West Seattle, Washington
03 Sunday
ORIGINAL 2:35 PM REPORT: Thanks to everybody who e-mailed (etc.) about a sizable police presence on Genesee Hill, around 50th/Genesee. We went over to check, and most of the officers were gone, but we noted a Tukwila Police car on scene along with Seattle Police (see photo). Sgt. Sean Whitcomb of the SPD Media Unit only has preliminary information, but he says notes in the system indicate police made some kind of “felony stop” – arresting someone for a potential felony, which usually means lots of backup and guns drawn – and also that it may indeed have something to do with a case in Tukwila. We’re still working to find out more.
6 PM UPDATE: Update from Sgt. Joe Maccarrone: “It was a van taken from Tukwila in a carjacking; our guys spotted it in West Seattle, and one suspect was taken into custody without incident. (Suspect) and van were both turned over to Tukwila PD.”
From Woodland Park Zoo, to Genesee Hill! The zoo donated a truckload of “Zoo Doo” compost to the Genesee Schmitz Neighborhood Council – at left in the top photo is Dan Corum, the zoo’s “Dr. Doo,” with GSNC’s master composter/gardening committee co-chair Peter Church, after the truck was filled. From there, on to its destination – the community garden at Genesee Hill School – where you can help too, with another neighborhood work party coming up tomorrow (Saturday, September 18, 9 am-1 pm).
Volunteers started spreading the compost after it arrived, but there’s still lots of work to go around to prepare the garden plots (garden spaces are available) – join GSNC at Genesee Hill if you can; lots more info on their website.
Just got a few questions about this, and they coincided with a heads up from the Southwest Precinct: Police training is under way at the vacant Genesee Hill Elementary campus, continuing till late tonight. ADDED 3:33 PM: You can see why, if you drive by and don’t see the sign, you might think something had happened – long stretch of yellow tape. From SW Genesee, you will also note that at least one entrance to the playfield below is blocked off. SW Precinct’s Lt. Norm James, by the way, says the neighbors did get advance warning.
Newly hung murals are gracing the walls of the closed-again Genesee Hill Elementary School … ironically, relocated from another closed Seattle Public Schools building, the former home of Van Asselt Elementary on Beacon Hill. That’s part of what’s happening as the new Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council continues working with the district to keep the vacated campus from becoming an eyesore (or worse) – and they’re inviting you to join in a cleanup this Saturday, 9 am-1 pm: it’ll involve gardening, too, starting with the front beds and moving to the north playground as time allows. The GSNC also promises, “There will be free popsicles at noon!”
Latest from SDOT on the SW Genesee paving project, which they announced last week would expand to four blocks:
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) paving crews have been preparing SW Genesee Street from 47th Avenue SW to 51st Avenue SW for resurfacing. They recently completed grinding off the old asphalt surface. Weather permitting, they plan to lay new asphalt on Wednesday, June 23, from approximately from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. During this work, traffic flaggers will assist traffic in both directions share a single lane.
We first reported last week on the paving project between 47th and 49th on SW Genesee (map) – thanks to a WSB’er tip. The work was to be done today but got postponed because rain (which hasn’t shown up) was forecast. Now there’s word from SDOT they’re adding a couple more blocks:
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) paving crews have been resurfacing SW Genesee Street from 47th Avenue SW to 49th Avenue SW. They recently completed grinding the old asphalt surface on these two blocks.
Today the crews have been given the “go ahead” to add two additional blocks of Genesee Street to the project, from 49th Avenue SW to 51st Avenue SW. The crews now plan to grind the old surface off of the additional blocks Wednesday (tomorrow), Thursday, and possibly also on Friday. They plan to lay the new asphalt, weather permitting, on Monday and Tuesday, June 21 and 22. One lane of traffic in each direction will remain open.
Genesee Street was not on SDOT’s original list of paving for 2010, but cost savings by the department from other paving projects have enabled SDOT to pave the street this year.
