West Seattle, Washington
09 Friday
(Moss in North Admiral – photo by Rosalie Miller)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are highlights for the rest of your Friday:
FREE TODDLER GYM #1: Happening now – Fridays 10 am-11:30 am, little ones and their caregivers are invited to open gym time at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Open 1-6 pm at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).
FREE TODDLER GYM #2: 3-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center (9050 16th SW).
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open – wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
FOOD POP-UP: Lovely and Dapper Desserts sends word that they’re one of three vendors popping up tonight, 5-10 pm, at The Nook (2206 California SW).
MX MATCH AT KENYON HALL: A “Dating Game“-style edition of Kenyon Hall Cabaret drag this month, 7 pm, all ages, reservations here. (7904 35th SW)
BLACK HISTORY BINGO FOR TEENS: 7 pm at Southwest Teen Life Center‘s late-night program. (2801 SW Thistle)
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Tonight it’s the Songwriters’ Showcase at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm, all ages, no cover.
SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
LIVE AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Billy and the Dreamboats, 7 pm. Free, all ages. (4559 California SW)
‘BORN WITH TEETH’: Second weekend for the new play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm – tickets here.
NEW MOON SOUND BATH: Presented by Inner Alchemy’s Maari Falsetto at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska), 7:30 pm. $35, book here.
LOW-TIDE WALK: Just got word of this Seattle Aquarium-presented event, 8-10 pm:
Spend an evening exploring the beach at low tide! Our naturalists will be at Charles Richey Sr. Viewpoint tonight, February 9, 8-10 pm to help you learn about our amazing intertidal neighbors, like moonglow anemones, under the moon light This is a free, drop-in program open to all ages. No registration required. We recommend bringing a bright flashlight or headlamp, layering up to stay warm, and wearing shoes that have a good grip and can get wet. For more information visit our website or call (206) 693-6281.
The viewpoint is also known as Constellation Park – corner. of 63rd and Beach Drive.
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: 8 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), MAD Cutaways, Starter Baby, Leo Leo. $10.
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! Tonight’s DJ is Lady Coco. (4547 California SW)
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
We have news of statewide honors for two local students – and an opportunity for you to support them. The announcement is from Denny-Sealth Performing Arts:
Two Chief Sealth International High School students have received top honors by being selected by the Washington Music Educators Association to participate in prestigious WMEA High School All-State performing groups.
Please join us in celebrating senior Tyler Peace Jones (pictured on the right), who has been selected to play viola in the All-State Orchestra, and senior Dylan Sagahon Smith (pictured on the left), who was selected to play guitar in the All-State Jazz Band for the Jazz Choir.
Nearly 1,900 students applied for this opportunity. From those, the finest high school musicians will rehearse and perform in concert under the direction of world-renowned conductors. These WMEA All-State musicians were selected through auditions to participate in this outstanding event, which is sponsored by the Washington Music Educators Association.
Many professional musicians credit their All-State experience as crucial in their decision to choose music as a career. Thousands of others whose career paths took them in other directions have great memories of participating in this inspiring and motivating musical experience and claim that it was a life-changing experience for them.
Tyler plans to pursue a career in music as an orchestral conductor. Dylan plans on studying music along with entrepreneurial business and technology. We are so proud of their achievement and can’t wait to see how it launches them forward!
The WMEA High School All-State Honor Ensembles will meet in Yakima, February 15-17, 2024. But registration and the cost of making this trip are not covered by school funds. Help us celebrate Tyler and Dylan by contributing to the Denny Sealth Performing Arts Scholarship Fund to support their participation: PayPal “Denny Sealth Performing Arts” or Venmo @DennySealthPerforming Arts, and indicate “scholarship.”
Support Tyler and Dylan. Support the arts. Be a part of their journey!
6:03 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Friday, February 9.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Today’s forecast is for clouds, high in the mid-to-upper 40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:25 am, sunset at 5:22 pm. (For those relishing the ever-later sunsets, we’ll get to 5:30 on Wednesday; 7 am sunrise is ten days beyond that.)
(Thursday morning photo by James Bratsanos)
WEEKEND NOTE:
Southbound I-5 lane closures start not far south of the West Seattle Bridge and last all weekend, as noted here, so if you’re headed to points further south of the closure zone, you might consider an alternate route.
