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Dock dispute: Tentative contract agreement announced by union, terminal operators
February 20, 2015 8:26 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Prague Express, photographed by David Hutchinson on 2/13/2015, one of several days it spent at anchor)
8:26 PM: After more than half a year without a contract, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union has reached a tentative agreement with the West Coast terminal operators, according to this joint announcement sent out by both sides (from the Pacific Maritime Association here and the ILWU here):

The Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union today announced a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract covering workers at all 29 West Coast ports. The deal was reached with assistance from U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Deputy Director Scot Beckenbaugh. The parties will not be releasing details of the agreement at this time. The agreement is subject to ratification by both parties.

“After more than nine months of negotiations, we are pleased to have reached an agreement that is good for workers and for the industry,” said PMA President James McKenna and ILWU President Bob McEllrath in a joint statement. “We are also pleased that our ports can now resume full operations.”

More to come. (Thanks to Verne for the tip.)

ADDED 10:48 PM: Mayor Murray‘s reaction, sent to us and other local-news organizations:

The agreement reached between the ILWU and the PMA is good news for our region’s economy and the tens of thousands of jobs and economic activity that depend on our west coast ports. I want to thank the work of Secretary Perez to help bring both sides together to find an agreement that is good for workers and for the industry. I also want to thank the tireless efforts of Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti, who helped to organize my west coast colleagues over the last few weeks to support the negotiations. Together, we did everything we could to encourage the two parties to come to a fair agreement and get our ports moving again.

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Highway 99 tunnel-machine update: ‘Taking a break’ for cleanup
February 20, 2015 5:35 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Image downloaded from repair-pit camera after 5 pm today)
22 feet down, 35 to go for the Highway 99 tunnel machine, one day after it broke through the wall of the pit from which its cutterhead will be lifted for repairs. But it’s idle for now, as explained in this late-afternoon update from WSDOT:

After a few days of steady digging, Seattle Tunnel Partners is taking a break from mining so crews can clean out the bottom of the access pit. As expected, a mixture of dirt, concrete and water came into the pit along with the tunneling machine during Thursday’s breakthrough. Crews are using vacuum trucks and other tools to remove the material.

Once Bertha’s cradle is cleaned off, crews will continue moving the machine forward. Bertha must travel an additional 35 feet before STP and manufacturer Hitachi Zosen can begin the disassembly process. Since mining resumed late Tuesday, Bertha has moved nearly 22 feet.

Meantime, the SDOT director’s report we mentioned in an earlier story includes a few related notes. For one, SDOT director Scott Kubly writes, the city’s plan to independently evaluate the Alaskan Way Viaduct is proceeding: “Initial consultant scope, to be completed by early to mid-March, focuses on technical review of 2010-2014 studies of the viaduct and serviceability/safety for use of the viaduct structure.” Later in the report, he writes, “Bridge engineers responded to a report that concrete had fallen off the Alaskan Way Viaduct near Seneca Street. No significant defect was noted and it appears to be the continued minor deterioration of the aging structure.” (The date when this happened wasn’t mentioned.)

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You can help! Pathfinder K-8’s 21st annual auction in 4 weeks
February 20, 2015 4:44 pm
|    Comments Off on You can help! Pathfinder K-8’s 21st annual auction in 4 weeks
 |   How to help | Pigeon Point | West Seattle news

4 weeks to go until Pathfinder K-8‘s big annual auction fundraiser, and tickets are still available, as are donation opportunities. Here’s the update we were asked to share:

Calling all Pathfinder families and alumni! Pathfinder K-8 will be celebrating our 21th Annual Auction, “Starry Night,” on Saturday, March 21 (5:00 pm) at The Hall at Fauntleroy. All money raised will go directly to the unique programs at Pathfinder that support our expeditionary learning, like our Earth Project, tutoring, camping trips and environmental education. Pathfinder educates students to become passionate, lifelong learners, respecting themselves, others and the environment.

We have received several generous donations from West Seattle businesses and Pathfinder supporters. Our students and families are also creating original works of art and gift baskets for our auction. Donations are being accepted until March 2. It will definitely be an exciting evening of giving and community building.

