West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
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
(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
(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):
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.
(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 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.
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.
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 MISFITSKEXP 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.”)
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.
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!)
(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.
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.
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.
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.
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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 commuteUntil 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
Every morning this Viaduct-closure week, Seattle Police have been out on the West Seattle (high) Bridge, looking for bus-lane rulebreakers. Every morning, they have reported a double-digit tally of tickets, and we’ve been adding them to our commute coverage as a postscript. This morning, though, the SPD Blotter summary includes something startling: A speeding ticket for 103 mph, more than twice the limit. SPD doesn’t usually publish drivers’/riders’ explanations, but says this motorcyclist reported being “late for work.” P.S. We just called in search of additional details beyond what’s in the Blotter item: Det. Mark Jamieson tells us that speed was so high, the officer could have chosen to arrest the man, but reports he was cooperative and pulled over immediately, so cited him instead. Price on that ticket? $411.
The beekeeper gear is a hint of what’s been unfolding alongside Jacobsen Road on the south side of Me-Kwa-Mooks Park: According to Puget Sound Beekeepers Association president Brad Jones, a city tree crew discovered a feral honey-bee colony while “cutting down a problem tree” on Thursday. This drew “much interest from beekeepers” in, and outside of, West Seattle, Jones told WSB. They needed to cut the log down further, in order to relocate it – bees still inside – to a “better, safer spot for the winter.” If they survive the winter, he explained, beekeepers will carry out another operation to get them into “standard beekeeping equipment.” They were hopeful the sizing could happen this morning; we’ll be checking back. Discoveries like this are important, because the wild honey-bee population has dropped dramatically in recent years. (The bee discovery also was noted on Beach Drive Blog – check out the spray-painted warning in one of their photos.)
(WSB photo from Admiral Treats and Treasures, October 2010)
Hallo-weekend is here, so we’re reminding you about the four major business-district trick-or-treating events that are planned in the West Seattle/White Center area tomorrow and Monday:
WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION: 1-3 pm tomorrow (Saturday); more info here.
ADMIRAL DISTRICT: 3-6 pm Monday (Halloween) – here’s the map; here’s the list. Among the participants, as you’ll see on those PDFs, is Umpqua Bank (WSB sponsor), which opens in the new retail building on the Admiral Safeway site two days later (November 2nd, 9 am) but confirms they will have reps with candy in front of their almost-open location.
WESTWOOD VILLAGE: 5-7 pm Monday (Halloween). Note that the center is under new ownership/management this year and has promised more spirited participation.
WHITE CENTER: 5-8 pm October 31st (Monday) – more info here
Lots of other Halloween events, today through Tuesday (the legendary Skeleton Theatre is happening Monday and Tuesday nights), are listed on the WSB West Seattle Events page.
From Tim within the past hour:
A man in a blue track suit just went down our block (7500 block of 46th Ave SW) testing car door handles. About 5’ 7-8”, medium complexion, w/short dark hair. 911 has been contacted.
(Photo added 2:55 pm, thanks to Trileigh Tucker for sharing!)
Thanks to Chris for sharing news of an orca sighting in the Brace Point area south of Fauntleroy less than an hour ago. They are probably out of the area by now – Chris said they were northbound, and checking the Orca Network Facebook page, they seem to be continuing to head in that direction. So this is just a heads-up, keep an eye on the water today, and let us know if you see any!
2:55 PM: Thanks to the commenters who continue to share info. They’re out there somewhere!
6:52 PM: Added Trileigh’s photo a bit earlier – and here’s a gallery of close-up shots featured on the KING website.
(More cams on the WSB Traffic page; travel times on the city Travelers’ Info map)
Good morning! No problems so far; we’re on commute patrol again, with the Alaskan Way Viaduct still closed (but still on schedule to reopen by 5 am Monday). First West Seattle Water Taxi run: 56 people. High bridge busy, as has been the case at this hour all week. More updates to come.
6:30 AM UPDATE: Weather’s dry till post-commute, per our friends at KING 5. They also are providing a new view of the high bridge this morning, covering the bus-lane crackdown from the side of the road – police are out one more time. Plenty of traffic. Meantime, commensurate with the lower-than-earlier-this-week Water Taxi ridership in the very-early going, the Don Armeni parking lot is wide open.
