West Seattle, Washington
22 Saturday
Though the Sound Transit Board is still at least a few months away from its final decision about a West Seattle light-rail route, the city is moving full speed ahead on its share of the plan – designing how the areas around the likely station locations will change. Latest example: A new survey asks you to take a look at the “street-concept plan” for the three station areas in West Seattle.
The survey link first appeared on X/Twitter; after spotting it there, we asked SDOT for more information. Spokesperson Mariam Ali says SDOT is working on the street-concept plan with the Office of Planning and Community Development, “in consultation with Sound Transit” and incorporating previously received community feedback. Before you start the survey, in which you can give feedback on street concepts for one, two, or all three station areas, she offered a little more context:
What Are Street Concept Plans? Street concept plans illustrate how streets could look in the future with specific improvements, such as trees and landscaping, distinct paving options, relocated curbs, and features like benches or unique lighting. To learn more about how SDOT uses Street Concept Plans, visit Seattle Streets Illustrated.
What’s Happening in West Seattle? SDOT and OPCD are creating a street concept plan for the areas around the future light rail stations in West Seattle. This plan provides a vision and guidance for how streets will look and function when light rail opens. The concepts included in the street concept plan will be used to develop designs for future projects that enhance walking, biking, and transit access around these station areas.
Community Involvement: Community members are encouraged to provide feedback through a survey. This feedback will help refine the vision for these streets. Additionally, more information about the plan, the City’s role in advancing light rail in West Seattle, and the option to sign up for an email listserv can be found on the City’s West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension webpage.
If you don’t have time to answer it now, we recommend saving the link and taking a look when you can spare a bit of time – the concepts have many proposed features, such as a vehicle-free “plaza” section of 42nd SW by the Junction station entrance. What you’ll see aren’t full station designs – just the concepts for key streets/intersections nearby.
ADDED WEDNESDAY: If, like one commenter, you’d like to see the images without answering the survey (yet), we asked SDOT, and they’ve sent this PDF version of the survey, images included, replies not required. Also, there’s now a webpage from which the survey is linked – and there’s word of two opportunities to talk with SDOT in person this weekend, one at Roxhill Park at Saturday, another at the Farmers’ Market on Sunday.
CenturyLink says it has restored service to everyone affected by a multi-day outage blamed on wire vandals/thieves. But the company won’t say much else. We heard about this from customers on Pigeon Point, where the outage apparently hit the hardest. SPD finally released some information on Monday, saying it got word of the situation around 10 pm last Thursday, when a CenturyLink employee called “to report a burglary at one of their vaults under the West Seattle Bridge, located at the 2300 block of SW Spokane Street.” The SPD summary says officers were told that “fiber optics and copper wiring (was) cut,” with damage estimated at up to $200,000, and that the company had received an alarm around 6:30 that night. Though a CenturyLink spokesperson wouldn’t comment to us on how many customers were affected, the SPD summary says, “The fiber optics provide internet and phone service for customers covering parts of West Seattle all the way south to White Center and east to 1st Avenue.” Plus, police say, they were “informed by the technicians that a similar incident occurred in Tacoma about two weeks ago.” We haven’t found information on that but did find this newspaper report about one on the Key Peninsula last summer, and this TV story from two months ago noting that as of early April, CenturyLink (aka Lumen) had almost 70 incidents like this in the region – one-third of what had been reported nationwide.
One Pigeon Point resident we heard from says they and neighbors want to know what the company’s doing to beef up security; the spokesperson wouldn’t comment to us on that either, aside from saying, “In terms of security, CenturyLink has an excellent relationship with local authorities. We pride ourselves on being a good member of the community, and law enforcement has done an excellent job in responding to our concerns about copper theft. We work closely with law enforcement to find and fully prosecute those responsible for these criminal acts. Anyone witnessing a theft in action should call 911.” (If you have any information for police on this incident, the case # is 24-152931.)
(WSB photo, CSIHS graduation 2022)
One week from tonight, graduation ceremonies will be held for the Class of 2024 from Chief Sealth International High School and West Seattle High School. Again this year, Seattle Public Schools has scheduled both ceremonies for Memorial Stadium downtown (401 5th Ave. N.) – CSIHS at 5 pm, WSHS at 8 pm. (The graduations are expected to be streamed live on the district’s YouTube channel, too.)
