West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
You have 12 more days to comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Terminal 5 Improvements Project in West Seattle – unless the comment period is extended.
(Friday afternoon update: It has been.)
Both hearings for this stage of the process are now history, after tonight’s hearing, which was in West Seattle, at the Alki Masonic Center in The Junction. As we’d been told Tuesday in Georgetown (WSB coverage here), the format was exactly the same, though there were some divergences along the way.
Again tonight, Commissioner Fred Felleman opened, this time making a point to say “we don’t have a tenant yet” but promising they will “do it right” no matter what they wind up doing.
Paul Meyer, the port’s environmental manager, gave the presentation instead of deputy CEO Kurt Beckett, who was reported to have undergone “emergency dental surgery” earlier in the day, but did arrive around 6:15 pm. First, Commissioner Felleman said he wanted to be sure everyone understood that the Northwest Seaport Alliance jointly manages the Seattle and Tacoma container terminals, but not everything associated with both ports.
Just found out tonight that Terminal 5 will host yet another drill with helicopters on Saturday – this time, as part of the Cascadia Rising megaquake drill that’s been happening at a variety of locations around the region. Susan Stoltzfus with the Port of Seattle told us about it at tonight’s T-5 Draft Environmental Impact Report public hearing (report to come). She says multiple agencies are participating with simulations including a collapsed building, and it’s scheduled between 10 am and 3 pm. If you’re interested in taking a look, she says you’ll be able to view it from the Jack Block Park overlook. In the meantime, if you notice the helicopters and/or other unusual activity at T-5 on Saturday, don’t fret, it’s only a drill.
P.S. As we’ve already reported, a much-more low-key – but no less vital – drill will be happening in High Point, and your direct participation is welcome – here’s where, when, and how.
After two and a half weeks, Washington State Ferries says it’s giving up on new “procedures” that were intended to speed up loading at the Fauntleroy dock, but caused new problems instead. This afternoon’s announcement:
On Monday, May 23, WSF instituted new ticketing procedures at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal in order to address several problems identified by the passengers, ferry advisory committee members, and WSF. Over the past three weeks, we have learned from passenger feedback and direct observation that the new procedures were not working. Based on this experience, we are suspending the change and returning to the ticketing procedures that were previously in place starting on Friday, June 10.
Passengers with pre-purchased tickets will be waved through the tollbooth, and their tickets will be scanned on the dock. Passengers who do not have tickets must stop to buy them at the tollbooth. We recognize that this solution does not address the underlying difficulties at the Fauntleroy Terminal, including limited vehicle capacity, challenges with consistent fare recovery, and an outdated schedule designed for smaller vessels and lower traffic volume. These factors create conflict between maintaining the schedule and filling the boats.
Going forward, we will reach out to and communicate with stakeholders as we explore options to improve service within the constraints of our system. Thank you to all of our customers for your patience. We heard you, and we apologize for the disruption and inconvenience this change has caused.
(WSB photo, 3:20 pm today)
One day after a Seattle Parks crew hauled away a truckload of toys meant for sharing at Ercolini Park, the resulting parental petition drive (original WSB coverage here) is past 1,000 signers, and Parks has responded with an offer to negotiate:
We know the park is well-loved and much used by the many parents of small children who live in the neighborhood, and that the littlest of them love the supplemental toys the parents bring. We have no desire to substitute our judgment for theirs, but we do need to respond to the complaints we receive.
In today’s world of social media, people can raise an issue fast, as happened with the community’s online petition. In turn, we at Parks and Recreation are responding fast. Our Interim Parks Division Director has reached out to the author of the petition and offered to meet her at the park …
Our goal is to forge a compromise that involves establishing a protocol for what wear or breakage warrants the removal of toys, and involves the community in assessing the condition of the toys.
We hope to have a full resolution within the next day.
Petition author Amanda confirmed she was scheduled to talk today with a Parks rep to set up a meeting.
