day : 18/07/2024 10 results

Tonight, they presented a free concert … Saturday, the Admiral Neighborhood Association will be in the 90th-anniversary West Seattle Grand Parade! Neighborhood and community groups, nonprofits, and schools are always part of the lineup (more than 80 entries this year). Among those you’ll be able to cheer for as they roll and/or stroll down the road: Service clubs West Seattle Rotary (whose Service Foundation presents the parade) and West Seattle Lions; nonprofits and community organizations including the West Seattle Food Bank‘s Clothesline, the Center For Active Living (formerly the Senior Center), A Cleaner Alki, the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor), and the American Red Cross; and school groups including Westside School (WSB sponsor), Holy Rosary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Hope Lutheran, and cheer teams from Chief Sealth International, West Seattle, and Kennedy Catholic High Schools. Again, that’s just a sampling of what you’ll see! Other parade notes:

The no-parking signs are out – so remember, whether you’re watching the parade – or participating – or not, remember California will close from south of Admiral Way to just south of The Junction, and parking restrictions will be in effect too (signs are up for 7 am through 3 pm). The Saturday morning fun starts with the Float Dodger 5K on the parade route at 9:30 am (you still have time to register to participate); the parade rolls out onto California SW from SW Lander (north side of Hiawatha) at 11 am and heads south to Edmunds. Announcing stands are at California/Alaska with Brian and Christa Callanan and at California/Charlestown with the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle. Stand by for one more preview tomorrow, then we’ll see you out on the route Saturday! (Our previous previews are here, here, here, and here.)

P.S. Haven’t decided on a place to watch the parade? West Seattle Realty (WSB sponsor) invites you to their parade-viewing party, out front of their office in the Admiral Station building (2715 California SW) near the start of the parade route. WSR’s Kevin Broveleit says everyone’s welcome to sit with them: “Lots of treats, a great location and nice bathrooms.”

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VIDEO: Admiral Music in the Parks’ first concert, featuring Troy Aylesworth and The Potholes

July 18, 2024 6:37 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

6:37 PM: Happening right now at Belvedere Park, the first of this year’s three summer concerts presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association. They’ve given a new name – Admiral Music in the Parks – to what was for many years Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (which isn’t a viable venue currently because of the community-center overhaul). Each of this year’s concerts will be at a different park in Admiral. Tonight’s series-opening show is a double bill, Troy Aylesworth (who’s up first) and The Potholes. Get here before 8 pm if you’re not here already – bring a chair and/or blanket and/or picnic.

7:17 PM: A bit of Troy Aylesworth’s music (more video when we get back to HQ):

He is wrapping up his set now – classic Seattle-style sound (you won’t be surprised to hear he’s part of a Stone Temple Pilots tribute band). Meantime, the crowd has grown – lots of young families, some kids romping around even some bubbles if you look closely at this view:

Potholes up shortly.

7:26 PM: While The Potholes set up, ANA president Joanie Jacobs is talking about next week – at California Place Park, next to Admiral Church (which she says is providing power and restroom access for the concert – bring donations for the church food drive if you can). Next week’s music is another double bill – Michael Pearsall and Westside Pretenders.

7:36 PM: The Potholes are performing now.

Miles, Mitch, Hugo, and Jimmy, with Lucy singing.

8:22 PM: The Potholes concluded their set with the Hendrix classic “Fire,” and that’s it for the first Admiral Music in the Parks show. See you at California Place Park (we’re the series media sponsor) next Thursday (July 25), 6:30 pm!

11:50 PM: Added two more photos and two more videos.

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DEVELOPMENT: Key land-use approval for 4448 California mixed-use project

July 18, 2024 4:40 pm

| 60 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

(Rendering by Atelier Drome)

Two years after its final approval from the Southwest Design Review Board, the 7-story mixed-use project planned for 4448 California SW in The Junction just got a key city land-use approval. Publication of the decision (read it here) opens a two-week appeal period (explained in this notice). The city description of the building includes a mix of 43 apartments and an unspecified number of “hotel” units, plus commercial space, with no offstreet parking. The development team is the same one that’s built the almost-complete 3405 Harbor SW apartment building and is constructing the 9201 Delridge Way SW mixed-use building – Housing Diversity Corporation, STS Construction Services (WSB sponsor), and Atelier Drome. The building currently on the site is partly vacant; West Seattle Coworking maintains an auxiliary space there (though their main location is at 9030 35th SW). We have a message out to the project team to ask about the project’s timeline.

ADDED FRIDAY: Their reply – “We’re looking at Q4 but still finalizing the timeline.”

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In case you wondered too: U.S. Coast Guard ‘demonstration’ off Alki

July 18, 2024 2:24 pm

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| Helicopter | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(Courtesy Mark B. Bauschke Photography)

Thanks to everybody who asked, and sent images, of the U.S. Coast Guard operation off Alki this past hour. We called District 13 Public Affairs to ask; they told us it was a “rescue demonstration.”

