West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
Thanks for the tips about that new banner hanging outside the ex-Kokoras space in Morgan Junction. It proclaims “Grand Opening” for TeriFresh, though it’s not open yet. Kokoras closed three months ago and when we found a crew working inside, they told us they were remodeling. Then some time ago, a local businessperson reported seeing a flyer that said TeriFresh was coming; when we reported on Kokoras’s ownership change a little over a year ago, our story included a mention that the new owner owned TeriFresh in Maple Valley. We tried to contact them about the flyer and never got a response; we’ve also been going by looking for anyone at work inside, and there’s been nothing visible for a long time until the new banner. If you want to find out more about TeriFresh, here’s the website for their Maple Valley restaurant.
This week a few people contacted us to ask “when is this year’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day?” And when we start getting that question, it’s time to launch the countdown – and today happens to be exactly four months from the big day – the second Saturday in May, as always – this year, that’s May 12th. If you’re new, WSCGSD isn’t one big sale, but one big day with simultaneous sales of all sizes, all over the peninsula. A local nonprofit launched it in 2005 and organized it for three years before shutting down and putting out the call for someone to take it over. We thought it was such a great day of face-to-face community-building all over West Seattle, we didn’t want to see it go away, so we raised our hands … and this is the 11th year we’re coordinating it. Registration will open in early April – watch here and westseattlegaragesale.com for updates.
More than five years after buying and “landbanking” the future park site in the 4700 block of 40th SW [map], Seattle Parks is moving forward with designing the new park. And the next round of input is set for two drop-in events on the same day: 11:30 am-1 pm and 5:30-7 pm Thursday, February 1st, at the site. The project team from Parks and GGLO Design will be there to “review design concepts and gather input” from everyone who shows up. Last September, you might recall, Parks held a drop-in event at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market to gather votes on potential design elements. The city bought the park site in 2012 for $1.4 million and “landbanked” it; until last summer, it was home to temporary Fire Station 32 while the new station was being built.
(Black turnstone, photographed by Mark Ahlness, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Now approaching – your weekend. Here are Friday highlights to get it started. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WINE: Stop in and enjoy a glass of wine at Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor); bottles available for purchase too. Tasting room open 5-9 pm. (5910 California SW) … In South Admiral, Welcome Road Winery (WSB sponsor) is open 5-8 pm, with glass pours and tasting flights. (3804 California SW)
SKATE NIGHT: 5:45 pm-7:45 pm, skating at Alki Community Center. $3/person. (5817 SW Stevens)
SPAGHETTI-DINNER FUNDRAISER: 6:30-8:30 pm, join the West Seattle High School Key Club in the WSHS Commons for a spaghetti dinner, raising money for club expenses and the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program. Tickets are $10 each; along with spaghetti, you’ll find a photo booth, raffles, and cake walk. (3000 California SW)
ART LOUNGE: Highland Park Improvement Club invites you to bring your projects and get creative, starting at 7 pm. 21+. (1116 SW Holden)
SIGGIE THE VINTAGE MAN: Americana at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
BASKETBALL HOME GAMES: The West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School varsity teams are all home tonight. Sealth (2600 SW Thistle) hosts Franklin, West Seattle (3000 California SW) hosts Lakeside – girls’ varsity games at 7 pm, boys’ varsity games at 8:30 pm.
STUDENT-DIRECTED THEATER: Last of 3 nights for “Killjoy,” directed by student Kimberly Le, at West Seattle High School, 7:30 pm. $10 at the door. (3000 California SW)
AT THE SKYLARK: Live music at 8 pm, with Brainard, The Double Cross Committee, and Dennis Dabbs. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
AT THE PARLIAMENT: 9 pm-midnight, it’s Box Punch, your favorite cover band. 21+. $5 at the door. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
AND THERE’S MORE … on our complete-calendar page.
One BIG beach party is in the works for Alki this summer … seven months away, but that’s not too far off for you to save the date. Legendary Sub Pop Records just shared the news with us so we could share it with you:
To celebrate 30 years of releasing somewhat well-regarded records, CDs, and tapes, Sub Pop Records is hosting an entirely FREE event we’ve taken to calling SPF30. Sub Pop’s 30th Anniversary Party (with entertainment) will be held Saturday, August 11th, 2018, along incredibly scenic Alki Ave. in the Alki Beach neighborhood of West Seattle. …
SPF30 is altogether FREE and will have… Bands! A record fair-type event! A host of local nonprofit organizations! Food! Booze! (The food and beer and wine and soda or whatever, you will have to pay for! These parts are not free!) Good times and opportunities to embarrass yourself and those who’d always hoped for better for you! Plus, bands!
