West Seattle, Washington
08 Wednesday
If you were planning to donate items to WestSide Baby via its main HQ in White Center – they’re asking you to wait a few days, because of a power outage caused by a small fire. From WS Baby executive director Nancy Woodland:
WestSide Baby’s White Center Main Operations Center experienced a small electrical fire in an outside meter that has caused us to lose power. We are awaiting landlord-directed repairs and must remain closed until those repairs are made. We hope this will happen quickly and we are exploring other options to continue operations in the meantime. We’ll post updates on our website and/or Facebook. Thank you to everyone for your concern, and please know we are making every effort to be up and running very soon as children are counting on us.
We will have our donation bin out during the regular hours but, if you have item donations and you are able to hold them for us during this time, we would be very grateful. We are in the dark and unable to sort things and a pile up can be difficult to address.
We are hopeful, our landlord will address this quickly but we expect to be closed at least a week at our White Center Donation and Volunteer Center. Our administrative office and our Central Branch location at 23rd and Jackson are both open for full operations!
We stopped by two of the stores where Kiwanis and Key Club volunteers are collecting food until 3 pm:
At West Seattle Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan; WSB sponsor), we found, from left, Chief Sealth International High School Key Club members Ariana, Cameron, and Johnny were there with Kiwanis’s Shari Sewell and West Niver. Then at PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (California/Stevens; WSB sponsor):
In our photo, Rosemary and Hana from the Key Club at West Seattle High School (right across the street!). The Kiwanis’s third location is the Junction QFC (42nd/Alaska). Your nonperishable food donations matter more than ever right now – while there are food drives aplenty at some times of year, especially the winter holidays, the need is great year-round.
P.S. Separate from the Kiwanis food drive but toward the same goal – making sure fewer people are hungry – the West Seattle Food Bank has volunteers at Metropolitan Market (41st/42nd/Admiral; WSB sponsor) until 3 pm, too.
(Golden-crowned sparrow, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Happy Saturday! First, a transportation note:
WATER TAXI NOW RUNNING WEEKENDS TOO: This is the first Saturday since the West Seattle Water Taxi moved to its spring/summer schedule, which includes weekends. See the schedule here.
Now, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FOOD DRIVE: The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle will have volunteers at West Seattle Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan; WSB sponsor), PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (California/Stevens; WSB sponsor), and Junction QFC (42nd/Alaska), 9 am-3 pm, to collect food for local food banks. Buy extra while you’re shopping, or if you already have nonperishable items ready to give, go to any location to drop it off.
MEGA-RUMMAGE SALE: 9 am-3 pm on the Oregon side of Hope Lutheran Church, a big rummage sale to raise money for missionary work in Mexico. (Oregon/California)
OPEN HOUSE & SALE: 10 am-6 pm, Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) continues its 10th anniversary open house with giveaways, refreshments, specials, and the ongoing storewide sale. (added) We stopped by for a pic of proprietors Kirk and Joni Keppler:
(Westwood Village, north of Barnes & Noble)
INTERNATIONAL TABLETOP DAY: 10 am-midnight, celebrate at Meeples Games (the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s Emerging Business of the Year) with a day of FREE fun – competitions, raffles, learn-to-play sessions, and more – see the calendar listing for details. (California/Charlestown, upstairs)
SPRING OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-2 pm at West Seattle Nursery, with speakers, free espresso, and other reasons to stop by. (California/Brandon)
LOVE LEGOS? Ages 5-12 invited to the West Seattle (Admiral) Library, 3-4:30 pm – details here. (2306 42nd SW)
(added) BASEBALL BENEFIT DINNER/AUCTION: West Seattle Booster Club Spaghetti Dinner and Auction benefiting the West Seattle High School Baseball Team is tonight, 5 pm to 8 pm at West Side Presbyterian Church (WSB sponsor), $10 donation per person for a delicious meal and great time. (3601 California SW)
DIVERSE HARMONY: 7 pm at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, free concert by the singers whose choir made history as the first “queer/straight alliance” chorus – see our preview. (3050 California SW)
COFFEE & MUSIC: Steve Beck, Steve Peterson, and Jim Moore perform at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
FRIENDS FOR FEET: 7:30 pm benefit at Feedback Lounge, explained here. (6451 California SW)
BENEFIT FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS: 8 pm at West Seattle Eagles (all-ages until 10 pm), the annual benefit for Mukilteo Magic & All Aboard athletes – live music and more. (4426 California SW)
THAT’S ONLY PART OF WHAT’S UP TODAY/TONIGHT … full list on our calendar.
