West Seattle, Washington
05 Sunday
5:57 PM: Just dispatched: “Full response” for a possible house fire – smoke seen from the 4100 block of 36th SW, somewhere a few blocks west. More to come.
6:04 PM: Nothing was seen from that address; one unit thought they might have spotted a possible trash fire somewhere nearby, but for now, the entire call is closed/canceled. Will update if that changes.
6:09 PM: Our crew caught up with a fire investigator who tells us that they traced the smoke to a backyard barbecue. Nothing wrong, no problem, just a late-winter barbecue on a sunny evening.
4:31 PM: Police are just north of Morgan Junction looking for the second of two suspects in an apparent shoplift/robbery. It happened at the Westwood QFC, we’re told, and the robbers got away by bus. One is in custody, one being sought.
4:41 PM: Still piecing together information from scanner plus what police told us at the arrest scene by the northbound California/Fauntleroy RapidRide stop alongside Cal-Mor Circle (photo above). The robbery is reported to have involved pepper-spraying, which has become an all-too-familiar MO in cases like this.
TUESDAY MORNING NOTE: As we also posted in a comment, there’s a followup now – read it here. Toplines: SPD says 5 suspects were arrested, and explains that the robbery happened hours after the shoplifting, and happened at the bus stop itself, not the store (though that was the shoplifting location).
(WSB photo from February, looking at Terminal 5 from east Admiral)
Two developments today in the ongoing controversy over the Port of Seattle signing a lease for Foss Maritime to use a third of closed-for-modernization Terminal 5 in West Seattle to host Shell’s Arctic drilling fleet:
*MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL JUMP IN: The Department of Planning and Development is now under orders to review the plan to see if it complies with existing permits, as the port contends. This started with Councilmember Mike O’Brien drafting a letter and ask council colleagues this morning to sign on; by early afternoon, it morphed into this announcement:
Mayor Ed Murray and the Seattle City Council announced today that Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) will review, investigate and determine whether the plans at Port of Seattle’s Terminal 5 to host Shell Oil’s Arctic drilling fleet are allowed under the current Shoreline Substantial Development Permit granted to Terminal 5.
Reports indicate that Shell Oil would moor vessels that are returning from drilling in the Arctic. In the past, Shell’s drilling fleet has needed extensive repairs, maintenance and conversions after returning from a season of drilling. These activities may substantially change Terminal 5’s use and require new, different permits than the one currently granted by DPD which could require additional environmental review if the Port wishes to move forward with the lease.
“Any project of this apparent significance to our industrial lands must go through the appropriate review. It’s important that the public and surrounding businesses are informed of all the possible impacts of this lease – both economic and environmental – and that these impacts are sufficiently disclosed and evaluated,” Murray said. “This is why I’m directing DPD to conduct a thorough review of the Terminal 5 proposal and determine if the anticipated activities at the terminal involving the Shell drilling fleet require new permits before it can proceed.”
“I have grave concerns about Shell Oil’s Arctic drilling fleet coming to Puget Sound in a damaged state, discharging oil and other toxic pollutants along our shorelines during transport and repair, jeopardizing the local ecosystem and undoing decades of work to clean up the Sound,” said Councilmember Mike O’Brien. “Shell’s track record with the Noble Discoverer in the Arctic includes eight felony offenses relating to environmental and maritime crimes, such as discharging oil-contaminated water directly overboard, which is simply unacceptable.”
“For years the Port and the City have worked together to develop rational solutions and develop alternative treatment technologies to reduce pollution in the Duwamish and Elliott Bay,” said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. “While the immediate value of a lease to repair Arctic drilling equipment may appear to be high, we believe this agreement is shortsighted and ignores the long-term costs to our economy and environment.”
The current permit, called a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit, designated Terminal 5 as a “cargo terminal” – usually meaning goods are stored and ultimately transferred from this terminal to other carriers or locations. But if the Arctic drilling fleet is actually being moored and repaired at Terminal 5, there could be significant and adverse impacts on the surrounding environment. As part of DPD’s investigation and fact-finding, the Department will begin working with the Port of Seattle to clarify all of the activities anticipated at Terminal 5, including, but not limited to, the types of vessels to be moored and the maintenance and repairs to be conducted.
