West Seattle, Washington

23 Tuesday

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day : 28/03/2017 11 results

Students’ art, making a mark: Show at Chief Sealth International High School
March 28, 2017 10:20 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts


(Artist: LB)

In case you didn’t make it to Chief Sealth International High School for tonight’s art show – featured in our morning calendar preview – here’s a look at some of what you missed. Visual-art teacher Carolyn Autenrieth explained the show in her invitation to the community:

IB Visual Art Show – INdepenDENT

How does the visual expression of ideas make a mark or ‘indent’ on those around us?

This show features mini exhibits by Seniors and Juniors in the IB Art program. The 4 solo Senior exhibits showcase a self-curated exhibition of work over the 2-year course. Four small group exhibits highlight the work by juniors and seniors from this year. Each group is curated and presented to showcase the theme or intention of the art.


(Artist: Evelyn Morales)


(Artist: Leah Ward)


(Artist: Solommon Yohannes)

Of the 21 student artists whose work was shown tonight, 17 were there, so we got a group photo:

Teacher Autenrieth said she really appreciated the support for her artists from others in the school community – for example, Evelyn needed a door for her project, and five teachers offered one.

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CONGRATULATIONS! Hiawatha CC 13-y-o boys win competitive basketball championship
March 28, 2017 9:19 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Thanks to Michael Caufield for the photo and report:

The Hiawatha Community Center 13 Boys’ Competitive Basketball Team won the Seattle Park and Rec Championship on Sunday, Mar. 26th. Great season, great league with many well-played games throughout — appreciative thanks to the Seattle Parks staff for providing the venues and scheduling.

Pictured players from left to right: J.M. Finet, Lukas Gut, Derek Hissong, Jasper Levine, Owen Caufield, Michael Schwartz, Dylan Mastroianni, and Myles Vandervelde. Coaches: Steve Hissong and Michael Caufield.

Scroll through the WSB Sports archive to see the other local champs featured here over the weekend!

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TRIANGLE IMPROVEMENT TASK FORCE: Their ‘quick wins’ for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry route
March 28, 2017 6:14 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

(August 2016 video showing one example of the problem the task force is hoping to fix)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

In hopes of averting another summer of ferry-traffic-related misery from Morgan Junction to the Fauntleroy ferry dock, the Triangle Improvement Task Force has finished its first phase of work with two potential “quick wins,” finalized at the volunteers’ fifth meeting last night:

#1 – Speed up the average Fauntleroy tollbooth processing rate during pm peak hours, from three vehicles a minute to four vehicles a minute.

#2 – Make sure as many ferry customers as possible know what’s being done and how they can help.

As they reviewed the plans, the task-force members got a surprise visit from Washington State Ferries’ new leader, assistant WSDOT secretary Amy Scarton, who took over last month after the retirement of Lynne Griffith, who was in charge when the task-force idea was hatched.

More on her visit later. First: Read More

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DOWNTOWN ALERT UPDATE: Police standoff over
March 28, 2017 3:05 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news


(Texted photo – added after incident ended)

3:05 PM: With pm commute time approaching, you might need to know about road closures and bus reroutes related to an ongoing standoff downtown with a man in crisis who is said to be armed with a knife.

Metro says that “buses are rerouted off 3 Av between Spring & Union Sts. Use stops on 3rd Av south of Spring St or north of Union St.” Updates to come.

3:31 PM: SPD says the situation is “static” but acknowledges its negotiators are working on it.

3:58 PM: SPD update:

4:22 PM: Standoff continuing. (We’re monitoring via scanner as well as via public channels such as Twitter.)

4:25 PM: And now … it’s over. SPD says the man gave up his knife and was taken into custody without incident.

4:33 PM: As police have barricades to remove, among other things, it’ll take a bit for the streets to get back to regular flow, so don’t rush out just yet.

4:55 PM: As of a few minutes ago, Metro says, buses are getting back to normal on 3rd.

5:43 PM: Here’s how the incident was summed up on SPD Blotter, including a photo of the man’s knife.

