day : 17/04/2018 10 results

11:31 PM: If you hear the Guardian One helicopter in southeast West Seattle, near Westcrest Park – it’s being called in to help with what scanner traffic indicates is a search for two people described as auto-theft suspects. There’s a ground search with K-9, too. The suspects are described so far as male, white, one in a camouflage jacket, ponytail and goatee, the other in a black shirt or jacket and “slightly unshaven.” If you have any information, call 911.

12:54 AM: Sounds as if police detained one person. We’ll be following up later this morning to see what else we can find out about how this started and shook out.

Here’s your first look at 5 early ‘alternatives’ for West Seattle light rail, as unveiled at Stakeholder Advisory Group meeting

April 17, 2018 9:31 pm

| 52 COMMENTS

| Sound Transit | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from tonight’s meeting)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Here’s where the rubber meets the road – or the trains meet the rail – as the accelerated process of getting to a “preferred alternative” for Sound Transit‘s West Seattle/Ballard light-rail extensions moves forward.

ST has now refined the “themes” that emerged in early comments into early “alternatives” for routing/station locations that were shown, explained, and discussed at tonight’s Stakeholder Advisory Group meeting downtown. When the group meets again in a week, they’re expected to decide on the first-level recommendations they’ll forward to the Elected Leadership Group and Sound Transit Board.

Five “level 1 alternatives” were shown for the West Seattle segment – but a disclaimer, these are not the “finalists” necessarily. “Level 1” refers to which stage of the review process this is in, not their ranking. And a reminder – the SAG members are looking at the entirety of West Seattle to Ballard, and while we know the rest of the line is of interest to many here, especially SODO and Downtown, we are just focusing on the WS end. Here’s the full slide deck for everything covered in the meeting, including all the “level 1 alternatives” and the criteria used to rate them:

(Here it is in PDF on the ST site.) You’ll also see slides in which the criteria are explained, as well as each alternative’s ratings using those criteria – the darker the dot, the better. (We’ve broken the pairings down one by one below.)

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West Seattle scene: Expanded Ready-to-Work program gets visit from city councilmember who championed it

April 17, 2018 7:11 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| High Point | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

The city-supported Ready-to-Work program has just expanded into West Seattle, and the city councilmember who pushed for it, District 1’s Lisa Herbold, visited its local classrooms on Monday. RTW is a program overseen by the city’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, which explains that it “combines English as a Second Language classes with computer literacy instruction and case management to help immigrants gain job readiness skills and take steps toward economic self-sufficiency.”

The West Seattle classes are at Neighborhood House‘s center in High Point, now one of three locations around the city where RTW is offered. Spring classes started earlier this month. You can find out more about RTW by going here.

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You’re never too young to start volunteering! WestSide Baby recruiting for new Youth Board

April 17, 2018 5:55 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

It’s National Volunteer Week – and WestSide Baby has an announcement reinforcing that it’s never too soon to start volunteering:

WestSide Baby’s mission is to provide essential items to local children in need by collecting and distributing essentials such as diapers, clothing, equipment and more. Current youth leadership is looking for founding youth board members who are between the ages of 15 and 23, who are passionate about the cause, and who represent the diversity of King County. This opportunity is a call-out to energized individuals with a passion to help others in your community. Applicants need not have ANY prior leadership experience and those who may have experienced adversity or poverty are especially encouraged to apply.

In 2018, WestSide Baby is intentionally working to incorporate the voices of the families we serve with children’s basic needs items into our decision making, planning, and program execution.

We are asking youth mentors, caregivers or school personnel to consider sharing this announcement with youth and encourage them to consider participating in this youth-led action on behalf of WestSide Baby. Applications are available here and will be accepted at youthboard@westsidebaby.org. The organizing leader is a 17 year-old girl attending Garfield High School.

The monthly time commitment is a minimum of 2 hours but the board planning will occur in a teamwork setting to accommodate various availability. Child care is likely to be provided if needed.

Deadline is May 5th, 2018 but interested youth are encouraged to apply early or reach out with questions.

All applications are welcome for the available 10 slots. We are committed to ensuring this board equitably includes broad, diverse community perspectives that will help us bring the youth voice to WestSide Baby. Again, no previous leadership experience is required and membership decisions will be made by the youth leadership and advisors with a primary focus on ensuring geographic, cultural, economic and situational variety in membership

Please consider this chance to engage directly in volunteer work at a leadership level.

Please contact McInnis Woodland with questions at youthboard@westsidebaby.org.

Meantime, one more reminder that WestSide Baby’s annual CommuniTea is now just days away – next Sunday, 2 pm, at a new downtown location – all the info’s here.