Tickets are on sale at: http://pathfinderk8ptsa.org/auction/ which is also where you’ll find contact information if you would like to donate something.

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Admiral, 35th, Roxbury, Fauntleroy updates among West Seattle notes in SDOT director’s report to City Council
February 20, 2015 1:52 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Toward the end of each week, the following week’s City Council meeting agendas go public, and they often yield interesting reading. This afternoon, we found several West Seattle notes in the agenda-attached report that SDOT director Scott Kubly will officially present to the council’s Transportation Committee next Tuesday:

47TH/ADMIRAL SIGNAL: Construction is approaching; Kubly’s report says “pre-construction” is planned for next Tuesday (February 24th), and the “notice to proceed” is expected the second week of March.

35TH SW CORRIDOR SAFETY PROJECT: Mark your calendars – proposed design alternatives will be shown within a few weeks, if this schedule is kept: “Dates for our second round of 35th meetings have been tentatively set for March 4 and 5.”

SW ROXBURY SAFETY PROJECT: Right after 35th, we’ll find out what’s in store here: “Staff aiming to release recommendations to the public on March 10 or 11 and highlight improvements aligning with Vision Zero.” (That’s the new city initiative that was much-discussed following our report last week.)

FAUNTLEROY BOULEVARD: This update has a list of bullet points, as follows:

*The project team met with two businesses last week to discuss the 60% design and impacts to their property frontage

*In addition, the project team met with SPU to discuss project drainage requirements

*One property owner has continually expressed his disagreement with the bicycle facility and reduction in left-turn access for small businesses

*The project manager is meeting with SCL to determine cost and scope of designing the civil improvements associated with the undergrounding of the power distribution

*The design is on hold until cost of SCL undergrounding is resolved

The SDOT director’s report also includes notes on construction projects’ effects on the right of way, including this one that’s just getting started in West Seattle:

3210 CALIFORNIA SW CONSTRUCTION: Demolition for this 134-apartment, block-long building is wrapping up – our photo is from the end of last week; this week, debris-clearing has been under way. We learned this week from the contractor that this project will NOT have a crane; Kubly’s report explains why, saying, “Contractor unable to obtain crane easement from neighbors – no flyover rights.” The report also notes that “sidewalk and parking lane (will be) closed the next 11 weeks.”

The Transportation Committee meeting during which this report will be presented also includes the resolution creating a Transit Advisory Board, among other items; it’s at 9:30 am Tuesday at City Hall, and will also be live online and on cable, via the Seattle Channel.

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You can help! Play golf to support WSHS basketball training
February 20, 2015 12:52 pm
|    Comments Off on You can help! Play golf to support WSHS basketball training
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

The West Seattle High School boys’ basketball team had a promising season, making it into the playoffs until a season-ending loss last Saturday, and is already looking at how to improve next year. Toward that end, head coach Keffrey Fazio sends word of a benefit golf tournament April 11th at Riverbend Golf Complex in Kent to raise money for the players to attend the University of Gonzaga‘s basketball-team camp. The tournament will have an “8 am shotgun start, 4-person scramble format with handicaps enforced.” You can register online by going here.

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Followup: Arraignment postponed for ex-gym owner Sam Adams
February 20, 2015 11:02 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

gavel.jpgIn case you’re tracking the charges filed against former gym owner Sam Adams, he was supposed to appear in court this week to answer them, but his arraignment has been postponed. New date, 8:30 am March 12th, King County Courthouse downtown. State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced two weeks ago today that his office had filed criminal wage theft and fraud charges against Adams in connection with half a million dollars in allegedly unpaid taxes and wages related to his former athletic-club operations. Those included the West Seattle Club, which he bought during the Allstar Fitness bankruptcy proceedings in early 2013 and operated for a year and a half until relinquishing it to the building owner last fall.

