West Seattle, Washington
09 Saturday
Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey shares that photo as an example of a pup still displaying “lanugo,” a long, wavy coat that is a sign of premature birth since it’s usually shed in the womb. She’s asking you to be particularly watchful around West Seattle’s shorelines, not just because pupping season has started in this area, but because a motherless newborn might turn up and need help:
Sadly, we responded to an adult female seal (Monday) that died shortly afterward. The WDFW necropsy (Tuesday) revealed that she had given birth probably two days ago. This means it is possible that there is a newborn pup in West Seattle or one of the neighboring communities. A newborn harbor seal pup can live about a week and a half without nutrition from the mother. If the pup indeed survived, he would be extremely weak and vulnerable – most especially to off-leash dogs.
We are asking everyone to please be on the alert for this pup – or any pups on shore. And, of course, to stay away, keep dogs leashed and call our hotline @ 206-905-7325 (SEAL).
Additionally, we heard rumors of a “mom and pup” resting on the rocks off of Lincoln Park the other day. No one called our hotline, but we are told that many people were taking photos. If anyone has photos of the pair, please email us in hopes that we can determine if truly it was a mom and newborn pup and possibly identify the adult female.
Thanks so much. This is truly where the community makes a huge difference!
There’s more info on the Seal Sitters’ Blubberblog.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Today’s commute is under way with nothing unusual in the routes around/through our area. Updates to come if/when that changes.
If your community group or nonprofit would like some space during our area’s biggest festival of the year – Teri Ensley of Furry Faces Foundation has an invitation for you:
Furry Faces Foundation is pleased to be partnering with the West Seattle Junction Association in offering the FREE Community Tent at West Seattle Summer Fest – July 12, 13, and 14. The purpose of this area in the festival is to allow our small neighborhood non-profits and community groups easy access to the event and their community – free of charge! Did we mention free of charge?
Furry Faces Foundation is selecting the non-profits and community groups who strive to benefit our community and fit the spirit of our West Seattle neighborhoods.
Here are the Community Tent details:
11:13 PM UPDATE: The woman reported missing earlier has been found at a hospital, her family confirms – though they’re still trying to find out how she got there – and the search has ended.
EARLIER:
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“I MADE IT,” proclaimed the art atop the cap of one grad-to-be tonight as The Hall at Fauntleroy hosted the Middle College High School-High Point Center Class of 2013’s graduation tonight.
21 students comprise this year’s graduating class – here they are, making their entrance:
This is the first class to graduate since the southern branch of Middle College High School moved into its new High Point quarters, chosen after it lost its longtime home at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) this time last year. As recently announced on the MCHS-HPC website, the school has extended its High Point lease for another year.
This was the first of our area’s three Seattle Public Schools graduations in two nights; tomorrow night, Southwest Athletic Complex in Westwood will be the site of the graduations for both West Seattle High School (5 pm) and Chief Sealth International High School (7:30 pm). Our area’s lone private high school, Seattle Lutheran, gave its 33-member Class of 2013 their sendoff last Friday (WSB coverage here).
Hours before taking the field tonight – a lineup of Seattle Mariners took the stage at West Seattle Elementary School this afternoon. it was one of five DREAM Team assemblies around the region, held simultaneously on the Mariners’ 16th annual Education Day. Here’s what DREAM stands for:
It was not just a DREAM for kids to meet pro baseball players, who moved into the audience to sit with them while watching a reel of recent highlights …
… but it also was a dream for some of the grownups on hand, like Ms. Raymond, who’s a major Mariners fan:
The lineup announced for WSE just before the event included announcer Aaron Goldsmith, players Jason Bay, Jeremy Bonderman, Nick Franklin, Joe Saunders, Kelly Shoppach, and coach Robby Thompson.
Four West Seattle development notes tonight:
4730 CALIFORNIA: Thanks to Heidi for the tip that a fence was up and the awning was coming down at the site of 4730 California, the 88-apartment project formerly known as 4724 California, aka “the former Petco site.” We’d noticed the re-branding recently when sponsor logos (including ours) went up on the West Seattle Summer Fest website. This project’s website’s not up yet – you can find a mention here – and we’re working to get more information about the demolition schedule.
