West Seattle, Washington
13 Thursday
With an earthquake drill this morning, and what you might consider a “storm drill” last weekend, preparedness may well be on your mind. Today, we have news about West Seattle’s Emergency Communication Hubs:
The newest Hub, in The Junction, will be set up for an “opening” event this Sunday, noon-3 pm, so you can visit and get familiar with the concept. It’s in the Hope Lutheran Church parking lot, off SW Oregon just east of 42nd SW [map]. Even if that’s not the one closest to you, if you don’t know about the Hubs, now’s as good a time as ever. From the explanation on westseattlebeprepared.org (an awesome overall preparedness resource):
The Emergency Communication Hubs are locations around West Seattle which have been designated by neighborhood leaders and volunteers as community gathering sites if a major disaster makes it impossible to get information and help in the usual ways. These are locations that are easy to find and familiar to most people in each of these neighborhoods.
We’ve chosen outdoor locations because many buildings may be unsafe following an earthquake or similar type of disaster. After buildings have been checked for damage and deemed safe/usable, they will very likely be used as shelters. The Emergency Communication Hubs will be the initial gathering locations, since they can be predetermined for each neighborhood.
If you don’t see one close to you on the map – it’s because nobody has stepped up to get one going! Here’s information on how to get started.
P.S. The new Junction Hub had a preview event back in June, during a quake-scenario drill for which hubs were “activated” around the city.
(Male pileated woodpecker @ Fauntleroy Park – photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Lots going on! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Halloween (etc.) Guide:
MONSTER DASH FUNDRAISER AT ZIPPY’S: All day/night at Zippy’s Giant Burgers in White Center, a percentage of proceeds will go to the West Seattle Monster Dash – the benefit for local Cooperative Preschools, coming up October 29th. More info on today’s benefit is in our calendar listing. (9614 14th SW)
EARTHQUAKE DRILL: You should already know whether your workplace, school, etc. is participating in today’s 10:20 am nationwide drill – but just in case it’s news to you and you see/hear something worrisome, it’s only a drill!
HAUNTED HOUSE: From the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide – Haunted House at High Point Community Center: “Enter and get ready to be scared in this amazing High Point Community Center Haunted House built by the neighborhood teens. All proceeds help fund High Point Teen programming.” 5:30-7 pm, ages 8 and up, $2. (6920 34th SW)
CIRCLE OF SINGLES: For singles 60+, at Copper Coin in The Admiral District, 5 pm. (2329 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE TIMEBANK: 6 pm orientation, 6:30 pm potluck, 7 pm presentation by the Urban Homestead Foundation. More info in our calendar listing; all welcome. At the Sisson Building/Senior Center. (SW Oregon/California SW)
SEATTLE SYMPHONY SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS: Come early to see the Chief Sealth IHS String Ensemble at 6:30 pm; Seattle Symphony and WSCO play at 7 pm. CSIHS Auditorium. Free! (2600 SW Thistle)
SEATTLE LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 7-8:30 pm, prospective families are welcome to visit Seattle Lutheran HS. The open house starts in the gym. (4100 SW Genesee)
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm at Alki UCC. Announced agenda toplines: City Council’s encampment-ordinance proposals; Westside Neighbors Network; new public-safety survey. (6115 SW Hinds)
NOT DEAD YET: They’re back! Live tonight at Whisky West in Morgan Junction, 7:30 pm. (6451 California SW)
KO ELECTRIC: Live “electric jazz” at Parliament Tavern, 8 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
FIND MORE … on our complete calendar page.
8:30 AM: We’re breaking this out of the morning traffic report: An incident involving a bicycle and car has sent a woman to the hospital. It happened near 46th/47th and Genesee [map]; police tell us the woman was riding a cargo/family bicycle with a child, and that the child was not hurt. Westbound Genesee is closed; eastbound is open. We’re still working to get more details but at this point police are not expecting the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad, which indicates that the woman’s injuries are not life-threatening. Officers are talking with the driver at the scene.
