West Seattle, Washington
15 Wednesday
(Photo tweeted by @i8ipod)
Thanks to everyone who sent photos of the rainbow that emerged between waves of rain late today!
(Photo sent by Stewart L.)
The possibility of more rain remains in the forecast off and on until Wednesday – which is when summer arrives, with the solstice moment at 7:57 am. Then by Thursday, we should be back in the mid-70s – tonight, though, it’ll be cold, dropping into the 40s!
(Friday morning photo sent by Jay)
We reported Friday morning on the crash-and-grab burglary at Tulip’s Nail Salon in Jefferson Square. While the business is open, like most businesses hit by criminals, this one is left with costly damage. Customer Gay worked with Tulip’s owner Lisa Nguyen to set up a crowdfunding campaign via AngeLink. Gay told us via email, “She loves this community and we all need to show her the love back.” If you’re inclined to donate, here’s the link.
6:06 PM: That’s the traffic-camera view of a two-car crash on the westbound West Seattle Bridge. SPD and SFD are just arriving. No word on whether anyone’s hurt.
6:10 PM: One person is reported injured. The right two lanes are now blocked off by the crash and the emergency response, plus it’s been raining hard for a while now, so if you are headed that way from off-peninsula, allow yourself extra time.
6:16 PM: Now a second crash is reported on the bridge “blocking one of the center lanes,” though we haven’t heard/seen where, only that no one is hurt in that one.
6:31 PM: Another westbound lane has reopened, leaving only the outer WB lane blocked, near the crest.
7:31 PM: Tow truck is on scene to take away the last car left from the original collision. The officer there just told dispatch he’s heard of yet another crash somewhere else on the westbound side.
1:22 PM: Mikey the Rad Scientist is leading audience-participation science songs as the 2023 Morgan Junction Community Festival gets under way in the park just north of Beveridge Place Pub. (It’s Father’s Day, so Mikey even brought his dad.) This is a simple three-hour festival in the park this year, with a half-dozen community-group booths (us too):
The booths have simple free activities too – as we mentioned last night, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society has rock-painting for the Save the Stone Cottage campaign.
(Photo courtesy Clay Eals, WSHS – Lauren was painting)
And just north of the park, skateboarding instruction is offered by Let the Kids Skate (once the weather dries – with giveaways, we hear – next to the Seattle Parks booth where you can revisit the park addition’s design plan as they look ahead to site cleanup later this year and park construction in 2025.
(Cove is helping out)
Coming up: The Potholes at 2 pm (sponsored by WSB) and Gary Benson at 3 pm (sponsored by Thunder Road Guitars, also a WSB sponsor). The Morgan Community Association presents the festival every year (and you can come learn about them too), with the aforementioned community co-sponsors and others.
2:07 PM: The Potholes – all young West Seattle musicians – just started their set in the park. No return of raindrops since the first few minutes. Good crowd.
If you like The Potholes – you’ll get to see them at West Seattle Summer Fest, too (3 pm Friday, July 14th)! Meantime, kids’ activities continue – including face-painting with Nichole.
And if you want a traffic-calming sign from SDOT, free, there’s a stock of them at the MoCA booth right by the entrance to the park.
2:40 PM: The Potholes have a heavy dose of what they called “dad rock” in their set – Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd – they even played a soft-rock Chuck Mangione classic. (video added)
They’ve drawn a crowd ringing the park as well as kids dancing on the lawn.
Around the periphery, some sidewalk chalking:
And we’ve had City Council candidate sightings too. Phil Tavel, former VP of MoCA, is emceeing. Rob Saka and family just stopped by to say hi. And Jean Iannelli Craciun is tabling on the sidewalk right outside the festival. (3 1/2 weeks until ballots go in the mail.)
3:04 PM: Final hour of the festival has begun. Gary Benson is performing now, with classic guitar rock/folk. (video added)
Poogooder is here with a variety of activities reinforcing their mission of helping dog owners be more environmentally friendly.
And over at the future park addition, skating is happening:
Skating will continue past 4 pm with a trick contest. The rest of the festival wraps up at 4, so come say hi before then. All ages have been coming through (chatting next to our booth are two families with babies, one just a few weeks old). And the sun’s been shining off and on, too.
