month : 03/2022 305 results

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Another catalytic-converter theft; cursive tagger

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ANOTHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT: After this week’s earlier reports of a catalytic-converter thief in a “dark sedan,” another reader sent this:

We just received the police report number for a catalytic converter theft that occurred in our garage in the Avalon Way area over this past weekend. It occurred just past midnight Sunday morning. We don’t have images of the theft, but the cameras in the area leave no doubt that this person was responsible. Police report T22008061.

Black or dark blue Infiniti sedan, off-color left front quarter panel, no license plate. He tailgated a resident through the security gate. (The targeted car) was a Toyota Prius and it took him about 10 minutes.

CURSIVE TAGGER: This is part of the tag scrawled on Kim’s car near Cove Park in Fauntleroy, more like cursive handwriting than a typical tag:

She reports the same tag on a sign at Lincoln Park as well as two garages and a van in the area.

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VIDEO: 3405 Harbor Avenue project begins with West Seattle’s first apartment-groundbreaking ceremony since 2014

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

(WSB photo: HDC’s Brad Padden, STS’s Craig Haveson, Atelier Drome’s Michelle Linden)

It’s been more than 7 years since the last time a ceremonial groundbreaking launched construction of a residential project in West Seattle. That was for The Whittaker in 2014; today, it was for the first of at least eight West Seattle projects on which Housing Diversity Corporation and STS Construction Services (WSB sponsor) are partnering. This will be a 114-apartment building at 3405 Harbor Avenue SW (previously 3417 Harbor, when we covered its journey through the Design Review process). Before the shiny ceremonial shovels went into the ground, the project was explained by HDC’s Adina Eaton and Brad Padden, STS’s Craig Haveson, and architect Atelier Drome‘s Michelle Linden (whose firm is also investing in the project):

We asked Haveson a few followup questions, starting with a question about the “puzzle parking” he had mentioned in his remarks. This building was planned with 65 parking spaces, and Haveson says that’s only because they’re required by the city – while the project is in a “frequent transit” zone, that only partially reduces the amount of required parking, as the site is not part of an urban village. “Puzzle parking” enables more cars to be parked in less space, thanks to a mechanical system (explained here) that stacks and shuffles them. If traditional lot or garage spaces had to be built, Haveson says, this project wouldn’t have penciled out.

(Rendering of 3405 Harbor by Atelier Drome, looking SW)

The word repeatedly used for the future apartments, especially by HDC, is “attainable” rather than “affordable”; though there will be some 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, the focus is on smaller spaces. The target residents, Haveson observed, are more into experiences – if their rent is $100 cheaper, that’s “two more dinners out.” The partners also stress the location of this project, on the path to Alki and the Water Taxi dock, a bus ride away from the businesses in The Junction.

WHAT’S NEXT: As we reported four weeks ago, site work has begun; construction of a project this size typically takes at least a year and a half. We asked Padden which of the partnership’s seven other West Seattle projects – all listed on the HDC website – is likely to break ground next; he said 9201 Delridge Way SW and 4448 California SW are the closest.

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READER REPORT: Tree falls on Lincoln Park path

March 29, 2022 7:10 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Just in case you saw this too, it’s been reported, Catherine tells us:

My friends and I were walking on the beach in Lincoln Park this afternoon and came upon a large Madrone tree that had just fallen across the path along the south beach side of the park near the shelters. There are pieces of broken wood everywhere and some still hanging perilously in the branches of other surrounding trees so people should be very careful to walk around the site of the fallen tree. I called the incident to the Seattle Parks & Rec. emergency line and also sent them a photo via the Find It Fix It app. Hopefully they will be out there cleaning up the area soon.

It’s been a few hours, so that might already have happened – but if not, know that it’s been reported. (If you see a problem like this at a city park, 206-684-7250 is the maintenance line.)

