West Seattle, Washington
25 Friday
Thanks to WSB Forums member Wakeflood for opening a discussion about this – the city is asking for your feedback right now about Comcast‘s franchise, before deciding on a potential 10-year-renewal. As Wakeflood points out, you can just answer a few quick questions here – or follow the link on that page to a full-fledged more-detailed survey (here).
Thanks to Jonathan French for the tip: Online city records say the site of Alki Auto Repair (2504 Alki SW) is proposed for 
conversion to a restaurant. The site is already next to two – Christo’s and Duke’s. What restaurant is on the way, you ask? The DPD docs offer only one big hint: The “financially responsible party” is listed as Charlie Olson, owner of Blue Moon Burgers, and the address listed on the application, 920 Republican, checks to Blue Moon’s South Lake Union business-district location.
The Blue Moon name is NOT on the publicly viewable city documents, though; they list another company with which he is affiliated, Olson’s Baking Company. (No restaurants in that company, though, so far as we can tell.) Olson declined comment. Blue Moon has three locations – besides SLU, Capitol Hill and Fremont; back in 2007, we mentioned it here on WSB because of a story elsewhere mentioning it was eyeing WS. If the new restaurant does turn out to be a BMB, it would join Fatburger, which opened its first Seattle location on Alki last October, and longtime burgers-and-more Pepperdock. Updates as we get them (including anything we learn about Alki Auto’s future).
ADDED TUESDAY AFTERNOON: Dane at Alki Auto confirms what was mentioned in comments:
We the staff at Alki Auto Repair are pleased to inform you that we will be moving to Avalon way and the site of the british auto center as of April 1. We will continue to operate at the 2504 Address until the end of the month. Our future is bright in the auto repair business and we will continue to strive in helping our customers with quality auto repair.
Dane W. Hurn
Service manager
Alki Auto Repair
No court today in what we’ve been calling the Morgan Junction murder trial – we arrived downtown only to learn that King County Superior Court Judge Theresa B. Doyle is out sick today, so that postpones the resumption of the trial until 9 am tomorrow (Tuesday). This is the fourth week that jurors have been hearing the case of Lovett “Cid” Chambers, charged with second-degree murder in the January 2012 shooting death of Travis Hood alongside Morgan Junction Park. WSB is the only news organization in court covering the trial start to finish; if you’re interested in catching up on our coverage, our report on Thursday’s proceedings (the trial is in recess on Fridays) includes links to all the previous installments.
This morning the decision is in from the city Department of Planning and Development – land-use approval for the 30-apartments, no-parking-spaces project at 6917 California SW (map), with DPD determining its “environmentally non-significance,” meaning the city will NOT require a full environmental-impact report. Read the decision here.
After we broke the news of the plan here last October, it drew citywide attention as another flashpoint of concern over increasing density adjacent to single-family neighborhoods – including commentary on its official sign:
Though the project was not planned for Design Review, three meetings were held in December – one with contextual information about the land-use process, one with developer Mark Knoll, a third with city planners, organized after they gathered enough signatures to ask DPD to call the meeting for comments. The decision document includes the results of planners’ review, including these paragraphs about the parking concern:
The proposed 30-unit apartment building proposes zero on-site vehicular parking spaces, and eight bicycle spaces in the basement of the structure. The subject site is within a multi-family zone, the Morgan Junction Residential Urban Village, and is within 1,320-feet of a street with “frequent transit service” (SMC 23.84A.038 “T”); therefore, there is no minimum requirement for on-site parking (SMC 23.54.015).
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Parking Manual indicates that the residential use could generate peak demand for approximately 41 vehicle parking spaces (1.37 spaces per residential unit peak demand). However, these estimates are generated based on data collected from suburban sites, with typical market-sized residential units. The proposed development consists entirely of studio sized residential units that are approximately 220 square feet in size, located in a dense neighborhood with frequent transit and opportunity for walking and biking to nearby services. It is reasonable to expect that the actual peak parking demand from this project would be less than 41 spaces. As is typical with residential projects, the peak parking demand is expected to occur during late evening and overnight hours.
To better understand the impacts of this development, the applicant submitted a Parking Demand and Parking Utilization Study (William Popp Associates, January 22, 2014). This study estimates the parking demand for this use, and evaluates the existing availability of on-street parking in the area. What the study finds is that this apartment building will likely generate a parking demand of approximately 15 vehicles (0.5 per unit), and that these vehicles can be accommodated on the street as the study area has a late evening parking utilization rate of 55% (282 legal on-street spaces with 156 vehicles parked). The expected 15 project-related vehicles would increase the on-street utilization rate to 61%.
