West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
Though the Southwest Seattle Historical Society had hoped its Log House Museum would reopen today after being closed Thursday for furnace replacement, it’s not ready yet, so the museum remains closed. They’re expecting to be open regular hours this weekend – noon-4 pm Saturday and Sunday, at 61st SW/SW Stevens in Alki.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning. No traffic incidents or transit alerts in our area right now.
(WSB photo)
8:51 PM: Police are investigating gunfire in The Junction. First they got a report three men were seen “firing a gun” near 44th/Edmunds; now they’re investigating gunshot damage reported to a car. One suspect is reported to have been seen running north on 44th. More to come.
8:56 PM: Police have found a gun in a dumpster behind the west side of the 4700 block of California after a tip. … Now there’s a report one person might be injured “by shrapnel.” Also, Guardian One is helping with the search, and police say they’ve found shell casings. … Police have been told that some suspects might have left the area in a “gray sedan with a burned-out headlight.” They’re also going to block traffic at California/Edmunds.
9:08 PM: Police have told dispatch they’ve found “nine .40 millimeter casings” so far.
9:15 PM: A K9 team is helping search.
9:29 PM: Our crew says police are about to reopen the streets. The air and K9 searches have both dead-ended.
10:21 PM: No further information so far. We’ll be requesting the incident report tomorrow.
ADDED 12:24 PM FRIDAY: Here’s what we’ve learned from police: A 17-year-old saw a car circling his Junction-area house with occupants he suspected were involved in a recent robbery of a relative. He went out and drove after them. He then noticed “a group of males” standing on the corner of 44th/Edmunds and he said someone in that group fired at the car – he reported seeing the muzzle flash, though not the gun, and said bullets hit the driver-side door. Police later found four bullet holes in that door, and nine shell casings in the street at 44th/Edmunds. The group ran northbound; he described them as “five to eight high-school-aged black males, 5’10” to 6″, all but one wearing black hoodies.” He said he suspected they were associated with the vehicle he had been following, described as “a silver sedan with a left taillight out.” A nearby resident, meantime, reported seeing “three or four males” running in the alley between California and 44th; while that witness had no further description information, they saw someone throw something under a dumpster, and that’s where police subsequently found a semi-automatic handgun. A records check showed the gun had been reported stolen in Tacoma. SFD tells us the teen was treated by medics but did not require hospitalization.
(WSB photos)
It was all about vision when Sustainable West Seattle gathered interested community members last night at Beveridge Place Pub in Morgan Junction. Our top photo shows people trying out the Oculus gear brought by “Diver Laura” James, featuring her Virtual Salish Sea video.
She also explained the camera gear she uses to shoot underwater video in Puget Sound. Another type of vision at the gathering: The many projects and groups tied into Sustainable West Seattle, including the Green Spaces Coalition:
But you can take your own sustainability hopes and dreams and work to make them a reality, noted SWS leader Stu Hennessey:
In general, Hennessey said, SWS works to help and uplift people and ideas, focusing on the positive – what you can be for, rather than what you’re against. For example, you can work on components of the “Green New Deal” – attendees could check out ideas via a flyer made earlier this month for West Seattle Meaningful Movies – another group with ties to SWS, and one of several whose reps were at last night’s gathering. Other projects/programs/groups discussed included the West Seattle Tool Library, Puget Ridge Edible Park, and Hate-Free Delridge.
1 person was taken to the hospital by private ambulance after that crash near (corrected) 30th and Holden this evening. The street was blocked off because a power line came down with the streetlight after the driver hit the pole.
Until 7 pm, you can drop in at American Legion Post 160 in The Triangle (3618 SW Alaska) to ask questions and get info about SDOT‘s soon-to-start Avalon/35th/Alaska project.
It’ll repave the entirety of Avalon, between the West Seattle Bridge and Fauntleroy Way, as well as three blocks of 35th SW south of Avalon and one block of SW Alaska west of 35th. Avalon will also be reconfigured as part of the project, as shown here. While the final design was announced earlier this year, details that are just emerging now include the timeline and where the work will start. Project coordinator Adonis Ducksworth says the stretch on 35th is likely to be the first site:
The 35th section will have to be rebuilt, with a new water main, because of damage done in a break. On Avalon, Ducksworth says, the Genesee to Yancy stretch is likely to be the first site, and the crew might move northward during summer, which Luna Park Café owner John Bennett says would be the worst possible time of year for his business – the summer peak. He is among those we’ve seen and heard here and the doors are open to all until 7. P.S. If you have questions but can’t get here – the project mailbox is avalonpaving@seattle.gov.
