West Seattle, Washington
13 Thursday
Thanks to Gary Jones for the photo: Seen from West Seattle, that’s the USCGC Polar Star (WAGB-10) entering Elliott Bay this morning after completing its ice-breaking mission in Antarctica. According to its infopage (linked to its name in that last line), it’s “one of the largest ships in the US Coast Guard and one of the world’s most powerful non-nuclear ships.” Here’s the USCG news release detailing what the Polar Star and its 140-person crew have done during their 108-day deployment.
(Photo by Don Brubeck via the WSB Flickr group)
Sunshine now, weekend on the way – what could be better? As we do most mornings, we’re taking a moment to look ahead at what’s happening today/tonight via the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (which has even more listings for today, tonight, and beyond):
SPA DAY AT WEST SIDE MOPS: 9:30-11:30 am, local businesses and service providers pamper the members of West Side MOPS for a blissful morning at West Side Presbyterian Church, the group’s regular meeting site. Details and participants in our calendar listing.
PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT: West Seattle High School students are raising money for a project to help fight hunger, and tonight they’re offering “Parents’ Night Out” babysitting to bring in some $. 5-10:30 pm – details in our preview, including how to check whether they’re all booked up or not. (3000 California SW)
FREE MOVIE NIGHT AT HPIC: Bring the family to Highland Park Improvement Club – 6:30 pm, doors open; 7 pm, movie time. No admission charge; concessions available for purchase; bring your own pillow/blanket and/or use an HPIC chair. Movie hint in our calendar listing. (12th/Holden)
RESTORATIVE YOGA: 6:30 pm with Milo Minnis at SoundYoga (WSB sponsor) – details here. (5639 California SW)
TONIGHT AT KENYON HALL: Kyleen Austin (guitar) and Andrew Emlen (cello) perform at the historic performance hall – details (including reservation info) in our calendar listing. 7:30 pm. (7904 35th SW)
That’s just a sampling of what’s on the calendar – follow the link and browse!
(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
So far, so good, as the Friday morning commute approaches the peak period. Tomorrow, meantime, is the day for Highway 99 to be closed all day – 4:30 am-7 pm, for the Alaskan Way Viaduct’s “followup inspection” and also for remaining work on the Spokane St. Overcrossing just south of the West Seattle Bridge.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“We’ve organized this meeting because you requested it. … We’re here to listen and write down your comments.”
That’s how senior land-use planner Bruce Rips from the city Department of Planning and Development opened last night’s meeting at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center about the two-lots-into-eight subdivision proposal for the 42,000-square-foot greenbelt site at 6536 24th SW (map), describing himself as the “project facilitator.” Also on hand, DPD manager Jerry Suder, who has been in attendance at most of these types of meetings.
The two revealed that they’ve already asked the site owner/developer to respond to concerns that have come up during the city review, and are still awaiting answers. The big concerns about this site, as first reported here in January, involve what happens to the wildlife and wetland on the site, and how runoff will affect Longfellow Creek, steps away and already a flooding problem many years because of the area’s drainage woes, as shown in this photo by neighbor Cyndie Rokicki (the proposed-subdivision site is in the background, with the real-estate shingle):
Thanks to NP for the soccer report and photos: It was friendly-rivalry time at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point on Thursday as West Seattle High School defeated Chief Sealth International High School 2-1, “with freshman Akili Kasim in the goal box along with a young team on the field.” NP adds, “It was nice to see a [retired] Sealth teacher (Mrs. C) giving the West Seattle goalie a hug after a great win!”
Next up for WSHS, Franklin comes to play @ Southwest Athletic Complex at 4 pm Tuesday; next up for Sealth, it’s back to Walt Hundley for a 3:30 pm game against Cleveland that day.
