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month : 06/2015 320 results

AMNO & CO does it again! ROV team to compete internationally
June 16, 2015 8:28 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

It’s been three years since we first heard from AMNO & CO, the trio of West Seattleites who have literally taken on the world in a robotics specialty, the ROV – and they’re doing it again this year. The theme is one with particular local resonance this year – read on for their report on what they’re doing (they provided the photos, too):

In May, AMNO & CO ROV team won first place in the Pacific Northwest Regional MATE ROV competition, qualifying for the international event in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. (Check out the Marine Advanced Technology Education Center’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) competition at marinetech.org.) For the three team members – Alex Miller, Clara Orndorff, and Nicholas Orndorff – this will be their fourth consecutive year at the international competition, and as always, the team with the fewest team members.

ROVs are extremely valuable at accomplishing tasks in environments which would be too deep or risky for human divers. This year’s tasks revolve around deploying, salvaging, and servicing equipment related to the oil industry in the Arctic. Teams have to design and build a vehicle to replace components in oil wellheads, turn valves in oil pipelines, and measure icebergs. In doing these tasks, AMNO & CO will be competing against the winning teams of regional competitions in the USA, Canada, Egypt, China, Hong Kong, Scotland, Russia and several others. While MATE’s tasks revolve around oil in the Arctic, communication is also emphasized in the competition, so teams have to write a technical report, create a poster, and give an engineering presentation.

In Newfoundland, AMNO & CO will compete in a state-of-the-art marine facility, which has three unique research test tanks, including a tank with waves, another with currents, and a third covered in ice. These tanks accurately simulate the conditions in real Arctic environments, while providing teams the opportunity to test their vehicles in unusual conditions.

In addition to competing and fundraising for the MATE competition, AMNO & CO seeks to instill their passion for engineering in others. For instance, they gave a special presentation in the Seattle Aquarium’s Window on Washington Waters tank for the public in November. Also, team member Alex Miller will be leading a robotics summer camp in West Seattle this June, fostering an appreciation for the unique fusion of mechanical systems, electrical systems, and software which robotics encompasses.

The international competition will be in St. John’s, Newfoundland, June 25-28. For more information about AMNO & CO, please visit facebook.com/AMNOandCoROV or contact them at amnoandco@live.com.

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No West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting tonight
June 16, 2015 7:20 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

If you were thinking of going to the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – don’t; it’s not happening. We arrived at the precinct and found out that the meeting was being canceled; WSCPC president Richard Miller continues to deal with health challenges. We’ll take the liberty of saying again, as we were asked to mention in our coverage of last month’s meeting – if anyone is interested in helping so that this group can continue, please e-mail westseattlecpc@gmail.com.

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Congratulations to two West Seattle Little League teams! Rookie Division champs, Tournament of Champions winners
June 16, 2015 7:02 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Thanks again to the youth-sports parents and coaches who’ve shared championship news these past few weeks (and in past years). Two more rounds of congratulations to share, both for West Seattle Little League teams:

Congratulations to the Pilots, who became the 2015 WSLL Rookie Division Champions on Saturday in a 9-2 game against Sonic Boom, concluding a four-game series between the two. The photo is by Debbie Ross. In the pic:

Back Row: Coach Cip Dacanay, Coach Justin Buehring, Head Coach Eric Beardemphl

Middle Row: Erik Wingle, Otis Schlede, Connor Tynan, Nicholas Beardemphl, Cody Buehring, David Haugen

Front Row: Caden Ross, Owen Odegard, Daniel Dacanay, Luke Brown, Atticus Blum, Carson Cottle

Next, congratulations to the WSLL 50/70 (Intermediate) team, which Tracy Holloway tells us won the District 7 Tournament of Champions after going 19-0 on the season:

The final score in Des Moines was WSLL 21, South Highline National Little League 8.

In the photo, L-R, are Mike Murphy (coach), Adam Chin, Dominic Taylor, Jack Summers, Rick Southall (Manager), Cole Stephenson, Konrad Gerhardt, Wil Holmes, Justin Murphy, Ben Trigg, Mike Messinger (Coach), Eli Markham, Dylan Pool.

