West Seattle, Washington
27 Saturday
Friday and Saturday nights, you have the chance to support local school music programs while enjoying great music from students AND big-name special guests at two events we want to remind you about:
(2013 event photo courtesy Emily)
FRIDAY – WEST SEATTLE BIG BAND @ MADISON BENEFIT: Tomorrow brings a night of music and dancing at, and benefiting, Madison Middle School:
Swing into Spring to the sounds of the amazing WEST SEATTLE BIG BAND! Free swing-dance lessons start at 6 pm. Peruse the food stands, bake sale, and raffle options while the Madison Middle School music students wow you with their musical talent. Then kick up your heels with the West Seattle Big Band!! Great fun for the whole family! 6:00-9:00 pm in Madison Middle School Commons. Admission $10 per person at the door; students and children under 18 free! All proceeds benefit Madison Music Boosters.
Madison is at 45th/Spokane.
Then on Saturday:
(Total Experience Gospel Choir at 2013 Soul Jambalaya; photo courtesy Denny IMS principal Jeff Clark)
SATURDAY – SOUL JAMBALAYA: The music programs at Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School will benefit from this event Saturday:
“Soul Jambalaya” is a fabulous concert celebrating Black History Month and the rich heritage of gospel, blues, jazz, and funk music. Student and professional musicians will gather together at Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium on Saturday, February 8, 2014 @ 7:00 pm to perform arrangements from all of these musical genres. Featured artists include the Total Experience Gospel Choir, Westside Blues, Figgins and Halbert Jazz, and our very own Denny International Middle School Jazz. Admission is free – donations will be accepted to benefit the schools’ music scholarship programs.
CSIHS is at 2600 SW Thistle. If you lose track of the reminder about these events, you’ll find both – and many more – on the calendar.
11:08 AM: We’ve been covering a business fire on our partner site White Center Now and are sharing the news here too after getting a question from a WSB reader who wondered why the 10000 block of 14th SW (map) is blocked by fire and police. The former White Center Blacksmith/Welding building caught fire this morning. It’s out, and nobody’s hurt; firefighters tell us the building is vacant and was about to get a new tenant. We’ll update the WCN link when there’s new information.
12:03 PM UPDATE: As mentioned on WCN, this affected WestSide Baby next door. From executive director Nancy Woodland:
This morning there was a fire at about 10 am in the large building next to WestSide Baby’s donations facility. One of our staff made the initial 911 call. It was significant and luckily, due to the very quick response of the North Highline Fire Department and with support from surrounding departments, the fire was under control within about 30 minutes. WestSide Baby’s donation facility is closed today to assess the smoke damage. We also have to have all the doors open in the hopes of minimizing smoke impact on all of the clothes, diapers and equipment stored inside. It’s REALLY cold so our staff is all huddled in our Administrative offices nearby. Phones and e-mails work.
The building next door was recently re-occupied by an auto repair business. They had only received keys last Friday. The fire investigators are here determining the cause.
P.S. 14th SW is open again.
SIDE NOTE: Not related so far as we know, but there’s a second fire of note in White Center today – a house fire on 20th SW.
Thanks to James Bratsanos for the photo from Wednesday’s pink sunrise glow on the Olympic Mountains, which were beautiful again this morning. Forecasters now say it’s looking less likely we’ll see snow down here (but they’re still watching the approaching system, and we are too). Much happening today/tonight:
SANISLO TOUR: Sanislo Elementary invites “prospective families to visit our ‘great little school with big ideas'” today, 10-11 am. (1812 SW Myrtle)
WEST SEATTLE LIONS CLUB: Meets at noon Thursdays, Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
WEST SEATTLE STORY WEAVERS: Free workshop for writers, 5:45 pm at Southwest Branch Library – details in our calendar listing. (35th/Henderson)
CHIEF SEALTH OPEN HOUSE: Prospective students and families are invited to come see and find out about Chief Sealth International High School at tonight’s open house. Starts in the auditorium at 6 pm; information fair in the commons and school tours follow. (2600 SW Thistle)
REMINDER – FAIRMOUNT PARK ELEMENTARY INFO MEETING CANCELED: The meeting that WAS scheduled for tonight is off – if you missed it, here’s the cancellation announcement.
