West Seattle, Washington
16 Saturday
More state-championship news about local high-school athletes. First – from the update earlier this month on West Seattle High School track athletes who were headed for districts, WSHS athletic director Trevor Leopold has news of who qualified for state:
Cass Elliott (300 Meter Hurdles)
Chris Nunez (300 Meter Hurdles)
Chaaka Trahan (110 Meter Hurdles, Long Jump)
Natalie Fuller (Triple Jump)
Lexi Ioane (Shot Put)
Lani Taylor (100m, 200m, 400m)The State Track championships will be held at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma starting Thursday May 28th – 30th
Leopold coaches the softball team, which as we’ve been reporting, is also state-bound, and he shares an update on the schedule:
Their first game is against North Central High School out of Spokane on Friday, May 29th, at 9:00am. The games take place at the Regional Athletic Complex (in Lacey).
And congratulations to the Westside Ultimate Coed team, which won its first League Championship and sent us the photo and update:
West Seattle High School’s ultimate frisbee team, Westside Ultimate, in its 3rd year of existence, wins its Disc NW divisional League Championship. Westside finished the season undefeated with wins over Garfield, Chief Sealth, Bainbridge Island and others and entered the season-ending tournament as the number 1 seed. With a win over Bainbridge Island 2 weeks ago and wins over Aviation and Mercer Island in the final 4 last Saturday, Westside Ultimate takes its first championship after losing close games in the finals the last 2 years. Westside also graduates 4 seniors; Shadid Baker, Devon Dascher, Greg Rosas, and Daniel Thomas.
Championship game:
Westside 15 – Mercer Island 7Final 4:
Westside 13 – Aviation 4
(Any updates on other schools’ athletes/teams headed to state? editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!)
The patio at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) is a nice place to be on a quiet Sunday afternoon … especially when you have the chance to do a good deed:
Those are some of the donated items up for silent-auction bids this afternoon in a fundraiser organized by Jilyan Perry, to help with earthquake relief through volunteer-run Changing Lives Nepal, as previewed here earlier this week. Stop by until 7 pm, have some coffee, beer or wine, enjoy some music. C & P is at 5612 California SW.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports to share today:
NORTH ADMIRAL PROWLER: From Sarah:
Just wanted to get the word out that sometime overnight (Saturday night into Sunday morning) someone entered our backyard through our alley gate and looked through our garden shed. They also tried to get into the garage. Nothing was taken, but it’s a little unnerving that someone was checking it out. They had removed our floodlight from the outside of the garage (probably fearing it would come on when they went in). They left lots of footprints in the soft dirt in our back yard. We live in the 2100 block of 47th Ave. SW.
On the SPD incident-report map, the only other burglary/attempted-burglary report in West Seattle so far in the past 24 hours was in the 5100 block
RECOGNIZE THIS SHOPLIFTER? A man was caught on video stealing at The Beer Junction and they asked if we’d share photos. He spent six minutes in the store on Thursday, May 14th, asking about a 750-milliliter bottle of Rogue Farms Savior, and eventually was caught on camera stuffing it in his pocket
(We don’t publish photos of not-charged suspects in circumstances like this unless photos/video show them clearly committing the crime; we’ve seen the store surveillance camera video of that actually happening, in this case, but are not publishing it because most of the frame shows people who weren’t involved.) Another image caught his face:
While that’s not a massive amount of shoplifting, TBJ proprietor Morgan Herzog notes, “We are hoping there’s someone out there that recognizes this individual. Shoplifting is costly for all of us, especially small business owners like ourselves. West Seattle is a wonderful place to live and work, and except in a very rare case like this, we are super lucky to have great customers who love beer as much as we do!” If you have any idea who the thief is, please contact Seattle Police and refer to incident number 15-164144.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
From this month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting:
CRIME/SAFETY TRENDS: Capt. Pierre Davis of the Southwest Precinct said key categories of crime are seeing “steep drops” lately because of “some specific arrests.” He referred to the recent “robbery spike” (two last weekend on Alki; here’s our latest report), mentioning that it’s happening in the early-morning hours, saying they’re checking on specific “individuals … who have a propensity toward that type of thing.”
