West Seattle, Washington
07 Thursday
Maybe you can help find this stolen bicycle:
Erin reports, “Please keep your eyes peeled for this bike. It was stolen from our back yard [30th/Webster]. Last seen Tuesday night. It’s been in our family since the ’80s. Schwinn Chameleon. Has old-school spokey-dokes on both wheels. Has three red reflectors in back.” We’ll add the police-report # when it’s available.
UPDATE: See comments – police found the bicycle!
8:24 PM: If you’re hearing Guardian One, the helicopter crew has tweeted that they are helping Seattle Police search for “a robbery suspect that fled in a vehicle on Delridge Way SW from the Home Depot.” More when we get it.
9:04 PM: We checked the area and couldn’t find anyone still searching, so we stopped at the precinct to see what we could find out. The robbery was a case of shoplifting turned violent. No one in custody.
(WSB photo from late this afternoon)
As reported in our coverage of Mayor Jenny Durkan‘s Highland Park Action Committee appearance last night, the city says its cleanup of the east side of Myers Way – which, as noted here Tuesday night, involved dozens of city crews – only took three days. This formal notification is from the Southwest Precinct:
The SW Precinct would like to inform our community that the Myers Way encampment has officially been dismantled. Hundreds of pounds of trash and debris was removed and the encampment was entirely cleared out.
Although the individuals living there were offered many services that the City of Seattle has to offer, a majority of the encampment’s residents declined these offers.
The SW Precinct is working diligently to track the displacement of these individuals, and we encourage our community to stay vigilant and aware. Remember to report crime and suspicious behavior by calling 911, secure your homes and outbuildings by locking doors and windows, and get involved with your community via Block Watch and other community organizations.
Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner, who sent the announcement, also reminds you that she and the precinct offer “free safety/security assessments” – e-mail her at jennifer.danner@seattle.gov to find out more.
The announcement and photo are from West Seattle Church of the Nazarene pastor Shaun Mattson:
Wanted to let you know that on Tuesday, October 2nd, we will be opening our Play Space (the church nursery area) to the community. We will be open from 9 am – 12 pm, and will continue to be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays during those times. It will be a place for parents, grandparents, and caregivers to bring kids to play while they connect with others or work while their kids play. (Note this is not child care – parents, grandparents, and caregivers must be on campus while their kiddos play.)
This is free to the community. Wi-Fi, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea will be provided. Would love for it to be used as a resource to the community.
The church is at 4201 SW Juneau (corner of 42nd).
The announcement and photos are from West Seattle Community Orchestras:
West Seattle Community Orchestras (WSCO) is beginning its fall season under the direction of its new Executive Director, Virginia Wright. Virginia has a Bachelor’s degree in music, with professional experience in online and print design, IT/systems administration, and arts/nonprofit management and administration. She has worked in managerial roles in several music organizations in the greater Seattle area, and remains committed to supporting the continuation of the musical arts in many different ways.
Also new this fall is Nse Ekpo, conductor candidate for WSCO’s Symphony Orchestra. Nse is the first of three conductor candidates who are “auditioning” to become WSCO’s permanent Symphony conductor.
Virginia explains: “At the end of last season, WSCO’s Symphony conductor James Pham left to pursue a conducting opportunity in Germany. During the summer the WSCO Hiring Committee met with a great group of potential candidates to fill the vacant role. Going into the Fall season, we are now ready to enter into the final stages of assessment, which will include each of our three finalists executing a full cycle of planning, rehearsals, and a final concert. This process will provide us with a good look at the working style and ability of each of the three conductors. All three are highly qualified, and it will be a wonderful opportunity to see them work with the orchestra.” (We’ll have more to report about the other two candidates later in the season.)
Nse is not truly new to us, having co-conducted WSCO’s predecessor, the Westside Symphonette, during 2007 and 2008. He says he’s delighted to be back.
Nse (pronounced EN-say) Ekpo enjoys a varied career as a performer, educator, and content creator throughout the United States and abroad. Recent engagements have taken him to Pazardjik, Bulgaria where he guest conducted the Pazardjik Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, Ekpo was named a finalist in two categories of the American Prize: Professional Orchestral Conducting, and the Ernst Bacon Award for the Programming of American Music (Professional Division).
Dr. Ekpo is currently the Concert Band Director at Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington. He holds a doctorate in orchestral conducting from the University of South Carolina, where he studied with Donald Portnoy.