8:39 AM: Police say the street will reopen shortly.
9:11 AM: Seattle Fire spokesperson Capt. Shata Stephenson tells us that this was a “low-speed” collision and the rider, 41, was taken to the hospital mostly for evaluation purposes. We have an inquiry out with Harborview too.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:02 AM: Good morning. No incidents reported in or from West Seattle so far, but it’s a rainy morning following a rainy night, so please watch out for puddling (or worse) in some of the usual spots. (Via Twitter, Meg mentions Fauntleroy/Raymond.)
7:26 AM: If you’re at or near 35th/Avalon, you might be noticing multiple fire units on the west side of 35th. It’s an “automatic fire alarm” call at 4435 35th SW (Aura).
8 AM: Thanks for the tips. Emergency response at 47th and Genesee, possibly involving a bicycle rider. We are on our way to find out more.
8:25 AM: We’re at the scene. Westbound Genesee is closed at 46th. Eastbound is open. We’ll be writing about the incident separately shortly. (Here’s the link.)
8:38 AM: Police say Genesee will reopen shortly.
8:45 AM: If you haven’t headed out yet – it’s now raining very hard, so be ready to travel slowly to stay safe.
Something new at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) – a race car.
It’s not a new product line but rather part of the store’s tradition of community giving.
The Porsche GT 911, which won the GT class at Sebring 2015, is a centerpiece for the store’s fundraiser for Team Seattle, a professional racing guild that supports the Cardiac Center at Children’s Hospital. Since its debut in 1996, Team Seattle hasraised more than $5 million for the center. Thriftway will match up to $10,000 in donations made for the next week. (Its support for Team Seattle included the last benefit barbecue of the year earlier this month.) You can see the car during Thriftway’s regular hours, 5 am-midnight daily (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan).
In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
CONDO GARAGE BURGLARS ON CAM: A condo resident at Alki and Bonair [map] shares the report and images:
After using bolt cutters to steal a key storage lockbox, burglars repeatedly gained access to the Alki Bonair Condominium parking garage over 4 days before we became aware and were able to change the entry locks. This resulted in the theft of several items. One of the thefts was recorded on video at 11:45 pm Sunday 10/16 and photos are attached.
Please be on the lookout for two white males mid-20’s with reddish brown hair and beards. One was photographed with bolt cutters clearly protruding from the top of his backpack and wearing an oversized letterman’s jacket.
CAR BREAK-INS: If you’re looking for more proof of the police declaration that car prowls remain the top problem around here – Keri e-mailed tonight to warn people that the area around the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle is still getting hit. She mentioned at least two recent incidents, one that police were investigating when she left tonight, plus “last Friday, a friend of mine had her window broken and a bag with personal information, etc. taken.” Police reiterated again just last night at the WS Crime Prevention Council, don’t leave anything in your car, anywhere. Busy parking lots are far from immune from car prowlers, who manage to do what they do without much notice.
Meantime, partly good news (though it would be better if the thefts had never happened) – a stolen boat and stolen car, both found:
STOLEN BOAT FOUND, ONE MONTH LATER: Last month, we published this report of a boat stolen near 14th and Elmgrove. Last night, we heard from Alyssa, who reported that “our boat was found on Delridge. Both motors and battery were gone… but thankful to have it home. Hitch was still locked when it was recovered.”
STOLEN CAR FOUND TWO BLOCKS AWAY: Tuesday morning, we received an e-mail report about a car stolen in Sunrise Heights. Before we got the chance to publish it, we found out the owner located her own stolen car – spotted two blocks away while she was out walking her dog.
We hope crime doesn’t happen to you … but if it does, after you’ve reported it to police, please let us know so we can share a community alert – editor@westseattleblog.com (if urgent, text/voice 206-293-6302).