Find out more about West Seattle Little League at westseattlelittleleague.com.

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Work starts Wednesday for new curb ramps on Alki Ave. SW
June 16, 2015 6:14 pm
|    Comments Off on Work starts Wednesday for new curb ramps on Alki Ave. SW
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

From SDOT:

The Seattle Department of Transportation will install new “ADA” compliant curb ramps at two locations on Alki Avenue Southwest. They plan to start tomorrow and complete the work by June 26. The curb ramps are at two crosswalks on Alki where there are viewing areas with benches along the waterfront. The first location is at 1716 Alki Avenue SW [map] and the second is at 1564 Alki Avenue SW [map]. The crews will work in the parking lane, and on-street parking will be restricted at those locations.

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UPDATE: Eastbound bridge reopens after crash; driver arrested
June 16, 2015 4:17 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Photo courtesy Raquel – substituted for earlier traffic-camera image)
4:17 PM: Big emergency response on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge by 4th Avenue South – closing all but the exit lane at that spot. More to come.

4:22 PM: Police are going to try to divert people off at 1st Avenue South but we’ve just heard from Erica, who passed the crash going the other way, and says it looks like multiple vehicles involved as well as one car that’s on its side, and there’s already an eastbound backup. (Here’s an earlier view, tweeted by SDOT:)

4:26 PM: Emergency vehicles are also in one westbound lane parallel with 4th, so if you’re planning on getting to the westbound bridge from I-5 or Beacon Hill, this could be a problem.

(Photo courtesy Brian Baum)
4:44 PM: That westbound lane is clear, but the eastbound lanes remain blocked at 4th, with everybody forced to get off the bridge at 1st Avenue South.

4:51 PM: Per scanner, police are hoping to have one lane – likely the outside lane – open shortly. But even with most of the commute going the other way, that still will mean big backups.

4:57 PM: And here it is, one lane open:

Don’t take the low bridge as a backup any time soon – also via scanner, it’s going to swing open soon for “a large boat” to get through.

5:27 PM: The bridge is fully open again, after about an hour and 10 minutes.

WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: SPD confirms something we thought we had heard on the scanner – the 32-year-old driver had at least one warrant out for his arrest. They also confirm an “active DUI investigation” in the case. We are also asking SFD for any final information about injuries and will add whatever we learn there.

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City Council committee OKs low-rise-zoning changes, with 3 amendments
June 16, 2015 4:16 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(Screengrab from Seattle Channel webcast; we’ll replace it with meeting video when theirs is up)
Under major scrutiny from concerned parties including neighborhood land-use activists and developers, the City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee has just voted to pass an amended version of the bill proposing changes to low-rise zoning – more like, changes to past changes. (We previewed all this before the committee’s public hearing two weeks ago.)

City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen proposed eight amendments that city staffers said restored some of what was changed from the original version of the bill. Five were turned down, three were approved – involving counting exterior corridors/stairways as part of a building’s “floor-area ratio” (Amendment 1 text here), thresholds for rounding up number of units per land-area square footage (Amendment 6 text here), and side setbacks required for rowhouses (Amendment 8 text here).

The full council is expected to vote on the amended proposal after the 4th of July weekend; seven of the nine members participated in today’s committee meeting.

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West Seattle Outdoor Movies: 2015 poster with show-by-show details
June 16, 2015 3:10 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

It’s one of our favorite summer-event posters every year – and today, it’s out:


Click the image for a larger view of this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies poster by Horsepower Design, listing not only the six movies that will be screened on Saturday nights in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard – starting July 18th – but also the pre-show entertainment, sponsors, and nonprofits benefiting from each event’s fun(draising) raffle drawing(s). Here again, if you missed it two weeks ago, is this year’s movie list:

Sat, July 18th: “Zoolander,” 2001 (trailer above; PG-13)

Sat, July 25th: “Singles,” 1992 (PG-13)

Sat, Aug 1st: “Raising Arizona,” 1987 (PG-13)

Sat, Aug 8th: “Big Hero 6,” 2014 (PG)

Sat, Aug 15th: “Guardians of the Galaxy,” 2014 (PG-13)

Sat, Aug 22nd: “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” 1975 (R)

Admission is free; concessions will be sold this year by, and as a benefit for, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. Hotwire’s at 4410 California SW, just north of the Junction post office. (We’re proud to be a co-sponsor again this year – see the full sponsor lineup across the bottom of the poster.)