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From the ‘in case you wondered too’ file: Newest estimate of when West Seattle Whole Foods Market will open

April 17, 2018 3:01 pm

| 25 COMMENTS

| 4755 Fauntleroy | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

The WSB inbox has been full of update requests lately, regarding various projects (thank you!), and we’re working on a bunch. First the most-asked question of the week: When is the West Seattle Whole Foods Market opening?

First the backstory: You’ll recall that a year ago, Whole Foods was shelving its plans for The Whittaker (WSB sponsor), second time it had canceled a West Seattle plan – but then six months later, we discovered last September that it was back on, and got confirmation.

Since then, we’ve had one update on timeline, when Whittaker reps told the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce in January that “late spring 2019” was the newest projection.

So this week, we went directly to WFM. A regional spokesperson’s reply:

We are grateful for the community’s excitement for this Whole Foods Market, and look forward to opening during the latter part of 2019.

As for other questions, such as how the chain’s evolution and experiments since Amazon’s takeover will affect the West Seattle plan … no specifics are public yet.

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Questions about Arbor Heights sidewalk project, including 35th SW closure? Community meeting next week

April 17, 2018 1:20 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Transportation | West Seattle news

The map is from SDOT’s Ching Chan, who has been out going door to door and also e-mailed us to be sure everyone knows about a community meeting one week from tonight for the Arbor Heights sidewalk (and more) project along 35th SW between SW 100th and SW 106th. As we reported a month ago, it’s starting this spring – likely next month, Chan says, with completion projected by Labor Day. And SDOT now confirms the south end of the project, which includes drainage work, will close 35th SW between SW 104th and SW 106th for “up to four weeks.” Here’s the newest flyer/postcard. Get the details, and answers to your questions, at the community meeting 6-8 pm Tuesday, April 24th, at Arbor Heights Elementary (3701 SW 104th).

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West Seattle restaurants: Zaw Pizza says goodbye

April 17, 2018 11:28 am

| 15 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Thanks to Andrea for the tip about a sign on the door at Zaw Pizza announcing its closure – we went over to check, and that indeed is what we found, as you can see above. The take-and-bake pizza shop opened its West Seattle location in the 35th/Fauntleroy strip mall in October 2013.

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Highlights for your West Seattle Tuesday

April 17, 2018 10:06 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(High Point Pond Park, photographed by Flickr member alextutu1821)

Tuesday highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Guests always welcome at the noon lunch meeting at the Masonic Center – check here for speaker/presentation info. (4736 40th SW)

LIGHT RAIL STAKEHOLDER ADVISORY GROUP: 5-8 pm, it’s the next meeting of the Sound Transit-convened Stakeholder Advisory Group, part of the process to plan the West Seattle and Ballard light-rail lines. Here’s the agenda. Meeting’s in the ST Ruth Fisher Boardroom; public welcome. (401 S. Jackson)

EVENING BOOK GROUP: 6:30 pm at High Point Library. This month’s title is “Sweet Tooth” by Ian McEwan. (35th SW/SW Raymond)

PODCAST PIZZA CHAMPIONSHIP: As previewed here, West Seattle podcaster Andrew Stuckey invites you to stop by Beveridge Place Pub 5-6 pm to try pizza samples to decide the winner of the “pizza tournament” featured in his latest edition. 21+. (6413 California SW)

WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct, your monthly chance to hear about crime trends from local police and ask them questions about neighborhood concerns. Plus, special guest Det. Beth Wareing from the SPD Bias Crimes Unit. (2300 SW Webster)

UNPLUGGED – A MUSICAL GATHERING: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), acoustic musicians and singers welcome! (5612 California SW)

SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … by browsing our complete calendar!

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Nine days until registration deadline for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2018

April 17, 2018 9:27 am

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

Another of our quick reminders: We’re now in the second half of the registration period for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2018, and the clock’s ticking. The deadline is April 26th, one week from Thursday, so if you’re planning a sale and haven’t signed up yet, go here now to get it done. Sale day is Saturday, May 12th – always the second Saturday in May – and official hours are 9 am-3 pm, but if you want to start early and/or end late, just be sure to include that info in the up-to-20-words “ad” that you’ll be including in your registration. Once we close signups, we get going with the map and list so that the downloadable and clickable versions are available one week in advance. Thanks to everyone who’s signed up so far – 140 sales of all sizes, in all West Seattle neighborhoods, all kinds of stuff ready for what we call the year’s biggest day of person-to-person recycling – the 14th annual WSCGSD, which started back in 2005 (coordinated by WSB since 2008).

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch

April 17, 2018 6:58 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

6:58 AM: Good morning! So far – no incidents in/from West Seattle; no transit alerts.

7:47 AM: After-the-fact alert from Metro: “Route 55 to downtown Seattle due to leave SW Atlantic St & 44 Av SW at 7:40 AM did not operate this morning.”

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