West Seattle, Washington
11 Sunday
All four local varsity high-school teams had opening-round Metro League postseason games tonight. Only one was a home game, the Chief Sealth IHS girls vs. Nathan Hale:
(WSB photos: #24, Sealth junior Fahima Mohamed)
The Seahawks also had the only victory of the night among the four local teams, 48-18.
The CSIHS girls (10-10) play next at Bishop Blanchet, 5:30 pm tomorrow. As for tonight’s three road games:
CHIEF SEALTH BOYS: The Seahawk boys’ season ended tonight with a 68-64 loss at Ingraham and a 3-18 record.
WEST SEATTLE BOYS: After tonight’s 74-48 loss at Rainier Beach, the Wildcat boys (12-10) play Nathan Hale at Lincoln HS, 5:30 pm Thursday,
WEST SEATTLE GIRLS: The Wildcat girls (11-11) lost tonight at Seattle Prep, 50-42. Their next game is also at 5:30 pm Thursday, at home vs. Holy Names.
Via email, another report of a stolen vehicle to watch for:
My sister’s car was stolen this weekend, off the street just outside our alleyway – Genesee between 44th Ave SW and 45th Ave SW. It was taken sometime between Friday 02/02 at 6:00 pm and Sunday 02/04 at 7:00 pm. It’s a black 2013 Hyundai Elantra with WA plates CFU2256. In terms of unique identifiers, the car has a pink rear license plate frame and an expired Texas registration sticker in the driver’s-side front windshield. The SPD incident # is 24-33676; please contact them with any information.
The new City Council starts committee meetings tomorrow (Tuesday, February 6). First up: The Transportation Committee, chaired by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka of West Seattle. When his committee meets at 9:30 am, the agenda includes public comment, an “Introduction to SDOT” (here’s the slide deck), and an “Introduction to Term Permits and Street Vacations” (here’s that slide deck). See the agenda for information on how to participate in the public-comment period, in person at City Hall or via phone; if you just want to watch the meeting, it’ll be live via Seattle Channel. You can look ahead to other council-committee meetings by checking this page, which links agendas once they’re available.
(WSB photos)
6:29 PM: A two-car crash – one vehicle on its side – has 35th SW closed right now near SW Thistle. Avoid the area.
6:41 PM: Our crew was told at the scene that no one is seriously hurt.
8:01 PM: As noted in comments, 35th has since reopened; we just got a chance to go back to check.
8:42 PM: As also noted in comments, police say this was a hit-run, with one driver bolting the scene. Archived audio indicates officers found the 34-year-old man quickly, barely a block away, and told dispatch he was the driver of the on-its-side Range Rover.
That’s “Wanted,” from what West Seattle musician Brent Amaker calls the “first proper album in 10 years” from him and his band The Rodeo, titled Philaphobia. This Thursday (February 8), 6-9 pm, Brent Amaker & The Rodeo will perform at Easy Street Records as part of a West Seattle Art Walk slate; it’s the kickoff to a West Coast tour that will also take them to Oregon, California, and Nevada before they return home to Seattle. If you haven’t seen them before – every member performing in black cowboy gear – Amaker describes their genre in the album announcement as “cowboy music” and “Western performance art,” filling Philaphobia with “tracks that span from rollicking motivational romps, to criminal confessions.” Thursday’s show at Easy Street is free, and the evening also will feature DJ Aleens and an art-print show by Bella Petro and Chicle de Uva.
It’s a mandatory question when you interview someone who’s reached a milestone like their 100th birthday – any secret to your long life?
Gwen Bell thinks that in her case, maybe it’s “because I’ve lived a pleasant life.”
Gwen was two days short of 100 when we talked with her on Saturday at her home east of Fairmount Park. But the celebrating already had begun.
We recorded our chat on video – it’s in two parts below. In the first, Gwen – NOT short for Gwendolyn, by the way (she says her parents decided to be efficient) – talks about her travels and her gardening, and you might even hear a few longevity tips after all.
In the second part, we talk about her jobs and her life in West Seattle – where she lived in Gatewood before she and her late husband (married 66 years, with a wedding three weeks before World War II ended) moved to a neighborhood that felt “rural” when she arrived:
As she told us toward the end of our chat, Gwen’s birthday plans included a celebratory dinner and a “Happy Birthday” serenade from her neighbors. One of those neighbors, in fact, is the person who tipped us to Gwen’s milestone birthday (thank you, Ryan!).
Two weeks ago, Greater Seattle YMCA executives promised a community survey as one of the next steps in determining the future of the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor). This follows last month’s town-hall meeting (WSB coverage here). We checked with the Y today and learned they sent the survey to meeting participants Friday and are now circulating it more widely, including this message:
… We are committed to the Fauntleroy YMCA and look forward to working with the community to determine the best use for the space. We heard a lot of great ideas, and your thoughtful feedback is crucial as we navigate to ensure the continued success of the Fauntleroy YMCA.
We also have collected all your feedback that we have heard so far from emails, conversations online and in person, and our town hall. To further gauge community needs, preferences, and interests, we’ve prepared a survey where you can rank the suggested ideas. Your input will help us prioritize and shape the future of the Fauntleroy YMCA.
Please also share this survey with your community to help us ensure no one gets left out. Let us know if you feel something is missing or if you have another idea that should be included in upcoming communication or questions that should be addressed. Thank you for your patience as we are still gathering other context that was requested.
