West Seattle, Washington
11 Saturday
About a block east of Denny International Middle School, where SW Kenyon bends northward into 24th SW, a tangle of blackberry vines all but hides the public trail that leads to a footbridge over Longfellow Creek and, beyond, toward Delridge Way. Seattle Public Utilities is about to give the area a major makeover as part of its “natural drainage systems” work. SPU expects to start work this week that will result in:
*New walkway, bridge, and boardwalk to make it easier for people to get to nearby schools, homes, and bus stops
*Natural drainage systems to reduce pollution in Longfellow Creek
*Art installation to enhance the space and connect community to the creek
The artist is Brian Borrello from Portland. Here’s a rendering from the design presentation (which you can see in full here):
According to the construction alert SPU says it’s sent to neighbors, work will last about six months. The streets are expected to remain open but there will be pedestrian detours. This is part of a larger project that includes work along 24th further south, and will include work at Sylvan/Orchard, as explained in this “online open house.”
Maybe you’ll spot Jennifer‘s stolen Jeep:
2015 black Jeep stolen in Fauntleroy area. If seen or found, please call 911 and reference incident number 22-157760.
7:40 PM MONDAY: Three weeks after he answered questions at the District 1 Community Network’s meeting, Mayor Bruce Harrell is expected to do the same when the West Seattle Transportation Coalition meets online this Thursday night (June 23rd). While much of the attention during his first half-year has been on public safety and homelessness, transportation is a spotlight too, as the mayor has announced a public process for helping him hire a new SDOT director. And of course the West Seattle Bridge repairs have another three months to go. Also on the mayor’s transportation plate – as a Sound Transit Board member, he’ll be helping decide this summer which “preferred alternative” will be pursued for West Seattle light rail.Thursday night’s meeting is set to start at 6:30 pm; we expect to get the viewing/participation link in the next day or two, and it’ll be in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar when we do.
11:12 AM MONDAY: The mayor’s staff has sent WSTC word this morning that “something … came up” for Thursday night, so he won’t be in attendance after all.
Thanks to Emilie for the photo and tip. Firefighters made quick work of a kitchen fire in an apartment over a garage near 47th/Andover about an hour ago. No injuries reported. One side note: Firefighters were delayed a few minutes because the response first was sent to 47th Avenue *South*; the dispatcher said that’s how it was called in. Many of West Seattle’s SW streets have S. mirrors, as close as South Park, as far as the other side of I-5, so when calling something in, be sure to stipulate it’s SW.
Our report on the early-morning shooting death in Delridge began as a note that police were investigating two reported shootings. We finally have a bit of information from police about the other one. This one wasn’t brought to authorities’ attention until the victim had been taken from the scene and was driving, or being driven to a hospital. That original call was made from White Center, so the call was first routed to the King County Sheriff’s Office, but when they were told the shooting had happened at 16th SW/SW Cambridge, it became a Seattle Police case. This afternoon, SPD spokesperson Valerie Carson tells WSB they’ve confirmed that a 35-year-old man was shot there, and that he’s now at Harborview Medical Center. Police have not yet, however, been able to interview him about the circumstances, because of the treatment he’s been undergoing, Det. Carson said.
Summer officially begins at 2:13 am our time Tuesday. Hours later, two events offer you the chance to celebrate the change of seasons:
DELRIDGE SOLSTICE CELEBRATION: This one’s new!
4:30-7:30 pm at Delridge P-Patch (5078 25th SW), you are invited to enjoy music, games, crafts, and kids’ activities including face-painting and storytime. Free but you can also bring money for dinner – Chef Gino of TheHomeSkillit.com will be cooking and selling food.
SOLSTICE PARK SUNSET WATCH: If the season’s changing, West Seattle skywatcher/educator Alice Enevoldsen will be at Solstice Park (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW, uphill from the tennis courts) to lead an educational and fun sunset watch.
(WSB photo, summer-solstice sunset watch 2019)
The forecast suggests a chance of actually seeing the sunset, but Alice will be there no matter what (unless it’s pouring rain, which is NOT forecast), starting at 8:30 pm.
Two weeks from today, it’s the 4th of July, and two major events are returning.