SPF30:
Sub Pop’s 30th Anniversary Party (with entertainment) at Alki Beach
Saturday, August 11th, 2018
Noon – 10 pm
West SeattleFor FREE / For YOU
Which bands? Of course you’d ask that. Too soon to say, Sub Pop tells us. But they want you to save the date and be ready to celebrate with them on (have you memorized the date yet?) August 11th. We’ll have updates in the months ahead.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:03 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far.
Reminders:
SATURDAY MORNING BATTERY STREET TUNNEL CLOSURE: The BSTunnel will be closed both ways 6 am-10 am Saturday morning. If you’re heading north, you’ll have to exit 99 at Western; if you’re heading south (from north of downtown), you’ll have to exit at Denny.
MONDAY HOLIDAY: Monday is Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No school; no Water Taxi; Metro on “reduced weekday” service.
METRO ‘MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE’ MONDAY: As announced Wednesday, most Metro buses will stop at 4:04 pm Monday for a “moment of remembrance.”
Though Sound Transit has stressed that nothing’s final, it’s envisioning the future West Seattle light-rail line as elevated. If you’ve found it difficult to imagine what that MIGHT look like, “Avalon Tom” wants to help. He e-mailed WSB after making these renderings based on what preliminary information is available about the possible route “alignment,” and gave us permission to publish them.
“Avalon Tom” explains that he has “18 years experience in the architectural industry producing images like these professionally,” and adds, “I’m not associated with any group, just a citizen who lives and works in West Seattle and wants everyone to understand what they are proposing.” He also acknowledges that he is concerned with “the size” of the project and hopes that ST will consider tunneling.
Again, these are UNOFFICIAL, and we can’t vouch for the dimensions – whatever’s built could be higher or lower, wider or narrower, on a different route – but it’s something we’d been wondering about, and wondering how to visualize – so we’re sharing Tom’s renderings, in case you were wondering too. And as ST stresses, NOW is the time to get involved, because major decisions will be finalized in the next year-plus, even though the service itself isn’t expected to launch until 2030.
By the way, “Avalon Tom” says he’ll be printing 11×17 versions of these (and a few others) and bringing them to meetings.
(Sound Transit’s description of the “representative” – draft, basically – alignment, on which Tom’s images are based, can be seen and heard in our coverage of last week’s Elected Leadership Group launch meeting.)
The issue of overhead vs. underground is likely to be a big one – for the Ballard end, as well as West Seattle – as the “preferred alignment” is developed in the next year-plus, and Sound Transit has warned that tunneling would change the cost and likely the timeline.
Speaking of timeline:
STAKEHOLDER GROUP RECRUITMENT CONTINUES: Sound Transit is continuing to seek applications for at least five people in the West Seattle-to-Ballard corridor area to be on its Stakeholders Advisory Group. Just another week and a half to apply if you’re interested – go here to find out more, including how to apply. This group is expected to have its first meeting (CORRECTED DATE) February 8th, ST tells us.
OTHER WAYS TO HAVE A SAY: Keep an eye on the project website (and on WSB) – more feedback opportunities/meetings are expected soon.
If you have, or know, kids/youth at risk of hunger, Seattle Public Library wants to remind you about Kids’ Café – free afterschool meals at High Point (3411 SW Raymond) and South Park (8604 8th Ave. S.) branches every weekday during the school year:
The Seattle Public Library has partnered with Food Lifeline, Boeing and the USDA to bring healthy and kid-friendly foods to three Library locations. Free after school meals will be available for all youth ages 18 and under for the remainder of the school year, through June 22, 2018.
All kids are welcome — no proof of income, address or citizenship is ever required. Kids Café meals are specifically selected to appeal to kids’ notoriously picky palates and to meet their special nutritional guidelines.
Library programs are free and everyone is welcome. Free parking is available at all three locations. No meals during the Library’s holiday closures.
Visit the High Point branch 2:45-3:30 pm weekdays, the South Park branch 3:45-4:15 pm weekdays.