(UPDATED 5:04 PM with new information on burglary suspect)
In West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
BURGLARY SUSPECT ARRESTED, WITH DOG: A burglary suspect who neighbors believe is the door-trying “prowler with pooch” shown here in mid-May is due back in court today. After a tip that the suspect had been arrested Monday afternoon in the 9400 block of 24th SW, we followed up on the case: Police say a realtor found the 36-year-old woman and her dog inside a house listed for sale. Probable-cause documents say she appeared to be under the influence of drugs and begged officers not to take her dog; though she suggested someone who could come get it before she was taken to jail, that person was unreachable and the dog was taken to the shelter. The suspect, who gave a Burien address, has a long record of property crimes, including at least two featured here, but has never spent time in the state prison system (we checked to see if they had a mugshot, to compare to the “prowler with pooch” video). Her bail was set yesterday at $25,000 and we’ll be checking to see what happens today. According to the police report, the house on 24th SW had not been entered forcibly, and it hadn’t been determined whether anything was stolen.
ADDED 5:17 PM: The suspect is now charged with criminal trespass, so, per our policy, we can identify her: 36-year-old Jessica A. Detrick. Her bail is now $1,000; if still in custody, she is scheduled for arraignment tomorrow morning. Detrick figured into two cases we reported here in 2013, both with the same accomplice, Sean Jeardoe, who is currently in was recently released from prison: They were both arrested in a Morgan Junction parking lot in July 2013 after a WSB reader spotted him in a pickup truck reported here as stolen.
They were not charged at the time, though he confessed to multiple burglaries, but he was charged after they were arrested on Vashon Island two months later. As we reported at the time, investigators believed they were “responsible for up to 22 burglaries, 4 gun thefts, 3 auto thefts, and other crimes.” He reached a plea deal and was sentenced to 4 1/2 years including mandatory drug treatment; court records do not show any evidence Detrick was ever charged. She does appear to have had some arrests in the ensuing two years, but no felony prosecutions. (Friday afternoon update: She’s been released from jail.)
(back to original report) GUNFIRE/CRASH FOLLOWUP: Since Monday, we’ve been trying to get the report narrative on the 10th/Roxbury incident we covered Saturday afternoon. We confirmed that while both Seattle Police and King County Sheriff’s Office responded, the investigation is a KCSO case. Media-relations officer Sgt. Jason Houck talked with detectives, who are still looking for tips/witnesses, and provided this summary/update:
Two vehicles were involved in a running gun battle. Per witnesses, there were at least two people in each car. The car being chased, a gold-colored Buick, collided head-on with a car going west on Roxbury.
(WSB photo from Saturday)This led to several other collisions. The car following the Buick was described by a witness as a black Chevy Impala. It fled from the scene. The occupants of the Buick fled from the scene, but the driver returned a short time later. Several fired cartridge casings were recovered. Although there were several people injured during the collisions, no one has been found with gunshot wounds. No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information about this shooting can leave information by contacting 206-263-2090 – Major Crimes Unit
KCSO would not release the full report narrative, saying its policy is not to do so with open cases, even if a public-disclosure request is filed (which we did), so this is the entirety of what we have so far.
POSSIBLE GUNFIRE: Just in case you were wondering – we got one report late last night of possible shots, heard from 14th/Kenyon; when they called 911, they were told others had called in, too. Police responded but, according to Lt. Alan Williams, did not find any evidence of gunfire (shell casings, bullet holes, etc.) and didn’t find anyone who had seen someone firing a gun.
CAR PROWLS CONTINUE: We’ve reported before on car prowls in the garage at Spruce, the Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th building that houses apartments and LA Fitness. A frustrated gym employee contacted us today, saying break-ins are continuing there and on surrounding blocks, concerned that their employer is getting the blame but shouldn’t be. The employee says the garage does not have adequate security. The online police-report map does not not show a recent concentration of prowls there, but we’ve heard this anecdotally from multiple sources including this one (if your car is broken into, please report it, wherever it happens, even if nothing is taken).