From last night’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting:
(Past week of reported car prowls, from SPD police-report map)
SOUTHWEST PRECINCT UPDATE: Car prowls remain “the crime of the day,” and “we attribute it to the drug use that’s out there,” began Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis. A resident of an apartment building north of Morgan Junction said that they’ve had two car prowls in the past month and have found needles in the alley – “what are we supposed to do?” A discussion ensued about whether, if spotting a car prowl in progress, residents should try to detain the prowler themselves. With the caveat that “we’re not your lawyer,” the general advice was no – “you never know who you’re dealing with,” Capt. Davis observed.
Another attendee said her area of Puget Ridge has been hit “19 times in two weeks,” including bicycle thefts, emergency kits stolen from porches. But she said most probably hadn’t been reported.
Though basketball season is still more than a month away, the West Seattle High School girls are busy with something else – this donation drive:
West Seattle HS Girls Basketball is holding a clothing/textile drive through November 29th. We are filling garbage bags with gently used clothing, shoes, belts, drapes, towels, and bedding.
If interested in donating, please text/call Jaci at 206-909-7669 or Izzy at 206-947-4131 or email jacit@workhouse.cc. We are happy to come pick up the bags!
… the marquee at The Admiral is already reminding you that the waiting is almost over: King County Elections says it has sent ballots on their way today, so as soon as you get yours, you can vote. You can mail your ballot OR drop it in West Seattle’s new permanent ballot drop box at High Point Library (SW Raymond just east of 35th SW) – deadline is Tuesday night, November 8th. If you don’t see your ballot by next Monday (October 24th), KC Elections says, call them at 206-296-VOTE. In the meantime, you can see exactly what and who is on your ballot by setting up the customized voter guide via the KC Elections website.
P.S. The county has accessible voting centers to help voters with disabilities. Locations and dates are here – the one in Renton opened today.
(June WSB photo of Ponderosa Pine at 3038 39th SW)
Two weeks after the city announced it would grant a “special exception” permit for a house to be built on a 3,166-sf lot at 3038 39th SW [map], taking out a Ponderosa Pine acknowledged as an “exceptional tree,” two appeals have just been filed with the city Hearing Examiner. This one is from a neighbor, making the argument that the lot previously used as a “side yard” had not been established as a buildable lot:
(If you can’t see the Scribd embedded version, here’s a direct link to that document on the city website.) And this one is from the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition:
The online file for that one is here.
We first reported in June about the neighborhood’s campaign to save the tree. Since the appeals have just gone into the system, no hearing date is set yet.
SIDE NOTE: While working on this, neighborhood advocates have been talking with Councilmember Lisa Herbold about a larger issue – the city’s requirement of a minimum payment for staff time to work on requests for interpretations, saying the resulting multi-thousand-dollar minimum can be onerous; as discussed briefly in today’s morning session of the Budget Committee, her proposal for a rule to require that requesters are charged only for the time needed:
Accompanying the budget, SDCI has submitted a bill that would adjust fees and charges (see the introduction for more details). This action would amend the bill to reduce the minimum number of hours charged for a code interpretation letter. A code interpretation is a process whereby someone can request a formal decision on the meaning, application, or intent of any development regulation in the Land Use or Environmentally Critical Area code. Examples include questions of how structure height or setback is properly measured, or how a proposed use should be categorized. Failure to request an interpretation can preclude raising the issue on appeal. Today, a request for a code interpretation letter is charged, at minimum, for 10 hours of work; hours worked beyond the minimum are charged the Land Use hourly rate (currently $280/hour; proposed to increase to $315/hour). The average number of hours charged for interpretations is 31.25 hours, however, in the rare case where the number of hours is less than 10, this change would ensure that the requesting party is only charged for time needed to produce the letter.
The proposal is not specific to this case; its fate will be determined when the budget is finalized in November.
