day : 02/03/2013 9 results

First, happening right now, police have taken someone into custody from a Metro bus stopped in Fauntleroy, after an incident at the 35th/Barton 7-11. We’re not clear from scanner reports whether the store was robbed or the clerk assaulted by an armed person, or both; we’re following up. (Sunday morning note: Official information isn’t available yet, but one commenter offers a report.)

Also in Crime Watch, a stolen vehicle to watch for: Tod says his work van, white and bearing the company name Leibold Communications on its door, with a ladder rack on its roof, was stolen from Fauntleroy/Brandon last night. Call 911 if you see it.

Third West Seattle sewage problem in 3 weeks: Barton Pump Station overflow

March 2, 2013 10:07 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle news

10:07 PM: Another West Seattle beach has or will soon have a warning sign up about a sewage problem. We first got a reader tip tonight about sewage overflowing at the Barton Pump Station in the 5 pm to 7:30 pm vicinity, and as we were about to seek verification, an announcement came in from King County Wastewater Treatment Division with this news:

An undetermined amount of wastewater overflowed from a blown cap on a pipe north of the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal at about 7 p.m. To stop the leak, crews temporarily shut down one of the pumps to slow flows and reduce pressure in the line. The system resumed normal operation, though the cause of the overflow is still under investigation.

Crews initiated cleanup this evening and reported the overflow to health and regulatory agencies. Employees will make additional assessments, post the beach as closed, and take water quality samples when daylight resumes.

In response to our followup question about when it started, KCWTD spokesperson Annie Kolb-Nelson says she can’t confirm the start time but “we got a report from a State Ferry employee who said he noticed it at dusk, but the stop time sounds correct.” The beach on the north side of the dock is already off-limits to the public because of the pump station’s ongoing upgrade project, but there are residential beaches to the south of the dock and immediately north of the pump-station work.

This is the third recent sewage problem along West Seattle shores: Just a week and a half ago, Murray Pump Station, about a mile north, had an overflow estimated at 18,000 gallons when it lost power during a Seattle City Light outage in the vicinity; also last month, pipe problems at the over-water Harbor West Condos building led to leakage estimated by Seattle Public Utilities at around 30,000 gallons.

ADDED 11:13 PM: We should also note that it is the second problem the county has reported at this particular pump station in less than a week. The previous one – which was NOT reported to have caused an overflow – was a power outage last Wednesday.

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West Seattle’s Transitional Resources receives RealNetworks grant, too

March 2, 2013 9:43 pm

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| Luna Park | West Seattle news

After publishing the news earlier this week that West Seattle Helpline received a $10,000 grant from the RealNetworks Foundation, we found out Helpline wasn’t alone: Transitional Resources, headquartered in the Luna Park neighborhood, has received one too. Above are TR’s CEO Darcell Slovek-Walker and RNF’s Kevin Johnson. A TR spokesperson tells WSB, “This grant will go so far in helping us expand our onsite chemical-dependency services to provide intensive substance abuse help to our clients. We are so happy to see their support for the organizations in West Seattle who are doing so much for the community!”

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West Seattle pets: Celtic Swell costume contest on St. Patrick’s Day eve – for people, too

March 2, 2013 5:36 pm

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| Holidays | Pets | West Seattle news

St. Patrick’s Day is on a Sunday this year – two weeks from tomorrow – and that means an entire 3-day weekend of revelry at The Celtic Swell on Alki – featuring a costume contest for “Pets and Their People.” It’ll run 2-4 pm on Saturday, March 16th, per the announcement we received today:

Labs dressed-up like leprechauns! Shar peis with shillelaghs! Bulldogs boasting bagpipes! There’s no telling what you’ll see when Alki’s Celtic Swell Irish Pub hosts its first annual St. Patrick’s Day “Pets & Their People” Costume Contest featuring a free photo booth and prizes to benefit the Seattle Humane Society. The family-and-pet-friendly event is a must-do for everyone seeking festive and memorable St. Paddy’s Day fun.

Guests are invited to dress up their pets (and themselves) in St. Pat’s day garb, mug it up Irish-style in the Celtic Swell’s free photo booth, and win incredible prizes donated by some of the area’s favorite local businesses. Participation is free with all donations benefiting the Seattle Humane Society.

