West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
(US Navy photo of USS Constellation decommissioning ceremony, 8/7/2003)
Thanks to JanS for spotting an update this weekend on the expected departure date for the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Constellation: The Kitsap Sun reports it now looks like Thursday, postponed from last Thursday, which in turn was later than a previously announced date. The KS story says this will be the biggest shipbreaking job ever for a yard in Brownsville, Texas, to which a tug from Seattle’s Foss Maritime will tow the “Connie” via a route all the way around the southernmost tip of South America, since it’s too big to fit through the Panama Canal. We’re watching this because it will be visible from West Seattle once it leaves Rich Passage and heads north into the open Sound. It’s been mothballed in Bremerton for more than a decade.
P.S. We found this webpage dedicated to “the Constellation’s final journey,” which in turn points to this San Diego report from last year with memories of Constellation veterans. And something else we discovered while researching to add to this – Thursday will be the 11th anniversary of the carrier’s decommissioning ceremony in San Diego.
TUESDAY NOTE: Kitsap Sun now reports it’s pushed back to a 5 pm departure Friday.
(Barred owl, photographed by Mary Metz at Camp Long on Saturday night)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and beyond:
BLUE ANGELS AND SEAFAIR: Please see our preview published overnight. If you’re going to watch the hydros, note that one of the first round of winners spent time in West Seattle recently:
Listening to Channel 7 coverage this morning with awards from Saturday racing, we heard that a heat was won by the Les Schwab Tires/Red Dot hydro on display in The Triangle this week – at which time Stephanie Halcomb brought over her charges from Bright Horizons for the photo above. (And don’t forget, I-90 across the lake is closed one more time, 12:15-2:40 pm.)
BENEFIT BAKE SALE: Two local students are raising money for the Humane Society and the animals it cares for; read about them here. 10 am-3 pm. (36th/Dakota)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, and market management says via Facebook that some vendors are having “sales” today. (44th/Alaska)
LIVE MUSIC IN THE AFTERNOON: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), Keith Cook plays. (5612 California SW)
FIRST-QUARTER MOON: At and before dusk, that’s tonight’s skygazing highlight, from the latest edition of Skies Over West Seattle.
OPEN-MICROPHONE JAM: Every Sunday night in August at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), hosted by Lynn Sorensen – just show up with your voice and/or instrument – details in our calendar listing.
We’ve had several reports of what sounded like rapid gunfire in the past half-hour somewhere near High Point/Sunrise Heights/Gatewood. Police had been investigating for a while before one officer finally reported (as monitored via scanner) finding a shell casing. This was after a dispatch to go check out an alley off the 7300 block of 35th SW, but we don’t know for sure if that’s where it turned up. No reports of anyone having been hit/hurt, so far.
While the Blue Angels‘ Seafair show – performed one final time today – is staged for viewers in the main festival zone on Lake Washington, you don’t have to go that far to catch glimpses and flybys during the show. On Saturday, JayDee photographed the majestic view above from the same place he caught this one:
Yes, those are the 4th Avenue South Costco gas pumps. The “warehouse” parking lot is a decent viewing zone. Of course, Costco is right in the Boeing Field approach. On the west side of BFI’s runway, you’ll get this view as they take off – quick clip courtesy of Lise Thivierge:
And this view as they land (our short iPhone Instagram clip)
Watching from Boeing Field (parking lot on the west side of the runway, just north of the tower) on Saturday afternoon, we noticed more aircraft than years past, in part at least because of Marine Week. The Blue Angels take off at about 1:30 pm; they’re preceded and followed by other aerial acts – listed here – and if you do watch from Boeing Field, facing east, where you can see many of their maneuvers, especially the really high ones, you can follow along with the kirotv.com live stream via your smartphone (though we noticed a significant delay – seemed like at least 10 seconds, which in TV time is forever). Seafair-wise, today is also the final day for ship tours – schedules/locations here.
P.S. Remember the airshow brings one last I-90 closure – 12:15 pm to 2:40 pm.