Management at the Nucor steel mill in northeast West Seattle says they’re “working … to mitigate the problem” that’s caused startling booms in recent days. The one reported here on Saturday evening, after hearing from readers, was such a jolt, some said, they didn’t think it was from the plant because they’d never felt anything like it. We talked this afternoon with Nucor’s environmental manager Patrick Jablonski. He explained that this can happen “when we add wet scrap metal into our furnace … I think we are particularly vulnerable to it because of our climate; it happens more often in the wintertime.” He said Nucor is “certainly not happy” about this, and is trying to find out why it’s happened repeatedly in recent days, so they can work “to mitigate the problem.” Jablonski also told WSB, “We’ve worked over the years to minimize it … As far as I know, we are the only mill that built a large canopy to keep the rain off the scrap in our scrapyard … We’ve developed additional procedures over the years.” But that doesn’t get all the rain – or snow, if the scrap was brought over the mountain passes – off the steel, and when the wet scrap metal goes into the furnace (which is on the north side of the main building), the evaporation happens quickly and loudly. No one was hurt, he added. Some commenters asked about contacting the plant in case of an incident; you can call the general number, 206-933-2222, around the clock – if it’s after-hours, security can get in touch with someone to check into it, Jablonski said.
(WSDOT photo from December, southbound tunnel portal)
As reported on Wednesday, the Highway 99 tunnel might be ready to open this fall, instead of early next year. But the matter of tunnel tolls hasn’t been settled yet. The Washington State Transportation Commission, which has to set the rates, will talk about it again next Wednesday afternoon. This time, the focus will be on listening to feedback from the city, county, and port. They’re on the WSTC agenda for 1 pm Wednesday (January 17th) in Olympia. The commission won’t be making a decision before September, but there is public comment at day’s end on Wednesday (4:45 pm), and there will be opportunities when there’s a formal tolling proposal this summer. If you want to comment to the commission sooner, here’s how. (Backstory: Here’s our previous update on the tolling issue.)
The automotive-business site on the southwest corner of Delridge and Barton has a new redevelopment proposal – described as a four-story building containing “mini-storage with office space at ground level,” a caretaker unit, and parking for 12 vehicles. The project has to go before the Southwest Design Review Board because of its size, and a tentative date has been set for the first (Early Design Guidance) meeting – 6:30 pm February 15th (Sisson Building/Senior Center, 4217 SW Oregon).
Two biznotes at The Whittaker (4755 Fauntleroy; WSB sponsor):
MOD PIZZA: The “individual, artisan-style pizza and salads” restaurant is now planning to open its West Seattle location in early February. That’s according to Charlotte Wayte, who also sent word that they’re having two hiring events at the future restaurant, for 30 job openings: 10 am-4 pm Saturday, January 20th, and Sunday, January 21st. They’re also taking applications online. The announcement notes:
Named one of the “20 Best Workplaces in Retail” by Fortune, MOD offers health, dental and vision benefits, short-term disability, sick pay, flexible scheduling for work-life balance and opportunities for career growth. MOD is also proud to support its MOD Squad with special perks such as free meals, an employee assistance program, and access to an emergency crisis fund.
The chain was founded in Seattle and is growing fast. The West Seattle store is 2,500 square feet and, according to the update, “will include original artwork and MOD’s signature ‘Wall of Fame,’ a photo collage that pays homage to the local community and people from the MOD journey.” The opening date isn’t finalized yet but MOD says it will partner that day with a TBA local nonprofit who will get 100 percent of the pizza-sales proceeds from that day.
KINETIC SPORTS REHAB: According to the building’s updated site map, and a permit application, another of the remaining Whittaker spaces has been taken – Kinetic Sports Rehab is coming to the south building, in the space north of CityMD. It currently has two locations, both in north Seattle. (The space also is next to the future Orangetheory Fitness – we have a message out to check on when they’re planning to open.)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, tonight’s spotlight event is the January edition of the West Seattle Art Walk, “5 pm until late.” Here’s the map/venue list for winter quarter:
It’s not just art – it’s also food/beverage venues with specials, as you’ll see on the list. Artists are spotlighted here. Among them: Greta Musland is at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor), where tasting fees are waived for Art Walk-ers. And Lezlie Jane, well-known for many public works of art around West Seattle, has a reception at West Seattle Windermere (4526 California SW) for new paintings.
