West Seattle, Washington
08 Monday
11:16 PM: Seattle Fire is responding to 47th/Graham for what’s initially reported as “heavy smoke from the roof, called in by a neighbor.” First crews in aren’t seeing anything, so they’re trying to verify the address. Updates to come.
11:22 PN: Turns out to have been a backyard fire pit, and the fire’s out, so the callout is being canceled.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
CAR PROWLERS: From Tim:
Early this morning we had a car broken into in our parking lot on the 3700 block of Beach Dr SW. We did get photos and video of the incident. Photos of a distinctive red Ford Ranger (back hood and black/green tailgate) attached.
Police report filed.
CATALYTIC-CONVERTER THEFT: From Elka:
We had the catalytic converter stolen out of our 2002 Acura TL. It happened last night (7/25) or maybe early this morning (7/26). We live on 40th Ave SW, between Brandon and Dawson.
4:43 PM: Thanks to Allison for the photo. That craft went into the water off the Alki Beach promenade a short time ago. No major response has ensued, just a two-unit SFD medical dispatch. We’re on our way to find out more.
5:08 PM: No injuries, we’re told at the scene. The pilot/operator is trying to figure out how to get it out of the water, as it’s submerged. Still trying to determine what size of aircraft this is.
5:11 PM: Cessna 150, we’re told. It’s 10 or so yards offshore.
5:18 PM: Allison, who sent the first photo, says she and her son were driving westbound around 62nd/Alki “when we saw the plane splash in nose first, then pop up and lie flat on the top of the water. We drove closer, pulled over, and saw 3 or 4 amazing folks swim out and assist the pilot out to safety. About a minute later police arrived in response to someone who had called the incident in.” Police-radio communication indicates the NTSB will investigate.
5:42 PM: Paddleboarder Tim Kelleher recorded this video of the plane crash-landing in the water:
Since the tide is still coming in, you can’t see the plane from shore right now – this person went out for a look:
An SPD boat is in the area now.
6:48 PM: History note, the most recent in-the-water crash in our area was 2017 – off Beach Drive, almost exactly five years ago.
8:52 PM: We went back to the scene before sunset – no one around but park visitors; the police-line tape above is wrapped around the closest beach stairway, and a float offshore presumably marks where the plane sunk.
9:37 PM: Police-radio exchange indicates they hope to get it out at low tide – 11 am tomorrow, it’s out to -1.2 feet. Meantime, the Coast Guard just tweeted some aerial images including this one:
Thanks for the tip; we’ve confirmed that Than Brothers Pho is closing at 4822 California SW, after 16 years in West Seattle. No word on whether they’re seeking another West Seattle location in the future. We reported in 2020 that the building, where the restaurant was a tenant, had been put up for sale; King County Assessor records show it was sold back in April. The new owner is an LLC associated with the Redmond headquarters and owner of Origins Cannabis, which has a West Seattle store a few blocks away, on a site with a redevelopment project under review; Origins declined comment on whether they plan to move or expand into the California SW building. Meantime, Than Brothers is the sixth seventh Junction restaurant to close in the past eight months, after Café Mia, Taqueria Guaymas, Kamei, Lee’s, West 5, (added) and Ma’ono.
Just out of the inbox – Mayor Bruce Harrell has chosen a new SDOT director “after an extensive national search” and will make the announcement Wednesday. When previous director Sam Zimbabwe‘s departure was announced and chief of staff Kristen Simpson was appointed interim director, the mayor said she didn’t intend to apply for the permanent job. No finalists have been announced, just a search committee appointed in April. The new director will arrive not only as the West Seattle Bridge prepares to reopen, but also as SDOT works on a longterm prioritization plan, which in turn will shape the next funding package, successor to the Levy to Move Seattle. (During our conversation on Tuesday, West Seattle Bridge project director Heather Marx, a West Seattle resident, told us the funding project will be in her portfolio post-bridge.) Meantime, you can watch the announcement of the new SDOT director at 11:45 am Wednesday via Seattle Channel. The job pays up to $254,000, according to the online listing.
