West Seattle, Washington
12 Sunday
(WSB photos)
The West Seattle High School Wildcats are the Metro League champions for the second time in three years! They won the title game against Ballard 7-1 tonight at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center. WSHS was ahead 2-0 after the first inning and never looked back.
(#11, TJ Buehring)
A few more innings went by before West Seattle started piling on the runs by methodically advancing after getting on base – a single here, an RBI there, a stolen base here.
(#7, Caden Fahy)
Miles Chandler was the winning pitcher. Head coach Dylan Mclauchlin‘s Wildcats had already secured a spot in the state tournament, which starts Tuesday.
When their next game is set, it’ll appear on this bracket.
Spring/summer event season has begun! We’re now only four weeks away from the Loop the ‘Lupe obstacle-course 5K and its companion events. Loop the ‘Lupe happens in the late morning and early afternoon of Saturday, June 8 – starting with the obstacle-course 5K’s Elite Wave at 11 am, continuing with the Family Wave, then the 5K Fun Run, the Senior Saunter, and concluding at 1 pm with the Youth Dash. (Get more info here about all the events.) Lots of fun on the sidelines too at Walt Hundley Playfield, with music, food, and a beer/cider garden. Loop the ‘Lupe raises money for Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s social-outreach work. If you’re not registered yet, you can fix that by going here right now! (WSB is Loop the ‘Lupe’s media sponsor.)
8:11 PM: SFD and SPD are headed for Constellation Park after reports of paddlers offshore yelling for help. Updates to come.
8:15 PM: Responders are arriving and say they see the paddlers but no one appears to be in trouble.
8:22 PM: Response canceled.
That photo was sent by Rose Feliciano, one of four people who messaged us today to report that the trailside tribute to Rolf Neslund has fallen again – and lost its head again. (First – background if you’re new – Rolf Neslund is the pilot blamed for the 1978 ship collision that forced the old West Seattle Bridge to be replaced. He subsequently retired and was murdered by his wife in 1980. HistoryLink summarizes the saga.) In 2020, during the first year of the West Seattle Bridge’s 2 1/2-year closure, a mysterious “historian” installed the statue along the bike/foot path by the bridge, declaring Rolf “patron saint of the broken bridge.” Days later, the statue itself was broken; someone made off with its head. A month later, it was restored and reinstalled. Then one year ago, the whole sculpture simply fell and needed re-assembly and re-installation (Rose was part of that project); this time its head is missing, nowhere in sight. Who did it, and what happens next? Hard to tell with a rogue artwork that belongs to nobody and everybody; we’ll keep our ear to the ground!
12:42 PM: Seattle Police just issued an alert for this woman missing in West Seattle:
Jonette is 79 years old, 5’1″, thin, brown-gray hair, brown eyes. Police say she has dementia and was last seen in the 4700 block of 42nd SW. No info on what she might be wearing. If you see her, call 911.
2:20 PM: Jonette is also now the subject of a Silver Alert, which offers a bit more information, including that she lives in The Junction.
4:54 PM: According to police radio, Jonette has been found, in the Alki area.
(Clickable online map of sales is here … printable/downloadable map is here) … nonprofit/benefit/school sales listed here)
More than 500 sales are happening around West Seattle – and a bit beyond – as West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2024 gets going! We started off by taking our own advice: At the very least, if you’re not having a sale today, walk to the nearest one! So our photo above shows your hosts Mandy and Robert at Sale #452 (8420 California SW) in Upper Fauntleroy. We’ll be roaming, and adding photos that sellers and shoppers send; find the sales all mapped here (click on any item in the list on the right side of the page, or any marker, to open its infobubble. The printable/downloadable guide is linked on that page too. Official sale hours are now through 3 pm. … A different style of furniture at Sale #64 (2932 Walnut), which texted this photo:
If you’re sending a photo, please be sure to include the sale #; thank you! … Plant sales are always a hot ticket on WSCGSD. This photo is from Julie & Steve at Sale #420 (7558 44th Ave SW), who promise, “Lots of plants, including natives!”
You’ll be singing “Jingle Bells” at Sale #291 (5415 35th SW) – Katie sent pics of tables at her sale including this one with holiday décor:
9:49 AM: This might be the only sale with a sale – Sale #214, “Crazy Bob’s on (3243) 56th Ave SW, west of Schmitz Park, has hoisted the sail on the sale. We’ve got a boat load of kites. Literally.”
