West Seattle Blog…

Traffic alert: Another no-520, no-Mercer ramps weekend

So far, haven’t heard any reports that today’s big downtown event led to traffic chain reactions, so that’s good news. But WSDOT wants you to know in advance that next weekend, there’s another of those double closures – the 520 floating bridge and the Mercer offramps. “Expect region-wide congestion,” they warn. More here.

Traffic reminder for tomorrow: Huge parade downtown

In case you missed the repeated mentions here and elsewhere last week – tomorrow’s the day the Lions Clubs International Parade of Nations happens downtown, with road closures, detours, and bus-route changes. Here once again is the city’s official alert. No way to tell if it will cause any sort of domino effect like the motivational-speaker-event jam a month ago, of course, but we’ll be tracking.

Downtown traffic alert for Tuesday morning: ‘Biggest parade ever’

No SDOT alert yet, but with the memory of the KeyArena-event-traffic-nightmare day still fresh, we thought you might want early warning (and if you’re off, you might even want to go watch): Next Tuesday, what’s described as the biggest parade in Seattle’s history is set for downtown, 10,000 people parading as part of the Lions Clubs International convention. It starts from Seattle Center at 10 am, proceeding along 5th Avenue, and includes other road closures. It’s complicated, so go here for the full breakdown; the source page is here, including this map of the parade route.

ADDED 4:41 PM: SDOT is now out with its official advisory – read it after the jump: Click to read the rest of Downtown traffic alert for Tuesday morning: ‘Biggest parade ever’…

West Seattleite chronicles Japan’s recovery, three months later

(Salvaging fishing floats in Minamisanriku: MSNBC.com photo by Jim Seida, used with permission)
If you are a casual reader of world news, it might seem that there’s little reported about Japan, post-quake/tsunami, aside from the ongoing nuclear-power-plant-related concerns. But there’s much more going on, as the disaster’s effects, large and small, are addressed, as survivors fight their way back to something resembling the lives they once lived – like the fishermen whose story is told here.

Their story, and others, has been brought to MSNBC.com readers by a team including West Seattle-residing journalist Jim Seida. He has spent the past two weeks in the hardest-hit areas and e-mailed WSB to share links of the coverage with which he has been involved. Jim is a Gatewood resident who works for MSNBC.com as a senior multimedia producer; he is just wrapping up his work in Japan with writer Miranda Leitsinger. Many of the links to their work are tied together on this Storify page; on their own company’s site, you can find the series here, as well as on the MSNBC.com World Blog and its Facebook page.

Update: B-17 ‘Liberty Belle’ burns in IL, all on board survive

(Christopher Boffoli’s video from WSB ‘Liberty Belle’ tour story in 2009)
Thanks to Stephanie for the tip on this story: The restored B-17 known as “Liberty Belle” crashed in Illinois this morning, with all 7 people on board surviving. It was featured here two years ago, when it gave tours from Boeing Field, and WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli went along on one. The Chicago Tribune has details and photos from today’s crash.

7:50 AM TUESDAY: That same link has new photos and information today, bearing out what a commenter notes below – “Liberty Belle” made an emergency landing, everyone got out, and then fire spread through the restored plane.

Can you stand another traffic alert? This weekend – stay here!

This one does not directly involve West Seattle’s traffic lifelines (99, 509, etc.) but it includes other major Seattle-area highways and begins with the dire-warning line “Drivers can expect region-wide congestion Father’s Day weekend …” Full details from WSDOT here.

From SDOT: This weekend’s citywide traffic-advisory list

Besides the fact the Alaskan Way Viaduct is scheduled to be closed from late Friday through early Monday – there are a variety of reasons you might encounter traffic snarls this weekend if you head eastward. SDOT is publishing Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekend advisories in advance each week, and we’re getting back to sharing them with you each week – so here’s the one that just arrived: Click to read the rest of From SDOT: This weekend’s citywide traffic-advisory list…

8.9 earthquake in Japan: Tsunami watch; preparedness reminder

(Video recorded at a home in Japan during the earthquake)
We’ll leave the information about the huge, magnitude 8.9 Japan earthquake to those who are covering it directly – but a couple of notes: First, the federal websites providing tsunami information are finally working properly (until a half-hour or so ago, they were not reflecting the watch that is in effect for the ocean coast) – here’s where to go for that information. Note that even though any wave generated in a situation like this is technically a “tsunami,” if one actually hits this side of the Pacific, it could be barely a ripple – we have seen that scenario play out time and again – BUT it is never a reason for complacency. “Watch” means lowest level of “keep your radar up.” We’ll be keeping an eye on the situation all night.

