day : 26/07/2017 13 results

FOLLOWUP: Friends of Roxhill Elementary ‘incredibly grateful’ for pledges so far. Here’s what you can do now

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

A collaborative art project like that mosaic is part of what Friends of Roxhill Elementary hope to include in their playground project for the school’s move to EC Hughes – and “a pledge of time from an artist or two” is just one of many more ways the community can help the project. Tonight, we have an update from group spokesperson Jenny Rose Ryan, two weeks after an initial round of requests:

West Seattle Community, we thought you’d like to hear some good news.

Friends of Roxhill Elementary has received – in pledge form — about half of the amount needed to meet our $20K match for our playground grant application. Remember, we are going after a $100,000 City of Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to help build a new playground when we move to E.C. Hughes next year.

This means you – yes, you! – have found resources and pulled together to help us. This is huge and we’re incredible grateful.

We’re so close – we can almost taste it, but it’s time for another push.

We’re looking for in-kind donations of food when we hold events (local restaurants?), volunteer support to paint a mural next summer (high school kids? EC Hughes neighbors?), donations of plants and materials to beautify the space – these pledges all add up now, but don’t even need to happen until next year. Oh, and yes, we’ll take cash, too.

How to Help

Email friendsofroxhill@gmail.com to make a pledge. We won’t collect anything now – we need the pledges for the application (due in September) to demonstrate our community’s commitment and then determine the details of the work plan.

You can also give to a Roxhill parent’s Seattle Marathon GoFundMe, here. We also have a Seattle Marathon team you can join when you sign up to run the full marathon.

Thank you for your help! We are deeply grateful and incredibly humbled by our community’s support so far. We can do this. Together.

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THURSDAY: Port-truck backups and more @ West Seattle Transportation Coalition

July 26, 2017 9:08 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Transportation | West Seattle news

(2016 screengrab from traffic camera near port)

The ongoing issue of how, where, and when semitrucks queue up for Port of Seattle terminals is at the center of the agenda for tomorrow (Thursday) night’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting. WSTC will hear from and talk with Zachary Thomas, director of the Operations Service Center for the Northwest Seaport Alliance (the Seattle/Tacoma port partnership). WSTC, which is an all-volunteer community group, also will talk about last month’s workshop looking ahead to West Seattle light-rail routing (WSB coverage here). All are welcome; the meeting’s at 6:30 pm Thursday at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

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GRATITUDE: West Seattle Junction Association thanks Summer Fest volunteers

July 26, 2017 8:40 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(WSB photo)

A week and a half after our area’s biggest party of the year, volunteers who helped out with West Seattle Summer Fest were invited back to The Junction for a thank-you celebration tonight. Above, photographed on the patio at Pecado Bueno, are some of the 20+ volunteers who gave their time during the festival, with their host (third from left), executive director Lora Swift of the West Seattle Junction Association, which presents Summer Fest.

P.S. Lora tells us that more than 360 people have answered the Summer Fest survey, with thorough, detailed, constructive feedback. (We mentioned it here a week ago.) If you haven’t yet, but can spare a few minutes to offer your thoughts, please go here before 9 pm tomorrow (Thursday).

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THURSDAY: Nick Drummond and Friends play Summer Concerts @ Hiawatha

July 26, 2017 6:30 pm

| Comments Off on THURSDAY: Nick Drummond and Friends play Summer Concerts @ Hiawatha

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(Photos courtesy Admiral Neighborhood Association)

This time tomorrow night – 6:30 pm Thursday, July 27th – another warm, clear evening is expected for the second of this year’s six free Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association. Onstage will be Nick Drummond and Friends – details from ANA:

Nick Drummond has been a performing songwriter for over 10 years, selling out multi-night runs at historic venues such as Seattle’s Triple Door and Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley with his legendary Pacific Northwest band The Senate (hailed by A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor for their “Brilliant Dionysian music.”) Drummond is also known for his work with his former band Impossible Bird, and Seattle Weekly has praised his songwriting as “An absolutely stellar combination of upbeat alt-folk that’s mesmerizing and radiates talent.”