*PORT COMMISSION MEETING TOMORROW: A spokesperson for the environmental coalition that filed a lawsuit last week to try to get the lease canceled says they’re expecting a big turnout at tomorrow’s Port Commission meeting. As they did at the February 24th commission meeting, they plan to again ask commissioners to cancel the lease. As quoted here last week, a port spokesperson said they believe they’ve complied with the environmental and permit regulations. The lease is not officially on the agenda for tomorrow’s commission meeting (1 pm, Sea-Tac Airport conference room), but an open-public-comment period is.
No chance for the daily preview this morning but while we have a quick moment before more news rushes in, here are three notes for tonight:
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY PTSA: Potluck meeting for parents tonight – dinner at 5:30 pm, meeting at 6. (11th/Trenton)
FREE PEACE WORKSHOP: 6:30 pm at the Delridge Uptown Espresso, with experts in peacebuilding, including the Peace Alliance‘s national field director. (Delridge/Andover)
DENNY INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PTSA: 7 pm in the school library, with topics including “walking safety and the school budget for the upcoming year.” (2601 SW Kenyon)
(And as always, you’ll see more if you browse our calendar.)
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports this morning:
WOMAN ATTACKED, ROBBED: A 20-year-old woman was hit from behind and knocked to the ground during a strong-arm robbery at 14th/Henderson (map) around 9:40 last night. We just obtained the police report and it added that detail to what a reader told us in e-mail, saying the victim “was attacked by two young female assailants. They stole her phone and wallet, using a knife to cut the backpack off her back while kicking her in the face and chest.” We asked how she’s doing: “She is cut up and bruised but otherwise unhurt.” No descriptions in either report.
ABANDONED CAR: From North Delridge, this photo of a suspected stolen car, abandoned at 26th and Graham (map), door hanging open, rear window broken out:
The resident who sent the photo says she has contacted police.
From a two-part briefing on the Highway 99/Viaduct project (and side issues) that just concluded at this morning’s Seattle City Council meeting:
99 LANE CLOSURES POSTPONED, BUT TONIGHT’S CLOSURE STILL ON: The big breaking news came mid-briefing – WSDOT apparently has heeded the observations that the work that was going to lead to weeks of lane closures north of downtown is NOT urgent, and they’ve decided to postpone it TFN. The work was to pour foundations for signs that won’t even be needed until the tunnel opens. However, tonight’s overnight closure of NB 99 north of the Battery Street Tunnel, in order to remove the “Mercer wiggle,” IS still on.
Also on the subject of closures:
INSPECTION CLOSURE: When WSDOT started its part of the briefing, it was revealed that the next major inspection closure of the entire Viaduct will be the last weekend of this month, March 28-29. We’re checking to see if that will be a wall-to-wall all-weekend closure, or a “6 am to 6 pm each day” closure.
TUNNEL MACHINE UPDATES: WSDOT’s Matt Preedy went through the steps of how the machine’s cutterhead will be dissembled.
(Added: 11:38 am screengrab from repair-pit camera)
The main piece is likely to be lifted toward the end of this month, and if all goes well, the machine could restart in August, he said. (See the WSDOT slide deck here.)
CITY BRIEFING: The council-meeting discussion began with an SDOT update on the in-progress “what if the Viaduct had to be closed before the tunnel is open?” SDOT leaders stressed that this is NOT intended to make people think a closure is expected, just that they are continuing to make sure the city is ready just in case. One unsettling point, though – the amount of bus service that would be needed to help mitigate a longterm Viaduct shutdown would take two years to ramp up. (See the SDOT slide deck here.)
Over the weekend, we started getting questions about what happened to the drive-or-ride-up drop-off mailbox at the Westwood Village Post Office – it was suddenly gone, with no sign to say what happened or whether it would return. We checked first thing this morning with regional USPS spokesperson Ernie Swanson, who replied, “The collection box was hit by a car and incurred significant damage and had to be removed. A new one has been ordered.” No word yet on the expected timeline; in the meantime, the lobby maildrop at Westwood is open 24/7, or you can go to the drive-or-ride-up mailbox at the Junction Post Office (4412 California SW).
