West Seattle, Washington
05 Sunday
10:55 PM: Lots of questions about the big emergency response in that area, with Admiral Way blocked at the bridge over Fairmount Ravine. Please avoid the area. Police are dealing with a person in crisis.
11:31 PM: The person is reported to be safe now. The scene isn’t clear yet, though, so continue avoiding that section of Admiral Way.
12:30 AM: The scene is clear and the road fully reopened.
A reminder: 24-hour crisis help is available via Crisis Connections, 866-427-4747
10:07 PM: Tonight health authorities announced two new presumed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our state, including the first one in King County. So it’s time for us to start reporting on it. First, here’s what’s new. From the Public Health/Seattle-King County announcement:
Today the Washington State Department of Health announced a positive test result for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in a King County resident. The individual, a woman in her fifties, had recent travel to Daegu, South Korea. The resident is in home isolation and has mild illness.
Public Health – Seattle & King County is working to identify and contact those who may have come in contact with the confirmed case.
This is the first known case of novel coronavirus in King County.
Authorities did not say where in King County the patient lives. Also announced at tonight’s briefing, a new presumed case in Snohomish County, described as a juvenile patient whose school, Jackson High School in Everett, is closing for three days for cleaning. They don’t know how the teen was exposed to the virus.
The two cases announced tonight are the second and third in our state.
QUESTIONS? The state Health Department has set up “a call center to address questions from the public. If you have questions about what is happening in Washington state, please call 800-525-0127 and press #.
The state’s news release includes this advice:
How can you prevent the spread of COVID-19? Prevention starts with practicing good personal health habits:
-Wash your hands often with soap and water,
-Stay home when you’re sick,
-Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue,
-Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
-Getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids, eating healthy foods, and managing your stress can help you prevent getting COVID-19 and recover from it if you do.
Authorities stress that so far, risk is low, and – as with the aforementioned King County case – most cases are mild. Common questions are answered hee; The main Public Health-Seattle/King County infopage about the coronavirus situation is here. Lots of info from the state Health Department can be found here.
P.S. We’re creating a new coverage category, so any coronavirus (COVID-19)-related story we publish will be findable here.
11:25 AM: More King County cases are being announced today, including a death (on the Eastside, according to The Times).
1:25 PM: From today’s news release (we’ll likely publish a daily update later):
Public Health – Seattle & King County, Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are reporting today four presumptive positive cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including one person who died.
Two of the confirmed cases are associated with LifeCare nursing facility in Kirkland, King County, Washington:
– One is a health care worker from LifeCare. She is a woman in her 40s, is currently in satisfactory condition at Overlake Hospital, and she has no known travel outside the United States.– The second case, a woman in her 70’s, is a resident at LifeCare and is in serious condition at EvergreenHealth Hospital.
In addition, over 50 individuals associated with LifeCare are reportedly ill with respiratory symptoms or hospitalized with pneumonia or other respiratory conditions of unknown cause and are being tested for COVID-19. Additional positive cases are expected.
The death occurred in a patient at EvergreenHealth Hospital but was not a resident of the long-term care facility.Public Health – Seattle & King County is current working with LifeCare to provide care for ill patients while protecting uninfected patients. The CDC is sending a team of epidemiologists to King County to support our efforts to identify, isolate and test all of those who may be at risk because of these new cases.
That’s Nathan Tavel, an 8-year-old second-grader at Arbor Heights Elementary School, who tore up Lane 10 at West Seattle Bowl tonight with pretty much two nonstop hours of bowling to raise money for the West Seattle Food Bank. His proud dad and mom Phil and Gina were among those cheering him on:
Phll told us Nathan’s been bowling since he was four years old. He’s been known to bowl at such a lightning pace, he can pack 32 games into an hour. Tonight, as previewed, he challenged teams to bowl against him for one or both hours – if his pin total beat theirs, they promised to donate at least $100 to WSFB. No word yet on the results but three lanes were competing with him while we were there!
