day : 23/01/2013 10 results

Lorrie wants to get the word out about a dog attack that she says a Seattle Animal Shelter officer is investigating. She says it happened around 9:30 this morning while her husband was walking their small, leashed dog:

At 51st and Andover [map], two large dogs ran up and attacked our dog. Both dog and man were bitten. … The animal control officer came to the house & documented the injury. He feels confident he will catch up to them. They have also been sighted up at Admiral. They’re really large so I would want people with small children to be wary as well.

The wounds weren’t major, she says. But they called SAS and police. No photo of the dogs, so we asked for a description: “One dog seemed to be a German shepherd/chow mix – big and furry. The other, maybe a brindle boxer/pit bull mix.” We’ll be following up with SAS tomorrow.

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2 highway-project updates: No more ramp work till mid-February; ‘Timber Bridge’ work to start February 25th

January 23, 2013 9:53 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WSDOT photo of the ‘noise shack’ during interchange work)
Two updates tonight on the latest state-highway projects in the West Seattle vicinity: First, for those following the I-5 Spokane St. Interchange Vicinity Special Bridge Repair project, replacing expansion joints – it is NOT scheduled for any more weekend ramp closures until the weekend of February 15-18.

One week after that, on February 25th, is the date set for work to start on the “Timber Bridge”/Spokane St. Overcrossing on Highway 99 south of the West Seattle Bridge.

(WSDOT photo)
As the project page points out, this section of highway was built as a temporary structure more than half a century ago. It will be rebuilt in two phases so that traffic can continue to get through: “Traffic will be reduced to two northbound lanes and one southbound lane between South Nevada Street and the West Seattle Bridge from Feb. 25 through June 2014,” says WSDOT.

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Roxhill robberies: Denny principal’s letter to families

January 23, 2013 5:27 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark is sharing the letter sent to his school’s families, following up on the Sunday and Tuesday Roxhill Park robberies reported here earlier this afternoon, and he says the district will have a letter for more families tomorrow:

As a result of Denny International Middle School students being the victims of recent crimes in the Roxhill Park area, we are contacting all families to remind them of safety-related recommendations for walking to and from school. Recommendations include walking with other students and heading directly home.

We have contacted the Seattle Police Department and have learned that a detective has been assigned to these cases. If anyone sees any suspicious behavior on the part of anyone in our community, we encourage you to call 911. Also, as always, if any student has any problem on the way to or from school, please tell any staff member at school. Tomorrow, Seattle Public Schools central office will be sending home a letter to all families with children who attend schools in the area.

Sincerely,

Jeff Clark, Principal
Denny International Middle School

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MAP testing revolt: Superintendent announces task force; test boycotters threatened with suspension

January 23, 2013 2:58 pm

| 38 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

In advance of a media briefing next hour about Seattle Public Schools‘ response to concerns about the testing known as MAP (Measures of Academic Progress), and a rally by MAP opponents after that, Superintendent José Banda has just announced a testing task force. Read on for his open letter (and, ADDED 4:30 PM, another administration letter saying test-boycotting teachers face suspension):

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Followup: New Genesee/Avalon stoplight finally working

January 23, 2013 2:53 pm

| 34 COMMENTS

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

Just got two reports that the Genesee/Avalon traffic signal is finally out of testing mode and into official operation – co-publisher Patrick spotted it (and sent the above photo), while North Delridge’s Holli Margell just tweeted about it. It’s been in testing mode for three weeks; installment work started three months ago. Metro’s Route 50 has been awaiting this light so it can travel its intended route; that, we were told earlier this month, will happen when the next service change takes effect February 16th. The new traffic signal, years in the making, is the result of neighborhood leaders seeking and finally getting a city grant for it.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Students robbed; truck stolen; car found

January 23, 2013 1:09 pm

| 46 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

1:09 PM: For the first of this afternoon’s two West Seattle Crime Watch reports, we are still working to get more details from police, but for starters, they confirm the robbery happened: Stacey e-mailed to say she was walking through the Westwood Village parking lot yesterday afternoon “when four 8th grade boys asked to use my phone. They were visibly shaken up and had, they said, just been robbed at gunpoint by three masked men while walking down an alley near the park across the street (Roxhill Park). The robbers each had guns and the boys gave up their phones, wallets and in one case a backpack.” That’s all we know so far; police tell us more details will be available via SPD Blotter later this afternoon, and we’ll add to this report when that information is in. We have no idea at this point if there’s any relation to the armed robbery at a 35th/Roxbury business on Monday.

3:13 PM UPDATE: The SPD report says this was one of TWO robberies targeting kids that age, in that area, in the past four days – the first one was near 27th and Cambridge last Sunday, and yesterday’s robbery is now described as having happened in Roxhill Park itself. Details here.

(back to original report) Second, a stolen truck to look for: In the Hansen View area south of The Mount, a locked work truck – white Silverado with a Charter Construction logo and the word HEROIC on the back – was reported as stolen overnight. Here’s the @getyourcarback tweet; call 911 if you see it.

