West Seattle, Washington
26 Tuesday
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Halloween Eve – Monday, October 30th.
WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
One more sunny day, high in the low 50s, possibly frosty this morning. Sunrise today is at 7:50 am; sunset, 5:55 pm. Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 am this Sunday, when we “fall back” an hour.
ROAD WORK
As explained here, some noisy work is planned at Highland Park Way/Holden tonight – the worst of it is supposed to be complete by 10 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Water Taxi – Regular schedule today – now on fall/winter schedule, 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. Keep close watch on however you get advisories – the Kittitas went out of service twice on Saturday.
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!
Got something to say to the city about the streets and sidewalks of Highland Park, Riverview, and/or South Delridge? Don’t miss the chance to get your feedback in for the Seattle Transportation Plan – comments on the draft version are due Tuesday. That’s one of the community reminders that emerged this past Wednesday night when HPAC, the area’s community coalition, met in person.
The meeting, facilitated by (corrected) HPAC co-chairs Craig Rankin – who is leaving that position, with Barb Biondo succeeding him – and Kay Kirkpatrick was held in person, at the Southwest Precinct community room. City Attorney Ann Davison was a spotlight guest (as she had been at another West Seattle community-council meeting last month, the Admiral Neighborhood Association).
Davison gave a general outline of how her office works. She talked about her initial work of getting backlogged cases handled and her lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai regarding the flaw that allows so many to be so easily stolen. That led to a discussion among the group about the number of dumped Kias/Hyundais in Highlad Park. One question came up – whether stolen and recovered cars are tracked. SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon said his department has data tools and does map where cars and taken and where the cars wind up.
Davison used that example and a question over the city’s new drug law to remind people to report the things they see. Rather than get bogged down in “the police won’t come” preemptive pessimism, she said, call and report, and let the next step happen. That way there’s at least data on where and when crimes might be occurring.
Regarding the city’s new drug policy – she presented some background on that, and said she’s in favor of getting people into treatment, so she’s working with her staff to ensure that’s a priority for people whose cases are referred to the City Attorney’s Office under the new law.
HPAC attendees also heard an update on the progress toward building a new Highland Park Improvement Club building. HPIC’s Rhonda Smith said the latest period for project comments to the city is over. But the permit process still has a ways to go, and that’s why the fire-damaged building hasn’t undergone any demolition work yet. HPIC still has fundraising to do to ensure they can cover the cost of the new building, and they’re working with professional fundraisers to advance that effort. (Here’s how to donate.)
Speaking of money, HPAC co-chair Rankin, who’s active with the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group, said grant money is available for forest-restoration and trail improvements. (You can find out more about the WDGT group here.)
NEXT MEETING: HPAC meets fourth Wednesdays most months – watch for updates here.
Police investigating multiple 911 calls about suspected gunfire in High Point have found evidence. The reports came in just before 9:30 pm, and officers have since reported finding 16 shell casings. (updated) This was described as a “drive-by shooting” in the 5900 block of 32nd SW; no report of any injuries so far, but according to what officers told dispatch, at least one vehicle might have been damaged, in addition to one caller reporting “bullets inside her house.”
On this Halloween-Eve-Eve, three more West Seattle displays to show you, starting with this one at Ashley‘s house:
We have a Halloween display at 7019 14th Ave SW. We have a giant spider named Garth, a giant skeleton names Indiana Bones, and a humorous mausoleum.
There are several other decorated houses on 14th and Myrtle.
A texter sent this photo of macabre marine life in a window along 34th north of Thistle:
And not only did Alki Mail & Dispatch (47th/Admiral) send this photo from their spirited in-store display, customer Al tipped us about it too:
Though this hectic Hallo-weekend is wrapping up, we still have some Halloween-night info to add to the Halloween Guide – and there’s one more big pre-Halloween event tomorrow, the Fall Fest at West Seattle High School – check back!
Two reader reports tonight:
GAS THEFT BRINGS SPILL RESPONSE: Sometimes if a parked car is broken into or damaged, and someone other than its owner calls police, the owner will later find an SPD card. Today, Jeff found his car with a card from a different city department:
My gas tank on my truck was drilled and they stole the gas. Someone called City of Seattle in the middle of the night to investigate a leak and they found it to be my truck. I was parked just North of Genesee on 44th Ave SW. They put a temp patch on it and a drip pan and left a note.