(Rendering from final Design Review meeting, 11/2014, by Johnston Architects)
One West Seattle project on this morning’s city Land Use Information Bulletin: Land-use-permit approval is in for 3824 California SW, site of the four-years-closed Charlestown Café, where 27 townhouse/live-work units are planned. You can read the decision here, including conditions the project will have to meet, and a parking assessment (26 spaces are planned along the alley on the site’s east side; the study projects the townhouses and live-work units will generate nightly demand for 20+ more spaces, which are expected to be available on the streets alongside the site).
Publication starts the clock on a two-week window for anyone who wants to appeal the decision – the official notice links to this page explaining how. We’ll be asking developer Intracorp if they have a date yet for demolition of the four-years-closed café. Checking county records, we note the sale of the site closed last month, in two parts (different owners), just under $1.8 million for the half-acre on the north side, just over $1 million for the quarter-acre on the south side.
SIDE NOTE: This was not the first redevelopment proposal for the site; a 2006-2007 proposal to build a standalone Petco on the site had big trouble in Design Review and was finally scrapped in 2008; a mixed-use proposal emerged shortly after the café’s closure in spring 2011, but had fallen through within a year; the townhouse proposal was first reported here in June 2013.
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! As we get going with this morning’s commute watch, several road-work alerts and other transportation-related notes for the week ahead:
53RD AVENUE PUMP STATION: Seattle Public Utilities announced a week of work on the waterfront pump station, affecting the sidewalk and road at 53rd/Alki – here’s the notice.
47TH/ADMIRAL TRAFFIC SIGNAL: The city has announced that work could start as soon as this week – here’s the notice.
15TH/ROXBURY CABLE INSTALLATION: The mobile sign for this work was changed by week’s end, saying it’s been extended through Wednesday (instead of ending by last Friday).
DELRIDGE/ANDOVER/23RD WORK CONTINUES: Here’s the notice.
If you spot major West Seattle road work that’s *not* on our list, please let us know so we can include it. Also of note this week:
HIGHWAY 99 NORTH OF DOWNTOWN: Northbound 99 from the Battery Street Tunnel to Valley Street, the highway will be closed overnight tonight. Then starting Wednesday morning, several weeks of lane closures in both directions will begin, north of the tunnel. It’s all related to the ongoing Highway 99 project; an overall update is expected at this morning’s City Council meeting, just after 10 am, and WSDOT plans to brief reporters at the tunnel-machine repair pit early this afternoon.
HACK THE COMMUTE: If you’re tech-expert or tech-inclined and want to be part of the upcoming local Hack The Commute hackathon on March 20th, sign up fast.
8:29 AM: A little trouble on northbound 5, per WSDOT via Twitter:
A collision has the left lane of NB 5 south of Seneca blocked. pic.twitter.com/TvGdSxEg9c
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) March 9, 2015
P.S. Just to make sure you saw it – the lane closures on 99, mentioned above, are now ON HOLD TILL FURTHER NOTICE. But the overnight closure tonight is still on.
(Video from closing ceremony, provided by Sealth teacher Noah Zeichner)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“Get out to your communities and spread change,” exhorted a teenage speaker toward the end of the first-ever Washington State Global Issues Network Conference, held Friday and Saturday at Chief Sealth International High School.
That change could take many shapes, agreed participants – the conference’s “global villages” resulted in resolutions ranging from reducing use of plastic water bottles, to intervening when injustices are witnessed, to holding a Global Issues Network Conference at another school.
That last one, in fact, is the intention, Sealth teacher and conference co-organizer Noah Zeichner told us – that the conference, which he declared “a huge success,” will become an annual event, hosted at a different school each year, now that CSIHS has taken the lead and sparked the flame, drawing 200+ youth from not just elsewhere in Seattle, but some from out-of-state. “From the 6th grade teams from Denny International Middle School to the groups who traveled all the way from Texas, California, and Colorado, students brought so much positive energy for learning from each other and for tackling some very complex global problems. Our student leaders from Chief Sealth worked tirelessly to make the two days run smoothly. The conference couldn’t have ended in a more uplifting and energizing way as it did on Saturday night. I left more convinced then ever that youth are capable of doing amazing things and sometimes we adults just need to get out of the way.”
