West Seattle, Washington
10 Saturday
One of the brothers killed in a motorcycle crash earlier this week had West Seattle ties, as a former WS resident and parent of a student at Alki Elementary. Services are planned this weekend for 39-year-old Gerald Lutz, who along with brother Eldon Lutz died after their motorcycle crashed in Kirkland Saturday night. His online obituary published by Bonney-Watson on Capitol Hill includes details on Mr. Lutz’s viewing/Rosary on Friday night and celebration of life on Saturday.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block (whenever)?”:
*Around 7 p.m. on the 6th, two cars raced down the 4600 block of Beach Drive SW. (One longtime resident said he’d never seen such speed on that stretch, estimating that the cars traveled at 100 mph in the 25 mph zone.) Shortly after, one of the cars crashed into a parked vehicle at 45th and Brace Point Drive. The driver of the second racer left the scene but was noticed parking several blocks away and walking back to the incident. That driver — an 18-year-old Alki resident — hurled violent sexual suggestions at the victim who came out to inspect her damaged vehicle and to several older people in the area who were trying to help. He was released from the scene but faces investigation of harassment, reckless driving (racing), and violation of a protection order to stay away from West Seattle High School. (The other speeding driver said the suspect had been following her from the school. It wasn’t clear what charges she, herself, might face.)
*On the afternoon of the 5th, a shoplifter pulled a knife on two security guards who were trying to detain him at an Admiral grocery. The shoplifter dropped the loot and walked north, through the parking lot. Neither guard was injured.
Ahead, more information on the Delridge shots-fired incident covered here on Monday, another one reported elsewhere, plus another car-prowler-interrupted case, and more:Read More
Smoke from wildfires to the east is drifting west (as noted by our friends at KING 5), and that’s likely what intensified the color of tonight’s sunset. Thanks to WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams for this view of it!
(One possible view of 3078 Avalon Way building, from design-review packet)
Tomorrow night (6:30 pm Thursday at the Senior Center of West Seattle), the Southwest Design Review Board gets its first look at 3078 SW Avalon Way, which has grown in proposed size since we first mentioned it here. It’s now proposed for seven stories, 114 units, and 77 parking spaces. Here’s the packet for tomorrow night’s meeting, including neighborhood characteristics and proposed shape/size (massing) schemes. Neighbors have some concerns about the plan. Here’s the top of a flyer they are circulating and shared with us:
From the flyer (which you can see here in its entirety):
Obviously, this will hugely impact our quality of lives and the character of our neighborhood.
• Parking — the developer is proposing only 77 spaces for a 114 units. Where will the overflow park?
• Huge increase in pedestrian and pet traffic — there is no park within easy walking distance; we will certainly see a lot more dogs (and dog poop) in our neighborhood.
• Alley safety and congestion — the development plans to use the alley as a parking entrance.
• Loss of privacy (the apartment residents will be looking right into the houses and backyards of almost all of us who live on 32nd Ave SW).
• Public safety concerns — does more people mean more crime?
• Vehicle traffic on Avalon — already very congested and dangerous.
Note that, as you will hear at tomorrow night’s meeting, some of those aren’t Design Review topics, they are topics for the project’s environmental review, and can be brought up by e-mail or phone to the assigned city planner. But if you are interested in the project, do come tomorrow night – there is always a public-comment period.
KeyArena meeting traffic has backed up northbound I-5 and West Seattle outbound commuters before, so we’re sharing this SDOT alert:
Tomorrow, Thursday, September 13, a crowd of 15,000 is expected to attend the Microsoft Annual Company Meeting at the Key Arena. The meeting is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Attendees will begin arriving at the Seattle Center in 200 buses and some 4,000 private vehicles as early as 8:30 a.m. Motorists should expect heavy congestion in the morning between the I-5 Mercer off-ramp and the Seattle Center and on streets surrounding the Center. The beginning of the afternoon commute could well be impacted in the same area as attendees will be leaving the meeting at approximately 3:30 p.m. Drivers should plan ahead for possible delays.