CHARLESTOWN CAFE SITE FOLLOWUP: Since we first reported one week ago on a development proposal for the former Charlestown Café site, we’ve finally heard back from a rep for the prospective developer, Intracorp. Right now, the rep tells us, the proposal for six 5-unit townhouse buildings is in spec mode – the site has not been purchased and no official application to the city has been made. Intracorp is focused right now, we’re told, on getting its biggest West Seattle proposal, 3210 California SW, through Design Review; its second round of Early Design Guidance is scheduled for 6:30 pm June 27th on the second floor of the Senior Center of West Seattle at California/Oregon.
SPEAKING OF DESIGN REVIEW: Before that meeting, two projects are on the Southwest Design Review Board agenda for this Thursday night (June 13th), and the “packets” are available online for both. The 6:30 pm meeting is for 4435 35th SW, the re-activated proposal for the site that currently includes a vacant lot and the building that’s home to The Bridge (which, as reported here last month, is already preparing its new home at the former Chuck and Sally’s Tavern site in Morgan Junction). The project has changed since its first Design Review meeting in 2009, so it’s going back through Early Design Guidance. The current version proposes a six-story building with 170 apartments and 187 parking spaces; see the “packet” here. The 8 pm meeting is the second “recommendations” session – in other words, possibly the final meeting – for 3829 California SW, 29 apartments with 30 parking spaces; see its “packet” here. Both meetings are open to the public and will be held on the second floor of the Senior Center of West Seattle at California/Oregon.
ROWHOUSES IN FAIRMOUNT SPRINGS: The newly popular form of townhouses known as “rowhouses” are popping up in neighborhoods all over. One of the newest applications proposes a 5-unit rowhouse building, with attached garages, for 5457 Fauntleroy Way SW in Fairmount Springs, on the site of a 103-year-old home sold in April.
(Photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand – top photo substituted for earlier phone photo)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 3:02 PM: We’re still trying to sort out exactly what’s happening with a big police response in the 32nd/106th area of Arbor Heights. Radio communications indicate it’s a search for a burglary suspect. More as we get it.
3:26 PM UPDATE: The original scene is now clear – but we’re checking out another address where a suspect may have been spotted, in the 32nd/105th area.
3:37 PM UPDATE: … and we’ve found the police all back at the original house, where the suspect might be hiding. So this remains an active investigation, but focused at the moment on one particular location.
4:03 PM UPDATE: Police are focused on the back yard of a house at 32nd and 106th; they have a K-9 team, too.
4:19 PM UPDATE: Co-publisher Patrick Sand has spoken at the scene with SW Precinct Lt. Ron Smith (photo above, in blue). He says this was called in as “suspicious circumstances” – a man was spotted riding a bicycle, towing another bicycle, in possession of two backpacks. More tactical police reinforcements have arrived. Lt. Smith also confirmed they believe the suspect is 32-year-old Alan Polevia (we had heard the name on the scanner but wanted to confirm before publishing) – target of a search in Shorewood earlier this year, and prior to that, known for escaping from custody at Harborview while in handcuffs.
4:33 PM UPDATE: Suspect is out and in handcuffs.
5:24 PM UPDATE: We’re adding photos. Identity confirmed; police are checking on warrants. King County Jail records show Polevia spent three days in jail when finally arrested in late March, three weeks after the Shorewood search. On March 28th, he was charged with burglary and theft in connection with an incident that was reported here, involving a scooter taken in the 5000 block of 37th SW, and a search that eventually ended at 36th and Morgan. He didn’t appear for arraignment, so a warrant was issued for his arrest in April, according to court records.
8:57 PM UPDATE: Polevia is on the King County Jail Register as of about an hour ago, held on the aforementioned warrant and two others, as well as for investigation of unlawful firearm possession related to today’s events. This likely means he’ll have a bail hearing tomorrow; we’ll check with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in the morning. We have added one more photo, above, from this afternoon’s arrest.
