West Seattle, Washington
11 Saturday
A reader request:
At Alki Elementary School, did you witness a gold Lexus drive by 59th Ave SW and contact the open door of a parked black Subaru while a parent was buckling kids into a car seat on Tuesday, January 21 at the end of the school day? If so, please call 888-242-0888 referencing claim #3498350. A non-biased witness is needed.
The crash victim is OK, and says the driver initially took off but then came back, so they have identification and insurance info – they’re just looking for witnesses.
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the photo of tonight’s sunset, which started yellow-gold and ended with a pink flourish. The forecast has calmed down, but it’s on the way to a cooldown – tonight’s low is expected to drop into the 30s, and we’re entering a few days with a chance of a little snow here and there. But no big rain again before mid-week. P.S. Only five weeks until we spring forward and sunsets are suddenly after 7 pm!
Congratulations to Thea Pulido, featured here back in 2012 as Hi-Yu Junior Court Queen, making news again for academic achievement as she gets ready for college. The announcement is from Pacific Lutheran University:
Thea Pulido, a student at West Seattle High School, has been named a Pacific Lutheran University President’s Scholar and awarded the prestigious $33,000 per year President’s Scholarship — with the opportunity to compete for more. ‘
Thea was one of 103 students selected for this top academic and leadership scholarship offered by PLU.
Over 500 incoming first-year students who met the high eligibility standards applied. President’s Scholars are selected based on academic achievement, service and leadership, as well as the potential to effect positive change and leadership in both the academic and co-curricular life of PLU. This year’s President’s Scholarship recipients scored on average a 1306 SAT test score, 30 ACT test score, and have a 3.98 GPA.These top students have been invited to interview on the PLU campus in February to compete for the next level of PLU Presidential Scholarships — one of 10 $38,000 per year Harstad Founder’s Scholarships or one of five full-tuition Regents’ Scholarships.
Did you see it? The sun made a brief appearance at midday today. And if you look closely – now that it’s February – some buds and shoots are starting to appear. All this got us thinking about spring, and we have two dates to mention regarding West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, the one event we coordinate each year after taking it over from its founders starting in 2008:
–THE DATE: Saturday, May 9, 2020 – exactly 14 weeks from today
–REGISTRATION: It’ll start on April 1st, exactly 2 months from today
If you’re new – WSCGSD isn’t one big sale – it’s one day with hundreds of sales, all sizes, all over the peninsula – not the only Community Garage Sale Day in the city, but the biggest one. Registered sales get on the map and the list; we promote it far and wide. More as we get closer, of course.
Friday night, despite the downpour, a crowd of well-wishers turned out for Frances Smersh‘s exhibit reception at Providence Mount St. Vincent. Friday also happened to be her birthday! ‘
Frances, co-founder of Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in The Junction with husband John Smersh, has been painting prolifically even as she lives with young-onset Alzheimer’s. Years ago, she volunteered as an art instructor at the Mount, so it was a “welcome back” event of sorts too.
As noted in this Click! website update about Frances and the show, you can see it in the second-floor gallery at The Mount (4831 35th SW) through February 15th, and then the paintings will be relocated to the fifth-floor gallery for another month. The Mount says you’re welcome to visit 8 am-8 pm, 7 days a week.
A storm like the one that moved through last night reminds us about the fragility of some of our greenspaces. So it’s a good day to note that your thoughts about King County’s forests are being sought in a survey. Here’s the announcement:
Our spectacular forests store carbon, cool streams, and provide recreational opportunities. As we work with communities to develop a 30-year plan to expand forest cover and improve forest health, we’re conducting a public survey.
What is most important to you? Should we prioritize the role of our forests in confronting climate change? Or planting trees to improve air quality? Or promoting healthy forests in King County Parks? Or enhancing wildlife habitat? Or something else?
What are the most important actions King County can take with partners over the next 30 years? Should we focus on improving the health of existing forests or preserving additional forestland? Should we plant trees in areas where there is lower tree cover or should we plant more trees near rivers and streams?
We invite you to take a few minutes to take the brief survey to share your ideas for how we ensure that future generations continue to benefit from healthy, vibrant forests.