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REOPENED: Andover Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge, after 7 1/2-month closure

March 29, 2022 4:59 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photos, this afternoon)

Thanks to Dawn for the tip: A West Seattle bridge has reopened. Not THE bridge, but close, literally – the walking/rolling bridge at Andover, which passes over the southwest end of the two-years-closed West Seattle Bridge, is now open again, SDOT confirms. This bridge, too, was closed suddenly – last August, SDOT declared it closed in advance of a planned seismic-improvement project, citing various concerns. The actual work on that project didn’t start until months later. It was expected to be done by the end of January, and then came the concrete strike. But a week and a half ago, SDOT said the contractor had obtained some concrete. Now, work is done and the bridge is back in service.

P.S. We’re working on an update about that “other” bridge.

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NEED A BOOSTER? Pliable clinic in West Seattle this Sunday

March 29, 2022 4:19 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

Local health-care providers Pliable have just sent word of a booster-only COVID vaccination event in West Seattle this Sunday morning, “with room to extend depending on demand”:

*COVID BOOSTER EVENT*
SUNDAY 4/3
PLIABLE
Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW) 8 am-12 pm

Those eligible include:
ages 50+ Moderna/Pfizer who are at least 4 months from prior booster dose
ages 18+ Moderna/Pfizer who received J&J as initial dose/booster at least 4 months ago
ages 12+ Pfizer who are immunocompromised and received prior booster at least 4 months ago

Register at www.bepliable.com (registration strongly encouraged due to supply, walk-ups welcome while supply allows)

Here’s the update today from the CDC and FDA regarding second boosters for some people.

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FOLLOWUP: See how Lowman Beach is taking shape post-seawall

March 29, 2022 2:20 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

2:20 PM: Thanks to Mike Munson for another progress-report photo from the Lowman Beach Park project – this time, a full view of the shore with the crumbling section of seawall removed. Mike reports, “Looks like the Lowman Beach Park project is close to finished. A natural beach has returned where the old sea wall was, the pile of stored logs has been spread out over the beach, and two small concrete slab have been poured above the beach. They are for benches, said the man removing the concrete forms there today.” We last checked on the project a month ago, as nighttime work wrapped up, and are checking again with Parks now to see if they have an estimated completion date.

3:11 PM: Project manager Janice Liang tells WSB, “The project is at near completion, as we have already completed key millstones on beach grading, Pelly Creek and seawall installation. We are now wrapping up the project with landscape and restoration work including irrigation, seeding, planting, and fencing at the north property line. Due to lead time on fencing fabrication, anticipated park opening in late May.”

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EGG HUNT: Fauntleroy Community Association’s event approaches

March 29, 2022 12:59 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

It’s almost April, so you might be thinking about springtime fun. Some of the community egg hunts that were annual traditions pre-pandemic won’t be back this year, but the Fauntleroy Community Association is proceeding with its multi-day event. Here’s a reminder as well as a final invitation for volunteer help.

It’s almost here! The Fauntleroy Community Association annual Spring Egg Hunt. You can begin keeping an eye out for eggs in the greater Fauntleroy area starting on April 12 and ending the evening of April 16. Volunteers will be hiding them in public areas, no private properties, between 35th Avenue SW and SW Morgan St. and basically Puget Sound. This is a “no candy” event. The eggs will come out on different days, so when you spy one, grab the little ones and have a blast!

After you open the egg and retrieve the surprise inside, we’d love you to post a picture on social media. Also, we encourage you to recycle the eggs at one of 2 bins that will be located at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and Hall up from Endolyne Joe’s, across from the YMCA. Last year we had over 100 eggs returned.