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West Seattle Friday: ‘Godspell’ opens; HPIC movie night; WSUU book sale; music; more…
February 20, 2015 9:27 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Monday’s sunrise, by John Westrock, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Lots to do tonight! This is just some of what’s on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

OSCAR-NOMINATED SHORTS: Heading into Oscars weekend, get a look at the short films that are up for Academy Awards, 5 pm tonight (and the next two nights) onscreen at the Admiral Theater. (2343 California SW)

IF THERE’S A POST-SUNSET CLEARING … tonight brings a don’t-miss conjunction, according to the latest “Skies Over West Seattle.” Per the WSB Weather page, sunset’s around 5:40 pm.

MOVIE NIGHT AT HPIC: Doors at Highland Park Improvement Club open at 6, children’s short at 6:15 pm, main feature at 7. Hints here. Admission free; concessions available for purchase; BYO chair/blanket or sit in one of HPIC’s chairs. (12th/Holden)

MARDI GRAS AT SW TEEN LIFE CENTER: 13-19-year-olds are invited, 7-10 pm event at Southwest Teen Life Center to celebrate that “Mardi Gras is more than just beads.” Details in our calendar listing. (2801 SW Thistle)

WSUU BOOK SALE: The Westside Unitarian Universalists‘ three-day sale starts with a 7-9 pm event tonight, $5 to browse the books while enjoying music and light appetizers; also a no-host bar. (7141 California SW)

OPENING NIGHT FOR ‘GODSPELL’: 7:30 pm, Twelfth Night Productions presents the classic musical:

(Photo courtesy Twelfth Night Productions)
This is the first night of its run at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

BLUEGRASS AT KENYON HALL: 7:30 pm, North Carolina-based Nu-Blu takes the stage at Kenyon Hall. (7904 35th SW)

LIVE MUSIC: Salty’s, Skylark, Feedback, and Benbow listings are on the calendar for tonight.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch, plus weekend alert
February 20, 2015 6:51 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning and happy foggy Friday! While we watch this morning’s traffic, a new alert for this weekend (and next):

1ST AVENUE SOUTH TRAFFIC ALERT FOR NEXT 2 WEEKENDS: Received overnight from SDOT:

First Avenue South alongside Safeco Field is getting some restorative work done on two upcoming weekends, weather permitting. Crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation are repairing the street following work on underground utilities.

The southbound, left hand lane at Atlantic Street will be closed from 7 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 until Sunday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. The center turn lane on the south side of Atlantic will also be closed both days, but will be open at night. Police Officers will assist traffic. The following weekend, Feb. 28 and March 1, the paving crews plan to work at the same location and during the same hours.

And in case you missed it:

HIGHWAY 99 TUNNEL MACHINE’S BREAKTHROUGH: The machine made it through the repair-pit wall on Thursday – but this leg of its journey isn’t over yet. (ADDED 7:40 AM: View into the pit this morning:)

Also:

DELRIDGE/ANDOVER PROJECT’S NEW START DATE: As reported in our coverage of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting, the work at Delridge/Andover/23rd is now set to start March 2nd.

7:33 AM: If you’re traveling northbound 99 north of downtown, two lanes are blocked at Howe St., so it’s slow going.

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Basketball postseason: Seattle Lutheran boys lose to Lummi Nation in district-playoff game
February 19, 2015 10:50 pm
|    Comments Off on Basketball postseason: Seattle Lutheran boys lose to Lummi Nation in district-playoff game
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Also in district basketball postseason play tonight, the Seattle Lutheran High School boys lost to Lummi Nation, 62-48 in Mount Vernon. They play again there tomorrow, facing Tulalip Heritage at 6:30 pm.

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Basketball postseason: West Seattle girls fall short vs. Juanita in district semifinals
February 19, 2015 7:58 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

(WSB photo: Foreground, WSHS & Juanita’s leading scorers, Emily Fiso and Tea Adams; background at right, Charli Elliott)
7:58 PM: So close – but not close enough. In a game that just ended at Bellevue College, the West Seattle High School girls fell just short against Juanita, which got the district semi-final win, 51-48. The Wildcats were down by as much as 13 but fought back in the second half, falling just three points short. They play next for district third place, 1:15 pm Saturday vs. Cleveland, also at Bellevue College.

