West Seattle, Washington

05 Monday

66℉

Spotlight Stories


  • Alert

    TRAFFIC: EB Spokane St. Viaduct reopens early

  • Burglary

    ANOTHER BURGLARY: Coffee-shop break-in

  • Festival

    PHOTOS: Who we saw at Duwamish River Festival

ELECTION 2024: Ballots due tomorrow!
August 5, 2024 11:34 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgAnother reminder that tomorrow night (Tuesday, August 6) is the deadline for voting in the statewide primary. As of this morning, only 17.2% of Seattle ballots have been received at King County Elections. The ballots received by voters in West Seattle have 14 races – U.S. Senate, U.S. House District 7, Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, State Attorney General, State Commissioner of Public Lands, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Insurance Commissioner, State House Representative Positions 1 and 2 (two candidates each, so they all advance to November), State Supreme Court Justice Position 2, and Seattle City Council citywide Position 8. (If you haven’t decided in that race, the West Seattle Democratic Women hosted a forum in June with four of the five council candidates; here’s our coverage, with video.)

Mailing your ballot? Get it to the U.S. Postal Service in time for a Tuesday postmark. Using a county dropbox? They are open until 8 pm (sharp!) Tuesday. West Seattle now has four: By Morgan Junction Park, by High Point Library, The Junction, and South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) – exact locations here (along with others, such as White Center and South Park if those are more convenient for you).

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Our list for your West Seattle Monday
August 5, 2024 9:54 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Rosalie Miller photographed the work of leafcutter bees)

Here’s the list for your Monday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

GLASS FLOAT HUNT: Day 5 of the hunt for hidden glass floats around West Seattle – here’s how to join the search.

NIGHT OUT SWAG PICKUP: Having a registered Night Out party tomorrow? Stop by the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) 9:30-11:30 am or 2:30-4:30 pm today to pick up your swag – including crime-prevention info and goodie bags for kids.

BABY STORY TIME: Bring little ones up to 2 years old to Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), noon-12:30 pm, for story time!

CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: 2 pm at City Hall, the weekly meeting in which councilmembers talk about their plans for the week ahead. Here’s the agenda. Watch live via Seattle Channel.

GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday brings “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.

D&D: Weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, first-time players too.

MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Four places to play tonight – 6:30 pm, free music quiz at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW) … 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)

MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: All welcome at free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.

MEDITATION IN ALKI: The Alki Dharma Community hosts meditation at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), 7-8:30 pm.

‘FIRST LOOK’ AT ARTSWEST: Tonight’s preview of next season is sold out!

MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Listen to live music from The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.

SING TONIGHT! 9 pm start for Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).

If you have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar, please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Celebration of life planned in September for Paul M. Wilson, 1951-2024
August 5, 2024 8:59 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather September 27 to remember Paul “Mike” Wilson. Here’s the remembrance being shared with his community now:

Paul Michael Wilson, affectionately known as Mike, a cherished longtime resident of West Seattle, passed away on June 27th, 2024, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born on July 26th, 1951, to Paul Leroy Wilson and Rosemary Anne Tierney Wilson, Mike’s life was a testament to love, friendship, and service. Mike is survived by his devoted wife Pam Wilson, his sons Thomas (Emily) and Michael (Christina), and his beloved grandchildren Henry, Jack, Michelangelo, and Callahan, who affectionately called him “Papa.”

Mike’s early years were filled with joyous memories of boating adventures in the Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, fishing trips, and carefree days at Alki Beach. Whether he was roller skating, skim boarding, or simply soaking in the local community, he embraced life with enthusiasm and joy.

As graduate of West Seattle High School, Class of 1969, Mike began his adult life by serving his country in the Navy as a Boatswain’s Mate on the USS Cochrane from 1970 to 1973. His naval service was marked by the formation of lifelong bonds. Upon completing his service, Mike attended North Seattle Community College and University of Washington, laying the groundwork for his future endeavors. Following college, Mike briefly worked with his parents at their unemployment agency before embarking on a career with UPS as a truck driver. It was at UPS where Mike’s dedication to workers’ rights blossomed; he became a shop steward, fiercely advocating for fair contracts. His passion led him to a distinguished career as a business agent with the Teamsters Union, first at Local 174, 313 and later at Local No. 763. Known as a formidable negotiator, Mike was renowned for his thorough investigations and adept application of labor rules, law, and contract language.

In 1980, Mike met the love of his life, Pam, and they made their home in West Seattle, where they started their family. Beyond his professional achievements, Mike was deeply involved in his community, coaching his son’s basketball and baseball teams, and contributing to the Holy Rosary Christmas tree lot. He cherished time spent with his family, teaching his boys to play cribbage and golf, and was always fond of visiting Husky Deli for his favorite ice cream. Mike found immense happiness in road trips to Sun Valley and family vacations in Lake Chelan. He delighted in the outdoor activities, breathtaking scenery and family escapades which included fishing, biking, hiking, swimming, paddle boarding, and floating the river.

Mike will forever be remembered for his warm chuckle, bright smile, and his unyielding kindness and dedication. His legacy is one of love, fairness, and joy that will continue to inspire all who knew him. A Celebration of Life will be held in honor of Mike at the West Seattle Golf Course on September 27, 2024, from noon – 3 pm. His memory will live on in the hearts of all who loved him.

Please share condolences and memories on the Tribute Wall at emmickfunerals.com/obituary/Paul-Wilson

Arrangements entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home of West Seattle

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

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TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Monday notes; Water Taxi service canceled
August 5, 2024 6:00 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, August 5.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Sunny, high in the low 80s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:52 am, while sunset will be at 8:36 pm.

EASTBOUND SPOKANE ST. VIADUCT REOPENS – BUT CLOSES AGAIN NEXT WEEKEND

*The Spokane Street Viaduct resurfacing project continues. The eastbound SSV reopened last night but will have closures much of the week (NOT tonight) and all next weekend (follow our link for the list).

OTHER ROAD WORK NOTES

*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project is in progress. Fairmount Avenue is closed under the bridge for the duration of the project, at least into early 2025. Lane closures have begun on the top deck too. But SDOT now says it will NOT have weekend closures of the entire bridge.

*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon.

*Beach Drive: Gas-pipeline work continues at spots along the southern stretch.

TUESDAY NIGHT ALERT

*If you’re out Tuesday evening – be mindful of side-street closures for Night Out block parties.

TRANSIT NOTES, WITH METRO FLEX

Metro Flex – Third week for this on-demand service in Delridge (and South Park), starting a two-year pilot. Here’s how it works.

Metro buses – Regular schedules; check for advisories here.

Water Taxi today – UPDATE: West Seattle route canceled this morning due to mechanicsl trouble.

Washington State Ferries today – 2 boats on the Triangle Route, and the unscheduled third boat may be available. Check that link before you sail.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS (West Seattle Bridge cameras are back but some others remain out)

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:

Low bridge: Here’s the main view:

1st Avenue South Bridge:

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are open for vessel traffic.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!

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TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE: Eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct reopens early
August 4, 2024 10:39 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Though this weekend’s work was scheduled until 5 am tomorrow, a check of the live traffic cameras shows the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct (left side of the image) has reopened to traffic, so if you have to head outbound overnight, you can take the high bridge all the way to I-5. Reminder that so far, this is the schedule for the week ahead:

TUESDAY NIGHT (AUGUST 6) – one or two eastbound lanes closed, 7 pm-6 am
WEDNESDAY NIGHT (AUGUST 7) – full eastbound closure, 7 pm-6 am
THURSDAY NIGHT (AUGUST 8) – full eastbound closure, 7 pm-6 am
FRIDAY NIGHT TO MONDAY MORNING (AUGUST 9-12) – full eastbound closure, 10 pm Friday to 5 am Monday

Along with overnight weeknight closures beyond that, the weekend-closure schedule announced earlier in July (and subject to change) includes:

10 PM Friday, August 16 to 5 AM Monday, August 19: All eastbound lanes and one westbound lane closed.
10 PM Friday, August 23 to 5 AM Monday, August 26: All eastbound lanes and one westbound lane closed.
10 PM Friday, August 30 to 5 AM Tuesday, September 2: All westbound lanes closed.

