West Seattle, Washington
15 Wednesday
Thanks to the texter who sent that photo from Delridge/18th. We subsequently headed over to check out the scene and found the northbound lane is blocked. One person was being put into Medic 32, and police told us he’s being taken to Harborview.
(Added: Photo e-mailed by Amelia)
Avoid the area for a while.
(File photo of the Christmas Ship, whose 2015 West Seattle stops are part of what you’ll find in the guide)
Just published – the first version of this year’s WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. Thanks to the many people who answered our call to send holiday info as early as possible, it already has dozens of listings for the season, pre-Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. We’ll be updating it frequently as usual, removing what’s already happened, adding new events and updates that come in. So browse the guide when you get a chance! (Many of the standalone events also appear in our regular year-round calendar, if you prefer that, and we also continue with daily highlight roundups here in the news section, so you’ll see reminders, but if you find it helpful to make note of dates early in the season, here you go.)
Back in April, West Seattleite Wayne Kinslow celebrated his 1,000th consecutive day of salt-water swimming, all but three off Alki. After 200 more days, he’s taking a break, starting today:
Thanks to Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Clay Eals for sharing his video from Wayne’s final day of the streak on Friday – he’s documented Wayne’s achievements on the SWSHS website (after all, it’s now part of West Seattle history!).
(Pigeon Guillemot, photographed by Mark Wangerin. P.S. Got your West Seattle Wildlife Calendar yet?)
The weather has calmed a bit – here’s some of what you can get out to check out, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
EXPLORER WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-11:30 am, go visit Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor), which “redefines the middle school experience by offering rigorous academics and a diverse range of enrichment programs in a small, vibrant learning environment.” More info here! (10015 28th SW)
DONATE TURKEYS: 10 am-noon, drop off donated turkeys at the White Center Food Bank between 2-4 pm. (10829 8th Ave SW)
‘SHOP SUPER LOCAL’ AT HPIC BAZAAR: Highland Park Improvement Club Holiday Bazaar, 10 am-3 pm, “shop super local”! (12th SW & SW Holden)
SHOREWOOD BAZAAR: 10 am-4 pm, Shorewood Elementary PTA‘s Holiday Bazaar, more than 65 artist vendors, book sale, bake sale, food trucks, more. (2725 SW 116th)
WSN OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-2 pm, West Seattle Nursery Holiday Open House, with the famous free espresso cart, classes, and more. Bring non-perishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank donation barrel. (California/Brandon)
LIBRARY BAZAAR: 11 am-3 pm, second and final day for White Center Library Guild‘s annual holiday bazaar and book sale. Details in our listing. (11220 16th SW)
METROPOLITAN MARKET THANKSGIVING TASTE: Noon to 3 pm at Metropolitan Market-Admiral (WSB sponsor), taste turkey and sides from the fully cooked holiday dinner that’s offered through the market’s deli. (42nd/Admiral)
HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S ANNUAL MEETING: 1:30-3 pm today is the annual meeting of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, all welcome, at the High Point Library (35th SW & SW Raymond). Guest speaker is County Councilmember Joe McDermott, who, as a former Underground Tour guide, is a lively storyteller. More info here. Because of the meeting, the Log House Museum is NOT open today. (35th SW & SW Raymond)
ROLE-PLAYING GAME DEMO: As always, lots on the calendar today for Meeples Games (WSB sponsor), including a 5 pm demo and game for the new RPG “The Strange.” (3737 California SW)
ART EXTRAVAGANZA: The Building‘s third annual Art Extravaganza, 5:30-10 pm. More than two dozen artists; more info here. (4316 SW Othello)
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS’ GALA: Fundraising dinner and auction at Alki Masonic Center, 6 pm, featuring swing dancing with the West Seattle Big Band. Details including ticket info here. (40th/Edmunds)
BENEFIT DINNER: Fundraising Italian dinner at Our Lady of Guadalupe for CYO Athletics participation. Doors open at 6, dinner at 6:30, details in our calendar listing. (35th/Myrtle)
‘THE DEAD GUY’: 7:30 pm, third performance of West Seattle High School Drama Club‘s student production, in the WSHS Theater. (3000 California SW)
MORE ON THE CALENDAR! One click away.
7:18 AM: Thanks to the person who just texted to share two alerts – first, the Delridge onramp to the eastbound bridge is flooded, they report, so if you’re headed that way, go slowly. Second, they saw city crews out working on the bridge – as SDOT first warned on Thursday, they’re out today replacing the cameras, and that’s expected to cause “rolling lane closures” until mid-afternoon.