ADDED 1:12 AM: Here’s how Thursday night’s game played out:

Read More

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Delridge Neighborhoods District Council: Road-project postponement; port-tour update; substation situation; more
February 19, 2015 7:15 pm
|    Comments Off on Delridge Neighborhoods District Council: Road-project postponement; port-tour update; substation situation; more
 |   Delridge District Council | West Seattle news

Updates were the order of the night at last night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center:

(WSB photo from January, when the barricades/cones went up in the future work zone)
DELRIDGE/ANDOVER PROJECT: Alicia Molina from SDOT said the start of this six-week project – originally planned for this week, as previously reported – has now been postponed until March 2nd. Once the work gets under way, the first three weeks will be focused on the Delridge/Andover intersection, including some pedestrian detours; then “the sidewalk section” will be the focus of the second three weeks, and the connection from Delridge/Andover/23rd will be closed for part of that time. 23rd will be closed to vehicle traffic at times, she says, but there won’t be much other effect on vehicle traffic. The sidewalk – to be shared by walking/running/bicycling traffic – will more than double in spots, six feet to 13 feet, she said.

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West Seattle schools: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, basketball legend turned children’s-book author, visits Sanislo Elementary
February 19, 2015 4:51 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(First 3 photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Before his appearance tonight at the Central Library downtown, basketball legend turned award-winning author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made a side trip to West Seattle, delighting the students of Sanislo Elementary School, even autographing a basketball (held by Sanislo principal Bruce Rhodes, photographed with 5th grader Robert Chambers, student host for the event).

Right now, he’s promoting his newest book written for a youth audience, “Streetball Crew Book Two: Stealing the Game.” An earlier book, “What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors“, won the NAACP’s award for Best Children’s Book.

Sanislo third-graders are reading “What Color Is My World?” for Black History Month; Abdul-Jabbar asked if anyone could tell him who invented potato chips, and when a student gave him the answer (George Crum), he said he was pleased she’d paid attention to the book and would see her at her Ph.D. graduation someday. By the way – that was part of his message to the kids: It’s never too soon to start thinking about college. One student declared he wanted to play basketball in college and Abdul-Jabbar said, that’s great, but what are you going to *study*? P.S. If you’re trying to remember, we’ll save you the search – he left the NBA in 1989, at age 42, with a long list of achievements you can read about here.

P.S. Here’s a Sanislo library pic from Abdul-Jabbar’s feed, with a reminder about his SPL event:

And a pic our crew Instagrammed while there:

Seated, center, in the IG photo is Sanislo librarian Craig Seasholes, who’s brought many a memorable event/writer to the library over the years.

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2015 Election: Tom Koch joins the District 1 City Council race
February 19, 2015 2:37 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

The list of contenders for the new District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) City Council seat has just grown again: The ninth person now in the running is Tom Koch, who describes himself as a “land-use expert(,) former preschool teacher, and current small-business owner.”

In his announcement, Koch says, “Having worked on land use issues for 29 years, I can tell you there is much more we can be doing in our city to protect our neighborhoods. … No one currently in this race has the same level of ‘hands-on’ experience I would bring to the council when dealing with issues of affordability and development. I am not afraid to say that developers aren’t paying their fair share and we can do a better job promoting smart and fair growth in our city. … Currently, we subsidize developers through a combination of higher taxes and degraded services. We can’t afford more massive projects which refuse to pay their own way. Let’s do the right thing, use our authority to mandate development impact fees and end this absurd practice.” Koch says he also has worked for “both a democratic congressman and county supervisor” and “is a seven-time game show contestant including Jeopardy, Sale of the Century, and Wheel of Fortune.” Like the other eight candidates, he is a West Seattle resident.

