West Seattle, Washington
08 Thursday
Seattle Public Utilities is working to get the word out about two things that aren’t supposed to go in the garbage any more: Batteries and electronics. It’s a new city rule as of the start of this year. SPU explains both categories need “special handling”; batteries in particular have become a major fire risk at transfer stations. In short:
What doesn’t go in the garbage?
-Cathode ray tubes
-Electronic products covered by the Washington Electronics Recycling Law. These include:
*TVs
*Monitors
*Computers and Laptops
*Tablets (like iPad and Amazon Fire)
*E-Readers (like Kindle and NOOK)
*Portable DVD Players-Batteries, as defined under the state’s Dangerous Waste Regulations. Examples of batteries include but are not limited to:
*Miniature button cell batteries
*Alkaline, silver oxide, zinc air, and other single-use batteries
*Lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, and other rechargeable batteries
So if you can’t put any of this in your trash or recycling, what can you do with it? The city offers “special item pickups” at an extra charge. For free dropoff – batteries can be taken to the nearby South Transfer Station; this lookup also shows dropoffs at Junction True Value and The Home Depot. For electronics, free dropoff events are coming up in West Seattle this spring (more details when they get closer). There are private services such as Ridwell, too.
2:41 PM: Police have told dispatch that a three-vehicle collision is blocking the intersection of 8th and Roxbury. At least one person is reported injured. It might not clear quickly because they’ve had to call for three tow trucks, so avoid the area for a while.
3:22 PM: Officers just reported “all lanes back open.”
5:04 PM: We checked with SFD regarding injuries. Spokesperson David Cuerpo tells us a 10-year-old girl was injured and was in stable condition when taken to a hospital by private ambulance.
Today we’re welcoming Alki Arts 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 themselves – here’s what Alki Arts would like you to know:
Alki Arts proprietor Diane Venti says her mission at her new location in Morgan Junction, at 6030 California Avenue SW, remains the same as it’s been since her first gallery opened on Alki in 2010 – to provide original art from local artists at a reasonable price. She says that if you’re looking for something to put over the mantle that makes a statement, she can help you do that without breaking the bank.
To find art for Alki Arts, Diane tours shows in the Pacific Northwest to find the highest caliber of professional art created by people who aren’t necessarily famous, but have years of experience creating work for shows and art tours. Diane says that means you’ll find art at Alki Arts from established artists with impressive resumes. Every month, Diane brings in new groups of artists to exhibit at Alki Arts. Some of the featured artists have been showing at her galleries for more than a decade; she also brings in new and upcoming artists.
Alki Arts is also an event space, and you can go there to enjoy music, too – Diane has launched an “Intimate Concert Series” (see the schedule on the website).
Alki Arts is open 12 pm-6 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays and by appointment; it’s closed Sundays and Mondays. Diane also works with private clients.
We thank Alki Arts 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!
As of moments ago, season tickets are on sale for the debut of West Seattle’s new “pre-pro” soccer club, West Seattle Junction FC. The team says it’s confirmed Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) as the stadium for its home games, and the schedule will go public in February. The roster is still being finalized; as we reported while tryouts were under way earlier this month, Erik Oman is on board as head coach. The team’s creation was announced last month by “a team of soccer enthusiasts that have supported our youth soccer community for over 25 years,” explaining that Junction FC is intended to be “a much-needed platform for our most talented athletes to showcase their skills.” (Plus another means of community connection and fun.) West Seattle Junction FC will compete in USL2‘s Northwest Division, whose other teams include the league champion Ballard FC. Along with season-ticket sales, starting today the club also is offering merch pre-sales including hats, scarves, hoodies, and stickers (jerseys later). Individual game tickets will go on sale in about three weeks.
(Pileated Woodpecker, photographed at Lincoln Park by Mark MacDonald)
Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are Friday afternoon/evening highlights:
SOUTHWEST POOL REOPENS: As noted here. (2801 SW Thistle)
SCRABBLE CLUB: Play 12:30-1:30 pm at Margie’s Café inside the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open – wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
GRAND REOPENING: As previewed here last night, Fitness Together West Seattle (upstairs at 4546 California SW; WSB sponsor) is celebrating its expansion and inviting you in for a look tonight, 5:45 pm.
