(WSB photo, Alki Elementary demolition site last Friday)

After three weeks, Seattle Public Schools has made its decision about how to respond to the city Hearing Examiner ruling granting neighbors’ appeal of a zoning exception that would allow the new Alki Elementary to be built without off-street parking: It’s going to court. That’s one of the options if you lose a case before the Hearing Examiner – going to King County Superior Court with a “petition seeking review of a land-use decision.” That’s what SPS filed today, according to documents we obtained tonight. The petition contends in part:

… The Examiner concluded that the SDCI [Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections] Decision lacked sufficient supporting information on this issue alone. The Examiner’s conclusion regarding the vehicle parking departure is incorrect. … Petitioner is aggrieved and adversely affected by the Decision because the Decision prejudices Petitioner’s ability to use its Property and is intended to interfere with the Petitioner’s legal use and enjoyment of the Property and the ability to develop the Project … the Examiner engaged in unlawful procedure, erroneously interpreted the law, made a decision that is not supported by substantial evidence, and committed clear error where it concluded that the Appellants met their burden to demonstrate that it is not necessary to eliminate all parking to meet the school’s educational needs. … The Decision’s determination that the parking analysis did not accurately reflect parking conditions was not supported by substantial evidence in the record. … The Examiner chose to give greater weight to anecdotal statements that parking conditions in December 2021 must not reflect normal parking conditions instead of expert analysis that concluded, in both the report and in testimony, that the parking conditions in December 2021 were likely higher than normal conditions given that many people chose to stay home (and park on the street) rather than leave due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the West Seattle Bridge closure.

This is not likely to end quickly. The initial schedule set for the case requires a hearing by October 20th, but the case itself might not be fully heard until next January. The district has a permit for demolition, excavation, and grading of the school site, and has completed most of the demolition, but can’t get a permit to build the new school until this issue is settled. Building the school without a zoning exception for parking would require 48 spaces, and presenting a revised plan providing them was one of the other options the district had for responding to the Hearing Examiner’s ruling.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Robbery in West Seattle leads to stolen Kia crashing in SODO

August 30, 2023 6:14 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

We asked SPD for information on this early-morning case after commenter Montanapup mentioned it. The info’s just in via this SPD Blotter post:

Seattle Police officers arrested one adult and three juvenile males after they were found fleeing from a stolen vehicle Wednesday morning.

Shortly after 5:00 a.m., officers responded to a reported theft near the intersection of 42nd Avenue SW and SW Dawson Street. Officers arrived and located a 27-year-old victim who told officers he was at a bus stop when five males in a black Kia approached and stole his backpack.

The victim provided officers with a description of the suspects and the vehicle. Police in the area located the vehicle and attempted to stop it, but the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed.

A short time later, officers learned the Kia was involved in a collision near 1st Avenue South and South Spokane Street.

Multiple officers responded to the scene of the collision and found the Kia engulfed in flames. All the suspects fled the scene on foot. Four of the suspects were apprehended a short distance away. A replica firearm was located at the scene.

(SPD photo)

Police contacted the registered owner of the Kia and learned the vehicle was stolen overnight.

A 63-year-old male driver of the vehicle the Kia collided with was treated by Seattle Fire Department personnel for minor injuries and transported to a nearby hospital.

The 20-year-old male suspect was booked into King County Jail for investigation of taking a motor a vehicle without permission. The three juveniles were identified and released.

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HELPING: Pencil Me In For Kids distributes school supplies to West Seattle students

August 30, 2023 4:18 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| How to help | Rotary Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

Before local Seattle Public Schools start the new school year one week from today, volunteers and donors pitched in for another year of Pencil Me In For Kids, which procures and distributes school supplies for students in need.

Pencil Me In For Kids is a project of the Rotary Club of West Seattle, with help including donations from Fauntleroy Church. Volunteers gathered at the American Legion Post 160 hall on Tuesday afternoon to sort supplies, and distribution was planned today. You can support PMIFK with donations to the Rotary’s foundation.

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FOLLOWUP: Bruun Idun, the West Seattle troll, now online too

August 30, 2023 2:18 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo, Sunday evening)

We went back to visit Bruun Idun, the giant troll newly installed at Lincoln Park by artist Thomas Dambo with private funding and volunteer help, and have been watching for her to turn up on the Northwest Trolls website. Today, she’s there, along with the full poem that Dambo debuted at the troll-“unveiling” event Friday (WSB coverage here). She’s now also on the worldwide map of Dambo’s trolls. Bruun Idun (Idun, pronounced like Eden, in short) is the third of six he’s installing around the Northwest; the first two are in Portland and on Bainbridge Island, and the next three will be introduced in Issaquah this weekend and on Vashon Island and in Ballard in mid-September. (If you haven’t been to see Bruun Idun yet, she’s right behind Colman Pool.)

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BIZNOTE: New location for Floors Plus Northwest

August 30, 2023 12:13 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Photo sent by Mike)

Thanks to Mike for the tip! Floors Plus Northwest has moved – but is still in Morgan Junction, now in the former Super Supplements space at 6451 Fauntleroy Way SW, where we stopped in and talked with co-proprietor Liliana Morales.

(WSB photos from here)

She says the new location is bigger and has offstreet parking for customers. The sign’s not up yet but they’ll install it as soon as it arrives.

Meantime, she says they’re having a sale right now “on all Gaia LVP lines, Abode and Kentwood Savannah Collections in hardwood, Aurora hardwood, and all Dream Weaver carpets.” She and husband Luis Morales opened Floors Plus Northwest almost three years ago; the building where they were originally located, 6959 California SW, was on the market recently, but county records don’t show a change in ownership.

