West Seattle, Washington
19 Tuesday
(WSB photo from 2015 Seafair Pirates’ Landing)
Next big West Seattle summer event is Saturday – the Seafair Pirates Landing on Alki Beach! Just in, the scheudle for the day, from event manager Oliver Little:
The Seattle Seafair Pirates will once again storm the beach at Alki on June 25th.
This year’s celebration includes live swashbuckling, live mermaids, a pirate-weapons display, craft vendors, kids’ activities, food vendors, and live music all day. The event runs from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The Pirates will land at approximately 2:00 pm to a hail of cannon fire and regalia. This event is FREE and very family friendly!
Stage Schedule:
11:00 PM – Zumba with West Seattle Health Club
12:00 PM – West Seattle School of Rock
1:00 PM – Sonic Medicine
2:00 PM – Pirates land and present the new Captain to the Mayor
3:30 PM – Skates!
4:30 PM – Big Wheel Stunt Show
5:30 PM – Acapulco Lips
Never been? Check out our coverage from last year and the year before that, for starters.
Planning how to get there and hoping to avoid a parking crunch? You can take the free Water Taxi shuttle bus, even if you’re not riding the WT; Saturday’s schedule for Route 775 from Seacrest to Alki is here; the schedule for Route 773 from The Junction is here. Metro Route 50 (map) includes stops in North Delridge, The Junction, and Admiral on its way to Alki – the Saturday schedule is here.
Thanks to Zack Malson for the photo from Sunday’s low tide. Today, hours before the official arrival of summer, low tide will be even lower, so we begin our calendar highlights on the beach:
LOW-LOW TIDE: The tide is out to -1.7 feet at 11:38 am today, so it’s a good day for a late morning/early afternoon beach walk. At Constellation and Lincoln Parks, Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be out 10 am-1:30 pm to answer questions – details here.
7-DAY-A-WEEK SCHEDULE STARTS @ COLMAN POOL: Today is the first non-holiday Monday of the year for Colman Pool, the outdoor saltwater pool on the shore at Lincoln Park, and it marks the start of daily operations through Labor Day. See the full schedule, and other information about the season (including swim-meet-closure dates), by going here.
TALK ABOUT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS/DUAL-LANGUAGE IMMERSION: 6 pm at Concord International in South Park, you’re invited to a community meeting to talk about Seattle Public Schools‘ international-education/dual-language-immersion programs – details in our calendar listing. (723 S. Concord)
TINKERLAB DROP-IN: 6-7:30 pm at Delridge Library, all-ages drop-in for STEM-based crafts/activities. Tonight’s theme is “Chain Reaction.” (5423 Delridge Way SW)
QUIZ/TRIVIA NIGHT: Three venues have Monday night quizzes/trivia on our calendar – 7:30 pm at The Skylark in North Delridge, 7:30 pm at Christo’s on Alki, 8 pm at Shadowland in The Junction.
LIVE JAZZ: The Triangular Jazztet performs at 8 pm at Parliament Tavern. No cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SOLSTICE SUNSET WATCH: Tonight’s forecast has clouded up a bit since last we looked, but you never know when the sun might make an appearance after all, so plan to join Alice Enevoldsen at 8:45 pm at Solstice Park to mark the official changing of the seasons (the solstice moment is 3:34 pm our time, but Alice’s sunset watches are always for the sunset closest to the solstice/equinox). More info on her Alice’s Astro Info website. (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE … via our complete calendar.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:39 AM: Good morning. No incidents reported currently in/from West Seattle. One challenge this morning: The Seattle Fire real-time 911 log page is down, so tips are more important than ever today if you see something that’s likely going to affect how people are getting around – if you can call or text as a passenger, or once you get to where you’re going, our 24/7 hotline is 206-293-6302.
Meantime, the Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-safety work continues on the west end of the West Seattle Bridge, so it will be closed again tonight 9 pm-5 am.
