West Seattle, Washington
08 Thursday
Congratulations to eight more headed-for-college student-athletes! The report and photo are from West Seattle High School athletic director Corey Sorenson:
We had our Spring Senior Signing Day for West Seattle High School the other day. In photo, left to right:
Marisela Giomi – Competitive Cheer: Northern Arizona University
Carmen Cruz – Women’s Basketball: University of Puget Sound
Aleister Alfstad – Men’s Soccer: Lewis & Clark College
Devon Ghali – Men’s Soccer: Lakeland University
Nate Schiavo – Men’s Basketball: Grays Harbor College
Milo Stover – Men’s Golf: Bellevue College
Sabin Tomlinson – Men’s Baseball: Long Beach City College
John Langen – Men’s Baseball: Wenatchee Valley College
(WSB photo, 2023 Loop the ‘Lupe)
If you were waiting to make weekend activity decisions – one last reminder that tomorrow (Saturday, June 8) brings Seattle’s only obstacle-course 5K, right here on the peninsula – Loop the ‘Lupe. It’s actually five events – your choice of which one to be part of – with start times staggered over two hours (11 am to 1 pm) at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle): Elite Wave of the obstacle-course 5K at 11 am, Family Wave of the obstacle-course 5K at 11:40 am, fun-run (obstacle-free) 5K at noon, Senior Saunter walk at 12:15 pm, Youth Dash at 1 pm. You can still register online – the prices and individual event signup links are here. You can also go to the field to cheer the runners/walkers and join the celebration, with live music plus food and beverages available for purchase. Loop the ‘Lupe (for which WSB is media sponsor again this year) raises money for Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s community-outreach work (as explained here).
(Photos courtesy Duwamish Rowing Club)
The Duwamish Rowing Club wants you to know it’s relaunching its program for high-school students this summer! From the announcement:
Duwamish Rowing Club is a volunteer-led organization dedicated to providing affordable rowing opportunities on Seattle’s only river. Our organization operates on a site generously donated by a neighbor to introduce rowing to the youth in our community and cultivate a space that fosters discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and enhances personal growth and self-confidence. Our adult rowers support our youth programs by donating time and subsidizing program costs.
During the pandemic, our youth rowing program was temporarily halted. In February 2024, our volunteers relaunched our youth rowing team through a partnership with Rainier Prep Middle School, a charter school a few minutes from our boat house. Throughout winter and spring, a sixteen-week rowing program introduced 16 students to rowing, first through an eight-week on-land coached program utilizing rowing machines at their middle school, followed by another eight-week on-water coached program. Financial support from the George Pocock Rowing Foundation allowed us to hire our new coaches, Lead Youth Coach McKenna Niemer and assistant youth coach Jay Olson. The Washington State Parks Boater Program donated 24 life vests to help us meet our safety requirements to welcome students to not only the Duwamish River, but also to the greater rowing community.
This June, we are shifting our focus to high school athletes, offering a new introductory summer program to get new rowers ready for our fall rowing season.
You can read more of what they’ve done so far and what’s ahead by going here. This flyer has information on two sessions for teens this summer, including dates and costs.
1:30 PM: “All opinions are welcome.” That declaration is part of the invitation on the flyer for Rethink the Link‘s “route walk” of the proposed Delridge light-rail station vicinity (and beyond) on Sunday. They’re looking ahead to a community forum requested by King County Executive and Sound Transit Board of Directors chair Dow Constantine (we checked with ST this week and there’s no date set for that yet). They’ll be gathering at the West Seattle Health Club (28th/Andover) at 10 am Sunday (June 9). The map is on the group’s website in case you can’t join the walk or prefer to explore on your own. The group in general contends there are better alternatives for moving more West Seattleites across the Duwamish River, such as improving existing transit service. The Sound Transit Board is on a track to finalize a light rail route later this year, but first the agency has to release the Final Environmental Impact Statement, expected in the next few months. This is the second major public “route walk” that Rethink the Link has offered since it formed last year.