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West Seattle scene: Heavy lifting at Seacrest Pier
June 16, 2015 1:40 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Heavy lifting at Seacrest Pier
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

As mentioned in our daily traffic/transit watch, a crane is on site at Seacrest today to help install the new small-boat-launch ramp mentioned in this alert from Seattle Parks last week.

Parks says the old launch had been in use for more than 20 years. P.S. Some of Seacrest’s history is in this section of the Parks Department’s “Sherwood Files,” explained here.

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TRAFFIC ALERT: 47th/Admiral/Waite signal, crosswalks’ final phase
June 16, 2015 12:11 pm
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC ALERT: 47th/Admiral/Waite signal, crosswalks’ final phase
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

The :15 video panorama shows you what’s happening at the 47th/Admiral/Waite crosswalk project today, as the final phase of work intensifies. A bit dusty (and this part of the work had eastbound traffic stopped while we were there):

SDOT had announced about a week ago that the signal equipment had arrived, so the final phase of installing it and marking crosswalks around the intersection would launch. Thanks to everybody who messaged us about the stepped-up work today!

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West Seattle Tuesday: Crime Prevention Council; Bee Garden storytime; free chamber music; more…
June 16, 2015 9:58 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Tuesday: Crime Prevention Council; Bee Garden storytime; free chamber music; more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Monday sunrise – photo by Lynn Hall)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BEE GARDEN STORY TIME: Just about to start – first Tuesday morning story time at the West Seattle Bee Garden in High Point! 10 am. (31st/Graham)

CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE TALKS LOW-RISE ZONING: Followup to the public hearing two weeks ago (previewed here) – 2 pm at City Hall, the council’s Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee talks again about the proposed changes to low-rise zoning (the areas where you primarily see 3- or 4-story apartment buildings, rowhouses, townhouses). West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen has proposed 8 of the 9 pending amendments; if you can’t get downtown, you can watch via Seattle Channel.

CHAMBER MUSIC RECITAL: All are invited as members of the West Seattle Community Orchestras perform chamber music @ The Mount, 7 pm, no admission charge. More info in our calendar listing. (4831 35th SW)

WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Final meeting before summer break. If you have a concern to bring to local police and your fellow West Seattle neighbors – or if you just want to hear SPD’s latest info on local crime trends – this is the place to be. 7 pm in the meeting room at the Southwest Precinct. (Webster/Delridge)

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING TODAY/TONIGHT/BEYOND? See for yourself here.

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Seeing/hearing helicopter(s)? If you missed the reminder – it’s a drill
June 16, 2015 9:33 am
|    Comments Off on Seeing/hearing helicopter(s)? If you missed the reminder – it’s a drill
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

9:33 AM: Just got a text about helicopters – heard them nearby passing the West Seattle shore – but this time, we already know what it’s about: If you missed the alert we published last week, it’s a big air/sea drill happening all day down in Des Moines, with some air traffic visible as far north as here.

2:08 PM: Some photos tweeted by the King County Sheriff’s Office, one of the participating agencies:

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FRIDAY: ‘Swing into Summer’ with the West Seattle Big Band
June 16, 2015 9:00 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fauntleroy | Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

(2014 photo by Ben Ackers)
On the night before summer – have a swingin’ time in Fauntleroy! If you don’t already have your tickets, here’s a preview from Judy Pickens:

The Hall at Fauntleroy will rock Friday evening (June 19), when the West Seattle Big Band hosts the second annual Swing Into Summer dance. Other sponsors are the West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCAs, Fauntleroy Church, and the Fauntleroy Community Association. Tickets are $15/person through brownpapertickets.com or in the church office. Proceeds will benefit area public-school music programs.

