day : 17/01/2020 9 results

Earlier this week, we reported on the Northwest Seaport Alliance‘s disclosure that Terminal 5 pile-driving had been halted for a month and a half because the timber piles kept breaking. As a result of the time lost, the contractor will pile-drive on Saturdays too, tomorrow (January 18th) and every Saturday through the end of the in-water work window on February 15th. (As noted in our Tuesday report, NWSA was seeking an extension of the window, a time period when in-water work is less likely to affect migrating salmon, but a decision wasn’t expected for a few more weeks.) Saturday work hours, according to port spokesperson Peter McGraw, are 9 am-5 pm; he says there may also be some Sunday pile-driving, but dates aren’t set yet.

UPDATE: Vandalism/theft blamed for fuel spill into Longfellow Creek

January 17, 2020 7:02 pm

| 32 COMMENTS

| Crime | Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

7:02 PM: A reader texted us that photo late today, saying the state Department of Ecology was investigating a reported fuel spill into Longfellow Creek at the West Seattle Golf Course. “Dead fish and odor in the creek on the 12th hole,” the text said. We contacted an Ecology spokesperson, who had not heard about it; since then, Seattle Public Utilities has tweeted, “Vandalism of an approximately 250-300-gallon gasoline storage tank has caused a fuel spill at City of Seattle’s West Seattle Golf Course. Gasoline has reached Longfellow Creek. SPU’s Spill Response team is on site and coordinating with (Ecology).” More as we get it.

7:51 PM: Just talked with the Ecology spokesperson we originally spoke with earlier, Ty Keltner, as well as with SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register. Keltner said Seattle Parks first discovered the spill early this morning, then contacted SPU, and notified Ecology this afternoon. A cleanup contractor already has been hired, they said, and they confirmed that dead fish were found and so the Department of Fish and Wildlife is involved in the investigation. Register said the cleanup and SPU personnel have booms out and will be on scene overnight; she’s not sure exactly how much got into the creek and how much of the fuel was stolen, but she says Parks recovered about 70 gallons.

9:13 PM: Our original tipster says they first reported this to Parks after noticing it while walking the golf course this morning. They shared a photo of what they described as the area where the tank is, by the golf course’s maintenance shed:

“The gas was flowing from there and then into the catch basin by the 18th tee box,” they said.

12:25 PM SATURDAY: We’re working on a detailed followup (coming up separately later this afternoon) after talking with SPU at the spill site and seeing cleanup crews at the creek. Not much additional information yet but cleanup work continues.

They still don’t know exactly how much got into the creek. pic.twitter.com/tmWqnDskAV

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) January 18, 2020

Share This

FOLLOWUP: ‘Fake’ speed-camera sign finally removed

January 17, 2020 5:57 pm

| 16 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Transportation | West Seattle news

(September 2019 reader photo)

Almost four months after we reported on what SDOT described as “fake” speed-camera signage in Arbor Heights, it’s finally been removed. We hadn’t realized the sign on SW 100th west of 35th SW hadn’t been removed until Chad emailed us last week to point it out. This week’s weather hubbub got in the way of our followup plans, but then Kyle emailed us this afternoon to say an SDOT crew was there today to take it down. (Kyle also lamented that SDOT didn’t take the chance to replace the speed-limit sign, which still says 30 mph, despite the announced plans for a citywide lowering to 25 mph. We’re asking SDOT about the timetable for that.)

Share This

UPDATE: Seattle Fire ‘full response’ in south Highland Park, downsized

January 17, 2020 3:09 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

3:09 PM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” headed to a building in the 9200 block of 9th SW [map]. Updates to come.

3:11 PM: First units on scene report that the smoke called in by many passers-by is from “a chicken coop on fire” and the response is being downsized. We’re still en route; we’ll check on the chickens.

3:33 PM: Firefighters on scene tell us the chickens are OK. The coop is in a private backyard and the owners weren’t there so we couldn’t see it.

Share This

More West Seattle YMCA news: Meet new executive director Miller

January 17, 2020 1:51 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Triangle | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

More news from the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) – a new executive director! Here’s the announcement introducing you to Miller:

The YMCA of Greater Seattle is proud to announce that Miller has been named as the Executive Director of the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA. Miller joins the branch with nine years of leadership, operations, and team building experience at the YMCA and in other community organizations.

“Miller is a leader whose vision is guided by the Y’s paramount value of ensuring that all people are welcomed and belong,” says Loria Yeadon, President and CEO for the YMCA of Greater Seattle. “We’re thrilled by the leadership Miller will provide to the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA.”

