West Seattle, Washington
05 Friday
Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes this morning:
FIGHT LEADS TO STABBING: Police say “a fight over a bag of pot” was behind a stabbing inside a house in the 8800 block of 36th SW early today. The suspect is 15; the victim, 26, and expected to survive the wound to the torso. Police say additional details on this might be available later in the day.
PHONE ROBBERY: We’re hoping to find out more about this too; it hasn’t shown up in online records yet, but we have a reader report, from Jennifer, of another street robbery over a smartphone, Monday morning around 8:20 am at Delridge/Croft. The victim was a teenage girl and the robber is reported to have flashed a gun.
ALKI CAR PROWL: Also a reader report, from Ryan: Sometime Sunday or Monday, a Honda Prelude was broken into in the 6100 block of SW Stevens, and $2500 worth of stereo equipment was stolen, described as “a Pioneer AVH P3200BT with two JBL 10″ 1000w subs and 2 Kenwood amps.”
YARD SIGNS STOLEN: Three weeks until Election Day, and we’ve had multiple reports of yard-sign theft. Yes, it’s illegal. Might just backfire; one victim writing in the WSB Forum says it’s made them mad enough to step up their donations for the cause espoused by the stolen signs.
P.S. Live or work in the Admiral area? Crime/safety is on the agenda, with guests from SPD, for tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting – 7 pm, The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd/Lander).
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to Tuesday! Notes as we start our traffic watch:
SIDEWALK ALERT IN THE JUNCTION: Last time we checked on Monday, it hadn’t started yet, but the contractor for the California/Alaska/42nd two-building project has warned that it will be putting up new covered walkways this week, and while the work is under way, sidewalks will be closed alongside its site on California and Alaska. The alert says the work should be done by week’s end.
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: Monthly meeting tonight, 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center, with a big decision to be made – endorse Seattle Transportation Benefit District Proposition 1 or not?
REMEMBER, THE VIADUCT … will be closed 6 am-6 pm both days this weekend, as part of an intricate Highway 99 closure scenario detailed here.
Two notes from tonight’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting:
NEW OFFICERS: After tonight’s elections, Jake Vanderplas and Michael Taylor-Judd are co-chairs, Nancy Folsom is co-secretary, Lisa Taylor-Whitley is beautification chair, Kirk Lauckner is outreach chair, Parie Hines is community design/land-use chair, and Taylor-Judd also serves as streets/pedestrian advocacy chair. That still leaves three open positions – co-secretary, treasurer, and public-safety chair.
POLICING PLAN: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske was a last-minute cancellation but the draft neighborhood-policing plan for North Delridge – one of at least half a dozen under development for local neighborhoods (as part of a process under way citywide right now) – was circulated, same one originally linked from the NDNC website last month:
If you’re interested in shaping the final plan, a neighborhood walking tour with Capt. Wilske was announced for 4 pm October 27th – please RSVP to Kirsten Smith, NDNC’s point person for the policing plan, so you’ll get info on the meeting point when it gets closer.
NDNC meets second Mondays, 6:30 pm, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, and is online at ndnc.org.
Though the Parks and Green Spaces Levy expires this year – with the newly voter-approved Park District to follow as a source of extra funding – some of the projects it funded are still in the pipeline. And the design process is getting going for one in West Seattle – the Highland Park play-area upgrade. We just received word via a postal-mail postcard that a community meeting is set for 6:30 pm October 29th at Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton). As first proposed more than two years ago, the plan here is to “improve the usability and safety (of) the play area” at the park (1100 SW Cloverdale), which also is home to West Seattle’s only spraypark, another project largely funded by the 2008-2014 levy. What kind of play equipment and access do you want to see? Everyone interested is invited to get involved with planning, and this meeting is the next step.
