West Seattle, Washington

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year : 2023 3682 results

LOW BRIDGE CLOSURE: SDOT talks free rides, detour route @ West Seattle Bike Connections
January 3, 2023 11:02 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Hours after SDOT‘s most-recent update on the West Seattle low-bridge closure, department reps were guests at West Seattle Bike Connections‘ monthly meeting. Among the new information that emerged – more on the plan for free cross-Duwamish travel during the closure:

In response to questions during the online meeting, they clarified that the free rides would be available to everyone interested – not just people with bicycles in tow. As the slide above shows, though the Water Taxi and buses are operated by King County, the city will cover the cost. Since they hope to launch this by the end of the week, watch for details within the next few days.

Another major topic of discussion was the bicycle-detour route SDOT is suggesting, and the refinements they announced this afternoon, such as temporary protected bicycle lanes on sections of West Marginal Way SW and 1st Avenue South. Installation of the cones and other markers will start tomorrow, first on 1st, and may continue into Thursday if they can’t finish tomorrow. Meeting attendees brought up concerns about route conditions – one showed video of a harrowing attempt to navigate a rutted section near the 1st Avenue South Bridge; SDOT said they have engineers working on that section.

As for the repairs themselves, most of what was presented duplicated what was in this afternoon’s update, with an additional emphasis on long-planned work that’s also coming up, beyond the unexpected repairs:

Toward the start of the meeting, SDOT’s Meghan Shepard pointed out that the low bridge was, if not one of a kind, close to it, and that its cylinders all had to be replaced within a year of its 1991 opening – those replacements are what’s lasted the ensuing 30 years, until now,

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Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz gets council confirmation
January 3, 2023 9:12 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Adrian Diaz has moved from interim to permanent Seattle Police Chief, after the final step in his confirmation today – City Council approval (8-1, with Councilmember Kshama Sawant the lone “no”). His confirmation as chief comes almost two and a half years after he took on the interim role following the resignation of Chief Carmen Best, and three and a half months after Mayor Bruce Harrell announced Diaz was his choice to become permanent chief. He spoke today after the council’s vote (advance the video to 1 hour, 15 minutes in):

He said the department and city had “experienced many difficult challenges … but people step up.” He also noted that violent crime has been on a “downward trend” in recent months. The new chief has an often-mentioned West Seattle tie, having served as a high-school wrestling coach at Chief Sealth, as noted in our 2008 mention of an award he received as an officer.

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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION: Holy Rosary School building’s 100th anniversary
January 3, 2023 7:38 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

That photo of Holy Rosary School is an echo of a similar photo taken 100 years ago:

On this date in 1923, Holy Rosary opened its building at 4142 42nd SW, with more than 200 students. The school itself opened 10 years earlier at an Admiral location; today is the 100th anniversary of moving into the building. 500 students now attend preschool through 8th-grade classes there. “Although much has changed over the past century, the vision of the four Aquinas Academy Dominican Sisters, Father O’Callahan and the Parish community has not,” school administrators say. (They’re currently accepting applications for kindergarten, and have “limited openings in other grades.”)

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WEST SEATTLE LOW BRIDGE: New information about what’s wrong, what’ll be done to fix it, and improvements to bicycle detour
January 3, 2023 3:37 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(‘Live’ image from SDOT traffic camera)

More updates this afternoon from SDOT on the West Seattle low bridge, a week and a half after mechanical trouble closed it to drivers, riders, and pedestrians. Still no estimate, though, on how much longer the closure will last. First, key points from the repair-related update, followed by the detour-related update:

We have made significant progress on repairs, including replacing 500 feet of damaged underground high-voltage power cable. However, there is still a lot to do as we prepare for the mammoth task of removing a significantly damaged 15,000-pound hydraulic turning cylinder, one of the two cylinders responsible for turning the 14 million-pound eastern side of the moveable bridge. Last week we estimated that the bridge would be closed for a minimum of 2 weeks. We have made steady progress since then and will know more about the remaining timeline after we remove the cylinder.

