West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
An e-mail question about people out on a West Seattle beach right now with lights reminds us that the next three mornings of “king tides” are worth another reminder – here’s what we published Tuesday – as well as the late-night low tides. Coming up at 11:44 pm, the tide will bottom out at -3.2 feet, very low as low tides go; then at 7 am, it’ll be up to 12.8 feet, very high as high tides go. The highest “king tide” this time around will be 12.9 feet at 7:48 am Friday, but in January, it’ll peak even higher, 13.3 feet both mornings on the first weekend of 2014, January 4-5. (Find tide status/chart on the WSB Weather page any time.)
(Photo courtesy Southwest Seattle Historical Society)
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum is decked for the holidays – just in time for a wave of special events to roll into the Alki Beach landmark. Volunteers including Bonnie Gromlich, Debbie Neifert, and Kerry Korsgaard (above) spent the past few days decorating, with an eye toward Saturday, when the museum will offer cookies and hot apple cider on its spacious porch 4-6:30 pm in honor of the Christmas Ship’s Alki visit (scheduled for 5:10-5:30).
Earlier on Saturday, you are also welcome at the museum for its monthly volunteer orientation, 11 am-1 pm – details here.
P.S. SWSHS has two other events ahead, though they’re not at the museum itself – tomorrow (Thursday) night at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), the Historical Society co-presents a free “On Stage” discussion about “Stories of the Civil War“; as part of the program, past president Judy Bentley will talk about “Free Boy,” which she co-authored, telling the story of a 13-year-old slave who escapes. The discussion precedes tomorrow night’s performance of “Little Women: The Musical,” for which SWSHS members are eligible for discounted tickets good that night only. Full details on the SWSHS website. And 4-6 pm at Westwood Village Barnes & Noble, it’s the SWSHS-co-presented “Words, Writers, West Seattle” author appearance featuring Nicole Hardy – as previewed here earlier this week.
Following up on last month’s meeting (WSB coverage here), the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council last night continued its discussion of Roxhill Park safety improvements. The line-of-sight blockage caused by Metro buses on SW Barton remains a major concern, as does the lack of light in the park – note our photo above, taken early this evening by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand, who was at last night’s WWRHAH meeting. One of the ideas that has picked up steam: Lights around part of the park’s perimeter. WWRHAH president Amanda Kay Helmick said she had talked with Chris Arkills, transportation adviser to County Executive Dow Constantine, about the possibility of at least illuminating Barton in the bus-stop areas. The park’s restroom/playground areas would be an area of focus, too. New Department of Neighborhoods district coordinator Jenny Frankl talked with the council about grants they might pursue for the park.
Another major item on the agenda: The latest on the Barton Combined Sewer Overflow control project. Mary Wohleb from the county Wastewater Treatment Division briefed WWRHAH, saying gas-line and tree-transplanting work is done. Work is still to come for the heart of the project, building raingardens/bioswales starting next year in planting strips along 15 blocks (see the map here). The county will maintain those raingardens, she explained, and has already worked on timetables of general and seasonal maintenance. Attendee Rory Denovan told Wohleb that the county should consider more native plants for the raingardens, saying that some of the plants mentioned on the project website are non-native and invasive. The county announced last week that it’s chosen a general contractor for the $5 million project, Goodfellow Brothers; the next round of public meetings is planned for January 23rd and 25th. Project planning and community discussion have been under way for more than four years; our earliest reports are from fall 2009.
For more notes from the WWRHAH meeting, check out secretary Joe Szilagyi‘s detailed summary on the WWRHAH website.
On Saturday, many Americans will stop to think about World War II, on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. In West Seattle, a group of women with a special interest in wartime remembrances will be gathering, as announced by local writer/performer/activist Georgie Bright Kunkel (right):
The reorganized Rosie the Riveter Group will meet at the home of Georgie Bright Kunkel on Saturday, December 7th, at 1:30 pm.
Call Georgie at 206-935-8663 if you worked during World War II in any job that released a man to serve in the military. We will share WWII stories.