With two Siberian Huskies of his own, Celtic Swell owner Gareth Hughes says the costume contest and the cause felt like a natural fit for the Swell. “This year marks our 9th annual Paddy’s celebration, so we wanted to try something a little different! I can’t think of a better way to get the entire family in on the fun of St. Paddy’s day and give back to invaluable community organizations like the Seattle Humane Society who work tirelessly to promote positive change. Judging from the tremendous positive response we’ve received already, I’m confident this will become a cherished family tradition for years to come.”

Today’s announcement also includes a schedule of other events at Celtic Swell that weekend – see the full list here (PDF). The pub’s on Alki Avenue SW, just east of 61st SW, across from Statue of Liberty Plaza and Alki Bathhouse.

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West Seattle traffic alert: Crash on eastbound WS Bridge; pressure lessens as 99 reopens early

March 2, 2013 3:16 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
3:16 PM: Thanks to everybody who’s texted and tweeted about this: A multiple-vehicle crash on the eastbound bridge around the 1st Avenue South Exit is backing up traffic – compounding the challenges of the Viaduct and southbound I-5 ramp closures. One texter says it appears to be “in the left lane eastbound right after 1st Ave. S. exit.” No other details yet – just getting the warning out for starters. Note that the Viaduct closure is scheduled to end at 5 pm, so the exit to northbound 99 should open then (another 99 closure is scheduled 6 am-noon tomorrow).

3:48 PM UPDATE: Some are asking about the low bridge. This camera’s the only view we have – it shows the west entrance to the eastbound low bridge, in the background, and has been looking fairly backed up:

4:17 PM: The high bridge is still backed up but the low bridge looks to be in better shape (one commenter on Facebook said it appeared to have marine traffic going through earlier).

4:26 PM: Some of the pressure’s being taken off with the slightly early reopening of Highway 99 – all cameras show the exit from the eastbound bridge has been reopened, and traffic is moving on Viaduct/99:

Thanks again to everyone who helped with updates (as long as you can do so safely – no texting/calling if you’re driving, please, we can wait to hear till you get where you’re going!) – 206-293-6302 any time.

6:26 PM UPDATE: We just read the fine print on the later WSDOT confirmation that 99 was open: They are now saying the previously announced Sunday morning closure is no longer needed – not the 99/Viaduct stretch, anyway; there IS still a 6 am-11 am closure planned *north* of Battery St. Tunnel for the Hot Chocolate run.

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Update: Cleaning up Constellation Park with the Beach Creeps

March 2, 2013 1:22 pm

| 17 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
1:22 PM: Those are a few of the two dozen-plus people who were already getting to work on the beach at Constellation Park about an hour ago, with more arriving for the Beach Creeps Bicycle Club Beach Cleanup. It’s not that the beach is full of typical trash – more insidious, to beach and sea life, lots of styrofoam pieces and particles have washed up, and getting some of it out from where it’s mixed up with rocks and driftwood is a key objective. Still time for you to join, since they’re there till 3 – just check in at 63rd/Beach Drive (by the octopus sculpture that’s embedded in the sidewalk). Full report later.

4:54 PM: A closer look at the cleanup as it unfolded, from WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams:

(This photo and all others below are by Nick Adams for WSB)
As they arrived, volunteers were given what they needed, and sent off to work on the rocky beach:

Rachelle Kauffman worked under and between the driftwood:

Sticks made the best tools, as 7-year-old Cooper Guidry also found out:

The cleanup volunteers got some big pieces of debris of the beach, like the one Kris Blazina is hauling away:

Picking up the little things – like bits of styrofoam – mattered a lot too, though:

That’s part of what Scott Pietz was up to:

Background, dark sweatshirt, that’s the club’s publicity chair Michael D. Adams helping scour the shore:

This area of West Seattle shoreline is especially precious because it holds a marine-reserve area.

The cleanup was organized in the span of just a week:

Over the week, it went from a casual idea among friends, to an official capital-e Event that even had to get on the Parks Department radar, for a permit, and also trash pickup.

SUNDAY NOTE: In a just-posted comment, Willis from the Beach Creeps reports more than 40 people signed in as part of the event, and the group is thinking about sequels.