James Bratsanos caught tonight’s sunset sunbreak in the view above; below, @WestSeaWx explained it via Twitter:
Back edge of cold front across the sound w/some ragged mammatus filling closely behind.@NWSSeattle @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/A2UZISq3ki
— WestSeattleWx (@WestSeaWx) February 29, 2020
As for the weekend ahead, the forecast suggests a varied menu – breezy overnight, more rain off and on, maybe even some thunderstorms tomorrow.
As noted in our daily highlights, this is Day One of this year’s Girl Scout Cookie sales. And the return of the rain is NOT getting in the way:
Thanks to @patrickgerding for tweeting that photo from Seacrest, where Troop 44428 is selling cookies right now. Meantime, while out on errands, we found Troop 41196 at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) – Mira and Margaret were by the south door:
Many other locations – use the lookup to find locations and times. New cookie this year, if you haven’t heard – Lemon-Ups have joined the lineup. This year’s cookie sales continue through March 15th.
Marked on those map are West Seattle’s Emergency Communication Hubs, designated sites where volunteers would coordinate communication in case of a catastrophe that disrupted normal methods. On this 19th anniversary of the 6.8-magnitude Nisqually Earthquake, memorizing your nearest Hub location – and ensuring your family knows it too – is one quick preparatory step you can take to prepare in case of The Really Big One. Not seeing one near where you live? Here’s how to change that.
That’s the design packet (PDF) by JW Architects now posted for the mixed-use project planned at 9037 35th SW [map]. It’s going through Administrative Design Review, so no public meeting, but it is open for public comment.The project is described in the packet as:
The project team is proposing to demolish an existing single family residence, in order
to construct (1) 13,919 sf apartment building with (25) SEDU units and 839.24 sf of commercial space on the ground level. Vehicle Parking provided in on-grade garage, with bike parking provided in centrally located secure bike room.Height: 55’
Parking: (6) Vehicle Stalls
(25) Bike Stalls – Long Term
(2) Bike Stalls – Short Term
SEDU means Small Efficiency Dwelling Unit, the city’s term for microapartment. Wayne Farrens is the assigned city planner, so if you have feedback, send it to wayne.farrens@seattle.gov. We noted the project’s previous phase of Design Review in June 2018; HALA MHA has upzoned the site from 40′ to 55′ in the meantime.
March 16th is when family and friends will gather to celebrate the life of Morgan Herzog, The Beer Junction‘s founder, whose passing was reported here last month. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing with the community:
Morgan Herzog died peacefully at his West Seattle home on January 30, 2020 from Multiple Myeloma.
Born on May 29, 1981, Morgan was the youngest son of Rick and Diane Herzog. He attended King’s Elementary, Lake Forest Park Elementary, Kellogg Middle School, and graduated from Shorecrest High School in 2000. In high school, Morgan worked as a landscaper and saved to buy a truck to start his own landscaping business, which he continued while he attended college at the University of Washington.
Morgan graduated from UW with a BA in Business in 2004 and a Masters of Accounting in 2005. After graduating college, he moved to West Seattle, where his father and his aunt had been raised and where he had fond memories of visiting as a child. He began his career working at the accounting firm KPMG and earned his CPA license in 2009. At KPMG, Morgan would meet some of his closest friends and fall in love with his future wife, Allison. He was known for his sense of fun and the parties that he would throw on his deck near Alki. His time at the firm furthered his analytical thinking and patient leadership style, and he had deep respect for the partners and managers who mentored him.
After five years at KPMG, he continued to think back at the fulfillment he had running his own landscaping business. After a January day sampling beer at the Porterhouse in West Seattle with Allison, he thought about how there wasn’t a place to buy packaged craft beer in his neighborhood. By the end of March, he had signed a lease for a storefront, and on July 3, 2010, he opened The Beer Junction at its original location. For the first year, he ran the store largely by himself. He worked long hours and took a risk, combining his love for beer with his desire to run his own business, and he made his dream come true. Morgan would continue to grow The Beer Junction, moving to a larger location and adding draft beer in 2012. He treasured the friendships he developed in the Seattle beer community and the West Seattle community as a whole.
