West Seattle, Washington
15 Thursday
Are you ready? You’re running out of time to prep for the West Seattle Junction’s big recycling/shredding event, 9 am-1 pm Saturday. If you haven’t already seen them, toplines of what will and won’t be accepted are here and here. It’s happening in The Junction’s lot off 42nd SW just south of SW Oregon, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Public Utilities, Waste Management, and Windermere. No charge – just drive up, ride up, walk up with your stuff.
(File photo, fireworks debris at Highland Park Playground)
The 4th of July is exactly one week away, and tomorrow, fireworks go on sale next door in unincorporated North Highline, where they’re still legal despite bans in cities on both sides. Here within the Seattle city limits, fireworks are illegal, but that doesn’t deter users, especially in light of the annual sort-of-non-enforcement alert. Might a plea like this bring a change of heart? It was sent to us by Anna:
In anxiety and dreadful anticipation, I write asking for your help in alerting the public to the fear, dangers, and irresponsibility of our neighborhoods in allowing fireworks to be blown up for “freedom and fun’s sake”! Unfortunately, my pets and small children are already feeling anxious…last year my neighbors disrespected these laws and our dog ran away at 5 pm on the 4th of July. She buried herself in a culvert until 5 am the next morning. I pleaded, screamed, and yelled at my neighbors all night and they disregarded my pleas. I watched one of their trees nearly burn down due to their stupidity and disregard…I am going in the offensive this year and will name them and call them out! Please help by broadcasting safe and sane and a quieter 4th for my family’s freedom! Sincerely, Anna
Meantime, the Seattle Animal Shelter published its annual reminder about how to keep pets safe and ensure you can get yours back if it runs (including a recommendation for the WSB Lost/Found Pets page – we hope you won’t need it, but we’ll be here if you do). If you’re new here – the big Seattle fireworks show is the Summer Fourth on Lake Union, after 10 pm on Independence Day night, visible from many north-facing spots in West Seattle. The usual mid-July Jubilee Days fireworks in White Center are NOT happening this year because work at the usual spot – Steve Cox Memorial Park – has made it unavailable (the carnival IS on, at White Center Heights Elementary instead).
Three notes:
RVs ON ANDOVER: The street side by Nucor, across from West Seattle Health Club, has drawn RV campers off and on for more than 2 1/2 years – the earliest story in our archives is from December 2015. This week, we’ve received two e-mails about the situation. One this morning pointed out orange notices on the RVs’ windshields; we went over and spotted the telltale city-issued 72-hour warnings on all but one, and a parking-enforcement officer’s vehicle in the vicinity. We checked the other popular parking spot along Harbor Avenue between the bridge and Seacrest; nine RVs scattered along that stretch right now, but no notices in view.
SWEEP ALONG 509: We noticed signs of a clearing-out encampment along the southbound 509 exit to West Marginal Way, and inquired with city homelessness-response spokesperson Will Lemke, who confirmed that a camp in that area was swept this week: “The areas around 509 and the wetland are frequently camped and we work to provide repeated outreach with offers of service and shelter leading up to the encampment clean-up. Encampments in that area are of concern given the proximity to moving vehicles near the roadways and ramps and the human-waste impacts to the wetland. It’s also a difficult area for the the police and fire departments to respond to, which is another reason why it was prioritized for removal this week.” We also asked him about the east side of Myers Way. No new cleanup plans there, Lemke says, but: “The team continues to do outreach on a weekly basis. In order for the team to remove the encampment, we will need to have a lot of shelter capacity — which we do not have at this time. In the interim, we will continue to try to get people to take us up on shelter.”
SPEAKING OF MYERS WAY: Because of the impending 4th of July holiday, the Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee, which usually meets the first Sunday afternoon of each month, is not meeting in July. (C2C is the only city-sanctioned encampment in West Seattle and averages about 50 campers.)
That’s a state Ecology Department photo, taken today, of the barge that burned on the east side of the Duwamish River last night (WSB coverage here). Ecology says the barge was boomed as a precaution but no oil sheen was detected, no “distressed wildlife,” just a “small amount of firefighting foam at tideline.” The U.S. Coast Guard lifted its half-mile “safety zone” early this morning. As for the fire, seen far and wide, we asked Seattle Fire for an update this afternoon:
(Tuesday night photo by Gustavo Arzola)
SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley replied that the fire was ruled “accidental” and damage is estimated at $1 million, adding: “Firefighters remained on scene until noon today to ensure the fire was extinguished.”
