West Seattle, Washington

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Spotlight Stories

After turkey, soccer: Where in West Seattle to watch next USA World Cup match Friday
November 23, 2022 1:40 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Yes, the day after Thanksgiving is known for shopping and leftovers. This year, it’ll also be a big day for football. At 11 am our time, the U.S. Men’s National Team plays its second World Cup soccer match, this time facing England. At least (updated with additions via comments) seven West Seattle establishments plan to open early for viewing:

OUNCES (3803 Delridge Way SW) is opening at 10 am.

WEST SEATTLE BREWING (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW): Also open at 10 am.

THE BEER JUNCTION (4511 California S) is opening at 11 am. (It’s also the start of Coffee Beer Week.)

PROST WEST SEATTLE (3407 California SW): Open early for every US and Germany World Cup match.

THE WESTY (7908 35th SW): Open at 10 am

TALARICO’S (4718 California SW): Open at 11 am

HIGHLAND PARK CORNER STORE (7789 Highland Park Way SW): Watch party at 11 am

Anyplace else? Please let us know – thank you!

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PHOTOS: Orcas off West Seattle
November 23, 2022 10:55 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales

10:55 AM: Orcas are in Elliott Bay this morning, reports Kersti Muul. She says they’re Southern Residents from J-Pod. Let us know if you see them!

(Added: Photo by Greg Snyder, as posted in comment below)

2:34 PM: According to a text from Kersti and a comment below by D-Mom, at least some of the whales have turned around to head back northbound. Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail has been out watching them too and shared this link via email with context on the salmon runs and weather that have ultimately affected the orcas’ travel pattern this year.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Added two photos – above and below – by Robin Sinner.

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WEST SEATTLE WEDNESDAY: 7 options
November 23, 2022 10:45 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Looking across Elliott Bay – Tuesday photo by David Gunwaldsen)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide, here’s our list for the rest of today:

TURKEY DISTRIBUTION: If you are in need, the West Seattle Food Bank‘s last pre-holiday distribution is until 2 pm today. (35th/Morgan)

LIVE AT LOCOL: Locöl (7902 35th SW) spotlights live music 6:30-8:30 pm Wednesdays, no cover, 21+, rotating artists. (And check out what’s new!)

JAZZ AT OTTER ON THE ROCKS: 6:30 pm, it’s jazz-duet night at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way).

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

TRIVIA x 5: 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 7:30 pm; there’s 7:30 and 8:30 pm trivia at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska); trivia starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW); at 8:30 pm, trivia is back at Talarico’s (4718 California SW) with Phil T.

ARTSWEST HOLIDAY SHOW: Tonight at 7:30 pm, you can catch the preview performance of “Q Brothers Christmas Carol” at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) – ticket info is in our calendar listing.

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

Have an event – one-time or recurring – to add to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar? Please email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Celebration of Life planned November 30 for Mary F. Abernethy, 1932-2022
November 23, 2022 9:04 am
|    Comments Off on Celebration of Life planned November 30 for Mary F. Abernethy, 1932-2022
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather one week from today to remember Mary F. Abernethy. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with her community:

Mary Frances Abernethy, 90, passed away on Monday, November 14, 2022. Mary was born on August 24, 1932 to Everett E. Herron and Mary Clark Herron on Beacon Hill, where she attended Catholic school. The family moved to West Seattle, where Mary attended Holy Rosary Catholic Girls High School until her graduation in 1950.

In 1955, Mary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Seattle University. On November 5 of the same year, Mary and James D. Abernethy were married.

Mary then stayed home to raise their four children. Once her youngest was in the fourth grade, Mary went to work at Schick Shadel hospital as a rehab nurse.

Upon retirement, Mary enjoyed sewing and attending classes and other social activities through the Seattle Parks Department. Mary and Jim enjoyed going on road trips in their camper van, as well as going on cruises.

