West Seattle, Washington
18 Friday
(Schematic for planned ‘skate dot’ at Morgan Junction Park site)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
11 years after the city bought the Morgan Junction Park expansion site – currently a fenced-off hole – the project’s budget has shrunk.
You might call it the case of the missing million (dollars), according to project advocates. And that’s where we’ll start our report on tonight’s quarterly meeting of the Morgan Community Association, facilitated at a new-to-MoCA venue – West Seattle Church of the Nazarene – by president Deb Barker.
MORGAN JUNCTION PARK EXPANSION MISSING MILLION?: MoCA learned about the downsized budget during Q&A with Seattle Parks‘ newest planner on the project. Jonathan Garner was a guest via Zoom, in the wake of recent news that the park’s opening date was delayed yet further. They need to “get back to filling the pit” – where contaminated soil was removed on the expansion site, formerly a dry cleaner and mini-mart – with a few conversations to have soon with SDOT for “a clearer understanding of the path forward and the timeline to resolve all the issues,” hopefully by September 1. The “SDOT issues” have to do with that department turning over to Parks what is Eddy Street right-of-way between the current park site and addition.
Meantime, Garner said, they’re changing the design to work with the “budget that we have.” This is a big deal for what’s been in the project spotlight for a couple years, getting a skateable area into the plan, a process led by the Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association, formed after local skaters of all ages created a guerrilla skating area on the long-vacant site. Garner said Parks is working with MJAWA – who had several reps at the meeting – to “find a path forward for the skate spot.” Why is it in question? he was asked, given all the work – including volunteering and donations – that had gone into getting it into the plan. Funding is the problem, Garner said. On one hand, he said, “We’re committed to taking the design work Grindline has done and bringing it into the park itself” – but he also said “we cannot confidently say that we can construct the skate spot … we are working on ways to find the funding,” which he said will require grants and fundraising. He said Parks “is committed to building the skate dot” … someday.
If the skate dot isn’t the top priority for new park features, what is? “Our priorities right now are to fill the hole and have greenspace open and available for the public to use.” Phase 2 is pathways and benches to make the space accessible, and “future phases will come on as funding is available.” That’s a big change from past plans, in which “filling the hole” and putting grass over it was nothing more than a bridge from cleanup to park. Along with the skate dot, the expanded park was supposed to have a play area, but Parks doesn’t have money for that either, said Garner.
Though Garner said he didn’t have information on the project’s original budget, MJAWA cited city reps having told them $2.2 million, back when funding was “restored” after a pandemic pause. Now, Garner said, the budget is $1.2 million. Asked what happened to the other million, Garner said he doesn’t know. Another attendee said, is there anything that can be done to encourage the city to provide more? Garner noted the city’s having budget trouble as it is, and they’re being very “cautious” because of the federal situation as well. “We know what we can put back and have (a space) for the community to use by the end of the year.” MJAWA noted the construction budget for the skate dot was $180.000. Garner suggested that wouldn’t be the full price, saying there are other costs to “fit it into the park,” bringing stormwater systems up to code, and more.
Garner also said they’re planning on a community meeting to show what they’re planning to do with the funding they have. An attendee said Seattle Parks shouldn’t bring their favored solution but should instead get early feedback and design from that. The new contract, Garner said, would involve site monitoring, design services “to redesign within the budget that we have,” and then construction management. MoCA hopes to bring him back for an update in July.
MORGAN JUNCTION EV CHARGING LOT UPDATE: Also from the long-delayed-project file, Lizzie Kay from Seattle City Light was a guest (via Zoom) for this update and Q&A. She went into some background on the project on an ex-substation lot between Morgan and Fauntleroy, which will have eight fast-charging stations, four Tesla-owned and -maintained (on the west side), four City Light-owned and maintained (on the east side), all open to the public.
In case you wondered about the sirens – Seattle Fire sent a midsize callout to a reported garage fire at Delridge/20th, near the South Delridge 7-11, but firefighters just told dispatch it turned out to be a “rubbish fire” so they’re dismissing all but one crew.
Robyn reports this happened last night:
At about 8:40 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, I was standing with my dog at the beach railing on the sidewalk south of Alki Beach and Beach Drive (south of the Alki Point Lighthouse, in the Healthy Street area, where I live). I was pulling out my phone to take a quick picture of the mountains and a tiny bit of light left from sunset when I noticed two white cars, sedans, slowly driving south on Beach Drive.
