West Seattle, Washington
16 Saturday
Three suspects who were charged two weeks ago in unrelated West Seattle cases all appeared for arraignment today before King County Superior Court Judge Patrick Oishi. Here’s what happened, according to court documents:
ALKI SHOOTING: 21-year-old Allan D. Hawley was arraigned on 2 counts of first-degree assault, filed against him in the February 2nd Alki Beach shooting that left two other men injured. Hawley requested that his $400,000 bail be reduced, but the judge said no, so he remains in King County Jail. His record includes 1 felony conviction, as a juvenile, in a burglary case.
JUNCTION ROBBERY: 38-year-old Monique S. Anderson also was arraigned today. She is charged with one count of second-degree robbery, accused of getting violent while trying to steal sunglasses from West Seattle Optix in The Junction on February 5th. Anderson also requested a bail reduction; that motion was denied and she remains jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail. Her record includes three adult felonies and one juvenile felony.
TOOL THEFT/BUYBACK STING: 31-year-old Jared M. Bruce had already been released on personal recognizance by the time he was charged in this case. When charges of attempted stolen-property trafficking and unlawuful gun possession were filed, his bail was raised to $75,000. Though he has 17 adult felony convictions (along with 8 juvenile felonies), he remains out of custody, now ordered to be an electronic home detention. He told the court he’ll be living in Lakewood.
ORIGINAL 2/24 POST: When longtime West Seattle community member – and WSB community participant – Jan Seeley died last November, her family announced a memorial on what would have been her next birthday, and promised a reminder when the date approached. That date is Wednesday, March 4th, so it’s time for that reminder. Jan’s daughter Jess sent the details:
3-6 pm March 4th
The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW)Please join us to celebrate the life of Janet Seeley. We’ll be gathering in the Vashon Room at The Hall at Fauntleroy in West Seattle. Please bring your memories to share. Some wine and beer will be available, and also potluck foods as mentioned below.
We will be collecting donations for the West Seattle Food Bank if you’d like to give back in some way. This was a resource that was there for her in some hard times, and I’d love our community to support them! The links here are lists that the food bank needs, rather than just canned goods from the pantry.
This will be a potluck event, so please consider bringing a dish to share. Make sure if you bring a dish, that you bring it back home with you when you are done, we do not need leftovers. Here is a sign up sheet.
In the WSB Community Forums and comments, Ms. Seeley went by JanS. Here’s her obituary, published here December 1st.
MARCH 1ST: Jan’s daughter says this is canceled for now due to illness.
Two years after Tap Station closed at 35th/Kenyon, the next tenant is working to overhaul the space. Readers have noted the work going on, and today we finally found someone there who confirmed to us that – as suggested in permit files – it’ll be a new branch of Realfine Coffee. Julie Mierzwiak opened Realfine at 4480 Fauntleroy Way SW in fall 2015, and added a Capitol Hill shop a year and a half ago. We’re told the work on the new shop is proceeding relatively slowly, so it’s still likely months away from opening.
(WSB photo from 2019 West Seattle 5K)
As noted in today’s edition of the West Seattle High School newsletter Westside Weekly, the date is set for this year’s West Seattle 5K – Sunday, May 17th. It’s the 12th annual run/walk to raise money for the WSHS PTA to help students; WSB has been a sponsor every year since the start, and we’ve signed on again. THey’re still seeking more sponsors, so if your business/organization is interested, email westseatttle5k@westseattle5k.com. Meantime, if you just want to run/walk – the route’s along Alki – stay tuned, as registration opens soon.
(WSB photo from January)
West Seattle has been without a vehicle-licensing office for almost two months now, and that isn’t going to end very soon. As first reported here in late December, longtime subagent West Seattle Licenses closed at year’s end, with information emerging a week later of an investigation into “improper transactions made by employees at the office.” Meantime, King County – which administers the contracts for offices like this – said it would be looking for a new subagent to serve this area. So today we checked back on where things stand. Regarding that search, county spokesperson Cameron Satterfield told WSB that the Request for Proposals is being finalized and “the posting should go up late this week or early next week.” (You can watch for that here.) As for the investigation, we checked with the state Department of Licensing, which told us there’s nothing new yet – they’re continuing what they call an “administrative review (of) irregularities” since receiving the records and equipment after West Seattle Licenses closed.
