West Seattle news 60767 results

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch; Bike To School Day

(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
As we keep an eye on this morning’s traffic and transit, midweek is when we usually would start reminding you about major road-work projects for the weekend. Nothing’s scheduled for West Seattle or adjacent routes, but if the Eastside is in your weekend plans, take note that the westbound 520 bridge will close all weekend for work on its under-construction replacement.

BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY: Today’s the day, and we know of at least two West Seattle schools organizing special rides to school. We’ve already mentioned the plan for Alki Elementary, which will have Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda along for one of its bike trains, both of which are scheduled to meet just before 8 am at 59th and Alki, so please be extra watchful in that area; we also got word that Schmitz Park Elementary is participating again, with multiple rides being led to school. Any other local schools participating today? Please let us know (editor@westseattleblog.com or 206-293-6302) – thanks!

8:10 AM: Added a photo of one of the Bike To School groups waiting for another one at Alki in the sunshine. By the way, Safe Routes to School (biking, walking, etc.) projects in West Seattle are part of the discussion at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting, 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle. (More later in a separate report on this morning’s Bike To School events.)

High-school baseball: West Seattle HS Wildcats on to postseason

(Larry Jensen on the mound; photo by Greg Slader)
With a 5-3 extra-innings win over Bishop Blanchet on Tuesday, the West Seattle High School Wildcats varsity-baseball team is off to the postseason, reports Greg Slader:

The Wildcats offense was ready to go, but fell behind 0-3 in the first three innings as the Blanchet Braves took the early lead. Pitcher Larry Jensen toughened up and shut them down that rest of the way. Larry threw 113 pitches through eight innings, holding Blanchet to just those three runs as the defense made play after play. Meanwhile the offense heated up and the team keep adding runs until it was tied at the end of seven innings. In the top of the eighth with two base runners in scoring position, Spencer Elder (photo below) tripled down the line and West Seattle went on to win 5-3!

West Seattle Wildcats finish the season 10-4 in league play and will face the #4 seed in the Metro playoffs. Next game is Saturday, 10 am @ Steve Cox Field in White Center, The opponent will be decided (today) as Prep, Blanchet & Lakeside face a three-way tie for the final two spots in Metro.

Last call for GiveBIG, on until 11:59 pm: 70+ local organizations

May 6, 2014 8:46 pm
|    Comments Off on Last call for GiveBIG, on until 11:59 pm: 70+ local organizations
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

8:46 PM: A bit more than three hours to go in this year’s GiveBIG one-day donate-a-thon organized by The Seattle Foundation, which has “stretch dollars” to add to donations made to participating nonprofits until 11:59 tonight. Around the city/region, people are answering the call:

If you missed it earlier – or saw it and forgot to go back and do something about it – here once more is the link to the page we put together with 70+ participating LOCAL nonprofits, working in West Seattle, White Center, and/or South Park. Show one or more some $ love if you can, with the knowledge each dollar will go further!

1:20 AM: And the final regional tally:

West Seattle Crime Watch: Police arrest 1 after Admiral burglary

(Photo courtesy Rhonda Porter)
5:32 PM: A police search right now in the heart of the Admiral District is reported to be related to a burglary, according to scanner traffic. After texts about the search, we’ve sent a crew that way to find out more in person. We’ll add info as we get it.

5:45 PM: Radio discussion indicates police are looking for a specific potential suspect who lives in the area they’ve been searching.

(This photo and next one by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
5:58 PM: Police have detained the person they were looking for.

6:13 PM: A witness has been brought to identify the suspect; police tell us they’ll be looking for the stolen items next. The burglary was reported to have happened just a few blocks away.

6:43 PM: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams confirms the suspect was arrested and that the investigation is “ongoing.”

ADDED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON: More details from the police report, which we obtained via SPD media relations. It started with a woman calling police at about 5 pm to say a strange man was in her house and had just left headed southbound on 45th SW. She said he was standing in the kitchen when she came home and told her he had been passing by and had seen “three teenagers in her house and chased them off,” according to the report. He also gave the woman his first name, age, address, phone number, and allowed her to take a picture of him with her cell phone. Looking at that photo, an officer apparently familiar with the suspect zeroed in on his address and matched a prior mugshot to the cell-phone photo. They found him at his residence and arrested him; he gave them permission to search for stolen property and didn’t find any.

