day : 31/08/2017 11 results

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN BIKE RACK: From Peter:

On Tuesday, August 29th between 1:35-2:50 pm, while parked in the West Seattle LA Fitness parking garage, our hitch-mounted 4-bike rack was stolen off the back of our car. We had a locking hitch-pin on it, but the thief must have broken it off somehow! The rack is a Yakima HoldUp +2 bike extension, allowing it to hold 4 bikes.

There were specific issues with this rack that would allow us to identify it if found. It’s not a small rack, so should be fairly easy to identify if it turns up!

DUMPED BICYCLE: This one was reported by Lisa in Fauntlee Hills:

Wondering if anybody know anything about this bike?

This bike is locked up on my property.

It showed up Tuesday, weirdly stuffed in my tree and LOCKED to the fence.

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BIZNOTES: Dr. Raleigh’s retirement; two West Seattleites’ new acquisition; Kindermusik time @ Kenyon Hall

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Three biznotes tonight:

(Photo courtesy Dr. William Raleigh, pictured with wife Wray Raleigh)

DR. RALEIGH RETIRES: Longtime West Seattle dentist Dr. William H. Raleigh has announced his retirement:

After practicing dentistry for 44 years, I decided to retire from full-time employment. Being a dentist in West Seattle has been a huge part of my life. I never wanted to leave this role due to the closeness I have with my long-term staff, and the relationships with my patients, cultivated over many years. The ongoing conversations I have had with you have enriched my life and provided a wealth of insights. I shall miss you all.

Dr. Raleigh has turned his practice over to Dr. Michael Korn, whose background is detailed in the full announcement Dr. Raleigh sent to patients (read it here). Dr. Raleigh adds:

To aid in a smooth transition, I shall be working back for Dr. Korn, and I shall continue to be a part of the office. My current staff will remain as well. … Thank you for all your support over the years. It has been a privilege treating you!

WEST SEATTLE WOMEN’S ACQUISITION: Two West Seattle women are now the owners of a big downtown media-services firm, Media+, for which they’ve long worked.

This news release tells the story of Mary Ann Grajek (above left) and Lauren Portman Ramaska (above right), both of whom have been with the company more than a decade, becoming its new owners. Their agency represents companies you know such as North Delridge-headquartered Bartell Drugs, and their goal is to be “the most successful independently-owned mid-sized media agency in the country.”

KINDERMUSIK TIME: A new season is about to start at historic Kenyon Hall in Sunrise Heights:

Kindermusik, the premier early-childhood music and movement curriculum, is taught at Kenyon Hall by master musician Lou Magor. Families with children birth to seven years of age are welcome to register. For more information, please e-mail kenyonhall@earthlink.net. Classes begin right after Labor Day.

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LABOR DAY: 3rd annual ‘poker run’ motorcycle ride celebrating labor history

August 31, 2017 8:00 pm

| Comments Off on LABOR DAY: 3rd annual ‘poker run’ motorcycle ride celebrating labor history

| Holidays | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, Labor Day 2016)

Motorcycle or scooter rider? You’re invited to start your Labor Day with the third annual Seattle Labor Ride & Poker Run, hosted by City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, celebrating the history of labor and supporting the Labor Archives of Washington. The ride starts at West Seattle’s Chelan Café. The first one two years ago, explains organizer Bob Combs (above with spouse, the ride’s host), was a campaign event, but then last year, he says, “Pairing up with a friend of mine from the VME (Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts) club, Tom Samuelson, we put a different twist on it and turned it into a fundraiser for LAWS (Labor Archive of Washington State), moved the date to Labor Day.” They raised $600 for the archives, grew the turnout, and hope to get even more participants this year.

The stops, hosted by unions and/or visiting their halls, are listed on the ride’s website, here, where you’ll also get the explanation of “poker run” if you haven’t been on one before. The entry fee is $20. Combs adds, “The ride is all on largely empty city streets the morning of Labor Day, speed limits are all under 40, and is very friendly to smaller bikes and scooters.” Registration starts at 8 am Monday outside the Chelan Café (3527 Chelan SW), with riders leaving at 9.

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DEVELOPMENT: Microhousing project site for sale; demolition docket

August 31, 2017 4:41 pm

| 28 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Development-related notes…
(WSB photo)

MICROHOUSING PROJECT SITE FOR SALE: There’s a new commercial-real-estate listing this week for 5952 California SW, which – as first reported here in May 2016 – is planned for a microhousing project. The listing itself is titled simply “SEDU Site”; as you might recall, SEDU is the city’s official name for microhousing, small efficiency dwelling units. The last official description on the city website says the project will have 29 microunits and 6 apartments, which is also what the listing’s online notes say: “Property in process of being permitted to build 35 units (Small Efficiency Dwelling Units) and also being approved to go up 5 stories …” County records show the site was sold last December for less than half its current $2 million listing price.

