From last night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting at Youngstown Arts Center, lots of updates, including new information about what’ll be the biggest Delridge Day event ever, as well as this fall’s Gathering of Neighbors. Read on for the full report:Read More
For the second time in three nights, a rollover crash has blocked traffic on Highway 99. This time, it’s northbound, near the stadiums, so if you are heading toward downtown from West Seattle, avoid that route TFN. Not much info about the crash yet except that it’s one vehicle this time, someone was rescued from the vehicle, and police were searching for someone who reportedly ran away from the crash scene.
Beth asked that this be passed along so others in her area would know:
The water for a block or so (it’s at our home at 40th & Hinds [map]) is brown. Apparently it is rust in the water & in response to an emergency call today that they had at 39th & Hanford. The lady at the city of Seattle Water dept said that it should go away within a few hours but she recommended not drinking the water with the high amount of rust in it. We thought we had a major plumbing issue & imagine everyone in the neighborhood is concerned about that as well.
Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tim Gallagher today decided to relax the rule that would have banned smoking in parks effective April 1, 2010, and to approve the recommendation of the Board of Park Commissioners.
The Board recommended this language in the Code of Conduct: “Smoking, chewing, or other tobacco use is banned within 25 feet of other park patrons and in play areas, beaches, or playgrounds.”
“Based on the input from the public that followed my initial decision,” Gallagher said, I have decided that a gradual approach to a smoking ban is reasonable.”
We were first to report yesterday that Gallagher had decided not to accept the Parks Board’s recommendation and instead was going to put a total tobacco ban in place; strong reaction ensued, including (so far) 90+ comments on our Wednesday afternoon story. We’ll hear from Parks Board chair Jackie Ramels in about an hour, as she is scheduled to guest at the 7 pm meeting of the Alki Community Council at Alki UCC.
7:44 PM UPDATE: We’re at the Alki CC meeting now, where Ramels says she was asked by a reporter earlier if the turnabout represented a waste of time – first the superintendent decides to overrule the board, then changes his mind – but her reaction was instead: “I think it illustrates that the Parks Department is responsive to public comment.” In response to questions, she acknowledged the board had concerns that a total tobacco ban would be part of what some had seen as a pattern in the proposed code changes of grounds for targeting homeless people for park removal. She also said she expected enforcement of the new code would be focused more on downtown, since “that’s where the park rangers are.”
Thanks to those who forwarded this to us (we’re on the list too but just got the note) – From King County Public Health:
The *Saigon Boat Café* located at 2632 Alki Ave SW, Seattle was closed by a Public Health food inspector on February 18, 2010, 11:30 AM for operating without valid food business permit and approved plans. The restaurant will be reopened once the inspector confirms that the person in charge of the establishment satisfies all requirements to get a valid permit per the instructions online at www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/foodsafety/FoodBusiness
The restaurant opened less than a month ago. (You can track all current Public Health-ordered closures, and their status, here.)
In case you “don’t usually read the comments” – there are tons today, and we thank everyone for taking the time to share their thoughts. Two things of note we just found by reviewing the most recent wave:
TOM STEWART MEMORIAL SITE: As with many highly successful people, the owner/chair of formerly West Seattle-based Services Group of America clearly had a lot of fans, and non-fans. For those who wish to share condolences in a more official way than commenting on news stories, a commenter on WSB points out that SGA has now set up a webpage with links to family and business photos as well as an option for commenting. Here’s the link. Meantime, nothing new so far in the investigation of the Arizona helicopter crash that killed him along with his wife, 5-year-old daughter, and two others.
GRAFFITI TIPSTER: Our filter (which has saved the site from more than a million spammer “comments,” so we try not to get mad at its occasional error) held onto this comment for a long time till we just spotted it – Paul says he tipped police to the suspected graffiti vandals arrested last night, and implores you to “get involved”:
I am the person who witnessed the 3 kids applying their tags to the Rite-Aid wall. I called it in and while waiting for police, followed the kids from a distance, then called back to alert police of their location. No flag waving but the point is that I got involved and stayed involved until (luckily) resulted in the 3 arrests. These are young (young!) kids. Please get involved when the opportunity arises. The only way to end tagging is to make it difficult for taggers to achieve their goal. Handcuffs do that really well.
