West Seattle, Washington
19 Saturday
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
6:30 AM: Good morning. tt’s Presidents Day, and that means schools and most government facilities are closed. Transit/transportation notes:
METRO: Reduced-weekday service
WATER TAXI: No service
SOUND TRANSIT: Service levels listed here
STREET PARKING: In the neighborhoods with pay stations, no charge today
After the holiday, the first community meeting of the week will be your monthly chance for Q&A with local police at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm Tuesday (February 18) at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). After Q&A with, and updates from, police, you’ll hear from this mnnth’s spotlight guest, from the SPD Victim Support Team (which is currently recruiting new volunteers).
In case you wondered about the police response north of California/Fauntleroy this past hour: Police at first responded to what was called in as a man assaulting a woman. Then the report changed to a possible attempted robbery. Police found a victim at California/Graham, and the suspect on the east side of the street. A sergeant we spoke with told us that the suspect was reported to have confronted two women on the street, claiming he had been a victim of theft. Police determined that what he was claiming was false, and he was taken into custody. They say the women he accosted are OK.
A multiple-vehicle crash is reported to be blocking Harbor Avenue SW in the 1900 block, near Salty’s. No serious injuries reported but south/eastbound traffic on Harbor will be diverted up California Way until it’s cleared.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON: Several West Seattle parents who send children to Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien have called our attention to a controversy that’s been embroiling that school’s community this weekend. Kennedy announced the sudden “voluntary” resignation of two teachers, both of whom, supporters say, are gay. Parents have organized a crowdfunding page for the teachers; Paul Danforth, an English teacher (who is also a Kennedy graduate, according to the school website), and Michelle Beattie, who taught health and coached soccer. The GoFundMe page set up to help them includes this introduction:
Two beloved and extraordinary teachers at Kennedy Catholic High School “voluntarily resigned” on February 13, 2020 because of their sexual orientation and desire to live authentically (and legally) married to their partners.
In addition to the sadness felt by their community of supporters, Paul and Michelle are both now without jobs or incomes. In the middle of a school year it will be difficult for either of them to find employment immediately.
The school’s email announcement on Friday, forwarded to us by one of the parents who received it, says only:
Please see the following statement provided to us to share with our community.
“Two teachers, Paul Danforth and Michelle Beattie, have voluntarily resigned their positions at Kennedy Catholic High School. They are highly capable, gifted, and qualified teachers, who have served our community with dedication and humility. Their loss will be felt deeply by their students and the entire community. We are thankful to Paul and Michelle for their years of service.”
The statement ended by referring questions/comments to the Archdiocese of Seattle. Its downtown HQ is where some concerned Kennedy parents are planning a protest at 9 am Tuesday, according to posts on a Facebook group set up to show support for the teachers. Other posts mention plans for a student walkout and community show of support that day (school is out tomorrow for Presidents Day).
The teachers themselves have not yet commented publicly so far as we have seen; a post in the aforementioned Facebook group said they were at the school earlier today to collect their belongings.
Similar controversies have erupted elsewhere in the country. The news publication National Catholic Reporter published this overview of the issue last year. It included a citation of this stat: Two-thirds of U.S. Catholics now support same-sex marriage.
ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: Tuesday’s protests are planned for 9 am at the Archdiocese offices and 1 pm at the school, which sent parents another email today acknowledging those plans (as well as a student walkout) and warned that community members and parents won’t be allowed inside the school, but will be allowed to gather at 1 pm “in front of the building.” We’ll be among those there to cover it.
(WSB photos)
Robyn Campbell and Erin Treankler are welcoming their first guests this afternoon at Cold Crash Brewing Co. Their commercial home-based brewery is off the alley (look for the small sign) at 4507 48th SW, west of The Junction.
There, as noted in our previous report, they brew gluten-free beer:
The menu includes six beers, and other beverages, plus some simple snacks – here’s a photo.
The seating area is covered and heated:
Regular hours for Cold Crash’s tasting room will be noon-5 pm Saturdays and Sundays.
Thanks to Larry Shaw for the photos and report:
I happened upon a bunch of people checking out a sea lion exhibiting “sailing” behavior this morning off Alki Ave SW between Alki Beach and Luna Park. Several people thought the animal might be injured, but “sailing” is a normal behavior sea lions engage in. They float and raise their flippers out of the water to regulate their body temperature.