In Morgan Junction, <strong>Thunder Road Guitars (Sale #411, 6400 California SW, also a WSB sponsor) throws a huge WSCGSD sale every year – our photographer shows us the line out the door:
This year’s list of participating businesses is here … Toward the south end of the map, Sale #507 (10750 18th SW, White Center) is bustling:
Sale #415 sent the next pic – that’s Scout Troop 284’s benefit bake sale at Fauntleroy Way and Holly Place:
10:26 AM: Matt at Sale #113 (3227 45th Ave SW) sent the next pic and notes, “Camera equipment, audio, and vintage watches on sale today”:
Elyse at Sale #444 (5643 47th Ave SW) says they’re open until 5 today and again 9-5 on Sunday:
Plus, “unicorn lemonade”!
Two benefit sales are next to each other – at 3000 California SW, West Seattle High School‘s Care Coordinator Stacy Fernandez is hosting Sale #189 for the program she leads:
And at 3050 California SW (St. John the Baptist lot), the WSHS Volleyball Team – fresh off their first trip to state in 40+ years – is raising money at Sale #221:
The next photo is from Tim at Sale #510 (10819 34th SW), who says it includes one big item that wasn’t in his listing: “Everything in the pic is for sale. Even the 1965 Ford Thunderbird!”
11:07 AM: If you’re looking to hit multiple sales in one stop, the map can point you at a variety of opportunities. We found multiple sellers at California/Raymond (including Sales #390 and #401) – sellers include local entrepreneurs Justin (Sound & Fog) and James (Filigree & Shadow, WSB sponsor):
And sisters Michele and Debby (who came down from Victoria to help out):
Just in from Sale #11 (8115 12th Ave SW) – Charlotte the corgi! whose people note, “we have women’s clothing, dog stuff, kitchen gadgets, lots of decor, holiday decorations and more!! Almost everything priced 25-50¢!!”
Got kid shopper(s) with you? Go see Sale #367 (3736 SW Monroe), run by kids (with parent supervision), including a mini-arcade with prizes!
Among the condo and apartment buildings participating today, The Dakota at 4116 California SW, home to Sale #88, which sent this photo:
That’s just north of the sale-rich zone along California on the block between Genesee and Oregon. …. Meantime, Sale #282 has “treats and drinks” and is raising money for Highline Premier Girls 2013 soccer, corner of SW Hinds St/35th Ave SW:
Here’s an exuberant welcome from Sale #341 (7300 31st SW), with toys, books, and a kid-size bike:
12:06 PM: We’re now in the second half of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! Another of the participating businesses is The Skylark at 3803 Delridge Way SW (Sale #38) – here’s some of the eclectic offerings there:
Handmade woodworking items by There Is a Season are in the spotlight at Sale #417 (3950 SW Othello):
Back at the north end of the peninsula, Bill sent a pic from Sale #235 (1911 46th Ave SW):
Over on Pigeon Point, we found Willy kicking back at Sale #32 (3841 20th SW):
In the photo below, Nick‘s assistant at Sale #496 (10221 38th), who notes, “Toys, Furniture, House Plants, Kitchen Appliances, Tools, $2 Book Bin!”
Need glassware, decanters, corkscrews? Lauren says Sale #468 (4408 SW Rose) has all that:
1:03 PM: Two-thirds of the way into this year’s WSCGSD, still lots of fun stuff happening out there. Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW, Sale #351) is hosting what they’re hoping will be an annual record show and sale to benefit the historic venue:
You can listen to records while you’re there, thanks to DJ performances – here’s DJ Ricci:
Ready to grow? This year’s Sale #1, Wanderlust Nursery at 7527 19th SW, is a mail-order nursery not usually open to the public, but for WSCGSD they are – until 5 pm: “We have plants for all interests: natives and citrus, fruiting and herbs, trees to groundcovers, indoor or shade! Gift your loved ones some handmade soap, nuts for woodcarvers and crafts, jewelry or trinkets.”
From Julie at Sale #111 (4845 48th SW): “We still have tons of stuff in Seaview on 48th! Same with our neighbors on 47th and 46th. Come by and say Hi!”