TEA-ROOM POTLUCK: You’re invited to the Friday Feast at My Necessitea (3237 California SW), 6:30 pm: “Potluck for singles, loners, and introverts.” Bring a dish to share.
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: West Side Music Academy student 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 THE SKYLARK: 7 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), Queen Chimera, Scorn Dog, Ugly Bunch. $10.
FULL MOON SOUND BATH: 7:30 pm, presented by Inner Alchemy at Move2Center, $35. (3618 SW Alaska)
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! (4547 California SW)
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The West Seattle High School girls’ bowling team has reason to celebrate after winning the Metro League championship – again! This is the fifth consecutive year the team, coached by Jeremy Marzofka, has taken the league title – which is every year since the program launched in 2020. (Thanks for the tip, and to WSHS for providing the photo.)
6:03 AM: Good morning. Welcome to Friday, January 26th!
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Rain expected in the pm, high in the upper 40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:43 am, sunset at 5 pm.
TRAIL-SPUR CLOSURE ALERT
One more mention – as reported here, a trail spur beneath the low bridge will be closed for more than two months because of work to upgrade the bridge’s communication cabling. (See this comment for a related heads-up.)
TRANSIT NOTESs
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!
(WSB photos, video)
Our area’s U.S. House Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a West Seattle resident when not in D.C., held a town hall meeting Wednesday night in her home neighborhood. She and her constituents brought up a wide range of issues, from the Israel/Hamas war to college costs to health care to UAPs (aka UFOs).
Rep. Jayapal said the community meeting at The Hall at Fauntleroy was one of more than 100 town halls she’s had since taking office seven years ago. “We may not agree … but whatever it is, I want to talk about it.” We recorded the town hall in two parts – first, her half-hour introductory remarks:
For those who don’t have time to watch, here are our notes:
She said “funding for community-based projects” is part of the job – and that she has helped secure $50 million, with $17 million to come “as soon as we pass the government funding (legislation).” She mentioned food-bank funding and emergency housing as some of what that money goes toward. Other funding on which she’s worked included something showcased at a port event earlier in the day, %18 million toward truck electrification.
If you are associated with a nonprofit, she said, her office can help you look for federal grant money. And for individuals, they can help you navigate federal agencies. “Our job is to try to help you navigate what is sometimes just crazy bureaucracy,” or inaccessibility. They won’t necessarily be able to solve every problem for you but they can at least help you get an answer. This includes Social Security, Medicare, and immigration issues, she added. She hailed her staff’s tenacity in pursuing solutions for constituents. Specifically, she said, she’s hearing from constituents who have felt strong-armed into Medicare Advantage plans – or are having a tough time getting back onto traditional Medicare. She says she’s been pushing to get the federal government to crack down on Medicare Advantage-related fraud – she thinks those offerings shouldn’t even have Medicare in their name.
On other matters, she said this has been the least productive Congress ever – barely 20 bills passed by both houses and signed into law in 2023. Funding to keep the government running is usually finalized by year’s end, but isn’t yet – “this is the craziness we’re dealing with, we still have not funded the government.”
A West Seattle Junction business (and longtime WSB sponsor) is expanding and celebrating.
A little over a year after Bryan Habas took over Fitness Together West Seattle (upstairs at 4546 California SW), he’s excited about adding more room to serve clients. He explains, “We are expanding by leasing and renovating the 770sf of office space adjacent to us to add to our 1080sf. We have connected the two spaces now and it will give us a lobby/reception area, separate staff break room, and an exercise space large enough for small group classes.”
Bryan adds, “This will give us 3 total separate semi-private workout spaces and we will be able to take new clients at some of the most popular time slots again (before and after typical work hours) which we haven’t been able to offer for a few years because we were at capacity.” The small-group classes are an addition to what Fitness Together West Seattle has been offering, though his trainers have experience with them: “We will limit class size to 5 or 6 to maintain the personal touch and connection with our clients.”
