West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
Tomorrow is the final day this month with a low-low tide beyond -3 feet, expanding the walkable stretches of West Seattle’s shores. Tonight we have more photos to share – above, from Jerry Simmons; below, from Theresa Arbow-O’Connor:
And Rosalie Miller shared more photos of the wildlife on view – in order below are an Orange Sea Cucumber,
Dorid Nudibranch, Purple Star and Painted Anemone, and a close-up of the star:
If you remember the Sea Star die-off last decade, it’s heartening to see them. Michael Ostrogorsky included this photo from beneath the Fauntleroy ferry dock in the comment section following our previous coverage:
Thursday’s low-low tide is -3.4 feet at 2:02 pm.
Back in March, Mayor Bruce Harrell said he would appoint a committee and launch a website and community survey as part of the process of finding a permanent Seattle Police Chief. Today he made good on those promises. Here’s the list of 14 committee members, with at least three West Seattleites:
SPD Chief of Police Search Committee
Council President Debora Juarez, Seattle City Council
Councilmember Lisa Herbold*, Seattle City Council
Lieutenant Scott Bachler, Seattle Police Management Association
Prachi Dave, Policy and Advocacy Director, Public Defender Association; Commissioner, Community Police Commission
Gabe Galanda, Managing Lawyer, Galanda Broadman, PLLC
Erin Goodman, Executive Director, SODO Business Improvement Area
Esther Lucero, Chief Executive Officer, Seattle Indian Health Board
Jim Pugel, former SPD Chief of Police
Robert Saka*, Attorney, Microsoft Corporation
Rachel Smith, President & CEO, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Mary Ellen Stone, Chief Executive Officer, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center
Reverend Harriett Walden, Founder, Mothers for Police Accountability; Co-Chair, Community Police Commission
Natalie Walton-Anderson*, Criminal Division Chief, Seattle City Attorney’s Office
Bishop Reggie Witherspoon, Mount Calvary Christian Center
Today’s announcement also says the firm Public Sector Search & Consulting is working on “an initial list of candidates” – applications are being accepted through July 5th, via Gary Peterson, Gary@PublicSectorSearch.com. The committee then will pick five finalists who move on to take the mandatory competitive examination, and committee members will come up with the written questions for it.
As for the promised website with updates and information about the search process, see it here. For the 10-question community survey “to give feedback on what issues matter most to them in the search,” go here. (The announcement notes that “the website and survey are available in English, Amharic, Chinese (traditional), Korean, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.” Seattle’s been without a permanent police chief since August of 2020.
(Image from SDOT traffic camera)
7:14 PM: After a reader inquiry, we asked SDOT this week for followup information on the deck scanning done last year on the Spokane Street Viaduct – the West Seattle Bridge continuation east of Highway 99. In the response late today, SDOT spokesperson Mariam Ali told WSB that the eastbound SSV – its older section – will close this weekend for work:
There is a planned closure of the eastbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct, 5/20-5/23, for expansion joint work. Our maintenance crews will take advantage of this limited-time closure to correct as many potholes as they can. We will take advantage of all other opportunities beyond this weekend closure to continue addressing any remaining pavement issues.
Ali’s response did not include the exact times for the closure, so we immediately askd that question on followup. As for the deck scanning done to assess the pavement condition, it showed “deterioration,” Ali said, so more work is ahead:
For the Spokane Street Viaduct, we are determining the best method of repair and developing designs to be able to pursue grant funding. Since this segment of the Spokane Street corridor is an essential route for freight and emergency vehicles, we will be taking careful consideration of how to manage traffic flow for this repair work.
The response offered no details of how extensive that repair would have to be, so we’ll be following up on that too.
9 PM UPDATE: We now have the hours for this weekend’s eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct closure – 9 pm Friday 5/20 until 5 am Monday.
6:20 PM: Just in from Metro:
One engine on the Spirit of Kingston is having difficulty and due to high winds, the remaining trips between downtown Seattle and West Seattle have been canceled. During this time, Water Taxi shuttle routes 773 and 775 will continue to operate as usual in West Seattle.
Transportation options are listed in the full alert.
11 PM UPDATE: Normal service will resume tomorrow morning, Metro says – while also confirming that the midday service suspension for dock work at Seacrest will happen again on Thursday as planned.
Thanks for the tips! A stalled cehicle on eastbound Spokane just past Avalon is causing a traffic backup that’s spilling onto Avalon.
5:36 PM UPDATE: Tipster says it’s cleared. We are in the area and can verify that northbound Avalon is flowing OK.
(WSB file photo)
The next phase in planning for West Seattle’s next major transportation project, replacement of Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy dock/terminal, has just begun: WSF launched its “online open house” for the project today. Go here and you can catch up on WSF’s reasons for the project, the timeline, and early-stage possibilities, among other things, plus you’ll see how to comment. You can also register to attend one of the online community meetings coming up next Tuesday and Wednesday. Most recently, as we reported last week, WSF ruled out the idea of relocating the dock, but the rest of the details are yet to be settled on.
Two months ago, we reported that Seattle Parks planned to again close Alki Beach Park at 10 pm this summer. At the time, though, they hadn’t set the start date. Now they have: Friday, May 27th, as Memorial Day weekend begins, hours at Alki (and Golden Gardens) will be 4 am-10 pm rather than 4 am-11:30 pm. The earlier closing time will continue through Sunday, September 4th. Though this is the second summer for the earlier closing time – last year it started in July, after a deadly shooting – Parks is still describing it as a “pilot,” and saying it’ll be reviewed once it’s over. The announcement also says SPD will assist Parks in closing the beach starting at 9:30 pm. As you’ve probably noticed on those illuminated mobile signs placed recently along Harbor and Alki Avenues, beach-fire season also will begin on Memorial Day weekend, with the fire pits to be open for use starting May 28th.