LOOKING AHEAD TO POST-HIGH-SCHOOL EDUCATION OPTIONS: West Seattle High School 10th/11th graders and families are invited to this event – it’s never too early to start thinking ahead! Details in our calendar listing; 6 pm. (3000 California SW)
MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 6:30-8 pm, students and families welcome. (45th/Spokane)
DESIGN REVIEW X 2 – 4400 SW ALASKA, 3210 CALIFORNIA SW: The Southwest Design Review Board looks at two projects tonight, both with previous reviews – at 6:30 pm, the 5-story, 40-unit, 5-parking-space project proposed for 4400 SW Alaska (design packet here); at 8 pm, the fourth review for the 5-story, 149-unit, 168-parking space project proposed for 3210 California SW (design packet here). Both reviews include time for public comment, and both are upstairs at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
COMIC BOOK CLASS: First session tonight, 6:30 pm, for Delridge Community Center class on comic-book-making – details here.
HELP FIGHT CANCER! Be part of this year’s American Cancer Society-benefiting West Seattle Relay for Life. Kickoff event tonight, Pecado Bueno in The Junction, 7-8 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (4523 California SW)
SEE THE CALENDAR for even more of what’s up today, tonight, and beyond!
Thanks to Anita for the Schmitz Park Elementary Seahawks-spirit photo from 12:12 pm Wednesday. We’re sharing it along with something else from Schmitz Park: A challenge! From kindergarten teacher Mandy Cook:
Schmitz Park School is challenging all West Seattle elementary schools to a 100th Day of School food drive. Classrooms will EACH be collecting 100 food items by the 100th day of school. Arbor Heights started the challenge last year and we would love to continue their great idea. Last year our school alone collected 1400 items! Let’s all band together and help out our community.
In our Kindergarten classes, we used the food to read labels, count and tally, sort and weigh while helping our community.
See westseattlefoodbank.org for wish list items.
Last year, it was great to be able to publish updates on who was joining the food-drive challenge, to inspire other schools, as well as photos of the results (here’s one of those reports) once everything was collected. So if YOUR school/class will participate, please let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
7:00 AM: Good morning! We begin with the eastbound bridge view; more cameras, and other info, can be found on the WSB Traffic page. It’s going to be a very cold day, forecasters say, likely with a sub-freezing high, though it appears the chance of weekend snow is receding.
7:24 AM: Northbound I-5 has a bit of trouble – a crash north of the ramp from the West Seattle Bridge, just pinpointed as being at the I-90 exit. (See this camera.)
8:18 AM: Crash reported on the Admiral Way hill north of the bridge – at Admiral and City View. Radio communications say it’s “blocking” but “non-injury.” Police are on the way.
Progress toward a safer Westwood “transit hub” was one of the updates at Tuesday night’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting.
(WSB photo, December 2013)
BUS UPDATE: WWRHAH chair Amanda Kay Helmick said she’s “pleased they’re listening to us” – “they” meaning some of the agencies that participated in the walking tour of the Westwood Village/Roxhill Park “transit hub” back on December 30th (WSB coverage here). The first progress comes in the area shown in our photo above – 25th SW along the east side of the shopping center, where, Helmick says, she’s been told some layover zones will be moved. The Sound Transit 560, for example, will move further south next month, closer to the southeast corner of Westwood Village, for a little more distance between it and the driveway shown above. But there’s no word of a change yet for the “Wall of Buses” created by layover zones on Barton, alongside Roxhill Park; Metro said it needed a little more time to figure out if there’s anything they can do, Helmick said. But there will be a 70-foot no-parking zone by the crosswalk – “it’s not going to stop the stacking” but it’ll definitely give everyone a little more space, for starters, she said.
Speaking of Roxhill Park, it was the focus of two other items:
Unless you’re a first-time WSB visitor, you probably are well aware we report often on urban wildlife. Our penchant for the topic is one reason we’re excited that West Seattle author Lyanda Lynn Haupt is showcased in this Friday’s edition of the monthly “Words, Writers, West Seattle” series.
Tonight, series chair Dora-Faye Hendricks from the sponsoring Southwest Seattle Historical Society just e-mailed us with news of this clip featuring Haupt’s invitation to you:
Her newest book “The Urban Bestiary,” 
featured here last September, is in the spotlight. You might also know her for “Crow Planet,” which first gave us the chance to talk with her in 2009. Since then, her accomplishments have even included a talk in the prestigious TED x Rainier series.
