West Seattle, Washington
12 Tuesday
SDOT told us Monday they hoped to do this before the week was out, and indeed, here’s the alert:
SDOT crews are replacing missing lane striping on the West Seattle Bridge today while the favorable weather lasts. Dry pavement is required for this work. The crews will work between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The crews are replacing only lane lines that were severely distressed following the recent spell of snow, and are giving priority to streets and bridges with the highest volume of traffic.
Drivers are asked to leave plenty of space between them and the work vehicles, and to obey the signs: don’t drive over wet paint.
And the striping on 35th SW will be handled soon too, according to SDOT’s Marybeth Turner, who says that was atop the city’s list along with Aurora (restriped yesterday) and the WS Bridge.
(WSB photo from December 14)
When we published first word of the mayor’s plan for three “open houses” to personally field citizen concerns about the trials and tribulations of Snowstorm ’08, JenV commented, “I foresee a packed house in WS.” If that happens tonight (6:30-8 pm at Southwest Community Center; here’s a map), it’ll be the only one of the three. According to this Seattle Weekly item about the Tuesday event in Green Lake, and this Central District News report on last night’s event in the CD, very few people have shown up to tell the mayor — and a massive retinue of city workers — what they think, and/or to hear what he says. Are YOU going?
Thanks to the 34th District Democrats for sharing that shot of their new Executive Board: left to right, 2nd vice chair David Ginsberg, state committeeman Chris Porter, state committeewoman Marcee Stone, district chair Tim Nuse, alternate county committeeman Robin Hess, county committeewoman Lisa Plymate, first vice chair Kim Becklund, treasurer Stu Yarfitz, county committeeman Ivan Weiss, secretary Miki Meahan (and, not pictured, alternate county committeewoman Asha Mohamed). They’ve moved into those roles after the 34th DDs’ reorganization meeting last night at The Hall at Fauntleroy, a lively gathering as is the tradition for our area’s largest political group; here’s a video crowd shot:
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
Now, one more group with leadership responsibilities — the committee chairs:
Left to right, it’s Jackie Dupras (newsletter), Greg Doss (legislative action), Beth Grieser, Brian Earl (bylaws), Les Treall (outreach), Jeff Upthegrove (membership), and Walter Sive (finance).
Another headline from the meeting: Read More
From Tuesday night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting: Next week’s Washington State Ferries public hearing at The Hall at Fauntleroy is bigger than you may think. If you’re anywhere near Fauntleroy, you’re going to get reminders between now and next Wednesday night about exactly what’s at stake if WSF pursues a proposal to expand the dock and add an overhead walkway – more traffic through West Seattle. Read on for more on this discussion and two other big events FCA wants to make sure are on your radar:Read More
Two local school notes, starting with an invitation from Concord Elementary, which is in South Park but is included 
in Seattle Public Schools‘ “West Seattle South” cluster: It’s trying to get the word out about its unique Two-Way Bilingual Program, and there’s a parent-information meeting one week from tonight. Concord PTA president Susie Clark (who is also a teacher, at Madison Middle School) explains, “The dual language program is unique in that is gives our native Spanish speakers a chance to learn reading and writing in Spanish and our native English speakers have the opportunity to learn Spanish starting in kindergarten with 30% of their day in Spanish and increasing to 70% by the time they are in 5th grade.” Susie sent along the informational brochure – it’s in two parts, here and here. Interested families are welcome to attend next week’s meeting, 6:30 pm January 21, 723 Concord Street (map). Susie is also happy to answer questions (e-mail her at sgclark@seattleschools.org).
LAFAYETTE FOOD DRIVE: Lafayette Elementary is now collecting food for the White Center Food Bank – which serves part of West Seattle too – year-round, after an incredibly successful drive kicking off the new year:
More than 2,100 items were donated in what was just supposed to be the school’s annual drive – parent Amy French tells the story:
The Lafayette Elementary student council had a new idea this year while planning their annual food drive for the White Center Food Bank. They held a competition to see which class could collect the most items and kept track of the donations by teacher on a bulletin board in the front lobby. The donations quickly filled the collection barrel and started to fill the school’s front lobby. All of the classes participated, but two classes led the competition: Ms. Rollins’ class collected the most items (251) and Mr. Beal’s class (203) came in second place. Last week, the White Center Food Bank team had to make two van trips to transport all of the collected food down to their facility in White Center.
Lafayette’s student council sponsors two community service projects a year–one in winter and one in spring. James Morrison, Macy Crooks and Shelby Walker (shown in the photo above) were the student council officers in charge of promoting the drive, keeping track of how many items were brought in, and updating a bulletin board daily to monitor our success. A huge thank you to these student leaders, Mimi Armistead (staff lead for Lafayette’s student council), and to all the generous Lafayette families who donated food.
Since this effort was so successful, Lafayette is going to continue collecting food for the White Center Food Bank (with a goal of a barrel a month) for the rest of the school year.
You can help the WCFB any time by donating online (go here); our area’s other food bank, the West Seattle Food Bank, takes online donations too – go here.