Returning to her residence with police, the victim pointed out “long-handled garden tools that had been laid out very neatly for unknown reasons” and then inside, “numerous shopping bags that had been filled with random items from different ares of her house.” She also thought a rifle belonging to her roommate was missing. The roommate later told police two rifles and his wallet were missing.

The mystery of the three possible teenage suspects wasn’t solved, but the man was booked into jail for criminal trespass and an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in connection with earlier theft charges.

Election 2014: Final Prop 1 results; looking ahead to I-118; mayor to announce ‘proposal to save Metro’

The final results are in from the April 22nd vote on transit/roads-money Proposition 1:

No – 239,834 – 53.95%
Yes – 204,734 – 46.05%

The county says that’s a 39 percent turnout – a bit more than the predicted 38 percent. The final precinct-by-precinct breakout is out too (not mapped yet), earlier than expected. (Added 9 pm, a map by Oran Viriyincy, who gave us permission to use it – you’ll have to grab it and drag it to get West Seattle centered up, and from there you can zoom all the way in to your precinct – mouse over a precinct to see its vote results:)

(back to original report) Earlier breakouts showed Prop 1 would have won if it had been a Seattle-only vote, which has heartened supporters of what is now Seattle Initiative 118, a property-tax increase to raise money for Seattle bus routes. They have four weeks to gather enough signatures to get it onto the ballot, and today they announced a list of endorsements, including West Seattle’s two state House reps, Rep. Eileen Cody and Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon. If they get enough signatures, they’re aiming for the November ballot, which still could leave enough time to stave off planned bus cuts; for example, the four routes that Metro says it will “delete” in West Seattle are not proposed for that “deletion” until September of next year.

ADDED 7:21 PM: After The Stranger reported that Mayor Ed Murray asked a legislator to pull his support for I-118, the mayor’s office tweeted that Murray is getting ready to announce his own plan:

Red Star Pizza seeking new home, with clinic project set for site

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

In their fifth year at 7514 35th SW in Sunrise Heights, the owners of Red Star Pizza are looking for a new home.

Co-proprietor Mike Supino tells WSB they’ve been told they’ll have to clear out by year’s end, if not sooner, because the site’s owners are selling the property. No sale is on record with the county so far, but there’s an early-stage redevelopment proposal for a three-story medical building, described in city files as an “eye clinic.” Documents filed with the city in the past week further describe the project as a 13,000-square-foot clinic, with 1,460 square feet of retail and “more parking than required by city code” – 15 spaces are proposed in a garage, up to 51 on the surface, and the project proponents are hoping to keep it accessible from 35th, though current city codes usually encourage parking access from alleys.

Supino identified the future clinic owner as West Seattle Highline Eye Clinic, and one of the city documents indeed lists that firm as the applicant; The architect for the project, PB Architects, also worked on the clinic’s current space in Westwood Village. We sought comment from the clinic; our message for its owners has yet to be returned.

The site-plan documents indicate the project does not involve the building housing John’s Corner Deli, but that at least two residential structures on the property would be demolished, as would the small retail building housing Red Star.

Supino and wife Shannon Cross opened Red Star in fall 2009, after buying what had been Pizza Time. They had been operating a pizza shop under the Red Star name in the Pierce County town of Lakewood before that. Supino says they’d appreciate any leads on a suitable new spot; they’ve been looking but haven’t found a workable site yet.

More than a year before they opened the shop in 2009, the site was listed for sale, as reported here, along with the co-owned parcels north to Webster. It’s all zoned NC-40, which means buildings up to four stories (depending on the grade). Records show the owner has held the deli site on the corner for almost 30 years, and the south part of the site, where Red Star is, since 2006.

