Shadowland progress mini-report
Driving or walking through The Junction, you can’t miss the distinctive exterior touches that continue on the former Neilsen Florist location that’s becoming Shadowland. We e-mailed its proprietors last week to ask how their timeline is looking; they are currently hoping to open in the first half of next month, if all goes well with finishing touches and required inspections. (For those wondering what Shadowland will serve, we had some info in a September update, second part of this post.)
Court documents from the 59th/Admiral shooting case
Exactly one week ago at this moment, police officers were swarming northern West Seattle, looking for a suspect in the fatal shooting inside a car at 59th/Admiral (WSB 10/13/07 photo at right). Tonight, a 17-year-old suspect is in the King County Jail, in lieu of half a million dollars bail, charged as an adult with second-degree murder. The court documents are now a matter of public record, accessible online from the King County Electronic Court Records system (which charges a nominal fee for copies/downloads). We have downloaded the charging documents filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, including the certification for determination of probable cause. The documents name both the suspect and victim. As the suspect is now charged as an adult, we will publish his name here: Dwayne Myatt-Perez. These court documents say he lives in the Alki area. Though as we posted earlier today the King County Medical Examiner has yet to include the victim’s identity in its media updates, he is identified in these publicly available court papers as Francisco Bailey-Ortiz, which is the same name that the suspect’s lawyer Robert Perez included in a comment on this post earlier today. Here is a transcription of the “probable cause” section of the documents, representing what police and prosecutors allege happened and what evidence they base the charge on, with one name and address omitted at WSB editorial discretion (we have noted clearly where those excisions were made):Read More
Fishing nets killing baby seals?
A new concern about baby seals in West Seattle waters: Local residents who asked to be anonymous e-mailed us (and other news organizations) with a claim that a net fishing crew strung its nets “right across one of the most popular haul-out beaches for these pups at Anchor Park … (Other) fishermen … reported they have never seen a net attached to these rocks before this year. Several fishermen witnessed the net had drowned three seal pups. … This is a clear violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. We also have photo documentation of this same fisherman pulling a fourth seal pup out of his net. We cannot tell for sure if this particular pup is dead or alive.” Here’s that photo (we have cropped out what looks to be a partial identifying number on the boat, as we are still doing research to find out more about this claim):
The e-mail goes on to say the nets were removed for a while last week, then returned this past Thursday. The residents believe these nets belong to a tribe, but haven’t been able to figure out which one — because of what they say is a conflict over tribal fishing rights in the area. Whoever it belongs to, they say, they are “respectfully asking … to move this net for the next several weeks away from this very popular haul out beach for the pups.” We have e-mail out to the tribe that these residents think owns the net, to see what they can tell us about the situation, and will also be checking with the local federal authorities who have jurisdiction over marine mammals such as the seal pups. 5:10 PM ADDENDUM: 47 minutes after we published this report, this tv site posted a story about the situation suggesting something had happened today (“9 am Saturday”), although for the record, the photo published with their online story is one of two photos that we received from the concerned residents YESTERDAY (Friday afternoon).
Gatewood Elementary “Kids for Kids” a smash hit
If you see this before 2 pm Saturday, you still have time to get down to Gatewood Elementary and join in the “Kids for Kids” fun. If you see it later, the goats aren’t scheduled to leave till Tuesday morning, so you may get a chance for an impromptu look. (And check out WSB video of their arrival here.) Quite a crowd when we went by a little while ago — first two photos are onlookers admiring rain-shielded goats; third one is from the other “Kids for Kids” events up on the Gatewood playground:
Saturday midday miscellany
PUMPKIN MANIA: A canopy’s up over part of Erik’s Alki Pumpkin Patch, so you can stop by without worrying about total sogginess. In addition to our report from last Saturday, you can see more photos at Shell Marr‘s MySpace. And if you would like to wander through an art-glass pumpkin patch, you can enjoy that at Avalon Glassworks; see nice pix here.
CONDO MANIA: The signs and balloons are out for the Strata condo-conversion “preview” event, and even some poor soul in a rain bonnet waving a big sign (a la Verge last winter). Hope the pay’s reasonable.
SMALL SIGN OF SEMI-CHANGE: Right across the street from Strata, the “closed for a few days” sign that was up for weeks in the window of shuttered Chuck & Sally’s Tavern is finally gone, no replacement.
EXERCISE FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Tomorrow morning’s Nia class at Youngstown Arts Center is a benefit for Northwest Hope and Healing, which helps breast-cancer patients. Instructor Lesley Tinker will donate all the proceeds from the class to the organization (her site is here). Class time is 10-11 am, no Nia experience required, all fitness levels welcome, $10 cash or check.
New mixed-use development south of The Junction: Spring Hill
While webcombing in the dead o’night for updates on Fauntleroy Place, we discovered a new West Seattle project on the website of FP developer BlueStar Management: A retail/residential complex to be called Spring Hill. Here’s what the BlueStar site says about it (followed by what else we have found out so far):
BlueStar Management/Development of Seattle, Washington has purchased three contiguous parcels on the east side of the 5000 Block on California Avenue SW, just south of the West Seattle Junction.