Mary is survived by her husband Jim, her children Bob (Annelle) Abernethy, Carol (Steve) Heurion, Kathy Vincent, and Jim (Blanca) Abernethy, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In her final years, Mary struggled with dementia. Her family would like to acknowledge her caregivers and thank them for their dedication, kindness, and compassion for her during her illness.

Funeral mass and reception to celebrate Mary’s life will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in West Seattle. (7000 35th Ave SW)

Please share memories, photos & condolences with Mary’s family on the Tribute Wall at emmickfunerals.com/obituary/Mary-Abernethy

Arrangements entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thanksgiving Eve Wednesday
November 23, 2022 7:06 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thanksgiving Eve Wednesday
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

7:06 AM: Now that the big overnight power outage is mostly over, on with traffic watch. It’s the day before Thanksgiving – Wednesday, November 23rd.

WEATHER

Mostly cloudy forecast for today, high near 50. (Wondering how much rain we got yesterday after almost 2 weeks with none? The official gauge at Sea-Tac Airport caught an inch and a fifth.)

TODAY’S TRANSIT STATUS + HOLIDAY PREVIEW

–Metro buses are on regular schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for trip cancellations/reroute alerts. (HOLIDAY PREVIEW: Thursday will be a Sunday schedule, Friday will be normal weekday.)

-The West Seattle Water Taxi is running its fall/winter schedule – still daily, all dayparts, but no late Friday/Saturday runs. (HOLIDAY PREVIEW: No Water Taxi service Thursday or Friday.)

-Still a 2-boat schedule for WSF’s Triangle Route – check here for alerts/updates. (HOLIDAY PREVIEW: On Thursday, the Triangle Route will be on a weekend 2-boat schedule.)

SPOTLIGHT CAMERAS

High Bridge – here’s the camera at the top.

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (if SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way).

Low Bridge: Or nearby, depending on where SDOT points the camera.

1st Ave. S. Bridge: The south route.

Highway 99: Here’s the northbound side at Lander.

All functional city traffic cams can be seen here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page … Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.

If you see a problem on the roads/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.

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UPDATE: Power outage for almost 5,000 customers in West Seattle; bird found in downed wires
November 23, 2022 2:42 am
|      89 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

2:42 AM: Thanks for the tips. Still awaiting the full extent of an outage that appears to be centered in the Fauntleroy area. We don’t know the cause yet, but police were just dispatched to check out an Upper Fauntleroy resident’s report of flashes at about that time. Another dispatch says it’s a possible problem around 45th/Wildwood. Updates to come.

2:47 AM: Almost 5,000 customers per update on City Light‘s map. A member of our Upper Fauntleroy household with a west-facing window also reports seeing the flashes (we didn’t lose power, though). Added a screengrab from the outage map – broadly described, this is mostly west of 35th SW, from Seaview south to Brace Point.

3:05 AM: Now our standard reminder that City Light’s “estimated time of restoration” is always just a guesstimate and often changes, so don’t take much stock in it. No further info so far. The map suggests some signalized intersections, like California/Morgan, are affected; if you have to go out, remember that if a signal’s out, that means the intersection is a four-way stop.

3:32 AM: One hour now since the outage started. SCL has tweeted an important reminder, especially considering many refrigerators are full of holiday food: Don’t open your fridge/freezer.

4:32 AM: Two hours now. Nothing new to report.

5:59 AM: Some commenters report restoration moments ago. … The map says 3,100+ are still out.

6:59 AM: All but 364 customers now have power back.

City Light spokesperson Jenn Strang tells WSB, “Most customers except for a small pocket around the immediate vicinity will be restored momentarily. A larger crew will be coming to make further repairs this morning. As of right now, we only know that this is a result of a wire coming down but we don’t have the exact cause. We hope to know more later.”

10:24 AM: After almost eight hours, those last 300+ customers are still out. A reader texted this photo of where the SCL crew is working:

That’s near Wildwood Market.