Meet her 4-6 pm Friday (February 7th) at Barnes & Noble in Westwood Village.
Three charges are now filed against the man arrested last Friday night after law enforcers in the air and on the ground tracked a stolen SUV to a house near The Junction. 32-year-old Nicholas Broughton is described in court documents as an “11-time convicted felon.” He is charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, hit and run, and first-degree criminal trespass. He remains in jail tonight, but Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer set bail at $25,000, prosecutors say, down from the $100,000 set after his arrest. (At right: State Department of Corrections file photo of Broughton, added 2/7/14)
The police report in the documents includes more information on last Friday night’s events:
(Photo courtesy CrystalRose Hudelson)
An update tonight from the South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) students preparing to compete in next month’s international Aerospace Maintenance Competition: They now have enough funding to make the trip! CrystalRose Hudelson first shared news of the all-woman team’s competition plan last month, and then sent word that they were crowdfunding to cover the cost of the trip. Tonight she shared the news:
GREAT news: between private donations and the school’s further financial addition, we are fully vested to attend the competition! Now that we are not as focused on the how-to, we are immersing ourselves in our studies to do our donors and school proud. We are deeply grateful to those who have donated towards our cause and will not forget it. We are also grateful to the school for being ever diligent in doing their part.
She says they’ve added more training sessions – not just to be extra-prepared, but also because the competition “added a few new and exciting events.” College spokesperson Kevin Maloney says the board that decides how to spend some of the student-fee money at SSCC voted to award the effort $6,000.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
At Westside School (WSB sponsor), kids and teachers who came to school today enjoyed a Seahawks celebration without going downtown. They paraded through the halls and then around the school:
(This photo & next one by James Bratsanos)
The parade concluded with a group photo:
Westside also had planned to have video of the downtown event streaming in the multipurpose room.
Now that the parade is over, we’re tracking the trip home.
*SPECIAL WATER TAXI / SHUTTLE BUS SCHEDULE
*METRO ALERTS
We are continuing to monitor emergency communications – and hearing that downtown traffic is clearly still a challenge, to say the least.
2:37 PM: Tim just e-mailed to say, “Line to get on Water Taxi at Pier 50 stretches a block and a half down Alaskan Way.” (added) Cheryl‘s photo of the line at the dock:
(Firsthand reports on Water Taxi and buses appreciated in the next few hours – text 206-293-6302, e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!)
2:52 PM: From Luckie in comments, “If you’re taking the C from downtown to West Seattle, the further north you can catch it on 3rd, the better.”
3:25 PM: The CLink rally has just ended, which means tens of thousands more people joining the commute, which WSDOT describes as looking right now like it usually does at 5. (Minutes later) Metro says it’s canceled most parade reroutes, but: “Expect delays.”
3:40 PM: If you used Sound Transit light rail to get into downtown, ST just tweeted this: “If heading south on Link, Stadium Station your best bet for shortest waits, will still be crowds. Major backups in (downtown transit tunnel).”
4:15 PM: Catching RapidRide as far north as you can is the latest advice in comments. No massive problems reported on the roads; southbound Viaduct doesn’t look too horrible – here’s a camera:
4:37 PM: Update from Pier 50 – the Water Taxi is back to one boat and major waiting – you might want to try a bus home instead.
5:14 PM: I-5 southbound might be problematic – there’s a crash at mid-Boeing Field and that could mean domino effects getting out of downtown.
Today’s mega-event coverage pre-empted the big daily preview, but it’s not too late to look ahead to two meetings of note tonight:
SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD TALKS TRANSPORTATION: Last month, the vote on changing transportation times – which affect bell times – was postponed, amid complaints that families hadn’t had enough time to find out about proposed changes, let alone comment on them. Tonight, a revised proposal goes to the School Board. See it here; the revised list of proposed arrival/departure times (NOT the same as bell times) is here. It’ll come up after 6 pm during the meeting at district HQ in SODO. (3rd/Lander)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL TALKS PEDESTRIAN ZONING: She briefed the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council last night, the Morgan Community Association two weeks ago, and tonight, Aly Pennucci from the city Department of Planning and Development will be at the Southwest District Council to talk about the city’s proposal for a “zoning overlay” changing some development rules in neighborhood business districts. Other topics include neighborhood road safety (SDOT’s Jim Curtin is the guest) and an update on the proposed California Avenue SW Historic/Notable Structure survey (here’s an earlier WSB report). The meeting’s at 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
(Our earlier coverage of West Seattleites heading to the parade, including via Water Taxi, is here)
(Part of a downtown crowd estimated at 700,000! Photo by David Christensen)
11:00 AM: It’s 11 am – time to start parade coverage. Regional TV is streaming as well as broadcasting; we start with links:
Live broadcast: KING5.com
Live broadcast: KIROTV.com
Live tweets/chat: SeattleTimes.com
Photos, etc., to come! (added) Mark Tabbutt shared this pre-parade-crowd video recorded while bicycling to work:
Remember that road closures/bus reroutes have kicked in downtown, so if you’re not at the parade or watching it, still a good idea to stay put until it’s all over.