Morgan was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2017. He underwent treatments on and off since his diagnosis, but he wanted to continue his life as normal as possible. In late January, Morgan’s prognosis suddenly became grave. He took great comfort in the company of his loving family, and in being able to return to the home which he loved one final time. Allison and his brother, Nate, were there by his side at the moment he left us.
Morgan will be remembered for his sense of humor and endless knowledge of Seinfeld trivia, his laugh, his work ethic, and his kindness. He loved tennis, traveling, camping, grilling, his deck, 80’s movies, sandwiches and beer. He is loved and missed.
Morgan is preceded in death by his parents, Rick and Diane Herzog, and uncle, Dennis Drain. He is survived by his wife, Allison; brother, Nathan; and aunts and uncles Deborah & Steven Bessette, Dave Drain, Marsha Drain, and Dale & Tina Drain; as well as many cousins.
A celebration of Morgan’s life will be held at West Seattle Christian Church on Monday, March 16 at 4:30 p.m. Remembrances may be given to Fred Hutch for Multiple Myeloma research or Southwest Youth & Family Services.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(Red-necked Grebe, photographed by Matthew Olson)
Here’s what’s happening for the rest of today/tonight – highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you can always see even more):
WEST SEATTLE GARDEN CLUB: Today’s meeting at Daystar (WSB sponsor) is just starting, 10:30 am-2 pm, but you are invited to stop by for any part of it, including the featured discussion about carnivorous plants. (2615 SW Barton)
COUNCILMEMBER’S OFFICE HOURS 2-7 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, you can drop in to talk with City Councilmember Lisa Herbold. (4217 SW Oregon)
CIDER SALES: 4-5:30 pm near the Fauntleroy ferry line/south end of Lincoln Park, look for Taproot School students selling cider to raise money for Immigrant Families Together. (Fauntleroy Way SW/SW Cloverdale)
GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SALES BEGIN: This afternoon! Find your nearest cookie sellers here.
2ND GRADER BOWLS TO FIGHT HUNGER: As previewed here, tonight at West Seattle Bowl, 6-8 pm, it’s 8-year-old Nathan Tavel‘s bowling challenge to help the West Seattle Food Bank. (39th SW/SW Oregon)
OPEN MIC LAUNCH PARTY: Tonight you can be part of the first-ever edition of Highland Park Improvement Club‘s new Open Mic, doors open 6:30 pm, performances 7-8:30 pm, with your host Dina Lydia. (1116 SW Holden)
GARY BENSON: 7-9 pm, live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), all ages, no cover. (5612 California SW)
‘THE BOOK CLUB PLAY’: Opening night for Twelfth Night Productions, promising: “Loads of laughter and literature collide in this smart hit comedy about books and the people who love them.” 7:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Tickets here or at the box office. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
NICOLE WALTERS: Live music at the Pacific Room on Alki, 8-10 pm. Show and cover info here. (2808 Alki SW)
*NEW DATE: MAY 1ST*
Got plans for Saturday night next weekend? Go back in time and help local students get ahead! Here’s the invitation:
Madison Middle School’s Roaring ’20s Gala
Come Join Us For an Evening of Fun, Food, and Fundraising!
Saturday, March 7th from 5:30-11:00 PM at the beautiful The Sanctuary at Admiral- we’d love to have you participate!
Visit our website for tickets, to make a donation, and learn more about our mission.
Thank you for supporting our group and our goals!
for questions, email: fundraising@madisonptsa.com
Fun fact– Madison Middle School & The Sanctuary both opened in the 1920s!!
(The venue is a former church, designated a city landmark in 2009.)
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:10 AM: Good morning! No alerts or incidents to report.
TUNNEL REMINDER: The SB Highway 99 tunnel is scheduled to close 10 pm-8 am tonight into Saturday morning for repair work.
