West Seattle news 62293 results

Hope you never need to report a stolen vehicle – but if you do, we’re committed to helping get the word out as part of West Seattle Crime Watch. Jeff just e-mailed to report:

My 2005 white Landcruiser was stolen Monday evening from the Admiral district. Plate number 208SWW. Please call Jeff At 206-390-5919 if you see it.

Fauntleroy YMCA closed today, expected to reopen tomorrow

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

Note from Samantha Bowes at the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor):

The Fauntleroy YMCA (9140 California Ave SW) will be closed for the rest of the day today due to a major water issue; we anticipate being able to open on time tomorrow morning. Fauntleroy members are welcome to use our West Seattle facility (4515 36th Ave SW) in the meantime.

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Highland Park spraypark: 3 design concepts unveiled

| Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(UPDATED WEDNESDAY NIGHT with clearer images of the concepts, plus PDFs of graphics/info from the meeting)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Along the edge of the three-seasons-closed Highland Park wading pool, more than two dozen people gathered last night to get their first look at ideas for the spraypark that will replace it.

~~They also learned that the spraypark won’t be open next summer – because the scope of the project keeps expanding, so 2012 is now when it’ll be built, 2013 is when it’ll be open.~~ (POST-MEETING UPDATE: The spraypark itself *will* be open for 2012; it’s the rest of the expanded project, such as building renovations, that wouldn’t be done till 2013.)

The big question the project team asked those who gathered in the park by the pool last night: Which of three proposed themes (see them full-size here) do you like, and what do you want to see around the spraypark – places to sit, places to hangout, art, etc.?

This will be West Seattle’s first and only spraypark, so it’s of potential interest to families all over the area, not just in Highland Park.

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Update: Comcast speed problems in West Seattle

August 24, 2011 9:13 am

| 55 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news

9:13 AM: In case you’ve noticed this – it’s not just you. Via Twitter and e-mail, we’ve gotten reports of Comcast Internet speed problems – and experienced it ourselves in the 7 am hour at WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy. Comcast confirms it’s having problems – apparently not just West Seattle – and is working on them. They’re hoping to have it fixed by mid-afternoon.

12:56 PM: Multiple reports say this has been fixed as of less than an hour ago – let us know if you are still having trouble (but of course first make sure Comcast knows!).

THURSDAY UPDATE FROM COMCAST: Just out of the inbox, from Comcast communications VP Steve Kipp –

On behalf of Comcast, I want to apologize to our West Seattle customers and respond to the people who have commented here as well as my friends and neighbors who contacted me yesterday asking why their Internet speeds were so slow yesterday morning. The short answer is that we were doing some maintenance work overnight on a small portion of our network serving West Seattle. Normally, this type of work, which takes place nearly every night of the week on some portion of our network across the state, results in little or no disruption to our customers and is completed well before people wake to go to work. However, in this case, our network technicians ran into an unforeseen problem that resulted in the work continuing well into the morning and resulting in slower speeds for some of our West Seattle customers. If you have any questions about your service or would like to contact us directly you can call us at 800-COMCAST or reach us at We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com or @ComcastCares on Twitter.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Bikes, barbecuing, free kickboxing…

August 24, 2011 7:28 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(High Point Market Garden, photographed last month)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

HEART SCREENINGS: Free heart screenings at Chief Sealth International High School for ANY West Seattle youth 14-24. Appointments between 7:30 am-3 pm. Full details here – pre-registration by e-mail was requested, but you could drop by to see if they still have room (we’ll be checking on that this morning too).

GENTLE YOGA: Drop-in at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), Wednesdays 9:15 am – 10:30 am. Chair and standing postures (no floor-sitting). Improve breathing, posture, flexibility, balance and peace of mind. Postures can be adapted to your abilities or limitations. Wear loose and comfortable clothing.

GET IT WHILE IT’S FRESH: Weekly availability of the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand, 4-7 pm, 32nd SW and SW Juneau. This is a weekly Farm Stand selling seasonal fresh organically grown produce right next to the garden where the produce is grown.

TUNES AND TUNE-UPS: Special event at White Center’s Greenbridge Plaza, bike tune-ups plus an outdoor concert, 4 – 6 pm (more info here), with demos of everything from Metro bus bike racks to “healthy smoothies.” Co-sponsors include Sustainable West Seattle.

