West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
If you drive/ride/walk along Roxbury, you might wonder what happened to the curb-bulb work at 30th, mentioned here before it started, and mentioned again in a recent WSB traffic report when Bradi sent the photo at left, saying the workers were absent, the signage was insufficient, and she’d popped a tire there. Nearby resident Donn DeVore, a past Westwood Neighborhood Council leader, e-mailed SDOT to ask what had happened, because the project appeared “abandoned.” The current Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Neighborhood Council jumped in. And tonight, SDOT’s Jim Curtin says it’s a combination of factors – the contractor also is working on another site that’s part of the same contract (Olympic Hills in North Seattle) and has had to deal with the recent heavy rain and its inhospitability to concrete work. But the contractor is expected to be back at the site tomorrow (Friday) for the concrete pour. Curtin adds, “Even with these weather related delays, the project is anticipated to be completed within the number of work days for this project. Barring further weather-related disruptions, the project is currently scheduled to be complete by the end of March.” This project is not part of the SW Roxbury safety work that’s launching (with another meeting coming up next Wednesday, 6 pm at Roxhill Elementary); it’s part of pedestrian-safety-in-school-areas work.
As mentioned in our West Seattle Thursday calendar highlights, $15-minimum-wage supporters promised demonstrations outside local McDonald’s today while calling for a one-day boycott of that chain as well as Wendy’s and Burger King (neither of which has West Seattle stores). We went by all local McDonald’s at lunchtime and found no protesters; one finally turned up at the South Admiral store; and then a media alert went out about a rally after 5 pm. So we checked it out; about two dozen demonstrators and plenty of citywide media. They were planning to be there until about 5:45. On the political side, the city’s Select Committee on Minimum Wage and Income Inequity has its first meeting March 5th – details on its schedule and mission here.
Since the big signal-replacement project at California/Fauntleroy happened without advance announcement, we promised to follow up with SDOT. Today, we not only have the overview, we also have the time-lapse video above, from pre-dawn Saturday through late Sunday afternoon. SDOT spokesperson Rick Sheridan explains that the project was carried out in an unusual manner:
The work at the intersection of California and Fauntleroy was a full replacement of the intersection’s signal infrastructure. The poles and signal equipment there were very old and the hardware was failing.
Instead of working over a normal two-week period (from only 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to avoid traffic), we completed the work over the weekend in a record 36 hours. The California and Fauntleroy intersection now has modern traffic signal equipment featuring new poles, signal heads and wires. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the work but believe the signal system upgrades will serve the neighborhood well.
The signals previously had numerous problems, reported here repeatedly last year.
(WSB photo from recent Seattle Police Mounted Patrol open house)
Tomorrow (Friday) night is the big night for an unusual fundraiser – it’s scheduled to happen in a pub and a park. From 5-7 pm, it’s a special benefit for the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol, based next door to West Seattle’s Westcrest Park, saved from budget cuts a few years back by a community campaign led by the nonprofit Seattle Police Foundation. It’s hosted by Beveridge Place Pub, who shared this announcement that explains how the park next door is involved too:
Join us for a super fun night with Greg Hall, owner and cider-maker at Virtue Cider, and Wilson, the world famous Seahawks-supporting miniature horse from Dreamland Ponies! You can enjoy four great ciders from Virtue, including Percheron, and also help us raise money for the horses of the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol Unit! In addition to donating a portion of the Virtue Cider proceeds, we’ll have some fun stuff to raffle off, and you can get your picture taken with Wilson!
For those under 21, Wilson’s playmates, Tinkerbelle and Peter Pan, will be in Morgan Junction Park with a mounted patrol horse for additional photo opportunities!
Did you know the Seattle Police’s seven horses, housed at Westcrest Park, are supported solely through private funding? The Seattle Police Foundation needs your help to keep these equine peacekeepers on the job! Check out saveourhorses.net for more info. (Note: dogs will not be allowed in the pub during this event)
You can see Wilson, the aforementioned mini-horse, in our coverage of the Seahawks-support flagraising at West Seattle Corporate Center pre-Super Bowl. Click ahead for a new list of raffle prizes, posted on Facebook by BPP today:
The subdivision proposal on that site at 6536 24th SW (map) will be the subject of a Department of Planning and Development public-comment meeting requested by neighbors. The formal notice is out today for the 7 pm March 20th meeting at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). We have reported three times previously about the proposal for this site, two parcels whose owner wants to split them into eight lots, with a proposal on the drawing board for a single-family home on each lot.
