West Seattle, Washington
06 Monday
10:11 AM: As announced, the city is clearing the mostly-RVs encampment on SW Andover and 28th SW right now, for the first time in the six-plus years that people have been living in a line of vehicles there. Some of the RVs were already gone before tow trucks and other city crews started showing up:
SW Andover is closed west of 26th, and 28th is closed north of Yancy.
Police are there as well as cleanup crews.
So far our crew has seen two passenger cars towed, and noted that the agencies responding include the Seattle Animal Shelter, as there are pets there too. (added) This sign is up, listing the vehicles towed so far:
(added) Trucks were towed too:
12:10 PM: One RV trailer remains. Heavy equipment is scooping up piles of debris.
That’s on Andover. 28th (below) is also clear of vehicles – to Yancy; several are in view south of Yancy, by Dragonfly Park.
Police, SDOT, SPU, and cleanup-contractor crews are all still there. We’ll be going back later for another update.
5:06 PM: Back at the scene. Roads have reopened. City crews are all gone. So are all the vehicles and all the junk.
Also gone: All but one RV to the south on 28th by Dragonfly Park.
5:49 PM: Just received from the city:
Prior to the start of today’s RV Remediation and encampment removal on SW Andover Street between 26th Ave SW and 28th Ave SW, six RVs, three trailers, one box truck, three vehicles, two tents and 13 people were on site.
Four RVs and two trailers with a total of 9 people self-relocated from the area. The owners of the remaining two RVs and a box truck accepted referrals to hotels through King County’s Health Through Housing program and their inoperable RVs and truck were towed.
The occupant of the third trailer received a referral to a tiny house yesterday (6/15) and abandoned the trailer. That individual also relocated one of the vehicles from the site.
Two vehicles were abandoned and towed by the City.
One person residing in a tent was referred to 24/7 enhanced shelter.
In total, there were 12 referrals into enhanced shelter or tiny house village options from this location since outreach began on May 19.
During today’s RV Remediation, crews removed and disposed of an estimated 50,000 pounds of trash and debris.
Highlights for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (bee/lavender photo by Rosalie Miller):
SECOND-LOWEST TIDE OF THE YEAR Today’s tide is out to a mega-low -4.1 feet at 12:58 pm, second-lowest low tide of the year. Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are at Constellation and Lincoln Parks from 11 am to 3 pm.
WEST SEATTLE PUBLIC EQUITY FUND: Learn about this new collaboration between PTAs to “fundshift” – bring the family to Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) to learn and celebrate, as explained in our calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE TIMEBANK GATHERING: Potluck in the park! 6 pm at Puget Ridge Edible Park (18th/Brandon) – details in our calendar listing.
AT THE SKYLARK: Doors at 6 pm for Madam Monarch, King Sheim, Sprig, Miranda Kitchpanich. $10 advance, $15 at the door. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
BOARD GAME NIGHT: Come try something new at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), 6:30-10 pm.
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm in-person (Alki UCC, 6115 SW Hinds) and online (see our calendar listing for connection information and agenda highlights).
MIKU, AND THE GODS. 7:30 pm, it’s opening night for the new world-premiere play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), tickets available here.
Have something to add to our calendar? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tonight, New York City playwright Julia Izumi will be at West Seattle’s ArtsWest Playhouse for the opening performance of her world-premiere play “miku, and the gods.“
Not that she’s just dropping in to check it out. She’s been here for a month, collaborating face-to-face with director Alyza DelPan-Monley and the cast/crew as they brought her play – billed as an “epic adventure” – to life. “For a play, unlike novels, the final form is not the written form – I can’t possibly know what it’s supposed to look or sound or feel like until I see it embodied.” She appreciates the actors “rolling with the punches and taking the edits as they come, even if they memorized the script!”
Now it’s time to bring in the audiences.
We talked with Izumi earlier this week on a sunny morning in The Junction, about her career as well as about her play.
9:18 AM: Two traffic notes – a crash at Barton/Henderson, and the closure of SW Andover west of 26th SW and 28th SW north of Yancy for the mentioned-below RV-encampment sweep.
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6:02 AM: Good morning; welcome to Thursday, June 16th.
WEATHER
Partly sunny, high in the 60s (Wednesday’s high was 62, nine degrees below normal).
