West Seattle, Washington
16 Thursday
With that letter to neighbors of the triangle at SW Hill/44th/Ferry (map), the city has announced that two halves of a trailer for interim Fire Station 29 will arrive tomorrow morning. Two trucks will bring the two 14-by-66 halves to the site by 6 am, according to the letter. It’s been just a month since neighbors were suddenly notified that the interim station was moving onto this site during its upcoming renovations and earthquake-safety upgrades, instead of using the long-planned Harbor Avenue site that had been home to Station 36 during its renovations. The city said the change was needed because the response time from the Harbor Avenue site would have been too long. Neighbors will be watching warily to see if their safety concerns are handled, since the site will be a tight fit. The work at permanent Station 29, barely a block south, is expected to take much of the rest of the year. Meantime, the city also is getting ready to move Station 32 out of its Triangle home at 37th/Alaska for a full rebuild; we had timetable details in our most recent update on the 32 and 29 projects.
That’s poet/author Lawrence (Larry) Matsuda, reading his work at the Wing Luke Museum in 2011. This Thursday, he will keynote a special event at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) – and the announcement includes an invitation for you:
On Thursday, Feb. 12, South Seattle College will host a Japanese American Day of Remembrance event featuring keynote speaker Lawrence Matsuda.
A noted author, Matsuda will hold two speaking sessions in the Olympic Hall Auditorium (OLY 120) at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
This annual event commemorates the anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorizing the evacuation and incarceration of 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast; most of whom were U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. The order, known as Executive Order 9066, was signed on Feb. 19, 1942. In Washington State alone, nearly 13,000 people of Japanese descent were sent to detention centers, including Seattleites who were sent to Camp Minidoka near Hunt, Idaho.
Matsuda was born in an Idaho internment camp and spent the first three years of his life there. His latest book, “Glimpses of a Forever Foreigner,” is a collection of poetry that was inspired by the experience of those 120,000.
During both sessions, Matsuda – who earned a Ph.D. in education from the University of Washington – will share personal narratives from Minidoka survivors and pilgrims, and perform excerpts from “Glimpses of a Forever Foreigner.” Additionally, signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.
This event is free and open to the community.
Olympic Hall is at the south end of the SSC campus, which is at 6000 16th SW.
(Photo courtesy SPU)
Update from Seattle Public Utilities: Repair work has finished early for the culvert that carries Pelly Creek and storm drainage to the outfall in the north section of the Lowman Beach Park seawall. The work started last Wednesday, was projected to last up to 10 working days, but was complete by this morning, according to Elaine Leung of SPU. Engineers will continue to survey the seawall weekly for the next few months.
(King County photo)
Can you help Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) upsize? Proprietor Frank Gross explains, “We are busting at the seams in our current location, looking for a larger storefront in West Seattle and are having a tough time finding something that suites our needs. We currently have 800 square foot and ideally would like double the size.” Maybe even a trade, Frank says: “If someone with a larger space is looking to downsize, we would be open to swapping.” Thunder Road Guitars opened at 3916 California SW more than two years ago after being online-only for its first year. If you have a suggestion (or offer!) for Frank, e-mail him at frank@thunderroadguitars.com.
(Photo by Ryan O’Keven)
Brand-new week! Some of what’s up today/tonight:
HIGHWAY 99 TUNNEL BRIEFING: The City Council is about to get briefed on the tunnel project (scheduled to start 10:50 am but the current meeting’s running late). Watch live at seattlechannel.org.
ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP: Are you caring for someone with Alzheimer’s/dementia? Support group meets 1:30 pm today, Providence Mount St. Vincent – details here. (4531 35th SW)
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Live in North Delridge? 6:30 pm, you’re invited to come to this month’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting and help make a difference in your neighborhood. Bring your ideas, concerns, etc. Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FREE COMMUNITY ESL CLASSES: Need to work on your skills? Or, know someone who does? This free class happens 6:30-8 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center – details here. (6400 Sylvan Way)
PIGEON POINT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: 7 pm in the Pathfinder K-8 School cafeteria, it’s the next Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council meeting. (1901 SW Genesee)
DENNY INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PTSA: 7 pm meeting tonight, all welcome! Special location: Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way)
We’re welcoming one of our newest WSB sponsors, VAIN, a “one-stop style shop” in The Junction. New local sponsors get the chance to let you know what they’re all about, and here’s what VAIN wants you to know:
VAIN is a locally-owned hair salon and boutique located in the heart of the Junction. We opened our West Seattle doors in late 2011. Several of our employees are West Seattle residents, some born and raised! We love this neighborhood. We have two other locations- one in Ballard and one downtown. We have been a Seattle style-exploration destination since 1996.
