West Seattle, Washington
02 Tuesday
It wasn’t just a safety lesson, but also a chance for friendship, between kids and local firefighters, today at Delridge Library. From the Seattle Fire Department station next to the bridge, Station 36 personnel were on hand – to show off gear like what’s worn for Marine Rescue (above), and to demonstrate how it’s put on:
But even more than showing what they use to put out fires, they attempted to light a fire, if you will – reading aloud to their young audience:
The book, “No Dragons for Tea,” conveyed fire safety in a way meant to appeal to preschoolers, who are most at risk of injuries if fire breaks out. Fire Chief Gregory Dean (seen in our first clip) read to the kids, too:
This was the second of seven events citywide in which firefighters will visit Seattle Public Library branches to promote fire safety and literacy. And this event was preceded by an extra announcement regarding the latter – with a special appearance by Mayor Mike McGinn, visiting West Seattle for the fifth time in nine days:
He was there to talk about “Read and Rise,” to offer training to parents to help their kids meet the goal of literacy by third grade. It’s explained here.
Thanks to CAPERS in The Junction for sharing that photo of work by their featured artist tonight during the West Seattle Art Walk, continuing till 9 pm: You might know Machel Spence best for her photography, but she also makes these beautiful boxes. CAPERS is at 4525 California SW, one of the many venues listed on the official WS Art Walk site. More to come!
(Photo added, by Joanne Murray of Murray’s J2 Photography)
4 PM: Not a good afternoon on the roads. Now there’s word of another “heavy rescue” call, which we’re told is a rollover crash on the eastbound bridge near Walking on Logs. Two people tell us via Twitter that it’s a flipped vehicle.
4:15 PM UPDATE: Adding a traffic-cam view that currently shows the scene. Again, avoid the eastbound bridge from Fauntleroy. We *believe* the entrances further east are unaffected.
5:11 PM UPDATE: The eastbound bridge has reopened – we were at Fauntleroy/35th when the two SPD cars who had been blocking it pulled away and traffic started using it again. Still checking for other information about the crash and whether anyone was hurt.
7:04 PM UPDATE: Added a photo shared by Joanne Murray. Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore says the vehicle driver got out without assistance and was not hurt.
3:05 PM: If you are headed downtown – we’d suggest avoiding northbound 99 for a while. There’s a “heavy rescue” response on NB 99 at the Battery Street Tunnel – and we’re seeing backups on the cameras on our Traffic page.
4:09 PM: Traffic is moving again on NB 99, according to a commenter. Here’s some preliminary information from police about what happened.
1:45 PM: Firefighters are responding to a house-fire call in the 3900 block of SW Arroyo Drive (map), in southwesternmost West Seattle.
1:55 PM: There’s still smoke, according to radio communications.
Commenters and a caller reported black smoke initially, turning white after firefighters arrived and started putting water on the fire. Our crew should be there shortly. (Photo added above, courtesy of commenter Joel)
2:03 PM: The fire is reported to be under control. No word of any injuries so far.
2:11 PM: Our crew on the scene says the fire is in a building behind the home on this property, and the damage and smoke are clearly visible.
2:25 PM UPDATE: Our crew just talked to the incident commander, who in turn had been talking with the property owner. Nobody was home at the time; no injuries. The building had been used for storage, and its contents are heavily damaged. The cause is not yet known – we’ll update the story later when investigators make a determination.
Good news today, five days after the mystery incident in which someone seriously injured a runner – whether accidentally or on purpose, we still don’t know – in Fairmount Ravine. This update from the victim’s family came in today via a comment on our first followup:
I am a member of the family of this victim. Please let me thank you for the family, for your kind support. It is humbly accepted and returned with love for you all!
The victim (I’ll call her Red), is slowly improving. She has been moved from ICU to acute care. She opened her eyes on Monday. She recalled her name and recognized family for the first time on WED.
She suffered a head injury, and an adominal injury. plus road rash. Thankfully, no broken bones. She had surgery on sat afternoon.
Thank you again for your concern and prayers. I will attend the run and take some pictures for Red so she can see your love!!
“The run” refers to the “Run to REFLECT” event organized by Athena Frederick and Julie Ambrose, the Good Samaritans who summoned help for the woman after finding her unconscious along Fairmount Avenue under the Admiral Way Bridge around 7 am Saturday, while they were heading down to the water for their own early-morning run. Even if you are not a runner, you are invited to join to show support for the victim and for safety in the area – here’s the invitation again:
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.
No breakthroughs reported yet by SPD, but we have an inquiry out to doublecheck. If you saw or heard any vehicle of any kind in that area around 6-7 am last Saturday morning, please call 911 or Det. Korner at (206) 684-8927.
In case you haven’t seen them in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you’ll find even more), three Father’s Day weekend events, with food, to which you/Dad/Granddad/etc. are invited:
DELRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER BARBECUE, DAY BEFORE FATHER’S DAY: On Saturday (June 15th), 10 am-3 pm, the Advisory Council at Delridge Community Center is raising money for youth scholarships with a barbecue. Hamburgers and hot dogs off the grill, $5 suggested donation; baked 12″ pizzas, $10 (or $3/slice); fresh salad, $3; bake sale too! (4501 Delridge Way SW)
BRUNCH AND FUN AT MERRILL GARDENS: 11:30-1:30 on Sunday (June 16th) at Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor), you’re invited to “brunch and fun to honor the special men in our lives,” especially dads and granddads. $20 includes brunch, professional photography, roundup carnival games, and a “gift for all dads.” Menu includes grilled salmon, buffalo sliders, barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, hush puppies, sarsaparilla floats! RSVP ASAP – 206-938-3964. (2326 California SW)
ADMIRAL CHURCH BARBECUE: Everyone’s invited to the Father’s Day barbecue/”summer kickoff” event Sunday at Admiral Congregational Church, noon-2 pm. Cookout with hot dogs and summer games on the lawn – indoor if there’s rain. (4320 SW Hill)
(This spring’s poster/postcard art for WS Art Walk is by the late Emily Williamson)
It’s West Seattle Art Walk night – and much more! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FIREFIGHTER STORY TIME: 11:30 am at Delridge Library, firefighters from Station 36 (by the bridge) will read to kids – details here. (Delridge/Brandon)
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK! 6-9 pm, with art and artists and refreshments … Find the full venue list along with previews of many venues’ art and artists by going here: wsartwalk.com.
BEE GARDEN BENEFIT: The brand-new West Seattle Bee Garden is up and running, but still needs some $, so a benefit silent auction at West Seattle Office Junction is happening during tonight’s Art Walk – stop by! Details here. (5230 California SW)
WINE CLUB AT C & P: The second Thursday of the month is Wine Club night at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm, with music. (5612 California SW)
RATCITY ARTCITY FILM FESTIVAL: Short films during tonight’s White Center art walk – 6-9 pm at Herban Legends. See the lineup here. (9619 16th SW)
SIDEWALK SHOW: That’s what’s happening tonight at Nepenthe Massage north of Morgan Junction – details here. 6-9 pm. (6016 California SW)
DESIGN REVIEW FOR TWO PROJECTS: As previewed here Tuesday, two projects are on the Southwest Design Review Board agenda tonight. The 6:30 pm meeting is for 4435 35th SW, which has changed since its first Design Review meeting in 2009, so it’s returning to Early Design Guidance with a a six-story building including 170 apartments and 187 parking spaces; see the “packet” here. The 8 pm meeting might provide final recommendations for 3829 California SW, 29 apartments and 30 parking spaces; see its “packet” here. Both meetings are open to the public; Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor), California/Oregon.