DEMOLITION PLANS: The following list shows West Seattle demolition permits/applications dated within the past two weeks, as found in the city’s online files:

(King County Assessor’s Office photo, 3276 California SW)

-3276 California SW, one-story commercial building to be replaced by live-work units
-3045 California SW, one-story commercial building to be replaced by building with ground-level commercial under 3 apartments
-9211 15th SW, house to be replaced by townhouses
-2950 Alki SW, house to be replaced by 3 townhouses
-4214-4218 30th SW, two houses to be replaced by 8 townhouses
-5033-5035 Delridge Way SW, houses to be replaced by townhouses
-5016 Fauntleroy Way SW, house to be replaced by two new houses
-8802 9th SW, house to be replaced by 8 townhouses
-7926 34th SW, house to be replaced by new house
-4725 SW Dawson, house to be replaced by new house
-6314 49th SW, house to be replaced by new house
-4415 48th SW, house to be replaced by new house

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Ryan Cox pleads not guilty

August 31, 2017 2:47 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

After Gatewood stabbing suspect Ryan Cox refused to appear in court for arraignment this past Monday and Wednesday, King County Superior Court Judge Sean O’Donnell signed an order this morning authorizing deputies to use “reasonable force … if necessary” to make him appear. We don’t know whether force was required – morning crash coverage kept us from getting to the downtown courthouse this time – but we do know, from online documents, that Cox did appear. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree assault filed against him, and his next hearing, for case-setting, was scheduled for September 7th. He remains jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail.

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HEALTH ALERT: Recreational shellfish harvesting closed from Alki Beach south to Pierce County line

August 31, 2017 1:31 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Health | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

County health authorities just announced that the state Health Department has closed beaches to shellfish harvesting from “Alki Beach south to the Pierce County line, including Vashon Island and Quartermaster Harbor beaches.” Here’s the full text of the news release:

Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) has been detected at unsafe levels in shellfish on Vashon Island and at the Des Moines Marina. As a result, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has closed Alki Beach south to the Pierce County line, including Vashon Island and Quartermaster Harbor beaches, to recreational shellfish harvest.

The closure includes all species of shellfish including clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters, snails and other invertebrates; the closure does not include crab or shrimp. Crabmeat is not known to contain the PSP toxin, but the guts can contain unsafe levels. To be safe, clean crab thoroughly and discard the guts (“butter”). Working with partners, Public Health – Seattle & King County is posting advisory signs at beaches warning people to not collect shellfish.

Commercial beaches are sampled separately and commercial products should be safe to eat.

Anyone who eats PSP contaminated shellfish is at risk for illness. PSP poisoning can be life-threatening and is caused by eating shellfish containing this potent neurotoxin. A naturally occurring marine organism produces the toxin. The toxin is not destroyed by cooking or freezing.

A person cannot determine if PSP toxin is present by visual inspection of the water or shellfish. For this reason, the term “red tide” is misleading and inaccurate. PSP can only be detected by laboratory testing.

Symptoms of PSP usually begin 30-60 minutes after eating the contaminated shellfish, but may take several hours. Symptoms are generally mild, and begin with numbness or tingling of the face, arms, and legs. This is followed by headache, dizziness, nausea, and loss of muscle coordination. Sometimes a floating sensation occurs. In cases of severe poisoning, muscle paralysis and respiratory failure occur, and in these cases death may occur in 2 to 25 hours.

If symptoms are mild, call your health care provider or Washington Poison Center (800-222-1222), and Public Health (206-296-4774). If symptoms are severe, call 911 or have someone take you to the emergency room immediately.

Recreational shellfish harvesting can be closed due to rising levels of PSP at any time. Therefore, harvesters are advised to call the DOH Biotoxin Hotline at 800-562-5632 or visit the Shellfish safety website before harvesting shellfish anywhere in Puget Sound.

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FOLLOWUP: Why SDOT halved Westwood walkways project after approving it

August 31, 2017 11:52 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news | Westwood

(New ‘preliminary design’ for walkways project, showing just the 26th SW walkway)

Tuesday’s SDOT announcement essentially halving a Neighborhood Street Fund project previously approved for the Westwood area raised some questions. We took them to SDOT.

To recap – the community-proposed, SDOT-approved Chief Sealth Walkway Improvements Project was to create two walkways along 26th and 25th. SDOT’s announcement said the department is dropping the 25th walkway because a development application is expected in the future and the developer would be expected to pay for something similar – though, the city acknowledged, it might be “several years.”

So our first question to SDOT was, with nothing showing publicly in city files, how did the city find out about this development plan and how much of a sure thing is it? This question, and our others, were answered by SDOT spokesperson Norm Mah:

During the summer and fall of 2016 while NSF applications were being developed through conceptual design (before final projects were selected), the design team reviewed active permits for future development around this site and found nothing, leading the team to propose the solution for a pathway on 25th Ave SW. However, the SDOT design team was contacted in the spring of 2017 by an architectural firm who shared preliminary plans for the adjacent parcel on the east side of 25th Ave SW. SDOT’s Street Use division then confirmed that the planned NSF project on 25th Ave SW would be required by code when this development moves forward.