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FOLLOWUP: City’s plan for trash cleanup along Spokane St., tent sweeping along bike trail. Plus, word of a ‘plan’ for RV camp
March 28, 2017 2:21 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

Continuing to follow up on the city’s promises for Spokane Street along and under the West Seattle Bridge east of the “low bridge,” in the wake of Friday’s attack on a bicyclist – today, we asked for more details on exactly what’s going to happen starting tomorrow, and what people who travel through the area should know. Here’s the reply from city spokesperson Julie Moore, who also mentions that a “plan” is in the works for the mostly-RV camp in the area:

The City’s Navigation Team will be out there tomorrow morning to offer services and alternative shelter, as they did yesterday. They will be working with any individuals in the area, but are focusing on moving those living in tents along the north end of the bike trail. See the attached map that highlights the area where tents along the bike trail will be removed:

Note that the encampment of RVs and tents located directly under the bridge between the two lanes of Spokane Street will not be removed tomorrow, though we are working on a plan for moving those individuals into better alternatives.

As far as bike detours, SDOT will begin setup around 9 a.m., after the morning commute. There will be detours for bikes and along the trail; users should expect reroutes signed around the work zones.

Additionally, separate of the Navigation Team’s work to move the individuals in the tents along the bike trail, trash pickup will be occurring all along Spokane Street from the water to I-5 over the next couple days.

The city’s Friday evening update had noted that, related to the trash pickup, “.. there may be impacts to traffic as a truck will be doing rolling stops along the route to collect the trash.” And that work is scheduled to continue this Thursday. (If you missed it yesterday, here’s our interview with the sergeant who leads the aforementioned Navigation Team.)

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BERTHA BREAKTHROUGH WATCH: Highway 99 tunneling machine on maintenance stop
March 28, 2017 11:47 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Highway 99 tunnel | West Seattle news

We’ve been watching the Highway 99 tunneling-machine update page, now that “Bertha” is getting close to breakthrough, and just noticed that today’s update says 219 feet to go – same as yesterday. WSDOT explains via Twitter that “(Seattle Tunnel Partners) is wrapping up routine maintenance and plans to resume mining tomorrow.” So for those who speculated breakthrough might happen this week – highly unlikely.

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FOLLOWUP: Why fire-gutted 9029 16th SW is still semi-standing
March 28, 2017 11:10 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news


(WSB photo, taken this morning)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Today was the original deadline for the owner of 9029 16th SW to either demolish the charred remains of a house that had caught fire at least three times in five years, most recently February 25th, or to show it is “not unsafe.” We reported the March 28th deadline in this followup on March 2nd, five days after the latest fire.


(WSB photo from February 25th fire)

Since then, we have been going by to check on its status, and after still not seeing signs of demolition by late last week, checked the Department of Construction and Inspections page for the case, and discovered the property’s owners had been given an extension, to April 21st.

What the online-file notations don’t show is why. So we contacted SDCI spokesperson Bryan Stevens, who replied:

The owner is trying to find a way of bringing both structures down, so we’ve offered an extension of the violation case to allow for the necessary steps to make that happen and conduct the demolition all at once.

While the fire-damaged property can be removed with an over-the-counter permit, the second building cannot. The Land Use Code requires vacant residential structures to be maintained unless there is a complete application under review to allow redevelopment and a completed plan for waste diversion. The owner made an application last week to comply with this provision. This effort demonstrates progress towards resolving the violation and allowed us to grant an extension while the final details are sorted out.

The “second building” is on the alley behind the main house, and was not involved in the February fire. The city had ordered the owner to “secure” it, and as shown in a photo in our previous followup, it had been boarded up.

The city files, meantime, show the application for the redevelopment project, described as “mixed-use,” was officially accepted today. And SDCI spokesperson Stevens reminds us of something that we noted (with extensive backstory) in that March 2nd followup – the city is looking to change the rules to make it easier for owners to demolish vacant/derelict properties. We’re checking to see if there’s a current estimate of when the proposals are expected to go before City Council.

