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month : 09/2013 320 results

Congratulations to Roxhill Elementary teacher Robin Hicks, honored as a ‘Hero in the Classroom’
September 11, 2013 4:48 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

For the third time in four years, a Roxhill Elementary teacher has been chosen as a “Heroes of the Classroom” winner. Honored today in a ceremony at the school: Robin Hicks, who teaches 3rd-5th-grade Roxhill students who are on the autism spectrum (at center in our photo with Jennifer from Symetra and Allison from the Seahawks, both organizations that sponsor the awards). Her prizes include a $1,000 donation for classroom supplies and books and two tickets to this Sunday’s Seahawks game with the 49ers; she’ll be recognized on the big screen during the game. Read on for more about her work and her nomination:

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Protecting yourself from robbers
September 11, 2013 3:01 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Just received the newest newsletter from the Seattle Police crime-prevention coordinator for the Southwest and South precincts, Mark Solomon, who talks about how to protect yourself from street robbery, given the recent spike in that crime in many parts of the city including ours. Here’s the PDF – or, read it via Scribd without leaving this page:

Seattle Police Crime Prevention newsletter, September 2013


You might have noticed that most of the cases mentioned in the newsletter are from the South Precinct, not Southwest – the prevention advice is of course applicable everywhere – but the August case mentioned is this one involving three arrests after an Arbor Heights robbery; we reported back on Monday that the suspects pleaded not guilty and remain jailed in lieu of $250,000 bail each.

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West Seattle food: Terra Cole Butchery & Fine Foods plans October 1st ‘soft open’ in The Junction
September 11, 2013 1:51 pm
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Thanks to the WSB’ers who tipped us that the sign is up for Terra Cole Butchery & Fine Foods, the business going into the former Coffee to a Tea (etc.) storefront at 4541 California SW in The Junction. West Seattle residents Ashli Brown and Tim Mitchell tell WSB they are currently planning to “soft open” on October 1st. The couple has a combined 40 years in the hospitality industry. They say Terra Cole (“Terra” is Latin for “earth,” “Cole” is Old Germanic for “minor”) will sell meats and sauces, marinades, and rubs, as well as having a deli for items including sandwiches and soups made with from-scratch stocks. There will be some seating for dining in. When WSB’s Katie Meyer checked in with the proprietors today, they gave her a copy of their planned fall-rollout menu/merchandise list – read on:

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Video: Transit advocacy, development discussion top Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting
September 11, 2013 12:25 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | Development | Neighborhoods | Transportation | West Seattle news | Westwood

Our video from last night’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting shows two of the meeting’s central discussions. In order, here’s what and who you’ll see on the video:
*From the start, Elena Perez for Getting It Right for West Seattle, the group lobbying for changes in the 4755 Fauntleroy Way project, proposed for ~370 apartments, ~600 parking spaces, a Whole Foods Market, and other TBA retail, before its Mayor McGinn-opposed alley vacation comes to a City Council vote this winter.

*21:47 in, chair Amanda Kay Helmick starts the discussion of forming a West Seattle Transit Coalition, born from WWRHAH’s intense focus on Metro cuts and changes affecting the area (such as the eventual Highway 99 tunnel), so that the peninsula has a unified voice. They have drafted a letter and have been circulating it among community groups; they plan to “ask for the moon” of what West Seattle needs regarding traffic, rather than complaining about what’s missing now. The possibility of requiring development impact fees for transit funding was also brought up. Next step is likely an organizing meeting later this month.

Before these discussions, the meeting started with an in-depth discussion of the concept of organizing and producing Roxhill Park Day next year, with both a mega-work party and a neighborhood festival, funded with the assistance of a hoped-for city grant (applications due soon). You can find more background on the WWRHAH website.

Next month, WWRHAH is scheduled to return to its first-Tuesday meeting schedule; you can watch for announcements at wwrhah.org, which is also where WWRHAH secretary Joe Szilagyi‘s meeting minutes will be published when they’re ready (at which time we’ll add a link here too).

