West Seattle, Washington

20 Sunday

65℉

month : 06/2015 320 results

UPDATE: Fire call in 8800 block Delridge Way SW
June 7, 2015 3:55 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

3:55 PM: Third big fire response of the day, this time to a 2-story apartment building in the 8800 block of Delridge Way SW (near Trenton). The first units on the scene aren’t seeing anything so far. More to come.

3:58 PM: Most of the units are being canceled after firefighters found this to be a case of “food on the stove,” saying the resulting kitchen fire is out.

4:04 PM: Our crew says one unit is left at the scene, and traffic along Delridge is not affected.

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From the ‘in case you wondered too’ file: Another ‘Duwamish Revealed’ installation
June 7, 2015 12:55 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   South Park | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos)
A midday call today sent us over for a look at the South Park Bridge, where someone wondered what was being hung off its west side. The photos show what we found – another installation for the Duwamish Revealed art project we’ve been covering recently. This is “Cultivate: A River Tapestry,” described as follows on the DR website: “A colorful installation made of recycled materials, Cultivate represents the river’s rebirth and has been created with assistance by community volunteers.”

The artist is Catherine Grisez; the installation even has its own Facebook page. We published an overview of Duwamish Revealed last weekend, after checking out one installation at West Seattle’s Jack Block Park, and also stopped by the Friday night opening at and around its biggest creation, the “Estuary” arrangement of cargo containers. You can explore the locations and creations all summer; they stretch from West Seattle to Tukwila, as shown on this clickable map with pop-up descriptions.

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West Seattle Sunday: Everybody in the water! Plus, music & more
June 7, 2015 7:42 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Today’s sunrise, photographed by Kimberly Newlove)

More summer-ish weather on the way today! So we’re starting with:

STAYING COOL – SPRAYPARK & PUBLIC POOLS: First, a reminder that city-run wading pools are NOT open yet – still a few weeks away. Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) *is* open every day, 11 am-8 pm. Our area’s only public outdoor swimming pool, city-run Colman Pool in Lincoln Park, is open for another pre-season weekend day today, noon-7 pm (schedule here). And indoor city-run Southwest Pool (2801 SW Thistle) has sessions between 11 am and 6 pm today (schedule here).

Here’s what else is up:

FINAL IN-THE-LOT FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, as noted here last night, it’s the final West Seattle Farmers’ Market in the longtime parking lot location at 44th/Alaska – starting NEXT Sunday (June 14th), the market moves out into California SW between Oregon and Alaska.

WEST SEATTLE ULTIMATE FAMILY FRISBEE: 10 am at Fairmount Park. (Fauntleroy/Brandon)

SOCCER SEASON FINALE: Last Sunday afternoon of games all over the peninsula for the West Seattle Soccer Club‘s Champions League season.

BEACH NATURALISTS: Today’s low tide isn’t all that low – -1.0 feet at 3:04 pm – but low enough that Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists are out at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, 1:45-4:15 pm.

CHORAL CONCERT: 3 pm at Admiral Congregational Church, enjoy the West Seattle-based Seattle Metropolitan Glee Club‘s spring concert. (California/Hill)

FIVE BUCK BAND: Live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)

VISITING FROM RUSSIA: 5 pm at Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood, the St. Petersburg Men’s Ensemble performs.

PREVIEW THE WEEK AHEAD … via our calendar! (And if you have an event coming up that you think belongs on it – please send us the info, plain text in the body of your e-mail, at least a week in advance – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!)

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UPDATE: ‘Suspicious’ fire at 3000 SW Avalon Way condominiums
June 7, 2015 4:59 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)
4:59 AM: Now there’s a second major fire call: This time, to an apartment building at 3000 SW Avalon Way (map). “Heavy smoke” reported on the first floor; they’re closing Avalon. Updates to come.

5:04 AM: Via scanner, we heard fire crews saying they’ve “pulled a burning five-gallon bucket” out of the building and are slowing down the rest of the response.

5:07 AM: This fire is reported to be under control and firefighters are working on building ventilation, one floor at a time.

5:18 AM: Scanner: This is being described as “suspicious.” An investigator’s on the way.

