day : 14/04/2015 9 results

The city has just gone public with the list of 44 people who have applied to fill the rest of Sally Clark’s City Council term. We’re seeing at least two familiar West Seattle names – Delridge District Council chair Mat McBride and 34th District Democrats board member Chris Porter. (We’re still reading the list – let us know if we’re missing other West Seattleites.)

Other applicants include Mark Solomon, known here as Crime Prevention Coordinator for the Southwest and South Precincts; also, three former city councilmembers – Jan Drago, Heidi Wills, and Peter Steinbrueck.

The council is to announce finalists next Monday (April 20th) and to make an appointment one week later. Stand by for details on how to tell them what you think of the applicants.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 3 reader reports, Alki to Westwood

April 14, 2015 5:40 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Attempted car theft, mail theft, burglary, all in this roundup of West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports, ahead:

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West Seattle coyotes: Gatewood, Puget Ridge sightings

April 14, 2015 3:56 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

GATEWOOD REPORT #1: Mickey shared photos of coyote sightings this week in the Orchard Street Ravine (map) area, including the one above.

GATEWOOD REPORT #2: Not far from there, at 36th/Myrtle (map), Eugene reports: “3 pm today. Walking up Myrtle street in broad daylight. Maybe it’s not news anymore. But it looked like a chupacabra with fur so I thought I’d mention it.”

PUGET RIDGE: Forwarded from a neighborhood list, a sighting at midmorning today near 21st/Dawson (map).

REMINDER: The best thing you can do if/when you see a coyote is, scare it away – “hazing,” as wildlife advocates put it, explained here. (WSB coyote coverage is archived here.)

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West Seattle weather: Thunderstorm moving through

April 14, 2015 2:38 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

2:38 PM: We weren’t sure that was thunder until we got up from the desk and looked out to the southwest. Storm moving in! Checking the National Weather Service to see how long (or short) it might be. (Added) Forecast for the afternoon does say “possibly a thunderstorm.”

3:35 PM: And as is so typical for spring weather … now, even as rain continues, a sunbreak is moving our way from the same direction that yielded the big boom earlier.

7:13 PM: Thanks to Patrick for tweeting this photo of a between-showers rainbow:

@westseattleblog Pot O' gold currently located at approx. 17th and Holden. #Hurry pic.twitter.com/d4aOyj0opr

— Patrick kelly (@MetPatrick22) April 14, 2015

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Admiral Way Safety Project: Preview what SDOT will present tonight @ Admiral Neighborhood Association

April 14, 2015 1:34 pm

| 45 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news

(Admiral Way Safety Project area map, from SDOT)
We’ve already mentioned that the Admiral Neighborhood Association will hear tonight from SDOT about bicycle lanes proposed along Admiral Way between the business district and Alki. Since then, SDOT has sent this preview – which reveals it’s not just a bicycle-lane project, but includes other planned safety improvements including narrower vehicle lanes (note that this area includes the already-underway 47th/Admiral signal-and-crosswalks project):

Project Need

Collisions from 2011 to 2014 along SW Admiral Way

· 1 pedestrian collision along project extent (2012)
· 2 bike collisions along project extent (both in 2011)
· 45 vehicle collisions along project extent

Project Description

· Reduce lane widths along SW Admiral Way and design the street to encourage slower speeds and reduce collisions

· Add new travel option by installing buffered bikes lanes from 63rd Ave SW to 44th Ave SW.

In order to add the bike lane, depending on the location, on-street parking will be consolidated to one-side of the street where parking utilization is low; or the two-way, left-turn lane (will be) removed to keep on-street parking on both sides of SW Admiral Way.

Parking Study Results

Along this 1.4 miles of SW Admiral Way, there are 441 parking spaces. We tracked the parking utilization on weekends and weekdays, morning, noon, evening and late night. At the maximum occupancy for each block, only 33% of existing spaces are being used. Of course, this isn’t uniformly distributed across the corridor. Between 45th Ave SW and California Ave SW and between 57th and 63rd avenues SW on-street parking occupancy is relatively high.

Existing Spaces: 441
Current Utilization: 33%
Percentage Preserved: 56%

Project Schedule

April – Community briefings
May 6 – SW District Council briefing
May – Open House
May – July – Final design
August – Implementation
2016 – Evaluation

(We are asking SDOT to confirm that “percentage preserved” in the “parking study” section means that 44 percent of the 441 parking spaces are to be removed, or whether it means something else. Update: Yes, SDOT’s Norm Mah confirms, that’s what it means – so, about 200 spaces will go.)

Now that you’ve seen the plan, if you have questions/comments, come to tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, 7 pm, The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd/Lander). If you absolutely can’t – watch for one of the other briefings (such as the SWDC, 6:30 pm Wednesday, May 6th, at the Senior Center of West Seattle).

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Seen in West Seattle: Recognize these Fairmount flowers?

