West Seattle, Washington
16 Saturday
Tonight the Seahawks host the Packers for Monday Night Football – and the Seahawk spirit started burning bright and early at Hans VW Repair at 35th/Graham in High Point, owned by superfan Hans Loos. We photographed the GO SEAHAWKS light show late last night on the expanding north side of the shop. The game also plays into tonight’s transportation/traffic picture for West Seattle, as you’ll see in our highlights ahead:
TRAFFIC/TRANSPORTATION NOTES, INCLUDING THE SEAHAWKS GAME: If you travel through SODO, keep tonight’s game in mind. Kickoff is at 5:30 pm our time. Tonight, the West Seattle Water Taxi has added evening runs to help get fans home. Also tonight, from our weekly list of closures: Southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 is closed overnight, 9 pm-5 am, between Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge.
WATCHING THE GAME: A variety of venues are likely to be dominated by home-team fans, but if you are a Packers fan, the place to be is the Heartland Café in the Admiral District.
FALL QUARTER AT SSCC: School’s in session starting today at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), where this is the start of the fall quarter.
CITY COUNCIL: Items of interest on their 2 pm agenda (see it here, with links to individual action items) include final votes on the towing-fee-limit proposal and authorization for acquiring the land north of Morgan Junction Park by eminent domain if necessary (here’s our previous report; the Parks and Neighborhoods Committee OK’d it last week).
SCHOOL-LEVY MEETING: Tonight may be the final public meeting in West Seattle before Seattle Public Schools finalizes the BEX 4 levy it will send to voters in February. 6:30 pm at Madison Middle School (45th and Spokane); details, agenda, links in our Sunday night preview.
CROSSTOWN SHOWDOWN: High-school volleyball tonight, with two unbeaten-in-conference-play teams – Chief Sealth and visiting West Seattle HS! 7 pm at Sealth.
NIGHTLIFE: Pub quiz night at Shadowland, 8 pm … Flat Earth Society at West 5 features Chris Martin spinning tonight (Ampbuzz, Kinski), 9 pm … that’s also when Karaoke Kelli is on hand at the Benbow Room.
… and yes, there’s lots more on the calendar, for today/tonight and beyond!
Very short list for this week’s traffic alerts. We’ll group them by projects, instead of days:
SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT: Nothing in the coming week, says SDOT.
ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT/99: Tonight through Thursday night, it’s closed southbound, 9 pm-5 am, between the Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge, says WSDOT.
P.S. If you drive through SODO, remember that there’s a Seahawks game Monday night and a Huskies game Thursday night, both likely to affect traffic. As noted here on Friday, the West Seattle Water Taxi has late-night runs for both games.
Big meeting tomorrow (Monday) night in West Seattle for those with something to say about Seattle Public Schools‘ BEX 4 levy before it’s finalized and sent to voters. Tomorrow may be the last public meeting here, since the School Board is scheduled to approve the levy’s language in November, though the election is not until February. We reported on the most recent version when it was announced to district families September 11th, then followed up with more details from the 
School Board “work session” the next day.
The Arbor Heights Elementary community (left) is particularly concerned about BEX 4 because, while their dilapidated school is still scheduled for a $45 million rebuild, the newest version of the levy plan pushes it back another year to completion and opening in fall 2019. As this grid shows, West Seattle’s two other major projects would be done first – a $20 million addition/upgrade plan for the five-years-closed Fairmount Park Elementary so it could open in fall 2014, and a $38 million rebuild of overcrowded Schmitz Park Elementary on the three-years-closed Genesee Hill campus, to open in fall 2015. The Arbor Heights PTSA is putting out a call for support at tomorrow night’s meeting:
Arbor Heights Elementary needs to be rebuilt ASAP – we cannot wait!
This can’t happen without our community/neighborhood support. Please tell your neighbors as well. …
Please wear yellow to show support.
The meeting is at 6:30 pm at Madison Middle School, 45th/Spokane. Here’s a preview of the PowerPoint (first shown at a meeting elsewhere in the city last week); other background material is linked here. The agenda for the meeting, and how comment will be taken, is shown here; if you can’t go but want to e-mail thoughts about the levy plan, capacity@seattleschools.org is the address.
SIDE NOTE: The day after this meeting, on Tuesday 9/25, West Seattle’s school board rep Marty McLaren has her first informal community-conversation meeting of the new school year, 1:15-3:15 pm at Delridge Library.
Did you see the intense color of the sun, and its reflection on the water, just before sunset tonight? WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams photographed it from the north Lincoln Park area in a way that revealed a sunspot – same one shown in this image from NASA – if the sunspot’s not visible in our photo on your screen, click the photo to bring it up in a larger size.