(Cameron Slader making the play at third base)
Next up for West Seattle High School baseball – they’re playing at Safeco Field on Saturday! This follows a Thursday pre-season loss to Ballard, 3-1, with photos and summary courtesy of Greg Slader (thank you!):
Pitching and defense did their job Thursday, but the offense still lacks the clutch hits. Ben Wexler pitched three innings as he relied on his defense to hold Ballard to one run:
(Ben Wexler throwing a strike)
Offense struggled again to get going as the Only RBI hit was late in the Game. The Wildcats left plenty of base runners stranded and had plenty of opportunities late in the game.Next game is Saturday 4 pm @ Safeco Field vs. Issaquah. Tickets are FREE, sit anywhere you want. Parking is ½ price. Come support the team!
The seasons have officially changed – West Seattle’s NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen has carried off yet another successful sunset watch, something she’s been doing for 20 equinoxes and solstices – that’s 5 years of season changes. At Solstice Park, she showed young attendees how to practice telescope/microscope techniques on tissue tubes. And when it was time to demonstrate what the equinox means to our planet, she had an even younger helper:
That’s Alice’s almost-3-year-old daughter Vera, who made a few orbits of the globe that Alice uses as a prop. The sunset, meantime, cooperated, and put on its own show:
Those, Alice explained, are crepuscular rays. The ~20 people who showed up tonight just got lucky with the sunset show.
In addition to her own website Alice’s Astro Info – where the summer-solstice sunset-viewing event is already scheduled for June 21st! – Alice is also our Skies Over West Seattle correspondent, with periodic updates on what to watch for, from comets to eclipses and more.
(Vigor photo)
That’s state Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson breaking a bottle against the new Washington State Ferries vessel M/V Tokitae, during its christening ceremony today at Vigor Industrial on Harbor Island. The $137 million ferry is 362 feet long, the first vessel in the 144-car Olympic Class; the second one, Samish, is also being built at Vigor, and a third one is being planned. Tokitae is expected to start service on the Mukilteo-Clinton route in June. The announcement of today’s christening notes that building Tokitae meant 500 jobs at Vigor and subcontractors in the state, adding that it’s “on budget and on schedule,” as is Samish.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB, added 9:37 pm)
8:32 PM: On the way home from a meeting, we have spotted Guardian One circling north of High Point. Not sure yet what’s going on, but we’re checking.
8:40 PM: One commenter reports what appears to be a search in High Point.
8:45 PM: Tweet from Guardian One confirms it.
9:18 PM: Found the house on which police had converged, along SW Juneau a couple blocks east of 35th; added a photo. Commenter “Soul Cat“ adds some context.
9:33 PM: New information via WSB’s Christopher Boffoli and Katie Meyer: Christopher confirmed at the scene that it was a narcotics warrant – adding his images shortly. Katie reports that scanner traffic indicated at least two people in custody.
Congratulations to the award-winning West Seattle High School String Orchestra! WSHS music teacher Ethan Thomas shares the photo and report:
The West Seattle High School String Orchestra traveled to Bellingham on March 14th to participate in the Western Washington University Orchestra Festival. The Orchestra had a chance to perform for a panel of college professors and received a personalized clinic by renowned violinist and educator Dr. Chung Park. Our students performed very well and received a silver category award for their hard work.
Lots of city surveys these days, and today there’s another one: This time, it’s focused on the search for a new Seattle Department of Transportation director. It’s a short survey and includes questions about how you think SDOT is doing – what’s going well, what could be better. Here’s the survey link; here’s the info page with more ways to get involved in the process.
Having a rough week? Saturday brings a volunteer project that might be a way to get out your frustrations. It’s happening at Highland Park Improvement Club, where a “greening” is under way, as envisioned in the plan above. Here’s what’s happening Saturday, for the next step toward that “greening”:
We’re building an oasis in the asphalt – a courtyard, replacing a portion of the parking lot with permeable pavers and more gardens. So we have some asphalt that needs to be ripped up and taken away. Bring your muscles and whatever you need to vent this Saturday and help us hoist chunks of asphalt outta here. The asphalt will be prepped, scored and ready to rumble into a big Dumpster that will cart it away.
