West Seattle, Washington
11 Tuesday
Before we get to what’s up for today/tonight – anybody able to ID that chipmunk? Mark says it has “taken up residence in our yard on Gatewood Hill. Over the 32 years we have lived in our house we’ve never seen a chipmunk in the neighborhood, and I’m not at all sure they are all that common in our part of town. I’ve seen plenty over the years in the foothills and higher peaks of the Cascades and Olympics, but not in our suburban environment.”
Now – to calendar highlights.
DINE OUT FOR HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUND: 15 percent of proceeds today/tonight at Zippy’s Giant Burgers in White Center (open until 9 pm) will support the Highland Park Elementary playground project – watch for an update on the project here later today! (9614 14th SW)
DRAWING & WINE AT LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: 4-6 pm on second Thursdays, stop by the Log House Museum and sip wine while drawing – perhaps inspired by the courtyard garden. Free, but donations welcome. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK, FEATURING MAKERS MARKET: Another new addition for tonight’s WS Art Walk – a Makers’ Market in Junction Plaza Park! It starts at 5 pm in the park at 42nd SW/SW Alaska. Info’s in this month’s Art Walk roundup, which also has highlights from some of the regular stops on the map:
At Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), you’ll find Fritz Rud and his unique work:
As explained on the Click! blog, “West Seattle local Fritz Rud pairs salvaged vintage equipment with his own custom woodworking to create sculptural objects for listening to music on your phone.” (4540 California SW)
Remember that the Art Walk now includes supporting food and drink specials at some venues – that includes Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor), where there’s no tasting fee on Art Walk night. Viscon’s newest releases are available for tasting and purchase, and you can meet artist Lindsay Peyton. (5910 California SW)
OPEN HOUSE AT ‘THE BUILDING’: 6-9 pm, this Gatewood building full of art and artists welcomes you to stop by tonight for its “Spring Into Summer Open House.” (4316 SW Othello)
‘LITTLE MERMAID’: Lafayette Elementary invites you to this year’s spring production, “Little Mermaid” (the junior edition), 7 pm at the West Seattle High School Theater. (3000 California SW)
NIGHT CIRCUS: 9 pm at The Skylark – details in our calendar listing. $7 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
AND THERE’S MORE … on our complete calendar.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:58 AM: Good morning! The rain is the big factor in your commute today. No incidents reported so far in West Seattle or headed outbound from here.
1ST AVENUE SOUTH BRIDGE ALERT: For this coming Saturday morning, an alert from WSDOT:
Drivers heading into Seattle via northbound State Route 99 should plan for delays on Saturday morning, June 10.
Washington State Department of Transportation bridge maintenance crews will close the two right lanes of northbound SR 99 on the 1st Avenue South Bridge from 5:30 to 11:30 a.m. for bridge deck repair work.
7:11 AM: Just tweeted/texted by Metro:
Transit Alert – Route 56 to downtown Seattle due to leave 61st Av SW & Alki Av SW at 7:36 AM will not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) June 8, 2017
8:11 AM: Still no incidents but local traffic-watchers report it’s slow everywhere.
8:46 AM: Police and one SFD engine are headed to a two-vehicle crash reported at 16th SW and SW Cloverdale.
8:50 AM: The crash is reported to be blocking 16th southbound.
9:24 AM: One more transit note texted and tweeted by Metro (this route goes through White Center and Olson/Myers among other area stops):
Transit Alert – The last Rt 113 to downtown Seattle due to leave Shorewood at 8:12 AM is operating over 50 minutes late this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) June 8, 2017
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
AUTO-THEFT ATTEMPT: From Alan:
Our son’s car was broken into in the 6700 block of 14th SW. It was around 6 or 6:30 (am) and he was there while neighbors were out, leaving when one walked towards him. It was a tall Caucasian male in his 30s. He was in what my neighbor thought was a “recycle can blue” Camry wagon, but he didn’t confirm the make or plates. He broke into a 1995 Escort Wagon. It looks like he first tried to steal it, as the ignition was damaged and then started taking parts. Because he was taking parts, we think that the car he was driving might have been an Escort wagon, rather than a Camry.
If you have any information, this is SPD incident #2017-203437.
PACKAGE TAKEN ON CAMERA: The report and video are from Mike:
We had a package stolen from our porch (Tuesday) at around 12:30 pm. We’re in the Fauntleroy Park area (41st & Dawson), so be on the lookout! … I hope they enjoy the grass seed! ;)
This is SPD incident #2017-905037.
8:50 PM: A rescue response is headed to Fire Station 36 on the north end of Delridge for a rollover. Everyone is reported to be out of the vehicle.