Conference co-coordinators were Sealth students Aisaya Corbray and Paloma Robertson.
While climate change was a central focus, the workshops and presentations that comprised the bulk of the two days spanned a wide variety of global and local issues, from immigration to pollution, racism to education funding.
After updates from Zeichner on Friday, we visited Sealth on Saturday, in time for the second-to-last keynote presentation; both days’ schedules were packed, with events 8 am-8 pm.
The keynoter we saw was West Seattle-based filmmaker Amy Benson, whose work we featured in 2012. Her first-ever feature-length film, now called “Drawing the Tiger,” was known at the time as “The Girl Who Knew Too Much.” Benson told WAGIN participants that she has been working on it for seven years, and will finally premiere it this year.
It is about a girl in Nepal – “a super sad story,” she warned, featuring suicide, which ended the so-promising life of that girl, Shanta, at just 16, after she left her rural home for the big city, given a chance at a sponsored education. Here’s the trailer featured on the project website:
“The story started to be about the power of girls’ education,” Benson said. But then it turned into something else entirely; before they could return to meet and talk with Shanta again, they learned she had committed suicide, the leading cause of death for girls and women 14 to 49 in Nepal.
The film is also the story of how Shanta’s family deals with her death, after they had had such hope her education might change their lives as well as hers. And it shows changes in the country, including the effects of globalization: One member of the family who makes money by handcrafting Buddhist statuettes has lost his job because the items are now all manufactured in China.
The film, she explained, “doesn’t have an ask,” adding that it’s “a complex story.” That led her to share some insights about the filmmaking process, saying that when you tell someone’s story, anyone’s story, your own story is in it, because it’s from your perspective. “I think humans are incredibly fascinating,” she said. “I believe that stories are what make us human … we all tell stories, all over the world. I believe that by telling stories and listening to stories, we understand one another better, and we can change the world with stories.” This is a great time for storytelling, she said, because it can be done so easily – even with your “fancy phone,” she said, holding up her own smartphone.
As enthralling as her presentation was the ensuing Q/A, with youth participants asking questions from the audience. She told them first that she is at the spot where she is so absorbed in the project, she doesn’t “see it how others see it.”
When will the film be out? she was asked first. Reply: Next month, with “its world premiere, in Canada.” And it will be shown in Seattle at some point afterward. Updates will be via the film’s Facebook page. Benson and her filmmaking partner, husband Scott Squire, also are hoping to show the film to Shanta’s family before it is shown to anyone else.
How did Shanta’s death affect you? she then was asked. She was “so sad, in a way I’ve never felt sad, like I wasn’t going to be happy again … I felt very confused, and I felt guilty …” But – “now that I’ve learned a lot about suicide,” she understands that is common.
How did you find out? she was asked. The person who runs the nonprofit that was helping Shanta called to tell her.
Another question: Did you speak Nepali? “My great advice for someone who wants to be a documentary filmmaker is that maybe your first film should be in a language you speak.” But – for her, it just didn’t work out that way.
What’s your next project after this? Her reply: It will explore the topic of love and marriage and “why marriage still exists” – something a little lighter about why people fall in love and stay in love.
P.S. Watch for Benson’s Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to help cover the costs of finishing the film – she said that they have color and sound left, and that will cost $32,000.
CONFERENCE’S ‘CARBON FOOTPRINT’
Following Benson onstage was a presentation created by Denny International Middle School students who had been calculating the conference’s “carbon footprint.”
(Photo courtesy Denny principal Jeff Clark)
That took into account what was eaten, what transportation modes were involved for participants to get there, how much energy was used to heat Chief Sealth IHS during the conference. It was a way to demonstrate that “you yourself can take action,” said a student.
The travel averaged 29.2 pounds of CO2 per person; the food, 20 pounds of CO2 per person; the building’s carbon footprint, 4.5 pounds of CO2 per person. That totaled 53 pounds per person for the conference – lower if people made choices with lower carbon footprints, such as bicycling or walking, which halved that total, or by eating less meat, which meant a lower “footprint” for food.
The conference’s overall impact, 16,583 pounds of CO2, could have been mitigated by “planting 193 urban trees,” one student explained. (They also shared overall information from 350.org.)