His most recent album “Follow the Rivulets,” released in April 2016, has been widely praised by critics and music fans alike. Featuring a hand-picked lineup of some of Seattle’s finest musicians, “Rivulets” pulses with a purpose and an artistic vision that stands out uniquely in today’s busy musical landscape. Nick’s words and voice dance upon an incessant and infectious groove in his music, and provides the type of melodies that keep a listener coming back for more.

Drummond’s new band has been touring the west coast since the release of “Rivulets,” gaining a loyal and growing following wherever they play. The shows are fun and upbeat affairs, featuring some of the best musicians Seattle has to offer. Whether solo or with a full band, Nick’s shows are not to be missed.

Nick’s music has been featured in: The Bluegrass Situation, Songwriting Magazine, Americana UK, and American Songwriter.

All concerts are held on the east lawn next to the Hiawatha Community center. Bring a blanket, family/ friends, a picnic, and enjoy the show!

WSB is a co-sponsor of the series, which continues every Thursday night through August 24th. Hiawatha is at 2700 California SW (but the show’s along Walnut, south of Lander).

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TRANSIT ALERT: Water Taxi using smaller boat

July 26, 2017 5:40 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

A texter thought some West Seattle Water Taxi riders might want to know that the run is using the smaller Spirit of Kingston right now, and filled up the 5:15 pm run. We’re checking with King County DOT but there are a few factors here – one, the Mariners played a day game, and though it’s been over for two hours, there could be some extra traffic; two, the King County Sheriff’s Office maritime drill is using a Water Taxi vessel, as noted in our daily preview – from MarineTraffic.com, it appears the Sally Fox is that boat, and has been replaced on the Vashon run by the Doc Maynard, resulting in the Spirit of Kingston taking the WS run.

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WEST SEATTLE DEVELOPMENT: 7 Morgan Junction parcels listed together for $5.6 million, banking on HALA upzoning

July 26, 2017 4:08 pm

| 41 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

Our daily check of commercial-real-estate listings just turned up a new listing that’s the first one we’ve seen explicitly referring to the potential Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) upzoning: 7 Morgan Junction parcels listed together for $5.6 million, with the online listing and flyer noting:

It is located within the Morgan Junction Urban Village, where zoning is proposed to increase from Single Family to Lowrise 3 as part of the City of Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) proposal.

And, getting more specific, here’s what the listing says that could enable:

According to a preliminary feasibility study completed by NK Architects, an apartment site plan shows a 5-story apartment building with 148 apartment units, while a townhome scheme provides for 30 townhomes.

The 7-parcel site [map] is described as 37,000+ square feet, just east of the Morgan Junction business district – bordered by Fauntleroy Way SW to the south, 41st SW to the west, SW Graham to the north, an alley to the east. The upzoning that would turn this single-family-zoned area into a multi-family-zoned area is not expected to go to the City Council before next year; the HALA MHA Draft Environmental Impact Statement is still in comment phase until August 7th.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Burglary interrupted, and 4 more reader reports

July 26, 2017 2:45 pm

| 20 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Five reports in Crime Watch this afternoon:

RESIDENT THWARTS BURGLAR: From Marie:

Burglar interrupted by homeowner in 6500 block 36th Ave SW Tuesday, about 5:45 pm. Suspect entered 2nd floor bedroom by pushing in screen on open window, after climbing up onto balcony off bedroom. After vaulting off balcony and running up alley, suspect came back and fled off of red/white Honda ‘crotch rocket’ motorcycle that he had left behind. Motorcycle possibly stolen, as ignition switch has been tampered with, and it has temporary paper license plate. Suspect is white, between 6’2″ and 6’4″, early 30s. Anyone with further information or whose motorcycle matches description please contact SPD, incident #17-272237.

