West Seattle, Washington
20 Wednesday
(SDOT camera image)
Another advisory about possible traffic effects from road work later this week – this time, on the West Seattle Bridge. Here’s the announcement from SDOT:
We are planning overnight lane closures on the West Seattle High-Rise Bridge to perform routine preventative maintenance this Wednesday and Thursday. There are no problems with the bridge, and crews will be working to protect the interior of the bridge by applying waterproof sealant to access hatches along the surface of the bridge deck.
The closure will begin at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24 and end by 5 a.m. the following morning. If necessary, the closure will be repeated the following night (Thursday, May 25). This work requires dry weather and is subject to change. The bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction overnight between State Route 99 and Delridge Way SW. All on- and off-ramps will remain open as normal.
3:32 PM: Just got an update from SDOT that this work has been postponed “due to a delayed materials shipment.” No new date yet.
For almost three years now, intrepid artists affiliated with Highland Park Improvement Club have been creating A-board art installations outside the fire-shuttered HPIC building at 12th/Holden. This started when SW Holden was traffic-jammed during the bridge closure, and has continued. But today, one of the boards has disappeared. Kay @ HPIC hopes you can help find it:
Someone has made off with one of the HPIC A-Frame signs. Our volunteers complete these as a set and we need all of them to tell our stories. Hoping someone just pulled up and tossed elsewhere! Folks can email us at hpic1919 (at) gmail.com if they see it, and a volunteer can come pick up.
HPIC’s first A-board art installation went up in August 2020, and the art has changed several times since then.
That photo texted from The Arroyos in southwesternmost West Seattle is first word we got today of that alarming-looking but relatively common phenomenon. It’s not “red tide” but rather a bloom of microorganisms called Noctiluca – explained here by the state Ecology Department, which says that “sunshine, nutrients, and warm temperatures contribute to large seasonal blooms.” Experts say it’s not toxic but it is a sign of environmental imbalance, as noted here.
This alert is from the King County Wastewater Treatment Division, for work that will affect traffic:
King County Wastewater Treatment Division is building a wet weather storage facility near the intersection of SW Michigan Street and 2nd Ave SW to reduce combined sewer overflows into the Duwamish River. Starting as early as May 25, crews will spend up to four business days potholing, or digging small holes, to better understand the locations and condition of utility lines including sewer, power, water, telephone, and gas lines. This work will occur at the storage facility site and near the following locations:
-2nd Ave SW between SW Michigan Street and Highland Park Way SW
-SW Michigan Street east of 2nd Ave SW
-Highland Parkway SW near the intersection with 2nd Ave SW
-W Marginal Way SW near the intersection with SW Front StreetWhat you can expect
-Work hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on business days between May 25 and May 30. Potholing on Highland Park Way SW may require night work due to high traffic volumes in the area.
-Temporary lane closures with flaggers on site to assist vehicle and pedestrian movement. Lane closures will not be concurrent, and each will last up to three hours.
-One drill rig and up to four service vehicles on site.
-Noise and slight vibrations during work hours, including engine noise and periodic hammering.
-Occasional truck traffic accessing the site during work hours.
As for the project itself, we’ve reported on it several times, most recently here. Construction of the 1.25-million-gallon tank and surrounding facilities is not expected to begin before 2025.
(Photo by Mike Cohen, taken while flyin in last week)
Here’s what’s happening for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS: Weekly meetup for long-distance political advocacy and networking, 10:30 am at C & P Coffee Company – just drop in to join in. (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
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.)
CITY COUNCIL: 2 pm this afternoon, it’s the full council’s weekly meeting, online or at City Hall (600 4th Ave.). See the agenda here; the meeting is viewable via Seattle Channel.
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.
BURGERS, BRAINS, AND BREWS: Seattle Beer Week festivities continue at Ounces, with a smash-burger pop-up 5-8 pm plus trivia at 7 pm. (3809 Delridge Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS: First of two free concerts this week, 6 pm at Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle) – details in our calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE COWORKING RIBBONCUTTING: 6 pm, West Seattle Coworking (WSB sponsor) celebrates its new expansion location at 9030 35th SW with a ribboncutting and rooftop party. Interested in attending? Email manager@westseattlecoworking.com and Ross will send you an invite.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
MORE TRIVIA: Two more places where you can play Tuesday nights – 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!
