West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
The much-anticipated initial ruling on the Initiative 976 lawsuit is in – and King County Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson has rejected most of the arguments against the measure. But it’s not a full ruling, so the preliminary injunction keeping 976 on hold remains in effect. Here’s the ruling document (uploaded by independent city-focused news site SCC Insight), n which Ferguson writes, “To summarize, this order dismisses all but two of plaintiffs’ constitutional challenges to I-976.” The judge said, among other things, the plaintiffs didn’t meet the requirement of showing “beyond a reasonable doubt” that 976 violates the state constitution’s “single-subject rule” for initiatives. The plaintiffs include the city of Seattle. Here’s reaction from the mayor:
We respectfully disagree with the ruling today from Judge Ferguson and will continue to make our case about the unconstitutionality of I-976. Our residents have made it clear they support increasing transit, and voted overwhelmingly against this initiative.
— Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) February 12, 2020
She is also on the Sound Transit Board, which was briefed after the November election about potential effects of 976 if it were upheld and implemented. Here’s our coverage of that meeting. The board was told that projects through 2024 were likely safe; the West Seattle-Ballard Link Extension, however, is scheduled for 2030 completion, and under a worst-case scenario, ST might have to consider canceling or delaying some projects. ST itself is not a party to the lawsuit and has kept WS light-rail planning on track despite the legislation.
ADDED 4:26 PM: And that will continue, ST spokesperson David Jackson told WSB when we asked if the agency had a comment on today’s ruling: “Sound Transit will continue to monitor the ongoing litigation while we advance our work on the projects and services voters have asked us to deliver.”
3:32 PM: A Seattle Fire “full response” is arriving at the Delridge/Andover strip mall – home to Delridge Deli Mart, Subway, Uptown Espresso among other businesses – after dispatchers told them a caller reported “black smoke” from the building. First arrivals aren’t seeing it, though, so the response is downsizing.
3:37 PM: Apparently a complete false alarm – the call is now fully closed.
As promised, It’s BBQ Time in the Kitchen opened today in the space that was, briefly, Alki Chicken and Waffles. As we reported two weeks ago, this was described as a merger – note the “Homestead Fried Chicken” on the new menu. The restaurant also sells BBQ by the pound – here’s the smoker:
Cocktails, wine, and beer, too. Hours are 9 am-9 pm, Wednesdays through Sundays, at 2738 Alki SW. It’s a spinoff of Portland catering company It’s BBQ Time, whose proprietor Dan Dyrdahl says he’s relocated here, with his mom managing the Portland operation.
Went over to check on Alki Café after an early-morning incident in its building add found it closed, no note on the door. As mentioned here earlier, SFD was called to the Alki Shores building (2724 Alki SW) just after 4 am. SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley tells WSB, “There was white smoke observed in the basement of the building, with power dimming to the building. Seattle City Light was called out to the scene. No reports of an active fire.”
(Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WINE WEDNESDAY: Special $5 tasting at the Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), 2-5 pm. (6000 16th SW)
DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: 4-8 pm today, Chipotle in The Junction donates part of its proceeds to WSHS student government. (4730 California SW)
TRIANGLE MEGAPROJECT MEETING: 6 pm at Chaco Canyon Organic Café, meet wth the project team for the future 2-building, ~500-apartment project near Fauntleroy/Avalon. (3770 SW Alaska)
GROUP RUN + SPECIAL POST-RUN CLASS: Tonight at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), the free weekly group run at 6:15 pm will be followed by a special 7 pm class with Tamara at BendmMove a few doors down, $10, register here. (2743 California SW)
DENNY IMS PTSA MEETS IN HIGH POINT: Food at 6:30 pm, meeting at 7 pm – the Denny International Middle School PTSA meets this month at Neighborhood House High Point. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
MADISON MS PTSA MEETING + SEX AND TECH: 6:30 pm at Madison Middle School:
Following Madison’s brief PTSA general meeting on Wednesday, February 12th, Birds and Bees and Kids founder, author, and sexual health educator, Amy Lang, MA, will talk with parents about Sex and Technology. The meeting and talk will be from 6:30pm-8pm in the Madison library. All Madison families are welcome to attend. To learn more about Amy Lang and what she offers, read more on her birdsandbeesandkids website.