(WSB photo, 2019 West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade)
WEST SEATTLE 4TH OF JULY KIDS’ PARADE: We mentioned back in April that this is returning; now that it’s close, it’s worth another reminder. This is a non-motorized (except for the fire truck and pickup truck that have led it in past years) parade, no pre-registration required – just show up with your kids of all ages, and you’re in! Red, white, and blue clothing/decorations encouraged. The parade starts from 44th/Sunset in North Admiral [map] at 10 am and moves along a few neighborhood blocks before crossing California to end at Hamilton Viewpoint Park with activities to wrap up the morning of fun.
LAKE UNION FIREWORKS: Seafair is bringing back the big show – Seattle’s only Independence Day fireworks display – this year, and much of it will be visible from north-facing West Seattle if you don’t want to journey across the bay for an up-close view. The fireworks go off over Lake Union starting around 10:15 pm.
(Gatewood Elementary art seen on the fence at Lowman Beach this weekend)
No Juneteenth celebrations in West Seattle that we’ve heard of (please let us know if we’re missing something); the South Seattle Emerald has a list of what’s happening elsewhere in the city. Meantime, here’s what we do have for today:
CLOSURES: Most government facilities/services are off for the holiday. One exception: Seattle Public Library branches are open today, as they closed for the holiday on Sunday instead.
ILLUSIONS SALE ENCORE: Now until 2 pm today, it’s an encore day for the sale of fixtures, equipment, and merchandise from the now-closed Illusions Hair Design (5619 California SW). They invite you to “make an offer … everything must go.”
CLEANUP AFTER THE CLEANUP: As previewed here, community volunteers are working now until noon in the recently cleared area along SW ndover/28th SW.
TENNIS LESSONS: Last-minute word from the Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club that they have openings in “the first session of our 2-week youth tennis lesson program” – two sessions that start at 12:30 pm and 1:15 pm today. Registration info is here.
OPEN D&D: Drop in to play 6:30 pm-10 pm Mondays at Meeples Games (3727 California SW).
COMEDY NIGHT: Have a few – or more than a few – laughs at Otter On The Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way), 7 pm – details and ticket info are in our calendar listing.
ZEN SITTING/MEDITATION: Free weekly event at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm.
TRIVIA X 3: Three scheduled options tonight for trivia players – 7 pm at Best of Hands (35th/Webster), 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Have something that should be listed on our calendar and in our daily previews? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
6:07 AM: Good morning; welcome to Monday, June 20th, the day most government facilities/offices are observing the new local/federal Juneteenth holiday.
WEATHER
Partly sunny forecast, high around 70.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro buses are on their regular weekday schedule; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on a reduced schedule today for the Juneteenth observance.
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
PARKING HOLIDAY
For neighborhoods with paid street parking, today it’s free as part of the Juneteenth observance.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
820th 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.
12:35 AM: Police are investigating two reported shootings right now in West Seattle. SFD is arriving at 26th and Juneau for a report of a gunshot victim there. This was a short time after King County Sheriff’s Office deputies got a call from someone who said they were taking a shooting victim to a Burien hospital and subsequently learned the shooting was reported to have happened in the city, near 16th/Cambridge. We don’t know if these reports are linked in any way. More info when we get it.
1:15 AM: We haven’t heard anything more regarding 16th/Cambridge, but at what’s been revised to 25th/Juneau, SFD told dispatch that police reported one person ‘obviously deceased.” We don’t know yet if this is a homicide investigation.
2:01 AM: No official information from police yet but listening back to radio recordings, the area where the person died was described as an encampment. And right now, police are continuing to canvass the area for cameras.
3:22 AM: Here’s what SPD just posted:
(SPD photo)
Detectives are investigating after a man was shot and killed at a Delridge encampment early Monday morning.
At 12:20 a.m., a 911 caller reported someone had been shot in an encampment near 26th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Juneau Street.
Officers arrived and located the male shooting victim, who had sustained significant injuries. Seattle Fire Department Medics responded to the scene and declared the man deceased.
Members of SPD’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit responded to process the scene for evidence. Homicide detectives also responded and will continue to investigate.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
This is the first homicide case in West Seattle since the deadly Alki shooting one year ago.
ADDED TUESDAY: The King County Medical Examiner identifies the victim as 37-year-old Dylan Hunter and says he died of a gunshot wound to the head.
UPDATED WEDNESDAY: Though at the time that ID was announced, this was the only shooting death reported in the city, police are now saying they’ve discovered another one that happened at an encampment in Ballard, and that’s apparently the one linked to the name mentioned here yesterday.
