1 week until 35th SW meeting: What Councilmember Herbold wants SDOT to do
As we’ve been reporting for more than three weeks, the next community open-house meeting about the 35th Avenue SW Corridor Safety Project – what’s been done so far, and what’s planned for Phase 2, north of SW Morgan – is coming up on August 4th. First we reported the date; then additional information from SDOT Blog; and then yet more information from the mailer that was sent to a wide area of West Seattle (including news of an August 9th walking tour planned in addition to next Thursday’s meeting) and our subsequent exchange with the project manager.
Tonight, our area’s City Councilmember Lisa Herbold mentions the upcoming 35th SW discussions in her periodic e-mail update (read it in full here), including what she’s heard from residents and what she’s asking SDOT to do:
… SDOT has indicated they will be doing a 1-year review of the project later this year (scheduled for October), similar to this one done for a rechannelization street project in North Seattle on NE 75th.
I have heard a variety of concerns about the impacts of the project, including from people who live on side streets near signals who have struggled to merge onto 35thduring rush hour, or even get out of their driveway onto the street, and rush hour travel times.
I’ve asked SDOT to expand the parameters of what they study in the 1-year review. The NE 75th study mostly looked at speed, collisions, and traffic volumes. SDOT indicated they could ask for feedback to inform the study as they do outreach for Phase 2; I’d like any decision about whether to revisit the project, or alter plans moving forward, be informed by community suggestions about what to include in this study, to ensure it assesses the full range of impacts. So, what additional impacts do you think SDOT should study? …
One way you can answer her question: Stop by during Councilmember Herbold’s next in-district office hours, tomorrow (Friday) at Southwest Neighborhood Service Center (2801 SW Thistle), noon-7 pm.
West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Suspect in Junction bank-robbery attempt now out of jail
Tonight we know what police say happened inside the Junction Bank of America before they circulated a photo of, and arrested, a man they described as a bank-robbery suspect. That 61-year-old man has just been released from jail tonight on his own recognizance, as ordered at his bail hearing this afternoon, despite prosecutors’ request to set bail at $75,000. Here’s what the documents from that hearing say police were told happened just before 911 was called at 11:13 am Wednesday:
(A teller told police) the suspect entered the bank and approached his window. (The teller) noted the suspect’s appearance and the fact he was wearing a backpack which was placed in front of his chest, which caught his attention. He greeted the suspect and asked how he could assist. At this point the suspect reached in front of the backpack and handed a small bag and a note to the teller. The note handed to the teller read something to the effect, “Put large bills in the bag, quickly”.
(The teller) has been employed with Bank of America for approximately five years and has been a victim/witness in two prior bank robberies. Based on his knowledge and experience he quickly grabbed the bag and note. (The teller) stated he felt safety behind the bullet-proof teller window aka “Bandit Barrier.” (He) looked at the suspect and said, “Are you sure about this?” and the suspect replied, “Yes, put it in the bag”. At this point (the teller) activated the silent alarm and stepped away to inform co-workers of the situation.
(He) returned to the suspect to engage him in conversation to stall him leaving the bank. He felt the suspect caught on to his tactic and fled the bank without obtaining any money, also leaving the note and bag.
The documents have no mention of a weapon being shown or implied.
Responding officers quickly obtained the surveillance photo that SPD tweeted a short time later and circulated around SPD. Less than an hour after the robbery attempt, two Southwest Precinct officers who saw the photos spotted a man matching the description at Fauntleroy and Alaska, not far from the bank, and stopped him. The teller was brought to the scene and confirmed he recognized the man as the would-be robber. Police read him his Miranda rights and asked his name; he would not identify himself, the court documents say; officers took him to SPD headquarters downtown, fingerprinted him, and learned his name that way, just before 3 pm. The court documents do not mention any criminal record; we haven’t found one for the suspect in this state, just a Seattle traffic citation last year. He is due back in court Monday afternoon.
WSB EXTRA: Sign up before next one goes out!
The fifth weekly edition of our new e-mail WSB EXTRA goes out at the end of the week … are you on the list? If not, consider subscribing – here’s the link. So far it’s been what we hoped it would be – a little bit behind-the-scenes, a little bit “here’s what we didn’t get to tell you about,” a little bit “did you know …”, a little bit sneak peek – and it’s still evolving. Thanks to everyone who’s on the list already!
Wondering when the Blue Angels arrive in Seattle for Seafair 2016?
(August 2015 photo by Steve Jensen)
The first questions have landed in the WSB inbox and we have the answer, from Seafair spokesperson Emily Cantrell: The Blue Angels are expected to arrive in Seattle on Monday (August 1st) afternoon, around 1 pm, but she warns that could change – a bit earlier, a bit later. It’s been an unusual season for the Blue Angels overall, with the team’s first fatal crash in nine years killing U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jeff Kuss during a practice flight for a Tennessee airshow almost two months ago. The demonstration team resumed its 2016 schedule a month later, flying with a modified five-jet routine.
