Congrats! WS Wildcats youth-football team championship-bound

Congratulations to another winning team! From Travis, who also shared the video:

Folks, your West Seattle community has a winner in its presence!!! Its your 7,8,9 year-old West Seattle Wildcats youth football team! There’s even some 6-year-old development players that have seen some good playing time this year during games!

We’d like to take this time to invite you to the Northwest Junior Football League 89ers championship game hosted at Shoreline Stadium next Saturday, November 5th at 9:00 AM. Come get introduced to the West Seattle Wildcats playing for their championship after a great season of youth football. If you have a child you are interested in getting into the great game of football, or you want a winning team from your community to root for, or you just want to see some high-flying offense and hard hitting defense, come and cheer and experience youth football at its finest!

The 89er Wildcats this year have averaged 32 points of offense per game, with an average margin of victory over 20 points.

Travis’s report continues:Read More

West Seattle Sunday: Halloweekend continues, and much more

If you missed Saturday’s coverage (with video showing what it’s like to drive the new route, both directions) – yes, The Viaduct is now open, ahead of schedule; that’s the latest live image, above. Metro buses return to their Viaduct routing as of this morning. So if you have to leave the peninsula, you have that option, but why leave? Here’s what’s up:

“DINE AND DRINK FOR PINK”: Part of today’s food/beverage proceeds from 7 participating West Seattle establishments go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, organized by Team Tracy. All day/night. More details on this Facebook event page.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am – 2 pm, The Junction (44th/Alaska). From market management:

Jonboy caramel apples, anyone?! Organic Honeycrisp apples dipped in infamous caramel. Don’t be scared! … We got eggs, raw milk, butter now & local ancient grain flours coming soon! … Thanks to all who gathered for our Pear-Fect event last week – we raised $185 for the WS Food Bank! Cheers! Next week, join us for our “Eat Local for the Holidays” event! Chef demo, tastings, coupons, recipes … hooray!

FALL DAKOTA PLACE WORK PARTY: Grab your gloves, a trowel or a shovel and join a work party at Dakota Place Park. 1-4 pm. Rain or shine. Weeding, pruning, more. For more information, please contact Jennifer at cargalj@comcast.net

HALLOWEEN PORTRAITS AT FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE: Help support the schoolhouse’s new mission as a center for community activity, and get a professional photo of your Halloween “look,” with the expertise of Gail Ann Photography! 1-3 pm at the schoolhouse (9131 California SW)

HAUNTED BOAT TOUR The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition‘s annual spooky sailing with your chance to hear local Native American supernatural legends, spooky settler stories from Georgetown and South Park, and learn about the terrifying toxic chemicals in the Duwamish River. The tour happens rain or shine. Guests must RSVP through Brown Paper Tickets ($25 donation). Leaves Harbor Island Marina, 1 pm today.

CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH CARE? 34th District Health Action Team of Health Care For All -WA is having a meeting today at 2:15 PM, at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson) meeting room. From organizers: “Everyone is invited who is concerned about health care in this country. On Sunday, we plan is to read, view and discuss HB 1096 and SB 5601. The possibility for Universal Health Care for Washington citizens is alive.”

TRICK OR CAN:Trick or Can,” 3-5 pm. HPFC Eagles soccer-team members plan to go door to door in some West Seattle (and vicinity) neighborhoods collecting food-drive donations – so have a can or two ready just in case! (Here’s our previously published preview with more details.)

MUSIC NORTHWEST: Music Northwest Concert Series 2011 – “Ein Feste Burg:
Music for Reformation,” 3 pm. At First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (4105 California SW). Seattle Pro Musica directed by Karen Thomas. See website for tickets and more information.

WAR OF THE WORLDS: Twelfth Night Productions‘ production of “War of the Worlds, A Live Radio Play.” 4 pm today at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), tickets available online at Brown Paper Tickets (brownpapertickets.com/event/199850), or at the door.

WINTERNACHT: 6 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. It’s The Cabiri’s fifth-annual Ghost Game production, second-to-last performance. Dessert included. Purchase your ticket at brownpapertickets.com/event/188904.

WHITE CENTER PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST: First ever! Bring your carved pumpkin to Triangle Park at 16th and Roxbury between 6 and 7 pm; judging starts at 7. More info here.

EVIL DEAD, THE MUSICAL: 7:30 pm at ArtsWest in The Junction, the musical based on the cult-favorite movies. (More info, including ticket-purchase link, here.)