5:20 AM: They’re calling this fire “tapped.” Also: This is a condominium building, NOT apartments – City View West Condominiums, to be specific. 16-unit building.

5:24 AM: No word of any injuries here, either. Some SFD units are being canceled. The incident commander confirms it’s being investigated as “suspicious” and says the materials that originated the fire were found in a stairwell.

5:36 AM: SFD confirms no one was hurt.

7:46 AM: In the photo above are SPD arson investigators who were called out to help look into the cause.

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UPDATE: Electrical fire at house on 31st SW in Arbor Heights
June 7, 2015 4:40 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)
4:40 AM: Big Seattle Fire response on the way to a possible house fire in the 3100 block of SW 103rd. More to come.

4:46 AM UPDATE: The first crews on scene are reporting this to be an attic/vent fire. They say the person who was home got out OK. Some of the units that were dispatched are being canceled.

4:55 AM UPDATE: Our crew on the scene reports “obvious smoke” and firefighters ventilating the roof.

5:02 AM UPDATE: Our crew says this is believed to be an electrical fire. No injuries reported. Not major. We’ll continue monitoring via scanner as they move on to another West Seattle fire.

5:04 AM UPDATE: The address of this fire has been updated to the 10200 block of 31st SW (updated map here). No injuries reported.

5:27 AM UPDATE: Talking to a supervisor at the aforementioned other (unrelated but almost concurrent) fire scene, we got confirmation this was a wiring fire – (added) apparently the old power meter overheated.

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Congratulations! Andrew Malinak swims from Tacoma to West Seattle
June 6, 2015 11:10 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(MORE INFO ADDED Sunday night – scroll down)

That’s how Andrew Malinak began his almost-19-mile swim from Tacoma to West Seattle today – something only one other person was known to have done before – and late this afternoon, he confirmed via Twitter, he made it! Here’s the MarineTraffic.com track of his escort boat:

We previewed his “Return of Bert Thomas” swim here earlier this week; Thomas swam the route southbound in 1956. Malinak says he hopes to emulate Thomas in one other feat later this year, swimming the Strait of Juan de Fuca, something he tried two years ago.

P.S. After arriving at Lincoln Park, Malinak told us via Twitter, the first thing he did was go “down the water slide at Colman Pool”!

P.P.S. If you’re a geek about details, as we are, check out the 24-page plan for today’s swim.

ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Some followup info we’ve obtained from Malinak (who is 28, in case you were wondering): It took 8 hours and 42 minutes, 8:43 am to 5:25 pm. “The whole day went amazingly well: with an on-time departure (2 minutes early), an amazing crew, great weather with sun and lighter-than-forecast winds, a lack of curious orcas, and a route that matched perfectly with the predictions.” Before he tries swimming the Strait in mid-September, he plans to do something he says no one’s done yet – a solo swim around Bainbridge Island.

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TOMORROW: Final parking-lot West Seattle Farmers’ Market; one week later, on June 14th, it’s out into the street!
June 6, 2015 8:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle Farmers' Market | West Seattle news

After 16 years, tomorrow (Sunday, June 7th) is the last West Seattle Farmers’ Market (WSB sponsor) in the 44th/Alaska parking lot. Starting one week later, on June 14th – as first announced three months ago – you’ll shop the WSFM out in the street, like many other neighborhood farmers’ markets. Starting on that date, the market’s new home will be on California SW between Alaska and Oregon, which will be closed to vehicles 7 am-4 pm on Sundays as a result. This means more vendors, more local nonprofits, more room to roam as you shop and enjoy The Junction on a Sunday, and if you’re wondering about parking, the market move opens up 45 spaces in the 44th/Alaska lot. If you have questions – stop by the market-management booth on the north side of the market lot 10 am-2 pm tomorrow. (P.S. Here’s some of what will be happening on the first day in the street.)

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From White Center Now: A fish (store) story
June 6, 2015 6:28 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | White Center

EDITOR’S NOTE: Earlier this year, WSB reader Jerry sent us a postal-mail letter expressing concern about the future of White Center’s B & D Aquarium, the only aquarium-supplies store for miles around. He asked us to do a story. Took a while, but here it is – first published on our partner site White Center Now, republished here tonight.

Story and photos by Randall Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog & White Center Now

“I’ve been hanging on so long, I’ll hang on as long as I can.”