ADDED THURSDAY AFTERNOON: As promised, here’s the link to the newly published meeting minutes/notes on the WWRHAH site.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Last chance to see 9/11 luminaria bags; remembrance at 34th District Democrats’ meeting; more
September 11, 2013 10:26 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Thanks to Sean for the photo of the flag at half-staff at Station 29 in Admiral)
Three highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

9/11 LUMINARIA BAGS AT ALKI ARTS: As noted here Monday, Alki Arts and the Southwest Seattle Historical Society decided to leave the bags from 2001’s post-9/11 remembrances – displayed in “The Earth Cried Out” on Sunday (WSB coverage here) – up through closing time tonight. You can see them noon-7 pm. (2820 Alki SW)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARM STAND: 4-7 pm every Wednesday through early October – buy organic produce just steps away from where it was grown. Info in our calendar listing. (32nd/Juneau)

34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: West Seattle’s largest political group meets at 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, and agenda highlights shared by chair Marcee Stone-Vekich include:

9/11 Remembrance (with member Ron Schoenberg, who was there).

Program: Celebration of Labor
• Jonathan Rosenblum, Campaign Director, Working Washington, discusses the $15 minimum wage for fast-food Workers and the Sea-Tac Good Jobs Initiative.

• Seattle Education Association President Jonathan Knapp reports on the Seattle Teachers Contract Negotiations.

The group also will consider campaign contributions and two resolutions, on gun-sale background checks and on development. Full agenda here; The Hall is at 9131 California SW.

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‘Coffee with the Sallys’ returning to West Seattle
September 11, 2013 10:06 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

For the first time in almost two years, per our archives, City Councilmembers Sally Clark (current council president) and Sally Bagshaw will bring their “Coffee with the Sallys” community chat back to West Seattle. (Our photo above is from their stop at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market in November 2011.) Just got confirmation from council staff that they will be at High Point Branch Library (35th/Raymond) 2:30-4 pm on September 28th. It’s an informal drop-in event – so if you have a concern, question, idea, be there.

P.S. Not that it should limit what you bring up, but if you want to know which committees they’re on, check here. Clark currently chairs the Economic Resiliency and Regional Relations Committee, while Bagshaw chairs the Parks and Neighborhoods Committee.

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Authentic Oktoberfest returning to West Seattle – but you can’t just show up
September 11, 2013 9:43 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Austrian Club of Washington)
The Austria Club of Washington is bringing its Oktoberfest celebration back to West Seattle – and getting out the word early, because you have to buy tickets in advance – by postal mail! It’s at 6 pm Saturday, October 5th, at the Alki Masonic Center (4736 40th SW):

Western Washington’s most authentic Oktoberfest! Wear a Dirndl or Lederhosen and join the Austria Club of WA in celebrating our Alpine heritage and the fall season. Traditional music, Bavarian food, plus beer and wine at reasonable cost. Na, Prost! $30 (includes dinner) ADVANCE PURCHASE ONLY!

Table Reservations for Parties of 8; tickets must be paid and reservations made by October 1. Mail check (made out to Austria Club of WA) to: Rosie Mulholland, 11737 5th Avenue NE, “C,” Seattle, WA 98125

For info, call Rosie at 206.367.1988 or Martin Král at 206.546.9692

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates & road work
September 11, 2013 7:18 am
|      5 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)
Sunny morning, and we’re still facing a sizzling forecast – with the day’s high expected to go into the upper 80s. Today’s road-work reminders:

*SW Thistle is closed westbound between 35th and 37th for repaving work. Here’s the Metro reroute alert: “Route 22 heading toward the Alaska Junction will travel instead via 35th Av SW, SW Rose St and 37th Av SW to its regular route, using all posted and temporary stops along the revised routing. Heading toward Shorewood, Route 22 will travel instead via 37th Av SW, SW Rose St and 35th Av SW to its regular route.”

*SW Orchard is closed eastbound between Sylvan and Delridge as part of the Delridge Way Repaving Project.

