West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Just in from WSB/White Center Now contributor Deanie Schwarz – More than 20 law-enforcement vehicles, including several from Seattle Police, rushed to help a King County transit deputy after an attack attempt this past hour in WC. A Sheriff’s Office supervisor told Deanie that the deputy tried to make a routine traffic stop, pulling over the vehicle in a business parking lot at 106th/16th. As the deputy approached the vehicle, the driver threw it into reverse, gunned it, and tried to run over the deputy, according to the KCSO supervisor. Deanie says the call for backup brought cars from Seattle, Burien, and Sound Transit as well as the Sheriff’s Office. The deputy wasn’t hurt; one arrest is reported, and three more people were detained for questioning.
Gas siphoning, or vandalism? One of our two West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight involves a crime that could be either or both; the other involves a car prowler getting scared off – details on both, ahead:Read More
Even without a taste of true summer yet, you’ll want to look ahead to fall if you’re involved with – or thinking about getting involved with – the West Seattle Soccer Club. Fall registration is open now online, and they’re looking for coaches/volunteers as well as signing up players. Returning players who register by June 30th get priority placement on their former teams; after that, players go into the “general pool” for assignment on a space-available basis. Got questions? E-mail wsscboard@gmail.com if you can’t find the answers at westseattlesoccer.org.
(WSDOT photo taken last month in construction zone)
From this afternoon’s downtown meeting of the Alaskan Way Viaduct South Portal Working Group, one of the advisory groups that gets briefed on, and offers opinions about, how the ongoing 99 work and related projects are tying into our part of town:
ANOTHER CLOSURE COMING UP: For about a week, starting at the end of this week – specifics to come – the intersection of East Marginal and Spokane will be closed, according to the Port’s Mike Merritt. It’s because of ongoing work on the Port of Seattle’s East Marginal Grade Separation Project – the ramp-resembling structure you see off to the south when heading east on the high-rise West Seattle Bridge. He didn’t have full details – we will check with the Port tomorrow – but also said the project is moving toward “substantial completion in September.”
AHEAD OF SCHEDULE: As for the Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct south-end work, which is now in full swing, project leader Matt Preedy told the advisory group that it’s “ahead of schedule.”
On the West Seattle Water Taxi‘s downtown pier about an hour ago, King County Ferry District board chair Joe McDermott and member Larry Phillips honored the crew who rescued a diver. Here’s our coverage from May 10th, including a photo of the Rachel Marie just off Seacrest during the rescue. As was recounted in coverage that day, Captain Neal Amaral maneuvered the passenger ferry into place, and crewmember Aaron Barnett jumped into the water till the diver was safely secured into a sling.
Also honored (our video shows the short ceremony in its entirety), their fellow crewmembers Frank Massaro – who received a citation last year from the U.S. Coast Guard for rescuing a man in the water near Pier 50 – and engineer Vik Misic. All of their roles in the rescue are recapped in today’s county news release – click ahead to read it in its entirety:Read More
Significant changes for two long-in-the-works West Seattle projects – one in scope, one in cost:
MORE RESIDENTIAL UNITS, LESS COMMERCIAL SPACE: The long-idled project at 42nd/Oregon in The Junction (map), replacing those three houses and a fourth that made a much-watched move last summer, has changed plans, and architects. When the project went through city review back in 2008-2009, it had 89 residential units, and 20,000 square feet of commercial space. Now the owners are asking for revisions to their master-use permit, proposing 135 residential units and 2,900 square feet of commercial space. The building would remain at 7 stories (as originally planned); the underground parking garage would increase to 137 spaces, from 121. The new architects, JBDG (which designed Arrowhead Gardens on the southeastern edge of West Seattle), are scheduled to be part of a community meeting that Junction Neighborhood Organization president Erica Karlovits announced is scheduled two weeks from tonight, 6 pm June 15th, at the Senior Center of West Seattle.
Another project with a notable change:
(CLICK IMAGE FOR FULL-SIZE VERSION: Top of the rendering is west)
DENNY PROJECT PRICE RISES: As pointed out by the Save Seattle Schools site team, previewing the agenda for tonight’s Seattle School Board meeting: Board members are being asked to approve another $1.2 million for the project to tear down the old Denny International Middle School and put in six tennis courts, a softball field, and an “informal playfield,” while leaving room for a potential future new elementary school (the sports facilities are replacing the ones torn out to build the new Denny next to Sealth). The board approved a $4.9 million contract with BNBuilders last December; now they’re being asked to raise that to $6.1 million for reasons including:
The cost of this project includes funds to address several issues identified during the preconstruction phase. A larger than expected amount of unsuitable existing soils was discovered during the … pre-construction services phase. Funds to remove and replace these soils are included in this contract amendment. Additional hazardous materials abatement work was identified and is funded in this contract amendment. Additional electrical services are also included for possible future use.
Tonight’s school-board meeting is at district HQ in SODO at 6 pm; the Denny cost change is item 10 on the list of “introduction” items. A community meeting on the demolition/construction project is set for June 14th (more details in our original preview).
You might find a door-to-door political canvasser outside your home or apartment tomorrow night – and thanks to a heads-up from Diane, we can tell you in advance, they’re legitimate. They will be asking people to support a potential city ordinance requiring that employers provide paid sick days. The notice Diane shared says that canvassers will gather at Pioneer Coffee (2536 Alki SW) at 5:30 pm Thursday, heading out to West Seattle neighborhoods over the ensuing two hours.
