day : 17/04/2016 9 results

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

That big tank on SW Barton, about halfway between Westwood Village and the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock – officially known as the Barton Standpipe – is empty and decommissioned.

We didn’t know that until our recent visit to Seattle Public Utilities‘ Operations Control Center in SODO:

At the heart of that visit was a preview of the big flushing operation that SPU is about to start in West Seattle in hopes of lessening the recurring brown-water problems we’ve been covering since last fall. (Even today, we’ve received scattered reports of discoloration – no word on the cause this time.) We published our first flush preview on March 31st, and then followed up on April 8th with the first look at what was being mailed out to local homes.

Now, months of targeted flushing is about to begin in the area shown on this map:

SPU was planning to start with test flushes late tonight at California/Spokane and 49th/Spokane (11:34 pm update: they’re under way, as shown in our quick added video clip).

They’ll be working out the process for a night or two. So we’re taking the opportunity to report the rest of the story behind how SPU gets water to you.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Where car thieves are hitting

April 17, 2016 6:24 pm

| 27 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Another auto-theft reader report tonight – this one is from Andrea in Gatewood:

2007 Black Audi A3 2.0T 4 door hatchback with tan interior stolen from 3500 block Rose St and 35th Ave sometime after 11 pm (last night). WA AJU7551. Faded West Seattle Soccer sticker on back window. Car was in front of our house; neighbors heard nothing.

This theft is one of the 10 currently in view on the Seattle Police crime-report map in default view (our screengrab below is for the view that was sorted only to show this category of crime) for reports filed over the past week:

We don’t know what types of vehicles for the five incidents on which we have not received reader reports, since the map only shows the location and date/time reported, but the locations are, north to south:

*Thursday afternoon, 3200 block Alki SW
*Friday evening, 5700 block SW Winthrop
*Saturday 4/9 (reported Sunday 4/10), 3700 block California SW
*Wednesday morning, 4500 block 45th SW (white Ford van; reader report here)
*Sunday night 4/10, 5900 block 36th SW (black VW Passat; reader report here)
*Thursday night, 5900 block Beach Drive SW (gray Mercedes; reader report here)
*Wednesday afternoon, 6300 block 39th SW
*Thursday night, 3900 block SW Elmgrove (reader report here – found quickly)
*Saturday night, 3500 block SW Rose (the one reported at the start of this story)
*Wednesday afternoon, 8400 block Delridge

P.S. Reminder that the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s next meeting, featuring your chance to bring up neighborhood concerns/problems with local police, is Tuesday (April 19th), 7 pm, at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster). After that part of the meeting, the spotlight topic this month will be parking enforcement.

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As spring break ends, 3 updates from Denny International Middle School

April 17, 2016 4:04 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Seattle Public Schools reopen tomorrow after spring break. Today, we have three updates from Denny International Middle School, shared by principal Jeff Clark:

SPRING BREAK ACADEMY: A Denny tradition happened again this year:

At Denny International Middle School, 113 of our scholars volunteered to come to school over break, Monday through Thursday, for additional math, literacy, and science learning time with our great staff! We are super proud of the scholars who attended — great job! After four days of learning, we all enjoyed some time at the Family Fun Center!

A special thank you to our Spring Break Camp team: Mr. King, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Watts, Mr. Lai, Mr. Moor, Mr. Wecker, both Mr. Nelsons, Ms. Ostroff, Mr. D. Evans, Ms. Hoang, Ms. Escobar, Ms. Nestor, Ms. Moland, Mr. Mosser and all of City Year, and our outreach team led by Ms. Amaral! Go Dolphins!

The week before break was big at Denny, too:

‘WE ALL BELONG’ ANTI-BULLYING WEEK: Special activities were held throughout the week, highlighted by a team-building day on Thursday (April 7th) and an assembly on Friday (April 8th) to celebrate our work at ending all bullying and raising awareness in support of LGBTQ youth.

Thank you to Ms. Thomas, our planning team, City Year, Mr. King, 6th and 7th grade science teachers and 8th grade social studies teachers, and our partners from Camp Long for teaming up to bring a cross-grade team-building day to Denny on Thursday. Our scholars enjoyed the activities focused on cooperation and support of one another!