7:12 AM: This just came in from Metro via text and tweet; though it’s half an hour after the reported missed trip, we’re noting it for the record:
Transit Alert – Route 37 to downtown Seattle due to leave 35 Av SW & SW Oregon St at 6:46 AM will not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) June 20, 2016
8:19 AM: Still quiet. So we’ll take a moment to remind you that Seattle Public Schools are still in session this week – last day Friday. The district immediately south of here, Highline Public Schools, has been out since last Friday; most if not all independent schools have finished for the year, too.
Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos of the colors that blanketed the sky after tonight’s sunset! First, from Tim Courson @ Brace Point:
From James Bratsanos:
And from JayDee in Upper Alki:
Tomorrow’s sunset will be the first one of summer, and you can watch it from a prime viewing spot at Solstice Park during Alice Enevoldsen‘s 29th solstice/equinox sunset watch! Get there by 8:45 pm.
In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight, a painful reminder that even the trunk isn’t a safe place to leave valuables in your vehicle. Gabriel reports: “My wife’s car was broken into around 11 am at the larger Lincoln Park parking lot. They shattered the driver’s window and stole items from the trunk (purse, credit cards, etc.). There were a lot of people around, but if anyone saw anything, they ignored it. … Small black leather purse, small black wallet were taken. Credit cards and a birth certificate were the main items of value (out of town traveler) taken. Several charges in West Seattle (Big 5, gas station, Home Depot) were made before the theft was discovered.” Police have said that car prowlers in parking lots can move quickly and stealthily without others nearby realizing what’s going on.
P.S. Another reminder that your monthly chance to bring crime/safety concerns to local police is this Tuesday (June 21st), the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster). SPD’s chief operating officer Brian Maxey is the scheduled guest, focusing on SPD’s 911 system.
Last Thursday’s much-discussed Alki Community Council meeting wasn’t the only meeting of the week in which Seattle Police talked about traffic-safety concerns. A similar, albeit much shorter, conversation was part of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting one night earlier , last Wednesday @ Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Here are our toplines on that and what else came before the DNDC:
PUGET RIDGE SPEEDING AND OTHER SPD UPDATES: Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith had a followup on Puget Ridge’s speeding concerns, which were among the problems neighborhood reps brought up at last month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting. He said that motorcycle officers from the SPD Traffic Unit will be out for enforcement on Puget Ridge at random times during the summer.
In his crime-trend overview for eastern West Seattle, he told DNDC attendees that violent crime is down, and that car prowls remain the major area of concern, though “we’re starting to see a slight dip” in the numbers. Auto theft has increased in High Point, with five in the past month, but was down in the Westwood-Roxhill area, with three over the past month. An automated license-plate reader will be deployed to check more vehicles around all of West Seattle, he said.
MYERS WAY PARCELS: Instead of the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition, another advocacy group, TreePAC, was at the meeting to talk about the site, represented by Cass Turnbull. She recapped the site’s history (previously reported here) and the fact the city is now deciding what to do with it. (As reported here earlier that day, the city Finance and Administrative Service‘s preliminary recommendations have now been made public. Turnbull said she had not read it yet but had heard – as was our assessment – that it was largely the same as the draft recommendations unveiled last month.) She says the site could be many things – “but if they sell it, it can’t be anything but industry.” She would like to see it be an environmental learning center. “It’s a very degraded piece of property” – but, that said, it still has lots of potential, and is alive with even tiny wildlife like crickets. TreePAC’s position is to ask the city to simply not sell it.
DISTRICT COUNCILS’ FUTURE: The issue of the Department of Neighborhoods‘ response to last year’s City Council “statement of legislative intent” about possibly aligning neighborhood districts with council districts – among other things – came up again, with a recap of the recent Southwest District Council discussion (WSB coverage here). DNDC attendees were invited to talk about it. Michael Taylor-Judd from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council said he’s “angry” about how the DoN is rolling this out, acknowledging that yes, there is some truth to the concerns about the demographics of councils, but that they are trying to reach out further, and need the city’s help, not words of criticism, let alone suggestions that the councils will see some of their limited city resources removed. Christine Cole from the Greater Duwamish District Council was at the meeting – she had been at SWDC too – mentioning again that her DC and others in its area remain without a district coordinator.
