West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“I just want to thank you.”
Midway through our coffeehouse conversation with four local neighborhood-group reps about why they’re part of a citywide challenge to the city’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda upzoning plan, a woman walked up to the table and addressed that to them.
She admitted she had been eavesdropping and “figured out what you were talking about.” She says she lives in the Junction area – which is where we were talking – and doesn’t want the upzoning to happen.
But, she added, “I don’t know what I can do to help.” The four offered suggestions immediately. Earl Lee of the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition said, “We need every soldier we can get.”
Amanda Sawyer, who has led the Junction Neighborhood Organization for half a year, mentioned JuNO’s Land Use Committee will be talking about HALA and the appeal at a meeting tomorrow (6:30 pm Thursday, December 7th, Senior Center of West Seattle).
Equipped with ideas, the woman moved on. The four were heartened by that unsolicited feedback. What their groups had joined is not universally popular – some supporters of the proposed upzoning accuse opponents of being elitist, wealthy, interested only in keeping their theoretical white-picket-fence gates slammed shut to newcomers.
Not at all, these four insist. But before we go further, introductions and backstory.
Thanks to Judy Pickens for the report and photo:
The concept of giving donations in lieu of more stuff for Christmas gained momentum during the second annual West Seattle Alternative Giving Fair.
(Bill Zoellner, who chairs the church’s homelessness task force, took donations for gift cards to help low-income families of local elementary students)
Hosted last Saturday and Sunday by Fauntleroy Church UCC for 19 local, national, and international programs, the fair brought in $11,291 to strengthen families and communities, support elders, care for creation, and respond to hunger and homelessness. Thanks to generous area residents, this “giving from the heart” represents a 37% increase over last year.
P.S. Still many opportunities for holiday giving – in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, you’ll find a list of donation drives – including giving trees – and volunteer opportunities that we’ve heard about so far.
The photo and report are from Linda:
Some “POS” stole my niece’s car from in front of our house 12/5 late at night or 12/6 early morning – Merry Christmas. She was in the process of moving to my house from far away and still had several items still needing to be unloaded including: Social security cards, birth certificate, blankets, important legal papers, clothes, my great nieces backpack for school complete with school work and book from library, assorted goods and sundry. License #BFR9941, Tan, 1990 Honda Accord LX.
We will add the theft location when we hear back from Linda. Meantime, if you see this car, call 911. Police report #17-449471.
Just received from Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Burbridge, one of the occasional notifications that a Level 3 sex offender has moved into the area:
In an effort to keep you informed, and in our constant attempts to reduce future victimization, we want to let you know about one level 3 sex offender that has recently moved into the Southwest Precinct area.
Douglas Cole, a 49-year-old White male, is a level 3 registered sex offender who has recently moved to the 9400 block of 4th Ave SW. Mr. Cole is no longer under Department of Corrections supervision.
Detective Foster from the Seattle Police Department’s Sex Offender Detail is responsible for verifying his addresses as long as he is living there.
To learn more about this offender and for additional safety tips please visit the website at www.waspc.org and search by his name. [Editor’s note: You will find his photo and background here.]
If you have further questions about this offenders, contact Michelle McRae of the Seattle Police Sex Offender Detail at (206) 684-5581 or e-mail at michelle.mcrae@seattle.gov.
To register to receive an email alert whenever a published offender registers within one mile of your desired addresses, go to this link.
Level 3 sex offenders pose the highest risk to re-offend. It is normal to feel upset, angry and worried about a registered sex offender living in your community. The Community Notification Act of 1990 requires sex offenders to register in the community where they live. The law also allows local law enforcement to make the public aware about Level 2 and Level 3 offenders. Since these offenders have completed their sentences, they are free to live where they wish. Experts believe sex offenders are less likely to re-offend if they live and work in an environment free of harassment. Any actions taken against the listed sex offenders could result in arrest and prosecution as it is against the law to use this information in any way to threaten, intimidate or harass registered sex offenders. The SPD Sex offender detectives will check on these offenders every 3 months to verify our information.