We will start at 10 am till however long it takes. Lunch will be provided and activities for all ages. And yes, there will be beer and other refreshments after all that hard work.
HPIC is at 12th/Holden.
5:10 PM UPDATE: A little advance depaving is going on today – Highland Park Action Committee co-chair Carolyn Stauffer just shared this photo:
Just a start!
(Renderings courtesy Nicholson-Kovalchick Architects)
Here’s your first look at the newest changes proposed for one of the most-scrutinized development proposals on the table right now in West Seattle. 3210 California SW is the 134-unit, 152-parking-space, ~450-foot-long mixed-use project proposed for most of the east side of a block-plus area upzoned in 2010. Intracorp‘s project has been before the Southwest Design Review Board four times, and board members are scheduled to consider it again on April 3rd, as reported here four weeks ago. Today, the project team has shared three new renderings and a summary of changes – including reduced height for part of the building, a key request by nearby neighbors, who have continued to challenge the city rules that wound up allowing a 5-story building in an area upzoned to a theoretical 4-story (40-foot) height limit:
Summary of Proposed Changes:
§ Reduced the north building by one floor. It’s now under the allowed height and zoning. This is also a reduction of 10 apartment units.
§ Reduced the quantity and the height of the stair and elevator penthouses.
§ Set back the top floor of the middle and south buildings by 4 feet from the three residential stories below.
§ Widened the gap between the three buildings to a minimum of 25 feet to allow for more natural light and reduce the massing. (formerly the minimum gap was at 19 feet)
§ Removed all the balconies facing the single family homes. Replaced them with Juliet balconies to allow the doors to open for natural ventilation. (Juliet balconies do not allow a person to step onto the balcony.)
§ Made the bridge more transparent to allow for natural light.
§ Varied the color of the window frames to further differentiate the three buildings, creating a tapestry rather than a uniformed look.
(North retail, street level)
§ Carried the brick material (in a different color) from the northern building to the middle building. This gives the middle building a finer, masonry look and resembles more of the California District character.§ Added finer scale, smooth masonry face on the retail side of the south building and varied the storefront and other street level materials in order to compliment the character of California Avenue and the Admiral District.
(South residential, street level)
The project team will be submitting the full “design packet” for the April 3rd meeting (6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle, California/Oregon) before the week’s out.
2:16 PM UPDATE: The full packet is now linked from the city website – see it here.
(Pileated woodpecker, photographed at Camp Long this week by Mark Wangerin)
Spring is here, as of about half an hour ago. Our highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar include two ways to celebrate:
CELEBRATE SPRING AT COMMUNITY ORCHARD OF WEST SEATTLE: An invitation for you, from Stu Hennessey:
Celebrate the 1st day of spring at the Community Orchard of West Seattle. Spring arrives at 9:46 Thursday morning, and Health and Harvest at the Community Orchard is from 5 pm to 7 pm. We will be demonstrating blueberry bush and fruit tree pruning. Healthy activities with a Harvest of spring tonic greens.
