West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
You hear the words “running” and “streak” together and you think…well, you know what you think. However, the past twenty years have seen 33-year-old John Wallace III pursuing a rather different kind of running streak.
On December 30, 2009 – tomorrow – John will mark 20 years of running at least one mile every single day (including a four-month stretch in which he ran literally cross-country).
Tomorrow, he won’t be alone: his father, John Wallace, Jr.. of Michigan will celebrate the same 20-year anniversary.
Here’s how it started, how you can help him commemorate the occasion, and the big run he has planned for next fall:Read More
Three reports to share tonight (here’s how to reach us, with a Crime Watch report or anything else). First, from Suzanne:
Just wanted to let everyone know that a burglary happened at our house yesterday between 11 am and 1 pm on the 3700 block of 42nd Ave SW [map]. Stolen items included jewelry, laptop computer, camera, and various other electronics. The police officer responding to our call said that there have been an increase in burglaries in our area and that everyone should be vigilant. Please be on the lookout as we’d hate to see this continue in our and surrounding neighborhoods.
From Sonja:
I wanted you to know of a break-in the 6300 block of 38th Ave SW [map] early this evening. It’s my friend’s home and she called me about 4:45p to cancel our plans because her back glass door was shattered and her TV was gone. She thought it strange though since her laptop and other electronics were untouched.
And from Morgan, via Facebook:
I would like to let everyone know that my family’s home was robbed yesterday (december 28th,) We’re in the Arbor Heights area. We believe that the people came through our dog door in our back yard. If you have a dog door I would advise that you keep it locked unless you’re home. They took mainly electronics and jewelry.
Morgan says her neighbors spotted a “small gray car” in her home’s driveway at one point. Meantime, Seattle Police have some specific burglary-prevention tips online here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
He’s West Seattle through and through: Schmitz Park Elementary, Madison Middle School, West Seattle High School, Seattle Lutheran High School, West Side Presbyterian Church. 
His mom and dad live in the same house they owned when he was born almost 26 years ago. He has grandparents living at The Kenney.
But instead of the neighborhood once dubbed New York Alki (by-and-by), home for Adam Cozens these days is the other New York – his home base for an intensive push to make a living by being funny, through standup comedy.
This isn’t a story about “local boy becomes famous” – not yet. But he’s working hard to try to get as far as he can. Right now, he’s on a holiday visit, home in West Seattle – not strictly a vacation, since he and friend Dartanion London are producing a show tomorrow (Wednesday) night at Comedy Underground in Pioneer Square – with other West Seattleites on the bill, including emcee Marty Riemer and fellow comedian Alex Meyer.
On one hand, this is one of more than 200 performances Adam’s doing this year, seeking out every opportunity imaginable to hone his humor.
“On Board” asked in the WSB Forums the other day what’s up with the Alki Pump Station project – since the most recent projected completion date — this month — is about to pass. We checked with King County Wastewater Treatment Division and renewed our request for project photos, too – resulting in the photos in this story, which are all courtesy of the county – these are the new pumps:
Now, the status: The contractor and the county are still “going down a long ‘punch list’,” according to KCWT spokesperson Martha Tuttle. The county insists there have been no particular setbacks that have stretched out the underground pump-station expansion project months longer than the original projection, and Tuttle says they’re frustrated too. There have been a few speedbumps, including the need to build an underground “wall” around some pipes, not an original part of the plan. But otherwise, what they’re doing now is making sure, item by item, that everything works:
The hope is that once the equipment’s moved away and the barriers come down, they don’t have to go back to have anything re-done. They’re not announcing a new estimated date, either – we said, can you say whether it’s more like weeks or months? Weeks more likely than months, but that’s as specific as they’ll get; they’ve put together an official update flyer which says work on pavement restoration – new sidewalks, etc. – will continue into January.
Several WSB’ers have asked us about an unusual police/fire presence along I-5 this afternoon – this is what it was all about. The Seattle Fire Department tweeted that photo of some of its crews paying tribute to Pierce County Deputy Kent Mundell, as his body was transported this afternoon from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, which is near Harborview Medical Center, where he died yesterday. Deputy Mundell is the sixth law-enforcement officer in the Puget Sound area to have been murdered in the past two months; his memorial service is set for next Tuesday at the Tacoma Dome.