Call or email Candace Blue if you’d like to help. 208-401-8404, leeblue2@hotmail.com

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Weary of robocalls? New way to report them

March 29, 2022 11:43 am

| 14 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle online

The state Attorney General’s Office is offering a new way to report robocalls – an online complaint form that is “specifically designed to assist attorneys and investigators to quickly react to complaints and stop the calls.” Along with that, they’ve also set up a new website “with descriptions of robocalls and telemarketing scams, including strategies for combating them.” Previously, you were only able to use the AG’s general consumer-complaint form to report suspicious calls. The new form is aimed at gathering information that will help state investigators “better track and discover patterns for robocalls in the state — and prevent other Washingtonians from getting more illegal calls.” Next time you get one, here’s the new form. Read up on robocalls (some of which ARE legal) and scams here. And if you want to report non-robocall types of scams/illegal telemarketing, you can do that here. And yes, the state has taken robocallers to court – today’s announcement notes three cases, including one in which a $10 million penalty was ordered.

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YOU CAN HELP: Clean up Alki Beach with Seal Sitters and SR3

March 29, 2022 10:29 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Environment | How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network and SR3 are planning a major beach cleanup for Friday, April 15th – open to everyone, since it’s spring-break week for many students. Here’s the announcement:

Volunteers needed! SR3 (Seattle Response + Rehab + Research) and Seal Sitters are hosting a cleanup of Alki Beach at 10:00 am on Friday, April 15, in honor of Earth Day and to celebrate the first anniversary of the SR3 Marine Wildlife Hospital, the SeaLife Rescue Center. Show your love for all of the creatures that depend upon our beaches & learn about the important work being done by SR3 & Seal Sitters.

Please dress for Seattle spring weather and bring appropriate footwear (waterproof is recommended.) In consideration of the environmental impact of single-use bottles, water will not be provided, so please bring whatever water and refreshments you’ll need.

Equipment (gloves, hand sanitizer, bags, buckets, grabbers) will be available, but please bring your own if you have them! Please RSVP here. Meet at Statue of Liberty Plaza, Alki Ave SW at 61st Ave SW.

All ages welcome!

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3 dine-out fundraisers and much more for your West Seattle Tuesday

March 29, 2022 9:00 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by James Tilley)

Your dining dollars can double as donations today/tonight – and that’s just part of what’s happening around the peninsula:

FREE QIGONG AT LINCOLN PARK: 10:30 am at the baseball/soccer fields; info here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

DINE OUT FOR ALKI CO-OP PRESCHOOL: 11 am to 8 pm at Marination ma kai (1660 Harbor SW), a percentage of proceeds will be donated to Alki Co-op Preschool.

DINE OUT FOR UKRAINE: 11:30 am-9 pm at Mioposto in The Admiral District (2141 California SW), “We will be donating 20% of the days sales to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to aid them in their work in supporting the journalists and independent media outlets who are informing the public about the war in Ukraine. All sales including dine in, takeout (via our online ordering website, in person, or over the phone), and Doordash will all be included in the donation.”

CITY COUNCIL: Their weekly meeting is at 2 pm, online. The agenda explains how to comment; Seattle Channel is where to watch.

DINE OUT FOR GENESEE HILL: 4-10 pm at Antico Soprano’s in The Admiral District (2348 California SW), 20 percent of tonight’s proceeds – both dine-in and take-out (but not delivery) – will be donated to Genesee Hill Elementary, the most populous elementary school in West Seattle.

DEMONSTRATION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE: 4:30-6 pm at 16th/Holden, Scott leads the weekly demonstration for racial justice. Signs available if you don’t have your own.

FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Meeples Games (3727 California SW) welcomes families 6-8 pm to this weekly hosted game-playing night.

WEST SEATTLE TOASTMASTERS OPEN HOUSE: 6:30 pm online – instead of a regular meeting, West Seattle Toastmasters is hosting an Open House: “We’re going to play Toastmasters trivia and showcase Table Topics (impromptu speaking). Everyone is welcome to come and learn what Toastmasters is all about!” Get your free ticket here.

TRIVIA X 2: Two of the venues where you can play tonight – 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), 7:30 and 8:30 pm at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).

BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with Cookie Couture at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm. Free, all ages!