Second, until we get information about relief efforts to help the quake survivors, here’s something you can do to not feel so powerless in the face of the horrifying scenes from the Japan quake zones – THINK PREPAREDNESS. Start by knowing your Emergency Communication Hub location. Here’s the West Seattle-volunteer-created, info-rich West Seattle Be Prepared website, as a place to start.

2:50 AM UPDATE: This table has the projected height of whatever “tsunami” might hit the Washington ocean coast. Note the highest is about three feet.

Museum of Flight expects space-shuttle decision next month

(February 2011 photo by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Will you be able to visit a space shuttle by driving just a few minutes east? Last month, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visited the Museum of Flight, which is hoping to receive a retired space shuttle to put on display. (He’s seen at center in our photo, with museum CEO Doug King and former museum president/retired astronaut Dr. Bonnie Dunbar.) Today, the museum – just over the ridge from West Seattle – announced that Bolding is expected to make an announcement on April 12th. (MoF points out that’s the 30th anniversary of the first shuttle launch.) A new space gallery is under construction at MoF, with completion expected this summer; the museum is one of 27 contenders around the country to be the home of a retired shuttle.

Vashon Island fire: Smoke plume visible from West Seattle

(Photo added 4:53 pm, taken from Upper Fauntleroy)
It’s not West Seattle, but many people can see it from here, so it’s news here too — we have received calls/notes about a big plume of smoke visible from Vashon Island, if you have a view in that direction.

4:49 PM UPDATE: It’s a fire, according to scanner traffic. One source on Twitter says it’s a three-story house. And crews are still actively fighting it. We don’t have location info so far, aside from one crew telling another “come down as if you were going to the Cove Motel.”

5:08 PM UPDATE: KING 5 has posted this video from viewer Brady Miller (note that it is preceded by a short commercial – placed by their site, not ours):

5:23 PM UPDATE: The scanner mentions “Paige Lane” as the command. That’s on the northwest side of Vashon (here’s a map). We’ll add any additional information we find later; moving back on to more WS news now.

Traffic alert: Highway 99 ramp closures next week

The Alaskan Way Viaduct emergency-earthquake-closure-gate system work continues – and that’ll bring some ramp closures next week along Highway 99 on both sides of downtown – read on: Click to read the rest of Traffic alert: Highway 99 ramp closures next week…

RIP, Seattle Mariners announcer Dave Niehaus – 1935-2010

In August 2008, the King County Council paid tribute to Mariners announcer Dave Niehaus, and we published this photo with a short item, even noting the only West Seattle link was the fact that then-County Councilmember Dow Constantine is a WS resident. Glad to have the photo so that we too can offer our tribute to the longtime Seattle Mariners announcer, who died today at age 75; here’s a report from our partners at the Seattle Times. On the day the above photo was taken, Mr. Niehaus was quoted as saying, “”Those magic moments of 1995 will return to Safeco Field. I promise you, they will return.” Maybe they will – sadly he won’t be here to see it.

ADDED 7:35 PM: A statement from Mayor McGinn:

‘My oh My’ – Seattle Lost a Friend Today: Seattle has lost a friend. We invited him into our homes and he was with us when we were joyful about the Mariners and when we were sad. Dave Niehaus will be sorely missed. From now on, there will be just two eras of Mariner baseball: the Dave Niehaus era and everything else. We send our condolences to his family and hope they are comforted by the happiness he brought to our lives.

Governor Gregoire also has issued a statement; we’re told 34th District Democrats chair Tim Nuse shared one of his memories at the start of his group’s meeting tonight in Fauntleroy; and there’s word that people are gathering for an informal vigil outside Safeco Field tonight.

ADDED 9:55 PM: From County Executive Constantine:

King County Executive Dow Constantine tonight joins Mariners nation in mourning the loss of Hall of Fame broadcaster and Mariners icon Dave Niehaus:

“I loved listening to Dave Niehaus from the Mariners’ very first season. His evocative descriptions and obvious love of the game will forever be intertwined with my experience of baseball.

“The timbre and cadence of his calls had a musical quality that will echo in our collective memory for many seasons to come.

“I join all fans in mourning his loss and extending our sympathies to his family.”

Video: Maury Island shoreline deal announced in West Seattle

As you’ll hear in our video, State Rep. and Sen.-elect Sharon Nelson says this is a day she has awaited for 13 years – a day bringing real hope that a section of industrial-company-owned shoreline on her home island, Maury, will be preserved forever.

She, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and dozens of other state and King County leaders, environmental advocates, and Maury/Vashon residents gathered on the Beach Drive shore across from Me-Kwa-Mooks, with the islands visible to the southwest, to formally announce a deal to purchase that mile of shoreline, and 250 adjacent acres of madrone forest. What’s currently been compiled includes $15 million in state money and $19 million in county money – with about $2 million that will have to be raised from other sources to close the deal by year’s end. The land has been the subject of controversy in recent years, with environmental advocates and nearby residents trying to stop it from being mined. The site holds importance for the ecology of all of Puget Sound, say supporters – West Seattleite Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail was at the announcement and told us, “It’s a great day for the whales” – the orcas about whom her group seeks to educate. And for Puget Sound salmon, as underscored by the giant prop brought by the Vashon-based Backbone Campaign:

(You might remember Backbone for the “flash mob” video protest inside West Seattle’s Target store.) According to the county’s announcement, the site is adjacent to the 320-acre Maury Island Marine Park already owned by the county. Opening the news conference, Constantine made a point of saying that the $19 million the county would advance for the $36 million purchase is from the King County Conservation Futures Fund, and that state law says that money can only be used for open-space or resource-land purchases.

The private fundraising work begins now, with various groups involved, and donations being taken at www.cascadeland.org. (Thursday PS: Here’s the official county news release with yet more details.)

In case you had to detour overnight: 2 Viaduct crashes

SDOT was scheduled to resume guardrail repair on the Alaskan Way Viaduct tomorrow, related to a recent crash. Now you can expect to see repair crews soon in a different spot, after two crashes that closed The Viaduct southbound for a while early today. In the first one, police say a woman was speeding when she smashed into the wall, sending a chunk of its concrete down onto 2 parked cars below. Then one of the fire trucks on the scene – with no one inside at the time – got rear-ended by an allegedly under-the-influence driver. Police tell the tangled two-crash tale on SPD Blotter.

Update: Downtown rescue ending, streets reopen

3:44 PM: Various citywide news sources are going into the details of this more deeply than we will. Suffice it to say if you haven’t already heard: Public-safety personnel have closed off (this is changing rapidly) parts of 3rd, 4th, and 5th near the county courthouse and jail on the south end of downtown; they have been trying to rescue a woman who at least at one point was threatening to jump, and has walked atop the skybridge between the two buildings. The street closures are affecting bus routes as well. We will add information here if anything changes.

(For anyone needing help – 206-461-3222 is the 24-hour Crisis Clinic hotline.)

4:43 PM: Onscene reports via Twitter say the woman has been rescued. Metro alerts say streets are open again and buses returning to normal.

West Seattle woman charged with drunkenly hitting pedestrians

This afternoon, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed four charges of vehicular assault against 43-year-old Juanita Wright, an Admiral resident who also uses the surnames Mars and Carpenter, in connection with a crash outside Showbox SODO last Thursday night. Prosecutors allege Wright had a blood-alcohol level of .29 as measured two hours after the crash – more than three times the legal-drunkenness level – and hit seven people who were crossing 1st Avenue South after a concert at the venue. Four of them were seriously hurt, with multiple broken bones, including a 28-year-old woman with a head injury that required removal of part of her skull. Wright’s car is described in court documents as having been full of empty or partly empty 24-ounce cans of 8.2% beer at the time of the crash. has been in jail since early last Friday morning, with bail set at a quarter-million dollars, and is scheduled for arraignment on November 15th. According to the charging documents, her record includes an unresolved drunk-driving charge from Pierce County 20 years ago, and more recent violations including speeding and driving without a license.

On the road and in the air: Forum tackles truck/health concerns

Story and photos by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

It’s been a busy week of environmentally-related meetings for West Seattle and its neighbors. The night after Sustainable West Seattle‘s forum on the Duwamish River (WSB coverage here), a “Community Forum on the Public Health Issues of Neighborhood Trucking” was convened, primarily for the Georgetown and South Park communities, but potentially of interest to other local areas with notable truck traffic.

Held at the Georgetown campus of West Seattle-headquartered South Seattle Community College, the forum consisted of three separate panels offering information regarding diesel pollution in the Georgetown and South Park neighborhoods. Listening to the panels were Seattle City Councilmembers Mike O’Brien, Tom Rasmussen and Nick Licata as well as Port Commissioner Rob Holland, as well as an audience of approximately 40 people.

Click to read the rest of On the road and in the air: Forum tackles truck/health concerns…

Traffic alert east of West Seattle

According to an SDOT traffic alert, the ‘heavy rescue’ call at East Marginal/South Spokane is a train-vehicle crash – avoid that area – SDOT says all lanes of East Marginal are blocked. 1:52 PM UPDATE: SDOT just tweeted that traffic has cleared.