TRANSIT NOTES
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
12:33 AM: Police are at Shree’s Truck Stop in southeast West Seattle (7801 Detroit SW) investigating an armed robbery. The holdup happened less than half an hour ago. According to exchanges between officers and dispatch, five people held up the store; the initial description of all five was: Black, male, 17-18 years old, masks, and dark clothing, at least one with a gun. Their getaway vehicle was described as a white Nissan Sentra that left heading north. SFD was called to provide medical attention for the clerk.
12:53 AM: Officers just updated dispatch, reporting that security video shows the getaway vehicle was actually a “white Kia, no plates.”
The owners of Mission Cantina in The Admiral District (2325 California SW) say their restaurant/bar will close permanently in a little over a week. Here’s the announcement we received tonight:
After 19 amazing years, Mission Cantina must say “adios” to the West Seattle neighborhood we have long adored as family. This decision was not one arrived at easily. Due to rising operational costs, changes in the economy, and an evolving hospitality landscape, we are announcing Saturday, February 17th will be our final night.
Our beloved community has supported us, and we are proud to have supported our community in return. We have been lucky to host first dates that became engagement parties and then marriage celebrations, followed by childrens’ birthdays, then became supporters for school auctions, and we even had our logo on the backs of Little League jerseys … all for the same wonderful families.
Mission has been a gathering spot in the Admiral neighborhood for almost two decades, the venue for two weddings, many live music shows and multiple celebrations of life, and we loved every minute. We thank the West Seattle community, and all of Seattle, for being part of our journey, through good times and challenging times. We are especially grateful for our amazing team members – past and present, our dedicated Missionaries who came for dinners and tasting events, our nearby neighbor businesses, the West Seattle Chamber, and the Admiral Neighborhood Association for being there for us when we needed you most.
Please come in and support our amazing staff during this farewell week.
We will miss every one of you, West Seattle.
Peter Morse, Shawn Padilla & Tina Padilla
The postseason continues for West Seattle High School varsity basketball teams, both of which played Metro League tournament games tonight:
(WSHS #4, senior Carmen Cruz)
The girls played at home against Holy Names, winning 53-41.
(WSHS #10, freshman Seneca Lucas)
They finish fifth in the Metro tournament and move on to districts, starting at (updated) 5:30 pm Saturday vs. Bishop Blanchet, at WSHS.
(updated) Right after that game, the WSHS boys play again, after their 65-58 win over Nathan Hale tonight at Lincoln HS. They too finish fifth in the Metro tournament; their Saturday night 7 pm opponent will be Roosevelt.
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
INTERSECTION ATTACK: Emailed by a reader:
I was driving to an appointment in the Junction today. I stopped at the stop sign on Genesee at California. I made eye contact with a pedestrian. He approached my driver’s side window, made eye contact, and punched it quite hard. Then he moved in front of my car and lingered there. He turned to the sidewalk and finished crossing, but then came back to my car and punched the passenger’s side window hard enough to crack it. The man was white, about 60, tall, and dressed in a leather jacket with a lot of jewelry. He had sagging black jeans, and had partially covered his face. He had grey hair pulled back into a ponytail and wore a red checkered hat.
After the incident, I drove to safety, called 911, and snapped some photos of him. He walked north up California, past Dakota Place and onward. When I arrived at my appointment, I relayed the story to the women at the front desk. They said that he is known to them, and they have previously had reason to lock the door when he is in the area. Stay safe, everyone!
VOLVO WAGON STOLEN: Texted by a reader – the second theft report we’ve received this week involving an older Volvo:
Our family’s beloved ‘92 black Volvo wagon was stolen from the parking lot at Lincoln Park within the last couple of hours and we’re already heartbroken. It’s not worth a lot, but it has a lot that’s been put into it and it is our dogs’ favorite place to be – 4 dogs and a human have now grown up in it. We’d be so grateful if you would keep an eye out for this car that is only precious to us and please report it stolen if you see it anywhere … License plate is 256 RXR. I’m so angry and sad.
P.S. we have a yellow moose emblem on the front panel that is very distinctive.
Added: SPD report # is 24-036851.
