West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight. From Todd early today:
I came home (last night) to find my front door kicked in, all the lights on and the back door wide open. Gone are all the computers, cameras, small electronics and any sense of security. Closest intersection is 32nd and Juneau. Two other houses in the hood have been hit in a similar fashion in the last year.
And from Dianne –
Last Saturday night someone entered my car and stole my GPS, left my jar of change on the seat, and took my tote bag that held my clogging shoes. I live on 45th Ave SW in North Admiral – between College and Admiral Way. Anyone seeing or hearing a potential robber wearing clogging shoes, please contact WS Blog.
Well, actually, call the police. But once you’ve reported it to them, feel free to let us know.
On the Delridge side of the Southwest Precinct, a group holding signs urging support for local police is staging the demonstration it had promised, with whistles and cheers every time a car passes (and some are honking in response). Across the street, there are a few counter-demonstrators chanting.
Arrivals are continuing; we’ve recorded video, including interviews with both sides, but wanted to get something up quick in case you drove by and wondered what was going on (we previewed it earlier today). There is also an SPD car at the scene, lights flashing, keeping guard. (update) As of 7 pm, we took a count: 34 police supporters, 4 counterdemonstrators (two more just joined the two in the photo above).
9:21 PM NOTE: The rally was scheduled to last until 8:30; we had to leave just past 8. By that point, the counterdemonstrators had crossed Delridge (by walking all the way down to the stoplight at Orchard, and then walking back south on the west side of the street toward the precinct). They stopped maybe 50 yards away; the police car that had been at the corner by the precinct moved down to that area (later moving back closer to the precinct, while flares were placed in the lane alongside both groups). Southwest Precinct Captain Steve Paulsen was at the precinct for the duration, frequently coming out to check on how things were going. When we left, those on hand in the two-block stretch from the southwest corner of Delridge/Webster to the midblock spot where the counterdemonstrators had stopped numbered 30 with police-support signs and six in the counterdemonstration group.
ADDED 10:08 PM: After the jump, four video clips:Read More
The clouds have slid in, but the earlier sunshine drew enough of a crowd to Alki tonight to make it look a little bit like almost-summer. And the newest deck open for food and drink is the balloon-festooned El Chupacabra Mexican restaurant and bar, site of the former Casa Feliz, beneath Siam Pura, east of Homefront. This is the second location for El Chupacabra, a quirky hit on Phinney Ridge. Owner Aaron Wright is on Alki tonight:
Inside, following up on our preview from earlier this week, a little more of the distinctive decor:
And what would any place named after a mythical creature be without a few skeletons on the shelves?
You can find menu – including plenty of vegetarian/vegan options, as Wright promised when we first talked to him in January – and hours information on El Chupacabra’s Facebook page.
SODO-area traffic is already complicated tonight by the Mariners’ home opener – but there’s another twist: A water-main break has closed a lane between Atlantic and Massachusetts. Says SDOT via Twitter: “Expect delays.”
Safeway says the first tenant has been signed for the new retail building on its Admiral site – Umpqua Bank. That’s part of what we found out during a hard-hat tour with neighborhood leaders this afternoon; the tour had been in the works for weeks, and today’s sunshine finally made it possible. Sara Corn from Safeway’s real-estate division says Umpqua will take about a third of the space; she describes it as “boutique” (here’s a video showing what one of its newer branches looks like, on Capitol Hill – coffee and chocolates, as well as cash). They’re still looking for other tenants; there will not be an in-store bank branch at the Safeway, but it will have a BECU ATM. We’re working on a separate story with multiple views from inside the project site; among them – from the store roof, which will be primarily a parking level with more than 100 spaces, there’s a view toward downtown, including the Space Needle:
And on the California Avenue side, there’s a sweeping view staircase down from the parking deck (next to an elevator tower if you would rather not, or cannot, walk) to the store:
The elevator concrete will be poured this week. We have more to show you regarding what they’re doing as they aim for LEED certification (they won’t know what level till their “points” are added up); that’s coming in a separate report. If you’re wondering about the recent protests, there’s no new information/comment on that but one of the tour participants, Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum, tells WSB she is trying to get Carpenters’ Council and construction-company reps to come discuss it at ANA’s meeting next Tuesday (7 pm, Admiral Church).