Miller began their career in 2010 with six years of leadership in the YMCA of Central Ohio and the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. During that time, Miller oversaw membership growth, retention strategies, and inclusion initiatives to become an Executive Director providing strategic vision and community engagement for the Rauner Family Y and the West Communities Y. Having designed and delivered a nationwide diversity, equity, and inclusion training program for YMCA branch leadership and key stakeholders, Miller brings specialized training in equity and inclusion, cultural awareness, trauma and conflict resolution, race, gender, LGBTQ+ communities to the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA.

“The Y is like a second home to me,” says Miller. “It’s an exciting time to be a part of the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA team – I look forward to learning more about how we can continue to create a sense of belonging for everyone in our community.”

Founded in the 1920s, the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA serves children and teens throughout the community with programs in eight local schools pioneering new ways to strengthen community foundations. With two locations, the West Seattle & Fauntleroy branch offers a wide variety of fitness, youth, swimming, and community programs for all ages. The Fauntleroy location includes fitness equipment, classes, and youth sports programs. The larger West Seattle facility was expanded and renovated in 2016 providing swimming, family programs, fitness equipment, group exercise classes, and a new healthy eating kitchen. Please join the YMCA of Greater Seattle in welcoming Miller to their new position at the West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA.

Miller’s predecessor Shalimar Gonzales is now district executive with the YMCA of Greater Seattle.

Share This

2 reasons to spend MLK Day at the Y

January 17, 2020 12:08 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Holidays | Triangle | West Seattle news

The West Seattle YMCA (3622 SW Snoqualmie; WSB sponsor) will be open on the holiday – and that volunteer opportunity is one of two reasons why. Here’s the announcement:

Did you know that the West Seattle YMCA is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Come on in for your workout, or stop by the Y on Monday, January 20th for our MLK Jr. Day of Service Community Beautification Project from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm on January 20, 2020. Interested volunteers can sign up online at this link, or just show up ready to garden!

Share This

6 for your West Seattle Friday!

January 17, 2020 10:51 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Townsend’s Warbler, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Highlights for the rest of your Friday:

SCHOOL TOUR: Roxhill Elementary, 12:30 pm-1:30 pm. See the full list of local Seattle Public Schools elementary/K-8 tours here. (7740 34th SW)

BASKETBALL: Chief Sealth International High School has home games vs. Franklin tonight, girls’ varsity at 7 pm, boys’ varsity at 8:30 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)

U2 AND REM TRIBUTE BANDS: Vertigo Zoo and Chronic Town at The Skylark, 7 pm. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

‘HARVEY’: Second of three nights for this year’s student-directed West Seattle High School production – the classic play centered on a giant rabbit. 7:30 pm curtain at the WSHS Theater. (3000 California SW)

‘THE REVOLUTIONISTS’: 7:30 pm at ArtsWest, the new production – “a quartet of fierce women — Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle — lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror.” Check for tickets here. (4711 California SW)

SCOTT LINDENMUTH: Jazz guitarist live at Pacific Room (WSB sponsor) on Alki, 8-10 pm. Cover info here. (2808 Alki SW)

SEE THE FULL LIST … on our complete calendar!

Share This

YOU CAN HELP! Here’s how you can be part of Highland Park Elementary’s WE Care drive

January 17, 2020 9:00 am

| Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP! Here’s how you can be part of Highland Park Elementary’s WE Care drive

| Highland Park | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Highland Park Elementary hopes you can help their donation drive to help youth in need. Here’s the announcement:

WE Care for YouthCare!

Looking to clean out your closets this 3-day weekend?!

Our 5th-grade WE Care team (leadership/community activism) is working on gathering supplies for homeless youth in Seattle via the organization YouthCare.

We are specifically looking for:

Blankets/bedding/pillows
Socks
Hats (beanies)
Jackets/hoodies
Mittens
Shoes
Gloves
Gift cards (Target, Fred Meyer)
Pots/pans/utensils/dishes
Hygiene products
Non-perishable snacks
Umbrellas/rain gear
Gently used clothing

If so, please bring them to the Highland Park Elementary front office at 1012 SW Trenton St.

Leave them with Patti at the front desk.

She’ll be there until 3:30 pm today and then, after the Monday holiday, 7:15 am-3:30 pm weekdays.

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch

January 17, 2020 6:58 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

6:58 AM: Good morning! First incident of the morning has been working for 40+ minutes, a crash involving a bus in the bus lane of NB 99 north of the bridge. Other notes:

1ST AVENE SOUTH: Finally reopened by Holgate early this morning, after a truck hit a utility pole yesterday afternoon.

TUNNEL CLOSURE POSTPONED: If you had made a note of the plan to close the northbound 99 tunnel tonight, note that it’s now postponed to NEXT Friday night (January 24th), 10 pm-8 am.

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY ON MONDAY: That means no school on Monday, plus transit changes – no Water Taxi service (West Seattle or Vashon), Metro on “reduced weekday” schedule.

7:27 AM: The NB 99 scene JUST cleared – but the “residual backup” will of course take a while.

Share This