Visit the studio Friday night (January 26) starting at 5:45 pm for a party and a peek at the expanded space. And check out the deal FTWS is offering if you’re thinking about personal training services: “We are offering 50% off the first month of a membership or 15% off any package of sessions up to 50.” Contact info is here.
King County’s lowest-profile – but not lowest-impact – election is happening now. You might already have seen the postcard inviting you to vote for a King Conservation District Supervisor position, which you can do online. Here’s the KCD announcement of what it’s about:
King Conservation District (KCD) is holding its annual Board of Supervisors Election. The election will use online ballot access for the 5th year. This is a mostly county-wide election that does not appear on the standard special elections ballot. The KCD Board of Supervisors oversees a roughly $8 million dollar budget paid by residents of King County through rates and charges.
KCD is a special-purpose district committed to helping people engage in stewardship and conservation of natural resources, serving over two million people in 34 cities and unincorporated King County (excluding the cities of Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific, and Skykomish that are not member jurisdictions). KCD assists private residents with forestry management, streamside and shoreline enhancement, farm conservation planning, and other environmental efforts. It works with cities and community organizations to support community gardens, urban forest canopy, and local food systems. KCD is funded primarily by a per-parcel rates and charges fee paid by residents of the district.
An all-volunteer, five-member Board of Supervisors is responsible for overseeing KCD operations, budget, and policy. Voters elect three supervisors and the Washington State Conservation Commission appoints two supervisors. Supervisors serve three-year terms.
Voting started Tuesday and continues through 8 pm February 13, with online ballot acccess at kingcd.org/elections for all King County registered voters (except residents within the city limits of the five cities mentioned above that are not member jurisdictions of the district).
The 2024 election has three candidates running for the position. Brittney Bush Bollay, Aaron Ellig, and Erik Goheen are competing for one seat. Candidate statements can be found at kingcd.org/elections.
For the fifth year, the King Conservation District election will primarily rely on electronic ballot access. Voters may return ballots electronically through the online ballot access system or reach out to KCD for assistance. Democracy Live operates the online ballot access portal and King County Elections will tabulate all ballots and report all results. To increase awareness of the election, for the fourth year, KCD has mailed out roughly 750,000 postcards to registered voter households in the district with information on how to vote in the board election.
For more information and to cast your ballot, visit kingcd.org
(WSB photo, Tuesday)
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has just released its daily list of death investigations, which identifies the Chief Sealth International High School student who died of a gunshot wound at Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center on Tuesday. His name was Mobarak S. Adam, according to the KCMEO document, which says he was 15, not 14 as SFD had said on Tuesday. The KCMEO document does not include any insight into the investigation, though; “cause of death” is listed as “pending,” and “manner of death” (this is where the KCMEO usually says homicide, suicide, accidental, or natural) is also listed as “pending.” As we noted here earlier, SPD is not yet releasing any information beyond what Chief Adrian Diaz said at the scene Tuesday. Meantime, Seattle Public Schools superintendent Dr. Brent Jones sent this message to the community:
Like many of you, I am deeply saddened by the loss of this young member of our community.
Our central office and school teams are working tirelessly to offer support to the grieving family and the affected school communities. We are collaborating with city officials to coordinate and share resources.
Multiple agencies are joining forces to react and respond to this tragedy. Although there is no known threat to our schools due to this event, the Seattle Police Department will have additional patrols around the Chief Sealth and Denny campuses.
The Seattle School Board and I remain committed to creating welcoming and safe neighborhoods for our students and staff.
But to make a real difference, larger changes are needed.
Our young people deserve the opportunity to focus on growing and thriving without violence. The availability of firearms only adds to worries.
It’s time for us, as a community, to address this issue together. We need to challenge ourselves to work collectively.
Let’s start with each of us taking a more active role in creating safety in our communities. Be a vigilant neighbor, encourage open communication, or contribute to initiatives that make our shared spaces secure for everyone.
Please remember, you can use the SPS Safe Schools Hotline 206-252-0510 to report any threats to SPS schools. This phone number is managed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We want our students to be free to take on academic challenges in the classroom, rather than facing threats on our city streets. Together, let’s build a safer and more resilient community.
