West Seattle, Washington
14 Tuesday
On Sunday night, we reported on a motorcycle crash in Highland Park that left the rider seriously hurt. Friends of the rider, who identified him as Joel Eggert, subsequently said he was not expected to survive, and today Harborview Medical Center confirmed to WSB that Mr. Eggert has died. We just checked with police and while the investigation remains in a preliminary stage, they believe Mr. Eggert’s motorcycle hit the traffic circle at 12th SW and SW Thistle, before crashing between 12th and 13th, and that no other vehicle was involved. One friend describes him as a well-known “huge supporter of local music.” He was 46 years old.
We’ve been talking about this for weeks – and now it’s one day away. Here are the final toplines for tomorrow night’s big city open house – offering info and taking comments on several major initiatives.
WHEN
5:30-7:30 pm Wednesday, December 7th
WHERE
Two locations that the city tells us will BOTH have the same departments, initiatives, programs represented, so you can choose either one:
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW in North Delridge)
Shelby’s Bistro and Ice Creamery (4752 California SW in The Junction)
FORMAT
Drop in when you can, for two minutes or two hours. No presentations – you’ll find maps, screens, easels, city employees
WHAT TOPICS YOU’LL BE ABLE TO ASK ABOUT/COMMENT ON
*The marquee project – the draft rezoning proposals for the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda‘s Mandatory Housing Affordability component (here’s our coverage of last week’s community-organized workshop) ADDED: Here are “simplified” versions of the rezoning maps for this area, showing only what’s being proposed
Also, as reported here previously (the links go either to recent WSB stories or city webpages):
*The “re-initiated” Fauntleroy Boulevard project
*City parking policy
*Seattle Parks Development Plan, Gap Analysis (is there enough park space near your home?), acquisition strategy
*Greenways, including the future West Seattle Greenway with planning tied to 35th Avenue SW Phase II
*RapidRide – Delridge is scheduled to get the next one in West Seattle
This is as close to an all-inclusive list as we’ve been able to get, but there could be more, so we highly encourage you to go or at least send a representative of your neighborhood to share comments and report back. Many of these programs also have ways to comment online but nothing says you care like showing up in person.
Some holiday-giving deadlines are coming up fast – longtime WSB sponsor John Moore of Northwest Insurance Group (6055 California SW in Morgan Junction) sent the photo and a reminder that his office is collecting donations of new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots through tomorrow (December 7th). If you can pick up something extra – maybe you’ll be out shopping tonight – drop it by, until 4:30 pm today or between 8 am and 4:30 pm tomorrow.
(SFD photo)
11:28 AM: One person is reported hurt in a crash just east of the low bridge, at 11th and Spokane, and Seattle Fire has sent a “heavy-rescue” response. Avoid the area; updates to come.
(WSB photo)
11:57 AM UPDATE: At the scene. A woman in her mid-thirties has non-life-threatening injuries after her car went beneath a heavy-equipment trailer. Avoid the area east of the low bridge – EB traffic is being routed onto Harbor Island, while the off-island ramp has a big backlog of trucks.
12:12 PM: The scene is starting to clear – the damaged car has been towed and more SFD vehicles are leaving.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
First, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
CONCERT: West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ Brass Ensemble and Debut Orchestra: Great Beginnings! “It’s WSCO’s gift to the community, especially for our young folks, featuring orchestral and brass classics, and holiday favorites!” 6 pm, Chief Sealth International High School auditorium. FREE – donations appreciated. (2600 SW Thistle)
And from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
DENNY DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: 2-9 pm at Shelby’s in The Junction, 10 percent of the proceeds go to help Denny International Middle School. (4752 California SW)
JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: As previewed here, HALA rezoning, City Light lighting, and a Residential Parking Zone proposal are on the agenda. 6:30 pm, Sisson Building/Senior Center. (4217 SW Oregon)
FREE COMMUNITY MEDITATION: 7 pm @ Youngstown Cultural Arts Center – details here. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
SONGWRITER SHOWCASE: 8 pm-11 pm at Parliament Tavern, “a night of songs and stories.” (4210 SW Admiral Way)
LOTS MORE … on the calendar!
