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Update: House fire in Fauntleroy, near the ferry dock
January 12, 2013 4:35 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

4:35 PM: Crews are en route to a house-fire call in the 4500 block of SW Trenton, which is about a block east of Fauntleroy Way. More shortly.

4:44 PM UPDATE: Lots of smoke from the back of the house when we arrived, not much now. No flames visible.

4:55 PM UPDATE: The incident commander tells WSB the fire started in a back bedroom. They’re not sure yet how it started; they’re still checking to make sure it didn’t extend into the walls, attic, etc. No report of injuries at this point; two people who were home at the time are reported to have gotten out safely. Added above this update, a photo from neighbor Emily, with a wider perspective than ours.

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High-school basketball: Sealth-Nankai tonight; plus, Friday roundup
January 12, 2013 2:04 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

International high-school basketball tonight – and updates on last night’s games – in this roundup. First, the Sealth and Nankai (China) teams are getting ready for tonight’s international friendship game:

They had a clinic at Sealth this morning, with former Sonics player James Donaldson as a guest expert:

Tonight’s event is more than basketball – there’s also a lion dance and mayoral greeting – tickets on sale when doors open at 6 at Sealth’s gym.

Meantime, Sealth, WSHS, and Seattle Lutheran all played varsity basketball games last night – girls and boys – reports ahead:

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West Seattle wildlife: Harbor porpoises off Alki Point
January 12, 2013 12:32 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to Gary Jones for sharing today’s marine-mammal sighting: Harbor porpoises! Not rare, experts say, but certainly not reported as open as their larger cousins (orcas, etc.) Last harbor-porpoise report we published was the sad saga of one found dead on Alki last March. According to this 2011 research, they were common in the area back in the 1940s, then dwindled, then started making a comeback.

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West Seattle traffic-alert update: ‘Low bridge’ open again
January 12, 2013 10:20 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

10:20 AM: We are off to verify, but wanted to offer a heads-up as soon as possible (can’t really tell from the nearest traffic cam) – a texter just sent word there’s trouble at the “low bridge” (describing it as “broken”) and that they were told it would be closed at least an hour.

10:52 AM: We are at the bridge. Definitely not open to traffic. An SDOT maintenance person who just arrived could tell us only that it’s stuck. No ETA on fix. Closed to peds and bikes, too.

11:41 AM: The traffic camera for the intersection west of the bridge shows vehicles coming from it – so we believe it’s open again, but are heading back to verify.

11:50 AM: Verified – it’s back in service. Thanks again to the person who originally texted us about the temporary shutdown; SDOT does not send traffic alerts on weekends, so we wouldn’t have known without a reader alert.

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West Seattle Saturday: International basketball; Fauntleroy chili; nightlife; more
January 12, 2013 9:58 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Thanks to Tony for sharing the photo – Anna’s hummingbird, 41st/Dawson area)
With the big Seahawks game tomorrow, we know many minds may already have turned to Sunday. But don’t look past this big slate of highlights for Saturday. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (and ongoing traffic coverage):

TRAFFIC ALERTS THIS WEEKEND: The I-5/Spokane St. Interchange Bridge Repair project continues – this weekend’s closure, till 5 am Monday, involves ONLY the Columbian Way ramps from Beacon Hill to the West Seattle Bridge and 6th Avenue. Also, remember that the first phase of the Delridge Way repaving project means southbound Delridge is closed (for about two months) between Trenton and Henderson, with a few other effects.

FOOD DRIVE: Till 1 pm today, a food drive organized by Gay For Good Seattle is happening at PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor; California/Stevens).

PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: At The Cove School, 9:30-11 am, details here.

SCHOOL BOARD REP’S COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: Something to ask West Seattle’s school board rep Marty McLaren? She’s at the Delridge Library 10:15-12:15 for a community conversation.

GRETCHEN’S GRAINS DEMO: The West Seattleite who’s trying to make it easier to cook with whole grains is doing a demonstration at 11 am at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor, California/Fauntleroy/Morgan).

OVERWHELMED BY DEBT? Occupy West Seattle is sponsoring community conversations about debt, starting with one at 2 pm today at Salvadorean Bakery (south side of Roxbury just west of 17th).

NATURE WALK AT CAMP LONG: West Seattle naturalist Stewart Wechsler will lead interested walkers through Camp Long to check out salamanders, edible nettles, and more, 3:30 pm – details here.