There’s more on our calendar – and if you have something to add for the future, email us the info at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Tuesday begins

March 29, 2022 6:03 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, March 29th.

WEATHER

Cloudy forecast today, high in the 50s.

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES TODAY

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

Water Taxi‘s on its regular schedule. Shuttle service is now back to serving all runs – here’s the announcement.

Ferries: WSF is still using the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

735th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

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.)

NOTE: SDOT MAY STILL BE HAVING CAMERA TROUBLE

1st Avenue South Bridge:

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? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are also tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.

All city traffic cams can be seen here; West Seattle and vicinity-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.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Another catalytic converter stolen; house, car vandalism

March 28, 2022 9:39 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ANOTHER CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: The three reports we received over the weekend all involved Hondas, but in this one, the thief/thieves hit a 2010 Lexus 350 SUV, near the Fauntleroy ferry dock. It happened just after 3 am Sunday. The reader reports, “Same black sedan. Driver remained in car. Two others removed the converter.”

BROKEN WINDOWS: The photo shows one of two houses where windows were broken:

Two homes on SW Yancy St. had their windows broken by stones (broken concrete) thrown at them last night and today. Are there any other reports in the neighborhood?

BROKEN WINDSHIELD: Noah reports that the hammer-wielding man in this video has been “terrorizing” the 5200 block of Delridge Way SW.

Neighbors saw the man slash Noah’s tire on Friday and break the windshield of his girlfriend’s car early Sunday.

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COUNTDOWN: 1 week until registration opens for the return of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day

March 28, 2022 8:21 pm

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

If you’re planning to have a sale on this year’s first-since-2019 West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, here’s your reminder that we’ll open registration one week from today, on Monday, April 4th. WSCGSD itself is Saturday, May 14; registration is early so that we have enough time to make the map and guide and have it ready no later than one week before the big day. This is not one big sale, it’s one big day of many sales around the peninsula. But we have a request, too – if anyone is thinking of registering a group site and opening spots for sellers, let us know, as we’re continuing to get questions from people who’d like to be part of a multi-seller site but don’t have their own location. Whatever size sale you’re having, registration will be open for about three weeks, so you have time to think about it if you’re not quite ready to commit. We’ll announce the registration link here when it’s ready to go next Monday.

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SPORTS: West Seattle Little League celebrates season-opening baseball, softball Jamboree

March 28, 2022 6:37 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(Photos courtesy West Seattle Little League)

Between players, coaches, and family members, more than 1,000 people were involved in baseball and softball games at the two-location Jamboree that marked the start of the newly expanded West Seattle Little League this past weekend. WSLL sent this report and photos:

West Seattle Little League (WSLL) opened its 64th season Saturday with its traditional spring Jamboree, signaling time to “play ball!” for more than 750 Little Leaguers® playing baseball and softball. The Jamboree made a jubilant return to WSLL’s Bar-S Playfield and Chief Sealth Baseball Field [Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex] after the pandemic shuttered previous events, and also marked the inaugural year of the league’s softball program.

Players and families celebrated the return to Little League® alongside special guests including the Mariner Moose, who was spotted pumping up players before games, acting as base coach and pinch-hitting behind the counter at the Snack Shack. White Center’s Dub Sea Fish Sticks mascot got in on the action as well, giving away prizes, capturing moments with the players and fans and cheering on players in the dugouts. The excitement and joy of having the mascots at Bar-S created a memory all Little Leaguers, no matter how big or small, will always remember.

“More than 140 managers, head coaches and assistant coaches volunteer countless hours to teach the games of baseball and softball no matter the player skill set,” said WSLL’s communications director Kristin Widman, “while Umpire in Chief Greg Wren has been with the league since 1996 as a volunteer umpire, coach and board member. We cherish all our volunteers and their time and passion that they devote to the league.”

