West Seattle, Washington
21 Thursday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The West Seattle Transportation Coalition issued a “call for action,” and the call was answered.
Its January meeting focused primarily on sorting out what people here want to see in Sound Transit‘s upcoming ST3 ballot measure – with the “candidate projects” being reviewed for a draft plan that’s expected in March, followed by a final plan in June and a regional vote in November.
They’re planning to organize the feedback – and collect even more soon, via an online poll.
After gathering that feedback, the meeting took one side trip, into an update on the Fauntleroy Boulevard project, and another call for opinions.
But first, about light rail:
7:20 PM: Reader report from Ron:
Sunday afternoon 1/31. someone had target practice with my back window of our car. We heard the car alarm sound and when we checked our car, there were BB-sized dents around the window. Unfortunately the back window was gravely shot and is not expected to recover. Amazing that this took place in broad daylight. That takes a special kind of person. We are located on the 6700 block of 37th Ave SW in Gatewood [map]. Hopefully we are the only ones who were victimized by this type of idiocy.
10:37 PM: In comments, Ryan reports a similar incident, 7700 block of 32nd Avenue SW.
MIDDAY MONDAY: And more reports in comments. We’re working on a followup.
(Reminder – most WSB photos now can be clicked to open larger views)
Congratulations to the ten Chief Sealth International High School students who participated in the third annual Washington State High School Ethics Bowl at the University of Washington on Saturday. Teacher Noah Zeichner shares the photos and report:
The two Chief Sealth teams went undefeated (6-0) during the first three rounds. They matched up against teams from Seattle Academy, Bush School, Lake Washington High School, Nova, and Rainier Beach. Only Chief Sealth, Seattle Academy, and Lakeside made it to the semifinals. One of the Chief Sealth teams took third place.
On February 23rd, the top three teams (including Chief Sealth) will get to spend the day in Olympia, which will include attendance at oral arguments and a private reception with the justices of the Washington Supreme Court, a private tour of the Governor’s Mansion and meeting with senior staff members, and a visit to the state legislature and private tour and meetings with various legislators.
If you follow the link to the Ethics Bowl site, you’ll find a link to the 13 cases that were prepared for this year’s competition – covering topics including voting, breastfeeding, and the Ice Bucket Challenge.
A celebration of life is planned on February 13th for Gary Elliott, whose family is sharing this remembrance:
Gary “G-Man” Lee Elliott, 54, of West Seattle, passed away unexpectedly and much too young, Saturday, January 16, 2016 at his vacation home in Sunset Beach, CA.
Gary is survived by his wife and best friend of 37 years, Camille, daughter Tanya Gardiner, son Terry Elliott, son-in-law Hamilton Gardiner, sister Dee Strecker, brother Steve Elliott, mother/father in-law Jean and Don Duncan, and many loving nephews, nieces and extended family. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Willis and Marie Elliott, and brother, Kevin Elliott. Gary was a loving father, husband, and best friend to all he met.
Gary provided inspirational adventures while working to check items off his bucket list: captaining his Chris Craft yacht, retro motor home trips, leading the Tahuya Parade with his fire truck, riding his Harley at Sturgis, homes at Sunset Beach, Hood Canal and Lake Washington, owning a tractor, the West Seattle Junction Court art piece, and daily hot tub-coffee-walks around the island with Camille.
Gary loved remodeling and fixing his homes (and the homes of his many friends and family) and worked as a painter for his entire life after being given a paintbrush by his father at an early age. He also enjoyed managing the EPM apartments with his kids, traveling, and trying anything once because “Life is full of experiences and they all can’t be good!” Gary was a fun-loving and immensely creative individual, one of the most generous persons you would ever meet, always willing to pick up a tab, and always there to help friends with house projects or whatever else they needed. Gary was most proud of his kids, who will miss him and carry on his inspirational legacy.
A celebration of life will be held at Rainier Golf & Country Club, 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 13, 2016. Gary’s ashes will be laid to rest at two of his favorite homes, Lake Washington and Sunset Beach. Donations in memory of Gary can be made to the West Seattle Fraternal Order of Eagles (Auxiliary #2643), where he was proud to be a long-standing member.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
A new month is about to begin – and with it a new lineup of literary events, starting with Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented Words, Writers, and West Seattle:
Shorewood-on-the-Sound author Sonja Anderson is the star next Friday night (February 5th) at Westwood Village Barnes & Noble, 5-7 pm. Her book is “Sophie’s Quest,” for ages 8-12, in which a mouse and an owl find themselves together aboard a ship headed for the Holy Land. Drop in this Friday night to meet Sonja and see and hear her read from “Sophie’s Quest.” (Purchases made that night, and for five days after, will see part of the proceeds going to SWSHS.)
So it’s brunch time more than breakfast time now, but – as previewed in our West Seattle Sunday list – you can still get pancakes and fixins at Hiawatha Community Center until noon.
The money raised goes to the scholarship fund to help cover the costs of programs so everyone can participate regardless of whether they can afford it.
This is on until noon. Hiawatha is at 2700 California SW.
Two car-prowl reports and a bicycle theft in West Seattle Crime Watch:
BEACH DRIVE: Kevin reports, “On my run this a.m around 8 or so I came across a black Mercedes convertible with a smashed window and CDs all over the ground.” He says it was in the 5600 block of Beach Drive. He tried reporting it to 911 but they explained the policy that the victim has to make the report – so if you’re in that area with a vehicle parked on the street, you might want to take a look.
GENESEE: Anna reports a car break-in on 45th SW between Andover and Dakota on Friday night: “They took two DVD players and two pairs of sunglasses. They also left a bunch of stuff on our stairs that wasn’t ours including A fire extinguisher and what looked like a car safety kit. The police took those items as evidence.”
BICYCLE THEFT ON VIDEO: Not far from there, Donnie caught a bicycle thief on video, on the west side of California/Andover early Thursday:
Pt 2 @westseattleblog heres video and the direction he went pic.twitter.com/ZW6anaytUY
— Donnie B (@DAB80p) January 29, 2016
If you’ve seen a silver Redline bicycle with a green/black seat, that might be Donnie’s.
Something for Crime Watch? Report it to the police first – then you can e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com. If breaking news, after alerting 911, text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Male Barrow’s Goldeneye, photographed near Jack Block Park by Mark Wangerin – click image for larger view)
Good morning. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, options for this last day of January:
HIAWATHA PANCAKE BREAKFAST: The annual benefit for Hiawatha Community Center‘s scholarship fund is this morning – pancakes and more, 8 am-noon, as previewed here.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: See what’s fresh and local today, 10 am-2 pm in The Junction. (California SW between Oregon and Alaska)
SCHOOL OPEN HOUSES: All three of our area’s Catholic schools have open houses today – Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Myrtle) 9 am-1 pm (info), Holy Family Bilingual School (20th/Roxbury) 11 am-1 pm (info); Holy Rosary 11:30 am-1:30 pm (info).
WEST SEATTLE HISTORY: Enjoy and learn about it noon-4 pm at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s Log House Museum, just a block inland from Alki Beach. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
OPERA PREVIEW: Look ahead to the Seattle Opera‘s “Mary Stuart” with a free lecture 2 pm today at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library; details in our calendar listing. (2306 42nd SW)
FOLK/ROCK MUSIC … with singer/songwriter Andy Brucia at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: Sign up at 3, music at 4, all ages, at The Skylark, with full 16-track recordings of your performance available for purchase. Info here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
GO BACK IN TIME: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall – itself historic – you can go back to a century, as “theatre organist extraordinaire Dennis James and ebullient songsters Connie Corrick and Hugh Hastings return for a new three-show monthly series celebrating 1916 in sight and sound. January’s show features Charlie Chaplin in three of his greatest short comedy films from 1916—the Mutual Studios classics “Behind the Screen,” “The Pawn Shop,” and “The Rink,” artfully illuminated by Dennis at the Kenyon Hall Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ.” (7904 35th SW)
EVEN MORE … on our complete calendar.
They’re next door … yet currently, they are officially treated as if they are a world apart: The Westwood/Highland Park Urban Village (WWHPUV) in the city, and White Center in unincorporated King County. This Tuesday night, city and county reps will join the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council to talk about it all together, including the potential of WC annexation and the Seattle 2035 “comprehensive plan.” If you’re interested in either or both sides of the line, be in the upstairs meeting room at Southwest Library, 6:15 pm Tuesday (February 2nd).
The westbound bridge is backed up to I-5 from a crash around 1st Avenue before 9:30 pm, almost an hour ago but the good news is, according to a texter who just sent a photo (added above), tow crews appear to be finishing up at the scene. The residual backup might take a while to clear.
A touch of sorcery on the track tonight at Southgate Roller Rink, during the Harry Potter-themed “House Cup” bout between Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby and visiting Cherry Bomb Brawlers.
Good crowd at the rink as the skaters faced off – as is a roller derby tradition, the names on their shirts (and the refs’) were not to be missed:
On the sidelines, baked goods and raffle tickets were sold to raise money for the medical bills of the Brawlers’ beloved “Coach SmartAss,” who died recently after battling cancer.
We will update later when we get the results.
Here’s how local teams did in last night’s high-school basketball, as we get closer to the end of the regular season:
SEATTLE LUTHERAN HS: Both teams won at home last night over Quilcene, girls 47-45, boys 71-11 (thanks to Mike Jensen for the scores).
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Garfield, where the WSHS girls remained undefeated, 62-40; the boys fell 86-32.
CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HS: Played at Roosevelt, which took both games – girls 54-41, boys 69-57.
1:28 PM: If you’re heading out of West Seattle shortly, be aware that a big Seattle Fire response is arriving at a “heavy rescue” call that’s now reported to be on northbound I-5 just north of the West Seattle Bridge. More as we get it.
1:31 PM: Now that’s changed again to just south of the WS Bridge, and everyone is reported to be out of the crashed vehicle, so the “heavy rescue” response is being downsized.
1:54 PM: The crash is now reported to be blocking three lanes. So this is more an alert if you’re headed this way on NB I-5 toward the bridge.
2:22 PM: The crash and resulting backup have cleared.
West Seattle is the first stop on the city’s tour of briefings about the next housing levy. Mayor Murray has said he wants it to be much bigger than the last one, a $145 million, seven-year levy expiring this year, as a piece of the puzzle toward easing homelessness. While full details aren’t out yet, they apparently will be by Wednesday (February 3rd), because that’s when the tour starts here:
Todd Burley from the city’s housing office is the guest at Wednesday’s Southwest District Council meeting, 6:30 pm at the Sisson Building in The Junction (California/Oregon)
(WSB photo)
10:30 AM: Police are searching for a burglar in Upper Fauntleroy. He was interrupted while going through a garage in a house on California SW south of SW Sullivan – this is near WSB HQ and we found out about it when three SPD cars arrived down the street. Officers told us the burglar bolted eastbound between houses to the north of the break-in location and dropped some of what he had stolen. No description yet.
2:35 PM: According to neighbors, there’s a partial description – 20s, 5’7″, stocking cap with snowflakes or stars on it.
(North shore of Lincoln Park, photographed last weekend by Jim Clark)
Weekend time! Your options for today include:
WEST DUWAMISH GREENBELT TRAILS WORKSHOP: 9:30-11:30 am, you’re invited to a workshop at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) “to discuss what the future trail system in the West Duwamish Greenbelt might look like,” including “potential connections to destinations such as South Seattle College, the Duwamish Longhouse, Pathfinder School, Riverview Playfield, and others.” The workshop will be at the Chan Center on the north side of the campus, next to the Arboretum – all welcome. (6000 16th SW)
COMETA PLAYSCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-noon, open house at Spanish-language-immersion preschool Cometa Playschool. (4402 SW Walker)
FIRE STATION 29 OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-1 pm, come see the recently completed upgrades to the North Admiral firehouse, as previewed here. (2139 Ferry SW)
WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI OPEN HOUSE: 1-3 pm, prospective families are invited to the West Seattle Montessori School & Academy (WSB sponsor) open house for “a chance to meet our staff, teachers, and tour the facilities. You’ll be able to view samples of student work and pick up application materials.” (11215 15th SW)
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM: 2-7 pm Saturdays, the tasting room is open at Viscon Cellars (new WSB sponsor) – find out more about the winery here. (5910 California SW)
SOUTHSIDE REVOLUTION JUNIOR ROLLER DERBY: 5:45 pm at Southgate Roller Rink, come cheer for Southside Revolution during its second bout of the season – a Harry Potter-themed doubleheader, with the SSR Cadets and Friends mixup at 5:45 pm, the SSR Rebels and Cherry Bomb Brawlers mixup at 7:10 pm. Admission $10 adults, $5 children 6-12, free 5 and under. All proceeds, including 50/50 raffle and bake sale, go to a medical-funds benefit for the Brawlers’ coach, who lost her fight with cancer days ago. (9646 17th SW)
NOT DEAD YET: West Seattle favorites! Not Dead Yet is live tonight at The Skylark, 9 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SCOTT M.X. TURNER: West Seattle’s Scott M.X. Turner “is joined by bluesman Zach Rourke for a night of rousing tunes” at Parliament Tavern in The Admiral District, 9-11:45 pm. No cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
Two weeks have passed since WSB came out of the first stage of our first major technical overhaul in the 10 years since the site was founded (built on a foundation intended for the small personal site this originally was, and no longer able to accommodate what it had grown into). Overnight tonight (possibly Saturday night too), more work is ahead, this time including expansion of the storage space on our server, as WSB’s database of stories, photos, comments, and Forum posts continues to grow. This will mean some downtime after midnight. If wee-hours breaking news happens and we’re down, we will of course report via our backup site (westseattleblog.wordpress.com) and social-media channels (facebook.com/westseattleblog and twitter.com/westseattleblog), so please keep those links handy. Keep our number for breaking news too – 206-293-6302. Thanks for your understanding!
We’ve received multiple reports about suspected gunshots heard before 10 pm on Puget Ridge, possibly from a car heard/seen speeding southbound in the 6000 block of 16th SW and beyond. It’s been reported to police, who are investigating. We haven’t heard yet whether they’ve found any evidence of gunfire (casings, damage).
(WSB photo from Southside Revolution’s December bout)
Saturday night brings the second bout of the season for Southside Revolution Junior Coed Roller Derby. The Cherry Bomb Brawlers from Spokane are visiting, and it’s more than a bout – the Brawlers’ coach Ti “SmartAss” Marchand” lost her battle with cancer days ago, and they’re raising money both to cover her bills and to help another coach’s mom. Southside team manager Pamela McCarty sends the reminder:
THE HOUSE CUP, DOUBLE HEADER BOUT! Come watch the Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby positional and full-contact teams mashup with Cherry Bomb Brawlers and Friends. Bout 1 at 5:45 pm will be Southside Revolution Cadets & Friends Mashup. Bout 2 at 7:20 pm will be Southside Revolution Rebels, Cherry Bomb Brawlers, Mob City Misfits and Seattle Derby Brats.
This is a HARRY POTTER THEMED BOUT. The teams will be sorted into their ‘Houses’ at the beginning of the bout with the ‘Sorting Hat’ as per standard with all students of Hogwarts. The team with the most points will win the HOUSE CUP!
Doors at 5:15 pm, 1st Bout at 5:45 pm. $10 General Admission Adults, $5 Children 6-12, Children under 5 are free.
This is at our area’s only roller rink, Southgate, in White Center,
(Clip of Ben Dyer’s TPIR appearance, provided to WSB by CBS)
By Randall Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
When Ben and Heather Dyer decided to travel to southern California around the time of Heather’s mid-January birthday, the idea was to get away from their normal day-to-day routine, enjoy time with family members in the area, and return to Seattle with batteries fully charged from time spent soaking in the famous California sun.
When they returned to their West Seattle home and their regular day-to-day lives, Ben probably shared the typical return-to-work stories of vacation with his fellow firefighters at Seattle Fire Station 26 in South Park. Heather almost certainly told friends about celebrating her birthday while out of town with her husband.
And now that their January 12 visit to the Bob Barker Studio has been aired by CBS, all those friends, family, and coworkers who heard tales of the Dyers’ Southern California trip are learning that a fairly significant event was omitted from those early recountings:
Ben was a contestant on “The Price is Right” – TV’s longest-running game show – but he and Heather were unable to tell anyone that until it aired this past Wednesday, much less could they have revealed he went on a winning streak that ran from contestant’s row all the way through the “Showcase” finale. We didn’t hear about it until one of Ben’s coworkers sent us the tip.
“We were just gobsmacked,” an audibly still-elated Ben told WSB on Thursday, the day after his episode (which can be watched here) aired, allowing him to finally let go of the big secret he’s been keeping for two weeks.
The couple hadn’t planned to attend a taping of the game show as part of their vacation, but once down there decided it might be a fun option for the day before Heather’s birthday.
Still planning for next school year? More open houses ahead – the next few days’ lineup includes:
SATURDAY – WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI: Tomorrow from 1-3 pm, West Seattle Montessori School & Academy (WSB sponsor) opens the doors to give “parents and prospective families a chance to meet our staff, teachers and tour the facilities. You’ll be able to view samples of student work and pick up application materials. Our teachers and staff are available during and after the Open House to answer questions.” Preschool through 8th grade. (11215 15th SW)
SATURDAY – COMETA PLAYSCHOOL: 10 am-noon, this Spanish-language-immersion preschool offers an open house – details in our calendar listing. (4402 SW Walker)
SUNDAY – HOLY FAMILY SCHOOL: 11 am-1 pm Sunday brings an open house at Holy Family Bilingual School; details in our calendar listing. (20th SW/SW Roxbury)
TUESDAY – HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY KINDERGARTEN TOUR: On Tuesday night, Highland Park Elementary principal Chris Cronas hosts tours for prospective kindergarten families. (1012 SW Trenton)
Find more tours/open houses on our calendar – and if yours isn’t there, please send info (editor@westseattleblog.com) so we can add it!
Two notes today related to homelessness in our area:
ONE NIGHT COUNT: Overnight, a thousand volunteers traversed King County to count how many people were sleeping without shelter. This year’s “One Night Count” total is 4,505 people, 19 percent more than last year. Here’s the breakout of where they were found and in what sleeping situations:
You can also see the chart online here.
HIGHLAND PARK ‘SAFE LOT’ SITE’S FUTURE: Questions remain even after new information was provided at this week’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting (WSB coverage here) about the future “safe lot” for RV/car campers at West Marginal Way SW and Highland Park Way: 15 vehicles are expected, none likely to be home to more than three people; referrals will be made to people found vehicle-camping in West Seattle and SODO; LIHI (Low Income Housing Institute) will be managing the lot; Compass Housing Alliance will be providing services. The city will provide toilets and handwashing facilities, as well as trash pickup, and is looking into getting electricity to the lot.
Questions that remain include the site’s status and post-“safe lot” future. So we checked over the past two days with the city’s Finance and Administrative Services department, which manages city-owned land. Spokesperson Julie Moore explained that the paved lot to be used for the RVs/cars is owned currently by the state (WSDOT), and that the city owns much of the rest of the sprawling parcel, home to the original, unsanctioned encampment that called itself “Nickelsville.” She says the purchase of the paved lot already was in progress. And she provided this aerial image – the future “safe lot,” which she describes as a former park-and-ride, is toward the top left:
As you may know, the City owns the piece of land along the top of the triangle, WSDOT owns the other two corner parcels, and the piece in the middle along W. Marginal Way SW with the large building is owned privately. The City was already working to buy WSDOT’s small corner piece (the former park and ride) to make the City-owned land connect all the way to W. Marginal Way SW, as a means of maximizing the value of our land, with the intent to sell. There is not currently a planned future City use for the property.
City reps at Wednesday’s meeting said the “safe lot” would be in operation for up to a year – six months with the possibility of a six-month extension.
Every night next week, you’ll see another round of overnight closures on SW Alaska between 40th SW and Fauntleroy Way, like the ones earlier this month. That’s the word from the project team for The Whittaker (the 4755 Fauntleroy mixed-use development), as work on the new Alaska/39th/Fauntleroy crossing continues. The work, generally to be done between 8 pm and 6 am, will include temporary road repairs that they hope to finish the night of the 8th (one week from Monday).
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