Today’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup has four reports – one from the Seattle Police some-reports-viewable website, three from the WSB inbox. After the jump, we start with the SPD report, in which a man said he was attacked in Roxhill Park last Friday night (just heard from a WSB’er that a TV crew is out and about trying to follow up on this) – read on:Read More
Got a note from Kristina saying she’d heard that Terrace West Chinese Restaurant inside West Seattle Bowl will be closing; she wanted to “let the nice family who runs the current space know they will be greatly missed.” The restaurant is part of WS Bowl, whose boss Andrew Carl confirms to WSB that they are making a change, including remodeling, in the bowling center’s eating/drinking space. He says it’s too soon to say much else, except that the next restaurant will not be Chinese food, and that he hopes it will be open by September 1st (though he says a closing date for Terrace West isn’t yet finalized). “We should have a much clearer picture for everybody in early to mid-July,” he says. Right now, though, they’re “still in the development area.”
(WSB photo from June 2009)
Just nine days till a unique all-night cancer-fighting event takes over West Seattle Stadium – Relay for Life of West Seattle. Rebecca sent this announcement to be sure your calendar’s marked:
The West Seattle Relay for Life is just around the corner and we hope you all can make it! Whether you are part of a team or just interested in checking out what is going on – all are welcome. 20 teams made up of more than 200 participants plan to join the festivities – why don’t you!
Relay for Life is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society held in communities around the nation and the world. The event runs from 6pm on Friday June 18th through 12 noon on Saturday and our teams have a member on the track at all times because just like us… Cancer never sleeps either. There will be activities and games for all ages going on all throughout the event, and lots of prizes to win and donations to pick up from some of West Seattle’s greatest supporters!
Have you heard of Relay before but been too intimidated to dive head in? This is your perfect opportunity to come and check it out without any reservations! Join us for our opening ceremony on Friday night at 6 pm where King County Executive Dow Constantine will give an opening address, followed by our Survivor Celebration.
Come out and help us celebrate, remember and fight back! We have raised more than $21,000 toward our goal of $75,000 so far – we hope you will come out and join us and help us reach our target! www.relayforlife.org/westseattlewa Any questions, contact Rebecca Polivy (bec@busstop.org).
(Google Map removed because of technical problems for some site visitors)
Three and a half years have passed since it was the site of a much-publicized deadly crash … but area residents say the Admiral Way crosswalk at 47th is still a place where you take your life into your hands just to cross the street. So the Admiral Neighborhood Association is leading a new push to get the city to install a pedestrian-activated stoplight. The crosswalk goes between two busy businesses – Life Care Center on the north side, Alki Mail and Dispatch on the south side – with residential neighborhoods behind each. Since the fall 2006 death of Tatsuo Nakata, “traffic-calming” measures have gone in nearby – in 2007, the intersection was marked by a “Crosswalk” sign with flashing lights overhead and narrowed by curb bulbs, while more recently, a radar speed sign was placed on the eastbound (uphill) side of Admiral at Garlough. The ANA says that’s not enough. Karl de Jongbrought up the issue at last month’s meeting, and since then, a group also including ANA’s president Katy Walum and Jim Del Ciello has explored the concept, including talking with SDOT. Del Ciello said he’d also spoken with an Alki Community Council rep who suggested they’d be willing to partner on the safety advocacy too. Tonight Walum plans to be at the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting to make the case for a pedestrian-activated light directly to Mayor Mike McGinn.
Meantime, when this was discussed at last night’s ANA meeting, talk also turned to the study on eastern Admiral Way – where SDOT is looking at possible rechannelization, as first reported here May 21st. Walum says SDOT’s study will include measurements of bicycle traffic as well as cars, and then, she says they’re promising a “well-advertised open house” in “early fall” to unveil what the study revealed. She also said SDOT has assigned project manager Virginia Coffman to that Admiral Way study.
Busiest night this week, and here are some of the reasons why:
WATER TAXI TOWN HALL: The passenger ferry between West Seattle and downtown has made news for a long list of reasons these past few months. If you’ve got questions, concerns, ideas, about any of them, or anything that hasn’t come up but is on your mind, this is your chance to bring it directly to the people responsible for the service. King County Councilmember Jan Drago, who chairs the Ferry District board, hosts a Town Hall at Alki Community Center, 7 pm. (Earlier in the day, the Ferry District executive committee meets this afternoon to discuss the new cash-handling policies promised in the wake of the theft arrest announced last week.)
