day : 18/05/2014 10 results

11:35 PM: Northbound Highway 99 is closed in the stadium zone because of a crash involving a motorcycle. Police have closed the ramp from the eastbound West Seattle Bridge, too, since there’s no place to detour before that. Per radio communications, they’re working now to figure out how to reroute the traffic that is already on 99 and now stopped. The closure is likely to last a while, as the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad has been dispatched.

12:27 AM: The motorcycle rider was killed, according to SFD.

NOTE: Official updates have been scarce so far, so the highway might reopen before there’s official word; if you’re heading out early and want an update, you can check this camera to see if traffic has resumed on NB 99.

5:12 AM: According to citywide media, 99 has reopened.

10:56 AM: More details now via a report on SPD Blotter – the rider was a 34-year-old man pronounced dead at the scene (not yet identified by name); police found no evidence that another vehicle was involved, but believe speed was a factor.

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West Seattle weather: Looking ahead to the holiday weekend …

May 18, 2014 9:59 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Click image to see larger view)
Thanks to JayDee for the rain-sun-mix view from Upper Alki – after a day full of sunshine that wasn’t anywhere in the official forecast, but was good news for this morning’s West Seattle 5K (WSB coverage here) and the ensuing Summer Streets on Alki (coverage here and here). Next reason for forecast-fretting: Memorial Day weekend approaches. Right now, the National Weather Service forecast looks a lot like this weekend was supposed to look – cloudy, showery – so here’s hoping that too turns out to be not the case.

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Video: West Seattle Hi-Yu coronates Senior Court Queen Lorelei

May 18, 2014 5:51 pm

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| West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival | West Seattle news

5:51 PM: Coronated at this afternoon’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Tea & Silent Auction: New Senior Court Queen Lorelei McFadden. (Added: Video of the announcement and the crowning of the Senior Court:)

She, Nina Coluccio, and Hang Thao (first male Senior Court candidate since Hi-Yu updated its rules) will reign over this summer’s Hi-Yu events, including parade participation around the region aboard this area’s last community-created float. Queen Lorelei is at center in our photo, with her predecessor April Davis at left, and Miss Seafair Emily Rio Barber. We’ll be expanding this story later with more from this afternoon’s Hall at Fauntleroy event.

ADDED 8:23 PM: Today’s emcee was, from the Seafair Clowns, West Seattle-residing “Officer Lumpy” emceed:

Past royalty at the tea included the 2012 courts – Senior Court Queen Kayli Schulz and Junior Court Princess Elena Kline, Queen Thea Pulido, and Princess Amanda Elders:

And of course, there was tea, in beautiful china:

P.S. Our partners at The Seattle Times also had a photojournalist at the coronation; you can see their photo gallery here.

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Summer Streets on Alki, report #2: Before the rain, the parade!

May 18, 2014 3:51 pm

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| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand, unless otherwise credited)
At least the rain stayed away from Seattle Summer Streets on Alki until after the Alki Beach Creeps‘ second annual Bicycle/Costume Parade. If you weren’t there, here are some of the sights!

Dogs aren’t so rare at the beach – but this might be the first cat we’ve seen join the parade:

Seattle Police led the parade – here’s a quick video clip from the start:

ADDED 4:44 PM: Thanks to Tim for a photo of the parade group at the turnaround point at Don Armeni – and the scenic skyline while the sun was still out:

Were you in the parade (or any other Summer Streets events)? Photo to share? editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

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West Seattle traffic-alert update: 8th north of Roxbury open again after crash closure

May 18, 2014 2:08 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

2:08 PM: A crash on 8th SW just north of Roxbury has blocked both sides of 8th. No serious injuries reported, but you’ll have to detour around it until it’s cleared. Through traffic on Roxbury is not affected by the crash, but the road is narrowed just east of the intersection while an SDOT truck is there for cleanup. Let us know if you go through and it’s clear – we’ll check back around 3.

3:45 PM: Went back over to check as promised – it’s open again.

