West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
The campaign announced back in September to push for electing City Council members by district filed its charter-amendment petition with the city today, report our partners at The Seattle Times. Right now, for example, there’s one West Seattle resident on the City Council, Tom Rasmussen, but he, like his eight council colleagues, was elected to represent the entire city. The Seattle Districts Now proposal draws boundaries for 7 council districts (here’s the map; note that West Seattle would be District #1); read the full text here. So what would it take to pass this? All explained here.
(WSB file photo of the West Seattle Water Taxi, May 2011)
There’s scheduling news from today’s meeting of the King County Ferry District Board – county councilmembers wearing their marine hats, overseeing West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi operations. First, one small tweak that local families say will make a big difference; second, a big-picture commitment that should be a relief to local professional sports fans. Details on both, ahead:
Suicide is an epidemic – five times as common as homicide in our county – but fears and taboos keep us from talking openly about it, which may actually be keeping us from preventing it. Here’s a chance to make a difference – by learning life-saving information about dealing with suicide and depression among children and teenagers. It’s a free seminar/workshop that the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA will present 6-8 pm next Tuesday, January 29, at the conference room of High Point Library (35th/Raymond), in partnership with the branch’s teen librarian Ken Gollersrud. Two guest speakers are planned – read about them and what they’ll focus on, by going to the Sealth PTSA website.
(Photo courtesy Tammy Wooley, added 9:18 pm)
Several people called/texted/e-mailed to say they saw Seattle Police out on horseback on SW Barton within the past hour or so. So far, no photo – and when we went out looking for them, we couldn’t find them – but just in case you didn’t know, it’s not unusual to see them out and about, since the SPD horse force is based here in West Seattle, at Westcrest Park. We’ve reported sightings in the past, most often at Westwood Village (like this and this and this), where they’re taken for acclimation – they often show up at the summertime Picnic at the Precinct, too. As reported here two years ago, their funding was slated to be cut until the Seattle Police Foundation stepped in to help. P.S. If you saw them today and took a photo – we would love to share it – thanks!
(WSB photo taken this morning, looking southeast at the slide zone)
Five months after the city announced a settlement in the legal fight over the Beach Drive slide zone, there’s finally a sign that slope-stabilization work will start soon. As reported here in August of last year, mediation led to an agreement for “insurance monies and private funds” to pay for retaining walls and a drainage system to stabilize the slope below the 6000 block of Atlas (map), site of repeated slides, including this one in 2010:
Homeowners below the slope had sued the city and Atlas homeowner Peter Saladino, who, for agreeing to build the walls and drainage, would be spared “the majority of fines” the city could have levied (they had sued him too). Browsing the city Department of Planning and Development site last night, we discovered permits had been issued for at least some of the work, so we followed up today with DPD spokesperson Bryan Stevens, who explains:
Permit #6239617 includes 6067 Atlas, 6053 Atlas, and 6049 Atlas. This permit covers the construction of two retaining walls (one upper, one lower along Beach Drive), installation of subsurface drainage and revegetation of the hillside across the three properties.
Work can begin on the lower wall, as we have conditionally granted their request to work in this area during the wet season. The upper wall is in a more sensitive location and will have to wait until after April 1st, when conditions are typically dryer.
This work is of interest not just to those who live in the area, but also to those who use that much-rutted stretch of Beach Drive – once the slope work is done, the road can be fixed. (After last year’s agreement was announced, the city repaved a nearby section of Beach Drive that wasn’t directly beneath the unstable slope.) The whole mess even came before the City Council Transportation Committee two years ago this month. We don’t know yet exactly when the first phase of work will start, but we’ll update whenever we find out.
Another development in the movement of some Seattle Public Schools‘ teachers expressing opposition to, or even declining to administer, the testing known as MAP: The district just announced that it will “host a media briefing with Superintendent José Banda and other district officials regarding the district’s Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing” at district HQ tomorrow afternoon. The announcement says he will be joined by three district officials – interim teaching/learning assistant superintendent Michael Tolley, research/evaluation manager Eric Anderson, and Teacher Incentive Fund project director Clover Codd (a former Alki Elementary principal, by the way). No word yet whether an announcement will be made or whether it’ll be a reiteration of what the superintendent has already said. This all started when Garfield High School teachers announced they would not give the tests; since then, other expressions of opposition have included letters sent by the teachers at Sanislo (WSB report here) and Schmitz Park (WSB report here) elementaries here in West Seattle.
A 30-year-old man is now in jail for investigation of burglary, thanks to what Seattle Police describe as “an alert neighbor” who called 911 this morning after seeing a stranger “lurking” before vanishing into a yard. From the report on SPD Blotter:
This morning just shortly after 9:00 am, a woman saw an unknown male roaming around in her neighbor’s yard in the 3700 block of SW Donovan St, she then heard the sound of glass breaking. The woman immediately called 911 and gave an excellent description and direction of travel as the suspect was leaving her neighbor’s yard.
Officers were close by and quickly responded. They located the suspect in the immediate vicinity. The suspect was identified and detained for an outstanding warrant. He was subsequently identified by the caller as the subject in her friend’s yard. Officers determined that the suspect attempted to gain entry by breaking the window on the north side door.