3:51 PM: Everybody’s packing up – except the skaters – and Gary Benson just sang “You Got a Friend” as his finale. Thanks to everyone who sponsored and volunteered, and everyone who came by to say hi.
Surprise sunshine graced the route as more than 100 people of all ages walked in this year’s West Seattle Pride March, founded and again organized by local entrepreneurs Autumn Lovewell and Monica Colgan, who invited another couple to be the first-ever grand marshals, Stacy Bass-Walden and Jolie Bass-Walden of Alki Beach Pride.
Autumn reminded the crowd that Pride started as a protest, more than half a century ago, led by queer Black women, and that inspired their decision to honor the Bass-Waldens.. The march then proceeded peacefully and cheerily on the sidewalk along California, from Morgan Junction Park to SW Findlay, across at the newly signalized crossing, then back down California to Youngstown Coffee for an afterparty (and Alki Beach Pride fundraising).
Lots of car-horn honking and waving along the way.
The celebration was concluding with a Pride Story Time at another Morgan Junction business, Paper Boat Booksellers.
P.S. If you’ve missed our other mentions, the ninth annual Alki Beach Pride is happening in late summer, August 20th, with a noon-7 pm street/beach party (including closing a few blocks of Alki Avenue) – watch alkibeachpride.org for details.
If you’re headed to the beach for today’s low tide, or any other time soon, be extra-watchful – harbor-seal pupping season is starting. Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network has this reminder:
Pupping season in our part of Puget Sound runs from June – September. Over the next months, beach walkers in West Seattle will very likely come across vulnerable Harbor Seal pups on both our public and private beaches. These young marine mammals are protected by federal law. If you come across a seal pup using the beach, please keep back, keep people and pets away, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325.
Seal Sitters is part of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Our territory is West Seattle, from Brace Point through the Duwamish River including Harbor Island and the East Waterway. We are responsible for responding to all marine mammals, alive or dead, that end up on the beaches within that area. (The official NOAA stranding map, which shows the coverage areas and the contact information for the various groups that respond to marine mammals on the beaches of Puget Sound, is viewable at this link – click on “Network Maps.”)
If you can, add Seal Sitters’ hotline to your phone – if you don’t, it’s easy to remember: 206-905-SEAL.
(Fern, photographed by Jay Speidell)
It’s Father’s Day and the last Sunday of spring. Here’s what’s on the list for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm; the market offers almost-summer produce (strawberries were abundant last week!) as well as flowers, cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, plant starts, more. Here’s today’s vendor list. (California SW between Oregon and Alaska)
SOUL SPA: Inner Alchemy is hosting Soul Spas on Sundays at Jet City Labs (4547 California SW) during Farmers’ Market hours, 10 am-2 pm: “a fun community experience of meeting our talented local healers, makers, and artists right alongside the Farmers’ Market. Mini-sessions, shopping, connecting, and Timmy cooking brunch!”
LOW-LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be out at Constellation Park (63rd/Beach Drive) and Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) 10:30 am-1 pm. The tide’s out to -2.4 feet at 11:41 am.
GUIDED BEACH WALK: Also at Constellation Park, Seattle Parks offers a guided beach walk, $10 fee. 10:30 am-12:30 pm. Info, including how to register, in our calendar listing.
PRIDE MARCH & STORY TIME: Meet at 11 am at Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW) for this year’s West Seattle Pride March through Morgan Junction. See our preview for the latest info, including the post-march celebration at Youngstown Coffee (6030 California SW) and an added Story Time at 12:30 pm at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW)
DONATION DRIVE: Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) welcomes drop-off donations, 11 am-3 pm. Here’s the request:
Where can our neighbors go if they become homeless and have no supplies for living outside? Individuals of all ages and families of all backgrounds face this dilemma each and every month.
Do you have any camping gear that someone else can use? Our priority needs include clean and operable tents, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, tarps, ropes, stakes and small propane tanks, etc. Your donations of food, clothing and outdoor gear are distributed through the Westside Interfaith Network Saturday lunch, hosted in White Center.