Hope everyone is on the lookout.
FOUND BAG WITH LAPTOP: Maybe stolen and dumped, maybe somehow “just lost,” but whatever the case, Brenda hopes to find the owner:
I found a bag with a MacBook and car keys, note pad, etc but there’s no name or number anywhere.
She found it in the street near California/Othello. If yours, email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – and we’ll connect you with Brenda.
Another one-of-a-kind West Seattle Halloween event today – thanks to Jeff Jones for sending photos from the Witches and Warlocks Paddle!
With costumes and standup-paddleboards, the participants headed out onto Elliott Bay from the Seacrest area.
Maari Falsetto of Inner Alchemy Treasures & Transformation organized it.
This is the third year for the Halloween paddle, which Maari said was intended to “cast a spell of JOY and FUN.”
An overnight-road-work from SDOT for tomorrow night/Tuesday morning:
We are removing the existing traffic markings and painting new ones at the Highland Park Way SW and SW Holden St intersection. This process requires special equipment that is noisy, and we will be working outside our normal construction hours.
When
Monday, October 30 | 7 PM – 5 AM. Please note: This work is weather and temperature dependent, so we may need to shift the date.What to Expect
We will be running equipment that sounds like a giant vacuum, but no vibration or banging is expected. Noisy work will be done by 10 PM. Alternating traffic lanes will also be closed, but there will always be one lane open for cars to get through.
Other major components of the Highland Park Way/Holden project are due for installation in the next few months, including the public art – a giant Steller’s Jay – and permanent signal.
(Norwegian Sun, photographed in 2018 by Carolyn Newman)
When Elliott Bay-watchers see that ship head out tomorrow (Monday, October 30th) from Pier 66 downtown, they’ll be seeing the end of this year’s Seattle cruise season, according to the Port of Seattle. The 2,000-passenger-capacity Norwegian Sun is scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning after a 10-day Alaska cruise and head out at 4 pm tomorrow on a 20-day “repositioning voyage” that’ll take it down the Pacific Coast to the Panama Canal and eventually to the Bahamas. In a media advisory, the port says this season “brought a record 1.7 million revenue passengers, or over 800,000 unique passengers through Port of Seattle cruise terminals, on 291 homeported cruise voyages.”
(WSB photos, video unless otherwise credited)
10:58 AM: Halloween in The Junction is on! The costume parade, led by the West Seattle High School Marching Band, will soon leave Junction Plaza Park and head around the Farmers’ Market, then around the extra block that’s closed for today’s celebration, California between Alaska and Edmunds. Trick-or-treating is getting under way – find candy outside participating businesses as well as at booths south of Alaska. The Seattle Thrillers are set to perform at noon, and there’s a surprise performer – The Bubbleman is here.
We’re helping hand out candy (while it lasts!) near Walk-All-Ways. See you here!
11:20 AM: The parade is over (added: video) …
(Photo by Holli Margell)
… and the trick-or-treating has ramped up.
11:50 AM: Huge turnout. Hundreds of pieces of candy already distributed. (We’ve gone to the store in search of more.) In the booths here on California south of Alaska, you’ll find local schools and organizations with treats and activities, like Westside School (WSB sponsor):
And Tilden School (WSB sponsor):
Coming up: Thrlllers perform here at Walk-All-Ways at noon.
12:19 PM: Many creative costumes!
Everything stopped dead in its tracks, of course, when the Seattle Thrillers started their show:
They’re also doing a slow-speed audience-participation version:
The Bubbleman – who’s emerged from retirement – remains here close to our booth, with low-key bubbly fun:
The party’s on until 2 pm. (And yes, we found more candy.)
12:45 PM: The pace has slowed. More time to appreciate the costumes!
If we were judging, we’d have to say this multi-holiday family wins:
And we have to go out on another candy run!