Here’s what SDOT says went wrong:

1) A 15,000-pound hydraulic cylinder that moves the eastern side of the bridge is leaking fluid. We will need to remove and completely overhaul this cylinder as part of our repairs.

2) While we were addressing other electrical and mechanical issues last week, high tides and heavy rain flooded an underground power conduit causing an electrical short to over 500 feet of high-voltage power cables. (We completed repairing and replacing these power cables at 3 a.m. Saturday, December 31st).

The recent ice storm created a power outage to the bridge. After we restored power using the backup generator, we attempted to open the bridge and it was immediately apparent there was a problem. The eastern bridge span would only rotate a portion of the way and then stall, and we had to make several attempts to swing open the bridge. We soon discovered the cylinder had developed an intensified leak, and it could not safely operate in its current condition. …

We started preparations several months ago to overhaul all four hydraulic turning cylinders (including the damaged one) as part of our ongoing comprehensive bridge rehabilitation program. … The work we’ve already completed allowed us to jump into developing a response plan almost immediately after the damage occurred and will likely mean we’ll able to complete this rehabilitation faster than if we had started from scratch.

The cylinder will need to be temporarily removed and overhauled off-site. Over the past 10 days, we built and assembled some of the equipment necessary to move the massive cylinder. Once the cylinder is removed, we will re-engineer the bridge’s eastern span to temporarily operate on the single remaining turning cylinder. This work requires reprogramming the control system and testing it to
ensure the new configuration is reliable and safe. While the eastern bridge span is running with one cylinder, opening and closing the bridge for passing ships will take about 10 minutes longer than usual. Over the coming months, there will be additional bridge closures to reinstall the cylinder and to complete other projects in our comprehensive Spokane St Swing Bridge Rehabilitation Program. Occasional bridge closures were already planned for 2023 to complete proactive refurbishment and repair work planned this year.

As for the bicycle detour, SDOT says it’s taking these major steps:

This week, we are converting sections of W Marginal Way SW and 1st Ave S curb lanes to temporary protected bike lanes using cones, barrels, paint, and signs. The temporary bike lanes will remain until the Spokane St Swing Bridge reopens. We continue to procure traffic control devices and finalize the traffic control plan. We expect to complete the bike lane installation by the end of the day on Wednesday, Jan. 4. …

While the temporary bike lanes are in place, 1st Ave S will have one general-purpose traffic lane in each direction, a center turn lane, and one bike lane in each direction. As possible, existing on-street parking will remain but be restricted near driveways to help people biking and driving more easily see each other. In two instances at the north and south ends, people on bikes will have to use the sidewalk-see map above. You may wish to get off your bike and walk it through these areas with pedestrians.

We will also convert the southbound general-purpose travel lane at the northern segment of West Marginal Way SW to a temporary protected bike lane. We expect this to have a minimal impact on people driving, as this is not a through-lane.

We will check the detour twice daily to reset cones, barrels, or signs that may have shifted while the temporary bike lanes are in operation.

As noted in our daily preview, the detour will be discussed at tonight’s 6:30 pm online meeting of West Seattle Bike Connections.

ADDED 4:15 PM: SDOT also says it’s working toward “temporary free transit rides on the bus & West Seattle Water Taxi.”

ADDED 6:37 PM: We asked SDOT on followup how soon they expect to remove the cylinder, since they won’t have a full timeline until after that: “Our goal is to remove the cylinder within the next week. We are currently working to identify suppliers for all the parts and equipment necessary to move the massive cylinder and to reprogram the control system to operate with one cylinder.”

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FOLLOWUP: What happens to logs left on shore post-king tides?
January 3, 2023 2:16 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB photo, this morning)

Last week, we published photos of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers debris-recovery vessel at work off Alki, picking up some of the many logs left afloat after the king tides and heavy rains. So what about all the logs that went the other way, now strewn across park shores at beaches like Alki, or piled up like the ones above at Don Armeni Boat Ramp? We asked Seattle Parks, whose spokesperson Rachel Schulkin replied:

We have a plan to reuse as much of the driftwood as possible in the parks. Some to use as log and saddle replacements where needed. And if there are any interesting ones, they may be used for interest in shrub beds.

