West Seattle, Washington
04 Tuesday
The online survey for Sound Transit‘s Long-Range Plan Update includes a section where you can indicate support for extending light rail to serve West Seattle. We linked to the survey in our traffic coverage (where else?) multiple times last month and are mentioning it again now because Monday is the deadline to take the survey – so if you haven’t participated, take a few minutes and do it now. The signboard above shows Sound Transit’s current “corridor” studies, including our area, as displayed at an ST public hearing yesterday, photographed by Joe Szilagyi of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition (see the gallery on Facebook, here). But a study doesn’t guarantee a plan, so far, without support and, later, funding. First step: You can take the survey here.
Pathfinder K-8 on Pigeon Point had about 300 special visitors for lunch today – it’s the annual day that grandparents/elders are invited to join Pathfinder students. Two of the grandparents we recognized in the crowd were busy community volunteers Sandy Adams and Jim Guenther, with grandson Chase, a Pathfinder second-grader:
The visiting elders/grandparents didn’t all arrive at once – lunchtime is in shifts, as it is in most schools.
Thanks to principal David Dockendorf for the invitation to stop by; he tells WSB it’s “one of our best school events.”
PATHFINDER SIDE NOTE: Today’s the last day to order pies in the school fundraiser, for pickup next week – go to the WSB Holiday Guide and scroll to the “Holiday Fundraisers, Donation Drives, Other Giving Opportunities” list.
(Click image for larger view)
Joe shared that photo a short time ago after spotting the coyote in a backyard in the 3900 block of 55th SW (map). “This one looks like a big one,” he observed. As always, a reminder – best thing to do if you see a coyote relatively close-up is to scare it away, yelling, waving your arms, throwing things. And as a state wildlife biologist told a recent meeting at West Seattle’s Camp Long, an even-more-important action to take to make sure people, pets, and coyotes stay apart is to reduce food sources – including pet food, bird feeders, unsecured trash. Here’s the official state info-sheet with more on all of the above advice, and then some.
Next month, the DESC housing complex now known as Cottage Grove Commons is scheduled to open at 5444 Delridge Way SW, after about a year of construction. Its 66 units will be home to 66 people who are currently homeless and dealing with challenges including mental illness and/or addiction. The advisory committee that has been meeting for more than a year and a half toured the building earlier this week; committee member Dorsol Plants recorded cell-phone video, with some narration, and published it via YouTube. After he mentioned it on the North Delridge Neighborhood Council e-mail list, we asked him if we could feature it here, in case you are interested. It’s broken into seven separate clips that are viewable as a “playlist,” or can be selected from an index, via this YT page. The clip above is one of those seven, showing the front desk area and its view of the street and courtyard.
WSB coverage of the project, dating back to first word of it in 2011, is archived here, in reverse-chronological order.
(Trees now on sale at ‘The Seasonal Help‘ at Village Green Perennial Nursery)
Earlier this week, we launched this year’s WSB West Seattle Holiday Events and Info Guide – Holiday Guide for short – and wanted to make note today of a few things in case you already have gone through it:
*Hoping to eat out on Thanksgiving? Some restaurants are open – here’s the direct link to the list we have so far
*Tomorrow’s turkey giveaway and two free community dinners Thursday are on the Thanksgiving list in the guide
*Today’s the last day to order a pie in the Pathfinder K-8 school benefit – scroll through the guide to the Holiday Fundraisers/Donation Drives section
*Christmas tree sales start today at two three locations; see the tree-lot list in the guide
The guide is also full of holiday bazaars and open houses – this weekend is big! – concerts and more. And we are continuing to update it at least once a day as we get word of more events to include – send yours to editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
(East-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge; see other cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Icy again today!
REMINDER: WEEKEND CLOSURE: One more reminder: Utility work related to the California/Alaska/42nd construction project will close SW Alaska 10 am-7 pm each day this weekend.
NEW SIGNS: Back on Tuesday, WSB’ers pointed out new stop signs on the 26th SW greenway in North Delridge, and conversation ensued. Yesterday, driving through Morgan Junction, we noticed new signs on California at Fauntleroy, both directions, aimed at drivers/riders intending to make right turns:
We don’t know if this is the only intersection where they went up – let us know if you’ve seen new signs elsewhere.
