West Seattle, Washington
16 Sunday
Thanks to Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark for sharing photos from today’s Fiestas Patrias parade in South Park – during which the Denny contingent celebrated a special anniversary for the academic-support program Proyecto Saber:
I am proud to share that the Denny Dolphins had a great time celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Proyecto Saber as we marched in our favorite parade, Fiestas Patrias in South Park!
A special thank you to our superstar Proyecto staff, Liz Olsen, Herman Garcia, and Diana Burga! Our Dolphin Scholars did an excellent job representing their school as a part of the special neighborhood celebration.
A big shout out to our friends at Concord International Elementary School, Ms. Nestor, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Bautista from El Centro de la Raza, and Ms. Clausen, who danced in her Salvadorean attire.
Go Dolphins! Viva Proyecto!
The parade featured hundreds of participants – also including custom cars and horseback riders!
As explained online, the Fiestas Patrias parade and subsequent festival in South Park – along with a festival continuing downtown at Seattel Center tomorrow – celebrate “the Latin American countries that celebrate their independence throughout the month of September. Belizeans, Brazilians, Chileans, Costa Ricans, Salvadoreans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, Mexicans, and Nicaraguans from all over the Pacific Northwest come to enjoy their beautiful cultures with great food, dance, music, and more.”
Since the city sent first word Friday afternoon of the plan to paint red markings in the bus lane on the eastbound West Seattle Bridge, we’ve followed up to get the work schedule, which wasn’t in the announcement. If you’re driving the eastbound bridge overnight any time in the next four nights, be on the lookout for crews. SDOT spokesperson Norm Mah tells WSB it’ll be done over the next four nights:
The prep will begin Saturday night at 9 pm and go probably until 5 am. Then the painting is scheduled to begin Sunday night at 9 pm until 5 am to have the least impact on traffic. The work will continue Monday and Tuesday nights same hours and expected to be completed and ready for the Wednesday morning commute.
The city has marked bus lanes with red paint in four other spots so far. This is apparently one of the action items in the long-awaited “West Seattle Bridge-Duwamish Waterway Corridor Action Report” that will be presented at the City Council Transportation Committee‘s meeting on Tuesday morning at 9:30 am; the report itself is not yet attached to the agenda.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
STOLEN BICYCLE: Travis hopes you will be on the lookout for his bicycle, stolen from the back patio of his house between 10:45 pm Friday and 9 am today near the corner of 38th SW and SW Hinds. The serial number starts with M13; the bags were not on the bike at the time; a report is filed with police, so call 911 (and then comment here!) if you see it. (8:38 PM UPDATE – it’s back.)
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS RETURNED: Back on Tuesday, we published a report that two fire extinguishers had been stolen from SFD Engine 32 while its crew was out on an emergency call. Last night, we received word that they’ve been returned to the station – with a note of apology. (We added that info to the original story last night, but are mentioning it here since most probably wouldn’t be checking back for an update.)