11:47 AM: The crews are still on scene, Meantime, the outage map has updated to attribute this to “bird/animal contact,” and a commenter says it appears to have been a Great Blue Heron.

12 PM: SCL’s Strang says crews did find that bird in the outage area. Meantime, for anyone still out, she says it shouldn’t be too much longer.

12:10 PM: And SCL says everybody’s back on.

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WEST SEATTLE THANKSGIVING: 3 things to know if you don’t want to cook Thursday
November 22, 2022 9:37 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

The holiday is almost here. But not everyone is excited about cooking. If that’s where you fall, here are three things to know, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

(WSB file photo, The Hall at Fauntleroy Thanksgiving)

#1 – The Hall at Fauntleroy‘s free sit-down community Thanksgiving dinner is back. Noon-3 pm Thursday, all are welcome at The Hall, which is on the south end of historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW). This is a two-decade-plus tradition brought to you by DSquared Hospitality, parent company of Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering. They provide the turkey and fixings – with a vegetarian option – and donated desserts (drop one off 9 am-noon on Thanksgiving if you can help with that) wrap up the meal.

#2 – The West Seattle Eagles are also ready to welcome hundreds into their HQ on the north end of The Junction (4426 California SW) – they’ll be serving a free turkey dinner too. Their doors are open that day for any and all community members – all ages, too (their bar will be closed that day).

#3 – If you’d rather dine/drink at a restaurant/bar on the holiday, every year we compile a list of West Seattle establishments that say they’re planning to be open. So far we have 10 on the list – see it here, and check back Thursday, as we’ll likely have some additions. (If you know of someplace that’ll be open, please email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – thank you!)

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CONGRATULATIONS! WSHS student honored by Holocaust Center for Humanity
November 22, 2022 7:39 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle schools

If you visit the Holocaust Center for Humanity downtown any time soon, you’ll see that photo of West Seattle High School student Gaia Corvino. One of her teachers, Chrissy Dahms, sent this report on the special honor from the center:

Junior Gaia Corvino was honored by the Holocaust Center for Humanity for her work creating a video with WSHS Black Student Union. The video was on the experiences and challenges of Black students at West Seattle High School. It was shown schoolwide during Black History Month in 2022 to raise awareness among students about what it is like to be a student of color, particularly a Black student, at a white-majority high school. Gaia’s photo and description of her activism is currently on display on the Upstander Wall at the Holocaust Center for Humanity. Gaia was nominated for this honor by Ms. Dahms, her AP World History Teacher.

The Holocaust Center for Humanity is at 2045 2nd Avenue and is open to the public on Sundays.

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FOLLOWUP: Another near-record year for salmon spawners in Fauntleroy Creek – with other records set
November 22, 2022 4:49 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Wildlife


(Many decaying spawner carcasses are adding nutrients to the creek. Photo by Tom Trulin)

By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog

For the second year in a row, volunteer watchers tallied an exceptional number of coho spawners – 254! – in Fauntleroy Creek. This count exceeded last year’s 244 by 10, putting it in the No. 2 position behind 2012’s all-time high of 274.

Volunteers saw the first spawners in modern memory in 1994 and began organized watches in 1999. This year’s watch ran Oct. 16 – Nov. 22, with fish seen October 25 – November 15.

Why such a high number two years in a row? Veteran creek steward Dennis Hinton gives a lot of credit to human intervention.

“Three out of the last four years, volunteers have had to relocate drift logs at the creek mouth to ensure spawners could get in from Fauntleroy Cove. Most years, we’ve left them alone in the belief that they would float at high tide. This year’s log jam was especially tight, however. After we got the necessary state permit, Mark Sears led a work party in mid October to clear a path, then he and Tom Trulin checked the logs daily. This diligence paid off.”

(This spawning pair displaced eggs from an earlier redd to build their own. Photo by Mark Sears)

Another likely factor, Dennis said, was that this was an especially good year for salmon returning to Puget Sound. A super pod of orcas (J, K, and L) was in the area for several days and they would not have been here without finding ample fish to eat.