WSCO is also pleased to welcome back our long-time outstanding conductors — Rachel Nesvig, Debut Orchestra; Mike Jauregui, Intermediate Orchestra; and Anton Coleman, Wind Symphony — as well as our excellent professional string coaches, Clare Bresnahan and Daniel Mullikin.
Rehearsals for the Debut, Intermediate, and Wind Symphony will begin October 2, with the Symphony starting up October 9. All rehearsals are held Tuesdays at Chief Sealth International High School. Specific start times for the rehearsals and more details are listed on our website, www.wscorchestras.org, or you can contact info@wscorchestras.org.
WSCO especially encourages student musicians (through grade 12) to sign up. No charge!
Finally, WSCO also offers classes for adults who wish to learn (or relearn!) a string (violin, viola, cello) or band instrument (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone).
It’s not too late to join WSCO for the new season! Sign up here.
One month and one day until the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival! 10 am to 2 pm Sunday, October 28th, in the street in the heart of The Junction. It’s multifaceted fun – the Farmers’ Market, harvest/fall-themed kids’ activities, a costume parade, trick-or-treating, and a benefit chili cookoff! The chili cookoff field is set – you buy, you vote, proceeds go to the West Seattle Food Bank: This year’s contenders are Elliott Bay Brewing, Husky Deli, Easy Street Café, The Westy, Duos Catering, Pecos Pit (WSB sponsor), Girls Gone BBQ, The Bridge, and Shadowland are this year’s competitors. Also: Whether you chow down on chili or not, you’ll be able to quench your thirst at the Root Beer Garden! And something new this year: A pumpkin-pie-eating contest.
P.S. If your business/organization can host an activity booth, there’s still time to sign up for that – no charge! Just use this form. Volunteers are also welcome to be part of the fun – sign up here.
(WSB photos and video by Patrick Sand)
Mayor Jenny Durkan‘s visit to the Highland Park Action Committee finally happened last night – 7 months after she accepted the invitation extended by HPAC’s Gunner Scott during her February “town hall” at the Senior Center of West Seattle. We got it all on video – first, the mayor:
And in our second clip, the department heads who accompanied her, mostly to address homelessness-related issues such as the Myers Way east-side cleanup – interim Human Services Director Jason Johnson (a West Seattle resident), HSD’s Navigation Team manager Fred Podesta, as well as Seattle Parks and Recreation leadership, introduced by HPAC chair Charlie Omana:
Other top city staffers were there too, including new Department of Neighborhoods director Andrés Mantilla – a Highland Park resident – Seattle Public Utilities‘ Mami Hara, Parks interim superintendent Christopher Williams, and deputy SDOT director Elliott Helmbrecht.
If you don’t have time to watch the video and weren’t among the ~50 people at the Highland Park Improvement Club for last night’s event, here are the toplines:
She opened by talking about the budget proposal she unveiled on Monday (here’s our coverage, from attending a media briefing at the mayor’s office) and pitching for the Families/Education/Preschool/Promise Levy that’ll go to city voters in November.
Regarding homelessness, she touted her plan for hundreds of additional shelter beds and the need to close “gaps” in regional behavioral-care services. She said the city-sanctioned Camp Second Chance in southeast West Seattle “is being managed well.” And she said the Myers Way east-side cleanup had finished ahead of schedule.
Regarding police and crimefighting, she promised that she and SPD Chief Carmen Best would figure out how to “do better.”
In Q&A with the mayor, local community advocate Pete Spalding opened by mentioning how former Mayor Murray had cut ties with community groups such as neighborhood-district councils and asked Durkan about renewing a commitment to working with community groups. She declared that her presence last night was a “signal to you” that she has made that commitment, and she added that she believes in “community-based government,” that solutions come from communities. “You’ll see me back here,” she promised.
Another neighborhood advocate, Kay Kirkpatrick, brought up the Highland Park Way/Holden roundabout that neighbors have long been seeking. Is it in the city budget? Can money from other on-hold projects (such as Fauntleroy Boulevard) be diverted to it? The mayor’s answer (about 19 minutes into the video) was that “it’s clear that a roundabout is the best result” for the intersection, and that the city is planning in expectation that it’ll get a state grant to fund it – but if not, the city will find a “Plan B.” In the meantime, the mayor said they’re looking at “other ways to slow traffic down” there.
