Happening now: Our Lady of Guadalupe Pastoral Center open house
Special T-shirts are part of the festivities through 1 pm today as Our Lady of Guadalupe welcomes one and all to an open house at its new Pastoral Center (that’s Father Jack Walmesley at right).
Seattle Archbishop Alex Brunett helped dedicate it two weeks ago (photo here). Inside the new center: 6,800 square feet of accessible meeting rooms, offices and storage. You can tour it today and enjoy refreshments too; OLG notes that this is just the start of its campus master plan – next phase, a Pastoral Life Center/Gym. Here’s a map to OLG’s location at 35th/Myrtle (on the highest hill in Seattle!).
Delridge problem properties: 1 permit, 1 councilmember update
Six weeks after two city councilmembers joined a Delridge delegation on a tour of problem properties – long-vacant houses used by squatters, or otherwise threatening neighborhood health and safety (WSB coverage is here and here) – we have two updates. First, 4117 Delridge (map) – where we got the above video clip during the April 3 tour, with North Delridge Neighborhood Council‘s Mike Dady talking about the frustration that site has caused him for years – now has a demolition permit, issued just yesterday. (We saw a work crew at the site earlier today, though no backhoe in sight.) The permit says demolition will resolve a DPD case. Meanwhile, one of the councilmembers who joined in the tour, Sally Clark, mentioned her action plan in her monthly newsletter that’s just been e-mailed out:
… As a result of the neighborhood’s advocacy we will be looking at a change in the land use code to allow quicker demolition of a single family house. Right now you can’t demolish unless you have a plan and permit to rebuild. This concept makes sense in protecting housing stock and should be retained for multi-family areas. In single-family zones the requirement prevents owners who want to do the right thing from removing derelict homes. It’s not a perfect solution. I would rather see these houses reclaimed and lived in, but for some neighbors the wait for the perfect solution has already been too long. Watch for PLUNC to take up this idea this summer. If you’d like more information or have feedback about the idea of allowing demolition of single-family homes without a new building permit in hand, please contact me.
Here’s Councilmember Clark’s contact info; PLUNC is the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee that she chairs — track its meetings and agendas here. Councilmember Tim Burgess was on the tour too and promised at the time to pursue a proposal to make property owners more accountable, though it hasn’t come up yet before the Public Safety (etc.) committee he chairs.
Attention, landlords: Workshop to help you prevent/solve problems
There’s a lot more to being a good landlord/property manager than collecting the rent checks. With that in mind, Seattle Neighborhood Group joined WSB as a sponsor to get the word out about its one-day workshop for landlords/property managers – coming up this Wednesday in West Seattle. Here are the details:
Property manager or landlord? Searching for practical tips on managing your rental property? On May 20, an affordable, effective workshop is scheduled in West Seattle.
Topics include:
· Screen applications legally and effectively
· Create strong, enforceable rental agreements
· Attract and retain reliable tenants
· Prevent unwanted activity
· Motivate residents to report problems to you before they escalate
· Enhance physical spaces to make them safer & more secure for people who use them
· Recognize signs of drug and criminal activity
· Work with police and other resources to address trespass andillegal activity
· Recent changes in landlord/tenant law
· Crisis resolution, notices and evictions
The workshop is scheduled 8-4:30 Wednesday May 20 in West Seattle, at 2300 SW Webster (at Delridge Way SW), in the community room of the Southwest Precinct. At 8 AM, participants begin signing-in and pick up materials and a continental breakfast. At 8:30 AM, the workshop will start. Cost for the day is $25, including manual. Lunch: BYO or in the neighborhood. The workshop will end at 4:30 PM. Participants will receive certificate of completion. To pre-register, go to: www.sngi.org/landlord_register.html (through PayPal). For more information, contact SNG. E-mail lois@sngi.org or call 206-323-9666 / 206-323-3150.
The online brochure for this workshop can be seen here.
West Seattle Crime Watch: “Property crime occurring right now”
That’s the subject line of e-mail just in from Betsy Hoffmeister of North Delridge — sent not only to alert folks to possible trouble ahead, but to explain what many might not find out about till morning:
Any friends on 26th Ave W/Graham SW area [map] or possibly Snake Hill area or even up in High Point who wake up to property crime, vandalism, or broken windshield/windows are invited to join our police report. At 1:30 a.m. I was awakened by loud voices. My husband had watched a group of young people walking south on 26th yelling at each other. This group was on the bridge across Longfellow Creek yelling, hitting, and carrying on. We reported it to the police who despite my directions were there in seconds; when we went outside we saw that they had jumped on our windshield and shattered it. I wouldn’t be surprised if every windshield on the street is in a similar condition; we didn’t see them do it, so there’s no proof, but if the cops care they could measure footprints cause there’s a huge one in the dew on our car.
Lest you have any doubt – if you hear or see something/someone suspicious, police have reiterated at recent meetings, it IS the right thing to do to call 911 as soon as possible.
Long-closed, but today soon — open: Cavvy’s update
View Larger Map
ORIGINAL 1:57 AM REPORT: Every so often, somebody e-mails to ask what the deal is with Cavvy’s, the never-open (yet not-empty) West Seattle store shown above in Google Street View, 5251 California SW, between Ephesus restaurant and Rick’s Barber Shop. Just half an hour ago, we got the tip from Rick himself – that Cavvy’s is supposed to open at 10 am today “after a mysterious 13-year hiatus … Everything will be on sale so shop early and shop often.” (Yes, we love 1 am news tips, or any time 24/7 …
editor@westseattleblog.com … 206-293-6302 …)
10:40 AM UPDATE: Sign on the door as of a few minutes ago says “Not open yet.”
11:58 AM UPDATE: Rick says in comments it’s now looking more like Monday. … And half an hour later, an update: Tuesday.
Video: Sunshine smiles on Alki Elementary fundraiser
For more than a few local schools, it’s a tradition to get out of the classroom and walk laps to raise money — and today, perfect weather graced Alki Elementary School‘s annual springtime fundraiser, the Alki-a-thon. Allison Carver from the Alki Elementary PTA explained, “We stagger the grades (from oldest to youngest) and each grade makes a grand entrance with their own unique colorful team t-shirt and theme song!” Music, refreshment, and games – Crabwalk, Limbo, Buddywalk – were part of the fun. (Next week, by the way, Sanislo Elementary hits the ground running with its Jog-a-thon.)
Rep. Nelson’s payday-lending bill signed: “We are thrilled”
That’s what 34th District Rep. Sharon Nelson‘s legislative assistant Joe Fitzgibbon just told WSB, when we called/e-mailed to check before publishing a news release announcing Governor Gregoire had signed her payday-lending bill (HB 1709; history, info, documents here). As we reported yesterday, with video, Rep. Nelson had told the 34th District Democrats on Wednesday night that she was waiting to hear if the governor would sign her bill in its entirety. Fitzgibbon just replied to our inquiry with, “In the end, she did sign the whole bill as it passed the Legislature, and we are thrilled.” Here’s the news release, which explains what the bill does:Read More
2nd annual West Seattle Junction Car Show revs into higher gear
(2008 Junction Car Show photo courtesy Mark B. Bauschke)
Just got an update from Liberty Bell Printing‘s Michael Hoffman, who’s coordinating the September 20th event: “The car show is an official go. We have had a great response from sponsors and are excited to continue planning the event.” WSB is proud to be among the West Seattle Junction Car Show sponsors again this year; there’s still room for more sponsors – the application can be downloaded here. That page, by the way, is part of the official West Seattle Junction Car Show website, now up and running at wsjunctioncarshow.com. Michael also lists a few of the highlights planned for the show this year:
Antique fire trucks from the Last Resort Fire Department.
SFD teaching Fire safety for kids.
The Oh Boy! Oberto hydroplane on display.
A DJ playing 50s & 60s Music.
Event T-shirts at a great value.
More room for more cars and fun
That last line refers to the fact they’ve gotten permission to close the Alaska/California intersection, as is done during the West Seattle American Legion Grand Parade (July 18 this year!) – not just two self-contained blocks like last year. The show will run from 8 am till 4 pm on September 20th.
Details: “Pentagon” tradeoff for The Kenney saving Seaview?
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Sometimes when the public-comment period arrives midway through meetings of the Southwest Design Review Board – one of 7 such volunteer boards around the city charged with evaluating major development proposals – the concerns and complaints tend to meander away from the topic at hand, the project’s design.
Not last night, as The Kenney‘s redevelopment proposal returned to the SWDRB for a third “early design guidance” meeting (here’s our original as-it-happened update from last night; here’s coverage of the previous meeting in January).
Referring to the six-story “donut” building in the plans — a new formation since The Kenney announced it was shifting the design to scrap the panned plan to tear down the cupola-topped Seaview building — one neighbor declared, “I don’t want to live next to the Pentagon.”
“That’s a perfect design comment,” observed board chair Christie Coxley.
The building in question is envisioned in the newest design documents (see them all here) as actually more of a square, but before recommending that The Kenney move to the next phase of design review, board members had their own thoughts about it and other project aspects too, while architect Gene Guszkowski (from Wisconsin-based AG Architecture) revealed some news since the new design proposal was previewed at a community meeting last week:
Read More
Update: The Kenney before Design Review Board, again
We’re at the Senior Center of West Seattle, where more than 50 people are gathered as The Kenney‘s 
$150 million redevelopment project is back before the Southwest Design Review Board. Architect Gene Guszkowski has just announced that the cupola-topped Seaview building was formally nominated today for landmark status (not listed yet on this page, though), which triggers a separate city process that, as he noted, will proceed in parallel. Much of this presentation should duplicate what was shown at the community meeting we covered last week (here’s our report; here’s the official presentation packet), but we will add to this report with anything else new that’s disclosed tonight, as well as first word of the SWDRB’s decision – whether the project will advance to the next step in the process – once it’s in (not likely to be before 8 pm). 6:44 PM UPDATE: Guszkowski just announced the long-requested (and ultimately required) tree survey will be done at the site next Monday. 8:09 PM UPDATE: The board has unanimously agreed to let the project move on to the next phase of Design Review, which could be the final phase. Most public concerns involved the massing of the large square “donut” shaped building at the heart of the project – board members suggested perhaps “eroding” its western side and building up its eastern side, to allow more sunshine in the courtyard. They’re also asking architects to look at whether they really want the potentially relocated Seaview building to be the complex’s main entry – they’re asking to see entryway options when the project comes back for the “recommendations” round.
History-making Seattle assistant fire chief: “Best day of my life”
By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Susan Rosenthal was all smiles this afternoon at City Hall as she was recognized and honored as Seattle’s first woman firefighter to rise to the rank of assistant chief (first reported here yesterday).
She called it “the best day of my life.”
Rosenthal, who recently bought a house and moved to West Seattle after years of living in Wallingford, was one of the first few women hired by the Seattle Fire Department in the 1970s. (On the card in the photo atop this story, she is the firefighter in the front, with the hose.) “We were told it would require strength and stamina. Now I know that meant more than just muscles,” she said.
Read More
Hot Dog Joes update: SDOT releases citation details
We promised a followup on the hot-dog cart controversy: As reported here yesterday, we had learned that the Hot Dog Joes cart which set up outside Beveridge Place Pub in Morgan Junction in late February didn’t just go away because its trial period ran out, HDJ’s Joe Jeannot told WSB he’d been cited by the city twice and was having trouble working the situation out. Part of the problem is a city ordinance saying vendors aren’t allowed within 200 feet of parks, but as we noted yesterday, Jeannot acknowledged there was more to the story, though he declined to discuss details. Today, SDOT has some details in this statement sent to us by communications director Rick Sheridan:
The cart’s operator, Hot Dog Joes, was cited by SDOT for vending without a permit in the right of way. They did not have a health certificate or insurance to serve at that location. While cited for being within 200 feet of a park, the health and safety issues were the overriding reasons for the citations. The permit, health certificate and insurance are common requirements for food vendors, to prevent folks from getting sick or being injured, and can be easily obtained.
We tried to work with the cart operator so they would be in compliance with the law. Our Street Use inspector, who helps regulate right of way areas like sidewalks, warned the onsite vendor in person and sent a follow-up e-mail about the violations well before writing the citations.
Hot Dog Joes was aware of the requirements as they started the permit application process but never completed it. Given that they had received several warnings and refused to follow the law, the department was forced to write the citations. However, we are happy to work with Hot Dog Joes and help bring their hot dogs and bratwursts back to West Seattle.
So will they be able to work it out? Jeannot is a West Seattleite and told us in our initial conversation that whether it’s outside BPP or elsewhere, he would love to have a cart here. We’ll be contacting him for an update on whether there’s progress in working out the situation with the city. Meantime, we also contacted Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s office regarding the 200-foot rule, since he runs the Parks Committee, and he promised to look into the rationale for it, and to see if it might merit changing.
West Seattle food news: From salmon to Swinery
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli got that photo of Taku River salmon at Seattle Fish Company in The Junction this morning – he says that while everybody’s talking about the Copper River season right now, Taku has already arrived and is “not as well-known but is less expensive and has a fat content similar to the famed Copper River salmon. This fish comes from Southeast Alaska’s largest salmon producing river with up to 2 million salmon returning annually.” Meantime, if you haven’t already heard, bacon fans have a new reason for Westside pride — we somehow missed this earlier in the week (thanks to MargL for alerting us today): Seems the storied Swinery is apparently now going to be based in West Seattle, per this Slog report.
King County Sheriff announces “burglary task force”
From e-mail just sent out by King County Sheriff Sue Rahr:
During the past several months we have seen an increase in the number of
burglaries throughout King County. … Despite having to cut many property crime detective positions this year due to our budget being reduced, I am still doing everything I can to keep you safe. I am teaming up with other local law enforcement jurisdictions, crime analysis teams and representatives from the King County Prosecutor’s Office to form a burglary task force. Much like the very successful task force created to reduce auto theft, we will be focusing on the most serious repeat offenders. We reduced auto theft by more than 30% through this coordination and focus. It is my hope we will achieve the same results with burglaries.
KCSO does not have jurisdiction in West Seattle, of course (but does, in unincorporated White Center) – however, we hadn’t heard of this task force before, so we’re checking to see if SPD is part of it. (And of course, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office handles cases for the entire county, cities as well as unincorporated areas – we covered PA Dan Satterberg touting the auto-theft task force during his recent Rotary Club of West Seattle speech – and who could forget the video he showed?)
Tilden students learn “little things can make a big difference”
It’s been a few weeks since Earth Day, but in the “EVERY day is Earth Day” spirit, we have one more story to share, this one — accompanied by the art shown above — from students at West Seattle’s Tilden School:
As is our tradition, Tilden School students spent time on Earth Day cleaning up garbage around the neighborhood. This year, all classes together gathered about 15 large garbage bags full of trash. Several students found it encouraging that this was less than they found last Earth Day! Students who collected near the Junction reported cigarette butts as the most common item; students who collected north on California reported more candy wrappers and beer bottles. Some of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders wanted to share their reflections on the experience:
Adrian: When my class and I went to pick up trash … it was horrible! There was garbage everywhere!!…
Mallih: … On Earth Day, Tilden School went out and about to the post office, and oh, my, there was so much trash in one little parking lot!…
Sam: It was a dim day, and the sky was full of gray clouds. We mostly picked up cigarette butts and pieces of paper. I mainly collected plastic and rubber. This year there wasn’t as much garbage as last year. In my opinion, people are thinking more about the environment…
Read More
Happening now: 34th District Democrats
All three of our area’s state legislators are speaking here tonight, so we’re opening a post to add any news nuggets pending further coverage later. First reminder – June 1st King County Executive candidates’ forum sponsored by Inspire, happening at Fauntleroy Church (right across the street from where the 34th DDs are meeting right now at The Hall at Fauntleroy) – here are full details. More to come as it happens. 7:44 PM UPDATE: The legislators have just given their briefings – most interesting tidbit, Rep. Sharon Nelson says she’ll know by tomorrow night if a major part of her payday-lending bill is going to be stricken before it’s signed. (She didn’t elaborate further, will be checking into that.) She also had the most notable behind-the-scenes tidbit, about the “underground” group of Dems called the “Blue Greens.” 8:05 PM UPDATE: Nobody asked about the viaduct/tunnel bill. LATER NOTE: We’ll publish a separate item in the morning including video of the legislators’ remarks, plus a few other news notes from the meeting.
the 
continues her fight to recover from major injuries suffered in 
| Comments Off on Happening now: Our Lady of Guadalupe Pastoral Center open house