FOOD TRUCK NOTE: Snout and Co. food truck NOT here at 35th/Graham (expected back next weekend).

Memorial service next Saturday for Harvey and Helen Spicer

The family of longtime West Seattle residents Harvey and Helen Spicer asked us to share news of their memorial service, next Saturday at 2 pm, Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 6701 30th SW, for those who knew the couple and want to attend. Daughter-in-law Marci, who sent the information, also provided the photo. The Spicers were found inside their home a week and a half ago; she was 80 and he was 79.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Van vandalized; freeway hit-run

Two reports for West Seattle Crime Watch – a vandalized van used by a coach for special-needs kids, and a hit-run victim looking for witnesses – read on:Read More

Ready for anything: West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs drill

Last weekend, canopies were up in the Fauntleroy Church parking lot for the Fauntleroy Fall Festival. Saturday, a very different kind of event – one of the periodic Emergency Communication Hubs drills, as part of West Seattle Be Prepared‘s ongoing readiness efforts. Appropriately enough, given the leaves covering the ground, the scenario (detailed here) this time around was a windstorm – folded within the context of a major onslaught of winter weather that started with freezing temperatures. “Hubs” are volunteer-run stations at preplanned locations that would coordinate communication in the event regular channels and methods are thrown into chaos by disaster – here’s the current map (from a preview on the WS Be Prepared blog-format website):

The hubs scheduled to participate in the Saturday drill – part of a larger citywide practice, since other neighborhoods now have “hubs” too – included Alki and North Delridge as well as Fauntleroy, which was led by Gordon Wiehler, sporting an official “hub cap”:

In addition to citizen volunteers who were role-playing in the disaster scenario, future volunteers were on hand too, like Katie (with Cooper):

Volunteers is the one thing WSBP can always use more of. Sometimes that includes people to be the official hub point person – just this week, while covering the Highland Park Action Committee‘s monthly meeting, we heard that neighborhood needs hub leadership help. Contact WSBP through the info here if you want to help in your neighborhood – even if it doesn’t have its own hub yet. P.S. One more preparedness note – Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare (SNAP) offers a free class at Southwest Library this Thursday night, as noted by WSBP.

Sealth sends cross-country runner to state for 1st time in 22 years

(Kenaia, right, at Metro championships earlier this month, where she finished 8th)
(Photo by Desiree Gross)
From Chief Sealth International High School cross-country coach Jason Glover:

For the first time since Gretchen Benson in 1989, a Sealth runner will be heading to the state cross-country meet in Pasco this coming weekend. Sophomore Kenaia Neumann earned her way by placing 16th in the Metro-Kingco district meet at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah last Thursday. She ran a school record 19:43 for 5k (3.1 miles, for the metrically challenged). The only other time Sealth women have run at state was as a team in 1975. They won the championship that year, making them the only school in state history with a 100% winning record at the state meet.

The championships are next Saturday.

West Seattle restaurants: Mawadda Café now open

Thanks to Jeff for sending the photo after spotting the OPEN sign at Mawadda Café in the Admiral District. We had gone by just yesterday and noted work still under way – but tonight it’s open, confirms WSB contributor Keri DeTore, who reported our original July story about the popular Mediterranean restaurant adding a West Seattle location. Mawadda is open 7 days a week, 11 am to 10 pm, so there’s still time to get there tonight if you see this soon after we publish it! It’s at 2352 California SW (formerly Museum Quality Framing, between The Cask and Wells Fargo).

West Seattle weekend scene: ‘Pumpkin Seed Roast-Off’

This event wasn’t on our calendar – too bad; we suspect they could have charged admission! Karen White shared the photo from the annual “Pumpkin Seed Roast-Off” this afternoon in her neighborhood near The Junction. We sent a followup question and got a reply from Karen’s daughter Kerry, reporting the results:

She won 1st place with candied jalapeño pumpkin seeds. Paul won 2nd with pumpkin spiced dark chocolate sea salt seeds and Reese won 3rd place.

The White’s are the undefeated champs. My Dad and I are both previous winners.

Oh, and Brady got the “special” award for his burnt seeds. We had 22 entries this year!

So if you’re making a jack-o-lantern, think twice before you just toss the seeds!