We have featured this before – in 2013, a “sailing” sea lion was even mistaken for a dead whale! – and Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network has raised awareness. But with so many new arrivals (and tourists), it’s always worth a reminder!
Thanks to Karl at Potter Construction (WSB sponsor) for the photo! That is a truckload of Girl Scout Cookies. Karl helped out as troops – including his granddaughter’s West Seattle troop 45305 – picked up their orders at the Alaska Marine Lines loading dock on Saturday. Cookie sales start in 12 days, according to the Girl Scouts of Western Washington website – February 28 through March 15th. As usual, you can find cookie-sale locations via the online lookup. (Wondering about the cookie varieties? Go here.)
(Bewick’s Wren, photographed by Anne de Vore
Welcome to pre-holiday Sunday. Calendar highlights for today/tonight:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in the street in the heart of The Junction, produce, meat, cheese, beverages, baked goods, and more! (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
ALKI OYSTER FEST: Noon-5 pm at three Alki Beach venues – oysters, beverages, and live music; see the locations and lineups here. For tickets, go here.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: While you’re at Alki, visit the home of West Seattle’s history! Open noon-4 pm today. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
COLD CRASH’S OPENING DAY: Fourth opening of the week! The gluten-free commercial home-bassed brewery Cold Crash Brewing Co. opens its tasting room noon-5 pm today, as previewed here. (4507 48th SW)
FALL IN LOVE WITH 25 SEATTLE BIRDS: As previewed here, you are invited to Youngstown Cultural Arts Center 1-3 pm today to learn more about local birds. Free! (4408 Delridge Way SW)
JAMTIME: 1-4 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), live music! No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
LADIES ROCK CAMP WINTER ASSEMBLY: 4 pm at The Skylark, all ages – $10 adult admission, $5 youth. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
BLUEGRASS JAM: 7 pm at Whisky West. 21+. (6451 California SW)
SILENT MOVIE WITH LIVE MUSIC: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall – program details and reservation info are in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)
JAZZ AT THE ALLEY: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley, 8 pm. 21+. (4509 California SW)
12:18 AM: Police checking out 911 calls about suspected gunfire have confirmed it. Officers radioed in that they have found at least one shell casing at Delridge/Trenton. So far, no reports of any injuries.
12:22 AM: Officers have also told dispatch that they’re blocking Delridge for now while they look for more evidence.
12:37 AM: Delridge has reopened.
8:24 PM: The West Seattle High School boys weren’t going to let the season end with a string of defeats – so an intense home game tonight just ended with a big win over Interlake, 58-37. Next up: The Wildcats play Garfield, 8:30 pm Tuesday @ Ingraham. Full details and photos to come.
ADDED 10:55 PM: WSHS #3, senior Sage Nelson, led scoring with 18 points – one of four Wildcats with double-digit totals.
(WSB file photos from 2014 council hearing)
Six years after a City Council vote closed a bitter political chapter in West Seattle development history, the current council will consider a coda of sorts. It’s the official finalization (PDF) of the alley vacation required by The Whittaker (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW). An item on the council’s Introduction and Referral Calendar for the week ahead finalizes the vacation – the city’s relinquishing of the alley, for which the development paid what was considered fair market value, noted in the new document as $2.3 million. The council in April 2014 gave its approval to the vacation despite active opposition from then-Mayor Mike McGinn, who primarily objected to the plan for non-union Whole Foods Market (WSB sponsor) to be part of the development (citing other reasons too). A union-led campaign rallied local opposition, and eventually there was a showdown at council chambers downtown. The vacation was approved, and the new document shows that $2.3 million purchase was finalized about a year and a half now. This action is basically a technicality but will go through a committee vote first. SIDE NOTE: (corrected) Only one of the councilmembers serving now was on the council then (Kshama Sawant took office in January 2014).
We are now exactly two months from the IRS tax-return deadline. Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner provides this advice on avoiding scams and fraud during tax season:
Tax season is in full swing and we often see an increase in tax fraud and various forms of scams during this time of year. In order to combat this, the SW Precinct would like to provide our community with some helpful prevention information about these scams, as well as the most effective way to report them! Subsets of the population are more vulnerable to these types of scams- but everyone can help protect themselves by keeping the following ten practical suggestions in mind, provided by the Federal Trade Commission:
Spot imposters – scammers will often try to disguise themselves as someone you trust (such as a government official, family member or charitable organization). Never send money or give our personal information in response to an unexpected request.