If we were betting types, we would bet this week we’ll hear something resembling an opening date for Marination ma kai at Seacrest Boathouse, the second “bricks and mortar” location for the team behind the famous food truck that’s been coming to West Seattle for three years. Today, we scooted over to Seacrest after Marination mentioned on Facebook that they were building chairs. As our photo shows, it was an even-livelier scene than the phrase “building chairs” implies. (P.S. They’re tracking progress, and introducing staffers, on their Tumblr.)
Leasing has begun for apartments in the building that has been in the works seemingly forever at 35th and Avalon – stalling more than once along the way, during ownership changes among other things. Our coverage goes back exactly five years; the site was intended to be part of the never-built monorail, and was at one point owned by troubled fugitive developer Michael Mastro. While a commercial “for lease” sign has been up for a while in its retail windows on the corner, today was the first time we noticed a sign inviting would-be renters to check out the apartments – referred to as “The Residences at 3295.” The website for the ~60-unit building is at rent3295.com, and shows floor plans ranging from studios to 2 bedroom/2 bath units. We’ve been talking with project representatives for a while in hopes of getting a look inside.
(See a larger version here)
That May 1954 photo of Mr. B’s Double-Decker Hamburger, from the Seattle Municipal Archives, came to our attention on Friday, when the Seattle City Council Twitter account flagged it as “Photo of the Week.” It’s one of the archive photos also featured on Flickr, and its main page there includes comments from Flickr member “Severinus” with more information, including a link to an exterior view “Severinus” pinpointed Mr. B’s address as 38th and Fauntleroy – now home to the dry cleaners immediately north of Link Apartments.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch – first, a hit-and-run solved by the husband of the victim. She writes:
I woke up (Saturday) morning to find my car had been sideswiped overnight. I park on the street because I have no driveway (39th & Hinds). The genius lost a very distinctive wheel hub. I called the police and an officer came within 30 mins. While they were on their way, my husband canvassed the neighborhood and FOUND THE CAR! Just a block away. Unbelievable. The officer headed right up there after I told her where it was. Two criminal citations later and justice is served. Karma wins!! Oh and yes, they have insurance. I am just glad they didn’t hurt anyone!
Second report, about a car break-in at Westcrest Off-Leash Park – and extra information thanks to victim vigilance in tracking down who was using her stolen card:
The team from 1 Green Planet (a nonprofit) was already very busy when we stopped by the fall “Recycle Roundup” at Fauntleroy Church minutes after it started this morning. This pickup truck full of big recyclables followed several vehicles that already had come through and dropped off their contributions to the recycling drive. It continues till 3 pm, so you have time to go see what you have in the basement or the storage unit or wherever – as long as it’s listed here as the type of item they’ll accept – and take it to the church parking lot at 9140 California SW.
Though today’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s is wrapping up along Lake Union right about now, it had West Seattle representation – this group headed out this morning from The Kenney (WSB sponsor). Participants included residents and staffers. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the walk’s beneficiary, 35 million people are affected by Alzheimer’s worldwide, and this is National Alzheimer’s Month – find out more here.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
A shelf-like layer of clouds provided the drama for last night’s autumnal-equinox sunset watch with West Seattle’s NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen at Solstice Park. WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams was there and shows us how it unfolded – ahead:
First full day of fall – perfect time for fall cleaning, if you want to divest yourself and your home of any items on the list for today’s “Recycle Roundup” – one of the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
TRAFFIC ALERT: Tonight begins another Sunday-Thursday series of overnight closures for southbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct, 9 pm-5 am.
RECYCLE ROUNDUP: 9 am-3 pm today, it’s the fall edition of Fauntleroy UCC Church‘s twice-yearly recycling event with 1 Green Planet. Free (though they’ll have donation baskets if you want to offer a few $ out of appreciation for the service). Drive into the church parking lot at 9140 California SW (map) – the list of what they will and will not take is here.
PANCAKE-BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER: Support the Westside Wildcat youth sports/cheer organization by joining them for breakfast at the Masonic Hall, 40th and Edmunds, 9 am-11:30 pm – details in the calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: As always, 10 am-2 pm, 44th and Alaska in The Junction.
CREATIVE-WRITING CLASSES: A new series of weekly classes starts today at Gatewood B&B, 10 am-noon. Details here.
OPEN HOUSE AT CAMP LONG: 12:30 pm-4:30 pm, you’re invited to an open house about Camp Long’s challenge courses and community collaboration around them. Full details here.
GLOBAL LENS FILM SCREENING: The Portuguese/French film “Craft” will be screened free at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library, 2 pm, as part of the Global Lens series.
Preview the week ahead by browsing the calendar!
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
At halftime, when WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams photographed Chief Sealth International High School head football coach Luther Carr III talking to the team (top photo), they were down 25-0, at Bishop Blanchet. In the second half, they scored two touchdowns, but those weren’t enough.