Topping our weekly COVID update – the Western States review workgroup affirmed today what the FDA and CDC said in the past few days, that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are safe and effective for children 6 months to 4 years old. Here’s the full announcement. That means the shots might be available starting this week for the newly eligible age group – we’ll publish word of any pop-up clinics we hear about. You can also watch this statewide lookup. Now, on to this week’s updates, from the Public Health – Seattle/King County dashboard:
*20 percent fewer cases countywide in the past week than the week before
*Currently averaging 995 new daily cases countywide (down from 1,250 when we checked a week ago)
*21 percent more hospitalizations countywide in the past week than the week before
*Currently averaging 18 new hospitalizations daily (up from 15 a week ago)
*21 percent fewer deaths in the past two weeks than the two previous weeks (the dashboard doesn’t offer a one-week increment)
*Currently averaging 2 deaths daily (same two-week average as last week)
For West Seattle, we have two-week comparisons (these are the combined totals from two “health reporting areas,” labeled West Seattle and Delridge):
*848 cases between 5/30 and 6/13, down from 954 between 5/15 and 5/29
*9 hospitalizations between 5/30 and 6/13, down from 10 between 5/15 and 5/29
*1 death between 5/30 and 6/13, down from 2 between 5/15 and 5/29
VACCINATION: Boosters are recommended for everyone 5 and up. Checking vaccination rates:
*81.4 percent of all King County residents have completed the initial series (up .1% from a week ago)
*86.2 percent of all King County residents ages 5 and up have completed the initial series (up .1% from a week ago)
*50.6 percent of all King County residents have had the initial series plus a booster (up .5% from a week ago)
*In West Seattle, here are the zip-code vaccination rates for ages 5 and up (reminder, 98106 and 98146 are not entirely within WS):
98106 – 88.5% completed initial series (up .2% from a week earlier), 54.5% have had a booster (up .4%)
98116 – 93.3% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 66.4% have had a booster (up .5%)
98126 – 84.0% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 56.5% have had a booster (up .5%)
98136 – 94.1% completed initial series (same as a week earlier), 69.5% have had a booster (up .5%)
98146 – 83.4% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 49.1% have had a booster (up .4%)
TESTING: If you want to get tested and don’t have a kit at home, public testing sites include the city-supported site at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle, 9 am-5:30 pm Mondays-Saturdays except some holidays – open on Juneteenth Monday) and the Curative kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor SW, 9 am-3 pm Monday-Friday except holidays, and it will be closed Juneteenth Monday). … If you need to report self-test results, that’s explained on this page.
Two 2-wheeled reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN MOTORCYCLE: Maybe you can help Joseph find the motorcycle he uses to get to and from grad school:
It’s a blue 2021 Honda CB300R. stolen from the 7100 block of 34th SW early this morning. We’ll add the report # when we get it. (ADDED: SPD incident # 22-156850; the motorcycle’s plate # is 9G3441.)
DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN BICYCLE: John sent the photo:
It was left alongside a stairway in Highland Park. Contact us and we’ll connect you.
5:06 PM: Police have told dispatch they’re closing the intersection where Sylvan Way meets SW Morgan [map] because of a crash. SFD has responded too.
(Photo sent by Gary)
5:26 PM: We’ve just arrived in the area. Morgan/Sylvan is blocked right at Lanham. Two cars are involved, one flipped. That car’s driver is being taken to the hospital via AMR. Not life-threatening injuries.
em>(WSB photo)
Lots of debris to clear from the street.
7:08 PM: We don’t have an update on the street – it should be open by now, though – but we do have an update on the person taken to the hospital – man in his mid-30s, in stable condition when transported, according to SFD.
4:40 PM: 78 homes are out of power north of The Junction, between (roughly) 40th and 41st SW and Charlestown and Genesee. Fire and police have been dispatched to check out what at least one caller said sounded like an “explosion.” Updates to come.
4:57 PM: One resident says his house was out for about 10 minutes but has power back. SCL’s map still shows 78 out. SFD apparently didn’t find anything at note, as its response has closed.
6:30 PM: Only one home is shown as still out. See comments below for neighborhood reports on what happened and how it was fixed.
(WSB photo from a 2019 water-rescue callout)
Summer weather is finally about to arrive, and with it, more people will be out on the water. That makes this prime time for reminders. First one is from the WSB inbox, sent by Jay:
It’s drowning season. The weather is nice and people both new and experienced are going out to Alki on paddleboards and kayaks not appreciating how cold the water is.
At a bare minimum the safety gear is a life jacket and a leash for paddleboards. A wetsuit, even a thin one, is helpful as well (dress for the water, not the air). A whistle can get people’s attention when you have a problem.