MIATA CONVERTIBLE STOLEN: This photo and report are from Michael:
My beloved 1999 Mazda Miata was stolen from the intersection of 35th Ave SW and Willow St on Monday 2/5 at approx 5:45 am. On Tues 2/6 a very kind neighbor saw the car at approx 1:45 pm at the 7/11 on 35th Ave SW and Avalon by the bridge. He texted me pictures of the driver that match the grainy footage of it being stolen at dark.
My license plate is AHH7537 but it’s been removed. My police case number is 24-33954. Noteworthy features of the car are: a clear coat failure in the paint on the hood, a spare donut on the right rear wheel, and a small black antenna.
The antenna is shown in the photo; another photo the neighbor sent Michael shows the paint problem on the hood, and other recognizable dents/dings. Call 911 if you see it.
5:44 PM: For the next few hours, it’s all about art, all over the peninsula, during the monthly West Seattle Art Walk!
Our first stop is Alki Arts (6030 California SW; WSB sponsor), hosting a “reunion show” tonight, with proprietor Diane Venti (at right in our photo) featuring “10 of the artists that we had when we first started out 14 years ago on Alki Beach at our first gallery space!” With her above, from left, are three of those artists – Brooke Borcherding, Karen Dedrickson, and Joanne Shellan. Tonight’s reception is scheduled until 8 pm.
6:40 PM: Heading north, we stopped to say hi to photographer Jamie Kinney (above), who has often shared photos on WSB – he’s at Windermere West Seattle (4526 California SW) tonight. From there, we continued north to The Admiral District, where West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor) is hosting artist Splicy:
Visitors are collaborating with her on a community collage:
More to come; see the full list of venues – including times, addresses, featured artists, plus restaurants/bars with food/drink specials – by going here.
8:54 PM: Our final two stops were in The Junction – Alex Guyon is showing his work at Rush Hour (4517 California SW):
And last but not least – Brent Amaker and The Rodeo‘s show at Easy Street Records, celebrating their new album Philaphobia:
Next month’s West Seattle Art Walk will be on March 14.
It’s almost Lunar New Year, and our West Seattle Event Calendar has three listings for Year of the Dragon celebrations open to all:
WSHS, FRIDAY NIGHT: The photo above is from West Seattle High School students who are organizing a Lunar New Year celebration for tomorrow night (Friday, February 9), 7-8:30 pm. Festivities will include potluck-style food and a student fashion show, and the students say, “All are welcome!”
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER, SATURDAY AFTERNOON: A lion dance and flag-raising are part of what’s planned at the Vietnamese Cultural Center of West Seattle (2236 SW Orchard), 1-3 pm Saturday (February 10), and you’re invited.
SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN, FEBRUARY 24: Then in two weeks, the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north side of the South Seattle College parking lot (6000 16th SW) celebrates Lunar New Year with a Lantern Festival, 11 am-3 pm Saturday, February 24. See the schedule here.
(Screengrab from SDOT camera)
3:21 PM: SDOT has just sent an alert that the low bridge is closed to surface traffic right now because of “technical issues.”
3:45 PM: Live SDOT camera shows the gates have gone up and the low bridge is open again.
4:08 PM: Open to street/path traffic, but not to marine traffic, SDOT’s Mariam Ali tells us: “While the bridge is currently open for vehicular traffic, it remains closed to maritime traffic. Our team is actively working to restore access for maritime traffic as soon as possible.” We asked what’s wrong this time. “The ongoing challenge is related to the tail lock, which is not receiving electricity from the pump motor. Our team is diligently diagnosing and assessing the tail lock and motor to address the issue promptly.”
Today we’re welcoming Bhina Wolf Atelier LLC as a new WSB sponsor. When new sponsors join us to advertise their local businesses to you, they get the opportunity to tell you about who they are and what they do – here’s what Bhina Wolf Atelier LLC would like you to know:
In the heart of Seattle, nestled amidst the vibrant design community, lies Bhina Wolf Atelier LLC, an Interior Design Studio that breathes life into spaces, weaving dreams into reality. Founded by Bhina Agnihotri Wolf, whose roots trace back to lineage of artisans, the studio is a testament to her journey of resilience, passion, and unwavering commitment to her craft.
