West Seattle resident Arden Balyeat dies saving son from river
You may have heard about this tragedy in regional media – a 48-year-old woman and her 7-year-old son were pulled from the Skykomish River yesterday; he survived, but she died at a Snohomish County hospital. Thanks to information that started with a note from a friend, we have learned the woman was from West Seattle: Arden Balyeat. As friend Cori Myka explained on Ms. Balyeat’s Facebook wall, she and her son “were crossing a river when he got pulled in an eddy. She rescued him, but was not able to save herself.” Friends are planning a wake this Saturday afternoon, likely at her home, though Cori told us the venue may change, and suggested watching this Facebook page (from which the photo at left was taken) for details; they also are working to set up a fund for Ms. Balyeat’s son. ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: This Everett article has a few more details on what authorities believe happened.
West Seattle neighborhood-plan meeting topline: Big turnout
It’ll take us a few hours to do the story justice in long form so for now, we’ll just publish a quick topline: More than 100 people filled the air-conditioned Youngstown Arts Center auditorium for tonight’s long-awaited Neighborhood Plan Status Check meeting. The photo above doesn’t even show them all – the floor of the auditorium held the groups for Admiral, Delridge, Highland Park/Westwood and Morgan Junction (as well as Georgetown), while the stage held the biggest group of all (not pictured here), for The Junction. One thing you can do RIGHT NOW, whether you attended or not – take an online survey. Meeting organizers say the neighborhood that’s turned in the most so far is Ballard with about 150 – certainly West Seattle can beat that! Go here; deadline is August 11. And watch for our full report (focused on The Junction – the heart of WS – with scenes from the other tables too) later.
City’s heat response: Extended wading-pool hours, more
From the city’s recap of the mayor’s heat-wave briefing today:
Case managers in the Human Services Department will begin calling senior citizen clients to check on their welfare. City workers, including police officers, are determining ways to keep the homeless hydrated. Seattle City Light is monitoring electrical demand. Although the utility has reached peak demand for July, the city still has adequate supplies. The utility is contacting its largest customers to request they limit their nonessential uses of electricity.
Libraries are open regular hours, and the city points out that Delridge, High Point and Southwest branches have A/C. Some wading pools will extend their hours – Lincoln Park, which would normally close at 8, will stay open till 8:30; E.C. Hughes, which would close at 7, will stay open till 8; Delridge and Hiawatha, which usually close at 7, will stay open till 7:30.
Followup: Stats on the California/Dawson “crosswalk sting”
(Monday photo by Kevin McClintic)
Thanks to City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen and his staffer Brian Hawksford (both West Seattleites, incidentally) for sharing a report they received on the Seattle Police “crosswalk sting” at California/Dawson yesterday (here’s our original report). Turns out it was one of two conducted in the city yesterday afternoon – the other one was earlier, on lower Queen Anne. Neither spot had been “worked before,” according to the report they forwarded, which includes this excerpt:
From 3 PM to 4 PM, the squad worked the crosswalk at California & Dawson. Here we wrote 16 pedestrian right of way citations, plus 7 proof of insurance, 3 expired tabs, 1 seat belt, 1 no front plate, and 1 green arrow, for a total of 29 citations. Additionally, we issued a pedestrian right of way warning.
As noted in yesterday’s report, 92-year-old Rosemary MacCorkindale was killed crossing at that same spot last fall. Between the two locations worked yesterday, the forwarded report says, 221 crossings were made in all — 133 by officers and 88 by citizens — and 14.5% resulted in citations. SPD says the operation showed a “need” for such enforcement at both locations, so they’ll likely be back.
City Council sets public hearing for “backyard cottages” plan
The city’s proposal to enable the building of dozens more “backyard cottages” – allowed now only in Southeast Seattle but potentially to be allowed around the rest of Seattle – sparked a lot of discussion during presentations at recent community-group meetings in West Seattle, so we’re sharing this announcement just forwarded by the Department of Neighborhoods‘ Delridge District Coordinator Ron Angeles: A public hearing on the plan is now set for 5:30 pm on September 15 in the council chambers at City Hall downtown. In the meantime, the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee will get a briefing at 9:30 am August 12 – that committee meeting, like most, will have a “general public comment period” beforehand if there’s anything you’d like to say. You can also send your thoughts to council members via their website, and if you’re just catching up on the backyard-cottage proposal, you can read up here.
