day : 20/12/2017 11 results

UPDATE: Crash on southbound 35th at Dawson

December 20, 2017 11:52 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

11:52 PM: Thanks to Amy for the tip. She says the two southbound lanes of 35th SW are blocked by a crash at Dawson. SFD and SPD have both responded to the scene.

12:30 AM: SFD has closed out of the call.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Camera thief on camera; packages taken; bike stolen; more

Four reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch, the first two with video:

CAMERA STOLEN: A resident in the Westcrest Park area shares two videos from early Sunday, when someone removed/stole his doorbell/camera combination:

The theft occurred at 1:17 am on 12/17/17 and I’ve captured it via both the doorbell/camera (until it was yanked off the wall) and a camera on the eaves of my house.

… You will note in the (second video) that the recording stops midway through as the doorbell/camera was removed from the front wall of my house.

It is interesting from the first video that the thief doesn’t go directly to the doorbell/camera but moves off to the side, (but looking to his right at the doorbell/camera as he approaches the house), and then quickly moves in to steal the doorbell (on the other video), perhaps trying to evade being captured on video. The thief is walking purposefully like he knew there was a doorbell/camera there that he wanted to disable. And what was he doing out at 1:17 am? Why is an open padlock hanging from his coat? Is he a smoker given he has a cigarette lighter in his hand? Someone was in the front bedroom to the immediate left of the front door and didn’t hear anything.

If you have any information, the SPD incident # is 17-464158.

PACKAGES STOLEN: This next security video and report are from Ryan:

Had several packages stolen from my front door at 1:55 pm (Tuesday). 37th and Brandon. Older white Subaru wagon pulled directly into the driveway and passenger hopped out and walked up to front door to grab the boxes. Thief dressed in jeans and black puffy jacket with hood pulled over head so couldn’t see the face. Captured on door camera but not enough to identify car plates.

BIKE STOLEN: From Coty:

My husband’s bike was stolen from behind our townhouse on Delridge near Southwest Plumbing sometime between yesterday and this afternoon. It’s a red Mercier bike with a seat bag and a light on front. If you happen to see it, please let me know!

CAR WINDOW SMASHED: From Niccole:

My grandmother’s car window was smashed late last night. This is the second time and we wanted to alert people. We live on 13th Ave SW. It appears that there is nothing stolen — just, someone broke the window.

TONIGHT’S LIGHTS: Super-size Santa hat

With the clear, dry weather tonight, it’s a perfect time to look at lights – even just a walk around your neighborhood. This one is an eye-catcher on the north end of Arbor Heights, on the north side of SW Roxbury at 36th SW. We’ve featured it before – in 2007 and 2011 – but hadn’t seen it in a few years, until an AH resident sent the photo (thank you!). To see the other lights we’ve featured this season, scroll through our newest-to-oldest archive. We also have a list of lights-and-music shows in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. Speaking of which, something special tomorrow night:

Brownie Troop 41169 will be at West Seattle Lights handing out hot cocoa to anyone who stops by with a non-perishable food donation (or small cash donations) for the West Seattle Food Bank. They are hoping to spread a little cheer and help boost food donations during the holidays. If you haven’t stopped by this house yet, there is no better time! Our Brownies would love to give you a cocoa to warm yourself while you watch the light show. We hope to see you there!

What: Cocoa for a Cause
When: Thursday 12/21 from 6:30-8 pm
Where: 3908 SW Charlestown

NEW YEAR’S EVE: Metro offering free rides

From King County:

For the first time, King County Metro will offer free rides on New Year’s Eve between 4 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, and 4 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, including DART and Access service. In addition, Metro will add service to its night routes. The Seattle Streetcar will also be free on New Year’s Eve and Sound Transit will extend Link light rail service between Angle Lake and the University of Washington.

“As we put the finishing touches on 2017, we want you to be able to get out on the town and come home safe,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Whether you are heading to the Seattle Center or other King County destinations on New Year’s Eve, Metro will get you there and back, all for free. It’s our way of saying thank you for making Metro the nation’s best transit system, and we look forward to riding with you next year.”

“We want people to go have a good time and know they can get home safely, affordably, and reliably,” said King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, who proposed the idea.