Handmade stoneware pottery awaits you at Sale #103 (4111 47th Ave SW) – the photo is from Wendy:
1:48 PM: Another of today’s multi-seller spots is The Kenney (7125 Fauntleroy Way, Sale #435):
Thanks to Sale #236 at California/Walker for displaying the “official” sign (it’s a file we send to all the registered sellers):
Need a couch? Sale #2 (1264 SW Othello) sent the pic: “We’ve still got lots of great stuff! House plants, couch, drums, etc., etc.”
2:07 PM: Final official hour of WSCGSD. Our most recent stop was Sale #295 (8427 30th Ave SW), a multi-household fundraiser for the West Seattle Timebank:
If you’re on the north end of the peninsula, an incentive from Sale #82 at 4220 SW Hill: “Free water and snacks for anyone who stops by! Make us an offer.”
Back in the south, Sale #326 at 9331 32nd SW is laden with ceramics and glassware:
Sent from Sale #372 (7153 35th SW), which reports: “We have men and women’s clothing, luggage, gaming peripherals, and a free tire!”
Some sales might be in the mood for end-of-day deals. Robert at Sale #135 (3434 48th Ave SW, the only sale with a haiku-style listing) emailed to say, “Having a great day! Lots of items (except tools) will be 1/2 price after 1 pm!”
Again, the map is here … some sales are staying open past 3 pm, but otherwise, that’s when the symbolic closing bell of WSCGSD sounds.
3:01 PM: Thanks to everyone who participated by selling, shopping, browsing! If you’re not ready to stop shopping yet, five sales’ listings say they’re open until 4 pm – 306, 396, 406, 448, and 477 – and five say they’re open until 5 pm: 1, 198, 289, 314, and 483.
After a night of skywatching, a day of shopping/selling/mingling!
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE DAY: Marilyn at Sale #499 (10432 40th SW) was first on Friday to send us a pic of what she’s selling today – that’s what you see above. So much person-to-person recycling is about to happen all over the peninsula, the first WSCGSD with more than 500 sales registered! 9 am-3 pm are the official hours, but some sellers are starting earlier, some are closing earlier … all that info is in their listings on our interactive online map, as well as the downloadable/printable guide. Check the online map page for last-minute cancellations as well as links to all the mini-lists we’ve featured during the past week (even one with the sales that promise lemonade stands, since it’s going to be another warm day!). Watch for as-it-happens coverage here starting at 9 am.
Here are other notes for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE COMMUNITY WORKOUTS: 3 FIT4MOM events at Alki this morning, as early as 7:30 am – info in our calendar listing.
STAMP OUT HUNGER: Put out your bag of nonperishable food for the letter carriers’ donation drive before 8 am.
PRESIDENTIAL VISIT FYI: President Biden stayed downtown overnight and is scheduled to fly out of SEA Airport by 2:45 pm. He’ll be on the move to campaign fundraising before then so, if you have to go off-peninsula, you’re forewarned. (UPDATE: Air Force One lifted off around 2 pm, so the visit is over.)
LIBRARY CLOSURE: The Southwest Library is closed Saturdays through June 4.
WATER TAXI’S LATER-EVENING RUNS: Spring/summer season for the West Seattle Water Taxi continues, so it’s making later-evening runs tonight.
WEST SEATTLE RUNNER GROUP RUN: The store is where to meet for the weekly free group run at 8 am. (2743 California SW)
FREE! HEAVILY MEDITATED: Arrive by 8:50 am for community meditation at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska). Free event every Saturday but please register.
CASCADIA FRESH MARKET’S OPENING WEEKEND: Go buy affordable healthy food at this new neighborhood store launching a four-month test run at 5444 Delridge Way SW, open 10 am-7 pm today. Here’s our story explaining what it’s all about!
WORK IN THE FOREST: Celebrate International Day for Biological Diversity by helping the Westcrest Park madrone forest, 10 am-1 pm – RSVP link and more info is in our calendar listing.
SSC GARDEN CENTER: Plants await you at the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus, 10 am-3 pm.
FAMILY STORY TIME: 10:30 am-11 am at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am in West Seattle, registration required – see full details in our calendar listing.
SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN PEONY FESTIVAL: Performances and activities as well as celebration of the flowers, first of two days for this annual festival, 11 am-4 pm. See the performance schedule here. (6000 16th SW, north side of South Seattle College north parking lot)
FAMILY READING TIME: Every Saturday at 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM OPEN: The home of West Seattle history is open for your visit, noon-4 pm. (61st/Stevens)
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
FREE COMMUNITY SKATE: 1-3 pm at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Open 1-6 pm at the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
SPRING FAMILY FAIR: 2-5 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), activities and special guests including Bubbleman! Free, all ages.