West Seattle sky show: Spectacular October sunset

Thanks to Jamie Kinney for sharing photos of tonight’s breathtaking sunset – from before, and after.

Forecast says rain tomorrow … but maybe we’ll get lucky again.

Update: High-school volleyball playoffs at WSHS today

We’ve been checking in on the postseason high-school volleyball at West Seattle High School, under way since 11 this morning. WSHS and Chief Sealth International High School both lost their opening matches; in the next round of play, WSHS won its match. Photos/updates later.

ADDED EARLY SUNDAY: Our summary of WSHS/Sealth results – ahead:Read More

West Seattle Halloween: Junction trick-or-treating, 2011 edition

(Lora Swift at Hotwire Coffee [WSB sponsor])
The sun is out in full force just in time to shine on West Seattle Junction trick-or-treaters. The annual tradition is on till 3 pm – just head for the heart of The Junction and start going from business to business. Many owners/employees are in costume too, like Hotwire’s Lora, above, and the Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) team:

The early bird gets the candy:

Nothing like a Halloween costume where you really and truly don’t get a hint at who’s inside (though the Invisible Man did reveal himself to our photographer as a longtime WSB’er):

Aaron was helping with the handouts outside Puerto Vallarta:

Of course you need a sneak peek to see how the loot looks:

And the best treat of the day – the sort-of-surprise sunshine!

More photos to come!

ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: See those additional photos after the jump:Read More

Video: End of ‘Viadoom’ as Alaskan Way Viaduct reopens

(TOPLINE: BOTH DIRECTIONS OF VIADUCT NOW OPEN AS OF 12:46 PM)

ORIGINAL 11:31 AM REPORT: Refresh this page for the latest “live” look at the southbound lanes of Highway 99 – just reopened after almost 8 days. WSDOT announced the early-reopening plan yesterday (WSB coverage here) and says the northbound lanes should be open again by noon.

12:13 PM UPDATE: Northbound still hasn’t reopened as of a few minutes ago but we just drove the southbound lanes. Gary Potter of Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) in West Seattle says he was the second driver across!

I just drove the viaduct southbound at 11:11am. I was the second car behind the truck with yellow lights. Cars were getting on at Columbia as we passed. The first ave exit is a tight two lanes, gonna be slow with buses. The s curve at the bottom is very short then you are going up the new ramp. The northbound side was full of orange jackets, I waved and they all waved back.

Here’s our video (from camera affixed to dashboard):

Remember, the new elevated section in the second half of our 3-minute clip will eventually be southbound only – but till its northbound counterpart is built, it will carry traffic in both directions, two lanes each way. One more note: Metro has said it won’t go back to its “Viaduct routing” till SUNDAY morning. And school bus schedules return to normal (some had been altered) Monday morning.

12:46 PM UPDATE: Northbound just reopened! (added) Here’s our trip in that direction (pull the play button ahead to the 2-minute mark to just cut to the new part):

West Seattle health care: WS Community Clinic ‘not closing’

October 29, 2011 10:51 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle health care: WS Community Clinic ‘not closing’
 |   Health | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Checking out the new businesses on 35th SW south of SW Henderson – Stuffed Cakes and West Seattle Fish House – you might have noticed the “FOR LEASE” signs up at West Seattle Community Clinic on the corner. There’s been discussion in the WSB Forums, too. WSCC’s Grace Grymes Chapman, ARNP, e-mailed WSB to explain, the clinic is not “closing” – the practitioners are all going independent and will be moving to a new location to set up their respective practices. That location is 5400 California SW (map). She’s moving on Tuesday (November 1st) and plans to be seeing patients there the 2nd week of November. Phones won’t be working for a few days, she says, but you can reach her by e-mail at: inquire@westseattlecommunityclinic.com till they’re up and running.

West Seattle Saturday: Junction trick-or-treating & much more

October 29, 2011 8:50 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Saturday: Junction trick-or-treating & much more
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(WSB photo of the 2008 crowd trick-or-treating in The Junction)
If you can’t scare up something to do today and tonight, you’re not trying. Here’s some of what’s happening around the peninsula today, from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

GARAGE SALE/RAFFLE WITH A TWIST: Garage Sale and Raffle for the West Seattle Food Bank, sponsored by Life Learning Center & Life Preschool in the Community Hall in the main building of Life Church. 3420 SW Cloverdale, now through 4 pm. Accepting canned food or money for purchases of the many treasures that are for sale. Bake sale too!