If you were a Rosie – as was Georgie – or know one, don’t miss it. (Here’s our report by Christopher Boffoli from a gathering of Georgie and other local “Rosies” back in 2009.)
As noted in our previous story, tomorrow night is the next meeting of the Southwest Design Review Board, and it’s another doubleheader. Tonight, the graphics/info packet is out for the second of the two reviews, 4745 40th SW, on the east side of The Junction, west of the Masonic Center, southwest of the proposed 4755 Fauntleroy/Whole Foods site:
The project is described in the 80-page packet as “an eight-story, 169,455 SF building with 134 apartment units, 16 live/work units, 1,000 SF of commercial space, and parking for 116 cars.” Its south side is actually one story lower than its north side. It’ll be reviewed starting at 8 pm tomorrow (Thursday, December 5th) at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon), following the 6:30 pm session, in which the board will look again at 4535 44th SW, 36 apartments, 2 live-work units, no parking – we’ve already reported on its packet. (That’s the same project that was the subject of a special requested-by-petition community meeting two weeks ago.)
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Before the Southwest Design Review Board meets again tomorrow, we have one loose end from its last meeting, details of what led to the decision to send 3078 SW Avalon Way back for one more try.)
(Site aerial, from meeting packet)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The city Department of Planning and Development has tentatively scheduled January 16 for 3078 Avalon Way’s next appearance before the Southwest Design Review Board.
That would be two months following the 102-apartment, 60-parking-space project‘s second appearance before the board, which didn’t happen until fourteen months after its first review.
During that gap, the project changed, city codes changed, and the plan for an adjacent site changed.
One thing that did not change: The dedication of neighbors intent on raising big-picture questions while being an integral part of the process, a process that dates back to early word of the proposal 15 months ago, after which they met four times in the few ensuing weeks before the project’s September 2012 Design Review debut.
That process got emotional and contentious as this most recent meeting neared its end – four and a half hours after the board’s night began with another project that, like this one, involves a 100-plus-unit building to be built adjacent to a single-family neighborhood. As we reported right after the meeting, both were sent back for at least one more meeting.
The emotion and frustration, suggested the city planner assigned to 3078 Avalon Way, seemed to be about the zoning, something neither he nor board members could change – the zoning that potentially would allow a building rising seven stories from Avalon on this site.
(Also published on partner site White Center Now)
In the blue cap and gown is Michael Delfin-Rodriguez, celebrating his graduation from New Start High School in White Center, with his dad Sergio. Michael is the young man shot and killed the day before Thanksgiving, at 2nd SW and SW 108th, while he and his brother Saul were out for an early-early-morning walk to a store. This morning, members of Michael’s family were at the King County Sheriff’s Office headquarters downtown, meeting the media to make a public plea for help in finding his killer. Saul spoke for the family today:
As reported later that day (November 27th), investigators say it’s a case of mistaken identity – Michael and Saul were confronted by two people, believed to be teenage boys, who accused them of being members of a gang; they denied it, kept moving, then one of those boys pulled out a gun and fired, killing Michael. (added) Here’s King County TV video of the entire news conference:
If anyone saw anything or has heard any talk about it, there’s a Crime Stoppers reward in the case, and investigators are eager to hear from anyone with information that might help solve the murder. Crime Stoppers has multiple ways to report tips, including anonymously, or call KCSO at 206-296-3311.
At the center of our photo from this past July is West Seattleite Rusty Harper, photographed as he led his fellow Seafair Pirates ashore at Alki Beach as this year’s “Captain Kidd.” Last weekend, Mr. Harper died at just 56 years old. His wife Bonnie shares this remembrance:
Rusty Harper
October 1957 – December 2013
Rusty Harper, of West Seattle, will be remembered most recently as Captain Kidd of the Seattle Seafair Pirates this year. He loved the camaraderie and being a part of the “historic tapestry of Seattle”. He got the biggest thrill at the start of every Torchlight Parade. Looking straight down 4th Avenue at the throngs of people waiting for the first cannon blast from the Moby Duck was his favorite moment each year. His Pirate friends became his brothers, and brothers help make a place a home. His motto was “Tempus Fugit.”