OTHER DENNY PARTICIPATION
Denny IMS principal Jeff Clark sent a congratulatory message today and shared it with us:
Denny International Middle School scholars did a fantastic job presenting and participating at the Global Issues Network Conference hosted by Chief Sealth International High School. This conference brought together over 170 scholars from as far away as Haiti to learn about global issues from each other and guest speakers. The participants committed to taking action to better our local community and world.
I am very proud of the five teams representing Denny — their presentations were informative, interactive, and compelling —congratulations to the Dolphin presenters! A huge thank you to the Denny staff who coached our scholars and contributed in so many ways to making this happen for them: Ms. Evans, Ms. Choi, Mr. B. Evans, Ms. Kelleher, Ms. Clausen, and Ms. Olsen! A special note of thanks and congratulations to Mr. Zeichner, the Sealth scholar Ambassadors, and Sealth staff for hosting such a successful and inspiring event on our campus!
Here are two of the photos Clark shared with the Denny community, showing their youth at work during the conference:
WHAT’S NEXT?
For all the students from all the schools that participated, it’s back to classes tomorrow, with a new view at how individual action can make a difference.
The WAGIN Conference, by the way, was a successor at Sealth this year to the major event that Zeichner and students have organized this time of year for the past four years, World Water Week. And in a full-circle moment, the student with whom he coordinated the first WWW at Sealth in 2011, Molly Freed, was part of the conference this year – coming home from college to be a keynoter.
P.S. See photos from the conference by browsing its Twitter feed at @wagin2015.
P.P.S. Just after we published this, we found out there’s already a Change.org petition launched regarding the plastic-water-bottle issue – check it out here.
In case you missed the first announcement a week and a half ago: You have two chances this week to see the “design alternatives” that SDOT is proposing to make 35th SW safer, 6:30 pm Tuesday (March 10th) at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way), and 3:15 pm Thursday (March 12th) at Southwest Branch Library (35th/Henderson). These will be the first standalone community meetings since the project kickoff in October (WSB coverage here), which in turn followed the February 2014 city announcement of a long-sought safety initiative for the arterial, after much talk but no action despite five deaths in seven years. What happens after these meetings? The process is laid out on the project page.
Family and friends will gather in West Seattle on Thursday to remember Dr. J. Robert Long. Here is the remembrance his family is sharing:
Beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather Dr. J. Robert Long, born May 19, 1923, peacefully passed away in Seattle March 6, 2015.
He obtained his Doctorate of Education from the University of Washington. He was a life-long educator/administrator at West Seattle High School, Seattle University, University of Washington, and Shoreline Community College. He was dedicated to always being available to serve students.
He was a World War II Veteran, serving in the South Pacific. As a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, he led the meteorology unit in Okinawa.
He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Mercedes Long; his four children: Kathie Salonen (Bob), Bob Long, Sherrie Williams (John); and Kristie Farnworth (Steve). He is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
He will be deeply missed by all who knew him for his positive outlook. He always had a smile on his face and a joke on his lips. Above all else his primary dedication was to his family.
Services will be held at Forest Lawn Funeral Home on Thursday, March 12, 2015 at 2 pm, 6701 30th Ave. SW. Graveside services to follow. Reception to follow at Boulevard Park Place, 2825 S 125th St.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
By Alice Enevoldsen
Special to West Seattle Blog
Well, that was a lovely conjunction of Mars and Venus we had last month, wasn’t it? This month continues to have beautiful planets in the sky, followed by an Equinox Sunset Watch and warming temperatures for pleasant evening stargazing.
HEY, WHAT’S THAT?
There are too many “Hey, What’s That?” options this month! You’re going to have to know which direction you’re facing, and what time of day as well.
Starting with the early pre-dawn sky for early commuters and folks on the night shift, look high in the sky. The two objects are the star Spica and the planet Saturn. Which is which? Stars twinkle, planets don’t.
Evening viewers are probably noticing Venus or Jupiter. You can’t miss them, except due to clouds or trees. Low in the West following the sunset is Venus. Jupiter is behind you when you look at Venus, halfway up the sky in the Northeast.
Did you see something else? We’ve got five or six particularly bright stars in the winter skies. Just like above, if it twinkles it is a star.
