Thanks to Jamie Kinney for sharing photos from orcas’ visit to the area before sunset. He says these were taken from Alki, looking toward Manchester.

These were transient killer whales, according to Orca Network reports. (Reminder – you can hear about the southern residents at The Whale Trail‘s summer gathering Thursday.)

WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Rainbow sighting, as rain possibility persists

June 18, 2023 9:28 pm

| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Rainbow sighting, as rain possibility persists

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo tweeted by @i8ipod)

Thanks to everyone who sent photos of the rainbow that emerged between waves of rain late today!

(Photo sent by Stewart L.)

The possibility of more rain remains in the forecast off and on until Wednesday – which is when summer arrives, with the solstice moment at 7:57 am. Then by Thursday, we should be back in the mid-70s – tonight, though, it’ll be cold, dropping into the 40s!

Share This

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Crowdfunding for nail salon hit by crash-and-grab

June 18, 2023 7:19 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Crime | How to help | West Seattle news

(Friday morning photo sent by Jay)

We reported Friday morning on the crash-and-grab burglary at Tulip’s Nail Salon in Jefferson Square. While the business is open, like most businesses hit by criminals, this one is left with costly damage. Customer Gay worked with Tulip’s owner Lisa Nguyen to set up a crowdfunding campaign via AngeLink. Gay told us via email, “She loves this community and we all need to show her the love back.” If you’re inclined to donate, here’s the link.

Share This

UPDATE: West Seattle Bridge crashes

June 18, 2023 6:06 pm

| 25 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:06 PM: That’s the traffic-camera view of a two-car crash on the westbound West Seattle Bridge. SPD and SFD are just arriving. No word on whether anyone’s hurt.

6:10 PM: One person is reported injured. The right two lanes are now blocked off by the crash and the emergency response, plus it’s been raining hard for a while now, so if you are headed that way from off-peninsula, allow yourself extra time.

6:16 PM: Now a second crash is reported on the bridge “blocking one of the center lanes,” though we haven’t heard/seen where, only that no one is hurt in that one.

6:31 PM: Another westbound lane has reopened, leaving only the outer WB lane blocked, near the crest.

7:31 PM: Tow truck is on scene to take away the last car left from the original collision. The officer there just told dispatch he’s heard of yet another crash somewhere else on the westbound side.

Share This

AS-IT-HAPPENED. COVERAGE: Morgan Junction Community Festival 2023

June 18, 2023 1:22 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

1:22 PM: Mikey the Rad Scientist is leading audience-participation science songs as the 2023 Morgan Junction Community Festival gets under way in the park just north of Beveridge Place Pub. (It’s Father’s Day, so Mikey even brought his dad.) This is a simple three-hour festival in the park this year, with a half-dozen community-group booths (us too):

The booths have simple free activities too – as we mentioned last night, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society has rock-painting for the Save the Stone Cottage campaign.

(Photo courtesy Clay Eals, WSHS – Lauren was painting)

And just north of the park, skateboarding instruction is offered by Let the Kids Skate (once the weather dries – with giveaways, we hear – next to the Seattle Parks booth where you can revisit the park addition’s design plan as they look ahead to site cleanup later this year and park construction in 2025.

(Cove is helping out)

Coming up: The Potholes at 2 pm (sponsored by WSB) and Gary Benson at 3 pm (sponsored by Thunder Road Guitars, also a WSB sponsor). The Morgan Community Association presents the festival every year (and you can come learn about them too), with the aforementioned community co-sponsors and others.

2:07 PM: The Potholes – all young West Seattle musicians – just started their set in the park. No return of raindrops since the first few minutes. Good crowd.

If you like The Potholes – you’ll get to see them at West Seattle Summer Fest, too (3 pm Friday, July 14th)! Meantime, kids’ activities continue – including face-painting with Nichole.

And if you want a traffic-calming sign from SDOT, free, there’s a stock of them at the MoCA booth right by the entrance to the park.

2:40 PM: The Potholes have a heavy dose of what they called “dad rock” in their set – Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd – they even played a soft-rock Chuck Mangione classic. (video added)

They’ve drawn a crowd ringing the park as well as kids dancing on the lawn.

Around the periphery, some sidewalk chalking:

And we’ve had City Council candidate sightings too. Phil Tavel, former VP of MoCA, is emceeing. Rob Saka and family just stopped by to say hi. And Jean Iannelli Craciun is tabling on the sidewalk right outside the festival. (3 1/2 weeks until ballots go in the mail.)

3:04 PM: Final hour of the festival has begun. Gary Benson is performing now, with classic guitar rock/folk. (video added)

Poogooder is here with a variety of activities reinforcing their mission of helping dog owners be more environmentally friendly.

And over at the future park addition, skating is happening:

Skating will continue past 4 pm with a trick contest. The rest of the festival wraps up at 4, so come say hi before then. All ages have been coming through (chatting next to our booth are two families with babies, one just a few weeks old). And the sun’s been shining off and on, too.

3:51 PM: Everybody’s packing up – except the skaters – and Gary Benson just sang “You Got a Friend” as his finale. Thanks to everyone who sponsored and volunteered, and everyone who came by to say hi.

