West Seattle, Washington

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day : 09/05/2013 16 results

West Seattle Crime Watch: Rock thrown; home broken into; items stolen; items found
May 9, 2013 11:56 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Thursday’s West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports, starting with one we just received from Preston:

We were driving home tonight and passed in front of Caffe Ladro on SW California at 9:45. The passenger rear window exploded as someone threw a fist sized rock at us.

Three witnesses at Caffe Ladro said a man on a dark maroon bicycle wearing a long-sleeved shirt with white on it was standing on the side of the cafe drinking beer. He was in and out and came in through the back of the cafe. He then stood in the breezeway between the adjacent buildings. We stopped at the end of the block and he got on his bike and rode north down California. Police were called and they are sweeping the area. The dark maroon bike has a flashing light on the back and the suspect was wearing a blue shirt with white and a backpack.

If anyone has any clue as to who this may be – someone that would be at Caffe Ladro at 9:45 at night drinking beer and on a bicycle – please call the police.

(The coffee shop, it should be noted, does not serve alcohol.)

A home on Charlestown Hill was burglarized this morning – while somebody was at home. Marty reports:

My ex-husband’s house was broken into around 6:30 this morning. The back door was kicked in and our dog was found by a neighbor around 7 a.m. Our 17 year old daughter was in the house alone (dad had already gone to work), sleeping downstairs in the basement as this was happening. A neighbor found the dog, called my number which is on her tag. I live in Queen Anne, so called my daughter and woke her up to go get the dog. She heard a lot of noise upstairs and in her sleepy state, assumed it was her dad still at home. As she approached the stairway and called out for him, the person upstairs left out the front door. The only items taken were about 40 CDs from the living room. A very scary situation, which could have ended badly but fortunately did not.

Burglary, by the way, is the topic announced for the next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – Seattle Police burglary detective Jill Vanskike “will go over some of the factors that attract burglars to specific homes, common points and methods of entry, target hardening and the protective devices most effective at preventing burglaries. Also, tips on measures you can take to aid in the recovery of stolen property …” The meeting is at 7 pm Tuesday, May 21st, at the Southwest Precinct.

Back to Crime Watch – Gretchen reports an overnight theft:

We had one of our wine-barrel planters stolen off our berm (Wednesday) night. Took either one very strong person to tip the dirt out or two people. Those suckers are heavy! Happened between 10 pm and 4:30 am. We live near 17th and Thistle.

And a reader who doesn’t want to be identified found what looks like discarded crime loot in the Fairmount Springs area:

A duffel bag full of a boy’s baseball equipment turned up in our alley this morning, with some of the contents strewn about our yard. There is no name or phone # anywhere in the bag. I would like to get it back to the owner–looks like a lot of valuable equipment.

You can e-mail the finder at dgmob@outlook.com.

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West Seattle scene: Seeing RED at Lincoln Park
May 9, 2013 10:43 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for sharing the photo from today’s Keller Williams Realty RED Day volunteer event at Lincoln Park (mentioned in our “West Seattle Thursday” daily preview). Laura works with Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, which partnered with KW to clean up the beach and dig up invasive plants, among other things, during today’s work.

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Taste of West Seattle: Only 1 week away
May 9, 2013 9:33 pm
|    Comments Off on Taste of West Seattle: Only 1 week away
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

It would take you months to get to all the West Seattle food and drink establishments you’ll be able to sample in one night, one place, next Thursday, during the Taste of West Seattle: Almost 50 of them, including breweries and wineries! Through the West Seattle Helpline, all proceeds go to local families facing emergencies. Just buy a ticket (and see the participant list) at tasteofwestseattle.org – they’re not expecting to have any left to sell at the door – and show up at The Hall at Fauntleroy on Thursday (May 16th), 6:30-9 pm – half an hour before that if you buy a VIP ticket (which also includes VIP seating and entry in a VIP raffle).

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Happening now: West Seattle Art Walk, May edition
May 9, 2013 6:45 pm
|    Comments Off on Happening now: West Seattle Art Walk, May edition
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

It’s West Seattle Art Walk night till 9 pm – a beautiful night to traverse the peninsula and enjoy art at a variety of venues. One is Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, whose co-proprietor John Smersh shared the photo of their featured artist, Amy Huber, explaining:

Amy Huber is showing two bodies of work for this show: Organically Controlled. The images she’s posing in front of are her “sketchbook experiment”. Each pair of illustrations starts with an original drawing of something recognizable. The second drawing is an abstract started from where the ink bled through to the next page in her sketchbook.