Police reiterate, call 911 when something is happening NOW – don’t worry about evaluating if it’s a real emergency; the 911 operator’s job is to sort that out. Meantime, following the graffiti-arrest story, we asked your opinions on the state of the spray-paint (etc.) vandalism problem in West Seattle – please consider joining the discussion if you haven’t already.
(The Olympics and The Sound, photographed today by Christopher Boffoli)
Four notes this afternoon, all with a green theme:
END MIDWINTER BREAK WITH A FREE ECO-HIKE: Looks like tomorrow will be as beautiful as today when the Nature Consortium leads its free monthly guided eco-hike through West Duwamish Greenbelt – great way to wrap up the week-long school break if you’ve got students at home, still a great time if you don’t. 1 pm Friday, meet at 14th/Holly (map), mild terrain suitable for kids too. Please RSVP to Lisa, lisa@naturec.org or 206- 923-0853. (P.S. Signed up for the Nature Consortium’s benefit brunch yet? March 14; event sponsors include WSB – see you there!)
SEED SWAP ADDITION – BRING OLD SHOVELS AND GARDEN TOOLS: One more feature’s been added to Saturday’s Seed Swap ‘n’ Sale that Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle is presenting at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) – north side, horticulture area: “Bring any old shovels or other garden tools which could be transformed into garden art. We are looking for mosaic artists, welders, anyone with imagination to turn rusty old tools into something beautiful to put in the garden. Finished pieces will be auctioned at our summer Edible Garden Tour.” 1-4 pm Saturday (here’s the seed list).
FAUNTLEROY CHURCH RECYCLING EVENT REMINDER: Another reminder to be ready to bring your stuff to Sunday’s electronics/appliances recycling event with 1 Green Planet at Fauntleroy Church‘s parking lot (map) – 9 am-2 pm, more details here (and yes, it’s open to EVERYONE).
“CROW PLANET” AUTHOR AT HOPE LUTHERAN: Just got word today (thanks, Gwen!) that Gatewood-based Lyanda Lynn Haupt will discuss, sell and sign her newest book “Crow Planet” (featured here) at Hope Lutheran Church Commons (map) at 1:30 pm Sunday. This is the first event in the new “Third Sundays at Hope” lecture series. Everyone’s invited – you don’t have to be a church member.
Tully’s Coffee has just confirmed what we first heard from a barista yesterday – they’re closing their Morgan Junction store next month. Tully’s marketing VP Scott Earle tells WSB that the lease was up, the traffic reconfiguration in the area isn’t working so well for them (among other business factors), so they decided not to renew, and will close the store. He says it’s a store-specific situation and stresses two things: The Alki Tully’s is alive and well, a store they’re “very, very proud of” and “excited about” – and in fact, they’ve just renewed the Alki lease. Second, he says, they’re continuing to look at possible new locations in this area and elsewhere, though nothing’s locked in. The store at Fauntleroy/California is scheduled to close March 28 (that’ll be its last day); he says the company is trying to place its employees in other stores. The location, meantime, is listed as available for lease, with a multi-page flyer already describing the space as a “former coffee house.” The Tully’s store has been at California/Fauntleroy almost a decade – replacing a “Cafe Starbucks,” as briefly noted in this March 2000 Seattle Times column by now-City Councilmember Jean Godden. (Added: Earle says both stores opened in April 2000.)
Another brilliantly sunny day, even with the late-winter chill, keeps the spring/summer dreams rolling in. And so does news of another West Seattle “sidewalk café” permit application – this one noted in this morning’s Land Use Information Bulletin from the city:Prost (3407 California SW) is seeking one. See the notice here, including information on how to comment by the March 4th deadline. (2009 Prost photo by Christopher Boffoli)
U.S. REP. JIM McDERMOTT IN WEST SEATTLE: Tonight, the man who’s long represented Seattle in the U.S. House of Representatives will be at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way) for his “Winter 2010 Community Meeting.” It’s scheduled to start at 7.
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Two major topics on the agenda for tonight’s monthly ACC meeting at Alki UCC (6112 SW Hinds) – city Parks Board chair (and former ACC president) Jackie Ramels will talk about Parks’ just-finalized-yesterday Code of Conduct and in-the-works Fees and Charges Policy; Martha Tuttle from King County Wastewater Treatment will discuss the 2-years-and-not-done-yet 53rd Avenue Pump Station Project. This also starts at 7.