GENESEE-SCHMITZ NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Potluck meeting tonight including updates on the 48th/Charlestown park site recommended for Parks/Green Spaces Levy funding and the new school on the Genesee Hill Elementary site. 6:30 pm at West Side Presbyterian Church. (3601 California SW)
OPEN MIKE NIGHT: Diva Espresso in The Triangle is starting up a weekly open-mike night, 7-9 pm on Thursdays, and tonight’s the first night. Signups start at 6 pm. (4480 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SOCCER! The WPSL team based in West Seattle this summer, AC Seattle, plays its second game tonight, 7 pm, Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)
The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition reminds us that today is the deadline for commenting on the EPA’s draft cleanup plan for the Duwamish River on West Seattle’s eastern border, and shaping a plan that will affect lives in this area for decades to come – from cleanup jobs to the health of the river and the people who use it. If you can spare a few minutes to have a say, all the links you need, from the plan to the comment form to DRCC’s opinion, are at this link.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Here as always is the bridge-camera view, as the commute begins.
Our area’s 2013 high-school graduations wrapped up Wednesday night with the Chief Sealth International High School Class of 2013 ceremony at Southwest Athletic Complex, right across the street from the school.
That’s Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda, concluding his first year on the job, helping send off Sealth’s more than 250 graduates. In the stands, celebratory signs included this beyond-life-size photo:
And graduation night didn’t just mean farewell for the students – longtime assistant principal Lupe Barnes is retiring:
According to the program, this year’s Sealth grads were awarded more than 400 scholarships.
Congratulations to the more than 240 members of the West Seattle High School Class of 2013, now on to their post-high-school lives after Wednesday evening’s graduation ceremony at Southwest Athletic Complex. And congratulations, too, to the adults who helped them along their way:
On behalf of the district, West Seattle’s school-board member Marty McLaren accepted the class:
According to the Westside Weekly newsletter, this year’s graduating class had a record number of scholarships and awards (listed here):
While seniors finished classes last Friday, this coming Friday is the final day of school for everybody else.
No injuries or arrests reported in a shots-fired incident tonight in the Ocean View area. So far the only official police information is from a tweet, but Tom has sent a firsthand report and photo of one of the casings found afterward:
At around 8:30 pm (tonight), a silver Acura Integra (with spoiler) stopped at the south end of 37th Ave SW where it meets 35th Ave SW. Inside the vehicle was a couple having a heated argument, drawing the attention of neighbors. They then continued north on 37th Ave SW and stopped a few houses south of the intersection of 37th Ave SW and SW Ocean View Drive where the argument continued and the male driver exited the vehicle and fired 7 shots in rapid succession into the air, leaving 9mm shell casings in the street. By this time the female was in the driver’s seat and noticed a neighbor looking out the window and warned the male to get back in the car, at which point they drove away from the scene eastbound on SW Ocean View Drive. SPD arrived and took statements including good descriptions of the 2 persons involved, and the car. No one was able to see the license plate.
(Tuesday photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
One day after police arrested 32-year-old Alan Polevia in Arbor Heights, he remains jailed in lieu of $35,050 bail, and we have more information about what police found when they arrested him after rousting him from a hiding place. $10,050 of the bail is because of warrants that were out for Polevia’s arrest, including his failure to appear to answer charges of burglary and theft filed last March. Then a judge set $25,000 more bail at a hearing today, in connection with a possible firearms charge. We have obtained the probable-cause document in relation to that, and it outlines what we first reported yesterday – that he was spotted riding a bike with another one “attached” to it, and had multiple bags. An alert neighbor spotted him and called police to report suspicious behavior. Though that neighbor had lost track of him by the time police arrived, another one had seen him and taken photos of him and the bicycles; she helped police track him down at the house where he was eventually found “under the house, in the crawl space, under the flood wrap, in a small dug-out hole.” Those photos show him with the bags – in which police say they found:
*Carbon-loaded pellet gun
*2 fully loaded Glock 40-caliber magazines in a leather magazine holster (loaded with hollow-point bullets)
*132 Winchester Wildcat 22-caliber bullets
*8 Trapmax shotgun cartridges
*17 Peters brand 30=30 rifle rounds
King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Ian Goodhew tells WSB they have until Friday to decide whether to file new charges. He adds that Polevia will go before a judge in connection with the warrants, too, and says his office will argue for him to be kept in custody rather than released, given his history – even before the burglary/theft charges were filed last March (in connection with this September incident) he had been on the run after escaping from police at Harborview Medical Center while handcuffed.
