West Seattle, Washington
12 Tuesday
As of noon, the burn ban is up to Stage 2 – meaning your wood-burning fireplace/stove can’t be used unless it’s your ONLY “adequate source of heat.” Full details here.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a National Day of Service and West Seattleites are doing their part. Till 8 pm, diapers are being collected at Jefferson Square Safeway for WestSide Baby — as we wrote here after hearing from organizer Katy, they particularly need sizes 4-5-6 and training pants – so buy some and drop them off! WestSide Baby helps hundreds of families in West Seattle/White Center every week and the need keeps growing; they’re also getting some help today from folks meeting at Fauntleroy Church between now and 4 pm to make blankets. We’re heading out to get pix of what’s happening and will add when we come back. (If you’re involved with another Day of Service event in West Seattle today, let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!) ADDED 11:52 AM: That’s Katy and daughters Bailey (10) and Greta (7 1/2), photographed outside the east door of J-Square Safeway about half an hour ago. Katy’s lined up volunteers to handle other shifts all the way up till 8 pm as planned.
(Friday morning photo by David Hutchinson)
Three days after fire damaged Alki’s historic Homestead Restaurant, its owner has a clearer picture of the road ahead to getting it reopened. As we reported Friday morning, investigators say the $400,000 fire was an electrical accident – sparked by too many Christmas lights plugged into a single socket. Tom Lin, who bought the Homestead after longtime owner Doris Nelson passed away, provides this update on what’s happening now with the restaurant (an official Seattle landmark), its employees, and the prospective new owner he was in the process of selling it to when this happened:
The dust has finally settled after 3 chaotic days. I know many people are interested in knowing what is going on with Alki Homestead after the fire, and I will update as much as I can as we proceed with the cleanup.
First of all, I must thank the Fire Department and the Police Department for the prompt response time. I believe the phone call was made at 5:20 AM and they had the fire out by 5:40. I don’t think anyone can ask for more than that. It was such a blessing that fire started at 5 AM instead of 5 PM and no one got hurt.
At 6 AM, my longtime employee, Bonnie, who worked for Mrs. Nelson for 17 years and has worked for me for 3 years, showed up in tears wanting to talk to the Fire Chief. She had one request, she asked if anyone could get the reservation book so she could call all the customers who had reservation for the weekend. A “firewoman” went inside, grabbed the charred reservation book and handed to Bonnie.
After examining the damage, I think it will take longer than 6 months to reopen Alki Homestead. The damage is quite extensive. I believe the entire roof needs to be replaced. The middle part of the second floor will have to come down. There is a big hole in the ceiling of the first floor where the fire went up and that also punctured a hole in the roof.
This is our photo from Friday showing that damage:
Tom continues:
The ceiling of the main dining room is pretty much charred. The fireplace actually stopped the fire from spreading to the left side of the dining room. All the tables and chairs are gone. Luckily, the dining table that is over 100 years old is still standing. The King and Queen’s chairs are ok. The PI clock and the sideboards are charred. All the chandeliers are melted. I think we can salvage the pictures of the Barnards.
I will know more next week after we get the official damage report. I have already instructed the general manager, Chris Long, to supplement employees with their salary for at least 3 months. It is more than a job for most of them and we will not leave them on the street at any cost.
I know we have lots of gift certificates outstanding. We will try to get other restaurants in Alki to honor them or we will redeem the gift certificates with cash. I will post the details soon. If any restaurants would like to honor our gift certificates, please e-mail me.
I have spoken to the buyer of the restaurant business and he is still interested in taking over, except it will be on a later date. I will disclose the buyer’s identity later in the week after our meeting tomorrow. We will be renegotiating the terms of the sale and hopefully come to an agreement.
I bought Alki Homestead because I wanted to preserve the part of history that has been very important to this neighborhood. Some people may still want to treat me like an outsider, but I have as much at stake as anyone else who lives here. In any event, our goal is to restore the restaurant and hopefully make it better. We will get a better facility that will meet the ADA standards, from the bathrooms to the handicapped ramp. Hopefully wheelchair customers won’t have to go through the kitchen and hopefully the bathrooms will be big enough to accommodate wheelchairs with no steps going up and down. This may be our chance to update the restaurant, think positive. Both Alki Homestead and the pan-fried chicken will return.
So much for the thoughts tonight, hope to get some feedback soon. My e-mail is alkihomestead@yahoo.com.