Other factors: High tides, paired with low barometric pressure, gave spawners the lift they needed to enter the creek. And precipitation was sufficient to flush the creek so that they could smell fresh water.

The spawner number was not the only count of note.

“We had a real uptick in public awareness and volunteerism this year,” Dennis said. “More than two dozen watchers took turns documenting spawners and talking with visitors. Judy Pickens and Phil Sweetland opened their property so that an exceptional 440-plus people of all ages could get to creek level.”

Watchers noted where they saw spawning, and volunteers will be checking those locations this winter for “home hatch” fry to emerge from their gravel redds. They also noted a lot of fingerlings from last year’s spawning as well as cutthroat trout in for the thousands of coho eggs displaced when late spawners dug out the redds of early spawners.

To learn more about the creek, current volunteer opportunities, and the watershed stewardship fund for habitat maintenance, visit fauntleroywatershed.org.

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UPDATE: Teen to hospital after shooting at Delridge/Trenton
November 22, 2022 2:00 pm
|      49 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

2 PM: Police have reported a person with a gunshot wound to the leg at Delridge/Thistle. More information as we get it.

2:03 PM: Texter says nearby Chief Sealth International High School is sheltering in place. A Seattle Fire “scenes of violence” medical response is now arriving in the Delridge/Thistle area as well as more police.

2:12 PM: Officers told dispatch they’ve found evidence – “three shell casings so far” – that the shooting happened in the 8800 block of Delridge. There’s also word that a Metro bus captured video of the shooting.

2:15 PM: Our crew at the scene says all they’ve been able to learn is that the victim is male. Meantime, police now report finding five casings “so far.”

2:19 PM: Police are looking for two suspects, one of which they have described to dispatch as a white or Hispanic male, 5’8″, gray sweater, brown pants, black Nike shoes with a white swoosh, silver pistol. The victim, who was described as alert/conscious, is being taken to Harborview. … The second suspect is described as a white or Hispanic male, 5’10”, black hair, black sweater, dark-blue jeans, black shoes. … As noted by commenters, Denny International Middle School (which is adjacent to CSIHS) also is in shelter-in-place.

2:40 PM: Police have just given clearance for the schools to lift their sheltering-in-place. No one in custody so far. Photos added above.

2:56 PM: A commenter uploaded this security video in which you hear the shots and a voice asking “Why’d you do that?”

Then two people are briefly seen on the right edge of the video, running.

3:45 PM: Police say the victim is 17 years old. Their update otherwise includes only one other bit of additional information: “Witnesses reported seeing a group of five or six young men fighting near Delridge Way and Trenton Street prior to the shooting.” They also request tips on their hotline, 206-233-5000.

ADDED 7:08 PM: Commenter TBD‘s video, mentioned below – this is from a camera on the rear of their vehicle:

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BIZNOTE: New ownership, other changes ahead for Locöl
November 22, 2022 1:30 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

When Locöl reopens at 3 pm today after being closed since Friday, some changes will be in place. Most notably, a new owner – Kevin Beardsley, at left below with managers April Savage and Ian Joyce:

(WSB photos)

We stopped by on Monday to find out what’s changing – and what isn’t.

The restaurant/bar at 7902 35th SW is changing its name slightly – Locöl Kitchen and Bar replaces the original Locöl Barley and Vine. That’ll be a clearer representation of what they are – especially the “bar” part, since now Locöl has a full liquor license, after 12 years of serving only wine and beer.

The full cocktail menu won’t roll out until around the first of the year, but they’ll be offering what you might call some teasers – tastes – before then.

They’ve also done a bit of a refresh – some paint, for example.

The food menu isn’t changing much – it gets some new dishes every few months anyway. The popular pork carnitas tacos, for one, are definitely staying. They might even get better, as Locöl plans to have all its tortillas sourced soon from nearby Milpa Masa. And that fits with the overall theme of local, made-from-scratch food – the menu also spotlights “comfort food”; twice-baked potatoes are popular too, as are sharable plates.