So far, the official “event notifications” we’ve published for this summer involve big public events you’ve probably heard about already. This time, though, the notification is for a private event that will take over Don Armeni Boat Ramp the night of July 26th:
WHAT: A Night Out for the Parks (a private event)
WHERE: Don Armeni Park, 1228 Harbor Ave SW
DATE(s): Thursday, July 26, 2018 (load-in and event day)
Friday, July 27, 2017 (cleanup)TIME(s): 8:00 AM Load In
7:00 PM – 11:00 PM Event Hours
11:00 PM – 11:30 PM Thursday, July 26 and 8:00 AM Friday, July 27On Thursday, July 26, our organization, CRG Events, will be producing a special event at Don Armeni Park, called A Night Out for Seattle Parks. We are thrilled to be guests in your neighborhood and it’s important to us that we are communicating clearly with you, the neighbors.
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
-Event hours are from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM on Thursday, July 26, 2018
-We will be loading in beginning at 8:00 AM on Thursday and will load out until approximately 11:30 PM on Thursday, July 26. Remaining load out will occur starting 8:00 AM on Friday, July 27.
-We will leave your neighborhood as we found it: litter and recycling will be handled by Waste Management.
-There will also be private cleaning crews ensuring complete trash removal.
-During the event hours, we expect up to 1000 people onsite.
-We will have amplified sound during the hours of 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM on Thursday, July 26.
-The event will include a stage featuring DJ music.
-See stage location on attached map:-We will position speakers towards the water to assist with any sound carry.
We are working closely with the City of Seattle Special Events Committee to minimize the impacts of the event. Our goal is to create an enjoyable and positive experience in your neighborhood.
If you or any of the surrounding residents and businesses have questions or comments about impacts of this event, please email us at:
Janna Fain, Event Manager, CRG Events jfain@crgevents.com
Chris Swenson, City of Seattle Special Events Office chris.swenson@seattle.gov
(Massing for ‘preferred option’ from draft Design Review packet for 4508 California SW)
As noted here earlier this month, the first of the next two mixed-use projects in the heart of West Seattle, 4747 California SW, is set for its Southwest Design Review Board debut on July 19th. Now, the other one, 4508 California SW, has a date set too – August 2nd. (Thanks to Scott for the tip.) This – as we first reported in March – is planned for a site immediately south of the Sisson Building (Senior Center of West Seattle). It’s currently proposed as 7 stories, 79 apartments, and 20 offstreet-parking spaces. The 6:30 pm meeting on August 2nd at the Senior Center (4217 SW Oregon) is for the Early Design Guidance phase, so the “design packet” (here’s the draft version in PDF) mostly addresses size and shape – “massing” – rather than the building’s potential appearance, which would be reviewed in the second phase.
(UPDATED 2:15 PM with date that new noise-enforcement ordinance was signed)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
No arrest yet in the south West Seattle break-ins in which residents came face to face with intruders, but they were a major topic at last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting at the Southwest Precinct.
CAPTAIN’S UPDATE: Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis reminded the 20+ attendees that “watching out for each other” is the most important thing they can do. Property crime is still the prevalent type in West Seattle right now. He said it doesn’t generally ease until they “arrest a lot of people” and then “appeal to prosecutors and judges” to deal harshly with the repeat offenders.
Sheds and outbuildings were the big targets for burglars until recently, when the “anomaly” series of occupied-home burglaries happened (our most-recent coverage is here and here) on 11th SW, 12th SW, 13th SW along several blocks just north of Roxbury between June 17th and 19th.
(Photographer David Hutchinson captioned this, ‘Seahawk seen in West Seattle’ – osprey on piling off Harbor SW)
What’s happening – and not happening – today/tonight in West Seattle:
NO WADING POOLS TODAY: Per Seattle Parks, today won’t hit the “sunny/above 70” bar to fill and open them.
BABY STORY TIME: Bring your up-to-12-month-old(s) to High Point Library at 11:30 am for stories, songs, and rhymes. (3411 SW Raymond)
LIVE AND/OR WORK IN ADMIRAL? You’re invited to talk crime/safety/police with Seattle University researchers tonight at 5 pm at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library, as previewed here. (2306 42nd SW)
ORCA HALF MARATHON REGISTRATION PARTY: Before tonight’s 6:15 pm weekly run at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), you can sign up for the end-of-summer Orca Half – running in West Seattle again this year – at a discount! (2743 California SW)
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: 7 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club – see the June agenda here. (1116 SW Holden)
TRIANGULAR JAZZTET: Jazz at Whisky West (WSB sponsor), starting at 7 pm. No cover. 21+. Details here! (6451 California SW)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … via our complete calendar!
Be on the lookout for Scott‘s motorcycle, stolen from the 4200 block of 42nd SW:
The last time I saw it was around 8 pm last night and noticed it missing this morning around 630 am. It’s an carbon fiber (black) Yamaha R1. Hoping to recover in one piece. Incident # 2018-234490.
Plate 1F4988. Call 911 if you see it.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! If you missed it Tuesday afternoon, the West Seattle “low bridge” has reopened after 5-plus days of repair work. Otherwise, no incidents in/from WS so far this morning.
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