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
Welcome to February. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, highlights for the hours ahead:
7035 DELRIDGE WAY SW SITE TOUR: 10-11 am, interested community members are invited to visit this future 9-townhouse redevelopment site as part of the Early Outreach for Design Review process. (7035 Delridge Way SW)
PROBIOTICS WITH FIREFLY KITCHENS @ WHOLE FOODS: 12:30 pm-2 pm, visit Whole Foods Market-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) in The Junction to meet Firefly Kitchens‘ Julie O’Brien and “learn how probiotics can enhance your life and your game-day snacking.” (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW)
HAPPY HOUR JAZZ: Jennifer Mellish performs 4-6:30 pm for free Happy Hour Jazz at the Pacific Room (WSB sponsor) on Alki. (2808 Alki SW)
WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: 6:30 pm doors, 7 pm screening, for “Food for Change,” this month’s West Seattle Meaningful Movies presentation, hosted by Delridge Grocery Co-op at Neighborhood House High Point, as previewed here. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
JANET & THE CURMUDGEONS: Guitar/bass/vocal trio at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
HAMMERED FEST: AKA “spawn of Gloria,” as explained here. 7 pm at The Skylark. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
KLEZMER & MORE: At Kenyon Hall, 7:30 pm, Malke and the Boychiks, with Varda:
Malke and the Boychiks features Kim and Nancy Goldov, Peter Lippman, and Theodora Teodosiadis. Employing fiddle, drums, piano, trumpet, and vocals they specialize in rousing freylekhs, bulgars, and terkishers, from the American heyday of Klezmer before World War II.
Varda is the creation of folk musicians Marit Olivia and Mae Kessler, who hail from Olympia and Portland. In this, their latest project together, they craft captivating duets of Klezmer music and traditional Scandinavian tunes.
Ticket info is in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)
‘THE REVOLUTIONISTS’: Comedy at ArtsWest, 7:30 pm curtain. Check here for tickets. (4711 California SW)
THERE’S MORE! See our complete calendar here.
12:35 AM: Thanks for the reports. Another power outage – so far we have reports from High Point and Sunrise Heights. Here in Upper Fauntleroy, just a flicker. Sounds like a tree might be to blame – we heard a dispatcher mention Sylvan/Myrtle, just east of High Point, and another texter mentions earlier tree trouble there too.
12:39 AM: This is now on the City Light map – more than 4,000 homes/businesses – screengrab added above.
1:22 AM: Just got a few texts saying power is restored in High Point. The map lags a bit, so we’ll see within 15 minutes or so if everyone else is back too.
1:39 AM: The map shows about two-thirds of the original outage zone is still out – now down to 2,700+ customers:
2:02 AM: Now down to just under 1,000 customers out:
2:37 AM: And now, 714 still out.
6:57 AM: Map shows that since then, everyone has been reconnected.
10:38 PM: We don’t know whether it’s been cleaned up yet, but thanks to Maia for the alert that a tree had fallen onto Fairmount Avenue near the top of the ravine, just north of Forest. (If you encounter road-blocking trees or other debris, it is a 911 call – they can dispatch police and contact SDOT.)
11:47 PM: Bill sent that photo from east of Lincoln Park, near 46th and Monroe, another place where a tree has fallen onto the road.
8:41 PM: Per scanner and SDOT, a crash is blocking SW Roxbury at 26th SW. It’s reported to involve a Metro bus. Police are on scene, but no SFD dispatch so far, so apparently no injuries.
8:47 PM: Added texted photo (thank you!).
8:32 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent that photo of the pole fire that’s caused some trouble near Delridge Playfield tonight. More than 70 customers have lost power, according to the City Light map. And Metro has diverted buses off the Oregon/22nd route uphill from Delridge Way.
8:59 PM: Another texter says Oregon is taped off at Delridge and that the Delridge/Oregon light is out.
The day before weekend attention turns to The Big Game – how about an evening focused on Big Ideas? Tomorrow (Saturday) night, Delridge Grocery Co-op hosts West Seattle Meaningful Movies, screening “Food for Change” (trailer above) at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW). The film is about co-ops, and DGC’s invitation reads in part: “Returning to our potluck roots, DGC members will be bringing snacks and desserts to share. DGC volunteers and board members will also be on hand to talk about the importance of Co-op membership, give an update on store construction after the movie, and answer questions. No charge for admission, but donations gratefully received.” Doors open at 6:30 pm, film at 7 pm, all welcome.
