West Seattle, Washington
08 Thursday
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, August 2.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Mostly sunny, high in the upper 80s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:49 am, while sunset will be at 8:41 pm.
THIS WEEKEND’S EASTBOUND SPOKANE ST. VIADUCT CLOSURE & OTHER ROAD WORK
*The Spokane Street Viaduct resurfacing project continues. This weekend’s closure plan: Full eastbound closure all weekend, 10 pm tonight to 5 am Monday. (EB bridge exit to NB 99 will remain open.)
*Highway 99 tunnel closure 10 pm tonight-6 am Saturday for maintenance.
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project is in progress. Fairmount Avenue is closed under the bridge for the duration of the project, at least into early 2025. Lane closures have begun on the top deck too. But SDOT now says it will NOT have weekend closures of the entire bridge.
*The 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.
OTHER WEEKEND INFO
*Practice Seafair airshow for Blue Angels at ~3:35 pm, taking off from nearby Boeing Field.
*Mariners are at home this weekend, starting tonight at 6:40 pm vs. Philadelphia.
TRANSIT NOTES, WITH METRO FLEX
Metro Flex – Second week for this on-demand service in Delridge (and South Park), starting a two-year pilot. Here’s how it works.
Metro buses – Regular schedules; check for advisories here. Note that the Spokane Street Viaduct work mentioned above has required some rerouting.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. The real-time map will show you where the boat is. Later runs tonight since it’s Friday!
Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route, and the unscheduled third boat may be available. Check that link before you sail.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS (West Seattle Bridge cameras are back but some others remain out)
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:
Low bridge: Here’s the main view:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
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.
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!
When we reported Wednesday on a newly revealed West Seattle homicide case, after the King County Medical Examiner‘s daily list announced the victim’s name and cause of death, Seattle Police had told us no one was in custody. This morning – as we noted here – SPD contacted us to say they actually had arrested a suspect July 11. To find out what happened to that suspect, we next inquired with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which subsequently sent us the court documents in the case.
30-year-old Kyle S. Castillo of Fauntleroy is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 53-year-old William G. Tappe. Castillo is no longer in custody, having posted bond for $2 million bail. The narrative in the charging documents says the ultimately deadly assault happened outside a Metro bus. Around 1:30 am on June 13, the documents say, several men boarded a West Seattle-bound RapidRide C Line bus downtown, including Tappe. As shown on the bus’s security video, one of the men put a bicycle onto the bus’s front rack. As the bus approached Fauntleroy and Alaska 10 minutes later, someone complained to the driver about two other men allegedly smoking something. The driver asked those two to leave the bus at 40th/Alaska. Tappe, who was sitting behind the two, also got up to leave. As he left the bus, the documents say, he apparently touched the bicycle, at which time, the narrative says, the video shows that the man later identified as Castillo …
… moved quickly toward the front of the bus and out the door, saying ‘That’s my bike right there’ and then attacking Tappe. The video shows Tappe fall to the ground, with Castillo crouching on top of Tappe, punching him in the face. Tappe curled into a ball and appeared to hold his head, while Castillo picked up Tappe’s backpack and threw it at Tappe. Castillo then kicks Tappe at least once while Tappe lies on the ground. The impact of this kick on Tappe’s head/face was loud and strong enough to be captured by the audio inside the open doors of the bus. Castillo then got back on the bus, and the bus departed.
The documents say that the security video shows Castillo then bragging to another passenger about what he did. Meantime, Tappe managed to walk a few blocks west to California/Alaska, where a bystander called 911, and Tappe eventually was taken to the hospital, where he died a few days later, documents say, from “blood loss as a result of multiple blunt force injuries to his face and head.”
The documents say detectives identified the suspect by showing the security-camera image to businesses near where the man with the bicycle got on the bus, and found a bar where someone recognized him and thought his last name was Castillo. Looking at jail records from past bookings, detectives made a match. That eventually led them to Castillo’s Fauntleroy residence, and on the day he was arrested, July 10th, a police sergeant saw him in a crosswalk at 45th and Wildwood, with a bicycle that looked like the one in the bus video. The sergeant arrested him, and then confirmed with the case detective that it was apparently the same bicycle. Police obtained a warrant to search Castillo’s home and say they found the clothing shown on the man who attacked Tappe.