IN THE DISTRICT 1 RACE NOW: Tom Koch (declared 2/19/15), Dave Montoure (declared 2/17/15), Lisa Herbold (declared 2/11/15), Shannon Braddock (declared 2/11/15), Brianna Thomas (declared 2/11/15), Phillip Tavel (declared 2/4/15), George Capestany (declared 11/11/14), Amanda Kay Helmick (declared 10/20/14), Chas Redmond (declared 12/20/13). Filing deadline is May 15th; primary election is August 4th. Along with voting on the D-1 position, West Seattle/South Park also will vote on the two “at-large” spots, Positions 8 and 9.

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West Seattle Bridge traffic-alert update: Eastbound lanes open again after gravel spill
February 19, 2015 12:58 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

In case you’re about to head outbound – from the scanner, there’s word of a gravel spill on the eastbound bridge, possibly tracing all the way back to The Junction, and police are saying they’ll likely be closing the middle lane on the bridge near the 1st Avenue South exit. On the 1st/Spokane SDOT live-video camera (find it from the lower right of the travelers’ map), you can definitely see traffic stopped on the inside eastbound lanes and flashing lights starting right before the 99 overpass.

1:24 PM: After a brief full closure, all eastbound lanes are open again, per SDOT.

2:09 PM: Metro Routes 21 and 50 were routed off the 1st Avenue South offramp for a while, too, and have just returned to normal. Regarding the gravel, MistiLynn tells us via Twitter, “It was heavy gravel, more like plum-sized rocks …”

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VIDEO: Highway 99 tunnel machine breaks through access-pit wall
February 19, 2015 11:39 am
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle news

11:39 AM: If you’ve been on the Alaskan Way Viaduct this morning and noticed a dust cloud – the Highway 99 tunneling machine is “preparing to break through” the wall of its repair pit, according to a Twitter update a few minutes ago. Earlier this morning, WSDOT published a web update saying the machine had moved 14 of the 20 feet it needs to go to break into its repair pit. It had warned that they expected the machine to overheat and have to stop down, but aside from a stopdown reported last night so other work could be done in the pit, there’s been no word of that happening. WSDOT says it’s switched the pit camera to more frequent updates – every five minutes – so you can check in here (left-center frame).

12:44 PM: And while we were away from the desk for a bit:

Online, WSDOT adds:

This is just the beginning of the repair effort being led by Seattle Tunnel Partners and manufacturer Hitachi Zosen. The machine will continue to move forward in 6 ½ foot increments, stopping to build rings on its way into the pit. When the front end of the machine is fully exposed, crews will begin the disassembly process. STP has told us that taking the machine apart and lifting it to the surface will take significant time and effort.

ADDED 5:22 PM: WSDOT offers this video including the first glimpse of the machine’s cutterhead (most visible around 1:15 in):

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen bicycle; prowler warning; plate swap; plus, newest example of how more info helped make a match
February 19, 2015 11:11 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two reader reports start today’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup:

STOLEN BIKE: Sonya hopes you’ll be on the lookout for her bicycle:

Sometime in the evening of 2/17/15 at 10 pm to the morning of 2/18/15, my Ivory Raleigh with a pink stripe and two different tires was stolen from Fauntleroy Way SW and Hudson SW.

It’s been reported to police, so if you see it, please call them (and you can mention it in comments here too, but PLEASE make the call to police first).

POSSIBLE PROWLERS THIS MORNING: From Chris:

Just wanted to give Morgan junction residents a heads up. Around 9 am today there were two white men in all black with hoods and backpacks walking up and down 42nd Ave and Holly St, back and forth peering into cars and yards. Once they ran into a few pedestrians and realized the street wasn’t deserted, they called their third buddy who picked them up in a light blue 1970s Plymouth or Lincoln with a white vinyl roof. They slowly cruised the block once more and then rolled through the Thriftway parking lot. SPD said they’d send an officer to the area, I haven’t seen anyone yet. All three were white, in their 20s. Black pants, black sweatshirts. Car had a dog in the passenger seat too. Wasn’t sure of breed.