NEPENTHE’S WALK-IN MASSAGE CLINIC: 3-5 pm, show up at Nepenthe (9447 35th SW) with a specific problem to be addressed by massage, and you’ll get a free (gratuities appreciated) trial of their work.
MOTHER’S DAY SCRAPBOOKING AND TACO BAR: 4:30 pm at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds), create a Mother’s Day scrapbook page with the West Seattle Rainbow Assembly #18 – info and RSVP link in our calendar listing.
HIGH-SCHOOL BASEBALL: West Seattle HS plays for the Metro League championship vs. Ballard at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center, 7 pm.
THE GRIOT PARTY: Spoken word at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7 pm.
ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: 7-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way)
AT THE SKYLARK: “Festival of Friends: Bandmixers, doors 7 pm, music 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), $10 cover, 21+.
NORTHERN LIGHTS AGAIN TONIGHT? Another solar flare was headed our way last night – so it’s a possibility. We’ll be on aurora watch again tonight after dark.
BEATS: Saturday night DJs at Revelry Room – 9 pm. Tonight, DJ Teddy Ruckspin & Justa The Bop Oligarch. (4547 California SW, alley side)
KARAOKE: Saturday night, sing at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW), starting at 10 pm.
Planning a happening? If the community’s welcome, your event belongs on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
9:05 PM: You might have heard about the solar storm that’s led to a strong possibility of the aurora – aka Northern Lights – over our area tonight. West Seattle’s expert skywatcher/educator Alice Enevoldsen has a standing page of links you can use to check the forecast – including one that points to this:
That should be the newest image from the NOAA site, looking ahead about half an hour; also note that UTC is seven hours later than our time. Alice’s page also has viewing advice; let us know what you see – we’ll be watching too, and updating.
10:14 PM: Haven’t heard/seen any WS reports yet, but the National Weather Service office up on Sand Point says they’ve got a bit of color in the sky.
10:52 PM: In comments, Liz reports seeing it. And via Twitter/X, so does Alicia.
10:58 PM: Texter says this is what they’re seeing from the West Seattle Golf Course:
11:03 PM: Another texted photo, looking toward downtown from Blair DeWeese:
11:14 PM: Now getting lots of reports. People are seeing it from Hamilton Viewpoint (Blair’s pic above) and Myrtle Reservoir parks, among other places. Here’s one just texted from Myrtle:
11:29 PM: From Hoa Vong at Delridge/Brandon:
11:52 PM: Many more photos in comments below (thank you!).
EARLY AM NOTE: We’ve received more pics in email too and will add some here later this morning. And we’ll be on watch to see if the aurora returns tonight, given that the solar storm apparently isn’t over yet.
(WSB photos. Above, #9, senior Caitlin Gordon)
Metro League tournament play wrapped up tonight for the West Seattle High School softball team, after two games – one victory, one loss. In their first game of the afternoon, the Wildcats beat Seattle Prep, 12-5. Our photos are from the second game, a 15-5 loss to Lincoln.
(Above, #12, sophomore Mackenzie Curry Uzwack)
The Wildcats ended the tournament with sixth place. Now it’s on to the District 2 tournament, which starts Monday.
(Above, #13, freshman Violet Faull)
They’ll be playing on the eastside, at Juanita HS in Kirkland – first game, 6 pm Monday vs. Liberty.
Hey, Sale #274! Thanks for putting up the “official sale” sign (it’s a template we email to sellers so they can use it if you want to)! Our photographer noticed it while en route to a story he’s covering right now. Perfect timing for this final West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day Eve reminder that we are now less than 14 hours away from 500+ sales of all sizes, all over the peninsula, as mapped here. The map page is where you’ll find other updates, such as last-minute cancellations (which are noted in the online-map list, but not the printable version, so if you’re using that to plan your day, please check the numbers on the cancellation list) plus links to our previews this past week with some mini-lists of sales. One more mini-list tonight – here are the ones signed up as block sales (including some alley or apartment-building sales):
#26: 9240 2nd Ave SW
#42: 7742 15th Ave SW
#80: 2303 Walnut Ave SW
#162: 2719 47th Ave SW
#236: 2203 California Ave SW
#244: 3630 46th Ave SW
#262: 3050 36th Ave SW
#289: 7333 29th Ave SW
#296: 6741 38th Ave SW
#297: 5626 29th Ave SW
#307: 3279 38th Ave SW
#310: 5914 34th Ave SW
#352: 7026 30th Pl SW
#446: 6041 California Ave SW
#487: 6307 46th Ave SW
#488: 6043 48th Ave SW
#495: 3910 SW 109th St
#501: 10014 4th Lane SW
We’ll be doing as-it-happens coverage tomorrow as usual, so photos (from buyers with cool finds as well as sellers) are welcome at westseattleblog@gmail.com or texted to 206-293-6302 – please be sure to include the relevant sale number!