Prosecutors charged Castillo with second-degree murder the next day. He posted bond and was released one day after that, on July 12th. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment two weeks later; prosecutors asked that he be on electronic home monitoring while out on bail, but the request was denied. The documents say his only record is “a prior conviction in 2019 for Reckless Driving, reduced from Driving Under the Influence, and (currently) a deferred prosecution for another DUI and Hit&Run that occurred in 2020.” The jail booking photos from those cases are part of what detectives used to identify Castillo before arresting him.
The final Admiral Music in the Parks concert is ending, but the Admiral Neighborhood Association is moving right on to the runup for its next big summer event – tonight ANA announced the band lineup for this year’s Admiral Funktion block party, a little over three weeks away:
12 pm School of Rock
1 pm Plum
2 pm Princess Pulpit
3 pm The Potholes
5 pm DAD Band
6 pm NovaChrome
7 pm Secondhand Flannel
The Potholes and NovaChrome both also performed at last month’s West Seattle Summer Fest (The Potholes also played Admiral Music in the Parks and the Morgan Junction Community Festival). Admiral Funktion will happen on California SW north of Admiral, 11 am-10 pm Saturday, August 24 – see you there!
6:51 PM: For three consecutive Thursday night, the Admiral Neighborhood Association has brought music to local parks that aren’t often used for sizable events. Tonight’s the final Admiral Music in the Parks show, featuring The ABBAgraphs playing the hits of Swedish supergroup ABBA, at Hamilton Viewpoint Park (1120 California SW).
Most of the band members are West Seattleites, they’ve told the crowd.
The city skyline’s in the background, there’s room to dance in the foreground, and all the fun will continue until at least 8 pm, so there’s still time to bring your chair or blanket and join the crowd!
8:04 PM: Show’s over – lively enough that most of the crowd (counted by ANA as 500+) were on their feet dancing to the last song, “Dancing Queen.”
11:56 PM: Video and more photos added above.
Our area’s next festival is Saturday afternoon (August 3), the Duwamish River Festival in South Park. Here’s the stage schedule:
The festival is hosted by the Duwamish River Community Coalition at Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habitat (8700 Dallas Avenue S.; map). If you’re driving, parking is a bit of a challenge, so they’re offering twice-hourly shuttles from four locations, two in South Park and two in Georgetown:
Georgetown Playfield (750 S Homer St)
Oxbow Park (Carleton Ave S between 6445 & 6421)
Boeing Parking Lot (1521 S Trenton St)
Concord Parking Lot (723 S Concord St)
This festival is educational as well as cultural, and fun – you can even experience Seattle’s only river via free kayaking, enjoy and create art, and more, noon to 5 pm Saturday.
(WSB photo, June 2018 Westwood Village ‘street fair’)
Westwood Village used to have an annual “street fair,” but – under relatively new ownership – haven’t brought back any events; the last one in our archives was in 2018. Suddenly an announcement landed in the WSB inbox today, sent by a PR agency on behalf of Westwood Village:
Westwood Village, a landmark open-air shopping destination on the south end of West Seattle, invites the community to celebrate the end of the summer season with an “End of Summer Bash” on Sunday, August 25th, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Westwood Village courtyard near Big 5 Sporting Goods and FITNESS 19. Visitors will be able to enjoy music and fun activities, including balloon twisting, face painting, giveaways and more. The Westwood Village End of Summer Bash is free and open to the public; no pre-registration is required. Activities and giveaways are first come, first served.
In the announcement, the PR agency also offers a new description of WWV as a shopping center where “Seattle sensibility and cool Pacific Coast vibes merge” and touts its history as having “served the neighborhoods of West Seattle, White Center, and Burien since 1966.”
Last estimate from Seattle Parks on the completion of Lincoln Park South Play Area construction, seven years after safety concerns closed the old play structure, was a reiteration of “July.” July is now over, so we went to the park this morning, and noted that fencing is still up and the play area appears to have a few finishing touches left (our photos were taken looking over the fence):
So we then pinged Parks. Their update: “Final inspections took place Wednesday 7/31 and the contractor is addressing items that need to be corrected through the end of this week. The fence will be removed by this weekend.” You can browse our past coverage of the project here. The marine theme for the new play area was chosen with community participation in 2018.
FRIDAY EVENING UPDATE: As noted below in comments, the fencing really is down and the play area is open; we just went over for pics and will write a separate update later.
12:14 PM: As mentioned in our daily event list, this is the biggest practice day for the Blue Angels before their Seafair shows the next few days. In West Seattle – particularly the south end – that means other aircraft noise too, as SEA takeoff patterns are temporarily changed while the Blue Angels are up. They’re scheduled to fly most of the time between now and around 3:15 pm; then for each of the next three days, one show starting around 3:45 pm. (Those times, courtesy of the Museum of Flight‘s Jet Blast Bash page, are subject to change.)
4:59 PM: Thanks to Mike Russell for the two photos added above!
11:21 AM: That video is from the security camera at Tattoo Pizzazz (6021 California SW), recorded as burglars broke in and spent less than two minutes ransacking the shop before getting away with equipment around 4:30 am today. As the video shows, one burglar had a full-face mask, but the other’s face was partly visible in this frame:
If you have any information, the SPD incident number is 24-213452, and you can contact the shop’s owners at tattoopizzazz@gmail.com. They’re also crowdfunding to cover what their insurance won’t.
1:03 PM: Diane from Alki Arts across the street got this photo of the burglars’ truck:
She explains she was in the apartment over her gallery and “called the police as soon as the loud diesel-sounding truck woke me up.” She believes she heard it a bit earlier too, casing, but nothing to report to 911 until she realized the burglary was under way: “I called 911 and the police had a wonderful response within 10 minutes and then the fire department came and boarded up the broken window after. I was so impressed with both the police response and the fire department response. … I wish I could have done something to stop it since I was literally watching them do it but I didn’t know what to do” besides photograph and report it. (As shown in the video above, from the sound of breaking glass to their exit, less than two minutes elapsed.)
Two “hunts” start our list of what’s happening for the rest of your Thursday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GLASS FLOAT HUNT: The West Seattle Junction Association and WS Chamber of Commerce are presenting this again, and today’s the first day:
Get ready for a thrilling treasure hunt across West Seattle! Today, the search begins for stunning glass floats crafted by Avalon Glassworks. For two whole weeks, from August 1st to August 15th, these beautiful floats will be hidden all over our community, and it’s up to you to find them!
Grab your map, put on your thinking cap, and prepare for adventure! Floats will be hidden on multiple, staggered days, so keep your eyes peeled and revisit your favorite spots. A total of 100 dazzling floats, in gorgeous green and blue hues inspired by our local waters and scenery, are up for grabs!
For clues and updates, follow the West Seattle Junction Association and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce on Instagram. Each float will come with a sponsor tag and QR code — scan it to log your find, and see your name and float on our Instagram feeds! Don’t be fooled—if you find a float in one spot, there might be more nearby.
SUMMER SCRAMBLE: This four-day West Seattle scavenger hunt also starts today! Solve the clues, win a treasure chest – as explained here.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: 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!
BLUE ANGELS PRACTICE: They’ll be up multiple times today, starting around 11 am – see the schedule on the Museum of Flight‘s website.
NAVIGATING MEDICARE: 11 am at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon), a local expert offers a presentation to help you understand your options.
SPRAYPARK: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open every day through Labor Day, 11 am-8 pm, free.
COLMAN POOL: You can swim today in 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 & HIAWATHA WADING POOLS: These two part-time wading pools are also open today, noon-5:30 pm. (4501 Delridge Way SW and 2700 California SW)
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 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 Birrieria Pepe El Toro.
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 for a group 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.
‘THE VOICE INSIDE‘: Free mental-health documentary screening presented by Transitional Resources, 6:30 pm at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon), with Q&A – details and RSVP link in our calendar listing.
BOOK LAUNCH: As previewed here, West Seattle writer Steve Duda‘s first book “River Songs” is out, and his launch party is at 6:30 pm at Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW; WSB sponsor) – Q&A, food, drink, fun.
ADMIRAL MUSIC IN THE PARKS: Third and last of this year’s three free outdoor concerts presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, 6:30 pm, this time at Hamilton Viewpoint Park (1120 California SW), featuring The ABBAgraphs. Bring your own chair/blanket.
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.
TRIVIA: 7 pm at Burger Planet (9614 14th SW).
