day : 07/10/2019 10 results

GAS THEFT: That photo is from a reader near 42nd/Cloverdale, who reports:

Bad news, my car stalled (Sunday) on the West Seattle Bridge with “fuel empty” signal. I had filled it (Saturday). Heard that people have been drilling into gas tanks to siphon gas – looking under car at mine, looks like that was the case (see pic). Some time between 10:30 pm-6 am (Saturday night/Sunday morning). Apparently Tacomas (which is what I have) are common targets. I drove about 10 mins before light went off. Heads-up to people! Speaking to police, they said not much that can be done to prevent. Looking at parking space after I got home, remnants of the drilling were where the car was parked.

STOLEN BICYCLE RECOVERED: Published today on SPD Blotter:

Police recovered a stolen bike and arrested a 26-year-old man in West Seattle on Sunday following an undercover sting to buy back the bike.

On October 4th, a West Seattle resident called police and reported their garage had been burglarized. Two bikes, worth approximately $4,000, were taken.

The victim later found one of the bikes for sale online and contacted the Southwest Precinct’s Anti-Crime Team, which set up a meeting with the suspect. Undercover officers met the suspect at one location and followed him to a storage unit, where he showed off the victim’s bike.

Police arrested the 26-year-old man, returned the bike to the owner, and booked the suspect into the King County Jail for trafficking stolen property.

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SURVEY: Moving, renovating Hiawatha’s play area

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Seattle Parks plans to move the Hiawatha play area – and renovate it with new equipment – and is looking for your thoughts. First, the flyer explaining what’s planned

Before the October 25th event, you can comment via this survey, which will ask your thoughts on some potential “elements” for the relocated play area.

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TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash blocking eastbound Harbor

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash blocking eastbound Harbor

| West Seattle news

A 2-car crash is blocking the east/southbound side of Harbor. If you are headed that way, you’ll be turned around at the 7-11. No medic unit dispatched so apparently no serious injuries.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 2 cases dismissed for defendants’ incompetency

| West Seattle news

In our continuing checks of court cases to see what happens post-arrest, we have two cases to update in which charges were dismissed because the defendants were incompetent to stand trial:

JUNEAU MARKET ATTACK: Last December, 51-year-old Farrell M. Ditschinger was charged with assault and attempted robbery after an attack on a 71-year-old woman working at Juneau Street Market. In the months since, King County Superior Court records show, he has twice been found incompetent to stand trial and both times sent to Western State Hospital for competency-restoration attempts. Last month, a report indicated that a third try at restoring competency was not likely to render him able to participate in his defense, and a judge dismissed the charges. However, the same report recommended reviewing him for civil commitment, suggesting he otherwise was at risk of endangering himself and others. What happened from there, public records don’t show; the King County Jail Register shows him released from KCJ custody on September 10th, the date of the hearing.

ALKI TRESPASSING: Last week we reported on the arrest of 25-year-old Nickolas Osborne, charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing for insisting he had to get inside an Alki residence to retrieve belongings that weren’t actually there. Osborne, as we noted then, has two high-profile West Seattle arrests in his past. Municipal Court records show that the trespass case was dismissed last week as he was found incompetent to stand trial and not eligible for a restoration hospitalization due to the low level of the crime. But he was to be evaluated for possible commitment, and that decision is due tomorrow; he remains in jail in the meantime.

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WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Next round of soil sampling about to start

October 7, 2019 3:34 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Sound Transit | Transportation | West Seattle news

The yellow dots on that map mark locations at the office/marina complex on the south end of Harbor Island [map] where soil sampling is about to start as Sound Transit continues studying potential routes for West Seattle light rail. The full flyer is here (PDF). It says that once sampling starts – as soon as tomorrow – “Work … will occur during nights, from 6:00 pm – 7:00 am. Each boring will take approximately 5-7 days and will be filled and patched with a flush-mounted monument surface when work is complete.” The drilling will all be done in parking lots/driveways, ST says.

SIDE NOTE: If you have questions about this or any other aspect of West Seattle light-rail planning, a reminder – ST reps are on the agenda at tonight’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting. And two upcoming ST board meetings will determine whether two West Seattle options are included in environmental studies – the System Expansion Committee this Thursday, and the full board on October 24th.