In the meantime, if you have already signed up for a volunteer committee, we will be reaching out separately to discuss how we move forward with membership, project planning, and fundraising. If you did not have the chance to sign up, you can do so through the survey.
Any time you would like to provide feedback for the Fauntleroy YMCA, please submit it here. For other inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us at pr@seattleymca.org.
The “other context” refers to a promise of a “high-level plan for moving forward” that also was promised within two weeks along with the survey; town-hall participants also had asked for more information about the Y’s finances beyond what was originally disclosed a month ago. Again, here’s the survey link. It asjs you to rate six possible ways to use what’s labeled the “Fauntleroy YMCA Community Hub” space. There’s also an open-ended question inviting you to describe other way(s) the “community hub space” could be used, as well as questions about operating hours, plus requests for feedback on planning future meetings, plus the aforementioned committee involvement.
Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN PICKUP: Jessica emailed this morning, hoping you can be on the lookout for her pickup:
My truck was stolen from outside my house in the Admiral District. 1989 GMC Sierra 2500, light brown with orange accents. Collector’s plate 6367F. Police report number: 24-33805
Meantime, weekend summaries made available by SPD today include these two West Seattle incidents we hadn’t previously heard about:
ALKI GUNFIRE: SPD says officers were flagged down near 62nd/Alki just after 1 am Saturday by someone reporting this incident, described as: “Four victims were involved in a verbal altercation with a male in a black SUV. Suspect in the SUV fired a single shot and then fled southbound. Evidence of the shooting was recovered.”
ASSAULTED BY INTRUDER: According to the SPD summary, this happened just before 1:30 am Sunday. The original call to the 7500 block of 21st SW was for a burglary; officers say they found someone “that the reporting party wanted removed.” That person was not arrested – until, SPD says, they assaulted an officer, resulting in a call to SFD for medical assistance, after which, the summary continues, “the suspect then assaulted a Medic, an AMR crewmember, and another officer.” We’re following up. ADDED: SFD tells us, “Medics were called in to assist AMR with a patient. One SFD medic and an SPD officer were treated for assault.” The suspect, however, was the only one who had to be taken to the hospital, a man in his late 20s.
(Northwest Seaport Alliance photo)
Last week, a reader asked about a sighting of two car-carrier ships in Elliott Bay. At the time, we only found one via the MarineTraffic.com tracker – Platinum Ray, still anchored in the bay today, but shown as eventually bound for Tacoma, where such cargo is routinely handled. Then today the Northwest Seaport Alliance explained the other one:
Terminal 46 marked a significant milestone on Friday, February 2nd, as it welcomed the arrival of the GLOVIS vessel Silver Sky transporting automobiles destined for Canada.
More than 2,500 automobiles discharged at Terminal 46, in The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) gateway, where they will await transport to Canadian KIA and Hyundai dealerships later this month.
Terminal 46 is on the downtown waterfront. The NWSA announcement refers to this as “the first automobile vessel in more than 20 years to call the North Harbor [Seattle],” but our archives note that one unloaded at West Seattle’s Terminal 5 in 2015. (Update: NWSA has updated to say it was the first such call at T-46 in 20+ years.) As for whether more such deliveries are ahead, the NWSA says it “hopes (Terminal 46) will be utilized to support additional cargo movement in the coming months.”
(Kite-surfing off Alki – Sunday photo by Javier Fosado)
Here’s what’s on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for this afternoon/evening:
SEED GIVEAWAY SURVEY: Today’s the deadline to reply to this quick survey for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle‘s program to give away seed packets to parents and teachers, so kids can learn about growing food.
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: 2 pm at City Hall, the weekly meeting in which councilmembers talk about their plans for the week ahead. Also planned today: An introduction to this year’s budget process. Here’s the agenda. Watch live via Seattle Channel.
TODDLER GYM PLAYTIME: Free indoor drop-in playspace 3-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center. (9050 16th SW).
‘PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING 101’: Join parents, teachers, and others from around West Seattle at this free educational event starting at 6 pm at Genesee Hill Elementary (5013 SW Genesee), as previewed here. Child care available.
GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday brings “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
D&D: Open D&D starts at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), all welcome, first-time players too. $5.
MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
MEDITATION ON ALKI: The Alki Dharma Community invites you to Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) for meditation. 7 pm.
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Three options tonight – 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
KARAOKE: 9 pm, Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar and/or Holiday Guide? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(File photo, courtesy Seattle Parks)
Spring is now just six weeks away. If you’re thinking of volunteering during this year’s warm season, here’s an opportunity – the annual call for Seattle Urban Nature Guides, which we were asked to share with you:
Become a Seattle Urban Nature Guide! Seattle Parks and Recreation Environmental Engagement Unit is offering free volunteer guide training. Inspire change through education, enrich the experience of park visitors, teach families and school students in nature, and share with your community. Applications are due March 15th; training begins April 12th.
Apply online at seattle.gov/parks/volunteer/environmental-education-volunteering#SUNG
If you have questions about the program, PKSNatureFieldTrips@seattle.gov is the address.
6:01 AM: Good morning. Welcome to Monday, February 5.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy, breezy, chance of rain, high in the 40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:30 am, sunset at 5:16 pm.
(Saturday sunset from Constellation Park – photo by Jen Popp)
TRANSIT NOTES
Sound Transit note – The 1 Line is back to normal starting today, after 3 weeks of work.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, 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:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
| Comments Off on HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: First night of Metro League postseason play for all 4 local teams