COMEDY: 8 pm “Jokes at The Junction” at Great American Diner and Bar (4752 California SW) – get your ticket(s) here!
Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends will gather August 10 to remember John Kremenich, and are sharing this remembrance with the community now:
John Kremenich, current resident of Puyallup and former longtime resident of West Seattle, was called home in the early morning hours of June 11th, 2024.
John was born to Petar and Mary Kremenich in the village of Kornić on the island of Krk, Croatia (former Yugoslavia) in 1936. John would have much rather stayed in his beloved village tending to his animals, growing olives & grapes in the family orchard, and farming with his loving grandfather, but America was the premier destination and land of opportunity at the time, and so began John’s journey and legacy. He begrudgingly emigrated to the United States in 1954, to join the rest of his family, residing in the Croatian Riverside Community in West Seattle, and began working for the railroad with his father, as well as catching the eye of his future bride.
Even though he was not yet a U.S. citizen, he was drafted and proudly served in the U.S. Army, stationed in the Korean demilitarized zone, after the Korean War. After his discharge he returned to West Seattle, working for the railroad and rekindling his romance with his sweetheart, Eleanor, laying down his roots and starting his own family, raising three children.
John was a hard-working, self-made man, proud of his Croatian heritage, but extremely grateful for the opportunities given him in America, learning English on his own and constantly striving to improve himself. He exemplified the American Dream, that if you worked hard, and believed in yourself, anything was possible, a belief that he often talked about and passed onto his family and friends. He possessed an uncanny mechanical aptitude which enabled him to troubleshoot and fix most anything, always willing to “pay it forward” and lend a hand with his expertise to those that needed it, and pass on his knowledge so that others could benefit. This perseverance and talent allowed him to move on from the railroad, eventually working for United Airlines as well as a host of major hotel complexes and chains, maintaining mechanical, HVAC, and refrigeration systems, which culminated in a career as Head Building Engineer for the Safeco Corporation, responsible for the daily mechanical operations of the university district Safeco Tower as well as oversight over all the major east/west coast Safeco facilities … quite the accomplishment for a young man arriving from eastern Europe decades earlier, unable to speak English, with nothing more than the shirt on his back.
John & his wife remained longtime West Seattle residents as empty-nesters, and after retirement, moved to Puyallup to enjoy their golden years where John could spend his free time doing the things that he loved…gardening and tending to his beloved roses and meticulous landscaping, making frequent trips to the family vacation cabin retreat, traveling for pleasure and to visit his out-of-state family, and enjoying visits from his family and friends. John was a quiet, soft-spoken man, devoted to the lives of his family members and friends, as well as those close to them, and although folks may not realize it, he did whatever he could behind the scenes without any fanfare, to ensure their success.
John is survived by his loving wife of over 60 years Eleanor Kremenich, son and daughter-in-law Allan & Diane Kremenich, granddaughter Shelby Kremenich, daughter Lisa Caffee, grandson Matthew Caffee, sister Frances Petervary, and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death and welcomed home by his eldest daughter, Theresa Kremenich-Gallagher. Services will be held at All Saints Parish, 503 3rd St SW, Puyallup, on August 10th, 2024 at 11:00 am, with reception following. A private graveside service with family will occur at Forest Lawn Cemetery in West Seattle at a later date.
The bells of The Church of St. James in John’s native village of Kornić rang out in sorrow on June 17th, 2024 to honor the loss of one of their own, and to call him home. There are many words to describe the impression John had on the lives of his family and friends, but his nephew summed it up best: “He was always the best man in the room, the kindest, the most sincere and our world without him will be a bit smaller.”
(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)
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, August 1. First day of Blue Angels team practices (see the schedule on the Museum of Flight‘s website) – no freeway closures for that any more. But lots of other things to tell you about:
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny, high in the low 80s, breezy. Today’s sunrise was at 5:47 am, while sunset will be at 8:42 pm.
ROAD WORK
*The Spokane Street Viaduct resurfacing project continues. Tonight’s closure plan: Full eastbound closure, 7 pm-6 am. (EB bridge exit to NB 99 will remain open.)
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*As we’ve been reporting, 10 new speed cushions/humps are set for Alki/Harbor Avenues and 56th SW, which is where we took the photo above – note those are speed humps, without midbreaks.