Metro will operate regular Sunday schedules on New Year’s Eve with extra buses as needed on several routes serving destinations such as Seattle Center, Capitol Hill and downtown. New Year’s revelers can take advantage of Metro’s recently expanded Night Owl network, with added service on major routes between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Sound Transit will operate extended Link light rail service with trains running northbound from Angle Lake Station every 30 minutes until 1:30 a.m. Southbound trains from the University of Washington will run until 2 a.m.

The Seattle Streetcar will operate until 1 a.m.

Metro routes with added service as needed will include 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 14, 24, 32, 36, 40, 41, 62, 65, 70, 101, 106, 120, 124, 150, 255, RapidRide A, B, C, D and E Lines, and ST 550, ST 554. The fareboxes and ORCA card readers on Metro buses will be covered to remind customers not to pay. A regular valid fare will be required on Sound Transit Express buses.

‘Outdoor preschool’ program expanding to Lincoln Park

December 20, 2017 3:15 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | West Seattle schools


(Lincoln Park aerial photo from 2012, by Long Bach Nguyen

Lincoln Park is the second West Seattle park chosen by the city as a site for an “outdoor preschool.”

This is the second year of a city pilot project allowing these types of preschools in four city parks. Tiny Trees has been operating one at Camp Long, the only West Seattle park on that initial list.

This past October, the Parks Department came up with a list of nine parks where it would allow outdoor preschool to continue, or to begin. That list included Camp Long and Lincoln Park. And it issued a call for interested preschool operators.

The application and vetting process has just ended, and Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin tells WSB that Tiny Trees and a second company called Roots & Sky are the two providers chosen for the nine parks. In addition to Tiny Trees continuing at Camp Long, Schulkin says, “Roots & Sky is the provider that we intend to work with in offering outdoor preschool at Lincoln Park.” We couldn’t find information about them online, and followed up with Schulkin, who explained:

Roots & Sky is a new business. In addition to applying to utilize Lincoln Park as their preschool site, they are applying to the Seattle Preschool Program (pathway program) which would provide crucial funding and support for them to operate. With successful acceptance into the Seattle Preschool Program they will then acquire a business license. Our intent to move into an agreement with them is dependent upon both successful acceptance into the Seattle Preschool Program (pathway program) and acquisition of a business license. If those things don’t happen, we will not move forward with Roots & Sky as an outdoor preschool provider at Lincoln Park.

She says Parks is working on a Memorandum of Agreement with both providers “to lay out the specifics/expectations regarding outdoor preschools in Seattle Parks.” Before agreements are finalized, she says, there will be a community meeting at Lincoln Park to discuss:

-SPR’s goals around partnering with outdoor preschools
-what we have learned after our first year of piloting these programs,
-some information about how outdoor preschools work and their agreements with SPR.

We will also have time to answer community questions.

No date set for that meeting yet. And yes, the preschool providers do pay the city for use of the parks – “There is a monthly fee depending on the hours of preschool (the exact cost are a discounted rate based upon our rental rates), additional fees are charged for any added maintenance needed.”

One non-West Seattle park in the pilot program, by the way, was excluded for future preschool use, according to this city document, John C. Little, “because of deteriorating site conditions and overuse.”

In case you don’t already have this view …

It’s a spectacular sunny day, with the Olympic Mountains fully in view, and James Bratsanos shared these photos. So we are sharing them in turn while we head out to check on a few stories. Here’s his view north to Alki Point:

And more Olympics.

Looks like clear skies at least through winter’s official arrival tomorrow.

DEVELOPMENT: 35th SW proposal would save, move house, while adding townhouses

(King County Assessor’s photo of 9238 35th SW)

While townhouse-building along arterials is not unusual, the plan for 9238 35th SW [map] is: Instead of demolishing the 84-year-old single-family house on this multi-family-zoned (Lowrise 2) site, the early-stage proposal that’s just appeared in city files would move the house forward on its current lot, and build four townhouses behind it. The detached garage on the alley at the back of the site would be removed, replaced by surface parking spaces. A house two doors north of this one had two townhouses built behind it in the ’00s but as far as we can tell, the house remained in its original spot. We have a request out to the project team for comment.