(State Sen. Ed Murray, right, speaking with four local political leaders at his side)
We’re at the 34th District Democrats‘ biggest meeting of the year – 139 voting members here, making endorsements for the year’s big races, starting with Seattle Mayor.
SEATTLE MAYOR: Five of the nine candidates were nominated to be in the running for the endorsement. They spoke in this order: St. Sen. Ed Murray, Peter Steinbrueck, Mayor Mike McGinn, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Kate Martin. (Video added:)
The first two drew no speakers in opposition; a 34th member identifying himself as a longshoreman spoke against McGinn because of his arena support, and McGinn defended the plan – “There (will be) union jobs building it, and union jobs working there’ – which otherwise had not been mentioned. A woman who spoke against Harrell accused him of not coming to neighborhoods except when he’s campaigning. Speaking in rebuttal, Councilmember Harrell apologized for disappointing her, after a defender countered the allegation. No one spoke against Martin. Now, we’re waiting for the vote and results.
8:01 pm update: Murray 1st, McGinn 2nd after the first ballot. So there’s a 2nd ballot. To get a solo endorsement, one will have to win 60% of the next vote.
8:22 pm update: On the second ballot, Sen. Murray gets 70 percent, Mayor McGinn 30 percent. Sole endorsement for Murray, a former West Seattleite.
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL: First up, position 2, with incumbent Richard Conlin taking the floor first. “I really want to do some great things for West Seattle, great things for the region,” he says, having arrived moments earlier – another LD has an endorsement meeting tonight on the other side of the city, it seems. Challenger Brian Carver follows. … Mike O’Brien speaks but his challenger Albert Shen doesn’t get here in time to … 8:20 pm update: Conlin is endorsed. … 8:32 pm update: O’Brien is endorsed.
BLOCK ENDORSEMENT: In a block “yes” vote toward the start of the meeting, the 34th endorsed a slate including Seattle Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw and Nick Licata, City Attorney Pete Holmes, the King County Parks levy, County Sheriff John Urquhart, Port Commission members John Creighton and Courtney Gregoire (see the full block slate here).
MEETING ADJOURNED … just before 9 pm. We have video from the mayoral candidates’ speeches and are processing it now. The primary election, by the way, is August 6th. And before the 2009 primary, datapoint, the 34th gave a dual endorsement in the mayor’s race to McGinn and then-incumbent Greg Nickels.
From five 17-year-olds to one 62-year-old, 864 people received degrees or certificates in today’s South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) graduation ceremony. SSCC’s communications director Kevin Maloney says Benaroya Hall downtown was packed for the big event this afternoon, and shared the photo. Their commencement speaker was Geo Quibuyen from the hip-hop group the Blue Scholars, the Town Hall Seattle artist-in-residence for the past three months. Congratulations, graduates!
P.S. Coverage coming up later from tonight’s two high-school graduations.
Just in from SDOT:
Next week, a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) paving crew will be working on California Avenue SW between SW Myrtle Street and SW Frontenac Street. On Tuesday and Wednesday, June 18 – 19, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., the crew will grind down and then repave the street surface. There will be no parking in the work zone. Sidewalks and crosswalks will remain open. During the work, the roadway will be reduced to two lanes and bicyclists will merge with vehicle traffic. Motorists should expect delays moving through the area.
2:10 PM: If you click the “play” button above, it’ll take you to the live feed from City Hall, where the City Council’s Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture Committee is starting its meeting, with the agenda including an item on the “Nickelsville” site. More to come.