The single most effective means of protecting your child is communication with your child. They have to feel comfortable discussing sensitive matters with you. Teach your children that they should not be asked to touch anyone in the bathing suit areas of their body or allow anyone to touch them in those areas. Teach them types of situations to avoid. It is not good enough to tell a child to avoid strangers. Please remember that children are most often molested by someone they or their parents know.
Please call me to schedule a Block Watch meeting if your block is interested. My office phone at the precinct is (206) 256-6820.
What started on Columbia Street downtown with a bus-stop relocation will continue with major work that starts next week. Since so many West Seattleites use Columbia to get to The Viaduct, we got a preview today in a conversation with Metro and SDOT reps.
The project is officially called the Columbia Street 2-Way Transit Corridor. Columbia will eventually be the main route that transit from Highway 99 and Alaskan Way gets into and out of downtown. It’ll be used three different ways in three phases over the span of about 4 years, from fall 2018 to summer 2022, but first, here’s what’s going to happen starting next Monday:
*Columbia will be narrowed between 1st and 3rd Avenues, to two travel lanes. No on-street parking in work zones. Buses will follow the same routes they do now. Work will start on the north side of the street between 1st and 2nd, with a lane closed around the clock (minimal impacts expected for the sidewalks), and some full-weekend street closures – no dates yet.
*The street will get new concrete pavement to better handle the increased bus traffic that’s in its future.
*While the street’s dug up, the city also will replace the old water main beneath both blocks of Columbia from 1st to 3rd – they’ve been working to synergize that kind of upgrade with major road projects, to reduce the chance it’ll have to be done later.
*This phase of the work is expected to continue into June 2018. When it’s done, Columbia will go back to its current configuration – the 2-way configuration will be done in the future.
So all this work will be done between now and next June. The three phases of how bus routing will be handled are:
*During the Alaskan Way Viaduct’s month-or-so pre-demolition closure while Highway 99 is being connected to the tunnel, possibly as soon as November 2018, there’s a “SODO surface routing” that’s being planned, as shown on the map. This will affect Metro Routes 21x, 37, 55, 56, 57, 113, 120, 121, 122, 123, 125, C Line. (yellow on the map)
*While the Viaduct is being demolished, roughly February 2019-February 2020, 1st Avenue routing into the heart of downtown is planned. (blue on the map)
*Once the Viaduct is demolished and more work on Columbia west of 1st is complete, the permanent 2-way pathway into and out of downtown will be operational. Columbia will be the connector between Alaskan Way and 3rd Avenue. (green on the map)
But again, in the short run, all you’ll notice is the construction starting next Monday. Drivers who want to avoid the resulting congestion on Columbia will want to get to the Viaduct on-ramp via 1st, from the south or north, or avoid the Viaduct and access the West Seattle Bridge other ways. Bus riders already have seen their stop relocated, and this won’t affect it.
Two biznotes this afternoon:
CORNER POCKET LIQUOR-LICENSE APPLICATION: You might recall the saga of the Corner Pocket‘s future, as previously reported here in October, with Easy Street Records proprietor Matt Vaughan saying he had hoped to take it over. Its prospective new operators are now listed publicly on a liquor-license application, filed by an entity called Westside Pubs Inc., led by Peter Olive, with other names on the application cross-referencing online as being or having been his co-proprietors of a bar and arcade in Renton. No remodeling applications on file with the city so far.
DOMINO’S SIGN UP AT SPRINGLINE: Speaking of city permit applications, we reported back in May that we had found one showing Domino’s Pizza seeking to open a second West Seattle location in a space at Springline in South Admiral. Now, as several readers point out (including @karizma23, who tweeted the photo), the sign is up.
We are attempting to make contact with the corporation to ask about the timeline for opening.
(Added 12/8) A Domino’s spokesperson tells us it’s expected to open in about two weeks.
Maybe you are – or know – a veteran who could benefit from this event just announced by South Seattle College (WSB sponsor):
South Seattle College’s Georgetown Campus will host the seventh annual Seattle Stand Down on Dec. 14-15, where homeless and at-risk Veterans and their families will be offered free access to a wide array of resources and services.