But life jackets don’t look cool in Instagram photos, and a lot of people think the water is just cold and not as dangerously cold as it really is. Or they get overconfident.
(A day before emailing) I rescued a paddleboarder who had been in the water more than five minutes and had given up trying to get back on the board. If it weren’t for a beachgoer who had seen her fall in and called my attention, there’s a good chance she would have died. She had no life jacket and no leash.
There were a dozen paddleboarders out when I was paddling and zero of them besides me had a lifejacket or leash on their ankle.
Second reminder is from the Seattle Fire Department – how best to help them help someone in trouble in the water, whether you’re helping from land or from a boat. Read SFD’s advice/recommendations here.
(WSB photo, Saturday)
Erik Bell, who organizes community cleanups at least once a week in West Seattle, has an invitation for you tomorrow, if you have Juneteenth off – a community cleanup to follow up on the city cleanup of the SW Andover/28th RV encampment. Here’s the invitation for the 10 am-noon Monday cleanup, in case you haven’t already seen it in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
We’ll be tackling the neighboring streets around the West Seattle Health Club which was just cleared of a long-standing RV encampment. Although it looks clean from the casual drive-by, the gravel parking strip is littered with a myriad of ground-in micro trash and broken glass, the city was only able to come get the large trash items.
We could use an army of folks to come in and give this neighborhood the love it deserves after years of neglect, so come for as little or as much as you’d like…and bring a friend!
What to expect: This has been a long-term RV encampment so has years worth of junk ground into the gravel. If there are any left over tents around we will steer clear of any of those and just focus on the roadway parking strip and sidewalks. Pickup sticks, buckets, vests, gloves and bags will be provided and the resulting trash will be reported for pickup by Seattle Public Utilities.
Parking: We should be able to park back along Andover by Monday but I’ll make updates as the cleanup approaches.
Please reach out with any questions, concerns or carpooling opportunities. I can be reached at 206-852-9552
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
E-BIKE THEFT: Breck suspects his stolen Nakto Elegance will be abandoned since it requires a key. The theft was recorded on security video at 2:48 am Saturday:
This happened along Fairmount Avenue. The police report # is 22-913449.
CAR PROWLER ON WHEELS: Brianna reports, “Around 8 pm (Saturday), I saw a white Honda Civic driving down 21st Avenue SW from Trenton to Roxbury; vehicle would slow down and try each car door to see if unlocked.” Brianna says the car’s plate started with CCJ5.
(‘Jay’ the bald eagle, photographed by David Hutchinson)
Here’s what’s ahead for your Sunday, which is Father’s Day as well as Juneteenth, which is a city and federal holiday this year for the first time:
CLOSURE: Most government services are observing Juneteenth on Monday, with one major exception today: All Seattle Public Library locations are closed.
CHURCHES WITH ONLINE SERVICES: We’re continuing to list these – see today’s list here.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, find fresh food – produce, meat, fish, cheese, beverages, baked goods, and prepared food – and plants at the weekly WSFM. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
NEW VENDOR: The market offers condiments, too! As noted here, West Seattle-made Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce debuts at the WSFM today with a 10 am ribboncutting ceremony.
FATHER’S DAY POTTERY SALE: 10 am-2 pm – info in our calendar listing. (4111 47th SW)
COLMAN POOL: Second day for the outdoor pool on the Lincoln Park shore (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: The Southwest Seattle Historical Society museum< is open on Alki, and you can visit noon-4 pm, (61st/Stevens)
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: Weekly tours are back, as reported here – might be a good place to take Dad today. First tour at 1 pm, last at 3:45; here’s how it works.
COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: 3 pm at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Halcyon the Mermaid plays Celtic harp music.
MIKU, AND THE GODS. At 3 pm, it’s the first matinee performance of this world-premiere play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), tickets available here. (Read our story about playwright Julia Izumi here.)
NEED FOOD? White Center Community Dinner Church serves a free meal (take-away available) at 5 pm Sundays at the Salvation Army Center in South Delridge (9050 16th SW).
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE: 9 pm to 1:30 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
Have an event to list on our calendar? We update it daily – email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Rather than grieving on the first anniversary of the fire that ravaged its community-owned building, Highland Park Improvement Club is throwing a party.