If you drive the road above – the westernmost stretch of Avalon Way, between Fauntleroy and 35th – you might have noticed pavement markings indicating some reconfiguration ahead. WSB Forum members have been discussing it, too. We asked SDOT, and spokesperson Marybeth Turner has just provided an extended explanation:
This bicycle and pedestrian improvement is on Avalon starting approximately 100′ east of 35th Ave SW and extending to Fauntleroy.
There are no bike facilities in this area currently. We are installing bike lanes on both sides of Avalon. The north side/uphill side of Avalon will now have a continuous bike lane from Spokane St to Fauntleroy. The south side of Avalon will have a small stretch of bike lane starting at 36th Ave then changing to a shared lane as you pass by 35th Ave SW.
The lane widths and configuration will be: one 6-foot bicycle lane on each side of Avalon, one 12-foot eastbound lane narrowing to 10 feet, one 10-foot two-way turn lane, and two 10 foot westbound lanes.
We are also remarking the crosswalks at the intersection of Fauntleroy/36th/Avalon and also at Avalon and 35th. There will be large crosswalk warning signs at the side of the street for drivers approaching Avalon from Fauntleroy.
As they do now, drivers coming and going from off-street parking areas will need to watch for pedestrians and bicyclists.
This does not affect parking, since there’s no on-street parking in that area now. But the area unquestionably is getting busier, with one development finally completed (The Residences at 3295), one about halfway done (3261 Avalon), another one likely to start later this year (4435 35th SW), and a microhousing project next to the 7-11, not to mention three other projects further east/northeast on Avalon.
West Seattle’s first school-zone speeding-ticket camera, on Fauntleroy Way near Gatewood Elementary, will likely be joined by two others. In the final week of the school year, Mayor McGinn has just announced five more proposed camera locations around the city, “based on an analysis of documented speeding problems that showed these schools would receive the greatest speed reduction and safety benefit from automated speed enforcement” per the official announcement. Two would be on SW Roxbury: Roxhill Elementary and Holy Family School. (They’re shown in red on our Google Map above, while Gatewood is shown in blue.) If the City Council approves funding, these and three other cameras would likely be installed early next year, according to the news release from the mayor’s office, which also says that the “four existing school zone camera locations have seen an average reduction of 16 percent in citations for speeding, from the week of December 10 to the week of April 22. … 96 percent of those who received a citation and paid it did not get another citation.” Seattle Police activated the Gatewood camera last November.
(Photo courtesy Charlie G)
FIRST REPORT, 10:48 AM: Beach Drive SW is closed in the 5400 block right now while Seattle Fire crews stand by until Puget Sound Energy arrives to take care of a natural-gas leak. Radio communications describe it as “small.” No injuries reported. (P.S. Thanks to the readers who texted photos and info – 206-293-6302 any time!)
11:51 AM: Thanks to Davis for texting an update – the road has reopened.
(Belted kingfisher, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Your options for tonight range from storytelling to music to neighborhood involvement, and beyond! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
TRAFFIC, WATER TAXI REMINDERS FOR TONIGHT: Mentioned in the daily transit/traffic roundup BUT if you missed it there – two stadium events tonight, the World Cup qualifying match and the Mariners’ game, and that means an estimated 60,000 people in the stadium zone. If you decide to avoid the roads by taking the West Seattle Water Taxi, the county announced last week that it WILL run an “extended schedule” tonight.