From recent police reports:

SUPERMARKET ROBBERY: As precinct Capt. Steve Wilske explained at this week’s WS Crime Prevention Council meeting, many incidents classified as robberies start as shoplifting. What happened last Saturday night at the Jefferson Square Safeway is one of them. A cashier told police a man walked past her with a bottle of vodka. She asked, “Are you going to pay for that?” He replied, profanely, that he didn’t have to. Another man then walked by with a 20-ounce Coke and claimed he’d already paid; the cashier knew he didn’t since she was the only one open. Finally, a third man tried to buy a bottle of vodka with a credit card that wasn’t working, possibly as a distraction. The store manager went out into the parking lot and while writing down the suspects’ plate, he told police, one of the three men got out, asked him, “Is there a f—ing problem?” and then said, “You’re going to die tonight,” before telling one of the other men in the car, “Get the gun.” The manager went back into the store and called 911. The three men are described in the report as black, 18-21 years old, 5’3″, 5’5″, and 5’7″, slender, and their car was a 2007 silver Toyota Camry.

BURGLARY NEAR LINCOLN PARK: Sometime between 10 am and 8 pm last Sunday, a house in the 7500 block of Fauntleroy Way SW was burglarized. The report says items taken included a TV, computer, and drum set; police noted that “every room in the house” and “every closet, dresser and cabinet” had been looked into by the burglar(s).

LICENSE-PLATE THEFT: This can be so subtle, it’s not noticed, so check your plates every so often. Last Friday in the 2300 block of Alki SW, a parking-enforcement officer called a patrol officer after finding a maroon BMW with plates that checked to a VW van owned by someone nearby (on Bonair). The BMW’s owner lived in the same area and didn’t know his plates had been stolen and replaced with the stolen plates. The police report concluded, “It appears someone stole the other plates to put on the BMW so they could take the BMW plates without the (owner) noticing.”

CAR STOLEN, THEN FOUND: A 1996 Honda Accord was stolen from the 6500 block of California SW in Morgan Junction last Friday night. It turned up in Tukwila on Monday night.

RACKS TAKEN: In the 4500 block of SW Hemlock, east of Lincoln Park, someone stole racks from a car in a driveway the night of February 9th/10th, a Yakima rack system including three bike mounts.

FOLLOWUP ON STOLEN-ITEMS REPORT IN LAST ROUNDUP: We’re getting more police reports with full narrative info these days via public-disclosure reports, with the help of an automated program written by Tim Clemans, who has been working with SPD on ways to get more information out to more people, faster. Here’s an example of how more information can make a difference: If you read this recent roundup, you might recall we mentioned a box of stolen items found in Gatewood, including a bowling trophy with a name on it. WSB commenter HelperMonkey was at the bowling alley a few hours after reading that item, happened to look up at the screen for the alley next to her group, and saw what looked to be the same name. She went over, found the man, showed him the story on her phone, and asked if it was him. It was. (Keep in mind, we published only the first and last letters of his six-letter surname.) We hope he has his items (which had been taken by SPD to put into evidence) back now, or will soon. What made the difference here was the name we got from the official report – looking back in our archives, we think this reader report involved the same items.

The same method of obtaining more reports which otherwise have NOT been routinely available also led to the much-discussed recent story about tax-time scam calls. Not a new scam, but there was a reason to warn people about it again, once we obtained a police report about someone who actually had been victimized.

We’re still only able to access a fraction of local police reports, so reader reports matter *massively* in terms of continuing to get the word out. And while we know some reports are shared on neighborhood-specific, non-public lists, it also helps to get that kind of information out more widely because criminals seldom restrict themselves to one particular neighborhood – what happens in Admiral might be important for Arbor Heights to know, etc. Send info to editor@westseattleblog.com any time. Thanks!