Growing up surrounded by the craftmanship of her grandfather, a skilled carpenter, Bhina’s childhood was imbued with a deep appreciation for the artistry of transforming raw materials into cherished pieces of furniture and décor. This early exposure ignited a fire within her, sparking a lifelong fascination with design and creativity. However, life took unexpected turns for Bhina when she embarked on a new chapter of love in a foreign land, only to tragically lose her husband. Amidst the throes of grief and despair, Bhina found solace in her art, channeling her pain into a newfound purpose – the pursuit of creating beauty and harmony in the world around her.
Bhina grew up in New Delhi, the capital city of India, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in interior design. She brings 13 years of experience working on large-scale hospitality projects in Kenya, as well as a variety of luxurious residential spaces in major cities.
Collaborating on projects with Seattle-based Architectural firm Bailly & Bailly, they specialize in residential projects, ranging from one room to entire houses, offering services from designing, styling, and decorating to consultation on furniture and procurement.
At Bhina Wolf Atelier LLC, the designers believe that your home is your haven, you make your whole set of memories right there in every nook and corner of the gorgeous house you have made. Every detail is meticulously curated, every element thoughtfully chosen, to create an environment that inspires, enchants, and delights.
But beyond the realm of interior design, BWA is a symbol of hope, resilience, and the transformative power of art. It is a reminder that amidst life’s greatest challenges, there lies an opportunity for growth, for reinvention, and the creation of something truly magnificent.
At BWA we all come from different countries and cultures. We all epitomize a fusion of artisan legacy and contemporary innovation, offering custom-made designs tailored to the client’s unique narrative.
10% of the profits from our organization go to our own foundation. We are working toward our nonprofit organization, which will soon be registered. It’s about sponsoring the education of children who are Dalits, orphans, and cannot afford education in India. Also, we try to be an active donor to Food Lifeline. Our commitment to community engagement extends beyond design, as we collaborate with these entities to foster meaningful connections and contribute positively to the social fabric of our neighborhoods.
Bhina Wolf Atelier LLC is based in West Seattle. Here’s how to contact them to discuss your project!
We thank Bhina Wolf Atelier LLC for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here; email patrick@wsbsales.com for info on joining the team!
1:24 PM: Thanks for the tips. Multiple readers have asked why the High Point Walgreens is closed right now. We went there to check on the situation; the entrance is closed, no signage. One reader says someone there earlier told them the door was inoperable because of a burglary attempt, and that the store had been waiting for a repair crew; we haven’t been able to verify that – the door did not show obvious damage, and there’s no police calls to that address listed for last night or this morning. We’ll go back to check again in a few hours; if you see the store open sooner, please let us know (text to 206-293-6302 is optimal) – thank you!
2:57 PM: A texter says the store has reopened. Also, the “temporarily closed” message is no longer on the store’s website.
(Concept shown at Admiral Church/Homestead CLT event last October)
Last fall, Admiral Church finalized a deal to turn over its half-acre site to Homestead Community Land Trust, which would in turn build housing and a space for the church and its community partners. More than three months after this open house provided more details on the plan, a city Office of Housing grant has been finalized to fund part of it: $1,430,000, as part of the city’s annual affordable-housing funding round. After the city’s announcement on Wednesday, we checked in with Homestead CLT to see where the project is at.
First a bit of backstory – Admiral Church had been working for years to figure out a sustainable future to deal with its deteriorating building, while using its half-acre campus for community good, preferably including affordable housing. The church started working with Homestead in 2022 and announced an agreement in fall 2023 that is expected to result in townhomes on the site, all for sale, some at market rate, more at “permanently affordable” prices facilitated by Homestead holding the actual land “in trust.” The latter is made possible by funding Homestead obtains from both public and private sources.
So we asked Homestead’s Kathleen Hosfeld what the newly finalized city grant means to the project: “The City funding is one of several sources we need. It represents a little over half of the public funding to make the project feasible. Unfortunately, the project did not receive an award from the State in the 2023 funding round just announced. This means we’ll need to apply again next fall.”
The city announcement included some specific projected numbers for the housing that the project would create – saying the project would “construct 18 new townhomes, where 11 will be permanently affordable 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom townhomes.” However, Hosfeld tells WSB that the numbers are not final yet: “We are still in the scenario exploration phase – working to create a cohesive campus with a church facility that meets their needs, housing that meets our mission goals, and an overall design that fits with the neighborhood. As a result, we have not finalized the number of affordable and market rate homes. The funding amount awarded by the city can be amended if we reduce the number of homes. We will know more as we continue to learn about site constraints.”
