West Seattle, Washington
27 Thursday
Rare chance to tell you way in advance when and why helicopters are expected in the area. The Port of Seattle just announced that multiple agencies also including Seattle Fire, King County, and Snohomish County “will be conducting a joint exercise involving multiple helicopters for emergency preparedness training” on Monday at Terminal 5. This exercise, the announcement says, “will give the participants better training for rescue situations such as those that took place after the Oso mudslide in 2014.” The helicopter activity, “moving heavy loads of equipment and personnel,” is expected to last from 11 am to noon on Monday (November 16th).
Almost two weeks after the last Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection closures, the results are in. From this WSDOT webpage summarizing years of inspection results:
Survey crews detect between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of additional settlement between University Street and south of Seneca Street since the last inspection. The settlement is uniform in nature. Inspectors also note some additional cracking on columns and girders in the same general area, along with up to 1/2 millimeter widening of a few existing cracks. No additional repair work is necessary.
We know what you’re going to ask – here’s how WSDOT answers it: “It’s important to note that not all settlement is significant. In the case of the viaduct, no single number represents an acceptable level of settlement.” Bottom line, WSDOT says: “The viaduct remains vulnerable to earthquakes but remains safe for everyday use.” (In case you missed it, here’s the latest tunnel-machine update, published here Thursday.)
Congratulations and good luck to another West Seattle High School student athlete – senior Gabby Carufel “will be competing at the WIAA 3A State Swimming Championships this weekend [starting at 2 pm today]. At Metros, she got 3rd in the 100 back with a time of 58.76 and 4th in the 200 IM with a time of 2:14.55, both State qualifying times! Last weekend she took first at Districts in the 100 back.” (Thanks to Gabby’s proud mom Danette Carufel for the report and the photo.)
If you live in east West Seattle, that unfamiliar person who looks to be checking out your residence might just be a King County Assessor’s Office appraiser doing her/his job. This announcement explains:
The Assessor’s Office annually values over 700,000 properties in King County, and physically inspects 1/6th of all properties.
Starting this fall and continuing into Spring of 2016, appraisers from the Assessor’s Office will be conducting physical inspections of properties (existing residences, residences under construction and vacant parcels) in East West Seattle, Georgetown, South Park. Appraisers generally conducts physical inspection from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM four days per week, Monday thru Thursday and are identifiable by their County ID badges.
This annual process allows appraisers to verify and update any property characteristic changes that might have occurred since the last physical inspection. For information on your property, please visit the Assessor’s eReal Property Search at www.kingcounty.gov/assessor
(Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Danny McMillin, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, some of what’s up for the rest of your Friday:
HOLIDAY BAZAAR & BOOK SALE: 11 am-4 pm, it’s the first day of the White Center Library Guild Holiday Bazaar and Book Sale. Bargains, kids’ activities, more. (11220 16th SW)
HELP THE HELPLINE: West Seattle Helpline‘s annual benefit dinner/auction “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” starts at 6 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. No last-minute tickets available that we’ve heard, but if you have yours, this is your reminder to be there! (9131 California SW)
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY PTA MOVIE NIGHT: From Highland Park Elementary PTA president Holly Briscoe: “We will be showing ‘Inside Out.’ The movie is free of charge. Doors open at 6 pm, show at 6:30. There will be popcorn and baked goods for sale, and a raffle prize as well. All are welcome!” (1012 SW Trenton)
FRIDAY NIGHT SKATING: Roll on at Alki Community Center! 6:30-8:30 pm, details here. (5817 SW Stevens)
MICHAEL ASHE, LIVE: Singer-songwriter performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘4 COMEDIES’: 7:30 pm, Seattle Lutheran High School student production of four short comedies including “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse.” Details in our calendar listing. (4100 SW Genesee)
‘THE DEAD GUY’: 7:30 pm, second performance of West Seattle High School Drama Club‘s student production, in the WSHS Theater. (3000 California SW)
WRITERS READ @ YOUNGSTOWN: 7:30 pm, “Come hear a reading of new work by Young Adult Novelist Karen Finneyfrock and poet Roberto Ascalon, both residents of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Karen will read from her work-in-progress ‘The Year We Ruined the House’.” Free. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
Can you help? The program is based in our area:
Volunteer Homework Tutors Needed!
Salvation Army – Hickman House is a transitional housing program for families who are homeless due to domestic violence. The volunteer tutor will help with the “Homework Club” which meets weekday afternoons for 1.5 hours. This program is for students in kindergarten through high school to complete homework assignments and strengthen reading and math skills. Tutors provide constructive feedback and encouragement, and inspire students to be life-long learners.