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West Seattle Thursday: See what’s up today/tonight
February 19, 2015 9:09 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Thursday: See what’s up today/tonight
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Downtown, from West Seattle Elementary; photo by Joe Wolf, shared via WSB Flickr group)
Good morning! Some of what’s up today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you can browse ahead days/weeks any time):

NEW LAFAYETTE FAMILIES’ TOUR: 10 am at Lafayette Elementary, next year’s incoming families are invited to come take a tour. (California/Lander)

DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE: Not in West Seattle, but with West Seattleite involvement – Irene Stewart developed the script; Edgar Riebe of Captive Eye Media produced it: “Our Elders, Our Selves: Visiting the Past, Planning for Our Future,” described as “a 45-minute documentary about the evolution of aging programs and services in Seattle-King County.” Free premiere showing 10 am-noon today at City Hall downtown – details here. (5th/Cherry)

(added) ALKI ELEMENTARY BENEFIT AT MARINATION MA KAI: 4-8 pm, a portion of food proceeds at Marination ma kai will be donated to the Alki Elementary PTA. (1660 Harbor SW)

KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT EVENT: Incoming kindergartener for Seattle Public Schools? 5:30-7 pm at West Seattle Elementary, you can get help in signing her/him up now (the sooner, the better, for schools’ planning purposes among other reasons). Details here. (6760 34th SW)

WSHS GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFF GAME: 6:30 pm, the West Seattle High School girls play Juanita at Bellevue College. (3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue)

WEST SEATTLE TIMEBANK: 6:30 pm potluck, 7 pm meeting – even if you’re not involved with the Timebank already, come find out how it works – details here. (Oregon/California)

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm at Alki UCC, the ACC talks about topics including the early arrival of visitor-noise season “on recent warm weekends.” (62nd/Hinds)

BELLYDANCE SHOWCASE: 7:30 pm, free and all-ages at Skylark, the monthly Alauda bellydance showcase shakes things up. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

SLHS BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFF GAME: 8:15 pm, the Seattle Lutheran High School boys play Lummi Nation at Mount Vernon Christian – as you’ll see on the SLHS website, you can call to ask about being on the fan bus leaving at 5:30. (820 W. Blackburn Road, Mount Vernon)

NIGHTLIFE … the music starts at 5 and continues into the night. Venues and listings are on the calendar.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday on the move; ferry switch
February 19, 2015 6:12 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday on the move; ferry switch
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! We start with transit and transportation news, while keeping an eye out for trouble spots.

FERRY SWITCH: Washington State Ferries says that starting today on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run, “the 87-vehicle Evergreen State will replace the 124-vehicle Cathlamet for approximately two weeks while the Cathlamet moves to Seattle/Bremerton to replace another vessel undergoing emergent repairs. Passengers should note that the Evergreen State has been moved back into service to maintain the three-boat schedule on the route. The Evergreen State is an older, slower vessel and passengers are advised that the vessel may not be able to maintain the schedule during periods of heavy commuter traffic. During the weekday, the Evergreen State will remain in the #2 sailing position. The vessel will not have Wi-Fi, galley service or vending machines on board.”

TRANSPORTATION NEWS, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The tunnel machine is moving again! … Metro-funding followups, including RapidRide split

DELRIDGE/ORCHARD: The work that led to the flashing traffic signals earlier this week is indeed Seattle Public Utilities work related to the CSO project nearby, we confirmed.

7:01 AM: Crash reported at 17th and Roxbury.

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When will RapidRide C/D split? And other Metro-funding followups
February 18, 2015 10:23 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Questions followed our short Tuesday update on how the new Seattle-voter-approved funding for Metro will be spread out – and thanks to Anthony Auriemma from City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s office, we have some answers.

(WSB photo: RapidRide C Line bus photographed today on California SW)
WHEN WILL RAPIDRIDE LINES C AND D SPLIT? That’s scheduled for next year, with 20,000-40,000 more service hours to be funded to cover what it’ll take to “extend and split the 2 lines,” Auriemma says, adding, “Councilmember Rasmussen is interested in finding ways to speed up the implementation of the planned split.”

WHAT ABOUT THE 21? Along with the 100 hours to improve Saturday reliability, the 21EX “will also see another 250 hours of service to improve weekday reliability (essentially, to ensure that the 21EX will arrive when it is actually scheduled to arrive, instead of being chronically late),” according to Auriemma. And that’ll be it for the 21 this year.