(Fishing at Seacrest on Tuesday – photo by Don Brubeck)
Much happening today/tonight. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
COWORKING MEETUP: Wednesday means it’s the weekly 12 pm-1:15 pm meetup at West Seattle’s only coworking center, WS Office Junction (WSB sponsor) – drop by, bring your lunch, meet new people! (6040 California SW)
(added) DINE-OUT BENEFIT: Shelby’s Bistro and Ice Creamery in The Junction is hosting “a fundraiser for Holy Rosary today from 2-9 pm and donating 10 % of sales back to the school (excluding gift cards, gratuities and taxes).” Shelby’s adds that they “would love to assist other schools or school organizations raise funds as well.” (California/Edmunds)
DEBATE WATCHING: Don’t want to watch the third and final presidential debate (6 pm our time, live from Las Vegas) at home? You have at least four options in West Seattle:
Parliament Tavern (4210 SW Admiral Way) – they advise arriving early (5:30ish) to get a seat – Happy Hour prices throughout the debate
Sound & Fog (4735 40th SW) – Coffee, beer, wine, pizza.
OutWest (California/Brandon) – Happy Hour until the debate is over
Admiral Bird (California/Admiral) –
Anyone else? Please let us know so we can add to the list!
DEBATE ALTERNATIVE AT WORDSWEST: As previewed here earlier this week, WordsWest Literary Series offers you a night of “Literary Citizenship” at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: The City Council hasn’t yet finalized the mayor’s plan to cut ties with, recognition of, and support for neighborhood district councils – it got some discussion in Tuesday afternoon’s budget deliberations. But the DNDC is going forward. What’s the plan for next year? That’s on the agenda tonight, 7 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: MoCA’s quarterly meeting has a BIG agenda. In the downstairs community rooms at The Kenney:
If you own property inside the Morgan Junction Urban Village, your land is proposed to be rezoned. Please come to the meeting for more details, or watch for the posting of the maps and additional information on the City’s HALA page.
INTRODUCTIONS & MORGAN MINUTE UPDATES
2016 NSF applications – what’s next
California at Juneau – pedestrian and bike safety project
Morgan Junction Mural status
35th Ave SW – Phase II update
New Web HostOLD BUSINESS
Lowman Beach Seawall
SW District Council updates
Murray CSO Update
HALA Focus Group Update
SW Precinct Advisory GroupNEW BUSINESS
Westside Neighbors Network
Survey results for 37th Ave SW Greenway
Morgan Park Expansion Planning Committee
Morgan Festival 2017
Beyond MoCA Boundaries
New secretary
(7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SIGGIE THE VINTAGE MAN: Live music! Now at 7 pm Wednesday nights at Whisky West. (6451 California SW)
THE TIKIGRAPHS: 8 pm, right after presidential-debate viewing, at Parliament Tavern. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
MUCH MORE … for today/tonight; just check our complete calendar page.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 9:16 AM: Our Instagram video is from outside Chief Sealth International High School this morning. Sealth is just one of the schools around the district where there’s a show of solidarity today – as described in a message from the CSIHS Black Student Union: “Educators and Students across the city will be wearing ‘Black Lives Matter’ T-shirts to Support the struggle to affirm the lives of Black students in Seattle Public Schools.” The CSIHS Race and Equity Team‘s message, “We are committed to the ongoing work of calling attention to and addressing the injustices experienced every day by people of color – in our society and in our schools.” That message also noted related social-studies lessons are planned this afternoon – it’s a differently configured school day at Sealth today because of PSAT testing in the morning. (added photo) Here are the students who participated:
Today’s district-wide action also coincides with the district’s week of conversations about eliminating opportunity/achievement gaps. SPS Superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland‘s announcement of that focus included a note about today:
During our #CloseTheGaps kick-off week, Seattle Education Association is promoting October 19 as a day of solidarity to bring focus to racial equity and affirming the lives of our students –specifically our students of color. In support of this focus, members are choosing to wear Black Lives Matter t-shirts, stickers or other symbols of their commitment to students in a coordinated effort. SEA is leading this effort and working to promote transformational conversations with staff, families and students on this issue.
(Added) Scholars from adjacent Denny International Middle School and joined in adding their thoughts/names to one of the banners:
It’s the only #BlackLivesMatterAtSchool gathering we got advance word of, but if others happened at school(s) in West Seattle and you have a photo, please consider sharing – editor@westseattleblog.com.