11:12 AM: We’re listening to KING’s stream, and the parade has not yet started – the team HAS arrived at the staging area, though. And the fans there were just singing “We Are the Champions.”
11:30 AM: Still hasn’t started. But we have an update from Seattle Public Schools: 13,523 students absent today – that’s 1 in 4, and about five times yesterday’s absences. 565 teachers are out, about 1 in 5, and about double the usual rate.
11:54 AM: Parade has finally begun. This traffic cam downtown has a good view:
12:43 PM: Three high-ranking politicians suggest a Seahawk should join their profession:
Cantwell, @Mayor_Ed_Murray & @kcexec launch a new campaign: #Sherman4Prez. #Celebrate48 pic.twitter.com/RqzFLIBQWH
— Sen. Maria Cantwell (@CantwellPress) February 5, 2014
Seattle Police are estimating 700,000 people downtown for this – more than double the original expectation.
1 PM: One of the sweetest scenes so far, via TV helicopter extreme zoom:
Check out all the @Skittles around @MoneyLynch during #12parade Watch KIRO 7 now. Online here: http://t.co/BY6gViEEKh pic.twitter.com/CScnlzFFLS
— Casey McNerthney (@mcnerthney) February 5, 2014
(added) Ground version of the view, from Larry Murante:
1:22 PM: Tweeted by West Seattleite Kim Sharpe Jones:
#LOB #celebrate48 pic.twitter.com/8J3oHzSdUm
— Kim Jones (@seattlekim) February 5, 2014
2:03 PM: The parade’s almost over. (The 747 flyover just happened!) We’re adding photos – check back!
3:16 PM: Lots more photos – this is from Doug Branch, in the midst of the downtown crowd:
More from Larry Murante:
Adding more!
(SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES – we’ll keep this going until switching to official parade edition)
6:35 AM: Good morning! We’re here to help you get to the 11 am parade downtown as well as the usual commute info. You can see more cameras, and other info, on the WSB Traffic page. Links for starters:
(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand, substituted later Wednesday)
–WATER TAXI: Go here to see the special schedule for today only, shuttle buses included.
–METRO: Route alerts that kick in before the parade; general advice
–SOUND TRANSIT BUSES/LIGHT RAIL: One WSBer texted at 6:30 that the Tukwila parking lot was 90% full.
–WEATHER: Very cold – the wind chill could make it feel like the teens, forecasters say; Special Weather Statement still in effect.
–IF YOU HAVE TICKETS TO SAFECO SPILLOVER EVENT, here’s the FAQ
People are already staked out along the route, KIRO’s live helicopter view shows. From SDOT, here’s how roads will be affected:
The parade begins at Fourth Avenue and Denny Way, and heads south on Fourth Avenue to S Washington Street. From there it will proceed west to Second Avenue S, turn south on Second and then move into the North Lot at CenturyLink Field. Fourth Avenue and all cross streets from Third Avenue to Fifth Avenue will be closed to traffic starting at 10:30 a.m. and reopen after the parade passes, and Occidental Avenue will be closed at 8:30 a.m. “No parking” signs for the event are in place and prohibit parking along the route from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
7:33 AM UPDATE: We went to The Junction to see how buses were looking. Saw an empty C Line. Don’t wait too long to go – via Twitter, we’re seeing numerous photos of the streets downtown filling up.
7:50 AM UPDATE: The 7:45 am Water Taxi was reported to be “full and boisterous,” per Tim; Lise also said it’s full, and both mention parking in the area is busier than usual. We’re heading off to survey the scene. Remember there is a gap between the 8:45 am run from Seacrest and the added 9:30 am run.
