Arbor Heights 553 results

Checking in with Westside School’s first-year leader Steve de Beer

The Grammy-winning Okee Dokee Brothers played at Westside School (WSB sponsor) this weekend, part of the independent school’s ongoing partnership with Town Hall Seattle. Opening its doors ever-wider as a community hub is one of the school’s goals under its first-year head of school Steve de Beer. We sat down to chat with him this week. While it’s his first year at Westside, the school is already in its fourth year on its Arbor Heights campus, remodeled from its previous incarnation as a church. Moving here last summer after seven years at Friends School in Boulder, Colorado, de Beer is leading Westside through continued growth. He notes that Westside has doubled the size of its middle-school math faculty, with math contests and robotics enhancing the curriculum, part of “being an excellent independent school” in his view. The school also has added its first full-time counselor. Students have a new turf field – added last year – to play on. And Westside is looking at the possibility of more space for preschool: The neighboring New Apostolic Church recently moved its congregation to a new “Puget Sound Metro” site in Federal Way, and approached Westside to see if they might be interested in renting the space. The discussion is in a very early stage, de Beer stressed, with exploratory filings on record with the city. Earlier this decade, Westside expanded to add middle school. Meantime, the next step in the school’s community-hub plans is on March 28th, when Westside will host the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly After Hours gathering. “Lots of good energy” at the school, de Beer summarizes.

From public spaces to police @ Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition

(Southwestern side of Roxhill Bog, 2014 WSB photo)

From Roxhill Park to the Delridge Triangle, public spaces are part of our toplines from last night’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition meeting:

BOG PROGRESS: WWRHAH and other community advocates have worked for many years to get action for Roxhill Bog in Roxhill Park, which is compromised by hydrology problems (as outlined in a report we published in 2014). Now there’s word of progress toward getting a study funded, with the first step being outlining the scope of work.

ARTS IN THE PARKS: WWRHAH’s Kim Barnes said a grant from this program will help make the recently announced World Music Day happen this summer. She’s hoping it will be a multicultural celebration as well as a music festival.

DELRIDGE TRIANGLE: The next step in improving this public space is a community workshop on March 23rd, as announced last month. Details of the Saturday morning event at Highland Park Improvement Club are expected before week’s end; other events will follow this spring as community participants plan the space’s future.

POLICE UPDATE: Southwest Precinct operations commander Lt. Steve Strand says crime in the area is down so far this year; police are continuing their emphasis patrols at Westwood Village. Strong-arm robbery is the current focus, because – as precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis mentioned at the recent West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting – teens are getting targeted for their phones. The suspects also are juveniles, he said, adding that some arrests have been made.

OTHER RECENT MEETINGS: Recapped were the Southwest Design Review Board meeting for the 9201 Delridge Way SW self-storage project (WSB coverage here), attended by Barnes, and the February D-1 Community Network meeting (WSB coverage here), attended by WWRHAH’s Eric Iwamoto.

The Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition meets first Tuesdays most months, 6:15 pm at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW).

West Seattle Crime Watch: ‘Hateful graffiti’; car/carport prowl

Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

‘HATEFUL GRAFFITI’: That’s how Lindsay described what she found by Seola Pond over the weekend:

We cropped the photo; the post/box is defaced with a swastika and a word/name that contains “white.” That area is on the city/county line so Lindsay was looking into reporting it to both jurisdictions: “Very disturbing in our family-friendly little neighborhood.”

CAR/CARPORT PROWLS: Also in Arbor Heights, as reported by James:

We had thefts from our cars and our carports, as did our neighbors who live right behind us. Our cars are parked off the street but were not locked (I know, we learned our lesson).

The contents taken: several jackets (north face, etc), boots, a bike from our neighbors, a few other items (and we’re still trying to figure out if there’s more). Just a good reminder for people in our area. … It could have been worse – they were nice thieves – they left all of the jackets/gloves of our 2-year-old son. So there’s that positive to take from this.

Something to share via West Seattle Crime Watch? Once it’s reported to police, email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

American History Traveling Museum brings ‘Unspoken Truths’ to Arbor Heights Elementary

Toward the conclusion of this year’s African American History Month, students, parents, and staff at Arbor Heights Elementary got the chance to reflect both on inspiration …

…and on violation:

Those photos show just a small part of the “American History Traveling Museum: Unspoken Truths” display that ethnomuseumologist Delbert Richardson brought to the school. We were invited to stop by tonight as families viewed what students had seen earlier in the day.