Five notes in West Seattle Crime Watch – one from an incident that’s just wrapped up:
NO, IT WASN’T SHOTS: Police converged on an apartment building in the 7500 block of 35th SW (map) this past hour after a report of possible shots. They eventually determined it was fireworks, but not until some commotion involving people in a car and apartment, some of whom we’re told took off running. No injuries.
RECOGNIZE THIS CAR? Trina says this car has been near her parents’ house in the 5th/Kenyon vicinity for at least a week:
It’s been tagged by police already. But in case you know someone who is missing a car like this – she wanted to circulate the word, too.
RECOGNIZE THIS BIKE? Carla found a possibly stolen bicycle in an alley near Ercolini Park west of The Junction:
She describes it as a purple “Glacier Point” Magna 15-speed mountain bike, looks to be a kids’ bike or woman’s.”
Ahead – two strong-arm robberies, both on the same day last week:Read More
Another new venture just announced: Seattle Farm School, founded by West Seattleite Katie Stemp, who is looking for teachers to be part of it. She explains, “We are dedicated to preserving the home arts and growing our community in sustainable practices through affordable classes. We are going to be starting classes in mid November at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (same location as the Tool Library) on Delridge, just south of the bridge. I’m gathering teachers from our community who are skilled in the following subjects and interested in teaching one or many classes with us. Here are the subjects that I am looking for people who have experience and are willing to teach:”
Read More
Back in August, we reported that the former Shoofly Pie Company in The Junction would become Coastline, and that Aaron Shepherd, proprietor of Copper Coin in The Admiral District, is involved. Until today – that’s all we could find out. Remodeling has clearly been under way, as you can see in the photo above. And now Shepherd reveals, in his reply to our original inquiry, that Coastline will be a burger joint, and that he’s crowdfunding to get the job done:
The same team that opened Copper Coin is now opening Coastline, a neighborhood burger joint. At Coastline we will focus on the art of the burger, an American classic. By keeping our focus narrow and having a singular craft we are raising the bar on this classic. We create a house blended and hand formed burger using the best all-natural product available to us. Pairing this burger patty with a freshly baked bun that comes out of the Coastline Bakery and working with top quality produce is our recipe for delivering an awesome and delicious burger.
To go with your delicious burger we will be offering a rotating line up of local craft beers, hand cut fries, Husky Deli shakes, and POSSIBLY the same award winning Babe’s Onion Rings you find at both Red Mill and Copper Coin.
This Wednesday we will be having a dual celebration at Copper Coin. To celebrate the two year anniversary of Copper Coin and the soon to open Coastline we will be offering our Deluxe Burger with Haystack Fries at $4.99. On our one year anniversary, in support of I-522, we offered our Deluxe for $5.22, and had a blast seeing nearly all of our neighbors on one night. This year the deal is even better. Why $4.99? That’s the price of a Deluxe at Coastline.
As we near the end of the lengthy challenge that is opening a new restaurant we are turning to our friends and neighbors to help us with the final push of our project budget. We have decided that Kickstarter is the proper teammate in achieving our fundraising goal.
Shepherd’s pitch, complete with a video explaining Coastline, is up on Kickstarter now. Meantime, we’re pursuing a few followup questions, including how soon they hope to open.
12:08 PM: Mid-November, if all goes well, Shepherd replies. We also asked about the windows on the sides that somewhat resemble a drive-through configuration. But no, not going to be a drive-through.
Continuing our coverage (which started an hour and a half ago in the WSB morning traffic report) of the 7:24 am Junction incident in which a Metro Route 50 bus hit and injured a woman: She is seriously hurt, according to Seattle Fire, but expected to survive, according to Seattle Police. SPD spokesperson Det. Patrick Michaud tells WSB that witnesses report the bus pulled up to the stop on eastbound Alaska just west of California, allowed people on and off, and then as they were pulling away, the woman – who had been “asleep on the sidewalk” – stood up, “stumbled into traffic right in front of the bus,” and was hit.