The decision can be appealed to the city Hearing Examiner; deadline is two weeks from today, March 31st. Meantime, demolition and construction permits are pending.
(Latest bridge and Viaduct views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! No major problems so far. But if you’re using the Spokane Street Viaduct eastbound between 1st and 4th Avenues, take note of a big pothole reported Sunday morning – we’re hopeful it did get fixed, but can’t confirm that until later.
Also of note: WSDOT is not done with the Spokane St. Overcrossing bridge restriping just south of the West Seattle Bridge, so it’s expecting to close 99 between East Marginal and Atlantic again for up to 3 more nights, starting tonight, 9 pm-5 am. We’re told that the closures are weather-dependent – so they’re not a sure thing if it’s rainy.
8:02 AM: 911 log shows a crash at 40th/Hanford.
Four reader reports – two burglaries and two car prowls – in our weekend West Seattle Crime Watch report. Details ahead:
If you’re a 1974 graduate of West Seattle High School, you have two more weeks to buy discounted advance tickets to your 40th class reunion this summer. The official announcement:
The West Seattle High School Class of 1974 40th Class Reunion is scheduled for Saturday, July 19, 2014 from 6:30 to 11:30 PM at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California Avenue SW. Tickets are $75 per person if paid by April 1, 2014 and $85 after.
Additional information and payment information is available on the website: www.wshs1974.com. You can also “like” the “West Seattle High School – Class of 1974” page on Facebook for updates. Or you can e-mail Heidi Blaustein Newman at heidin129@aol.com. See you in July!
(Southwestern side of Roxhill Bog, photographed today by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Just a short distance past the playground and skatespot in Roxhill Park is Roxhill Bog – historically, where Longfellow Creek begins.
It’s undergone some restoration work in the past, but needs a lot more, and the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council has been working to put together a plan/request for Seattle Parks and Seattle Public Utilities. The bog’s past may be a key to our area’s future – and the proper restoration could help reduce flood problems along the Longfellow Creek corridor, as well as reducing the area where trouble sometimes lurks.
They’ve gathered a fair amount of information already, but, as WWRHAH secretary Joe Szilagyi explains, “At this point we’re just trying to fill in the last gaps of knowledge and information over a very, very long period of time before we can finalize our planning and bring this to SPU and Parks.” So if you have had any historical knowledge of/information about Roxhill Bog, they’ve set up a special e-mail address and invite you to get in touch: bog@wwrhah.org.
P.S. The area’s wetlands have had rough treatment in the past – while doing some added research, we found in the Seattle Municipal Archives this city photo dated exactly 53 years ago today (March 16, 1961), labeled “W. Roxbury paving, peat bog/26th and Barton,” though we can’t tell exactly where it is in relation to the current park site:
Meantime, if you are interested in more background on the current challenges and potential benefits of tackling them, read on for the text of the letter Szilagyi has sent to city and county leaders on WWRHAH’s behalf:
Heard about St. Baldrick’s?
Organizer Emily Austin is asking West Seattleites to agree to go bald on March 29th to help kids with cancer. She and Shanti Salon are organizing the fundraising event at Mind Unwind (2206 California SW) in The Admiral District, just a few blocks from the salon.
The act of giving up your head hair, says Emily, is “a gesture of solidarity for children who lose their hair in treatment, or anyone else who has gone through the hair loss trauma while undergoing treatment.”
Cheering on the shavees – who will have gathered sponsor pledges ahead of time – is just part of the event, so you’re invited even if you’re planning on keeping your hair. Says Emily, “There will also be silent auction items, raffle items and other ways to donate. We are still in need of a few donations of goods, services, gift cards, or table ready baskets to auction off.” But most importantly:
We’re actively searching for a few more folks who would consider shaving their heads and in particular, those willing to collect donations in advance. Our event link makes it quite easy to sign up, and sometimes, people or businesses will even form a team to make things more interesting. Anyone can get involved, from getting shaved, shaving heads, sweeping hair, helping collect donations for the raffle tickets that evening, to just coming by the event and lending support.