Blanchet had another high-scoring half, and secured the win, 52-12. Ahead, more scenes from the game:
Read More
Homecoming today for Seattle Lutheran High School, and while the football team lost the game, it was a fun afternoon just the same:
Pregame barbecue tailgating in the West Seattle Stadium parking lot, of course. In the stadium, homecoming royalty was driven around the track in golf carts – here’s homecoming queen Maddy Jones:
(See everybody in the homecoming court, later in this story.) Then, there was the winning homecoming “float,” lampooning the latest warning that the world would end this year:
The “floats” were audio/visual carts lent to the students to decorate; the seniors’ “post-apocalyptic class” float won a vote and therefore came to the game – the others were to be on display at the homecoming dance. Now on to the game –
Game details, homecoming court members, and three cheerleaders celebrating a big achievement while hoping for community help – all ahead!Read More
Thanks to those who have e-mailed/called about a sizable police response on the east side of The Junction, in the 4500 block of 41st SW.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
8:56 PM: Police are investigating an assault that officers on scene described to WSB’s Christopher Boffoli as a “domestic-violence situation,” and they say there are no suspects at large. Witnesses saw a woman taken away in handcuffs; a private ambulance was called, and Christopher saw a man being treated for a leg wound. We’ll be following up with police for any additional information.
12:15 AM UPDATE: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams confirms the suspect has been booked into jail. The victim, he says, was stabbed once in the leg with a knife, and is expected to recover.
One week from today, bus service in, to, and from West Seattle will change in a big way, both with the debut of RapidRide C Line and with a long list of route restructuring. If you ride the bus but haven’t taken a close look to figure out what that means to you, this might be a good time. You can start with the “highlights” links on the right side of this page on the Metro website – it includes information on routes that are changing, ending, starting. Also taking effect next Saturday: The downtown Ride-Free Zone will be no more.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? We are talking with the county about some kind of Q/A before Saturday, to help out with your last-minute questions; they plan an informational event on Saturday at Westwood Village, where the RapidRide line starts/ends, but we know from comment discussions that many other questions remain. So here’s our question for YOU – what format would you want to see? Live online chat? Or perhaps a place in the WSB Forums to post questions that Metro could answer? Let us know what you think, via a comment here or e-mail: editor@westseattleblog.com
Two more food drives for the White Center Food Bank (which serves south West Seattle too):
VILLAGE GREEN NEXT SATURDAY: Bring donations to Village Green Perennial Nursery till 4 pm today Saturday, September 29 – look for the barrel. 10223 26th SW.
CHICO’S NEXT FRIDAY/SATURDAY: Shop at Chico’s at Westwood Village next Friday and Saturday (September 28-29), and if you bring a nonperishable-food donation, you’ll get a 10 percent discount on your purchase.
Thanks to Bryan and Janet Jones for photos from the grounds of the former Genesee Hill school, where the community gardens are getting some TLC from neighborhood and Seattle Pacific University CityQuest volunteers. That work’s going on till about 2 pm.
But it overlaps with another event you can join in, too – from 1 till 3 pm, make mosaic stepping stones with Bright River Studio artist Terri Goodwin. Just bring “a colorful old plate or tile to break up for the mosaic” and “dress for mess.” You’ll get to keep your finished creation.
ADDED: Afterward, Janet sent out this summary:
Today was a gold star day at the school, with several long-awaited tasks accomplished, as follows:
Four new basketball nets installed
Some playground sweeping
All summer debris transferred to the dumpster
Ivy pulled from the Dakota hedge
Wildlife area tidied
Blackberries trimmed
Wood chips wheelbarrowed to beds – wildlife area and behind play structure
Two and a half trash bags of litter picked up.
Photos with story posted to the wsblog
Stepping stone artThank you one and all!
If you were at or near Don Armeni this morning, you might have seen them – tribal canoes heading across Elliott Bay to join in the Salmon Homecoming celebration on the downtown waterfront. Anne from Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) shares the photos, and says she counted eight canoes, including the Duwamish Raven Canoe (top photo):
And from the other side of the bay:
A canoe-welcoming ceremony was scheduled for the festival at 11 am; other demonstrations and celebrations of tribal culture are on the schedule (see it here) this afternoon.
Thanks to Chas Redmond for sharing that photo of part of the new “Hub and Spoke High Course” at Camp Long. It’s a big weekend for CL – a party tonight, open house tomorrow. Tonight’s event is part of our daily list of highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE TRAFFIC ALERT: As noted here on Friday, SDOT says crews will be painting stripes on the West Seattle Bridge, so you just might get stuck in a slowdown.