About Alki overall, Capt. Davis said a “comprehensive emphasis” is planned for summer, including bicycle officers. “If our plan is not working and you’re seeing something out of the ordinary … let us know … we can revamp our plans and take a closer look at your neighborhood.” One attendee asked for an update on what was the Bamboo Grill and is now Alki Huddle; Community Police Team Officer Jon Flores said the name is different, the ownership the same, butname but that they haven’t had serious problems for quite some time.
One attendee from North Admiral said that locking the Hamilton Viewpoint Park gate at night has helped cut down on nighttime trouble but there’s still some in the daytime.
Capt. Davis referred people to the SPD website to check specific crime-stat numbers and also encouraged people to keep vigilant and keep reporting what happens. And he said he’s hoping Assistant Chief Steve Wilske – his predecessor as SW Precinct commander – “will bless us with more resources.”
After his briefing, it was on to the featured guests at the meeting (held this past Tuesday night in the community room at the precinct):
FORMER GANG MEMBERS: WSCPC president Richard Miller brought four people, all self-identified as former gang members, to speak to and with the group. They were from a program affiliated with the Top Hat branch of Victory Outreach, a church with locations in more than 20 states, founded almost half a century ago.
One man said he’d spent 16 years in prison; he got involved in drugs, and that helped lead him onto the wrong road. He said Victory Outreach helped him find a better way, and he graduated from its program and became a minister. They go through White Center “reaching out to men to pull them off the streets,” he said, and are currently working with two dozen people.
He said the criminal-justice system helped him learn discipline. He also said “There’s a lot of gang activity” in the area of their church, and though they try their best to combat it, “there’s not enough of us” – they need help, and “more programs to help youth.” He and his wife “look after” 20 men who he says are on a “new path.” They do community service work while getting back into society, he said. “There is hope for those guys” who come out of gangs and drugs – “don’t give up on them,” he exhorted. He said their program has a 70 percent success rate.
How did he wind up in gangs in the first place? He said his siblings were gang members, his parents were heroin addicts, and “I thought that was life” – though that “life” had included being shot five times, he noted later, and many of his “old friends” are already dead.
Another man had a similar backstory, saying he had been “born into gangs … because my home was messed up, I decided to go get some training somewhere … six months ago, I was (at the) Salvation Army to satisfy the courts … I remembered where Victory Outreach was in Ballard, and walked from Rainier to Ballard, found out the house wasn’t there, then walked from Ballard to West Seattle, and they said ‘Come on in’. … If I’d had this chance when I was younger … there’s a lot that needs to be fixed within us.” In addition to spiritual assistance, he said he had addressed the source of anger within him. He said he’d been at VO for six months
The third speaker said he too had grown up in a dysfunctional family. “Next thing you know you’re doing things a real family wouldn’t do.” He said he was strung out on drugs and then “one day I was tired of being a loser … found myself on the phone with a guy who graduated (from the VO) program … and within 15 minutes talked me into going into the program.” He said it was “awkward at first” to have people caring about him so much, but then he found himself giving back.
And the fourth speaker said he too had grown up in a dysfunctional family with a rough upbringing and found himself looking “for love and fellowship on the streets,” and wound up involved in gangs, having “to fight other kids just to walk down my own block.” He said he too had been involved in drugs and through the church he’s now “saved” and making changes in his life.
How do they get the word out about the program? Word-of-mouth, said the minister, as well as doing odd jobs in the neighborhood like yard work – that, he said, is where some of their funding comes from, as well as car washes and house painting. And they also try to be a positive force in the neighborhood, including dealing with nearby trouble. They also talk to parole/probation officers to look for potential program members.
The program supervised by the minister is a first step, it was explained; in the second step, members have to get jobs, and VO works with local businesses to facilitate that – from metal-fabrication shops to sports organizations.
Did you have trouble with the gangs letting you leave? a meeting attendee asked.
