West Seattle, Washington
21 Thursday
Story, video, and photos by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
“Y-tastic!”
The last speaker at Thursday’s West Seattle YMCA expansion groundbreaking celebration, member Michelle Silver, used that term for her enthusiastic view of the Y, whose director Josh Sutton picked it up and ran with it.
It was perfect for the energy and enthusiasm that marked the event outside the Triangle headquarters of the Y (a longtime WSB sponsor).
Though members of the Y board posed for the top photo, this wasn’t really a groundbreaking about, well, breaking ground – the shovels were mostly for fun:
Major work on the Y’s long-in-the-works expansion had started last week with demolition of the old Youth Programs building. The event was more a chance to honor those who made the project possible, and to celebrate a side benefit, the new “festival street” designation for SW Snoqualmie in front of the Y, recently finalized and used for the first time for this party, which included a bouncy house, free barbecue, and even the West Seattle High School Band:
And it was a chance to recap what the expansion will bring – Sutton hit the highlights: “When this project is done, we’ll have a whole new Y from the outside and new tools to help the community.” They include a meeting room, kitchen, expanded fitness space, new family room with “active play for all ages,” a new cycling room. (More details here.)
With its perch in the West Seattle Triangle, part of the “urban village” at the heart of the peninsula, and within walking distance of thousands of new apartments, the Y also has to have its eye on the future. That was noted by Mark Tabbutt, who spoke after Sutton’s introduction, a West Seattleite representing the Greater Seattle Y’s board.
“There’s a ton of new people coming in – this organization, this Y, is going to be a big part of drawing those people in.”
Without money to pay for the expansion, it wouldn’t be happening, and about $800,000 came from the state, so the program included an area legislator, 34th District State Senator Sharon Nelson.
“Why should the state support this?” she asked rhetorically. “Because it’s about youth and families.”
From the WS Y board, Scott Hitchcock hailed the “hard work” by so many, over the decade it took for this to become reality:
Those gathered in the new “festival street” also heard from Dino Vasquez and Steve Sundquist, co-chairs of the capital campaign. Sundquist, a former Seattle School Board member, voiced appreciation for the Y’s work at local schools.
A donor whose family made the first gift to the campaign, Sue Chamberlain, recalled her membership dating back 30 years, when she said she walked into the Y with her then-1-year-old son. The Y goes back almost a century here, she said, so those enabling its expansion are “continuing a great legacy.”
Gratitude was threaded through all the speeches, not just for those who gave money, but for those who gave time.
But the show was stolen by final speaker Michelle Silver, from the moment Sutton introduced her while making note that Silver was wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers T-shirt and obviously had to get home in time for the game. First, here’s some of what she described, memorably, as Y-Tastic:
The speeches wrapped up, and the party continued for guests of all ages.
Here’s what happens next, according to a timeline Sutton shared: The main building stays open throughout the project, Later this month, the entrance will move to the festival-street side. More changes will be ahead in August, when the first Y-hosted West Seattle Outdoor Movies screening will happen (last one of this year’s season, before the entire series moves next year). Then a new entrance is expected in October, and more of the new building will be open around Thanksgiving, with the project largely wrapped up by year’s end, meaning that 2017, in Sutton’s words, will bring a “new Y for a new year.”
In the chapel at Providence Mount St. Vincent tonight, worldwide celebrities drew a crowd. They are the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, best known for a documentary titled “Landfill Harmonic.” As the website about the documentary explains, they are a “Paraguayan musical group of kids that live next to one of South America’s largest landfills. This unlikely orchestra plays music from instruments made entirely out of garbage.” Like this violin, made from paint cans, kitchen baking pans, wood from pallets, and a fork:
And this cello, also made from pallet wood and an old oil can:
Here’s video with an introduction, translated, from their leader, followed by tango music starting at about 2:45 in:
If you missed the Recycled Orchestra in West Seattle tonight, they have two Seattle performances tomorrow – 3 pm at the Royal Room in Columbia City, and 7 pm at Hearthstone in Green Lake.
Two ways to do a good deed this weekend and leave your community a little cleaner – both happening this Saturday morning (June 4th):
SEAL SITTERS ‘SENTINELS OF THE SOUND’ CLEANUP AT ALKI: As first mentioned here almost two weeks ago, a very-low tide will enable Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network and friends to get out on Alki Beach for a 10 am-noon cleanup. Everybody’s welcome – find out more on the Seal Sitters website, and RSVP if you can, though Seal Sitters stress that you also are welcome to just show up.