Just out of the WSB inbox – Metro has just announced a pilot project offering mobile ticketing for buses, the Water Taxi, and other regional transit:
Riders who don’t want to pay cash to ride transit now have a new way to pay. King County Metro Transit is launching the Puget Sound region’s first-ever mobile ticket app – Transit GO Ticket – allowing riders to buy and redeem transit tickets on their mobile device without needing cash to ride. Under a six to 12 month pilot project, tickets can be purchased for use on King County Metro buses, King County Water Taxi, Seattle Streetcar and Sound Transit’s Link light rail and Sounder trains.
Currently, riders pay cash, purchase tickets or use an ORCA card to ride transit. Having an app is designed to be more convenient for infrequent transit riders – including visitors, sports fans or those who would otherwise pay cash.
Riders can simply use the app to purchase a Transit GO Ticket on an Apple, Android or Windows mobile device and show it to a transit operator, fare collector or fare inspector.
“Transit GO Tickets are the latest example of innovations that make transit easier for our customers,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “We look forward to hearing from the community about mobile tickets as we continue to make sure Metro and Sound Transit offer seamless, efficient service across town and across the region.”
Mobile tickets are the latest milestone in Executive Constantine’s efforts toward greater regional transit integration between King County Metro and Sound Transit. This includes joint regional planning and the bus and rail integration as Sound Transit extended Link light rail to Capitol Hill and UW.
Data gathered in the next year will determine whether Metro fully implements the service or makes adjustments.
“We are customer driven, and feedback will help make this new tool even more effective at serving the needs of riders,” said Metro General Manager Rob Gannon.
Water taxi customers also can pay to ride with their mobile device.
“A Transit GO Ticket is a flexible and convenient option for the casual water taxi rider, and could help visitors more easily travel to and from downtown during the holiday season,” said King County Marine Division Director Paul Brodeur.
How does it work?
Riders who don’t want to pay cash or purchase an ORCA pass can:
· Download the Transit GO Ticket app for Android, Apple or Windows mobile devices.
· Create an account
· Purchase one or more tickets through the app using a credit card or debit card.
· Activate the tickets needed just prior to boarding; there is no limit to the number of tickets that can be activated at one time.
· Show the mobile display to a transit operator, a water taxi fare collector, or have it available if requested by a fare inspector on RapidRide, Link light rail or Sounder.
· Transfers are allowed between Metro buses within a two-hour window.
The Transit GO Ticket app pilot project was created under contract by Bytemark, which has similar systems in use (or coming to) in Austin, Texas; New York Waterway; Massachusetts DOT, Atlanta, Toronto, and York. With its partners at Sound Transit, the City of Seattle and King County Marine Division, Metro will evaluate the performance of the app and gather rider feedback through November 2017. The results also will guide further developments of mobile ticketing.
The pilot project is budgeted at approximately $470,000 and 86 percent of the project is funded by Federal Transit Administration grant money.
Just received this announcement from Chief Sealth International High School principal Aida Fraser-Hammer:
Seattle Community Immigration Resource Fair
Saturday, December 10, 10 am to 1 pm
At Denny International Middle SchoolThe City of Seattle, Seattle Public Schools, Chief Sealth IHS and Denny IMS, along with several community partners, are hosting a Community Resource Fair on Immigration. You are invited to learn about Immigration policies, knowing your rights, safety, how to support your children at school and at home, and a parental toolkit.
Denny is at 2601 SW Kenyon.
(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)
5:59 AM: Good morning! A bit colder this morning than Monday but still above freezing. The National Weather Service canceled the potential-snow alert early today, so we’re mostly just looking for a chilly commute. SDOT‘s winter-weather map shows the bridge was treated early today, just in case (choose the “last 3 hours” view).
7:02 AM Still no trouble reports.
8:35 AM: Temps have dropped a few degrees since sunrise. What was moisture on cars parked on the street, for example, has turned to frost.
Two Crime Watch notes:
THIEVES HIT TWELFTH NIGHT PRODUCTIONS: This happened in SODO, but hit a West Seattle-based theater troupe hard. Anna from Twelfth Night Productions tells WSB:
$7,000 in sound equipment was stolen from our locked storage facility. We’re trying to spread the word far and wide that we need community support to recoup that loss. The sound equipment is essential for us and needs to be replaced by our next production in February. Thankfully, we’ve been able to borrow or rent what we need for the show that opens on Friday.
