West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
(WSB photo from spring 2018 Duwamish Alive!)
Are you registered yet to volunteer for the spring Duwamish Alive! event – multiple locations on Saturday, April 20th? This time, the focus is on how your help can assist in saving Puget Sound’s endangered orcas. Here’s the official announcement:
One of the key elements identified by the Governor’s Task Force in saving our Southern Resident Orcas is not just saving our salmon runs but also increasing the vitality and abundance of salmon runs, especially Chinook Salmon. They are the primary food source, almost exclusively, for Southern Resident Killer Whales. The Green-Duwamish Watershed is home to all 5 species of salmon, including Chinook. The Task Force identified restoring and increasing salmon habitat as one of the 3 primary actions required to save our orca and where individuals can make a positive difference in the orca’s survival and in improving the overall health of our watersheds. Orca are among many wildlife that are dependent on salmon for their survival. Volunteering throughout the year to improve salmon habitat with the many organizations dedicated in improving salmon health in the Puget Sound region will make a difference for the orcas’ survival.
Duwamish Alive! is a watershed-wide effort in improving the health of our salmon by restoring their habitat which provides food, shelter and cool, clean water that salmon need. Starting at 10:00 am Saturday, April 20th, volunteers will be restoring native habitat in multiple urban parks and open spaces from Seattle to Auburn in the ongoing effort to keep our river alive and healthy for our communities, salmon, and Puget Sound. Proving that many individuals working together can make a substantial difference.
Duwamish Alive! is a collaborative stewardship effort of conservation groups, businesses, and government entities, recognizing that our collective efforts are needed to make lasting, positive improvements in the health and vitality of the Green-Duwamish Watershed. Twice a year these events organize hundreds of volunteers to work at multiple sites in the river’s watershed, connecting the efforts of communities from Auburn to Seattle. Volunteers’ efforts include, a river cleanup by kayak, shoreline salmon habitat restoration, and native forest revitalization.
To volunteer, visit www.DuwamishAlive.org to see the different volunteer opportunities and RSVP to the contact for the site of your choice, or email info@duwamishalive.org
P.S. Even if you can’t volunteer, consider stopping by Roxhill Bog on Duwamish Alive! day, 11 am-1 pm – a special event there will help advance long-running efforts to fix hydrologic problems that threaten its future.
From the WSB inbox – two security-camera clips capturing items being taken:
SIGN STOLEN: What you see being taken from the sidewalk and put into that truck is a dead-end sign, explains Melody, who says that was part of an odd chain of events: “The night before at 11:34 PM 2 white males walked up and kicked it off the post, then tossed it in the street. I got up, retrieved it from the intersection, and leaned it up against the post. In the morning, called DOT to replace it. Then this truck pulled up and took it. The 2 males also tagged the back of the stop sign, dead end signs, and the yellow handicapped curb.”
PACKAGE THEFT: This happened outside a house near West Seattle Bowl in The Junction:
Kenny says it happened around 3:30 pm, and three packages were taken.
Unwind Café is about to open across from Seacrest (aka the West Seattle Water Taxi dock), at 1619 Harbor Avenue SW. It’s actually something of a “reopening” because Unwind Café’s proprietor Vanessa Kammeyer was a co-proprietor of the shop that used to be in the space, Moondrop Coffee and Tea. Vanessa tells WSB that while the new name is a fresh start, otherwise, “everything is the same”:
Same menu; fresh juices and smoothies made with real fruits/vegetables. We have dairy-free bubble tea, organic/fair trade coffee provided by “Grounds for Change,” locally roasted in Poulsbo, which I pair with organic milks only. My dad’s anise/almond biscottis will still be stocked. Bagel sandwiches made with Einstein Brothers bagels, and smoothie bowls topped off with superfoods like cacao nibs, chia seeds, spirulina, granola, etc.