(TOPLINES: Current version of BEX IV levy proposal calls for new Schmitz Park @ Genesee Hill campus 2015, new Arbor Heights on current site 2019, add to and reopen Fairmount Park, NO reopening of EC Hughes, NO decision yet on K-5 STEM’s permanent location)
4:07 PM: As reported here yesterday afternoon, the newest list of projects proposed for the Seattle Public Schools BEX IV levy is out – and it includes some changes from previous West Seattle proposals. The School Board is getting more information right now at a work session at district HQ, and we’re there. We’ll update this story “live” as West Seattle-relevant information is discussed – so if you’re interested, open this story’s page (click the headline) and hit “refresh” every so often. The board and staff members’ microphones aren’t working but we’re listening as hard – and sitting as close – as we can!
READ ON FOR OUR AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE:Read More
Another section of Beach Drive is in for paving work – according to this SDOT announcement received this afternoon:
SDOT paving crews plan to grind and pave the roadway on Beach Drive SW from Atlas Place SW to SW Juneau Street on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, if weather permits. All sidewalks and crossings will remain open. A single travel lane will be shared by both directions of traffic, with traffic flaggers assisting drivers through the area.
Earlier this year SDOT crews repaved an area of Beach Drive to the south of the current area. The section of Beach Drive between the two repaved areas will be repaved once work is completed to stabilize the slope.
The current work on Beach Drive SW is part of the annual paving program funded by the Bridging the Gap transportation initiative approved by Seattle voters in 2006.
If you haven’t heard yet about the big Alki Beach cleanup that is part of International Coastal Cleanup Day this Saturday … go sign up! Sponsors including Puget Soundkeeper Alliance would like to know how many people to plan for. You can sign up outside Duke’s on Alki starting at 10 am Saturday – the cleanup runs till noon, followed by an afterparty till 2 – but they say early online signups are even better. Read all about it here.
(Family photo of Greggette Guy during a hike, 2004)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Today marks exactly six months since Greggette Guy was found dead off the 3700 block of Beach Drive – the second, and most recent, West Seattle murder victim of 2012.
Police have yet to find her killer(s).
Her family, however, has found a way to honor her memory, via her lifelong involvement with Girl Scouts – from childhood through parenthood:
That’s some of the new information we have obtained for this update on the case, half a year later, after speaking with Mrs. Guy’s husband as well as with police.
As Marination ma kai gets closer to opening at Seacrest, we have a few new details today, as well as renderings provided by Marination’s co-owners, with whom we’ve been speaking since reporting first word back in December that they would be the new restaurant operators at the boathouse and pier. Decor not included, but you can get an idea of the layout:
They’ve sent regional media a formal announcement of its impending opening – no exact date yet, though co-owner Kamala Saxton told WSB recently that they were hoping for late September – so you might see some new scattered mentions today. The announcement includes a confirmation that their hours will be 6 am-10 pm seven days a week, and this updated summary of the menu:
In addition to made-from-scratch Hawaiian-Korean lunch and dinner favorites like kalbi beef, spicy pork, kalua pork, and sexy tofu, Marination ma kai will serve island breakfast staples including loco moco, manapua and Portuguese sausage musubi. The expanded menu will feature items only available at ma kai such as fish n’ chips, pork katsu sandwich, and Hawaiian shave ice for dessert.
Even bigger news – the beer:
Since nothing washes down spicy and sweet Hawaiian-Korean delicacies quite like an ice-cold cocktail or beer, Marination ma kai will offer a full bar and a selection of beers served up by Washington State’s first female Cicerone, Robyn Schumacher. Among the taps will be a “Marination”-branded brew, developed in collaboration with Big Al Brewing. It will be a malt-forward brown ale brewed to complement ma kai’s unique cuisine.
Meet Robyn the Cicerone on Marination’s Tumblr. They’re reiterating that they’ll also offer the space for private events and catering – here’s the e-mail address to use for that: eat@marinationmobile.com. And even though they’ll have a bricks-and-mortar location here, Marination expects to keep bringing its truck to 35th and Graham in High Point on Saturdays, as they’ve been doing for three years.
