day : 26/02/2019 9 results

Toward the conclusion of this year’s African American History Month, students, parents, and staff at Arbor Heights Elementary got the chance to reflect both on inspiration …

…and on violation:

Those photos show just a small part of the “American History Traveling Museum: Unspoken Truths” display that ethnomuseumologist Delbert Richardson brought to the school. We were invited to stop by tonight as families viewed what students had seen earlier in the day.

The curator is a Seattle resident and tells us that the museum has no fixed location – it features items he has been collecting for more than 30 years, and he travels with them to schools and other locations.

In our photo above are Delbert Richardson with, at right, Rosslyn Shea, the AHES staffer who got a grant to bring the American History Traveling Museum to the school, and at center, AHES principal Christy Collins. He is part of history himself – winner of the National Education Association‘s Carter G. Woodson Memorial Award in 2017.

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FOLLOWUP: The giving that enabled a homecoming

February 26, 2019 8:59 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

Back on Saturday, we showed you volunteers from Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) getting ready to take a truckload of donated furnishings and other items to a family exiting homelessness to permanent housing South King County. The organization that Tibbetts worked with, Mary’s Place, shared photos of what happened next. Above and below, the volunteers arrived at the location and got everything unloaded.

Later, the delighted family was there – including this little girl:

They had this message for the volunteers/donors:

If you’re interested, here’s more about the Mary’s Place program through which Tibbetts helped this family:

When a family experiencing homelessness enters a Mary’s Place shelter, they often have only a few possessions with them. Many of their belongings, including dishes, knickknacks, lamps, even treasured family photos, are left behind.

Families don’t always get to choose where they live, and while moving into a new house is an exciting step forward, ensuring that families feel supported by the community, and helping to make their new house feel like a home is integral to long-term success. By providing basic furniture items for a family in their new apartment, groups can stand beside these families and welcome them home!

Groups are asked to provide a minimum of a sofa, beds, and a dining room table and chairs. Other items, like lamps, coffee table, kitchen essentials, sheets/blankets, television, art/decorations, toys, etc. are always appreciated!

Mary’s Place can provide the family connection, the group collects, stores, and delivers the items to the family. For more info, contact Irina Pastushok at 458-202-9686 or irina@marysplaceseattle.org.

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WEDNESDAY: Tell Sound Transit what you think about West Seattle light rail

February 26, 2019 6:10 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| Sound Transit | Transportation | West Seattle news

One more semi-early reminder about a major event tomorrow night: Sound Transit‘s last big West Seattle event before its scheduled decision this spring on which light-rail routing and station locations will go through environmental studies. You are invited to the “open house” at the Masonic Center in The Junction (4736 40th SW), 6-8:30 pm Wednesday. As ST explains:

Those attending an open house will hear information and have the opportunity to provide feedback on the alternatives for expanding light rail to West Seattle and Ballard. Feedback from this comment period will be shared with the Stakeholder Advisory Group and Elected Leadership Group to inform their recommendations to the Sound Transit Board of Directors on alternatives to study during environmental review. In May, the Board will identify a preferred alternative and other alternatives to study in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

If you can’t be there in person, you can also comment until March 18 via this “online open house.”

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VIDEO: HALA MHA upzoning amendment votes and how Councilmember Herbold’s proposals fared

February 26, 2019 3:21 pm

| 36 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

For the second time in five days, the City Council had a four-hour-plus meeting on the HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability upzoning plan. Above is Seattle Channel video of the Monday afternoon/evening meeting, mostly devoted to considering dozens of potential amendments to the plan proposed by individual councilmembers. We were unable to monitor the entire hearing this time around so we checked with West Seattle/South Park Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s office today to see how her proposed amendments fared. The ones that were approved, according to legislative assistant Alex Clardy, moving forward to the final HALA MHA vote next month, are, in brief:

*1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6 all relate to “reduc(ing) … proposed rezones from Single Family within the West Seattle Junction Urban Village to Residential Small Lot.”

*1-12 and 1-13 both involve removing the Pedestrian zone designation for two stretches of California SW in Morgan Junction

*B-4 – not West Seattle-specific:

The proposed amendment would allow off-site performance if a development to which MHA-R requirements apply is located in a lowrise zone, and the development containing the off-site performance housing a) is located in a lowrise zone, b) provides re-sale restricted, affordable homeownership opportunities for income-eligible buyers, and c) receives no public subsidy.

*B-6 – also not West Seattle-specific, meant in case someone sues over MHA once it’s passed:

This amendment would add a new section to CB 119444 expressing Council’s intent to take steps, if the imposition of requirements under MHA are determined to be unlawful, to prevent the continuance of the new zoning and increased development capacity in the absence of substantial affordable housing requirements.

*B-7, explained as:

This amendment would require that at least five percent of revenue from the Mandatory Housing Affordability – Commercial (MHA – C) and Mandatory Housing Affordability – Residential (MHA – R) programs be allocated for capital investment in homeownership projects.

Under the current framework cash contributions from the payment option may be used for either rental or ownership housing. However, the framework does not prescribe a minimum allocation for either type of project.

*Comprehensive Plan amendment D-2 – related to Morgan Junction – “encourage(s) a mix of housing stock” and:

MJ-P23.1 Use community engagement and neighborhood planning tools to identify potential solutions for land use and housing affordability issues when more than 25 percent of the urban village could be affected by proposed zoning changes. Consider community planning to address land use, housing and other issues if the growth rate in the urban village accelerates to become significantly higher than anticipated in the Comprehensive Plan.