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4 for your West Seattle Tuesday
March 28, 2017 9:45 am
|    Comments Off on 4 for your West Seattle Tuesday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous


(Great blue herons nesting – photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Good morning! Four highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, where you’ll find even more of what’s happening:

DIY BIKES: Bring your bike and be ready to learn how to fix it with the help of DIY Bikes! 5-7:30 pm at the West Seattle Tool Library on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct. Hear from and talk with local police; possible guest speaker from the 911 Center. All welcome – you don’t have to be involved with a Block Watch. (2300 SW Webster)

STUDENT ART SHOW AT CSIHS: 7-8 pm in the library at Chief Sealth International High School, you’re invited to come see eight exhibits by student artists:

IB Visual Art Show – INdepenDENT

How does the visual expression of ideas make a mark or ‘indent’ on those around us?

This show features mini exhibits by Seniors and Juniors in the IB Art program. The 4 solo Senior exhibits showcase a self-curated exhibition of work over the 2-year course. Four small-group exhibits highlight the work by juniors and seniors from this year. Each group is curated and presented to showcase the theme or intention of the art.

(2600 SW Thistle)

OPENING RECEPTION FOR ‘CHANGE’ PHOTO EXHIBIT BY SCOTT MX TURNER: 7 pm at Parliament Tavern – “An opening-night soiree with wine, merriment, and Charley Rowan on piano and accordion. Turner takes photos of things most people walk right past. He brings his camera wherever he goes, snapping images of objects left behind and moments quickly forgotten.” The show runs for two months, but come celebrate tonight! 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

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Remembering Peggy A. Cook, 1924-2017
March 28, 2017 9:11 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering Peggy Cook, 92. Here’s the tribute they’re sharing with the community:

Peggy A. Cook, 12/24/1924 – 03/08/2017

A true friend to everyone and anyone she met.

An adventurist at heart: through person to person interaction, reading accounts of people’s lives or history, and living in communion with nature. A poet, Woman in the Trades (construction), Rosie the Riveter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother … great, great grandmother!

Peggy endured many a challenge in her life, yet always emphasized the good through it all, and held herself accountable for her actions.

She had a positive effect on everyone, and if you believe in “six degrees of separation”, you know she will continue to have a positive effect forever on all of humanity.

In her memory, please pay it forward whenever possible, offer a kind word and touch, and breathe in life through nature and sharing with others.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch
March 28, 2017 7:30 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

7:30 AM: Good morning. Bridge trouble right now – “a stall is blocking the left lane on the EB West Seattle Bridge after Fauntleroy Way SW,” according to SDOT.

7:39 AM: And SDOT says it’s cleared.

7:41 AM: No alerts from Metro but two people have e-mailed to report the 7:09 Route 56 apparently didn’t run today – as a result, Steve says, “The 57 is full before Belvedere and not stopping.”

7:54 AM: We mentioned that on Twitter and Michelle tweeted this in response to confirm “57 full to the gills.”

8:45 AM: If you’re headed for I-5 northbound, beware – WSDOT reports: “NB I-5 at I-90. A disabled vehicle is blocking the center lane.”

9:01 AM: Via e-mail, Lisa says the Route 57 bus set to leave The Junction shortly after 8 am didn’t show up either. No Metro alert.

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UPDATE: 5 shell casings found after gunfire heard near Delridge/Kenyon
March 28, 2017 12:42 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

ORIGINAL REPORT, 12:42 AM: Thanks for the tips. We have multiple reports of apparent gunfire along Delridge – described as sounding like five shots – and one person reports police are searching Delridge Way by SW Kenyon. No medical calls, so, no reports of anyone hurt, so far. (Just a reminder – if you think you hear gunfire, even if you didn’t see it and aren’t sure exactly where it happened, police ask that you call 911 – the more reports they get, the more likely they are to be able to figure out what happened and where.)

10:08 AM UPDATE: We followed up this morning with Seattle Police spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson, who tells WSB that responding officers did not find victims or property damage but did find, photograph, and collect five 9mm shell casings in the street.

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