Longfellow Creek runs through the front yards of homes across 24th, and neighbors there have pointed out past flooding (see a photo in this WSB story from last month) and concerns about more runoff if the undeveloped site involved in this proposal is built on. They told us they had been working on a possible flood-control project which is as yet unfunded; the land owner’s documentation suggests that not-funded project might deal with runoff from his site.
Congratulations to Seattle Lutheran High School seniors Grant Doerr (above with parents Julia and Cary Doerr) and Jacob Fincher (below with parents Julia and Joe Fincher).
The announcement from SLHS:
Both students were nominated for The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award given to student athletes who exhibit academic, leadership and football talent. Schools in King County may nominate a senior lineman and a senior back/receiver for these awards; four finalists are selected for each. Doerr was selected as a finalist in the Back/Receiver category.
Doerr and Fincher will be honored Sunday (February 23) at CenturyLink Field in the West Club Lounge at 10 am.
Read more about the award program, and past recipients, here.
(Photo by Trileigh Tucker)
Another blustery day – here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, including some of what’s making news today:
TOT TREK AT CAMP LONG: Frogs and salamanders are the focus of this 10:30 am event at Camp Long Environmental Learning Center for 2- and 3-year-olds accompanied by adults. Call ASAP to see if there’s room! Details in our calendar listing. (5200 35th SW)
FAST-FOOD BOYCOTT CALL: Supporters of the $15 minimum-wage campaign are calling for three fast-food chains to be boycotted in Seattle today and say they will have demonstrations outside. The only one with outlets in West Seattle is McDonald’s.
FILM SCREENING: 11 am at Brockey Center Room A on the campus of South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), filmmaker Frank Abe shows his film “Conscience and the Constitution” and speaks about the Japanese American Day of Remembrance. More info in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)
MORGAN JUNCTION MURDER TRIAL: As we finish writing this highlight list, we are back at the King County Courthouse for the second day of presentations to the jury in the trial of Lovett Chambers for the 2012 shooting death of Travis Hood – here’s our detailed report, published late last night, about the first day, which included both sides’ opening statements. Proceedings were scheduled to start at 9, but a witness is running late.
PIANO BAR/CAFE SOCIAL FOR 50+ LGBT: 6-8 pm, the Senior Center of West Seattle hosts a piano bar/café social for LGBT 50+. Free hors d’oeuvres, no-host beer/wine, “Broadway Baby” singalong. (California/Oregon)
DESIGN REVIEW FOR 2626 ALKI AVE. SW: First time in a while that the Southwest Design Review Board has had only one project on its schedule, and it’s also the first mixed-use Alki project in a long time: 2626 Alki SW, which would replace three commercial buildings at Alki and 59th. It’s proposed for 14 residential units, 5 live-work, 3,250 sf of retail, and 28 parking spaces; the first public presentation about the plan was at last June’s Alki Community Council meeting. The Design Review packet has yet to be linked from the page where it’s supposed to be publicly available with at least a week to go; one did turn up elsewhere on the DPD site (not directly linkable) in December, but we’re checking to see if that’s still the newest one. The meeting’s at 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon) **10:34 AM UPDATE – We pinged DPD and they have now uploaded the packet – see it here.**
(added) ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm at Alki UCC – agenda just announced:
1) Alki Cottage Project 3015 60th Ave SW Permit: #3016265 – Jerome Diepenbrock / Marc Rudd
2) Upcoming Events:
Salmon Recovery in Puget Sound – Jeannette Dorner PSP Thurs 27 Feb
Potential Pedestrian Zone on Harbor Ave SW
March ACC? Citywide HUB Exercise (Emergency Preparedness) 17 May 9-noon
SDOT Summer Streets @ Alki 18 May 11-5pm http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/summer_alki.htm
Alki Art Fair 19-20 Jul
(6115 SW Hinds)
NIGHTLIFE: Music, open mike, pub quiz, multiple listings if you’re looking for something fun to do tonight – see it all on the calendar.
The West Seattle Food Bank‘s clients need more than food – they can use nourishment for the mind and soul, too. From Eve Holt:
The West Seattle Food Bank distributes books of all kinds to their clients. Right now, adult fiction and non-fiction, and cookbooks, are especially needed. If you have books in good condition, please consider donating them to the West Seattle Food Bank. You can drop them off Monday through Friday 9 am to 3 pm, or Wednesday until 7 pm (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). YOUR DONATIONS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
(More cameras, and other info, on the WSB Traffic page)
No major incidents/delays reported so far. If you are heading south, note that there’s a sizable power outage in Burien and part of the unincorporated area to its northeast – mostly east/south of White Center – here’s the map.
