West Seattle, Washington
11 Friday
10:14 PM: SDOT reports northbound Harbor Avenue SW is closed in the 3200 block because of a crash. SFD initially dispatched it as a “rescue extrication” because a driver had reportedly hit a tree, but the first crew at the scene reported that the driver was out and “in stable condition,” so the response was downsized before most dispatch units had even arrived. Avoid the area for a while.
11:40 PM: SDOT says the scene is clear.
Another school-benefit auction is happening right now online. We just received this announcement tonight:
Join RIFC & SWEL for our virtual 9th annual silent auction!
The silent auction is the biggest fundraiser of the year between SWEL and our sister site RIFC. Help us reach our $30,000 goal!
Without families of these schools and community members like YOU, we would not be able to provide the amazing, high quality, dual language program in the heart of Delridge.
The auction is live and closes at 4 pm on April 27!
You must register online to bid: charityauction.bid/rifcswelsilentauction-Click the register tab on the top of website
-Fill out registration form
-Create an account with either a password or log in with an access code
-Enter your credit card info
-You’re good to go!Bid on sports merch, museum passes, self-care kits, and more! All proceeds go directly back to these non-profit preschools.
Make sure to check on your bids throughout the week to not get outbid!
Towering over those road-closed barricades at Fauntleroy Way and SW Fontanelle is the old chestnut tree we told you about a week ago. The tree is on private property, close to the corner where a curb ramp will be built, and the residents of the house on that property are worried that the construction will lead to the death/removal of the tree. They’ve been asking for an update from the city, and received this from SDOT‘s Ching Chan via an email thread on which we were cc’d:
… we will not move forward with construction work at the northeast corner of Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Fontanelle St until our Arborist has had a chance to inspect the tree root system.
The project team just confirmed that our Urban Forestry Arborist and our contractor will be onsite next Monday morning, 4/25 to remove the sidewalk to inspect the tree roots. Our Arborist will supervise the air spading work (break up and remove compacted soil around tree roots using compressed air) to ensure it is conducted properly and that the tree will not be harmed in the process. Our Arborist will conduct an inspection once the root system is exposed. The assessment will then be shared with our ADA Program Engineers to help them determine whether there are feasible alternative curb ramp designs at this corner that can minimize damage to the tree’s root system. This process may take up to several weeks.
We will notify property owner … and tenants at this property once we’ve come to a decision. We will notify adjacent households once construction is scheduled so they are aware and informed of our work scope and schedule.
The tree trunk is currently adorned with signs of support, and the residents are still gathering online petition signatures in support of preserving it.
3:14 PM: Thanks for the tips. Verizon phone customers are reporting trouble, not just here but in other states too, according to online reports. No official company statement so far. But some government agencies are starting to acknowledge it too.
3:36 PM: We inquired with Verizon media relations via email. The reply: “We are aware of an issue impacting voice calls for some Verizon customers. Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue.” (This is affecting our hotline too, by the way, so if you have a tip, text 206-293-6302, don’t try voice calling!)
5 PM: Sometime in the past 15 minutes or so (since previous attempts), our service was restored, both incoming and outgoing voice calls – at least as tested with the AT&T phone we also have in the house.
5:06 PM: We’ve also received an update from Verizon: “A fiber issue in the core of the network caused some of our customers to experience intermittent call failures today. The issue was identified and resolved by Verizon engineers and the majority of impacted customers should be seeing service as usual. If any customer is still experiencing lingering issues, please restart your device. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
Sent by Patty:
My neighbor Harold’s 2007 silver Chevy Trailblazer Super Sport, license # DP 35451, was stolen sometime Monday morning, 4/18, from SW Dakota & 47th Ave SW. Another neighbor believes he saw it still on the street outside the house at 7:30 a.m.; Harold noticed it gone around noon. (He was home all morning.)
A handicapped parking placard was displayed at the time it was taken, but may have been removed. Any help locating the vehicle would be greatly appreciated. Police report #22-096889.
FRIDAY UPDATE: Patty says the Trailblazer was found in Burien, “being parted out.”
Today we welcome Keeping Up With The Roses as our newest sponsor! Here’s what owner Dominic Vigil would like you to know about what he offers:
Keeping Up With The Roses offers full-season rose care subscriptions that will ensure that you will have beautiful roses all season long. Each subscription includes pruning, fertilizing, deadheading, winterizing, and specialized care for each of your roses. I also offer a variety of other gardening services, such as bulb planting and installation of micro gardens.