9:14 PM: Adding a photo. The flipped car really is right in front of Station 36. One person in the car suffered non-life-threatening injuries and will be taken to the hospital by private ambulance. A tow truck and SDOT cleanup crew are already on scene.
(WSB photo from past West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade)
Less than four weeks until the 23rd annual West Seattle 4th of July Children’s Parade, and besides making sure you’re set to participate (or watch), Emily Williams from coordinating sponsor FIT4MOM West Seattle says they need community contributions, since increased participation means increased permit costs.
Last year’s event far exceeded our planned number of attendees and we’ve had to connect with Seattle Parks and Rec and the City of Seattle as we hop up to the next tier of permits, police presence and insurance, trash receptacles, etc. – all in all, our costs have nearly doubled! So we’re absolutely looking to the community to help cover the costs of the Parade!
To participate: Show up and you’re in the P A R A D E! The kids and their families ARE the Parade. Decorate those strollers and wagons and don’t forget yourselves! Show your spirit and have fun!
Old fashioned gunny-sack races, arts and crafts and various activities presented by local businesses at Hamilton ViewPoint Park after the Parade. This is the very best way to start your 4th of July celebration!
FIT4MOM West Seattle and many other local businesses and community members come together each year to keep this long standing West Seattle tradition alive. The Children’s Parade is truly an event for and by the West Seattle community.
WestSide Baby will be on site collecting diapers and wipes for Stuff the Bus; bring a package and help local babies in need!
But again, there are a lot of costs to cover, so here’s where you can donate. Williams concludes, “FIT4MOM West Seattle is so excited to partner with other local businesses and community members again this year to bring this special children’s event to the families of West Seattle. We appreciate everyone’s support in making it happen! Thank you in advance for your donation.” The parade starts at 10 am Tuesday, July 4th, and winds along several blocks from 44th/Sunset to Hamilton Viewpoint Park.
Thanks to Jennifer for the tip! That’s artist Jesse Link painting his third West Seattle mural on the north side of the California/Lander building that’s home to Evergreen Tang Soo Do Academy and Sea-Town Real Estate (WSB sponsor) among others. In summer of 2015, he painted the bear mural on Shack Coffee in Luna Park; in fall 2015, he painted the heron mural at Lofts At The Junction. This one, he told us in our quick ground-to-air interview, is a “giant festoon.”
(Draft version of the poster you’ll see promoting advance ticket purchases)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Washington State Ferries is going ahead with the changes it tried at the Fauntleroy dock for four days last month, after presenting the test results it to its Triangle Route Task Force.
The pilot project might not have looked or felt different to individual ferry users. But in the big picture, a big difference was made, WSF said.
The task force, meeting Tuesday at Fauntleroy Church, also heard even bigger news: WSF expects to start selling tickets by phone before month’s end.
A guest as the meeting began was State Sen. Sharon Nelson, introduced by WSF’s government-affairs liaison John Vezina as representing “two-thirds of the Triangle route.” She gave the committee members a general message of support.
She began by saying that WSF’s work with legislators had become so much more collaborative in recent years, and that she thought putting together a task force about this route “made so much sense.” She talked about the diverse ridership and promised “I will support you every which way I can … I know there’ll be hiccups. … We’re in this together. … We’ll see how the implementation goes.”
She left “to catch the 5:10.”
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Starting as soon as next week, Seattle Parks crews will remove at least 91 trees from Lincoln Park.
Even if you’re a regular park visitor, you aren’t likely to have heard about this unless you saw one of a few fine-print signs scattered around the park, like this one by the Fauntleroy Way entrance near the north play area:
We found out by hearing about it from local arborist and advocate Michael Oxman, who is on the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition board. This morning, he and reps from the Seattle Nature Alliance and Friends of Lincoln Park took a walking tour with Christopher Rippey from Parks’ Urban Forestry division, and we went along to find out more.Read More
Two microhousing (aka “small efficiency dwelling units”) notes:
8600 DELRIDGE WAY SW: City files reveal an early-stage proposal to replace a 77-year-old single-family house on a 4,327-square-foot lot at 8600 Delridge Way SW (map) with 10 “small efficiency dwelling units.” The tentative site plan shows them all at street level; the lot is zoned Lowrise 2. Documents in the file indicate the developer is talking with the city to clarify issues including lot coverage and zoning before making a formal application for the project.