Also ahead for today/tonight:
(The view from Alki on a similarly murky morning, photographed by Jim Borrow)
TODDLER STORY TIME: It’s rainy, but you don’t have to stay home with your toddler(s). 11:30-noon, it’s story time at High Point Library. Free and fun. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
RAPIDRIDE H LINE DROP-IN MEETING: Second of three meetings in this round of feedback about the future conversion of Metro Route 120 into the RapidRide H Line – the change isn’t until 2020 but big decisions about stops (and more) will be made soon, so if you’ll be using it, your input is crucial. 5-8 pm at Mount View Elementary in White Center. For a sneak peek of sorts, see our coverage of last night’s Burien event. (10811 12th SW)
OPEN MICROPHONE: Musicians and singers of all genres are welcome to the open-mic event at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
PUNK ROCK AEROBICS: New class Thursday nights at Highland Park Improvement Club, 7 pm. “Suitable for all bodies.” (1116 SW Holden)
STUDENT-DIRECTED THEATER: Second of 3 nights for “Killjoy,” directed by student Kimberly Le, at West Seattle High School, 7:30 pm. $10/door. (3000 California SW)
KO ELECTRIC: “Original electric jazz” at Parliament Tavern, 8-11 pm. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SEE OUR COMPLETE CALENDAR for more!
Off work/out of school on Monday, and not signed up for a “day of service” project yet? Here’s one looking for volunteers, in case you haven’t already seen it on the WSB calendar:
Fairmount Park Forest Work Party
January 15, 2018 10 am – 1 pmGive back to your community park this MLK Day! Fairmount Park Playground is a small green space along Fauntleroy Way next to Fairmount Park Elementary. We started restoration in Spring of 2017, removing invasives, like blackberry and ivy, moving compost piles and replanting it with beautiful Native plants. Come help continue our efforts. It’s a small park that needs a lot of help.
Here’s where to go for more information and registration.
(Anybody else looking for volunteers on Monday? Not too late to let us know.)
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! We’ve checked around and no incidents are reported in/from West Seattle so far on this rainy Thursday morning.
Previews:
RAPIDRIDE H LINE OPEN HOUSE IN WHITE CENTER TONIGHT: Find out more about – and comment on – the future conversion of Metro Route 120 to the RapidRide H Line, by dropping in between 5 pm and 8 pm at Mount View Elementary (10811 12th SW).
SATURDAY MORNING BATTERY STREET TUNNEL CLOSURE: Another reminder, the BSTunnel is closed both ways 6 am-10 am Saturday morning.
3-DAY WEEKEND AHEAD: Monday is Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No school; Metro on “reduced weekday” service.
METRO ‘MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE’ MONDAY: As announced yesterday, most Metro buses will pause for a “moment of remembrance” at 4:04 pm Monday.
8:43 AM: SDOT reports a collision at Highland Park Way and Holden.
Transportation questions dominated Q&A with City Councilmember Lisa Herbold at this month’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting.
Top of the list – the Admiral area’s dearth of Metro service, compared to West Seattle’s other urban areas. More than one attendee wondered why residents aren’t seeing return on the additional city taxes they’re paying for transit service.
Herbold said the city decided to go along with the county’s spending guidelines when the city-county partnership began, so right now, Metro’s priorities are focused on adding services to busy routes, and there’s no discussion of what to do about underserved areas. She thinks better metrics are needed to identify who needs better service. One suggestion: Invite Metro to Admiral for an open house, which could be a step toward showing what the area needs.
As she’s done at other community meetings, she also talked about the Alki-and-vicinity community survey that showed major concern about vehicle-noise issues; SPD is due to send a report to the council in March that will pave the way for working on enforcement, or on changing the laws to better facilitate it. Enforcement of the existing cruising ordinance is in the spotlight too.
And as she told the Southwest District Council last week, Councilmember Herbold mentioned the possibility of a West Seattle town hall with new Mayor Jenny Durkan. She says she’s confident it will happen, so watch for updates.
Also at the ANA meeting (which was held Tuesday night at The Sanctuary at Admiral):
SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA: Planning for this year’s series is about to begin; committee members are needed to help out. The first concert is set for July 19th.
MEETING SCHEDULE: ANA’s been talking for a long time about cutting back on the slate of monthly meetings, and is now looking at meeting every two months.
We stopped by the first RapidRide H Line drop-in meeting in Burien tonight to preview what you’ll see if you go to the White Center meeting tomorrow. It’s classic open-house format – informational boards around the room, staffers there so you can ask questions, maps on tables, comment forms to fill out if you choose to. They include explanations of how RapidRide works, as well as focusing in on specifics of this project, which is scheduled to convert Route 120 into the H Line in 2020.
While there’s a separate meeting coming up in Delridge one week from tonight to talk about the new options for that stretch of the route, those boards are available too – ask if you don’t see them.
