Dates are now set for the next meetings of the Alaskan Way Viaduct/Seawall Replacement Project‘s South Portal and North Portal working groups. Those meetings will be the first since Mayor Mike McGinn announced last Thursday (WSB coverage here) that he will ask the City Council to approve a May special election to ask voters to pay $241 million in property taxes for faster-than-scheduled seawall repairs. (About $12 per $100,000 of property value, for each of 30 years; 60% voter approval required.) In the days since that announcement, we’ve collected reaction from 4 of the West Seattleites on the Viaduct/Seawall “working groups,” as well as from West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who now chairs the Council’s Transportation Committee. Read on for what they have to say.Read More
Jennifer Giuffreshared that photo taken today on a West Seattle beach, where a baby harbor seal rested in the sun. After the photo came in, we asked a followup about whether Seal Sitters were notified; we’re awaiting the answer, but in the meantime, we see they have an update on their website tonight about an ailing pup that spent some time today on shore. Whether it’s the same pup or not, it’s another occasion to make note of how to contact Seal Sitters if you spot a pup – all the info’s here (and you can pop their hotline into your phone – 206-905-SEAL). TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Robin Lindsey from Seal Sitters tells WSB this is definitely the same ailing pup they were watching yesterday. She adds:
We are on the lookout today, but two early sweeps have yet to turn up anything. Off on another one here in a minute and are awaiting word from NOAA as to whether the pup would be taken to PAWS for treatment if he shows up. He’s a small pup, but body weight was pretty good. The fact that he is hauling in and out is a good sign.
Fast-forwarding – two meetings of note in West Seattle tomorrow night: The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council is back in action after skipping December (as do many local community groups), and a hot topic’s on the agenda: A rep from the Seattle Police Traffic Unit is expected at the meeting to talk about issues including red-light cameras (West Seattle has two – 35th/Avalon and 35th/Thistle). That meeting’s at 7 pm, Southwest Precinct (map). Meantime, Sustainable West Seattle also meets at 7 tomorrow night (Senior Center of West Seattle at California/Oregon; map), with Coordinating Council elections plus an appearance by new City Councilmember Mike O’Brien – a full preview of the meeting is on the Sustainable WS website.
Seems like it’s all about Lincoln Park today – this is the third item in which it’s factored, but undeniably the most pleasant – Gatewood resident Pam from Nerd’s Eye View shares that video from a walk along the LP waterfront. She observed that this is one of those afternoons in which West Seattle is definitely “paradise.” Meantime, Rob and Patricia Shiras shared this photo of an eagle seen near their Seaview home: “We see the eagle almost every day and sometimes just circles above us. The eagle gets chased away by the crows and seagulls.”
Monica e-mailed us to say she’s organizing a Dine Around Seattle fundraiser for Haiti citywide next Sunday – in West Seattle, she says, La Rustica is the first one who’s joined, but she’s looking for more participants. Interested restaurants can contact her at tastyfeast@gmail.com – more info online at tastyfeast.com. (Monica also says anyone who’s closed Sundays can choose to donate a portion of proceeds from another night of their choice.)
Unrelated to the downed tree along the Lincoln Park waterfront path, two people e-mailed us about LP parking being off-limits today; our photo above shows the gated-and-empty central parking lot along Fauntleroy north of Rose. This posted note on the park’s kiosks seems to explain:
The fine print: Last Friday and tomorrow are the first of this year’s unpaid-furlough days for Seattle Parks staff, and of course those are bookending today’s holiday. This post from Parkways explains how the department’s splitting up those days – but it doesn’t include specific impacts such as gated parking lots; the notice does say that some gates may not be open as a result of furloughs, but “the park is open.” Today, that meant a lot of street parking usage, though after 3 pm the west side of Fauntleroy is off-limits because of ferry traffic.
