West Seattle, Washington
07 Thursday
From the website of Bloodworks Northwest, the regional blood bank: “Our inventory has been low in the past few weeks, yet we have shipped blood components to OneBlood, the blood center in Florida, in response to their emergency appeal. We have now been notified that their immediate needs for blood have been satisfied as a result of additional shipments from us and others.” But that means Bloodworks NW needs to replenish the local supply, and if you can donate, there happens to be a blood drive already scheduled for tomorrow in West Seattle, 1-7 pm at Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood (39th/Thistle) – more information in our calendar listing.
For five years, OutWest Bar has been West Seattle’s only LGBTQ bar. Today, after news of the massacre at LGBTQ nightclub Pulse in Orlando, OutWest opened its doors early; a small table outside holds a card and flowers, with messages of sympathy and solidarity.
The Alki Statue of Liberty has long been a place to gather, a place for tributes, and today it becomes that again: Sam Samaniego decided to make a sash for Lady Liberty, as a show of love in the wake of this morning’s Orlando massacre. It’s inscribed ‘From Our Coast to Yours’ and as we write, they’ve added a banner along the base that you’re invited to sign:
Sam says she’ll of course be sending the banner to Florida – but before then, she sees power in the photographs people will take, and hopes that they’re seen in Orlando so people there know people here care:
15 years ago, Alki’s mini Statue of Liberty became a gathering place to mourn the 9/11 victims, and five years ago, it drew hundreds for a tribute on the 10th anniversary of the attack.
‘PEACE TO ORLANDO AND EVERYWHERE’: On a fence in West Seattle, photographed by a reader:
BANNER PLANNED: In a comment on our earlier report of the mayor’s statement about the Orlando massacre, Sam announced plans for a support banner at Alki Statue of Liberty around 3:30 pm this afternoon.
STREET MARKET BENEFITING PRIDEFEST: Today’s Luna Park Street Market was long planned as a benefit for Seattle PrideFest – we stopped by for a photo as a reminder it’s happening now:
Artists, music, barbecue, and drinks, outside Ola and Duos in the 2900 block of SW Avalon Way, until 4 pm.
ADDED 3:15 PM: A card and flowers are outside OutWest Bar (California/Brandon).
(Photo courtesy Peter Yanacek)
10:44 AM: If you’re wondering about the big Seattle Fire response at Fauntleroy Church right now: It is categorized as an automatic fire alarm. Scanner reports indicate sprinklers went off, possibly because of an electrical fire. We are en route to find out more.
10:56 AM: Church member Peter Yanacek, who also posted this in comments, says the fire was in the library, and happened during the Music Sunday service; everyone is reported to be safe outside.
(WSB photo)
SFD has dispatched its investigator. Our photographer just called in and said the sprinklers discharged “a lot of water,” according to SFD, so that will require cleanup.
11:06 AM: Church attendees are being allowed back in to get their personal items. The church also has put out a call for wet-dry/shop-type vacs that they could use with the cleanup. The co-housed Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) is closed, we’re told, for water cleanup, and they don’t yet know if they’ll reopen later today.
3:33 PM: Rev. Leah Atkinson Bilinski sent this to her church’s congregation:
This morning, during our worship service, we experienced a small fire in our fourth floor library. The fire was accidentally caused by a child (who was not physically harmed, but who is quite emotionally upset). The sprinkler system worked as it should, and the fire was contained to a very small area within the library.
Water did soak walls and flooring on the fourth floor outside the library, office floor below (outside of offices), lobby, and one bathroom in the narthex as it came through the ceiling.
A big thank you to all of our volunteers who jumped right to work cleaning up what water we could before the professionals arrived this afternoon. Bless you, bless you, bless you!
Our annual meeting will be rescheduled and we will be in touch with that new date within the next few days. If pieces of Music Sunday are able to rescheduled, we’ll also let you know that.
The fire was small, and we are a strong, healthy church. All will be well!