Thanks to West Seattle High School teacher Rebecka McKinney for another update on the WSHS Diversity Club, which closed out this pre-spring-break week with a workshop for classmates schoolwide:
The West Seattle High School Diversity Club taught workshops in every language arts class Friday, April 10 on racism, bias and privilege.
The workshops went through why this is important work as a part of the Diversity Club’s #embRACEtheRACE campaign to build understanding and capacity for anti-racist efforts at WSHS. They shared the history of race as a social construct and what the concept of race means in this country.
“I feel like more people are thinking about racism and that’s what matters, they’re thinking about it instead of just ignoring it,” said senior facilitator and Diversity Club member Jahine Wallace.
Next, the club used a well-known game to teach a lesson on privilege and why people need to recognize when they have it and help those who have less.
“I felt that it was great because people were actually engaging and participating,” said senior facilitator and Diversity Club member Essence Cassell. “I felt like they learned a lot and they’ve been listening all year.”
After that the workshops covered different types of racism, individual, institutional, and structural racism along with implicit bias. They talked about what each of these are as well as examples of each.
“It was a work in progress, but successful,” said junior facilitator and Diversity Club member Larenn Dixon. “I feel like a lot of people have more understanding than they did before and it opened people’s eyes to more than just individual racism, but institutional and structural.”
Next the workshop had students go through a scenario on racism in education that the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative developed last year for the RACE workshops that went with the Science Center’s exhibit.
“People actually spoke about racism and didn’t feel as uncomfortable,” said junior facilitator and Diversity Club member Analisa Guerra.
The Diversity Club has done several things this year as a part of their #embRACEtheRACE campaign. They led a challenge to erase the n-word that was featured on KING 5 with a video to kick off the challenge on YouTube and time at class assemblies. They have also taught the school about police brutality against people of color through the school’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. assembly.
“I hope more people are aware that racism is a real thing and not just a Diversity Club thing,” said senior facilitator and Diversity Club member Aby Riggins.
The Diversity Club meets twice a week and planned these workshops in response to the walkout that happened after the Michael Brown verdict. The workshops ended with suggestions for how to take action for racial equity.
“I hope people know the different types of racism and know that implicit bias isn’t their fault,” said junior facilitator and Diversity Club member Eryn Johnson. “I hope people at WSHS understand that racism still does exist and that it’s not just a black people’s problem.”
Last month, we featured the Diversity Dinner presented annually by the club – their biggest one yet.
Remember the truck-on-its-side incident that closed southbound Highway 99 for nine hours last month (WSB coverage here), leading to domino-effect backups around the city and trapping drivers/riders on the Alaskan Way Viaduct?
(March 24 photo courtesy Chi Krneta)
The city went public today with its first version of an “after-action report” looking at the intricacies of why it took so long and what could change before the next one:
(Note the fine print at the bottom of the cover page, saying “The City of Seattle will be utilizing an external consultant to fully investigate this incident …”)
Reading through the report, you’ll note it includes a more detailed timeline than was released shortly after the incident.