BREAK-IN ATTEMPT: Deena shares this video, also from Tuesday:

Someone came to my house and tried to gain access while I was at work. The man came right up to my door and tried the handle. Luckily it was locked! He then knocked. Well, my camera caught it all! along with audio where you can hear him try the handle.

He was startled when my camera alerted him. He moved backward and started fanning himself with his bogus flyer.

This happened near Delridge Way/SW Thistle.

PACKAGE THIEF ON VIDEO: From Kelly:

We had a package thief in our neighborhood; our mailman saw her stealing packages and confronted and she fled on her bike.

I was able to capture video of her stealing our packages. This is in the Admiral area by Madison Middle school. Stealing packages in broad daylight. She found a spot in between houses and opened packages and dumped a lot of goods, but we could not locate our stuff.

No police report # yet; Kelly says officers had not yet responded despite being called twice.

CAR PROWL: From Z:

Car break-in on Hill St and Walnut Ave SW. Entire car was rummaged. A few gift cards were stolen.

And from our neighbors in South Park:

SOUTH PARK BUSINESSES VANDALIZED: We’ve heard of at least two cases of business windows being broken in South Park recently, including this report we received via e-mail today from the new La Toscanella near 3rd and Cloverdale in west SP, with a photo:

Community advocates in South Park have been demanding help and Councilmember Lisa Herbold just announced she is asking SPD for prevention resources and to either hold or attend a public meeting to talk about community safety.

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COUNTDOWN: 1 month to 2017 West Seattle Car Show on August 26th!

July 26, 2017 12:47 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Fun stuff to do | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

We’re counting down to another big summer event – this year’s West Seattle Car Show is exactly one month away, 10 am-3 pm Saturday, August 26th. Once again this year, Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks are presenting the show on the north side of the South Seattle College campus; the show supports SSC’s Automotive Technology program. Many different types of vehicles are welcomed – if you haven’t been to the show, see our coverage from last year. Lots of reasons to visit in addition to seeing the show participants – live music, kids activities, food trucks, tours of SSC programs including the Northwest Wine Academy; more details soon. If you’d like to sign up to be part of it, get the pre-registration discount price by going here. That page also includes signup info for vendors and sponsors (whose logo can be on this year’s T-shirt if signed up by the end of this week).

(Note: Swedish Automotive, West Seattle Autoworks, and South Seattle College are all WSB sponsors; WSB is a co-sponsor of the Car Show.)

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FOLLOWUP: Ferry-fare increases OK’d by state Transportation Commission, with changes

July 26, 2017 12:14 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Transportation | West Seattle news

(Live WSDOT camera view of Fauntleroy ferry dock)

Earlier this month, we published word that the state Transportation Commission was taking comments on proposed increases in state-ferry fares. Today, commissioners took their final vote – with a few changes. From the announcement:

After hearing from ferry riders during local community meetings, reviewing hundreds of emails, and gathering input from key stakeholder groups, the Washington State Transportation Commission took final action today (Wednesday, July 26) on ferry fare increases that will be implemented over the next two years. The commission made changes to its original proposal in response to public input, which resulted in benefits to passengers and bicyclists.

The commission is required to ensure ferry fares generate $381 million in operating revenue between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2019, as required in the recently passed two-year state transportation budget for Washington State Ferry operations. The commission’s fare proposal accomplished that but increases to passenger fares and bicycles with trailers generated the most concern from the public. In response to those concerns, the commission reduced the passenger fare increase in 2017 from 2.5 percent, to 2.1 percent. It also applied a fare increase to bikes towing a kayak or canoe; this does not change the fare for bicyclists towing other types of trailers.