HIT-RUN – SEE ANYTHING? From Daniel:
My 2010 Subaru Outback was side swiped the afternoon of Sunday, June 5th . It was sitting in front of my house, at the corner of 42nd Ave SW & Spokane St SW. No note was left. It was hit by a blue SUV or light truck. Damage is to passenger front and rear door (estimate of damage is $1756.00). A police report was filled with the Seattle Police (case #2016-200484).
Traffic on the eastbound bridge looks a little more like morning than afternoon right now because of a crash blocking 1 1/2 lanes by the 4th Avenue exit. Two cars are involved, no injuries reported, police are on scene, as you can see in our screengrab from the “live” camera, taken a couple minutes ago. If you have to head eastbound, we’d suggest waiting a while.
1:36 PM: Five hours ago, we got a tip that port trucks were backed up in a big way on East Marginal Way, north of Spokane. It’s apparently continued since then – but, per the scanner, the trucks are now dispersing, about 15 minutes after we took the screengrab you see above. They have reportedly been waiting to get into Terminal 46 off Alaskan Way, but, also per scanner discussion, police are saying that terminal is now closed for the day. We have an inquiry out to the port in hopes of finding out more. Truck traffic is of particular interest right now as one of the issues factoring into the environmental review of the Terminal 5 big-ship-readiness project, which has another hearing 5-8:30 pm tonight in The Junction (as previewed earlier).
2:35 PM: Haven’t heard back from the port yet but we’ve just heard police via scanner say that 46 is “open again.”
6:48 PM: Port spokesperson Susan Stoltzfus talked with us briefly at the T-5 hearing, saying all they could figure is that the trucks were “over-dispatched.”
Need help with a garden/plant problem? This weekend, you’ll have a chance to find that help at the Delridge P-Patch. 10 am-2 pm Saturday (June 11th), it’s hosting a Master Gardener Pop-Up Clinic – one of just four sites around the city chosen to host one, according to Ta Pemgrove from the P-Patch. You can of course just show up to ask for advice, but it’ll be really helpful if you can answer this poll to provide information on what you need help with. The garden is at 5078 25th SW.
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox – we start with tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk – first, the venue map/list, from Admiral to Arbor Heights:
Two of the special events happening during Art Walk:
MURAL TOURS: Featured tonight, as spotlighted last night, two chances for a short walking tour of some of West Seattle’s historic murals, led by Clay Eals from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society (seen below at the “Bank Day” mural, during a preview tour with the Art Walk committee):
The tours are free. Meet at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor) before the tour times at 6 and 7:30 pm.
PAINTING EXHIBITION AND GREETING CARD LAUNCH: At VAIN (WSB sponsor) during the Art Walk, you’re invited to a cocktail reception for “Apartment Life Paintings” by West Seattle’s own Michael Doyle, also featuring a worldwide launch party for his line of greeting cards and prints. 6-9 pm. (4513 California SW)
Also happening around West Seattle today/tonight:
SSC GARDEN CENTER SALE: At South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), plants grown and propagated by students, on sale 11 am-3 pm on the north side of campus. (6000 16th SW)
WINE TASTING: Also on the north side of campus at SSC, noon-7 pm, the Northwest Wine Academy‘s spring release of new wines is accompanied by free tastings and bites. Details in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)
DELRIDGE GROCERY FARMSTAND: 4-7 pm in the Super 24 lot, fresh-grown produce sold again this summer by the volunteers working on the Delridge Grocery Cooperative project. On the list this week: Apples, arugula, butter and romaine lettuce, beets, carrots, kale, spinach, strawberries, Swiss chard. (5455 Delridge Way SW)
DUOS SUMMER HAPPY HOURS: Duos in Luna Park is going public again three nights a week for happy-hour events during the summer, Tuesdays-Thursdays. Each night has a theme, and tonight it’s Americana night. 4-9 pm. (2940 SW Avalon Way)
SECOND PUBLIC HEARING FOR TERMINAL 5 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT: We covered the first one Tuesday in Georgetown so you’d know how this will go – the Port says it’ll be exactly the same format. If you have something to ask or say about the proposed quarter-billion-dollar project to expand operations/capabilities at T-5 in West Seattle, this is the time/place, 5-8:30 pm at the Alki Masonic Center in The Junction – presentation at 6, followed by questions/comments. (40th SW/SW Edmunds)
SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: 5 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex on the upper turf field, it’s the West Seattle Girls Softball 15U championship game, possibly 2 games depending on how the 1st one turns out, our tipster says. Darigold Royals vs. Bridge Electric. (2801 SW Thistle)
GRADUATION: Seattle Lutheran High School‘s ceremony is at 7:30 pm in the gym. Congratulations, Class of 2016! (41st SW/SW Genesee)
RIPPIN CHICKEN: Get funky at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm, no cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
MORE FOR TODAY, TONIGHT, BEYOND … on our complete calendar.