I would also like to recognize and thank those involved in our assembly on Friday. A big thank you to Ms. Thomas’ girls group and others for sharing insightful information and inspiration to fully eliminate all bullying and to our Gay Straight Alliance and their advisors, Ms. Kugisaki and Mr. Chase, for helping us to shatter stereotypes and ending the Day of Silence, a national event that brings attention to the anti-LGBT bullying, harassment, and silencing that persists across our country. The information shared, singing, poetry, and dancing at the assembly were all inspirational! At Denny International, We All Belong!

And a final note – congratulations to the Denny teams the Novel T’s (6th grade) and the Second-Round Slayers (7th grade) for winning the middle-school Global Reading Challenge!

P.S. We note from our calendar (and the school website) that Denny’s PTSA has its next meeting tomorrow night – 7 pm – join in and help the organization support the school and its students and staff.

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Seen off West Seattle shores: Superyacht Albatross

April 17, 2016 1:28 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

ORIGINAL REPORT, 1:28 PM: Thanks to the tipster who let us know that the 236-foot superyacht Albatross is sailing north on the Duwamish River right now, after leaving Delta Marine. We don’t know if it’s heading all the way into Elliott Bay, nor whether this is a shakedown cruise or journeying toward delivery to its owner, but if you’re among the many WSB readers who like to know about unusual boat sightings off our shores, here’s your heads-up. MarineTraffic.com shows it approaching the 1st Avenue South Bridge as we hit “publish” on this note (1:28 pm).

2:05 PM: We’re watching from Jack Block Park. It’s now headed NW in Elliott Bay.

3:01 PM: MT now shows it moored in Magnolia’s Smith Cove. We’ve added our photos taken from Jack Block as Albatross (worth $80 million per this page) crossed the bay.

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UPDATE: Next step in Democratic caucusing – 34th Legislative District @ WSHS

April 17, 2016 12:12 pm

| 119 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Sign in starts at the @34dems Legislative District Caucus at West Seattle High School cc @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/DPb3mpn8me

— 34th Democrats (@34dems) April 17, 2016

12:12 PM: That photo tweeted by the 34th District Democrats is from the next step in the process of choosing the party’s presidential-nomination delegates: The legislative-district caucus, officially starting at 1 pm at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW). Those voting there today were chosen at the precinct-level caucuses last month; the list and other info can be found here. More than 1,000 delegates and alternates are expected; if you’re going, please bring a donation of non-perishable food for the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks.

5:20 PM: No word on results yet – commenters and tweeters say the event has moved very slowly.

7:09 PM: Not over yet, according to Twitter reports (see the latest from the hashtag #WAcaucus here), which indicate some other legislative-district caucuses are also still in progress.

9:24 PM: As of the top of the hour, the delegate counting wasn’t over yet, according to an e-mail report from Jill, who sent this photo:

Meanwhile, from the official 34th District Democrats‘ Twitter account:

For everyone who tweeted frustration about the @34dems caucus today: will try to post an explanation on https://t.co/b1hOCisu9b by midnight

— 34th Democrats (@34dems) April 18, 2016

But the bottom line: if you are frustrated you must become actively involved in Democratic Party process to change the way things are.

— 34th Democrats (@34dems) April 18, 2016

10:41 PM: While the caucus adjourned about an hour and a half ago, delegate tallying isn’t over, Jill adds – the Sanders delegates’ ballots are still being tallied.

12 MIDNIGHT: Another photo from Jill. Still waiting for word:

12:39 AM: 34th Dems’ web editor Bill Schrier has published a post on the organization’s website with some explanation, as promised, of what happened over those many hours. Bill, like everyone else in the org, is a volunteer, something he mentions they needed, and need, more of.

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West Seattle restaurants: After 16 years, Azuma Sushi changing to 6 days a week

April 17, 2016 10:48 am

| 10 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

If you’ve been thinking about Sunday dinner at Azuma Sushi in The Junction, you have two more chances, tonight and next Sunday. As of May 1st, Azuma will be closed on Sundays. And that means a regular day off for this mainstay:

That’s Harry Tu, co-proprietor and sushi chef for Azuma, who has worked seven days a week since the restaurant opened in 2000. We photographed him while lunching there on Saturday, after getting a tip from a patron about the notices posted throughout the restaurant and on the menus:

Harry’s standards are exacting, we’re told, and so even though Sundays have been a half-day at Azuma, open just for dinner, he’s still worked a full day, coming in early to prepare the fish and vegetables with which his creations are made. But starting two weeks from today, he and everyone at Azuma will get Sundays off. Their hours are staying the same otherwise.