Gunner Scott from the Highland Park Action Committee said he’s not in favor of the proposals (such as realigning neighborhood districts with City Council districts) right now. Pete Spalding from the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council said resources have been pulled away and have eroded over the past decade-plus, and now the councils are getting criticized for what resulted from those cuts and degradations. Nancy Folsom of NDNC said she supports the concept of finding different ways to reach different community members. District coordinator Kerry Wade said that in addition to working with the district councils, not only does the DoN want to get more people to the table, they want to reach people “who don’t even know the table exists.”
Scott suggested that meetings could be made friendlier for families – offer child care, perhaps – and for those who have transportation challenges – offer vouchers, maybe? Folsom suggested it’s not about reaching out and trying to pull people in as much as changing to be “more inviting” so that they will want to come in. Wade suggested that the kind of cultural-competency training that has been made available to city employees would be good to offer to neighborhood volunteers like council members/participants. Talk then turned to what to do next and how to discuss, and how to collaborate with the Southwest and Greater Duwamish councils on a meeting to talk with the city about what it wants to do and what the neighborhood reps want to do. They’re proposing possibly meeting jointly during the SWDC night the first Wednesday in July, and inviting a variety of people all the way up to the mayor.
Also noted at the DNDC meeting:
ROXHILL FIND IT FIX IT WALK: Still tentatively set for July 25th; Wade is helping organize it and hopes that people from all over eastern West Seattle will join in. 6:30 pm is the planned start time, start location TBA.
SEATTLE SUMMER PARKWAYS: Wade recapped the plans that are in the works for September 25th, which we’ve reported several times here. She added that neighborhood groups are invited to participate, free. Here’s how to sign up to be part of it.
Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meets 7 pm on third Wednesdays at Youngstown.
Back on Duwamish Alive! day in April, one of the events we covered was at the 23rd/Findlay site that the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association is turning into the Wetlands and Stewardship Project with the help of various partners. Among the beneficiaries and collaborators are local students, including those from the nearby Boren Building, where Arbor Heights Elementary is about to go into its final week. Teacher Angie Nall shared the photos and this report:
Wanted to send some pics along from a walking field trip my 5th grade students from Arbor Heights Elementary went on to Delridge Wetlands on Findlay St SW in West Seattle. The kids worked with folks from Delridge Neighborhood Association, Nature Consortium, and the City of Seattle.
The kids were the 3rd class to visit the site.
They engaged in hands-on science, taking measurements of the run and rise of the water’s path on the property that eventually runs into Longfellow Creek. The wetlands are being restored to help clean the runoff naturally before it enters Longfellow Creek.
Two 4th grade classes and one 5th grade class from K-STEM also worked on the project! We all are in the Louis Boren building on Delridge so the wetlands are a block away from the school- WHAT a cool opportunity for students and a benefit to the community!
DNDA welcomes help with the Wetlands and Stewardship Project – contact Willard Brown at willard@dnda.org if you’re interested in joining in.
Thanks to Chief Sealth International High School assistant principal Scott Reisinger for the photo and report:
Chief Sealth senior Matt Floberg, of the Tlingit Tribe, was honored at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center on June 14th.
Huchoosedah (Seattle Public Schools’ Native Education department) hosted a community supper and recognition for all Native students from SPS. All students were recognized; however, Matt was honored for his academics, athletics, and kind heart.
This year Matt designed and created a carving in the wood shop at Chief Sealth and surprised his Šǝqačib (a Native Leadership class) teacher with the gift. His generous act will serve as an example of a giving spirit to future students.
At the ceremony Matt was presented with a hand drum, a paddle necklace, and a blanket designed by Coast Salish artist Louie Gong.
Congratulations to Matt! You can see his carving here. He and his fellow CSIHS seniors will graduate at 5 pm Tuesday at Southwest Athletic Complex.