1:31 PM: New phenomenon this year – non-costumed adult trick-or-treaters. (Hey, the free candy’s for everyone!) Meantime, we should note that it’s not just those of us who have been hanging out in the street who are handing out treats – your Junction businesses are at the heart of this, long before it turned into a block pqrty – this is presented by the West Seattle Junction Association! It’s an especially big day for kid-oriented businesses, like Curious Kidstuff:
And 3 Little Birds:
And a visiting-for-the-day business, from south of The Junction – West Seattle Nursery:
Thanks to everyone who’s stopped to say hi, too!
2 PM: Party’s over, as somebody just said. We’ll be adding video and more photos later.
7:19 PM: Still in the process of doing that. Meantime, regarding the comment discussion about leaving Alaska open to cross-traffic this year, Marco says he emailed WSJA and executive director Chris Mackay has replied that they’ll definitely return to doing that next year.
Anybody rocking a troll costume for Halloween? In today’s featured photo, Lincoln Park’s troll Bruun Idun gets a visit from the Northup family’s bearded dragon Athena. Thanks to Ashley for sending the photo! … Meantime, this is another two-part list day, starting with events from the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide, topped by the big celebration in The Junction:
HALLOWEEN IN THE JUNCTION, An extra block of California SW, between Alaska and Edmunds, will be closed to motor-vehicle traffic for Halloween in The Junction. The trick-or-treating event starts with the West Seattle High School Band-led costume parade at 11 am, and continues until 2 pm – look for participating merchants all around The Junction, as well as treat and activity booths on California between Alaska and Edmunds.
Here are the other Hallo-weekend events:
FRISBEE: West Seattle Ultimate Frisbee Family‘s sixth annual Halloween Game, 10 am. Bring treats to share! Prize for best costume. Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle).
HALLOWEEN PADDLING: Witches and Wizards Paddle, 11 am from north beach at Seacrest (1660 Harbor SW) – bring your own board – details in our calendar listing.
FALL FEST: West Side Presbyterian Church Fall Fest, 4-6 pm, activities and chili. Costumes welcome. (3601 California SW)
NORTH DELRIDGE TRICK-OR-TREATING: Combat Arts Academy (5050 Delridge Way SW) invites families to a trick-or-treat event, 4-6 pm. RSVP requested – info is in our calendar listing.
SPOOKY SHOW: Nightfall Orphanage, spooky experience at 4544 51st Place SW, 7-10 pm each night (extended hours Halloween). No admission charge, but charity donations requested – food or funds.
And from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, the rest of what’s happening today/tonight:
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Now they’re running on Sunday mornings too – meet at 9 am at Dough Joy Donuts (4310 SW Oregon).
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE: Community art still on display at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), open 10 am-6 pm.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual between SW Alaska and SW Oregon on California, offering fall fruit and vegetables as well as flowers, cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, more. Here’s today’s vendor list. The market will be in its usual location on California north of Oregon, with the Halloween celebration centered in the block south.
PEGASUS POP-UP: Last day. Pegasus Book Exchange is celebrating its “40th-ish” anniversary with a pop-up at California/Oregon – book and merch sales 11 am-6 pm.
‘BALANCE DUE’: All are welcome as Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill) starts a three-part series on “Balance Due: The Price the Duwamish Paid for Seattle’s Development,” 12:30 pm. More info here.
FREE ART WORKSHOP: Drop-in workshop in printmaking and watercolor with artist Eileen Jimenez at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), all ages, no registration required, 1-3 pm (but you can stop by for just part of the time).
FISHING: 2 pm at Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW; WSB sponsor), “Tim Arsenault of Bridge Fishing products will be joining us in the shop for the release of his much-anticipated Torrent Spey Head. Tim will be talking about his philosophy on line design and spey casting.”
BOOK/FILM CLUB: 3 pm, monthly gathering of the West Seattle Classic Novels (and Movies) Book Club at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor): “Discussion of two novellas by Henry James: ‘The Turn of the Screw’ (1898; 138 pages) and ‘The Aspern Papers’ (1888; 106 pages).” All welcome.
LIVE MUSIC: Also at C & P, five-woman band Moon Candy performs, 3-5 pm,
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
Something for our calendar – one-time or recurring? Or for our upcoming West Seattle Holiday Guide? Email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Hallo-weekend began with almost 300 mostly costumed people running 5K through Lincoln Park for the West Seattle Monster Dash. Cheering them on – the mascot monster:
Reasons to cheer included not only the costumes but also the cause: The Monster Dash is a fundraiser for South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools, which serve hundreds of local families at five West Seattle/White Center locations. But it’s also just plain fun.