P.S. And don’t forget to set out your food donations for the letter carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger food drive! (If you didn’t get the special blue bag, any bag – generally plastic is sturdier – is OK.)
A reader near the south end of Lincoln Park reports a burglary at their home around 1:30 pm Wednesday, with images from their security camera:
This guy came to my door trying to pose as some sort of a salesman and as soon as he determined we were not home broke into our house and helped himself. His shirt is very distinctive and he has a tattoo on his left arm.
The police incident is # 24-125113. We asked SPD for any additional details from the report; they told us, “Officers found a sliding glass door forced open and searched the home. It appeared someone had ransacked several rooms.”
3:01 PM: Two and a half weeks ago, SDOT announced it was about to start work on some of the permanent features of the Alki Point Healthy Street (Alki Avenue SW and Beach Drive SW between 63rd SW and Alki Point) project. We haven’t been back yet for a look at that work, primarily described as added speed humps, but today, SDOT sent an update – the next phase of construction starts “as soon as Monday.”
As soon as Monday, May 13, crews will begin the next phase of construction on the permanent treatments for the Alki Point Healthy Street. This work will include:
-A 10-foot-wide shared walking/rolling space
-Three ADA parking spaces
-Stop controls at intersecting streets
-Pavement markings, parking signs, and striping the public parking lotUnauthorized on-street parking located within 20 feet of intersections will be removed for new installation.
The project page elaborates on the zone numbers shown in the map above.
ADDED 6 PM: David Hutchinson sent this photo of the lines for the new path, roughed out:
More than 200 items, from local business gift cards to exotic getaways, are up for bidding right now during the Madison Middle School PTSA‘s online auction. All are welcome to participate. It’s open until Saturday night; the PTSA says auction proceeds go to “help support supplemental activities and materials for our students and faculty.” Browse the items and register to bid by going here!
Back in 2020, SDOT shelved a plan for a bike lane on the Highland Park Way hill. The idea resurfaced in a 2022 application for federal funding, but there was no design at the time. Now there is, as one of three options SDOT is proposing for the Highland Park Way hill, just unveiled today. All three would remove one motorized-vehicle lane on the downhill (north/eastbound) side, “to provide an improved path for people to walk, roll, and bike between the Highland Park and Riverview neighborhoods and the Duwamish River Trail.” They’re asking for feedback starting now. Here are the three options, as described and shown on the project page:
Option 1: Downhill Protected Bike Lane
For Option 1, we propose replacing the right northbound driving lane on Highland Park Way SW with a downhill protected bike lane. The bike lane would run parallel to the existing path and include a concrete barrier to divide the bike lane from traffic. At the intersection of Highland Park Way SW and West Marginal Way SW, we would add a diagonal bike crossing to connect people to the Duwamish River Trail … We would also add lighting and make some repairs to the existing path to improve accessibility for people walking and rolling.
Option 2: Multi-use Path
For Option 2, we propose replacing the existing path and the right northbound driving lane with a multi-use path. The multi-use path would include a wider landscape buffer and a wider path for people walking, rolling, and biking in both directions. This path will include bus stop landing pads in the landscape buffer, so people have a paved area to wait that is off the multi-use path. As in Option 1, we would add more lighting for people traveling along the path at night and add a diagonal bike crossing at the intersection of Highland Park Way SW and West Marginal Way SW to connect people to the Duwamish River Trail.
Option 3: Combination of Options 1 and 2
Option 3 is a combination of Options 1 and 2. In this approach, we would build the protected bike lane first – as it takes less time and less money to build – and then develop the new multi-use path later when additional funding is available.
You can see maps and more information – including the SDOT answer to “why not expand into the greenspace rather than remove a driving lane?” – on the project page.