(March 24th photo, included in report)
Part of what that reveals: Nobody contacted Seattle Tunnel Partners, whose equipment-laden worksite was yards away, until 6:30 pm, four hours after the crash. Within ten minutes of that contact, STP offered equipment to help clear the wrecked truck. But no STP equipment was used until almost 9:30 pm, when the tunnel contractor’s “Sky Jacks” were used to unload part of the truck trailer’s load of fish so it could be moved. (By the way, the report identifies the fish as cod, not salmon as we were told the day it happened, worth “$450,000 to $750,000.)
The report goes into a list of what needs to happen by June 30th – as “SPD and SDOT will expeditiously develop protocols that prioritize incident response decision making on arterial streets” – and that list gives hints as to what didn’t work so well during the March 24th response, including:
… Ensure that City personnel have requisite expertise to make sophisticated on-scene assessments or have access to necessary external expertise. For example, if onscene personnel had access to on-scene engineer, more critical information and analysis could have been incorporated into the decision-making process.
…(Be aware of w)hat other resources (equipment, personnel, or private sector relationships) could be brought to bear on incident management. For example, would prior agreements and protocols have made STPs loan of Skyjacks to unload the trailer easier and quicker? If prior agreements were in place with the Port of Seattle or other private loading companies, could additional heavy equipment been utilized?
f. Ensure that current communications systems are adequate to ensure accurate and timely responses to incidents. For example, was there a delay in the arrival of heavy class tow-truck?
“Engineering problem” was in fact how SPD spokesperson Sgt. Sean Whitcomb described it in a conversation with WSB the day after the crash (included in our followup report). He also said at that time that a citation would likely be issued; the report released today says, in fact, “The operator would later be cited by SPD for exceeding reasonable speed.”
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
CAR PROWLS: A Gatewood resident tells us prowlers hit multiple cars overnight along SW Southern between 39th and 41st SW (map): “Thieves didn’t make off with much, but would love to know if anyone saw anything or has security camera footage.”
SCAM PHONE CALLS: You might have heard that one of the latest waves of scam phone calls is attempting to target BECU customers. These bogus calls are even being received by non-BECU customers – we got one, and so did a WSB reader who wanted to share this warning today:
Just received a scam call from 202 area code (DC) advising BECU Visa was locked, and directing entry of the 16 digit card number. Since I don’t have a BECU Visa, an obvious scam. I have heard of others referencing generic Visa, this is the first I have heard BECU mentioned.
BECU issued a fraud alert on its own website earlier this week, stressing that it has nothing to do with these calls and telling its customers what to do if they fell for it. This same type of scam has been done in the name of various banks and financial institutions – we featured one back in 2011 that fraudulently used Wells Fargo’s name. This is just another example of so-called “phishing”; here’s advice on preventing and fighting it.
Jack Meduna will be remembered with a Mass at Holy Family and reception at Forest Lawn next Thursday. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing:
Jack Meduna, 68, of West Seattle, passed away April 2nd after fighting Lung Cancer for almost a year.
He was born in Seattle on December 18th, 1946. At a young age he attended Briscoe Boarding School for boys, then went on to graduate from O’Dea. He began pre-med at the UW but was drafted to Vietnam. Upon his return, he worked on a fishing boat in Alaska until finding his calling as a Seattle Police Officer. For 34 years, Jack absolutely loved his career with SPD and was also a Hostage Negotiator. He loved interacting with the public and all his fellow officers.
In 1986 Jack married for the second time and found the love of his life, Virgie.
They spent 23 years together, often traveling the Oregon Coast and eventually all over Europe before she passed 7 years ago. Jack is survived by his daughters Jill Casillas (husband Shane), Cami Aksdal (husband Todd) and son Clay Johnson (wife Amanda), and by his four grandchildren, Sydney Jaksich, Corbin Jaksich, Georgia Lee Aksdal, and Michael Aksdal and his sisters Vinette Tichi (husband Dennis), Roxanne Roten (partner Scott).
A mass will be held in his honor on Thursday, April 16th at 2 pm at Holy Family Church (9622 20th Ave. SW) followed by a graveside burial at Forest Lawn (6701 30th Ave. SW) with a reception to follow, also at Forest Lawn.
