day : 14/06/2019 12 results

UPDATE: About the helicopter search

10:11 PM: Guardian One has been helping with a police search just north of The Triangle. One person is reported to be in custody but we don’t yet know what led to the search.

10:40 PM: Still trying to find officer(s) on the ground to ask. We’ve found police cars but no officers in sight.

10:45 PM: Talked to an officer. He said this was called in as an attempted burglary. (When we first heard radio exchanges, police were pursuing a suspect through yards, then took someone into custody.)

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Seen this stolen sign?

June 14, 2019 9:13 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Seen this stolen sign?
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

From Jennifer:

Just wanted to reach out regarding a sign that was stolen off my parents’ house just this last week. Its a large, handmade Seattle Mariners S that my dad made over 25 years ago. Was hanging from front of house next to the front door and was swiped. Our family is heartbroken and we would love to see it returned with no consequence.

No photo but if you’ve seen a large Mariners “S” suddenly appear somewhere … could be it. This has been reported to police, (update) incident number 2019-907323.

BIZNOTE: The café on the way to Upton Flats

The future proprietor of the corner commercial space at Upton Flats is finally commenting on his plan for the northeast corner of 35th and Graham. Khalid Agour, best known for Itto’s Tapas in The Junction (and Capitol Hill), told WSB today:

We finally got the keys to the new place this week. The plan is that we will be establishing a café serving local West-Seattle sourced espresso drinks along with breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Hoping to open sometime late August or September pending permits. We are really looking forward to serving our much loved West Seattle community!

No decision yet on a name. (Itto’s was named for the proprietor’s mom.) As previously reported, the Seattle Housing Authority plans to use the rest of the commercial space as offices.

FOLLOWUP: Water Taxi changes bicycle policy, limiting number and size

bikeswatertaxi(Photo courtesy Paul, taken aboard the Water Taxi during 2016 Viaduct closure)

Back in December, we reported on a King County Water Taxi survey “to address bicycle capacity issues,” with questions including whether a fee should be charged to bring a bike on board. The decision on that, so far, is “no,” but the county has announced new limits on bicycle capacity per sailing, as well as a limit on bicycle size. The new policies take effect a week from Monday (on June 24th) and are explained in this update on the Water Taxi website.

ROAD-WORK ALERT: SW Roxbury repairs next 2 weekends

Though there’s an indefinite hold on the major repaving of SW Roxbury once envisioned for “as soon as” this year, some spot repairs are planned. SDOT has announced this work for the next two weekends:

Crews will be replacing several concrete panels in the westbound lane of SW Roxbury between 34th Ave SW & 35th Ave SW.

SCHEDULE

Crews will be working from 8 AM – 7 PM on the following days:

Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16

Saturday, June 22 and Sunday June 23

CLOSURE | DETOUR

Eastbound and Westbound traffic will be restricted to a single lane in each direction 24 hours a day from 8 AM June 15th – 7 PM June 16th.

All westbound traffic will be detoured 24 hours a day from 8 AM June 22 – 7 PM June 23. The detour route will be north onto 34th ave SW and west onto SW Cambridge St.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Police arrest 2 teens in connection with March robbery, gunfire

Two teenagers are in custody and a third is being sought in connection with two March incidents after early-morning search-warrant operations today. First, here’s the announcement from SPD Blotter:

Detectives from Robbery, Gangs and Narcotics, with the assistance of SWAT and K-9, served three separate search warrants early Friday morning in connection with a March 2019 robbery and drive-by shooting in West Seattle. Police arrested two suspects and seized evidence linking the suspects to the robbery.

On March 10th, one of the suspects robbed another man at gunpoint during a drug deal in an alley in West Seattle, stealing his drugs, cell phone, and jacket. The suspect, and two accomplices, then assaulted the victim before fleeing the area.

A few days later a drive-by shooting occurred at the victim’s residence. The victim believed it was the same suspects from the robbery.

Robbery detectives began investigating the case and, this morning, served the search warrants in West Seattle and White Center. Two suspects, both 16, were taken into custody. Detectives are still searching for the third suspect. The suspects were later booked into the Youth Services Center. Detectives continue to investigate the case.

Following up with SPD, we confirmed that the robbery is the same one noted in the report on the March 14th gunfire in The Junction (WSB coverage here). We also looked back at the original incident report on the robbery, which mentioned a phone was taken but did not mention anything about drugs. Meantime, we’re following up with prosecutors to see if any charges are on file yet related to the search warrants.

UPDATE: Driver to hospital after Arbor Heights collision that damaged house

11:27 AM: The “rescue extrication” response is headed for 39th SW/SW 106th [map], and the dispatch was for a reported “vehicle into a building.” Updates to come.

11:30 AM: First SFD crew on scene reports crash into tree. SFD says no extrication necessary, occupant got themselves out.

11:38 AM: Just added a photo. Our crew says this pickup is in the yard of a house closer to 37th SW than 39th and that the driver appears to be OK. SFD says there are “reports of a second patient near scene.” We’re checking on that.

11:50 AM: Our crew talked to a witness who also noted that a second vehicle was involved, and our crew has found that one:

The driver of this vehicle is OK but after evaluation, our crew says, it appears the pickup driver will be taken to a hospital. Avoid the area, by the way – police are NOT there yet to direct traffic so SFD is doing what it can.

12:38 PM: Firefighters had to shore up the deck area damaged According to a witness with whom we spoke, the pickup driver hit the other car while trying to get through a narrow section o street, then lost control.

A commenter says the pickup driver went through three yards before ending up on the deck.