Being a brick-and-mortar retailer these days can be a challenging prospect, even for businesses which have accumulated decades of expertise in their industry while serving their community.

Such is the case with White Center’s B & D Aquarium, regarded by many Puget Sound-area hobbyists as a valuable resource for serious hobbyists, who rave about the shop’s knowledgeable staff and the intense care paid to keep healthy stock available.

B & D’s owner, who prefers to be identified only as P.D. (“That’s what all my friends call me.”), started his business in 1972, at 35th SW & Roxbury. Listen to P.D. tell his story:

The current location at 10450 15th Ave SW (next to the White Center Eagles), with a large Clown Loach painted on the north-facing side, is the fourth iteration of the store.

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ONE WEEK AWAY: Seal Sitters doubleheader – beach cleanup & volunteer training
June 6, 2015 2:43 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Next Saturday, it’s two ways in one day to get involved with Seal Sitters and others who care about the local environment and wildlife. They’re separate events – you can participate in one or both – but since both are happening next Saturday, and requesting RSVPs, we’re telling you about them together:

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

SENTINELS OF THE SOUND BEACH CLEANUP (9 am-11:30 am)

Tying in with our theme of marine debris for Flipper Fest, we are having a beach cleanup at Alki on Saturday morning, June 13th, from 9-11:30 am. It will be a very low tide that day and we expect to find a lot of trash and most certainly at least 1,000 cigarette butts – of the estimated 360 billion that are discarded every year in the U.S. alone, all the while leaching toxic chemicals into the soil and waterways. Since most marine debris originates from land, we will be scouring the streets and sidewalks along the beach as well.

We hope to have a big turnout of passionate people who want to help keep wildlife safe. For more details, you can visit our website events page. There you will find info on West Seattle seal pup Sandy and the Arroyos gray whale, in whose honor we hold these annual beach cleanups.

We’re requesting that folks RSVP on the link included on the events page so that we can ensure we have enough buckets and other materials on hand. NOAA’s Peggy Foreman will give a short talk about the human trash found in the Arroyos whale before we disperse. PAWS Wildlife will have a representative there to discuss seal pup rehab. We’ll assemble at the Statue of Liberty plaza.

And then a bit later …

(Photo by Robin Lindsey)

SEAL SITTERS NEW VOLUNTEER TRAINING: JUNE 2015 SESSION

When: Saturday, June 13, 2015
Time: 1 – 3:30 pm
Training starts promptly at 1 (doors open at 12:30)
RSVP required (see below)

Help protect wildlife! Volunteer with Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. On Saturday afternoon, June 13th, we will be holding a special training for those wanting to protect marine mammals along the shoreline of West Seattle and the Duwamish River. Unlike most marine mammal stranding networks, we encourage children to participate in Seal Sitters – supervised at all times, of course, by a parent or guardian. We are so proud of our amazing and dedicated volunteers who are on duty rain or shine – we hope you will join us!

A multi-media presentation will illustrate Seal Sitters MMSN’s educational work in the community and the unique challenges of protecting seals and other marine mammals in an urban environment. Included in the training is an overview of NOAA’s Western Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network and biology and behavior of seals and other pinnipeds (due to time frame, supplementary sessions will include more marine mammals of Puget Sound).

FOR MORE DETAILS AND RSVP, visit Seal Sitters’ event page . RSVP is required to assure seating.

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HAPPENING NOW: Car wash raising $ for Seattle Lutheran cheer
June 6, 2015 12:29 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Have a vehicle that needs to be washed? First benefit car wash of the (almost) summer season – that we’ve heard of, anyway. It’s for the Seattle Lutheran High School cheer squad and they’re washing vehicles at the West Seattle Eagles parking lot in The Junction (4426 California SW) until 3:30 today, $10 donation.