(WSB photo from Chief Sealth IHS during the 2016 Democratic caucusing)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Our area’s largest political organization is on the record as backing a primary election instead of caucuses for determining who to support in the 2020 presidential nomination process.
The resolution vote at last night’s monthly meeting of the 34th District Democrats was not without a bit of controversy. And it’s not the only opinion from our area that will be considered – if you’re a Democrat, the state party organization wants to hear from you too.
That was the spotlight topic at the meeting. The 34th DDs’ state committeewoman and committeeman, Ann Martin and Chris Porter, explained that the state party is currently in a 30-day comment period regarding whether to use the primary or caucus for determining the state’s delegation to the national convention. It’s been caucuses in the past; while the state has had a primary, the party hasn’t used its results.
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
That 65-year-old house at 8415 Delridge Way SW is on a big lot (15,300 square feet) now planned for 14 rowhouse-style townhouses and 14 offstreet-parking spaces. It’s the latest West Seattle project added to the city’s list of sites going through the “early community outreach” phase of Design Review. That means the project team will schedule a community meeting to talk about the design; nothing’s on the schedule yet. The site plan shows seven units facing Delridge, the other seven behind them, and the parking area on the alley.
(WSB photo)
Thanks for the tip! Cleanup is under way in the 6300 block of Delridge Way after a rock spill from a truck. The SB lanes are blocked but traffic is being directed around the spill/cleanuo zone.
ANA president David Hancock and membership co-chair Susan Staples, Lynell Ray of Counterforce West, and ANA secretary Delores Kannas.
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Admiral neighbors and community leaders came together Tuesday night for a meeting of the Admiral Neighborhood Association, to discuss music, regional transit, neighborhood improvement, business community support and a variety of topics.
The ANA meeting, held at The Sanctuary at Admiral, was the second meeting as president for David Hancock, the group’s new leader.
Toplines from the meeting are below:
SUMMER CONCERTS: Stephanie Jordan, ANA’s coordinator for the popular Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (happening Thursday nights from July 18 through August 22 on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center), shared the names of the 4 musical acts currently scheduled to appear, with a couple of dates to be announced soon:
Jordan also gave an update on the positive collaboration with the community center (which provides the stage for the event, and a portion of the publicity) and reiterated the need for volunteers — she said that she would finalize the list of needed volunteer roles in time for ANA’s May meeting.
In case you’re keeping track: The vote on new leases for West Seattle’s Terminal 5 has been postponed again. It was first expected on March 5th; while the Northwest Seaport Alliance managing members (port commissioners from Seattle and Tacoma) voted that day to authorize sending the T-5 modernization project out to bid, a vote on the leases first outlined last month was postponed until next Tuesday (March 19th). Then last night the NWSA changed that to “postponed/TBD.” So we checked today to see why. NWS spokesperson Nick Demerice tells WSB that some of the details are still being finalized, noting that the plan centered on SSA taking a berth at T-5 post-modernization isn’t just one lease but multiple leases, multiple parties, from multiple nations. They’re hoping the special vote meeting can be rescheduled for later this month. (When it is, you’ll see that here.)
Topping the highlight list for today/tonight – the final West Seattle Art Walk of winter:
5 “until late,” the map/list shows where you’ll find art and/or food and drink specials, in The Junction and beyond. And this preview on the official Art Walk site features some of the artists and venues, to help you plan where to go and what to see! The weather’s perfect for a night out. (P.S. WSB is a community co-sponsor of the Art Walk.)
Also of note for the hours ahead:
PI DAY: Bird on a Wire Espresso is celebrating pies today in honor of 3.14, open until 8 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (35th/Henderson)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM CLOSED TODAY: Furnace work is keeping the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Alki HQ shuttered for the day, but SWSHS tells us they expect it to reopen regular hours (noon-4 pm) tomorrow.
AVALON REPAVING/RECHANNELIZATION OPEN HOUSE: Before West Seattle’s next major SDOT project starts construction next month, see the final plan and ask questions during a 5:30-7 pm open house at American Legion Post 160. (3618 SW Alaska)
LGBTQ COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: Second Thursday Out! at the Senior Center of West Seattle is centered this month on this conversation series – talking tonight about sex and again. Social hour at 6 pm, (free) dinner at 6:30 to start the evening. (4217 SW Oregon)
‘THE HISTORIC HUNDRED’: Paul Dorpat and Jean Sherrard bring their illustrated-history talk – from their new “Seattle Now and Then” book, edited by West Seattleite Clay Eals – to Words, Writers, West Seattle.