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WEEK AHEAD: Cherry Consignment celebrates 15th anniversary
August 4, 2024 9:22 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

We took that photo inside Cherry Consignment (4142 California SW) on the north edge of The Junction last year, when proprietor Nyla Bittermann was celebrating her shop’s 14th anniversary. Now it’s time for a milestone – 15 years! The party starts Thursday – here’s the announcement Nyla sent:

Come celebrate with us Thursday 8/8 through Monday 8/12. We’ll kick off our celebration on Thursday, 8/8, at 5 pm with an after-hours shopping event and the fun will last all weekend. The entire store will be 15% off all weekend, all purchases over $50 will receive a special gift, and we’ll have local makers popping up each day. We’ve also got yummy snacks and sips. Plus! We’re doing a no-appointment-needed “drop and shop” on Monday, 8/12, from 1 to 3 pm. Your chance to drop off 10 or less pristine items that we’ll process as we are able. Thank YOU for supporting Cherry Consignment for the last 15 years – What a gift and honor to be a part of this amazing community. Come shop with us over the weekend, so we can say ‘Thank You’ in person!

Thursday is also West Seattle Art Walk night, so after you visit Cherry, you can move on to this month’s Art Walk venues!

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COUNTDOWN: 4 weeks until Alki Beach Pride! Can you volunteer?
August 4, 2024 6:53 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

One of summer’s final West Seattle festivals is four weeks away (27 days, to be precise). This year is the 10th anniversary of Alki Beach Pride, a daylong celebration founded and coordinated by Stacy and Jolie Bass-Walden. It’s a street festival as well as a beach party, as the announcement notes:

Alki Beach Pride is happening Saturday, August 31st, 2024, from 12 pm to 8 pm. Join us as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pride on the beach. The event will feature an exciting lineup of entertainment, a variety of culinary delights from food trucks, an array of offerings from local vendors, a dedicated health and wellness area, and a family-friendly space, plus much more!

Please note that Alki Ave will be closed from 57th to 61st all day, with vendor booths lining the street. Our main stage will be positioned near Alki Bathhouse. For those seeking an elevated experience, limited VIP tents near the stage are available for rent. Get ready to be captivated by performances from headliners such as Mariah Counts, LIVt, iZOHNNY, DJ Zen, and many other talented entertainers!

Also:

We really need some volunteers for the event! An organization called Gay For Good has partnered up with us. They organize volunteers for a variety of LGBTQ events. Here is the link for volunteer signup.

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Did you hear it too? Extra-loud West Seattle flyover wasn’t the Blue Angels
August 4, 2024 5:14 pm
|      84 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels get most of the rap for Seafair airshow noise – but if you heard fighter-jet noise in the 1 pm hour this weekend, that wasn’t them. Today, we received multiple reports of an extremely loud, low West Seattle flyover in the early afternoon, beyond what we usually hear from readers. This report is from MB:

I’d like to share this with the WS community.

As a 20yr resident of WS, I’ve heard the Blue Angels practice and perform over our neighborhood literally dozens of times. Their flyovers over are often enjoyable, if temporarily noisy.

But today about 1 pm, as I was walking to the Farmers Market with my daughter and our dog, I experienced the lowest, loudest and most painful flyover I have ever encountered. It was by far the most painful sound I have experienced in my life.

As a professional audio engineer, I can say with certainty that the loudness was at least 140db at our location near Holy Rosary — well above the pain threshold of 125db, and into the range that causes immediate hearing loss.

My ears are still ringing loudly, a certain sign of hearing loss. Since I make my living by listening, this is especially worrying to me. Right now, I am unable to work. Hopefully the ringing will be better tomorrow (but the hearing loss is already permanent and irreversible, unfortunately that’s how it works).

It’s difficult to understand why any plane would ever be allowed to fly so low over a densely populated area. Children were scared, animals were terrified, car alarms were triggered.

Even for people who are not audio professionals, it is not reasonable to ask an entire neighborhood to risk hearing loss for the sake of someone else’s entertainment miles away.

We didn’t hear it, as we’re in the south end of West Seattle and the primary source of noise on Seafair afternoons has been commercial jet traffic temporarily redirected this way. No photos/video but the Seafair airshow schedule shows a Navy EA-18G Growler from Whidbey Island going up at 1 pm, and an Air Force F35A at 1:45 pm; the Blue Angels’ show was scheduled after 3:30 pm. If you have feedback for Seafair – good, bad, otherwise – their contact info is here.

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UPDATE: Car-on-side crash in The Junction
August 4, 2024 3:13 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

3:13 PM: The other Seattle Fire incident working right now is a two-car crash, one reportedly on its side, at 41st and Oregon in The Junction. Someone is reported trapped in one of the vehicles, with bystanders trying to help before SFD arrives. Updates to come.

3:23 PM: Thanks to Kyle for the photo above. Everyone is out of the vehicles, officers have told dispatch. Avoid the area for a while.

(WSB photo)

3:37 PM: We’re told at the scene that one person is going to be taken to the hospital by private ambulance; their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Police are talking to the drivers to try to sort out how this happened.

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UPDATE: Seattle Fire ‘full response’ to 6700 block 25th SW, quickly downsized
August 4, 2024 3:12 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

3:12 PM: Seattle Fire has two incidents going right now – including a possible fire in a building in the 6700 block of 25th SW. Updates to come.

3:16 PM: Arriving SFD crews say this “appears to be someone grilling in the backyard” and they’ve canceled all but one unit.

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OPEN AUDITIONS: Seattle Civic Dance Theatre tryouts coming up for ‘The Magical Doll Maker’
August 4, 2024 2:22 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

While we’re talking about dance – West Seattle-based Seattle Civic Dance Theatre asked us to let you know they’re having free, open auditions later this month for its 34th annual presentation of “The Magical Doll Maker.” The open ballet auditions for ages 8 through 18 will be on Sunday, August 25 – here’s the schedule:

Beginning level dancers 12 pm- 1 pm

Intermediate/Advanced level dancers 1 pm-2 pm

Auditions will be held at 15811 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Suite 160, Burien

To Register: Find the link here or email Allison, SCDT Board President, at scdtboard@gmail.com

There’s more information about the tryouts on this flyer.

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READER VIDEO: Another summer festival celebration in West Seattle
August 4, 2024 12:49 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   Puget Ridge | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thanks to Peter S. Miller for that video from a Morris dance performance at Duwamish Cohousing earlier this week. He explained:

The group performed at Duwamish Cohousing, then went to Lincoln Park and danced around the troll. All for the Celtic Festival of Lammas/Lughnasadh.

First, if you haven’t heard of Morris dancing (we’ll admit, we hadn’t), here’s a detailed history. As for the festival, that too has a long history (here’s a short summary), but is generally explained as a harvest festival celebrated around August 1, also noting the coming transition from summer to autumn.

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UPDATE: Costco hit by SODO power outage
August 4, 2024 10:44 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news

10:44 AM: Thanks to the readers who have sent word that if you’re braving the bridge or alternate routes to try to get to Costco on 4th Avenue, don’t do it right now – they’re closed because of a power outage. The City Light map shows a small outage adjacent to a planned-outage area.

1:01 PM: The outage map now shows the unplanned part of the outage resolved. But we weren’t able to get through to a live person at Costco to ask if they’ve reopened.

1:48 PM: Commenter J says they’ve confirmed with employees that the store has power again.

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LAST CALL! Sign up today for West Seattle Junior Football, which kicks off tomorrow
August 4, 2024 10:03 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

The new season is about to start for West Seattle Junior Football – and there’s room for more to register! Here’s the reminder we were asked to share with you:

West Seattle Junior Football is starting on Monday, August 5th! We need more kids and coaches to sign up so we can have full teams at every age to play this year. It’s not too late to register. Ages 5 to 14. Check out the website for more info – westseattlejrfootball.com

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WHALES: Southbound orcas
August 4, 2024 8:38 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news

Just texted by Kersti Muul: “Orcas southbound from the lighthouse, mid-channel.”

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Bridge traffic alert, art, shopping, Shakespeare x 2, more for your West Seattle Sunday
August 4, 2024 6:07 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

We start again today with a major traffic alert:

(SDOT camera’s latest look at the Spokane St. Viaduct)

EASTBOUND SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT CLOSED: Another reminder, the all-weekend-long closure continues for the Spokane Street Viaduct – the continuation of the high bridge from the Highway 99 overpass to I-5 – and that’s been backing up the rest of the eastbound bridge, since everyone has to exit to NB 99. This is for the ongoing resurfacing project, and the closure will be repeated next weekend.