Here are the results. The 5K was followed by two short fun runs just for kids.
Thanks again for all the great Halloween-display photos, videos, and tips! More to show you tonight:
That’s the Patch family’s “haunted yard” at 5206 23rd SW – nightly “through Halloween from dusk till 9:30. Come see the show and walk the graveyard. Full bars on Halloween night.” They sent video too:
In Gatewood, Yma says, “Come say hi to our ‘pets’ out front! Portland St off California, mid block. Across the street from Berg’s Pumpkin Patch“:
And Joseph sent the next photo with the warning, “Quick heads up. Alert! The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was spotted. Corner of Manning and 53rd. Be Advised”:
They’re hoping to welcome lots of trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. (Scroll through our Halloween coverage archive for all the displays we’ve shown this season!)
Meantime, check our Halloween Guide for what’s happening through the big night – including Halloween in The Junction tomorrow, starting with the 11 am costume parade led by the West Seattle High School Marching Band, followed by trick-or-treating at businesses and booths, until 2 pm. See you there!
Before tonight’s full moonrise, this morning brought a beautiful almost-full moonset. Thanks to Chris Frankovich for the photo above and James Bratsanos for the photo below. No weather alerts tonight, but morning lows are still expected to drop into the 30s until clouds and rain return, currently forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday.
Tomorrow’s moonset is 8:59 am, so it’ll be a little too light for views like those.
ADDED: Tonight’s full moon, photographed by Jerry Simmons:
4:39 PM: This might be the most unusual trick-or-treating experience in West Seattle this Halloween season … Trail or Treat at Camp Long. Until 8 pm, you’re invited to the park at 5200 35th SW to visit some of the park’s cabins for trick-or-treating in partnership with local businesses/organizations that have “adopted” cabins for the occasion. Nature activities are happening too. Get a map outside the lodge, follow the lighted paths! You can roast marshmallows over a campfire at one shelter to make s’mores:
5:54 PM: More photos! The Washington Native Plant Society offers mask-making at one cabin:
Girl Scouts are greeting trick-or-treaters at another:
Nature activities include the opportunity to learn about owls and spiders:
Camp Long told us earlier this month that this is the first time they’ve had Trail or Treat since 2005!
Those are the biggest “treats” at Trick or Trees, happening until 4 pm outside Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) – free trees, thanks to DIRT Corps and the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps! All sizes, various types – even small ones you can grow in a container. You can also groove to the sounds spun by DJ Dr. Lehl:
If you haven’t had lunch yet, you have fresh-grilled options (and a big covered seating area to enjoy themO:
The folks from Highland Park’s community organizations HPAC and HPIC are there too, as co-sponsors – you can get an update on the HPIC (Highland Park Improvement Club) rebuilding plan:
At 3 pm, there’s a pet-costume contest, with prizes from Highland Park’s own Addy’s Pet Shop. Note that one block of SW Kenyon, between Highland Park Way and 10th SW, is blocked off for the party. If you want a free tree, get over there soon – there was still a good selection during our visit about half an hour ago, but it’s first-come first-served.
The next round of West Seattle business-district trick-or-treating is on! Until 2 pm, at least half a dozen businesses at Alki Beach (see the map here) are welcoming trick-or-treaters, along Alki Avenue between 57th and 63rd. Trick-or-treating with a view!
Lots of families here to enjoy it.
(WSB photo)
Sitting outside the Southwest Precinct, ready to collect your donations for the West Seattle Food Bank – and/or unwanted/expired prescription drugs for safe disposal – are, from left, SPD Officer Matthew Roberson, SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Sarah Lawson, and Yuri Bolivar and Donna Kelly with Drug-Free Youth. Drug Take-Back Day happens twice a year, but adding a donation drive for food and warm clothing, to benefit WSFB and its Clothesline clothing bank, is new. They’ll be there until 2 pm, at 2300 SW Webster (the public lot entrance is just east of The Home Depot’s south entrance). The wish list of requested donations is here.