SIDE NOTE: Since the report mentioned wood shop, we asked assistant principal Reisinger about its status, following the budget struggles reported here three months ago. He replied, “Chief Sealth will be offering 2 wood shop classes for next year. Although the funding is not at 100% as we all hoped, we were fortunate to receive some additional funding towards the end of the budget process and are making every effort to keep the program going.”
Thanks to Chris Frankovich for sharing the photo from today’s low tide – -1.3 feet just after 11 am – in The Arroyos. With tomorrow’s full moon, the tide will be out even further the next four days (see the chart here) and Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be at Constellation and Lincoln Parks daily through Wednesday (see the dates/times here)
Good morning and happy Father’s Day! The photo above is from Claudia, who says the famous white geese of Lincoln Park are new parents of three fuzzy little ones. Meantime, if your Sunday is not already all planned out, some possibilities:
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Thanks to Mike for the tip on this – the final day of the West Seattle Summer Showdown high-school basketball tournament has games on two courts in the West Seattle High School gym all day long, starting at 9 am, last game scheduled at 5 pm. More than a dozen teams from around the region are participating, including WSHS and Seattle Lutheran. (3000 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, in The Junction. (California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)
GLASS BLOWING: Avalon GlassWorks invites you to stop in and watch and/or shop, 11 am-5 pm. (2914 SW Avalon Way)
COLMAN POOL: The full 7-day-a-week schedule starts tomorrow, but you can also swim today in the outdoor pool on Lincoln Park’s shore, with sessions scheduled between noon and 7 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
TOUR ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: 1 pm-4 pm – be there by 3:40 to be on the final tour. (Alki Avenue SW/Beach Drive SW)
BLUEGRASS & OLDTIMEY TUNES … with Jamtime at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 1-4 pm. (5612 California SW)
SOUTHWEST STORIES: As previewed here yesterday, you’re invited to hear Ron Tjerandsen tell “An Immigrant Family’s Story,” 2-4 pm, part of the SouthWest Stories series presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society and Seattle Public Library, at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)
SOLSTICE, FATHER’S DAY, & JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL: The Dragon Egg Inn is presenting a one-of-a-kind festival at Lincoln Park this afternoon/evening, 2-11 pm, starting with an update on the Duwamish Tribe‘s fight for recognition, continuing through an Afro Dance Party and Laser Frisbee until 11. Full schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
MUSIC FOR A SUMMER EVENING: South Seattle College Community Choir‘s free concert, 7 pm, Olympic Hall on the south end of campus. Includes a singalong! (6000 16th SW)
PIANO, JAZZ, POP STANDARDS … live, no cover, at Parliament Tavern, 8 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
EVEN MORE … can be found on our complete calendar.
TRAFFIC P.S. Yes, the west end of the bridge is scheduled to close tonight (and Monday-Thursday nights) for Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-safety work, 9 pm-5 am.
(WSB photo from Summer Solstice Sunset Watch 2014)
Will the sun be out at sunset Monday night, so you can see what the people in our photo saw two years ago – the sun aligning with the solstice path/marker at West Seattle’s Solstice Park? Alice Enevoldsen invites you to come find out firsthand. She’s published her official Summer Solstice Sunset Watch invitation; be there at 8:45 pm, to see the sun slip behind the Olympics about 15 minutes after that. The Solstice moment is actually 5+ hours earlier – 3:34 pm – but Alice’s quarterly season-change sunset watches are usually set for the sunset closest to the solstice/equinox, and that means, in this case, Monday night. All ages welcome; dogs too, if leashed. Not familiar with Solstice Park? Read about it on Alice’s website.
P.S. Alice says this will be her 29th solstice/equinox sunset watch. (First one we covered was the autumn equinox watch in 2009.)
Five West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
TONIGHT – RING GONE AFTER SOLICITOR LEAVES: Danielle believes her engagement ring, left on the shelf in her bathroom, was stolen by a solicitor a little over an hour ago in the Fairmount neighborhood, near 38th and Raymond. “Around 7 pm a young black male wearing a bow tie and feminine backpack came to the door to sell magazines. My fiancé naïvely let him in to use the bathroom while he wrote a $25 check. I now realize my engagement ring that I had taken off to garden and left on the bathroom shelf is missing. Please keep an eye out for this person and do not give him any money. Please call the police immediately.” We asked for further descriptive information before publishing this and she replied:
Height: probably 5’10”
Clothes: button-up shirt (white) with a bow tie with a sweatshirt on top. He was wearing a backpack that reminded me of one I’d seen at Forever 21 in the women’s section (might have been floral). May have been wearing a hat but we can’t remember so we can’t really remember what his hair looks like. Definitely black hair though.