3:04 PM: This afternoon, Sound Transit sent its email list a note reiterating what we noted above – no date yet for the West Seattle light-rail final EIS to be published. From that email:
… We expect to publish the Final EIS later this year, which will include responses to comments received on the Draft EIS. While we’re getting close, we do not have a date set for publication yet. We will share more information about specific timing for the availability of the Final EIS when we can.
After the Final EIS is published, the Sound Transit Board will select the project to be built. Their decision will consider the years of technical study and public engagement since 2018. In the past, we gathered your feedback through station planning and neighborhood forum events, scoping and Draft EIS comment periods, community briefings, and one-on-one meetings. Following the Board’s decision and the Record of Decision by the Federal Transit Administration, the project will move into the design phase.
What is the design phase? The design phase will focus on advancing detailed design of the guideway and stations and preparing for construction. This includes refining what the facilities will look like, how the stations fit within neighborhoods, and how people will move through the station. We look forward to engaging with you as the design advances. …
Unusual sight on the seawall in the Alki area this morning – a possum! Thanks to Stewart L. for the photo. Nicola also told us about it this morning, and then we heard from local wildlife helper Kersti Muul, who says she’s been to the shore to assess it but it’s moved down to the rocks, has “normal gait” and “is preening,” so it doesn’t seem to be in need of help and will be left alone. Don’t know much about possums (aka opossums)? Here’s the WDFW infopage.
(Seen at low-low tide Thursday – photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead – from the WSB inbox and Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE DISCOVERY SHOP SALE: 50 percent off everything in the store today and tomorrow, 10 am-4:30 pm, raising money for the American Cancer Society. (4535 California SW)
SSC GARDEN CENTER: Plants await you at the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus, until 3 pm.
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open 11 am-8 pm. Free! (1100 SW Cloverdale)
LOW-LOW TIDE: Out to -3.3 feet at 12:02 pm (here’s the monthly tide table). Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, 9:30 am-1:30 pm.
VISCON CELLARS: The tasting room/wine bar is open tonight for wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm – at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
AT THE SKYLARK: Eve’s Black Heart, Hypno-techs, Mutual Stoke, Pink Steam. 7 pm, $15 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Gary Benson & Ellen Reed at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW), 7 pm, no cover.
SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
‘CLYDE’S’ AT ARTSWEST: 7:30 pm performance for the new play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) – “In this 2022 Tony Award®-Nominated Best Play, creating the perfect sandwich is the shared quest of the formerly incarcerated kitchen staff of Clyde’s, a truck-stop cafe.” Find the ticket link and more info in our calendar listing.
DJ AT REVELRY ROOM: DJ Jules Esquire, 9 pm-1 am! (4547 California SW)
ROCK-N-ROLLER SKATE: “Make It Loud!” returns at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), roller skating to live bands, featuring Thrones, DEAD (all the way from Australia), Von Wildenhaus. $18 cover, $5 skate.
LATE-NIGHT SINGING: 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
REMINDER – EARLY CLOSING TIME CONTINUES AT ALKI: Through late September, the park officially closes at 10:30 pm.
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Recent ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ production, photo by Kent Cohen)
Before we get to today’s happenings, in case you haven’t already seen this one in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, it’s your next chance to support student theater. With budget cuts, Chief Sealth International High School Drama has to raise money to carry on, so a fun(draiser)’s coming up a week from tomorrow:
SUPPORT CHIEF SEALTH HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA!
Saturday, June 15, 2024 – 2:00-5:00 pm – “Behind the Curtain” theatre tour, performances, food, and art-sale fundraiser
Featuring over 90 pieces of art (paintings, drawings and collages on paper) for sale by noted California artist Barbara Embree
Full theater tour including backstage, Little Theater, and tech/costume room (where YOU can sign The Wall that students have been signing since the ’60s!), no-extra-charge raffle of art piece and gift certificate to local restaurants, live music AND a performance of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s (Hamilton) wonderful and provocative 15-minute musical “21 Chump Street” in the Little Theater at 3:30 pm
Come and support Sealth Drama and let us take you on a dramatic journey you won’t forget!
$20 Sealth Family Members (current students and family members) $35 Everyone Elsebayfestsealththeatrecompany.ludus.com
If you can’t attend but would like to donate, you can use the same website! Just click the “Donate” tab on the green menu bar at the top of the page. And Thank You!