As we rejoice in that wellness, let us remember to pray today for those who are not well, notably those involved in the horribly tragic loss of life in Orlando. Let us pray for those lost, their families, LGBTQ families everywhere and a world in which so much hate still exists and is allowed to fester.
And to those prayers, I ask a smaller, but special additional prayer — for one very scared child and her family today, who need to know us as their church family. Love is so powerful, and I thank God for a church that loves well and adds love to a world in such desperate need of it.
5:28 PM: We stopped by a short time ago. The water cleanup continues:
A professional cleanup crew is on site now, but Rev. Bilinski says they are thankful for the many volunteers who pitched in earlier today.
5:42 PM: The Fauntleroy Y will reopen tomorrow.
After this morning’s Orlando massacre, Mayor Ed Murray has sent a statement including a note that “Seattle Police Department has increased security for Pride events and other large gatherings”:
Mayor Edward Murray made the following statement today regarding the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday morning:
“Americans woke up this morning with the all-too-familiar feeling of incomprehension at another act of mass violence, and LGBTQ Americans awoke with the sickening, all-too-familiar feeling of fear that our community has once again been attacked.
“Words cannot adequately encompass the feelings of grief I am feeling for the loss of so many of our LGBTQ and allied brothers and sisters in Orlando during the largest single act of violence against LGBTQ people in United States history. For too long, our community has been the target of violence throughout the world. It will never make sense to me that love is met with such hate.
“On behalf of the people of the City of Seattle, my heart and my thoughts go out to those whose lives were forever changed by the events last night. Today our community draws closer to one another for comfort, support and healing, and to honor those who were tragically lost.”
Murray will speak to the Seattle LGBTQ community at a candlelight vigil at 8:00 pm at Cal Anderson Park this evening.
Murray said that all SPD officers have received substantial active shooter training, and the Seattle Police Department has increased security for Pride events and other large gatherings.
He has ordered the flags at City Hall to be lowered to half-staff.
(Passing Alki on Saturday, photographed by Gary Jones: Argosy Cruises tour boat and U.S. Army Watercraft Vessel Small Tugboat ST-916 Desert Storm)
Here are the highlights for Sunday, June 12th, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and our inbox:
TRANSPORTATION NOTES: Washington State Ferries‘ summer schedule takes effect today, continuing through September 17th – find it here. Meantime, another week of overnight closures begins tonight on the west end of the West Seattle Bridge, 9 pm-5 am. And remember that the closures will start later next Tuesday and Thursday nights.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in The Junction. You never know what you’ll find – but last week, we noticed an abundance of strawberries, lettuce … and buskers! (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
LUNA PARK STREET MARKET: At Duos Lounge (2940 SW Avalon Way) and Ola Salon (2942 SW Avalon Way) in the Luna Park business district, a full day of fun – music, art, drinks, barbecue more – benefiting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and Seattle PrideFest. 11 am-4 pm, all ages.
COLMAN POOL: Another preseason Sunday for the outdoor pool on the shore of Lincoln Park – swim sessions noon-7 pm; see the schedule breakdown here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
KITTY HARBOR: Open for adoptions, noon-4 pm, second day of opening weekend. (3422 Harbor Avenue SW)
RETIREMENT CELEBRATION @ WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN: As previewed here, West Side Presbyterian Church invites you to an open-house celebration 1-4 pm (program at 2) in honor of longtime pastor Dr. Paul Smith. (3601 California SW)
SUNDAY FUNDAY: The Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s first “Sunday FUNday” is for the whole family – 1-3 pm at the Log House Museum, “family-focused history activities, including arts and crafts, story time and refreshments.” Here’s a SWSHS volunteer inviting you to be there:
You’re also invited to the museum for its regular hours, noon-4 pm, and it’s the final day of the Ivar Haglund exhibit. (61st/Stevens)
CHORAL CONCERT: 1 pm at Providence Mount St. Vincent‘s chapel, the NORCO College Choir performs a free concert. (4831 35th SW)
SILVER LINING: “Neo-retro” duo performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
PREVIEW NEXT WEEK, and beyond, via our complete calendar!