SMALLER UNITS? This week’s first Land Use Information Bulletin included a notice about a proposed “director’s rule” change that would allow smaller SEDUs. The summary:
The draft Director’s Rule 9-2017 for Small Efficiency Dwelling Units (SEDU) outlines criteria that allows design flexibility to create living spaces smaller than required by Seattle Building Code (SBC) Section 1208.4 for Efficiency Dwelling Units (EDU), commonly called studio apartments, and provides a method for developers to achieve the 220 SF minimum unit size specified by the Seattle Land Use Code.
Here’s the detailed explanation. The bulletin notice says written comments are being accepted through June 19th.
Things you can do in West Seattle today/tonight:
WHALE-WATCHING: The humpback sightings resumed early this morning off Beach Drive and Alki – last night happy shore-based whale watchers watched two until they were out of sight. Thanks to Jim Borrow for the photo above from last night (see more photos in our sunset story), and to Vanessa Fox for Twitter reports early today.
And from our calendar:
DISASTER BOOK CLUB: 6 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library: “Join Seattle Office of Emergency Management *(staffer) and author Steve Olson to discuss his award-winning book ‘Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens‘.” (2306 42nd SW)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm at Senior Center/Sisson Building, with the agenda including the now-open Your Voice, Your Choice vote and the plan to rechannelize Avalon Way as part of the 2019 paving project. (4217 SW Oregon)
DELRIDGE GROCERY: All invited to tonight’s Delridge Grocery Co-op board meeting, 6:30 pm at Cottage Grove Commons, to find out how to get involved in the next phase of trying to get the store open. RSVP requested at info@delridgegrocery.com. (5444 Delridge Way SW)
JIM PAGE: Singer-songwriter performing at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
ST. PETERSBURG MEN’S ENSEMBLE: 7 pm, in concert at Peace Lutheran Church – details in our calendar listing. (39th SW/SW Thistle)
HANK WILLIAMS TRIBUTE: 13 musicians performing his work, 8 pm at Parliament Tavern. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:43 AM: Good morning! No incidents reported so far in West Seattle or on the major outbound routes. Another sunny, warm day forecast. And if your route takes you along the West Seattle waterfront, you just might see a humpback whale – we’re getting sighting reports already this morning.
Transportation news notes – Friday is the last day to reply to SDOT surveys about proposed rechannelization in connection with future repaving projects on Roxbury (here’s our Tuesday story) and Avalon (to be discussed at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting, 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, 4217 SW Oregon).
Toplines from tonight’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting:
HALA REZONING: The draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Mandatory Housing Affordability component of the city’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda is expected to be published Thursday. That’s what WWRHAH heard tonight from Morgan Community Association‘s Cindi Barker, who was on the original city-appointed HALA focus group and has been helping educate other community advocates about land-use issues including this one. With the draft EIS coming out this week, the comment period will continue into late June. She was asked if there’s talk of a District 1-wide response to HALA MHA, but so far individual groups are pursuing individual responses related to how it might affect their neighborhoods – MoCA for example is pursuing a comprehensive-plan amendment and is asking the city to engage in a full neighborhood-planning process, given the conflicts between MHA and the MJ neighborhood plan.
ROXHILL BOG: WWRHAH continues trying to get the city to address hydrology issues that have compromised the bog. Rory Denovan wrote to Seattle Parks but said the response so far wasn’t helpful. Meantime, a celebration of Roxhill Bog is planned 11 am-3 pm June 17th, with information and activities.
ROXBURY RECHANNELIZATION: As reported here earlier in the day, SDOT is floating further rechannelization options for SW Roxbury in connection with the 2019-or-so repaving between 16th SW and 35th SW. WWRHAH is concerned about the possibility that most of the center turn lane will be removed. They’re considering asking SDOT for data on the lane’s usage.
CRIME TRENDS: Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith said car prowls in the WWRHAH-covered area are down by about 50 percent from this time last year. Residential burglaries are down too. Shoplifting is up, and that figures heavily into stats for the area, because of Westwood Village.
WHAT’S NEXT: While WWRHAH won’t have its regular first-Tuesday meeting in July, since that’s Independence Day this year, they’ll likely have a special meeting just before or after that to talk about a response to the forthcoming HALA draft EIS.
Thanks to the Smiths for sending photos of this new “temporary art installation” in the park outside Delridge Community Center. The sign says it’s the work of local artist Yeggy Michael, part of the city’s Arts in Parks program, and that you’re invited to contribute your story:
These maps are part of it:
We’ll be checking to find out how long it’ll be on display – the Smiths believe it just went up in the past day or so.
ADDED: We’re told it will be there until July 20th, and after that, your next chance to see it is at the Arts in Nature Festival August 26-27.
