West Seattle, Washington
11 Wednesday
The Seattle Fire Department crews at 34th and Webster in Sunrise Heights aren’t there because of an emergency – it’s operations training, and SFD says it will continue daily through next Monday. You’re welcome to watch, according to the SFD announcement, which also says there will NOT be any burning involved in this training. While Ladder 11 is parked on the north side of SW Webster in our photo, the training location is actually across the street, at what county records show to be a century-old house.
Story and photos by Linda Ball
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
You might not be aware of, or know where – or what – Falconridge Farm is.
An oasis in the midst of an ever-growing city, the equestrian property on 4.2 acres in the Highland Park area is on the market for the first time in decades, asking price $7,600,000. After hearing about the listing from a reader, we set out to find out why it’s up for sale.
The owners, Dr. Jean Nokes and her husband Milt Ghivizzani, have lovingly tended to the property for decades. The property is for sale because Dr. Nokes is no longer riding. But especially for her, their history with this property is rich with memories; she gave us a tour.
11:12 AM: Thanks for the tips about the Guardian One law-enforcement helicopter over North Delridge and vicinity. We just talked to Seattle Police, who say they are looking for a suspect in a reported break-in in the 4500 block of 23rd SW [map]. They do have a partial description; black, male, 6’2″, dreadlocks, dark top and red shorts, last seen leaving on foot. If you have any information, call 911.
ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Paige, whose home was broken into, tells her story in this comment.
Thanks to everyone who noticed, and asked about, the film crew at Lincoln Park, with trailers and equipment visible in the north parking lot. Here’s what we found out by visiting the park: West Seattle-based Anvil Productions will be there for at least three days shooting “Chaldea.” The project’s website describes “Chaldea” as “an adult-themed epic fantasy, steeped heavily in classic mythology, featuring elves, dwarves, and orcs, Egyptian and Norse gods, heroes and villains, high adventure, planetary politics and war … all clashing in the wake of a failing empire.” You can see behind-the-scenes photos here.
If you use SW 106th/107th between Arbor Heights and White Center, you might have seen the signboard for road work coming up next week. We did, so we asked King County Roads for details; here’s what we just received from spokesperson Brent Champaco:
We are taking the road from two lanes to a three-lane configuration that will feature:
· Left –turn lanes at 26th Avenue SW
· Two-way, left-turn lanes around 25th Avenue SW
· Striped median in the S-curves between 22nd and 25th Avenues SW
· Two-way, left-turn lane between 17th and 22nd Avenues SWThe restriping work is scheduled to last 3-5 days, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. All lanes of traffic will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. At other times, at least one lane will remain open with flaggers directing traffic. No parking will be allowed along this part of the road during the project.
If you live/work near that stretch, you’ve probably already seen this flyer (or a similar door-hanger card), part of the outreach Champaco says was done for people in the area.
(Red-breasted nuthatch, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Highlights for the rest of your Friday, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
INTERVIEW DAY: Looking for work? Providence Mount St. Vincent is hiring, and inviting applicants to Interview Day, continuing until 7 pm tonight – details in our calendar listing. (4831 35th SW)
DONATE BLOOD IF YOU CAN: 1-7 pm, look for the van at Admiral Safeway. Walk-up donors are welcome but note that a 3-4 pm break closure is scheduled. (2622 California SW)
LYANDA LYNN HAUPT @ WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: The nature writer talks about her newest book, “Mozart’s Starling” – featured in this trailer from her publisher:
You can see and hear this acclaimed West Seattle author 5-7 pm tonight during the monthly Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented series at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village. Just drop in! (2800 SW Barton)
HPIC ART LOUNGE: Art class at 6:30 pm, and/or just bring what you’re working on, 7 pm and beyond – details on the Highland Park Improvement Club website. (1116 SW Holden)
BOWLING AND BEER BENEFIT: Happening tonight at West Seattle Bowl:
West Seattle Bowl and Georgetown Brewing are hosting the 6th Annual Bob’s Bowl-a-Rama supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska at West Seattle Bowl. Lanes are $200 for bowling from 7 pm-10 pm, shoe rental and 8 pints of Georgetown Brewing Beer. 90% of the lane proceeds will be donated to the Seattle Ronald McDonald House. Limited lanes left, but please come down and have a pint and support a great cause. If you would like a lane, please email jeffs@wsbowl.com
(39th SW/SW Oregon)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL – AT HOME: Season home opener for the Chief Sealth International High School varsity football team, 7 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex, CSIHS takes on Decatur. (2801 SW Thistle)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL – ON THE ROAD: West Seattle High School plays Ingraham HS at Northwest Athletic Complex, 7 pm. (1819 N. 135th St.)