You just disappear, said one man. The minister said he has a brother who’s still involved, and he counsels him as best he can. He added that they try to move participants around so that they’re not tempted or approached by people they knew.
Why do gang members tag? was another question. Reply: To announce their presence at a particular location, and/or give someone a warning.
Who’s not eligible for the program? Reply: Exclusions include anyone with a sex-crime or arson background.
If you’re interested in anything from referring someone to VO to donating – they said items are welcome from toiletries to clothing – you can reach the Top Hat location at 206-781-1655.
WSCPC NEEDS YOU: If you are interested in helping this group continue – it’s been limping along with little volunteer help, not even someone to update its bare-bones website – please contact Richard Miller, who’s been keeping it going despite serious health challenges. Come to the next meeting (June 16th, last one before summer break) and/or contact him via e-mail – westseattlecpc@gmail.com.
Looking ahead to next week, and a few weeks beyond: Seattle Public Utilities‘ Emily Reardon sent word going into the holiday weekend that its work at Delridge/Orchard isn’t over yet:
Quick update re. SPU’s ongoing sewer improvement project near Delridge Way SW and SW Orchard St. The daytime single lane restriction on SW Orchard Street (east of Delridge Way SW) will remain in place off-and-on through mid-June as crews complete sidewalk work and paving. The lane will remain closed Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., and will be opened to traffic during non-work hours. During the closure, all westbound traffic will be diverted to the eastbound lane with the assistance of a traffic flagger.
The project page for this site, upgrading the combined-sewer-overflow-reducing facilities, ” target=”_blank”>is here.
(Savannah Sparrow, photographed at Lowman Beach by Trileigh Tucker)
Day 2 of the long holiday weekend – here’s what’s up:
INFO MEETING FOR RUNNING PROGRAM: 8 am at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), find out more about the West Seattle Runner Distance Training Program Coached by P3 Running, with Michele from P3 and Lori from WSR. More info in our calendar listing. (2743 California SW)
GET YOUR MEMORIAL DAY POPPY: 8 am-4 pm, American Legion Post 160 and Auxiliary Unit 160 again will be distributing poppies, made by veterans to raise money to help veterans, at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) in Morgan Junction. (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm – see this week’s highlights here. (44th/Alaska)
SPRAYPARK AND COLMAN POOL, DAY TWO: Whether or not we see the sun today, it’s Day 2 for these Seattle Parks outdoor water facilities – Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), open 11 am-8 pm, and Colman Pool at Lincoln Park, with its preseason-weekend schedule starting at noon.
VISIT THE LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Noon-4 pm, the home of West Seattle’s history is open and awaiting your visit. (61st/Stevens)
TOUR THE ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: As previewed on Saturday, it’s the first weekend of the season for free tours of this West Seattle icon – first tour at 1 pm, last at 3:40 pm. (3201 Alki SW)
SEE ‘ANGRY HOUSEWIVES’: 3 pm matinee at ArtsWest Playhouse (WSB sponsor) – a few seats left as of early this morning, and remember the run’s been extended through next week, so shop for those tickets now too. (4711 California SW)
HELP NEPAL EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS: 3-7 pm, a silent auction and more, to raise money for Nepal earthquake survivors, as previewed here. (5612 California SW)
It’s been a while since our last update on West Seattle’s “Archer Addy,” who’s been notching archery achievements for a long time despite her young age. Erik and Tracy Nachtrieb shared this news:
11-year-old Addison “Archer Addy” Nachtrieb, a Schmitz Park Elementary student, won the NFAA 3D National Archery Championship and she was awarded the highest-scoring female of all age groups for the second year in a row. This year she also set the NFAA National scoring record for her age division, the last record being held for 10 years.
After 21 total hours of shooting over 3 days, in 90F+ weather, and after shooting a 6-hour Pro-AM the day before the three day National Tournament, Addy held it together over miles of rugged terrain and hills along the shooting course to only drop 7 points! Addy shot 1533 out of a perfect score of 1540! An amazing feat for an 11-year-old.