8:53 AM: Maybe it’s just the no-school week. We crossed the bridge rather quickly at 8:15, headed for Day 2 of the Morgan Junction murder trial downtown.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
No one disputes that longtime Gatewood resident Lovett “Cid” Chambers fired the shots that killed recent West Seattle arrival (Michael) Travis Hood by Morgan Junction Park on January 21, 2012.
The question to be settled is why – and whether he is guilty of murder.
After six weeks of motions and jury selection, the heart of Chambers’ trial began this afternoon in the courtroom of King County Superior Court Judge Theresa Doyle. Jury selection concluded before lunch; afterward, prosecution and defense lawyers presented their opening statements.
Their styles and stories contrasted dramatically.
First, the basic backstory as reported here. The incident unfolded – with much initial confusion resulting – at two locations that night.
That’s the red pickup truck in which Hood’s friend Jamie Vause drove him to the Providence Mount St. Vincent retirement/rehab center, believing it was a hospital. That’s where emergency responders first learned someone had been shot – but the shooting itself took place more than a mile southwest:
As reported in WSB as-it-happened coverage that night, we also had received reports of gunshots heard in Morgan Junction, and police quickly converged there to look for evidence. Hours later, in the early morning, SPD confirmed Chambers’ arrest, and family members confirmed Hood’s death. Four days after the shooting, Chambers was charged with first-degree murder (last August, that was reduced to second-degree).
No clear story emerged of what preceded the gunfire. And today in court, two very different versions were told.
Since Safeway has three stores in West Seattle, more than any other grocery chain, this might be of interest: The 1,300+-store chain announced today that it’s in talks with a potential buyer. Here’s one of the more thorough stories we’ve seen so far, published close to Safeway’s Bay Area headquarters. Safeway didn’t identify the prospective buyer, and no official deal has been announced yet, but industry observers are reported to believe it’s a private-equity firm. The 28th/Roxbury Safeway is the only local one for which the company owns the land, six acres worth; its Jefferson Square store is on a leased site, and it leases the land its Admiral store is on, after selling the site to American Realty Advisors one year after building the big new store.
(Click image for larger view – close enough to see the snow-covered trees!)
Down to the final four weeks of winter, and the Olympic Mountains finally have a truly wintry amount of snow! Thanks to Chris Frankovich for capturing this morning’s fully frosted view!
Thanks to Greta for mentioning this in a comment on the daily traffic roundup – there’s a multi-car crash on southbound 99 before the West Seattle Bridge exit. So if you haven’t left yet, consider going another way TFN.
7:14 PM UPDATE: SDOT says the crash is cleared.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Repeat offender Ryan Cox is back in jail this afternoon, hours after his case came up at last night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – on a night when the Seattle Mental Health Court was a long-planned topic of discussion.
During the discussion of Cox’s case, we discovered a warrant had been out for his arrest for two weeks, a warrant for violation of probation – same reason he had been taken in (and released after a day) last month. This time, the notation on the publicly viewable Municipal Court docket described him as “not a good candidate for probation” and labeled the warrant as “do not release.” (Photo at right is from 2009, distributed by police the first time Cox was being sought for vandalism.)
The docket also mentioned presiding Municipal Court Judge Kimi Kondo, who happened to be last night’s guest speaker.
Here’s how last night unfolded, including the discussion of the Mental Health Court in general, as well as Cox’s case.
(PHOTO BY KEN LAMBERT/THE SEATTLE TIMES – republished by WSB with permission)
1:41 PM: We are at the King County Courthouse, in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Theresa Doyle, where – after a month and a half of motions and jury selection – opening statements are about to begin in the trial of 69-year-old Lovett Chambers. He is the Gatewood man charged with second-degree murder in the January 2012 shooting death of 35-year-old Travis Hood alongside Morgan Junction Park. By all accounts, Chambers and Hood did not know each other; all they had in common is that both had been in a nearby bar moments before the shooting. We’ve read hundreds and hundreds of pages of court documents in the case in the past two years; they indicate that Chambers will contend self-defense, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder from the defendant’s experiences in prison and with police decades earlier. Under another name, he had a record, but nothing for the past 20-plus years while he lived and worked in West Seattle. About a dozen people are here in the gallery, watching the lawyers prepare. Depending on how it goes, we’ll likely add some updates here during the afternoon, in addition to more detailed coverage after proceedings are done for the day.
3:56 PM UPDATE: Court has recessed for the day, after both sides presented their opening statements, and jurors will hear from the first witness tomorrow morning. We have also added a photo, courtesy of our partners at The Seattle Times, who are also covering the trial; it was taken in the courtroom hallway at midday, showing Chambers at right with a deputy at left. We will publish a separate story later today with details of the proceedings.