Seattle Stand Down is a one-stop shop for resources and services available to Veterans who currently lack permanent housing or simply need a “hand up” in order to prevent homelessness. Representatives from local businesses, non-profits, educational institutions, and all levels of government will be on hand with volunteers to provide medical screenings, eye exams, dental services, legal aid, employment opportunities, housing assistance, case management referrals, haircuts, personal hygiene items and meals. The two-day event will offer employment assistance through a partnership with SSC’s on-campus WorkSource Office and the King County Veterans Program. Extensive legal resources will be provided by the NW Justice Project and Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP.
Seattle Stand Down is unique from other stand down events in that it provides designated areas for the safety and comfort of women Veterans. Providers will offer women-specific services including health care, advocacy, counseling, employment and personal care.
According to the King County Veterans Program, at least 1360 Veterans are experiencing homelessness at this very moment within King County. In 2016, the Seattle Stand Down provided services to nearly 350 homeless and at-risk homeless Veterans in need.
The Seattle Colleges District is the host of Seattle Stand Down for the seventh year in a row. The event was founded as a community service project of student Veterans at Seattle Central College, and is organized today by a group of dedicated Veteran volunteers from the colleges and community.
Major funding for Seattle Stand Down has been made possible through a Veterans Employment and Training Service grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Additional support is provided by the King County Veterans Program, funded by the Veteran and Human Services Levy.
EVENT DETAILS
Location: South Seattle College’s Georgetown Campus as 6737 Corson Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98108. Participants will check in at the Gene Colin Education Hall – Building C.
Please view our Georgetown Campus map
Directions to Georgetown CampusTime: Running Thursday, Dec. 14 and Friday, Dec. 15 at SSC’s Georgetown Campus, the event opens for registration at 7:00 a.m. on Dec. 14 and services will be available from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. that day. On Dec. 15, registration begins at 7:00 a.m. with services available from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Parking and Transportation: Free parking passes will be made available to Veterans receiving services.
For both days of the event, King County Metro and Sound Transit have agreed to provide free rides for all Veterans. They must carry one type of four accepted forms of government ID, or the special bus pass Metro has printed for Veterans that lack identification (available at local social service providers). This means that Veterans with any one of the ID forms listed below can travel on any Metro and Sound Transit bus, and both the LINK light rail and the Sounder train.
Forms of identification accepted:
– Veteran Health Identification (ID) Card– Uniformed Identification (ID) Card
– Veteran designation on driver’s license
– DD-214
Attendees should use “CORSON AVE S & EAST MARGINAL WAY” as their destination if using trip planners. Anyone with questions on the best transit route can call Hopelink Mobility at 425-943-6760.
Here’s the official flyer (PDF).
(Fauntleroy Boulevard ‘final design’ – click here to see full-size image on city website)
Since SDOT has long been saying that work on the Fauntleroy Boulevard project could start in “early 2018” but has yet to announce a date or even the final construction-routing decision, we’ve been asking about the status, noting that the timeline must have slid since there’s been nothing official. (When the rechannelization-and-medians project was “re-initiated” a year ago, the estimated start was “late 2017.”) More than two weeks after our first inquiry, we finally got a response:
You are correct, there haven’t been any recent communications about the project; only because there haven’t been project changes or updates to inform people about. The most current information is still what is included on the SDOT website. We’re in the early construction planning phase and continuing to coordinate with Sound Transit on timelines. The project team plans to send a year-end update by the end of December to the email list and stakeholders.
The most-recent update was two months ago, when SDOT announced the final design, including a left-turn break at 37th SW. The announcement at that time had included “This fall, we’ll begin pre-construction outreach, including sharing more information about traffic routing during construction,” but with SDOT’s word of a “year-end update,” that outreach has slid to winter. (The Junction Neighborhood Organization has told us they’re expecting a briefing at their quarterly meeting in January.)