The curator is a Seattle resident and tells us that the museum has no fixed location – it features items he has been collecting for more than 30 years, and he travels with them to schools and other locations.

In our photo above are Delbert Richardson with, at right, Rosslyn Shea, the AHES staffer who got a grant to bring the American History Traveling Museum to the school, and at center, AHES principal Christy Collins. He is part of history himself – winner of the National Education Association‘s Carter G. Woodson Memorial Award in 2017.

UTILITIES: Water-main break in Arbor Heights

Thanks to the neighbors who’ve sent word about this: Some Arbor Heights residents have no water, and others have brown water, because of a break on SW 100th, which is closed between 35th and 37th as a result. If you experience brown water at any time, by the way, remember to report it to the city even if you think they’re on it – 206-386-1800.

WEST SEATTLE ART: Desmond Hansen’s new Arbor Heights signal-box portrait

Thanks for the tips! After word that artist Desmond Hansen was working on yet another signal box – this time at 35th SW and SW Roxbury on the north edge of Arbor Heights – we went over for a look. We found the artist packing up to take a break for some errands; he says this is a portrait of karate legend Chojun Miyagi (who is quoted on the website for West Seattle Karate, just steps away from the box). He’ll be back to finish it later today. This is his 10th signal box – here’s a montage of the first 9.

UPDATE: Teen hurt while sledding, taken to hospital; driver arrested

(Added: Scene photo shared by Ray in comments)

1:28 PM: Thanks for the tips about an emergency response in Arbor Heights. According to SFD radio communication, a 14-year-old boy was hurt in a collision with a car while sledding at/near 35th SW and SW 110th. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening and he was described as “awake and alert,” but he is being taken to Harborview Medical Center. Streets are blocked near the intersection while police investigate.

ADDED TUESDAY MORNING, 8:04 AM: The driver is under investigation for possible DUI.

10:48 AM: SPD has posted the case on its blog-format “blotter”:

A 14-year-old boy sustained a head injury after he collided with a car while he was riding a sled down a hill in West Seattle yesterday. The 20-year-old driver of the car was later arrested and booked into jail for DUI.

On Monday, at approximately 1:00 pm, a Ford Focus was traveling southbound on 35th Avenue SW approaching SW 110th Street when the 14-year-old on the sled entered the intersection. The 20-year-old male driver of the Focus attempted to brake, but the vehicle continued to slide on the icy road and the Focus and sled collided, causing the injury.

The driver called 911 reporting the collision. Officers arrived, along with the Fire Department. The driver was evaluated at the scene and was later arrested for suspicious of DUI (marijuana). The 14-year-old was transported to HMC where he is recovering.

The driver of the vehicle was later booked into the King County Jail. This remains an active and on-going investigation.

UPDATE: West Seattle early-morning power outage cuts electricity to 4,700+ customers for hour-plus

1:01 AM: Getting reports of a power outage – so far hearing from Gatewood, Arbor Heights, The Arroyos. Anyone else?

1:07 AM: Big outage – just showed on the map (always a lag). 4,700+ homes/businesses.

1:10 AM: No official word of the cause yet but we have at least two reports from Gatewood of a “zap” heard and flashes seen. (Added atop this story: Screengrab of City Light map, for the record.)

1:21 AM: As noted in comment discussion, SCL has assigned an estimated restoration time of 7 am, but those are always just guesstimates – could be much sooner … or later.

2:01 AM: Second hour of the outage. SCL says its crews are still investigating.

2:32 AM: After an hour and a half, we’re getting reports that at least some have their power back.

2:37 AM: The SCL map is now updated. 3,000+ customers still out.

2:51 AM: And now everybody else (except for 1 customer) is back on, the map shows. (Added) SCL says via Twitter that while the cause is still under investigation, crews “rerouted power to restore the affected area.”

ADDED TUESDAY: SCL says an underground cable failure caused the outage.

UPDATE: Police search ends quickly in Arbor Heights, after unfounded report

1:16 PM: Police are arriving in Arbor Heights for a search centered at 39th SW and SW 105th. Details to come.

1:19 PM: This was an apparently unfounded report of burglars. A neighbor tells police that the people reported as potential burglars were house cleaners who had a key to enter the house. They’ve just confirmed with the homeowner by phone – per the scanner – that she was expecting new house cleaners today. They’re now making contact with the people in the house.

1:25 PM: Per scanner, confirmed, they’re cleaners. Equipment and all.