What’s up for your West Seattle Wednesday

December 20, 2017 10:46 am
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 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(North wind met high tide along Alki Ave. this morning – photo by Don Brubeck)

Last full day of fall, and last Wednesday before Christmas … things are getting quieter but we still do have a few highlights from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and Event Calendar:

HELP SOMEBODY KEEP WARM: Still time to join in the giving opportunties listed in the Holiday Guide, including at the offices of Dave Newman State Farm Insurance (WSB sponsor), collecting clothes, coats, and shoes for West Seattle Helpline. “For those who have donations but are unable to transport their clothes, coats and shoes to the donation location, a pickup may be available – call 206-932-1878.” Open today until 5 pm. (3435 California SW)

PRESCHOOLER STORY TIME: 1:30-2 pm at High Point Library. Free as always. (3411 SW Raymond)

KIDS EAT FREE: 2:45-3:30 pm, Kids’ Café food for ages 1-18 at High Point Library, so no one goes hungry during winter break. (3411 SW Raymond)

LIGHT SHOW ON ALKI: Added presentation of the Alki show presented by the Uehara-Bingen family. 25 minutes long. Arrive at 6:15 pm, show starts at 6:30 pm. “Totally kid-friendly!” (1736 Alki SW)

OTHER LIGHT SHOWS: From our Holiday Guide – West Seattle Lights (3908 SW Charlestown) continues 5-10 pm tonight – bring a can for the West Seattle Food Bank! Also, West Seattle Yuletide (38th SW between Genesee and Dakota) continues 5:30-9 pm tonight, and Austin Street Lights (3711 SW Austin) continues tonight, 4-10 pm.

OPEN MIC: Sign up at 7:30 pm at The Skylark. Give yourself the holiday-season gift of performance! (3803 Delridge Way SW)

DEADGRASS: Bluegrass-style Jerry Garcia/Grateful Dead tunes at Parliament Tavern. 8 pm-11 pm. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

HOLIDAY CHANGES: Trash, recycling pickup days will shift for next 2 weeks

With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day on the next two Mondays, trash, recycling, and yard-waste pickup days will change for the next two weeks. Here’s the announcement, hust in from Seattle Public Utilities:

Due to back-to-back Monday holidays, all garbage, food and yard waste and recycling in Seattle will be delayed by one day for a duration of two weeks, starting Monday, Dec. 25, 2017.

There will be no solid waste collections on Monday, Dec. 25, 2017 and Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Collections will be delayed by one day from normal schedules (e.g. collections for Monday will occur on Tuesday, Tuesday collections will occur on Wednesday, and so on). Customers should set containers out by 7 a.m. to ensure collection.

Customers can report missed garbage, food and yard waste, or recycling collections after 5 p.m. on their rescheduled collection day by calling (206) 684-3000, or filling out a report at www.seattle.gov/util/MissedCollection.

NEW YEAR’S EVE: ‘Kid Party’ moves to bigger location

December 20, 2017 9:25 am
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 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

Haven’t locked in your New Year’s Eve plans yet? We’re continuing to add to the list in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, which already includes ideas from bar parties to the annual Emerald City Wanderers walk, and here’s the newest addition:

A big new venue for the “Kid Party” that jammed the Admiral Bird last year. Co-proprietors Corina and Heidi now also run historic, renovated South Park Hall, just over the ridge (1253 S. Cloverdale), and they’re moving the “Kid Party” there this year. 7-9 pm, with the East Coast ball drop on a big screen, plus a hot-cocoa bar for the kids, “adult drinks” for their chaperones, pulled-pork sliders, mac and cheese, dancing, activity tables … Tickets are available in advance online for $10/person, or $15 at the door.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch, last full day of fall

December 20, 2017 7:06 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

7:06 AM: Good morning. No incidents reported in or from West Seattle so far.

In Pierce County, southbound I-5 remains closed at the train-derailment scene, WSDOT says, with cleanup continuing and repairs to be made.

7:25 AM: Still incident-free. We should mention this is the last full day of fall; winter solstice is Thursday at 8:28 am, and Thursday night brings Alice Enevoldsen‘s winter-solstice sunset watch in West Seattle.