FEEDBACK: This survey is open until June 15. Or you can email highlandholden@seattle.gov. SDOT also plans various info events over the next two weeks, also listed on the project page.
11:03 AM: What’s shown as a one-customer power outage on Seattle City Light‘s map is affecting about 500 people – because that one customer is Pathfinder K-8 on Pigeon Point. No word yet why the school – and apparently ONLY the school – lost power; we’re checking with SCL.
1:49 PM: The outage is over, according to the map; still waiting for SCL’s response on what went wrong.
Here are your Friday highlights, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
EARLY WSCGSD SALES: Several West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day sellers are starting one day early and are open today – listed in this preview – the numbers cross-reference to the official map. (The photo above is from #389 and #448, in the 5600 block of 42nd SW, raising money for The Mount.)
WATER TAXI EXTENDED HOURS: The Water Taxi’s spring/summer hours add Friday and Saturday later-evening service each week.
STAY & PLAY INDOOR GYM: Free drop-in play, 10-11:30 am at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd).
SSC GARDEN CENTER: Plants await you at the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus, 10 am-3 pm.
LIBRARY CLOSURE: The Seattle Public Library‘s temporary closure days continue; the West Seattle (Admiral) branch will not be open, but it’s regular hours today for our area’s other libraries.
LOW-LOW TIDE: Out to -3.0 feet at 1:06 pm. (Thanks to John D. Skerratt for the photo of the sunflower star, a species he notes was hit especially hard in recent years’ die-offs.)
SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS: Metro League tournament play continues at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) with West Seattle HS vs. Seattle Prep at 3:30 pm and opponent TBD at 5:30 pm.
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open tonight for wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
GROWN FOLK SKATE: Adult drop-in skating at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW), 6-9 pm.
LIVE AT EASY STREET RECORDS: New Age Healers with The Purrs at 7 pm, free, all ages. (4559 California SW)
COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: Songwriter’s Showcase 7 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: West Seattle’s own Aaron Semer, VITO, Lookout Mountain Lookout. Doors at 7 pm, show at 8, $10 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! (4547 California SW)
MAKE IT LOUD! Skate to live music at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), 9 pm-midnight, this week featuring Sun Mother, Tongues, TBA. $18 cover + $5 skate rental.
LATE-NIGHT SINGING: 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
One week from tomorrow, thousands of people will volunteer at dozens of sites around the city for the One Seattle Day of Service announced by Mayor Harrell. If you’re not already signed up to help out somewhere, his office sent this list of West Seattle opportunities:
Volunteer opportunities and event partners:
Alki Beach Beautification Event (sponsored by Pearsall Properties) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Don Armeni/Seacrest Park Beautification from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
West Seattle Junction Plaza Park Beautification (sponsored by West Seattle Junction Association) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Kiwanis Club of West Seattle Street Beautification Event (sponsored by Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, Key Clubs West Seattle and Chief Sealth International High School) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
High Point Open Space Association Bee Festival Event from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (three shifts)
Dirt Corps West Seattle Park Beautification Event (sponsored by Dirt Corps) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Riverview Neighborhood Cleanup from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
West Seattle – First Tongan UMC Street Beautification Event (sponsored by First Tongan UMC) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
West Seattle – Arbor Heights Elementary Gardening Event (sponsored by Arbor Heights Elementary School) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Delridge Roxhill Park Beautification Event from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
African Community Housing & Development Community Engagement and Market Cleanup from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (two shifts)
Residents can sign up for volunteer shifts by going to seattle.gov/dayofservice.
(We went to that page and found the “text-based” option – direct link here – easiest to scroll through; use the District 1 tab.)
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, May 10.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
It’s really happening! Sunny, high near 80. Today’s sunrise was at 5:37 am; sunset will be at 8:34 pm.
ALERTS
FRIDAY & SATURDAY: Still looking for specifics President Biden‘s route, but we know he’s due to arrive sometime after 5:15 pm today and leave by 2:45 pm tomorrow, per the airspace advisory, and that Air Force One will use SEA, not Boeing Field. We’ll update here when we find out where he’s going after landing. (4:55 pm: That info STILL hasn’t emerged. But he’s on the way – Air Force One left the Bay Area around 3:20 pm. …. 5 PM: Just turned on the TV; he’s here, and will be heading downtown shortly. … 5:30 PM: He’s arrived downtown.)