ADDED 6:38 PM: Walum confirms the Carpenters Council will be at the meeting; she’s still working on the other side. And regarding the project’s schedule – Corn told us that they’re still on schedule (albeit a “tight” schedule) for opening the store on August 12th.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Last week, we showed you the scenes at the West Seattle Tool Library locations old and new, as the old location at South Seattle Community College closed for good Sunday afternoon, while the new one at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center was readied for its grand opening tomorrow. This afternoon, the Tool Library’s director is sharing a report and photos of what they had dubbed “The Great Tool Migration”!
(This photo by Patrick Sand for WSB, showing the exterior of the new Tool Library space, taken last Sunday; other photos courtesy Patrick Dunn)
By Patrick Dunn, West Seattle Tool Library director
Special to West Seattle Blog
The Great Tool Migration of 2011 has officially and thankfully been completed. Through the kind help of a number of West Seattle Tool Library volunteers and their trucks, our entire community tool collection is now down at our new location at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.
Though it was certainly a tough job, moving a collection like that with a bunch of environmentally-minded folks has its advantages. Due to a biodiesel truck in our fleet, our convoy smelled a lot like french fries the whole day. That always helps to take the edge off.
After the Migration (and a greasy lunch), the crew spent most of the evening just staring at the collection, trying to make it smaller so that we could put it all away in time for our Grand Re-Opening. We have no idea how we crammed so many tools into the Tool Library’s previous storage closet up at SSCC.
At least at our new space, we won’t need advanced math and engineering degrees to find room for everything. The new home at Youngstown actually quadruples our square footage. While we have one section set up for tool storage, which will effectively serve as The Tool Library, we’ll also have a separate, 500 square foot room dedicated to serve as a community workshop and makerspace.
The Tool Library’s Grand Re-Opening will take place tomorrow (Saturday) from 9 am-2 pm. By then, we’ll not only have all the tools organized for proper viewing and rental, but we’ll also have the workshop opened up for tours.
In addition to seeing the space itself, those visiting our Grand Re-Opening can also take part in our monthly Ask an Expert series from 10 am to Noon. The series serves as a meetup for DIYers, tinkerers, and really anyone who’s taking on a project or even just thinking about taking one on. Into that motley crew, we throw a bunch of local experts on topics such as solar power, green building and architecture, and urban gardening to help our visitors with the finer details of their plans.
To top it off, The Grand Re-Opening will also host a demonstration by a local engineer who has turned a pressure washer and a few spare parts in to a computerized tile milling machine.
So whatever draws folks out, The Tool Library would love to see everyone on Saturday. The official opening ceremony will take place at 11 am. As always, coffee and pastries will be provided.
On the day the King County Water Taxi‘s West Seattle-Downtown Seattle run switched to its warm-season schedule – with blue sky and sunshine in abundance – it was the perfect day to ride roundtrip with the County Councilmember who now chairs the Ferry District Board and is about to take over its Executive Committee as well, for a talk about the service’s future.
Councilmember Joe McDermott of West Seattle brought King County Marine Division director Scott Davis as we rode roundtrip to and from downtown at noontime. Longer story in the works, but a few toplines here; both feel strongly that the county’s marine operations have come out of a rocky year stronger than ever, in terms of leadership and operations. The latter still has a hole to fill; when the Ferry District Board has its quarterly meeting next week, Councilmember McDermott says, they’ll be reviewing proposals they’ve received for executive-director services – which he foresees will be filled with a consultant-type contract, rather than a full-time employee.