FREE BARBECUE: Seattle Parks and Recreation will do all the cooking while you have all the fun listening to music, jumping on the BIG Bounce House, playing games, and chowing down on grilled hot dogs, veggie dogs, chips, fruit, veggies, and juice, Southwest Community Center, 5:30-7 pm.

OPEN HOUSE: Sweet Pea Cottage Preschool of the Arts, 7141 California SW, is holding an Open House 6-7 pm.

FREE KICKBOXING: SIMA Martial Arts presents FREE Women’s Introduction to Kickboxing class 6:15 – 7:15 pm! Any fitness level welcome. Call for details and to reserve a spot. 206-935-4531.

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Need your car washed? Benefit car wash Saturday for Nickelsville

August 24, 2011 12:08 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| How to help | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

In case you haven’t already seen this in the WSB Forums: The encampment that’s been on a city-owned site in easternmost West Seattle since mid-May, Nickelsville, hopes to raise some operating funds this Saturday with a benefit car wash. As posted by longtime WSB’er and current Nickelsville resident Mike (miws) in the Forums, it’ll be at Les Schwab Tires in SODO, 6111 4th Avenue South, 8 am-5 pm Saturday (August 27th). Cash donations accepted; they’ll use the money to cover ongoing operating expenses, particularly portable restrooms and trash service.

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Update: Four people hurt in South Admiral crash

August 23, 2011 8:17 pm

| 43 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(Photo by Katie Meyer for WSB)
8:17 PM: At least four people are going to the hospital from the scene of a “heavy rescue” callout at 44th and Stevens, according to WSB contributor Katie Meyer. She says original scanner traffic suggested this might be a hit-run – with at least two vehicles involved. Katie says it appears that two children and two adults are being transported to the hospital. The scene is just west of PCC (here’s a map). More to come.

8:37 PM: ~~Adding a photo – will have clearer ones shortly.~~ Firefighters at the scene confirm four people were taken to the hospital, all by private ambulance, no life-threatening injuries. (photo added)

(Photo courtesy Juliette)
Trying to find out if the driver who reportedly bolted one of the vehicles has been found; police at the scene aren’t commenting.

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West Seattle scenes: ‘Rainbow House’ no longer a rainbow house

August 23, 2011 6:23 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

WSB contributor Keri DeTore checked out tipster Jen‘s report that the “Rainbow House” in the Admiral District is a “rainbow house” no more – and discovered it’s true:

From Keri (who also took the photos): Though the rainbow roof is still visible, the paint job that graced West Seattle’s “Rainbow House” for 40 years is no more.

According to Windermere Realtor Maria Quinteiro, who just facilitated the sale of the home, the wife of the original home painter kept the paint job in memory of her husband. The family’s estate has now chosen to sell the house and, says Quinteiro, rainbow colors just aren’t what the new owner wanted. The exterior is being painted blue, and in time the colorful pattern on the roof will also be replaced.

The realtor also insists that rumors of the house being haunted “aren’t true!” (P.S. A “before” photo can be seen on this page. And thanks again to Jen for the tip – here are multiple ways to reach WSB, 24/7.)

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West Seattle Crime Watch: More details on pellet-gun arrests

August 23, 2011 3:50 pm

| 23 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Crime | West Seattle news

We’ve finally obtained the report on the drive-by pellet-gun-shooting arrests first reported here last week, when police arrested three 17-year-old boys after two people reported getting hit in Arbor Heights. Read on for the narrative, including one suspect allegedly admitting to police they had done this before:Read More

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Nurturing Expressions: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor

August 23, 2011 3:03 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

One of the newest stores in The Junction, Nurturing Expressions, is one of our newest WSB sponsors, and today is their turn to share what they would like you to know about their business: Nurturing Expressions has been nurturing mothers and their babies in Washington State since 2004 and recently expanded by opening a new boutique store in West Seattle. Whether mothers choose to breastfeed, pump, bottle feed or do a combination, Nurturing Expressions‘ team of board-certified lactation consultants will support mothers and their babies through all stages of feeding. The store offers a private breastfeeding room where consultants can personally support mothers and their babies, and they offer free baby-weight checks. They also provide in-home lactation consultations, classes and support groups – find the schedules here – and specialize in selling breastfeeding supplies, breast pumps, nursing bras (with personalized fittings), and more. Owner Tracy Corey (left) has lived and worked in West Seattle for more than 16 years. Tracy and her husband, Mike, have two children that attend Madison Middle School & Arbor Heights Elementary School.

