West Seattle, Washington
21 Saturday
In case you missed tonight’s vivid almost-spring sunset, we have three views. Above and below are from WSB contributing photographer Dave Gershgorn:
And this one is a reader photo sent by Kay Kendall:
Thanks to all who contribute photos, from sunset scenes to breaking news – westseattleblog@gmail.com if it’s not urgent, 206-293-6302 if it is!
Springtime youth sports are revving up – here are some invitations we’ve been asked to share with you:
GIRLS’ LACROSSE: Clinics are coming up this Sunday, according to parent Mike, who says that 7th-8th-grade girls are especially welcome due to openings in the season ahead – here’s the info (note there are clinics for boys too). Signup link for girls in those groups – 14U – is here.
BASKETBALL: Two organizations have events coming up this weekend:
Be a part of Hoops4Life Sunday Basketball Small Group Training at West Seattle High School! Great value small group instruction. The first Spring Session begins Sunday, March 2 and goes through Sunday, April 6. Sessions are at 11:00 and 12:15. Register here: hoops4life206.com/small-group-training
Also, the No Limits Academy has tryouts this Saturday:
Our mission statement: At No Limits Academy, we are passionate about developing the next generation of basketball athletes. Our developmental basketball program is designed to provide a nurturing and empowering environment for young athletes to hone their skills, build character, and help with the mental aspect of the game. We are a year-round basketball program that has travel teams, camps, personal training, and group training.
You can find out more at nolimitsacademyseattle.com.
(WSB photos by Jason Grotelueschen)
Chief Sealth International High School‘s athletics program had a lot to celebrate at last night’s Winter Sports Banquet!
First, a signing ceremony celebrating CSIHS’s flag-football star Eleana Lee, who’s already been honored with the new Maxwell Award as the best player in the state, and was Metro League MVP. The sport isn’t offered at every school, noted coach Kyler Gaither, but she’s signed with the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes. Her proud family was there to celebrate, too:
Sealth athletic director Ernest Policarpio gave a recap of the school’s winter success, including the achievements by a girls’ wrestling program that, as he described it, has become a “dynasty” with 6 Metro championships he recounted other championships and state contenders too:
The Seahawk Awards were presented to one outstanding student-athlete in each sport, recognized as outstanding scholars as well as for their leadership on the field or court.
Those winners are (including the seven in our photo): Ryan Nguyen for boys’ swim/dive, Owen Wright for boys’ wrestling, Keimani Proctor-Mills for girls’ basketball, Chase Valdez for boys’ basketball, Evie Nelson for girls’ bowling, Petra Sheppard for girls’ wrestling, Eleana Lee for flag football, Ryan Tran for cheer.
Also presented: the new “Above and Beyond” Awards:
These went to Micah Policarpio for boys’ wrestling, where he took second in state; Xavier Nguyen, also a wrestler, who took third in state; Lucy Self, girls’ wrestling, who took third in state; Gianna Moore, gymnastics, who competed at state; Dominic Milanese, boys’ swimming; and Karen Chiem, flag football.
Next up for local high-school athletes – the spring sports season, starting in March!
3:10 PM: Thanks for the tips! Orcas are back in Elliott Bay. Kersti Muul says they’ve been seen “deep in the bay” from Seacrest, while another tip says they’ve been in view from Jack Block Park. Let us know if you see them! P.S. Kersti says a humpback whale that’s been in the area today is in the bay too.
4:58 PM: Thanks to David Hutchinson for sending that photo as the orcas departed the bay.
(Added: Screenshot from low-bridge camera, with trucks waiting at 1:23 pm)
Thanks for the tip! Right after a texter told us the low bridge (aka Spokane Street Swing Bridge) appeared to be having trouble, SDOT issued a traffic alert confirming it. So far, they’re citing “technical issues.”
2:18 PM: Live camera shows the bridge is open again.
ADDED: SDOT’s explanation:
We were doing test openings to help us understand and resolve ongoing technical issues related to the damage which occurred when a vehicle drove through the warning gates and hit a moving barricade in September 2024.
(Fry in Fauntleroy Creek – photo by Dave Gershgorn)
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
Three Fauntleroy Creek events this week signal that winter is on the wane:
– “Home hatch” coho started emerging to feed in the creek.
– Skunk-cabbage blossoms started dotting the streambank.
– Teachers started signing up for salmon releases.
(Skunk cabbage along Fauntleroy Creek – photo by Dave Gershgorn)
Two weeks ago, volunteers began monitoring the lower creek for evidence that eggs left in November by a record number of spawners (347) had survived. Yesterday (2/26) they sighted 15 active fry darting around in the water.
Last fall, spawners hid their eggs under a blanket of loose gravel for protection. After a few weeks, the eggs hatched into alevin equipped with a yolk sac to sustain them until they were mature enough to emerge from the gravel and forage for themselves. In a year’s time, they will have grown into 4”-5” smolts, ready to leave the creek for two years in saltwater.
This same transformation is playing out across West Seattle as students in the Salmon in the Schools program rear their own coho. Come May, Fauntleroy Watershed Council volunteers will host 18 field trips to Fauntleroy Park, where students will release their fry and explore habitat.
Three reader reports:
STOLEN RED CR-V: Sent by Kerry:
My car was stolen last night between midnight and 7 am from the alley off California SW and SW Findlay to the west. Red Honda CR-V with back quarter panel on passenger side dented and held up with a zip tie. License plate AOZ7418
(Update) Police report # 25-53976. Meantime, call 911 if you find it. UPDATE: Found where commenter (see below) spotted it,
PACKAGE TAKEN: Sent by Peter – the image is a screengrab from video of his package being taken:
Want to give a heads-up on a package thief north of Holy Rosary, by 42nd and Dakota. 5:03 pm Wednesday.