Thanks for the sunset photos, concluding a day that started with a “sun-derstorm”! Top, from Greg; next, from David Schneider.
More in the works.
ADDED 11:07 PM: From Kevin Callahan:
(Those are the “crepuscular rays.”) From “Seattletimebandit,” who noted, “Wires or not, still spectacular”:
And from Michelle Riggen-Ransom, a wider view with the aforementioned crepuscular rays:
Thanks again!
After great community support for their first benefit bake sale last year, these two local girls are doing it again tomorrow and hope you’ll stop by. We received this announcement with the photo:
Gwen and Muriel, Schmitz Park 5th graders, are putting their love for animals to work again through their second annual Humane Society bake sale! Delicious cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and more! They’ll be back at the corner of 36th and Dakota this Sunday, August 3rd, from 10-3. The girls are also sponsoring a barrel from the Humane Society to collect cat or dog food (wet or dry), animal toys, or new scratching posts. Cash and check donations are very welcome; all proceeds go to Seattle Humane Society.
One week from today (on August 9th), it’s West Seattle’s next big summer festival – Delridge Day, in the park next to Delridge Community Center (Delridge/Genesee). Here’s the schedule for the day, just made public by organizers:
And remember the free outdoor screening of “The Lego Movie” in the park the night before (9 pm Friday, August 8th) – here’s our preview of that.
Clark Gilbert, a local runner and coach, has headed east to be part of a coast-to-coast relay raising money to fight MS. He left Friday for Brooksville, Pennsylvania, where he will start running the 17th segment of the annual MS Run the US Relay. He shared this info:
This relay started in April from LA with 17 different runners running various segments across the United States to finish in New York City. Each runner basically runs a marathon (26.2 miles) per day for 5 to 7 days as part of their segment. The Relay is a 3,000-mile relay run across America to help raise awareness and funds to help CURE multiple sclerosis (MS).
After finishing the 17th Segment, from Brooksville, PA to Sunbury, PA, Clark will continue running the Relay route along with Segment 18 runner, Valerie Olberding (from Bozeman, MT), to Fort Lee, NJ. At Fort Lee, they will be joined with other relay runners and supporters for the final 14-mile leg into New York City on August 16. August will be the final event, ending this year’s Relay.
In 2013 (photo at left), Clark ran two segments, #6 from Vernal, UT and then 18 from Mahoney City, PA, to New York City. Clark and his wife Shelly live and run in West Seattle. Besides running, Clark works at West Seattle Runner and is a running coach working with P3|Running. For information on donating, please visit: coachclarkruns.com/ms-run-the-us-relay.html
10:50 AM: 35th northbound is blocked at SW Trenton right now because of a collision; scanner indicates it involves a car and motorcycle. Details as we get them.
11:12 AM: One person was taken to the hospital via medic unit, which was just leaving as we got to the scene. One lane of traffic was moving in each direction.
11:17 AM: And now they’re fully opening northbound. We don’t have any info on the condition of the person who was hurt, but the fact that traffic is reopening suggests it wasn’t life-threatening, or else they would be calling out the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad.
(Photo by Tiffani Rivera, taken from the Water Taxi on Friday)
After a startling start to the morning, with what you could call “sun-dershowers,” the weather is supposed to make way eventually for a sunny, warm afternoon. First, the Seafair info:
SEAFAIR, INCLUDING BLUE ANGELS AND SHIP TOURS: The Blue Angels are expected to fly around 1:30 pm (could be earlier, though, the airshow times are approximate), with the I-90 closure scheduled for 12:15 pm-2:40 pm. If you are planning to watch their takeoff/landing from the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, which has other special activities scheduled too as part of its “Need for Speed” festival, note that its adjacent parking lot is closed today and tomorrow – this page on the MoF site has parking info. Interested in touring the ships seen in the “parade” back on Wednesday? Here’s that info.