8:05 AM UPDATE: Now the C Line is full, Mac reports. Remember that downtown reroutes kick in BEFORE the parade – see the link above.
8:30 AM UPDATE: 8:15 Water Taxi was at capacity with ~50 left at dock, our crew reports. No street parking left in area. (Note: The Salty’s lot appeared to have a few spaces left on the unpaved side.) Next run is 8:45, then 9:30. Line for 8:45 stretches to the street. Meantime, if you are DRIVING in, 4th Avenue northbound off the bridges is not a good bet – see the backup on the city’s camera.
8:59 AM UPDATE: Can’t stress it enough, if you are going, LEAVE ASAP. (Here’s a photo Metro posted to Facebook showing the 2nd/Jackson crowd close to end of parade route:)
We are watching traffic, transit, Water Taxi, and everything is jammed. Here’s a Water Taxi line pic from about 15 mins ago:
Thanks to Brian Presser from TouchTech Systems for that pic. Meantime, Cheryl, also at the dock, says it looks like the Vashon boat might have been added to the run too. We haven’t confirmed that but will try to. Buses are jammed – the 21s were full by the time they got to Morgan, Jeff reports via Twitter.
9:13 AM UPDATE: Water Taxi line past Marination ma kai (WSB sponsor) and down the block, tweets Micah. Meantime, Josh confirms that the 8:45 Water Taxi captain “shouted (to those in line)” that they were adding the Vashon boat to come pick up more people. And we’ve just received a photo from Sean showing a crowd packing onto a RapidRide C Line bus:
Thanks to everyone sharing photos – we are staying at HQ to keep track of all the info you need going there AND getting back (and other news), so we’d love a parade photo or two once it’s all under way – text to 206-293-6302, e-mail to editor@westseattleblog.com, or share at facebook.com/westseattleblog.
Traffic alert: Scanner says there’s a crash at Delridge/Thistle.
9:40 AM UPDATE: Micah says the extra boat is helping the Water Taxi line move fast.
(Added: Photo from HJ)
Meantime, buses are still very busy. Just in from Kindree: “Been at C line stop on Alaska at Fauntleroy for a while now. Last 5 or 6 buses ( C and 50 ) have been full and passed us by.”
9:50 AM UPDATE: Meantime, from downtown, a preview from the start of the parade route, just tweeted by a State Patrol public-information officer – note the Ducks (which the team apparently will ride in):
Troopers preparing at the staging area for todays parade. pic.twitter.com/s1wUnbcdM3
— Trooper Chris Webb (@wspd2pio) February 5, 2014
10:03 AM UPDATE: Water Taxi continues to move along well – aerial perspective from Sunny Kobe Cook:
While downtown is full of fans, no major problems are reported – we’re monitoring all scanner channels as well as Twitter. But one transportation route is VERY backed up south of here, texts Amy – she says thousands are in line for light rail from Sea-Tac.
10:25 AM UPDATE: Winding down this edition of traffic coverage since we sure hope everyone who’s going is there. We’re hoping to feature a streaming window once the parade begins, separate story page. Meantime, if you ARE there, there’s one big request from SPD and the rest of the city: “With record crowds lining downtown streets for today’s Seahawks victory parade, police and fire are asking people to please stay on the sidewalks and leave the streets clear for emergency vehicles.”
10:39 AM UPDATE: Still people awaiting the Water Taxi, but David Christensen says, “It’s moving fast.” And Spenser tweeted this after getting onboard:
Water Taxi captain: “everybody Hold on because we’re about to take off like Percy Harvin!” @westseattleblog @Seahawks
— spenserdavis (@spenserdavis) February 5, 2014
POST-PARADE NOTE: We have afternoon going-back-to-West-Seattle coverage here.
If you don’t already have a ticket to Sunday’s gala Benefit Tea helping local families via WestSide Baby – time’s ticking toward the deadline to get yours – 4 pm tomorrow (Wednesday). From WS Baby executive director Nancy Woodland:
500 people are already signed up for the 13th Annual Benefit Tea on Sunday (2 pm, Sea-Tac Hilton Conference Center) and we hope you will come too. It’s an afternoon of incredible impact and community support of local children in need.
The Tea supports WestSide Baby operations and programs, allowing us to serve more local children with critical items to keep them safe, warm and dry. Guests are asked to give in support of our mission to provide essentials to local children in need.