As previously reported, two of West Seattle’s smaller bridges are set for earthquake-resistance work soon. Bidding has just closed for one, and opened for another:
(WSB file photo)
DELRIDGE PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS: We reported last month that bidding had opened for this seismic project. As of today, it’s closed. The city had listed the project budget as $5 million; the three “base bids” range from $2.3 million to $3 million. They’ll be vetted before the contract is awarded. Once a contractor is chosen, the construction schedule will be worked out; previously, SDOT has estimated the work could last up to a year.
(Admiral Way Bridges from Fairmount Avenue, via Google Maps Street View)
ADMIRAL WAY (FAIRMOUNT) BRIDGES: Bidding just opened today for this project (technically two bridges), summarized on the bidding website as follows:
The seismic retrofit of the Admiral Way Bridges includes the following general items of work: strengthening of steel column bents, new bracing at concrete pier bents, retrofit of bridge deck joints, bridge abutment retrofit, slope stabilization, strengthening with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), and steel painting.
The project also is summarized here (though obviously the construction timeline mentioned there didn’t happen; SDOT told us last spring they were aiming to complete it by the end of this year). As for cost, this 2023 presentation cited a 2020 estimate of $15 million. Bids are due February 21st.
The report and photo are from FL:
Sometime between 8 pm 1/24 and 7 am 1/25 my 1998 Chevy (white) 1500 pickup was stolen from sw Henderson st / 35th Ave SW. It was parked on SW Henderson St between the public library and the Shell gas station. The Shell gas station camera was pointed directly at the spot it was parked in. It was a work truck that I used daily. It had a metal tool rack on the back in place of a canopy. This is the second white truck my family has had stolen from us in the last six months from this location. About 6 months ago our other truck was stolen at roughly the same time of night within a block of this location. Rampant car theft in the area.
License plate # is C13705B. We’ll add the police-report # when we get it.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Another in-person meeting last night began the 2024 calendar for HPAC, the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge. They’re testing various locations since their longtime meeting quarters at Highland Park Improvement Club remain out of commission, so last night’s meeting was held at Southwest Library, which meant an earlier start and fixed cutoff time, since the branch clears meeting rooms 15 minutes before 8 pm closing time.
Nonetheless, the 1 1/4-hour meeting facilitated by HPAC co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick delivered plenty of information. Here’s how it unfolded:
SEATTLE POLICE: The Southwest Precinct team that’s appeared at multiple recent community meetings, Lt. Josh Ziemer and community liaison Officer German Barreto, were asked about the shooting death at Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center on Tuesday, but said they could not divulge any updates. In crime stats, so far this year, Highland Park had three assaults, 6 motor-vehicle-related thefts (car prowls, etc.), 7 motor-vehicle thefts and attempted thefts, including “one restolen from a tow lot,” 1 aggravated assault, 1 attempted burglary, 1 store robbery, 1 residential burglary. 2 larceny (one attempted mail theft and one mail theft). Year to year, 2023 compared to 2022, homicides, aggravated assaults up, motor vehicle thefts up, burglaries down.
For South Delridge, also in HPAC’s coverage area – so far this year 2 assaults, one motor vehicle theft, one hit-run, one business burglary, one robbery (phone snatch) – robberies are down year to year, thefts down, except for vehicle thefts, which are up.
Asked about the 1st/Cloverdale encampment just off the sharp turn west of Highway 509:
11:05 AM: Two days after a 14-year-old boy died of a gunshot wound in a restroom at Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center, the facility is closed again today, according to this announcement we received:
Southwest Pool will be closed (again today, Thursday, January 25). The plan is to open for Friday, January 26, for Adult Swim 12-2:30 pm and the HS Swim Meet 3:00-6:00 pm. Lesson participants will be issued a credit for the missed class.
Following the tragic incident at SW Pool, the Department is allowing staff some time to recover and a chance to heal.
As for the investigation itself, police have yet to provide any updates. Southwest Precinct representatives at last night’s HPAC meeting reiterated that they couldn’t comment while the investigation continues.
