West Seattle, Washington

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month : 05/2017 330 results

@ Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council: End of an era; candidate visit
May 3, 2017 2:40 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | Westwood

The big news from last night’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting goes with the notebook pictured above: It’s full of contacts, cards, agendas, and other documents gathered by Amanda Kay Helmick, who has stepped down after four years of leadership with the group. Mat McBride is with her in our next photo – the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council chair who helped shepherd WWRHAH into existence:

(Here’s our report on WWRHAH’s first meeting in February 2013.) Eric Iwamoto has co-chaired WWRHAH with Helmick recently, and Kim Barnes has taken on a major role, especially regarding the Westwood-Highland Park Urban Village’s destiny with HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability upzoning, and other land-use issues, but the group hasn’t yet decided its leadership path forward. They’ll talk about it next month – when the major topic is expected to be the HALA MHA draft Environmental Impact Statement, due out soon – and they’re also planning a door-to-door campaign to reach people who might not have heard about WWRHAH.

Along with HALA, another major issue is how – whether – the future Delridge RapidRide H (Route 120 is converting in 2020) will relate to/engage with the area. Helmick said she had been trying to reach Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s office and SDOT to get some key questions answered and so far had nothing but what she called “radio silence.” Here’s what she had sent:

At the WWRHAH meeting on Tuesday, our group made it very clear to SDOT that they needed to clarify their role in upgrading the 120. Specifically, SDOT needs to clarify whether it is planning the route, ie; removing / consolidating stops, or working on the pavement, roadway and pedestrian improvements.

Therese Casper from SDOT acknowledged the need for collaboration between SDOT and Metro on the routing issue. Metro has a known process for surveying their riders to find out where they are going, how far they have to walk, etc. Doug Johnson of Metro, who was at the meeting, acknowledged that is has been several years since a 120 survey was taken. We would like see SDOT start the collaboration by requesting Metro have the survey done before the design phase begins.

We also cannot stress enough the need for SDOT to consider the HALA/MHA upzone proposals in the Westwood Highland Park Urban Village. Currently, the 120 does not run through the heart of the Westwood Highland Park Urban Village. The folks in the Highland Park are cut off from bus service because of this, and the upgrade does nothing to rectify that. Comparably, the C Line, runs along California Ave SW specifically because of the Urban Village instead of taking the faster route along Fauntleroy Way.

Lastly, without significant attention paid to improving the ingress/egress to the peninsula, it doesn’t matter how fast you can get from Roxbury to the bridge. The City must find a way to improve this situation.

WWRHAH has been working on issues surrounding Metro and the impacts of bus service to the community for 4 years. We have seen very little in the way of solutions for our area, but we see the Move Seattle Levy as an opportunity to do something amazing that will improve mobility, connectivity and livability for an area that is under served.

Also at last night’s WWRHAH meeting:

CRIME UPDATE: Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith said Westwood Village is still having shoplifting issues, and the precinct continues to work with management to get some structure in place that will allow police and businesses to work more efficiently in tackling the project.

COUNCIL CANDIDATE: City Council Position 8 candidate Dr. Hisam Goueli came to the WWRHAH meeting, mostly to listen to and learn about the area’s issues.

Transportation was front and center. Among other topics – Dr. Goueli mentioned he’s a doctor, and promptly was informed that West Seattle is without a hospital. He’s one of 10 candidates currently in the running for the citywide position that Councilmember Tim Burgess currently holds but is not seeking to keep.

WWRHAH needs you more than ever – and you’ll find them at 6:15 pm first Tuesdays in the upstairs meeting room at Southwest Library, 35th SW/SW Henderson.

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HAPPENING NOW: Coffee With a Cop at Junction Starbucks
May 3, 2017 1:45 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Question/concern/comment for Southwest Precinct police? Get to Junction Starbucks before 2:30 pm – Coffee With a Cop is happening now.

It’s a nationwide program; in Seattle and some other cities, it’s partnering with Starbucks for 100 events this year. Until 2:30 pm at this one, just drop in – no speeches, no pre-set topics.