My personal promises to you as our guest:
1) You will be inspired by our Tea Speaker and program.
2) Your gifts will immediately serve local children in need.
3) You will leave knowing you are part of something amazing.
4) If this happens to be your first fundraiser, we’ll make it fun and very easy!
Keynote speaker is Joanne Samuel Goldblum, executive director of the National Diaper Bank Network. WS Baby says no, you do not HAVE to dress up fancy – they just want to see you there!
P.S. WSB is proud to be among the sponsors of Sunday’s event, along with more than two dozen other local businesses (among them are businesses who are also members of our sponsor team – Ventana Construction, Jackson, Morgan & Hunt PLLC, Wyatt’s Jewelers, Fauntleroy Chiropractic, Budget Blinds, West Seattle Design Build, and Massage Envy-West Seattle).
A sudden shutdown at Westwood Village – this is the last night of operation for Jamba Juice, which is on the east end of the shopping center’s east-west breezeway. After a tip from Edgar (thanks!), we went over to talk with the staff and confirmed the imminent closure (about half an hour from now).
The staff said they had only found out a day or so ago. We heard too late in the day to check with center management about whether another tenant is lined up for the space.
SIDE NOTE: Other changes are under way at Westwood – the liquor store has moved from the center of the mall to a space on the north side by DaVita; a Carter’s children’s-clothing store is still on the way, as we first reported in November, and is now affirmed on the Carter’s website (and the WWV leasing map). City permits say it’s going into the space the liquor store vacated.
If you were planning on going to Thursday night’s informational meeting about the reopening of Fairmount Park Elementary – the district asked us to help get the word out that the meeting is OFF, because of a family emergency that will keep newly appointed principal Julie Breidenbach from attending. The other meetings remain scheduled – starting with 6 pm February 12th in the Alki Elementary cafeteria; they’re all listed here.
There’s an update tonight on the sea lion mentioned here two weeks ago after WSB readers noticed its carcass near a driftwood log featuring a sea-lion carving. From Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey:
Seal Sitters has been receiving calls about a deceased California sea lion on Alki Beach. We want to take this opportunity to update your readers.
This animal carcass washed ashore last month on a private beach along Beach Drive SW. Seal Sitters responded, documenting and marking it with non-toxic paint at that time. Since then, a succession of high tides has moved the carcass and it is now near the west end of the Alki promenade. Marine mammals can transmit disease, so please keep kids and pets at a distance. Seal Sitters has been in contact with Seattle Parks & Recreation and Animal Control concerning this animal and arrangements for removal are being made. We will continue to monitor this situation.
The California sea lions that forage and rest in Puget Sound are largely males and can reach 8 feet in length and weigh up to 850 pounds. Females rarely migrate to our waters. Healthy sea lions are extremely mobile on land and can be dangerous. Never approach or disturb live sea lions.
We’d like to remind all WSB readers that Seal Sitters is the NOAA designated marine mammal stranding network for West Seattle. As such, we respond to all calls regarding live or dead marine mammals on our beaches. There have been calls directly to NOAA and the Coast Guard concerning this animal and those calls are simply referred back to us by the respective agencies.
Seal Sitters MMSN thanks the West Seattle community for all the help protecting marine mammals. If there are any questions or to report marine mammals on the beach, please call our hotline at 206-905-7325.
(July 2010 crash at 8th/Roxbury, WSB/White Center Now photo)
Want to see SW Roxbury a whole lot safer than it is now? You’ll recall the campaign launched by the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council with the support of other area neighborhood advocates. Now, it’s announced that the city has scheduled two meetings about the improvements to follow:
*6:30 pm Thursday, February 13th in White Center’s Greenbridge neighborhood, 9800 8th SW
*6 pm Wednesday, February 26th, at Roxhill Elementary School, 30th/Roxbury
The city’s official project page is here. And you can expect to hear about this at tonight’s WWRHAH meeting, 6:15 pm at Southwest Branch Library (meeting preview here).
Seattle Public Schools has just gone public with a clarification about its policy regarding absences tomorrow. Now SPS superintendent José Banda says each individual school can decide whether absences will be excused or unexcused. The district has released a message sent to principals – who then should be advising their respective school communities how they will handle it (below it, we’ll be adding whatever we hear from individual WS schools):
(UPDATED 1:30 PM: Special sailing, shuttle schedules for Wednesday, added)
(WSB file photo)
11:04 AM: Just got word from King County Councilmember Joe McDermott – the West Seattle Water Taxi WILL have midday runs tomorrow for Seahawks Victory Parade goers. Full schedule will be out shortly (the first and last run times of the day won’t change – what WILL change is that it will run all day, including the period when it’s idle in the winter, 9 am-3:30 pm). And shuttle bus schedules WILL match the runs.