GENERAL QUESTIONS/INFO: The website for the Seattle Transportation Benefit District has been updated with more information on the upcoming service changes, including an FAQ – go here. Granular details such as schedule specifics aren’t available yet, but “will be rolled out as we move closer to the June service changes.” As noted in our Tuesday update, June is when the new car-tab fees will be added, while the tenth-of-a-percent sales-tax increase starts in April.

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Biznote: West Seattle Runner’s new location opens this weekend
February 18, 2015 7:47 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, taken this afternoon)
The new location of West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) at 2743 California SW, about a mile north of its original location, is almost ready to go, and the grand opening is set for this weekend, 10 am-6 pm Saturday and 11 am-5 pm Sunday. WSR’s Lori McConnell says vendors will be on site – Asics, Adidas, Saucony, Mizuno, Superfeet, GU/Probar/Protec on Saturday, Hoka and Pearl Izumi and Goretex on Sunday. They’re also planning raffle prizes including shoes and activity trackers as well as gifts available with purchases, plus an 8 am group run set for Sunday (“complete with coffee and donuts afterward, and raffle prizes!” says Lori). The new ground-floor space – for which WSR is the first tenant – is being shared with Elite Sports and Spine, which will be opening early next month, with an open house of its own, but will also have reps on hand during WSR’s grand opening. We first reported the WSR move back in November; the new location has about a third more space than the Charlestown Center space in which WSR launched almost five years ago.

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West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Local stats at citywide briefing
February 18, 2015 4:52 pm
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 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Last night at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – as reported here afterward – SPD Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske noted that burglary and auto theft are down in this area. Above, one of the slides shown at today’s every-other-week SeaStat crime-stats briefing at SPD HQ shows the exact numbers.

Also from today’s slide deck (which you can see in full here), a closer look at the recent robberies that victimized local students:

Slightly closer look at the two maps – the blue boxes represent incidents, the pink/red ones just show geographical reference points:

As Capt. Wilske said last night, no new incidents have been reported since last week – of course, keep in mind that school was out the first two days of this week – and extra police patrols are continuing TFN.

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Remembering Frederick W. Burns, 1947-2015
February 18, 2015 4:01 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

A celebration of life for Frederick W. Burns is planned for March 1st. His family shares this remembrance:

Frederick Wycliffe Burns passed away suddenly February 8, 2015 at Swedish Hospital surrounded by family. Born February 27, 1947, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Fred was a lifelong Seattle resident and Husky fan. He graduated from the University of Washington School of International Business and worked in the municipal bond business for more than three decades.

Fred was passionate, charismatic, and had a huge heart. He was dearly loved by many, including Shari, the love of his life; his daughter and son-in-law Catherine and Olivier Humbert, grandchildren Camille and Theo, his parents Donald and Elaine Burns, and his predeceased brothers Billy and Don Burns.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute in his memory to West Seattle Helpline or West Seattle Food Bank.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday March 1, 2015, 4-6 pm, at Salty’s on Alki.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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West Seattle’s first charter school: ‘Info session’ dates set
February 18, 2015 2:31 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle’s first charter school: ‘Info session’ dates set
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photo)
When we last reported January 12th on the plan for West Seattle’s first charter school, its prospective operator, California-based Summit Public Schools, was planning to organize an informational community meeting; today, it announced two local dates.

As first reported here in early January, the school is proposed for the 2 1/2-acre Freedom Church site (above) on the southwest corner of 35th/Roxbury. Summit already has approval for two other charter schools in Seattle and Tacoma, and plans to apply to the state Charter School Commission for permission to open a high school here. Charter schools are publicly funded and were approved by voters in our state in 2012. The two meeting dates just announced by Summit, if you’re interested in finding out more about their plan, are 6:30-7:30 pm Thursday, February 26th, Southwest Branch Library (35th/Henderson) and 6:15-7:15 pm Tuesday, March 17th, White Center Library (11220 16th SW). Meantime, the project continues proceeding through the permit process, according to city Department of Planning and Development files.

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