(3429 45th SW)
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, with immigration in the spotlight this month – see the agenda here. (9131 California SW)
Set your calendar for 2-6 pm Sunday, March 1st, when you’re invited to join in the fun at Puget Ridge Edible Park (5265 18th SW). From Stu Hennessey:
Hello friends and neighbors.
The dark and short days are behind us and spring will be here soon. Even though, if you have not been to PREP lately, you may be surprised at the progress made over the winter months. As usual the first Sundays of the month, March-October, we invite the greater community and PREP family to join us in a celebration of nature and our methods of permaculture techniques and learning opportunities. March is the time to really get going on the cold-loving plants before it is too warm to enjoy them. Planting beds are being prepared for direct sowing and seedling plantings. Come see how to turn “overwhelming” invasive growth into a fertile and abundant food oasis.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:55 AM: Good morning! No incidents/alerts. Reminders:
EAST MARGINAL WAY INFO POP-UP, DAY 2: For a second day, SDOT plans an informational pop-up about the East Marginal Way safety project:
Thanks to Paul Dieter for the photo from Tuesday morning’s pop-up. Today, SDOT says, the pop-up will be “4:15 – 5:45 pm on S. Spokane St near the West Seattle Bridge.”
CLOSURES AHEAD: Friday night/Saturday morning, 10 pm-8 am, the southbound Highway 99 Tunnel will be closed for maintenance. That same overnight, 9 pm-8 am, and again Saturday night-Sunday morning, 9 pm-8 am, the southbound 1st Ave. S. Bridge will be closed.
One postseason high-school basketball game involving a local team tonight: The West Seattle High School girls’ season is over after a loss at Bainbridge HS. Final score: 59-52.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The siding work under way at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene is no mere renovation project.
It’s another milestone in a project that dates back more than 6 1/2 years and has created homes for six more families.
While some West Seattle churches have sold their sites and moved or closed, this one was determined to find a way to stay and continue serving this community. To do that, they needed to fix up their century-old building, not only an eyesore from the outside, but deteriorating on the inside. With a double-digit congregation, they didn’t have deep pockets to dig into. So they came up with a plan we first wrote about in September 2013 – raise money by developing and selling six townhouses on part of church-owned open space known as “the park.”
After a complex process that included partnering with local developer Joe Paar and getting the land rezoned (before HALA MHA upzoned the area anyway), the townhouses are built – and sold – and the church renovations are under way, so we asked Church of the Nazarene pastor Shaun Mattson and associate pastor Terry Mattson to talk with us for an update.
The siding is not the first work to be done. They began with the parsonage – the small house south of the main building, where they live. “We never intended to be general contractors,” Shaun recalled, but working on the parsonage first gave them some experience, “to learn all the things we needed to know.” After new roofing, siding, windows, and interior renovations, they finished last fall, and moved on to the main church building.
Heating and electrical work was a major focus – the latter being in the elder Mattson’s wheelhouse, as he has experience working as an electrician. “It’s a new building, in terms of the electrical (system).”
A heat pump replaced the old oil-burning setup. Other work included a third-floor multipurpose room that can even be used as lodging for visitors on missions. There’s also the space they’ve been offering as a free drop-in playspace as part of their ministering to the community as a whole.
And the basement gathering space and kitchen have seen some work too.
On the exterior, the siding work started earlier this month and should take about three months total.
They were still evaluating paint colors when we spoke; an artist who has a studio at the church has been among the many people with a role in the project. And while the townhouses are built and almost all occupied – “we love our neighbors!” – there’s still some work to be done.
Much of that will include visual clarification of what remains “the park” – some lighting, some signage, a bench. And this summer, for the first time in a few years, the church plans to resume outdoor movies, another community ministry, as it were. For now, their portable screen is in the sanctuary:
Also inside, work that’s yet to be done includes the sanctuary’s windows – that will take another year or so.
But it wasn’t all talk of work – they voiced a lot of gratitude, especially to the wider community who welcomed the project and the plan to fix up the church: “This is theirs, too.”
6:08 PM: Tomorrow brings the first public discussion of the biggest project since the city launched the Early Community Outreach for Design Review process – the early-stage plan for two mixed-use buildings with ~500 apartments on part of the Sweeney family’s land along Fauntleroy west of Avalon. (The official project addresses are 4440 Fauntleroy Way SW and 4406 36th SW.) The meeting’s at 6 pm Wednesday at nearby Chaco Canyon Organic Café (3770 SW Alaska); this stage of the process is generally informal and, as seen in the ECODR meetings we’ve covered, a good chance to truly talk with, more than listen to, the project team. No RSVP required.
9:33 PM: Checking the project’s files, we’ve found a few more details. Pre-application documents say the 4400 Fauntleroy site is envisioned so far as 215 apartments and 135 offstreet-parking spaces; the 4406 36th site, 285 and 185.
(Photo by Kersti Muul)
5:03 PM: Just got word from Kersti Muul– “orcas visible from Alki, southbound, mid-channel” – let us know if you see them!
5:49 PM: Kersti says it appears to be the same transient orcas – the T46s – that visited on Sunday.
For the first time since Sound Transit dropped the potential Pigeon Point tunnel from consideration, ST had reps at the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council meeting on Monday night.
As with every appearance, they recapped how the project got to this particular point – that’s part of the slide deck above (also here in PDF). Many questions followed.
Thanks to the texter who reported a 2-car crash blocking SW Raymond at 35th, by High Point Library. Police are just now being dispatched. No serious injuries reported.
Last night at the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council‘s meeting (full story to come), Southwest Precinct operations commander Lt. Steve Strand was asked how to prevent package theft. His reply: “Don’t have them delivered to your home!” The video above, sent by Chris, shows one more reason why: “Caught a porch pirate on video (Monday) stealing an Amazon package off my doorstep, around 15 minutes before I got home.” This happened in Gatewood, near 35th/Thistle; report # is 20-051869.
(Orange-crowned Warbler, photographed by Ann Anderson)
Since we celebrate birds with great photo contributions almost every day on WSB, we want to mention this here in the news stream as well as on the Event Calendar – a free event this Sunday (February 16th):
“Fall in Love with 25 Seattle Birds”
2/16/2020 @ 1-3 pm
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
4408 Delridge Way SWHave you ever wondered what that little brown bird over there is? Or who on earth is singing so loudly outside your window at 4 a.m.? Do you consider yourself … bird curious?
Well, have we got a workshop for you!
Join Seattle Audubon and the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association to learn how to easily identify 25 common bird species right in your own backyard. You’ll learn to tell a Song Sparrow from a Dark-eyed Junco, and a Dark-eyed Junco from a Black-capped Chickadee. But that’s not all. We’ll discuss the cultural importance of Pacific Northwest birds to local tribes, threats to our feathered friends and what we can all do to protect them. Finally, we’ll end with a hands-on, in-the-field exercise that puts your new ID skills to use with the eBird community science mobile application. Participants will be challenged to continue practicing their new ID skills and eBird with the top contributor after a month receiving a special gift from Seattle Audubon!
Workshop leaders strongly recommend that participants download, install, and create an account with the eBird community science application on their smart phones prior to the workshop. Android users can download the app from Google Play. iPhone users can download the app from the App Store.
Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology developed and maintains eBird. The app allows users to track bird observations and links to resources to aid with bird identification. Observations contributed through eBird are used by researchers at Universities, the National Audubon Society, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and have resulted in dozens of peer-reviewed scientific studies that are helping resource managers understand and protect birds.
More info here; registration is NOT required but if you want to sign up, go here.
(Brant, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SOCCER TRYOUTS: High-school boys are invited to try out for HSA soccer tonight at Southwest Athletic Complex, 5:30-7 pm for U-16, 7-8:30 pm for U-17 and U-18. (2801 SW Thistle)
ROXHILL BOG’S FUTURE: 6:30 pm at Southwest Teen Life Center, everyone with an interest in the historic headwaters of Longfellow Creek is welcome at a meeting to learn about the next steps toward saving the bog. (2801 SW Thistle)
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 6:30 pm at Admiral UCC, postponed from last month because of weather. The upcoming census and ANA’s community survey are among the topics. (4320 SW Hill)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, monthly board meeting, all welcome. (9131 California SW)
TUESDAY TRIVIA: 8:30 pm at Admiral Pub. 21+. (2306 California SW)
With less than one month to go until our state’s presidential primary, and other elections later this year, it’s time for a registration reminder – especially first-time voters! Tthe announcement is from Bonnie Gilbert:
Hey Chief Sealth Students, are you registered to Vote?
Did you know that anyone 16 or older can pre-register? As long as you turn 18 before any upcoming election you can then vote in that election!
Stop by the registration table during lunch on Wednesday or Thursday. It’s quick and easy! Know the last four digits of your social security number or bring your license.
OR sign up online!
Signing up is SO EASY – go to this link to the voter registration website – https://olvr.votewa.gov – Make your voice heard!
See Ms. Whited if you have questions. bdwhited@seattleschools.org or email Bonnie Gilbert at fatkitty@comcast.net
Not a Chief Sealth student but want to register? Simply follow the link to the voter registration website above.
If you go to that site now and see a screen that says it’s too late to sign up for “the current election
– THAT’S NOT TRUE for our area; we’re not part of today’s special election. Our area’s next election is the March 10th presidential primary, and March 2 is the online registration deadline.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:59 AM: We’re off to a late start this morning but there’s an incident to note: WSDOT has just reporte, “A stall is blocking the right lane of the NB SR 99 tunnel (roughly in the middle of the tunnel itself).”
8:14 AM: Cleared.
(WSB photo)
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church has, like many local churches, ministered to the needy in a multitude of ways. In the past, it’s sheltered homeless women and families. Starting in two weeks, it’s offering refuge in a new way – several “safe parking” spaces for people living in cars. The plan came to light in an update sent to city councilmembers by Human Services Department director Jason Johnson, as first reported earlier today by The Seattle Times. We have since obtained Johnson’s email, in which he wrote that OLG had approached the city “in late 2019” about getting involved with the Safe Parking program, pioneered by a Ballard church.
The email contained few specifics about OLG’s plan, so we contacted OLG to find out more; turns out they were having a training session tonight for volunteers. OLG’s pastoral assistant for outreach, Jennifer Ibach, provided this FAQ document that’s been circulated in the church community.
Key points:
-The church was asked to provide space for up to seven cars to park; a portable toilet and “hospitality hut” will be provided by the Urban League, the program’s official service provider. OLG is planning to provide three spots to start with.
-The people offered spaces will be “motivated adult individuals and/or couples with no place to stay but in their vehicles.” The Urban League will screen people: “Participants referred to Urban League will undergo an intake and screening process, including a credit check and a national criminal background check.” They will not allow sex offenders or “persons convicted of violent offenses, with a history of violence or with current violent offenses (including restraining orders and domestic violence).”
-There will be a “zero tolerance” policy for alcohol and other drugs.
-Participants will get case management.
-There’s no time limit but it’s expected to be short-term: “This is a road to housing, not a road to parking!”
The FAQ document above has many other details. Ibach told us they expect the program to start February 24th.
Side note: HSD director Johnson’s email also mentioned an additional, unidentified West Seattle church “has also reached out” about involvement in the Safe Parking program and is in exploratory talks.
Three postseason high-school basketball games tonight:
(WSB photo: Chief Sealth #1, Cortez Graham)
–Chief Sealth International High School – boys lost to Franklin, 57-50; girls lost to Nathan Hale, 45-22
–West Seattle High School, boys lost to O’Dea 77-50
Only one game was at home, the CSIHS boys’ game, so we were there, and will add photos from that a bit later.
ADDED EARLY TUESDAY: The Seahawks kept it close until literally the last minute – just one point behind – but a technical foul cost them dearly. Top scorer for Sealth was (top photo) Cortez Graham with 19 points. Next was Taien Jackson with 14, including four 3-pointers:
That’s the season wrap for Head Coach Colin Slingsby and team.
The Sealth girls’ season is over too. … Meantime, the West Seattle girls play at Bainbridge 7 pm tonight (Tuesday), while the WSHS boys play Rainier Beach at Franklin on Thursday at 5:45 pm.
As city leaders consider loosening the rules to allow more tiny-house encampments, West Seattle’s lone authorized encampment Camp Second Chance continues to do well, according to updates at its monthly Community Advisory Committee meeting on Sunday afternoon.
