District 1 Community Network to be created, for ‘bigger voice’
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One year into her term, Mayor Jenny Durkan hasn’t clarified what kind of relationship she wants to have with neighborhood groups – particularly what remains of the neighborhood-district-council system the previous elected mayor tried to dismantle.
So some have decided to not waste any more time waiting to see what Durkan might decide to do.
Members of West Seattle’s two neighborhood-district councils, Southwest and Delridge – which have remained active despite the loss of city support – are joining forces with community leaders from South Park to form the District 1 Community Network.
That working title emerged at a recent gathering that explored that idea of “getting together on issues that affect the whole peninsula,” not just specific-neighborhood-based, as described by Amanda Sawyer of the Junction Neighborhood Organization, co-chair of the SW District Council.
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Tonight’s lights: On the fence in Alki
Many Christmas-light displays use fences. Few are as creative as this one. So tonight we feature the lights on this fence along SW Admiral Way in Alki, east of 63rd SW. (Got a suggestion for other lights to showcase? Send us the location! Photos welcome but not mandatory – if you don’t have one, we’ll take one. Scroll through our archives here to see what we’ve shown already.)
West Seattle Crime Watch: Couple threatened with gun in North Admiral
We received a few questions about an early Saturday morning full-code police response in Admiral. We matched it to an incident number that accompanied a Tweets by Beat listing described as “assaults, firearm involved,” but there was no related medical call. So we requested the report today. Below is the police narrative. The victims’ names were redacted, so we refer to them as A and B:
(A) and (B) are boyfriend/girlfriend and currently homeless; they live inside their 1995 Honda Accord, which is registered to someone else. (West Seattle patrol officers have contacted the couple in the vehicle in previous occasions.)
On 12-08-18, at approx 0210 hrs., (A) was operating the Honda, with (B) in the front seat. He had been traveling northbound on California Ave SW and made a left turn onto westbound SW Seattle St. He pulled over curbside in a posted no-parking-anytime zone. (He) was going to retrieve some items from the trunk and then park there to sleep for the night. Before he had a chance to exit the Honda, the unknown suspect approached and arrived at the Honda from the east, opened up the driver’s side door and stuck a silver-tone handgun in (A’s) face. The startled (A) pushed the suspect’s arm away, but the suspect stuck the handgun in (his) face a second time. At the same time, while the suspect was mumbling incoherently,
(redacted) and (redacted) were yelling. The suspect stepped back, slammed the driver’s door shut and then walked off with a large creme-color dog, in an eastbound direction across the intersection. On the NE corner of that intersection is the Villa Andora Apartments … The suspect was last seen walking into the alley behind the apartment building.
(A) drove away from the scene and called 911. He stopped at (a business parking lot a few blocks south) to wait for officers. … Upon my arrival, I spoke with the couple and obtained the above account. (A) surmised that the unknown suspect possibly did not want to see homeless people in the neighborhood. (He) described the encounter as the suspect pointing the handgun within inches of his face. I confirmed with both (that) they were not injured. It is unknown if they would be able to identify the suspect if seen again. A search of the area was made; the suspect was not located.
If you have any information, the incident # is 18-457416.
DEVELOPMENT: Another self-storage project on the way
Is this the flip side of the small-apartment boom? Now there’s a third self-storage project on the drawing boards in West Seattle. We’ve already reported on two in the works for Harbor Avenue SW; this one is proposed for 6045 West Marginal Way SW, at a site that currently holds a landscaping-materials yard and has been on the market for five months. The proposal says the building will be four stories, approximately 109,700 square feet, with 16 parking spaces. Documents suggest the prospective operator is StorQuest, which has only one facility in this region right now, in Federal Way.
Ferry fight: Vashon residents plan to pack task-force meeting Wednesday in West Seattle
(WSB photo, Fauntleroy ferry dock, October)
The Washington State Ferries Triangle Route Task Force has been meeting for more than a year in relative serenity. But its next meeting, this Wednesday (December 12), is expected to draw a crowd.
The all-volunteer committee was originally launched almost two years ago to consider potential solutions to the problems that plague the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run, particularly during peak pm outbound periods, backing up traffic along Fauntleroy Way some days, while boats leave without full loads.
The task force’s current focus is on the first major change in the route’s schedule in years. WSF says a change is necessary for a variety of reasons, including an upcoming increase in capacity on the route’s assigned vessels, and faster growth on the west end of the route. After several task-force discussions, the ferry system published and sought comment on a draft revised schedule. But a Vashon citizens’ group is unhappy with the proposal – saying it has a better idea that’s been ignored – and it’s calling for a big show of island residents – and anyone else interested – at Wednesday’s meeting, set for 4:30-7 pm at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW). The schedule change is currently planned to take effect in March.
West Seattle holidays: 3 weeks to New Year’s Eve!
Our West Seattle Holiday Guide rolls on through New Year’s Day … and that includes New Year’s Eve.
December 31st is only three weeks away, so we’re sending out the call – if your venue/group is having a public NYE event in West Seattle/White Center/South Park, be sure we know about it so we can get it into the guide! Just send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – we have a few already, but are ready to add more. And of course we’re still adding Christmas-season events too, from shopping events to light shows to church services, and beyond.
Thanks to everyone who’s contributed to the guide as the one-stop local list of what’s up during the most festive of all seasons!
What’s up on your West Seattle Monday
(Great Blue Heron, photographed in Lincoln Park by Mark Ahlness, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Here are highlights as the week begins, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:
LAST DAY! Northwest Insurance Group (WSB sponsor) is collecting new, unwrapped toys in their office – today’s the final day!
“We are accepting new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages. Please stop by and see our beautiful tree and leave a gift for the kids. We would love to visit with you.” (5431 California SW)
WALK WITH SOUNDSTEPS: Weekly Lincoln Park walk – meet at 10 am at the south end of the north parking lot. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
LIBRARYLAB: Learn how to paint and sculpt on the iPad. 4-7 pm at Delridge Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
COOKIE-DECORATING CLASS AT SALTY’S: 6-8 pm, cookie decorating at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) – reservation required; details are in our calendar listing. (1936 Harbor SW)
EVENING BOOK GROUPS: Two tonight! Both meet at 6:45 pm. At Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), this month’s book is “The Tusk that Did the Damage” by Tania James; at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), this month’s book is “Brick Lane” by Monica Ali.
FREE TRIVIA: All ages, 7:30 pm, at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday watch
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:15 AM: No traffic incidents or transit alerts reported for our area so far.
FOOTBALL TONIGHT: Stadium zone alert – the Seahawks play the Vikings, 5:15 pm tonight.
8:24 AM: Stalled vehicle blocking 1 eastbound lane on the bridge by Delridge.
9 AM: Trouble on NB 99 – Seneca closed at 1st for “energency utility repairs.” Metro is rerouting.
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