In the interim, SDOT considered low-cost alternatives to improve this pathway for residents of this neighborhood, but any changes SDOT makes to this pathway now could result in the developer not being required to construct permanent improvements in the future. As stated in our outreach letter, we believe that the high likelihood of this development occurring meant that investing public funds at this location right now would not be the best use of public tax dollars.

One reader asked if there was precedent for this.

SDOT projects, including NSF projects, are frequently dropped or adjusted in response to future development. Fortunately, this entire project was not dropped and residents in this neighborhood and Chief Sealth students will still benefit from an improved pathway on 26th Ave SW.

With limited funds for improvements, we need to use public funds carefully to build projects that otherwise would not be constructed. These overlaps are typically found earlier in the project design phase because an active permit is filed.

Speaking of money, we also asked what would be done with the money that now will not be spent on this project. Mah says they don’t know yet:

At this point in the design process it is too early to know how much extra funds are available from the amount we budgeted for this project. We will know more in October and can provide the community with an update at that time.

So, we’ll be checking back. Meantime, the 26th SW walkway is planned for construction next year. (Here’s the original project proposal, as summarized by SDOT for the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council review process.)

P.S. The newly renamed Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition plans to talk about the project during its first fall meeting, next Tuesday (September 5th), 6:15 pm, at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW). The full meeting agenda is in our calendar listing.

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West Seattle Thursday: Alki Kids’ Place open house & 4 more highlights

August 31, 2017 10:48 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Late-night owl photo by David Hutchinson)

We’re socked in on the Gatewood/Fauntleroy line – how about you? The weather is supposed to improve later – and then, the National Weather Service says, it’ll be extra-hot over the holiday weekend. But we’re not there yet. Here are Thursday highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WADING POOL AND SPRAYPARK: The only West Seattle wading pool still open for the season is Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way), and the hotline confirms it WILL be open 11 am-8 pm today, as is Highland Park spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), both open daily through Labor Day.

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Noon-4 pm Thursdays-Sundays, you’re invited to visit the home of West Seattle’s history, HQ of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, and these event-light final days of summer might be your perfect opportunity. (61st SW/SW Stevens)

SWAP MEET 4 PEACE & FILM SCREENING: 2 pm at Muse Gallery in North Delridge. Everyone’s invited to a “potluck-style mini-swap meet” and film screening at the wrap of a summer program:

Bring an item or two to swap w someone else! It could be anything- music, film, art related! Vintage clothes? Books? Music? Funny props? Art? Art supplies? Join us as we celebrate and wrap our 6-week summer session as Across the Bridge. We’ll also be screening Team Introvert’s short film “Star” right next door at The Skylark at 3 pm! We’re an all-ages crew of creatives, exploring work opportunities in Seattle and we went on 10 field trips this summer. Feeling proud of our crew and happy to connect with new friends and old! Join us! Bring a friend.

(3801 Delridge Way SW)

ALKI KIDS’ PLACE OPEN HOUSE: Still finalizing your plans for after-school care this year, especially with early-release Wednesdays new on the Seattle Public Schools calendar? 4-6 pm today, you can visit Alki Kids’ Place (WSB sponsor) to meet the new director and find out about the program. (6115 SW Hinds)

SINGER-SONGWRITERS PERFORM FOLK-POP: 8-11 pm at Parliament Tavern – Heather Edgley, Sarah St. Albin, Niagara Moon. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

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LABOR DAY WEEKEND: Last 2017 chance to tour Alki Point Lighthouse

August 31, 2017 9:22 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary)

If you’re staying here on our beautiful peninsula for the holiday weekend, this might be one last thing on your summer bucket list – tour historic Alki Point Lighthouse. Again this summer, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary has opened the historic lighthouse for free tours on many weekend days, but this weekend is it for the year – you can tour Saturday, Sunday, and/or Monday, 1 to 4 pm, be there by 3:40 pm to be sure you get in before it closes. The auxiliary’s Debra Alderman, who keeps us updated all summer on changes in tour dates, invites you to: “Come see a special piece of West Seattle history that has been keeping mariners safe for 104 years and still glowing strong! For more information, visit our website.” The lighthouse is at 3201 Alki SW.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch; Viaduct, bridge offramp crashes

August 31, 2017 6:10 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

6:10 AM: Thanks for the texts. We start with a crash, confirmed by SDOT, on the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct at Seneca.

And wherever you are headed, watch out for slick roads. @WestSeaWx says “lots of drizzle out there thanks to a thick marine layer that moved in overnight.”

6:23 AM: WSDOT says the crash is blocking the 2 right lanes. Metro is warning of bus delays.

6:45 AM: SDOT says the Viaduct crash has cleared.

7:19 AM: Now there’s a “heavy rescue” response listed as westbound West Seattle Bridge at Delridge. The crash is on/at the offramp, not affecting eastbound traffic. We are off for a closer look.

8 AM: Took a long time to get within view from the north end of Delridge/west end of low bridge, but the scene is still mostly out of photographic range. A bus was on the ramp along with emergency-responder vehicles, but just as our photographer started walking that way across the intersection, the bus left. A car, pointed the wrong way, is partly in view.