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HALA GOES HOLO: Something new you’ll see at Saturday open house
May 3, 2017 12:28 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

This Saturday is the city’s next West Seattle “open house” about HALA – the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, which has drawn the most attention in the past six months for its proposed MHA (Mandatory Housing Affordability) component. MHA seeks to upzone commercial and multifamily property around the city, and single-family property in urban villages, to give developers added capacity in exchange for either locking in a percentage of units as “affordable,” or contributing a set sum to a city fund that will be used to build “affordable” projects somewhere else. If you haven’t already checked to see what’s proposed for your neighborhood, here’s the citywide interactive map. Plus, we’ve learned that a new tool will be offered at Saturday’s open house:


(Photo courtesy Department of Neighborhoods)

You could say it’s HALA gone “holo.” Morgan Junction community advocate and citizen land-use watchdog Cindi Barker found out about it by going to a version of the open house held in the Northgate area last weekend. She discovered that the city is now offering “before”-to-“after” views of the proposed changes, including what she describes as “a station where you could put on a 3D lens/helmet and you ‘walked’ down the block and watched the older existing buildings go away and buildings built to the new zoning come in.” The technology the city is using is Microsoft HoloLens.

Saturday’s open house is 10 am-noon (May 6th) at Westside School (10404 34th SW; WSB sponsor) in Arbor Heights. Besides the opportunity to learn about and comment on the HALA proposals – including West Seattle’s four urban villages and South Park – the city says it’s expecting booths/tables for other initiatives/agencies: Age Friendly Seattle, Design Review (changes), Natural Drainage, Play Streets, Open Space Plan, Democracy Vouchers, Neighborhood Streets and Greenways Projects (SDOT), and Metro Transit.

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WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES 2017: Seeking suggestions, a little differently this year
May 3, 2017 10:39 am
|      44 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

movieside
(August 2016 photo by Kevin Freitas)

The dates are set for this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies series – six Saturday nights in July and August, starting July 22nd, free. This is the 13th year for the series and the first one with all movies to be shown in the “festival street” (SW Snoqualmie) on the south side of the newly expanded West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), which was still under construction when the series moved there for last year’s final movie (photo above) but is all done now!

WSB is WSOM’s media sponsor again this year and it’s time for the traditional request for your thoughts on which six movies to show. This year, organizers let us know they’re doing it a little differently – besides just asking for suggestions, they’re also asking for thoughts on a list of movies that have come up in their early discussions. Those movies are:

The LEGO Batman Movie
The Jungle Book
Zootopia
Beauty and the Beast
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Queen of Katwe
Kong: Skull Island
Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
La La Land
Jurassic World
Finding Dory
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

So if you have favorites among those, AND/OR other suggestions, please comment!

For reference – here are the lineups from the past five years:

*2016’s movie lineup was “Star Wars Episode VII,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “School of Rock,” “Skyfall,” “The Lego Movie,” “Princess Bride”

*2015’s movie lineup was “Zoolander,” “Singles,” “Raising Arizona,” “Big Hero 6,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Rocky Horror Picture Show”

*2014’s movie lineup was “Gravity,” “Spice World,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “The Blues Brothers,” “The Goonies,” “Frozen”

*2013′s movie lineup was “Goldfinger,” “Devil Wears Prada,” “Muppets,” “Avengers,” “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” “This Is Spinal Tap”

*2012′s movie lineup was “Pretty in Pink,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Lion King,” “Iron Man,” “Yellow Submarine,” “Top Gun”

Suggestions are being collected for the next two weeks, so we’ll remind you again! Thanks!

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West Seattle Wednesday: Fauntleroy festival fundraiser @ Joe’s; Coffee With a Cop; SW District Council; more…
May 3, 2017 9:40 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Fauntleroy festival fundraiser @ Joe’s; Coffee With a Cop; SW District Council; more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous


(Horned grebe with breeding plumage – photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Morning through night, here’s what’s up around West Seattle:

FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER @ ENDOLYNE JOE’S: Today/tonight, dine at Endolyne Joe’s (WSB sponsor) and part of the proceeds go to the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, a free, fun, volunteer-run event. Go have breakfast, lunch and/or dinner! (9261 45th SW)