Two incident reports from readers – first, from Libby:
(Saturday) at 1:45 pm, my husband, kids, and I were merging onto I-5 south from the West Seattle Bridge. We were in the merging lane when, seemingly out of nowhere, we saw a giant wooden doghouse fly out of the back of a navy blue pickup truck and bounce onto the freeway. The body of the house bounced up 8 feet into the air and then landed behind a semi truck in the middle lanes while the roof flew onto the freeway directly in front of our car. My husband attempted to swerve to avoid it but did not want to risk getting hit by oncoming traffic in other lane so was ultimately forced to drive right over the structure which caused tremendous damage to our white Subaru Outback. We pulled over at the next exit (Michigan exit) to call 911 about the debris and the possible aftermath. We were told a state trooper would call us back to get a statement. As of (late Saturday night), no call has come our way.
We never got a license plate of the driver of the truck and would like to know if anyone else witnessed this. It happened in just seconds and we weren’t fast enough to grab plates. There were several cars behind us coming off of the West Seattle bridge to merge onto I-5 south and if anyone at all has any information we would so appreciate it.
We can be reached at 206-782-9671 call/text (Jay) or by email at sivak.jason@gmail.com
From Bethany:
Highland Park resident here, wanted to shoot you guys a heads-up about a weird hit and run outside our home to our two cars on 13th between Elmgrove and Kenyon – one car had the side mirror removed (no other damage, and the mirror is nowhere to be found, so whomever removed the darn thing either ACTUALLY removed it, or hit it and cleaned up after themselves), and the other car was hit with such force it shoved the rear wheels up onto the curb. No other vehicles on the road seem to be damaged, but there’s suspiciously little debris in the street. No bueno.
That was reported on Saturday morning.
(WSB photos)
No helicopters at this earthquake drill – it was all about the people. Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hubs around the city “activated” today, including the one behind Neighborhood House’s High Point Center.
We previewed this one earlier in the week – “citizen actors” were sought to help, and organizers tell us more than 70 volunteers showed up. But it wasn’t the stereotypical drill where volunteers were splayed out on the grass hamming it up, pretending to be hurt – in this case, they were asked to show up with a specific request for information or help, and work their way through the hub setup. In some cases, they were assessed for the skills they could offer:
That’s Lynda, who has first-aid skills and multiple language skills – both of which would be useful in case of catastrophe. And of course, there was a radio tent too:
The High Point hub was in communication with other hubs around the city, as would happen in a real disaster. The hubs are meant to be places where neighbors can help neighbors, knowing that if something major happened, the official rescuers would be stretched too thin to come to the rescue immediately, if ever.
So be sure to know where your nearest hub is (see the map above) – just in case. And if there’s not one near you, consider volunteering to organize one – West Seattle’s newest hub, by Hope Lutheran in The Junction, had an info-table today just to start raising awareness:
Forwarded by Seattle Police Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis, an invitation to this fall’s Community Police Academy:
The Seattle Police Department is now accepting applications for the 2016 fall SPD Community Police Academy. The Academy will start on Thursday, September 8th and will meet once a week for eleven consecutive Thursday evenings, 5:30 – 9:30 pm, ending on Thursday, November 17th, 2016. Participation is free.
The Community Police Academy is an eleven-week program designed to educate community members about the operations of the Seattle Police Department, while also giving the Department an opportunity to obtain valuable feedback from the community. The purpose of the Community Police Academy is to increase understanding between the Seattle Police Department and the community members of Seattle through education and interaction.