It’s also graduation season for colleges and universities, and that means a new round of celebrations for alums from both schools from just a few years ago, as they complete their degrees. One proud parent of a WSHS graduate emailed us to share the news that his daughter had graduated as college valedictorian. We featured Keaton Dickinson here in her junior year when she won a city essay contest. Here’s what dad Corey Dickinson tells us:
Keaton has been a lifelong West Seattle resident and product of Seattle Public Schools. She developed her love of learning at Schmitz Park Elementary School (now Genesee Hill Elementary) from the incredible teachers, staff, and administrators. She continued on through Madison Middle School and onto West Seattle High School, where she graduated in 2020. At West Seattle High School, Keaton benefited from the many great instructors who guided and prepped her for college. Keaton took advantage of the AP classes offered, formed a Gun Violence Prevention club, registered 500 first-time voters, testified before the Washington State Senate regarding gun violence prevention, and helped get gun safety initiatives on the Washington State ballot and ultimately passed.
Keaton continued her education at the University of Southern California, where she was named Valedictorian of the School of Public Policy. On May 10th, Keaton delivered an inspiring and heartfelt Valedictorian speech in front of a crowd of 6,000 graduates and guests in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Below is her speech.
What’s next for Keaton? Corey tells us she “is looking at opportunities in affordable housing.” Congratulations to all 2024 grads – high schools and colleges!
Midway through the run of its current production “Clyde’s,” ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) has revealed what it’s working on for next season! From the official announcement:
ArtsWest has announced their 2024-2025 season THE FAMILY OF THINGS, with five dynamic productions – featuring multiple New York Times Critic picks, a return of an audience favorite, and unique collaborations with local Seattle partners, Pratidhwani and Salle Auriol Seattle. This is the fourth season programmed by a collective of ArtsWest Associate Artists in collaboration with ArtsWest Artistic Director Mathew Wright, with this year’s Associate Artist roles taken on entirely by ArtsWest staff.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things
– Mary Oliver, (excerpt from “Wild Geese”)Mary Oliver is beloved as one of the great poets of the natural world. She found her place there early on, and throughout her life gave us messages in bottles about how we might find our place too. She admired the bird and the bear and the snake and the tree, pointing out that humans are the sole members of the natural world who have been blessed and cursed to ask questions like “Who am I?” and “Where do I belong?” Finding answers to these questions can seem like an impossible quest, but in Wild Geese, Mary Oliver gives us a place to start:
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.
THE FAMILY OF THINGS is about some humans, the softest animals, striving to let themselves and each other love, which, as Mary shows us, is the only path to belonging. We’ll explore the love of two friends in a regime where beauty is for the few and lives are expendable; in a friendship where artistic success is on the line; in a culture where the wrong kind of love must remain secret; in a female friendship where proving oneself is a necessity; and finally in the context of a passion which verges on mania.
Through it all, we’ll hold the hope that love will show us the path to belonging and allow us each to find our place in the family of things.
GUARDS AT THE TAJ
by Rajiv Joseph
A Co-Production with Pratidhwani
September 12 – October 6
Winner, 2016 Obie Award for Best New American Play
Winner, 2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding PlayIn 1648 India, two Imperial Guards watch from their post as the sun rises for the first time on the newly-completed Taj Mahal—an event that shakes their respective worlds. When they are ordered to perform an unthinkable task, the aftermath forces them to question the concepts of friendship, beauty, and duty, and changes them forever. GUARDS AT THE TAJ is one of Pulitzer Prize Finalist Rajiv Joseph’s seminal works.
SNOWED IN (AGAIN)
Created by Corinne Park-Buffelen & Mathew Wright
November 21 – December 22
ArtsWest Audience Favorite!Last year, a new holiday tradition was born as ArtsWest sent four of Seattle’s hottest musical theater stars on a cozy retreat to write the most perfect holiday show the world had ever seen. But when a blizzard hit, tensions rose and the crumpled-up notebook pages began to pile up even faster than the snow. This year, four more stars scramble to remount last year’s holiday hit. With hindsight on their side, the process should be foolproof. What could possibly go wrong?
Inspired by classic holiday TV specials and musicals about putting on a musical, witness this new Seattle theater tradition as four of the city’s most beloved musical theater stars take you on a journey of song, dance, friendship, family, and the true meaning of the holidays.
COVENANT
by York Walker
February 6 – March 2
NY Times Critic’s Pick!When a struggling guitarist returns to his small Georgia town a blues star, rumors begin swirling that he may have made a deal with the devil to attain his musical genius. Before long, however, it becomes clear he’s not the only one with a secret. A mythic and suspenseful new play that delivers one devilish twist after another, York Walker’s Covenant explores the power of belief and the thin line between rumor and truth.
