West Seattle, Washington
03 Wednesday
(From county presentation at pre-construction meeting covered here last month)
Though the Murray Combined Sewer Overflow Project – a million-gallon storage tank and its support facilities – is being built across Beach Drive from Lowman Beach Park, construction will affect the park, too, as reminded in this notice sent today:
Later this week, King County’s contractor for the Murray Combined Sewer Overflow project will begin on-site preparation for facility construction. In the next few days, the contractor will install security fencing around the Murray Pump Station in Lowman Beach Park, and two trailers will be installed in the park’s northeast corner. The trailers will serve as the contractor’s office for the duration of the project.
Access to Lowman Beach Park facilities and beachfront will be maintained. Park users are encouraged to access the park through the 15-foot wide pathway north of the contractor project office. This pathway will remain open throughout construction. Parking on the west side of Beach Drive Southwest will be maintained once the trailers are installed.
King County has a project hotline for questions/concerns: 206-205-9186.
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Fauntleroy is one of the Washington State Ferries terminals included in a new feature WSF is testing, showing how many spaces remain in vehicle-holding areas on docks, in hopes that will help people gauge wait time before they arrive. It’s been added to the Vessel Watch page for each terminal, pages where you also will find multiple cameras. Here’s the main page; here’s the Fauntleroy page; here’s the Southworth page. (The Vashon page doesn’t have parking-space information since vehicle fares are not collected there.) WSF emphasizes it’s testing this feature; look for the “Feedback” link on those pages to let them know what you think.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
1:03 PM: Big Seattle Fire response on the way to check out a possible fire incident at the Alaska House apartments, 4545 42nd SW, just north of Junction Plaza Park.
(Added: Photo that Charles took as the initial response continued to arrive)
1:08 PM: The response is being scaled back, escept for four units – likely “food on the stove.”
1:17 PM: SFD confirms that. Christopher Boffoli, on scene for WSB, was told by a resident that a maintenance worker saw smoke coming from a unit and called SFD. Thank you to everyone who messaged us on this – including two WSB’ers who saw the specialized SFD units crossing the West Seattle Bridge and knew that was a sure sign of a potentially major call.
While this is the type of note that most often lands in the WSB Forums as a “Rave,” it turned up in the WSB e-mailbox instead, and we’re up for some heartening news – so, here’s what Molly reported:
We just wanted to pass along a little holiday cheer that we just encountered in West Seattle (Sunday). We accidentally left a package near Talarico’s, where a good Samaritan found it and drove it to our house in the event that we’d accidentally left behind a holiday present. While the package was empty (the contents were at N.W. Art and Frame), it had contained a print of a painting we’d seen on our honeymoon this summer. My husband, who is a little cynical about the holiday season, was struck by this woman’s kindness and thoughtfulness in driving the package all the way to our house, had it contained a gift. Thanks, West Seattle, for your continued sense of community that truly embodies the spirit of the holidays!
Since we might not see the sun before today is over, we’re sharing the Monday night photo sent by Chris Frankovich (thank you!). Even when visible, of course, the sunsets are so early this time of year – but have heart, the winter solstice is on Saturday. (Speaking of which, we have added solstice events to the WSB Holiday Guide.) A few things ahead today, before we get too much further:
COTTAGE GROVE COMMONS OPENING CEREMONY & TOURS: The 66-apartment DESC “supportive housing” facility Cottage Grove Commons starts move-ins tomorrow. Today, it’s hosting a 2:30 pm opening celebration and 4:30-7 pm neighborhood open house/tours; details here; our coverage of this past Sunday’s volunteer “Apartment Adoption Day” is here. (5444 Delridge Way SW)
VOLUNTEER NIGHT AT WESTSIDE BABY: 6-9 pm, lend a hand! Details here.