BABY STORY TIME: Bring your one-year-old-and-under wee ones to High Point Library, 11:30 am-noon. Free and fun. (35th SW/SW Raymond)

OFFICE JUNCTION MEETUP: Entrepreneur? Solopreneur? Telecommuter? Or … ? West Seattle’s only coworking center, WS Office Junction (WSB sponsor), invites you to its free weekly meetup, noon-1:15 pm. (6040 California SW)

COFFEE WITH A COP, THE SEMI-SEQUEL: Concerns/comments/questions for local police? Drop by the Junction Starbucks any time between 1-2:30 pm today for the rescheduled Coffee With a Cop chat. (California/Alaska)

EVENING DANCE TIME: Everyone’s invited to the Senior Center of West Seattle 6-8 pm for evening dance time with musician Lauren Petrie. All ages; 21+ can buy $3 drinks from the no-host bar. (4217 SW Oregon)

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. Agenda items include the Chelan CSO project and an update on the indoor-tennis center proposed for the courts west of Southwest Pool. (4217 SW Oregon)

JIM PAGE, LIVE: Singer-songwriter at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

‘THE KARATE KID’: Wednesday nights, Tap Station plays a favorite movie on the big screen in the back. 7 pm tonight, it’s “The Karate Kid.” (7900 35th SW)

SEE WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING … check our complete calendar here.

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YOU CAN HELP! Sanislo Elementary invites you to end-of-year party
May 3, 2017 8:59 am
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP! Sanislo Elementary invites you to end-of-year party
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

One of West Seattle’s smaller public elementary schools is reaching out to you in a big way. You are invited to this year’s Sanislo Elementary School end-of-year party – with a silent auction, tasty food, fun games, music and dancing. It’s happening Friday, June 9th, at Highland Park Improvement Club, and tickets are only $10. You can buy yours right now online by going here, or visit the Sanislo campus (1812 SW Myrtle on Puget Ridge; map) after school Wednesdays (like today!) and Fridays to buy tickets in person – school’s out at 2:05 pm. Sanislo parent and PTA treasurer Megan Garcia e-mailed WSB to share the news and says tickets will be on sale through May 26th.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch; another overnight bridge closure
May 3, 2017 6:59 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch; another overnight bridge closure
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

6:59 AM: Good morning! Again this morning, we start without any incidents in or from our area.

BRIDGE CLOSURE SCHEDULED AGAIN TONIGHT: The third overnight closure for streetlight work on the westbound west end of the high bridge is set to start at 9 pm tonight, and we’ll be checking with SDOT to verify that.

STADIUM ZONE: The Mariners are home vs. the Angels again tonight at 7:10 pm.

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POTHOLE PALOOZA: The postmortem
May 2, 2017 9:56 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news


(Reader-texted photo from 35th/Othello last Thursday, final official day of SDOT’s ‘Pothole Palooza’)

It started loudly, and ended quietly. After commenter Bolo asked if SDOT‘s trumpeted Pothole Palooza had ended, we asked, and got the reply today.

Short version: Yes.

Longer, from SDOT spokesperson Sue Romero: “Our Pothole Palooza campaign has finished, although pothole-filling is always ongoing for our crews. During the 11-day campaign (April 17 to 27), crews filled about 8,400 potholes; in the 2-week period of the campaign that included Friday, April 28, crews had filled 8,700 potholes.” (No regional breakout.)

According to an SDOT video wrapping up Pothole Palooza, that’s close to half the number of potholes their crews fixed in the entirety of 2016 (19,074). SDOT workers got extra help from Seattle Parks workers during PP. And as Romero said, they’ll continue responding to pothole reports – you can file them online here (see the pothole-report map here), call 206-684-ROAD, and/or use the city’s Find It, Fix It app.

P.S. As for repaving instead of just pothole-filling – here’s our most-recent followup on the Roxbury and Avalon projects that are planned “as soon as 2019.”

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FROM SEAL SITTERS: Taffy in rehab; invitation for new volunteers
May 2, 2017 7:26 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Two notes from Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network tonight.


