West Seattle, Washington
25 Saturday
Someone has stolen one of the art banners that’s been beautifying the fence around the fire-shuttered Highland Park Improvement Club. HPIC trustee Kay Kirkpatrick sent the report and images:
(HPIC fence pre-theft – the banner on the right is the one taken)
HPIC trustees are sad to alert folks that someone has stolen one of the current Art Banner pieces from our fence along SW Holden St. This happened on February 13th at some unknown time (a Valentine’s Day gift?). The artwork was part of a series that we have been displaying in collaboration with Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery featuring themes of community and resilience, titled ART FOR BRIGHTER DAYS.
HPIC and Nepantla installed the three vibrant 5′ x 8′ banners displaying the art of three local artists: Raquel Garcia, Jake Prendez, and Rolando Avila. The art was curated by Nepantla and was installed on the construction fences facing Holden, and scheduled to remain in place indefinitely, or until the building demolition occurs.
If you happen to have seen anything, or have seen the missing panel ~ which is the piece on the right (images at bottom of poster) by Rolando Avila, please contact HPIC1919@gmail.com
If you own property in King County, your bill for this year is due to be sent to you this week. You don’t have to wait for it to arrive to see what you owe – the amounts are now posted online. You can find yours by starting here, and when you get to the page about your property, click “Property Tax Bill.” (Below the bill are expandable lines showing the breakdown of where that money’s going.) The first half is due by the end of April. As explained on this page of the King County Assessor‘s website, the amount you’re being charged this year is based on how your property was valued as of January 1st last year.
(2023 photo by David Hutchinson)
Another signature springtime event has confirmed it’s returning this year – the West Seattle 5K run/walk on Alki. And the sponsor search is happening now. Here’s the announcement we received:
West Seattle High School and the PTSA are excited to announce the 2024 West Seattle 5K – Sunday, May 19.
All profits raised from the West Seattle 5K will provide funding for West Seattle High School to provide classroom tools, books, supplies, and much more to its students and teachers. The West Seattle High School PTSA is a 501c3 non-profit whose mission is to encourage its students’ potential.
Thousands of runners and spectators from all corners of Puget Sound and beyond have participated in this 5K over the previous 13+ years. Participants are drawn to the event by the family fun, the gorgeous scenery, a flat course, and all the amenities that Alki Beach has to offer. The West Seattle 5K website (westseattle5K.com) is live.
So is the search for sponsors – the earlier you sign up, the better, so sponsors can be listed on posters, flyers, race T-shirts, etc. If you’re interested, contact Kelley O’Connor or Athena Frederick at sponsorwshs5k@gmail.com or 425-894-8641. (WSB has been a sponsor every year and expect to repeat this year too.)
(Leaf, photographed at South Seattle College Arboretum by Jay Speidell)
Here’s what’s happening for the rest of your Thursday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Open 1-6 pm at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com for info on where they’re playing today.
DINE OUT FOR WEST SEATTLE LACROSSE CLUB: 2-10 pm, Beer Star and Zeeks Pizza in White Center (on the southwest corner of 16th SW and SW 98th) are donating a percentage of proceeds – tell them you’re there to support the West Seattle Lacrosse Club.
STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm class at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: Every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s O.P.’S Meals on Wheels.
FREE ECO-ARTS CLASS: 4-7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – drop in!
BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: In the boys’ 3A district tournament, West Seattle HS plays Rainier Beach at 5 pm at Bellevue College.
VISCON CELLARS: The winery’s tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle.
WEST SEATTLE CREATIVE SOCIETY: Create watercolor, sketch, or color-pencil art in a supportive environment, 5:30 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
HOW TO GET RAINWISE: You might be eligible for a subsidized rain garden/cistern – our calendar listing has the link for checking eligibility and, if you are, attending an online webinar and contractor meetup at 6 tonight to learn more.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Future Primitive Beer Bar (2536 Alki SW) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run – more in our calendar listing.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: 6:30 pm, meet at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) for a 3-mile run through the neighborhood.
BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm, as previewed here, you’re invited to the second meeting of the Alki Community Council‘s new era. Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) or online.
THURSDAY NIGHT TRIVIA: Burger Planet (9614 14th SW) in White Center now has Thursday night trivia at 7 pm – prizes!
YOGA: Kundalini Yoga with Maari Falsetto, 7 pm at Move2Center(3618 SW Alaska), $28.
‘BORN WITH TEETH’: Third week begins for the current play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm – tickets here.
Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in daily preview lists like this one? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
A parent asked us to share this with you: A donation drive is under way to support music programs at Denny International Middle School. Organizers say, “Your support will help us offer a higher quality experience for our students in Band, Choir, & Orchestra.” If you can chip in, go here.
