West Seattle, Washington
06 Thursday
1:14 PM: More sightings at sea – this time, whales! Thanks to Kersti Muul for letting us know that orcas are on the west side of the Sound, passing Blake Island, headed southbound. So if you go look – bring good binoculars.
1:40 PM: In a comment below, Jen says it appears they’re turning west, toward Southworth.
1:10 PM: Thanks to the texter who tipped us about a U.S. Coast Guard vessel close-in off Alki Beach a little while ago. We went over for a photo and discovered it’s with the USCG Aids to Navigation Team (here’s what they do). We have a message out to the USCG in hopes of finding out what it was up to, so close to shore. Also in the area, according to MarineTraffic.com, two other USCG vessels – buoy tender USCGC Henry Blake (which we last mentioned after receiving a photo in 2014) and USCGC Midgett.
ADDED 7:30 PM: Thanks to Anne Noonan for the photo of the Midgett (and the Olympics). Meantime, USCG public affairs is checking on what the ANT crew was doing so close to shore – check back here tomorrow.
ADDED THURSDAY: From the Coast Guard:
Their crew aboard the 55-foot Aids to Navigation Boat (ANB) was training while they were out. The set out a temporary buoy and simulated servicing it, then ran a few engineering drills.
All of the buoys we’re responsible for are on a regular servicing schedule, where Aids to Navigation (ATON) units will pull the buoy out of the water, check the wear on the buoy itself, the chain and the sinker, either a rock or a dor-mor (sinkers are a large cement block the other end of the chain is attached to. A dor-mor is a pyramid shaped piece of cast iron, these are typically used by the ANT teams, while sinkers are used by the cutters) and replace parts as needed.
Regarding a few points in comments:
There are only four small boats in the entire Coast Guard that have names and all are stationed in our district. Those are the 52-foot Motor Life Boats, Triumph II in Ilwaco, Washington, Invincible II in Westport, Intrepid in Charleston, Oregon, and the Victory in Newport. All our other small boats are referred to by length and type (e.g. 29-foot Response Boat-Medium II). So within the service we just refer to the 55’s and either the 55’s or an ANB.
As for the Midgett, it was not on fire … That was just it working. As for what they were doing, the crew recently wrapped up work on one of the main diesel engines and was conducting a sea trial of it.
They were scheduled to be back out today – though we didn’t make it down to the water, so we didn’t see firsthand.
10:45 AM: Thanks for the tip about a power outage on Harbor Island. The City Light map confirms 200+ customers out both on Harbor Island and east, around Spokane St. east of Highway 99. SDOT reports downed wires in 1st/Spokane vicinity.
11:01 AM: Eastbound Spokane is blocked west of 1st; stoplights are out on E. Marginal at, and north of, Spokane. The light on Spokane east of the low bridge is out too, though the bridge itself appears to be operating normally.
12:04 PM: Texter says they have power back, and the SCL map confirms the outage is partly resolved.
12:39 PM: The map shows Harbor Island is all back on except for a few spots south of the low bridge.
4:28 PM: Added above, a photo of the power pole that was hit, causing the outage. About two dozen customers are still shown as out, along Spokane between 99 and 4th Ave. S.
It’s been almost 10 years since we first published news of a new burger joint headed this way – Zippy’s Giant Burgers, which almost instantly became mega-popular. It outgrew its original Highland Park location, and after almost three years in operation, announced it was moving to a bigger space in White Center. 
After three more years came news a second Zippy’s would open in Georgetown. Some months back, a few readers pointed out that location was listed for sale. It’s still for sale, Zippy’s announced today … but in the meantime, it will close at the end of this month. Via social media, proprietor Blaine Cook wrote this morning: “I’ve never claimed to be a business man or a restaurateur. Just a simple man that saw an opportunity and went for it. As the years pass it’s become quite apparent that I don’t have the personality or the temperament to oversee the operations of two restaurants.” March 31st is listed as the last day Georgetown (5633 Airport Way S.) will be open; White Center (9614 14th SW) soldiers on.
(Downy woodpecker, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Just a sampling of what’s happening around West Seattle today/tonight – and, as we begin, what’s NOT happening:
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY FACILITIES CLOSED: Today’s the one-day closure systemwide so staffers can have an “in-service day” – back to normal operations tomorrow.