Do online searches – try typing in the company or product name into a search engine with key words like ‘review’, ‘complaint’ or ‘scam’. You can also look up phone numbers to check on their validity.
Do not believe caller ID and hang up on robocalls – technology makes it simple for scammers to fake a caller ID. If you receive a call asking for personal information or money, hang up. If you feel the caller is legitimate- try calling back a number, you know is genuine for that person or company. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report this to the Federal Trade Commission and/or to local police. These calls are illegal and are often fake. Do not follow prompts, just hang up.
Do not pay upfront for a promise – scammers may try to ask you to pay up front for debt relief, loan offers, mortgage assistance or a job (such as handy work or lawn maintenance).
Consider how you pay – most credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, while other payment methods (such as wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram) do not have these protections. Government offices and honest companies will not require you to use a risky payment method, keep this in mind when paying.
Talk to someone – scammers will often want you to make decisions in a hurry and may even threaten you. Before you give money or personal information, slow down, check out the story, do an online search and maybe even talk to an expert or friend about the request.
Be skeptical about free trials online – some companies will use free trials to sign you up for products and bill you each month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, review the company’s cancelation policy and always check your monthly statements to review charges.
Don’t deposit a check and wire money back – banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days, but discovering a fraudulent check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be fake, you are responsible for repaying the bank.
Sign up for free scam alerts from the Federal Trade Commission at consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts – get the latest tips and advice about scams directly to your email.
For the past two tax seasons, scammers have been running a successful W-2 email phishing scam operation that has tricked major companies. Here’s how this scam works: criminals pose as top company executives and send emails to payroll professionals asking for copies of W-2 forms for all employees. This exposes employees’ names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and withholding information. The scammers then file bogus tax returns or sell the information to other criminals.Here’s how you can protect yourself during tax time:
Use a password-protected Wi-Fi connection when filing your taxes. Use a long and complex password, not just for your Wi-Fi but also for any accounts you’re using during the tax-filing process
Get your return via direct deposit. If you must receive a return check via mail, have it sent to a locked mailbox
Ask your tax preparer to use two-factor authentication to protect your documents and personal information
Use an encrypted USB drive to save sensitive tax documents
Never give information to anyone who contacts you by phone or online claiming to be from the IRS. The IRS will never contact you this way
Monitor your accounts and online identity for any signs that your identity has been stolen. For example, if you see a sudden, unexpected change in your credit scores, it could indicate your identity has been stolen
If you think you may be a victim of a scam, visit IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting.
Be alert to possible identity theft if you receive a notice from the Internal Revenue Service or learn from your tax professional that your identity has been compromised. If you receive a notice from the IRS and you suspect your identity has been used fraudulently, respond immediately by calling the number on the notice. If you did not receive a notice but believe you’ve been the victim of identity theft, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490 right away so that they can take steps to secure your tax account and match your SSN or ITIN.
Does your commute home take you through SODO? On Thursday, March 5th, here’s a reason to stop – or detour:
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce “Sip in SODO,†our newest event featuring a tasting of local wine varietals and culinary delights!
Join us on March 5, 2020 from 6 pm to 9 pm at SODO Urban Works (located at 3901 First Avenue South) where you are invited to SIP local wines, SAVOR petite entrees by local West Seattle restaurants, and confectioners as you STROLL through the shops of local vintners, distillers and eateries in this hidden gem in the SODO District.
Sip In SODO is the latest event produced by the Special Events Committee and Board of Directors of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. “We have made the commitment for 2020-2023 to include additional ways to reach out into our community and the greater Seattle area; expose new areas that may not be on everyone’s radar and show our friends, neighbors and colleagues all there is to offer right here in our backyard. SODO Urbanworks is an IDEAL venue to bring awareness to one of Seattle’s coolest hidden gems,†said West Seattle Chamber of Commerce CEO Julia Jordan.
Ticket price includes: 5 wine tickets and 5 food tickets for $75 general admission I $65 for chamber members and wine club members.
Additional taste tickets can be purchased at the event or online in advance through the chamber website wschamber.com
The Chamber is advertising the event on WSB to help get the word out. Here’s the direct link for tickets.
