BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Here’s when Five Guys plans to open in Westwood

(WSB photo, last month)

Last month – one year after we first told you that the burger chain Five Guys was taking over the ex-Payless spot on the south side of Westwood Village – the company told us it hoped to open “end of July.” With just days left in the month, we checked back today – and a company spokesperson tells us they do have a “projected opening date” for the Westwood location: This Saturday, July 29th. Hours will be 11 am-10 pm, seven days a week.

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Alki alley shooting case ends with plea bargain, 2 1/2 years later

(November 2020 photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)

The longest-running criminal case we’ve been watching is ending with a plea bargain after more than 2 1/2 years. Three days after a man was shot while driving in an Alki alley, a nearby resident, 38-year-old Garrett Heinemann, was charged with first-degree assault and first-degree burglary. Heinemann was arrested shortly after the shooting and has been in jail ever since. This happened in the middle of the day, 12:35 pm on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 29, 2020. The case was a head-scratcher; the victim told police that while he had recently moved to the area, he had never met Heinemann, who was reported to have stepped out into the alley in front of the victim’s car, told him to put his hands up, and opened fire. The victim was hit in both arms, neck, and one shoulder, according to court documents. The defendant had no criminal history and had legally owned the pistol for eight years, with a concealed-weapon permit; he had discarded it into the water at Alki shortly after the shooting, before police caught up with him. We’ve read court documents off and on for the entire 2 1/2 years that this case has taken to resolution and have never seen any mention of Heinemann offering an explanation for why he shot the victim.

Court documents say Heinemann pleaded guilty Wednesday to the two original charges – the burglary count is for barging into another neighbor’s residence after the shooting and trying to pistol-whip him. In the agreement, prosecutors are dismissing the “firearms enhancement” that would have added years to the sentence. They are recommending a 9 1/2-year sentence, toward the low end of the “standard” range; the final decision will be up to King County Superior Court Judge David Whedbee on September 1st.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Vandalism at Alki

That photo of a mostly-stripped beach bench was sent by Stephanie, who told us after an Alki walk this morning: “One of the Honey Buckets is tipped over this morning. Another regular morning walker told me he saw older kids push it over then take off in a car, laughing. Two benches are also ripped up. This is around 59th and Alki.” The other “ripped up” bench was not stripped of most of its wood, but instead left with one board on the ground and two rearranged as sides of a triangle. We checked in with Seattle Parks to ask about repair plans; spokesperson Rachel Schulkin tells WSB, “We will make those repairs in the next couple weeks (hopefully less).”

Concert, candidates, Cup, and Chamber: What’s up for the rest of your West Seattle Thursday

(Benign Great Golden Digger Wasp enjoying cilantro flower nectar in photographer Rosalie Miller’s garden)

Here’s what’s happening for the rest of today/tonight!

SPRAYPARK OPEN: Daily operations continue at Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), 11 am-8 pm.

SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Here’s the list of local sites where free food is available for kids on weekdays this summer, 11:30 am-1 pm lunch, 2-3 pm snacks.

HIAWATHA WADING POOL OPEN: Noon-5:30 pm. (2700 California SW)

LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL OPEN: Noon-7 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

COLMAN POOL OPEN: Also at Lincoln Park, noon-7 pm – here’s the schedule of sessions.

WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today.

SOUND TRANSIT BOARD: Today’s 1:30-5 pm meeting is scheduled to include one item of potential interest to future light-rail communities – “a report on early property acquisitions.” The meeting agenda includes information on attending downtown in person or watching online, as well as how to comment.

THURSDAY FOOD-TRUCK POP-UP: 4-8 pm at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), Zaytoona will be visiting.

HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: Also at HP Corner Store, meet up at 6:30 pm for a 3-mile run!

WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER AFTER-HOURS: 5:30-7:30 pm at HomeStreet Bank (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor), as previewed here – featuring the Miss HomeStreet hydroplane.

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP WATCH PARTY: 5:30 pm, doors open at Outer Space Seattle (2820 Alki SW) for a family-friendly Women’s World Cup watch party. Adults and babies up to 1 year old are free; admission fee for older kids (unlimited use of play facilities).