‘THE GREATEST MOVIES YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF’: 1 pm today at the Senior Center of West Seattle, the matinee is 1946’s “Notorious.” $1 members/$2 non-members, and free popcorn! (4217 SW Oregon)
DINE OUT FOR DAKOTA: As previewed here last night, five local restaurants – are donating part of their proceeds 5-10 pm to the Urban Homestead Foundation’s continuing quest to buy the former City Light substation site at 50th/Dakota.
FREE IN-STORE CONCERT, DOUBLE BILL: At Easy Street Records, 5 pm, short sets by Barrett Martin Group and All Souls, followed by an in-store signing session. Free and all-ages. (California SW/SW Alaska)
TALK ABOUT IT: 5:30-7:30 pm, be at Southwest Teen Life Center to be part of the West Seattle community conversation about choosing a new Seattle Police Chief. More info here, including an online survey. (2801 SW Thistle)
DANCE TIME! Musician Lauren Petrie plays, you dance. 6-8 pm at the Senior Center. No-host bar available, too. (4217 SW Oregon)
ST. PATRICK’S DAY DASH TRAINING RUN: 6:15 pm, be at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) for a free training run looking ahead to this month’s St. Patrick’s Day Dash. Wear green if you want. More info in our calendar listing. (2743 California SW)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: Parking, schools, and more are on the agenda, as previewed here. SWDC’s all-volunteer leadership wants to be sure you know that everybody’s welcome to come hear and talk about West Seattle issues – renters, owners, workers, students, whatever your stake in the area. 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. (4217 SW Oregon)
JIM PAGE: Singer-songwriter performing for you at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
TRIANGULAR JAZZTET: Live at Whisky West, 7 pm, no cover, 21+. (6451 California SW)
ONLY THE BEGINNING … to see what else is up today/tonight/beyond, browse our complete calendar!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! No incidents currently reported in/from West Seattle.
8:25 AM: Just heard via scanner – police are being sent to Delridge/Edmunds to help with traffic because of a truck that’s having some kind of trouble turning.
(WSB photo)
1:03 AM: Thanks for the tips. California SW is blocked north of Fauntleroy right now because of a flipped-car crash. Everyone is reported to be out of the vehicle. More to come.
1:20 AM: The car is flipped on California between Fauntleroy and Graham, per our crew. Police say one person was inside, a woman, who is being taken to the hospital by private ambulance.
1:37 AM: Photo added. At least one parked car was damaged.
(Photo courtesy Urban Homestead Foundation)
Go out to dinner on Wednesday night, and you can help a community group in its quest to save a scrap of greenspace for community use. Five restaurants – two in Admiral, three in The Junction – are donating part of their proceeds 5-10 pm Wednesday night to “Dine Out for Dakota,” benefiting the Urban Homestead Foundation‘s ongoing campaign to raise money to buy the former Seattle City Light substation site at 50th/Dakota. Participating are:
Mission Cantina (2325 California SW; WSB sponsor)
Arthur’s (2311 California SW)
Great American Diner & Bar (4752 California SW)
Falafel Salam (4746 California SW)
Talarico’s (4718 California SW)
If you haven’t heard about the project before, the backstory is here.
Half a year after firefighters moved out of the temporary Station 32 set up on the future West Seattle Junction park site on 40th SW between SW Alaska and SW Edmunds, the tents that housed their apparatus are being taken down. Justin from Sound & Fog next door caught the unveiling-esque scene above as the canvas was taken off one of the wire frames today. Crews were based there for two years, having been moved out of the old Station 32 months before construction started on the new one, which opened last summer; the tents had gone up three years ago.
We’ll be checking with the city to see where they’ll be used next.
P.S. Design work continues for the future park, which is to be built next year. The city has posted results of last month’s online survey, and Option 2 was the most popular among the 275 respondents (see all 3 options here). One more public meeting is planned for the project; no date yet.
(Photo added Wednesday)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
While it’s far from the only area with unauthorized campers, the area east of Myers Way has drawn some of the loudest complaints, at community meetings and elsewhere. And tonight we know more about the plan for a “partial cleanup” that was mentioned during Sunday’s meeting of the Community Advisory Committee for Camp Second Chance, the city-sanctioned encampment on the west side of Myers Way.
To get details, we talked today with William Lemke, the city’s spokesperson for encampment and cleanup-related issues. He says the city and WSDOT are partnering on the cleanup, which will involve state-owned right-of-way land on the slope over Highway 509, behind the Church of Latter-Day Saints site, *not* the area “up on the plateau” or “the grotto.” That’s because “slide risk is a primary concern,” Lemke explained – including slide risk to Highway 509 as well as to people living in the area. “There’s a drainage system back there that WSDOT” is especially concerned about.
The cleanup is currently set for Wednesday-Thursday, March 14th and 15th. The people who are currently camping in the target area will be notified this week by the city Navigation Team about the cleanup plan. City rules say that before an encampment is cleared, everyone living there has to be offered a place to go, as well as storage for their belongings; Lemke didn’t have an exact count, though he said he had toured the site recently, but believes it’s unlikely that more than a half-dozen or so people are living on the slope.
For the cleanup work, the heavy equipment and crews will enter the site via Highway 509; there’s a gated service road. Some tents and structures will be removed. The rest of the area east of Myers Way likely will be addressed sometime in the future, Lemke says, but there’s no deadline or estimate for that. Why not do it now? For one, he said, “every encampment we remove has to fit into our prioritization criteria” (see the city rules and procedures here) and for two, they might not have enough room in shelters or authorized encampments for everyone living in that area now. Might some from the area be referred to nearby Camp Second Chance, if it has space? Possibly, Lemke said, though the city’s primary referral for campers recently has been the sanctioned encampment at Licton Springs (which is not drug-and-alcohol-free; Camp Second Chance is).
Once the cleanup is completed, Lemke says, they’ll have a report with how many people were moved into shelter and what was put into storage, which the city offers to campers.
P.S. If the cleanup is carried out as scheduled, it will be just days before the March 20th community meeting that’s just been announced (as first reported here Sunday) on whether to renew Camp Second Chance‘s permit for a second year. The encampments on the east side of Myers Way have no official affiliation with the sanctioned camp, but some neighbors believe C2C’s presence makes the area a draw for unauthorized campers.
Whether you’re a renter or a homeowner, a landlord or a developer, a car user or a bicycle rider, The city’s “neighborhood parking” changes will probably affect you. They continue making their way through the City Council, after more than two months. Tomorrow night, the Southwest District Council will get a briefing from a city rep, and everyone is invited to bring questions, whatever your housing status or interest in the issue. The full bill is here. Wednesday night’s SWDC agenda also includes School Board president Leslie Harris, who represents our area on the board, and a Seattle Public Utilities rep talking about graffiti, illegal dumping, and needle disposal. SWDC looks forward to seeing everyone upstairs at the Senior Center/Sisson Building in The Junction starting at 6:30 pm Wednesday.
Thanks to Stephen Bergenholtz for the photo. After a couple of people asked us about that yacht while it was hanging around off Alki for a couple hours at midday, we finally got a chance to go look – just in time to see it vanish into the mouth of the Duwamish River, headed back to the yacht-building yard Delta Marine, south of South Park. On MarineTraffic.com, the yacht was identified only as “Delta 45”; we inquired with Delta but haven’t heard back. (MarineTraffic gave its length as 63 meters and that would seem to match this listing.)
Elvis would love the opening-day samples at Brass Knuckle Bistro, the White Center restaurant just opened by a West Seattle family (we first introduced you to them back in August). As noted here a week and a half ago, today is indeed the first official day for the sandwiches/salads/sides eatery at 9602 16th SW, open until 8 pm. See more photos on our partner site White Center Now.
Five weeks ago, when we reported on SDOT rebuilding the stairway at Fauntleroy/Director, we included information about other stairway projects in the works for West Seattle. Today, we have updates from SDOT‘s Greg Funk, as peak walking season approaches:
-The Fauntleroy/Director stairway rebuild is finished
-California/Willow is done, except for permanent rail to be installed by month’s end
-Soil analysis is planned at a stairway that’s been closed since 1998 between Atlas Place SW and 50th SW; Funk says, “There has been some interest from the public in rebuilding the stairway.”
-Repairs have been done “to mitigate some drainage issues at SW Graham stairway that runs from 21st Ave SW & 18th Ave SW”
-SW Hill St between 42nd Ave SW & California Ave SW (SDOT photo at right) will be rebuilt, with work expected to start in late April
-SW Holly St & Beveridge Pl SW stairway renovations are planned to start in June
Stairway projects citywide are listed on this SDOT webpage. When we published our January update, Funk mentioned two other stairways for which “design options” are being considered this year, for future work – the long SW Thistle stairway east of Lincoln Park, and Bonair SW.
(Red-flowered currant, photographed by Mark Ahlness, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Here are a half-dozen ways to spend part of your Tuesday night – and you can find more for today AND tonight on our full calendar:
TALK ABOUT IT: 5:30-7:30 pm, the next community conversation about choosing a new Seattle Police Chief is set for South Park. There’s one in West Seattle tomorrow night. Both are listed here. (8201 10th Ave. S.)
WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COALITION: 6 pm at Southwest Library, regular monthly meeting. Live and/or work and/or go to school in any of these communities? Be there! Agenda includes a crime/safety update from Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith and ongoing topics/issues including Roxhill Park, Roxhill Bog, and HALA. (9010 35th SW)
WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: 6:30 pm at HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor). This month’s agenda includes:
– Delridge corridor planning
– Fauntleroy Boulevard Project response to delay
– Planning for Bike Month and bike buddies
All welcome. (41st SW/SW Alaska)
THE WHALE TRAIL: As announced at its last gathering (WSB coverage here), The Whale Trail is now hosting monthly meetings for updates on orcas and discussion of how to help them. Everyone’s invited tonight at 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – free but please pre-register if you can! (5612 California SW)
FLY-TYING AND BEER: It’s “Tie One On Tuesday” at Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, 7 pm. Details here, including how to reserve your spot. (4502 42nd SW)
FAMILY STORY TIME: Bring the kid(s) to Delridge Library at 7 pm. Free and fun. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
Two months have gone by since we brought you first word of Sub Pop Records‘ plan for a huge 30th-birthday party at Alki Beach. The August 11th bash is still five months out, but it’s time to talk about it – if you have questions, Sub Pop wants to hear them, and will be at two community groups’ regular March meetings next week for exactly that purpose. The announcement:
Sub Pop Records is celebrating its 30th Anniversary of putting out somewhat well-regarded records, CDs, and tapes. In honor of that, we are hosting an entirely FREE music festival at Alki Beach on August 11th, 2018.
We are expecting a large, fun-loving, and respectable crowd of 30,000 music lovers. Our event will include: 4 stages of live music, beer gardens, merch booths and non-profit tables, and a family-friendly area complete with inflatables, food trucks, and live music for, and perhaps by, kids. This festival will take place from noon to 10 pm along Alki Avenue SW.
Sub Pop will be answering questions regarding all of this at two upcoming neighborhood-association meetings:
Admiral Neighborhood Association:
March 13th, 7 pm at the Sanctuary at Admiral – 2656 42nd Ave SW.Alki Community Council:
March 15th, 7 pm at Alki UCC – 6115 SW Hinds St.
One question we can answer … no, the band lineup hasn’t been announced. Yet.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:58 AM: Good morning! Getting ever brighter at this hour … but remember that’ll change for a while after Daylight Saving Time arrives at 2 am next Sunday (when we “spring forward” an hour).
So far, no transit alerts or incidents reported.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The monthly meeting of city-sanctioned encampment Camp Second Chance‘s Community Advisory Committee was complaint- and controversy-free this time around, though there was one big headline, as noted here earlier: The city has announced a March 20th community meeting as part of the process of renewing C2C’s permit to stay for a second year.
Present for the meeting at Arrowhead Gardens on Sunday afternoon (and L to R in our photo above) were Tom Van Bronkhorst from the Department of Neighborhoods, Josh Castle and Amy Friedman from camp operator LIHI, camp manager/co-founder Eric Davis, committee members Aaron Garcia and Cinda Stenger, and committee chair Willow Fulton. (One more committee member, Judi Carr, was there but not in the photo.)
In Crime Watch tonight:
DOUBLE-MURDER SUSPECT CHARGED: We reported Saturday night on the arrest of 26-year-old Merle Buchanan, more than a month after he was identified as the suspect in the January 6th deadly double shooting in downtown White Center.
(White Center Now/WSB photo, January 6th)
Today, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Buchanan with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of second-degree unlawful firearm possession. Charging documents say the victims, Paul Tapia and Jose Garcia, were co-workers who arrived together at the Taradise Café just after midnight. Buchanan, a White Center resident, is described as a semi-regular who had been there about an hour by then. Surveillance video showed him talking with Tapia outside the bar, by his car, with Garcia nearby, and then showed the shooting around 1 am. The charging documents do not suggest a motive. They do say Buchanan was identified via a trail that started with a retail receipt found at the scene. He remains in jail in lieu of $1.1 million bail, including $100,000 related to a domestic-violence protection order violation charge involving an incident with a former girlfriend hours before the shootings.
Also in Crime Watch, two reader reports:
BIKES STOLEN FROM GARAGE: Leah reports: “Last night, the City Watch apartment underground parking garage was vandalized and several bikes were stolen, including my women’s Specialized and my partner’s Huffy mountain bike. The person cut through the fence, and cut bike locks.” The building is in The Junction, at 4744 41st SW. We’ve asked for the police-report number and will add it when we get it.
STOLEN SILVER TRAVEL TRAILER: Posted in the WSB Forums by MorningStar, a “1950 Silver Streak Clipper 22’ Aluminum travel trailer, attached to a white Ford van” was stolen from 21st SW on Puget Ridge February 25th or 26th. This is an Airstream prototype, MS explains, so should be recognizable, and had plastic over the windows because it was undergoing renovation. Plate TLE1941. Call 911 if you see it.
Something for Crime Watch? E-mail editor@westseattleblog.com – or, if it’s happening now, once you’ve called 911, text/call us at 206-293-6302, any time.
(Sound Transit file photo, Capitol Hill)
One more reminder: Today is the end of the “early scoping” period that represents the first official phase of feedback/comments about Sound Transit light rail’s extension to West Seattle (and Ballard, though we’re focusing on the former for obvious reasons). That means the “online open house” is scheduled to end tonight. You can go through it in its entirety by starting here, or skip ahead to this section to start with the “early scoping” explanation, or go to the last page to see e-mail and postal-mail addresses for your comment(s). We’ll say it one last time – ST and others have stressed that this early period is THE time to say whatever you’re thinking – not just a yay or nay on the “representative alignment” draft plan. Where should the stations be? Could/should part of the proposed-as-all-elevated route be underground? Time to talk about it.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Stakeholder Advisory Group‘s second meeting March 14th (time/place still being finalized, ST told us today) will include a briefing on how the feedback’s gone so far. And then a few weeks later – no dates/times/places set yet – “neighborhood forums” will bring people together to talk about specific sections of the line.
4:35 PM: Thanks to Farrah for the photo. That crash has northbound Harbor SW closed right now, north of the bridge. No serious injuries reported but clearing the wreckage will take a bit.
5:17 PM: All lanes are open again.
Two West Seattle Junction projects totaling more than 360 residential units will go back before the Southwest Design Review Board next month:
(Encore Architects rendering of 4722 Fauntleroy from draft design packet for next review)
4722 FAUNTLEROY & 4721 38TH SW: This two-building project [map] is the biggest West Seattle proposal going through Design Review right now. 6:30 pm April 19th is set for its second and possibly final review meeting; here’s our coverage of the first one last July. The Fauntleroy-fronting building is proposed for 7 stories, 241 apartments, including 24 microstudios, and 15 live-work units, with 241 offstreet parking spaces; the building across the alley behind it is proposed for 4 stories, 50 apartments, 1 live-work unit, and 23 offstreet parking spaces.
4417 42ND SW: 6:30 pm April 5th is set for the third and possibly final design review for the 4-story Junction Landing project [map], with 58 apartments, 4 live-work units, and 26 offstreet parking spaces. Here’s our coverage of the project’s second review back in January.
Both meetings will be at the SWDRB’s usual place, the Senior Center/Sisson Building at 4217 SW Oregon.
Three ways you can get involved with downtown West Seattle – via the Junction Association:
SUMMER FEST COMMUNITY CHAT: After last year’s West Seattle Summer Fest, you might recall, WSJA circulated a survey seeking your feedback. Now, you have a chance to come be part of a community conversation about Summer Fest and share your ideas – 6:30 pm Thursday, March 15th, at Great American Diner and Bar (4752 California SW). Not just what you think about last year or other past festivals – but what you want to see in the future! This year’s Summer Fest is still four 
months away, so it’s a perfect time to talk. Everybody welcome.
ADOPT A FLOWER BASKET: For the second year, the Junction Association is offering you the chance to adopt one (or more!) of its famous flower baskets. They’re growing right now, and going up sometime in May, but about half of the 90+ adoptable baskets are still looking for adopters – sign up and pay online. No, you aren’t expected to maintain “your” basket – but your adoption fee does get you a cool plaque that’ll be displayed with it, all season long. (We’re adopting one again this year.)
WEST SEATTLE WINE WALK: Got your ticket(s) yet? 15 wineries partner with local businesses to pour you a fun night of wandering and sipping. This too is happening for the second year (here’s our coverage of the first one) – date is Friday, May 18th; last year sold out so you will want to get in on it sooner rather than later. Advance tickets are $5 cheaper, too. Buy yours here – 10 tasting tickets, snacks, plus a souvenir glass, all included.
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