So far, we are just moving what we can out of the way where necessary. Such as Don Armeni, so the boat ramp is accessible (hence the pile farther up in the parking lot, which was moved last week by the heavy crew). And we will come back in February after we see the next round of high tides this month to start removal/relocation.

We also have plans to go onto Alki Beach to move and remove some of that driftwood before peak season, since so much washed up so far on the sand. But that must wait until the tides settle a little bit for the sand to be a little safer to get our tractors in.

The final round of major winter “king tides” is due January 22-26, with high tides around 13 feet, which is what last week’s high tides were supposed to be (but ended up higher because of weather conditions)

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FOLLOWUP: Boat-towing crew trying again
January 3, 2023 11:57 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, this morning)

11:57 AM: The crew contracted to remove a semi-sunken sailboat from Don Armeni Boat Ramp is trying again today. Last Thursday, we reported on their plan to take it to Shilshole; a commenter noted the next day that the boat hadn’t been moved after all. So we went by this morning to see if it was gone yet, and found the tow crew working on it again. They explained that last week’s attempt was thwarted because the boat “sprang a leak” but they’ve remedied the situation and are hopeful today’s attempt will work. (We’ll check back later.)

ADDED TUESDAY EVENING: We did go back to look at day’s end, and the boat indeed is gone.

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West Seattle Bike Connections, trivia, bingo, more for your Tuesday
January 3, 2023 10:30 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Monday photo of The Brothers by Kanit Cottrell)

Here’s your Tuesday list, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

CITY COUNCIL: The city’s holiday hiatus is over and the council’s back for its weekly meeting today, 2 pm online or at City Hall (600 4th Ave.). See the agenda here; the meeting is viewable via Seattle Channel.

DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Longstanding weekly sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.

SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).

WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: 6:30 pm online meeting, with the low-bridge closure and bicycle detours at the heart of the agenda; an SDOT rep is expected to be in attendance. You can join via video here (Meeting ID: 821 5334 5420 – Passcode: 758937) or call in via 253-215-8782.

11:43 am update – see comment below; this has been postponed a week: SEATTLE METROPOLITAN SINGERS: This award-winning choir rehearses in West Seattle! Tonight’s announcement:

The Seattle Metropolitan Singers are starting their next season on Tuesday, January 3rd. Rehearsals are 7pm to 9pm every Tuesday at the Senior Center of West Seattle [4217 SW Oregon]. This choir won The People’s Choice award at the 2022 Great Figgy Pudding Competition at Pike Place Market. This is a treble voice choir and all are welcome to join that fit in that vocal range. Please e-mail the_met@seattlegleeclubs.org if any questions. Or check out their website seattlegleeclubs.org/themet

TRIVIA X 3: Three places where you can play Tuesday nights – 7 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).

BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with Cookie Couture at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm. Free, all ages!

You can always see more, and preview future events, via our event calendar – if you have something for us to list, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen red CR-V; mystery car
January 3, 2023 9:49 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two car-related notes this morning:

STOLEN CR-V: From Kerry: “My 1999 red Honda CR-V was stolen this morning between 6 and 8 am. License plate number AOZ7418. Taken from 4800 block of 50th Ave SW. text if you spot it – 206-245-8720.” SPD case number is 23-002115.

MYSTERY CAR: Nancy says this car “has been sitting on Cambridge SW between 25th and 26th for many weeks. The license plate has been removed and so have the four wheels. Perhaps, someone is missing this car.”

She says it’s locked and that no VIN number was visible.