TRAFFIC ALERT: More road work just east of West Seattle, with new closures kicking in today. From SDOT:
Till 4 pm today: Right lane eastbound on Spokane St will be closed from just east of the Duwamish River East Waterway to Duwamish Ave.
24/7 Closures also start (today):
Right lane eastbound on Spokane St will be closed from Duwamish Ave to E Marginal Way S from Thursday , Feb 18, until summer 2011.
Duwamish Ave will be closed from Spokane St to E Marginal Way S from Thursday, Feb 18, until Summer 2011.
Local access ONLY for businesses.
Plan for congestion in the area – especially over the first week while drivers adjust to the closures.
These closures will accommodate the construction of the E Marginal Way S Overpass.
Thanks to Kristina for spotting and asking about police activity a few hours ago at California/Brandon, by West Seattle Nursery. Turns out it was about something up the block – Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith says, “Three juvenile males (were) arrested for graffiti with spray paint cans on Rite-Aid.” This brings up something we’ve been meaning to mention: Six months into our experimental collaboration with the Seattle Times, we and the other neighborhood-news partners are joining the Times in launching the collaboration’s first citywide reporting project – taking a look at the state of the graffiti/tagging-vandalism situation around Seattle. What do YOU think needs a closer look here in West Seattle – specific trouble spots? New trends you’re seeing? Success stories? The offenders? The victims? Or? Post a comment with your thoughts, or if you don’t want to comment publicly, send e-mail, a Facebook message, whatever works. Thank you!
ORIGINAL 8:52 PM REPORT: We’ve been covering it via Twitter at our live-events account, @wsblive – and now the game’s over. The Chief Sealth High School boys’ varsity basketball team beat Seattle Prep – 66-61, the scoreboard read, when the buzzer sounded. Friday night, they’ll play Rainier Beach, which beat Franklin in the other Metro League semifinal game, 73-63.
DETAILS/VIDEO ADDED 10:47 PM: Seattle Prep made a game of it in the last 90 seconds, but Chief Sealth’s big night at the free-throw line helped them to pull out a 66-61 win. Prep pulled within three points with less than a minute to go, but this foul by Prep’s Julian Mason sent junior Keon Lewis to the free-throw line, where he converted both shots to put the Seahawks up by five with less than 20 seconds to go:
Lewis was roughed up three times on the night, leaving the game in the third quarter after he went down clutching his knee just after the second half started. He returned a few minutes later and managed to put up 14 points. He was only outscored on the night by teammate Tomas Ogbaslassie, who had 18 points, 10 of those from foul shots.
Sealth managed to keep Prep from moving the ball inside for the better part of the night while controlling the rebound for all but the last quarter. The Seahawks two big scoring runs came when they forced Prep into playing a game of run and shoot which made Prep routinely lose control of the ball. It was Sealth’s own foul trouble in the fourth that managed to get Prep within striking distance of a win. Prep’s top scorer was sophomore Mitch Brewe, who had 21 points. Sealth moves on to play Rainier Beach on Friday night at 6 pm at SPU.
This advisory is just in from King County Public Health – a confirmed case of measles in a child who visited some West Seattle businesses during a time last week when s/he might have been contagious – no reason to panic, the county says, but it needs you to know this just the same – read on:Read More
We checked this out when it happened a few hours ago (thanks to Kevin for the call about the big police response) but it was over so fast we didn’t publish anything at the time; however, we’ve received some questions since, so here’s what we know: The big police response atRoxhill Park after 3 this afternoon involved a suspected stolen car, according to the officer we talked with at the scene. They were questioning two suspects; we don’t have updated information on whether the two were arrested. Scary moments for people who were at the park at the time, according to one witness, who says, “About 3:10 today my niece and I were on the swings at Roxhill Park when cops come in and yell to clear the park, they’ve got two suspects on the ground and guns drawn. … there was a green Eagle Talon parked next to my car that they were going thru pretty thoroughly.”