(Photo by David Hutchinson – taken last Friday at very-long-lens distance)

First, harbor-seal pup Taffy, who we’ve told you about before, is now in rehab. From Seal Sitters’ Robin Lindsey:

Early Saturday morning we were finally able to capture seal pup Taffy, whose health issues were a growing concern, especially because of the potentially dangerous location of her chosen stretch of beach at Alki. After coming ashore almost every day for over a month (with the exception of a couple of weekends when the beach was so busy with activity), her health had begun to take a downturn. Thankfully, she started out as a quite robust, older and wiser seal pup, now estimated to be 8 or 9 months old. …

Thanks to the public for being tolerant of a semi-permanent tape closure of the small grass area along the sea wall, right above her favorite little nook. Because she was so wary and skittish, she was often scared back into Puget Sound by people standing too close above her. Even with the tape buffer zone, Taffy could not get undisrupted rest. It’s tough for wildlife to find quiet spots to rest and forage in urban areas.

Taffy spent the weekend being stabilized and treated at PAWS.

Robin was awaiting an update on Taffy’s injuries and possible infection and plans to update Blubberblog here.

Meantime, want to volunteer with Seal Sitters? Here’s your next chance to jump in!

Seal Sitters will be holding our volunteer training/Spring Session on Saturday morning, May 13th – RSVP is required to ensure seating.

For details about the training and to learn more about Seal Sitters and NOAA West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, please visit our website.


(Photo by Robin Lindsey)

The photo above shows volunteer Sarah, who enthusiastically protected Taffy and educated the public – even in the cold rain. We are always in need of additional great, reliable volunteers!

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Metro partnering with Diamond for new ‘park-and-ride’ spaces in West Seattle and elsewhere – but they’re not free
May 2, 2017 5:54 pm
|      66 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Metro announced today that it’s partnering with Diamond Parking to offer 250 pay-by-the-month “park-and-ride” spots at 12 locations around King County. Only four are in Seattle, and three of them are in West Seattle – the underground garage by Admiral Bartell Drugs (80 spaces, $39/month after one free month), by US Bank in The Junction (8 spaces, $76/month after one free month), and Jefferson Square (30 spaces, $91/month after one free month). From Metro’s announcement:

Metro provides service to 137 park-and-ride lots with more than 25,000 spaces in King County, but many are becoming overcrowded. Metro selected Diamond Parking Services through a competitive bid process to partner on a system that enables property owners to offer unused parking space for lease near bus routes and help meet growing demand.

The Park & Ride Partnership Project is funded with a grant from the Federal Highway Administration. This first-of-its-kind public/private partnership is designed to expand park-and-ride options by making use of excess parking adjacent to businesses, apartments and retailers. It helps Metro meet demand without the expense and time required to build or acquire new public facilities.

“This is the first time a transit agency has partnered with a network of private parking lot owners for transit customer use,” said Daniel Rowe, a Metro transportation planner and manager of the pilot project. ”It is one of many innovative and cost-efficient strategies that Metro is exploring to help the public connect to transit.”

Starting June 1, 250 spaces will be available to lease at 12 locations in King County. View this online map for locations and connecting bus routes. More locations are expected to be added as Diamond Parking, which manages the lots and customer transactions, continues recruiting property owners.

The announcement explains how it works:

Go to Parkbytransit.com to view available locations and prices. Customers who sign up will be mailed a monthly permit to hang in their car. The permit guarantees a spot in a designated area; individual spaces will not be assigned.

Diamond Parking will establish prices based on market rates for each location. The first month is offered free. Permits range from $32 to $173, compared to an average of $300 for monthly parking in downtown Seattle.

Properties were selected by Diamond in coordination with Metro. To be eligible for the project, properties must be near frequent transit routes that serve major employment centers such as downtown Seattle, have 10 or more available stalls between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., have safe walking conditions, and be within walking distance of bus stops. Diamond Parking enforces the parking rules.

Metro does not collect any revenue from the permit sales, but will benefit by gaining new riders on bus service.

In addition to the Park & Ride Partnership, Metro leases park-and-ride spaces on available properties near transit hubs (provided at no cost to transit riders) and launched a Carpool Parking Permit program in February that allows drivers with two or more regular transit riders (average of three days of ridership per week) to park in reserved spaces for free at six area park-and-rides.

Questions? This FAQ might answer them.