NOTABLE IN THE SKY
Another question that’s come in today: Is the West Seattle Water Taxi running for the Sounders opener? Answer: No; no weekend runs at all until 7-day-a-week, all-day service resumes in four weeks. By then, the first of the two new Water Taxis will join the fleet – M/V Sally Fox, on the Vashon Island run – lots of details in the new Water Taxi newsletter, including a more-specific timeline for the West Seattle vessel M/V Doc Maynard‘s expected arrival – mid-October.
If you can’t read it as embedded above (note the “zoom,” “fullscreen,” and other controls in the window), here it is as a PDF.
The junior/preps West Coast Conference championships of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association have wrapped up at the West Seattle High School gym, after a day and a half of games.
Seattle Adaptive Sports, which hosted the tournament, explains that WSHS is one of the few places in the region with two accessible courts in one place, and that’s why they play here, even though the group isn’t based here. Teams participating this weekend were from Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Berkeley, Phoenix, and San Diego, according to the tournament bracket.
(We don’t have the final score on today’s game but will add it when we do.) The national tournament is next up for the victorious athletes, in mid-April in Louisville, Kentucky. Then the next season starts up again late in the year.
We’ve been asked why police are out on Alki. Scanner traffic mentioned they were called because of “protesters.” Checking Twitter, we found out it’s the walking anti-racism demonstration that goes by the hashtag #blackbrunchseattle. Social-media clips show participants staging brief demonstrations inside restaurants, and then moving on; recognizable visuals included Cactus, Duke’s, and Alki Café, shown in this brief video clip that was tweeted:
Kicking it off. #blackbrunchseattle Alki Beach. https://t.co/NjF5cR5Qbd
— MaxWelp (@local_maxima) March 8, 2015
Another tweet says there are 11 participants and six police cars. A few have tweeted photos of the SPD presence.
Posted #blackbrunchseattle #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/plEEKqgiV7
— Marian (@marianholif) March 8, 2015
Following the hashtag shows past demonstrations in other Seattle neighborhoods including Capitol Hill, and one today on the East Coast in Princeton, NJ.
Thanks to Gary Jones for the photo from Alki Point (caption suggestions, anyone?). From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, which has made the leap ahead into Daylight Saving Time (have you?):
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Second day at the West Seattle High School gym, continuing until 2 pm. No admission charge, all welcome – more info in our preview from last week. (3000 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: On until 2 pm. Something new every week! (44th/Alaska)
DUWAMISH NATIVE FOODS, NOW AND THEN: “Spring Greens” are the focus of this edition of an ongoing series at the Duwamish Longhouse – details in our calendar listing. Doors open at noon, guest speaker Heidi Bohan at 1 pm, cultural program at 2 pm, shared meal at 3 pm. Free. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
TAX HELP: The Vietnamese Cultural Center in West Seattle says volunteer Ryan Huynh will be there 2-5 pm to help low-income people with simple tax-return prep, free. (2236 SW Orchard)
SEATTLE GREEN SPACES COALITION: 3-4:45 pm at Southwest Branch Library: “Please join us to plan an event for the Fauntleroy Substation on Brace Point Drive in West Seattle.” Find out more about the coalition here. (35th/Henderson)
‘CHINGLISH’ MATINEE: 3 pm at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), the “stranger-in-a-strange-land, laugh-out-loud” comedy “Chinglish” by David Henry Hwang is back onstage. Tickets at the box office or online, here. (4711 California SW)
GOLDEN AGE OF ITALIAN OPERA: That’s the theme for this afternoon’s free concert by the Ladies’ Musical Club – vocals, piano, violin, at the West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library, 3 pm. (2306 42nd SW)
BURGUNDY PEARL: The Americana-music duo is back at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
“What could be more American than what happened in this place?” President Obama asked that question in Selma, Alabama, yesterday, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the civil-rights marches there. This past week, teachers and students from Chief Sealth International High School augmented their studies of those events with donation-funded moviegoing trips. Social-studies teacher Matthew Baudhuin shared a photo of one group of students at the theater, with this report:
My colleague at Chief Sealth, Dr. De La Ossa, and I wanted to share with the WSB an awesome opportunity Google provided for 150 of our students last week. Through the Donors Choose program, Chief Sealth applied for and received a generous donation from Google to take students to see the film “Selma.” We took 150 US history students on Wednesday and Thursday downtown to the Regal Meridian.