(Video sent by Eli Barlag)

(Photo sent by Thomas Bach)
Early warning that you’ll also see USCG non-emergency activity over and off Alki on July 30th – that’s the date for this year’s Seafair Parade of Ships, and the USCG will be participating along with the US Navy and Canadian Navy.

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ELECTION 2024: West Seattle’s newest ballot dropbox is officially open. Plus, what’s new in your ballot envelope

July 18, 2024 1:30 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

As ballots for the August 6 primary start arriving, King County Elections dropboxes are now open – including the newest one in West Seattle, next to Morgan Junction Park [map], installed in May. In our photo above, our area’s King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda joined KC Elections Director Julie Wise for a brief ceremony this morning to dedicate and celebrate the box. They also talked about what’s new this election: Your ballot will arrive with a couple new features – the “I Voted!” sticker that was given out to people voting in person, and a list of the five dropboxes closest to your address. In West Seattle, besides the new dropbox, the locations are High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), The Junction (south side of SW Alaska just east of 44th SW), and South Seattle College (6000 16th SW, on the driveway in front of the administration building), and the box by the White Center Library isn’t far (1409 SW 107th). KCE says dropboxes handle an average of 50 percent to 60 percent of all ballots in elections; they are emptied at least once a day by a team of two KC employees. Other datapoints: The boxes are made in Puyallup, weigh half a ton each, and are secured by four 8-inch bolts cemented into the ground.

(We’re told a school bus hit a dropbox and the box didn’t budge, though the bus suffered notable damage.) While Wise was there, we also asked her about the status of the ranked-choice voting system approved by Seattle voters two years ago. As we reported in this update last year, the 2022 ballot measure required it to be implemented for city elections by 2027 …. and that’s when Wise says it will happen. In the meantime, an advisory committee is being formed right now and will have its first meeting next month.

P.S. For this election, get your ballot in a dropbox by 8 pm August 6 – or in USPS mail so it’ll be postmarked no later than that date.

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Date set for park-addition site cleanup, and other updates @ Morgan Community Association’s quarterly meeting

July 18, 2024 12:42 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, this morning)

The Morgan Junction Park addition site, north of the park [map], has been an agenda item for the Morgan Community Association at dozens of meetings since the city acquired the site a decade ago. But last night’s meeting brought some big news, plus updates on several other matters. Here are our toplines:

MORGAN JUNCTION PARK ADDITION SITE CLEANUP: Seattle Parks‘ Kelly Goold told MoCA that the date is finally set for the start of long-planned soil cleanup work (a dry cleaner was one of the two businesses formerly on the site, and auto work was done nearby). Thursday, August 8, is the date it’s scheduled to start, with work expected to last about seven weeks, 7:30 am-3:30 pm weekdays. Five days will involve heavy-equipment use, Goold said. The work will involve two dirt containers on the site, and multiple trucks hauling back and forth. Once the soil has been removed – the contamination is about 15 feet down – it’ll be replaced with clean fill, and hydroseeded, so that the site can potentially serve as open space before park construction next year. If you live/work nearby, look for signage and notices the week before cleanup work starts.

FUTURE ALL-WHEEL AREA: When the addition goes into construction, an all-wheel area – aka “skate dot” – is planned for the south side of the current park, and the community group MJAWA continues working on that. MJAWA’s Matt Johnston said the group’s Summer Fest outreach went well, and their next milestones involve meetings with Seattle Parks – a design review on August 15, and a technical review later in August. (Here’s our recent report on their design progress.)

POLICE: Officer German Barreto had no major Morgan-specific news but said Southwest Precinct (West Seattle and South Park) crime is similar to a year earlier, with upticks in two categories – robberies and gunfire. He also noted that some juvenile carjacking suspects were arrested earlier in the day in South Park (we’re following up with SPD’s media office in hopes of finding out more).

DEVELOPMENT: MoCA has been working to stay updated on the future StoryBuilt development site at 41st/Graham [map], planned as more than 30 “stacked townhomes” (here’s our 2022 report). Its developer was not at the meeting but has been in email contact with MoCA president Deb Barker, who said there’s no indication of construction any time soon but the developer continues monitoring the property and is asking neighbors to be watchful too.

PREPAREDNESS: Cindi Barker from the Emergency Hubs says their work with Gatewood Elementary (which we featured last year) continues, so that the school has a preparedness plan in case of catastrophe. They’ve been working with nearby neighbors who are committed to helping with communication while school staff focus on keeping the kids safe until they can be reunited with their families.

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: David Hancock told MoCA about West Seattle Wildscaping, his ecologically friendly landscaping and horticulture business. He offers landscaping and landscaping consulting along with small tree (25′ or less) work, rainwater systems, and some small pathway work. In August he’ll be putting in a bulk order for native plants. If interested, you can contact him.

WHAT’S NEXT: MoCA meets on third Wednesdays in July, October, January, and April. Watch for updates at morganjunction.org.