6 pm at Southwest Library. (9010 35th SW)
AVIATION PROGRAMS OPEN HOUSE: 6-7 pm, visit South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) to find out about the programs in its Aeronautical Technology department. (6000 16th SW)
C & P OPEN MIC: All genres welcome at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘JOHN’: Opening night for the new play at ArtsWest in The Junction, 7:30 pm curtain. Get tickets here. (4711 California SW)
PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC: Cecil Moses & The SGs at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm. $5 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
THAT’S JUST THE START! See the full list on our complete calendar.
Last weekend, we published Cub Scout Pack 284‘s announcement that Scouts would be distributing doorhangers last weekend and picking up food this Saturday as part of the annual Scouting for Food door-to-door drive. Other troops and packs are participating too, and we’ve since received two more announcements.
That’s a 2018 photo from Pack 799, which will be distributing notices in this area of Arbor Heights and then collecting food on March 23rd. They’re grateful for, and again hoping or, “amazing support … from our neighbors, resulting in a lot of fun for Scouts while performing an important community service.”
And from Troop 282:
BSA Scouts Troop 282 is participating in Scouting for Food for the next two weekends as well. Our target area is from Genesee to Charlestown, 44th Ave SW to 55th Ave SW. We’ll be canvassing with door hangers Saturday morning on the 16th and collecting food for the West Seattle Food Bank early on the morning of the 23rd. Just leave the food on your doorstep and we’ll pick it up before 9.
11,000 people in our community rely on the food bank and the food bank’s stocks typically get low at this time of the year. Thanks, everybody!
Anybody else? Let us know – thank you!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:54 AM: We start with an alert about northbound I-5 – it’s backed up for miles because of a deadly motorcycle crash at Mercer, where three lanes are currently blocked.
7:18 AM: State Patrol has no ETA on how long the I-5 lane closures will continue. Alternate routes are backed up too so anything northbound from here is going to take longer. Meantime, just heard word of a crash on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge by the 99 exit, though it might already have cleared to the shoulder.
7:59 AM: Most of those I-5 lanes have reopened but a long NB backup continues.
Two more West Seattle High School student athletes have signed letters of intent. We were invited to a short celebration in the WSHS gym this afternoon as seniors Kai Osaka and Reuben Gut signed their college commitments in front of their Wildcat baseball teammates:
Reuben is going to Everett Community College, and Kai is going to Chapman University in Southern California. WSHS athletic director Corey Sorenson lauded both for their hard work on academics as well as athletics.
After the signing, it was practice time over at Hiawatha. The WSHS baseball team plays their first regular-season game at 4 pm Friday vs. Chief Sealth IHS at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
Toplines from last night’s Fauntleroy Community Association board meeting:
CULVERT REPLACEMENT: As noted here last weekend, the Seattle Public Utilities project to replace century-old culverts that take Fauntleroy Creek under 45th SW and California SW is approaching the design phase, and the FCA board meeting was the first of three stops in less than two weeks for project manager Cody Nelson. Construction is likely in multiple phases between 2021 and 2024, each several weeks long, since it has to take into account the windows with least effect on the creek’s fish as well as neighborhood impacts.
Nelson showed images from a video survey of the existing culverts, showing damage and wear. New laws require the culverts to be much wider than the current ones so that fish have fewer barriers to passage. The replacements will still be 30 to 40 feet underground, as are the current ones, but they’ll be at least 11 feet wide as required. SPU is also talking with Fauntleroy Church, as part of the California culvert is on church-owned property, so the work would affect the church/YMCA parking lot as well as the road.
The design process isn’t expected to start before the end of this year, so there’s plenty of time to ask questions and voice concerns, starting with two events next week: SPU will have an informational table at the FCA’s annual Food Fest membership meeting (6-8 pm Tuesday, March 19th, The Hall at Fauntleroy) and then a project-specific open house the next night, also at The Hall, 5-7 pm Wednesday, March 20th.