12:52 PM: If you’ve seen/heard the big fire response, it’s for a house in the 2700 block of SW Kenyon (map), but most of the units have just been canceled. We’re checking it out.
12:58 PM UPDATE: Described on the scanner as a mattress fire.
1:16 PM UPDATE: Added photo. Fire’s out, no major damage, no injuries reported.
We start this West Seattle Crime Watch report 
with toplines from the crime-trends update presented at last night’s WS Crime Prevention Council meeting by new precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske (right): Residential and nonresidential burglaries are below average this past month, he said, attributing that to arrests of juvenile-burglary suspects as well as the Anti-Crime Team’s work. Car prowls “have been low the past four months.” But auto thefts are up, “and that’s the one category where we’re up, and up pretty significantly,” he said. However, he said, two “very active auto thieves” who have been in custody since January 28th are blamed for much of the month’s spike – he says it’s dropped since they were arrested. Asked about violent crimes, “there’s nothing that really strikes me” as unusual, he said. He was asked about but did not have updates on West Seattle’s two unsolved 2013 murders.
(Most of the rest of the WSCPC meeting dealt with the ongoing Ryan Cox case and what turned out to be the synergistic pre-scheduled presentation about the city’s Mental Health Court – that’s all coming up in a separate story.)
Now, read on for our most recent reader reports – including prowlers, suspicious behavior at a playground, a stolen car found by a WSB reader, and a stolen truck reported just over the city-limit line in White Center (could turn up here, so we’ll publish those reports when we get them):
John Loftus shared the Tuesday photo of a rare sight – a surf scoter on the sand at Alki. John writes, “Surf Scoters are a diving sea duck that winters in small flocks off our shores. Thousands were killed in a San Francisco Bay oil spill a few years ago and, although they are not endangered, scientists say their numbers have declined 50 to 70% over the past 40 years. While it’s not at all unusual to see Surf Scoters a hundred yards or so out on the water, this is the first time in 20 years at Alki that I’ve ever seen one standing on the shore. I hope he hadn’t encountered an oil slick. This is another good reason why otherwise law-abiding Seattleites should not run their dogs on the beach.” Speaking of wildlife:
LIVE CHAT RE: SICK ‘STARFISH’: The mysterious disease that’s been killing off sea stars in our area and many others, mostly on the West Coast, will be discussed in a live chat at noon today, including West Seattle’s “Diver Laura” James. Details here, including the chat link.
Some of what else is on the calendar:
PUBLIC SAFETY, CIVIL RIGHTS, TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE: 2 pm, this Seattle City Council committee’s agenda includes another vote related to federal Homeland Security grant money – no cameras mentioned this time, but you can read the documentation for yourself via the agenda. (City Hall, 4th/James downtown; live via Seattle Channel)
TALKING TUNNEL TOLLING: The advisory committee that’s working on recommendations for tolling the Highway 99 tunnel meets at 3 pm today at the Puget Sound Regional Council offices in Pioneer Square. Here’s the agenda; most recently, they were looking at a toll around $1-$1.25. (1011 Western, Suite 500)
CASSIS OPENS: 4 pm, first night at West Seattle’s newest restaurant, a French bistro on Alki. Here’s our Tuesday night preview. (2820 Alki SW)
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: Live or work in eastern West Seattle? Come see what reps from local groups/organizations are talking about. 7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, with agenda highlights as follows:
7:00 p.m. Introductions; announcements; approve previous meeting summary – All
7:10 p.m. Volunteers for CNC committee on development/land use – Cindi Barker, Morgan Community Association
7:25 p.m. Introduction and Q&A with Captain Steve Wilske, Seattle Police Department
7:55 p.m. Seattle reLeaf /Tree Ambassadors – Katie Gibbons, Seattle Public Utilities
8:05 p.m. Large Projects Fund – Department of Neighborhoods
8:10 p.m. City Neighborhood Council report/other DNDC business items:
-Neighborhood Park and Street Fund applications
-March annual DNDC meeting
-Gathering of Neighbors/Delridge Day 2014
(4408 Delridge Way SW, room 106)
SEATTLE CLASSIC GUITAR SOCIETY OPEN-MICROPHONE NIGHT: 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), an open-microphone event for guitarists of all skill levels – details in our calendar listing. (5612 California SW)
COMEDY NIGHT AT FEEDBACK LOUNGE: West Seattle’s Mona Concepcion hosts the latest monthly laughfest, starring Cris Rodriguez and featuring “a killer lineup of the city’s top comedians.” Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm, free. (6451 California SW)
LOTS MORE FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT … on the calendar (and days/nights/weeks beyond, too) – see it all here!