Start with dance lessons at 6:30 pm, then hit the floor at 7:00, or just sit back and enjoy the action, plus food and drink concessions. Arrange for free child care at 206-932-5600 or jackie@fauntleroyucc.org.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday ‘last day of school’ edition
June 16, 2015 7:10 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy last day of school to Seattle Public Schools students! No problems reported in the outbound commute so far. Two notes:

BEACH DRIVE/LINCOLN PARK WAY/48TH: The major work previewed in last Friday’s alert had not begun as of end-of-day Monday, and we saw no signs of staging, but will check again today.

(Added 8:55 am – that’s a Monday aerial of the project – and, at lower right, the inland side of Lowman Beach Park – just received from West Seattle pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen.)

SEACREST BOAT LAUNCH REPLACEMENT: Part of the parking lot at Seacrest will be closed again today during work to replace the small boat launch, announced last week. We noted a crane had arrived by end of day Monday.

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FOLLOWUP: Blocks, cable removed from West Seattle diving zone
June 16, 2015 12:03 am
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for the video, showing the cleanup we previewed here on Sunday – the blocks and cable left behind (deliberately, by agreement of all those concerned) when the “Solar Pioneer” protest barge moved west after first dropping them in the popular Cove 2 dive zone. The official post-cleanup news release from GUE Seattle declares it “a complete success”:

Two teams of GUE Seattle SCUBA divers entered the water (Monday) at 7:00 AM and located the debris field consisting of concrete blocks and steel cables.

(Photos courtesy GUE Seattle)
The five GUE Seattle divers attached mooring line and buoys so a commercial salvage operation could easily locate and remove the debris. At approximately 9:00 AM, a commercial dive team from Global Diving & Salvage arrived on site and deployed surface-supplied divers into the water.

After approximately three hours of work, the Global Diving & Salvage dive team had safely successfully removed all debris without causing any further damage to the dive park.

On Monday, May 19th, 2015, an environmental activist group moored a barge known as the Solar Pioneer in Alki Seacrest Park in protest of Shell’s Polar Pioneer Arctic drilling rig housed at Seattle’s Harbor Island Terminal 5. In the process of mooring, the activist group dropped concrete blocks and thick steel mooring cables and inadvertently damaged a popular underwater park known as Alki Cove 2. As the barge rose and fell with the tides, the steel mooring cables swept the area underneath, causing additional collateral damage to the marine environment as well as endangering recreational divers. Today, the Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) Seattle cleanup project was successfully completed and all concrete blocks and the steel mooring cables were recovered and properly disposed of.

We would like to sincerely thank Royal Dutch Shell, Foss Maritime, and John Sellers (the operator of the Solar Pioneer), for financially contributing to the cleanup effort and future restoration work; Laura James for her assistance in video documentation; and Global Diving & Salvage for their skillful work in removing the debris without causing any additional environmental damage.

The Polar Pioneer, as reported here early Monday morning, has left Seattle, headed north; the Solar Pioneer was still off Don Armeni as of sunset.

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Countdown time! Morgan Junction Community Festival this Saturday – see what’s in store for the kids
June 15, 2015 9:43 pm
|    Comments Off on Countdown time! Morgan Junction Community Festival this Saturday – see what’s in store for the kids
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

Heading into summer-festival season, there’s always something big in view just days away – and this week, it’s the Morgan Junction Community Festival (co-sponsored by WSB), this Saturday in and around Morgan Junction Park, 10:30 am-6 pm. We’re planning daily previews, counting down to the festival – starting with a quick look at what’s planned for the youngest festivalgoers. From the festival committee:

Jennifer Young, owner of My Three Little Birds in south Morgan Junction, is coordinating the children’s activities. Chief entertainment for the kids is Bubbleman, of course. He begins his always-pleasing wild and colorful show at 11:30 in Morgan Junction Park.

(WSB photo from 2014)
Craft activities start at 11:00 and end at 4:00, include beading for older kids; and for the younger ones, making sailboats out of water noodles and paper jellyfish. In addition to the crafts, a face painter will be in the children’s area from 12:30 to 2:00, and LuLu Cakes will offer vegan cupcakes from 2:00 to 3:00.

We’ve already previewed the pet parade and contests you’ll find at the festival (here) and the author readings (here). Lots more to come – watch for the next round of preview info on Tuesday – and make plans to come to Morgan Junction on Saturday!