If you can chip in to help TNP replace what was taken, you’ll find the crowdfunding page here.
YARD LIGHTS LIFTED: From A in the 9000 block of 13th SW:
I see that someone made off with all my nicer solar yard lights. Birds of paradise, tulips, glowing globes….all the ‘upscale’ ones. They left the typical regular white pathway lights but took all the designer ones that made my front walkway so pretty. It would have taken more than a minute to gather them and not break anything while hauling away. Plus, the lights and the solar pack are two separate stakes and they are both gone for each. Barely any ground disturbance so they took their care….so they can do what with them now???
It’s disturbing. Who does this? :-(
I guess I’m now going to have to set up outside cameras like so many others are resorting to doing. Ugh.
9:19 PM: Unless you’re around Murray‘s age – thanks to mom Katy for the photo! – you probably didn’t get a “snow day” today, and you probably won’t tomorrow. At least, not according to the newest forecast, just out from the National Weather Service. Excerpt:
Scattered snow showers will continue tonight across Western Washington. An upper level trough will keep the air mass cool and unstable with snow levels near sea level. Temperatures will drop below freezing with lows in the upper 20s to lower 30s. The current forecast of a trace to one inch of snow over most areas seems in the ballpark. At some point Fraser river outflow winds will bring cold dry air south and push the moist and slightly warmer air mass out of Washington. This does not seem to have begun yet though the pressure gradient in southwest British Columbia is building. There was some fear that a convergence zone could set up somewhere as the air masses collided, but that hasn`t happened either. … The winter weather advisory remains in effect tonight in case somewhere ends up with two inches or more, but the case for that happening is getting weaker as the night wears on.
Dry and cool weather is expected from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday. Winds will be northeasterly. Skies will clear for chilly conditions Tuesday night with lows in the 20s. Highs on Wednesday will only be in the low to mid 30s.
We’ll be on extra-early weather/traffic watch again tomorrow morning, just in case. Thanks again for your help in sharing information on what is, and isn’t, happening where you are – here are all the ways to reach us.
1:24 AM: Just checked the National Weather Service’s main regional page – now the alert for our area is entirely lifted.
Thanks to Lynda Sullivan for the photo and report:
I wanted to get a shoutout to some local girls (their families and a few friends) that volunteered their afternoon at Northwest Harvest in Kent. Several of the girls are the McCaffrey Bobcats and play in the West Seattle Soccer Club together. They bagged, tied, packed and boxed up over 4,500 pounds of rice over the course of the afternoon. The rice is donated by companies in bulk and needs to be sorted for distribution to local food banks in Washington State. They all had a blast and everyone was eager to know when they could come back and volunteer again.
For anyone that is interested, Northwest Harvest in Kent welcomes volunteer groups of any size. The age requirement is 9 years old (or in the 3rd grade), must be accompanied by a parent/guardian if under the age of 16. For volunteer information contact Jennifer Chew at 206-923-7453 or JenniferC@northwestharvest.org.
The local food banks served by NW Harvest include three in our area, according to the map on the NWH website – West Seattle FB, White Center FB, and Paradise of Praise FB in Highland Park.
Along with the venue concerns about the city-organized multi-topic, multi-department “open house” this Wednesday, a date conflict also had been pointed out weeks ago – the date the city chose (Wednesday, December 7th) was also the Southwest District Council‘s regular meeting night. SWDC has now decided to change its meeting date rather than try to rush through the expanded open house and have an abbreviated meeting of its own:
In light of the added venue and now an expanded agenda for the December 7th Southwest Open House for Affordable Housing Neighborhood maps and Fauntleroy Boulevard project, the executive committee of the Southwest District Council (SWDC) has decided to postpone our December meeting, which was scheduled for the same evening.