From Phoebe:
2011 Infiniti G37 Sport – 4-door with silver lining and white interior. Stolen last night around 8 from just outside Hall at Fauntleroy – if seen please call 911. License # CGH4399. Police report # 23-141027
9:45 AM: Jeff notes in comments below that a stalled truck has jammed the eastbound West Seattle Bridge ramp to NB I-5, and sent this photo:
Earlier:
6:00 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, May 23rd, four workdays to go until Memorial Day weekend (unless yours starts earlier!).
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
We’re moving back toward warmth. Today’s forecast: Partly sunny, high in the mid-60s. Sunrise was at 5:23 am; sunset will be at 8:50 pm.
TRANSIT
Metro – Regular schedule, but trip cancellations are still possible.
Water Taxi – Continuing the spring/summer schedule, including late-evening runs Friday and Saturday nights.
Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on the 2-boat schedule; sailing cancellations remain possible on short notice, so check here for alerts/updates and see Vessel Watch for boats’ locations.
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 – another 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: Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem 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!
The photos and report were sent by West Seattle High School music director Ethan Thomas:
The West Seattle High School Music Program traveled down to Southern California last Saturday. The Marching Band and Orchestra had performances at Disneyland and California Adventure yesterday and are participating in Studio Soundtrack Session Workshops today.
We will be wrapping up our tour by visiting Hollywood and Santa Monica tomorrow [Tuesday] before heading back to Seattle tomorrow evening. The Orchestra is under the direction of Taylor Fritts and Band is directed by Ethan Thomas.
(WSB photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After 35 years with Southwest Youth and Family Services, executive director Steve Daschle is saying goodbye.
This Wednesday (May 24th) will be his last day on the job.
Even if you’ve never met him, his work likely has touched your life in some way – if not his work with SWYFS, then certainly his many other community endeavors.
First – about SWYFS, if you’re not familiar with it. “We’re sort of a quiet organization, but effective,” Daschle summarizes. It’s a regional human-services nonprofit headquartered in a blink-and-you-miss it beige building at 4555 Delridge Way SW. That’s adjacent to Delridge Playfield, which Daschle’s office overlooks. But SWYFS wasn’t there when he started in 1988 – it was at 35th/Henderson, and then moved to Delridge, in a former Parks building, in 1996 (the building was vacated when Delridge Community Center’s current building opened in 1994).
From Ben, in the Westwood area:
Some items were dumped on my property this afternoon.
If all or some of them are yours, email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – and we will connect you with Ben.
6:20 PM: Various areas of West Seattle just lost power for a minute or two. You? (So far, no widespread outage reported, but it was more than a “flicker.”) … So far we’ve heard from North Admiral, South Admiral, The Triangle, Gatewood, Upper Fauntleroy (us). Also High Point, which reported “booms” around the same time, and South Delridge. No SFD calls so far, though.
7:06 PM: The booms seem to have been along SW Graham. LyndaB near 36th/Graham believes balloons might be the culprit. (Added: Texted photo)
Tomorrow morning, the City Council’s Public Safety and Human Services Committee gets its latest periodic briefing on Seattle Police staffing. Here’s what we learned from the briefing presentation, which was posted today:
The Southwest Precinct (West Seattle and South Park) ended the first quarter with 54 officers and 10 sergeants. That’s up from 50 and 8 a year earlier, one fewer than the 56 and 9 from a year before that. (Those two charts were shown here.) Overall, the entire department ended the quarter with 1,029 fully trained officers, and 949 in service; SPD had projected it would make 31 hires during the first quarter and actually hired 26, while they projected 27 more officers would leave, and separations totaled 28. They’re now expecting the year will end with 33 officers fewer than they have budgeted for, and they expect that money will instead have to be spent on overtime, 80 percent of which SPD says goes toward meeting minimum staffing levels. Meantime, most of the $3.8 million budget for recruiting and retention has remained unspent; the meeting presentation attributes this mostly to the mayor’s office working on a “new marketing plan.”