Emily hopes to build the event in the years ahead to where 100 people will get their heads shaved in a single evening. If you’re willing to help her head in that direction – sign up here. And join her at Mind Unwind on Saturday, March 29th, 6-8 pm.
The 10th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day is coming up on Saturday, May 10th, and we’ve set the date for registration to begin: Monday, March 31st, which is two weeks from tomorrow. If you’re new to West Seattle, this is one big day with hundreds of sales around the peninsula, 9 am-3 pm, always the second Saturday in May, and we promote it around the region to draw shoppers from all over, though its major mission is to provide a chance for neighbors to meet and mingle … some people choose to just walk to the nearest sales, while others get out on two or four wheels and explore further. This will be the seventh WSCGSD since we started coordinating and promoting it in 2008. When the registration form goes live on March 31st, we’ll announce it here, as well as in the WSB social-media channels (links to all of them are at the top of the sidebar); the registration period will run at least two weeks. Again, sale day is May 10th – coming up fast – updates to come!
Play ball! High-school sports’ spring season is starting. Thanks to Greg Slader for sharing photos as Coach Velko Vitalich‘s West Seattle High School baseball team takes the field for the year, after finishing 2013 as #2 statewide. Above, the official team photo; next, two of Greg’s images from the pre-season jamboree Saturday at Liberty High School. Here’s Kevin Cuddy throwing the first pitch:
And Jimmy Mai rounding third base on his way to scoring a run:
Greg reports:
WS tied Kentwood in three innings at 3-3 and jumped on Liberty for a 4-1 edge. Offense had plenty of big hits as the top of the order scored seven runs in six innings. Five pitchers have stepped up this season and seem ready for the challenge ahead. Defense was shaky but they should return to last year’s form as they work together more.
Up next for WSHS – two games at home (Hiawatha), Garfield on Tuesday and Ballard on Thursday, both at 3:30 pm.
10:15 AM: We’ve just received two reports of a hazard on the eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct – near the I-5 ramps on the east end of the West Seattle Bridge: It’s described as a protruding “metal plate,” in the left lane between the 1st and 4th Avenue exits, and one texter reports seeing people pulled over with flat tires. We’ve advised people to call 911 to report it since it sounds like it needs urgent repair work; on weekdays, the SDOT hotline 206-684-ROAD would be the place to call.
10:22 AM: The texting tipster says 911 promised to get someone out to fix it.
The migratory Rufous Hummingbirds are showing up just in time for spring – and Mark Wangerin got a good look at this one last Thursday. Quite the commute – they overwinter in the Southwest. You won’t have to go far at all to check out what’s on the calendar today/tonight.
FIRST, HIGHWAY 99 TRAFFIC ALERTS: If you’re traveling Highway 99 north of the West Seattle Bridge today, take note of lane/ramp closures near downtown all day, and the Battery Street Tunnel/Aurora closure this morning (7:30-11 am) for the St. Patrick’s Day Dash. All of that is detailed here.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: New vendor today – Heavenly Honey, with raw honey. West Seattle’s own Sod House Bakery promises shamrock cookies. It’s almost spring, so you’ll find something new every week. 10 am-2 pm. (44th/Alaska)
CHINESE GARDEN’S SPRING OPEN HOUSE: Another sign of impending spring – an open house at the Seattle Chinese Garden!
Come see what’s blooming (SCG-provided photo above) and what else is new – free. Lots of info in our listing. North side of South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) campus. (6000 16th SW)
WEST SEATTLE GEAR SWAP, DAY 2: 11 am-3 pm, Mountain to Sound Outfitters presents the swap just down the street at the American Legion Post 160 Hall – details on the M2SO site. (3618 SW Alaska)
HOW TO CREATE A DISASTER KIT ON A BUDGET: You know how important it is to be prepared – for anything. Just in case. Even though you hope you’ll never need to use your kit, bag, etc. If you’re not quite ready yet, go to the Southwest Branch Library 1:30-2 pm today for a free class on “how to create a disaster kit on a budget.” (35th/Henderson)
CELTIC SWELL DOG-COSTUME CONTEST: 2-4 pm, it’s the wearing of the green for your pup(s) at Celtic Swell Irish Pub/Restaurant on Alki, hosted by Tracey Conway, donations benefiting the Seattle Humane Society, part of the CS’s St. Patrick’s Weekend Festival. (2722 Alki SW)
MUSIC NORTHWEST: “Chamber Music from the Folk Side” is the theme for today’s 3 pm concert at Olympic Hall on the SSCC campus – find out more by checking out our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)
SECURITY BREACH INFORMATION NIGHT: If you are concerned about the recent reports of fraud related to a security breach with the Archdiocese of Seattle, Holy Rosary is offering its school community an information night tonight with a credit expert, 6:30 pm – information on the school website. (42nd/Genesee)
MONA CONCEPCION IN BELLEVUE: Not IN West Seattle, but … WS stand-up comic Mona Concepcion is featured at 7:30 pm tonight in Dis/orient/ed Comedy, “the first-ever (mostly) all-female, all-Asian American stand-up comedy tour.” Until noon, tickets are available online – go here; they’ll also be on sale at the door. Parlor Live in Bellevue. (700 Bellevue Way NE, 3rd floor)
LAST DAY OF COOKIE SALES: Girl Scout Cookies fan? Last chance to get ’em! Here’s the list of who’s selling where, and when, 8 am-8 pm.