Community participants will become familiar with various facets of the Seattle Police Department and gain insight into law enforcement’s role in the criminal justice system and the daily work of police employees. With increased understanding, Seattle’s community and police can work together and achieve realistic solutions to neighborhood problems relating to crime, fear of crime, and neighborhood decay. It is hoped that increasing community awareness will respond to some of the myths and images of law enforcement and provide a realistic view of police procedures.
If you are interested in applying, please go here. When filling out the application, please include a copy of your Driver’s License. Space is limited and applications are processed on a first come, first serve basis. The application deadline is Friday, July 29, 2016.
To apply, you have to be at least 18 years old.
If you went to the overlook at Jack Block Park expecting to see nonstop activity during today’s aerial-rescue drill, you would have been disappointed. But every so often, helicopters did take off – during the span of about half an hour, we saw the military chopper above, as well as the Airlift Northwest medevac helicopter below:
On the otherwise mostly empty expanse of T-5 – popular with drills since it’s closed as a cargo terminal while the port prepares to expand its facilities and capabilities – land-based emergency vehicles were in view, including a Seattle Police Mobile Precinct larger than the van-style one based at the Southwest Precinct.
Seattle Fire led today’s drill and tweeted a photo of the big show (which came after we had already left to check out the Myers/Olson car flip) – rescuers hoisted on a platform:
Air platform used to transport rescuers including search dogs during regional drill at Terminal 5. pic.twitter.com/yzNwq0wjfC
— Seattle Fire Dept (@SeattleFire) June 11, 2016
(You might also have seen some of the aerial activity in southeast West Seattle – while covering the aforementioned crash, we spotted the same military helicopter over SFD’s Joint Training Facility.) This was part of Cascadia Rising, the weeklong regional drill – years in the planning – practicing scenarios based on the 9.0 megaquake that scientists think will hit someday.
This morning we also stopped by the grass-roots Emergency Communication Hubs drill that happened citywide, including a West Seattle location, and that report’s coming up.
(WSB photo, July 2012)
Whenever you see an otter in West Seattle – it’s a river otter, not a sea otter, even if you see it splashing and diving in saltwater Puget Sound. Here’s how to do more than just gawk at them:
Woodland Park Zoo is reaching out to the community to become otter spotters to help collect information on North American river otters, which are virtually unstudied in Washington waters.
Anyone can participate in the new community science project and become an otter spotter. Information and an otter spotter form can be found at www.zoo.org/conservation/otterspotter. Otter spotter tips and etiquette, and how to distinguish a river otter from a sea otter are included.
“This is a great opportunity for our community to get directly involved in science in our backyard. The more reports of sightings we can collect, the more data we’ll have on the range and behavior of river otters,” said Michelle Wainstein, Ph.D., a local ecologist and conservationist, and the field scientist for the project.
The zoo also is launching a new field study, River Otters of Western Washington: Sentinels of Ecological Health, which will focus on otter population biology and the contaminant loads in their scat along the length of the Green-Duwamish River. This river in particular traverses a diverse mosaic of habitats, including wildlands and parks; agricultural, industrial and residential areas; and the highly contaminated Lower Duwamish Waterway.
The Green River flows from undeveloped Washington wildlands through increasingly urbanized areas to become the Duwamish River—Seattle’s major industrial corridor since the early 1900s. According to Wainstein, river otters are an important species in aquatic ecosystems because they can serve as sentinels, telling us about the health of their local environment. Wainstein and the project team hope to determine if river otters are found along the entire 80-plus miles of this important waterway. …
North American river otters are amphibious members of the weasel family and live in water systems all over Washington state. Their habitat ranges over most of North America in coastal areas, estuaries, freshwater lakes, streams and rivers. Otters prey on what is readily available and easiest to catch, with a primary diet of fish, crayfish, amphibians and birds.
All otter species are considered threatened while five of the 13 species are endangered due to water pollution, overfishing of commercial stock and habitat destruction. …
Once the rain moved in at mid-afternoon, the Northwest Wine Academy on the north side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus was definitely the place to be.