Addy has been shooting for 3 years and logs over 18,000 practice arrows a year. She recently placed 3rd in the World Archery Festival, 4th in the US Indoor National Championships, has had a book written about her first year in archery, and has recently been brought on as Pro Staff for ArcherZUpshot.
(WSB photo from MCHS High Point’s 2014 graduation ceremony at The Hall @ Fauntleroy)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
With just a few weeks to go in the school year, Seattle Public Schools has abruptly announced that one of its high schools in West Seattle won’t reopen next year.
In a letter dated May 18th, the district told families that it’s closing alternative Middle College High School‘s High Point campus, also known as the School for Social Justice and Community Engagement, after almost 20 years, citing declining enrollment. (If you’re not familiar with the overall MCHS program, it’s explained here.)
A statement on MCHS’s staff-maintained website suggests they’re not going without a fight:
The faculty and staff at Middle College High Point are very disappointed with this decision and are working with our community supporters, parents and students to prepare an organized response to this decision and to challenge the justification for closure.
It’s only been three years since MCHS’s West Seattle program went through a major transition:
A thief stole Cynthia‘s scooter overnight:
2009 Genuine Buddy Scooter (orange) with trunk box stolen last night/this morning on the 8100 block of 13th, between Elmgrove and Thistle. [map] License Plate is 4B9633. Police report has been filed under incident number: 2015-169636
If you see it, call 911 and refer to that case number.
SIDE NOTE: We just checked the incident-response map and so far that’s the only vehicle theft reported in this area today.
This weekend, be part of a Memorial Day tradition – get an American Legion poppy. West Seattle’s Auxiliary Unit 160 president Andrea Geraghty and Post 160 adjutant Kyle Geraghty (a Marine Corps veteran) were at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) this morning with Tom Bucy (an Army veteran), assisted by their daughter Ana. Post 160 will be there until 4 today and again 8 am-4 pm on Sunday, offering the veteran-made poppies and accepting donations. Post 160 and VFW Post 2713 also will partner for Monday’s Memorial Day service/ceremony at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor), where flags now adorn veterans’ graves:
Local Scouts place them each year and will also assist at Monday’s event, which starts at 2 pm and will be followed by a community reception at the Legion Hall (3618 SW Alaska) in The Triangle.
(Photo by Long Bach Nguyen – click image to see larger version)
The summertime tour season at Alki Point Lighthouse (lower left in the photo above) is starting early.
Debra Alderman from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary says they had to make sure they’d have enough volunteers for this weekend – they do, and so it’s on:
FREE lighthouse tours this weekend! The Alki Point Lighthouse begins its tour season this weekend! We will be open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. First tour is at 1 p.m.; last tour enters at 3:40 p.m. We will be open most Saturdays and Sundays between now and Labor Day. Three days this summer that we will NOT be open: June 13, August 1, and August 2. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers provide tours free of charge. Location: 3201 Alki Avenue SW. Visit our website for tour information and updates: cgauxseattle.org
Find out more about the lighthouse in this WSB story from its centennial year (2013).
If you saw a big group of bicycle riders this past hour or so in Westwood or Fauntleroy – this is probably who you saw: The Denny-Lincoln Bicycle Classic‘s almost 50 riders. Biggest group yet, the ride leaders announced as they gave everyone a big round of safety reminders before taking off from the path on the north side of Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon).
After heading out on the western path through the Denny-Sealth campus, they mustered on 26th SW, bound for SW Thistle. This, by the way, is the third annual Denny-Lincoln ride – so named because the destination is Lincoln Park, where the group planned a lunchtime barbecue.
(WSB photo from a recent misty morning)
Happy Saturday! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL DAY POPPIES: 8 am-4 pm today and tomorrow, American Legion Post 160 and Auxiliary Unit 160 will distribute traditional Memorial Day poppies at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), as previewed here. (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
TAI CHI AT ALKI: 9 am, free, with Lao-Shi Caylen Storm. Details here.
DENNY-LINCOLN BIKE RIDE: 10 am, an all-ages group from the Denny International Middle School community takes off on the annual ride, which ends with a barbecue at Lincoln Park. Cheer ’em if you see ’em.