Vanessa notes that she has worked for 14 years in the food-service industry, running the Harbor Avenue shop since October 2014:
One of my goals has been to serve healthy food with great ingredients to my community; Unwind Cafe is my opportunity to do that. And to top it off, we have a great view of the Seattle skyline. … It’s a great place to come and unwind.
Vanessa expects to reopen the shop this Friday.
Two ships that Elliott Bay-watchers will see soon:
FIRST CRUISE SHIP ON MONDAY: Though regular weekly cruise-ship departures don’t start until May, the first call of the season will be on Monday (April 15th), when the Celebrity Cruises ship Eclipse stops at Pier 66. It will be on its way to Vancouver, B.C., where it will depart on a 12-night one-way cruise to Hawaii two days later. After that, the next arrivals aren’t scheduled until May 4th. See the full schedule here; the port’s 2019 cruise-season one-sheet is here.
MATSON’S MOVE: We’re following up on all the changes set in motion by last week’s vote approving short-term and long-term leases for West Seattle’s Terminal 5. The former, Matson, will have its first T-5 call on April 26, according to the Northwest Seaport Alliance, whose spokesperson Katie Whittier adds, in response to our inquiry, that “Matson yard equipment will be delivered to T-5 between now and April 22. The gate will open for receiving cargo on April 22.” According to the Matson website, that Hawaii-bound vessel should be the Mahimahi.
Thanks to Jim for the photo and alert – the Point Williams path on the west side of Colman Pool at Lincoln Park is blocked for a few hours. The truck is there with a crew installing new pumps. As we reported last month, the first scheduled swimming this year is one month from tomorrow, two weeks earlier than usual, because of extra funding added to the budget by the City Council for extra pre- and post-season weekends expanding the season.
(Photo by Trileigh Tucker, who explains: “Red-breasted Nuthatch working hard to excavate his nest. You can see the sawdust flying!”)
Highlights for the rest of your Wednesday:
CODING WITHOUT COMPUTERS: 2:30-4 pm, 6-to-12-year-olds are invited to drop in at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library for this session of LibraryLab. (2306 42nd SW)
RIVERVIEW PLAYFIELD: As explained here, special Highland Park Action Committee meeting at 5:30 pm at the south end of the park, to talk with Seattle Parks about barrier options. (12th & Webster)
FREE GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) at 6:15 pm. All runners welcome. (2743 California SW)
CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES’ FORUM: 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, all five candidates currently campaigning for the District 1 City Council race will appear in their second side-by-side forum, during the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting. All welcome, nonmembers included, no admission fee. AFTERNOON UPDATE: The 34th DDs tell us Isaiah Willoughby will not be participating as he has not confirmed to them that he’s a Democrat, which is a prerequisite for the group’s forums. (9131 California SW)
POETRYBRIDGE: Peter Munro and Judith Roche are the featured readers at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – full details here. 7 pm. (5612 California SW)
YADA YADA BLUES BAND: Live at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm, no cover, 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
OF COURSE THERE’S MORE … see our full calendar!
From the WSB inbox:
Seattle Lutheran High School Seniors are hosting a Parents’ Night Out on Saturday, April 13th from 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
Who: For children ages 3-12 years old. This event includes a movie, fun games, light dinner (bagel bites, milk, and carrots)
Location: Seattle Lutheran High School Gymnasium, 4100 SW Genesee
Cost: $15 for 1st child and $10 for each additional child. No RSVP’s necessary.
This event is to help defray the cost of their graduation trip. For more information, please contact info@seattlelutheran.org.
(Hard to believe, but graduation season is just two months away! SLHS’s ceremony is June 6th.)
If you’re planning a visit to the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum on Alki this week, curator Tasia Williams wants you to know, “Our ADA ramp at the Log House Museum will be closed this week due to repairs.” The museum at 61st SW and SW Stevens will be open noon-4 pm Thursday-Sunday as usual, otherwise.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:15 AM: Good morning! No traffic or transit alerts in our area so far.
