West Seattle, Washington
12 Monday
Some got flowers for Valentine’s Day. Some got jewelry. Sara got … a replica of the West Seattle Bridge. She and her Valentine emailed us late tonight to tell the story:
We thought we’d share our valentine to which other West Seattleites might relate.
Sara lives in West Seattle. Cameron lives in Capitol Hill. After numerous arduous trips through Georgetown to see each other, our relationship cooled slowly but steadily during the bridge repairs.
He says he called Sara for weekend outings to keep the relationship alive with the mantra, “just get to the bridge opening.” The bridge opened, they went on more outings, he appealed to rekindle things, and lo and behold, things are warming up again.
When he told her while skiing recently that he prays at an altar of the West Seattle bridge … the idea of a Valentine’s gift for her was born.
Cam found his old architecture basswood in the basement, scoured the internet for photos, even schematic scaled plans, and got to work on the model itself, the night before Valentine’s Day.
Thank you dear Lady of the West Seattle Bridge, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude.
Love, Sara and Cam
Tough night for both West Seattle High School basketball teams at the King County District 2 3A playoffs. Both played at Bellevue College, and both lost. This afternoon, the girls fell to Bishop Blanchet, 55-48, and tonight, the boys lost to Eastside Catholic, 54-48. Both get one more chance to advance in the playoffs, with loser-out games Friday night (February 17th) at Bellevue College – the boys vs. Liberty at 6:30 pm, the girls vs. Holy Names at 8 pm.
Two reader reports about transportation thefts:
GOLF CAR STOLEN FROM CHURCH: The report and photo are from Phil:
Places of worship are not exempt from theft. Sometime early morning Valentine’s Day, the storage shed at Fauntleroy Church UCC was broken into and the golf car taken. The golf car is used to help people going from the parking lot to the sanctuary, and for groundskeeping. This golf car is a 1995 Club Car – old but fulfilling the tasks asked of it. If you have any information about its whereabouts, please contact the police (incident number 23-043252) or Fauntleroy Church UCC at 206-932-5600.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Here’s a security-camera photo of the golf car being driven away, toward Barton, with the date/time stamp:
E-BIKE STOLEN AT SCHOOL: This report and photo are from Heather:
Wanted to share that my son’s yellow, REI Co-Op e-bike, which was locked in front of CSIHS, was stolen today during school hours. We will file a police report next, but wanted to put this out there in case anyone comes across it. The battery won’t last forever and without it, it’s quite heavy. People can reach out to me if it’s spotted. 206-698-3051
Here’s the first round of results for tonight’s one-issue special election:
SEATTLE INITIATIVE 135
Yes – 52.82% – 53,824
No – 47.18% – 48,085
The ballots counted tonight represent just over 21 percent of Seattle voters; just under 26 percent have been received so far. The initiative seeks to create a Public Development Authority to build what’s called “social housing.” Where, how much, and how it would be financed are all to be worked out. The next round of results will be announced Wednesday afternoon.
(Photo courtesy Southwest Titans Lacrosse)
The Southwest Titans Lacrosse Club is welcoming players as young as kindergarten as the 2023 season approaches. Here’s the update we received:
Lots of people don’t know that you can get your youngsters involved in our local lacrosse club, the Titans, as young as kindergarten, and we are looking for some more K-2 players to join the fun. K-2 Titans are co-ed so girls and boys are invited! March 26th is the beginning of the Lacrosse season for the youngest of the Titans Lacrosse Club. Join the fastest sport on two feet – it’s a great family sport.
The Titans Lacrosse Club has K-2nd Grade, 3-4th grade, 5-6th Grade, and 7-9th grade and has produced some amazing players that have progressed to the High School and College ranks. Our first practices for the 3-4s, 5-6s, and 7-8s begin this week if you have kids interested in those age groups as well.
Meet lifelong friends while playing a fast, fun game. If interested please see swlacrosseclub.org.
As noted above, K-2 Titans are coed – then 3rd grade and up, the Titans have boys’ teams, while the West Seattle Lacrosse Club has girls’ teams, as well as high-school boys and girls.
One more election note today, from the WSB inbox:
Starting February 21, the City of Seattle will mail eligible Seattle residents $100 in Democracy Vouchers.
“All of us have an interest in the direction of our City, and this program gives all of us a say in who runs it,” said Executive Director Wayne Barnett. This year, the seven city council district seats will be on the ballot. Candidates seeking office may choose to use this program to fund their campaigns after completing a qualifying process.
There are two ways you can conveniently and securely use your vouchers at home:
1) Return your vouchers by mail using the pre-paid envelope included with your vouchers (no stamp is required).
2) Follow the instructions included with your paper vouchers to create an online account to submit your vouchers online for this and future elections.
How do I learn about the candidates?