Nurturing Expressions offers some extras, too. If you’re in The Junction with your baby and need a quiet place to nurse, you can stop by. Their store carries compression stockings, as well (read more about the store here) – and if you’re looking for babywearing accessories, Nurturing Expressions is also the place to go. Tracy wants to hear from the community – what else would you like to see a store like hers carry; what services would you like to see them offer? They’re in the Junction Tower building at 4746 44th SW, second floor, across from Junction True Value; online at nurturingexpressions.com and on Facebook, here.

We thank Nurturing Expressions for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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Changes this year in Seattle Public Schools’ transportation plan

August 23, 2011 1:19 pm

| 22 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Just because your child had school-bus service last year, doesn’t mean s/he will have it this year, according to Seattle Public Schools‘ new transportation plan. The district has just issued a news release with details about that and what else is changing this year – read on:Read More

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‘Alki Overlook Stairway Walk Adventure’: Are you up for it?

August 23, 2011 12:18 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

(1937 city photo of Schmitz Park Bridge, one of the sights planned for the “adventure’)
Turns out there are two Alki events this Sunday potentially involving you and your feet (etc.): Along with the Alki Beach 5K benefit run/walk, there’s also the “Alki Overlook Stairway Walk Adventure“:

This Sunday at 10 AM, everyone’s invited to the first of three West Seattle stairway walks happening between now and mid-October. Jake and Cathy Jaramillo, authors of a blog and an upcoming book on Seattle stairway walks, will take you on a scenic byway loop along four major stairways between Schmitz Park and Alki Beach. The walk features vistas over Alki, a stroll next to Alki Beach, and a meander through shaded, old-growth Schmitz Park. It will cover 3.4 miles and take about two hours. There will be an elevation gain and loss of 300 feet, with some short but moderately steep sections near the end. For all the details, go to the Feet First website.

Bonus – it’s free! P.S. Jake and Cathy’s website Seattle Stairway Walks is here.

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Bushaw murder trial update: Testimony over; closing arguments tomorrow

August 23, 2011 11:26 am

| 17 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

We’re at the King County Courthouse, where the jury in the Steve Bushaw murder trial has already been sent home for the day, and closing arguments are expected to start first thing tomorrow morning. The final testimony included a brief appearance by defendant Brandon Chaney‘s girlfriend, asked only about a phone call from him the night of the murder, a “rebuttal” appearance by the main Seattle Police detective on the case, James Cooper, asked about interviewing Chaney again in January of this year, and a brief reappearance by Chaney himself. Defendant Bryce Huber‘s lawyer did not call any witnesses. This afternoon, the lawyers and King County Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque will reconvene to discuss the wording of jury instructions (for those following closely, please note, we’re not planning to cover that), and then everyone’s expected back at 9 am tomorrow for closing arguments, after which the case will go to the jury.

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West Seattle Tuesday: Highland Park spraypark; Schmitz Park movie

August 23, 2011 9:47 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Trailer for “Gnomeo and Juliet,” benefit outdoor movie tonight at Schmitz Park Elementary)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Tonight’s the second public meeting about this project, to create West Seattle’s first spraypark – still time to join in and have a say on its design. 6:30 pm at the site, which is the current (closed) wading pool. The official Seattle Parks announcement is here.

SCHMITZ PARK OUTDOOR MOVIE: Everyone’s invited to an outdoor movie tonight at Schmitz Park Elementary School Playground, 5000 SW Spokane! Movie: Gnomeo & Juliet (Rated G). Doors open at 6:30 PM. Movie will start at dusk (around 8:15 PM). Cost: $3/person, children 3 and under are free. Concessions: Pizza will be available for purchase by the slice, along with drinks, popcorn and other snacks. All items will cost $2 or less.Seating: Please bring your own blankets, chairs, sleeping bags, pillows, whatever it is that you’d like to sit on for the movie. All proceeds benefit the annual Schmitz Park Elementary 4th grade trip to Islandwood.

ULTIMATE FRISBEE: West Seattle Ultimate Frisbee, 6:30-8:30 PM at Fairmount Playfield (also on Sundays, 11 am-1 pm).

FAMILY STORY TIME: At Seattle Public Library’s Delridge branch, 7 pm.

TRIVIA TIME: Rock music trivia every Tuesday night at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm.