ROAD WORK/TRAFFIC NOTES
–Seattle Public Utilities‘ pavement-restoration work at California/Myrtle continues – flaggers are there to alternate traffic through one lane at times.
-SW Andover between 26th and 28th is expected to have a variety of city vehicles working on the “remediation” after 9 am.
LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL
Today’s the last day for Westside School (WSB sponsor); for Holy Family and most Seattle Public Schools, Friday is the final day (for Chief Sealth IHS, it’s next Tuesday).
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule. (Looking ahead – there’s a reduced schedule next Monday for the Juneteenth observance.)
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
816th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
1st Avenue South Bridge:
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way (one of four new cameras!):
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
All city traffic cams can be seen here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
As we’ve been reporting, the city is about to launch another “remediation” at the 6+-year-old mostly-RVs encampment along SW Andover between 26th and 28th SW. The remediations in December and April only resulted in junk removal, but there are indications this one will be more sweeping. Last night, we reported on an announcement from West Seattle Health Club that it had been told the area will be entirely cleared. We’ve gone through the area three times today to look for signs of advance preparations; we saw one trailer being towed from the west side of WSHC by a pickup truck, and noticed green tags along with orange tags on the vehicles, all titled FINAL NOTICE. And early this evening, we received this from Seattle Public Utilities spokesperson Sabrina Register, from whom we had requested details of the plan:
On June 13, parking enforcement officers visited SW Andover St between 26th Ave SW and 28th Ave SW to provide 72-hour notification to RV and vehicle occupants of the exact area that needed to be free of vehicles so Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) crews could perform an RV Remediation to thoroughly clean the area and dispose of trash and debris on June 16. At the time of the notification, there were 15 RVs, 11 vehicles and one utility trailer.
Additionally, to address a nearby sidewalk obstruction due to an encampment, the City posted a notice on June 14 that all personal items must be removed from the encampment by June 16.
For almost a month, the HOPE Team, within the Human Services Department that coordinates homelessness outreach and referrals to shelter, in coordination with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) and outreach providers, including REACH, LEAD, Urban League, Catholic Community Services’ SCOPE Team, St. Vincent de Paul’s RV Project, and the Scofflaw Mitigation Team, have been intensifying outreach to this area to connect those residing onsite in vehicles and in the encampment with vehicle maintenance support and offers of shelter and services.
As of June 15, these outreach efforts have resulted in at least nine referrals to 24/7 enhanced shelter spaces or tiny houses. For additional details on these coordinated outreach efforts, please reach out to KCRHA, who also recently awarded a contract to the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) to develop a safe lot program.
With a focus on addressing public health and safety, SPU performs multiple RV Remediations monthly in different areas of the City. Staff do site assessments where there are five or more RVs in one location. The assessments help the City determine which areas should be prioritized for cleanup.
At least three days prior to the remediation, temporary “no parking” signs are placed at the location, letting the public know about parking restrictions for a particular time period. SDOT staff follow up with direct outreach to RV occupants starting 72 hours prior to a remediation.
If a car is towed from a public street, instructions to locate the vehicle and documents required to release the vehicle are available online. The first step to find and reclaim a vehicle is to call Lincoln Towing at 206-364-2000 or search for the vehicle on Lincoln Towing’s www.SeattleImpound.com website. More information on 72-hour parking enforcement can be found here: City of Seattle 72-Hour On-Street Parking Ordinance – Transportation | seattle.gov.
Any personal items remaining on June 16, will be stored per City policy. People can retrieve their items by calling 206-459-9949, and we will work with individuals to make arrangements for delivery.
The count of 15 RVs matches what we observed this afternoon. Meantime, we had also asked City Councilmember Lisa Herbold and her staff on Friday for any details of the plan, as she had previously mentioned she planned to meet with the mayor’s office. She sent us this reply today:
I have been in regular contact with both the HOPE Team at the City’s Human Services Department, and Marc Dones, ED of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, as well as communicating with housed neighbors reaching out to my office. HSD and KCRHA met with Nucor and the Alki Beach Academy last week, I was in on that meeting and I have been advocating that we address – before enforcement of the parking prohibition scheduled this week – the urgent needs and requests of the people living in RVs and tents in the area, including a dumpster to help with trash as well rats, repairs for the vehicles, and facilitating the opportunity to visit Camp Second Chance, where 20 new tiny houses will soon be available.