SPD’s Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is expected to be on the scene until 10 am or so; we’ll be checking so that we can update when the bus stop is open again. As noted in our traffic coverage, until then, the outbound stop on Alaska east of 44th is recommended.
9:38 AM UPDATE: Alaska is now open again in both directions. (The traffic cam at that intersection is among those featured on the WSB Traffic page.)
9:49 AM UPDATE: Metro has just sent out its “routes back to normal” alert.
3:48 PM UPDATE: The driver is 62 years old and has been with Metro for more than 13 years, according to spokesperson Jeff Switzer, responding to an inquiry we sent this morning. He adds, “The operator was relieved of duty pending post-accident testing. Based on preliminary information about this unfortunate incident, we expect the driver will likely be back to work in coming days.”
(Fall flowers! Dahlias from Deborah‘s garden)
The new week begins. Here’s what we’re spotlighting from the WSB inbox and West Seattle Event Calendar:
NO MAIL/BANKS … for Columbus Day. Open/closed list via The Seattle Times (WSB partner).
COMMUNITY ART SHOWCASE: 10 am-8 pm, regular hours for the Southwest Branch Library, you’re invited to stop by and see the ongoing Community Artists’ Showcase – details here. (35th/Henderson)
ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP: 1:30 pm at Providence Mount St. Vincent – details in our calendar listing. (4831 35th SW)
NORTH DELRIDGE POLICING PLAN: That’s what Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske will be talking with the North Delridge Neighborhood Council during the October NDNC meeting tonight, 6:30 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
(added) PIGEON POINT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: 7 pm at Pathfinder K-8 lunchroom. Agenda highlights here. (1901 SW Genesee)
(back to original list) DENNY INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PTSA: Tonight’s 7 pm meeting will be at the South Park Community Center, focusing on Common Core state standards and standards-based grading. (8319 8th Ave. S.)
PACKAGING PARTY: Help the West Seattle Food Bank package bulk food made available via donations from PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) shoppers. 7 pm, all welcome; details in our calendar listing. (35th/Morgan)
BUDDHIST MEDITATION CLASS: 7:30 pm drop-in class at Sound Yoga (WSB sponsor), no experience necessary – details here. (5639 California SW)
NIGHTLIFE! Trivia and karaoke – multiple venues – top tonight’s offerings; go directly to the calendar to see what’s happening where.
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
The new week is here, and we’re watching the roads – the weather, too, since it might be a rainy commute heading back this way later today.
LOOKING AHEAD, 2 NOTES: Next weekend’s Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection closure has a few complications around the edges – here are the full details … Looking further ahead, just two more weeks left in the West Seattle Water Taxi‘s 7-day-a-week season; two weeks from today, on October 27th, the 5-day-a-week fall/winter schedule takes effect (preview it here).
7:36 AM: There’s a crash on the eastbound bridge at the ramp to northbound 99. Also, there is a medic response in The Junction at California/Alaska. Checking further on both.
7:47 AM: The incident in The Junction has closed Alaska both ways just west of California, according to SDOT. It’s delaying multiple routes, according to Metro. Also, per scanner, Traffic Collision Investigation Squad has been called, and that usually means the scene will be closed for some time.
7:54 AM: Clarification from the scanner: Eastbound Alaska is closed between California and 44th. Westbound is still open.
(Traffic camera showing Junction scene)
8:01 AM – JUNCTION INCIDENT UPDATE: There is a temporary stop set up on 44th if you need to catch an outbound bus. Meantime, we’re starting to get more information – a Metro bus is reported to have hit someone, who has been taken to the hospital.
8:15 AM – BRIDGE INCIDENT UPDATE: This has cleared, according to SDOT. No injuries reported.
(WSB photo)
8:17 AM – JUNCTION UPDATE: Metro says the buses that usually stop at the eastbound Alaska stops between 44th and California are using the stop on 44th north of Alaska instead.