Also from the calendar:
RIPS BREWERS YOUTH BASEBALL RECRUITING SHOWCASES: All day today and tomorrow, and again next weekend, at Southwest Athletic Complex – see the flyer for age breakout; open to players 10u through 18u. (2801 SW Thistle)
BALLOT DROPOFF VAN: Voted yet? It’s not just a sleepy primary – Proposition 1, asking if you want to create a permanent Park District for extra Seattle Parks funding, is a major issue. Tuesday is the deadline to get your ballots in; there are dropoff vans at West Seattle Stadium and in Greenbridge 10 am-5 pm today, as well as 24-hour dropboxes elsewhere in the county – see the list here.
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION: 11 am-1 pm at the Log House Museum, it’s your next chance to find out about volunteering with the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which appreciates help in a wide variety of specialties – read about it here. (61st/Stevens)
WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: The SW Seattle Historical Society is involved with this too! They’re tonight’s spotlight sponsor for “Sleepless in Seattle.” Movie’s free. We hear Quadrato is bringing pizza. Gates open 6:30 pm – bring your own chair/blanket to stake out early (there’s preshow music, too) and money for nonprofit-benefiting raffles/concessions – also for West Seattle Bridge 30th anniversary T-shirts and commemorative coffee, as SWSHS’s bridge-i-versary celebration concludes. Show starts at dusk, 9-ish depending on how clear the sky is by then. Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard. (4410 California SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Alan Ehrlich performs, 7 pm. (5612 California SW)
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: “Othello,” presented by GreenStage, free! At Camp Long, 7 pm. (5200 35th SW)
WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: “The Economics of Happiness” screens at 7 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center – details here. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE CASK: Jude performs, 9 pm. (2350 California SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT POGGIE TAVERN: Pick a song from the hat as Mad Hatterz perform, 9 pm. (4717 California SW)
AND MORE … on our calendar.
8:02 AM: If you didn’t hear the thunder just now – forecasters are warning that despite the sunshine, a thunderstorm is about to move through, bringing heavy rain. Past that, though, the forecast says sunny and 80s for the afternoon.
8:15 AM: It’s been raining for going on 10 minutes now. Still partly sunny out there, and more thunder in the distance. (added) Commenter DTK offers the real-time radar link.
9:11 AM: More thunder – so it’s not over yet (as the radar suggested) …
Make it a historic Saturday:
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION: 11 am-1 pm tomorrow (Saturday, August 2nd) at the Log House Museum, it’s the next orientation for prospective Southwest Seattle Historical Society volunteers. No, you don’t have to know all about WS history to help – learn some along the way, and put a variety of skills into action. Read about it here, then show up at the LHM, 61st/Stevens.
WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: SWSHS is sponsoring tomorrow night’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation of “Sleepless in Seattle,” which you probably know includes a famous – and contextually infamous – West Seattle scene. It’s also a wrapup event for this summer’s celebration of the West Seattle Bridge’s 30th anniversary; Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), adjacent to the WSOM screen/courtyard, still has anniversary T-shirts and commemorative coffee on sale. Gate opens 6:30 pm, movie at dusk (9-ish), free but bring $ for benefit raffle tickets/concessions.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The state Department of Early Learning (DEL) has temporarily suspended the license of a West Seattle in-home day care after the death of a baby this week.
We have been looking into this since a reader asked about a major medical response at a home in Westwood at midday this past Monday; later, two other readers e-mailed to ask about rumors they had heard of a death at a local day care. This afternoon, we confirmed with three local and state agencies that an investigation is under way.
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The trees in the planting strip along Fauntleroy Way by Fairmount Playfield have caused some trouble in recent years – we can think of at least two cases of branches falling on the sidewalk/cars, like this one last September.
Still, some were concerned to see that all but a few have been removed this week. It’s partly related to the impending reopening of Fairmount Park Elementary, according to the response we received from Seattle Parks, and partly in advance of an impending sidewalk project:
The trees were removed for hazard. The species and growth of the tree (have) made them unreliable. They were pruned to mitigate hazards and slated for removal as part of the sidewalk replacement program in 2015 in cooperation with SDOT. We are removing the current trees to assure that the new grade-school-bus loading zone is safe this year. A plan is in development to replace similar-size trees in a manner that will not disrupt the new sidewalk.