P.S. Parks and police are both on the agenda for tomorrow night’s Alki Community Council meeting (7 pm online or in-person at Alki UCC), if you have questions and/or comments about summer plans.
As noted in this morning’s traffic/weather watch, we’re under a Wind Advisory alert until 8 pm, with wind out of the southwest that could gust up to 45 mph. Most of the power trouble so far has been elsewhere in the city, until about 20 minutes ago, when a tree took out power to more than 20 customers in south Morgan Junction/west Gatewood. If you see/experience weather-related trouble, once you’ve reported it to authorities, please let us know – text or voice, 206-293-6302 – thank you!
Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STORE ROBBERY: Three people held up Planet Vapes at Delridge/Henderson on Tuesday afternoon. According to the police-report summary, an employee told police it happened around quarter till 4 – three people came in, one pointed a handgun at the employee and demanded merchandise, while the other two grabbed merchandise. The robber with a gun also demanded money from the register. They are described only as “wearing masks and gloves” and were last seen headed southbound on Delridge. One item taken was described as a three-foot-by-two-foot cardboard box of “disposable vapes.” If you have any information, the incident # is 22-124106.
CAR VANDALISM: The report and photo are from Aaron:
Someone threw a softball-sized rock through my rear window. Appears they missed the first pitch and also took a chunk out of the rear light bar/spoiler. Nothing appears to be missing from the car, and didn’t appear to have been rifled through, so random vandalism? 7100 block of 30th Avenue SW, Sunrise Heights. Wondering if anything else, vandalism or otherwise, happened in the hood last night?
Incident number is # 22-124669.
UNDER-CAR PROWLERS: That’s what we’ll call the people reported by Xtopher, who sent this photo:
Xtopher says neighbors “chased off” this vehicle – a silver/gray GMC Tahoe Yukon with no plates – and its occupants. They were reported to be “crawling under cars trying to steal catalytic converters” in the Genesee/Fauntleroy area on Monday.
(Tuesday afternoon photo by Bruce Gaumond)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and archives, the lineup for the rest of this blustery Wednesday:
LOW-LOW TIDE: Can’t guarantee the best of beach-walking weather, but the sun just appeared as we finished writing this, and if you’re out along the shore at 1:13 pm, you’ll see this week’s lowest low-low tide, -3.7 feet.
SPORTS: District track/field competition is scheduledat Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex this afternoon.
‘ALMA’: The third week of performances starts at 7:30 pm for the newest play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor). Get your ticket(s) here.
=SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: 8-10 pm on Wednesdays, Kimball and The Fugitive Trio play live at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW).
TRIVIA x 2: 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.
Have something for our calendar? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Instead of a sit-down indoor gala, the Pathfinder K-8 PTSA is inviting the community to a free outdoor celebration this Saturday, and asked us to share the invitation with you:
Pathfinder K-8 Welcomes Everybody to the Great Return community event on May 21st from 3-8 pm at Pathfinder K-8!
When: 5/21 3-8 pm
Where: Pathfinder K-8, 1901 SW Genesee
What: Free fun! Silent auction, music, games, food & open play
Who: Open to all! Pathfinder & West Seattle communityGoal is to raise $45K through a Direct Give Ask approach with complimentary fun! Live music, entertainment, excellent auction gifts, games & fun!
Donation not required, but if you choose to, you can do it online any time between now and Saturday, even funding specific programs.
Family and friends are remembering Larry Hilden and sharing this with the community:
Laurence Roland Hilden passed away peacefully at his home at age 94 on April 24, 2022.
He was born in Hager City, WI to Arthur and Ruth Hilden. After graduating from school, he joined the US Navy a month before his 18th birthday in November 1945. He served aboard the USS Trippe (DD-403) and participated in the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons tests at Bikini Atoll on July 25, 1946.
After returning from the service, he worked at the Red Wing Shoe Factory where he met his wife, Elaine. They were married in Red Wing, MN in June 1949 and moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1951, eventually settling in Ballard in 1962. Laurence (known as “Larry” by his customers) owned and operated G&B Shoe Rebuilders (“If the shoe fits, repair it”) in the West Seattle Junction for 41 years.
He enjoyed traveling, playing guitar, writing song lyrics, boating, voracious reading, crossword puzzles, daily walks at Golden Gardens, and he especially enjoyed taking the “devil’s advocate” position in spirited and lively conversations.
He was preceded in death by his wife Elaine in 2005. He is survived by his daughters Loreli Tarsiuk (Terry) and Elana Bryan West (Chuck West); grandchildren Justin Tarsiuk (Kristen), Alissa Tarsiuk, Jackson Bryan, and great-grandson Rocco Tarsiuk. He is also survived by his brother Floyd Hilden, sister Jeanne McArthur, and his aunt (yes, his aunt!) Ruby Foley of Red Wing, MN.
He was interred at Crown Hill Cemetery in Ballard on May 14, 2022.
Memorial contributions may be made to Ballard NW Senior 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)
6:02 AM: Good morning; welcome to Wednesday, May 18th.
WEATHER
The National Weather Service predicts windy, damp weather, with a Wind Advisory in effect, wind from the SW with possible gusts to 45 mph, high in the 60s. (Yesterday hit 61, six degrees below the seasonal norm.)
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule, but watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
No midday West Seattle Water Taxi service – possibly again tomorrow, as announced – we’ll be checking today.
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
BICYCLING
Friday is Bike Everywhere Day, and West Seattle Bike Connections is co-sponsoring a station under the bridge for both major commute periods – 6 to 9 am and 4 to 7 pm.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
786th 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 city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are 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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