‘Moby Duck … will sail again,’ vow Seafair Pirates

Didn’t know till a few minutes ago that the Seafair Pirates – who have many ties to West Seattle – have someplace called “Pirate Central” in North Seattle. Tomorrow afternoon, that’s where they’ll talk to the media about “their goals and plans for the rebuilding of their ship, the Moby Duck,” according to a just-in media advisory. As reported here last weekend, the engine of the landborne Moby Duck caught fire along a freeway in Bothell, and spokespirate Mark “Keelhaul” Jensen told WSB that repairs might tally as high as $25,000 (while sharing photos including the one at left). Moby Duck, by the way, really did start out as an amphibious landing craft (DUKW), 1942 vintage, before being given to the Seafair Pirates in 1954. They promise that tomorrow they “will outline what their immediate plans are and answer the many inquiries from people who wish to help restore the Moby Duck.” Stay tuned!

Seafair Pirates’ land-borne Moby Duck idled by ~$25,000 fire

(Photos courtesy Seafair Pirates)
Kids and adults alike shriek at its cannon blasts during parades, and wave as it carries the Seafair Pirates along city streets at other times of the year (with some of the pirates living in West Seattle, it’s a semi-common sight here between parade seasons too). But tonight, the Moby Duck is docked, so to speak, by the damage done in an engine fire. Our partners at the Seattle Times reported this morning on the fire, which happened late last night in Bothell. The group’s spokespirate Mark “Keelhaul” Jensen told the Times the damage could total $25,000. We e-mailed him to ask if they’d photographed the damage, and he sent photos including the two we’re using here:

The Pirates plan an emergency meeting to figure out what to do and whether they’ll need a donation drive to get Moby Duck sailing our area’s asphalt/concrete passageways again.

Updates: Big fire to the east: ‘Old Sunny Jim plant’; traffic effects

(Scroll down for updates, plus more photos added Monday night)

ORIGINAL 2:18 PM REPORT: Thanks to the WSB’ers who e-mailed to ask what we know about a big fire in the South Seattle industrial district, with smoke visible from eastern West Seattle (and downtown). It’s at South Airport/Industrial (map). Thanks to Jim for the photo; checking further. There’s live video on a stream from KING5 (thanks to Tina for that tip). 2:29 PM: The initial media update from Seattle Fire says this is a three-alarm fire at “the old Sunny Jim plant” – a vacant building – archives remind us Sunny Jim (which made peanut butter) was the site of a big fire in 1997. No injuries reported so far. (However, there are side issues – problems with looky-loos on the freeway and trees/power poles burning between the fire site and the freeway, according to the scanner.) 3:05 PM: 2 lanes are closed on southbound I-5 because of the fire. West Seattle crews are involved in fighting the fire – we’re hearing scanner traffic, for example, from Ladder 11, which was just training over at the Admiral Safeway site this morning (as shown here). We also just got this photo from Christopher Boffoli:

Our partners at the Seattle Times are covering the fire here. 3:33 PM UPDATE: Reporters at the scene say a firefighter’s been hurt – KING5′s Meg Coyle tweeted a photo of firefighters surrounding him/her to help.

4:43 PM UPDATE: Per Twitter, firefighters will not go in the structure today.

6:43 PM UPDATE: Adding more photos and info, now that our much-smaller West Seattle fire incident is wrapping up. Sue B sent this photo taken from I-5:

Christopher Boffoli caught some West Seattle crews in action at the scene – you’ll see a couple in his video clip, first:

Next, from Ladder 11, Junction-based:

Crew from The Junction’s Station 32:

And Engine 36, based by The Bridge:

Per the scanner, we heard 36 being returned to service just a few minutes ago, five hours after the fire started.

Traffic alert: Highway 99/Aurora closures this Sunday

When the Aurora Bridge Fence Project affected traffic on northbound 99 last Sunday, we heard from West Seattleites who got stuck in backups – so we’re passing along the advisory that just came in for THIS Sunday, in case you were planning to use 99 – which will have closures in both directions that day – read on: Click to read the rest of Traffic alert: Highway 99/Aurora closures this Sunday…

Traffic alert: Presidential visit under way

David DeSiga just shared that photo of Air Force One taxiing at Boeing Field (and spectators – they don’t just turn out for those six blue F/A-18s!) – and we got a phone tip with the reminder that motorcade shutdowns of I-5 can lead to West Seattle Bridge backups too (as is apparently the case right now). Per KING5, President Obama‘s quick visit is scheduled to end some time after 3 pm today.