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Remembering Anna W. Missler, 1929-2022
January 3, 2023 9:04 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering Anna W. Missler, and planning a celebration of her life this spring. For now, this is the remembrance they’re sharing:

Anna Wilhelmina Missler
May 20, 1929 – September 21, 2022

Anna passed away on September 21, 2022, at the age of 93, after a short illness, with her family by her side.

She was born May 20, 1929 in Utrecht, The Netherlands, to parents Anna Christina Wilhelmina Albertha Bedina Huisen and Jan Willem Van Voorthuisen. Siblings Sophia, Willy, Christina, Yanni, Albert, and Chris. Times were difficult growing up during WW2, and her mother passed shortly after the war ended.

In 1950 Anna and Nicolaas Missler were married in Utrecht, The Netherlands. They welcomed daughter Yvonne in 1950, and Elizabeth (Christa) in 1958. With their young family, they immigrated to the United States in 1960, sponsored by the Fauntleroy Church, and settled in West Seattle. In 1961 they welcomed daughter Diana, and in 1964 Nicolaas Jr.

Family was most important to her, and she was so proud of her many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Anna put herself through beauty school, and then became a partner operator at Elite Beauty Salon in the West Seattle Junction. She worked as a hairstylist for 20 years until 1993 when Nico became ill, and she retired to care for him at home. Nico passed away in 1996.

Anna’s next adventure was moving into her beloved condo on Alki Beach. She loved daily walks on the beach and sitting by the window watching the daily activities of walkers and boaters throughout the day.

A Celebration of Life is planned in May. Details will be provided closer to the date of event.

(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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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: 2023’s first Tuesday
January 3, 2023 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: 2023’s first Tuesday
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, January 3rd, back to work and school for many.

LOW-BRIDGE CLOSURE

This is the 12th day the low bridge has been closed to surface traffic, with SDOT saying they don’t yet have a timeline for all repairs.

We’ll be checking on its status again today; here’s our most-recent update, published Saturday.

WEATHER

Slight chance of rain, high in the mid-40s.

TODAY’S TRANSIT STATUS

–Metro is on a regular schedule today but still down buses for repairs – keep watching notification channels such as @kcmetroalerts for trip cancellations and route suspensions.

-The West Seattle Water Taxi is back on its regular schedule.

-WSF’s Triangle Route remains on its two-boat schedule- check here for alerts/updates.

SPOTLIGHT CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Updating this recent report, five are now live. Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also up at Delridge/Oregon, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Henderson.

High Bridge – the camera at the top.

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way).

1st Ave. S. Bridge – the south route.

Highway 99: – the northbound side at Lander.

All functional city traffic cams can be seen here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page … Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.

If you see a problem on the roads/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.

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Wordplay returns to Skylark with one-night-only ‘Spelldown’
January 2, 2023 10:36 pm
|    Comments Off on Wordplay returns to Skylark with one-night-only ‘Spelldown’
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

Back in the fall, The Skylark in North Delridge saw success with a multi-week series of “adult spelling bee” nights. Now the game is back for one night only – 7 pm this Friday, January 6th – and Skylark proprietor Matt Larson asked us to share the invitation:

The Skylark Cafe and Quizfix’s SPELLDOWN AFTER DARK returns for a ONE-NIGHT ONLY spelling s-p-e-c-t-a-c-u-l-a-r! No pre-signup necessary – everybody who comes has a chance to be a contestant. Be the champion of “The Final Spelldown” – OR supply the word that knocks the last contestant OUT – and win fabulous prizes. Space is limited – get your tix today!

Doors at 7, Spelldown at 8:00 21+ Full bar and restaurant.

“Spelldown After Dark” is an adult spelling bee contest that awards cash and non-cash prizes to participants and winners. It feels like an in person game show with all the excitement of real competition and cash prizes, with drinks involved! Spelldown may incorporate some naughtiness, but in general is intended as PG- to R-level event that attracts participants who want to be named as the Spelldown 2023 King or Queen and are there to compete and have fun.

Haven’t been to The Skylark? It’s at 3803 Delridge Way SW.