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1 more reminder: Free heart screenings for students tomorrow

August 23, 2011 6:03 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Health | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Video showing and explaining what a heart-screening event by Nick of Time Foundation is like)
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is the day for free heart screenings at Chief Sealth International High School – offered to area teens/young adults 14-24, no matter where they go to school, and particularly recommended for those who are involved with sports. The free screenings can detect life-threatening “hidden defects” that don’t announce themselves until it’s too late, as told in the story behind the sponsoring Nick of Time Foundation. The one-day-only screenings are offered by appointment between 7:30 am-3 pm; more information here, including how to get an appointment.

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Steve Bushaw murder trial: Defendant’s day on the stand

August 23, 2011 3:34 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Unless something dramatic happens in the next day or two, Brandon Chaney will be the only one of the two defendants testifying in the ongoing Steve Bushaw murder trial.

Chaney (shown at left in January 2011 WSB photo) was on the stand all day Monday, beginning the fourth week of testimony before a jury in King County Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque‘s courtroom, which is likely to be the last – as few as two more witnesses remain, and the lawyers and judge are already talking extensively about how to craft jury instructions.

Monday began with prosecutor Jeff Baird formally resting his case, before jurors entered, so that a motion could be argued. It highlighted some tension that’s perhaps inherent in the double-defendant, single-case format.

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West Seattle wildlife: Just nuts about Steller’s Jays

August 22, 2011 9:49 pm

| 22 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

You usually hear them before you see them – the shack-shack-shack-shack call of bright-blue-with-black-crest Steller’s Jays, a call many can recognize even if you’re not an “I can identify that bird in two notes” expert. Two of the photographers who often contribute memorable West Seattle sightings have shared Steller’s Jays photos, just as we noticed them back in our backyard. Above, Machel Spence, best known for microphotography – bugs, fungi, etc. – captured the larger-than-life countenance of a jay. The next three photos are courtesy of Trileigh Tucker, who says the brash blue birds tipped her off that it’s “beaked hazelnut” season:

The nuts are a hit with the Steller’s Jays – though they have to go through some extraction efforts:

Trileigh explains, “Beaked hazelnuts are one of the traditional autumn delicacies enjoyed by native people in our area, and were traded up and down the coast — although it looks like this year, the jays have beaten us humans to the harvest! But interested folks can still find a few nuts and shell fragments; look on the ground under sturdy conifers near hazelnut shrubs, which are all through Lincoln Park.”

Trileigh’s also written about this on her website, Natural Presence. We thank her and Machel for sharing their photos – and everyone who shares theirs via WSB (e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com or use the WSB Flickr group).

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Admiral burglary

August 22, 2011 8:32 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

From Len:

Our house (in the 3000 block of) 46th Ave [map] was burglarized today between 4.30 pm and 5.15 pm (when my wife went to pick up our kids). The thieves made off with an iPad, a laptop, a bottle of vodka, some clothing, and some of my wife’s jewelry. They attempted to unplug the flat-screen TV but gave up for whatever reason. Most of the jewelry has only sentimental value and has been passed down through generations. The thieves used a blue canvas bag with the words AHLA on it to haul away their loot.

The thieves appear to have entered through an open upstairs window facing the alley between 45th and 46th aves. None of our neighbors saw much of anything, despite being outside at the time. One neighbor reported seeing a dark, late-model Cadillac with two caucasian males in it driving erratically near at the entrance to the alley on Hanford around 4 pm. Not clear if this is related. They could have been on foot as they didn’t take anything big.

As of an hour ago, they were awaiting police, so they could file a report.

Meantime, if you do see anything even somewhat suspicious, police reiterate, call 911 – that’s what led to an arrest on Beach Drive last week, reported by Beach Drive Blog.

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West Seattle’s Colman Pool wants to dive into your memories

August 22, 2011 7:41 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

We took that photo back on sunny July 4th, the day Colman Pool celebrated its 70th anniversary on the Lincoln Park waterfront. That wasn’t the end of the anniversary festivities, explains senior guard Anne Barnes – they’re hoping you have memories to share:

We have had a great time out here, and look forward to the last few weeks of the season.

This is our 70th anniversary year (as you have reported). In addition to the party we held on the Fourth of July, we are also putting together a memory book for the pool. There are tons of great memories out there; we’d like to collect as many of them as we can! Swimmers can ask for a page to write on at the front desk of the pool, or they can e-mail memories to me (I will print them out and paste them in the book).