COMMUNITY CONCERT: At 7 pm, small woodwind and brass ensembles, members and friends of the West Seattle Community Orchestras, will be performing Christmas favorites, Scott Joplin and a recently composed “Woodwind Sextet no. 1” by Mark Hedien at the Bridge Park Retirement Living Center. The public is invited. The music will include a unique flute, bells, and piano combination, as well as a trombone quartet, woodwind sextet, clarinet quartet, and brass quintet. (3204 SW Morgan)
FINAL ‘TRIVIA THAT ROCKS’: Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) is changing its Tuesday programming after tonight’s final edition of “Trivia That Rocks,” which starts at 8 pm. No worries, trivia fans, proprietor Jeff Gilbert says it’ll be back with some changes in February (more later on what’s ahead for Tuesdays). So don’t miss this edition. (6451 California SW)
One more note: Not in West Seattle, but we’re told more than a few West Seattle teens are involved:
‘ANYTHING GOES’! Forwarded by West Seattleite and Center School parent Steve, who says the WS kids in the production would particularly love to see audience members cross the bridge to come support their production:
The Center School – a Seattle Public High School located at the Seattle Center – is hosting their annual play right now at the Center Theater, which is located on the first floor of the Seattle Center Armory (aka The Center House). This year they are doing something completely different and daring for a High School…a musical! Come see their totally inspired interpretation of a timeless classic “Anything Goes”. No fixed ticket price; a suggested donation of $10 is all they ask. Their first show was last night (Monday) but they have two shows left, both starting at 7:30pm. You’ll thoroughly enjoy a lighthearted yet demanding production showcased in a wonderful and intimate venue.”
In addition to the five projects tentatively scheduled for Southwest Design Review Board meetings early in the new year (reported here last week), add one more: The fourth review for 3210 California SW – currently planned as a five-story, 149-unit, 168-parking-space mixed-use building – is on the lineup for 8 pm Thursday, February 6th, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon). Here’s our report on its most-recent review and an ongoing petition drive seeking a non-design-related public meeting.
The relaunched Junction Neighborhood Organization – JuNO – wants to encourage people to waste less and recycle more – with a fun holiday contest as part of the campaign. From René Commons:
JuNO is participating in the Waste Management Challenge which runs from October through March 2013.
There are two ways to win the challenge. One way is for the community that reduces the most garbage (residential); WM monitors volume. The other way is for community to complete monthly recycling outreach challenges.
Flashmobs, YouTube videos, posters, flyers and meetings … you get the idea. So JuNO members have been active this December, distributing flyers and talking about the challenge to neighbors at the Farmers Market about the Think Green Reuse & Recycling Challenge.
In conjunction with the outreach at the Farmers Market, JuNO is having a contest for neighbors to let their Recycling Creativity Shine!
We are asking for people to create gift wrap, ornaments, and of course best reindeer antlers (pets included)
Juno will have a booth at the WS Solstice Farmers Market on December 22nd. Neighbors can bring their entries and we will select the winners at 1:30.
We hope to win $2,000 by winning the December Challenge, which will help us to kick start the organization and get the word out about JuNO and that there is a neighborhood organization here in the Junction they can join.
Look for a related music video later this week. And if you have a question – e-mail wsjuno@yahoo.com.
(More area traffic cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:30 AM: No major problems reported on the routes out of West Seattle so far this morning. Another reminder: This week’s overnight lane (and more) closures for I-5 through downtown include a full northbound closure tonight into tomorrow morning.
7:51 AM UPDATE: Multiple reports of a crash – no injuries reported or responded to at this point but still multiple cars, blocking a lane – on the eastbound bridge from Fauntleroy.
8:12 AM: Can’t see it from the pedestrian walkover – so if it’s still not cleared, it’s somewhere east of there. Meantime, from comments, a crash reported at Delridge/Andover.
8:37 AM: Both of the aforementioned situations are reported to have cleared. Meantime, here’s a traffic view we hadn’t noticed before, via the city Travelers Info Map:
At right, that’s the former “Hole,” aka Spruce, as the view looks westbound on Alaska from Fauntleroy. We’ll add it to the cameras on the WSB Traffic page, along with anything else we find that we don’t already have.
While new incidents took precedence as Monday unfolded, we did follow up on the homicide investigation that followed the discovery of a High Point woman’s body in her home on Saturday afternoon (here’s our 
first report).
The King County Medical Examiner has yet to announce the 46-year-old woman’s cause of death and identity. Police with whom we spoke Monday morning and late afternoon were also still remaining relatively mum, aside from one telling us the crime scene was “processable” – suggesting useful evidence was found.
We also talked with a spokesperson for the Seattle Housing Authority who said SHA is working closely with Seattle Police and “hoping for a resolution as soon as possible” to the “terrible tragedy.” Though police described the victim as a “homeowner,” the unit actually is owned by the SHA, she said, but as of our conversation, was still being “held by police as an investigation scene.” She added that High Point security has not changed as a result because “we asked SPD specifically if they think there is a threat to the community and their response was ‘no’.”
The Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship and its accompanying fleet emerged from Elliott Bay fog – with sea lions barking and foghorns sounding – to make its first-ever visit to Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) this past hour. Pacific Sound Chorus was aboard for the holiday serenade, with audiences on the ships, on Salty’s decks, and on the shoreline nearby. While this was its last West Seattle stop this holiday season …
… it continues making the rounds elsewhere in the region through next Monday night (December 23rd); here’s the schedule.
5:48 PM: A big Seattle Fire response is on the way to the 6900 block of Delridge Way to check out a fire-in-building report. The address on the 911 log checks to the Lam-Bow Apartments just north of the major commercial intersection at Delridge/Orchard/Sylvan. More to come.
5:56 PM: Our crew is just arriving. Via scanner, SFD is reporting it’s a “room fire” on the three-story building’s second floor. Avoid Delridge at Myrtle – it’s blocked southbound and there was talk of closing the other direction too.
6:04 PM: Some of the units are being canceled. The incident commander says an extinguisher discharged and that apparently led to reports of smoke – not an actual fire. They hope to have a lane of traffic open shortly.
6:44 PM: The scene hasn’t completely cleared yet but is getting closer. Southbound Delridge is reported to be reopening. Metro Route 120 has been rerouted until the traffic flow is back to normal.
6:52 PM: Route 120 is back to its regular route.
The man charged with the November 25th gunpoint robberies aboard a Metro RapidRide bus 
three weeks ago is now charged in a robbery on another bus. As Trevonnte Brown of Beacon Hill appeared before a King County Superior Court judge today, prosecutors filed a charge of second-degree robbery in connection with an incident on a Route 36 bus at Hanford and Beacon on Beacon Hill (map) on the afternoon of November 16th, nine days before the Morgan Junction robberies. Charging papers say Brown walked from the back of the bus and wrestled a Samsung Galaxy phone away from a man sitting in the middle of the bus. The victim stopped fighting back when Brown claimed he had a gun. After Brown’s arrest here on November 25th, investigators compared surveillance images to his booking photo and to an image of Brown selling an iPhone at an automated Southcenter kiosk on November 18th; on the bus and at the kiosk, he was wearing what charging documents describe as the same “distinctive” knit cap. Brown pleaded not guilty to all charges, including the three filed in the West Seattle case, and remains in jail, with bail set at $350,000. He is due back in court December 30th.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 2:23 PM: A rape has been reported at Roxhill Park – already under scrutiny for crimes and overall safety concerns. First word is in this letter that Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark says is going to families of students at Denny and adjacent Chief Sealth International High School:
This morning, a Denny International Middle School student reported to a Denny staff member that she had been attacked on Thursday, Dec. 12, at approximately 3:30 PM at Roxhill Park.
Roxhill Park is located south of Westwood Village, across the street from Target.
She reported that she was raped by a stranger that she believed to be in his mid-twenties. She shared that last Thursday, after school was out, she had gone to Westwood Village with friends. After about an hour, as she was walking home through Roxhill Park, the attack took place. Denny staff immediately contacted her family, the Seattle Police Department, and nearby schools. The Seattle Police Department is actively investigating.
We want to inform all of the students at Denny and Sealth about this and remind you about safety tips for walking to and from school.
Those safety tips are ahead. We are checking, meantime, to see if police have any additional information to share.
(Photos by WSB co-publishers Tracy Record & Patrick Sand)
While a public grand-opening ceremony is planned tomorrow for Cottage Grove Commons, the new DESC-operated building in North Delridge, Wednesday is the really big day. That’s when its 66 formerly homeless start moving in.
Coming from homelessness, they have little to bring along, so on Sunday, the new studio apartments were made ready for them by the efforts of dozens of volunteers, whose work was just beginning when we stopped by.