Share This

VIDEO, PHOTOS: Pride March 2023 in Morgan Junction

June 18, 2023 12:41 pm

| Comments Off on VIDEO, PHOTOS: Pride March 2023 in Morgan Junction

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Surprise sunshine graced the route as more than 100 people of all ages walked in this year’s West Seattle Pride March, founded and again organized by local entrepreneurs Autumn Lovewell and Monica Colgan, who invited another couple to be the first-ever grand marshals, Stacy Bass-Walden and Jolie Bass-Walden of Alki Beach Pride.

Autumn reminded the crowd that Pride started as a protest, more than half a century ago, led by queer Black women, and that inspired their decision to honor the Bass-Waldens.. The march then proceeded peacefully and cheerily on the sidewalk along California, from Morgan Junction Park to SW Findlay, across at the newly signalized crossing, then back down California to Youngstown Coffee for an afterparty (and Alki Beach Pride fundraising).

Lots of car-horn honking and waving along the way.

The celebration was concluding with a Pride Story Time at another Morgan Junction business, Paper Boat Booksellers.

P.S. If you’ve missed our other mentions, the ninth annual Alki Beach Pride is happening in late summer, August 20th, with a noon-7 pm street/beach party (including closing a few blocks of Alki Avenue) – watch alkibeachpride.org for details.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE; Seal Sitters’ reminder for you as pupping season begins

June 18, 2023 10:41 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

If you’re headed to the beach for today’s low tide, or any other time soon, be extra-watchful – harbor-seal pupping season is starting. Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network has this reminder:

Pupping season in our part of Puget Sound runs from June – September. Over the next months, beach walkers in West Seattle will very likely come across vulnerable Harbor Seal pups on both our public and private beaches. These young marine mammals are protected by federal law. If you come across a seal pup using the beach, please keep back, keep people and pets away, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325.

Seal Sitters is part of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Our territory is West Seattle, from Brace Point through the Duwamish River including Harbor Island and the East Waterway. We are responsible for responding to all marine mammals, alive or dead, that end up on the beaches within that area. (The official NOAA stranding map, which shows the coverage areas and the contact information for the various groups that respond to marine mammals on the beaches of Puget Sound, is viewable at this link – click on “Network Maps.”)

If you can, add Seal Sitters’ hotline to your phone – if you don’t, it’s easy to remember: 206-905-SEAL.

Share This

Morgan Junction Community Festival, Pride March, more for your West Seattle Sunday

June 18, 2023 6:21 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Fern, photographed by Jay Speidell)

It’s Father’s Day and the last Sunday of spring. Here’s what’s on the list for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm; the market offers almost-summer produce (strawberries were abundant last week!) as well as flowers, cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, plant starts, more. Here’s today’s vendor list. (California SW between Oregon and Alaska)

SOUL SPA: Inner Alchemy is hosting Soul Spas on Sundays at Jet City Labs (4547 California SW) during Farmers’ Market hours, 10 am-2 pm: “a fun community experience of meeting our talented local healers, makers, and artists right alongside the Farmers’ Market. Mini-sessions, shopping, connecting, and Timmy cooking brunch!”

LOW-LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be out at Constellation Park (63rd/Beach Drive) and Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) 10:30 am-1 pm. The tide’s out to -2.4 feet at 11:41 am.

GUIDED BEACH WALK: Also at Constellation Park, Seattle Parks offers a guided beach walk, $10 fee. 10:30 am-12:30 pm. Info, including how to register, in our calendar listing.

PRIDE MARCH & STORY TIME: Meet at 11 am at Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW) for this year’s West Seattle Pride March through Morgan Junction. See our preview for the latest info, including the post-march celebration at Youngstown Coffee (6030 California SW) and an added Story Time at 12:30 pm at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW)

DONATION DRIVE: Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) welcomes drop-off donations, 11 am-3 pm. Here’s the request:

Where can our neighbors go if they become homeless and have no supplies for living outside? Individuals of all ages and families of all backgrounds face this dilemma each and every month.

Do you have any camping gear that someone else can use? Our priority needs include clean and operable tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, tarps, ropes, stakes and small propane tanks, etc. Your donations of food, clothing and outdoor gear are distributed through the Westside Interfaith Network Saturday lunch, hosted in White Center.

Deepest gratitude to our community for your generous support of our neighbors in need.

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK OPEN: 11 am-8 pm daily through Labor Day, shine or rain. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

BASEBALL: Tournament fun all day with West Seattle Baseball at the Pee Wee fields, lower Riverview Playfield (7226 12th SW), starting at 11;30 am.

MORGAN JUNCTION COMMUNITY FESTIVAL: 1-4 pm at Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW), free family fun, with three performances (as previewed here) – Mikey the Rad Scientist at 1 pm, The Potholes at 2 pm, Gary Benson at 3 pm – plus skateboarding instruction with Let the Kids Skate – Morgan Junction throughout the festival (and a skating trick contest afterward), activities and info from local nonprofits, and a chance to talk with Seattle Parks about the plan for the future addition north of the park. The festival is presented by the Morgan Community Association, with community co-sponsors including WSB.

ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Second Sunday of the season for free tours of historic Alki Point Lighthouse (3201 Alki Avenue SW), 1-4 pm (last tour starts at 3:45 pm).

NATIVE PLANTS AND FOREST ECOLOGY WALK: 2:30-4 pm at Camp Long (5200 35th SW) – details in our calendar listing.

MODE MUSIC STUDIOS SHOWCASE @ C&P: Students from Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) perform at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; also a WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm.

SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.

Have an event – one-time or recurring – to add to our calendar? Please email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Share This