In honor of Jack and his love for pigs, please consider a donation to a place that meant a lot to him – Pigs Peace Sanctuary.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
An online petition was part of the community campaign to get the city to make safety improvements on 35th SW.
More than a year later, another online petition is asking the city not to reduce the speed limit or rechannelize 35th – both of which are key parts of the “design alternatives” announced in two March meetings (which begin on page 22 below):
We covered both meetings – March 10th here, and March 12th here – as well as the March 26th West Seattle Transportation Coalition briefing. It all traces back to an announcement by Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen more than a year earlier.
Neel says it goes too far. In feedback to SDOT, he wrote:
35th has been the major West Seattle arterial since West Seattle was platted! Everyone else who depends on it to help them get outta town don’t want it choked with “safety” improvements that, plain and simple, aren’t needed. Your own data shows that there isn’t much of a problem here, except for some concerns for pedestrian crosswalks toward the north end. So go fix that — don’t mess up the whole transportation system to ‘fix’ a problem that doesn’t exist. …
We like 35th just the way it is, but are also open to changes that will improve our throughput while maintaining proper regard for safety. And by this I mean the efficiency of the driver, not the road. I really don’t care how many vehicles per unit time you can accommodate (the road’s efficiency). I only care about the transportation efficiency — covering the maximum distance in the least amount of time. That’s the true measure of productivity: maximizing desired outcome(s) with the fewest resources.
The specific objections – and potential counterproposals – are all in the text of the petition, which you can see here. The city says it will present the final plan in June; in the meantime, comments are being taken by project manager Jim Curtin at jim.curtin@seattle.gov.
Two momentous West Seattle business anniversaries to note:
20 YEARS FOR WEST SEATTLE CELLARS: Last night during the West Seattle Art Walk, we stopped by West Seattle Cellars (6026 California SW) after hearing the shop is marking its 20th anniversary. Here’s how proprietors Jan Martindale and Tom DiStefano (above) announced it in the WSC newsletter:
20 years ago this month, Matt Mabus founded the shop, which at that time was housed in the little building next door. Some of you may remember that space, part of which is now our back room/office. In 2000 we partnered with Bear Silverstein to buy the shop, and in 2005 we moved into our bigger, airier new digs. And after 20 years (now sadly minus the Bear) we’re still going strong, thanks to all of our wonderful customers who continue to shop local!
WSC has also launched its annual West Seattle Helpline fundraiser, hoping to raise $1,000 for WSH by its Taste of West Seattle event on May 21st:
They’re donating 10 percent of the sales made during their regular (free) Thursday night tastings until then. And while at the shop, you can just make an outright donation to Helpline.
TEN YEARS FOR WYATT’S JEWELERS: Family-owned Wyatt’s Jewelers (longtime WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village is celebrating its 10th anniversary with an open house today until 6 pm and again tomorrow (Saturday), 10 am-6 pm – “giveaways, refreshments, store specials, more.” It’s also the only storewide sale of the year, “everything 10 percent to 60 percent off.”
That’s the slide deck the Seattle City Council‘s Public Utilities and Neighborhoods Committee will see during its meeting at 2 pm next Tuesday (April 14th), as it begins reviewing a water-rate increase proposed by Seattle Public Utilities, which just sent this preview:
In keeping with a strategic business plan approved by City Council last year, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is proposing drinking water rate increases of 1.7 percent for 2016 and 2.7 percent for 2017. The business plan aims at capping average rates for all SPU services — drinking water, sewer, drainage, garbage and recycling — to an annual average of 4.6 percent through the year 2020.
A drainage and wastewater rate proposal will be considered by Council later this year. That proposal also is expected to fit within the 4.6 percent average annual rate cap.
Because of today’s breaking news, we’re referring you directly to the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar to see what’s on the schedule today/tonight, rather than publishing a list of highlights. Please also note that it’s the last day of school for Seattle Public Schools before next week’s spring break; for faith-based schools, today is the last day of post-Easter break and they’ll be back in session next week.