ORIGINAL 3:26 PM REPORT: Have received several notes/texts about this – there’s a dog running on the westbound West Seattle Bridge, reportedly near Admiral and in the left lane/on the shoulder. First note we received says help’s been called. 5:22 PM UPDATE: Dog and owner will be reunited, thanks in the end to the folks who e-mailed and texted about the situation. We also posted to Facebook and Twitter; long story short, via FB, a friend of the dog’s owner says the owner has called police, the dog’s OK, reunion’s impending. 5:37 PM UPDATE: Owner Christel confirms, in comments:
I HAVE MY DOG BACK!!!! Thank you all SOOOO much!!! All the help was amazing! This is the first time he has ever run away and I had no idea what to do! The West Seattle Blog, FB and tweeting saved my dog!!! Thank you to all! P.S. His name is Arrow. Love to all!!
And throw in texting and e-mail too (shoutout to Carrie Ann and Debbie). Glad Arrow is safe.
Story and photos by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog/White Center Now
A joint event between the Southwest Boys and Girls Club, the Red Cross andHOPE worldwide at Greenbridge (map) combined messages of civil rights and disaster preparedness to honor and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.
The event was kicked off by the Seahawks’ Blue Thunder drummers and an opening speech by North Highline Fire District Fire Chief Scott LaVielle. Chief LaVielle spoke about fire safety— which is being highlighted by the Red Cross — and quoted from speeches by John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy to highlight the importance of caring for our communities.
Red Cross Coordinator Beth Jusino notes that MLK Day is viewed by her organization as “A day on, not a day off” in service to the community. After the event, volunteers dispersed into the Greenbridge neighborhood to place door-hangers regarding fire safety and earthquake preparedness at the surrounding homes. The information is printed in both English and Spanish. (In case you’re not in the area flyered – here’s the Red Cross’s infopage on fire safety.)
Jusino adds that in light of the Haitian earthquake, people have opened their hearts to the world community; today, people are focusing on opening their hearts to their local community – and the volunteers who are spreading the word about helping each other, locally and globally.
(May 2009 photo by John Loftus)
Last year, more than 1,000 people turned out to run, walk and raise money for West Seattle schools in the first-ever West Seattle 5K on Alki. Registration has just opened for this year’s second annual West Seattle 5K – May 23, organized again this year by, and benefiting, the West Seattle High School PTSA – and WSB has joined the team as a co-sponsor. There’s a 25% discount for early registration – you can start from this page.
Blustery night in West Seattle – no power outages reported here but Kimberley spotted this downed tree across the main Lincoln Park waterfront path early today. For more perspective on the location, here’s a wider shot – showing the picnic shelters on either side of the tree.
Per the latest forecast, the wind advisory’s still in effect a while longer this morning – though it’s certainly a lot calmer out there right now than it was around, oh, say, 3 am, when official hourly observations recorded 45 mph gusts at Alki Point. 12:33 PM UPDATE: Krista sends an even-more-recent photo of the tree:
City offices are closed today but we will check tomorrow on whether they’re coping with any other damage after this morning’s wind.
January 15 – last Friday – was the 81st anniversary of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. This Wednesday marks the 24th anniversary of the first time King Day was celebrated as a national holiday (Jan. 20, 1986). Dr. King’s only visit to Seattle happened in November 1961 (here’s the HistoryLink.org story about it). Today (presidential proclamation here), here’s some of what you need to know about the holiday:
HOW TO HELP:
Two MLK Day of Service opportunities for volunteering in West Seattle/White Center:
*Nature Consortium welcomes volunteers for its Pigeon Point Park work party, 9:30 am-3 pm (map; more info here)
*WestSide Baby needs volunteers to help sort, 2-5 pm (full details here)
(Photo courtesy WestSide Baby)
Just in from WestSide Baby‘s Nancy Woodland – another MLK Day of Service opportunity:
WestSide Baby would love extra hands on MLK Day! We’ve received so many donations of clothes since the holidays, we could really use extra teen or adult hands to sort through all the donations. We inspect each article of clothing for cleanliness and condition before we shelve it by size so it’s ready for another volunteer to place it in an order for local children in need.
We will be open extra hours on Monday from 2-5pm for up to 15 volunteers! It’s a great opportunity for high schoolers looking for service hours on their day off. Please let us know you are coming by emailing sarah@westsidebaby.org.
We will also have our regular third Thursday Sorting Frenzy this Thursday evening from 7-9 pm!
Dates are now set for the next meetings of the 
| 13 COMMENTS