West Seattle, Washington
21 Tuesday
Another new Junction-area development is set for its first hearing before the Southwest Design Review Board. A May 23rd meeting has just turned up on the SWDRB schedule for 4745 40th SW. The city’s online files say it is proposed for 150 apartments, 9 live-work units, and 100 parking spaces in a building of up to eight stories on a site north of SW Edmunds, south of a future city park, west (across 40th) from the Masonic Temple, and steps away from the southwest edge of the future Whole Foods (etc.) project (also across 40th). The May 23rd meeting is scheduled for 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle at California/Oregon.
(Before then, the board will meet this Thursday [May 9th], also at 6:30 at the Senior Center, for its first look at 4535 44th SW, a 4-story, 35-apartment, 4-live-work-unit project first mentioned here in March.)
Shortly after we took that photo, a tow-truck crew righted the car, which had flipped onto the south side of the 20th/Henderson intersection, just east of Delridge Way. No official information on circumstances at this point but police told us one person had been taken to a hospital.
5:15 PM UPDATE: This was a two-car crash, according to Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore, whose department does not investigate the cause but does treat the victims, so he was able to tell us that the person taken to the hospital as a precaution was the 28-year-old woman driving the flipped PT cruiser. She got herself and a 3-week-old baby girl out of the vehicle before Engine 11 arrived; the 25-year-old woman and 4-year-old in the other vehicle were not hurt.
8:02 PM UPDATE: A commenter who lives nearby says the 4-year-old was actually in the flipped PT cruiser and the baby in the other car.
First of 2 West Seattle Crime Watch notes: If you’ve had a bicycle stolen lately, in addition to checking with police, keep checking our WSCW reports, because more keep coming in. We mentioned a few in this WSCW report over the weekend; then this morning, Anne e-mailed to say that TWO mountain bikes have turned up on her out-of-the-way street (steep slope of SW Lander), likely left by thieves. She says both are “men’s mountain bikes. One is a medium blue and one is red.” She has reported them to police but would like to get them back to their owners.
(added) If you’re missing a bike that might be one of those two – e-mail Anne at phastphood@hotmail.com.
Second, Chris says a hit-run crash on Saturday left these marks on his car:
My car was backed into (Saturday) morning in the West Seattle Trader Joe’s parking lot. I was parked next to the spot that’s not a spy on the north side of the parking lot. An older model navy blue SUV was parked in that spot and I believe it was this car that backed into me. I am looking for whoever did this or anyone who might have seen something. A photo of my back quarter panel with the offending back bumper mark across it is attached.
Third, just received as we were about to publish this, Annlee reports a car prowl at Lincoln Park:
I was enjoying a beautiful sunny day at Lincoln Park (Sunday) with my sister and kids. We got back to my car and noticed the doors were unlocked. I had only left my window opened a crack but it was enough for the thief to use someone’s broken-off antenna to hook and unlock my doors. My purse and my sister’s purse were stolen out of the trunk with everything inside them. Even my daughter’s sleeping bag was stolen and she was absolutely devastated. Please keep an eye out while visiting Lincoln Park. If you happen to see any gray purses or black wallets with IDs in them, please turn them in. If you happen to see anyone suspicious wandering around the parking lot with a pink princess sleeping bag, please call the police!
(February photo of Delridge Way work, from SDOT via Flickr)
The second phase of the Delridge Way SW repaving project is almost over, with the third phase expected to start next week. So says SDOT in this advisory just out of the WSB inbox:
The Seattle Department of Transportation expects paving work on Delridge Way Southwest to progress to the next phase on Wednesday, May 15. The contractor will detour southbound traffic on Delridge from Southwest Holden to Southwest Thistle streets, and reopen the stretch from Southwest Thistle to Southwest Trenton streets. The new detour, from Holden to Thistle, is expected to remain in place through mid July. This work is Phase 3 of the project that is rebuilding much of Delridge Way Southwest.
Delridge will remain open to northbound traffic except for intersection work. Local access to businesses and residents will be maintained. SDOT will release a map and details of the new detour as the date approaches.
After the contractor completes work between Thistle and Trenton, Delridge will be striped between Thistle and Henderson streets. Also, crews expect to return by late May to the stretch between Trenton and Henderson for weather-dependent crack seal work.
