day : 20/04/2023 11 results

By this time next month, we’ll know who’s formally filed for the August primary – including the Seattle City Council District 1 seat, which Lisa Herbold is relinquishing after two terms. We’ve already introduced you to five people who have announced early-stage campaigns. Now, a sixth – Jean Iannelli Craciun. She now has a campaign website as part of her “soft-launch.” Craciun is founder of the Diversity Center of Seattle, which she moved to West Seattle two years ago. On her website, she says, “The complex issues we face today in West Seattle have left many of us feeling frustrated and even hopeless. Solutions have eluded our best-intentioned leaders for too long. It’s clear we need a different approach – and I’m here to shake things up! I’m running for Seattle City Council because I care deeply about West Seattle and bring a unique perspective as a researcher, mother, small business owner and diversity proponent, with a lifelong commitment to community engagement. I’m all about getting people excited enough – and feeling safe enough – to get involved, share ideas, listen to different perspectives, and act.” Craciun’s campaign announcement follows those of Stephen Brown, Preston Anderson, Maren Costa, Rob Saka, and Phil Tavel; as we’ve done with all the announced candidates, we hope to bring you a sit-down video interview with Craciun shortly. So far, though the recent remapping process expanded D-1 outside West Seattle/South Park, everyone running lives in WS. As noted above, the field will be final after Filing Week, May 15-19.

BIZNOTE: Anniversary sale at Lauren’s Jewelry

April 20, 2023 10:04 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | Westwood

Thinking about a jewelry gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or some other upcoming occasion? Or – shopping for something for yourself? Lauren’s Jewelry (WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village has deals for you as part of the shop’s Anniversary Sale. It’s been a year since Lauren Wiggins renamed the shop, two and a half years after she took over what is one of the few independent locally owned businesses at WWV. Through April 30th, everything at Lauren’s Jewelry is 10 percent to 50 percent off. The shop is open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesdays through Saturdays (and having an online sale too).

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1 week left to register for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day!

April 20, 2023 7:21 pm

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

Planning a sale on Saturday, May 13th, for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day? If you’re not already registered, you have one more week – we close registration at 11:30 pm next Thursday, April 27th. WSCGSD is one big day of person-to-person recycling and neighbor-mingling, 9 am to 3 pm, though some sellers start earlier and/or end later. This will be the 17th almost-annual WSCGSD; we’ve coordinated it since the fourth year, 2008. As of right now, 239 sales are signed up, all sizes, all neighborhoods, all around the peninsula. Sale descriptions will be included with the (searchable) online and printable map/list versions, both available one week in advance, by Saturday, May 6th, here on WSB and at westseattlegaragesale.com. Sales will be numbered as always so sellers can invite friends, family, and co-workers to “sale #xx.” Ready to register? Here’s the link.

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SAFETY: West Seattle Junction Association hiring private security patrols

April 20, 2023 3:58 pm

| 67 COMMENTS

| Crime | Safety | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, December 24, 2022)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

It wasn’t the first time a West Seattle Junction business had been hit by crime, but the crash-and-grab attempt at Menashe and Sons Jewelers on Christmas Eve was the most jolting, in multiple ways.

That shop and others have taken individual steps toward fortification in the meantime, and the West Seattle Junction Association has been increasingly focused on security strategies in addition to what’s already in its portfolio – from parking to planters, festivals to flags. Now it’s planning a major move: Hiring private security patrols.

WSJA executive director Chris Mackay tells WSB, “We signed a contract with Praetorian to have 6 patrols a night on both foot and car to cover the entire Junction 7 nights a week from 9 pm to 5 am. We may increase these hours in response to incidents.” The patrol personnel will start as soon as next week and will not carry guns.

That’s not all Mackay says WSJA is doing: “We are addressing better lighting, creating a phone tree for businesses, creating a cheat sheet for merchant of ‘who to call,’ and directing businesses toward help with locks and gates. Everything is under way now.” Regarding lighting, “All city lights which were out have been called in through Find It Fix It.” Mackay also spoke with the Parks Department, which committed to increased lighting in Junction Plaza Park at 42nd/Alaska.