I’ve lived in Seattle for more than 16 years. In that time, I’ve learned the rhythms of the seasons, from the surprise sunshine days of March to the last mild weeks of October until the winds come up. My connection to our climate means that I’m intimately aware of the right times to prune, to plant, and to pause. Seattle neighborhoods have their own microclimates and over the years I’ve learned how to work with them. I have over 36 beautiful rose bushes of my own that I love taking care of.
Clients seek me out either because they’ve purchased a house with neglected roses or because they want to add roses to their yard. I can see the “bones” of an old rose and with some time and care I can bring it back to full blooming beauty. For clients who are adding new roses, I like to spend time with them in their yard finding the right site for their rose that will be a good growing spot for the plant but also provide joy to the owner.
Each of my clients receives customized rose care for their specific roses, ensuring a full season of incredible blooms. My clients love that I keep their roses blooming and all season long. My “set it and forget it” full-season rose care subscription allows my clients to pay just once a year or monthly. This year I’ve added a summer sunflower package and my clients are really excited to expand their gardens.
Keeping Up With The Roses clients have a new appreciation for the roses in their yard and the roses they see when they’re out in the neighborhood. They’ve told me that they can enjoy the view guilt-free because I’ve taken an uncertain chore off their list! If you’ve got roses that need some sprucing up, I’d love to chat with you – info@keepingupwiththeroses.com or 206-351-8459.
We thank Keeping Up With The Roses for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
(Sunny bunny, photographed Tuesday by John Skerratt)
Reminders for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
ORDER DEADLINE FOR MOTHER’S DAY FUNDRAISER: Seattle Lutheran High School‘s HUGS chocolates-and-flowers fundraiser is taking orders through today.
LOW-LOW TIDE: Out to -2.4 feet at 2:22 pm. Tread lightly if you go exploring!
ALKI ELEMENTARY @ LANDMARKS BOARD: 3:30 pm meeting of the city Landmarks Board includes consideration of whether Alki Elementary should be a city landmark, a procedural step in the process of planning its rebuild, but public comments will be accepted.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm online, MoCA’s quarterly meeting includes a presentation/discussion about the proposed electric-vehicle-charging lot in Morgan Junction. More agenda info, and how to watch/listen, in our calendar listing.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA: Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm; at 8:30 pm, trivia is back at Talarico’s (4718 California SW) with Phil T.
Something for our calendar? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
10:04 AM: Orcas are in the area again – Kersti Muul reports they’re “breaching off Constellation Park.” Updates to come.
(Added: Photo by David Hutchinson)
10:15 AM: Now reported to be “off the volleyball area” on Alki.
11:58 AM: These are still the transient orcas that have been in the area recently, Kersti notes in comments. That means, among other things, they primarily eat mammals – seals and sea lions, in partiicular – while the Southern Resident orcas prefer fish.
2:38 PM: Adding more photos:
(This photo and next by Mike Burns)
ADDED: And a photo from Danny McMillin:
170+ sales are now registered for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – Saturday, May 14th – and we’re announcing today that registration will end at 11:30 pm Wednesday, April 27th – one week from tonight. That’s when we start working on the map/guide so it’s ready one week before WSCGSD. If you’re ready to register – have your up-to-20-words listing ready, and find the signup form here! Sale hours are 9 am-3 pm on May 14th, with some sellers adding earlier and/or later hours, and a few even adding extra days – if you plan any of that, include it in your listing. Two more notes: Hotwire Coffee is offering spaces to sellers who don’t have anywhere to host their own sales; also, if you tried to sign up last night but couldn’t access PayPal, that service was having a systemwide issue for a while. If you had or have trouble with PayPal when registering, email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – for a backup link.
6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Wednesday, April 20th.
WEATHER
Mixed forecast – partly sunny morning, rain likely by afternoon, high in the 50s..
ROAD WORK
*Third day of the two-week WSDOT closure of the West Seattle Bridge/Spokane Street ramp to northbound 99 for pavement repair.
*SPU‘s pavement-restoration work on California SW in the SW Myrtle could start this week.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES TODAY
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of reroutes/cancellations. And a change in mask policy: You’re NOT required to wear a face covering on the bus, but it’s recommended – as explained here.
Same goes for the West Seattle Water Taxi, which is operated by Metro. Also, no midday service again today, because of training. Check its status via Water Taxi Vessel Watch. Summer schedule – adding later evening runs on Fridays and Saturdays – starts at the end of this week.
Ferries: WSF is still using the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates. And note that WSF also has dropped its mask mandate, while noting they’re still recommended.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
758th 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.)
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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