Got a spot for float work? West Seattle Hi-Yu is looking; plus, hear Senior Court candidates

May 6, 2014 2:10 pm
|    Comments Off on Got a spot for float work? West Seattle Hi-Yu is looking; plus, hear Senior Court candidates
 |   West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival | West Seattle news

That’s a sketch of this year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu parade float, as shown at last night’s Hi-Yu meeting, and the organization is looking for someplace where they can work on it before parade season. That’s one of the headlines from last night, at which the three Senior Court candidates read essays on which they’re being judged, essays about their childhood dreams, written a week ago but not practiced – the video starts with introductions, with the reading starting about 3:40 in:

The judges were all West Seattle community leaders – Joe Gong, Dawn Leverett, and Mark Swanson:

Judges’ evaluations will be figured into the results for who becomes this year’s Hi-Yu Senior Court Queen or King, who will be coronated at the May 18th Hi-Yu tea (details in our story from last weekend). Also noted last night, rather than being part of another afternoon-tea event as in the past, the White Rose Ceremony featuring past and present royalty will be part of a Hi-Yu meeting in June. And this year’s travel schedule will be minus one customary stop; Hi-Yu won’t be taking the float to Fathoms O’Fun in Port Orchard, because there’s a schedule conflict: The Seafair Pirates Landing on Alki is earlier this year, scheduled for June 28th, and West Seattle events take priority for Hi-Yu, so royalty and volunteers will be here instead of in Port Orchard.

P.S. So, do you happen to have or know of covered-garage space where Hi-Yu can work on the float? With electrical outlets? If you do, please let them know! There’s contact information at westseattlehiyu.com.

How to talk with teens about marijuana: West Seattle High School hosting community event

Just out of the WSB inbox:

Please join us on Tuesday, May 13th, from 7:00-8:30 in the West Seattle High School Library to learn about how the legalization of marijuana and increased availability of marijuana products are affecting our students and our community. The West Seattle counseling staff is pleased to host this informative evening providing the latest research and data on marijuana legalization issues, use among teens and how to talk with our kids about all of it. Presenters will include Lisa Sharp and Stephen Bogan. Lisa is SPS Manager of Prevention and Intervention Education and has been working with adolescents for 15 years as a case manager, intervention specialist and health educator. Stephen Bogan is a private clinician with over 35 years of experience working in the field of chemical dependency, mental health and adolescent development.

If you have any questions, please contact Tara Vanselow at thvanselow@seattleschools.org

Anyone in the community who’s interested is invited – not just WSHS families. The school is at 3000 California SW.

West Seattle Tuesday: GiveBIG locally; WWRHAH; Bike Connections; conversation about homelessness; more

(Evening Grosbeak in West Seattle, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Happy Tuesday! Looking ahead to the rest of today/tonight, as we do most mornings:

GIVEBIG: The one-day donate-a-thon is on, and for the third consecutive year, we have a local list you can use to find the special links for your favorite West Seattle/White Center/South Park nonprofits (and some you might not have realized have local ties). Find the list here – and give by 11:59 pm tonight to help make recipients eligible for part of a “stretch fund.” P.S. Our page also includes information on “Dine Out for Hunger,” with participating White Center restaurants donating part of their proceeds today/tonight to the White Center Food Bank as part of this day of giving.

WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI OPEN HOUSE: “Preschool Preview” open house today at West Seattle Montessori (WSB sponsor), with multiple sessions through 1:30 pm – details in our calendar listing. (11215 15th SW)

WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 6:15 pm, monthly meeting at Southwest Branch Library, all welcome. From the agenda (published in full on the WWRHAH website):

6:15-6:30: Introductions & Community News; SWDC looking for volunteers to form a Land Use Committee; May 17th Citywide Emergency Drill …

6:30-6:35: Elections – Slate:
Chair: Amanda Kay Helmick * Co-Chair: Eric Iwamoto * Secretary: Joe Szilagyi

6:35-7:00: Committee & Neighborhood Council Updates

7:00-7:30: Seattle Public Utilities, Cheryl Eastberg: Update on Roxhill Bog Rehydration Project

7:30-7:40: Other Business

(35th/Henderson)

TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS: Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Life, Justice, and Peace Commission invites you to join an “interactive discussion” about homelessness in our community, 6:30-8 pm at the OLG Parish Life Center. Short film planned along with guest Elissa Knight from Catholic Community Services FAITH program (or Faithful Action in Transforming Homelessness). Light refreshments. (35th/Myrtle)

WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: What better time than Bike Month to get involved with West Seattle Bike Connections? Tonight’s monthly meeting is at 7 pm at HomeStreet Bank in The Junction; details on the WSBC website. (41st/Alaska)

‘GIRL RISING’: Screening tonight at the historic Admiral Theater, 7 pm, organized by local Girl Scouts, as previewed here. (2343 California SW)

BLUES TO DO: Tuesday night is blues-day night at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm, this time around with Michele D’Amour & The Blues Dealers. (6451 California SW)

MORE … for today, tonight, tomorrow, beyond, on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates

(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
So far today, quiet on the routes through and from West Seattle.

