day : 03/08/2018 12 results

RESTAURANT BURGLARY: The manager of El Chupacabra on Alki says a security camera caught this man breaking into their restaurant Thursday morning:

If you think you recognize him, contact police and refer to incident #2018-285377.

GAS THEFT: Amy had an unpleasant surprise Thursday night: “Wanted to report that someone stole all the gas out of my car. I am a water taxi commuter, and had the vehicle parked at Salty’s. Last night I returned to the vehicle late after seeing a movie and noticed my gas light was on and the needle below E. I had filled the 17 gallon tank on July 30th, and had 51 miles on the odometer. Maybe send out a warning to commuters if they don’t have a locking gas cap that this could be a trend.”

And a followup note:

STOLEN VEHICLES FOUND: The two stolen vehicles most recently reported here in Crime Watch have both been found – the Toyota pickup stolen from Delridge was found on Puget Ridge; the Accord stolen in Admiral was found in Skyway.

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SATURDAY: “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” at West Seattle Outdoor Movies

August 3, 2018 9:16 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

The second movie in the third “Star Wars” trilogy is on the big screen tomorrow night outside the West Seattle YMCA (3622 SW Snoqualmie; WSB sponsor) in The Triangle. You can watch “The Last Jedi” free at dusk Saturday – it’s the third of this year’s six West Seattle Outdoor Movies! Bring your own chair/blanket and find a spot as early as 6:30; the movie’s at dusk, probably around 9 pm.

This week’s spotlight nonprofit is the West Seattle Food Bank, and if you bring a few dollars for raffle tickets, you’ll be supporting the Y and taking a chance on some cool prizes. Also: West Seattle’s own Sweet Bumpas Ice Cream will be there selling cool treats, in addition to the Y’s weekly concession offerings. We’re this year’s media sponsor – see you at the movies!

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Seen off West Seattle: R/V Sally Ride

August 3, 2018 8:23 pm

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| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks to David Hutchinson for photographing the R/V Sally Ride, seen off West Seattle today. It’s a U.S. Navy=owned research vessel, operated by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, named for the first American woman in space. Tonight, MarineTraffic.com shows it off the north end of Harbor Island. The 238-foot vessel was built by Dakota Creek Industries up in Anacortes.

P.S. If you’ve been noticing the big gray USNS Bob Hope anchored across the bay in recent days – looks like it finally left today; MT shows it currently up in Everett.

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FERRY BACKUP UPDATE: Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run returns to 3 boats

August 3, 2018 6:43 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Fauntleroy | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

6:43 PM: Friday afternoon ferry backups in Fauntleroy are regular occurrences but today’s has been far worse than usual – there’s an extra problem: The Washington State Ferries run between here, Vashon, and Southworth is down a boat. The WSF bulletin says, “Vessel #2 M/V Sealth is out of service until further notice due to problems with the number one engine. Vessel maintenance crews are assessing the problem. All vessel #2 departures are cancelled. #1 Cathlamet and #3 Kitsap are following the regular schedule for #1 and #3 departures.” One tipster reported a backup on Fauntleroy Way all the way to Fairmount Park.

SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: The third boat returned as of 5:35 am, per WSF.

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Looking for work? Looking for workers? Next Westside Job Fair set for September

August 3, 2018 5:04 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Whether you are seeking employee(s) or employment, you’re invited to be part of the second Westside Job Fair, just announced by the West Seattle Junction Association and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Local businesses will set up at Great American Diner and Bar in The Junction (4752 California SW) 10 am-1 pm Tuesday, September 18th, for on-the-spot interviewing. (We’ve signed on to be its media sponsor again.) If you’re a business owner and interested in participating, you can e-mail lora@wsjunction.org or call 206-935-0904 to sign up.

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FOLLOWUP: West Marginal Way fully reopens after post-tanker-crash cleanup

August 3, 2018 3:24 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

That image is from the traffic cam on West Marginal at Spokane/Chelan/Delridge; SDOT says it is now open again, more than 24 hours after a tipped tanker truck was removed and crews started removing spilled gasoline from the drainage system (as explained here). We’re following up with Seattle Public Utilities to see if there’s any new info, but wanted to let you know that the traffic backups should now ease. Meantime, the tanker’s owner, Coleman Oil, has posted a statement in the comment thread following our original coverage of the Wednesday night incident.

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Inside the new building that West Seattle charter school Summit Atlas is about to open

August 3, 2018 2:02 pm

| 28 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photos)

West Seattle’s first and to date only charter school, Summit Atlas, plans a ribboncutting event tomorrow for the new building they’ve added to their Arbor Heights site (which had its first ribboncutting a year ago). We toured it and talked with Summit Atlas’s high-school principal Katie Bubalo as she prepares for the new school year, which starts August 20th for new students, August 21st for returning students.

Summit Atlas opened a year ago with 6th and 9th grades and this year will continue ramping up toward being a full 6th-12th-grade campus by adding 7th and 10th grades. Bubalo says the 7th grade has a waiting list but there’s room in other grades. Asked about last year’s enrollment, she said it fluctuated but ended the year around 105 students in 6th grade, 65 in 9th grade, and while she couldn’t cite numbers, she said the “overwhelming majority” are returning this year.

The new building – adjacent to the former supermarket/church that Summit remodeled before opening last year – has two stories and will mostly be used for the high-school grades, though elective classes for all students (including drama, art, yoga) will be held there. It includes room for special-education classes and a new program called Joy Academy for special-education students whose disabilities might lead them to seek alternatives to traditional college – job training, life skills, etc.

The emphasis in Summit buildings is on flexible open space. Each floor in the new building has a common area; on the ground floor, that space will be used as a lunch area for the high-school students, among other things. (It is a closed campus; Bubalo says they might have a conversation with parents in future years about whether to change that for the older high-school students.)

Upstairs classrooms include spaces for English classes that will also include the school library.

This year, Summit Atlas’s staff will double in size, about 30, according to Bubalo. They will all be on hand at tomorrow’s 12 pm ribboncutting event, as will students and families. We asked about other stats from the first year. Their assessment results will eventually be released by the state, Bubalo said. She describes their demographics as “no (ethnic group) over 35 percent” and evenly split between students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch and those who are not.

Charter schools, approved by Washington voters in 2012, receive state funds for operations; purchase of and construction at the 9601 35th SW site was funded by Washington Charter School Development, from which Summit leases it. Both WCSD and Summit are part of California-based organizations.

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FOLLOWUP: What’s next for SDOT’s Arbor Heights sidewalk project

August 3, 2018 1:03 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Transportation | West Seattle news

(SDOT photo)

SDOT‘s Arbor Heights sidewalk project has veered off its original schedule, as neighbors are well aware. Brand-new info is just in regarding what SDOT says will happen next:

The water shut off by Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has been postponed from last week to next Monday, August 6. Water will be shut off from 9 AM – 6 PM. Impacted areas include: 35th Ave SW and 36th Ave SW (between SW 100th and SW 104th St) and SW 102nd St (between 35th Ave SW and 36th Ave SW). SPU notified impacted households.

Due to delay and shortage of concrete, we are slightly behind on schedule – our crews are finishing pouring concrete for the curbs between SW 100th St and SW 102nd St today (all curbs are complete after today).

Next Monday, we will pour concrete on all of the driveways – come Tuesday, residents will be able to park on their driveways again.

We will also be paving asphalt on the roadway against the curb (where the gravel used to be).

35th Ave SW will remain open this weekend.

We are scheduled to pour concrete for all sidewalks on Wednesday, August 15.

The main goal of the project is to add sidewalks to the west side of 35th SW from SW 100th to SW 106th.

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SPORTS: Early travel day for West Seattle Little League’s regionals-bound state champs

August 3, 2018 11:56 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

The state-champion West Seattle Little League All-Stars traveled today Southern California today to get ready for their first game at 4 pm Sunday in the Little League Northwest Regionals. The photo is from a team mom, Brooke Gosztola; she reports, “The team met bright and early (5:00 a.m.) at Sea-Tac Airport for their flight to So Cal. Regionals, here they come!”

P.S. As mentioned here Thursday, there’s a crowdfunding campaign to help cover expenses, if you would like to pitch in.

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West Seattle Friday: Summer Concerts at The Mount debut, HPIC’s Corner Bar, and more!

August 3, 2018 10:44 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Bald Eagle with a pursuer, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Six notes for your Friday:

WADING POOLS: The Seattle Parks hotline says they will NOT be open today.

THE WORLD’S SLOWEST COMPUTER: 2 pm at High Point Library, a fun competition to build it, as explained here. Free; registration not required. (3411 SW Raymond)

BASKETBALL, STREET ART, & PIZZA: 3-5 pm:

Pickup basketball for middle- and high-school-aged youth and basketball skill activities for younger children on the courts behind Neighborhood House High Point. There will also be art activities set up and led by teaching artists from Nature Consortium. Pizza and beverages will also be provided. The street will be closed to traffic.