IT’S JUST A DRILL: If you come across a group of people with radios, maps, charts, sounding like something serious is going on – it’s just emergency-preparedness practice as West Seattle Emergency Communications Hubs join in a drill, 9 am-noon.

BOOK SALE BONANZA: Huge used-book sale at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), 3940 41st Ave SW, 10 am – 1 pm. Early holiday shopping – or hey, get books to give to trick-or-treaters.

DESIGN WORKSHOP FOR MURRAY PUMP STATION CSO CONTROL FACILITY: Daylong design workshop at Gatewood Elementary‘s cafeteria, 4320 SW Myrtle, 9:30 am-3 pm. The purpose of this meeting is for the project team and community to work in small groups to brainstorm ideas on ways to design the storage facility planned across the street from Lowman Beach Park to reduce combined-sewer overflows into Puget Sound.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY: Clean out your medicine cabinet, where unused/unneeded/expired prescription drugs are a potential danger in multiple ways. Drop them off at the Southwest Precinct (Webster/Delridge), 10 am-2 pm. (Dropoff box last time was in the lobby, so if you don’t see anyone outside, just go in – door is on the west side of the building, next to the parking lot.)

200-POUND PUMPKIN: Barton Street P-Patch (34th/Barton) invites you to stop by 10 am-2 pm as they’ll be offering pumpkin-carving, plus they’ll raffle off a nearly 200-pound pumpkin! Details here (including a coupon for a discount on pumpkins at nearby Tony’s Produce so you can buy one and bring it over for carving)

HALLOWEEN ON THE RUN: West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) hosts a registration event and packet pickup for tomorrow’s Run Scared 5K and 4K Walk from 10-7 today. Anyone who registers gets 10% everything in the store. Shelly Aaron from West Seattle Bodyworks will also be on site to offer free massage. The Run Scared 5K is held in Seward Park and all proceeds go to benefit the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society.

OPEN HOUSE AT THE KENNEY: You’re invited to The Kenney (WSB sponsor)’s Fall Open House! 10:30-2:30 p.m.
Buffet Lunch 11:30 am-1 pm. Come and experience what life at The Kenney is all about! Hear about the benefits of moving into a CCRC, tour the beautiful campus and join us for a delicious lunch! The Kenney is West Seattle’s only Continuing Care Retirement Community.

FOOD TRUCKS: Not in Highland Park today – there’s a festival downtown.

HIGH-SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: Playoff games today at West Seattle High School – both Chief Sealth International High School and WSHS have games at 11 am; winners of those games face off Saturday evening. Concessions today/tonight benefit WSHS Volleyball Team.

THRIFTWAY’S HALLOWEEN PARTY: West Seattle Thriftway Halloween party for kids, 11 am-1 pm for ages 1-10, deli area.

‘DAY OF THE DEAD’ SAND SCULPTING: At Village Green Perennial Nursery, lower driveway, noon-dusk today and tomorrow – more here.

‘LIFE IN THE GUTTER’: Uncover the world of urban rainfall and trace its travels from the clouds to the city’s streets, homes and businesses and the sewer lines below in Stormwater: Life in the Gutter, a one-man performance written and performed by Stokley Towles, part performance, part exhibition offering a gutter’s eye view of Seattle’s drainage system and the Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) employees who guide, monitor and maintain stormwater flow in the city. Free. Noon, High Point Library, 35th/Raymond.

TRICK OR TREAT IN THE JUNCTION! Trick-or-treaters and businesspeople both get in the spirit for this big, free event – West Seattle Junction trick-or-treating, 1-3 pm at participating businesses, just go to The Junction and follow the crowds!

ZOMBIFY YOURSELF: Atomic Boys in the Admiral District is holding a special event with West Seattle artist Brendan Wenberg of Strange Child, Inc. He will be set up from 1-6 on Saturday, at Atomic Boys. There will be a full line of his t-shirt designs, special edition sculptures, and he will be able to create “Zombictures” of you….and your friends…and/or family (caricatures start at $30). 4311 SW Admiral Way.

HALLOWEEN PARTY AT THE LONGHOUSE: Duwamish Longhouse hosts a Halloween Party, 6-8 pm, 4705 W. Marginal Way. Lots of Halloween fun. Children of all ages. Family friendly event. Games, prizes & refreshments. $5 donation welcome.

COME AS YOU AREN’T: Annual “Come as You Aren’t” Battle of the Bands at Skylark Café and Club, 7 pm: All fourteen acts have 3 songs each to wow the crowd and judges, as they out-rock and glam each other for possession of the coveted Golden Cowbell™. Is that Clutch Douglass or Salt ‘n’ Pepa? Hotels or The Misfits? Behold the supergroup formed from Stevedore and Mannequin BBQ as they channel The Supremes, and shiver with fright as experimental duo Perish The Island entertains with selections from Goblin’s soundtrack to Suspiria. Diversity and virtuosity have always set this event apart, and this year’s lineup is no exception… KEXP DJ and founding member of the Young Evils Troy Nelson, two-time Golden Cowbell winner Lori Campion, and Skylark owner-booker Jessie SK will judge the bands. The Golden Cowbell™ and runner-up prizes will be awarded shortly following the last set. This event is free, 21+, 7 pm to get a seat, bands start at 8 pm.

(Photo courtesy Ron Dugdale)
‘WAR OF THE WORLDS’: Twelfth Night Productions presents “War of the Worlds, A Live Radio Play.” On a bleak autumn night in 1938, aliens from Mars invaded Earth, or rather, that was the tale brought to life by Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre over the airwaves. The radio broadcast was an unprecedented mix of dramatic “news reports” and science fiction inspired by the H.G. Wells novel which caused widespread panic and made Welles a celebrity. Shared bill with “Sorry, Wrong Number.” 7:30 pm, tickets available online at brownpapertickets.com/event/199850), and at the venue, Kenyon Hall, 7904 35th SW.

‘EVIL DEAD’: The blood-spattered musical hit at 7:30 pm at ArtsWest.

‘WINTERNACHT’: 7:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Cabiri’s fifth-annual Ghost Game production. The eleven fearless acrobats, aerialists and dancers of their Cabiri performance troupe will step into a frozen wasteland in Winternacht, a collection of seven ancient tales from across the continents. More information at http://www.cabiri.org/ Purchase your ticket at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/188904

GRAVE DANGER HALLOWEEN PARTY: At Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm, with a costume contest, drink specials, and more.

HELL’S BELLES AT ROCKSPORT: Join the Rocksport Bar & Grill for its 16th annual Halloween Costume Party bash featuring HELL’S BELLES, the ultimate all female tribute band to AC/DC. Doors at 8 pm. Tickets in advance on the Rocksport website.

‘ROCKY HORROR’ AT THE ADMIRAL: Admiral Theater usually hosts the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” extravaganza the first Saturday of the month, but this one’s “early” for Halloween. Midnight!

… and more (MANY Halloween parties tonight) … this is just what we received notices about … any time you want to contribute an event to the calendar, just send us a bit of info, editor@westseattleblog.com!

It’s in the bag! West Seattleite’s big state-championship win

It’s not just a job – it’s an art. Diligent practice just won 16-year-old Andrew Borracchini, a West Seattleite who works at the Admiral Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), the state’s 2011 Best Bagger title – and now he’s looking ahead to competing for the national championship. Though you don’t see him closeup in this video, you get an idea of what the competition was like:

After winning the bagging contest at Metropolitan Market’s annual company picnic, Andrew got to travel to Spokane to take aim at the state title. Winning “Best Bagger” requires superior work in speed, “bag-building” techniques, distribution of weight, attitude, and appearance. You can see Andrew in action in this photo from a Spokane TV website. The announcement of Andrew’s win quotes Admiral Metropolitan Market store director Glenn Hasstedt as saying: “We are all so proud of Andrew. He has been so diligent in practicing on his own – timing himself, weighing the bags. His commitment has really paid off; a well-earned win.” His prize: $1500 and a trip for two to Las Vegas next February, where he’ll try for the national championship. He’s worked for Metropolitan Market since August 2010; two of his siblings are current and former employees.

Video: What the orcas did on the OTHER side of Puget Sound

In case you hadn’t seen it on Facebook or Twitter – this video is too good not to share everywhere possible. You might remember the orca sighting reported here earlier today; later the orcas swam exceptionally close to shore near Vashon Island’s Point Robinson (across from Des Moines), and that’s where the video above was shot. Thanks to the Orca Network for posting it to their Facebook page, where we found it (browse the page for lots of other sighting reports). Here’s another view – though the screen size is narrow – here.