CRIME/SAFETY UPDATE: Southwest Precinct operations commander Lt. Steve Strand was in attendance. He said SDCI has taken action against the “problem house” across from the main Lincoln Park parking lot, unsafe for occupancy because of a fire a while back, and said those in the house were supposed to be out by last Friday. No reports of trespassers since then. He also mentioned Westwood Village, saying it’s had signs of improvement, with shoplifting starting to drop, but they’re keeping up the pressure, including another attempt at an observation tower/platform on the grounds.
FOOD FEST NEXT WEEK: The FCA’s annual all-community meeting, famous for food samples from local businesses, is next Tuesday (March 19th) at The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW). No list yet of participants – the FCA board member organizing that is out of town. This is a night for renewing FCA membership ($25 a year for residents) and for a bit of official business like board elections, which are planned at 7 pm.
After two years of planning, Washington State Ferries is getting close to launching the new schedule for the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route. It was hashed out in consultation with the Triangle Route Task Force, an all-volunteer advisory committee originally launched to try to find a solution to backups in Fauntleroy. WSF is now circulating reminders about the new schedule – see it here, and get background info here. It will be in effect starting two weeks from Saturday – March 31st.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:18 PM WEDNESDAY: Multiple Chief Sealth International High School parents forwarded us this letter emailed tonight by CSIHS principal Aida Fraser-Hammer:
Dear Chief Sealth Families,
I would like to let you know of an incident which occurred at school yesterday around lunch. It involved a small group of girls but was witnessed by many scholars and may cause them to feel unsafe at school. I want to share information regarding the incident in case your young people have questions.
The situation started out as a disagreement between scholars outside of the school and spilled into school resulting in a physical fight that eventually included several non-students. Because of the escalating confrontation,. the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and medics were called, and families notified. One student was hurt badly enough to necessitate on-site medical attention.. One scholar was arrested and the student has been disciplined consistent with district procedures.
Please be assured that the safety and security of our scholars is a top priority at Chief Sealth International High School. This incident, although infrequent, emphasizes the need of good communication between school and home. Our staff continues to discuss personal safety and conflict resolution strategies as well as district rules and state laws with our scholars.
Most importantly, I wanted to let families know about these conversations and ask families to help all our students understand the importance of sharing critical safety information immediately with adults at school. The more we know, the better we can work to address it appropriately and proactively.
Thank you for your continued support.
ADDED THURSDAY, 1:30 PM: We requested and obtained the police-report narrative from SPD. Here’s what police wrote:
Ün 03-12-2019 at about 1127 hours I was working uniformed patrol within the City of Seattle as 2-Frank-01. I was dispatched to 2600 SW Thistle St (Chief Sealth High School) to investigate an assault.
The remarks on the call stated, “ADMIN REQ SPD FOR BROKEN UP PHYS FIGHT BETWEEN 2 STUDENTS AND TWO PARENTS, ALL PARTIES SEPARATED. MEDICS DECLINED, NO WPNS.” Upon arrival, I spoke with School Resource Officer Vargas, Jose A (#8457) who stated that an assault had occurred inside of the school. During the assault, (victim) was struck in the head with a wrench. (Suspect) was identified as the suspect who struck (victim) with a wrench. (Victim) was being attended to by SFD Engine 11. SFD’s initial assessment of (victim) revealed a laceration about 1 inch in length above her right eyebrow. This laceration would require stitches. There was swelling and bruising to the side of as head. He made complaints of pain to her head and reported feeling dizzy.
(Redacted) stated the following: There was supposed to be a mutual fight between her and (redacted). However, a physical fight began between her and another student named (redacted) occurred in the school hallway.
(Redacted) stated that she hit (redacted) first who then hit her back. As the two were fighting, (redacted) was struck in the head several times from someone behind her. She identified the individual who struck her in the head as (redacted). (Victim) was transported to HMC.
Officer Eby (#8498) took photos of injuries. He noted that the wounds on the side of (victim’s) head were actively bleeding. The photos were uploaded to DEMS.
Officer Vargas viewed cell phone footage of the assault. He stated the following: In the cell phone video, he witnessed (redacted) physically fighting with a student. (Redacted) appears in the video and is standing behind (redacted) … (Redacted) is seen clutching a wrench in her hand and approaches from behind. (Redacted) strikes (redacted) in head with the wrench in 3 consecutive strikes.
I spoke with (redacted) who stated the following: She has had rising tension with (redacted) which was leading up to a physical altercation over the past several weeks. She believed that (redacted) was going to attack her so she began carrying a wrench on her person as protection. (Redacted) stated that she used a wrench to strike in several times. The wrench was in her bag with her other personal belongings. She does not know where or who has her bag.