The afternoon forecast update is in and the National Weather Service’s Wind Advisory alert remains in effect until 7 am Saturday: “South winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.” The rain continues too – throughout the afternoon, it’s come and gone in waves of windblown “sideways rain.” It’s also been relatively warm – into the mid-50s – but that’ll end by tomorrow, the forecast says, with that possible mix of rain/snow maybe on the higher hills early Sunday.
Sad news from The Beer Junction:
It is with great sadness that we share the loss of our owner, founder, and friend, Morgan Herzog.
Yesterday evening, just before 6 PM, Morgan passed away peacefully at his West Seattle home. After bravely battling multiple myeloma for the past three years, Morgan developed a respiratory infection earlier this week. This happened very suddenly and has taken us all by great shock.
The fighter that he was throughout this entire struggle, he found the strength yesterday morning to leave the ICU, so that he could spend his last few hours at home, looking out at the water, and in the company of his wife, Allison, and brother, Nate, who were both right by his side at the moment he left us. He will be forever missed.
While we were not prepared for this sudden timing, we’ve always been prepared for this possibility, and in Morgan’s honor, and wishes, The Beer Junction will remain here for you, just as you’ve been here for all of us. Thank you for your thoughts and support throughout this difficult time.
Allison, Patrick, and The Beer Junction Team
Mr. Herzog was 38 years old. He opened The Beer Junction almost 10 years ago, originally at 42nd/Alaska until the redevelopment of that site led to the move to its current location at 4511 California SW.
(Harlequin Duck, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Here are calendar highlights for the rest of your Friday:
LIVE AT THE PACIFIC ROOM: D’vonne Lewis Trio, 5-7 pm, and Alec Shaw with Zan Fiskum, 7-9 pm. No cover. Details of both shows are here. (2808 Alki SW)
FRANCES SMERSH ARTIST RECEPTION: 5-6 pm at The Mount, meet Frances and celebrate her art display. (4831 35th SW)
CITIZENS OF EARTH: Live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
‘THE REVOLUTIONISTS’: Comedy at ArtsWest, 7:30 pm curtain. Check here for tickets. (4711 California SW)
MUCH MORE! See our complete calendar here.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:58 AM: Good morning. No alerts or incidents in our area so far.
7:06 AM: There is, however, a new weather alert announced overnight – a Wind Advisory in effect 10 am today through 7 am Saturday, for south wind 20-30 mph, gusting up to 55 mph.
7:22 AM: Stalled vehicle reported on NB Highway 99, just south of the tunnel, blocking the bus lane.
7:50 AM: Cleared.
8:26 AM: Crash on the EB West Seattle Bridge just before 99 exit.
Congratulations to the young performers of Alki Elementary, who dress-rehearsed “Shrek Jr.” tonight at the West Seattle High School theater. According to the ticket-sales website, they have sold out all three shows – Friday night and Saturday afternoon and evening – except for one Saturday-afternoon ticket! The show has been in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for a while. And parent Jenna, who sent photos from rehearsals tonight and earlier, says the students have been working hard to get ready.
Best of luck – or as the stage saying goes, “Break a leg!” – to the Alki 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders in the cast, and their grownup helpers, including the Alki PTA, Stone Soup Theatre Group, and director Sophe Friedman and musical director Anna Richardson.
10:26 PM: Getting reports of a short power outage in multiple areas – have heard from Admiral, Upper (and lower) Alki, Snake Hill, Seaview, Hansen View, Junction, Beach Drive, Gatewood, Genesee Hill, Morgan Junction (still adding) …, Did your power go out and stay out? Let us know – otherwise we don’t yet know what caused this.
10:39 PM: Still nothing on the City Light map so apparently no one went out and stayed out. No obvious incidents on the 911 map, either. When something similar happened two years ago, it was eventually attributed to equipment failure.
P.S. We’ll be following up with City Light and will update with the cause (likely not until tomorrow).
ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: SCL spokesperson Julie Moore tells WSB, “We were doing some work that caused a momentary (two-second) trip of a breaker.”