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AS-IT-HAPPENED: Delridge Projects Workshop! Voice your vision for eastern West Seattle’s future
June 6, 2015 9:54 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news

9:54 AM: We’re in the gym at Southwest Teen Life Center, where the Delridge Projects Workshop is just getting under way – and if you’re not here yet, it’s not at all too late. Until about 10 am, people are wandering around checking out info-easels on the three “projects” in question – involving transportation, neighborhood planning, and “natural drainage” (raingardens and more). Then the agenda says about 15 minutes of introductions will follow, and then people who are here will get to spend 30 minutes finding out and talking about each of the “projects” – whenever you get here, just drop in on one of the sessions, which are scattered around the gym. It’s slated to wrap up at 11:45 am with entertainment – a performance by local youth. We’re checking out the transportation project first and will add some notes as this goes along.

10:09 AM: “The fact that you’re here shows that Delridge is on the move,” said Willard Brown of Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, co-emceeing the introduction, including acknowledging members of a community advisory team that’s been working on all this. This gathering itself is another in the city’s series of experiments with different formats of “community engagement” – city officials have been heard to acknowledge that it’s hard to draw people to a standard-format community meeting, so they’re trying a variety of formats (and a lot of surveys!) to see what works. We talked with one rep here who said that they’ve reached out by sending someone door-to-door to personally talk with residents, and in another area of the city, attendees at a meeting like this almost invariably said they’d heard about it from the person who showed up at their doors.

10:25 AM: We’re sitting in on the “Delridge Multi-Modal Corridor” presentation first with SDOT’s Sara Zora, who reminds everyone that the speed limit on Delridge will change to 30 mph this year. A table in this corner is making the presentation simultaneously in Vietnamese (as seen in part of our Instagram clip above). Timeline for this project: “Conceptual designs and evaluation of alternatives” August-December, another phase of “public engagement” starting in January, and design stretching over most of 2016. Then it’s on to small-table discussions; here, one group is offering suggestions as well as critiques of current conditions along and just off Delridge.

10:42 AM UPDATE: The format might not be allowing as much time as these discussions need – it seems this table is just getting going, barely 10 minutes of talking, when bells are ringing and announcements are declaring everyone needs to wrap it up and move to another “station.” Acoustics in here are a challenge. We’re moving over to the “Natural Drainage Systems” station – raingardens, bioswales, Combined Sewer Overflow-reduction projects have been talked about a lot in West Seattle in the past five-plus years, and here the specific focus is to reduce pollution (much of which comes from rainwater runoff) in Longfellow Creek. … Update: The map here has marked streets that might be good candidates for “natural drainage” but the city reps are hoping participants will help them identify the best candidates – maybe synergizing with other priority projects, for example. People have asked about other projects – the CSO work at Delridge/Orchard, the RainWise offerings in the county’s project areas – and the city reps have explained those too.

11:11 AM: A lot of what the “natural drainage” team is hearing so far has to do with concerns about lack of sidewalks and other pedestrian facilities in the area – one woman is telling them it’s “unconscionable” for the city to be spending money on raingardens instead of installing sidewalks in areas where they’re missing. On the positive side, side conversations are starting between neighbors who might not have met before – one involved community gardening, for example. Now it’s on to the third “station,” which for us is the North Delridge Action Plan.

11:51 AM: The Action Plan station consisted entirely of small conversations – two, three people – near the easels about specific “nodes” in North Delridge (the Brandon Node business district-let, the Campus Node in the Delridge Community Center/Youngstown Cultural Arts Center area, the Sylvan/Orchard Node area, etc.). Now the event is wrapping with the preview of the Rec-Tech program youth-media-program-produced video about Delridge; the full version will be shown during the Delridge Day festival in August.

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West Seattle Saturday: WSHS All-School Reunion; SLHS benefit car wash; BBQ cookoff to help food banks; Meaningful Movies; more!
June 6, 2015 7:38 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Seattle Chinese Garden from the air, by Long Bach Nguyen. Open today, 11:30 am-5 pm!)
We start today’s preview with a transportation reminder:

METRO TRANSIT SCHEDULE CHANGES TODAY: That includes service addition/restoration from what you’re paying via voter-approved Prop. 1. Our West Seattle breakdown is here.

Now, the highlights of what else is happening, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEST SEATTLE LIONS PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8 am-11 am at the Senior Center of West Seattle, $6/person at the door, no advance tickets required; details here.