7:37 AM: Now there’s word of a tree that’s fallen onto wires, blocking a road east of Lincoln Park, on Hemlock west of 45th:
A crew’s already on scene, according to the person who sent word with that photo. And that’s a reminder – if you encounter an emergency, road-blocking situation like this (tree, wires, debris), SDOT wants you to call its 24-hour hotline at 206-386-1218.
10:52 PM FRIDAY: Police are in the 8100 block of 16th SW right now investigating a stabbing. The victim is a man believed to be 35-40 years old, stabbed once in a back, being rushed to Harborview Medical Center right now. Not much other information available so far but the incident also might be linked to a report of a woman one block away, in the 8100 block of 15th SW, saying she was “maced.”
SATURDAY NIGHT NOTE: The incident is classified on the police-report map as an armed robbery at a residence. No narrative details are available, and at this point won’t be before Monday.
MONDAY AFTERNOON: Here’s our followup.
(Photo courtesy Jeanne Flohr)
9:40 PM: Just in from southwestern Washington, thanks to Mike Jensen – Seattle Lutheran High School has won its first game in the state 1B football tournament, beating Naselle 44-22. Though the official bracket‘s not filled in yet, the Saints’ opponent next week – location TBA – will be Neah Bay, which beat Clallam Bay tonight, 68-0.
ADDED SATURDAY MORNING: Kristen Okabayashi (SLHS mom and Hope Lutheran principal) reports, “JJ Young scored 4 touchdowns and passed to Isaiah Dowding-Albrecht for another, Brandon Lulow scored one more.”
Going back to September, we’ve been reporting on sporadic problems with discolored water around West Seattle. Usually, such problems are localized to a specific neighborhood that can trace them to a specific incident – water-line break, fire-hydrant use, etc. But in this case, the problems have been geographically scattered, and in most cases, Seattle Public Utilities says, related to two things: Routing changes in the water system while the Myrtle Reservoir was out of service for earthquake-resistance work, and activation of a wellfield to supplement supply during the recent dry months. Tonight, two weeks after the most-recent update, Ingrid Goodwin at SPU tells us neither of those situations is a factor any more:
Seattle’s water supply conditions have improved, which enabled SPU to completely turn off the wells on November 10. The wells may have been a secondary cause of the discoloration problems that residents were experiencing. Customers should expect that it will take a few weeks for the well water to circulate out of the system.
Myrtle Reservoir has been back in service since October 30 and water configuration operations have returned to normal.
SPU will continue to monitor the system and modify operations as needed to minimize stirring up sediment that can lead to temporary discoloration.
From November 3 through November 13, SPU received 39 customer calls indicating yellow, brown, or rust colored water in the general West Seattle and Georgetown/SODO area. We expect the number of customer calls to go down now that operations are returning to normal.
If you do see this problem at your residence, here’s the number SPU’s been asking customers to call: 206-386-1800.
(WSB photo from Election Night, Lisa Herbold & supporters viewing results. Little did they know they’d still be doing it 10 days later.)
Just in, this week’s last set of election results – and for the first time in the not-yet-settled City Council District 1 race (West Seattle/South Park), Lisa Herbold has taken the lead over Shannon Braddock, by 27 votes.
Lisa Herbold – 12,371 – 49.73%
Shannon Braddock – 12,344 – 49.62%
That’s a turnabout from the 18-vote lead Braddock held after the Thursday count. Today’s full results list shows 27,567 votes have been counted – that’s almost the entire number of “ready to count” votes listed by the county as of last night. At this point, a manual recount seems likely – here are the county’s rules and policies regarding recounts.
(WSB photo from last weekend, as wildlife rescuers capture an oiled Canada goose)
One week after a neighbor noticed oil contaminating a stormwater-retention pond in White Center, the state Ecology Department announced that a food company has taken responsibility. La Mexicana says it was transporting oil that accidentally spilled and will pay the costs of cleanup and wildlife rehabilitation; 51 birds have been captured for cleaning and treatment, says the state, and one had to be euthanized. Full details of the state’s announcement are on our partner site White Center Now.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 2:27 PM: After a lengthy downpour, reports of storm-related trouble are coming in. First one: The reader photo above shows 35th SW south of Barton, looking north at water over the road. It’s been raining so hard, some drains are bound to have become overwhelmed, especially with leaves still left to come off the trees – if you’re able, go check your nearest drains and make sure they’re clear.
2:37 PM: Per scanner, police are looking to block off traffic in the area as the water is at an unsafe level. We’re heading over to check. We’ve also received a report of a mudslide near Delridge and Orchard but we haven’t verified yet exactly where and how/whether it’s affecting traffic.