COUNCIL CANDIDATES: This just might be the last forum for City Council District 1 candidates before voting ends Tuesday – 6:45 pm during the West Seattle Democratic Women‘s meeting at the golf course (4470 35th SW).

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at The Good Society (California/Lander) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run – more in our calendar listing.

SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA: Last show in the revived series of free concerts presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association: Tonight at 6:30 pm on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center (Walnut south of Lander),enjoy the “gypsy jazz” of Ranger and The Re-arrangers. Bring your own chair/blanket/picnic!

THURSDAY NIGHT CORNHOLE: Go play at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 7 pm.

There’s even more in our calendar!

BIZNOTE: Driftwood on Alki reopening on Friday

Multiple readers reported a startlingly empty space at the restaurant/bar Driftwood (2722 Alki Avenue SW) and wondered what happened. No, Driftwood – which opened seven months ago – did NOT shut down. It did have to close temporarily earlier this week, co-proprietor Jackie Mallahan confirms: “We had to have our floors redone and take care of a small water leak.” They had hoped to reopen in time for dinner tonight but Jackie tells us this morning that they won’t be able to open until tomorrow (Friday): “Unfortunately the floors have not cured enough and we are not able to move the kitchen equipment back in.” They’re notifying tonight’s reservation-holders this morning.

TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday begins

6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Thursday, July 27th.

WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Sunny, high in upper 70s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:41 am; sunset will be at 8:50 pm.

(Wednesday’s sunset, photographed by Hana Alishio)

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro – regular schedule – check here for advisories.

Water Taxi – regular schedule.

Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service. Check Vessel Watch to see where the boats are.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, 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 – east-end vicinity:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!

VIDEO: Another chance to see most of the Seattle City Council District 1 candidates side-by-side

As promised, we recorded this afternoon’s City Council District 1 candidate forum at the Senior Center of West Seattle, organized by a member. Though the organizer had hoped for all eight candidates, the turnout was six plus a representative – here’s how they were seated at the table, left to right: Maren Costa, Stephen Brown, Jean Iannelli Craciun, Rob Saka, Preston Anderson, Jules Williams from Phil Tavel‘s campaign (the candidate was at a memorial), and Lucy Barefoot. Moderator was Paula Barnes from the League of Women Voters; questions were asked by attendees. For those without the time and/or interest in watching video, we’ll add text summaries of their replies in about an hour. P.S. There’s another forum tomorrow night at the West Seattle Democratic Women‘s meeting – info in our calendar listing.

ADDED 11:11 PM: The summaries are below, after our photo of moderator Paula and organizer Erica:

What you see below are our summaries/paraphrasings of what the candidates said, not direct quotes aside from any word, phrase, or sentence inside quotation marks.

First, self-introductions in which they were asked to list the big issues they want to work on:

Read More

FOLLOWUP: Terminal 5 railroad ‘quiet zone’ construction finally about to start, SDOT says

More than a year and a half after Terminal 5 started accepting cargo shipments at its first modernized berth, a long-delayed related project is finally starting construction. SDOT sent a notice today announcing that work is expected to start next week for the railroad “Quiet Zone” that once was intended to be in place before the berth opened. (This new announcement is four months after SDOT had last said construction was imminent.) Here’s SDOT’s summary of the “Quiet Zone”:

The project, located along W Marginal Way SW from Chelan Ave SW to SW Dakota St, aims to reduce train horn usage in this area by building a new traffic signal; closing some railroad crossings; and upgrading safety equipment at other railroad crossings. The project will also provide safe and accessible ways for people biking/walking to access destinations near Terminal 5 and will include building a bike/pedestrian mixed use trail along West Marginal Way SW where there is currently no sidewalk.

According to the notice, most work will be done on weekdays, and there will be some “temporary lane closures” on West Marginal, as well as some temporary parking restrictions. SDOT told us back in March that construction would last about a year, and the contractor is Merlino Construction.