‘THE WHO AND THE WHAT’: First weekend for the new play at ArtsWest, 7:30 pm curtain. (4711 California SW)
LUSHY AT PARLIAMENT TAVERN: “Progressive cocktail pop,” 9 pm-midnight. $5 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
PREVIEW THE WEEKEND … and beyond, via our complete calendar!
9:31 AM: Thanks to two texters for the heads-up via our hotline (206-293-6302) – orcas are headed this way, southbound. Kersti Muul says they were seen off Golden Gardens (Ballard); an unsigned text says they were seen off West Point on the north side of Elliott Bay. Please let us know if you see them!
10:06 AM: An Orca Network commenter says at least two are headed toward Alki Point, still southbound, as of a few minutes ago.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:52 AM: Good morning. No incidents in/from West Seattle right now.
Notes:
SW EDMUNDS CLOSURE: In The Junction, road-panel replacement work is scheduled to keep SW Edmunds closed west of California again today. (Details are in our Wednesday report.)
FERRIES BACK TO 3-BOAT SCHEDULE: Three vessels are on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth WSF route for the first time since before Labor Day weekend.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The fall neighborhood-meeting season kicked off with the September session of what’s now the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition.
Kim Barnes and Jenny Rose Ryan are interim co-chairs of WWRHAH; Barnes led Tuesday night’s meeting at Southwest Library.
At the heart of this meeting was a “focus group”-style conversation about crime/safety issues in the area, to be sure its micro-community policing plan is up to date:
(UPDATED SEPTEMBER 12TH – EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED, NO NEW DATE YET)
Back in June, we reported on the Delridge Business Survey – including an update as the collaborating organizations sent out “ambassadors” to talk with local entrepreneurs. Now, the results are ready to go public, and you’re invited to be among the first to find out! Here’s the announcement:
Calling all Delridge businesses and interested community members!
Please join us for a mixer and to hear the results of the Delridge Business Survey that finished in August 2017.
Meet at Skylark Café (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Thursday, September 14th*NEW DATE TBD
5:30 pm — Mixer
6:00 pm — Presentation of ResultsMeet business leaders working in North Delridge and hear about challenges and opportunities for businesses in this neighborhood. We need your feedback to start prioritizing how we can work together to grow the local economy and support Delridge businesses.
Two West Seattle restaurants are inviting you to help them raise money to help hurricane survivors:
MIOPOSTO: All four locations of this local chain, including Admiral, have five-day fundraisers starting tomorrow:
Friday, September 8 through Tuesday, September 12, $5 raffle tickets will be available for purchase at every Mioposto location. The winner of the raffle will receive a $100 Mioposto gift card as well as a $500 donation in their name to a relief organization or charity of their choice. The raffle will conclude September 12 with a Dine-Out fundraising event at each Mioposto location from 4-10 pm. Half of the profits generated that night, as well as the entirety of the raffle funds, will be donated to the Salvation Army Disaster Services fund.
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, and most recently, Hurricane Irma, the mass devastation left in the paths of two of the largest storms in recent history has driven the Mioposto team to extend outreach beyond state lines.
Mioposto Admiral is at 2139 California SW; find its hours here.
B’S PO BOY: The Cajun restaurant on Alki is having a fundraiser next Monday (September 11th) for American Red Cross work to help survivors of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma: “We are donating 25% of our pre-sales-tax sales to the Red Cross … We also have some exciting items that have been donated for a ‘silent’ auction.” B’s is at 2738 Alki SW and will be open 11 am-9 pm on fundraiser day.
2:58 PM: A Chief Sealth International High School staffer who has just spoken with the family of 15-year-old Westcrest Park stabbing victim Derek Juarez-Lopez just told us the school’s announcement of a vigil tonight was incorrect – the family actually had one last night, and is NOT planning one tonight. Just wanted to let you know in case you were planning on going. Meantime, we just checked with Seattle Police, who tell us they have no new information to release in the case, though detectives are continuing to pursue leads, and are still welcoming tips – 206-233-5000. Meantime, the online crowdfunding campaign for the family continues here.
ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: The tribute to Derek, nicknamed “Peachy,” has grown:
Just announced by Washington State Ferries, a week after a systemwide vessel shortage put the already-challenged Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route on a two-boat schedule:
The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route will return to a three-boat summer schedule starting Friday, Sept. 8.