Seventy-two years ago today, on February 19th, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which led to the internment of more than 110,000 people in Western states, including ours, because they were from Japan or of Japanese ancestry. Before mid-winter break, students from Gatewood Elementary traveled to the historic site on Bainbridge Island formally known as the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial to learn about this. Teacher Darren Radu shared their report and photos:
We are students of Team Mt. Si at Gatewood Elementary. Over the past three months, we have been studying Japanese Internment during World War II. Did you know that as a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, many people were suspicious of perfectly innocent Japanese and Japanese Americans, who were then forced to move to internment camps? The camps were terrible places (many cabins were horse and cow stables!) for people to live and the Japanese did not have a choice about moving. Internment affected many residents and families from the Seattle area.
We took a field trip with our teachers Ms. Moran, Ms. Ott, and Mr. Radu to Bainbridge Island to visit the Japanese Internment Memorial. We visited the actual beach where many local Japanese and Japanese Americans boarded ferries that took them to camps. The Memorial helped us to experience what it was like to be in their shoes.
We also met our friend and amazing local artist, Steve Gardner, who showed us some of the ceramic sculptures he created for the memorial.
His work illustrates the lives of Bainbridge Japanese people before, during, and after internment.
We also worked with our teacher Colleen Moran to take a stand on the events of World War II by writing persuasive essays. It was important for us to learn about Japanese Internment because it helped us to learn from the past and to avoid making the same mistakes. We hope that other people will take the time to visit the Internment Memorial and continue to fight for justice, too!
Here’s a link to information about the Memorial:
Sincerely,
The Students of Team Mt. Si
Gatewood Elementary
This HistoryLink.org page shows how what was termed an “evacuation” unfolded in Seattle starting two months after President Roosevelt’s order.
(More cameras, and other info, on the WSB Traffic page)
We start the day with one more reminder that it remains a vacation week for Seattle Public Schools. And a followup:
WHAT’S NEXT FOR METRO FARE PROPOSALS: As noted in this spot yesterday, the County Council had Metro’s proposed fare changes – a 25-cent increase next year in the general fare, along with a 50-cent ACCESS increase and creation of a “low-income fare” – on its Tuesday agenda. Councilmembers did not vote, though. Our area’s Councilmember Joe McDermott says that’s expected to happen next Monday (February 24th), which is also when the council, meeting as the Transportation Benefit District board, is expected to vote on sending the Metro-money measure (car-tab fee, sales-tax increase) to voters for an April 22nd election. If the vote does not happen then, he says, a supermajority would be needed for approval, instead of a simple majority.
COMMUTE UPDATES … when there’s news. You can reach us with info via text/voice at 206-293-6302 – but not if/while you’re driving! It can wait until you get to where you’re going.
5:50 PM: Southbound 99 multi-car crash just north of the West Seattle Bridge.
A memorial service is planned this Saturday for Charles David Pierce, who died last week at age 54. Here’s the remembrance his loved ones are sharing:
Charles David Pierce died Tuesday, February 11, 2014. David resided at Providence Mount St. Vincent for the last thirteen years and died peacefully in his sleep.
For the last 36 years David has lived as a quadriplegic, as a result of a car accident at the age of 17. David graduated from Chief Sealth High School in 1980. David will be remembered for his strength of character, his sense of humor. and kind heart. David will be missed by all who knew him and cared for him.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 22, 2014, 9:30-12:00, at Providence Mount Saint Vincent Chapel, 3rd floor, 4831 35th Ave. SW.
(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
Jef Fike is so focused on fresh food, his about-to-open Alki restaurant doesn’t even have a freezer.
Tomorrow (Wednesday, February 19th) is the official opening night for Cassis, a name already known to fans of fine food who mourned the end of its Capitol Hill edition a decade ago and cheered when news of an Alki rebirth broke last year.
As a pink sunset glow topped storm clouds off Alki a few hours ago, we stopped in by invitation for a few photos of the just-completed interior, and an opening-night-eve conversation with Fike (above).
Before we get on with the rest of the night’s news – quite a sight at sunset. Thanks to Wayne McFarland for the photo above from Fauntleroy, and JayDee for the photo below from Upper Alki, both showing the storm clouds that rose over the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas, as well as further south, before and at sunset.
The forecast suggests it’ll be breezy and rainy off and on at least through Thursday night.
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