WEATHER

Mixed forecast today, with a high around 60.

ROAD WORK – TODAY & THIS WEEKEND

26th SW – Now closed southbound between Roxbury and Barton.

15th SW – Also as part of the King County-led work on the RapidRide project, southbound 15th is scheduled to be closed at Roxbury for underground utility work.

Highway 99 tunnel – Closed both ways for maintenance 10 pm tonight until 8 am Sunday.

West Marginal Way – Work is scheduled to continue both days this weekend at the Duwamish Longhouse crossing/signal site,

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES

Metro’s fall “service change” took effect Saturday, with various West Seattle changes, including the return of Routes 22 and 113. Also note the rerouting in RapidRide H Line work zones – on 26th and 15th SW in particular. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of canceled trips.

For ferries and water taxis; Check WSF schedules for the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route, announced late last night as planning a “reduced 2-boat schedule” today due to crew shortage. Also – reminder that there will be NO West Seattle Water Taxi service this Saturday and Sunday, Watch @wsferries for ferry updates.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

563rd morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are views of other bridges and routes:

Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden:

The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:

Are movable bridges opening for boats or barges? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed will tell you. (1st Ave. South Bridge openings also are tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.)

See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page.

Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

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ROAD WORK

*Permanent repairs on the Admiral Way sinkhole are set for today and tomorrow;

*Here’s the newest Delridge project info about where work is focused this week.

*1st Avenue S. Bridge: 3 more NB overnight closures are planned tonight, Wednesday night, and Thursday night, so if you are heading off-peninsula late at night/early in the morning, use the West Seattle low bridge or South Park Bridge.

CHECK THE TRAFFIC BEFORE YOU GO

Here’s the 5-way intersection camera (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

Here’s the restricted-daytime-access (open to all 9 pm-5 am) low bridge:

The main detour route across the Duwamish River is the 1st Avenue South Bridge (map) . Here’s that camera:

The other major bridge across the river is the South Park Bridge (map). Here’s that camera:

Going through South Park? Don’t speed.

Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed for info about any of those bridges opening for marine traffic.

You can see all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also shown on this WSB page.

TRANSIT

Metro – Still reduced service and distancing, with some changes starting September 19th, and the potential return of fares on/around October 1st.

Water Taxi – Still on its “winter” schedule, with the 773 and 775 shuttles running – see the schedule here.

Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

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5:10 PM: A second vehicle (unofficial apparently, no rollers) showed up/pulled over to help, and now both vehicles have moved along, so the low bridge is clear again.

5:25 PM: Given it’s so ugly out there, we’ll keep this atop the stream for a while. Another problem: 1st and Massachusetts, a blockage, blamed on “debris.” (Update: According to radio communication, a sign of some sort.)

6:20 PM: If you are heading to or from Burien, heads up – there’s an apartment fire just south of White Center, Ambaum and 122nd. Even some Seattle Fire units are now being sent to help out.

6:46 PM: Metro says the Ambaum fire is delaying Route 120. Meantime, the low bridge has closed so a vessel can get through.

7 PM: Low bridge has reopened to surface traffic.

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9:59 PM: Some commenters say their service is back. (The fight’s over, too.)

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Back in September, we mentioned – thanks to tips – that the TV show “Treehouse Masters” was filming an episode at a home on Beach Drive. The episode debuted this week (as a new round of tips informed us) and we just found it on YouTube, where it was posted today – so if you want to see how it turned out, watch above!

P.S. If you just want to cut to a tour of the finished treehouse itself, that’s in this “Behind the Build” clip on the Animal Planet website.

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(9/10/2014 photo by Don Brubeck)
Commercial shoots aren’t that rare over here, but we don’t often get to see the finished product. This time, we do – watch for the Alki scenes in the middle and at the end:

Thanks to Creighton for pointing out that the Subaru spot is now on the air, and that the Alki scenes feature a Make-A-Wish kid named Ryan. While the commercial itself doesn’t reveal much about Ryan – not even his name – Subaru also made a “behind-the-scenes” video about him, explaining that Alki was relevant because his “wish” is a trip to Hawaii. Further research turns up even more of his story, as well as his website. He is a Black Diamond resident diagnosed a year and a half ago with aplastic anemia, for which he received a bone-marrow transplant last May. His mom writes here about their experience being part of the commercial shoot on Alki, which didn’t promote a specific car model but rather the company’s charity-donation program.

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You’ve heard how passengers stopped an armed robber on board a Metro Rapid Ride bus in Morgan Junction on November 25th. Now, surveillance video from the bus shows exactly how it happened. Our friends at KING 5 showed the video last night – play the story above to see and hear what happened, including the moment one passenger, facing the robber and his gun, grabs him and pushes him away, seemingly without even stopping to think about it. We first reported it that night as a big police response drew attention and as the story started to emerge – the video matches what we were told by people who were on the bus; 19-year-old Trevonnte Brown of Beacon Hill was arrested immediately, charged days later, and was back in court earlier this week, where he pleaded not guilty to charges including a new one related to another bus holdup last month. He remains in jail, with bail set at $350,000 and his next hearing set for December 30th.

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We’re into the quieter heart of summer now – past most of the big festivals – a time to just enjoy the weather and the sights. Sunrise is still early enough that many of us miss it, but West Seattle photographer Danny McMillin – whose images you’ve seen here before – put together a video look during Saturday’s early morning “golden hour.” He says it’s for a contest on the video-hosting service he used, Vimeo, but wanted to share it more widely here, too (thanks!)

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Several proud members of the West Seattle Community Orchestras e-mailed to share the news that WSCO is featured in a current show on Seattle Channel – and we just got the code for the specific story, so you don’t have to watch the entire program to get to their spotlight. Check it out above (or, here’s a direct link to the entire show). As noted here a few days ago, WSCO’s new season starts next Tuesday – but we just received word of a few changes to the schedule/locations, so if you are a new or returning member, or planning on checking it out for prospective membership, PLEASE click ahead for the new information:

Due to minor construction changes at Chief Sealth International High School, there will be several changes to the start-up weeks for the West Seattle Community Orchestras. We expect these changes to be very short term and we appreciate everyone’s flexibility. Interested in joining the orchestra or haven’t completed your online registration yet? Go to www.wscorchestras.org as soon as possible so we can keep you up-to-date. Registration is also available on-site, though online helps us to stay in touch with coming changes. Schedule for the next two weeks is as follows; we are hopeful schedules will revert to regularly planned times by October rehearsals.

The Debut Orchestra will rehearse as originally planned September 20, 5:30PM to 6:45PM in the Chief Sealth High School Choir room, (#206), no changes for this group. The Intermediate Orchestra (Symphonette) on September 20th and 27th will rehearse 7PM to 8:15PM in the Chief Sealth High School Choir room, (#206). The Symphony Orchestra is cancelled for September 20th; will rehearse on September 27th, 7PM-8:45 PM with location to be determined. However, Symphony members may come in to Chief Sealth to register on September 20, though music may not be available until September 27.

Questions? Please contact our Orchestra Manager, Mariane Hermanson at wscorchestras@gmail.com.

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Video, photos, and reporting by Christopher Boffoli
For West Seattle Blog

Brenda Scallon is a little more than one week away from the first show for her mobile Airstream-trailer art gallery.

Scallon is a 26-year resident of West Seattle who formerly co-owned the Black Lab and Parlour gallery in Ballard.

She’s also a musician with the band Daughters of Joy. Brenda, her husband and children, live at 3815 46th Ave SW, and in this case, the specific address matters, since that’s where her trailer/gallery’s first show will be.

First, the backstory: A couple years ago she got the idea to do a mobile gallery in an Airstream trailer. She started looking around and ultimately found a 1974 Airstream in Lake Stevens for $5,000. She has been renovating bit by bit since she brought it home.

Airstream trailers, first produced in the 1930s, continue to have something of a cult following in the US. They’re desired for their classic retro, riveted aluminum design.

Scallon’s Airstream has required quite a bit of work.

She has had to seal up leaks, replace flooring and paint some of the interior surfaces. There were also a few dents to bang out, some of which occurred in her driveway when a neighbor’s tree fell on the trailer in a windstorm. Scallon has added some modern electrical components but has kept the ’70s-era sound system, which includes an 8-track tape player.

Unlike most art galleries, the trailer is not exactly spacious. So Scallon plans to put up various tents around the trailer to expand the gallery space. She is planning to do quarterly shows in various locations. The first show and open house, featuring artists Michael O’Driscoll (), E. Grace Dager, Band of Toy, and Scallon’s own art, will be on Friday, July 15th, 7-10 pm, at 3815 46th Ave SW.