Show of hands, now, who’s been naughty and who’s been nice? That’s Dave Montoure, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce board chair, doing the asking during the Chamber’s “After Hours” event at Westwood Village on Thursday night. Call it the first holiday party of the year, convened at Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor):
The heart of the party was a sampler of Westwood businesses – including Massage Envy (WSB sponsor), whose therapist Gunnar offered five-minute samples:
Westwood’s Holiday Wonderland opens for Santa photos the day after Thanksgiving, two doors down from Pier 1.
The second review of the night for the Southwest Design Review Board has just concluded at 11 pm, after an at-times confrontational, contentious meeting. Bottom line: 3078 SW Avalon Way, with about 100 apartments and 60 parking spaces, will come back for a third review. The second one tonight came more than a year after the first one; city zoning has changed, and the project has, too. It’s about nine feet shorter than it was previously. But the concerns for neighbors in a single-family neighborhood adjacent to the proposed project remain – “the building is just too big.” They cited planning documents that they contend suggests the all-volunteer board has more authority regarding projects’ heights than they and city planners believe they do; the assigned planner suggested their beef is with the zoning, not the project, and that is an issue they need to push politically. Full story to come.
The photo and report are from Chief Sealth International High School academic dean Lori Douglas:
Author and actress Madhur Jaffrey was the guest speaker (Tuesday) at Chief Sealth International High School. The award-winning actress and bestselling cookbook author spoke to students from Family and Consumer Science classes and Health classes. Her visit was brought to Sealth as the result of the school’s Writers in the Schools residency with Seattle Arts and Lectures. Ms. Jaffrey is an expert on Indian food, writing more than 15 cookbooks, and has appeared in more than twenty films; she has a new book titled Curry Nation, just released. She was on the radio in the morning, visited Sealth mid-day, and then was featured in the Seattle Arts and Lectures series at Benaroya Hall. The 80-year-old proved a lively story teller, and students were able to ask questions and spend time with her after her presentation.
Full story to come later, but a quick bulletin from the Southwest Design Review Board‘s doubleheader meeting at the Senior Center of West Seattle – there will be at least one more review meeting for 3210 California SW, the 143-apartment, 168-parking-space building proposed for the site that was upzoned in a contentious process dating back to fall 2007. The board wants the three-part facade of the building to look even more like three different buildings, more detail of how the east side of the building will relate to the single-family neighborhood behind it on 42nd SW, and more retail than live-work on the street side. The review ran two hours, half an hour longer than scheduled, with more than 50 people in attendance, and the next one is also likely to be epic, with dozens of people here for 3078 SW Avalon Way, a 100-plus-apartment project that had its first meeting more than a year ago. We’ll update the results on that when its meeting is over – likely past 10.
You wouldn’t have seen this view today unless you, like Bill Schrier – who shared it – happened to be flying. There were great views from the ground, too, some of them involving aircraft; WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli photographed this restored DC-3 from Seacrest:
Christopher reports, “A little research on the tail number (N3006) indicates that it is called the ‘Esther Mae’ and is a model year 1946 DC-3, completed in California in December 1945 under government contract, though it was too late to be used in the war and was only ever used for civilian flights.” Further research shows it owned by an Oregon/Florida company called DC Flying Circus.
As police warned during the most recent West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meetings, approaching holidays tend to mean increasing package theft. From Seaview, POC reports:
Today I witnessed the theft of a UPS package from my neighbors’ porch. I saw UPS deliver the package and also noted a suspicious vehicle pass by. Within minutes of the UPS truck pulling away, I saw the suspect vehicle circle back around the block and park in front of their house. The driver casually stood outside his vehicle and acted like he was arranging items in the back seat of the SUV. Then he turned and walked up the sidewalk and picked up the package. I ran out and yelled at him but he continued to his vehicle. I was able to photograph the vehicle with its license plate and filed a police report. The USPS delivery man also witnessed the act and called the police. This is not a secluded porch and the thief did not appear concerned that people were around.
Location is in the 5400 block of 46th Ave SW. Vehicle was an older gray Dodge Durango 4×4 with one male occupant. It appeared that there were numerous other items in the back of his SUV.
That gathering in the West Seattle High School gym this morning wasn’t just any old assembly – it was a conference! This is the third year WSHS has used the Link Crew program to have seniors and juniors mentor and welcome new arrivals. (We reported on the launch in fall of 2011.) And it’s the first time they have hosted a regional conference related to it – about 400 Link Crew leaders from around western Washington, according to WSHS coordinator Laura McCarthy. Her students made this sign listing the mascots of the visiting groups:
She says 50 Link Crew leaders from WSHS participated in the half-day event – some are in this photo, in the red shirts:
Other participants included about 20 from Chief Sealth International High School, which started Link Crew last year. McCarthy says the students gathered “to share program ideas and get a day of training from one of the national staff from the Boomerang Project (the organization that created Link Crew)” in what she expected would be “a great celebration of teen leadership!”