(TOPLINES: Fire under investigation. 2 men in hospital. Metro back to regular routing on Fauntleroy)
(WSB photo, added 7:17 am)
6:58 AM: Seattle Fire has a house-fire response on the way to the 8000 block of Fauntleroy Way SW, which is across the street from Lincoln Park. SDOT says Fauntleroy is closed at Monroe, and a traffic cam shows black smoke from blocks away. At least one person is reported to need medical attention. More to come.
7:06 AM: SFD is sending more engines and also notifying Metro it will need to reroute lines that use Fauntleroy in the area.
(This photo and next, by Kam Junejo)
7:17 AM: One person is reported to be on the way to Harborview via SFD medic unit; another medic unit radioed that another person in need of medical attention “just walked up” to their unit at the scene and was “in the fire room.” Our crew on scene says flames are still visible from the second floor.
7:24 AM: SFD is sending a second alarm, so you’ll see/hear more emergency vehicles. Traffic-wise, there is absolutely no access to the Fauntleroy ferry dock from the north – if you have to get there, approach from the south – 35th to Barton, then west on Barton (which becomes California past the schoolhouse and then Wildwood in the Endolyne area) to Fauntleroy. Ideally, avoid the area TFN. P.S. At least one TV helicopter is now overhead.
(WSB photos from this point down)
7:31 AM: This is still a full-on firefight. The house, according to public records, is 106 years old. SFD says the person taken to the hospital is a man in critical condition, suffering from smoke inhalation.
7:50 AM: We’re adding photos from an upslope neighbor showing the extent of the flames. SFD’s Lt. Sue Stangl has just spoken to media on scene; our crew says she told them that multiple neighbors called the fire in. Five people were in the house, all got out, but as we’ve reported above, one man was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation. Fire is still not out.
(WSB photo)
One dog was rescued, one other pet’s status is not known. We’ll add video of her briefing when our crew returns to HQ.
8:12 AM: SFD reports the fire is “knocked down” – that still doesn’t mean out, but it’s progress. We also asked Lt. Stangl about whether there was a water-supply problem – one firefighter was heard via radio that they were “out of water,” and lines subsequently were rolled blocks further south, but Stangl says that they had water on the fire from the start and that might just have involved the backup line; they’ll be checking.
8:35 AM: Firefighters are now calling the fire “tapped” – another milestone toward being out – and scaling down operations a bit.
8:50 AM: Crews at the scene say they’re expecting to have one lane of Fauntleroy Way open within a few minutes. Washington State Ferries’ advisory says that “traffic is temporarily single-lane offloading and is being directed to the south when exiting the Fauntleroy terminal.”
9:13 AM: Fauntleroy Way has reopened and Metro says buses are back on their regular routing in the area.
9:52 AM: Two men are in the hospital – in addition to the one in critical condition, the other has a “minor burn to the leg,” per SFD, which still has several units at the scene. Meantime, the ferry terminal is back to normal offloading.
10:29 AM: Continuing to await word on the cause. Here’s what the front of the house looked like as of a short time ago:
As discussed in comments, neighbors say the house has a troubled past. What we’ve found so far are multiple complaints to the city regarding junk storage, inoperable cars, and a dormer built without a permit; the online file shows that case was referred to the City Attorney’s Office last year.
11:54 AM: SFD has just announced that the fire was caused by “unattended candles on the main floor.” It also says a neighbor’s house was damaged.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
9:45 PM: Just in case you heard it too – we’re getting texts, and police are reporting multiple calls, of possible gunshots heard in the High Point/Upper Morgan area. No further details yet. As we’ve told texters, if you heard them, please let 911 know – that’ll help them zero in on a location.
9:58 PM: This apparently happened in/from an apartment building in the 6500 block of 35th SW. Police are still arriving – avoid the area. An “assault with weapons” SFD response is headed that way, too, though we don’t know whether police have confirmed any victim(s).