FOLLOWUP: Rebuilt and expanded, former Lam Bow apartment complex opens with new name

Two months ago, we reported that the (now former) Lam Bow Apartments at 6955 Delridge Way SW, rebuilt and expanded after a fire in 2016, were almost complete. This afternoon, the Seattle Housing Authority announced that some people have moved in, and a ribbon-cutting is planned next week. Plus, the complex has a new name: Salish Landing. SHA spokesperson Kerry Coughlin tells WSB that 52 of the units are leased and the remaining 30 are in the process of being leased. That’s 31 more units than the site held before one of the original two Lam Bow buildings was heavily damaged in a three-alarm fire. Though that September 2016 fire only affected one building, SHA decided in 2019 to demolish the remaining building and redevelop the entire site. It’s a five-story apartment building with 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments for income-qualified residents; SHA says pre-fire Lam Bow residents were offered the chance to move back into the new building. Its amenities include a large courtyard and playground, community room, and small library. SHA says Salish Landing apartments include sustainability features including renewable-energy panels and stormwater-detention vaults. It also has an 80-space offstreet-parking lot as well as bicycle storage. The ribboncutting next Tuesday afternoon will include Mayor Bruce Harrell.

READER REPORT: WDFW enforcement on the West Seattle shore

Thanks to Mark for the photo of a state Department of Fish and Wildlife officer in action. He wrote, “Nice to see the checking for fishing licenses and catches at Lincoln Park!” You might have seen them elsewhere in West Seattle – at Don Armeni Boat Ramp on busy fishing days, for example. Here’s how WDFW explains its enforcement activities.

READER REPORT: Coyote comeback continues

Thanks to Kevin Freitas for sending the video and photo. He reports, “Yesterday morning while on a run, my partner recorded this brief video showing the area coyote out and about. This was shot at 36th/Graham about 7 am. Control that bunny population, friend!”

This is the fourth coyote report we’ve received in a month, after a year without any (which of course doesn’t mean they haven’t been around). As we always note, we don’t publish these as a warning, but rather an educational FYI. As Kevin’s comment suggests, they eat a lot of small wildlife, but small domestic animals left alone are susceptible too, so take that into consideration. Advice on how to coexist with coyotes by keeping them at a distance is part of this state-produced Living With Wildlife guide.

The list for the rest of your West Seattle Wednesday

(Harbor Seal off Lowman Beach, photographed by Jamie Kinney – jamiekinneyphotos.com)

Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are your midweek highlights:

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open 11 am-8 pm,. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Here’s the list of local sites where free food is available for kids on weekdays this summer, 11:30 am-1 pm lunch, 2-3 pm snacks.

DELRIDGE WADING POOL: Noon-5:30 pm. (4501 Delridge Way SW)

LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL: Noon-7 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

COLMAN POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, this outdoor salt-water pool is open noon-7 pm daily through Labor Day. See the session schedule here.

CANDIDATES’ FORUM: Six days left to vote, and here’s one more chance to see all eight City Council District 1 candidates – 2 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).

FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Don’t replace it – repair it! Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).

WOMEN’S WORLD CUP WATCH PARTY: 5:30 pm, doors open at Outer Space Seattle (2820 Alki SW) for a family-friendly Women’s World Cup Watch Party. Adults and babies up to 1 year old are free; admission for older kids (unlimited use of play facilities).

TRIVIA x 6: Here’s where to play tonight. At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) now offers trivia … at 7 pm, you can play trivia at the West Seattle Brewing Mothership (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW); Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm; there’s 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska); trivia starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW); at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)

LIVE PIANO MUSIC: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks – all requests! (4210 SW Admiral Way).

MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.

SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

KARAOKE AT BENBOW ROOM: 9 pm-2 am – info in our calendar listing. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

Planning a presentation, meeting, performance, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, or …? If it’s open to the community, send us info for West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

THURSDAY: Summer Concerts at Hiawatha comeback-season finale

July 26, 2023 9:22 am
|    Comments Off on THURSDAY: Summer Concerts at Hiawatha comeback-season finale
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

That’s our video from 2019, when Ranger and The Re-Arrangers performed during the last pre-pandemic Summer Concerts at Hiawatha. This year, the Admiral Neighborhood Association brought the series back, and this band will be on stage Thursday night (July 27th) for the last of this year’s free shows. WSB has been a community co-sponsor of the series since its start more than a decade ago, so we’re reminding you today to get your chair, blanket, and picnic ready to take to the east lawn of Hiawatha (along Walnut south of Lander). Showtime tomorrow night is 6:30 pm.

TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Wednesday info

8:11 AM: Texter says eastbound bridge traffic is backing up because of a stalled vehicle on ramp to I-5.

Earlier:

6:03 AM: Good morning. It’s Wednesday, July 26th.

WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Cloudy, then sunny, high in low 70s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:39 am; sunset will be at 8:52 pm.

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro – regular schedule – check here for advisories.

Water Taxi – regular schedule.

Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service. Check Vessel Watch to see where the boats are.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, 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 – east-end vicinity:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!

ALKI ELEMENTARY REBUILD: Day-long appeal hearing airs challenges to zoning exceptions

(Renderings by Mahlum Architects)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Double the students, double the staff, no on-site parking.

That component of the Alki Elementary School rebuild is at the heart of an appeal fight that was argued Tuesday before a city hearing examiner.

The appellants, city and district reps, and other witnesses all completed their testimony in one day, though up to three were set aside for the hearing. As we reported Monday, one appeal was withdrawn after a settlement with Seattle Public Schools, and Tuesday it was revealed that took the new school’s height off the list of issues being challenged. The project’s architect said they had managed to lower the height of a rooftop equipment “penthouse” by three feet.

After Tuesday’s seven-hour hearing, assistant hearing examiner Kathleen Drummond said she would issue a written ruling within 20 days. Before we get into what was presented to her Tuesday, here’s the backstory:

Read More

ELECTION 2023: One week to vote; council-candidate forum Wednesday

Two notes tonight as the August 1st primary election gets ever closer:

ONE WEEK TO VOTE: We’re now just one week from the voting deadline. If you need a reminder about the four big reasons to vote, here’s our explanation. So far, in City Council District 1, just under 10 percent of ballots have arrived back at King County Elections – among the seven council districts, ours is second-to-last in turnout so far, ahead only of North Seattle’s D-5.

COUNCIL-CANDIDATE FORUM WEDNESDAY: Reminder that Wednesday afternoon brings a last-minute chance to see all eight D-1 candidates – the Senior Center of West Seattle is hosting a forum at 2 pm, organized by one of its members. If you can’t be there in midafternoon – we don’t know if the center plans to stream and/or record it, but we’re definitely planning to get it on video and expect to publish that Wednesday night.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen champagne Altima

July 25, 2023 6:51 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen champagne Altima
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Sent by Lisa:

Stolen 2013 Nissan Altima, license plate BFK3128, champagne color, in the Gatewood area on 7/25 (today) between 4:30-5:30 pm. Police report # 23-211051. Please email lenclistads@gmail.com if you have any information.

FOLLOWUP: Alki, Harbor, West Marginal, 7 other Seattle streets designated ‘racing zones’ by City Council, first step toward possible enforcement cameras

In an 8-1 vote this afternoon, Seattle City Councilmembers passed the bill that could give the green light to speed-enforcement cameras in so-called “restricted racing zones.” The bill designates 10 streets around Seattle as racing zones – including Alki Avenue, Harbor Avenue, and West Marginal Way SW in West Seattle; we first reported on the proposal more than a month ago. The state Legislature gave cities the power to make these designations. But it doesn’t automatically mean these streets or any/all of the other seven will get cameras – it’s up to SDOT to make a plan, and ultimately up to the mayor to figure out how camera installation would be funded. Nonetheless, especially in the aftermath of the July 16th Alki driver-rescued-from-water crash, the local residents who’ve been pushing for more safety action see this move as hopeful. Steve Pumphrey, an organizer of the Alki-Harbor neighborhood group, says they had seven people speaking in favor of the proposal at this afternoon’s council meeting. They are also continuing to advocate for more traffic-calming measures such as additional speed humps along Alki and Harbor.