The service restoration will come following the return of Hyak on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route at 7:20 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, along with a series of boat moves.
Since Aug. 31, Washington State Ferries maintenance crews have been working on the Hyak to replace a broken vessel service generator, which provides electricity to the boat. The work was scheduled to take up to two weeks.
Boat moves
Once Hyak replaces Kitsap on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route, there will be the following boat moves overnight Thursday, Sept. 7:
· Kitsap moves to Mukilteo/Clinton to replace Kittitas (no capacity change).
· Kittitas moves to Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth to restore three-boat service until Monday, Sept. 11, when:
o Sealth replaces Kittitas in order to maintain a three-boat schedule while Kittitas is out for scheduled repairs.
o Chetzemoka replaces Sealth on Point Defiance/Tahlequah, reducing Port Townsend/Coupeville to one-boat service. Even with Hyak back in service, there will be no spare vessels readily available.
The announcement also included this:
WSF will hold two public meetings to discuss recent changes on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/ Southworth route:
· Vashon Island public meeting
o When: 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20
o Where: Vashon High School cafeteria, 9600 S.W. 204th Street, Vashon· Southworth public meeting
o When: 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21
o Where: John Sedgwick Junior High School Commons, 8995 S.E. Sedgwick Rd., Port Orchard
The changes, implemented in June, have been unpopular with many Vashon riders who cite boats leaving with unfilled space, even as long lines of cars remain along streets in Fauntleroy. WSF says that waiting to fill the boats would put them further behind schedule, but even on the 2-boat schedule, it’s had numerous delays (you can scroll through its Twitter feed to see all the alerts). Riders suggest that requiring all vehicles to stop at the tollbooths, ticketed or not, is largely to blame for the bottlenecks.
As we’ve tracked the smoky, ashy air in recent days – with murky skies, and reddened sun and full moon (photo at right is by Jim Spraker), plus Weather Service alerts – one question came up in comment discussion: Why didn’t the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency order a burn ban this time? We sent the question to the agency’s communications team two days ago. Today, they sent air-quality scientist Phil Swartzendruber our way to explain. And even though the smoke is clearing, so it’s a moot point for now, we thought you might be interested in how he explained it during our phone conversation:
Today we welcome Revel Townhomes as a new WSB sponsor. New local sponsors get to tell you about themselves, so here’s what Revel wants you to know:
Situated on dynamic California Avenue SW in the Admiral District, Revel Townhomes is a unique community with a vibrant way of life. Revel offers 7 street-front live+work spaces, 7 courtyard-facing townhomes, and 7 residences with attached garages. Some exterior features include oversized windows, metal details, cedar and fiber cement siding. Our spacious floorplans with 3-4 beds and 2-3 baths, full-floor master suites with walk-in closets and decks, and water + mountain views offer a unique living experience! Plus, with a Walk Score of 88, Revel Townhomes is the most ideal community for convenient and relaxed urban living!
WHAT MAKES OUR LIVE+WORK HOMES UNIQUE
Cut Commute Time to Zero
Live+Work is a new way of living for individuals who work from home, have a blossoming business, or seek investment opportunities. The ground floor is ideal for a multitude of business purposes and fronts directly to California Ave. All you need is to walk downstairs to your office, avoiding the cost of gas and a long commute.
Location, Location, Location
Entrepreneurs with blossoming businesses will benefit from Revel’s popular Admiral District location. Location is one of the most important considerations and a key to a successful business. We have that covered as Revel, with a Walk Score of 88, is steps to dining, shopping, and activities, so foot traffic won’t be a problem.
Additional Income
Starting a business may not interest you, but a great investment opportunity does! You may want to rent the work space to business owners to make extra cash and live upstairs or vice versa. With separate entrances for commercial and residential uses, Revel Townhomes offers a wide range of uses and use combinations. This kind of arrangement not only benefits you, but also helps the whole West Seattle community.
What We Hear from Clients Most Often
“Love the interior choices and use of space.” Our townhomes have unique and functional floorplans. All of our homes are end or corner units with lots of natural light and are wider than usual, providing for an unparalleled sense of spaciousness. A stylish blend of modern finishes with timeless elements such as subway tile backsplashes, wide plank hardwoods round out the interior experience. They truly are unique.
Our Community Sales Manager
A consistent client-centric approach has earned our community sales manager, Ric Dieu, the respect of both clients and colleagues. He offers 20+ years of experience in the Seattle real-estate market. “I essentially live my life in the neighborhood, these days. Everything from grocery shopping to pet care and the gym – the Admiral neighborhood has it all in walking distance from Revel.”
