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Spotlight Stories

West Seattle Crime Watch: Seen this stolen car, and carseat?
January 14, 2016 6:43 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Someone stole Brent‘s 1996 black Honda Accord EX: “It was last parked at 42nd and Edmunds, parked next to Safeway on the street. It had a handicap placard hanging from the mirror. There was a brand-new Britax car seat (1 week old) in the back seat.” The license plate: AHF 0976. Call 911 if you see it.

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West Seattle scene: Northwest Wine Academy goes blue and green (along with red and white)
January 14, 2016 5:59 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Northwest Wine Academy goes blue and green (along with red and white)
 |   Puget Ridge | West Seattle news | WS & Sports | WS beverages

(Photo courtesy Kevin Maloney, South Seattle College)
5:59 PM THURSDAY: You know Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) for its reds, its whites … and today, its blues and greens. The photo was taken while reps of Mayor Ed Murray‘s office were visiting NWWA this afternoon – there to pick up some choice NWWA wine for the mayor’s impending coast-to-coast bet with his counterpart in Charlotte, NC, over Sunday’s Seahawks-Panthers game.

ADDED 9:55 AM FRIDAY: We asked the mayor’s office which wines – here’s the photo:

Their announcement this morning:

Mayor Ed Murray has entered into a friendly wager with Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts ahead of Sunday’s NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers. Sunday’s game marks the second consecutive year the two teams have met in the Divisional round, with the Seahawks winning last year 31-17.

“I’m looking forward to celebrating another Seahawk playoff win with another package of prizes from yet another Mayor of Charlotte,” said Mayor Murray. “We have never lost to the Panthers in the playoffs and I know Coach Carroll has the team ready for this road playoff game. Last week’s game is proof that the Seahawks can beat any opponent, in any weather, in any stadium.”

“As much as I’d love to share our fine southern cuisine with our cross-country colleagues, they will have to settle for eating crow after we beat the ‘Hawks’,” said Mayor Roberts. “Coach Rivera has the team prepared to defeat anyone standing in their path to the Super Bowl. Pete Carroll will be sleepless in Charlotte trying to develop a game plan to stop Cam Newton.”

If the Seahawks beat the Panthers, Mayor Roberts will send Mayor Murray barbeque from Mac’s Speed Shop, beer from The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, and salted caramel brownies from Amelie’s French Bakery.

If the Panthers defeat the Seahawks, Mayor Murray will send Mayor Roberts beer from Pike Brewing, wine from the South Seattle College’s Northwest Wine Academy, and Chinese barbeque from Kau Kau in the Chinatown-International District.

Sunday’s game kicks off at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte at 10:05 a.m. Pacific time.

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FOLLOWUP: Next meeting set for Lincoln Park North Play Area renovation
January 14, 2016 2:11 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Miss the November open house regarding the renovation of the north play area at Lincoln Park? You have one more chance to get involved – and the date has just been announced: Tuesday, February 2nd, 6:30-8 pm, at Gatewood Elementary (see the flyer here). You’ll have a chance to see the “schematic design” and offer your thoughts about play equipment – at least some of which is expected to facilitate the inclusivity discussed with Seattle Parks by the former Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) students whose ongoing work we’ve been covering. Find the LPN Play Area project info here, including the photos/drawings of potential play equipment as shown at the November open house.

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HIGHWAY 99 TUNNEL: State tells contractor to ‘suspend’ work TFN
January 14, 2016 12:13 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Highway 99 tunnel | West Seattle news

ORIGINAL REPORT, 12:13 PM: Just in from WSDOT:

The Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program (WSDOT) is in the process of notifying Seattle Tunnel Partners to suspend tunneling operations involving the tunnel boring machine, a “Suspension for Cause” in contractual terms, until such time as WSDOT lifts the suspension in writing. We will provide a copy of the letter after it is delivered to STP.

The following is a statement from Secretary of Transportation Lynn Peterson:

“In light of recent incidents on the SR 99 Tunnel Project, WSDOT is notifying the contractor that they must suspend tunneling work for cause. I share the Governor’s concern for public safety and we want to ensure that the contractor has the right protocols in place to proceed with their work safely.

We are asking that the contractor complete root cause analysis and take the appropriate steps to ensure that incidents, such as the sinkhole near the repair pit, do not occur again. STP will not be allowed to resume tunneling until their analysis and work plans meet the satisfaction of our experts.

I want to remind everyone that replacing the viaduct is critical to public safety. We have conducted surveys of the viaduct and no movement has been observed; surveys will continue. The tunneling work must proceed, but it must proceed safely.”

This week alone, besides the 35′ x 20′ x 15′ sinkhole, there also was trouble with the barge being used for excavation spoils. WSDOT stresses, however, that other work – such as the Highway 99 lane closures starting next week for tunnel-related sign installation – goes on. More as we get it. Per WSDOT’s “Follow Bertha” page, as of Tuesday, 1,280 feet of tunneling had been completed, of 9,270 feet in all.

P.S. Checking our archives – available via Google cache until our full site is up – we note that yesterday was the seventh anniversary of the announcement by then-Gov. Gregoire, then-Mayor Nickels, and then-County Executive Sims that a deep-bore tunnel had been chosen to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

4:02 PM UPDATE: As promised, WSDOT has made public the letter sent to Seattle Tunnel Partners. You can read it in its entirety here. Here’s what’s at the heart of it:

WSDOT has determined that STP has failed to correct conditions unsafe for the Project personnel or general public, and failed to comply with Governmental Approvals, Law, or otherwise carry out the requirements of the Contract Documents. Therefore, WSDOT has the authority to suspend work for cause, pursuant to Contract Sections 14.2 (a) and 14.2(b) and Technical Requirements Section 2.52.7.3.5.

On the night of January 12, 2016, a sinkhole was detected over the tunnel. The full extent of ground loss is not yet determined and settlement is increasing. STP has yet to provide a detailed analysis of the cause of the observed ground settlement, or a plan for modifying tunneling operations to ensure positive ground control at all stages of tunneling (TR 2.32), and to prevent settlement outside of tolerance in the future (see TR 2.52).

On Tuesday January 12, 201 6, STP’s barge filling operation resulted in a barge listing beyond STP’s control. As a result the barge was either let go or broke free from the pier, spilling tunnel spoils into Elliott Bay, and drifted out of control damaging both Terminal 46 and Pier 48. These events created an unpermitted spill of material and posed a hazard to project personnel and the public.

WSDOT requests a meeting with STP within 24 hours to address this matter.

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What’s up for the rest of your West Seattle Thursday
January 14, 2016 12:10 pm
|    Comments Off on What’s up for the rest of your West Seattle Thursday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Highlights for tonight:

‘TRAFFIC GARDEN’ MEETING: Our area’s first “traffic garden” is in the works for Dick Thurnau Memorial Park in White Center. You’re invited to a community meeting at 5:30 pm at TAF’s Bethaday Community Space at the park. (605 SW 108th)

WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: 6-9 pm! Here’s the map and venue list:

Go see the previews of art/artists at wsartwalk.com.

WESTSIDE SCHOOL: 6:30 pm, it’s the lower-school Exhibition of Learning at Westside School (WSB sponsor), featuring the projects/demonstrations the students are showing off. (10404 34th SW)

LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY PTA: 6:30 pm in the school cafeteria (child care in the gym) – meeting info here. (California SW & SW Lander)

BAKED POTATO DINNER: Another notable event to the south – the New Start Alternative High School Key Club in the Highline School District will again, in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club of White Center, hold its Annual Baked Potato Dinner complete with loaded baked potatoes, salad, beverage and dessert and music. 6:30-8:30 pm, adults $15 or two for $25.(614 SW 120th)

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UPDATE: Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Police say threat rumors at Chief Sealth IHS ‘non-credible’
January 14, 2016 8:09 am
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Police say threat rumors at Chief Sealth IHS ‘non-credible’
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

FIRST REPORT, 8:09 AM: After numerous texts and other messages overnight and early today asking what we knew about a rumored threat of violence at Chief Sealth International High School, we have just talked with Seattle Public Schools. District spokesperson Stacy Howard says it appears to have originated with some angry words overheard after a fight; a student told a parent who posted about the rumor on Facebook, and screen grabs started circulating widely among students, spreading to their parents (and to us), and on it went. Of course the district is taking it seriously, Howard said, and is working with Seattle Police, as well as talking with the students who were reported to have been involved in the fight that preceded the threat/rumor. There is extra security at the Sealth/Denny shared campus as a result, she says, and if they feel there is any reason to put the schools into shelter-in-place, they will. So far, though, she says, they have found no concrete evidence – no written threats, for example. We asked if the district and/or schools will be sending a message directly to families; how that will be handled, she said, is still under discussion.