Cycle University‘s West Seattle branch is getting out of the retail business – but you’ll still be able to shop there, as another bike shop takes over the retail space, while Cycle U continues 
with cycling-fitness classes, bike-fitting, coaching, and bicycle-skill classes. Cycle U proprietor Craig Undem says they’re partnering with Woodinville Bicycle, which will open its second shop at the Cycle U WS location as Westside Bicycles. That’ll be in an expanded retail space on the main floor at 3418 Harbor Ave. SW, while Cycle U’s offerings will be in a remodeled basement studio, starting in early October. In the meantime, Cycle U’s having a “blow-out liquidation sale” of its merchandise. Undem says in the announcement, “I can’t thank the West Seattle community enough for the support and patronage these first 6 years from our start at the Senior Center and the Huling Brothers Jeep location. We always wanted to offer more bikes and accessories but were working with a limited budget. Woodinville Bicycle has been one of the top shops in the region for 10 years and has the resources to really outfit a top level bike shop. This will allow us to focus on what we do best.” Cycle U moved to Harbor Ave. in 2012. (King County Assessor’s Office photo)
Once it was determined that Seattle Public Schools would start this past Thursday, we published a reminder about West Seattle’s new speed camera zone, its fourth one, on Delridge Way SW by Louisa Boren STEM K-8 and interim Arbor Heights Elementary (as first confirmed in June). We have since obtained followup information about the warning period for that camera – and it includes news of the new increased fine for school-zone speeding. From Chris Steel of SPD’s speed-camera program:
The new sites [this one and others in the city] will have a 30-day warning period starting on the first day of school, 9/17/15. Drivers who exceed the posted speed limit while the school zone beacons are active will receive a Courtesy Warning Notice. This notice explains the school zone safety program and advises the driver:
· This is a Courtesy Warning Only
· There is No Penalty for this Notice
· These is No Response needed
· This Notice will not be reported to the Department of LicensingThe notice goes further on to explain that once the warning period ends, the current fine for this violation is $234. This is an increase from last school year as mandated by the Washington Supreme Court and in effect as of July 1, 2015.
Again, the “grace period” applies only to the ticketing *camera* in the STEM/AH zone – if an officer tickets you, or if you get an in-person or camera ticket in any other flashing-beacon school zone, it’s official from the school year’s start. (Here’s the map of speed cameras citywide – West Seattle has three that were in use before this school year, Fauntleroy Way SW near Gatewood Elementary and two on SW Roxbury, by Roxhill Elementary and Holy Family School.)
(9-year-old Ole Gutierrez of the Fire Breathers, photographed by Tom Madden last weekend)
The spotlight photo is in honor of the West Seattle Soccer Club‘s recordsetting fall season (2,000+ players, 340+ volunteer coaches) starting its second weekend. In all, lots going on today! Here are the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
PORT OF SEATTLE BOAT TOUR: If you’re going on this, you should already have RSVP’d; we’re just mentioning it as a reminder. The port’s free boat tour for West Seattleites, to show off the “working waterfront,” leaves Pier 66 downtown at 9:30 am.
SECOND-TIME SALE: 9 am-3 pm in the Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church. Volunteers worked hard Friday to get everything ready:
(Volunteer Baiba Morris gets a pile of linens ready for this weekend’s sale. Photo courtesy Judy Pickens)
The sale continues for a few midday hours on Sunday, but today’s your best chance at the best deals. (9140 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE GEAR GRAB: 10 am-4 pm, outdoor gear at an outdoor sale! Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor), West Seattle Cyclery, and Mountain to Sound Outfitters are teaming up for this giant parking-lot clearance sale, rain or shine, as previewed here. (42nd SW parking lot south of SW Oregon)
WESTFEST: 10 am-10 pm, it’s the second and final day of Holy Rosary School‘s annual fundraising festival. Family fun, food, and other festivities. See the entertainment schedule – and get other festival info – by going here. (42nd SW & SW Genesee)
FABULOUS FAMILY FUN SERIES: The series is back, at High Point Community Center! Louie Foxx performs at 10:30 am. Admission prices and other info, check out our calendar listing. (6920 34th SW)
FIESTAS PATRIAS PARADE: 11 am in South Park – if you love parades, you don’t want to miss this one. Followed by a festival at SP Community Center; details here. (14th Avenue S.)
STORYTIME: Melissa at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village says, “Splat the Cat will be our very special guest star at our Saturday Storytime! Come say hi to our fun, furry friend, and listen to his great stories! 11 am in the Kids’ Department.” (2800 SW Barton)
EVENING WALK WITH THE OWLS, RAVENS, & OTHER LIFE FORMS: 6:30 pm nature walk in Lincoln Park with naturalist Stewart Wechsler – details on his website. (8265 Fauntleroy Way SW)
BUFFALO FIELD CAMPAIGN ROAD SHOW: 7 pm at Easy Street Records, music and advocacy on behalf of this “non-profit, volunteer-based organization focused on protecting America’s last wild buffalo population,” in southwestern Montana. More in our calendar listing. (SW Alaska & California SW)
MORE LIVE MUSIC: Bavarian music for Oktoberfest at Elliott Bay, Roo Forrest & Friends at >C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor), Katherine Terrien at The Junction Church, and a multi-act bill at Skylark – find all those listings on our complete calendar.