Next Saturday is June 25th, one year since the early-morning HPIC fire. That afternoon and evening, at nearby Riverview Playfield (7226 12th SW), HPIC is presenting Reset Fest, with live music, food, and fun for all ages. (So far the forecast looks promising – sunny and 70s.) It’s also a chance for you to see and hear about the plans for HPIC’s rebuild (here’s our most-recent report) – architect Matt Wittman will be there to present the design and answer questions. Plus, the celebration is a fundraiser as HPIC, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization, starts seeking what it’ll take to rebuild beyond the basic insurance coverage. Be at Riverview for the party between 2 pm and 7 pm next Saturday.
(WSB photo)
We’ve reported before on Fauntleroy Church‘s support of Camp Second Chance, the city-sanctioned tiny-home encampment in southeast West Seattle. The support led to a shopping trip at Big 5 Sporting Goods in Westwood Village on Friday, which provided major discounts for church contributions to help buy shoes for camp residents. Fauntleroy Church volunteer Judy Pickens tells the story:
Picking out new shoes that fit just right is a rare luxury for people living on the edge of homelessness, but three tiny-home residents of Camp Second Chance got to do just that Friday at Big 5 Sporting Goods in Westwood Village.
The shoppers are among the 40+ people living in the sanctioned camp at 9701 Myers Way S. Managed by the Low Income Housing Institute, the camp provides a supportive bridge between the streets and long-term housing.
In 2018, Fauntleroy Church, United Church of Christ (9140 California Ave. SW), began enriching camp life with such amenities as towels, bedding, and electric blankets. During the height of the pandemic, the church also provided games to encourage socializing and art supplies for creative expression.
On Friday, donations from church members financed the first of several shopping trips to fit residents with comfortable, practical, and NEW shoes. Members of the congregation’s homelessness task force met the residents at Big 5, where staff were eager to serve them. The church gave each shopper a dollar limit, which the store extended with a discount.
More camp residents will get their turn at shoe shopping as the camp’s case manager identifies those most in need.
In our photo above are church volunteers Joan and Cathy (at left and right) with case manager Marjorie (second from left) and CSC residents.
The UW Urban Freight Lab has some questions for you, if you can spare a few minutes for a survey. Here’s how they explained it in their note asking if we’d consider publishing the survey link:
In collaboration with the Seattle Department of Transportation, we are currently running a survey of consumer shopping behaviors in West Seattle. Our goal is to understand how people shop, travel to stores, and make online purchases in 2022 and relate this information back to the transportation system. The survey should take about 5 minutes to complete and participants can enter into a drawing for a $50 gift card.
We went through the survey before publishing this; the questions we saw included ones about shopping and dining as well as how/whether the bridge closure has changed your transportation habits. It’s an anonymous survey and starts here.
Thanks to volunteer help, the West Seattle Junction Association‘s rainbow Pride flags are flying today.
They’re scheduled to be in place until 6 pm. Other Pride events continue at various West Seattle venues throughout the month – see this section of our Event Calendar. A highlight will be 2-4 pm next Sunday (June 26th), the third annual Pride March in Morgan Junction.
11:02 AM: We’re at Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW), where the first Morgan Junction Community Festival since 2019 has just begun. As we’ve been previewing, the Morgan Community Association is presenting is an abbreviated edition – just two hours, until 1 pm. Two performers are scheduled – longtime festival favorites – The Bubbleman (who’s about to start), and acoustic musician Gary Benson. About half a dozen community organizations are here tabling too (as are we). Updates to come!
11:15 AM: MoCA says this may be The Bubbleman’s final show ever, after 40+ years – so they have a community card you can sign to wish him well.
11:40 AM: Bubbleman has wrapped up, with MoCA vice president Phil Tavel leading the crowd in a shouted “THANK YOU, BUBBLEMAN!” Music starts at noon; in the meantime you can visit the community organizations that are here:
The Whale Trail (above), Southwest Seattle Historical Society, CleanupSEA, Poogooder (first photo below), Westside HEY, 34th District Democrats, designers of the future park addition Board & Vellum (secon photo below), and us, all under canopies ringing the park.
You can also learn more about how to get involved with the Morgan Community Association (whose next quarterly meeting is July 20th).
12:03 PM: Gary Benson is performing now – quiet acoustic ballads, so people can visit the booths or sit on the park grass/benches and chat.
12:11 PM: And the sun has just made a guest appearance!
12:58 PM: And that’s a wrap. “Our festival will be returning more robustly next year,” MoCA promised in the closing announcement. (We’ll be adding more photos later.)
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