That photo is from Aly, taken in July in the 24th SW/Cloverdale vicinity, where she reported this week she is still seeing them. Then this morning, Becky reported that coyotes were “hanging around” Hamilton Viewpoint Park early today. Those two were simple sightings – but this next note also came in from Highland Park a short time ago, causing us to speed up the coyote roundup we were working on, since this is reported in an area popular with dog owners:
I live on 3rd Ave SW behind Westcrest Park and off-leash park and I had my 4 dogs attacked last night by the coyotes that are in the area. There have been 2 of them spotted on my street in recent weeks. I have one of my dogs in critical condition now and 3 I am nursing at home. Please, everyone, watch out for them; they are even out during the late afternoon in daylight. We need to find a way to get the city or state to set up a trap to move them into the mountains.
We have a followup question out. Ahead, three other recent coyote reports:Read More
8:23 AM: If you drive, bicycle, or use transit on 4th Avenue South south of the West Seattle Bridge (Spokane Street Viaduct), plan an alternate route – a crash at 4th/Industrial (near Costco) is reported to be blocking both directions of 4th in the area, including the bridge over the railroad tracks. Buses are being diverted. The image above is from the SDOT camera at 4th and Michigan, south of the crash scene and north of the 1st Avenue South Bridge.
9:36 AM UPDATE: Seattle Fire says their crews spent 15 minutes cutting the driver out of the wreckage. He is 55 years old and in critical condition with head trauma, according to SFD.
11:11 AM UPDATE: SDOT has tweeted that the scene is clear.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share this morning – starting with an interrupted car prowl. Karleen wanted to warn you and to also publicly thank someone who tried to help:
(Last night) around dusk I took my dogs for a walk near Salty’s/Alki, only to return to some strange guy sitting in the passenger side of my car, rifling through my belongings. My car was next to GT Towing (right near the West Seattle Bridge). I shouted at him ‘what are you doing in my car??’ then yelled for John the tow truck business owner – who I’ve come to know since I park near his business several times a week when I walk my dogs. Not a lot I could do with 3 little dogs with me, and the guy got out of my car and ran down toward Alki. John heard me and chased him, caught up to him but he pulled a knife so John let him go. Meanwhile I called 911, and they came and I filled out a police report. My car has a busted window and glass everywhere, but not much taken and no one hurt. The guy got away though, and it was scary that he had a knife. I am really grateful to John for helping me!
Two other reports, both involving theft, ahead: (ALSO, ADDED 9:58 AM – A report from another West Seattleite whose car has been hit by prowlers/vandals twice in the past five days.)Read More
(Photo by Machel Spence)
A sampling from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar for today/tonight:
TONIGHT’S TRAFFIC ALERTS: From the day-by-day list, two closures overnight tonight – southbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct 9 pm-5 am, and eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct 10 pm-5 am – so if you get on the eastbound high bridge during the closure, you’ll have to exit to northbound 99.
BABY PEPPERS SESSION STARTS: Have a baby who’s 5-12 months old? A new session of Baby Peppers starts this morning, 10:30 am, at Bright Horizons (4530 38th SW). Details on the calendar listing page.
HERITAGE PUMPKIN PIE PROJECT: Another chance today, 2-8 pm at the West Seattle Eagles‘ headquarters in The Junction, to pre-order a 5″ or 10″ pumpkin pie from Diane Niemi for Thanksgiving pie season, as a fundraiser to help Alzheimer’s/dementia research – explained here.
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARM STAND: Fresh-vegetable sales continue weekly at the stand alongside the organic mini-farm at 32nd and Juneau, 4-7 pm. More info here.
MORE ENDORSEMENTS? The 34th District Democrats have already made endorsements in many major races for the November ballot – but there are others to consider when they meet tonight at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW). The agenda’s on their website.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT SOCCER: The West Seattle Sunday Soccer group’s weekly Wednesday night pickup game happens at 7 pm at Delridge Playfield – check the WSSS Facebook page for late-breaking updates.
More on the calendar!