RETURNING: Second West Seattle glass-float hunt also starts next week

(WSB photo of float at Avalon Glassworks)

The second of two West Seattle scavenger hunts that start next week is also an encore – another search for hidden glass floats. It’s again a collaboration of the West Seattle Junction Association and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. If you haven’t already seen it in our calendar, here’s their explanation of what kicks off August 5th:

Are you ready to go on a West Seattle scavenger hunt? Back by popular demand, the 2023 West Seattle Glass Float Hunt kicks off on Saturday, August 5, 2023. This year’s theme is “GO WEST.” inspired by the stunning sunsets of West Seattle, as well as the neighborhood’s geographical direction. Beginning Saturday, August 5th, the West Seattle Junction Association and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce invite everyone to search for glass floats hidden throughout West Seattle. 50 floats will be hidden on August 5th, with 50 more the morning of Saturday, August 12, 2023. A total of 100 floats will be hidden both indoors – in beloved local businesses – and outdoors.

Each 2023 glass float is individually hand blown by Avalon Glassworks in stunning red and yellow hues reminiscent of West Seattle sunsets. Each 4-inch sphere is stamped with a heart and “WS” on the sealing button. Float hunters should look high and low for colorful round balls peeking out through the mesh of a knotted net bag. Labels encourage the lucky finders to register the float, as well as tag the local business where it was discovered on social media.

Chris Mackay, Executive Director of the West Seattle Junction Association, shared, “We are thrilled to bring back our Glass Float Scavenger Hunt this August! This engaging event is for participants of all ages who want to discover new businesses and nature areas as they search for gorgeous glass floats. Come one, come all and have fun combing the area for yellow and orange glass balls!”

Whitney Moore, Executive Director of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, added, “We’re so looking forward to our community exploring more of the peninsula and local businesses for the second year of the Glass Float Scavenger Hunt in West Seattle! We hope you delight in this two week search for beautiful, custom-made glass floats. Happy hunting!”

Details for the 2023 West Seattle Glass Float Scavenger Hunt are available at https://wsjunction.org/float-hunt.

SUMMER SCRAMBLE: New West Seattle scavenger hunt launches next week

Two West Seattle-wide scavenger hunts start in early August. First, on August 3rd, Summer Scramble, brought to you in part by the creator of Winter Wander. Here’s the announcement:

Registrations are now open for a unique community oriented augmented reality pirate adventure that is coming to West Seattle from August 3rd – 6th this year. The Summer Scramble yARrrr Pirate Adventure is a mashup of Pokemon Go, Geocaching, and the prior Winter Wander events. Similar to prior years, team members will solve clues to discover the pirate locations. But this time, they must “capture” the pirates there using their phones to discover where the treasure chests are hidden.

This AR adventure is sponsored by over 20 West Seattle businesses, run by veteran community event organizer Alice Kuder, and developed by West Seattle mixed-reality designers Robert and Laura Peckyno.

Each treasure chest is directly sponsored by one of the local businesses and contains a unique discount or offer for participation. Teams that find all 20 treasure chests will be entered into a special drawing for one of three physical treasure chests filled with swag donated by local businesses.

Charge your phones, grab your pirate hats,
batten down the hatches, and hide the catnip!!
The hunt begins on August 3rd!!

To participate and learn more about Summer Scramble, register your team today @ bit.ly/Summer-Scramble

To learn more about the yARrrr Pirate Adventure and see all of the participating local businesses, visit: pecknotes.com/pirate-adventure

We’d also like to put out a few more treasure chests…! Any businesses wishing to participate can still do so by contacting Alice Kuder directly before July 30th at: wssummerscramble@gmail.com

FOLLOWUP: Here’s what caused last night’s West Seattle power outage

As covered here last night, more than 4,700 homes and businesses lost power in West Seattle last night for up to three hours. Today, Seattle City Light spokesperson Jenn Strang explains what happened: “Last night, crews determined the cause to be two wires that had become disconnected from their insulators and were laying on the cross arm at SW Brandon & 30th Avenue SW. This could have been the result of any number of factors – wind, weather, bird/animal, or environmental – but at the time last evening, we were not able to determine the exact correlation. Our staff and crews did a great job isolating the problem and restoring power to a large group in just a few hours.” This was the second sizable West Seattle outage this month; the previous one, early July 2nd, was caused by a suspected DUI driver hitting a pole and taking out lines at 47th/Admiral.