On Thursday night, we pointed out that West Seattle had just one pop-up mini-park planned for PARKing Day this year:
… and that was it, the third consecutive year for a mini-park outside Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) at Westwood Village. That’s co-proprietor Kirk Keppler. They offered visitors a chance to play “ladder ball,” among other things.
Though no one else was registered for the SDOT map, we found out tonight that there was at least one unofficial pop-up park:
Thanks to Amy for the photo from their unofficial mini-park on Admiral Way near 63rd. PARKing Day is a global celebration of urban open space held every year.
In case you haven’t heard … the city is warning of a possible traffic-tastrophe when the president of China, Xi Jinping, visits next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Mayor Murray issued this alert late today, including:
Intermittent closures of freeways, regional arterials and downtown streets are expected. The flow of buses and cars in downtown Seattle and around the region will be disrupted. Travelers in Seattle are advised to plan ahead and expect traffic delays on all three days. Those who can postpone trips downtown or work from home are encouraged to do so.
He’s flying in and out of Paine Field in Snohomish County, reports The Times, not Boeing Field, so that likely means less disruption here on the south side of the city; some more-general info about his visit is on Gov. Inslee’s website.
One year after voters approved creating the Seattle Park District to provide more money for the city’s park system, Mayor Murray has gone public with his first full-year budget proposal for the district. He was in South Park this morning for the announcement; above, you can watch Seattle Channel‘s archived video of the event. The news release is here – and probably of most interest locally is the list of what will be funded if his proposal goes through. See it here; we’ve excerpted specific West Seattle mentions below (but note that some items on the list are very general, so these are not necessarily ALL the ways in which WS facilities/locations would get funding):
PLAY AREAS
Renovate play areas with new play equipment and make any necessary safety and ADA improvements. Complete Lincoln Park (North), Webster Park and Gilman Park play areas in 2016. Begin the following 7 renovations: Prentis Frazier, Georgetown, High Point, Dearborn, Discovery, Hiawatha and South Park play areas.
COMMUNITY CENTER REHABILITATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Condition assessments under way for the following community centers: Green Lake, Hiawatha, Jefferson, Loyal Heights, Magnolia, Queen Anne, South Park, Lake City. This information and the Community Center Strategic Plan will inform priority projects
INCREASE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
New Third Shift Crew of journey-level trade positions (electricians, painters, carpenters and plumbers) maintains recreation facilities at night to avoid disruption to the public during operating hours and to work more efficiently. In 2016, the Third Shift Crew will work at 14 sites Camp Long, Rainier Beach CC, Van Asselt CC, International District/Chinatown CC, Alki CC, Miller CC, Yesler CC, Montlake CC, Laurelhurst CC, Ravenna-Eckstein CC, Magnolia CC, Green Lake CC, Loyal Heights CC, South Park CC. These are in addition to 10 sites already funded for preventive maintenance in the department’s base budget: Colman Pool, Mounger Pool, Mount Baker Bathhouse, SW Crew Quarters and the following facilities which will require closures: Evans Pool, Southwest Pool, Amy Yee Tennis Center, Madison Pool, Queen Anne Pool. This means improved maintenance at 24 facilities in 2016, and moving from a 5-7 year cycle of visits to a 2-year cycle. Because much of the work is done at night, there will be fewer 2-3 week closures and fewer interruptions of child care programs, before- and after-school care, sports and many other activities.