6 for your West Seattle Friday

(River Otter – the only kind you’ll find in Puget Sound – photographed by Steven Director)

Looking ahead to the rest of your Friday:

SMOOTHIE BAR/HEALTH TALK: 3 pm, The Kenney (WSB sponsor) invites you to visit:

Do you have a magnesium deficiency? Common symptoms of low magnesium levels include kidney and liver damage, migraines, restless leg syndrome, osteoporosis, insomnia/trouble sleeping, tooth cavities, and muscle weakness and cramps. Fitness Coordinator Bella Jovan will discuss the symptoms to be aware of, and explain how to get the accurate amount of magnesium needed for your body. You’ll also get to sample a magnesium–rich (and delicious!) Cacao Cherry smoothie.

(7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)

ART LOUNGE: Highland Park Improvement Club is open for you starting at 7 pm to bring your art project in and work on it in the company of other creative souls. Bar’s open too. 21+. (1116 SW Holden)

JAZZ CONCERT: 7 pm, student musicians perform at Chief Sealth International High School. (2600 SW Thistle)

SONGWRITERS’ SHOWCASE: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), no cover, all ages. (5612 California SW)

JOHN STEPHAN BAND: 9 pm at Poggie Tavern – the blues and more. No cover. 21+. (4717 California SW)

‘EXPERIMENTAL NOISE FROM OUTER SPACE’ is what’s promised at Parliament Tavern tonight with Kitsune, Jim Davis, Moraine, 9 pm. $6 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

AVALON/35TH PROJECT: Paving, parking, crossing updates

June 14, 2019 10:53 am
|    Comments Off on AVALON/35TH PROJECT: Paving, parking, crossing updates
 |   Luna Park | Transportation | West Seattle news

Beyond Thursday’s notice about emergency water work, here are the weekly SDOT updates from the Avalon/35th project

Next week crews will continue to work in the following locations:

Zone A: Work continues on SW Avalon Way between SW Manning St and SW Charlestown St. At SW Charlestown St, we are conducting water utility work. As early as next week, we anticipate paving the east side of SW Avalon Way between SW Manning St and SW Charlestown St and beginning paving work on the west side of SW Avalon Way, south of SW Charlestown St to SW Andover St.

Zone E: We are continuing to work on the new water main on 35th Ave SW from SW Avalon Way to SW Alaska St and utility work at SW Snoqualmie St. As we work in Zone E through November 2019, we will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction on 35th Ave SW between Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Alaska St. …

Businesses are open! Please continue to visit businesses on 35th Ave SW and SW Avalon Way during construction. Follow signs for temporary parking for the Avalon Business District near the West Seattle Bridge. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times – please follow signed pedestrian detours.

SDOT also included some community Q&A. Two points of note:

Will parking be restored in Zones B and C?
Parking on the west side of SW Avalon Way in Zone B (between SW Yancy St and SW Genesee St) is now available. Please note that the parking area is not a travel lane and people driving and biking should be mindful of the traffic control in place. Parking on the east side of Zone B and throughout Zone C is currently restricted but will be restored as construction progress allows.

Are there pedestrian detours at SW Charlestown St?
Pedestrian detours are in place. In response to frequent mid-block crossings witnessed onsite, we are placing a flagger onsite north of SW Charlestown St to help pedestrians cross SW Avalon Way at a temporary crosswalk during work hours. After work hours, a protected pedestrian path will route pedestrians around construction on the west side of SW Avalon Way.

West Seattle scene: Flag Day 2019

The Stars and Stripes are up along the heart of the West Seattle Junction today. It’s Flag Day, celebrating the 242nd birthday of the American flag. More history here.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch

(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)

6:56 AM: Good morning. No alerts/incidents currently.

Two reminders:

NB 99 PRE-TUNNEL EXIT: Starting today, some Alaskan Way lane closures related to viaduct demolition could affect traffic for those exiting NB 99 just before the tunnel, WSDOT warns.

4TH AVENUE SW: Today’s the day for a one-day closure of 4th just south of Roxbury.

VIDEO: Congratulations, West Seattle High School Class of 2019 grads!

The printed program for Thursday night’s West Seattle High School Class of 2019 commencement ceremony had something we don’t recall seeing in a decade-plus of covering graduations: A list of the students’ senior-project topics. This was just the first of the four pages:

A different angle on the 220+ Westside grads’ worldliness was offered by ASB president Marlee Bennett, who tossed out graduation-speech buzzwords before these reminiscences:

The students’ choice for faculty speaker, teacher/volleyball coach Abby West, said she has a special bond with the Class of 2019, since she also started at WSHS four years ago. And she offered advice on how to treat others as well as themselves:

High school has enabled the new grads to gain a sense of who they are, observed Wilder Law, speaking on “Lessons of Life”:

One somber lesson the Class of 2019 learned all too soon was about mourning; a moment of silence was offered in memory of Jonathan Teso, who died in a crash last summer.

And then, inspiration from th final student speaker, valedictorian Emma Foulk, who cited superhero emulation in urging her classmates to live with courage:

WSHS’s second-year principal Brian Vance didn’t take the podium until the ceremony was more than half over. Before some staff recognition, he led a “Westside” cheer:

Student musicians were spotlighted too – Kelsey Lenzie singing the national anthem, and Westrum Lowe with a vocal/guitar solo. Finally, it was diploma time:

The tassel ceremony, led by Sam Niederberger, was followed by the unofficial cap toss, and the new grads were congratulated before walking off the field at Southwest Athletic Complex: