West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
We often hear from youth sports groups including soccer, softball, baseball, football, swimmers, skaters … but until a tip from Larry two nights ago, we hadn’t heard from or about the West Seattle Totems. They are a very successful youth-sports group in our area – with a waiting list, we’re told. The Totems’ sport is riflery; they practice at the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club‘s Roger Dahl Shooting Range underneath West Seattle Stadium. We were invited to visit the Totems’ celebration last night of recent successes in statewide and other competition – note the medals and trophies – and took a group photo; speaking of photography, West Seattle photographer Machel Spence was there too – turns out she’s a Totem mom and helped round up information, including the fact that several of the team members will compete in the Air Rifle Nationals this year, and that West Seattle Totems shooters have achieved three national records!
BIKE-TO-WORK DAY TOMORROW: For participating bicyclists, there’s the “commute station” by the west end of the “low bridge” plus, if you’re coming from White Center, or heading through there, two WC stops, Caffé Delia and Dubsea Coffee, all detailed in the preview we published earlier this week.
ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT WEEKEND CLOSURE REMINDER: 11 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, so WSDOT can keep working on reinforcing the section of The Viaduct that the tunnel will go beneath.
SUNDAY CLOSURES/CHANGES ON ALKI: Sunday starts with the West Seattle 5K (co-sponsored by WSB) benefit run/walk at 9 am, and at 11 am, Seattle Summer Streets (aka “car-free day”) – here are the Alki traffic changes you can expect as a result – note that even though the car-free events are on a limited section of the street, the rest of it is ONLY open to residents. Here’s how SDOT explains the plan:
•From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Alki Avenue SW will be fully closed from 63rd Avenue SW to the Don Armeni Boat Launch Ramp for the West Seattle 5K Run/Walk. All parking will be restricted from 63rd to 56th and along the waterside from 56th to the boat ramp.
•From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Alki Avenue SW will be fully closed from 63rd to 56th Avenue SW for the Summer Streets event. Parking will be restricted on both sides of the street during this time.
Access exceptions will be made for emergency vehicles and people with disabilities. After 11 a.m. local access to condos will be allowed from 56th Avenue SW to the Don Armeni Boat Launch Ramp. As in the past, SPD will detour those who do not live in the vicinity from Alki on to California Ave SW until 5 p.m.
(Added Friday morning: The citywide weekend event alerts, here.)
NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND, SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT PLANS: A roundup of what’s ahead for the Spokane Street Viaduct section of the West Seattle Bridge includes two notes looking past next week, before next week’s closure schedule – the switch from eastbound 1st ramp open to eastbound 4th ramp open is not going to happen next week after all; plus, in early June there will be a full=weekend closure of the westbound SSV – read on for complete details from SDOT:Read More
The photo is courtesy of a North Admiral resident who doesn’t want to be identified but wrote, “Looks like the leprechauns finally woke up from their 2-month nap and refreshed the green stripe on 41st (behind Metropolitan Market) last night. They even did the shamrock at the end. Was it a special Irish saint’s day? Or just a delay due to rain? Either way, we’re glad it’s back!” We looked up Irish holidays; nothing. Today is exactly two months since St. Patrick’s Day – when the stripe usually turns up “refreshed” – perhaps May was confused with March? Or, someone decided to make it a Syttende Mai stripe instead?
Mystery solved, regarding the unusual flight pattern – and noise – that many heard over north West Seattle last night (as reported here); we contacted Sea-Tac Airport‘s media officer Perry Cooper, who researched it and, along with the airport’s noise officer, just called back with what they found out: A quirk in the weather caused Sea-Tac and Boeing Field to be in opposite flows; almost always, they are landing/taking off in the same “flow,” according to Cooper, but a “weird wind” last night caused Sea-Tac to be in south flow, Boeing Field to be in north flow, “so in order to make sure there would not be any conflicts, the jets taking off from Boeing Field were being routed (over) West Seattle.” So unless the wind quirk happens again, it was a one-time thing.
Three notes this afternoon: First, a stolen-car report from Thaddeus:
Our 1994 Dodge Caravan was stolen Sunday night from in front of our house in Puget Ridge. Dark green with purple decorative stripe, tinted windows. License # ACF0177. Apart from the usual hardships from losing a car, this van also served two handicapped individuals. Any info greatly appreciated!