4TH PLANNING MEETING FOR THE TRIANGLE: The city-convened advisory group meets for the 4th time tonight – and the scheduled discussion centers on what may be the hottest topic yet: Land use. Some of the businesses that have thrived in the area over the decades have expressed concern that they will be squeezed out. Will Triangle zoning change, and should it? These meetings include a public-comment period, so you’re invited to be part of the discussion, 6 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: This year’s elections are nearing, with the August primary now two months away (check here and here to see who’s filed so far), and that means even more than usual for our area’s biggest political group to discuss. But center stage on tonight’s scheduled agenda are city leaders including Mayor Mike McGinn and Council President Richard Conlin, plus a legislative update from Rep. Eileen Cody (the lone 34th District legislator running for re-election to her current job). 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
SOUTH PARK BUSINESS SURVIVAL: The mayor is also expected at this pivotal meeting for the future of the businesses whose customer access will be dramatically affected when the county closes the South Park Bridge permanently on June 30th. This meeting’s at 6:30 at the South Park Community Center (we have a message out to the mayor’s office to ask what time he’s subsequently due in West Seattle).
WEDNESDAY MIDDAY UPDATES: See end of story for several updates “It’s a kick to the schedule no one anticipated,” lamented architect Bill Fuller, as he and Safeway’s Sara Corn revealed a brand-new development in the timetable for building the new Admiral Safeway. As they started a scheduled briefing tonight for the Admiral Neighborhood Association, they said they’d just found out today that the City Council will not consider the required “alley vacation” until July 27th. Even if it wins approval, Safeway then must give workers a month’s notice, and so they’re now projecting the store won’t close till early September. More on tonight’s briefing, including a request for your opinion, ahead:Read More
Independence Day event says ‘This Place Matters’ for Alki Homestead
Southwest Seattle Historical Society plans July 4 group photo in front of Fir Lodge
The people of Seattle will have a public opportunity to stand up for a century-old West Seattle city landmark at a mid-day rally on July 4, 2010.
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society has organized a mass photo event to take place at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, July 4, in front of Fir Lodge, the 106-year-old log structure that many have known for decades as the Alki Homestead restaurant. The building was damaged by a January 2009 fire and since then has sat vacant.
A crowd of neighbors, joined by prominent political leaders, will gather on the sidewalk and street in front of the structure at 2717 61st Ave. S.W., just a half block from Alki Beach. Participants will hold signs saying, “This Place Matters,” a slogan promoted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The resulting photo will be used in a poster that will be disseminated throughout Seattle and distributed widely online.
Those attending include King County Executive Dow Constantine, Seattle City Council member Tom Rasmussen and former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, all residents of West Seattle, and other representatives of the Seattle City Council, King County Council, and Seattle city government.
The announcement continues after the jump:Read More
Even as we await true summer, winter’s not so far away, and the new West Seattle Snowsports Council is looking ahead, with its second planning meeting tomorrow night, 6 pm at Mountain to Sound Outfitters in The Triangle. We asked Mountain to Sound’s Greg Whittaker what this meeting will focus on:
– Finding a nonprofit Fiscal Sponsor interested in partnering up with us!
– Determining the Days/Nights offering.
– Developing a registration plan.
– Determining Meeting/Dropoff location.
– Finding a Web Guru to set up a website.
The council’s mission is “creating an accessible snowsports program for West Seattle youth, and Whittaker adds, “Join if you would like to help create a community based program providing West Seattle Youth a safe reliable option to learn alpine snowsports and experience our NW Mountains!” You can find out more by calling Mountain to Sound @ 206-935-7669 (SNOW).
(WSB photo from January 2009)
We reported twice last year on the Gatewood Elementary robotics club, coached by volunteer adviser Erik Christensen. He’s got an even bigger dream now, for students all over West Seattle, so he’s entered Pepsi’s dream-funding “Refresh Everything” contest, asking for your vote. We asked about the pitch he’d make for your vote, and here’s what he wrote back:
I have a chance to make an educational change here in West Seattle.
I am a five-year volunteer at Gatewood Elementary. For the last three years I have run a robotics club that is VERY popular. This year I have expanded into Denny Middle school and want to do more. The schools I have spoken to want me to do more.
Pepsi is offering grants every month…I have asked for $250,000. If I get the grant I can install a robotics club in all of the schools in West Seattle.
I could even work to have robotics incorporated into the class, which really increases class interest and promotes the sciences.
Cast your vote at refresheverything.com (type in gatewood in the search box if you have trouble finding the page) and vote for my idea. [Direct link here]
Each elementary school and middle school could have two clubs and incorporate 16 students…possibly more.
I could write a long and poetic piece about how it would be good for the kids…etc…etc. I choose to just state it in a simple way.
Thats all there is! Help me get this grant and help me give good opportunities to the students of West Seattle. Vote daily, vote frequently, vote often…please vote!