(View from West Seattle’s highest-elevation traffic camera)
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, February 15, and we got some surprise snow – not just a “wintry mix” – in the very-early morning hours. Not enough to cause major problems (on this side of the Sound, anyway), but be aware you might have to navigate some slush on the roads, sidewalks, and paths.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Could see a bit more snow this morning, says today’s forecast, but by later this morning it’s expected to be all rain, heading for a high in the mid-40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:15 am, sunset at 5:32 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule so far; check advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is. **Holiday note – Both Water Taxi routes are out of service on Presidents Day next Monday (February 19).
Washington State Ferries today – If you sail to Southworth, be aware that Kitsap County got more snow, and is dealing with the results. As for the ferries themselves, though, we have the usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
12:40 AM: Just got a text that it’s snowing in Highland Park; looked out the window here in Upper Fauntleroy and there’s a dusting on the ground and parked vehicles. Anybody else?
12:47 AM: The traffic camera at 35th/Holden isn’t far from the highest point in the city (35th/Myrtle), and it’s definitely snowy. But we’ve seen some in the streetlights on the Admiral and Junction cameras, too.
12:57 AM: Now the 35th/Holden camera shows it’s sticking on the road.
1:16 AM: 16th/Roxbury too:
Still no weather advisory … snow was considered more likely on the west side of the Sound and to the south.
1:51 AM: From Mel in Highland Park:
And the streets are even coated in The Junction:
2:29 AM: The snowfall’s much lighter now. Meantime, here’s the view at 35th/Roxbury just a moment ago:
2:55 AM: SDOT‘s winter-weather response map shows some crews out, though none in our area so far. So far the forecast hasn’t changed from “rain/snow mix,” so hard to tell how long this is expected to last.
(Yard view, Upper Fauntleroy)
If you have any problems, changes, cancellations to report, please text or call us at 206-293-6302.
5:31 AM: Back at the keyboard after a couple hours away. Roads look mostly bare and wet – some slush on the 35th/Holden camera – but so far no major problems announced. We’ll launch the morning traffic/weather coverage at 6 am as usual.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Guests for two of the topics on the Fauntleroy Community Association agenda last night were no-shows, so the meeting centered on the YMCA and the future ferry-dock replacement. One of the other two topics – pickleball in Lincoln Park – surfaced at meeting’s end anyway. But first:
FAUNTLEROY YMCA’S FUTURE: This was the first formal FCA discussion of the issue, which had just surfaced a few days before last month’s meeting. Representatives of the Y and Fauntleroy Church, with which it’s co-housed, were in attendance last night. Rev.Leah Atkinson Bilinski reminded everyone that her church has hosted the Y for a century. But the pandemic’s after-effects linger – 
and Y execs initiated a discussion with the church about their organization’s challenges. Cleveland King, West Seattle/Fauntleroy Y branch executive, acknowledged that before the community outcry, they had expected to be closing Fauntleroy – and because of that, he said, the Y’s 2024 budget had no line item for operating that location. It’s the only site in the Greater Seattle Y system that the Y doesn’t own, he explained, and they had already closed some other rented spaces to save money. But he said he agree with the emergent sentiment that “it would be a shame to lose this relationship”- it’s more than another gym space. The question then became, “Are we actually using the space for the best use of the community?” At the recent town hall (WSB coverage here), he said, though some attendees wanted answers on the spot, he wanted to listen.
Thanks to Doug Eglington for sending the photo. Piling placement work continues at West Seattle’s Don Armeni Boat Ramp, one month after the start of the long-in-the-works dock-replacement project. American Construction is the contractor for the work to install new concrete floats and steel pilings, which is expected to continue until mid-March, with one float kept open at all times so the ramp remains usable.
The video and report are from Peter, who says this happened on 23rd SW at midday Tuesday:
He stole the package within a few minutes of delivery around 12:15. (His car looked) like a red Subaru outback with gray plastic trim.
We asked what the item left behind turned out to be; Peter said it “looked like a cover from a car headrest” and seemed new.
Tomorrow (Thursday, February 15) brings the second Alki Community Council gathering since new leadership took over. The first one was lively and well-attended (here’s our coverage). What will tomorrow night bring? The ACC plans another hybrid meeting – at 7 pm Thursday, be at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) in person or join online via this link. The full announcement is in our calendar listing (as are the codes you might need for online attendance). Here are agenda highlights:
1. Arrive to see the work of a local artist whose map of West Seattle immediately got crazy popular on (social media). Meet Sonja Rupnick.
