West Seattle, Washington

19 Friday

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day : 02/06/2014 9 results

Body found in Lincoln Park confirmed by police as suicide victim
June 2, 2014 10:31 pm
|      39 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

We’ve received several questions about a large medical callout in Lincoln Park tonight. It closed before we got there – and unfortunately, we’ve learned, that’s because, as confirmed by a Seattle Police tweet, the person was dead, and there was nothing that medics could do. We followed up with SPD spokesperson Officer Drew Fowler tonight and he says they investigated and determined it was a case of suicide.

Every time we report suicide, we include this reminder: For anyone with thoughts of suicide, help is available through the Crisis Clinic, 24 hours a day – the hotline is 206-461-3222.

ADDED TUESDAY: As noted in the comment discussion, and confirmed by a school memo forwarded to us by multiple readers, the victim was discovered by students from Holy Rosary School who were at an event in the park, and that it, as you would expect, was a traumatic experience. In the memo, principal George Hofbauer wrote, “When something like this happens, the Catholic Schools band together. The High Schools, along with some grade schools, are sending their counselors to Holy Rosary today. The counselors will meet with each class. They will then be available for one on one meetings with children and staff who feel they need to talk privately.”

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Speaking of the City Council: Two nights until development/zoning conversation in West Seattle
June 2, 2014 8:28 pm
|    Comments Off on Speaking of the City Council: Two nights until development/zoning conversation in West Seattle
 |   Development | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

The minimum wage is just one of the hot topics the City Council‘s dealt with lately. Land use and zoning – as in, the rules regarding development – remain on the front burner. Tomorrow, the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee has another conversation about the proposed microhousing rules/definitions. And then on Wednesday, the councilmember who chairs that committee, Mike O’Brien, comes to West Seattle for a conversation about the broader issues of development, land use, and zoning here. Here’s our most recent preview; it’s at 6:30 pm Wednesday, June 4th, at American Legion Post 160/Pershing Hall, 3618 SW Alaska.

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Minimum-wage increase gets unanimous City Council approval
June 2, 2014 3:42 pm
|      99 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Video of Monday afternoon’s council meeting, including minimum-wage vote and speeches)
3:42 PM: At a raucous City Council meeting – cheers, jeers, chanting – that is temporarily in recess before councilmembers move on to other business, the minimum-wage-increase bill has just received unanimous approval. It raises the minimum wage in steps – with large businesses at $15 in three years, smaller businesses in seven years.

4:41 PM: Lots of reaction to share, ahead:

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Video: Body found at house fire at Delridge/Barton; cooking blamed for fire
June 2, 2014 2:02 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(UPDATED MONDAY NIGHT with fire cause)

(Photo courtesy Jonathan French)
2:02 PM: Firefighters are on the scene of a house-fire call in the 9200 block of Delridge Way SW (map). More to come.

2:07 PM: SFD has reported that heavy smoke is coming out of the house, and also that everyone has gotten out OK. Our crew will be there shortly.

(This photo & those below are by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
2:12 PM: SFD says the fire is “knocked down”; we’ve just arrived in the area and can still see smoke. Avoid Delridge in this area – police have the street blocked at Barton.

2:25 PM: Photos added.

Yes, this is why there’s a TV helicopter over South Delridge/Westwood (directly over us at the moment). A dog was rescued and we’re told it will be OK.

2:39 PM: There are now conflicting reports about whether everyone did indeed get out OK. SFD’s public-information officer is en route and we expect an update shortly.

Police also have arrived to investigate – not just to direct traffic.

2:55 PM: It’s just been confirmed that one of the residents of the home, so far described only as male, has been found dead inside the back bedroom. Authorities had originally reported everyone was out safely but that obviously turned out to be wrong. And while they rescued two dogs and a puppy, four other puppies did not survive.

3:54 PM: Added the briefing video, above – that’s SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore, explaining that police involvement at this point is routine for any fire involving a death. No information yet on the person’s identity or cause of death, nor the fire’s cause – we will add new information here whenever it becomes available.

4:49 PM: SFD has tweeted photos of the rescued dogs/puppy:

9:42 PM: Seattle Fire investigators say it started with a cooking fire:

11:20 PM: No word yet on the victim’s identity – that will come from the Medical Examiner’s Office, no sooner than tomorrow afternoon. But SFD has one more tweet about the rescued dogs:

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West Seattle traffic alert: Taxicab hits building
June 2, 2014 1:22 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

At Glenn/Oregon on the west side of The Junction, a taxicab crashed into the corner of a building, in a collision that also involved a truck that wasn’t seriously damaged and has already left the scene (after talking with police), according to WSB’s Katie Meyer. Traffic is still getting by both ways. No injuries reported.