11:02 AM: Thanks to the texter who sent this photo from Sanislo Elementary:
And, just south of West Seattle, Sarah Fox sent this photo from White Center Heights Elementary:
We’ve also added photos to our Sealth coverage above.
ADDED 12:35 PM: Thanks to Jennifer Hall for this photo from West Seattle High School:
ADDED 3:12 PM: Thanks to the PTSA at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 for sending this photo from their before-school resource table:
ADDED 3:59 PM: And we’ve received a photo from Gatewood Elementary:
Teacher Mason Skeffington explains, “I wanted to let you know that Gatewood Teachers were also united today in the #SPS #Closethegaps #EOG movement going on this week. Here is the Gatewood Staff, T-Shirts reading Change is Possible, which aligns with the last sentence of our School Vision Statement ‘At Gatewood we believe changing the world is possible’.”
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:06 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far.
7:44 AM: Still nothing out of the ordinary. The low bridge has been closed to surface traffic for about 10 minutes – remember we have a link atop traffic coverage every weekday morning that you can use to check its status (@SDOTbridges tweets when it closes & when it reopens). @KevinFreitas just tweeted this photo from the bicycle queue awaiting its reopening:
7:47 AM: Back open to non-marine traffic.
(Added Wednesday morning: Live feed from Seattle City Council budget meeting)
Two more City Council notes:
TOMORROW’S BUDGET REVIEWS: The City Council reconvenes as the Budget Committee at 9:30 Wednesday morning. We tracked today’s 9:30 am and 2 pm review sessions here; four more departments are up tomorrow during sessions at those same times. Each department name below is linked to the newest briefing memo we found in the system :
*Department of Construction and Inspections (most of what used to be known as DPD)
*Human Services Department
*Department of Transportation (SDOT)
*Parks and Recreation
The documents include changes proposed by councilmembers. One West Seattle-specific proposal from our area’s Councilmember Lisa Herbold is in the SDOT budget memo:
Add $100,000 for West Seattle Bridge studies – Councilmember Herbold
This proposal would provide one-time funding for two traffic management studies including:
(1) evaluate the feasibility of traffic management modifications to improve the eastbound Spokane St Viaduct connection to I-5; and (2) evaluate the City’s ability to share data with the Federal Railroad Administration to better manage and enforce rules regulating the blockage of public grade crossings by trains.
And from the Parks memo:
Community Planning Process for Myers Way Properties, Statement of Legislative Intent (SLI) – Councilmember Herbold
This proposal would request the executive to conduct a community planning process to determine the future uses of the Myers Way Properties. Such uses/purposes would include: green space that can serve to clean the air and water near an environmentally degraded area; protection of wetlands and Hamm Creek Watershed; hill stabilization; natural park space in an under-served area; preschool; expansion of the Joint Training Facility for firefighters to include training for police. In July, the Mayor announced the Myers Way Properties would be retained in City ownership, and that the northernmost portion be used for expansion of the Joint Training Facility. The remainder of the property would be retained and designated for open space and/or recreation purposes, consistent with community input. The Mayor indicated that DPR will conduct further public outreach to determine how best to use the properties.
She and other councilmembers have many other proposed changes you can see in each of the linked memos (usually toward the end), but we’re highlighting those as WS-specific. The budget-review process continues until a final version is passed in November.
COUNCILMEMBER’S ‘OFFICE HOURS’: Herbold announced today that she’ll be at the Senior Center of West Seattle this Friday (October 21st) for “in-district office hours,” noon-7 pm. Walk-ins welcome, but she says you are also welcome to make an appointment via her scheduler Alex Clardy (alex.clardy@seattle.gov).
(Seattle Fire Department photo)
We’ve learned that this crash near the South Transfer Station between West Seattle and South Park today resulted in a citation for the school-bus driver involved. Seattle Public Schools, which contracts with the bus company, didn’t have information on what the citation was for, but did confirm to WSB that the driver was cited. Seattle Fire reported that no one was hurt in the midday crash at West Marginal Way South and South Holden; the bus was carrying two preschoolers, and one child’s dad tells WSB they were being transported from a preschool program at Fairmount Park Elementary.