This was an incredible opportunity for our students, especially just days before the 50th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday March in Selma in 1965. The students were inspired and moved — engaging in a serious discussion about the 1965 Voting Rights Act that resulted from this protest.
(Side note: We’ve mentioned Donors Choose before – it’s also open to donations from individuals, and used frequently by teachers all over the country to seek funding for relatively small projects like this – you can search by school, type of project, and/or other criteria here.)
Two more West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight:
SHOPLIFT TURNED ROBBERY: Thanks to the people who texted/tweeted to ask about a big police response plus a fire engine at Admiral Safeway a few hours ago. The police were all gone by the time we got there but we’ve since obtained some information from Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams. He says a loss-prevention officer tried to stop a shoplifting suspect who fought, punched, and kicked the officer, which turned it into a robbery. The suspect was arrested, with the help of citizens who held him down until police arrived and made the arrest. Lt. Williams says the loss-prevention officer’s injuries were minor.
12-FOOT-LONG, 100-POUND ‘SHIPMENT’ STOLEN: From the inbox, a reader report about a theft that would have been very noticeable if you happened to witness the stolen item being carried:
My partner and I had a shipment in front of our townhouse on 5950 California Ave. SW. … 12 feet long and 100 pounds.. This is of no commercial value to anyone else except that we tracked it all the way from Florida and it’s going to delay … two weeks on a very special birthday present. … I just don’t believe will be able to install this custom shade for friend that has some mobility issues so we made a shade that’s remote control from his smart phone. … We’re friends with everyone in the neighborhood and when (the thief/thieves) realize it’s of no value to them and that it’s not anything special other than a woven sheet of fabric for outside use – again it’s 12′ and would require two very conspicuous people between midnight and 5 AM walking around alleyways between Juneau and Raymond and Thriftway…
Seen it? Let police know.
More spring-like weather is forecast for tomorrow (remember, it’s still technically winter for another two weeks) – so you might be interested to know, if you hadn’t noticed already, that Alki Kayak Tours is open for the season at Seacrest (1660 Harbor SW). Proprietor Greg Whittaker (who shared, and is in, the photo) says AKT is starting its 11th year, with rentals for getting out on the water or rolling/riding along the beach. As the season gets going, they’re open noon-sunset on Fridays, 10 am-sunset on Saturdays/Sundays. (And of course, with the time change tonight, sunset will be later starting tomorrow.)
(Added 2:34 pm: Photo texted from Spokane)
1:34 PM: It’s halftime in Spokane at the boys’ 1B basketball tournament, and Seattle Lutheran is up by one over Shorewood Christian, 30-29. That’s a turnaround from the end of the 1st, when the Lions were up 16-10 over the Saints. Thanks to the folks who are over there with the teams and texting updates!
2:02 PM UPDATE: Three quarters now in the books and SLHS maintains a one-point lead over SCHS, 45-44.
2:24 PM UPDATE: Final score 61-53, Seattle Lutheran over Shorewood Christian. Saints get third place at state, Lions get fifth.
Two reader reports start off today’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup:
Isaac and Andrea sent that photo of a bicycle they would like you to keep an eye out for:
Last night, Friday the 6th, someone broke into our detached garage and made off with one of our bicycles. It is a distinctive bike: it is a red Diamond Back with white lettering with a black Kona fork. It is a hybrid style bike with two bar grips that I added onto the handlebars. Also has one splashguard on the rear tire. Serial no. DAP12/E003705. We have called the police and will be filing a report ASAP. This was directly across from Highland Park Playfield on 12th & Cloverdale. Please keep your eyes open. This bike has a lot of sentimental value to us and we would love to see it returned.
BUSINESS BURGLARY: Michael von Kempf, proprietor of Ultrafab Computers in Fauntleroy, e-mailed to say his shop at 45th and Wildwood was broken into recently, with the burglar(s) stealing four laptops belonging to customers. He adds, “As a one-man show, I service a large number of West Seattle residents and businesses. This break-in has come at a very bad time.” (We’ve followed up to ask if there are any identifying features that people might look for.)