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Fun on foot and/or on wheels at Seattle Summer Streets on Alki, 1st report

May 18, 2014 12:09 pm

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| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

You’ll have a whale of a time at Seattle Summer Streets this afternoon on Alki Avenue SW – check out the street art by Seal Sitters‘ booth, with a gray whale (and, out of the frame, seal mom and pup) already chalked within moments of the festival’s start, and more to come, including an orca. If you have kids, stop by the booth for a coloring sheet to take home. You can have fun just walking, or bring your bike:

That’s Stu Hennessey, who you’ll find with DIY Bikes. The police are on two wheels, too:

Be at 63rd and Alki at 1 pm for the bike parade – and enjoy activities along the rest of the stretch – updates to come!

ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Thanks to those who shared photos with us – first, from Don Brubeck of West Seattle Bike Connections, the bicycle rodeo:

See more photos in the report on WSBC’s website. And thanks to Paul Twibell for the photo of Bubbleman:

You’ll also see him at the Morgan Junction Community Festival, coming up in about a month (Saturday, June 21st). P.S. Paul shot many more photos at Summer Streets; his Flickr gallery is here.

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: West Seattle 5K draws 830+, and sunshine, for 2014!

May 18, 2014 9:30 am

| Comments Off on VIDEO/PHOTOS: West Seattle 5K draws 830+, and sunshine, for 2014!

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(UPDATED late afternoon with results link)

9:30 AM: The race is on! At 9:20, more than 830 runners and walkers started heading eastward on the West Seattle 5K course, the kickoff to a day of fun on (and in!) Alki Avenue SW, to be followed by the Summer Streets festival until 5 pm.

We’ll be updating WS5K coverage with (more) photos, video, and race winners once they’re in.

9:53 AM: First three finishers among males and females:

Male
======

#1 – Joe Creighton, 34, 16:43

#2 – Kyle Smits, 35, 17:12

#3 – John O’Hearn, 52, 17:48

Female
=======

#1 – Kylen Fountain, 25, 20:09

#2 – Angela Wecker, 29, 20:49

#3 – Alisha Winger, 34, 21:36

West Seattle High School principal Ruth Medsker was the official race starter:

That’s her with race emcee Eric Radovich. The WSHS PTSA presents the WS5K every year, to raise money for student needs beyond what basic budgets cover.

11:02 AM: More race scenes – top female finisher Kylen Fountain with her aunt Karen Berge, who ran today too:

You might know Karen for her community involvement – West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network, West Seattle Be Prepared, among other things – and you’ll see her tabling at today’s Summer Streets, too. Meantime – good thing the race didn’t have the “no shirt, no shoes, no …” rule:

That’s Beach Drive resident Bob Divers with no place for the bib or chip. By the way, if you haven’t even come to watch the WS5K, let alone run in it, it’s fun on the sidelines too:

In addition to more photos, we recorded our traditional everybody-leaving-the-finish-line video and will add that when it’s ready. (Added: Here it is!)

4:23 PM UPDATE: The full list of results is live online – find it here.

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West Seattle Sunday: WS 5K, Summer Streets, Zumbathon, Hi-Yu coronation, clothing swap, more!

May 18, 2014 8:05 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

You know summer’s almost here when the list of calendar highlights gets this long!

WEST SEATTLE 5K: Shortly after 9, the fundraising run organized again this year by the West Seattle High School PTSA heads east from the Alki Bathhouse to Duwamish Head and back, with Alki Avenue SW closed until about 11 am as a result. If you see this before 9, you can still sign up (by Alki Bathhouse) and run or walk!

FARMERS’ MARKET: Every Sunday all year long, you’ll find fresh local food and beverages at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm. (44th/Alaska)

SUMMER STREETS ON ALKI: Right after the West Seattle 5K, starting at 11 am, it’s a day full of fun in the street, with Alki SW closed between 56th and 63rd – walking, biking, scooting, just hanging out. The biggest activity of the day is the Alki Beach Creeps‘ second annual Bicycle/Costume Parade, starting from the west end of the festival zone – 63rd/Alki – at 1 pm. On-scene coverage coming up!