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West Seattle schools: Schmitz Park movie rescheduled for this Friday; K-5 STEM at Boren paint party this Saturday
September 11, 2013 1:58 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle schools: Schmitz Park movie rescheduled for this Friday; K-5 STEM at Boren paint party this Saturday
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Two school events coming up are open to the community, not just students and families:

SCHMITZ PARK OUTDOOR MOVIE RESCHEDULED: No repeat of last Friday’s rain – so THIS Friday (September 13th) is the rescheduled outdoor-movie fundraiser at Schmitz Park Elementary. The school’s PTA invites you to come see “Epic” on a big screen at the SP playground. Gate opens 6:15 pm, movie at dusk (around 7:30 pm), $3/person (kids 3 and under are free), pizza and snacks/drinks will be sold ($2 or less). Proceeds will help support the 4th-grade outdoor-education experience at Islandwood.

STEM PAINTING PARTY: K-5 STEM at Boren PTA president Robin Graham shares the announcement:

This coming Saturday, September 14th, 9:30 am, we will be painting (and re-painting) our school playground (assuming good weather) at Boren on Delridge. We’ll be adding two new four-square courts, shifting the kickball diamond so it’s usable again, hopefully adding a wall ball court or two, and repainting the existing four-square, track, basketball keys, and hopscotch. With the portables gone, we want to use our new-found space! Also we have to remove moss and encroaching sod from the walk along the west side of parking lot, to remove bush on SE corner of exit driveway and to paint a limit line just east of driveway crosswalk so drivers know where to stop.

They’d love to have lots of help – sign up NOW, here. Whether you can or can’t be there in person, donations are needed too – see the list ahead:
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West Seattle books: Christopher Boffoli’s ‘Big Appetites’ now published; signing at Click! this Thursday
September 10, 2013 10:07 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news | West Seattle people | WS culture/arts

It’s a big autumn for West Seattle writers/artists publishing books – and we are particularly proud of the one whose book officially went on sale today: Longtime WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, whose “tiny people in a world of big food” photographs and wry captions now comprise a book titled “Big Appetites.” The first published photo in the series – more than five years ago! – was the one atop this story Christopher wrote for WSB. Since then, the “Big Appetites” series have been showcased in galleries and publications from coast to coast and around the world. And in case you missed the CBS TV feature last weekend:

That’s just one of many stories about Christopher and the new book – and how he creates the photos; several WSB’ers also sent us the link to this NPR story. He’ll be signing “Big Appetites” right here in West Seattle on Thursday night: During the September edition of the West Seattle Art Walk, Christopher will be at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor). Before then – read about the photo series here – and, in his own words below, what Christopher told us about how this all began, and snowballed:

The original genesis of Big Appetites was in a lot of the media I watched as a child. The concept of scale juxtaposition – with tiny figures in a normal-sized world – seemed to be employed everywhere, in films like The Incredible Shrinking Woman and Honey I Shrunk to Kids, to TV shows like Dr. Shrinker and in endless commercials from the Keebler Elves to the Pillsbury Doughboy to the tiny Ralston Purina chuck wagon that would get chased into the kitchen by a dog. When I was a child I was an avid collector of Matchbox cars, I was constantly building scale models and I also loved electric race car sets and model railroading. In a more contemporary sense, an exhibit I saw at the Saatchi Gallery in London in December 2002 (by the Chapman Brothers) which used tiny figures in large dioramas reignited the idea. I was also inspired by a work called The Travelers by Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz that used similar figures inside snow globes.

The first images I made in this series were done at the end of 2002 and in early 2003 when I still lived in New York City.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Plea bargain for Alan Polevia; 6-month sentence recommended
September 10, 2013 8:28 pm
|      33 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

(June 2013 photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
Checking in on our “watch list” of ongoing criminal cases, we discovered that Alan Polevia has pleaded guilty in two cases, as part of a plea agreement. If you don’t recognize the name immediately – Polevia, 32, has made news here a few times this year. After he escaped from police custody at Harborview Medical Center in February – while handcuffed – he was spotted in Shorewood on March 5th, leading to hours of helicopter-augmented searching. He was finally taken into custody three weeks later. He spent only three days in jail; shortly afterward, he was charged in a West Seattle burglary case from six months earlier, but didn’t appear for arraignment, so a warrant was issued for his arrest. On June 11th, he was arrested in Arbor Heights – and released less than two weeks later, after his bail was reduced. Less than 24 hours after that, he was arrested yet again, in a case that led to a charge of second-degree burglary, involving a house on 28th SW, just south of the city limits, that was vacant because of fire damage several weeks earlier. His plea bargain includes both that burglary, to which he pleaded guilty to the original charge, and the West Seattle case from last September, in which the burglary charge was reduced to 2nd-degree theft, with Polevia pleading guilty to that and the original 3rd-degree theft charge accompanying it.