Toplines from last night’s meeting of HPAC, the community council for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge:
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS OVERVIEW: Osbaldo Hernandez Sahagun is the South Region community-engagement coordinator for this city department (one of 4, where years ago there were 14). He presented overviews of key DoN initiatives such as the department’s funding opportunities – Your Voice, Your Choice (more on that later); the Healthy Food Fund (funded by the Sweetened Beverage Tax), Small Sparks Fund (for small community-building projects up to $5,000), Community Partnership Fund (up to $50,000, three application deadlines a year). Leadership training, too:
Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:
GYM THEFT: Just in from Natalie:
I had my contents (credit cards and cash) from my wallet stolen tonight between 6:45- 7:30 while working out at LA Fitness in West Seattle. The lock was not broken so I’m assuming they had picked the lock. As I was leaving the gym, my credit card company called me to report possible fraud. They tried to use my card at QFC to buy gift cards (I’m assuming) in the amount of 680 and 200. I have 2 credit cards and they tried both for the same amount. Just wanted to get the word out there.
GARAGE BREAK-IN: Thomas sent the security-camera photo and report of what happened at his Harbor Avenue condo:
We had a break in Sunday morning 1:00 am to 1:30. A man was in our garage stealing small items from cars and broke an elevator emergency box off the wall.
SHOPLIFTERS: Justin at Sound and Fog sends this next report and security-camera image:
These three individuals shoplifted at least once from my store. If they’ve done it to me they’ve probably hit other shops in West Seattle. If you see them, please call the police and reference incident number 20-73345.
He says all three were there February 14th and at least one returned this past Monday.
MIDAS SCARE FOLLOWUP: We asked SPD for the report on the incident at the closed Midas that closed Fauntleroy Way SW in The Triangle Wednesday afternoon.
(WSB photo, Wednesday afternoon)
The available report says this started as a burglary call, largely along the lines of what we reported at the time. The officer writing the report mentions the two people (“complainants” in police terms) who called in after they arrived to “fix a hole in the building,” then continues:
According to C(omplainant) 1, he told our dispatchers that he heard some type of banging coming from inside of the shop prior to our arrival. He advised me that this was approximately a ten-fifteen-minute time delay.
Both Complainants walked into the garage office area and heard (possibly) a door shut. Once they heard that they exited the facility and contacted police.
When we arrived, I noticed a painted-over black Chevrolet pickup with items inside the bed. I looked into the window and it appeared as if the vehicle was in disarray. I eventually found the ignition switch of the vehicle hanging from wires underneath the dashboard. There was another white Buick LeSabre Sedan … and a trailer … The trailer was parked at the Northeast corner of the facility. The Buick sedan was parked at the Southwest area of the facility. According to C1, the vehicles were not there (one day earlier) when they came to do an assessment of the hole located at the rear of the shop.
We did a search of the facility and did not discover anyone inside of the facility. … The access area was approximately two feet in height and approximately two feet in width. It appeared that the unknown suspect(s) left (via) the rear door located in the north part of the shop.
According to witnesses at the adjacent apartment complex, they were cleaning the window at the apartment complex from the outside on a ladder. One person stated that they heard what was a large bang that came from the complex. He believed that sound came from a door that was closing. He then advised officers that the unknown suspect was a white male approximately twenty-thirty years of age. He was wearing a black baseball cap along with a black jacket, approximately five foot ten inches in height.
We advised both complainants if there were items that was taken from the shop in back of the pickup truck to start taking them off of there. In doing so they located a small (bag) that contained what possibly were explosives. (Two sergeants) were advised of the situation and notified Arson and Bomb Squad.
The burglary report also says the Community Police Team was asked to work with building owners/management to get a trespass contract so they can deal more quickly with anyone found at the site. And it notes that the black pickup “that had the possible stolen items” was impounded so burglary detectives could deal with it, while the contractors were advised that they could have the mystery white sedan towed “at the owner’s expense” if they chose to. No further info, though, about the items the contractors described as grenades.