She’s also showing her “Stress Paintings”. Amy works as a graphic designer at Nordstrom; when she’s trying to work out an idea at work she’ll often doodle absentmindedly on post-its. The patterns that emerged proved strong enough to be recreated as original paintings on canvases.

We’ve also made a stop in North Delridge – more on that in a moment. The map with all of this month’s venues can be found at wsartwalk.com.

ADDED 7:00 PM: Earlier today, we showed you around Youngstown Flats (see the photo tour here), a new WSB sponsor that’s leasing apartments in North Delridge. One big aspect of the project is its art – on every floor – and tonight the 14 artists and their work are being celebrated. One is Sara Everett, who also curated the work:

She posed for us in front of two of her pieces near the Dakota entry, both evoking greenery such as that you would find along nearby Longfellow Creek.

That’s Oval/Burst by Carla Grahn, which you’ll see right when you walk into the main entry. You can meet her and many of the other 13 artists, while touring the building and enjoying refreshments, till 9 tonight (26th and Dakota).

P.S. A note from Art Walk organizers:

This quarter the postcard/walking map and Art Walk Here posters feature the artwork of Emily Williamson. Emily was a West Seattle artist who passed away recently; her life touched the lives of many in our community. Her cheerful art is a reminder of her beautiful spirit and the brief time that we have to live and create!

Emily’s artwork was featured at Mind Unwind during March. Read remembrances of her life here.

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9 nights after mayoral forum, 34th District Democrats host multitude of other candidates
May 9, 2013 5:53 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Seattle Port Commission races often get little attention, but deserve more, candidates told the 34th District Democrats at their monthly meeting in Fauntleroy last night. Most of the meeting was devoted to a candidates’ forum moderated by chair Marcee Stone-Vekich, with various races from Burien City Council to Southwest Sewer District – not including Seattle Mayor, since the 34th DDs co-sponsored the campaign’s first major forum just last week in Georgetown. (Here’s our coverage of that event, including video of the entire forum.)

Our video above features the three Port Commission candidates who showed up, from left: Commissioner John Creighton, candidate Michael Wolfe, and recent commission appointee Stephanie Bowman.

Part of the forum included unopposed (so far) candidates, among them King County Sheriff John Urquhart, who was elected last year to the remaining year of his predecessor’s term, so has to run again this year:

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Arts in Nature Festival to return, Nature Consortium affirms
May 9, 2013 4:32 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

After a one-year hiatus, the Arts in Nature Festival at Camp Long really will be back this year, the West Seattle-based Nature Consortium affirmed in an announcement this afternoon. Dates are set, and so is the headliner – read on for the news release:

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Update: Pickup truck crashes into Westwood Village post office, 1 person hurt
May 9, 2013 1:57 pm
|      25 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

1:57 PM: Big “heavy rescue” callout right now in the 2700 block of SW Trenton, and a texter (thank you!) tells us it’s a crash at the Westwood Village post office. (added) We’ve just arrived at the scene – looks like a pickup truck has hit the building to the left of the entrance. Avoid the Trenton entrance to WV – lots of emergency vehicles. More to come.

2:12 PM: One person is being checked out by medics. We’re trying to find out more about possible injuries. Just added a photo (above) from Natascha, showing the inside of the post office.

2:23 PM UPDATE: Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore is here now so we should get updated information shortly. Adding a different angle of the scene, from Val – thanks to everyone who’s been sharing photos (we have two photographers here but all views appreciated!). Again, AVOID the Trenton entrance to the shopping center for now.

2:32 PM UPDATE: Moore says that the driver of the pickup was not hurt. The person who was being checked out by medics has cuts/bruises from being hit by collision debris. The concern now is that the truck hit a brick support column – so the building’s structural integrity has to be addressed. Obviously the post office is closed TBA – if you have USPS business, go to the one in The Junction (on California SW between Genesee and Oregon). Moore estimates about three dozen people were evacuated here after the crash, including employees.

(This photo and next by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
3:03 PM UPDATE: Added video of Moore’s briefing. He says that while the brick column posed a challenge for SFD to remove, it apparently does NOT leave the building structurally compromised. We’ll be checking with USPS on when they believe they’ll be able to reopen the branch.

3:33 PM UPDATE: Adding two photos by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli showing the aforementioned brick column.

3:55 PM UPDATE: We asked local USPS spokesperson Ernie Swanson about the branch’s status. He replied: “The retail lobby is closed for the remainder of today. At this time we do not know if it will be open tomorrow. The area where the Letter Carriers work was not damaged so there should be no delay in mail delivery.”