The pool is open every day until Labor Day (Sept. 5) and also the following weekend (Sept. 10 and 11).

Anne’s e-mail address is anne.barnes@seattle.gov.

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Steve Bushaw murder trial might go to jury this week

August 22, 2011 4:27 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Quick toplines from the first day of the fourth week of testimony in the trial of two of the four men charged in the murder of 26-year-old Steve Bushaw in the middle of a West Seattle street on Super Bowl night in February 2009. Defendant Brandon Chaney spent the entire day on the witness stand, claiming he had no knowledge of a plan to shoot Bushaw until the two confessed shooters, John Sylve and Danny O’Neal, ran to the car he was driving that night and yelled “GO!” All three lawyers finished their questioning of him around 3:30, and then they spent some time talking with the judge about the instructions that will be given to the jury before they begin deliberating. Chaney’s lawyer Jim Roe indicated he has one more witness to call; prosecutor Jeff Baird says he has at least one “rebuttal witness”; defendant Bryce Huber’s lawyer Tony Savage appeared to indicate he would not call any witnesses – he had already said his client probably wouldn’t testify. Once the defense rests, both sides will get to present their closing arguments before the case goes to the jury. The contention has been that Huber and Chaney were in on the shooting plan, conceived as retribution on behalf of a friend of both men who was beaten up in a home-invasion robbery two weeks earlier, because that friend allegedly believed Bushaw had masterminded the robbery (but wasn’t present).

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New urgent-care services, then new location, in the works for Highline Medical Center in West Seattle

August 22, 2011 1:29 pm

| 19 COMMENTS

| Health | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

If you or someone in your family gets hurt or sick and needs attention immediately – you’ll soon have another choice in West Seattle.

Highline Medical Center Urgent Care debuts in October. For now, it’s in the same location where Highline (a WSB sponsor) has its Family Medicine Clinic – across from the east side of Jefferson Square – but they’re also finally going public with the news that next year, they’ll move into their own building in The Triangle.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Cabbie attacked with stun gun

August 22, 2011 12:07 pm

| 16 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

A 25-year-old man is in jail after allegedly attacking a cab driver with a stun gun early this morning in the Morgan Junction area. We heard a bit about the incident via the scanner and just obtained the report from Seattle Police. The cab driver told police he had picked up the suspect in The Junction and was told he wouldn’t have to go far. According to the driver, he was directed through a few side streets southwest of California/Fauntleroy – and then around 46th and Fauntleroy, the suspect grabbed him from behind and “drove an electric stun gun into his side 3-4 times.” At that point, the report says, the driver lost control of the cab, which then hit a vehicle on SW Frontenac. The suspect got out and so did the driver, running after him until the suspect jumped a fence. A K-9 unit came to help try to track down the suspect; the stun gun was found in the 4600 block of SW Maple (map), while the suspect was found about a block away, hiding under a van. Police say the suspect doesn’t live in the Morgan Junction area; they didn’t find any money on him, but did find 4 grams of marijuana. He told them after being advised of his rights that he didn’t know what he was doing in the back seat of a patrol car, and it was, the report says he claimed, “all King County Jail’s fault.” (The register shows his most recent stay there, in an assault case, ended on the 4th of July.) The cab driver didn’t want to go to the hospital, but did have what the report calls “a series of red, raised welts near his belt line above his hip.”

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Seattle City Light Fauntleroy work: Another potentially noisy night

August 22, 2011 11:49 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| Fauntleroy | Utilities | West Seattle news

Some residents near the Fauntleroy ferry dock say the overnight electrical work by Seattle City Light has been keeping them sleepless, to the breaking point. The utility first issued a warning early this month; then last week, neighbors said it got really loud, as noted here – one commenter called it “the most obscenely loud jackhammer ever.” SCL’s Scott Thomsen responded by saying the jackhammering is done. But there’s word from City Light that tonight might be noisy again, so neighbors are bracing themselves. One is even putting out an open call for a lawyer who they could consult; Chuck Sawyer (ecccsawyer [at] q.com). He and others say they are concerned not even so much about this work, which is scheduled to run another two weeks, but a precedent it might set for other future work in the area, including the Barton Pump Station adjacent to the dock.

ADDED 3:27 PM: Chuck’s video with the jackhammering from last week.

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