Another community group finally has an online home: Renae Gaines shares the news that Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership has a website – see it here. (You’ll also see that page has a left-side column with information on upcoming parent-education events; elsewhere on the site, the calendar page shows that the next SWHYP coalition meeting is January 26, all welcome.)
That photo is courtesy of Alki wildlife-watcher (and raft-keeper) Guy Smith, who tells the pre-photo tale:
Alki Point residents saw an eagle swooping down to the water this AM during a sea lion’s breakfast. It actually tried to get the salmon out of the sea lion’s mouth on several passes when the sea lion was slapping the fish around on the surface to kill it; similar to a dog shaking a snake. Eagles sometimes sit in a tall tree on a hill across the street and have a good view of the water, but they’re usually not this aggressive. Didn’t get a shot of the eagle, but the attached photo shows the sea lion downing the salmon.
(No proof one of them was involved, but this is still a good excuse to point you to David Hutchinson‘s fabulous Christmas photo of 2 Alki eagles, if you haven’t seen it already.)
A followup today to Mayor-elect Mike McGinn‘s decision to restart the search for a new Seattle Police Chief – he’s announced the members of the new search committee. We recognize at least one West Seattle name: former deputy mayor and Seattle Storm co-owner Anne Levinson. Here’s the full list; the McGinn team says the group’s first meeting is set for January 13.
It’s an annual tradition — the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is again hosting a free community concert with the Seattle Symphony, but this year, it’s in a new venue at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor). The concert is set for 8 pm January 15, featuring conductor Thomas Hong and violist Amber Archibald. On the program:
Mendelssohn: The Hebrides (“Fingal’s Cave”), Op. 26
Jones: Benediction
Stamitz: Viola Concerto in D major, Op. 1
Tchaikovsky: Selections from Symphony No. 2 in C minor, “Little Russian”
The orchestra’s free concert will be in SSCC’s Brockey Center.; here’s the official flyer. As Kiwanian Shari Sewell tells WSB, “It is a great opportunity to hear the symphony and introduce kids to this genre of music. The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is proud to host this annual concert!”
As reported here last weekend, the construction permit’s been issued for the new King County Water Taxi dock at Seacrest, and this morning we have more information from the King County Department of Transportation on when the work starts and what effects it will have on people who use Seacrest:
The project begins the week of Jan. 4, when Manson Construction Company will move barges and containment booms into the area between the fixed fishing pier and the shoreline. In the first stage of the project, the aging gangway, floating dock and pilings will be removed.
By mid-January, installation of new pilings will begin, which requires using a large vibratory hammer to rattle the pilings into the ground. The pile installation has the potential for increased noise especially underwater. Residents around Seacrest Park may also notice increased noise levels during working hours Monday through Friday.
The fixed fishing pier is expected to remain open to the public throughout construction, but fishermen will experience increased noise and in-water disruptions. Also, recreational diving will be interrupted at and around Seacrest Dock between mid-January and mid-February of 2010.
The pile installation is scheduled to take two to three weeks. Once it’s completed, a new dock and gangway will be installed. No increase in noise levels is expected during this construction phase; however, the work could continue to be disruptive to divers in the area.
The current construction schedule shows the project being completed by late-February, 2010.
The Water Taxi’s next season between West Seattle and downtown is scheduled to start in April. Whether it continues year-round thereafter, as has been proposed, depends on funding issues. Since the service is no longer being contracted out to Argosy Cruises, next season will bring a dock change (Pier 50 downtown, where the county’s Seattle-Vashon foot ferry now lands) and vessel change (the county’s leasing one – no final decision yet on a specific vessel).
A few notes: No major community meetings this week, all the better to get ready for New Year’s Eve – check the West Seattle Holidays page for an updated list of ideas for Thursday night (eclectic list this year, including the West Side Story singalong at Admiral Theater, the ArtsWest Concert with the Stars, the Highland Park parade/party …). If you’re coming off a long holiday weekend/vacation, reminder that Metro has changes all week (explained here).
| 12 COMMENTS