FRIDAY MORNING, 7:39 AM: The post-office-box and mail-drop lobby is open, and from inside that lobby, looking through the doors to the “retail lobby,” it looks all cleaned up and ready to reopen at 8:30 am as usual – we will go check again then to be sure. (Update: Yes, it is.)

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Easy Street Records awning update: Landlord won’t replace it, says store owner, but he will
May 9, 2013 1:43 pm
|      43 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(SDOT “live” image from Easy Street’s corner at California/Alaska)
As one WSB commenter put it after the kerfuffle earlier this week over the removal of the Easy Street Records awning (WSB coverage here), the big question was – what next? At the time, ESR owner Matt Vaughan said he didn’t know – it was up to the “landlord,” who was the one who decided to take it down. Vaughan has just posted this update as a comment following our original story:

Thanks all for thinking about us and this corner. I’m looking forward to creating another beautiful corner. We know this corner and intersection is special to all of you, I know that maybe more than anybody and I appreciate your years of patronage and good positive thoughts…even when you’re just walking by “all ways,” of course. So, with that being said …..here is the UPDATE.

It was impossible to know what the corner would look like until the canopy was removed. The landlord didn’t know, I didn’t know. I didn’t think it would look good, I knew that much, but what I did know is that it would present some ideas. The canopy had been on the Hamm Building for almost 70 years. Do keep in mind, maybe the big reason that we all loved this corner was not necessarily just the canopy and overhang, but it was the neon signage and under lighting we attached to it back in ’92 or so. I do understand that the canopy also represented a period of time, another era, childhood memories etc.. and that is also why there is sentiment.

When the Alaska St side awning was removed 3 years ago, there wasn’t a peep and that was even more sq footage than what was recently removed. Without good signage complementing the canopy, there wasn’t much of an allure, especially as the years wore on.

I have to say though and maybe some of you could agree.. these last 5 years have not looked all that good. The canopy took some big hits and our neon was continuously broken and under repair. With that being said, I was a proponent in saving the framework and repairing and improving it, but there were some potential issues and unknown costs going down that road too. I am not the owner of the building, the Yen Family is and has been for 30+ years or so. The property manager is WM Mgmt. Neither live in West Seattle, so they may not understand some things we do as residents and inhabitants of the building, but what they were aware of and why they felt committed to demolishing it was that it was essentially red-tagged. It was becoming increasingly dangerous. Lead paint, loose and exposed electrical, rusted and corroded framework. In the end, as vintage and retro as we all like to imagine ourselves, there comes a time where we have to be practical and pragmatic. This was just one of those kind of decisions that had to be made, as difficult as it was for me to surrender to.

We had originally invested $20k into the signage and neon throughout the 90′s … and that doesn’t include the annual repairs over the ’00 years, but retro-styled neon is becoming an old form and more costly as the years go on. As for why I didn’t save any of it, it was just too costly to do so. Neon is brittle, it was literally attached to the flashing and trim, would’ve been an expensive and tedious job.

Keep in mind, when I closed our Queen Anne store, that signage was considered “iconic” as well. It wasn’t really all that special of a building we were in, but we made it seem as though it was. I paid $3k to have it removed before I left the building, I couldn’t let it get demo’d.

The landlords think the storefront looks best without a canopy and they’ve told me as of yesterday that they will not invest in a replacement. However, I need to protect my storefront, I need to allow customers to sit outside our cafe in the spring/summer months, I need to protect our product from the elements during our sidewalk sales. I need to protect all of you when our instore performances spill outside the garage store, I need to ensure that people don’t slip and fall in front of our store during the rainy months, we’ll need sidewalk lighting for passerby’s and our storefront. I need to protect our storefront from the sun, the heat, the rain, the sleet, and snow. The maintenance would be overwhelming without protection, so…I will be putting a design together and will invest in creating an attractive corner…again.

Faithfully Yours, Matt Vaughan

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BULLETIN: Construction about to resume at ‘The Hole’
May 9, 2013 11:14 am
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

11:14 AM: West Seattle’s most notorious stalled-construction site, where ground was ceremonially broken almost five years ago for a project then called “Fauntleroy Place,” is now back in action. Multiple tipsters tell us crews are on site getting ready to work on what is now known as Spruce – the new name first reported here when we found the revised plans last July. The only commercial tenant planned for Spruce is an LA Fitness health club (the Whole Foods store it once was to hold is now destined for the future 4755 Fauntleroy project right across the street). We’re headed over for a look; more to come.