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Congratulations! Post 160 and Unit 160 sponsor students for summer leadership programs
June 15, 2015 8:25 pm
|    Comments Off on Congratulations! Post 160 and Unit 160 sponsor students for summer leadership programs
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Thanks to Kyle Geraghty from American Legion Post 160 in The Triangle for the report and photo:

Three area students, sponsored by West Seattle’s American Legion Post 160 and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 160, will be attending the Evergreen Boys State and Girls State summer leadership programs.

The students sponsored by Post 160 for Boys State are:

Jess Juanich, Garfield High School
Ryan Okabayashi, Seattle Lutheran

The student sponsored by Unit 160 for Girls State:
Macey Crooks, Seattle Lutheran

They’re in the photo (as listed, L-R) with Post 160 Commander Keith Hughes and Auxiliary Unit 160 president Andrea Geraghty.

Evergreen Boys State & Girls State aim to simulate and emulate Washington State government through a fun and engaging week long summer program. The students will have an opportunity to construct local, county, and state governments.

Activities include running for office, court proceedings, creating and enforcing laws, celebrations, and recreational programs. Students will hone public speaking skills, experience how government works, get inspired by guest speakers, have fun and make new friends for life.
Up to four college credits may be earned by this program, as well as opportunities for college scholarships.

American Legion Post 160 and Auxiliary Unit 160 of West Seattle encourages all upcoming high-school juniors who attend public, private or home school to apply for Boys/Girls State next year. Post/Unit 160 would be honored to sponsor a full West Seattle team next year.

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What was that ‘rainbow’? Alice explains the ‘circumhorizon arc’
June 15, 2015 4:37 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Skies Over West Seattle | West Seattle news


By Alice Enevoldsen
Special to West Seattle Blog

Today a beautiful blue-green iridescent cloud stretched straight across the sky, contrasting impressively with the white clouds behind it. As we watched, more rainbow-spectrum colors showed up in a second partial arc a little further south. The colors persisted for hours, though will be gone by the time you read this article.

(Added Tuesday: West Seattleite Don Brubeck‘s photo of how it looked @ Mt. Rainier NP)
We see many rainbow phenomena regularly here in West Seattle: Rainbows, secondary bow rainbows, supernumeraries, sun pillars, halos, heiligenschein, crepuscular (and anti-crepuscular) rays, and sundogs. This was a new one to me: The circumhorizon arc.

The circumhorizon arc is only visible when the Sun is higher than 58° in the sky. This can be true in Seattle only around noon from early May through mid-August. Like other halo-related visual effects, the arc is formed by sunlight refracting through ice crystals. As you can see in the photos, this arc is visible where there are streaky, filamental cirrus clouds. Those clouds are high enough in the atmosphere that even on hot days ice crystals can form.

(Circumhorizon arc and halo over West Seattle — with labels: © 2015 Jason Ayres Gift Enevoldsen)

Although this is not a common event, the circumhorizon arc is not classified as rare for our latitude. Look for it again throughout the summer around noon whenever you see cirrus-type clouds in the sky. This is the same event as a fire rainbow, but “fire rainbow” is not an accepted term, as it is misleading.

Before I go, let me mention noctilucent clouds, because the section of circumhorizon arc we saw today was almost exactly the same color, and now is the time to watch for them. Noctilucent clouds are also visible only in summer, but about 30 minutes to two and a half hours after sunset. They’re high enough in the atmosphere that they are still bathed in sunlight even as the sky darkens through twilight, giving them an ethereal blue glow in the dark sky.

We report a fair number of great new visual cloud and sky events around June. With the Sun reaching its highest altitude (nearly 66° off the horizon here) at solar noon on the summer solstice, the days and weeks around now are when we have the opportunity to see effects that require the Sun to be high.

You can read about many common sun/atmosphere effects we see in West Seattle in this Skies over West Seattle article from two years ago. I would love to discuss this effect and any others at the solstice sunset watch on Saturday.

Who is Alice?

Alice is many things and works and volunteers for a few notable organizations, but the suggestions and opinions put forth in this article are her own and no one else’s. You can find more about astronomy at alicesastroinfo.com.

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West Seattle businesses: Zelda Zonk Consignment opens Tuesday
June 15, 2015 3:28 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

While a long-running business in The Admiral District has just closed – another is about to open.