All candidates running for office in Seattle are invited to submit a 200-word Candidate Introduction. Read the Candidate Introductions to learn about who is running and view the participating candidates page to see who is using the Democracy Voucher Program.
Residents with language preferences other than English can contact our office to request Democracy Vouchers in one of 17 additional languages. For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/democracyvoucher or call 206-727-8855 (interpreters are available).
The Democracy Voucher program was created by an initiative that voters approved in 2015.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
HERE’S WHY DENNY IMS SHELTERED IN PLACE BRIEFLY: Denny International Middle School sent parents a note saying they sheltered in place for a few minutes this morning because of “an incident in the community.” Here’s the police summary of the incident:
Officers responded to 24 Ave. SW and SW Kenyon St. The victim, a construction site worker, stated that the subject had entered the fenced worksite. The victim contacted the subject and asked if they needed something, The subject did not respond, therefore the victim told the subject that they needed to leave the site. The subject then pulled out a gun and asked the victim if they were scared. The victim walked away and called 911. The subject was last seen northbound on 24 Av SW.
Officers searched with a K9 team but couldn’t find the person.
KAYAK THEFT: The report and photos are from Amar:
Stolen at 6:15 am 2/13/23 (Monday) 18th Ave and Roxbury near White Center. Please be on the lookout for a very long yellow kayak (2022 Eddyline Fathom Sea Kayak, Yellow), either in your neighborhoods or online. This thing would be very hard to fit inside a standard car, so this has to be transported on top of a standard car. FYI it’s as long as a Toyota Sienna.
Also stolen with the kayak were some Original 2019 Mazda MX-5 Wheels. They are gloss black with dull old tires.
I have also filed an incident report with Seattle PD – 23-042390
GARAGE THEFT: Another reported garage theft, this one just a few blocks north of the one reported here Monday. Received from Sanwal late last night:
Would like to report a theft from my secured apartment garage at 3703 California Avenue SW.
The thieves took about $1500 worth of gear that included motorcycle helmets, cameras, motorcycle repair tools, winter riding gear and gloves, and stuff like the rear-view mirrors from the motorcycle itself.
This is the second time garage theft has happened within the last year in the same garage.
REMINDER: Questions for police? Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council meets 7 pm Thursday (February 16th) at the precinct (2300 SW Webster) and online.
If you own a house and/or other property in King County, you can now see your property-tax bill for this year. The King County Assessor is sending out 2023 bills starting today, but you don’t have to wait for yours to arrive in the mail – you can look it up right now online via kingcounty.gov/propertytax. If you pay your tax bundled with your mortgage, you won’t get a paper statement, but you can still see the new amount online. The assessor’s website also enables you to see how the tax you pay is split between various agencies – though the bill comes from King County, the money goes to a variety of entities. A few other notes from the announcement:
Because of the way the calendar falls this year, property taxpayers will have an extra day to pay the first half of their property taxes. The statutory due date for the first half falls on a Sunday in 2023, so payments will not be due until Monday, May 1. Payments are accepted online, by mail, and by drop box. Visit kingcounty.gov/PropertyTax for details on payment options. Customer service representatives are also available to assist Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact King County Treasury Operations at 206-263-2890 or email propertytax.customerservice@kingcounty.gov.
Information on tax exemption and deferral programs for seniors, people with disabilities, or other qualifying conditions can be obtained from the King County Assessor’s Office at TaxRelief.kingcounty.gov, by emailing exemptions.assessments@kingcounty.gov, or calling 206-296-3920.
SIDE NOTE: The Legislature has been looking at expanding tax relief, and Assessor John Wilson has been advocating for it. Both proposals are still in committee.
Rob Saka is the latest candidate to announce a campaign for the Seattle City Council District 1 seat that Lisa Herbold is leaving at the end of the year. Saka’s announcement describes him as an “attorney, community advocate, and father” as well as a U.S. Air Force veteran who is “the son of a Nigerian immigrant and former warehouse worker (who) overcame abject poverty, a traumatic and unstable home life cycling through the foster care system.” (His website includes a detailed biography.) He is quoted as saying he’s “running to serve the people of District 1 with their best interests in mind first (and) to work on real solutions to issues like public safety and homelessness, rather than play politics.” In the past five years Saka has served on advisory groups including King County’s Charter Commission and Districting Committee and the City of Seattle Police Chief Search Committee. He is a West Seattle resident and the third candidate to send an official campaign announcement, after Maren Costa and Preston Anderson last month. We’ll be starting candidate interviews shortly so you can get to know them better. Also, Saka says he’s planning “an informal candidate meet-and-greet at the West Seattle Farmers Market on Sunday, February 19th from 10 am-1 pm.” Formal filing week is May 15-19, so the field of candidates won’t be finalized until then; the primary election is August 1st.
