Awaiting the latest on RapidRide? Briefing ahead
It’s been almost five months since the initial info about Metro RapidRide bus service to/from West Seattle began making its way around West Seattle (including that bus-concept sketch we photographed at a JuNO meeting). Routing announcements were to be made “within a few months,” Metro officials said at the time; no formal announcements yet, but the next major progress report is expected on Tuesday, when the Seattle City Council’s Transportation Committee has this scheduled (9 am):
What’s going on with Rapid Ride, Metro’s bus rapid transit between West Seattle and downtown? The Committee will be briefed by Seattle Department of Transportation Director Grace Crunican and Metro’s General Manager Kevin Desmond.
RapidRide isn’t supposed to start rolling till 2011, but routing decisions were to be made now so that preliminary work could begin.
West Seattle Saturday scenes: Anniversary celebrations
In the Admiral District, Revolution Coffee proprietors David “DJ” Johnson and Angie Houck threw a sidewalk party today to celebrate their shop’s third anniversary.
Meanwhile, on Alki, well-wishers were invited to sign a big old door propped up out front of Coastal Boutique, celebrating its fifth anniversary today with a beach sandbox party today. Even the littlest partygoers got to leave their mark:
From the “you saw it here first” file: Junction composting
Thanks to the folks who have sent us the link to a citywide-media story today about The Junction’s food-waste composting program. We broke that story here a month and a half ago (original WSB coverage here). But this is exactly why we set up the “More” page – so you can also keep track of what citywide/regional media sources are saying about West Seattle – the P-I story and others are linked there right now (the link lists are frequently and automatically updated, and the second half of the page includes the latest CL listings tagged West Seattle). P.S. If you missed it, the latest WSB Junction coverage involves a request for your input on the upcoming city parking review — check that out here.
“Townhomes: Can the patient be saved?”
Not our headline – that’s how the city slugged its announcement of two forums called by Councilmember Sally Clark (who toured The Junction a month ago at the invitation of resident Sue Scharff; WSB coverage here). Our only question: Why isn’t either forum happening here in West Seattle, where so much townhome construction is under way? Anyway, here’s the announcement:Read More
Traffic alert: Road repairs on Delridge tomorrow
Just in from SDOT:
SDOT paving crews will repair failed concrete panels on the east side of Delridge Way Southwest at Southwest Elmgrove Street on Saturday, May 31.
The crews plan to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting with breaking out and removing the damaged concrete. One lane will remain open to traffic. Flaggers will assist drivers through the area. On-street parking will be restricted. When the new pavement has sufficiently cured, expected Saturday evening, the full street will be reopened to traffic.
Maps don’t show Elmgrove and Delridge directly intersecting; you can see the vicinity (north of Thistle) on this map.
Design Review round 2 for Conner Homes’ Junction project
That’s Charlie Conner, president/owner of Conner Homes, whose California/Alaska/42nd project went back to the Southwest Design Review Board last night for a second round of “Design Review Guidance.” He was clearly there to lead the team making the case for the project; this time, he directly addressed the crowd to open what is usually the architect’s presentation to the board — and that followed time he spent before the meeting introducing himself to members of the standing-room-only crowd as they arrived. Then, more than half an hour after the meeting, he was outside the Southwest Precinct, still talking with a small group of attendees in which we recognized at least one Junction merchant. Our full report on what happened, and what happens next, straight ahead — long report, for a long (more than 2 hours) meeting:Read More
West Seattle author notes: 1 award, 1 reading
AWARD: Congratulations to Clay Eals, honored in the IPPY (Independent Publisher) Awards with a “silver” award for the biography category (see #28 in the list here) on the first anniversary of his acclaimed book “Steve Goodman: Facing the Music.” The awards will be presented tomorrow in Los Angeles.
READING: Longtime South Seattle Community College instructor Arleen Williams has published “The Thirty-Ninth Victim: A Memoir,” about what her family went through in connection with her sister having been one of the Green River serial-murder victims. She will read from the book during an event June 6th at SSCC’s Cascade Courtyard and Wine Tasting Room. The event runs 4-6 pm and includes a preview of two SSCC wines to be released in the fall; Williams’ reading will start at 4:30 pm.
Quick toplines from tonight’s Design Review Board meeting
Standing-room-only crowd at the Southwest Precinct for the Design Review Board meeting on the Conner Homes project in The Junction, two buildings at California/Alaska/42nd. Conner boss Charlie Conner attended and directly addressed the crowd as the meeting began, saying he thought people might want to put a face to the name. Board members were disappointed some of their recommendations from the first “early design guidance” meeting didn’t seem to have been considered in tonight’s presentation; after public comments that board chair David Foster described as “brilliant,” they have some very specific recommendations, but also agreed to let the project move to the next phase of Design Review. Full report in the works.
Whale-watching alert: Humpback in nearby waters
You may have heard about this in the citywide media; it’s been mentioned we post about it here, in case the whale wanders past West Seattle shores when it inevitably eventually heads back north: A humpback whale’s been hanging out near south Vashon Island for a few weeks. At least one tv station has video. Best chance to try to get a glimpse of it would be via the Tahlequah-Point Defiance ferry that travels between south Vashon and Tacoma; our favorite way to get there from here is to take the Fauntleroy ferry to (north) Vashon (schedule here) and drive down the island to the Tahlequah dock (schedule here). We usually only take that trip during our annual jaunt to Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, but might have to go look for the humpback in the next day or two!
Just went through a couple more days worth of police reports – this list is nowhere as long as 
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