Camp Second Chance is West Seattle’s only city-supported tiny-house encampment, on Myers Way in southeasternmost West Seattle.
6:06 PM: Police and fire are at the scene of a motorcycle crash on Harbor Avenue. They are blocking Harbor at Don Armeni. We just arrived to find out more.
6:16 PM: The motorcycle rider has been taken to Harborview. We are told he hit a pole outside a condo building on the south/eastbound side of the street. Traffic is being detoured through Don Armeni.
7:08 PM: Commenter reports the road has reopened. We have a message out following up on the rider’s condition.
ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: The police summary released today says that “an individual was test driving a motorcycle, without a helmet, at speeds of 70 + MPH, on Harbor Av SW. He was also weaving in and out of traffic. Eventually the motorcyclist struck a vehicle and flew 80-feet onto the roadway. He suffered injuries to his head and to his body. Seattle Fire reported he was, “somewhat stable” and had him rushed to HMC via a medic unit.”
Thanks to Desiree for sending the photo and tip that work is happening at the long-“landbanked” West Seattle Junction park site on 40th SW between SW Alaska and SW Edmunds. No, this isn’t actual park development, according to Seattle Parks’ Kelly Goold, who we contacted to ask about the work. Goold explains that what’s happening is “installation of a temporary irrigation system and a temporary lawn – something to make it usable and accessible to the neighborhood.” This work should be done in about a week. So when will the site then be unfenced and “usable”? Goold told us, “When we can pull the fence down depends on how fast the grass establishes. Generally after 3 mowing cycles grass is established enough for use. So hopefully sometime mid-July.” Goold says the “long-term” plan for the site remains park development, but that was paused two years ago (along with the other two West Seattle “landbanked” park sites, 48th/Charleston and the Morgan Junction expansion) when the pandemic put city finances into question. The city bought the site nine years ago for $1.4 million; at the time of the last public design meetings in 2018, cost of developing it into a park was estimated at almost $2 million.
Right now, many local positions are on the ballot in odd years. That could change for some King County positions, under a county-charter amendment that got county council committee approval today. The amendment would move elections for county executive, county assessor, county director of elections, and county councilmembers to even-numbered years. Supporters say that would mean higher voter turnout for those races, since even-numbered years tend to draw more voters because of higher-profile races. Opponents say this could mean the local races would get lost in the clamor over those higher-profile races. The next step for the proposal is a vote by the full County Council on June 28th; if they approve the amendment, final say would be up to King County voters this November.
1:58 PM: Thanks to Tom Trulin for the photo! Just after noon, as we’ve previewed, the low tide was out to the lowest point of the year, -4.3 feet. The photo is from Lincoln Park, one of two places where Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists have been out to educate shore explorers. If you couldn’t get out today for a look, tomorrow just before 1 pm will bring the second-lowest low tide of the year, out to -4.1 feet. (Got a photo to share from today? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!)
4:39 PM: Thanks for the additional photos! The next two are from Bruce Gaumond at Constellation Park:
Also from Constellation Park, this one’s by Bonnie Drexler:
Even more from Constellation Park – the next three are by David Hutchinson:
8:35 PM: Even more photos – first, from Rosalie Miller, a gumboot chiton and decorator crab:
From Denee Bragg, who’s been flagging by the northwest end of Constellation Park and reports “It has been the best “office” I’ve worked at in a long time!”
From Eddie, a view of Luna/Anchor Park:
From David Dimmit:
Photographed by Ashwin Moodithaya, a moon snail:
From Dawn Hepburn at Lowman Beach:
Laura White, at Constellation Park, says, “Delightful to see also how respectful everyone was of the animals.” She sent this photo of a young explorer:
Jerry Simmons noted Bey the bald eagle out on the tideflats, with a crow hassling her:
This one’s from Yazmín Penzien:
Thanks again for all the photos!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Early design concepts for “the new Alki” (Elementary) made their public debut at an online community meeting last night.
The school is being rebuilt with $67 million from the 2019 BEX V levy; the existing gymnasium and adjacent community center will remain. Construction is expected to start in about a year and will last two years.