8:52 AM: Sealth principal Aida Fraser-Hammer has just sent families this message, forwarded to us by a parent:

Good Morning Chief Sealth Families and Staff

This is to let you know that school will continue as normal today. We are aware of the rumors on social media about the possibility of violence on campus. We have investigated the facts and will continue to do so. As a precaution, Seattle Police and SPS security will be in the area and on campus. School will proceed in a shelter in place format until we know that it is safe to resume normal operations. This means that all educational programs continue as normal internally but all external doors will be locked and monitored.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Aida Fraser-Hammer, Principal

ADDED 9:03 AM: SPS says Denny will follow the shelter-in-place policy as well TFN.

10:34 AM UPDATE: The schools no longer are sheltering in place. SPS tweeted this, saying Seattle Police determined the threat to be “non-credible.”

10:41 AM UPDATE: Per district spokesperson Howard, this message will go out to families:

Update: School staff in partnership with the Seattle Police Department have thoroughly investigated the rumor posted on social media about potential violence on campus. As an update, we have not found any evidence of any actual threat of violence happening at school. We have determined how we believe these rumors started on Social Media and will respond accordingly to that. The Police Department confirmed that we should lift the Shelter-in-Place, which we did at 10:05am, and continue with a normal school day. We would like to express our thanks to many scholars and families who made us aware of these rumors so that we could address with right away.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday alerts and updates
January 14, 2016 6:25 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:25 AM: Good morning – no incidents in/from West Seattle so far.

NIGHTTIME ROAD CLOSURE REMINDER: This work on SW Alaska between 40th and Fauntleroy is scheduled to continue nightly, into next week.

LOOKING AHEAD TO MONDAY: Transit changes for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day holiday on Monday include a “reduced weekday” schedule for Metro buses and no service for the West Seattle and Vashon Water Taxi routes.

BUT FIRST, THIS WEEKEND … If you drive Highway 99 north of downtown, here’s a reminder from WSDOT: “Reminder to Weekend Drivers: 2 right lanes of SB SR 99/Aurora Ave N at Aurora Bridge closed 6:30 am-noon Sat. and Sun. for bridge inspection work.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Car prowls and how they’re happening; merchandise vandalism
January 13, 2016 9:00 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Car prowls and how they’re happening; merchandise vandalism
 |   Crime | Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

CAR PROWLS: Two notes at midday today briefly mentioned car prowls along Beach Drive – one near Me-Kwa-Mooks Park, one in the 5900 block of Beach Drive, both involving windows that appeared to have broken in.

WHAT METHODS ARE CAR PROWLERS/THIEVES USING? Next Tuesday’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting will include a guest from the National Insurance Crime Bureau to talk about the latest methods used to get into cars, as well as “which vehicles are the most and least likely to be stolen,” according to WSCPC president Richard Miller. The meeting is at 7 pm Tuesday, January 19th, at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).

VANDALISM: From the Stop ‘N Shop store at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction:

On December 30th, the Stop ‘N Shop sold a Pennsylvania House bedroom set for $1,500. The buyer arranged to pick the set up on January 6th. When they came to pick up the furniture, we took off the protective sheets only to discover that someone had scratched / keyed the surfaces of several pieces in the set. I believe the act of vandalism occurred (in the store) on Wednesday, January 6th, 2016. We don’t understand why someone would behave in such a manner. What we do know, is that the loss of income from this kind of crime only hurts low-income seniors who we are trying to help.

The buyer did end up accepting the damaged furniture anyway, the store notes. If you have any info, contact police.

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Expect to see USS John C. Stennis passing West Seattle shores Friday
January 13, 2016 6:04 pm
|    Comments Off on Expect to see USS John C. Stennis passing West Seattle shores Friday
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(March 2015 photo taken from Alki Point by Gary Jones)

Sometimes we don’t hear about notable sightings at sea, off West Seattle shores, until afterward – but this time, we have an advance alert. The Kitsap Sun reports that the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis will head out on deployment Friday. The departure time is generally not announced in advance.