11:50 AM: Added two photos – the backhoe in the top image is visible at the site entrance off 39th SW, south of West Seattle Bowl; from the short alley off 40th SW, you can see a second one is onsite, too. Checking online files showing the site’s permits – many of which have long been approved and waiting, given the project’s history – the newest application is for onsite power, also a “getting started” sign.

After a long court fight that ensued when the project stalled after the site was excavated, Madison Development Group was the winning bidder for the site, $32 million, more than a year and a half ago. The only significant discussion of its plans since then – besides what we found in the files last summer – came at a Seattle Design Commission meeting last December (WSB coverage here), required before the project’s “alley vacation” could be finalized.

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Youngstown Flats: Welcome, new WSB sponsor; open for Art Walk tonight
May 9, 2013 11:10 am
|    Comments Off on Youngstown Flats: Welcome, new WSB sponsor; open for Art Walk tonight
 |   Delridge | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Tonight during the monthly West Seattle Art Walk, the new North Delridge apartment building Youngstown Flats not only will be open to visitors, it’ll host a reception for the 14 artists whose work can be seen around the complex. Youngstown Flats, now open to leasing and already home to its first tenants, is a new WSB sponsor; we toured recently to give you a peek inside. The art is not only outdoors, , but also in the public hallways of each floor, including the work shown above, and in the main lobby:

More ahead:

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Parking alert: Southwest Library plans lot work later this month
May 9, 2013 10:55 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Westwood

An alert just in from the Seattle Public Library:

Beginning Monday, May 20, parking stalls at the north end of the Southwest Branch parking lot and the entrance from 35th Avenue Southwest will be fenced off and unavailable for several days while improvements are made to the parking lot.

Patrons can still enter the parking lot from Southwest Henderson Street during construction. Work is expected to be completed by Tuesday, May 28.

The Library is improving the parking lot to make it easier for patrons to use. Construction work will involve widening the parking lot and the 35th Avenue Southwest entrance, and moving the bike rack closer to the entrance.

These improvements are funded by the Library levy that voters approved in 2012. For more information, contact the Library at 206-386-4636 or capital.projects@spl.org.

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Bicycle-route safety: Update from Councilmember Rasmussen
May 9, 2013 10:09 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Tuesday photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
Since the deadly crash on East Marginal Way eight days ago, much has been said about improving the route bicyclists from West Seattle (and points southward) take to get downtown and beyond. This morning, City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – shown above during Tuesday evening’s memorial ride/gathering (WSB coverage here) – asked us to share this update:

Plans to Improve Bicycle Route from West Seattle to Downtown
Tom Rasmussen, Transportation Committee Chair, Seattle City Council

Last week’s fatal collision between a bicyclist and a truck resulted in an outpouring of grief for the death of Lance David and sympathy for his family. While we are not certain what led to the collision, I am determined to improve conditions on this route that will benefit bicyclists and motorists.

Last week I completed and posted my newsletter. The main subject is Seattle’s bicycle plans and policies. Here is a link to the newsletter.

A few days after the article was posted, I held a work session with SDOT staff. We pored over a large map of the route to identify options for improvements. I know this route, and I bicycle along this route to and from work when my meeting schedule permits. It is very challenging because of the heavy traffic and the many and sometimes confusing crossings. There are long stretches where the streets have been pulverized by the mammoth trucks going to and from the Port. The conditions require extra caution on everyone’s part, whether they bicycle or drive this route.

Please know that it did not take this heartbreaking fatality to bring attention for the need to improve this route. Last fall, the City Council increased the 2013 SDOT budget for bicycle improvements city-wide. We specifically funded planning for improvements to portions of the West Seattle route to downtown.

During the next several weeks I will continue to work with SDOT and members of the community to develop a plan for improvements to the West Seattle – East Marginal Way bike corridor. I am determined to implement those plans as soon as possible.

The many suggestions during the past week in the comments section of the West Seattle Blog are very helpful. If you have other suggestions for improvement, please post them in the comment section or write me at tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov. Thank you.

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West Seattle Thursday: Art Walk; Design Review; new school…
May 9, 2013 9:22 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Thursday: Art Walk; Design Review; new school…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(This spring’s poster/postcard art for WS Art Walk is by the late Emily Williamson)
Art Walk night! And a half-dozen more highlights for today/tonight …

THOSE RED-SHIRTED LINCOLN PARK VOLUNTEERS … The Keller Williams Realty “RED Day” project this year will bring volunteers to Lincoln Park for projects including a beach cleanup, and you’ll see them out until about 2 pm today, fanning out from the south end of the park.