More information for the community is expected in spring, she added: “We are hoping to have some concepts to share with the community in either March or early April for feedback.” If you’ve missed previous coverage explaining how Homestead’s model works – here’s their explanation.
We begin today’s list with tonight’s biggest event – West Seattle Art Walk! Here’s the list/map for the winter participants:
5 pm “until late,” dozens of venues all over the peninsula are participating – with art, and/or artist receptions, and/or food and drink specials. Here’s the mega-preview on the Art Walk website. Other notes:
–Seven previews including WSAW director Mia Manzulli‘s recommended highlights, including the 10-artist Alki Arts (6030 California SW; WSB sponsor) “reunion show”
–Art and music at Easy Street Records, featuring Brent Amaker and The Rodeo (event at 6 pm, music at 7 pm) with “easy beginner-friendly fiber art plant hanging kits”
–Jet City Cauldron Pop-Up Shop with multiple makers, including Lora Radford (4547 California SW)
-Photographer Jamie Kinney, often featured on WSB, is showing his images at Windermere West Seattle (4526 California SW)
WSB is a community co-sponsor of the West Seattle Art Walk.
Now – the other highlights for today/tonight (with even more on our Event Calendar):
FREE INDOOR PLAYSPACE: Open until noon, drop in at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).
NAVIGATING MEDICARE: Independent broker Patrice Lewis helps you figure it all out in her presentation at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), 11 am.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Open 1-6 pm at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).
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.
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 Seoul Bowl.
FREE ECO-ARTS CLASS: 4-7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – drop in!
VISCON CELLARS: The winery’s tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle. Tonight, art too, as part of the West Seattle Art Walk.
STEM K-8 OPEN HOUSES: Two open houses at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 – 5:30-6:30 pm for prospective elementary school families, 6:45-7:30 for prospective middle-school families. (5950 Delridge Way SW)
WORDS, WRITERS, SOUTHWEST STORIES: Tonight, the monthly online speaker series presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society features Nancy Koppleman on “The Oldest Hatred: Coming to Terms with Antisemitism,” 6 pm. RSVP here to get the link.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Future Primitive Beer Bar (2536 Alki SW) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run – more in our calendar listing.
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.
BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.
YOGA: Kundalini Yoga with Maari Falsetto, 7 pm at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska), $28.
‘BORN WITH TEETH’: Second week begins for the newest play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm – tickets here.
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!
Dream Dinners West Seattle (longtime WSB sponsor) is not only offering you the chance to enjoy home-cooked meals with much less effort, they’re also offering the chance to help local students. Order three dinners from Dream Dinners West Seattle, use a special code, and Madison Middle School‘s WEB program (explained here) benefits. From the announcement:
Help support Madison’s W.E.B. (where everyone belongs) program! We are teaming up with Dream Dinners West Seattle again this year and they’re donating a portion of their sales to Madison. By helping WEB and a local small business, your money has a DOUBLE positive impact in our community, and you’ll have some quick, easy meals ready. If you’re interested, please put MADWEB in the special instructions when you order and Madison will get a portion of the sales!
P.S. If you are not interested in Dream Dinners at this time, we are asking for donations of $10 (or more) to keep WEB going strong. If you can help, here is the donation link.
Here’s the fundraiser flyer. Place your order before February 24.
6:01 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Thursday, February 8.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Today’s forecast has a chance of showers, high in the mid-40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:26 am, sunset at 5:21 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
Police are investigating gunfire just north of Westcrest Park. After a 911 call from a home near 5th SW and SW Cloverdale, officers went to the area and have told dispatch they’ve found 25 shell casings at an intersection in the area. No injuries or property damage reported so far. The original caller was reported to have said a “silver vehicle” might have been involved.
Congratulations to eight West Seattle High School athletes who will continue their studies – and their sports – at college. The school held a National Signing Day ceremony for them today; athletic director Corey Sorenson sent photos. Here are the seniors and where they’re going:
From left:
Lucy Larson – Basketball, Seattle University
Caden Fahy – Baseball, University of Pennsylvania
Tristan Buehring – Baseball, Whitman College
Bobby Trigg – Baseball, Bellevue College
Miles Chandler – Baseball, Washington State University
Matthew Henning – Baseball, University of Washington
Simon Vance – Golf, Southwestern Oregon College
Bo Gionet – Football, Central Washington University
One week until Valentine’s Day. But we learned last week, not all heart-light displays are a salute to the lovers’ holiday. In Gatewood, neighbors decked their block with hearts as a tribute to a departed neighbor. And tonight’s photo, from Pauline, is a tribute to her mom – named Joy: “Mom really was about Peace, Love, and Joy.” (If you have heart lights up, photos welcome at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
During tonight’s Seattle Public Schools Board meeting, president Liza Rankin was hoping to brief her colleagues on where education-funding issues of interest stand in the ongoing Washington State Legislature session.
If that briefing happens before the meeting ends, dozens of West Seattleites will be able to listen with newfound knowledge after “School Funding 101,” at which Rankin was a guest speaker, this past Monday night at Genesee Hill Elementary.
PTA/PTSA/PTOs from all around West Seattle partnered to present the educational event, hosted by the Genesee Hill PTA, whose Advocacy Committee coordinated it, citing a troubling drop in public interest regarding school funding. The night’s other guest speaker was Vivian van Gelder, vice president of the Seattle Council PTSA.
Rankin – an SPS parent herself – took to the microphone first, starting with a quick explanation of the school board’s role, a topic she said could take up an entire night all its own. “Very basically …the role of the school board is to govern as a body, be representatives of the entire Seattle community … provide direction to the superintendent about what the community expects of the local school district. A key accountability of the board is “to hire and evaluate the superintendent,” one thing the board has “100 percent control over.” In setting policy, they are authorized to direct the superintendent based on majority vote of the board. And germane to the night’s topic, state law requires them to approve a balanced budget.: “Approving a balanced budget.”
Current board focuses, Rankin said, include focusing on legislation, supporting newly elected board directors (West Seattle/South Park’s Gina Topp is one of two and was present at the event), coalescing as a board and getting clear on our governance structure, as well as partnering with families and PTA/PTSA/PTOs. Personally, Rankin said, she has a goal of getting clear on what superintendent and district should do for engagement, and what the board and directors are expected to do.
After that, van Gelder stepped up with the toplines on where funding comes from. Federal sources include Title 1, IDEA, and about-to-expire pandemic-related funding.
4:55 PM: As shown on that screengrab from an SDOT traffic camera, crews dealing with a downed wire have outside lanes blocked on southbound West Marginal and westbound (uphill) Highland Park Way right now. Avoid the intersection if you can.
5:35 PM: Metro says, via an alert, that it’s rerouting southbound Route 131 because of this.
11:59 PM: Since our last check, the camera shows, the crew has cleared and the lanes are all open again.
Thanks to Tom Trulin for sending the tip and photo! That’s Sunfish proprietor Michael Vassiliou, ready to welcome everyone back to his fish-and-chips-and-more restaurant at 2800 Alki Avenue SW, which just reopened after its winter break.
That’s the official poster for the winter West Seattle Art Walk events – with art by Suzanne Uschold, one of the artists you can meet tomorrow night during the February Art Walk. She’ll be at Hawthorne Massage and Self-Care in North Admiral (2237 California SW). We asked Art Walk director Mia Manzulli for some Thursday night suggestions; in South Admiral, she says, you’ll find Magdalena Cooney featured at Forever Young Aesthetics (3813 California SW). In The Junction, one of the newer businesses to join the Art Walk is Rush Hour (4517 California SW), spotlighting artist Alex Guyon “in their sweet little gallery space at the back of the store,” Mia tells us. Also in The Junction, ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) is having an artist reception for their new show, Scott Coffey‘s “Friend of Achilles.” Among the other Junction venues, as previewed here earlier this week, Easy Street Records has art and music (the latter, with West Seattle’s own Brent Amaker & The Rodeo at 7 pm). In Morgan Junction, Diane Venti is hosting a “reunion” show at Alki Arts (6030 California SW; WSB sponsor), with 10 artists from her original gallery space on Alki Beach. Nearby West Seattle Cellars (6026 California SW) is hosting artist Steffanie Lorig and tasting Portuguese wines. Those are just a few places you can stop; official Art Walk hours are 5 pm-“late,” but individual venues’ hours may vary. Be sure to check the walking map/full preview list, which also notes the venues with food/drink specials you can get by mentioning you’re there for Art Walk night.
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