Later in the year, longterm finances for the Ferry District need to be settled, with another look at its levy rate, which is currently less than 10 percent of what it originally was. And Marine Division leadership is currently evaluating a report on potential criteria for the boats it plans to have built (with millions in federal funding available for the project). But bottom line – for those who thought the Water Taxi was on the ropes because of recent controversies from the downtown crash (final report’s not out yet) to thefts (Davis says security policies have been tightened) to operating costs (also tightened, and farebox receipts, McDermott says, are up) – the county insists that, with transit part of its core mission, the Water Taxi is here to stay. (Remember it’s running late tonight for the M’s home opener – here’s the schedule.) More in the longer story.
It’s a day that’s been years in the making – the first installation of a wayfinding kiosk in western West Seattle (the pilot’s been up outside the Delridge Library for quite some time, and they’ve been on the drawing board for more than three years, part of West Seattle Walks) – and what a perfect day, since the kiosks are all about guiding you while you’re out and about. WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen photographed ceramic artist Mike Raney and metal artist Paul Sorey with the kiosk installed today at Junction Plaza Park. Kiosks like this, with a map, art, and information about the nearby area, will eventually be up all over West Seattle, with the help of city matching-fund money.
Today we welcome a new sponsor, West Seattle Runner. Owners Tim and Lori McConnell (that’s Tim, above) invite you to stop by this weekend — they’re celebrating their first anniversary today, Saturday, and Sunday. There’s 20 percent off some items in the store and they’ll have a couch-to-marathon information session at 6 pm tonight, hosted by the American Heart Association.
Tim says West Seattle Runner is the only store in West Seattle that caters to runners. He says that he, Lori, and their staff, are West Seattle residents and runners who will take the time to find you the right shoe with the right fit. He adds that West Seattle Runner has shoes and advice for all runners, whether you’re an absolute beginner or an experienced marathon runner. Also, West Seattle Runner has a large selection of women’s apparel. They stock Amphipod and FuelBelt hydration packs, along with supplements from GU and Clif.
In addition to finding shoes and apparel, you can also find out about runners’ groups in West Seattle. Since the first of the year, Tim has offered his own couch-to-marathon class that will help people get ready for the Seattle Marathon this fall. West Seattle Runner is also a sponsor for the West Seattle 5K and Alki Beach Run benefit events. West Seattle Runner is upstairs at 3727 California SW (corner of Charlestown), and is on Facebook here; by phone – 206-938-0545.
We thank West Seattle Runner 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.
Two updates as garage-sale season revs up:
WEST SEATTLE EAGLES GARAGE SALE TOMORROW: Linda shared the news; the West Seattle Eagles‘ garage sale is tomorrow, enter through the alley at 4426 California SW. Note that they still have tables available, $15 each – call Mary Lou at 206-937-5484 if you want one. Sale hours on Saturday are 10 am-4 pm, and they’re selling burgers and hot dogs all day.
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE DAY REGISTRATION CONTINUES: 55 sales are signed up so far for the seventh annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day , presented/coordinated by WSB, coming up Saturday, May 14th, 9 am-3 pm. It’s not one big garage sale, but rather, dozens and dozens all over the peninsula, large and small (more than 200 last year!), all on one map we put together (printable and Google versions). You can sign up your sale online – just go here. Meantime, three group-selling spots are planned so far (want to host one? let us know – garagesale@westseattleblog.com): Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor) will have courtyard tables again (contact Lora, info@hotwirecoffee.com, if you want to reserve one); the VFW Hall at 3601 SW Alaska plans to offer tables (we’ll have more details and contact info shortly); and Cycle U (4550 Fauntleroy SW) is offering the chance for you to sell bikes and gear. We’ll keep updating here, but if you lose track of the latest update at any point, just remember the official WSCGSD, full of info as well as coverage of the sales since we took over as presenting organization in 2008 – westseattlegaragesale.com.