Despite our longstanding schedule of the first Wednesday of the month, we have little choice but to urge West Seattle residents to attend the December 7th open house. For this month SWDC will instead meet on Tuesday, December 13th at 6:30 pm at our regular venue at the Sisson Building/Senior Center (California/Oregon). The agenda will include election of new officers for 2017, proposed by-law changes and the proposed plans for rezoning. Further details on the agenda will be announced on the West Seattle Blog.
David Whiting and Eric Iwamoto,
Southwest District Council
If you were affected by bus cancellations, announced and unannounced, this afternoon and evening – we asked Metro, and here’s the reply:
Earlier Monday, Metro made changes to its trolley fleet operations as a precaution.
Articulated 60-foot-long buses are the workhorses of Metro’s fleet; however, the 60-foot-long articulated electric trolley buses were temporarily grounded due to the expected inclement weather – a regular measure for Metro with its trolley fleet due to difficulty operating in snow conditions. Some bus trips were temporarily canceled Monday morning and afternoon in order to shift buses to serve those electric trolley routes.
Metro will continue to evaluate when it is safest to return the 60-foot-long articulated electric trolley fleet to service depending on weather conditions in Seattle
That explanation is also included in Metro’s look ahead to more possible snow tonight and tomorrow. We’ll have a wider update later this evening about the overall forecast and how other local agencies are getting ready.
(WSB photo: Parris and Kent Sadow, photographed in 2013)
The store with a rocket in its logo is going to blast off early next year. Parris and Kent Sadow have just announced that they’ll close their Admiral District toys-and-candy shop (Max and Quinn’s) Atomic Boys (Shop-o-Rama) early next year:
Since 2008, Atomic Boys has provided West Seattle with retro toys, games, novelties and an extensive selection of the candy “you grew up with”. It’s been our pleasure to see our customers, young and old, rediscover these things and introduce them to the next generation.
After much deliberation, we have decided to close our storefront on Admiral Way when our lease ends at the end of January. Along with our sons, whom the store is named after, we have enjoyed being an active part of the business community and watching the various generations of kids grow up from elementary school to college age by being that “local shop” they look forward to going to. And as all things grow and develop, we are also considering new opportunities and exciting ideas.
Atomic Boys has plenty of new merchandise for holiday shopping as well as great deals and will be closing out back-stock and any remaining stock in January in a blow-out sale!
Thank you, West Seattle, for a super cool, fab, outta-sight nine years….and stay tuned!
Your neighbors,
Kent & Parris Sadow
Max & Quinn’s Atomic Boys, LLC
4311 SW Admiral Way
The Sadow family opened Atomic Boys in early 2008 after buying out Hart’s Cards and Gifts.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
We know much more today about what led police to serve a “drug-related warrant” Friday night at two locations including the Corner Pocket bar in The Junction.
And we have confirmed what emerged in a comment following our story – that the state has suspended the Corner Pocket’s license for at least six months.
The Corner Pocket employee whose name is on its business license was arrested Friday night and is accused of selling heroin. Probable-cause documents from his weekend bail hearing say Seattle Police made undercover buys from him four times.
That’s what the Liquor and Cannabis Board cited when we asked about the license situation. Here’s how spokesperson Brian Smith replied to our inquiry:
LCB enforcement officers joined a Seattle PD enforcement action at the Corner Pocket. The LCB issued an emergency liquor-license suspension of the Corner Pocket for 180 days. During that time, the Board will seek permanent revocation of the license. Emergency suspensions represent an extraordinary exercise of the state’s power and the WSLCB is mandated to ensure that an emergency suspension is reasonable, justifiable and legal in every way. The Seattle PD had done controlled buys of heroin on the promises.
Though the suspect is not yet charged, we are identifying him due to those “extraordinary” circumstances of the case, with a local business closed as a result. He is 38-year-old Michael Eugene Maine.
When a tip led us to find police at the Corner Pocket on Friday night, they would say only that they were serving a “drug-related warrant” at two “coordinated” locations. The other one, northeast of Morgan Junction, is described by police as Maine’s residence. He was booked into jail on Friday night for investigation of Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, then posted bond and was released after a judge set his bail at $25,000 on Saturday.