If you don’t frequent the WSB Forums, you’ve missed members’ updates on the “Nickelsville” homeless camp that is now in its third week at the same city-owned West Seattle site where it was founded three years ago. 
Though the city administration then led by its namesake booted the camp in 2008, leading to a series of moves, Mayor McGinn is not planning to try to evict it, as reported here two weeks ago.
Shortly after that report, two Forum members told the story of a third who became homeless and is now living at the camp, and that led to questions about how to help. Several discussions have followed, including updates from new Nickelsville resident Mike, and now a bigger event is being organized: A June 18th potluck dinner. The plan is taking shape here; to feed the estimated 100 residents, plus visitors, is a big order, but with many participants, each contributor won’t have to add much. If you can provide food but can’t take it to the camp yourself, arrangements are also being made to help with that. As for other ways in which people are helping out – check out this Forums thread; the water supply is even receiving assistance (and another update is here). More updates to come, including a two-part report on Nickelsville security by Joanne Brayden and Kevin McClintic (who took the 5/16 photo reused here), who previously told the story of Mike’s move.
Now that Zippy’s Giant Burgers has celebrated its reopening (WSB coverage here), the next restaurant-opening question peppering the WSB inbox is: When will A Terrible Beauty open in The Junction? WSB contributor Katie Meyer has been checking frequently on its progress (including taking the photo of the sign that went up last week). Katie says the latest word from co-proprietor Jenna is that they probably are still a couple weeks out, much as they wish things were moving faster. (The site has been given an extensive facelift as well as much interior work; previous exterior touches covered here included the stonework and the green paint; it’s only been a bit over two months since the Renton-founded Irish restaurant/pub announced its West Seattle expansion plans for the California/Edmunds NE corner.)
One by one, Seattle Public Schools have been switching over to the district’s new standardized website format, and the latest announcement comes from West Seattle High School, which you will now find online at westseattlehs.seattleschools.org. By next school year, the district says, they’ll roll out more personalized features for students and their families to use to access school-related information. In the meantime, this morning’s note from WSHS principal Ruth Medsker points to a survey for feedback on the new site – find it here.
Chief Sealth International High School launched the new format earlier this month (chiefsealthhs.seattleschools.org); both of West Seattle’s middle schools are using it now (dennyms.seattleschools.org and madisonms.seattleschools.org); but it appears some of the elementaries are still in the process of switching over (Schmitz Park announced last week that it’s now at schmitzparkes.seattleschools.org; we also found Gatewood at gatewoodes.seattleschools.org and Sanislo at sanisloes.seattleschools.org). Previously – we can say as one of the (probably) few organizations whose work involved frequently visiting all the schools’ sites – it was a free-form case of “every school for itself,” sometimes not only in the design, but also the URLs, with a lot of volunteer power involved.
(Band-tailed pigeon, photographed by Liz near Schmitz Park)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
HIGHWAY 99 CONSTRUCTION/TRAFFIC/PLANNING: As previewed here Tuesday, the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project South Portal Working Group meets at 4 pm, board room at Union Station (details here), with the agenda including an update on the south-end construction work and how it’s affecting traffic, plus what’s next.
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL TALKS TRIANGLE, AND MORE: Also previewed here Tuesday, the SWDC meets at the South Seattle Community College board room (here’s how to find it) at 7 pm, agenda including Triangle planning, SW Alaska “rechannelization,” and the Department of Neighborhoods‘ new director.
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES COMMUNITY MEETING: Though the meeting is on Vashon, it’s for all the communities along the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route. 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the McMurray Middle School Multi-Purpose Room, 9329 SW Cemetery Road on Vashon Island (map), assistant state transportation secretary David Moseley will be on hand to discuss the 2011 Legislative session outcomes, the new vessel program, the fare proposal process, and route-specific issues.
SIFF AT THE ADMIRAL: The SIFF showings continue at the Admiral Theater; tonight at 6:30 pm, it’s “The Hunter” (Iran); at 9 pm, “Dance Town” (South Korea); details and ticket info here.
AUTHORS READ: At C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW) from 7 pm – 8 pm, West Seattle writers Harold Taw and Elizabeth Austen will read from and sign copies of their new books. His debut novel is titled “Adventures of the Karaoke King”; her new collection of poetry is titled “Every Dress A Decision.”
‘WAAAY OFF BROADWAY’: It’s opening night for Schmitz Park Elementary‘s musical review, 6:30 pm at West Seattle High School.
UP EARLY?: Westside Professionals business-networking group meets at 8 am at The Kenney, 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW. (find out more about them on Facebook).
Can you spare a few minutes to help us evaluate the present and look to the future? We appreciate any time you can take to answer “4 Questions for You, from WSB.” Considering we buried the link’s debut at the end of a loooong story late Monday night, we’re heartened by how many people still managed to find it and use it. But in case you missed that link, here it is again. We hope you’ll consider taking a few minutes to answer those 4 questions sometime in the next few days (we’re only keeping it up for a week, figuring that most regulars will have seen it by then). Thank you!
| 2 COMMENTS