Followup: Campaigning for transportation $ in the Legislature
(Photo courtesy ‘Keep King County Moving’ Coalition)
Following up on our Monday report about transportation-funding proposals approved by the House Transportation Committee, two notes:
First – as promised, the “Keep King County Moving” coalition of political and organizational leaders hit the road for Olympia this morning to urge approval of the package. Among them were two West Seattleites seen in the photo above – County Executive Dow Constantine and County Councilmember Joe McDermott.
Second – a little more information on part of the proposal that sparked some discussion among WSB commenters following our Monday story. It would include funding to “split” Metro RapidRide Lines C and D – which currently are really one line going between West Seattle and Ballard. We asked the King County Department of Transportation if any more details were available, and spokesperson Rochelle Ogershok replied today:
This is a proposal for capital improvements. It calls for $15 million to split the RapidRide C and D lines to improve reliability and provide additional direct service to growing job centers in the South Lake Union and SODO neighborhoods.
The approach under consideration would have the C Line running between West Seattle and South Lake Union. The D Line would operate between Ballard and SODO. There is no specific routing sketched out at this point – that is something we would want to work with businesses and the city on if this legislation passes. Also, this proposal does not include added service hours or bus terminal/transit center space in South Lake Union that would be required to support these changes so this concept would need to be part of a broader legislative package that includes sufficient operating revenues.
Again, the bills are HB 1954 and HB 1955. 34th District State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon says the next move is up to the Rules Committee.
West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day: 36 hours to register!
Haven’t gotten around to registering your sale for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2013 yet? Just 36 hours left to register! It’s 9 am-3 pm Saturday, May 11th, one big day of sales big and small all around the peninsula – a chance for “person-to-person recycling” as well as meeting neighbors, making friends, finding treasures … We have 200+ sales so far, from Admiral to Alki to The Arroyos, Pigeon Point to Highland Park, and beyond, from individual homes to block sales, business sales, benefit sales, school sales … If you don’t have room for your own sale, or just don’t have THAT much stuff to sell, be sure to check directly with group-site organizers Hotwire Coffee or C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsors) ASAP! But if you ARE signing up your own sale: Go here, before the deadline (11:59 pm tomorrow [Wednesday 4/24] – that’s when we get busy making the maps so shoppers all over the region can get them a week in advance).
Seattle Fourth of July fireworks ‘a go’; will stay on Lake Union
(July 4, 2012, photo by Jamie Kinney – Lake Union fireworks as seen from Admiral Way Bridge)
10:29 AM: Just announced at City Hall – 4th of July fireworks are definitely ‘a go’ – and they’re staying on Lake Union. So says the Metropolitan Seattle Chamber of Commerce, making the announcement in conjunction with Mayor McGinn, Seafair, and others, including contributions from Microsoft and Amazon. You can watch live here. The show will change fireworks providers (Western Display is the new one) and TV-broadcast partners (now it’s KIRO 7), and those speaking at the briefing say this is a multi-year commitment, so you won’t hear “we might not have fireworks” again next year.
ADDED 10:45 AM: Of note, since West Seattle hosts its share of citywide-draw events (Seafair Pirates Landing, for example) – in response to a question, the mayor says they’re expecting stepped-up security at “probably all our events” this summer, not just the fireworks, in the wake of Boston. So you might see explosives-detecting dogs (which are already fixtures at ferry docks), for example. Also – the briefing (linked in the first part of the update) is over now.
West Seattle Tuesday: ‘Celebrate Lincoln Park’; Block Watch Captains; soccer; STEM plan…
Thanks to Bob Michaels for the view of this morning’s beautiful sunrise … those clouds are just memories now, and the sun’s shining full force. The WSB West Seattle Event Calendar has the full slate of what’s up today/tonight, and here are five highlights:
BIG SOCCER GAME: Division-leading Chief Sealth International High School – also ranked #2 statewide! – hosts division #2 Ingraham at Southwest Athletic Complex, 4 pm today. (2801 SW Thistle)
FORUM FOR CAREGIVERS: Merrill Gardens (WSB sponsor) continues its series of forums for caregivers – tonight’s topic at MG-Admiral Heights is communication in multiple-caregiver situations. 6 pm; details here. (2326 California SW)
CELEBRATE LINCOLN PARK, PART 1: You’ve probably walked its paths, through the forest, along the shore – but do you know its history? Details about its wildlife? (Yes, even the squirrel photographed today by Machel Spence:
The Fauntleroy Community Association‘s two-part “Celebrate Lincoln Park” begins tonight at The Hall at Fauntleroy with an event to help you learn about the park (prelude to a Saturday event AT the park) – 6:30 to 8:30 pm, free, details here. (9131 California SW)
CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN: Also known as CPTED, it’s what you’ll learn about tonight if you go to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network‘s monthly meeting – you don’t have to be a captain, or even a Block Watch member (though BW’s are highly recommended for EVERY neighborhood), to be there. Details on the WSBWCN website; 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct meeting room. (Delridge/Webster)
K-5 STEM STRATEGIC PLAN: 6:45-8:15 pm tonight, current and future K-5 STEM families are welcome to come hear – and comment on – the presentation of the school’s five-year plan. (5950 Delridge Way SW)
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TRACKER: Clear but chilly Tuesday start
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
You probably won’t need to scrape your windshield – but there’s some frost out there this morning (for us, atop a hill, it was just on top of the car).
Meantime, today/tonight road-work reminders, from the full-week list we published in Monday morning’s traffic tracker:
*SW 106th repaving in Arbor Heights is planned for today and tomorrow – details here
*Highway 99 north of downtown continues various overnight closures nightly through Thursday night – details and detours here
METRO RIDER NOTE: An e-mail advisory this morning says, “Metro’s Customer Information phone line at 553-3000 is temporarily out of service.”
Tour historic Colman Estate Sunday – if you sign up by Thursday
(Photo courtesy Historic Seattle)
Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals sends a reminder – if you want to join this Sunday’s rare tour of the historic Colman Estate in West Seattle, you need to sign up by Thursday!
The Laurence Colman Estate Tour is right around the corner, on Sunday, April 28. What better way to spend a spring afternoon in West Seattle?
Organized by Historic Seattle and co-sponsored by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, this rare opportunity provides an in-person glimpse of the home of one of the legendary families of the Fauntleroy neighborhood, West Seattle and Seattle as a whole.
Under new ownership, the four-floor Colman Estate sparkles with panoramic views and a vivid rhododendron garden.
Southwest Seattle Historical Society members can register for the tour at a discount. Sign up now, while there are still slots available. The deadline is Thursday, April 25.
You don’t have to be a member to take the tour, though. For details and registration, go here.
Baseball ‘battle of aces’: West Seattle HS vs. Eastside Catholic
An extra-innings loss on Monday for West Seattle High School‘s varsity baseball team – 4-3. The summary and photos are courtesy of Greg Slader (thank you!):
In a battle of aces, West Seattle found themselves down 0-3 in the sixth inning when Cameron Slader #6 (top photo) hit an RBI double into the gap. Morgan McCullough #3 followed with another hit as the varsity team tied Eastside Catholic through seven innings 3-3. But Eastside was able to score in the top of the eighth inning to hand West Seattle their second league loss on the season. Sam Hellinger pitched Seven innings for a no decision, Cameron Slader went 1-2, RBI, run scored, walk; Morgan McCullough (next photo) went 1-3 with two RBIs:
Next game is Wednesday @ Chief Sealth (Southwest Athletic Complex) – 3:30 pm.
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