Today, we’ve obtained the probable-cause documents that allege Maine sold heroin to an undercover officer four times, three of those at the Corner Pocket. Read More
Today’s featured bird is a bald eagle, captured in flight by a WSB reader who texted us the short video clip you see above – thank you! Now, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – where you’ll find these highlights AND more for today/tonight – and archives, four notes about what’s ahead:
HIGH POINT LIBRARY CLOSURE: Today is the first day of the High Point Library‘s closure for renovations. Its book drop also is closed. The reopening date has not yet been announced – get the newest information here.
‘FIGHT THE FEAR’: 3:30-6 pm at West Seattle High School, all local teens are invited to this training on self defense, sexual-assault awareness and relationship-violence education. Parental permission is required for those under 18; the form is in our preview with other details of the event. (3000 California SW)
WWRHAH MEETS: 6:15 pm at Southwest Library, the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meets, with an agenda including the draft rezoning map for the WW-Highland Park Urban Village as proposed in the Mandatory Housing Affordability component of the city’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda. (35th SW/SW Henderson)
WEST SEATTLE HI-YU MEETS: 7 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. Tonight’s agenda is focused on the budget, as this longtime community organization continues to figure out its future. (2306 42nd SW)
Nothing in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide for tonight – but we’ve continued to add more – Santa, light shows, bazaars, etc. – browse through when you get a chance! And if your event, service, giving opportunity is missing, e-mail us the info ASAP for inclusion – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
(October WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
Just announced by Washington State Ferries – Assistant Secretary Lynne Griffith, who has led the system for two years, is retiring. Our photo above is from her appearance at the triangle-route problem-solving meeting in Fauntleroy back in October. Here’s the announcement we just received:
Lynne Griffith joined the Washington State Department of Transportation as assistant secretary for the ferries division in September 2014. Today, she announced that she will retire from public service at the end of January. Ferries division Chief of Staff Elizabeth Kosa, who has served alongside Griffith, will act as Washington State Ferries’ leader while the department finalizes its next steps.
During Griffith’s time at the helm of the nation’s largest ferry system, missed sailings due to lack of crew dropped nearly 70 percent over the previous 26-month period. She also secured funding for a fourth 144-car Olympic Class ferry, the Suquamish, and built a new high-performing management team from the ground up.
“Lynne has brought profound change to an organization which is a treasured icon of our great state of Washington,” said Governor Jay Inslee. “Her dedication is an inspiration to the hard-working people of Washington State Ferries, and she has my heartfelt thanks for a job well done. I hope she enjoys a much-deserved retirement,” Inslee added.
WSDOT Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar echoed the governor and said, “The ferries division has made real progress in coming together as an organization. We are on the right course, going in the right direction thanks to Lynne, her management team, and the employees who make sure we sail safely each and every day.”
Griffith postponed retirement to serve as assistant secretary just over two years ago. “I had no idea how much I would come to love the work and the amazing people who make sure thousands of passengers reach their destinations safely every day.” Griffith told employees, “I am incredibly proud to have been your shipmate and will continue to feel a sense of pride whenever I see one of our vessels sailing the Sound. I hope you share that feeling with me. You have much to be proud of.”
Griffith intends to move to the East Coast to be closer to her sister, two sons and four grandsons.
Griffith is the first woman to hold the position of Assistant Secretary in charge of WSF.
As we’ve been discussing, the multi-department city “open house” Wednesday night in West Seattle is offering discussion and comment opportunities on more than the biggest topic, the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda rezoning. (And we have just learned a NEW venue is being added – more on that at the end of this story.)
One of those topics is city parking policy.
We photographed that easel on Saturday at the Bitter Lake Community Center, during the north-end version of the same type of “open house” that’s set to happen here Wednesday night. We went to get an idea of how information will be presented and how comments will be taken. The parking-policy info was on a lone board set up by the Department of Construction and Inspections and is related to this page on the department’s website. It’s been broadened to “residential transportation options,” including this:
We are working with SDOT staff to consider improvements for managing on-street parking. Our effort also includes clarifying the rules that relate to parking and frequent transit service availability in Urban Centers and Urban Villages. …
…Our recommendations will:
Provide integrated and accessible transportation choices that are readily available for Seattle’s growing population – such as ORCA passes, car and bike sharing and shared parking.
Support Comprehensive Plan goals to encourage growth in Urban Centers.