Tom Lin
For those who’ve never been inside, this Wikimedia photo shows what a special place it’s been:
But just hours after the fire, so many of those interior fixtures, as Tom mentioned, were in a charred heap outside:
We will be following up with Tom for those future updates he mentioned.
Eerily, we can’t help but note that it’s just a few weeks till the first anniversary of the fire that closed another beloved West Seattle restaurant for months – the Charlestown Cafe fire in February 2008 – that one, too, an accident; the Charlestown finally reopened almost five months later.
This morning at 8 am, sign-ups open for the 20 always-coveted public-comment spots at the start of Wednesday’s Seattle School Board meeting (e-mail boardagenda@seattleschools.org or call 206-252-0040). It’s 
the last regular meeting for board members before they vote a week from Thursday on school-closure recommendations that currently call for Cooper Elementary (photo left) on Pigeon Point to be disbanded so that its building can become the new home of Pathfinder K-8, which operates in the former Genesee Hill Elementary building that the district’s been trying to close for years. As even Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson (who by the way is in D.C. for the presidential inauguration) has said, the proposal — which includes several other changes around the city — could change before the final vote. The School Board meeting at 6 pm Wednesday isn’t the last chance to have a say, though; this Thursday, 6:30 pm at district HQ, it’s the final formal public hearing on the proposal; the 40 public-comment spots at this meeting already are spoken for (see the list here – three people are identified as speaking about Cooper, and we recognize at least one more Cooper-linked name elsewhere on the list). P.S. Before these two meetings, West Seattle School Board rep Steve Sundquist has another one of his coffee chats – 9 am Wednesday, Coffee to a Tea in The Junction. And the Cooper community continues to add to the information available on its anti-closure website, CooperSchoolWorks.com.
The past two nights, we’ve brought you updates from Carter and Dan, Fauntleroy residents in D.C. for the inauguration (albeit without tickets). Right now, we have a report from West Seattle resident Stephanie, who’s also in D.C. along with husband Hans and their toddler – who’s going to spend Inauguration Day with area relatives while Mom and Dad join the crowd. Hans is tweeting at @p_delta (with photo links from their sightseeing), and Stephanie has sent a longer update – which explains (among other things) the photo you see above:Read More
(Photo by Matt Durham of MattDurhamPhotography.com)
We’ve mentioned it a few times before – now it’s just days away: Washington State Ferries is almost done collecting public comment on its Draft Long-Range Plan, which includes some potentially major operational changes, but there’s one last public hearing – right here in West Seattle, 6 pm this Wednesday night at The Hall at Fauntleroy. The community group responsible for the ferry system’s local dock, the Fauntleroy Community Association, says that plan could have far-reaching traffic effects on all of West Seattle, not just Fauntleroy – here’s one of the documents it’s circulating ahead of the hearing:
The Washington State Ferries’ hearing at Fauntleroy on January 21 is a very important meeting for West Seattle. It discloses their Long Range Plan (LRP) that affects our peninsula for 30 years and beyond. Some of the details of the plan will be presented at the meeting followed by an opportunity by any and all who wish to speak. The audience turnout is also crucial as it shows this is an urgent matter, dealing with our quality of life and effects on traffic and property values. Spread the word!
As this is a testimonial hearing, questions and answers with dialogue will not take place. Testimony, however, will be recorded and become a permanent part of the LRP presented to the Legislature for approval January 31. Reviewing the plan at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries reveals that some major points of conflict for discussion and rebuttal are apparent.
1. After years of seeing the LRP proposing to shift the Southworth route directly to Colman Dock, at the last minute the plan reversed that proposal and the Southworth traffic remains in West Seattle indefinitely.
This is unacceptable.2. The plan cements in place the existing traffic and all future growth from Southworth at the Fauntleroy facility that is already operating at capacity.
This is unacceptable.3. The projected combined population growth for West Seattle and Vashon Island will substantially increase traffic congestion both approaching and on the West Seattle Bridge in years to come. Continuing to route Southworth/Kitsap County vehicles here indefinitely means their population explosion will impact our transportation needs and livability of our neighborhoods.
This is unacceptable.4. The plan to widen the Fauntleroy dock and erect an overhead walk-on loading ramp is detrimental to the environment of Fauntleroy Cove, shields and distorts personal property views and adversely affects local property values.
This is unacceptable.5. On April 28, 1997, Seattle City Council Resolution 29566 stated that WSF initiate no expansion of the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock and to take all steps to reduce existing traffic.