Other numbers of interest in the presentation slide deck include response times. For the Southwest and West Precincts, they improved in all categories, though other precincts saw response times increase in some categories. For Southwest, the average response time for a “Priority 1” call is now 10 minutes, a full minute faster than a year earlier, though still well above the department’s 7-minute goal. Average response times for “Priority 2” calls in the SW Precinct fell from 44 to 41 minutes.
Tomorrow’s meeting is at 9:30 am, at City Hall and online; you can see the full agenda, and commenting info, here.
Another chance for community involvement before the holiday weekend. HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – is meeting on the fourth Thursday this month instead of Wednesday, so that’s 7 pm this Thursday, May 25th. Also different: This meeting is happening in person, and at a first-time location, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery in South Delridge. That’s especially appropriate because this meeting will focus on the South Delridge Action Plan, as HPAC leadership explains:
The meeting is open to all residents and business folks in the area. Learn what progress has been made on the City planning so far, and give thoughts on their efforts to work with the South Delridge Community.
What unique issues does this southernmost area of West Seattle face? What can we learn from successes and failures of growth plans elsewhere? How can we keep our homegrown spirit vibrant and healthy, providing food, housing, and community for all – while dealing with the wave of development speeding our way? What City services are lacking? How can the City work more closely with unincorporated White Center/ King County to better integrate community services currently provided?
Head to 9414 Delridge Way SW on Thursday night to discuss all that and more.
West Seattle’s ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) plans five productions – including Seattle premieres, a world premiere, and a Pulitzer winner – for 2023-2024, and has just raised the curtain to reveal the lineup. Here’s the announcement:
ArtsWest has announced its 2023-2024 season SOMETIMES I DREAM…, with five productions – all Seattle premieres – featuring the work of Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrights, new collaborators, and the premiere of a brand-new holiday show specially built for Seattle. This is the third season programmed by a collective of ArtsWest Associate Artists in collaboration with ArtsWest Artistic Director Mathew Wright, with this year’s Associate Artist roles taken on entirely by ArtsWest staff.
Pithy and joyous quotes inspiring us to pursue our dreams have resounded across space and time – but it can be a difficult path, especially when the world seems to have other plans for you. Dreaming big takes courage, curiosity, and imagination – but it often takes support from the outside world as well. What would it take to create a world in which everyone is free to pursue a dream? In one of their boldest outings yet, ArtsWest explores the pursuit of dreams through five distinctly different lenses in a season of searing comedy, beloved music, and touching humanity, designed to subvert expectations at every turn.
SOMETIMES I DREAM…opens this fall with the Seattle premiere of MATT & BEN (September 7-October 1), award-winning writer and comedian Mindy Kaling‘s NYC Fringe hit about Hollywood’s most famous bromance – which originally starred Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers in the title roles – in a biting satire on the Hollywood dream machine.
Fresh for the holiday season, December will see the world premiere of SNOWED IN (November 30–December 23), created by Mathew Wright and Corinne Park-Buffelen, a holiday special reinvented for the 21st century and starring some of Seattle’s most-beloved musical theater talent.
In the new year, ArtsWest will present the Seattle premiere of Liz Duffy Adams‘ BORN WITH TEETH (February 1–February 25), a queer-punk-inflected encounter between Christopher Marlowe and the young upstart William Shakespeare in which they attempt to write a history play together before they either fall in love or kill each other.
April will see the Seattle premiere of this year’s Pulitzer Prize winner in Drama, ENGLISH by Sanaz Toossi (April 4–April 28). Co-produced by Seda Iranian Theatre Ensemble, ENGLISH is a deeply moving and brilliantly funny meditation on language and identity in an Iranian TOEFL classroom.
Rounding out the season is two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage‘s latest Broadway triumph, CLYDE’S (June 6–June 30, 2024). Presented in partnership with The Hansberry Project and directed by Seattle luminary Valerie Curtis-Newton, CLYDE’S explores the dreams of the workers at a truck stop café – and the ways in which we can act as obstacles or aids to each other in the pursuit of those dreams.