Ahead, e-mail about a troubling encounter in North Admiral, plus a followup about an assault incident first reported by a commenter:Read More
Capacity on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run of Washington State Ferries will be down a boat next Monday and Tuesday because the Tillikum has to go in for its annual inspection and the Klahowya isn’t available to replace it – it’s still out of service for repairs. So WSF has sent an alert about this, as well as posting notices at terminals and publishing the 2-boat schedule on its website (see it here). The Tillikum actually will be out of service for the inspection starting Sunday, but WSF will be adding the Yakima on the route, just for that day, before it moves to another run.
That’s one of the most personal moments we caught on video this morning as Arbor Heights Elementary School played host to José Banda – who starts work as Seattle Public Schools’ next superintendent July 1st, after the School Board voted unanimously last night to finalize his hiring. It might be a little hard to hear (with multiple camera shutters mixed in), but he’s speaking with a student about world geography, and mentioning that his son is currently working half a world away – as a teacher. Banda looked in on classrooms all over the school, as well as orchestra practice in the cafetorium, and gave short interviews to the panoply of media crews that showed up (this was his only official photo op as his Seattle visit continued today). But before the designated 10 am start time for the school tour, he was greeted by AH students:
Thanks to an AH parent for sharing that photo of Marcia Ingerslev‘s first-graders, who were dressed as farmers, since they presented the new superintendent with a plant – you saw their story here last week, as they are selling and giving away tomato plants, and will be at Roxbury Safeway this Saturday. (Watching the students, from left, are district communications director Lesley Rogers, executive director of West Seattle schools Aurora Lora; superintendent-to-be Banda; and AH principal Christy Collins; WS school-board director Marty McLaren was there for the visit too). We also took many photos, and more video, and are going through it all right now, to add more to this story later.
(And yes, the new superintendent said, the students did make sure he knows about the poor condition their building is in – rated worst in the district – the BEX IV levy currently proposes a new building for AH, but not to be completed until 2018, and the community is campaigning to have that timetable moved up before the levy plan is finalized this fall; its problems were amply explained during a BEX-related meeting at AH that we covered in April.)
ADDED 4:50 PM: More photos, ahead:Read More
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One week from today, the 4724 California development proposal goes before the Southwest Design Review Board for the first time.
Today, we have two views of the ex-Petco site’s potential 7-story future. One is in a set of sketches from the development team – to whom we spoke for stories published here on April 20th and April 30th, following up first word of the plan four weeks ago, as well as the latest version of the packet for next week’s meeting (see it here). Above is the project team’s “preferred” early-concept sketch.
We also have what you might call a packet of “alternative” concepts put together by one of the community members who recently previewed the early sketches in their first round of unofficial community meetings. He wonders what you think about HIS design guidelines.
(Photo by Danny McMillin, taken south of Alki Point, shared via Flickr)
WESTBOUND SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT CLOSURE TONIGHT – AND 1 LANE CLOSED EASTBOUND: After scattered shorter closures recently, the entirety of the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct is scheduled to be closed tonight, as part of the continuing work in the final months of the project to widen it, 10 pm-5 am. And this time, the eastbound stretch also is scheduled to be reduced to one lane, 11 pm-5 am. Details here, from SDOT.
AND REMINDER, ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT/99 CLOSURE THIS WEEKEND: 11 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, crews are scheduled to continue reinforcing the AWV in advance of the tunneling that will happen beneath it. (Full details here from WSDOT.)
PIZZA BENEFIT FOR SANISLO: 11 am-11 pm today, Red Star Pizza is donating ten percent to Sanislo Elementary, according to the school’s PTA.
WEST SEATTLE NOONERS’ MEMBERSHIP EXTRAVAGANZA: Local businessperson? The West Seattle Nooners group (WSB sponsor) is interested in meeting you at its Membership Extravaganza today, noon at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – read all about it here.
WEST SEATTLE CELLARS WINE TASTING: In addition to pouring at the Taste of West Seattle (next preview), West Seattle Cellars (WSB sponsor) is having its regular Thursday night tasting too – 5:30-8 pm, full details here. (Don’t forget to check out the WSB coupon for first-timers.) 6026 California SW.
TASTE OF WEST SEATTLE: The 7th annual benefit for West Seattle Helpline is bigger than ever – with a long list of food/beverage providers participating. If online ticketing is closed by the time you check this link, there might be some left at the door – 6:30 pm is when the main event begins. The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW; remember it’s 21+ only)
FIRST PTA MEETING FOR K-5 STEM AT BOREN: The school opens in less than four months, and families are deciding now how to organize their PTA – as a PTSA affiliated with that larger group, or maybe as an independent smaller group. Be part of the launch, 6:30 pm at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson).