EVERYBODY IN THE WATER! Highland Park Spraypark and Colman Pool both open for the first time this season. The spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open 11 am-8 pm daily starting today; Colman Pool (on the Lincoln Park shore) is open at noon for the first day of its first pre-season weekend; details and schedule links here.
PLANT SALE: South Seattle College (WSB sponsor)’s Garden Center is open 11 am-3 pm today – bring your own boxes. North end of campus. (6000 16th SW)
WOD WITH WARRIORS: Free functional-fitness tribute workout at 11:30 am at South Seattle Crossfit – explained here. (4101 W. Marginal Way SW)
ACADEMIC ELDERS: Panel at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, 1 pm, on new books by Dr. Ken Tollefson and Vi Hilbert – details here. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
COMEDY AT THE LONGHOUSE: 7 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, comedian Chad Charlie, with humor, poetry, and surprise guests. $8 suggested donation; details in our calendar listing. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT: Listings for C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), the West Seattle Eagles, and The Skylark – all on our calendar. Plus one more listing that came in via e-mail from the singer in the band:
Seattle’s Original Cheap Trick Tribute Band, In Color, is doing its first public appearance in 10 years! Live, for one night only!! We’re still the same four wild ‘n’ crazy guys and promise you a fun + exciting evening of rock ‘n’ roll surprises + musical hijinks.
The Feedback Lounge in Wayout West Seattle is hosting the party … please join us!!
!! NO COVER !!
That’s tonight at 9 pm. (6451 California SW)
PHOTO SESSIONS TO BENEFIT FIRE VICTIMS: Happening today and Monday, as a benefit for victims of the recent Pelly Place multi-house fire:
What: 15-20 minute photography mini-session with your family or loved one to raise money for the West Seattle fire victims: A few amazing professional images of your loved ones delivered via an online gallery.
Where: Lincoln Park near the south parking lot, closest to the ferries.
Price: This is donation-based and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the fire victims to help sustain during this difficult time while insurance claims are hashed out. My mini sessions are valued at 200.00 each and with a donation of 50.00 or more, you get some gorgeous images and can feel good that your donation will be used to help rebuild the lives of those struck with tragedy in our backyard.
E-mail photographer Katie DeLorme at katie@katiedelorme.com directly for questions/scheduling
(WSB photo: From left, WSHS’s Charli Elliott and Annalisa Ursino, with Ballard’s Savannah Furia sliding into 2nd)
Next up for the West Seattle High School softball team: State tournament play in Lacey on Friday, after their fourth-place finish in the district tournament at Southwest Athletic Complex last night. In a rematch of the Metro League final a week earlier, Ballard HS went home with the win over the Wildcats, 7-1. WSHS put the ball in play against Ballard pitcher Sage Nicholson more than they had last time, but not enough to get on the scoreboard in a big way. Charli Elliott pitched, with WSHS’s Gabby Wenn still out with an injury; Elliott also got the RBI for the Wildcats’ lone run, which was scored by Lucy Mead. The state-tournament brackets aren’t out yet; we’ll update with the WSHS game time and opponent when they are.
(WSB photo)
From around the Web tonight: Updates on the drilling platform Polar Pioneer and the protest barge Solar Pioneer, both still in West Seattle waters. We’d photographed the latter tonight from Don Armeni Boat Ramp after noticing it had moved, which was expected after it ran afoul of the Coast Guard, among others, as Sydney Brownstone of The Stranger has been chronicling. Tonight our partners at The Seattle Times had an update too; here’s their backstory about the barge. It’s now anchored out of the prime dive zone.
Meantime, Brownstone reports tonight that the state Department of Natural Resources is concerned Polar Pioneer might be taking up too much space in the West Waterway adjacent to T-5. So it’s asking Shell some questions, with a June 1st deadline for answers. That’s three days before the deadline for Shell, T-5 interim lease-holder Foss Maritime, and the Port of Seattle to respond to the city’s Notice of Violation, as reported here last Tuesday.