Also ample vegetarian options, the Locöl crew notes. And beyond the as-local-as-possible food, they’ll continue to showcase local art:

Locöl is 21+ and also has a covered, heated patio out back with room for up to 20 people. Hours are 3-10 pm Tuesdays-Fridays, 1-10 pm Saturdays, 1-8 pm Sundays, closed Mondays for now (but hoping to change that as staffing allows). The 3-6 pm Happy Hour is staying too.

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WATER TAXI ALERT: West Seattle route cancellations for tonight
November 22, 2022 12:25 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

Just in from Metro, two problems affecting the West Seattle Water Taxi route.

First – M/V Doc Maynard is out of service until further notice because of propeller damage. Metro says M/V Spirit of Kingston will fill in as needed.

Second – a shortage of crew is canceling some runs tonight:

Lack of crew will force the reduction of service for tonight’s evening commute
These runs have been canceled for tonight
*The 5:35 p.m. and 6:05 p.m. sailings from downtown to West Seattle
*The 5:45 p.m. and 6:25 p.m. sailings from West Seattle to downtown

(The Vashon route has some cancellations too.)

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WEST SEATTLE THANKSGIVING: 4 pre-turkey exercise options
November 22, 2022 11:59 am
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE THANKSGIVING: 4 pre-turkey exercise options
 |   Health | Holidays | West Seattle news

Before the cooking and feasting, you have a few ways to get moving on Thursday. The sun is supposed to be back just in time for the outdoor options, too. From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

(West Seattle Runner photo from 2018 Gobble Gobble Group Run)

GOBBLE GOBBLE GROUP RUN: West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) is bringing back its holiday-morning run, 8 am from Alki. If you can, bring a nonperishable-food donation for the West Seattle Food Bank. Meetup location and other details are in our calendar listing.

THANKSGIVING NATURE WALK: West Seattle naturalist Ann is organizing this – meet at 8:45 am at the “Luna Girls on Alki” sculpture north of Salty’s – details in our calendar listing.

THANKSGIVING DONATION CLASS: 9 am Power Flow class at Dragonfly (3270 California SW), benefiting West Seattle Food Bank – info in our calendar listing.

WEST SEATTLE YMCA: If you want to work out at the Y, the Triangle HQ (but not Fauntleroy) will be open 7 am-11 am on Thanksgiving. (3622 SW Snoqualmie; WSB sponsor)

Anything to add to the list? Email us! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE TUESDAY: 10 opportunities
November 22, 2022 10:26 am
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE TUESDAY: 10 opportunities
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Latest “live” photo from SDOT traffic camera at California/Alaska)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide, here’s our list for the rest of today:

POSTCARDS TO VOTERS: A local way to take national action – participating in the 10:30 am drop-in weekly gathering at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). They’re focusing now on the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff.

ANNIVERSARY SALE: Get your winter gear at Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor; 3602 SW Alaska), which continues its 13th-anniversary sale today. Store’s open 11 am-7 pm today.

COVID VACCINATIONS: Pop-up clinic at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), noon-5 pm.

CHESS CLUB: Play chess at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), 1:30 pm. Beginners welcome!

DONATION DROPOFF TO HELP STUDENTS: Today’s the first of three Tuesdays on which volunteers are collecting donations outside the north entrance of West Seattle High School to help make “care packages” for students to use during. winter break. Our calendar listing includes info on what they need. 3-5 pm (3000 California SW)

FREE EARLY THANKSGIVING DINNER: TheHomeSkillit is planning to serve a free meal 4-7 pm at Delridge P-Patch (5071 Delridge Way SW), Donations accepted if you want to help cover their costs.

DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: New start time for the longstanding weekly sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.

