West Seattle, Washington
24 Sunday
(WSB photo from 2019 Float Dodger 5K)
Don’t wait until race day – register online before 8 pm for the return of the Float Dodger 5K, a fun (costumes encouraged!) run/walk on the West Seattle Grand Parade route just before the parade. The start/finish is at Hiawatha Playfield (2700 California SW), where a free kids’ dash starts the morning at 8:45 am, with runners/walkers heading out at 9:30. The “float” in the 5K’s name has two meanings – when you get back to Hiawatha, the second one kicks in, with root-beer floats for runners! West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) founded and presents the Float Dodger 5K, which this year is raising money for the West Seattle Food Bank. You can register right now by going here.
Another local business has been broken into. This time, Alki Bike and Board in The Admiral District (WSB sponsor), which sent the photo and report:
Wanted to report that our back door was smashed last night. Still working on inventory – so far we know a Red Kona Fire MTN bike is missing. If anyone has any tips or has seen anything, please contact us.
We don’t have the police-report number yet but will add it when we do.
(Wednesday night sunset, photographed by Bill Schrier)
Here’s what’s happening for the rest of today/tonight:
WADING POOLS OPEN: Sunny and warm today, so the city will open the pools that are scheduled for Thursday operations. In West Seattle, that means Delridge (4501 Delridge Way SW), noon-5:30 pm, and Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm. Highland Park Spraypark at 1100 SW Cloverdale is also open, 11 am-8 pm.
COLMAN POOL OPEN: Noon-7 pm, go swimming in the saltwater pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW).
CURRICULUM EXPLORATION: 4-6 pm at Community School of West Seattle (9450 22nd SW):
The doors of The Community of West Seattle are opening this Thursday for the entire community! Join us for a night of Curriculum Exploration. Take a live look at the mission being fulfilled at The Community School of West Seattle. Take this wonderful opportunity to ask questions, enjoy outdoor playtime (under parental supervision), and meet our staff!
Let us know you’re coming:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfxfpty1TCtwvzHh6oznzJ2WqbJ0xAJ8dPuiuTJ5rMPriNvQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
ULTIMATE AT FAIRMOUNT: 6 pm, Thursday night summertime Ultimate pickup games are back at Fairmount Playfield (5400 Fauntleroy Way SW).
LAVENDER WAND-MAKING: 6:30 pm class at WEND (3278 California SW) – learn to make lavender wands! Register here.
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm online or in person (Alki UCC, 6115 SW Hinds), it’s the monthly meeting of the Alki Community Council, with agenda items including a petition related to racing concerns on Harbor and Alki Avenues.
PIANO MUSIC: Solo piano at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way), starting at 7 pm.
FISH STICKS BASEBALL: Cheer on the DubSea Fish Sticks as they play Rush Baseball at Steve Cox Memorial Park (1321 SW 102nd) at 7:05 pm.
MUSIC UNDER THE STARS: The Seattle Chamber Music Society welcomes you to enjoy a live ensemble at 8 pm followed by a streamed concert, all at High Point Commons Park (3201 SW Graham), free.
Have something to add to our calendar? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
That’s Obi Wan the Bernese Mountain Dog, whose people have noticed more like him around the peninsula, so they’re organizing a meetup. Here’s the announcement:
Calling all West Seattle Bernese Mountain Dogs – Meetup!
PLEASE JOIN US!
DATE: Saturday, July 30, 2022
TIME: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
LOCATION: Westcrest Dog Park
BRING: Yourself and your doggoWe are West Seattle residents, and the proud new owners of a Bernese Mountain Dog (Obi Wan – now 1 year old). We are noticing a lot of Berners when we go for walks! We would like to form a West Seattle BMD group for playdates and perhaps other events.
Hope to see you there!
Obi (and family)
6:01 AM: Good morning; welcome to Thursday, July 21st.
WEATHER
Another forecast for sunshine all day, and temperatures likely into the 80s. (Wednesday’s high was 84.)
ROAD WORK
Overnight work nightly for the rest of the week, for “overhead work on the bridge.” Impacts include:
Detours for those using SW Spokane Street between Delridge Way SW and SW Avalon Way (between 10 PM and 5 AM).
Lane reduction on southbound W Marginal Way SW between 17th Ave SW and Chelan Ave SW (between 7 PM and 6 AM).