If you’re looking for a great hair salon where style exploration is encouraged, VAIN is the place to go. We want every client to feel comfortable trying whatever look they want, whether it’s a basic, easy-to-manage haircut, new highlights, or having bright pink hair for the first time at 50 (it happens!). We love helping our clients love their hair and feel like it truly expresses their sense of personal style. We also carry great accessories, hair products, locally made items, fun jewelry and more. We’re a one-stop style shop!
Clients seek out VAIN for a lot of reasons – our talented and highly skilled staff of hairdressers, our reputation for being a creative environment, our active community involvement, and our boutique full of great jewelry, accessories, hair products and locally made items. All of that is also what keeps clients coming back; plus, our hairstylists create meaningful relationships with their clients. It’s wonderful to see people’s looks evolve over the years in the same stylist’s chair.
We hope that our clients’ interaction changes their lives by helping them feel great about their hair, safe to explore new styles if they want to, and good about supporting a local business that is active in its neighborhood and community. VAIN supports many local organizations, including Planned Parenthood Northwest and YouthCare (read here about VAIN’s “Week for YouthCare“). VAIN is open in West Seattle seven days a week at 4513 California SW, 206.535.2595.
We thank VAIN for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
The big local sports story over the weekend was the West Seattle High School girls-varsity basketball team ending the regular season with a perfect record in their conference and head coach Sonya Elliott being named Metro League coach of the year for the second time in three years (WSB coverage here). Coach Elliott says their first playoff game is Wednesday night (February 11), 7:30 pm at Nathan Hale HS, against the winner of tonight’s Holy Names/Ballard game. P.S. Our partners at The Seattle Times have published the full Metro brackets for girls and boys.
ADDED: The Times’ latest rankings have WSHS at #2 statewide for girls’ 3A.
(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
The week is off to a showery start. Some notes while we watch the roads:
METRO SERVICE CHANGE NEXT SATURDAY: Two West Seattle routes have non-WS changes taking effect when Metro’s next “service change” happens on Saturday (February 14th). Full details in the story we published over the weekend. (Clarification: While the “service change” announcement includes the new fares – 25-cent increase for most, plus launch of the new ORCA LIFT fare – they don’t take effect until March 1st.)
HIGHWAY 99 PROJECT UPDATE: WSDOT will brief the City Council again this morning on the Highway 99 project, during the council’s 9:30 am session. Here’s the WSDOT slide deck that’s linked from the agenda, with some general updates, but perhaps of more interest is another slide deck, this one from SDOT, with information on how the city is independently monitoring the settlement situation, and toplines on plans in place in case the Viaduct has to be shut down at any point.
9:10 AM: Some breakdown woes on 99 this morning, per commenters (thank you!). These don’t always turn up on the 911 log or traffic tweets, so – when you can report safely/legally – tips are always appreciated.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
11:25 PM: We’ve found out a bit about the sizable police presence, including SWAT officers, at an apartment building in Admiral, near California/College. (Thank you to those who texted/e-mailed about it.) Police on the scene tell WSB’s Christopher Boffoli that a man is barricaded inside an apartment. More as we get it.
11:55 PM: No change in the situation. We’re told police have been on the scene for more than two hours. Police confirmed to Christopher that this began with a domestic-violence incident earlier in the evening. The Seattle Fire 911 log shows an aid (lower-level medical) response to the area at 9:12 pm. Aside from the police presence outside the building on SW College, Christopher tells us there are no traffic effects.
12:51 AM: Now an assault-with-weapons response has been dispatched, and scanner traffic indicates a possible shooting victim.