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

TRIVIA X 3: Three of the venues where you can play Tuesday nights – 7 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), 7:30 and 8:30 pm 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 always see more, and preview future events, via our event calendar – if you have something to add, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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BIZNOTE: Verity Credit Union raises rates for you to save with CDs
November 22, 2022 9:00 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

If your year-end financial planning includes saving more – Verity Credit Union (WSB sponsor, with a branch at 4505 California SW in The Junction) wants you to know it’s just raised the rates for its CD Specials. Verity is now offering 3.75% for 25-month CDs and 3.50% for 13-month CDs. Saving with a credit union helps strengthen the community, Verity notes – your deposit in turn helps them make loans to small businesses, for example. Even if you’re not a member yet, you can join Verity for $5 (which also entitles you to membership features from financial coaching to nationwide access to a network of 30,000+ ATMs) You can open the CD online – no need to go to the branch – and you can get one with as little as $100. Start by joining here (no prerequisites – Verity is a community-chartered credit union, so it’s open to all).

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Pre-Thanksgiving Tuesday
November 22, 2022 6:02 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

8:29 AM: Crash at Delridge/Trenton.

Earlier:

6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, November 22nd – two days until Thanksgiving.

WEATHER

Rainy, windy weather predicted for today, high near 50.

TODAY’S TRANSIT STATUS + HOLIDAY PREVIEW

–Metro buses are on regular schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for trip cancellations/reroute alerts. (HOLIDAY PREVIEW: Thursday will be a Sunday schedule, Friday will be normal weekday.)

-The West Seattle Water Taxi is running its fall/winter schedule – still daily, all dayparts, but no late Friday/Saturday runs. (HOLIDAY PREVIEW: No Water Taxi service Thursday or Friday.)

-Still a 2-boat schedule for WSF’s Triangle Route – check here for alerts/updates. (HOLIDAY PREVIEW: On Thursday, the Triangle Route will be on a weekend 2-boat schedule.)

SPOTLIGHT CAMERAS

High Bridge – here’s the camera at the top.

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (if SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way).

Low Bridge: Or nearby, depending on where SDOT points the camera.

1st Ave. S. Bridge: The south route.

Highway 99: Here’s the northbound side at Lander.

All functional city traffic cams can be seen here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page … Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.

If you see a problem on the roads/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police search in Highland Park
November 21, 2022 9:42 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

9:42 PM: Police are out with a K-9 right now in Highland Park, searching for a man suspected of shooting at another man. This is centered at 10th/Cloverdale, though the search is ranging further out – the suspect was reportedly last seen eastbound on Cloverdale. We haven’t heard a description yet. No injuries reported.

9:50 PM: Police have reported finding a shell casing – “.380 auto” – in the alley behind the house where this is reported to have happened.

11:10 PM: The search has wound down. The initial call was that a man had found an intruder in his neighbor’s house, and the intruder shot at him. The man chased the intruder a ways “with an ax.”

ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Here’s the police summary of the incident:

At 2125 hours, officers responded to a report of an interrupted burglary where the suspect had fired a shot at the victim. The caller reported that he had heard the burglary occurring at his neighbor’s house. The caller armed himself with an axe and confronted the suspect, who was in the process of piling stolen items on the back deck. When confronted, the suspect fled on foot with the caller following. The suspect turned as he was running and fired 1 round at the victim, who discontinued his chase and returned home for police response. Evidence of a shooting was located and submitted.

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About the fire alarm at Spruce: Burning rubber suspected
November 21, 2022 9:24 pm
|    Comments Off on About the fire alarm at Spruce: Burning rubber suspected
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

Thanks for the tip. A texter asked about the fire-alarm response at Spruce (39th/Alaska, the building with LA Fitness). They reported smoke coming out of a vent from the underground building. Shortly after calling for a specialty unit that clears smoke, firefighters told dispatch that they’d had multiple reports of the suspected source of the smoke – drivers “drifting” in the garage.