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ADOPT-A-STREET: Meet at 9 am at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) in Admiral to be part of this quarterly cleanup. Incentive: Treats beforehand, sack lunch afterward – just spend a few hours helping clean up your community. The Admiral Neighborhood Association also invites you to its upcoming monthly meeting, says president Larry Wymer – Tuesday, June 14th, at 7 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd SW/SW Lander), with the agenda featuring HALA (Housing Affordability and Livability).
In case you missed our original mention and are going to be in The Admiral District at midmorning tomorrow (Friday), a reminder that almost a thousand students will be there too, for the “Group Hug for The Admiral” event. As reported here last week, it’s a big photo op to commemorate the soon-to-start major renovations at the historic Admiral Theater, organized by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which did the same thing for the Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge on the first Friday of June last year. SWSHS executive director Clay Eals says neighbors in the area all have received a notice; students will start arriving, on foot, around 9:30 am, from Alki, Lafayette, and Schmitz Park Elementary Schools. The ceremony/photo is set for 10 am; former mayors Norm Rice and Greg Nickels (an Admiral-area resident) are scheduled to speak to them briefly. No streets will be closed but a few parking spaces in front of the theater will be off-limits for the duration of the event.
(Click for full-size PDF version)
That map shows confirmed shots-fired incidents around the city so far this year. We obtained it from Mayor Ed Murray‘s office in connection with this afternoon’s announcement that the city is again seeking “acoustic gunshot detection.” This comes four years after his predecessor announced a plan to budget for a gunfire-detection system – a plan that never came to fruition. Back then, part of West Seattle was suggested as ripe for such a system; today’s announcement focused more on other areas of the city including South Park – you can see the map above includes clusters there and in North Delridge.
The mayor was joined by Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole in making the announcement on Gun Violence Awareness Day. The announcement also says he will “work with the Seattle City Council to require that all surplus firearms from the Seattle Police Department are only sold to other law enforcement agencies.”
Regarding the potential detection technology, the announcement says:
Gunshot locators actively listen for gunshots and detect the exact location where guns are fired. Unlike reports from nearby residents who may be uncertain, these systems’ advanced technology reliably report when and where the shots were fired. A video camera attached to the system is activated to capture the incident. Law enforcement authorities are notified immediately and a police officer can be dispatched to the vicinity without delay. …
… Community feedback will be critical to designing the system, deciding where it is deployed, and defining how it functions. Working with the community, the City will to use its race and social justice toolkit during the assessment of the pilot program. The City will engage with civil liberties advocates and ensure that it complies with the City’s existing privacy policy.
A federal grant would pay for a pilot system, says the announcement, which you can read in its entirety here. It also says that while the number of confirmed shots-fired incidents to date this year is smaller than last year – 144 this year, 154 a year earlier – they’re deadlier, with five shooting deaths this year, two last year.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has issued a Request for Proposals to gather interest from potential contractors who could construct the system. The city says the system would be paid for with a federal grant.
(WSB photo)
Thanks to the texter who tipped us about police with “armored vehicles” in the 8800 block of 14th SW. We got there just as they were wrapping up; turned out to be Bellevue Police again, saying they could only tell us they were “serving a warrant.” You might recall our report about BPD at another Highland Park location (9400 block of 9th SW) back in April; two days later, they announced that was linked to an “ID theft ring.” We just talked to BPD’s PIO and he said he does NOT believe this investigation is related to that one, but he can’t comment further than to say it was a “search warrant … safely completed” by Bellevue SWAT officers and “investigators.”
Five development/construction updates:
COMMENT TIME FOR 3856 21ST SW: Another West Seattle project going through “streamlined design review” has just opened for comment. According to the notice in today’s city Land Use Information Bulletin, you can comment through June 15th on a three-story, 2-unit townhouse building proposed for 3856 21st SW on Pigeon Point. The notice explains how to comment.
COMMENT TIME FOR 4505 23RD SW: This is another three-story, 2-unit townhouse building. This one, however, is not going through design review; it’s being built behind 4506 Delridge Way SW, where the existing structure will NOT be torn down, the city website says, but it’s open for comments on potential environmental effects, as the notice explains.
FORMAL APPLICATION FOR 5908 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: We first reported last September that a six-townhouse “rowhouse” building is planned for this once-commercial site northeast of Morgan Junction:
The formal application has just been filed, so watch for an official notice soon.
BLOCKS AWAY, AT 6311 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: Another “rowhouse” project, four units this time, is in the early stages for this site that currently holds a 72-year-old single-family house (but is zoned Lowrise 1).