P.S. West Seattle has two three free park-and-ride lots – under the west end of the West Seattle Bridge along Spokane Street, near Olson/Myers, and (added) by Holy Family Church (20th/Roxbury).

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DEAL: Haven’t signed up for West Seattle 5K yet? Here’s an incentive
May 2, 2017 5:33 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB WS5K file photo)

Kick off summer by running/walking the West Seattle 5K along Alki, from Statue of Liberty Plaza to Anchor Park and back on Sunday, May 21st. If you’re not already registered, here’s an incentive to do it right now – through tomorrow (May 3rd), use the (updated) code MAYDAY5 and you’ll save $5 off the registration fee. 100 percent of what you pay, by the way, goes directly to support educational programs at West Seattle High School. Top three male and female finishers win a prize from West Seattle Runner, Salty’s on Alki, or Coastal Surf Boutique. Sign up at WestSeattle5K.com.

(WSB has co-sponsored the WS5K every year since it began in 2009. WS Runner and Salty’s are WSB sponsors.)

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‘These are our neighbors, our parents, our friends’: Senior Center of West Seattle’s benefit breakfast exceeds goal
May 2, 2017 2:21 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people


(WSB photos. Above: Joyce Ditz, Meals on Wheels coordinator for the Senior Center)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

In this more-uncertain-than-ever time for nonprofits and the people they serve … you need to know who’s at work in our community, and what they do.

Toward that goal, more than 130 people gathered this morning in Hatten Hall, upstairs at the Senior Center of West Seattle, to celebrate what it does, and to raise money so it can keep doing what it does. Their generosity surpassed the morning’s $35,000 target, eventually totaling almost $40,000, executive director Lyle Evans told WSB this afternoon.

Never been to the Senior Center? It’s far from a stereotypically dour place with dour people. It’s a place with programs, services, and gatherings offering, among other things, food, fun, flexibility, and family – the one you find, as well as the one you were born into.

Read More

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Michael E. Maine pleads guilty to four charges
May 2, 2017 1:06 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Just found this in a routine check of online court files today: Five months after he was arrested and charged, 39-year-old Michael E. Maine has pleaded guilty in a plea agreement. At a hearing last Friday, court documents say, he pleaded guilty to three drug charges and one count of attempted unlawful second-degree firearm possession. He originally was charged with four drug charges, three of which alleged he provided heroin last November to undercover police at his family’s Junction bar, the Corner Pocket; as a result of the plea agreement, one of those charges was dropped. The firearms charge was related to a handgun found in a safe in Maine’s home; he is not allowed to legally possess a gun because of felony convictions in the mid-’90s.

Maine is scheduled to be sentenced by King County Superior Court Judge Barbara Mack on May 19th. Court documents say prosecutors will recommend a sentence under the Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative that would involve three to six months of residential treatment, plus two years of community custody (probation). The Corner Pocket, meantime, has been closed since the night of Maine’s arrest; the state Liquor and Cannabis Board was planning to pursue permanent revocation of its license, and we are checking on the status of that situation.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH UPDATE: Police standoff in High Point over
May 2, 2017 10:46 am
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH UPDATE: Police standoff in High Point over
 |   Crime | High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle police


(Added: WSB photo)

10:46 AM: If you’re wondering about the police response along 32nd SW in south High Point – it’s a standoff with someone we are told is a suspect in a domestic-violence-related incident. No word of any injuries. But avoid 32nd for a few blocks south of Morgan until this is resolved. More to come.

11:01 AM: We’re trying to verify this, but it appears the situation is winding down. Our photographer saw one person taken into custody and officers subsequently went into the residence to be sure no one else was inside (and have already emerged).

11:09 AM: It’s over and the street’s reopening.

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West Seattle scene: Salmon-release season at Fauntleroy Creek
May 2, 2017 10:44 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Wildlife

10:44 AM: Above, that’s Fauntleroy Creek volunteer Dennis Hinton with students from Genesee Hill Elementary, one of more than a dozen schools releasing salmon fry into the creek this spring. Before release season is out, creek steward Judy Pickens tells WSB, volunteers will have worked with about 750 students from all over our area. This is all a followup to a big day in January when volunteers delivered salmon eggs to local schools, who started learning about the life cycle by nurturing them until the fry are set free. More photos later!