“It was great to see our community back at the baseball and softball fields!” said Nick Meyer, VP for WSLL and Jamboree organizer. “The kids had a blast playing with their friends and watching games of the older and younger divisions. The giant Fish Stick mascot, the Mariner Moose, and the bustling Snack Shack were a huge hit with all the kids, too.”

Registration is now closed for the 2022 WSLL season for baseball and softball divisions but WSLL is still accepting registrations for the Challenger Program. The Challenger Program is Little League’s adaptive baseball program for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities and is provided at no cost to families. “At Challenger, we believe that baseball is for all who would like to play regardless of ability,” said Irina Anthony, WSLL director of equity and inclusion.

The Challenger team held its first practice over the weekend as well, running bases, throwing the ball and batting with coach Dave. Many WSLL residents may not be aware of this program in its inaugural year and we want to continue getting the word out to the community. Interested in the Challenger program? Contact Irina Anthony at equityandinclusion@westseattlelittleleague.com.

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After salmon-spawning season, student volunteers survey Fauntleroy Creek for what followed the fish

March 28, 2022 3:54 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Stonefly exoskeleton, photographed in 2018 by Dennis Hinton)

By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog

Did aquatic insects living in lower Fauntleroy Creek benefit from the 244 spawner carcasses that have been decaying since November? You bet, according to student researchers from Louisa Boren STEM K-8.

A dozen fourth graders, led by volunteer educator Shannon Ninburg, conducted the Fauntleroy Watershed Council‘s annual early-spring count of stonefly exoskeletons on Sunday, March 27, and found the third-highest number in the study’s 22-year history.

Stoneflies live in freshwater up to three years, then crawl out to shed their exoskeletons, fly, and mate to start the cycle of life over again. Stonefly nymphs are a significant food source for juvenile salmon, plus they are an indicator of water quality as they cannot tolerate high pollution.

(Sunday video by Tom Trulin)
Teams of students counted all the exoskeletons they could find in the study area, looking on trees, bushes, fences, and bridges near the water. One team focused on measuring torsos.

They found 62 exoskeletons – the most in three years. Average size of 10 specimens was 4 cm; one measuring 6 cm was among the largest ever recorded over the years.

After reviewing their data, the students reached conclusions about why the number of exoskeletons was so high this year and why most stoneflies exited the creek where they did. After students approve the final report, the watershed council will share it with regional salmon-habitat specialists and post it at fauntleroywatershed.org.

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RETURNING: West Seattle Grand Parade back for 2022

March 28, 2022 1:55 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle Grand Parade | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, 2019 West Seattle Grand Parade prize winners Seattle Schools All-City Marching Band)

Among the many big public events shelved these past two years, the West Seattle Grand Parade. But this year, it’ll be back. We confirmed that with Rotary Club of West Seattle leaders when we covered their Spring for Kids event last weekend. This year’s date: Saturday, July 23rd. If you’re new – or if you’ve forgotten! – the parade proceeds from The Admiral District down California SW to The Junction. Still early for other details, but not too early to save the date.

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Beachfront street-end parklet to be expanded as part of pump-station project in south West Seattle

March 28, 2022 11:52 am

| 13 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

That’s what the beachfront SW 98th street end south of Brace Point [map] is supposed to look like after Seattle Public Utilities finishes a pump-station upgrade that’s expected to go into construction next year. SPU is circulating word to the neighborhood that the project is now at 90 percent design; it’s a popular spot for sea-life watchers, so it’s of wider interest. The SPU facility there is officially Pump Station 71, and it’s part of the system that pumps sewage and stormwater to treatment plants further north. Along with upgrades to the pump station’s functionality, SPU says:

As part of this effort, we’ll be making some improvements to the shoreline street end as well. Some of the improvements include:

• Removing the guardrail and extending the useable street end 20+ feet to the east.
• Replacing the current bench as well as creating a pad for wheelchair access.
• Installing beach logs and adding native plants and new trees to enhance the natural area in the street end.