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First Admiral Music in the Parks concert tonight, and more for your West Seattle Thursday

July 18, 2024 11:21 am

| Comments Off on First Admiral Music in the Parks concert tonight, and more for your West Seattle Thursday

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Great Blue Heron off Lincoln Park’s Point Williams, photo by Tom Trulin)

Slightly delayed by breaking news, here’s our list of what’s happening for the rest of your Thursday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

FREE SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Five locations and varying times in West Seattle – here’s the list.

SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Still prime time for summer gardening – so if you 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. Annuals, perennials, sun, shade, natives, edibles, ground covers … wide variety!

SPRAYPARK: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open every day, 11 am-8 pm, free.

COLMAN POOL: The season continues for this outdoor heated-salt-water pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm – session times are on the Colman Pool webpage.

LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, the 7-day-a-week wading pool is open today noon-7 pm, in the central upper part of the park near the north play area.

DELRIDGE WADING POOL: Also open today, next to Delridge Community Center, noon-5:30 pm. (4501 Delridge Way SW)

HIAWATHA WADING POOL: This pool is open today too, next to Hiawatha Community Center, noon-5:30 pm. (2700 California SW)

FAUNTLEROY FERRY DOCK PROJECT’S TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP: Two days after the Community Advisory Group for the dock-replacement project met (WSB coverage here), the Technical Advisory Group is meeting online at 1 pm today. This too is open to public observation (though there’s no public comment or Q&A period) – get the link here.

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 – stop by to sip and nosh!

STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm yoga 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 Paparepas.

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.

WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy to walk in Lincoln Park – details in our calendar listing.

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Good Society (California/Lander) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run.

ADMIRAL MUSIC IN THE PARKS: First of this year’s three free outdoor concerts presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, 6:30 pm, Belvedere Park (across from Admiral Way Viewpoint), featuring The Potholes and Troy Aylesworth. You can pre-order a picnic pack from Soirée for park delivery, too.

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!)

TOASTMASTERS #832: Join the online meeting at 6:30 p.m. to work on your communication skills! RSVP: wstoastmasters832@gmail.com

BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.

TRIVIA: 7 pm at Burger Planet (9614 14th SW).

Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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UPDATE: Vacant-house fire in 8400 block 18th SW

July 18, 2024 9:04 am

| 18 COMMENTS

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

9:04 AM: Seattle Fire has sent a full response to what they’re reporting as a “fire in a vacant house” on 18th SW near Thistle.

9:07 AM: Arriving crews confirm it’s a “working fire.”

9:11 AM: Radio traffic indicates this house was on SFD’s radar even before this, as they’re describing it as a “derelict building” and saying the house is a “no-entry zone.” They have water on the fire from “a safe distance away from the building.”

9:14 AM: Now firefighters are going in.

9:17 AM: Our crew has arrived; adding photos. Fire is reported under control and SFD says no one’s hurt.

9:21 AM: Neighbors tell us this house has been vacant for quite a while, and that squatters are often seen coming and going.

9:32 AM: The house’s owner is on scene too and says he’s been trying to keep it locked up. Meantime, SFD has the fire out in the basement but is still working on other areas of the house.

9:43 AM: Firefighters are starting to wrap up the response (which is a gradual process).

ADDED MONDAY: So far, investigators are ruling the cause of the fire “undetermined.”

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen Tern cargo e-bike (update: found)

July 18, 2024 8:47 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

The report and photo are from Jacob:

Our Tern GSD-S00 Electric Cargo Bike was stolen from our garage (Wednesday) evening.

It had an orange child seat equipped when it was stolen. So it looks more like this now,

Our garage is between 30th and 31st and Othello and Myrtle. It was stolen between 6:15 pm and 10:00 pm (probably closer to 10:00 pm). Neighbors’ cameras saw a red minivan, dark-tinted rear windows, case our house twice.

Reward will bo offered for information leading to its recovery. I can be contacted at 571-296-7109.

The police report # is 24-197860.

FRIDAY UPDATE: Jacob commented below that they got the bike back.

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, ROAD WORK, WEATHER: Thursday watch

July 18, 2024 6:00 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, July 18.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

The forecast: Partly cloudy, becoming sunny, high around 80. Today’s sunrise was at 5:31 am, while sunset will be at 8:59 pm.

ROAD WORK

*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project is in progress; here are more specifics. Fairmount Avenue is closed under the bridge for the duration of the project, likely into early 2025.

*SDOT’s Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon.

*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work continues at spots along the southern stretch.

SATURDAY CLOSURES FOR PARADE AND 5K

Reminder – Saturday brings the West Seattle Grand Parade and Float Dodger 5K on California SW between Admiral and The Junction, and that means street closures (including some side streets for staging) – heed the no-parking signs, because those who don’t WILL be towed. … Watch for bus advisories here.

TRANSIT NOTES

Metro – Regular schedules; 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, and the unscheduled third boat may be back.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS (Minus the ones that were still down early today)

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

South Park Bridge:

1st Avenue South Bridge:

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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