The volunteers’ work on Sunday was part of “Apartment Adoption Day.” While DESC made sure each unit has basic furniture like a bed, a table, and chairs, the “adopters” brought items such as bedding, dishes, and cleaning supplies:
(UPDATED 1:08 PM: Second attempted theft added)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 11:56 AM: With holiday deliveries peaking this week, it’s unfortunately also prime time for package thieves. One would-be thief was thwarted in West Seattle this morning, per a reader report we just received. It actually relates to something we tweeted after hearing a scanner snippet:
Scanner: Package thief spotted in 8800 block 17th SW. Fled in dark blue Honda with tinted windows.
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) December 16, 2013
An hour after that – just minutes ago – this note came in:
Thanks to a very alert neighbor and a prompt response by police, package was recovered. A neighbor saw a dark blue Honda sedan following the mail carrier, Asian youth got out of the car, went up to the porch and took a package and began to leave, neighbor shouted at him to put it back, he dropped the package, police responded quickly. Just a reminder these guys are out looking to spoil Christmas. I would also like to thank aware neighbors, quick police response, and the mail carriers who put the mail all the way in the mailboxes.
Haven’t heard of an arrest yet but we’ll keep the radar up.
ADDED 1:08 PM: Phillip sends word of another thwarted theft:
I just caught a guy trying to steal a package right off my porch in the middle of the day! I’ve called SPD and gave them a general description, but thought I’d share with WSB too. I’m in Luna Park (30th & Nevada).
I saw/heard USPS drop the package off, but hadn’t run out to grab it yet. Then, about 30 minutes later, I heard someone else, and this guy (picture) was grabbing my package and stuffing it in his red duffel bag.
When I confronted him he said that someone had “told him to drop it off here, as it was mistakenly delivered around the corner.” Mid-day! So brazen! SPD stopped by and said they hadn’t found him (yet) but it’s worth keeping a lookout.
Something old is something new in The Junction today – that sign that’s just gone up outside Husky Deli is a replica of the one that marked its location for more than thirty years. Husky proprietor Jack Miller gave us the heads-up it would be going up today; he told us in a quick video interview this morning that it’s something he’s wanted to do for a long time:
The sign is still being tweaked, and, as noted in the video, will be turned on tonight; we’ll add “after” photos later. Read about Husky’s history, from West Seattle 101, here.
P.S. Other local businesses have rediscovered their history – two and a half years ago, you might recall, we chronicled what turned up during Elliott Bay Brewing’s facade remodel (commenters added lots of great information); also on that side of the street, early work at the 4730 California site turned up a sign from a long-gone business.
Candace McCutcheon shared that photo from the December 7th Christmas Ship stop at Alki. Tonight’s your last chance to see and hear it off West Seattle shores this holiday season – one of five highlights:
HOLIDAY GIVING – ACT FAST!: Many toy drives, giving trees, and other opportunities for holiday help end within the next few days – for some, the deadline is today (Toys for Tots at C & P Coffee [WSB sponsor], for example – just bring a new unwrapped toy!); for others, you have a few more days (Firefly‘s giving tree for a local family); only a few run beyond this week, so please don’t procrastinate! Please see the list in the WSB Holiday Guide.
AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP: 2 pm, Southwest Library. This month’s book: “Emily Alone” by Stewart O’Nan. (35th/Henderson)
GET FIT, WEST SEATTLE! Informational meeting at 6:30 pm for the next West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) edition of this couch-to-marathon program – which, as explained in our preview, is free! (California/Charlestown)
CHRISTMAS SHIP AT SALTY’S: The final Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship stop in West Seattle this year is TONIGHT, 9:15 pm, just off Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), and Salty’s says you are welcome to come in and watch, even if you are NOT there for dinner or drinks: “The entire community is invited enter onto our HEATED patios to enjoy hot cider and cookies. The patio will be well lit with tiki torches, lanterns and hand-held candles, making for great photo-ops … The heat lamps will be crankin’ as the Christmas Ships approach from the East at 9 pm.” (1936 Harbor SW)
THE YEV AT SKYLARK: 10 pm, free show! Details here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
(More area traffic cams on the WSB Traffic page)
And we’re off – headed into the final full week before things tend to slow down for Christmas and New Year’s. One big traffic alert for this morning:
NORTHBOUND CALIFORNIA CLOSURE: Today’s the day the project at 4730 California in The Junction has a big concrete pour (for its parking garage). Northbound California will be closed between Edmunds and Alaska until about noon, according to the alert published here last week. We’ll update here if anything changes.