Side note – we’ve had a few questions about door-to-door sellers in general recently. The second half of this SPD Crime Prevention newsletter from 2013 recaps the rules, as well as police’s advice.
WHEEL STOLEN: From Michael in Seaview:
We live at 46th Ave SW and Findlay. Thieves stole one wheel this morning off our car, and almost had a second (picture attached).
Removed the lug nuts from both and from all appearances the front one fell back to rest on the loose wheel since the jack was not set up well. From talking with the neighbors across the street it sounds like it happened around 10:30 this morning. Usually we have a fair amount of traffic and it sounds like people might have mistaken it for us working on the car.
HIT AND RUN: From Brad:
This morning at 1:10 am, my Jeep was hit and run by a yellow / light color medium sized pickup. This pickup truck was drifting up the corner of Spokane Street and then the corner of 58th and Hillcrest when the impact occurred. They fled the scene up Hillcrest, which turns into Charlestown.
This yellowish pickup will have front damage and a headlight out. In the broken glass debris is a ‘Made in the USA’ stamp. So, either the vehicle was made in the USA, or the headlight was. If anyone sees this damaged vehicle, please notify police (and refer to) incident # 16-216446.
3 CAR PROWLS, 2 REPORTS: Meghan reports two on Thursday in the 2100 block of Fairmount Avenue: “Luckily, there was nothing of great value in either vehicle; however, they did rifle through personal items (mail, address books, etc).” And Kristiana reported on Friday: “Reporting our second car break in 6 months. Nothing valuable to take in our car but they tossed the contents all over our seats and made off with a phone cord. Sigh. … We’re at Spokane and 48th. Car was parked on street in front of house.”
REMINDER: If you have neighborhood crime concerns to bring to police, next Tuesday (June 21st) is the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), with guest SPD Chief Operating Officer Brian Maxey, focusing on questions and concerns about the 911 system.
That’s Ron Tjerandsen, and tomorrow he’ll tell “An Immigrant Family’s Story” as the next installment in the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s “SouthWest Stories” series, 2 pm Sunday at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. Free, but get there early to ensure a seat!
(See the festival schedule here)
Endolyne Children's Choir onstage now at Morgan Junction Community Festival pic.twitter.com/jN37tEDtkO
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 18, 2016
11:17 AM: We’re seeing breaks in the clouds here – even a bit of sun! – in the second hour of today’s Morgan Junction Community Festival. Above, the Endolyne Children’s Choir is performing in the park right now; at 11:30 am, it’s the legendary Bubbleman, who has arrived and is getting ready for his show.
The festival layout is a little different this year – it’s all on the west side of California, as this map shows:
North to south, it stretches from SW Eddy north of Morgan Junction Park and south of the former commercial building that will soon be demolished to expand the park … to the park itself … to the food zone in the lot on the north side of Beveridge Place Pub … to the rows of vendors and nonprofits north of and behind the Zeeks Pizza (WSB sponsor)/Whisky West building, including the Authors Realm:
The north side is where you’ll find the plant exchange right next to Second Gear Sports (WSB sponsor):
11:37 AM: The Seattle Police Mobile Precinct is here right now, parked on California, behind the purple van driven by Bubbleman
He’s just started his performance in the park. Here’s a bit of video:
Bubbleman in action at Morgan Community Festival! pic.twitter.com/9suwXpM1Sx
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 18, 2016
And if you’re feeling like it’s lunchtime, along with the festival food zone and the Morgan Junction restaurants, you also have the option of wandering over to West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor):
Today’s burger barbecue goes to the fund that keeps this festival – presented by the all-volunteer Morgan Community Association – free!
