West Seattle, Washington
12 Thursday
We’ve continued to ask the city about West Seattle encampment sites, and have new replies from the mayor’s office regarding three:
HARBOR AVENUE SW: As of late this afternoon, only three RVs were on Harbor, spread over several blocks east of Fairmount. That’s down from as many as 11 a few weeks ago. The mayor’s office tells WSB that the area “is scheduled for remediation later this month,” though they won’t give an exact date, saying the “calendar changes frequently.” The response continues:
Last week the city began working with partners at REACH and Union Gospel Mission with the goal of helping as many people as possible connect to shelter and resources. For example, outreach teams can help people in inoperable vehicles by purchasing batteries, gas and other resources. The HOPE team and other city workers are also advising owners to regularly move vehicles to avoid warnings and citations.
We also asked about the results of two recent sweeps reported here:
WEST MARGINAL PLACE: This cul-de-sac abutting the bicycle/foot path west of the low bridge was swept this past Tuesday. The mayor’s office says, “Parking enforcement officers observed 17 vehicles before the cleanup occurred (three RVs, one motorcycle, and 13 other vehicles). Many of the vehicles were moved voluntarily prior to the cleanup event and three vehicles were impounded (the motorcycle and two other vehicles; no RVs were impounded from this site). About 7,000 pounds of debris was removed during the cleanup event.”
26TH/JUNEAU: The only aftermath response on this cleanup last Monday was, “Our records show there were two people living at that site, and that two people received referrals for shelter.”
(Photo by Marc Milrod)
Though the mini-heat wave ahead doesn’t look anything like our recent almost-weeklong 90+-degree streak, a weather alert has been announced: The National Weather Service has a Heat Advisory in effect noon Saturday through 9 pm Sunday. The current forecast would seem to suggest Monday will be hot too, but we’ll see how it goes.
Thanks to David Hutchinson for photos of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels in flight this afternoon. He photographed them from Ruby Chow Park at the north end of Boeing Field (across the Duwamish River from West Seattle).
Without time to leave West Seattle, we checked out the view from Westcrest Park. From the northeast side of the park’s plateau, along SW Cloverdale, you can glimpse Boeing Field, so, with binoculars, we had a decent, if partial view, including the smoke bursts before takeoff and during their landing pass.
The schedule had them up 3:05-4 pm today, tomorrow, and Friday; today was fairly close to that, with takeoff around 3:10 pm and landing around 3:55. If you are interested in seeing them this weekend without going to Lake Washington (where the full airshow, including other aerial acts, you can also check out the Museum of Flight‘s Jet Blast Bash; though the bigger new Blue Angels jets an’t park next to the MoF any more, museum visitors get a runwayside view of the takeoffs/landings and pilot meet-and-greets after they land.
Not too much going on around the city aside from Seafair this weekend – so if you love live music, you might consider sailing over to Vashon Island for a benefit show tomorrow (Saturday, August 6th) to boost youth music education via West Seattle’s own nonprofit Mode Music and Performing Arts. Here’s the announcement:
Bric/Brac Fest and Mode Music and Performing Arts are so excited to bring this event to Vashon Island and help create ongoing opportunities for youth music education!
Join us Saturday, Aug. 6th for a benefit for youth music education on Vashon with generous partners and sponsorships by Mode Music Studios, Open Space for Arts & Community, Orbit at Open Space and The Vera Project.
Secure your space on the green for an evening of food, drink, and amazing bands for a great cause. Bring your chairs and blankets for:
NAKED GIANTS
CAITLIN SHERMAN
JULIA SHAPIRO (CHASTITY BELT)
IT’S ALL HAPPENINGOpen Space For Arts & Community
18870 103rd Ave SW, Vashon [map]4 pm doors
Suggested donation:
$20 Adult
$10 under 18
No one turned away for lack of funds (NOTAFLOF)
You might have seen Naked Giants and/or Caitlin Sherman at West Seattle Summer Fest just three weeks ago.
(Photo sent by Ashley)
Thanks to everyone who emailed after discovering fencing had gone up around the southwest part of the Alki playground on the north side of Alki Elementary. It’s a Seattle Parks site, so we inquired this morning and just got replies saying this sign would be posted this afternoon, explaining the play area was closed “after a recent play area safety check” and adding, “We are working with Seattle Public Schools to address the future of this site.” However, the replies we received did not elaborate on what safety issue was discovered, so we’re asking that on followup. Seattle Parks has closed several play structures in recent years because of various safety concerns; one of them, Lincoln Park’s south play area, is still closed after five years.
P.S. One issue in the play area’s future obviously will be the Alki Elementary rebuild, scheduled to start construction in about a year.
Thanks to Alex Garcia from Admiral Pub for sending word of that new mural, painted on the alley side of the building the pub shares with Yen Wor Village. The artist is in the photo – Stevie Shao, hailed here last year as “Seattle’s breakout muralist.”