ORIGINAL 3 PM REPORT: Thanks to Mary for the tip: Today during the Major League Baseball draft, 21-year-old West Seattle High School alum Zach Varce was drafted by the New York Yankees. Zach’s a right-handed pitcher who’s been playing for the University of Portland, where he’s a junior; he was the Yankees’ 11th pick, 355th draftee overall. According to his bio on the Portland site, he sat out his senior year at WSHS with an injury. ADDED 3:20 PM: Also drafted today, 18-year-old WSHS senior shortstop Trevor Martin, by the St. Louis Cardinals, 619th draftee overall. (We’re checking the draft list for anyone else with local ties – let us know if you hear of someone!)
Judge Heavey is charged with violating Canons 1, 2(A) and 2(B) of the Code of Judicial Conduct by writing letters on official court stationary to Italian judicial system officials on behalf of criminal defendant Amanda Knox, utilizing court staff to type those letters, and speaking publicly on several occasions, identifying himself as a judge, about that same pending criminal case in an attempt to influence the proceeding. Judges may not, under the Code of Judicial Conduct lend the prestige of judicial office to advance the private interests of others
According to the TImes, Judge Heavey told the Associated Press he will make a statement later. He has 3 weeks to officially answer the complaint; the full “statement of charges” is posted (PDF) on the commission’s website.
Coastal Boutique on Alki just announced it’s showing outdoor movies the second Saturday of each month this June, July and August, at dusk in the gravel lot next to the store. Only one of the three overlaps with the West Seattle Outdoor Movies series (co-sponsored by WSB) in The Junction, so this expands the overall summer list: This Saturday, June 12th, they’re showing “Blue Crush” (trailer above); July 10th, “Pirates of the Caribbean” (we’re guessing the first one, but checking); August 14, “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” (that’s the night “Wayne’s World” is screening in The Junction). As with the Junction series, it’s bring-your-own-chair; Hansen’s Natural Soda is co-sponsoring the series and offering free soda, according to Coastal’s announcement. They’re at 2532 Alki SW.
Today’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup starts with two cases from the inbox: Julia reported a car break-in at the Chelan Café‘s east lot Sunday morning around 11 – happened to folks in line at the restaurant next to them, she says: ” It was a newer silver SUV with very tinted windows and it sounded like the thieves got a purse and possibly some of the luggage in there. Wanted to alert people that this happened… That location is an easy spot to smash and grab and drive away on the bridge so please remind people not to leave anything valuable in their cars while parked!” Second, James just e-mailed from the 7700 block of 46th SW to say, “This morning, when showing a contractor where our cable TV runs into the house, I noticed that the screens on our basement windows were pulled off and a sloppy attempt was made to pry our windows open with what seems like a small screwdriver. This must have happened sometime in the last 2 weeks.” Meantime, we have info on 5 burglaries and 1 burglary attempt reported to West Seattle police last week, the newest cases available in the new online-access-to-some-police-reports system, now that it finally updated – read on for summaries (remember, this system has a few days’ lag – so if it happens to you, let us know, so the news will get out quicker):Read More
The list of city-government luminaries who are coming to West Seattle soon just got longer. The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s next meeting – one week from tonight – now has City Attorney Pete Holmes on the agenda. (More on the WSCPC site.) And as noted earlier, Mayor Mike McGinn and Council President Richard Conlin are on the agenda for tomorrow night’s 34th District Democrats meeting, along with Councilmember Bruce Harrell. After that, Conlin, Harrell and Councilmember Mike O’Brien return to West Seattle next week, for a special evening joint meeting of two council committees (handling energy, technology, utilities, and neighborhoods). The agenda’s not online for that meeting yet but it’s at Chief Sealth/Boren on Thursday, June 17th, starting with a resource fair at 5 pm, followed by the committee meeting at 6, public comment at 7.
(Photo provided by The Whale Trail; photographer: Todd Chandler of Cascadia Research)
A local whale expert who recently made worldwide news is speaking next week at the Duwamish Longhouse. Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail sends word that her organization is presenting Cascadia Research founder John Calambokidis‘ talk “Gray Whales and Other Large Whales of the Pacific Northwest” Thursday, June 17th, at 7 pm. Calambokidis led the necropsy on the gray whale that stranded and died at Arroyo Beach in April – that’s the necropsy that made international headlines because of the plastic trash found inside the whale. He will discuss grays as well as humpbacks and other large whales found in NW waters, with an introduction by People for Puget Sound‘s Kathy Fletcher, providing an update on “the health of Puget Sound and efforts toward its recovery,” according to the announcement. Tickets are $5 (suggested donation) and on sale online right now – go here. (And find out more about The Whale Trail by going here.)
As far as we can tell, Community School of West Seattle likely gets the designation “last school auction of the year” with its Flooring ’20s event this Saturday (so named because they’re blending a flapper theme with the fact they need to raise at least $20,000 to redo the school’s flooring). Items listed for live and silent auction include a private performance by Caspar Babypants (aka West Seattle-residing rocker Chris Ballew), plus, looking at the online list of items, we see it includes offerings from WSB sponsors includingFauntleroy Chiropractic and Scratch and Peck … and tons more … it’s a VERY long list. The event’s 6:30-10 pm this Saturday at the school (22nd SW and Roxbury); it’s free, with hors d’oeuvres and desserts plus a no-host bar. You can RSVP and even buy raffle tickets right on the auction site.