Its spring-release celebration is part of today’s multi-venue “Spring at South” event on campus, inviting you to explore semi-hidden treasures including not only the NWWA but also the Seattle Chinese Garden, and nearby, the SSC Garden Center, where you’ll find frequent sales of student-grown and -propagated plants:
While the plant sale’s over for today (watch our calendar for the next one!), the SCG is having an open house until 5 pm, and the spring release/wine tasting event at NWWA continues until 7 pm, with tastings, appetizers, prepared by SSC’s much-lauded culinary program:
There’s also a food truck – Seattle Mamak, Malaysian street food – on the patio. And you can view art in the NW Wine Academy building and the Chan Education Center by the entrance to the Chinese Garden. SSC is at 6000 16th SW – use the northernmost entrance, which leads to a large parking lot, with NWWA toward its east side, the Chinese Garden on its north side.
12:13 PM: Big “heavy rescue” callout headed to Olson/Myers – avoid the area for a while. We’re en route to find out more.
12:24 PM: Just arrived in the area – car flipped in outside downhill lane. SFD still on scene. No major injuries reported; no other vehicles involved. Traffic is getting by both ways. This happened atop the exit to NB 99/509 but vehicles are getting around.
12:37 PM: Photos added.
(Rufous hummingbird, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Welcome to the weekend – here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
KIDS’ FISHING POND: The West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club presents its annual free fishing pond for kids, 8 am-11 am at Seacrest Pier. Fishing equipment provided; the pond’s stocked with trout; more info here. (1660 Harbor SW)
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION HUBS’ DISASTER DRILL & OPEN HOUSE: 9:30-11:30 am at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center, local volunteers – you’re invited to show up and help as a citizen actor! – will be rehearsing a quake scenario as part of the weeklong “Cascadia Rising” mega-quake drill. (6400 Sylvan Way SW) … Also this morning, the newest hub in West Seattle will have an “open house” info table so you can learn more about it, 9 am-noon – if you’re in THe Junction, stop by Hope Lutheran Church and find out more. (4456 42nd SW)
HELICOPTERS’ DISASTER DRILL: As previewed here again last night, a daylong drill will include helicopters flying to and from West Seattle’s Terminal 5, as part of the weeklong “Cascadia Rising” mega-quake drill. You can watch from the overlook at Jack Block Park.
SPRING AT SOUTH: Explore South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) and vicinity during the all-day event “Spring at South” – with trail walks in the surrounding West Duwamish Greenbelt, an open house at the Seattle Chinese Garden, wine tasting at the Northwest Wine Academy, photography exhibits, and more – see the schedule and highlights in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)
PLAY GAMES! Not really beach weather as of this writing, so explore indoor fun with a big schedule of Saturday events at Meeples Games (WSB sponsor), from Family Game Day (11:30 am-3 pm) to Bridge Night (7 pm-10 pm) and more. (3727 California SW)
MASTER GARDENERS’ POP-UP CLINIC: Gardening/plant question? Special chance to talk with Master Gardeners at the Delridge P-Patch, 10 am-2 pm, as previewed here. (5078 25th SW)
P-PATCH PIZZA: At the Barton Street Community Garden and P-Patch in Westwood, the masonry oven will be fired up today, and you’re invited to come: “Enjoy the garden and an opportunity to explore the use of traditional community ovens as well as masonry oven cooking techniques. We’ll be baking fresh pizzas! Neighbors are invited to bring favorite toppings and cheese to round out flavors. Volunteers are welcome.” Noon-3 pm – or if you want to help with the oven, even earlier: “Join us to build and tend the fire for the pizza oven (9:00 am and onward). This informational and fundraising event is open to all.” (34th SW/SW Barton)
NO LIGHTHOUSE TOURS TODAY: The Alki Point Lighthouse is NOT open for tours today, but will be back to its weekend 1-4 pm schedule tomorrow.