2:18 PM: Public comment is beginning. Those who speak can address anything coming up on the agenda. The first two speakers voiced support for SHARE, the organization that runs shelters around the city. The third, Trace De Garmo, is speaking specifically to Nickelsville: “If you want to speed up our move now, please temporarily provide us with water and electricity hookups.” He says they want two religiously controlled sites, for up to two years, to house up to 200 people. The committee’s chair, Councilmember Nick Licata, is questioning him to verify that Nickelsville has not yet found such sites. The next person says Nickelsville found out about the 7 councilmembers’ “close it by September 1st” letter when media crews started showing up later Monday. She is reading its official response letter – see it here, or here:
The next person says shutting Nickelsville down “would be doing a great disservice” to the city as well as to the encampment itself; followed by another person who says “Nickelsville is badly needed” because of the shelter shortage, and mentions Nickelsville’s vision of being an “eco-village.” Dorli Rainey, speaking next, tells the council, “What you are doing is splitting families.” The next speaker says he is ashamed of having to turn people away from shelters.
A representative of the Low-Income Housing Institute next tells the council they are considering making land available for an encampment. She is followed by a woman who says she supports homeless people but has seen problems with SHARE and has tried to talk with the city – which contracts with SHARE – about it, but contends no one will do anything about it.
2:47 PM: Another commenter points out the police presence at City Hall and is contentiously accusing the council of being unfair to the homeless people who have spoken. Minutes later, public comment ends, and the chambers are all but clearing, though Licata reminds everyone that the Nickelsville-related item is coming up third on the agenda.
3:04 PM: The committee is now discussing the Nickelsville-related item – which isn’t up for a vote, but more a decision on which way they want to proceed. Outside City Hall, the pro-encampment protest has begun; Emily Heffter from The Seattle Times (WSB partner) tweeted this photo showing demonstrators on the steps.
Back inside, Licata is saying that the Monday letter from seven of his Council colleagues did not seem to him to be “anti-encampment.” One of the signers, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, is agreeing. She says she believes Nickelsville residents “have created community.” She wonders if the proposal to expand possible encampment sites could also include property owned by nonprofits. The philosophical conversation continues.
3:21 PM: Licata says he wants to talk now about specifics about “what we’ll be facing in the next couple months” – specifically, the mayor’s response that if the council wants the camp cleared by September 1st, he will follow their directive to evict anyone who’s left then. And he envisions that not everyone will have left, “so we’re going to be faced with not a good photo op.”
3:44 PM: They’re still trying to shape what the rules would be. Licata notes that Nickelsville has 125 people now. Should legislation, they’re discussing, put a limit on the number of sites? Councilmember Bruce Harrell says, what about people who choose to live in tents? Licata assistant Lisa Herbold says it’s not like they have an option to go into long-term housing, because it has waiting lists: “The function of a tent city is not an alternative to long-term housing, it’s someplace you go while you wait for long-term housing.”
4:04 PM: The document accompanying this agenda, by the way, is here. Option 2, the committee agrees, possibly leaving Nickelsville at the current site, “is off the table.”
The “snack shack” used by West Seattle Baseball at Riverview Playfield has been broken into, reports parent volunteer Michelle, who sent the photo. She says someone broke in Monday night, “damaging the building and making a huge mess” along with making off with some money. “We are so bummed someone would do this. … Fortunately it’s the end of the season, and not more was taken.” It’s not the first time the “shack” has been targeted, though; Michelle says volunteers have spent time painting over graffiti vandalism.
The crane is going up at 3922 SW Alaska, almost a year since we uncovered the new name and plan for “The Hole,” which stalled in fall 2008 under previous ownership, followed by a court fight and a foreclosure auction. Though the new owners of what’s now called Spruce have been mum on the project – except for what was said/shown at the Design Commission meeting we covered in December – construction equipment showed up five weeks ago and, as noted here, work resumed. Wondering what it’ll look like? Here’s one of the images shown at the aforementioned December meeting:
If you’re just tuning in, Spruce will include apartments and an L.A. Fitness health club.