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project is in progress. Fairmount Avenue is closed under the bridge for the duration of the project, likely into early 2025. But SDOT now says it will NOT have weekend closures of the entire bridge.
*The 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.
*Highway 99 tunnel closure 10 pm Friday-6 am Saturday for maintenance.
TRANSIT NOTES, WITH METRO FLEX
Metro Flex – Second week for this on-demand service in Delridge (and South Park), starting a two-year pilot. Here’s how it works.
Metro buses – Regular schedules; check for advisories here. Note that the Spokane Street Viaduct work mentioned above has required some rerouting.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. The real-time map will show you where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route, and the unscheduled third boat may be available. Check that link before you sail.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS (West Seattle Bridge cameras are back but some others remain out)
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:
Low bridge: Here’s the main view:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
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.
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!
Two nights ago, we reported on West Seattle’s oldest senior-living complex, The Kenney, being placed into receivership to try to stabilize its financial situation, with court documents showing $13+ million in debt, and vendors having gone unpaid. The court-appointed receiver is SAK West Seattle, an entity of the consulting firm that’s been managing The Kenney since last year, SAK Healthcare, which specializes in “turnaround” for troubled health-care facilities. We spoke with SAK’S CEO Suzanne Koenig, who is based in Illinois, by phone, to ask a few followup questions. She stressed repeatedly throughout our conversation that her goal is to restore the facility to “the old Kenney that it used to be … its former splendor.”
Though a sale is one possible outcome of receivership, and the court has given them the authority to sell it, Koenig said that’s not a foregone conclusion: “(Receivership) could lead to a sale, but it doesn’t have to.” First and foremost, she said, it’s “a tool” to use to “put all the debt on hold” and therefore enabling “things that need to be done” to get done. Areas of attention that Koenig mentioned would include “remodeling some rooms,” repairing elevators, and work on the HVAC system. She said The Kenney will also get “all-new programming,” including programming for memory-care residents, which she said hadn’t been provided previously. She vowed the facility would “improve at all levels.”
As we reported Monday, the court documents filed last week said 66 people are currently living at The Kenney, which is just north of Lincoln Park at 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW. Asked about that number and about The Kenney’s capacity, Koenig didn’t have numbers handy but said she would provide them. She also expressed hope that past residents who moved elsewhere would consider returning: “We want them all to come back.” That also goes for the community groups that had events at The Kenney pre-pandemic: “We want them to come back too.”
Reported by PP:
Father-in-law’s Prius got stolen yesterday here in West Seattle. Next to Westwood Village (2500 SW Trenton). Stay on the lookout for a gray-colored car with the plate listing in the pic:
Car is a 2017 Prius V. Case # 24-212549.
Call 911 and refer to that case number if you find it.
It’s the next-best thing to being an Olympic Games runner – getting a chance to run the same course! A West Seattle couple will head to Paris soon to do exactly that. Shannon Chappon tells the story of what’s ahead for her and Huy Son:
I thought it would be fun to share that my husband and I will be running the Paris Marathon course in a few weeks in a never-before experience for non-elite runners.
The Paris Olympic Marathon course will be open for a select number of runners in between the elite men and women. The men run in the morning of August 10th and the Marathon Pour Tous will be later that day at 9 pm. The women run the following morning. There is also a 10K. More details about the Marathon Pour Tous can be found here.
For the past year or so Huy and I tracked our running and attempted to win an entry through the weekly challenges provided by the Marathon Pour Tous. None of those challenges gained us an entry, but we continued to run and rack up points which eventually earned us a chance in the lottery. I gained an entry in late January and so we decided to go to Paris. Huy planned to watch me on the course but a few weeks later he also gained an entry.
Never in my life would I have imagined that we would be able to experience something like this! I have been running since I was little and just love the feeling of going wherever my feet can take me. I would go down to Alki and push against the wind when I was in my early teens. I ran track at Kennedy Catholic and then ran for fun in college at the University of Washington. Huy started running later in life when a friend invited him to run Beat the Blerch. He discovered the joy of running and a few years later qualified for Boston. I watched him run Boston 2022 and decided that I would like to try and qualify as well. A year later I qualified and ran Boston 2023. We have been chipping away at the 6 Marathon Majors, having run Boston, New York, Chicago and Berlin. We still have Tokyo and London but we are in no rush. Running has provided us with such amazing opportunities to see the world and make new friends wherever we go. Some of our adventures are on my Instagram (@chappons).