Even before winter’s end (three and a half weeks!), it’s time to plan for summer. The city’s Summer Playground Program will include three West Seattle parks this year, and an announcement today opens the search for program providers:
Seattle Parks and Recreation is seeking individuals, groups, or organizations to provide culturally relevant, safe, active and reliable programs to the community through the Summer Playground Program. The focus of the Summer Playground Program is to provide free healthy meals, as well as fun, innovative and active programs at park sites across Seattle that will have a positive impact on the children, families, and communities of Seattle. The Summer Playground Program will run from July 6 to August 21, 2020.
The Summer Playground Expanded Recreation Program Request for Proposals (RFP) is targeted to the following SPR locations: Beacon Hill Playground, Brighton Playfield, Judkins Park and Playfield, Madrona Playground, Othello Playground, Pratt Park, Powell Barnett Park, Lakewood Playground, E.C. Hughes Playground, Highland Park, Roxhill Park, Georgetown Playfield, Little Brook Park, and Greenwood Park.
Summer Playground Expanded Recreation RFP applications can be completed and submitted at seattlepark.gosmart.org. Applications are due by Tuesday, March 31, 2020 by 11:59 p.m.
You can apply for one or multiple sites. The criteria and other info can be found here.
(Townsend’s Warbler, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, highlights for the hours ahead:
TOUR SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE: 2 pm, see the campus and find out more about studying there. Sign up here. (6000 16th SW)
AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP: 2 pm at Southwest Library, This month’s book is “The End of the Affair” by Graham Greene. (9010 35th SW)
FREE TAX HELP: 2-7 pm at Delridge Library, reservations not required, as explained here. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
2ND SEATTLE IRON & METALS COMMUNITY TOWN HALL: Care about Duwamish River-vicinity health? Be there, 6 pm at South Park Community Center:
Hear from Seattle Iron and Metals on their progress since the January 2019 settlement over long-running pollution problems at their site. Project delays, improvements made, and other updates community members should expect based on the settlement will be covered. This event is the second Community Town Hall and is a follow up to last year’s gathering. Representatives from Seattle Iron and Metals, Puget Soundkeeper, and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition (DRCC) will be present to discuss and answer questions from community members.
Here’s our coverage of last year’s briefing. (8319 8th Ave. S.)
ZEN MEDITATION: 7 pm at Fauntleroy UCC, hosted by Puget Sound Zen. All welcome, meditation experience NOT required – details in our calendar listing. (9140 California SW)
3 TRIVIA/QUIZ NIGHTS: Three options tonight:
*Best of Hands Barrelhouse (7500 35th SW; WSB sponsor), 7 pm, $2/person, 21+
*The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 7:30 pm, free, all ages
*Parliament Tavern (4210 SW Admiral Way), 8 pm, $2/person, 21+
WHAT’S AHEAD TOMORROW AND BEYOND? Browse our complete Event Calendar!
Friday is the nomination deadline for the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s Westside Awards. The awards recognize Business of the Year, Emerging Business of the Year, Not-for-Profit of the Year, and Westsider of the Year. Nominations come from the community – chamber membership is NOT required. Just use this quick form for each nomination. You can go here to see the criteria and lists of past winners. This year’s winners will be honored at the annual Westside Awards breakfast at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 7:30 am (new date) May 5th.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! No current incidents/alerts in our area.
BACK TO SCHOOL: Seattle Public Schools resume classes today after midwinter break.
NEW BUS PATHWAY: First weekday for most buses from/to West Seattle to use the Columbia Street Transit Pathway downtown. (The map and route list are in our reminder published last night.)
ROAD WORK: As previewed Sunday, work is planned today and tomorrow on 26th SW north of Roxbury.
One more reminder that most West Seattle buses are now on the new downtown pathway – Monday’s the first weekday since the switch. Here’s the map and route list one more time:
Columbia Street, once best known for an onramp to the southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct, is now carrying buses to and from surface Alaskan Way, connecting to Third Avenue. This SDOT post shows its configuration. Let us know in WSB traffic-coverage discussion tomorrow how it goes!