(Mayor McGinn at Diva Espresso on Tuesday; photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Though you haven’t heard much about it lately, there’s still a chance West Seattle will get light rail, some years down the line.
Mayor Mike McGinn came to West Seattle on Tuesday afternoon to get that message out, and we took the opportunity to ask him about other issues related to West Seattle’s transportation challenges.
It was his third visit to West Seattle in a week, and tonight will be his fourth visit in eight days, as the 34th District Democrats decide who to endorse for this year’s election races, including the one in which he’s vying for re-election against eight opponents. His series of visits began June 4th with the Madison Middle School briefing on dental care for students citywide and continued Sunday as he breakfasted at Chelan Café with five community activists.
That brings us to Tuesday afternoon.
The mayor and two staff members – SDOT transit expert Michael James and communicator Aaron Pickus – came to Diva Espresso in The Triangle to offer a West Seattle-specific briefing on the state of light-rail planning, though the conversation turned to other things.
He said that after talking to West Seattleites – including the group with whom he had breakfast on Sunday – he realized people here might not be aware that light rail is at least a bit beyond pipe-dream status.
We recorded the entire briefing/discussion on video – keep in mind it was at a busy coffee shop, so you’ll hear the espresso machinery in the background now and then:
If you don’t have time to listen, the key points are ahead:
Just out of the WSB inbox, from West Seattle Food Bank volunteer Eve:
The West Seattle Food Bank distributes books of all kinds to their clients. Children’s picture books and toddler board books are especially needed right now. If you have books in good condition, please consider donating them to the Food Bank. You can drop them off Monday through Friday 9 am to 3 pm, or Wednesday until 7pm (Monday and Wednesday are the best drop-off times) The Food Bank is on the corner of 35th Avenue SW and SW Morgan St. (enter through the garage on Morgan). Cookbooks and adult fiction and non-fiction are also welcomed. YOUR DONATIONS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
(Western Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on red valerian, by Danny McMillin, from the WSB Flickr group)
It’s graduation day for more than 1,000 high-school and college students in West Seattle! Three ceremonies are part of our highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
First, the graduations:
SSCC GRADUATION: 2:30 pm, more than 800 students receive diplomas and certificates during the South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) commencement ceremony at Benaroya Hall downtown. (200 University St.)
WSHS GRADUATION: The West Seattle High School Class of 2013 graduates at 5 pm, Southwest Athletic Complex. Reminder that concessions (including flower and candy leis) are on sale as a Music Department fundraiser. (2801 SW Thistle)
SEALTH GRADUATION: The Chief Sealth International High School Class of 2013 graduates at 7:30 pm, Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)
Now, the rest of the highlights for today/tonight:
COUNCIL COMMITTEE TALKS ‘NICKELSVILLE’: Though what transpired on Monday (WSB coverage here) might seem to render this all a moot point, the City Council Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture Committee is scheduled to discuss the “Nickelsville” situation at 2 pm today, Council Chambers at City Hall downtown. (4th/Cherry)
‘NICKELSVILLE’ PROTEST: Meantime, outside City Hall, encampment supporters promise a “die-in” protest starting at 2:30 pm.
SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS: West Seattle Girls Softball has playoffs tonight at Lincoln Park at 5:30 pm.
BIKE MASTER PLAN MEETING: The city’s next Open House on the draft revised Bicycle Master Plan is intended for the south areas of the city, including West Seattle. (Here’s a map showing what it envisions for this part of the city.) It’s at the Columbia Branch Library, 6 pm, presentation at 6:30 pm. (4721 Rainier Ave. S.)
JOURNALISM AND DATA: Special event at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library, 5:30 pm, explained on the Seattle Public Library calendar. (2306 42nd SW)
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS’ ENDORSEMENT MEETING: Mingling at 6:30 pm, speeches and votes start at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy. See the detailed agenda here. (9131 California SW)
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