(Photo by Ann Anderson)
Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead:
VOTING DEADLINE FOR 2 ELECTIONS: Tonight’s when votes have to be in for the special election for Seattle I-135 and the online election for King Conservation District Supervisor – info’s in our Sunday reminder.
GOLF COURSE OPENING LATE: Per Seattle Parks – “between 10 am and noon.”
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS: Long-distance political-advocacy group meets at 10:30 am at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
PORT COMMISSION: Seattle Port Commissioners meet at noon today – you can participate online or in person at Port HQ on the downtown waterfront; info and agenda link here.
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon): “Are you looking for a new activity to keep your brain sharp and clear? The Senior Center Chess Club welcomes both novice and experienced players. Join us at 1:30 p.m. for lessons, short tutorials and chess for all levels of expertise. For more information, contact Conwell: conwell@conwelld.net.”
VALENTINE’S VISIT: Stop by HomeStreet Bank (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) 2-4 pm for sweet treats and (while supplies last) a long-stemmed rose.
CITY COUNCIL: 2 pm this afternoon, it’s the full council’s weekly meeting, online or at City Hall (600 4th Ave.). See the agenda here; the meeting is also viewable via Seattle Channel.
DONUT FUNDRAISER: If you didn’t pre-order for the Madison Middle School PTSA Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser, they’re expecting to have some availability for walk-up purchases (cash or PayPal), 3:30-4:30 pm outside the school at 3429 45th SW.
FREE INDOOR PLAYSPACE: Toddler Gym weekday afternoons at the Salvation Army Center (9050 16th SW), ages 2-6, 3:30-5 pm.
VALENTINE’S DAY WITH ELVIS: Bret Wiggins channels The King at 4 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon) – check to see if there’s still room!
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
SING! The Boeing Employees’ Choir (you do NOT have to be a Boeing employee) is having another open rehearsal at 6:30 pm, American Legion Post 160 (3618 SW Alaska) – if you’re interested in trying out, contact info is in our calendar listing.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Board meeting at 7 pm, community members welcome – in-person at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) or online (register via FCA website),
TRIVIA X 3: Three places where you can play Tuesday nights – 7 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz 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!
You can always see the future via our event calendar – if you have something to include on it, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Quirky, lively, joyful … brass bands can make you smile and get you dancing, If you want to give the gift of irresistible music, one of your West Seattle neighbors has an invitation for you:
Do you sometimes hear a song and think, “ya know, that would sound better as brass”? Same here! Let’s play tunes that span multiple decades that will fill any street or venue to the brim with sonic satisfaction!
We’re looking for lead and solid trumpet (x2), trombone (x2), and tuba/sousa (x1) players, a core drum set player (x1) plus percussionists to double up on bass, snare, and cymbals (x3). 21+ only, please. Email Kevin Freitas (photo right) at BetterAsBrass@gmail.com for more info.
More about the band
Imagine a great mixtape from a school dance (slow dances included plus possibly a little singing and/or karaoke!) but brass and that’s the plan: En Vogue, Boyz II Men, The Police, Radiohead, Soundgarden, Kansas, Lonely Island, Britney Spears, and more!
We’ll rehearse weekly in/around SW Seattle and busk/gig on the streets, in venues, and for festivals around the area. Collaboration on arranging tunes, snagging and managing gigs, and more is welcome. Depending on band travel and other goals, we can decide together how best any $$ earned can be distributed and/or spent.
Kevin is formerly a founding member of 8-Bit Brass Band, where he helped lead rehearsals, manage gigs, arrange tunes, and play sousaphone. Before that, he played trumpet in Trash Talk and got his nerdy brass band start with D20 nearly 10 years ago. He’s sat in with various Honk bands through the years and looks forward to adding a new krewe to the Honk roster.
(That’s a reference to the boisterous bandfest that has livened up Seattle streets in recent years.)
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, February 14th.
WEATHER
Still a chance of showers, maybe with snow, this morning, then making way for sunshine. High near 45.
SCHOOL CHANGES
Some weather woes in neighboring districts, so Highline Public Schools are is starting 2 hours late and Vashon Island School District is is starting 1.5 hours late.
TODAY’S TRANSIT STATUS
–Metro is on its regular schedule, but still canceling some trips, still operating without some buses, so keep watching notification channels such as @kcmetroalerts.
-Regular schedule for the West Seattle Water Taxi.
–Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on a two-boat schedule; check here for alerts/updates and use Vessel Watch to see where boats are at.
SPOTLIGHT CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Oregon), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Henderson.
High Bridge – the camera at the top:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge – looking east to west:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – the south route across the river:
Highway 99: – the northbound side at Lander.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; take a quick look at West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras on this WSB page … Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if needed) – 206-293-6302.
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