Deepest gratitude to our community for your generous support of our neighbors in need.
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK OPEN: 11 am-8 pm daily through Labor Day, shine or rain. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
BASEBALL: Tournament fun all day with West Seattle Baseball at the Pee Wee fields, lower Riverview Playfield (7226 12th SW), starting at 11;30 am.
MORGAN JUNCTION COMMUNITY FESTIVAL: 1-4 pm at Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW), free family fun, with three performances (as previewed here) – Mikey the Rad Scientist at 1 pm, The Potholes at 2 pm, Gary Benson at 3 pm – plus skateboarding instruction with Let the Kids Skate – Morgan Junction throughout the festival (and a skating trick contest afterward), activities and info from local nonprofits, and a chance to talk with Seattle Parks about the plan for the future addition north of the park. The festival is presented by the Morgan Community Association, with community co-sponsors including WSB.
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Second Sunday of the season for free tours of historic Alki Point Lighthouse (3201 Alki Avenue SW), 1-4 pm (last tour starts at 3:45 pm).
NATIVE PLANTS AND FOREST ECOLOGY WALK: 2:30-4 pm at Camp Long (5200 35th SW) – details in our calendar listing.
MODE MUSIC STUDIOS SHOWCASE @ C&P: Students from Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) perform at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; also a WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm.
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
Have an event – one-time or recurring – to add to our calendar? Please email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Tomorrow’s forecast has improved from “rain” to “chance of showers” – but both of Morgan Junction’s big Sunday events are “rain or shine,” and we have extra info about both.
PRIDE MARCH: The first big event is at 11 am Sunday, the Pride March presented by Autumn and Monica, owners of Youngstown Coffee, HeartBeet Organic Superfoods Café, and Launchpad. Here’s their update:
Our 4th annual Pride March in Morgan Junction is happening rain or shine on Sunday, June 18th Meet up at the starting point Morgan Junction Park (next to Beveridge Place) at 11 am. Our first-ever grand marshals – Stacy and Jolie, founders/organizers of Alki Beach Pride – will lead the way on this easy 3-block walk up to Findlay and back down California, where we’ll end at Youngstown Coffee for a Pride celebration. We’ll be offering specials on our menu and special treats to raise funds for Alki Beach Pride.
We’ve partnered with Paper Boat Booksellers for a Pride Edition story time led by local nanny Ms. Lacey. Story time starts at 12:30 inside the bookstore. Bring your little ones for story time.
MORGAN JUNCTION COMMUNITY FESTIVAL: 1-4 pm Sunday, also at Morgan Junction Park, presented by the Morgan Community Association. We’ve previewed the entertainment lineup; here are three more things you should know about:
Seattle Parks continues to work on the adjacent new Morgan Junction Park plan. The design firm Board & Vellum along and Parks’ project manager are excited to be participating in the Morgan Junction Community Festival. Be sure to stop by their booth to reconfirm the park design and provide input on additional features. After the Festival, Seattle Parks will host an online survey to gather input from people unable to attend the event.
Also, Let the Kids Skate Morgan Junction will offer basic skateboard instruction during festival hours and will hold a Best Trick Contest starting at 4:00 pm. Look for the signs.
The festival’s participating nonprofits plan interactive kids’ activities, including this one from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society:
(Photo by Clay Eals; inscriptions by Shari Sewell)
SWSHS’s Clay Eals explains, “The activity is for kids to paint decorated stones that promote the Save the Stone Cottage campaign. Kids will be able to paint the reverse side of the rocks.” SWSHS and other participating organizations will all have booths/tables in the park. See you in Morgan Junction on Sunday!
(WSB photos)
7:02 PM SATURDAY: Seven hours, seven venues – that’s the span of West Seattle Pridefest, happening in The Junction night for the first time ever. First up, an art show at Jet City Labs (4547 California SW), until 9 pm. Cebron Kyle Bradford is the curator, and an exhibiting artist too:
The show is spotlighting work by queer and BIPOC artists, and most pieces are available for purchase.