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6 ways to enjoy your West Seattle Sunday

April 17, 2016 8:46 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(The ospreys are back from South America and nesting, reports Mark Wangerin, who shared this image and the one at the end of this roundup)

Today is much quieter than Saturday – but the calendar isn’t entirely empty:

PEONY AND BAMBOO FESTIVAL, DAY 2: 10 am-4 pm, the second of two days for this celebration at the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus on Puget Ridge. See the schedule here, including demonstrations, Q&A, food, other vendors, more. (6000 16th SW)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in the street in The Junction – with today’s features including a noon cooking demonstration, and new vendors – details here. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)

6TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION @ WEST SEATTLE RUNNER, DAY 3: Final day of the celebration/sale at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), continuing during store hours 11 am-5 pm – details here. (2743 California SW)

MEET THE GREYHOUNDS: 11 am-1 pm at Mud Bay in The Admiral District, Greyhound Pets Inc. invites you to a meet-and-greet. (2611 California SW)

SOUTHWEST STORIES: The Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s monthly series continues with a look at “West Seattle Heritage in Jazz,” featuring vibraphonist Tom Collier, who recorded this music-enhanced video invitation:

2 pm at Delridge Library, Collier will talk AND play. SPL, by the way, co-sponsors the series. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

OPERA PREVIEW LECTURE: 2 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, “an entertaining preview lecture on Seattle Opera’s upcoming production of Wagner’s stirring fable which recounts the stormy romance between a supernatural sea captain and a young woman obsessed with his legend.” (2306 42nd SW)

LOOK INTO THE FUTURE … next week, next month, beyond, via our complete calendar.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Overnight gunfire; stolen coat

April 17, 2016 7:56 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports this morning:

OVERNIGHT GUNFIRE: We checked with police to find out if overnight reports of possible gunshots in the Admiral and High Point areas led to any confirmation of gunfire. According to Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams, “a few casings” were found at 35th and Raymond, but “no known property damage, injuries, or verifiable witnesses to our knowledge at this time,” and “nothing else from any of the other locations where people reported hearing what sounded to them to be shots being fired.”

COAT STOLEN: A resident at 17th and Cloverdale says a coat was stolen from her car in front of her house between about 8 and 10:30 last night, a “women’s navy Barbour coat with hood and red interior in a size small … the suspect left another article of clothing on the sidewalk, presumably something he/she did not find as interesting.” She thinks that after grocery-shopping late in the day, “I had forgotten to doublecheck all car doors were locked.” Please comment, or let police know, if you happen to see a coat like this tossed aside somewhere.

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Duwamish Alive, report #2: Transforming Delridge’s ex-substation

April 17, 2016 1:13 am

| Comments Off on Duwamish Alive, report #2: Transforming Delridge’s ex-substation

| Delridge | Environment | West Seattle news

That’s the first of the “surplus substations” in West Seattle to officially start the journey to greenspace – the former Delridge substation at 23rd SW and SW Findlay. It’s now at the heart of the Delridge Wetlands and Stewardship Project, and community volunteers were there Saturday as part of the multi-site Duwamish Alive! event.

This document on the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association website explains what the project is all about – including plans for the site to include a community garden and to be an outdoor classroom for students from nearby Louisa Boren K-8 STEM.

DNDA’s Willard Brown (above), who’s leading the project, offered words of welcome as well as elaboration on plans for the site:

The “next generation of stewards” mentioned on Saturday morning was already represented, working with the Nature Consortium on an art project:

Also there were reps of other partner organizations – including City Light, whose senior environmental analyst Rory Denovan (a West Seattleite), offered a few words too, as did Sharon Leishman of the Duwamish Alive! Coalition and Mary Fleck of the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition. It’ll take a lot of work to make hopes and dreams for the site come true – if you can help, willard@dnda.org is how to check in with Willard Brown and find out how.

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