day : 23/08/2021 10 results

Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

STOLEN CAR DUMPED IN ARBOR HEIGHTS: A green Honda stolen in Leschi was abandoned “partly in the street” near 98th/California in Arbor Heights, neighbors report. Its windows were down, with a jacket and “several pieces of addressed and stamped envelopes” inside the car. Shortly after they emailed us about it, the owner showed up to claim the car. Neighbors reported hearing potentially related activity around 6 am today.

ROBBERY FOLLOWUPS: No arrests reported in either of the 35th SW mini-mart holdups last Friday/Saturday. Lucky 5 was robbed Friday afternoon, and the 35th/Barton 7-11 was robbed Saturday night. We obtained the report narratives on both from SPD today. At the Lucky 5, the clerk told police she had been through robberies before; she said the robber came into the store, walked behind the counter, pointed a gun at her, demanded cash, and got it. He then demanded her phone and took it before leaving. She called 911 using the phone of the next customer to walk in. Another customer found the clerk’s cell phone on the ground outside the store. The robbery at the 7-11 the next night proceeded similarly, according to the report narrative; the robber walked in, went behind the counter, pointed a gun at the clerk, demanded cash, got some, and left. In both cases, the reports say, police were able to access security-camera images, but those have not been made public.

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BIZNOTE: West Seattle Junction launches multi-business ‘gift card’

August 23, 2021 8:32 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

With the holidays not so far away, the West Seattle Junction Association is launching something new – a digital “gift card” good at multiple Junction businesses. You can buy a card by going here – choose an amount, create an account, buy the “card,” send it to your chosen recipient via email or text. (No plastic card available – the program is all digital.) WSJA executive director Lora Radford says, “We’re just getting started – it’ll be exciting to see the merchants roll onto the program.” Four are signed up so far in the very early going: Pegasus Book Exchange, Virago Gallery, VAIN, and Doll Parts Collective – you can check the website to see who else signs up as the weeks go by. Follow that same link for all the fine print – how it works, what fees are involved, etc.

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL COUNTDOWN: District to answer health/safety questions at Tuesday ‘town hall’

August 23, 2021 6:38 pm

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| Coronavirus | West Seattle news | West Seattle online | West Seattle schools

With Seattle Public Schools opening for full-time in-person learning one week from Wednesday, families with questions about health/safety issues are invited to an online “town hall’ tomorrow. At 4:30 pm Tuesday, district leaders plan a community Q&A session. You can participate via Microsoft Teams, or watch live on platforms including YouTube – the links are here. You can read about school health/safety protocols and other new-school-year plans here.

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FOLLOWUP: West Seattle Water Taxi crew honored for rescue off Seacrest

August 23, 2021 5:20 pm

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| King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

(August 11th photo by Carolyn Newman)

Twelve days after the crew of the West Seattle Water Taxi, M/V Doc Maynard, rescued two people after their sailboat capsized off Seacrest, they were recognized today for their heroism.

(King County photo)

King County Council Vice Chair Joe McDermott and County Executive Dow Constantine presented a certificate of recognition today to Water Taxi crew members including, center L-R above, Deckhand GW Rogers, Captain Brad Johnson, and Deckhand Jay White. You can see the certificate here.

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WANTED: New West Seattle home for life-saving truck

August 23, 2021 3:18 pm

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| Health | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Swedish Health)

That’s the Swedish mobile mammography truck. Even if you’re not a patient, you probably noticed it out in front of the former Swedish location at 3400 California SW many times. As we’ve reported, Swedish moved out of that building this summer. And that’s when the truck trouble began.

Swedish mobile mammography program lead Annaleis Ortiz tells WSB they got permits for the truck to park by the new clinic location at 4100 SW Alaska. But – “the neighborhood did not agree with us in that spot. We ended up getting many threatening complaints to our staff, mobile coach and event patients. They did not like us taking their parking spots or the sound of the generator. Due to the safety of the patients, staff, and equipment we pulled the plug on bringing the coach to W.Seattle. We cancelled many, many appointments and made a lot of women unhappy. The last thing I want to do is take an important health screening away from a community that benefits so much. On average we saw 85-120 woman a month, finding countless cancers in an early stage.”

Ortiz drove around West Seattle looking for someplace else to park the truck so patients could get mammograms in West Seattle – an especially valuable service with the bridge closed. “I finally found a location outside the YMCA on Snoqualmie and went through the channels to get approval to park outside their location. Last week we had our first visit in a couple months. It had great success and we were thrilled to be back. We only have approval to visit on Mondays. We are in need of an alternate location … We have over 100 women on a waitlist to be seen, many who do not want to make the trek into downtown to be seen due to bridge closure and traffic issues. A lot of these women are older and benefit greatly from our service.”

Here’s what she’s looking for: “A business with ample parking, not too close to high-rise apartments or condos … willing to host us a few times a month. Our tractor trailer is about 42+ feet long and usually occupies 8-10 parking spaces for setup.” Two other criteria: Level surface, and: “We need to have access to a bathroom for our staff as we do not have a restroom on board.” If you have a business or institution that might be able to host the truck, contact the Swedish West Seattle clinic at 206-320-3399.

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Young singer(s) in the family? Join Endolyne Children’s Choir!