An update from SDOT‘s Marybeth Turner on the SW Genesee paving plan between 47th and 49th SW: She says they’re now looking at next Tuesday, “weather permitting,” and the work will probably take all day. SDOT says traffic will be able to get through during the work.
With the future of the now-vacant ex-Genesee Hill Elementary School building one of their area’s hottest topics, the new Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council had Seattle School Board rep Steve Sundquist on its first-ever general-meeting agenda. By the time he spoke, about 50 people were at the meeting, held at West Side Presbyterian Church. And before it ended, the group had elected its first official slate of officers. Toplines after the jump:Read More
First, just in from Peg Nielsen at SDOT:
Tomorrow, Thursday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., SDOT will be conducting a maintenance inspection on the SW Spokane Street Bridge in the eastbound pedestrian and bike lane. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be flagged around the equipment involved in the work activities. Bicyclists will be asked to dismount through the work zone.
(Photo from Genesee work zone, added Wednesday evening)
Second – Heidi on Genesee Hill e-mailed to ask about what appeared to be an unannounced paving project in the works. We checked with SDOT, whose Marybeth Turner replied:
DOT crews are paving SW Genesee from 47th to 49th. It wasn’t on the lists because it was not certain that there would be funds for it this year. When it became apparent that there would be sufficient funds, they started the job. The plan is to pave on Friday or Monday. One lane will remain open in each direction.
Yet another local neighborhood got a dose of volunteer help on Saturday – this time, a group of West Seattle mothers and daughters picked up trash around closed Genesee Hill Elementary School (formerly home to Pathfinder K-8, which is now on Pigeon Point). They picked up 8 bags of trash with city-provided supplies; according to Carl Guess, who shared the photos and info, the group was inspired by The Mother-Daughter Project, and “celebrated afterward with a quick game of kickball that ended in a 5-5 tie.” He says participants included Jenna and Grace Riggs, Christina and Emma Figgins, Nancy and Elizabeth Giese, Laurie and Raena Mathews, Doreen and Kassy Sifferman, and Katy Lloyd and Bailey Guess – here’s a group shot:
Yes, egging IS vandalism, already had that discussion. Two reports to share – read on:Read More
First note from tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting – a reminder about something first announced at the group’s last meeting: We’re now less than two weeks away from the organizational/planning meeting of a neighborhood council for the Genesee area – which would cover much of the turf currently unrepresented between Alki/Admiral/The Junction. That meeting is still on for 7 pm March 16 at West Seattle PCC (WSB sponsor); SWDC co-chair Chas Redmond has put together a flyer that we’re expecting to get shortly – we’ll add it here (and to this meeting’s entry on the WSB Events calendar) when it arrives. 12:10 AM: Added the map he sent – and here’s the flyer.
From the Southwest District Council meeting that just wrapped up: One of this year’s goals has been to increase participation from more areas of the western half of the peninsula, which is the SWDC’s turf, so there’s been talk about helping community groups start (or restart) in two unrepresented areas – Genesee/Genesee Hill and Arbor Heights. So far, SWDC co-chair Chas Redmond reports, there’s progress in Genesee – and an organizational meeting is planned March 16, 7 pm, West Seattle PCC (WSB sponsor) – everybody in that area’s welcome, and you’ll likely see flyers soon urging you to be there. We’ll check on the exact area targeted here; this is what the city has mapped as Genesee, but it seems to stretch way past the area that had been discussed. (Lots more SWDC news to come.)
Kate shares a Genesee Hill sighting – read on:Read More
Thanks to Gary J and Desiree, who both sent news/photos of that big tree limb down at Alki, on this windy afternoon (that’s Gary’s pic, above). Forecast says we could see wind up to 25 mph at times tonight. ADDED 5:58 PM: One other weather note – Jenny says her family lost a kite, and her 7-year-old thought WSB’ers might be able to help find it:
What a great day to fly a kite, and lose one! My husband and sons were flying kites up on Genesee Hill near 55th and Bradford, and one got loose. It’s rainbow with a fluorescent orange tail. It was last seen headed south around Dakota and 55th. [map] … If they find it, please ask them to call Jenny at 935-7389.