More about next season’s ArtsWest plays is here. You can lock in your tickets by buying a subscription here. Meantime, ArtsWest’s current production “Zach” continues through this Sunday, and the season finale “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is onstage June 28-July 23; more on this season here.
We’ve received multiple reader reports this morning about discolored water in the West Seattle Junction area. No water breaks reported so far; a frequent cause is fire-hydrant testing, and as Seattle Public Utilities confirmed to us last week, a recent change in procedure may be stirring up more sediment (mostly rust) in the lines when that’s done. If it happens to you, be sure to report it to SPU at 206-386-1800.
(Post-rain photo sent by Al)
Here’s the list for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BABY STORY TIME: Noon-12:30 pm at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW).
MONDAY MOVIE: 1 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), “Terry’s Greatest Movies You’ve Never Heard Of,” today featuring “In Her Shoes.” Free popcorn! Contact SCWS to register in advance.
CRAFTING AND CREATIVITY NIGHT: 6-10 pm at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
OPEN MIC: Weekly BedHead Open Mic at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (4201 SW Juneau), 6:30 pm – info in our calendar listing.
D&D: Open D&D starts at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), all welcome, even first-time players. $5.
ALKI ELEMENTARY PROJECT MEETING: Seattle Public Schools convenes a community meeting at 7 pm in the school lunch room (3010 59th SW) to talk, and answer questions, about the upcoming rebuild/expansion. Online-participation link is promised on this page sometime pre-meeting.
FAUNTLEROY MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation event at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
ALKI MEDITATION: Free twice-monthly Dharma Community meditation, 7-8:30 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds).
PLAY TRIVIA! Three options on Monday nights for playing trivia – 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
YOGA AND SOUND BATH: 7 pm at Sacred Growing Space (7358 35th SW), $35.
MONDAY MUSIC: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
Have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar ? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
With a little over one month left in the school year, fundraising season is winding down, but you still have opportunities to help local PTAs/PTSAs support their schools. Here’s the latest announcement we’ve received to share with you:
Alki Elementary PTA’s auction is online this year and is now LIVE – Click Here to begin bidding! Online bidding will close at 9:00 pm on Thursday, May 25th.
This year’s auction features artwork created by the K-5th grade classes, a 2-night/3-day stay at Suncadia, roundtrip tickets to Victoria B.C., dance & music classes, and so much more!
Your generosity will support vital programs and community-building events that enrich the lives of our students and make Alki Elementary the thriving community that it is! Funds will support purchasing library books, class field trips/supplies, all-school assemblies (guest speakers), ensuring all students have access to yearbooks, school supplies and recess equipment to name a few.
Thank You in advance for supporting Alki PTA’s largest fundraiser of the year!
Additional details can be found on the Alki PTA Auction website. Contact: Auction@alkipta.com
8:32 AM UPDATE: Via Twitter, Patrick reports trucks backed up on the westbound bridge.
Earlier:
6:00 AM: Good morning. It’s Monday, May 22nd, five workdays to go until Memorial Day weekend (unless yours starts earlier!).
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
The weather pendulum has swung. Today’s forecast: Partly sunny, some drizzle, high in the mid-60s. Sunrise was at 5:24 am; sunset will be at 8:49 pm.
TRANSIT
Metro – Regular schedule, but trip cancellations are still happening.
Water Taxi – Continuing the spring/summer schedule, including late-evening runs Friday and Saturday nights.
Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on the 2-boat schedule; sailing cancellations remain possible on short notice, so check here for alerts/updates and see Vessel Watch for boats’ locations.
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 – another 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: Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem 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!
Story by Judy Pickens
Photos by Tom Trulin
Special to West Seattle Blog
Installation of a new rabbi usually doesn’t include a salmon release – but it just made sense for Kol HaNeshamah, West Seattle’s progressive synagogue.