CAC UPDATES: A larger group than usual was present at the front of the room, and each offered an update at introduction time:
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed charges today in three cases we’re tracking:
(WSB photo February 2)
ALKI SHOOTING: 21-year-old Allan D. Hawley is charged with 2 counts of first-degree assault in the incident that injured two men, both also 21, early February 2nd. The charging document recaps the same narrative as we reported back in our Friday followup – alleging that Hawley shot at the victims and others for reasons unknown, after a brief bout of fighting that at first appeared to have been resolved amicably. Prosecutors say Hawley does not have an adult felony record and appears to have one juvenile felony, but the record is sealed. Hawley remains in jail in lieu of $400,000 bail.
JUNCTION ROBBERY: 38-year-old Monique S. Anderson is charged with second-degree robbery for last Wednesday’s shoplift-turned-robbery at West Seattle Optix; one staffer there was hurt by glass shards sent flying when she kicked out a window to get away. The charging documents recap that store employees say Anderson had come into the shop on the preceding Saturday but left when she became aware she was being watched; then on Wednesday, she grabbed four pairs of sunglasses worth $1600 and tried to leave, but staffers stopped her, in what was described as quite a struggle. Aside from the theft case for which she had a warrant when arrested, prosecutors say her past convictions were 15+ years ago. She remains in jail, bail still at $10,000.
TOOL-BUYBACK CASE – AND MORE: This case turns out to be far more complicated than first reported in an SPD Blotter summary that we mentioned on Saturday. 31-year-old Jared M. Bruce is now charged wth unlawful second-degree firearm possession and first-degree attempted stolen-property trafficking. The police narrative say this started with $5,000 in tools stolen from a home-construction site in the 4800 block of Puget Way SW on January 26th. The victim found two items, a table saw and generator, for sale on OfferUp. The account offering the items was in Bruce’s name. The victim worked with police, who set up an undercover buyback sting. It happened last Wednesday night at Westwood Village; the suspect showed up in what turned out to be a stolen truck. That was impounded, and he was arrested.
The next day, though, Bruce was released on personal recognizance, and, the charging papers say, prosecutors did not object: “Given the facts known at the time, a personal-recognizance release appeared appropriate, given that probable cause was only found for trafficking in stolen property.” But police had warned, in their report, that the suspect might be linked to a stolen handgun in a storage unit, and “Any release prior to a full and lawful search of the truck would give opportunity for the suspect to arm himself with the outstanding stolen firearm …” (The suspect’s record includes a conviction for unlawful gun possession.)
ss it turned out, when a search warrant was obtained for the truck last Friday – one day after Bruce was released – police found what is believed to be the stolen handgun, linked to a Kittitas County burglary in which Bruce is a suspect. Bruce’s bail was set today at $75,000, but he remains out of custody, so far.
The long-awaited safety improvements for East Marginal Way – a major route for bicycle traffic between West Seattle and downtown, and also a major freight route – have hit another milestone, 60 percent design. SDOT has opened a survey seeking feedback, and will have two “pop-up” meetings Tuesday and Wednesday. Here’s the announcement:
We are excited to share that after securing additional funding for the E Marginal Way Corridor Improvement Project in 2019, we recently reached our 60% design milestone for the North and Central segments of the project. We are currently collecting feedback on our design so far – click here to take our survey!
We expect to complete design later this year and move into Phase 1 of construction in 2021. Phase 1 will include a protected bike lane between S Atlantic St and S Spokane St, reconstructed intersections at S Hanford St and S Horton St, and a potential relocation of train tracks at S Hanford St.
If you commute by bike on E Marginal Way S, you may see our project team alongside the bike lane next week. Stop by to learn more about the project and ask us any questions you have! Below are the details for where we will be:
Tuesday, February 11: 7:15 – 8:45 a.m. near S Hanford St and S Horton St
Wednesday, February 12: 4:15 – 5:45 p.m. on S Spokane St near the West Seattle BridgeFor more information about project features and schedule, please visit our project website. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to us at EastMarginal@seattle.gov. We are also happy to meet with interested groups to discuss project details – please contact us to arrange.
One such group is West Seattle Bike Connections, which has been very active in advocating for this, and which will have a guest from SDOT at its March meeting (thanks to Paul Dieter for the tip) – 6:30 pm March 3 at Neighborhood House High Point (6400 Sylvan Way SW).
| 57 COMMENTS