I am a West Seattle native and Huy’s first apartment in Seattle was on Alki. We moved back to West Seattle a few years ago. My dad also grew up on Alki and attended West Seattle High School. I absolutely love West Seattle and we can both be found running Lincoln Park to Beach Drive and onward to Alki.
We wish them bonne chance!
One month ago, we published Camp Long‘s request for your help choosing which movies to show on three dates in August. The first free-movie night is this Friday (August 2nd) and Camp Long’s Matt Kostle says these are the winners:
Matt says, “After voting, there was overwhelming support for the following movies: Barbie, Wakanda Forever and Elemental! Thanks to all who voted and please come join us for these movies throughout the next month!” Sunset this Friday will be at 8:41 pm; temperature should be in the 70s. Camp Long’s main entrance is at 5200 35th SW.
One more belated crime report: Police have released a summary confirming gunfire on Alki early Monday morning. They say 911 calls came in at 3:43 am “to report gunshots near 60 Ave SW/Alki Ave SW.” SPD says officers found 14 shell casings and one “live round,” all 9mm. The summary notes, “A witness stated that prior to the shooting she heard a possible disturbance in the alley and a male voice say ‘hold on’ a couple of times. The witness stated that she then heard multiple gunshots. An unknown vehicle quickly drove from the scene.” No one was reported injured, either in the area or at local hospitals.
Every weekday, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office releases a list of names and causes of death from recent investigations. On Tuesday afternoon, that list included a new ruling that a death in June is now considered a case of homicide, by “blunt-force head injury” suffered in the 4500 block of California SW [map]. That case wasn’t on our radar previously, so we immediately inquired with Seattle Police, and received this response today:
On June 13th at 2:01 a.m., patrol officers responded to a physical assault that occurred near the 4500 block of California Avenue Southwest. Officers arrived along with the Seattle Fire Department. The victim was conscious and bleeding and being treated by SFD and later transported to Harborview Medical Center. Officers were unable to question him about the incident due to his injured state. The suspect fled the area and was not located. No arrests have been made at this time. On June 16th, the victim, 53, was pronounced deceased. This is an open and active Homicide investigation.
The KCMEO identified the victim as William G. Tappe. We also went back into audio archives to see how the incident was initially dispatched on June 13; Seattle Fire sent a low-level, one-engine “aid response” described as “male assaulted, minor injuries”; the SPD dispatch was described as for a victim who was “punched and kicked” by someone who then “got on a bus and left.” No description was provided. If you have any information about this incident, the case number is 24-160382.
Love ABBA? Don’t miss the third and final concert in the Admiral Music in the Parks series, tomorrow (Thursday) night, 6:30 pm at Hamilton Viewpoint Park (1120 California SW). The band in our 2019 clip above, The ABBAgraphs, will be performing hits from the Swedish supergroup. The Admiral Neighborhood Association is presenting the free concert series again this year, this time at three different locations since the original site (Hiawatha) isn’t available due to construction. Bring your own chair/blanket and picnic dinner (or order one for park delivery!) and feel free to dance. Here’s our coverage of this year’s first two AMP concerts – July 18 and July 25. (WSB is the series media sponsor.)
P.S. The ANA has more outdoor music for you on August 24th too, when they present the third annual Admiral Funktion block party – watch for the lineup soon.
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11:58 AM: One month after Sound Credit Union closed at 4730 California SW in The Junction, there’s an early-stage permit filing for a new tenant: Gene Juarez Salons and Spas. The Seattle-founded chain – owned by an L.A.-headquartered investment firm since 2018 – has filed a site plan for the 2,700-square-foot space from which SCU cleared out at the end of June. Gene Juarez currently has 12 locations around the region. We have an inquiry out to the company to ask about the prospective West Seattle salon.
12:58 PM: Company CEO Katie Trent responded, “We do not have anything to share at this time.”
(Photo by Stewart L.)
Here’s our list of what’s happening today/tonight in West Seattle and vicinity, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
DONATE FOOD! The almost-daily summer food-donation drive continues at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill) – you can drop off nonperishable items until noon.