One West Seattle project of note is in today’s edition of the city’s twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin:
(Artist rendering from packet by architect Lisa McNelis, page 27, with more explanation of proposed design)
COMMENT TIME FOR 5414 DELRIDGE WAY SW: We first reported in April that the project proposed to replace a house at 5414 Delridge Way [map] had changed from what went to the Southwest Design Review Board last year. Today’s bulletin brings the official notice that the new project is now in “streamlined design review,” and comments are being accepted now. You can see the design proposal in PDF format by going here. It includes the description:
The proposed project consists of a street-facing 3-story structure containing 2 commercial units and a separate 3-story structure containing 4 residential units. The owner has developed three similarly planned projects just two lots to the south. The main tenant of the commercial space will be the owner’s business, Community Care, which provides services for children with behavioral challenges. It is a design goal to build a recognizable building that incorporates San Francisco-inspired Victorian detailing similar to a historical photo from 1906 that he has long admired. It is the intent of this project to inspire future development in Delridge that takes great care in materials, detailing, and design, whatever its style may be. This project also includes four parking spaces accessed from the alley. Designated parking for the commercial space will not be provided. … At the owner’s expense, the remainder of the unpaved alley on this block will be paved. This is not a (city) requirement for this project.
“Streamlined design review” means no public meeting, so if you’re interested in commenting, the notice explains how. The deadline is June 22nd.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:31 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far this morning.
BRIDGE CLOSURE: Tonight, 9 pm-5 am, another closure of the west end of the bridge, last one for the week, as the Fauntleroy Expressway earthquake-safety-cushion project continues. If you are headed westbound, you’ll have to exit at (or before) Delridge. If going westbound, you won’t be able to enter the bridge at 35th/Fauntleroy. Next closure after tonight will be Sunday night.
8:09 AM: Michael tweets that truck traffic is heavy on lower Spokane. (Seems to happen every Thursday.)
8:59 AM: A texter warns of “gravel all over the left lane to I-5 north up from Spokane Street.”
(Bird’s-eye view “schematic” of proposed tennis center)
The idea of turning the six tennis courts west of Southwest Pool into an indoor tennis center is still in the early exploration stage.
But that’s the stage at which it’s important to talk things through, a lot, and about 50 people showed up to do that on Tuesday night at Chief Sealth International High School.
Lisa Corbin is the community member leading the campaign. She explained how the idea originated four years ago – the backstory’s on this fact sheet – and that a city Small and Simple grant was paying for a feasibility study by Jack Kamrath of Tennis Planning Consultants.
Kamrath said he’s in town to get the next part of that study going and expects to have it finished by summer’s end. The next phase will look at the potential market for the center and will focus on finding out how many people play tennis “from time to time” in order to gauge potential demand, which then would determine how many courts are needed. He’s already done two mapping surveys, one to determine how many people live within 15 minutes’ driving distance and how many live within 18 minutes. Those numbers, he said, range from 360,000 people to nearly 515,000.