Water break in Arbor Heights

January 2, 2019 7:25 pm
|    Comments Off on Water break in Arbor Heights
 |   Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

Thanks for the tips! There’s a water break in Arbor Heights, near 40th SW/SW 100th. Seattle Public Utilities had a crew arriving when we were there.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Another stolen green Honda Civic to watch for

Seen Ridge‘s car?

Looks like Monday the 29th was a busy night. We also had our green 1999 Honda 4-door Civic stolen – had a club on it but still gone – from Arbor Heights. This (linked photo) is not our car but identical except ours has a few more door dings. License plate ALP0199. This is the second time in 5 years it has been stolen from our house. Please, if anyone sees this car- report! Thanks.

Call 911 if you see it.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Early morning mail theft

The video is from Chris on Ocean View Drive in Arbor Heights:

Chris says this happened at 2:42 am today (the time stamp on the camera is an hour off). It’s an especially important reminder if you were thinking of sending your ballot via outgoing mail in an unlocked box. (Go here to check whether yours has been received.)

West Seattle Crime Watch: 35th/Barton police response, plus 2 stolen cars

Earlier today, the West Seattle Crime Watch reports were all bicycle-related. This afternoon, it’s all about cars:

ABOUT THE 35TH/BARTON RESPONSE: Thanks to everyone who messaged us about this response a short time ago (including the person who texted the photo, taken from inside a bus that had to stop). Police say it was related to a suspected stolen car that turned out to NOT be a stolen car.

Meantime, two auto-theft reports received via e-mail:

GREEN 1997 HONDA CIVIC: Taken from Arbor Heights earlier this week:

Melody‘s car was taken from her driveway at 97th and 39th SW around 4 pm Monday, a 1997 Honda Civic LX, Dark Green, License AGS2316. Also: “There is (was) a red assist walker, handicapped parking permit, and a small pink service dog vest and leash in the car.” Call 911 if you see it or if you see this next stolen vehicle, also a ’97 Honda:

BLACK 1997 HONDA CR-V: From Codie:

My 1997 Honda CR-V was stolen from my driveway on 4th Ave SW, near Roxbury/Myers Way, between 12:45 am and 8 am. It’s black, 4-door, basic, wear and tear, but in good condition. Had a wheelbarrow and yard working tools in it. Along with my recently passed Father In Law’s Marine Corps hat with his pins on it. License plate number AUA5782.

It was stolen 2 years ago about the same time of year and I happened to drive by it 6 weeks later parked in front of a house by (Dick Thurnau Memorial) Park. Please, if you see any unusual cars parked in your neighborhood for an unusual amount of time, ask your neighbors if it’s theirs or if they have noticed how long it’s been sitting.If nobody knows please take the time to call it in…somebody could be looking for it.

My car sat literally down the road, 8 blocks one way and 6 blocks the other, for over a month, full of “family” stuff at the time, car seat, car hart jacket, dog food, trike…it was super rainy and wet that year. When I happened to find it, it was super moldy and full of everything in it except the dog food…started right up, thankfully. Took months to get all the mold out and the car seat was not useable. However, I spent 6 weeks in the rain on the bus with my 3 year old. That included Halloween. The person whose house we found it in front of said that, yes he had noticed it, and yes he had asked around, but just hadn’t gotten around to calling it in. We made the best of it then and I will again (we have a beater car that we acquired last time this happened through the grace of a friend). My CRV is paid for and I just replaced the windshield and a myriad of other things to ensure that it keeps on keepin on. I can only hope when it is found it’s still drivable. Please keep your eye out … thank you for taking the time to read.

Auto theft is up sharply in this area over last year; more about that in our upcoming coverage of last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting.

UPDATE: Arbor Heights rollover crash

3:41 AM: At least one person is being taken to the hospital after a rollover crash in the 10600 block of Marine View Drive (map). According to radio communication, a pickup truck went down an embankment, rolled, and hit another vehicle; the 27-year-old driver had to be cut out of the truck’s wreckage.

9:08 AM: This is being investigated as suspected DUI.

UPDATE: Assault suspect arrested after police search in Arbor Heights

10:19 AM: If you’re wondering why police are currently searching in Arbor Heights: The search, including a K9 team, is in a wide area centered on 41st/100th but also stretching to the south and east. They’re looking for a woman suspected of assault in what’s described as a case of domestic violence. Partial description: 36-year-old white woman with dark hair, wearing a red shirt. If you have any information, call 911.

10:56 AM: No further updates; we’ll be checking later with police to see if they ever found the suspect, whose workplace was reportedly going to be checked too.