The temporary report number on this case is T00024941.
DUMPED, POSSIBLY STOLEN: John discovered this while out for a walk in Sunrise Heights:
… I came across an item which I think is likely stolen and dumped on a parking strip. It’s a black clothes carrier that was folded over; when I unfolded it and looked inside there were two tiers of clothes inside.
Possibly yours? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com and we’ll connect you.
(Beaver photographed on Alki/Harbor shore by Steven Rice earlier this week)
From our WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s the highlight list for today/tonight (are we missing anything? please let us know!):
BLACK HISTORY MONTH ART EXHIBIT: 11 am-6 pm, visitors welcome at the Washington State Black Legacy Institute (2656 42nd SW) in The Admiral District.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: It’s almost spring! The center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to find out where they’re playing today.
SOUND TRANSIT BOARD: 1:30 pm meeting is scheduled to include a vote on another West Seattle “early acquisition” of property for the project. The agenda explains how to comment/attend, in-person or remotely.
EDUCATOR EVENT AT LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: 4-5:30 pm, educators are invited to the home of West Seattle’s history, as previewed here. (61st/Stevens)
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of three regular Thursday night events tonight here – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Thai-U-Up.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Also an every-Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: Also tonight, run 3 miles, or walk a shorter path, in the neighborhood near HPCS with the Run Club, leaving from the store at 6:30 pm – info here.
VISCON CELLARS: The West Seattle winery’s friendly, cozy tasting room/wine bar is open Thursdays, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor). Stop in for wine by the glass or bottle!
WESTIES RUN CLUB: This group’s 6 pm weekly Thursday run departs from Future Primitive Beer Bar on Alki (2536 Alki SW).
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: One more way to get moving! Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.
LIVE MUSIC IN THE JUNCTION: 6-9 pm, Patrick Rifflin performs Thursdays at Pegasus Pizza in The Junction (4520 California SW).
MORBIDLY CURIOUS BOOK CLUB: 7 pm at Two Fingers Social (9011 Delridge Way SW), “Tremors in the Blood” is the book they’ll discuss this time.
TRIVIA: 7 pm at Burger Planet, hosted by Good Old-Fashioned Local Trivia (9614 14th SW).
PARENT EDUCATION EVENT: 7 pm at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Brockey Center (south end of campus, 6000 16th SW), parents are invited to learn about the concept of “Power With, Not Power Over” as their children grow and try to find their way. Details and ticket info are in our calendar listing; benefit for West Seattle Cooperative Preschools.
‘COVENANT’ AT ARTSWEST: “Covenant” starts its final weekend, 7:30 pm. Ticket link is in our calendar listing. (4711 California SW)
DJ NIGHT: The weekend starts early at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Kingblind & Teenage Rampage, starting at 8 pm.
Are you 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 March 9 in memory of Joyce Koeppen. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community now:
Longtime educator Joyce Koeppen passed away February 10, 2025 in Tacoma. A devoted wife, mother, daughter, and sister, Joyce is survived by her two children, Betty Kim Lierman and Todd Koeppen; three grandchildren, Brennan, Madelaine, and Josiah; and her sister, Cathy Hibberd.
Born in Idaho, Joyce grew up farming in the fields, milking cows, and riding horses. She loved to sing and sang pretty much continuously in the fields, bringing in the cows, doing dishes, or whatever. While she was raising her children, music was such a big part of their day that they thought everybody wrote songs. But once she returned to work, she found that the responsibilities of a working mom were such that she gradually stopped singing altogether.
After graduating from the College of Idaho (and a one-year stint as the lone female law student in her class at Willamette University), Joyce became a teacher. It was supposed to be for just a few years until she gained a financial footing, but she soon found out she LOVED teaching. Joyce was a natural teacher who ultimately spent nearly 30 years teaching English, History, Spanish, and Drama in the Glide and Roseburg school districts (both in Oregon). As her career reached its end, she was asked by the Oregon public-school system to help write the curriculum that would lead Oregon schools into the next century. After retiring from teaching, she taught computer literacy to seniors and Bible studies in a few churches.
A lifelong lover of community theater (acting and directing), Joyce received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Anne Frank’s mom in “The Diary of Anne Frank.” She founded the drama program at Glide High School and helped many students fall in love with the stage.
Joyce was also a survivor! She survived three bouts of Rheumatic Fever, several bouts of cancers, as well as a number of other serious health issues. She enjoyed referring to herself as an over-achiever as she somehow survived breast cancer four times, despite being “only born with two boobs.”
Joyce loved sharing all sorts of knowledge with her children and grandchildren, like how to raise many types of animals; flower and vegetable gardening; and her love of crafts: sewing, knitting, embroidery, quilting, and canning. Mostly, though, she enjoyed singing and spending time with her family, movie nights, and game nights. She spent her time in Washington gardening, traveling, caring for dogs, attending theater events, and most importantly, playing with her grandkids. She will be sorely missed.
Joyce’s memorial service will be Sunday, March 9, 1 pm, at Journey Church Tacoma (1801 N. Pearl St) in Tacoma.
(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)
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, February 27, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Mostly sunny with a slight chance of am rain, high in the upper 50s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 6:52 am and 5:51 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Water Taxi – Also on a regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
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 (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
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