TLC FOR LINCOLN PARK: 9 am, meet Friends of Lincoln Park in the main lot; wear long sleeves/pants and sturdy shoes/boots. (Fauntleroy & Rose)

DELRIDGE PROJECTS WORKSHOP: 3-in-1 way to talk about how you’d like to see eastern West Seattle improve, explained here. 9:30-noon at Southwest Teen Life Center. (2801 SW Thistle)

CAR WASH: 9:30 am-3:30 pm at the West Seattle Eagles lot in The Junction, $10 car washes to benefit the Seattle Lutheran High School cheer squad. (4426 California SW)

CHILDREN’S CLOTHING GIVEAWAY: 10 am-2 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center; details in our calendar listing. (6400 Sylvan Way)

BE A SOUTHWEST SEATTLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY VOLUNTEER: 11 am-1 pm, be at the Log House Museum to find out why you can help without having to be a history expert. Lots of ways to help the volunteer-powered Southwest Seattle Historical Society. (61st/Stevens)

BARBECUE COOKOFF BENEFIT FOR FOOD BANKS: 11:30 am-2:30 pm at Daystar Retirement Village, come have a barbecue lunch and help the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks. Everybody welcome! Info here. (2615 SW Barton)

KITTY HARBOR’S FIRST WEEKEND: West Seattle’s nonprofit cat/kitten adoption center is officially open for the season, noon-5 pm; details here. (3422 Harbor SW)

COLMAN POOL: Another pre-season weekend starts today at the outdoor pool on the shore of Lincoln Park – noon-7 pm; see the schedule here.

ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: First free tour at 1, last at 3:40, with U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers. (3201 Alki SW)

WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL ALL-SCHOOL REUNION: 2 pm, sign in at WSHS; 3-5:30 pm, gather with your fellow WSHS alums, as detailed in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)

LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA: If you notice the sailboats in the bay this afternoon – the fundraising Leukemia Cup Regatta starts from Magnolia at 2 pm.

FOR WINE LOVERS: 3-8 pm at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), last of three days for the Northwest Wine Academy‘s spring-release event. North end of campus. (6000 16th SW)

MEET AUTHOR ARLEEN WILLIAMS: 3-6 pm, she’ll be at Beveridge Place Pub, as previewed in our Friday look at upcoming author events. (6413 California SW)

FUNDRAISER FOR CSWS: The Community School of West Seattle‘s scholarship fund is the beneficiary of a night of fun at Emerald City Trapeze Arts, starting at 6 pm – details here. (2702 6th Ave. S.)

WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: Doors at 6:30 pm for “Do the Math,” movie at 7 followed by discussion and community announcements; details in our calendar listing. Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way)

BON-FULTON @ C & P: 7-9 pm, C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) hosts live music, no cover. (5612 California SW)

AND OF COURSE THERE’S EVEN MORE … if you check our calendar.

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West Seattle scenes: Kayak procession for World Environment Day
June 6, 2015 6:51 am
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

One last set of scenes from Friday night before we move on to Saturday – lanterns and lights in a variety of forms, on the shore and the bay.

This was from the “illuminated flotilla” procession marking World Environment Day, following a concert presented by the Vashon-based Backbone Campaign on the protest barge “Solar Pioneer” off Don Armeni. We counted about 30 kayaks as well as the sailboat above.

Seattle Police Harbor Patrol was in evidence throughout (and we saw the Coast Guard’s smaller vessels in the early going)

On shore, lights included giant tulips as well as these salmon:

The kayaks eventually paddled past Seacrest, toward Jack Block, then turned around.

For those who’ve been asking about the concerts and events on the barge, which apparently have been audible all the way up the hill into Admiral, the ShellNo website lists a “jazz band” for tonight, no further details.

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‘Duwamish Revealed’ officially opens on the river’s shore
June 6, 2015 1:47 am
|    Comments Off on ‘Duwamish Revealed’ officially opens on the river’s shore
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

When we previewed the four-month “Duwamish Revealed” art project last weekend, our introduction happened to be signs that were turning heads at Jack Block Park. But what’s “revealed” in this exploration is so much more, as shown off during opening night Friday, not in West Seattle but right across the water at T-108 Park – a triple-digit crowd came to see the cargo-container sculpture called Estuary, by Christian French.