COWS is on the northeast side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. (6000 16th SW)
PELVIC HEALTH AND AWARENESS CLASS: West Seattle/Highline Physical Therapy is offering this class to women for a nominal fee benefiting nonprofit Open Arms Perinatal. It’s advised for women who “want to improve bladder control, reduce back or pelvic pain, or get help in recovering from childbirth or abdominal surgery.” More details in our calendar listing; class starts 6:30 pm. (4700 42nd SW, Suite 510)
SUNSET WATCH WITH ALICE ENEVOLDSEN: For five years, NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen has been leading fun, educational sunset-watch events on equinoxes and solstices at West Seattle’s Solstice Park. Since spring has just arrived, tonight is the vernal-equinox edition. Arrive around 6:45 to get some quality time with Alice, who usually demonstrates exactly how the equinox works, and leads Q/A. All ages welcome; toddler-friendly activities planned as part of it. (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
COMMUNITY MEETING FOR 24TH SW SUBDIVISION NEAR LONGFELLOW CREEK: Tonight is the community-requested meeting for the proposal to split one lot into eight in the 6500 block of 24th SW, first reported here in December and then again in January when neighbors pointed out flooding/drainage problems. City Department of Planning and Development reps will preside and take comments as part of their review of the subdivision proposal, envisioned as a precursor to building single-family homes on the lots. The meeting is at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center at 7 pm. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
‘MINOR DIFFERENCES’ SCREENING: The community’s invited to tonight’s screening of this award-winning documentary at Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor). From the EW website:
Explorer West’s Parent Community Network is hosting a screening of this poignant documentary about juvenile offenders in maximum security lock-up and their lives 18 years later. There will be a post-screening Q&A session with Explorer West parent and producer of Minor Differences, Caroline Cumming, and three of the men from the documentary. Last month, the film won “Best Documentary” at the Spokane International Film Festival.
The screening is at 7 pm at EW and will be followed by a Q/A. $5 tickets are available online, and at the door. (10015 28th SW)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When the Morgan Junction murder trial resumes this morning, it will be the first full day of testimony in defense of 69-year-old Lovett “Cid” Chambers, who doesn’t deny shooting and killing 35-year-old Travis Hood on January 21, 2012, but says it was self-defense.
Defense lawyers began presenting their case after the prosecution rested on Wednesday, four weeks after jurors were seated and started hearing the case. It was the first day of proceedings this week, after court was called off Monday and Tuesday due to illnesses.
The first defense witness, expected to spend most if not all of today back on the stand, is forensic psychologist Dr. Mark Cunningham, who evaluated Chambers and concluded his actions were affected by post-traumatic stress disorder.
But first, Wednesday began with Seattle Police Homicide Detective Tim DeVore, the final prosecution witness, finishing his time on the stand:
(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:16 AM: Good morning. No road trouble in the area so far. Spring arrives with the vernal equinox just before 10 am today. Daily reminder of a major upcoming closure: 4:30 am-7 pm this Saturday (March 22), Highway 99 will be closed for the Alaskan Way Viaduct’s “followup inspection” and, now added, remaining work on the Spokane St. Overcrossing just south of the West Seattle Bridge.
7:16 AM: We doublechecked to confirm – Roxbury IS open again at 15th SW, where it was closed for several hours overnight as deputies investigated a deadly shooting (ongoing coverage on our partner site White Center Now).
(Delridge District Council chair Mat McBride & City Councilmember Sally Clark)
Wednesday night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting featured a special guest – but first, the centerpiece: Pitches on applications for the Neighborhood Park and Street Fund – one big responsibility for district councils is to review applications like these and decide which ones to recommend the city fund. Here are the presentations made, in chronological order:
That King County Sheriff’s Office sergeant is one of several KCSO investigators walking Roxbury between 14th and 15th, looking for evidence in a shooting. All we know so far is that one person was shot and is at the hospital. When we get new information, we’ll be updating the story on our partner site White Center Now. (Early-morning note: The victim died overnight, KCSO confirms.)
Three years after leaving Chief Sealth International High School, where he had been principal for seven years, John Boyd has a new job in Central Washington – superintendent of the Quincy School District near Wenatchee. Boyd has spent the last three years, since leaving Sealth, as an executive director in the Highline Public Schools district immediately south of Seattle. According to an online report about Boyd’s selection, his new district has about 2,700 students; its current superintendent is retiring after seven years.
(Volunteers Asha, Anab, and Rhoda, dealing with dandelions)
Our story earlier tonight about the upcoming 2nd annual West Seattle Bee Festival mentioned Keep High Point Green. Tonight we have another update on community members of all ages getting involved with that project – courtesy of Deborah Vandermar, High Point Neighborhood Association president:
Volunteers worked all weekend weeding and mulching in High Point as part of the Keep High Point Green Project: Saturday at Bataan Park with Garden Mentor Amy Hughes and Sunday at Commons Park (in the rain) with Garden Mentor Kimberley Leeper of Mariposa Naturescapes.
Members of the FC Juba soccer team worked both days!
(Garden Mentor Lori Leberer coaching FC Juba soccer-team members on how to spread mulch)
They helped put up the tent, weeded and mulched. They also gathered kids from High Point Mosque’s Religious Studies class and helped them learn how to do edging and weeding . Everyone enjoyed the great tools provided by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund grant.
As Deborah explained in this report two weeks ago, KHPG “evolved last year as a community response to High Point’s need for weed control and its commitment to sending only clean water to Longfellow creek by avoiding the use of herbicides.”
9:51 PM: Seattle Fire has a fire response in the 4500 block of SW Director Place (map). The building is described in county records as a four-plex.
9:59 PM: Electrical problem, crews on the scene tell us. All over now.
(Photo courtesy West Seattle Bee Festival)
Were you part of history at the first-ever West Seattle Bee Festival last year? Whatever your answer, you are invited to be part of the SECOND-ever WS Bee Festival – now that the date is set for May 4th! Lauren Englund shares the news:
The West Seattle Bee Garden and High Point Neighborhood Association are hosting the Second Annual West Seattle Bee Festival, complete with a Picnic and Parade!
Date: Sunday May 4th, 2014
Time: 11 am-3 pm
Location: High Point Commons ParkPlease share with your school and groups – everyone is invited to join!
Also, great news! We were awarded a Department of Neighborhoods grant this year to fund the event! Want to put something fun together for the parade (bike decoration party, costumes etc)? Or host a game at the festival? Let us know, because we can fund it! Please get back to us by April 4th if you are interested in hosting a craft/game.
More Details:
Parade Start Location: West Seattle Elementary parking lot (6760 34th Ave SW)
Parade Start Time: 11 am (location opens at 10 am to gather; we recommend coming early for face painting and to make a craft!)
Festival Location and Parade End: Commons Park (31st Ave SW and SW Graham St)Want to bring a big group? Awesome, please let us know in advance so that we can be prepared: e-mail Lauren at lcenglund@yahoo.com
Small groups, want to just show up? That is fine, look for people with a ballon to help answer your questions.
Want to craft something in advance, or organize a parade prep party? Fantastic! Please email Lauren at lcenglund@yahoo.com or call 616-502-3182 to get in touch. We will happily help coordinate and can pay for the materials.
Website where updates will be posted: www.westseattlebeegarden.com
Festival will include:
Music
Crafts
Food
Face Painting
VendorsProudly working with Keep High Point Green, and the bees love it! Come see what’s new at the bee garden this year!
WHY?
Because it’s fun and builds community – with the added benefit of supporting bees, pollinators and our environment (and why not come craft something to give Mom for Mother’s Day – wink!).We hope to see you there!
-The West Seattle Bee Garden Team and High Point Neighborhood Association
If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of the new South Park Bridge, looks like the wait is going to be a bit longer. The projected opening timeframe for the bridge has been “spring 2014” for a while … but today, the county’s detailed invitation to next week’s South Park slideshow presentation on bridge construction says it won’t open until sometime this summer, after extensive wiring work. A cached copy of the project webpage shows it displaying “Anticipated Opening: Spring 2014” as recently as last Sunday.
The bridge originally was projected to open in fall 2013; as first reported on WSB and partner site The South Park News in fall 2012, that changed because foundation work took longer than planned. We have a request out to the county for comment on what has caused the latest change. The old bridge was closed June 30, 2010, after being deemed unsafe; funding for a replacement wasn’t certain by that point, but was eventually secured, and the new bridge’s groundbreaking was in May 2011.
4:09 PM UPDATE: County Transportation Department spokesperson Rochelle Ogershok says this isn’t the result of a new problem, but rather the re-evaluation of the timeline. Her response, ahead:
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