Second coyote photo of the week – thanks again! Just keeping track of our urban wildlife. This photo was texted this morning from the Fairmount Park/Playfield area, Fauntleroy Way and SW Dawson [map]. As always, heres the gold-standard advice from the state Fish and Wildlife Department – including what to do if you see one nearby – do your best to scare it away – coexistence for us, them, and the rest of the urban ecosystem depends on them wanting to keep their distance.
Family and friends are sharing this remembrance of Betty Cook, 98:
Betty Jane Eleanor Carl Cook
March 1918-October 2016Betty Cook succumbed to her battle with time, and passed away peacefully in West Seattle, where she called home for over 70 years of her long and amazing life.
Betty was born and raised in Seattle, and graduated from Franklin H.S. and then attended the University of Washington where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority. Through her career she worked for her father (Roland A. Carl) who owned the Pacific Coast Coal & Oil Co.in West Seattle, and also enjoyed a long relationship working at Cascade Heating and Air Conditioning in Ballard.
No one can accuse our mother of being idle as she was active in the community in many different ways. She was a member of the PTA at Alki Elementary as well as an active member of the Electrical Women’s Round Table (E.W.R.T) in the Seattle area. She remained an active member of the University of Washington Arboretum Society in her later years. For several years our family was involved with the local TYEE Triumph club; as sports car enthusiasts we traveled and participated in autocross events as well as rallies and oh yes, an occasional party or two.
Our family forged many longstanding and cherished relationships throughout their time as members of the car club.
Throughout the years our family spent many summers east of the mountains at Lake Chelan where Mom and Dad eventually settled in at Sun Ray Shores, a small tight-knit community where again many cherished relationships were made.
In looking back over our mother’s 98 years, it is hard to imagine all of the things she has witnessed as well as participated in over her nearly century on this earth. She most certainly did not get shortchanged! Our mother was a force, and in looking for words to describe her, some that come to mind are strong, direct, wise and always loving.
Betty loved her family! She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 60 years, Frank Cook as well as her oldest daughter, Barbara Rideout (Cook). She is survived by her two other children, Patricia Woeck (Cook) and Harry Cook, and her grandchildren, Jennifer Frisch (Woeck), Rob Woeck, Jason Rideout, and Andrew Cook, along with 8 greatgrandchildren.
We will always take with us, that when she would see us she would say “you’ll never know how much I love you”, well Mom….we all knew.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(WSB file photo)
While doing research for the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide, we discovered Southwest Pool is NOT having a pumpkin swim this year – because Halloween weekend will happen during its maintenance closure. We asked Seattle Parks for more information on the shutdown, set to start next Monday, and here’s what spokesperson Christina Hirsch tells us:
There is a two-week pool closure that is needed as preventative maintenance to rebuild pumps, check boilers, and critical systems. It is also an opportunity for repair or repaint throughout the building. This closure is a regular part of an 18-month cycle with the next closure planned in spring of 2018.
The final week of the three-week closure will result in full facility shutdown including Neighborhood Service Center, Teen Life Center, child care, and pool. During this time, wood floors will be resurfaced using products that prevent anyone from being in the building for several days. Gym floors require this treatment every two years. Other wood floors in the building have not been refinished for four years and are overdue for this essential work.
The facility will reopen on Monday, November 14.
Again, the closure is set to start next Monday, October 24th.
Quick reminder that this Saturday is the next Drug Take-Back Day, coast to coast, with the Southwest Precinct accepting your expired and/or no-longer-needed prescription drugs, 10 am-2 pm. Free, anonymous, no questions asked, an easy way to remove the possibility of abuse, poisoning, etc. – drop yours off at 2300 SW Webster [map].