10:12 PM: Police have now confirmed what a neighbor told us – one person shot in the leg.
10:30 PM: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli is at the scene. He tells us the victim is a man in his late 30s/early 40s, being taken to the hospital by private ambulance – shot in the foot, not a life-threatening injury.
11:33 PM: New information from Christopher – police are wrapping up at the scene. The suspect is not yet in custody, they told him (though we had heard via scanner earlier that they believe they know who they are looking for). They believe the shooting was deliberate, not an accident (we hadn’t been sure about that) and now clarify that the wound was in the victim’s ankle.
ADDED 8:19 AM: New information this morning via SPD Blotter – police say it was “a dispute over text messages.” Excerpt:
… Police responded to SW Morgan Street and 35th Avenue SW just before 9:45 PM after receiving reports that a man had fired shots from an apartment building, striking a man on the street. Officers evacuated the building and searched for the suspect, but were unable to find him.
The victim of the shooting also called 911 shortly after the incident and said he had been shot in the leg. Officers found the man across the street from the scene of the shooting.
The victim told officers he knew the suspect through a mutual acquaintance — an ex-girlfriend —and had received a series of harassing text messages from the man Thursday evening. When the victim went to the suspect’s apartment building to confront him over the texts, the suspect appeared on a third-floor balcony and opened fire. …
(Thanks to Amanda L for the photo)
9:29 PM: A big Seattle Fire response is headed to a reported fire at a house in the 4700 block of Delridge Way SW (map). So far, it’s being described as a kitchen fire.
9:35 PM: Units are reporting the fire’s under control. No word of any injuries. Traffic effects, though, until units leave the area.
9:42 PM: The fire’s now tapped, and firefighters don’t believe it extended into the house’s attic.
9:51 PM: Northbound Delridge is blocked for now at Edmunds.
10:02 PM: Some of the units are being dismissed now.
Another transportation note: SDOT is trying to make sure you can’t say you weren’t asked for your thoughts on the draft 9-year, $900 million Transportation Levy to Move Seattle before it’s shaped into a final November ballot measure by the mayor and council. It circulated a reminder tonight about ways you can have a say:
RIGHT NOW: Online survey – take it here
IN PERSON, IN WEST SEATTLE: SDOT director Scott Kubly will be at next Wednesday’s Delridge District Council meeting, 7 pm April 15th at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center; SDOT reps will be at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market on April 19 and 26, 10 am-2 pm at 44th/Alaska
ONLINE MEETING: Can’t get out to an in-person meeting? SDOT’s trying an online meeting at 6 pm April 20th (sign up right now, here)
Thanks to Carolyn for the heads-up on this: From Seacrest east/southeastward, a sizable stretch of parking on the water side of Harbor Avenue SW (she estimated 25 spaces) will be off-limits tomorrow, 10:30 am-7 pm. The “no parking” signs were up when we went by this afternoon to verify; they list an unnamed “production shoot.” The Water Taxi is of course served by free shuttle buses as well as Metro Route 37; get the bus schedule via a tab on this page.
(WSB photos by Torin Record-Sand)
This month’s West Seattle Art Walk is on until 9 pm – and at one of the stops, Twilight Gallery and Boutique (4306 SW Alaska), you’ll find Rebecca Rose and her wearable sculptures. It’s opening night for her show “The Spinster and the Carpenter.” If you can’t get there tonight, you’ll also find her giving a talk on Saturday night (April 11th), 6-8 pm. The full list of tonight’s Art Walk venues is in our daily preview published this morning; we’ll add scenes from a few more stops soon.
8:28 PM: At Emerald Water Anglers (42nd/Oregon; WSB sponsor), Little Edie‘s performing bluegrass:
At C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Mary McGough‘s show has a story behind its title “True Start“:
As noted in the announcement, it’s her first solo show, decades after she showed art at Seattle Center while in kindergarten!
