West Seattle, Washington
01 Friday
(WSB photo)
A cause for celebration today at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) – three Automotive Technology students received tools and toolboxes courtesy of the Rotary Club of West Seattle‘s Earl Cruzen Endowed Scholarship. From left above are recipient Adonai Habte, Rotary president Alan Mitchell, instructor Doug Clapper, recipient Yaphet Solomon, Rotary’s Mark Ward, and recipient Jimmy Saeteurn. The recipients of this new scholarship are in the final quarter of a two-year program and will carry the tools with them into their new careers – Habte is already working in the automotive field, Solomon just got an internship with Tesla, and Saeteurn is job-hunting. The scholarship’s namesake was a West Seattle community champion – known for among other things the Junction murals – and auto-parts entrepreneur, longtime owner of Cruzen Distributing. If you or someone you know is in the Automotive Technology program, watch for the announcement of applications for this scholarship next August.
Recognize either of these?
WESTWOOD: Abandoned next to V‘s home:
FAUNTLEROY: Dumped in the driveway at M‘s home:
If either of these might be yours, email us and we’ll connect you to the finder:
Thanks for the tips. Our photo above shows a crashed stolen pickup truck that’s related to the King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian One helicopter search that’s been under way over 26th SW south of Roxbury. Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Kennamer told us at the scene that KCSO got word from Seattle Police that the stolen pickup was headed their way. Its driver crashed near 26th/100th and took off running. They’ve been searching with the helicopter and two K-9 teams but haven’t found the driver yet.
4:18 PM: Though Sound Transit had announced the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the West Seattle and Ballard extensions would go public on January 28th – it’s out now. Its many chapters are linked here. We found it on the ST website after a tip that it was out, and have barely begun looking at it, but wanted to let you know, for starters. If you need a refresher, here’s what this phase of the process is all about – including public comments.
(Rendering of potential guideway near Delridge station’s Dakota Street option)
4:58 PM: If you want to skip ahead to the visuals, go to this section, the Visual and Aesthetics Technical Report. Renderings for the options start on page 106. If you haven’t been paying much attention until now, note that the Draft Environmental Impact Statement does not propose any new routing or stations – it just analyzes the potential impacts of all the ones the board agreed a few years back should be studied.
6:54 PM: The overview is, as you might guess, in the Executive Summary. This includes tables listing the major impacts of each option, including how many residences and businesses would potentially be displaced. For example, along the Delridge alternatives, the Dakota Street North Lower alternative is projected to displace the most residences, almost 200. Of the Junction alternatives, the Fauntleroy Way station alternative is projected to displace the most residences, 435. The 41st/42nd elevated Junction alternative would also take out both the Trader Joe’s and Safeway stores, ST projects.
One more note – though the DEIS is out early, the official public-comment period still doesn’t start until January 28th, ST spokesperson Rachelle Cunningham tells WSB. She says the early release was mandated as part of the process to get a notice published in the Federal Register.
1:57 PM: Thanks for the tips. Took us a while to confirm, but yes, a Blue Angels jet (#7) is due in at Boeing Field any time now for the Seafair winter logistics meetings. The Museum of Flight is hosting as always. The full team is scheduled to perform during Seafair’s biggest weekend, August 5-7.
2:49 PM: From the Museum of Flight via Twitter:
They’re here! pic.twitter.com/mhJicVDnAU
— The Museum of Flight (@museumofflight) January 19, 2022
(WSB photo, December)
During our recent run of snowy/freezing weather, we reported multiple times on the only emergency cold-weather shelter in West Seattle, not operated by the city, not operated by a homelessness nonprofit, but instead operated by Keith Hughes, commander of American Legion Post 160 and manager of the co-housed West Seattle Veterans Center. The shelter is closed for now, as reported here, but winter has two more months to go and it’ll likely need to open again. So what can you do to be sure it’s ready? Here’s a new webpage set up by supporter Tomasz Biernacki with the backstory and two ways to help, as follows;
Now in his 4th winter of giving care to those struggling in the cold, Keith needs our help. He’s in his 70s and is exhausted. In addition to the folks he is serving, he’s been remodeling the building to meet code requirements for the kitchen and bathrooms, often dipping into his own 401K. To meet the growing need, he needs us now. He needs volunteers and funds.