Scallon is inviting local artists to contact her if they want to participate in future shows. She can be contacted at: brenda@acaravan.com

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Union organizers and other activists came to West Seattle on Tuesday afternoon for a media briefing organized by UFCW 21 to spotlight their concerns about “the global supply chain for clothing” and working conditions for the people who work as part of that chain.They chose Jack Block Park in hopes of a scenic backdrop showing container-laden ships bringing in imports. Unfortunately, the rain moved in just as they were starting; also unfortunately for their hopes of a citywide spotlight, we were the only media who showed up.

Their main target of concern is Wal-Mart, which doesn’t have a nearby store – but, the organizers insisted, the corporation wants to open stores here. We rolled video on the entire 16-minute briefing, and have published it above. Speakers included Kalpona Akter, an organizer from Bangladesh, who said she had been jailed and otherwise persecuted for her campaign to improve working conditions. She went to the Wal-Mart shareholders’ meeting recently to pressure the corporation to make changes; here’s more on that – including Wal-Mart’s side of the story – from the New York Times.

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That video is getting West Seattle a bit of national attention tonight in the ongoing controversy over Target‘s donation to a group backing a Minnesota candidate with a history of opposing gay rights (folding in the “corporate personhood” controversy too). The musical protest took place in the Westwood Village Target store on Saturday, apparently around 11 am; we didn’t hear about it till afterward, and weren’t able at the time to confirm it, but you can tell by watching even just a few seconds of that video that it was shot inside the local store. Thanks to Amy for sending the link tonight. (The Target boycott had been discussed a week earlier in the WSB Forums.) ADDED 10:30 PM: Doing a bit more research on this – the credits attribute it in part to Agit-Pop, which bills itself as a “subvertising agency”. Going to try to see if anyone there will reveal why they chose the West Seattle Target, as opposed to the hundreds and hundreds of others in the U.S. 11:13 PM NOTE: As commenters point out, Agit-Pop has a Seattle office and the co-credited organization Backbone Campaign is Vashon-based, so the WS choice isn’t such a mystery.

ADDED 11:50 AM TUESDAY: Just heard back from Bill Moyer at Backbone, who explains, “Performers were participants in our Localize this! Artful Action Camp. This was the final and the location was chosen because of its proximity.” The Backbone website has the schedule for last week’s camp – you’ll see that Saturday’s schedule included “Flashmob Field Trip.”

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Tonight through Sunday, you have five more chances to see young performers sing and act their hearts out with vigorous verbosity, as part of the ArtsWest Musical Theater Academy, as they present “Seussical Jr.” Get a quick preview in the video created by Edgar Riebe from West Seattle-based Captive Eye Media. Check out the cast list and info here; showtimes are 7:30 pm tonight through Saturday, 3 pm Saturday and Sunday. (Tickets are on sale online.)

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Thanks to Josh Rogers for sharing his video of a startling scene right next to The Hole on Tuesday night – big flames from a short-lived incident that was on the 911 log as a “brush fire.” We headed that way from Alki after getting a text about it, but it was long out when we arrived – the location was obvious, though since even in the dark, the blackened street sign and burned plants were clearly visible. This is the “mini-park” recently unfenced as part of some work around The Hole, the long-stalled 39th/Fauntleroy development site once known as Fauntleroy Place. We’ll be checking with Seattle Fire Department later this morning to ask about the cause. 2:38 PM: According to SFD’s Helen Fitzpatrick, the firefighting crew didn’t detect anything suspicious about the fire, so a marshal wasn’t called out, and the report only boils down to, brush fire, quickly extinguished. Here’s what the site looked like this morning:

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Two popular bands’ shows overlapped a bit tonight on the two stages at West Seattle Summer Fest – Satchel on the Alaska stage (which is right outside KeyBank at Alaska/California) and Hell’s Belles on the California stage between Oregon and Genesee, across from the West Seattle Eagles‘ HQ:

(Ever-rockin’ Jeff Gilbert from Feedback Lounge [WSB sponsor] was scheduled to intro Hell’s Belles – we missed him, as the show started a bit before the billed time of 9 pm.) As for the Saturday slate – it starts early, with Caspar Babypants (starring West Seattleite Chris Ballew) on the Alaska stage, next to our Summer Fest home in the info booth, at 11 am, while up at the California stage, Rat City Brass kicks things off at 11:15 am. And tomorrow night is Street Dance night at the California stage, with All Mixed Up and Cherry Cherry (Cars and Neil Diamond tribute bands, respectively). For our Summer Fest coverage from earlier today, scroll through our West Seattle Festivals coverage archive.

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