day : 15/04/2016 10 results

West Seattle Crime Watch: Car prowls; hit-run; words of thanks after stolen vehicle found

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch, and a followup from a car theft reported this morning:

ALKI CAR PROWL: From Amy:

When I got into my car today at 2:00 PM, I noticed it had been broken into. I don’t know if it happened on Thursday night or this morning. The car was parked on the street on the 3100 block of Alki Ave. SW.

The door by the driver’s seat was unlocked, though I am always careful to lock it. No visible damage was done and nothing was taken (I don’t keep any valuables in the car), but it was clear the car had been searched (the trunk was popped open, the glove compartment and ashtray were open).

SUNRISE HEIGHTS CAR PROWL: From Morgan:

Unfortunately sometime last night/ this morning our neighbors’ SUV had its window smashed in. Nothing was in the car, so nothing was taken, but it was rifled through. This happened on 34th Ave SW between Webster and Holden. The police have been notified.

HIT-RUNS: A resident of SW Findlay between California and Fauntleroy says their car suffered hit-run damage around 5:30 am and while they don’t have enough evidence to put out a call for a certain type of car, theirs is “light gold/tan” and should have some front-passenger-side damage. They also wish the many drivers who use the street as a cut-through would please slow down.

FOLLOWUP – CAR FOUND: Shortly after we published a Crime Watch report this morning about two stolen cars, we heard from a neighbor who had spotted one of them. Rebecca‘s red Subaru wagon turned up just blocks away from where it had been stolen in Gatewood. She said it was “a mess inside,” but drivable, and shared these words of thanks:

Thank-you, neighbor Bonnie, for reading the blog and reporting back. I feel lucky to live in a community like West Seattle. Thanks to Officer Houston (sp), who came knocking around 3 hours of initial report (I did not even think they would send an officer out for a car theft). And a big shout out to the West Seattle Blog, which serves such a critical role as a conduit of information and a forum for the West Seattle Community. You are the best!

As far as we know, the gray Mercedes also reported stolen this morning hasn’t been found yet.

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BASEBALL: WSHS plays at Safeco tomorrow, after Hiawatha game today

April 15, 2016 9:27 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(WSB photo: WSHS pitcher Anthony Coats)

Go root for the West Seattle High School Wildcats at Safeco Field tomorrow! There, they will face Bremerton’s Olympic HS after a tough loss at home to Roosevelt HS this afternoon. Thanks to Caryn Johnson for the report and the next three photos:

Friday afternoon was a little chilly, but another nice afternoon for baseball. This game would see 24 hits between the two teams and 16 runs scored. Junior Ryan Kimsey started on the mound for West Seattle against senior Tomiz Medina for Roosevelt. The Rough Riders would score in the first three innings to take an early 5-2 lead and then tacked on another two in the top of the 5th. West Seattle would come alive in the bottom of the 6th inning, with three hits, two walks and 4 runs scored. By the end of the inning it was all tied up. Unfortunately, the Wildcats would fall short and ended up losing 7-9.

Jamie Maples (photo above) and Anthony Coats had three hits each to produce 5 RBI’s between the two of them.

Defensively, Nathan Johnson (photo above) made two great catches in center field to keep the game close.

Remember to come out to cheer on West Seattle at Safeco Field, Saturday at 12:30 pm, as they play in the High School Baseball Classic. Gates open at 11:30 and parking in the Safeco parking lot is only $5; admission to the game is free. Hope to see you all there.

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Also two weeks away: This year’s cruise-ship season

April 15, 2016 6:37 pm

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| Port of Seattle | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Now that we all know April 29th is the date the tunneling machine is set to start going under the Alaskan Way Viaduct – closing it precautionarily for “about two weeks” – that date will be top-of-mind for a while. Something else that’s big for the city also starts two weeks from today: This year’s cruise-ship season. The first ship on the schedule, Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam, will be here that day. But it’s docking at Magnolia’s Pier 91, not the Viaduct-side Pier 66. According to a Port of Seattle fact sheet, this year’s season will bring the most passengers ever – just under 960,000. The 203 ship dockings aren’t a record, though; that number peaked in 2010, with 223. Last ship on the Seattle schedule this year will be the Star Princess, on October 21st.

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UPDATE: April 29th start date for Alaskan Way Viaduct’s 2-weeks-or-so tunneling closure

April 15, 2016 1:59 pm

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| Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news

(See this map on the WSDOT site by going here)

JUST IN, 1:59 PM: WSDOT promised we’d get two weeks notice of the Alaskan Way Viaduct’s two-weeks-or-so tunneling shutdown, and that notice just arrived: The state says the closure will start before the morning commute on Friday, April 29th. Here’s the full announcement.
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW: We’ll be adding to this over the next hour or so – backstory plus useful info links.

