on 20+ churches.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, it’s the weekly WSFM (WSB sponsor). (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
DINE-OUT BENEFIT: Dine-in or take-out, 2-7:30 pm, part of the proceeds at Lady Jaye (4523 California SW) go to Genesee Hill Elementary.
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 to list in our calendar and previews? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photo, Friday night)
The man arrested early today, six and a half hours after taking over the Westwood Village Target, had been released from jail one week earlier, after a judge refused prosecutors’ request to set bail for a case in which he was accused of assaulting a police officer. Charges have since been filed in that January 13th case, and because of that, as well as his self-identification on social media during last night’s incident, we are publishing the defendant’s name, Timothy A. Clemans.
The 31-year-old Burien resident had an initial court hearing today, and a judge found probable cause to hold him for investigation of first-degree burglary. The document from today’s hearing details what police say happened before and during the standoff. First, they say, he called 911 to say he was going to take hostages somewhere in an hour because he’d been refused services at a hospital. He was on the phone with the 911 calltaker much of the way to what turned out to be the Target store, “talking about past crimes and the need for mental-health services.” After detailing what he told the 911 calltaker, the document then goes into how Target employees, including security staff, managed to get everyone out safely once he arrived and started declaring he was going to take hostages, after arming himself with a knife from a shelf at the store. One customer in a motorized wheelchair even came face to face with him, the document says, and told him to “get the f— away from me,” and he did. Security helped her get out of the store and soon it was empty, except for Clemans.
In the assault case earlier this month, court documents say he approached a police officer near 4th/Jackson downtown and said he needed “crisis services.” The officer said he needed a reason to arrange for that. Clemans then punched the officer in the eye. He was booked into jail, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asked a judge to set bail at $10,000, but the judge – not identified in documents – instead released him on personal recognizance. Four days later, prosecutors charged him with third-degree assault.
Prosecutors note that they have filed charges in every case involving Clemans that’s been referred to them by police or deputies. Earlier this month, they handled his sentencing for two King County Sheriff’s Office misdemeanor cases in District Court. Documents aren’t available so we don’t have details of those cases, but they apparently involved threats and “unlawful display of a weapon.” At the sentencing hearing on January 6th, he received a sentence that prosecutors say the file indicates “would have been satisfied with the time that he had already spent in jail.” The aforementioned officer-punching incident happened one week later.
He has two felony convictions since 2019. Three years ago, he showed up at the West Precinct downtown with a realistic-looking BB gun and attempted to provoke officers. That resulted in an assault conviction and a six-month sentence. Then in 2020, he was found guilty of felony harassment for another incident with a knife at a Target store, this time downtown, evacuated after he armed himself with a knife and demanded that police come kill him. He was sentenced to three months in jail.
Clemans has a different kind of history with SPD before the aforementioned incidents and others. In the mid-2010s he worked with the department on technology issues such as automation that could make it less labor-intensive for SPD to release records without violating privacy. We mentioned his work briefly in a few WSB stories, here and here.
WHAT’S NEXT: A judge will consider bail. It’s up to the KCPAO to file charges in this case, which require more documentation from SPD, but, spokesperson Casey McNerthney tells WSB, “We plan to act on it immediately if/when it’s referred to us.”
The nighttime temperature is back into the 30s, so West Seattle’s only emergency shelter, at the Veterans’ Center in The Triangle, has reopened. From its operator Keith Hughes:
The overnight shelter is open, and will be each night this week, as well as the morning Warm-up Center. Warm-up hours are 7:30 – 11 am. Shelter opens at 5 pm, with hot meal at 6:30 pm. Check in for overnight closes at 10 pm.
The Shelter is located at the American Legion Hall at 3618 SW Alaska St in West Seattle.
Volunteers and financial support remain needed and appreciated, as noted here.
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