West Seattle, Washington

16 Monday

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day : 19/09/2016 11 results

West Seattle Crime Watch: Garage break-in attempts; WSCPC reminder
September 19, 2016 10:33 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Garage break-in attempts; WSCPC reminder
 |   Crime | Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:

ATTEMPTED GARAGE BURGLARIES: From Darren, who lives in an Alki townhome complex near 60th and Admiral: “Last night someone attempted to break into 3 of our neighbors’ garages (after 7 pm, as one of our neighbors didn’t notice damage to his garage when he was taking garbage and recycling out to the curb). They didn’t get in but did some damage to the doors. Our neighbor who reported it to the police isn’t able to open her garage now as the damage affected the sensor.” SPD case number is 16-339756.

CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL TOMORROW: One last mention before the Tuesday highlight list – the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council returns from summer hiatus tomorrow night. 7 pm Tuesday at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), bring your neighborhood concerns to local police, and hear from them about local crime trends. Plus, this month’s special guest is Lisa Love, manager of Health Education for Seattle Public Schools, who WSCPC president Richard Miller says will “discuss the topic of harassment, intimidation and bullying in our schools.”

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Another West Seattle bus stop gets a shelter
September 19, 2016 8:46 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

The photo is courtesy of the office of County Council chair Joe McDermott, sent with his announcement of two new bus shelters. We’ve already reported one – the RapidRide stop on southbound 35th SW, just moved back to its permanent spot south of Avalon, after more than a year at SW Snoqualmie during construction of mixed-use Aura. The newly installed shelter in the photo is on westbound SW Morgan, just west of 35th. McDermott’s announcement points out that this is kitty-corner from the West Seattle Food Bank and was the last shelter-less stop at 35th/Morgan: “The West Seattle Food Bank serves some of our most vulnerable residents. This new shelter will make it both easier and safer for those who use the bus as transportation to and from the Food Bank.” He tells WSB he first heard about the shelter-less stop at a fundraiser for the WSFB, whose executive director Fran Yeatts is quoted as adding, “Having a covered bus stop so these individuals can wait for the bus out of rain will be a very, very big help.” According to Metro’s website, fewer than a fourth of the system’s more than 8,000 stops are sheltered.

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West Seattle coyotes: Two sightings
September 19, 2016 7:56 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Change of seasons tends to bring out the coyote sightings. We have two to share:

NEAR LUNA PARK: Jason sent the photo and report:”I was walking up Andover from Avalon toward the Fauntleroy pedestrian bridge [map], and I spotted what looked like a good-sized coyote across the street from the east entrance to the bridge. It saw me and froze, sat on its haunches, and watched me for 3-4 minutes. I took this photo (blurry since it was zoomed in on my phone), and shortly after that it disappeared when I looked away. It did not seem very afraid of me.”

IN SEAVIEW: Deb saw one early Friday along 47th SW between Findlay and Erskine [map]: “I was out around 1:30 in the morning when a lanky coyote with a thin tail came trotting down 47th. When the animal spotted me he wheeled and ran down the alley. I promptly went back in the house.”

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE ONE: Best thing to do is to scare it away, experts say. Other tips on coexisting with coyotes are in this fact sheet from the state Fish and Wildlife Department. Our off-and-on archive of West Seattle coyote sightings, meantime, is here.

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Transportation consternation: West Seattle HS Booster Club says athletes now forced to miss too many classes
September 19, 2016 4:44 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Even if you don’t have kids in Seattle Public Schools, you probably know that many schedules changed this year. West Seattle High School now starts about an hour later than it used to, and the WS Booster Club says the resulting district transportation plan “is unacceptable” – forcing students to leave class too early on “away” game days, so they’re marshaling support to go to the School Board. Here’s their message for you:

Dear Seattle Public School Families and Community:

We want to invite you to a very important meeting on Monday, September 26th, 7 pm, in the West Seattle High School library. We will be discussing the transportation issues affecting our students.

Our high school student athletes currently have to leave school at 1 pm for away events because of the Seattle School Districts transportation plan. This means they have to be dismissed at 12:45 pm, missing all of 5th and 6th periods, lunch, and part of 4th period as well. This is unacceptable and we need to do something about this.

The West Seattle Booster Club invites you to join us in taking our concerns to the Seattle School Board. We are inviting families, staff, PTSA, Booster Clubs, and community members from all of the Seattle High Schools to join our efforts.

On Monday, September 26th, we will learn more about these issues, discuss our plans moving forward, and coordinate our actions for the School Board meeting we will attend as a group. Please join us. The more voices they hear, the better the impact.

Thank you for your support!

~ West Seattle Booster Club

WSHS is at 3000 California SW.

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City Council passes ‘secure scheduling’ for workers at companies with 500+ employees
September 19, 2016 3:59 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Seattle Channel video of today’s meeting. “Secure scheduling” starts at 51:22)

3:59 PM: “Heck, yeah!” exclaimed City Councilmember Lisa Herbold during the roll call less than an hour ago that brought unanimous approval to her “secure scheduling” bill for large companies’ employees.