8:27 PM: Thanks for the texts and photos – we started the day with a humpback whale sighting report and 14 hours later, we’re getting more reports, with the whale reportedly in view right now off Alki, around 63rd SW. The photo above, with the whale’s fluke in view, was texted earlier this evening. With the night’s community meetings over, we’re off to see if we can finally get a firsthand glimpse ourselves!
Sunset whale-watching on Alki. pic.twitter.com/wjXCuxNCNL
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 7, 2017
9:13 PM No firsthand whale sightings but we did find Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail – she said two humpbacks had been swimming back and forth but just swam out of view.
10:43 PM: Adding the photos above and below, from Kersti Muul, who watched the two humpbacks through the day – the photos are from the Me-Kwa-Mooks area.
Kersti says it was a “great day for shore-based whale watching!”
ADDED 6:40 AM WEDNESDAY: Jim and Vanessa both report at least one humpback back in view this morning, off Alki and Beach Drive. More later!
If someone in your household is 18 or younger and rides transit – they’re eligible for a deal this summer – 50-cent Metro bus rides, $1 Sound Transit bus/train rides – by using ORCA Youth cards. The cards will be provided for free, too, instead of the usual $5 charge. The reduced fares will be available June 17th through Labor Day – here’s today’s announcement. Need a card? Order it online, go to Metro’s customer-service office downtown (address is here), or look for Orca To Go events (though we’re not seeing any West Seattle events listed right now).
In West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
SEARCHING FOR HIT-RUN VEHICLE: Southwest Precinct police are asking for your help in finding a hit-run vehicle:
It hit a car on 46th near Lincoln Park and drove away north on 46th.
It will have significant damage to the right front and will be missing the rear bumper. We think it’s an older dark gray Toyota sedan. Possibly a Camry or Corolla.
The (victim)’s car, a new VW Passat, is probably totaled. Any leads would be appreciated.
Sgt. Joe Bauer says the crash happened around noon Sunday; if you have any information, e-mail him at Joseph.Bauer@seattle.gov or call the SPD non-emergency number, 206-625-5011.
CAR BREAK-IN: From Kerry:
Our car was prowled last night at 110th and 36th Ave SW in Arbor Heights. We foolishly left it unlocked, and the jerk sat in it to smoke a cigarette before stealing two bags full of sports stuff:
– An orange OR brand bag full of old sports stuff – mitts, frisbees, games
– A West Seattle Soccer Club bag full of my husband’s coaching gear (LAME)
They did not take the bag that was destined for Goodwill.
If anyone sees this stuff dumped anywhere, please post in comments!
PROWLING SUSPECT CHARGED: We reported last week on the arrest of a car-prowling suspect in Fauntlee Hills early Wednesday, and his release on Thursday. Turns out the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office did file a charge against him on Friday. The suspect is 37-year-old William J. Kim, a West Seattle resident. He is charged with felony second-degree vehicle prowling, though the only thing missing from the victim’s car was about $5 in change; the felony charge is merited, court documents explain, by the fact he was convicted of the same crime at least two times previously. He remains out of jail; a summons for him to appear in court was issued with the charge, rather than an arrest warrant.
West Seattle Summer Fest 2017 (with sponsors including WSB) is just five and a half weeks away, July 14-15-16. Two notes today:
VOLUNTEERS: West Seattle’s biggest party of the year needs volunteer power! If you can help – an orientation event is planned tomorrow night, 6 pm at the West Seattle Junction Association offices (4210 SW Oregon, above Shadowland). What kind of volunteer help is needed? WSJA’s Lora Swift replies, “The Summer Fest opportunities range from pre-festival activities like the SF street team – placing posters around West Seattle. I’m also looking for people who would like to write some content about the festival and bands. Maybe do some interviews. Before the festival, we’ll need help setting up. During we’ll need volunteers in the kids zone, info booth, sponsorship stewards. All kind of soft serve jobs, I want to make this a fun experience for the people who are giving their time.” You can sign up by going here.
BAND-LINEUP POSTER: We brought you first word of the Summer Fest band lineup back on May 17th. Today, WSJA is out with the official poster:
Here’s a YouTube playlist so you can get into the mood!
If you’re headed southbound on California SW between The Junction and Morgan Junction, be aware that RapidRide C-Line bus is blocking the lane just south of Findlay – and might be for some time longer. Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) across the street sent the photo and tells us the bus was having audible engine trouble and is awaiting a tow. Getting around it requires center-turn-lane use.
2:08 PM: The bus is gone.