You can visit JCL and see the art until 9 pm. Next events on tonight’s Pridefest slate are trivia, comedy, and bingo, all starting at 8 pm.
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Organizer Alex Garcia shared some photos, including these – Mikey Moo at The Poggie:
Bingo at Supreme:
Bingo host Richard:
Trivia host Devon, at Camp West:
Alex says, “West Seattle Pride was a huge success. I think we succeeded in our goal to celebrate diversity, pride, community, LGBTQ culture with our neighbors and local businesses. My one regret was just not having enough room for everyone; next year we plan to include more businesses and have more events throughout the day.”
6 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip and photo. Heads up if you’re headed eastbound through the Westwood area any time soon – EB Thistle is blocked at 29th because of an SFD/SPD crash response. No medic unit dispatched so far, so apparently no major injuries.
6:35 PM: SFD has closed out of the call.
(WSB photo)
Yesenia and Keith are part of the team behind Rush Hour, a “summer pop-up” shop in The Junction that’s been open a few weeks at 4448 California SW, the future redevelopment site next to the north location of West Seattle Coworking (WSB sponsor). If you’re still looking for a unique Father’s Day (or beyond) gift, and you haven’t been in yet, you might want to take a look at their vintage sports items, part of what they carry along with sneakers (the specialty), streetwear, and more. Regular hours are on their Instagram page; they closed at 5 today and will be open tomorrow (on Father’s Day) 10 am-2 pm.
(WSB photo)
In advance of tonight’s Pridefest, the heart of the West Seattle Junction is decked with more than four dozen rainbow flags. Alex Garcia, who is producing Pridefest, sent photos and word of the volunteer duo who put them all up this afternoon:
(This photo and next, courtesy Alex Garcia)
At noon Billy Conwell (Admiral Pub) and Phil Tavel put up all 49 pride flags in the Junction ahead of the West Seattle Pride events.
While this is the first year for Pridefest – which starts at 6 pm and spans seven venues during the evening – it’s not the first for the flags. The West Seattle Junction Association first placed them in 2019 after an “adopt-a-flag” fundraising campaign.
As noted in our daily preview, the second annual West Seattle High School Car Show organized by the car club calling themselves the Greasy Peeps is happening today.
Lively scene despite the weather! 46 cars as of 1 pm. Among them – the hearse from Emmick Family Funeral Home (WSB sponsor):
It’s on until 3 pm outside the northwest side of the school at 3000 California SW.
(If you’re driving there, you can still park in the south part of the lot.)
10:57 AM: In the blue T-shirt, with a bright smile, that’s Lou Cutler, the retired PE teacher who celebrates his birthday every year by raising money to help kids’ dreams come true via Make-A-Wish – one lap around the Pathfinder K-8 track for every year of his life (72 so far).
This year for the first time, Laps With Lou is happening on a weekend, so it’s open to whoever shows up rather than an all-school Pathfinder turnout. Here’s the stalwart crew out on the field with him in the early going:
We have just headed back up to Pigeon Point to check on his progress. Meantime, you’re welcome to go join him for one or more laps – and to donate via his fundraising page; Lou’s also donated time by volunteering with the organization for many years.
NOON: When we returned, Lou had already finished three-fourths of his laps, so this isn’t likely to last until 2 pm as previously projected. We did catch his planned break to express appreciation to everyone:
The young man who was with Lou in the video, Jacob Marzynski, was the recipient of what we’re told are 275 wishes – so far – in which Lou has been involved over his years of involvement with Make-A-Wish.
(Added: Photo sent by Heather)
Thanks for the tips. A crash near the Delridge onramp is blocking all but 1 lane of the eastbound bridge.
(Friday fog photo by Doug Eglington)
Two dozen options for the first day of your weekend, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
PRE-FATHER’S DAY ULTIMATE: Go play with the West Seattle Ultimate Frisbee Family this morning!
Hey Dads – Invite your family, as your Father’s Day gift, to pickup ultimate. Or, ask them for a frisbee hall pass, as your gift.
And Kids! Ask your father to play ultimate as his gift.
