That’s a little of what we used to call “raw video” in the TV business, where West Seattle-based broadcaster New York Vinnie and your editor here used to work together. NY Vinnie got that video behind the scenes on the field at Safeco today as Ken Griffey Jr. got ready for tomorrow’s Seattle Mariners home opener against the Angels; we’re using it to remind you about some traffic and travel notes: Game time is 3:40 pm; Vinnie notes that “if you are coming from West Seattle, leave extra time, as there is major road construction going on on 1st Avenue between Spokane Street and the ballpark.” The King County Water Taxi‘s an option, since it promises extra night runs to get you home from Mariners games (with late shuttle-bus runs too); see the schedule here (and find it atop the WSB Traffic page, any time).
This Friday, Metrois set to announce proposed changes to more than two dozen bus routes, including 128, which runs between the Admiral District and Southcenter. These changes are linked to the impending start of Link light rail; you’ll get a chance to comment at a special evening meeting of two County Council committees, set for 6:30 pm April 28 at the County Courthouse downtown. According to today’s update, county councilmembers are expected to vote within the next month and a half, and any approved changes could take effect as soon as September. (We’ll see Friday, if not sooner, if the package of proposed changes also includes the addition of Route 50, with a Delridge-to-Junction leg, as previously discussed.)
First, a West Seattle Crime Watch update – if you saw our first report this morning about the Senior Center burglary, take another look – we added a surveillance-cam screengrab later, provided by police. Now, two even newer burglaries – Rob and Naomie-mailed to say it happened to their home in Sunrise Heights this afternoon:
Our home in the 7500 block of 32nd Avenue SW [map] was broken into today sometime between Noon and 4 PM. They stole a TV and other items like jewelry that’s more of a sentimental value than monetary. If anyone saw anything or if anyone seems stuff dumped on the road, please post! Thanks and keep watch on yourselves and neighbors!
And from Richard and Brenda:
Our neighbor in the 3400 block of 47th (along the west side of Madison Middle School) [map] had a break-in today. A wedding ring, lap top, and electronics were stolen. The police said that there have been a series of break-ins in the area.
Five months after OK Corral opened in the Triangle area, it’s about to get competition in the West Seattle barbecue business: Brickyard BBQ is coming to 2310 California SW (map), just north of Admiral Pub. West Seattleite Don Kriley says he and brother Dan are hoping to open the restaurant June 1st. It’ll be take-out and sit-down, Don tells WSB; they’re planning to build a seating area to facilitate the latter. He says this will be their first venture in the restaurant business. Side note: After talking briefly to Dan, we realized why the address (which we first noticed while perusing liquor-license applications) looked so familiar: A development proposed for that address has been in the works for a while and even went through Design Review in 2006-2007. We’ll be checking into its status separately.
It’s been one year and five days since we first told you about Coffee at the Heights, the espresso shop that the proprietors of PB&J Textiles have been working on at their shop’s former location in Sunrise Heights (7349 35th SW; here’s a map). As is often the case for new food/drink establishments in particular, it’s been a bit of a bumpy road, but they are finally on the verge of opening – here’s the latest from proprietors Paul and David:
We are ready for our final inspections. Tuesday is plumbing and electrical, and if there are no issues then we can schedule the final health inspection. Once that passes, we are open. Our grand opening will start May 1 and run for 30 days with all of our drawings on May 31st! … Grand prize winner is a coffee drink for a day for a year!
In the meantime, Paul and David are looking for artists who might want to show their work in the new shop – they would love to hear from you ASAP – their number at PB&J Textiles is 206-243-3053.
Almost pea-sized. OK, call it split-pea sized. 3:22 PM: Shower’s over – not enough to completely blanket the ground, but as the photo above shows, a festive icy highlight for the mossed-over patio bricks here at WSB HQ. Forecast says hail possible “this evening.”