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Highway 99 tunneling update: First the barge, then a sinkhole
January 13, 2016 4:10 pm
|    Comments Off on Highway 99 tunneling update: First the barge, then a sinkhole
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Highway 99 tunnel | West Seattle news

4:10 PM: More news today from WSDOT, the day after the Highway 99 tunneling machine had to stop while they sorted out a problem with the barge that was collecting excavation spoils. The barge problem isn’t fixed yet, but they brought in some trucks, and digging resumed. Then came a sinkhole. Here’s the WSDOT update sent this afternoon:

Seattle Tunnel Partners resumed mining Tuesday evening, using trucks to remove excavated material while they continued working to resolve an issue with a soil-removal barge. STP crews resumed excavation at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

(WSDOT graphic)
Approximately two hours later, a sinkhole developed within STP’s work zone near South Main Street, about 35 feet north of the access pit. It is located more than 100 feet south of the cutterhead’s current location, in ground that crews mined through last week. STP filled the sinkhole overnight with 250 cubic yards of concrete.

This section of the tunnel drive is protected by an underground wall built by STP before tunneling. The wall was designed to isolate ground movement and protect the nearby Alaskan Way Viaduct. A manual survey of the viaduct conducted after the sinkhole developed found no movement. WSDOT and STP will continue surveying and monitoring the ground, viaduct, utilities and other structures.

The cause of the sinkhole is still under investigation. STP is analyzing the portion of the tunnel that crews have excavated since mining resumed. There is no indication that any other locations have experienced ground loss.

STP is reviewing their daily operations as a result of this incident. Immediately they will enhance monitoring protocols by requiring crews to manually verify the amount of soil removed during excavation of each ring.

The protocols STP outlined to enhance monitoring were used in the first 1,000 feet of tunneling and WSDOT is disappointed they were not used when STP restarted tunneling in December 2015. STP has several hundred feet of mining before they reach the next planned maintenance stop. Before leaving the maintenance stop, STP’s operational protocols will undergo an additional review by an expert to assure public safety.

STP has temporarily stopped mining to prepare the muck storage pit to receive excavated material. They plan to resume tunneling this week using trucks to remove excavated material. …

Safety remains our top priority as we work to replace the seismically vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct. We expect STP to further investigate this incident and take the appropriate corrective action as they continue to build this important project.

ADDED 6:31 PM: We asked WSDOT’s project spokesperson Laura Newborn about the sinkhole’s size: “According to Chris Dixon, the dimensions of the sinkhole were 35 feet long, 20 feet wide and 15 feet deep.”

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BASKETBALL: West Seattle High School’s Nate Pryor named WIAA Player of the Week; voting continues for regional recognition
January 13, 2016 3:47 pm
|    Comments Off on BASKETBALL: West Seattle High School’s Nate Pryor named WIAA Player of the Week; voting continues for regional recognition
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

3:47 PM: West Seattle High School‘s #1 is Nate Pryor, photographed during the team’s Saturday night home win over Stadium HS. Today, he received a statewide honor, announced by WSHS athletic director Trevor Leopold:

Congrats to Nate Pryor, who was named WIAA Player of the Week! Pryor averaged 21.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and three steals per game last week, in victories over Stadium and O’Dea. The point guard hit a buzzer beater to defeat O’Dea by one, 70-69.

Also today – you can help Nate get regional recognition by voting in a Western Washington-wide online competition – go here.

ADDED 5:50 PM: In case you wondered – WIAA says the weekly honoree receives “a congratulatory letter from WIAA Executive Director, Mike Colbrese, a commemorative WIAA State Athlete of the Week t-shirt, and a certificate.”

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West Seattle parks: Roxhill Playground fenced off for turret work
January 13, 2016 2:25 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle parks: Roxhill Playground fenced off for turret work
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Thanks to Amanda Kay Helmick from the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council for the photo and word that the playground at Roxhill Park is fenced off for the start of work to enable returning the play structure’s turret. It’s been more than 14 months since the custom-crafted turret was removed for safety concerns; it was created and installed during the 2013 community-powered project that replaced the park’s old wooden “castle,” but Parks determined reinforcement would be required to be sure the structure could safely hold it. We’ll be checking with Parks on the expected timetable for this closure and the reinforcement/restoration work.

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Fauntleroy Expressway closures ahead, as project to re-replace pads gets ready to start, one year later than planned
January 13, 2016 12:31 pm
|    Comments Off on Fauntleroy Expressway closures ahead, as project to re-replace pads gets ready to start, one year later than planned
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(2012 WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli, from original pad-replacement work beneath the bridge)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Another big road project is on the way. This one isn’t new – but it’s a year later than first planned. It’s the re-replacement of earthquake-safety cushioning under the Fauntleroy Expressway of the West Seattle Bridge, expected to happen last year, delayed until this year, now set to start in a few months.

