West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Karen Spiel is leaving the Delridge Library – but it’s not part of the budget cuts related to the schedule changes that kick in next month (as reported here earlier today). At the North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting at the library tonight, she revealed she’s being promoted to manage eight branches including Queen Anne, Magnolia, Ballard, Fremont and Capitol Hill. Spiel’s been a librarian in West Seattle since the 1990s; her successor will be Steve Delvecchio, who will manage the Columbia branch as well as Delridge. (At another meeting happening concurrently – Southwest District Council – we got the scoop on the rest of the final West Seattle library lineup: Jane Appling says she’s managing Southwest and South Park branches, Sibyl De Haan will be in charge of High Point and West Seattle [Admiral].)
More from the NDNC meeting – including changes it’s facing because of the library changes, and more – ahead:Read More
Story and photo by Jonathan Stumpf
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Two design options for the Fairmount Playfield playground were revealed tonight at the second public meeting about the project.
A small group convened at the High Point Library, where Parks Department employees Pamela Alspaugh and Kelly Davidson unveiled two design plans for the playground. The finalized plans are the result of the December meeting that we covered here, with suggestions made about the feel of the playground and what features were important to residents.
Davidson, the project manager, briefly discussed the two designs, emphasizing the important takeaways from the December meeting, specifically that the playground should have a “natural feel,” “allow for imaginary play” and something “iconic should be included that will bring people to the park.”
Alspaugh revealed the two plans:
We start tonight’s Crime Watch roundup with some information on an incident that several people have e-mailed tonight to ask about – another guns-drawn arrest on The Bridge late this morning. We started checking on it after one note then, but didn’t get enough details to report until we saw Southwest Precinct Lt. Norm James and Lt. Steve Paulsen at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting (separate report to come). Lt. James says it started as a domestic-violence incident in northeast West Seattle – the call went out to watch for a certain vehicle with a suspect who apparently has had encounters with police before; after a brief pursuit the vehicle was stopped on The Bridge, and the numerous police vehicles that had been engaged in “containment” to try to catch the suspect pre-bridge flocked to the scene. The domestic-violence victim, Lt. James says, was not seriously hurt. Now, on to several reports including graffiti – with a request for ideas – a car theft, and a car break-in:Read More
It’s going on 24 hours since our last update on any sort of impending West Seattle eatery, and, well, we can’t have that, so here’s another one. In November, WSB contributing reporter Mary Sheely first told the story of the West Seattle couple that’s bringing Heavenly Pastry and Cake to 2604 California SW, the Admiral storefront between Linda’s Flowers and Gifts and Alki Bike and Board; this week, she noticed posters in the window (top photo) and checked in on their progress. Proprietors Allison Barnes and Michael Stein say they have buttoned up the lease and started painting; they’re also “experimenting in the ‘Test Kitchen’ on some tasty goodies to add to our range.” They hope to be open “fairly early in spring,” as this display in the window hints:
The ceremony didn’t get quite the attention that similar events at City Hall and the County Courthouse did, but three Seattle Port Commissioners have taken the oath of office this week too. Above, newly elected commissioner Rob Holland, who is making history as the first African-American Seattle Port Commissioner; he was sworn in Tuesday by former Governor John Spellman. Below, new Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn administered the oath to John Creighton (below left) and Tom Albro was sworn in by son Nate.
All five commissioners’ bios are here; their meeting schedule – first, second and fourth Tuesdays, alternating locations, is here. (Photos courtesy Port of Seattle)
If you’re in eastern West Seattle, or somewhere close to Boeing Field, you might have seen/heard a familiar summertime sound today – yes, that was a Blue Angels jet (the two-seater #7); here’s KING5 video with the proof. Seafair says pilots #7 and #8 were here for the annual winter briefing meetings. This year’s air show is set for August 6-8.
Seattle Public Library has officially announced the new hours/schedules that take effect February 3rd because of city budget cuts. As part of the changes, two West Seattle libraries will change to five-day-a-week schedules, while the other two will be open seven days a week. As of February 3, Delridge and High Point will be the 5-day-a-week branches, with hours 1-8 pm Mondays-Tuesdays, 11 am-6 pm Wednesdays-Thursdays, 11 am-6 pm Saturdays, closed Fridays and Sundays. Southwest and West Seattle (Admiral) will be the 7-day-a-week branches, with hours 10 am-8 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 10 am-6 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 1-5 pm Sundays. The full citywide list is here.
That photo’s from last year’s “Have a Heart Day” fundraiser at longtime WSB sponsor Illusions Hair Design – where they’re now making appointments for this year’s “Have a Heart Day.” This year, all proceeds from haircuts that day (men’s and women’s, but according to Illusions, “no chemical services”) will go to West Seattle Food Bank – they choose a different charity every year. They’ll also collect canned-food donations, and people who bring one in will get a chance at a “special retail promotion.” One thing different this year – Have a Heart Day is on a SATURDAY – this is the 17th annual event, and it’s always been the Sunday before Valentine’s Day, but since the Super Bowl is on that day this year, “Have a Heart Day” is on Saturday 2/6 instead, 10 am-3 pm. Prices will be $5 off regular cost; ALL proceeds go to the WS Food Bank – the staff is donating their services for the day. You must have an appointment, and you can call right now to make one – 206-938-3675. Heather at Illusions adds, “We like to limit the amount of credit card usage for this day so cash & checks are preferred.” More info if you scroll down this page on Illusions’ site.