FRIDAY: Also Friday night, the Mariners are back home, vs. the A’s at 6:40 pm.
SATURDAY: From Seattle Public Utilities, covering the next two Saturdays:
On Saturday, May 11 and Saturday, May 18, SPU contractor crews will be performing pavement restoration on Sylvan Way SW between SW Orchard St and Delridge Way SW as part of the Longfellow Natural Drainage System (NDS) project.
To perform this work safely and effectively, Sylvan Way SW between Home Depot’s eastern access and SW Orchard St will be temporarily closed to traffic. Local access will be allowed to driveways east of the closure on Sylvan Way SW. Signage and flaggers will be on site to direct traffic. Working hours on May 11 and May 18 will be 7 am – 7 pm.
ALSO SATURDAY: Residential streets will be busy since it’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day at more than 500 locations around the peninsula and a bit beyond, 9 am-3 pm.
ONGOING ROAD-WORK ALERT
*SDOT’s info page for the Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project is updated with more details about the ongoing work at Delridge/Oregon, which is narrowed as a result:
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule, though presidential travel might affect the pm commute; check advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule, including Friday later-night runs. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Low bridge: Open.
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
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. (We’re aware that the low bridge hasn’t shown up in this feed since the recent closure, and we’re awaiting word from SDOT on whether that’ll be fixed.)
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!
Police following up on multiple 911 calls about suspected gunfire have confirmed it. Officers just told dispatch they’ve found “a bunch of casings” at 32nd SW and SW Raymond, plus “bullet damage” at a nearby residence. No word of any injuries, and no description of who was responsible, though the 911 callers were reported to have heard “a vehicle” in the area.
(Photos courtesy Cascadia Fresh Market)
We’ve been telling you about Cascadia Fresh Market, aiming to attract everyone to the storefront at 5444 Delridge Way SW for affordable fresh food, seven days a week. The store soft-opens Friday and officially opens this weekend. Co-proprietor Jill Moore sent these photos today as she reported, “First fresh food is rolling in to the market! Berries and mangoes and grapes and kiwis (all $1-3) will greet customers as they drop in for our opening thus weekend.”
Jill and husband/co-proprietor Jeremy Vrablik, a Highland Park couple who own wholesaler Cascadia Produce, say the market is “produce-focused, but will have other cooking staple items and some simple, sweet treats.” (Read more about the plan here.) They’re planning this as a four-month test – if it goes well, they’ll talk with building owner DESC about a long-term lease. So if you like the idea, go shopping as soon as you can. Hours will be 10 am-7 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon-6 pm Sundays and Mondays.
Day after tomorrow, in 80-degree-ish weather, thousands of people will be selling and/or shopping on West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! If you haven’t seen the map of all 500+ sales yet, find it here (that’s also where to get the link to the downloadable/printable version). For tonight’s preview, we’re mentioning some of the sales with unusual features – here are a dozen (and of course you’ll find many, many other interesting sales if you browse the listings!):
#21: 4115 23rd Ave SW – Several sales promise friendly dogs, but this is the only one promising “friendly kitty kats”
#38: 3803 Delridge Way SW – Restaurant, bar, live-music gear at The Skylark
#42: 7742 15th Ave SW – Live band
#48: 9141 7th Ave S – First-ever participant in South Park
#72: 3241 47th Ave SW – Annual multi-artist art-glass extravaganza
#140: 5218 SW Stevens St – “30 Barbies” (one of 5 sales where Barbie is in the description)
#199: 3452 39th Ave SW – DJ
#351: 7904 35th Ave SW – Vinyl collectors/sellers, with DJs, at Kenyon Hall
#394: 3710 Walnut Ave SW and #502: 11217 Arroyo Beach Place SW– Various sales are offering treats too – these two mention cotton candy
#447: 9323 45th Ave SW – 6 sellers promise bake sales, but this one says the treats will be created by “my son, an aspiring pastry chef”
#479: 4136 SW Holden St – 4 sales mention American Girl but this one declares itself an “American Girl Garage Sale”
Official sale hours are 9 am-3 pm Saturday; some listings mention extra hours and even extra days. Check the online map page for changes/cancellations (the online map itself reflects updates but not the printable version) and for links to lists we’ve already published; all our WSCGSD coverage is archived here, newest to oldest.
6:07 PM: The May 2024 West Seattle Art Walk is happening right now at more than three dozen venues from North Admiral to Morgan Junction!