(Added: Photo courtesy Brian Towers)
2:09 AM: Both Seattle Fire and Police are headed for the 1300 block of Alki Avenue SW, where a vehicle is reported to have gone into the water. They’re trying to figure out if anyone is in the vehicle; two people are reported to have been seen walking away from the scene. Updates to come.
2:11 AM: Per scanner, no one else was in the car, and the two people who got out are unhurt. The SFD response is being canceled. (added) It’s been 10 years since the last car-in-water incident we recall.
3:04 AM: Tow truck has arrived. As the photo shows, the car is more on the rocks than in the water. (Added) Here’s the context – that’s the car off the seawall at right:
(WSB photo)
10:59 AM: Court and jail records indicate a 19-year-old man was arrested for investigation of DUI, hit and run, and property damage. He’s currently in King County Jail, where records show he also spent time for suspected DUI in November.
In two and a half weeks, the Elected Leadership Group created for Sound Transit West Seattle/Ballard light-rail planning will meet to make its recommendation of which routing/station-location alternatives should go into environmental study.
They have a lot of feedback to consider. And as we reported here, one West Seattleite on the ELG, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, expressed concern that the ELG and the Stakeholder Advisory Group wouldn’t get enough time to consider it all – the timetable said they would get a summary of the recent “scoping” comments just two days before their recommendation meeting on April. She reiterated her request for more time in this letter with her scoping comments:
She asked that both groups get at least a week’s lead time between receiving scoping-comment information and their next meetings. And now we’ve learned that will happen – Sound Transit intends to send the scoping comments to both groups today (Wednesday), which is exactly a week before the SAG meets and 16 days before the ELG meets. We had asked ST just yesterday about the status of the request for more time and were told, “Staff is working hard to turn around these comments as quickly as they can.” We’ll inquire tomorrow how and how soon they’ll be available once sent to the ELG and SAG.
Meantime, community groups are continuing their advocacy. Another of the West Seattleites on the ELG, County Councilmember Joe McDermott – who is also on the ST Board – recently walked part of the potential route – from the Avalon station vicinity to the easternmost Junction station – with members of the East Alaska Junction Neighborhood Coalition. We were along for most of the tour:
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The largest senior center in Seattle is in the heart of The Junction.
That’s one of the facts served up with breakfast today as Senior Center of West Seattle supporters gathered for its annual early-morning benefit.
The hundreds who filled the Masonic Center for the occasion also learned that SCWS served almost 4,500 people last year alone.
Those who benefit from it aren’t just seniors. It’s the only community center-type facility in The Junction, and that means it’s the scene of countless meetings, gatherings, and events – from Rainbow Bingo to mayoral town halls.
The annual breakfast – this year, themed “Joy Is in the Journey” – has grown so popular, it had to move to a larger venue. But the 11th annual fundraiser was full of the flavor that permeates the center. (Another fact: You don’t have to be a member to use SCWS services.)
Breakfastgoers were serenaded with piano classics as well as ukulele music by The Ukes (Unique Kinds of Entertainers), a Senior Center program. Vice chair Amy Lee Derenthal introduced The Ukes after welcoming guests on behalf of the board. (Apropos to the “journey” theme, they started with “Sea Cruise.”)
In case you didn’t get this via a text alert or see it elsewhere: Metro has an online survey under way, asking you to agree/disagree with statements in categories including: Availability (including “The bus service is usually reliable”), accessibility (such as “It is easy to move around inside the bus”), information (“It is easy to get up to the minute information on when my bus will arrive”), time (“The bus gets me to my destination in good time”), customer care (“Staff are helpful”), comfort (“The bus is clean”), security, environmental impact, and more. It’s described as for everyone even if you seldom use the bus. If you have a few minutes to spare, go here.
Three quick notes about spoken-for spaces in The Junction:
MOVING FROM MORGAN JUNCTION: We mentioned back in January that TouchTech Systems had moved out of 4517 California SW. As of May 1st, that’ll be the new home of the Farmers’ Insurance office that’s currently at 7007 California SW, according to a sign posted on the window at that building.