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STS Remodeling: Welcome to a new West Seattle Blog sponsor
Today we welcome one of our newest sponsors, STS Remodeling. WSB customarily offers new sponsors the chance to tell you about their businesses, 
and here’s what STS Remodeling would like you to know: “STS is a local, full-service general contractor specializing in unique construction projects for clients who have high expectations of craftsmanship, customer service, project management, and value. Founded by Craig Haveson in 1999, STS has been deciated to keeping customers happy with the highest level of satisfaction. With a wide range of remodel projects, custom home builds & condominium rehabilitation, there is no job that is too big or small. As result of our versatility in projects, we are able to meet the unique needs of each individual and are able to specialize in a wide variety of industry sectors. Our team is at the center of our success. Led by a dynamic group and staffed by the best and brightest in the field, our core values of integrity, hard work, and safety shines through. Offering career positions in this thriving company has drawn the top-notch craftsmen to the company. With one of the lowest employee-turnover rates in the industry, 
STS Remodeling creates an optimal work culture. STS focuses on keeping a 99% referral-based business but is always open to new projects. Happy customers often become lifetime clients. With the founding principles of quality control, accountability, & hard work, STS sets itself apart from the competition! A list of our references is available upon request. Our website is in the process of being updated; if you would like to take a look at additional photos of more recent projects, we do have many more available. Give us a call today to get started on your next project; you will be happy you did!” STS Remodeling is online at stsremodeling.com – or you can call 206-439-6343 (other contact info is here). Thanks to STS Remodeling for joining the WSB sponsor team, listed here with information on how to become part of it.
Happening today/tonight: Produce, playfield, plans, plus …
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN’S WEEKLY SALE DAY: Every Tuesday through the summer, 4:30-7 pm, fresh produce is on sale at 32nd/Juneau (map), grown in the big beautiful “market garden” tended right there. Here’s our story from opening day two weeks ago.
MUSIC AT ALKI PLAYFIELD: Can’t wait until Thursday night for the next installment of the Admiral Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (6:30 pm, Tom Colwell and the Southbound Odyssey)? Get an early fix of outdoor music tonight, 6 pm, Alki Community Center Playfield.
PLAN WEST SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOODS’ FUTURE: We’ve been talking about this for weeks (here’s last night’s preview) and tonight’s the night. After talking to local neighborhood advocates, we can tell you we are not exaggerating when we say it’s the most important meeting you’ll attend all year. 10 years after the oft-referred “neighborhood plans” for five West Seattle neighborhoods (and Georgetown) were created, are they working? What’s the best course for those neighborhoods’ future? Even if you’re not sure you have anything to say, come to listen, to understand, to support (or even oppose). 6 pm, Delridge Community Center NEW LOCATION: YOUNGSTOWN ARTS CENTER – air-conditioned! (updated 3:23 pm)
BLUE ANGELS’ ARRIVAL: For our fellow fans of the Navy aerial demonstration team that’ll be performing during Seafair (practicing Thursday, shows Friday-Sunday, remember the I-90 bridge closures), #7 arrived Monday (here’s KIRO video) and the other 6 are scheduled to land at Boeing Field this afternoon (2 pm estimate but could be earlier or later) *3:55 pm update, they’re running late, sometime in the next hour to hour and a half…
PASSING WEST SEATTLE’S NORTHERN SHORES TODAY: Another Seafair sight you may see – the U.S. Coast Guard’s first Homeland Security cutter, USCGC Bertholf, is scheduled to arrive today to be part of Fleet Week. (We’re checking with USCG District 13 to see if there’s an approximate time.)
We were just about to update our calendar with word of a September 4th blood drive at the local 
If you like lone-wolf councilmember Nick Licata, you might love
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