An update from SDOT:
We are wrapping up work on the north side of SW Alaska St between 35th Ave SW and 36th Ave SW. As early as this evening, we will be opening up driveways and alleys onto SW Alaska St. Next week, we will demolition and repaving on the south side of SW Alaska St between 35th Ave SW and 36th Ave SW, as well as, the west side of 35th Ave SW, south of SW Alaska St.
Upcoming lane shifts:
As soon as Monday, March 2, we will shift traffic and begin demolishing the south side of SW Alaska St.Please expect:
Access to 36th Ave SW from the south side of SW Alaska St to be closed. This closure will be in place for a few weeks. Residents, please use 37th Ave SW and SW Edmunds St to reach your homes on 36th Ave SW.36th Ave SW to be local access only at SW Edmunds St
Driveway closures during work hours while we demolish existing pavement. We will place a steel plate on driveways overnight to facilitate access.
Driveway impacts as we rebuild and pour concrete panels. Before work begins, we will provide updates to community members who will experience these impacts.
We anticipate work in this zone to take several weeks. Please note that this work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled.
For a big-picture look at the project, see our report from January.
<(WSB photo, November 2019)
A reader tip about that bus-stop sign back in November led to the discovery that Metro was proposing seven stops for removal in an effort to “rebalance” Route 50. They asked for input – though there was no wide announcement before our story – and promised an update when the final decisions were in. Today, we got that update. Metro plans to remove 5 stops – including one that was not on the original list – and keep 3. The ones that are staying:
-Both stops at California/Stevens (31900, 31940), both with the same reason to keep: “Feedback regarding adjacent PCC grocery store supports keeping this stop”
-Westbound stop at Admiral/Waite (15570), three reasons to keep:
-Feedback regarding adjacent assisted living facility supports keeping this stop
-Stop is adjacent to an intersection with crosswalks
-Stop has clear, newly constructed sidewalk to enter and exit bus
Here are the ones that Metro will remove – for all routes that use them, not just 50:
-Both stops at California/Charlestown (31861, 31980), reasons to remove:
-Other stops available one block to the north and south.
-Stop to the north at SW Spokane St has a bench.
-Stop to the north at SW Spokane St has 75% more riders.
-Both stops at California/Dakota (31840, 320000), reasons to remove:
-Other stops available one block to the north and south.
-Stops to the north and south have similar, but higher ridership.
-Westbound stop at Admiral/46th (15560, not on original list), reasons to remove:
-Other stop available one block to the west
-Stop to the west is adjacent to an intersection with crosswalks
The removals will take effect with Metro’s March 21st “service change.” The bus system’s other planned changes for this cycle will be announced in about a week and a half.
Five students from Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) visited Olympia to make the case for a sustainability bill. EWMS’s Dawn Fornear sent the photo, report, and link to video of their testimony:
Every year, eighth graders at Explorer West Middle School, with Social Studies teacher Tim Owens, tackle their choice of social issues and complete group projects aptly named “Change The World.” They present their findings to all grades and to a panel of social advocates.
This year, one of our student groups is tackling the issue of sustainable packaging, and this group was invited by Senator Mona Das to attend a hearing in Olympia. Our students researched Bill 6213, which would expand the ban on polystyrene products. Primavera Faggella, Christoph Lawrence, Mac Peterson, Hans Rehkopf, and Maji Williams offered their well-researched testimony and opinions, which can be viewed here. We are so proud of their hard work!
The committee that heard the students’ testimony on Tuesday, Environment and Energy, is chaired by – as you might have noticed in the video – 34th District Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon of West Seattle. The bill currently is still before his committee for consideration.
