West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
Camp Fire Central Puget Sound, headquartered in West Seattle, is inviting you to help with a donation drive to keep people warm. From Nicole Collin:
One of our Camp Fire groups is hosting a Hat, Sock and Glove Collection Drive to benefit the Seattle “Street Youth Ministries,” a local non-profit that assists homeless youth and young adults in the University District.
Our office is one of the drop-off locations for donations and we would love to get the word out. The drive ends February 17th.
More details are on the Camp Fire website, including the group’s wish list. The HQ here in West Seattle is in the office park at 2414 SW Andover in North Delridge (map), and you can drop off donations 10 am-4 pm weekdays (except next Monday, when they’ll be closed for MLK Day).
In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
INVESTIGATION AT RITE-AID: After reader questions, we went to the Junction location to look into this police response:
Between talking with police and hearing scanner traffic, here’s what this boiled down to: They had received a report that someone seen in the store resembled a suspect in a robbery at another drugstore in the region. They were questioning someone when we stopped by; we don’t know the resolution, but did want to mention what the response was about. 9:51 PM UPDATE: We talked with precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith at tonight’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting. He said the person was arrested in connection with three incidents he referred to as “pharmaceutical thefts,” two in West Seattle, one elsewhere.
STOLEN CAR: Sometime between Friday night and Monday noontime, Vi‘s black 4-door Nissan Maxima was stolen from an apartment parking lot behind the Staples store at Westwood Village. License plate BBY1722 in a Car Pros frame:
–It has a broken antenna, with about 8 to 10 inches left of it on back right trunk!
–Left rear red reflector part taillight half broken out.I had my toddler’s bike in back seat, visible but w/a larg sweatshirt over much of it. Also had a rolled rug there. It’s trunk had Many toys, a CARS pillow, Kylo Ren scooter, helmet, car toddler and booster seat, among several other items. So much lost…
CAR BREAK-INS: From Tiffany: “My husband and son were at basketball practice (last night) at the Fauntleroy Y. When they came out at 6 pm, our car along with 4 other cars had windows smashed. Thieves took my sons back pack and lunch box, go figure. Cops were called, but they said they wouldn’t come and should just file a police report online.”
FOUND ITEMS: A reader “recently found a CD/DVD case FULL of about 200 movie DVD’s on my property. Looks like a potentially abandoned car prowl stash.” Here’s a photo:
They weren’t able to turn it over to police, so they still have it in possession, so: “If the owner can identify one of the first 8 or 16 titles in the case, I’d be satisfied that it’s theirs and return it to them. There is also a page of handwritten sheet music inside the case as well that they can identify to take possession.” If this is yours, contact us and we’ll forward your info.
FROM THE SPD REPORT FILES: A narrative published today has information about a break-in at Marination Ma Kai last Saturday at Seacrest Park. The officer wrote that a proprietor opening the business on Saturday “saw that a bench that sits in front of the business had been moved … the window behind the bench was open and and unknown person had entered the business through the window.” The burglar(s) apparently had gone through the area around the cash register, but nothing was in it but some “loose coins,” and those weren’t even taken.
4:32 PM: Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo – north wind and a 12-foot tide slapped the Alki promenade with big waves this afternoon. Can’t guarantee the north wind will return, but even-higher “king tides” are expected, peaking Saturday (6:49 am) and Sunday (7:27 am) mornings at 12.9 feet.
4:45 PM: Another photo arrived shortly after we published this – from Theresa, also near Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza:
ADDED 8:10 PM: More photos! This one’s from Robert Spears:
And from Aaron Whitmore:
Seattle Public Schools has warned of a potential $74 million budget gap because of underfunding from the state and the so-called “levy cliff,” both explained here. At a special School Board meeting tomorrow, a long list of ways to make up that gap will be discussed, including larger classes and smaller staffs. It’s now available online – here’s the slide deck:
(You can also see it on the district website here.) The presentation also includes a list of schools are ranked through an equity list the district could use to protect some of the highest-need schools from some of the cuts. Among West Seattle schools, Denny International Middle School ranks highest there.
The board will not be taking final votes on any of these proposed budget cuts tomorrow – it’s a work session, starting at 4:30 pm at district HQ (3rd Avenue S. and S. Lander). The meeting is open for public observation but not spoken comments, so if you have comments for them, you can e-mail schoolboard@seattleschools.org. P.S. While board work sessions aren’t usually streamed, the agenda says this one will be.
(King County photo)
40 feet long, with a range of 25 miles, and a 10-minute charging time. Those are the baseline stats for the additional battery-powered Metro buses announced today, following up on the testing announced back in 2015. King County Executive Dow Constantine says Metro is buying “up to 73 all-electric battery buses from Proterra at a cost of up to $55 million, starting with 20 buses totaling $15.12 million. Charging stations to support the initial orders of those buses will range from $5.5 million to $6.6 million.” The first eight will go into service this year, likely in Bellevue. But that’s just part of the plan, according to the news release:
As part of today’s announcement, Metro will acquire up to nine long-range electric buses from different manufacturers to test the battery technology with a range of about 140 miles. With this approximately $7 million acquisition, Metro is challenging the industry to produce buses that can travel farther. Metro also is calling on the industry to develop 60-foot long buses, better able to replace the articulated buses that make up 55 percent of its fleet.