‘BYE BYE BIRDIE’ CONTINUES: It’s West Seattle High School‘s spring musical, and you can cheer the student actors, singers, and musicians tonight at 7:30 pm. Ticketing info and more on the Westside Drama website.
In the past hour or so, we’ve received multiple notes asking why planes are taking an out-of-the-ordinary route over north West Seattle tonight; several people also brought it up in the comment section on today’s story about a Boeing Field alert for NEXT week. As far as we know, this has nothing to do with that alert; we are checking around to see what we can find out, but so far, all we’ve turned up is an alert about taxiway work at Boeing Field (see the right sidebar here) that doesn’t sound as if it would be related. If anyone “in the (aviation) know” is out there, either a comment or a note – editor@westseattleblog.com – would help! Thanks!
11:44 PM UPDATE: So far comment discussion has zeroed in on a runway closure at Sea-Tac that was scheduled to start two days ago – here’s their announcement.
An amazing season ended tonight for the Chief Sealth International High School boys’ soccer team – one in which they were ranked among the state’s top teams, ran up an incredible winning streak, and made it to the state playoffs. Shorewood, the state’s #1 team, edged the Seahawks 2-1 tonight at Shoreline Stadium.
At the end of the game, the team applauded and cheered those who had come to cheer for them. Toward the start, we photographed them in an on-the-road edition of the “Hawks Nest”:
The game was a draw through the first half, 0-0 at halftime – no scoring till the 49th minute, as our partners at the Seattle Times report. Led by Head Coach Ron Johnson, Sealth closes the season at 14-3-1; Shorewood is undefeated, with 20 wins.
In a comment on the WSB Facebook page, Sealth athletic director Sam Reed thanked the fans who made the trek to Shorewood, then writing, “So proud of our boys and especially the Seniors that worked so hard to build something special during their time as Seahawks.”
Tomorrow morning, Arbor Heights Elementary staff and students will be among the first community members to be able to congratulate José Banda on his new job as Seattle Public Schools Superintendent. The School Board voted 7-0 tonight to confirm him, and – as reported here Tuesday – his visit continues tomorrow with a 10 am stop at AH. Here’s the district’s announcement of tonight’s vote:Read More
Just out of the WSB inbox from Andrea, who began, “Just wanted to get the word out about a brazen solicitor who stopped by today:”Read More
(Thanks to Babs for the motorcade photo)
ORIGINAL 5:13 PM REPORT: We’ve gotten a couple messages about a motorcade in the Alki area. We’re told it’s for the president of Bulgaria, who has indeed been visiting Seattle. Earlier today, first-year President Rosen Prevneliev was on Capitol Hill. While in the area, he’s also met with Bill Gates. He’s in the area to drum up U.S. interest in Bulgarian business and is also visiting the “other” U.S. tech hub, Silicon Valley.
8:07 PM UPDATE: President Prevneliev has moved on, according to a WSB’er who called to say the motorcade had (temporarily) shut down I-5. Commenter WS says he was visiting The Pacific Institute, which is on Harbor Avenue SW between Salty’s and Seacrest; we passed by briefly en route to another story and noted the motorcycle officers were parked right across the street from the Institute.
(Event photos courtesy FOCUS News Agency, used with permission)
ADDED EARLY THURSDAY: Thanks to Bulgaria’s FOCUS News Agency for sharing photos from the West Seattle event; their correspondent reports that President Prevneliev told members of Seattle’s Bulgarian community that he is working to build trust between citizens and their political leaders, and that he is working on a long-term development plan for the country, including a proposed technology park.
FOCUS reports that about 40 people met with President Plevneliev during his West Seattle stop, including Bulgaria’s Ambassador to the United States, Elena Poptodorova, and the U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria, James Warlick, who has been tweeting about the trip:
The #Roadshow is in #Seattle today with Pres @Plevneliev. One of the most beautiful cities in the world. twitter.com/AmbJamesWarlic…
— James Warlick (@AmbJamesWarlick) May 16, 2012
The president’s Silicon Valley itinerary Thursday includes a stop at Google HQ.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon. From Todd at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor), a suggestion that it’s time to step up the extra vigilance for catalytic-converter theft and other types of metal-stealing – he says their shop (35th/Webster) has been hit by thieves going through their scrap metal (last night, it was radiators), even in a fenced, locked yard. (They already lock up the scrap catalytic converters.) He notes that Toyota pickups and 4-Runners tend to be targeted most often, and “it only takes a few minutes for an experienced thief to get (the converter) off the vehicle.”
