West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(WSB photo, May 30)
After a murder and other incidents, “resolution” is planned for the encampment on the east side of the north end of Myers Way, according to City Councilmember Lisa Herbold. From her newest weekly newsletter:
… On May 31st, I requested that the King County Regional Homelessness Authority consider this location for its State-funded work removing encampments in State Right of Way. The funding supports shelter and services to people living at a site. I’ve also learned that last week the Executive [mayor] also reached out to WSDOT (which owns most of the land under the encampment), also recommending the site for joint resolution. I was told that the decision was made recently to move forward with that joint resolution at Myers Way, which I fully support.
Because this work is supported with blended funding, both from the State Right of Way program, King County Funding, and City of Seattle funding, the LEAD Policy Coordinating Group, of which I am a member, also has to agree that LEAD should take on the project. The City contract for LEAD services requires resources focused on geographic areas. So, we have LEAD resources specifically focused on South Delridge and Highland Park, you may remember the work they did at the Rosella Building in December and the Roxbury/Delridge Triangle before that. The Myers Way/Arrowhead Gardens area is not currently included as a focus area, but that will hopefully change. On Friday, I requested that LEAD refocus its District 1 specific work to Myers Way. I hope to have an outcome of that request to report out next week.
The City’s Unified Care Team, which responds to encampments, reports it’s been a complex site for the City to work in for several reasons: because the majority of the site is not City property, and the site has challenging topography and requires an in-depth safety plan that take into consideration EPA regulations in run-off areas, soil saturation levels that affect use of heavy machinery used in site resolutions, and land inclines and soil shifting.
Nonetheless, the UCT has been on site providing trash mitigation and geo cleans for RVs; along with 3-4 visits per week from outreach workers who also mitigate fire hazards and conduct needs assessments for residents.
It’s been a month since Arrowhead Gardens residents met with city reps (WSB coverage here) who agreed that removal of the encampment was needed, but had no firm commitments. That was three weeks before the shooting that killed 35-year-old Reginald Moore.
By Sunday, the sunshine is expected to return, along with 70ish temperatures. Perfect day to try a kayak! Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) invites you to Seacrest on Sunday for a test paddle – here’s the announcement:
(Photo courtesy Mountain to Sound Outfitters)
On Sunday, June 11th, from 10 am-1 pm, Mountain to Sound Outfitters is stoked to host Eddyline Kayaks at Alki Kayak Tours (1660 Harbor Avenue SW) for our annual Eddyline Kayaks Test Paddle.
If you are interested in exploring our beautiful waterways via kayak, this is the event to talk to industry experts and try some of the best locally made kayaks in the world.
Pre-registration is required. Registration fees apply to any kayak or SUP purchase.
The registration link has more information about the event and the kayaks.
Summer vacation has begun for at least one local school, and for many others, it’s just days away. In case you’ve wondered, we looked up the last-day-of-school dates – here’s what we found via online calendars:
TODAY (June 9): Summit Atlas
TUESDAY (June 13): Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor)
WEDNESDAY (June 14): Our Lady of Guadalupe
THURSDAY (June 15): Westside School (WSB sponsor)
NEXT FRIDAY (June 16): Highline Public Schools, Holy Family, Holy Rosary, Tilden School (WSB sponsor), Vashon Island School District
JUNE 30: Seattle Public Schools
Note that for most schools, the last day is a shortened day, so you’ll see activity outside the usual scheduled hours.
When Washington State Ferries held an online community meeting this week for its southernmost routes (video above), it included bad news for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth – WSF now doesn’t expect to restore 3-boat service to the route before “early 2024.” (The previous official estimate was to have weekday 3-boat service back last month.)
Getting in the way are the same twin troubles they’ve been mentioning for months – personnel and vessel shortages. In the former, they still need more licensed deck officers most of all – the system currently has 170 and needs 200 – and there’s a long process to qualify; WSF says it’s doing OK on hiring entry-level crew members. Regarding vessels, one current example was given – M/V Cathlamet had to be pulled from the Triangle Route this week and replaced with the lower-capacity M/V Sealth because of a domino effect that started when the Bremerton route’s only boat, M/V Walla Walla, started having trouble again. (It’s the one that ran aground on south Bainbridge Island earlier this year.) It’s out for two weeks.
Also discussed briefly, the Fauntleroy dock/terminal replacement project. WSF’s David Sowers said they’re still working to develop a “preferred alternative”; in the meantime, you might notice some work around the dock next week – a boat will be working near and under the dock to map eelgrass and microalgae.
Missed our candidate forum this past Tuesday and/or want another chance to see the City Council District 1 candidates? Tomorrow is your next chance – and as a bonus, it’s a doubleheader, also including the first local faceoff between the County Council District 8 candidates. The 34th District Democrats are presenting the forums Saturday afternoon as a prelude to their endorsement votes next week, but the forums are open to all. They’re happening at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), with County Council candidates Sofia Aragon (Burien mayor) and Teresa Mosqueda (at-large Seattle councilmember) at 1 pm, City Council D-1 candidates (we’re checking on their final RSVP list) at 2 pm. We’ll be recording both forums on video and will publish them Saturday night, as soon as they’re uploaded.