If you don’t recall the backstory: Back in 2014, we reported on the revelation that 600 “bearing pad” cushions had been installed two years earlier on the Fauntleroy Expressway end of the West Seattle Bridge with a design flaw that made them too soft. The city caught the flaw; the design consultant didn’t fix it, and they paid almost $2 million for that error. In the meantime, the city decided that since the pads were going to be re-replaced anyway, they should be built to a newer standard of toughness.

The city insists the too-soft pads are not a safety risk; it’s just a matter of how long they will last.

We lost track of the project until it came up at the Southwest District Council meeting earlier this month, with a mention that SDOT was about to start community outreach about the work. The brief discussion that ensued involved some confusion – others at the meeting thought the re-replacement had already happened, and wondered if this were a round of re-re-replacement.

So we went to SDOT, which confirmed this is the work that was expected to start in April 2015. “City crews were on site for several weeks around that time doing some early preparation work for the installation,” acknowledged SDOT spokesperson Marybeth Turner. But – “We didn’t begin the installation when we had first planned because it took longer than anticipated to reach agreement on the design for the new and improved replacement pads, to work through the related design implications, and to reach agreement on the construction cost with the contractor.”

674 pads are to be re-replaced, and that will require up to 50 nighttime closures of the Fauntleroy Expressway – toward the west end of the bridge. Turner says they’ll probably be 9 pm-5 am weeknight closures, and more information will be available when scheduling is finalized. The work involves – as shown in the 2012 photo atop this story, from the original replacement work – jacking up sections of the bridge to remove the existing pads and place the new ones.

We have asked a followup about how – or whether – these closures will be coordinated with the eventual expected two-week Alaskan Way Viaduct shutdown, when the Highway 99 tunneling machine goes under the AWV. No reply yet.

ADDED: That reply is in now. SDOT’s Turner says, “We are aware the construction schedules for SR99 closures (for tunneling under the viaduct) and work on the Fauntleroy Expressway may coincide. We are now assessing the traffic impacts of the Fauntleroy Expressway project.”

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West Seattle Wednesday: What’s up for the rest of today/tonight
January 13, 2016 10:46 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: What’s up for the rest of today/tonight
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Alki eagle, by SurferLucas, from the WSB Flickr group)

Continuing with our daily highlight lists (our comprehensive calendar will return along with our full website, whose overhaul has gone into overtime) – here’s your preview for the rest of this rainy Wednesday:

HARBOR SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 6:30 pm at K-8 Harbor School (WSB sponsor) on Vashon Island, with this special invite for West Seattle families:

For West Seattle families interested in attending, please RSVP by phone at 206-567-5955 or by e-mail at admissions@harborschool.org. Shuttle service will be offered to West Seattle attendees walking on at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal and arriving on Vashon. Attendees wishing to utilize the shuttle must RSVP prior to the event.

(15920 Vashon Hwy. SW)

FREE IRISH SET DANCING: 6:30 pm at Kenyon Hall:

Join us for an evening of Irish Set Dancing (Irish square dance). From 6:30 to 7 pm there will be instruction in the basics, then traditional dancing 7 pm to 9 pm. No partner is necessary. Jim Belcher will teach and call. Call Connie with questions; 206-935-5648. Sponsored by Puget Sound Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.

(7904 35th SW)

34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy. Tonight’s agenda (see it here) for our area’s biggest political organization looks ahead to the rest of this big election year and features a panel on youth homelessness. (9131 California SW)

ROO FORREST AND FRIENDS: Live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

TREEHOUSE LOUNGE OPEN MICROPHONE: Sign up at 7:30 pm, music at 8, hosted by Alan Sobel – come perform at tonight’s edition of the twice-monthly open-microphone event at Treehouse Lounge in The Admiral District. (2206 California SW)

TRIVIA: 8:30 pm, the famous Talarico’s Pizza trivia night hosted by Phillip Tavel. (4718 California SW)

Please continue to send upcoming events, as we will be catching up the calendar once it’s back in service. editor@westseattleblog.com – plain-text information in the body of your e-mail, NOT attachments – at least a week in advance. Thank you!