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Happening now: Prudential Northwest Realty food drive in West Seattle, till 2 pm

March 2, 2013 11:41 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

Photographed outside West Seattle Thriftway this morning, that’s broker Chris Hanley and granddaughter Enna Ernst, volunteering for the Prudential Northwest Realty Food Drive, which continues till 2 pm outside Thriftway and Metropolitan Market-Admiral. At either store, you can drop off donations of nonperishable food, money, or other essentials (like diapers!) to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank. (Our standard disclosure, when mentioning sponsors: Prudential NW Realty, West Seattle Thriftway, and Metropolitan Market are all WSB sponsors.)

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Happening now: West Seattle Girl Scouts’ cookie sales, Day 2

March 2, 2013 11:09 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Thanks to Girl Scout Troop 43774 for sharing a photo from their cookie-sale station outside West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) – they’re there till noon, but other Scouts will be there later too (all the way till 8 tonight), and other stores and sites are hosting cookie sellers as well. You can find them all – dates, times, places, troops – via the Cookie Locator. This is day two of cookie-selling season, which continues through March 17th. P.S. See the sign for “Operation Cookie Drop”? Here’s what that’s about.

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West Seattle Saturday: Traffic alerts; community cleanups; food drive; music; more

March 2, 2013 7:54 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Big day ahead – with three road closures to remember, and a multitude of reasons to stay on the peninsula and avoid two of them! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

TRAFFIC ALERTS: Three closures today you need to know about: Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 both ways between the bridge and Battery Street Tunnel, till 5 pm (and again 6 am-noon Sunday); eastbound bridge ramp to southbound I-5, all weekend; Delridge/Trenton intersection, all weekend.

LINCOLN PARK INVASIVES CLEANUP: 9 am to noon, Friends of Lincoln Park will be clearing blackberry canes, ivy, maybe even holly and laurel. Meet at the kiosk in the north parking lot, Fauntleroy and Rose – if you get there late, “check the kiosk map (in the North lot) to see where we are working. … Dress in NW layers for warmth and dryness with sturdy shoes or boots. Long sleeves are recommended. Bring gloves and hand clippers if you have them, but we have extras. Bring a water bottle.”

REALTORS’ FOOD DRIVE: West Seattle’s Prudential Northwest Realty (WSB sponsor) team members are holding their annual food drive, 10 am-2 pm, at West Seattle Thriftway and Metropolitan Market-Admiral (both also WSB sponsors), accepting food and cash donations for the West Seattle Food Bank.

NORTH DELRIDGE BEAUTIFICATION: Join the North Delridge Neighborhood Council‘s March cleanup at Greg Davis Park, 10 am-noon. Just wear comfortable clothes – everything you need will be provided.

FOREST RESTORATION: First of three chances to join the SSCC Ecological Restoration class and others in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, 10 am-2 pm, details here.

HOMEMADE BRIGADE: At Freshy’s Coffee in the Admiral District, arts and crafts bazaar, 10 am-4 pm.

CLEAN UP CONSTELLATION PARK WITH THE ALKI BEACH CREEPS: Today’s the day, noon-3 pm (or join the Beach Creeps Bicycle Club in a ride from El Chupacabra on Alki at 11:30 to get to the cleanup site, 63rd SW and Beach Drive) – details in our final preview from yesterday.

CRAB FEED: Alki Masonic Lodge 152 is raising money for outreach with a crab feed tonight, 5-8 pm, 40th/Edmunds; see the calendar listing for contact info to check if tickets are still available!

EAGLES’ FOOD BANK BENEFIT: Dinner at 5:30, live music at 7:30, at the West Seattle Eagles‘ HQ in The Junction, to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank. Details in this Facebook invite.

YOUTH ARTS SHOWCASE: Original songs by young artists, 6 pm at Youngstown Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), details here.

FOLK MUSIC MARATHON … of live performances to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), details here.

GUITAR MASTER SERIES: Joel Tipke with special guest Ben Arthur, 9:30 pm at Feedback Lounge (6451 California SW; WSB sponsor).

‘ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW’: The classic midnight movie is screened at midnight, first Saturday night of just about every month, at Admiral Theater.

… lots more for today/tonight; just browse the calendar!

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