Another event happening tonight in West Seattle: Organizers confirm the next in a series of rallies around the city to show support for the Seattle Police Department is planned tonight outside the Southwest Precinct. They hope to line Delridge and Webster outside the precinct, starting around 6:30, and the public is welcome to join in. It’s not an official SPD event; coverage of rallies at other precincts has noted that organizers and participants have included members of officers’ families.
This morning’s featured photo is courtesy of Julie Clegg – she’s just put up a display of photos inside Mud Bay in the Admiral District, where you can see them today (and all month long). She’s at baileyandbanjo.com (or on Facebook here) and also has a new “dog lifestyle line” at lickslobberdrool.com with 10% of the proceeds going to fight canine cancer. Now, from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
WEST SEATTLE WATER TAXI SPRING/SUMMER SCHEDULE STARTS: It’s now running all day long (instead of just commute hours), plus Friday/Saturday nights, Mariners/Sounders game nights, and weekends. Here’s our preview from last night.
EL CHUPACABRA OPENS ON ALKI: The new bar/Mexican restaurant in the old Casa Feliz spot, which we first told you about back in January, opens today. (Here’s our update from earlier this week.)
2 PLACES TO ROLLER SKATE: Yes, it’s the second night for the Southgate Roller Rink (first-night coverage here), but the Friday Night Skate Program at Alki Community Center continues too! $3/person, bring your skates or borrow some, 6:45-8:45 pm every Friday night.
‘SWEET, SWEET MUSIC’: 7:30 tonight, Fauntleroy Church sanctuary, with the church’s chancel choir opening, the Chief Sealth International High School Honor Choir closing, and inbetween, clarinetist Emma Pierce will team with SSM organizer Bronwyn Edwards Cryer on the piano. $5 at the door ($15/family) includes dessert in the narthex after the performance. You’ll also have a chance to donate toward the honor choir’s upcoming trip to Carnegie Hall. Details at www.fauntleroyucc.org.
RAINBOW BINGO! “Putting on the Ritz” Rainbow Bingo at West Seattle Senior Center (4217 SW Oregon St), food and drinks at 6 pm, music and entertainment begins at 6:30. $15 prepaid donation to play, $20 at door ($10 prepaid for SCWS members, $15 at the door). Call 206.932.4044 ext. 4 for a reservation.
In case you just couldn’t make it to the Senior Center of West Seattle last night for the first training session sponsored by the all-volunteer West Seattle Be Prepared – above, you will find WSB video of the session, in its entirety. The leaders were David Shannon and Sarah Rothman from the local branch of the American Red Cross. If you don’t have time for an hour-and-a-half video, here’s our report on the highlights (added 8:59 am):
By Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
“Our volunteers are our most precious asset and resource, and without them, we can’t do it,” declared Deb Ticknor, Red Cross Readiness Manager, leading off the first session in a new West Seattle series with an overview of how the Red Cross responds to local disasters.
“If something happens here in Washington, say we have a major wildfire and a landslide at the same time, a lot of families would be impacted, and our local chapters would respond. We would bring in people from around our state who are Red Cross-trained, so when a disaster hits we’re ready to stand up and provide services that our community needs.”
However – you need to be prepared, too, and that was the point of the session – don’t expect somebody else will rescue you (not immediately, anyway).Read More
(County map showing where the “green stormwater infrastructure” is proposed for the area feeding the Barton pump station; go here for larger version)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
There was a bit of myth-buster flavor to the first major community meeting since King County’s December announcement that it wants to solve the Barton Pump Station‘s overflow woes with “green stormwater infrastructure” in a 17-block area of Westwood and Sunrise Heights:
No, there won’t be a raingarden in front of every home in the area.
No, the raingardens aren’t expected to fill up and sit stagnant as mosquito-breeding ponds or child-drowning risks.
No, they won’t block you from getting between your street-parked car and your front door.
So – what will they do, and how?