PROVIDE CLEAN, SAFE, WELCOMING PARKS
Improve parks grounds maintenance, landscaping, and tree work by adding a third tree crew to protect the long-term health of park trees (decreasing tree maintenance cycle from once every 50 years to once every 14 years); increasing support for the Seattle Conservation Corps; and increasing park maintenance including doubling weekly cleanings of comfort stations during peak season at 41 locations: Cal Anderson, Powell Barnett, Volunteer, Madison Beach, Madrona Beach, Washington, Pratt, Garfield, Seward, Atlantic City, Genesee, Othello, Jefferson, Judkins, Alki, Rainier, Van Asselt, EC Hughes, Seacrest, Highland Park, Lincoln Beach, Riverview, Roxhill, Lincoln Wading Pool, John C. Little, Gas Works, Upper Woodland, Lower Woodland, Central Woodland, Green Lake, North Acres Spray Park, Carkeek, Golden Gardens Upper, Golden Gardens Beach, Soundview, Maple Leaf, Matthews Beach, Magnuson, Viewridge, Dahl, Meadowbrook.
PUT THE ARTS IN PARKS
Working with the Office of Arts and Culture, recruit and select artists to “activate” parks through approximately 40 performances and temporary installations. While not limited to these sites, the following parks have high priority for activation: Cal Anderson, Dr. Blanche Lavizzo, First Hill, Judkins, Flo Ware, Powell Barnett, Denny, Ballard Commons, Lake City Mini Park, Mineral Springs, Salmon Bay, University Playfield, Hutchinson, John C. Little, Othello, Pritchard Beach, Delridge, Duwamish Waterway, Roxhill.
DEVELOP 14 NEW PARKS AND LAND-BANKED SITES
Start planning and design from 2016 to 2018 for 14 new parks all over the city on land acquired with 2008 Parks and Greenspaces Levy including: Lake City Hub Urban Village, Baker Park Addition, Greenwood Park Addition, Greenwood/ Phinney Residential Urban Village, Wedgwood, U District UCV, Fremont HUV, Denny Triangle, International District UCV, 48th and Charlestown, North Rainier HUV, West Seattle Junction, Morgan Junction RUV, South Park Plaza (bold indicates the sites planned to start in 2016).
The local “land-banked sites” mentioned for West Seattle are, in the Junction, the one on 40th SW south of SW Alaska, current interim home to Fire Station 32, and in Morgan Junction, just north of MJ Park, the site currently housing a commercial building. Those two and 48th/Charlestown are all now city-owned but there’s no money to develop them as parks, pending this proposal (or something else in the future). Again, LOTS more in the full list linked above, but these are the items that include specific, called-out-by-name West Seattle locations. Next year is the first year that property taxes will be collected to fund the Park District and its projects.
Just in from SDOT:
Starting on Saturday, September 19, 2015, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will mark the existing eastbound bus-only lanes on the West Seattle Bridge with high visibility red markings. Similar to those installed in locations such as Battery Street and NE Pacific Street, these markings raise the profile of the transit-only lane and improve driver compliance with the restriction.
If you see this suspect or have any information about the bank robbery in the 4300 blk SW Admiral Way call 911 pic.twitter.com/YII2bZBTSa
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) September 18, 2015
(Tweeted photo, added 3:24 pm)
2:56 PM: Police are rushing right now to a reported bank robbery in The Admiral District. The address that’s been broadcast is the Bank of America branch (4323 SW Admiral Way). The only description police have at this point is (updated) “black male in his 20s, 5’8″, wearing a baggy white shirt with red/blue lettering.”
3:05 PM: No weapon seen, officers are telling dispatchers (per scanner). If you’re seeing or have seen the Guardian One helicopter in the area, this is what they are/were helping with.
