day : 06/12/2023 11 results

(WSB photo, added Thursday)

The overhauled McDonald’s in Morgan Junction has looked ready to open for weeks, and we’ve been getting a lot of reader questions about its status. We’ve had an inquiry out to its owner to find out when it will open – and just got a reply. “The newly remodeled West Seattle McDonald’s will be re-opening for business on December 12!” announced owner Alia Abboud. For starters, she says, “Please note that the store will open from 7 am to 8 pm and will be Drive-Thru only to allow the employees to learn the new side-by-side drive-thru and get fully comfortable with the new operations and communications system. As we move forward, we will extend our hours as we gain staffing levels to provide the best possible service to our community, to include opening the lobby for dine-in customers. We are very excited to once again be open to serve our many wonderful customers in the West Seattle neighborhood!” The restaurant closed for the overhaul almost eight months ago.

COUNTDOWN: Three nights until West Seattle Junction tree lighting, night market, and GLOWS

December 6, 2023 8:55 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle news

Whatever the weather, Saturday (December 9) is the biggest night on the West Seattle Junction Association‘s Hometown Holidays calendar – with the tree lighting, night market, and Glorious Lights of West Seattle (GLOWS) festival, including a light-costume contest and projected-art display. SW Alaska will be closed between California and 42nd. Here’s the schedule of what’s happening when (updated Friday):

4:00: Festival begins. Host Marco Collins introduction. Night Market and Beer & Wine Garden are open.

4:00-5:00: Costume contestants walk through tunnel of lights

4:05: Endolyne Children’s Choir performance

4:30: School of Rock performance

5:00: Host in the Audience with Christmas music

5:15: ArtsWest performance from ‘Snowed In‘

5:30: Light Costume Contest on Stage* (here’s how the contest works)

6:00: The Jay Cates West Seattle All-Star Jazz Ensemble – led by Jay Cates and featuring an all-West Seattle ensemble

7:00: Menashe Public Address & Tree Lighting

7:15: West Seattle GLOWS Art Projection Spectacular

8:00: Close of event

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WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Two tall trees

December 6, 2023 7:17 pm

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| West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Tonight’s featured lights are in a yard that has drawn crowds at Halloween – the home of Skeleton Theater (whose creators told us this year was its last). The yard at 36th/Hanford has two tall trees of lights; the north one is decked with dozens and dozens of Christmas characters you might otherwise see as standalone yard decor:

Thanks to everyone who has suggested lights to check out – whether your tip is with or without photos/videos, email ud at westseattleblog@gmail.com – we’re featuring local lights nightly (go here to see what we’ve featured alreay, including previous years(

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FOLLOWUP: SDOT releases data on West Marginal Way, half-year after adding protected bike lane

December 6, 2023 3:57 pm

| 37 COMMENTS

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, April)

Last spring, SDOT installed a protected two-way bike lane along part of West Marginal Way SW, more than two years after proposing it and eventually agreeing to delay it until the West Seattle Bridge reopened. This week, it’s released data on how the lane addition is – or isn’t – affecting traffic, and what kind of rider usage it’s drawn. Overall, SDOT says, the change has added half a second to the average travel time. It’s also added people biking, walking, and rolling on the stretch, with stats including:

SDOT was hoping to bring down vehicle speeds, with radar feedback signs and a speed limit reduction to 30 mph. Their slide deck says that in fall 2022 vehicles were averaging 37 mph at West Marginal/SW Alaska, and are now averaging just under 38 mph, but at SW Dakota, they’re down to 36.4 mph from 40.2 a year earlier. The slide deck has many other data views, including “interaction” analysis at business driveways, and there’s even more in this 26-page report. Here’s what SDOT says is yet to come on the stretch:

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PHOTOS, VIDEO: Orcas off West Seattle, from Seola to Elliott Bay

December 6, 2023 2:10 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Whales

(Reader photo)

2:10 PM: Thanks for the tips! Orcas have been making their way north, in view from west-facing West Seattle. Most recently, Kersti Muul tells us, they’re passing the south end of Blake Island.

2:15 PM: Added above, an anonymous reader’s photo of two of the male orcas as seen off southernmost West Seattle.

2:53 PM: Passing Alki Point, per message from Mike.

3:50 PM: Some have gone into Elliott Bay, per comments below.

10:15 PM: Thanks to Robin Sinner for sending the photo below: “Got a spy hop at 3:37 pm from Anchor Park”:

ADDED EARLY THURSDAY: Thanks to Alex W for sending this video:

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HOLIDAY GIVING: Nucor’s special delivery to West Seattle Food Bank

December 6, 2023 12:28 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

Every year, it’s an early Christmas present for the West Seattle Food Bank when people from West Seattle’s Nucor mill roll up with their annual special delivery.

This morning the Nucor team brought over 6,100 pounds of food donated by employees, and a giant symbolic check representing that and $9,522 in gift cards and money raised by workers and the company:

With the company match, that totals $40,806. It all will go to good use, WSFB executive director Fran Yeatts tells us, but in particular, money is one of their greatest needs right now. If you’d like to help WSFB for the holiday (or any other time), you can donate money here. They need warm clothes and socks, too! One place to drop those off is the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle/WS Junction Association Hometown Holidays coat-drive booth at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market this Sunday, 10 am-1:30 pm.

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FERRY ALERT: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth down to 1 boat, replacement on the way

December 6, 2023 10:54 am

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

10:54 AM: The Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry route is down to 1 boat for now – M/V Cathlamet, on the #2 schedule – because M/V Kitsap is having trouble. It’s been stuck at Southworth but WSF spokesperson Ian Sterling tells WSB the plan is to move it to Vashon, without passengers, for troubleshooting. Until they figure out what’s wrong, they don’t know how long the route will be on 1-boat service. You can check boats’ status via Vessel Watch.