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FOLLOWUP: ‘Flip Your Trip’ details finally out, puppet and all

October 7, 2019 1:59 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

Back in August, when the start date was announced for Highway 99 tunnel tolling, SDOT’s downtown-mobility director Heather Marx mentioned a commute-related campaign to be launched under the title “Flip Your Trip.” She mentioned it again at last week’s Southwest District Council meeting. She said it would have something to do with a puppet. She wasn’t making that up – here’s the official Flip Your Trip video, unveiled today:

Aside from the video, the campaign description is fairly simple:

To reduce the number of people driving alone downtown during peak commute times, we launched a new campaign called #FlipYourTrip on October 7 to encourage people to commute car-free at least once a week to downtown Seattle. Our message is simple: if you usually drive into Seattle by yourself, commuting car-free once a week is an easy way to do something good for yourself, your city, and your planet.

Visit FlipYourTrip.org to learn more about the campaign and find helpful tips for changing commute behavior.

The August mention suggested this would be a campaign involving “large employers” but as launched, it appears to be targeting anyone and everyone who works downtown.

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DEVELOPMENT: Approvals for Delridge, Alki projects

October 7, 2019 12:37 pm

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| Development | West Seattle news

From today’s Land Use Information Bulletin, approval notices for Delridge and Alki projects, each opening appeal periods:

*4155 Delridge Way SW, six townhouses. Here’s the notice (PDF); the appeal deadline is October 21st.
*1728, 1730 Alki SW, technically two separate projects, twp 2-unit buildings on adjacent sites. The notices and decisions are here and here, both with the appeal deadline of October 28th

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Highlights for your West Seattle Monday

October 7, 2019 10:57 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Harlequin Duck, photographed early Sunday morning by Mark Wangerin)

The weekend and the sunshine are gone, but our calendar rolls on with highlghts for your Monday night:

HAM JAM: 6 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, presented monthly by the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club:

New Hams, learn how to participate in the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club Monday night radio nets. Bring your handheld transceiver.

Future Hams, bring your questions and learn about the club, the hobby, how to get licensed, and ways to serve your community.

(4217 SW Oregon)

RENTERS’ RIGHTS, LIGHT RAIL: If you have any interest in either of those two topics, tonight’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting is where you’ll want to be, as previewed here – 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. (4217 SW Oregon)

FAMILY STORY TIME: For kids of all ages. 6:30 pm with children’s librarian Ms. Kristin at High Point Library. (3411 SW Raymond)

TRIVIA/QUIZ NIGHT x 3: You have options!
*Best of Hands Barrelhouse (7500 35th SW), 7 pm, $2/person, 21+
*The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 7:30 pm, free, all ages
*Parliament Tavern (4210 SW Oregon), 8 pm, $2/person, 21+

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Pump station in West Seattle nominated for landmark status

October 7, 2019 9:58 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

(King County Assessor photo)

For the first time in a while, the city Landmarks Preservation Board has a new West Seattle nomination to consider – that 90-year-old pump-station building at 3214 SW Spokane. We received the announcement this morning:

Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board will consider the nomination of the SW Spokane Street Pump Station at 3214 SW Spokane Street in Admiral on Wednesday, November 20 at 3:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in Seattle City Hall (600 4th Avenue, Floor L2) in the Boards & Commissions Room L2-80.

The public is invited to attend the meeting and make comments regarding the nomination. Written comments are also accepted and should be received by the Landmarks Preservation Board at the following mailing address by 3:00 p.m. on November 19:

Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board
Seattle Department of Neighborhoods
PO Box 94649
Seattle, WA 98124-4649

A copy of the Landmark Nomination is available for public review at the West Seattle Branch Library, (2306 42nd Avenue SW) and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods office in Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Avenue, 4th Floor (206-684-0228). The nomination is also posted on Seattle Department of Neighborhoods website under the heading of “Current Nominations.” (Editor’s note: Here’s a direct link, as well as below:

A landmark nomination provides a physical description of the building, object, or site, and information on its history, current and historic photos, site plans, maps, drawings, and more. To learn about the nomination and designation process, visit our webpage.

The nomination document is laden with historical info and photos, but what it doesn’t explain, so far as we could tell in a quick browse, is why this building’s been nominated now, so we’re checking with Seattle Public Utilities about that. The current list of city-landmarked sites includes other public-works buildings such as the historic substation structure at West Seattle’s Dakota Place Park.

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