On Sunday morning (5/21), an estimated 35 people, from infants to elders, rendezvoused with Fauntleroy Watershed Council volunteers and a bucket of coho fry to release in upper Fauntleroy Creek.
“As a sacred community, we’re called to affirm life – and salmon have been central to Pacific Northwest communal life since time immemorial,” said Shannon Ninburg, KHN board of trustees member, seasonal naturalist, and creek volunteer. “We were thrilled to be able to include it as we welcomed Rabbi Sabine Meyer into our communal life.”
(Volunteer Dennis Hinton hands a cup of fish to Rabbi Sabine Meyer to start the release
She is the fifth rabbi to serve Kol HaNeshamah since its founding in 2003. After more than a decade as an educator for congregations in the Southwest, she was most recently rabbi for Tree of Life Congregation in Columbia, South Carolina.
By the last Fauntleroy Creek salmon release of the season on May 31, more than 900 students and adults will have stocked the upper creek with nearly 2,000 fry reared through the Salmon in the Schools program.
Just last Tuesday, Claiborne Bell of Seattle Sorbets and Distinguished Foods Kitchen was at a podium accepting the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s Westsider of the Year award; today, he was on the field at Steve Cox Memorial Park, as the Chamber faced the West Seattle Junction Association in a softball game dubbed “The Battle for West Seattle.” We just dropped in for a few minutes before breaking news called us away. Among other starters, Phil Tavel was on the mound for WSJA:
And from the Chamber’s winning team, Mark Bouma of Lake Washington Physical Therapy – West Seattle (WSB sponsor):
(We previewed both rosters here.) As previously noted, the game was a fundraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank; we’ll be checking on how that turned out. The numbers we do know (thanks to Karla from WSFB): The Chamber won in 10 innings, 13-11.
5:07 PM: Matt reports this happened around 3 pm today:
During our CYO Pentathlon event at West Seattle Stadium, two parents were bear-maced when they encountered someone stealing catalytic converters in the parking lot. One car had one taken, one car partially damaged when the theft was interrupted.
911 called for paramedics and police. Parents are both as okay as they can be after being maced in the face. Police are off tracking the truck – they believe they saw it hanging around Alki earlier. Picture of the person and their truck attached.
We don’t have the report # yet but if you think you’ve seen the truck, call 911.
ADDED 5:46 PM: Report # is 23-139719.
Tomorrow – Monday, May 22nd – is a doubly important date in Seattle Public Schools‘ plan to rebuild Alki Elementary.
-Tomorrow at 5 pm is the deadline for filing appeals of the city’s decision to approve nine zoning exceptions (formally known as “departures”) for the project. Our story on the decision explains how.
-Tomorrow night at 7 pm, SPS plans a community meeting with information about the project, which seeks to expand the size and capacity of the school. The meeting will be held in person at the school (3010 59th SW) and online via a link to be posted on this page sometime tomorrow.
The district’s current timeline for the project is to start construction this summer and be ready in time for students and staff to move into the new building in fall 2025.
Two incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch today:
SHORT-LIVED STANDOFF: Thanks for all the tips about a big police response at 35th and Barton. We heard via police radio that someone was holed up in an apartment, but not why. It was just wrapping up when we got there to find out more. Police say it started as a domestic-violence call – a man allegedly pulled a gun during a “heated argument.” A short standoff ensued; officers arrested him around noon. No injuries reported. MONDAY UPDATE: Here’s the SPD summary of the incident:
At 1116 hours, officers responded to a DV disturbance involving a firearm. The suspect grabbed a handgun, made a threat, and pointed it at the two victims. The suspect eventually exited the apartment and was placed in custody. Officers obtained a warrant and recovered two handguns from inside the apartment.
BUSINESS BURGLARY: While out, we got a tip about this – another Morgan Junction business burglary, this time at Whisky West. So we went there to find out more.
That’s the boarded-up front door – two burglars broke the glass to get in around 3:30 am, WW told us. They subsequently sawed open the safe and stole cash. This security-camera image shows one of them leaving:
A neighbor who saw them break in and called 911 said the burglars got away in a silver Subaru Crosstrek.
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