P.S. Missed tonight’s Art Walk? It’s on the second Thursday of the month, year-round, so make plans to explore venues and meet artists on May 14th. You can also refer to the aforementioned venue list while you’re out and about in the days ahead – many shows stay up for the rest of the month at participating locations.
We just went back over to the Delridge/20th/Holden stairway to see the progress the Rent-A-Ruminant goats have made – considerable, as our photos show.
They’ve been on the job for two days, munching away at stairway-side brush that was considered a safety threat, especially after a student was robbed in the area in late January, during a series of crimes against students around West Seattle.
But now their work is almost done, and SDOT’s David Allen – who shared first word of the goat plan last week – tells WSB this afternoon that R-a-R’s Tammy Dunakin expects to load up her goats and head out late Friday morning.
Quick mid-afternoon note: Exactly one month until the 11th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, 9 am-3 pm on Saturday, May 9th (coordinated by WSB since year four)! Great lineup so far – 100+ sales big and small, east to west, south to north – and registration continues for at least another week and a half (we’ll set and announce the closing date next week). If you’re planning to be part of this big day of “person-to-person recycling” by having a sale, go here to register. If not – just save the date and get ready to be out and about meeting neighbors and friends. More updates ahead!
(Photos/video by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog co-publisher
“I think we’re very lucky … to have people like this running to represent us,” 34th District Democrats chair Marcee Stone-Vekich observed after her group’s City Council District 1 candidates’ forum last night.
As we reported right after the meeting, which had standing-room-only turnout at The Hall at Fauntleroy, the 34th DDs took an informal straw poll afterward (see the results here). Their formal endorsement meeting is set for May 20th – five days after filings close, but still two and a half months before the primary that will narrow the field to two.
This was the third major forum of the campaign season (after ours in February and the VIEWS forum in March). Six of the 10 current District 1 candidates were there – Brianna Thomas, Chas Redmond, Lisa Herbold, Phillip Tavel, Shannon Braddock, Tom Koch. The organization extended invitations to all 10. One of the four who did not participate, Amanda Kay Helmick, has said that she chose not to because the 34th DDs asked participants if they were Democrats, but she is running for the non-partisan position as an independent. The other three – David Ishii, George Capestany, Pavel Goberman – have not said why they weren’t there.
Here’s our video of the entire hourlong forum:
Ahead, our notes on most of the Q/A, plus other toplines from the meeting:
(Reader photo: Car with window damage, near scene of one of last night’s gunfire incidents)
Seattle Police have just announced an arrest following last night’s string of shootings (here’s our original story). This was just posted to SPD Blotter:
A 16-year-old boy arrested this morning for pulling a gun on his family in West Seattle is also under investigation for a series of late-night drive-bys in the neighborhood.
Seattle police first received reports of gunfire around 8 pm Wednesday in the 5400 block of Delridge Way SW. Officer did not find any damage, injuries or shell casings at the scene..
Later, around 10:45 PM, police again received numerous reports of shooting, this time near 17th Ave SW and Delridge Way SW, where officers found several shell casings. Witnesses told officers a red four-door car had fled the scene, and police began searching the neighborhood for the vehicle.
As police continued their search for the gunman and red vehicle throughout the night, officers received a third report of a shooting around 11:30 PM at 23 Ave SW and SW Findlay St. Again, police found shell casings and were told a red car had sped away from the scene.
Half an hour later, at midnight, police received another report that the a red four-door car had pulled alongside another vehicle at Olson Pl SW and 4 Ave SW and fired two shots striking, the other car twice. No one was injured.
Gang Unit detectives joined patrol officers in the investigation and search for the suspect in the red car.
Finally, at 2 AM, police received a report of a domestic disturbance involving a firearm at a home in the 7700 block of 12th Avenue SW.
Officers arrived and learned a 16-year-old boy had pulled a gun on his family members. The teen reportedly pointed the gun at one victim’s head and pulled the trigger. The gun was not loaded at the time.