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DEVELOPMENT: Expanded 35th/Holden/Ida project finally returning to Design Review
January 2, 2023 7:02 pm
|      53 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

It’s been more than four years since a mixed-use project on 35th SW between Holden and Ida was last seen by the Southwest Design Review Board, which ordered the project team to come back for a second round of Early Design Guidance. (Remember that Early Design Guidance is largely about size and shape of the building – “massing”; the project team’s preferred option is above.) Two years later, we reported the plan had expanded. Now, two years after that, the project is scheduled to return to the board – and it’s been expanded again. Back in 2018, a four-story building with about 50 apartments was proposed; in 2020, it was a five-story plan with 120 apartments; now it’s six stories and more than 130 apartments, with ground-floor commercial space and 50 underground parking stalls. You can see the draft design packet here. The revised project is scheduled to go before the SWDRB at 5 pm Thursday, February 2nd, online; watch for the meeting link here.

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READER REPORT: Missing a bike? Bags with helmet and lock?
January 2, 2023 5:27 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Found bicycles | West Seattle news

Two “found” reports involving items that might well have been stolen and dumped, so we’re showing them here rather than pointing to the WSB Lost/Found (Non-Pets) board …

FOUND BICYCLE: Lynn sent this photo of a bicycle abandoned behind her Alki-area condo building:

If it’s yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.

FOUND BAGS: The photo and report are from Janis:

After cleaning up around Lafayette Elementary this morning around 10:30 am (Jan 2), I found two discarded bike messenger bags, very waterlogged with a helmet and kryptonite lock inside. I couldn’t transport back home as I had items to carry and my kids in tow, but they’re still at the playground area.

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WHALES: Southern Resident orcas in the area
January 2, 2023 3:32 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales

3:32 PM: Southern Resident Killer Whales have been traveling south all day and they finally arrived in our area around 3 pm, seen in Elliott Bay – from J and K Pods, Kersti Muul reports. Let us know if you see them!

3:59 PM: Visible from Alki, according to another texter. And Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail is south of Alki Point with binoculars to share.

4:13 PM: Donna just called to say they’re easy to see from where she’s at (Charles Richey Viewpoint/Constellation Park).

5:08 PM: Updates in comments – they were passing Lincoln Park as it got dark.

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2023’s first public meeting: District 1 Community Network
January 2, 2023 2:25 pm
|    Comments Off on 2023’s first public meeting: District 1 Community Network
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

The District 1 Community Network is the first local organization having a public meeting in the new year, 7 pm Wednesday (January 4th) online, D1CN is a coalition of West Seattle and South Park community advocates who gather to address area issues; everyone interested is welcome to join in. Draft agenda items for this meeting include the South Park flooding situation and the ongoing work toward updating the city’s Comprehensive Plan. Video and call-in information can be found in our calendar listing.

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You might be invited to participate in national health survey
January 2, 2023 12:10 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Health | West Seattle news

Public Health – Seattle & King County says some West Seattle participants are being sought for an invitation-only, voluntary national health survey starting soon. Here’s their announcement explaining the survey:

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the most comprehensive survey of the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population, is coming to King County beginning on January 4, 2023.

All counties and cities in the United States have a chance to be selected for the NHANES and, this year, King County is one of 15 counties selected to be part of this initiative. Each year, only 5,000 residents nationwide are chosen to participate in NHANES, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

NHANES provides important national data on critical public health issues. “NHANES serves as the nation’s ‘health check-up’ by going into communities throughout the country to collect health information,” said Brian C. Moyer, PhD, Director of the NCHS. “The survey provides a wealth of important data about many of the major health and nutritional issues affecting the country.”

“I’m so pleased that our community was selected to participate in this year’s study,” said Dr. Faisal Khan, Director of Public Health — Seattle & King County. “I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to participate to do so. The information provided by our residents will help us to better inform our policy makers and provide us with important information as we make decisions on how to best use our public health resources to meet the needs of our community.”