Happening now: GiveBIG’s 2014 one-day donate-a-thon; use our West Seattle, White Center, South Park link list

Dozens of local nonprofits are participating in today’s GiveBIG one-day donation drive coordinated by the Seattle Foundation. Whatever money you give TODAY ONLY to any or all of the participating nonprofits is not only a big help all by itself, it also boosts their eligibility for a “stretch pool” of partial matching funds, to be distributed proportionately depending on how much each participating nonprofit raises during GiveBIG, by 11:59 pm tonight. BIG catch: You **must** donate through the special pages all participants have on the foundation’s website, NOT via their own websites. So again this year, here’s our list of those special pages for participating West Seattle, White Center, and South Park-based or -founded/-connected nonprofits. The special links take you to pages on the Seattle Foundation website with background information, as well as the donation links to use for this one-day event. (P.S. Please let us know if we missed a WS, WC, or SP-based organization – post a comment or e-mail us ASAP at editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!)

ART FOR ANIMALS’ SAKEgo here

ARTS CORPSgo here

ARTSWESTgo here

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF SEATTLEgo here

DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONgo here

DENNY-SEALTH PERFORMING ARTSgo here

DUWAMISH RIVER CLEANUP COALITION/TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUPgo here

ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION OF SOUTH SEATTLEgo here

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CENTERgo here

EXPLORER WEST MIDDLE SCHOOLgo here

FAUNTLEROY CHILDREN’S CENTERgo here

FRIENDS OF SEALTH – IB SCHOLARSHIP FUNDgo here

HELPING LINK-MỘT DẤU NỐIgo here

HIGHLINE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCEgo here

INVEST IN YOUTHgo here

KILLER WHALE TALESgo here

KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM FOUNDATIONgo here

KOL HANESHAMAHgo here

MARRA FARM COALITIONgo here

NATURE CONSORTIUMgo here

NAVOSgo here

NEIGHBORHOOD FARMERS MARKETSgo here (gifts of $50 & up will be matched, says NFMA)

NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSEgo here

NONFICTION MEDIAgo here

NORTHWEST CENTERgo here

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SCHOOLgo here

PLUMBERS WITHOUT BORDERSgo here

PONGO PUBLISHINGgo here

PROVIDENCE MOUNT ST. VINCENT FOUNDATIONgo here

PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCEgo here

SAFE FUTURES YOUTH CENTERgo here

SCHOOL OF ACROBATICS AND NEW CIRCUS ARTSgo here

SEAL SITTERS – This is an unusual path; you need to go to the Associated Recreational Council GiveBIG page, click donate, and then in COMMENTS, you must write that it’s for Seal Sitters (ARC is its fiscal sponsor)

SEA MAR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERSgo here

SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN SOCIETYgo here

SEATTLE GLEE CLUBSgo here

SEATTLE PARKS FOUNDATIONgo here

SEATTLE POLICE FOUNDATIONgo here

SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATIONgo here

SEATTLE YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRASgo here

SENIOR SERVICESgo here

SOUTH PARK AREA REDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEEgo here

SOUTH PARK INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERgo here

SOUTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONgo here

SOUTH PARK SENIOR CENTERgo here

SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATIONgo here

SOUTHWEST SEATTLE HISTORICAL SOCIETYgo here

SOUTHWEST YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICESgo here

SPORTS IN SCHOOLSgo here

TECHNOLOGY ACCESS FOUNDATIONgo here

THE CABIRIgo here

THE SALVATION ARMY – KING COUNTYgo here

THE SERVICE BOARDgo here

THE VILLAGE OF HOPEgo here

THE WHALE TRAILgo here

TRANSITIONAL RESOURCESgo here (matching-gift pool from their board, too!)