The meeting began with greetings from Seattle Public Schools‘ project manager Brian Fabella, a West Seattle resident, and Mason Skeffington, Alki Elementary’s principal, who acknowledged the School Design Advisory Team‘s work in the planning process over recent months. Architects from Mahlum also were there, as was a rep from Cornerstone General Contractors, the Bothell-based firm that will build the school.
(We’ve seen a lot of these lately. Photo by Jerry Simmons)
Here are highlights for the hours ahead:
LOWEST TIDE OF THE YEAR Today’s tide is out to a mega-low -4.3 feet at 12:09 pm, lowest low tide of the year. Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are at Constellation and Lincoln Parks until 2 pm.
VACCINATIONS: Seattle Public Schools students, staff, and families, can get initial-series or booster COVID vaccinations 3-6 pm at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 (5950 Delridge Way SW).
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES MEETING: 6 pm online, it’s the second of two systemwide community meetings for Washington State Ferries users. Our preview has the registration link.
LIVE MUSIC: Locöl Barley & Vine (7902 35th SW) spotlights live music 6:30-8:30 pm Wednesdays, no cover, 21+, rotating artists.
KUNDALINI YOGA, MEDITATION, SOUND BATH: New night and location – Inner Alchemy now presents this weekly event at Jet City Labs, 7:30 pm Wednesdays. (4546 California SW, upstairs(
MIKU, AND THE GODS. 7:30 pm, it’s the preview performance of the new world-premiere play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), tickets available here.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: 8-10 pm on Wednesdays, Kimball and The Fugitive Trio play live at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW).
TRIVIA x 2: Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm; at 8:30 pm, trivia is back at Talarico’s (4718 California SW) with Phil T.
Have something to add to our calendar? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Back on Monday, we published information that West Seattle High School‘s athletics program wanted to be sure students have before school ends – including summer dates for registration, tryouts, and practices. Today we have the same info for Chief Sealth International High School students planning on fall-sports participation – see it here. This is for those planning to participate in cross country, golf, football, slow-pitch softball, volleyball, and/or girls soccer and swimming/diving.
6:03 AM: Good morning; welcome to Wednesday, June 15th.
WEATHER
Mostly cloudy, high in the 60s (Tuesday’s high was 63, eight degrees below normal).
ROAD WORK
Seattle Public Utilities‘ pavement-restoration work at California/Myrtle continues.
LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL
-Today’s the last day for Our Lady of Guadalupe; Westside School (WSB sponsor) is out after Thursday; for Holy Family and most Seattle Public Schools, Friday is the final day (for Chief Sealth IHS, it’s next Tuesday).
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule. (Looking ahead – there’s a reduced schedule next Monday for the Juneteenth observance.)
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
815th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
1st Avenue South Bridge:
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way (one of four new cameras!):
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
All city traffic cams can be seen here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
The photo and report are from Al:
Attempted vehicle theft 48th & Graham. This morning (6/14), discovered that at some point since last Tuesday night, someone forced open the passenger-side lock (destroying it in the process) and removed the ignition housing. There are plier marks on the ignition switch but apparently they couldn’t start the vehicle. The ignition housing is gone, as is any other trace of their existence; however, all my personal items (none of value) remain untouched. The vehicle starts and runs just as if nothing happened, thank goodness, but now I’ve got to shell out some $$ to rectify that jerk’s actions!
By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Concerns about safety in and around Westwood Village were the focus of a community forum organized and hosted by the Seattle Police Department.
The meeting was held online last week by Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner, at the request of staff and residents at nearby Daystar Retirement Village (WSB sponsor), but was open to neighbors and the general public (as we previewed here). The agenda included safety trends, suggestions for how to best communicate with neighbors and report issues to SPD effectively, and how to best use the neighborhood Block Watch model.
Danner was joined in the meeting by Southwest Precinct officer Tammy Frame, along with Crime Prevention Coordinator colleagues Sarah Lawson and Katelyn Yep (from SPD’s North Precinct).