The final ferry fare adjustments adopted by the commission will take effect as follows:

October 1, 2017

2.9 percent fare increase for small and standard sized vehicles

0.8 percent to 1.8 percent fare increase for oversized vehicles (22 feet and longer), depending on vehicle size

2.1 percent fare increase for passengers

Passengers who bring bicycles towing kayaks or canoes will pay the motorcycle/ stowage fare. All other bicyclists towing items other than a kayak or canoe would continue to pay the same fare as today (bicycle surcharge plus the passenger fare).

October 1, 2018

2.5 percent fare increase for small and standard sized vehicles

No fare increase for oversized vehicles (22 feet and longer)

2.1 percent fare increase for passengers

School Group passengers fare will increase from $1 per group for a one-way trip to $5 per group for a one-way trip

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UTILITY ALERT: Water-service shutdown Thursday for 100+ West Seattle customers

July 26, 2017 11:14 am

| Comments Off on UTILITY ALERT: Water-service shutdown Thursday for 100+ West Seattle customers

| Highland Park | Utilities | West Seattle news

If this water-service shutdown tomorrow affects you, Seattle Public Utilities says, you should already have been notified via a door-hanger. But just in case, here’s the full announcement:

About 103 customers in West Seattle will be without water for about 11 hours (Thursday, July 27th) while SPU performs water-meter replacement work. The shutdown is expected to last from approximately 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Affected customers have been notified of the shutdown by door hanger. The sections of main to be shut down are indicated below:

1. The 24 inch main in SW KENYON ST from 9TH AVE SW to 5TH AVE SW

2. The 8 inch main in SW CLOVERDALE ST from EAST TO THE END OF THE MAIN to

3. The 3-8 inch main in STUBS AT SW KENYON ST from NORTH TO END OF MAIN to

4. The 24 inch main in 5TH AVE SW from SW KENYON to GATEHOUSE ASSET NUMBER 7377

5. The 4/6 inch main in 4TH AVE SW from SW THISTLE ST to TO THE END OF THE MAIN NORTH OF SW ELMGROVE

6. The 8 inch main in SW Thistle ST from 4th Ave SW to 5th Ave SW

7. The 8 inch main in SW Elmgrove st from 4th Ave SW to 5th Ave SW

8. The 8 inch main in 5th Ave SW from SW Kenyon st to SW Thistle St

9. The 8 inch main with PRV on it SW Kenyon to the West

10. The 8/2 inch main in SW Kenyon st to the East

Sorry, no SPU map to accompany this – looking at Google Maps, the areas mentioned are north of Westcrest Park – but hopefully the SPU list above will help.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Crafts, produce, poetry, law-enforcement drill…

July 26, 2017 10:17 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Crafts, produce, poetry, law-enforcement drill…

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(View of West Seattle, partly fogged in this morning, tweeted by @KANtext)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:

TINKERLAB – GIZMOS AND GADGETS: 1-3 pm, drop by the Delridge Library for the latest session in the Tinkerlab STEM-based craft series, all ages welcome. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Fresh produce, sold steps from where it’s grown, 4-7 pm at the weekly High Point Market Garden Farm Stand. (32nd SW/SW Juneau)

(Tuesday night photo by Chris Frankovich)

DRILL IN ELLIOTT BAY: The announcement says this is mostly happening on the north side of the bay – between Pier 91 and Discovery Park – but just in case you notice unusual helicopter/vessel activity, it’s scheduled for 4 pm to midnight. From the King County Sheriff’s Office:

Drill participants will include the Seattle Police Department, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, King County Medic One, and the F.B.I.

This drill will test and solidify the capabilities of the Regional Maritime Tactical Action Group in response to an active shooter or hostage type event aboard a vessel in the Puget Sound. As the only agency in the Puget Sound with both air and water assets capable of delivering law enforcement to an underway ferry, cruise ship or pleasure craft, this training is critical for the King County Sheriffs Office to be prepared to protect our citizens.

Numerous law enforcement boats will be involved in the exercise, along with a King County Water Taxi boat. The main landing zone for the King County Sheriff’s helicopter will be Pier 91 at the cruise ship terminal.