Construction will last at least six months and “could start as early as spring 2023,” SPU says.

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Here’s what’s happening for the rest of your West Seattle Monday

March 28, 2022 10:30 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Seola Pond, photographed by Jim Clark)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:

SCHOOL FUNDRAISER: From the Alki Elementary PTA – note the last line about a match for donations made today:

Alki Elementary PTA’s Direct Give Campaign is coming to an end and we are looking to our WS Community to help us reach our goal of $15K by 3/31! For every thousand mark we hit, Principal Skeffington will get pie’d and if we hit our $15K goal, he will dye his hair Seagull Blue!

Alki Elementary PTA depends on fundraising to support our Alki students and families, our educators, and school programming. While Alki Elementary PTA has historically funded school support staff, Covid-relief funds have relieved us from that financial hurdle and enabled us to direct our fundraising efforts toward more enriching endeavors. Our mission is simple: Alki PTA’s mission is to support an engaged community that partners with our school to advocate for every child.

Our plan to achieve our mission includes:
-Alki Club: We’d love to offer an extracurricular club with rotating themes to provide an opportunity for student socialization while learning new things.
-Academic Support & Programming: We plan to continue our partnership with school staff to enrich learning for all Alki students.
-Advocacy: Alki PTA wants to provide intentional support to our Alki families.

We have a $500 match for all donations made on Monday, 3/28. Thank you for supporting Alki Elementary and the PTA’s mission!

You can donate here.

CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: 2 pm online, councilmembers look at the week ahead and recap the past week. No public-comment period, but the agenda explains how to watch/listen.

SPORTS: High-school baseball home games today: At Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), Chief Sealth IHS hosts Rainier Beach at 4 pm, and West Seattle HS hosts Franklin at 7 pm.

LINE DANCING: 6:15 pm class at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) – drop-ins welcome. Details are in our calendar listing.

OPEN D&D: Drop in to play 6:30 pm-10 pm Mondays at Meeples Games (3727 California SW).

TRIVIA X 3: Three scheduled options tonight for trivia players – 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)

Something coming up that should be listed on our calendar and in our daily previews? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Remembering Roger Steiner, 1969-2022

March 28, 2022 9:00 am

| 16 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering Roger Steiner, and sharing this with his community:

Born February 7, 1969, Pocatello, Idaho
Died March 16, 2022, Seattle, age 53
Parents: Gene and Sharon Steiner of Ketchum, Idaho
Husband: Joel Williams of Seattle
Cause of death: Unexpected sudden death in epilepsy

Roger and Joel were together 21 years. The officialdom of their relationship followed the path of same-sex marriage in this state/country. They became Washington State domestic partners in 2007, and when the referendum passed for marriage in this state, the law stipulated that their partnership would roll over into marriage in 2014, which it did. Of course, the US Supreme Court also added their imprimatur somewhere in there as well.

Roger attended schools in Ketchum and Hailey, Idaho, and then switched to The Community School in Sun Valley, Idaho, where he graduated in 1987. He attended Whitman College, graduating in 1991 with a major in history.

Roger’s hometown Ketchum is a unique place, beloved to so many. Roger went to Ernest Hemingway Elementary School. Roger’s brother Eric’s grave is a very few steps away from the Hemingway grave. Growing up in Ketchum is the kind of experience parents dream of giving their children – a closeness to nature that fostered a great love of the outdoors. Roger could hike around the mountains just above the house he grew up in and name the flora and fauna, but he was no match in that sport to his mother Sharon. Ketchum is a tight-knit small town where he knew other people well and where other people knew him, and where bonds of friendship cross generations. Anyone who walked down a Ketchum sidewalk with Roger, even long after he had moved away, would know that there were slim chances of getting more than half a block without running into a longtime friend or acquaintance and stopping for a chat.