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Sound bath and mandala for Maui, and more for the rest of your West Seattle Wednesday

August 30, 2023 10:54 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Above and below are low-low-tide sights photographed by Rosalie Miller – above, Northern Lacuna sea snail eggs on eelgrass; below, Aggregating Anemones. Today’s tide tops our list of calendar highlights for the rest of your Wednesday:

LOW-LOW TIDE: It just bottomed out at -2.4 feet at 10:52 am, as this year’s last series of daytime low-low tides continues.

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open 11 am-8 pm daily through Labor Day. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

WADING POOL OPEN: Seattle Parks says it will open wading pools today, including Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW).

COLMAN POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, this outdoor salt-water pool is open noon-7 pm daily through Labor Day. See the session schedule here.

FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Don’t replace it – repair it! Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).

SOUND BATH AND COMMUNITY MANDALA FOR MAUI: Join Inner Alchemy for this opportunity to send love, light, and money to Maui fire survivors, at Me-Kwa-Mooks Park (4500 block of Beach Drive SW)

TRIVIA x 5: Five places to play tonight. At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) now offers trivia … there’s 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska); trivia starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW); Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm … at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).

FREE GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for the weekly free group run.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)

LIVE PIANO MUSIC: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks. (4210 SW Admiral Way).

MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.

SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

BLUE MOON: The full “blue moon” rises at 8:13 pm.

Planning a presentation, meeting, performance, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, or …? If it’s open to the community, please send us info for West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 2 stolen cars, including gray Rabbit (update: found). Plus, another dumped-likely-stolen

August 30, 2023 10:17 am

| 17 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

10:17 AM: Two stolen-car reports:

STOLEN GRAY RABBIT: The photo and report are from Lindsay:

1979 VW Rabbit / primer gray
license: WA AZJ7174
VIN ends in 606

Taken overnight (8/30) on the corner of 47th and Alaska, West Seattle

The car is primer gray with a painted light blue fender on the passenger side, and a darker blue horizontal stripe on the passenger door.Interior seats are white vinyl with a light blue VW symbol on each front seat headrest.

Please call 206-930-0471. Police report # 23-250382.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Lindsay says it was found, on Capitol Hill.

STOLEN AND FOUND: Tyler‘s car has been found but he wants to raise awareness:

(Monday) night my gray Kia Soul 2016 was stolen from 63rd Ave SW near Alki Beach. Sometime between 12 am and 6 am. Tthe car was recovered (in the 8100 block of) 24th Ave SW. The homeowner said it was the second Kia in 2 weeks abandoned there. The car was not drivable and they stole stuff in it. I Just want Kia owners in West Seattle to be aware.

MORE STEERING-WHEEL LOCKS: And a reminder for those with theft-prone Kia or Hyundai vehicles – the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) is giving out steering-wheel locks again Saturday (September 2nd), 9:30 am-11:30 am.

ADDED 10:30 AM – DUMPED-LIKELY-STOLEN CAR: Rich just sent this – another Hyundai – seen at 41st/Ida and called in to police:

Rich says the car – a Tucson – was running and plateless, with broken windows.

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Remembering Gregory J. Lorentz, 1937-2023

August 30, 2023 9:00 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering Greg Lorentz. Here’s what they want you to know about him:

Gregory Joseph Lorentz
February 10, 1937 – August 16, 2023

He did it his way!

Ring-a-ding-ding, the Chairman of the Board and last remaining member of the Rat Pack has left the building. Life-long Seattle resident Gregory Joseph Lorentz, 86, passed away peacefully on August 16, 2023. Greg was a truly unique soul who worshipped Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, football, beer, and USC. He religiously read the paper every morning, was a dedicated Seahawk and Mariners fan, never missed a hydroplane race, was an impressive bowler, and insisted upon wearing freshly shined wingtip shoes to work every day. Words to describe Greg: tough, hilarious, hard-working, goofy, polite, generous, sweet, and devastatingly handsome.

Greg’s early life was spent on Beacon Hill, where he attended St. George School. He had fond memories of his neighborhood gang of friends who got him into all sorts of trouble, as well as his beloved French grandparents who showered him with love and delicious French cuisine. He went on to graduate from O’Dea high school and then the University of Southern California. In between partying and sunbathing, Greg managed to earn a degree in business and printing from USC. After college, Greg served as an MP in the army and was very proud of his service. In the business world, Greg worked as a lithographer for both Craftsman Press and The Seattle Times. He was a devoted employee who worked through holidays and snow storms just so everyone could enjoy their morning paper — you’re welcome, Seattle! After retiring from the printing business, he kept himself entertained by working for The Seattle Mariners, where he enjoyed chatting with all the players.

Greg married Sharon Mitchell and they settled down in West Seattle to raise a family. Together, they fulfilled Greg’s childhood dream of traveling the globe. Some of his favorite destinations were Greece, Spain, Rome, Germany, and Runaway Bay in Jamaica. Gregory is survived by his son Mark, his wife Cheryl and their two children Quinn and Annie; daughter Anne-Louise, her husband Evan and their daughter Frances; and his beloved cat Edith. Greg was a kind, quirky, and gentle soul who was loved and adored by all who knew him. His family and friends are absolutely heartbroken to lose him and will miss him immensely. We can only imagine that when he got to the pearly gates he was ushered in by Frank Sinatra, who greeted him with a smile and a cocktail. We love you, Dad.

-There is no planned funeral at this time. The family will have a wake for Greg in the coming months.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

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