Christopher reports hearing what could have been gunshots.
12:58 AM: Per radio, police and fire are going in.
1:09 AM: Christopher reports that the SWAT team is leaving and medics (above) have left without a patient.
1:58 AM: Still trying to find out how this ended. SW Precinct Lt. Alan Williams told us he can only say “there is no threat to anyone in the area at this time.” More information, we’re told, will come through SPD Public Affairs.
3:42 AM: Adding photos taken while the situation was still unfolding. Above, SWAT officers staged on the other side of California, though the incident did NOT involve businesses there. Below, at the building, the SWAT officers entered and exited over the course of a few hours; residents were not evacuated.
7:27 AM: Though we’re still awaiting an official police statement, sources including neighbors confirm the man was found dead. One neighbor says some residents were in fact evacuated for a time.
8:14 AM: SPD Det. Patrick Michaud confirms that police found the man dead of “a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” The victim in the original domestic-violence report was already out of the apartment when police first arrived around 8:30 pm, Det. Michaud confirms, and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
9:35 AM: One more detail from police, according to Det. Drew Fowler: “Police never made contact with the man until we made entry and located the deceased.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: As we always do in reports involving suicide, we want to mention the Crisis Clinic‘s 24-hour hotline: 206-461-3222. The state’s Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-562-6025.
From this month’s Southwest District Council meeting, another discussion about whether to design the Fauntleroy Boulevard project with underground power; more details on the Port of Seattle‘s upcoming community boat tour (and how you can get on the list for it), and other toplines:
Thanks to Ken for sharing news of West Seattle High School‘s success at the recent Washington State High School Ethics Bowl – WSHS’s two teams placed third in this statewide competition! Ken also sent the photo, and reports:
There were two teams as well as a school adviser and an outside coach.
Team 1: Mira Skladany (captain), Maxwell Eronimous, Enya Garcia, August Carow
Team 2: Annalisa Ursino (captain), India Reidt, Joni O’Reilly, Holly Hinnant
Team Advisor: Follasade Brown – English Department, WS High
Team Coach: Joseph Len Miller – Graduate Student from UW’s Philosophy department
The Ethics Bowl is described on its website as “a great way for students to deepen their understanding and appreciation of interesting ethical and philosophical issues. High-school ethics bowls utilize case studies relevant to high school students, involving wide-ranging ethical questions such as cheating, plagiarism, peer pressure, use and abuse of social media, privacy, and relationships, as well as political and social issues such as free speech, gun control, cloning, parental consent, and stem cell research.” The program from the competition (held January 31st at the UW) shows that Chief Sealth International High School also participated. First place went to Newport High School from Bellevue (which moves on to the national competition in April), followed by Lakeside School, and then WSHS. Congratulations!
Thanks to Lynn Ogdon-Perrine for sharing news of Chief Sealth International High School‘s boys-wrestling results at the Metro League tournament, plus word of CSIHS hosting a big subregional tournament next Saturday:
Results from boys’s Metros are in. The following boys will be representing Sealth at Sub-Regionals on 2/14 :
(Photo by Brad Kelln)
*Daron Camacho (photo above) placed first*Antonio Childs placed third
*Frank Brown placed fourth
*Ryan Davis and Heriberto DeLuna both placed seventh in their weight class
*Gonzalo Guzman, Anthony Mallard, and Tommy Bui are alternates
On February 14th, Sealth is hosting Sub-Regionals for boys. 18 teams will be at Sealth to compete for the opportunity to go to state. Come watch great wrestling! Sealth Parking lot will be closed off and filled with food trucks including Extreme Thai. Come on by!
CSIHS is at 2600 SW Thistle.
12:55 PM: Orcas were spotted off Bainbridge Island within the past hour or so, headed toward Alki (thanks to Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales for the alert, which is also on Orca Network‘s Facebook page). Let us know if you spot them!
2:06 PM: No reports yet from local waters but some have been spotted southbound off the east side of Vashon Island – you’d need really good binoculars to see from here.