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, June 7.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny, high in the low 70s.. Today’s sunrise was at 5:12 am; sunset will be at 9:04 pm.
(Thursday sunrise, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
WEEKEND ALERT & ONGOING ROAD WORK
*The Highway 99 tunnel is closing both ways from 10 pm tonight until 6 am Saturday.
*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon:
*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check for advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Later-night runs tonight and Saturday. 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.
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!
Good deals for a good cause – that’s what you’ll find the next two days at the Discovery Shop in the West Seattle Junction. The shop is a nonprofit operation, raising money for the American Cancer Society. For the next two days – Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8 – everything in the store will be half-price. Manager Patricia Bolton says this is a very important sale for the shop, and it happens just twice a year. The shop will be open both days 10 am to 4:30 pm, at 4535 California SW.
Amid everything else going on, with the school-closure proposal still pending, Seattle Public Schools is also updating its “strategic plan,” and the School Board has a survey going in relation to that. The original deadline was tomorrow; today the district announced it’s added another week, so you can answer the survey through Friday, June 14. It includes these five open-ended questions:
-How should we be able to describe a graduate of Seattle Public Schools?
-What should students in Seattle Public Schools know and be able to do?
-What does equity in education mean to you, and how should we measure it?
-What’s good about SPS or something working well for students that we should keep doing?
-What is something that needs improvement in SPS to better support positive student outcomes?
You’ll find links to the survey here, in six languages.
6:20 PM: Thanks for the coyote-sighting reports! We’ve received three recently –
–Kathleen emailed today to report, “We saw a small coyote in our yard on 39th between Andover and Dakota at 6:30 a.m. this morning.”
-A texter reported two coyotes at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point on Monday.
–Charrie saw that one via a security camera on their front porch at 60th/Charlestown on May 24.
This is not cause for alarm but rather awareness, which is why we have published reader coyote sightings from time to time over the past 15+ years – not everyone realizes they’re here living among us (or is it, we among them?). Authorities say the best way to ensure we and they can maintain a healthy distance apart is to not provide food sources – which can include anything from pet food to unattended small pets. Here’s more information on coexisting with coyotes.
ADDED 10:15 PM: Aaron has since sent this video recorded by his parents in Gatewood on Wednesday, a coyote running as a crow chased it:
Notes about two redevelopment sites on Alki Avenue:
2236 ALKI SITE WALK TODAY: We neglected to include this in today’s event list but mentioned it a week and a half ago – 4 to 6 pm today is the “site walk” at 2236 Alki Avenue SW [map], proposed for teardown and redevelopment, with half a dozen townhomes. Project team members will be at the site to answer questions.
MORE TIME FOR COMMENT ON 1790 ALKI: The land-use application for this four-floor, 12-apartment proposal to replace two vacant houses at 1790 and 1794 Alki Avenue SW [map] was announced last week as open for comment until June 10; today it was “re-noticed” and now it’s open for comment until June 19. Here’s the design proposal.
Thanks for the photos! Lincoln Park is one of the places to which beachgoers flocked during the low-low tide today, second of four days with the tide out to at least -3 eet. The photo above is from Tom Trulin; the photos below are from a texter who was out on a field trip with Gatewood Elementary students. While Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists were there, the school group encountered someone else:
Our class ran into the WLRD Science team from King County DNRP [Department of Natural Resources and Parks], who showed us lots of the animals they found while doing toxicology monitoring! Great bonus learning for our field trip.
The lowest point of tomorrow’s low-low tide (Friday, June 7) will be at 12:02 pm, -3.3 feet (here’s the tide table).
(Traffic enforcement on Sylvan Way, 2021 reader photo from Sam)
First of two reports from last night’s District 1 Community Network meeting: Traffic enforcement is returning to West Seattle. Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Nathan Shopay said they’ve been talking with SPD’s Traffic Unit and they were going to get some spot enforcement efforts, as schedules allow. No dates/times/locations yet, but don’t be surprised if you happen to see a motorcycle officer with a radar gun in one of the local hotspots sometime soon. Years ago, SPD had regular traffic-enforcement operations, and SPD Blotter even used to regularly publish lists of where they’d been and what the fastest speeds detected had been (example: this 2011 story mentioning 55 mph on Admiral Way). Our story on the rest of the D1CN meeting – including the group’s decision to disband – is in the works for later, likely tonight Friday.
