West Seattle, Washington
27 Saturday
9:10 PM: If you’re heading to or from the South Park Bridge, be aware that the main intersection in downtown South Park – 14th Avenue South and South Cloverdale – is closed off right now, as is the bridge’s northbound side, by a big fire response. The fire is reported to be in the business building on the northeast corner of the intersection. The smoke is visible on the nearest traffic camera (which points toward the bridge’s south end), as shown in the screengrab above.
9:22 PM: SFD is still fighting the fire. Southbound traffic off the South Park Bridge is being detoured onto westbound Dallas.
9:25 PM: SFD says the fire’s under control.
9:40 PM: No injuries, per SFD. Meantime, southbound traffic on the bridge is now being held behind a bus, and the traffic camera shows cars turning around and heading back northbound.
9:45 PM: SFD has declared the fire “tapped” (out). Some of the units are being dismissed.
10:37 PM: 14th/Cloverdale is still blocked but south/westbound bridge traffic is flowing again and the camera shows some vehicles getting onto the north/eastbound side from Dallas.
10:53 PM: Officers just told dispatch they’re reopening SB 14th and one lane of NB 14th. The fire, meantime, is under investigation.
(Added: SFD photo)
2:37 AM: As commenter David points out, SFD has summarized the fire response here, including the determination that the fire was accidental, “likely caused by faulty electrical.” The photo confirms it’s the building that’s home to the café Good Voyage.
It was a night for farewells when the Alki Community Council met this past Thursday night.
Three longtime officers said goodbye. So did our area’s city councilmember.
But with endings came beginnings – a new president and vice president. We’ll start there.
OFFICER TRANSITION: Months ago, longtime ACC leaders announced their intention to step down before this year was out, and the resulting need for new leadership – or else, they warned, like so many other West Seattle neighborhood groups in recent years, this one too would go dormant.
Departing:
President Tony Fragada
Vice President Randie Stone
Secretary/Treasurer Kathy Olson
Succeeding them:
President Charlotte Starck
Vice President Lindsey Pearsall
Secretary – vacant
Treasurer – vacant
Staying on are trustees Greg Showalter, Peter Stekel, and Will Winter; now-past president Fragada – who’s been involved with the group since the ’90s – becomes a trustee too. If you are interested in either of the vacant positions, contact info is at alkicommunitycouncil.org. Starck said she’s “excited” about the ACC’s potential and hopes to launch a membership drive. Pearsall added that she’s “super-passionate about building community.”
COUNCILMEMBER LISA HERBOLD: Our area’s city councilmember, about to leave office after eight years, made a brief visit in the meeting’s early going. She promised to help, in her waning weeks, with the issue Starck nand neighbors brought to the ACC last month – the need for traffic calming on 56th Avenue SW, a gateway from Admiral Way down to the beach. Herbold also suggested that the neighbors get it on her successor’s radar; she and Councilmember-elect Rob Saka were scheduled to meet the next day, and Herbold said she’d bring it up. Meantime, the neighbors are continuing to circulate an online petition, which asks for speed bumps, for starters. The group recalled a walking tour with SDOT director Greg Spotts suggesting there’d be a wider planning effort for the Alki area, but nothing had happened yet. Meantime, the ACC thanked Herbold for her assistance with various issues over the years and wished her well.
POLICE: Community-emphasis Officer German Bareto participated in the meeting online (this was a hybrid meeting, both online and at Alki UCC). He gave a quick update on crime trends – mentioning that aggravated assaults and robberies are up. The talk turned to the pervasive problem of dogs on the beach; he was asked how to reach Animal Control officers, and suggested surfacing the issue to Parks employees if they’re on hand.
FOLLOWUP ON DEFACED ART: Stekel reported that since his push to get utilities to clean up the paint markings with which they defaced the Constellation Park artwork – including artist Lezlie Jane‘s sidewalk octopus – they’ve done just that.
DONATIONS: The ACC will be sending $200 each to the West Seattle and White Center food banks.
NEXT MEETING: The ACC meets third Thursdays most months, in person at Alki UCC and online – watch alkicommunitycouncil.org for updates.
Just four days until Thanksgiving, and the free community dinner at The Hall at Fauntleroy. For those interested in helping either instead of, or in addition to, enjoying the dinner, here’s an update:
We are full on volunteers (yay!), but if people would still like to be involved, they can deliver desserts day-of [Thursday] starting at 9 am, or warm clothes/socks/blankets to the schoolhouse hallway anytime leading up to Thanksgiving.
As noted here, the dinner – a quarter-century tradition – is set for noon-3 pm on Thanksgiving Day, and everyone is welcome. The Hall is at 9130 California SW, on the south end of historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.
Two reader reports this afternoon:
IS THIS YOUR TENNIS BAG? Sent by Jonathan – could be lost, could be stolen-and-dumped:
Discovered this apparently discarded tennis backpack at 3 pm Sunday on the sideway just west of the intersection of 42nd Ave. SW and Findlay St., just off the alleyway behind C&P Coffee.
All the zipper pockets were opened. I peeked inside for ID but found none. Maybe someone can be reunited with their tennis gear, which included two racquets, can of tennis balls and shoes.
If you’re missing this, email us and we’ll connect you. (UPDATE: Owner found, reunion in progress. The bag fell off her motorcycle.)
ILLEGAL DUMPING: From Ian:
Someone dumped a large amount of junk in the middle of the road at the intersection of 37th and 102nd SW around 7:30am. Looks like they stole a random pallet worth of literal trash, found nothing valuable, and just randomly jettisoned it. Neighbor said he saw a white truck driving away.
If you see something dumped in the public right of way, you can report it to SDOT – 206-684-ROAD or, after hours, 206-386-1218. If urgent and causing a major safety hazard, you also can call 911.
Thanks to Amy for the report:
I wanted to give a shout out to the Louisa Boren STEM K-8 Middle School Ultimate Frisbee team, who won their championship game (Saturday)! The team worked together, practiced hard, built strong bonds and friendships, and had a lot of fun in the process. Congratulations to all the middle schoolers on the team and their awesome coaches! Well done, Owls!!!
(Texted photo)
10:40 AM SUNDAY: Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos of that scene outside 3622 California SW this morning. The crash happened around 4:30 am; Theresa tells us what she saw:
I was awakened by a crash, and then screaming, and loud arguing. A sedan crashed into the light pole at mid block 3622 California, in front of Manning Place Apartments, and the Barber Shop. The pole stopped the car from hitting the building, but car is up on the sidewalk diagonally.
Two men got out of the car and ran away. A bicylist convinced the young men to come back. One came back, then eventually, the other. Not clear who was driving, but one of the young men. I know first aid, so I ran down and helped the girl stay still and talked to her. She said she hurt her legs and her teeth hurt.
Listening to audio from the dispatch and response, SFD was called to treat her; Theresa says she was taken away in an ambulance. City Light also was called. Theresa says a new pole’s been delivered, but the car hasn’t yet been removed.
Since the wrecked car is a Hyundai Elantra, you might wonder about its status. So far from recorded incident audio we’ve learned that it had not been reported as stolen but its plates were expired and registered to someone in SeaTac. But that’s where the audio trail has ended, so we probably won’t be able to access further info from police until tomorrow.
10:26 AM MONDAY: Police told us today the car was not stolen – it belongs to a relative of one of the occupants. No one has been cited so far as police were not able to determine who was driving.
More holiday-bazaar shopping today! This is the gift fair inside Walmesley Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Myrtle) until 2 pm, with a special focus on handmade and fair/ethical-trade items.
There’s also a bake sale raising money for WestSide Baby:
You can have lunch there too – mac and cheese, lumpia, and Frito chili pie are promised. This is one of two gift fairs/bazaars today, along with the second day at Peace Lutheran (noon-3 pm, 39th/Thistle).
(Photo by Ann Anderson)
Welcome to this pre-holiday Sunday! First, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
THANKSGIVING ORDERING DEADLINES: Two of note today – Pecos Pit West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – Order here. … Bakery Nouveau – See Thanksgiving items here.
HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR AT OLG: Shop, eat, make a wreath at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Nyrtle). Ethically sourced gifts and food, plus hot lunch (Frito chili bowls! mac and cheese! lumpia!) available to eat there or take home. Student bake sale benefiting WestSide Baby. 9:30 am-2 pm.
PEACE LUTHERAN HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Second and final day, noon-3 pm at 39th/Thistle. See our story from Saturday. Proceeds benefit church programs plus West Seattle Food Bank, White Center Food Bank, Westside Neighbors Network Shelter.
And now the rest of today’s lineup, mostly from our WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WESTIES RUN CLUB: They’re running on Sunday mornings too – meet at 9 am at rotating locations.
WEST SEATTLE BEE GARDEN TLC: If you can give a couple hours to this West Seattle treasure, they’d be happy to see you, 10 am-noon. (Graham/Lanham)
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 is on California north of Oregon.
BUY YOUR PANCAKE-BREAKFAST TICKETS! At the market’s south end, go look for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle booth, and buy your ticket(s) for their December 2nd pancake breakfast (which features Santa photo ops)!
FOOD DRIVE: One more reason to go to the market – donate to the West Seattle Food Bank via Farmlink fellow Ariel Cook‘s food drive. Look for her booth amid the vendors, 10 am-2 pm.
CLOTHING/BLANKETS/FOOD DRIVE: Also collecting donations today, Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds). 11 am-3 pm.
CAT ADOPTION EVENT: Friends of the Animals Foundation is at Mud Bay (2611 California SW) noon-3 pm with adoptable cats.
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS QUESTIONS/CONCERNS? Our area’s outgoing School Board rep Leslie Harris hosts her last community-conversation meeting, 2-5 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), with guests and lasagna. Drop in when you can.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: At C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor): The Heartache and Heartbreak Show, 3-5 pm, no cover.
LIVE AT EASY STREET: Red Dress, 5 pm free in-store, all-ages show at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW).
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? Please email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
| 11 COMMENTS