11:54 AM: Added:

Shortly after arrival, there’s always a briefing. And of course, the stars of the show are along for the ride:

The GHES students also got to meet EarthCorps volunteers who are working this week in nearby Kilbourne Ravine:

From left, above, are EC’s Nathan, Imani, and Ellen.

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West Seattle Tuesday: Job-search help, WWRHAH’s future, WSCO’s free concert, more…
May 2, 2017 10:14 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Tuesday: Job-search help, WWRHAH’s future, WSCO’s free concert, more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous


(Seen off Alki this morning – photographed by Jim Borrow)

Highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

NEED A JOB? Your search can be easier with help. 2-4 pm today and every Tuesday, you are invited to drop by Neighborhood House High Point and get help, as explained in our calendar listing. And be sure to check the local-job listings here on WSB, too. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

FREE CONCERT: West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ Student Strings and Debut Orchestra are in concert at 6 tonight at the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium. Admission free, and of course donations are appreciated. Program includes “Harry Potter” highlights! (2600 SW Thistle)

DRINKING LIBERALLY: Drop in and talk politics – 6-7:30 pm at Pizzeria 22 in The Admiral District. (4213 SW College)

WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Agenda for 6:15 pm meeting tonight, upstairs meeting room at Southwest Library:

6:15-6:25: Introductions & Community News

6:25-6:35: Seattle City Council Candidate Hisam Goueli; Intro and Q&A

6:35-7:45: WWRHAH and the Future: Let’s decide on interim leadership and acknowledge the group’s successes to date, and look to how to move into the future.

We need to think deeply and state openly: why we think we meet, how we think we can better serve our community/drive local engagement , and how can we might better utilize relationships to the other existing West Seattle community groups as our allies and resources.

(35th SW/SW Henderson)

WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: All welcome at this month’s West Seattle Bike Connections meeting, 6:30 pm at HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. (41st SW/SW Alaska)

WEST SEATTLE BOOSTER CLUB: 7 pm, the club that works to help WSHS sports programs meets at the West Seattle High School Library. (3000 California SW)

TO LOOK AHEAD, ANY TIME ... just check our complete calendar!

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FOR THE BIRDS: With Lincoln Park event Friday, Seattle will take flight as Urban Bird Treaty city
May 2, 2017 9:00 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Wildlife


(Song sparrow, photographed at Lincoln Park in February by Trileigh Tucker)

We told you recently about Lincoln Park joining Seattle Audubon’s Neighborhood Bird Project. This Friday, the park will again be on centerstage of the local birding world – as the site of a ceremony that will declare all of Seattle to be an Urban Bird Treaty City. And you’re invited. Here’s the announcement from Seattle Parks:

On May 5, 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) joins Seattle Audubon, Audubon Washington, Heron Habitat Helpers, Seattle Parks and Recreation Department, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other partners to sign a treaty designating the City of Seattle as an Urban Bird Treaty City.

The treaty-signing celebration will begin at Lincoln Park in Seattle on May 5 at 11 a.m. Seattle Audubon volunteers will lead a bird walk prior to the treaty signing at the park at 10 a.m. The public is encouraged to attend both the bird walk and signing ceremony.

The event will recognize Seattle’s migratory bird conservation and education accomplishments, and celebrate the renewed commitment of partners to develop programs in Seattle to protect birds and their habitat, as well as connect people to the natural world.

The Urban Bird Treaty program is a collaborative effort between federal, state, and municipal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions to create bird-friendly environments and provide citizens, especially youth, with opportunities to connect with nature through birding and conservation.

“We recognize the important role urban areas play in conserving migratory birds,” said Seth Shteir, Conservation Manager at Seattle Audubon Society. “By becoming an Urban Bird Treaty City, we hope to inspire Seattleites to keep the city healthy and safe for birds and people.”

Today there are more than 25 Urban Bird Treaty cities across the nation working to conserve and restore bird habitat. Seattle will fill an important missing link as it joins San Francisco, Portland, and Anchorage as an Urban Bird Treaty City, thus protecting the Pacific Flyway – a migratory super highway for birds.