Three weeks ago, we noted a plea hearing was scheduled for Michael Gutierrez, the former West Seattle High School JV-girls basketball coach charged with inappropriate sexual communication with a player. It didn’t happen on the date shown in online court files then, but documents now show it did finally happen. Gutierrez pleaded guilty to one count of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. That’s what he was charged with last June, about four months after he was fired from the part-time coaching job following a district investigation. Charging documents said he “engaged a student-athlete he coached in (in)appropriate sexual communication in electronic communication and in person. The defendant kissed the girl and also grabbed, or spanked her bottom on a number of occasions.” Gutierrez, 29, has no criminal record and is scheduled to be sentenced by King County Superior Court Johanna Bender on March 13th. According to the case files, prosecutors are recommending a one-year jail sentence that will be suspended if he successfully completes two years of probation. The conviction will require him to register as a sex offender.
If you live and/or work, study, shop/dine in Highland Park, South Delridge, and/or Riverview, HPAC‘s for you. Here’s what this month’s gathering has on tap, Wednesday (February 26th) at 7 pm. 3 agenda highlights:
Seattle Dept. of Neighborhoods
Osbaldo Sahagun Hernandez, Community Engagement Coordinator, South and West Seattle
Meet the Seattle Dept. of Neighborhoods Community Engagement Coordinator for South and West Seattle: Whether you want to connect with your neighborhood, learn more about City Services, or share an idea that will benefit your community, the team of Community Engagement Coordinators is here to help. Come learn about New Seattle Department of Neighborhoods programs coming in 2020.Elections! Come elect the 2020 HPAC Executive Committee
Executive Committee consists of three to seven members elected at the annual meeting with at least one representative from each neighborhood (Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge). We are electing a Chair, Vice Chairs, Secretary, and At-Large members. Nominations are still open!Discussion: Your Voice Your Choice
What should we apply for?
Community members brainstorm and submit potential project ideas to be funded throughout the city. Project ideas will be collected February 18 – March 18, 2020.
HPAC meets at Highland Park Improvement Club (1116 SW Holden).
Thanks to Richard for the tip. He and other nearby residents got an SDOT alert that you should know about too if you travel that section of 26th SW between Barton and Roxbury, just south of Westwood Village. He says that according to the notice, SDOT “will remove and repave severely damaged concrete panels … between SW Cambridge Street and SW Roxbury Street” Monday and Tuesday. Traffic will be down to one lane, with flaggers alternating between SB and NB traffic, and sidewalks remaining open. This comes two and a half months after the latest round of “investigation” on bus-beset pavement along that stretch.
Just announced… a chance to enjoy a big comedy show without leaving the peninsula, while helping a good cause:
Room Circus Medical Clowning Presents:
4th Annual Stand Up for Healing Laughter
Saturday March 28 2020 8:00 – 9:30 pm
Doors Open 7:15 pm
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
4408 Delridge Way SWTickets On Sale Now
$25 – General Admission Tickets
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stand-up-for-healing-laughter-show-tickets-95282058201
A FUN filled evening of stand up and physical comedy benefitting Room Circus Medical Clowning at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Featuring:
Emcee/Stand Up Comedian:Steffon Moody
Stand Up Comedian: Emmett Montgomery
Comedy Improv: Jet City Improv
Musical Comedy: Kerfuffle – Linda Severt & Sarah Liane Foster
Pit Orchestra: Fremont Philharmonic Orchestra
Beer and wine will be available for purchase
Do not miss the opportunity to see so many excellent performers under one roof for one night only!
10:30 AM: No notable damage or outages reported here from the wind that moved through this morning, but in case you have some cleanup to do, here’s a warning that more wind is expected as the day goes on. No official alert, but “south wind … 15 to 25 mph … becoming southwest with gusts to 35 mph in the afternoon. TONIGHT… Southwest wind 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph.” Possible afternoon/evening thunderstorms too.
11:55 AM: Thanks to Ann Marie for the photo above – she says downed trees are blocking that stairway at Lincoln Park.
Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo of Friday’s lenticular cloud formation near Mount Rainier (and the link to weather analyst Cliff Mass‘s explanation)! On to the Sunday highlights:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Fresh food and fun browsing, 10 am-2 pm in the street in the heart of The Junction. (California between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)
KINDIEPENDENT CONCERT: 10:30 am at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, Eli Rosenblatt performs – ticket info here. (9131 California SW)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Another reason to visit Alki besides the beach – see the home of West Seattle’s history! Open noon-4 pm today. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE CLASS: 1-3 pm at West Seattle Row House (follow that link to see if there’s room), taught by Al Semple. Trade show too. (42nd SW & SW Oregon)
THE MANGO JOE TRIO: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), “original music with African, Latin, and Americana influences.” No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
TALK WITH YOUR STATE SENATOR: 3 pm at the Burien location of Elliott Bay Brewing, talk with and hear from your 34th District State Sen. Joe Nguyen. (255 SW 152nd)
JAZZ AT THE ALLEY: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley, 8 pm. 21+. (4509 California SW)
PREVIEW THE WEEK AHEAD … via our full calendar.