ATHENA
by Gracie Gardner
In Collaboration with Salle Auriol
April 10 – May 4
NY Times Critic’s Pick!ADVANCE. PARRY. REPEAT. Mary Wallace and Athena are both seventeen-year-old fencers training for Nationals. Mary Wallace lives in a house in New Jersey, loves marine biology and practices at home. Athena lives in an apartment in New York City, takes acne medication and Athena is not her real name. Follow their journey from competitors to confidantes as they form a bond navigating the milestones of adolescence, training together only to learn the future is only certain for one of them.
THE EFFECT
by Lucy Prebble
June 19 – July 13
NY Times Critic’s Pick!In this thrilling play by Lucy Prebble (HBO’s “Succession”), two young volunteers, Tristan and Connie, agree to take part in a clinical drug trial. Succumbing to the gravitational pull of attraction and love, however, Tristan and Connie manage to throw the trial off-course, much to the frustration of the clinicians involved. This funny, moving and perhaps surprisingly human play explores questions of sanity, neurology and the limits of medicine, alongside ideas of fate, loyalty and the inevitability of physical attraction.
Season subscriptions are available now – go here. Meantime, “Clyde’s” runs Thursdays-Sundays through the end of this month; get tickets and info here.
That’s Ann Marie‘s scooter, stolen near 55th/Charlestown overnight Sunday/Monday. It’s a Piaggo Typhoon, with a “distinct sticker on the back storage bucket.” Plate #4C8026. Her neighbor provided this security video showing people on a motorcycle riding by, then (at about 1:45 in) coming back and taking the scooter:
We’ll add the police report # when we get it. (UPDATE: 24-158815.) “It’s missed,” Ann Marie adds.
Today we welcome Mioposto as a returning WSB sponsor! Here’s what they would like you to know about their restaurant:
Mioposto is a family-owned open-flame pizzeria, Italian kitchen, and bar located on California Ave in the Admiral neighborhood. Our journey began in the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Seattle in 2006, with the goal of creating a date-night pizzeria that adhered to the Italian tradition of using the finest ingredients while serving as a community gathering spot. The concept was a success, leading us to search for another neighborhood that shared our community-minded values. West Seattle was an easy choice, and we opened Mioposto Admiral in 2015. We are honored to be celebrating our ninth year with you. Whether you’re looking for a local date-night spot, a place to meet friends for happy hour, or somewhere to take the whole family for brunch, Mio is the place. We hope to have created spaces where you can sit back, feel seen, safe, and accepted just as you are.
“The only source of heat in our kitchen is our 800-degree oven,” says General Manager Scott Whited. “We focus on open-flame cooking to bring out the bold and honest flavors of the ingredients we use, from our pizzas to unique brunch items.” We freshly mill our tomatoes each day to create the bases for our pizzas, lasagnas, baked eggs, and more, adding only a touch of salt. This is honest cooking we believe in and that you can taste. “Next time you’re in, ask for a taste of our milled tomatoes and experience the freshness,” says Scott. In addition to our creative pizza combinations, you will find our succulent open-flame ribeye, calamari, Hood Canal clams, antipasti, our signature Caesar salad, craft cocktails, local Washington wines, and so much more.
“What people may not know is that we serve brunch and our lunch special seven days a week,” says Scott. “If you’re feeling tired of typical brunch fare, I encourage you to check out our menu – it’s something different and unique.” Brunch hours are Monday-Friday from 11:30 am to 3 pm, and Saturday & Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm. On the brunch menu, you will find our signature breakfast pizza with crispy pancetta and sunny-side-up eggs, or our panenata, which features our house-made bread soaked in egg custard with local Washington apples and pancetta, cooked in our hot oven in a cast iron skillet and finished with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
A major pillar of Mioposto is our commitment to our community. In 2023, we donated over $40,000 to various non-profits, school PTAs, and community organizations through our Pizza and Philanthropy program, which includes sponsorships, dine-out fundraising evenings, and gift card and food donations. We provide livable wages and comprehensive benefits to our employees, including 100% company-paid health care and investments in their futures through our 401(k) plan. We strive to protect the environment by sourcing ingredients domestically and locally and by providing compostable packaging to lessen our impact on the planet. We believe in treating people with dignity and respect, regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Mioposto is a safe place for all. Thank you for making it possible.
More at www.miopostopizza.com and our Instagram @mioposto.