10:56 AM: Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route is running with only one boat right now because M/V Kittitas is out of service with a “radar issue.” Getting a replacement is likely complicated by the fact the Seattle-Bremerton run’s lone boat is also out of service with mechanical trouble. More info on the WSF bulletins page.
1:42 PM: As commenter Erik points out, Kittitas has been repaired and is back in service.
(“Spooky insect” photographed recently by Steve Bender in his West Seattle garden)
Our daily list is in two parts again today – first, from the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide, seasonal special events today/tonight:
MONSTER DASH: Halloween fun on the run! West Seattle Monster Dash costumed run/kids’ dash – fundraising for West Seattle Cooperative Preschools – 9:30 am at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW).
GLASS PUMPKINS: Last day! Art-glass pumpkin patch @ Avalon Glassworks (2914 SW Avalon Way), noon-4 pm.
UNDERWATER PUMPKIN CARVING: The Sea Horse Dive Club jumps into the Sound at Alki Beach at 10 am to carve pumpkins for 11:30 am judging.
TAILS TO ASTONISH SPOOKTACULAR: Tails to Astonish welcomes costumed visitors – free candy and comics – to their third annual Halloween Spooktacular, 11:30 am-7 pm. (4850 California SW)
TRICK OR TREES: Noon-4 pm at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), free trees, treats for kids, pet costume contest (3 pm), food/beverages for purchase, more fun.
TRICK-OR-TREAT AT ALKI BUSINESSES: Businesses along Alki Avenue SW between 57th SW and 63rd SW welcome trick-or-treaters, noon-2 pm. Also a special dance performance at Statue of Liberty Plaza, 1 pm.
CHURCH PARTY: Trinity Church welcomes all to its costumed Halloween Party with Pumpkin Carving, Carnival Games, Snacks, Drinks, and Music. 1-4 pm. (7551 35th SW)
WITCHES’ TEA PARTY: Witches’ Tea Party at My NecessiTea (3237 California SW), 1-3 pm. Tickets required.
WHITE CENTER TRUNK-OR-TREAT: All are welcome at Trunk or Treat at White Center Eagles (10452 15th SW), 1-2:30 pm.
OUNCES TRICK-OR-TREATING: 2-6 pm, Beer Garden Trick-or-Treating at Ounces, bring your costumed kids for trick-or-treating and activities. (3809 Delridge Way SW)
TRICK-OR-TREAT AT WHITE CENTER BUSINESSES: WC Trick-or-Treat Fest, various locations around downtown WC, 2-6 pm.
WHITE CENTER CARNIVAL: Teen-presented Halloween Carnival at Steve Cox Memorial Park (1321 SW 102nd), 2-5 pm.
OLG CARNIVAL + OKTOBERFEST: 3-6 pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Myrtle), Halloween Carnival plus Oktoberfest tent for the adults. More details here.
TRAIL-OR-TREAT AT CAMP LONG: 4-8 pm, Trail or Treat will find trick-or-treaters following lighted pathways to some of the park’s cabins for treats offered by local organizations/businesses, plus nature-themed activities. Details in our preview! (5200 35th SW)
BAR CRAWL: Admiral Halloween Weekend continues with the Heroes and Villains Bar Crawl, starting at 4 pm – list of venues/times here.
SKATING AND POETRY, WITH COSTUMES: Free skating is part of this event – also including poetry, and costumes – at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), 4:30-8 pm.
WEREWOLF, WITH COMEDIANS: Play and “laugh until you die” at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), 7 pm. Get your ticket(s) here.
SPOOKY SHOW: Nightfall Orphanage, spooky experience at 4544 51st Place SW, 7-10 pm. No admission charge, but charity donations requested – food or funds.
SPOOKY STORIES: Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound Halloween Spooktacular at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), 7:30 pm – details and reservation link in our calendar listing.
AT THE SKYLARK: Come As You Aren’t annual bands-performing-as-other-bands event at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 7:30 pm. $20.
HALLOWEEN DRAG: 9 pm at Admiral Pub (2305 California SW), with costume contest.
(Friday photo by James Bratsanos)
Now the non-Halloween events, from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE GROUP RUN: Get your weekend going with this weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW) group run, All levels welcome. Meet at the shop by 8 am.
DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY & FOOD DRIVE: 10 am-2 pm, something extra added to the twice-yearly Drug Take-Back Day dropoffs at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) – a food/clothing drive. The requested donation list is in our calendar listing.
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE: You can admire the community art on display at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), open 10 am-6 pm.
SOUTH DELRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET FINALE: Last scheduled day of the season for the weekly farmers’ market on the grounds of Hope Academy (9421 18th SW), 10 am-2 pm – prioritizing vendors of color, presented by African Community Housing & Development.
SSC GARDEN CENTER: Fall is planting season, and you can shop for student-raised plants at the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) Garden Center, open 10 am-2 pm on the north end of campus.
MORNING MUSIC: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Learn about Marco’s music here.
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am in West Seattle, registration required – see full details in our calendar listing.
FAMILY READING TIME: Every Saturday at 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
PEGASUS POP-UP: Pegasus Book Exchange is celebrating its “40th-ish” anniversary with a pop-up at California/Oregon – storytime at 11 am, book and merch sales 11 am-6 pm. Also today: Open house with Pegasus owner Fred Epps.
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2234 SW Orchard)
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: 1-6 pm, with student-produced wines available. North end of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. (6000 16th SW)
BURGERS & BEATS: Saturday night food and music at Revelry Room – burgers start at 6, DJs at 9. (4547 California SW, alley side)
COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: 7-9 pm, Guitar Gil at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), no cover, all ages.
ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: 7-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way)
‘GREAT NIGHT’: New Saturday night program for young adults 18+ to hang out 7 pm-midnight, at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle).
BIBLIOTEKA: Seattle band live in-store at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 7:30 pm. Free, all ages.
SOUND BATH: 7:30 pm at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska), $40.
Planning a concert, open house, show, sale, event, meeting, seminar, reading, field trip, fundraiser, class, game, Halloween or holiday-season happening, or ? If the community’s invited, get your event on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
2:20 AM: Police are at the California/Charlestown 7-11 right now after the clerk reported a robbery. It happened just before 2 am. So far the robbers are described as at least three men with at least two guns – one rifle, one pistol – wearing black hoodies and black masks. They got away in what the clerk described as a white van (believed to be a newer Kia Carnival), last seen heading south on California; police have discussed with dispatch the possibility the same vehicle and robbers were involved in a holdup on East Marginal Way earlier tonight. SFD also has responded to the robbery scene because the clerk reported chest pains. This is the second West Seattle 7-11 robbery in four days; the 35th/Avalon store was held up early Tuesday.
2:47 AM: An officer gave dispatch updated descriptions: 4 in the van, 3 went into the store. All 3 were described as white or Hispanic men, 18-25, The one that had the “long gun: was 5’8″-5’10”, black sweatpants, blue shoes; the one with the handgun was in a gray sweatshirt, red mask, black pants; the third was about 6′, all-black clothing, blue gloves.
Two weeks after a jury found 44-year-old Jaycee C. Thompson guilty in a one-hour crime rampage that included a North Delridge murder and South Delridge shooting, he’s been sentenced. King County Superior Court Judge Mark Larrañaga ordered Thompson on Thursday to spend just under 60 years im prison; 18 of those years are mandatory “enhancements” for using a gun in every crime for which he was convicted. In June 2022, he shot and killed 56-year-old Anthony “Gonzo” Gonzalez, described as a “friend,” at a Delridge encampment, shortly after shooting and wounding a 35-year-old man – also someone he knew – two miles away in South Delridge. Thompson, a convicted felon, had been released from jail one week before the shootings, over prosecutors’ objections, as explained in our original story on his arrest. His sentence – 718 months in prison – matched what the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office recommended.
In tonight’s Halloween-decoration spotlight, Jason has again adorned his corner (52nd/Dakota) with dozens of jack-o’-lanterns! Some years he’s had a hundred. Go count this year’s lineup while admiring them! Thanks again to everyone who’s shared decoration-location photos/video/tips – we have more to show you before Halloween arrives; you can scroll through our coverage archive to see everything we’ve already shown. And plan the rest of your Hallo-weekend with our West Seattle guide – we’ll be adding more events before the night’s out!