Happy pre-Father’s Day. See you 8 am at Fairmount Playfield
(5400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
LAPS WITH LOU: For the first time, Lou Cutler‘s Make-A-Wish walkathon at Pathfinder K-8 (1901 SW Genesee) is open to everyone, as it’s not happening on a school day. Lou, a retired PE teacher and longtime Make-A-Wish volunteer, will walk one lap for every year he’s about to celebrate on his birthday (72 this year1) later this month. He’ll likely start before 9, and you can join any time – he expects to be walking until about 2 pm, with a break around 11 am to talk about Make-A-Wish. Our preview includes the donation link you can use whether or not you plan to join him2!
BASEBALL: Tournament fun all day with West Seattle Baseball at the Pee Wee fields, lower Riverview Playfield (7226 12th SW), starting at 9 am.
HIKE THE WEST DUWAMISH GREENBELT: Meet up at 9:30 am in the Arboretum at the north end of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) for a guided greenbelt hike.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: 9:30 am-3 pm, the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Garden Center will be open, selling a vast variety of student-grown plants. (6000 16th SW, north end of campus)
SOUTH DELRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET: The farmers’ market on the grounds of Hope Academy (9421 18th SW) is happening weekly this year, 10 am-2 pm Saturday, prioritizing vendors of color and presented by African Community Housing & Development.
LOW-LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be out at Constellation and Lincoln Parks 10 am-12:30 pm. The tide’s out to -2.4 feet at 11:05 am.
HERON’S NEST MARKET: Open-air market with arts, crafts, info at The Heron’s Nest (4818 Puget Way SW), 10 am-5 pm.
MORNING MUSIC: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Learn about Marco’s music here.
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am in West Seattle, registration required – see full details in our calendar listing.
BAGELS AND PIZZA AT THE P-PATCH: The Barton Street P-Patch community invites you to visit for treats fresh from their wood-fired oven, bagels 11 am-noon, pizza 4-6:30 pm. By donation, to support the garden. (34th/Barton)
FAMILY READING TIME: Every Saturday at 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
CLASSIC CARS: Brookdale Admiral Heights is showing them off 11 am-2 pm on California south of College – plus, music and free hot dogs! Details in our calendar listing.
SPRAYPARK OPEN: Highland Park Spraypark is open daily, 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
PRIDE FLAGS IN THE JUNCTION: They’re expected to go up with volunteer help around noon today.
STUDENT-ORGANIZED CAR SHOW: Noon-3 pm at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW). Free to attend unless you’re entering a car; more info in our calendar listing.
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2234 SW Orchard)
(Friday fog, photographed by James Bratsanos)
VISCON CELLARS: 1-6 pm, visit the tasting room at Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) – selling wine by the glass or bottle. Learn about their wines here! (5910 California SW)
DANIEL AND THE DREAMCATCHER: Comic opera for all ages! Doors open 2 pm at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW) – ticket info and other details in our calendar listing.
PAPA TONY’S POP-UP: 5-8 pm at Mission Cantina (2325 California SW), you can sample and/or buy the award-winning, made-in-West-Seattle sauce.
WEST SEATTLE PRIDEFEST: The peninsula’s newest Pride celebration features events at seven venues, starting at 6 pm and continuing past midnight – art, music, drag, comedy, trivia, more – details and locations are in our calendar listing.
DUBSEA FISH STICKS: 6:05 pm home game at Steve Cox Memorial Park (1321 SW 102nd) for the collegiate summer baseball team‘s game vs. the Redmond Dudes.
THREE WEST SEATTLE BANDS: 7 pm at The Skylark, triple bill of West Seattle bands – Midnight Marauders, Moonlight Remedy, Billy and the Dream Boats. $10 at the door. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
ROO FORREST & FRIENDS: Performing 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). No cover.
If you have a show, sale, event, meeting, seminar, reading, field trip, fundraiser, class, game, or ? for our calendar … please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(December 27, 2022, photo by Deb Holbrook)
King tides have swamped Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza multiple times in recent years, and that’s just part of why many of the inscribed bricks that comprise much of the plaza have faded into illegibility. A suggestion for restoring them was brought to the Alki Community Council last night, from one of the community advocates who made the plaza happen 15 years ago. She wonders what you think of the idea.