TALK WITH YOUR SCHOOL-BOARD REP: As the school year draws to a close, your next chance to talk with and hear from your elected local rep on the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors, Leslie Harris, is 3-4:30 pm today at High Point Library. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
FROM RUSSIA TO GATEWOOD: The St. Petersburg Men’s Ensemble performs a free concert at Peace Lutheran Church, including folk songs and liturgical music, 4 pm. (39th SW/SW Thistle)
REALFINE/RUDY’S PARKING LOT PARTY: 5-10 pm in The Triangle, Realfine Coffee and Rudy’s Barbershop are hosting a free parking-lot party with “local music, art, drinks, and more!” (4480 Fauntleroy Way SW)
DAVID MALLETT @ KENYON HALL: 7:30 pm, the legendary singer-songwriter returns to Kenyon Hall – our calendar listing includes how to check ASAP if reservations remain. (7904 35th SW)
And a transportation reminder:
NO BRIDGE CLOSURE TONIGHT: The next overnight closure of the west end of the West Seattle Bridge for the Fauntleroy Expressway earthquake-cushion re-replacements is tomorrow (Sunday) night, 9 pm-5 am.
THE REST OF THE LIST … for today, tonight, tomorrow, and beyond, is on our complete calendar.
(WSB photo, from April)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
On the city’s Shoreline Street Ends map, it’s “SW Barton Street.”
To the community that has cared for it since 1999, it’s Cove Park, a small strip of public beach on Fauntleroy Cove, immediately north of the state-ferry dock.
For three years earlier this decade, it was off-limits, until the Barton Pump Station Upgrade Project was complete – a project that turned Cove Park into a staging area.
Preparing for the project, King County – which runs the pump station – bought the 68-year-old beachfront bungalow next to Cove Park and its 14,000-square-foot (counting tidelands) lot for $950,000 in 2008.
Community members say they were told the little white house would be somebody’s home again, once the project was over. Now, a different possibility has the little white house at the core of a tug of war, one that could be heard in the impassioned voices of those who spoke at a recent community meeting.
(WSB photo from November 2015, helicopters at Terminal 5 during drill)
Just got more information about tomorrow’s drill at Terminal 5, which noted here last night after we found out about it from a Port rep. The lead agency is Seattle Fire, which just sent this:
Imagine a 9.0 earthquake so devastating that it impacts the entire Northwest Region. That is the basis for the Cascadia Rising earthquake exercise being held this week in multiple states. When a disaster of this magnitude strikes, a regional air response is necessary to face the challenges of saving lives over a large geographical area.
The Northwest Regional Aviation team will come together at the Port of Seattle Terminal 5 for a daylong series of helicopter drills that will utilize lifesaving skills necessary to meet the challenges of a regional disaster. In coordination with the Washington State Department of Emergency Management, a unified response with aviation resources from 10 different city, county and state jurisdictions including 6 aircraft will demonstrate the technical aspects of search and rescue, moving resources and transporting injured patients.
Observe landing and take-off procedures as multiple helicopters hoist and transport equipment and personnel in and out of the heliport base at Terminal 5. The community is invited to watch the helicopter rescue activities from the view platform located at Jack Block Park.
Agencies participating in the training:
Airlift Northwest
Bainbridge Island Fire Department
King County Sheriff’s Office
Port of Seattle
Seattle Fire Department
Seattle Police Department
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
Tacoma Fire Department
Washington National Guard
The drill is scheduled to start around 10 am and continue until about 2, according to SFD’s media advisory.
Also happening tomorrow in West Seattle as part of Cascadia Rising – two Emergency Communication Hubs events – details are in our preview.
One week from tomorrow, it’s the next big neighborhood celebration of summer, the Morgan Junction Community Festival, presented by the Morgan Community Association, in and around Morgan Junction Park, 10 am-5 pm Saturday, June 18th.