TODDLER READING TIME: 10:30 am Wednesdays at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
SPRAYPARK: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open every day, 11 am-8 pm, free.
COLMAN POOL: The season continues for the 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 noon-7 pm, in the central upper part of the park near the north play area. (Though it’s cloudy this morning, the city plans to open the wading pools because warm, clearer weather is expected this afternoon.)
DELRIDGE WADING POOL: Also open today, next to Delridge Community Center, noon-5:30 pm. (4501 Delridge Way SW)
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Fix it, don’t toss it! Weekly event, free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
FREE ART CLASS: Watercolor mixed-media class, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), 6-8 pm.
FREE GROUP RUNS: All runners are welcome on the weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run, for all levels – meet at the shop by 6:15 pm.
TRIVIA x 4: Four places where you play tonight: At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) offers trivia … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night begins at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
MUSIC BINGO X 2: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm … At Three 9 Lounge (39th/Oregon), you can play MINGO music bingo at 7:30 pm Wednesdays, hosted by Mingo Maniac.
YOGA IN THE PARK: Two West Seattle teachers lead Wednesday night outdoor-yoga events at Myrtle Reservoir Park (35th/Myrtle), 6:30 pm – follow the link for ticket info.
OUTDOOR YOGA AND MORE: Outdoor Kundalini Yoga, Breath Work, Meditation and Gong Bath, 7 pm at Solstice Park (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW), ticket info in our calendar listing.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: Take a turn in the spotlight! 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Planning a show, presentation, meeting, open house, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, etc., that’s open to the community? Please send us info so we can get it onto West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Before we get to our list of what’s happening today/tonight, we’re looking ahead to Thursday, when West Seattle writer Steve Duda will launch his first book “River Songs” with an event at Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW; WSB sponsor). “River Songs,” subtitled “Moments of Wild Wonder in Fly Fishing,” is described in the launch announcement as “a collection of 14 essays that represent the wonders and losses experienced in a life outdoors.”
Distinguished writer and head of Fish Tales at Patagonia, Steve Duda asks what is it about this “ridiculous activity” that connects us to this planet, makes us human, and gives us hope? Avoiding fly fishing’s clichés of romantic elegies, Moby-Dick-like conquests, and play-by-plays of “victory” over a fish, Duda instead offers pieces that breathe lived experience, reveal vulnerabilities, and a broad perspective of what it means to have “a long run with a tight crew.” Interspersed through the essays, readers will discover 14 “river songs”—short pieces of prose and poetry that introduce moments of reflection, insight, humor, and tenderness.
The event Thursday (August 1) at EWA is at 6:30 pm. Duda says, “I’ll be giving a short reading, followed by a discussion with Dylan Tomine (author of “Headwaters” and “Closer to the Ground”) and then a Q&A. Cover artist and River Songs’ illustrator Matthew Delorme will also attend and will have prints of his work available. Food from Eva’s Wild will be served. Beer by Georgetown Brewing.” If you can’t make it to the event, check your favorite local independent bookstore for “River Songs,” or get it through publisher Mountaineers Books (which also is headquartered in West Seattle).
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, July 31.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Becoming sunny, high in the mid-70s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:46 am, while sunset will be at 8:44 pm.
ROAD WORK
*The Spokane Street Viaduct resurfacing project has begun. Tonight’s closure plan: Full eastbound closure, 7 pm-6 am. (EB bridge exit to NB 99 will remain open.)
*Installation of speed cushions/humps continues along Alki Avenue; after weekend work, we noticed crews doing more installation on Tuesday.
*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project is in progress. Fairmount Avenue is closed under the bridge for the duration of the project, likely into early 2025. But SDOT now says it will NOT have weekend closures of the entire bridge.
*The 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.
*Highway 99 tunnel closure 10 pm Friday-6 am Saturday for maintenance.
TRANSIT NOTES, WITH METRO FLEX
Metro Flex – Second week for this on-demand service in Delridge (and South Park), starting a two-year pilot. Here’s how it works.
Metro buses – Regular schedules; check for advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. The real-time map will show you where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route, and the unscheduled third boat may be available. Check that link before you sail.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS (West Seattle Bridge cameras are back but some others remain out)
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:
Low bridge: Here’s the main view:
1st Avenue South Bridge:
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.
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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