Thanks to LM for the photos. Don Armeni Boat Ramp is busy today – with a commensurate increase in boats on Elliott Bay – because of the opening of a three-and-a-half-day season for chinook salmon fishing.
According to the state Fish and Wildlife Department, this season will be open until noon Monday (August 8th), “east of a line from Duwamish Head to Pier 91 up to the Duwamish River mouth, including Harbor Island (both the west and east Duwamish waterways).” Daily limit is two chinook, at least 22 inches long.
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what’s up for the hours ahead:
WADING POOLS OPEN: The pools that are scheduled for Friday operations in West Seattle are Delridge (4501 Delridge Way SW), noon-5:30 pm, and Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm. Highland Park Spraypark at 1100 SW Cloverdale is open 11 am-8 pm, too.
COLMAN POOL: The outdoor pool at Lincoln Park is open to the public today, noon-7 pm.
BLUE ANGELS: Today they’re scheduled to rehearse their full air show around 3 pm, taking off from Boeing Field. You can watch the takeoff/landing from the Museum of Flight at 9404 East Marginal Way (parking lot open today but will be an admission-charge area Saturday and Sunday as part of Jet Blast Bash).
SANDLOT FUN DAYS: Tonight’s West Seattle Little League pickup game is for 9-12-year-olds interested in softball – details in our calendar listing. At Bar-S Playfield (64th/Admiral).
BOOK LAUNCH: As noted last night in our story about her book “At Home on an Unruly Planet,” West Seattle author Madeline Ostrander has a launch event at 7 tonight outdoors at The Collective (400 Dexter Ave. N.) downtown, presented by the Northwest Science Writers Association. (Register here.)
MUSIC AT THE SKYLARK: Doors at 7, music at 8, with Waiks, Pubbxtra, DJ Blaznpersuasian. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
‘HERE THERE BE DRAGONS’: 7:30 pm performance of ArtsWest‘s new play. (4711 California SW)
Have something to add to our calendar? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:56 AM: Seattle Fire has a full response arriving at Alaska House apartments in The Junction for a report of a possible fire on the (update) ninth floor Updates to come.
9:59 AM: Firefighters have not yet confirmed a fire – but an alarm is sounding.
10:02 AM: Firefighters are telling dispatch that it appears the alarm was set off by dust from concrete grinding – but they’re checking every floor to be sure.
10:04 AM: And that’s now verified. They say the grinding is happening in the basement but the dust apparently has spread to multiple floors.
10:06 AM: However, firefighters have just said they “recommend to have all residents stay down in the hallways – the air is not good for breathing.” That’s of note particularly because the building is primarily for senior/disabled tenants.
10:25 AM: Just talked to the incident commander. They don’t think it was a lot of dust – they’re using a fan to clear the air.
(2015 photo by Long Bach Nguyen)
Heads up in case you were thinking of touring the historic Alki Point Lighthouse this Sunday – it won’t be open because the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers who make the tours possible will be involved with supporting safety and outreach during Seafair,” explains Debra Alderman from the Auxiliary. The free tours are scheduled to continue for the remaining summer Sundays after that, though, through Labor Day weekend – find tour info here.
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, August 5th.
WEATHER
Today’s forecast says it’ll be sunny and breezy, high around 70.
FERRIES, BUSES, WATER TAXI
Ferries: WSF is on the 2-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
Metro buses are on their regular weekday schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule.
WEEKEND ALERTS
One more reminder: NO bridge closures for the Blue Angels. But SDOT has some work planned this weekend:
On Saturday and Sunday, we will be working at 16th Ave SW and SW Cambridge St to update curb bulbs and curb ramps. Work will begin as early as 8 AM and conclude at 5 PM. We’ll maintain traffic throughout
the area, but people driving can expect delays.On Saturday, our signal crews will be working to replace overhead signs and complete wiring activities on 14th Ave S and S Cloverdale St. The work is anticipated to begin as early as 8 AM and conclude by 3 PM. For people driving, we may need to briefly close lanes directly below the signs while this work takes place. Please navigate the area with caution.
On Sunday from 6 AM to 3 PM, our landscaping crews will be cleaning the parking strips and medians on Olson Place SW and SW Roxbury St. Clean-up efforts will begin on Olson Place SW where we will close a single eastbound lane and proceed to SW Roxbury St where we will close a single westbound lane. Please anticipate delays while traveling in the area.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
866th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. 37 days until the week SDOT hopes to reopen it.
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 – camera malfunctioning, as are a few others in eastern West Seattle (they’ve been reported to SDOT, still no estimate on when they’ll be fixed)
Highland Park Way/2nd SW (one of four recently installed cameras):
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, many with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
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