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If you think you hear/see a Blue Angels jet tomorrow – you’ll be right
January 13, 2016 9:41 am
|    Comments Off on If you think you hear/see a Blue Angels jet tomorrow – you’ll be right
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

Just announced by Seafair: U.S. Navy Blue Angels jet #7 will visit Seattle tomorrow for a planning meeting looking ahead to next summer’s air show. It’s expected at nearby Boeing Field around 11:30 am, with two pilots, #7 Lt. Tyler Davies and #8 Capt. Corrie Mays. Dates for this year’s airshow, by the way, are August 5-7.

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NEXT WEEK: Cyberbullying/social media briefing for West Seattle parents
January 13, 2016 8:46 am
|    Comments Off on NEXT WEEK: Cyberbullying/social media briefing for West Seattle parents
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online

No matter what school your kid(s) go to, the Madison Middle School PTSA invites you to its meeting next week to find out what parents should know about “cyberbullying” and social media.

As a followup to the Finding Kind program for our students in December, school administration has put together an expert panel of representatives from Seattle Children’s, Seattle Public Schools, OSPI (Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction), and UW to help our families navigate these difficult years. Let’s have a high turnout for this panel! Everyone is busy but it is important to take time to tool yourself with the advice and input from our experts.

Here’s the flyer, shared by Madison PTSA president Carla Rogers. The event is at 7 pm Wednesday, January 20th, in the Madison library (45th SW and SW Spokane).

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Rainy Wednesday updates and alerts
January 13, 2016 6:45 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Rainy Wednesday updates and alerts
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:45 AM: Good morning. So far, no incidents in, or outbound from, West Seattle – we’re keeping watch as usual at this time of the day.

EARLY-DISMISSAL DAY FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Classes are out two hours early today. (And, looking ahead to next weekend, school’s out next Monday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.)

7:04 AM: Emergency response to a crash at 17th SW and SW Roxbury. No details, but be aware, if you travel that way.

7:21 AM: Seattle Fire has cleared the crash scene, which indicates no major injuries.

7:35 AM: The “low bridge” has closed again. Periodic reminder – you can check local bridges’ statuses via the @SDOTbridges Twitter account.

7:44 AM: More crashes to report – no details, but just FYI: 37th SW and SW Austin in Gatewood; 1st S. and S. Jackson in Pioneer Square (since 1st is an alternative way to get into downtown, we keep an eye on it, and also 4th). Significant rain right now, too.

8:30 AM: Just went out briefly and there’s lots of street flooding, so be careful. Meantime, if you’re headed this way from north of downtown, be aware of a crash blocking one lane on southbound 99 just south of the Battery Street Tunnel.

8:42 AM: Multiple reports of a crash at Delridge and Orchard. On Delridge, just south of the intersection. No major injuries, apparently – no Seattle Fire dispatch – but it’s a “T-bone” crash per one message, so might take a while to clear. (Thanks to Jason and Randall for sending word of this!)

8:55 AM: And now – a crash reported at 9th and Roxbury.

10:32 AM: Now there’s a crash response on the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct at Seneca. (Added: “Big backup,” per commenter.)

11:09 AM: Speaking of the Viaduct, Mike just e-mailed to warn, “Just hydroplaned my way down WA-99 S and thought you might want to mention that the typical standing water problem just before you reach the WS Bridge is a bit worse than usual, and I encountered a first (for me) a puddle just S of the viaduct as it flattens out that was deep enough to be a problem.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Saturday night’s standoff
January 12, 2016 8:49 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Saturday night’s standoff
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Another police report we’ve been seeking to follow up on a recent incident became available today. This one is from the police standoff Saturday night at an apartment building north of The Junction.

(WSB photo, Saturday night)

The report says almost 50 officers ultimately were there as police eventually convinced an armed man – originally reported as having threatened self-harm – to come out of his apartment and surrender peacefully. The report says the man was booked into jail for investigation of domestic-violence assault and a gun-possession violation. According to the report, police learned during the standoff that he was a convicted felon, with a record of assault and weapons convictions in Oregon.