This is a five-phase project. At the end of Phase 3, construction activity will move north to Phase 4, between SW Orchard and SW Holden streets.
It’s beautiful from the sky as well as the ground – North Delridge’s Dragonfly Garden (aka Pavilion)! has dragonfly-shaped landscaping too? Thanks as always to Long Bach Nguyen for sharing West Seattle aerial views like this! Meantime, while regular Monday events are on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are three today/tonight-only highlights:
HIGH-SCHOOL BASEBALL POSTSEASON: Metro League playoffs start with West Seattle High School vs. Bainbridge Island at Hiawatha, 3:30 pm, same time that Chief Sealth International High School will be on the road vs. Eastside Catholic. (Thanks to Greg Slader, the WSHS parent who’s been contributing updates all season, for the details.)
HELP HI-YU – MEETING TONIGHT: 6:30 pm at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, it’s the next general meeting for everyone interested in the West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival – which as you probably know is not a one-day one-time “festival” but instead a collection of summer events including the annual construction of the last Seattle neighborhood traveling parade float. As reported here over the weekend, Hi-Yu needs more community help to keep the 79-year tradition alive to see its 80th anniversary. Showing up tonight is a start. (California/Hanford)
TALK THEATER: Go behind-the-scenes in a live, free conversation with cast members and key staff from ArtsWest’s current production “33 Variations,” 7:30 pm. (4711 California SW)
If you’re interested in having a say before the Seattle City Council adopts citywide rules for marijuana production, processing, selling, and delivery – now’s the time to speak up. Today’s edition of the twice-weekly city-issued Land Use Information Bulletin includes an announcement of proposed amendments – such as the potential for indoor growing sites spanning up to 50,000 square feet – on which they’re now taking comments along with the main proposals. While the notice says comments will be accepted up until the final vote – not scheduled yet – councilmembers would like to receive comments by 5 pm May 15th, so there’s time for review. Here’s the notice, which also includes links to the proposed rules and amendments.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
6:57 AM: So far, checking the traffic-watching sources we monitor, “sun glare” is the only thing causing slowdowns here and there. The high temperature is expected to be in the 80s again today.
9:58 AM: If you’re downtown-bound, heads-up – we notice the 911 log lists a crash on NB I-5 just north of the bridge.
11:54 AM: SDOT just updated the Delridge repaving project, saying it’s expected to move to Phase 3, between Holden and Thistle, next week. Here’s the story.
Weekend wildlife scenes to share before the week gets going at full speed! Trileigh Tucker says, “A few of us had a wonderful time watching the Lincoln Park Barred Owls! They were trying (unsuccessfully) to get away from crow harassment in the central part of the park. Here’s what was happening: (The) owl does a luxurious wing and leg stretch! Note leg stretched out vertically below:”
Next, she explains, the owl “tucks his head in his feathers for a brief rest during preening”:
Did today’s summery weather put you in the mood for outdoor swimming? Less than three weeks remain before this year’s first swim sessions at Colman Pool on the Lincoln Park shore. We checked on the plan for the upcoming season after receiving that photo from photographer/pilot Long Bach Nguyen, who noticed the pool had been drained as of a few days ago. You might recall that last year’s season started late because of the $1.4 million renovation project; that work also prevented the pool from being filled with salt water from Puget Sound last year, since its new lining needed fresh water. Seattle Parks spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad tells WSB the pool was drained last week for leak repair and was then filled with water from the Sound. First day of swimming at Colman Pool is Saturday, May 25th, for the first of three “pre-season weekends” before the 7-days-a-week summer schedule begins June 15th. Here’s the schedule booklet, including information on lessons, which are already being booked.
“This is the 79th year for West Seattle Hi-Yu and it could be the last.” Those words of warning come from the volunteer leaders who are working hard to keep the Hi-Yu traditions – including the last neighborhood-powered traveling parade float in the entire city of Seattle – going. In addition to financial support – business sponsors and annual program-book advertisers – they need people. Hi-Yu relies on a volunteer board, and wouldn’t have one right now without the parents of current court members stepping in to “do everything to keep it going,” explains Regina Arceo-Schulz. But they need successors, and “we need the community to keep the tradition going. Please help support West Seattle Hi-Yu – attend the event, advertise in the souvenir book, volunteer to decorate the float and shadow the board members.”