Gene owned Chateau Drug in Ketchum, and was the pharmacist there. Roger got a long-lasting “family internship” in running a business, growing up partially in the store. The lessons, the practices he learned there infused his whole life. You have never known such a beloved drugstore, and it modeled the practice of Roger’s future real-estate business – authentic kindness and consideration for other people, meticulous note-keeping, the immediate comfort and safekeeping for the needs of others that he conveyed.

Roger grew up on skis in the winter, wandering around trails and rivers in the summer. His father is a gifted fly fisherman, and Roger learned from the best. He loved to join his father on the streams and lakes and loved to share fishing with others.

In his time spent indoors, Roger grew up loving and playing music and was a good violinist, playing on the instrument his grandfather brought with him when he emigrated from Switzerland. He wrote songs and brightened many gatherings with his playing and singing.

Like his school’s namesake, Hemingway, Roger also loved books and was a lifelong writer, keeping journals, writing restaurant reviews for a Seattle local paper, taking writing classes, and always thinking of ways to share his experiences through literary expression. His writing was sharp, compassionate, and funny, and it left an impression.

After college, he spent time in Ketchum teaching drama at the Community School. He moved to Boise after a short while, worked in restaurants, and, most important of all, continued to grow up with the loving all-but-blood family he found there, friends who are dear and close to this day.

Roger moved to Seattle in 2000. He and Joel met before he even moved here, and were friendly acquaintances until love blossomed in 2001. They lived through experiences like 9/11 and the pandemic together, but also supported one another strongly through career ups and downs and changes, through difficulties with Roger’s epilepsy, and also many long years of being seizure-free. The idea that this condition could lead to this outcome was not a concept for them.

In 2004, they moved to their home in West Seattle, and right around that time, Roger transitioned into the life of a real estate agent and built his business almost entirely from word-of-mouth. His friends referred clients and many of his clients became friends. Their lives together became a kind of Ketchum-on-Puget Sound.

Roger was always physically active, appreciating Seattle on a bike, often walking in Lincoln Park, always up for a group exercise class where he inevitably found friendship and fellowship. Two weeks before his death, Roger skied the entire vertical drop of Bald Mountain at Sun Valley a few times, drew new friends into the loving atmosphere of his childhood home and hometown, and returned to Seattle to help his clients get into and out of the real-estate market with grace and expertise. He will be forever in our hearts, but his physical absence is a void that is very difficult to face.

Celebrations of life will occur in Seattle and Ketchum this summer, dates to be determined.

Roger cared about many people and places. If you are looking for a place to make a memorial donation, consider the Idaho Conservation League, the Seattle YMCA Social Impact Center, and the OutRight Action International LGBTIQ Fund.

(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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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Welcome to Monday

March 28, 2022 6:03 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Monday, March 28th.

WEATHER

Cloudy with a chance of showers, high around 60.

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES TODAY

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

Water Taxi‘s on its regular schedule. Shuttle service is increasing starting today – here’s the announcement.

Ferries: WSF is still using the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

734th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.

NOTE: SDOT IS HAVING CAMERA TROUBLE

1st Avenue South Bridge:

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? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are also tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.

All city traffic cams can be seen here; West Seattle and vicinity-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.

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CORONAVIRUS: This week’s update with local trends

March 27, 2022 9:40 pm

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| Coronavirus | West Seattle news

After a second week of reduced restrictions, here’s where key local numbers stand, as drawn from the Public Health – Seattle/King County dashboard.