11:25 AM: After the recent round of community meetings – including the one we covered last Saturday – the next step in Seattle Public Schools‘ plan to close some elementary schools is for superintendent Dr. Brent Jones to propose which ones. That’s supposed to happen sometime this month; the exact date for an announcement hasn’t been set yet, though a “Well-Resourced Schools Update” is on the agenda for the board meeting next Monday (June 10). In the meantime, a citywide opposition group is leading a letterwriting campaign, and rallying option schools too, as district leaders have said – as reported in our Saturday story – that those are also “on the table.” Option schools include K-8s; West Seattle has two, Pathfinder on Pigeon Point and Louisa Boren STEM in Delridge. The Pathfinder PTSA sent us this, from the citywide group All Together for Seattle Schools:
At last week’s SPS school closure and consolidation plan meetings, parents asked high-ranking district officials what the plan is for option schools and alternative programs. The responses received has given us a high degree of confidence that SPS plans to eliminate most or all option K-5 and K-8 programs in schools. While SPS has not addressed this publicly, we are proactively making it known to SPS leadership that this would be a mistake. Option schools and alternative programs (all of them! including dual language and highly capable cohort) promote positive academic outcomes for their students, help create an environment that sparks innovation in learning, and given their waitlists, could actually increase SPS enrollment. Canceling such esteemed school and program options is short-sighted, non-inclusive, and costly, and will impact all families/students.
Now is the time for all of our schools to consider aligning together in coalition to stop this action. … What parents/caregivers can do now:
-Write to the superintendent and school board. Tell them why we need to support diverse learning options in our school district. Use this sample email and include a story about your own experience showing why you think alternatives help students learn and thrive in school.
-Reach out to all the parents and community members that you know who care about this issue and ask them to do the same. Consider organizing your own school community to educate them about what is happening.
Contact All Together for Seattle Schools to get involved in this citywide effort to avoid a massive mistake around school consolidation.
As reiterated in the recent community meetings, SPS leaders say closures starting in 2025-2026 – which they believe could save up to $2 million per closed school – are unavoidable to help address a $105 million budget deficit. If you want to talk about this with our area’s school-board rep – or anything else SPS-related – West Seattle/South Park board director Gina Topp‘s next community-conversation meeting is this Saturday (June 8), 1 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
5:55 PM: Just checked the SPS website again, and since we last looked this morning, next Monday’s board meeting has been canceled, aside from a closed-doors special session dealing with a personnel issue.
(WSB photo, Alki during Wednesday’s low-low tide)
Here are highlights of what’s happening in the hours ahead!
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Need plants? The center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
MEDICARE INFO: Cut through the confusion with this educational presentation, 11 am at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
LOW-LOW TIDE: Out to -3.4 feet at 11:21 this morning (here’s the monthly tide table). Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, 9:30 am-1:30 pm.
LUNCH & LEARN ABOUT YOUR HEALTH: Neighborhood Naturopathic and Primary Care (WSB sponsor) continues its free online series of lunch-and-learn online events, this time with easy steps you can take to support recovery from “long COVID.” 12:30-1 pm, RSVP and more info in our calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com for info on where they’re playing today.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar now open Thursdays-Saturdays 1 pm-6 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus. Food too – drop by to sip and nosh!
STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm class at what’s now the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: Every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Levantine Cuisine.
FUN FAIR: Free family celebration at West Seattle Elementary (6760 34th SW) back playground, 5-7 pm, presented by the West Seattle Public School Equity Fund.
VISCON CELLARS: The West Seattle winery’s tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle.
FREE ROLLER SKATING: Summer-kickoff event, 5:30-8 pm at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW).
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Good Society (California/Lander) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: 6:30 pm, meet at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) for a 3-mile run through the neighborhood. (Walking option, too!)
BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.
PIANO BAR: Music and merriment at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon) with Larry Knapp and friends, doors open at 6:45 pm, music starts at 7.
SILENT BOOK CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: It’s your monthly night to read with others at your choice of a long list of cool local venues, 7 pm.
TRIVIA: 7 pm at Burger Planet (9614 14th SW).
COMMUNITY MEETING: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting for people in White Center and vicinity, 7 pm, online – agenda and connection info is in our calendar listing.
‘WWE: THE MUSICAL’: Student-written/directed/performed “satirical musical” at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW), doors at 7 pm, show at 7:30 pm, last performance! Admission free, charity donations encouraged.
‘CLYDE’S’ AT ARTSWEST: 7:30 pm opening performance for the new play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) – “In this 2022 Tony Award®-Nominated Best Play, creating the perfect sandwich is the shared quest of the formerly incarcerated kitchen staff of Clyde’s, a truck-stop cafe.” Find the ticket link and more info in our calendar listing.
Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in daily preview lists like this one? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The West Seattle Glass Float Hunt started in 2022 and this will be its third year. This year, it’s open to any business that buys at least one of the locally crafted floats to offer as part of the scavenger hunt. Here’s the announcement organizers asked us to share:
Who’s ready for a West Seattle scavenger hunt? Back by popular demand and now in its third year, the 2024 West Seattle Glass Float Hunt kicks off on August 1, 2024 and will be held during the first two weeks of that month.
This year’s event will be bigger than ever, as all West Seattle businesses are invited to participate and hide multiple floats. The West Seattle Junction Association and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce invite everyone to search for glass floats hidden throughout West Seattle, both inside beloved local businesses and outdoors. The West Seattle Glass Float Hunt brings joy to the community and helps promote the businesses who are the backbone of our neighborhood. Last year, the float finders reported spending thousands of dollars in West Seattle by staying to shop and dine. Local businesses reported a jump in new visitors and clients, and one even sold out of a promotional item during the Float Hunt.
Each 2024 glass float is individually hand blown by Avalon Glassworks in stunning, swirling greens to represent the water surrounding beautiful West Seattle. Each 4-inch sphere is stamped with a heart and “WS” on the sealing bottom. Float hunters should look high and low for beautiful glass balls peeking out through the mesh of a knotted net bag. Each float will be labeled so the finder can register it via the West Seattle Junction Instagram account and tag the business sponsor where the float was found. This helps congratulate the finders and celebrate our businesses!
West Seattle businesses can join the fun by ordering their floats today! The last day to purchase is July 4, 2024.
The prices for businesses are $100 for one float, $180 for two, $240 for three.
ORIGINAL THURSDAY REPORT: Thanks for the tip. Here’s why police are at 35th/Avalon: It’s a standoff, according to SPD media team spokesperson Officer Eric Muñoz, to whom on-scene police referred us. He said SPD has responded to the apartment multiple times since a disturbance call around 12:30 am. He said no one’s been hurt and there’s no indication the barricaded person is armed.
ADDED MONDAY: SPD has released this summary:
At 0421 hours, Officers were dispatched to an apartment building on the 3200 block of SW Avalon Wy for a noise disturbance. Officers arrived at the location where they attempted to contact the resident; however, Officer presence aggravated him, so Officers made the decision to clear. At approximately 0536 hours, Dispatch advised that the subject was now threatening to kill a neighbor and burn down the building due to the complaint being made. Officers returned to the location. As Officers approached the building, from the fifth-floor balcony the subject threw a fire extinguisher that almost struck an Officer. PC was established for Felony Harassment and Attempted Assault 3. The subject barricaded himself in his apartment unit and refused to come out. Officers contained the scene. (Hostage negotiator/s) arrived and established communication with the subject. After several hours of speaking with him, they believed he was no longer a threat to others, the only thing escalating his behavior was our presence. The subject mentioned to (the negotiator/s) that he had an appointment coming up with a mental health professional. The on-duty Lieutenant at the scene, (the negotiator/s), and Patrol concluded that clearing from the scene would be best to de-escalate the situation.
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, June 6.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny, high in upper 60s.. Today’s sunrise was at 5:12 am; sunset will be at 9:04 pm.
ONGOING ROAD WORK
*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon:
*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work.
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.
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!