See anything suspicious outside O’Neill Plumbing (WSB sponsor) in north Morgan Junction overnight? They’re offering a reward in connection with a bout of vandalism that damaged/broke windows at their offices.
Tim O’Neill tells WSB, “I am still reviewing our videotape as well as our neighbors’ across the street, but would like to offer $500 reward for any info leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for this.” In addition to what you see in our photos, the damage also included large circles scratched/etched into another pane of glass. If you have tips for police, the incident number is in this tweet.
(WSB photo from 2012)
The West Seattle Soccer Club sends word of a big match tomorrow afternoon, and you’re invited:
This Friday (November 22nd), the Madison and Denny International MS girls-soccer teams will be competing in a friendly match for the rights to take home the 2nd annual ‘Battle of West Seattle” trophy. This is a perpetual trophy, with the winner’s name engraved on the trophy and placed in the winning school’s trophy case until the next season’s match. In the short time the West Seattle Soccer Club (WSSC) started and sponsored this event, it has become a source of pride for each school. There is a similar ‘Battle’ for the boys’ teams in the spring.
Kickoff is 3:45 pm at SWAC (across from Sealth HS). The game officials are WSSC volunteers. The teams were scheduled to meet earlier this fall, but the game was forfeited. This time, both teams should be at full strength and are eager to square off.
Last year, Madison won, 2-1 – who will it be this year? See for yourself tomorrow; forecast calls for more sunshine!
King County leaders presented an update this morning on the funding challenges that could result in major Metro Transit cuts (detailed two weeks ago). If the Legislature doesn’t come up with a “balanced” transportation package, they say, they’ll urge local leaders to move ahead with what’s becoming known as “Plan B” – one funding option involving a car-tab-tax hike. And they also announced a labor agreement that they say can save some money, up to $12 million. Here’s the county release with full details.
That’s a frozen-solid birdbath in North Delridge, shared by Flickr member “old desolate” via the WSB Flickr group, and shared here as a reminder to tend to any birdbath(s) YOU have so the birds aren’t frozen out of a drinking/bathing water supply! Meantime, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Events/Info Guide, here are highlights for today/tonight:
WINE RELEASE AT SSCC: Looking for Thanksgiving wine? 2-7 pm at the Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), it’s the fall release/tasting; details here. (6000 16th SW)
SINGLES 55+: The monthly Circle of Singles no-host gathering for singles 55 and up happens starting at 5 pm at Duos Lounge in Luna Park; details here. (2940 Avalon Way)
SHOP LATE AT CLICK! It’s another Shop Late Thursday in The Junction and Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) has something special planned:
Click! is hosting a “Meet the Designer” event and sale with Gwen Weinberg of Three by Three Seattle from 6 to 9 pm. Three by Three Seattle makes modern solutions to your modern organizational needs. Their product range includes Magnetic and Dry-Erase items that store keys and phones, sort mail, and calendar your to-do lists all with a clean, contemporary look. Gwen Weinberg is the lead designer and will be on hand to talk about her approach to product design and development. There will be free magnet giveaways for the first 20 people, and all Three by Three products will be 20% off during the event! See examples on the Click! website and threebythree.com
BEER CHURCH EVENT AT BEVERIDGE PLACE: Three ales brewed with the participation of West Seattle’s Beer Church are available tonight at Beveridge Place Pub starting at 6 pm, as a fundraiser to fight Crohn’s disease. (6419 California SW)
DESIGN REVIEW DOUBLEHEADER: Two projects both of high interest to their respective neighborhoods come before the Southwest Design Review Board tonight, and as always, each will have a round of public comment.