2. A familiar face making impact across the city joins Alki Community Council in a Chair role to lead and inspire. He’s done a lot! What can we do together?
3. Seattle Police update on the rash of one-night smash and grab group robberies and advise on other safety issues.
4. Plus, we’ve got it locked in! We’re hosting SPD Crime Prevention and FREE Personal Safety training that could change the way you think as you move through town. Get the scoop on early registration. Customized content to target Junction to Alki.
5. Meet the NEW Seattle Parks Alki Playground Renovation Planner Kevin Bergsrud. (No presentation, but look ahead.) Plus, hear from the head of Recreational Programs, Tianna Scott, on shuffles to hop to and news on the Alki Bathhouse.
6. Alki Beach PRIDE readies to celebrate 10 years! Don’t know Roger or Stacy? They are ready to rock a soulful summer celebration. You can get involved!
7. That last cool person? That’s you! Got a passion for something particular? Love working on a safer neighborhood? Planning fun foodie events? Maybe you’d like to provide a front porch-style welcome to neighbors? We love all that! Join Alki Community Council to whistle while we work to make Alki the best it can be.
First 20 people attending in-person receive a sweeeet chocolate surprise!
1:32 PM: SPD is assisting SFD with traffic control at a call in the 5200 block of California SW – a 911 caller reported a “burning smell and smoke seen in the building,” according to dispatch.
1:39 PM: Firefighters have determined it was just “smoke from a self-cleaning stove” and are ending the call.
We reported multiple times in recent weeks on the King Conservation District Supervisor vote, an almost-countywide election that’s conducted mostly online for an agency that doesn’t get a ton of attention. Voting ended last night and preliminary results are out: Incumbent Brittney Bush Bollay has 4,187 votes, 44 percent; Erik Goheen has 3,676 votes, 39 percent; Aaron Ellig has 1,564 votes, 17 percent. But even compared to the low turnout in our recent local elections, this turnout remains tiny: Those votes add up to three-quarters of a percentage point of the 1.3 million registered voters eligible to participate. This isn’t the final count; voters had the option to print and mail paper ballots, and those will be counted and added as long as they’re received by February 22nd.
P.S. Next election is the statewide presidential primary on March 12.
More congratulations for a local student headed into statewide competition – tomorrow marks the third consecutive year at state for West Seattle High School diver Giovanni Slye. Here’s the announcement:
West Seattle High School senior Giovanni Slye will be competing in the 3A Diving Championship this coming Thursday morning. The event will be held at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. This is his third year in a row qualifying for the state-level competition.
Giovanni has been diving since age 9, including a recent opportunity to train in Mexico City with renowned coach Serafín Bratt.
Swim and dive teammates, coaches, and school community are very proud of Giovanni. Special thanks to Coach Stephanie Hunt [in the photo above with Giovanni] for her dedication and commitment to her athletes. Best of luck to the two of them.
Go Wildcats!
You can find tournament info here. 3A diving begins at 8:30 am tomorrow (Thursday, February 15).
(That’s Skidoo, “rocking his Valentine’s Day duds,” photo just sent by Mindy)
A belated edition of the list for the rest of today/tonight – just a reminder of what’s on our Event Calendar (where you’ll find even more for today and beyond):
BLACK HISTORY MONTH PRESENTATION: 1 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), “In the Shadow of Reconstruction: A Portrait of Northwest Black Pioneers” with Maisha Barnett – RSVP requested.
FREE TODDLER GYM: 3-5 pm drop-in playspace at the Salvation Army Center in South Delridge (9050 16th SW).
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Repair your broken item instead of replacing it! Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
LAKE WASHINGTON PT TALK = FREE GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) – first for the Lake Washington Physical Therapy (WSB sponsor) sports-medicine talk at 6 pm, then for the weekly free group run!.
TRIVIA x 4: Four places to play tonight. At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) offers trivia … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).
(California Scrub-jay, by Jerry Simmons)
POETRYBRIDGE: This month’s gathering at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) celebrates the group’s 14th anniversary – pie at 6:30 pm, poetry (with featured readers and community mic) at 7.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
VALENTINE’S KICKBACK: Activities for teens, 7 pm at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle).
LISTENING EVENT: 7 pm at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), listen to Idles‘ new album TANGK. Giveaways and freebies!
MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
If you’re planning a presentation, meeting, performance, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, etc., and it’s open to the community, please send us info for West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photo, November 2023)
Before we get to the rest of what’s up today, one biznote for ice-cream lovers – Colleen at Shug’s Mini (California/Charlestown) sends word that they’re open a bonus day today “for a special Wednesday Valentine’s Day treat.” Hours will be noon to 9 pm. Those are the regular Shug’s Mini hours Thursdays-Sundays, and, Colleen adds, “We will have specials throughout the weekend to help celebrate love, family and friendship.”