Schedule: We ask tutors to volunteer on a Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon or evening. We are looking for a commitment of at least 6 months.
Qualifications:
– Experience with youth as a teacher, tutor, babysitter, volunteer or family member
– Empathy, patience, a friendly demeanor, and good communication skills, especially active listening
– Eligible candidates will be over 18 years old and must pass a criminal background check and complete a child safety training
Contact: Leah, Children’s Program Coordinator: 206-932-5341 or leah.knopf@usw.salvationarmy.org
(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7 AM: Windy and wet out there, as forecast. No major incidents on area roads, though. If you passed through Morgan Junction the past half-hour or so and noticed a big police presence near California/Holly, we’ve just found out what that was about – a traffic stop for a car resembling one linked to a potentially armed suspect in a possible domestic-violence situation; all over now, but after several tips (thank you!) we did find one officer still in the area to ask.
7:12 AM: The I-5/West Seattle Bridge interchange has multiple problems right now, reported in both northbound and southbound directions. Not entirely clear exactly how the eastbound bridge offramps are affected as a result, but just know things are a bit of a tangle.
7:16 AM: Some happy commute news – the ferry from Vashon to Fauntleroy just passed some orcas headed southbound, according to Mary. Too murky out there to see them from a distance right now.
7:35 AM: Speaking of the weather, the “wind advisory” alert was shortened overnight, and is now set to expire at 10 am – six hours earlier than the original alert. So things should calm down before too long.
SATURDAY TRAFFIC-ALERT REMINDER: SDOT will have crews out replacing traffic cameras on the bridge, so you might find rolling lane closures – here’s the alert we published Thursday.
9:28 AM: Emergency responders are checking out a reported spinout on the Delridge offramp from the westbound bridge.
9:49 AM: Some tense moments related to that situation (related to initial, eventually unfounded reports thinking gunshots were heard) but it’s now resolved; the person in the car is getting checked out, and – we can see from below the ramp – a tow truck is on scene to clear the vehicle, which came to a stop facing the wrong way:
9:55 AM: And as pointed out in comments, the wind advisory has now been re-extended, until 3 pm.
NOON: Car fire at Olson/Myers is causing some slowing at the east end of the Roxbury corridor, per tipster on our text/voice hotline, 206-293-6302 (thanks!).
This is a big time of year for many high-school seniors – decisions about college. For three West Seattle High School seniors, that brought a ceremony on Thursday afternoon:
Three star student-athletes at WSHS gathered with their coaches, family, and friends for a “Signing Day” event. From left above are Lydia Giomi, who’ll play basketball at the University of Oregon, with Coach Sonya Elliott; Morgan McCullough, who’ll play baseball at Oregon, with Coach Velko Vitalich; and Gabby Wenn, who’ll play softball at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, with Coach Trevor Leopold, who’s also WSHS’s athletic director. It was a big photo-op moment for proud parents and other supporters:
Each coach offered words of tribute.
(WSB photo from last February)
Of Giomi, who was on Coach Elliott’s state-tournament team last school year (after which the coach left WSHS): How much she meant to her teammates each year, and how she thanked the coach after each practice.
(Photo by Caryn Johnson, from last April)
Of McCullough, who was on the USA Baseball 18U national team that won a world title in September, Coach Vitalich said he was proud of that and amazed by how many schools called to ask about him.
(WSB photo from last May)
Of Wenn, a member of Coach Leopold’s state-tournament team last spring, he noted how much her pitching intimidated other teams, and recalled her perfect game. (At Villanova, as at WSHS, she’ll be a Wildcat.)
These three have one last high-school season ahead – so you’ll hear more about them in the months to come.
Over the course of tonight’s West Seattle open house for the city’s Comprehensive Plan update process – aka “Seattle 2035” – about sixty people stopped by, according to city reps. That leaves about 99,940 West Seattleites who didn’t. Maybe you’ve already commented on how you think the city should shape growth over the next 20 years. If you haven’t, you still have time – until November 20th, one week from tomorrow. Here’s what you’ll want to look at first:
*Open-house presentation slide deck
*Online illustrated doc explaining the process
*Overview document including the four options the city is suggesting for how growth could happen – scroll all the way to the end to review “Alternative 1: Continue Current Trends,” “Alternative 2: Guide growth to Urban Centers” (The Junction is our area’s Urban Center), “Alternative 3: Guide growth to Urban Villages near Light Rail,” and “Alternative 4: Guide growth to Urban Villages near Transit.”