Skylark’s ‘Come As You Aren’t’ is coming… tomorrow night!

October 28, 2011 8:22 pm
|    Comments Off on Skylark’s ‘Come As You Aren’t’ is coming… tomorrow night!
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

There are costume parties … and then there are COSTUME PARTIES. Once again this year, Skylark Café and Club invited local bands to not just costume themselves … but also perform as … somebody else! The clip above is from last year, when Noddy portrayed the B-52s. This year’s “Come As You Aren’t” is coming up tomorrow (Saturday) night – no cover! Check the lineup, from the Skylark website:

Set times are approximate:

8:00 pm Willow & Kevin Wood as GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS
8:20 pm Perish The Island as GOBLIN (Suspiria soundtrack)
8:40 pm Julia Massey & The Jesus Rehab as ARCADE FIRE
9:00 pm Bone Cave Ballet as BJORK
9:20 pm Supernauty as THE RAMONES
9:40 pm To The Sea as R.E.M.
10:00 pm The Mangles as HUSKER DU
10:20 pm The Stevedore & Mannequin BBQ as THE SUPREMES
10:40 pm Hobosexual as CREAM
11:00 pm Clutch Douglass as SALT ‘N’ PEPA
11:20 pm D.evolution.Aires as ZZ TOP
11:40 pm Sweet Secrets as THE CURE
12:00 am Like Lightning as THE PRETENDERS
12:10 am Hotels as THE MISFITS

KEXP DJ and founding member of the Young Evils Troy Nelson, two-time Golden Cowbell winner Lori Campion, Seattle Subsonic writer Dave O’Leary, and Skylark owner-booker Jessie SK will judge the bands.

Then on Sunday morning, you’re invited to “Halloween Hangover Brunch,” 9 am-3 pm at Skylark … followed Monday night by a costume karaoke party – with prizes! – at 9 pm on Halloween (Facebook event page here; 21+). Haven’t been to Skylark? West side of the northern end of Delridge, 3803 Delridge Way SW. (Or, if you’ve been there before but it’s been a while, check out the new interior paint – “a nice dark blue,” says owner Jessie SK – and refinished bar top “down to the wood.”)

High-school football: WSHS vs. Prep, SLHS vs. Tacoma Baptist

October 28, 2011 7:20 pm
|    Comments Off on High-school football: WSHS vs. Prep, SLHS vs. Tacoma Baptist
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

7:20 PM: First final score of the night: West Seattle High School lost a postseason game to Seattle Prep at Memorial Stadium downtown tonight, 42-0. More on that a bit later. Seattle Lutheran High School is on the road vs. Tacoma Baptistin Pierce County, and that game should be just now getting started.

ADDED 9:16 PM: From SLHS’s Twitter feed – the Saints lost 41-0.

West Seattle Weather Watch: Tree blamed for Alki power outage

6:26 PM: Thanks to the WSB’ers who texted us with news of a power outage on Alki. It’s confirmed on the Seattle City Light “system status” map – 131 homes/businesses, blamed on a tree, estimated restoration late tonight. The map shows it affecting people east/northeast of 54th, also upslope on Bonair. More as we get it.

8:09 PM UPDATE: The outage is now off the SCL map – indicating it’s been fixed. (If not, let us know!)

West Seattle traffic: Friday PM commute; Water Taxi breakdown

(Top L, north of 1st Av. S. Bridge; top R, 1st @ Holgate; below L, I-5 on south end of downtown; below R, 12th headed for bridge to Beacon Hill, where there’s alternate WS Bridge access)

Back on commute patrol, one last time. It’s been raining seriously for a few hours now and very sloppy out there – so that will compound matters. The high bridge is backed up EASTBOUND right now, so if you have to leave West Seattle, consider an alternate (we’re checking how the alternates are doing). Updates to come!

4:10 PM UPDATE: The problem on the eastbound high bridge is described as a car fire. (a few minutes later) The fire trucks have now cleared, still a police car in the outside lane. … As for the “low bridge,” ADD says the traffic headed that way is “inching along” slowly.

4:27 PM UPDATE: Our roving crew confirms the low bridge is busy but moving. They have now moved onto 4th Ave. So., which is moving reasonably well right now.