8:36 AM: Still no details about exactly what happened in the Junction incident – police are still sorting out and can only confirm that a bus did hit someone. We’ll have a separate followup later when more info is available, likely within the hour. Meantime, Metro supervisor at the scene told us they would be advising people to use the outbound bus stop on Alaska east of 42nd.
8:43 AM: Seattle Fire says the person hit is a woman around 30 years old and describes her injuries as serious.
9:22 AM: We’ve just published our followup with more info, and will also update that when Alaska reopens.
Busy week ahead for community council/coalition meetings. Highlights for those from which we’ve received agendas/previews:
MONDAY – POLICING PLAN @ NDNC: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske guests at the North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting tomorrow night (Monday, October 13th). NDNC says he’ll be there “to discuss the precinct’s draft policing plan for North Delridge as well as any other issues you would like to bring to the table.” 6:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
TUESDAY – CRIME STATS @ ANA: Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Jon Flores is on the agenda for Tuesday’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, along with reps from the two preschool-money measures on November’s ballot. Here’s the official flyer. 7 pm, The Sanctuary at Admiral. (42nd/Lander)
TUESDAY – WILL WSTC ENDORSE THE BUS-MONEY MEASURE OR NOT? That’s the big question on the West Seattle Transportation Coalition‘s agenda for Tuesday night. Since WSTC includes reps from community groups around the peninsula, they wanted to give members time to get the sense of their organizations before voting on whether to endorse Seattle Transportation Benefit District Proposition 1. A vote is expected during the meeting, 6:30 pm Tuesday at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
WEDNESDAY – FOUR GUESTS FOR DNDC: The second community-meeting appearance of the week for precinct commander Capt. Wilske is the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting, 7 pm Wednesday at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. He’s one of four guests; also scheduled are guests talking about the city budget, Neighborhood Matching Fund, and the SDOT Freight Master Plan. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
WEDNESDAY – LONG LIST FOR MORGAN: The quarterly Morgan Community Association meetings at The Kenney (WSB sponsor) are always info-packed, and there’s a big list of topics for this one at 7 pm Wednesday; see it on our calendar listing for the meeting. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)
Also meeting this week, though we don’t have agendas/previews yet – Fauntleroy Community Association (7 pm Tuesday, Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, 9131 California SW) and Alki Community Council (7 pm Thursday, Alki UCC, 6112 SW Hinds).
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
The latest check of commercial-real-estate listings revealed a big new listing on Harbor Avenue: Right across from Seacrest, the world headquarters of international consultancy The Pacific Institute is on the market. The listing for the 18-year-old, five-story building at 1709 Harbor Avenue SW has its own website, titled Seattle Waterfront Office, where you can see photos and descriptions of each floor – offices, conference rooms, rooftop deck, fifth-floor living quarters used by visitors.
Two years have passed since The Pacific Institute’s chair and co-founder Lou Tice died, survived by his wife, co-founder Diane Tice, who remains active with TPI. The company’s Facebook page mentions that the Tices’ ranch retreat in Central Washington will be offered at auction this Thursday. Meantime, the 1709 Harbor building is listed “without an asking price,” inviting “offers … at any time.” Here’s the official flyer. We contacted The Pacific Institute for comment after seeing the listing, and they promised “a statement” sometime this week.
SIDE NOTE: West Seattle’s northeastern waterfront has other properties on the market too – the potential waterfront-development site at 2300 Harbor SW is listed at $5,750,000; the three-year-old live-work complex at 2383 Harbor SW is listed at $3,745,000; 2605-2645 Harbor is listed with a “negotiable price”; immediately southeast of that site, vacant land at 2651 Harbor SW is listed for $390,000; and the GT Towing yard at 3200 Harbor SW remains on the market, currently listed at $750,000.