(Photo by Deanie Schwarz for West Seattle Blog/White Center Now)
‘AS-IT-HAPPENED’ REPORT AT 9:22 PM THURSDAY: Shortly after the renovated Southgate Roller Rink opened its doors to general-public skating for the first time in more than five years (here’s our original February story about the reopening plan), this line snaked out the door and out along the walkway to the front door. Inside, the skate is on. More coverage to come.
ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: Photos and video from Opening Night, by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB/WCN. First, the Derby Girls took the floor in early evening before the official opening session, to work on fundamentals:
Then at 8:30 – the first public session:
The old saying “a good time was had by all” seemed to be in order. Even for Ronda Stapleton, who Ellen says may have been the first to take a tumble, but was still smiling, bravely showing off her bruised arm:
Southgate has a skate shop, too, in case you want to buy your own skates and gear (rental skates are included in the admission fee if you need them):
The Southgate schedule is online – see it here.
Three weeks ago, Katie Krause at The Kenney shared a photo of a nesting hummingbird on their grounds near Lincoln Park. Tonight, two more photos – with a hint of the results.
(WSB photo of Rachel Marie @ Seacrest Pier on Thursday morning)
If you’re going to the Mariners’ home opener tomorrow night, don’t forget that the King County Water Taxi‘s West Seattle-Downtown Seattle run is an option for getting there and back. That’s because tomorrow is the day the Water Taxi launches its spring/summer schedule, which means adding midday and weekend runs back to the plan. You can see the full schedule here. It includes special evening service to Mariners and Sounders home games through October 30th, according to the county. As for the shuttle buses, here’s how their changes are explained:
Shuttle routes 773 and 775 will remain in service through the afternoon/evening commute period, but will not serve any arrivals or departures into West Seattle past 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. However, Sunday shuttle service will be extended to serve passengers taking the final 8 p.m. Water Taxi trip from downtown Seattle.
This is the first year the Water Taxi has run year-round – since last fall, it’s been on a weekday-commute-times-only schedule.
More than a few West Seattle businesspeople spent part of today in “lockup” – but it was for a good cause, and they didn’t do anything wrong. They joined in a Muscular Dystrophy Association fundraiser where they had to rustle up donations in order to get “bailed out.” Above, Todd Ainsworth of West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor); below, Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy of Mac’s Triangle Pub on the West Seattle/White Center border in the south Delridge Triangle:
We photographed both at Angelina’s in Admiral, which served as the “lockup” host site for West Seattle participants, once they were picked up by Seattle firefighters! It was up to the “locked up” to figure out how to get friends, family, clients, etc., to chip in donations so they could get out and get on with the rest of the day; one of the most enterprising was longtime WSB sponsor Rhonda Porter, who’s one of our area’s most active businesspeople on Twitter, Facebook, and the Web, and used them all to round up enough cash to get out within an hour or so! It’s not too late to donate – for example, Rhonda’s page is here, WS Autoworks’ page is here. If we can find Mac’s link, we’ll add it tooAnd here’s Mac’s link; plus, here’s somebody else who tweeted theirs – Cheryl from Twilight Artist Collective – (donation link here).
From last night’s Southwest District Council: Above, that’s SWDC co-chair Tony Fragada, also president of the Alki Community Council, peeking out from behind a map, as the council discussed plans to showcase neighborhood groups during the upcoming West Seattle Summer Fest (July 8-9-10 in The Junction). That’ll include ways, like the map, to show festivalgoers how to find the nearest neighborhood group (and how to know which neighborhood they’re in!) That was part of another busy agenda for SWDC, whose members represent community councils and other key organizations around the area. But one big topic took a fair amount of time – read on:Read More
‘EIGHT GOING ON EIGHTEEN’: Think kids these days are growing up too fast? Parent educator Amy Lang will be at Pathfinder K-8 in West Seattle tomorrow night at 6 pm to tackle the topic, and you’re invited. Here’s the official flyer; the talk is free, but they’re requesting that you RSVP, pathfinderk8rsvp@gmail.com.