Retain and enhance Seattle neighborhoods’ walkable and livable urban qualities, which are essential and preferable to automobile‐oriented public places and buildings.
Prioritize housing affordability to preserve and enhance the ability of persons of all economic means to be able to live in Seattle. Parking is a significant cost factor for developers.
Help ensure that racial and socio‐economic equity is a key consideration in setting parking policies.
Manage on‐ and off‐street parking most efficiently.
Promote designs for better quality, more secure, and more comfortable bicycle storage facilities.
Achieve local and regional environmental objectives through sound choices to achieve air quality, climate change, and natural environmental protection goals.
It’s been four years now since a city “director’s rule” lessened the requirements for offstreet parking in new apartment projects, and the number of buildings without it has continued to rise citywide, according to a Seattle Times story published this weekend. So if this topic interests you, be ready to offer feedback on Wednesday.
THIRD VENUE: Just as we prepared to publish this, we got word from the city that they are adding a third concurrent venue on Wednesday night – Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. To recap, the city originally set the open house for an 80-capacity space at Shelby’s in The Junction (4752 California SW), despite community advocates warning the city that a bigger venue would be needed. Last week, the city added Uptown Espresso across the street from Shelby’s. And today, comes news they are also adding Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). We’re working to clarify whether all the same initiatives will be showcased at each of these venues during the drop-in “open house” time slot, 5:30-7:30 pm on Wednesday, December 7th – more later! (11:38 AM UPDATE: Now there’s word that Uptown is scratched, and Shelby’s and Youngstown are the official venues.)
P.S. If you missed our earlier reports on other topics that will be included – the best list we have so far is here (with further details on the Fauntleroy Boulevard component here).
(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)
5:04 AM: As promised, we’re starting traffic watch – with weather added to it – early, just in case. So far, no snow reported. However, one texter says the West Seattle Bridge is slick. It and 35th SW have been treated, according to the SDOT winter-weather map.
5:35 AM: Still nothing out of the ordinary, except colder temperatures.
6:30 AM: Patrick reports a few flakes in Sunrise Heights.
6:59 AM: Bus alert just texted and tweeted by Metro:
Transit Alert – Route 57 to downtown Seattle due to leave the Alaska Junction Bay 5 at 7:06 AM will not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) December 5, 2016
Otherwise, Metro says, “buses are operating normally” so far this morning.
7:24 AM: @MetPatrick22 in Sunrise Heights is watching the incoming weather and reports, “Another “slug” of moisture inbound and heavier, could bring all snow down to about 300′.” That’s where we are. So far, everything has fallen as rain – we can hear it in the downspouts.
7:42 AM: Some missing buses beyond what Metro has announced – see comments (125) and Twitter (55).
7:55 AM: First snow sighting here. Also reports of snow in Arbor Heights and Sunrise Heights, snow/rain mix in South Delridge and Highland Park.
8:04 AM: Snow shower continues. Sticking on parked cars here, not on the road:
Also, another West Seattle bus that didn’t run:
Transit Alert – Route 37 to downtown Seattle due to leave SW Alaska St & 35 Av SW at 6:46 AM did not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) December 5, 2016
8:21 AM: Sticking on roofs and yards too, where we are. And from Patrick in Sunrise Heights, at 35th/Holden:
@westseattleblog 35th/Holden pic.twitter.com/xWEGZxYHRI
— Patrick kelly (@MetPatrick22) December 5, 2016
8:32 AM: Snowing more lightly here, still not sticking on the road. Photo from Jessica at 37th/Austin in Gatewood:
And this video features snow excitement! Thanks to Ben on Pigeon Point:
Again, SDOT now has a map showing you where plows, de-icing trucks, etc. have been, and it also includes some cool features like road-surface temps (click a yellow triangle) – see the map here.
9:09 AM: Snow’s over here, for now. Thanks to everyone for sharing images/video/info! More likely on the way later…
3:45 PM: Metro has announced several more cancellations this afternoon. If you ride the bus, keep close watch on the trip planner, they’re advising.