This reader report e-mailed today is from someone who wanted to anonymously alert West Seattle neighbors:
Yesterday morning when I was walking my dog on SW Henderson between 31st and 32nd Ave SW [map], a Caucasian man pulled up in a silver Nissan (not sure of the model) and asked for directions to Delridge and Holden. I started to give him directions from there when I noticed movement in his lap; it took another moment for me to realize that he was touching himself while I was talking. I stepped away from the car and he continued to stare for another moment until he drove away. I took down the license plate of his car and a description of the driver, and I’ve filed a report with the SW Precinct.
We’ve sent a followup question about the driver’s description and will update with the response.
(Sanderling in the surf, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Five highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for the rest of today/tonight:
COMMUNITY PREVENTION AND WELLNESS INITIATIVE COALITION: 4 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center, this meeting is for people who “are passionate about preventing youth substance abuse and making a difference” in the community – more information in our calendar listing. (6400 Sylvan Way)
AUTHOR READING: Christopher Anderson reads from “Economy and Ecology: How Capitalism Brought Us to the Brink” at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm. (5612 California SW)
TUESDAY TUNE-UP FOR CAMP VICTORY: 6:30-8:30 pm at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), tonight’s Tuesday Tune-Up event supports Camp Victory, for 5-to-18-year-olds who are survivors of sexual assault. More information in our calendar listing. Live music, no cover but donations gratefully accepted. (1936 Harbor SW)
WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct, your monthly opportunity to hear from local police about crime trends and to tell them about your neighborhood crime/safety concerns. This month’s guest speaker is from our region’s major law-enforcement training center. (2300 SW Webster)
TRIVIA NIGHT FUNDRAISER: Show your trivia mastery while helping the Senior Center of West Seattle raise $, 7:30 pm at the center, with legendary local trivia host Phil Tavel. Details in our calendar listing. (SW Oregon/California SW)
(UPDATED 11:35 AM with “what’s next” now that this is public)
(January 2015 photo of Terminal 5 by Long Bach Nguyen)
10:23 AM: Just announced by the port: It’s finished the final environmental-impact statement for the proposed $200+-million modernization of Terminal 5 in West Seattle. We haven’t read the fine print yet but the news release says some community requests are addressed – including shore power so ships aren’t running don’t have to run their engines while docked:
The Port of Seattle has completed the environmental analysis of Terminal 5 and has prepared the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on the project to modernize the cargo-handling facility in order to serve larger cargo vessels. The proposed upgrades to Terminal 5 are wharf rehabilitation, berth deepening, electrical service and improvements to the upland portions of the property.
“Based on public comment we are including a number of improvements, such as shore power for vessels, installing gates for noise and safety mitigation for rail, and significant traffic improvement measures,” said John Creighton, Port of Seattle Commission president and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. “We want to thank the public for weighing in on this proposal during the comment period.”
“With this Final Environmental Impact Statement for Terminal 5, we are one step closer to making this prime maritime asset ‘Big Ship Ready’ and able to handle the largest container vessels working the market today,” said Connie Bacon, Port of Tacoma Commission president and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. “This region needs this terminal to remain competitive in today’s global economy.”
Mitigation measures for the project include construction of plug-in capability for shore power at two berths, tracking of air quality performance, establishment of a safety corridor between the Terminal 5 gate and the Duwamish river in order to minimize the need to use locomotive horns, required use of ambient-sensing broadband back up alarms, implementation of a Gate Queue Management plan, establishing a truck driver information system, comprehensive traffic signal improvements along SW Spokane Street and an operation noise management plan to ensure and monitor compliance with the Seattle noise code.
The FEIS evaluated potential impacts to earth, air, water, plants, animals, energy and natural resources, environmental health, noise, aesthetics (including light and glare), historic and cultural resources, transportation and public services. The Port of Seattle Commission must approve the recommended improvements in public session.