As we’ve reported previously, redevelopment is on the way for that Morgan Junction site.
ROW HOUSE: This national fitness chain is expanding into Seattle and is on its way to one of The Junction’s newest commercial spaces, 4203 SW Oregon, ground floor at the AJ Apartments. The chain’s website says it offers a “full-body, low-impact, high-energy rowing experience.” (Added 6:22 pm) They’re hoping to be open in August.
STARCYCLE: Just a block away, this too is a branch of a multi-state fitness company, specializing in indoor cycling. StarCycle is on the way to a commercial space at the Adell Apartments, almost complete at 4532 42nd SW.
We’ve learned more about a police and fire response that drew some attention along Avalon Way east of 35th early Monday morning. A 23-year-old woman is recovering from injuries and a 42-year-old man is in jail after what’s under investigation as a case of assault. The police-report narrative says multiple 911 callers reported a woman screaming and two other voices. The victim said she was sitting outside her apartment building when she saw the man and his girlfriend, who, she told officers, she often sees, as they live nearby. She asked him to return a lighter she had loaned him a year or so earlier; an argument ensued, and, she said, he punched her in the face five times, knocking her down. The man’s girlfriend tried to stop him, the victim said; finally they went back into their building. The report says police found the suspect’s apartment by following a trail of blood. He claimed what he did was in self-defense, saying he had been hit, but police found no injuries to confirm that. He is in jail, held in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Several West Seattle churches share their campuses with schools. One asked us to share this news as they search for a new tenant:
Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation in the Gatewood neighborhood is very sad to receive the news that our tenant of eight years, “Sweet Pea Preschool of the Arts,” will be closing their West Seattle campus in our building as of June 30, 2019. We have very much enjoyed sharing space with Sweet Pea and wish this group the best. Westside UU Church will have space available for a new non-profit organization to rent. If interested, please contact our administrator at office@wsuu.org.
We have a message out to the school, which also has campuses in other Seattle neighborhoods, to ask about their future plans. WSUU is at 7141 California SW.
Got a dog? Enjoy traveling? West Seattleite Brandie Ahlgren, founder/editor of CityDog Magazine, is getting ready to publish a book you might enjoy – but first, a bit of crowdfunding:
after 13 years of digging up the best places to sit, stay, and play with your pooch in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve compiled it all into one place, a 200-page, full-color guidebook called the Doggone Travel+Adventure Guide. As you can imagine, printing a full-color book is not cheap, but worth it with over 350 photos shot by Northwest professional photographers! Anyway, we recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to cover half of the printing and with just nine days to go, we are 50% to our goal. One of the pledge levels includes a photo of your dog in the book.
Here’s a sneak peek at the book; if you want to help with the crowdfunding, go here.
10:01 AM: Just in from Kersti Muul – orca alert! She says a small group, probably transients, is headed southbound, off Alki. Let us know if you see them!
11:11 AM: David Hutchinson saw them – from Constellation Park – and sent the photo we just added above.
1:55 PM: Kersti reports in comments that they are headed back northbound!
2:25 PM: Update from Kersti – they’re “just north of the Fauntleroy ferry, NB on the east side of the channel.” Research boat headed that way, too.
Remember the nest reminder last month, courtesy of Kersti Muul? She sent the photographic update above, showing baby hummingbirds that hatched almost three weeks ago. The reminder still stands … be careful with shrubbery/tree work! Now, on to a few calendar highlights:
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon lunch meeting at the Masonic Center. Guests welcome. Today’s scheduled program celebrates “Students of the Month.” (4736 40th SW)
KIDS CAFE: School’s out but the afternoon free meals continue for kids and teens, 2:45-3:45 pm at High Point Library. (3411 SW Raymond)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: The FCA‘s board meets at 7 pm; Fauntleroy Schoolhouse conference room, community members welcome. Agenda’s in our calendar listing. (9131 California SW)
FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: Call before noon for an appointment, to see if there’s room at tonight’s 7-9 pm clinic at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (4217 SW Oregon)
(Monday evening photo by David Hutchinson)
J.D. HOBSON BAND: 8:30 pm at Parliament Tavern: “Groovy, soulful blues and Americana.” 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS ON THE CALENDAR! Go here.