Thanks to Jim Borrow for that photo from Upper Alki. He explains:
It’s very difficult to capture this late winter phenomenon with a camera, but the outgoing tide after the 12.0 high at 9:16 a.m has cleaned the local beaches of much of the wood and debris (mostly wood) that has collected over the past year. There likely is an increased amount because of recent river flooding and landslides into the Sound have generated more debris than normal. This band of debris stretched out into Alki side of the mouth of Elliott Bay across our view from Alki Pt. toward Duwamish Head & the city front, gradually dissipating as it drifted to the NE. There have been higher tides, so the wind and wave conditions must have been just right to keep the debris in the water and pull it away from shore. Overall the drift lasted about 1.5-2 hours. Of course this is cyclical and the debris will be redistributed and elsewhere along the shoreline, with a new load deposited on our beaches.
Late last night, Chuck S. sent this photo of what it looked like on Friday along the Beach Drive shore:
Our friends at Beach Drive Blog have posted about this, saying they checked with state and county agencies, who also believe the debris is from recent inland flooding carrying it to Puget Sound.
(Pelagic Cormorant, photographed by Kersti Muul)
Holiday weekend, so it’s a bit quieter than usual:
FREE GROUP RUN: 8 am, meet at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) and get moving! (2743 California SW)
FREE TAX HELP: 10 am-4:30 pm at Southwest Library – explained in our calendar listing. (9010 35th SW)
FAMILY READING TIME: 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers. (6040 California SW)
ARTIST RECEPTION: 3 pm at Duwamish Longhouse, Native artist Pamela Čəlalákəm Bond is showcasing traditional winter-wear of Puget-Salish peoples. Meet the artist, see the exhibit, enjoy refreshments. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
BASKETBALL: West Seattle High School hosts Interlake for a must-win boys-basketball postseason game, 7 pm. (3000 Californa SW)
JOSEPHINE COUNTY: Live at Kenyon Hall, 7:30 pm: “Josephine County is a gathering of four powerful traditional musicians, sharing their expertise, knowledge, and enthusiasm for music ranging from the United States to French Canada to Ireland and back.” Ticket info in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)
EVAN FLORY-BARNES: Live at The Pacific Room on Alki (WSB sponsor), 8 pm. Cover info here. (2808 Alki SW)
AT THE SKYLARK: Atrocity Girl, MTR Project, Nurse Ratchett, 8 pm at The Skylark. $8 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
THE SLAGS: Live at Parliament Tavern, 10 pm. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING … by browsing our complete calendar!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Businesses’ concerns dominated this week’s Early Community Outreach for Design Review meeting for the two-building megaproject planned for two sides of a Triangle block owned by the Sweeney family of Alki Lumber fame.
The handful of community members in attendance included an adjacent business’s owner and founder as well as the proprietor of a business that wlll have to move (as will the Sweeneys’ own century-old enterprise) when construction begins – though that’s still years away.
The potential timeline was one of the new pieces of information made available at the meeting, which happened Wednesday night at Chaco Canyon Organic Café, not far from the project site, which is officially in city records with the addresses 4440 Fauntleroy Way SW and 4406 36th SW.
That’s an early-concept sketch for the two-building, 10-apartment proposal at 6056 41st SW [map], first reported here last November. It’s by West Seattle architect Lisa Kennan-Meyer (WSB sponsor), who sent it with the announcement of a site walk scheduled as part of the Early Community Outreach for Design Review process:
Project description: Remove existing single family house and garage. New construction of two 3-story apartment buildings, each containing 5 units for a total of 10 units with a shared courtyard. Five parking spaces provided off alley. Two units meeting family-sized requirement and one unit meeting the HALA standard will be included.
Guided Site Walk will take place Wednesday, March 11th at 11 am at the site. The event is open to the public.
Comments and questions also are welcome via email at graham41comments@gmail.com.
The otherwise-low-profile King Conservation District made history – and headlines – with its use of online voting 
for a Board of Supervisors seat, and now the results are in – Chris Porter of West Seattle won in a landslide, with 4,142 votes to his opponent Stephen Deutschman‘s 989. As explained here, three of the board’s five positions are elected, the other two appointed. Porter has been serving as an associate supervisor; read more about him here. Not familiar with the KCD? Its mission is explained here.