Detours for those accessing westbound SW Spokane Street at East Marginal Way S (between 10 PM and 5 AM)
WEEKEND HEADS-UP
The Float Dodger 5K and West Seattle Grand Parade on Saturday (July 23) will close California SW between Lander and Edmunds until early afternoon. Watch for parking restrictions on side streets, too, especially near the start and end of the route.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro buses are on their regular weekday schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule.
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth – and WSF says that probably won’t change before next spring. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
851st 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 recently installed 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? Please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
Spring isn’t the only season in which you might see baby birds. Community naturalist Kersti Muul shares a report with photos:
While doing my weekly tern-colony surveys (earlier this week), I encountered my very first baby seagulls ever.
I’ve renamed them french-fry cheetahs!
Also, They did it again!! The West Seattle crow pair who had two caramel babies (leucistic) in 2019, just fledged two more!
While leucistic birds are not considered common, or ‘rare’, it is very rare to have two in the same brood, and then have two again. I couldn’t believe my eyes and I wonder which parent carries that gene … The babies are gorgeous with pale blue eyes against their soft brown feathers and pink gapes. Both (all black) parents have a recessive gene for leucism and each chick has a 25% chance of being leucistic. They had three chicks total; one black, two brown. Interestingly enough the leucistic chicks have brown feet and pale bills which kind of belies the definition of leucism, as only the feathers should be affected. Of course I will be looking more into this!
As for the aforementioned tern colony (previous report here), Kersti says she hasn’t seen any eggs hatch yet.
We have a Lost/Found (Non-Pets) section in the WSB Community Forums, but these are both a bit beyond what we usually post there:
Joel found that luggage left on his lawn. “Looks like someone left it on the way to the airport packing up the car… It just got left on my lawn at Findlay. 4100 block, about six hours ago. Now I have it and I would like to return it to the West Seattle person who must have departed for Sea-Tac too quickly.”
Meantime, this one is more likely to be in the “dumped-likely-stolen” category. Katherine says, “I found a medium-to-large planter, with plants, in the middle of the street on Admiral Way up the hill from the beach. I rescued it; but it seemed very odd and unlikely that someone would have put it there if it was ‘free to a good home’.She’s withholding descriptive details. For both items, email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – and we’ll connect you.
P.S. The found photographic equipment noted here recently has been reunited with its owner.
(2021 WSB photo of part of the site, which also includes 2 ex-restaurants to the south)
4:26 PM: The long-dormant, frequently vandalized development site in the 5200 block of California SW – two former restaurants and a former strip mall – has a new plan, according to what we just found in online city files: An assisted-living complex. An early-stage site plan filed with the city Tuesday shows the proposal is from Aegis Living, which already has one West Seattle assisted-living/memory-care complex, in west Admiral. We reported one year ago that the site was back on the market, after a plan to redevelop it as townhouses stalled, and the listing has had the notation “(sale) pending” for some time; King County Assessor records do not yet show a completed sale. The site is zoned for four-sstory mixed-use development (NC2-40). We’re contacting Aegis to find out more about their plan, which the city website summarizes simply as “new assisted living and life neighborhood building.”
7:17 PM: We’ve heard back from an Aegis spokesperson who says there’s not a lot to say as this is so early-stage but promises some information tomorrow.
THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE: In response to our inquiry, we’ve received this statement from Walter Braun, Aegis Living’s Chief Development Officer:
Aegis Living is in the early stages of a potential second development in West Seattle. Our team has loved being a part of West Seattle and hope to bring another Aegis Living assisted living and memory care community to the area. It is too early to share details, but we can confirm we have signed a purchase and sales agreement to explore this development. We are excited about the potential project, and as we continue in our due diligence, are hopeful we can share more details soon.
Another look ahead to a major weekend event – the Alki Art Fair, which is not only returning after three years, but also expanding to three days. It begins Friday (July 22nd). The artist/vendor booths stretch along the promenade, westward from Alki Bathhouse; the main music stage is on the lawn east of the Bathhouse. Our preview two weeks ago has details, but here are the basics:
FRIDAY
Artist Booths & Food Vendors: 2-8 pm
LIVE DJ : 4-8 pm
SATURDAY
Artist Booths & Food Vendors: 10 am-6 pm
Live Music: 11 am-8:30 pm
SUNDAY
Artist Booths & Food Vendors: 10 am-6 pm
Live Music: 11 am-5 pm
The Alki Art Fair also has a Kid Zone presented by Outer Space Seattle. And while there’s no admission charge, there are ways to support the festival, such as bidding in the silent auction inside the Bathhouse – organizers tell us you’ll be able to “Find everything from art to gift certificates from some of your favorite West Seattle eateries, museum and sports tickets, massages and more!” See the festival website here for the artist and music lineups. One more note: As with other returning events, this is a transition year – they’re not offering a shuttle this time, but you do have transportation options, such as the Water Taxi shuttle and Route 50 Metro bus.