2:53 PM: Confirmed – police are blocking 35th SW both ways on the south side of the Barton intersection – only buses are being allowed through. The water’s so deep, it’s up over the sidewalk on the west side of 35th SW.
3:39 PM: We checked all sides of Delridge/Orchard, for a few blocks each way, and there’s no mudslide (or deep water) affecting traffic.
3:55 PM: Just checked back at 35th/Barton – open now.
Two West Seattle history notes:
DENNY PARTY LANDING ANNIVERSARY TODAY: On November 13th, 1851, as the marker at 63rd SW and Alki Ave SW (top photo) points out, the Denny Party landed here, the end of a journey that had started in Illinois. HistoryLink has the thumbnail version of the story. On the 150th anniversary of the arrival, The Seattle Times checked in with some of their descendants.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S ANNUAL MEETING TOMORROW: This gives us a reason to remind you that the annual meeting of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is tomorrow (Saturday), six days after the organization’s record-setting gala (WSB coverage here). All are welcome at tomorrow’s meeting, 1:30 pm-3 pm at the High Point Library (35th SW & SW Raymond), which will feature County Councilmember Joe McDermott, who, as a former Underground Tour guide, is a lively storyteller. More info here.
P.S. Because of the meeting, the Log House Museum will NOT be open tomorrow. Otherwise, you can visit noon-4 pm Sunday (and subsequent weeks, the usual Thursdays-Sundays).
Rare chance to tell you way in advance when and why helicopters are expected in the area. The Port of Seattle just announced that multiple agencies also including Seattle Fire, King County, and Snohomish County “will be conducting a joint exercise involving multiple helicopters for emergency preparedness training” on Monday at Terminal 5. This exercise, the announcement says, “will give the participants better training for rescue situations such as those that took place after the Oso mudslide in 2014.” The helicopter activity, “moving heavy loads of equipment and personnel,” is expected to last from 11 am to noon on Monday (November 16th).
Almost two weeks after the last Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection closures, the results are in. From this WSDOT webpage summarizing years of inspection results:
Survey crews detect between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of additional settlement between University Street and south of Seneca Street since the last inspection. The settlement is uniform in nature. Inspectors also note some additional cracking on columns and girders in the same general area, along with up to 1/2 millimeter widening of a few existing cracks. No additional repair work is necessary.
We know what you’re going to ask – here’s how WSDOT answers it: “It’s important to note that not all settlement is significant. In the case of the viaduct, no single number represents an acceptable level of settlement.” Bottom line, WSDOT says: “The viaduct remains vulnerable to earthquakes but remains safe for everyday use.” (In case you missed it, here’s the latest tunnel-machine update, published here Thursday.)
Congratulations and good luck to another West Seattle High School student athlete – senior Gabby Carufel “will be competing at the WIAA 3A State Swimming Championships this weekend [starting at 2 pm today]. At Metros, she got 3rd in the 100 back with a time of 58.76 and 4th in the 200 IM with a time of 2:14.55, both State qualifying times! Last weekend she took first at Districts in the 100 back.” (Thanks to Gabby’s proud mom Danette Carufel for the report and the photo.)
If you live in east West Seattle, that unfamiliar person who looks to be checking out your residence might just be a King County Assessor’s Office appraiser doing her/his job. This announcement explains:
The Assessor’s Office annually values over 700,000 properties in King County, and physically inspects 1/6th of all properties.
Starting this fall and continuing into Spring of 2016, appraisers from the Assessor’s Office will be conducting physical inspections of properties (existing residences, residences under construction and vacant parcels) in East West Seattle, Georgetown, South Park. Appraisers generally conducts physical inspection from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM four days per week, Monday thru Thursday and are identifiable by their County ID badges.
