West Seattle, Washington
22 Friday
(WSB photo)
A break in the rain would be good news for neighbors beneath that bluff in southwest West Seattle. Since the slide Thursday night at 47th SW and Maplewood, they’ve joined forces to clear their private drive “enough to get in and out,” says resident Kathleen, who adds that they’re hopeful “the sliding has stopped” but won’t really know until it’s dried for about a week. She estimates this is the tenth slide in the 35 years she’s lived in the neighborhood.
11:23 PM: A crash is blocking Beach Drive both ways in the 5300 block (map)- and as you know if you’ve driven it, the stretch south of Jacobsen has few outlets. No other details about the crash so far.
11:56 PM: Thanks to Christine for the photo, added above. She says two cars were involved, one apparently speeding, and that one person was taken from the scene by ambulance.
12:08 AM: Scanner traffic indicates Beach Driver either has reopened or will shortly.
10:59 PM UPDATE: Just got the word that missing 13-year-old Jayla is back home with her family.
EARLIER:
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(WSB photo)
Police are still on both sides of Delridge at Willow as they investigate the crash that sent a driver to the hospital and left his classic Cadillac up on the sidewalk. He was transported by private ambulance, so his injuries aren’t life-threatening. No tow truck on scene yet but traffic is getting through, except for pedestrians on the east side of Delridge. (Thanks to the person who texted about this – our hotline is 206-293-6302, text or voice, any time.)
A crosstown showdown resulted in split results last night at Seattle Lutheran High School. The SLHS boys scored a big win over visiting Shorewood Christian:
The girls went into overtime:
More photos ahead:
It started with word of mouth … and became something much more. American Legion Post 160 in The Triangle is publicly thanking everyone who helped out with a recent donation drive:
American Legion Post 160, located at 3618 SW Alaska, would like to thank all of the businesses and individual community members for their support in the recent “care packages for deployed Coast Guard members” drive.
“It started out as a word-of-mouth endeavor that grew far larger than I had envisioned,” stated organizer Kyle Geraghty. “Lots of great items such as: snacks, beef jerky, stationery, and sunscreen were sent overseas to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Post office was extremely helpful when our volunteers arrived with over a dozen heavy boxes. The postal workers were extremely grateful the Legionnaires did not show up two minutes prior to closing time.”
If you are a business or community member that is interested in partnering, volunteering, or making a tax deductible donation for veterans or need individual guidance in navigating the Veteran Support system, contact American Legion Post 160 at wslegion160@gmail.com, 206-932-9696, or visit our website at walegion160.org.
The nation’s largest wartime veterans organization, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans care and rehabilitation, Americanism and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through nearly 14,000 posts across the nation.
The newest reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
ARBOR HEIGHTS CAR BREAK-IN: From Shaun:
Wanted to report that our Chevy Tahoe had two windows busted out last night. Perp(s) took diaper bag with my wife’s wallet inside along with various other property, daughter’s new bday purse, CD’s….Theft occurred at approx. 3 am and set off car alarm. Car was parked at curb in front of our house.
Shaun is near 39th SW/SW 106th in Arbor Heights; when we followed up to get that information, he added, “I’ve learned that the perp/s attempted to rent 4 video games at a Redbox at 5 am. The kiosk in question is located at a 7-Eleven near 112th St S and 8th Ave S.” (We found it on Google Street View.)
HIGHLAND PARK PACKAGE THEFT: Erika near 17th SW/SW Kenyon thought her package had been stolen, then contacted Amazon and was told it actually hadn’t been delivered – and then the sad truth: “My neighbor just came by with a ripped-open package that she found in our alley near her garbage, with one item found intact on the ground and another taken out of its packaging and it’s gone. … The contents included a bag of dishwashing detergent pods and a tub of Honest brand pregnancy belly balm. What a score.” She says this stirs up bad memories from a burglary last summer, but want to be sure everyone’s aware of “activity in our neighborhood.”
MAIL THEFT: From Corey:
I wanted to report continued mail theft in Highland Park neighborhood. I have now found mail discarded on lawns and stuffed in bushes on
three different occasions/3 different addresses, around 18th-20th Ave SW and Trenton St. The first occasion was in late November, the second
right before Christmas, and (Friday) January 22nd. The mail has all been from homes in Highland Park and within a few block of where I found it.
MAILBOX BREAK-IN: Mike reports this happened to his mailbox in the 7300 block of 35th SW in Sunrise Heights.
ALSO IN SUNRISE HEIGHTS: Todd at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) reports a potential case of casing outside the shop at 35th/Webster around 9 pm Thursday night. They reviewed video from their surveillance camera after noticing it was “tilted up – as if someone had pushed it out of place.” The video shows someone walking in front of the camera and hiding his face, then a few minutes later walking back and pushing the camera up while walking under it. Todd says they didn’t find anything else out of place or damaged but wanted to alert the neighborhood.
Thanks to everyone who shares reports via West Seattle Crime Watch – once you’ve reported it to police, share it with your neighbors all around the peninsula by e-mailing editor@westseattleblog.com – for breaking news (once you’ve called 911), text/call 206-293-6302 – thank you!
12:26 PM: Not that the weather is particularly conducive to a walk/ride around Alki Point, but we did want to remind you that the sidewalk is closed and road narrowed along Beach Drive west of 63rd SW, as King County Wastewater Treatment Division continues to work on emergency sewer-pipe repairs. We first reported on the problem Friday morning; the county is fixing a leak in the “42-inch pipeline that pumps wastewater from homes and businesses in West Seattle to King County’s West Point Treatment Plant in the Magnolia neighborhood.” Some wastewater spilled into Puget Sound, so avoid contact with the water in the area until the county’s tests show it’s safe.
We have messages out to get an update on how much longer the repair work is expected to last and will update when we hear back; the county has already said crews are likely to be back next week for restoration work, once the repairs themselves are done.
1:47 PM UPDATE: We just heard back from Monica Van der Vieren at KCWTD. She tells WSB:
The leak came from a joint where a gasket seal had failed. The crews unearthed the pipe, working in the landscaped planter box area, to repair the joint, and bury it in concrete. Crews are demobilizing now for the weekend. They will leave construction fencing and signage up over the weekend as the concrete cures, and restore the landscaped area next week (hopefully Monday if plants are available).
Water quality monitoring results are not yet back, so the warning signage will remain. King County’s Environmental Lab staff sampled again today. When Public Health receives two days of sample data at background levels, they will give the all-clear to remove the signs.
Outdoor-education camp is a highlight of the year for many students in our area. But it comes with a cost, and that’s a challenge for some schools and families. The fifth-grade teachers at Highland Park Elementary are trying an online fundraiser to help make sure none of their students are left behind, and one of their colleagues asked if we could share the link in hopes of inspiring some community generosity. From the teachers’ explanation:
Every year, we get to watch our students learn in a way that cannot be provided inside the four walls of a classroom. It is absolutely amazing to see the transformation under which many students go as they see a world beyond the one where they live.
You’ll find the fundraiser here. (For more on some of HPES’s challenges, read our report on a community conversation in 2014.)
(Black turnstone, photographed by Mark Wangerin – click for larger view)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and our other files, highlights of what’s up for your Saturday:
HELP BEAUTIFY THE CHILBERG LINK: 10:30 am-12:30 pm work party on Chilberg between Douglas and Genesee as Friends of the Chilberg Link work on transforming a sloped median – details in our story from last night.