(Photo texted by neighbor)
12:55 AM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” headed to a house in the 8600 block of 17th SW. According to dispatch, a resident is reporting a fire in the living room. Updates to come.
12:59 AM: Arriving crews have confirmed to dispatch that it’s a small fire in the living room, near the front door, and say the occupant got out safely.
1:04 AM: The fire is under control and some of the responding units are being dismissed.
1:14 AM: Fire now declared “tapped.” Investigator’s been requested, to figure out how it started.
Big news, sent (along with the photo) by Nicole Sipila of the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA: “Congratulations to Jahvius Leui – he just won the 3A State Championship in Wrestling at 285!!! JJ becomes the first State Champion in wrestling in Chief Sealth history!!” We checked the results from the tournament, held at the Tacoma Dome, and noted that Jahvius is the only Seattle Public Schools athlete to win a championship at the tournament.
Wondering how things are going with the Terminal 5 modernization project? Here’s a look:
The port provided that slide deck (also viewable here in PDF), after it was shown Friday to the Harbor Island Stakeholder Group. Major work has been under way for more than half a year, with one notable trouble spot noted so far, a problem with timber piles that put pile-driving on hold and now has extended it through next week, about two weeks past the originally planned stopdown for fish protection.
P.S. Got Terminal 5 questions? The Port will have reps at next Thursday’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting (Feb. 27th, 6:30 pm, Neighborhood House High Point, 6400 Sylvan Way SW).
(First 10 photos by Meghan Jones for WSB)
Those are the Walmart R60 Plungers, just one of many groups that turned out and ran into the water at Alki Beach today during the Seattle Polar Plunge, raising money for Special Olympics of Washington, which supports athletes with intellectual disabilities. Photojournalist Meghan Jones was there for WSB. This was the second year the Seattle event – one of several around the state – was held at Alki after a few years away. A hallmark of the event, costumes:
They weren’t in costumes or uniforms, but members of the pro rugby team Seattle Seawolves took the plunge, too:
The water today was in the mid-40s, about the same as the air. Plunges went into the water in groups based on how much they’d raised – those with the most went first.
Augmenting the splashing – an SFD fireboat:
Public-safety workers are among the most fervent supporters of Special Olympics, so many agencies were represented. Below, members of the King County Sheriff’s Department Fire Unit and the Monroe Police Department congratulated each other on braving the brisk water:
Law enforcers weren’t just participants – they were there as protectors too. These SPD divers were standing by and also helped out by finding a pair of lost keys and a wedding ring that slipped away during the plunge.
Two officers from the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol – which is based in Highland Park – were on shore, too:
As noted in our previews, the Polar Plunge was accompanied by a beer and food-truck festival:
Missed it all? You can support Special Olympics by donating online.
Though the next major milestone in planning West Seattle light rail isn’t until next year, there’s still lots going on, and your next chance to catch up with where things stand is just days away. The Junction Neighborhood Organization is having its winter gathering on Thursday (February 27th), and that’s the major agenda item. 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building (4217 SW Oregon), bring questions and feedback for Sound Transit and the city reps who are helping ensure neighborhoods stay in the loop.
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
That 1951-built house at 7726 Delridge Way SW [map] is the latest with an early-stage teardown-to-townhouses plan. City online files show a site plan just filed this week for demolishing the house and replacing it with six townhouse units in two buildings – one with four units facing Delridge, one with two units on the alley behind. The number of planned parking spaces is not yet specified. The 9,500-square-foot site is zoned Lowrise 1 and is across Delridge from the sprawling Lighthouse Apartments complex.
When you stop to think about it, the historic E.C. Hughes school at 7734 34th SW – now the home of Roxhill Elementary – really does look like a classic school building you might find in many locales. Today, it’s starring as a backdrop for a student film production. We went over to inquire after a texter first thought the people outside the school were protesting, and then told us it looked lke a “movie shoot.” The students are from the Seattle Film Institute.
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