(File photo)
In our Monday conversation with SDOT‘s West Seattle Bridge project director Heather Marx, which brought first word of the high-bridge repair milestone, we also asked about the low-bridge work. You might recall that the same contract with Kraemer North America includes work on the low bridge. What they’re focusing on right now, Marx said, is reinforcement of the bridge – with work similar to what’s happening with the high bridge, epoxy injection into cracks and carbon-fiber wrapping. That’s separate from the other projects planned for the low bridge. Those include replacement of the communication system and routing cables under the Duwamish River, boring mini-tunnels (4″ wide) to thread the cables beneath the river. Taurus Power & Controls, Inc. is the contractor chosen for that work. SDOT is also replacing the bridge’s hydraulic pump/cylinders, and addressing electrical problems that led to recent trouble rendering the bridge inoperable for a while. “By the end of the year, the low bridge should be good,” Marx summarized. (More detail on the projects are on this city webpage.)
And just in case you needed to hear it again, yes, Marx reiterated, the low-bridge restrictions will be lifted as soon as the high bridge reopens. So where will those enforcement cameras be redeployed? Not decided yet. Since state law allows transit-lane camera enforcement, might the cameras be redirected up there? Not currently planned but not out of the question.
Just out of the inbox: Norah and Evalyn have just set up a free (by donation if you can) lemonade stand in Gatewood. The photo and announcement are from dad (and assistant) Josh:
12:05 PM: My daughters would like to have a lemonade stand today so we are going to be giving away free lemonade from Noon until 3 pm today along the west side of 35th between Othello and Myrtle slightly across from Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is free and we will have a donation jar that will be given to NWAAF (Northwest Abortion Access Fund) and a donation jar that will be given to the West Seattle Food Bank.
We will have Country Time and Country Time with Strawberries mixed in. We will also have some fresh-squeezed Lemonade in limited amounts for super donors and an option for a lavender-infused booster for mega donators.
2 PM UPDATE: Josh says they’ll stay open until 4:30 or so, unless they run out. We’ve substituted an updated photo he sent.
(Sunrise photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Atop today’s list, hot weather and how to cope with it:
PLACES TO STAY COOL (+ EARLY CLOSURES): The city is circulating this list of where you can go to cool off if you need to. For West Seattle, the Senior Center (California/Oregon) is air-conditioned and is open until 4:30 pm today; the Delridge and High Point branches of the Seattle Public Library both are fully air-conditioned – both are open 1 pm-8 pm today. (UPDATE: The no- and partial-A/C local branches are closing early – Southwest closed at noon, West Seattle [Admiral] is closing at 3 pm, per this SPL page.)
WHERE ELSE TO STAY COOL: So far we’ve heard from Rebecca at Arthur’s in The Admiral District (2311 California SW), which has A/C and isn’t open for service today BUT Rebecca is there working on some projects and is happy to let you in to cool off if you can’t find anywhere to go. … Admiral Pub has A/C (21+ venue, 2306 California SW) … Anybody else? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thanks!
And of course pools can help you stay cool:
WADING POOLS & SPRAYPARK OPEN: EC Hughes (2805 SW Holden) and Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW); both will be open noon-7 pm. Also, Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open 11 am-8 pm.
COLMAN POOL: The outdoor pool at Lincoln Park will be open to the public today as its 7-days-a-week schedule continues, noon-7 pm.
Here’s what else is happening:
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Hybrid meeting (online and in-person at City Hall) at 2 pm; here’s the agenda, which explains how to comment. Watch live here.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Longstanding weekly 4:30-6 pm sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
PLAY-ALONG IN THE PARK: The West Seattle Community Orchestras welcome musicians of all skill levels to play with them at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) tonight, 6-8 pm – details in our calendar listing.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you are invited to come play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Meeples Games (3727 California SW) welcomes families 6-8 pm to this weekly hosted game-playing night.
TRIVIA X 3: Three of the venues where you can play tonight – 7 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 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!
See more on our calendar – and if you have something to add for the future, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Something to say about the Seattle Public Library? Tell it to the person in charge, in person, next week. Just announced this morning:
Tom Fay, Seattle’s newest Chief Librarian, will host his first Community Conversation with Library patrons from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4, in the meeting room of the High Point Branch (3411 SW Raymond St.).
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