If you can help with either or both, please do. Keith is a doer, but he can only do so much.
If you want to get involved, please email pecharalala@gmail.com. There is lots to do so please let us know time availability and what you would like to offer in terms of labor and services. Tomasz will get back to each person to pre-screen them for Keith.
If you would like to donate funds, you can do so here – https://gofund.me/1daf9797. We are hoping to raise $6,000 to help cover utility bills. Contributions are tax-deductible, as the West Seattle Veterans Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
The city committed to cover what it would otherwise charge the center for December’s bills, but that’s just a fraction of the building’s costs.
The gas station/mini-mart at 5441 Delridge Way SW is where you can get lunch/dinner tomorrow (Thursday, January 20th) and help a chef get closer to making his dream come true. Gino Williamson runs The Home Skillit, catering and selling dinner, from a local commissary kitchen but is working toward his own restaurant – Gigi’s Café, named after his daughter Gianna. To raise money for expenses including renovations and rent, he plans a “community feed” 2-7 pm Thursday. He says he’s been giving to the community, donating meals to people in need (as noted on his flyer for this event and his website), and now he needs a boost.
From SPD Blotter, word that someone was shot in Highland Park last night. Usually a large SFD response follows shootings and that’s how we find out, but in this case, the victim showed up at a hospital, driven there by a friend, and police pieced together what happened. From their post:
Around 2 AM, the victim was reportedly standing near 8th Avenue SW and SW Cloverdale Street when he became involved in a brief altercation with two people.
The victim later got into his car and saw the suspects drive past him and open fire, striking the victim in the leg. …
Detectives are investigating. If you have any information about this incident, please contact the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
For real-time 911 log watchers, the “scenes of violence” response for this is logged to the address for the VA Hospital on Beacon Hill – that’s where the victim was taken by his friend, and SFD then transferred him to Harborview.
(Today’s sunrise colors, photographed by Jerry Simmons)
Here are highlights of what’s happening in the hours ahead:
LAST CHANCE TO DONATE: The Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor)/Mode Music and Performing Arts winter drive to collect food, clothing, and more concludes today. Drop off donations at the front desk, 3805 Delridge Way SW.
STATE PANDEMIC BRIEFING: 10 am, state health officials brief news media on the pandemic response. You can watch the livestream by going here.
VACCINATIONS FOR STUDENTS: 4-6 pm one-day walk-in clinic at Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon), as previewed here. All Seattle Public Schools students are welcome.
NEW COVID-TESTING SITE: Also at Denny, with info in the same preview, a new 4-8 pm weekday walk-in testing site – for all SPS students, families, and staff – is now open.
(added) LADY JAYE REOPENS: After a post-holiday closure, the restaurant/bar at 4523 California SW reopens today. New: “We are kicking off a new Happy Hour every day from 4:00 pm-5:00 pm that features our Smoked Wagyu Chopped Cheese sandwich, ½ off all our sides, Seasonal Moscow Mule (Apple infused vodka), $9 Beer & Shot special with Evan Williams Bourbon and a Tall Boy of Rainier, and $12 Specialty Cocktails.”
PREVENT RUNNING INJURIES: 6:15 pm, free clinic at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor).
‘PARENTING IN A PANDEMIC’: 7 pm online, parenting educator Jen Giomi‘s presentation to the West Seattle High School PTSA is open to all. Our preview has info on how to attend.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm online, MoCA’s quarterly community meeting has a variety of matters on the agenda – see it, and get connection information, in our calendar listing.
HIGHLAND PARK IMPROVEMENT CLUB: 7 pm online, it’s the third “town hall” to brainstorm HPIC’s post-fire rebuilding plan. You’re welcome even if you missed the first two – HPIC is welcoming community guidance on how its repaired/rebuilt HQ can best be of service. Here’s how to attend.
MORE … on our calendar! If you have something to add for a future date, westseattleblog@gmail.com … thank you!
6:02 AM Good morning!
WEATHER
Cloudy forecast today, some rain expected, high near 50.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Metro is on a regular weekday schedule. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.
West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes are back to their regular schedules.
Ferries: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
666th morning without the West Seattle Bridge.
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. S. 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 roads/paths/water? Text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
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