(Photo courtesy Zelda Zonk Consignment)
Tomorrow is opening day for Zelda Zonk Consignment for Women at 2210 California SW, previously home to West Seattle Fabric Company (which has gone mostly online) and, before that, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor, long since moved to The Junction). Proprietor Carrie Zimney explains, “Zelda Zonk is the name Marilyn Monroe went by when she was incognito so I thought it was very fitting.” Consignment is a form of recycling, and Carrie says, “I’ve been having a ton of fun with renovations and I’m so proud to say that I built my sales counter out of old pallets, and my clothing racks out of tree posts and old pallets. I also constructed my dressing rooms using old doors I purchased at Second Use in SODO.” As for the actual consigning, “Zelda Zonk does not brand-discriminate but we are really looking for current items from brands like Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, J. Crew, Theory, Ann Taylor and BCBGMaxazria. We will also carry special designer items from designers such as Prada, Oscar De La Renta, Burburry, and Chanel.” Starting tomorrow, she plans to be open 10 am-7 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-6 pm Sundays, closed Mondays. If you’re interested in consigning – she says, “I do a 40/60 split or in-store credit of 50%” – call 206-932-0961.

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UPDATE: Rooftop fire at apartment building in The Junction
June 15, 2015 12:17 pm
|      25 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(Reader photo courtesy Quent)
12:17 PM: Seattle Fire is at an apartment building in the 4700 block of 41st SW after a report of smoke. More to come.

(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
12:23 PM UPDATE: SFD says it was a “rooftop fire” but is now “extinguished.”

The address on the SFD log checks to the City Watch Apartments east of Jefferson Square.

12:30 PM: Update via scanner – firefighters have now spotted a “small fire in a planter” on the rooftop.

12:39 PM: They’re calling for another engine and ladder. No word of injuries so far. Thanks to Craig Roberts for video showing the heavy smoke when this all got started:

12:44 PM: One of our crews at the scene talked with WSB reader Sue, who lives at this building and is OK, but quite a scare, as her hallway on the 5th floor was full of smoke. We’ve also talked with the incident commander, who says the fire is now tapped.

They’re still checking the air quality among other things so no word on how soon people will be allowed back into the building.

1:18 PM: Just briefed by SFD public-information officer Kyle Moore – he confirms no one was hurt, and that the fire was confined to the rooftop, but investigators don’t know yet what sparked it.

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
People are being allowed back into the building.

ADDED MONDAY EVENING: We checked with Moore just before day’s end: “Cause is accidental, improperly discarded smoking materials onto rooftop deck or planter. The damage estimate is $7,000.”

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One more day to have your say on new ‘fitness zones’
June 15, 2015 12:15 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

As first reported here a month ago, new outdoor “fitness zones” are coming to Delridge and Hiawatha Community Centers‘ parks, and if you haven’t already told Seattle Parks what you want to see in these free workout spots for teens and adults – you have one more day to have a say! For Delridge input, go here; for Hiawatha input, go here. Both surveys close at noon tomorrow.

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West Seattle Monday: Beach, books, benefit, and more…
June 15, 2015 9:45 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Monday: Beach, books, benefit, and more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(West Seattle flowers, by Yel0Rose, via the WSB Flickr group)

SECOND-TO-LAST DAY OF SCHOOL … for Seattle Public Schools students, some of whom you might see out on the beach today for field trips because of the following:

LOW TIDE, WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Tide’s out to -2.3 feet at 10:42 this morning; Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are out at Constellation and Lincoln Parks until 1 pm today. (P.S. Have you seen this West Seattle octopus video yet?)