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First Sunrise Heights/Westwood, next Highland Park? County update on roadside-raingarden (and other) possibilities
June 2, 2014 11:56 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Environment | Highland Park | West Seattle news


(Click image for full-size flyer also showing the South Park area and the explanatory legend)
With two major combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) reduction projects under way in West Seattle, the King County Wastewater Treatment District is looking ahead to its next one, in Highland Park and South Park. The most-recent HP Action Committee meeting got an update from KCWTD’s Kristine Cramer and John Phillips.

In addition to possible “roadside raingardens” along some streets in the area (highlighted above in yellow) – like the ones going into more than a dozen blocks of Sunrise Heights and Westwood – they also are looking at permeable (porous) pavement in some parts of the area, and possibly a runoff-control project using part of one of the Seattle City Light “surplus” ex-substation sites.

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West Seattle Monday: Arbor Heights school update; afternoon ukulele concert;
June 2, 2014 10:28 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Black-headed grosbeak, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
A few highlights for the hours ahead, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: One more reminder, since we were asked about this over the weekend, with the sunny, warm weather continuing – yes, Highland Park Spraypark, the only spraypark in West Seattle, is open for the season, 11 am-8 pm daily, though the wading pools don’t open for a few more weeks. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

UKULELE CONCERT: 2:30 pm in Hatten Hall at the Senior Center of West Seattle, renowned ukulele player Clarence Kiyoshi Hirakawa performs, $5 suggested donation. (California/Oregon)

HOMEWORK HELP: Last full week of school for most local students – need last-minute homework help? It starts at 3 pm at the High Point Branch Library, 4 pm at Delridge Branch Library. Full details and links on the Seattle Public Library Calendar of Events.

GET THE LATEST ON THE NEW ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY: As previewed here, tonight’s the night for a community-info meeting with the latest on the project, as construction gets closer – the design, the timetable, more. Q/A, too. 6:30 pm at AHES. (3701 SW 104th)

MONDAY NIGHT KARAOKE … at the Benbow Room in The Admiral District, 8 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

MORE … on our calendar, for today/tonight and weeks into the future!

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Video: He did it! Lou Cutler’s annual Make-A-Wish birthday run @ Pathfinder K-8
June 2, 2014 9:09 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Pigeon Point | West Seattle news

9:09 AM: The sun’s out and they’re off – Pathfinder K-8 PE teacher Lou Cutler and hundreds of students, as Lou’s annual Make-A-Wish birthday run began minutes ago on Pigeon Point. He runs a lap for every year of his life – and he’s about to celebrate his 63rd birthday, so it’ll be 63 laps this year.

Students from the school join him throughout the morning, and were the first ones out of the gate (short video clip here, if you can’t see it below):

They started the run before 9 am to inspirational songs including Macklemore‘s “Can’t Hold Us” and “Gonna Fly Now” (the “Rocky” theme).

Even if you can’t go cheer on Lou and friends in person (every lap, he stops at an easel on the sidelines to mark it off, as shown in the photo above), you can donate online. We’ll be checking back!

12:26 PM: He’s still going – about a mile’s worth of laps to go. (The entire 63-lap distance this year comprises more than 10 miles, Lou said toward the start.)

1 PM: He did it!

ADDED: The group photo is a post-run tradition:

Lou’s way in the back. The blue slips show how many laps were run by each participant – up to 63.

ADDED: Pathfinder parent and photographer Holli Margell shares two photos – first, one that shows how much the kids stake in their support of Lou – her son Cooper, exuberant over 27 laps:

And Lou with Teacher Andy, not only a one-man cheer squad but also emcee of the event, with his bullhorn:

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: June’s first Monday
June 2, 2014 6:12 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: June’s first Monday
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:12 AM: Good morning! Looking ahead as we start the week:

*Road work on Alki Avenue in the Duwamish Head vicinity the next two days; we’ll be asking SDOT for details this morning.

*Next weekend, Friday night 6/6 until Monday morning 6/9, southbound 99 will be closed between the Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge, as explained here; the lane-reconfiguration project’s results are shown here (along with the results of a similar northbound closure two weeks later).

*Next Saturday is the start date for Metro’s next service change, detailed here. The only West Seattle route with changes is the 21, with a route change for several afternoon runs.

DOWNTOWN ALERT FOR TODAY & BEYOND: Could be some traffic trouble on the north side of downtown (and in the Uptown/lower Queen Anne area) as people get used to major changes that took effect as of last night – two-way Mercer, two-way Roy, closed section of Broad; SDOT explains here; here’s what WSDOT has to say.

6:48 AM: Reader report: Crash at Holden/Delridge. Not on the 911 log so likely not major.

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