12:54 PM: WSF says the Cathlamet continues alone on the route, with “no set schedule.”

2:42 PM: WSF says it’s moving M/V Suquamish off the Bainbridge-Seattle route to replace Kitsap on the Triangle Route.

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13 for your West Seattle Wednesday

December 6, 2023 10:12 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Our event list is in two sections today – first, holiday-related happenings, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

HOLIDAY MARKET AT VILLAGE GREEN: Noon-3 pm at Village Green West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – local vendors, free coffee, tours available. (2615 SW Barton)

SILVER SOUNDS HOLIDAY SHOW: 1 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon), “a music-filled parody of the show ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ with West Seattle standing in for Bedford Falls – singalong, jokes, and a “mystery raffle.” Santa too!

CHAMBER PARTY: “Mix, Mingle, & Jingle” with the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, 6 pm party at The Bridge (6451 California SW). Check to see if tickets are still available.

‘SNOWED IN’: Week 2 begins for the new holiday musical premiering at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm. Get your tickets here.

And here are the non-holiday happenings, mostly from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

TODDLER READING TIME: 10:30 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).

FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Repair it instead of replacing it! Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).

FREE GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for the weekly free group run, 6:15 pm.

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).

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)

LIVE PIANO MUSIC: Weekly on Wednesday nights, 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks. (4210 SW Admiral Way).

MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.

BASKETBALL: Two home high-school girls-varsity games tonight, both at 7:30 pm – West Seattle HS hosts Garfield (3000 California SW) and Chief Sealth IHS hosts Lincoln (2600 SW Thistle).

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, holiday event 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!

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Celebration of Life planned December 15 for Dorthy Johnson, 1930-2023

December 6, 2023 9:04 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather December 15 to celebrate the life of Dorthy Johnson. Here’s the remembrance being shared with the community:

Celebration of Life – Dorthy Johnson, 5/10/1930-8/15/2023

Dorthy was born May 10, 1930, in Ulen, Minnesota. Moving to Seattle as a young girl, she graduated from Lincoln High School in 1948. She married Conrad in 1956 and moved to West Seattle. She remained a West Seattle resident until 2017 when she moved to Florida after being a snowbird for several years.

Dorthy was a devoted mother to her two daughters, Ellen Marie born in 1960 and Karen Marie in 1962. She’s Grandma to three: Joseph, Ian, and Sara. She was active in PTA at Lafayette Elementary School and with Girl Scouts as a Brownie and Junior Girl Scout Leader. She enjoyed her league bowling every Wednesday for years. She was a fabulous gardener, growing fruits and vegetables, beautiful flowers, and had the greenest lawn! Cooking was another passion, sharing her baked goods, jams, and jellies with all.

She was a faithful and decades-long member of Admiral Church, where she was the financial secretary for many years.

She will be laid to rest at Forest Lawn Cemetery on December 15, 2023 at 1 PM. Afterward, a Celebration of Life will be held at Admiral Church from 2-5 PM. Family invites all to come and celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your favorite charity, or hers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

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HOLIDAY HELP: ‘Every child should have a holiday meal and a present’

December 6, 2023 8:32 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

As we continue sharing community needs this holiday season, Friends of Roxhill Elementary are hopeful you can assist them in brightening the season for some of their school’s families:

Every child should have a holiday meal and present, and parents and caregivers could use less stress this holiday season. You can make a difference by donating today to Friends of Roxhill Elementary, our school’s non-profit PTO.

Bring holiday cheer and help families cover basic household needs (e.g., groceries, cleaning supplies, utilities). Our goal is to provide each family with $200 in holiday and household support this year.

While we typically have about 50 families in our community who need support through the holiday season, Roxhill Elementary School’s counselor, Ms. Amber, has shared that the need for assistance has increased this year.

“Roxhill Elementary has the most amazing community of bright, loving kids and caring, generous families,” said Ms. Amber. “I know how hard it is to ask for help, so I honor every parent that has had the courage to let me know they need help right now. This is what community is about.”

Roxhill Elementary is a small but mighty Title I school with approximately 245 students, located in the south end of West Seattle. 60% of our students are on free and reduced lunch. Over 72% of our students are from BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color). Our school has a strong sense of community. We come together to celebrate and support each other.

You can help us show every family that they are seen and cared for. Make your gift today. This is a moment when we need to come together.

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Still-soggy Wednesday

December 6, 2023 6:03 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Wednesday, December 6, the morning after another rainy night.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

More rain, though not continuous; high around 50. Sunrise today is at 7:42 am; sunset, 4:18 pm.

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro – Regular schedule today; check advisories here.

Water Taxi – Regular schedule today.

Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use Vessel Watch to see where your ferry is. Also – alert for tomorrow night:

The following five sailings are canceled late Thursday night, Dec. 7, through early Friday morning, Dec. 8, for overnight maintenance work at Southworth terminal:

11:50 p.m. and 1:05 a.m. Fauntleroy to Southworth
12:15 and 1:30 a.m. Vashon to Southworth
12:35 a.m. Southworth to Fauntleroy
For travelers heading to Southworth, the scheduled 10:35 p.m. out of Fauntleroy and 11 p.m. Vashon departure will be the last for the night. The final sailing out of Southworth will at 11:20 p.m. to Fauntleroy then Vashon. To complete the terminal maintenance work, the same sailings will be canceled on two more weeknights over the next month or two.

To complete the terminal maintenance work, the same sailings will be canceled on two more weeknights over the next month or two.

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 – another 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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