Two trees had been taken down previously. Parks also recently put in a path along the south side of the park, leading from the sidewalk to the school.
… it MIGHT be the real-estate site Zillow. We got a note from Michael in Gatewood this afternoon, saying someone suspicious was taking photos of houses along his street. A neighbor, he told us, asked the person what they were doing; they said they were with Zillow. After we tried contacting the company via Twitter just to ask, they called us to confirm yes, it’s a project they’re working on, to “improve the images on (their website)” comparable to what you might see on Google Street View. However, the spokesperson assured us, they aren’t taking photos with people in them, and if you tell the photographer not to take a picture of your house, they’ll honor the request. Just thought we’d share what we found out.
Thanks to Doug B. for the video of the Blue Angels‘ takeoff from Boeing Field this afternoon. Their practice performance – in advance of this weekend’s Seafair airshows – is over as of just before 2:30 pm. That means Sea-Tac Airport jet routing is back to normal, too. If you were outdoors during the practice, you might have seen/heard a Blue Angel or two – Fox saw the diamond formation in the distance from Hiawatha and sent this photo:
I-90 will be closed 12:15-2:40 pm each of the next two days – the Blue Angels’ show will be during that window, likely the back hour, but it could start sooner.
ADDED 3:55 PM: Two more views from today!
Thanks to Jim Clark for the photo above, and Chris Clark for the photo below.
Thanks to all!
Just announced by ArtsWest: A new artistic director, Mathew Wright (AW-provided photo at right). According to the news release – which you can read in full here – “Mathew is familiar to ArtsWest’s audiences as both the Director of ‘Little Women’ and the Music Director of ‘HAIR,’ two of the most loved and successful shows of the 2013-2014 season. … Mathew will begin his tenure at ArtsWest on September 1, following the departure of Annie Lareau, ArtsWest’s Interim Artistic Director. ” Wright has been working full time as education-programs coordinator at The 5th Avenue Theatre downtown. He’s joining ArtsWest one year after the departure of Christopher Zinovitch, whose thirteen years with the organization concluded with two as its artistic director.
One more note from last night’s meeting about SW Roxbury – a stack of cards casually announced the launch date for the other major “road-safety corridor project” in the works: 35th SW. You have almost three months’ warning for this one – 6:30 pm October 22nd at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center. Meantime, browse the background links on the left side of the project page.
Denise Bradshaw shared that sunrise photo, as seen earlier this week from Seacrest, where the sun was right behind Seattle’s tallest building. Now, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, what’s up for the rest of the day/night:
SEAFAIR NOTES: The ships that sailed by on Wednesday are open for tours again today – see the schedule here. Then, of course, as mentioned again in today’s traffic watch, the Blue Angels go up for their “practice” performance, closing the I-90 bridge 12:15-2:40 pm.
(Blue Angels at Boeing Field – photo by Frank Smith)
As mentioned here more than once over the years, you can watch their takeoff from Boeing Field following the ceremonial “walkdown” just south of the Museum of Flight.
And here on the peninsula:
PENCIL ME IN FOR KIDS DONATION DRIVE: Rotary Club of West Seattle volunteers are back at QFC in The Junction today, 3-6 pm, collecting school supplies for kids whose families can’t afford them – details in our calendar listing. (42nd/Alaska)
FRIDAY FARMSTAND: Delridge Grocery‘s third weekly farmstand is happening 4:30-7:30 pm today (here’s our coverage of the launch two weeks ago). (5435 Delridge Way SW)
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: Dan Raley is the featured author at tonight’s edition of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented first-Friday series at Barnes and Noble/Westwood Village. He’ll talk about his books ‘The Brandon Roy Story,’ ‘Pitchers of Beer,’ and ‘Tideflats to Tomorrow.’ 5-7 pm. (2600 SW Barton)
OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES AT THE MOUNT: First of four Friday night concerts at Providence Mount St. Vincent, outdoors and free, with dinner/drinks available for purchase starting at 5:30 pm, show at 6. Tonight, it’s Danny Vernon‘s acclaimed tribute to Elvis Presley. (4831 35th SW)
TANGO DANCING ON ALKI: 5:30 pm lessons, floor open starting at 6:15, wristband required, as explained in the calendar listing.