She adds, “I am also taking to SPD to get more presence from Community Service Officers.” CSOs are uniformed civilian SPD personnel who currently work citywide as community liaisons and problem-solvers.

DATA: SPD crime stats are not broken out between businesses and individuals, but looking at the West Seattle Junction stats on the SPD dashboard so far this year, through the end of March, 11 robberies, 12 aggravated assaults, 43 burglaries, and 107 larceny/theft incidents were reported. Compared to the totals for all of last year, robberies are slightly up, burglaries are about the same, and both aggravated assaults and larceny/theft reports are down. Last year in turn was up from 2021 totals, especially in aggravated assaults, which went up more than 60 percent from 2021 to 2022, and larceny/thefts, which increased 25 percent between the two years.

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TRAFFIC ALERT: Fire near I-5/West Seattle Bridge interchange

April 20, 2023 3:05 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Thanks to the texter who sent that photo. The Seattle Fire response for what’s described as an “encampment fire” on that slope over northbound I-5 has been affecting the interchange with the West Seattle Bridge. WSDOT says fire crews are “blocking the Spokane Street on-ramp to NB I-5,” so if you need to get to I-5, you might try it from points further north or south for a while. The eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct is backed up, as this framegrab from the traffic cam shows.

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BIZNOTE: Soft-opening day at Tony’s Market

April 20, 2023 1:33 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | Westwood

Thanks to Arlene for the tip! Tony’s Market at 35th/Barton has soft-opened. Official opening day isn’t until Saturday, proprietor Joey Genzale told us when we went over to investigate, but you’re welcome to stop by now. Some produce is in stock already, but he says local growers are having some challenges because of the still-cold weather.

This year Tony’s aims to help you grow your own produce, too, with plans to offer herb and vegetable plant starts, as well as bagged mulch/soil for your garden.

Official hours again this year starting Saturday (April 22nd) will be 9 am to 7 pm daily. (If you’re new – Joey has operated the market since its founder and namesake, his dad Tony Genzale, died 12 years ago. Along with produce and more in the spring/summer, Tony’s Market sells pumpkins during Halloween season and Christmas trees during the holiday season.)

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Progress for Morgan Junction Park expansion, festival preview, and what else Morgan Community Association discussed this quarter

April 20, 2023 11:59 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The biggest news from last night’s online quarterly meeting of the Morgan Community Association was a progress report on the Morgan Junction Park expansion site.

While this long-empty site awaits first a cleanup of contaminated soil from its dry-cleaning past and then funding for its much-delayed development, local skateboarders turned it into an unofficial skatepark for a while last year, until Seattle Parks‘ crackdown ended that. More recently, supporters of skating on the site proposed ways to revise the years-old Parks design for the site’s future. They weren’t at last night’s MoCA meeting, but the Parks manager who is point person for the site’s future, Kelly Goold, was.

“Things are moving,” Goold said. The grading permit for removing the contaminated soil was issued earlier this month, and now he’s negotiating a price with a “pre-approved” contractor, Clearcreek/Holt Services. The job will in essence “dig a big hole,” taking away the contaminated soil and replacing it with clean fill. This work is expected to start in July/August, when the ground-water table will be at its lowest, and will last about two months.

What happens after that isn’t settled yet – though, while Parks is committed to fully developing the site by 2026, Goold said they might be able to get construction going in “late 2024” (by which time the city will have owned the site for a decade). Post-cleanup, it will be open to some kind of activation in the meantime. So they’ll have a community conversation to talk about that as well as possible changes to the design (which is now 4+ years old), such as incorporating a “skate dot.” Should that conversation be a traditional community meeting, or an on-site tabling event, or both? No conclusion was reached.

Attendees also pointed out that the existing Morgan Junction Park needs lawn help. For concerns like that, Goold suggested reporting it to Parks – the more reports the better – via email (pks_info@seattle.gov) and/or Find It Fix It.

Other topics during last night’s meeting facilitated by MoCA president Deb Barker included festival plans, a major redevelopment project, an update from police, and a new board member:

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Run, eat, learn, watch, listen, protect, more … your West Seattle Thursday options

April 20, 2023 10:39 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Duck family photographed in Lincoln Park area by Tom Trulin)

Got your ducks in a row for the rest of today/tonight? Here’s what’s happening:

WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayers@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today.

STEERING-WHEEL LOCKS: 100+ more free steering-wheel locks are available for theft-vulnerable Hyundais and Kias, 2-4 pm at Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster)

CANNABIS 101: Learn all about using it and shopping for it during this presentation at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), 3 pm.

FREE INDOOR PLAYSPACE: 2-6-year-olds welcome 3:30-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center (9050 16th SW).

THURSDAY FOOD-TRUCK POP-UP: 4-8 pm at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), the Georgia’s Greek Food Truck will be visiting.

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at The Good Society (California/Lander) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run – more in our calendar listing.

FLY-FISHING BOOK EVENT: 6:30 pm, free event at Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW; WSB sponsor) for “Fly Fishing Russia: The Far East.”

HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: Meet up at Highland Park Corner Store at 6:30 pm Thursdays for a ~3-mile run.

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Southwest Precinct police and City Attorney Ann Davison are the scheduled guests, and all are invited to attend either in person at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) or online (see our calendar listing).

LIVE PIANO MUSIC: With Chris Crow at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way), 7 pm.

LIVE BLUES MUSIC: At The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7 pm.

‘FRIENDS ACROSS THE WIRES’ PERFORMANCE: Tonight at 7:30 pm is the rescheduled performance of this play telling the story of WWII Japanese-American relocation through its effects on youths. Free admission. Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)

If you have something to add to our calendar, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Memorial party next month for Noreen E. Wilde, 1964-2023

April 20, 2023 9:58 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are planning a party to celebrate Noreen Wilde‘s life on May 20th. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community now:

Noreen Eliza Wilde 3/13/1964 – 3/18/2023

“I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints…” -Billy Joel

Noreen grew up the second youngest in an LDS family in West Seattle and graduated from Chief Sealth High School. She was a voracious reader of books throughout her life, and she was a champion speller and grammar queen. Noreen enjoyed walking in the woods, growing flowers, the Methow River, candles, making jewelry, attending the symphony and other concerts, brewing kombucha, and baking delicious treats, among many other things. Noreen was irreverent and hilarious and generous, passionately liberal, and a fierce defender of reproductive freedoms. She was a devoted Aunt and Great Aunt to family and friends alike and always had a gift for connecting with and uplifting young people. The three great loves of her life were Reggie, Viggo, and Brodie. Noreen was among the minute percentage of folks who survive with pancreatic cancer for over five years. She will be remembered as an expansive, resilient, and wonderfully unique individual by all who knew and loved her.

Gifts in her memory can be made to Abortion Care Network: abortioncarenetwork.org/donate

There will be a memorial party and BBQ celebrating Noreen’s life with stories, games, and food on May 20, 2023, in Tukwila. If you would like to attend and want more information, please text or call her niece Jessica at 206 9one5 9five5five.

Your comments with memories of Noreen are heartily encouraged and welcomed.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

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Brown-water reports in Gatewood

April 20, 2023 9:43 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Utilities | West Seattle news

Two reports of brown water in Gatewood: Grace emailed this morning about experiencing the problem near 39th/Elmgrove. And we belatedly discovered a message from Brad, also in Gatewood, reporting dark water early Wednesday afternoon. Save this number in case it happens at your home, business, or school – 206-386-1800, a 24/7 number for Seattle Public Utilities.

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday info

April 20, 2023 6:00 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, April 20th.

WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

The forecast for today: Cloudy, chance of rain, high around 50. Sunrise 6:11 am, sunset 8:06 pm.

SCHOOL STREET

SW Lander between California and 45th continues the “School Street” test – explained here.

TRANSIT

Metro – Regular schedule, but trip cancellations are still happening, so watch for alerts (if you’re not signed up to get them, check channels like this).

Water Taxi – Now on the spring/summer schedule, which adds Friday/Saturday late-night runs starting tomorrow.

Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on the 2-boat schedule; check here for alerts/updates and see Vessel Watch for boats’ locations.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Oregon.

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 southwestward toward it:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – another 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; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!

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