Libby Carr doesn’t live in West Seattle now, but did in the mid-’00s, when she and husband Paul Carr fought bureaucracy and amassed serious fundraising to first recast the statue and then create a new base for it and a plaza befitting it. The statue was re-dedicated in 2007, the plaza a year later. A major part of the fundraising came from selling more than 3,000 inscribed bricks and plaques. Now, after almost 15 years of wind, waves, and sand, it’s all but impossible to go to the plaza and find “your” brick.
Libby Carr told the ACC that her research has turned up someone who says he could reinscribe the bricks with a method that would be much longer-lasting. He estimated the 3,003 bricks could be reinscribed for about $60,000. The cost of removing and replacing them would have to be determined, though. But Carr sees a way to cover much if not all the costs: She says the ramp down to the plaza, built some years later, could hold 29 inscribed plaques that could be sold for $5.000 each, raising $145,000 for starters, more than double what it would cost to fix the bricks.
In the years since the plaza was dedicated, a maintenance fund – left over from the $350,000 raised for the plaza and statue – has seen Parks and the ACC partner on keeping the plaza maintained, but they’ve tried many ways to protect and restore the inscribed bricks, without much success. But Carr had a key question: Does the community care? Are West Seattleites – both those who bought bricks/plaques and those who did not – interested? “Is there will and desire in the community to do this all over?” (If you have a thought either way, consider commenting below.) The ACC agreed to talk about this again at its next meeting. Carr said she’d be happy to come back.
Two other topics of note:
ALKI ART FAIR: Its longtime leader Giovannina Souers brought this year’s toplines. Three days again this year, July 21st through 23rd, 2 pm-8 pm Friday, 10 am-8 pm Saturday, 10 am-6 pm Sunday. They have more than 80 artists lined up for this year. The AAF is a nonprofit, and powered by volunteers – Souers says more are needed, as well as a vice president who will then step up to president (she has been president off and on for the festival’s quarter-century of existence and is about to have to step down again due to term limitation). You can find out how to get involved via the Alki Art Fair website.
ALKI BEACH PRIDE: Roger Starkweather was there with an early Alki Beach Pride preview. Biggest change this year – a street party on Alki Avenue SW. It will be closed from Harry’s Beach House to Blue Moon Burgers for activities noon-7 pm on August 20th; then there’ll be a movie at Alki Playfield at 8 pm. ABP will feature a beer garden, entertainment, kids’ activities, vendors, and more. They’re expecting about a thousand people to attend. “It’s not about a big show, it’s about community.” They’re still accepting vendor applications, too.
Alki Community Council meets at 7 pm on the third Thursday of most months, in person at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) and online via Zoom.
7:13 PM: Thanks for the tip. Almost 500 customers have lost power in The Junction – the City Light map shows it’s mostly along California between Genesee and Edmunds. No word yet on the cause.
7:39 PM: We are in the area looking around. California businesses south of Alaska appear to have power. 42nd/Alaska signal is out. A City Light truck is by Junction Plaza Park.
7:50 PM: The other businesses – and signals – on California have power too. Jefferson Square appears OK too. But the 42nd/Alaska signal is still dark. (4-way stop!)
8:14 PM: The SCL map now confirms what commenters have said – “bird/animal contact” is blamed for the outage.
8:25 PM: Morgan reports that some businesses are out in the south half of the east side of the block between Oregon and Alaska.
9:40 PM: A few customers have their power back – SCL shows 469 still out.
10:37 AM: The outage has vanished from the map. If you’re still out, though, be sure to call City Light and let them know (206-684-3000).
Thanks to Kay for the photo and tip from Highland Park Way/Holden. She reported that no-parking signs had gone up for “Monday through mid-July,” and wondered if this meant the start of improvements at the intersection including the permanent signal replacing the temporary one that went up days after the West Seattle Bridge closed. Not yet, says SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson:
Crews are planning to visit the intersection this month to verify where underground utilities are located so that we can confirm the exact location to install the new traffic signal poles. This will involve digging and then re-filling some small holes in the ground so that we can get a better look at what’s underneath the pavement.