4:54 PM UPDATE: Rain lifting, breeze kicking up. The eastbound bridge is still backed up. If you commute out of West Seattle, either wait or try a southern route like 1st Avenue South Bridge. Busy coming off the low bridge too – here’s a camera from its west end:

5:13 PM UPDATE: One WSB’er on a bus is about 12 minutes behind so far. Remember that Metro does have extra buses it can plug in here and there if a route gets backed up too far. If traffic kept you from making it to the West Seattle High School-Seattle Prep football postseason game at Memorial Stadium, we’re tweeting it live – @wsblive. If you are going to have to go over the “low bridge,” note that it’s opened just after 6 pm every day this week – the commitment was for openings to be avoided 3-6 pm.

5:26 PM: Multiple reports the Water Taxi is stalled. It was en route to Seacrest. Also word from Tracy Taylor at KING 5 that there’s a stall on Northbound I-5 near the West Seattle Bridge exit – not sure how close but it can’t make the slow eastbound WS Bridge any better… (added) Rachel Marie is said to be moving now (WS Water Taxi) but slowly. Checking with King County on what’ll be done about it for commuters.

5:36 PM: We don’t have this officially from the county but at least two people have said Water Taxi service from downtown to West Seattle is canceled till 7:30 pm. Let us know if you are at the dock and hearing anything. … update: Passengers tell us they are hearing this directly from crew. Rachel Marie IS proceeding slowly to the West Seattle side. But if you were going to take WT from downtown, we’d advise a bus home instead – though one West Seattleite says he’s going to try the WT to Vashon, and then WSF from Vashon back across to Fauntleroy…

5:43 PM: King County DOT confirms that there’ll be no West Seattle Water Taxi service till at least 7:15. Melissa Ann, the Vashon boat, will be moved over after that. You’ll recall that Melissa Ann handled the Monday morning commute as “Viadoom” week started, because Rachel Marie broke down sometime Sunday (apparently not with passengers aboard, the news came around midevening). Then Melissa Ann will be on the WS runs for the last weekend of the season (Vashon’s WT doesn’t run on weekends, anyway).

5:55 PM: The RM did make it back to the dock, so its passengers are now on the last leg of their trip home. Conflicting reports now on when service will resume. As for everything else – southbound I-5 is reported to be sludgy; the commute overall is just not going too well, so if you haven’t left yet, have patience, or maybe better yet, have dinner and leave MUCH later. (Added – photo by Katie Meyer for WSB, Rachel Marie after arrival at Seacrest)

6:03 PM: New estimate, 7:45 pm departure from Pier 50 downtown for the next WT. Meantime, some commenters say they ran from Pier 50 to go catch 37 bus home, and it’s half an hour late.

6:19 PM: Everything else is slow out there. Aside from the Water Taxi, no particular problems. … (minutes later) Except for a power outage on Alki. Will start a separate stry on that.

6:45 PM: One place REALLY not to be – southbound I-5. WSDOT says it’s backed up from the West Seattle Bridge to Shoreline.

7:11 PM: That stretch is getting a little faster, WSDOT says, but they just reported via Twitter that there’s a lane-blocking crash on NB I-5 at the West Seattle Bridge ramp.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Coffee shop warns of thief

From Cafe Osita owner Andrea Ramirez:

My business was just robbed and I’m hoping to advise other businesses (especially along 35th) to keep an eye out.

I own Cafe Osita in the Sunrise Heights area of WSea (7349 35th Ave SW). White male, approx 18 – 25 yrs old, dirty blonde hair cut short (part on right side) wearing baggy jeans and oversized sweatshirt with graffiti graphics. Also has a black eye on right side and carrying a backpack. Came into shop asking for change, then hot water and then ice water. He managed to take a full tip jar off the counter while my back was turned. The police have been notified.

City grants Delridge DESC project ‘up to $4.45 million’

The proposed 75-apartment project on Delridge to provide housing for homeless people living with mental illness has been granted city money as well as state money, we have confirmed. According to Seattle Office of Housing spokesperson Julie Moore, the city grant to Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is for “up to $4.45 million.” That follows the state’s decision to grant $500,000 to DESC’s Delridge Supportive Housing project, as reported here Wednesday.

When we first spoke with Moore yesterday, at which time she had confirmed the city funding decision but not the amount (which she provided today), she also said that her department wanted to clarify some of what was written on the “Concerned Neighbor” website we reported on yesterday, and she has provided a document that she says clarifies the city’s “siting policy,” which the anonymous author suggested did not synch with the DESC plan. Caveat: As with the “Concerned Neighbor” site info, we have no way to fact-check the info we’re pointing you to – but here it is, so you can make up your own mind.