REOPENING DAY FOR CLICK! DESIGN THAT FITS: The two-week-plus winter break for Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) is over and the shop reopens today at 11 am. (4540 California SW)
ADOPT A PET! The Humane Society’s MaxMobile is expected at Mud Bay in The Admiral District, 11 am-1 pm. (2611 California SW)
VIETNAMESE STORY TIME: 11:30 am at Delridge Library, bring kids 3 and up for stories, songs, and rhymes in Vietnamese. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
CLIMATE CONVERSATION AT THE LONGHOUSE: 1-5 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, sponsored by the Green Party of Washington, intended to continue the dialogue that started at the Paris climate conference. Featured speaker, global activist Laurence Braham, also including local activist Sarra Tekola and members of the Tulalip, Lummi, and Saanich tribes. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
STUDENT SHOWCASE: 2-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), hear live music with the students of Rebeqa Rivers – more info here. (5612 California SW)
GIFTS FROM THE EARTH: 5 pm at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), annual celebration of SSC’s food, wine, and student achievement. Check to see if tickets remain. (6000 16th SW)
MIDNIGHT SERENADERS: 7:30 pm at historic Kenyon Hall, Portland-based band with “an infectious and irreverent take on the raucous and carefree music of The Jazz Age.” More info in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)
TREEHOUSE LOUNGE SHOWCASE: Live music, 8-11 pm, at Treehouse Lounge in The Admiral District. (2206 California SW)
WEST SIDE GLORY: “Comedy, Music, Drag, Burlesque and GoGo Bears!” at The Skylark, 9 pm, 21+ – more in our calendar listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
We followed up with police after receiving multiple reports of possible gunshots heard in the Delridge/Brandon/Findlay area late Friday night, not far from the recent 32-casings incident. Officers checked it out, but, says Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams, “there was no evidence located that indicated actual shots fired. Also, there were no witnesses who saw shots fired.” If you did see something – or find evidence today (casings, damage) – be sure to let police know.
Tomorrow, Sunday, and subsequent weekends into mid-March, you are invited to join West Seattle’s newest neighborhood-beautification campaign – on the sloped median of Chilberg Avenue between Genesee and Douglas, just east of Beach Drive, leading to Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook Park.
(WSB photo showing part of the project area)
A group of neighbors, Friends of the Chilberg Link, successfully applied for a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant, $8,900 to be matched by more than $10,000 in volunteer work and contributions. Janice Nyman – herself an arborist and architect – sent word that their work parties are about to begin and they’re inviting participation.
“Although its looking pretty raw right now,” she said, “I think it’s going to be quite pretty: Fruit trees, pollinator wild flowers, berries!” You can see the plan here.
The announcement adds that “Friends of the Chilberg Link will remove invasives, prune vegetation, plant edible plants, and create an area for rainwater holding and a secured art piece. Work parties will be held in the winter and spring of 2016. Professional landscape firms will be hired to lead the community in landscape installation, including: Mariposa Naturescapes, Garden Cycles, and Black Lotus Landscaping LLC.”
The project will evoke the area’s history, according to research done by local historian Judy Bentley – a one-lane road ran through a meadow filled with wildflowers.
At the northern end of the Schmitz property, a single-lane dirt road wound down a hill through substantially uninhabited meadow to a dead end a block beyond Carroll Street.
When walking to and from the old Alki School [at Chilberg Ave. SW/59th and Carroll], we frequently preferred the trail along Chilberg Avenue, to enjoy some of the most beautiful wild flowers in the open fields and leading up into ‘The woods,’ the hillside forest.” (Lillevand Papers, SWSHS).
“We love the historical reference to a winding meadow with wildflowers, so we are using it as the basis of our design,” Nyman says.
Join them Saturdays and Sundays, 10:30 am-12:30 pm. You’re asked to “bring shovels, pruners, and gloves”; cardboard donations are welcome too, as is the donated use of yard-waste containers. Questions? Contact Nyman at nymanarc@gmail.com.
P.S. If you or someone you know has more information about the history of Chilberg Avenue, please contact Bentley at bentley.judy@gmail.com or Lissa Kramer at the Log House Museum.