We’re still working out the timeline for the installation of both the art and the signal poles. The biggest unknown right now is the supply chain timeline for signal poles, as the delivery date is outside of our control and it often takes a while to obtain this part. Once the signal poles arrive and are installed in the ground, the final step will be to work with Seattle City Light to hook up power so that the new traffic signal can be turned on.
The art to which he referred is this – a giant Steller’s Jay.
4:04 PM: Thanks for the tips. Juneau is blocked between Delridge and 25th SW because of a standoff with someone in a unit at the Longfellow Creek Apartments. Police would only tell us that they’ve been trying to serve a warrant on someone who does not want to cooperate.
We don’t yet know what the warrant is for.
4:45 PM: If you’re in the area, note that officers have warned dispatch (in case of phone calls) that SWAT plans to use a device you might hear from a distance.
5:44 PM: The suspect is reported to be in custody.
6:07 PM: And here’s what SPD tells us about what led to this: “Police responded to a report of a suspicious circumstance in the 5900 block of Delridge WY SW around 11:15 a.m. It was reported a man attempted to take a child from a nearby business without authorization. Staff were able to intervene and the child was safely returned to his legal guardians. Afterwards, the 39-year-old male suspect barricaded himself within his residence. SWAT served a search warrant and took the man into custody. He will be booked into King County Jail for attempted kidnapping.”
SATURDAY UPDATE: Though we aren’t likely to be able to get the paperwork from prosecutors until Tuesday, the jail register shows the suspect had a bail hearing today and that his bail was set at $200,000.
3:02 PM: From John, who lives in Highland Park and (corrected) works at the KAVU store in South Delridge:
Our KAVU Company truck was stolen from outside an employee’s house last night in Burien. It is a 2013 Ford F-150 Pickup. License plate: KAVU
We’ll add the report number – which will be a KCSO/Burien PD case – when we get it.
5:42 PM: John says the truck’s been found – in Federal Way.
Starting next week, the building housing the community-staffed/funded Westside Neighbors Network Shelter, West Seattle Veteran Center, and American Legion Post 160 is getting a new roof – donated by area businesses. Adaptive Roofing is installing it in partnership with Malarkey Roofing Products, Stoneway Roofing Supply, Do It Right Roofing, and DTG Recycle. From the announcement (which you can read in full here):
… Recognizing the urgent need for a new roof at the Westside Neighbors Network Shelter, Sean Sternberg, the owner of Adaptive Roofing, felt compelled to utilize his resources and reach out to the community for support. Adaptive Roofing has taken the initiative to spearhead this project and ensure the shelter’s longevity and functionality.
Malarkey Roofing Products … has generously donated high-quality roofing materials for the project. With Malarkey Roofing Products’ expertise and dedication to sustainable roofing practices, the new roof will not only enhance the shelter’s resilience but also contribute to its energy efficiency and long-term cost savings.
Stoneway Roofing Supply has joined this noble cause by generously donating the remaining materials required for the renovation. … Do It Right Roofing, a local roofing contractor with a passion for community involvement, has stepped up by providing skilled labor for the installation of the new roof. … DTG Recycle … has come forward to support the project by donating the use of dumpsters.
Keith Hughes, who founded the shelter and leads the Veteran Center/Legion post, estimates this donation to be worth at least $90.000. The shelter/center’s current roof is at least 40 years old.
(WSB photos)
Thanks for the tips. The latest West Seattle business hit by crash-and-grab burglars is Tulip’s Nail Salon in Jefferson Square. According to archived police-radio audio, it happened just after 4 am, with the burglars using two vehicles to back into the storefront – a black SUV and tan pickup, last seen headed south on 42nd SW.
When we went over this morning after readers told us about seeing the damage, we found a police officer back for a followup, though store owner/staffers weren’t there. The officer said they’d been told the burglars stole “a small statue of Buddha” (its former spot is in our second photo) and a “small amount of cash.” If you have any information, the SPD case # is 23-167367.
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