SIDE NOTE: No new protest plans reported here. But in Bellingham tonight, an activist is reported to have fastened herself to the anchor chain of a Shell barge, the Arctic Challenger.
(Highland Park Spraypark, WSB file photo)
The forecast right now isn’t looking much like warm sunshine tomorrow – but it’s still the first day of the year for Colman Pool at Lincoln Park and for West Seattle’s only spraypark, at Highland Park. We mentioned this a week and a half ago in a roundup of start dates for Seattle Parks‘ outdoor water facilities in West Seattle; for a citywide perspective, check out this recent update on the city’s Parkways website. To get specific: Colman Pool’s first pre-season swim session starts at noon tomorrow (full schedule here); Highland Park Spraypark will be open daily starting tomorrow, 11 am-8 pm (per the citywide schedule that also includes wading pools, which don’t start opening until late June).
It’s state-championship season for high-school athletes in several sports, including golf, with a West Seattle High School golfer headed to the Tri-Cities in a few days to compete. From Kristin Gibson:
West Seattle Wildcat Zach Gibson will compete in Boys 3A State Golf Championship May 26-28 at Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick, WA. Zach qualified last fall by placing 10th in the Metro District Championship. Good Luck, Zach!
Checking our archives, Zach went to the state championships last year, too.
4:49 PM: Twice nominated, and rejected, for city-landmark status, the Charlestown Court apartments across from the ex-Charlestown Café are coming down.
Townhouses will replace them, as we’ve reported previously.
5:40 PM: We’re adding images and backstory. Video:
And – thanks to Bryce for the tip that demolition was under way; unexpected at 4 pm on a Friday going into a long holiday weekend. This site has been on our watchlist for many weeks, and we’ve driven by daily to check for signs of impending teardown, but hadn’t been by today, until that tip.
Back in 2008, with a different demolition/development proposal pending for the site, the city Landmarks Preservation Board rejected a bid for landmark status, saying basically that it was nice-looking but not “special.” The proposal to replace it with a four-story apartments-over-retail building was scrapped later that year, and a new proposal emerged, one that would have preserved its distinctive facade:
(2008 NK Architects proposal incorporating Charlestown Court facade; eventually scrapped)
A land-use permit was granted in early 2009 but the project stalled in the economic downturn, and the apartments remained status-quo until early 2014, when we discovered a new teardown-to-townhouses proposal in the city files. Here’s the concept in the files, from architects S&H Works – 4 buildings, 2 townhouses in each one:
Last summer, as part of the process, Charlestown Court was again considered, and rejected, for landmark status. That cleared the way for the project getting under way now.
SIDE NOTE: Its block is about to have a whole lot of building going on – it’s across the street from the former Charlestown Café, with live-work and townhouses slated to fill that site, and a few doors down on the west side of California, demolition is expected soon at 3829 California, with a 29-unit apartment building to replace it. While demolition was under way to the north, we noticed firefighters training in the now-vacant building:
ADDED 9:54 PM: Sent by Jackie (who has also mentioned this in the comment section):
We saved the azalea, though! The kindest operator and my neighbor, who owns the truck, helped get it up and out of harm’s way. Thank you, Cajun Excavating! You made our day.
Meantime, we went back before sunset to see if the south side of the building had been taken down since we left; it had.
It’s been one of our favorite stories to cover every year we’ve done this – but next Friday will be our last chance to report on another round of “Laps With Lou“: Pathfinder K-8 PE teacher Lou Cutler is retiring. For 12 years now, on a day close to his birthday, he has been joined by students and other members of the Pathfinder community in running one lap for each year he’s been on the planet, with pledges for Make-A-Wish, the nonprofit for which he’s spent almost 20 years volunteering. This year, Lou and friends will run 64 laps around the field. You’re invited to cheer him on, one last time, starting at 8:45 am next Friday (May 29th) on the field at Pathfinder (1901 SW Genesee on Pigeon Point). You can pledge/donate in advance, too – just go here.