Building this kind of structure, he said, would take about six months once permits are issued. The site (formerly part of the Denny International Middle School campus, still owned by Seattle Public Schools) already has power, water, sewer, drainage infrastructure in place; along with the courts, which would need to be refinished, it would have restrooms and storage areas. So far, Kamrath said, discussions that he and Corbin have had with the city have not turned up any major speedbumps.
Questions included what the center would cost. As noted in the FAQ sheet made available, it’s estimated to be around $4 million. It’s expected that would come “from multiple public and private sources” (though NOT school-district funds). And it would be self-sustaining once operational, bringing in money from lessons, court fees, and league play. It would likely be managed by a concessionaire, much the same way that Premier manages city golf courses. Too soon to say how all this would balance out with school use. And if you are recalling that the site was mentioned as a potential future elementary school, the FAQ says the district has told the group they don’t envision school construction on the site “for at least the next 28 years.”
Watch here for word of the next community meeting and other updates.
West Seattle’s historical murals can’t be taken for granted. So far just this year, one’s been removed without warning; another’s been defaced with vandalism so big it would take thousands to fix. The quarter-century-old murals are fragile treasures, to say the least. Thursday, during this month’s West Seattle Art Walk, you’re invited to learn about them during two short free walking tours of the murals in The Junction.
These photos are from earlier this spring, when we went along on a sort of proto-version of the tour, with Art Walk committee members and Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals, who will be the leader tomorrow night and has published this invitation on the SWSHS website.
In The Junction, the murals range north to south from the refurbished Hi-Yu Parade scene on the side of the Post Office (top photo) to the scene facing the parking lot off the west side of California just north of Edmunds, meant to mirror what you’d see if you stepped just a bit to the east from there:
Even if you’ve read the plaques next to most of the murals, you’ll learn something tomorrow night – like their Easter eggs, the tributes, the inspiration. Meet at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor) right before the tours start at 6 and 7:30, and check out other Art Walk venues before/after if you have the time!
This Friday night, a local youth group invites you to help do a good deed for the tiniest members of our community. Here’s how:
West Seattle Rainbow Assembly #18 will be hosting a community baby shower on June 10th at 6 pm for the benefit of the Pediatric Interim Care Center. There will be a potato bar, games and dessert. Please come and meet the members of WS Rainbow and help out a worthy cause.
The baby shower will be held at the Alki Masonic Center located at 4736 40th Ave SW. Please enter through the doors on the parking-lot level.
PICC is a center that cares for babies born drug-exposed and medically fragile. A list of items that are on their wishlist include: hand sanitizer; cotton/terry sleepers with snap fronts (size small & medium) in white or pastel colors; disposable diapers (size small or medium); antibacterial soap; latex/vinyl gloves (medium & large; powered & non-powdered); Johnson’s Baby Powder with Cornstarch; Johnson’s baby shampoo; and cash donations are also welcome.
There is a list of items which are also needed on an occasional basis found on their website that do not relate directly to the care of the babies (i.e. bleach, toilet paper, Kleenex, etc)
We would welcome your donations if you are not able to attend. This event counts towards the girls’ community service hours and brings them a lot of joy. Please attend!
Questions? E-mail iorg.ws18@gmail.com.
(Photo from Change.org petition page)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Ercolini Park at 48th/Alaska was dedicated eight years ago as a triumph of community collaboration – grants, donatios, volunteer labor, passion.
Since its opening, a community tradition has grown – toys kept at the park for young visitors to share.
This afternoon, all but a few of those toys are gone.
A Seattle Parks crew gathered them up and took them away. One local mom said it was the second roundup and so she took action, launching a petition on Change.org, with this plea:
Attention: Seattle Parks and Recreation Jesus Aguirre, Superintendent Christopher Williams, Deputy Superintendent
In the last month, there has been a mass exodus of toys from West Seattle’s Ercolini Park – two pick-ups in the last two weeks! We’re heartbroken and our children miss their toys!
