West Seattle, Washington
19 Tuesday
Three Fauntleroy notes:
(WSB photo, cake-contest entries, last Sunday)
FALL FESTIVAL RECAP: On behalf of the volunteer organizers of the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, held this past Sunday (WSB coverage here), Ben Weagraff tells us the light rain didn’t get in the way of a good time:
This year, we estimate that the crowds were comparable to the year before. We feel comfortable saying that we had over 1,000 people. We built almost 500 birdhouses and painted almost 800 pumpkins. We also welcomed more than 100 community volunteers to help make the event possible.
The most noteworthy thing was from 24 Carrot Parties (the bunny people) – she said that she had never seen such well-mannered children at a community event this large. Usually at an event like this, they have some “behavioral challenges” and are worried about their bunnies — but that wasn’t the case with our children and our neighbors.
To make planning easier for all of our vendors, we agreed to Save the Date for October 20, 2024 for next year’s festival.
PUMPKIN SEARCH: This Saturday (October 21st), the Fauntleroy Community Association invites you to this year’s Great Pumpkin Search. Volunteers will hide pumpkins around the Endolyne Triangle area: “There will be little pumpkins, easy to find for the little ones, and larger pumpkins for the grown-ups who come. As a bonus, there will be special pumpkins and holiday gifts to find in various locations. This is a first-come, first-served event so don’t wait too long.” This is set for 1 to 3 pm.
(WSB file photo, youngest participants in past salmon-drumming event)
SALMON DRUMMING SUNDAY: It’s almost time for the coho to come home. Every fall, the Fauntleroy Watershed Council gathers community members to drum and sing by the creek to welcome them. The more voices, and drums, the better. It’s a short, fun, memorable gathering – bring whatever you want to use for a drum, or just bring yourself (and family members neighbors …). This happens 4 to 4:30 pm Sunday (October 22); just go to upper Fauntleroy Way at SW Director and follow the drumbeats down a driveway to the gathering spot.
Tonight’s featured West Seattle Halloween decorations are the “spooky apartment” inhabited by Alex and Emma. Alex sent the photos and writes:
We painted the pumpkin and ghosts ourselves! We had a lot of fun putting this together and seeing it every day! Added a photo in the day, and night!
They’re off California SW, near The Junction. All the decorations we’ve shown – along with seasonal events, trick-or-treating and beyond – are featured in our newly launched West Seattle Halloween Guide; you can send suggestions to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
A safety drive at West Seattle’s Nucor steel mill is going to support the work WestSide Baby does keeping babies and kids safe – from car seats to diaper supply. Nucor reps stopped by WestSide Baby’s headquarters in White Center at noontime today to present a $11,040 donation stemming from the company’s fall Observation Blitz. Nucor’s safety director Shayne Dinkle explained that the company has a special campaign of “safety observations” twice a year – here’s how it was explained at the time of a similar donation last year:
During the Blitz, which ran for three weeks, Nucor challenges their teammates to complete as many safety observations as possible and donates $5, for every observation completed, to a local charitable organization.
You can support WestSide Baby too – find out how via their website.
Ten years ago, we reported on an application filed to turn a space on the south side of Westwood Village into a location for Panda Express, the fast-Chinese-food chain. That proposal eventually stalled, and the space became a physical-therapy clinic. Today, checking the Westwood Village map – which is where the center’s new-ish owners have first publicly disclosed future tenants – we discovered Panda Express is back in the picture.
That’s a screengrab showing a new addition to the map today – Panda Express is penciled in for the spot next to QFC that Pet Pros occupied before moving to Jefferson Square. It’s in the row that already holds many of WWV’s other food/beverage businesses – Sub Stop, Toshi’s Teriyaki, Happy Lemon, Starbucks. We have an inquiry out to Panda Express to see if they’ll comment. Their nearest restaurant is in Burien; the two existing Seattle locations are both in the north part of the city.
Thanks to Richard for the texted report: “Humpback whale heading north from just south of Brace Point. A couple hundred feet offshore. Just now.”