They stopped behind me and as I partly turned I felt something hit my back multiple times. The reporting SPD officer, German R. Barreto, thinks it was probably an airsoft gun. I knew I’d been shot at least 6 times but I wasn’t hurt, and neither was my dog.
I turned and saw the cars continue south and then turn back to head north. I quickly took my dog and dashed across the street to a neighbor’s home.
We are fine and safe, and not hurt. But SPD asked me to report this to the blog in case someone else recognizes the cars or has had a similar incident. Apparently there are incidents of people shooting each other like this as a game. Like what the heck, people?
Please use incident report 25-101461 to report to SPD if you have any information. It was all over in a few minutes, really about 30 seconds, and that’s all the information I have. Thank you, everyone, and stay safe out there!
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli unless otherwise credited)
5:38 PM: Thanks for the tips. Emergency responders are at the scene of an SFD “rescue extrication” callout for a flipped vehicle. Avoid the area – 46th/Admiral Way. Updates to come.
5:47 PM: Actually it’s a car on its side, as our photos show. SFD says two people have been rescued from the car and that firefighter/medics say both are in stable condition.
6:01 PM: Photos show at least three vehicles involved – the one that went sideways, a UPS truck, and from another angle sent by a nearby resident, an SUV with front-end damage.
(Photo sent by nearby resident)
6:16 PM:Westbound Admiral is reopening, police are telling dispatch. Eastbound remains closed pending tow truck(s). Meantime, Christopher Boffoli has been at the scene for WSB; he spoke with the UPS truck driver, who reports being tangentially involved – the two other vehicles collided and then slid into the truck, which had minimal damage. Christopher has also confirmed that only one of the two people rescued from the sideways car was taken to the hospital, and that was via private ambulance, so her injuries were not considered life-threatening.
6:31 PM: Now eastbound Admiral is reopening too.
ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: One driver, a 73-year-old woman, was arrested and booked into jail for investigation of DUI. Police say the woman taken to the hospital is 96 and was a passenger in the arrested driver’s car. According to the police narrative we obtained this morning, they both were in the vehicle that went sideways and were the two people extricated. Police say multiple witnesses told them that the “vehicle begin traveling through the intersection, bypass the lane of congested westbound traffic and collide into (the other vehicle) which was traveling in eastbound lane.” They took the driver into custody after observing signs they interpreted as impairment; they say she reported having a “large” alcoholic beverage with dinner at an Admiral restaurant. In addition to the arrest for investigation of DUI, the report says she was cited at the scene for failure to yield at an intersection.
(WSB photo)
After reader tips, we headed to Don Armeni Boat Ramp at noontime and found work crews finally doing major work on the float replacements. We checked with Seattle Parks, whose spokesperson Karen O’Connor confirmed to WSB, “Bellingham Marine has mobilized at the site and is beginning repairs to the float system. We anticipate the work to be completed by the first week in May. SPR requested the fabricator open one side first, so at least we can restore partial service in April.”
(Seattle Parks photo)
Don Armeni has been without extended dock floats for almost half a year, since the then-newly-installed floats had to be removed because of “abnormal wear.” Parks has since elaborated on the problem as “the hinges between the floats (were) failing and the concrete on the floats (was) spalling and cracking.”
Thanks to West Seattle photographer Steven Rice for these images of sightings today:
Above, he says, that’s “Vietnam’s CB-8022 (formerly USCGC Mellon) as viewed from the north end of West Seattle around 11:30 this morning.” (A smaller US Coast Guard vessel is in the photo too.) Mellon was decommissioned by the USCG five years ago; at the time, it was to be transferred to Bahrain. It is reported to have been acquired by Vietnam in 2023.
Steven also sent this montage of “four shots taken around 12:30 from the north end of West Seattle today. This is the third time I’ve heard and/or seen it since April 4th. Apparently it’s an F-15SA used for various types of training exercises.”
We’re still researching, but F-15SA is reported to be a Boeing-built fighter jet that flies for Saudi Arabia.
Two incidents at West Seattle’s biggest parks:
ALKI ARREST: Police arrested a 30-year-old man early today and explained the incident via SPD Blotter:
At about 6:12 a.m., dispatchers received a report of a man with a weapon harassing females near Alki Avenue Southwest and 63rd Avenue Southwest. Officers responded and found a man matching the caller’s description walking south on Alki Avenue Southwest. Police detained him, identified him as the suspect, and took him into custody. Officers recovered the knife at the scene.