STORYTELLING: Monthly event at Chaco Canyon Café with workshop and open mike, 6 pm, details in the calendar listing. (3770 SW Alaska)
FEET FIRST FUNDRAISER: Tuesday Tune-Up raising money and awareness for Feet First, 6:30-9 pm tonight at Salty’s on Alki. (1936 Harbor SW)
MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION: West Seattle’s graduation week (full schedule here) continues tonight at 7 at The Hall at Fauntleroy, with the ceremony for Middle College High School‘s High Point branch. (9131 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE SYMPHONY: Season-finale concert of the West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ WS Symphony tonight at 7 pm, Chief Sealth International High School; details in the calendar listing. (2600 SW Thistle)
FROM ST. PETERSBURG TO WEST SEATTLE: The St. Petersburg Men’s Ensemble from Russia performs tonight at Peace Lutheran Church, 7 pm, details in our calendar listing. (39th/Thistle)
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 7 pm tonight, it’s the monthly meeting, with summertime event updates on the agenda. Public welcome, as always; lower-level meeting room on the south side of Admiral Congregational Church. (California/Hill)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm tonight, all are welcome at the regular board meeting, Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. (9131 California SW)
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
It’s not in view on that bridge camera, but the day starts with trouble on the westbound bridge, a semitruck fire. (Added postcommute: Photo from Cheri:)
(back to original story) It’s near the Harbor Island exit, according to one reader report, and affecting westbound Route 21 buses, according to a Metro alert.
6:12 AM UPDATE: The truck IS visible right now on the bridge camera that points westbound, at the exit in the foreground:
6:22 AM UPDATE: Westbound traffic is getting by, and if you look closely, you can see a tow truck has arrived. No lingering eastbound effects.
7:24 AM UPDATE: As noted in comments, and as you can see in the camera view above, the truck has been towed. Metro has sent an update that Route 21 westbound is back to its regular route.
7:39 AM NOTE: Almost forgot till a question came in via Facebook – the county announced last week that the West Seattle Water Taxi IS running an “extended schedule” tonight to handle the soccer and M’s games. And note that travel through SODO this evening will be affected by the two stadium events.
Out of the WSB inbox tonight, looking ahead to West Seattle High School‘s graduation ceremony Wednesday:
For WSHS Graduates and families: The WSHS music department will be offering concessions before and during the graduation ceremony on Wednesday June 12th. We will have hot dogs, chips, snacks and beverages. We also have a limited number of flower and candy leis to purchase for the graduates. Flower leis are $25 and candy leis are $10. All proceeds will go directly to the WSHS music program.
The WSHS ceremony is at 5 pm Wednesday (June 12th), Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). Our full list of local graduation ceremony dates/times/places is here.
Note the promise on the poster for June 22nd’s Morgan Junction Community Festival:
If you went last year, you’ll remember why: That brought the first rainout in its history. Some of the activities happened despite the showers that were eventually followed by a long-running downpour (and then, too late to save the day, some sun):
That was the rain-dampened Bark of Morgan last year. For this year’s “rain or shine!” festival, the Morgan Community Association‘s bringing it back, hoping it’ll be in bright sunshine (as the festival has been OTHER years). There’ll be a pooch parade at 2 pm, followed at 2:15 by competitions for Cutest Puppy, Best Trick, Best Owner/Dog Lookalikes. Here’s the schedule (PDF).
Local eateries will participate again in the Bite of Morgan during the festival, and organizers have several food trucks lined up too. We’re still awaiting final word on that lineup and on the music schedule, but wanted to remind you for starters to save the date – Saturday, June 22, 10:30 am-7 pm in and around Morgan Junction Park (on the west side of California, half a block north of Fauntleroy). WSB is a festival sponsor again this year and we’ll be reporting “live,” so we look forward to seeing you there.
Activity at the former Sharon’s Westwood Florist shop at 35th/Kenyon, including that sign, caught the attention of WSB’ers Catherine, Jissy, and Felicia, who e-mailed to ask about it. The answer turned up in a recent state liquor-license-application filing, with a “beer/wine specialty shop” license sought for The Tap Station. Among the applicants: Names we recognized from the team behind Locöl, in its third year next door. So we contacted Kyle Duce to ask about the plan for the neighboring store; he says it’ll offer more than beer and wine:
I have teamed up with my Chef/GM of Locöl- Charlie Worden – and will be creating a TO-GO “Tap Station”- a wine/beer/retail Shop that will have 8 local wines on tap and 8 local beers on tap. These will be available by growler fill or in any vessel and will be charged accordingly by the ounce. Tap Station will also have a bottle/can beer selection as well as bottled wine.