We’ve just confirmed with Seattle Parks that Superintendent Tim Gallagher has decided NOT to go with the Parks Board‘s recommendation regarding tobacco use in parks – and will instead put a full tobacco-use ban into place. It’s part of Gallagher’s final decision on the “Code of Conduct” that the board reviewed over the past month. He issued a memo today including this:
The Board (by a vote of 3-2) recommended limiting the ban on tobacco products (Section 3.2.10) to select areas within parks. The inclusion of a ban on tobacco products is in response to the recommendation from Public Health: Seattle King County (Attachment 1) and Seattle City Council members. It is also a stated goal in the Departments 2008 Strategic Action Plan (2.A.3) which was developed through extensive community input. The majority of the comments received by the Board on the Code of Conduct supported the prohibition as well. The negative health effects of tobacco are well documented. As an agency that has as a fundamental mission to support the health and wellbeing of Seattle residents, it is appropriate and beneficial to prohibit the use of tobacco products at parks and park facilities. I have decided to retain the language proposed by staff prohibiting smoking, chewing or other tobacco use anywhere on Parks and Recreation property.
Here’s the full, final Code of Conduct. Side note: Parks Board chair Jackie Ramels is scheduled to talk about this and other parks issues at tomorrow night’s meeting of the Alki Community Council(of which she’s a former president), 7 pm Thursday, Alki UCC.
People who live in, and travel through, North Delridge/Pigeon Point/Puget Ridge are still working to sort out how they’ll get around when a section of 23rd SW, just southeast of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, closes for up to six weeks starting next Monday, so a sewer line can be extended to new homes that are being built in the area. Yesterday, we published the Route 125 bus re-routing information from Metro; today, SDOTconfirms the parking restrictions that will be put into place, with signs going up as soon as tomorrow. There’s a pedestrian advisory too. Read on for details:Read More
King County Executive Dow Constantine says he’ll keep pushing for federal help to replace the South Park Bridge – which the county has said will have to close, , potentially as soon as this summer, if money can’t be found to keep it open. This, as word comes that the county did NOT get the “TIGER” grant (explained here) it was seeking (here’s a national overview on what DID get funded – locally, it included the city’s “Mercer Mess” $30 million request). We’re pursuing other details on this, but for starters, read on for Constantine’s statement (followed by, added 3:19 pm, Councilmember Jan Drago‘s statement):Read More
From last night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, the latest local crime stats, as presented by Southwest Precinct Lt. Norm James. For context (we clarified this last night) – these stats are from the month preceding the meeting, so “January” means mid-December to mid-January, “February” means mid-January to mid-February, and they are for the entire SW Precinct territory, which includes South Park as well as West Seattle. Lt. James noted that the stats are fresh for these meetings because the WSCPC meetings happen to come hours after a regular citywide meeting at which precinct-by-precinct stats are presented. Category by category:
UP – ARMED ROBBERIES: 7 in February, up from 2 in January
*Key point: Police are investigating a “pattern of armed robberies” attributed to the same three suspects. Five were in West Seattle, one outside city jurisdiction, “south county.” Four were mini-market robberies (including the Feb. 4 7-11 heist that yielded the photo above), late night or early morning, one involved someone “walking down the street.” All involved three suspects, one with a handgun. No arrests yet. The Feb. 8 Jack-in-the-Box holdup was NOT part of the pattern (no arrests yet in that either).
*What’s being done: “We’re doing surveillance on all the mini-marts,” Lt. James said. He also noted that the pattern robbers have been inactive “for almost two weeks now.”
As for other major crime categories – read on for the rest of the stats:Read More
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: Reps from community councils and organizations in eastern West Seattle gather monthly to talk about what’s new and what’s ahead, and you’re invited to join them. When they meet tonight at 7 in the theater at Youngstown Arts Center, the agenda also includes an update on Camp Long‘s renovation project and local proposals for the Neighborhood Projects Fund.
FREE WOMEN’S-SELF-DEFENSE CLASS:Sima Martial Arts (WSB sponsor) is presenting this free class at 7:15 tonight at the Sima studio in The Junction, 4711 42nd SW (across from the north end of Jefferson Square). Call 935-4531 to sign up.
In the WSB Forums, there’s been talk of forming a network for Block Watchcaptains in West Seattle – since there’s no official way for them to communicate right now, they’re launching an informal organization. Several met to talk in person Monday afternoon – then at Tuesday night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, the next step was announced: A Facebook group is now set up to organize the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network. If you head up a Block Watch in West Seattle, go here to join. They’re not trying to set up a new place to report crime, but rather, to bring West Seattle neighborhoods together to prevent it. (Don’t have a Block Watch? Form one with the help of SPD Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention CoordinatorBenjamin Kinlow – go here.) More from last night’s meeting, including the latest local crime trends, later this morning.