A county group was set to potentially decide on DESC project funding yesterday, but delayed its decision after hearing from a group of Delridge residents who voiced concerns about the project. Meantime, DESC executive director Bill Hobson has answered questions we e-mailed him on Wednesday. He says they have not yet closed on the Delridge property (in the 5400 block); their architects are still working on a presentation for a not-yet-scheduled “Early Design Guidance” meeting of the Southwest Design Review Board. (We have requested a digital copy of a sketch that a Delridge attendee photographed at yesterday’s county meeting; if we don’t receive one, we’ll add that photo here.) Our note to Hobson was after word of the state funding but before word of the city funding; regarding the state funding, he says that the half-million dollars represent “around 3-4% of anticipated total project costs,” which would mean those costs are at least $12.5 million.

Video: Viaduct to reopen early – at ‘midday’ tomorrow

ADDED FRIDAY EVENING: Our video of WSDOT‘s Matt Preedy briefing the media two hours after the big news that The Viaduct will open early. Among his remarks and replies – news that they’ve noticed some problems with the travel times on the lit-up signboards and will work on those; also, they did the semi-annual Viaduct inspection during this closure, so the next one won’t be till spring. The actual reopening time won’t be known till tomorrow – depends on how much work gets done tonight.

===============
ORIGINAL 12:08 PM REPORT: Just in from WSDOT:

Alaskan Way Viaduct to reopen midday Saturday

Demolition mostly complete; new SODO off-ramp to open Monday morning
 
SEATTLE – Great progress by demolition and construction crews means the Alaskan Way Viaduct is expected to reopen midday Saturday between the West Seattle Bridge and the Battery Street Tunnel, a move expected to help relieve recent regional traffic congestion on Interstates 5 and 405 and local streets.
 
Starting this weekend, drivers will travel on a new, temporary construction bypass that will allow an estimated 110,000 vehicles a day to keep moving while construction on a replacement State Route 99 tunnel continues through the end of 2015.
 
Quick work by demolition crews allowed them to beat the scheduled Monday reopening of the viaduct by nearly two days.
 
“This project is six months ahead of schedule and today we’re again ahead of schedule,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “Thank you to the hard workers on this project, and the people of the region who were patient, found alternate routes and adjusted their schedules. Everyone showed a great spirit of cooperation.”
 
“Commuters made the difference by doing their part to find other ways and times to travel, which allowed our crews to close this key route for an intense period of work,” state Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said. “Our crews worked aggressively to accomplish a massive amount of demolition during the longest closure we’ve ever attempted on a major state highway.”
 
The clock began ticking Oct. 21 when crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation closed the highway and launched their effort to aggressively demolish the southern mile of the seismically vulnerable viaduct. In about eight days, a 2,825-foot-long stretch of double-decked highway was reduced to thousands of tons of concrete rubble and steel rebar.
 
“Through the week, construction crews made rapid progress on demolition and debris removal, and had good weather for things like roadway striping,” said Matt Preedy, WSDOT Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement program deputy administrator. “Thanks to our contractor’s thoughtful planning and approach, we are able to reopen the roadway early and give it back to drivers.”
 
SR 99 reopening details
 
·         Northbound and southbound SR 99 are expected to open midday Saturday from the Battery Street Tunnel to the West Seattle Bridge.
·         The on-ramp to northbound SR 99 from South Royal Brougham Way is expected to close at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 and reopen once crews finalize roadway connections.
·         The southbound SR 99 off-ramp to South Atlantic Street will remain closed until 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 31.
·         Drivers can expect a slower, 40 mph speed limit on much of the viaduct between the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge.
·          Drivers can expect a recommended 25 mph construction zone speed limit through the curving bypass in the SODO area.
·         Metro Transit’s 11 bus routes that travel on SR 99 will begin using the new bypass at the start of service on Sunday morning, Oct. 30.
 
Friday evening commute

Until the viaduct reopens, drivers will face heavy regional congestion that this week was focused on I-5 and I-405 and parts of the downtown Seattle street grid. Commuters are encouraged to plan ahead and consider alternate routes.

ADDED 12:54 PM: Metro says its Viaduct routing will resume Sunday morning. Read on for full details of their plans:Read More