TWELFTH NIGHT PRODUCTIONSgo here

URBAN ARTWORKSgo here

WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANKgo here

WEST SEATTLE HELPLINEgo here

WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION ASSOCIATIONgo here

WESTSIDE BABYgo here

WESTSIDE SCHOOLgo here

WHITE CENTER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONgo here

WHITE CENTER FOOD BANKgo here – and again this year, WCFB has added events on GiveBIG day. This morning, there’s a donation station at Caffé Delia; then it’s Dine Out For Hunger, as announced by WCFB:

Several fabulous White Center restaurants will host Dine Out for Hunger events by donating a portion of their proceeds (today/tonight) to the White Center Food Bank. Grab a friend, a colleague, or a family member and head out for burgers at Zippy’s Giant Burgers, pizza at Proletariat Pizza, dinner and drinks at Company, ice cream at Full Tilt, or pub fare at Mac’s Triangle Pub. Look for White Center Food Bank staff board members at these locations, and come say hello!

According to the WCFB Facebook page, Meander’s Kitchen also has joined.

WHIT PRESSgo here

YES FOUNDATION OF WHITE CENTERgo here

WEST SEATTLE/FAUNTLEROY YMCAgo to the YMCA of Greater Seattle donation page and write in the comments that it’s for the West Seattle YMCA

YOUTH MEDIA INSTITUTEgo here

YOUTH VIOLENCE PREVENTION NETWORKgo here

YWCA OF SEATTLE-KING COUNTYgo here

Shop for a cause during West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! Join WestSide Baby’s Kids Shopping Squad

May 5, 2014 10:27 pm
|    Comments Off on Shop for a cause during West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! Join WestSide Baby’s Kids Shopping Squad
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Five days and counting until the 10th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, 280+ sales of all sizes, all over our area this Saturday, May 10th (online map here; printable guide/map debuts tomorrow). While you’re out shopping and browsing, maybe you’d like to do a little extra shopping for the nonprofit that helps local babies and kids? In addition to accepting unsold items, this year WestSide Baby is also inviting you to take its wish list, buy items that are on it, and donate them. From WS Baby:

WestSide Baby is thrilled to accept items left over from garage salers at the end of the day on May 10th. Our drop-off locations are below for Saturday for extended hours and our facility will re-open again on Monday at 9 am.

However, we also believe children in need deserve a chance to get more than leftovers! With that in mind, WestSide Baby is excited to launch our first-ever Kids Shopping Squad (KSS) on May 10, 2014, during West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day. The KSS is for people who want to help local children in need by finding great deals on things like children’s clothing, books, and safety equipment. WestSide Baby provides essential items for local kids. There will be hundreds of those items available throughout West Seattle at garage sales! We collect these gently used things, sort them and then add them to orders placed with us by more than 80 social-service agencies. We know that many people love the thrill of garage-sale shopping and we believe many are generous enough to purchase a few bargains to donate to us directly. To add to the fun, an anonymous donor will donate one package of diapers for every person that signs up (up to 15 Squad members!) A few key points:

Ø KSS members can “sign up” simply by sending a name and email address to Shana Allen, Volunteer Manager at WestSide Baby –
shana@westsidebaby.org

Ø The KSS are “shoppers” – while we will definitely take sale leftovers at day’s end at the locations below or in the week following, the KSS are meant to be buying things.

Ø The KSS should utilize the WSB shopping list provided – we most need the items on that list.

Ø Items can be dropped off between 10-6 pm at any of the following WS Garage Sale day dropoff locations

o Hotwire Coffee (4410 California SW; off the alley behind)

o Westside Dermatology/Edward Jones location at 4740 44th Ave SW

o WestSide Baby’s donation facility @ 10027 14th Ave SW

We hope a number of shoppers will sign up to help local children in need on May 10th. If all goes well, we may extend the KSS through the summer garage-sale season throughout the city. We also have a few additional activities available for volunteers on May 10th – contact Shana Allen if interested or fill out the volunteer form at westsidebaby.org.