For each of those two cases, according to documents in the online file, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is recommending a sentence of six months – with the two sentences to be served concurrently. Polevia is scheduled to be sentenced by Superior Court Judge Ken Schubert on September 27th, by which time he will already have served three months in jail – his fifth, and by far longest, stay in jail since last December.

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West Seattle food: New Morgan Junction taco truck Taqueria El Antojo
September 10, 2013 6:38 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Joining others from The Triangle to Alki to mid-Delridge, Morgan Junction is the newest West Seattle neighborhood to get a daily taco truck. Multiple WSB’ers spotted it, and we’ve since received official word from proprietor Katherine Brambila:

We would like to let people know about the opening of our taco truck – Taqueria El Antojo. We are located at (6317) California Avenue SW in the parking lot of the Short Stop Cleaners. We sell tacos, burritos, tortas, and much more. We are open daily from 10 am to 10 pm.

The other semi-permanently located West Seattle taco trucks include Beloved Mexico outside West Seattle Produce on Fauntleroy Way south of SW Alaska, El Rey del Taco at 7184 Sylvan Way SW just north of Home Depot, and Taqueria La Monarca outside Alki Auto Repair.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen red Volvo
September 10, 2013 4:48 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

Chas‘s car is distinctive – and missing:

Left car at Westwood Village this morning at 10:30  to help with a Longfellow Creek walk – came back after walk at 3:00 pm to find car stolen.

license plate ABJ7681
model S70 1999 red 4-door Volvo
has dent in left rear quarter panel

Call 911 if you see it.

9:18 PM UPDATE: Added a photo. (Reminder … we hope you never have to deal with a stolen car, bike, scooter, etc., but make sure you have a photo for police & us in case you ever do.)

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Followup: More details on police search for flasher seen near Holy Rosary
September 10, 2013 2:25 pm
|      33 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

(UPDATED 3:04 PM with new text of police update)

Just in – new information from police about the flasher incident reported here on Monday afternoon after Holy Rosary School sent an alert to parents, who forwarded it to us. From SPD Blotter:

Officers continue to look for a man who exposed himself to children outside Holy Rosary School. On September 9th at approximately 1:15 p.m. three 9-year-old girls were sitting on the edge of the playground when they noticed the suspect sitting in his vehicle, a large white SUV parked the wrong way on 41st Avenue SW, facing northbound on the west side of the street next to the playground.

The suspect summoned the girls over to his truck. As the girls got closer they saw that the suspect, who was sitting in the reclined driver’s seat, was not wearing any pants or underwear. All three girls turned around and walked back toward the school building and went back to class where the incident was reported.

There was no attempted or actual physical contact between the suspect and the three girls nor is there any indication that the suspect ever exited the truck.

The suspect drove off before the arrival of responding officers. Officers conducted an area search; however, the suspect remains at large.

The suspect is described as a white male in his mid to late 20′s with short dark hair and a heavy build.
Officers notified school staff of the incident and disseminated the details of the incident and the suspect/vehicle description to all patrol officers working in the West Seattle area.

Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect or his vehicle is asked to call 911 or the Seattle Police Sexual Assault Unit at 206-684-5575 and refer to this incident. Anonymous tips are welcome.

Sexual Assault Unit detectives are actively investigating the incident.

EDITOR’S NOTE, 3:04 PM: We have updated the text above to reflect SPD’s updated blotter post, with a few more details.