Speaking of stolen cars – the blue Camry reported as stolen in our Monday night Crime Watch roundup has been found on White Center, according to this comment from Melissa, who sent the original report.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Nine highlights for tonight

January 23, 2013 11:45 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Nine highlights for tonight

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Great blue heron photographed at Alki Point by Yuri Levchenko, shared via WSB Flickr group)
Before we get further into the day – nine notes for tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – starting with two that affect WS but are happening outside our area:

SCHOOL BOARD (ETC.): Tonight the board finalizes the Capacity Management plan for next year; before the board meeting, opponents of MAP testing plan a rally outside district HQ in SODO. That’s at 4; the board meeting’s at 4:15 – updated agenda here (including details on the transportation plan for next year, which you can see here).

REAL TALK FOR GIRLS: Young women 12-19 are welcome at 5:30 pm at Southwest Teen Life Center to talk about what’s on their minds (2801 SW Thistle).

OPPORTUNITY FUND PRESENTATIONS: The Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee (chaired by West Seattleite Pete Spalding) listens tonight to presentations by those who’ve applied for the second round of grants from the levy’s Opportunity Fund. While city staff has ranked Genesee Hill and South Park projects highest for this region, that’s just part of what the committee takes into account, and now is the time for applicants to make their case; eventually, the City Council has to give its blessing. This is the first of two events for presentations, and the closest one to West Seattle – it’s at South Shore Middle School (4800 S. Henderson; here’s a map), 6-9 pm, starting with an open house.

HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: 7 pm tonight at Highland Park Improvement Club (or come early for the 6:30 pm potluck), 12th/Holden. Agenda includes talking with Seattle Parks about the possibility of more trees for Riverview Park, an update on the raingarden coming to HPIC, and a call for “ideas on what you think could improve Highland Park.” Plus – leadership nominations!

POEMS AND STORIES: The monthly poetry/storytelling night at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW), 7 pm – more info here.

BASKETBALL – WSHS @ CSIHS, NIGHT 2: Tonight, the Wildcats and Seahawks’ girls teams face off in the Chief Sealth International High School gym (2600 SW Thistle) – 5:45 JV, 7:30 pm varsity.

OPENING NIGHT FOR ‘SHIRLEY VALENTINE’: The new production at ArtsWest debuts tonight, 7:30 pm, details here.

JAZZ AT DUOS LOUNGE: The new beverage/food spot on Avalon Way in Luna Park is starting jazz music on Wednesday nights – 8 pm, the Triangular Jazztets perform.

TALARICO’S TRIVIA: New addition to our calendar – though not a new addition to the West Seattle nightlife scene! Phil Tavel e-mailed WSB to point out that he has been doing trivia at Talarico’s every Wednesday night for five years, 8:30 till 10 (or a little beyond) – says he hasn’t missed a week, even in snow! $2 person, no maximum or minimum team size, “cash prices to the top 3 teams and bottles of champagne for the bottom three teams.”

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‘Preferred schematic design’ debuts for future Genesee Hill school

January 23, 2013 8:50 am

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| Genesee Hill | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

A preferred “schematic design” was revealed last night for what is now going by the working title of the “new elementary school at Genesee Hill,” rather than “the new Schmitz Park Elementary at Genesee Hill,” according to project manager Janet Donelson.

The design was shown to about 20 community members in the Schmitz Park cafeteria, exactly three weeks before the February 12th election in which Seattle voters will decide whether to approve the Seattle Public Schools BEX (Building Excellence) IV levy that will generate the property-tax dollars for this $38 million project and others around the city.

As Donelson explained at the start of the meeting, the district provided some advance money to get the design work under way – since getting a new school open by fall 2015 would be impossible if they waited till after the election to start; a community advisory team has been working since last fall.

Ahead, four more views from last night’s presentation led by BLRB Architects, and what happens next:

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: ‘Out of the fog’ Wednesday edition

January 23, 2013 6:03 am

| 14 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Normal never looked so good. Everybody raise their hands if they’d had enough of the fog. (But don’t raise them if you’re driving! Don’t read this if you’re driving, either.) Once again, we’re on the move for the day. Besides the various projects under way around town, a traffic-alert again tonight: Southbound 99 closed again from Battery St. Tunnel to West Seattle Bridge, 10 pm-5 am, for SODO overpass work.

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Cross-peninsula basketball: Chief Sealth hosts WSHS, night 1

January 23, 2013 1:39 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

The friendly cross-peninsula rivalry between our area’s two major public high schools is back on the court this week. Above, boys-basketball head coaches Keffrey Fazio of West Seattle HS and Colin Slingsby of Chief Sealth International HS, as their teams faced off Tuesday night in the Sealth gym, where the girls play tonight. In the boys-varsity game, the Seahawks topped the Wildcats 66-54, but it was closer than that much of the way: