West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The two scenes could scarcely have seemed more divergent:
A comfortable waterfront home in Fauntleroy / a crowded complex in Burien.
The sound of small talk and laughter / the crackle of gunshots, followed by chaos.
A colorful rug adorning a wood floor / blood staining the pavement.
The scenes were five miles and eight days apart – with one connection: A crisis.
In Burien, that crisis, youth violence – youth, in reference to the victims and/or perpetrators – stole two young women’s lives.
In Fauntleroy, that crisis, youth violence, brought together an extraordinary assemblage of people who all had the ability to do something about it.
That’s the venue list and map for the spring season of the West Seattle Art Walk – second Thursdays in April, May, and June. Take a look to plan where you will stop tomorrow night starting at 5 pm – some venues have art, some venues have food/drink specials, some have both! You can preview many of the venues and artists via this update on the Art Walk website.
Venues are all over the peninsula, and the spring list includes these WSB sponsors:
Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW) – “Deadly Beauty” by Salyna Gracie – a “recent collection of poisonous botanical paintings.”
Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW) – mixed-media art by Jessie Summa Russo, and no tasting fee for Art Walk-ers
Canna West Seattle (5435 California SW) – photos by Machel Spence
Alchemy (4717 42nd SW) – happy-hour menu all night for Art Walk-ers
Posted in the WSB Forums by Kelso:
Our apartment complex’s storage unit was broken into over the weekend, and while the burglar left behind things of high value (skis, bicycles, electronics) they did take a carry-on hard-case silver Samsonite luggage from my wife and I. They also took a LeSportsac weekender bag that has a very high sentimental value and isn’t made anymore (it has an aloha stamp print on it) … A few other items were taken, but we would be particularly keen to get these back. If it’s been dumped somewhere and someone finds it, we would really appreciate getting these back! This was near the corner of Graham Street and California.
Kelso’s post includes an image of a similar bag.
(Riders on West Duwamish Trail, seattle.gov photo from 2015)
Should people on electric bicycles be allowed to join other riders, walkers, and runners on Seattle’s “multi-use trails”? Tomorrow night, the Seattle Board of Park Commissioners will get a briefing that could be the first step toward a pilot program this summer on five of them – including the Duwamish Trail in West Seattle.
From the proposal, as detailed in this document prepared for the Parks Board:
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) proposes a pilot project to allow Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles on five of the multi-use trails we manage: Burke-Gilman Trail, Elliott Bay Trail, Mountains to Sound Trail, Melrose Connector Trail, and Duwamish Trail. These trails were chosen due to the width of the trails, the commuting connections they provide, and their ability to safely accommodate e-bikes. The pilot would include a speed limit of 15 mph on these trails, although there will be areas where riders need to reduce speed, for all users and an education campaign in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation.
Seattle has changed significantly since 1995, when Seattle Parks and Recreation passed a Bicycle Use policy (060-P 7.11.1) that banned all motorized vehicles on multiuse trails. The population has risen dramatically over the last 28 years (150,000 more people), bicycle use has increased on streets and trails (up 100% since 1985), electric bike technology has advanced, and there is now access to a number of bike share programs including e-bikes.
The Parks schedule for the pilot program starts with tomorrow night’s briefing, followed by a public hearing when the board meets again on April 26th, and potentially a vote on May 10th. The briefing document adds, “The goal is to have regulations in place for e-bikes on Seattle Parks and Recreation multi-use trails by Memorial Day to prepare for the busy summer biking season.” This is how the pilot project would work:
During the pilot year, Seattle Parks and Recreation will collect data in the following ways: bike counters, field observations and on-site surveys, stakeholder focus groups, and public feedback through an online survey, emails and correspondence. This information will help us understand use patterns, safety concerns, and pilot outcomes. Following the collection of this data, Seattle Parks and Recreation will evaluate potential options and provide a policy recommendation to the Board of Park Commissioners.
That would happen in summer of 2019. But first – tomorrow’s briefing is during the board’s 6:30 pm meeting at Parks HQ downtown (100 Dexter Ave. N.), open to the public. Here’s the agenda.
2 PM: City crews arrived on the east side of Myers Way today for the first day of a new cleanup we told you about last week. While there has long been unauthorized camping in the area, city spokesperson Will Lemke told us this would be “work to remove garbage and debris … This will not be a removal of the encampment and no one will be asked to leave.” Navigation Team members, however, would continue to do outreach in the area, he added. When we stopped by, workers told us they expected to be there until about 1:30 pm, and planned to return again tomorrow morning.
2:58 PM: As you can see from the photo added above this line, state-owned equipment is involved too.
(WSB photo, April 2016)
Thanks to Peter for the tip! Though the University of Washington doesn’t play its home beach-volleyball games on Alki Beach any more – the school has its own facility now – it’ll be back on our shores this weekend. The Pac-12 North tournament is happening Saturday and Sunday, with matches set to start at 10 am both days – the Huskies play Cal in the first one Saturday. Here’s the schedule.
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BABY STORY TIME: 11:30 am at High Point Library, bring your wee ones up to one year old for stories, rhymes, and songs. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
NATIVE LEADERS: As previewed here on Tuesday, a discussion of Native issues is planned in “lunch and learn” format, noon-1:30 pm at Bethaday Community Learning Space. (605 SW 108th)
SSC PRESIDENTIAL FINALIST FORUM #2: Second of three forums for the remaining finalists to lead South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). 1:30-2:30 pm, plus 2:30-3 pm Q&A, hear from Dr. Chemene Crawford, currently Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management at El Centro College, at Olympic Hall on the south end of campus. (6000 16th SW)
FREE TAX HELP: Just days until the IRS deadline – drop-in tax help 5-9 pm at the West Seattle Food Bank, as explained in our calendar listing. (35th/Morgan)
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: Monthly meeting of our area’s largest political organization, 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. (9131 California SW)
POEMS AND STORIES: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), monthly Poetrybridge event, featuring Matt Briggs and Willie Smith. Free. (5612 California SW)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … via our complete calendar!
(WSB file photo from past Duwamish Alive! volunteering)
Are you ready to help along our area’s river and in its watershed? The spring’s biggest day of volunteering is getting close. Here’s the announcement of what’s planned:
A popular community Earth Day event, Duwamish Alive!, is restoring local native habitat on Saturday, April 21st, at 16 urban parks and open spaces to support the environmental health of the river and wildlife. Starting at 10:00 am, volunteers at multiple sites throughout the watershed will participate in a day of major cleanup and habitat restoration in the ongoing effort to keep our river alive and healthy for our communities, salmon and Puget Sound. The Green-Duwamish River is home to the critical Chinook salmon which the Southern Resident Killer Whales depend upon for food.
Duwamish Alive! is a collaborative stewardship effort of conservation groups, businesses, and government entities, recognizing that our collective efforts are needed to make lasting, positive improvements in the health and vitality of the Green-Duwamish Watershed. Twice a year these events organize hundreds of volunteers to work at multiple sites in the river’s watershed, connecting the efforts of communities from Seattle to Auburn. This year, Duwamish Alive is supporting Auburn City’s Clean Sweep event by helping restore habitat in Fenster Park along the Green-Duwamish River.
Volunteers’ efforts include a river cleanup by kayak, salmon habitat restoration, native forest revitalization, and creating the Delridge Wetlands outdoor classroom and bioswales for Louisa Boren STEM K-8.
A special visit from National Wildlife Federation’s Ranger Rick at Delridge Wetlands [5601 23rd SW] and Pigeon Point [20th SW/SW Genesee] for families is scheduled between 10:00 and 11:00, to thank youth volunteers for their efforts in helping local wildlife.
To volunteer, visit www.DuwamishAlive.org to see the different volunteer opportunities and RSVP to the
contact for the site of your choice, or email info@duwamishalive.org.Opening Ceremonies
The day will open at T-107 [4700 W. Marginal Way SW, at 9:45 am] with a special welcome from the Duwamish Tribal Chair Cecile Hansen and Port Commissioner Courtney Gregoire speaking about the dramatic reduction of air pollution from maritime-related equipment in the greater Puget Sound region (Puget Sound Maritime Air Emissions Inventory, PSEI). Much of this is pollution that has affected Duwamish communities in the past. The latest results show that air pollutant emissions decreased by up to 97%, depending on the type, including a 69% reduction for fine particles that are harmful to human health. Steve Metruck, the Port of Seattle’s new Executive Director, will present about social equity and the EPA’s near port projects.
We covered the port’s announcement last month here.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! No incidents or transit alerts in/from West Seattle so far.
WEEKEND ALERT: WSDOT is planning to close the NB I-5 exit to the West Seattle Bridge from Friday night through early Monday.
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