The documents with full details are linked from Monday’s agenda. Nothing’s final until the full Council vote, currently scheduled during the council’s regular 2 pm meeting on (corrected) March 18 – you can watch this page for the agenda when it gets close.

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WEDNESDAY: Community briefing on Duwamish River pollution settlement

February 26, 2019 2:17 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Environment | West Seattle news

Six months ago, we covered a Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition-led briefing on the aftermath of the barge fire at Seattle Iron and Metals. Tomorrow night, you’re invited to another DRCC-led community briefing related to the same company, this time focused on the recent settlement detailed by Puget SoundKeeper here, requiring the company to make $1 million in improvements to address long-running water- and air-quality concerns. The briefing is planned for 6 pm in the Gene J. Colin Education Hall at the Georgetown campus of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), 6737 Corson Ave. S., all welcome.

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UPDATE: Power outage affecting 2,400+ customers – mostly in Highland Park, South Park

February 26, 2019 11:43 am

| 64 COMMENTS

| Highland Park | Utilities | West Seattle news

11:43 AM: Thanks for the tips. This has just appeared on the Seattle City Light outage map – more than 2,400 customers affected by an outage in the Highland Park area. Meantime, SFD is responding to a call at 1st Avenue S. and Cloverdale described as possibly involving a transformer. Updates to come.

11:49 AM: Added the outage map – note that it also includes part of South Park. Meantime, per radio communication, SFD is still investigating the incident to which Engine 11 was dispatched.

12:05 PM: As noted in comments, and if you zoom in on the map, the outage includes Louisa Boren STEM K-8 and a small pocket around it.

12:38 PM: Also noted in comments, the main outage zone includes Highland Park Elementary. Meantime, SFD has closed out the aforementioned call. And SCL has estimated a restoration time of 3 pm – but as always, we caution that those are really just guesses and it could be much sooner – or much later.

12:59 PM: HP Elementary wants to be sure parents know that the phones aren’t working because of the outage. Still no word on its cause – if you see City Light crews in your vicinity, let us know (206-293-6302 is our hotline, text or voice).

1:47 PM: About 500 customers – including HP Elementary – have been restored, per the outage map. We’re still seeking info from SCL about the cause.

2:21 PM: Another ~400 are connected again.

3:55 PM: 1,500 customers still out after 4 hours. No new restoration estimate – nor cause – from SCL yet.

Continuing @SEACityLight outage in Highland Park has 16th/Holden light out. 4-way stop, everyone! pic.twitter.com/rHejjKP0cP

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) February 27, 2019

4:51 PM: As noted in comments, SCL has posted this update via Twitter: “Crews are still looking for the primary cause of these outages. It’s a process of visually inspecting overhead lines, so please bear with us as the work is done. New estimated time of restoration: 6 PM.”

5:03 PM: A slightly more detailed version of that update, via email from SCL spokesperson Julie Moore: “Crews are still investigating to determine the primary cause. They are working through what we call a step restoration – a process of visually inspecting overhead lines and restoring sections as they go along. The number of affected customers is now down to about 1,000.”

5:54 PM: 6+ hours after this outage began, City Light just tweeted, “Power has been restored to all but one customer affected by the West Seattle/Highland Park/South Park outage. Thank you for your patience, everyone!” (If you are still out, be sure to let SCL know – 206-684-3000.)

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6 for your West Seattle Tuesday

February 26, 2019 10:24 am

| Comments Off on 6 for your West Seattle Tuesday

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Barrow’s Goldeneye, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Just some of what’s happening today/tonight:

DINE OUT FOR ROXHILL: 4-8 pm, Marination Ma Kai at Seacrest will donate part of its proceeds to Friends of Roxhill Elementary. (1660 Harbor SW)

MATH BUDDIES: 4-5 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, “an opportunity for students to discover the joy of playing with real-world math through games and activities, and for teens to gain experience volunteering.” (2306 42nd SW)

DINE OUT TO FIGHT CANCER: 4-10 pm at Mioposto Admiral, part of the proceeds will support Cross Out Cancer. (2139 California SW)

MOCK TRIAL: As previewed here on Sunday, the Chief Sealth International High School Mock Trial team continues competition at 5 pm at the King County Courthouse – info here. (500 3rd Ave.)

COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA AT WSBWCN: 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda is the guest at this month’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting – more info here. SPD also will present an update on neighborhood crime/safety. All welcome. (2300 SW Webster)

TUNES AT THE TAVERN: 9 pm, the Suffering F-heads perform at Parliament Tavern. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

MORE OPTIONS … see our complete calendar here!

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YOUTH SPORTS: Southwest Little League signup finale

February 26, 2019 9:42 am

| Comments Off on YOUTH SPORTS: Southwest Little League signup finale

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Our recent snow threw a curveball at registration season for Southwest Little League, so it’s gone into extra innings. You have one more chance, 9 am-noon this Saturday (March 2nd), to register in person at the Steve Cox Memorial Park log cabin in White Center (1321 SW 102nd). Southwest Little League serves southern West Seattle, White Center, and South Park. Go here for full details on who’s eligible and what to bring to register. If you can’t make it to the park on Saturday, you have until March 15th to register online.

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