And from Larry:
I had two packages stolen from our front door stoop on the same day. Both were supposedly delivered on May 10th from two different companies. I live on 31st between near Thistle Street.
This isn’t your usual “call for artists” – this is a request for artists to show their work where it’ll be seen by people who can’t go out to enjoy it elsewhere any more. The announcement:
Providence Mount St. Vincent is looking for Artists to display their work in our McAllister Hall Art Gallery.
The art gallery at Providence Mount St. Vincent displays local art on a monthly basis featuring a different artist each month. The main goal of this program is to provide enjoyment and artistic culture for our residents, since many of them are no longer physically able to visit art galleries. We offer artist the ability to sell her or his art with the request that 20 percent be donated to our Foundation. The gallery is located on the second floor entrance on the west side of the building–a high traffic area within the Mount. The art is viewed by residents, staff, families of residents, volunteers, and visitors. We insure the art while it’s on display to protect it from any possible damage and offer a reception in the artist’s honor.
The months of June, August, October, November and December are currently open in 2012. Please contact Anna Cronin at anna.cronin@providence.org or 206.938.6242 for more information.
(Tuesday evening photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
One year after a new plan was circulated for Oregon 42 – the mixed-use building at 42nd SW/SW Oregon in The Junction that’s been in the works for four and a half years – construction is about to begin. We confirmed that this morning with Mike Mahoney from ConAm, the San Diego company that is developing the 131-unit building; we called for an update after getting word that the construction fence had gone up around the site (photo above).
It’s a four-lot site; three houses will be demolished, probably starting next week, according to Mahoney. The fourth lot formerly held the house that was moved to another site in an operation that created something of a spectacle in summer 2010. (The site also made news here in March when one of the remaining houses was used for SWAT-team training.) Here’s one of the Oregon 42 renderings circulated last year, when the number of apartments was increased and the amount of retail decreased (now 3,000 square feet):
(That’s Hope Lutheran at the lower left, Capco Plaza – QFC & Altamira – at upper right.) Mahoney says the plan hasn’t changed since the revised version was made public last year. But now they’re ready to proceed. Once demolition begins, he says, “that’s really going to kick off the full construction – we will move right into excavation and shoring work.” He expects the construction crane to go up in about two months, and the project to be complete after about 16 months of work – which would mean fall of next year. SD Deacon is the general contractor; Junction-based Nicholson Kovalchick Architects joined the project before last year’s round of publicized changes, but was not involved when the project was first proposed back in 2008. This project, by the way, is among those in West Seattle granted the city’s Multi-Family Tax Exemption (see the agreement, finalized by the City Council last year, here), for agreeing that 20 percent of the units will have what the city deems “affordable rents” accessible to people slightly below the median income.
Two other major apartment projects are under construction in West Seattle right now – Youngstown Flats in North Delridge, and Harbor/Urban’s 62-unit Nova in The Triangle – and others are on the drawing board, including two within just a few blocks, the Equity Residential project at California/Alaska, and 4724 California, which has its first Design Review Board meeting one week from tomorrow.
Next week, through Memorial Day, events at the Museum of Flight just might make things a little noisier over West Seattle. So a community alert is being circulated by Boeing Field, which is run by King County – read on:Read More
(WSB file photo of Hiawatha’s wading pool)
Thanks to Sarah for the tip: The city has just published this summer’s wading-pool schedule, and there are some changes for West Seattle. You might recall that the city had looked for sponsors to help pick up the cost, and according to the new schedule, two wading pools get an extra day of operation each, thanks to sponsorships – Admiral Safeway, according to Parks, is making it possible for the Hiawatha pool to be open on Saturdays, while the Hiawatha Advisory Council is making it possible for the Delridge pool to be open on Sundays – both of those pools will be open 4 days a week, while Lincoln Park remains the only West Seattle wading pool open 7 days a week, and it will be the earliest to open, scheduled for June 23rd. See the full schedule here (PDF). We’re checking on one thing – Highland Park – which is being converted to a spray park – is listed on the schedule as “opening in 2013,” but at the most recent project meeting, Seattle Parks had said they hoped to get it open before this season ends. We’ll add whatever we find out.
(Butterflies are here! Photographed in West Seattle by Machel Spence)
From the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
EARLY DISMISSAL DAY: Seattle Public Schools are out two hours early today.