*7 percent more cases countywide in the past week than the week before
*Currently averaging 183 new daily cases countywide (up from 170 when we checked a week ago)

*19 percent fewer hospitalizations countywide in the past week than the week before
*Currently averaging 4 new hospitalizations daily (up from 3 a week ago)

*25 percent fewer deaths countywide in the past two weeks than the two weeks before (the dashboard doesn’t offer a one-week increment)
*Currently averaging 3 deaths daily (unchanged from a week ago)

For West Seattle, we have two-week comparisons (these are the combined totals from two “health reporting areas,” labeled West Seattle and Delridge):
*137 cases between 3/7 and 3/21, down from 187 between 2/20 and 3/6
*2 hospitalizations between 3/7 and 3/21, down from 3 between 2/20 and 3/6
*No deaths between 3/7 and 3/21, down from 1 between 2/20 and 3/6

And checking vaccination rates:
*80.3 percent of all King County residents have completed the series (up .1% from a week ago)
*85 percent of all King County residents ages 5 and up have completed the series (up .1% from a week ago)

*In West Seattle, here are the zip-code vaccination rates for ages 5 and up (note that 98106 and 98146 are not entirely within WS):
98106 – 87.4% (up .2% from a week earlier)
98116 – 92.1% (up .1% from a week earlier)
98126 – 83% (up .2% from a week earlier)
98136 – 93.1% (unchanged from a week earlier)
98146 – 82.1% (up .1% from a week earlier)

VACCINATION AND TESTING: Although the city’s West Seattle clinic is closed, you can still find vaccination locations via this statewide lookup. If you want to get tested and don’t have a kit at home, public testing sites include the city-supported site at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle, Mondays-Saturdays), the Curative kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor SW, Monday-Friday), and the Curative van at Summit Atlas (35th/Roxbury, Tuesday-Friday).

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LIGHT RAIL: Sound Transit’s West Seattle meeting Wednesday

March 27, 2022 8:26 pm

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| Sound Transit | West Seattle news

(Rendering from Draft EIS executive summary page 28, Avalon/Genesee)

One more month to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for West Seattle light rail – telling Sound Transit what you think about the routing and station-location alternatives. This Wednesday (March 30th), 5:30-7:30 pm online, is ST’s official public meeting for this section of the expansion, projected to open in 2032. The attendance link is on this page of ST’s online open house, which offers other ways to comment – as long as you do it by April 28th. (Our archived coverage of the project is here, newest to oldest.)

P.S. Wednesday is the only community-comment meeting ST has planned, but the West Seattle Transportation Coalition is planning a workshop-style meeting April 7th to help people with the commenting process – watch for time and attendance details (it’s being planned as a hybrid in-person/online meeting).

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From sound to sightings, here’s what happened at The Whale Trail’s first in-person gathering in 2 years

March 27, 2022 6:00 pm

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| West Seattle news | Whales

(Photo by Rick Rasmussen from December 2021 Southern Residents visit)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Another local organization just dove back into in-person events: The Whale Trail presented updates Thursday night at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), two years after its previous in-person gathering.

The Whale Trail’s founder/director Donna Sandstrom thanked attendees for “tiptoeing back into the world with us.” Here’s what they heard:

(WSB photo: Donna Sandstrom, center, with featured speakers Rachel Aronson and Mark Sears)

THE WHALE TRAIL UPDATES: Sandstrom began with a reintroduction to her organization, starting with her inspiration, Springer, the orphaned orca rescued after getting lost in Puget Sound 20 years ago – Sandstrom’s written a youth-geared book about it, “Orca Rescue!” Springer has given birth to two calves and is pregnant with a third. Sandstrom recapped the amazing story of how once Springer was returned to a cove in British Columbia, her family came for her. She says the story is heartening even all these years later “because sometimes we can get it right.” Then in 2005 she decided to get involved when Southern Resident Killer Whales were listed as endangered. Her founding idea for The Whale Trail was to “let people know where the whales live” – all over the region, not just in a specific confined place. The SRKWs range from Ucluelet, B.C., to Monterey, California. The Whale Trail encourages land-based whale-watching, for one – with markers placed starting in 2010, first on land, then on ferries starting in 2011. TWT has four signs in West Seattle, educating passersby about the species and their home. They have more than 130 sites, including aboard BC Ferries as well as Washington State Ferries. TWT presents programs and events, from impromptu watching when the orcas are around, to Orca Talks like this one.

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