day : 19/11/2021 12 results

With just weeks remaining until she leaves office, Mayor Jenny Durkan has launched a farewell tour, and tonight it stopped in the West Seattle Junction, with an ice-cream party at Husky Deli.

This also happened to be the one-year anniversary of her announcement that the cracked West Seattle Bridge would be repaired rather than replaced, ending months of suspense. Also at Husky Deli tonight, in fact, was Seattle Department of Transportation director Sam Zimbabwe (a West Seattle resident). At some point one of the businesspeople and community advocates there for her visit asked the mayor about the bridge – she turned and called out loudly across the room, “Sam Zimbabwe assures me it’s on time and on budget!” He affirmed that:

We asked him if there’s any update on the about-to-start repairs beyond what we published last night. Not yet, he said, but he said we can “expect some good news right after Thanksgiving.” The estimate for completion of repairs remains the same as what they said the day of that big announcement one year ago – “mid-2022.” In other topics, the mayor got a warm sendoff from Lora Radford, who herself just left a high-profile job, running the West Seattle Junction Association.

As the video shows, Radford also presented the mayor with a gift reminiscent of her past visits to The Junction, Bakery Nouveau macaronns, which the mayor had bought for one of her sons during a walking tour in February 2018. She had a parting request for West Seattleites tonight: “Let’s give the new mayor every chance to succeed.”

Share This

UPDATE: Fire on Marginal Place

November 19, 2021 10:46 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

10:46 PM: Several Seattle Fire units are on the scene of what they’ve described to dispatchers as “a fully involved RV fire” on Marginal Place SW, which dead-ends near the west end of the low bridge, under the high bridge. We don’t know how close the fire is to that end, as it’s logged with 18th SW as the cross street, and the map doesn’t show the two meeting.

11:07 PM: The response is downsizing, and firefighters are calling for the department investigator. No indication anyone was injured.

ADDED SATURDAY: The burned RV was about midway up the stub of Marginal Place from West Marginal.

Share This

VIDEO: High Point celebration lights up trees and hearts

November 19, 2021 10:07 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| High Point | Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

A crowd gathered tonight at High Point Commons Park for a first-ever seasonal celebration. It was billed as “Fruit Tree Lighting,” but the lights extended beyond the tiny trees planted last spring as the start of a community orchard. As shown in our video above, community builder Ella McRae led the crowd in a countdown that ended with attendees switching on battery-powered handheld tea lights, as well as the illumination of the little trees. The event also included a community resource fair with a variety of organizations participating, and music from the West Seattle High School Band. The orchard is near the West Seattle Bee Garden on the north end of the park.

Share This

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: West Seattle doctor convicted of pandemic-loan fraud

November 19, 2021 9:06 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

In July of last year, we reported on a local doctor charged by federal authorities with fraud for allegedly fraudulently seeking more than $3 million in pandemic-relief loans. Today, the Department of Justice announced that a federal jury found Dr. Eric Shibley guilty. From the announcement:

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eric R. Shibley, 42, of Seattle, submitted several fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications to federally insured financial institutions, other Small Business Administration (SBA)-approved lenders, and the SBA, in the names of businesses with no actual operations or by otherwise misrepresenting the business’s eligibility. In the applications, Shibley falsified the number of employees and payroll expenses and concealed his own criminal history. To support the fraudulent applications, Shibley submitted fake tax documents and the names of purported employees who did not, in fact, work for the businesses for which Shibley claimed they worked. Shibley received over $2.8 million in COVID-19 relief funds as a result of the fraud.

Shibley was convicted of multiple counts of wire fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, and money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 22, 2022, and faces 20 years for each count of wire fraud, 30 years for each count of bank fraud, and 10 years for money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

According to the online inmate roster, Shibley is in custody at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac. The announcement says the feds have “prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.” They accept tips online here.

Share This

VACCINATIONS: City’s West Seattle clinic gets mayoral visit; plus, another Saturday pop-up for 5-to-11-year-olds

November 19, 2021 7:16 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Coronavirus | High Point | West Seattle news

Two notes about local COVID-19 vaccination clinics:

(WSB photo, this afternoon)

ANOTHER MAYORAL VISIT: Less than a month after visiting Neighborhood House High Point to announce a vaccination clinic would open there, Mayor Jenny Durkan returned today to tout its success. While the visit was announced before the news that the feds are authorizing boosters for all adults, Durkan took the occasion to hail that too. The High Point clinic is operated Fridays and Saturdays (here’s the appointment link), with Pliable as the provider – those are Pliable’s founders Nicole Warner and Tara Biller, both West Seattleites, above with the mayor. We asked them if they’re planning to add days of operation now that so many people are eligible for boosters; they said that’s up to the city and they hadn’t heard of anything yet. (P.S. The mayor had another unrelated West Seattle stop after that – that story later- and if you missed our coverage of her education-themed visit yesterday, that story’s here)