After the first removal, parents rallied and donated toys for the use of hundreds of toddlers and children in our community. The large majority of them were taken by the City this morning. All of the push carts are gone. We’re left with a few tricycles and other toys that the littlest community members aren’t old enough to play with. We’re told a neighbor has filed a complaint, leading the Department of Parks and Recreation to take action. With no means through which to negotiate with the neighbor, we’re asking you to please also take into account the wishes of the larger community.
Wasn’t Ercolini gifted to the city for precisely this reason? Ercolini is special BECAUSE of the toys. Without them, it’s every other park in Seattle. Our children have learned to walk at Ercolini, ride bikes, share with other children, discover empathy, and experience true community. For the parents, we have a place to take them, meet other parents, it’s a space that encourages outdoor time and interaction in a way that other parks can’t. Ercolini is unique and should be kept that way.
We ask the following:
– Please limit the frequency of toy removal to a more cyclical time frame. Families have donated toys to replenish the loss and those toys should have a reasonable life span for the children’s use, and/or;
– Only take the broken toys and/or set up an area for parents to deposit broken toys for the City to pick up rather than taking all or most of them. We’re happy to partner with the City on this, and/or;
– Please arrange an opportunity for us to work with the neighbors requesting removal so we can reach a mutually beneficial agreement; and/or
– Suggest an alternative to removing the toys. Many thanks in advance for considering our requests.
-West Seattle Parents Who Care
As of the moment we’re hitting “publish” on this story, that online petition has more than 430 signers.
After hearing about this – thanks for all the tips! – we asked Parks about the toy takeaway, and spokesperson Dewey Potter replied: “The Park Code has a section that prohibits leaving things in a park. We know that some people like to bring supplemental toys to play areas, and we have tried to walk a middle ground. The toys the crew removed this morning were either old or broken, and there are still many left at the playground. The crew has had complaints from people who had tripped or nearly tripped, so they did post signs in the park. People apparently are not paying attention to the signs, so the crew tries to walk that middle ground by going by once a week to remove any toys that are worn or broken or could present an obstacle or a hazard. Ercolini Park has an unusually large number of toys that are left behind — the crew chief once counted four dozen. We would encourage people to leave only toys that are in good repair.”
Meantime, what happened to the toys taken away by Parks crews – are they somewhere awaiting pickup, or did they just get dumped? We’re waiting for the answer to that.
ADDED WEDNESDAY EVENING: That response, also from Parks spokesperson Potter: “The toys from previous pickups are gone. The crew chief took a quick look at the toys that came in today. She saw signs of wear on the toys on the top of the load and asked the staff about their condition. Their guideline was that they removed toys with damage of any kind. The toys are in the packer truck and cannot be retrieved.”
On sunny days, visitors to Alki generate a lot of trash. On the beach side, Parks struggles to keep up with it, as reported here before, and as a few regional news organizations noted earlier this week. But today, outside the park boundaries, Alki has one less trash can – apparently, because it was used too much. Diana e-mailed Metro to ask about the trash can that disappeared from the stop on eastbound Alki at 61st SW and shared the response she received today:
Thank you for your recent case submittal, advising Metro Transit of your concerns about maintenance and lack of trash can at the bus stop on 61st Ave SW & Alki Ave SW. I appreciate your use of public transportation and I regret the circumstances that made it necessary for you to contact us.
This trash can at this stop was pulled due to excessive trash from the coffee shops and not our bus patrons. Our shelter cleaning crews are not (there) everyday and the amount of trash that was being dumped was a factor in the removal of this trash can. A trash can will not be re-installed.
“Coffee shops” would apparently be a reference to the Starbucks store that’s a few steps down and the Top Pot store to the west of that. And as to how much trash is NOT too much, we’re contacting Metro to follow up.
(Wednesday evening note: We’re expecting Metro’s response tomorrow, so look for a followup.)
(UPDATED 5:53 PM with comment from tree/lot’s owner)
(WSB photos)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Barely three blocks as the crow flies from where the illegal cutting of 100+ trees sparked a regional uproar, the potential legal cutting of a single tree is inspiring a quiet revolt.
Among the leaders – a neighborhood 9-year-old.