The last formal public briefing about the project in West Seattle was this one at the Chamber of Commerce’s May lunch. In June, SDOT had said they’d share the construction-routing decision when the final design was revealed, but that didn’t happen. The alternatives have been described as keeping one lane open each way, which would lengthen the construction process, or detouring eastbound traffic while keeping Fauntleroy open westbound.
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the photo of brant in flight, seen from where she was watching Southern Resident Killer Whales head southbound on Tuesday (right now, they’re headed back this way, northbound!). As for scheduled events, here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:
HOT TOPICS FOR SENIORS: Noon-1:30 pm at Southwest Library, “a brown-bag-lunch discussion group committed to understanding issues of importance to current and future seniors.” Today, “Sharing Humor.” (9010 35th SW)
HOUR OF CODE: 2:30-4 pm, introduction to computer science, all ages, at Southwest Library. (9010 35th SW)
SEE THE LIGHTS! Still no rain, so another great night to see holiday lights. Including:
–Menashe Family Lights, on at dusk (5605 Beach Drive SW)
–West Seattle Lights, synched to music, 5-9 pm (3908 SW Charlestown)
–West Seattle Yuletide, synched to music, 5:30-9 pm (east side of 38th SW between Genesee and Dakota)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. Agenda, from outgoing co-chair David Whiting:
6:30 pm – Welcome and Introductions , including:
• Transition from current SWDC leadership to new executive committee6:45 pm – Dakota Homestead Project
• Kristen Corning Bedford and Becca Bay7:00 pm – Community Involvement Commission
• Jenna Franklin, At-Large Member & West Seattle resident7:30 pm HALA MHA EIS appeal
• Rich Koehler, Junction Neighborhood Organization
• Cindi Barker, Morgan Community Association
All welcome. (4217 SW Oregon)
ALKI ELEMENTARY PTA: 6:30 pm meeting. (3010 59th SW)
JIM PAGE: Singer-songwriter performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
BASKETBALL: 7:30 pm at Chief Sealth International High School, the girls-varsity team plays Nathan Hale. (2600 SW Thistle)
CHEESY MUSIC: No, really! 8-11 pm at Parliament Tavern. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
Something for the calendar and/or Holiday Guide? We’re updating daily – but please send as early as you can! editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
(Added 4:04 pm – photo by Monica Zaborac)
10:28 AM: Thanks to the texter who reports Orca Network commenters have just seen orcas headed northbound past Point Robinson on Maury Island, across the Sound from Des Moines, so if they keep heading this way, they could be within view from West Seattle before too long. If they’re the same ones seen southbound yesterday, they’re Southern Resident Killer Whales.
11 AM: Orca Network commenter reports them near Three Tree Point as of about 10 minutes ago, still northbound.
11:32 AM: Texter says they’re seeing whale spouts from the Fauntleroy ferry dock vicinity.
12:48 PM: In view from Lowman, Kersti says in comments!
2:01 PM: Gary comments that at least two are in view just south of Alki Point, still northbound.
4:05 PM: Judging by Orca Network discussion, they’ve passed West Seattle now, still heading north.
Photo added 9:36 am
The West Seattle Trader Joe’s store was expected to reopen this morning after its four-day power outage ended last night, and indeed, multiple WSB readers report, it did. The outage started very early Saturday after a suspected DUI driver rolled his car into the transformer and other equipment on the north side of the store at 4545 Fauntleroy Way SW; City Light told WSB that its part of the repairs were completed by Saturday night but other equipment belonging to the store had to be fixed before they could reconnect, and that took until last night. (While any prolonged closure of a business would be news, this store holds a special place in West Seattle lore due to the many years community members clamored for it, a long wait that finally ended when the conversion of a former car-sales business was completed with the store’s opening in April 2012.)
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Another dry day on the way, and so far, no incidents reported on the roads/paths in/from West Seattle.
Thanks to West Seattle High School boys-basketball head coach Keffrey Fazio for the report:
West Seattle boys basketball traveled to O’Dea high school last night. The Wildcats lost in overtime 57 to 55. Leading scorer for West Seattle was senior Anthony Giomi with 19 points. Wildcats are now 2-1 on the season.
Next up: Friday at Ingraham.
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