(Flyer photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB, January 2015)
Crime/safety concerns in the Admiral area, especially after last month’s robberies? This Tuesday (February 10), bring your questions to the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s monthly meeting, with guests including Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Jon Flores. That’s just one of the agenda highlights, as you’ll see if you browse the flyer above, shared by ANA president David Whiting. (If you can’t see the embedded version, here it is as a PDF.) All are welcome; the meeting starts at 7 at The Sanctuary at Admiral, the city-landmarked event venue across from the north side of Hiawatha Community Center park, at 42nd/Lander.
“You’re not getting older, you’re getting better.”* If you’re old enough to remember that slogan, you’re old enough to have a stake in this (although ultimately, we all do): A chance to offer your opinions on what it will take for Seattle and King County to be “more elder-friendly.” Here’s how, as explained by Seattle/King County’s Aging & Disability Services (ADS) agency:
Every four years, ADS develops a comprehensive plan that charts the course they will take in creating an elder-friendly community. The agency looks at local demographics, trends, and major service gaps, and seeks public input, before setting measureable goals and funding priorities for the following four years. ADS has created a survey that will help shape the plan for 2016-2019. You are invited to take the survey (here).
Community forums are planned, too, in case you’d rather share your thoughts in person. Find lots more information here.
(Photo by Long Bach Nguyen – click image to see larger version)
Happy Sunday! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
HIAWATHA PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Let somebody else do the cooking this morning – and help support community-center activities for all. 8 am-noon, it’s pancake-breakfast day at Hiawatha Community Center, with pancakes, sausages, bagels, and fruit – more info, including prices, in our calendar listing. (2700 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm – something new every week as we get closer to spring. (44th/Alaska)
LITTLE PILGRIMS’ PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-1:30 pm, come visit the preschool that’s based at Fauntleroy Church – details here. (9140 California SW)
ALL-WALK ENCOURAGEMENT RALLY: You’re invited to join other West Seattleites encouraging everyone to take personal action on climate change, and you’re welcome to bring signs. Stu Hennessey says this will happen on the first Sunday of the month, joining West Seattle Neighbors for Peace and Justice “during the all-walk interval in the Junction intersection.” Noon-1 pm. (California/Alaska)
DUWAMISH TRIBE FOOD TRADITIONS: Learn about the cultural and food traditions of the Duwamish Tribe, 1-3 pm followed by a shared meal, free. Details here. At the Duwamish Longhouse. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
THE JOY OF HELLEBORES: 1 pm, free class at West Seattle Nursery. (California/Brandon)
SEATTLE GREEN SPACES COALITION: The group working to save more greenspaces in West Seattle and the rest of the city meets at 2:45 pm, Southwest Library, all welcome. (35th/Henderson)
CELLO X: Live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
LADIES’ MUSICAL CLUB: Free concert at 3 pm, featuring music by Haydn, Scriabin, Debussy, Gershwin, Mozart, and Ponchielli, at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)
GRAMMY AWARDS ON THE BIG SCREEN: Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) will have the big show on the big screen starting at 8. (6451 California SW)
MORE … on our calendar!
The West Seattle High School boys’ varsity basketball team is looking ahead to a postseason game against O’Dea next Tuesday, they announced the day after a hard-fought loss to Franklin.
8:53 PM: SDOT says the Delridge offramp from the westbound West Seattle Bridge is closed because of a crash. Reader tip (accompanying photos including the one added above) says it seems like a spinout. More as we get it.
10:18 PM: SDOT just tweeted that the ramp has reopened.
(Photo by Greg, Constellation Park, 2012
Love to tide-walk? Do it as a volunteer beach naturalist this year! Here’s the official call for volunteers:
Volunteer with the Seattle Aquarium at a beach near you!
Why do barnacles stand on their heads? What do sea stars like to eat? How do moon snails lay their eggs? Learn to answer these and other fun questions by volunteering as a Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalist this summer. Naturalists receive training in the spring, and then spend three low tide days educating beach visitors about inter-tidal life and beach etiquette at one of eleven Puget Sound beaches, including Constellation Park and Lincoln Beach in West Seattle. Training begins on March 10.