HIGH-SCHOOL POSTSEASON GAMES: The Chief Sealth International High School soccer team’s first state playoff game is today vs. Shorewood HS at Shoreline Stadium (18560 1st Ave NE). In the district softball tournament, Sealth plays Liberty at 2 pm at Lower Woodland Park (Green Lake Way and N. 50th); West Seattle High School plays Mount Si, also at 2 pm at Lower Woodland.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING: The final vote on hiring José Banda as superintendent is on tonight’s agenda, as is the revised proposal for changing next year’s transportation plan – one that the district says will mean little if any change in bell times, unlike the one that was withdrawn after its appearance, with no public input, sparked concern (see the new one here). The meeting’s at 6 pm, district HQ in SODO (2445 3rd Avenue S.). **added** We also have learned that the public-comment section will include speakers on behalf of Middle College High School, the public high school based at South Seattle Community College, which is facing a move to a new location, as was confirmed during last week’s BEX IV levy work session covered here.
PATHFINDER K-8 PLAYGROUND ADDITION KICKOFF: The community’s invited to this dinner meeting to talk about transforming the school playground, as explained here. 6 pm, Pathfinder cafeteria (1901 SW Genesee).
WINE AND WISDOM: The monthly “mingle” sponsored by Savvy Seattle Women is at 6 tonight, Prudential Northwest Realty offices in Jefferson Square.
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: Tonight’s meeting (7 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW) includes a county presentation about the bioswales/raingardens proposed in parts of Sunrise Heights and Westwood to reduce combined-sewer overflows at the Barton Pump Station by the Fauntleroy ferry dock.
‘BYE BYE BIRDIE’: The second week of West Seattle High School‘s spring musical continues, 7:30 pm. Ticketing info and more on the Westside Drama website.
More on the calendar!
(UPDATED Wednesday morning with additional information from Seattle Public Utilities)
(Click to see full-size map, as PDF)
ORIGINAL 11:56 PM TUESDAY REPORT: 200 homes in Highland Park will only get trash pickup every two weeks, for six months, starting in July. You might have heard about the city’s “One Less Truck” pilot program, to see if every-other-week pickup will work (explained here); tonight, we learned that part of West Seattle will be in the program. Carl Woestwin of Seattle Public Utilities made the announcement during the WS Crime Prevention Council meeting tonight (though trash pickup has nothing to do with the group’s usual scope). The area affected is bounded by SW Barton on the north, SW Roxbury to the south, 15th SW to the west, and 11th SW to the east.
Woestwin says homes from single-family through fourplexes in the area will be required to participate, and will get a $100 stipend for their trouble. All the affected homes have been notified via letters and/or flyers, he said. They can choose to get larger trash containers, or try to see if they can make it work, and that’s what the experiment is for. Woestwin said that the city estimates changing to every-other-week pickup could save $6 million citywide. This part of Highland Park is the only test area in West Seattle and one of only four citywide; a community meeting is planned in early June (he wasn’t sure of the date – we’ll seek confirmation Wednesday) and then SPU will come back to the neighborhood in September “to find out how they’re going.”
ADDED 11:25 AM: We followed up this morning with SPU, whose Brett Stav provided some information, including the FAQ they have put together (apparently, though, it is not on their website, because, he says, “We’re trying to keep the study as scientific as possible and avoid confusing our non-participating customers, so we haven’t broadly advertised this project outside of the participating neighborhoods”) and the rate card for participants – read on:Read More
For the second consecutive Tuesday, the West Seattle Community Orchestras invited the community to the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium, to hear their musicians’ spring concerts; tonight was the 50+-member West Seattle Symphony Orchestra‘s turn. Our 7-minute video clip captures the highlight of the night, the world premiere of conductor Rob Duisberg‘s “Fantasies and Fugues.” The program also included classics – from composers including Beethoven, Copland, Haydn, and Stravinsky.
The headline from tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting came right at the start, in the crime-trends briefing from Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis: An “upswing” in auto theft. Lt. Davis said the most recent week tallied 19 thefts, more than double the usual average. (Apparently a regional problem, as that also is the biggest problem in White Center and environs right now, according to a King County Sheriff’s Office briefing at a public-safety forum we covered there last week.) Here’s the official SPD auto-theft-prevention advice.
Otherwise, Lt. Davis reported, burglaries and car prowls are “down to an acceptable low right now”; in response to an attendee’s question, he said there is still no new information to release in the Beach Drive murder of Greggette Guy two months ago. The group also heard from Heather Turner of Families and Friends of Violent Crime Victims; she briefly described the many resources they offer – find them all here.
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