Also:
iPHONE STOLEN? In the WSB Forums, there’s a post about an iPhone found in Arbor Heights, and the finder suspects it was stolen. Check it out here.
SIDE NOTE: SPD had another SeaStat crime-trends briefing this past week. Only one of the slides had Southwest Precinct info of note, sixth page in the slide deck, looking at robberies citywide – January/February in this area (West Seattle/South Park) was double what it was last year, 25 compared to 12. In the first week of March, though, the rate has dropped back down – two are on the map for the past week.
REMINDER: Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole returns to West Seattle on Wednesday to “continue the conversation” – details here.
(UPDATED SATURDAY NIGHT with photos)
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
SATURDAY NIGHT TOPLINE: The West Seattle High School girls left the Tacoma Dome this morning with the trophy for finishing #6 in state, after a 41-40 loss to Arlington. Below, we’ve added more photos and notes to our as-it-happened report from courtside:
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(Video: WSHS pep band with pregame fight song)
8:00 AM: We are back at the Tacoma Dome one last time this morning as the West Seattle High School Wildcats cap off a great season with one last game, tipping off seconds ago to play Arlington for fourth place. We’ll post periodic updates as the game proceeds.
(WSHS’s Emily Fiso)
8:06 AM: After an Emily Fiso three-pointer, it’s 7-5, WSHS in the lead, midway through the first quarter.
8:13 AM: First quarter over – WSHS is leading 14-13.
8:21 AM: Almost midway through the second quarter, Arlington is ahead 18-14.
(WSHS’s Lani Taylor in the foreground, Lexi Ioane in the background)
8:32 AM: And it’s halftime, with WSHS leading 21-18. The bands and cheer squads perform briefly during the 10-minute halftimes; WSHS’s band is playing Adele’s “We Could Have Had It All,” while the Arlington cheer squad stands by on the court waiting for its turn. (2 minutes later) Halftime scoring sheets are in. Fiso accounts for 11 of WSHS’s 21 points, including three 3-pointers.
(WSHS’s Ioane, Charli Elliott, Lydia Giomi)
Rebounds are an even match – 16 for the Wildcats, 17 for the Eagles.
8:51 AM: 3 minutes left in the third quarter, and WSHS retains the lead, 25-21.
8:58 AM: This is it – last quarter of the last game of the season for WSHS, win or lose. They’re going into the fourth quarter ahead 26-24.
(WSHS’s Annalisa Ursino)
9:10 AM: Less than 3 minutes to go and it’s 38 Arlington, 33 West Seattle. The Eagles have been more prolific with the three-pointers.
(Head coach Sonya Elliott talks to her team during the final time out)
9:24 AM: All over. They got to within one – and time ran out.
(Instagram video of the last WSHS basket, scored by Giomi)
Final score, Arlington 41, West Seattle 40. They finish as #6 at state. WSHS band is playing the fight song as the girls leave the court.
9:31 AM: Final stats – Fiso top scorer for WSHS with 16, then Lydia Giomi with 12, Lexi Ioane with 8. Top in rebounds: Giomi 13, Charli Elliott 9.
EVENING POSTGAME NOTES: The Wildcats were the dominant rebounders for most of the game (41 total, six more than Arlington) but conversion was a challenge, making 26 percent of their field-goal attempts; they were cooler from the foul line today than during their Friday victory, 40 percent. The WSHS defense was ferocious and forced outside shots, but as seemed to be too often the case during the postseason, their opponents had more than one good outside shooter, and so they got around the blocked interior – Arlington and WSHS had almost-identical success rates on the threes, 37 percent for the Eagles and 36 percent for the Wildcats, but the difference was in the number of attempts – 24 by Arlington, 11 by West Seattle.
WHAT’S NEXT: The squad that went to state includes four seniors (Elliott, Fiso, Ursino, and Rachel Devore), so this was their swan song. Returnees Giomi, Ioane, Taylor, and healing-from-an-injury Gabby Sarver are juniors; Izzy Turk‘s a sophomore; Kathryn Anawalt, Rosa Grossi, and Rilcy Newsome are freshmen. Next season – which they will start as defending Metro League champions – is just nine months away.
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