ADDED 2:50 PM: SPD has finally just posted about Tuesday’s incident on its “blotter” website, but there’s no additional information beyond what’s already been reported, except a note that anyone with information should call the SPD tipline, 206-233-5000.
(Giant Sequoia, South Seattle College Arboretum, photographed by Rosalie Miller)
Here are highlights of what’s happening in the hours ahead -in case you haven’t already seen them in our calendar:
FREE INDOOR PLAYSPACE: Open until noon, drop in at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).
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.
DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: Dine at West Wings (2329 California SW) 3-9 pm, and part of the proceeds will go to Holy Rosary School.
HISTORY HOUR: “The Asian American Experience” is the topic of today’s 4 pm lecture at Senior Center of West Seattle, with Shin Yu Pai, Seattle’s civic poet. (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 Ana’s Pupuseria.
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.
OPEN HOUSE AT MADISON MS: Incoming sixth-graders and their families are invited to tonight’s open house, 6:30 pm at Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW).
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.
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.
BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.
YOGA, BREATH WORK, GONG BATH, MORE: 7 pm at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska), $35.
Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in daily preview lists like this? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Photo courtesy Combat Arts Academy)
All ages are assisting with a food and clothihg drive happening right now at Combat Arts Academy (5050 Delridge Way SW), and you can too! They’re also planning a fundraising self-defense workshop for women on Sunday. First, the donation drive, which continues through the end of the month:
Winter’s chill has been upon us, and not everyone has a warm meal waiting. We’re collecting food and clothes for the West Seattle Food Bank through the end of the month. Let’s make a difference together!
Drop off items at Combat Arts Academy at 5050 Delridge Way SW
– M-Th 10a-9p, F 3p-9p, Su 10a-2p
– shoot us a message and we can coordinate.Items:
– Non-Perishable foods (think ready-to eat): chili, soups, shelf stable milk, etc
– Healthy Snacks for kids (backpack program for school lunch): huge; fruit leather, granola bars, microwaveable pasta meals and soup cups, oatmeal/cereal packs
– Clothesline: winter coats, hats, gloves, hand warmers, towels, tents, sleeping bags, new underwear and socks, backpacks and duffle bags, suitcases with wheels, sheets and blankets
– Baby Corner: diapers, formula, wipes
The women’s self-defense workshop is at 3 pm Sunday (January 28) at CAA, suggested donation $30, for girls and women 13+ – details and registration link are in our calendar listing.
6:00 AM: Good morning. Welcome to Thursday, January 25th!
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
More rain expected, breezy, high around 50. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:44 am, sunset at 4:59 pm.
TRAIL SPUR CLOSURE ALERT
As reported here, a trail spur beneath the low bridge will be closed for more than two months because of the project to upgrade the bridge’s communication cabling. (See this comment for a related heads-up.)
TRANSIT NOTESs
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-boat service 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!
One reader report received today, from Christopher:
I wanted to report some mail theft that occurred sometime around midday Monday 1/22. I live in a townhouse at the corner of Delridge Way SW and SW Edmunds Street; we have a joint, locking mailbox for our four units. We found that our mailbox has been pried open and our mail stolen. We have reported this to Seattle police department and the USPS Inspector General. I’m hoping to get this out to see if anyone else had their mail stolen as well, and encourage them to report it.
You can report mail theft to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service here.
That’s a photo from the Dick’s Drive-In truck visit to Highland Park Corner Store last May. It’s returning this Saturday (January 27), this time as one of three ways to help nearby Highland Park Elementary School students, via the PTA.
First – show up for a community cleanup at 10 am Saturday – meet on the west side of the school (1012 SW Trenton) by the dumpsters.
Second – At 11 am, head to the HP Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), where the Dick’s truck will be selling burgers and shakes until 2 pm as part of a fundraiser for the PTA.
Third – While you’re at HPCS, grab a Mighty Mustang soda, and/or a pint of local beer, and bid on raffle items, also at HPCS, as the PTA works to raise money for new stools and acrylic paint for the school’s Art Room. grab a Mighty Mustang Soda or a pint of local beer, and bid on raffle items – the proceeds of which will go to support the Highland Park Elementary PTA. The PTA thanks Dick’s, The Bridge, and HPCS for supporting the school, and hopes you’ll be there to help.