WEST SEATTLE ART WALK! 6-9 pm, places to go, art to see, artists to meet, refreshments at many stops … You can find the full venue list and preview many of the venues’ art and artists by going to wsartwalk.com. What might be the biggest stop tonight will feature many of the 14 featured artists of newly opened Youngstown Flats (WSB sponsor), there for a reception to celebrate their work – tour the building, too. (26th/Dakota)

WINE CLUB AT C & P: The second Thursday of the month is also Wine Club night at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm, with music tonight by Choro Tocando – details here. (5612 California SW)

(“Character” rendering of 4535 44th SW proposal, by Nicholson Kovalchick Architects)>
DESIGN REVIEW FOR 4535 44TH SW: An all-studio-apartments project in The Junction goes before the Southwest Design Review Board tonight for the first time, 6:30 pm, upstairs at the Senior Center of West Seattle. See the “packet” of graphics and information here. (California/Oregon)

OPEN HOUSE FOR NEW SCHOOL: As previewed here earlier this week, there’s an open house at 7 tonight at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) for the new West Seattle Cooperative School (K-2nd). Details in the calendar listing. (6000 16th SW, room RAH 201)

STYLE ’13: Benefit fashion show tonight at Showbox SODO for West Seattleite-founded/-led Northwest Hope and Healing, which helps support breast-cancer patients as they get through diagnosis and treatment. Tickets at the door; details here.

’33 VARIATIONS’: ArtsWest‘s new production is in its second week – see tonight’s performance at 7:30 pm.

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Denny principal Jeff Clark puts school pride to the test – colorfully
May 9, 2013 8:32 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

His blue blazer is legendary. But now – it’s blue hair, too, for Denny International Middle School‘s principal. Assistant principal Patricia Rangel shares the photo and explains:

At Denny International Middle School, home of the Denny Dolphins, school pride is taken quite seriously, and by none as much as by its principal, Jeff Clark. To encourage stellar attendance during the MSP State exams, Clark challenged students to improve their first-period attendance rates. If done, he dared the students, “I would be more than happy to dye my hair ‘Dolphin Blue.'” As more and more students rushed through the front doors to make it to class on time, more peroxide and blue Splat Hair dye was acquired to convert the normally gingered hair Clark into a Dolphin from head to toe. The inspiration came from a student who had experimented with the color herself and recommended the products he used.

Thursday, May 9th, marks the final official day of MSP testing at Denny. All three-grade levels will be putting their mathematical skills to test. By the end of today, all students will have been assessed in Reading and Math, while 7th graders will have been additional tested in Writing and 8th graders in Science. Over the last several years, Denny’s MSP results have proven increased student academic growth. The results of this year’s exams will not be released until August, but similar progress is expected, as is the further school pride it will fuel.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday off to foggy start
May 9, 2013 7:01 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:01 AM: Sunshine’s due back later, but for starters, it’s murky out there.

7:56 AM: A few other notes – First, as announced Wednesday afternoon, the north tollbooth and lane at the Fauntleroy ferry dock reopen today, after a closure related to the Barton Pump Station Upgrade Project next door. Also: It’ll be a weekend with NO major closures/projects affecting traffic, according to the online “lookahead” – good news for shoppers getting here for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day on Saturday AND for any to-and-from travel on Mother’s Day this Sunday.

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High-school sports postseason: Softball, soccer, baseball updates
May 9, 2013 6:49 am
|    Comments Off on High-school sports postseason: Softball, soccer, baseball updates
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports | WS miscellaneous

Postseason updates:

SOFTBALL: A 10-7 win over Seattle Prep on Wednesday for Chief Sealth International High School‘s softball team. That included 5 RBI from team captain Chloe Behar; here are the stats as published at SeattleTimes.com (WSB partner). … Holy Names beat West Seattle High School‘s softball team 18-0. … Today’s schedule, as published by The Times: Sealth plays Bainbridge and West Seattle plays Ingraham, both 3:30 pm games at Lower Woodland Park.

SOCCER: Tough loss for Sealth’s soccer team, ranked #1 in 3A going into their first postseason game:

The Seahawks lost to Lakeside in their Wednesday afternoon game at Interbay, 5-2, and will play Ingraham there at 5:30 pm today, while Lakeside faces Bainbridge tomorrow for the league championship.

BASEBALL: Today at Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center, West Seattle HS’s baseball team takes the field for the first time since a 13-0 Monday loss to Bainbridge. The Wildcats face Ingraham at 7:30 pm, after Sealth plays Nathan Hale there at 4:30 pm, per the schedule published by The Times.

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