Three days until the West Seattle Grand Parade, so today we step up the previews. As had become an annual tradition pre-pandemic, we sat in on the parade-lineup meeting, where parade-team members arrange the entries into the order you’ll see on Saturday (July 23rd). The 70+ entries this year include more nautical-themed participants than past years.
(Photo courtesy Michelle Edwards)
That’s Smitty J. Tugboat from the South Sound Maritime Heritage Foundation. You’ll also see a 21-foot replica of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (itself periodically seen off West Seattle), courtesy of the Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum, plus the Miss HomeStreet hydro, Seafair Pirates‘ landlubbing vessel Moby Duck, and boats from the Seafair Commodores and the West Seattle Yacht Club.
(WSB photo, Moby Duck at Alki before last month’s Seafair Pirates Landing)
Also in the seagoing vein, other entries include a float from Port Orchard’s Fathoms O’ Fun Festival and local wildlife responders SR3.
That’s just a small sampling of who and what you’ll see on Saturday. The parade starts from California/Lander at 11 am and travels south down California to Edmunds (see the route here). You can hear the announcements at California/Charlestown and California/Alaska. Since this is a transition year, no pre-parade mini-parades this year – like the PAWrade or Kiddies’ Parade – aside from the Float Dodger 5K, which heads down the parade route at 9:30 am. Next preview, we’ll have more about the parade entries, plus the behind-the-scenes parade process.
This is not your average lost/found pet story. In the photo is a cat called Cheech, known and loved in the Lowman Beach area. One of his fans, Barbara, sent us the photo last week with a note explaining that Cheech – and his house, accessories, and food/water bowls, set out at the Murray Wet Weather Facility across from the beach – had suddenly vanished. Over the ensuing days, Cheech’s person, Amber, who lives neqrby and has cared for him for 13 years, explained on social media that Cheech always came home to snuggle at night, even though otherwise he had kind of become the neighborhood cat in recent months. She theorized that maybe someone had catnapped him thinking he was abandoned, which he most certainly was not. Cheech’s fans started leaving (chalked) messages of support:
And now, a happy ending: Today, Barbara tells us, there’s word that Cheech turned up at the Seattle Animal Shelter; Amber was headed there to pick him up and bring him back to the beach. So you just might see him on your next visit to Lowman.
(Photo from last weekend’s low tide, sea star and opalescent nudibranch, by Geoff Yule)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, inbox, and archives:
WADING POOLS OPEN: It’s sunny and warm, so the city says wading pools will be open – in West Seattle today, that’s Delridge (noon-5:30 pm) and Lincoln Park (noon-7 pm). (Also, Highland Park Spraypark at 1100 SW Cloverdale is open 11 am-8 pm.)
COLMAN POOL: The outdoor pool at Lincoln Park will be open today as its 7-days-a-week schedule continues, noon-7 pm.
NETWORKING: Wind Down Weekly networking at Junction Plaza Park, presented by Work and Play Lounge, 6-8 pm. (42nd/Alaska)
LIVE AT OTTER ON THE ROCKS: Jazz Night at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way), 6:30 pm.
LIVE AT LOCOL: Locöl Barley & Vine (7902 35th SW) spotlights live music 6:30-8:30 pm Wednesdays, no cover, 21+, rotating artists.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Quarterly community meeting, online, 7 pm. See the agenda and connection information here.
MUSIC BINGO: Now weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
KUNDALINI YOGA, MEDITATION, SOUND BATH: New night and location – Inner Alchemy now presents this at Solstice Park, 7 pm Wednesdays. (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA x 4: Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 7:30 pm; also tonight at 7:30 pm, you can play trivia at the West Seattle Brewing Mothership (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW); 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.
