day : 09/04/2014 10 results

Quick update about the city’s Find It, Fix It app, which you can use to report various problems via your smartphone. From the announcement:

… Smartphone users now can use the app to report illegal dumping and streetlight outages, in addition to abandoned vehicles, graffiti, potholes and parking enforcement issues, which have been features of the app since it launched in August 2013. …

Since its launch last summer, Find It, Fix It has been downloaded to 6,350 mobile devices and users have submitted 6,393 requests through this new channel (graffiti, 2,551; other, 1,744; pothole, 1,012; abandoned vehicles, 558; and parking enforcement, 528).

Don’t have it? You can download it by going here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Have you seen Ellen’s bike? Also: Car theft tonight

| Crime | West Seattle news

8:04 PM: Ellen‘s 2004 Trek 520 touring bike was stolen at 35th and Graham last weekend, and she’s offering a reward for its return.

· Dark green frame.
· Black fenders.
· Black back rack.
· Red bell.
· Right shifter bent.
· Pedals flat on one side/clips on other.
· Hand-built wheels.
· Three water bottle cages.
· Italian flag & $0.00 yellow stickers on back.
· Sentimental value.

40,000 miles ridden.

Please contact 206.297.1114 or 425.503.3262 – ellenellenwatermelon@yahoo.com

Or police.

ADDED 9:16 PM: We’ve just received a text about a white 1991 Honda Accord stolen a short time ago in Highland Park.

Awaiting a little more information – but in the meantime, if you see it, please call 911.

ADDED 10:41 PM: The car’s owner says the theft happened near 11th and Holden.

ADDED THURSDAY AFTERNOON: The car’s been found (outside WS) – but “trashed,” the owner reports.

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Happening now: Help shape the plan for Seattle (in) 2035

| Development | West Seattle news

6:07 PM: Just under way at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), the first West Seattle meeting/open house in the Seattle 2035 planning process. As explained on the city website:

In 1994, Seattle’s first Comprehensive Plan was passed with the idea of creating Urban Villages. This strategy designated certain neighborhoods as Urban Centers or Urban Villages and encouraged new housing, jobs, and transit towards these centers. Our goal was to make neighborhoods where people could easily walk, bike, or ride transit to get to work, go out to eat, or buy groceries. By concentrating growth in this way we also were able to more efficiently provide services and proactively plan for the future.

The Seattle 2035 update will look at current growth projections and present different scenarios to the public on how we can adapt the Urban Villages strategy to leverage growth to the benefit of the city. We will be looking at things like where Seattleites live, where we work, how we get around the city, do we have enough public services, are there equal opportunities for every community, and how to protect our environment.

Be part of it. Stop by Youngstown before 8 pm. Here’s how else to have a say.

6:38 PM: At the meeting right now – it’s VERY casual.

Easels around the Youngstown theater, a table with some literature, a few city people to answer your questions, big pads to write your thoughts on. Transportation mobility/accessibility is a big topic. And of course this isn’t JUST for West Seattleites – as we’re reminded, noting that one piece of paper includes a comment about Ballard (“Density in Ballard is great, but worried about the ‘canyon’ on Market St.”).

P.S. Youngstown’s director David Bestock was at the meeting and suggested we check out the youth-music showcase next door.

It was the Totem Star program’s Spring Mixer + Open Mic. Sounded great! As for the meeting – still a trickle of turnout by the time we left; here are the three alternatives the city is mulling as it prepares an environmental-impact statement as the first outcome of this process. Consider letting them know what you think.

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West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Rider-thwarted RapidRide robber Trevonnte Brown pleads guilty

April 9, 2014 4:47 pm

| 46 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

(11/25/2013 photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
4:47 PM: Another high-profile Morgan Junction crime case has a major development today: 19-year-old Trevonnte Brown has pleaded guilty as charged to robbery and attempted robbery, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He’s the Beacon Hill man arrested last November after passengers stopped his robbery rampage aboard a RapidRide bus near California/Graham; their takedown of the robber was seen in video made public weeks later. Brown’s plea also included an earlier bus-robbery incident. Prosecutors will recommend a top-of-the-range sentence, 13 1/2 years, when Brown is sentenced on May 30th.

ADDED WEDNESDAY EVENING: We’ve downloaded the court documents for more details on the plea agreement. The recommended sentence consists of 8 1/2 years plus the five-year “enhancement” for his use of a gun. In addition, though prosecutors point out he is pleading guilty as charged, the documents note that they have agreed not to charge him in additional incidents in which he was suspected.

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West Seattle road work: Detour change for Charlestown closure

April 9, 2014 3:30 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

We went over to check on the SW Charlestown (46th-47th SW) hill panel-replacement road work as its second day continued. The city has changed the detour plan:

Eastbound travelers on SW Charlestown will be detoured northbound on 49th Avenue SW to Admiral Way and then east to California Avenue SW. Westbound motorists will be detoured southbound on California Avenue SW to SW Oregon Street then west on Oregon to 55th Avenue SW and then north to SW Charlestown Street.

The concrete-panel replacement on the steep section of Charlestown is scheduled to continue through next Tuesday. Here’s a closer look:

If you missed it in the comment discussion following a previous story, we took a followup question to SDOT, which explained this is a precursor to future work:

There are several damaged concrete panels that we are repairing ahead of contracted concrete grinding work that will take place in May. The grinding will improve traction on the worn panels, which are largely on a steep slope and have areas of exposed aggregate that greatly reduce traction when wet or icy. The grinding is the driving factor here. From a cost and effectiveness standpoint it is best to repair the damaged panels ahead of that process. Here is a photo so readers can see the condition of the panels.