HUMAN TRAFFICKING – YES, IT HAPPENS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: What you don’t know about human trafficking can hurt you (and its victims). It’s the signature issue right now for the West Seattle Democratic Women, who are facilitating a presentation at 11:30 am at Fauntleroy Church – details in our calendar listing. (9140 California SW)

FRIENDS OF MORGAN JUNCTION PARKS WORK PARTY: Noon-3 pm, at the triangle parklet next to West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), join Friends of Morgan Junction Parks for spring cleanup/arborizing – details here. (Fauntleroy/Morgan, just east of California)

ZUMBATHON BENEFITING TRANSITIONAL RESOURCES: Spend part of your afternoon dancing for a good cause – Transitional Resources, which helps people living with mental illness. 1-3 pm at the West Seattle Christian Church Activity Center in The Junction; here’s our preview. (4400 42nd SW)

WEST SEATTLE HI-YU TEA/CORONATION: Who will reign as Senior Court Queen or King over this year’s Hi-Yu events? Today’s the day we’ll find out, with the coronation happening during the Hi-Yu Tea/Silent Auction fundraiser at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 2-5 pm; details here. (9140 California SW)

CLOTHING SWAP TO BENEFIT EARLY DAYS: The support group for new parents is the beneficiary of tonight’s Ladies’ Clothing Swap at Chaco Canyon Organic Café in The Triangle, 6-8 pm – details here. (38th/Alaska)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT ALERTS: Alki Avenue SW closures for West Seattle 5K, Summer Streets

May 18, 2014 7:05 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WSB photo, signage on 59th at Alki)
One more reminder now that Sunday is here: Today’s the big doubleheader on Alki Avenue SW – the West Seattle 5K run/walk just after 9 am, closing the waterfront road to Duwamish Head until about 11, and then a shorter closure, Alki SW between 56th and 63rd, for the Seattle Summer Streets “car-free day” festival until 5 pm.

(SDOT map)
As always, we’ll have coverage all day, once things get going. And you can still be in the 5K (which we’re co-sponsoring again this year) even if you didn’t pre-register – the final signups start at 8 am by the Alki Bathhouse (map).

TRANSIT: Reroute information for today – Route 50 here; Water Taxi shuttle Route 775 here.

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Video: Benchview battle’s new tactic – projection protest – as City Council’s small-lot vote nears

May 18, 2014 1:44 am

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| Development | West Seattle news

On Monday afternoon, the City Council’s expected to take its final vote on changes to what can be built on “small lots” in single-family zones. Councilmember Mike O’Brien – who chairs the Planning, Land Use, Sustainability Committee – explains the changes on the city website, and points out, that type of development is not being banned. Instead, restrictions are proposed, as well as new rules for how and when neighbors will get notice of changes.

Small-lot development has been a sore spot for some neighborhoods around the city, including one in West Seattle that has been caught up in it for more than a year and is trying to get out a last-minute pre-vote message – by projecting it onto a new house to which it objects, using a new nickname for these types of houses: “Billboard boxes.” (And a Facebook page spinning off the nickname.) We shot the video above as the messages scrolled through around 10:30 Saturday night.

Benchview is on northwest Charlestown hill (map), near the upper reaches of Schmitz Park. We told its story last year, starting in January, as neighbors slugged it out with the city over a lot-splitting plan that followed purchase of a house whose longtime owner had died, and that sought two larger homes next to that original house. The highlighted area below was the site as shown in the county system in July 2013, pre-split:

(3650 55th SW is the original address of the site; map is from King County Parcel Viewer)
Here’s how the trisected site appears in the system now:

The somewhat-L-shaped lot beneath the shrunken 3650 55th SW is where the protest projection was made onto the south side of a new house. (Added Sunday morning – the daylight view:)

(back to original report) Neighborhood spokesperson Dave Allen was outside when we stopped by Saturday night, and had done an interview with a TV station.

Back to the background: Allen and other neighbors took the fight to court and won one round, believing the ruling would limit the site to one new house, but then, late last summer, the city approved boundary revisions enabling two houses.

In the ensuing months, the city has been working through changes to the rules/conditions that have led to similar situations around the city. The Benchview case has been cited by multiple sides of the debate. What’s going to be voted on Monday has already been amended and tweaked, and Benchview’s contention is that it just creates “new loopholes,” with hundreds more homes still to be allowed on smaller lots around the city. Councilmember O’Brien, meantime, writes: “I believe that the new provisions the City Council is considering will help new single-family developments on under-sized lots fit into existing neighborhoods.”

The council meeting is at 2 pm Monday; the council will take public comment at the start of the meeting, which is in their chambers at City Hall downtown, and according to O’Brien’s explanation of where this stands, will be considering some amendments before voting.

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