The shopping list is simple:

1. Size 5T-12 clothes (especially pants)
2. Pajamas (all sizes)
3. Youth size shoes, sizes 1-6
4. Strollers, high chairs, baby swings, portable cribs

West Seattle Crime Watch: Street robberies; gunfire; car prowls

We noticed several street robberies on the Seattle Police crime reports map for the past week-plus, so we’ve rounded up the reports on those, and details of an incident listed as a “drive-by.” We also have a reader report about car prowls, and altogether, these add up to the West Seattle Crime Watch report ahead:

Read More

West Seattle development: 1st land-use signs at future Aegis site

Thanks for the tips today that the first city land-use-permit-application signs have gone up on the future Aegis Living (former Life Care Center) site at 47th/Admiral/Waite. We’ve been reporting on Aegis’s purchase and plans for the site since last fall, including a conversation with its CEO last November and most recently, back in February, the company’s official announcement that it plans a new complex with 76 assisted-living and memory-care units. The land-use application that is now filed, leading to the signage that just went up, is NOT for the new complex, but rather, just for demolition of the existing building. Formal notice hasn’t yet been published in the twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin (the next one will be sent on Thursday), so there’s no comment deadline yet.

Help welcome historic West Seattle totem pole to its new home: Log House Museum sets the date

(First 2 images courtesy Log House Museum/Southwest Seattle Historical Society)
The date is finally set for a gala ceremony welcoming the former top-of-Admiral Way totem pole to its new home on the east side of the Log House Museum: Friday, June 6th.

Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals announced the plan today, centering on a “public unveiling ceremony featuring public officials, the Duwamish Tribe, and the student bodies of both Alki and Schmitz Park elementary schools.” Part of 61st SW by the museum (61st/Stevens) will be closed for the event, so that overhead photos/video can be recorded. You’re welcome to be there and be part of it. The pole’s history:

Carved by Boeing engineers Michael Morgan and Bob Fleischman from a log harvested from Schmitz Park, the totem pole stood at Belvedere View Point Park from 1966 to 2006. It is a nearly exact replica of a totem pole carved by the Bella Bella tribe of British Columbia and brought to Belvedere View Point Park 75 years ago, in 1939, by West Seattleite and Ye Olde Curiosity Shop owner J.E. “Daddy” Standley.

Recognizing the deteriorated condition of the 1966 totem pole, Seattle Parks and Recreation removed it in 2006 and replaced it with a differently designed and unpainted story pole carved by a descendant of Chief Seattle.

SWSHS’s restoration and display plan has been in the works since then; the pole was taken to restoration experts Artech two years ago, as reported here. Its return will coincide with a new mini-exhibit called “Reaching the Sky: Totem Tales of West Seattle.” You’ll find lots more information about the June 6th event and the pole’s history in the full announcement on the LHM/SWSHS website – see it here. Also, Eals will speak about it at this Thursday’s monthly lunch meeting of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce.

Updated: Apologies after SDOT tweet calls West Seattle Bridge drivers ‘scumbags’

1:18 PM: If you haven’t already seen this via The Seattle Times or via Reddit … someone at SDOT thought it was funny that the eastbound bridge was backed up this morning while the westbound bridge was closed for a rollover/spinout crash (as reported here), and proclaimed drivers on the eastbound side to be rubberneckers. If you use social media, you may know it’s considered cool for government agencies to use humor (major case in point, SPD/pot/Doritos). What do you think?

P.S. We have a question out to SDOT’s communications director for his thoughts. The West Seattle Transportation Coalition has already had something to say.

P.P.S. The “scumbag hat” reference is to this meme.

(You might also recall it was just a few months ago SDOT said it only had interns to staff the Transportation Management Center during peak hours – see this December story).

2:42 PM UPDATE: We contacted both SDOT communications director Rick Sheridan and Mayor Murray’s commmunications director Jeff Reading. Their responses both just came in. From SDOT’s Sheridan:

The use of the hat meme was not intended to insult drivers but to highlight a roadway problem and help drivers make decisions about their trips. We apologize to anyone that was offended by the tweet.

Our traffic management center personnel typically use humorous memes to highlight problematic situations for drivers. The staff member was trying to note that rubbernecking near a collision site was creating delays.

We have removed the tweet from our Twitter feed. The staff member’s supervisor will also reinforce the department’s standards for social media. Again, we apologize if anyone was offended.