She’s been working on it in a unique manner for almost seven months, with open “stakeholder” discussions during meetings of the committee she chairs, Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development, & Arts, and with the partnership of the council’s other West Seattleite, at-large Councilmember Lorena González.

An overview is on this city webpage. Here’s how Herbold summarized it in her most recent online post, looking forward to today’s vote, following its commission passage last week:

Businesses are only covered if they have 500+ employees (and 40 locations for full-service restaurants)

14 days advance notice for schedules

Written good-faith estimate of hours at time of hire

10 hours right to rest between closing and opening shifts (similarly to overtime, this can be voluntarily waived for time and a half wages for the time less than 10 hours)

Predictability pay of one hour of wages only for non-employee requested schedule additions

Half time pay for involuntary reduction in scheduled work hours and on-call shifts

Access to additional hours for existing employees before outside recruitment and hiring

Exceptions for diversity and seasonal hiring

Read the legislation here. Its provisions will take effect July 1st of next year.

10:38 PM: We’ve added the Seattle Channel video of this afternoon’s meeting, which ended about 10 minutes after this vote, because of an unrelated protest.

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Westside Neighbors Network: ‘Working to create a village’ supporting ‘positive aging’
September 19, 2016 3:18 pm
|    Comments Off on Westside Neighbors Network: ‘Working to create a village’ supporting ‘positive aging’
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

A new all-volunteer group in West Seattle is rising from the grassroots to support “positive aging” – and the Westside Neighbors Network needs you. 6-7 pm on Wednesday, September 28th, at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library, you can find out what it’s all about. From the WNN planning committee:

We are working to create a Village on the westside.

A Village is a member-driven, intergenerational, grassroots organization bringing neighbors together to help each other stay in their community as they age. Members have one-call access to volunteer help for in-home services, transportation, and vetted service providers as well as social and educational events that support connectedness and friendships.

At its core, a Village is based on reciprocity – with Village members using their skills to help other members while receiving the support they need to remain in their community.

The Village movement began in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood in 2002 and has since spread to over 200 communities nationwide. There are currently 3 Villages in Seattle and several other neighborhoods are in various stages of planning theirs. Our village is called Westside Neighbors Network.

Our stated mission is: To nurture a lively and engaged community that celebrates and supports positive aging. Village members connect with each other, with knowledge and with resources to enable them to live full lives as they age in their westside neighborhood.

For more information, please visit our website: westsideneighborsnetwork.org or email westsideneighborsnetwork@gmail.com
The September 28th meeting at West Seattle Library will be in the downstairs meeting room.

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Not comfortable with composting? West Seattleite’s {POST}MODERN now available
September 19, 2016 1:51 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

postmodern
(Photo courtesy {POST}MODERN)

Still struggling to be successful at the messy business of food-waste composting? Lots of different ways to make it work – and now, West Seattleite Glenn Geisendorfer has something you might want to try. After a few years in development, he and collaborator Gabe Goldman are going wide with their compostable compost bin. {POST}MODERN is on the shelf at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor). Geisendorfer says it’s “molded out of pulp made from recycled cardboard boxes, and designed with a vacuum-like seal to be extremely moisture- and odor-resistant.” The starter kit ($9.99) is a three-pack with an under-sink hanger, and you can buy refills (5 for $11.99). Once it’s full, just put the entire bin into your yard-waste container, or your backyard compost pile if you are a DIY composter. Provided what you put in isn’t too wet, you should be able to use it 4 or 5 times before composting it. Here’s the {POST}MODERN backstory; Geisendorfer is also partner in the West Seattle-headquartered design agency Platform.

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School boundaries: Sanislo Elementary to move back to Denny/Sealth feeder zone; community meeting October 11th
September 19, 2016 12:12 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

withsanislo
(Multicolor area is what Denny/Sealth attendance area will look like with Sanislo – here’s what it looks like now)

Seattle Public Schools is about to launch a round of citywide community meetings to talk about boundary changes for next school year. Most were approved three years ago, but some “amendments” are proposed, and that includes one in West Seattle – moving Sanislo Elementary back to the Denny International Middle School/Chief Sealth International High School feeder zone, just two years after it was moved out of that zone and into the Madison MS/West Seattle HS zone. From the district website:

Staff recommends that the entire Sanislo Elementary School attendance area be re-aligned with the Denny International Middle School attendance area and feeder pattern. This would return the Sanislo feeder pattern to Denny for middle school.

Additionally, staff recommends that the addition of Sanislo into the Denny feeder pattern be aligned with the high school boundaries. This would mean that the Chief Sealth International High School attendance area would include Sanislo beginning in 2017-18. Currently Denny feeds into Chief Sealth and Madison feeds into West Seattle High School, thus this alignment would be necessary if Sanislo is in the Denny feeder pattern.

Why these amendments are being recommended:

Sanislo moved into the Madison Middle School feeder pattern in 2015-16; since then, Madison has become an option site for the Highly Capable Cohort. Updated enrollment and capacity information for Madison (and Denny) support returning Sanislo into Denny.