One more transportation-related item: If you live and/or work and/or drive, ride, walk, run along Delridge Way SW, you’re going to want to take this survey. It was mentioned in the announcement of a June 6th city-led workshop regarding three projects – the Delridge Multi-Modal Corridor Study, the Delridge Action Plan, and Delridge Longfellow Creek Basin Natural Drainage Systems Partnership. The workshop is planned for 9:30 am-noon June 6th (a Saturday) at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle)
(Slide deck from last night’s meeting)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“Who can we contact to derail this program?”
That question was asked by one attendee at last night’s contentious meeting about the Admiral Way Safety Project, but could have come from almost anyone who spoke. We hadn’t planned to record the meeting on video but grabbed five minutes of public comment via phone; if you weren’t there, this is a taste of how it went:
This was the first standalone meeting about the project, and at one point during the meeting SDOT reps said it would be the only one – but before the meeting’s end, Admiral Neighborhood Association president David Whiting asked them to commit to another one, and they agreed.
The proposal for SW Admiral Way between California SW and 63rd SW is intended to improve safety by adding a bicycle lane and narrowing vehicle lanes. That would require removal of about 200 street parking spaces, per SDOT’s calculations, on alternating sides of the street. While SDOT initially contended that the proposal would still preserve more than the number of spaces they found occupied during their research, what has drawn ire is the timing of that research: They took counts last December, not during the warm-weather months that fill Alki-area parking spaces for blocks around.
The way in which this proposal emerged also has drawn criticism.
The heart of the decision over this fall’s transportation levy: What will you get for your money? Two weeks after Mayor Murray and SDOT director Scott Kubly went public with the revised proposed $930 million “Move Seattle” transportation levy (WSB coverage here), it’s officially appearing on the City Council’s Introduction and Referral Calendar – which means that you can read the “fine print.” That includes the proposed “ballot title,” what you’ll see before you vote in November, assuming the language isn’t changed:
CITY OF SEATTLE
PROPOSITION NO. 1The City of Seattle’s Proposition 1 concerns replacing funding for citywide transportation maintenance and improvements.
If approved, this proposition would replace an expiring levy and fund bridge seismic upgrades, transit corridor and light rail station access projects, pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, upgraded and synchronized traffic signals, street maintenance and improvements, freight mobility projects, and neighborhood street fund projects.
It authorizes regular property taxes above RCW 84.55 limits, allowing collection of up to $95,000,000 in 2016 and up to $930,000,000 over nine years. The 2016 total regular tax limit would be $3.60/$1,000 assessed value, including approximately $0.62 additional taxes.
Should this levy be approved?
Levy, Yes
Levy, No
You can read the legislation in its entirety here – keep in mind the City Council now will start its review, with public-comment opportunities along the way – including a 5:30 pm public hearing at City Hall on June 2nd – before a final version is sent to the county in August. (This link also includes info on how to comment on it right now. And a new stack of “public outreach” links has just been sent around by SDOT – you can find them here; the links on that page include the map we’ve embedded atop this story.)
(Male black-headed grosbeak, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
The holiday weekend is about to start! If you’re headed out, be safe and have a great time; we’ll be here covering what’s going on in West Seattle, as usual, including daily advance word of calendar highlights, like these:
WEST SEATTLE GARDEN CLUB: This month’s meeting starts with 10 am registration and continues until 2 pm, at Daystar Retirement Village. Bring your own lunch; beverage and dessert are included in the $5 registration fee. (2615 SW Barton)
FREE SOUP AND SANDWICH LUNCH: For the community – drop by Seaview Methodist Church any time between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm; details in our calendar listing. (4620 SW Graham)
SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS: 5 pm, it’s West Seattle High School‘s next game in the district playoffs, vs. Ballard HS at Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle – ballfields are on the SW Trenton side)
‘DINGO’ FUNDRAISER: Dessert plus bingo at and for West Seattle High School, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Children’s Miracle Network, 6:30 pm “but it’s OK if you’re late,” organizers say. Details here. (3000 California SW)
LIVE MUSIC: Our calendar has listings for 5 pm at Salty’s (WSB sponsor), 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), and 9 pm at The Skylark. (Missing anyone? Please let us know at editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!)
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