If you bought a ticket for this year’s West Seattle Garden Tour, then that big ceremonial check is in part from you! Tuesday night at the Duwamish Longhouse, the WSGT celebrated this year’s eight beneficiaries – by presenting them with a grand total of $24,705, following what not only was a well-attended tour but was its most successful yet at drawing revenue from sponsors (including WSB again this year). Individual photos ahead, along with details on how the $ will be spent!
(WSB photo from Admiral Treats and Treasures 2011)
A quick note from tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, with a full-length report to follow in the next 24 hours or so: ANA president Katy Walum announced dates for two things you might want to get onto your calendar. First, this year’s Admiral Treats and Treasures trick-or-treat (and more) event in the business district is set for 3-6 pm on Friday, October 26th. Second, next year’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series is set for another six consecutive Thursdays, running July 25th (2013) through August 29th. (We’ll have all of those dates in the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar shortly in case you need to refer back!)
A last-minute location change for the North Delridge Neighborhood Council on Monday night led to a gathering at a nearby playground’s picnic shelter. Five council members discussed topics including:
Read More
(WSB photo from then-Superintendent-to-be José Banda’s tour of Arbor Heights in May 2012)
This afternoon, Seattle Public Schools sent the district’s families and community an update on the newest proposal for what to send to voters in the BEX (“Building Excellence”) IV levy next February. To get right to the point, here are the three toplines for West Seattle:
Arbor Heights Elementary: Replace existing building with new/expanded facility by 2019
Fairmount Park: Open this existing building with necessary upgrades, add classrooms and a lunchroom by 2014
Schmitz Park: Replace existing Genesee Hill building with a new/expanded facility on the Genesee Hill site; relocate Schmitz Park to the new facility by 2015
The Arbor Heights community was unhappy with the previous plan (here’s our report from May) for a 2018 opening for a new school; now, it’s been pushed back another year.
Also of note: The former EC Hughes Elementary campus – currently leased to independent Westside School (WSB sponsor) – is not mentioned in the announcement (nor is it on the accompanying draft slide). We may not be able to confirm until tomorrow whether that means the prospect of reopening it as a public school is off the table.
Read on for the complete announcement sent districtwide, including the list of public meetings ahead (in West Seattle, the meeting’s at Madison Middle School at 6:30 pm September 24):Read More
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When last we checked in on “The Hum,” after a spate of complaints around Labor Day weekend followed mostly by quietude except for news-media outlets around the region/country/world picking up on it (seriously!), the city had started to investigate, while two researchers were heading out to the Duwamish River to see if the midshipman fish might be to blame (as reported by KING 5 last Thursday night).
So, is it the fish’s fault?
Says the lead researcher, Joseph Sisneros from the University of Washington, who went out that night with a graduate student to investigate:
No.
We contacted him today to follow up on what they had done and found:
We placed a hydrophone (underwater microphone) in the Duwamish river (eastside of West Seattle), Alki Beach (northside of West Seattle in Elliott Bay) and near Lincoln Park (west side of West Seattle in Puget Sound). We did not hear any calls that night; we were out until about 11:30 pm. Thus, we have no evidence or data that the midshipman is present in West Seattle waters right now.
We were very interested that night in discovering new nest sites for these fish to study close to home/university. The mating season for the midshipman is typically late spring to summer. September is rather late in the summer but not necessary unheard of for the midshipman mate call to be heard, since in California, midshipman nests have been found sub-tidally during the fall months. For your information, the midshipman fish is a common fish found from Alaska to southern California. Very abundant on the west of the US.
After hearing about the strange reports of the hum in West Seattle, we were intrigued that perhaps the midshipman might be heard near shore if the calls were possibly transmitted via tanker or boat hulls. There was a famous story from Sausalito, CA in the 1980s when the mating calls of midshipman were heard to resonate through the houseboat hulls and drove the resident community crazy. There were all kinds of theories back then what the strange hum could be. Later the local fish biologist determined it was the midshipman’s mating call that was the source of the hum.
With that said, it would be impossible for the resonating hum to be transmitted very far inland into West Seattle, especially to places in the center of West Seattle where some of the “hums” have been reported on the West Seattle Blog! My guess is the sounds that are being heard are man-made.