We stopped by for a quick look just before sunset, as showgoers were getting ready for live performances at the site (which will be home to many – next one in two weeks). This is just one of the installations you can check out, at sites from West Seattle to Tukwila – explore the official website to consider where to go and what to see in the megaproject coordinated by artistic directors Nicole Kistler and Sarah Kavage.

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West Seattle scene: Green Party’s past & possibly future presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein visits
June 6, 2015 12:46 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Such a busy Friday night, we didn’t get to stop by the West Seattle Tool Library for this visit of a past and potentially future presidential candidate – but thanks to Chas Redmond for sharing the photo of Dr. Jill Stein. He says about 25 people were there to hear from and talk with her in the North Delridge evening sunshine. Dr. Stein was the Green Party‘s candidate in 2012 and with 456,169 votes became “the most successful female presidential candidate in U.S. history.” She formed an exploratory committee earlier this year to consider seeking the Green Party nomination again for 2016.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Police, helicopter search for possible trespasser(s) at Broadstone Sky construction site
June 5, 2015 10:54 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(Added: Photos by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)
10:54 PM: Don’t know yet what they’re looking for, but police are searching the Broadstone Sky construction site at 40th/Edmunds right now – thanks to the people who texted us that tip. And we’re mentioning it because you are likely to see/hear the Guardian One helicopter in the area shortly if you’re not already – they happened to be up and available, so they offered to help. If/when we find out more, we’ll update.

11:42 PM UPDATE: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli went over to see what more he could find out. Police told him they started searching the site after neighbors called to say they were hearing noises – they were still looking when he left. Guardian One didn’t spot anyone but the police officers at the site.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Admiral gunfire; reluctant robbery victim; gym-garage car break-in
June 5, 2015 7:52 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

ADMIRAL GUNFIRE: What sounded like gunshots just before midnight last night in the 2600 block of 45th SW (map) did turn out to be gunshots – but neighbors didn’t know for about 18 hours.

A neighbor who heard them texted us after calling police. Via scanner, we heard officers dispatched to check them out, but heard nothing more, until seeing an SPD auto-tweet this afternoon mentioning “property damage” in that same block. We texted our original tipster to ask if they’d ever found evidence of gunshots. She went out to check – and discovered shell casings had turned up in the street. We were in the area so we stopped by the neighborhood to photograph the shell casings in the street and planting strip as neighbors waited for police to return. Turned out, they told us, the “property damage” was a shot-out car window down the block (no photo, as we couldn’t find it), close to the far southwestern corner of the back playground at Lafayette Elementary. Silver lining to the non-silver bullets: Neighbors who hadn’t met before were out in the street getting acquainted.

UPDATE: We have since heard from the owner of the car window hit by a bullet, who sent this photo:

While the windshield wasn’t technically “shot out,” they pointed out, it still has to be replaced.

(back to original report) 18TH/BARTON ROBBERY: Also early this morning, an e-mail question came in about a SPD tweet logged as “armed street robbery” on Thursday evening in the same area that was the topic of a discussion by neighbors and police at a community-council meeting this week. We hadn’t heard anything about it at the time but have since procured the report from SPD. The robbery was reported to have happened around 4:15 pm; officers finally found the victim a few blocks from the scene around 5:30 pm and reported that he seemed intoxicated and did not want to file a report. Nonetheless, they wrote one from what few details he had given – that two people described only as “Hispanic males” had held him up at knifepoint and taken a gold ring and glasses from him. They asked the victim repeatedly if he felt safe staying in the area, and said he would not answer.

CAR PROWL IN NEW GARAGE: First Crime Watch reader report since the Spruce/LA Fitness underground garage at 39th/Alaska opened recently: Jim e-mailed to say, “My Subaru Outback was broken into on Thursday evening between 8 and 8:30 pm June 4. I was on the p1 level under the new LA Fitness club in West Seattle. Two windows were broken out and a backpack stolen.”

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West Seattle development: City issues notice for ‘egregious’ violation – house going up over what was approved as just a garage
June 5, 2015 5:09 pm
|      63 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

What’s happening on a lot in the 8400 block of 41st/42nd SW in Upper Fauntleroy isn’t your standard case of one house down, two bigger houses go up, neighbors get upset. Even a city spokesperson calls it “egregious” – a house going up without a permit, on a site first approved just for a larger garage.