Otherwise, here’s what’s happening on your summer Sunday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you’ll find even more):

SUMMER SCRAMBLE CONCLUDES: Final day for the four-day West Seattle scavenger hunt organized by Alice Kuder – still time to jump in! Solve the clues, get a chance at a treasure chest – as explained here.

GLASS FLOAT HUNT CONTINUES: Fourth day for this, too – continuing into mid-August. 100 handcrafted glass floats were hidden around West Seattle – details here!

ART ON THE CORNER: 8 am-3 pm at 39th/Holden, artist Bonnie sells her work to raise money for the West Seattle Food Bank.

BIG BLUE TRUCK RETURNS: Second day of the Northwest Center‘s donation-dropoff truck‘s return to West Seattle! You’ll find it outside WaFd Bank (4102 California SW). Our calendar listing has info on what items the truck will accept. 9 am-5 pm.

ADMIRAL CHURCH FOOD DRIVE: Continues today – drop off nonperishable-food donations at the church (4320 SW Hill) 9 am-noon.

PLUNGE INTO THE SOUND: At 9 am, you’re welcome to join a group plunge into Puget Sound off Alki – meet at Statue of Liberty Plaza (61st/Alki).

WESTIES RUN CLUB = ORCA COMMUNITY 5K: 9 am, the Westies meet up with other groups for a free community 5K starting from Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1222 Harbor SW) to get ready for next month’s Orca Half.

BEE GARDEN TLC: Can you spare two hours to help at the West Seattle Bee Garden today? 10 am-noon, details here. (Lanham/Graham)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, midsummer produce, plus beverages, baked goods, flowers, cheese, fish, meat, prepared food, nuts, candy, more. (California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)

SMALL BUSINESS POP-UP MARKET: See who’s selling at Jet City Labs (4547 California SW) today, 10 am-2 pm.

SUNDAYS IN THE ALLEY: Pop-up shopping experience – music and food too – behind Carmilia’s, in the alley behind the east side of the 4500 block of California SW, 10 am-3 pm. More info in our calendar listing.

COLMAN POOL: The outdoor heated-salt-water pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) is open to the public today, noon-7 pm – session times are on the Colman Pool webpage.

LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, the season continues for the 7-days-a-week city wading pool, noon-7 pm, in the central upper part of the park near the north play area.

NO ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS TODAY: U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers are busy with Seafair. But tours will resume next Sunday (August 11).

SHAKESPEARE DOUBLE HEADER: Two condensed “Backyard Bard” free performances by GreenStage at Delridge Playfield (4501 Delridge Way SW) this afternoon – 3 pm, “All’s Well That Ends Well“; 4:15 pm, “Julius Caesar.”

BLUE ANGELS: Scheduled to go up just after 3:30 pm again today. Looking for West Seattle views? This might help.

GONG BATH & NATURE MEDITATION: 7:30 pm at Lowman Beach Park (7017 Beach Drive SW) – ticket link’s in our calendar listing.

(Saturday night’s sunset – photo by Curry Gibson)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Enjoy Sunday night music with the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8-10 pm.

Organizing and/or publicizing something that should be on our community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basics – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Junction 7-11 robbery
August 4, 2024 1:06 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

1:06 AM: Police are investigating an armed robbery reported about 15 minutes ago at the West Seattle Junction 7-11 (4812 Erskine Way SW). So far the only description they have is “two males, masks, black clothing” who got away with some cash from the register, leaving west on Erskine on foot.

1:13 AM: A few more description details that officers just provided to dispatch – both robbers were Black, both with black shirts, one with black pants and medium-length dreadlocks, one with gray pants and red/white Nikes, and they had a black vehicle.

