West Seattle, Washington
27 Saturday
(WSB photos)
After a few soft-open trial runs, including tonight, the new restaurant/bar Little Donkey plans to officially open tomorrow (Wednesday, February 21) at 3401 California SW. As we first reported when Spiro’s ended its 31-year run in the corner space 14 months ago, it’s a venture with partners including Ben Jenkins (Shadowland, Dumplings of Fury) and Mike Meckling (Woodinville Cut Shop, Neumos), both West Seattleites. It’s all ages, except, of course, at the bar.
You can see the menu here – overseen by chef Enrique Vargas, who’s worked in the industry for more than 20 years and is originally from Mexico City:
The drink menu is perusable online, too. For starters, Little Donkey will open at 3 pm – but soon they’ll be offering weekend brunch starting at 9 am, launching not this weekend, but the weekend after (March 2-3).
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: The Little Donkey team tells us they’re not opening until 5 pm tonight and Thursday.
Just reported by email: “Starting this evening I noticed our tap water was noticeably brown. Not sure if it’s just our house. We’re by 15th Ave SW and Henderson.” No incidents on the Seattle Public Utilties water-trouble map; if it happens to you, be sure to report it to SPU’s 24-hour hotline, 206-386-1800. (And us too!)
(WSB file photo, past Special Olympics Polar Plunge)
If the forecast holds, it won’t be very “polar” for Saturday’s Special Olympics Washington-benefiting Polar Plunge at Alki. But it’s good news overall for the “winter beach party” that the event promises to be, with a beer garden, food trucks, and costume contest, before all the “plunging” gets going. The party starts near Alki Bathhouse (60th/Alki) at 10 am Saturday (February 24); the costume contest starts around 12:10 pm, and even if you’re not going in the water (that begins at 1 pm), you have a role to play, since the costume judging will be by audience acclaim. If you do want to go in, there’s still time to register online. P.S. The beer garden also offers a tasting experience – tickets are available in advance online here.
Just one scripted shoutout to West Seattle in Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s State of the City speech today – in the context of the planned Sound Transit light-rail extension. Other topics in his speech, delivered at the Museum of History and Industry in South Lake Union, were familiar and timeless, public safety chief among them – he hailed some ongoing changes, like the creation of the CARE Department (with 911 and a crisis-response team), and said – as we’d heard last week – that Seattle’s Park Rangers will soon be working citywide. He also promised to convene a public-safety forum next month to hear from community members. And he said that when he proposes the next transportation levy, it will focus on “the basics” – repaving, bridge maintenance, signage and striping, potholes (District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka got a shoutout there), etc. And he acknowledged that the pressure is on, since he can pretty much count on support from the mostly-new City Council: “There is a new level of expectations.” On homelessness, he hit the points made in the media briefing we covered last week. Read the speech here (or watch the video above).
P.S. Set your calendar – the mayor said the next citywide Day of Service is set for May 18th.
Just in from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce – it’s nomination time for the businesses, organizations, and people you’d like to see recognized with this year’s Westside Awards. Here’s the announcement we received:
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presents the annual Westside Awards in May and the nomination process is now open for submissions. The Chamber is seeking nominations in the following categories:
1) Business of the Year
2) Not-for-Profit of the Year
3) Emerging Business of the Year
4) Westsider of the YearThe community is invited to submit nominations online here: loom.ly/qS8SmDE. The deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 12, 2024, by 5 pm.
The Westside Awards honor leadership in entrepreneurship, innovation, and community impact, highlighting the achievements and contributions of businesses, organizations, and individuals within our West Seattle community.
“The Westside Awards represent the heartbeat of our community’s resilience,” said Rachel Porter, executive director of the West Seattle Chamber. “The Awards showcase the extraordinary contributions of businesses and individuals who make West Seattle such a vibrant, thriving community.”
Mark your calendar for the annual Westside Awards Breakfast to be held in person on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The West Seattle Chamber will honor the award winners as well as the awardee finalists at the Awards Breakfast — event details to follow at wschamber.com.
“Our Chamber has a long history of recognizing leadership,” notes Porter. You can take a look back at the previous Westside Award winners in each category online, by visiting wschamber.com/westside-awards.
16 minutes into that Seattle Channel video, the City Council Transportation Committee – chaired by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka – hears SDOT recap the past eight years of the $930 million Levy to Move Seattle, which expires at the end of this year. (See the slide deck here.) This is a precursor to announcing the plan for the next levy, which Mayor Bruce Harrell said in his State of the City address today that he expects to do in spring. The SDOT contingent briefing the Transportation Committee today was led by director Greg Spotts and Francisca Stefan. They noted that the levy funding comprises almost a third of SDOT’s budget, and that this is the 18th year SDOT has had levy funding. They also noted the levy “pivot” for the pandemic, and then the later course correction to get back on track with its original intent. One program that’s getting back on track is seismic upgrades for bridges – though no new specifics were given, two are pending for West Seattle this year, the Delridge pedestrian overpass and the twin Admiral Way bridges over Fairmount Ravine. (A check of records shows that the contract for the former is about to be awarded, and bidding is still open for the latter.)
It was also noted that one major West Seattle project promised when the Levy to Move Seattle went to the ballot in 2015, known as Fauntleroy Boulevard, remains “paused,” as it has been for six years, since Fauntleroy Way became a possible path for the Sound Transit light-rail extension, which now seems likely to tunnel into The Junction instead. (The project actually was included in a revised version of the levy announced by then-Mayor Ed Murray, two months after the original proposal.) Not mentioned today, but also unfulfilled though it was expected when the levy was passed – Roxbury repaving. (Initial planning happened, but then in 2019 we discovered it was shelved until at least the next levy.)