HEAR CHIEF SEALTH’S HONOR CHOIR BEFORE CARNEGIE HALL TRIP: You’ve seen them wash cars, sell cupcakes, etc. – and now, see and hear them sing! Chief Sealth International High School‘s Carnegie Hall-bound Honor Choir sings as part of the next “Sweet, Sweet Music” show at Fauntleroy Church, 7:30 tomorrow night. (Full details on the show – which includes dessert! – can be found on the church website.)
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:
*Security officers on Harbor Island called 911 just after midnight Sunday to report that their video cameras were trained on two men with flashlights carrying something in an abandoned building. An officer was dispatched to the scene and met what he deemed “two amateur urban explorers” as they drove away from the complex in a “little white car.” In the rear was a large metal cabinet. The pair explained they had seen the structures on a website dedicated to “cool abandoned buildings,” readily admitted to taking the cabinet and had planned to keep it as a souvenir. The officer made them return the cabinet and lectured the two — ages 19 and 20 — on the legal and physical dangers of such adventures. Since neither had a criminal record, had legal driver’s licenses, and were not impaired by substances, they were let go with a warning to never return.
Eight more summaries, starting with a man’s odd explanation for being in a local park, ahead:Read More
After 7 months without any Southwest Design Review Board meetings – since there weren’t any developments to review – the pace continues to pick up. Just two weeks after the board met to review Harbor Properties‘ new Nova development, it has a meeting set for April 28th to resume review of the proposed 7100 Delridge development. Here’s the official notice. Most recent meeting about this development was back in August. The notice says it’s currently proposed as:
… a 4-story structure containing 58 residential units over 1,344 sq. ft. of retail space. Project includes three, 2-story single family structures and 88,800 cu. yds. of grading in an environmentally critical area. Project also includes pedestrian bridge between structures. Parking for 77 vehicles to be provided in two levels within the structure.
That proposal appears only slightly changed from how it was described during the “early design guidance” phase last August (less retail space this time). The April 28th meeting is at 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle.
(Photo by Shawn McNurney from the WSB Flickr pool)
Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
SOUTHGATE ROLLER RINK OPENS: 8:30 tonight in White Center (9646 17th SW); coverage of last night’s “soft open” is on our partner site White Center Now.
MDA LOCK-UP: More than 100 business and community leaders in West Seattle will be ‘locked up’ today to help the Muscular Dystrophy Association of King County, which explains: “These jailbirds are being accused of having a big heart for Jerry’s Kids and will ‘serve time’ while raising ‘bail’ to fight neuromuscular disease.” This year’s West Seattle Lock-Up is hosted by Angelina’s Family Italian Restaurant. Watch for a “bail me out” note from your favorite local leader, or call (206) 283-2183 for info.
WEST SEATTLE BE PREPARED: Preparedness training tonight at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 6-7:30 pm. Full details on the WSBP site.
OPEN MIKE NIGHT AT FRESHY’S: 1st and 3rd Thursday “open mike” night at Freshy’s Coffee. Beverage discounts for those who show up to perform! Open mike starts at 7 pm.
READ THE KORAN IN FOUR WEEKS: At First Lutheran Church of West Seattle, Pastor Ron Marshall‘s unique instruction session begins – as news-relevant as it was when he started teaching it eight years ago. Call 935-6530 to see if there’s still room.
NOT IN WEST SEATTLE, BUT RELEVANT TO ALL: West Seattle resident Lucy Gaskill, a member of the League of Women Voters of Greater Seattle, invites you to attend “Ain’t got no money honey.” This public forum on our economic future is sponsored by the LWV and will be held at Seattle First Baptist Church (1111 Harvard Avenue at Seneca), 7:30 – 9 pm. At this forum government experts will outline our options, shedding light on the revenue predictions in the near future and budget challenges facing our elected officials. Beth Goldberg, Seattle city budget director; Tom Goodwin, chief economist with King County’s office of Economic and Financial Analysis; and Marc Baldwin with Washington State’s Office of Financial Management will share the spotlight.
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