West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has announced this year’s Westside Awards recipients, who will be honored at a breakfast event one week from today. From WSCofC CEO Lynn Dennis and chair Nancy Woodland:
The Westside Awards Breakfast honors three local businesses and one individual who demonstrate success and innovation that contribute to this thriving economic region.
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce received more than 80 nominations, setting an all-time record of participation. We are thrilled to share the news about our 2014 Westside Award Winners. As is to be expected, this decision was difficult because we have so many truly outstanding businesses, non-profits and individuals working in and supporting the West Seattle community.
Good morning. We start with the eastbound West Seattle Bridge view and the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct view:
You can see more cameras, and other info, on the WSB Traffic page. Updates here if there’s trouble.
West Seattle High School‘s soccer team is back on the field today, playing at Nathan Hale, after another win on Tuesday, 4-2 over visiting Cleveland HS. Our reader correspondent (who also shared the photo – thank you!) reports, “It started off rough with a downpour of rain for the first half. But after halftime, the Wildcats came back strong with the next two goals winning the game.” Here’s the scoring list. Today’s match is between early conference leaders – Hale and Westside both have two in-conference wins.
“I think we need to take a look at that.”
We heard that response a few times during our recent one-on-one interview with Mayor Ed Murray, including when we asked about a development-related issue that has roiled some neighborhoods around the city, including here in West Seattle: No offstreet parking required for housing built within a few blocks of “frequent transit.” That’s led to plans including the just-approved 6917 California SW 30-apartments, no-parking-spaces building whose land-use sign drew a frustrated scrawl last fall:
The no-parking (or handful-of-spaces) trend has been especially noticeable in the medium-sized projects lately, such as 40 units and 5 spaces at 4439 41st SW. But even as the city says “OK, there’s frequent transit, you can do it,” the transit agency – Metro – is warning of cuts. So, we asked the mayor, what does he think about the city allowing parking-free projects without being able to guarantee transit availability?
Previous installments in our Q/A with the mayor:
Question #1 – West Seattle Bridge traffic
Question #2 – SPD’s not-yet-activated surveillance cameras
Question #3 – About that alley vacation …
(Photo of SSCC team tweeted by @airsafe)
Back in January, we shared the story of South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) Aviation Maintenance Technology students who had formed an all-woman team determined to go to a national competition in Las Vegas. After school and community support put some wind beneath their wings, they worked hard to practice, and this week it’s showtime – they’re in Las Vegas at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. We’re waiting to hear how they did in their events these past two days, but just the act of getting there was a celebration-worthy success.
Almost five months after being charged with trafficking in stolen liquor, Puerto Vallarta Restaurant owner Eduardo Morales-Cardenas has pleaded guilty to two charges. We have been checking the online files weekly and found out today that he appeared before Judge Monica Benton yesterday afternoon to enter the pleas: Guilty to one count of first-degree trafficking in stolen property, guilty to one count of attempted trafficking in stolen property. In the documentation, he acknowledges buying what he said he knew was alcohol stolen from Safeway and QFC; he was arrested last September, but charges weren’t filed until November. Morales-Cardenas is scheduled for sentencing on April 11th before Judge Carol Schapira; the prosecution, which says they found no prior criminal history for him, is recommending a sentence of 364 days in work release/electronic home detention.
Checking on the status of the others who were charged at the same time, accused of stealing and selling liquor in the same case, here’s what court documents show: One co-defendant, Eric Olson, also pleaded guilty yesterday and will be sentenced at the same April 11th hearing; a 43-month sentence will be recommended. Another, Amber Vincent, pleaded guilty last month to organized retail theft and trafficking in stolen property, and was sentenced to three months of work release; Shaye Glenn-Nitschke also pleaded guilty last month, to one charge, and was released from jail because he’d served more time than he had been sentenced to. A fourth defendant, Michael Jensen, is scheduled for a plea hearing next week.