LATER THIS WEEK: If you are a late-night driver, note some overnight lane (and more) closures for I-5 through downtown this week, especially the full northbound closure Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.
In case you have late-night driving ahead on the north side of downtown: Highway 99 is reopening early. It’s been closed since 3 am Saturday between the Battery St. Tunnel and Valley St., but SDOT says the work is done and 99 is fully reopened, with surface-street closures ending shortly too. Heads up for a big overnight closure this week: I-5 northbound, Dearborn to Spring, will close 9 pm Tuesday to 4:30 am Wednesday for sign installation.
From the water and from the beach, West Seattle environmental advocate “Diver Laura” James has continued to help document the mystery ailment that’s killing off so many sea stars (as updated here three weeks ago). Tonight, she’s been out diving east of Seacrest as part of a weekly check (added 1:53 am, here’s the new video):
Cove 1 Sick Sea Star survey 12-15-2013 from Laura James on Vimeo.
Two weeks earlier, that same check yielded this video:
Sick Starfish Survey, 12-1-2013 Cove 1 from Laura James on Vimeo.
Before tonight’s dive, Laura sent this report on a shore investigation from Saturday night:
We got out last night with Professor Drew Harvell (from Cornell) to take a walk down at Seacrest. We walked from Cove 2 to Cove 1 on the lower low tide in the intertidal zone and counted sick and healthy sea stars. We counted about 170 stars (both the purple and orange ones) and saw a disease rate of around 50%. This is better than what we are seeing subtidal at the same sites, which is showing 90% + mortality, like at the pilings in the video.
The Professor was very excited because it showed a difference between intertidal and subtidal, and also that it is not hard for beach walkers/tidepool visitors to find the Sea Stars, but also reasonably easy to identify one that is ‘sick/dying’.
We are going to try to make the same walk a few more times during the next series of low tides and hopefully get another count and see how the numbers compare.
A regional map is in the works, as the sea-star deaths are being tracked – see it here. If you would like to help contribute, read on for Laura’s explanation of how you can do that:
Read More
Since we’re going into prime Christmas-lights-viewing time, with a week and a half until the holiday itself, here’s the first version of our annual map. This is NOT all-inclusive – we know there are many more bright lights out there – but we’re short on time for driving around to look, so please keep sharing suggestions, and we’ll be adding more! This is now part of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Events/Info Guide, so you can find it there even if you lose track of this story on the main page (also bookmark our coverage archive: westseattleblog.com/category/west-seattle-christmas-lights). Tips and/or photos, editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks! (We expect to add a few later tonight after another scouting trip.)
8:50 PM: Back from checking out Fauntlee Hills, which usually has more than a few brightly lit homes, and indeed, you’ll find them again this year:
Concord and Trenton, north of Barton, are the key streets to see, and we’re adding them to the map.
With Christmas less than two weeks away, we are making the rounds again for the traditional WSB lists of coffee shop/restaurant holiday hours – specifically, who’s open Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Day, because those are the dates we’re more often asked about. If you have a West Seattle/White Center/South Park restaurant/coffee shop and know your plans, we appreciate a note – editor@westseattleblog.com – to save us/you the phone call. And while we’re not able to make a comprehensive list of other types of businesses, we would be happy to include them in the WSB Holiday Guide if we receive that info (for example, letting us know you’re open until X on Christmas Eve). Thanks, and watch for the links to those lists in the guide and our calendar soon!
P.S. We’re also still adding to the other areas of the guide, as the info comes in – from holiday events to religious services to giving opportunities – same e-mail address.
Ready to run? West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) is about to launch another session of Get Fit, West Seattle – with an informational meeting tomorrow night, per WSR’s Lori McConnell:
We are back at it! After just successfully coaching about 15 runners and walkers off the couch across the finish line of the Amica Seattle Marathon, we are ready for more. Starting on January 5th, we will invite another group to get off the couch and begin training for the Seattle Rock ‘N Roll Marathon in June. Participants will receive a training plan that is guaranteed to get them to the goal. Additionally, we will host clinics on nutrition, proper training and footwear and injury prevention. Along the way, walkers and runners can expect support, camaraderie and a wealth of knowledge. All of this at NO COST!!
The informational meeting is at 6:30 pm tomorrow (Monday, December 16th) at WS Runner, second floor on the northwest corner of California/Charlestown.
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