1:49 PM: Strang says on followup, “When crews were on site, they found two of three blown fuses, which is likely the cause of the outage.”

WEST SEATTLE TUESDAY: Here’s what’s happening

(Monday night sunset – photo by Mike N.)

Here are highlights for the hours ahead, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

JOB FAIR: Under way all day, until 6 pm, at Providence Mount St. Vincent (4831 35th SW).

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open 11 am-8 pm, whatever the weather. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Here’s the list of local sites where free food is available for kids on weekdays this summer, 11:30 am-1 pm lunch, 2-3 pm snacks.

E.C. HUGHES WADING POOL OPEN: Noon-7 pm. (2805 SW Holden)

LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL OPEN: Noon-7 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

COLMAN POOL OPEN: Also at Lincoln Park, this outdoor salt-water pool is open noon-7 pm daily through Labor Day. See the session schedule here.

CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon): “Are you looking for a new activity to keep your brain sharp and clear? The Senior Center Chess Club welcomes both novice and experienced players. Join us at 1:30 p.m. for lessons, short tutorials, and chess for all levels of expertise.” (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)

SPEED CAMERAS FOR RACING ZONE? The first step toward potentially using these cameras in areas including Alki/Harbor Avenues gets a vote at today’s 2 pm City Council meeting. The agenda includes information on how to attend the meeting and/or comment, in person at City Hall or online.

FREE COVID VACCINATIONS: The Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) is partnering with Othello Station for the last of three free clinics, 2 pm-5:30 pm, no health insurance or appointment required. If you have questions, call the branch at 206-684-7455 or go to the Public Health – Seattle & King County website.

DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.

STORYTIME IN THE GARDEN: 6 pm stories and activities for kids at the Delridge P-Patch, weekly throughout the summer starting tonight. (5078 25th SW)

PLAY ALONG IN THE PARK: The West Seattle Community Orchestras welcome you to play music with them tonight, at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) – 6 pm easy music, 7 pm intermediate music. Audience welcome too! More info in our calendar listing.

SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).

OPEN MIC: All genres welcome! 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way).

MORE TRIVIA: Three places to play Tuesday nights – 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW); also, 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).

BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with Cookie Couture at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm. Free, all ages!

You can look into the future any time via our event calendar – if you have something to include on it, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

CONGRATULATIONS! Here’s how West Seattle jump-rope athletes did at national, world championships

Two months ago, we published this report on athletes from West Seattle’s Rain City Ropeworks making the national jump-rope team. Now we have an update on local jumpers’ achievements at the national and world championships; the report and photos were sent by Zack Hill:

Rain City Ropeworks, a West Seattle-based jump rope team coached by Rene Bibaud, has had a busy summer performing and competing. In June, 10 members competed at the National Jump Rope Championship in Milwaukee, competing against 30-plus teams from across the US.

Rain City competitors included Mara Garrison, Grace Muller, Avery Forcum, Ethan Im, Alia Lundburg, Riley Hill, Ava Wheatley, Madeleine Garrison, Halle Morgan, and Calla Freeman.

Grace and Madeleine both medaled in Single Rope Freestyle, earning a 3rd place spot, and Ethan and Alia together medaled for their partner routine.

Riley, Ava, and Madeleine [seen above at worlds] were crowned National Champions in Double Dutch Single Freestyle. The team was recognized by their peers and other coaches for excellence in choreography and musicality and is making a name for themselves as a new team on the scene at the national and international level. You may have seen Grace and Alia along with some of their younger teammates in the West Seattle Grand Parade last Saturday.

Five of these incredible athletes — Riley, Ava, Madeleine, Halle, and Calla — were named to the United States National Jump Rope Team, and last week made their first-ever appearance at the World Jump Rope Championships in Colorado Springs, CO.

The double dutch team of Riley, Madeleine, Halle, and Calla earned 5th place in their division of the international open tournament. Congratulations to all of these athletes and Coach Rene on their success!