(777X test flight in early February, photographed by David Hutchinson)
1:57 PM: With two major airports nearby, things get noisy around here sometimes, but late-night noise this past Tuesday broke the rules. Checking on a Twitter tip from Andrew, we learned from King County spokesperson Cameron Satterfield that an explanation was posted on the Boeing Field website. Here’s more info:
What happened: The Boeing Company was approved by airport management to perform engine run-up testing of their new 777X aircraft on Tuesday, February 25 between 6 and 9 p.m. However, for unknown reasons, Boeing did not begin this testing until about 9:30 p.m. It continued until airport operations staff were able to make contact with Boeing representatives to shut the testing down at about 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
This event was in violation of the airport’s noise abatement policy, which restricts when activities like engine testing can take place. (In general, the curfew runs from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.) Engine run-up testing of the 777X has been put on hold, and King County has been in contact with Boeing leadership to ensure an incident like this never happens again.
Residents who are concerned about noise from King County International Airport – Boeing Field can file a report online at kingcounty.gov/airport, send email to KCIANoise@kingcounty.gov, or call the Noise Hotline at 206-205-5242. Airport management is also considering holding a community meeting regarding this incident. We’ll provide details when those plans are firmed up.
5:50 PM: Boeing has issued an apology, added to this item on the county website.
A highlight from last night’s winter-sports banquet at Chief Sealth International High School – a banner presentation for new state champion wrestler Jahvius Leui, above with his family. The banner will be hung in the Chief Sealth gym. The banquet also featured presentations of the winter Seahawk Awards, celebrating attitude, effort, work ethic, and being a “total team player.” The students who were there to accept their plaques from their respective coaches included Owen Murray for boys’ wrestling:
Hazel Dahlquist for girls’ wrestling:
Benson Chau, boys’ swimming:
Aili Conley, gymnastics:
Toan Huynh, boys’ basketball:
Hailey Merryweather, girls’ basketball:
Thanks to Chief Sealth IHS for inviting us to cover the event – got something cool coming up at YOUR school? westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Killdeer photographed near Alki Point Lighthouse by Mark Wangerin)
Highlights for the rest of your Thursday:
HIAWATHA PLAY AREA RELOCATION/RENOVATION: Two meetings today – one you can drop in at the Hiawatha Tot Gym, between 11 am and 12:30 pm, or tonight, 6:30-8 pm. Details here. (2700 California SW)
AUTHOR EVENT: EJ Koh at Paper Boat Booksellers, 6 pm. (6010 California SW)
JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, with guests from Sound Transit and the city talking about light rail. (4217 SW Oregon)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House High Point, with featured guests from the Port of Seattle to talk about the Terminal 5 project. Here’s our most-recent coverage. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
AT THE SKYLARK: Live music with Batbox, Roxxy Lebeau, Lost In The Tracks. 7 pm. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … by browsing our complete calendar.
Got a teen or tween interested in theater? This just-announced program might be of interest:
Auditions announced for teen production of The Addams Family Young@Part musical at Youngstown this Summer!
An exciting opportunity for teen students to participate in a production of the hilarious Broadway musical, The Addams Family, has recently been announced. The production will take place at West Seattle’s own historic Youngstown Theatre this summer and provides opportunities for students in 5th-10th grade to audition for Cast roles and students in 8th-12th grade to interview for Tech Crew roles. Signups for auditions are open now; see below for details.
The team of producers, Eric Bradler (Music Director), Tara Kaine (Director), and Alex Ung (Choreographer/Tech Director), otherwise known as ETA Productions, are veterans of the Seattle theater scene and have worked together for the last two years mounting summer musicals at Seattle Children’s Theatre. The ETA team promises to encourage and challenge students to be the best they can be, while audiences giggle in delight. Above all else, they bring a team focus to the cast and crew, giving them a rich theater experience. They see all youth theater work from the perspective of the ensemble and ensure that students come together regardless of role, to support each other and cheer each other on. After their kids have worked with us, parents report students in both lead and ensemble roles happy and tired from a day filled with singing, dancing, and acting. Come join ETA Productions for what is sure to be a memorable show!