Since 1960, NHANES has had a prominent role in improving the health of all people living in the U.S. NHANES data address critical health concerns, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Public health officials, legislators, and physicians use this information to develop evidence-based health policies, direct and design health programs and services, and expand the health knowledge of the nation. NHANES data also help produce national references and standardized growth charts used by pediatricians across the country.

NHANES collects a broad range of data that affect the lives of everyone in the country, regardless of age, addressing everything from air quality to the low-fat and “light” foods found in grocery stores.

Study participant selection and study involvement

An NHANES team of health professionals, nutritionists, and health technicians is heading to King County and urges everyone who has been selected for the survey to participate.

Residents will have an invitation-only opportunity to participate in NHANES. Addresses are randomly sampled within the county. By selecting participants this way, when combining data from all counties visited this year, NHANES data can more accurately represent the U.S. population.

Randomly selected households will be sent one or more letters inviting them to be part of NHANES by completing a brief online questionnaire to see if anyone in their home is eligible to take part. Those eligible will be contacted by an NHANES representative to set up a telephone health interview at a convenient time, followed by a health examination that takes place in the NHANES mobile examination center. While no medical care is provided directly in the mobile examination center, a report on physical findings is given to each participant, along with an explanation of those findings from survey medical staff.

Benefits of participating in NHANES, if selected:

-Participants receive a free and comprehensive health and nutrition evaluation.
-Participants help develop and evolve national health programs and policies.
-Participants receive a token of appreciation for their time.

All information collected in the survey is kept confidential and individual privacy is protected by law. NHANES is taking all precautions needed, as recommended by the CDC, to keep survey participants and staff safe by following guidelines on social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, handwashing, and sanitation of the mobile examination center and all equipment.

You can find out more about the survey, including data spanning decades, here.

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WEST SEATTLE SCENES: 3 sunrise views
January 2, 2023 10:57 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thank you to everyone who sent photos of today’s colorful sunrise! Above, Coleman Smith shows us the Mount Rainier view; below, Gene Pavola caught the westward view with the Olympics’ pastel-pink glow:

And one more angle, from Jerry Simmons:

While the sunset’s been getting later for almost two weeks, the sunrise doesn’t start getting earlier for a few more days.

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Remembering E. Lola Shugart, 1923-2022
January 2, 2023 9:04 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Friends and family are remembering Lola Shugart. Here’s the remembrance being shared with the community:

E. Lola Shugart – May 18, 1923 – November 23, 2022

Born in Missouri, Lola Shugart was a long-time West Seattle resident, first in the Admiral district with her husband, Bob, and then for 40+ years in her lime green house on 42nd Avenue SW. In October 2021, she moved to be with family in the Tri-Cities, where she passed away peacefully on Thanksgiving Eve.

Lola was known to many in the Junction, including neighbors, Safeway employees, and the tellers at numerous banks! She enjoyed standing at her gate and chatting with passersby, with whom she shared her love of gardening, dogs, cars, and politics. Lola was lively and outgoing, blunt and sometimes cranky, but always true to herself. The neighborhood is a little less colorful without her!

Her local friends would like to thank the staff and volunteers at West Seattle Senior Center and Sound Generations Meals on Wheels, who ensured that Lola was well fed throughout the COVID lockdown. She mentioned many times how much she enjoyed and appreciated your care … and especially the biscuits and gravy!

(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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WEST SEATTLE MONDAY: Info for this semi-holiday
January 2, 2023 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE MONDAY: Info for this semi-holiday
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

Good morning. It’s the second day of the new year and the last day of the holiday season, the “observed” holiday for New Year’s Day. That means some changes for today – here’s what you should know:

TRANSPORTATION

*Low bridge still closed
*Metro on Sunday schedule
*No Water Taxi today
*Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth state ferry route on Sunday schedule
*Free parking today in areas of the city with on-street paid parking
*See citywide traffic cams here, West Seattle-relevant cams here

OTHER SERVICES/FACILITIES

*Schools closed (UPDATE: Texter points out Vashon Island School District has classes today)
*No USPS services except Priority Mail Express
*Banking holiday
*Libraries open today
*Most Seattle Parks facilities closed

WEATHER

*Partly sunny today, chance of rain tonight, high in the 40s.