Thanks to Shelley for the photo and report: “The Chief Sealth girls played another great game, coming off a win against Bainbridge Wednesday night. They traveled to Lakeside to overcome them 46-45.” She adds that the Seahawks, coached by Katie Jo Maris, are on a 5-game winning streak (see the season’s results and schedule here), and that this is their first win over Lakeside in at least 9 years.
That 4-minute video is by the West Seattle High School Diversity Club, “made to address anti-Muslim stereotypes and show support for our Muslim students,” explains the club’s adviser, WSHS teacher Rebecka McKinney. She adds, “I am very proud of the work our students have done and hope it will be shared throughout the district and even beyond. They first held focus sessions where Muslim students were invited to discuss their feelings around the anti-Muslim rhetoric, how they felt, and what they would like to see done to support them. Diversity Club co-president Meron Mulu then created questions and signed students up to be in the video. From there we partnered with sophomore Sam Cleary and his crew to do the filming and editing.” The video was shown to all students during the announcements period at WSHS this morning.
At the Duwamish Longhouse tomorrow (Saturday, January 23), 1-5 pm, join in a conversation about climate:
Continue the dialogue begun at COP21 in Paris!
You are invited to join with participants from the COP21 session at La Galerie des Solutions including local activist Sarra Tekola, members of the Tulalip, Lummi, and Saanich Tribes, and keynote speaker Laurence Brahm.
Laurence Brahm is a US native who has lived in Asia for much of his life. He is a global activist, social entrepreneur, international lawyer, political-economist, crisis mediator, and author of over 20 books on Asia. He has worked on climate change with many heads of state from Bhutan to Iceland and with the Chinese government to create their new green growth national policy. He is the author of Fusion Economics, on his work with the Himalayan Consensus and the African Consensus.
The Green Party of Washington State is sponsoring the event; find the Longhouse in West Seattle, at 4705 W. Marginal Way SW.
We’ve already published our video from the HALA and “backyard cottages” presentations that comprised the second half of Wednesday night’s quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting. Before that, a quick MoCA meeting included these neighborhood updates:
SIDEWALK WORK TO CONTINUE IN SPRING: The grant-funded work to repair/replace the sidewalk on the west side of California SW south of Fauntleroy Way will continue “in late March to April.” The sidewalk in front of the commercial building on the southwest corner of the intersection was completed last fall (our photo is from Thursday).
PARK-EXPANSION UPDATE: The city has owned the commercial building north of Morgan Junction Park for more than a year and a half, and demolition is now “guesstimated” for next July, according to MoCA. The cleaners closed earlier this winter and the convenience store is expected to be out by May. Park design hasn’t begun yet, though.
LINCOLN PARK PLAY AREA MEETING REMINDER: As noted here last week, Seattle Parks has set February 2nd as the next meeting for the renovation of the north play area at Lincoln Park, 6:30 pm at Gatewood Elementary (4320 SW Myrtle).
MORGAN JUNCTION BUSINESS MIXER: Area businesses are invited to network and mingle at the next mixer – 5-7 pm April 28th at Zeeks Pizza (WSB sponsor) on the northwest corner of California/Fauntleroy.
P.S. MoCA (an all-volunteer group) also elected this year’s officers/executive board members: President Deb Barker, Vice President Phillip Tavel, Recording Secretary Jennifer Whip, Treasurer Eldon Olson, Public Information Officer Cindi Barker, Southwest District Council rep Tamsen Spengler.