And from Reading in the mayor’s office:

It’s never acceptable for a city employee to ridicule members of the public. I understand the tweet in question was meant humorously, but many — myself included — took it quite differently. Mayor Murray holds a high standard of respect for communications with the public across all city departments. We will ensure that this type of offending humor is not repeated in communications to the public by City of Seattle employees.

West Seattle school scenes: Arbor Heights flamingos; Denny’s ‘bluehair’ & actors

Three scenes from two local schools:

FLOCK OF APPRECIATION AT ARBOR HEIGHTS: You might already know that it’s Teacher Appreciation Week. At Arbor Heights Elementary, it began with a flock of flamingos! Thanks to our anonymous parent correspondent for sharing the photo.

DENNY PRINCIPAL GOES DOLPHIN BLUE: Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark‘s sporting a “new” look:

Assistant principal Patricia Rangel explains:

This week the students at Denny International Middle School and throughout Seattle’s middle schools are going to be taking the Math and Reading portion of the Measurement of Student Performance (MSP) state exam. As a way to show his support and remind his scholars of the immense pride he has in them, Principal Jeff Clark dyed his hair and goatee Dolphin blue for the second year in a row. This comes on the heels of Denny also learning that it was a recipient of the 2013 Washington Achievement Award with special recognition in Math growth from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. It seems this Dolphin pride will not be washed out anytime soon.

DENNY DRAMA DEBUT: Not long after we received the note above, Clark himself sent an announcement about another student/staff achievement:

It is a real pleasure to share that the new Denny International Middle School drama program had their first performances on Friday and Saturday.

>

Congratulations to the scholars who performed so well in the Denny Drama production of “This is a Test!” Dr. Butterworth did a fantastic job preparing our scholars to perform this one-act comedy written by Stephen Gregg. Thank you to all of you who came to see the performance—it was funny and very well-done. Go, Dolphin Drama!

Later today, more school news – anything big from YOUR campus? Let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

Four calendar notes for your West Seattle Monday

(Robin, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
Early-bird busy day, with three breaking-news incidents (fire coverage here, crash updates here) before 8 am. Now, highlights from the SCHEDULED events for the rest of the day:

COUNCIL CONSIDERS MINIMUM-WAGE PROPOSAL: 2:30 pm today at City Hall, the City Council Minimum Wage and Income Inequality Committee takes its first official look at the minimum-wage-increase proposal announced last week by Mayor Murray. Agenda’s here; you’ll be able to watch live via Seattle Channel, online or cable. (4th/5th/Cherry)

CYCLE U 10TH ANNIVERSARY RIDE/PARTY: Meet at Cycle U at 5 pm for a bike ride commemorating 10 years in business, followed by a 7 pm party. (3418 Harbor SW)

FAMILY STORY TIME: Tonight’s story time for families is at High Point Library, 6:30 pm. (35th/Raymond)

HI-YU MEETING AND CANDIDATES’ ESSAY READING: West Seattle Hi-Yu‘s monthly meeting is tonight at 7 in the hall at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church – interested community members welcome! – and it will include another judged event for the three Senior Court candidates, reading essays aloud. (California/Hanford)

LOOK AHEAD … to tomorrow, next week, next month, on our main calendar page.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: West Marginal reopens after rollover/pole takeout; bridge crash earlier

(SCROLL DOWN for updates on the morning’s major incidents)

(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:47 AM: Spinout/flipped vehicle just reported blocking both lanes on the westbound bridge, westbound end before fork to Fauntleroy.

7:08 AM: No injuries reported. Westbound traffic has been diverted to the Admiral exit.

7:23 AM: Tow truck’s there but the scene isn’t cleared just yet.

7:43 AM: The westbound bridge JUST reopened – crash scene is clear.

7:52 AM: Another “non-injury rollover” reported, this time on West Marginal Way SW at Puget (map). A pole is down, per scanner. Both directions are reported to be blocked; City Light is en route.

8:32 AM: Our crew was told one person was taken to the hospital. South of the crash scene, northbound drivers are being turned around at the Alaska Marine Lines lot. SFD has cleared the scene; City Light is there now. (Also, thank you to Cathy and Nikki for updates – Cathy warns that the north-side turnaround for southbound drivers is precarious, so again, avoid the area TFN.)

9:09 AM: Photos added. Still closed, and with the pole/wires involvement, it might be a while. We’re continuing to monitor.