Another school-fundraiser auction to announce! West Seattle High School PTSA sends word of its annual auction on Friday, November 21st, at Brockey Center on the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus:
West Seattle High School’s annual auction supports all students to “Reach for the Stars” by raising funds for academics, arts, and athletics. Buy tickets and donate at wshs.schoolauction.net/2014. Oct. 31st is the deadline for early-bird tickets at $40; regular price in November is $50 per person. Items for the live auction are needed and can be donated through the link above. Contact wshsptsaauction@gmail.com with questions.
Does YOUR school have a big fundraiser coming up? Make sure we know so we can get it into the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar *and* publish an announcement like this. editor@westseattleblog.com any time!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The appeal hearing challenging key city approvals for the ~100-apartment project planned at 3078 SW Avalon Way has one more session to go, next Friday.
The original schedule for testimony before city Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner spanned three days during the week before last, with a full day on Tuesday, Sept. 30 (WSB report here), another one on Wednesday, Oct. 1st (WSB report here), then a partial day on Thursday, Oct. 2nd. But what was brought up by the teams on both sides – appellant Neighbors Encouraging Reasonable Development (NERD) and the city Department of Planning and Development plus developer Northlake Group – led to the need for one more witness, next Friday, October 17th. Tanner said she did not expect to publish her ruling, due to various scheduling challenges, until mid-November.
This is one of at least four project sites on Avalon that is in some degree of limbo, or at least waiting.
(WSB photo from 2013 Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
The first half of October tends to be quieter, as if we are all recovering from summer, bracing for fall and winter. But now, as we arrive in mid-month, big events are on the way, including the Fauntleroy Fall Festival on Sunday, October 19th, one week from today. It’s just three hours long, 2-5 pm, but those are three full-of-fun hours, so you might even want to plan to stay for the duration. Highlights announced so far include:
*CAKE WALK: A festival favorite. You can even donate a cake to be judged and then claimed. From the festival page, here are the basics:
All ages may participate. Contest categories include Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Cakes can be any shape or size. They should have either a Fall, Halloween, or West Seattle theme.
Bring your entry (or entries) on festival day, between 12 noon and 1 p.m. Voting begins at 1:30 p.m. and continues until about 3 p.m. Who votes? We all do! Once votes have been tallied, prizes will be awarded for each category.
The Cake Walk begins after the prizes have been awarded and continues until all the cakes have been given away. Even if you do not want to enter the Cake Decorating Contest, you can still bake and donate a cake for the Cake Walk. Cakes can be very simple or very elaborate. This is a wonderful parent/child, family, or group project! Questions? E-mail Carolyn Tucker at tucker_family @ me.com.
Also: Pumpkin decorating for kids, other arts/crafts activities, climbing wall, pony rides, petting zoo, musical performances, dancing to the West Seattle Big Band (3:30-5 pm) … The festival happens in the heart of Fauntleroy, both sides of the 9100 block of California SW (map) – with crossing assistance! – on the grounds of Fauntleroy Church/YMCA, The Hall at Fauntleroy, and historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.
P.S. Food will be available for purchase, but otherwise, the festival is free (supported by donations as well as fundraisers over the course of each year). And the Seahawks game (10 am, at St. Louis) should be over in time for fans to make it to the festival, too.
(Tugboat reflection, shared via WSB Flickr group by Flickr member Hammerin’ Man)
Haven’t already gone through the calendar? Five happenings of note:
MILES FOR MIDWIVES: 10 am benefit run/walk along a 2.5-mile course in Lincoln Park.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS: Didn’t get your pet to either event last Sunday? Fauntleroy Church invites you to come by today, 2 pm, for a “brief, beautiful, fun service” – details here. (9140 California SW)
LADIES’ MUSICAL CLUB: Free concert featuring the music of Schubert, 3 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)
ALAN EHRLICH: Live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
CD RELEASE PARTY: 7 pm, help The Course celebrate its new release “La La Liberation” at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
(Photo courtesy Symetra)
If you’re going to the Seahawks–Cowboys game at CenturyLink Field this afternoon – listen up for your chance to applaud a local teacher. Chief Sealth International High School family/consumer sciences teacher DeAira Handugan is scheduled to be there for an on-field presentation of her “Heroes in the Classroom” award. Two former students nominated her; one is quoted as saying, “It is impossible to be in her presence and not look at her as a role model.” The award is presented by the Seahawks and Symetra, who present it to 16 teachers around the region each year; besides the recognition at today’s game, it also brings Handugan a $1,000 donation for classroom supplies.