It’s not a different route, we were told, but rather some possibilities for where the stops will be – which has been a major concern in previous community discussions. The new Delridge option – they started with two and now this is #3 – would include stations at Genesee, Andover, Hudson, Findlay in the north, for example. (Andover would eventually be a connection at/near the future Sound Transit Light Rail stop.) For those who have been advocating to have RapidRide H use the Delridge/Barton triangle stop, that’s still not considered an option; Metro’s Jenna Franklin told us their projections suggest the Westwood area will have many more jobs by 2025 and the connection needs to be closer. The proposals include more than just bus-stop locations, but also multi-modal right-of-way improvements, so take a good look and be ready to discuss, especially at the Delridge meeting on January 17th (Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW), which starts as a drop-in event and then is followed by a discussion with the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council starting at 7 pm. (We also are scheduled for a more in-depth briefing on the proposal, so watch for a followup.)
Also note that tonight’s Burien meeting had materials in multiple languages and you’ll find those in White Center Thursday night, too (5-8 pm, Mount View Elementary, 10811 12th SW). And whether you do or don’t get to an in-person meeting, the “online open house” is open now too, linked from this info-laden page about the RapidRide H Line project – if you need it translated, look for the SET LANGUAGE button at lower left, which brings up a list of dozens of languages.
First time in a while that we have received a reader report of a car-stereo theft. The photo and report are from Alex:
Someone broke into my truck last night and took my car stereo as well as some speakers. Truck was parked IN my apartment’s parking lot at Willow Court Apts. on Delridge [map].
SPD incident #: 18-011457.
Just after Christmas, we reported on partner site White Center Now that a new enterprise from the folks behind Drunky’s Two Shoes was on its way to the space vacated by short-lived Zanzibar: Dottie’s Doublewide. We’ve finally been able to talk to the Dottie’s team for the full story, and published it on WCN tonight.
(Northbound deck inside Highway 99 tunnel – WSDOT photo from last week)
WSDOT‘s newest Highway 99 tunnel update is out, and the state says that Seattle Tunnel Partners‘ newest schedule indicates “the tunnel could open to drivers as soon as this fall.” They’re not ready to estimate a date yet, and WSDOT notes that a “significant amount of work remains between now and tunnel opening,” but it’s getting closer. And WSDOT’s update includes the reminder that when “the tunnel is ready to open, SR 99 through downtown Seattle will be closed to traffic for approximately three weeks” so that connections can be finalized. You can read the entire update here.
P.S. As we’ve been reminding you in the morning traffic/transportation updates, the Battery Street Tunnel will be closed for four hours this Saturday morning, 6-10 am, for an inspection related to its future decommissioning
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When a citywide coalition of community groups announced they would appeal the Environmental Impact Statement for HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability upzoning, three West Seattle groups were part of it. Now, a fourth has decided to join the appeal – the Fauntleroy Community Association. That decision happened during last night’s FCA board meeting, which as usual included a wide range of topics:
The new year brings a new location for longtime WSB sponsor John Moore and Northwest Insurance Group. (That’s John in our photo above with, from left, Heather Hanson, Marla Hoecker, and Ruth Sarvis.) He’s moved north a few blocks from his previous Morgan Junction location, and you’ll now find Northwest Insurance Group at 5431-B California SW [map]. The new location has more room for meetings, as well as expanded offices/workspace on the upper floors. As an independent agent, they deal with a long list of companies. Got questions? They’re at 206-932-2500 and nwinsgroup.com.
Just announced by Metro:
King County Metro will briefly pause all bus service at 4:04 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, for a moment of reflection and remembrance to honor the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to mark the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
About 975 commute time Metro and Metro-operated Sound Transit buses will be in service at that time, and the majority will pull over and stop for a brief moment of reflection in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose legacy of justice, inclusion and diversity serves to drive King County to better serve people. King was assassinated April 4, 1968, and King County is named in his honor.
“Dr. King devoted his life to fighting for equality and human rights for all, and we dedicate this moment to equity and social justice for all that Dr. King lived and died for,” said King County Metro General Manager Rob Gannon. “Metro believes that mobility is one of those rights. We are proud to provide public transportation services that enable all people to access the opportunities needed to thrive in King County.
“As we briefly pull our buses to the curb for a moment of reflection, we invite you to join us.”
Metro and Metro-operated Sound Transit buses in King County will pull over and stop only where and when it is safe to do so. Buses will not pause service if they are traveling on highways, in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel or on roadways where there is no place to safely pull over.
Metro will notify riders via transit alerts and on-board announcements in the days leading up to the moment of reflection. We appreciate and share our thanks to riders in advance for respecting and supporting our pause in service, and give our assurance that transit service will quickly restart at the conclusion of the moment of remembrance.
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