3:24 PM: We asked Seattle Public Schools if any of the nearby schools had gone into lockdown/shelter in place. Spokesperson Stacy Howard says Lafayette Elementary and West Seattle High School did, briefly, but that should be over now. Just added, meantime, photo of the robber, tweeted by SPD. Call 911 if you have seen him and/or know who he is.
(WSB photo, taken around 3:30 pm)
4:24 PM: No word of an arrest yet. Side note – this is the second bank robbery in West Seattle in a month and a half, after one at the Umpqua Bank in Admiral in early August. Before that, there hadn’t been one here since Washington Federal north of The Junction was held up in May 2014.
And with that, the M/V Doc Maynard was officially welcomed to the King County Water Taxi fleet – though it’s not expected to join the West Seattle-Downtown Seattle run until December – after filling in for its twin M/V Sally Fox on the Vashon run for a while, and after some work is done at Seacrest to accommodate its size and configuration. The celebration at Pier 50 downtown included speeches and even stories – King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, drawing on a past gig as an Underground Tour guide, told the tale of the boat’s namesake:
After the speeches and bottle-smashing, it was out onto the bay for a test run. Here’s a quick look around the top deck at the stern (there’s room for more than 30 to stand at the bow, too) – mouse over the Instagram image to bring up the “play” button:
Interior, main deck, new West Seattle Water Taxi. pic.twitter.com/wV8tnXGu2b
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) September 18, 2015
We have lots of photos, video, and info to add once we’re back at HQ.
ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: More from the event – first, the group shot of West Seattleites who took the short “maiden voyage” after the ceremony, out into the bay and back:
(Photo courtesy KCDOT)
The county points out that the space on the bow is one thing differentiating Doc Maynard from Sally Fox – since the DM will travel mostly in calmer Elliott Bay waters, rather than across the heart of the sound as SF does to get to Vashon Island. Here’s what it looks like on the inside upper passenger deck, which has a view directly into the wheelhouse:
On the outer lower deck, at the stern, some of the bicycle storage:
The event wasn’t just a celebration of the new boat – funded mostly with a grant from the federal government (which had a rep on hand too) – but also of the Water Taxi’s history. It was pointed out that it now goes back 17 years, into the late 1990s, at which time then-King County Councilmember Greg Nickels championed it as a “demonstration project.” Introduced as “the father of the Water Taxi,” he spoke today too:
Nickels noted that the fellow West Seattleites with whom he stood, County Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember McDermott, also worked with him back in the Water Taxi’s early days. If you’ve been around a while, you’ll recall other boats that have handled the Water Taxi’s run; while the way-back boats weren’t present for the ceremony, the other three current boats were out on the water as the Doc Maynard pulled away:
Besides the Sally Fox, you saw in that clip the current West Seattle boat, the Spirit of Kingston, and the current backup, the Melissa Ann, which is leased. SofK will be the backup boat once Doc Maynard goes into service.
(WSB photos)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When the doors open at Colman Pool for its 75th-anniversary season next summer, be sure to look up as you walk in.
The 6′ x 13′ mural over the reception window in the lobby is getting some TLC right now, following the end of the 2015 season for the city-owned outdoor, saltwater pool on the shore of Point Williams at Lincoln Park.
We stopped in earlier this week to talk with Peter Malarkey, the conservator who is cleaning and repairing the mural for what might be the first time in its three-quarters of a century:
The mural was painted by Ernest Norling for the pool’s completion and dedication on July 4th, 1941.
Malarkey, who cleans and restores privately owned paintings as well as public artwork like this, says he’s seen worse – but still, here’s proof of what he’d removed in the first few days:
Since the pool is only open to the public a few months a year, and there are no other sources of “emissions” to contribute to the grime, that’s likely why it’s in what Malarkey terms “surprisingly good shape.” You have to look hard to see the spots he’s repairing – a few nicks and scratches, one long line of “graphite” that he suspects might have been caused by someone with a pencil. A few spatters, too.