Bonus – remember the WSB commenters who suggested that the Water Taxi be honorarily renamed after kicker Steven Hauschka since he wasn’t included in the Washington State Ferries‘ honorary renames? Councilmember McDermott says that will happen for tomorrow, especially appropriate since Hauschka scored (early) offensive points on Sunday. (Poster image from King County added 5:54 pm)
12:19 PM UPDATE: Here’s the special Wednesday-ONLY sailing schedule as a PDF – this image is from that document:
Shuttle-bus schedule still being finalized, we’re told; we’ll add it when it’s available. (And if you’re thinking about driving to the dock, see our note from last night about free parking at Salty’s on Alki [WSB sponsor].)
1:30 PM UPDATE: Here’s a PDF of the special Wednesday shuttle-bus schedule (with the sailing schedule alongside):
See you at the dock!
As part of safety improvements near Roxhill Elementary, SDOT is building a curb bulb by the school next week, which that means some restrictions for drivers Tuesday, February 11th, through Thursday, February 13th. Here’s the announcement:
As part of the Safe Routes to School Project for Roxhill Elementary School, the Seattle Department of Transportation will be installing a pedestrian improvement at the intersection of Southwest Roxbury Street and 30th Avenue Southwest. The construction will require restricting northbound turns from SW Roxbury to 30th Avenue SW beginning Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 7 am, weather permitting. This restriction will remain in effect 24 hours per day until 5 pm Thursday, Feb. 13. Southbound travel on 30th Avenue SW will not be affected.
This restriction will allow crews to build a curb bulb on the northeast corner of 30th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Roxbury Street. This curb bulb will shorten the pedestrian crossing distance and provide a calmer pedestrian environment.
Those wishing to travel north on 30th Avenue Southwest should continue west on Southwest Roxbury Street to 35th Avenue Southwest, north on 35th Avenue Southwest to Southwest Barton Street, and east Southwest Barton Street to 30th Avenue Southwest.
Safe Routes to School is a national program that makes it safer and easier to walk and bike to school. This project also includes building a new concrete sidewalk and planting strip on the west side of 30th Avenue Southwest between Southwest Roxbury Street and Southwest 97th Street. New trees will be added, as well as ground cover and additional street lighting. Work is expected to be complete in March.
Mary took that photo of a hawk in the “Seahawks Tree” at her South Admiral home BEFORE the championship. Today, we’re expecting more information about tomorrow’s big downtown parade and how to get there, so keep an eye out for West Seattle-specific details as the day goes on (and please note that through tomorrow, those details will have a home here). Meantime, other events roll on – so here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
MONTHLY COFFEE HOUR FOR VETERANS: 11 am-noon today, drop by the Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
BABY STORY TIME: Newborn to one year, your wee one is invited to enjoy this free fun event, 11:30 am at Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)
CHINESE NEW YEAR LUNCHEON: Entertainment and food to mark the Lunar New Year, 11:45 am at the Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – call to make sure there’s room; that info’s in our listing.
AFTER-SCHOOL NATURE HIKE: Naturalist Stewart Wechsler has a new series of after-school nature hikes in Lincoln Park, starting at 3:15 pm – pre-registration requested but you can check to see if there’s last-minute room; full details in our calendar listing. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
BALLOT MEASURE FOR BUSES/ROADS? The King County Council is presiding over a public hearing tonight at Union Station on the south side of downtown, before deciding whether to ask voters to approve a license-tab fee and sales-tax hike to stave off Metro cuts and road deterioration – details in our calendar listing. 5:30 pm signups, 6 pm comment time. (401 S. Jackson)
WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Big agenda as usual for WWRHAH, including West Seattle’s second official briefing on the proposed “pedestrian retail zone” overlay – details in our Monday preview. 6:15 pm, Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)
OPERA PREVIEW: 6:30 pm, free preview lecture looking ahead to the Seattle Opera production of “The Consul,” West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library. (2306 42nd SW)
MANY more listings on our calendar, for today and beyond – see for yourself here.
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