(Sign installed at project site in Lincoln Park last Monday)
In her weekly newsletter, circulated tonight, our area’s City Councilmember Lisa Herbold comments publicly for the first time on the Lincoln Park pickleball-court project. She notes receiving an “overwhelming” amount of emails from project opponents, and says she sent Parks and Recreation Superintendent AP Diaz a letter today, with questions as well as a request for a public meeting. Here’s the full text of her letter:
Dear Superintendent Diaz,
I am writing today about the installation of the pickleball court at Lincoln Court. I have shared with hundreds of constituents the Seattle Parks and Recreation position that impacts to wildlife will not increase and may be reduced as relates to emissions. I have told my constituents, as you have:
The…”site has been used as a storage facility for the maintenance crews that service all West Seattle’s parks. Meaning that several times a day, vehicles and large trucks are pulling into this site to load and unload equipment and materials. When this site becomes a pickleball court, SPR will consolidate our maintenance facilities into one location in a different part of Lincoln Park. In our view, any disturbance to wildlife the pickleball court will bring will be equivalent, and potentially lessened as we are removing vehicle emissions from this location.”
Similarly, the Associated Recreational Council (ARC) wrote:
“Lincoln Park was considered as a potential location for dedicated courts through work with a consultant and community engagement in SPR’s 2020-2021 Outdoor Pickleball Plan. The plan offsets an additional active use to Lincoln Park by relocating the SPR grounds storage facility to the crew headquarter location. This will remove trucks, along with their emissions and traffic, driving in and out of this actively used part of the park.”
The public response I have received has been overwhelming. I have received about 1,300 emails strenuously objecting to this characterization of this installation as not having wildlife impacts.
I have also received several requests for “an official SPR plan or study.” Seattle Parks and Recreation, similarly to the ARC, has referred to this document, saying: “Through work with a consultant and community engagement, Lincoln Park was considered as a potential location for dedicated courts in SPR’s 2020-2021 Outdoor Pickleball Plan.” Yet, my quick perusal of the documents linked within the above link suggests that Lincoln Park as a location was first discussed at the May 25, 2022 open house. It appears that this was a citywide meeting. Lincoln Park appears to have been identified in a “break out session. I would like to know how many people were in attendance in the Southwest breakout session. Is there a specific “Lincoln Plan” that informed the discussion in the breakout session? Or was Lincoln Park identified in more of a “spit-balling” exercise? No one denies that Lincoln Park was put on a list, but no one seems to understand how it got on the list.
I understand the analysis and position that no SEPA analysis is needed. But meeting with community members who are pleading to be heard is the least we can do. I have joined Bird Connect on birding tours in Lincoln Park. I appreciate how vulnerable wildlife is there. Birds Connect Seattle reports that:
“More than 160 species of birds have been reported at Lincoln Park. That’s approximately 64% of all bird species that occur in Seattle from a park that represents just 0.25% of our land area.”
A constituent also reports that “ sustained, repetitive noise will disrupt this well-established ecosystem function by marginalizing wildlife and pushing them further out to areas that don’t have as much available prey, as well as pushing prey species out.” Why is it that we do not believe that this will occur?
I have also read the concern the plan in in contravention to the Public Involvement Policy for Parks Planning Processes and for Proposals to Acquire Property, Initiate Funded Capital Projects, or Make Changes to a Park or Facility. Can you comment whether you believe that to be the case? Some may remember that this policy was updated in 2022 on the request of former City Councilmember Nick Licata in response to a public outcry related to another Praks project, the Queen Anne Bowl.
Please consider hosting a meeting to hear the concerns. If you do, I will join you. I look forward to your response, as well as answers to these questions:
-How many people were in attendance in the Southwest breakout session?
-Is there a specific “Lincoln Plan” that informed the discussion in the breakout session?
-Why is it that we do not believe that sustained, repetitive work will not impact wildlife (are there studies)?
-Is DPR proceeding in a way that is consistent with the Parks Involvement Policy linked above?
-Will DPD meet with the public to discuss the plan?Thank you for your kind consideration of my request and questions. Thank you as well for all you do to support our precious parks system and all of us who use them.
Best,
Lisa Herbold
District 1 Councilmember, Public Safety and Human Services Committee Chair
We’ll be checking next week to see how Parks responds.
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