And then, a protective coat of varnish will go over the entire mural – not too glossy, so it doesn’t detract from the art itself, “as invisible as possible,” says Malarkey. “It’s meant to be panels of color, not a lush oil painting.”
Talking about the mural restoration led to a discussion of the mural itself, which reflects many aspects of the time, and the interests of Laurence Colman, for whom the pool is named. You can read about the mural, titled “American Youth and Freedom,” on interpretive signage in the lobby (which has other items of interest, even an old-fashioned phone booth):
We discussed the mural’s style – which Malarkey sees as a reflection of American Regionalism, and the so-called “American Scene” painters. He has another term for it – “late ‘Public Deco’.” The mural, he observes, “clearly responds to the building,” including its curves
Back to Peter Malarkey’s work as a conservator. “All the materials I will use are reversible,” he said. His work is “to influence the painting as little as possible” – everything is soluble in case at some point it needs to be removed. “Reversibility” is important in the kind of work he does. When you see the mural again next year, “the fresher colors will give you a chance to look at (Norling’s) work again, the way he intended it to look.”
Malarkey expects to be done by the middle of next week. Of the project (publicly and privately funded, for an estimated total of $15,000), he says, “It’s good of Parks and the city to be taking care of this – it shows a lot of dedication to the building (and its history). It’s an example of a wise investment in the city’s culture.”
(Photo courtesy of Rachael)
10:26 AM: Seattle Fire has sent a full “fire in building” response to 5630 California SW. First crews on scene are not seeing anything. Avoid the area – traffic is blocked right now.
10:29 AM UPDATE: One crew has just found the source of the smoke – apparently a lamp. Most of the crews are being dismissed. Northbound California remains blocked, south of SW Findlay – this is on the east side of the street.
(Photo by Paul Walchenbach, at sunset last Saturday over Alki)
We’re heading into the last weekend of summer, whether the weather reinforces that or not – highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
PARKing DAY: One pop-up mini-park in West Seattle this year, outside Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) at Westwood Village. Check it out starting at 10 am. If you’re elsewhere in Seattle today, here’s the citywide map – note that the small green icons are the pop-up parks. (2800 SW Barton)
M/V DOC MAYNARD DEDICATION: The new West Seattle Water Taxi‘s dedication is at 11:30 am at Pier 50 downtown, but you can ride there and back from Seacrest for free if you start with the 10:45 am outbound run. Or, just show up at Pier 50 (south of the WSF terminal at Colman Dock).
WS BIG BAND PLAYS SINATRA: Check to see if there’s still room at this benefit for and at the Senior Center of West Seattle – no-host bar opens 6 pm, Italian dinner at 6:30, the West Seattle Big Band plays the music of Frank Sinatra at 7. (SW Oregon & California SW)
WESTFEST: Holy Rosary School‘s annual fall festival starts 6-10 pm tonight (and continues tomorrow). Info and entertainment schedule here. (42nd SW & SW Genesee)
FREE MOVIE AT HPIC: Doors open at 6 at Highland Park Improvement Club, kids’ short at 6:15, main feature at 7 – details here. Free (bring $ for concessions, sold by volunteers) – HPIC has chairs, or bring your own. (12th SW & SW Holden)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Playing on the peninsula tonight – West Seattle High School hosts Garfield HS, 7 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)
BOB’S BOWL-A-RAMA: Benefit bowl-a-thon at West Seattle Bowl, 7 pm tonight, to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities – details here. (39th SW & SW Oregon)
LIVE MUSIC! and more, in the additional listings you’ll find on our complete calendar.
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
No incidents reported so far in, or outbound from, West Seattle.
NEW WATER TAXI TO BE DEDICATED TODAY: The M/V Doc Maynard, which will take over the West Seattle Water Taxi run this fall, will be dedicated today at Pier 50 at 11:30 am (as first announced in August). You can catch a free ride there from Seacrest at 10:45 on the Spirit of Kingston.
