West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
(Terminal 5 photo from portseattle.org)
Tomorrow (Tuesday, April 2nd), Seattle and Tacoma port commissioners meet as managing members of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, voting on a variety of documents key to the future of West Seattle’s Terminal 5. Among them, a sheaf of leases, from the two-phase lease with SSA Terminals to be the T-5 tenant post-modernization, to an interim lease that will move Matson‘s Hawaii service there, to leases that don’t directly involve T-5 but are part of the overall shuffle. Included in those, the plan for the Port to develop another cruise-ship terminal on the downtown waterfront, as noted in our February coverage. Also to be discussed/considered, the latest on the T-5 modernization project, for which agenda documents say bids are expected to be opened April 10th. Those documents and others the commissioners will consider tomorrow are all now linked from the agenda for the meeting, which starts at 11:30 am Tuesday at the Sea-Tac Airport Conference Center. There’s a public-comment period too.
… it might be related to a Sunday incident involving this one:
That U.S. Coast Guard photo and the one below were taken by Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Caraballo in the Sunday morning fog on the water between Fauntleroy and Blake Island. This Coast Guard news release explains the rest of the story:
A Coast Guard boat crew responded to a report of an unmanned adrift kayak and found that it belonged to a group of six kayakers stranded on Blake Island Sunday.
A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Seattle safely transported all six people and their dog from Blake Island back to a pier in Manchester, as well as recovered two of their five missing kayaks.
At 8:07 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound watchstanders received a report from the crew of the Washington State Ferry Chelan of an unmanned and adrift kayak. The ferry crew spotted the red kayak while pulling in to the Fauntleroy terminal.
The Station Seattle boat crew launched in response, conducted a search for the reported kayak and located it in the vicinity of Faunteroy and Vashon Island.
Around the same time, one of the kayak owners had contacted the watchstanders at Coast Guard 13th District Command Center. They reported that they had been camping on Blake Island and when they woke up, all five of their kayaks were gone. District personnel connected them to the Sector Puget Sound staff, and their red kayak matched the description of one of their missing craft.
Station Seattle grabbed the kayak, headed toward the campers, and found a second one of their kayaks while en route.
A tug crew in the area found two more of the kayaks, but one kayak remains missing. The missing kayak is reported as 12-foot fiberglass white kayak with black trim and a dolphin on the side. If anyone sees a kayak matching this description, please contact Sector Puget Sound personnel at 206-217-6001.
This response also highlights the importance that mariners properly secure and label their vessels, as well as file a float plan. Had the owner been unable to call, the search would have continued and they could still be stranded.
Story, photos, video by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
“Can you imagine 100 percent of the children in King County safe, warm, and dry?”
That’s one of the questions that created a room full of imagination at WestSide Baby‘s 18th annual CommuniTea – hundreds of attendees urged to imagine, not something fanciful, but something practical that would improve countless young lives.
As the program began Sunday afternoon at the Sheraton downtown, emcee/auctioneer TiWanna “TK” Kenney spoke of celebrating and embracing “what makes WestSide Baby special … (its) vision: Where every child here in King County is equipped with its most basic needs.” Like diapers. “We don’t realize how many people out there don’t have the ability to have their basic needs met.”
The simple goal: That every child will be “warm, safe, and dry. I think we can do that together.” That drew a hearty cheer. WestSide Baby already helps tens of thousands of kids every year – and yet the need is even greater.
The CommuniTea was also an opportunity for humor.
(WSB file photo, 2016)
Two and a half years ago, we reported on neighbors’ concerns regarding plans for Seattle City Light‘s ex-Avalon Substation site at 3243 SW Genesee. At that time, SCL said it would likely be demolished before the end of 2016, with contamination cleanup to follow. Nothing has happened on the site except for a series of permit extensions for nearby Pecos Pit (WSB sponsor) to use it for parking. But today, City Light has announced that the demolition will happen next week. Here’s the full notice we just received:
Seattle City Light is planning clean up activities at the former Avalon Substation at 3243 SW Genesee Street beginning Monday, April 8, 2019. The work includes demolishing the existing concrete substation and the removal of trees and shrubs.
The work will take place in two phases:
PHASE 1: April 8 – Mid June 2019
Demolition of the existing concrete substation building.
Removal of trees/brushes adjacent to the building.
There will be noise, and disruptions to local traffic, parking, and sidewalks adjacent to the site.
Work will take place Mondays – Fridays between 7 am-5 pm.PHASE 2: Contaminated soil removal will occur later in 2019 – you will receive notification
For further information, please contact Senior Project Manager, Molly Rathe, at (206) 684-3351 or Molly.Rathe@seattle.gov.
The site also has a rezoning action pending, “to contract rezone a parcel of land from SF 5000 (Single Family 5000) to NC3-65’ (Neighborhood Commercial 3 with a 65-foot height limit),” and a comment period just opened for that (here’s the notice); we have an inquiry out regarding plans for the site beyond the demolition and cleanup.
Last week, we brought you word of the plan to close a quarter-mile of 4th SW south of Roxbury for a month of work, starting today. But this morning, the county sends word it’s been delayed:
We’re following up for details of the “utility conflict.”
(WSB photo, tree in Gatewood)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, as we start a new month:
SECOND-TO-LAST DAY FOR LIGHT RAIL ‘SCOPING’ COMMENTS: Just a reminder that if you have something to say about routing/station location(s) for West Seattle light rail and haven’t commented during the “scoping” period, tomorrow’s the deadline. Here’s how to comment.
FREE TAX HELP: 2-6:30 pm at Delridge Library, drop in for free tax-return help. Here’s info on eligibility and what to bring. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
BRENDAN KOLDING CAMPAIGN KICKOFF: The fourth campaign kickoff event in the District 1 City Council race is 6-9 pm at Ounces. This one’s for Brendan Kolding, who says he’ll speak at 7 pm. (3809 Delridge Way SW)
BUDDHIST MEDITATION AT SOUND YOGA: New series, no experience required, details here. 7 pm meditation and contemplation. (5639 California SW)
STEVE EARLE @ EASY STREET: 7 pm performance free and signing at Easy Street Records. Details here! (California/Alaska)
OPEN MIC: 8 pm at Parliament Tavern. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
AND THERE’S MORE … on our complete calendar.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! No incidents or traffic alerts in our area so far.
Reminders:
NEW STATE FERRIES SCHEDULE: This is the first weekday of the overhauled Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth schedule.
MARINERS: The M’s play at 7:10 pm at home vs. the Angels. (That means extended evening service for the West Seattle Water Taxi.)
CLOSURE: The 4th Avenue SW closure south of Roxbury is scheduled to start today.
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