11:09 AM: SPD Det. Mark Jamieson tells WSB that the suspect was taken into custody and is being taken to King County Jail to be booked for investigation of assault.

UPDATE: Rescue response for crash at 35th SW/SW Roxbury

12:45 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “rescue extrication” response to a one-car crash reported at 35th and Roxbury. The driver is reported to be trapped in the vehicle.

12:52 PM: Avoid the area – the emergency response is blocking at least part of the intersection.

12:59 PM: The driver has been cut out of the car. A passenger is injured too. The crash is on the southwest corner by Summit Atlas. Photo added.

1:12 PM: The wooden pole hit by the driver is still standing, not in our photo – slightly to the south.

The driver and passenger, meantime, are both being taken to the hospital.

2:09 PM: Just passed through 35th/Roxbury on the way to another (non-breaking) story. The intersection is open; the car was about to be towed.

ROAD WORK ALERT: Concrete pouring ‘possible’ Saturday on 35th SW in Arbor Heights

Just in from SDOT – an update on the Arbor Heights sidewalk project with word that concrete pouring is “possible” tomorrow:

This week, our crews completed installation of storm drains along the east side of 35th Ave SW, between SW 100th St and SW 106th St and began street sign installation.

Our landscape crews also began digging tree pits and installing tree barriers in the planting strips along the east side of 35th Ave SW, between SW 100th St and SW 104th St. Our apologies for the starting this work before we had a chance to send out notifications, as our team is trying to complete as much as the project as quickly as possible.

Due to the challenges we have experienced in securing concrete, there’s a chance that we will be pouring concrete tomorrow, Saturday, 9/22, to complete all of the curbs on the east side of 35th Ave SW.

Please note 35th Ave SW will remain open with intermittent one-lane restriction for this work tomorrow. We will require intermittent closures of cross streets (SW 100th St – SW 106th St), allowing local access only. Flaggers will be onsite to help people navigate around our work.

UPDATE: Fire call in Arbor Heights; puppy rescued

11:56 AM: Thanks for the tips! A “full response” fire call in Arbor Heights, sent to a house near SW 97th and 31st SW [map], was quickly downsized, but several units are still on scene, so we’re on the way to find out more.

12:08 PM: This was a kitchen fire – but not a cooking fire. We’re told the stove, accidentally turned on, ignited some nearby items. Quickly extinguished; no one hurt.

6:25 PM: Neighbor Alan sent this photo of Lou the puppy, who he says was rescued by firefighters:

FOLLOWUP: With strikers returning to work, here’s where two SDOT projects stand in West Seattle

With another tentative agreement for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, work is expected to resume on many projects in the region, including two that SDOT has going in West Seattle. One is the Arbor Heights sidewalk project along the west side of 35th SW between SW 100th and 106th; SDOT’s LeAnne Nelson tells WSB, “We are working with crews to plan work starting on Monday, but it’s not yet known if there will be challenges in getting materials—with many public and private projects resuming concrete/asphalt work at the same time. It’s expected that the concrete work will take place first.” The other is the Chief Sealth Walkway Improvements project on 25th and 26th north of SW Trenton. Nelson says, “This work requires asphalt, which ended up with more of a backlog from the strike than did concrete. The team is checking with the contractor to determine when the asphalt subcontractor will be available to finish the trails.”

New Arbor Heights sidewalks: SDOT says project is in ‘final stretch’

(WSB photo, taken during concrete pouring on Thursday)

The Arbor Heights sidewalk project along 35th SW between 100th and 106th is nearing completion, according to SDOT‘s newest update, sent this afternoon:

We’re in our final stretch of construction work! This week, we have accomplished the following:

*Our crews completed pouring concrete on all sidewalks on the west side of 35th Ave SW, between SW 100th St and SW 104th St

*We completed asphalt paving on the roadway against curb on the east side of 35th Ave SW, between SW 100th St and SW 102nd St

*We installed temporary striping (roadway markings) on 35th Ave SW

Next week, our crews will:

*Complete pouring concrete at curb corners and build ADA-compliant curb ramps on west side of 35th Ave SW (Please note this work was pushed back to next week due to limited concrete availability this week)

*Begin demolishing and pouring concrete at curb corners and build ADA-compliant curb ramps on east side of 35th Ave SW

This work will require maintaining existing closure of 35th Ave SW, between SW 100th St and SW 106th St during our work hours, 7 AM – 5 PM

In addition, eastbound traffic at the intersection of 35th Ave SW and SW 100th St will be intermittently closed next Monday, 8/20 between 9 AM – 5 PM. Vehicles traveling eastbound at this intersection between these hours, please do so at 35th Ave SW and SW Roxbury St. Flaggers will be on site to help direct traffic during this work.