One fun feature you’ll find again – the “Bark of Morgan” dog parade and canine contests. First, at 1:30 pm, parade your pooch around the festival grounds (on leash – and costumes are encouraged); then, at 1:45 pm, compete in one of the seven contest categories, with judging by audience applause:
* Highest Jump
*Smallest Dog
*Best Urban Village Dog
*Best Trick
*Best Costume
*Longest Tail
*Best Owner/Dog Lookalike
Other festival fun includes kids’ activities starting at 10:30, Bubbleman‘s performance starting at 11:30, live music, food trucks, local authors, vendor booths, more; the park is on California north of Fauntleroy.
Take the time to wander the surrounding Morgan Junction business district, too – lots of great local businesses are co-sponsoring the festival, as are we. See you there!
(King County Assessor photo)
The new owners of a former church in Highland Park have officially filed to replace it with a residential rowhouse. Until a few months ago, as 1200 SW Holden, it was The Potter’s House, on the northwest corner of 12th SW and SW Holden, across from the Highland Park Improvement Club. Now, with an address change to 7551 12th SW – the site plan on file shows the five units facing 12th – it’s proposed for a five-townhouse rowhouse building. (The church, by the way, has moved to White Center.)
(WSB photo from last month)
Going into the fifth week of overnight closures for the west end of the West Seattle Bridge so earthquake-safety cushions can be re-replaced, we have word of two changes next week: SDOT says the Tuesday and Thursday night closures (June 14 and 16) will start later, because of “the large crowds expected to attend Copa America Centenario soccer games at CenturyLink Field on those evenings.” Tuesday night’s closure will run 11 pm-5 am, and on Thursday, it’ll be 10:30 pm-5 am. The project to re-replace 674 “bearing pads” is expected to require up to 50 overnight closures, usually Sunday-Thursday nights, so the bridge deck can be jacked up for that work; so far, by our county, it’s 17 closures in. (Don’t worry, we’ll remind you about all this next week in our morning traffic coverage, as usual.)
Just in from Seattle Police, via SPD Blotter:
Police arrested a 16-year-old Friday in West Seattle after he reportedly showed off a stolen handgun to his friends before trying to ditch it near a school.
Just before 9:30 AM, police received a report that the suspect was showing off a handgun to a group of teenagers in the 8600 block of 24th Avenue SW and SW Cloverdale. According to a 911 caller, the suspect had flashed a handgun in his waistband, pulled out the clip and then pulled the trigger of the empty weapon.
Police notified nearby Denny Middle School and Chief Sealth High School about the incident and began searching for the 16-year-old. Within nine minutes of the initial call, officers found the gun stashed in some bushes in the 8400 block of 26th Avenue SW and discovered it has been reported stolen in Snohomish County. Police found and arrested the 16-year-old minutes later and booked him into the King County Youth Service Center for unlawful possession of a firearm.
(Photo by CSIHS athletic director Ernest Policarpio)
A Seattle Mariners star dropped by Chief Sealth International High School, reports assistant principal Michael Reisinger:
Nelson Cruz stopped by Chief Sealth International High School on Thursday to speak with students about the importance of their education. A small group of students were able to meet with Cruz for about an hour and ask questions about his early days through his professional career. Cruz stressed to them the value of completing high school and working hard to achieve their goals. He also paused to take selfies and sign autographs for several students. The Chief Sealth family of staff and students thank Cruz for his visit, wish him well in the ongoing season, and welcome him back anytime.
Cruz, who joined the Mariners last year, is the son of educators.
(Port of Seattle image with proposed project’s toplines)
They asked for it … they got it. As we reported in our coverage of both public hearings this week on the Terminal 5 Improvements Project, community members asked for an extension of the comment period; last night, Port of Seattle reps promised a decision by “early next week.” They’ve just announced the decision is in and the new deadline for comments is 5 pm July 8th. Go to the “online open house” to see how to comment.
WSB coverage of this week’s hearings:
–Thursday in West Seattle
–Tuesday in Georgetown
| 9 COMMENTS