day : 06/08/2017 8 results

The latest Morgan Junction community cleanup organized by Jill Boone happened this morning; she shared photos and this report tonight:

We had a great morning picking up litter. It is amazing what a committed small group of volunteers can do in 1.5 hours!

Here are photos of some of the volunteers.

The bus stops especially will be noticeably cleaner for a while.

Look at the pile of bags!

If you’re interested in being on Jill’s contact list for future cleanups, litterleague@gmail.com is her e-mail address.

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About that boom east of Camp Long

August 6, 2017 8:38 pm

| Comments Off on About that boom east of Camp Long

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

Someone texted about an explosion-type sound within the past hour “on the back side of Camp Long.” We noted the realtime 911 log had one Seattle Fire unit dispatched to 29th/Brandon [map] for what was listed as a car fire. WSB’s Christopher Boffoli went to check it out and, though SFD was already gone, he was able to talk with police checking the area. No fire, it turns out – neighbors reported the “boom” and thought it might have come from an RV parked in the area, though Christopher went by and there was no sign of trouble or damage.

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REMINDER: No West Seattle or Vashon Water Taxi service starting Monday, for up to a week

August 6, 2017 7:31 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

One more reminder: The King County Water Taxi is out of service as of tomorrow (Monday, August 7th), for up to a week. That’s a shorter maximum duration than what was originally announced in June, when KCDOT first said a service interruption would be needed for the move to a temporary downtown dock to be used during the overhaul of the permanent site on the south side of Colman Dock. Then in June, a followup announcement included the start date for the interruption, plus the plan for it to last no more than a week. When service resumes, the Water Taxi and Kitsap Transit‘s foot ferries will be using the new temporary dock, which is under construction as of last Monday (WSB coverage here) on the north side of Colman Dock. The temp dock will be in use for about a year and a half, with a revised schedule (find it here), too.

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NEXT SATURDAY: You can train to be a new volunteer for Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network

August 6, 2017 4:49 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| How to help | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(“Tootsie” the seal pup, photographed by Seal Sitters’ Robin Lindsey)

Want to volunteer on behalf of the wildlife who share our waters and shores? Next Saturday (August 12th), 10 am-12:30 pm, Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network has room for you in their next new-volunteer-training session.

Help protect wildlife! Volunteer with Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Seal Sitters MMSN responds to reports of all marine mammals, dead and alive, along West Seattle’s shore from Brace Point through the Duwamish River.

Harbor seal pupping season is now underway in Puget Sound. September and October are typically the busiest months for responses in our area, when newly weaned (and often struggling) pups strike out on their own and often end up alone on crowded urban beaches. This will be the final training for the 2017 Season.

On Saturday morning, August 12th, we will be holding a special training for those wanting to help protect marine mammals in West Seattle. Unlike most marine mammal stranding networks, we encourage children to participate in Seal Sitters – supervised at all times, of course, by a parent or guardian. We are proud of our dedicated volunteers who are on duty rain or shine – we hope you will join us!

A multi-media presentation will illustrate Seal Sitters MMSN’s educational work in the community and the unique challenges of protecting seals and other marine mammals in an urban environment. Included in the training is an overview of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network and biology and behavior of seals and other common pinnipeds.

For more information about the training and to RSVP, please visit Seal Sitters’ blubberblog.

The training session is at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), and RSVP’d participants are asked to arrive early – registration starts at 9:30 am.

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FERRY ALERT UPDATE: 2 boats on Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run until mid-evening

August 6, 2017 3:01 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSF “live” view of Fauntleroy terminal loading zone)

3:01 PM: Washington State Ferries says the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route is down to 2 boats because the M/V Issaquah is having mechanical trouble. This is separate from the problem that canceled some M/V Kitsap runs this morning because of a crew shortage.

6:38 PM UPDATE: WSF says M/V Sealth will take the Issaquah’s place at mid-evening, but it’s still 2 boats until then:

The M/V Issaquah is out of service for the remainder of the day due to an issue with the clutch. This will cancel the following sailings:

Fauntleroy 7:10 pm and 8:15 pm
Vashon 6:35 pm and 7:45 pm
Southworth 6:15 pm

M/V Sealth will sail the remainder of the service day for the Issaquah beginning with the 8:45 pm departure from Vashon.

Please expect delays due to the service disruption on the route.

6:46 AM MONDAY: The Issaquah is repaired and back on the route, which has returned to full service, WSF says this morning.