Completed sidewalks will be accessible early next week. Pedestrians will be detoured to use sidewalk across the street during our curb ramp construction work.

Our crews will do their best to keep their equipment-staging footprint to a minimum and allow for more on-street parking available for impacted households to temporarily park their cars on the east side of the street and/or on the side streets. Please note that we will reopen 35th Ave SW at the end of each work day.

Inside the new building that West Seattle charter school Summit Atlas is about to open

(WSB photos)

West Seattle’s first and to date only charter school, Summit Atlas, plans a ribboncutting event tomorrow for the new building they’ve added to their Arbor Heights site (which had its first ribboncutting a year ago). We toured it and talked with Summit Atlas’s high-school principal Katie Bubalo as she prepares for the new school year, which starts August 20th for new students, August 21st for returning students.

Summit Atlas opened a year ago with 6th and 9th grades and this year will continue ramping up toward being a full 6th-12th-grade campus by adding 7th and 10th grades. Bubalo says the 7th grade has a waiting list but there’s room in other grades. Asked about last year’s enrollment, she said it fluctuated but ended the year around 105 students in 6th grade, 65 in 9th grade, and while she couldn’t cite numbers, she said the “overwhelming majority” are returning this year.

The new building – adjacent to the former supermarket/church that Summit remodeled before opening last year – has two stories and will mostly be used for the high-school grades, though elective classes for all students (including drama, art, yoga) will be held there. It includes room for special-education classes and a new program called Joy Academy for special-education students whose disabilities might lead them to seek alternatives to traditional college – job training, life skills, etc.

The emphasis in Summit buildings is on flexible open space. Each floor in the new building has a common area; on the ground floor, that space will be used as a lunch area for the high-school students, among other things. (It is a closed campus; Bubalo says they might have a conversation with parents in future years about whether to change that for the older high-school students.)

Upstairs classrooms include spaces for English classes that will also include the school library.

This year, Summit Atlas’s staff will double in size, about 30, according to Bubalo. They will all be on hand at tomorrow’s 12 pm ribboncutting event, as will students and families. We asked about other stats from the first year. Their assessment results will eventually be released by the state, Bubalo said. She describes their demographics as “no (ethnic group) over 35 percent” and evenly split between students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch and those who are not.

Charter schools, approved by Washington voters in 2012, receive state funds for operations; purchase of and construction at the 9601 35th SW site was funded by Washington Charter School Development, from which Summit leases it. Both WCSD and Summit are part of California-based organizations.

FOLLOWUP: What’s next for SDOT’s Arbor Heights sidewalk project

(SDOT photo)

SDOT‘s Arbor Heights sidewalk project has veered off its original schedule, as neighbors are well aware. Brand-new info is just in regarding what SDOT says will happen next:

The water shut off by Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has been postponed from last week to next Monday, August 6. Water will be shut off from 9 AM – 6 PM. Impacted areas include: 35th Ave SW and 36th Ave SW (between SW 100th and SW 104th St) and SW 102nd St (between 35th Ave SW and 36th Ave SW). SPU notified impacted households.

Due to delay and shortage of concrete, we are slightly behind on schedule – our crews are finishing pouring concrete for the curbs between SW 100th St and SW 102nd St today (all curbs are complete after today).

Next Monday, we will pour concrete on all of the driveways – come Tuesday, residents will be able to park on their driveways again.

We will also be paving asphalt on the roadway against the curb (where the gravel used to be).

35th Ave SW will remain open this weekend.

We are scheduled to pour concrete for all sidewalks on Wednesday, August 15.

The main goal of the project is to add sidewalks to the west side of 35th SW from SW 100th to SW 106th.

UPDATE: About the police response in Arbor Heights

(WSB photo)

7:15 PM: We’ve just arrived at 31st SW and SW 106th in Arbor Heights, where we heard via scanner that police were setting up a command post and calling for the mobile precinct, but didn’t hear why, so we headed out to see what we could find out. It’s a “person in crisis” situation but it’s in the process of getting resolved – the person in question is now in custody.

7:23 PM: The lieutenant at the scene tells us that the person is going to be taken to the hospital by private (AMR) ambulance for an evaluation – as is common in “person in crisis” situations – and the police response will be winding down.