6:45 AM UPDATE: Status quo: High bridge busy, low bridge not (per KING’s helicopter view a few minutes back). Water Taxi carrying 63 people.
7 AM UPDATE: Same thing. If anything, maybe a little less traffic this morning (three-day weekend, anyone?).
7:15 AM UPDATE: 100 on this run of the Water Taxi. The high bridge is looking better than last hour, NOT crawling as you come off Fauntleroy, but slowing once you get around the 99 exit.
7:30 AM UPDATE: Quiet!
7:45 AM UPDATE: Link Apartments (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle to SPU in less than 20 minutes, tweets Whitney. … 94 on this run of the Water Taxi. As noted earlier this morning, the WT switches to its winter schedule on Monday – weekdays only, commute periods only. So this is the last weekend you’ll be able to take it till next spring.
8 AM UPDATE: Still smooth sailing.
8:15 AM UPDATE: High bridge moving along, not slowing till the usual point around 99. No trouble spots reported anywhere in the immediate commute zone. Awaiting the 8:15 Water Taxi report before our crew wraps up its week of hanging out at Seacrest in the mornings … here it is: 81.
8:30 AM UPDATE: If you go get on the Viaduct (what’s left of it) northbound at Royal Brougham, no traffic trouble there either, and we haven’t heard of any major backups along 1st or 4th this morning for those heading that way.
8:57 AM UPDATE: So quiet, we forgot the 8:45 update. We’ll of course pick up the traffic coverage again for the commute home tonight, since PM has been worse than AM for most of the week. And if the Viaduct opens earlier than scheduled, or if any problems erupt over the weekend, we’ll have traffic updates Saturday-Sunday too. Monday morning, we will be on early watch as well, since the new configuration of 99 could mean some complications until people get used to it. P.S. In case you were wondering … Daylight Saving Time ends one week from Sunday (so you switch your clock the night of Saturday, November 5th).
(Thursday photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
It’s been beautiful every morning this week out at Seacrest Pier, with views like that one, for our crew tracking the West Seattle Water Taxi‘s usage as a commute alternative during this Alaskan Way Viaduct closure week. It’s had an extended schedule, with extra runs, each weekday during the closure. And ridership has been at least triple last month’s average, according to the county’s stats.
But just so it doesn’t catch you by surprise, whether you’re a Water Taxi veteran or new convert, we want to remind you that the winter schedule begins Monday. This is the second year the Water Taxi is running through the winter. The biggest change is again that it’s a Monday-Friday, commute-times-only schedule. See the winter schedule here. This schedule continues into March, and then it’s back to 7-day-a-week runs.
High-school volleyball playoffs are under way, and Chief Sealth International High School has a victory to celebrate, beating Holy Names, 3-1, at home tonight. The game started late because of “Viadoom”: Holy Names had to play Bainbridge Island first to determine who would face Sealth, but Bainbridge got delayed by the Viaduct-closure afternoon traffic – we spotted their bus waiting to turn onto the Hanford detour route in SODO, while that stalled truck (chronicled in our afternoon-commute coverage) was backing everything up. Next game for Sealth is on Saturday.
ADDED: Video of the final 22 minutes of the set, all the way till the two teams shook hands at the very end. Meantime, a little more information on what’s next – Sealth will play Eastside Catholic at 11 am Saturday at West Seattle High School where at the same time, different court, WSHS, which beat Sealth in the division-championship tiebreaker, will play Seattle Prep. The winners of those two games will face off at 7 Saturday night.
Chris shares this photo of a jewelry box, and word of what else he found with it at a West Seattle park this afternoon:
I found a broken Jewelry Box with a lid inscribed with “Mother” multiple times at the entrance to Myrtle Reservoir Park this afternoon. Found what I presume are the contents strewn all over the grass there and, while nothing looks to be of great value, I thought the owner might want back what could be recovered. I have all the items I could find and will gladly turn them over to a someone who can identify any of the items. I’m guessing this was stolen from a home and dumped, but I suppose it could’ve been a car. Most of the items are pieces of jewelry and watches, and some music stuff. I figured the owner would be able to describe these items if they wanted to claim it. I can be reached at gulliver.chris@gmail.com or 503.406.8079.
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