That’s the length of many buses you see in West Seattle – RapidRide, Route 120, Route 21, among others. Read today’s announcement in its entirety here.
Thanks to Matthew for the tip via Twitter: A new taco truck has set up shop on the West Seattle Produce lot at 4722 Fauntleroy Way SW, the spot Beloved Mexico left in November 2015. We just talked with Abacu at Taqueria La Original. He says he’ll be there 10:30 am-10 pm, seven days a week.Here’s the temporary menu:
Beloved Mexico had been there five years when it closed, citing factors including competition and the fact the site was slated for redevelopment. While the CVS drugstore project that was on the drawing board then has since been canceled, we broke the news just before Christmas of a new project planned for the site, two apartment buildings
That’s the newest 360-degree video from “Diver Laura” James – once it’s playing, use your cursor to “grab” it and explore the view from all around. What you’re seeing is stormwater runoff near Seacrest Park, emerging from an outfall during Sunday’s downpour. It’s part of Puget Sound’s pollution problem, and as we’ve discussed here many times before, there are things you can do to lessen it. Among them – if you drive a motor vehicle, make sure it’s not leaking! This year you have another round of chances to attend a free workshop to learn how to do that. The Seattle workshops are at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge, next one less than two weeks away, on Saturday, January 21st – you can register here, or for one of the nine monthly workshops later in the year, click the arrow next to the SSC location on this page.
(Navos’s West Seattle campus – King County Assessor photo)
Navos, which has inpatient and outpatient facilities at its campus in West Seattle, just announced it’s affiliating with Tacoma-based MultiCare Health System, saying this will “create the largest behavioral-health provider in Washington state.” It’s not a purchase or takeover, according to Navos spokesperson Alice Braverman; Navos is keeping its name as an “independent affiliate.” From the news release:
… Together, MultiCare and Navos will offer individuals more options for getting the care they need in Puget Sound communities and across the continuum of behavioral health care. MultiCare and Navos will work to integrate behavioral health and social services in settings where people already receive medical services, including primary care clinics, mobile outreach clinics, schools, offices and the home, which will help to address the region and state’s pressing need for behavioral health services.
… Current patients of both organizations will see little change and will continue to receive excellent care from the providers they know and trust in the same locations they visit now.
Navos started as Highline Mental Health Association, changing the name to Navos in 2008; MultiCare’s history is here. Their affiliation will require regulatory approval.
(Barred owl, photographed in Fauntleroy Park by John Traweek)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
‘TRY IT TUESDAY’: Everyone is welcome at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) today as its grand-opening celebration continues – come try the Y for free, all day and until 10 pm! Details here. (36th SW/SW Snoqualmie)
DREAM DINNERS FOR BEGINNERS: 5:30 and 7 pm tonight at Dream Dinners West Seattle (WSB sponsor), first-time guests can find out how DD works and then make three dinners at a special price. Our calendar listing explains how to sign up. (4701 41st SW)
WESTSIDE SCHOOL LOWER SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 6-7:30 pm, “meet our teachers, administrators, current parents, and students” at Westside School (WSB sponsor). (10404 34th SW)
HOPE LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 6:30-8 pm, families are invited to visit and learn about the play-based preschool at Hope Lutheran School (WSB sponsor) – details here. (4456 42nd SW)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, with the agenda including “the Schoolhouse Centennial Celebration, the Fauntleroy Community Parking Subcommittee, an update from the West Seattle Police Precinct, and updates on the Endolyne Triangle, City Light substation, ferry system, and SW District Council.” (9131 California SW)
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral, with an agenda including – as previewed here and here – a discussion of the proposed HALA rezoning and an introduction to the proprietors of in-the-works restaurant Arthur’s. (42nd SW/SW Lander)
FREE COMMUNITY MEDITATION GATHERING: 7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center – details in our calendar listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL HOME GAMES: The West Seattle High School boys host Bainbridge, varsity game at 7:30 pm (3000 California SW); the Chief Sealth International High School boys host Garfield, varsity game at 7:30 pm (2600 SW Thistle).
THERE’S MORE! See our complete calendar page to find out what else is up today, tonight, tomorrow, beyond.
(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)
6:48 AM: Good morning! Once again this morning, the trouble is all outside the city – icy roads reported in the South Sound and on the Eastside. It’s been raining most of the night but we’re still a few degrees above freezing. No incidents in/from West Seattle so far.
BRIDGE WORK TODAY/TOMORROW: Today’s the day SDOT is scheduled to start streetlight-repair work on the west end of the West Seattle Bridge. The 9 am-4 pm work is set for today and tomorrow, as announced last week. 9 am-noon, crews will be on the west side, closing the Admiral Way exit. 1-4 pm, they’ll be on the east side, closing the curb lane, “from approximately where the roadway turns in and out of West Seattle to the Delridge Way SW onramp.”
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