What will be proposed in the city’s “People, Dogs, and Parks Strategic Plan” – formerly the off-leash plan? We won’t know for another month. That’s the latest word from the city; thanks to Mike Dey from the Fauntleroy Community Association for the alert. When the new project lead, Susan Golub, spoke to the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council in November (WSB coverage here), it looked like the draft plan would be out in early January. Now the city says “tentatively … late February.” You can watch this city webpage for updates – or be at the city Parks Board’s next meeting, as they have a “preliminary discussion” about the forthcoming plan. A briefing paper just posted in connection with that meeting offers these questions for Parks Board members to discuss:
1. Should we allow/encourage sponsorships and advertising? …
2. Should we have unfenced, hours-only off-leash areas? …
3. How should new OLAs be added to the system? …
4. Should there be a restriction on the number of dogs an individual can bring to an off-leash area?
The Parks Board meets 6:30 pm next Thursday (January 28th) at Queen Anne Community Center. No dog-plan-specific meeting dates/times are set yet
(GO HERE for coverage of the first project reviewed Thursday night, 1307 Harbor SW)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
With some reservation, the Southwest Design Review Board voted last night to allow 1250 Alki SW – a ~100-unit apartment building that developer SolTerra has named “Perch” – to advance out of the Early Design Guidance phase on its second try.
Neighbors who have been closely watching and analyzing the process again voiced their concern that the project remains out of scale with the neighborhood. Here’s the “design packet” on which last night’s presentation was based:
Here’s how the review went:
(Photo by Don Brubeck)
Friday and the weekend is almost here! First, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE GARDEN CLUB: This month’s meeting is under way, but there’s still time to join some of the upcoming sessions. Info in our calendar listing. It’s happening in building 3 at Daystar. (2615 SW Barton)
LEGO EXTRAVAGANZA: 6:30 pm at the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor), come build whatever you can dream up! Prizes in certain age groups. Free. The Y welcomes Lego donations, too, if you have some that are no longer needed. (4515 36th SW)
WANT TO TEACH YOGA? Informal information night at Sound Yoga (WSB sponsor), 7 pm – info in our calendar listing. (5639 California SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: The only team home tonight is Seattle Lutheran High School, hosting nearby Shorewood Christian – girls play at 6, boys at 7:30, at the SLHS gym. (4100 SW Genesee)
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Singer/songwriter Mitchell Mirande performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
CD RELEASE CONCERT: Daisy Day Band‘s CD release, plus Death Muffins, 9 pm at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
10:05 AM: Thanks to Chris for the tip – the West Seattle PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) store is temporarily closed. We called to find out why; a staffer told us they’re fixing a plumbing problem and hope to reopen later this morning, perhaps as soon as 11 am or so. We’ll be checking back, but if you find it open again before we mention it, please consider texting/calling our hotline, 206-293-6302 – thank you.
10:50 AM: Via Twitter, PCC just announced the West Seattle store has reopened.
So many knew her as “Nurse Shirley.” Those who knew her as “an incomparable and beloved mother, auntie, and friend” are sharing this remembrance and invitation to tomorrow’s celebration of her life:
Shirley Ann Thomas, 6/22/32-1/7/16
Shirley Thomas might say her job here on Earth was done. She’d run all the “Erins” and “Jillys” on her list, and it was now time for her next big adventure.
Born June 22, 1932 to Alaric and Ellen, and the baby of six spirited Belanger siblings, she came into this world with determination and a mischievous glint in her eye. Destined to love hard and laugh often, her feisty nature was the product of good family genes and an inherently good and decent soul.
Married in 1961 to Earl William Thomas, her greatest joy was their two daughters, Erin and Jill. Her pride in her girls was unrivaled. Her love for them, boundless. No matter how big or small the accomplishment, those girls knew they’d made mom proud.
Shirley was never stingy with her love. Her bond with son-in-law Tom was unbreakable. Her relationships with her siblings, nieces, nephews, and everyone in-between were equally strong. As the generations of kids who came through the doors of the Children’s Clinic of West Seattle knew all too well, you didn’t have to be blood related to be worthy of Nurse Shirley’s love and attention. If you were in the vicinity of her kind heart, you were considered family.