If you didn’t go to the SDOT open house about the as-soon-as-2019 SW Roxbury repaving project, you might not know the city’s also proposing more channelization changes (as they’re also doing with the SW Avalon project). This Friday (June 9th) is the deadline to take the newest survey and tell them what you think of the proposed options.
Here’s the overview of how the roadway is configured now in the repaving zone, between 35th SW and 16th SW:
Here’s the overview of the Option 1 proposal:
Here’s the overview of the Option 2 proposal:
The “boards” from the open house also break down the two options, and current configuration, into five detailed cross-sections you can scroll through below (or see here as PDF):
The survey asking you whether you prefer existing configuration, Option 1, or Option 2, is here. You’ll have to click through several pages to get to that point – and also note the question about a “family-friendly bike route” that would NOT be on Roxbury. SDOT is looking for survey responses by this Friday.
FIRST REPORT, 11:38 AM: Yesterday we reported on the big police response along southbound Highway 509 (shown in our clip above) as officers investigated the death of a 25-year-old man in the unsanctioned encampment on the slope between the highway and Myers Way. This morning, an update from Seattle Police:
As part of Monday’s investigation, SPD Homicide detectives determined an assault had occurred within the encampment. Police arrested a 43-year-old man for investigation of homicide and booked him into the King County Jail.
The suspect has a fairly lengthy criminal record, according to state online files; the felony cases are mostly drug-related. As it turns out that he was booked last night, he’s likely to have a bail hearing today, which means we may have more information later about what police believe happened.
5:08 PM UPDATE: Prosecutors say the suspect waived the right to appear at his bail hearing; he’s being held in lieu of $1 million bail. The document prepared for the judge says that when emergency responders to the site got there yesterday, the victim “appeared to have traumatic injuries to the head.” Tips from witnesses at the scene led police to the suspect, who was taken downtown to be interviewed. The probable-cause documents say he told police he and another man hit the victim with a baseball bat; witnesses gave differing stories of what they saw.
ADDED WEDNESDAY EVENING: The victim has been identified as 24-year-old Dillon P. Graham, and the cause of death as “blunt force” head injury, ruled to be homicide. The suspect remains in jail.
(Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Mark Ahlness and shared via the WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s some of what’s ahead today/tonight:
ALL-METRO LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME: 3:30 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex – come cheer for local high-school-baseball standouts! (2801 SW Thistle)
TRIANGLE IMPROVEMENT TASK FORCE: 4:30-7 pm, the citizens’ committee working on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route challenges has its next meeting in the Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church, with a report planned on the recent four-day experiment in changing tollbooth procedures at Fauntleroy. All welcome. (9140 California SW)
DREAM DINNERS OPEN HOUSE: As previewed here last night, two sessions tonight offer you the chance to make three dinners for a discount, plus sample some of what Dream Dinners-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) has to offer. E-mail or phone (info’s in the preview) to see if slots are left at 5 or 6:30.
WESTWOOD-ROXHILL-ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 6:15 pm at Southwest Library. The meeting is scheduled to include a chance to vote in-person on the Your Voice, Your Choice projects (more info in this WSB story). (35th SW/SW Henderson)
WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: Monthly meeting, 6:30 pm at HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. (41st SW/SW Alaska)
WEST SEATTLE BOOSTER CLUB: 7 pm meeting at West Seattle High School, all welcome to come find out how this community group is working to help WSHS athletes. (3000 California SW)
JARED MITCHELL & THE WING TIPS: 8-11 pm, pop-py Americana music at Parliament Tavern. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
That’s a scene that one local teacher hopes to see outside the classroom this summer. And she needs your help. Here’s the announcement:
Roxhill Elementary teacher Neysa Turner aims to keep kids reading this summer. Students need continuous exposure to high-quality books to accelerate growth and continue reaching for new adventures in life and literature. We are looking for book donations to build a mobile lending library for K-12 South Sound students.
Book donations can be dropped off at the following locations:
1. Roxhill Elementary: 9430 30th Ave SW, M-F 7:30 am-3 pm
2. Also at local business Flourish Beauty Salon and Spa, 5962 Fauntleroy Way SW, M-F 10 am- 7 pm; Sat-Sun 10 am- 4 pm
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:33 AM: Another routine morning, so far. No incidents reported in/from West Seattle so far.
STADIUM ZONE WATCH: Mariners open another homestand tonight, vs. Minnesota, 7:10 pm.
8:23 AM Headed to check out reports of a backup on Highland Park Way hill, reportedly lane closures on West Marginal but no SDOT alert.
8:52 AM: Our crew says it was an SDOT crew painting at the West Marginal/HP Way intersection. They looked to be wrapping up.
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