We reported earlier this spring on the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA accepting applications for its first-ever scholarships – and now they’ve been awarded! Here’s the PTSA’s announcement following its last meeting of this school year:
The PTSA is pleased to announce that four Chief Sealth seniors were awarded the first ever PTSA Senior Scholarships. Thanks to the generosity of community donors and a contribution from the Friends of Sealth alumni club, each recipient received an award in the amount of $1,000 to be applied to their continuing education. The four seniors receiving awards are Isabel Lyshol; Joy Ohta; Cas Oliver; and Ruben Rodriguez-Mireles.
Awards were presented by PTSA Scholarship Chair Maria Doucettperry at the final PTSA meeting of the year on June 4th, which was held at the Chief Sealth library. Pictured above left to right are Maria Doucettperry, award recipient Joy Ohta, award recipient Ruben Rodriguez-Mireles, Chief Sealth principal Ray Morales with Isabel Lyshol’s award (whose mother officially accepted the award), and Chief Sealth counselor Krista Rillo on behalf of Cas Oliver.
We will be compiling all entrants’ ideas from their essays on ways in which the Chief Sealth experience can be improved and will present to the school for consideration and implementation. There were truly some powerful suggestions across the applications and we were very proud to see the creativity and thoughtfulness these students brought to their entries.
Congratulations to the winners and best wishes to all of our graduating seniors for their future endeavors!
The Chief Sealth Class of 2024 graduates June 18, 5 pm at Memorial Stadium downtown (followed at 8 pm by their West Seattle High School counterparts).
Several people asked today about a big police response this morning at Don Armeni Boat Ramp. We found out fairly early that it was related to a stolen car, but we didn’t get details from SPD until tonight. Ofc. Eric Muñoz from SPD’s media team says officers were “flagged down by a citizen reporting occupants inside a vehicle dumping trash at Don Armeni Park.” Police determined the vehicle, a white Jeep Cherokee, had been stolen from Federal Way. With people inside, that made it a felony stop, which means a guns-drawn approach. SPD tells us the two people who were in the vehicle were arrested, a 19-year-old woman and 20-year-old man, both booked into King County Jail, where they remain tonight, held for investigation of possession of a stolen vehicle. No previous jail or court records for either one.
(WSB photo, police @ Westcrest)
6:15 PM: If you’re wondering about the police search in Westcrest Park – they’re looking for an 82-year-old woman who’s been missing since about noon. We don’t know her name – there’s been no official public alert so far – and police don’t have a photo, but she may have a white Jack Russell Terrier with her; she reportedly was dropped off at the Westcrest dog-park area with two dogs around 10:40 am and was supposed to be picked up at 11:40. The other dog was found, loose, at the park, within the past hour. The only description we have is that she is white, with curly white hair, 6 feet tall, and usually uses a walker. If you have any information, call 911 – the case number for reference is 24-152647.
8:05 PM: The missing woman has just been found, safe – according to police radio, she turned up at Shree’s at Detroit/1st, saying she needed a ride home, which officers are now providing.
ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY REPORT: Thanks to Alki Community Council president Charlotte Starck for the tip. Extra city workers were at Alki Beach Park this morning for a “multi-district cleanup.” When we went over to find out what that entailed, a Parks worker told us it was over, explaining that they had focused on work such as tidying up the flower beds near the bathhouse and painting the restroom building further east:
The worker told us a new mural is planned for that building. We’ve had an inquiry out to Parks HQ asking for more details on what was done today (we’ll update whenever we hear back); the beach no doubt will be busy this weekend, with temperatures forecast to approach 80.
P.S. The Alki Community Council hopes to see you for its Summer Celebration at Alki Playfield, 5-8 pm Thursday, June 20 – our calendar listing has entertainment and other details for this free event.
ADDED THURSDAY: Here’s the response we received from Parks spokesperson Christina Hirsch:
These events are called “jamborees”, and they are cooperative projects amongst our district staff who work on larger scale projects rotating throughout the districts as the need arises. At the peak of this project, there were approximately 25 parks maintenance staff from 3 districts. This event included mowing, planting, chip spreading, and other grounds and maintenance activities. The teams were there for approximately 3 hours completing these tasks.
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