At 6:30 pm, 3210 California SW (the rendering above is from our recent preview; here’s the official design packet). Then at 8 pm …
… it’s 3078 SW Avalon Way (the rendering above is from the official design packet). Both reviews are at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
LAFAYETTE PTA AND TECHNOLOGY PRESENTATION: During tonight’s general meeting of the Lafayette Elementary PTA at 6:30 pm, there’ll be a presentation about how families can help kids navigate technology (7 pm) – details in our calendar listing. (California/Lander)
WEST SEATTLE TOY LIBRARY? Earlier this week, we published this story about a local woman wondering if West Seattleites are interested in organizing one. Tonight’s the first of two meetings at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)
The West Seattle Food Bank team shared that photo from the Wednesday afternoon turkey-donation drive in The Junction (WSB coverage here) – that charitable West Seattle was their first of 51 turkey donors. More followup in this report from WSFB’s Judi Yazzolino:
Thanks all in our West Seattle community your help with our 1st Annual Turkey Drive last night at Easy Street Records; we so appreciate it! We were able to bring in 51 turkeys and over $1,200, which is equivalent to approx. 170 turkeys. If the community wasn’t able to stop by last night, they still have an opportunity to donate turkeys or funds by stopping by the West Seattle Food Bank at 3419 SW Morgan St. (corner of 35th & Morgan) on Friday from 9 am – 3 pm or Sat. from 2 – 5 pm or going to www.westseattlefoodbank.org and donating.
They hope to have 500 turkeys (small-ish is best, around 10 pounds) for next week’s holiday food distribution, so the drive put them a third of the way there.
9:37 AM: Port of Seattle Police are investigating the discovery of a body on the beach at Jack Block Park early today, and while they investigate, officers told us there, the port-owned park is off-limits to the public. Seattle Fire responded to the scene around 4:30 am and spokesperson Kyle Moore says the body that washed up was that of a man, possibly in his 20s. No other details so far.
10:58 AM: WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli reports from Jack Block that the park has reopened and police are no longer there.
12:09 PM: Our partners at The Seattle Times quote port police as saying there were no obvious signs of foul play. No ID yet – that’s likely at least a day away.
11 PM: The Times quotes the Medical Examiner’s Office as identifying the man as 22-year-old Levin Van Le, who is shown in public records with a Highland Park address.
If you live in Highland Park/South Delridge but didn’t get to Tuesday night’s open house about the greenway proposal – the maps shown that night are now linked on the city website, and you might want to take a look, particularly to see where new stop signs and other features are being proposed. See the maps here; see the background explanation, including how raingardens will tie in along part of the way, here. (Note that on the north end, the plan goes a bit further north than Highland Park, including a stretch of SW Myrtle by Sanislo Elementary – the plan there includes two blocks of repaving.) The official project website includes a comment sheet that was available at the meeting – you can still download it and send it in; the deadline is December 10th.
Family and friends will gather next month to celebrate the life of 75-year-old Bob Privett. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing:
Robert (Bob) M. Privett, of West Seattle, passed away surrounded by family on November 12, 2013. Bob is survived by his son, Mark Privett; his daughter, Lisa Hines, and her husband, John Hines; his granddaughters, Grace and Sarah Hines; his companion, Holly Howard; and many other loving family members and friends. Bob survived an aggressive form of prostate cancer only to die from acute myeloid leukemia five years later, at the age of 75.
Born in Boise, Idaho, Bob lived most of his life in Seattle. He attended Gonzaga University and served in the US Air Force. Bob was a certified employee benefit specialist and later a computer and network consultant. While semi-retired, Bob drove a shuttle bus for patients and families of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Bob was a warm, intelligent, and witty man who enjoyed traveling, bicycling, hiking, and sailing. Bob was an active and warm presence in several 12-step programs and served as a volunteer for the 34th District Democrats.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 11:00 am at Dakota Place Park, 4304 SW Dakota.
Memorial contributions may be made in Bob’s name to the American Cancer Society (here).
(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, with a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(East-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge; see other cams on the WSB Traffic page)
As forecast, it’s cold! Give yourself extra time, whatever your mode of transport – for scraping, or walking safely to the bus stop, or … On the bridge late last night, we saw the telltale stripes left behind by the de-icing crew, so the city has done its prep work. As noted on Twitter:
SDOT treated bridges, viaducts and known icy spots in Seattle with salt brine overnight to fight ice.
— seattledot (@seattledot) November 21, 2013
METRO CONCERN? If you have questions about the potential Metro cuts, this morning in The Junction, from now until around 9:30, a Metro outreach team is scheduled to be tabling – as announced here.