12:09 PM: Hour three already! If you share your life with one or more dogs, you want to get here for the Bark of Morgan at 1:30 pm – parading around the festival grounds, and then contests here on the north side. But that aside, the festival is about people. The three-dozen plus vendors and nonprofits here include local independent businesspeople, like Anne Higuera of Ventana Construction and Parie Hines of LD Arch Design:
They are in a booth behind Zeeks/WW, ready to talk with you about construction and design of home projects including backyard cottages. (Both are WSB sponsors.) Then if you check out the row of booths here on SW Eddy north of the park, where we are, the people you can meet include Clay Eals of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. You can congratulate him for just being announced as recipient of the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community! Also here in the north row – east of the Kids’ Activities zone – are Seal Sitters, West Seattle Timebank, West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, and the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs.
Plus – just arrived, you can meet the firefighters of Seattle Fire Department Engine 37 (headquartered in Sunrise Heights):
12:21 PM: Bubbleman just wrapped up, and live music resumes in the park, with jazz by West Seattle’s own family act The Ellis Brothers:
Then, just after 1 pm, it’ll be Comfort Food!
1:34 PM: And that’s who’s onstage now, sounding great. The weather has progressed to partly sunny. Thanks to all the folks who’ve come to the festival already – and to those who have stopped by to say hi. Be sure you make it all the way through the festival grounds to see the local businesses and groups that are behind Zeeks/Whisky West (which opens at 3, per a sign on its door), too! Meantime, the Bark of Morgan dog parade is about to pass our booth … en route to the contest zone by the ex-Short Stop:
The mellow sounds of Comfort Food continue.
At 2 pm, the musicians and dancers of the Tongan Choir will perform in the park – an annual tradition. (photo added)
And then at 3 – ever painted a building during a festival?
Between 3 and 4, be at the ex-Short Stop to take your turn “spattering” it with (water-based) paint. It’s due for demolition soon but festival organizers thought this might be a fun way to bid it farewell.
2:50 PM: Haven’t been here yet? Perfect time. Come down, get ice cream from Sweet Bumpas in the food zone, no line for face-painting. The Mobile Precinct and Engine 37 have departed but the SPD Mounted Patrol is reported to be on the way, and the “Spatter” is just about to get going. Two more musical performances, too – Broken Horses at 3, Gary Benson at 4.
3 PM: And here they are:
More to come … the festival’s on until 5.\\
4 PM: Shortly after that photo, the rain returned, briefly, and the Mounted Patrol took refuge under an overhang:
But now – sunshine!
The kids’ activities zone in that photo, however, is closing up. Other vendors and nonprofits are here, and we’ll be here until the final moments. A few more scenes:
That’s Jennifer Young from My Three Little Birds (WSB sponsor), the kids’ resale shop in south Morgan Junction, and her family. Hers is one of the dozens of businesses (including ours) that sponsored today’s festival – the kids’ zone, in this case, which was very popular, with lines almost every time we looked over!
Also done for the day – the “Spatter of Morgan” paint-splashing on the soon-to-be-torn-down Short Stop building:
4:43 PM: Festival is in its final moments. Accompanying the winding-down vibe, mellow acoustic rock by Gary Benson:
Gary Benson, musical finale at Morgan Junction Community Festival. Classic '60s-'70s tunes. pic.twitter.com/EyRMUGeRqO
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 18, 2016
Congratulations to the Morgan Community Association for another fun festival – a heroic task for an all-volunteer community council to make happen. MoCA meets quarterly – you’re invited to the next meeting, 7 pm July 20th at The Kenney (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW).
Happy 16th birthday to the namesake of Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor)! During today’s Westwood Village Street Fair (11 am-5 pm), Wyatt Keppler (2nd from left in our photo, with parents Kirk and Joni and sibling Ryan) is selling popcorn at his family’s shop (along the center drive, north of Barnes & Noble) to raise money for the White Center Food Bank.