SATURDAY EVENING POP-UP KID CLINIC: Also at Neighborhood House High Point, but operated separately, a pop-up clinic is planned 5 pm-6:30 pm Saturday for 5-to-11-year-olds, with a second-dose follow-up clinic in three weeks. Here’s the announcement from Public Health Seattle-King County:

West Seattle COVID-19 Pop-Up Clinic
PEDIATRICS ONLY
Ages 5 to <12 years old only Pediatric Pfizer available for this clinic FDA Pediatric Pfizer (5 to <12) Fact Sheet

Neighborhood House High Point
6400 Sylvan Way SW

DOSE 1
Saturday November 20th
5 PM-630 PM

SIGN UP HERE FOR DOSE 1: prepmod.doh.wa.gov//appointment/en/reg/4012174969

DOSE 2
Saturday, December 11th
5 PM-630 PM

AND…SIGN UP HERE for DOSE 2: https://prepmod.doh.wa.gov//appointment/en/reg/7946704129

Again, the clinic for kids tomorrow night is separate from the daytime city-run clinic, so be sure to use the unique link above if you’re interested in that one.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Home-invasion robbery; building burglary

November 19, 2021 4:05 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two incidents in West Seattle Crime Watch today:

HOME-INVASION ROBBERY: According to a brief SPD summary, officers were called to a residence in the 7900 block of 8th SW last night around 10:10 pm. A home-invasion robbery was reported there, with two armed men coming in and robbing a couple of money and jewelry.. The robbers then fled and got into a vehicle. No one was hurt. No description information in the summary; we have requested the detailed report narrative and will add anything more we find out.

BUILDING BURGLARY: The report and security-camera image were sent by Rick:

We have had some recent security issues in our building. We are on Harbor Ave SW right by the water taxi. Recently someone tried to break into our main entry door, damaging the lock and rendering it unusable. Over this past weekend this man pictured broke into our building, broke into a secured room, and stole keys.

Prior to this, an outside camera was stolen by the main entrance. It’s obvious these are professionals and our building is being targeted for theft and who knows what else. The police are being contacted, and yes, I realize we can’t expect much from them right now, and we are replacing locks and codes and stepping up security. Neighbors on Harbor Ave and in the area at large, be on the lookout for this individual. He carries a duffel bag which likely has tools for picking locks, which is how he gained access to a secured room to steal keys. Incident occurred early Sunday morning 11/14.

We’ll add the case number when/if we get it.

Share This

SAVING ROXHILL BOG: First, fix ‘the bathtub’

November 19, 2021 2:11 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Images from meeting presentation – above, Roxhill Park and Bog)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Imagine you want to take a bath – but not only can you not draw enough water to fill the tub, the water you do get keeps draining out.

That’s the problem with Roxhill Bog, experts and advocates believe, and as unveiled at this week’s community meeting, they have a plan that might fix it.

“Might” is the important word here – so they’re going to try an experiment on part of the endangered wetland, which is all that’s left of a 10,000-year-old peat bog that once stretched far beyond the remnant that exists – dry as it is – mostly on the south side of city-owned Roxhill Park.

Wednesday night’s meeting had many of the same participants who gathered more than a year and a half ago – just before the pandemic shut down in-person meetings – to accelerate the effort to keep the bog from being lost forever.

This time, interested and/or involved parties gathered online to talk and hear about what’s been learned and what happens next.

Share This

REMINDER: Need holiday help? 2 turkey-and-groceries distributions in West Seattle tomorrow

November 19, 2021 1:20 pm

| Comments Off on REMINDER: Need holiday help? 2 turkey-and-groceries distributions in West Seattle tomorrow

| Holidays | West Seattle news

Six days until Thanksgiving, and if you need help ensuring a holiday feast for your family, we’re reminding you today that you have two chances tomorrow, both while supplies last:

(WSB file photo)

EASTRIDGE CHURCH: The church’s annual tradition of giving away turkeys and bags of groceries is drive-up/ride-up again this year, starting at 9 am Saturday. No early queueing. Approach the church, which is at 39th/Oregon [map], via northbound 39th (accessible from westbound Fauntleroy Way SW). Open to all.

WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK AT SSC: This is also a drive-up/ride-up event, but for West Seattle families only – turkeys and bags/boxes of holiday produce (etc.), starting at 10 am in the north parking lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW [map]; WSB sponsor) – approach from northbound 16th SW.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE SCENE: High-flying construction milestone for Madison Middle School addition

November 19, 2021 11:28 am

| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE SCENE: High-flying construction milestone for Madison Middle School addition

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Thanks to Tracy for sending the photo! That’s the view Madison Middle School students and staff had, minutes ago – at 11:11 am, Tracy says – as that beam was hoisted atop the ongoing addition project on the campus’s north side. This is a tradition for “topping out” the steel bones of a building; note the beam inscription for Ironworkers Local 86. Construction began over the summer for the a href=”https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/capital_projects_and_planning/school_construction/projects/madison” rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank”>2-story, 8-classroom, 12,500-square-foot, $10 million project.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE ART: Here’s what the new South Delridge installations are about

November 19, 2021 10:57 am

| 36 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(SDOT photo)

Noticed the new art installations in South Delridge? It’s part of the RapidRide H Line project. It’s been almost four years since the announcement that artists had been chosen – and now the results are in place. From SDOT:

This month, the Office of Arts and Culture and the Wowhaus artist team worked with our crews to install some new public art at the intersections of Delridge Way SW at SW Henderson St and 18th Ave SW.

The artwork titled “Know How” was created by Wowhaus artist team Ene Osteraas-Constable and Scott Constable. The area will be restored with groundcover later this year.

In the development of the artwork, the artist team attended several community meetings, held impromptu focus-group meetings while riding the 120 Metro Bus, hosted a site walkthrough with elementary students from Roxbury Elementary School, and delved deep into the history of the area through resources at the Seattle Public Library and Museum of History and Industry. From this engagement work, the idea for the artwork Know How was developed.

This project is funded through SDOT’s 1% for Art funding.

ADDED: Here’s a city post with more backstory on the new art.

Share This

High Point’s first-ever Fruit Tree Lighting, and what else is up for your Friday

November 19, 2021 9:39 am

| 11 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(This morning’s moonset, photographed by Jim Borrow)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what’s happening for your Friday:

VACCINATIONS: As reported here last night, the city’s West Seattle Clinic at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW) has appointments available today and tomorrow for kids 5 to 11 – check here.

WARM CLOTHING DRIVE: Daily through Sunday, noon-3 pm each day, Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill) invites you to donate warm clothing to help the families at Mary’s Place.

HIGH POINT FRUIT TREE LIGHTING: First-ever event at Commons Park between 31st and Lanham south of Graham [map], community fair with local organizations starts at 5:30 pm, fruit-tree lighting at 6 pm. Live music with the West Seattle High School Band! Bring warm clothes for the donation drive.

DJ NIGHT: Enjoy the DJ at The Spot West Seattle (2930 SW Avalon Way), 6-10 pm.

CONEDY NIGHT: Laugh it up at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), doors at 7 pm, lineup in our calendar listing.

(Another moonset view – by James Bratsanos)

Something for the calendar and/or forthcoming Holiday Guide? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Share This

ROAD WORK, TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Friday notes, weekend preview

November 19, 2021 6:07 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

8 AM: The Water Taxi has been canceling departures because of vessel trouble. … So far the cancellations extend through the 8:15 departure.

8:51 AM: No word yet if the WT has resumed.

9:01 AM: MarineTraffic.com now shows the Doc Maynard at Seacrest, so looks like service has resumed.

9:15 AM: Just heard the dispatch for a crash at Olson/2nd, at the east end of the Roxbury corridor.

Earlier:

6:07 AM Good morning!

WEATHER

Breezy, cloudy, cool forecast, maybe some clearing later.

ROAD WORK, TODAY & THIS WEEKEND

26th SW – Southbound closure between Roxbury and Barton continues for RapidRide H Line prep work. We’re checking on the reopening timeline

West Marginal on Saturday – From SDOT: “On the 6000 block of West Marginal Way (North of SW Front St), Urban Forestry crews will be in the area doing some tree maintenance work. Traffic impacts include closure of the southbound curb lane. The work is anticipated to begin on Saturday as early as 5:00 AM and conclude by 1:00 PM.”

BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES

Metro remains on its regular weekday schedule, except for the rerouting in RapidRide H Line work zones, including 26th SW. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.

Ferries and Water Taxi: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates. The Water Taxi is in service – here’s the West Seattle schedule.

BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES

606th 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.)

The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):

South Park Bridge:

West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:

Highland Park Way/Holden:

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

Are movable bridges opening for vessels? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed can tell you; 1st Ave. South Bridge openings are also 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.

Share This