A 48-year-old woman told police the suspect had approached her earlier near the Alki Bathhouse while she walked her dog. She said he shouted something unintelligible and growled at her before walking away when she told him to back off. Police said the man later approached a 16-year-old and two 17-year-old girls, yelling at them, brandishing a fixed-blade knife, and making disturbing comments about sexual assault and the devil. The girls stepped back to distance themselves, and a witness intervened before the suspect walked away. No one was injured during the incident. Officers booked the man into King County Jail for investigation of malicious harassment.
Reminder, the Alki Community Council will focus on beach safety at its meeting tomorrow night, 6:30 pm at Alki Bathhouse, as previewed here.
LINCOLN PARK ARREST: A reader asked about a police response in the Lincoln Park north lot around dusk last night. We requested the report narrative today. The report says two officers noticed a “suspicious vehicle” – a Hyundai – in the park lot. Two people appeared to be asleep inside; ignition damage was visible, along with a beer can and narcotics pipe. The two, a man and woman, were awakened; the driver turned out to have a suspended license out of Burien, and showed signs of impairment, according to the report. Police had trouble determining the car’s status; it wasn’t reported stolen, and the driver claimed he had bought it about a week ago. It was registered to someone in Puyallup wh told them by phone that he had sold it months ago, but the driver found in it at Lincoln Park wasn’t that person. Police eventually booked the driver for investigation of DUI. The woman was not suspected of any crime – she told police the man had picked her up off the street and invited her “to party” – and was released. He, meantime, is still in jail.
(File photo of current terminal/dock)
Construction of the Fauntleroy ferry terminal replacement is still a few years away – except for signalizing the entrance/exit intersection sooner – but planning is at full speed, and city reviews are part of the project. Checking agendas, we discovered that project reps will brief the city-convened Seattle Design Commission tomorrow morning (Thursday, April 17). The commission has a hybrid meeting – in person at City Hall’s Boards and Commission Room, online access too (the viewing link is on the agenda page). The meeting starts at 8:30 am and the Fauntleroy briefing is set to start at 9:30 am, with listed presenters including WSF’s John Vezina and Charles Torres with consultant Laura LaBissoniere. The commission meeting is not expected to include a vote or public hearing but it’s of interest if you want to see how WSF is describing the project at this stage, particularly aesthetically (which is an obvious focus for the Design Commission).
11:38 AM: As the saying goes, there’s a first time for everything, and this is the first time we’ve received an announcement like this for publication. Sent by Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite:
The SPD Training Unit will be hosting a DUI Green Lab on Friday, May 9th.
We are looking for volunteers (Age 21 and over) to consume marijuana and allow Officers to practice Standard Field Sobriety Tests on them.
This is a great opportunity for Officers to learn from consumers in a controlled environment; and for the volunteers to learn about their own tolerances, and learn about the testing process for DUIs.
Volunteers will consume marijuana in whatever form they prefer (edibles, vape, smoking, etc.) and will be paired up with an Officer in the class.
The Officer will observe how the volunteer’s impairment changes over time and the Officer will run some basic tests on the volunteer, to simulate DUI testing.
The volunteers would be asked to arrive at our SPD Training Facility in SODO at approximately 9:30am, and the training should be finished by about 4pm.
We ask the volunteers to provide their own product (with receipts, if possible).
We will provide lunch and snacks.
We also ask the volunteers not to drive to or from the training, but we can provide transportation, if necessary.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering can contact me via email (Jennifer.Satterwhite@seattle.gov) and/or via text 206-471-2849.
The training is relevant because an increasing number of DUIs involve this type of impairment.
5:04 PM: Jennifer says the volunteer spots are all full, adding, “Thank you, West Seattle!”
(Sunrise photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s our list of your options for the rest of your Wednesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULES: We’ve added more to our list of what local churches are doing this week. (Still not too late to add – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!)
EASTER PICTURES WITH A REAL BUNNY: Photo sessions all day until 4 pm at Three Little Birds (3270 California SW)
TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at the bookstore’s new location. (4522 California SW)
SIGN-MAKING: West Seattle Indivisible will be at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond) noon-7 pm for sign-making in advance of Saturday’s West Seattle street-corner rally.
REJUVENATE YOGA: Weekly class at Viva Arts, 1:30 pm. Drop-in. $20. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)
AMERICAN MAH JONGG: All levels welcome, 2-4:30 pm at The Missing Piece (35th/Roxbury).
RESTAURANT OPENING: As we reported over the weekend, new restaurant The Neighborhood opens tonight, 3-9 pm. (6503 California SW)
TODDLER STORY TIME AT SW LIBRARY: 3-3:30 pm, come enjoy story time with your toddler(s)! (9010 35th SW)
TEEN TRIVIA: 3:30-5:30 pm at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), a special spring-break event for teens 14-19. Bring your own team, or join a team of up to five teens when you arrive.
SPORTS: Chief Sealth IHS plays baseball vs. Ingraham at 4 pm at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
HOMEWORK HELP: Library event canceled this week because it’s spring break.
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Fix it instead of discarding 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).
COMMUNITY SAFETY MEETING: 6-7 pm, Village Green-West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor) invites everyone to a community-safety conversation with Seattle Police. Bring your questions and/or concerns.
AVALANCHE AWARENESS: Learn about it without leaving West Seattle! Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3602 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) hosts a workshop tonight – our calendar listing has more info and the registration link.
WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: Open invitation to the group’s weekly meetup, 6-8 pm at Great American Diner & Bar. (4752 California SW). This week, the group has a guest: “Dionne Foster will be joining our meeting to discuss her candidacy for Seattle City Council Position 9.”
FREE GROUP RUN: All runners, all levels, are welcome to join the weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run – meet at the shop by 6:15 pm.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Project updates and much more at the quarterly MoCA meeting, 7 pm at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd SW & SW Juneau) – see agenda toplines (and get the remote-attendance link) in our preview.
KUNDALINI YOGA & GONG BATH: 7 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska), $35.
MUSIC BINGO x 2: Play at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm, or monthly MINGO at 7:30 pm at Three9 Lounge (39th SW & SW Oregon).
TRIVIA x 3: Three Wednesday trivia locations on our West Seattle list: Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm … Quiz Night also starts 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), all ages until 10 pm.
PASSOVER: This is the fifth night.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: Ready to step up to the mic? 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
If you are planning an open house, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, show, meeting, presentation, etc., that’s open to the community, please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(File photo, West Seattle Big Band)
Another spring “good time for a good cause” that you should know about – a little more than one week away at Madison Middle School (3429 45th SW)! Here’s the announcement:
The Madison PTSA Music Boosters would like to invite students, their families, and community members to a Swing Dance & Auction Fundraiser on April 25th, from 6-9 pm at Madison Middle School!
We have a lively event lined up, featuring performances by our very own Concert Band, Jazz Bands, Choir, and Orchestra, with a special performance by guest West Seattle Big Band! Tickets include a free Swing Dance lesson. Pizza and drinks available for purchase as well as an abundance of bake sale treats, thanks to our Madison parents!
Tickets are $20 presale or $25 at the door. All proceeds go to the Madison Music Boosters, which directly supports the Madison Middle School Music Department. This event is important, because it pulls in the majority of the funds that the music department needs annually for things like instrument replacement, concert accompaniment, instrument accessories, music books, sheet music, repairs, tuning, scholarships, travel costs, and more. Given how the arts continue to impact our collective human experience, our community is playing a part in supporting younger generations in taking up the torch (or instrument, as it were) to continue the rich tradition and cultural legacy of music.
An ADA-accessible entrance is on the south side of Madison Middle School, nearest to the U-shaped parking lot outside of the gym structure. Elevators will be made accessible for the event, which will be held in the Madison Commons, one level below the main floor.
Ticket link: signupgenius.com/go/60B094FA4A92BA7FA7-55669130-swing
If you already know you can’t attend and you’d like to simply donate to the Madison Music Program, please do so here: www.madisonptsa.com/madison-music-boosters
Questions? Email the Madison Music Boosters at madisonmusicboosters@gmail.com
7:39 AM: Thanks for the tips about police at the northbound bus stop by the Fauntleroy ferry dock. The heavy response was because of a call for backup – a suspect was reported to be “fighting” with an officer. Still looking into what started it – incident audio indicates some kind of incident on a C Line bus.
7:50 AM: Police arrested the suspect and are taking him to jail. The bus has been released to move on. We hope to have more followup info later.
Earlier:
6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, April 16, 2025, and for most schools in the area, spring break continues.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
More sunshine expected,, breezy, high in the low 60s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 6:17 am and 8:01 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle servicen; spring/summer schedule has begun, with later-in-the-evening sailings Fridays and Saturdays.
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Salish is serving as the “bonus boat”.
ROAD WORK
-The Admiral Way Bridge’s outside lane on the eastbound/southbound side remains closed.
-King County Roads says the SW 104th work is over in White Center.
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: In addition to 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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