Just in from King County – the four names sent to the “blue ribbon committee” for evaluation are:
*Former County Councilmember Steve Hammond
*Former County Councilmember Louise Miller
*Former Seattle Mayor Charles Royer
*King County Executive Chief of Staff Kurt Triplett
The county executive’s job technically isn’t open yet, but it will be as soon as Ron Sims is confirmed to his new federal appointment; today’s development means that neither of the councilmembers running for the “permanent” position, Dow Constantine and Larry Phillips, will have the advantage of interim incumbency – Constantine had not indicated interest in the interim job, but Phillips had. (Side note: Looking for any interesting West Seattle-related history with the candidates, we turned up this item from Royer’s tenure.) Read on for the full news release about what happens next:Read More
5 pm today is the deadline to comment in the current review phase for proposed changes to the city’s Residential Parking Zone program. Fauntleroy is West Seattle’s major RPZ stronghold, largely to stave off major “park-and-hide” action related to the ferry dock, and Fauntleroy Community Association president Bruce Butterfield forwarded an alert to be sure that those who care about the proposed changes hear about them before it’s too late. Here are the key points from the city’s online summary of the major changes:
Proposed Major Changes
• Managing permit parking demand – Limit RPZ permit sales to 8 permits per household
• Permit eligibility–Require that vehicles be registered in resident’s name and permit-eligible address
• Major Institutions policy – For new or expanding major institutions, limit major institution permit payment to no more than two permits for first permit cycle
• RPZ location – Prohibition of RPZ implementation in downtown Seattle given high demand and multiple, competing needs for on-street parking
• Business and institution permit pilot program – Create a pilot program that allows eligible employees in the Sound Transit LINK Light Rail Initial Segment to purchase permits
• Guest permits– Create single-day guest pass in addition to biennial permit
• New RPZ zone creation process – Change technical and community engagement requirements. Parking study must generally demonstrate at least 75% parking occupancy along affected blocks, and 50% non-resident vehicles. Any proposed RPZ zone would need to contain at least 10 contiguous city blocks.
• Modifying and removing zones process – Change technical and community engagement requirements
• Parking enforcement – Create additional fines to address permit abuse
• Customer service – Create on-line permit payment and eligibility checks for permit holders
• Director’s Rule –Replace existing resolution with procedures in Director’s Rule
This document also includes the language that would change in the city code. Also, the name Residential Parking Zone is to change to “Restricted Parking Zone.” This round of public comment is not your final chance to have a say – City Council briefings, among other things, are coming up – but it’s an important stage in the process; rpzparking@seattle.gov is the place to e-mail a comment by 5 pm today. Since the City Council will ultimately vote on this, their contact information is here (and note that two councilmembers are appearing at community-group meetings in West Seattle this week — Sally Clark at Admiral Neighborhood Association tomorrow, Tom Rasmussen at Morgan Community Association on Wednesday, more information on this week’s meeting slate here).
One week after the city’s finance director warned that budget cuts would be forthcoming because of a $40 million-plus revenue shortfall, we just got first word of what will be affected. First major West Seattle effect: The project to replace Fire Station 32 in The Junction is likely on hold till at least 2011. Read on for more details, and what else was revealed in this morning’s briefing:Read More
We first got a tip about this last week but couldn’t get it confirmed until today; now we’ve talked with both Southwest PrecinctDetective Nick Bauer and Senior Center of West Seattle director Karen Sisson, and here’s what we can tell you: Police are investigating a costly break-in that also left behind some serious damage at the Senior Center HQ in The Junction. It happened sometime last Sunday night/early Monday. Sisson told WSB this morning that the burglars got into the center’s 1950s era safe and stole the equivalent of $5,000, including $2,500 in Safeway gift cards and $400 in postage stamps. But that’s not the Senior Center’s only loss – at least $3,000 in repairs are needed to office doors and walls damaged by the burglar/s, including what the police report described as two 2-foot holes in plasterboard in corridor walls. Locked file cabinets were broken into as well, even one, according to the police report, related to the Meals on Wheels program. No arrests so far; it’s the second prominent Junction nonprofit hit recently — the American Legion hall was broken into a week earlier. Police don’t know at this point if the two burglaries are related. (P.S. We are following up to see whether there’s anything specifically the Senior Center needs to have donated because of this – will add to the story, but in the meantime, they take donations year-round, and there’s even an online-donation link from this SC of WS page.) ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: Police have provided a surveillance-camera framegrab – see above left – they hope might help solve the break-in. Call 911 if you have any idea who it might be.
One week ago, we reported from City Hall as city finance director Dwight Dively briefed reporters, and then City Councilmembers, on changes in the revenue forecast, since less money’s coming in than expected. This morning, as noted then, we’ll get the first public report on how that might affect city projects – Dively will be back before the council’s Budget Committee at 10:30 am; you can watch live via Seattle Channel (online at seattlechannel.org or on-air, channel 21).
11:04 AM UPDATE: The document that Dively is reviewing with councilmembers right now can be seen here. He’s specifically discussing budget cuts to be made in “capital” projects because of reduced revenue from the Real Estate Excise Tax – examples so far, $750,000 less for the library system.
It’s been one year and five days since we 
5 pm today is the deadline to comment in the current review phase for 
One week after the city’s finance director warned that budget cuts would be forthcoming because of a $40 million-plus revenue shortfall, we just got 
Detective Nick Bauer and
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