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Could be another hot day. Just reminding you that while it’s not wading-pool season yet, the Highland Park Spraypark continues to be open daily, 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP: 2-3 pm, this month’s Afternoon Book Group meets at Southwest Branch Library. “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Ernest Hemingway is this month’s book. (35th/Henderson)

BENEFIT FOR WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS: 3-10 pm, dine at Talarico’s in The Junction and 30 percent of the proceeds go to the WSHS cheer program to help with camp and uniform costs. (4718 California SW)

DELRIDGE GROCERY CO-OP CONVERSATION: 6-7:45 pm at Delridge Branch Library, stop by to talk about everything from the co-op’s progress toward opening, to its summer farmstand, to food access in general – details here. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

AND MORE … for today/tonight/beyond, if you hop over to our calendar!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday updates
June 15, 2015 7:31 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday updates
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

7:31 AM: While covering the Polar Pioneer departure, we’ve also been keeping an eye on traffic as always. Keeping this short unless there’s an incident to report – you’ll find the cameras here; please also remember the Beach Drive/Lincoln Park Way/48th SW alert starting today.

8:19 AM: Just went through the aforementioned area – the street-cutting work hasn’t started yet, no sign of staging, either, just a couple concrete trucks on the south end of Beach Drive.

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REPORT #2: Shell’s Polar Pioneer leaves West Seattle; 24 ‘detained’ in kayak-blockade attempt
June 15, 2015 6:27 am
|      43 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

6:27 AM: Picking up from our all-night coverage – right now, Foss tugs are pulling the Polar Pioneer out of the west mouth of the Duwamish River, a month after its arrival, and a kayak blockade is trying to stop it.

Heavy police and Coast Guard presence in the area, on sea and in the air, plus we’ve seen police bicycle officers at Terminal 5 in the wake of the rig’s pullout.

6:32 AM: The rig and tugs are fully out in the bay now and the blockade appears to be moving along with them.

6:35 AM: The tugs and rig briefly stopped but are now moving, very slowly, again. Commenters in our earlier coverage asked why protesters are trying to stop it from leaving, since they didn’t want it here in the first place.

They have said that the point is to try to keep it from getting to the Arctic in its relatively short summer window, to stop it from drilling.

6:47 AM: The group continues to advance toward Duwamish Head, tugs, Polar Pioneer, kayakers and all. The Lindsey Foss and Garth Foss are pulling the Polar Pioneer while the Andrew Foss and Henry Foss are behind. The first three also were among the tugs that brought it into Seattle from Port Angeles on May 14th.

7:10 AM: We’ve moved over to Don Armeni, which has been protest HQ for some days now. Red flags are set up on the shore.

7:19 AM: The protest group says there have been “several arrests.” No further details or confirmation so far.

7:47 AM: We’re still at Don Armeni, but about to move on; the rig is out of sight, and some kayakers continue returning to the ramp here. Most of the citywide media has left. We asked if anyone knows how long the Solar Pioneer barge will stay; no info on that yet. (As we reported last night, a cleanup is scheduled today at the spot near Seacrest where its cables and blocks did damage before it moved west.)

8:28 AM: We’re back at HQ and will be adding/replacing some photos. If any new information emerges later, regarding arrests or anything else related to today’s departure, we’ll update this story. A couple points in the meantime:

*Polar Pioneer is headed first to Dutch Harbor, AK, a 12-day trip, according to this Houston Chronicle story we linked and explained in our overnight report

*Foss has a 2-year lease with the Port of Seattle for part of Terminal 5, and the plan has been for Shell to return here after Arctic-drilling season. In the meantime, though, the permit fight will play out, with a city hearing set for July 23rd. As we first reported over the weekend, maritime companies are seeking to join that fight, in a group calling itself the “T-5 Intervenors.”

10:10 AM: No arrests confirmed but the Coast Guard has tweeted that 24 people were detained:

City Councilmember Mike O’Brien is reported to have been among the detainees.

11:48 AM: What the protesters couldn’t do, the tide apparently did – the Shell No group texted about an hour ago – right around the lowest tide of the day, almost the lowest of the month – that Polar Pioneer was “beached” off Bainbridge Island. We were away from HQ but tweeted it and then noted that it was indeed still visible in the distance from Alki. As of right now, MarineTraffic.com still shows it and its accompanying vessels – plus Coast Guard and police – in the same spot off north Bainbridge Island.

11:54 AM: Foss spokesperson Paul Queary says it’s not stuck – it’s a planned change of tugs.

4:45 PM: The Polar Pioneer is currently passing between North Kitsap and South Whidbey. West Seattle pilot/photographer Cuyler Binion shared this aerial view from earlier:

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