day : 28/12/2012 10 results

Three reader reports in Crime Watch tonight. First:

That’s the spot near 21st and Roxbury where a truck knocked down a pole early this morning. The WSB’er who shared that photo and the next one heard it happen: “It sounded like someone dropped a dumpster from a 747,” he recalls. Looking around to see what happened, he saw a truck crashed into the pole, airbags deployed – and then, driven away before police arrived. Later, checking around the neighborhood, he discovered the suspect truck hadn’t gotten far:

Police, of course, were called again. Driver still on the loose, last we heard. Ahead, two other reports – thefts big and not-as-big:

Share This

West Seattle New Year’s Eve: Walk the Fauntleroy labyrinth!

December 28, 2012 6:01 pm

| Comments Off on West Seattle New Year’s Eve: Walk the Fauntleroy labyrinth!

| Fauntleroy | Holidays | West Seattle news

(Fauntleroy Fall Festival 2012 photo of The Hall’s labyrinth, by Nick Adams for WSB)
Another unique New Year’s Eve event in West Seattle: The Hall at Fauntleroy‘s Labyrinth Walk (see the flyer here). It’s 6-8 pm Monday in The Hall’s space on the south side of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW). The suggested donation, $5/person ($20/family if 4 or more), is to benefit the “Raise the Roof” capital campaign for the schoolhouse (now a nonprofit-owned community facility that’s had $1 million-plus in repairs, such as roof work, to deal with). To find out more about the labyrinth itself, go here.

(The Labyrinth Walk is one of many New Year’s Eve/Day West Seattle/White Center events spotlighted in the WSB Holiday Guide (where you’ll also find the lists of restaurants/coffee shops/grocery stores open on NYE and/or NYD) – more to be added if you let us know what we’re missing!)

Share This

Southwest District Council: New time, new West Seattle location

December 28, 2012 4:16 pm

| Comments Off on Southwest District Council: New time, new West Seattle location

| Southwest District Council | West Seattle news

Starting with its January meeting – coming up next Wednesday (January 2) – the Southwest District Council is changing meeting times and locations. The council will continue meeting on first Wednesdays – but it’ll be at 6:30 pm, earlier than before, and the new location is the Southwest Teen Life Center/Pool building (2801 SW Thistle), Room 2. The agenda for next Wednesday includes presentations by West Seattleites applying for Neighborhood Street Fund grants – three proposals are from Morgan Junction, one from Admiral, and one from Arbor Heights. SWDC meetings are always open to the public; council members represent community councils and other organizations from around what the city has designated as the “Southwest District” – mostly western West Seattle (here’s the citywide map of districts). See next Wednesday’s full agenda here (PDF).

Share This

Memorial service tomorrow for Alma Dines, 1929-2012

December 28, 2012 3:28 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Longtime West Seattle resident Alma Dines will be remembered at a service tomorrow. Her family shared this announcement today:

Alma Julia Dines, 83, born October 27, 1929, passed away on December 16, 2012. She attended Centralia High School and Centralia Junior College before moving to Seattle in 1949 to attend the University of Washington where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.

Alma married Alec Dines in July 1954 and they settled in West Seattle. Alec passed away in 1969. After several years as a stay-at-home mom, Alma went back to work at Western and Southern Life Insurance Company. She then worked for Providence Hospital in Seattle (now Swedish Cherry Hill) as a Patient Account Representative until her retirement in December 1994.

Alma was an avid walker and could often be seen walking in the Admiral area where she lived in a condominium. She had a wide circle of friends; always close to her heart were her friends at the West Seattle Baptist Church.

Alma was predeceased by her parents, husband Alec, and sister Amy. She is survived by her brother Lee Harrah of Hutchinson, Kansas, her daughter Diana (Phil), son Alec (Jeannie) and grandchildren Kyle Hamilton (Sherry), David Hamilton (Kelsey), Melanie Hamilton Reed (Brian), Joe Dines and John Dines; and great grandson Alex Hamilton.

Memorial service Saturday, December 29th, 11 am, at West Seattle Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name to West Seattle Baptist Church, 4157 California Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116.

(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

Share This

West Seattle road work: Avalon/Genesee signal milestone

December 28, 2012 3:07 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

Milestone for those awaiting the new traffic signal at Avalon and Genesee: We’ve seen crews working at the intersection almost daily, and this afternoon, the actual stoplight fixtures are installed. No activation date announced yet (we’re checking); the installation is running a few months behind what SDOT had announced earlier this year – installation work finally began in October.

Share This

West Seattle development, mapped: 2,000+ planned units

December 28, 2012 12:38 pm

| 60 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

View Major active/upcoming West Seattle development, updated for December 2012 in a larger map

Looks like 2013 will be “The Year of the Crane” in West Seattle. We have finally finished updating the latest version of the development-in-the-works map, first published in August (separate from a version we updated repeatedly back during the 2008 boom) – click any marker to find out more about the project at that site. Just as well we didn’t publish it earlier, since this week has brought more updates. A three-block stretch of California SW’s east side will have three projects under way by spring, if current plans come to fruition, including Wednesday’s announcement about The Blake.