Shannon Schinagl and the rest of the team at the Delridge Branch Library are excited about a new addition just announced for the library’s free Story Time lineup. For the first time, they’re offering Vietnamese Story Time, four Saturday mornings 11:15-11:45, starting January 15. Here’s the flyer, in Vietnamese and English.
Just in from the mayor’s office – a city official from Renton is coming to work in Seattle as the successor to Department of Transportation director Grace Crunican, who announced her resignation nine days ago – read on for the announcement:Read More
E-mail asking “what’s that ramp being built alongside the West Seattle Bridge?” reminded us it’s been a while since the last formal update on the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project. The first phase involves that ramp you can see while driving the stretch of The Bridge between 99 and I-5; it will bring traffic off the eastbound bridge onto 4th, with one lane turning southbound (toward Costco), the other turning northbound (toward SODO and downtown). When we checked in with SDOT to ask about a construction photo – receiving the ones you see in this story – Marybeth Turner shared the brand-new mailer that should land in 35,000 West Seattle and SODO mailboxes today and tomorrow. In it: Dates are set for some key closures related to the projects – including one that’s happening sooner than first announced:
(date updated at noon) JANUARY 22: That’s when the two-phase shutdown of the rest of lower westbound Spokane Street will begin — first the road will be closed between 6th and 4th Avenues South; then February 1st, the closure will extend to East Marginal Way. SDOT says the closure will continue until the project is complete in 2012; the westbound side is where the new structure, doubling the width of the Spokane Street Viaduct, will be built.
(date updated at noon) JANUARY 22: The second major shutdown is a permanent one – the offramp to 4th Avenue South from the westbound SSV will be closed and demolished.
MAY: The exact date isn’t finalized yet, but this is when the ramp from 1st/Spokane to the westbound bridge will be permanently closed. Once that happens, until the new 1st Avenue South on/offramp is ready in late 2011, you will have to use either I-5 or 99 to get onto The Bridge.
SDOT also says you’ll see lane closures from time to time along the way, and temporary ramp closures such as one coming up January 22-24, 10 pm-6 am each night, from southbound I-5 to The Bridge. It’s not all about shutdowns, though – this summer, eastbound lower Spokane Street will reopen, and this fall is when the new 4th Avenue ramp will be ready to go.
This is all detailed in the flyer that’s just been mailed; if you don’t want to wait for it, you can see the whole thing here. (Our archived coverage of the Spokane Street Viaduct project is here.) NOON UPDATE: The city has sent a formal announcement of all this to media – and has already changed a couple of dates this morning; SDOT now says the 4th offramp and lower Spokane from 6th to 4th will all close on the same date, January 22. Read on to see the latest construction schedule from the news release – and note, these changes were made AFTER the aforementioned mailer went out, so they supersede what you will see if/when you get it:Read More
(Photo by Guy Smith – debris on west Alki after Tuesday’s 13+ foot high tide – another 9:08 am today)
It’s the busiest day/night so far this new year. Among the highlights:
FAIRMOUNT PLAYGROUND PROJECT, MEETING #2: 6:30 tonight, it’s the second of two public meetings to talk about what’s in store for the playground at Fairmount Playfield, earmarked for an overhaul thanks to $170,000 from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy. Safety and accessibility improvements are the main goals of the project, but the overall design is up for public discussion and that’s what tonight is about. Here’s our coverage of the first meeting; the official notes are on the city webpage for the project. Tonight’s meeting is at High Point Library (35th/Raymond).
BE GREEN WHILE YOU CLEAN: Tonight’s the hands-on demonstration event that CoolMom is presenting at Bridge Park – they dub the format “make and take.” 7 pm; RSVP via Evite.
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: Reps from neighborhood and community groups all around the western half of the peninsula meet at 7 tonight for the first time in two months, with the agenda including a transit discussion featuring SDOT reps, plus council co-chair Chas Redmond’s presentation on the West Seattle Tool Lending Library, a project that Sustainable West Seattle is spearheading. Since the last SWDC meeting, by the way, Redmond and Jim Del Ciello, who represents Admiral on the council, have been elected chair and vice chair, respectively, of the City Neighborhood Council. SWDC meets in the board room at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor).
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Scheduled for 6:30 pm, Delridge Library. Last time around, in December (WSB coverage here), the group started talking about setting up committees focused on specific neighborhood issues.
SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD: As noted a few days ago, tonight’s agenda as the board meets at 6 pm at district HQ in SODO (map) includes finalizing details of this fall’s transition to the new Student Assignment Plan, as well as other action items such as approving the sale of more of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse property. (If you can’t be there in person, the meeting will be on cable channel 22.)
“THREE AMIGOS”: The movie series at Freshy’s Coffee (2735 California SW) resumes tonight with comedy cinema – 7 pm. Here’s the event listing on Facebook.
Even more events for today/tonight can be found on the WSB West Seattle Events page, including yoga and Tai Chi classes this morning.
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