(Photo by Joanne Murray for Admiral Church)
One month after Admiral Church announced it was finalizing an agreement with Homestead Community Land Trust for the future of its site, this Sunday brings your chance to hear details and ask questions about the plan. The site will be developed into for-sale units, “most … to be made affordable to those who make less than 80% of area median income,” plus a new home for the church itself. How many homes and what type, too soon to tell, HCLT told us after the announcement last month, but not “single-family detached.” Construction could start in 2025. The agreement followed four years of soul-searching by the church on how to best ensure its future while contributing the most to the community. The meeting “to discuss the partnership and listen to the community’s vision for homes at the site” is at the church (4320 SW Hill), 1:30 pm Sunday (October 22nd), all welcome.
12:21 PM: This Thursday, the 100-unit senior-living complex proposed by Aegis Living for California/Brandon – site of long-vacant, much-vandalized commercial buildings – was supposed to go back before the Southwest Design Review Board. Late last night, preparing to write one last preview, we checked the city website – and discovered the notation, MEETING CANCELLED. We followed up first thing this morning with Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections spokesperson Bryan Stevens, to find out why. He responded, “We received notice from the applicant on Monday (10/16) that they have decided not to proceed with the project. We don’t have any details as to why they have decided not to move forward.” We have a request for comment out to Aegis. The proposal won unanimous approval from the SWDRB back in February; we first reported in July 2022 on Aegis’s plan for the site, which previously had a proposal for townhouses. The King County website does not show ownership having changed from the company that had pursued that project. We’ll update this story when we hear back from Aegis Living, which built and operates a facility in west Admiral.
4:43 PM: Just heard back from Aegis Living. They say the project’s not necessarily totally dead. Through a spokesperson, Aegis Development president Adam Clark says, “This project is still being considered and we will have a better understanding of its future in the coming weeks. We are proud to continue serving residents at our current community on Admiral Way and remain committed to sustainable buildings and delivering our assisted living and memory care support to even more older adults here in West Seattle and beyond.”
(This morning’s clouds, photographed by Rosalie Miller)
Here’s what’s happening for the rest of your Wednesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
TODDLER READING TIME: 10:30 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
PIZZA FUNDRAISER: Supporters of the West Seattle High School boys’ basketball team are raising money to cover expenses and you can help by getting food from MOD Pizza at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW today, 10:30 am-10 pm. The special code to use is in our calendar listing.
PUMPKIN JUNCTION: The Beer Junction (4511 California SW) starts its annual celebration of pumpkin beers today. Open noon-11 pm.
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Don’t replace it – repair it! Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
COOKING CLASS: Seafood-cooking class at Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor), 6 pm, two spots left when we checked the registration link.
TRIVIA x 6: Six places to play tonight. At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) offers trivia … there’s 7 pm trivia at West Seattle Brewing (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW) … 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska) … trivia starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).
FREE GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for the weekly free group run at 6:15 pm.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Catch up on lots of Morgan Junction info during tonight’s quarterly meeting, 7 pm online – see the agenda (which also includes the D-1 City Council candidates) and how to participate in our calendar listing.
LIVE PIANO MUSIC: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks. (4210 SW Admiral Way).
MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
If you’re planning a presentation, meeting, performance, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, etc., and it’s open to the community, please send us info for West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Just under two weeks until Halloween, and dozens of special events are scheduled – so, to help you find them, as of early today, our annual West Seattle Halloween (etc.) Guide is up: Trick-or-treat events, festivals, costume contests, carnivals, performances, spooky displays, bar parties, Dia de Muertos events, more. The guide is at westseattleblog.com/halloween and will continue to evolve between now and November 1st – adding events as we hear about them, and removing the ones that have already happened – so keep checking in. And if we’re missing YOUR seasonal community-welcome event – please send info as soon as you can – westseattleblog@gmail.com – so we can add it; thank you!
6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, October 18th.
WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny! High in the mid-60s. Sunrise today is at 7:32 am; sunset, 6:15 pm.
ROAD-WORK ALERT
Delridge repaving in the northbound lanes north of Genesee is scheduled to continue today – here’s the original announcement.
TRANSIT TODAY
Water Taxi – Regular schedule today – now on fall/winter schedule, which is still 7 days a week, but no late-night service Fridays/Saturdays.
Metro – Regular schedule today; check advisories here.
Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use Vessel Watch to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also 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:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – southeastern 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: The @SDOTBridges feed on Twitter/X shows whether 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 that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!
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