This week, they’re in Anchorage for Arctic Thunder 2016, the Blue Angels’ first appearance at that airshow in six years. Next week, after their expected Monday arrival, you’ll see them in the sky around town for scouting and media flights, and then Thursday (August 4th) through Sunday (August 7th) are the big days. While they’re here, they’re based by the Museum of Flight toward the south side of Boeing Field, and that’s where you can watch them take off and land (in our opinion, a don’t-miss, unless you’re in the Blue Angels-disliking camp); the MoF is planning a bigger-than-ever festival in conjunction with the visit. More as this all gets closer.
West Seattle development: From The Junction to Pigeon Point, comment time for 4 projects & more
Development updates from today’s edition of the city’s twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin:
4437-4439 41ST SW: Back in December, we mentioned the latest scaled-down plan for this Junction site once proposed for a 40-unit apartment building. According to today’s notices, the 7-unit plan remains; you can comment on the land-use-permit applications through August 10th. The notices are here and here.
These next projects, also announced via today’s Land Use Information Bulletin, are going through the no-meeting versions of Design Review – so your comment period starts now:
4 TOWNHOUSES AT 3032 CHARLESTOWN SW: Here’s the official notice of “administrative design review” for this proposal. It explains how you can comment, through August 10th.
5 TOWNHOUSES, 1 SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSE AT 3710 21ST SW: Here’s the official notice of “streamlined design review” for this proposal. It also explains how you can comment, through August 10th.
5 TOWNHOUSES, 1 SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSE AT 3722 21ST SW: This too is proposed for “streamlined design review”; here’s the official notice, which also has information on how to comment, through August 10th.
Also in today’s bulletin, two matters of land-use policy that you might want to take a closer look at, because they’re expected to lead to zoning changes; comment periods are now open:
POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO ‘MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY’ PROPOSAL, RESIDENTIAL VERSION: Read about them here, and if you have something to say, August 15th is the deadline.
WHAT SHOULD ‘MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY’ MULTI-FAMILY/COMMERCIAL REVIEW INCLUDE? Before the city’s environmental review of this part of the plan gets going, the city is asking what it should include. Here’s how to have a say.
West Seattle Thursday: Summer Concerts @ Hiawatha, week 2, and more…
Thanks to Mark Wangerin for the osprey view from Duwamish Head; might well have been the same one that flew over us while we were photographing the canoe departures earlier this morning. On now to the rest of today/tonight!
ZIPPY’S FUNDRAISER FOR CONCORD INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL: Dine at Zippy’s Giant Burgers in White Center between now and 10 pm, and part of the proceeds will go to the Concord International PTA. (9614 14th SW)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: We can verify it’s a beautiful day at the beach. While you’re there, visit the home of West Seattle’s history, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum, noon-4 pm. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
LUNCH AT THE LIBRARY: Youth 18 and under can get a free lunch, no questions asked, at Delridge Library, 12:30-1:30 pm, continuing Tuesdays-Wednesdays-Thursdays all summer. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
DELRIDGE GROCERY FARM STAND: 4-7 pm next to the Delridge P-Patch. (Delridge Way/Puget Boulevard)
SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA, WEEK 2: Free concert on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center with The Banner Days, 6:30 pm. It’s the second of six Thursday-night shows presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association (with co-sponsors including WSB). Bring your own chair/blanket. (Walnut/Lander)
PUNDAMONIUM! Pun slam at The Skylark – sign in at 7, puns start at 8, details in our listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MORE FOR TODAY/TONIGHT/TOMORROW/BEYOND … on our complete calendar.
PHOTOS, VIDEO: Canoes leave Alki for next stop on Paddle to Nisqually
(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)
8:28 AM: If you want to watch the tribal canoes’ departure for the next stop on the Paddle to Nisqually journey, get down to Alki fast. The first canoe has just departed, after its skipper called out thanks to the Muckleshoots for hosting them here while they travel to the Nisqually Nation. They’re headed to Tacoma, so you should be able to see them off Beach Drive and points south, too.
8:48 AM: The pace of the departures is picking up.
9:35 AM: Most of the canoes have headed out, and the flotilla of motorized spectator/support boats is departing too. More photos after we get back to HQ.
10:48 AM: Thanks to Harley Broe for this view from Beach Drive:
1:55 PM: And David Hutchinson shares these views from Alki Point:
Yes, that’s a real buoy in the background of the photo immediately above. The usually-annual canoe journey, as explained on the Paddle to Nisqually site’s “about” page (where you’ll also find the history), is for “… bringing together natives and non-natives with a common goal of providing a drug and alcohol free event and offering pullers a personal journey towards healing and recovery of culture, traditional knowledge and spirituality. … Canoe Journey gatherings are rich in meaning and cultural significance. Canoe families travel great distances as their ancestors did and participating in the journey requires physical and spiritual discipline. At each stop, canoe families follow certain protocols, they ask for permission to come ashore, often in their native languages. At night in longhouses there is gifting, honoring and the sharing of traditional prayers, drumming, songs and dances. Meals, including evening dinners of traditional foods, are provided by the host nations.”
This year’s journey will end in southernmost Puget Sound on Saturday, where tens of thousands of people are expected to welcome the canoe families as they land. One week of ceremonies and celebrations will follow.
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