Police arrested the teen and seized the gun, which matched the caliber of shell casings recovered Wednesday night at several of the West Seattle shooting scenes. Officers also impounded a red Honda civic found parked near the teen’s home.
Police booked the 16-year-old into the King County Youth Service Center for investigation of domestic violence harassment. Detectives are still investigating the teen in connection with the four shootings. Police have not received any reports of injuries in any of the incidents.
Thanks to Don Brubeck for the sunrise view from the Alki Trail. A beautiful Thursday is under way…
TODDLER STORY TIME: 11:30 am at High Point Library. Free! Details here. (35th/Raymond)
GET OUT IN THE ORCHARD: 4-6 pm today and every Thursday in season, visit the Community Orchard of West Seattle and help out with urban gardening and orchard maintenance. Learn while you’re there, as explained here. North end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. (6000 16th SW)
Then tonight:
FIRST WEST SEATTLE ART WALK OF SPRING! While The Junction is the heart of the Art Walk, you’ll find participating venues in other neighborhoods too – including Gatewood, Sunrise Heights, and White Center. Here’s the map/venue list:
In addition to the previews you can find on the official Art Walk website, here are announcements we’ve received:
*5:30-8 pm, 20th anniversary of West Seattle Wine Cellars (6026 California SW), free tasting of French wines tonight
*6 pm, The ProletariYacht Club opens at The Building (4316 SW Othello)
*6 pm, Wallflower Custom Framing and Shooting Gallery (4735 42nd SW; WSB sponsor) features photographer Marlin Greene with Landscapes & Wildlife of Eastern Oregon and Washington
*6 pm, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor) hosts artist Ginny Gensler
*6 pm at Merryweather Books (4537 California SW), book signing with Theresa McCormick
*6:30 pm at Emerald Water Anglers (4502 42nd SW; WSB sponsor), Little Edie performs, plus Writers on the Fly
*7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Mary McGough opening reception
Also tonight:
SECOND THURSDAY OUT! 6 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, LGBTQ event with no-host happy hour and movie (“Sordid Lives“). All welcome; no membership or RSVP required. (Oregon/California)
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: The West Seattle/South Park rep on the School Board, Marty McLaren, has her next informal “community conversation” meeting at 6 pm tonight, West Seattle (Admiral) Library.
‘STAR TREK’ NIGHT TO BENEFIT DELRIDGE GROCERY: 7 pm at Skylark Café and Club – details here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
‘PAJAMA GAME’ AT WSHS: The West Seattle High School Drama Club‘s current production – second-to-last chance to see it! 7:30 pm curtain time at the school theater. (3000 California SW)
MORE! on our calendar.
The West Seattle Bee Festival will be back this year! It’s the third year for the celebration surrounding the WS Bee Garden in High Point, and we just received the official flyer (above) as well as this list of highlights for the festival on Saturday, May 16th:
*The Honey Run starts at 9 am at High Point Pond, SW Juneau & 30th (no registration necessary, just show up)
*Come to Neighborhood House (6400 Sylvan Way SW) at 10 am and make your own bee or flower costume (materials and help provided) so you can march in the Kids and Pet Parade in High Point Commons Park at 11 am
*Learn about Bee-Friendly gardening, food, books and activities at the Information Fair from 11:30 am-2 pm
*Taste healthy, delicious, easy-to-prepare food at the Lunchbox Cook Off from 11:30-1:30
*Take a tour of the West Seattle Bee Enclosure (SW Graham and Lanham Pl. SW) and Garden from 11:30-2 pm, where you can buy honey from the Puget Sound Bee Keepers Association
*Kids can participate in the Bee-Ball Tournament or Field Games in Commons Park
*Music by DA Productions will fill the park. Text your request to 57682 on the day
*Crafts, henna, face painting and more…..
The first festival in 2013 launched the garden, whose backstory is here.
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