We hadn’t heard anything about this site since mentioning it here one year ago, until neighbors contacted us earlier this week.

After the site and its old brick house were sold last year, a lot split was sought. The new owner built a house on the south side, at 8437 41st SW. For the north side, the owner filed an application in October for a permit granted in January to build a “2,258-square-foot, 35-foot-tall detached underground garage,” at 8454 42nd SW.

A neighbor wrote in e-mail, “In January 2015, the construction began. The 35-foot detached garage was striking in this neighborhood of single-family homes. However, once the garage was completed, the building continued first with one level of living space, followed by a second, and then a week ago, on May 27, 2015, yet a third level of living space was added to this structure. Now this structure, permitted as a detached garage, is a four-story, 10,000 square foot monstrosity. Additionally, the property has 42nd Ave on the westside and 41st Ave on the eastside. On both streets, the structure has clearly marked garages.” Atop this story is the 42nd SW side; here’s the 41st side:

Neighbors complained to the city Department of Planning and Development, which confirms it posted a “stop-work order” on Tuesday.

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FIVE BIZNOTES: West Seattle Junction/Triangle edition, featuring money, coffee, food, hair …
June 5, 2015 2:56 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Whirlwind round of five quick West Seattle biznotes:

SOUND CREDIT UNION TO THE JUNCTION: Discovered via city online files that one of the retail spaces at 4730 California (WSB sponsor) is set for Sound Credit Union. No details from SCU yet but they acknowledged our request for info. The first retail space leased at 4730, you might recall, is going to house Chipotle Mexican Grill.

JUNCTION STARBUCKS UPDATE: Diane asked in a comment when the new shop set for Junction 47 at California/Alaska (first reported here in February) will open. “Later this summer,” a Starbucks spokesperson tells us. They’re going to start the build-out week after next – tentatively set for June 15th – so you might finally see some “coming soon” signs (in fact, they’ve just applied for sign-installation permits). She could not tell us anything more about the plan, yet. The store will cover more than 2,000 square feet.

SPEAKING OF COFFEE … that’s part of what’s new as West Seattle Brewing Company at 4415 Fauntleroy Way SW in The Triangle reopens today (3 pm) after more than 2 months. Owner Drew Locke had told us back in March that espresso was on the way as well as wine, cider, and food.

ALSO NEW – NIBBLES FOOD TRUCK: Thanks to Eddie for the photo of Nibbles, the new West Seattleite-owned trailer-style food truck that’s planning to be in the West Seattle Eagles parking lot a few days a week:

Here’s the Nibbles menu. They’ve already closed for the day in WS but they’re traveling around the South King County area – having opened in Burien yesterday and going to the Des Moines Farmers’ Market tomorrow.

BEEHIVE SALON: The second retail tenant in Oregon 42 at 42nd/Oregon, Beehive Salon, south of/next to Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor), is now open. We first reported back in March that this “Aveda-concept salon” had leased the space for its second location (first one is in Wallingford).

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Light rail for West Seattle? Or? Next step toward ‘Sound Transit 3’: Take this survey!
June 5, 2015 1:54 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Thanks to Brice for pointing this out – the next step as Sound Transit works toward its next money-raising ballot measure, dubbed “Sound Transit 3,” includes a survey just made public. If you’re interested in seeing Sound Transit prioritize light rail for West Seattle – or if you’d rather see something else – tell them! The survey starts here.

BACKSTORY: While ST designated West Seattle as a “potential light-rail corridor” when updating its Long-Range Plan last December (WSB coverage here), that didn’t come with any guarantees – the agency would have to settle on a plan and on funding to make it happen, and this is far from the only area it’s considering including in the 2016 ballot measure.

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VIDEO: Alki, Schmitz Park Elementaries help Southwest Seattle Historical Society celebrate start of Alki Homestead restoration
June 5, 2015 11:13 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Alki Homestead | West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Substituted Friday night: Jean Sherrard‘s panorama, courtesy SWSHS – see WSB view at story’s end)
ORIGINAL 11:13 AM REPORT: We’re on the lawn at the Alki Homestead / Fir Lodge, where a short ceremony and photo op has just wrapped up, to mark the start of the Homestead’s restoration.