Want to find out what that entails? Show up for the general meeting tomorrow night (Monday, May 6), 6:30 pm at St. John the Baptist Church (California/Hanford). And then on Friday night (May 10th), be there for the first big Hi-Yu event of the season:
West Seattle Hi-Yu Annual Gala
Auction, Coronation and White Rose Ceremony
7:00 -10:00 pm
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Life Center
7000 35th Ave SWHors d’oeuvres and no-host bar
Tickets are available for $30 per person or $300 for a table of 10
Buy yours from the link on the right side of the Hi-Yu home page at westseattlehiyu.com.
If you were in the Morgan Junction vicinity on Saturday, you might have noticed some early activity around the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) on Saturday. Hours before its usual 4 pm opening, the Feedback played host to the first-ever music-video shoot for the rising local band Daughters of the Dead Sea – from left, below, Jen, Iris, and Mia:
They were shooting the video for “Trophy,” a “newly recorded, unreleased song” that they tell us “will be featured on a split 7” with The Heels later this summer, along with another new track, ‘Little Heart.’ ‘Trophy’ is a two and a half minute number that we fondly refer to as our kick-ass punk-rock ‘love song.’ This marks our first-ever music video release and is set to be released early this summer. The 7″ will be the first recordings that the Daughters have released since debut EP The Killroom Sessions back in October 2012.” That one was a hit, the band’s bio info points out – debuting at #1 on local charts including Easy Street Records and voted 2012’s #1 record by Nadamucho.com.
This year’s wine-tasting event/fundraiser at Highland Park Improvement Club has gone totally uncorked. So much so, that’s what they’re calling it now – “Highland Park Uncorked.” It’s less than a week away – next Saturday, May 11th, doors open 6 pm, tasting at 7 – so time is running out for pre-registration, which carries a lower “suggested donation” rate – $15, otherwise $20 at the door, and a $15-or-under bottle of wine for the tasting event. You can sign up here (and read more about how the event will unfold, and why you’re bringing a bottle of wine).
If you need a little shade while browsing the West Seattle Farmers’ Market till 2 pm today, check out the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle tent over on the east side, where we found Patricia, Bob, and Karl. And if you have any no-longer-needed eyeglasses around the house – the Kiwanis booth has a dropbox. Another market sighting today: Don’t know if it’s their first week back, since this was our first visit in a few weeks, but Langley Fine Gardens from Vashon Island is back with a wide variety of plants, unusual flowers, and other ornamentals, as well as vegetable and herb plants. Before or after the market, wander over to Junction businesses (for food and drink, check out Junction-headquartered WSB sponsors Firefly Café and Creperie at California/Genesee – coupon! – plus Hotwire Online Coffeehouse on California a bit south of Genesee, and La Romanza Bistro Italiano – on California midblock south of Oregon)
Hundreds of young West Seattleites attend cooperative preschools – and now, a new program is launching to take the co-op concept past that early age. Here’s the announcement for West Seattle Cooperative School, with an open house coming up Thursday night:
West Seattle Cooperative School will be admitting students, K-2nd grade, in the Fall of 2013.
Open House: May 9th, 7-9 pm at South Seattle Community College, RAH 201.
We will open up admissions at this time and will have application forms available. Please come to learn more about our school, meet Teacher Wendy, and hear about the admissions process.
Our vision includes:
(Saturday evening photo by Machel Spence)
More sunshine today! And more chances to enjoy our community – here are a few:
WSUU RUMMAGE SALE, DAY 2: 9 am-2 pm, the Westside Unitarian Universalists‘ rummage sale continues (7141 California SW)
EXPLORE FAUNTLEROY ON FOOT: Another one of “Jane’s Walks,” this time with FeetFirst community ambassador Marge Evans, starting at 10 am at The Original Bakery. (45th/Wildwood)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: From fish to flowers to farm-fresh eggs (and more), the market‘s always particularly beautiful in the sunshine. 10 am to 2 pm. (44th/Alaska)
ENJOY THE SUN ON 2 WHEELS: West Seattle Spokespeople will head out on a ride from Jack Block Park at 11 am – details on the Sustainable West Seattle website.
RETURN OF WEST SEATTLE ULTIMATE FAMILY FRISBEE: 11 am at Fairmount Playfield – with a “coolest disc” contest – bring yours! (Fauntleroy/Brandon)
AUTHOR GREGORY MARTIN AT SW LIBRARY: The author of “Stories for Boys” will be at Southwest Library at 11 am to read and discuss; books also will be available for purchase/signing. “Stories for Boys” is the current “Seattle Reads” book. (35th/Henderson)
CELEBRATE THE EARTH … at Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood, noon-3 pm. As explained in the calendar listing, a new community garden is the centerpiece of today’s celebration, but there will be gardening tips for all, music, food, and more. (39th and Thistle)
‘SUNDAYS ARE SPECIAL’ CELEBRATION: Seattle Public Library branches continue to celebrate the return of Sunday hours, and today Delridge Library has its turn, 2=3:30 pm – our calendar listing explains what you’ll find if you stop by!
CINCO DE MAYO: Food and drink specials abound, and one of the places you’ll find them is the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), with six special cocktails and a chicken-enchilada dinner listed on the Feedback’s home page. (6451 California SW)
Then, to end the weekend …
(Saturday night’s sunset, by Russ Walker)
TONIGHT’S SUNSET … will be at 8:27 pm. (You can always find the sunset/sunrise and moonrise/moonset times on the WSB Weather page.)
This West Seattle Crime Watch roundup begins with a vandalism spree in Gatewood – two people have contacted us to report more than half a dozen cars’ tires were slashed sometime overnight near the California/Webster intersection.
In North Delridge, Angela found what seemed to be dumped loot:
She says it wasn’t even all from West Seattle (she’s already spoken with one victim who says her car was broken into yesterday at the Arboretum!):
This morning I found a pile of stuff on the side of the road that appeared to be dumped after a theft. Possibly multiple thefts, as my very minimal poking around turned up at least four different possible owners based on business cards (multiple of the same card), insurance card, registration, and other papers. I didn’t dig very deep; only looked at what was visible & on top when I found it.
About an hour after she reported it to police, who she says “indicated that they’d pick it up and place it into evidence,” it was gone.
Also found: this bicycle. Scott from Seattle Parks sent the photo:
He says, “This bike was found hidden in the shrubs at Hiawatha Playfield. We have it stored at SW Parks District Shop at Lincoln Park; hopefully the owner can get this expensive bike back. Our office phone is 684-7457.”
In case you are missing a bike and haven’t seen two notices posted within the past few days in the WSB Forums – here’s one for a yellow 10-speed, and another one for a blue girls’ bike.
Last but not least, James reports a double theft of 2-wheelers: his “2007 CRF450 motorcycle and Specialized Allez bicycle. These were stolen from my garage on (56th & Dakota) earlier this week.” His report came in via the WSB Facebook page – check out the “posts by others” section there for his photos.
Another big, fun event is getting close: Be like Jennifer and Zorro in our 2012 photo above, and get your feet/paws into the West Seattle 5K! The fifth annual fundraising run presented by the West Seattle High School PTSA is just two weeks from tomorrow, with more than a thousand runners expected to fill Alki Avenue again this year, starting just after 9 am on Sunday, May 19th. WSB is proud to be a West Seattle 5K co-sponsor, as we’ve been every year since the first one in 2009 – hope to see you out in the street again this year! You have until May 16th to sign up online, if you haven’t registered already – do it right now by going here (kids 6 and under, by the way, are free).
P.S. – a reminder that once the West Seattle 5K’s wrapped up by 11 am, it’s the sixth annual “Alki car-free day,” aka Seattle Summer Streets, with more activities than ever promised this year – including the Alki Beach Creeps’ Costumed Bike Parade at 1 pm.
One week till the 9th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, 
with 281 sale sites all over the peninsula. In case you haven’t seen it yet, we wanted to quickly mention that the online version of the map is now live – until Sale Day (next Saturday, May 11th, 9 am-3 pm) is over, it has its own tab on the WSB navigation bar, below the right side of the sunset-photo header. We’re still tweaking the printable version – the online version usually debuts first, and if sellers spot any address anomalies, for example (the mapping program has had one so far, quickly fixed), we can get those handled before publishing the link to the printable map. (E-mail garagesale@westseattleblog.com.) Text atop the map’s WSB page explains how to use the map (same format as the last 2 years) and also how it works with your smartphone.