His friends knew him as a Southern Gentleman. He was born in a small town in Mississippi, but spent most of his youth in Mobile, Alabama. Although he and his wife of 20 years, Bonnie, lived in Seattle since 1995, Rusty retained his beautiful accent. After a career in real estate, Rusty went to culinary school, which brought him to Seattle. He worked in the food manufacturing industry for years, but most recently joined Sage Fly Fishing on Bainbridge Island.
Rusty was on a continuous journey to enrich his mind and soul. His search led him to convert to Catholicism in his early 30’s. He was a passionate reader of literature, history, sci-fi and horror. He wanted to finish War and Peace, but only made it through the difficult part that was written in French – he had so looked forward to reading the rest in English. He loved graphic novels and comics, too. He spent many hours with his nose buried in the Dark Knight series of Batman. He loved art and music. As a baby boomer, of course there was AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, but he developed a profound love of jazz and big band music, particularly Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Duke Ellington. Travel was a big part of Rusty’s life. In recent trips to Europe, he spent many happy hours exploring art and culture. Several petite Parisian ladies working in a tiny chocolate shop might remember the shock of seeing a big redhead in a trench coat burst through the doors declaring in French, “I am an American chocolatier – where is the metro?”.
Rusty was the only son of Patricia Harper, who lives in Mobile, and the late Russell Harper. Rusty is remembered by his wife and her big family of sisters, nieces, nephews, and their children who loved their Uncle Rusty. His “hey, ya’ll”, “Roll Tide!”, big grin, and hearty laugh will be profoundly missed. Tempus fugit. Vita brevis.
Mr. Harper’s memorial is this Saturday (December 7th), 2-4 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral (2656 42nd SW).
Four West Seattle Crime Watch cases to report this morning:
BUSINESS BREAK-IN/VANDALISM: Police went to Amy’s Nails at 5631 California SW around 8:30 this morning after the salon’s glass door was discovered to have been smashed.
We talked with the salon’s owner at the scene; he told us that so far as he could tell at that point, it did not appear anything had been stolen.
STOLEN CAR: From a WSB reader who doesn’t want to be identified:
Our 1997 White Honda Civic LX Sedan was stolen from in front of our house in Highland Park (14th SW & SW Trenton) sometime between 6 pm Monday and 5 am Tuesday. WA License #AIZ6670. There is nothing too distinguishing about it, except for the black Britax car seat in the back seat of the car which has probably been dumped by now. If you spot the car, or know anything about the theft, please contact 911. Thanks!
Ahead – a stolen bike to watch for, plus, what a fast-thinking neighbor took to scare away mail prowlers:
(Photographed this morning by Emily Austin, shared via Instagram)
Someone left that on West Seattle’s northeast-facing shore – sweet way to start the day. Here are highlights of what’s ahead, from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and the seasonal WSB Holiday Guide:
BABY STORY TIME: Home with a wee one? Bring her/him to High Point Branch Library at 11:30 am for Baby Story Time. (35th/Raymond)
EARLY DAYS: Then right afterward, bring your baby to the Early Days drop-in support group, meeting Wednesdays noon-2 pm at Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) in The Junction – details here.
HOME OFFICE/CO-WORKING MEETUP: Tired of conferring with no one but the cat? Visit West Seattle Office Junction for the weekly home-office/co-working meetup, noon-1:15 pm. (5230-B California SW)
PRIVACY ADVOCATES @ COUNCIL COMMITTEE: The agenda for today’s 2 pm meeting of the City Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology Committee includes items that privacy advocates say relate to the wireless-mesh network that includes the sites where Seattle Police surveillance cameras are installed, in West Seattle and elsewhere, north to Shilshole, and they’re planning to speak out during the public-comment period at the meeting’s start. Details are on their new Facebook page.