August 23, 2021 1:57 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Even through the pandemic, West Seattle’s Endolyne Children’s Choir kept singing – and now they’re inviting more participation as registration opens for fall. Here’s the announcement we received:

Registration for Endolyne Children’s Choir’s fall session, featuring both in-person and virtual options, is open now! This session, Endolyne will provide in-person choir at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church on Tuesdays with social distancing and an extensive Covid-19 safety plan for singers Kindergarten to 11 years-old from 4:30-5:30 PM and our Advanced Choir (12 years-old to 12th grade) from 7:00-8:30 PM. We will also continue our popular virtual choir with a session for Kindergartners to 11-year olds on Tuesdays from 5:45-6:45. Registration is open until August 29th with our first session on Tuesday, September 7th. Follow this link to register today: form.jotform.com/212257577227157. ECC is a non-audition choir and all are welcome, no matter their choral experience.

Endolyne Children’s Choir is excited to welcome singers back to in-person choir this session but recognizes that not everybody is comfortable or ready or have joined Endolyne from outside the Seattle area and prefer to continue virtual choir. That is why we are offering both options for the fall session. Our in-person rehearsals will feature outstanding education in music theory, solfege, rhythm, and breath support. Singers will enjoy both the camaraderie of working together to blend their voices, and the challenge of singing in harmony. They will learn more complex choreography, and gain performance skills. Singers and families are required to follow our Covid safety plan available here: endolynechoirorg.wordpress.com/covid-19-info/

Our virtual rehearsals will continue in the exact same format our singers have enjoyed for the past year. Choristers will learn music theory, vocal skills, solfege, and choreography; make new friends; work on fall and holiday repertoire; and have a ton of fun! They’ll contribute audio and video recordings to be compiled into a virtual performance in December.

We offer a variety of payment options, from full tuition to full scholarship. When registering, please select the option that works best for your family on the payment page.

Fall session begins Tuesday, September 7th. Registration closes on Sunday, August 29th. Please visit www.endolynechoir.org for more information.

See one of the ECC’s virtual performances here.

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL COUNTDOWN: West Seattle Elementary at Schmitz Park this year as addition construction begins

August 23, 2021 11:52 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

With school starting soon, we’re starting a series of previews. First: A school with a new temporary location this year: The sign above tells the story outside the former Schmitz Park Elementary building at 5000 SW Spokane – this year, for the first time since 2016, it will be a full-time elementary school again. West Seattle Elementary will spend the year there while an addition is built on its site in High Point. Construction there is now under way:

The temporary move has meant changes for the Schmitz Park site too – portable classrooms fill the schoolyard again, moved into place over the summer; most were moved out after Schmitz Park students and staff moved to the then-newly built Genesee Hill Elementary five years ago. (We reported last January that 17 portables were to be installed – as Schmitz Park Elementary, the site held 20.)

West Seattle Elementary is expected to be back at its site in time for the start of school next year. The $28 million project includes a 2-story, 20,000-sf addition, with 12 new classrooms and two learning commons, plus a new entrance, upgraded mechanical systems, new play areas/fields, and technology upgrades..

(WSE Elementary rendering by Miller Hayashi Architects)

The Schmitz Park building is expected to host another school later this decade, when Alki Elementary is rebuilt 2023-2025.

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Early-morning West Marginal Way crash seriously injures 1

August 23, 2021 10:12 am

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| Safety | West Seattle news

We missed it in real time but followed up this morning on a Seattle Fire “rescue extrication” response logged just after 3 am near West Marginal Way and Puget Way [map]. SFD tells us a utility-van driver crashed into a tree, and its crews were on scene for about 45 minutes extricating him from the vehicle. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition,

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YOU CAN HELP: Donate diapers at Dream Dinners West Seattle

August 23, 2021 9:18 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

Last week for the diaper drive at Dream Dinners West Seattle (WSB sponsor), benefiting WestSide Baby! Through Saturday, they’re collecting diapers and pull-ups that you can drop off at the store, until 11 am today, 9 am-11 am Tuesday, 9 am-noon and 4-8 pm Wednesday and Thursday, 9 am-noon Friday, and 9 am-11 am Saturday. Dream Dinners West Seattle is at 4701 41st SW (outer east side of Jefferson Square). Though WS Baby welcomes all sizes, 5 and 6 are at the top of their list right now.

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ROAD WORK, TRANSIT, TRAFFIC, WEATHER: Monday notes

August 23, 2021 6:09 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:09 AM: Good morning. Another cooler-than-normal day is predicted, though we might see more sunshine.

ROAD WORK

26th SW & beyond – Northbound 26th SW closure continues between Roxbury and Barton. This is part of the King County-led portion of the RapidRide H Line preparations, which will also bring some major work to White Center starting this week – details here.

Delridge project – This is the city’s share of the H Line preps – here’s this week’s plan.

Beach Drive – For the next week, tree trimming will be done for utility-line safety; heed the no-parking signs in the 5900-6500 blocks.

TRANSIT

Buses are on regular schedules – except for the 26th rerouting. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of bus cancellations.

For ferries and water taxis, regular schedule. Watch @wsferries for updates.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

518th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are views of other bridges and routes:

Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden – No camera for a few weeks (explained here)

The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):

The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:

Are draw/swing bridges opening for boats or barges? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed will tell you. (1st Ave. South Bridge openings also are tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.)

See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page.

Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.

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