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West Seattle development, mapped: 3,272 units planned, under construction, almost done, recently opened…

April 9, 2014 12:44 pm

| 43 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

View West Seattle Blog maps development projects of at least 15 units in a larger map

For those asking about “the big picture,” we’ve been promising for a LONG time to update the WSB map of planned (and recently completed) West Seattle development, and after a few weeks of on-and-off work have just finished it today, which happens to be the same day as the Seattle 2035 first West Seattle open house, an opportunity to start having a say in the city’s future planning – whatever you think about what’s happening (or not happening) right now, whatever you think about what should happen (or not) in the future.

What you see above are markers for every planned/under construction/almost done/recently opened (within the past year) development of 15 units or more that we know of – via the city Department of Planning and Development‘s maps and project pages, via our coverage of projects as they go through Design Review, via what’s under construction now, and so on. We count 3,272 units (of multiple types). If you find something wrong or missing, please let us know! We have a side story or two in the works. We recommend viewing the map full-page on the Google Maps site, which you can do by clicking the little blue link beneath it (or go here). The markers overlap in the Junction/Triangle/Avalon areas, so you have to zoom in if you want to see them all in the version above. As with any G-map, you can also grab it and pan around.

Meantime, if you missed it in our West Seattle Wednesday daily-highlights list, get the info here about tonight’s Seattle 2035 open house – 6-8 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW.

Another side note: Two of our fellow online-neighborhood-news publications have published similar maps for their neighborhoods. Just in case you’re interested, we’re linking them here:

*Capitol Hill development (from capitolhillseattle.com)
*Northeast Seattle development (from ravennablog.com)

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West Seattle Wednesday: ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’; WS open house for ‘Seattle 2035’; more

April 9, 2014 10:12 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Steve for the photo from West Seattle High School‘s “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” one of five calendar highlights for today/tonight:

WSHS DRAMA PRESENTS … “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” – featuring Charles Schulz‘s classic “Peanuts” characters – is onstage for three more nights – tonight, tomorrow, Friday – at the West Seattle High School Theater, 7:30 pm nightly. Go have a good time while showing support for students in the artists (every performer craves an audience, and that means you!) Details on the WSHS Drama Club website. (3000 California SW)

Also today/tonight:

PATHFINDER BENEFIT @ MARINATION: 4 pm-close, go dine at Marination ma kai (WSB sponsor) and support Pathfinder K-8 school! P.S. MMK has just launched its new spring/summer hours, and some new decor, as shown on its FB page. (1660 Harbor SW)

GROWTH/DEVELOPMENT/SEATTLE’S FUTURE: What’s the big picture? What do you think about the current policies and how or whether they should change? The city’s Seattle 2035 process, revisiting the “Comprehensive Plan,” is under way, and even if you’re not a meeting person, THIS is wehre to get involved if you are interested in, concerned about, supportive of, opposed to, have ANY sentiment about growth/development. The first West Seattle open house – at which you can ask questions, share comments, or just find out more – is 6-8 pm tonight, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

POT, PARKS @ 34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, as previewed here last weekend, hot topics on the agenda for the 34th District Democrats‘ monthly meeting include marijuana – where do things stand re: the future of medical cannabis once the recreational stores start opening? among other issues – and parks funding (will a Parks District go to the ballot this year?). More on the organization’s website. (9131 California SW)

COMEDY COMPETITION: Need a laugh? Maybe MORE than one? Second round in the comedy competition at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9 pm – details here. (6451 California SW)

MUCH MORE .. on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar!

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Followup: History-making South Seattle College team back from aerospace competition, sharing successes and gratitude

April 9, 2014 8:32 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle schools

(Photos courtesy CrystalRose Hudelson)
“The world of aviation is so vast, with endless possibilities waiting to be explored by young men and women!”

So says CrystalRose Hudelson, who you first met here in January as she shared the news that she and other South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) students had formed an all-woman team to head to the Aviation Maintenance Competition in Las Vegas – the school’s first-ever team to compete.

We also reported on their quest for – and acquisition of – the support they needed to get there, as well as their months of training/practicing. Now, they’re back and celebrating their successes:

Hudelson’s team, coached by longtime aviation mechanic Mary Hadley and also including Agnes Choung, Jennifer Lesher, Melissa Miedan Wang, and Sarah McKenna, placed first in one of the events in which they competed, the “Grey Owl Human Factors” event, with a time of 7:06. She explains that events were judged mostly on a 20-minute time basis.

Overall, she says, “The team did well in the competition. The judges and other professional teams commented on how well we did. This let us know that they know we are knowledgeable in the event materials. We did not, however, place overall. There is only 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place overall.”

Ahead, their other achievements, more photos, and what’s next:

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates

April 9, 2014 7:09 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates

| West Seattle news

(Latest bridge and Viaduct views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
No trouble reported so far in or outbound from West Seattle. Reminder that the SW Charlestown concrete-panel-replacement road work between 46th and 47th is scheduled to continue for six more days (we’ll be checking on it today).

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High-school soccer: WSHS shuts out Franklin in the rain

April 9, 2014 12:45 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

A shutout in the rain for the West Seattle High School boys soccer team on Tuesday. Our team-supporter source shares the photo and news of the 1-0 Wildcats road win over Franklin, with the goal by Brian McMonigle, who also contributed defense along with Thomas Mensig and Connor Elder, plus, they report, goalie Akili Kasim with some great saves. You can go root for them at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point on Thursday at 3:30 pm, when they host Ingraham.

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