EIGHTH AND FINAL NIGHT OF HANUKKAH … starts at sundown, 4:19 pm.
(added) INTERESTED IN K-5 STEM? Tonight’s a great night for prospective families to visit, says the K-5 STEM PTA, because of the Book Fair Blizzard. 5:30-8 pm. (Warm apple cider, bake sale, and gift wrapping) Books and gifts from pre-school through 6th grade. More info. on the PTA web site, where you can also find Book Talks from K-5 STEM 5th-graders. (5950 Delridge Way SW)
HOLIDAY COOKIE DECORATING: 6 pm workshop at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) – registration required; info’s in our calendar listing. (1936 Harbor SW)
‘LITTLE WOMEN, THE MUSICAL’: Second week of the run begins for the holiday-season production at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) – details in our calendar listing. (4711 California SW)
NIGHTLIFE: Tonight’s listings include a Pearl Jam pre-func party (since Friday’s the KeyArena concert) at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 7 pm … Karaoke with Kelli at OutWest Bar, 8:30 pm … more on the calendar!
(East-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge; see other cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:11 AM: For starters: The below-freezing air has finally arrived. The Boeing Field temp, usually the closest to ours, was 27 at the top of the hour.
7:40 AM: Jana reports a crash on the eastbound bridge, “red lights everywhere.” Nothing on the 911 log so far.
8:04 AM: Per scanner, there’s debris – “ladder, boxes, some wood” – on the eastbound bridge. No specific spot mentioned yet. Also, a report of a crash at Delridge/Andover, with the drivers possibly in some kind of post-crash argument.
8:31 AM: Also from the scanner, police heading to check out a report of an incident/crash possibly involving a Metro bus, California/Edmunds. (Update: Thanks to NanC for an eyewitness report in comments below.)
9:13 AM: Thanks to Mike Jensen for the Twitter update on the bridge debris – he says a crew is out cleaning them up, which is/was blocking the left lane of the eastbound bridge.
****
Three advisories today:
BRIDGE LANE CLOSURES: Today through Friday, the city plans to install LED streetlights on the high-rise bridge, and that means lane closures, starting with sections of the eastbound right-hand lane 10 am-4 pm today. Here’s the advisory we published Tuesday.
42ND SW ALERT: The half-block closure of 42nd SW between Alaska and Edmunds continues today, according to an advisory from Andersen Construction, which is working on the two-building mixed-use development at 42nd/Alaska/California.
They’re connecting sewer lines and expect the closures to continue daily through Friday and again next Monday-Friday, 7 am-3:30 pm. Access is maintained to 42nd SW businesses, but you can’t take a right turn when leaving Jefferson Square.
SW GENESEE ALERT: The prefab-townhouse project continues today on SW Genesee west of 26th SW, and that means a lane is blocked at times. Here’s our coverage from Tuesday.
A tradition at Madison Middle School brought in more than a ton and a half of holiday spirit to be shared with schoolmates and their families. Thanks to Anne Weglin for sharing the photos and story:
Madison Middle School students and families showed their generosity with their recent Thanksgiving Basket Food Drive. Science teachers participated in the annual class food drive competition, bringing in a grand total of 3,300 pounds of food.
New this year, the winning class teacher receives “The Madison Turkey Cup” trophy, which they will proudly display in the classroom throughout the year. The winning class this year was Ms. Quynn’s (pictured below with the trophy) 8th-grade students with a total of 1,126 pounds of food.
The donations were organized by volunteer coordinator Lora Bunch and the school nurse, Ms. Kate Bobo. The canned foods along with turkeys, dairy products, toiletries and more were distributed to 30 Madison families just in time to enjoy for Thanksgiving. This monumental effort could not have been successful without the help of staff and parent cash donations, the student helpers, and the volunteer delivery drivers. Special thanks to MacPherson’s Produce on Beacon Hill and Jefferson Square Safeway as well.
| 1 COMMENT