A big change at the Chelan Café: Tomorrow is the last time dinner will be served. Monday, for the first time in 35 years, the restaurant at 3527 Chelan SW will close at mid-afternoon. The café contacted WSB to ask us to share the news. Here’s the text of their letter announcing the change:
NOTE FROM OWNER
Dear Chelan Café Family,
We have made the decision to reduce our restaurant hours and will no longer serve dinner as of January 31.
Having served dinner for the past 35 years, this is not a decision we made lightly. Unfortunately, the cost of running a restaurant in the city of Seattle has increased dramatically in recent years. Reducing our hours will better allow us to manage this lost revenue without resorting to raising our prices or other methods that will put the burden on our valued customers.
While we will miss serving our dinner customers greatly, we are excited to start this new chapter at the Chelan Café. We ask for your understanding and continued patronage during this transitional period and beyond. We intend to do what we do best, breakfast and lunch, amd DO it even better. We’ve been serving West Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area for 82 years and look forward to the next 82!
Thank you,
Mary Manning-Smith
The café has been in Manning-Smith’s family for more than half that time, since her dad bought it in the ’70s.
From SDOT‘s weekly Construction Lookahead, the latest list of upcoming closures in this area:
February 7, 8, 14 & 15: Full southbound closure of the 1st Ave S Bridge. Nightly 9 PM – 8 AM.
February 14: Closure of the southbound SR99 Tunnel for monthly maintenance. Fri 10 PM – Sat 8 AM.
February 21, 22 & March 13, 14: Full northbound closure of the 1st Ave S Bridge. Nightly 9 PM – 8AM.
Always subject to weather-related changes, of course, but for now, pencil them in.
A Fairmount Park Elementary parent forwarded a letter sent to families today by principal Julie Breidenbach. The parent noted, “Because there is a community park adjacent, this should probably (get( community-level attention.” Here’s the letter:
Dear Fairmount Park Parents,
I want to share information about an incident in our neighborhood. This morning before school, one of our students reported to her parent that an adult tried to lure her into his private vehicle. The child ran home and the parent did call the police. The parent reports that the adult male was in a silver pickup truck. Our school district security has been in that neighborhood several times today and will be watching that bus stop closely this afternoon and in upcoming days.
The safety of our students is a top priority. You can help your children stay safe by talking to them about personal safety. Having these conversations, especially with younger children, can be difficult. We encourage you to be sensitive to your child.
As a precaution, we are reminding our students this afternoon about safety tips for walking to and from school. We would appreciate your help by having a similar conversation at home. The walking safety advice includes:
GENERAL SAFETY TIPS:
Pay close attention to your surroundings, avoid “automatic pilot.”
Walk with a purpose; project an assertive, business-like image.
Use common sense; plan your route to avoid uninhabited parks, parking lots, garages and alleyways.
Stick to well-lit areas.
Develop a plan before you see trouble. Crossing a street or entering a store may get you out of a potentially bad situation.
If a car follows you or beckons you while you are walking, do not approach it. Instead, turn and quickly walk the opposite direction.
Consider wearing clothing and shoes that you can move freely and quickly in, especially when walking or waiting for the bus.
Carry minimal items; overloading yourself can make you appear vulnerable.
Always plan your route and stay alert to your surroundings. Avoid shortcuts. Walk confidently. Scan your surroundings and make eye contact with people.
We’re checking to see if police have any further information about the incident.
(WSB photo)
At the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s first lunch meeting of the new year, new leadership was announced for the board and its committees. Abby Fisher of White Center Glass (above right) is the Chamber’s new board chair, taking over from attorney Lauren Burgon (above left). Also of note, local restaurateurs Dan Austin (Peel & Press) and Dave Montoure (West 5) will be leading the Government Affairs committee, and they’re promising to raise its profile and to keep members briefed monthly on city, county, and state issues of business interest. The Chamber also is adding a new committee to interact with neighborhood groups, seeking more synergy and less replication of efforts. Chamber CEO Julia Jordan also told attendees that the organization’s focuses this year will include delivering on membership benefits.
(WSB photo)
Thanks for the texted tip! We just went over to check out that crash scene on the south side of Roxbury by Safeway. King County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Kennamer was there and told us they don’t know who’s responsible because the vehicle was empty by the time they arrived. They’re currently trying to determine whether the vehicle was stolen. As our photo shows, it’s being towed, and any traffic effects will be over shortly. The crash damaged a couple of trees that the deputy says might not survive as a result.
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