April 14, 2015 12:41 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Seen around town | West Seattle news

It’s sunny, it’s lunchtime, and maybe this will be of use next time you’re out for a walk:

(Click image for the full-size, downloadable, printable PDF)
The native-flower photos, in montage format, were taken last weekend on Fairmount Avenue by Fred Weinmann, whose son Chris Weinmann shared them with us, to share with you. After a quick review, we suspected this was the work of someone more knowledgeable than the average wanderer, so we asked Chris. He tells us his dad – a Port Townsend resident who frequently visits West Seattle to be with family – is a botanist and former president of the Washington Native Plant Society. Fred Weinmann also has published a few botany books, as you can see in this bio from the UW, where he has taught. Thanks to them for sharing, and enlightening!

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Good luck! Local team in statewide Science Olympiad this Saturday

April 14, 2015 11:11 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Good luck to Evergreen Science, a 15-member team of 6th-through-9th-grade-age homeschool students from West Seattle and South Seattle who are headed to a big competition this Saturday: The state-level Science Olympiad, to be held at Highline College in Des Moines. If they win, they’ll go to the National Science Olympiad, which will be held at the University of Nebraska in mid-May. Christine Ranegger e-mailed to let us know about Evergreen Science and pointed us to the official SO website for this explanation:

Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division (Division B is middle school; Division C is high school). Each year, a portion of the events are rotated to reflect the ever-changing nature of genetics, earth science, chemistry, anatomy, physics, geology, mechanical engineering and technology. By combining events from all disciplines, Science Olympiad encourages a wide cross-section of students to get involved. Emphasis is placed on active, hands-on group participation. Through Science Olympiad, students, teachers, parents, principals and business leaders bond together and work toward a shared goal.

Teamwork is a required skill in most scientific careers today, and Science Olympiad encourages group learning by designing events that forge alliances. In Elevated Bridge, an engineering whiz and a kid from wood shop can become gold medalists. Similarly, a talented builder and a student with a good science vocabulary can excel in Write It Do It, one of Science Olympiad’s most popular events.

This is the team’s third year of competition and second year making it to state, where they placed sixth last year but are hoping to win it all this time. The parent-coached team meets every Monday morning at a home in Admiral, and its subgroups have been getting together inbetween to train in their specific events; Evergreen Science also has been crowdfunding to cover expenses. They’ll know by Saturday night if those expenses will include a trip to Nebraska – Christine promises to let us know how they do!

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West Seattle Tuesday: Admiral, Fauntleroy, Junction community councils; singalong; wine class; more

April 14, 2015 9:04 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Band-tailed pigeon in Fauntleroy Park, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Flying on into the Tuesday highlights from our calendar:

‘WEST SIDE STORY’ SINGALONG: 2:30-5 pm at Southwest Branch Library, kids and teens are welcome to sing along with the classic musical movie – more info here. (35th/Henderson)

WATER RATE INCREASE? 2 pm at the City Council’s Public Utilities and Neighborhoods Committee meeting, discussion starts on the projected water-rate increases – reported and discussed here last Friday. Watch live via Seattle Channel – or go to City Hall. (600 4th Av., downtown)

‘BEGINNING WINE TASTING’ CLASSES: Three-class series begins at 6 pm at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) – info here, including how to sign up ASAP if there’s room! (6000 16th SW)

JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle:

Our guest speaker will be discussing RPZ parking and how to request modifications to the current RPZ criteria which do not work for our neighborhood: Margo Polley, Strategic Adviser at Seattle Department of Transportation. We will also be joined by some team members of the Dept. of Neighborhoods to talk about small sparks grants and the PACE program. … JuNO is looking for a webmaster and committee leaders & community event planners.

All welcome. (Oregon/California)

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral – agenda includes SDOT briefings on Admiral Way bike-lane plans west of California SW and 20 mph plans in neighborhoods near West Seattle High School. (42nd/Lander)

FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm business meeting in the conference room at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. (9131 California SW)

NIGHTLIFE TOO … check the calendar!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday alerts and notes

April 14, 2015 6:12 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday alerts and notes

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to Tuesday, April 14th. No road work alerts for today beyond continuing projects. Speaking of which …

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TONIGHT: How’s the 47th/Admiral signal/crosswalks project going? You’re likely to find out tonight when ANA meets at 7 pm, The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd/Lander). The agenda also includes SDOT briefings on a future bicycle-lane project along Admiral Way west of California and the 20 mph zone planned in the WSHS area.

JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION TONIGHT: JuNO’s 6:30 pm agenda at the Senior Center of West Seattle also includes an SDOT rep, talking about RPZ criteria – of extra interest now in the wake of the citywide parking-study report covered here last night.

Earlier in the day …

CITY COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: 9:30 am at City Hall (or watch live online or on TV via Seattle Channel), with a busy agenda including updates on Bicycle Master Plan Implementation and the Freight Master Plan.

Survey du jour:

QUESTIONS ABOUT METRO: Answer them and be part of an international survey about transit.

Now, on to traffic watch – updates if/when anything of note happens.

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