When we published the previous version in August, we counted about 1,500 units either under construction or on the drawing board; now, with a few additions and a few subtractions (noted below), we count more than 2,000. A few notes:

-In addition to what is visible in the map window above, our current list has one more development on the map, but it’s out of view because it’s in south West Seattle at 9051 20th SW – you can grab the map to manipulate it to see that 41-apartment project (or click the small blue link below the map to see it full-size on Google Maps); otherwise, everything of note is concentrated in the area shown by default – the Junction/Triangle/Avalon area.

-Two buildings from the August edition have been removed, because both are now leasing – NOVA (WSB sponsor) and The Residences at 3295.

-Though they are not apartments in the classic sense, we include the 66-unit DESC Delridge Supportive Housing project in North Delridge and the early-stage proposal for a “50-60-unit Alzheimer’s housing” project in The Junction, as both are of significant size and neighborhood impact.

-We’ve used a variety of methods – maps, databases, city webpages, driving around, etc. – to keep watch for new projects. But it’s possible we’ve missed something – so if you know about an early-stage proposal on a site not mentioned here, please let us know!

Share This

West Seattle Friday: On the eve of another 4-day holiday weekend

December 28, 2012 11:09 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Friday: On the eve of another 4-day holiday weekend

| West Seattle news

With New Year’s Eve on Monday and New Year’s Day on Tuesday, it’s a second consecutive four-day holiday weekend. From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and our regular calendar, a few notes:

METRO: As noted in today’s transit/traffic tracker, buses are on the “reduced weekday” schedule, and will be again on Monday, with New Year’s Day running a Sunday schedule.

TRASH/RECYCLING: While it’s been on one-day delay since Tuesday – if you have MONDAY pickup, it should happen on the regular day next week, then Tuesday-Friday will be on one-day delay again, according to the city.

SID LAW AT C & P: Live music at C & P Coffee House (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW) tonight with Sid Law, 6-8 pm – find out about his music at sidlaw.biz.

BARBIE ANAKA AT SALTY’S: Live music in the café/bar at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), no cover, with Barbie Anaka, 7-9 pm – find out about her music at barbieanaka.com.

PEOPLE TANK, YEAR OF THE SERPENT AT SKYLARK: Live music at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm, with People Tank and Year of the Serpent.

INTISAAR AND LUSH TONES AT BENBOW: Live music tonight at the Heartland Café’s Benbow Room (4210 SW Admiral Way), 9 pm, with Intisaar and Lush Tones.

For New Year’s Eve/Day events, check the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide ASAP – and if we’re missing something in West Seattle or White Center, including restaurant/lounge/bar special menus/midnight toasts/etc., please let us know ASAP so we can add it before everyone finalizes their plans – editor@westseattleblog.com.

Share This

West Seattle Crime Watch: Robber sought in store stickup

December 28, 2012 9:37 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Robber sought in store stickup

| Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Seattle Police are trying to solve an armed robbery at a local store. Via SPD Blotter, police say a man walked into El Quetzal, which is in the Arrowhead Gardens complex in the 9200 block of 2nd SW, around 7:30 last night, and pointed a black revolver at the clerk. The robber ordered the clerk to lie on the floor; then the robber opened the register, took cash, and left. He was last seen walking southbound. The clerk, who was not hurt, described him as “a Hispanic male, between the age of 18-20, 5′8″ tall, 200 pounds, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black jacket, and gray pants,” according to SPD; no arrest so far.

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates, and 2013’s first alert

December 28, 2012 6:03 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Refresh page for newest image from west-facing West Seattle Bridge cam; more cameras here)
“Reduced weekday” for Metro again today – scroll down this Metro webpage to see which routes are normal, which are reduced, and which are canceled.

TRAFFIC ALERT FOR THE FIRST WEEKEND OF 2013: One month ago, we had first word of the Spokane Street Interchange Vicinity Special Bridge Repair project, starting in early January, with various weekend ramp closures planned; now, the first closure is almost here, so we’re reminding you: 10 pm NEXT Friday 1/4 through 5 am Monday 1/7, two ramps will be closed – Columbian Way (Beacon Hill) to West Seattle Bridge, and Southbound I-5 to West Seattle Bridge. Here’s the detour map. Again, that’s NEXT weekend (full list of all project closures, here).

10:22 AM: More trouble today on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Here are the latest updates from the WSF alert system:

Due to necessary repairs on the Klahowya, the 11:35 am Southworth departure will only sail to Vashon. The 11:55 am Vashon to Fauntleroy sailing and the 12:20 pm Fauntleroy to Vashon sailing are canceled.

Share This

West Seattle Weather Watch: Of rainbows and rainfall

December 28, 2012 1:42 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Just before sunset on Thursday, north West Seattle enjoyed a beautiful rainbow view. We received two photos from Alki – top, from Russ Walker; below, from Ginny Trethewey:

A few hours later, the Seattle office of the National Weather Service shared some stats on this year’s rainfall:

Today was the 176th day this year with measurable precipitation at Sea-Tac. This is the 8th-highest total on record at Sea-Tac. The record is 194 days in 1950. The least number of days on record at Sea-Tac – 120 days in 1987.

Since October 1st there has been 21.78 inches of precipitation at Sea-Tac. 5th-highest October 1st to December 31st total. The record is 25.06 inches, set in 1955.

And yet it also has been a year with a record dry spell – the longest period in which only .01 inches of rain was recorded – 81 days in late summer/early fall.

Share This