This tree and its situation are quite different from the now-notorious, deciduous-tree-dominated “clearcut” on public land in the Duwamish Head Greenbelt. This is an evergreen, on private land, a small lot over which it towers, a Ponderosa Pine labeled an “exceptional tree” by city standards, even in the arborist report for the proposal to build a house on the ~3000-square-foot site where it grows, at 3036 39th SW.
The city is currently in a comment period for the project, but as a standalone single-family-house proposal, it didn’t hit our radar until reader Catherine Darwin posted about it in the WSB Forums, starting the topic “Large Ponderosa Pine on 39th SW.” Read More
Five biznotes today:
ULTA TO WESTWOOD? The big Westwood Village space vacated by Pier 1 Imports has a new tenant on the way, according to city permit files: Ulta Beauty. The beauty-products retailer has almost 900 stores, according to its recent first-quarter-earnings report, including not-so-far-away Southcenter. We have a message out to their corporate HQ. (Update: Corporate response – “I don’t have anything to share with you at this time.”)
WONDERING ABOUT WHOLE FOODS? We’ve been asked recently about the latest timeline for Whole Foods Market to open in The Whittaker, the big mixed-use project under construction at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW. So we asked a company spokesperson. Reply: “Second half of 2017.” (The apartments are opening sooner.)
KIZUKI, THE SAGA CONTINUES: Elsewhere in The Junction, the #1 “when is it opening?” question continues to involve Kizuki Ramen and Izakaya in Junction 47. The newest public answer: “Near the end of this month.”
TALARICO’S REMODEL: Several people asked what’s going on at covered-up Talarico’s Pizzeria in The Junction. Back in mid-May when we reported on the old Schuck’s sign uncovered out front, we mentioned that the restaurant explained this was all part of a front-end remodel including the windows. (Update: They’re reopening at 5 pm today.)
WHITE CENTER NOTES: In case you hadn’t seen our coverage on White Center Now – a county permit-application sign says the recently sold Chevron at 15th/16th/100th is set for a Starbucks and Popeye’s. In our followup attempts, the former has no comment aside from a generic “we’re always looking for new locations”; we haven’t reached media relations at the latter yet. … And if you are following the White Center Dairy Queen saga, which started with an abrupt shutdown blamed on “register failure” and has included allegations that the franchisee didn’t pay employees for their final two weeks, two tipsters spotted equipment being hauled out yesterday. We have a message out to DQ corporate. (Added 11:36 am – Just got a call back from DQ corporate, which is checking with the “territory operator” to find out the location’s fate. … Added 3:12 pm: The corporate spokesperson says this will NOT be reopening as a DQ.)
(Last night’s sunset, photographed by Lynn Hall)
Happy midweek! Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:
LOCAL-BUSINESS MEETUP: Noon-1:15 pm, come visit our area’s only coworking center, West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor), and network with your fellow local business entrepreneurs. (6040 California SW)
THE GREATEST MOVIES YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF: Wednesday-afternoon series continues at Senior Center of West Seattle, 1 pm, with Spencer Tracy in “Me and My Gal.” $1 members/$2 nonmembers. (California SW/SW Oregon)
LANDER STREET BRIDGE OPEN HOUSE: This revived SDOT project in SODO is of major interest in West Seattle, as a way to keep things moving over the train tracks. If you have questions, today’s 4-6 pm open house in SODO is one place to get answers – there’s also an “online open house” now accessible here. Stop by Metropolist.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 160: 6 pm on second Wednesdays is the monthly meeting at Post 160 in The Triangle. (3618 SW Alaska)
ULTIMATE FRISBEE: 6 pm Wednesday is “coed,” at Fairmount Playfield – more info here. (5400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: During tonight’s 7 pm meeting of the 34th District Democrats, district state legislators Reps. Eileen Cody and Joe Fitzgibbon and Sen. Sharon Nelson are scheduled to present an update on what’s been going on in Olympia. See the full agenda here. Meeting’s at The Hall @ Fauntleroy. (9131 California SW)
COUNTRY COVERS: That’s what you’ll hear from The Loose Heels at Parliament Tavern tonight, 8:30 pm. No cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SOMETHING FOR THE CALENDAR? Please e-mail us the info – plain text in the body of your e-mail – at least a week in advance (the earlier the better!), editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
4:15 AM: A “full response” is arriving at a possible house-fire call in the 8100 block of 30th SW [map]. More to come.
4:19 AM: It’s a garage fire, SFD has tweeted. The response is being scaled down and its investigator is on the way.
4:29 AM: Our crew is at the scene and confirms that the fire’s out but a detached garage is damaged, as is a car inside it. No one hurt.
4:36 AM: SFD’s investigator has arrived to figure out what caused this. (Sunday’s early-morning garage fire, you might recall, was blamed on improperly discarded charcoal briquets. We’ll check back on this one later in the morning.)
10:19 AM: SFD spokesperson Lt. Sue Stangl tells WSB the garage fire is suspected to have been set, so Seattle Police are investigating. We went back a short time ago for a daylight look at the damage:
The arson tipline is 800-55-ARSON.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight. First one’s a followup, from Sarah:
Remember the Gibson guitar and Fender amp that were stolen out of my son’s car? They were recovered by the police after the robber tried to sell them this week at a Capitol Hill pawn shop! We had serial numbers that we had given to the police pawn shop squad (a very important step: make sure that happens so that they alert pawn shops). We are very happy and relieved! The broken car window was a $50 deductible, but all things considered, a good outcome to what had been a very no-good bad-day two weeks ago.
Second, recognize this potentially stolen-and-abandoned bicycle? Amy sent the photo:
She says it’s been parked on a sidewalk near EC Hughes Playground, and that it has a broken chain. If you recognize it, let us know – comments or editor@westseattleblog.com.
Third and final, a new round of safety advice from SPD, in the latest newsletter from Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon. Read it here as a two-page PDF.
(T-5, empty since summer 2014, in center of 2015 photo by Peter West Carey)
We went to tonight’s Terminal 5 Improvements Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement public hearing in Georgetown mostly to find out the format so you know what to expect at the one in West Seattle on Thursday night.
So you can plan, here’s the format:
5-6 pm, open house
6 pm, presentation, including project background and information on the environmental-review process
6:30 pm, opportunity for attendees to ask “clarifying questions”
6:45 pm until 8 pm (depending on how many speakers), public hearing
8-8:30 pm, open house
Spanish and Vietnamese interpreters were available.
After a welcome by Port Commissioner Fred Felleman, an overview of the “project purpose” was offered, showing that while the current T-5 (which has been closed to cargo for two years now) is set for 136′ maximum ship width, the largest ships out there now go to 193′, and that’s why they need to make it “big-ship ready.”
The project is sponsored by the Port of Seattle and the Northwest Seaport Alliance – its partnership with Tacoma – but Seattle is the lead agency and responsible for the environmental review, which it originally wasn’t going to do – then, after considerable citizen urging, it changed its mind, saying it had discovered that the project was likely to be big enough to mandate one anyway.
As you’ll see in the DEIS, three alternatives are reviewed: Read More
4:54 PM: Eight months after kicking her boyfriend’s toddler son to death in their Morgan Junction apartment, 21-year-old Alicia Goemaat pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder. We just found that out after checking court files. Goemaat was arrested less than a week after 17-month-old Drue Lehto was found dead; investigators say she kicked him and then placed him in his crib, where he was found. She eventually was reported to have said she was mad at Drue for fighting with her own young child over a toy. Second-degree murder is the charge originally filed against Goemaat last fall; we have no other details of today’s hearing but will update with anything more we find out. Her sentencing is set for July 8th.
6:18 PM: We now have information from KCPAO spokesperson Dan Donohoe regarding the sentencing recommendation: “The sentence range is 123 to 220 months in prison, and prosecutors will recommend 140 months.” (That’s 11 years, 8 months.)
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