This annual process allows appraisers to verify and update any property characteristic changes that might have occurred since the last physical inspection. For information on your property, please visit the Assessor’s eReal Property Search at www.kingcounty.gov/assessor
(Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Danny McMillin, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, some of what’s up for the rest of your Friday:
HOLIDAY BAZAAR & BOOK SALE: 11 am-4 pm, it’s the first day of the White Center Library Guild Holiday Bazaar and Book Sale. Bargains, kids’ activities, more. (11220 16th SW)
HELP THE HELPLINE: West Seattle Helpline‘s annual benefit dinner/auction “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” starts at 6 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. No last-minute tickets available that we’ve heard, but if you have yours, this is your reminder to be there! (9131 California SW)
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY PTA MOVIE NIGHT: From Highland Park Elementary PTA president Holly Briscoe: “We will be showing ‘Inside Out.’ The movie is free of charge. Doors open at 6 pm, show at 6:30. There will be popcorn and baked goods for sale, and a raffle prize as well. All are welcome!” (1012 SW Trenton)
FRIDAY NIGHT SKATING: Roll on at Alki Community Center! 6:30-8:30 pm, details here. (5817 SW Stevens)
MICHAEL ASHE, LIVE: Singer-songwriter performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘4 COMEDIES’: 7:30 pm, Seattle Lutheran High School student production of four short comedies including “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse.” Details in our calendar listing. (4100 SW Genesee)
‘THE DEAD GUY’: 7:30 pm, second performance of West Seattle High School Drama Club‘s student production, in the WSHS Theater. (3000 California SW)
WRITERS READ @ YOUNGSTOWN: 7:30 pm, “Come hear a reading of new work by Young Adult Novelist Karen Finneyfrock and poet Roberto Ascalon, both residents of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Karen will read from her work-in-progress ‘The Year We Ruined the House’.” Free. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
Can you help? The program is based in our area:
Volunteer Homework Tutors Needed!
Salvation Army – Hickman House is a transitional housing program for families who are homeless due to domestic violence. The volunteer tutor will help with the “Homework Club” which meets weekday afternoons for 1.5 hours. This program is for students in kindergarten through high school to complete homework assignments and strengthen reading and math skills. Tutors provide constructive feedback and encouragement, and inspire students to be life-long learners.
Schedule: We ask tutors to volunteer on a Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon or evening. We are looking for a commitment of at least 6 months.
Qualifications:
– Experience with youth as a teacher, tutor, babysitter, volunteer or family member
– Empathy, patience, a friendly demeanor, and good communication skills, especially active listening
– Eligible candidates will be over 18 years old and must pass a criminal background check and complete a child safety training
Contact: Leah, Children’s Program Coordinator: 206-932-5341 or leah.knopf@usw.salvationarmy.org
(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7 AM: Windy and wet out there, as forecast. No major incidents on area roads, though. If you passed through Morgan Junction the past half-hour or so and noticed a big police presence near California/Holly, we’ve just found out what that was about – a traffic stop for a car resembling one linked to a potentially armed suspect in a possible domestic-violence situation; all over now, but after several tips (thank you!) we did find one officer still in the area to ask.
7:12 AM: The I-5/West Seattle Bridge interchange has multiple problems right now, reported in both northbound and southbound directions. Not entirely clear exactly how the eastbound bridge offramps are affected as a result, but just know things are a bit of a tangle.
7:16 AM: Some happy commute news – the ferry from Vashon to Fauntleroy just passed some orcas headed southbound, according to Mary. Too murky out there to see them from a distance right now.
7:35 AM: Speaking of the weather, the “wind advisory” alert was shortened overnight, and is now set to expire at 10 am – six hours earlier than the original alert. So things should calm down before too long.
SATURDAY TRAFFIC-ALERT REMINDER: SDOT will have crews out replacing traffic cameras on the bridge, so you might find rolling lane closures – here’s the alert we published Thursday.
9:28 AM: Emergency responders are checking out a reported spinout on the Delridge offramp from the westbound bridge.
9:49 AM: Some tense moments related to that situation (related to initial, eventually unfounded reports thinking gunshots were heard) but it’s now resolved; the person in the car is getting checked out, and – we can see from below the ramp – a tow truck is on scene to clear the vehicle, which came to a stop facing the wrong way:
9:55 AM: And as pointed out in comments, the wind advisory has now been re-extended, until 3 pm.
NOON: Car fire at Olson/Myers is causing some slowing at the east end of the Roxbury corridor, per tipster on our text/voice hotline, 206-293-6302 (thanks!).
This is a big time of year for many high-school seniors – decisions about college. For three West Seattle High School seniors, that brought a ceremony on Thursday afternoon:
Three star student-athletes at WSHS gathered with their coaches, family, and friends for a “Signing Day” event. From left above are Lydia Giomi, who’ll play basketball at the University of Oregon, with Coach Sonya Elliott; Morgan McCullough, who’ll play baseball at Oregon, with Coach Velko Vitalich; and Gabby Wenn, who’ll play softball at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, with Coach Trevor Leopold, who’s also WSHS’s athletic director. It was a big photo-op moment for proud parents and other supporters:
Each coach offered words of tribute.
(WSB photo from last February)
Of Giomi, who was on Coach Elliott’s state-tournament team last school year (after which the coach left WSHS): How much she meant to her teammates each year, and how she thanked the coach after each practice.