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HALA UPZONING: Last call for comments on DEIS; West Seattle real-estate listing pitches MHA avoidance

August 6, 2017 1:30 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

Two notes related to the ongoing move toward upzoning as part of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) component:

COMMENT DEADLINE TOMORROW: The extra two weeks for commenting on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the MHA upzoning – and its alternatives for how that might be achieved – is tomorrow (Monday, August 7th). That, you’ll recall, was a two-week extension from the original deadline. In her latest online update (second item), City Councilmember Lisa Herbold says she asked Office of Planning and Community Development director Sam Assefa for three more weeks, but he said no. He did, however, respond to her continuing concerns about displacement risk, she added:

(H)e did agree to significant new analysis on the displacement risks associated with the proposed upzones. I am specifically seeking more detailed quantitative analysis of displacement impacts on people-of-color and a more qualitative analysis of cultural displacement, both disaggregated to the neighborhood level. Director Assefa has also made an important commitment that the draft Final EIS will be shared with Council prior to publication. If the analysis for the FEIS is not sufficient to quantify disparate impacts, I may consider commissioning additional analyses either through a peer-review of the FEIS or other measure.

Whatever your comments, if you haven’t sent them yet, again, tomorrow’s the deadline; here’s how to send a comment.

ANOTHER REAL-ESTATE LISTING REFERENCING HALA: Last week, we reported on a $5.6 million real-estate listing in Morgan Junction offering 7 single-family parcels “bundled” in anticipation of HALA MHA upzoning, which could potentially, the flyer said, allow 148 apartments or 30 townhomes on the currently single-family-zoned site. This week, we discovered another West Seattle real-estate flyer with a HALA reference – this one, though, geared toward buyers who might want to avoid MHA (which would either require part of a project to be “affordable housing” or a fee to pay for some elsewhere). The flyer is for 3039 SW Avalon Way, seeking to sell the site where a proposed 71-apartment project passed Design Review last January, and has a Master Use Permit (MUP) “imminent,” per the flyer. Part of the flyer’s pitch: “The MUP allows a developer to break ground by the end of 2017, and equally beneficial, would not be subject to proposed HALA/MHA development fees scheduled to take effect in 2018.” Also from the flyer:

Avalon West is permitted for 71 apartment units, with a mix of studios, open 1-bedrooms, 1-bedrooms, and 2-bedrooms, and an average unit size of 525 square feet. Units will have high-end fixtures and finishes, including dishwashers and washer/dryers, with many units featuring views. Garage parking will be available for 18 cars, creating a premium on space and an opportunity to charge more than $100/space.

The listing doesn’t show an asking price.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Casing; more tagging vandalism

August 6, 2017 11:11 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:

CASING: Laura reports this happened around 4 am near 50th & Edmunds [map]:

A car was driving south on my street (50th ave SW); the car stopped every few houses; two individuals got out, walked up to the houses on either side of the street and shined flashlights into the homes. Perhaps they were looking for open windows/easy access in this heat? I reported this to the police. A good reminder to secure windows if open.

We asked Laura for a description of the car; she says all she could see was that it was “smaller … maybe a hatchback, dark blue or black.”

TAGGING VANDALISM: Via Twitter, @unclebol reports taggers vandalized Gatewood Elementary (a city landmark featured in this week’s Seattle Times Then and Now column) overnight. Here’s how to report tagging/graffiti vandalism (and if you see it in progress, call 911).

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West Seattle Sunday: Blue Angels, Shakespeare, Dog Film Festival, music, more…

August 6, 2017 8:47 am

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Pete Commons for the photo from Saturday – the Blue Angels’ final Seafair performance of this year is part of what’s on the highlights list for today.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Love salads? Lettuce is part of what’s at or near its peak. Market’s open 10 am-2 pm in the street in The Junction (California between Oregon and Alaska). Remember

TODAY’S WADING POOL/SPRAYPARK HOURS: Lincoln Park wading pool and Highland Park spraypark are both open 11 am-8 pm today; also open, Delridge wading pool, noon-6:30 pm. (Find addresses here)

BENEFIT CAR WASH: The Chief Sealth IHS Cheer Hawks are washing cars at Les Schwab in Burien, 11 am-3 pm, $5 donation. (13609 1st Ave. S.)

BLUE ANGELS FINALE: It’s the second and final day of the official Seafair airshow, with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels (and other participants) taking off from nearby Boeing Field. The Blue Angels go up between 1 and 1:30 pm, which means I-90 will be closed east of I-5 between 12:55 pm and 2:40 pm.

ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: 1-4 pm, free lighthouse tours with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary – be there by 3:40 pm to get into the final group to be admitted for the day. (3201 Alki SW)

ZEN MASTER VISITS: All are welcome at the Vietnamese Cultural Center in West Seattle this afternoon: “Visiting Zen Tibetan Lama Master Thich Vien Phap from California will teach and practice ‘How To Release The Depression In Your Life’.” 1:30 pm. (2234 SW Orchard)

NEW YORK DOG FILM FESTIVAL: Two screenings, 3 and 5 pm at Admiral Theater, with dogs welcome – as previewed here back in June. (2343 California SW)

FOX AND BONES: Live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: 3 pm at Lincoln Park, GreenStage presents “Richard II,” directed by Susannah Rose Woods. Free. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

PREVIEW THE WEEK AHEAD … via our complete calendar!

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