The district has also received school community feedback in support of this move. Over the past two years, many rising 5th grade Sanislo students have completed choice applications to attend Denny for 6th grade. With this amendment, only Sanislo’s middle school feeder pattern would change. Sanislo’s elementary attendance area will remain the same.

The district says it is NOT planning on grandfathering middle-school students in change areas, so anyone in the Sanislo attendance zone who would be at Madison next year will be reassigned to Denny (unless they get a “choice” spot). The West Seattle meeting to discuss this change (and any in the rest of the city, if you’re interested) is set for 6:30 pm Tuesday, October 11th, in the library at Denny (2601 SW Kenyon). That’s the last of the meetings around the city, and shortly after that, the boundary-plan amendments including this one will go to the School Board for approval.

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West Seattle Monday: Free coworking; live music; more…
September 19, 2016 10:30 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Monday: Free coworking; live music; more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

rainbow1

Thanks to those who e-mailed and texted the rainbow photos from downtown, looking toward West Seattle, first thing this morning! No names with either one, so we don’t have credits – anytime you text us, or send e-mail from your phone, please consider including your name so we can give credit where credit’s due!

Now, a few highlights for what is technically the last Monday of summer:

FREE COWORKING AT OFFICE JUNCTION: It’s Coworking Week and West Seattle’s only coworking center, Office Junction (WSB sponsor), is offering you free coworking from 9 am-5 pm all week. Get out of the home office, coffee shop, wherever you hang out (or get your boss to let you telecommute for at least part of the week) – here’s the invitation, from Christine at Office Junction:

Bring your work, your laptop, and lunch and enjoy our space, good company by our members, free coffee/tea, fast internet and productive energy. We have a quiet, library-style area and a more social, chatty one. You set up where you feel comfortable. Just come, sign our waiver, log on to our fast guest network, and start working.

More info here. And look for an update about other events at WSOJ celebrating Coworking Week! (6040 California SW)

DIABETES PREVENTION: Free program at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), 6:30 pm. See our calendar listing for info on finding out whether you qualify. (36th SW/SW Snoqualmie)

WEST SEATTLE QUILTERS: 7-8:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. More info in our calendar listing. (SW Oregon/California SW)

MUSIC @ WEST SEATTLE BREWING: Mondays 8 pm-11 pm, Cracker Factory performs live at West Seattle Brewing Company in The Triangle. (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW)

MORE NIGHTLIFE … on our complete-calendar page!

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Bicycle stolen; bike frame found; prowler on video
September 19, 2016 9:09 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports, plus a reminder:

STOLEN BICYCLE: From Andrew:

I’d like to report a stolen bike, which was stolen from 3809 Delridge Way. We were working on our business when the thief stole the bike from behind a fence, and walked through long parking lot with multiple unlocked cars and tools. Bike was purchased from West Seattle Cyclery, and was a Bike Marin Cortina T3 with Gum tires (52cm frame).

FOUND FRAME: From Jeff:

We found this bike frame behind OutWest on Thursday, 9/15. Looks like an expensive commuter bike. The tires are gone. We’ll leave the frame behind the building for the owner to pick up.

PROWLER ON VIDEO: From Grant:

We live in the Beveridge-Holly neighborhood near Morgan Junction.

(Last week) a neighbor had a bike stolen off an attached car rack on Beveridge near the stairs. Also, late that same night we saw a BMW parked on Beveridge with its door left wide open at night and the dome light off; not sure if the owner left it that way by accident or if a prowler had opened it earlier. We closed the door and the car seemed to lock itself.

Coincidentally I checked my security camera footage (Thursday) morning and saw a caucasian man with a goatee and backpack was going around and checking car doors at 5:37 am.

It’s a good reminder to keep your car doors locked and to be be aware of strangers wandering through the neighborhood – 5:37 am is a time when people are going to work and not a time we’d expect to see a car prowler working. This guy may have even been going to work himself or thinks he has plausible deniability looking like a morning bus commuter.

REMINDER – CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL TOMORROW NIGHT: 7 pm Tuesday at the Southwest Precinct, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting is your chance to bring neighborhood concerns directly to local police, and to hear about crime trends. This month’s special guest will talk about school issues including bullying. The precinct is at 2300 SW Webster.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday updates & alerts
September 19, 2016 6:57 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

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

6:57 AM: Welcome to Monday. Roads are wet and while there are no specific incidents in/from West Seattle and vicinity, traffic is reported to be slow around the region, so give yourself extra time. Today’s reminders:

SPOKANE ST. PROJECT: SDOT hasn’t updated the website for the project east of the low bridge, but here’s the newest flyer, with details on this week’s plan, as the three-month project arrives around its midway point.

WSF SCHEDULE: Washington State Ferries‘ fall schedule is now in effect.

7:27 AM: Just took a spin around the live video cameras. The slow spots are the usual ones – exit lane to 99, Spokane Street Viaduct approaching the exit lanes for 5.

8:04 AM: Metro just texted that “The bus stop on Columbia Street [downtown] at 2nd Ave. will be relocated to SB 3rd Ave. north of Columbia on 9/20 [tomorrow], 9 am-3 pm.”

9:02 AM: Low-bridge problem, tweeted by SDOT:

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