So then, what are/were they? We checked back today with Bryan Stevens, spokesperson for the city’s Department of Planning and Development, which has jurisdiction over noise complaints/investigations. His update:
No new information at this point. Staff have been looking over possible construction projects in the area, but haven’t found anything that would have occurred in that vicinity or during the noted timeframe. Usually we hear from someone that can narrow it down to at least a couple blocks, but the comments we’ve received up to this point have been much more broad. That coupled with the limited duration of the noise (once a month maybe) will make this a difficult one to resolve.
So if you hear it again – note as much descriptive information as you can, record it if you can, and contact the city’s noise inspectors: (206) 684-7843 or (206) 615-1760.
The environmental-advocacy group People for Puget Sound says it’s not able to raise the money it needs to stay afloat, so it’s shutting down. Here’s the announcement from its website today. Its many years of work has included various initiatives involving West Seattle, such as the biennial Duwamish Alive! cleanups. The group’s executive director Tom Bancroft – who took over when founder Kathy Fletcher retired a year ago – says some of its programs will be taken over by other groups, including EarthCorps and the Washington Environmental Council.
(8/14 note: To check whether a business is still a current WSB sponsor, please go here)
Today we welcome a new WSB sponsor, Seattle Wellness Programs. Here’s what they would like you to know about their practice: Dr. Elissa Mullen, a board-certified naturopath, is dedicated to helping patients enhance and improve their health. Her patients appreciate her attention to detail, continuous research for the newest treatment options, and constant monitoring of medical conditions to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Patients rely on Dr. Mullen for her experience and services. She has a consulting practice in several states with nine companies for weight loss and sleep apnea; she has extensive knowledge of the biochemistry of metabolism and weight loss; she is nationally recognized as a specialist in MS and other autoimmune diseases and the use of LDN (low-dose naltrexone); she is contracted with most insurance companies. More than 75 percent of Dr. Mullen’s new patients come from current patient referral – patients tell their friends/colleagues that with her guidance, they have changed their health and their lives.
Over the past 6 years, Dr. Mullen has been actively involved in West Seattle Rotary, actively participating in the Eradicate Polio Campaign, Children’s Holiday Shopping Spree, West Seattle Kiddie Parade and 5K Float Dodger. Dr. Mullen is also an accomplished vocalist performing in Breath of Aire and Musica Sacra Chamber Chorale. You’ll find her online here – you can even book an appointment online! – and on Facebook here, and by phone at 206-388-2929.
We thank Dr. Elissa Mullen of Seattle Wellness Programs for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
(Seattle Parks file photo)
2:34 PM: After 17 years, the wooden “castle” at Roxhill Playground is now closed forever – awaiting renovation of the playground site and construction of its successor. That word comes from Mat McBride, who is leading the “community build” plan for the new structure – which, like the old castle, will be made by Leathers and Associates. McBride says West Seattle-based Grindline, which is both building the adjoining Roxhill Skatespot and preparing the playground site for the new structure, will dismantle the old one soon; its plaques, he says, have been saved. The dates for the volunteer “community build” are now set for October 17th-21st, according to McBride, and you’re invited: “Still lots of opportunity to roll up sleeves for this park and community.” He is starting a website about and for the project – see it here; there’s history for starters, with information coming soon about other aspects including signing up to help build the new “castle.”
4:05 PM UPDATE: The dismantling already has begun; we went over for a photo and found that the north side of the play area had been taken apart, though the main part of the old “castle” is still standing:
Since the Alki Statue of Liberty has been a touchstone on 9/11 ever since that first night-after in 2001, we visited late this morning to look for tributes. On the side visible from the street, a few bouquets had been placed, plus a small creation from stones; on the water side, a note, and stones arranged in the shape of a heart:
The note is a prayer, reading in part, “Help us to live with love rather than hate. Help us to forgive.” Meantime, we’ll check back this evening. While there was an organized, well-attended vigil last year (WSB coverage here) on the 10th anniversary of the deadly East Coast attacks, we haven’t heard of any official plans this year (please let us know if you have).
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