Calendar event to add? Please email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:35 AM: Thanks for the tips. Admiral Safeway is temporarily closed. Some initial tips we got were that multiple local Safeways were closed because of a point-of-sale technology problem; we went to the one closest to us (Roxbury) and they’re open but a staff member said it’s a random point of sale problem affecting some stories. Jefferson Square told us by phone they’re having problems but are still open. We’re now attempting to reach regional HQ to find out more.
11:38 AM: Still haven’t heard back from corporate, but we just went back to Admiral Safeway to check on the store’s status, and they have reopened.
7 PM: A Safeway spokesperson explained in a reply to our inquiry: “A system update performed last night caused some technical delays that required temporarily closing some stores. All stores are now operating normally and have re-opened for business.”
Family and friends are remembering Wendi Hirshberg, and sharing this remembrance with her community:
Wendi Hirshberg passed away on July 4, 2022 from mesothelioma. After a 4-year fight to find a cure, she died in peace, surrounded by her immediate family.
Born September 24, 1961, Wendi was a West Seattle native who attended Fairmount Park Elementary, Louisa Boren Junior High, and was a graduate of West Seattle High School. After earning a teaching degree at WSU, Wendi went back to the school she first attended, to teach at Fairmount Park.
While raising her own 2 children, Ben and Sadie, in Blue Ridge, she made the commute back to West Seattle, where she quickly became a beloved parent educator with the Seattle Colleges Co-op Preschool Programs for 22 years.
Known for nurturing the parents of newborns and toddlers, she helped so many families build a strong foundation as they started their parenting journey. She is most remembered for her enthusiasm, warmth, non-judgmental spirit, and true empathy. A lifelong learner herself, Wendi was always ready to share the latest in child development and guidance. With many co-teachers, Wendi created a welcoming team and place for parents to connect with one another and start to build their “village.” Even second- and third-time parents came back to get that smile, hugs, and personal “Wendi time.” Wendi was also asked to teach in the APPLE Parenting Program where her ability to nurture, won over any potential barriers of English Language Learners and families who experienced an extra layer of life challenges.
Wendi was a special person to many and touched their lives in such an impactful way. Few people can be as genuine in all their relationships. Her fellow teachers at the West Seattle Co-op Preschool and Parent Education Program are filled with sadness and mourn the loss of not just a coworker, but a beloved friend. Wendi’s students, friends, and family are left with memories that will be with them forever.
She leaves behind her husband Rich, her children Ben and Sadie, her parents Duane Ruud and Darlene Ruud, and her brother Tim. She is pre-deceased by her brother Jeff.
Donations in Wendi’s honor can be made to the Co-op program she loved so that families in need can receive financial tuition support:
(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)
6:00 AM: Good morning; welcome to Wednesday, July 20th.
WEATHER
Another forecast for sunshine all day, and temperatures likely to get into the 80s. (Tuesday’s high was 83.)
ROAD WORK
Overnight work nightly for the rest of the week, for “overhead work on the bridge.” Impacts include:
Detours for those using SW Spokane Street between Delridge Way SW and SW Avalon Way (between 10 PM and 5 AM).
Lane reduction on southbound W Marginal Way SW between 17th Ave SW and Chelan Ave SW (between 7 PM and 6 AM).
Detours for those accessing westbound SW Spokane Street at East Marginal Way S (between 10 PM and 5 AM)
EARLY WEEKEND HEADS-UP
The Float Dodger 5K and West Seattle Grand Parade on Saturday (July 23) will close California SW between Lander and Edmunds until early afternoon. Watch for parking restrictions on side streets, too, especially near the start and end of the route.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro buses are on their regular weekday schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule.
Ferries: WSF continues on the two-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth – and WSF says that probably won’t change before next spring. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
850th 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 recently installed 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? Please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
(WSB photos/video)
A first tonight for the West Seattle Big Band – a concert at High Point Commons Park. This was the return of the annual summer Concert in the Park for the first time since 2019, but the traditional venue – Hiawatha Community Center‘s east lawn – isn’t available this year, so that called for a new venue. WSBB director Jim Edwards admitted he didn’t know what to expect, or who, but by our informal count, at least 100 people showed up to enjoy the evening and the music. You can see the spectators as well as the band in our recording of the concert:
For an hour and a half, the Big Band enthralled the crowd with classics like “In the Mood,” “All of Me,” and “Fever” – some instrumental, some featuring vocalists Jenaige Lane and Jeff Carter:
The WSBB musicians spanned a wide age range tonight – including Henry, who’s also drum major for the West Seattle High School Band:
The brass included director Edwards trading in his baton for his trombone:
The Big Band also plays gigs for hire and donates the proceeds to help student musicians. So, as Edwards told the crowd, if you need a band for an event, contact them!
(SDOT camera image, eastbound Spokane St. Viaduct lanes at left)
You might recall that SDOT has closed the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct -that’s the continuation of the West Seattle Bridge east of Highway 99 – a few times this year for pothole repair. Before the first closure, we reported on SDOT’s big-picture plans, pursuing grant funding for more-extensive repair. Today, the city announced that grant has been secured – one of three city bridges to each get at least $4.5 million “from the Federal Highway Administration Bridge Improvement Program, which is funded in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and then passed to WSDOT‘s Local Bridge Program,” and on down to the city from there. The announcement said only that the Spokane Street Viaduct’s $5 million grant would be used for “repairs to the existing deck,” so we asked SDOT for a few more details about what would be done and when. Spokesperson Mariam Ali‘s reply:
The federal funding is to support the replacement of the overlay for the south half of the bridge that carries the eastbound lanes of traffic. The existing concrete deck overlay exhibits significant signs of “alligator skin” cracking and damage. The project will replace the existing overlay and fix any concrete deck distress. We are currently in the design phase for this project and have not yet determined the construction timeline, which would likely occur in the next few years.
The eastbound (south) side of the SSV is its older section – the westbound (north) side includes what was built a decade ago. The other two city bridges getting federal grants announced today are the Jose Rizal Bridge to Beacon Hill ($5 million for paint) and the 15th/Leary bridge in Ballard ($4.5 million for earthquake safety).
(Sunday photo sent by Eddie, “ghost bike” memorial at collision site)
6:32 PM: Still no word of an arrest in Friday night’s hit-run death of a man riding a bicycle, but we now know more about the victim: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified him today as 63-year-old Robert Mason. A reader tells us they were notified today of Mr. Mason’s death because he was their massage therapist, who commuted to West Seattle by bicycle from another area of the city. The texter said, “He was kind and funny with a great ‘bedside’ manner. Kept doing the work after he could have retired because he helped so many people.” So far, police have not made any additional information public beyond what was released the night of the crash, that he was hit by the “driver of a white or silver sedan” that had been going eastbound on SW Spokane Street east of the low bridge, and fled that way. If you have any information, the SPD tip line is 206-233-5000.
Meantime, another reader reported seeing an SDOT crew at/near the site early this morning. So far SDOT’s media office has been unable to tell us what that crew was doing or whether it was related to the crash, but spokesperson Ethan Bergerson notes, “It is our standard practice to send a traffic engineer out to the site of every fatal crash to investigate the site from an engineering perspective and determine if there are any short or long-term safety improvements that can be made. My understanding is that this evaluation will be occurring at this location soon.”
10:09 PM: Two notes – first, we’ve just heard from someone via email and Twitter saying Seattle Critical Mass will ride to the scene on Friday, July 29th, at 7 pm, for a memorial. Second, city traffic engineer Venu Nemani is among the guests for Wednesday night’s online Morgan Community Association meeting; he’s scheduled to talk about the California/Findlay improvements announced after the collision that killed a pedestrian there, but may also be asked about the Spokane Street collision.
Police were just dispatched to the Jefferson Square Safeway to investigate what’s described as a shoplift-turned-robbery. Dispatch told officers the shoplifter took about $90 in merchandise and, when confronted, pulled a gun – that’s what turned it into an armed robbery. Initial description is a Hispanic man in his 20s, wearing a gray T-shirt with a Seahawks logo, tattooed arms, who left in a dark-blue Subaru hatchback, last seen eastbound on SW Edmunds. No injuries reported.
(Friday night photo by Kersti Muul)
As discussed in comments following coverage of last Friday’s hit-run that killed a bicyclist, another West Seattle hit-run at almost the same time Friday night sent a pedestrian to the hospital – a woman pregnant with twins. Today we heard from the victim’s brother-in-law, Matt, who was there when it happened at 34th/Myrtle:
On Friday evening, between 7:15 and 7:30, myself, my wife, our baby, and my sister-in-law were going for a walk. My sister-in-law is 30 weeks pregnant with twins. We were walking up 34th Ave by Hundley park and were crossing the intersection of 34th and Myrtle street, where there is a roundabout. While we were in the crosswalk, we heard a car come speeding up 34th. The car cut the roundabout and made an illegal left. The car was going at least 50 mph or more would be my guess. My sister in law was just behind us as we were walking. My wife ran forward with our baby to avoid being hit, but the car ended up hitting my sister in law and she flipped over the hood and landed on the ground. Some of the passengers got out but then jumped back in and the car sped off. The ended up stealing her phone that had fallen on the ground. Emergency services quickly got there and took my sister-in-law to the hospital. She has sustained injuries. The twin babies seem to be okay for now.