(we’ve added additional info to this story later Wednesday)
ORIGINAL 10:50 PM REPORT: For anyone heading toward West Seattle soon from downtown or points north of there – the Alaskan Way Viaduct is shut down southbound because of a complicated crash that’s being sorted out – reportedly involving two cars, one of which is reported to be upside down on southbound 99 around Holgate, another of which is upside down on railroad tracks. At least three “patients” reported, between the two cars, per scanner traffic.
(Photo by CLIFF DESPEAUX/Seattle Times, used with permission of the Times, added Wednesday afternoon) 11:05 PM UPDATE: Just heard the full rundown via the scanner. 4 people involved in the 2 vehicles, both of which are described as totaled, both having “barrel-rolled” multiple times. The driver of the car that “left the Viaduct” was a 30-year-old man, driver of the car that rolled on 99, a 34-year-old man, and two men in their mid-20s were in the back seat of the car that stayed on 99. The worst of the injuries is described as the driver of the second vehicle possibly having a broken arm. They all got themselves out of the wrecked vehicles and are all going to the hospital.
11:59 PM: Per the scanner, police expect to keep southbound 99 closed for “several hours” – traffic has to get off at the 1st So. offramp by the stadiums.
7:29 AM: 99 southbound reopened a few hours, and SPD has published an update saying the Civic apparently was racing another car – NOT the one it hit. Here’s the update.
With what winter we had (didn’t have) indisputably fading, springlike beauty keeps cropping up. The field of primroses was photographed by WSB’er “westseattledood” at Westwood Village QFC. Along for the walk – the faithful companion, checking out the daffodils:
Also out and about this afternoon (as usual) – Chas Redmond, who caught the beauty of Alki even as the afternoon clouds started crowding out the sun:
East of there, Chas says he asked workers what’s up with the 53rd Avenue Pump Station work – which’ll be discussed at Thursday night’s Alki Community Councilmeeting – and they told him the pedestrian path should be open within a week or so; then there’s still work to do on the outside traffic lane. ADDED 12:33 AM: Two more MUST-SEE photos – West Seattleite Alice Enevoldsen shares husband Jason Gift Enevoldsen‘s photos of the Tuesday night crescent moon on her website, here.
I had a suspicious solicitor come to my door this afternoon around 3 pm in the 5200 block of 25th Ave SW. He was holding pamphlets and I believe he mentioned something about Seattle Public Schools. He looked very unprofessional and raggedy dressed. When I cut him off in the middle of his pitch to tell him I had no money, he replied “it’s just a penny” and looked upset. I said sorry but I had nothing for him and he took the pamphlet back that he had handed to me and walked away. As he was leaving I saw him closely look into a parked car on the street as he went up to another neighbor’s house. He continued down the street skipping some houses but hitting others in no clear order that I could put together. It left me with enough of a negative impression that I called 911 and reported him.
7:44 PM UPDATE: We’re at the Alki CC meeting now, where Ramels says she was asked by a reporter earlier if the turnabout represented a waste of time – first the superintendent decides to overrule the board, then changes his mind – but her reaction was instead: “I think it illustrates that the Parks Department is responsive to public comment.” In response to questions, she acknowledged the board had concerns that a total tobacco ban would be part of what some had seen as a pattern in the proposed code changes of grounds for targeting homeless people for park removal. She also said she expected enforcement of the new code would be focused more on downtown, since “that’s where the park rangers are.”
Thanks to those who forwarded this to us (we’re on the list too but just got the note) – From 
Another brilliantly sunny day, even with the late-winter chill, keeps the spring/summer dreams rolling in. And so does news of another West Seattle “sidewalk café” permit application – this one noted in this morning’s 
Thanks to Kristina for spotting and 
People who live in, and travel through, North Delridge/Pigeon Point/Puget Ridge are still working to sort out how they’ll get around when a section of 23rd SW, just southeast of 
captains in West Seattle – since there’s no official way for them to communicate right now, they’re launching an informal organization. Several met to talk in person Monday afternoon – then at Tuesday night’s 
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