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FOLLOWUP: Stormwater facility by 1st Avenue South Bridge ready to run
November 21, 2022 7:48 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Georgetown | West Seattle news

(King County video)
Four and a half years after construction began by the north end of the 1st Avenue South Bridge, the Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station is ready to be put into operation. Next big rainstorm, the King County Wastewater Treatment Division says, the quarter-billion-dollar facility [map] will start treating stormwater that otherwise would overflow, untreated, directly into the Duwamish River. Though it’s ready to do that job, the facility does have a little more work ahead, according to today’s announcement: “King County will install art features early next year. One will light up the facility as water moves through the treatment process. Another will recreate rain events inside a 35-foot-high clear cylinder.” Meantime, as we’ve been reporting, KCWTD has another facility in the works to protect the Duwamish River – a 1.25-million-gallon overflow storage tank in southeast West Seattle, near the south end of the 1st Avenue South Bridge. The West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility is being designed right now and expected to start construction in 2025.

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GROCERY MERGER: Rep. Jayapal announces in West Seattle that she’s seeking federal investigation
November 21, 2022 6:15 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

West Seattle-residing U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal called a media briefing in Junction Plaza Park this afternoon to announce she’s asking the Federal Trade Commission to “closely investigate” the proposed Albertsons-Kroger grocery merger. The briefing location was chosen for being in line of sight to QFC (Kroger-owned) and Safeway (Albertsons-owned) stores.

(In background, Capco Plaza, anchored by QFC, and Jefferson Square, anchored by Safeway)

Among those joining her was Faye Guenther, head of the regional union that represents grocery workers, UFCW 3000. Here’s our video the entire 18-minute announcement and Q/A:

Rep. Jayapal opened by saying she and three other U.S. House members had moments earlier sent a letter to the chair of the FTC to request the investigation – you can see the letter here. She believes the $24.6 billion dollar merger would have “widespread and dangerous implications across the country,” affecting everything from prices to jobs. This is of extra interest to her as she’s been serving as vice chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law. Guenther said she hopes to testify at a hearing early next month in Washington, D.C.; “We want workers to be heard.” One of those workers, Naomi Oligario, said she’s a Safeway employee with 37 years of experience but almost lost her job in the Safeway-Albertsons merger. She said her biggest fear is that if the merger goes through, “they’re going to close stores again.” Shaun Scott of the Statewide Anti-Poverty Network said that would exacerbate food insecurity.

As Jayapal noted at one point, the merger also is under scrutiny from Washington state government; Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued to stop a “special dividend” from going out to Albertsons stockholders pre-merger.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Weekend shooting
November 21, 2022 3:44 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

In addition to the incidents we covered this weekend, police summaries reveal one we missed. According to SPD, a man reported to them at around 4:40 am Saturday that he’d been shot. They say he told them it happened about 20 minutes earlier in the “triangle’ area where Delridge, 16th, and Roxbury meet. He said several men came up to him and made a profane remark; then one of the men shot him in the knee. He was taken to the hospital; no suspects were found.

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TREE TIME: More West Seattle options this week
November 21, 2022 2:01 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

Looking to get your Christmas tree semi-early? As noted in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, today is opening day for Trees by the Sea (2530 Alki SW), which was finishing setup when we stopped by this morning. They’re open noon-7 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 10 am-8 pm Fridays, 8 am-8 pm Saturdays, 8 am-7 pm Sundays. They’re also planning to be open 8 am-noon Thanksgiving Day. West Seattle Nursery and Home Depot have trees already, too, and as listed in our guide, more locations to come!

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DEVELOPMENT: 31-townhouse project for north Junction site
November 21, 2022 11:59 am
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

Back in April, we reported an early-stage filing for 30 townhouses on the site of a building and parking lot long owned by West Seattle Christian Church. Its pastor told us at the time that it was part of a feasibility exploration for a potential sale. New documents in online city permit files indicate the project is proceeding, and the site plan now shows 31 townhouses proposed for the site. The official project address is 4425 41st SW; the developer is listed in city files as Jabooda Homes (whose website also shows the plan), working with Cone Architecture.

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