We thank Mioposto (2139 California SW) for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here; email patrick@wsbsales.com for info on joining the team!
While out on an errand last night, we noticed a change at 5633 California SW, former home of Seattle Yarn (which moved to Admiral) – this is now the new home of West Seattle’s only comic-book store, Tails to Astonish. The shop opened three years ago at the south end of The Junction in a storefront set back from the street, where burglars struck multiple times; the new space has more visibility and, the proprietors tell us, “about twice as much space compared to the old store.” They’re open and almost done with moving everything; if you want to stop in for a look, Tails to Astonish is open until 7 pm.
Not necessarily cause for celebration, but today is the 46th anniversary of the ship crash that took out the old West Seattle Bridge, so today’s featured photo is the recently restored trailside tribute to a key figure in the disaster, Rolf Neslund. (We stopped for the pic while covering this event Sunday.) No commemorative events today that we know of – though we did just get a “Happy St. Rolf Day!” reminder from statue steward Lars Fujikawa of the Delridge Maritime Historical Society as we wrote this – but here are the other highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE PLAYSPACE: Looking for an indoor playspace for your little one(s)? Drop in Tuesday and Thursday mornings until noon at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).
FREE FLAG DAY SHOW: Silver Sounds performs at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), 1:30 pm, free admission, RSVP requested – our calendar listing has details.
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm, also at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Regular weekly meeting of the Seattle City Council, 2 pm. There is a public-comment period – in person or by phone – if there’s something you want to tell the council. The agenda explains how. You can go downtown or watch live via Seattle Channel.
LADY JAYE’S PRE-FATHER’S DAY MEAT MARKET & BBQ: Want to buy beef to cook for Dad on Sunday? Lady Jaye (4523 California SW) is presenting its Pre-Father’s Day Meat Market today from 4 pm to 8 pm, and also offering a Backyard BBQ – details in our calendar listing.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration continues on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t bring your own.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 6 pm at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) conference room, community members welcome. Here’s the agenda.
WEST SEATTLE WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: Monthly networking group meets at West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW), 6 pm. RSVP here.
FREE INTRODUCTORY ASL CLASSES: The series continues, and you can start at any time. 6 pm at the West Seattle Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (4001 44th SW), info here.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm tonight, play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FREE TRACK RUN: Bring your friends! Meet new ones! Gather at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 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).
BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Play – free! – weekly Belle of the Balls Bingo hosted by Cookie Couture, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 4: Four places to play Tuesday nights – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW) 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; 7:10 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
BINGO AT TALARICO’S: You can play 8 pm bingo every Tuesday. (4718 California SW)
Event coming up? Are community members invited? Tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar – please email the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
10:05 AM: Seattle Fire has sent a “water rescue response” to the 4500 block of Beach Drive – Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook [map] – after a caller further south on Beach Drive reported seeing what appeared to be a windsurfer in trouble. Land and sea units are headed that way.
10:15 AM: Police have just told their dispatcher that “Fire says he’s fine.” And then SFD told dispatch that the windsurfer is safely back ashore.
A local junior-roller-derby team is rolling into national competition this weekend! Thanks to Andrew for sending the report and photo:
Our local junior roller-derby team, Southside Revolution Rebels Travel Team, is heading to Denver this coming weekend (June 15-16) to face some of the best teams in the country in the Junior Roller Derby Association playoffs. Seeded number two in their regional, they have a season record of 10-2 against other teams in the area and the country.
Composed of teenage skaters from West Seattle, White Center, Burien, and beyond, the Rebels travel team is part of the Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby league. In its 10th year of operation, SSR makes its home at Southgate Roller Rink in White Center. The league serves 90+ skaters aged 7-18 of any gender identity, with five teams spread across a range of skill levels. The Rebels team travels throughout the year to play high-level opponents across the country.
The teams will make an appearance at the West Seattle Grand Parade this year as well. For anyone interested in signups for new skaters to learn about derby at SSR’s September clinics, contact info@southsiderevolution.com
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, June 11.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Breezy, possible morning showers, then clearing, high in the upper 60s.. Today’s sunrise was at 5:11 am – where it stays, the earliest of the year, until June 22 – while sunset will be at 9:07 pm.
ONGOING ROAD WORK
*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon:
*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work.
STADIUM ZONE
Mariners hsot the White Sox again, 6:40 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check for advisories here.
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 last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is. … Note that WSF is holding two online systemwide community meetings next week.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Low bridge: Here’s the main view:
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
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 open for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
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