(Redacted) was placed into custody and read her Miranda Rights with the additional Juvenile Warning at 1206 hours. She was arrested for Assault in the Second Degree (RCW 9A.36.021).
The redactions – where police block out names before releasing a report – make it difficult to tell whether more than two people were quoted, aside from the very start, where suspect and victim (the injured girl) are clearly labeled. SPD spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson adds, in response to our request for information: “The victim is a 14-year-old girl, the suspect is a 15-year-old girl. Suspect was arrested and booked into YSC for felony assault. Precinct detectives are doing the follow-up.” (YSC is the juvenile-detention center.)
The seven-year maintenance and operations levy for the Seattle Public Library system is expiring – it was passed in August 2012. Today Mayor Durkan announced the plan for a replacement levy to go to voters this August. Here’s the official news release. Toplines, from the one-sheet:
Renewing the Library Levy while maintaining only current services would cost $167.4M. Under Mayor Durkan’s plan, making additional investments in equity and opportunity like expanding hours and eliminating fines would cost the average homeowner an additional $1.58 per month, for a total of approximately $7 per month. With the critical new investments, the total Levy cost would be $213.3M.
The 2012 levy totaled $123 million. More on two of the “new investments”: Three area libraries would be among those with increased hours – Delridge, High Point, South Park. The levy also would spend a little over $1 million a year to end the practice of overdue fines. Next step for the levy proposal: It goes to the SPL Board next week, and then to the City Council. That part of the process will determine when it goes to voters, the mayor’s office tells us.
Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
TIRE TAKEN: The photo and report are from Brendan:
Came out to my new 2018 Honda Accord on my fifth day of ownership to find it had been hoisted up on cinder blocks overnight and the front passenger tire was gone. Delridge & Trenton. Spoke with a neighbor and they mentioned they actually caught a group of people attempting this on their car in the same area last week – cinder blocks and all – and thwarted it. I was not so lucky.
MAILBOX BREAK-IN VIDEO: This is a followup to Carolyn‘s report from Tuesday, about Highland Park mailbox break-ins. She has since posted and shared this video:
No police-report number yet.
911 AT WSCPC: Community meetings with Southwest Precinct police often include questions about 911 – how it works, why calltakers/dispatchers ask what they do, and more. Bring your questions to next Tuesday’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm (March 19th) at the precinct (2300 SW Webster) – a 911 center rep will be the special guest.
A big week for transportation-project meetings continues tomorrow (Thursday, March 14th) with the pre-construction open house for the Avalon/35th/Alaska project, which includes repaving and, for much of the stretches involved, rechannelization. As reported here and here earlier this month, SDOT expects to start work in mid-April, and it will continue for more than a year. Tomorrow’s event is at American Legion Post 160 (3618 SW Alaska), near the south end of the project zone, and you’re invited to stop by any time between 5:30 and 7 pm.
Seattle Parks says Alki Community Center will open this afternoon as regularly scheduled, after an unscheduled one-day closure. Yesterday’s problem was described as flooding from a broken pipe.
(WSB photo)
Earlier this week, we brought you Seattle Parks‘ announcement of a March 30th open house regarding the plan to replace that beachfront restroom building on Alki. A few questions emerged in subsequent discussion, so we took them to Parks spokesperson Karen O’Connor.
Q: When will the construction happen?
A: “As you know, our construction timeline is dependent on permitting. The project manager is working towards a construction in early 2020 with completion by early summer 2020.”
Q: Will it look anything like the building it’s replacing?
A: “Roughly the same footprint. It will not be a brick building; we are still sourcing materials. This project just went through our internal Pro-View and we are working on incorporating feedback we heard in the meeting. Our permit intake date is mid-June. At the March 30 Open House from 10 – noon, we will present building material samples and proposed schematic.”
Q: What other parks around the city are getting restroom renovations/replacements?
A: “Pratt Park, Maple Leaf Playfield (arson response), Lincoln Park (beach), Brighton Playfield, Mount Baker Park. We’ll also be renovating the outdoor restrooms at South Park as part of the community center renovation there, too.”
As mentioned in our previous report, what’s on file so far indicates that unlike the Alki project, the Lincoln Park plan is NOT a building replacement – just an interior remodel. Meantime, bring your questions to the March 30th open house at the site, which is on the Alki trail at 57th/Alki.
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