Miss Shirley enjoyed holding court, waving her hands through the air as though playing an imaginary piano, while regaling us with her dry wit and oftentimes jaw-dropping stories. But more than that, she gleaned great pleasure in sitting back and taking in the family and friends who had surrounded her for the precious decades she’d blessed us all with. She was the grand dame of her neighborhood, and it was a rare occasion to find her home alone. Kelly and Bob, Darlene and Dan, Julie and Terry, she loved you so! Shirley never had a bad day.
Shirley is survived by her two loving daughters, Erin and Jill, her son-in-law Tom, and so many family members, friends, and adoring fans, there isn’t a newspaper or website large enough to name them all. And while she would admonish us with a swipe of those hands for grieving her passing, there are simply no words to describe our loss. Our comfort is knowing we all carry a piece of her joyous spirit inside us. We see it in the mirror every day, and in the mischievous grins of our children, to be passed on for generations to come.
Please join us in celebrating the life of an incomparable and beloved mother, auntie, and friend at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on January 23, 2016 at 1:00 pm – followed by a festival of family, friends, and food at her home. She wouldn’t have had it any other way.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(WSB photo)
ORIGINAL 8:53 AM REPORT: County crews are working on what they describe as a “small sewer leak” near Alki Point and have posted warning signs in the area. Just in from the Wastewater Treatment Division:
King County utility crews are working quickly this morning to repair a sewer line leak near the 63rd Avenue Pump Station, which is located at 3535 Beach Drive SW.
The small leak was detected last night in a 42-inch pipeline that pumps wastewater from homes and businesses in West Seattle to King County’s West Point Treatment Plant in the Magnolia neighborhood.
An undetermined amount of wastewater overflowed out of the pipe and into Puget Sound. To protect public health and safety, crews quickly initiated cleanup and posted warning signs to keep people away from affected areas.
Construction workers will be on site this morning to repair the pipeline. King County reported the overflow to health and regulatory agencies and will monitor water quality over the next several days.
10:37 AM UPDATE: County staffers are distributing flyers in the area, and spokesperson Annie Kolb-Nelson also tells us they’re now closing the sidewalk, as well as one traffic lane – in an area that’s already relatively narrow. So they’re advising avoiding the area.
5:13 PM UPDATE: Work will continue tonight and tomorrow, the county says:
King County Wastewater Treatment Division crews have begun repairs to a sewer line where a failed seal caused a leak at the 63rd Avenue Pump Station on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 21.
Earlier today, crews excavated the pipeline, identified a repair method, and are now working to contain the leak and complete work as quickly as possible. Work is expected to be completed for the night at 10 p.m., and will resume at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23.
The area is cordoned off, and warning signs are posted to keep people at a safe distance from the work area during repair activities. King County employees are monitoring water quality, and will continue to do so until the problem is resolved and water quality returns to normal condition.
We will continue to provide updates as the work to repair this pipeline continues. Please contact us if you have questions.
What to expect:
· Work will continue until 10 p.m. tonight, and resume at 7 a.m. Saturday.
· Neighbors will experience noise, and construction lights will be on site.
· While repairs are expected to be completed Saturday, some work to restore the area may continue the week of January 25.
· Vactor trucks will be on site beginning Friday, January 22, 2016.
· Drivers should watch for traffic control devices – flaggers, signs and cones – and drive slowly through the area.
· Fencing, warning signs and tape will all be used at the site to keep people safe. Please avoid the area.
6:35 AM: Good morning! No incidents so far in our area but as SDOT points out, congestion is “building.”
WEEKEND REMINDERS: The Highway 99 lane closures north of downtown continue; we’re mentioning them in case you’re heading that way this weekend but hadn’t done so during the week. Also, there’s weekend work on westbound I-90.
7:54 AM: As currently shown in the fourth camera in our view above, a car has spun out in the westbound lanes of the Fauntleroy end of the bridge near Walking on Logs.
8:22 AM: The eastbound bridge was closed briefly for barrier repair related to that crash. SDOT says it’s open again.
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