Drum roll … 70 sales and counting on the last day of the first week of registration for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2019 (presented/coordinated by WSB). If you’re still contemplating whether to have a sale or not, you have time – two more weeks of registration. The sale day is Saturday, May 11th, 9 am-3 pm, with some starting earlier and/or ending later. As we do each year, we’ll have the map ready to go in clickable and printable versions a week in advance. Here’s where to register.
P.S. It’s also time for us to start reminding you that Stamp Out Hunger – letter carriers’ door-to-door, mailbox-to-mailbox food drive – is the same day as WSCGSD as usual (both are always on the second Saturday in May), so whether you will be shopping or selling, if you can donate, please plan to set out your bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox/door/etc. that morning.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning. No traffic or transit alerts so far in our area.
7:43 AM: SDOT reports, “Collision on E Marginal Way S at 1st Ave S blocking NB right lane and SB right lane.”
8:37 AM: If you are a late-night/early-morning Highway 99 driver/rider, take note of these closures as the week continues – including an overnight closure of the SB Highway 99 tunnel overnight late Friday into early Saturday.
(From Novion Group’s website for 8415 Delridge project)
Since the city changed the Design Review rules, few projects have been scheduled for a full board review – there’s nothing on the Southwest Design Review Board‘s horizon right now – but several have had informal “early outreach” drop-in sessions, usually drawing a handful of neighbors, with the format and even the choice of notification methods left up to the developers. Another one of those sessions was held this afternoon, this time for the 14-rowhouse project planned to replace a 65-year-old house at 8415 Delridge Way SW. Project architects Novion Group scheduled the meeting for 4:30-5:30 pm in the Southwest Library’s community room.
In addition to our reporter, three nearby residents showed up. Their concerns included poor drainage in the alley behind the property, explaining that it has a tendency to develop giant puddles. The project team said that will be addressed. Neighbors also wondered about the trees on the site; the project team warned that it’s early in the design process but most are likely to be kept. And they wanted to be sure that parking will be addressed for construction workers and, later, deliveries. The project itself includes one offstreet space per unit, to be accessed off the alley (which is discussed, along with other site characteristics, in this document that’s part of the project file).
We asked when they hope to start construction; could be as soon as one year away, depending on how the process proceeds.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: The architects will prepare a “design packet” for the Early Design Guidance phase, and the city will publish a notice when that’s available for review and comment (we’ll publish an update too).
P.S. If you missed the meeting but have concerns/questions about the project, Novion has a simple webpage for it with comment options.
Just under four months until the primary election, and two days until the next forum featuring all five of the candidates running so far for the District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) City Council seat. Their first faceoff was back on March 21st (WSB coverage here); this Wednesday (April 10), they’ll be side by side for the second time during the 34th District Democrats‘ monthly meeting. All are welcome – nonmembers and members alike; the meeting starts at 7 pm Wednesday at The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW). It’s one of two events the 34th DDs are presenting this month featuring the D-1 council race; the other is billed as a debate, at 6:30 pm April 23rd at Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School (9615 20th SW). The 34 DDs, by the way, have an online survey going, inviting you to help shape the issues on which they’ll focus.
The candidates in the running so far are Isaiah Willoughby, Phil Tavel, Brendan Kolding, incumbent Lisa Herbold, and Jesse Greene; according to the city Ethics and Election Commission tracker, District 1’s five-candidate field is the smallest of any of the 7 districts, so far. But it’s not necessarily the final lineup – the official filing period isn’t until next month.
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