“Migratory bird conservation is only possible through collaboration with partners,” said Robyn Thorson, Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region. “We are proud to recognize the efforts of many diverse partners in the Seattle area whose work has led to this milestone signing, and eager to see what the continued power of collaboration will produce for birds in the Puget Sound area.”

“At Seattle Parks and Recreation, our mission is to support healthy people, a healthy environment, and strong communities. The Urban Bird Treaty program will help us achieve all three of these goals by encouraging Seattle residents to be active and connect to nature through birding opportunities at local parks and open spaces, and by providing educational programs and volunteer opportunities that bring together diverse groups of residents, especially youth,” said Jesús Aguirre, Superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation.

“I am pleased to collaborate with our municipal, academic, and non-profit partners to designate Seattle as an Urban Bird Treaty City. Seattle has been an environmental leader of historic proportions, and the Urban Bird Treaty program helps build upon our rich tradition of conserving urban wildlife habitats. This program not only helps protect the vital Pacific Flyway—a migratory super highway for birds along the West Coast—it also supports new education opportunities for residents, especially young people, so they can learn about the unique birds and ecosystems of our beautiful city,” said Debra Juarez, Seattle City Councilmember and Committee Chair to Parks, Waterfront, Libraries, and Seattle Center.

Launched in 1999, the Urban Bird Treaty program emphasizes habitat conservation through invasive species control, native plant restoration, bird-safe building programs, bird and habitat monitoring, and education programs.

The celebration will be held near Lincoln Park’s north play area.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; bridge closure again tonight
May 2, 2017 6:54 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; bridge closure again tonight
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

6:54 AM: Good morning. No incidents in or from West Seattle.

BRIDGE CLOSURE AGAIN TONIGHT: The second overnight closure for streetlight work on the westbound west end of the high bridge is set to start at 9 pm tonight. Here again are the details from SDOT.

8:01 AM: Still no incidents in the area. Stadium-zone reminder for tonight: The Mariners are starting a home stand, playing the Angels at 7:10 pm at The Safe.

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SOCCER: Tryouts ahead as Highline Soccer Association Select program expands
May 2, 2017 2:00 am
|    Comments Off on SOCCER: Tryouts ahead as Highline Soccer Association Select program expands
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

More youth-soccer tryouts are coming up – starting in one week! Here’s the announcement:

The Highline Soccer Association is pleased to announce that our HSA Select program, which we started Fall 2015 to provide our youth players the opportunity to stay within our association and play at a higher level, has been a great success. This program is designed to fill the gap between our recreational programs (West Seattle Soccer Club and Highline Soccer Club) and our premier program (Highline Premier FC) with regards to competitive level, time commitment, and cost.

Due to this success, we are expanding the number of teams from 6 last fall to 9 teams this fall, and we have secured quality coaches for each level. Due to last year’s registration changes, our teams will be formed by what year the players were born. The age groups for our select teams this fall will be those boys and girls born in years 2004, 2005, 2006 ,and 2007, and boys born in 2003.

Each team will compete in a minimum of two tournaments in addition to the fall season. Team practices would begin in June. Training for field players will be conducted by the coaches, who may also opt to hire trainers. A limited amount of goalkeeper training will also be provided. The HSA Select program is ideal for any player desiring more competition and higher-level training, but not wanting the full-year commitment. HSA Select teams will play in the North Puget Sound League, which is a select league covering the Seattle and Eastside areas. The cost per player will consist of a $400 program fee, and each new player will purchase their HSA Select uniform at around $100. There will also be an additional $100-$300 team fee, which will cover equipment, training and tournaments.