(6400 Sylvan Way SW)

SUMMER CONCERTS AT THE MOUNT: The annual four-show series starts tonight, 5:30 pm dinner if you want to buy yours there, 6 pm music, on the south side of the Providence Mount St. Vincent campus, tonight starring The Abbagraphs with ABBA songs and other disco-era music. Dinner menu:

Citrus-Marinated Mahi-Mahi Tacos
Or your choice of
All Beef Franks, Grilled Hamburgers, Veggie Black Bean Burgers

All with Macaroni Salad, Watermelon and Corn on the Cob

Dessert: Mamma-Mia Baklava

Free popcorn/snow cones. Bring your own chair/blanket. (4831 35th SW)

CORNER BAR: First Friday means it’s time for the pop-up bar at Highland Park Improvement Club. Doors open at 6 pm; music by the Yada Yada Blues Band starts around 8 pm. DJ Dr. Lehl, too! All ages; no cover; food and beverages available for purchase. (1116 SW Holden)

BOOK READING/SIGNING: 7 pm at Easy Street Records, author Thomas O’Keefe reads from and signs his new book, “Waiting to Derail: Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown, Alt Country’s Brilliant Wreck,” which “provides a firsthand glimpse into Ryan Adams at the most meaningful and mythical stage of his career.” Free; all ages. (California/Alaska)

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING? The full list is on our complete calendar.

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YOU CAN HELP! Go birding, and ‘contribute to vital seabird science’

August 3, 2018 9:58 am

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| How to help | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Image provided by Seattle Audubon: White-Winged Scoter photographed by Doug Schurman)

We know the WSB readership includes many bird lovers. Seattle Audubon hopes some might be able to help with this:

Are seabirds in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca increasing or decreasing in numbers? Which species are changing their range? Help us find out.

The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is a community and citizen-science project managed by Seattle Audubon that empowers volunteer birdwatchers to gather valuable data on wintering seabird populations across the southern Salish Sea.

This season we will be expanding the project, yet again, this time north to the Canadian border and the San Juan Islands. We received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program through the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to add 15-30 new survey sites, develop an oil spill plan and train volunteers on how to react to a spill.

You can contribute to vital seabird science by joining the twelfth season of this exciting project. We are now recruiting enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers to help us monitor the status of our local wintering seabirds. Training on survey methodology will be provided on Tuesday, 17th September at Lincoln Park, with other trainings taking place at 8 additional locations later in September and early October.

The first seabird survey of the season will take place on October 6th, 2018. Volunteers should ideally be able to identify Puget Sound’s seabird species and be available on the first Saturday of each month, October through April, to conduct a 30-minute survey. But, if determining between Lesser and Greater Scaup is a challenge, we’ll team you up with more knowledgeable surveyors. To help us determine each volunteer’s seabird identification skill level, please take this short, fun seabird ID quiz.

There are five survey sites in the West Seattle area that we need volunteers for, 10 sites in the Seattle area that require more volunteers, and numerous other sites around Puget Sound with spaces.

Learn more at www.seabirdsurvey.org and email Toby Ross, Science Manager tobyr@seattleaudubon.org to take part.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch

August 3, 2018 7:00 am

| 11 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

7 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported in/from our area so far.

Alerts/FYIs:

I-90 BRIDGE CLOSURE: 12:55-2:45 pm today for the Blue Angels‘ Seafair appearance.

STADIUM ZONE: Mariners are home again tonight, 7:10 pm vs. Toronto.

7:11 AM: Transit alert just sent by Metro:

Transit Alert – Route 56 to downtown Seattle due to leave Alki at 7:19 AM will not operate this morning.

— King County Metro🚏🚎 (@kcmetrobus) August 3, 2018

Also:

WEST MARGINAL LANE CLOSURE: The SDOT camera shows the westbound outside lane remains closed east of the West Marginal/Spokane/Chelan/Delridge intersection, as the cleanup related to Wednesday night’s tanker crash continues.

7:19 AM: And now a crash reported on the high bridge, eastbound, described as a single vehicle blocking the left lane after hitting the median.

7:26 AM: Via radio communication – SFD units arriving at the scene report that no one is hurt, so all but one of their units will leave the scene, and that one will be awaiting SPD. This is just past the 99 exit, per tweeted image from SDOT.

7:36 AM: They’re calling for a tow truck and also for SDOT, for cleanup.

7:43 AM: SFD has cleared the scene but police still have 2 lanes blocked pending the aforementioned arrivals.

7:50 AM: If you’re headed in from the south – crash in the right lane on NB First Avenue S. Bridge.

8:02 AM: One lane still blocked on the eastbound bridge now just past 99 as they continue to await a tow for the car tha crashed in the left lane.

8:27 AM: Towed; should be clear before long.

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