Preliminary plans for the Spring Hill development include approximately 80 apartment homes above 3,600 square feet of retail space. Parking will be available under the building as well. The apartment homes are expected to range from 550 to 1250 square feet and will help to fill the growing need for rental housing in the area. … Construction is slated for 2008 with anticipated occupancy in 2009.
Armed with that general location information, we scoured through the city’s online files, and discovered this project appears to be centered on the parcel at 5020 California, currently half-century-old apartments, per county records. (Saturday afternoon addendum: The streetfront of these apartments is actually marked 5022 Cali; photo below; BlueStar page about the complex, Skyliner, here.) Its land-use permit application and construction permit application are not dated right now, but they’re clearly new because the “pre-application site visit” happened on October 5th; the applications aren’t even coming up yet in a search of the city’s Land Use Information Bulletin archives. We’ll check with BlueStar next week to see what more they can tell us. Architects listed on the application are from Hewitt, which also is working right now on the QFC/Office Depot megaproject progressing rapidly north of Jefferson Square. Side note: If you’re thinking, “Isn’t Spring Hill also the name of a restaurant in development on the north edge of The Junction?” yes, you’re right. Popular name with long-ago geographic relevance.
Gatewood gets their goats
Thanks to reader K for sending pix of the most eagerly awaited animal act to hit West Seattle since the baby seals. (News about them, coming up in a bit.) We are processing video right now too.
Gatewood/Morgan outage: THIS explains it!
Now that power and cable are back for people in the south Morgan Junction/west Gatewood area that was without power till about 5:30 this morning, we seem to have learned about the culprit. Area resident Vlad Oustimovitch sent the photo above (thank you!), explaining it was “a large Big Leaf Maple tree that came down on the 4000 block of SW Orchard Street at 4:15 pm yesterday. It tore out the power and cable lines and blacked out the whole street, and I suspect other streets as well. Nobody was hurt, but there are skid marks 10 feet away from the downed tree where a car driving on the street was almost crushed. I came down soon after, and the driver was shaking as he looked at what just missed him. Crews were out early in the morning and had the street cleared and power on by 5:35 am. Impressive job, they did it all in the dark. Cable was restored a few hours after that.” 5:25 PM ADDITION: One more case of “When Trees Attack!” from yesterday’s storm. Hotwire Coffee proprietor Lora Vickrey e-mailed this photo of the tree that came down outside the Junction post office. Nobody hurt, Lora reports, but some folks passing by at the time were shaken up!
Two, cool for school
Happening at elementary schools in West Seattle today:
LAFAYETTE WALK-A-THON: It’s an annual tradition for this elementary school in the Admiral District. Starting at 9:15, and continuing throughout the day (more info here), each grade gets its turn to take 45 minutes to walk laps around the Lafayette playground, raising money for a variety of school projects. Past beneficiaries included the playground itself, which is continuing to undergo renovation work. If you stop by to cheer them on, note there’s a bake sale too.
GATEWOOD GOATS: The storm-delayed arrival of the Rent-a-Ruminant herd is expected to happen around midday today; this too is part of a big playground improvement project. The really big event is 10 am-2 pm tomorrow, and you’re invited.
These and other happenings are also on our Events page (including tons of Halloween and Thanksgiving/Christmas fun); our West Seattle Weekend Lineup will be out a bit later this morning.
Reader report: Fauntleroy/California back on
From the comments on our post below — Mike says the power returned around 5:30 am. Thanks for the update! Meanwhile, all Seattle Public Schools (in WS and elsewhere around the city) will be open as usual, according to the SPS site. 7:10 AM ADDITION: After more interruptions in Comcast cable internet/tv service in Upper Fauntleroy, more Comcast crews have just been spotted “working both sides of the street” near Caffe Ladro down the hill.
Fauntleroy/California still out
As of 3:30 am. North side of the intersection (Corner Inn, Washington Federal) has power – street lights are on along Morgan on the north side of the Thriftway — but the businesses (Thriftway, Tully’s, Starbucks) are clearly still out, as is the traffic light at that intersection and the next light south (Caffe Ladro/Stella Ruffington/Akina Designs block).
Late night update
Took one more spin through Fauntleroy/California a short time ago – still out – no City Light crews in sight (but Comcast had a couple trucks a few blocks south). The City Light site says 10,000 people citywide were still in the dark as of 10:30. 11:22 PM UPDATE: One more outage that seems not to be on the city website:Read More
Morgan Junction still out
Just drove through Fauntleroy/California – intersection’s out, most businesses at that spot dark (Thriftway appears to still be on generator power), the businesses along California south of Fauntleroy are out too (Caffe Ladro, Subway, Starbucks, McDonald’s, etc.) though there’s spotty power on some parts of the left side of the street (like the Watermarke condo conversion). Full power picks up right after Seattle International Baptist Church. Going out in a bit to survey the waterfront areas. No wind left, at least. P.S. The City Light outage page doesn’t mention the entirety of this outage – it mentions Myrtle to Othello/38th to 40th (west slope of Gatewood) and Spokane to Charlestown/53rd to 55th.