Two West Seattle stores focused mostly on phone sales are taking stock today after overnight burglaries. We heard this morning about the AT&T store in Morgan Junction getting hit, and before we could publish a story, we found out that Sound Advice, the Verizon dealer in The Junction, had an overnight break-in too. So far, it appears that store suffered the most extensive losses – virtually cleaned out, manager Mike Ellis told us when we stopped in a little while ago, even the monitor in the window that played promotional videos. They are open, but it’ll take them a day or so to recover on inventory; they are still taking stock. As for the AT&T store, Seattle Police spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson told us it too was taking stock after initially reporting a window was broken and about half a dozen phones taken from a display. Jana tweeted this photo after passing by early this morning:
No word so far if the two break-ins are believed to have been the work of the same burglars; in both cases, as you can see in the photos, they smashed glass doors to get in.
That backhoe, recorded on video by neighbor Sara, brought the final chapter today to what once was Fraker’s Grocery at 4808 SW Alaska, vacant and slumping for years, but the source of many warm memories, as discussed in comments on past stories:
We first reported last December that it was slated for demolition so a single-family home could be built.
The lot was split off from the house next door a few years back. Former proprietor Dean Fraker died in 2009 at the age of 87.
Just a week and a half until your chance to enjoy student artists’ work – performing arts, visual arts, culinary arts – in the third annual West Seattle High School “Taste of the Arts” benefit. It’s set for Saturday, April 5th, with the visual and culinary arts awaiting you 6-7:30 pm that night in the St. John’s Episcopal Church hall next to WSHS, and then the Westside Drama performance of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at 8 pm in the school theater. See the official flyer here for full details; meantime, you can buy tickets online now, here.
After cutting trees as part of a soil cleanup at two of West Seattle’s six “surplus” ex-substations, over the objections of community advocates including the WS Green Space Coalition, City Light said it would try a different technique at the Fauntleroy and Genesee Hill sites – “vactoring” contaminated soil in a way that WSGSC was told should make cleanup possible without destroying the trees. Thanks to a reader tip, we learned this work is happening at the Fauntleroy site (just around the corner from the Endolyne business district-let) right now. Meantime, as noted in our most recent report, the Green Space Coalition is continuing to advocate for a larger community role in determining the sites’ future – rather than what has been the usual past path of seeing them sold for housing development. City Light has said it could send disposition-plan legislation to the City Council – which has the final say – as soon as the third quarter of this year.
You might have noticed preparation for this work – and now we have details: SDOT is putting in curb ramps at two spots on Harbor Avenue SW:
Starting the week of March 31, Seattle Department of Transportation crews will be installing curb ramps at two locations with marked crosswalks on the Alki Trail in West Seattle. The curb ramps will improve safety and accessibility for everyone using these crosswalks.
One of the crosswalks is located at Harbor Avenue Southwest and California Way Southwest. The other is a midblock crosswalk on Harbor Avenue Southwest near the Don Armeni Boat Ramp. The crews expect to complete the work by the middle of April.
The city’s announcement continues ahead: Read More
World Water Week continues at Chief Sealth International High School – teacher Noah Zeichner shares that photo from an art project that is part of today’s student conference on plastic pollution, this year’s theme (“Don’t Throw the World Away”). No public events today, but what the students are learning will certainly reverberate in our community in the years ahead.
Meantime, some of what’s happening elsewhere in West Seattle today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
HIGH POINT SUMMER RESOURCE FAIR: Early-release day at school is the occasion for this 2-4 pm event with info on options for what youth can do this summer. Details in our calendar listing. At Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way)
SUPERSUCKERS @ EASY STREET: 6 pm, live in-store performance at Easy Street Records by Seattle’s own Supersuckers. (California/Alaska)
LASER OPEN HOUSE: Well Medical Arts (WSB sponsor) invites you to visit for an open house about SmartSkin (CO2) Laser rejuvenation. 6-8 pm. (9025 35th SW)
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: Tonight’s agenda – 7 pm meeting after 6:30 pm potluck – shared by co-chair Carolyn Stauffer:
*Homestead Community Land Trust:* We’ve been getting inquiries about properties for sale around the neighborhood with “Homestead” signs, so we’ve invited a guest speaker from Homestead Community Land Trust to come tell us what they do (www.homesteadclt.org).
*Neighborhood Park and Street Fund:* overview the projects submitted for grants in our district
*Highland Park Playground:* A Seattle Parks representative will be present to update us on the schedule for the Opportunity Fund Grant awarded to the park to create better access from 10th Ave and Thistle Street.
*HPIC Courtyard*: come hear and see what’s going on…. and help us name the new space!