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West Seattle biznotes: Thunder Road Guitars; Second Gear Sports; Harry’s Chicken Joint; JC’s Deli; future Panda Express…
September 10, 2013 12:23 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Updates on four West Seattle businesses and one in the works:

THUNDER ROAD GUITARS: West Seattle’s only guitar shop, Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) at 3916 California SW, is making changes so you have more opportunities to come in. From proprietor Frank Gross:

We are expanding our hours! Since we opened our storefront in November it has been quite clear our hours are a bit limited and I have heard from many customers that we are closed when they come by. That said, we want to make sure everyone who wants to come see the store and makes the trip can! Our new hours are as follows:

Monday: By Appointment
Tuesday – Saturday: 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday: Closed

SECOND GEAR SPORTS: The new consignment (etc.) shop in Morgan Junction, first noted here August 6th, is now officially open, after a while in “soft open” mode. We stopped by the 6529 California SW storefront for a photo of owners Mark and Ellen Bremen:

They have just decided on their permanent hours, Ellen says – 10 am-6 pm, Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 am-5 pm Sundays, closed Mondays. They don’t have a website yet but you can find them on Facebook, here.

HARRY’S CHICKEN JOINT: The restaurant’s six-months-in-business celebration this past weekend was a hit; we stopped in while they were cooking more chicken for the party:

And now we’re sharing the news that Harry’s Chicken Joint (WSB sponsor) is changing its hours for fall – Tuesdays-Saturdays, 4 pm-8 pm. Find Harry’s at 6032 California SW.

JC’S DELI: New hours here too, as the deli at 9007 35th SW approaches its first anniversary – Fridays through Tuesdays, 11 am-7:30 pm, with the caveat from proprietor Jeanette Cummings that they might close early on slow Sundays.

UPDATE – PANDA EXPRESS IN WESTWOOD VILLAGE: Seven months have passed since we reported that the national Asian-food chain appeared to be headed to part of the former Hollywood Video space on the south side of Westwood Village, and with no activity in the space since then, we’ve received some questions recently about whether it’s still in the works. Today, we found new proof that it is – the interior work is out for bids, which are to be opened this Thursday, so it looks like work will start soon.

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West Seattle Tuesday: Get involved in your ‘hood! 4 councils meet
September 10, 2013 10:52 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

West Seattle

(Photo by Mark Bauschke, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – a big night for neighborhood-council meetings!

HIGH POINT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 6 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. President Deborah Vandermar shares agenda highlights:

Our main focus will be organizing volunteers for High Point Night Out on September 15. This year we are hosting six picnics in six parks, all at once. Focus will be on kids.

All welcome; the center is at 6400 Sylvan Way.

WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 6:15 pm, upstairs at Southwest Branch Library. Agenda on the WWRHAH site – including discussion of forming a West Seattle Transit Coalition. All welcome! (35th/Henderson)

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: 7 pm, lower level of Admiral Congregational Church, all welcome. Agenda highlights from president David Whiting:

Our special guest this month will be Jake and Cathy Jaramillo, authors of the guide book on the stairway walks in Seattle. We’ll also debrief our concert series and prepare for our this Saturday’s Adopt-A-Street cleanup.

The church is at California/Hill.

FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Board meets 7 pm (public welcome!), Fauntleroy Schoolhouse conference room. (9131 California SW)

Also today/tonight:

RAISE A GUIDE PUPPY! West Seattle See Dogs needs puppy raisers. Come see what it’s all about at tonight’s meeting at The Kenney (WSB sponsor), 6:30 pm. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)

FAMILY STORY TIME: Tonight it’s at 7 pm at Delridge Branch Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

Nightlife too – see the listings and more of today’s happenings on our calendar.

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West Seattle pre-holiday sales: Sign-up time for two events
September 10, 2013 9:45 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle pre-holiday sales: Sign-up time for two events
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

So it’s going into the 80s again today and that’s hardly conducive to a “Jingle Bells” mood. Nonetheless, holiday planning is under way in some quarters, especially for the pre-holiday sale season. Two notes to share, first from Sue Gibbs on behalf of West Gate Court #21, Order of the Amaranth:

Holiday Bazaar – October 12th – 10-4
Alki Masonic Hall, 4736 40th Ave SW
Tables available

To get one, contact Sue, 206-650 5491, westgateevents21@gmail.com.

And from Judy Pickens on behalf of Fauntleroy Church:

If you’re an artist/artistic crafter living in West Seattle and haven’t yet applied for the Fauntleroy Fine Art & Holiday Gift Show November 15-17, time is a’wasting. The deadline is September 30. The show, hosted by Fauntleroy Church, is always well-attended, the percentage to participate is low, and you’ll likely go home with contacts for after-show sales. Look for details and the application form at fauntleroyucc.org or call the church office at 206-932-5600.

P.S. If you’re in the buying mood, the church is having its Second-Time Sale this weekend – details here.

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Final phase of Delridge repaving to start September 23rd
September 10, 2013 8:28 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Updated map sent by SDOT)
After eight months of work, the date is set for the final phase of the Delridge Way Repaving Project to begin: September 23rd. That’s when crews plan to start on the southernmost stretch. Here’s the announcement sent this morning by SDOT:

The Seattle Department of Transportation’s Delridge Way SW Paving Project enters its fifth and final phase on September 23, 2013. The project rebuilds much of the roadway from SW Henderson to SW Roxbury streets, installing new storm water detention pipes, upgrading curb ramps to ADA standards and adding bike facilities on the northern end. The project began January 10 and is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.

To ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians and to allow enough space for the crews to complete the work on Phase 5, between SW Henderson and Roxbury streets, on-street parking will be inaccessible. Also, southbound traffic will be detoured at SW Henderson St to 16th Avenue SW.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates
September 10, 2013 7:08 am
|      10 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)
7:08 AM: More fog this morning, but it looks to be mostly on the water – the Vashon Water Taxi, for example, is running late. Also, one road-work project is scheduled to start today: Repaving on SW Thistle between 35th and 37th, closing the westbound lanes today and tomorrow, the eastbound lanes Thursday and Friday.

9:39 AM UPDATE: Problem reported on northbound I-5 before the I-90 exit – take 99 if you can.

2:30 PM NOTE: WSDOT has just gone public with a long list of closures planned this weekend. None in the immediate West Seattle area – but many involve I-5, so check it out:

Northbound I-5

9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, to 4:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16 – Two of four left lanes on northbound I-5 will be closed between Olive Way and Lakeview Boulevard for expansion joint replacement.

11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, to 4:30 a.m. Saturday – Three of four lanes on northbound I-5 will be closed between Mercer Street and Lakeview Boulevard while crews place a protective concrete barrier around the work zone.

5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, and 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 – WSDOT bridge maintenance crews will extend the double-left lane closures on northbound I-5 from Lakeview Boulevard to the north end of the Ship Canal Bridge for bridge deck repair work.

11:59 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, to 4:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16 – Three of four lanes on northbound I-5 will be closed between Mercer Street and Lakeview Boulevard to remove barrier and restore all four travel lanes.

SR 520

11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, to 9 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 15 – All lanes of SR 520 from I-405 to Montlake Boulevard will be closed. Eastside Transit and HOV Project crews will use the closure to implement westbound traffic lane shifts from 108th Avenue Northeast to Evergreen Point Road, while other workers continue pouring concrete foundations for the new West Connection Bridge.

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Followups: Robbery suspects arraigned; weekend incident details
September 9, 2013 11:22 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Three followups tonight: Arraignment today for the three men charged in a street-robbery spree that ended in Arbor Heights almost three weeks ago. As reported here August 26th, 22-year-old Hassan I. Abdirizak, 19-year-old Abdulkamir A. Ahmed, and 21-year-old Najib A. Aden are each charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of attempted first-degree robbery. Each pleaded not guilty; one asked for a bail reduction, which was denied, so each suspect remains jailed in lieu of $250,000 bail.

We also followed up with police today on two incidents we covered this weekend, each fairly thin on details at the time:

31ST SW, SATURDAY AFTERNOON: (our original item here) The report says this came in as two calls, from a man and woman, both claiming to have been injured, with a knife involved somehow, and that’s why it was originally an “assault with weapons” call. In the end, it seemed neither had actually been stabbed – they had argued, and one put the other in a headlock, which the other tried to escape by biting that person. Questioned by police, both told conflicting stories of how they had met a few days earlier, though each story made mention of methamphetamine use, according to the report. Eventually they were transported to different hospitals to be checked out.