P.S. Registration closed a week and a half ago BUT if you’re still hoping to sell some stuff next Saturday, you can check with the group sites directly to see if they have room left – WSB sponsors Hotwire Online Coffeehouse and C & P Coffee Company, as well as the VFW Hall in The Triangle and, in The Admiral District, Mind Unwind.
(L to R: Joey Donahue, Brendan Good, Dylan Moorleghen, John Roach, Chad Lehman, Jason Getts, Todd Lehman)
Congratulations to 18-year-old Todd Lehman, the first member of West Seattle’s Troop 282 to earn his Eagle Scout rank – Scouting’s highest honor – this year. Part of that involved a project for Camp Long, explained by his dad Rick Lehman – who shared the photos and information – as involving “designing and constructing a staging area for one of the new ‘challenge courses,’ called ‘Pacific Crest.’ The project included installing 70 feet of cedar split-rail fencing, gravel walkway, log benches, and landscaping.” Here’s Todd, center, with his Eagle Board of Review, all also West Seattleites:
(L to R, Pete Hogan, mom Nancy Lehman, Mike Grueter, Todd Lehman, Dave Haines, dad Rick Lehman, Paul Von Brockhorst)
Dad Rick Lehman adds that Todd’s Eagle rank “represents over 7 years of scouting leadership, adventure, activities, achievement and community service. While in Troop 282, Todd compiled 82 nights of camping, hiked 147 miles, paddled by canoe 82 miles on the Bowron Provincial Park in Canada, earned 24 merit badges, and provided 115 hours of community service to West Seattle.” He also is a three-year letterman in varsity golf and baseball at Kennedy High School, where he is a senior and president of the Men’s Club; an active member of West Side Presbyterian Church; and plans to attend Washington State University starting this fall.
This year’s Gathering of Neighbors is an indoor-and-outdoor event – right outside the Chief Sealth International High School Galleria, on the walkway/plaza leading from the school parking lot to its south-side doors, you can find out all about RainWise.
It’s a program to get more homes off the rainwater/runoff grid, and more areas of West Seattle are eligible for rebates to cover at least part of the cost of installing “green stormwater infrastructure” such as cisterns. Inside the Galleria, get “wise” in another way – meet local volunteers such as Eldon Olson from the Morgan Community Association and Cindi Barker from West Seattle Be Prepared/Emergency Communication Hubs
There’s a preparedness drill next Saturday, in fact, and they’re still signing up prospective “actors.” Others you might meet at the Gathering of Neighbors include Yun Pitre and Ed Pottharst:
They’re neighborhood coordinators for the city’s Department of Neighborhoods, and work with many of the groups that keep things clicking around here. Plus – how often do you get to have a say in the future of a major local arterial? You can share your vision for the north half of Delridge Way – look for the map spanning a table, with neighborhood advocate Pete Spalding (below right) behind it:
There’s also entertainment and refreshments; as first published here last night, here’s the official program listing more of whom you might meet and see if you get on over to Sealth by 3.
Benefit-barbecue season is off and sizzling at West Seattle Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy; WSB sponsor) – we caught Michele at the grill between burger batches this afternoon; the barbecues are a Thriftway tradition, benefiting local nonprofits, and today the proceeds are going to West Seattle Helpline. You have until 4 or so to stop by for yours, if you haven’t been there already!
Getting engaged? Married? Or, just looking for new jewelry art to wear? Award-winning designer Karen Konzuk has you covered, and until 5 pm today, you can meet her, as we did, at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, where her engagement and wedding rings are debuting, with her line of concrete jewelry. (Click! is at 4540 California SW.)
Busy, busy day on Elliott Bay and at Don Armeni Boat Ramp!
We checked it out after getting an e-mail question wondering about all the boats. Here’s the occasion: 7 am-3 pm today, it’s open to recreational spot-shrimp fishing – and there’ll be a rerun next Wednesday (May 8th), same hours.
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