Our first stop tonight is West Seattle Grounds (2141 California SW), where Clara Boline is tonight’s featured artist:
Her show, “Bumper Sticker on a Ferrari,” is described on the Art Walk website as:
This show depicts orchids with various permanent changes made to them. The series of work is meant to call out the strength and resilience of femininity and the harmful comments women receive when making permanent changes to their own bodies. The title of the show refers to a comment the artist has actually received; “Why would she get that tattoo? It’s like slapping a bumper sticker on a Ferrari!”
She’s at WSG until 8 pm. Now that it’s past 6 pm, we’re off to check out some of the 11 performances comprising Muse Fest: The Power of Women’s Voices until 7:45 pm. More coverage to come! (WSB is an Art Walk co-sponsor.)
6:30 PM: CAPERS in The Junction (4511 California SW) is featuring artists from the West Seattle Garden Tour poster contest, including winner Pam Lustig:
6:52 PM: At the Discovery Shop – a nonprofit that raises money for the American Cancer Society – volunteer Ann McClary is tonight’s artist:
She’s donating proceeds from sales of her watercolors.
7:34 PM: Thanks to Jason Grotelueschen for this clip of Sue Quigley‘s Muse Fest appearance at Beveridge Place Pub:
Sue co-coordinated the Muse Fest lineup. She had to cut her set short, so Sheryl Wiser moved over from Whisky West next door:
Co-coordinator for Muse Fest with Quigley was John Redenbaugh, who arranges Art of Music performances for many Art Walks through the year. Art Walk is second Thursday, every month, so that means the next one is June 13!
It’s been a month since we first reported on County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda standing before the Sound Transit Board and asking them to put West Seattle light rail on a Delridge route that could bypass and potentially save local businesses. Those local businesses also have been taking their case to the board, while making contingency plans; we talked with Erin Rubin of Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) and Mode Music and Performing Arts in this report. Now another business in the project’s path, West Seattle Health Club, is asking its members for support. Several readers have forwarded us this message sent to WSHC members by club management today:
We have been informed of the recent decision by Sound Transit to alter its initial plan for the West Seattle Light Rail. Rather than running it around the West Seattle Health Club, the preferred route would require placing a pillar through our pool. We have been working diligently, alongside local businesses and King County Councilmember, Teresa Mosqueda, to ensure that our concerns are heard by the Sound Transit board. Specifically, we have requested a refinement of the plan to place the pillar 20 feet west of the club or over the top. The board has acknowledged our request, and a final decision will be made in June.
We are advocating for a change in the decision, which, while not immediately impacting the gym, would, over time, have significant ramifications. The removal of the West Seattle Health Club would not only result in the loss of a gym but also the displacement of a community. We believe that the decision-makers on the board may not fully appreciate the gym’s value to our community. Some of you have been members since the early 2000s when the gym was known as Allstar Fitness. You have shown remarkable loyalty and dedication to the club and its community, even during challenging times of poor management and financial struggles. We are aware that you have expressed concerns about the proposed changes because you do not wish to lose a community staple that has become so important to you. Some of you have made lifelong friends at the West Seattle Health Club, formerly known as Allstar Fitness, and have been members for over two decades. We are not merely a gym. We are an all-inclusive community that provides a sense of belonging and support. While there may be several other gym options in the area, none can match the feeling of walking through the doors of the West Seattle Health Club.
We support Sound Transit’s efforts to bring the Light Rail to the West Seattle community. However, the removal of our gym will have a profound impact, not only on our community of over 6200 members but also on over 100 employees who travel to West Seattle and support the businesses in the area. We implore you to support us in our efforts to communicate to the Sound Transit board that placing a pillar through the pool of the West Seattle Health Club is not merely a matter of relocating another business. It would have far-reaching consequences.
If you wish to voice your opinion, please contact Cali Knight at CKnight@kingcounty.gov and Shannon Braddock at Shannon.Braddock@kingcounty.gov.
Shannon Braddock, a West Seattleite, is deputy county executive for County Executive Dow Constantine, also a West Seattleite, who is on the Sound Transit Board. Calli Knight is also on the executive’s staff, as infrastructure initiatives director. The board has not yet made a decision about final routing but is expected to vote in the second half of this year, after the final Environmental Impact Statement is released (no date for that yet beyond “midyear”).
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