12:47 PM: Police are helping SFD block off traffic on 40th SW between Hudson and Dawson [map], southeast of The Junction. Fire crews say a 3/4-inch gas line has been severed and they’re evacuating some homes in the area. They’re awaiting Puget Sound Energy to shut off the gas.
1:13 PM: The incident commander has just told dispatch that PSE has arrived and is “assessing.”
1:51 PM: Firefighters have deemed the nearby houses safe to re-enter, and they’re getting ready to leave the scene.
(Rendering by Wittman Estes)
11:34 AM: From today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin, word of a key land-use approval for the Highland Park Improvement Club rebuild. Two and a half years have passed since a fire shut down the community organization’s historic headquarters at 1116 SW Holden, and HPIC has been working ever since to reach the rebuilding stage. They’ve obtained some major grants and other donations, but are still fundraising; meantime, the announcement of this city approval opens a two-week window for appeals of the decision – this notice explains how. You can read the full decision here. We have a message out to HPIC for an update on the project status (this is by no means the last stage of the permit process); meantime, here’s our coverage of their most recent “town hall” about the project, one month ago.
3:22 PM: Responding to our request for comment, HPIC board president Rhonda Smith says this is very good news for the project:
We also received notice this morning that SDCI has approved the MUP [Master Use Permit]. Finally we know that we can proceed with the building permit process without having to make any changes to the design we submitted that triggered the MUP. This is a huge day for HPIC and the community as we were not certain which direction SDCI would take.
We can now finalize the standard building permit set for the project and reactivate plans to remove unusable portions of the building. This involves the architects and our general contractor’s schedules. Demolition work will be the first opportunity for community hands-on involvement on the property since the fire, and will make such a big visual change to the site to get ready for construction.
In addition, we can begin in earnest actively fundraising now that we know the City is on board with this project. As we reported at the January Town Hall, we have about a $2M funding gap. This is where we will be emphasizing our focus this year, along with community outreach and events.
(Monday’s sunset photographed from Alki Pump Station 38 by Dan Ciske)
Here’s what’s scheduled for the rest of your West Seattle Tuesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE PLAYSPACE: Drop in Tuesday mornings 9 am-noon at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).
CITY COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: The second meeting of the committee chaired by District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka starts at 9:30 am. Scheduled topics include an update on what’s been funded so far by the Levy to Move Seattle. Here’s the agenda. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
STATE OF THE CITY: Mayor Bruce Harrell delivers his midterm progress report at noon. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP: 2 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Regular weekly meeting of the Seattle City Council, 2 pm. There is a public-comment section – in person or by phone – if there’s something you want to tell the council. The agenda explains how. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
FIREFIGHTER STORY TIME: 3:30 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW), bring the kid(s) to meet firefighters and learn about safety.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration continues at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
LEARN ASL: Free weekly classes, 6 pm at West Seattle’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (4001 44th SW). Start any Tuesday night! Details in our calendar listing.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FREE TRACK RUN: Run with friends old and new! Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 pm.
WEST SEATTLE TOASTMASTERS 832: “Improve your public speaking, communication, and leadership skills” at this online meeting, 6:30 pm.
MAKE POTTERY: 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance to work on your project(s).
AKIRA GALAXY AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Live in-store show, free, all ages, 7 pm. (4559 California SW)
BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Play – free! – Belle of the Balls Bingo hosted by Cookie Couture, 7 pm Tuesdays. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 4: Four places to play Tuesday nights – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW) now has Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
OPEN MIC: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way). 21+.
BINGO AT TALARICO’S: You’re invited to 8 pm bingo every Tuesday. (4718 California SW)
What are you planning? Tell everyone via our event calendar – please email the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends are remembering Jeff Heald. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with the community:
Longtime West Seattle resident Jeff Heald died at his home in Buckeye, Arizona, on 1/3/2024 after a hard-fought battle against a very rare Salivary Gland cancer which metastasized into Lung Cancer.
Jeffrey Stephen Heald was born in Seattle on 9/18/1955 to Charles Heald and Joanne Chicketti Heald, and passed away surrounded by family on 1/3/2024.
Jeff attended Lafayette Elementary School, James Madison Jr. High, West Seattle High School Class of 1974, and finally Western Washington University, Class of 1978. Jeff married Donna Taylor in 1977, and settled in West Seattle, before moving to Mukilteo in 1995. Jeff and Donna had three children, Ryan in 1978, Danielle in 1981, and Jacinta in 1983; sadly Danielle did not survive more than a few hours. Jeff was co-owner of a commercial drywall construction company, Firstline Systems Inc., starting in 1987, where he was also CFO before retiring in 2015. Jeff and Donna had several vacation homes in Arizona over the last 24 years before finally settling full time in the residential community of Verrado in Buckeye.
Jeff loved all sports and played Soccer until he was 60, but his passion was Golf, which he played at least three times a week until he wasn’t physically able last summer. Jeff was also a huge New England Patriots fan for many years and traveled around the country with his family to watch them play.
Jeff loved life, his wife, his children, grandchildren, extended family, and his many friends. Jeff is survived by his wife Donna, son Ryan, daughter Jacinta, grandchildren Olivia and Collin, and great-granddaughter Ava arriving in July, his mother Joanne, sister Jodi Van Campen, numerous nieces and nephews, and extended family and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at The Verrado Golf Course Grille on 2/24/2024. And another will be held in Seattle this Summer, date and time TBD.
(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)
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, February 20; midwinter break continues for many local schools.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
More showers and a high in the low 50s are in today’s forecast. Sunrise will be at 7:06 am, sunset at 5:39 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here. Monday will be on the regular weekday schedule.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 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!
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