A centennial celebration today at The Mount, which sent this report and photos:
Exactly 100 years ago today, Providence Mount St. Vincent opened its doors in the same location that it is today on 35th Avenue SW. Today “The Mount,” as it is informally called, kicked off a year-long celebration with a special centennial Mass honoring the Sisters of Providence. The Most Reverend Paul D. Etienne, Seattle Archbishop, presided.
(Photos by Jennifer Richard)
The Sisters of Providence founded Providence Mount St. Vincent with a goal of caring for the poor and vulnerable elders in the community with dignity, compassion, respect and love. In 1924 it was known as the “St. Vincent Home for the Aged.” The Sisters and novices relocated Providence’s Provincial headquarters from Vancouver to the West Seattle site.
Today, The Mount serves more than 200 residents on site; 125 children in the child-care center; and nearly 1,000 patients annually in its sub-acute Transitional Care Unit. It is recognized internationally for its intergenerational programs that bring together older adults and children.
On April 26, 2024, Providence Mount St. Vincent will host a Centennial Community Open House Celebration—exactly 100 years since the building was dedicated and officially opened to the public on April 26, 1924.
That event will be open to the public – watch for more details to come.
(WSB photos and video)
With another “atmospheric river” on the way, the King County Wastewater Treatment Division‘s Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station is gearing up for another potentially busy run of intercepting contaminated runoff/overflow water before it gets to the Duwamish River. This is the year-old facility you may have driven or rode past many times, near the north end of the 1st Avenue South Bridge, on the northwest corner of 4th and Michigan. Today the county gave media crews a behind-the-scenes tour.
Operating the quarter-billion-dollar facility – built over more than four years – is not labor-intensive – just one person is needed at all times to run it, and if there’s a major storm event sending millions of gallons of water through it, that rises to a grand total of three. It can handle up to 70 million gallons of combined-sewer overflow per day. (So far its peak usage has been 26 million gallons a day during an early December storm.)
Unlike the county’s Murray Wet Weather Facility by Lowman Beach, and the West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility that’ll be built on our side of the 1st Avenue South Bridge, the Georgetown facility is a treatment plant – taking solids out of the water via a “high-speed settling tank” using materials like the sand in these bags to quickly pull the solids out of the water:
The solids eventually wind up in agricultural use. The filtered water gets disinfected with ultraviolet light:
After all that, the treated water gets sent into the Duwamish River, via an outfall under the nearby bridge.
King County Executive Dow Constantine gave the overview of the plant, noting it’s won awards and is intended for climate resiliency, including the fact it was built to handle up to two feet of sea-level rise:
(added) Rebecca Singer, who oversees facilities including this one, said this rainy season is the real test for the treatment station:
The facility also has interpretive features and gets visits from students.
The county has been working on combined-sewer-overflow reduction for more than a decade under orders from the federal government to reduce the overflows into local waterways. The consent decree related to this gave a deadline of 2030 to meet the goals; we asked Wastewater Treatment Division spokesperson Alison Hawkes how much progress the county has made: “We built the Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station as one of our commitments in the consent decree. We have controlled a number of outfalls already, and are working to meet requirements on others. Some of the details on this future work, such as the timeline, are in negotiations with EPA and [state] Ecology as part of our request for modification of the consent decree – that information will be released to the public once negotiations are finalized.”
(Added: WSB photo)
3:04 PM: A sizable Seattle Fire response is arriving in the 3200 block of 46th SW [vicinity map] for what was initially reported as a kitchen fire spreading beyond the kitchen. Updates to come.
3:08 PM: The fire is under control, firefighters told dispatch.
(Added: Reader photo, sent by Dale)
3:11 PM: And now they’ve declared it out (“tapped”) and are downsizing the response.
3:30 PM: Our crew has arrived at the scene and talked with incident command. They confirm the fire started in the kitchen and tell us everyone got out OK – no injuries.
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