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
Moments after The Good Society Brewery and Public House (2701 California SW) opened its doors at 3 pm, we got a text reporting it was packed, with a line out the door. The line was gone by the time we got there, but a crowd remained.
We first wrote last July about what West Seattleites Nick Berger and Phil Cammarano were planning for The Good Society – “to marry good beer with good deeds”.
(Nick and Phii – photo by Estepworks Photography)
Their first two nonprofit beneficiaries are the West Seattle Food Bank and Forterra. And, also as promised, there’s a kids’ play area:
The inaugural menu features five Good Society beers plus three “guest taps,” $2/four ounces, $5/ten ounces, $6/twelve ounces, as well as two ciders, three wines, and four non-alcoholic beverages (including juice boxes for $1.50).
Seven items on the food menu – $4 for snack mix or a kids’ plate, $5 for pretzels or a bagel dog, %10 cheese plate, $11 for a hummus plate or charcuterie. Hours are:
Monday/Tuesday closed
Wednesday: 3 PM – 10 PM
Thursday: 3 PM – 10 PM
Friday: 3 PM – 10 PM
Saturday: 11:30 AM – 10 PM
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 9 PM
4:47 PM: Thanks for the tip! We found that Seattle Public Utilities crew wrapping up at 41st and Webster after some research following a report that water was out near 35th/Webster. SPU explains that a water main in the area was leaking, so to prepare for full repairs, they had to turn the water off for a while today and do some rerouting. This is the notice SPU said it had sent out:
On Friday, February 14, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) crews will disconnect a water main in your neighborhood that is leaking underground. The broken water main will remain out of service until a permanent repair can be made.
To continue providing you with water service while plans for the repair are made, your water service will be connected to a nearby water main in the adjacent pressure zone. The water pressure in the adjacent zone is lower than what you may have experienced in the past, but still within the acceptable range of 65 to 70 PSI.
The change in your water pressure will remain in effect until a repair can be made to the broken water main.
ANTICIPATED IMPACTS
An emergency water shutdown on February 14
A reduction in water pressure.
Construction activity near the work site
The crew told us they’d just turned the water back on. No word so far how many customers are affected or when the permanent work will be done.
8:56 PM UPDATE: SPU’s Sabrina Register tells WSB, “Today’s work affected about 70 customers … Roughly a dozen customers could experience lower water pressure.” No time frame yet for the permanent fix.
From SDOT, here’s what’s next on the 35th/Alaska/Avalon project:
Weather depending, as early as February 18 we anticipate beginning concrete pouring on the west side of 35th Ave SW and continuing onto the north side of SW Alaska St. This work will continue into the week of February 24. After completing the north side of SW Alaska St we will then move traffic to the north side and begin work on the south side of SW Alaska St as early as March 2. We anticipate work in this zone to take several weeks. Please note that this work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled. We will be sure to let you know if this work changes.
During construction, please expect left turns onto SW Alaska St from 35th Ave SW to be restricted to allow room for our crews to work safely and efficiently. Additionally, access to 36th Ave SW from SW Alaska St will remain restricted at the north end until concrete work is complete. Once complete, we will then close the south end of 36th Ave SW and SW Alaska St to demolish and rebuild the southern half of SW Alaska St.
SDOT also says crews did not work today and will be off for the holiday Monday. For a big-picture look at what’s been done and how much longer until the entire project is complete, see our report from three weeks ago.
You probably have Valentine’s Day handled by now. How about a date night on Leap Day (Saturday, February 29th, just two weeks away)? The West Seattle High School Class of 2020 has an offer for you:
On February 29, 2020 the West Seattle High School Senior class ASB will be hosting our ‘Parents Night Out’ fundraiser, to raise money for our senior class and 2020 prom.
We’re offering child care for children ages 3+. This includes dinner (pizza), healthy snacks, drinks, activities, and a movie.
The event will be held on February 29, 2020 from 5:00-10:30 pm at West Seattle High School, 3000 California Ave SW. Parents should drop their kids off at the historical entrance on the (north) side of the building or follow our signs.
Pricing will be $40 for one child, $35 sibling discount per child, or with a donation of 2 cans of food for the West Seattle Food Bank.
Interested? Or, questions? Email wshsasb206@gmail.com.
| Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Presidents Day Monday watch