4505 42ND SW UPDATE: NLB, who sent the original tip yesterday about site-clearing work for this Junction project, tweeted this video of the house coming down this morning:
@westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/bdZ19KkpEe
— NLB (@g7on) June 2, 2016
As noted again in our update last night, this is a mixed-use project with residential units, commercial space, and lodging.
You’ve probably already heard it’s going to be very warm this weekend – but you should also know that the National Weather Service says it could get very *hot*. It’s issued a “special weather statement” warning that the hottest temperatures of the year are possible this weekend, maybe into the mid-90s.
The end of the school year is in sight, and that means Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) eighth-graders are looking ahead to their new beginnings as high-school students next year. On Wednesday, they presented their “Change the World” projects, an annual assignment by teacher Tim Owens. We stopped by and recorded one team talking about their project, advocating for healthy, sustainable, affordable food for people experiencing poverty. In the photo above are Zach Carver, June Oto, Ainsley Yukawa, and Bijan Zavareei, who is speaking in our clip below:
Owens says the students have been working on their projects for five months. Their presentations were made over the course of about an hour and a half. Read more about this year’s projects here.
P.S. Explorer West is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an alumni reunion tomorrow (Friday, June 3rd), 4-7 pm, starting at the campus, 10015 28th SW, with appetizers and faculty visits; at 5:30 pm the reunion moves to nearby Roxbury Lanes for bowling, hosted by EWMS.
(Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
What’s happening today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:
SOUND TRANSIT 3: The Sound Transit board follows up last week’s announcement of revisions to its light-rail-expansion plan (including moving up West Seattle light rail to 2030) with a special meeting this morning, under way now until noon at the ST board room downtown. Here’s the agenda. You can watch live here. (401 S. Jackson)
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30 am-11 am at Southwest Library, for ages 3-5. (35th SW/SW Henderson)
DELRIDGE GROCERY FARMSTAND: Starting today and every Thursday all summer long, 4-7 pm, the Delridge Grocery Farmstand is back at the Delridge P-Patch with fresh produce for sale. (Delridge Way and Puget Boulevard)
WEST SEATTLE YMCA EXPANSION GROUNDBREAKING: 4:30-6 pm, you are invited to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) for a groundbreaking celebration as its expansion revs up. Bounce house, face-painting, games, photo booth, more, free for all! Brief program at 5 pm. (4515 36th SW)
SPIRITS FOR SPORTS: Join the West Seattle Booster Club in raising money at tonight’s “pub stroll” fundraiser, 6-9 pm in The Junction, various locations – details here.
LANDFILL HARMONIC ORCHESTRA: Free concert at 7 pm at Providence Mount St. Vincent. The Landfill Harmonic Orchestra from Paraguay includes musicians who live next to a giant landfill; their instruments “are made entirely out of garbage.” (4831 35th SW)
NORTH HIGHLINE UNINCORPORATED AREA COUNCIL: Live/work in White Center, Top Hat, Boulevard Park, or somewhere else in unincorporated North Highline? 7 pm at the NH Fire Station, your community council meets tonight. The agenda is previewed on our partner site White Center Now. (1243 SW 112th)
(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)
6:28 AM: Good morning! So far, no incidents in/from West Seattle.
BRIDGE CLOSURE TONIGHT: Final closure of the week for the Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-cushion work, 9 pm-5 am; the next one after this will be Sunday night into Monday morning.
7:31 AM: Still nothing out of the ordinary.
SDOT has finally officially announced the September 25th Seattle Summer Parkways (aka “car-free day”) West Seattle event, more than two months after we brought you first word it was on the way.
A few hours after Wednesday’s announcement, Seattle Summer Parkways coordinator Jordan Adams briefed the Southwest District Council, during its June meeting. The plans sound bigger than any of the previous “car-free days” in the area held 2008-2014.
One key point he mentioned: While Alki Avenue will be closed in its entirety between 63rd and 56th during the event (see the map above), the closure will be only one lane from 56th eastward (the water side of the street). Otherwise, the lineup for the 11 am-4 pm street party is taking shape; he told SWDC, “We have a few food trucks participating, and we’re opening the event with a 10K run … a bunch of groups already have signed up to organize events, we have a bike parade, a full music stage on Alki Beach, also up at the boat ramp.” (The run is the Orca Half, first reported here last week.) Also part of it: A fun way to work on emergency preparedness – cargo-bike trials in conjunction with the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs.