The report says his wife told police he was intoxicated, angry, and confrontational after going out for a walk Saturday night. She reported that he had duct-taped a handgun to his right hand, a .357 revolver that had belonged to her father and had been stored in a safe for a decade. She said he threatened to shoot and kill her and “everyone else,” pointing the gun at her, and at himself, saying he wanted “death by police.” He left the apartment with his keys and phone. She called a friend who, the report says, told her to leave the apartment and call 911. She apparently did not, but the friend did, reporting that the man had threatened his wife with a gun and might be seeking a “suicide by cop” situation. Police rushed to the area, found the man’s wife, and set up containment as well as calling for a negotiator.

Several responded, including the officer who wrote the report. He reported talking with the man’s wife and “obtained further background information on (him) that could assist negotiators in resolving this incident in a safe manner for all involved.” For those who wondered about the magnitude of the response, note that the officer wrote, “Due to the nature of the call, involving a suicidal subject with mental-health issues and with prior military-combat experience, SWAT was requested to respond to the scene,” and they decided to wait until SWAT arrived before trying to make contact with the man in the apartment. Meanwhile, they talked with his wife, who said she thought the gun was loaded, and that it had been modified to shoot single-action only.

The report added, “In an effort to resolve this incident in a safe manner, it involved a huge police response of 48 officers” – patrol officers from two watches in this area, officers from the South and East Precincts, hostage negotiators, SWAT, and the Arson/Bomb Squad.

Around 9:40 pm, the officer writing the report “rode in a SWAT armored vehicle” to outside the apartment building, where the man came out onto the balcony in a bathrobe, smoking a cigarette. They noted he no longer had a gun taped to his hand. They started talking to him and “discussed a safety plan … gave him instructions on how to walk to his apartment door and meet with the officers waiting outside.” Within five minutes, he was in custody. The report says his wife gave consent for them to search the apartment, where they found the gun, unloaded, with what “appeared to be tape residue.” We don’t know his name, so we don’t know his current status.

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West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Delridge gunfire appeared to ‘target’ house
January 12, 2016 4:25 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Ever since last week’s incident that led police to find 32 shell casings outside a house in the 5600 block of Delridge Way, we’ve been working to get the report, to see if it would include anything more on what happened or why. We finally obtained it today.

The report was written by the patrol officer who responded to what was described as five callers who “reported hearing 10 or more shots in the area” just before 1 am last Wednesday (January 6th). That included a caller who reported finding “eight bullet holes in her front and side windows.”

At that residence, the officer wrote:

The glass storm door that faces west was shattered and there was a bullet hole in the front door. The front yard on the west side of the house was littered with shell casings and there appeared to be multiple bullet holes in the north side of the house. Twenty-seven 7.62 shell casings were located in the front/west yard and driveway, along with five 9 mm shell casings and one unfired 9 mm round. The casings were strewn about the front/west yard and driveway. It appeared the shooter or shooters stood in the yard and the driveway and targeted the house. 13 holes were located in the house, including a shattered window frame in the north side of the house. Two spent rounds that appeared to have hit the yard and bounced into the cement foundation of the house were located on the ground on the west side of the house.

The resident told police she was asleep when she heard the shots, “jumped out of bed and pulled her mother out of her chair and onto the floor.” Another resident slept through it. As previously reported, no one was hurt; a witness reported that “he heard the shots, then saw 4 subjects run southbound on 23rd SW from SW Findlay and get into a dark-colored vehicle and left in an unknown direction.” (There is no description of the “subjects” nor anything more about the vehicle.) Police speculated a nearby alley might have been used as an escape route.

We have followups in the works on other recent incidents, too, but are writing them up separately. If you have concerns about this or any other neighborhood crime issues, by the way, the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s next meeting – with local police in attendance as always – is one week from tonight, Tuesday, January 19th, 7 pm, at the Southwest Precinct, Delridge Way SW and SW Webster.

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Lafayette Elementary community mourns student’s mom, victim of Everett espresso-stand fire
January 12, 2016 2:53 pm
|    Comments Off on Lafayette Elementary community mourns student’s mom, victim of Everett espresso-stand fire
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

(Everett Fire Department photo)

We’ve just learned today from Seattle Public Schools that the woman killed in an Everett espresso-stand fire was the mother of a student at West Seattle’s Lafayette Elementary School.

SPS says Lafayette’s principal Robert Gallagher and acting assistant principal Kathy Jolly are sending a note to the school community:

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we share the tragic news that a Lafayette parent died yesterday after a recent and sudden accident.

As a community, we will come together to support the student and family. We will continue to have counselors and mental health support available for students, staff and families, as needed.