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BLUE ANGELS: Wondering what you can see from West Seattle?
August 3, 2024 10:57 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

The Blue Angels have one more Seafair show, scheduled to start just after 3:30 pm Sunday. While the show is intended for spectators along Lake Washington, you can get glimpses from West Seattle – photos like Monica Zaborac‘s above, from Harbor Avenue, and the one by David Hutchinson featured in our daily highlight list today are proof. One reader has gone even farther and documented what they saw today – reader J. Newquist shares this:

On Saturday 8/3/24 I took note of “significantly loud” passes over West Seattle by the Blue Angels. As we know, by the time you hear them, it’s too late. The following is a short list of the best times to look up, if you are staying around home for the show. For reference, my viewpoint is roughly the “jog” at the north end of the West Seattle Golf Course; the corner of SW Avalon Way and SW Genesee St. Naturally our geography means it doesn’t take much to get better, or worse views, but the roar we hear are about the same. All times are based on the satellite times of cell phones, but are still approximate. Sunday’s show is expected to follow the same times as these recorded Saturday times.

3:30 pm “Fat Albert,” the C-130, turned from the north over West Seattle on its way back south. While not as loud as the jets, it is a closer view.
3:55 pm: After an over-the lake formation, one plane headed towards downtown while the other headed east towards West Seattle before turning north to regroup.
4:01 pm: Following a similar flight path to the previous entry, another solo plane headed east before turning, creating another loud roar.
4:11 pm: A diamond formation of 4 headed north towards downtown, then looped back to the west, then south, giving us the view in the included photo.

Thanks to J. for sharing those observations! (Reminder that while they’re up, SEA airport takeoffs are redirected, so there’s bonus jet noise over southern West Seattle.) The full Seafair airshow schedule is here (you may hear/see some of the other aircraft earlier).

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ELECTION 2024: Three more days to vote!
August 3, 2024 9:04 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgTuesday night is the deadline for getting your primary ballot in, but so far, only 15.5% of Seattle ballots have arrived back at King County Elections. That’s slightly above the countywide 15.3% turnout. As we noted when ballots were mailed out in mid-July, voters in West Seattle will see 14 races – U.S. Senate, U.S. House District 7, Governor (28 candidates!), Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, State Attorney General, State Commissioner of Public Lands, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Insurance Commissioner, State House Representative Positions 1 and 2 (two candidates each, so they all advance to November), State Supreme Court Justice Position 2, and Seattle City Council citywide Position 8. (The West Seattle Democratic Women hosted a forum in June with four of the five council candidates; here’s our coverage, with video.)

If you’re going to mail in your ballot, get it to the U.S. Postal Service in time to be postmarked by Tuesday (August 6); if you’re using a county dropbox, get it into one by 8 pm (sharp!) Tuesday. Remember that West Seattle now has four, with the newly opened Morgan Junction dropbox (by Morgan Junction Park) – High Point Library, The Junction, and South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) – exact locations here. If you’re in east or south West Seattle, the South Park or White Center library boxes might be more convenient. If you need accessibility assistance to complete a ballot, the county’s “vote centers” will be open Monday and Tuesday. Those are also the places where you can register if you’re not registered yet. The first ballot count will be released around 8:15 pm Tuesday.

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SEEN OFF WEST SEATTLE: USS Nimitz, inbound
August 3, 2024 6:34 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

6:34 PM: Thanks for the texted tip! MarineTraffic.com confirms that’s the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), southbound toward Alki Point right now. Four weeks have passed since the Bremerton-based aircraft carrier headed out.

7:44 PM: Added a photo, texted by a reader who was on the Bremerton ferry when it passed Nimitz. (Thank you!)

P.S. A search for recent news about the Nimitz reveals the Navy has initiated the “deactivation” process, looking ahead to decommissioning it in 2026.

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TRAFFIC REMINDER: Eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct closed until early Monday – and next weekend, too
August 3, 2024 5:41 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

With the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct – the eastern extension of the West Seattle Bridge between the 99 overpass and the I-5 interchange – closed all weekend, we’ve been getting reports of big backups on the bridge itself. So we’re reminding you again, if you have to head off-peninsula, you might consider an alternate route, like the First Avenue South Bridge, which can take you to 1st or 4th (and on into SODO from there) or to Michigan and on to I-5. The closure is part of the project to resurface the eastbound SSV – here again, from our story this past Tuesday, is the closure schedule for the next week-plus:

TUESDAY NIGHT (AUGUST 6) – one or two eastbound lanes closed, 7 pm-6 am

WEDNESDAY NIGHT (AUGUST 7) – full eastbound closure, 7 pm-6 am

THURSDAY NIGHT (AUGUST 8) – full eastbound closure, 7 pm-6 am

FRIDAY NIGHT TO MONDAY MORNING (AUGUST 9-12) – full eastbound closure, 10 pm Friday to 5 am Monday

In addition to overnight weeknight closures beyond that, the weekend-closure schedule announced earlier in July (and subject to change) includes:

10 PM Friday, August 16 to 5 AM Monday, August 19: All eastbound lanes and one westbound lane closed.
10 PM Friday, August 23 to 5 AM Monday, August 26: All eastbound lanes and one westbound lane closed.
10 PM Friday, August 30 to 5 AM Tuesday, September 2: All westbound lanes closed.

The westbound side – which is much newer than the eastbound side – is getting repairs, not full resurfacing, so that’s the reason for only one weekend closure. But keep in mind this all could change – we’re publishing updates when available as well as daily info in our weekday morning traffic roundups and weekend morning event lists.

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VIDEO, PHOTOS: 2024 Duwamish River Festival
August 3, 2024 2:38 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

The annual Duwamish River Festival is a chance to get up close and personal (free kayaking!) with the waterway that many West Seattleites know mostly as the waterway over which they ride or drive to connect to/from the rest of the city. It’s so much more, and that’s why the Duwamish River Community Coalition presents the festival every year. It’s also a chance for glimpses into the many cultures who share its shore:

That video is from the Seattle Classical Thai Dance performance this afternoon – in the first hour, festivalgoers also saw the Aztec group Tlalokan:

The stage slate for the festival, which continues until 5 pm today, is in our calendar listing. The stage is at the north end of the festival zone at Duwamish River People’s Park and Shoreline Habitat (8700 Dallas Avenue S.; map)

Those dozens of booths feature community groups, environmental organizations, and government agencies offering information and activities. Seattle Parks has a booth featuring naturalists ready to talk with you about wildlife:

(L-R, Miranda, Lizzy, Marielle, Nicolasa)

DRCC, the hosting organization, can talk with you about many community projects, including an effort to learn more about the Duwamish Valley’s air-quality problems by reaching South Park and Georgetown families with children who have asthma (email joseph@drcc.org):

(DRCC’s Thuy and Van)

The Environmental Protection Agency has huge cleanup projects to discuss – and simple ways to see what’s at the heart of it all, like this little fish pond:

There’s personal action you can take – with recycling and composting items that don’t belong in the trash – look for the Seattle Public Utilities “Where Does It Go?” team:

Other city departments there include City Light, SDOT, Sustainability and Environment, Emergency Management, and the Office of Police Accountability. Got light rail questions? Sound Transit is there too:

You can also learn about community projects including Reconnect South Park and the next round of Duwamish River sewer-overflow-prevention work. The Duwamish Tribe is participating as well – Ken Workman was there to welcome everyone in Lushootseed:

At their booth, you can get stickers, buy T-shirts, and learn about the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, just across West Marginal Way from Duwamish River shores:

(Kate and Lucas)

From West Seattle, Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association is represented too:

(Ranny, Louisa, April)

This is all a fairly easy walk from the heart of the South Park business district (we parked near the southwest end of the South Park Bridge), or there are shuttle locations (see our calendar listing).

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WEEKEND SCENE: Big Blue Truck’s first day back in West Seattle
August 3, 2024 12:37 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

As previewed here last month, The Big Blue Truck (WSB sponsor) is back in West Seattle. The Northwest Center‘s donation dropoffs have resumed after a four-year hiatus, and every weekend you’ll be able to bring these items to its Junction location:

*Gently used clothing
*Shoes
*Books
*Textiles – including towels and sheets
*Small household items

(Here’s a detailed list.) Starting today, you can find the truck in the WaFd Bank lot at 4102 California SW, 9 am-5 pm Saturdays and Sundays. The organization explains, “Big Blue Truck sells donations of gently used clothing, textiles, and shoes to partner Value Village, using the proceeds to support Northwest Center programs and services for children and adults with disabilities.”

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