If interested, please email beachnaturalist@seattleaquarium.org, call (206) 386-4365 or visit www.seattleaquarium.org/beach-naturalist.
(WSB photos/video by Tracy Record)
Standing at right above, that’s West Seattle High School girls-varsity head coach Sonya Elliott, who has been honored as Metro League Coach of the Year for the second time in three years, according to the school’s announcement on Twitter. Another tweet says junior Lydia Giomi has been named league MVP. Our top photo is from right after the team ended the first stage of a stellar season with a 62-20 victory last night over the visiting Franklin Quakers. In case you haven’t seen the Wildcat women play yet this year, here’s a minute we caught on video:
As the final home game of the regular season, last night was also Senior Night:
An especially poignant Senior Night for Coach Elliott, whose departing senior mainstays include her daughter Charli Elliott:
Also honored, Emily Fiso …
Annalisa Ursino …
Rachel Devore …
And Kristine La:
On to the game.
Fiso scored the first five points and finished as the scoring leader with 18.
Lexi Ioane was next with 15.
P.S. The cheer squad’s seniors were honored too – including the new Miss Seattle, Taryn Smith, who sang the national anthem before each game:
We’re now waiting to hear when/where the girls will start postseason play.
One week from today, it’s Metro‘s next three-times-a-year service change. Two routes that include West Seattle have changes, but the changes are not IN West Seattle. The service-change announcement also brings news of a fare increase and the new low-income fare*, plus a change in customer service. Read on for details:
If you live along 36th or 37th SW between SW Brandon and SW Morgan, you should get that alert in your postal mail today or Monday, says Seattle Public Utilities, which wants to make sure you know about a big but relatively brief project that might affect your water service at some point March 11th, 12th, and/or 13th, and mailed the notice to “the project area” on Friday. Depending on what they find, it might just be a prelude to something even bigger. But at least you have five weeks now to plan ahead. (If you can’t see/scroll through the notice above, here’s the PDF version.)
(Young male Anna’s Hummingbird photographed by Danny McMillin, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
No reason for rainy-day boredom. Here’s some of what’s on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
CAMP FIRE CANDY SALES: 9 am-4 pm today and tomorrow, Camp Fire’s annual candy fundraiser will be happening at the Fauntleroy ferry dock (among other places), per the organization’s lineup. (4829 SW Barton)
RESTAURANT NOTES: 8 am-8 pm, Endolyne Joe’s (WSB sponsor) has bacon giveaways celebrating the return of Danny the Pig (9261 45th SW); 10 am-2 am, Mission marks its 10th anniversary (2325 California SW) – details on both are in last night’s roundup of restaurant notes.
GIVE A LIFE-SAVING GIFT: If you can donate blood, look for the mobile van from Bloodworks NW (new name for what was Puget Sound Blood Center) in The Junction. Walkup donors welcome. 9-11 am and noon-3 pm. (42nd/Alaska)
STAIRWAY WALKS DAY: 10 am at three spots in West Seattle (and others around the city) – advance registration was required, so this is just a reminder for those who signed up.
COMMUNITY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-2 pm, adults only; details in our listing. (20th/Roxbury)
GREAT START PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-1 pm, you’re welcome to come find out more. (4620 SW Graham)
GAMES, GAMES, GAMES: 2-5 pm, drop by Admiral Congregational Church for games and snacks. (California/Hill)
‘SOUL JAMBALAYA’ CONCERT: 7 pm, celebrate music traditions from blues to jazz to gospel to funk with student musicians and acclaimed guest performers, as previewed here. Free; donations accepted, to support Denny/Sealth music programs. Chief Sealth International High School auditorium. (2600 SW Thistle)
WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: 7 pm (doors at 6:30), “Urban Gardeners and Social Justice Heroes” – read about this month’s program here. Free; donations accepted. Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way)
‘KING OF BOOGIE WOOGIE PIANO’: 7:30 pm, Arthur Migliazzia brings boogie-woogie to historic Kenyon Hall, as explained in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)
NOT DEAD YET: Catch them at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9 pm. (6451 California SW)
WHAT ELSE IS UP? Check our calendar.
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