When someone dies, it is normal for children to have different kinds of feelings and reactions. Parents and guardians have important roles in helping students understand these tragedies. We understand that each culture has its own way of dealing with death, and we encourage children to talk with their families about their ideas, thoughts and beliefs. We recognize that even if your student may not have known or been close to this family, he/she may still feel a strong reaction. We also realize this may be your child’s first experience with death or it may trigger feelings about other deaths your child may have experienced.

The family will be in our thoughts as they grieve their loss. As we learn of more ways to support them, we will let the school community know. Please note that we are honoring the family’s request for privacy at this time.

The victim has been identified in regional media, including The Seattle Times, as Courtney Campbell. She was badly burned when her Everett espresso stand went up in flames – complicated by a propane-tank explosion – on Thursday, and then came news yesterday that she had died. She was mother of two daughters, including the Lafayette student, and her family has set up a GoFundMe account.

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UPDATE: Caspar Babypants canceled, performer ailing
January 12, 2016 2:02 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

THURSDAY UPDATE: Organizers say the concert is canceled and they’re refunding advance ticket sales – CB is ill.

ORIGINAL STORY:
Just got word of a concert that will liven up this Saturday morning for hundreds of local families – Caspar Babypants is performing at the Brockey Center on the south side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. It’s a fundraiser for the SSC Cooperative Preschools’ Mary E. Philips Scholarship Fund – organizers say, “It’s a super-fun time for a great cause. Come dance with your kids and help keep co-op preschool available and affordable for all families.” 10:30 am Saturday (January 16th), 45-minute show, admission $7 (kids under 1 year old are free). WSB photo, 2014

P.S. Tickets will be sold at the door – or you can get yours online now, here.

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Highway 99 tunneling project: Machine’s OK but barge isn’t
January 12, 2016 11:41 am
|    Comments Off on Highway 99 tunneling project: Machine’s OK but barge isn’t
 |   West Seattle news

11:41 AM: Just in from WSDOT regarding something that’s stopped down the tunneling machine even though the machine itself is OK:

One of the barges Seattle Tunnel Partners is using to haul away excavated material began to list or lean to one side as STP crews loaded it early Tuesday.

To prevent damage to the conveyor system, STP released the barge from its moorage at Terminal 46. Some excavated clean soils were spilled into Elliott Bay. The barge then drifted into nearby Pier 48, which is owned by WSDOT and slated for demolition.

The barge has since been moved to the west end of Terminal 46. STP crews are working to transfer the material on the barge to another barge. STP is inspecting Terminal 46 and Pier 48 to determine if any damage occurred.

Tunnel excavation is temporarily on hold as STP addresses this issue. We’ll provide additional updates as we receive new information.

ADDED 5:13 PM: Update from WSDOT:

STP divers and marine surveyors continue to inspect damage at Terminal 46. Crews are assessing what needs to be done to safely stage a barge at Terminal 46 for loading.

STP is using a barge-mounted clamshell to transfer material from the damaged barge to another barge.

STP anticipates resuming tunneling and disposal of excavated materials after a third barge returns to the site from unloading excavated material at CalPortland’s Mats Mats reclamation facility in Port Ludlow. They must also confirm that a barge can be safely staged at Terminal 46.

As of Tuesday morning, STP had mined more than 190 feet and installed 30 concrete tunnel rings since Bertha first moved forward in the pit on Dec. 22. This brings the total distance tunneled to 1,280 feet and a total of 188 concrete rings.

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West Seattle real estate: Elan 41 apartment complex up for sale
January 12, 2016 10:40 am
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 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

The recently renovated apartment complex over Jefferson Square, now known as Elan 41, has just gone on the market. The listing price: $24.5 million. Property records show the 78-unit complex last changed hands for a higher price, $27 million, in 2005. In 2009, we reported on an agreement for Seattle Public Schools – which owns the land on which Jefferson Square, and everything above it, is built – to sell the apartments’ “air rights” – we’re checking to see if that deal was ever completed. (WSB file photo)

P.S. One of the flyers accompanying the Elan 41 listing reveals a recent sale along Avalon – which in turn explains the building’s name change; we’d noticed recently that Vue at 3261 Avalon Way had become Marq. County records don’t show a sale yet, but the flyer from Elan 41 listing agent McQuaid Real Estate says the 111-unit building completed in 2014 sold last month for $38.5 million.

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