Got news? Text us at 206-293-6402,or email westseattleblog@gmail.com if non-urgent – thank you!

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2023’s first ‘Words, Writers, Southwest Stories’ illuminates stories behind Seattle neon signs
January 1, 2023 10:57 pm
|    Comments Off on 2023’s first ‘Words, Writers, Southwest Stories’ illuminates stories behind Seattle neon signs
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

You’ve seen their glow all around the city – neon signs past and present. Many have backstories. You’ll get to see and hear some of them during the first “Words, Writers, & Southwest Stories” presentation of 2023 – online on January 12th. Here’s the announcement:

Join us for a colorful presentation of “Words, Writers, & Southwest Stories” as Matt Hucke, photographer and bestselling author, shares the brightest sights in the area from his new book, “Seattle Neon: Signs of the Emerald City.”

Sponsored by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, this first-of-the-year event will be available, the second Thursday of the new year, on January 12th, 2023, at 6:00 PM via Zoom.

Author and photographer Matt Hucke is drawn to disappearing and endangered historic places and artifacts, some of them hiding in plain sight. His first book, Graveyards of Chicago (with Ursula Bielski), explored the history and personalities behind (and beneath) Chicago’s best cemetery monuments. Now in Seattle, he’s brought this same idea to a newer form of historic art: vintage neon signs.

Registration is required. Registered participants will be emailed a link to the presentation on the date of the event.

Please register for this event by CLICKING HERE.

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Ready for a running start to 2023? Get Fit West Seattle Info Night on Wednesday
January 1, 2023 8:44 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Health | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

If you’re among the many resolved to boost your fitness level in the new year, here’s an option: Wednesday night, West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) hosts the next Info Night for its Get Fit West Seattle program. This is training that will get you from “couch to half-marathon” within just a few months, starting with a one-mile run next Saturday morning. But first, show up at the shop at 7 pm Wednesday (January 4th) for an explanation of the program and a chance to ask questions. (If you have any in advance, you can email lori@westseattlerunner.com.)

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HELPING: What else South Park flood victims need
January 1, 2023 6:18 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | South Park | West Seattle news

(Photo sent last Tuesday by Devlin Carey)

The cleanup continues in South Park, where dozens of homes and businesses were flooded by last week’s weather-enhanced king tide. The Duwamish River Community Coalition is coordinating support for the flood victims and – in addition to the fundraising we’ve mentioned before – has developed a list of what’s needed. You can see the list here; the requested items include specific clothing, houseware, and cleanup items, as well as bottles of water and bags of rice. That document also includes specifics on who to contact and where to go if you can help. They’ve also been accepting volunteer help – watch here for shifts to sign up for.

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VIDEO: Splashy start to 2023 at Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim
January 1, 2023 1:03 pm
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 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

(WSB video and photos)
A sea of people dove into 2023 with a quick plunge into Puget Sound this morning. The crowd for this year’s Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim stretched all along the beach, from the paved promenade on the west (above) to the easternmost sandy stretch (below, where organizer Mark Ufkes counted down)L

As our videos show, many spent less than a minute in the water. “It wasn’t so bad,” declared one person, before adding: “Well, when you’re in there, it’s bad.” The water temperature today is 48 degrees, five degrees warmer than the 43-degree air at swim time. Sights along the way – Truly the lifeguard was standing by (OK, floating by) in case anyone needed help:

These guys went in twice, with push-ups inbetween:

Not many costumes this year, but we did spot some festive headwear:

Some brought their little ones, who dug in the sand, oblivious to the throng of splashers:

P.S. Unrelated but in a similar spirit, the Special Olympics Polar Plunge is returning to Alki Beach on February 25th – info’s in our calendar listing,

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