As far as the retail side, we plan on having (pre-packaged/local) grab and go food items for household use, camping, picnics, etc… Tabby Cat Pickling Company and Doolie’s Hot Sauce, to name a few. We are in the works of having a house olive oil and balsamic fill station that will allow you to fill for home use and be charged by the ounce. We plan on using this separate location as an educational space on all the bounties the NW has to offer. I wanted to create a space that would compliment Locöl and offer a quick in-and-out experience for people cruising home for a BBQ or a spot that the neighborhood could come in and get educated on all the things we love about the NW.
I look forward to bringing all these ideas together in a beautiful rustic space that will be inviting to the neighborhood and offer the same level of passionate, unpretentious service and neighborhood focus that we founded Locöl on!
How soon, you ask? Duce says they’re “looking at opening in the next couple months.”
4:30 PM: Don’t know yet if it’ll be solved quickly or not so quickly, but heads-up since we’re going into pm commute time – a WSB team member heading north on California toward Morgan Junction says the California/Fauntleroy intersection signal lights seem to be having trouble. Headed off to check.
5:45 PM: Apparently not so quickly – word via Twitter is, it’s still not working properly. Avoid the intersection TFN.
7:19 PM: Just went through – signal working, city crew still working on the cabinet.
(WSB photo from Saturday morning)
Two days after two West Seattle women found a fellow runner unconscious, badly hurt, along the road through Fairmount Ravine, three updates, including an event planned to show support for the victim and for residents who have long been concerned about safety in that area:
THE VICTIM: The 54-year-old victim remains in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center, where she has been since Saturday; Harborview says she is in serious condition. As we first reported that morning, she was found on Fairmount Avenue, near the underside of the Admiral Way Bridge, around 7 am. Police suspect she was hit by a vehicle, or someone in or on a vehicle, but one thing known for sure – whomever did it, just left her there.
THE INVESTIGATION: We checked with SPD a short time ago; nothing new to announce, they tell us, but they want to renew this call:
Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect, or if you saw any vehicle in that area between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. [Saturday 6/8] please call Detective Korner at (206) 684-8927. Anonymous tips are welcome.
You also can call 911 with any information.
THE RUN: The two Good Samaritans who found the victim have organized a community gathering and run for this Saturday morning to show support. Here’s the announcement from Athena Frederick and Julie Ambrose:
In light of the horrific event on Saturday, June 8th, we are hosting a Run to REFLECT….
We will meet at the bottom of Fairmount (on the Alki Beach side near Salty’s) starting at 6:30 am. Please bring some type of reflective gear, object, caution cone, etc. to donate (you may be able to retrieve it after Saturday, but not guaranteed). We will be placing these reflective items along the side of the road going up through Fairmount. Please feel free to bring them even earlier than 6:30am. Businesses that would like to donate any reflective type gear, please contact us. We are doing this to raise awareness over the weekend for drivers to SLOW DOWN on that stretch of road.
Starting at 7 am, we will run a 5K on Alki to show our support of the 54-year-old woman and her family. Please invite friends, family and join us to either “light up Fairmount” OR for the 5K run or walk. Hope to see you there and my thoughts & prayers go out to the victim and her family!!
Here’s the Facebook event page, which you can use to contact them if you’re a business interested in donating the items mentioned above, or if you have questions, or just to RSVP (though that’s not required).
(Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
Another short-lived fire call this morning is wrapping up right now in the 8600 block of 13th SW (map). The incident commander tells us a propane barbecue appears to be to blame for a small fire that damaged the back of the house. No injuries reported.
1:18 PM UPDATE: From SFD’s Kyle Moore:
The cause is a BBQ left on all night. It ignited the deck and the side of the house but the flames did not get into the home. The damage estimate is $30,000. The homeowner was home and tried to fight the fire with a garden hose after calling 911.