WEEKEND CLOSURE: Now that it’s Thursday, it’s time for another reminder – utility work related to the construction project in the heart of The Junction will close SW Alaska between California and 42nd much of the weekend. We asked Metro whether they would have a reroute alert; short answer, no – longer answer, “Reroutes are very minor/short around the block w/no significant impact to service & no missed stops. No reroutes will be posted & no alerts are scheduled to be sent.”
7:12 AM UPDATE: A crash is reported on the eastbound bridge, according to the online 911 log. Over the radio, crews report it’s on the 35th ramp to the bridge but “is pretty minor.” However, the camera shows a lane blocked – at least temporarily:
7:25 AM UPDATE: The fire engine has left the scene, though police are still there. Watch out, though, for a black Mercedes SUV reported (via police radio) to be driving recklessly north on Fauntleroy past Juneau – passing other cars, fast, via the center turn lane.
7:34 AM UPDATE: As you can see in the “live” camera image above, merging traffic onto the eastbound bridge at 35th/Fauntleroy is back to “normal” again – the crash is all clear.
7:42 AM UPDATE: If you’re heading north of downtown, be forewarned that police and fire are now responding to a crash “mid-span” on the Aurora Bridge. Details on that when we get it. *Update – it involves a spill that will have to be cleaned up and it sounds like northbound traffic is being diverted. Closest camera:
Police are saying they’ll have one lane open south, one north.
7:56 PM: In case you’re wondering, and not able to be there in person or monitor the cable TV live feed – the Seattle Public Schools board hasn’t yet gotten to the vote on proposed boundary changes; its meeting is running about an hour and a half behind schedule. Board members did approve an action item that is related to the recent expansion of “no extra charge” full-day kindergarten to some schools, and they have approved a new firearms policy. We’ll add live notes when they get to the boundaries item; the Seattle Schools Community Forum site has been reporting live for the entire meeting, if you’re looking for details on what happened earlier; here’s the final version of the agenda (now on business agenda item #3).
9 PM NOTE: Not there yet, but it’s the next item, #7; they’re currently close to the vote on #6.
9:09 PM: Now they are on to the Growth Boundaries item, and 13 proposed amendments, none of which involve West Seattle boundary changes; our area’s board rep Marty McLaren is co-sponsor of the final amendment on the list, proposing that the boundaries be reviewed each year.
9:40 PM: They’re on Amendment 4, but that’s a little deceiving in terms of tracking time; the three after this one apparently will be withdrawn. By the way, once the entire Growth Boundaries plan comes to a vote, the Intermediate Capacity Management Plan follows, with components including changing Boren’s status to permanent school, and Hughes’ status to emergency site once vacated. This plan also has amendments, none West Seattle specific, though many families here will be interested in the one proposing the district develop an Advanced Learning Master Plan.
10:40 PM: Now, voting time on the maps (West Seattle unchanged from the version in this agenda). Unanimously passed. No further discussion. Here’s what changes for NEXT school year in West Seattle, text taken from the agenda document:
Fairmount Park Elementary School (Area 45 from Lafayette to Fairmount Park, Area 55 from West Seattle to Fairmount Park, Area 61 from Gatewood to Fairmount Park, Area 65 from Alki to Fairmount Park, Area 71 from Schmitz Park to Fairmount Park) – Fairmount Park Elementary School will open for grades K-5 effective September 2014. New boundaries apply to incoming K students and new residents of the attendance area. Students currently in grades 1-5 who live in the new attendance area are grandfathered at their current school, but will be assigned to Fairmount Park if they apply during Open Enrollment through September 30.
Also related to Fairmount Park’s opening:
APP will be offered as an option for eligible students at Fairmount Park in West Seattle beginning in 2014-15 (and subsequently at Madison). This will be a different service delivery model, which is why enrollment is optional. It is anticipated that this will serve students who live in West Seattle who may not have participated in APP previously because of the distance to their pathway schools.
Related to that, the document mentions that the district will “offer Spectrum at Fairmount Park in a blended model with APP.” Meantime, everything else you see in the packet of maps – as it relates to West Seattle – would be implemented at later dates.
And on, literally one minute later, to the Intermediate Capacity Management item, which has a few proposed amendments.
11:15 PM: Those amendments are still being gone through.
11:47 PM: The meeting is adjourned, a few minutes after unanimous approval for the Intermediate Capacity Management Plan.
THURSDAY NIGHT NOTES: Maps that take effect next year are now posted to the district site, specifically labeled as approved for next year. See them here; as of this writing, they include Lafayette, Schmitz Park, and the opening-next-fall Fairmount Park.
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