Just received multiple e-mails about a police search in Highland Park/White Center that may involve a car that’s up on the curb at 9th and Roxbury (that’s according to Tom; CatP wrote in the WSB Forums “something about a suspect run to the ground in the 9200 block of 13th SW; another forum post says police told neighbors the person they’re looking for is NOT armed). Working to find out information now. Anything you’re seeing or hearing, please add in comments. 8:58 PM UPDATE: Scene was clear when we went through but Zack has the scoop in comments: Stolen car crashed into house, suspect caught. Thanks, Zack!
One’s from Morgan Junction, the other from Fairmount Springs – read on:Read More
By Julia Ugarte
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Admiral Neighborhood Association met Tuesday night for its first meeting of 2009. With about a dozen in attendance, including some new faces, the ANA gathered at Admiral Congregational Church, ready to start planning the year ahead.
Lots of updates emerged throughout the meeting – first, two items of news, including the latest on a controversial park proposal:
Your drive home tonight should be brighter: As promised yesterday morning, Seattle City Light crews are indeed out on The Bridge replacing all those burned-out bulbs – we’ve had two reports of sightings, one via e-mail, one via Twitter.
ORIGINAL 2:17 PM POST: We’re en route to the “single-family residence” fire call in the 1400 block of 42nd SW (map). Scanner traffic just now indicates the fire is “tapped.” 2:39 PM UPDATE: The fire’s actually in the 1400 block of Palm, contrary to what the 911 log says. Firefighters tell WSB it appears to have started in or near a wall-mounted microwave oven in the kitchen, though nobody was home. There were some flames and lots of smoke, but it’s out now, and nobody’s hurt. ADDED 3:07 PM: The microwave:
News from the beach, semimonthly, courtesy of the Alki Community Council (which has a business meeting this Thursday at 8:30 pm at Alki Community Center, right after the Elliott Bay Water Taxi/Seacrest open house) — you can read the new News Beacon right here, right now.
Saw this on TV last night, just found the link. Perhaps one of the most scenic interviews ever — Amanda Knox‘s sisters talked with KING5, mostly on the beach at Lincoln Park (the family lives in Arbor Heights). Text and video here; Knox’s trial in Italy is set to start Friday.
Tomorrow morning at 10 am, ArtsWest starts taking applications for its always-popular musical-theater summer camp. No auditions are required, but only the first 30 to sign up are guaranteed a spot. This year’s production: “A Year with Frog and Toad.” Full scoop here.
By Charla Mustard-Foote
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The long-awaited meeting between the Cooper Elementary School community and Seattle Public Schools representatives took place Tuesday night. Approximately 140 people filled the school cafeteria (moved from the library to accommodate an overflow crowd).
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar, two major meetings tonight: 6 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, it’s the second design meeting for the Delridge Skatepark; though the city has not currently budgeted the money to build it, the design process is proceeding so the project will be ready when construction money becomes available. (Here’s our coverage of the first meeting last summer.) 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, our area’s biggest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, gather for “reorganization” – choosing the group’s new leaders. More at 34dems.org.
We mentioned on Tuesday morning that five notable meetings were happening in West Seattle last night. Between your two co-publishers and three of the very good reporters we are able to tap on an as-assigned basis, we covered them all, including the second West Seattle meeting held as part of the regional jail-site-selection process, with one WS site (Google Street View above) now remaining in the running. Many of the same people who spoke at the first one last June (WSB coverage here) were at this one too, as was David Whelan, reporting for WSB – here’s his story:Read More
If you’re concerned about the prospect of pay-station parking in The Junction, you missed a chance tonight to talk with the people running the review that will determine whether it happens or not. Junction Neighborhood Organization president Erica Karlovits got the reps from SDOT’s Community Parking Program — which recently decreed pay stations for Fremont, despite community opposition — to come to tonight’s JuNO meeting, and that constituted part of the review’s “kickoff.” Read on for more on what else is next, and when:Read More
This week we’re sharing news of baseball signups — first West Seattle Little League (here’s our Monday mention), tonight West Seattle Association of Pee Wee Baseball. President Eric Olson tells us it’s the largest baseball league in West Seattle, with more than 350 kids ages 5-10, who live in neighborhoods from Admiral on the north all the way to Sea-Tac Airport in the South. Teams are named after their sponsors, like the 2008 Mustang Division champs, Tom’s Automotive, coached by Manny Flores:
Eric shares the league’s goals: “The objectives of the WSAPWB shall be to firmly implant in the boys and girls of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage, and reverence so that they may be finer, stronger and happier children and will grow to be good, clean, healthy men and women. The objectives will be achieved through providing supervised, competitive baseball and softball games. The supervisors shall keep in mind that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill and the winning of games is secondary to the above objectives and that the molding of future men and women is of prime importance.” WSAPB traces its history back more than half a century; read about it here. And yet, starting this year, they’re offering the most modern of conveniences — online registration! You can sign up (and even pay your registration fee) right now, at westseattlepeewee.com.
If you’re in the area of 40th SW and SW 102nd in Arbor Heights (map), that video shows what all the police presence late today was about — officers, with a search warrant, forcibly entering a house where they say a major marijuana-growing operation is based. Through an open door, we could see some of the plants that police believe may number in the hundreds:
Police say there have been claims that it’s raised for medical-marijuana purposes, but the situation has caused neighborhood trouble – police say they have responded repeatedly to burglaries at the house. They seized some plants that were in evidence when they responded to a recent burglary call, but needed a warrant to go in and look for more. No one was home when they went in. We’ll be checking tomorrow on what happens next and whether anyone will be charged in connection with what was found in the raid.
Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Kevin McDaniel and Lt. Steve Paulsen (center) stopped by SafeFutures Youth Center (6335 35th SW) this afternoon for a visit that provided a reminder, police work is about preventing crime as well as fighting it: They brought a check for $500 donated by Seattle Police employees, in what’s become an annual presentation to SafeFutures (whose staff, pictured with the SPD duo, include, from left, case manager Ron Howell, executive director Sorya Svy, program coordinators John Leapai and Tony Rivisto). Here’s Lt. Paulsen officially making the presentation to Sorya Svy:
SafeFutures has been at the 35th SW location for a dozen years, and also has smaller satellite branches in White Center and Rainier Beach. Right now, they’re serving 350 area young people every year, focusing on those “who are at risk of juvenile justice involvement, gang involvement, and/or academic failure.” Their services include community-service projects, homework assistance, leadership development, employment services, bilingual and multicultural counseling, and crisis intervention. You can find out more about SafeFutures online at www.sfyc.net (and if you’d like to help them help local kids, this page on that site explains what you can do).
First – Seattle Public Utilities sends word that it’s replacing 80 feet of an 8-inch sewer mainline pipe that collapsed above Alki, on 53rd SW between Hobart and Halleck SW (map). It’s just mailed notifications to nearby residents. Service won’t be interrupted to people who live nearby – a temporary bypass line is going in right now – but in addition to replacing the line, SPU also will replace a stairway. The work is expected to last till the end of January, and SPU says it may involve some weekend work. Why did the pipe collapse? Here’s the reply from SPU’s Marnie McGrath: “This is a vitrified clay pipe that was built in 1922. Due to the age of the material, there was a crack in the joint that was made greater by the stormy weather. A void formed in the soil between the stair and the pipe below it, and the pipe and stair collapsed.”
Second – another update on the major gas-line replacement work that’s been under way in Westwood and Fauntleroy, installing almost two miles of this plastic piping to replace aging metal:
(WSB photo from November 2008)
When we last spoke with Puget Sound Energy for this November followup, spokesperson Christina VerHeul expected they would be done by the end of December. As everyone who drives in the area knows, that didn’t happen. VerHeul called us today after reading a recent WSB comment asking what was up; she says the snow and ice set them back, and now they’re expecting to be done by mid-February — with the actual gas-line replacement work finished within the next two weeks or so, and road restoration work, “with a much smaller crew,” taking two to three weeks beyond that.
Thanks to MJ for posting the link to that video in comments on our first report from today’s official announcement that a “deep-bored” tunnel will replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct‘s “mile in the middle” Central Waterfront section. We’ll be adding more video to this report but the clip doesn’t seem to have gotten much play yet, so we’re posting it here and will be adding to this as we go, including West Seattle reaction from the announcement event. ADDED 2 PM: Our clip of the governor’s opening remarks – including the first quip, which drew laughter:
ADDED 2:47 PM: Among the many people on hand for the announcement were West Seattle’s two Stakeholders Advisory Committee members, Pete Spalding – with whom we’ll be talking later – and Vlad Oustimovitch, who spoke with WSB afterward. We asked if, when the committee meetings began last year, he could have imagined it would turn out this way:
ADDED 3:02 PM: And one more clip (pardon the surrounding din, this was right after the briefing broke up and the room was jammed) – we asked County Council Chair Dow Constantine whether he thinks the state might find a way to keep the existing Viaduct open till the tunnel is done, even though the governor had said she wants the AWV down in 2012, and now the timeline for tunnel completion is 2015:
Here’s a few other notes: Many are discussing the logistics of how the tunnel will connect to the rest of Highway 99. Remember, there are other AWV projects already under way – including the utility-relocation project that started last fall, and the South End Replacement work that starts this year. That part of the project takes down 40 percent of the existing AWV and is to be done in two years; read all about it here. It includes the new on- and off-ramps “near South King Street” that were scheduled to become the new downtown-access points under most alternatives. Meant to complement that is the forthcoming widening of the Spokane Street Viaduct (the West Seattle Bridge stretch between 99 and I-5) that will include a new 4th Avenue offramp, which transportation planners hope will handle more of the downtown-bound traffic.
On Sunday night, we previewed the week ahead – and tonight’s the big one, with five major meetings: The “scoping meeting” for the proposed West Seattle jail site, Brockey Center 
at SSCC, 6:30 pm; the community meeting re: Cooper Elementary “program closure,” Cooper Library, 7 pm; Junction Neighborhood Organization meets with transit and parking updates on the agenda, Ginomai, 6:30 pm; the Fauntleroy Community Association meets at The Hall at Fauntleroy at 7 pm; also at 7, the Admiral Neighborhood Association meets at Admiral Church.
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