(WSB photo from last Friday)
As we’ve been reporting, the city has promised another “remediation” this month at the six-plus-years-old RV encampment on SW Andover between 26th and 28th SW. On Friday, we reported that the “no parking” signs had gone up for this week. So far, the city hasn’t given us specifics about what exactly will happen. However, one of the businesses in the area, the West Seattle Health Club, has just told its members via email and social media that “all” vehicles “will be forced to move or be towed” Thursday, and that eco-blocks will be placed to prevent future parking. From the WSHC’s announcement:
Many of you have shared your concerns regarding the encampment on Andover Street requesting an update of the status. Over the past several weeks, myself, our neighboring businesses, city councilmen and several outreach programs have been working with the Mayor’s office to get updates and a resolution to this ongoing issue in our community. During this time, the residents of the encampment have been offered alternative living arrangements as well as new batteries and tires for the vehicles that are no longer running.
This Thursday (6/16) beginning at 9 am, the areas between 26th Ave & Andover Street and 28th Ave & SW Yancy St will be declared a work zone. All vehicles parked along the street will be forced to move or towed.
Today, the Seattle Police Department were out giving notice to the residents of the encampment that they are required to move within 48 hours, or their vehicles will be towed on 6/16/22. Some of the residents were agitated after receiving the notification on their residences and/or vehicles. We strongly recommend that you avoid any interactions with them for your safety.
The club will remain open during this time, however, the entrance to the club from Andover street will not be accessible beginning at 9 am. Please use the entrance from Yancy Street to access the club’s parking lot. We anticipate the area along Andover street to be busy with SPD, outreach programs and media.
According to the Mayor’s Office, the goal is to have the entire area completely cleaned up by the end of the day on Thursday, 6/16. To avoid the return of the encampment, the West Seattle Health Club is partnering with our neighboring businesses to place cement eco-blocks along the surrounding area. The City Council has also proposed to turn the area into a bike lane for the neighborhood.
We went through the area twice this morning, and noted orange tags on most of the 15 RVs/trailers parked there (that count doesn’t include other vehicles or tents that also line the north side of Andover). If this encampment really is cleared, it would be the second major sweep in West Seattle in less than two weeks, after Rotary Viewpoint Park/West Seattle Stadium last week.
Though the weather doesn’t seem to want to get summery yet, festival season continues with another event returning this Saturday:
The Morgan Community Association is easing back into things with a condensed version of its annual (aside from the pandemic summers) festival. Stop by Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW) between 11 am and 1 pm this Saturday (June 18th) for some low-key neighborhood fun. Well, the opening act isn’t quite low-key … The Bubbleman will perform at 11 am, and acoustic musician Gary Benson will follow. Some local organizations will have tables, so you can come chat about what’s happening in your neighborhood. Among the participants already announced are The Whale Trail – come talk about what you can see at sea! – the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, and us. This is a volunteer-powered event. See you there!
2:01 PM: Two-car crash reported toward the north end of the northbound 1st Avenue South Bridge, with one vehicle on fire as shown in the framegrab from the traffic camera – avoid the area..
2:07 PM: Firefighters have since arrived and just reported the fire is out.
2:25 PM: The NB bridge is still down to one lane past the scene.
2:52 PM: Now two NB lanes are open. We’re following up with SFD regarding injuries.
3:15 PM: The scene is clear and all northbound lanes are open.
5:38 PM: SFD says no injuries were reported.
The last week of school closes the book in many ways. Among them: Educators’ retirements. Michelle Green Arnson sent this word of a momentous departure from the Gatewood Elementary community:
As this school year comes to a close, beloved kindergarten teacher Nancy Carney will be retiring after 32 years at Gatewood Elementary. Mrs. Carney is a true institution, having worked with five different principals, three decades’ of colleagues, and countless young students. Her warmth and enthusiasm has made her classroom a welcoming space for learning and growth for so many children, while her boundless energy and seemingly limitless patience has astonished and inspired a new crop of parents every year. Mrs. Carney will be missed more than she can know!
If you would like to join Room 4 and the broader Gatewood community in wishing Mrs. Carney a very happy retirement, you can post messages, memories, and photos here: kudoboard.com/boards/4Mr9nfx4
(Newly reopened Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area, with Fergus posing in photo by Caitlin Huertas)
Great day to go to your favorite park – or to check out the other options on today’s list:
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS: Drop-in advocacy, Tuesdays at 10:30 am at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
LOW-LOW TIDE: Today’s tide is out to a mega-low -4.0 feet at 11:22 am. Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are at Constellation and Lincoln Parks between 9:45 am and 1:15 pm.