It was a black car, smaller sedan … The windows were tinted extremely dark, so you could not see inside at all. The men that got out were all Black, late teens or early 20s. The license plate of the car is CDM3—. The police were given all the details, but I’m still waiting for a detective to be assigned to the case. The incident number is 2022-183326.
Matt says his sister-in-law is still in the hospital, transferred to OB care after initial trauma care at Harborview.
SDOT says the West Seattle Bridge remains on track to reopen the week of September 12th, as announced almost six weeks ago. If you’re on the SDOT mailing list for the bridge and/or City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s newsletter list, you’ve probably seen the Friday updates on what’s been happening with bridge work. The last paragraph of last Friday’s SDOT update caught our attention:
… As we move through these final phases of repairs, we continuously inspect the bridge and check our work. Earlier this month during a routine crack inspection, we discovered a spall area that was about 2 by 9 feet. Spalling is when a part of the concrete surface naturally weathers, chips or breaks away. After looking into the spall, it’s clear that it is not related to the issues that are currently being repaired and it does not indicate any structural or systemic issues. We will be able to repair this spall with no impact to the bridge reopening schedule.
We asked for more information about that and photos if available. Here’s what we received:
(The spall) is the area on the exterior surface of the bridge that looks like flaking or separating concrete. To fix it, we will remove the unsound concrete, and then place forms and fill the void with grout. Once the grout has cured we will apply carbon-fiber wrapping, similar to other locations on the bridge.
As for what’s happening with the overall repairs, SDOT says crews have “finished installing the nearly 250,000 feet of steel cable needed for the new post-tensioning system inside the bridge (and) started the process of tightening the post-tensioning system by pulling on the cables with hydraulic equipment.” An additional note about current work comes from Councilmember Herbold’s Friday update, and it relates to this photo we recently received from a reader:
Herbold’s update explains:
The first two of six deck overlay pours are scheduled this week for the Fauntleroy Expressway leading up to the bridge. The first 10 of the 60 concrete panels being replaced are being poured this week as well.
The Fauntleroy Expressway is the southwest end of the bridge – and technically a separate structure.
Despite its name, the Senior Center of West Seattle is about far more than serving seniors. It’s also a public gathering and event space, a community service provider, and it has ground-floor business space, too. Now the center is at the crossroads of envisioning its future, and would like your thoughts on both what it’s doing now and what it should do in the future, via a strategic-planning process. Explains center executive director Amy Lee Derenthal, “Our board and staff are thinking big and long-term as we imagine the future of our organization and the community as a whole.” We previewed the survey, and it has open-ended questions, not just checkboxes; when you have a few moments, consider participating – the survey starts here.
(Lincoln Park photo by Susan Romanenghi)
Here’s what’s happening for the rest of your West Seattle Tuesday:
WADING POOLS & SPRAYPARK OPEN: Sunny, warm day means the city will open wading pools. That means EC Hughes (2805 SW Holden) and Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW); both will be open noon-7 pm. Also, Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open 11 am-8 pm.
COLMAN POOL: The outdoor pool at Lincoln Park will be open to the public today as its 7-days-a-week schedule continues, noon-7 pm.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Hybrid meeting (online and in-person at City Hall) at 2 pm; here’s the agenda. Watch live here.
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.
PLAY-ALONG IN THE PARK: The West Seattle Community Orchestras welcome musicians of all skill levels to play with them at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) tonight, 6-8 pm – details in our calendar listing.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you are invited to come play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Meeples Games (3727 California SW) welcomes families 6-8 pm to this weekly hosted game-playing night.
BIG BAND CONCERT IN THE PARK: Free concert at High Point Commons Park (3201 SW Graham, the park that’s north of Neighborhood House), 7 pm, with the West Seattle Big Band. Bring your own chairs/blankets and enjoy the music!
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 info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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