We’ll also have some folks speaking about the *Tree Ambassador Program*, and the *Green Home Tour* coming up in April.
The meeting is at Highland Park Improvement Club. (12th/Holden)
POETRY & STORYTELLING: The monthly event is back at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm – details in our calendar listing. (5612 California SW)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 10:19 AM: Starting today, Amante Pizza and Pasta is operating temporarily out of Bamboo Grill on Alki, according to the two establishments’ owner. We first reported in December that 3239 California SW, home to Amante and U-Frame-It, was slated for demolition to make way for townhouses/single-family houses on the site; one month ago, U-Frame-It announced it was seeking a new location, and now we’ve heard for the first time about Amante’s plans. Owner Plamen Stoyanov says, “We will continue to serve our customers regular hours (11 am-11 pm) every day. The phone number stays the same, 206-933-7555. This is just temporary and we are looking for a new place!”
ADDED 2:49 PM: After publishing this, we went over to check with U-Frame-It. They say they have found a new location, at Jefferson Square, but they don’t have a moving date set yet.
Brand-new in the city’s building-permit application file: A microhousing building proposed for 3268 SW Avalon Way, next to the one that is being finished at 3266 Avalon, with the 35th/Avalon 7-11 on its other side. There’s a four-plex on the site now (top photo); documents available online say it will be replaced with what is described as a “new 7-unit apartment building with 56 sleeping suites.” The “7-unit” description would refer to shared kitchens – 8 sleeping rooms for every kitchen. A site plan on file adds one more line of description – a five-story building atop a “pedestal story.” At least one of the people listed on the documents visible so far, Randall Spaan, has been involved with other microhousing developments – including the one next door.
(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:12 AM: Welcome to Wednesday; our traffic/transit watch is on.
EARLY DISMISSAL FOR SPS: Two-hour early dismissal today for Seattle Public Schools.
WEST SEATTLE WATER TAXI: Thanks to Carolyn Newman for this view of the WSWT under the Tuesday afternoon rainbow:
The WSWT will be back to seven-day-a-week operation in just a week and a half, starting Monday, April 7th. You can preview the schedule toward the bottom of this page.
8:26 AM: Steve reports in comments, “There is a disabled SUV in the right lane on the Spokane ST Viaduct right at the I-5 North exit. Not causing problems when I passed it.” Your editor here is about to catch a ride downtown for today’s court proceedings so we’ll see firsthand if any trouble has ensued.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Between the start and finish of proceedings on Tuesday, five witnesses had spent time testifying for the defense at the murder trial of Lovett “Cid” Chambers – one of his friends, one of his relatives, a bartender, a DNA analyst, and a police officer.
Tuesday began with cross-examination resuming for the defendant’s older sister Betty Wynne. Prosecutor Mari Isaacson first offered something of an apology for the concluding moments on Monday, when Wynne seemed distressed and confused by the questioning.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” she offered.
Wynne, for her part, again contended she hadn’t opened up to the prosecution during an earlier phone interview “because I didn’t know you and I don’t usually talk about family things over the phone, and I really didn’t know who I was talking to …”
Regardless, Isaacson had to press on, so she did, somewhat gently, while Wynne replied somewhat more testily than the day before.
(1st photo from scene, by Patrick Sand for WSB)
9:36 PM: Seattle Fire is responding to a reported house fire in the 10000 block of 51st SW (map). It’s on a dead-end street in Brace Point. More to come.
(This photo & next 2, by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
9:45 PM UPDATE: Via scanner, firefighters report they have the fire “knocked down.” Our crew has just arrived and sees some flames from a corner of the roof on the 3-story house. Strong smell of smoke even here in upper Fauntleroy more than a mile north.
10:12 PM UPDATE: Nobody was home when this started, our crew at the scene has been told. Flames are out now. (Added: Video of firefighters on the roof – note the smoke and also the water rushing down the driveway:)
SFD’s investigator is there to try to figure out how it started.
11:53 PM UPDATE: No cause announced yet; the investigation is still under way, per SFD.
WEDNESDAY 10:06 AM: Police have announced they believe this was arson – finding a gas can inside the house – and a resident of the home has been arrested. Details on SPD Blotter.
10:23 AM UPDATE: We’ve checked the background of the 54-year-old woman who is in jail for investigation of arson; she does not appear to have a criminal record.
12:32 PM UPDATE: Since she wasn’t booked until this morning, her bail hearing won’t be until tomorrow, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
THURSDAY EVENING UPDATE: Her bail was set today at $100,000, according to the jail register. We won’t have other details from prosecutors until Friday.
That’s a sketch just released by King County Sheriff’s Office detectives, in their search for the man who beat and raped a woman earlier this month along SW Roxbury. We reported the attack the day it happened, March 7th; here is the latest from detectives:
On Friday, March 7th, just after midnight the victim was walking eastbound on the south side of Roxbury near 24th Ave. She was approached by a black male who asked her for a cigarette. The victim gave the man a cigarette when he suddenly dragged her to a nearby lot where he punched her repeatedly then sexually assaulted her.
After the assault the man fled, taking the victim’s purse with him. The purse was never located and may have been discarded nearby or possibly given to an associate of the suspect. The purse is very distinctive:
The attacker was described as a younger black male, early 20’s, about 5’9″, medium build, wearing a dark-colored hoodie and jeans. The suspect may have injuries to his hands due to the violent assault on the victim.
If you have information about this man or the missing purse, please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311 (24 hours). You can also be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 and remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Must have been some rainbow! Thanks to everybody who has shared photos. We start with three – above, from Babs, who says her friendly neighborhood crow Buddy didn’t mind posing. Next, from Buzz Shaw:
From 15-year-old Samantha:
And via the WSB Facebook page, from Debbie:
Now … back to the rain. And wind.
ADDED 9:24 PM: Thanks for sharing more rainbow photos! From David Hutchinson:
A few more to come.
Continuing coverage of on our one-on-one Q-and-A with Mayor Ed Murray, one topic at a time: Two weeks from today, the requested “alley vacation” for the 4755 Fauntleroy Way project – aka The Whittaker, and/or the Whole Foods project – goes back to the City Council Transportation Committee, which held a public hearing two weeks ago (WSB coverage here). Last summer, the mayor’s predecessor had told SDOT to recommend rejection of the request. After Mayor Murray took office, we asked for his comment on the situation, and his spokesperson had told us he wasn’t commenting. So we asked during our one-on-one interview Friday; here’s his reply:
The proposal to grant the project’s developers the opportunity to buy the alley land for not-yet-specified “fair market value” ultimately goes to the full City Council for a final vote, possibly as soon as April 14th, depending on what happens at the committee meeting April 8th.
Our next question for/answer from the mayor is also a development issue – his thoughts on the relatively new city rules allowing housing without off-street parking if it’s a certain distance from what’s considered frequent transit, though the city can’t guarantee the ongoing availability of said transit.
Previously:
Question #1 – West Seattle Bridge traffic
Question #2 – SPD’s not-yet-activated surveillance cameras
Police say three intruders found at Alki Elementary School were caught red-handed … with a frozen pizza. Just go read the tale as told by SPD Blotter writer Jonah Spangenthal-Lee.
One neighbor reported that it looks like demolition is near at the old Genesee Hill Elementary – slated for replacement with a brand-new school – but it’s not happening yet, according to Seattle Public Schools‘ Tom Redman. He explained what IS happening right now:
We are not beginning demolition yet. We are currently abating/removing hazardous material from the existing building. We are also doing an archeological survey, based on the State Dept. of Archeological and Historical Preservation maps.
Also, per City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development, we are doing required testing for pin pile foundation load test, which means we are driving a test pile into the soil and checking subsurface load capacity. This will give us an idea of what the planned foundation pilings can support beyond standard loads.
Background information about the new school is here. The old building has been closed for almost five years.
After almost two years in North Delridge, during which they added promotional merchandise to their original embroidery/sewing business, PB&J Textiles is moving to a new, much-larger location – the former South End Florist storefront at 10728 16th SW in White Center. Co-proprietor Paul Binder tells WSB, “We are excited about our new location as we will double-plus our space. This will allow for more product offerings, better retail space, and easy parking!” They’ve expanded their offerings yet again in preparation for the move and now offer paper printing, banners, promotional products, embroidery, and screen printing, as well as copiers if you need to make quick photocopies. They’re planning to move Friday, April 4th, through Sunday, April 6th, reopening in the new space on Monday, April 7th, and will be tracking the move via Tumblr.
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