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES MEETING: 1 pm online, it’s the first of two systemwide community meetings for Washington State Ferries users. Our preview has the registration link.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Online at 2 pm; here’s the agenda. Watch live here.
LADY JAYE MEAT MARKET: In advance of Father’s Day, Lady Jaye is hosting a meat market and patio party, 4 pm-8 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (4523 California SW)
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Longstanding weekly 4:30-6 pm sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
ALKI ELEMENTARY REBUILD MEETING: Get the latest on the levy-funded plan to rebuild Alki Elementary, 6 pm online. The registration link and other details are here.
CAMP SECOND CHANCE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: 6 pm online, your monthly chance for comments/questions about West Seattle’s city-supported tiny-house village.
FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Meeples Games (3727 California SW) welcomes families 6-8 pm to this weekly hosted game-playing night.
OPEN MIC: Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way) invites you to a 7 pm open mic hosted by Midnight Marauders.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm, the FCA board’s monthly meeting welcomes community attendance.
TRIVIA X 3: Three of the venues where you can play tonight – 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!
See more on our calendar – and if you have something to add for the future, please email us the info at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Longtime local meal-prep kitchen Dream Dinners West Seattle (WSB sponsor) is launching a new option – reducing its minimum order, so customers have more flexibility. Now you can start with just three dinners, and add more as needed; previously, Dream Dinners had focused on having customers order an entire month of dinners in one visit. Reducing the minimum order means families with smaller freezers or budgets can also utilize Dream Dinners to help avoid dinnertime stress when you’re trying to balance everything else life throws at you. Dream Dinners’ pre-prepped meal kits enable you to get dinner ready in 3 easy steps: thaw, cook, and enjoy. Most meals cook in under 30 minutes or come home ready to bake in the oven. Dream Dinners West Seattle is at 4701 41st Ave SW, on the east-facing street side of Jefferson Square. To place a June order, visit DreamDinners.com/WestSeattle.
6:02 AM: Good morning; welcome to Tuesday, June 14th.
WEATHER
Partly sunny, chance of showers, high in the 60s (Monday hit 60, ten degrees below normal).
ROAD WORK
Seattle Public Utilities‘ pavement-restoration work at California/Myrtle continues.
LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL
-Today’s the last day for Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) and Summit Atlas; Our Lady of Guadalupe is out after Wednesday; Westside School (WSB sponsor) is out after Thursday; for Holy Family and most Seattle Public Schools, Friday is the final day (for Chief Sealth IHS, it’s next Tuesday).
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on its regular weekday schedule; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule. (Looking ahead – it will have a reduced schedule next Monday for the Juneteenth observance.)
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
814th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
1st Avenue South Bridge:
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way (one of four new cameras!):
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
All city traffic cams can be seen here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
The class motto for West Seattle High School‘s newest grads was “We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust our sails.” Fitting, then, that their ceremony happened on a breezy night at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex. Even principal Brian Vance noted the “June-uary” weather. But the joy of the night kept the shivers at bay, for spectators as well as grads:
ASB president Samuel Lewis spoke of the “unusual journey” he and his classmates had taken, particularly through the pandemic years, which brought “intentional and accidental” growth:
Staff speaker Kim Depew told her graduating students that she “got an education from YOU,” while marveling at their kindness and tenacity, and voicing confidence that their generation’s promise means “things are going to be all right”:
Exemplifying that hope, Cosmo Davis‘s “lessons of life” speech included his exhortation for classmates that “we have to fight to improve things … “we’re the future, not the adults; we need to start changing the world”:
The 250-plus graduates will do that in different places and different ways:
Some might even do it through music – this jazz performance was a highlight:
It was a summer-themed song, but the grads had a few last tasks before the first summer of the rest of their lives could begin. After their principal offered a few words of advice – including “perseverance” and “fail forward” – School Board director Leslie Harris declared “You are graduates!”
This was our area’s fourth and final Class of 2022 graduation. We covered the other three too:
Chief Sealth IHS
Seattle Lutheran HS
Summit Atlas
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