CORNER BAR: The pop-up monthly bar/lounge/entertainment event at Highland Park Improvement Club is tonight, doors open at 6, music with The Backporch Apostles at 7, details in our calendar listing. (12th/Holden)
‘LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST’: Free outdoor Shakespeare in West Seattle again tonight, 7 pm at Camp Long, courtesy of GreenStage. (5200 35th SW)
‘CHASING ICE’: Documentary about the vanishing ice sheet, screened at Admiral Congregational Church at 7 pm, plus discussion – details in our calendar listing. (California/Hill)
‘FROZEN’ FRIDAY AT B&N: 7 pm, a celebration of the movie “Frozen,” with, according to Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village, “a singalong, reading stories, and doing some super fun (and edible!) crafts. C’mon in, dress up (if you want to), and sing ‘Let It Go’ as loud as you can!” (2600 SW Barton)
EVEN MORE LIVE MUSIC: Dave Holo Trio at Salty’s (5 pm), “Bobcat Bob” at C & P Coffee (7 pm), Scott MK Turner at The Cask (9 pm), The Take Downs (formerly the Flat 5, 9:30 pm) at Feedback Lounge – all four of those venues, WSB sponsors – plus The Benbow Room and Skylark Café and Club – you’ll find all those listings by going to our calendar.
AND THAT’S STILL NOT ALL … see other listings on the WSB calendar.
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy Friday! We’re keeping watch on the commute as usual. It’s Seafair Friday, with the Blue Angels‘ practice show leading to an I-90 closure 12:15-2:40 pm (same times both days this weekend). Lots of other events around the city through Sunday, and this city-provided roundup covers them. One bit of transportation news, if you missed it last night:
ROXBURY RECHANNELIZATION? SDOT unveiled its proposals for SW Roxbury safety improvements, and the biggest (but far from only) one would narrow part of it to one lane each way plus a turn lane and shoulders. Here’s our full report; another info meeting is in Greenbridge at 6 pm Monday night.
The latest tale of West Seattle kids’ summer creativity is courtesy of Meighan. When she e-mailed to let us know about this, we were in the middle of covering breaking news – but we suggested perhaps a wrap-up report could be made available later. She obliged:
Who doesn’t like a tall glass of lemonade on a hot day? Combine that with a Unicorn and what could be better?
Four budding, local entrepreneurs, Brendan, Cashen, Catie, and Sabin, hit the streets Thursday at the corner of Stevens and 45th to realize their vision of the next generation of lemonade stands. The Mini Mart. The Candy Unicorn Mini Mart, no less.
They strategized about the venture for days. They took out a small business loan from Brendan and Catie’s nanny for $11, and convinced her to take them to the local Safeway to procure materials.
They scoped out a location a few block from both of their houses. They meticulously planned each detail. Pricing, signage, and unique combo meals of pretzels, cookies and lemonade. The night before the opening, they confided to their parents, that if all went as planned they would end up on the West Seattle Blog. These kids dream big.
They opened up shop and thirsty west-siders flocked to the stand, many of which were on the way to the hot Caspar Babypants concert at Hiawatha. Their hard work paid off with a 10x return on investment.
When we asked the young entrepreneurs about whether this was a one-time gig, they responded, “No, definitely not, we will open shop again on random days, at random times at the same location.” So keep a look out for the Candy Unicorn Mini Mart.