POEMS AND STORIES AT C & P: Monthly Poetrybridge event is tonight, with featured readers James Bertolino and Dorothy Lemoult, at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

OPEN MIC AT SKYLARK: Sign up at 7:30 pm, perform at 8:30 pm, at the weekly all-ages-until-10 pm (21+ after that) open-microphone night at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

LOOK INTO THE FUTURE … any time, via our complete-calendar page!

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Celebration of life planned August 5th for Joyce King, 1928-2017

July 26, 2017 9:09 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather on August 5th to celebrate the life of Joyce King, and are sharing this remembrance with the community:

Joyce King – Beloved Mother, Teacher, Friend, and a Force for Fun, dies at 89

Joyce King loved to make people laugh. From the time she was a young girl in the 1930s to the final days of her life, she found ways to deploy her gentle but constant sense of humor to make those around her giggle, have fun and feel included. Joyce died on July 6, 2017 from complications of dementia, a disease that affects memory and brain function. Despite living with this difficult disease for more than five years, she never failed to recognize her much-loved family and friends. Nor did the disease stop her from making new friends and charming them with her warmth and graciousness, even after moving into a memory-care facility in 2016.

Joyce Elizabeth Horn King was born in 1928 in Langruth, Manitoba, Canada. She was adopted at birth by Ernest and Eva Horn, and brought to Seattle in 1933 by her mother Eva after Ernest died of cancer. Joyce grew up in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle and attended Garfield High School. She was a graduate of Whitman College in Walla Walla, where she earned a degree in English and Education. Books, literature and poetry were her passion. She could quote from memory poems and passages from the works of William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and Edward FitzGerald’s translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, among many others.

But she also loved silly rhymes, limericks, and jokes and could make an entire room full of people laugh with her rapid-fire series of groaners. She taught English and Drama at Granite Falls High School and fifth and third grades at Sultan School District for more than 25 years.

“Life begins at 70!” Joyce would say after she retired and moved from Startup to West Seattle, where she became an active and beloved member of the Senior Center of West Seattle. She performed with the Senior Center’s ukulele band for almost 20 years. She also loved to travel and visited many U.S. cities and other countries including Spain, Mexico, Brazil, the UK and Iceland and of course Canada. She made friends wherever she went.

But most of all Joyce King loved her family. She is survived by her sister Thelma Thompson of Whitewood, Saskatchewan; her dear cousin Dorothy Johnson of San Jose, California; her children Chris King, Katie King, and Connie King; her grandchildren Courtney King, Tara King, Mahealani King, and Evan King; and her great grandchildren Benny Gilbertson, Stevie Lee, and Kohliana Lee.

Joyce King lived a long, joyous, and fun-filled life. She was very, very loved.

If you would like to honor Joyce’s memory, please consider donating to the Senior Center of West Seattle. It is an extraordinary community resource and non-profit organization that relies on gifts to provide its extensive services. You can donate online here, and write to the Senior Center to let them know you are donating in Joyce’s name: lylee@seniorservices.org. You can also call to donate: 206-932-4044.

Family and friends will gather to remember and celebrate Joyce’s life at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 4217 SW Oregon St, on Saturday, August 5, 2 pm to 5 pm. Attendees are kindly requested to RSVP by calling the Senior Center’s main number (206) 932-4044 or visiting the front desk at the Senior Center. Or you can email Katie King at ktking@gmail.com.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch

July 26, 2017 7:06 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(HERE’S THE REVAMPED SDOT MAP with travel times/video links)

7:06 AM: Good morning! No incidents to/from West Seattle reported so far this morning. A few notes:

DAY GAME: The Mariners play the Red Sox at 12:40 pm today.

TORCHLIGHT RUN CLOSING VIADUCT SATURDAY NIGHT: The pre-Torchlight Parade run is back as part of Seafair this year, and on Saturday night, it’ll close the Alaskan Way Viaduct for a while.

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