California SW is at least partly blocked between Oregon and Alaska in The Junction right now because of that multiple-car crash. At least one person is hurt, though the injuries aren’t likely major – a private ambulance is at the scene. Not sure how long it’ll take to clear, but if you’re headed that way, you’ll want to detour onto 42nd or 44th.
WSB’s Katie Meyer is at the scene and says the white car in the photo above this line was reported to be U-turning when the black car (top photo) collided with it.
9:34 PM: A full “fire in building” response is headed to The Kenney (WSB sponsor) at 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW right now. The initial report is that a chair is on fire in a room there.
9:40 PM: Firefighters have since amended that to “food on the stove.” No injuries reported. Not even enough smoke to require extra ventilation, according to scanner discussion. But we’re headed over to doublecheck.
9:54 PM: Our crew’s just back from checking at the scene to verify that everyone’s OK – they are, and the remaining fire crews have packed up and left.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:
FAUNTLEROY SEARCH: Many were wondering about the police presence in Fauntleroy, near Lincoln Park and the ferry dock, since late afternoon. Officers told us they were looking for a “felony warrant suspect” who had been seen in the area, near the bus stop by the dock. No new incident/crime, apparently, but this was someone they were looking for. We don’t know whether they’ve found that suspect yet, and we don’t have details of the warrant.
PACKAGE THEFT: Fumiko in Arbor Heights (near 35th/100th) says she’s been hit by package thieves for the third and final time, and she’s just not going to get home deliveries any more. Her iPhone 6, delivered by UPS at 3:55 pm, was gone when she got home Thursday night and: “This is the third time an UPS or USPS delivered package went missing from my property (front porch and side door).”
(Photo tweeted by Patrick Gerding, looking this way from Vashon ferry)
6:28 PM: We’re not seeing it in the forecast, but that is most definitely thunder rolling through – and lightning. No short-term alerts, either. Rainbows earlier, though!
7:02 PM: Seems to have quieted down. “Low level instability,” explains MetPatrick, via Twitter. Meantime, thanks for more photos from the sky sights before sunset – dark clouds behind the gleaming skyline, in this photo from Melody in Admiral:
The second rainbow seemed to emerge from the base of the main rainbow, in an unusual “V” configuration, as you can see in this photo from Russ:
7:11 PM: The National Weather Service, whose forecasts hadn’t mentioned thunderstorms, just tweeted: “Line of heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms from Sea-Tac to east of Enumclaw will move SE and weaken in the next hour.”
7:37 PM: The photo above is from Lise in High Point. In comments, Emily offers an explanation.
7:54 PM: One more rainbow view:
Don Brubeck caught that angle from Alki. Looking ahead in the forecast – Monday looks very rainy – get those storm drains cleared of leaves before the weekend’s out!
The showers that moved through earlier didn’t stop some of the hard-working volunteers on the West Seattle High School campus for a morning of special attention from volunteers with Washington Green Schools. WSHS was chosen as a location for volunteer help on a statewide day of service, with visitors “including highly skilled gardeners and carpenters” and donated materials including chips and lumber, according to the announcement we received. Along with WSHS volunteers, the WGS visitors worked on planting areas around the campus. Our photo is from the sign fronting California SW, a site that will be part of the Steps at Stevens project.
Thanks for the tips about traffic trouble on the eastbound bridge – a spinout is blocking the ramp to northbound 99.
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