To ignore that resolution is unacceptable.6. A complex component of the plan is a Reservation Ticketing System that can add more traffic snarls, safety hazards and confusion around the dock and neighboring residential streets. (WSB note: Read more about that system here)
These and other details of the LRP are detrimental to businesses, residents and taxpayers of West Seattle. We are paying for their growth. Please express your opinion at this urgent meeting so your voice is heard before decisions are made. Notify our state and local elected officials of your concerns.
Also, attendance is crucial at this meeting. Share this flyer with friends, neighbors, co-workers and anyone you know living or doing business on the West Seattle peninsula and encourage their attendance. The deadline for comments is at this meeting of the Ferry Advisory Committee: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California Ave SW, at 6 PM.
Gary Dawson, Chair
Fauntleroy Ferry Advisory Committee
garyann@quidnunc.netBruce Butterfield, President
Fauntleroy Community Association
Bruce@BruceButterfield.com
(photo added 11:11 pm – car top is ALREADY iced over!)
Patchy fog’s a possibility again tonight. Combine that with lows in the 30s, and by 5 am this morning, car tops and windshields were iced over – as were some bridge on-ramps, according to a Twitter report we received – so if you don’t get MLK Day off, save a few minutes tomorrow for possible scraping. And a reminder that your fireplace/wood stove is off-limits TFN unless it’s your main source of heat, since a “Stage 1 Burn Ban” is in effect. The “stagnant air” might not clear out any time soon – the “forecast discussion” says it might be dry all week.
Five days after the announcement that Governor Gregoire, County Executive Sims, and Mayor Nickels want to see
the Alaskan Way Viaduct’s “mile in the middle” Central Waterfront section replaced with a $4 billion package of improvements centered on a deep-bored tunnel, the chatter about it continues, and we have two things to share tonight: First, 34th District State Sen. Joe McDermott sent a note after Week 1 of the new legislative session wrapped up, pointing out that he’s now writing updates in blog format on his official website. (It’s not entirely blog format, since you can’t leave comments, but maybe that’ll change.) His latest post, which you can read here, describes the tunnel announcement as “Viaduct Success.” (He’s also posted a podcast — 3 1/2 minutes of audio — but it’s not about The Viaduct; it’s about the state-budget shortfall.) We’ll keep an eye on the next move re: The Tunnel – the Legislature’s website doesn’t currently have anything specifically on the agenda. Now, the other tunnel note: West Seattle poet Carol Smith has penned a lament to drivers’ prospective loss of views – read on:Read More
(Zack with Otto the dachshund – explained below)
After we shared the news Friday that donations had fully funded the care needed by Zack the stray cat – who turned up on Jane‘s doorstep and then turned out to be in dire need of costly care – some folks clamored for one more followup, with more details and photos. So Jane has obliged:
It has been two weeks since Zack had his surgery and he got his stitches out (Friday). It was really rough the first twelve days and we did not get much sleep. Zack had his worse moments from 11:00p.m. till around 5:00a.m. Zack is still on pain meds but he is doing great.
It is amazing how fast Zack became part of the family. Zack loves his roommate Maxine (who came to me 8 yrs ago a feral cat) and I was surprised to see how much Zack loves his cousins Otto (a Dachshund) and Sophia (a Chihuahua). Zack is bigger and the Alpha male. Zack loves it when Sophia and Otto run around him trying to play, then he puts his big paws out and they have a good time. Photos attached. Zack even alerted me before the dogs did that someone was at the door. It was so cute, he growled.
Again, thanks to everyone who has followed Zack’s story and supported Zack via the WSB and donated for his surgery. Oh, to those who asked, I was not looking for another dependent, Zack just happened my way and he needed love and care which I could not refuse. I did try to find Zack’s owners but if he did have one, they did not take care of him. Zack is a big love and he just loves cuddling up and hanging out with his new family.
Sincerely, Jane
Another photo of Zack – he’s on the carpet, Maxine‘s on the chair:
Just got a phone tip – SDOT re-striping crews are working in the westbound lanes toward the Fauntleroy end of The Bridge right now, heading toward 35th – which the city also has said is a “priority” – so be on the lookout there too, in case they are continuing on.
As pointed out in comments on our report about several West Seattle incidents police investigated early today, SPDBlotter now has an item on the “shots fired at house” case in the 1800 block of SW Dawson (map). No injuries, no arrest(s) reported so far. (An automated feed of the newest WS items from SPDBlotter is part of the WSB Crime Watch page, so whatever they post will go there first.)