REMINDER: FERRIES START FALL SCHEDULE SUNDAY: Washington State Ferries starts its fall schedule this Sunday (September 20th); for Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth, that means fewer weekend sailings.
UPDATED 7:35 AM – METRO CANCELLATIONS TODAY: 3 announced for West Seattle so far this morning:
Transit Alert – Route 55 to downtown Seattle due to leave SW Atlantic St and 44th Av SW at 7:18 AM will not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) September 18, 2015
Transit Alert – Route 56 to downtown Seattle due to leave SW Admiral Way & 51st Av SW @ 7:30 AM will not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) September 18, 2015
Transit Alert – Route 57 to downtown Seattle due to leave the Alaska Junction at 6:41 AM will not operate.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) September 18, 2015
Colleen adds in comments that a RapidRide run was cancelled, unannounced, in the 6 am hour.
WEEKEND CITYWIDE ALERTS: Here’s the SDOT list of what’s up around the city this weekend (though there’s one omission not far from here – the Fiestas Patrias parade in South Park on Saturday morning at 11).
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes before the night is through:
HELICOPTER SEARCH: We’re hoping to get more details on this from police in the morning, but for those who asked about the helicopter over southeastern West Seattle early this evening, it was related to a car crash in the Olson/Myers vicinity, reported as a hit-run; police were looking for someone who wound up in the greenbelt, and eventually, became the subject of a Guardian One search and SFD rescue.
CAR PROWL: From Robert:
My car was broken into last night. No damage and nothing stolen, just rummaged thru my glove box but nothing was of value. Woke up with all my stuff on my seat. I live at 34th and Alaska. Just wanted to give a heads up.
This is one of those events that tends to sell out way ahead of time – so here’s your advance alert. If you want to celebrate Oktoberfest authentically, without leaving the peninsula, it’s reservation time – Martin Král sends the info (and the photo of his son Logan):
The Austria Club of Washington has the most authentic Oktoberfest – and it’s held in West Seattle!
Date and Time: Saturday, October 10 6 – 11 pm
Location: Alki Masonic Hall, 4736 40th Avenue SW
Featuring the Bert Carlson Band
Folk costume (Tracht) encouraged
German beer and wine at modest pricesCost: $35 (includes dinner)
Advance purchase only!Tickets must be paid by October 3
Mail check (made out to ‘Austria Club of WA’) to Rosie Mulholland, 11737 5th Avenue NE “C”, Seattle, WA 98125
For info call Rosie at 367-1988 or visit www.austriaclubwa.com
If you go to Westwood Village tomorrow, stop by the PARKing Day park outside Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor), any time after 10 am. Once again this year, they’re participating in the worldwide festival of creating temporary mini-parks … and this year, according to the SDOT map, theirs is the ONLY pop-up park in West Seattle.
(Photo substituted for video window post-event, until archived video is available; thanks to County Councilmember Joe McDermott for permission to republish)
7:35 PM: Click the play button and you should get the live feed of tonight’s Youngstown Cultural Arts Center faceoff between the City Council District 1 candidates who made it to the general election, Shannon Braddock and Lisa Herbold. This is one of a citywide series of forums/debates presented by Town Hall and the Seattle Channel; lead moderator tonight is your editor here, with community moderators Cecile Hansen, chair of the Duwamish Tribe, and Fernando Mejia-Ledesma of OneAmerica, and Q&A moderator Edward Wolcher from Town Hall. You can e-mail a question to debates@townhallseattle.org or ask one via Twitter with the hashtag #seacouncil.
7:40 PM NOTE: This program is intended to run an hour, by the way, so it will go until about 8:35 pm. After that – we’ll be watching for the archived video.