COURT CASE: South Park murder suspect Isaiah Kalebu is expected in King County Superior Court at 8:30 this morning to answer charges including aggravated murder (which could bring the death penalty) in the July xx attack on two women who were asleep in their home when he allegedly broke in.
CLOSED SCHOOLS’ FUTURE: Also happening downtown this morning (9 am), the city Hearing Examiner is scheduled to hear an appeal of the June city decision determining that closed school campuses around the city – including Fairmount Park, Genesee Hill and EC Hughes in West Seattle – could be repurposed for various new uses without convening a School Use Advisory Committee.
PORTERHOUSE OPENING: The new restaurant/pub in the Admiral District (2329 California SW, just north of Admiral Theater) opens mid-afternoon. Lots of new food and beverage details in the West Seattle-headquartered Washington Beer Blog‘s review from the “soft opening” party Monday.
REP. MCDERMOTT TALKS HEALTH-CARE REFORM: Tonight, the long-hot topic gets its highest-profile West Seattle discussion yet, as the 34th District Democrats bring in Seattle’s Congressmember Jim McDermott in addition to other expert panelists. The agenda’s here, but also note the disclaimer on the group’s home page – this is NOT a “town hall meeting” and while everyone’s welcome to attend and listen, “only members may speak and participate,” per the group’s bylaws. The meeting starts at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
Just days left to go in the school year for Seattle Public Schools. That means year-ending events abound – including one-of-a-kind events like the closure celebration Saturday at the Genesee Hill building that’s been the longtime “temporary” home to Pathfinder K-8, which is moving to the Cooper School building on Pigeon Point. As the photos above and below show – memory-sharing was a big part of the Genesee Hill event:
Also on Saturday, Arbor Heights Elementary drew crowds for its carnival – thanks to teacher Mark Ahlness for sharing photos:
Mark noted, “The streets were jammed with cars and the school and playground with happy families enjoying a beautiful day! The Carnival is an annual fundraiser sponsored by our PTSA (arborheights.wikispaces.com/AHPTSA).”
New information about the suspected gunshots reported last night by residents northwest of The Junction: This afternoon, evidence was found that shots indeed were fired. First word came from Stacy, who posted this comment on the original report:
Contrary to popular belief, the noises heard on the 4100 block between Dakota and Genesee last night around 8:30 were actually gunshots. At approximately 3:30 today, eight shell casings were found on the ground along with three bullet holes – two in a parked car and one in a neighbors house. Police were called and just finished their investigation.
Officers who investigated last night didn’t find anything, but we just confirmed Stacy’s report with Lt. Ron Smith at the Southwest Precinct, who says an officer indeed went back out this afternoon to investigate bullet holes in a car and house. No one was hit. (Later note: We have a followup question out regarding the exact location, as well as whether there is any indication of random vs. target.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
40 speakers, 3 schools, 2 school board members. Those are the numbers from last night’s school-closure public hearing at the Genesee Hill Elementary building that Pathfinder K-8 has called home for almost 15 years. And numbers were the reason the hearing had to happen at all – a $24 million-$37 million budget shortfall faced by Seattle Public Schools, with $3.6 million a year potentially to be saved by shuttering school buildings including the long-deteriorating Genesee Hill. The district’s been proposing closing it for years — without also closing the Pathfinder “program” — so the issue has been, and remains, where does Pathfinder go?
From Bridgett Chandler, communications boss at Seattle Public Schools, about tonight’s big school-closure hearing at Genesee Hill Elementary/Pathfinder:
As we have mentioned in previous coverage, we learned from the district last night that schools have the option to have “closed” (school community only) meetings if they are not widely advertised – one such meeting was held last night at
| 3 COMMENTS