P.S. Next Wednesday (June 14th), there’s yet another chance to see the City Council candidates, also at Youngstown CAC, focusing on transportation, mobility, and climate issues, presented by a coalition of regional organizations; their forum starts at 5 pm and you can RSVP for in-person or online attendance here.
11:18 AM: Seattle Parks has unveiled its whittled-down list of potential sites for new dog parks around the city. They have funding to design and build two – and to design a third; funding stipulates that one of the two has to be in West Seattle, which has only one off-leash area, at Westcrest Park in the southeast corner of the peninsula. The citywide list was presented last night to the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners. We watched the meeting, which was held at Parks HQ downtown and streamed online. This item started at about 1:20 into the meeting:
The Parks project team explained that the nine “preferred” sites citywide were from the original list of 30. One of the criteria to make the final cut: They needed to be sites already owned by the city. Here are the two in West Seattle:
Upper Lincoln Park – This site is a grassy area south of the sports field. Parks staff noted that the grass is worn in the area and that suggests to them that the area is already being used as an unofficial dog park. Here’s what was shown at the meeting:
West Seattle Stadium – This site is actually south of the stadium, west of the golf course, and downhill/east of Rotary Viewpoint Park. Parks staff noted that one big challenge would be parking, as the stadium/golf course lot fills up during event times. Here’s what was shown at the meeting:
(More than a decade ago, at least part of that site was proposed for a driving range, ultimately scrapped.)
As noted on the Parks website, the department also studied proposed sites at Me-Kwa-Mooks, Hamilton Viewpoint, and Delridge Community Center (we first reported the study sites in March; most had been suggested by community members). The briefing was relatively short, as they went quickly through the full list of nine sites. Next step is an online survey that’s supposed to start today – we’ll add the link here when available.
11:51 AM: Here’s the survey link.
(Thursday sunset as the clouds moved in, photographed by Jan Pendergrass)
As the weekend approaches, here’s what’s on the schedule for today/tonight, mostly as featured on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GARDEN CENTER OPEN: Need more plants for your garden, containers, etc.? You can shop at the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Garden Center, open with a wide variety of plants, until 3 pm. (North end of campus, 6000 16th SW)
SPRAYPARK OPEN: 11 am-8 pm, rain or shine, Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open daily.
SCRABBLE CLUB: You’re invited to play 12:30-1:30 pm at Margie’s Café in the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
LINE DANCE PARTY: 1:30 pm-4 pm at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), presented by Lifelong Recreation – our calendar listing has the link for pre-registering.
VISCON CELLARS: Stop by Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW).
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: Itchy Kitty, Mr. Dinkles, Miss Prince, 7 pm (doors at 6), $10, all ages, at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW).
LIVE AT EASY STREET: Hunter Pinkston is onstage at 7 pm, free, all ages. (4559 California SW)
LIVE AT C & P: Songwriters’ Showcase tonight at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW), 7 pm. No cover.
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:04 AM: Thanks for the tips. On this rainy morning, there’s a power outage that Seattle City Light says is affecting 41 customers, shown on the outage map in an odd patchy footprint along the bridge and on Harbor Island:
Among those affected, we’re told, is the Nucor steel mill. We’re checking with SCL on the cause.
9:49 AM: Down to 15 customers. Meantime, a smaller outage continues in Riverview, six customers, blamed on “bird/animal contact.”
10:13 AM: The larger of the two outages is over, but the one in Riverview continues.
AFTERNOON UPDATE: The Riverview outage ended by 1:30 pm, a texter tells us. SCL blames both on bird mishaps.
8:50 AM: A commenter reports the light is out at 35th/Avalon. That’s possibly because of a patchy power outage we’ll be writing about separately.
9:09 AM: Police are responding to a reported crash at 8th/Henderson.
9:22 AM: That location’s been corrected to 8th/Barton and it’s closed the southbound leg of the intersection, per emergency-radio exchange.
10:49 AM: Crash involving a school bus blocking Dumar (between Delridge and 16th). No injuries reported – one child was on the bus, officers told dispatch.
Earlier:
6:03 AM: Good morning. Welcome to Friday, June 9th.
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy, chance of more showers, high in the mid-60s. Sunrise was at 5:12 am; sunset will be at 9:06 pm.
TRANSIT
Metro – Regular schedule, but trip cancellations and temporary route suspensions can and do happen at any time.
Water Taxi – Continuing the spring/summer schedule, including late-evening runs on Friday and Saturday nights.
Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on the 2-boat schedule; sailing cancellations remain possible on short notice, so 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 main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge – east-end vicinity:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:
Highway 99: – 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 trouble 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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