Another transportation issue brought up: Bus service to Highland Park, particularly Route 131. (While buses are managed by King County, the city has had an increasing role as it’s “bought” additional service hours on some routes, and more of that is proposed in Durkan’s new budget.)
In crime and safety, a neighbor from the 13th SW area shaken by home-invasion burglaries earlier this year said they still feel the response might have been better in a more-affluent area. “We want to feel safe in the area … and more has to be done for people to feel more trust in the Police Department.” The mayor acknowledged that she was aware of the community’s concerns and said she hopes that they are doing better now. “We know we can do better in parts of the city.” She again mentioned that her budget calls for more officers – 10 more citywide next year, 30 more the year after that, above attrition (though where they’ll be assigned isn’t clear, and the budget shows the Southwest Precinct overall staffing level not changing). Assistant Chief Adrian Diaz also addressed the concerns and mentioned safety/self-defense training to “empower” community members.
And one more question before the mayor left was from a South Delridge resident who spoke of the dozens of derelict/abandoned properties in the area, wondering why it takes so long to get them addressed. The mayor mentioned a South Park property that had been handled but invited the resident to get her more specifics so they could “work on (it).” (A p.s. on that, Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s been working on the issue and is scheduled to talk about it at next week’s Southwest District Council meeting, 6:30 pm October 3rd at the Senior Center of West Seattle.)
We will add notes later this afternoon from the conversation with Human Services Department leaders that followed the mayor’s departure; you can watch the 30-minute video above in the meantime.
Our calendar page is ailing today as an after-effect of last night’s technical trouble, but we hope to have it fixed soon. Meanwhile, here are six things you should know about:
CITY BUDGET REVIEW CONTINUES: Happening now at City Hall, Day 2 of the City Council’s budget review. The agenda has links to individual departments’ presentations. The first session is under way now; the second is scheduled to start at 2 pm. You can watch via Seattle Channel. (600 4th Avenue)
DROP-IN PRESCHOOL ART: 11 am-noon at Delridge Library: “Join our guest teacher, Miss Lisa, to complete art projects using nature, recycled materials, and more! For ages 2-5.” (5423 Delridge Way SW)
SOUTHWEST ARTIST SHOWCASE DROP-OFF: Want to be part of the Southwest Library‘s 27th annual Artist Showcase? Just stop by the library today (open until 8 pm), tomorrow, or Saturday and drop off up to three pieces of your visual art. (9010 35th SW)
FAMILY BRISTLEBOT CHALLENGE: LibraryLab program, 4-5:30 pm at High Point Library: “Work together to design, tinker, and test your own family Bristlebot robot.” (3411 SW Raymond)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House High Point Center:
WSTC’s first meeting back after our summer hiatus is going to be a doozy! January 11, 2019 was just announced as the beginning of the three-week-long SR99 viaduct-to-tunnel cutover closure. This will be the longest major highway closure the Puget Sound region has ever seen. Washington State Department Of Transportation will be at our September meeting to tell us all about the closure and what comes next. Unless you plan to remain in West Seattle the entire three weeks SR99 is closed, you will definitely want to attend this meeting!
(6400 Sylvan Way SW)
RIVERVIEW PLAYFIELD HOURS CHANGE? As previewed here last week, the city Board of Park Commissioners has a hearing tonight on whether to open Riverview Playfield later and close it earlier to address various issues. The agenda also includes a briefing on another issue of West Seattle interest, Parks’ viewpoints – here’s the document for that. The board meets at 6:30 pm at Parks HQ downtown. (100 Dexter Ave. N.)
9:27 AM: Thanks to Frank at Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) for the heads-up on this. He reports a power outage in The Junction is affecting some businesses. The City Light map only shows 1 customer affected in a pocket just north of Edmunds between California and Edmunds, but especially in a mixed-use area the map may not always be accurate. SCL attributes the outage to “equipment failure.”
10:43 AM: Photo added above – City Light is on scene. The outage is oddly configured, we’re told – so the affected businesses (that we found, on the east side of California/Edmunds) are open, just dealing with different effects; at Thunder Road, some of the lighting is working, some isn’t, for example.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported so far in, or outbound from, West Seattle.
STADIUM ZONE: 7:10 pm Mariners-Texas game tonight at Safeco Field.
WEEKEND REMINDER: Per WSDOT alert, “The northbound I-5 off-ramp to the West Seattle Bridge/Columbian Way/Spokane Street will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 1.”
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