(Photos by Kellie Moeller)
Look closely at the top-left section of that photo, and you’ll see what 96-year-old Fordie Ross was throwing at last Saturday’s Northwest Senior GamesTrack and Field events at West Seattle Stadium. Kellie Moeller from Merrill Gardens– sponsor of Saturday’s competition, and also a WSB sponsor – shared some photos, which can certainly inspire us all. Also in the shot put, 64-year-old Peggy Anderson from Bellevue:
And check out 69-year-old Fred Zapf of Issaquah in the pole vault!
Kellie adds:
These events are taking place all around the Seattle area during the month of June. These events give seniors across the state the opportunity to compete in athletic events of all disciplines. Winners will go on to compete on a national level.
The NW Senior Games website doesn’t have this year’s results up yet, but taking a peek at the 2009 list, we see Ross and Anderson both took their age divisions in shot put!
Monday was the first day of the official “filing week” for anyone who wants to be on the August 17th primary-election ballot. Candidates have been able to postal-mail their forms since May 21st, but online and in-person filing didn’t open till this morning. For the West Seattle (and surrounding areas)-specific races, here’s who’s filed so far: In the 34th Legislative District (map), Rep. Sharon Nelson has filed for State Senate, listing her affiliation as “Prefers Democrat Party”; for the State House Position 2 spot she’s leaving, Marcee Stone and Mike Heavey (who tweeted a photo of his online-filing moment) both filed Monday, both listing their affiliation as “Prefers Democratic Party.” (Remember, we’re in the “Top Two” primary mode now, meaning the top two vote-getters in each race advance to the Nov. 2 general election, regardless of affiliation.) The state list of “who’s filed so far” can be seen here; the King County list is here – no filings yet for the County Council District 8 seat, though at least three people have said they intend to run. We’ll update the filings nightly as the week goes on; you can also expect to hear more about this year’s elections at Wednesday night’s meeting of our area’s biggest political group, the 34th District Democrats (whose endorsements are here), 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy, with the agenda so far including Mayor Mike McGinn, Council President Richard Conlin, and Councilmember Bruce Harrell.
We had a solicitor come to our house tonight about 7:45p to tell us that he was working with SPD to let people know about some burglaries off of 35th. He said he wasn’t trying to sell us anything but wanted us to put an ADT sign in our window. We have a no soliciting sign on our gate, but he still cam in. He didn’t have an ADT shirt on. It was some other logo. I asked him for a card and he said he wasn’t selling anything and that he didn’t have one.
It’s a simple way to get healthier, and to get around … just walk. But sometimes people need a little encouragement. Think you’re the person to cheer them on? Feet First invites you to free “Neighborhood Walking Ambassador” training at the Alki Bathhouse this Saturday (June 12), 10 am-noon. Here’s more about the program (on Feet First’s recently upgraded website!). If you’re interested, RSVP to yoyo@feetfirst.info or 206-652-2310.
If you haven’t had your daily dose of cuteness … there you go … though what you see in that clip is also very serious business! Ruth Oldham of West Seattle See Dogs invited us to drop by the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol‘s headquarters at Westcrest Park on Sunday afternoon as her group and two others from around the region had a special visit. They brought guide-dogs-in-training to get a good look at, and sniff of, Tiger the SPD horse. As we learned while listening to the discussion, future guide dogs need to be exposed to all sorts of circumstances and characters, because you never know what they will have to help their people deal with.
Ruth explains, “Once a month or more, in addition to our regular meetings, puppy-raising clubs have an “outing” to provide their puppies with new experiences. Working guide dogs may encounter mounted police and horse-drawn carriages in the course of their day and so the Seattle Police Department has been generous in providing the opportunity over the years for our puppies to go ‘nose to nose; and greet their horses and to answer questions.”
The puppy-raising clubs that joined WS See Dogs on Sunday are Guide Puppies of Seattle and Bellevue-based For Your Eyes Only. Interested in volunteering to raise a guide puppy for a year? West Seattle See Dogs’ next meeting is one week from tonight, Monday, June 14, at Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor), 6:30 pm, just show up!
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“It’s a kick to the schedule no one anticipated,” lamented architect Bill Fuller, as he and Safeway’s Sara Corn revealed a brand-new development in the timetable for building the new Admiral Safeway. As they started a scheduled briefing tonight for the Admiral Neighborhood Association, they said they’d just found out today that the 
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For the West Seattle (and surrounding areas)-specific races, here’s who’s filed so far: In the 34th Legislative District (
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