Contact Ric at 206-841-8966 or email him at sales@reveltownhomes.com. Revel Townhomes is at 3221B California Ave. SW. Sales office is open Friday-Tuesday from 11 am-5 pm.
We thank Revel Townhomes for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for the rest of today/tonight:
PHOTO EXHIBIT/OPEN HOUSE: 4-9 pm at newly opened QSpace, its first photo exhibit, “PARSA’s Afghanistan,” opens, with this event:
Join us for an open house honoring Seattle native Marnie Gustavson, who is the Executive Director of PARSA Afghanistan, a non-profit with over 20 years’ history helping to empower the most disadvantaged in that country, particularly orphans and women. Ms. Gustavson has lived and worked in Afghanistan for the past 10 years. The exhibit will feature photos, cards, and unique items from Afghanistan. The photo exhibit will continue until October 7.
(3800 California SW)
HAPPY HOUR AND TOMATO TASTING: 5:30-7 pm, Seattle Farm School hosts a “homegrown happy hour and tomato tasting” at Beveridge Place Pub. If you have tomatoes to share, bring them! (Not mandatory.) More info in our calendar listing. Note that BPP is 21+. (6413 California SW)
DESIGN REVIEW #2 FOR 2222 SW BARTON: 6:30 pm at the Sisson Building/Senior Center, this project – described in city files as “a four-story apartment building containing 27 small efficiency dwelling units and 39 apartment units” – gets its second and possibly final review by the Southwest Design Review Board.
See the full “packet” here. The meeting will include an opportunity for public comment. (4217 SW Oregon)
VIGIL FOR MURDER VICTIM: A candlelight vigil for 15-year-old Westcrest Park murder victim Derek Juarez-Lopez is planned at 7 pm at the park, according to the letter sent to Chief Sealth IHS families, included in our Wednesday update. (6th SW/SW Cambridge) (Update here)
NORTH HIGHLINE UNINCORPORATED AREA COUNCIL: 7 pm at North Highline Fire District HQ, the community council for White Center, Top Hat, and the rest of unincorporated NH meets. See our partner site White Center Now for the agenda. All welcome. (1243 SW 112th)
SPECIAL FORCES BAND: “Original jazz, rock, and funk” at Parliament Tavern, 8-11 pm. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
(Video courtesy West Seattle Community Orchestras)
The West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ new season is about to begin, so it’s sign-up time for musicians interested in participating! Here’s the announcement:
West Seattle Community Orchestras (WSCO) kicks off its fall session September 12, leading up to performances planned for early December.
The group especially encourages student musicians (through grade twelve) to sign up — experienced or not! Young beginners can participate in string instrument classes (violin, viola, cello, bass) or join the Debut Orchestra (a full orchestra, with strings, winds, and percussion!). Coaching and instruction are provided by professional musicians.
More-experienced student musicians (or adults) can participate in an orchestra (Intermediate or Symphony) or the Wind Symphony (think Concert Band).
The cool thing is that, thanks to the generous contributions of individuals and local businesses, all of these opportunities are provided to students free of charge. (Adults are offered the same opportunities but pay a modest fee.)
Mariane Hermanson, WSCO Executive Director, says, “Currently, there are openings for just about every instrument in most of these groups, but please register soon!”
All rehearsals and classes are held Tuesday evenings at Chief Sealth International High School. Starting dates vary by group. To register and for more info, please see WSCO’s website, www.wscorchestras.org, or contact WSCOrchestras@gmail.com for more info.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:24 AM: Good morning. As we get going, we’re hearing via scanner about a police investigation that’s about to close SW Webster by the precinct, west of Delridge. More on that as we get it.
Reminders:
BACK TO SCHOOL: All local schools are now open.
SW EDMUNDS CLOSURE: In The Junction, a road-panel-replacement project has SW Edmunds closed west of California. (Details are in this Wednesday report.)
6:59 AM: The SW Webster closure is not affecting traffic on Delridge, nor the Home Depot entrance west of the precinct, but the street is taped off at Delridge.
Per scanner, they are looking into some kind of suspicious item.
7:28 AM: Per scanner and per our crew in the area, the investigation has ended and SW Webster is being reopened.