New storm trouble update thread, 6:15 pm & beyond
Some areas of West Seattle are now into a phase of off-and-on-again outages. We will be in transit for a while and checking things out so leaving this post for an “open thread” on what’s happening where you are.
Wind trouble, ongoing updates
Newest information first: 5:55 PM: The number of people affected by outages in Seattle is starting to drop, so while there’s no definite estimate for when everyone in WS will be back, that’s promising. Watching the barometer suggests the worst is over. 5:30 PM: In addition to the Fauntleroy/California intersection, we saw power out to at least the Seattle International Church vicinity a few blocks south, at last drive-past. 5:26 PM: Comcast cable internet service is out in at least one Upper Fauntleroy neighborhood. 5:18 PM: West Seattle outages on the city list total more than 10,000 homes/businesses. Also — great wave pix up at Beach Drive Blog. 5:00 PM: Power is back on at High Point Community Center. 4:40 PM: Qwest DSL service is reported down in at least one neighborhood near The Junction, though the land-line phones are still working. 4:32 PM: Power is out at the Fauntleroy/California intersection in Morgan Junction. 4:19 PM: Thanks to reader Margelyn for providing the City Light link to the latest outage list. Also, here’s the latest Weather Service “forecast discussion” – analysis to come. 4:14 PM: Update from the City Light hotline, more than 3,300 households/businesses are reported out in various areas of south and east WS; SCL doesn’t know when the power will be restored. 3:59 PM: Adding photo below this post showing tipping power pole that caused the wire trouble on Thistle. Also, report of power out in the High Point Community Center vicinity – activities are still happening but if the power’s not back by dark evening activities might be in jeopardy. 3:50 PM: From reader M, “Stoplights are out starting at Barton & 35th to at least Trenton & 35th (probably further but that is my turn). Arbor Hts Elementary 35th & 104th lost power about 3:15.” 3:25 PM: Reports of tree trouble in The Junction, including one near the Post Office and one in front of Seattle Fish. EARLIER: Washington State Ferries says power is restored at the Fauntleroy dock … City Light has reported various outages on the south side of West Seattle … City 911 reports “wires down” at 4615 SW Thistle, which is just east of Lincoln Park. NOTE: If you have photos of fallen trees or anything else weather-related, please send them in. We will be out and about getting some too, but yours are the best WSB eyes, ears, and cameras!
Wind arrives on cue
At least one Weather Service update predicted 2 pm, and indeed, that’s when things kicked up. You can monitor windspeeds here (includes a link explaining the station names; KBFI is Boeing Field and K91S is Alki Point). One comment on our previous post says there’s power out somewhere near Lincoln Park. Also, we have a storm-related bulletin from elsewhere in south WS: The goats coming to Gatewood Elementary to munch invasive ivy are delaying their arrival till tomorrow because of the weather, but everything should be great for the big highlight event on Saturday.
Show the world you (rock) West Seattle
Remember our bumper-sticker PhotoShop “competition” last week? (Updated here with all the images we received; thanks to everyone who played along!) The “I (rock) West Seattle” version inspired Skylark proprietor Jessie Summa-Kusiak to write to make sure we all know her fab restaurant/club is actually selling hoodies with a similar inscription:
Get ’em at Skylark … “soft and cozy for fall,” notes Jessie … $34.95.
Two updates from police
This per attendees at two major community-group meetings the past two nights (thank you!), West Seattle Community Safety Partnership and Delridge District Council: Police leadership at those meetings said the 59th/Admiral shooting is believed to have been drug-related and that neither suspect nor victim lived in West Seattle (the Medical Examiner, by the way, has yet to publicly identify the victim); also, police reported that crime stats in WS are at a “two-year low.” The Westcrest Park problems were discussed, according to the report we received, but police said at the meetings there is no current plan to change the level of patrol at Westcrest.
Weather update: Relatively good news
The National Weather Service has just published its midmorning “forecast discussion,” and it seems to be in line with the overnight change to a “wind advisory” — this afternoon’s wind in our area likely to be 20-30 mph “sustained” with maybe some 40, 50 mph gusts — not to be taken lightly, but also probably not hugely catastrophic. Excerpt:
THE INTERIOR WILL SEE THE STRONGEST WINDS DURING THE MID AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING WITH SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS 40 TO 50 MPH. ASIDE FROM STRONG WINDS IN THE STRAIT…WILL SEE WINDS DIMINISH ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING …AS THE LOW EXITS THE REGION. THIS SYSTEM IS ALSO BRINGING PRETTY GOOD PRECIP TO THE AREA WITH RAIN…MODERATE AT TIMES…SWITCHING TO SHOWERS DURING THE AFTERNOON.
If you don’t always pay such close attention to weather details … south-to-southwest wind means that west- and south-facing areas of WS (as well as the higher hills) are likely to see more of it than north-facing areas such as Alki.
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