32ND SW, FRIDAY NIGHT: (our original item here) The police report says this was called in just after 7 pm Friday as a 37-year-old man face down on his living-room floor and having “seizure-like activity,” similar to an incident reported six days earlier. The family said he tested positive for methamphetamine during that earlier incident. Firefighter/medics arriving at the scene Friday night found the man semi-conscious; as they tried to take his blood pressure, he swung a fist and then kicked at them, so they called for police backup. Officers arrived, tried to get the man under control, but he went limp and stopped breathing, the report says. Firefighters started CPR; the man was eventually taken to the hospital. The report says prescription drugs and marijuana were found in the house.

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Ex-‘Nickelsville’ site: Campers’ cleanup ends, city cleanup begins
September 9, 2013 9:28 pm
|      36 COMMENTS
 |   Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

Sunday – which is when WSB reader Kevin McClintic took these photos – was the eighth and final day for campers to clean up the former “Nickelsville” site at 7116 W. Marginal Way SW. Mayoral spokesperson Aaron Pickus confirmed to WSB today that the city had granted them access through the weekend, but that’s now over.

What they left behind consists mostly of a big stack of wood – this and more:

We noticed the giant pile when passing the site this afternoon. The city Department of Finance and Administrative Services is in charge of the city work at the site now, according to Pickus, so we checked with FAS spokesperson Katherine Schubert-Knapp. She says that installation of the temporary chain-link fence was to be completed today, as well as other work: “This fence will remain on site for up to six months as needed. Cleanup also start(ed) today, focusing first in the west side park and ride area. We’re hoping to finish that section by tomorrow and crews will then focus on the property inside the fence. That work should start this week and is expected to be completed by Sept. 20.” If you are just catching up with this story, after almost 2 1/2 years of occupying the West Marginal Way site, the encampment did not challenge city leaders’ plan to close it as of September 1st, and have since moved to three other sites, in the Central District, Madison Valley, and unincorporated Skyway.

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‘Diaper Need Awareness Week’ bottom line – you can help!
September 9, 2013 8:26 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

No better time to donate diapers to local families via WestSide Baby than this week – because it’s been proclaimed Diaper Need Awareness Week in the city, county, and state. WS Baby executive director Nancy Woodland shares the photo of her visit to King County Council Chambers this afternoon on behalf of the occasion. (That’s Nancy in red.) See the county proclamation here; ahead, the news release explaining the need:

Diaper Need Awareness Week (Sept. 8 through 14) calls attention to a disturbing statistic: Nearly 30 percent of low-income families cannot afford enough diapers to keep their babies clean, dry and healthy.

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Update: Bank alarm brings big police response in The Junction
September 9, 2013 6:15 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

ORIGINAL REPORT, 6:15 PM: We’re on our way to a report of a big police response in The Junction. A TV helicopter is checking it out too – so if you’re seeing a chopper, that’s what you’re seeing. Updated: They’re checking out a possible robbery alarm in the 4000 block of SW Alaska.

7:34 PM UPDATE: Apologies that heavy traffic crashed the site – it is the result of an underlying problem we are working very hard to permanently fix. We have been reporting on Twitter (twitter.com/westseattleblog) and Facebook (facebook.com/westseattleblog) – even if you don’t regularly use social media, please consider bookmarking our pages there for situations like this – and on our backup site, but in the meantime, here’s the bottom line of what happened:

A “duress alarm” was triggered at AmericanWest Bank at 4022 SW Alaska. It was false, but that kind of alarm requires an in-person response by police – it cannot be remotely (by phone, etc.) confirmed as false. That tied up traffic and led to tense moments, because the huge police response – necessary in case someone really had been in trouble – required officers to clear people away from around the bank.

A TV helicopter showed up and, according to scanner traffic, was asked to back off. Finally, the manager of the bank got to the scene and went in with police to verify that everything was OK. Officers stayed a while longer at the bank to be sure everything was OK, and also to try to find out how the alarm was triggered; there was a scanner suggestion that a cleaning person might have been to blame, but we don’t know if that has been confirmed.

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