EARLY THURSDAY: Received from texter, who says police have been notified and the school (Louisa Boren STEM K-8) will be notified this morning:
Reporting a harassment/attempted luring of a child on Delridge after school. White 4-door older compact car. One man in car, older 20s to young 30s. Light brown complexion. 3:30-3:35 pm. First contact just north of school, Delridge and Juneau. Drove around the block and approached again on the next block, across from Super 24. She didn’t report to me until I got home from work.
Here’s a Seattle Police list of safety advice for youth.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON: Thanks to the parent who shared the letter that subsequently was sent to parents:
Dear STEM families,
It has been an exciting start to school, and with the increase of students on the streets while walking to and from school or their bus stops, there may be situations that challenge our students’ personal safety. I want to take this opportunity to let you know we are working with the Seattle Police Department to ensure our students are taught about personal safety and highlight an incident where a student responded successfully to a situation.
Around 3:45 p.m. yesterday, one of our students reported a male in his late 20s in a white compact sedan tried to engage her in conversation twice as she walked home from school. The student responded appropriately and remained safe. Police were notified, and as of today, the Seattle Police Department is continuing to gather additional information and working closely with the District’s Safety and Security Department. Although in this incident there was no specific attempt to get the student into the car, we wanted to make sure parents are alerted.
Our school also wants to make sure students both feel safe and are safe, therefore staff will be discussing personal safety with our students. During these discussions, our goal is to allow students to talk about their concerns and give them additional personal safety skills.
You can also help your children simply by talking and listening to them. A following link to Seattle Police Department’s “Personal Safety for Children” may be helpful in family discussions: http://www.seattle.gov/police/community-policing/youth-safety-tips. We encourage you to be sensitive to your child and to call us if we can help in any way.
Sincerely,
Ben Ostrom
Principal
If you’re hoping to wake up to smokelessness … you might be disappointed. The National Weather Service’s Air Quality Alert for our area was extended and is in effect through noon tomorrow. And the waning-from-full moon tonight is still red/orange. The newest “forecast discussion” says they’re hopeful it will clear out by Friday, and there’s still some chance of showers on the way.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Got something you wish your City Council representative would help with? You should have been at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting, SWDC’s first one in two months (like many community/neighborhood groups, SWDC leaves August off the meeting calendar). The centerpiece of the meeting was a multi-issue update from, and Q&A with, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold – taxes, transportation, and more.
COUNCILMEMBER SPOTLIGHT: SWDC invited City Councilmember Lisa Herbold to come speak to, and hear from, SWDC. She addressed some issues she’d been asked about before the meeting – for example, she said SDOT acknowledged it should have done some neighborhood outreach before its late-night work to convert 59th/Admiral to an all-way stop (as they told us for this followup). She added that SDOT said this was a community-requested project, with support from Alki Elementary‘s principal and PTSA, and they will be monitoring the “functionality of the intersection” for six months – pedestrian counts, collisions, compliance among other things. Tony Fragada, who represents the Alki Community Council on the SWDC, said his group had agreed that something needed to be done to slow traffic there.
Next update: She said the city’s planning to continue using the new Your Voice, Your Choice participatory-budgeting process for upcoming funding processes, as it did for the Neighborhood Park and Street Fund. But, she reminded, the city has an executive change coming up – a new mayor – and her priorities (whichever woman is elected mayor) will come into play.
(Site plan showing where self-storage building would span what’s currently city right-of-way)
Three weeks ago, we reported on a City Council committee approving a “street vacation” requested for the West Coast Self-Storage project on the way to 3252 Harbor Avenue SW, in partnership with Nucor, because of that company’s use of undeveloped right-of-way for adjacent train tracks. This week, the council gave its unanimous approval to the proposal. When it’s finalized, the undeveloped sections of 29th SW and City View involved in the request (see the map above) would be sold to WCSS and Nucor at fair-market value. The final version of the ordinance includes the 12 items, valued at $305,000, that would be provided as “public benefit,” required for right-of-way to be given up in this way. The project will be a 56-foot-high building with 850 storage units.
We mentioned road work on SW Edmunds west of California SW in this morning’s traffic coverage – and now we have full details from SDOT spokesperson Norm Mah:
This paving project began today. It will replace concrete panels in the EB lane of SW Edmunds St between 44th Ave SW and California Ave SW.
This section of SW Edmunds is closed in both directions, and will be closed for the duration of the project. The crew anticipates that the road will re-open to traffic by Sunday afternoon. A uniformed police officer will be on-site to help direct traffic while the work is being completed. SDOT would like to thank the public for its patience while this work is completed.
First word of the closure came in late yesterday, when Metro sent an alert about temporary rerouting of Route 22.
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