(WSB Instagram clip as students arrived at the Homestead; more visuals on IG)
Students from Alki and Schmitz Park Elementaries walked over here to be part of a “group hug for the Homestead” photo coordinated by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.

Joining them were two West Seattleites serving in county and city government, County Executive Dow Constantine and City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.

The Homestead’s new owner, Dennis Schilling, was here too, and SWSHS executive director Clay Eals (with Rasmussen and Constantine in the photo added above) emceed.

From the two schools’ leadership: SPES assistant principal Liora Minkin and Alki principal Shannon Stanton:

P.S. This was also an anniversary of sorts – one year ago tomorrow, these same two schools gathered a half-block away outside the Log House Museum – home to SWSHS and the Homestead/Fir Lodge’s former carriage house – to celebrate the unveiling of the restored Admiral Way totem pole that now stands on the east side of the LHM’s grounds.

ADDED 1:30 PM: Adding photos, and our video of the quick speeches will follow (about 15 minutes total – added 7:21 pm, below).

(Added Saturday – the SWSHS version, shot from above)

Councilmember Rasmussen led the crowd in a chant about bringing back the Homestead’s famous fried chicken (new owner Schilling has said he’s not sure yet what kind of business the restored lodge will be home to); Executive Constantine told the kids to be sure to smile, since the photo will be part of history, and noted that while he’s a Schmitz Park alum, he’s not sure where his daughter Sabrina will be going in four years, since his house is on the Alki/Lafayette line.

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West Seattle Friday: Author, art, presidential politics, Corner Bar, kayaking; more…
June 5, 2015 10:26 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Constellation Park photo by Lynn Hall)
Good morning! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for the rest of today/tonight:

MORNING FYI: Students from two local elementaries are walking to Alki this morning for a Southwest Seattle Historical Society photo-op at the Homestead. Watch for photos here later (and/or check out the WSB Instagram feed for sneak peeks)!

LOW-LOW TIDE: Out to -2.3 feet at 1:30 pm.

SARAH FOX @ WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: 5-7 pm at Westwood Village Barnes & Noble – as previewed in our early-morning roundup of local authors’ upcoming events – Sarah Fox will read from her book “Downwind: A People’s History of the Nuclear West.” Full details on the series-presenting Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s website. (2800 SW Barton)

CORNER BAR AT HPIC: The monthly pop-up bar at the Highland Park Improvement Club is tonight, featuring McTuff and DJ Rich – details on the HPIC website. (12th/Holden)

‘DUWAMISH REVEALED’ OPENING: Not in West Seattle, but the 4-month, multiple-location “Duwamish Revealed” art project – previewed here last weekend – has its grand opening tonight at 7 pm with a sound and sculpture show at the site dubbed The Estuary. (4651 Diagonal Ave. S.)

FLOTILLA & CONCERT: 6-10 pm tonight, this webpage says organizers of the ongoing anti-Shell demonstrations will present a concert on the “Solar Pioneer/People’s Platform” barge off Don Armeni Boat Ramp, and a demonstration flotilla with kayakers carrying lanterns. (1222 Harbor SW)

POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE’S VISIT: 7 pm at West Seattle Tool Library, Dr. Jill Stein, described as the Green Party‘s potential presidential candidate (she was its nominee in 2012), will visit for a meet-and-greet. If you can’t be there for the entire event, her presentation is scheduled at around 7:30 pm, with dessert potluck at 8:15, Q/A at 8:30. WSTL is on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

MORE … just check our calendar!

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Guilty verdict in Officer Timothy Brenton’s murder, 5+ years later
June 5, 2015 9:28 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

After almost six years, the verdict is in for the killer of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, a West Seattle High School graduate. KIRO TV reports (as do other regional news organizations) that a King County Superior Court jury has found Christopher Monfort guilty of murdering Officer Brenton, 39, in Leschi on Halloween night 2009. Monfort was also found guilty of attempted murder and arson; the latter charge is from a firebombing at a city facility downtown that damaged/destroyed vehicles including a mobile command unit that had been used in this area (and is just now finally being replaced). (added) Our partners at The Seattle Times report that a jury will next decide whether Monfort’s sentence will be life in prison, or death.

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