West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
Two of your West Seattle neighbors have e-mailed to let you know what happened when burglars targeted them – one in Arbor Heights, one on Genesee Hill. Sometimes, the Crime Watch reader reports we get are simple and emotionless, but not these two:Read More
A wild time at Camp Long tonight, as the “Living With Wildlife” presentation offered info about how to do just that – particularly so far as our two biggest wild neighbors are concerned, coyotes and raccoons. Both smart, both requiring specific behavior from all of us so that we can co-exist with as little trouble as possible. Read on for some facts and advice that might surprise you!Read More
Just heard on the scanner, while we were trying to check on a couple of fire/aid calls: “Naked guy at the gas station at SW Alaska and Fauntleroy – only thing we have … is that he is carrying a bottle of booze, and has no clothes on.” Update – an officer just caught up with “the guy … north of the 76 station.”
This Friday and Saturday, the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (WSB sponsor) includes screenings in West Seattle, for the very first time. For the second night in a row, we’re giving away two pairs of tickets – but not exactly the same way as last night: Tonight we’re spotlighting two of the documentaries that will be shown at the Admiral, both on Saturday: “Equality U” at noon Saturday, and “The Kinsey Sicks: Almost Infamous” at 4:30 Saturday. Festival organizers tell us “Equality U” (here’s its official website) received a standing ovation from audiences in San Francisco and L.A. Its director Dave O’Brien will be at the Admiral screening on Saturday, and free tickets have been offered to West Seattle High School’s Gay/Straight Alliance student group. “Kinsey Sicks” (here’s its official website) is as much comedy as documentary – and directors Alonzo Ruvalcaba and Ken Bielenberg are expected at the Admiral showing too. OK, so now – tonight’s giveaway. Courtesy of SLGFF, each night we’re giving away two pairs of tickets – one pair per winner – to either of those documentaries. First two people to e-mail us are the winners. Use this e-mailbox: westseattleblog@yahoo.com – include the name under which you want the tickets to be held at “will call” at the Admiral on the date/time of the showing you choose, as well as whether you want the tickets for “Equality U” or “Kinsey Sicks.” We’ll add an update to the end of this post as soon as tonight’s tickets have been won to let you know the giveaway is over – then, two more pairs tomorrow night. Good luck! 11:58 PM UPDATE: Tonight’s tickets have been won.
The city yard belonging to SDOT on 8th SW in Highland Park could be said tonight to resemble something more like S-D-O-Tree. We got word this afternoon that 300 trees had just arrived, destined for plantings in various West Seattle spots, so we went over for a quick pic of city arborist Nolan Rundquist with some of his new charges, which include two types of elm. (These trees are spoken for, but if you’re interested in free street trees sometime in the future, find out more here.)
After jury selection was completed on Monday, testimony began today in the trial of the 18-year-old charged with murder in the deadly shooting inside a car at 59th/Admiral (map) a year ago. WSB is covering the trial start to finish — read on for today’s report from court:Read More
This morning, we brought you first word of the U.S. Coast 
Guard‘s decision (read it here) not to grant the City of Seattle request to restrict openings of the Spokane Street “low bridge” during weekday rush hours. We asked for reaction from both City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who had pursued the idea, and from SDOT, which made the official request. Heard back from both late today — read on:Read More
Thanks to WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli for providing that photo as well as information about the sizable “fire in single-family residence” call in Highland Park, 7700 block of 15th SW (map). “Food on the stove,” firefighters told Christopher, nobody hurt, but crews had to stay a while, using fans to clear smoke out of the house.
In the WSB Forums, someone’s looking for a little peace and quiet with their java. Maybe you have a suggestion to add?
That unassuming 65-year-old fourplex in the 3600 block of California SW (map) probably doesn’t catch your eye when you drive by. From the outside, it looks a lot like countless similar-vintage West Seattle multiplexes that have been torn down and replaced with townhouses or taller apartment buildings. But inside, it’s bright and comfortable – partly renovated to serve as the day center for Family Promise of Seattle, a project that started as an idea involving several West Seattle churches, and grew from there, as a way to help newly homeless families. Back during the “Nickelsville” hubbub last month, many asked “who in West Seattle is helping the homeless?”; this is one of the answers. You can get a closer look this Thursday, when Family Promise invites you to an open house to come see the day center and find out more about what the program and its volunteers are up to. We stopped by for a sneak peek – and to see if there was any help they needed from you right now (the answer: yes!) – read on:Read More
We’ve reported several times in the past two months about The Kenney‘s major redevelopment proposal (here’s our first in-depth report from August; here’s our coverage of last month’s community meeting), which has stirred some concern because one of the buildings is proposed to be six stories high. This Thursday night, it’s one of two projects going before the Southwest Design Review Board for “early design guidance,” and the city has posted the presentation submitted by The Kenney and its consultants. You can see the full 20-page presentation here (including side views of the three proposed alternatives); the third option is the one closest to what was presented at the community meeting, including a re-creation of part of its “park-like” northwestern corner:
The design-review meeting for The Kenney’s proposal is at 8 pm Thursday, in the Madison Middle School library, following reviewers’ 6:30 pm look at 4106 Delridge (5 stories of residential and retail; city project page here; that project’s presentation is not online yet – we’ll let you know when it turns up).