P.S. We don’t know whether this neighborhood has a Block Watch but whether you do or don’t, if you’re interested in banding together to prevent/fight crime, here’s one more reminder that the West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meets at 6:30 tonight, Southwest Precinct (Webster west of Delridge).
10:55 AM: Crews are on the scene of a house-fire call in the 200 block of SW Roxbury – the east end of the street. They’ve already reported it as “tapped” and are dismissing some of the crews; more to come.
11:11 AM: Firefighters on the scene say what fire there was, was in the back of the house. No injuries reported; the investigation into its cause is under way.
11:25 AM: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore has just been to the scene and provided new information: The fire started in a backyard kennel-type structure that was housing 4 dogs (all described as Chihuahuas). They’re all OK. But the flames did extend to the deck and the back wall of the house – the interior was not involved, so the house remains habitable. Investigators are still trying to find out what sparked the fire.
(This photo and next one courtesy of SFD)
4:36 PM: Adding photos shared by SFD’s Moore showing where the fire started (and spread), at the back of the home, where the wire kennel area was.
Still awaiting final word on the fire’s cause.
10:44 PM UPDATE: And that information’s now in – a heater in the “dog house” caused an accidental electrical fire, SFD says, with flames spreading to the wooden deck and siding before the fire was extinguished. Damage is estimated at $20,000.
Every so often, a thief makes off with a boat on a trailer. The one reported in South Park over the weekend is not your everyday stolen boat on a trailer. We just called Seattle Police to follow up on an over-the-air “be on the lookout” heard on Monday, and here’s what Det. Mark Jamieson told us: The “fast-attack prototype” boat was on a three-axle, 40-foot boat trailer with a red and white 1987 Freightliner cab, taken from a fenced area on the east side of a commercial building in the 1400 block of South Henderson (map). The report says it had been parked there since March of last year and was believed to have been stolen Sunday night; the gate lock had been cut. Asked if there were any other identifying features we could mention about the stolen boat, Det. Jamieson says the trailer was reported to say “Maaco” on the side, and the trailer “might have a white, yellow, orange, and blue cargo box on the back.” As with all stolen vehicles, if you think you’ve seen this, call 911.
Just like the third-eyelid-sporting crow photographed at Jack Block Park by David Hutchinson, the busy schedule in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar has a totally no-nonsense look for today/tonight. Some of what’s on the schedule:
NOTES FROM THE JOB SEARCH: Yes, this networking group is still meeting – if you are new to the job-search world and looking for support, check it out, 11 am at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW).
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE LUNCH MEETING: Jazz writer Paul de Barros is this week’s guest speaker. Interested in checking out the West Seattle Rotary? You’re welcome to attend – noon at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor).
BASKETBALL – WSHS BOYS VISIT SEALTH: Junior varsity at 5:45, varsity at 7:30, as Chief Sealth International High School (2600 SW Thistle) hosts West Seattle High School for two basketball games tonight (the girls play there tomorrow).
BLOCKWATCH CAPTAINS’ NETWORK: You don’t have to be a Block Watch captain to come to this neighborhood-to-neighborhood crime-prevention-support (and more) meeting. On the agenda tonight, they’ll get a re-introduction from recently returned Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Joe Kessler, and they’ll talk about home-security cameras. 6:30 pm at the precinct (Delridge/Webster).
SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE’S ANNUAL MEETING: New board members, a 2012 recap, and a new community grant opportunity are part of what’s on the agenda at 7 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon) – all welcome, members or not! Full details on the SWS website.
DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR NEW SCHOOL: See how the potential designs for the new Schmitz Park Elementary at Genesee Hill are evolving, presented by the architects and district at 7 pm at the current SP Elementary (5000 SW Spokane).
PESTICIDES AND FOOD: Public Health Café discussion tonight at Chaco Canyon Organic Café (38th and Alaska), 7 pm – details in our calendar listing.
SOCIAL CHANGE RE: MENTAL HEALTH … is the topic of a community discussion at 7 pm @ Hope Lutheran Church (42nd/Oregon). Details in our preview.
NIGHTLIFE … Live music at Löcol and OutWest, trivia at Feedback Lounge, karaoke at Skylark, singer/songwriter showcase at Shadowland – all listed on the calendar with full details.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
5:59 AM: If the forecast comes true, it’ll be soggy instead of foggy by tomorrow morning’s commute. But for now, one more round of murk, with a dense-fog advisory in effect till noon. Plus, a traffic-alert for tonight: Southbound 99 is closed again from Battery St. Tunnel to West Seattle Bridge, 10 pm-5 am, for SODO overpass work.
8:10 AM: Last week, you’ll recall, Metro went public with results of its online and in-person surveys of West Seattle riders, and crowded buses comprised the top complaint. Christian just sent an inside-RapidRide photo from about half an hour ago:
“There were more people standing then sitting,” Christian noted.
9:03 AM: If you take the 1st Avenue Bridge northbound from southeast West Seattle (or points further south), heads up from WSDOT via Twitter:
Heads up, crews are closing the right lane of NB SR 99 on the 1st Ave Bridge starting. …now, until about noon.
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) January 22, 2013
1:34 PM UPDATE: WSDOT says the work’s not over yet – the bridge had to open for marine traffic, among other complications. They’re now hoping to be done by mid-afternoon.
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