11:25 AM: Scanner discussion says one lane is now open each way on West Marginal.

Video: Second fire in one week at Arbor Heights house

5:22 AM: Fire crews are back at the house in the 10000 block of 39th SW in Arbor Heights (map) that caught fire last Tuesday.

5:34 AM: The fire is reported to be under control, per scanner traffic. Just added video from neighbor John (who also called to tip us about the fire – thank you). The cause of last week’s fire had yet to be determined, as of our most recent check with SFD last Friday.

5:53 AM: Added that photo from our crew on scene. SFD says no injuries, since house was vacant.

6:03 AM: Metro says the northbound Route 21-EX is rerouting off SW 100th because of this, between 37th SW and 40th SW – use stops “east of 37th or west of 40th,” per text. Meantime, SFD spokesperson Lt. Sue Stangl has just provided an on-scene media briefing. She confirms that they still hadn’t finished investigating last week’s fire – one of the home’s two residents is still in the hospital. A crew will stay on scene here through the day on “fire watch” (as had been done last week).

6:44 AM: The bus reroute is over. Most fire vehicles have been dismissed from the scene. (Added: Our video of Lt. Stangl’s briefing, in which she discusses the possibility it “rekindled.”)

Holy Rosary School celebrates its first century, and looks ahead

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
For the second time in five years, a centennial celebration for Holy Rosary. In 2009, the church marked its 100th anniversary; today, the school. Students were part of today’s Centennial Mass, with a special guest, Seattle’s Archbishop J. Peter Sartain:

Honoring the past and looking to the future, the Mass was followed by a reception and events involving time capsules old and new:

That one was from a quarter-century ago, 1989; here’s some of what was inside:

Archbishop Sartain and Holy Rosary’s pastor Father John Madigan also presided as a new time capsule was placed:

This one is meant to be opened a half-century from now:

What’s in it? That’s supposed to be a surprise for the people who open it in 2064. Earlier centennial events included a group photo last November, featuring more than 400 students (see it in WSB coverage).

Why the SW Design Review Board meeting wants an Early Design Guidance encore for 3211 California SW

(EDITOR’S NOTE: We reported the bottom line of this meeting briefly last Thursday night; this is the detailed report of how the Design Review Board reached the decision.)

(Above, “preferred” massing as proposed at meeting; below, project site)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Usually, a design-review meeting starts with an explanation of the process.

Thursday night, the Early Design Guidance meeting for 3211 California SW started with a relocation, as the 20-plus board members and attendees were forced out of the usual venue, the Senior Center of West Seattle, due to what was described as a “natural-gas issue.”

Southwest Design Review Board member T. Frick McNamara offered her shop a block south, Bin 41, as an emergency-substitute venue.

With a projection screen against the front window, the board behind the front counter, and attendees in folding chairs, it worked, aside from acoustics. (The air conditioning helped, too, given the unseasonably weather that night.) Behind the window covering and across the street, an under-construction project approved many board members ago, at California/Alaska/42nd.

Two more unusual points even before the change of venue: This also was the first single-project meeting in a while, and it was the last scheduled SWDRB meeting till further notice, as the flow of larger projects has slowed down, and if there’s no project scheduled to be reviewed, the all-volunteer board doesn’t meet.

On to 3211 California SW (design “packet” here):

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More congratulations! West Seattle author Emily Krieger up for award for ‘Myths Busted!’

It’s increasingly clear that talented authors abound in West Seattle. We’ve found out about another one up for a national award: “Myths Busted!” is the first book by Admiral resident Emily Krieger, published by National Geographic Kids and already voted one of the top five favorite 5th/6th-grade books in America. Emily explains: “The winner is still being determined by votes, and anyone — kids and adults — can vote in as little as 30 seconds (here). No registration required! … If any of your readers would like to vote local, they have through May 12th. And while I appreciate any and all support for Myths Busted!, if anybody has a special fondness for the other nominees, I wouldn’t begrudge them. Being involved in kids’ reading and encouraging them to talk about books is the most important part.”

P.S. She says the second book in the “Myths Busted!” series will be out May 13th, along with a short-story collection called “Funny Fill-In: My Dinosaur Adventure,” and in addition to all that, she’s just finished writing the third and final “Myths Busted!” book.