Moral of the story? A lemonade stand is never “just” a lemonade stand.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Rechannelization (aka a “road diet”) for the mile of SW Roxbury between 17th and 35th SW (map) is a big part of what SDOT is proposing to do, to fix what it acknowledges are “horrible” conditions for everyone from drivers to pedestrians:
Other proposals and plans for the road, between Olson and 35th, have just been revealed too – a mix of paving, painting, signage, and signals.
It was all unveiled by SDOT’s neighborhood traffic liaison Jim Curtin (who also happens to live in the area) in a meeting tonight at Southwest Library, with more than 20 neighbors in attendance, including leaders of neighborhood groups that campaigned for the city to finally get something done. (See the full slide deck here.)
As Curtin prefaced, SW Roxbury from Olson to 35th is a very busy road, a “principal arterial,” with 13,000 cars a day on average at 35th, almost twice that (25,000) at Olson Place SW. Speed studies show that most drivers are going at least five mph over the speed limit, Curtin said, adding that alongside Roxhill Elementary, 85 percent of vehicles are going more than 11 mph over the 30 mph limit, and, as he pointed out, speed is the number one factor in crashes – of which there have been 223 in the past three years, with 112 people hurt. The eastern section is more crash-prone than the western section. 11 crashes involved vehicles and pedestrians; two involved vehicles and bicycles.
Long-term proposals unveiled, under design right now into early 2015, with the “final determination” to be made before year’s end, and work to be done next year:
They’ll look at the corridor in three sections, he said, western, then White Center, then eastern. For the western segment, the most dramatic proposal:
*Rechannelization between 17th SW and 35th SW, one lane each way, middle lane for turns, shared bus lane with a potential new bus-layover zone near Roxhill Elementary, signage improvements, spot pavement repairs, but no “bike facilities” yet. He says that stats show that rechannelization works well on streets carrying fewer than 25,000 vehicles per day – and as noted above, that defines this stretch (16,000 at the most along the rechannelization-proposed segment). As if on cue, an attendee said, “This is the same thing that was successful on Fauntleroy, right?” and Curtin had a slide ready for that:
It showed 31 percent fewer collisions on Fauntleroy Way after that change five years ago, while it carries a bit more than the 17,600 vehicles a day that it did before the rechannelization. Travel times are unchanged, from four more seconds to 1.2 minutes; “top-end speeders” are down 13 percent.
Curtin says this will make for a better pedestrian situation, eliminates the “multiple threat” collision danger, so more crosswalks might result. Right and left turns will be safer too, he says. He also points out a five-foot buffer planned for each side of the road – and acknowledges that could be the future bike-lane space, after a question from an attendee.
Why can’t this stretch through the White Center area at 15th-17th? he was asked. Travel times there would go up “to unacceptable levels,” Curtin says they found out, through an analysis. But they do plan pavement repair between 17th and 18th, plus “new curb ramps and accessible pedestrian signals at 17th,” as well as signage improvements (like the ones now up at Fauntleroy/California, warning that turning vehicles need to stop for pedestrians and bicycles). “We’re going to go out there and take care of business,” Curtin declared. And yes, he told an attendee who asked, they are in communication with the county (SDOT is actually responsible for Roxbury up until the curb on the county side of the road, even though the boundary technically goes through the middle). A “crosswalk design” might be possible at that spot, Curtin suggests – not part of the formal plan but “if anyone’s interested in talking about it … we can partner up and make it happen.”
The parking alongside Roxbury right by downtown White Center will not be affected by this – business owners “fought really hard to keep it,” Curtin notes. In addition, the parking has NOT been a factor in any crashes, he said.
Now, for the eastern section of Roxbury:
7:21 PM: If you’re not already among the hundreds of people on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center – there’s still time to get there for the Caspar Babypants concert that’s happening tonight in the second Summer Concerts at Hiawatha show, until about 8 pm. Thanks to Jason Grotelueschen for the photo – we’ll have more photos/video to add later.
8:37 PM: As promised, video! More photos ahead.
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