More work along the north side of Westwood Village, on Trenton, and it’s a bit of a snarl, so the Barton side is your better bet if you’re headed that way any time soon.
We see this list at every West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting we cover … and today it just turned up in e-mail, with tonight’s agenda. It’s not just about crime – it’s about safety. If you want the numbers for the graffiti hotline, abandoned vehicle hotline, Public Health rat reports, Parking Enforcement, street-light repairs, etc., all on one sheet you can tuck into your wallet or slap on the fridge – print this and snip off the agenda part. (Thanks to Seattle Neighborhood Group, which provides staff to assist groups like WSCPC.)
(photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
Just in from the U.S. Coast Guard: They’ve turned thumbs down on the City of Seattle request to restrict openings of the “low bridge” during peak commute hours (comments were taken May-July; WSB coverage here). We will keep expanding this report with more details over the next hour or so, but for starters, Austin Pratt of the Coast Guard told WSB by phone that the reasons include “massive” opposition by the Port of Seattle and local maritime concerns, as well as not enough traffic volume using the bridge to justify the change. Here’s the official document (published today in the Federal Register); technically, the action taken by the USCG was to “withdraw” the proposal to change the bridge rules. Read on for the key excerpt from the federal document explaining why this proposal isn’t going forward – as well as additional information we’ll continue to add:Read More
Terri from West Seattle’s CoolMom.org chapter sends that photo of one of the big white barrels to look for at seven West Seattle locations: Any time from now through 3 pm November 14th, you can leave a bag of used toys/kids’ gear (no clothing or car seats) in one of those barrels, and as long as it contains a slip of paper with your name/phone number, you’ll be on the list of donors to get a $5 credit at the group’s Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale the next day. You don’t have to donate ahead of time, of course, to shop at the sale, which will happen 9 am-1 pm 11/15 at the Camp Long Lodge, but the CoolMoms are hoping it’ll be a nice incentive. Not only will the sale work toward “saving money while saving the planet,” to paraphrase the sign on the barrel, it’s also a fundraiser for CoolMom.org, WestSide Baby, and the West Seattle Food Bank. Here are the seven locations with barrels where you can drop off that bag of stuff for the sale – PCC, West Seattle Thriftway, Coffee to a Tea, Gatewood Elementary, Expedition Trips, Community School of West Seattle, and Allstar Fitness Kids’ Club (members only). Here’s the official flyer.
TONIGHT: Wherever you live in West Seattle, you can get the lowdown on the latest trouble spots – and a chance to voice your concerns directly to your local police – by showing up for tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting. 7 pm – but not the usual location; it’s at Denny Middle School (30th and Thistle; here’s a map) this time.
THURSDAY: People living in the southeasternmost neighborhoods of West Seattle are also welcome at the South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition meeting, which also focuses on neighborhood trouble spots and crime concerns, with King County Sheriff’s Deputies usually in attendance as well as Seattle Police, to address both jurisdictions. 6 pm Thursday, St. James Place (9421 18th SW; here’s a map).
OCTOBER 28TH: After crime concerns came up while neighbors of California Place, the mini-park at California/Hill (map), were discussing proposed park changes, it was discovered there’s no Block Watch in the general area of California Avenue between SW Walker and SW Holgate (map), and adjoining streets. So a meeting to organize one, with Southwest Precinct crime-prevention help, is set for 6:30 pm 10/28 at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. If you are interested but unable to attend, e-mail info@californiaparkplace.org to get in touch with organizers.
Burke e-mailed that photo (thank you!) and elaborated:
I stopped in at Staples in Westwood Saturday afternoon and was greeted by this sign at the entrance. No cash? Inside there were a number of similar signs and it is true: no cashbacks, no cash accepted, no change. The clerk only commented that “there was a problem!” I sometimes jokingly ask if cash is accepted, after standing in a line of folks using credit/debit cards to buy groceries. Maybe it’s not a joke anymore?
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