The tryout schedule is listed below, by birth year:

Valley Ridge is at 4644 S. 188th St. in SeaTac; the other two fields are in West Seattle – Delridge at 4501 Delridge Way SW; Walt Hundley at 6760 34th Ave SW. To register for the tryouts ($10), please click here to register and/or create your account. Questions? hsaselect@gmail.com

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WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: Major herring spawning happening along local shores
May 1, 2017 8:39 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife


(First two photos by Kersti Muul)

What you see in Kersti Muul‘s photo above aren’t bubbles – they’re herring eggs. And their presence is “a big deal,” we’re hearing from her and from “Diver Laura” James tonight. This area is not a documented Puget Sound spawning ground for herring (this infosheet shows the areas that are), so wildlife watchers have nothing to compare it to – but they’re seeing not only the eggs, but also sea lions offshore feasting on the herring (that explains the second photo in this gallery we published early today, as well as other reports of sea-lion groups offshore last weekend), and gulls with beakfuls of herring:

Kersti says, “I encourage people to be on the lookout for it as well, and to tread lightly right now in the nearshore during these very low tides!” She has been in contact with the state Fish and Wildlife Department, as has Diver Laura, who says WDFW will be sending somebody up for a firsthand look. Here’s a closeup photo she shared tonight:


(Photo by “Diver Laura” James)

Because this isn’t a historic spawning ground, the state hasn’t historically sampled here, so, she explains, “we simply have zero data,” and it’s not known yet whether this is a return or a cycle. Both point out that the significance of this might also be future effects on construction and other activities on the shore, since without documentation of this previously, there are no rules/laws about habitat protection.

P.S. Here’s more background information about herring in Puget Sound. Followups to come!

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FOLLOWUP: ‘Access for All’ sales tax will be on August 1st ballot
May 1, 2017 7:27 pm
|      38 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics | WS culture/arts

As a result of a 7-2 King County Council vote tonight, the “Access for All” tenth-of-a-percent sales-tax increase is headed for the August 1st ballot. This comes two months after King County Executive Dow Constantine sent the proposal to the council, which at one point mulled shelving it. If approved by voters, it will add one penny of tax to every $10 you spend in King County, and that is expected to raise $67 million a year for about 350 arts, science, and heritage organizations, as described in the original announcement. County Council Chair Joe McDermott, who represents our area on the council, is a co-sponsor of the proposal; tonight’s two “no” votes were Councilmembers Larry Gossett and Dave Upthegrove.

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UPDATE: Small fire at 9222 Delridge Way SW, where 1 person died in 2014 fire
May 1, 2017 5:19 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

5:19 PM: A big Seattle Fire response is arriving at a vacant building in the 9200 block of Delridge Way SW, where they’re finding smoke but so far no obvious source.

5:27 PM: Most of the responding units have been canceled.

5:37 PM: Photo added. SFD says the fire started in a trash can or similar receptacle outside the house. Firefighters also confirm a fire here a few years ago – (update) our archives show one person died in that fire in June 2014.

5:53 PM: The 2014 fire also killed four puppies, as noted in a followup. We’re checking records for the address, 9222 Delridge Way SW, and have found only two items, both 2015 complaints about alleged unspecified violations of the city’s vacant-building ordinance.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Helicopter search; burglary attempt; Saturday arrest followup
May 1, 2017 4:18 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Three items in West Seattle Crime Watch:

ABOUT THE HELICOPTER: Thanks for all the tips about Guardian 1 circling in the 26th/Roxbury vicinity within the past half-hour or so. Nothing on the scanner, so we headed over to see if we could find any police activity on the ground. We found deputies near Roxbury Safeway; they told our photographer that they had been looking for a shoplifting suspect who fled. Guardian 1 just happened to be up and offered to help. No word of an arrest so far.

BURGLARY ATTEMPT: Just got a note from Greg that “someone tried to break into my house on SW Charlestown St this afternoon around 2:10 pm. Alarm went off and SPD took a look as I was driving back home. Only damage was broken glass on a French door, but there is glass all over the place.”

SATURDAY ARREST FOLLOWUP: Saturday morning, we reported on an arrest in North Admiral, and recovery of a stolen Subaru. Probable-cause documents obtained today through the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirm the details we heard via radio transmissions that morning – a neighbor called 911 about a prowler in the alley behind the 2100 block of Ferry SW, and told police the prowler was seen in a vehicle. That vehicle turned out to have been stolen in Tacoma, where the 35-year-old suspect lives. He was arrested and booked into jail. We’re waiting to see what bail amount was set this afternoon, and will also be watching later this week to see if he’s charged. (6:07 PM UPDATE: His bail is set at $5,000.)

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