*How to lessen the pain (advice and links)

*As you’ve probably already read in previews here and elsewhere, specific plans include:

• WSDOT and SDOT will actively monitor highway and street traffic, adjusting signal timing, updating electronic message boards and
deploying additional incident response teams as needed.

• King County Metro is rerouting 12 routes and deploying 22 buses to help maintain schedules.

[See page 2 of this PDF for West Seattle specifics including a larger version of the map above.]

• Police officers will provide manual traffic control at key chokepoint intersections.

• King County Water Taxi will add five extra round trips to its Vashon route and will provide additional parking and connector shuttle capacity for West Seattle route passengers. [See this brochure for info on extra parking, etc.]

We also will beef up our regular traffic coverage for closer watch of West Seattle-tailored alternate routes and more during the closure. At least one alternate route is available for this, that wasn’t available for 2011’s “Viadoom” 8-day closure – the South Park Bridge.

BACKSTORY: It was almost exactly 3 years ago that we first reported a Viaduct closure was possible when the tunneling machine went beneath it, thanks to a tip from West Seattle Bike Connections president Don Brubeck.

REMINDER: As announced earlier today, that’s not the only closure West Seattleites will be dealing with – the Fauntleroy Expressway bearing-pad-re-replacement closures will start two days earlier.

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6 ways to spend the rest of your West Seattle Friday

April 15, 2016 1:58 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Alki Trail turns pink! Photo by Don Brubeck)

If you haven’t already checked our calendar – here are highlights of what’s yet to come this afternoon/evening in West Seattle:

WEST SEATTLE RUNNER’S ANNIVERSARY SALE: Today through Sunday, West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) celebrates its 6th anniversary, and you get the gifts, including sale prices and refreshments. Details here, including tomorrow morning’s group run. Open until 7 pm tonight. (2743 California SW)

BASEBALL: 3:30 pm, West Seattle High School hosts Roosevelt HS at Hiawatha. (2700 California SW)

WINE TASTING AT VISCON CELLARS: 5-9 pm, the tasting room for West Seattle winery Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) is open! (5910 California SW)

MOVIE NIGHT AT HPIC: With bees! Doors to the Highland Park Improvement Club open at 6 pm, special event at 6:15 pm, movie at 7 – full details here. (12th SW/SW Holden)

FAMILY BOOT CAMP AT THE Y: 6:30-8 pm – details here. Members free, community participants $5. Bouncing, jumping, lots more lively ways to have fun and be fit. (4515 36th SW)

4 STOPS FOR LIVE MUSIC: Dave Holo Trio at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), 5-8 pm (1936 Harbor SW); C & P Coffee; the rhythm-section members of Polyrhythmics join Lucky Brown tonight at Parliament Tavern, 9:30 pm (4210 SW Admiral Way).

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DUWAMISH ALIVE! Volunteers still needed in West Seattle on Saturday

April 15, 2016 12:27 pm

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| Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

(2015 photo by Ron Creel – that long greenbelt in the middle of the photo, west of the river, is the West Duwamish Greenbelt)

Lots happening in West Seattle tomorrow, but nothing bigger than the spring edition of Duwamish Alive!, the twice-yearly mega-work party to help the Duwamish River and its watershed. As already previewed here, the multi-site restoration/cleanup party has a big 9:30 am kickoff at Greg Davis Park in North Delridge. From 10 am-2 pm, hundreds of volunteers will help out at sites from West Seattle to Tukwila. Not too late to sign up here. We’re told one of the West Seattle sites most in need of some more helping hands is Pigeon Point Park (next to Pathfinder K-8 School), where you can help the West Seattle-headquartered Nature Consortium continue restoring part of the West Duwamish Greenbelt. You can go directly here to let them know you’ll help there!

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BRIDGE CLOSURES: Dates/times for Fauntleroy Expressway bearing-pad re-replacement work

April 15, 2016 12:20 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(2012 WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli, during original bearing-pad-replacement work)

Since January, we’ve been warning you that dozens of closures are ahead for the west end of the West Seattle Bridge, for the work to re-replace hundreds of earthquake-safety cushions, officially known as bearing pads. (Here’s the backstory.) SDOT announced earlier this month that the work would likely start in late April, and this morning the contractor has sent word of the specific dates and times, starting April 27th. Note that the announcement includes not only nighttime closures of the west end of the high bridge (formally called the Fauntleroy Expressway), but also lane closures on Spokane Street beneath it – daytime as well as nighttime. Here are full details:

C A Carey will be closing the Fauntleroy Expressway (West Seattle Bridge) from 9 pm to 5 am. The bridge will be closed westbound at Delridge Way and eastbound at 35th Ave SW.

In the evenings, under-bridge traffic (Spokane Street) will be reduced to one lane in both directions east- and westbound. C A Carey will be out flagging along with the closed lanes. Expect delays if traveling under the bridge. Carey will also be working during the day to reduce traffic under the bridge to one lane in both directions, and flagging as needed. Hours for the lanes are westbound Spokane St are 7 am to 6 pm and eastbound Spokane St are 9 am to 6 pm Monday thru Friday.

This work will start on April 27, 2016 and continue through July 15, 2016.

Daytime (Lane) Closures
Spokane St eastbound 9 am to 6 pm
Spokane St westbound 7 am to 6 pm
Mondays thru Fridays

Nighttime Closure
Spokane St (lane) eastbound 6 pm to 6 am
Spokane St (lane) westbound 6 pm to 6 am
Fauntleroy Expressway [bridge] 9 pm to 5 am
Sundays thru Fridays

Throughout the closures, we will include reminders (and any changes/updates) in our weekday morning traffic/transit watches and weekend previews, and will also add the overall information to the WSB Traffic page.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 stolen cars

April 15, 2016 9:17 am

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| Crime | West Seattle news

9:17 AM: The morning began with two stolen-car reader reports. First, from Rebecca in Gatewood:

I just wanted to alert the neighborhood that our car was stolen (parked on the street in front of our house) during the late night/early morning of April 14-15th, between 10 pm-6 am. It is a 1995 red Subaru wagon with a bumper sticker ‘Art Saves Lives’. Lots of nicer, newer vehicles parked on the street, but ours was most likely easy to break into. If you see it, please contact the police. Another reminder to be on alert. Report any suspicious activity.

And from Pamela:

Sometime early this morning, our 2015 dark gray Mercedes SUV was stolen from our driveway on Beach Drive. 2 bikes were left at the top of our driveway, I assume from the thieves.

We’re checking back with both to get the license-plate numbers – although, as with the vehicle in this case last week, thieves can and do swap plates. Please call 911 if you see either of these stolen cars or a vehicle you suspect was stolen and dumped – they are often just used as transportation between crime scenes rather than as something to strip or sell for monetary value.

9:46 AM: Two updates – first, we’ve been alerted that Rebecca’s car has been spotted, not far from where it was taken. The finder has called police, and we’ve e-mailed Rebecca. Second, we have the plate and a little more description for Pamela’s stolen vehicle: 2015 Mercedes ML350, license plate AZE7438.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates

April 15, 2016 7:06 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

7:06 AM: Good morning and happy Friday! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far this morning.

ROAD WORK: 30th and Yancy both are closed at Avalon now that the SDOT project at that intersection has moved from the west side to the east side.

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SATURDAY: Record Store Day 2016 @ Easy Street will go super-Sonics

April 15, 2016 12:52 am

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Were you at Easy Street Records for that historic show on Record Store Day 2015 – The Sonics, with special superstar guests (including Eddie Vedder, 22:26 into the video) – benefiting KEXP? The station just released that video of the show – which figures into Record Store Day 2016 (this Saturday!) in a big way, as announced by ESR, with the vinyl release of “The Sonics Live at Easy Street.” From ESR’s Rod Moody:

This LP will be available at all stores participating in Record Store Day, but we are the only store in the world that will be selling the Easy Street Special Edition, a limited edition of 500, which will include the following:

* Custom-screened, hand-numbered outer sleeve
* Copy of signed set list
* Ticket for the event
* Download card good for two free bonus songs from the concert not included on the album
* Detailed liner notes by Easy Street president Matt Vaughan

The Sonics’ Record Store Day in-store last year was one of the biggest and most awesome events we’ve ever put on, featuring guests such as Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready, Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden), the Screaming Trees’ Mark Pickerel and Van Conner, Emily Nokes (Tacocat), Chris Ballew (Presidents Of The United States Of America, Caspar Babypants), Matt Lukin (Mudhoney), and many others (including myself!). The album was mixed by legendary NW producer Jack Endino and it sounds fantastic.

Over the weekend, if you’re visiting KEXP’s new home @ Seattle Center, you’ll find an Easy Street pop-up store there, noon-9 pm Saturday and 10 am-6 pm Sunday.

At the Junction store on Saturday, Greg Vandy from KEXP’s “The Roadhouse“ and the online mag American Standard Time will have a book signing and Q&A 3 pm-6 pm. Then Acapulco Lips‘ record-release in-store performance is at 7 pm, “also the debut of their West Seattle-based label, Killroom Records.”

Record Store Day kicks off at ESR (California/Alaska if you somehow didn’t know that already) at 7 am with “hundreds of exclusive, limited titles in all shapes, colors & sizes,” most of which will only be available that day. (Good thing they sell coffee, too.)

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