After the 22nd annual Fairmount Ravine cleanup, a lot of work’s been done, and much remains. The photo, report, and question, are from Sarah Schieron:
23 volunteers joined to remove 65 large bags of trash, 4 tires, 5 chairs, a kids swimming pool, and many many cans and bottles out of the Fairmount Ravine this morning.
This year, we saw fewer volunteers than last year despite very favorable weather conditions. However, those that participated, to a person, worked hard and made a valuable contribution. Volunteers ranged from 2 to 86 years of age and over half were participating for the very first time. We were grateful to have veterans, John Lang and Blair Constantine, participate for their 22nd consecutive year as their history and experience in this green space is so useful.
Our thanks to Metropolitan Market, Zatz a Better Bagel and Natalie Steffens of the Admiral Starbucks for donating generous refreshments. SPD Officers Flores and MacNeil were a very helpful presence and arranged for trash pick-up at midday.
Each year the majority of our time and effort is under the Admiral bridge. We do some invasive plant cutting, but we never make the impact we would like on this growing concern. We wonder if our community has the interest and commitment for a second work day specifically to cut back ivy? There are many trees that are overcome by this invasive plant and will die and fall without some intervention. If helping in this way interests you, please contact sarahbroz@yahoo.com so we can plan another community workday in the next month (before the nettles grow taller).
Thank you to the volunteers, donors, and police team who made Saturday such a success!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After 3 1/2 four-day weeks on the case, the jury in the Morgan Junction murder trial is hearing from what’s expected to be the prosecution’s final witness.
Seattle Police Homicide Unit Detective Tim DeVore has been seated at the prosecution’s table for most of the trial, until now. On Thursday afternoon, he got up and crossed the courtroom to sit in the chair that constitutes “the witness stand.” Monday morning, he will be there again.
But first, Thursday began with more discussion of blood-alcohol levels, followed by an analyst’s report on defendant Lovett “Cid” Chambers‘s gun and ammunition – how it was tested and what she believed it showed.
(Click image for larger view)
That’s an aerial view of the Barton Pump Station upgrade project north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock, photographed this week by Long B. Nguyen. It’s a project of the King County Wastewater Treatment District, and they’re one of dozens of participants slated for the big annual membership meeting of the Fauntleroy Community Association this coming Tuesday (March 18th).
The meeting at The Hall at Fauntleroy is part info fair; at last Tuesday’s FCA board meeting, we were told confirmed participants include, besides KCWTD, Washington State Ferries, the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse Community Center, Fauntleroy Church, “Diver Laura” James with Tox-Ick.org, The Whale Trail, Seal Sitters, The Kenney (WSB sponsor), ArtsWest, the Fauntleroy Y (WSB sponsor), Morgan Community Association, and the Southwest Branch Library.
It’s also a chance for Fauntleroy residents to pay their annual FCA membership dues and vote for the board; and local bites are offered as an incentive – including The Hall’s own Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering, nearby Endolyne Joe’s (WSB sponsor), Bird on a Wire Espresso, The Original Bakery, and Stuffed Cakes. It all starts at 6 pm; The Hall is on the south side of the historic schoolhouse at 9131 California SW.
(School-zone beacon near Boren, now fully operational; photo courtesy Robin Graham)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Next school year, the former Louisa May Boren Junior High School on Delridge will be home to two schools – ongoing permanent home to K-5 (future K-8) STEM, and starting its two-year status as temporary home to Arbor Heights Elementary while AH is rebuilt.