(Photo by Caryn Johnson, from last April)
Of McCullough, who was on the USA Baseball 18U national team that won a world title in September, Coach Vitalich said he was proud of that and amazed by how many schools called to ask about him.
(WSB photo from last May)
Of Wenn, a member of Coach Leopold’s state-tournament team last spring, he noted how much her pitching intimidated other teams, and recalled her perfect game. (At Villanova, as at WSHS, she’ll be a Wildcat.)
These three have one last high-school season ahead – so you’ll hear more about them in the months to come.
Over the course of tonight’s West Seattle open house for the city’s Comprehensive Plan update process – aka “Seattle 2035” – about sixty people stopped by, according to city reps. That leaves about 99,940 West Seattleites who didn’t. Maybe you’ve already commented on how you think the city should shape growth over the next 20 years. If you haven’t, you still have time – until November 20th, one week from tomorrow. Here’s what you’ll want to look at first:
*Open-house presentation slide deck
*Online illustrated doc explaining the process
*Overview document including the four options the city is suggesting for how growth could happen – scroll all the way to the end to review “Alternative 1: Continue Current Trends,” “Alternative 2: Guide growth to Urban Centers” (The Junction is our area’s Urban Center), “Alternative 3: Guide growth to Urban Villages near Light Rail,” and “Alternative 4: Guide growth to Urban Villages near Transit.”
*The full 394-page document is here
Last but not least, here’s how to comment.
At right is a state photo of 48-year-old Benjamin Laigo III, taken three days before his release from Coyote Ridge Corrections Center in southeastern Washington two and a half weeks ago. Today, county prosecutors charged him with first-degree robbery and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. They say he held up a West Seattle woman at 37th and Alaska (as reported here on Sunday, after her husband e-mailed us about the crime) and then took off in a stolen car, with police pursuing before long, until he crashed the car on Airport Way.
As reported here on Tuesday, Laigo has a lengthy record. He went to prison in 2006, sentenced to 14 years in connection with multiple robberies, including a holdup on Valentine’s Day 2006 at the Wells Fargo Bank in The Admiral District. Documents from the sentencing that year say he made off with more than $11,000. The 2006 robberies followed his release from prison – how closely, we don’t know – after 10 years in prison for five robbery convictions in 1996. Prosecutors say that because of those cases, this one will be his “third strike” if convicted, and that’s why they asked the judge to set bail at half a million dollars. A deputy prosecutor wrote in today’s documents, “The defendant’s criminal history is horrendous and shows a 20-year pattern of violent offenses following long periods of incarceration.” The charging papers say the woman Laigo is accused of robbing in West Seattle was knocked to the ground and was bleeding from her head and hands when people rushed to help her after he stole her purse and took off. Witnesses told police they saw the robber holding a black handgun.
The white Fiat witnesses say they saw the robber jump into was spotted on the eastbound bridge by an SPD officer who followed it onto northbound I-5, waiting for backup before activating lights and sirens. The car checked as having been stolen in an armed carjacking on lower Queen Anne Hill the night before. Officers started trying to stop it when the car exited at James Street downtown; they say it was being driven erratically for a few blocks before getting back onto I-5, southbound this time, going up to 75 mph in light rain, traveling about three miles until getting off the freeway at Airport Way, and eventually going the wrong way onto a ramp to get back onto I-5, stopping after crashing into another car whose driver was hurt, as was Laigo, who police say they found alone in the Fiat. He had his Department of Corrections ID card on him in the car. Retracing the path of the pursuit, police found the West Seattle robbery victim’s purse near 5th and Lander.
Laigo is not charged yet in connection with the carjacking. Its victim told police that the man who robbed her pointed a black handgun at her and said, “I need your car, look normal, no one will help me.” He took her keys and asked her how to use the key remote, but warned her not to look at him. Laigo is due back in court for arraignment – to answer the charges – the day before Thanksgiving.
P.S. We wondered while writing the previous story about the “time off for good behavior” law that apparently is what enabled Laigo to serve roughly two-thirds of his previous terms for multiple robberies. We found details of the policy here.
West Seattle has no state-licensed marijuana stores yet, but when it does, these new rules might govern where they can go. Here’s the announcement today from the mayor’s office:
Mayor Ed Murray today proposed new rules to accommodate the expected increased number of state licensed retail marijuana stores in Seattle. The proposal would adjust land use rules to allow the siting of state-licensed stores more equitably and fairly throughout Seattle while also limiting the possibility of clustering retail stores on a single city block.
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