8:38 PM UPDATE: The forum’s over, so the live feed is too; Edward from Town Hall says it will be on Seattle Channel (cable) Monday night. Archived video will also be available via the SC website, and we’ll add it here when it is. Thanks to everyone who came to Youngstown to be in the “live” audience – the lights were bright and we didn’t get a count, but in a quick early glance, seemed like most of the seats are filled. Town Hall is doing these in all the districts – this was the first one. Also, if you missed it but want to be sure to see the candidates in person before you vote, you’ll have at least four more chances – we know of four forums in West Seattle next month – stand by for those dates.
Three notes, two of which are updates on projects we’ve mentioned before:
(Rendering: S + H Works Architecture & Design)
DESIGN REVIEW FOR APARTMENT BUILDING AT 9021 17TH SW: Back in June, we reported on a plan for a 31-unit, 31-parking-space apartment building at 9021 17th SW in South Delridge. The project is now on the Southwest Design Review Board‘s schedule, as the second review of the night on Thursday, October 15th, 8 pm at the Sisson Building (home of the Senior Center) in The Junction.
THREE TOWNHOUSES BEHIND 2336 44TH SW: New project just popped up in the system – a plan to demolish a building described as a “garage/carriage unit” (see the bottom photo here) behind this address, on the alley between 44th and California SW, and replace it with three townhouses.
THREE HOUSES REPLACING 1 AT 6715 CALIFORNIA SW: Back in January, we mentioned this south Morgan Junction plan. This week, work has begun, with the 97-year=old house on the site torn down, and the rest of the site-clearing work under way.
Back-to-school scenes from around the peninsula:
Sup't Nyland welcomes incoming freshman to Chief Sealth International on the first day of the 2015-16 school year. pic.twitter.com/2MZWFb0BpP
— Seattle Schools (@seapubschools) September 17, 2015
As previewed here Wednesday, SPS Superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland started Day 1 with visits to CSIHS and Concord International in South Park.
On the north end of the peninsula, West Seattle’s most populous elementary school enjoyed its annual first-day tradition for the last time at its original campus:
@SchmitzPark Flag Ceremony 2015. A great start to the school year! 655 students strong. @seapubschools pic.twitter.com/vVkZ0ItqjR
— Gerrit Kischner (@PrincipalKisch) September 17, 2015
Here’s video, courtesy of Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals (who reports on today’s ceremony here):
Providing construction continues to be on schedule, Schmitz Park Elementary will start next school year in its new Genesee Hill location.
Last but not least – a reader photo – the Bear boys, ready for Day 1:
The brothers were off to Sealth and Denny.
Got a first-day photo to add? editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
ADDED 5:01 PM: Thanks to Mel for sharing the photo – sophomore at Sealth!
Also just in – Mateo, 4th grader at Concord International:
Two West Seattle coffee notes percolating today:
FIRST CHICKEN, THEN COFFEE: Welcome the new spinoff from Harry’s Chicken Joint in north Morgan Junction – call it Harry’s Coffee Joint, though it’s really Catherine and Jared’s coffee joint – there they are above, Catherine Cougan, daughter of Chicken Joint founder Bruce Cougan, and Jared Harkness. They’re in soft-open mode right now on the south side of Harry’s, with free samples, and then officially opening 7 am-2 pm weekdays starting next Monday. They’re roasting their own coffee except for the espresso blend (Vashon); they’re also baking their own goodies, including the bursting-with-blueberries scones we saw while visiting a little while ago. It’s a cozy spot, as is the chicken side, but stools are on order, Catherine tells us, and you can sit over in the chicken space says the Coffee Joint – his daughter’s enterprise – officially opens next week, with espresso and treats, and will be open 7 am-2 pm, while the chicken hours continue at 4 pm-8 pm. This is all going on at 6032 California SW.
FRESHY’S EXPANDS DOWNTOWN: If you work downtown and need coffee .. you’ll soon have a new West Seattle-rooted shop to patronize: Freshy’s Coffee, which has been in The Admiral District for 10 years now, is opening a second location at 1099 Stewart St., Suite 102. “Hoping for a soft opening in October,” they say via Instagram.
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