AUTUMN EQUINOX THIS MORNING, SUNSET WATCH TONIGHT: Fall officially arrives at 7:49 am our time today. Celebrate with NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen‘s equinox sunset watch at Solstice Park; be there by 6:45 pm or so.
BENEFIT GOLF TOURNAMENTS: Two are happening at the West Seattle Golf Course today – the 11th annual Holy Rosary tournament, with an 8 am start, and the Seattle Parks Youth Scholarship Fund tournament, with a 2 pm start.
BLOOD DRIVE AT WESTWOOD: On the Barton side of Westwood Village, you’ll find the Puget Sound Blood Center‘s Bloodmobile, 9:30-3:30, and they’d love to have you come donate; details here.
OKTOBERFEST AT ELLIOTT BAY BREWING COMPANY: Special German food on the menu all day/night, and live Bavarian music 6-9 pm. Details here.
FREE MOVIE AT THE LONGHOUSE: At noon and 1:30, you can see “Princess Angeline” – the Duwamish story of Native Seattle – free at the Duwamish Longhouse, which explains, “This 2010 film by local filmmakers Sandy & Yasu Osawa explores the unrecognized tribal status of the Duwamish primarily through the life of Chief Seattle’s daughter, Princess Angeline. Funded in part by 4Culture.” The longhouse is at 4705 W. Marginal Way SW.
LIEN OPEN HOUSE & FURRY FACES PET-TAGGING EVENT: 1-4 pm, it’s an open house at the veterinary clinic in The Triangle, and Furry Faces Foundation will be there with their pet-tagging campaign. Full details here.
SEATTLE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING: The big game vs. Concrete is at 1:30 pm at West Seattle Stadium. Saints fans are urged to wear white to support the team!
SPAGHETTI-DINNER BENEFIT: Holy Family School invites you to dinner! Details on partner site White Center Now. 5-8 pm, 20th/Roxbury.
DESSERT AUCTION AND COFFEEHOUSE CONCERT @ CAMP LONG: Get a look at the new challenge-course element in progress, and enjoy dessert/coffee/music/bidding. 6:30-9 pm – more info here.
LIVE MUSIC: Lots of it again tonight! Use the followin links to see calendar listings with details. Kings of Side Two at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm … Allison Scull & Victor Martin at Alki Arts, 6 pm … Three live bands at Skylark Café and Club, 8 pm … Alan Sobel at The Cask, 8 pm … Beard Feedback and Power Skeloton at The Benbow Room, 9 pm … Beard Brothers at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9:30 pm.
‘BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON’: First week of the musical’s run at ArtsWest continues, 7:30 pm.
More for today/tonight, on the calendar.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB. Here, #5 Diandre Jackson fist-bumps #88 Brennan Newquist after a TD)
Another big-scoring game for the West Seattle High School Wildcats on Friday night, running the score to 51-0 before visiting Cleveland managed one TD to make the final score 51-6. From WSHS band members’ pre-game rendition of the national anthem …
… to the late-game action …
… WSHS never looked back. Ahead, 11 more photos by Nick Adams for WSB, and game toplines:
The city’s time-lagged police-report map includes a notation about an incident coded as a “drive-by” early this morning in the 1700 block of SW Trenton (map). Tonight, we have details via e-mail from the person (requesting anonymity) whose home was hit:
At approximately 5:05 this morning (9/21) a single shot was fired from a moving vehicle into my house in the 1700 block of SW Trenton St. The bullet lodged in the front door a few feet away from where I was sitting, looking out the window and visible to the road. I do not have a good description of the vehicle other than it was a car. No one was injured, and the police were called and came to investigate.
There’s no indication of whether it’s related, but that’s just a few blocks from a recent confirmed case of “shots fired” (no one hit), in the 8600 block of 14th SW, as noted in our most recent WSBeat roundup.
(April 2012 photo of Officer Mike Hope & the SW Precinct Drug Take-Back Day dropoffs)
The most recent Drug Take-Back Day, in April, netted a big take here in West Seattle … biggest of any precinct, though this is the city’s smallest precinct! Can West Seatttle and South Park do it again? Tonight, Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis sends word that the next national Drug Take-Back Day is just one week away – 10 am-2 pm Saturday, September 29th – and the SW Precinct will again be your local drop-off spot. Lt. Davis reminds you of the rules:
Our West Seattle community members can simply bring their expired and or unused medication to the Southwest Precinct for safe disposal. Any type of prescription and/or over-the-counter medications are acceptable collections. If liquid, please ensure that the lids are tight. Please note that intravenous solutions, injectibles, syringes, or medical waste are not collectable items.
The precinct lobby is off the parking lot, along SW Webster west of Delridge.
| Comments Off on West Seattle Monday: College classes start; school-levy meeting; football; volleyball; nightlife…