*The full 394-page document is here
Last but not least, here’s how to comment.
At right is a state photo of 48-year-old Benjamin Laigo III, taken three days before his release from Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in southeastern Washington two and a half weeks ago. Today, county prosecutors charged him with first-degree robbery and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. They say he held up a West Seattle woman at 37th and Alaska (as reported here on Sunday, after her husband e-mailed us about the crime) and then took off in a stolen car, with police pursuing before long, until he crashed the car on Airport Way.
As reported here on Tuesday, Laigo has a lengthy record. He went to prison in 2006, sentenced to 14 years in connection with multiple robberies, including a holdup on Valentine’s Day 2006 at the Wells Fargo Bank in The Admiral District. Documents from the sentencing that year say he made off with more than $11,000. The 2006 robberies followed his release from prison – how closely, we don’t know – after 10 years in prison for five robbery convictions in 1996. Prosecutors say that because of those cases, this one will be his “third strike” if convicted, and that’s why they asked the judge to set bail at half a million dollars. A deputy prosecutor wrote in today’s documents, “The defendant’s criminal history is horrendous and shows a 20-year pattern of violent offenses following long periods of incarceration.” The charging papers say the woman Laigo is accused of robbing in West Seattle was knocked to the ground and was bleeding from her head and hands when people rushed to help her after he stole her purse and took off. Witnesses told police they saw the robber holding a black handgun.
The white Fiat witnesses say they saw the robber jump into was spotted on the eastbound bridge by an SPD officer who followed it onto northbound I-5, waiting for backup before activating lights and sirens. The car checked as having been stolen in an armed carjacking on lower Queen Anne Hill the night before. Officers started trying to stop it when the car exited at James Street downtown; they say it was being driven erratically for a few blocks before getting back onto I-5, southbound this time, going up to 75 mph in light rain, traveling about three miles until getting off the freeway at Airport Way, and eventually going the wrong way onto a ramp to get back onto I-5, stopping after crashing into another car whose driver was hurt, as was Laigo, who police say they found alone in the Fiat. He had his Department of Corrections ID card on him in the car. Retracing the path of the pursuit, police found the West Seattle robbery victim’s purse near 5th and Lander.
Laigo is not charged yet in connection with the carjacking. Its victim told police that the man who robbed her pointed a black handgun at her and said, “I need your car, look normal, no one will help me.” He took her keys and asked her how to use the key remote, but warned her not to look at him. Laigo is due back in court for arraignment – to answer the charges – the day before Thanksgiving.
P.S. We wondered while writing the previous story about the “time off for good behavior” law that apparently is what enabled Laigo to serve roughly two-thirds of his previous terms for multiple robberies. We found details of the policy here.
West Seattle has no state-licensed marijuana stores yet, but when it does, these new rules might govern where they can go. Here’s the announcement today from the mayor’s office:
Mayor Ed Murray today proposed new rules to accommodate the expected increased number of state licensed retail marijuana stores in Seattle. The proposal would adjust land use rules to allow the siting of state-licensed stores more equitably and fairly throughout Seattle while also limiting the possibility of clustering retail stores on a single city block.
Until 7 pm, the West Seattle Food Bank would love to see you at HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) at 41st SW and SW Alaska in The Junction, where they’re collecting donated frozen turkeys and cash/check donations ($15 will buy a turkey – prices are up this year). You probably recognize Blitz, the Seahawks’ mascot, in the photo – as noted in our previews, he was there for photo ops for the first hour (HomeStreet is the official bank of the Seahawks). If you can’t get to HomeStreet tonight, stay tuned for other WS Food Bank donation opportunities as Thanksgiving approaches – just two weeks from today.
The state is circulating an update on the Highway 99 tunnel project this afternoon, saying some components are being tested, and the contractor is still working toward restarting tunneling right before Christmas:
Seattle Tunnel Partners and manufacturer Hitachi Zosen have begun testing components of the SR 99 tunneling machine as they prepare to resume mining. A few initial tests were performed last week, and several others are slated to occur in the coming weeks.
The newest vote count is just in from King County Elections, nine days after the election, and the City Council District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) race now has Shannon Braddock, who’s led since Election Night, 18 votes ahead of Lisa Herbold:
Shannon Braddock – 12,025 – 49.72%
Lisa Herbold – 12,007 – 49.64%
Braddock’s lead was six votes as of the previous count on Tuesday. Our math shows 1,078 more District 1 ballots were in today’s count, with fewer than 1,000 countable ballots remaining – the full-results list says 26,819 ballots have been counted, out of approximately 27,600 countable ballots received from District 1 voters (with about 400 more deemed not ready to count). Next results by 4:30 pm tomorrow.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Voting past, present, and future was what last night’s 34th District Democrats meeting at the The Hall at Fauntleroy was all about.
The present? Some actual voting happened – a presidential straw poll (Democratic, obviously). The results showed a majority of those still in attendance by this stage of the meeting were “Feeling the Bern”:
Bernie Sanders, 39 votes
Hillary Clinton, 26 votes
Undecided, 4 votes
Martin O’Malley, 2 votes
And this segued into future voting, as the organization is already starting work on getting ready for next year’s caucuses. Ted Barker, first vice chair (in photo above with chair Marcee Stone-Vekich), is heading the committee that will choose locations, and said they’re hoping to finalize those by next month.
Now, to the past voting – election recaps, and victory speeches. Here’s our video, starting with King County Executive Dow Constantine:
1:11 PM: Just in from SDOT:
Crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation have been installing new, upgraded traffic cameras on the West Seattle Bridge and Spokane Street Viaduct between Southwest Avalon Way and I-5 and expect to complete the work this Saturday. Drivers can expect rolling lane closures both in eastbound and westbound lanes on Saturday from 5 a.m. until the work is completed, now estimated by midafternoon.
Once installed, the upgraded cameras will then need to be connected to the internet. Traffic engineers expect to have them up and operating by the middle of next week.
The public will be able to access both still and streaming images from the new cameras once they are operating. Links to the views will be available on SDOT’s Travelers Information web page.
We’re checking with SDOT on whether these are just replacement cameras or additions to the current bridge views (which you can see on the WSB Traffic page, when they’re working).
1:21 PM UPDATE: SDOT spokesperson Marybeth Turner replies that these are replacements for current cameras, not new views.
A local restaurant has closed suddenly, blaming a rent increase. Here’s the photo texted by a reader:
The Ripple Café was in the small multi-business building on 35th SW just south of SW Henderson, also home to West Seattle Fish House and Stuffed Cakes. It hadn’t even been open for six months. The King County Assessor‘s records show that the 86-year-old building changed hands this year for the first time in 19 years, sold to WD Group LLC in June for $600,000. While that LLC has a Seattle mailing address, one of its managers lists an address in San Francisco; we’re attempting to contact the owners for comment, and have also messaged the Ripple Café’s proprietor. The building recently underwent some external renovations; the site is zoned for up to four stories of potential mixed-use development, but a check of the online files shows no proposals on the record so far.
In case you’re wondering about the building’s other tenants, we went over a short time ago to verify the closure and while there, stopped in to check with Stuffed Cakes proprietor Donna Lawson. She confirms the change in landlords and a rent increase – which she expected, given the sale – but says her business is doing well and she’s staying. (She also mentioned that the San Francisco owner grew up in Seattle, so does have local ties.)
(Tree near Madison Middle School, photographed by Don Brubeck)
This really is a big day/night. These are JUST the biggest events – see our calendar for many more that might interest you!
GET YOUR PIC WITH BLITZ @ EARLY TURKEY-DONATION DRIVE: Two birds – a Seahawk and a turkey – in one place, HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. Bring a frozen turkey and/or $15 (the cost of turkeys is up this year!) for the West Seattle Food Bank, 4-7 pm. If you’re there 4-5 pm, you can take a pic with Seahawks mascot Blitz. (41st SW & SW Alaska)
WHAT SHOULD THE PORT’S ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW INCLUDE? Now that the Port of Seattle‘s doing an environmental review of its Terminal 5 modernization project in West Seattle, it’s required to find out what you want to see studied. 5:30-8:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, tonight is the “scoping” meeting, to help determine the review’s scope. We asked the port for the meeting format:
Open House with stations: 5:30 – 6:00 pm
Presentation: 6:00 – 6:30 pm
Q&A (outside of comments) 6:30 – 6:45 pm
Public Comment: 6:45 – 8:00 pm – could go later if needed
Resume Open House: 8:00 – 8:30 pm
You can study up at T5EIS.publicmeeting.info, which continues its “online open house” until November 23rd. Also see what was discussed at this week’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting. (9131 California SW)
SENIOR CENTER BOARD: 5:30 pm, the Senior Center Board of Directors meets at the center in the Sisson Building, and we’re told the agenda includes a discussion of the center’s future. (California SW & SW Oregon)
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN 20 YEARS? Big discussions around the city laid the foundation for where things are now, whether you think the city’s going in the right direction or not – neighborhood plans, urban villages, etc. all came about because of meetings two decades ago, so this is the time to have your say, as the city looks to update its Comprehensive Plan. Tonight’s West Seattle-specific meeting is at the Sisson Building/Senior Center, 6 pm, with a presentation at 6:30 pm. Get prepared by checking out 2035.seattle.gov. (California SW & SW Oregon)
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: Early holiday shopping! Here’s the map/venue list:
(Click image to see larger version of the map/venue list)
Preview artists and venues at wsartwalk.com. 6-9 pm, all over West Seattle. (Also see our full calendar for some of tonight’s spotlighted events.)
OPENING NIGHT FOR WSHS STUDENT PRODUCTION: “The Dead Guy,” presented by West Seattle High School‘s Drama Club, 7:30 pm at the WSHS Theater. Info in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)
Photographer Mark Wangerin has kindly shared dozens of West Seattle wildlife photos here again this year, often beautiful bird photos in which he invests an amazing amount of time and talent – you don’t just walk up to a spot in a park, see a bird on a branch, snap a photo, and walk away; sometimes it’s an hours-long stakeout. And again this year, he’s donated photos for the West Seattle Wildlife Calendar that’s being sold as a benefit for environmental programs at Chief Sealth International High School, where he taught for a decade. The printing run was expanded this year but the $14.99 calendars are still going fast; here’s how to get one, including a special event tonight:
*You can buy yours from Sealth students who will be at CAPERS in The Junction during tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk, 6-9 pm (4525 California SW).
*They’re also on sale while supplies last during regular business hours at West Seattle Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy, WSB sponsor); Emerald Water Anglers (42nd/Oregon, WSB sponsor); J.F. Henry (4445 California SW); and West Seattle Nursery (California/Brandon).
*If you know a Sealth 9th grader, ask about a calendar. If not, e-mail nczeichner@seattleschools.org.
*Last but by no means least, a few remain available for online purchase at markhousepublishing.com.
(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:04 AM: While the weather’s fairly calm now, if the alerts are accurate, it could be a different situation when you head home this afternoon/evening, so be prepared for wind and rain. One alert for tonight and the evenings ahead:
NIGHTTIME TRAFFIC ALERT: From the project team for The Whittaker (Fauntleroy/Alaska/40th/Edmunds):
We will be working on the Edmunds Street Crossing along Fauntleroy Way starting (tonight). During the night time work on Edmunds, 40th to Fauntleroy will be closed. Once the time is up for each night, then it will be plated for traffic during the day. This work is anticipated to take about 1 week and should be completed by Friday 11/20 next week weather permitting. There will likely be some additional restoration to do after next Friday, but that would be on the sidewalks, and not in the street.
This is expected to last approximately 7-10 pm nightly.
8:30 AM: Still a quiet commute in/from West Seattle.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
The WSBeat is back from hiatus. These are summaries written from recent incident reports filed by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have NOT already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports; some are not crimes – police deal with many crisis cases – but might at least answer a lingering question such as “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” among other places …
*Officers driving near 30th and SW Hinds on October 28th got a “ping” on their car computer, indicating that a vehicle they had driven past was reported stolen — in this case, from Portland. They spoke with a man in a nearby home who claimed he had bought the car off Craigslist but couldn’t provide proof of ownership. Because he was wanted on a Seattle warrant for residential burglary, he was arrested and booked into King County Jail. The car was impounded.
*The same day, a female driver pulled over on Harbor Avenue to photograph the fall foliage. A man walking along the trail took advantage of the opportunity to approach the car and try to open the locked passenger door several times. She yelled at him and he walked off. The woman reported no injury and said that the suspect seemed “high” on something.
Five more summaries ahead:
Three ongoing concerns are in our toplines from Tuesday night’s Fauntleroy Community Association board meeting:
Make sure everything you need to charge is charged by tomorrow afternoon – the National Weather Service has a “wind advisory” alert for 4 pm Thursday through 4 pm Friday. Right now, that means winds are likely out of the south, 20-35 mph sustained, gusts up to 45 mph. It’s going to be wet, too, with the NWS saying up to two inches of rain is likely between Thursday and Saturday in the lowlands.
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