Adams is also inviting other organizations to be part of the Summer Parkways event (technically on the first Sunday of fall, as someone pointed out during the SWDC discussion), promotionally and/or offering an activity, no fee required- here’s the application.
9:15 PM: Lafayette Elementary in Admiral is getting its wish – an earlier schedule next year. Thanks to the parents who pointed us to today’s announcement, which is posted on the school website as well as having been sent home on paper. When the district announced new “bell times” last fall (WSB coverage here), mostly to try to get older students onto later schedules, Lafayette was the only elementary school in West Seattle that was left in late-start “Tier 3” – and its 9:30 start time was even scheduled to move five minutes later. But today, Lafayette leadership announced that the request to move to Tier 1 had been granted, one of only two of the 11 districtwide requests that the district was able to honor, according to this letter from assistant superintendent Pegi McEvoy. Next school year’s start time and end time at Lafayette will be 7:55 am and 2:05 pm. (Lafayette file photo from SPS website)
ADDED 4:16 PM THURSDAY: Thanks to the commenters who provided additional information. Here’s the official district reply to our request for the list of the 11 schools that asked to be moved up and which school besides Lafayette had the requested granted:
The district was able to move Bailey Gatzert and Lafayette to Tier 1 while keeping transportation “budget neutral”:
1. Bailey Gatzert
2. Orca K-8
3. Thurgood Marshall
4. K-8 STEM at Boren
5. Lafayette
6. Laurelhurst
7. Adams
8. John Hay
9. View Ridge
10. Catherine Blaine K-8
11. Cascadia@ Lincoln
6:10 PM: Weeks after equipment showed up for clearing the site, work started today on the mixed-use project at 4505 42nd SW in The Junction, across the alley from the Senior Center of West Seattle. This project got final Southwest Design Review Board approval early last year after four meetings over the course of a year. It is set for 7 stories including 40+ residential units, ~6,000 square feet of lodging, and ~4,500 square feet of retail, with 14 offstreet parking spaces; owner Leon Capelouto has said that tenants interested in parking beyond that will be able to access it in the garage for his Capco Plaza building less than a block south at 42nd/Alaska. The “lodging” was described during Design Review as nine furnished units to be offered for “minimum one-week, maximum one-month” use, expected to appeal to “corporate types.” (Thanks to NLB and Eddie for the tips that site work had begun.)
ADDED 7:55 AM THURSDAY: Thanks to NLB for this clip of demolition work continuing this morning:
@westseattleblog today the house comes down pic.twitter.com/oLdg2xSrSC
— NLB (@g7on) June 2, 2016
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tonight, the Southwest District Council‘s June meeting includes a discussion of an in-progress city review that could eventually determine whether the SWDC and the city’s other 12 district councils continue to exist.
One of the arguments for district councils is their advocacy for their respective jurisdictions getting their fair share of city attention and money, in programs like the Neighborhood Street Fund.
Since their last monthly meetings, members of both SWDC and its eastern West Seattle counterpart, the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council, have decided which five community-proposed NSF projects they’re forwarding to the city for consideration.
1st-through-5th-ranked by the Southwest District Council (western West Seattle):
1. Improvements at Harbor Ave SW & SW Spokane Street
2. Improvements at 39th Avenue SW and SW Oregon Street
3. Rapid Ride Bus Stops, Morgan Junction
4. Improvements on Fauntleroy Way
5. Traffic Circles, Sidewalks, and Safety Improvements in Arbor Heights
1st-through-5th-ranked by the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council (eastern West Seattle):
1. Modernize the Intersection of 16th Ave SW & SW Holden Street (Highland Park)
2. (tie) Complete SW Barton Street
2. (tie) Roundabout for Highland Park Way/SW Holden St
4. Brandon St Sidewalks (Delridge to High Point)
5. Safety Improvements to 26th Ave SW and/or 25th Avenue SW (Connecting Chief Sealth HS and the Westwood Village Bus Hub)
Both sets of decisions followed project-proposers’ presentations at the respective district councils’ meetings, and review of written applications – this document explains the criteria for evaluation.
No project is guaranteed funding just because the district council supports advancing it; the city’s pot of money is finite, and the Neighborhood Street Fund is citywide, opening for applications every three years, available for up to $90,000 $100,000-$1,000,000* for a project making it all the way through the process. But sometimes even projects that don’t get NSF funding land on SDOT’s radar. If you’d like to know more about any or all of the 10 aforementioned proposals, scroll ahead (or jump from the home page) for more details on each, excerpted from the community proposers’ applications – sometimes brief, sometimes detailed: Read More
Thanks to Marco for sharing the scene from Admiral Way, when a mallard mom and ducklings got some help making it across the street just west of 42nd SW. Marco adds, “Props to the guy who was keeping them safe in traffic!” A closer look:
(We can’t quite guess where mom was headed – Hiawatha? – or coming from, for that matter – can you?)
That’s the clearest image of the truck shown on security video, entering and leaving South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) in a span of less than 10 minutes, before and after Tuesday morning’s smash-and-grab ATM theft at Brockey Center (here’s our original report; here’s our followup on the damage done). While tracking technology led police to the ATM safe in an Arbor Heights backyard within a few hours, they have not yet found the truck or made arrests. SSC provided the video to WSB – here are the two sections showing the truck arriving and departing (at a time when the main-campus entrances on 16th SW are gated):
SPD describes the truck as a “white Chevrolet pickup truck with a crew cab” and asks that anyone with information about it, and/or anything else related to the theft, call the Southwest Precinct burglary unit at 206-233-2623.
A new move today in the city’s attempts to address the affordable-housing crisis: New rules proposed to crack down on alleged abuse of the new technology-enabled short-term-rental market. Here’s the announcement, just out of the WSB inbox:
Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Tim Burgess today announced a proposal to prevent long-term rental units from being converted to short-term rentals, while still providing residents the flexibility to earn additional income by renting out their homes.
The measure focuses on commercial operators who use platforms, such as Airbnb and VRBO, to rent multiple properties year-round. Approximately 80 percent of existing short-term rentals in Seattle will see no new regulations.
“Property owners are shifting hundreds of homes from the long-term residential market to short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, and in doing so dangerously reduce our housing supply,” said Councilmember Burgess, chair of the Council’s Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee. “At the same time, Seattle homeowners offering short-term rentals in their own homes earn valuable supplemental income. These proposed regulations focus narrowly on the commercial operators that take advantage of home-sharing platforms to exacerbate our housing crisis.”
Under the proposed rules, any property may be provided as a short-term rental for up to 90 nights in a 12 month period. Only properties that are the primary residence of the short-term rental operator will be allowed to rent past the 90-night threshold. The primary residency requirement will curtail the growing year-round commercial operation of these platforms.
“We must protect our existing rental housing supply at a time when it is becoming harder for residents to find an affordable home in Seattle,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “This proposal ensures that apartments and houses are not being used exclusively as short-term rentals, while still providing a means for homeowners to earn some extra money by occasionally renting out their property.”
Consistent with current City rules, all short-term rental operators must secure a City business license tax certificate and pay all applicable taxes.
“Our communities are facing steep rent increases and having difficulty staying in their homes, and the fast growing short-term rental industry is making it worse,” said Rebecca Saldaña, Executive Director at Puget Sound Sage. “The Mayor and Councilmember Burgess have started an important conversation about how short-term rentals should help, and not hurt, people who want to stay in Seattle.”
The small percentage of operators renting their primary residence for more than 90 nights will be required to also obtain a City regulatory license. This license will require proof that the unit being rented is the operator’s primary residence, proof of liability insurance that covers the short-term rental use, a local contact number for guests, a signed declaration that the unit meets building and life safety codes, and basic safety information posted for guests in the unit.
Under the proposed regulations, all short-term rental platform companies will also need to obtain a new regulatory license with the City. The platforms will be required to give the City limited data on a quarterly basis necessary for enforcement of the proposed law.
More information on the proposals can be found in these documents:
· One-page summary
· Frequently asked questions
· Detailed policy brief
The proposal is due to get its first council review before the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee two weeks from today, 9:30 am Wednesday, June 15th.
(American Goldfinch – the state bird of Washington! – photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Brand-new month, and here’s how it starts – with highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS VS. COUNCIL DISTRICTS: A City Council committee talks this morning about the draft report resulting from last year’s council request that the Department of Neighborhoods look at realigning the city’s 13 “districts” with the 7 new council districts. 9:30 am, live on Seattle Channel if you won’t be at City Hall.
TODDLER STORY TIME: For ages 1-3, 10:30-11 am at Southwest Library. (35th SW/SW Henderson)
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Another warm, sunny day, so we’re reminding you that HP Spraypark – the only spraypark in West Seattle – is open 11 am-8 pm daily through Labor Day. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
NETWORKING MEETUP: Noon-1:15 pm, you’re invited to visit our area’s only coworking center, West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor), and meet your fellow nontraditional workers/entrepreneurs/etc. at this week’s networking meetup. (6040 California SW)
THE GREATEST MOVIES YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF: Wednesday-afternoon series continues at Senior Center of West Seattle, 1 pm, with Paul Newman and Patricia Neal in “Hud.” $1 members/$2 nonmembers. (California SW/SW Oregon)
ULTIMATE FRISBEE: 6 pm Wednesday is “coed,” at Fairmount Playfield – more info here. (5400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm at the Sisson Building/Senior Center, the Southwest District Council’s agenda this month includes an update on the Alki “car-free” event planned September 25th for Seattle Summer Parkways and a discussion of the future of neighborhood districts vs. council districts – same item a City Council committee is discussing this morning. (California SW/SW Oregon)
JIM PAGE, LIVE: Singer-songwriter at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
TRIVIA AT TALARICO’S: Never been to popular Wednesday night trivia at Talarico’s Pizzeria? Maybe tonight’s your night. 8:30 pm. (4718 California SW)
WONDERING WHAT ELSE IS UP? Just browse our complete calendar.
(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)
6:28 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far. Today’s updates:
*Another Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-cushion work bridge closure tonight, 9 pm-5 am.
*Seattle Public Schools are out two hours early today
*Sewer-repair work is scheduled to continue on 35th between Juneau and Raymond.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: SDOT plans to install 80 signs on the West Seattle Bridge this weekend, marking it off in “zones” in hopes that will help emergency responses get to the right places.
DRIVE-BY CAR PROWLING: Shaun reports:
At roughly 1:28 am my wife witnessed this van driving down our street and stopping and opening car doors. Driver didn’t get out of van, just reached out of window to check if doors were open. We called it in, and followed at a distance. Once it stopped we got a picture of the van.
The License plate is: 01508 or 10508 – it was a specialty plate.
Shaun didn’t mention what part of West Seattle this happened in – we’re following up. (Update – Shaun says this was in Morgan Junction, and that they’ve since been told by police that the van was found and impounded, but no arrests so far.)
BROKEN WINDOW: In Admiral, two people reported seeing a broken window on a Jeep parked in the PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) parking lot this morning, and “some contents” strewn outside.
And in the day’s biggest broken-glass incident:
ATM-THEFT AFTERMATH: We followed up with South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) about the considerable damage done by the ATM theft early this morning. SSC spokesperson Ty Swenson told WSB that the thief/thieves “seriously damaged” an external and internal set of entrance doorways made of glass. The north entrance of the Jerry Brockey Student Center was closed for several hours, and the missing sections of glass and door frame were boarded up:
By late morning, Swenson said they “were able to open the undamaged set of doors at the north entrance, so people can access the Brockey Center from the north. Load bearing pillars at the entrance were not damaged. Our facilities department is currently assessing the damage and working with a local glass supplier to get a bid. We do not have a solid timeline on the repair or cost at this time.” While they don’t have surveillance video of the actual theft, he said, they do have video of the truck that was involved, and we hope to have that for a Crime Watch update tomorrow.
(In photo: Students Katia Oliva, Clarissa Perez, Brandon Edwards; Sealth grad & former Green Team president Jessie Dirks; teacher Noah Zeichner; YMCA Earth Service Corps instructor Tyrell Dozier)
Thanks to Nicole Sipila from the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA for sharing the news that the CSIHS Green Team has been “recognized as a 2015-16 Conservation Champion for their work to get water-bottle-filling stations installed in our school. We should have quotes for the work (this) week and we hope to see them in place before the 2016-17 school year. Great job!” Teacher Noah Zeichner, who provided the photo above from a school-board meeting last month, says the project has been in the works for two years, “when members realized they could reduce the use of plastic water bottles in their school if students had the ability to fill up reusable water bottles. … Not only did they get the green light to purchase filling stations at Chief Sealth, additionally they convinced the school board to pursue a $200,000 grant for filling stations in every single Seattle Public School.”
Nicole also shared this district-produced PDF with photos and profiles of other schools recognized around the city this year, including, from our area, Alki Elementary, Arbor Heights Elementary, Concord International, Pathfinder K-8, and West Seattle High School. Congratulations to all!
6:52 PM: We hope you won’t need this info, but in case you do, just tweeted by Seattle Police: “We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with the nonemergency line. Please call 206-583-2111 or 911 if you need assistance.”
11:18 PM: As of about an hour ago, the problem is fixed, SPD tweeted, so you can use the non-emergency line again – 206-625-5011 – if you need to. But if something is happening NOW, police always urge, call 911.
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