(Added 12:14 pm: Video of this morning’s council “briefing” meeting)
FIRST REPORT, 10:29 AM: Seven City Councilmembers are sending Mayor McGinn a letter asking him to close the “Nickelsville” encampment by September 1st. News of this first emerged this morning during discussion at the first of the two regular Monday meetings of the full council. We have just obtained a copy of the letter, which is signed by all councilmembers except Nick Licata and Mike O’Brien. It asks the city’s Human Services department to come up with a plan to “provide immediate targeted outreach and engagement services” to those living at the encampment, “along with immediate provision of shelter, housing, and other services,” to prepare for closing the encampment. This comes two days before Nickelsville is scheduled to be discussed at the Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture Committee, which Licata chairs. We’ve asked for reaction from the mayor; his office hasn’t seen the letter yet. (We’ll add the letter here shortly.)
10:40 AM UPDATE: Here’s the letter:
2:21 PM UPDATE: We asked for a comment from the Highland Park Action Committee, which asked the city to close the encampment – which moved back to West Seattle two years ago – before summer:
We appreciate the council finally recognizing that the illegal encampment known as Nickelsville is not a good model for how our City should be treating our homeless. While we wish we had seen this letter and strong leadership over two years ago, we applaud that someone in our City government is finally seeing that this encampment has an unsustainable vision. We encourage the Mayor to respond quickly, preferable with a sooner move-out date in an effort to honor the community’s request. We would also like to see the Human Services department pay regular visits to our greenbelt throughout the summer to offer the same outreach, services, and provisions to the people living there.
3:22 PM UPDATE: And now a statement from the mayor, saying that unless a council majority changes its mind, he will expect the camp to be cleared by 9/1 and will evict anyone still there:
appreciate the work of Councilmembers Licata and O’Brien for working on expanding legal options for encampments, which built upon the work of an advisory task force I assembled in my first year in office. For some time we have delayed enforcement of the law against encampments on industrial lands while the City Council examined these proposals to provide more opportunities for legal encampments in the City of Seattle. In light of the City Council’s clear statement of intent that they will not expand encampments further, and that they expect Nickelsville to clear the property by September 1, motivated in part by the desire to sell this property to Food Lifeline, I have no further basis to not enforce the law.
We will provide additional services, including extended winter shelter hours through the summer. Absent a change in direction by the City Council, by September 1 we expect the property to be vacated and we will follow the City Council’s direction to evict those who remain.
Just in case you heard/saw the big response – the initial call in the 8800 block of 20th SW (map) was for a possible house fire, but crews got there and discovered what Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore describes as a “rubbish fire” that was put out quickly.
1:21 PM UPDATE: Moore says the fire “was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials. The smoking materials ignited nearby combustibles and the porch. The damage estimate is less than $1,000. No one was home at the time of the fire.”
(Steller’s Jay, photographed in May by Mark Wangerin)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are three highlights for tonight:
OPEN HOUSE/FOOD BANK BENEFIT: The Westhaven Apartments invite community members to come by 5-8 pm for an open-house event including food, drink, karaoke by the pool, giveaways, and more, with more than a dozen local businesses participating. No admission – bring non-perishable food donations for the West Seattle Food Bank. (2201 SW Holden)
NDNC MEETS IN THE PARK: In summer months when the weather’s nice, the North Delridge Neighborhood Council holds its meetings outdoors – so tonight, you’ll find them at Greg Davis Park at 6:30 pm. The agenda will focus on opportunities for neighborhood connections. (26th/Brandon)
EVENING BOOK GROUPS: This month’s evening book group at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW) is reading Ursula K. LeGuin‘s “The Left Hand of Darkness” and meets tonight at 6:45 pm. That’s also meeting time for the evening book group at Southwest Library (35th/Raymond), where this month’s book is “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” by Jamie Ford.
More on the calendar!
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy Monday! It’s the last week of school for most local students. For bus riders, it’s the first weekday since the Metro and Sound Transit “service changes” went into effect on Saturday – here’s a reminder of what they involve.
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