10:49 PM: Seattle Police and Fire are on the scene of an incident involving a motorcycle rider at 12th SW and SW Thistle in Highland Park [map]. The rider will be taken to the hospital via Seattle Fire medic unit and is reported to have “significant trauma.”
11:34 PM: Just back from the scene. Photo added. The motorcyclist crashed on the north (westbound) side of SW Thistle between 12th SW and 13th SW. SFD medics were still working to stabilize him before leaving for Harborview. We weren’t able to talk with police but have learned more via the scanner – according to medics, the rider is reported to be around 50 years old, and believed to have crashed at high speed and been thrown at least 50 feet.
Wednesday, proposed rezoning for the city’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda is the biggest (but not only) topic at the multi-department city “open house” in The Junction. Before then, two West Seattle neighborhood groups are talking about it, and you’re invited:
MONDAY – WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS: 6:15 pm tomorrow (Monday, December 5th), the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meets at Southwest Library (35th SW/SW Henderson), and the central item on the agenda is the draft rezoning map for the Westwood-Highland Park Urban Village.
(Direct link to draft Westwood-Highland Park Urban Village rezoning map)
Notes co-chair Amanda Kay Helmick, “We will answer questions as best we can, but all feedback should be directed to the City.” (Those three ways are via hala.consider.it, e-mailing halainfo@seattle.gov, or Wednesday’s “open house,” 5:30-7:30 pm at Shelby’s and Uptown Espresso in The Junction, on opposite sides of the California/Edmunds intersection.)
TUESDAY- JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: The draft rezoning map for the West Seattle Junction Hub Urban Village also expands its boundaries.
(Direct link to draft West Seattle Junction rezoning map)
JuNO organized a much-attended presentation/discussion back on November 15th (WSB coverage here) and now plans to discuss the map as well as an action plan for communicating concerns during a 6:30 pm meeting Tuesday (December 6th) at the Senior Center/Sisson Building (4217 SW Oregon). The agenda also includes updates on city lighting in the Junction, and discussion of a Residential Parking Zone application.
SIDE NOTE: Speaking of parking, our next planned story tonight includes the city’s ongoing review of parking policies and how you’ll be asked to comment on that topic, too, at the big Wednesday open house.
Three restaurant notes from Alki:
CACTUS REMODELING STARTS TOMORROW: General manager Darin Kawabata sends word that Cactus at 2820 Alki SW will close for about a week starting tomorrow. The closure is tentatively scheduled to end December 13, but “it is mostly cosmetic, so we could reopen sooner than that, if things proceed quickly.” Cactus’s website and a sign on the door describe the work as a “10-year refresh and deep cleaning.” The restaurant opened in September 2006.
SUNFISH CLOSURE: Sunfish at 2800 Alki SW has just begun its annual holiday-season closure – a sign in the window says they’ll be closed through January 15th.
EX-SUBWAY FOR LEASE: One month after the Subway sandwich shop’s sudden closure at 2658 Alki SW, a “for lease” banner is up outside the space. While it names this agent, we haven’t yet found a corresponding listing online.
2:40 PM: We now have two possible-snow alerts for Monday from the National Weather Service – as reported here early today, a “winter weather advisory” for 4 am-noon; added this afternoon, a “winter storm watch” in effect 4 pm Monday through 4 am Tuesday. They’re both covered in this NWS message, with this key component:
SNOW LEVELS…MAINLY NEAR 500 FEET MONDAY MORNING…RISING IN THE AFTERNOON. SNOW LEVELS FALLING TO SEA-LEVEL MONDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT AS COLD NORTHERLY FRASER OUTFLOW DEVELOPS.
As noted earlier, 500 feet is close to the highest point not only in West Seattle but in the entire city, by Myrtle Reservoir at 35th/Myrtle. We’ll be on weather/traffic watch extra-early because of the alert; and if/when snow starts, we hope you have our hotline in your contacts already – 206-293-6302, text or voice – thank you!
9:25 PM: The mid-evening “forecast discussion” is out now – see it here – not much change in what’s projected, at least for Monday morning, though Seattle does not look to be in line for the most snow, and if any falls here, “Hilltops will be most likely to get snow, and sea-level areas may not get any.”
5:08 AM MONDAY: We’re keeping watch on weather and traffic here.
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