That’s 800 or so students filling the campus, plus their teachers and other staffers.
Space in the building is not much at issue. Safety is – specifically, safely getting all those students to and from school, which fronts one of West Seattle’s main arterials, Delridge Way, a much-used route to and from the two bridges across the Duwamish River connecting the peninsula with downtown.
Though this is the second year K-5 STEM has occupied the building, it is only now getting something as simple as flashing beacons to catch drivers’ attention in the 20-mph zone. The beacons just began operation, and SDOT’s Brian Dougherty says that when Arbor Heights moves in this fall, the lights will be programmed to reflect the staggered times both schools will be in session on the campus.
The lights are welcome, but nowhere near a full solution.
3:28 PM: Big Seattle Fire callout to the 2900 block of SW Florida. 911 log calls it a haz-mat response. More to come.
3:31 PM: Scanner says an unknown substance sprayed on a worker at Terminal 5.
3:48 PM: “Cutting fluid” is what’s suspected to be involved. Via Twitter, SFD says the worker’s “symptoms are minor.”
5:07 PM: No additional official info, but after an hour and a half, the incident is now closed.
We’ll confess we weren’t able to make it downtown for today’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but thanks to King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, we are able to show you a bit of the West Seattle High School Marching Band‘s performance as they marched along the parade route on 4th Avenue.
As noted here on Thursday, the Denny International Middle School Marching Band was scheduled to be in the parade too – any pics/video of them (and/or other participants from West Seattle), please consider sending – editor@westseattleblog.com – so we can add!
5:43 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark for sharing photos of his school’s band in the parade:
As with WSHS, it was a repeat performance.
P.S. One week from tonight you can hear musicians from Denny and adjacent Chief Sealth International High School at their Big Band Dinner Dance fundraiser, also featuring the esteemed West Seattle Big Band – all the details are in our recently published preview.
P.P.S. Today’s parade included the Highland Park-based Seattle Police Mounted Patrol, who just published photos via Facebook – including this one.
Yes, we know, that’s a SUNRISE (photo courtesy of Karen, this past Thursday) and Alice Enevoldsen‘s events are SUNSET gatherings. But we didn’t want the attention-getting beauty to go to waste. Get ready to celebrate spring, which arrives a few hours after sunrise on Thursday (March 20th) – just before 10 am. Then you’ll want to come to Solstice Park east of Lincoln Park for sunset, which is a few minutes past 7, but you’re advised to arrive around 6:45. Alice has just published the official invitation on her Alice’s Astro Info website; it’s an all-ages event, fun and educational. (Alice will also be happy to talk with you about the new discoveries out in space.)
Student leaders at West Seattle High School are working on a service project to help homeless people, but they’re not just asking for donations – they’re offering you a chance to leave your kid(s) with them and go have a fun night out this coming Friday (March 21st). Here’s what they’re offering and how to sign up:
We will provide dinner, snacks, and beverages for your children, and then we will be playing games and movies in our theater and gym!
Minimum Donation: $20 per kid with $10 for each additional child in family
Time: 5 – 10:30 PM
Dinner: Pizza, snacks, and veggies!
Sorry, but no diapers!
We will be having experienced students and teachers there at all times. Please RSVP at wshsparentsnightout@gmail.com
To RSVP please include: parent’s first and last name, child’s name and age.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
This edition of The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …
*Around 8:30 a.m. on the 7th, in the 9200 block of 17th SW (map), someone repeatedly rang the doorbell at an apartment. When the resident didn’t answer, a loud “BOOM” shook the building as the would-be visitor tried to kick the door in. Video shows a slim, light-skinned black male wearing a beige hoodie jumping over a gate and into the victim’s side yard. He remains at large.
Four more summaries ahead (it’s been quieter lately) including a followup on an arson case reported here earlier this week: Read More
If young volunteer Woodrow can do it, you can too. The Fairmount Ravine cleanup is under way and if you happen to see this before 11:30 or so, extra hands are still very welcome – their trash pickup is scheduled at noon (so bags aren’t blocking the sides of the not-so-wide road used by many on foot and on wheels) and the more that gets bagged by then, the better.
The ravine runs under the Admiral Way Bridge – you can get there via the south end just east of Hiawatha or the north end at Harbor Avenue.
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