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, February 14 – Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Today’s forecast resembles Tuesday’s: Partly sunny, high in the upper 40s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:17 am, sunset at 5:30 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is. **Holiday note – Both Water Taxi routes are out of service on Presidents Day next Monday (February 19).
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
Police are searching the area around Admiral Safeway and Hiawatha after a shoplift-turned-robbery at the store. According to the dispatch, a man brandished a 2 1/2-inch folding knife at store staff while making off with an 18 pack of Modelo beer. He was last seen headed south toward Hiawatha. He’s described as Black, 19 to 20 years old, 5’6″, medium build, blue sweatshirt, tan pants. A K-9 team is joining the search.
(WSB photos)
Jubilation tonight for the West Seattle High School boys after their 53-52 come-from-behind win over Bellevue HS in the district tournament’s second round, playing at Sammamish HS. Seldom has a free throw been as thrilling as the one #3, senior Bo Gionet, hit to win the game with three seconds to go:
He had 16 points total tonight. The Wildcats were behind for most of the game – down by 8 points after the first quarter, down 7 after the second, 10 points behind after the third – but then in the fourth quarter, they managed to shut down the inside shooting that had kept Bellevue ahead, and then it was comeback time. After Gionet, West Seattle’s second-leading scorer tonight, with 10, was #0, junior Alex Pierce.
Next, the WSHS boys play Rainier Beach at 5 pm Thursday (February 15) at Bellevue College – and regardless of how that turns out, per the bracket, it’s on to state.
(WSB photos)
In the first of two back-to-back district-tournament games tonight for West Seattle High School‘s varsity basketball games, the Wildcat girls fell to Lake Washington, 38-35, playing at Sammamish HS in Bellevue. WSHS led 14-10 after the first quarter but the Kangs had pulled ahead by halftime and went on to win.
(added) Top scorer for WSHS was #21, junior Alyssa Neumann, with 12:
#4, senior Carmen Cruz, had 9:
And #20, junior Colby Timmons, collected 7:
The Wildcats get another chance at districts, playing Roosevelt at 5 pm Friday (February 16) at Bellevue College.
You might have noticed the signage that’s been going up next door to Itto’s Tapas at California and Genesee. Since it’s named Itto’s Vino, you’ve probably figured out it’s related to its neighbor. Itto’s proprietor Khalid Agour has been working for a while on a new venue in what used to be a nail shop next door. The official description of the new venue is a “new West Seattle wine bar, highlighting the culture, food, and terroirs of the Mediterranean.” He told us its food will differ from what’s offered at Itto’s Tapas. After a few more reader questions prompted by the signage sighting, we asked Khalid how close he is to opening Itto’s Vino. His reply: “We’re getting super close to open, hopefully in a couple weeks. We have some small details to work on.”
Though spring is still five weeks away, the baby blossoms you’ll eventually see in West Seattle Junction flower baskets this year are growing now. The Junction Association provided these photos from Van Wingerden Greenhouses in Blaine, raising the spring/summer color show again this year:
With basket season approaching, WSJA has opened this year’s adopt-a-basket opportunities – almost 100 this year, and you can adopt – aka sponsor – one for $189, supporting the nonprofit’s operations. You can sign up here.
One last reminder about the election for King Conservation District Supervisor – a position you’ve probably heard little, if anything, about, but which helps decide how millions of public dollars are spent. Voting is all done online and ends at 8 pm tonight. As explained in last month’s election announcement:
KCD is a special-purpose district committed to helping people engage in stewardship and conservation of natural resources, serving over two million people in 34 cities and unincorporated King County (excluding the cities of Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific, and Skykomish that are not member jurisdictions). KCD assists private residents with forestry management, streamside and shoreline enhancement, farm conservation planning, and other environmental efforts. It works with cities and community organizations to support community gardens, urban forest canopy, and local food systems. KCD is funded primarily by a per-parcel rates and charges fee paid by residents of the district.
An all-volunteer, five-member Board of Supervisors is responsible for overseeing KCD operations, budget, and policy. Voters elect three supervisors and the Washington State Conservation Commission appoints two supervisors. Supervisors serve three-year terms.
Three candidates are contending for the one seat on this ballot – Brittney Bush Bollay, Aaron Ellig, and Erik Goheen. Last week we published their responses to eight questions posed via email by the Duwamish Alive! Coalition. Again, you have until 8 tonight to vote.
| 2 COMMENTS