9:02 AM: We hadn’t mentioned this yet because it looked for a while like the problems had been solved, but now Washington State Ferries has announced more cancellations on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run – on a day when traffic was already expected to be heavy, not just for usual weekend increases, but because it’s graduation day at Vashon Island High School. WSF cited shorthandedness as the reason for cancelling runs from Vashon and Fauntleroy last hour; check here for the latest.
10:10 AM: As noted in comments, looks like the route is back to the usual capacity now, but even before this, WSF was advising early arrivals today.
Because of this morning’s breaking news and transportation alerts, as well as our preparation to report live from the Morgan Junction Community Festival, no calendar-highlight list today – but everything (as always) is already on our calendar, which you can browse here – open any listing by clicking the plus sign, and then click the “read more” button to see the full listing, including a map. Thanks!
(WSB photo)
7:39 AM: Second big fire callout of the morning – this time, at what Seattle Fire says is a vacant house in the 9400 block of Olson Place SW [map], extinguished quickly. We’re en route to find out more.
8:13 AM: SFD has closed out this call but we talked to them before they left. The house is being remodeled. The fire damage isn’t visible from outside and was limited to some cabinetry, apparently ignited by combustible materials.
5:27 AM: Reminder – northbound Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct is now closed from here to the Battery Street Tunnel for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon/Half Marathon. The official alert notes that the event could last as long as 3 pm, but the marathon’s own road-closure grid page says the 99 closure could end by late morning, so we’ll keep an eye on advisories and webcams like the one above (you can also use the city’s Travelers Information Map to check live video of the course on the Viaduct at Western – use the “downtown” section of the video camera list on the lower right area of the map page).
10:17 AM: Highway 99/AWV is open again – as verified by the aforementioned cameras. Other marathon-related road closures might still be in effect – see the “grid page” link above for potentially affected areas.
5:14 AM: Thanks for the tips and photo from the overnight fire callout in Riverview. Firefighters are reported to have extinguished a fire in the women’s restroom at Riverview Playfield in the 7300 block of 12th SW, first reported after 2 am. We’ll be following up with SFD and Parks later this morning.
8:48 AM: No one from Parks was around when we went to the scene to follow up a short time ago, but our photo, above, shows some of the damage, and that this building includes storage; the entire building is taped off.
Just out of the WSB inbox:
I wanted to report something that happened to me Friday night as I was walking on Myrtle by the playfield at 31st. It was around 11 pm and I was walking alone west on Myrtle. A red SUV (Mazda, I think) drove up 31st to Myrtle and idled at the intersection. Two young men, late teens or early 20s, slight build) got out and walked across the street and came quickly up behind me. I turned to face them and the one closest to me punched me in the face and told me to hand over my money. I fell back on the lawn of the house I was in front of and kicked out at him, screaming, “I don’t have any money, get the f— out of here! I’m calling the cops.” The two guys ran back to the car and then peeled out and turned the corner to drive south on 32nd. Although the lights were on in most of the houses and a dog started up barking, nobody came out of their house to help me. I called the police and they took down my account and escorted me home.
We asked the victim, who didn’t want to be identified, if she is physically OK; she replied, “Face hurts but he got me in the back of my jaw near my ear, so no teeth loose or anything.”
The incident number for the attack, categorized as strong-arm robbery, is in this tweet, if you have any information for police.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
About an hour before sunset at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza tonight, West Seattleite Samuella Samaniego reverently removed the Orlando sympathy sash and banner she had placed on the statue five days earlier.
With Kevin J. Auld piping (hear him in this video clip), it became a simple, solemn ceremony.
Hundreds signed what became a two-piece banner after its earlier removal and return; Sam says she will be sending the messages off to Orlando, where six days now have passed since 49 people were killed.
Thanks to the anonymous reader who texted that photo, taken from Cormorant Cove at sunset. We got a closer look in the next photo e-mailed by Chris Frankovich:
Bonus pre-sunset view – Paul Panzl shared this scene from Genesee Hill a few hours earlier:
Thanks as always to everyone sharing photos – from beauty to breaking news and beyond – editor@westseattleblog.com or, text 206-293-6302.
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