Copies of the FEIS are available for review at the Seattle Central Library, Delridge Library, Southwest Library, Highpoint Library, South Park Library, and West Seattle Library. Copies are also available at the Port of Seattle, Maritime Environment and Sustainability Department, Pier 69, 2711 Alaskan Way, Seattle, Washington, during business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
People interested in receiving a copy of the FEIS should contact Brenda Thomas at 206-787-3382 or email at: SEPA.p@portseattle.org. The FEIS can also be reviewed and downloaded at the Port of Seattle website and at the Terminal 5 Improvements Project Online Open House.
The entire environmental review followed community concerns, including a petition drive, that followed the port’s original announcement that it didn’t believe a full-scale environmental impact statement would be needed. The purpose of the EIS (direct link here – use dropdown under “Current Projects”) is for use by agencies making decisions about permits for the project, which the port says is expected to be complete by 2020.
11:35 AM: We talked with port spokesperson Peter McGraw regarding “what’s next” now that this is out. For one, there is an appeals process – deadline, November 1st. That’s explained here, on the “Next Steps” page of the “online open house.” And, McGraw points out, a big part of the final EIS is the announcement of the port’s “preferred alternative” – it’s the one that does NOT include “upland improvements” beyond T-5’s existing footprint.
(9:43 pm update: What’s above is Seattle Channel video of today’s first Budget Committee session)
9:02 AM: City Councilmembers’ proposed changes to the mayor’s budget start going public today, with the Budget Committee‘s 9:30 am meeting kicking off the “deliberations” phase of the process. Some proposals are summarized in the documents that are published online as part of the agenda. Here are the six departments scheduled to appear before councilmembers today, in agenda order:
Office of Economic Development (OED)
Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL)
Office of Labor Standards (OLS)
Seattle Police Department (SPD)
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU)
Department of Neighborhoods (DON) and Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF)
Each department name above links to the document that’s in today’s agenda; those documents review key budget points, and – generally toward the end in the ones we’ve read – councilmembers’ proposed changes.
Of particular note here, since we are a neighborhood-news publication – the Department of Neighborhoods document mentions proposals from our area’s Councilmember Lisa Herbold that include a few that would somewhat soften the mayor’s proposal to cut all city ties to and support for neighborhood district councils. She is suggesting that the city budget retain the ~$7,000 in support for the 13 district councils; each generally uses its ~$500 share of that to rent meeting space for the year. Herbold also is suggesting keeping an advisory role for the district councils in the review processes for community grants, before they go to the mayor’s new proposed citywide Community Involvement Commission.
In the Department of Education and Early Learning document, Herbold has this proposal, which appears to be inspired by what happened to some West Seattle programs this year, saved by the deal to house them at the currently otherwise-unused Schmitz Park Elementary:
$2 million for both 2017 and 2018 to create a Child Care Space Mitigation fund to address the displacement of before- and after-school child care from Seattle Public Schools’ buildings. In February, the District notified providers at seven schools that they would be displaced for the 2016-2017 school year and, given the trend of increasing enrollment and state reductions in class size, it is expected that additional displacements will occur in future years. The funding would be prioritized for use by the District to make arrangements to keep child care on-site at schools where providers would otherwise be displaced.
LOTS of other proposals are on the table, and the budget process has another month to go, but this is the point where the most changes stand to be made, so it’s good to pay attention – we’re still reading the docs, too. You can watch today’s discussions live on Seattle Channel (online or Cable 21), starting at 9:30 am – we’ll add the video window to this story when it’s live.
P.S. Councilmembers’ contact info is here.
9:38 AM: The morning session has begun, and we’ve added the live-feed window above; budget chair Councilmember Tim Burgess indicates they’ll be going through the first three departments on the list this morning.
11:43 AM: The meeting is in recess until 2 pm, at which time the same “live” video window above should be operable again. The final 3 departments listed above will be in the afternoon discussion.
2:17 PM: The meeting has resumed. SPD is up now, SPU to follow, and then the Department of Neighborhoods.
5:26 PM: Meeting’s over. The council reconvenes as the Budget Committee at 9:30 am Wednesday.
9:43 PM: Seattle Channel’s archived video of today’s first session is available and we’ve substituted it atop this story. We’ll add session two when it appears online, likely tomorrow.
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