To sign up for an audition and for additional information please go to https://tinyurl.com/ETAProductions
Cast Auditions for students in grades 5 – 10 will be held at:
Explorer West Middle School, 10015 28th Avenue SW
Saturday, March 7th, Sunday, March 8th and Sunday, March 22nd
Callbacks will be held on April 4th.
$800 tuition due after acceptance into program.Rehearsals will be Monday – Friday, August 3rd – August 21st from 9:00 – 3:30
Performances will be at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
August 21st, 2020 @ 7:0 0pm
August 22nd, 2020 @ 2:00 pm & 7:00 pmTech Crew Interviews for students in grades 8 – 12 will be held at:
Explorer West Middle School (10015 28th Avenue SW)
Saturday, April 4th from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pmTech Program Schedule
Classes and Building – Saturdays, August 1st, 8, 15
Week-long Tech Program – Aug 17 – 21
Time: 9:00 – 3:30
$450 tuition due after acceptance into the program.Tech Crew will work three shows on August 21 & 22.
Find out more about ETA Productions here.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:45 AM: Good morning! A texter says the 35th/Roxbury signal is malfunctioning – so remember, that means, treat the intersecton a a 4-way stop.
WEEKEND REMINDER: The SB Highway 99 tunnel is scheduled to close 10 pm-8 am Friday night into Saturday morning for repair work.
(Photo by David Hutchinson, from January visit of Southern Resident Killer Whales)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“We saved these whales once … we can do it again, but the clock is ticking.”
With warnings like that one, The Whale Trail‘s executive director Donna Sandstrom is doing everything she can. But the Southern Resident Killer Whales need more help, she explained at The Whale Trail’s midwinter gathering in West Seattle.
She offered specifics, as well as inspiration from a special guest, Maya Sears, who recapped the whales’ most-recent visits to our area.
The exhilaration of those visits is tempered by the increasing odds they will someday be just a memory.
Since The Whale Trail’s last gathering, another resident orca has vanished and is presumed dead, L41. That makes four lost in the past year. “That’s a lot.” This distinct population of killer whales is down to 72, only one above their historic low of 71
“So,” she said, asking aloud the logical question for everyone in the room, “why isn’t anything happening?”
(Reader photo: Solstice Park fireworks debris, July 2018)
After years of clamor for a fireworks ban in unincorporated King County – including White Center, just south of West Seattle – a deadly fire has finally ignited action.
As promised, King County Councilmember Joe McDermott – whose district includes West Seattle, White Center, and Vashon Island – is about to introduce legislation that would ban fireworks in the unincorporated areas of the county. See a summary below (or here in PDF):
See the full text of the legislation below (or here in PDF):
We talked this afternoon with Councilmember McDermott, who will officially get it into the system tomorrow.
McDermott notes that 25 jurisdictions within King County – including Seattle and Burien, which bookend White Center – already ban fireworks. And in addition to the deadly fire in North Highline, he’s heard from constituents with other concerns, including wildfire worries on Vashon Island.
Yes, he’s heard the concerns raised before – what does this really do if there’s no extra enforcement? “It sets a new norm,” McDermott contends, and use will be reduced. What about the organizations that have raised money through fireworks sales? They’re going to have to find a new, not potentially deadly way to raise money. McDermott says the fundraising-related concerns were a factor in a related bill that has died for the year in the State Legislature, 34th District Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon‘s proposal to change state law so that fireworks bans could take effect faster. The stalling of that bill means that if McDermott’s proposal passes, it wouldn’t take effect until next year, so fireworks would still be legal in unincorporated King County this summer.
What are the chances it will pass? McDermott says he can count on support from at least a couple council colleagues, but he’s not taking anything/anyone for granted. If you have a strong opinion on the proposal, contact all the county councilmembers (here’s how). There also will be a committee hearing on the proposal, in the Local Services Committee chaired by Councilmember Reagan Dunn (no date for that yet).
P.S. Professional fireworks displays would still be allowed in unincorporated King County – as they are in the cities with fireworks bans – by permit.
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