Two more updates this morning (in addition to our first two installments from West Seattleites in DC – 
read them here and here): First, we’ve added an Inauguration page, with a variety of info including local events planned during and after the actual swearing-in (chances to celebrate on into the night). Second, we wanted to remind you about the WSB Forums-organized shoe drive in honor of the new administration’s call for service — now through Tuesday, there’s still time to take new or gently used shoes to drop boxes at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) and Full Tilt Ice Cream. They will all be donated to Soles4Soles (read about that organization here). And here’s the official flyer.
That’s just some of what’s new, according to today’s Ripe ‘n’ Ready list of what you can expect to find at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm, 44th/Alaska.
Lots of West Seattle activity on the police scanner these past couple hours – one report from someone in Highland Park who thought someone fired shots at his house, another call about possible shots heard closer to the Westwood area, beer getting shoplifted from the 16th/Holden 7-11 … Then, NOT from the scanner, Lisa e-mailed a firsthand report of a “sparkler bomb” in Admiral:
I live in Admiral by the PCC and had a “sparkler bomb” explode in the parking strip in front of my house about an hour ago. My house is swarming with about 5-6 police right now collecting all the fragments. It was crazy scary. There is a hole in my parking strip and fragments up to my front porch and 2 houses beyond. The police think it’s random, and have a suspect.
Lisa’s not sure if that suspect is in custody yet, though. (We will of course follow up with police.) Meantime, one other e-mail mentions hearing “explosions” in the Admiral area around 2 am, most likely the same incident. Five months ago, something similar happened in Highland Park; here’s our report about that one (be sure to read the comments, which brought out a lot of information about what a “sparkler bomb” is).
(the ticketed seats in front of the U.S. Capitol, with sign-bearing passersby, and media)
Those are just a couple of the latest photos sent back by two of the West Seattleites who are in “the other Washington” for the presidential inauguration. Last night, we published the first report from Fauntleroy residents Carter and Dan (read it here; photo of Carter at right), and this morning we added photos they sent; tonight, we have just received another report, and lots more pix, including the two above – read on:Read More
That video feature is about Alki Elementary School winning the Governor’s Health Bowl sponsored by the Washington Health Foundation. The WHF sent us the link along with word that Alki Elementary will have teacher and student reps in Olympia next month to be honored for the school’s accomplishment; during the competition last fall, with more than 400 schools participating, they “logged more than 130,000 miles of health,” according to WHF’s Joe Furia. (Joe
Thanks to Cindi Barker for pix of two events this morning and afternoon – first, the Orchard Street Ravine planting party in Gatewood. Cindi reports volunteers “focused on planting the remaining plants provided by Parks right before the snowstorm and mulching everything around the trail and up on the steep east slope.” Here’s a wider shot – the orange flags, Cindi says, mark spots where Parks Department employees did some planting right before last month’s freeze/snow:
Can’t quite place OSR? Here’s a map; here’s our coverage of its dedication three months ago. Meantime, Cindi also provided photos and info from an event this afternoon that was her brainchild, an informal Google Map-making workshop with Alice Enevoldsen, who turned WSBers’ road reports into fabulously helpful G-maps during Snowstorm ’08. Half a dozen people showed up for the gathering at Uptown in The Junction – although Cindi reports it took a bit of a low-tech turn:
Uptown’s wi-fi was having trouble, so Alice resorted to pen and paper for a while. Then a nearby signal was acquired and she was able to get back to demonstrating via the actual website:
If you missed it – Google Maps do have online tutorials, although that’s seldom a substitute for watching somebody like Alice who knows their way around. Thanks again to Alice for being so generous with her time and talents. One last photo to share right now – we certainly agree with JayDee when he sent this under the heading “It was nice to see the sunset tonight”:
Looks like the sun might make an appearance again tomorrow.
As mentioned previously, the day before Inauguration Day is not only MLK Day, it’s also the day that President-elect Obama has suggested as a National Day of Service. Add another person to the long list of those answering the call — Katy L from Fairmount Springs:
In response to Obama’s call to National Service in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this Monday, I am organizing a diaper drive at the Jefferson Square Safeway store on behalf of WestSide Baby. We will be there from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., collecting diapers for low-income families in the South King County area. Nancy Woodland, Executive Director of Westside Baby, tells me their supply of diapers in sizes 4, 5, and 6, as well as training pants, is completely gone. They have had to turn families away.
For those looking for an opportunity to serve that day, we still need a few more volunteers to help out. You can contact me at revkaty@nwlink.com. Otherwise, please stop by to say hello or drop off some diapers, if you can.
Other events are listed on usaservice.org, the website set up for Day of Service – and service opportunities beyond that. Here’s the latest list of results for our search of West Seattle and environs – several more events added since last we checked a few days ago.
VIDEO SHOOT SCARE: Found this tale of police summoned to what turned out to be a video shoot. Not exactly on the Seacrest Game Show Inferno scale, though.
LIGHTS DOWN, OR ELSE: If you live in High Point, you’re under orders to take your Christmas lights down before this weekend’s over.
Thanks to Chris Weinmann for photos taken this morning of a coyote that he says is “stranded on the lookout at Jack Block Park. The coyote can’t get to you because it is behind the fence. It is very calm (probably cold and hungry) and has been there for hours now. I’m sure it is quite used to people stopping by, by now, too…”
Chris wasn’t sure if anyone had reported that it seemed to be stuck; he said he had no luck reaching Animal Control. We suggested a state wildlife hotline; meantime, we’re going over to see if it’s still there – it had to have GOTTEN there somehow in the first place, so perhaps it will find that same way out, if it hasn’t already. 3:30 PM UPDATE: Back from a visit to Jack Block (among other places). Checked the entire length of its viewpoints/overlooks and didn’t see any sign of the coyote.
Out of the WSB inbox, from Hillary in Arbor Heights, who called the police to report the car break-ins and then sent this to share with you:
I wanted to get the word out that both my husband’s and my cars were broken into last night. We are at 42nd Ave SW and 100th (map). Our GPS units were stolen, some change, and a phone charger (for a phone which was not in the car, so the charger is USELESS to the moron – but I need it since my phone has been discontinued).
We’ve lived here for less than a year, after a big move from the east coast. My husband uses his GPS for work, and I use it because I’m still becoming familiar with the area. We feel extremely violated and are wishing we were back east right about now.
I won’t expound on how I feel about the jerk who did this. But at least we can help others.
The Seattle Police website offers very basic information about deterring car break-ins; however, as we mentioned in our story about the November meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, law enforcers say it’s optimal not to leave anything in your car that even hints at a GPS system – even suction cups with nothing visible might give someone impetus to break in to look under the seat or in the glovebox. By the way, the WSCPC meets again this Tuesday night (7 pm at the Southwest Precinct), and there’s always a local police rep in attendance, to share info about the latest local crime trends AND to answer questions personally.
That’s the Google Street View of the Shamrock apartment building, 3262 California SW. The half-century-old 10-unit building is the latest West Seattle apartment complex to go up for sale; asking price $1,495,000 according to this listing. We report most big real-estate listings no matter what, but this one’s particularly interesting because it’s in the area that’s been under review for “upzoning” for more than a year (archived WSB coverage here). This is mentioned in the flyer for the building, which reads in part:
This property may provide a buyer with a high quality building in an excellent location, the potential to increase below market rents, and potentially increase the density of the property with its new zoning of NC1- 40’ (final approval expected).
We haven’t checked lately on the status of the upzoning proposal (after repeated checks kept yielding answers with timeframes that never panned out) but will on Monday; its official city status page is here. Other new and notable multi-unit listings in West Seattle right now include the Limrock in the Admiral District (listing here) and the waterfront brick building on Beach Drive next to Weather Watch Park (listing here)
ROAD WORK: Three spots you might encounter city crews today – SDOT’s Marybeth Turner sent us the alert:
An SDOT crew plans to repair street pavement previously excavated for work on utilities at two locations on 35th SW … 5500 block of 35th SW (map) and at 35th SW and SW Raymond (map). They will also do the same type of work at 3500 West Marginal Way SW (map). The streets will remain open for traffic. They plan to work from 9 am until 3:30 pm.
ALICE’S MAP DEMO: One more reminder — one of the heroes of the incredibly collaborative (thank you again!!!!) WSB Snowstorm ’08 coverage was Alice Enevoldsen, who saw a need and filled it — creating customized Google Maps of West Seattle-wide road conditions as reported by WSB’ers. Morgan Junction‘s Cindi Barker asked Alice if she’d consider sharing her expertise with others, and the resulting get-together is at 1 pm today, Uptown Espresso in The Junction, BYOL(aptop).
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING? It’s all in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.
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