1ST ANNUAL LINDA CRANK MEMORIAL DINNER: 5-7:30 pm at the West Seattle Eagles‘ HQ, with a menu including homemade smoked lasagna – details in the calendar listing.

CHIEF SEALTH-NANKAI FRIENDSHIP BASKETBALL GAME: Huge international sports and cultural event tonight at the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium – the visiting girls’ basketball team of Nankai (China) vs. the Sealth girls, plus a lion dance, mayoral appearance, and more. It all begins at 6 pm; tickets available only at the door – details here.

FROM LIVE MUSIC TO THE CANDYLANDIA DANCE PARTY … tonight’s nightlife is all on the calendar – click the right-side plus sign in any line on the calendar (and then “read more,” if you need to) for details on each individual entry.

FAUNTLEROY CHILI COOK-OFF: 6:30 tonight, it’s on! And you’re invited to come taste, Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) – info here.

PERSONAL SIDE NOTE: NEED AN ICE SCRAPER? We mentioned the WSB-branded ice scrapers (given away at two festivals last fall) this morning on the WSB Facebook page and a couple people asked how to get one. That inspired us to make our remaining stock available tonight at Skylark Café and Club, 6-9 pm, during an event we hadn’t publicized here otherwise because it’s sort of personal and WSB is about you, not us … the young artist in our family is having a silent auction to raise $ for the production of a one-man play. Maybe you’ll be out and about anyway; stop by Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW) any time between 6-9 if so. First come, first serve for a scraper, while supplies last. (The donated auction items are pretty cool too – signed books by local authors and a few other things including a Full Tilt Ice Cream certificate, Hotwire Coffee card, Skylark swag …)

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From the WSB Pets page: A cat, a car, and caring people
January 12, 2013 8:08 am
|      91 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news

Someone lost their cat last night and may not even know yet that he won’t be coming home … he was hit by a car. Some caring people tried very hard to help, and asked that we share the story (crosslinked on the Pets page):

Please share the attached photo and info so this kitty’s owners can find some peace.

My wife and I saw a large white and orange cat on the side of the road on 35th between Barton and Henderson on January 11th at 11:30PM. We drove by initially thinking he was killed by a car as he was not moving, then saw him lift his head slightly. We’re cat people. We pulled over, found him bleeding from the mouth, breathing heavily, coughing blood and struggling to get out of the street but unable to do so. We pet him and diverted traffic away from the lane he was in.

Within a few moments, West Seattle neighbors from the Barton Court apartment complex and multiple drivers pulled over and turned on emergency lights to keep oncoming traffic out of the lane.

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West Seattle scenes: Five views of a beautiful Friday
January 11, 2013 11:01 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news

(Photo by Machel Spence)
A beautiful day, from the frosty floor of Lincoln Park, to the frosty tip of the story pole at Rotary Viewpoint Park …

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
… to the mighty Olympics in the west …

(Photo by John Hinkey)
… and mightier Mount Rainier to the south …

(Photo by Myrtle)
this beautiful day is ending with tidepool exploration by flashlight at Constellation Park.

(Photo by Leslie Dierauf)
(Along with low-low nighttime low tides, including one more at 11:13 pm tomorrow – -2.4 feet – the morning “king” tides are arriving too, 12.8 feet at 5:47 am tomorrow.) Thanks to everyone who shared photos!

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Seahawks spirit in West Seattle, and who’s open early Sunday
January 11, 2013 7:38 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(UPDATED SATURDAY with more venues opening early)

It’s “Blue Friday” for Seahawks fans, looking ahead to the division-playoff game vs. Atlanta, less than 39 hours away (but who’s counting … well, maybe the fans in Steph‘s photo, above, are!). We’ve been collecting info on who’s open early if you’d like to watch the game with your fellow fans. Whenever you see this, check out the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and scroll down to Sunday (look for the calendar-page icon) to see the latest listings – mouse over the right side of a line to reveal and click on the plus sign, then use “read more” to get the full scoop. As of this writing, earlybirds (various opening times – see the calendar) that we have heard from include, in chronological order, Pioneer Coffee, Christo’s On Alki, The Bridge, West Seattle Eagles, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), Beer Junction, Elliott Bay Brewing, Beveridge Place Pub, OutWest Bar, Zeeks Pizza (WSB sponsor), Mac’s Triangle Pub, Pegasus Pizza, Alki Tavern. Who else? Add a comment, or e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com (fan photos welcome too, before and/or during the game) – thanks, and of course: Go, Seahawks!

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West Seattle traffic alert: Water problem at 24th and Trenton
January 11, 2013 5:44 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

5:44 PM: Crews are out working on a water break at 24th and Trenton – which is in the Delridge repaving-detour zone. It’s a traffic challenge and may be a slip-sliding risk later with the temperatures expected to go below freezing again tonight.

7 PM: The problem is on the westbound side – the detour side – starting just east of 24th, and the water was still running – not gushing, but running – down the road as of a little while ago.

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West Seattle fitness: Y turns ex-car lot into parking, class space
January 11, 2013 4:49 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Health | Triangle | West Seattle news

If you noticed the Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) sign in the window of the former West Seattle Motors/Bob Ochsner Cars site along Fauntleroy Way in The Triangle – here’s what’s up: The West Seattle Y (WSB sponsor) is taking over the space. It’s already being used for extra parking – 18 more spaces, as announced to Y members a few months back, says Josh Sutton at the Y, adding, “We’re on track to start using the space for fitness classes (quantity/type still to be determined) in the next month or so. Right now we’re cleaning it up and getting it ready – so stay posted. Big thanks goes to Potter Construction for donating a chunk of the renovation costs.” (Proprietor Gary Potter is on the Y’s board.)

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Robbery suspect caught; exposer alert
January 11, 2013 4:09 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon – first, a followup to the photos from last month’s Admiral Way 7-11 robbery:

The SPD Blotter item including seven photos from the robbery – as noted in our Crime Watch report late last night – is updated with news that police arrested the suspected robber, 15, in Kent today after a tip. The other two are now said NOT to be suspects.

Second, two reports of what’s believed to be the same man exposing himself in an Alki neighborhood. First, a woman spotted a man – wearing only a light-colored tank top – on Lander near Teig (map) at mid-afternoon Wednesday. She said he stared right at her; she describes him as white, very dark hair and eyebrows, “receding hairline along the sides of the top of his head.” She was so startled, she shouted at him, and he subsequently jumped into the bushes. Talking with neighbors later, she discovered one had seen the same man on December 26th – at that time, wearing nothing at all, and also “jumping into and out of the bushes.” Our tipster says it’s all the more alarming considering that Alki Elementary is not far from this area. It’s been reported to police.

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Update: West Seattle purse-theft suspect jumps off 99, survives
January 11, 2013 12:40 pm
|      41 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

(Photo from witness on board Route 125 bus; man being treated blurred, except feet)
FIRST REPORT, 12:40 PM: Traffic alert too big to just add to the daily tracker – the bridge offramp to Northbound 99 is closed right now – and we’re just getting details: First we got a text from someone on board a bus who said they witnessed an incident involving a man who jumped onto a building roof. Here’s the transcript of the text:

Man involved in robbery took West Seattle Bridge and was transferring to the freeway downtown and hit a car, man proceeds to exit vehicle, jumped from bridge to building warehouse and then jumped to ground, injuring self in process, allowing police to capture, completely in view of everyone on my Route 125 bus headed downtown just now.

We called Seattle Police, whose Detective Renee Witt tells WSB: This started at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, where a woman said her ex-boyfriend had been following her and took her purse, then got into a vehicle and left. Officers were following him; he was speeding, wouldn’t yield, eventually stopped his vehicle on 99, took off running, jumped from the highway onto a building, then jumped to the railroad tracks. He has injuries including a suspected broken leg.

12:55 PM UPDATE: Northbound 99, and in turn the ramp from the WS Bridge, is reopening shortly, according to scanner traffic.

1:15 PM UPDATE: Talked to Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore, since SFD medics treated the suspect. He says the man, in his mid-30s, has multiple fractures – and wasn’t wearing a shirt. We’re adding a photo shared by our source from aboard the bus, but have blurred out the injured man, who was face-down on the ground – it was not a gory scene, though, and he was covered up.

9:57 PM: SPD Blotter published its version of the story tonight. Read it for yourself here; besides a few additional details about how it unfolded, the suspect’s background is of note – he is on our state’s version of probation:

The suspect is currently under active Department of Corrections supervision for Manslaughter, Robbery, and felony drug violations. A search warrant will be served on the suspect’s vehicle to recover additional evidence.

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West Seattle development: Neighbors rally against adding 2 homes to the site of 1
January 11, 2013 12:06 pm
|      65 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(King County Assessor’s Office photo of 3650 55th SW in 1953, shortly after it was built)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

While our coverage of – and your comments about – West Seattle development tends to focus on multi-family projects (with more than 2,000 apartments in the works), single-family-home development is intensifying too.

And because much of it is “infill,” since a city neighborhood like this tends not to have wide stretches of undeveloped land – it often touches the nerve related to the same issue that swirls around apartments: Density, which means taller structures with smaller footprints.

Citywide, the One Home Per Lot movement has gained attention – residents in various single-family-home neighborhoods opposed to new homes being built on smaller lots that were originally used as side yards or backyards.

Much of their scrutiny (as detailed in this Seattle Weekly story last summer) has focused on West Seattle developer Dan Duffus, who is a prolific “infill” developer, houses as well as townhomes and live-work units, here and around the city.

Duffus is co-founder of the Blueprint Capital funding group, which declares itself the leading residential-housing lender in the area, and which has a membership list including two companies who have just bought and are seeking to subdivide a corner site in a northwest West Seattle neighborhood where neighbors rallied this week as part of their attempt to stop the plan.

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Next chance to help at Nickelsville: Camp cleanup this weekend
January 11, 2013 10:15 am
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

A break in the rain provides a chance for those interested in helping the encampment on West Seattle’s southeastern edge that calls itself Nickelsville. They’ve just issued an invitation for a volunteer cleanup this weekend:

NICKELSVILLE – EVENT – Nickelsville Clean-up Day!
Saturday AND Sunday 1/12 & 1/13 – from 9 am to 3 pm

Help clean-up our Eco Friendly Camp – Free Hot Meal for helping, Friendly Folks, Beautiful Weather, 2 very cute Goats!

*bring your work gloves, boots ‘n tools and come lend a hand*

Nickelsville is located at 7116 W. Marginal Way SW, between 2nd Ave SW and Highland Park Way SW

ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: For those considering joining in, WSB Forums member and longtime Nickelsville volunteer JoB has elaborated on what needs to be done there – more than what you might assume a “cleanup” to be. Here’s her Forums post.

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West Seattle Friday: From tunes to traffic, what’s up today/tonight
January 11, 2013 9:30 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Friday: From tunes to traffic, what’s up today/tonight
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

That’s one of the temporary stop signs on Barton by Westwood Village – related to the detours that are now in place for southbound Delridge traffic between Henderson and Trenton, because of the Delridge repaving project. As a note we received this morning reminds us, it might catch you by surprise if you don’t live or routinely drive along that section of Delridge and so haven’t been paying attention to our ongoing coverage. This is day two of what will be a yearlong project in five phases – Phase 1 will take about two months. Our daily highlights include another traffic alert:

I-5/SPOKANE INTERCHANGE BRIDGE REPAIR, WEEKEND 2: This is a state project, and includes different closures on ramps around the interchange for most weekends over the next few months. This weekend, you will NOT be affected unless you are trying to get to the West Seattle Bridge from Beacon Hill – the Columbian Way ramps to the bridge and to 6th Avenue will be closed, 10 tonight till 5 am Monday. Our update from earlier this week includes a link to this weekend’s revised detour map.

BEEDA AT C & P: Guitarist Beeda, from L.A., performs tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm.

ROVING REPTILE MAN: He’s at Alki Community Center tonight at 6:30 pm – details here.

DUETS AT KENYON HALL: Anne Jones and Paul Klein at 7:30 pm, in the historic hall at 7904 35th SW. Details in our calendar listing.

THREE BANDS AT SKYLARK CAFE AND CLUB: Tonight at 8 pm, Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW) presents Static Producer, Sterling Witt, and Dead Language.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE CASK: Tonight at The Cask in The Admiral District, it’s Katie Voss, live at 8 pm.

NIGHTTIME LOW-TIDE WALK: The weather will be cold but should be dry for this – low tide is almost -3 late tonight, and that’s low enough for great exploring. Join Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists at 8:30 pm, Constellation Park – details in our calendar listing.

JONNY SMOKES AT FEEDBACK LOUNGE: 9:30 pm, check out his one-man show at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor; 6451 California SW).

Even more of what’s up tonight can be found on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates
January 11, 2013 6:52 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Cold morning – below freezing – no major problems, but the roads might be slick in spots, and the day is off to a foggy start on the bridge, as the camera shows. Also remember: It’s day two of the Delridge repaving project, which is starting between Henderson and Trenton, where northbound travel continues, but southbound is detoured.

Speaking of detours: This weekend’s closure for the I-5/Spokane St. Interchange Bridge Repair project involves ONLY Columbian Way to the West Seattle Bridge – no I-5 ramps involved. Here’s the map for the detour, 10 pm tonight till 5 am Monday.

7:11 AM UPDATE: If you head north of downtown on I-5, note that there is a big bus fire in the southbound express lanes around 85th right now – KING 5 reports a Sound Transit bus is on fire – and that’s causing a rubbernecking slowdown all around.

5:47 PM NOTE: 24th and Trenton, in the Delridge repaving detour zone, there’s a water break – beware.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Robbers on cam; hit-run; bike thefts
January 10, 2013 11:52 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Tonight’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup starts with robbers caught on cam:


That’s one of 7 photos released by Seattle Police from last month’s Admiral Way 7-11 holdup. We reported briefly on the robbery the morning it happened; SPD says the young robbers made off with very little, but need to be caught – take a close look at all the photos on SPD Blotter, which also has the number to call if you recognize any of them.

Also on the loose: The hit-run driver who smashed into David‘s black Kia Soul tonight:

My car was hit at about 5:30 pm (tonight) at the corner of 41st Ave SW and Alaska. Witnesses describe the car as a dark, possibly green, sedan driven by two young men. It fled the scene, turning north on 42nd Ave SW. The car will have damage on the front/passenger side.

David says witnesses described the two as “hipsters, and one was wearing a wool hat with tassels.”

And another report of bikes stolen during a break-in at a condo building. In our last roundup, it was along Harbor Avenue; this time, south of Morgan Junction:

We are e-mailing to inform the blog that West Water Condominums at 6970 California Ave SW has experienced at least 2 (possibly 3) garage break-ins over the past month. … Burglars broke into our garage by removing a metal plate, then used bolt cutters to steal the bikes. The police and management were notified. On the 15th, 2 more bikes were stolen, for a total of 8+ bikes in the past 2 months. Please post, as we are noticing a trend of this type of crime in our area.

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Traffic alert next week: SB 99 closed Monday-Thursday nights
January 10, 2013 10:02 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news

10:02 PM: While WSDOT hasn’t sent its alert yet, this turned up in today’s weekly “Construction Lookahead,” published by SDOT but including state projects as well:

January 14 to January 17, Southbound SR99 will be closed between the Battery St Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge from 10 PM to 5 AM the following morning. The Elliott Ave and Columbia St onramps will also be closed. One lane of northbound SR 99 will be closed from S Holgate St to S Royal Brougham Way during these times.

You’ll recall these closures were frequent for a few months last year; we’ll check with WSDOT tomorrow to see if this is isolated, or the start of a new wave of shutdowns.

12:08 PM: Thanks to Travis Phelps at WSDOT for adding the info in comments – before we even had sent the inquiry – that this will be happening the next three weeks.

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Next week: K-5 STEM PTSA discusses school’s permanent home
January 10, 2013 9:33 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Where will the new K-5 STEM at Boren eventually find a permanent home? While a recent school-board briefing suggested the district is looking at the former EC Hughes Elementary – now home to Westside School, which is seeking to buy its own site in Arbor Heights – the STEM community has its own ideas, and plans to discuss them at their PTSA meeting next Tuesday night (January 15), 7 pm in the Boren cafeteria. The district’s executive director of southwest region schools, Carmela Dellino, will be there, as will West Seattle’s school-board rep Marty McLaren. The STEM PTSA site has more info, here.

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Art Walk, happening now: ‘Gun Show’ at Mind Unwind in Admiral
January 10, 2013 6:31 pm
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

With this week’s news of a city-county gun buyback, our society’s use of and relationship to firearms returned to the headlines. That makes a new art exhibit in West Seattle all the more timely, and you can see it during tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk. We visited The Admiral District’s Mind Unwind gallery/event space for a preview last Friday night, first night of “Gun Show 2013” by Vancouver, B.C., artist Brent Ray Fraser (above), who describes his images of guns and flowers as examples of yin and yang:

Gallery owner Krystal Kelley told WSB the exhibit was booked months ago, long before the Connecticut school massacre and other incidents brought “the gun debate” back to centerstage in our country. She wondered whether to cancel it – but decided that it might play into the discussion, helping people consider their own beliefs and feelings about firearms. This is part of an ongoing series of work by Fraser, about 60 in all so far, he says. He is at Mind Unwind tonight, creating art live, till 9 pm; the show continues till the end of the month, and you can also see it while visiting MU’s Treehouse Lounge loft (2206 California SW). P.S. Some of Fraser’s work in the exhibit is complimented by arrangements from Admiral’s Flower Lab.

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Delridge repaving project, day 1: A change in the plan already, and what’s ahead
January 10, 2013 2:43 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

It’s the first day of SDOT’s year-long Delridge repaving project. We’ve been out to the Phase 1 site and talked with project-team members – and already have word of one change:

SDOT found that traffic at Trenton and Delridge was backing up so they installed a No Left Turn sign for southbound traffic on Delridge and Trenton.

That’s from project spokesperson Bob Derry, at left in the next photo:

He and SDOT’s project manager Susan Byers and on-site engineering lead Victor Cruz met with us at Delridge/Henderson this morning to talk about project specifics. Like the warning signs that are up:

Remember, since Phase 1 is under way, southbound Delridge is closed between Trenton and Henderson, around the clock, for about two months. Northbound traffic will remain open, but mostly diverted to the sides of the road, which is why tree trimming is part of the early work, to clear obstructions in the outside lanes:

We also got information on what’s ahead in phase 1. First: Starting early next week, they’ll be doing some road-grinding work, which will be noisy for neighbors. Second: In a week or so, they’ll have a project schedule that will offer an idea of the full-intersection closures that will be part of the project – though Cruz said they’ve had a bit of a peek and there are NO intersection closures expected in at least the first three weeks.

If you see traffic avoiding the recommended detours – and it’s breaking the law, such as going over the speed limit – the project team can ask SPD about enforcement, but they can’t force people ONLY to take the recommended detours. Third: This stretch of the project will include some drainage work, so later this month, some big pipes will be on their way to the site. It’s going to be a major improvement in storm drainage.

Overall, “it’s more than a paving job,” Byers summarized it – there will be some “sewer spot repairs in other phases,” plus some Pedestrian Master Plan work like a curb bulb south of the triangular mini-park on the east side of Delridge at Cambridge. But for starters,it’s just one big road project, so if you are heading south tonight on Delridge, through the Trenton-to-Henderson zone,, be mindful of the detours, and know

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West Seattle restaurants: Reborn Cassis reportedly Alki-bound
January 10, 2013 2:27 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

The citywide food community is abuzz today about the Seattle Times (WSB partner) report that a long-gone, much-missed French restaurant is making a comeback – not on Capitol Hill, where it was before, but here in West Seattle. In The Times’ “All You Can Eat” section, Rebekah Denn broke the news last night that the owner of Cassis, which closed in 2004, plans to bring it back at an unspecified Alki spot. Read her story here. We’ve tried to reach the restaurant-to-be’s proprietor for more information – so far, no response.

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County orders inquest into West Seattle man’s death
January 10, 2013 12:47 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Four months ago, we reported that a Harbor Avenue man was in the hospital after his third encounter with police in 24 hours – who were reported to have used a Taser on him after behavior that was described as a vandalism rampage in his own apartment building with a sword. Days later, two WSB commenters reported that the man had died; we were never able to get official information on that – but now, we’ve learned it’s true, via the county’s announcement that an inquest has been ordered:

King County Executive Dow Constantine today ordered an inquest into the death of Mike Chen, who died on or about September 10, 2012 following a confrontation with police outside his West Seattle apartment four days earlier.

According to a letter from the King County Prosecutor, Seattle Police responded to numerous call-outs involving Mr. Chen at a convenience store and at his apartment complex, both on Harbor Ave. SW. On Sept. 6, police responding to a call from Chen found him slumped on the ground with a sword in front of an apartment door at 3213 Harbor Avenue SW. Police say when Chen grabbed the sword and started to sit up, they tased him several times during a struggle, then administered CPR when Chen showed no pulse after being handcuffed and restrained. He was rushed to Harborview, where he died on or about Sept. 10.

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